Caricatures and Cartoons of Muhammad (saw)

Bismillaah

To Muslims the caricatures and cartoons hurt us in our hearts and it is very predudiced behavior.  Every day we have to wake up feeling attacked,  discriminated against and ashamed from the humiliation the media inflicts upon us every minute of every day.  Muslim riots and terrorizing comes from those whom are not of the correct understanding of Islam.

One of the greatest things that makes a Muslim proud is his belief and love of the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam (may Allaah exalt his mention). Muslims believe in all the Messengers and the Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, and do not distinguish between any of them — except that our Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the last and final messenger and prophet, and he is the best of them. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the first one for whom the gates of Paradise will be opened; belief in him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the way to Paradise, as no one among those who were born after his prophethood, will be permitted entry (i.e. to Paradise) unless they had believed in him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
What can one say in response to the sarcastic caricatures published in the Jyllands Posten newspaper from Denmark, in its issue dated Tuesday, September 30th 2005? Whom was this newspaper mocking? It was mocking the greatest man ever created … the leader of all the Prophets, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. They featured evil, shameless images of him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as shameless as any disbeliever’s imagination can be.

Again, in the days of ‘Eed Al-Adh-Haa, to confirm their enmity, the Magazine newspaper from Norway repeated the same attack, as if they were trying to re-open the old wound, when they republished the images that were published in the first newspaper. Indeed, what Allaah said about the disbelievers is true (which means): “Did they suggest it to them (i.e. did the former disbelievers pass on these words to the Makkans so that they repeat the same expressions)? Rather, they [themselves] are a transgressing people.” [Quran 51: 53].

What can one say in response to this open declaration of enmity? Should we look to the other side, deafen our ears and keep our mouths shut, while our hearts are still beating?

I swear by The One Who honored Muhammad and exalted his rank! Our graves are dearer to us than being incapable of uttering the truth and defending our messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Indeed! My father, my grandfather and my honor are in sacrifice for Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

The rank of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: There is no phrase that can encompass all the features of greatness of this great Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; and there are not enough words to describe his greatness — a greatness that overwhelmed all people in all ages, and was decreed to be eternal. It is this greatness that is instilled in all hearts, settled in all souls, felt by all the people and even the enemies of Islaam.

The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, possessed the perfect manners which no one can possess; a lofty rank which no one can reach. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the wisest person; the one with the most sound mind and opinion; the most generous — whose alacrity in spending was said to be faster than a fast wind. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to spend like a person who never feared poverty due to spending. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to spend so generously, yet went to sleep hungry. He never saved anything, and used to instruct his companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, to be generous, saying:“Spend (charitably) O Bilaal! And do not fear that Allaah will decrease your provision (due to your spending)”.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the most tolerant of all people and the kindest; if someone abused him, he would forgive him, and the harsher a person was, the more patient he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would become. He was most lenient and forgiving, especially when he had the upper hand and the power to retaliate.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the most humble person — he used to mix with the poor and the needy; he used to sit with the elderly and the widows; a young girl could take him by the hand to fulfill a need she had, and he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would go to fulfill it. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, never wore anything to distinguish himself from his companions or appear in higher rank than them.

He was most lenient, and if he was given a choice between two matters, he chose the easiest, as long as it was not a form of disobedience to Allaah. On the other hand, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the most firm with regards to fulfilling the obligations and supporting the truth. He was never enraged for a personal matter, but if one of the limits of Allaah was transgressed, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would become angry and his face would become extremely red.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the bravest person, one with the strongest will power and determination; he faced matters with steadfastness and patience, and would go through tough times and situations with firmness and perseverance.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, never uttered abusive words; he was clear in his statements and chose his words carefully. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was chaste, pure and the most honest and truthful of all people.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the most just, even if the opponent was an enemy; penal laws would be imposed even against the people closest to him, and he even swore to this effect saying: “I swear by Allaah! If Faatimah, the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would amputate her hand”.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the most pure in his soul, the loftiest in spirit and the most knowledgeable about his Lord. He gave each one his due right — he gave his Lord His right, his friend his due right, his wife her due right and his mission its due right.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was the most ascetic and the farthest from clinging to worldly material possessions; he ate whatever he was offered and never turned down any type of food and never requested and craved for what was not available, he slept on a straw mat.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was kindest towards the weak and most merciful to the miserable. His mercy included both humans and animals, and he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, warned his companions against being harsh towards animals, as when he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“A woman was punished in Hell because of a cat which she had confined until it died. She did not give it to eat or to drink when it was confined, nor did she free it so that it might eat the vermin of the earth.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

If the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had conferred no other favor upon humanity than conveying the message of guidance and the Quran from his Lord to the people, then this would have been enough favor, for which the people could never do enough to express their gratitude or to reward him.

The above was but a glimpse from the light of prophethood, and a ray from the lamp of the bright manners of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; there is still a lot that one can say, which time does not permit.

Let them ask history: Has it ever witnessed a man greater than Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who was above any deficiency and the farthest from sin?

What Westerners say about the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam: Some of the famous, contemporary personalities who read the biography of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, could not help but admit that he was a master with excellent manners and an honorable character, and the following are some of their sayings:

 

- Michael Hart, author of ‘The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History’ said: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level.”

- George Bernard Shaw, the British playwright said: “The world is in dire need of a man with the mind of Muhammad; religious people in the Middle Ages, due to their ignorance and prejudice, had pictured him in a very dark way as they used to consider him the enemy of Christianity. But after looking into the story of this man I found it to be an amazing and a miraculous one, and I came to the conclusion that he was never an enemy of Christianity, and must be called instead the savior of humanity. In my opinion, if he was to be given control over the world today, he would solve our problems and secure the peace and happiness which the world is longing for.”

- Annie Besant, wrote in ‘The Life and Teachings of Muhammad’: “It is impossible for anyone who studies the personality of the great Prophet of the Arabs, and come to know how this prophet he used to live, and how he taught the people, but to feel respect towards this honorable prophet; one of the great messengers whom Allaah sent”

- Alphonse de La Martaine wrote in ‘Historie de la Turquie’: “If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astonishing results are the three criteria of a human genius, who could dare compare any great man in history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws, and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires, peoples, dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and the souls. Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Conqueror of Ideas, Restorer of Rational beliefs… The founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire — that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?”

- J.W.H. Stab wrote in ‘Islam and its Founder’: “Judged by the smallness of the means at his disposal, and the extent and permanence of the work that he accomplished, his name in world’s history shines with a more specious luster than that of the Prophet of Makkah. To the impulse, which he gave, numberless dynasties have owed their existence, fair cities and stately palaces and temples have arisen, and wide provinces became obedient to the Faith. And beyond all this, his words have governed the belief of generations, been accepted as their rule of life, and their certain guide to the world to come. At a thousand shrines the voices of the faithful invoke blessings on him, whom they esteem the very Prophet of God, the seal of the Apostles…Judged by the standards to human renown, the glory of what mortal can compare with his?”

- Dr. Gustav Weil writes in ‘History of the Islamic Peoples’: “Muhammad was a shining example to his people. His character was pure and stainless. His house, his dress, his food – they were characterized by a rare simplicity. So unpretentious was he that he would receive from his companions no special mark of reverence, nor would he accept any service from his slave which he could do for himself. He was accessible to all and at all times. He visited the sick and was full of sympathy for all. Unlimited was his benevolence and generosity as also was his anxious care for the welfare of the community.”

- The British philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, who won the Nobel Prize for his book ‘The Heroes’ wrote: “It is a great shame for any one to listen to the accusation that Islamis a lie and that Muhammad was a fabricator and a deceiver. We saw that he remained steadfast upon his principles, with firm determination; kind and generous, compassionate, pious, virtuous, with real manhood, hardworking and sincere. Besides all these qualities, he was lenient with others, tolerant, kind, cheerful and praiseworthy and perhaps he would joke and tease his companions. He was just, truthful, smart, pure, magnanimous and present-minded; his face was radiant as if he had lights within him to illuminate the darkest of nights; he was a great man by nature who was not educated in a school nor nurtured by a teacher as he was not in need of any of this.”

