The two worlds are built on the foundation of prophethood’s exaltedness, and prophethood’s fruit is the beauty of the Shariah. Shariah is the right path, and the prophets are the marks of the path. Until the leader sees the road, he does not lead. I invite to God upon insight, I and whosoever follow me [12:108].
The Exalted Lord sent the prophets to the people so that they would make apparent the road of obedience, and the servants, on the basis of that obedience, might reach generous bestowal and reward; and, so that they would make apparent the road of disobedience and warn against it. Then the servants may avoid disobedience and not be deemed worthy for punishment. This then is infinite bounty and endless generosity.
4:163 Surely We have revealed to thee as We revealed to Noah, and the prophets after him.
If He had left the servants in place, not sent the Messenger, and not held the lamp of guidance with the hand of the Messenger in their road, the servants would have remained within the wrap of their createdness and the darkness of their own opinions. They would have eaten everything that is their poison and done everything within which is their destruction.
So, you should believe that the prophets are mercy and leaders for the world’s folk. They are the best of the creatures and the chosen among mortal men. They are the callers at the top of the street of friendship and the cupbearers at the lip of the water of life. They are the title page of the Shariah and the proof of the Haqiqah. If there is a goal in creating the engendered beings, it is they. If the Haqiqah has a treasure, they are its keepers.
Surely We have revealed to thee…. The command came, “O paragon of east and west, O emulated in the two realms of being! A shining light has reached you from the world of revelation called ‘messenger hood.’ Before you, We gave to the messengers, each in his own measure.
As for that which is beyond the world of messenger hood and accords with the drinking place of your good fortune, it was not fitting to reach any wrongdoer or be grasped by the good fortune of any traveler.”
The allusion to this by the paragon of the world was this: “I was given the Qur’an and the like of it along with it.” In other words, “As much as I have spoken to you from the world of prophethood with the tongue of messenger hood, just as much has been spoken to me from the world of the Haqiqah with the tongue of revelation.” This is exactly what he said elsewhere: “I have a moment with God embraced by no proximate angel, nor any sent prophet.”
The majestic Unity is placing a favor on the center point of mortal nature: “We have lit two lamps for you, one in the heart, the other in front of you. The one in front of you is the lamp of the Sunnah, which is the proof itself, and the one in the heart is the lamp of faith and the shining light. Happy is the servant who walks between these two lamps! Who is more exalted than he in whose heart the greatest light is shining and the eyes of whose heart sees the eyes and face of the Friend face-to-face! One breath with the Friend is worth the two worlds. One vision of the Friend for a hundred thousand spirits is gratis!”
4:175 As for those who have faith in God and hold fast to Him, He will make them enter into a mercy from Him, and bounty, and He will guide them to Him on a straight path.
From the servant comes faith and holding fast by way of servanthood, and from the Exalted Lord bounty and mercy in the attribute of loving-kindness. Then He says, “He will guide them to Him on a straight path.” He will give them the guidance and rectitude to know that the recompense they find and the generosity they see come from God’s bounty and mercy, not from their faith and holding fast. As the Prophet said, “There is none of you who will be saved by his deeds.”
