The humanness of these great men...

The humanness of these great men, in fact, confirmed their missions for it made them more accessible and more sympathetic to the sufferings of the common people, something which the arrogant could not see, for as Imam Ali (as) says: “Their jealousy made them say such words.” [^1] Surah al-Mu’minun - Verses 34-36 وَلَئِنْ أَطَعْتُم بَشَراً مِثْلَكُمْ إِنَّكُمْ إِذاً لَخَاسِرُونَ أَيَعِدُكُمْ أَنَّكُمْ إِذَا مِتُّمْ وَكُنتُمْ تُرَاباً وَعِظَاماً أَنَّكُم مُخْرَجُونَ هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ لِمَا تُوعَدُون 34.

“And if you obey a mortal like yourselves, verily then you will be losers.” 35. “Does he promise you that when you are dead and have become dust and bones, you will indeed be raised (from the dead)?” 36. “Far, very far is what you are promised!” The unbelievers and polytheists believe that following the prophets bring loss to mankind. They would rather want that people submit to themselves and with the slogan of liberty drive people into slavery.

This is why they said: “And if you obey a mortal like yourselves, verily then you will be losers.” These blind-hearted persons were probably not aware that they themselves expected the people to follow their evil ideas and united together to struggle against this prophet. They saw following someone guided by the Center of Revelation, whose heart was illuminated by the light of Divine knowledge as a defect and a flaw that stood against human freedom and liberty!

The next verse points to the fact that their real argument against religion was the denial of the Resurrection. They knew that if the Resurrection were accepted, it would prove ahindrance to the achievement of the goals of their appetites and of their social ambitions.

They said: “Does he promise you that when you are dead and have become dust and bones, you will indeed be raised (from the dead)?” The third verse shows that the unbelievers did not accept the promises of their prophet in this regard. They were opposed to the possibility of returning back to life after complete annihilation in the earth. In fact, they believed that its occurrence was impossible.

“Far, very far is what you are promised!” The Qur’anic word /hayhat/ is used in the Qur’an twice which is in this very verse. It shows that the elite among the unbelievers imagined that the Resurrection was a very remote possibility indeed.

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