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German writer said: “Us, Europeans, with all our concepts could not reach what Muhammad has reached, and no one will be able to precede him. I have looked in the history of humanity for an example and found that it was Muhammad, as the truth must be revealed. Indeed, Muhammad succeeded to subdue the entire world to monotheism”.

Truthfulness of the Prophethood of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

If the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not have anything to support the truthfulness of his message, except his praiseworthy biography and the eternal legislation he came with, then that would have been sufficient for the one who has a mind to ponder with and reflect.

The fact that the religion of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, remained established and prevailed throughout the long periods of history, and people entered into it in large numbers, is the greatest evidence proving that he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was truly a messenger from Allaah.

Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: “The early prophets have informed their people that one who falsely claims to be a prophet will not last, but for a short period. One of the Christian kings heard a man from the chiefs of the Christians cursing Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and accusing him of being a liar, so he gathered the scholars of the Christians and asked them how long would the one who falsely claims to be a prophet last. They informed him the news that was conveyed by the Prophets, that it would not be but a short number of years — the longest would be around thirty years. Upon hearing this, he said to them: ‘The religion of Muhammad has lasted for more than five or six hundred years until now (up to his time) and it is prevailing and accepted and people still follow it, so how can this man be a liar?’ Thereafter, he beheaded the man who accused the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, of being a liar.”

Defending the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

One of the rights of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, upon Muslims is that we love, honor and glorify him, follow his Sunnah and defend him. The age we live in is full of evil and afflictions befalling the Muslim nation, where we are seeing vicious attacks by some monks and priests against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Despite the fact that their cursing and attacking him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, enrages us, yet we see it as a sign of the nearness of our victory and their destruction.

The early Muslims used to see it as glad tidings regarding the defeat of their enemies when they cursed and attacked the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: “Allaah will extract revenge for His Messenger from those who slander and attack him. Allaah will make His religion prevalent and will expose the lies of the liars if the people cannot apply the penal law a slanderer deserves.”

Many trustworthy Muslim scholars have conveyed numerous accounts of their practical experiences in different cities in the Levant. They said: ‘The Muslims used besiege the Romans for long periods, like a month and more, until they (i.e. the Muslims) almost gave up on victory; no sooner than the dwellers of those Roman cities would start cursing the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that Allaah facilitated victory and we conquered them. It was never delayed for more than a day or two after they started cursing and defaming the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. When we did win, we used to kill large numbers of them.’ People from Morocco also told me the same thing.”

Our duty in defending and supporting the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam:

Allaah says (what means): “So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him — it is those who will be the successful.” [Quran 7: 157]. Therefore, it is our duty to support the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

There are many things that an individual can do to support the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The following are some of them:

- Officially condemn the attack on all levels, and sound your objection strongly. It is strange how we usually condemn other matters of lesser significance, but this time, people have remained inexplicably silent. It is also strange that the foreign minister of England condemned this outrage before any of the Muslims, who should have done so before anyone else.

- Register your objection with the official local authorities like ministries of Islaamic affairs and Islaamic organizations.

- Sound your objection to social Islaamic foundations, organizations and bodies.

- Thinkers, official leaders and scholars in different fields must proclaim their condemnation of this outrage and openly object to it using all means, especially the pulpits of the two Sacred Mosques.

- Islaamic centers in the West must sound their objections and respond to this.

- Muslims must send e-mails objecting to and condemning the publication of these images to all the organizations and people concerned, and to anyone with influence in the Western communities. If millions of e-mails were received from Muslims in this regard, this would certainly have a noticeable impact on the situation.

- Buy airtime on TV and radio stations and broadcast programs in defense of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and express support. Muslims who are established and eloquent speakers, and who are aware of the way to address the West should be invited to address the issue.

- Write forceful articles for publication in magazines and newspapers, even if one has to buy the space as if it was an advertisement, and publish these articles on the internet as well.

- Employ professional production companies to produce video tapes which present the summary of the life of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, highlight his virtues and good manners, and refute some of the most common misconceptions about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

- Print books and leaflets about the biography of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and address some of the misinformation in the West regarding him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

- Hold meetings, conventions and deliver talks in universities especially in the United States to counter this attack.

- Provide a clear response by scholars, clarifying the Islamic ruling regarding those who attack and slander any Prophet or Messenger, may Allaah exalt their mention, and especially our Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; arranging for some scholars and students of knowledge to respond to this vicious attack and fabricated lies on the internet.

- Hold international exhibitions at airports, market places, malls and public places after arranging with the local authorities, to highlight some aspects of the excellence of the personality of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

- Make material available in different languages that address the life of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in order to highlight his noble manners and his perfect personality. Simultaneously, this would serve to counter the attack made against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.

- Exchange useful ideas that will enable a person who loves and glorifies the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to participate in the campaign of defending and supporting him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and expressing their love to him. One person could translate some material, another could financially support some effort, and a third could write articles and so on, until this becomes a worldwide campaign.

- Produce CDs that talk about the features of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and freely distribute them.

- Start a monthly magazine that talks only about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and bring to light some of events in his life and how he dealt with his enemies.

- Hold international conventions on the mercy of Islam– laying stress on how Islaamic duties are easy and simple to follow, and that all the accusations against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, are false and nothing but mere lies. If every Muslim country held a convention to counter the attack against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, this by itself would convey a message to the world that attacking the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is something that the Muslims will not tolerate.

The duty of those working on the internet and website owners:

- Establishing databases on the internet about the biography of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in all languages. This has already been done by two organizations: The International Committee for Supporting the Final Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and The Committee for Supporting the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. However, just two groups are not enough; our efforts must be united in order to have a stronger impact.

- Forming groups of people that highlight the merits of Islamand the status of all the Prophets and Messengers in Islaam, may Allaah exalt their mention, and other topics.

- Establishing sites and chat rooms that concentrate on the biography of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and highlight that his message is a universal one.

- Carrying out calm debates with non-Muslims and inviting them to study the personality and life of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and the religion that he was sent with.

- Sending e-mails that talk about the personality of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his mission, especially during major occasions.

- Advertising books or lectures that talk about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and his biography in popular search engines.

Finally, we ask Allaah to support His religion and to humiliate the enemies of Islaam.

Musa and The Children of Israel

Bismillaah

The Story of Moses

Description of the Pharaoh

The pharaoh who ruled Egypt was a tyrant who oppressed the descendants of Jacob , known as the children of Israel (Bani Israel). He used every means to demean and disgrace them. They were kept in bondage and forced to work for him for small wages or nothing. Under this system the people obeyed and worshipped the pharaoh, and the ruling class carried out his orders, thereby authorizing his tyranny and crazy whims.

The pharaoh wanted the people to obey him only, and to believe in the gods of his invention. Perhaps, during that time, there were many classes of people who did not believe in or practice polytheism; however, they kept this to themselves and outwardly did as they were expected to do, without revolting or revealing themselves to anyone.

Thus, successive dynasties came to Egypt and assumed that they were gods or their representatives or spokesmen.

Visions of Dethroning the Pharaoh

Years passed, and a despotic king, who was adored by the Egyptians, ruled Egypt. This king saw the children of Israel multiplying and prospering. He heard them talking about a vague vision that one of Israel’s sons would dethrone the pharaoh of Egypt. Perhaps this vision was only a daydream that persisted within the hearts of the persecuted minority, or perhaps it was a prophecy from their books.

Another tradition states that it was Pharaoh himself who had the vision. Ibn Abbas narrated: “Pharaoh saw in his vision a fire which came from Jerusalem and burned the houses of the Egyptians, and all Copts, and did not do harm to the children of Israel. When he woke up, he was horrified. He then gathered his priests and magicians and asked them about this vision. They said: ‘This means a boy will be born of them and the Egyptian people will perish at his hands.’ That is why Pharaoh commanded that all male children of the children of Israel be killed.”

Either way, this vision reached the ears of the Pharaoh. He then issued a decree to slay any male child that would be born to the children of Israel.

