Basics of Religious Education — Page 8
8 8 8 8 8 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION A prophet is a person chosen by Allah for the reformation and guidance of mankind. The Holy Qur’an uses two Arabic words for a prophet: Rasool and Nabi. The term Rasool means a ‘messenger’ and the term Nabi means one who gives news of events unknown to people. According to the Holy Qur’an, all prophets are messengers and all messengers are prophets. Islam makes it compulsory for every Muslim to believe not just in the truth of the Prophet Muhammad sa , but also to believe in the truth of all the other prophets in the world that came before him. This concept needs further explanation. Let us take the example of Jesus Christ as. We must believe in the truth of Jesus Christ as as a prophet (human being), as described by the Qur’an. But in no case are we supposed to believe in the Christian image of Jesus Christ as as God, because that is not the truth according to Islam. Our lives have a limited time span in this world. Every one of us has to die one day or the other. But on the last Day, we will all be raised again by Allah and will be given a new life, which would, in reality, be a com- plete reflection of this life. The Promised Messiah as writes on the subject as follows: The Qur’an sets forth the principle that every human ac- tion leaves its hidden impress upon its author and attracts an appropriate divine reaction which preserves the evil or the virtue of that action. Its impress is inscribed on the heart and face and eyes and ears and hands and feet of its performer. This is the hidden record which will become manifest in the Hereafter. (The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, p. 92, UK edition, 1996) Then, in the Hereafter, Allah will reward those of us who had been doing good deeds as directed by Allah and the prophets. They will be wel- comed into Heaven, or Paradise, where they will live forever in comfort and peace. In addition, Allah will be very happy with them. These will really be very fortunate people. Others, who had been doing evil deeds, against the directions of Allah and his prophets, will be punished in Hell. They will remain there until they Belief in the Last Day — The Day of Resurrection I I I I I S L A M S L A M S L A M S L A M S L A M — S — S — S — S — S ET ET ET ET ET O F O F O F O F O F B B B B B ELIEFS ELIEFS ELIEFS ELIEFS ELIEFS 1. 2 1. 2 1. 2 1. 2 1. 2 Belief in the Prophets of Allah