Introduction
Muhammad (PBUH) before
Taking Office/Announcing of Prophethood
Muhammad (PBUH) is the
son of Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttaleb, of the Arab clan of Banu Hashem of the
tribe of Quraish, one of the ancient, noblest and most dignified tribes of the
land. It was known for its valour, hospitality, influence and eloquence.
Muhammad’s nobility derived its roots from both his father’s and his mother’s
lineage. He is a descendent of Adnan. And the grandson of Ismail, son of
Ibrahim. No one of Ismail’s progeny became a prophet except Muhammad.
The Imam Moslem quotes
the prophet Muhammad, on the authority of wa’ilah ibn al-Asq’. As having said:
“Allah has singled out Kenanah from the progeny of Ismail: the Quraishites from
Kenanah: the Banu Hashem from the Quraish: and myself from the Banu Hashem“.
Muhammad, may Allah’s
peace and blessing be upon him, was born in the “Elephant Year“, during which
time Abraha the Abyssinian, ruler of Yemen, was delegated by the Negus to go to
Arabia to destroy the Ka’bah. But it was this man and his army who were
destroyed instead in an unprecedented manner. Describing this incident Allah
says: “Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the companions of the
Elephant? Did He not make their treacherous plan go astray? And He sent against
them flights of birds, striking them with stoner of backed clay. Then did He
make an empty field of stalks and straw, [of which the corn] has been eaten up.”
This was an indication that a new prophet would be raised and that the Ka’bah
will be the place towards which he and his nation should turn their faces in
prayers. Muhammad (PBUH) was the sole son of his father Abdullah; and this was
decreed so that upon him alone should the blessing of his two grand-fathers,
Ibrahim and Ismail, should be bestowed
Mohammed’s father died
when he was still an embryo in his mother’s womb. When he was five years old,
he lost his mother while both of them were on their way back to Makkah after a
visit they paid to his paternal uncles, the Banu Adiy bin al-Nijar in Madinah.
The mother died at a place called al-Abwa. Asma, daughter of Rahm,quotes her
mother, as reported by Al-Zohari, as having said: “ I have seen Amna, the
mother of the prophet . in her illness in which she died. Muhammad (PBUH) was
five years old, and he was sitting all the time at her head. Lookinatherself,
Amna would say: “Every living is to die; and every new thing will wear out. I
shall pass away, but my name will last. I am leaving behind me goodness, and I
had given birth to a pure. After saying this, she died”.
Muhammad (PBUH) was then brought up in the
loving care of his grand-father Abdul Muttaleb, the leader of Quraish. And when
Muhammad (PBUH) was eight years old, the grandfather died, after which the boy
was brought up his uncle Abu Taleb, who took the lead of Quraish.But despite
the fact that Muhammad (PBUH) was brought up in orphanhood, he was active,
energetic, weary of mean things. He was of a high spirit, of good behavior, and
was serious in managing matters. He never indulged in children quarrels or
noisy games, and never had he behaved like anyone of his age; he was reared in
the institution of Allah, the Merciful, the Beneficent, Who decreed that
Muhammad (PBUH) was to be the last in the line of prophets and messengers.
All his life, Muhammad (PBUH) remained under the
guard and care of Allah, always blessed with His favor and benignity. Once, his
nurse, Halimah, of the tribe of Banu Sa’d, took the lad to spend sometime
amidst her kin. Though they were suffering a season of drought, the land,
unexpectedly, turned into a fertile space, with plenty of crops coming out
everywhere. Herds returned from grazing with full stomachs and much of milk,
while the sheep of their neighbouring lands remained hungry, with no milk in
their udders, And it happened that even when the other people’s sheep grazed on
Halimah’s pasture, they still failed to produce milk.
Ibn’Asaker quotes Jalhamah ibn Arfatah as
narrating the following story: “Once I visited Makkah at a time of scarcity.
The Quraishites approached Abu Taleb, saying: O,Abu Taleb; the valley has
become barren and the young children hungry. Go forth and pray for water for
the people’ .Abu Taleb headad for the Ka’bah, taking with him a young boy
[Muhammad], who was radiant in face like a sun. Abu Taleb made the boy stand
with his back close to the Ka’bah , The boy lifted his his hinger towards the
sky, which was cloudless. But soon clouds appeared in the sky and rains fell
down heavily. The valley became fertile and crops were harvested later”.
Muhammad (PBUH) accompanied his uncle Abu Taleb
on two journeys to Syria, once when he was twelve years old, and secondly, when
he was eighteen. On both the journeys, significant indications and unusual things
were observed. Of all the travelers it was Muhammad (PBUH) alone who was
overshadowed by a cloud. All inanimates used to greet him wherever he passed
them. When he was seen by Bihairah, the monk, he embraced him, declaring that
he was the prophet of whom the Torah had foretold; and the monk asked the boy’s
uncle to protect him from the Jews.
Muhammad (PBUH) was known amongst his people for
his truthfulness, honesty and prudence. And for these qualities he was called
by them “Al-Amin,” the Trusty. Being so known among the Arabs, he was given by
Khadijah the charge of a caravan conveying merchandise to Syria. On this
journey, he was accompanied by Khadijah’s servant, Maysarah, who, being close
to Muhammad, saw for himself the nobility of his behavior and the supernatural
phenomena that he had never seen the like before On Muhammad’s return,
Khadijah, who was of noble lineage and wealthy, was so pleased with his
successful management of her business, was so attracted by his nobility, of
character, reports about which she heard from her old servant who had
accompanied Muhammad (PBUH) on his journey, that she offered the young man her
hand, Muhammad (PBUH) then went with his uncle Abu Taleb to Khadijah’s uncle
Amr ibn Asad to finalize the procedures of marriage.
All Muhammad’s sons were mothered by Khadijah
except Ibrahim who was born to his other wife Maria, the Copt.
When Muhammad (PBUH) reached thirty-five rears
of age, the Quraish re-constructed the ka’bah but a dispute arose among the
tribe’s chieftains as to who was to place the Black Stone in is proper place in
the ka’bah. The dispute lasted four nights, and it threatened to plunge the
different clans of Quraish into war. The eldest chief amongst them was Abu
Umayah ibn al-Mughira, of Banu Makhzoum, the uncle of Khaled ibn al-waleed, and
he proposed that the dispute should be settled by arbitration. They accepted
the idea and proposed that the first man to enter the Ka,bah should be the
arbitrator. And the man was Muhammad; and because he was popularly known for
his equity, good reasoning and honesty, all the chiefs accepted the Amin to be
the arbitrator. They had sought his decision on several matters before, and he
was always just, fair and unprejudicial. He stretched his robe and asked each
clan to hold one of its sides after placing the Stone on it. When the garment
was lifted up by them, he took the Stone by his hands and inserted it in its
place. And thus the sagacious arbitration of Muhammad (PBUH) saved the
situation and settled the dispute to everyone’s satisfaction. Even after he had
been entrusted with the Divine Message, his opponents, who rejected the
Meassage, could not deny his good qualities. One of Muhammad’s arch-enemies,
Al-Nadr ibn al-Harth, of Banu Abdul Darr, could say nothing to the pilgrims but
to chant the praises of the Prophet. He went further and rejected the plea that
he was an enchanter.
When Hercules, King of the Romans, asked Abu
Sufyan once: Did you charge Muhammad (PBUH) as a liar before he brought you the
Message? The man said: No Hercules said: If he has never lied to men, how could
he then tell lies about Allah?
The Intellectual Movement before Muhammad's (PBUH) Birth
All the Scriptures foretold of the appearance of a prophet of
Ismail’s offspring from the mountainous area of Tohama. The Jewa were expecting
his appearance. In the year 71 A.D the jews rebelled against the Romana in “
Iliya”[Jerusalem]. And as a consequence, the Jews, sacred temple was demolished
by the Roman commander Titus.and a large number of them were driven out of the
land. Some of them headed for Yathirb, Madina, and its outskirts, and they were
members of the tribes of Qurayzah, Al-Nadir, Qinaqa, Khybarand others. The
flocks of jews went to that part of the land because they were sure, as their
Books asserted, that a new prophet would be raised there, and that the religion
he was destined to preach will spread everywhere, from the city of Yathrib.
They desired to live close to that prophet and to lend him support in the hope
that he might restore to them the status they had lost in Jerusalem.
Later, the Jews, anticipating assistance from the prophet
Muhammad, prayed for their victory against their foes, the Aus and the Khazraj.
But when the prophet preached the Message, that their Scripture spoke of, they
rejected both the prophet and hid Message. Alluding to this Allah says: “And
when there comes to them a Book from God, confirming what is with
them,-although from of old, they had prayed for victory against those without
Faith, when there comes to them that which they [should] have recognized, they
refuse to believe in it, but the curse of God is on those without Faith“.
He also says: “And if the apostle were to invent any sayings in Our name,
we should certainly seize him by his right hand, and We should certainly then
cut off artery of this heart; not could any of you withhold him [from Our
wrath].”
Even Jesus Christ had foretold, as stated in the Gospel, of the
appearance of the prophet Muhammad, Confirming this report, the Holy Qur’an
says: “And remember Jesus, the son of Mary said: O, Children of Israel: I
am the apostle of Good [sent] to you, confirming the Law [which came] before
me, and giving glad tidings of an Apostle to come after me, whose name shall be
Ahmad”
Salman, the Persian, was close to a priest who used to repeat to
him that a Messenger by the name of Ahmad will be raised by Allah from the
passes of mount Tohama, and that he will be known for accepting only a gift and
refusing charity . And this was the reason why Salman converted to Islam.
Jesus Christ, as the Gospel of Mathew says, prophesied the rise of
Muhammad (PBUH) as a prophet. He dhim the stone put by the Lord on the top of
the building; he told his people that the kingdom of the Israelites will
disappear, giving place to another nation, the Muslims. Whoever falls on this
stone will suffer bruises, and whomever the stone might fall own on will
certainly be crushed.
And because the followers of the Scriptures knew beforehand of the
appearance of Muhammad (PBUH) as a Prophet, his letters, which were later sent
to their kings and rulers, had albeen received by them with respect and esteem,
and esteem, and their receipt had always been acknowledged nicely. The Roman
Emperor of the time was about to convert to Islam had it not been for his people
who rebelled against him when he called them to have faith in the prophet
Muhammad.
Prophecy On The Coming of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) in Other Scriptures
To many, it may be a great wonder and almost unbelievable if it is
said that PROPHECIES - regarding the coming of prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) -
appear in the Sacred books of OTHER RELIGIONS.
The Sacred books are supposed to have been revealed, or written,
many centuries before the coming of prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). In order to
understand how these prophecies appear in other religious Scripture, one must
understand this:-
From the time of appearance of Man on earth - from the time of
Adam - God has been appointing a most righteous man among a society as a
prophet of that period, to guide mankind towards truth and ultimate goal of
reaching Him, whenever mankind slips into moral disaster and aimless life.
All prophets - from the first to the last (and there were more
than one hundred thousand of them (peace be upon all of them)) Preached
the same message, namely:-
- "There
is no god except the only God - the Creator and Sustainer of the whole
universe and its contents."
- "Pray
only Him, and no others."
- "Believe
and follow the messenger (of that period of time)."
- "Do good; and avoid
evil."
And all these prophets have prophecied the
coming of last prophet - Muhammad (s.a.w.) -
The scriptures of Hinduism, known as Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, etc
are all in Sanskrit Language. It is universally accepted that Sanmskrit had been
one of the languages in the world. In this Sanskrit Language, there is a
scripture known as "BHAVISHA PURANA". This is supposed to have been
written by the Sage, Maha Rishi Viyasar.
In this Verse (Parvam:3 Part 3, chapter3; verse 5-8), the name
"Muhammad" is mentioned directly as "Mhaamat" at the
beginning of the second sentence. Also, in this, there is very clear prophecy
regarding prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).
The translation reads as follows:-
"A 'Milechar' (a foreigner) will
appear as a teacher of a new religion, with the help
of his friends. His name would be 'Mahaamat'. A king of this
land will give great respect to his teaching; and praise him. Cleansing himself
with Gangeswater and Panjagouyam,he would say, "I whole-heartedly follow
you". He (Mahaamat) would be devoid of all sins. Coming from dry (desert)
land, he would be very holy. He will fight against evil forces. He will gather
warriors, for this purpose. He will give protection even to enemies."
"King of this land" giving great respect to Mahaamat's
teachings - refers to a South Indian King by name of Cheramaan, who had trade
contacts with Arabs and later became a Muslim at the time of prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w.).
"Adarva Veda" is Sanskrit Scripture, that was written
even before "Bhavisha Purana." It is not known how many hundreds of
years before the birth of prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was Adarva Veda written. In
this scripture, in Episode (Kandam) 20, Chapter (Sutra) 127 Verse (Mantra) 1,
2, 3 reads as follow (translation) :-
"Oh Mankind, listen with complete belief: A man, who will
be of all praise, will be created amongst mankind. We shall provide him
sanctuary against his sixty thousand and ninety enemies. He and his friends
will come in twenty camels; the dust stirred by these camels will be so much as
to cover the horizon. He will give gold. horses and cows as gifts."
- "Man
of praise" refers to prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). In fact the actual
meaning of the Arabic word 'Muhammad' means "be praised."
- It
is not known exactly how many enemies prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) had at his
time; but it is however established that there were thousands.
- When
he made his Hijrah (emigration) from Makkah to Madinah, he went on camels.
- Whatever gold, horses and
cattles that prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) received, he gave away as gift to
the poor and needy.
From these it is very clear, the verses in
Adarva Veda prohecies the coming of prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) In another
chapter of 'Adarva Veda' - Chapter 1, Verse 10 - the translation reads as follows:-
"Allah is complete. (The word 'Allah' do
appear in the original Sanskrit text). The whole universe belongs to Him.
Mahamat (Here again, the word 'Mahamat' do appear in the original text)
whoglorifies God's existence, is His Messenger. Oh, God! Oh, God! God, who
activated the universe, is the Creator ans Sustainer of the earth. There is
only One God, no one else. Behold the magnitude of The Formless God! God, who
revealed this Adarva Veda containing "On Herim', created mankind, cattle
and everything. Pray only The Formless One - God. Mahamat, who will destroy the
evil with 'On Reem' prayer, is Allah's Messenger. There is no other god except
the Omnipresent God"
(Allobanished 1:10)
In another of the four Vedas - in Rig Veda - it
is said: "Mahamat, who is truthful, knowledgeable and powerful, will bless
me. He is a Blessing for the whole world. He is glorified with ten thousand
people."
(In Al-Quran, prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is refered to as
"Rahmatun - Lil -Alamain". Meaning "Blessing for the whole
world" - same phrase as appears in the above quotation. Also, the mention
of ten thousand people refers to the ten thousand sahabat (friends) of prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w) who accompanied him when he marched into Makkah.
In Same Veda - one of four Vedas of Hinduism - too, this is
prophecied as:
"A man called Mamma (Muhammad) will attain victory with ten
thousand people.".
In the Bible too, in Deutronomy, this coming with ten
thousand people is stated as below:-
"...................... he shone from Mount Paran he came
with the ten thousands of holy ones .................."
(Deuts 33:2)
Pharsi Religion (the religion that was practised in Iran in
pre-Islamic era) is one of the oldest religions on the world. Its Scriptures
are known as "Dasatir" and "Jant Avasthe".
In the 'Dasatir' in its 14th Verse, Islamic principles appear with
administ laws.
In these Verse, Prophecy about prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) are
stated very clearly. It says (translation):
"When Persian morality declines to lowest, a man will
appear from Arabia. Those following him will choke the Persian Crown, religion
and everything. The authority and control of Persia will go to them.
The idols in their (Arabic) permanent temple (Kaaba) built by
their ancestors will be removed. But, people will give immense honour to the
empty temple. Das and Bulk (two big cities of thet time in Persia) will fall.
The learned people and others of Persia, will join those who follow him
(prophet Muhammad s.a.w.). This older Persian scripture is still found in
present - day Iran.
Due to ignorance of the true concepts of the teachings of Budha,
many Buddhists believe that in Buddhism there is no place for BELIEF IN GOD!
But, many archaelogical findings prove to the contrary - Buddha has emphasised
to believe in One God and he has prophesied the coming of prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w.). A famous scholar, Arthur Lily, says that the following was seen as an
inscription on a stone - slab as the saying of Buddha:-
"Believe in God and do whatever righteous things He has
commanded you to do; because He is the Only One, Who is fit to be prayed and
showed your humbleness. I declare openly that there is no other way equal
to this belief (of One God) to attain the Bliss of Heaven. So oh, my people,
put in all your efforts, to attain this highest goal".
(Quotation from Book title "India in
Primitive Christianity" - Page 85)
Budha could have been one of the many prophets;
and he too had prophecied the coming of prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).
'Thikanikaya' is one of the Budhist Scripture. In it, is stated
that 'Maitriya' will finally come.
(The word "Maiteiya' - or 'Metteya' in Bali language and all
corresponding words used in Burmese, Chinese Tibetian, or Japanese - carry the
same meaning; namely same as "Rahmat" in Arabic, meaning
"Blessed". And prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) has been proclaimed by God
Himself in al-Quran as "Rahmath - Lil - Aalameen"- Blessing for the
whole world).
It is stated in book "Arshagyanam" (Page 282), as Buddha
having said,
"All must believe the 'Maitriya', the prophet to
come."
In the Christian Scripture - The Holy Bible - in 'Song of Solomon'
5:16 reads as follows (in the original Hebrew Language).
"Hikko Manittadim Vikkulu Mahamadim Zahyudi Vezeur Raai
Benute Yafus Halam".
"His speech is most sweet (= His teaching are most
sweet). He is Mahamad. He is my beloved; he is my friend. Oh, daughters of
Jerusalam, I love him very much".
(In the Bible in other language).
In this song, in Hebrew language, the word
Mahamad is mentioned very clearly. The last two letters-- im' which come with
that word, are used as 'word of respect' in Hebrew language. The Jews do sing
this hymn even today; but do it as some sort of rites; without really realising
what they are reading. (In the Bible of other languages -- English etc, that
phrase has been translated as "He is altogether lovely" -- the original word
Mahamad being left aout and replaced with "altogether lovely" !! -- for reasons known
only to the translators.
Also, in Deutronomy 18:18, it says as God saying to Moses:
"I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren,
like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto
them all that I shall comman".
Although Christians may say that this prophecy refers to Jesus
Christ, if the verse is carefully analysed, it can be clearly understood that
it refers to prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).
a) Other than the fact that both Moses and Jesus were Jews and
that both were prophet there are no other similarity b) If it is to be said
that Jesus befits this verse because of these facts, then it can be claimed
that the prophets Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Malachi, John The
Baptist etc., should also fit this verse; because all of them were Jews and
prophets.
Where as, Moses ans
prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) were alike because:-
1.
Moses and prophet Muhammad (s.s.w.) both brought
new covenants to the people of the time. Jesus did not bring any new covenant
but he came to affirm and testify existing laws brought by Moses as he himself
says in Matthews 5:17 - 18:-
"Think not that I
am come to destroy the laws, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy. but to
fulfil".
1.
Moses and Muhammad both had father and mother. Jesus had mother,
but not father.
2. Moses and Muhammad
(s.a.w.) married and be got children. Jesus remained a bachelor.
3. Both Moses and Muhammad
(s.a.w.) died natural death. Jesus according to Christianity, was violently
killed on the cross.
4. Both Moses and Muhammad
(s.a.w.) finally attained leadership and authority over their society. They
were both unproclaimed kings of their people. Jesus did not attain this.
Also the verse says "FROM AMONG THEIR
BRETHREN".
Ishmael (Ismail) and Isac (Ishak) are sons of the same father,
prophet Abraham (Ibrahim a.s); and so they are brothers. Thereby, the children
of one are 'BRETHREN' to the children of the other. The children of Isaac (Ishak) are
Jews; and the children of Ishmael (ismail) - who are Arabic are their
"BRETHREN". The bible affirm this:-
"And he (Ishmael) shall dwell in the presence of ALL HIS
BRETHREN".
(Genesis 16:12)
"And he (Ishmael)
died in the presence of ALL HIS BRETHREN".
(Genesis 16:12)
The children of Isaac
(Ishak) are brothers of Ishmaelits (Arabs). Likewise Muhammad (s.a.w.) is from
among the BRETHREN of the Israelis (Followers of Moses) because Muhammad
(s.a.w.) was a descendent of Ishmael (Ismail), the son of Abraham - fulfilling
the prphecy of the verse:
".... from among their brethren"
(Deut. 18:18)
Also, the verse goes on: ".....AND I WILL PUT MY WORDS INTO
HIS MOUTH". Not even one Quranic verses are words of Muhammad (s.a.w.).
They are words, which he heard through angel Gabriel (Jibrael) and repeated
word for word. None of them are his. He merely repeated waht "was put into
his mouth". AND, Jesus too confirms this, by saying:
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can bear.
But when he, the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He
will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears and he will tell
you what is yet to come"
(John 16:12, 13)
Thus, Moses, in Old
Testament and Jesus in the New Testament prophecy the coming of the last
prophet - prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).
1. TAURAT
DESCRIPTION OF THE HOLY
PROPHET MUHAMMAD SALLALLAHU ALAIHI WASALLAM IN THE TAURAT AND INJEEL
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur'aan:
"Those who will serve the Messenger, unlettered the
Communicator of hidden news when they will find with them written in the Taurat
and Injeel. He will bid them to do good and will forbid them from doing evil,
and will make lawful for them clean things and will forbid for them unclean
things, and will take off from them that burden and shackles which were upon
them. Then those who believe in him and honour him and help him and follow that
light which has been sent down with him, they are the persons who attained
their objects."
[Surah 7: Ayat 157]
In the above mentioned verse Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala says that those who wish for success in this world and in the next,
should follow `the Rasool', `the Nabi' and `Ummi', three qualities or titles of
the beloved Rasool Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam which are also mentioned in the
Taurat and Injeel (bible). The meaning of `Rasool' is `messenger' and `Nabi' is
`one who gives information of the unseen'. The meanings of these two words are
well known, however, the word `Ummi' requires some discussion. In an authentic
book of Tafseer (interpretation of the verses of the Holy Qur'aan), `Tafseer
Ruhul Ma'ani', it is stated that one reason for `Ummi' being a title of the
Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam is because one of the names of Makkah
is "Ummul Kurah". Because he was born and lived in Makkah for so many
years and because of his connection with the city and he was given the title of
"Ummi" just as someone from Madina would be known as Madani or
someone from Iraq would be known as Iraqi.
Another meaning given in the same book is `one who has never
learnt to read or write' under the guidance of a teacher. It would be that his
condition would be as if his mother had just given birth to him. Hazrat
Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam was not taught by any human, angel or
jinn, but by the Almighty, thus his knowledge is like an ocean and his
teachings will always be pertinent, even till the Day of Judgement.
The knowledge of Hazrat Adam Alaihis Salaam was also very wide and
for this reason the angels were ordered to bow before him.
As we are all aware, there are many languages in the world. Each
one would have its own word to describe a particular thing. For example, in
English we say water, in Arabic `maa', in Urdu `paani' and in Persian `aab'. In
this manner the names of everything and the purpose of their creation were
taught to Adam Alaihis Salaam. The great Ulama of Islam are of the opinion that
the knowledge of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is like an ocean
and the knowledge of the other Prophets (On them be peace) is like a drop of
that ocean. Thus the knowledge of Adam Alaihis Salaam is like that of a drop in
comparison to that of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
To say that an ordinary person is "Ummi" would signify a
default in his personality. To understand this point consider this: Pride is
considered to be a bad quality in character, but when we say that Almighty
Allah has pride it is His praise, likewise the word "Ummi" when used
for the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam signifies his praise since
without being educated by any worldly teacher he possesses knowledge about all
creation.
In the words "Those who find written about him in the Tauraat
and Injeel" indicates to us that the personality of Muhammad Sallallahu
Alaihi Wassallam was discussed in the original, unchanged scriptures of the
Jews and Christians.
Imaam Jalaludeen Suyuti Rahmatullahi Ta'ala Alaihi narrates that
the grandson of Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Salaam Radiyallahu Anhuma (Hazrat Abdullah
Ibn Salaam Radiyallahu Anhu was a very learned Jewish scholar of that time)
says:
"I asked my grandfather about the Holy Prophet Sallallahu
Alaihi Wassallam and he explained that when he became aware of the presence of
Nabi Alaihis Salaam in Makkah he left his homeland to go there and when he met
the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam he was asked, `Are you Ibn Salaam?
Are you the great scholar of the Jews?' He replied in the affirmative and
the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam asked him, taking the oath of
Allah to answer the question truthfully, `Have you found my qualities
described in the Book of Allah (Tauraat)?' Ibn Salaam replied, `I
bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, and Allah will make you and
your religion prevalent over the whole world. I have found your qualities in
the Tauraat." The following verse was then read, `Oh giver of the
unseen news, undoubtedly we have sent you as a witness, and a giver of glad-tidings,
and a warner. You are my servant and Messenger, I have named you Mutawakil (one
who has complete trust in Allah)....." [Al-Khasaaisul Kubra,
Vol 1]
Imaam Jalaludeen Suyuti Rahmatullahi Ta'ala
Alaihi narrates that the uncle of our beloved Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam,
Hazrat Abbas Radiyallahu Anhu once enquired from Kaabul Akhbaar a great Jewish
scholar of his time why he accepted Islam during the time of Hazrat Umar
Radiyallahu Anhu instead of in the time of Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam
or the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique Radiyallahu Anhu. He replied, "My
father wrote something for me from the Tauraat, he closed it and thereafter he
gave it to me, and said, `Act upon this and follow it.' My father made me
promise to do as he said and not to open it until a difficult time comes. Time
passed and Islam spread far and wide, and I found nothing but good in the
religion and at that point I opened the letter and therein I found a
description of the Holy Prophet Alaihis Salaam and his Ummah. Therefore I have
come now and accepted Islam."
Another Sahabi asked Ka'abul Akhbaar, "Have you found
anything about our beloved Rasool (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) in the Tauraat?"
He said, "I have found written, `Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah, his birth will be in Makkah and thereafter he will travel to
Madina."
In a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu Anhu, our
Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam said,
"When Allah revealed the Tauraat to Moosa (Alaihis
Salaam) and when he received the verses regarding this Ummah he prayed, `Oh
Allah, I have found in the Tauraat that there will be an Ummah that will come
last but yet their positon will be the best and intercession regarding them
will be accepted, Oh Allah make them my Ummah.' Allah replied, `This is the
Ummah of Muhammmad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam).' Thereafter Moosa (Alaihis
Salaam) said, `Their holy scripture will be stored in their hearts and they
will recite it from there, Oh Allah make them my Ummah.' Allah replied that, `This
is the Ummah of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam).'Then Moosa (Alaihis
Salaam) asked, `That Ummah that has knowledge of the past as well as future, Oh
Allah, make them my Ummah.' Again Allah replied,`That is the Ummah of Muhammad
(Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)."
From this, it is
clear that the previous Ummahs were informed about the coming of our Beloved
Rasool Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. How fortunate are we not that the status of
this Ummah has also been described in the previous scriptures by virtue of
being the followers of the Beloved of Allah, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammad
Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam.