The Killing of the Children of Israel

This (the killing of the children of Israel) was carried out until the experts of economics said to Pharaoh: “The aged of the children of Israel die and the young are slaughtered. This will lead to their annihilation. As a result, Pharaoh will lose the manpower of those who work for him, those whom he enslaves, and their women whom he exploits. It is better to regulate this procedure by initiating the following policy: males should be slaughtered in one year and spared to live the next year.” Pharaoh found that solution to be safer economically.

The Birth of Aaron and Moses (PBUT)

Moses’s mother was pregnant with Aaron in a year that boys were to be spared; thus she gave birth to the child publicly and safely. During a year in which boys were to be slain, she gave birth to Moses ; thus his birth caused her much terror. She was afraid he would be slain, so she nursed him secretly.

Description of the Pharaoh – Qur’anic

Allah the Almighty revealed: These are Verses of the manifest Book (that makes clear truth from falsehood, good from evil, etc.). We recite to you some of the news of Moses and Pharaoh in truth, for a people who believe (those who believe in this Qur’an, and in the Oneness of Allah). Verily, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. children of Israel) among them, killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsideen (i.e., those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants, etc.).

The Birth of Moses – Qur’anic

And We wished to do a favor to those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors, and to establish them in the land, and We let Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts receive from them that which they feared. And We inspired the mother of Moses, (saying): “Suckle him (Moses), but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily! We shall bring him back to you, and shall make him one of (Our) Messengers.” Surah 28: 2-7

Moses Thrown into the Nile

No sooner had the divine revelation finished than she obeyed the sacred and merciful call. She was commanded to make a basket for Moses. She nursed him, put him into the basket, then went to the shore of the Nile and threw it into the water. Her mother’s heart, the most merciful one in the world, grieved as she threw her son into the Nile. However, she was aware that Allah was much more merciful to Moses than to her, that He loved him more than her. Allah was his Lord and the Lord of the Nile.

Hardly had the basket touched the water of the Nile than Allah issued His command to the waves to be calm and gentle while carrying the child would one day be a prophet.

She instructed her daughter to follow the course of the basket and to report back to her. As the daughter followed the floating basket along the river bank, she found herself right in the palace grounds and saw what was unfolding before her eyes.

Moses Finds a Home in the Palace

The basket came to rest at the river bank which skirted the king’s palace. The palace servants found the basket with the baby and took it to the Pharaoh and his queen. When the queen beheld the lovely infant, Allah instilled in her a strong love for this baby. Pharaoh’s wife was very different from Pharaoh. He was a disbeliever; she was a believer. He was cruel; she was merciful. He was a tyrant; she was delicate and goodhearted. She was sad because she was infertile and had hoped to have a son. Hardly had she held the baby than she kissed him.

Pharaoh was much amazed when he saw his wife hugging this baby to her breast. He was much astonished because his wife was weeping with joy, something he had never seen her do before. She requested her husband: “Let me keep the baby and let him be a son to us.”

Moses Finds a Home – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah said: Then the household of Pharaoh picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a (cause of) grief Verily! Pharaoh, Haman and their hosts were sinners. And the wife of Pharaoh said: “A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceived not (the result of that). Surah 28: 9

Moses and His Mother Reunited

The queen summoned a few wet nurses to suckle the baby Moses, but he would not take any of their breasts. The queen was distressed and sent for more wet nurses. Moses’s sister was also worried, as her baby brother was without milk for a long time. Seeing the queen’s anxiety, she blurted that she knew just the mother who would suckle the child affectionately.

They asked her why she was following the floating basket. She said she did so out of curiosity. Her excuse sounded reasonable, so they believed her. They ordered her to rush and fetch the woman she was talking about. Her mother also was waiting with a heavy heart, worried about the fate of her baby. Just then her daughter rushed in with the good news. Her heart lifted and she lost no time in reaching the palace. As the child was put to her breast, he immediately started suckling. Pharaoh was astonished and asked: “Who are you? This child has refused to take any other breast but yours.”

Had she told the truth, Pharaoh would have known that the child was an Israelite and would have killed Moses instantly. However, Allah gave her inner strength and she replied: “I am a woman of sweet milk and sweet smell, and no child refuses me.” This answer satisfied Pharaoh.

From that day onward, she was appointed as Moses’s wet nurse. She continued to breast-feed him for a long time. When he was bigger and was weaned, she was allowed the privilege of visiting him. Moses was raised in the palace as a prince.

Moses and His Mother Reunited – Qur’anic

Allah the Almighty narrated: And the heart of the mother of Moses became empty (from every thought, except the thought of Moses). She was very near to disclose his (case, i.e. the child is her son), had We not strengthened her hearth (with Faith), so that she might remain as one of the believers. And she said to his (Moses’s) sister: “Follow him.” So she (his sister) watched him from a far place secretly, while they perceived not.

And We had already forbidden (other) foster suckling mothers for him, until she (his sister came up and) said: “Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and sincerely they will look after him in a good manner?”

So did We restore him to his mother, that she might be delighted, and that she might not grieve, and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true. But most of them know not. Surah 28: 10-13

The Qualities of Moses – Qur’anic

And when he attained his full strength, and was perfect (in manhood), We bestowed on him Hukman (Prophethood, right judgment of the affairs) and religious knowledge of the religion of his forefathers i.e., Islamic Monotheism. And thus do We reward the Muhsineen (i.e., good-doers). ” Surah 28: 14

Moses Kills an Egyptian

Allah had granted Moses good health, strength, knowledge, and wisdom. The weak and oppressed turned to him for protection and justice.

One day in the main city, he saw two men fighting. One was an Israelite, who was being beaten by the other, an Egyptian. On seeing Moses, the Israelite begged him for help. Moses became involved in the dispute and, in a state of anger, struck a heavy blow on the Egyptian, who died on the spot. Upon realizing that he had killed a human being, Moses’s heart was filled with deep sorrow, and immediately he begged Allah for forgiveness.

He had not intended to kill the man. He pleaded with Almighty Allah to forgive him, and he felt a sense of peace filling his whole being. Thereafter Moses began to show more patience and sympathy towards people.

The next day he saw the same Israelite involved in another fight. Moses went to him and said: ‘You seem to be a quarrelsome fellow. You have a new quarrel with one person or another each day.” Fearing that Moses might strike him, the Israelite warned Moses: “Would you kill me as you killed that wretch yesterday?”

The Egyptian with whom the Israelite was fighting overheard this remark and reported Moses to the authorities. Soon thereafter, as Moses was passing through the city, a man approached and alerted him: “0 Moses, the chiefs have taken counsel against you. You are to be tried and killed. I would advise you to escape.”

Moses Kills an Egyptian – Qur’anic

Moses knew that the penalty for killing an Egyptian was death. Allah the Exalted recounted: And he entered the city at a time of unawareness of its people, and he found there two men fighting, – one of his party (his religion – from the children of Israel), and the other of his foes. The man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe, so Moses struck him with his fist and killed him. He said: “This is of Satan’s doing, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy.”

He said: ‘My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so foorgive me.” Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the OftForgiving, the Most Merciful.

He said: ‘My Lord! For that with which You have favored me, I will never more be a helper for the Mujrimeen (criminals, disobedient to Allah, polytheists, sinners, etc.)!”

So he became afraid, looking about in the city (waiting as to what will be the result of his crime of killing), when behold, the man who had sought his help the day before, called for his help (again). Moses said to him: “Verily, you are a plain misleader!” Then when he decided to seize the man who was an enemy to both of them, the man said: “0 Moses! Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a man yesterday? Your aim is nothing but to become a tyrant in the land, and not to be one of those who do right.”

And there came a man running, from the farthest end of the city. He said: “0 Moses! Verily, the chiefs are taking counsel together about you, to kill you, so escape. Truly, I am to you of those who give sincere advice.”

So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: ‘My Lord! Save me from the people who are Zalimeen (polytheists and wrong-doers)!” Surah 28: 15-21

Moses Leaves Egypt

Moses left Egypt in a hurry without going to Pharaoh’s palace or changing his clothes. Nor was he prepared for traveling. He did not have a beast of burden upon which to ride, and he was not in a caravan. Instead, he left as soon as the believer came and warned him of Pharaoh’s plans.

