The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 155
Prophethood in Islam 155 not dispense with <mark>the</mark> need of safeguarding it. For instance, if a person builds a house, sets all its rooms in order and fills all <mark>the</mark> needs relating to its structure, and, after a long time, dust settles on it in because of rains and dust storms, and its beauty is covered up; if, at such a time, a person who inherits this house wishes to undertake its cleaning and whitewashing, would this not be <mark>the</mark> height of folly to stop him from doing so for <mark>the</mark> reason that <mark>the</mark> house had been completed long ago? <mark>The</mark>se people do not reflect that <mark>the</mark> completion of a structure is one thing and its seasonal cleaning is quite ano<mark>the</mark>r. It should be remembered that reformers do not add anything to or subtract anything from <mark>the</mark> faith. <mark>The</mark>y restore to <mark>the</mark> hearts that which had been lost. To assert that it is not necessary to believe in reformers is disobedience of a. Divine command. He has directed: ومَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الفَسِقُوْنَ 125 'Whoever rejects <mark>the</mark> Khulafa', after <mark>the</mark>y have been sent, is indeed from amongst <mark>the</mark> sinners. ". To summarise, it was necessary that after <mark>the</mark> death of <mark>the</mark>. Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reformers should have appeared among <mark>the</mark> Muslims at times of disorder and trials, who should have been entrusted with one of <mark>the</mark> functions of <mark>the</mark> Prophets, namely that <mark>the</mark>y should call men to <mark>the</mark> true faith and remove all innovations and exhibit <mark>the</mark> truth of <mark>the</mark> faith from every point of view with <mark>the</mark> help of heavenly light and invite people to truth, love and piety by <mark>the</mark> force of <mark>the</mark>ir example. <mark>The</mark> reasons for this are:. Firstly, reason affirms that matters relating to God and 125 Al-Nur, 24:56 [Publisher]