Was he Solomon, Jesus or Muhammad ?
Muhammad's name appeared in Haggai 2:7 under the hebrew word mahmad (
)
which means praised one (Muhammad is Arabic for praised one). It almost
undoubtedly is referring to the Arabic Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
)
which means praised one (Muhammad is Arabic for praised one). It almost
undoubtedly is referring to the Arabic Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
The 5th chapter of Songs of Solomon is discussing someone. Jews
will say it is discussing Solomon, while Christians will say it is discussing Jesus.
Considering this is the Songs of Solomon, it would seem logical that it is
discussing Solomon. The verses describing this mystery man have the narators
speech conjuagted in the feminine (meaning it is a woman who is describing this
man) so it is possible that it is one of Solomon's wives discussing her Husband
(Solomon). However, if a Christian tries to assert that Jesus is being
discussed, then they are insinuating that this is discussing a future prophet
(a man who was not yet alive at that point), a prophesy.... If the 5th chapter
of Songs of Solomon is looking into the future, then there is no doubt it is
discussing Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Throughout the chapter, someone is being discussed. Whomever it
is, verse 15 says his "countenance (face) is as Lebanon", so this is
an Arabic gentleman (or Arab looking), a Semitic man none the less. Verse 11
says "his head is as the most fine gold, his locks are wavy, and black as
a raven". Verse 10 describes this man as being "radiant and
ruddy" which means he was slightly light-skinned with a rosy color. This
can be confirmed in the Sahih Bukhari Hadiths, Volume 4, Book 56,
Number 747, which says Muhammad was slightly light skinned, with a rosy
color (and also has the same hair as is mentioned in verse 11). Also verse 14
describes this man as having a stomach like ivory. I take it this means the
parts of his body that were usually covered by his garment from the sun, were
very white (like ivory). This also can be atributed to Muhammad (Peace Be Upon
Him) who although having a rosy, golden color, had white armpitts (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2,
Book 17, Number 141 says you could see the whites of his armpitt when he raised
his hand). WHAT'S THE POINT?!?!
Discussing skin color, and hair color is fruitless, and if I was
basing it solely on that, it could be describing ANY Semitic man. However, this
person's name is given. In reading the English translation of Songs 5:16 it
finishes the description by saying "He is altogether lovely". The
words "altogether lovely" was translated from mahmad ().
We'll take a closer look at this four character word, and prove this is talking
about Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) . . . . .
).
We'll take a closer look at this four character word, and prove this is talking
about Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) . . . . .
First of all, the way this word is written is Hebrew is .
That happens to be the EXACT same was Muhammad's name is written in Hebrew.
Let's look at the spelling of this word...
.
That happens to be the EXACT same was Muhammad's name is written in Hebrew.
Let's look at the spelling of this word...
It has four characters. Going from right to left they are...
Now, when writing in Hebrew, there is no difference between the
word mahmad ()
and Muhammad ().
The only difference is in the vowels used when pronouncing this word ().
Hebrew is an ancient language, and there are no vowels. It is made up of 22
consonants. In ancient times, the reader decided on his own which vowels to add
in. It was not until the 8th century that vowels were introduced, in the form
of dots and lines. However, this has nothing to do with real Hebrew. The
word mahmad ()
in ancient times would most likely have been pronounced "mahamad".
)
and Muhammad ().
The only difference is in the vowels used when pronouncing this word ().
Hebrew is an ancient language, and there are no vowels. It is made up of 22
consonants. In ancient times, the reader decided on his own which vowels to add
in. It was not until the 8th century that vowels were introduced, in the form
of dots and lines. However, this has nothing to do with real Hebrew. The
word mahmad ()
in ancient times would most likely have been pronounced "mahamad".
According to Ben Yehuda's Hebrew-English Dictionary, is
correctly pronounced "mahamad" (not mahmad) which is very close to
Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
is
correctly pronounced "mahamad" (not mahmad) which is very close to
Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
Ben Yehuda's Hebrew-English Dictionary defines ""
as "lovely, coveted one, precious one, praised one". The
correct way to say "praised one" in Arabic is Muhammad, so this is
the same word!
"
as "lovely, coveted one, precious one, praised one". The
correct way to say "praised one" in Arabic is Muhammad, so this is
the same word!
As was stated before, the name Muhammad ()
and the word mahmad ()
are spelled exactly the same way in Hebrew, and both have the same meaning. The
only reason they are pronounced different is because of vowels (dots and lines)
introduced in the eigth century.
)
and the word mahmad ()
are spelled exactly the same way in Hebrew, and both have the same meaning. The
only reason they are pronounced different is because of vowels (dots and lines)
introduced in the eigth century.
The Hebrew word for praised one is
The Hebrew word for Muhammad (the Arabic Prophet) is
In conclusion, if Songs of Solomon chapter 5 is discussing a man
to come after that time, it is without a doubt Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), as
it even mentions his name. Any Christian who believes Jesus is the Messiah, and
believes that books were sent down by God after the TaNaKh (Jewish Bible), then
surely they should take into account what they just read here, and consider the
Qur'an before making a decision.
SONG OF SONGS 5:16
This is the most controversial part of the text. When discussing
the "Machamad" in verse 16 of Chapter 5 in Shir Hashirim (Song of
Songs), most of the emphasis is placed on the first half of the verse. However,
this has caused a major disregard for the rest of the verse in Hebrew which has
extremely seriously connotations when properly translated. They may be even
more serious then the usage of the name "Muhammad" in itself. May the
Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon the Prophet Muhammad. Allow me to repost
the verse in English as well as Hebrew:
"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is
my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."
"Chikko mamtakeem, v'chulo MUCHAMADIM, ze DODEE v'ze RA'EE, bano
Yarushalaym" [Hebrew transliteration of Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs)
5:16]
Now let us break up this verse into parts and deal with each aspect separately.
1. MACHAMMADIM - From
"MACHAMAD" which in this particular verse, the words "altogether
lovely" was translated from mahmad (). is translated into
"lovely". "Altogether" is added as a contextual reference
to "v'chulo" which means "in entirety" or
"absolutely". "MACHAMAD" means "desirable,
praiseworthy, beautiful, etc". Though it is archaic, it is found elsewhere
in the Bible to describe precious and coveted items. The fact that this
"MACHAMAD" evidently may well be the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's
peace and blessings be upon him) has already been thoroughly outlined and established.
To add further weight to these argument, let us take a closer look at this four
character word. The way this word is written is Hebrew is . That happens to be
the EXACT same way Muhammad's name is written in Hebrew.
Now, when writing in Hebrew, there is no difference between the
word mahmad () and Muhammad (). The only difference is in the vowels used when
pronouncing this word. Hebrew is an ancient language, and there are no vowels.
It is made up of 22 consonants. In ancient times, the reader decided on his own
which vowels to add in. It was not until the 8th century that vowels were
introduced, in the form of dots and lines. However, this has nothing to do with
real Hebrew. The word mahmad () in ancient times would most likely have been
pronounced "mahamad".
According to Ben Yehuda's Hebrew-English Dictionary, is correctly pronounced
"mahamad" (not mahmad) which is very close to Muhammad.
Ben Yehuda's Hebrew-English Dictionary defines "" as "lovely,
coveted one, precious one, praised one". The correct way to say
"praised one" in Arabic is Muhammad, so this is the same word!
As was stated before, the name Muhammad () and the word mahmad () are spelled
exactly the same way in Hebrew, and both have the same meaning. The only reason
they are pronounced different is because of vowels (dots and lines) introduced
in the eighth century.
2. DODEE - From
"DOWD" (pronounced d - long "o" - d). In this particular
verse it is translated into "beloved". However, "DOWD" also
means "paternal uncle", that is to mean the father's brother, in
Hebrew. This complicates the verse and makes it all the more interesting. In
the book of Leviticus the word "dowd" is found 5 times [10:4, 20:20
(twice in this verse), 25:49 (twice in this verse)] and used as "paternal
uncle" only and not used any other way. The verse Numbers 36:11, where it
is said "..were married unto their FATHER'S BROTHERS' sons", the word
used is "DOWD". There are many other examples where "DOWD"
is used as "paternal uncle" (father's brother) and not "beloved".
3. RA'EE - From
"RAY'AA" which is translated in this particular verse into
"friend". However, "RA'YAA" in Hebrew means "co-worker
in same area, field or margin". It is translated as "neighbor"
102 times in the Old Testament. Actually, it is translated as
"neighbor" more than any other definition in the Old Testament. It is
used to mean one member of the same organization or group. In chapter 11 of
Genesis it is used in reference to the group of builders raising the Tower of
Babel. Co-workers, comrades, etc. would all be considered "RAY'AA".
Thus, if the "MACHAMAD" in this verse 5:16 of Shir Hashirim (Song of
Songs) is a mere reference to some love sick girl's object of desire why is
this "MACHAMAD" called the girl's "PATERNAL UNCLE" as well
as "COMRADE" or "CO-WORKER"? If a girl was merely
describing her obsession why would she use such utterly unromantic terms such
as these which allude to a male co-worker who is possibly a paternal uncle?
The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) was a direct
descendant from Ishmael (peace be upon him) who is the paternal uncle of the
Nation of Israel who are descended from Ishmael's younger brother, Isaac (peace
be upon him). Thus, calling an Arab a paternal uncle would not be an erroneous
idiom at all.
The Prophet Muhammad (May Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon him) came with
the same message as the Israelite prophets such as Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,
David and Solomon (among others). Thus, he would have been a "RA'YAA"
of the Prophets. Not using the shallow definition of "friend" but the
true and proper definition as it is found 102 times in the Bible as
"neighbor".
So the correct translation
would be:
"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is MUHAMMAD. This is my
(paternal) UNCLE, and this is my COMRADE, O daughters of Jerusalem."
[Correct translation of Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs) 5:16]
This is definitely not erroneous if weighed against any work of scholarship
regarding the Hebrew language. There are many, many, serious implications when
these outlined words are taken in context as they were understood based upon
the Bible's own usage in its other books.
"Abu Musa al Ash`ari reported that Allah's Messenger (May the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned many names of his and said, 'I AM
MUHAMMAD, AHMAD. Muqaffi, Hashir, the Prophet of Repentance, and the Prophet of
Mercy." [Saheeh Muslim, 30:5813]
Note: Haggai 2:7 states "And I will shake all nations, AND THE DESIRE OF
ALL NATIONS SHALL COME: and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of
hosts."
In the Hebrew text it says "CHMD" pronounceable as "ACHMAD"
(which is "AHMAD" in Arabic) in the place of "desire of all
nations". Thus, the translation would be, "And I will shake all
nations, AND AHMAD SHALL COME: and I will fill this house with glory saith the
Lord of hosts."
Immediately after that, Haggai 2:9 says "The glory of this latter house
shall be greater than the former: and in this place will I give PEACE, saith
the Lord of hosts."
So which latter house? Since the last temple was destroyed by the Romans there
has been no Jewish temple rebuilt there. There only stands the Dome of the Rock
and Masjid al-Aqsa which is certainly a place of "Peace" or Islam.
"...and never have I seen anyone more handsome than Allah's Apostle (May
the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." [Saheeh Muslim, 30:5770]
IN CONCLUSION:
"Describing the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), who
passed by her tent on his journey of migration, Umm Ma'bad Al-Khuza'iyah said
to her husband,
'He was innocently bright and had broad countenance. His manners were fine.
Neither was his belly bulging out nor was his head deprived of hair. He had
black attractive eyes finely arched by continuous eyebrows. His hair glossy and
black, inclined to curl, he wore long. His voice was extremely commanding. His
head was large, well formed and set on a slender neck. His expression was
pensive and contemplative, serene and sublime. The stranger was fascinated from
the distance, but no sooner he became intimate with him than this fascination
was changed into attachment and respect. His expression was very sweet and
distinct. His speech was well set and free from the use of superfluous words,
as if it were a rosary of beads. His stature was neither too high nor too small
to look repulsive. He was a twig amongst the two, singularly bright and fresh.
He was always surrounded by his Companions. Whenever he uttered something, the
listeners would hear him with rapt attention and whenever he issued any
command, they vied with each other in carrying it out. He was a master and a
commander. His utterances were marked by truth and sincerity, free from all
kinds of falsehoods and lies." [Zad al Ma`ad 2:45]
If Songs 5:10-16 is discussing a man to come after that time, it is without a
doubt Song of Muhammad (peace be upon him), as it not only describes him but
also mentions his name. As I have shown, it is obviously not "reading into
the text what they wish was there" that Muhammad is in the Bible. It is
quite evidently there. Even if one chooses not to accept it, one must maintain
that this is definitely not an absurd issue from any perspective. To say that
all these people who described the Prophet (the peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) read Song of Songs in the Old Testament and may plotted to make the
Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sound like this
"Machamad" in Song of Songs is outright ridiculous. Then one would
also have to say that the plot predated even the Prophet's (may the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) birth as the name "Muhammad" was
given to him by his parents whom I seriously doubt were in on the conspiracy
while these companions were babies at the time, as one can see such vain skepticism
delves into the area of folly and imbecility.
These verses may or may not refer to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace
and blessings be upon him) of Mecca and Medina who preached Islam in the 7th
century AD and led to a quarter of humanity calling themselves
"Muslims". We may never know for sure. However, this evidence is far
from dismissed or even dismissable. It can't be ignored. If the objective
reader weighs the evidence, I know, and you all know as well, there is some
serious consternation at hand for the skeptic. Any Christian surely should take
into account what they had just read here, and consider the Qur'an before
making a decision.
Song of Songs 5:16 - Analyzing the Context Against Recorded
Historical Records
by
Shibli Zaman
[Above] SONG OF SONGS 5:16 - Scanned from the Tanakh (Jewish
Publication Society).
"The
whole word is not worth the day on which the Song of Songs was given to Israel;
for all the writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the holiest of the
holy."
[Rabbi Akiva (died AD 135), Tractate of Yaddayim (3:5), Mishna]
"...and the book
itself as an allegory depicting in great detail the experiences of the nation
in its relations with its God from the Exodus down to *THE COMING OF THE
MESSIAH AND THE BUILDING OF THE THIRD TEMPLE.* This in general is also the
interpretation of the Midrash Rabbah and such famous scholars as Saadia ben
Joseph, Rashi, and Ibn Ezra, although they differ considerably among themselves
in details."
[The Interpreter's Bible Encyclopedia]
Allow
me to elucidate this by bringing in its context. The area in question is
chapter 5 of Shir Hashirim which is titled "Song of Songs" or
"Song of Solomon" in English translations. It is a poem which uses
heavy allegory and poetic license. It is a description of a woman's yearning
for her "beloved" whom she is telling "the daughters of
Jerusalem" about. The Christian world interprets this as a metaphor that
one should love God with the same passion as one loves their lover.
I will type each verse with an shockingly corresponding Hadeeth. I will also
include some of Umm Ma`bad al-Khuza`iyah's description of the Prophet (s) which
she told her husband as recorded in Zad al Ma`ad, 2:45 and found in the
earliest books of "Seeratun-Nabi" or "History of the Prophet".
Remember these are hundreds of years, a different language and an entire nation
apart.
SHIR HASHIRIM (also called "Song of Songs" or "Song
of Solomon") 5:10-16
SONG OF SONGS 5:10
"My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand."
HADEETH ON WHITE AND RUDDY (reddish) SKIN:
Rosy color [Saheeh Bukhari 4:747]; "White man reclining on his arm"
[Saheeh Bukhari, 1:63]; Whiteness of his armpits [Saheeh Muslim, 4:1000];
Whiteness of his legs [Saheeh Muslim, 4:1014, 19:4437]; Whiteness of his cheek
[Saheeh Muslim 4:1208]; Whiteness of his belly [Saheeh Muslim 19:4442]. In all
these narrations his whiteness is pointed out as something exceptional for an
Arab.
HADEETH ON "THE CHIEFEST AMONG TEN THOUSAND":
"The Prophet left Medina (for Mecca) IN THE COMPANY OF TEN THOUSAND
(Muslim warriors) in Ramadan" [Saheeh Bukhari 5:574]
Also see Saheeh Bukhari 5:622; 626
BIBLE CONCORDANCE: "...and he came with TEN THOUSANDS OF SAINTS: from his
right hand went a fiery law for them." [Deuteronomy 33:2] Hopefully,
inshaa' Allah, if time permits, I will write a lengthy exegesis substantiating
this verse's connection with the Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him). I will have to save that for another article.
SONG OF SONGS 5:11
"His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a
raven."
"His hair GLOSSY AND BLACK, INCLINED TO CURL, he wore long." [Zad al
Ma`d 2:45]
"His head was large, well formed and set on a slender neck." [Zad al
Ma`ad 2:45]
"When he (The Prophet, May Allah peace and blessings be upon him) died, HE
HAD SCARCELY TWENTY WHITE HAIRS IN HIS HEAD AND BEARD." [Saheeh Bukhari
4:747,748]
"Anas was asked about the old age of Allah's Apostle (May Allah peace and
blessings be upon him). He said, 'ALLAH DID NOT BLEMISH HIM WITH WHITE
HAIR." [Saheeh Muslim 30:5784]
"I said to him: O son of my brother, the hair of the Messenger of Allah
(May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was THICKER THAN YOUR HAIR
AND THEY WERE FINER (than yours)." [Saheeh Muslim, 3:642]
SONG
OF SONGS 5:12
"His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with
milk, and fitly set."
"He had black attractive eyes finely arched by continuous eyebrows."
[Zad al Ma`d 2:45]
"Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had
a broad face with REDDISH (wide) EYES.." [Saheeh Muslim 30:5776] (Note:
Doves have reddish eyes. To see the eyes of a Whitewing dove of Palestine click here)
SONG
OF SONGS 5:13
"His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like
lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh."
"He (The Prophet, May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also
patted my cheek and I experienced a coolness or a fragrance of his hand as if
it had been brought out from the scent bag of a
perfumer." [Saheeh Muslim, 30:5758]
"I never smelt ambergris or musk as fragrant as the fragrance of the body
of Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)."
[Saheeh Muslim, 30:5759]
"I never smelt musk or ambergris and found its fragrance as sweet as the
fragrance of Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him)." [Saheeh Muslim 30:5760]
"Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had
the most handsome face amongst men." [Saheeh Muslim 30:5772]
SONG
OF SONGS 5:14
"His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright
ivory overlaid with sapphires."
"The Prophet had big hands, and I have never seen anybody like him after
him" [Saheeh Muslim 7:792]
"I never touched brocade and silk (and found it) as soft as the softness
of the palm of Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him)" [Saheeh Muslim, 30:5760]
"WHITENESS OF HIS BELLY" [Saheeh Muslim 19:4442]
SONG
OF SONGS 5:15
"His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his
countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars."
"He (The Prophet, May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was
innocently bright and had BROAD COUNTENANCE." [Zad al Ma`ad 2:45]
"..my knee touched the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (May the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him). The wrapper got aside from his thigh, and I
could see its whiteness." [Saheeh Muslim 19:4437]
SONG
OF SONGS 5:16
"His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my
beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem."
"Chikko mamtaqeem, v'chulo MACHAMADIM, zedowdee v'zere'ee Benot Yarushalaim."
[Hebrew transliteration of Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs) 5:16]
"His mouth is most sweet, yea he is MUHAMMAD, this is my beloved and this
is my friend, oh daughters of Jerusalem." [Correct translation of Shir
Hashirim (Song of Songs) 5:16]
"Abu Musa al Ash`ari reported that Allah's Messenger (May the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned many names of his and said, 'I AM
MUHAMMAD, AHMAD. Muqaffi, Hashir, the Prophet of Repentance, and the Prophet of
Mercy." [Saheeh Muslim, 30:5813]
Note: Haggai 2:7 states "And I will shake all nations, AND THE DESIRE OF
ALL NATIONS SHALL COME: and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of
hosts."
In place of "desire of all nations", the Hebrew text uses one single
word: "CHMD" which is pronouncable as "ACHMAD" (which is
"AHMAD" in Arabic). Thus, the translation would be, "And I will
shake all nations, AND AHMAD SHALL COME: and I will fill this house with glory
saith the Lord of hosts."
Immediately after that, Haggai 2:9 says "The glory of this latter house
shall be greatesr than the former: and in this place will I give PEACE, saith
the Lord of hosts."
So which latter house? Since the last temple was destroyed by the Romans there
has been no Jewish temple rebuilt there. There only stands the Dome of the Rock
and Masjid al Aqsa which is certainly a place of "Peace" or Islam.
"and never have I seen anyone more handsome than Allah's Apostle (May the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)." [Saheeh Muslim, 30:5770]
IN
CONCLUSION:
Describing
the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings be upon him), who passed by her
tent on his journey of migration, Umm Ma'bad Al-Khuza'iyah said to her husband,
'He
was innocently bright and had broad countenance. His manners were fine. Neither
was his belly bulging out nor was his head deprived of hair. He had black
attractive eyes finely arched by continuous eyebrows. His hair glossy and
black, inclined to curl, he wore long. His voice was extremely commanding. His
head was large, well formed and set on a slender neck. His expression was
pensive and contemplative, serene and sublime. The stranger was fascinated from
the distance, but no sooner he became intimate with him than this fascination
was changed into attachment and respect. His expression was very sweet and
distinct. His speech was well set and free from the use of superfluous words,
as if it were a rosary of beads. His stature was neither too high nor too small
to look repulsive. He was a twig amongst the two, singularly bright and fresh.
He was always surrounded by his Companions. Whenever he uttered something, the
listeners would hear him with rapt attention and whenever he issued any
command, they vied with each other in carrying it out. He was a master and a
commander. His utterances were marked by truth and sincerity, free from all
kinds of falsehoods and lies."
[Zad al Ma`ad 2:45]
To
say that all these people who described the Prophet (May the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) read Song of Songs in the Old Testament and plotted
to make the Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sound
like this "Machamad" in Song of Songs is outright ridiculous. Then
one would also have to say that the plot predated even the Prophet's (May the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) birth as the name
"Muhammad" was given to him by his parents who I seriously doubt were
in on the conspiracy while these companions were babies at the time. As one can
see such vain skepticism delves into the area of folly. Unless strong refutation
against each and every one of these insurmountable facts can be presented we
are left with no other conclusion other than:
"His words are most
sweet, yea he is definitely Muhammad, this is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jersusalem."
Isaiah 42 describes Muhammad
1- Behold my servant,
whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit
upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Until
"...delighted"
If we consider
"mine elect" as a noun then Mine elect = God's elect = Mustafa (in
Arabic) the name of our Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (SAV). Otherwise it is true
for all prophets of God.
After
"..delighted..."
All prophets after Jacob
(pbuh) mentioned in the Bible came for Israelites not Gentiles. This includes
Jesus (pbuh) (look Matthew 15:21-26, Matthew 10:5-6 and many more). And Jesus
(pbuh) did not stay on earth long enough to do that. But Muhammad (pbuh) was a
Gentile and he brought message and judgment to Gentiles first.
2- He shall not cry, nor
lift up, nor cause his voice to be heart in the street.
Here the word "not
cry" is used as "not complain about the duty that I gave him"
because we see in verse 13 God says "... he shall cry". There is a
difference between these two using of the word cry. Now if we read your Bible
Matthew 26:39-42, we can not say that Jesus (pbuh) never complained.
But if you read the life
of Muhammad (pbuh) , the history of Islam you cannot find even one complaining
word of Muhammad (pbuh) about the mission (duty) that given by God Almighty.
3- A bruised reed shall
he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth
judgment unto truth.
This is true almost all
prophets.
4- He shall not fall nor
be discouraged, till he had set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait
for his law.
Until "earth:"
Jesus (pbuh) couldn't
finish his mission which had continued only for ~3 years. He fall and
discouraged (you will find many places in NT about this) and he couldn't set
judgment in the earth, because his followers were a few and they had little
faith (you will find many places in NT about this). And yet they "forsook
him and fled" at the time that Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus (pbuh).
And Jesus (pbuh) himself says "My kingdom is not of this world: if my
kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence " John 18:36
But Muhammad established
a state and ruled with his law that given by God. Therefore he set judgment in
the earth and he did not fall and he was not discouraged.
After "earth:"
Here God says "his
law", and in verse 9 says "former things come to pass". This
means that he (new prophet) will bring new law. But if we read the Bible again,
we see that Jesus (pbuh) says Matthew 5:17 "Think not I am come to destroy
the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but fulfill". And if we
read further we understand that Jesus (pbuh) did not come with new law.
But Muhammad (pbuh) came
with new law.
5- Thus saith God the
Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth
the earth, and that which come out of it ; he that giveth breath unto the
people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein;
6- I the Lord have
called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and
give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.
Muhammad (pbuh) is a
descendent of Abraham (pbuh) and came to Gentiles.
7- To open blind eyes,
to bring out prisoners from prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the
prison house.
"To open blind
eyes". If we read verse 19 we will see more clearly that the word blind is
used as idiom.
Meaning, he will show
people the things that they did not know and will show people how to comprehend
God and His message.
Prison is used as an
idiom too. If a spirit doesn't know God and doesn't obey Him, then that spirit
is in prison of Satan, and that person is prisoner of Satan. By accepting
oneness of God and by obeying Him, the spirit of a person will be free and this
makes that person free from prison of Satan. And in verse 8 God clearly states
what He meant.
8- I am the Lord: that
is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to
graven images.
(With explanation of verse
7) we understand that the person that God is talking about will come to a place
that people worship idols as their gods. If we read verse 17, we may understand
this better.
From verses 7 and 8, we
understand that God is not talking about Jesus (pbuh) but Muhammad (pbuh).
Because Jesus (pbuh) came to Israelites and they were not worshipping idols.
But Muhammad (pbuh) came during the Jahilliya (ignorance) period of Arabs and
destroy the idols. If we read verse 17, it will be understood more clearly.
9- Behold, the former
things come to pass, the new things do I declare: before they spring forth I
tell you of them.
As we read in verse 4
and my explanation of it, the person, God is talking about, will come new law.
And this person cannot be Jesus (pbuh) because of the reasons stated above.
This person is nobody but prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
10- Sing unto the Lord a
new song, and his praise, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein;
the isles and inhabitants thereof.
If you want to hear this
new song please listen to someone reciting the Qur'an. The new song that God
talking about is Noble Qur'an. If you hear how people recite the Noble Qur'an,
you will understand what God is talking about.
11- Let the wilderness
and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth
inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of
the mountains.
12- Let them give glory
unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.
Kedar is son of Ishmael
(pbuh) (Genesis 25:13-16), and has nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh). This verse
(verse 11) is not talking about Jesus (pbuh) but Muhammad (pbuh). As you know
Muhammad (pbuh) is descendent of Abraham (pbuh) through Ishmael (pbuh). And the
cities that they inhabited are in Arabia namely Telma (Tema/Teman), Yathrib
(Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah), Paran (Makkah) etc. And if you observe the ritual
of Muslims (especially during Hajj), you will see that cities (Makkah and
Al-Madinah) lift up their voices** and people shout and glorify Allah from top
of mountains, especially Mt. Arafat**. The rock is the rock that God sent to
Adam from heaven, and it is located at the side of Kaba. As you know Muslim
people make 7 tours around Kaba and kiss this rock while glorifying the Lord.