He traveled in the direction of the country of Midian, which was the nearest inhabited land between Syria and Egypt. His only companion in this hot desert was Allah, and his only provision was piety. There was not a single root to pick to lessen his hunger. The hot sand burned the soles of his feet. However, fearing pursuit by Pharaoh’s men, he forced himself to continue on.

Moses Helps Women Shepherds

He traveled for eight nights, hiding during the day. After crossing the main desert, he reached a watering hole outside Midian where shepherds were watering their flocks.

No sooner had Moses reached Midian than he threw himself under a tree to rest. He suffered from hunger and fatigue. The soles of his feet felt as if they were worn out from hard walking on sand and rocks and from the dust. He did not have any money to buy a new pair of sandals, nor to buy food or drink. Moses noticed a band of shepherds watering their sheep. He went to the spring, where he saw two young women preventing their sheep from mixing with the others.

Moses sensed that the women were in need of help. Forgetting his thirst, he drew nearer to them and asked if he could help them in any way.

The older sister said: “We are waiting until the shepherds finish watering their sheep, then we will water ours.”

Moses asked again: “Why are you waiting?”

The younger one said: “We cannot push men.”

Moses was surprised that women were shepherding, as only men were supposed to do it. It is hard and tiresome work, and one needs to be on the alert. Moses asked: “Why are you shepherding?”

The younger sister said: “Our father is an old man; his health is too poor for him to go outdoors for pasturing sheep.”

Moses said: “I will water the sheep for you.”

When Moses approached the water, he saw that the shepherds had put over the mouth of the spring an immense rock that could only be moved by ten men. Moses embraced the rock and lifted it out of the spring’s mouth, the veins of his neck and hands standing out as he did so. Moses was certainly strong. He watered their sheep and put the rock back in its place.

He returned to sit in the shade of the tree. At this moment he realized that he had forgotten to drink. His stomach was sunken because of hunger.

Moses Helps Women Shepherds – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah described this event: And when he arrived at the water of Midian (Midyan) he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: “What is the matter with you ?” They said: “We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man.”

So he watered their flocks for them, then he turned back to shade, and said: ‘My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!” Surah 28: 22-24

Moses Finds a Home Among Shepherds

The young ladies returned home earlier than usual, which surprised their father. They related the incident at the spring which was the reason that they were back early. Their father sent one of his daughters to invite the stranger to his home. Bashfully, the woman approached Moses and delivered the message. “My father is grateful for what you have done for us. He invites you to our home so that he may thank you personally.”

Moses welcomed this invitation and accompanied the maiden to her father. Moses could see that they lived comfortably as a happy and peaceful household. He introduced himself and told the old man about the misfortune that had befallen him and had compelled him to flee from Egypt. The old man comforted him: “Fear not, you have escaped from the wrongdoers.”

Moses’s gentle behavior was noticed by the father and his daughters. The kind man invited him to stay with them. Moses felt at home with this happy household, for they were friendly and feared Allah.

Moses Becomes a Shepherd

One of the daughters suggested to her father that he employ Moses, as he was strong and trustworthy. They needed someone like him, especially at the water hole, which was visited by ruffians.

The father asked her how she could be sure of his trustworthiness in such a short time. She replied: “When I bade him to follow me to our home, he insisted that I walk behind him so he would not observe my form (to avoid sexual attraction).”

The old man was pleased to hear this. He approached Moses and said: “I wish to marry you to one of my daughters on condition that you agree to work for me for a period of eight years.”

This offer suited Moses well, for being a stranger in this country he would soon have to search for shelter and work. Moses married the Midianite’s daughter and looked after the old man’s animals for ten long years.

Moses Becomes a Shepherd – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah recounted: Then there came to him one of the two women, walking shyly. She said: “Verily, my father calls you that he may reward you for having watered (our flocks) for us.” So when he came to him and narrated the story, he said: “Fear you not. You have escaped from the people who are Zalimeen (polyt heists, disbelievers, and wrong-doers).” And said one of them (the two women): “0 my father! Hire him! Verily, the best of men for you to hire is the strong, the trustworthy.” He said: “I intend to wed one of these two daughters of mine to you, on condition that you serve me for eight years, but if you complete ten years, it will be (a favor) from you. But I intend not to place you under a difficulty. If Allah wills, you will find me one of the righteous.” He (Moses) said: “That (is settled) between me and you whichever of the two terms I fulfill, there will be no injustice to me, and Allah is Surety over what we say.” Surah 28: 25-28

The Ten Years of Preparation

Time passed, and he lived in seclusion far from his family and his people. This period of ten years was of importance in his life. It was a period of major preparation. Certainly Moses’s mind was absorbed in the stars every night. He followed the sunrise and the sunset every day. He pondered on the plant and how it splits the soil and appears thereafter. He contemplated water and how the earth is revived by it and flourishes after its death.

Of course, he was immersed in the Glorious Book of Allah, open to the insight and heart. He was immersed in the existence of Allah. All these became latent within him. The religion of Moses was the same as that of Jacob , which was Islamic monotheism. His forefather was Jacob the grandson of Abraham . Moses , therefore, was one of the descendants of Abraham and every prophet who came after Abraham was one of Abraham’s successors.

In addition to physical preparation, there was a similar spiritual preparation. It was made in complete seclusion, in the middle of the desert and in the places of pasture. Silence was his way of life, and seclusion was his vehicle. Allah the Almighty prepared for His prophet the tools he would need later on to righteously bear the commands of Allah the Exalted.

Moses Decides to Return to Egypt

One day after the end of this period, a vague homesickness arose in Moses’s heart. He wanted to return to Egypt. He was fast and firm in making his decision, telling his wife: ‘Tomorrow we shall leave for Egypt.” His wife said to herself: ‘There are a thousand dangers in departing that have not yet been revealed.” However, she obeyed her husband.

Moses himself did not know the secret of the quick and sudden decision to return to Egypt. After all, he had fled from there ten years ago with a price on his head. Why should he go back now? Did he look forward to seeing his mother and brother? Did he think of visiting Pharaoh’s wife who had raised him and who loved him as if she were his mother?

No one knows what went through Moses’s mind when he returned to Egypt. All we know is that a mute obedience to Allah’s destinies impelled him to make a decision and he did. These supreme destinies steered his steps towards a matter of great importance.

Moses Begins His Prophethood

Moses left Midian with his family and traveled through the desert until he reached Mount Sinai. There Moses discovered that he had lost his way. He sought Allah’s direction and was shown the right course. At nightfall they reached Mount Tur. Moses noticed a fire in the distance. “I shall fetch a firebrand to warm us.”

As he neared the fire, he heard a sonorous voice calling him: “0 Moses, I am Allah, the Lord of the Universe.” Moses was bewildered and looked around. He again heard the strange voice. “And what is in your right hand, 0 Moses?”

Shivering, Moses answered: ‘This is my staff on which I lean, and with which I beat down branches for my sheep, and for which I find other uses.” (This question was asked so that Moses’s attention would focus on the staff and to prepare him for the miracle which was to happen. This was the beginning of Moses’s mission as a prophet – PBUH.)

The same voice commanded him: ‘Throw down your staff’.” He did so, and at once the staff became a wriggling snake. Moses turned to run, but the voice again addressed him: “Fear not and grasp it; We shall return it to its former state.” The snake changed back into his staff. Moses’s fear subsided and was replaced by peace, for he realized that he was witnessing the Truth.

Next, Allah commanded him to thrust his hand into his robe at the armpit. When he pulled it out, the hand had a brilliant shine. Allah then commanded Moses: ‘You have two signs from your Lord; go to Pharaoh and his chiefs, for they are an evil gang and have transgressed all bounds.”

However, Moses feared that he would be arrested by Pharaoh, so he turned to Allah saying: “My Lord! I have killed a man among them and I fear that they will kill me.”

Allah assured him of his safety and set his heart at rest.

