Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (1/79)

It is among Allah’s established ways—blessed and exalted be He—to send His messengers in continual succession and to make their mission universal, so that in every nation He raises a messenger who upholds His guidance and His proof. The Exalted says:

“We certainly sent a messenger to every community, [proclaiming], ‘Worship Allah and shun false gods.’” (Qur’an 16:36)

He also says:

“We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there has never been a nation without a warner passing among them.” (Qur’an 35:24)

And He says:

“Then We sent Our messengers in succession.” (Qur’an 23:44)

And the Most High says:

“Indeed We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him; and We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the descendants, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms; [as well as] messengers We have already mentioned to you and messengers We have not mentioned to you. Allah spoke to Moses directly—messengers who brought good news and warning, so that mankind would have no argument against Allah after the messengers. Allah is ever Mighty, Wise.” (Qur’an 4:163–165)

When Adam was made to descend to the earth, the Exalted said:

وَكَانَ مِنْ سُنَّةِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى مُوَاتَرَةُ الرُّسُلِ، وَتَعْمِيمُ الْخَلْقِ بِهِمْ، بِحَيْثُ يَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا ; لِيُقِيمَ هُدَاهُ، وَحُجَّتَهُ، كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولًا أَنِ اُعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ} [النحل: ٣٦] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَإِنْ مِنْ أُمَّةٍ إِلَّا خَلَا فِيهَا نَذِيرٌ} [فاطر: ٢٤] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {ثُمَّ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا تَتْرَى} [المؤمنون: ٤٤] . وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَى وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ وَهَارُونَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ وَآتَيْنَا دَاوُدَ زَبُورًا - وَرُسُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْنَاهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَرُسُلًا لَمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ وَكَلَّمَ اللَّهُ مُوسَى تَكْلِيمًا - رُسُلًا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ الرُّسُلِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا} [النساء: ١٦٣ - ١٦٥] . وَلَمَّا أُهْبِطَ آدَمُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ، قَالَ تَعَالَى: