Who is the lawmaker, and what does his role in the society entail?
God has never left humanity without a guide. Divinely appointed guidance has passed from one prophet to another, from generation to generation. As such, the laws that God had provided humanity to live accordingly, God had sent laws from the beginning of time, starting with Adam to the time of Muhammad. Religious laws have changed with each age. Some laws remained the same, but many were either removed or added depending on the people’s actions. Looking back at the stories of the prophets and messengers, we find reasons why each age requires a new jurisprudence.
ADAM
In the time of Adam & Eve, there was only one condition, to not eat from the tree. Only one command decreed to be fruitful & increase in number. However, there was only one way to reproduce – incest.
“…me your twin sister in marriage and I will give you my twin sister in marriage. He said: No, I have more right to my twin sister. So they offered sacrifices, and the sacrifice of the one who offered a ram was accepted but the sacrifice of the one who offered crops was not accepted, so he killed him.”
– Tafsir Al-Quran, Ibn Katheer, p.604, Holy Quran Al-Ma’ida verse 27
We can see from this verse that it was allowed in the time of Adam for people to marry their brother or sister. Sibling marriage is not permissible today. The Holy Quran explicitly states:
“˹Also˺ forbidden to you for marriage are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters…”
– Holy Quran, An-Nisa verse 23
In Genesis, Chapter 4, we see that the offering of the son of Adam, Abel was accepted whereas the offering of Adam’s other son, Cain, was not. As a result, Cain killed Abel.
“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.”
– Holy Bible: Genesis 4:3-5
“Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”
– Holy Bible: Genesis 4:8
The children of Cain had filled the Earth with injustice and tyranny as the increasing amount of crimes, corruption and robbery skyrocketed until the time of Noah. The children of Adam became weak, whilst the descendants of Cain rose to power due to the lack of laws and jurisprudence. As a result, the divine laws and jurisprudence would have to be updated due to the changing circumstances.
NOAH
In Genesis 9, God lays down new rules. People of the previous covenant had gotten away with their evil doings. As we know, Cain killed Abel, but he was not put to death for doing so. So this time, God put in place a penalty for murder and said:
“…I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.”
– Holy Bible: Genesis 9:5-6
Other new laws during the time of Noah centred around what man could and could not eat. Adam was allowed to eat all plants, but God added meat to the menu for Noah, saying:
“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”
– Holy Bible: Genesis 9:3
Prophets from the East and the West, such as Confucious, Aristotle, Buddha and Krishna lived upon the Noahic covenant, and therefore they are still under the rule of Noah (pbuh), which was what was best for their nations.
ABRAHAM
New laws were then put in place when the people had broken the covenant of Noah, God had then chosen Abraham.
Abraham was married to his sister, Sarah, who was his half-sister, marriage between siblings remained lawful in the Noahic Covenant, which Abraham and Sarah were upon and it remained lawful in the time of Abraham as well.
“Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.”
– Holy Bible: Genesis 20:1-2
In this verse, we can see how it states that Abraham and Sarah are both brother and sister and husband and wife.
MOSES
In the time of Moses, the laws had become more detailed with more laws and instructions. The reason for this was humanity’s changing needs. A functioning society of 613,000 Israelites required more complex laws. For this reason, numerous complex laws that dealt with marriage, fornication, adultery and homosexuality, all came into effect during the time of Moses.
One of the most notable additions to the law of Moses was the spilling of a disbeliever’s blood that first appeared when God ordered Noah to abandon his son, but this had never come into practice until the time of Moses. God had eliminated the children of Satan, who would naturally grow up to spill the blood of Adam and his children and commit sins were the punishment upon the Egyptians in the time of Moses – “the death of the firstborn”.
“This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.”
– Holy Bible: Exodus 11:4-5
The numerous people living closely together would eventually lead to wars with neighbouring people. If God is with the people of Israel, then the enemies of the people of Israel are the enemies of God, therefore placing the laws that made it permissible for the sons of Adam to defend themselves from the sons of Cain. In the previous times of the prophets, evil had always outnumbered good and the people were not able to defend themselves. That is when the law to kill every descendant of Cain became permissible.