Moses Begins His Prophethood – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah narrated this event: And has there come to you the story of Moses? When he saw a fire, he said to his family: “Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire, perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire.”

And when he came to it (the fire), he was called by name: “0 Moses! Verily! I am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa, And I have chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and offer prayers perfectly, for My Remembrance. Verily, the Hour is coming – and My Will is to keep it hidden – that every person may be rewarded for that which he strives. Therefore, let the one who believes not therein (i.e. in the Day of Resurrection, Reckoning, Paradise and Hell, etc.), but follows his own lusts, divert you therefrom lest you perish. And what is that in your right hand, 0 Moses?”

He said: “This is my stick, whereon I lean, and wherewith I beat down branches for my sheep, and wherein I find other uses.”

(Allah) said: “Cast it down, 0 Moses!”

He cast it down, and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly.

Allah said: “Grasp it, and fear not, We shall return it to its former state, – and press your (right) hand to your (left) side, it will come forth white (and shining), without any disease as another sign, – that We may show you (some) of Our Greater Signs.

“Go to Pharoah! Verily, he has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief and disobedience, and has behaved as an arrogant, and as a tyrant).” Surah 9-24

Moses and Aaron (PBUT) Given Their Duties

(Moses) said: “0 my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence, contentment, and boldness). And ease my task for me; and make loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue, (i.e. remove the incorrectness of my speech) that they understand my speech, and appoint for me a helper from my family, Aaron, my brother; increase my strength with him, and let him share my task (of conveying Allah’s Message and Prophethood), that we may glorify You much, and remember You much, Verily! You are of us Ever a Well-Seer.”

Allah said: “You are granted your request, 0 Moses! And indeed We conferred a favor on you another time (before). When We inspired your mother with that which We inspired, saying: ‘Put him (the child) into the Tabut (a box or case or a chest) and put him into the river (Nile), then the river shall cast it up on the bank, and there, an enemy of Mine and an enemy of his shall take him.’ And I endued you with love from Me, in order that you may be brought up under My Eye, when your sister went and said: ‘Shall I show you one who will nurse him?’ So We restored you to your mother, that she might cool her eyes and she should not grieve. Then you did kill a man, but We saved you from great distress and tried you with a heavy trial. Then you stayed a number of years with the people of Madyan (Midian). Then you came here according to the fixed term which I ordained (for you), 0 Moses!

“And I have Istanatuka chosen you for My Inspiration and My Message for Myself Go you and your brother with My Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), and do not, you both, slacken and become weak in My Remembrance.

“Go, both of you, to Pharaoh, verily, he has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief and disobedience and behaved as an arrogant and as a tyrant). And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear Allah.”

They said. “Our Lord! Verily! We fear lest he should hasten to punish us or lest he should transgress (all bounds against us).”

He (Allah) said. “Fear not, Verily! I am with you both, Hearing and Seeing. So go you both to him, and say: ‘Verily, we are Messengers of your Lord, so let the children of Israel go with us, and torment them not; indeed, we have come with a sign from your Lord! And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance! Truly, it has been revealed to us that the torment will be for him who denies believes not in the Oneness of Allah, and in His Messengers, etc., and turns away’ (from the truth and obedience of Allah).” Surah 20: 25-48

Moses and Aaron (PBUT) Talk to the Pharaoh

Moses and Aaron went together to Pharaoh and delivered their message. Moses spoke to him about Allah, His mercy and His Paradise and about the obligations of monotheism and His worship. Pharaoh listened to Moses’s speech with disdain. He thought that Moses was crazy because he dared to question his supreme position. Then he raised his hand and asked. “What do you want?”

Moses answered: “I want you to send the children of Israel with us.”

Pharaoh asked: “Why should I send them, as they are my slaves?”

Moses replied: ‘They are the slaves of Allah, Lord of the Worlds.”

Pharaoh then inquired sarcastically if his name was Moses. Moses said: ‘Yes.”

“Are you not the Moses whom we picked up from the Nile as a helpless baby? Are you not the Moses whom we reared in this palace, who ate and drank from our provisions and whom our wealth showered with charity? Are you not the Moses who is a fugitive, the killer of an Egyptian man, if my memory does not betray me? It is said that killing is an act of disbelief. Therefore, you were a disbeliever when you killed. You are a fugitive from justice and you come to speak to me! What were you talking about Moses, I forgot?”

Moses knew that Pharaoh’s mentioning his past, his upbringing, and his receiving Pharaoh’s charity was Pharaoh’s way of threatening him. Moses ignored his sarcasm and explained that he was not a disbeliever when he killed the Egyptian; he only went astray and Allah the Almighty had not yet given him the revelation at that time.

He made Pharaoh understand that he fled from Egypt because he was afraid of their revenge upon him, even though the killing was an accident. He informed him that Allah had granted him forgiveness and made him one of the messengers.

Moses and Aaron (PBUT) Talk to the Pharaoh – Qur’anic

Allah the Almighty revealed to us part of the dialogue between Moses and Pharaoh: Allah said. “Nay! Go you both with Our Signs. Verily! We shall be with you, listening. And when you both come to Pharaoh, say: ‘We are the Messengers of the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists), – So allow the children of Israel to go with us.

(Pharaoh) said (to Moses): “Did we not bring you up among us as a child? And you did dwell many years of you life with us. And you did your deed which you did (i.e. the crime of killing a man). And you are one of the ingrates.”

Moses said: “I did it then, when I was an ignorant (as regards my Lord and His Message). So I fled from you when I feared you. But my Lord has granted me Hukman (i.e., religious knowledge, right judgments of the affairs and Prop het hood), and appointed me as one of the Messengers. And this is the past favor with which you reproach me, – that you have enslaved the children of Israel.”

Pharaoh said: “And what is the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists)?”

Moses replied: “Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty.”

Pharaoh said to those around: “Do you not hear (what he says)?”

Moses said: “Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!”

Pharaoh said: “Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman!”

Moses said: “Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!”

Pharaoh said: “If you choose an ilah (a god) other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.”

Moses said: “Even if I bring you something manifest (and convincing).”

Pharoah said: “Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!” Surah 26: 16-31

Moses Proves Himself Right

The degree of the conflict expressed in this dialogue reached its apex; thus, the tone of dialogue changed. Moses used a convincing intellectual argument against Pharaoh. However, Pharaoh escaped from the circle of this dialogue based on logic and began a dialogue of another type, a type which Moses could not bear to follow: a dialogue of menacing and threatening. Pharaoh deliberately adopted the style of the absolute ruler. He asked Moses how he dared to worship Allah! Did he not know that Pharaoh was a god?

After declaring his divinity, Pharaoh asked Moses how he dared to worship another god. The punishment for this crime was imprisonment. It was not permitted for anyone to worship anyone other than Pharaoh.

Moses understood that the intellectual arguments did not succeed. The calm dialogue was converted from sarcasm to mentioning charity, then to scorn, then to the threat of imprisonment.

Moses said: “Even if I bring you something manifest (and convincing).” Pharaoh said: “Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!” So Moses threw his stick, and behold, it was a serpent, manifest. And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders! Surah 26: 30-33

Moses Defeats the Magicians

Moses Defeats the Magicians – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah recounted this event: He (Pharaoh) said: “Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, 0 Moses? Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof, so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we, nor you shall fail to keep, in an open wide place where both shall have a just and equal chance (and beholders could witness the competition).”

(Moses) said: “Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon).”

So Pharaoh withdrew, devised his plot and then came back.

Moses said to them: “Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah, lest He should destroy you completely by a torment. And surely, he who invents a lie (against Allah) will fail miserably.”

Then they debated with one another what they must do, and they kept their talk secret. They said: “Verily! These are two magicians. Their object is to drive you out from your land with magic, and overcome your chiefs and nobles. So devise your plot, and then assemble in line. And whoever overcomes this day will be indeed successful.”

They said: “0 Moses! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?”

(Moses) said: “Nay, throw you (first)!” Then behold, their ropes and their sticks, – by their magic, – appeared to him as though they moved fast. So Moses conceived a fear in himself.

