Manifestation of Prophethood in the Present Day and Age

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 prophets’ preaching 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 appeared to be attacking the pillars of this polytheistic power structure. The establishment rose to resist the threat. With Islam, the world was shown that no human being is endowed with supernatural powers: God alone is the source of all strength. Islam proclaimed to the world the equality of human beings. It taught that no one has any inherent superiority over others. Political institutions were then separated from the realm of religious creeds. In the future, a ruler’s power base would come from below from among the grassroots of popular opinion. Laying claim to celestial powers would no longer qualify a person to rule over others. Similar was the case of the antique ‘supernatural’ doctors. If anyone intended to succeed as a physician in ancient times,