Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity 9. The Prophetic Method
Say: “I was commanded to be the first to submit to Him.”2 As far as its motivation is concerned, becoming the “first to submit to God” is an entirely individual affair. But in its consequences this act has farreaching implications for the whole of society. A volcanic eruption starts within a mountain, invisible from the eyes of humankind. But when the eruption takes place, it illuminates the whole surrounding area with its glow. So it is with those who first submit to God. The transformation that occurs within them has repercussions on their entire environment. The same sequence can be found in the revelation of the Qur’an. The first verse to be revealed were those dealing with personal reform. Later came the chapters dealing with improvement of society at large. Comparing this sequence with the method adopted by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, in the introduction to his translation of the Qur’an, writes: The inspiration of the Prophet progressed from inward things to outward things.3 ~ 186 ~