|
Notis: Det följande är en reproduktion av artiklen
"Criteria for God’s Messengers."
In the name of God , Most Gracious, Most Merciful
The purpose of this article is to examine God’s criteria, as
spelled out in the Quran, so that a believer may separate between God’s
authorized messengers and messengers sent by other than God.
God’s Greatest Gift
God’s greatest gift is freedom (2:256, 33:72) – freedom to
choose or reject His religion based on our free will. An important
component of freedom is logic, which is defined as the science of correct
reasoning. Reason is defined as the ability to think, form judgments
and draw conclusions. By far, the most logical book that exists is the
Quran. Based on the commandment in verse 17:36, not to accept anything
unless verified, the religion of Submission is the most logical
religion.
Satan
As worshippers of God alone, we know that Satan is our most
ardent enemy (2:168, 7:17). Satan’s primary targets are those who have
submitted to God alone and who uphold the Quran as the only source for
religious law (6:114). Satan is interested primarily and above all on
those who still uphold the purified message (2:151, 3:81, 3:164, 5:19,
98:2), brought forth by His messenger of the covenant, which is
based on the Quran alone.
God’s System
God’s system never changes. God’s system dictates that, we,
should be provided both God’s as well as Satan’s messages all the time.
In conferences, in Quranic studies and other gatherings Satan is allowed
to impart his message. The believers always reject Satan’s messages
(6:112). We have belief in God and we have belief that Satan exists.
Belief in God dictates that we believe God and reject Satan’s messages.
God’s messages are within the confines of the Quran, while Satan’s
messages are outside the confines of the Quran.
Messenger and Prophet
[3:81] GOD took a covenant from the prophets, saying,
"I will give you the scripture and wisdom. Afterwards, a messenger
will come to confirm all existing scriptures. You shall believe in him
and support him." He said, "Do you agree with this, and pledge to
fulfill this covenant?" They said, "We agree." He said, "You have
thus borne witness, and I bear witness along with you."
God willed that the difference between a messenger and a
prophet remain unknown till the advent of the His messenger of the
covenant as prophesied in 3:81. We now know that prophet Muhammad was the
last prophet, but not the last messenger.
Together with sending His messenger of the Covenant, God
willed that a floodgate be opened for Satan to send his
messengers. Ever since Dr. Rashad Khalifa announced his messengership in
1988, an average o more than one person per year has claimed
messengership appealing to the submitters to accept
his/her messengership. These “messengers” speak the language of the
messengers and use the buzzwords – God alone and Quran alone – similar
to a hypocrite who speaks the language of a believer. A prudent
and careful examination of these messenger-claimants will make it
obvious that they do not meet some very basic Quranic criteria, which
set apart God’s messengers from Satan’s messengers.
In the 1988 conference one such person declared herself a
messenger. In the 1989 conference Dr. Rashad Khalifa who personally
used to introduce every participant in the conference introduced a
participant as “Satan’s messenger” as this person claimed to be a
messenger. Between 1990 to 1995, there have been two or three
claimants. In 1996 there were five such claimants. There was one claimant
in 1997 and an another one in 1998. The average of one
or more "messenger" per year continues to this day.
Quranic Criteria for God’s
Messengers
God in his immense mercy has spelled out the criteria in the
Quran, so that the believers may recognize His messengers as well as
reject false messengers who fail to meet the simple criteria. As believers
we know that a person is either a messenger from God or he/she is not a
messenger from God. In the latter case such claimants qualify as
messengers of Satan.
[6:34] Messengers before you have been rejected, and
they steadfastly persevered in the face of rejection. They were
persecuted until our victory came to them. Such is GOD's system that
will never change. The history of My messengers thus sets the
precedents for you.
The history of God’s messengers thus sets precedence for any
future messenger/s.
1. ADVOCATE GOD ALONE
God’s messenger will advocate worship of God alone and will
abolish all forms of idolatry (7:59-92).
2. NEVER ASKS FOR WAGES
God’s messenger never asks for wages for himself.
3. QURAN ALONE
Logic dictates that a messenger of God will uphold the Quran
alone for religious law (6:114) and not sanction religious regulations,
which are not authorized in the Quran.
All the messenger claimants since Dr. Rashad Khalifa
announced his messengership in 1988 claim to be within the confines of
the above three criteria, but stand exposed as false messengers when it
comes to the following additional criteria as spelled out in God’s
words in the Quran.
4. PROOF OF AUTHENTICITY
God’s messenger is given divine, clear, incontrovertible
proof of his messengership. All of God’s messengers were supported with
proof by God’s leave (7:101, for additional information on
messenger and proofs see our Internet page .
Moses staff turned into a serpent by God’s leave. Jesus
healed the leprous and revived the dead by God’s leave. Saaleh’s proof
was the camel. Abraham walked out of a fire by God’s leave. God
informs us that Muhammad’s miracle was the Quran (29:50-51). God spells
out the proof reserved for His messenger of the covenant as The Proof
(38:1).