**in fact, you can see
this in every Muslim country, when people are called to prayer, muezzins read
the Adhan (calling to prayer) that sounds like a song. And even far from city
you can hear this Adhan, it will look like that city lifted up its voice.
Meaning of Adhan is
Allah is the greatest,
Allah is the greatest
Allah is the greatest,
Allah is the greatest
I'm witness that there
is no god but Allah
I'm witness that there
is no god but Allah
I'm witness that
Muhammad is His messenger
Come to prayer, come to
prayer
Come to salvation, come
to salvation
Allah is the greatest,
Allah is the greatest
There is no god but
Allah.
13- The Lord shall go
forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall
cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.
14- I have long time
holding my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like
a travailing women; I will destroy and devour at once.
Until Islam, God had
never ordered any prophets to fight against unbelievers to destroy them.
Believer were fighting only to defense themselves. But Allah ordered Muhammad
(pbuh) to fight against unbelievers, and slay them if they don't accept Allah.
And if you study the life of Muhammad (pbuh) you will see that he was the
commander of the army and he fought with his sword and he lost one of his teeth
during the war. And God destroyed unbelievers at once (with only during of one
prophet).
15- I will make waste
mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers
islands, and I will dry up the pools.
Here God is talking
about deserts of Arabia. In desert place, mountains and hills of sand are not
steady, they diminish with winds and another one appears. And you cannot find
rivers but small water islands as described by God.
Also this verse has
nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh)
16- And I will bring
blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not
known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked thins straight.
These things I will do unto them, and not forsake them.
As God says above, He
did not send to pagan Arabs until Muhammad (pbuh) as stated in verse 22. Until
Muhammad (pbuh), Arabs were worshipping idols, killing baby girls, drinking
alcohol, gambling etc. Allah a way (Islam, unity of God) that they did not
know, made Qur'an and Muhammad (pbuh) guided (as light before) them, and made
crooked things (mentioned above) straight.
This verse also has
nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh).
17- They shall be turned
back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that they say
to the molten images, Ye are our gods.
This is exactly what
pagan Arabs did, when they heard the message that given to Muhammad (pbuh) by
God. They offered money, authority and many things to our prophet and he did
not accept any of them. They ashamed, because they thought that all other Arabs
will mock them, and will not visit the Kaba (at that time they were using Kaba
as place of the idols that all other Arab tribes were using) and this would be
their economic end. And they turned graven images and they asked help from
those images.
This verse also has
nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh).
18- Hear, ye deaf; and
look, ye blind, that ye may see.
19- Who is blind, but my
servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is
perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant?
20- Seeing many things,
but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not.
In this verses God talks
to Christians and Jews.
In verse 18: Hear you
(Christians and Jews) deaf, and look you (Christians and Jews) blind, you may
see that above things are happening every day in Islamic world.
In verse 19: God says,
"Who is blind or deaf? My messenger (Muhammad (pbuh) and his followers) or
you?
In verse 20: You do see
these things but you don't pay attention, you don't comprehend. You do hear the
Qur'an and you know that Muslims sing new song and Muslim cities lift up their
voices and they shout from top of mountains, they glorify Me, but you don't pay
attention, you don't comprehend.
Indeed, Christians and
Jews think that Muslims do not see the right path (blind). Even you wrote that
"What Muslims do not understand...".
These verses also have
nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh).
21- The Lord is well
pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it
honourable.
In Qur'an many places
Allah calls Prophet as "My friend" (friend is not exactly translation
for Habeeb/Habib, because Habeeb is closer then friend but I couldn't find
another word for this). And He magnified the law and people still follow his
law. Jesus did not bring new law, and non of the Christians follows the law
that he was following.
This verse also has
nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh)
22- But this is a people
robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in
prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none
saith, Restore.
In this verse God talks
about corrupted society of pagan Arabs. And, indeed, He had not send any
prophets to Arabs until Muhammad (pbuh). That's why "none saith,
Restore". But up to Jesus (pbuh), many prophets had been send to
Israelites.
This verse also has
nothing to do with Jesus (pbuh)
23- Who among you will
give ear to this? who will hearken and hear for the time to come?
Who will become Muslim?
Conclusion: Isaiah
42 describes Prophet Muhammad.
Genuine Prophets Preach Only Islam
There is no nation known to history like the people of Israel,
which during a period of less than four hundred years, was infested with
myriads of false prophets, not to mention the swarms of sorcerers, soothsayers
and all sorts of witchcrafts and magicians. The false prophets were of two
kinds: those who professed the religion and the Torah (Law) of Yahweh and
pretended to prophesy in His Name, and those who under the patronage of an
idolater Israelite monarch prophesied in the name of Baal or other deities of
the neighboring heathen peoples. Belonging to the former category there were
several impostors as contemporaries with the true prophets like Mikha (Micah) and
Jeremiah, and to the latter there were those who gave much trouble to Elijah,
and caused the massacres of the true prophets and believers during the reign of
Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Most dangerous of all to the cause of true faith and
religion were the pseudo-prophets, who conducted the divine services in the
temple as well as in the Misphas and pretended to deliver the oracles of God to
the people. No prophet, perhaps, received at the hands of these impostors more
of persecution and hardships than the Prophet Jeremiah.
While still a young man, Jeremiah began his prophetic mission
about the latter quarter of the seventh century before the Christian era, when
the Kingdom of Judah was in great danger of invasion by the armies of the
Chaldeans. The Jews had entered into alliance with the Pharaoh of Egypt, but as
the latter had been badly defeated by the troops of Nebuchadnezzar, Jerusalem's
doom was merely a question of time. In these critical days, during which the
fate of the remnant of the people of God was to be decided, the Prophet
Jeremiah was stoutly advising the king and the leaders of the Jews to submit
and serve the King of Babylon, so that Jerusalem might be saved from being
burnt down to ashes and the people from being deported into captivity. He
poured out all his eloquent and fiery discourses into the ears of the kings,
the priests, and the elders of the people, but all of no avail. He delivered
message after message from God, saying that the only remedy for saving the
country and the people from the imminent destruction was to submit to the
Chaldeans; but there was no one to lend ear to his warnings.
Nebuchadnezzar comes and takes the city, carries away with him the
king, the princes, and many captives, as well as all the treasures of the
temple, including the gold and silver vessels. Another prince, and a third one,
is appointed by the Emperor of Babylon to reign as his vassal in Jerusalem.
This king, instead of being wise and loyal to his master of Babylon, revolts
against him. Jeremiah incessantly admonishes the king to remain loyal and to
abandon the Egyptian policy. But the false prophets continue to harangue in the
temple, saying: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, Behold, I have broken the
yoke of the King of Babylon, and in two years' time all the Jewish captives and
the vessels of the House of God will be returned to Jerusalem." Jeremiah
makes a wooden yoke round his own neck and goes to the temple and tells the
people that God has been pleased to place in this way the yoke of the monarch
of Babylon upon the neck of all the Jews. He is struck on the face by one
opponent prophet, who breaks to pieces the wooden yoke from Jeremiah's neck and
repeats the harangue of the false prophets. Jeremiah is thrown into a deep
dungeon full of mire, and is fed only on a dry loaf of barley a day until a
famine prevails in the city, which is besieged by the Chaldeans. The
pseudo-prophet Hananiah dies as Jeremiah had foretold. The wall of the city is
thrown down somewhere, and the victorious army rushes into the city, the
fleeing King Zedekiah and his retinue are seized and taken to the King of
Babylon. The city and the temple, after being pillaged, are set on fire and all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem are carried into Babylonia; only the poorer
classes are left to cultivate the land. By order of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah is
granted a favor of staying in Jerusalem, and the newly appointed governor,
Gedaliah, is charged to guard and well look after the prophet. But Gedaliah is
killed by the rebellious Jews, and then they all flee to Egypt, carrying
Jeremiah with them. Even in Egypt he prophesies against the fugitives and the
Egyptians. He must have ended his life in Egypt.
His books, as it now stands, is quite different from the text of
the Septuagint; evidently the copy from which the Greek text was written by the
Alexandrian translators had a different order of chapters.
The Biblical critics consider that Jeremiah was the author, or, at
any rate, a compiler, of the fifth book of the Pentateuch called Deuteronomy. I
myself am of the same opinion. Jeremiah was a Levite and a priest as well as a
prophet. There is much of Jeremiah's teachings in Deuteronomy which are unknown
in the rest of the Old Testament writings. And I take one of these teachings
for my present subject, which I consider as one of the gems or golden texts of
the Old Testament and must be esteemed very precious and holy.
After this detailed explanation I hasten to the main point which I
have selected for the topic of this article: How to distinguish a genuine
prophet from a false prophet. Jeremiah has supplied us with a fairly
satisfactory answer, namely:
"THE PROPHET WHO TEACHES ISLAM"
In the Book of Deuteronomy (xiii. 1- 5, xviii. 20 - 22) God the
Almighty gives some instructions concerning the false prophets who may prophesy
in the Name of the Lord and in such an insidious way that they could mislead
His people. Further, he tells us that the best way to find out the impostor's
perfidy was to anticipate the fulfillment of his predictions, and then to put him
to death when his fraud was divulged. But, as is well known, the ignorant
cannot well distinguish between the genuine prophet and the imposter, just as
much as they to-day are unable to definitely discover which of the two, a Roman
Catholic priest or a Calvinist minister, is a genuine follower of Jesus Christ!
A false prophet would also foretell events, work wonders, and do other
religious things similar - at least in appearance - to those performed by a
true one. The competition between the Prophet Moses and the magicians of Egypt
is an apt illustration of this statement. Thus it is Jeremiah who gives us the
best way of testing the veracity, the genuineness, of a prophet, and that way
is the sign of Islam. Please read the whole chapter xxviii. of Jeremiah, and
then ponder and reflect on the ninth verse: -
"The prophet which foretells the Islam (Shalom), at the
coming of the word of the Prophet, that prophet will be recognized to have been
sent by God in truth" (Jer. xxviii. 9).
This translation is strictly literal. The original verb naba,
usually translated as "to foretell" or "to prophesy," and
the noun nabi, "a prophet" has given the impression that a prophet is
a person who foretells the future or past events by the aid of divine
revelation. This definition is only partially true. The complete definition of
the word "Prophet" must be: "one who receives oracles or
messages from God, and delivers them faithfully to the person or people
intended." It is evident that a divine message need not necessarily be a
foretelling of past and future events. In the same way verb
"prophesy" does not necessarily mean to reveal the past or future
occurrences, but rather to preach or promulgate the message from God.
Consequently to prophesy is to deliver and utter a new oracle, its nature or
character being quite immaterial. To read the words of a prophet would be to
prophesy no more than would a prophet deliver an oracle when making a discourse
or public speech of his own accord. In the Qur'an God orders His beloved worshiper
Prophet Muhammad to declare: "Say: 'I am only human like you, revealed to
me is that your God is One God....'" Ch. 18:110 so that we may be careful
not to attribute to any of the prophets the quality of knowing and saying
everything through the Revelation. The Divine Revelations used to come at
intervals, while the prophets in their personal intercourse and knowledge might
be liable to mistakes and errors. A prophet is not appointed by God to teach
humanity physics, mathematics, or any other positive science. It would be very
unjust on our part to blame a prophet for a slip of language or a mistake
committed as a man.
A prophet, therefore, is the subject of test and examination only
when he officially and formally delivers the Message he has received from his
Lord. His private affairs, his family concerns, and his personal attainments do
not concern us so much as his mission and office. In order to find out whether
a prophet is genuine or an impostor, it is not fair to give a verdict against
his prophetical character because he is reported to have been a little harsh or
rude to his mother or because he believed in the literal inspiration and the
Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch. While making this observation, I have in
mind the case of Jesus Christ, and many others in the history of Israel on
other points.
It is mala fides and ill will to accuse prophets of sensuality,
rudeness, ignorance in sciences, and of other personal frailties. They were men
like ourselves and subject to the same natural inclinations and passions. They
were protected from mortal sins and from the perversion of the message they had
to hand further. We must be extremely careful not to exalt the prophets of God
too high in our imagination, lest God be displeased with us. They are all His
creatures and worshipers; they accomplished their work and returned to Him. The
moment we forget God and concentrate our love and admiration upon the person of
any of the messengers of God we are in danger of falling into the sin of
polytheism.
Having so far explained the nature and the signification of the
prophet and the prophecy, I shall now endeavor to prove that no prophet could
be genuine unless, as Jeremiah expressly says, he preaches and propagates the
religion of Islam.
In order to understand better the sense and the importance of the
passage under our contemplation we should just cast a glance over the preceding
verse where Jeremiah tells his antagonist Prophet Hananiah: "The prophets
that have been before me and before thee from old (times) prophesied against
many lands, and against great kingdoms, concerning war and evil and
pestilence." Then he proceeds: -
"The prophet that prophesies concerning Islam as soon as the
word of the prophet comes, that prophet is known to have been sent by the Lord in
truth."
There can be raised no serious objection to the English wording of
this passage excepting the clause "l shalom" which I have translated
as "concerning Islam." The preposition "l" before
"shalom" signifies "concerning" or "about," and
places its subject in the objective case and not in the dative, as it would be
if the predicate were a verb like "come," "go," or
"give."
That "shalom" and the Syriac "Shlama," as well
as the Arabic "salam" and "Islam," are of one and the same
Semitic root, "shalam," and mean the same thing, is an admitted truth
by all the scholars of the Semitic languages. The verb "shalam"
signifies "to submit, resign oneself to," and then "to make
peace;" and consequently "to be safe, sound, and tranquil." No
religious system in the world has ever been qualified with a better and more
comprehensive, dignified, and sublime name than that of "Islam.' The true
Religion of the True God cannot be named after the name of any of His
worshipers, and much less after the name of a people or country. It is, indeed,
this sanctity and the inviolability of the word "Islam" that strikes
its opponents with awe, fear, and reverence even when the Muslims are weak and
unhappy. It is the name and title of a religion that teaches and commands an
absolute submission and resignation of will and self to the Supreme Being, and
then to obtain peace and tranquillity in mind and at home, no matter what
tribulations or passing misfortunes may threaten us that fills its opponents
with awe (1).
------------- Footnote (1) It
is interesting and significant to note how the observations of the learned
professor coincide with those of the ex-Kaiser of Germany who on the occasion
of his seventieth birthday celebrations at Doorn, Holland, was reported to have
said in his speech: "And understand this - if ever the Muhammadans should
conceive the idea that it is the command of Allah to bring order into a
declining West and subjugate to His will, then - with faith in God - they will
come upon the godless Europeans like a tidal wave, against which even the
reddest Bolshevist, full of eagerness for combat, will be helpless."
(Evening Standard, London, January 26, 1929.) ------------- End of footnote
It is the firm and unshaking belief in the Oneness of Allah and
the unswerving confidence in His Mercy and justice that makes a Muslim
distinguishable and prominent among non-Muslims. And it is this sound faith in
Allah and the sincere attachment to His Holy Qur'an and the Prophet that the
Christian missionaries have been desperately attacking and have hopelessly
failed. Hence, Jeremiah's words that "the Prophet who prophesies, namely,
who preaches and speaks concerning the affairs of Islam as his religion, he
will at once be known to have been sent by the Lord in truth." Let us,
therefore, take into serious consideration the following points:-
1. The Prophet Jeremiah is the only prophet before Christ who uses
the word Shalom in the sense of a religion. He is the only prophet who uses
this word with the object of setting or proving the veracity of a messenger of
God. According to the Qur'anic revelation, Prophets Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac,
Jacob, Moses, and all the prophets were Muslims, and professed Islam as their
religion. The term "Islam" and its equivalents, "Shalom"
and Shlama," were known to the Jews and Christians of Mecca and Medina
when Prophet Muhammad appeared to perfect and universalize the religion of
Islam. A prophet who predicts "peace" as an abstract, vague and
temporary condition cannot succeed in proving his identity thereby. In fact,
the point of dispute, or rather the critical national question, controverted by
the two eminent prophets known to the court and the nation like Jeremiah and
Hananiah (Jer. xxviii.), could not be solved and definitely settled by the
affirmation of the one and the denial of the other, of the imminent
catastrophe. To predict "peace" by Jeremiah when he had all the time
been predicting the great national disaster - either by the submission of the
King Sidaqia to the Chaldean sovereign or by his resistance - would not only
involve his failure, not to talk of his being a success in proving his
veracity, but also it would make him even ridiculous. For, in either case, his
presumed "peace" would mean no peace at all. On the contrary, if the Jews
resisted the Chaldean army, it meant a complete national ruin, and if they
submitted, an unconditional servitude. It is evident, therefore, that Jeremiah
uses the term "Shalom" in the sense of a tangible, concrete, and real
religious system which Islam comprises. To make it more clear, we should
attentively listen to the arguments of the two opponent prophets discussing and
disputing the national question in the presence of a wicked king and his court
of vile flatterers and depraved hypocrites. Jeremiah has at heart the cause of
God and His religion of peace, and in the vital interests of the religion of
peace, or Islam, he advises the wicked king and his courtiers to submit to the
yoke of Babylon and serve the Chaldeans and live. For there was no other
alternative open to them. They had abandoned the God of their forefathers,
polluted His temple, mocked and reviled His prophets, and committed evil and
treachery (2 Chron. xxxvi. etc.). So God had delivered them into the hands of
Nebuchadnezzar, and would not save them. For a true and sincere worshiper of
God, the religion comes first and the nation after. It is the government and
the nation - especially when they have forsaken God - that are to be sacrificed
for the cause of religion, and not vice versa! The other Prophet of Gibeon,
called Hananiah, sought to please his master the king; he was a courtier and
favorite, rich and in splendor, whereas his antagonist was always languishing
and starving in the prisons and dungeons. He cares not a fillip for the
religion and the real welfare of the people. He is also a prophet, for so says
the Book of Jeremiah, yet he is a villain, and has exchanged God for a depraved
king! He prophesies in the name of the same God as does Jeremiah, and announces
the return of the booty and the captives from Babylon in two years' time.
Now, from the above imperfect description of the prophets, which
of the two would you qualify as the true worshiper of God and as the loyal
defender of God's religion? Surely Jeremiah would at once attract your sympathy
and choice.
2. It is only the religion of Shalom, of Islam, that can testify
to the character and the office of a true prophet, Imam, or any minister of God
on earth. God is One, and His religion is one. There is no other religion in
the world like Islam, which professes and defends this absolute Oneness of the
Deity. He who, therefore, sacrifices every other interest, honor and love for
the cause of this Holy Religion, he is undoubtedly the genuine prophet and the
minister of God. But there is still one thing more worthy of our notice, and
that thing is this. If the religion of Islam is not the standard and the
measure by which to test the veracity of a prophet or minister of God, then
there is no other criterion to answer that purpose. A miracle is not always a
sufficient proof, for the sorcerers also work wonders. The fulfillment of a
prophecy or prediction, too, is not in itself a sufficient proof; for just as
one holy Spirit reveals a future event to a true prophet, so does sometimes an
evil spirit the same to an imposter. Hence it is clear that the prophet who
"prophesies concerning Shalom - Islam - as being the name of Faith and
path of life, as soon as he receives a message from God he will be known to
have been sent by Him." Such was the argument which Jeremiah had recourse
to and with which he wished to convince his audience of the falsity of
Hananiah. But the wicked king and his entourage would not listen to and obey
the Word of God.
3. As argued in the preceding paragraph, it should be noted that
neither the fulfillment of a prediction nor the work- ing of a miracle was
enough to prove the genuine character of a prophet; that the loyalty and strict
attachment to the religion is the best and the decisive proof for the purpose;
that "Shalom" was used to express the religion of peace. Once again
we repeat the same assertion that Shalom is no other than Islam. And we demand
from those who would object to this interpretation to produce an Arabic word
be- sides Islam and Salam as the equivalent of the Shalom, and also to find for
us another word in Hebrew besides Shalom that would convey and express the same
meaning as Islam. It is impossible to produce another such an equivalent.
Therefore we are forced to admit that Shalom is the same as "salam" or
"peace" in the abstract, and "Islam" as a religion and
faith in the concrete.
4. As the Qur'an in chap. ii expressly reminds us that Abraham and
his sons and grandsons were the followers of Islam; that they were neither Jews
nor Christians; that they preached and propagated the worship and the faith in
the one God to all the peoples among whom they sojourned or dwelt, we must
admit that not only the Jews, but several other nations that descended from the
other sons of Abraham and many tribes converted and absorbed by them, were also
Muslims; that is to say, believers in Allah and resigned to His Will. There
were the people of Esau, the Edomites, the Midianites, and numerous other
peoples living in Arabia, who knew God and worshipped Him like the Israelites.
These peoples had also their own prophets and religious guides like Job, Jethro
(the father-in-law of the Prophet Moses), Balaam, Hud, and many others. But
they, like the Jews, had taken to idolatry until it was totally eradicated by
the Prince of the prophets. The Jews, in about the fifth century B.C., produced
the greater portion of their canonical books of the Old Testament, when the
memories of the conquest of the land of Canaan by Joshua, the temple and
Jerusalem of Solomon, were events buried in the past epochs of their wondrous
history. A nationalistic and Judaistic spirit of solicitude and seclusion
reigned among the small remnant of Israel; the belief in the coming of a great
Savior to restore the lost throne and crown of David was regnant, and the old
meaning of "Shalom" as the name of the religion of Abraham and common
to all the different peoples descended from him was no longer remembered. It is
from this point of view that I regard this passage of Jeremiah as one of the
golden texts in the Hebrew sacred writ.
2. Bible
Prophet Muhammad 
in The Bible
in The Bible
by
Dr. Jamal Badawi
In the name of Almighty
God,
the Merciful, the Compassionate
“Those who follow the
Apostle, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in
their own Scriptures, in the Torah and the Gospel…” (Quran 7:157; Trans.: Yusuf
Ali)
Reference to the Bible
Is it justifiable for Muslims to quote the Bible or quote from it?
There appears to be two common and extreme misconceptions about the Muslims’
attitudes towards the Bible:
a) that Muslims base their faith in full or in part on the Bible;
b) that Muslims reject the Bible in toto and accept no single word
of it.
For Muslims the Qur’an is the last but not the only holy book
revealed by Allah to mankind through His messengers. It is, however, the only
holy book which remained intact from the time of its revelation until the
present time. Not only is the full text of the Qur’an available, but it is also
available in the full and exact form as uttered by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) at the time of its revelation and in the original language in which it was
revealed (Arabic). No addition, deletion, or interpolation found its way into
the Qur’an. For Muslims, the Qur’an is the only remaining authoritative and
authentic revelation available to mankind; authoritative because an objective
study of the Qur’an clearly shows its divine origin; and authentic because of
the conclusive evidence that it remained intact and was transmitted to us as it
was revealed without being mixed with human and philosophical ideas and
doctrines. As such, Muslims do not need any other scriptures to base their
faith on, either in full or in part.
On the other hand, it is erroneous to think that Muslims reject
the Bible in toto and do not accept a single passage of it. There are at least
two reasons for this:
a) One of the main articles of faith in Islam is the belief in all
prophets and messengers sent before the advent of the last of them, Prophet
Muhammad. This also necessitates believing in the holy books revealed to those
prophets in the original forms of their revelation;
b) According to the Qur’an all prophets were Muslims (i.e. those
who consciously and lovingly submitted to the will of Allah), what they taught
was nothing but earlier versions of Islam (conscious and loving submission to
Allah) and their sincere followers were Muslims as well. The fact that the
transmission of earlier revelations, prior to the Qur’an suffered from
inaccuracies and misinterpretations does not justify a total and categorical
rejection of such scriptures. There are bound to be some passages and portions
of the Bible whose essence, if not wording, need not be rejected by Muslims.
Criterion of Acceptance
What is the Muslim basis or criterion for accepting or not
accepting portions or passages from the Bible? The Qur’an itself provides such
criterion:
“And unto you have We
revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before
it, and a watch over it .... “ (the Qur’an 5:48)
This emphasizes two main aspects of the Qur’an:
a) The Qur’an confirms those teachings or passages of previous
scriptures which remained intact.
b) The Qur’an is the last, complete, authoritative and authentic
revelation. It is the final arbiter and the only criterion to correct any
inaccuracy or misinterpretation which might have occurred in the transmission
of scriptures. It helps in discovering human additions to or interpolations of
previous revelations, even as it reveals possible deletions which might have
taken place through the centuries prior to its revelation (the Qur’an). Indeed
one of the names of the Qur’an is al-Furqan (the criterion which distinguishes
between right and wrong, truth and falsehood).
It follows therefore that a Muslim has no reason to reject the
essence of any passage in the Bible if such a passage is confirmed by the
Qur’an. For example, we read in the New Testament a reiteration of one of the
Ten Commandments:
“And Jesus answered him.
The first of all commandments is hear, 0 Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord”
(Mark 12:29)
A Muslim who reads this passage in the Qur’an can find no
objection to its essence. After all the Qur’an confirms:
“Say He is Allaah, the
One and Only (God)” (The Qur’an 112:1)
If, however, a Muslim reads in the Bible (or other previous
scriptures for that matter) accusations of major moral sins levied against
great prophets or doctrines which are totally negated in the Qur’an, the Muslim
accepts only the Qur’anic version as the original unadulterated truth, revealed
by Allah (God).
Likewise if the Bible (or other scriptures) contains apparent
prophecies about the advent of Prophet Muhammad, and if the Qur’an confirms
that fact, then there is nothing unusual or objectionable in referring to such
prophecies.
Qur’anic Reference to Prophecies
Is there any conclusive Qur’anic basis for claiming that the Bible
did contain prophecies about the advent of Prophet Muhammad?
The original revelations given to prophets in the past contained a
complete and clear profile of the advent of Prophet Muhammad. Even in its
present form(s) the Bible still contains several such prophecies as will be
shown in the forthcoming chapters.
It is useful, however, to start off by documenting the above
statement.
1.
Describing true believers, the Qur’an states:
“Those who follow the messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write,
whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel which are with them).
He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong.
He will make lawfu1 for them all good things and prohibit for them only the
foul; and he will relieve them of their burden and the fetters that they used
to wear. Men those who believe in him, and honor him, and help him, and follow
the light which is sent down with him: they are the successful.” (The Qur’an
7:157).
This ‘ayah (passage) indicates that the characteristics as well as the teaching
of that “Apostle, the unlettered Prophet” were mentioned in the “Torah” and the
“Gospel”.
1.
Quoting the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), the Qur’an states:
“And when Jesus, son of Mary said: 0 children of Israel: Lo! I am the messenger
of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah,
and bringing good tidings of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is
praised one. Yet when he has come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This
is mere magic. (The Qur’an 61:6).
An interesting aspect of this ‘ayah is that it indicates that in the original
revelation uttered by Prophet Jesus, even the name of the long-awaited
messenger was given: Ahmad, which is another name of Prophet Muhammad. This
issue will be further discussed later on.
Name or Signs?
Turning to the Bible, some may hasten to ask: I read the Bible
several times, but never saw the name Muhammad. What is the justification for
the title “Muhammad in the Bible?”
