Muhammad The Great Exemplar — Page 31
31 than a burden. In their eyes it was a great mercy [of God]. THE FOURTH TASK OF A PROPHET The fourth task of a prophet is to purify people. That is, to cleanse their hearts and instil in them the requisite qualities to achieve lasting nearness to God Almighty, through which they can absorb divine blessings and exhibit them before the world and become a manifestation of God’s power. And with regard to the Holy Prophet sa , both his friends and foes acknowledged the perfect manner in which he fulfilled this task. The plight of the land of his birth and the condition of the people to whom he belonged is hidden from none. It was a desolate time. Arabia and the rest of the world were in a state of religious, moral, intellectual and behavioural decay. A darkness had descended over the earth. The pure teachings of earlier faiths were corrupted and that which remained went unfollowed. What can be said of religious values when even basic humanity did not survive and integrity and virtue had all but disappeared. Idolatry, innovation, wicked customs, violation of human rights, sinfulness, injustice, murder, shamelessness, ignorance, slothfulness, discord, insobriety, gambling, arrogance, selfishness and indeed all forms of iniquity prevailed everywhere, while in comparison, virtue was extinct. All sense of right and