Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
17. Manifestation of Prophethood in the Present Day and Age
~ 420 ~
in the ancient world was generally based on a
polytheistic foundation. Nimrod, like other
monarchs of his day, was a figurehead of this
system. He was meant to be an incarnation of the
sun god, endowed with a supernatural right to rule
over others. No modern ruler would base his rule
on such a claim. Now it is popular support, not
supernatural strength, which entitles a person to
govern. That is why the pure message of
tawhid
(monotheism) would present no challenge to any
ruler
nowadays.
For
Nimrod
and
his
contemporaries, on the other hand, it amounted to a
cutting off of the very source of their power.
At the very outset of their missions, ancient
prophets used to come up against the active
resistance of the custodians of power. The
preaching of the prophets was anathema to them
for it directly contradicted the divine powers they
claimed for themselves. The denial of these meant
an end to their right to rule. The only way that
anyone could be elevated to kingship in those days
was by making himself out to be an offspring or
incarnation of God. Any individual who introduced
the teachings of monotheism to such a society,
