CONCLUSION
Allah, the Exalted, stated clearly in the Qur’an that this world, along with the present universe, will one day come to an end in order to make way for the new creation in which balance and justice prevail. Its final era began with the prophethood of Muhammad and will close at the Hour of Resurrection.
122
There will be no divine scripture after the Qur’an and no prophet after Muhammad. He once observed, "I and the Final Hour are like these two," and held up his index and middle fingers.228 The Prophet’s Sunnah is second only to the Qur’an as a source of Islamic legislation, and both are indispensable. He said, "I have indeed been given the Qur’an and with it what is similar to it.

Yet, a time will come when someone reclining on his couch will say, ’Follow only the Qur’an; take as permissible what you find in it as permissible; and take as prohibited what you find in it as prohibited.’ But indeed, what the Messenger forbids is the same as what Allah has forbidden."229

The Qur’an itself confirms:
Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah.230 The Sunnah remains with us as the divinely ordained supplement to the Qur’an. It contains a diversity of options for various situations and conditions present in the world at any given time and place. It imparts the most effective methods of accomplishment which demand a conscious awareness of the priorities of each day and every hour. Within the vast range of righteous deeds derived from the Sunnah, a Muslim finds what is compatible with the needs of his particular society and with his own capacity for service.
----------------------------
228 Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
229 Narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud - saheeh.
230 Qur’an - 4:80.
123
Thus, he is not limited to forms of private worship but also actively participates in every lawful field of life, excelling in production, precision, skill and integrity, all the while earning the reward of a sincere worshipper. And at the same time, he becomes a source of benefit and blessing within his community.

 Prophet Muhammad was chosen by the Creator of the universe and mankind to invite all people to the correct beliefs and pure way of life preferred by Him and to demonstrate the measures and methods leading to His acceptance. He spared no effort and no sacrifice in carrying out this duty for the benefit of mankind. Through him, God made known truth from falsehood and wisdom from error. And through him He showed man how to attain eternal Paradise.

What was taught by Prophet Muhammad is as fundamental today as ever before. The Sunnah provides the means to achieve the noble existence for which Allah created human beings. The straight path to which the Prophet invited by word and deed is, simply stated, the shortest route to true and lasting contentment.

It is the path leading to a satisfying relationship with the Creator of mankind and to His unlimited mercy, appreciation and generosity. It is a median path of moderation and reason, avoiding every form of excess or extremism. It is a path based upon honesty and sincere effort in the present world which ultimately leads to full compensation and perfect justice in the next.
124
Islam is a complete way of life, combining aspects of faith and worship, legislation and moral teachings to offer the most intensive and effective means to purify and refine the human soul and human societies. Unlike many other religions and ideologies which emphasize some aspects of man’s nature at the expense of others, Islam does justice to the demands of all three of his faculties: the physical, intellectual and spiritual.

Among its unique features are the following:
* Islam is the only religion whose sources are authentically preserved and have remained immaculately free of human alteration and interference.

* Its divine scripture, the Qur.an, is free of mythical elements incompatible with modern man.s understanding of the world. It is in harmony with the established facts of science, clearly bearing the signature of the author of the universe.

* The Qur.an provides answers to questions that haunt the mind of every intelligent person, those related to the purpose of life and about further existence after death.

In it one will find:
1. Information about the Creator, in particular His perfect and absolute attributes
2. The purpose of creation and of life on earth
3. The way one should relate to his Creator, to his fellow men and to the universe in general
4. Disclosure of one’s final return to his Creator for evaluation and the consequences of his attitudes and behavior
125
* The Qur.an upholds the role of the mind and regards those who fail to use reason as intellectually deficient. This is distinct from the teachings of many religions which assume the incompatibility of faith and reason. The Qur.an is unique in its approach to knowledge, stressing observation, experience and intellect rather than custom and blind assumption.

* Islamic beliefs and practices are natural and appeal to common sense. They take into account both the instincts and faculties of human beings and present a balanced program of life that caters to basic physical as well as spiritual needs.

Additionally, Islam provides an ideal role model in the person of Prophet Muhammad, whose biography, unlike great heroes and founders of other religions, has been recorded in minute detail and is easily accessible for study. Islamic history has also provided the example of a model society where truth and transparency, justice and compassion were actually implemented and maintained as a vital expression of the religion.

* Islam stresses human brotherhood, eliminating the negative consequences of tribalism, nationalism and racism which create and sustain conflicts.

* Islam is the only religion which insists upon worship of the Creator alone and completely rejects the worship of any of His creations. Hence, it provides liberation from servitude to other men as well as the highest spiritual fulfillment and contentment that humans are capable of attaining.
126
* Islam dispenses with all intermediaries between man and God and allows all humans to contact Him directly, thus eliminating hierarchies and other sources of religious exploitation which have characterized religious history throughout the ages.
* * *
The Messenger of Allah was sent to mankind with complete guidance in all matters of faith, its application to the affairs of human life in order that everyone might attain the happiness and contentment of this world and the next. By following the guidance found in the Qur’an and Sunnah man can fully experience his human worth and his special position among created beings.

And by so doing he will automatically come into harmony with the rest of creation, earn the approval of his Lord and obtain peace and contentment in a better and permanent existence to come. All praise is due to Allah, and may His blessings and peace be upon Muhammad, the last of the Prophets, and upon his companions and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Recompense.
127