Why do we need prophets?

Man is a creature with will power. He can speak anything he pleases; he is not confined to a few syllables. He can go wherever he wants; not confined to a particular place. And man is a sociable being in touch with other people in many respects.

Man is under a great trial with his will power and freedom of choice. He is a candidate for Paradise or Hell. On the other hand, man has gathered the characteristics of most of beings, animate or inanimate, in the world. He could be as hard as rock or as soft as cotton. He may outdo foxes in shrewdness and monsters in cruelty. Then there needs to be a guide for this creature who can go anywhere, do anything, who can act rightly or wrongly and who can say opposite things as compared to the others.

This guide cannot be mind. Because mind does not have enough power to answer the questions such as who created this world of beings, what the Creator wants from men, what kind of things He approves of, what place we are going after death and so on. This impotence of men in metaphysics necessitates another guide to show him the way. And this guides are prophets.

A prophet is a model of man of which Allah Almighty approves. He is an exemplary personality to follow in order to reach the truth and guidance. A prophet has the quality of sinlessness. That is, he does not say anything or do any action that Allah the Almighty disapproves of. At this point, he is under the divine control and insurance. Their words, deeds, and manners are the signs of guidance for people. With the attribute of guider, they order only true, truth and good to people and with the quality of servant; he himself observes those at utmost level.