Title: Man has no Excuse for Rejection... Question: Salaam sir, The Qur'an states: "Messengers who gave good news as well as warning, that mankind, after [the coming] of the messengers, should have no plea against God: for God is Exalted in Power, Wise" (4:165). It makes perfect sense to me that the nations of mankind to whom prophets and messengers were sent have no excuse for rejection before God. But I have some questions regarding mankind after the time of prophets: What about the rest of us who are alive 1400 years after the last prophet of God was sent, or mankind just a few hundred years after Muhammad's (pbuh) time? Are we included in the above verse? If so, does this mean that if we never heard of God or any prophet, or had a misunderstanding or unanswered question about religion, we would still be punished on the basis of 7:172, which seems to imply that all humans have made a pact with God (whether they realize it or not)? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. Omar Singapore Answer: In the referred verse of Surah Al-Nisaa , the Qur'an has explained why God sent His prophets and messengers in such great numbers. The reason given by the referred verse is to remove all excuse for man to present in God's court, on the Day of Judgment. It is quite clear that the implication of the referred verse is not restricted to the direct addressees of the prophets and messengers of God. On the contrary, the verse when read with a few of its preceding verses, clearly implies that the great number and the great diversity in the time and location of the individual prophets and messengers, and, in some cases, the subsequent promotion, propagation and implementation of the messages of these prophets by their followers at a vast geographical level. Another point, which is the logical corollary of the implication of the referred verse, is that 'the removal of excuse' was actually meant to be attained on the points, which were common in the teachings of all the prophets and messengers of God. Other instances in the Qur'an, indicate that these basic and common points in the teachings of all the prophets, which, in turn, are also the points on which no man shall have any excuse, are as follows: Believing in One God only and not ascribing partners and equals to the One God; Believing in a Day, in which each man shall be held responsible for his deeds; and Living a pious and a 'good' life. These are the three basic points, regarding which, according to the Qur'an, the humankind would have no excuse for their deviations. The foremost among these points - that is believing in one God only and refraining from ascribing partners to Him - was embedded in basic human nature (according to Al-Aa`raaf 7: 172) at the time of its creation and so was the conceptual knowledge of 'good' and 'evil'. This a-priori knowledge entailed in human nature combined with the extensive sending of prophets and messengers, who delivered a message, which was in consonance with this a-priori knowledge, has removed all excuse for deviation from these points, for the humankind, in general. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad September 3, 2001