Present attitude towards the Messengers:

As people in the past used to argue with the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, reject their teachings and turn away from them, mankind today - when they have reached the pinnacle of material advancement, penetrated the depths of the oceans, gone far into space, split the atom and discovered many of the natural forces which exist in this universe - are even more in conflict with the Messengers, more emphatically rejecting their teachings and turning away from them even more. Mankind's attitude today towards the Messengers and their teachings is like that of wild donkeys when they see a lion; they flee from it without paying heed to anything else. Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means):
“Then what is [the matter] with them that they are, from the reminder, turning away. As if they were alarmed donkeys. Fleeing from a lion?” [Quran 74: 49-51]

Mankind today - more than before - refuses to submit to the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, and their teachings because they are too proud of their knowledge and are too arrogant to follow men who lived centuries before them, as Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means):

“That is because their messengers used to come to them with clear evidences, but they said: ‘Shall human beings guide us?’ and disbelieved and turned away. And Allah dispensed [with them]; and Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.” [Quran 64: 6]

Today, Satan whispers into human minds, calling them to rebel against Allah and His Sharee’ah (Law) and to reject the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, on the ground that the Sharee’ah places restrictions on their minds, is an obstacle against progress and that it causes civilization and progress to stagnate. The nations nowadays have set up systems, laws and legislations based on the rejection of the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention. Some nations even made atheism the basis of their constitutions - known as secularism.

The impact of man-made systems

Is it right to say that mankind has now reached a level where they no longer have any need for the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, and their teachings? Is mankind now able to guide itself without any reference to the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention?

To answer is that, we need to look no further than the state of those nations which we call ‘advanced and civilized’, such as America, Britain, France, Russia and China, to see the extent of the misery which prevails in those countries. We do not deny that they have reached a high level of material advancement, but with regard to the matters which the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, and their teachings came to reform, they have gone far astray. No one can deny that distress, psychological pain and complexes are nowadays the hallmark of the civilized world. Man, in the civilized world of today, has lost his humanity, he has lost himself. Hence, the youths are rebelling against values, morals, customs and laws. They have started to reject the life they are living in and to follow everyone who comes under the spotlight in the east or the west, any philosopher or dervish who waves a banner at them, any way which they think will bring them happiness.

The western world has turned into a world whose structure is being undermined by various crimes such as drug addiction, alcoholism, rape, incest, robbery, etc. The pillars of the major nations have been shaken by scandals, and what is still hidden is worse than what is known. Those who are known as ‘civilized peoples’ nowadays are destroying themselves with their own hands. Their civilization is killing them. Their civilization is producing poisons which spread amongst them, killing people and dividing societies. Those ‘civilized peoples’ are like a huge bird that wants to fly high in the sky, but it has only one wing.

Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The Message is essential for mankind; they cannot do without it. They need it above all other things. The Message is the soul, light and life of the world. How could there be any prosperity or guidance for the world without its soul, life and light? This world is engulfed with darkness, unless the sun of the Message shines upon it. If the sun of the Message does not shine in a person's heart and fill it with life, then he too is in darkness and he is dead. Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means): “… Is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom?” [Quran 6: 122]

This is the description of the believer who was dead in the darkness of ignorance, then Allah revived him with the spirit of the Message and the light of faith and gave him light by which to walk among people. But the disbeliever is dead at heart, walking in darkness.”

Finally, we need to follow the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, in order to reform our hearts, enlighten our souls and guide our minds.

We need to follow the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, in order to give direction to our lives, to connect us to life and to the Creator of life.

We need to follow the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, so that we do not go astray or deviate and fall into the fetid swamp.