One Book and One Prophet for all Times — God Speaks to Followers of Islam in Every Age
by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian
The Young Islam, 15th October 1934 Issue (Vol. 1, No. 10, pp. 1, 4)
The theory that God sent down revelation only in the beginning of creation and that no revelation was sent afterwards is not only opposed to facts but also to reason. An observation of the physical laws clearly shows that human beings need the sustenance of God in every age according to their existing condition. For, if there takes place a change in the existing conditions of man, there is no doubt that there will be a corresponding change in the way in which God gives us His sustenance. Mark, for instance, the changes that take place in the clothing and food of man as he gradually passes from his infancy to manhood. Similarly, when a man loses his health and is involved in various kinds of diseases, our sympathy prompts us to resort to various remedies and devices to restore him to his former health. And what is true of the physical life is also true of the spiritual life. Just as a man cannot continue to live on a loaf of bread which he ate in time past but needs a fresh loaf every time he hungers, similarly he must have a fresh revelation in time of need, so that by means of it his knowledge of God may become complete.
The sending down of revelation is one of the attributes of God, and none of His attributes can be dormant for ever. On the other hand, just as He is ever our Sustainer physically and gives us our daily bread without interruption, similarly His spiritual sustenance is uninterrupted. We see that just as the earth yielded its produce and the heavens sent down rain in the time of our forefathers, the same law operates even in our own days. The earth will still give us corn, provided we do not become indolent and spare no effort to till it. The heavens still rain down water in the proper season, and if we do not avail ourselves of that water, we ourselves are to blame.
If, then, there is the same physical law now as it was in former times, why has the spiritual law been changed in our days? It could not be changed and those who say that a seal has been set to divine revelation are in serious error. The laws of God which pertain to command and prohibition are not sent down in vain. But God sends down a fresh law according to the conditions of the time. A new law is sent when men become more irreligious and vicious than they were formerly, and when the former Book no longer contains sufficient guidance for them.
But it is a proved fact that the Divine law has seen its consummation in the Holy Quran. The Holy Book itself claims to be a complete law. It says,
اَلۡیَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ دِیۡنَکُمۡ وَ اَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ نِعۡمَتِیۡ وَ رَضِیۡتُ لَکُمُ الۡاِسۡلَامَ دِیۡنًا ؕ
“Today is perfected for you your religion and fulfilled upon you is My favour, and I am pleased for you to have Islam for a religion” (The Holy Quran, 5:3).
Now that the Holy Quran has come, no other book can step in, for all that man needed has been stated therein.
God, however, still speaks, but now this door is not open to everyone. The Word of God which is marked with Divine assistance and which reveals many secrets of the future is now granted only to such as truly follow the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet, may peace and the blessings of God be upon him, and purify their own selves.
(The Promised Messiah)