Question:
Why the Quran is limited to Middle East? Why the Prophets all were in Middles East? Didn’t Chinese, Japanese, Indians or American Indians need Prophets? What will come to those whom no Prophet has been sent to?
Answer:
*-When a verdict is issued or it is considered as definite, then we should see what the resources and logic are behind it? Has the God said the Quran is limited to Middle East? Has the Prophet said that Quran is limited to Middle East? Is it mentioned in the Quran? Then, based on what this wrong verdict has been issued «except inducing a wrong concept»?
-It has been mentioned in many verses that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is the last Prophet and the Quran has been sent for all mankind, in every part of the world and every period of time.
«blessed is he who has sent down the criterion to his worshiper (prophet Muhammad), that he is a warner to all mankind» )Al-Furqan, 1)
-There is no need to search about people/nations or great civilizations before Islam that existed in different parts of the world such as Europe; the lifetime of Islam is not more than fourteen centuries, but the civilizations of Iran, Rome (Italy), Greece, China, etc. date back to thousands years ago.
Plato with his original name «Aristo Class», was born in 427 B.C. and Socrates was before him. Plato met Socrates when he was twenty, and then he presented the theory of Love, Dialectic, Forms, etc. to the world of thought and ideas in wisdom and philosophy.
-While Moses (PBUH) and Jesus (PBUH) were both from Middle East (Palestine), most of the people in Europe and America were Christians and now they are, a few numbers were also Jewish and now they are, but when Islam comes, it emphasizes its Prophet’s geographical borders and has [anti-advertising] maneuver!
How the Prophets of children of Israel are considered universal [neither Moses (PBUH) was born in San Francisco nor Jesus (PBUH) in London], but the last Prophet who has a universal mission due to being the last one, is considered one from Middle East and His book is limited to geographical borders?!
-Although the name of some nations have been mentioned in the Quran, the Quran is not the book of “the history of nations and people” to say why other nations haven’t been mentioned there. There are hundreds of nations in the world, names of which haven’t been mentioned in the Quran, as if among one hundred twenty four thousands Prophets, there have been mentioned only the name of less than forty Prophets in the whole verses and narrations.
In other narrations, there have been mentioned the names of some other Prophets such as « Khidr » (PBUH) or « Jeremiah» (PBUH) or «Ezekiel» (PBUH) which are less than 37 people. Then how it is said that all Divine prophets were in this area and no Prophet was sent to other nations?
-There are many Prophets buried in different cities that even the people didn’t know them. These 124 thousands Prophets (except from those known 36 or 37 ones) were in different parts of the world and buried somewhere in which nothing has remained of them.
-According to some documents, although many of the scientific geniuses or the characters known as great scientists in the history, such as Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, etc. weren’t in Middle East, it is not clear that they weren’t Prophets. Ayatollah Javadi Amoli (Shia’s scholar) with reference to the searches done in the past, writes that: « according to some documents of history, a group of mystics and wise men regarded Prophet Idris (PBUH) as Hermes, that’s why some people consider Hermes, Pythagoras or Aristotle as Prophets». (The tradition of Prophets in the Quran, page 236, Javadi Amoli, second volume).
The tomb currently located in the middle of Saint Peter Church in Vatican City and magnificently decorated is attributed to one of divine Prophets, named «Peter» or «Saint Peter» in which it is indicated in our narrations that Narjes Khatoon (Mother of Mahdi (PBUH)) is descendant of that great Prophet. As explicitly stated by Imam Ali (PBUH), Adam Prophet (PBUH) who was the first Prophet and lived more than one thousand years, descended in India, and perhaps many Prophets went to that area after reproduction of Adam’s generation, and if there were some nations in South America or North America, they would surely be guided by them.
«وَ لَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُواْ الطَّاغُوتَ فَمِنْهُم مَّنْ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّنْ حَقَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الضَّلالَةُ فَسِيرُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَانظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ» (النحل، 36)
Translation: we sent a messenger to every nation, saying: ‘worship Allah and avoid the
idols. ‘Amongst them were some whom Allah guided, and some justly disposed to error. Travel in the land and see what was the end of those who belied (the revelation and the prophets)! (Nahl, 36)
-In order to be guided, there is no need for Allah to send a Prophet to people [however, if it were needed, Allah has already sent it], but He sends a guide, whether He is a Prophet, or messenger or Imam or the messenger of the Prophet or a witness testifying the ultimatum. As Allah states:
«وَ يَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَى هَؤُلاء وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ» (النحل، 89)
Translation: and on that day we shall raise up from every nation a witness from their own against them, and we shall bring you (Prophet Muhammad) as a witness against those. And we have sent down to you the book making everything clear, as a guidance, and mercy, and glad tidings to those who submit. (Nahl, 89)
-However, if all 124 thousands Prophets were born in one city or even one house, there was no place to doubt on it. Because the subject of « prophecy » was stated after the subject of « monotheism» and belief in Allah. Then if one person doesn’t believe in Allah, then he must not talk about Divine Prophets, and if one person knows Allah, then he knows that the Creator, the Lord, knowing, All-wise, Guide and Sender of Revelation and Prophets is only Him for guiding His creatures, and He knows the best whom to appoint and where to place the Prophet hood. «اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسالَتَه – Allah knows best where to place his message. » (Anaam. 124).
-And finally it has been questioned that what will come to the nation whom no Prophet or Messenger (or even an Imam or Witness) have been sent to? The answer is clear. First of all, Allah has allocated two Prophets for each person, one is external which is Divine Prophet and one is internal which is «intellect» and always with him and guides him, unless he himself neglects it. Secondly, He says: Allah obliges no one more than his capability.