Document Type : Research Paper

Author

• mehdi nosratian ahur

Abstract

Three meanings are given for the narration "Allah raised up prophets and messengers for His bondsmen just for them to Reflect upon Allah" (مَا بَعَثَ اللّهُ أَنْبِیَائَهُ وَ رُسُلَهُ إِلَی عِبَادِهِ إِلّا لِیَعْقِلُوا عَنِ اللّهِ). In the first interpretation, guiding is the responsibility of the prophets. According to the second interpretation, guiding is among the acts of God and the third interpretation relates guidance to people; it is people who receive the guidance. This paper discusses and critiques theses interpretations and to this end makes use of both the internal quality – semantics – and the external qualities – the usage, word families and conventional applications of the narration. Although the first interpretation may be acceptable semantic-wise, it cannot be accepted when we consider its external qualities. The second interpretation can be rejected when we consider both the internal and the external properties of the narration; it is the third interpretation which is acceptable with regard to both internal and external qualities.

Keywords

• act of God
• responsibility of the prophets
• the goal of prophet’s mission