Many Christian theologians find no difficulty in pointing out what
they consider as clear prophecies of the advent of Jesus. Where in the Old
Testament does the name Jesus appear? Nowhere’ The main question is whether or
not the profile of “that prophet” to come was materialized, and who fits that
profile?
The profile of Prophet Muhammad was so clear to many Jews and
Christians among his contemporaries that many of them embraced Islam and
accepted him as the fulfillment of numerous Biblical prophecies. Ever since,
there have been many others who arrived at the same conclusion. Further
questions pertaining to the possible mention of Muhammad’s name will be
discussed later.
Biblical Prophecies About Jesus
Does that previous discussion mean that all prophecies which were
believed to have been fulfilled in Prophet Jesus were actually fulfilled in
Prophet Muhammad instead?
There is no reason to rule out the possibility that some of the
Old Testament Prophecies were in fact fulfilled in Prophet Jesus. This does not
constitute a problem for the Muslims. On the authority of the Qur’an alone, the
Muslims accept Jesus as a legitimate and major prophet of Allah. The same was
reiterated in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad. There are, however, several Old
Testament prophecies which were for a long time misinterpreted so as to apply
to Jesus. Such prophecies do in fact refer to Prophet Muhammad. One such
prophecy is in Deuteronomy 18:18 to be discussed later. Analysis and
reinterpretation of such prophecies should in no way reflect negatively on the
honoured status of Prophet Jesus in the hearts of Muslims. It is rather a
revelation of the truth which would have been proclaimed by Jesus himself if he
were among us today.
Main Elements in Muhammed’s Profile.
What then are the elements of the “profile” of Prophet Muhammad as
depicted in the Bible?
That profile includes six crucial elements:
1.
The lineage of the prophet,
2. His characteristics,
3. The location from which
he was to come,
4. The revelation which was
to be given to him,
5. Events which were to
take place in his lifetime, and
6.
The time when he was to come.
Lineage of “That Prophet”
Prophet Abraham: Common Father
Jews, Christians, and Muslims claim a common father, Prophet Abraham,
the patriarch of monotheism. What does his family tree look like?
A simple look at it may help show some of the key figures in the
Abrahamic family tree.
Abraham married Sarah From their union they had in their progeny
the following prophets: Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus.
Abraham married Hagar. From their union they had in their progeny
the following prophets: Ishmael and Muhammad.
According to the Bible, Abraham was first named to Sarah who
happened to be a barren woman and bore him no children (Genesis 16:1).
In the chronology of the Book of Genesis, God made an important
promise to Abraham, even before any child was born to him:
“And I will make of thee
a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt
be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee: and in thee shall all
families of the earth be blessed. “ (Gen. 12:2-3)
In a later chapter in the Book of Genesis (Gen. 16) we are told
that Sarah gave Abraham a handmaid (Hagar) to be his wife, in the hope that she
may bear a child to Abraham.
Hagar did bear Abraham’s first child whose name, Ishmael (peace be
upon him), meaning “God hears”, was given by the angels (Gen. 16:11). For the
following fourteen years, Ishmael was Abraham’s only child.
After the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac, God’s
promise to bless the families of the earth through Abraham’s descendants was
repeated:
“As for me, behold, my
covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. “ (Gen.
17:4)
Another pleasant surprise was in store for Abraham. In his old
age, his first wife Sarah was to bear him another child, Isaac (peace be upon
him) (Gen. 21:5).
The Bible tells us that because of jealousy, Sarah asked her
husband Abraham to cast out Ishmael and his mother Hagar (Gen. 21:10) who
subsequently dwelt in the wilderness of “PARAN” (Gen. 21:21).
God’s promise to bless the descendants of Abraham was indeed
realized. Through Abraham‘s second son Isaac came the Israelite prophets,
including Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus (peace be upon them
all), the last Israelite prophet. Fulfillment of God’s promise through the
Israelite branch of Abraham is clearly and abundantly articulated in the Bible.
How was that promise fulfilled through the Ishmaelite branch of the Abrahamic
family tree? Or was it fulfilled at all? Or has it yet to be fulfilled?
To start with, God does not renege on His promises, nor does he
forget, them. It is interesting to note that while the Bible contains elaborate
details about the Israelite branch, the Ishmaelite branch is virtually ignored.
With the exception of a few references here and there, the Bible is virtually
silent on the Ishmaelites.
If it is accepted that God does not renege on His promises (a
prerequisite of faith for any believer in God) then we are left with two
possibilities:
a. that such a promise of blessing which included the Israelites
had been fulfilled;
b. that it is yet to be fulfilled.
It is well known that out of the descendants of Ishmael came the
last great prophet of monotheism, Prophet Muhammad, whose followers constitute
nearly one-fifth of the total world population in all corners of the earth.
After blessing the descendants of Isaac, the Israelites, for
centuries with the spiritual leadership, and after many lapses and rebellions
against God on their part, a final chance was given to them through the mission
of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus. When Jesus too was rejected, it was now
time in God’s plan to fulfill His promise to the Ishmaelite branch as well, the
branch which remained obscure until it was made a “great nation” through the
mission of the well-known Prophet Muhammad, a descendant of Abraham through
Ishmael. That shift of prophethood and spiritual leadership to the Ishmaelite
branch of Abraham’s descendants brought to completion the centuries-old promise
of God to bless the families of the earth through Abraham, the father of
monotheism and patriarch revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims.
To any unbiased mind, the above evidence alone suffices to show
the connection between such great prophets as Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses,
Jesus and Muhammad
If such prophecies about the advent of Prophet Muhammad are that
obvious, how is it that millions of Bible readers could not come to such a
conclusion?
Putting other reasons aside for now, it seems that combination of
erroneous notions and misinterpretations are partly responsible for this
situation.
Let’s analyze some of these notions.
Objections to the Inclusion of Ishmael in God’s Covenant with
Abraham
Were Ishmael and his descendants excluded from God’s promise and
covenant?
A common, yet erroneous, answer to this question is yes. A number
of reasons are given:
1.
Ishmael was not a legitimate son of Abraham. According to the
commentators of The Interpreter’s Bible:
“Ishmael, like Isaac, is
a descendant of Abraham; but Isaac is the child of ultimate promise, born to
Sarah the true wife while Ishmael is born of the slave girl. Though he came of
the stock of Abraham, yet it was right that he should be separated from the
legitimate son.
This argument cannot be supported logically, morally, or even on
the basis of the available versions of the Bible itself. Did the alleged state
of bondage of Hagar prevent her from being a legitimate wife of Abraham. Why
was she not a “true” wife? And if she were not a “true” wife like Sarah, what
kind of wife was she?
The text of the Bible, not withstanding the possibilities of later
insertions or changes, does not make such a claim. In Genesis 16:3, Hagar is
described as Abraham’s wife
If Hagar was a legitimate wife of Abraham, there are no grounds
whatsoever for questioning the legitimacy of her son Ishmael. Indeed the Bible
refers to Ishmael as Abraham’s seed. Who was the first born child of Abraham.
Even if Hagar was a bondwoman, does that affect the rights and
privileges of her son Ishmael?
The answer can be found in the Bible itself. In Hebrew traditions,
the firstborn son was to have double portions of honour, even inheritance, and
that right could not be changed due to the status of his mother.
In The Interpreter’s Bible, we read the following commentary on
Deut. 21:15-17:
“However, the law of the
first-born had ancient sanction, and so long as it was accepted justice
demanded that mere favoritism not be allowed to deprive the eldest son of his
rights.
It should be noted that God does not subscribe to human attitudes
of ethnic or racial superiority or exclusivism, much less the submergence of
spiritual and human qualities of mankind because of a certain unfortunate state
of bondage. The fallacy of Ishmael’s inferior status owing to his mother’s
“inferior” social status is not only contrary to the Judaic law (e.g. Deut.
21:15-17), it is also contrary to the moral, humanitarian and universal nature
of God’s revelation cherished by any believer in Him.
b) Only Isaac was the son of promise and covenant.
Sometimes reference is made to the following verses in the Book of
Genesis:
“But My Covenant will I
establish with Isaac” (Gen. 17:2) “For in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Gen.
21:12)
An interesting question is raised here: Is it possible that the
writer(s) of this book (Genesis) inserted such statements to favor his own
clan, himself being an Israelite?
According to The Interpreter’s Bible:
“Many Israelites did not want
a God who would be equally the God of all nations on the earth. They did not
want one who would be impartial Holiness. They wanted a God who would be
partial to them. So we read in Deutoronomy of demands for a complete
extermination of all non-Israelitish peoples of Palestine (Deut. 7:2) and as to
the carrying out of that injunction read the harsh sentences of Deut. 20:10-17.
The possibility of insertions introduced to the supposedly
“original” text of revelation is a matter that many Biblical scholars readily
admit, including those scholars who are earnest believers in Christianity such
as the editors of and contributors to The Interpreter’s Bible.
For example, the word “Egyptian” which appears in Genesis 16:3 in
reference to Hagar is suspected to be an insertion and that Hagar was indeed a
Bedouin and not an Egyptian woman.
In addition to such a possibility, if not likelihood, of
insertions in Gen. 17:21 and 21:12, they do not in themselves conclusively
exclude Ishmael from the promise and covenant of God.
Both verses could be understood to refer to the relatively “near”
future extending over centuries during which the covenant of God and the seeds
of prophethood were to be mainly in the Israelite branch of Abraham’s family.
Such limitation, however, does not mean or imply the exclusion of the
descendants of Ishmael for good When these two verses (Gen. 17:12 and 21:12)
are examined within the context of other verses in the same book, it becomes
evident that the Ishmaelites were included in God’s promise and His covenant
with Abraham: i) God’s covenant with Abraham was made before the latter had any
children (Gen. 12:2-3). It was reiterated after the birth of Ishmael and before
the birth of Isaac (Gen. 17:4); ii) While Gen. 21:12 indicates that in Isaac shall
Abraham’s seed be called, the very following verse (Gen. 21:13) calls Ishmael
Abraham’s seed; iii) As Isaac was blessed in the same book (Genesis), Ishmael
is also specifically blessed and hence is included in God’s promise.
“... of the son of the
bondwoman (i.e. Ishmael) will I make a great nation because he is thy seed”
(Gen. 21:13)
The above promise was further confirmed a few verses later:
“Arise, lift up the lad,
and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. “ (Gen. 21:18)
It may be noted here that when God speaks of “greatness”, He does
not speak merely of numbers. “Greatness” in His own criterion is above all
founded on faith, spiritual heritage and religious leadership.
c) The Son of Promise must be one or the other: Isaac or Ishmael.
This is typically expressed in a statement like the following:
“Ishmael is set aside as
the inheritor of the Covenant. The fact that the (supposed) elder son of
Abraham did not become the heir of the divine Promise is accounted for in J2 by
Hagar’s f1ight before the child’s birth (Ch. 16), and in E by her expulsion
with the child (21:9-21)...
One may inquire at this point: i) Why should there be only one
child as the heir of the divine promise? Why not both sons in view of the
evidence discussed already? ii) What type of divine justice punishes an
innocent child because of his mother’s flight before he was even born
(especially if that flight was prompted by the jealousy and mistreatment of
Sarah)? iii) What type of divine justice (or even common sense) is that which
punishes an innocent child because he and his mother were “expelled” to satisfy
Sarah’s ego and bless her jealousy? Was Sarah dictating her desires to God,
too?
Why Were Ishmael and Hagar Taken Away?
If Muslims too believe that Hagar, (Abraham’s wife) and her son
Ishmael were settled in a different location, what is their version of the
story? And how does that version compare to the Biblical version?
The Muslim Version
Prophet Abraham received instruction from God to take Hagar and
her baby Ishmael to a specified barren and lifeless place in Arabia (paran),
more specifically to Makkah (Mecca). In the Qur’an, Abraham is quoted:
“Our Lord! I have made
some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation by thy sacred
house; in order, 0 Lord, that they may establish prayer: So fill the hearts of
some among men with love towards them, and feed them with fruits: So they may
give thanks.“ (The Qur’an 14:37)
When Abraham began to leave Hagar and Ishmael alone in such barren
wilderness, Hagar cried to him: “Where are you leaving us?” The question was
repeated three times but no answer was given by Abraham. Hagar then asked: “Did
God ordain you to do this?” Abraham said: “Yes.” In complete faith and trust on
God she responded “Then, He will not suffer us to be lost. “
When Hagar ran out of water, she started to hasten between two
little hills called As-Safa and Al-Marwah in search of water or for any passing
traveler. After she hastened seven times without success, she returned to check
on her baby (Ishmael) who was crying and kicking the ground with his heels. In
this moment of despair and apparent certain death, a spring of water suddenly
gushed forth from under Ishmael’s feet. That well later came to be known as the
well of Zamzam. Since water is the most crucial element in desert life, some
Bedouins began to settle around the well, gradually growing into the most
important city in Arabia, Makkah (Mecca). Centuries later, out of the
descendants of Ishmael came the last prophet of God, Prophet Muhammad who was
born in Makkah (Mecca) some five centuries after the mission of the last
Israelite prophet Jesus.
It is interesting to note that until the present time, the hills
of As-Safa and Al-Marwah are still easily identifiable. Indeed, hastening between
these two hills is part of the annual rites of hajj (pilgrimage) performed by
innumerable pilgrims every year. This rite is actually performed partly in
commemoration of Hagar’s search for water and it dates back to Ishmael, long
before the advent of Prophet Muhammad. Likewise, the Well of Zamzam which
miraculously gushed forth from under baby Ishmael’s feet is still gushing with
water until this time. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to Makkah (recently
about two million) drink from it annually and many others drink from it year
round.
The Biblical Version
Sarah, Abraham’s first wife was jealous of Hagar and her son
Ishmael. She did not want Ishmael to inherit with her son Isaac as Ishmael was
the son of the “bondwoman”. She was particularly angry because of what she
considered as mockery on the part of Ishmael toward his younger brother Isaac
while they were playing together. This incident took place after Isaac was
weaned.
Abraham obeyed his wife Sarah whose demand of casting out the
“bondwoman” and her son was blessed by God who told Abraham to “hearken unto
her voice”.
One morning Abraham rose up, gave provisions and water to his wife
Hagar and put her child Ishmael upon her shoulder, and left them in the
wilderness of Beer Sheba in southern Palestine. When Hagar ran out of water,
she could not stand sitting there and watching her child die. An angel appeared
before her and showed her a spring of water of which she went and brought drink
to the lad. The angel further told her “Arise, lift up the lad and hold him in
thine hand; for I will make him a great nation”.
Ishmael dwelt in the wilderness of “Paran”. He begot twelve sons
one of whom was named “Kedar”
Similarities Between the Two Versions
How does this tradition compare with the Muslim version? There
appear to be at least three similarities between the two versions:
i) That Hagar and Ishmael were taken away from Palestine and dwelt
in the wilderness (of Paran);
ii) That Hagar ran out of water and was worried about the life of
her son Ishmael;
iii) That, unexpectedly, she had access to water which she gave to
her son to save his life.
Differences Between the Two Versions
According to the Muslim version:
Hagar and Ishmael were taken away because of a specific divine
instruction given to Abraham as part of the divine plan. When the time came,
prophethood was to shift from the Israelites to the Ishmaelites, after the
rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus, by the Israelites.
Hagar and Ishmael were taken to the wilderness of Arabia,
specifically to Makkah (Mecca) and not to Beet Sheba.
This incident took place before the birth of Isaac and not after,
when Ishmael was a baby, which is a further confirmation of the real reason for
Hagar and Ishmael’s apparent exile as stated in the first difference.
Analysis of Differences
Is reconciliation of these differences possible? Let’s focus on
the last difference, namely did this incident take place before or after
Isaac’s birth?
If we were to accept the Biblical version, we would encounter a
number of inconsistencies and contradictions.
It is abundantly clear from the story in Gen. 21:14-19 that
Ishmael was a little baby at the time. Following is the documentation of this
statement:
According to Gen. 16:16 Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was
born. And according to Gen. 21:5 Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac
was born. It follows that Ishmael was already fourteen years old when his
younger brother Isaac was born.
According to Gen. 21:14-19, the incident took place after Isaac
was weaned. Biblical scholars tell us that “the child was weaned about the age
of three”.
It follows that when Hagar and Ishmael were taken away Ishmael was
a full grown teenager seventeen years old.
The profile of Ishmael in Gen. 21:14-19, however, is that of a
small baby and not of a teenager. Why?
First: According to The Interpreter’s Bible, the original Hebrew
for Gen. 21:14 was “... and put the child upon her shoulder”. The same reading
is rendered in the Revised Standard Edition of the Bible.
How would a mother carry a seventeen year old teenager “upon her
shoulder”? Certainly he was strong enough to carry his mother! Ishmael must
have been a baby!
Second: In Gen. 21:15 we are told that Hagar “cast” the child
under one of the shrubs, Again, according to this Biblical text Ishmael must
have been a baby and not a teenager.
Third: In Gen. 21:16 we are told that Hagar sat away so that she
may not see the death of the child before her own eyes. Is that a profile of a
husky seventeen year old teenager who probably was capable of being worried
about his mother dying before his eyes? Or is it obviously a profile of a small
helpless baby or at most a small child?
Fourth: According to Gen. 21:17, the angels told Hagar “arise,
lift up the lad”. Is a seventeen year old young man a proper object to be
“lifted up” by a woman? Or is that a reference to a small child or a baby?
Fifth: In Gen. 21:19, we are told that Hagar went to fill the
bottle with water “and give the lad a drink”. One would expect a strong young
man of seventeen to go and bring water to his mother instead.
The above analysis leads to the inevitable conclusion that while
the Bible contains some truths as explained earlier, there is also evidence of
human additions, deletions, and interpolations which only a subsequent authentic
revelation (The Qur’an) could clear. The Islamic version of the story is fully
consistent and coherent from A to Z; Ishmael was a baby and Isaac was not born
yet when this incident took place. This coherence and consistency are confirmed
by centuries-old traditions and even actual locations in Makkah (Mecca) where
Hagar and Ishmael settled. This clearly implies that the real reason behind
their settlement in Arabia (Paran) was not the dictation, jealousy, ego or
sense of racial superiority on the part of Sarah. It was rather God’s plan;
pure and simple.
It may be relevant to indicate that this issue is not the only
instance of inconsistency in respect to Ishmael’s story. The Interpreter’s
Bible compares the story of Hagar and Ishmael in Gen. 21:14-19 with that in an
earlier chapter (Gen. 16:1-16) and concludes “the inclusion in Genesis of both
stories so nearly alike and yet sufficiently different to be inconsistent, is
one of many instances of the reluctance of the compilers to sacrifice any of the
traditions which has become established in Israel”.
The Symbol of God’s Covenant with Ishmael and his Descendants
According to Gen. 17:10-14, circumcision was regarded as a symbol
of the covenant with God and a sign of purification from polytheism.
The significance of circumcision is further reiterated by
Christian Biblical scholars who indicate that it is not merely an external act:
“This was His own sign
and seal that Israel was a chosen people. Through it a man’s life was linked
with a great fellowship whose dignity was its high consciousness that it must
fulfill the purposes of God.”
This picture is completed by referring to Gen. 17:23-27 in which
we are told that Abraham took Ishmael and all those males born in his household
and circumcised them. Commenting on this, The Interpreter’s Bible admits that
the Ishmaelites and other descendants of Abraham were “somehow participating in
the Abrahamic covenant”.
It is notable that the descendant of Ishmael, Prophet Muhammad, as
well as his followers remain until today faithful to this covenant.
Circumcision is required of every male Muslim. Using The Interpreter’s Bible’s
wording, doesn’t that mean that this was God’s “sign and seal” that the
Ishmaelites were also part of God’s covenant in view of their commitment to
purify their belief from all forms of polytheism and to restore the pure and
true monotheism of their grandfather Abraham? Are they not closer to the
Abrahamic covenant than those who sought excuses not to practice circumcision?
Surely many nations on earth were blessed through Abraham. Those
closest to Abraham, to the purity and universal scope of the monotheism he
taught and to the “sign and seal” of his covenant with God are presently found
among the followers of Ishmael’s notable descendant Muhammad. Even without this
blood relationship, which is undisputed, the more important relationship with
Abraham is the relationship of faith in God’s words:
“Abraham was not a Jew or
Christian; but he was true in Faith, and bowed his will to God’s (was a Muslim)
and he joined not gods with God. Without doubt, among people, the nearest of
kin to Abraham are those who follow him, as are also this apostle (Muhammad)
and those who believe. And God is the Protector of those who have faith.“ (The
Qur’an 3:67-68)
Further Evidence About the Lineage of the Long-awaited Prophet
The foregoing discussion is more than enough to demonstrate that
the advent of Prophet Muhammad, a descendant of Ishmael, was indeed the
fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham and Hagar (Gen. 21:13, and 18).
An additional confirmation which leaves no iota of doubt is found
in the Book of Isaiah (Ch. 11:1-2):
“And there shall come
forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of
the fear of the Lord.”
The profile given in this chapter is of someone who will be a
prophet, a statesmen and a judge and is of the descendants of “Jesse”. Who is
“Jesse”? And who met these descriptions?
Some contend that “Jesse” is a reference to David’s father.
According to Encyclopedia Biblica, however, we read: “Jesse is contracted from
Ishmael.
The only one who came from Ishmael’s “stem” who was a prophet,
statesmen and judge was Prophet Muhammad.
II Characteristics of the Awaited Prophet - A Prophet Like Unto Moses
In the Book of Deuteronomy, Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was
quoted as saying:
“And the Lord said unto
me, they have well spoken that which they have spoken, I will raise them up a
Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his
mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.“ (Deuteronomy
18:17-18)
Three important elements are included in this prophecy: A prophet
will come from among the “brethren” of the Israelites; this prophet will be
“like unto Moses”; God will put his words in the mouth of this prophet.
Let us look closely at each of these elements:
A Prophet From Among the Brethren of the Israelites
When these words were spoken, they were addressed to the
Israelites. The most notable “brethren” of Israelites (descendants of Abraham
through his second son Isaac), are the Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham
through his first son Ishmael).
According to the Hebrew Dictionary of the Bible, “Brethren” is
the:
“Personification of a
group of tribes who were regarded as near kinsmen of the Israelites. “
The Bible refers to the Israelites as the brethren of the
Ishmaelites (e.g. Gen. 16:12, and Gen. 25:18).
A Prophet Like Unto Moses
It is sometimes contended that the prophet like unto Moses was
Jesus. After all both were Israelites and spiritual teachers. Was this prophecy
really about Jesus?
To start off, Jesus himself was an Israelite, not of the
“brethren” of the Israelites. This fact alone suffices to show that this
particular prophecy is not about the coming of Jesus but about another prophet
“like unto Moses”. That prophet could have been none but Prophet Muhammad.
Following is a comparison between a few crucial characteristics of
Moses, Muhammad and Jesus which may clarify the identity of “that prophet” who
was to come after Moses:
Area of Comparison Moses Muhammad Jesus
Birth Usual Usual Usual
Family Life Married, Children Married, Children No Marriage, or
children
Death Usual Usual Unusual
Career Prophet/Statesman Prophet/Statesman Prophet
Forced Emigration (in adulthood) To Median To Medinah None
Encounter with enemies Hot pursuit Hot pursuit/Battles No Similar
Encounter
Results of encounter Moral phys.victory Moral physical victory
Moral victory
Writing dawn of Revelation In his life time In his lifetime After
him
(Torah) (Al-Qur’an)
Nature of Teachings Spiritual/ Legal Spiritual/Legal Mainly
Spiritual
Acceptance of leadership Rejected Rejected then accepted Rejected
(by most Israelites)
(by his people)
This table is self-evident. It shows that not only were Moses and
Muhammad very much alike in many respects, but it shows also that Prophet Jesus
does not fit this particular prophecy. Following are the
The birth of Jesus was unusual. According to Christian and Muslim
beliefs, he was miraculously born of the virgin Mary. Both Moses and Muhammad
were born in the usual manner.
Both Moses and Muhammad were married and begot children. There is
no similar record of marriage and offspring in the case of Jesus.
Both Moses and Muhammad died of natural causes and were buried.
The end of the mission of Jesus on earth was unusual; crucifixion according to
Christian beliefs and being raised up to heavens without crucifixion according
to Muslim beliefs,
Both Moses and Muhammad were not only prophets and spiritual
teachers in the usual sense, but they were also “heads of states” whose mission
included the establishment of a “state” founded on the teachings of their faith
No such opportunity presented itself to Prophet Jesus.
Moses left Egypt following knowledge of a plot to kill him and
went to Median where he was welcomed and assured by Jethro. Muhammad left
Makkah (Mecca) following knowledge of a plot to kill him and went to Yathrib
which was later called Al-Madinah (Medina). No similar incident was reported
about Jesus in his adulthood and after he began his mission as a prophet.
Moses encountered his enemies (the Pharaoh’s army) who sought to
destroy him and his followers in “hot pursuit”. Muhammad encountered his
enemies (the pagan Arabs) who sought to destroy him and his followers in
several battles. No such encounter was reported in the case of Jesus. Indeed he
was reported to have commanded Simon Peter to put his sword into the sheath
when he attempted to defend Jesus at the time of his arrest.
Moses’ encounter with his enemies ended with a military and moral
victory. His enemies drowned and Moses and his followers were saved. Muhammad’s
encounters with his enemies ended with his final military and moral victory
over them. He and his followers reentered Makkah (Mecca), the center of
plotting against him. Impressed with his truthfulness and magnanimity, the
great majority of his former enemies chose to become Muslims and were among his
ardent supporters. Jesus’ victory against his enemies was only a moral victory
which did not involve an immediate military victory over them at the same time.
The teachings revealed to Moses were available in a written form
in his lifetime. The Qur’an revealed to Muhammad was fully written down in his
lifetime and under his supervision. The teachings of Jesus were not committed
to writing in his lifetime. Even the earliest Gospel was written down many
years after him.
Unlike any other prophets from the lineage of Abraham, the
revelation given to Moses and Muhammad contained comprehensive codes of law, in
addition to the spiritual and moral elements of their teachings. The teachings
of Jesus were almost entirely spiritual. Indeed Jesus never claimed to bring a
new law, nor even to abrogate the existing Old Testament Law. He simply added a
spiritual and human touch to the concept of law, which by his time had been
reduced to the level of lifeless and at times hypocritical formalism. “Think
not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfill”, Jesus was quoted as saying.
After initial resistance and skepticism by his people, Moses was
accepted by his people as a prophet and a leader in his lifetime,
notwithstanding certain lapses (such as the worship of the golden calf). After
initial resistance, Muhammad was enthusiastically accepted as a prophet and a
leader in his lifetime. Until the end, however, and with the exceptions of a
few followers, Jesus was rejected by his people (the Israelites).
Who was then the “Prophet like unto Moses”?
