How to respond when Muslims support their "unsanctioned" practices?

[razorrahmo]

Greetings Brother Joseph,

Hope you are doing well and your articles and deep analysis of the Quran have really opened a whole new way of seeing Islam in its truest form and I thank you for that and I thank the All Knowing for having guided me to you. I agree with your Quran centric view wholeheartedlty and the other day I was discussing with a friend of mine of the need for Quran centriism and not following "Unsanctioned" practices blindly and we disagree on points. He ("Sunni") raised this question

Q: If many of the practices that the Ummah is engaging in is "un-Quranic" and not validated by Islam as you claim, then most of us have been gone astray. This would warrant the Almighty to send someone to set us straight, just as how He had done before to previous generations. So why then has No Prophet been sent unto our generation to set us straight? Allah says Mohamed is the last Prophet and thus it should only imply that the Ummah afterwards is rightly guided and so does not require another Prophet to guide us away from our "unsanctioned" practices as so you claim.

This was a potent question which I ponder over and I know they must be answer to it even though I could not provide an answer at that point. What would be the right response to that question?

Thank You,
Abdur Rahman

[Joseph Islam]

Dear brother Abdur Rahman,

As-salam alaykum

Welcome to the forum!

Whilst it is important to remember that a Quran-centric view only intends to rid a people of those traditions which are incongruent with the  spirit of the Quran's overarching teachings, the question assumes a position that no guidance has come, even in the form of those who may have preached a Quran-centric approach, after the demise of the Prophet.

An answer, argued from the Quran would require one to clear one's mind of deeply held convictions and to contemplate with sincerity, an argument posited wholly from the Quran.

The following article puts to scrutiny a Quranic perspective. I would love to hear your views, after you have read it till the end, God willing.

You may be surprised at what the Quran has to say.

END OF PROPHETHOOD  - CONTINUATION OF MESSENGERS?
http://quransmessage.com/articles/end%20of%20prophethood%20FM3.htm

Regards,
Joseph

[razorrahmo]

Salamun Alaykum Brother Joseph,

Thank you for your response.

It is indeed interesting and I never thought of this before as the term "Rasool" is only used to refer to Prophet Mohamed exclusively in the Indian Muslim Circles. (Rasullullah is always used for Prophet Muhammad and no one else).

After reading your article, it now makes sense as to why Prophet Mohamed is the final Prophet with a Scripture (as Allah has guaranteed protection over the Final Scripture). But people, just as previous generations, always fall away from the message and thus Messengers are sent to guide people to the Right Path.

Of course, in this case, it is sad to see that terms have wide meanings are curtailed exclusively without any Quranic warrant. I would then say that even you are a Rasool, as you are working hard to guide the many of us who seek answers. Outside in the "Organised religion" form of Islam, of course no one seems to dare make this claims as people are ready to issue fatwas and severe punishments to those who do not conform to their norms.

Thank you Brother Joseph.