Nehustan
Well-Known Member
IF you say that you believe Muslims DO receive revelation directly from Allah, I will VERY MUCH agree with you. I believe that ALL mankind receive revelations that are intended to play a benevolent role in trying to ascend man toward his higher nature (as you put it). I do not believe that all individuals have revelations that are intended to direct nations or large groups of people (as is the nature of much of the revelation Allah gives to prophets) but that they all receive "bits" and "pieces" of truth through direct revelation and many other mechanisms (including the natural order and design of creation - which you included as "signs").
Sorry to have taken so much time to reply. I have chosen one bit of your post, as I felt it sums up what I was trying to say. The Prophets did indeed receive revelation for people beyond themself. The direct revelation for 'normal' individuals is very real, but of a more personal nature. That can occur either through the signs in the creation or through the signs in the Quran. The boundaries between Macrocosm (Universe), Microcosm (Man), and revealed texts (Books) can very often blur with signs reinforcing each other. In a way the Quran was revealed to Muhammad, but is also revealed to each individual Muslim as he reads and ponders its content. In this way all 'signs' can interact and the experience may be non-linear and multidimensional. This is why I chose to use the word sign; the experience is in itself a peculiar and intangible phenomena, that the semantics of such are confusing is unsurprising as Gods sovereignty runs back and forth through the matrices of creation.
I'm still on holiday, so will probably not be posting too much.When I get home I have to prep for school so will be equally busy.