God Will Put His Words in the Mouth of that Prophet
Generally speaking, this description may apply to any messenger of
God who is communicating God’s message to mankind. While that message may come
in “written tablets” as is believed to have been the case with Moses, the
specific wording of the above verse is a vivid description of the type of
revelation received by Muhammad. Angel Gabriel used to come and dictate to him
specific portions of the Qur’an which were then repeated by Prophet Muhammad
exactly as he had heard them. Muhammad’s own thinking or authorship were not
involved in any way in what he uttered. The words of God (The Qur’an) were “put
into his mouth”. As the Qur’an itself described:
“He (Muhammad) does not
speak of his own desire, it is no less than a revelation sent down to him. “
(The Qur’an 53:3-4)
Numerous passages in the Qur’an command Muhammad in such terms as
Qul (say), Thakkir (remind), Nabbi’ (inform). Other passages in the Qur’an
start with such expressions as wa qala Rabbukum (and your Lord said ...). Still
in other passages it reads wa yas’aloonaka ... qul (and they ask you (0
Muhammad) ... say ...).
The above analysis fits not only Deuteronomy 18:18, but is also
consistent with the subsequent verses. For example Deuteronomy 18:19 reads:
“And it shall come to
pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in My
name, I will require it of him. “
It is interesting to note that 113 out of the 114 Surahs
(chapters) of the Qur’an starts with Bismillahir-rahmanir-raheem (In the name
of Allah (God), Most Gracious, Most Merciful). The very first passage of the
Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad reads:
“Read in the name of your
Lord who created ... “ (The Qur’an 96:1)
Following the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, there is no other
community of believers who starts almost every action in their daily lives with
this formula “In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”. It should be
noted here that the Arabic term “Allah” is not only the Arabic equivalent of
“God”, but it is also the personal name of God. To say “In the Name of Allah”
is a far clearer fulfillment of the prophecy “... he shall speak in My name”
(Deuteronomy 18:19), than other common expressions such as “In the name of God”
or “In the name of the Father”.
A fair question at this point is this: Since virtually anyone can
presume to speak “in the name of God”, what criterion should be used to
distinguish between a genuine prophet and messenger of God and other false
prophets who may also presume to speak in the name of God?
The answer to this question was clearly given in the concluding
verses of Chapter 18 of the Book of Deuteronomy:
“And if thou say in thine
heart, how shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a
prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not nor come to
pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath
spoken it presumptuously; thou shall not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy
18:21-22)
It is a fact that not a single prophecy made by Prophet Muhammad
proved to be inaccurate in the least degree. Every prophecy he made about the
near future at his time did come to pass. Examples of these
a) The prophecy that Muslims were to conquer the two
“super-powers” of their time; the Persian and Byzantine empires. This prophecy
was made when Muslims were so few and weak that to prophecy their mere physical
survival would have sounded too hopeful!
b) A prophecy that Suraqah (a man who was about to kill Prophet
Muhammad during the later’s journey to Madinah (Medina) after the pagans
plotted to kill him) would become a Muslim,
participate in the Muslim army conquering the Persian Empire and
would actually have access to the Emperor’s crown and place it over his head!
Not only did this prophecy appear to be a virtual impossibility when it was
made, but its fulfillment was so perfect and complete as if the Prophet was
looking eye-to-eye at the scene which took place years after his death. The
fact that Suraqah did become a Muslim, lived long enough to participate in the
conquest of Persia, that the Muslims came out victorious, that Suraqah had
access to the Emperor’s crown and actually wore it, can hardly be regarded as a
coincidence or a self-fulfilling prophecy. Surely the chances are nil that
numerous such prophecies, all in the minutest detail described by Prophet
Muhammad, happened by accident! Nor can such 100% accuracy every time and at
all times emanate from any other than a true and genuine prophet using the
criterion stipulated in Deuteronomy 18:21-22.
III Other Characteristics of “That Prophet”
An equally interesting and most revealing profile of Prophet
Muhammad is found in the 42nd chapter of the Book of Isaiah.
Let us examine some of these characteristics:
The One in Whom God’s soul delights is called the servant of God
(V. 1), His elect (V. 1) and His Messenger (V. 19).
Translated into Arabic these titles read “Abduhu warusooluhul-Mustapha”.
Surely all prophets were indeed servants, messengers and elects of God. Yet no
prophet in history is as universally called by these specific titles as is
Muhammad. The testimony of faith by which the person enters into the fold of
Islam reads:
“I bear witness that
there is no deity but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and
messenger.” (Shahada (Testify) which every non muslim reads when embracing ISLAM is written and prophesised in Isaiah 42)
Virtually the same formula is repeated five times a day during the
call to prayers, five times a day immediately before the beginning of prayers
(iqamah), nine times a day during the minimum mandatory prayers, several more
times if the Muslim performs additional recommended prayers (s ). The most
common title of Prophet Muhammad since his mission until today is Rasoolullah
(the messenger of God). The Qur’an gives him this title. During his lifetime he
was addressed as such by his followers. The voluminous collections of hadith
(Prophet Muhammad’s sayings) are narrated typically in these forms: “I heard
the Messenger of Allah say ...”, “The Messenger of Allah said or replied ...”.
He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he has set judgment in
the earth (V. 4), he shall prevail against his enemies (V. 13) and shall bring
judgment to the Gentiles (V. 1).
In comparing the lives and missions of Jesus and Muhammad, it
becomes readily clear that in the case of Jesus he expressed on more than one
occasion how disappointed he was in the Israelites’ rejection of him. Nor did
Jesus live long enough on Earth to prevail over his enemies (beyond the moral
victory which is a common victory for all prophets).
On the other hand, we find no trace of Prophet Muhammad’s
discouragement even in the most critical moments of his mission. In one year
his beloved and supporting wife Khadijah died following 25 years of successful
marriage; his uncle Abu-Talib, who was instrumental in protecting him from the
fury of the pagan Arabs also died. These two tragedies were combined with the
fact that his followers constituted only a small persecuted and tortured group.
Under such trying circumstances, Muhammad went to the city of at-Taif to invite
people to Islam and seek their support in his struggle against paganism. He was
rejected, mocked at and stoned to the point of bleeding. In spite of all this
he was never “discouraged” to use Isaiah’s term (V. 4): “0 Allah! Forgive my
people for they do not know what they’re doing” was his utterance. When Angel
Gabriel offered him the chance to retaliate by destroying their city, he
refused in the hope that out of the descendants of these wicked people would
come those who would worship God, and come they did!
After this bitter struggle, Muhammad “prevailed against his
enemies”, established a strong community of believers who indeed “brought
judgment to the Gentiles”, especially in the Persian and Byzantine Empires.
Many such Gentiles were guided to Islam while others suffered defeats. As such
he was truly “a light of the Gentiles” of the whole world.
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in
the street (V. 2).
Not only was this a distinct characteristic and mark of decency of
Muhammad’s, it was indeed the embodiment of the revelation given to him. In the
words of the Qur’an:
“Be modest in thy bearing
and subdue thy voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass. “
(The Qur’an 31:19)
“Allah loveth not the
utterance of harsh speech save by one who has been wronged.” (The Qur’an 4:148)
“The Isles shall wait for
his law. “ The only prophet who came, after this prophecy was made (Isaiah’s
time) with a complete and comprehensive code of law was Prophet Muhammad. The
law revealed to him spread to all corners of the earth, even in many remote
isles and to the farthest deserts.
He will be sent “to open the blind eyes, to bring out the
prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison
house” (V. 7).
Many of those who were opposed to the truth and bitterly fought
Muhammad ended up among the most devout believers. Their blindness to truth was
cured. Those who lived in the darkness of an unholy life came to the light of
truth completed through the mission of Muhammad.
No wonder the Qur’an describes itself as “Nooram-mubeena” or light
manifest. Describing the Qur’an, God addresses Prophet Muhammad:
“A book which we revealed
unto you, in order that you may lead mankind out of the depths of darkness unto
light by the leave of their Lord to the way of Him, the exalted in power,
worthy of all praise.“ (The Qur’an 14: l. Emphasis added)
God’s glory will not be given to another (V. 8).
The greatest glory a person receives from God is to be entrusted
as His messenger to mankind and receive His glorious revelation. Not only did
this apply to Prophet Muhammad, but it uniquely applied to him as the last
messenger and prophet of God. Truly God’s glory (revelation of scriptures) was
not given and will not be given to another prophet after Muhammad, as he is the
“seal” of all prophets. It is already about 1400 years since Muhammad was sent
and the Qur’an was revealed to him. Yet we hear of no genuine prophet of the
magnitude and influence on humanity to be compared with such figures as
Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Nor do we hear about another post-Qur’anic
(glory) or holy book that has influenced mankind to such a degree.
Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the
earth ...(V. 10).
A new song may be a reference to a new scripture in a language
other that the language of the Israelite scriptures. This interpretation seems
consistent with a more explicit mention of someone who will be speaking to
people (including the Israelites) in “another tongue” Isaiah 28:11).
This explanation seems to fit closely with the second half of the
same verse Isaiah 42:16) which speaks of the praise of God “from the ends of
the earth”. Only in the case of Islam do we find this prophecy realized in
amazing accuracy. In all ends of the earth, five times every day the praise of
God and of His last messenger, Muhammad, is chanted from the minarets of
hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of mosques around the world.
Additionally, frequent praise of God and Muhammad by millions of devout Muslims
is made on daily basis. It is even a part of the required five daily prayers to
include the praise of Abraham and his descendants and of Muhammad and his
descendants. This is known as “As-Salatul-Ibrahimiyyah”.
This person to come is connected with the Arabs, and specifically
with the descendants of Ishmael (who settled in Makkah and its environs). Verse
11 to the 42nd chapter of Isaiah leaves absolutely no doubt about
the identity of “that prophet”:
“Let the wilderness of
and the cities thereof lip up their voice, the villages that Ke’dar does
inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of
the mountains. “ Isaiah 42:11)
According to the Book of Genesis, Ke’dar was the second son of
Ishmael (Gen. 25:13). The best known prophet who came from Ishmael’s
descendants is Muhammad. His enemies (who were of his own clan!), who were
misled by their leaders or mighty men (as described in Isaiah 21:17) ultimately
embraced Islam and were embraced by it. Indeed they had reason to “lift up
their voice”, to “sing” praise of God, and “shout from the top of the
mountains”. is that possibly a reference to the shouting of:
“Here I come (for your
service) 0 Allah. Here I come. Here I come. Were is nor a partner with You.
Here I come. Verily yours is the Praise, the blessings and sovereignty. Were is
no partner besides you”.
This “shouting” is chanted annually by multitudes of Muslims from
all over the world from Mount ‘Arafat as part of the annual rites of hajj
(pilgrimage).
The 42nd chapter of Isaiah is indeed a fascinating
one. It is not a casual or ambiguous reference to that servant and messenger of
God who was to come centuries later. It is rather a comprehensive profile which
not only fits Prophet Muhammad but fits no one else. After all, the chapter
relates this profile to Ke’dar son of Ishmael and no other descendants of
Ishmael fits these descriptions but Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) Is The
Son-Of-Man
In the previous discourse we perused and commented upon the
marvelous vision of the Prophet Daniel (Dan. vii.). We saw how the four beasts
that represented the four king- doms succeeding one another were the Powers of
Darkness and how they persecuted the Jews and the early Church of Jesus, which
was constituted of true believers in the One God. We also remarked that those
Powers were pagan and allegorically described as ferocious brutes. Further, we
saw that the "Eleventh Horn," which had eyes and mouth, which uttered
blasphemies against the Most High had fought and overcome His Saints had
changed the times and the Law of God, could be no other than the Emperor
Constantine, who in AD. 325, promulgated his imperial rescript proclaiming the
creed and the decisions of the Nicene General Council.
In this article let us follow our researches patiently with regard
to the glorious BAR NASHA, or the "Son-of-Man," who was
presented-upon the clouds to the Most High, to whom was given the Sultaneh
(Sholtana in the original text, i.e. "dominion" or
"empire") honor and kingdom for ever, and who was commissioned to
destroy and annihilate the terrible Horn.
Now let us proceed forthwith to establish the identity of this
"Bar nasha."
Before finding out who this Son-of-Man is, it is but essential
that we should take into consideration the following points and observations: -
(a) When a Hebrew Prophet predicts that "all the nations and
peoples of the earth shall serve him" (i.e. the Bar nasha) or "the
people of the Saints of the Most High," we must understand that he means
thereby the nations men- tioned in Genesis xv. 18-21, and not the English, the
French, or the Chinese nations.
(b) By the phrase "the people of the Saints of the Most
High" it is understood to mean first the Jews and then the Christians who
confessed the absolute Oneness of God, fought and suffered for it until the
appearance of the Bar nasha and the destruction of the Horn.
(c) After the destruction of the Horn the people and the nations
that will have to serve the Saints of God are the Chaldeans, Medo-Persians,
Greeks, and the Romans - the four nations represented by the four beasts that
had trod upon and invaded the Holy Land.
From the Adriatic to the Walls of China all the various nations
have either as Muslims received the homage or as unbelievers served the
Muslims, who are the only true believers in the One God.
(d) It is remarkable to realize the significant fact that God
often allows the enemies of His true religion to subdue and persecute His
people because of two purposes. First, because he wants to punish His people
for their lethargy, drawbacks and sins. Secondly, because He wishes to prove
the faith, the patience and the indestructibility of His Law and Religion, and
thus to allow the infidels to continue in their unbelief and crime until their
cup is full. God in due time Himself intervenes on behalf of the believers when
their very existence is on its beam-ends. It was a terrible and most critical
time for all Muslims when the Allied Forces were in Constantinople during those
awful years of the Armistice. Great preparations were made by the Greeks and
their friends to take back the Grand Mosque of Aya Sophia; the Greek Patriarch
of Constantinople went to London carrying with him a precious ancient
patriarchal cope set in gems and pearls for the Archbishop of Canterbury, who
was strenuously advocating the restoration of Constantinople and the grand
edifice of St. Sophia to the Greeks. On the eve of the celebration of Prophet
Muhammad's night journey to Heaven - called al-mi'raj - the sacred building was
crammed with a great multitude of the suppliant faithful who till the dawn most
earnestly supplicated the Almighty Allah to deliver Turkey, and particularly
the Sacred House, from those who "would fill it with ugly idols and images
as before!" In connection with that patriarchal mantle or cope, I wrote an
article in the Turkish paper the Aqsham, showing the existence of a schism
between the Greek Orthodox and the Protestant Anglican Churches. I pointed out
that the cope was not meant as a pallium of investiture and recognition of the
Anglican orders, and that a reunion between the two Churches could never be
accomplished unless one or the other of the parties should renounce and abjure
certain articles of faith as heretical and erroneous. I also pointed out that
the cope was a diplomatic bribe on behalf of Greece and its Church. The letter
ended with these words: "All depends upon the grace and miracle which this
bakhskish of a pontifical cope is expected to work!"
The result is too well known to be repeated here. Suffice it to
say that the Patriarch died in England, and the Almighty, who sent the Bar
nasha to crush the Horn and chase out the legions of Rome from the East, raised
Mustapha Kamal, who saved his country and restored the honor of Islam!
(e) It is to be noted that the Jews were the chosen people of God
until the advent of Jesus Christ. In the eyes of the Muslims neither the Jews
nor the Christians have a right to claim the title of "the People of the
Saints of the Most High," because the former reject Jesus altogether,
while the latter insult him by deifying him. Moreover, both are equally
unworthy of that title because of their refusing to recognize the Last Prophet
who has completed the list of the Prophets.
We shall now proceed to prove that the Bar nasha - the Son-of-Man
- who was presented to the "Ancient of Days" and invested with power
to kill the monster, was no other than Prophet Muhammad, whose very name
literally means "the Praised and Illustrious." Whatever other person
you may try to invent in order to deprive the august Messenger of Allah of this
unique glory and majesty bestowed on him in the Divine Court, you will only
make yourselves ridiculous; and this for the following reasons: -
1. We know that neither Judaism nor Christianity has any
particular name for its faith and its system. That is to say, neither the Jews
nor the Christians have any special name for the doctrines and forms of their
faith and worship. "Judaism" and "Christianity" are not
Scriptural nor authoriz- ed either by God or the founders of those religions.
In fact, a religion, if true, cannot properly be named after its second
founder, for the real author and founder of a true religion is God, and not a
Prophet. Now the proper noun for the laws, doctrines, forms and practices of
worship as revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad is "Islam," which
means "making peace" with Him and among men. "Muhammadanism"
is not the proper appellation of Islam. For Prophet Muhammad, like Prophet
Abraham and all other Prophets, was himself a Muslim, and not a Muhammadan!
Judaism means the religion of Judah, but what was Judah himself? Surely not a
Judaist! And similarly was Christ a Christian or a Jesuit? Certainly neither of
them! What were, then, the names of these two distinct religions? No names at
all!
Then we have the barbarous Latin word "religion,"
meaning "the fear of the gods." It is now used to express "any
mode of faith and worship." Now what is the equivalent word for
"religion" in the Bible? What expression did Moses or Jesus use to
convey the meaning of religion? Of course, the Bible and its authors make no
use of this word at all.
Now the Scriptural term used in the vision of Daniel is the same
as applied repeatedly by the Qur'an to Islam, namely, "Din" (and in
the Qur'an, "Din"), which means "recompense on the Day of
Judgement." And the tribune is the "Dayyana" or the
"Judge." Let us read the description of this celestial Court of
Judgement: "the tribunes are set, the books are opened, and the 'Dina' -
recompense of judgment - is established." By the "Books" is to
be understood the "Preserved Tablets" wherein the decrees of God are
inscribed from which the Qur'an was revealed by the Angel Gabriel to Prophet
Muhammad; and also the books of accounts of every man's actions. It was
according to the decrees and laws of God contained in that "Preserved
Tablet," and the wicked actions of the Horn, that the Great
"Dayyana" - the Judge con- demned it to death and appointed Prophet
Muhammad to be "Adon," i.e. "Commander" or
"lord," to destroy the monster. All this language of Daniel is
extremely Qur'anic. The religion of Islam is called "Dinu 'I-Islam."
It was according to the decrees and laws of this "Dina" that the
"Bar nasha" destroy- ed the Devil's religion and his lieutenant the
Horn. How can it, then, be at all possible that any man other than Prophet
Muhammad could be meant by the appearance of a "Son- of-Man" in the
presence of the Most High? Islam is, indeed, a "judgment of peace,"
because it possesses an authen- ticated Book of Law, with which justice is
administered and iniquity punished, the truth discerned and the falsehood con-
demned; and above all, the Oneness of God, the eternal rewards for good deeds,
and eternal damnation for wicked actions are clearly stated and defined. In
English a magistrate is called "Justice of Peace;" that is to say, a
"judge of peace." Now this is in imitation of a Muslim Judge, who
settles a quarrel, decides a case, by punishing the guilty and rewarding the
innocent, thus restoring peace. This is Islam and the law of the Qur'an. It is
not Christianity nor the Gospel, for the latter absolutely forbids a Christian
to appeal to a judge, however innocent and oppressed he may be (Matt. v. 25,
26, 38-48).
2. The Son-of-Man, or Bar nasha, is certainly Prophet Muhammad.
For he came after Constantine, and not before him as Jesus or any other Prophet
did. The Trinitarian regime in the East represented by the Horn, which we
rightly identify with the Emperior Constantine, was permitted to fight with the
Unitarians and vanquish them for a period described in the figurative,
prophetical language as "time, times and half a time," which phrase
signifies three centuries and a half, at the end of which all the power of
idolatry on the one hand and the Trinitarian dominion and tyranny on the other
were eradicated and swept away entirely. There is nothing more absurd than the
assertion that Judah the Maccabaeus (Maqbhaya) was the Bar nasha on the clouds,
and the Horn Antiochus. It is alleged that (if I remember aright) Antio- chus,
after desecrating the Temple of Jerusalem, lived only three years and a half -
or three days and a half - at the end of which time he perished. In the first
place, we know that Antiochus was a successor of Alexander the Great and King
of Syria, consequently one of the four heads of the winged Tiger and not the
eleventh Horn of the fourth Beast as stated in the vision. In the eighth
chapter of the Book of Daniel, the Ram and the He-goat are explained by a Saint
as representing the Persian and the Greek Empires respec- tively. It is
expressly explained that the Greek Empire immediately succeeded the Persian and
that it was divided into four kingdoms, as stated in the first vision.
Secondly, the Horn with the speech indicates that the person who blasphemed and
changed the Law and holy days could not be a pagan, but one who knew God and
associated with Him purposely the other two persons whom he had equally known,
and perverted the faith. Antiochus did not pervert the faith of the Jews by
instituting a trinity or plurality of Gods, nor did he change the Law of Moses
and its festival days. Thirdly, it is childish to give such a magnitude and
importance to local and insignificant events which took place between a petty
king in Syria and a small Jewish chief, so as to compare the latter with the
glorious man who received the homage of the millions of angels in the presence
of the Almighty. More- over, the prophetical vision describes and depicts the
Bar nasha as the greatest and the noblest of all men, for no other human being
is reported in the Old Testament to have been the object of such honor and
grandeur as Prophet Muhammad.
3. It is equally futile to claim for Jesus Christ this celestial
honor given to the Son-of-Man. There are two main reasons to exclude Jesus from
this honor; (a) If he is purely a man and prophet, and if we consider his work
a success or failure, then he is certainly far behind Muham- mad. But if he is
believed to be the third of the three in the Trinity, then he is not to be
enlisted among men at all. You fall into a dilemma, and you cannot get out of
it; for in either case the Bar nasha could not be Jesus. (b) If Jesus was
commissioned to destroy the fourth Beast, then instead of paying poll-tax or
tribute to Caesar and submitting himself to be bastinadoed or whipped by the
Roman governor Pilate, he would have chased away the Roman legions from
Palestine and saved his country and people.
4. There has never lived upon this earth a Prince - Prophet like
Muhammad, who belonged to a dynasty that reigned for a long period of about
2,500 years, was absolutely independent and never bent its neck under a foreign
yoke. And certainly there has never been seen on earth another man like Prophet
Muhammad, who has rendered more material and moral service to his own nation in
particular and to the world in general. It is impossible to imagine another
human being so dignified and so worthy as Prophet Muhammad for such a
magnificent glory and honor as depicted in the prophetical vision. Let us just
compare the great Prophet Daniel with the Bar nasha he was beholding with awe
and wonder. Daniel was a slave or captive, though raised to the dignity of a
vizier in the courts of Babylon and Susa. What would, in the presence of the
Almighty, be his position when compared with Prophet Muhammad, who would be
crowned as the Sultan of the Prophets, the Leader of mankind, and the object of
the angels' homage and admiration? Small wonder that the Prophet David calls
Prophet Muhammad "My Lord" (Psa, c. 10).
5. It is no wonder to find that on his night journey to Heaven
Prophet Muhammad was received with the highest honors by the Almighty and
invested with power to extirpate idolatry and the blasphemous Horn from
countries given by God to him and to his people as an everlasting heritage.
6. Another most amazing feature in this prophetical vision is,
according to my humble belief, that the sight of a Barnasha upon the clouds and
his presentation to the Almighty corresponds with and is simultaneous with the
Mi'raj - or night journey of the Prophet Muhammad; in other rds, this second
part of the vision of Daniel is to be identified with the Mi'raj! There are,
indeed, several indications both in the language of Daniel and in the
"Hadith" - the quotations of the Prophet of Allahh - which lead me to
this belief. The Qur'an declares that during that night- journey God
transported His worshiper from the Sacred Mosque at Mecca to the Father Temple
of Jerusalem. He blessed the precincts of that Temple, then in ruins, and
showed him His signs (chap. xvii).
It is related by the Holy Prophet that at the Temple of Jerusalem
he officiated in his capacity of the Imam, and con- ducted the prayers with all
the company of the Prophets following him. It is further related that it was
from Jerusalem that he was carried up unto the Seventh Heaven, being ac-
companied by the spirits of the Prophets and Angels until he was taken to the
presence of the Eternal. The modesty of the Prophet which forbade him to reveal
all that he saw, heard and received from the Lord of Hosts is made good by
Daniel, who narrates the decision of Gods Judgement. It appears that the Spirit
which interpreted the vision to Daniel was not an Angel, as thoughtlessly
remarked by me else- where, but the Spirit or the Soul of a Prophet, for he
calls "Qaddish" (in the masculine gender) and "Qaddush"
(iv. 10; viii. 13 ), which means a Saint or a Holy Man - a very usual name of
the Prophets and Saints. How glad must have been the holy souls of the Prophets
and the Martyrs who had been persecuted by those four beasts especially more so
when they saw the decree of death being pronounced by the Almighty against the
Trinitarian regime of Constantine and the Seal of the Prophets being
commissioned to kill and annihilate the uttering Horn! It will also be
remembered that this vision was seen as well during the same night in which
took place the journey of the Son of Man nasha from Mecca to the heavens!
From the testimony of Daniel we, as Muslims, must admit that
Prophet Muhammad's journey was corporeally performed - a thing of no
impossibility to the Omnipotent.
There must exist a law in physics according to which a body is not
controlled by the main body to which it belongs, or by the law of gravitation,
but by the law of velocity. A human body belonging to the earth cannot escape
from it unless a superior force of velocity should detach it from the force of
gravitation. Then there must also exist another law in physics according to
which a light body can penetrate into a thick one and a thick body into an even
still thicker or harder one through the means of a superior force, or simply
through the force of velocity. Without entering into the details of this subtle
ques- tion, suffice it to say that before the force of velocity the weight of a
solid body, whether moved or touched, is of no concern. We know the rate of the
velocity of the light from the sun or a star. If we discharge a bullet at the
rate, say, of 2,500 meters a second, we know it penetrates and pierces a body
of iron plate which is several inches thick. Similarly, an angel, who can move
with an infinitely greater velocity than that of the light of the sun and even
the thought in the mind, could, of course, transport the bodies of Prophet
Jesus, to save him from the crucifixion, and Prophet Muhammad in his miraculous
challenge of the Ascent Journey (Miraj) with an astounding facility and
rapidity, and set at nought the law of gravitation of the globe to which they
belonged.
Paul also mentions a vision he had seen fourteen years before of a
man who had been taken up into the third heaven and then unto Paradise, where
he heard and saw words and objects that could not be described. The Churches and
their commentators have believed this man to be Paul himself. Although the
language is such as to convey to us the idea that he himself is the man, yet
out of modesty it is that he keeps it a secret lest he should be considered a
proud man! (2 Cor. xii. 1-4). Although the Qur'an teaches us that the Apostles
of Jesus Christ were good people, their writings cannot be relied upon, because
the wrangling and disputant Churches have subjected them to interpolations. The
Gospel of St. Barnabas states that Paul afterwards fell into an error and
misled many of the believers.
That Paul does not reveal the identity of the person seen by him
in the vision, and that the words which he heard in Paradise "cannot be
spoken and no man is permitted to speak them," shows that Paul was not
himself the person who was taken up to Heaven. To say that Paul, for reason of
humility and out of modesty, does not praise himself is simply to mis-
represent Paul. He boasts of having rebuked St. Peter to his face, and his
epistles are full of expressions about himself which do rather confirm the idea
that Paul was neither humble nor modest.
Besides, we know from his writings to the Galatians and the Romans
what a prejudiced Jew he was against Hagar and her son Ishmael. The glorious
person he saw in his vision could be no other than the person seen by Daniel!
