350. The three types of divine messages.
This verse (42:51) says the Almighty would reach people in three ways.
1) Through divine messages.
2) By speaking from behind a barrier.
3) By reaching the people through messengers. The example cited in the second instance is that of Prophet Moosa’s conversation with Almighty.
Though Prophet Musa did not have a personal view of the Almighty, he heard Him. verses 4:164, 7:143,144, 19:51,52, 28:30, 20:11,12,13.
Verses 2:97, 3:39, 3:42, 3:45, 11:69, 11:77, 15:52,53, 15:61,62, 16:2, 16:102, 19:19, 20:21, 22:75, 26:193, 29:31, 51:28, 53:56, 81:19 of the Quran stand testimony to the fact the Almighty speaks to people through messengers like Jibreel (A.S). This is also a form of revelation. The Quran falls in this category of revelation.
We can understand what is meant by the three ways by which Allah talks to people, and also know the meaning when says he contacts us through messengers. But we need to explain what is referred to as talking through divine messages.
Generally, the term ‘Divine Messages’ refers to all kinds of messages that are sent from Almighty.
When two types of divine messages are mentioned as divine messages in different words, the third is referred to as ‘through divine messages’. This third way of reaching the divine messages to people, are nothing but putting whatever He wills to reveal, into the heart of His messenger. This is the third type of divine message to reach the people.
The Quran points out to the kind of ‘divine message’ that existed.
Verse (16:68) of the Quran while talking about the honeybees (that return to their hives without any dithering irrespective of the distance they travel) says the honeybees were delivered the dive revelation regarding this feature. This verse of the Quran means, the Almighty has created the intuition in the honeybees to find their way without being confused. The Almighty speaks to his messengers in a similar way as is seen in the case of honeybees.
The one who believes in these three ways of divine messages being conveyed is he who has complete faith in the Quran.
If anyone still believes the Quran alone is more than sufficient, then he can be singled out as one who rebuts the words of the Almighty regarding the remaining two ways of divine messages mentioned by Him. Such people can be taken as refusing to believe in the direct conversation of the Almighty as in the case of Prophet Musa, and also messages put into the hearts of people (messengers).
And thereby refuse to believe in the verses of the Quran that convey the three ways of divine messages delivered.
They refuse to believe in divine messages other than the Quran that were delivered.
They refuse to obey the major portions of the commandments of the Almighty to believe in His revelations. People who believe in the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad are the ones who obey the commandments of the Almighty fully.
Verses (20:39, 28:7) of the Quran reveal that the mothers of Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa said they received divine messages from the Almighty.
Based on this some raise questions like ‘Can people other than messengers receive divine messages?’ and also ‘Can followers of Prophet Muhammad receive after his demise?
All the incidents of Almighty having conversations with people other than prophets, took place before the seal was placed on divine messages with the demise of Prophet Muhammad. The Almighty had conversations with some belonging to the earlier communities, and after the demise of Prophet Muhammad there were no such incidents.
The divine messages were no longer delivered to any one, after Prophet Muhammad since prophethood ended with him. And any one coming up with a claim that God spoke to them regarding Islam or its laws after the demise of Prophet Muhammad is an imposter by all means.
By declaring “Today I have completed your religion for you” in the Quran, the Almighty wants us to realize, there would be no more messages from Him. Here we need to understand from this verse of the Quran, the Almighty, after the demise of Prophet Muhammad has concluded not to talk to any one regarding laws in the religion of Islam.
There is evidence in the Quran and the hadiths to prove all kinds of divine messages have come to an end.
If at all there was some purported to have received divine message after Prophet Muhammad, it should have been his comrades, but they have not declared any such thing.
After the demise of Prophet Muhammad one day his close comrade Abu Bakr (R.A) requested Umar (R.A) to accompany him to visit Umm Ayman, the reason being prophet visited her very often during his life time. On seeing both of them she started weeping inconsolably. Both of them reminded her by saying “Why do you have to cry? When the prophet is to be rewarded with goodness.” To that she replied “I do very well know Prophet Muhammad will taste goodness with Almighty Allah, my concern is not about he will not receive goodness, but I am weeping at the thought of not receiving divine messages. With this reply she made the two start weeping. They cried along with her.
Hadith Book: Muslim 4492.
During the time of Prophet Muhammad, sometimes people were punished on the diktats of divine messages.
Umar (R.A) said to the people “now the messages have stopped coming after his demise, and whatever punishment we award you is purely based on the external manifestations of your actions. Hence whoever exposes the goodness in him outwardly we honor him, and will not delve into his secrets, only the Almighty would take him into account for all his deeds
And whoever expresses the evilness in him we will not remain satisfied about him, even if he argues well about his intentions.
Hadith Book: Bukhari 2641. Prophet Muhammad declared clearly that there were people in the earlier communities designated to receive messages from God, but there were none at his time.
Prophet Muhammad said there were people in the earlier communities who were granted divine messages, and if there is any such person in my period, it is Umar (R.A)
Hadith Book: Bukhari 3469, 3689.
From this hadith we can understand the prophet declaring that Umar is the person of his time who could receive divine messages and no one after him.
May be the Almighty would have revealed divine messages as He has done in the case of mother of Prophet Musa in the past, and Allah has blessed the community of Prophet Muhammad by not creating any one in it. Had there been a same situation of the past in the community of Prophet Muhammad, liars would have taken advantage of it and brought disrepute to him and would have misguided people by calling themselves as representatives of God
To know more about obeying the commandments of the Almighty and guidance by Prophet Muhammad please refer to explanation nos 18, 36, 39, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 67, 72, 105, 125, 127, 128, 132, 154, 164, 184, 244, 255, 256, 258, 286, 318, 352, 358, 430.