We (Allah) said: “Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician’s trick, and the magician will never be successful, no matter whatever amount (of skill) he may attain.”

So the magicians fell down prostrate. They said: “We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.”

(Pharaoh) said: “Believe you in him (Moses) before I give you permission? Verily! He is your chief who taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees, and you shall surely know which of us I (Pharaoh) or the Lord of Moses (Allah) can give the severe and more lasting torment.”

They said: “We prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him (Allah) Who created us. So decree (regarding) this life of the world. Verily! We have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us. And Allah is better as regards reward in comparison to your (Pharaoh’s) reward, and more lasting (as regards punishment in comparison to your punishment).” Surah 20: 58-73

Allah’s Description of Believers and Non-Believers

Verily! Whoever comes to his Lord as a Mujrim (criminal, polytheist, disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah and His Messengers, sinner, etc.), then surely, for him is Hell, therein he will neither die nor live.

But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer (in the Oneness of Allah, etc.), and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter), – Everlasting Gardens (Adn Paradise), under which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever: such is the reward of those who purify themselves by abstaining from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which Allah has forbidden and by doing all that which Allah has ordained. Surah 20: 74-76

The People’s Non-Reaction to the defeat of the magicians

The magicians represented the elite of the Egyptian society. They were its scholars. They prostrated before righteousness, but the people abandoned them and left them to their fate. The path of righteousness was plain, but in spite of this, the people did nothing but stand by and watch.

If every one of the Egyptians had stooped to pick up a piece of brick and had thrown it at Pharaoh, he would have fallen dead and the history of Egypt would have been changed.

This obviously did not happen. None of the people moved. Each one stood motionless in his place. The people did nothing but watch, and they paid the price for this inactivity: they were drowned later as the price for their cowardice of one day.

The Pharaoh’s Reaction to Moses’s Victory

Moses and Aaron left, and Pharaoh returned to his palace. Pharaoh was completely stupefied when he faced the two miracles. When Moses went out of his presence, his emotions changed from amazement and fear to violent rage. He quarreled with his ministers and men, reviled them bitterly for no reason, and commanded them to get out of his presence. When he was left alone, he tried to think more calmly. He drank several cups of wine, but his anger did not abate.

Then he summoned all the ministers, leaders, and responsible men for a serious meeting. Pharaoh entered the meeting with a rigid face. It was obvious that he would never surrender easily. He had established a kingdom on the basis of his being a god worshipped by the Egyptian people. Now Moses came to destroy what he had built. Moses said that there was no Lord other than Allah in existence. This meant that Pharaoh was a liar.

Pharaoh opened the session by throwing a sudden question at Haman: “Am I a liar, 0 Haman?”

Haman fell to his knees in amazement and asked: “Who dared to accuse Pharaoh of lying?”

Pharaoh said: “Has he (Moses) not said that there is a Lord in the heaven?”

Haman answered: “Moses is lying.”

Turning his face to the other side, Pharaoh asserted impatiently: “I know he is a liar.” Then he looked towards Haman (and cried): “0 Haman! Build me a tower that I may arrive at the ways, – the ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the Ilah (God) of Moses but verily, I think him to be a liar.”

Thus it was made fair-seeming, in Pharaoh’s eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the (Right) Path, and the plot of Pharaoh led to nothing but loss and destruction (for him). Surah 40: 36-37

Pharaoh issued his royal command to erect a lofty tower, its height to reach the heavens. Pharaoh’s command depended fundamentally upon Egyptian civilization and its fondness for building what Pharaoh wanted. However, he ignored the rules of engineering. In spite of this, Haman assented (hypocritically), knowing that it was impossible to erect such a tower. He said that he would issue a command to build it immediately. “However, your majesty, let me object to Pharaoh for the first time. You will never find anyone in the heavens. There is no god but you.”

Pharaoh listened to a settled fact. Then he declared in the famous meeting his historic line: “0 chiefs! I know not that you have an ilah (a god) other than me.” Surah 28: 38

 

The Situation after Moses is Proven Right

Pharaoh’s Men Spread Rumors

Pharaoh was absorbed in his new problem. A series of serious meetings began in his palace. He summoned those responsible for the army, the police and, what we call today his director of intelligence. He also summoned the ministers, princes, and priests. He called whoever had a powerful effect on the direction of events.

Pharaoh asked his director of intelligence: “What do people say?”

He said: “My men have spread among them that Moses won the contest because of a plot and that a major magician has joined with him in this plan. The plot has been disclosed, and we believe an unknown authority financed it.”

Pharaoh asked his director of police: “What about the magicians’ corpses?”

He said: “My men hung them in public squares and markets to terrify the people. We will spread a rumor that Pharaoh will kill whoever had anything to do with the plot.”

Then Pharaoh asked the commander of the army: “What does the army say?”

He said: “The army hopes that commands will be issued to move in whatever direction Pharaoh desires.”

Pharaoh said: “The role of the army has not come yet. Its role will come.”

Pharaoh’s Men Harm the Believers

Pharaoh fell silent. Haman, the prime minister, moved and raised his hand to speak. Pharaoh permitted him and Haman asked: “Will we leave Moses and his people to corrupt the rest of the people on the earth so that they leave your worship?”

Pharaoh said: “You read my thoughts, 0 Haman. We will kill their sons, rape their women, and conquer them.” He issued commands, and Pharaoh’s men rushed to slay the sons, rape the women, and imprison whomever objected to these acts.

Moses stood watching what was happening. He could not interfere, nor did he have the power to forbid these acts. All he could do was to advise his people to be patient. He ordered them to ask Allah the Almighty for a calamity on the Egyptians. He pointed out to them the model of the Egyptian magicians who endured for Allah’s sake without complaint. He helped them to understand that Pharaoh’s soldiers behaved on earth as if they were its private owners.

Pharaoh’s terrorism infused the children of Israel with a spirit of defeat. They complained to Moses: “We (children of Israel) had suffered troubles before you came to us, and since you have come to us.” He said: “It may be that your Lord will destroy your enemy and make you successors on the earth, so that He may see how you act.” Surah 7: 129

Korah – His Actions and Destruction

Moses began to face a difficult situation. He had to confront Pharaoh’s anger and his plots, while at the same time he had to deal with the mutiny of his people. In the midst of all this, Korah (Qaroun) moved.

Korah was a one of Moses’s people. He was very rich and lived in a magnificent mansion. He wore only the most expensive clothes. Numerous slaves waited on him and he indulged in every known luxury. His enormous wealth made him arrogant. Korah treated the poor with contempt and told them that their poverty was due to their lack of intelligence. He believed that what he owned was due to his own cleverness and business ability.

Moses reminded Korah to pay alms (zakat) on his wealth, a portion of which was rightfully due to the poor. Alms are compulsory upon all the believers. Korah was annoyed by this advice and told Moses that his being wealthy was proof that he was favored by Allah, Who approved of his life-style and increased his wealth daily. Moses argued with him and warned him of the result of his wicked thoughts.

When Korah did calculate the alms due on his wealth, he was shocked at the large amount he had to part with. He not only refused to give alms, but spread a rumor that Moses had invented the law of zakat for his own gain. He even bribed people to oppose Moses and to spread wicked rumors about him.

Allah warned Moses of Korah’s plot. Moses appealed to Allah to punish him for his stinginess and for defying His laws. Allah’s anger fell on Korah. The earth opened up and swallowed him, his mansion and all his wealth, as if he had never existed.

Korah – His Actions and Destruction – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah revealed: Verily, Korah was of Moses’s people, but he behaved arrogantly towards them. And We gave him of the treasures, that of which the keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men. When his people said to him: “Do not be glad (with ungratefulness to Allah’s Favors). Verily! Allah likes not those who are glad (with ungratefulness to Allah’s Favors). But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the Hereafter, and forget not your portion of legal enjoyment in this world, and do good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allah likes not the Mufsideen (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupts).”

