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Belief and good works
All the prophets of God, including the three examples selected above, shared a common goal: to re-orientate people’s minds towards their Creator and thereby encourage them to act piously and responsibly. They preached that only the one true God deserved to be worshipped and neither loyalty to, or fear of, a despotic ruler, nor subservience to the trappings of wealth and influence – as represented in the golden calf or the idols once housed in the Kaabah – should interfere with such true belief. Their faith, therefore, demanded to be expressed publicly through a change in behaviour and society. They preached justice, compassion and equality before God. They demanded an end to usury, exploitation and oppression. People who enrich themselves at the expense of others frequently try to even make religion a weapon in their arsenal of fooling others into giving up their rights and serving them. They incite hatred through focussing on the differences between, for example, Jews, Christians and Muslims. An honest look at the teachings of their respective prophets, however, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, reveals that they essentially brought the same message around which humanity can unite and build a prosperous future without false divisions. This message is best preserved and unadulterated in the Qur'an, making Muhammad the final link in the chain of divine messengers and his message of paramount importance to all of us who want to live in accordance with the expectations of our Creator.
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