It was Prophet Muhammad that he saw, and dare not report the words which were
spoken to him because on the one hand he was afraid of the Jews, and because on
the other he would have contradicted himself for having glorified himself so
much with the Cross and the crucified. I am half convinced that Paul was
allowed to see the Barnasha whom Daniel had seen some six centuries before, but
"the angel of satan who was continually pouring blows upon his head"
(2 Cor. xii 7) forbade him to reveal the truth! It this an admission by Paul
that "the angel of Satan," as he calls him, prohibited him from
revealing the secret of Prophet Muhammad, whom he had seen in his vision. If
Paul was a true righteous worshiper of God, why was he delivered into the hands
of the "angel of the Devil" who was continually beating him on the
head? The more one reflects on the teachings of Paul, the less one doubts that
he was the prototype of Constantine the Great!
In conclusion, I may be permitted to draw a moral for the
non-Muslims from this wonderful vision of Daniel. They should take to heart a
lesson from the fate which befell the four beasts, and particularly the Horn,
and to reflect that Allah alone is the One True God; that the Muslims alone
faithfully profess His absolute Oneness; that He is Aware of their oppressions,
and that they have their Caliph of the Prophets near to the Throne of the Most
High.
King
David Calls Him: "My Lord"
The history of David, his exploits and prophetical writings, are
found in two books of the Old Testa- ment, Samuel and the Psalms. He was the
youngest son of Yishai (Jessie) from the tribe of Judah. While still a young
shepherd, he had killed a bear and torn into halves a lion. The valiant young
man swung a small stone right through the forehead of Goliath, an armed
Philistine champion and saved the army of Israel. The highest reward for a
successful feat displaying valor was the hand of Michal, a daughter of King
Saul. David played on a harp and flute, and was a good singer. His flight from
his jealous father-in-law, his adventures and attributed exploits as a bandit,
are well known in the Bible. On the death of Saul, David was invited by the
people to assume the reins of the kingdom, for which he had long before been
anointed by the Prophet Samuel. He reigned for some seven years at Hebron. He
took Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it the capital of his kingdom. Its
two hills, or mounts, were named "Moriah" and "Sion." Both
these words have the same signi- fication and import as the famous mounts of
"Marwa" and "Sapha" in Mecca, which words respectively mean
"the place of the vision of the Lord," and "the rock" or
"stone." David's wars, his very grave family troubles, his sin against
the faith- ful soldier, Uriah, and his wife, Bathsheba, was not left with
impunity. He reigned forty years; his life was marked with wars and family
griefs. In the Bible there are some contradictory accounts about him which are
evidently to be ascribed to the two opposite sources.
The alleged crime of David claimed in the Bible in connection with
Uriah and his wife (2 Sam. xi.) is not even alluded to in the Qur'an, rather
the Qur'an refers to his excellent pious character and that he was one of the
top ranking Messengers. It is one of the superiorities of the Holy Qur'an that
it teaches us that all prophets are born sinless and die sinless. It does not,
like the Bible, impute to them crimes and sins - e.g. the double crime of
David, mentioned in the Bible, which, according to the Law of Moses, is
punishable by death - which, let alone a prophet who is a chosen worshiper of
God the Almighty, we would not even think of attaching to the name of an
ordinary human being.
The story of David committing adultery and two angels having come
to him thus to remind him of the sin is a puerile falsehood - wherever it may
be found. It has been repudiat- ed by the best Muslim opinion. Razl says:
"Most of the learned, and those who have searched for the truth among them,
declare this charge false and condemn it as a lie and a mischievous story. The
words istaghfora and ghafarna occurring in the text of verse 24, chap. 38 of
the Holy Qur'an by no means indicate that David had committed a sin, for
istighfar really signifies the seeking of protection; and David sought Divine
protection when he saw that his enemies had grown so bold against him; and by
ghafarana is meant the rectification of his affairs; for David, who was a great
ruler, could not succeed in keeping his enemies under com- plete control.
The Old Testament does not mention the time when the gift of
prophecy was granted to David. We read there that after David had committed the
two sins it was Nathan the Prophet who was sent by God to chastise David.
Indeed, until late in his life we find him always having recourse to other
prophets. According to the Biblical accounts, there- fore, it would seem that
the gift of prophecy came to him after he had thoroughly repented of his sin.
In one of the previous articles I remarked that after the split of
the Kingdom into two independent States which were often at war with each
other, the ten tribes which formed the Kingdom of Israel were always hostile to
the dynasty of David and never accepted any other portion of the Old Testament
except the Torah - or the Law of Moses as contained in the Pentateuch. This is
evident from the Samaritan version of the first five books of the Old
Testament. We do not meet with a single word or prophecy about David's
posterity in the discourses of the great prophets, like Elijah, Elisha, and
others, who flourished in Samariah during the reigns of the wicked kings of
Israel. It is only after the fall of the King- dom of Israel and the
transportation of the ten tribes into Assyria that the Prophets of Judeah began
to predict the ad- vent of some Prince from the House of David who was soon to
restore the whole nation and subdue its enemies. There are several of these
obscure and ambiguous sayings in the writings or discourses of these later
prophets which have given a rapturous and exotic exultation to the Fathers of
the Church; but in reality they have nothing to do with Jesus Christ. I shall
briefly quote two of these prophecies. The first is in Isaiah (Chap. vii.,
verse 14), where that Prophet predicts that "a damsel already pregnant
with child shall bear forth a son, and thou shalt name him Emmanuel." The
Hebrew word a'lmah does not mean "virgin," as generally interpreted
by the Christian theologians and therefore applied to the Virgin Mary, but it
signifies "a marriageable woman, maiden, damsel." The Hebrew word for
"virgin" is bthulah. Then the child's name is to be Emmanuel, which
means "God- is-with-us." There are hundreds of Hebrew names which are
composed of "el" and another noun, which forms either the first or
the last syllable of such compound nouns. Neither Isaiah, nor King Ahaz, nor
any Jew, ever thought that the newly born infant would be himself
"God-with-us." They never thought anything else but that his name
only would be as such. But the text expressly says that it was Ahaz (who seems
to have known the maiden with child), that would give the boy that name. Ahaz
was in danger, his enemies were pressing hard against Jerusalem, and this pro-
mise was made to him by showing him a sign, namely, a pregnant maiden, and not
a Virgin Mary, that would come into the world more than seven hundred years
later! This simple prediction of a child that would be born during the reign of
Ahaz was equally misunderstood by the writer of the Gospel of Matthew (Matt. i.
23). The name "Jesus" was given by the Angel Gabriel (Matt. i. 21),
and he was never called "Emmanuel." Is it not scandalous to take this
name as an argument and proof of the Christian doctrine of the
"Incarnation"?
The other strange interpretation of a prophetic predic- tion is
from Zachariah (ix. 9), which is misquoted and utterly misunderstood by the
writer of the first Gospel (xxi. 5). The Prophet Zachariah says: "Rejoice
much, O daughter of Sion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King is
coming unto thee; righteous and with salvation is he; meek and mounted upon an
ass; and upon a colt, son of a she-ass."
In this poetical passage the poet simply wishes to describe the
male ass - upon which the King is seated - by saying that it was a young ass,
and this colt, too, is described as the son of a female ass. It was only one
male colt or young donkey. Now Matthew quotes this passage in the following
way: - "Tell the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King is coming unto thee;
Meek, and mounted on a female ass, And on a colt, the son of a female
ass."
Whether or not the person who wrote the above verse did really
believe that Jesus, when making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem by mounting
or sitting at the same time both upon the mother ass and her young colt, worked
a miracle is not the question; nevertheless it is true to say that the majority
of the Christian Fathers so believed; and it never occurred to them that such a
show would look rather a comedy than a royal and pompous procession. Luke, how-
ever, is careful, and has not fallen into Matthew's mistake. Were these authors
both inspired by the same Spirit?
Zachariah foretells in Jerusalem, after the return of the Jews
from captivity, the coming of a king. Though meek and humble, mounted upon a
colt of an ass, still he is coming with salvation and would rebuild the house
of God. He pro- phesies this at a time when the Jews are endeavoring to rebuild
the Temple and the ruined town; their neighboring peoples are against them; the
work of building is stopped until Darius, King of Persia, issues a firman for
the cons- truction. Although no Jewish king had ever appeared since the sixth
century before Christ, nevertheless they had had autonomous governments under
foreign sovereigns. The sal- vation here promised, be it noted, is material and
immediate, and not a salvation to come five hundred and twenty years
afterwards, when Jesus of Nazareth would ride upon two asses simultaneously and
enter into Jerusalem, already a large and wealthy city with a magnificent
temple, simply to be captured and crucified by the Jews themselves and by their
Roman masters, as the present Gospels tell us! This would be no solace at all
for the poor Jews surrounded with enemies in a ruined city. Consequently, by
the word "king" we may understand one of their chief leaders -
Zerobabel, Ezra, or Nehemiah.
These two examples are intended to show chiefly to my Muslim
readers - who may not be well acquainted with the Jewish Scriptures - how the
Christians have been misguided by their priests and monks in giving stupid
interpretations and meanings to the prophecies contained therein.
Now I come to David's prophecy: - "YahwaH said to my ADON,
Sit at my right until I place Thine enemies a footstool under thy feet."
This verse of David is written in Psalm cxi, and quoted by Matthew
(xxii. 44), Mark (xii. 36), and Luke (xx 42). In all languages the two names
contained in the first unstitch are rendered as "The Lord said unto my
Lord." Of course, if the first Lord is God, the second Lord is also God;
nothing more convenient to and suitable an argument for a Christian priest or
pastor than this, namely, the speaker is God, and also the spoken to is God;
therefore David knows two Gods! Nothing more logical than this reasoning! Which
of these two Domini is "the Lord" of David? Had David written,
"Dominus meus dixit Domino meo," he would have made himself
ridiculous, for then he would have admitted himself to be a slave or worshiper
of two Lords, without even men- tioning their proper names. The admission would
go even farther than the existence of two Lords; it would mean that David's
second Lord had taken refuge with his first Lord, who ordered him to take a
seat on his right side until he should put his enemies a footstool under his
feet. This reasoning leads us to admit that, in order to understand well your
religion, you are obliged to know your Bible or Qur'an in the original language
in which it was written, and not to depend and rely upon a translation.
I have purposely written the original Hebrew words YaHWaH and
Adon, in order to avoid any ambiguity and misunderstanding in the sense
conveyed by them. Such sacred names written in religious Scripture should be
left as they are, unless you can find a thoroughly equivalent word for them in the
language into which you wish to translate them. The tetragram Yhwh used to be
pronounced Yehovah (Jehovah), but now it is generally pronounced Yahwah. It is
a proper name of God the Almighty, and it is held so holy by the Jews that when
reading their Scriptures they never pronounce it, but read it "Adon"
instead. The other name, "Elohim," is always pronounced, but Yahwah
never. Why the Jews make this distinction between these two names of the same
God is a question for itself, altogether outside the scope of our present
subject. It may, however, in passing, be mentioned that Yahwah, unlike Elohim,
is never used with pronominal suffixes, and seems to be a special name in
Hebrew for the Deity as the national God of the people of Israel. In fact,
"Elohim" is the oldest name known to all Semites; and in order to
give a special character to the con- ception of the true God, this tetragram is
often conjointly with Elohim applied to Him. The Arabic form, Rabb Allah,
corresponds to the Hebrew form, Yahwah Elohim.
The other word, "Adon," signifies a "Commander,
Lord, and master," or the same as the Arabic and Turkish nouns Amir,
Sayyid, and Agha. Adon stands as the opposite term of "soldier, slave, and
property." Consequently the first part of the distich is to be rendered as
"God said to my Lord."
David, in his capacity of a monarch, was himself the Lord and
Commander of every Israelite and the Master of the Kingdom. Whose
"servant" was he, then? David, being a powerful sovereign, could not
be, as a matter of fact, a slave or worshiper of any living human being
whatsoever. Nor is it imaginable that he would call "his Lord" any
dead prophet or saint, such as Abraham or Jacob, for whom the usual and
reasonable term was "Father." It is equally con- ceivable that David would
not use the appellation "my Lord" for any of his own descendants, for
whom, too, the usual term would be "son." There remains, besides God,
no other conceivable being who could be David's Lord, except the noblest and
the highest man of the race of mankind. It is quite intelligible to think that
in the sight and choice of God there must be a man who is the noblest, the most
praised, and the most coveted of all men. Surely the Seers and the Prophets of
old knew this holy personage and, like David, called him "my Lord."
Of course, the Jewish Rabbins and commentators of the Old
Testament understood by this expression the Messiah, who would descend from
David himself, and so replied they to the question put to them by Jesus Christ
as quoted above from Matthew (xxii.), and the other Synoptic. Jesus flatly
repudiated the Jews when he asked them a second question: "How could David
call him 'my Lord' if he were his son?" This question of the Master put
the audience to silence, for they could find no answer to it. The Evangelists
abruptly cut short this important subject of discussion. To stop there without
a further explanation was not worthy either of the Master or of his reporters.
For, leaving the question of his god-head, and even of his prophetical character,
aside, Jesus as a teacher was obliged to solve the problem raised by him- self
when he saw that the disciples and the hearers were unable to know who then
that "Lord," could be!
By his expression that the "Lord," or the
"Adon," could not be a son of David, Jesus excludes himself from that
title. This admission is decisive and should awaken the religious teachers of
the Christians to reduce Christ to his due status of a high and holy worshiper
of God, and to renounce the extravagant divine character ascribed to him much
to his own disgust and displeasure.
I cannot imagine a teacher who, seeing his pupils unable to answer
his question, should keep silent, unless he is him- self ignorant like them and
unable to give a solution to it. But Jesus was not either ignorant or a
malevolent teacher. He was a prophet with a burning love to God and man. He did
not leave the problem unsolved or the question with- out an answer. The Gospels
of the Churches do not report the answer of Jesus to the question: "Who
was the Lord of David?" But the Gospel of Barnabas does. This Gospel has
been rejected by Churches because its language is more in accordance with the
revealed Scriptures and because it is very expressive and explicit about the
nature of Jesus Christ's mission, and above all because it records the exact
words of Prophet Jesus concerning Prophet Muhammad. A copy of this Gospel can
easily be procured. There you will find the answer of Jesus himself, who said
that the Covenant between God and Prophet Abraham was made on Ishmael, and that
"the most glorious or praised" of men is a descendant of Prophet
Ishmael and not of Prophet Isaac through Prophet David. Prophet Jesus
repeatedly is reported to have spoken of Prophet Muhammad, whose spirit or soul
he had seen in heaven.
I shall have, if God wills, an occasion to write on this Gospel
later.
There is no doubt that the prophetical eye of Daniel that saw in a
wonderful vision the great Barnasha, who was Prophet Muhammad, was also the
same prophetical eye fo David. It was this most glorious and praised of men
that was seen by the Prophet Job (xix 25) as a "Savior" from the
power of the Devil.
Was it, then, Prophet Muhammad who Prophet David calls "my
Lord" or my Adon"? Let us see.
The arguments in favor of Prophet Muhammad, who is styled
"Sayyidu 'l-Mursalin." the same as "Adon of the Prophets,"
are decisive; they are so evident and explicit in the words of the Old
Testament that one is astonished at the ignorance and the obstinacy of those
who refuse to understand and obey.
1. The greatest Prophet and Adon,in the Eyes of God, and man, is
not a great conqueror and destroyer of mankind, nor a holy recluse who spends
his life in a cave or cell to meditate upon God only to save himself, but one
who renders more good and service to mankind by bringing them into the light of
knowledge of the One True God,and by utterly destroying the power of the devil
and his abominable idols and wicked institutions. It was Prophet Muhammad who
"bruised the head of the serpent," and that is why the Qur'an rightly
calls the devil, iblis, namely the bruised one"!! He purged the Temple of
the Ka'aba and all Arabia of the idols, and gave light, religion, happiness,
and power to the ignorant Arab idolaters, who in a short time spread that light
into the four directions of the earth. In the service of God, the works and the
success of Prophet Muhammad are incomparable and unrivalled.
The Prophets, Saints, and Martyrs form the army of God against the
Power of the Devil; and Prophet Muhammad alone is decidedly the
Commander-in-Chief of them all. He is indeed, alone the Adon and Lord not only
of David but of all the Prophets, for he has purified Palestine and the
countries visited by Abraham of idolatry.
2. Since Jesus Christ admits that he himself was not the "Lord"
of David nor that the Messiah was to descend from David, there remains none
other than Prophet Muhammad among the Prophets to be the Adon or Lord of David.
And when we come to compare the praiseworthy religious revolution that the
Nobel Son of Ishmael brought about in the world, with what all the thousands of
prophets put together have achieved, we have to come to the conclusion that it
is alone Prophet Muhammad who deserves the meritorious title of Adon.
3. How did David know that "Wahwah said to Adon, 'Sit thou at
my right until I put thine enemies a footstool under they feet'?" and when
did David hear this word of God? Christ himself gives the answer, namely
"David in spirit wrote this." He saw the Adon Muhammad just as Daniel
had seen him (Dan. vii), and Paul had seen him (2 Cor. xii) and many others
had. Of course, this mystery of "Sit thou at my right" is hidden from
us. Yet we may safely conjecture that this official investiture with the honor
of seating himself at the right of the Throne of God, and therefore raised to
the dignity of the "Adon." not only of the Prophets but of all the
Creatures, took place on the famous night of his Mi'raj to Paradise.
4. The only principle objection to Prophet Muhammad's Divine
mission and superiority is his condemnation of the trinity. But the Old
Testament knows no other God besides Allah, and the Lord of David did not sit
at the right hand of a triple god, but at that of the One Allah. Hence among
the Prophets who believed in and worshiped Allah none was so great, and
accomplished such a stupendous service for Allah and mankind, as Prophet
Muhammad, upon whom be peace and blessings.
The Lord And The Prophet Of The Covenant
The last book of the Canonical Jewish Code of the Bible bears the
name of "Malachai," which looks to be more a sur- name than a proper
noun. The correct pronunciation of the name is Malakh, which means "my
angel" or "my mes- senger." The Hebrew word,
"mal'akh," like the Arabic "malak," like the Greek term
"anghelos" from which the English name "angel" is derived,
signifies "a messenger," one commissioned with a message or news to
deliver to some- body.
Who this Malakhi is, in what period of the Jewish his- tory he
lived and prophesied, is not known either from the book itself or from any other
portion of the Old Testament. It begins with the words: "The 'missa' of
the Word of Yahweh the El of Israel by the hand of Malakhi," which may be
translated: "The discourse of the Word of Yahweh God of Israel, by the
hand of Malakhi." It contains four short chapters.
The oracle is addressed, not to a king and his courtiers, but to a
people already settled in Jerusalem with the Temple and its services. The
sacrifices and oblations are of the meanest and worst kind; the sheep and
cattle offered at the altars are not of the best quality; they are blind, lame,
and lean animals. The tithes are not regularly paid, and if at all paid are of
the inferior material. The priests, too, natu- rally, cannot devote their time
and energy to perform their sacred duty. For they cannot chew the beefsteaks
and roasted mutton-chops of the lean old, crippled sacrifices. They cannot live
on the scanty tithes or insufficient stipends. Yahweh, as usual with this
incorrigible people, now threatens, now holds out promises, and at times
complain.
This discourse, or oracle, seems to have been delivered by the
Prophet Malakhi in about the beginning of the fourth century before the
Christian era, when the people of Israel were also tired of Yahweh; and used to
say: "The Table of the Lord (Yahweh) is an abomination, and His meal is
con- temptible" (Mal. i. 12). "He who doeth evils is good in the eyes
of Yahweh, and He is pleased with them; or, where is the God of the
judgment?" (Mal. ii. 17).
The Book of Malakhi, notwithstanding its being of a post
captivitatem date, is, however, written in a seemly good Hebrew style. To say
that this "misa," or discourse, has come down to us intact and
unadulterated is to confess ignor- ance of the language. There are several
mutilated sentences, so that it is almost impossible to understand the exact
sense they intend to convey.
The subject of our discussion in this article is the famous
prediction couched in Mal. iii. 1. The prophecy runs thus: -
"Behold, I send My Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
Me; and suddenly shall come to his temple the Adon whom ye are seeking, and the
Messenger of the Covenant whom ye desire. Behold, he cometh, says the Lord of
Hosts" (Mal. iii. 1).
This is a well-known Messianic prophecy. All Christian Saints,
Fathers, Popes, Patriarchs, Priests, monks, nuns, and even the Sunday-school
children, will tell us that the first messenger mentioned in the text is St.
John the Baptist, and the second messenger, whom their vernacular versions have
rendered "Angel of the Covenant," is Jesus Christ!
A definite determination of the subject of this prophecy is of
extreme importance, because the Christian Churches have ever since believed
that two distinct persons are indi- cated therein; and the author of this
erroneous belief is a singularly remarkable blunder of St. Matthew's. One of
the characteristic features of the First Gospel - Matthew - is to show and
prove the fulfillment of some particular state- ment or prediction in the Old
Testament concerning nearly every event in the life of Jesus Christ. He is very
careless to guard himself against contradictions, and less scrupulous in his
quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures. He is cer- tainly not well versed in the
literature of his own language. I had occasion to refer in the preceding
article of this series to one of his blunders concerning the ass upon which
Jesus mounted. This is a most serious point directly touch- ing the
authenticity and the validity of the Gospels. Is it possible that the Apostle
Matthew should himself be ignorant of the true character of the prophecy of
Malakh, and ignor- antly ascribe to his master a misquotation which would natu-
rally put to question his very quality of a divinely inspired Prophet? Then,
what should we think of the author of the Second Gospel - of St. Mark - who
ascribes the passage in Malakh-l to Isaiah? (Mark i. 2). Jesus is reported by
Matthew (xi. 1-15), and this too is followed or copied by Luke (vii. 18-28), to
have declared to the multitude that John the Baptist was "more than a Prophet,"
that it was he "about whom it was written: Behold, I am sending My Angel
before thy face, and he shall prepare thy way before thee;" and that
"none among those born by women was greater than John, but the least in
the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." The corruption of the text of
Malakh is plain and deliberately made. The original text tells us that Yahweh
Sabaoth, i.e. God of Hosts, is the speaker and the believers are the people
addressed, as can be readily seen in the words "whom ye are seeking ...
whom ye desire." God says: "Behold, I send My Messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before My face." But the Gospels have interpolated the
text by effacing the personal pronoun of the first person singular, and
inserted "before thee" (or "thy face," as in Hebrew) twice.
It is generally believed that Matthew wrote his Gospel in the then vernacular
Hebrew or Aramaic in order to prove to the Jews that God, addressing Jesus
Christ, said: "Behold, I send My messenger (Angel) [such is the version in
Matthew xi. 10] before thee, and he shall prepare thy way before thee;"
and wishes to show that this angel or messenger was John the Baptist. Then a
contrast between the Prophets John and Jesus is left to Prophet Jesus, who
describes John as above every prophet and greater than the sons of all human
mothers, but the least in the Kingdom of Heaven - of which Jesus is meant to be
the King - is greater than John.
I do not believe for a second that Jesus or any of his disciples
could have made use of such language with the object of perverting the Word of
God, but some fanatical monk or an ignorant bishop has forged this text and put
into the mouth of Jesus the words which no prophet would speak.
The traditional idea that the Messenger commissioned to prepare or
repair the way before the "Adon" and the "Messenger of the
Covenant" is a worshiper and subordinate of the latter, and therefore to
conclude that two distinct persons are predicted is a creation of the ignorance
concerning the importance of the mission and the magnitude of the work assigned
to that messenger. He is not to be supposed as a pioneer or even an engineer
appointed to construct roads and bridges for the passing of a royal procession.
Let us there- fore pore over this subject more deeply and in a courageous,
impartial, and dispassionate manner.
1. In the first place, we must well understand that the Messenger
is a man, a creature of human body and soul, and that he is not an Angel or a
superhuman being. In the second place, we should open our eyes of wisdom and
judg- ment to see that he is not dispatched to prepare the way before another
Messenger called "Adon" and the "Messenger of the Promise,"
but he is commissioned to establish a straight, safe, and good Religion. He is
commissioned to remove all the obstacles in the way between God and His
creatures; and to fill up all the gaps and chasms in this grand path, so that
it may be smooth, easy to walk on, well lighted, and protected from all danger.
The Hebrew phrase, "u pinna derekh," means to say that the Messenger
"will put straight and clear the worship or the religion." The verb
"darakh" of the same root as the Arabic "daraka," means
"to walk, reach, and comprehend;" and the substantive
"derekh" signifies, "road, way, step," and metaphorically
"worship and religion." It is used in this spiritual sense all
through the Psalms and the Prophets. Surely this high Messenger of God was not
coming to repair or reform a way, a religion for the benefit of a handful of
Jews, but to establish a universal and an unchangeable religion for all men.
Though the Jewish religion inculcates the existence of one true God, still
their conception of Him as a national Deity of Israel, their priesthood,
sacrificial rites and cere- monies, and then the non-existence of any positive
articles of belief in the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the
dead, the last judgment, the eternal life in heaven or hell, and many other
deficient points, make it absolutely unfit and insufficient for the peoples of
diverse languages, races, di- mates, temperaments, and habits. As regards
Christianity, it, with its meaningless seven sacraments, its beliefs in
original sin, the incarnation of a god - unknown to all previous reli- gious
and mythological literature - and in a trinity of indivi- dual gods, and
finally because it does not possess a single line in scripto from its supposed
founder, Jesus Christ, has done no good to mankind. On the contrary, it has
caused divi- sions and sects, all inbued with bitter feelings of hatred and rancor
against each other.
The Messenger, then, was commissioned with the abro- gating of
both those religions and the establishing of the ancient religion of Prophets
Abraham and Ishmael and the other Prophets, with new precepts for all men. It
was to be the shortest road to "reach" God; the simplest religion to
worship Him, and the safest Faith to remain ever pure and unadul- terated with
superstition and stupid dogmas. The Messenger was commissioned to prepare a
road, a religion that will conduct au who wish to believe in and love the One
God without having need of the leadership of hundreds of self- appointed guides
and pretenders. And above all, the Mes- senger was to come suddenly to his
temple, whether it be the one in Jerusalem or the one in Mecca; he was to root
out all idolatry in those countries, not only by the destruc- tion of idols and
images, but also inculcating in their former worshipers the faith in one true
Allah. And the accom- plishment of this stupendous task, namely, to construct a
new Path, a universal religion, that teaches that between God and man no
absolute mediator, no priest, saint or sacrament, is at all permissible, has
only been done by a Prophet whose name is Muhammad al-Mustapha!
2. John the Baptist was not the Messenger foretold by Malakhi The
accounts given about him by the four Evange- lists are very contradictory, but
the one thing that they together agree on is that he prepared no way at all;
for he was not accredited with a sacred scripture: he neither founded a
religion nor reformed the old one. He is reported to have left his parents and
home while still a youth; he lived in the desert on honey and the locust; and
spent there his life until he was about thirty years old, when he showed
himself to the multitudes on the banks of the River Jordan, where he used to
baptize the penitent sinners who confessed their sins to him. While Matthew
knows nothing of his re- lationship with Jesus, or does not care to report it,
Luke, who wrote his Gospel, not from a revelation, but from the works of the
disciples of the Master, records the homage rendered by John to Jesus when both
in the wombs of their mothers (Luke i. 39-46). He baptizes Jesus in the waters
of the River Jordan like everybody else, and is reported to have said that he (John)
was "not worthy to bow down to untie the laces of the shoes" (Mark i.