He said: “This has been given to me only because of knowledge I possess.” Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected. But the Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers, polyt heists, sinners, etc.) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allah knows them well, so they will be punished without account). So he went forth before his people in his pomp. Those who were desirous of the life of the world said: Ah, would that we had the like of what Korah has been given! Verily! He is the owner of a great fortune.”

But those who had been given (religious) knowledge said: “Woe to you! The Reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is better for those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and this none shall attain except those who are patient (in following the truth).”

So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place. Then he had no group or party to help him against Allah, nor was he one of those who could save themselves. And those who had desired (for a position like) his position the day before, began to say: “Know you not that it is Allah Who enlarges the provision or restricts it to whomsoever He pleases of His slaves? Had it not been that Allah was Gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up (also)!” Know you not that the disbelievers will never be successful? Surah 28: 76-82

The Pharaoh’s Relative Defends Moses

When the Egyptians and children of Israel examined this miracle, the conflict between Moses and Pharaoh again reached a crisis because Pharaoh believed that Moses was threatening his kingdom.

Pharaoh was afraid that the people would be misled by Moses. He suggested to his ministers and notable men that Moses be killed. We believe that Haman supported the idea along with a front of disbelievers. It was on the verge of approval, except for the vote of one of the notable men of the state, whose name is not mentioned in the Qur’an. The Qur’an says only that this man was a believer.

This believer spoke in the assembly where the idea of killing Moses had been introduced. He proved that it was not a good idea: “Moses did not say more than that Allah is his Lord. Later, he came with clear evidence that he is a messenger. There are two possibilities: either Moses is righteous or a liar. If he lies, he will be responsible for his lie. If he is righteous and we slay him, where is the guarantee that we will be rescued from the torment of Allah? Either way, he neither says nor does anything that merits our killing him.”

This angered Pharaoh and his counselors and they threatened to harm the man, but he refused to budge from his stance. They then tried to woo him back, but he still warned them that they were inviting their doom. This angered Pharaoh more, and he now threatened to kill the man. However, Allah protected His believer.

The Pharaoh’s Relative Defends Moses – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah revealed their dialogue: Pharaoh said: “Leave me to kill Moses, and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)! I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!”

Moses said: “Verily, I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant who believes not in the Day of Reckoning!”

And a believing man of Pharaoh’s family, who hid his faith said: “Would you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, and he has come to you with clear signs (proofs) from your Lord? And if he is a liar, upon him will be (the sin of) his lie; but if he is telling the truth, then some of that (calamity) wherewith he threatens you will befall on you. Verily, Allah guides not one who is a Musrif (a polytheist, or a murderer who shed blood without a right, or those who commit great sins, oppressor, transgressor), a liar! 0 my people! Yours is the kingdom this day, you are uppermost in the land. But who will save us from the Torment of Allah, should it befall us?”

Pharaoh said: “I show you only that which I see (correct), and I guide you only to the path of right policy!”

And he who believed said: “0 my people! Verily, I fear for you a fate like that day (of disaster) of the confederates (of old)! Like the fate of the people of Noah, and ‘Ad, and Thamud and those who came after them. And Allah wills no injustice for (His) slaves. And, 0 my people! Verily! I fear for you the Day when there will be mutual calling (between the people of Hell and of Paradise).”

A Day when you will turn your backs and flee having no protector from Allah, and whomsoever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide. And indeed Joseph did come to you, in times gone by, with clear signs, but you ceased not to doubt in that which he did bring to you, till when he died you said: “No Messenger will Allah send after him.” Thus Allah leaves astray him who is a Musrif (a polytheist, oppressor, a criminal, sinner who commits great sins) and a Murtab (one who doubts Allah’s warning and His Oneness). Those who dispute about the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, without any authority that has come to them, it is greatly hateful in the Sight of Allah and in the sight of those who believe. Thus does Allah seal up the heart of every arrogant, tyrant. (So they cannot guide themselves to the Right Path).

And Pharaoh said: “0 Haman! Build me a tower that I may arrive at the ways, – the ways of the heavens, and I may look upon the Ilah (God) of Moses but verily, I think him to be a liar.”

Thus it was made fair-seeming, in Pahraoh’s eyes, the evil of his deeds, and he was hindered from the (Right) Path, and the plot of Pharaoh led to nothing but loss and destruction (for him).

And the man who believed said: “0 my people! Follow me, I will guide you to the way of right conduct (i.e. guide you to Allah’s Religion of Islamic Monotheism with which Moses has been sent). 0 my people! Truly, this life of the world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter that is the home that will remain forever. Whosoever does an evil deed, will not be requited except the like thereof, and whosoever does a righteous deed, whether male or female and is a true believer (in the Oneness of Allah), such will enter Paradise, where they will be provided therein (with all things in abundance) without limit.”

“And 0 my People! How is it that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire! You invite me to disbelieve in Allah (and in His Oneness), and to join partners in worship with Him, of which I have no knowledge, and I invite you to the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving! No doubt you call me to (worship) one who cannot grant (me) my request (or respond to my invocation) in this world or in the Hereafter. And our return will be to Allah, and Al-Musrifeen (i.e. polytheists and arrogants, those who commit great sins, the transgressors of Allah’s set limits)! They shall be the dwellers of the Fire! And you will remember what I am telling you, and my affair I leave it to Allah. Verily, Allah is the All-Seer of (His) slaves.”

So Allah saved him from the evils that they plotted (against him), while an evil torment encompassed Pharaoh’s people. Surah 40: 26-45

Egypt Suffers a Drought and a Flood

Moses repeated his demand that Pharaoh release the children of Israel from slavery. In response, Pharaoh called his subjects, including the children of Israel, to a huge gathering where he reminded them that he was their lord and provided all their needs. Moses, he said, had no gold amulets nor angels following him; he was just a poor man.

Being a people who had been oppressed for a very long time, they lacked vision. Their judgments were limited to what they could see in the material world. They regarded their ruler to be wealthy and able to provide all their worldly needs. In ignorance, they obeyed Pharaoh and ignored Moses’s call.

Allah commanded Moses to warn Pharaoh of a punishment in this world for his faithlessness and his persecution of the children of Israel. As a portent of the punishment which Allah would mete out, the Nile did not flood its banks to soak the dry land as it normally did. As a result, crops failed, leading to famine. However Pharaoh remained arrogant, so Allah caused a huge flood, which devastated the land.

Egypt’s Crops are Destroyed by Locusts

As often as they were troubled grievously, they appealed to Moses thus: “0 Moses! Invoke your Lord for us because of His Promise to you. If you will remove the punishment fromus, we indeed shall believe in you, and we shall let the children of Israel go with you.” Surah 7: 134

Moses prayed to his Lord and He relieved the suffering caused by the flood. The surging water ceased and withdrew from the land, and it became cultivatable. But when Moses bade them to fulfill their promise to release the children of Israel, they did not respond.

Then Allah sent swarms of locusts which ate whatever crops they had grown. The people hurried to Moses, asking him to invoke Allah to remove this affliction and promising they would send the children of Israel with him this time. The locusts departed, but they did not fulfill their promise.

Egypt Becomes Infested with Lice

Then another sign came, the sign of lice, which spread amongst the Egyptians, carrying diseases. Their refuge to Moses and their promise to him were repeated. His prayer to Allah was repeated and so, too, their breach of promise, as usual.

Egypt Becomes Infested with Frogs

A sign of frogs was revealed. The land suddenly filled with frogs. They jumped on the food of the Egyptians, shared their houses, and distressed them greatly. The Egyptians went to Moses again, promising him to release the children of Israel. He prayed to his Lord, and Allah relieved them of the problem of the frogs, but they again broke their promise.

Then the last sign was revealed, the sign of blood. The Nile water was changed into blood. When Moses and his people drank the water, it was, for them, ordinary water. However, if any Egyptian filled his cup with the water, he discovered his cup full of blood. They hurried to Moses as usual, but as soon as everything returned to normal, they turned their backs on Allah.

