The requirement of a new prophet
T
HEN WE
HAVE
another example which pertains to those who
claim that since circumstances have changed in the 20
th
century,
we are in need of a new prophet. By advancing this theory they
claimed that their leader was the Prophet of the New age.
This whole matter is based on a fallacy, the reason being
that a new prophet is not sent to the world because of the
changed situation. The changed situation only establishes the
need of
ijtihaad
, rather than the need for a new prophet.
Whenever any prophet is sent to the world, it is only for one of
two reasons. Firstly, no prophet has been sent to that region
and, therefore, due to the absence of prophetic guidance, a
prophet has to be sent. Secondly, the teachings of the previous
prophets having been subjected to human interpolation, the
authentic source of divine religion is not available to man.
In present times neither of the above-mentioned conditions is
valid, considering that a final prophet came in the form of
Mohammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib, who was God’s
prophet for all time for the entire world, and the teachings of this
prophet have been fully preserved. Therefore, there is no need for
any other prophet.
There is no doubt about it that circumstances have changed.
But what is actually required is that, by the exercise of
ijtihaad,
we must present the teachings of the final prophet of Islam in a
manner which is fully understandable to the modern mind, so
that people may find his teachings as relevant in the modern
world as they were in the past. The change in circumstances
only proves the necessity for new
ijtihaad
, rather than the coming
of a new prophet.
