would ask: “Who among you will help me so
that I may convey the message of God to
people, because the Quraysh are stopping me
from conveying to people the message of
God?”’
8
The Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon
him, was undoubtedly the messenger of
God to the whole of humanity. But he lived in
this world for a limited period of time and
now the question arises as to how, after
theProphet’s death, the prophetic responsibility
had to be discharged. In his lifetime the
Prophet performed this duty directly.After he
had gone, this mission had to be carried
forward indirectlybyhis followers, theMuslim
ummah
. It is incumbent upon the Prophet’s
followers to carry out this mission from one
generation to the next and, in presenting the
message of Islam to people of every age and
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