The Prophets of God came for the guidance of humankind; to save it from shirk, and to take them out of darkness into light.
God, the All Wise, All Knowing, All Merciful and Just, created this Universe in order to test and examine His obedient slaves and reward them, and to punish the disobedient. He says:
We did not create the heavens and the earth and that between them in play. We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know. (Ad-Dukhan 44:38-39)
God also made clear the main goal for the creation of mankind saying:
I did not create the Jinn and Mankind except for My worship. (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
Allah, the Exalted, did not leave His slaves to rely upon their intellect and inclination to guide them to the correct way; rather He sent them Messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners. He sent the revealed Books with them to be a reference in those matters wherein they disagreed, so that no excuse would remain for the people and the proof would be established against them. Thus, after sending the Messengers, there would be no further excuse for people before Allah.
Indeed, their mission covered every good and banished every evil. They brought to humankind everything needed for their wellbeing and happiness in this world and the Hereafter. There is nothing good, which they did not inform the people about and nothing evil that they did not warn the people against.
‘Abdullah bin `Amr ibn Al-`Aas (may God be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There was never a Prophet before me except that it was a duty upon him that he should guide his nation to every good that he knew and warn them against every evil that he knew…” (Muslim)
Indeed, calling to God was the mission of the Messengers in order to bring the people out from darkness into light. There are many basic principles upon which their calls were based, which were the starting point for calling to God. These fundamental principles are:
1. Tawheed (monotheism)
2. Prophethood
3. The Hereafter
Every book revealed by Allah gave great importance to these points. The most important and sublime of these three principles and the most fundamental of them all is Tawheed (Oneness) of God.
Allah says:
And We certainly sent into every nation a Messenger, (saying): ‘Worship Allah and shun Taghut (all false objects of worship).’ (An-Nahl 16:36)
God has informed us about some of the Prophets (peace be upon them) and how they faced their people. We see that all of them proceeded upon the universal way laid down by God and followed the methodology He established for all of them. Not a single one of them is at variance with it:
And We had certainly sent Noah to his people, (saying): ‘Indeed, I am to you a clear warner, that you not worship except Allah. Indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a painful Day.’ (Hud 11:25-26)
The noblest of all Prophets and the last of them, Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah (who was sent with the greatest, most complete and comprehensive message), began with what all the Prophets started their Da`wah (call) – calling to the `aqeedah (creed) of Tawheed (Oneness of God), and calling for all worship to be made purely and sincerely for God alone. Allah’s Messenger started with the principle: ‘Witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah.’
Say, (O Muhammad): ‘O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allaah to you all, (from him) to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no deity except Him; He gives life and causes death.’ So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him that you may be guided. (Al-A`raf 7:158)
The verses in this regard are many, what we quote here is just one example. With regard to the Sunnah (traditions and approved actions of Prophet Muhammad), there are many clear indications that Allah’s Messenger began his call to Islam with Tawheed.
1. `Amr ibn `Abasa Sulami said: “During the times of ignorance … I heard of a man in Makkah who received revelation. So I set upon my riding beast and came to him. At that time he was in hiding, due to the oppression of his people. So I behaved in a way that enabled me to gain access to him in Makkah. I said to him: “Who are you?” He replied: “I am a Prophet.’ So I said: ‘And what is a Prophet?’ He said: ‘Allah has sent me as a Messenger.’ So I said: ‘And what is it that He has sent you with?’ He said: ‘I have been sent to order the joining of ties of relationship, to break the idols, so that Allah is worshipped Alone and nothing at all is associated in worship along with Him.” (Muslim)
2. At the time of the peace of Hudaybiyah Hiraql (Heraclius) asked Abu Sufyan some questions about Allah’s Messenger, among which he asked: “What does he (Muhammad) command you?” Abu Sufyan replied: “He says: ‘Worship Allah Alone and do not worship anything else along with Him, and abandon what your fathers say. He also orders prayers, charity, and the joining of the ties of relationship.'” (Al-Bukhari)
Consequently, the Prophets did not come to bring about the downfall of one state to replace it with another. They did not seek sovereignty, nor did they organize political parties for this reason. Rather, they came for the guidance of humankind, to save it from misguidance and shirk (polytheism), and to take them out of darkness into light.
In this regard Prophet Muhammad gave an example about himself. He said:
“The similitude of me and the message with which Allah has sent me, is like a man who came to some people and said: ‘I have seen the enemy forces with my own eyes and I am a mere warner (to you). So, save yourselves, save yourselves!’ A group of his people obeyed him and went out at night, slowly and steadily and was safe; while another group belied him and stayed in their place until the morning when the army destroyed them. Such is the similitude of those who obey me and follow what I have brought (i.e., Message) and of those who disobey me and belie the Truth which I have brought.” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others)
The message of the Messengers, by the Mercy of God, revives and enlightens the believer’s soul. This enlightenment is the revelation of Allah, which leads mankind from the darkness of polytheism and ignorance to the light of truth and Islam:
Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into the light. (Al-Baqarah 2:257)
The Messenger and the Message are evidence against the disbelievers.
Allah sent His Messengers and His Books so that there can be no excuse for mankind on the Day of Judgment. The Qur’an says:
(We sent) Messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after Messengers. (An-Nisaa’ 4:165)
The message of God deals with the rights of Allah on His bondsmen, the rights of man on His Creator, The Oneness of Allah and its influence on the creation, knowledge, admonition, the wisdom behind the creation, righteousness, mutual interactions, refutation of incorrect beliefs and deviations, lawful and unlawful, migration and Jihad. In totality, it is the complete code for righteous living, which results in delight, pleasure and harmony in this life and the Hereafter.
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Source: Islamweb.net