More laws were set during the time of Moses regarding dietary restrictions. The Quran confirms this:
“All food was lawful for the children of Israel, except what Israel1 made unlawful for himself before the Torah was revealed. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Bring the Torah and read it, if your claims are true.””
– Holy Quran, Ali ‘Imran verse 93
This verse shows us that everything was permissible for the Israelites before the Torah and that it was these restrictions which Israel placed on himself, that Moses added as law.
In the time of Prophet David, he continued to follow the laws of Moses. However, he broke one of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife.” This is the same sin Adam committed, yet God forgave both Adam and David even though both prophets had broken the laws of their time. The reason that they had been forgiven was that a vicegerent is above the laws of God.
JESUS
A law that changed during the time of Jesus, was the law of marriage and he enforced monogamous marriages only and outlawed polygamy.
“But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
– Holy Bible: Mark 10:6–9
We also read:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
– Holy Bible: Matthew 5:17
“It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.”
– Holy Bible: Luke 16:17
From this verse, it is clear to us that the people in this time were still under the laws of Moses. Jesus did come to abolish the laws, but rather to fulfil them.
Jesus never explained the terms of a new covenant as he did not want to create a new law. The Israelites were never given a new law nor a new deal with God, as their agreement with God has already ended. Until Jesus Christ, the Hebrews had a consistent line of prophets. Then, for almost 2,000 years, they were never given a new law. Because they attempted to kill Jesus, God ended his partnership with Israel. He then established a new nation with the Ishmaelites, and many prophets were sent there. The Arabs, however, had repeated history by breaking the covenant once again.
Muhammad
Prophet Muhammad (pbuhahf) made significant changes to jurisprudence. He added new laws to purify, discipline & correct their ways due to the fact they had deviated far from the laws they were required to follow from the Jesuit covenant.
Changing the direction of prayer
One of the significant changes to the law was the direction of prayer. In the early days of Muhammad’s call, prayers were performed towards Jerusalem, which was instated since the time of Moses. However, during the time of Muhammad, the direction of prayer changed to another place. The place regarded by the Ishmaelites as the house of God, the Kaaba in Mecca.
“…We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]…”
– Holy Quran, Al-Baqarah verse 144
Alcohol
Excessive indulgence in sex & alcohol was a common occurrence in Arab life. A prohibition on alcohol then followed, and this was the first time it was forbidden throughout all the times of the prophets & messengers as alcohol was once permissible. In the New Testament, Jesus miraculously made abundant wine at the wedding in Cana. Wine is the most common alcoholic beverage mentioned in biblical literature, where it is a source of symbolism, and was an important part of daily life in Biblical times. In Muhammad’s time, however, the Arabs were drinking to excess. Consequently, alcohol was banned entirely.
“O believers! Intoxicants, gambling, idols, and drawing lots for decisions1 are all evil of Satan’s handiwork. So shun them so you may be successful.”
– Holy Quran, Al-Ma’idah verse 90
Marriage
In the previous covenant with Jesus, polygamous relationships were not permissible. However, the law changed from allowing monogamous relationships to an allowance of up to four wives.
“If you fear you might fail to give orphan women their ˹due˺ rights ˹if you were to marry them˺, then marry other women of your choice—two, three, or four. But if you are afraid you will fail to maintain justice, then ˹content yourselves with˺ one or those ˹bondwomen˺ in your possession. This way you are less likely to commit injustice.”
– Holy Quran, An-Nisa verse 3
Charity
In the time of Prophet Muhammed, wealth needed to be re-distributed amongst the people. Therefore, a portion of wealth was to be taken from the rich and given to the poor and needy. The obligation of charity, called Zakat, appears in the Quran:
“Take from their wealth ˹O Prophet˺ charity to purify and bless them, and pray for them—surely your prayer is a source of comfort for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
– Holy Quran, At-Tawbah verse 103
Prayer
Prophet Muhammad (pbuhahf) made prayer obligatory, five times a day. This order came down in the Quranic verse:
“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, ˹genuine˺ prayer should deter ˹one˺ from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is ˹an˺ even greater ˹deterrent˺. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you ˹all˺ do.”
