Most religious traditions have come to deify their prophets in one form or another, viewing them as something more than human. But these prophets themselves may not have viewed themselves the same way at the time and saw their teachings as universal, not belonging to any one religion or path. The Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius, and many other prophets were emphatic that they were not gods, insisting they were human and utterly fallible.
It is no wonder why religious communities would think of their prophets as such special beings: they give birth to new worldviews and community practices that transcend vast geographical and generational boundaries. Stories of their deification keep religions alive long after their founders have passed away. Followers across religions have also always had a vested interest in deifying their leader—by pronouncing them as gods, the teachings attributed to them became absolute and unquestionable.
In this way, the human becomes divine, and the divine becomes a lasting anchor for faith.
