The Prelude to the Second Message
When you read the verse: “And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you are unaware,” (39: 55)
you recognize that it is a precise and profound command. However, you should also understand that God’s wisdom has deferred its full application to ease the burden on the Believers until the day comes when the second message is fully clarified, and the stage is set for the Believers to achieve Islam by fearing God “as He should be feared” and by following the best of what has been revealed to them from God.
You might ask, “What do you mean by setting the stage?” I mean establishing a righteous society and a just system of governance that facilitates the individual’s striving to follow the best of what has been revealed.
It has been mentioned many times that Muhammad’s second message leans more toward the end of the spectrum, closer to Christianity. Indeed, the theoretical similarity between Christ’s teachings and the teachings of the Qur’an in the second message is significant. However, the practical difference is even greater.
When Christ delivered his sublime teachings, he did not establish a social or governmental system that would make it easier for individuals to implement those teachings. Islam, on the other hand, even in its first message, established a social and governmental system that included solidarity and leniency, enabling individuals to practically aspire to fulfill some of the lofty teachings of the Qur’an.
Now, as we enter a new era, we seek for individuals in our society to fulfill all the Qur’an’s teachings. Therefore, we strive to establish a social and governmental system that is more advanced than what was achieved during the time of the first message.
This is what I mean by setting the stage, as mentioned earlier.