7) of Jesus, and ac- cording to the Fourth Gospel he (John) exclaimed that
Jesus was "the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world"
(John i. 29). That he knew Jesus and recognized him to be the Christ is quite
evident. Yet when he was imprisoned he sends his disciples to Jesus, asking
him: "Art thou he who is to come, or should we anticipate another
one?" (Matt. xi. 3, etc.). The Baptist was martyred in the prison because
he reprimanded an infidel Edomite, King Herod the Tetrarch, for having married
the wife of his own brother. Thus ends, according to the narrative of the
Evangelists, the life of a very chaste and holy prophet.
It is strange that the Jews did not receive John as a prophet. It
is also stranger still to find that the Gospel of Barnabas does not mention the
Baptist; and what is more, it puts the words said to have been uttered by John
concern- ing Christ into the mouth of the latter about Muhammad, the Prophet of
Allah. The Qur'an mentions the miraculous birth of John under the name of
"Yahya," but does not refer to his mission of baptism.
The description of his sermon is given in the third chapter of
Matthew. He seems to have announced the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven and
the advent of a Great Messenger and Prophet of God who would baptize the
believers, not with water, "but with fire and with the holy spirit."
Now, if John the Baptist were the Messenger appointed by God to
prepare the way before Jesus Christ, and if he was his herald and subordinate,
there is no sense and wisdom whatever in John to go about baptizing the crowds
in the waters of a river or a pond and to occupy himself with half a dozen
disciples. He ought to have immediately followed and adhered to Jesus when he
had seen and known him! He did nothing of the kind! Of course, a Muslim always
speaks of a prophet with utmost respect and reverence, and I am not expected to
comment further, as an Ernest Renan or an indifferent critic would do! But to
say that a prophet whom they describe as a dervish (Sufi) of the wilderness
clad in the skins of animals, and a dervish who comes forth and sees his
"Adon" and the "Angel of the Covenant," and then does not
follow and cleave to him, is ridiculous and incredible. To think and believe
that a prophet is sent by God to pre- pare the way, to purify and clear the
religion for the coming of his superior, and then describing him as living all
his life in the desert among the animals, is to tell us that he was constructing
chaussees, causeways or railways, not for men, but for beasts and genii.
3. Nor was John the Baptist the Prophet Elijah or Elias, as Christ
is made to have said. The Prophet Malakhi, in his fourth chapter (verses 5, 6),
speaks of the coming of Elijah, which fact is foretold to take place some time
before the day of the Resurrection and not before the Appearance of the
Messenger in question. Even if Christ had said that John was Elijah, the people
did not know him. What Jesus meant to say was that the two were similar in
their ascetical life, their zeal for God, their courage in scolding and
admonishing the kings and the hypocrite leaders of the religion.
I cannot go on discussing this untenable claim of the Churches
concerning John being the Messenger "to prepare the way." But I must
add that this Baptist did not abrogate one iota of the Law of Moses, nor add to
it a tittle. And as to baptism, it is the old Jewish ma'muditha or ablution.
Washing or ablution could not be considered a "religion" or "way"
whose place has been taken by the famous and my- sterious Church institution of
the sacrament of Baptism!
4. If I say that Jesus Christ is not intended in the prophecy of
Malakhi, it would seem that I was advancing an argumentum in absurdum, because
nobody will contradict or make an objection to my statement. The Churches have
al- ways believed that the "Messenger of the way" is John the
Baptist, and not Jesus. The Jews, however, accept neither of the two. But as
the person foretold in the prophecy is one and the same, and not two, I most
conscientiously declare that Prophet Jesus is not, and could not be, that
person. If Jesus was a god, as he is now believed to be, then he could not be
employed to prepare the way before the face of Yahweh Sabaoth! If Prophet Jesus
were the Yahweh Sabaoth who made this prophecy, then who was the other Yehweh
Sabaoth before whose face the way was to be prepared? If he were a simple man,
made of flesh and blood, and worshiper of the Lord of Hosts, then the claim
falls to the ground. For Jesus as a simple human being and prophet could not be
the founder of the trinitarian Churches. Whichever form of the Christian
religion we may take, whether it be the Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant,
Salvationist, Quaker, or any of the multitudinous sects and communities, none
of them can be the "way," the "religion" indicated by
Malakhi; and Prophet Jesus is not its founder or preparer. So long as we deny
the absolute Oneness of God, we are in error, and Jesus cannot be our friend
nor can he help us.
5. The person indicated in the prophecy has three qualifications,
namely, the Messenger of Religion, the Lord Commander, and the Messenger of the
Convent. He is also described and distinguished by three conditions, namely
"he is suddenly coming to his Mosque or Temple, he is looked for and
sought by men, and is greatly desired and coveted."
Who can, then, be this glorious man, this Great Bene- factor of
humanity, and this valiant Commander who rendered noble services in the cause
of Allah and His religion other than Prophet Muhammad? - upon whom may rest
God's peace and blessing.
He brought to the world an unrivalled Sacred Book, Al-Qur'an, a
most reasonable, simple, and beneficial religion of Islam, and has been the
means of guidance and conversion of millions and millions of the heathen
nations in all parts of the globe, and has transformed them all into one
universal and united Brotherhood, which constitutes the true and formal
"Kingdom of Allah" upon the earth announced by Prophets Jesus and
John the Baptist. It is futile and childish to com- pare either Jesus or John
with the great Messenger of Allah, when we know perfectly well that neither of
these two did ever attempt to convert a single pagan nor succeeded in
persuading the Jews to recognize his mission.
3. PARSI SCRIPTURES
MUHAMMAD (Peace Be
Upon Him) IN THE PARSI SCRIPTURE
Verily
We have sent thee (Muhammad) in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and as a
Warner: And there never was a people without a Warner having lived among them
(in the past). {Qur'ân 35:24}
For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command)
"Serve Allah and eschew Evil": Of the people were some whom Allah
guided and some on whom Error became inevitably (established). So travel
through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the
Truth). {Qur'ân
16:36}
There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth
distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah
hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer,
Knower. {Qur'ân
2:256}
The Epistle of Sasan I in Dasatir contains the prophecy about Prophet Muhammad.
Sasan I was a reformer of the Zoroastrian religion. It is believed that this
Epistle is a part of the teachings of Prophet Zoroaster, to which Sasan I added
his explanatory notes. Some scholars have suggested that the word ‘Dasatir’
means ten (das) parts (tir) while others contend that this word is derived from
Dasatur, meaning religious law. The Zoroastrians are also known as ‘Magians’
and ‘Fire Worshipers.’
The Epistle of Sasan I describes future events at a time when Zoroastrians will
have forsaken their religious practices. The English translation of the Epistle
of Sasan I is presented below.
“When the Persians will do such deeds, a man from among the Arabs will be born
whose followers shall overthrow and dissolve the kingdom and religion of the
Persians. And the arrogant people (Persians) will be subjugated. Instead of the
temple of fire and the house of idols they will see the House of Abraham
without any idols as their Qibla.
“And they (Muslims) will be a mercy to the worlds. And they will capture the
places of temples of fire, Madain (Ctesiphon), nearby lands, Tus and Balkh, and
other eminent and sacred places (of Zoroastrians). And their leader (Prophet
Muhammad) will be an eloquent man whose words and message will be clear and
far-reaching.”
The word by word translation of the Epistle of Sasan I is given below. The text
of this Epistle is taken from Dasatir published by Mulla Pheroze during the
reign of Shah Nasiruddeen Kachar of Persia. Mulla Pheroze lived in Bombay
(India) and he was an eminent scholar of Pahlavi, Zend, Persian, and Arabic
languages. He consulted with several famous Zoroastrians priests to authenticate
his translation. The original text is in Pahlavi.
There
are many prophecies in Dasatir and in Zend Avesta, the other sacred book of the
Zoroastrians. The word ‘Astvat-ereta’ in the prophecies means ‘the praised one’
which is Muhammad in Arabic. Some prophecies are found in Farvardin Yasht
XIII:17 and XXVIII:129, Zamyad Yasht: 95, and Atash Nyayish: 9. More from
Dasatir in the Original Text
References:
1. Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, "Muhammad in World Scriptures," Adam
Publishers, 1990. (includes chapters on Zoroastrian and Hindu Scriptures)
2. A.H.Vidyarthi and U. Ali, "Muhammad in Parsi, Hindu & Buddhist
Scriptures," IB.
Prophet Foretold in Parsi Scriptures
Foretold in Parsi Scriptures
Parsi religion or Magianism was established in Persia in ancient times by Prophet Zoroaster and hence also known as Zoroastrianism. The suggestion by some that he was a Prophet of Islam cannot be ascertained or denied for lack of direct evidence in Qur’an and Hadeeth. Their scripture Avezda is in Zend (old Persian) language and foretells of the advent of Prophet Muhammad 
. The Parsi religion at Rasoolullah’s time suffered, and still does, from two main deviations Tawheed (monotheism).
. The Parsi religion at Rasoolullah’s time suffered, and still does, from two main deviations Tawheed (monotheism).
(1) It divided good and evil between two gods - god of evil was not worshipped, thouggh
(2) Parsis worship fire as God’s manifestation.
Besides Avezda, Dasatir is also a holy book of Parsis. These two give the details of the appearance of Prophet of Arabia in the following terms;
in the following terms;
A great sage will appear in a sandy region to the west. (Refer Fig.1) His name will be Astvat-ereta or Soeshyant. Astvat-ereta means the Praised one Muhammad in Arabic. Soeshyant means mercy to the worlds, Rahmat lil Alameen in Arabic. At his time the Parsis will abandon fire worship and will turn towards a temple which will be purified by removal of idols.
On conquering Makkah, Prophet went straight to the Ka’abah, the oldest ever Mosque on earth, and eradicated the 360 idols, reciting the Qur’anic Verse; “Truth has come and falsehood vanished. Falsehood is ever bound to vanish” (Al Qur’an 17:81).
went straight to the Ka’abah, the oldest ever Mosque on earth, and eradicated the 360 idols, reciting the Qur’anic Verse; “Truth has come and falsehood vanished. Falsehood is ever bound to vanish” (Al Qur’an 17:81).
Despite clear prophecies when Prophet Muhammad appeared these three great communities of the world missed him for various reasons;
appeared these three great communities of the world missed him for various reasons;
(1) Hindus because scriptural knowledge was not disseminated but kept confined to the priestly class;
(2) Buddhists because of information barriers due to geographical distances and
(3) Parsis because of jealousy and prejudices even though Prophet and his followers were in touch with Persia. However, Persians eventually embraced Islam, the Prophet’s religion except for a minuscule minority.
and his followers were in touch with Persia. However, Persians eventually embraced Islam, the Prophet’s religion except for a minuscule minority.
20 to 25% of people of Indian subcontinent converted to Prophet’s faith. Conversions of Buddhists of Asia to Islam is to a much lesser degree. But due to today’s information and communication revolutions and current economic prominence of the Arab land the message of Prophet is reaching the Asians, and also all other peoples of the world on a much wider scale. But this phenomenon is almost totally independent of the prophecies. They are therefore joining the faith he preached in a fresh series of waves.
faith. Conversions of Buddhists of Asia to Islam is to a much lesser degree. But due to today’s information and communication revolutions and current economic prominence of the Arab land the message of Prophet is reaching the Asians, and also all other peoples of the world on a much wider scale. But this phenomenon is almost totally independent of the prophecies. They are therefore joining the faith he preached in a fresh series of waves.
Allahu A’lam. God alone knows the truth of everything, including the above mentioned prophecies in the three major faiths. Allah willing, an article on prophecies in Jewish and Christian scriptures will follow.
Zarathushtra
Prediction of The Holy Prophet Muhammad 
in Zarathustri Scripture :
in Zarathustri Scripture :
"When the Persians should sink so low on morality, a man will be born in Arabia whose followers will upset their throne, religion and everything. The mighty stiff-necked ones of Persia will be overpowered. The house which was built and in which many idols have been placed will be purged of idols, and people will say their prayers facing towards it. His followers will capture the towns of Paris and Taus and Balkh and other big places around about. People will embroil with one another. The wise men of Persia and others will join his followers."
[DASATIR No. 14]
What can we deduce from this passage?
(a) The man referred to, will be born in Arabia, just as Muhammad (saw) was.
(b) Persia will be overpowered. Persia was a superpower like Rome. Within thirty years of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) establishing the Islamic State in Medina the Persian Empire had fallen to the Muslims, the followers of Muhammad (saw).
(c) The house will be purged by idols. When the Muslim army marched into Mecca, ten years after the Islamic State had been established, Muhammad (saw) went to the Ka’aba and threw out all the idols that had been placed in it.
(saw) People will say their prayers facing towards Ka’aba. Muslims pray in that direction everyday, as they were instructed to do so by their Creator via Muhammad (saw). Is there any other place in the world that people pray towards?
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (Peace Be Upon Him) IN HINDU SCRIPTURES
There Never Was A People Without A Warner
Qur'an 35:24
Verily We have sent thee (Muhammad) in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and as
a warner:
And there never was a people without a warner having lived among them
(in the past).
Qur'an 16:36
For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with
the Command) "Serve Allah and eshew Evil":
Of the people were some whom Allah guided and some on whom Error became
inevitably (established).
So travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the
Truth).
Qur'an 4:164
And Messengers (Prophets who received revealed books) We have mentioned unto
thee (Muhammad) before
And Messengers We have not mentioned unto thee;
And Allah spake directly unto Moses.
These verses of the Holy
Qur’an testify that Allah (the One True God) has sent prophets
to every people. Therefore, it is not surprising to Muslims to find prophecies
about the Last Prophet, Muhammad (s), in previously revealed scriptures.
Moreover, Allah had taken covenant with the Prophets to believe and help future
Prophets of Allah, as indicated by the verse quoted below.
Allah's Covenant With Prophets
Qur'an 3:81-82
Behold! Allah took the covenant of the Prophets saying:
"I give you a Book and Wisdom; then comes to you an Apostle confirming
what is with you; do ye believe him and render him help."
Allah said: "Do ye agree and take this My Covenant as binding on
you?"
They said: "We agree."
He said: "Then bear witness and I am with you among the witnesses."
If any turn back after this they are perverted transgressors.
Brief
Introduction To Hindu Scriptures
The Vedas, Upanishads,
Puranas, and Brahmanas Granth are the four sacred books in Hindu religion. The
last one is a commentary on the Vedas, but it is considered as a revealed book.
These books are in Sanskrit, the sacred language of the Hindus.
The Vedas are divided into four books: Rig Veda,
Yajur Veda, Sam Veda and Atharva Veda. Of these, the first three books are
considered the more ancient books, and the Rig Veda is the oldest of them. The
Rig Veda was compiled in three long and different periods. Opinions greatly
differ as to the date of compilation or revelation of the four Vedas. Swami
Daya Nand, founder of the Arya Samaj, holds the opinion that the Vedas were
revealed 1.3 billion years ago, while others (Hindu scholars and orientalists)
hold the opinion that they are not more than four thousand years old. Analysis
of the Vedas reveal differences in the accounts of the places where these books
were revealed and the Rishis (Prophets) to whom these scriptures were given.
Nevertheless, the Vedas are the most authentic scriptures of the Hindus.
The Upanishads are
considered next to the Vedas in order of superiority and authenticity. However,
some Pandits consider the Upanishads to be superior to the Vedas primarily from
the internal evidence found in the Upanishads. Next in authenticity to the
Upanishads are the Puranas. The Puranas are the most widely
read of all Hindu Scriptures, as these are easily available (the Vedas are
difficult to find). The compiler of the Puranas is Maha Rishi Vyasa,
and he arranged the Puranas in eighteen volumes. These books contain the
history of the creation of the universe, the history of the early Aryan people,
and life stories of the divines and deities of the Hindus. The Puranas were
either revealed simultaneously with the Vedas or some time before. The sanctity
and reverence of the Puranas is admitted and recognized in all the authentic
books of the Hindus.
For a long time, the
Hindu Scriptures were primarily in the hands of Pandits and a small group of
men who had learned Sanskrit (The majority of the Hindu population knew Hindi
and could comprehend only a smattering of Sanskrit words). Sir William
Jones, who was a Judge and founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal, learned
Sanskrit in the last decade of the Eighteenth century. He was instrumental in
generating interest in Sanskrit and Hindu Scriptures in Europe, and it was due
to his efforts that the Hindu scriptures were translated into English.
In 1935, Dr.
Pran Nath published an article in the Times of India that showed that
the Rig Veda contains events of the Babylonian and
Egyptian kings and their wars. Further, he showed that one-fifth of
the Rig Veda is derived from the Babylonian Scriptures. From a Muslim
perspective, it is likely that the Hindus were given a revealed book or books
that contained description and struggles of Allah’s Prophets sent previously to
other peoples. It is also possible that commentaries written about them were
incorporated later and became a part of the revealed books.
There are a number of
examples of these in Hindu scriptures. The Atharva Veda is also known as
‘Brahma Veda’ or in its meaning as the Devine Knowledge. An Analysis of the
Vedas reveal that ‘Brahma’ is actually Abraham, where the
initial letter A in Abraham is moved to the end making it Brahma. This analysis
is accurate when one writes the two words in Arabic script, a language close to
that spoken by Prophet Abraham. Similarly, Abraham’s first wife Sarah is
mentioned in the Vedas as Saraswati, and Prophet Nuh (Noah
of The Flood) is mentioned as Manuh or Manu. Some Pundits consider
Atharva Veda as the Book of Abraham. Prophets Ismail (Ishmael) and Ishaq
(Isaac) are named Atharva and Angira, respectively, in the Vedas.
Table 1
Brahma
|
Abraham
|
Saraswati
|
Sarah
|
Manu, Manuh
|
Nuh
|
Background To Prophecies
It is well known that
the Hindus love hero worship, and it is reasonable to assume that over a long
period of time the high regard and reverence for some Prophets led to some of
them considered as god or God. Further, it is likely that the Book of Abraham
and those of other Prophets contained prophecies about the Last Prophet,
Muhammad (s). Muslim historians of India hold the opinion that the
graves of Prophets Sheesh and Ayyub (Job) are in Ayodhya, in the province
of Uttar Pradesh, India. In ancient times, Ayodhya was known as Khosla
according to Shatpath Brahmanas.
Some Pundits have now
begun to reject the Puranas simply because they find in them many prophecies
and vivid signs of the truth of Prophet Muhammad. A case has been made that the
present Puranas are not the same collection that Vedas refer to and the real
books were lost. Nevertheless, this contention is not correct. It is impossible
that all the Puranas which were so widely read and keenly studied, could have
fallen in oblivion and totally wiped out, whereas the Vedas, which only a few
could read and understand, remained intact until now.
Another argument against
the prophecies is that these were added to the Puranas at a later date.
Nevertheless, this argument is also without a basis. Such a well-known book, in
vast circulation and read at appointed times in prayers, cannot be easily
tampered with. Moreover, all the Pandits and the learned divines of the Hindus
could not have conspired and secretly added these prophecies to the Puranas.
The most strange thing is that the corruption is made in favor of the Prophet
and against their own religion.
All major books of the
Hindus prophesy about Prophet Mohammad. In addition to many of his qualities,
his life events, Abraham, Ka'bah, Bakkah (Makkah) and Arabia, the
prophecies mention his name as Mahamad, Mamah, and Ahmad. The name Mahamad
appears in the Puranas, Mamah in Kuntap Sukt (in Atharva Veda) and Ahmad in
Sama Veda. Many different classifications as to the degree of importance of the
Vedas have been made. For example, in Shatpath it is stated that Sama Veda is
the essence of all the Vedas. At another place in Taitttriya Brahmana, it is
stated that “This world was created from Brahma, the Vaishas were created from
the mantras of the Rig Veda, the Kashtriyas were created from Yajur Veda and
Brahmans were created from Sama Veda.”
Prophecy In The
Puranas
The compiler of the
Puranas, Mahrishi Vyasa, is highly honored among the Hindus as a
great rishi and learned person. He was a pious and God fearing man. He also
wrote the Gita and the Maha Bharat. Among the
eighteen volumes of the Puranas is one by the title ‘Bhavishya Puran,’
literally meaning future events. The Hindus regard it as the Word of God. The
prophecy containing Prophet Muhammad by name is found in Prati Sarg Parv III:
3, 3, Verse 5.
Before the English
translation is presented, a note on the word Malechha that
appears in the first part of verse 5 is in order. The word Malechha means a man
belonging to a foreign country and speaking foreign language. This word is now
used to degrade people meaning unclean or even worse. Its usage varies and
depends on who is using it and for whom. Sir William Jones had great difficulty
in recruiting a Pundit to teach him Sanskrit because he was considered unclean
(Malechha). It was only after the direct intervention of Maharaja (King) Shiv
Chandra that Pundit Ram Lochna agreed to teach him Sanskrit.
It is not known when
this word began to be used in the derogatory sense, whether before the advent
of Prophet Muhammad (s), after the conversion of Hindu King Chakrawati
Farmas (of Malabar, located on the southwest coast of India) to Islam
during the lifetime of the Prophet, soon after the arrival of Muslims in India
(711 CE) or sometime later. Mahrishi Vyasa, the compiler of the Puranas,
has defined a wise Malechha as “a man of good actions, sharp
intellect, spiritual eminence, and showing reverence to the deity (God).
Many Sanskrit words
have borrowed from Arabic and Hebrew with a slight change as
was shown in the examples of Brahma, Saraswati and Manu, and as indicated in
Table 2 below. It appears that this word is derived from the Hebrew word Ma-Hekha (
),
which means thy brethren (e.g., And he (Ishmael) shall dwell in the presence of
all his brethren. Genesis 16:12; i.e., Ismaelites are the brethren of the
Israelites). In the context of Biblical scriptures this word meant a descendant
of Prophet Ismail (Ishmael), and it is well known that Muhammad (s) is a
descendant of Prophet Ismail through his second son Kedar. Those
who can read Arabic Script can easily see that a mistake in separating
Ma from Hekha will produce a single word ‘Malhekha,’ and when adapted
in another tongue like Sanskrit might sound like Malechha.
),
which means thy brethren (e.g., And he (Ishmael) shall dwell in the presence of
all his brethren. Genesis 16:12; i.e., Ismaelites are the brethren of the
Israelites). In the context of Biblical scriptures this word meant a descendant
of Prophet Ismail (Ishmael), and it is well known that Muhammad (s) is a
descendant of Prophet Ismail through his second son Kedar. Those
who can read Arabic Script can easily see that a mistake in separating
Ma from Hekha will produce a single word ‘Malhekha,’ and when adapted
in another tongue like Sanskrit might sound like Malechha.
Table 2
The Sanskrit text and translation
of Verse 5 of Bhavishya Puran, Prati Sarg Parv III: 3, 3 are given below. (The
boxed area in the Sanskrit text identifies the word Mahamad or Mohammad).
A malechha (belonging to
a foreign country and speaking foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear
with his companions. His name will be Mahamad...
The translation of
Verses 5-27 (Sanskrit text of the Puranas, Prati Sarg Parv III: 3, 3) is
presented below from the work of Dr. Vidyarthi.
“A malechha (belonging to
a foreign country and speaking foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear
with his companions. His name will be Mahamad. Raja (Bhoj) after
giving this Mahadev Arab (of angelic disposition) a bath in
the 'Panchgavya' and the Ganges water, (i.e. purging him of all sins) offered
him the presents of his sincere devotion and showing him all reverence said, 'I
make obeisance to thee.' 'O Ye! the pride of mankind, the dweller in
Arabia, Ye have collected a great force to kill the Devil and you
yourself have been protected from the malechha opponents (idol worshipers,
pagans).' ‘O Ye! the image of the Most Pious God the biggest Lord, I am a
slave to thee, take me as one lying on thy feet.'
“The Malechhas have spoiled the well-known land of the
Arabs. Arya Dharma is not to be found in that country. Before
also there appeared a misguided fiend whom I had killed [note: e.g., Abraha
Al-Ashram, the Abyssinian viceroy of Yemen, who attacked Mecca]; he has now
again appeared being sent by a powerful enemy. To show these enemies the right
path and to give them guidance the well-known Mahamad(Mohammad),
who has been given by me the epithet of Brahma is busy in bringing the
Pishachas to the right path. O Raja! You need not go to the land of the foolish
Pishachas, you will be purified through my kindness even where you are. At
night, he of the angelic disposition, the shrewd man, in the guise of a
Pishacha said to Raja Bhoj, "O Raja! Your Arya Dharma has been made to
prevail over all religions, but according to the commandments of
‘Ashwar Parmatma (God, Supreme Spirit), I shall enforce the strong creed of
the meat-eaters. My follower will be a man circumcised, without a tail
(on his head), keeping beard, creating a revolution, announcing call for prayer
and will be eating all lawful things. He will eat all sorts of animals except
swine. They will not seek purification from the holy shrubs, but will be
purified through warfare. Because of their fighting the irreligious nations,
they will be known as Musalmans (Muslims). I shall be the
originator of this religion of the meat-eating nation."
Prophecy In
Kuntap Sukt (Atharva Veda)
Kuntap Sukt are sections in the twentieth chapter of the Atharva Veda.
These are read every year in big assemblies in prayers and where sacrifices are
offered. Seventeen leading pandits assemble annually to recite these mantras
(verses) with great devotion. Kuntap Sukt are mentioned in several most ancient
Hindu books - Aitreya Brahmana, Kaushitki Brahmana, Gopath Brahmana,
Shankhayana Shraut Sutar, Ashvlayana Shraut Sutar, and Vaitan Sutar.
The word Kuntap
means to consume sin and misery, and it is composed from Kuh (sin and
misery) and tap (to consume). The word Kuntap also means the ‘hidden glands
in the abdomen,’ inferring the true meaning to be revealed only to those who
are able to develop sufficient insight. As a comparison, Makkah (Mecca) is
called the mother of towns (Umm al Qura) or the navel of the earth. Dr.
Vidyarthi shows that the word Kuntap is derived from Bakkah (Makkah).
In the analysis of Sanskrit and Arabic words having the same meaning such as in
the preceding Table, the word ‘b’ in Arabic is used as ‘p’ in Sanskrit (in our
times, one example is that of soft drink Pepsi; it is written and pronounced as
Bebsi in the Arab world). A certain ‘t’ in Arabic becomes silent and pronounced
as h depending on its position in that word (see Table 3, below). For example,
‘tun’ in Medinatun is replaced by h when pronounced (both t and n are dropped).
Further, many Sanskrit words having parallel in Arabic are written backwards
(see Table 2, above). Thus one can see the similarity between the word Kuntap
and Bakkah (each containing letters k, n, t, p). Dr. Vidyarthi further
demonstrates from the context of prophecies that Kuntap in fact refers to
Ka’bah and Makkah (Mecca). Interestingly, the words Bakkah and Ka’bah use the
same root words.