– Holy Quran, Al-‘Ankabut verse 45
Hajj
He made the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Kaaba at least once in a lifetime for those with the means obligatory and a pillar of faith:
“Call ˹all˺ people to the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel from every distant path,”
– Holy Quran, Al-Hajj verse 27
The reason why Prophet Muhammad (pbuhahf) introduced multiple practices was to purify people’s hearts and money, to teach self-control, and to purify the body from the food which had been affected in any way by Cain’s ways. The rituals of Islam were designed to rid a person of the remnants of Satan within him and to bring forth the Adamite within. Every created being, including the descendants of Cain, would have an opportunity to cleanse themselves through the love of the Family of Muhammed and become the descendants of Adam.
Imam AHMAD AL-HASSAN (FHIP) is the lawmaker
During the time of prophets and messengers, laws were frequently broken, leading people away from God. In this day and age, however, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan (fhip) has come to unite all of humanity – people from different religious backgrounds, different ages, creeds & colors – to the ultimate law of God. He (fhip) is the companion of the final and greatest covenant.
The scriptures clarify that the ruler appointed by God is identified by a three-fold law of identifying the proof of God:
Anyone who has read and researched this Call can see that Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan (fhip) has fulfilled the criteria of the proof of God.
There has not previously been a time in history where all world religions unite under one banner & one truth.
Just as the laws changed during the time of Adam up until all the times of the other prophets according to the people and their time, this final covenant has come with laws, appropriate for this era.
Imam Ali (pbuh) said:
“Do not force your children on your manners [upbringing], for they have been created for a time other than yours.”
– Mawsooa’t Al-Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (a.s.) fe Al-Kitab wal-Sunna wal-Tareekh, Muhammad Al-Rishhary, v.10, p.236, hadith 5600
– Sharh Nahj Al-Balagha, Ibn Abi Al-Hadeed, v.20, p.267, hadith 102
During each covenant, God adapted the laws according to what was appropriate and necessary during that time. Today is no exception to this pattern. Prophet Muhammad (pbuhahf) said that when the Qa’im comes, he will change the religion drastically. Imam Al-Sadiq (pbuh) said:
“If the Riser rises he shall call the people to a new Islam and he shall guide them to a matter that was lost and that the people strayed from and verily the Riser was called a Mahdi [a Guide] because he guides to a matter which is lost, and he was called a Riser because he rises with the truth.”
– Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Alamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 51, p. 30, hadith 7
There are many more changes to come in jurisprudence during the reign of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan (fhip), but this will be revealed in due time.
Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan (fhip) said:
“It is a very easy equation, if you think that I am the lawmaker and in my hands are all things, the permissible, the punishment, and the rewards of all creation, and that I am the Riser that thousands of Prophets and righteous believers have been waiting for, and that I am the one who would fill the Earth with justice and equity after it has been filled with oppression and injustice, then you will do what I command, and with all happiness because you know that I am him. But if you have 1% doubt then you will not, and if you did then you will not find comfort and you will destroy your life and yourself. This is the truth. And if you submit and there is any doubt whatsoever in your heart then it is as if you did not submit at all.”
– Sayings of Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan (PBUH), p.29, hadith 48
The chosen Caliph of God has come to establish the new set of laws and abolish the laws that were manipulated by the limited minds of the corrupted people throughout time, the true laws that we have waited for have finally arrived, be of those that follow the truth and do not be of those that prohibit what God has made permissible
The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is a 501c3 non-profit organization. This is the Call of Imam Al-Mahdi, the saviour of mankind, to all the people of the world.
Imam Al-Mahdi has appeared, with his successors Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan, and Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq (From Them is Peace).
Imam Al-Mahdi is calling the people to the true Supremacy of God.
