The Essence of Islam – Volume I — Page 293
The Holy Prophetsa 293 able to prove its innocence. Observe how forcefully God. Almighty speaks of the vices of the people of the Book and describes the death of the whole world. He says: ولَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَبَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَسِقُونَه اِعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْيِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا، قَد بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْأيْتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ 0 179 (Surah al-Hadid, Part Number: 27, Rukū` 18). This means that: The believers should not behave like the people of the Book who were given the Book before them and a long time passed and their hearts were hardened and most of them became disobedient and vicious. . Remember that the earth had died and that God is now reviving it. These are signs of the need and truth of the. Holy Qur'ān which are being explained to you so that you might understand. . Now you will realize that we have not put forward this argument from our own mind, but that it is the Qur'ān that puts it forward and after setting forth both parts of the argument, it says that: قد بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْأَيْتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ 180. These are Signs in support of the truth of the Holy. Prophet [peace and blessings of Allāh be on him] and the. Holy Qur'ān which have been set forth so that you might reflect and arrive at the reality. . The second part of this argument is that the Holy Prophet [peace and blessings of Allāh be on him] was called back from the world to his Lord at a time when he had completed his task fully and this is also clearly set forth in the 179 al-Hadid, 57:17-18 [Publisher] 180 al-Hadid, 57:18 [Publisher]