Table 3
Pronounced As
|
Written in Arabic As
|
Meaning or Usage
|
Medinah
|
Medinatun
|
City
|
Bayt
|
Baytun
|
House
|
Bakkah
|
Bakkatu, Bakkatun
|
Proper Name, City
|
Makkah
|
Makkatu
|
Proper Name, City
|
Jeddah
|
Jeddatu
|
Proper Name, City
|
Muhammad
|
Muhammdun
|
Proper Name
|
Khadijah
|
Khadijatu
|
Proper Name, Female (the ending 'n' does not appear in female
names)
|
The third Mantra (verse
3) of the Kuntap Sakt is:
Its translation by Pandit
Raja Ram is given below:
“He gave the Mamah Rishi
a hundred gold coins, ten chaplets, three hundred steeds and ten thousand
cows.”
The root of the word
Mamah is Mah which means to esteem highly, honor,
revere, to magnify and to exalt. The word "Mohammad" means
"the praised one" in Arabic. In Sanskrit, many Muslim names are used
with a slight change. For Example, ‘Mahmud’ Ghaznavi, who briefly ruled
parts of India, is referred to as ‘Mamud’ Gajnavi. Therefore, Mamah is
synonymous with Mohammad when the full meaning of the verse is considered. In
Hinduism, the word Rishi means a teacher of mystical knowledge or Prophet, and
may include someone who is divine. It appears that this word has been derived
from Prophet Idris with the initial letter ‘I’ moved to the end of the word,
similar to the case of Abraham and Brahma, and the 'd' dropped as in the case
of Mamah (Mohammad, which is derived from root letters h, m, and d).
The hundred gold
coins refer to the early companions of Prophet Muhammad, eighty of
whom migrated to Abyssinia to escape unbearable persecution. In Shatpath
Brahmana, a revealed commentary of the Yajur Veda, the gold is metaphorically
used for denoting the high spiritual power of a man.
The ten chaplets refer
to ten excellent companions of Prophet Muhammad, who were given the good news
of Paradise by the Prophet. They are known to Muslims as ‘Ashra-i-Mubbashshara.’ Their
names are - Abu Bakr (ra), ‘Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Talha, Zubair, 'Abdur
Rahman ibn 'Auf, S'ad bin Abi Waqqas, S'ad bin 'Zaid and Abu 'Ubeidah (may Allah
be well-pleased with them). They are the distinguished personalities about whom
the Vedas speak of as Dash ashrijah - ‘ten bouquets from the
Paradise.’
Three Hundred
Good Steeds (horses of Arab
Breed) refers to those companions of Prophet Muhammad who fought at ‘Badr.’
(Their actual number was 313; however, in many prophecies the numbers are
usually rounded up). The Sanskrit word Arvah means a swift Arab horse particularly
used by Asuras (non-Aryans).
Ten Thousand Cows refer to ten thousand companions who accompanied the Prophet
when he conquered Mecca. The Sanskrit word ‘go’ is derived
from gaw meaning to go to war, and it is used for both an ox and a cow. A cow
or an ox as described in the Vedas represents both as a symbol of war and peace
and amity. We find both these qualities in the companions of Prophet Muhammad.
They were saintly men, pious and compassionate like a cow, and they were fierce
and strong in establishing peace and justice.
Qur'an 48:29:
“Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard
against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. Thou (O Muhammad) seest
them bowing and falling prostrate (in worship), seeking bounty from Allah and
(His) acceptance. The mark of them is on their foreheads from the
traces of prostration. Such is their likeness in the Torah and their likeness
in the Gospel like as sown corn that sendeth forth its shoot and strengtheneth
it and riseth firm upon its stalk, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the
disbelievers with (the sight of) them. Allah hath promised, unto such of them
as believe and do good works, forgiveness and immense reward.”
Qur’an 5:54
“O ye who believe! Whoso of you becometh a renegade from his religion, (know
that in his stead) Allah will bring a people whom He loveth and who
love Him, humble toward believers, stern toward disbelievers, striving in the
way of Allah and fearing not the blame of any blamer. Such is the
grace of Allah which He giveth unto whom He will. Allah is All Embracing, All
Knowing.”
A Hadith of
Prophet Muhammad will make this prophecy even more clear. It is narrated
in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 9, number 159 and an additional
deatil in Saheeh Muslim: Sharh an-Nawawee, Vol. 8. This Hadith refers to a
dream of the Prophet while he was in Makkah, i.e., before his migration to
Medina:
“Abu Musa related that
the Prophet (pbuh) said, “I saw in a dream that I was migrating from Makkah to
a land where there were date palm trees. I thought that it might be the
al-Yamamah or Hajar, but it turned out to be Yathrib (Medina). And I saw cows (being
slaughtered, as quoted in Sahih Muslim) there - and what is with Allah is
better. Eventually, the cows proved to symbolize the believers (who
were killed) on the day (of the battle) of Uhud, and the good (which I saw
in the dream) was the good and reward of truth which Allah bestowed upon us
after the battle of Badr.”’
This Hadith shows that
cows in the dream represented the Prophet’s companions. The ten thousand cows
in the Vedic mantra thus refer to ten thousand saintly companions of Prophet
Muhammad.
The English translation
of the mantras (verses) 1 through 13 of the Kuntap Sukt (Atharva Veda) was
taken from the work of Pandit Raja Ram and other Hindu translators, and is
given below. The text in [ ] is added to elaborate or explain the context of
the verses for the reader.
1. Listen to this
O people! a praiseworthy shall be praised. O Kaurama we have received among the Rushamas sixty thousand
and ninety. [population of Makkah at
the time of Prophet’s triumphant entry in Makkah].
2. Twenty camels draw his carriage, with him being also his wives.
The top of that carriage or chariot bows down escaping from touching
the heaven.
3. He gave the Mamah Rishi a hundred gold coins, ten chaplets, three hundred
steeds and ten thousand cows. [100 early companions, 80 of them migrated to Abyssinia; ten elect
companions who were given the good news of paradise by the Prophet; 313
companions of the battle of Badr; and 10,000 companions who accompanied the
Prophet in the triumphant entry of Makkah and cleansing of Ka’bah of Idols].
4. Disseminate the truth, O ye who glorifies [Ahmad], disseminate the
truth, just as a bird sings on a ripe fruited tree. Thy lips and tongue
move swiftly like the sharp blade of a pair of shears. [The Prophet’s state when he received revelation through Archangel
Jibril (Gabriel)].
5. The praying ones with their prayers hurry on like powerful bulls. Only
their children are at home, and at home do they wait for the cows. [Cows refers to
companions of the Prophet. Prophet’s companions strict adherence to five daily
prayers at appointed times. Refers to Battles of Badr, Uhud, and Ahzab (Ditch
or Allies)].
6. O you who praises (the Lord), hold fast the wisdom, which earns cows
and good things. Disseminate this among the divines, just as an archer places
his shaft on the right point. [wisdom
of the Qur’an].
7. Sing the high praise of the king of the world or the Light of
the Universe, who is a god and the best among men. He is a guide to all
people and gives shelter to everyone. [Prophet Muhammad’s qualities].
8. He who affords shelter to everybody, gave peace to the world, as soon
as he mounted the throne. Men in Kuru-land are talking of his peace-making at
the time of the building of the house. [Kuru means one who protects a house in Hebrew and Kore means a
house. It refers to the first house of worship, the Ka’bah. In this sense,
Kuru-land means the land of Koreish. This Mantra refers to the rebuilding of
the Ka'bah five years before
Muhammad's prophethood and his role in peace-making when each tribe of the
Koreish (Quraish) wanted the sole honor to put the Black Stone at its right
place and disputed to the point of threats to fight each other. The Black Stone
is a celestial material and is the only remaining part of the original building
material of the Ka'bah].
9. In the realm of the King, who gives peace and protection
to all, a wife asks her husband whether she should set before him curd or
some other liquor. [Due to Prophet’s protection and commandments, women could travel freely
long distances without any escort or fear].
10. The ripe barley springs up from the cleft and rises towards
heavens. The people prosper in the reign of the king who gives protection to
all. [people rise from the
depth of degradation to the height of glory].
11. Indra awoke the singer of his praises and asked him to
go to the people in every direction. He was asked to glorify Indra, the
mighty and all pious men would appreciate his effort and God would bestow on
him His rewards. [The Prophet sent letters to several kings and rulers in every
direction inviting them to Islam].
12. Cows, horses and men multiply and increase here, because here
rules the one who is bountiful and splendidly generous who gives
thousands in charity and sacrifice. [qualities of the Last Prophet].
13. O Indra, let these cows be safe, and let not their
master be harmed. And let not an enemy, O Indra, or a robber overpower
them. [Indra refers to God and
cows to saintly followers of the Prophet].
For comparison, read
the Biography of Prophet
Muhammad (s) and What
Non-Muslims Say about Prophet Muhammad (s).
More Prophecies In Atharva Veda
Atharva Veda X,
2, 28: [On Ka’bah]
Whether it is
built high, its walls are in a straight line or not, but God is seen in every
corner of it. He who knows the House of God, knows it because God is remembered
there.
The Ka’bah is not
exactly cubical and its sides are not of the same length. The Holy Sanctuary
(Haram) of which Ka’abah is at the center remains open day and night throughout
the year and it is always filled with people praying to Allah (the One True
God). Muslims face toward it during prayer forming circle in the Haram (Holy
House) and the circle extends out in this manner throughout the planet Earth.
Atharva Veda X,
2, 31:[On Holy Sanctuary
(House) and Ka’bah]
This abode of the
angels has eight circuits and nine gates. It is unconquerable, there is eternal
life in it and it is resplendent with Divine light.
The holy sanctuary
(Haram) of which Ka’bah is at the center remains open day and
night throughout the year and it is always filled with people praying and
supplicating to Allah (the One True God). It has remained unconquerable. Abraha
Al-Ashram, the Abbysinian viceroy of Yemen, tried to demolish it in 570 CE with
a strong army and hordes of elephants but was prevented from entering the city
(Holy precinct). The people of Makkah had decided not to defend the Ka'bah,
fled the city and took refuge in nearby hills overlooking Ka'bah. By Allah’s
Command, the 'Abaabeel' (flying creatures, birds) pelted stones at Abraha's
army and decimated it, leaving them like green crops devoured by cattle. This
incident is described in the Surah (chapter) 105 of the Qur’an. The year 570 CE
is popularly known by the Arabs as ‘The year of the Elephant,’ and Prophet
Muhammad was born in that year.
Dr. Vidyarthi points out
the following facts. The House of God has nine gates - Baab-e-Ibrahim
(Abraham) , Baab-al-Wedaa, Baab-as-Safa, Baab-e-Ali, Baab-e-Abbas,
Baab-un-Nabi, Baab-as-Salaam, Baab-az-Ziyarat, and Baab-e-Haram. Further,
the eight circuits are the natural lines enclosing the areas
between the surrounding hills, the names of which are: Jabal-e-Khaleej,
Jabal-e-Qaiqaon, Jabal-e-Hindi, Jabal-e-Laalaa, Jabal-e-Keda, Jabal-e-Abu
Hadidah, Jabal-e-Abi Qabees, and Jabal-e-Umar.
Atharva Veda X,
2, 33: [On Abraham and more on
Holy Sanctuary and Ka’bah]
Brahma (Abraham)
stayed in this abode which is illumined by heavenly light and covered with
Divine blessings. It is the place that gives (spiritual) life to the people and
is unconquerable.
The Ka’bah was built by
Prophets Abraham and Ismail. It has remained unconquerable as explained in the
preceding verse. Many verses of the Holy Qur’an and of the Old Testament in the
Bible describe the divine blessings in this Holy house.
http://www.onislam.net/content/english/hajj/landmarks/04.shtml
The Ever-Glorious Qur'an narrated this historic incident in Surat Al-Fil that reads, [Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant? Did He not make their treacherous plan go astray? And He sent against them Flights of Birds, striking them with stones of baked clay. Then did He make them like an empty field of stalks and straw, (of which the corn) has been eaten up] (Al-Fil 105:1-5).
http://www.onislam.net/content/english/hajj/landmarks/04.shtml
The Ever-Glorious Qur'an narrated this historic incident in Surat Al-Fil that reads, [Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant? Did He not make their treacherous plan go astray? And He sent against them Flights of Birds, striking them with stones of baked clay. Then did He make them like an empty field of stalks and straw, (of which the corn) has been eaten up] (Al-Fil 105:1-5).
Prophecy In
Sama Veda
The Sama Veda contains
many prophecies of the advent of Prophet Mohammad. Here, one of them is
presented. It is found in Sama Veda, II:6,8:
"Ahmad
acquired religious law (Shariah) from his Lord. This religious law is full of
wisdom. I receive light from him just as from the sun."
Prophet Muhammad’s other
name was Ahmad (both are from root letters h, m and d), both words have the
meaning the “praised one” except the latter emphasizes a higher degree to it.
The Holy Qur’an states that Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus, pbuh) mentioned
the last Prophet’s name as Ahmad.
Prophecy In Rig
Veda
Rig Veda V, 27, 1:
The
wagon-possessor, the truthful and truth-loving, extremely wise, powerful and
generous, Mamah [Mohammad] has favored me with his words. The son of the
All-powerful, possessing all good attributes, the mercy for the worlds has
become famous with ten thousand [companions].
It refers to ten
thousand companions who accompanied the Prophet in the triumphant entry
of Makkah and cleansing of Ka’bah of Idols and other profanities.
More Prophecies
In Hindu Scriptures
The Vedas contain many
prophecies about Prophet Muhammad. Some European and Hindu translators of the
Vedas have removed the name referring to the Prophet, while others have tried
to explain away the mantras (verses) on his life events, Ka’bah, Makkah,
Medinah, Arabia, and other events using the terminology of the Hindus, such as
purification rituals, and lands and rivers in India. Some mantras containing
prophecies are inter-mixed with explanatory phrases, and it may be that these
were commentaries and explanatory notes on the prophecies, which later became a
part of the prophecy.
Several prophecies are
found in Atharva Veda: (1) XX: 21, Mantras 6, 7, and 9, (2)
XX: 137, Mantras 7 through 9, and (3) X: 2, Mantras 26, 27, 29, 30, and 32.
Similarly, in Rig Veda, additional prophecies are found in: (1)
VII: 96, Mantras 13 through 16, and (2) I: 53, Mantras 6 and 9. Finally, a
prophecy is found in Sama Veda III: 10, Mantra 1. These are a
sample of many prophecies. The serious reader may want to refer to scholarly
work of Dr. A.H. Vidyarthi, entitled “Mohammad in World Scriptures,”
1990. This book explains the Hindu terminology used in the Mantras and the
meaning and usage of certain words and phrases from within the Vedas and other
Hindu Scriptures.
No Compulsion
In Religion
Qur'an 2:256
There is no compulsion in religion.
The right direction is henceforth distinct from error.
And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm
handhold which will never break.
Allah is Hearer, Knower.
Allah: Allah is the proper name of the One True God, creator and
sustainer of the universe, who does not have a partner or associate, and He did
not beget nor was He begotten. The word Allah is used by the Arab Christians
and Jews for The God (Eloh-im in Hebrew; 'Allaha' in Aramaic, the mother tongue
of Jesus, pbuh). The word Allah does not have a plural or
gender.
pbuh: Peace Be Upon Him. This expression is used for all Prophets
of Allah. Abreviations derived from Arabic words are (s) and (as).
ra: Radiallahu Anhu (May Allah be pleased with him).
Hindu
Scriptures
There is no doubt that
God sent Prophets 
to
people of India. There is no mention of any Indian Prophet or scripture in Holy
Qur’an. But Bukhari records Prophet Muhammad as
saying he was enjoying breeze wafting from India laden with fragrance of Tawhid
(unity of God). The four Vedas (scriptures) of Hindus and their epics are said
to be 5000-10,000 years old. They contain a great deal of monotheistic ideas,
and of course, prophecies on h Muhammad .
to
people of India. There is no mention of any Indian Prophet or scripture in Holy
Qur’an. But Bukhari records Prophet Muhammad as
saying he was enjoying breeze wafting from India laden with fragrance of Tawhid
(unity of God). The four Vedas (scriptures) of Hindus and their epics are said
to be 5000-10,000 years old. They contain a great deal of monotheistic ideas,
and of course, prophecies on h Muhammad .
(1) Atharva Veda
A chapter called Kuntapa
Sukt of Atharva Veda is said to be very obscure in meaning and its theme,
inscrutable. But it readily makes sense if looked at with history of
Prophet .
One verse as translated from Sanskrit language reads; Hear O people! Narashans
will be praised. O Kaurama! We got 60,090 people from our enemies.
.
One verse as translated from Sanskrit language reads; Hear O people! Narashans
will be praised. O Kaurama! We got 60,090 people from our enemies.
The word Narashans means
the ‘Praised one’ and the sentence ‘praised one will be praised’ is peculiar.
Here Narashans is a proper noun, Muhammad in Arabic! Kaurama means emigrant
muhajir that Prophet was.
It also means spreader of peace - peace in Arabic is being salam or Islam!
60,000+ was the population of Makkah who eventually embraced Islam.
was.
It also means spreader of peace - peace in Arabic is being salam or Islam!
60,000+ was the population of Makkah who eventually embraced Islam.
The first line of the
next verse is translated as; O Chanter (or Praiser)! Enjoy like a bird on a
tree full of fruits.
Praiser in Arabic is
Ahmad, the other name of Prophet .
The verse compares beautifully with the Qur’anic verses 14:24,25 describing
Kalima Tayyiba (“There is no god but Allah”) as a tree firmly rooted (in the
earth), with branches reaching to heavens, capable of bearing fruit in all
seasons (i.e. the world and the hereafter).
.
The verse compares beautifully with the Qur’anic verses 14:24,25 describing
Kalima Tayyiba (“There is no god but Allah”) as a tree firmly rooted (in the
earth), with branches reaching to heavens, capable of bearing fruit in all
seasons (i.e. the world and the hereafter).
The Veda talks about a
great sage named Mamaha that means; honoured or famed Muhammad, again. The Veda
mentions a mysterious set of numbers are associated with objects that the sage
would possess. They are simply incomprehensible. These are; 100 gold coins 10
garlands, 300 horses and 10,000 cows. They can very well be approximate
references respectively to the first batch of Mekkan emigrants to Abyssinia; 10
companions who were designated by Prophet as
sure entrants to paradise; 313 companions of Battle of Badr and 10,000
companions at the invasion on Makkah.
as
sure entrants to paradise; 313 companions of Battle of Badr and 10,000
companions at the invasion on Makkah.
(2) Bhavishya
Puran
This is a Sanskrit work
of prophecies. The title means ‘Book of the Future’. Since Hinduism is based in
India it was, and still is, taken for granted that its sages will be born in
India itself. Contrary to this belief the Book says that a great master will
appear in a foreign country (mlechcha acharya) and live in a sandy region
(marusthal). His name will be Mahaaamad. Within a short span of 18 couplets
Mahaamad is mentioned five times.
One couplet enumerates
the main identification points of Mahaamad’s followers; They will be
circumcised (unknown in India); cut hair of their heads short (as against the
Indian practice of long uncut hair knotted into a bun), keep beards call out at
top voice (for prayers - Azan) and will be omnivorous (i.e. eat vegetarian as
well as meat). The class of Hindu religious masters are strict vegetarians).
They will be known as Musalay! These details will completely dispel any
suspicions of coincidence in the matters between Mahaamad and Muhammad (PBUH)!
There is an interesting
information in Bhavishya Purana that Mahaamad would appear to Bhoj, ruler of
Dhar, and say that he would establish the religion of meat eaters, by the
command of Ishwar i.e. God. There is a tradition that long afterwards, Bhoj got
terrified on seeing the full moon split into two. Learned men consulted holy
books and told him that it was one of the signs of the Universal Master to be
born in a country to the West. Bhoj sent his minister to Prophet in
Arabia, who named the king Abdullah. The Tomb of Abdullah is still there at
Dhar. (Refer Fig.1)
in
Arabia, who named the king Abdullah. The Tomb of Abdullah is still there at
Dhar. (Refer Fig.1)
(3) Mahabharat
This is a Hindu epic
describing the struggle and triumph of good against evil. It was written by
sage Vyas who also authored Bhavishya Purana. Mahabharata says that in the last
eon called Kali Yug (in which we now live) a great sage will appear with name
Mahaamad. He would preach about unity of God. He will be driven away from his
native place by his own folk. By him the world would get peace. (Islam means
peace).
Mahabharat further says
that cloud will provide him shade. It is recorded in history that Buhaira, the
Christian priest of Syria observed this sign with Muhammad e in his boyhood and
identified him as the last Prophet anticipated for millennia.
PART
2
Prophet Muhammad was
commanded by God to inform that he was not the only Messenger of God to the
world [Al Qur’an 46:9]. Scholars say that there had been some 124,000 Prophet
sent to the world who preached in the language of the respective people [A
Qur’an 14:4]. The true religion they preached and their scriptures got
corrupted with passage of time (with the exception of Al Qur’an). However, the
message on the last and greatest Prophet Muhammad is
retained till date in the scriptures of all major world religions.
was
commanded by God to inform that he was not the only Messenger of God to the
world [Al Qur’an 46:9]. Scholars say that there had been some 124,000 Prophet
sent to the world who preached in the language of the respective people [A
Qur’an 14:4]. The true religion they preached and their scriptures got
corrupted with passage of time (with the exception of Al Qur’an). However, the
message on the last and greatest Prophet Muhammad is
retained till date in the scriptures of all major world religions.
We are presenting here
some interesting information from these Books so that adherents to these
religions (as also Muslims) come to know that Messenger is
not alien to them.
is
not alien to them.
Kalki Puran
This is a holy book of
Hindus describing the advent of the last, the tenth Avtar to come. An Avatar is
considered an incarnation of God, who appears on earth whenever religion
declines and evil abounds, and corrects the situation. He is of high character
and miraculous powers but subject to predestination and morality. If the term
‘human representative of God’ is substituted for ‘incarnation of God’ this
description will fit the Islamic concept of Prophet (PBUH) .
The signs and events of the final Avatar Kalki point out to final Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH). They fit those of Muhammad (PBUH) neatly
and perfectly. They are as follows;
* Kalki will appear in
the last on Kali Yug and will be the guide for the entire world.
* He will be born on the
12th day of the month. Prophet as
born on 12th Of Rabiyyul Awwal).
* His parents will be :
Vishnu Bhagat and Soomati meaning servant of God (the Cherisher) and peace.
(Messenger’s (PBUH)father’s
name was Abdullah, God’s servant and mother was Amina refuge giver which
includes the idea of ‘peace’.)
* He will be with a
beauty par-excellence. His body will be fragrant.
* He will get wisdom on
a mountain. (Messenger (PBUH) was
conferred Prophethood on Mt.Hira)
* He will receive a
horse from God, which will be faster than lightning. Riding it he will go
around the earth and seven skies. (During Mi’raj Prophet got
Buraq meaning lightning and toured the entire universe.)
got
Buraq meaning lightning and toured the entire universe.)
Kalki will split the
moon. Like Bhoj, Cheraman (Zamorin) Perumal the ruler of Indian kingdom of Kerala,
witnessed splitting of the moon performed by Prophet .
After gathering the facts he sailed to Arabia and became Muslim at
Prophet’s hand.
His Tomb is near the city of Salala in Oman
.
After gathering the facts he sailed to Arabia and became Muslim at
Prophet’s hand.
His Tomb is near the city of Salala in Oman
The word ‘Kalki is
considered to be a basic word, a noun without a meaning, as against attribute -
based or action - based ones. The preceding Hindu Books either give attribute
based name in sanskrit to the Last Prophet or
Arabic name, which is also attribute based. The author thinks that ‘Kalki’ is
the Sanskrit transliteration of the Arabic ‘Khalqi’ meaning creation (concrete
noun). He is celebrated by Muslims as being;
or
Arabic name, which is also attribute based. The author thinks that ‘Kalki’ is
the Sanskrit transliteration of the Arabic ‘Khalqi’ meaning creation (concrete
noun). He is celebrated by Muslims as being;
(1) Awwal ul Khalki
First of creations
(2) Khair il Khalki Best of creations
(3) Awf al Khalki Foremost out of creations
(4) Akram al Khalki Greatest of creations
The word Mahamad appears in the Puranas,
Mamah in Kuntap Sukt (in Atharva Veda) and Ahmad in Sama Veda... Among the
eighteen volumes of the Puranas is one by the title 'Bhavishya Puran,'
literally meaning future events. The Hindus regard it as the Word of God. The
prophecy containing Prophet Muhammad by name is found in Prati Sarg Parv III:
3, 3, Verse 5.
The translation of Verses 5-27 (Sanskrit text of the Puranas, Prati Sarg Parv
III: 3, 3) is presented below from the work of Dr. Vidyarthi.
"A malechha (belonging to a foreign country and speaking
foreign language) spiritual teacher will appear with his companions. His name
will be Mahamad. Raja (Bhoj) after giving this Mahadev Arab (of angelic
disposition) a bath in the 'Panchgavya' and the Ganges water, (i.e. purging him
of all sins) offered him the presents of his sincere devotion and showing him
all reverence said, 'I make obeisance to thee.' 'O Ye! the pride of mankind,
the dweller in Arabia, Ye have collected a great force to kill the Devil and
you yourself have been protected from the malechha opponents (idol worshipers,
pagans).' 'O Ye! the image of the Most Pious God the biggest Lord, I am a slave
to thee, take me as one lying on thy feet.'
"Ahmad acquired religious law (Shariah) from his Lord. This religious law
is full of wisdom. I receive light from him just as from the sun."
"The Malechhas have spoiled the well-known land of the Arabs. Arya Dharma
is not to be found in that country. Before also there appeared a misguided
fiend whom I had killed [note: e.g., Abraha Al-Ashram, the Abyssinian viceroy
of Yemen, who attacked Mecca]; he has now again appeared being sent by a
powerful enemy. To show these enemies the right path and to give them guidance
the well-known Mahamad (Mohammad), who has been given by me the epithet of
Brahma is busy in bringing the Pishachas to the right path. O Raja! You need
not go to the land of the foolish Pishachas, you will be purified through my
kindness even where you are. At night, he of the angelic disposition, the
shrewd man, in the guise of a Pishacha said to Raja Bhoj, "O Raja! Your
Arya Dharma has been made to prevail over all religions, but according to the
commandments of 'Ashwar Parmatma (God, Supreme Spirit), I shall enforce the
strong creed of the meat-eaters. My follower will be a man circumcised, without
a tail (on his head), keeping beard, creating a revolution, announcing call for
prayer and will be eating all lawful things. He will eat all sorts of animals
except swine. They will not seek purification from the holy shrubs, but will be
purified through warfare. Because of their fighting the irreligious nations,
they will be known as Musalmans (Muslims). I shall be the originator of this
religion of the meat-eating nation."
Dr Haq also added:
The Sama Veda contains many prophecies of the advent of Prophet Mohammad.
Here, one of them is presented. It is found in Sama Veda, II:6,8:
In the Bhagavad Gita we read that people can remain forever in Hell.
O Krsna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell. 1:43
The belief in Hell is contrary to the endless cycle of death and rebirth that is essential in the Hindu religion.
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