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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Hayat Al-Qulub, Vol. 1, Stories of the Prophets Aim of sending the Prophets; their miracles It is narrated through a reliable chain of narrators that an atheist came to Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq and presented a few queries. One of his questions concerned the logic behind the sending of Prophets.

The Imam said, “When we have agreed that we have a Maker and Creator; who is higher than His creatures and absolutely free from the fact that His creatures can see Him, touch Him or converse with Him; we understand that the Maker is Wise. He only does that which is beneficial to His creatures. Then it is necessary to send Prophets and Messengers who would communicate His laws to the people.

They would guide the people in the affairs that are beneficial and (prevent them from) those that cause everlasting perdition. Consequently, it is evident that there must be a particular group, which would convey His message to the people. They are the chosen ones of Allah and His Prophets. They are wise and intelligent. The Almighty has bestowed them with wisdom and knowledge and appointed them as His Messengers.

Their circumstances and characteristics were quite different from those of the common people though in their creation and method they are like ordinary human beings. However, they are sent by Allah, the Wise and the Omniscient, with knowledge, wisdom, arguments, proofs, witnesses and miracles so that they may prove the veracity of their claims. Like raising of the dead and curing of the blind and lepers etc, they accomplished some tasks that were impossible for ordinary people.

The same practice continued in every age and the earth has never been devoid of the Divine Proof (hujjah), who is the bearer of knowledge and has a miracle to prove the authenticity of his claims and (he verifies) the message of the preceding Prophet.” Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq says in a reliable tradition: “The Almighty with His Luminous Essence and Divine attributes was concealed from His creatures; therefore, He sent the Prophets to give glad tidings of salvation and to warn against His punishment so that those who perish in disobedience must perish with the realization of their error and all arguments must be exhausted for them.

Similarly, those who achieve salvation must do so with knowledge, faith and proof. And they may achieve an everlasting life so that people may learn about their Lord what they did not know.