I - Separation of The Proof and the Quran
In the following verses, God separates the Quran and
The Proof.
[36:69] What we taught him (the messenger) was
not poetry,
nor is he (a poet). This is but a formidable proof,
and a profound Quran.
[38:1] S. (Saad), and the Quran that contains the
proof.
[41:41] Those who have rejected the Quran's proof
when it came to them,
have also rejected an Honorable book.
II – We know that The Proof was given to Dr. Rashad
Khalifa as his proof of authenticity as God’s messenger. By
God’s leave he presented The Proof based on number nineteen (74:30)
to the world. God calls this proof as “one of the great miracles”
in verses 74:35.
III – Proofs compared to The Proof.
The Quran mentions several proofs. However, clear
distinction is made between the Quran and its Proof (38:1);
proofs provided to previous messengers (7:101) and God’s
proofs/signs all around us (2:164, 10:6).
IV – The Proof has been delivered.
The proof (38:1, 74:30-35) has been delivered. God
chose to deliver it to us through His messenger of the covenant.
God has blessed quite a few individuals and continues to
bless individuals with components of this Proof or components of
the mathematical structure of the Quran based on the number 19.
Those who claim to be messengers and provide “proofs”
based on number 19 reflect their blindness and lack of
understanding of the Quran by not knowing that The proof has already
been delivered. Those who claim to have mathematical patterns
other than number nineteen (74:30); the obvious question to them
is “Where is the reference to your proof in the
Quran?”
5. THE PROOF WILL HAVE REFERENCE IN THE QURAN.
Logic dictates that since the Quran is God’s final scripture
and His final words to humanity there should be reference to any future
messenger. His proof of authenticity should also be referenced in the
Quran. Indeed it was the case with God’s messenger of the covenant.
Indeed the history God’s messengers set precedents for us.
6. CLEAR PROOFS
The Proof provided to the messenger of the covenant is
clear, easily understood and can be explained to any person by any
sincere person with easy Quranic references. The Quran repeats in various
verses clear proofs given to messengers (7:101).
7. MISSION SPELLED OUT IN THE QURAN
The Quran clearly spelled out the mission of the messenger
after the prophets (3:81). The messenger will confirm existing
scriptures. Additional duties and mission are spelled out in verses 5:19,
9:33, Sura 98, etc. Logic, common sense and the precedent established
by God (6:34) dictates that any future messenger will have his duties
clearly spelled out in the Quran.
8. PROPHECY AND PROPHECIES
God’s messenger of the covenant, Rashad Khalifa fulfilled
the Quran prophecy in 3:81 – after all the prophets a messenger will
come for a specific mission. Other concurrent prophecies, such as in
verses 54:1-5 have also been fulfilled. Reason and logic dictate that
any future messenger will be able to point from the Quran specific
fulfillment of a Quranic prophecy.
9. THE MESSENGER’S LANGUAGE
[14:4] We did not send any messenger except (to preach)
in the tongue of his people, in order to clarify things for them.
GOD then sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills.
He is the Almighty, the Most Wise.
SUMMARY
Dr. Rashad Khalifa, God’s messenger of the covenant,
announced his messengership in his newsletter “Muslim Perspective” in
the May 1988 issue. The entire issue was devoted to the announcement under
the title, “God insists.” The issue that contained the announcement
provided the opportunity for any sincere believer to examine and verify
per God’s commandment in verse 17:36, the claim of
messengership. Almost all the criteria listed above were covered in
that announcement.
The message of the messenger after the prophets (3:81), the
proof produced by God’s leave and the references in the Quran are
overwhelming. God’s signs are always overwhelming and never
subtle. Together with the simple and powerful message of worshiping God
alone, Rashad Khalifa corrected all religious practices of the religion
of Submission based on the Quran. The purified Quran, without the
two false verses was presented to humanity for the first time. The
reference to the messenger pervades the Quran (3:81, 5:19, 36:3, 81:19,
44:13, 98:1-3). The reference to the proof are all over the Quran
(38:1, 36:69, 74:30-35, 27:82, 98:1-8,10:1, etc.)
“Open Challenge to the Disbelievers: Give me One Good
Reason” was the challenge by Dr. Rashad Khalifa in “Muslim
Perspective” in the February 1989 issue. No mullah, religious leader,
scholar or anyone could come up with one reason based on the Quran as
to why Rashad Khalifa was not a messenger of God. Not one.
We have come a long way when “messengers” after Rashad
Khalifa, who claim to be messengers of God, cannot even come up with
one reason based on the Quran as to why they are messengers of God
other than using the buzz words mentioned above! Not one.
Praise be to God, Lord of the Universe
|