Question
There was no prophet/messenger that came between Prophet Jesus (AS) and Prophet Muhammad (P). Is the world ever left without the presence of a divine representative?
Answer:
The Almighty Allah in Surah al-Ma'idah, Ayah 19 states:
“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad) making (things) clear unto you, after a break in (the series of) Messengers, lest you say: “There came unto us no bringer of glad tidings and no warner.” But now has come unto you a bringer of glad tidings and a warner.” [1]
Also, in Ayah 6 of Surah 36 we recite:
“In order that you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are heedless”. [2]
The majority of our scholars conclude that the era between the ascension of Prophet Jesus (a.s) and our Holy Prophet (s) was the era of Fatra (break in series of Messengers).
That means during that period God had not sent any Messengers. However, as the abovementioned Ayaat negate the existence of ‘a messenger’ (who would come with a new Message and Scripture) some scholars – such as Sh. Sadooq and Allamah Majlesi – suggested that there have been prophets without any official and public missions. They rely on some narrations to prove their points.
As for reconciliation between the abovementioned Ayaat and the narrations that confirm the earth will never be vacant of any ‘divine proof’ we need to bear in mind that:
1. The ‘divine proof’ is not limited to ‘a prophet or a messenger’. Their successors are also divine proofs on earth.
2. Besides, ‘the proof of God’ does not have to necessarily live among people. Imam Ali (a.s) says in the third sermon of Nahjul-Balagha:
“Yes indeed, the earth will never be vacant from ‘someone who stands for Allah’s sake with a proof’ whether he be apparent or hidden.”[3]
Note:
[1] "يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ عَلَىٰ فَتْرَةٍ مِّنَ الرُّسُلِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا جَاءَنَا مِن بَشِيرٍ وَلَا نَذِيرٍ فَقَدْ جَاءَكُم بَشِيرٌ وَنَذِيرٌ وَاللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ"
[2] "لِتُنذِرَ قَوْمًا مَّا أُنذِرَ آبَاؤُهُمْ فَهُمْ غَافِلُونَ"
[3] Nahjul-Balagha, maxim 147:"بلی، لا تخلو الارض من قائم لله بحجه؛ اما ظاهرا مشهورا واما خائفا مغمورا لئلا تبطل حجج الله و بیناته
See: http://www.askthesheikh.com/is-the-world-ever-left-without-the-presence-...