The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 149
Prophethood in Islam 149 of time, the holy teaching of the faith is covered with the dust of wrong thinking and the pure countenance of truth becomes hidden, then reformers, Muḥaddathin and spiritual successors appear to reveal the true and beautiful countenance of the faith. . We do not know whence our poor critic has learnt that reformers and spiritual successors arrive for the purpose of adding to or abrogating the faith. Their purpose is not to abrogate but to display the light and brilliance of the faith. The conception of the critic that there is no such need reveals that he does not have much regard for the faith. He has never reflected on what Islām is, what its progress signifies, how its real progress can be achieved, and who can be considered a true Muslim. That is why he considers it enough that the Holy Qur'an being available, and there being a plethora of divines, the hearts of most people are automatically drawn to Islām and no reformer is needed. He does not appreciate the fact that reformers and spiritual successors are needed among the. Muslims, in the same way as Prophets are needed among other people. It cannot be denied that Moses (peace be upon him) was a Prophet and a Messenger and that the. Torah was a complete code for the children of Israel; and just as the Holy Qur'an contains the verse 118TAT so does the Torah contain verses to the effect that the children of Israel have been given a perfect and glorious. Book. The Holy Qur'ān also describes the Torah as such. . Yet hundreds of Prophets appeared among the children of Israel after the Torah, who brought no new book and whose function was to pull people who had departed 118 Ibid.