Allah’s Punishments on the Disbelievers – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah said: And indeed We punished the people of Pharaoh with years of drought and shortness of fruits (crops, etc.), that they might remember (take heed). But whenever good came to them, they said: “Ours is this.” And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to euil omens connected with Moses and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their evil omens are with Allah but most of them know not. They said (to Moses): “Whatever Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.” So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood: (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were Mujrimeen (criminals, polyt heists, sinners, etc.) Surah 7: 130-133

Almighty Allah also said: But when We removed the punishment from them to a fixed term, which they had to reach, behold! They broke their word! Surah 7: 135

Moses’s Story – Condensed and Qur’anic

Pharaoh became ruder and more arrogant. He proclaimed to his people: “Pharaoh is the only god. Has he not the kingdom of Egypt and rivers flowing under it?” He declared that Moses was a liar, a magician, and a poor man who did not wear even one bracelet of gold. Almighty Allah declared: And indeed We did send Moses with Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to Pharaoh and his chiefs (inviting them to Allah’s Religion of Islam). He said: “Verily, I am a Messenger of the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

But when he came to them with Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) behold! They laughed at them. And not an Ayah (sign etc.) We showed them but it was greater than its fellow, and We seized them with torment, in order that they might turn from their polytheism to Allah’s Religion (Islamic Monotheism).

And they said (to Moses): “0 you sorcerer! Invoke your Lord for us according to what He has covenanted with you. Verily, we shall guide ourselves (aright).”

But when We removed the torment from them, behold! They broke their covenant (that they will believe if We remove the torment for them).

And Pharaoh proclaimed among his people, saying: ‘0 my people! Is not mine the dominion of Egypt, and these rivers flowing underneath me. See you not then? Am I not better than this one (Moses), who is Mahin has no honor nor any respect, and is weak and despicable and can scarcely express himself clearly? Why then are not golden bracelets bestowed on him, or angels sent along with him?”

Thus he (Pharaoh) befooled and misled his people, and they obeyed him. Verily, they were Fasiqeen (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).

So when they angered Us, We punished them, and drowned them all. And We made them a precedent (as a lesson for those coming after them), and an example to later generations. Surah 43: 46-56

 

The Perishing of Pharaoh and his Army

Moses is Allowed to Leave Egypt

It appeared that Pharaoh would never believe in Moses’s message, nor would he stop the torture of the children of Israel. Therefore, Moses prayed to his Lord thus: “Our Lord! You have indeed bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs splendor and wealth in the life of this world, our Lord! That they may lead men astray from Your Path. Our Lord! Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that they will not believe until they see the painful torment.”

Allah said: “Verily, the invocation of you both is accepted. So you both keep to the Straight Way (i.e. keep on doing good deeds and preaching Allah’s Message with patience), and follow not the path of those who know not (the truth i.e. to believe in the Oneness of Allah, and also to believe in the Reward of Allah: Paradise etc.).” Surah 10: 88-89

Allah inspired Moses to conduct his people out of Egypt, but only a few of his people believed in his message. Allah revealed: But none believed in Moses except the offspring of his people, because of the fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs, lest they should persecute them; and verily, Pharaoh was an arrogant tyrant on the earth, he was indeed one of the Musrifeen (polyt heists, sinners and transgressors, those who give up the truth and follow the evil, and commit all kinds of great sins).

The Pharaoh Learns of the Believers’ Escape

And Moses said: “0 my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allah’s Will).”

They said. “In Allah we put our trust. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the folk who are Zalimeen (polytheists and wrong-doing) (i.e. do not make them overpower us). And save us by Your Mercy from the disbelieving folk.” Surah 10: 83-86

Almighty Allah decided to put an end to Pharaoh’s crimes after He had given him several chances. Allah commanded Moses to depart, and the children of Israel received reluctant permission from Pharaoh to go out of the city for their feast. They prepared themselves to leave Egypt. This later became known as the Exodus. They carried with them their jewels and borrowed a lot of jewels from the Egyptians.

In the darkness of night, Moses led his people towards the Red Sea, and in the morning they reached the beach. By then Pharaoh was aware of their departure, so he mobilized a huge army to pursue them.

The Parting of the Red Sea

The impatient children of Israel soon became agitated and Joshua (Yusha), Ibn Nun, exclaimed: “In front of us is this impassable barrier, the sea, and behind us the enemy; surely death cannot be avoided!”

Moses replied that he would wait for further guidance from Allah. These words filled them with some hope, but man is always impatient for results: they were willing to surrender themselves back into slavery. At that moment Allah revealed to Moses: “Smite the sea with your staff!” Moses did as he was commanded. A fierce wind blew, the sun shone brightly, and in a flash the sea parted, the crests of the waves standing like mountains on each side.

Moses led his people across. This miracle proved Moses’s oft repeated claim: “Verily! My Lord is with me!” As they looked back, they saw Pharaoh and his army approaching, about to take the very path which had been opened for them. In great fear and panic, they pleaded with Moses to ask Allah to close the sea. However, Allah commanded Moses not to smite the sea with his staff again, for Allah’s decree was already in action.

The Death of the Pharaoh

Pharaoh and his army had seen the miracle, how the sea had parted, but being the pretender that he was, Pharaoh turned to his men and proclaimed: “Look! The sea has opened at my command so that I may follow those rebels and arrest them!” They rushed across the parted waters, and when they were midway, Allah commanded the sea to return to its former state.

Terror-stricken Pharaoh, realizing that his end had come, declared out of fear: “I believe that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah in Whom the children of Israel believe, and I am of those who surrender to Him.” But Allah did not accept this declaration from the tyrant, and the waters closed over him, drowning him and his entire army.

The Escape of Moses’s People – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah narrated: And We inspired Moses, saying: “Take away My slaves by night, verily, you will be pursued.” Then Pharaoh sent callers to (all) the cities. (Saying): “Verily! These indeed are but a small band. And verily, they have done what has enraged us; but we are host all assembled, amply fore-warned.”

So, We expelled them from gardens and springs, treasures, and every kind of honorable place. Thus We turned them (Pharaoh’s people) out and We caused the children of Israel to inherit them.

So they pursued them at sunrise. And when the two hosts saw each other, the people of Moses said: “We are sure to be overtaken.”

Moses said: “Nay, verily! With me is my Lord, He will guide me.”

Then We inspired Moses (saying): “Strike the sea with your stick.” And it parted, and each separate (part of that sea water) became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain.

Then We brought near the others (Pharaoh’s party) to that place. And We saved Moses and all those with him. Then We drowned the others. Verily! In this is indeed a sign (or a proof), yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord! He is truly the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.” Surah 26: 52.68

Moses’s People’s Escape and Pharaoh’s Death – Qur’anic

In another surah Almighty Allah narrated: And We took the children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh with his hosts followed them in oppression and enmity, till when drowning overtook him, he said: “I believe that La ilaha illa (Huwa): (none has the right to be worshiped but) He, in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims (those who submit to Allah’s Will).”

Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before and you were one of the Mufsideen (evil-doers, corrupts, etc.). So this day We shall deliver your (dead) body (out from the sea) that you may be a sign to those who come after you! And verily, many among mankind are heedless or our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). Surah 10: 90-92

The curtain fell on Pharaoh’s tyranny, and the waves threw his corpse up on to the western seashore. The Egyptians saw him and knew that their gods whom they worshipped and obeyed were mere slaves who could not keep death away from their own necks.

 

The Israelites after Pharaoh’s Defeat

The Moses’s People Desire an Idol

In spite of Pharaoh’s death, he left a bad influence on the souls of the children of Israel. It was difficult for the years of oppression and intense humility to pass easily. He had made them accustomed to humbling themselves and submitting to someone other than Allah. He had so suppressed their souls and spoiled their nature that they began to torture Moses out of ignorance and obstinacy.

The miracle of the parting of the sea was still fresh in their minds, damp sea sands were still stuck on their soles, when they passed by a people worshipping idols. Instead of manifesting their indignation at the idolaters’ oppression of the intellect by celebrating the praises of Allah for His guidance, they looked to Moses for him to specify a god for them to worship as those other people did. They were jealous of the other people and their idols, and they desired the same. They missed the ancient idolatry which they had lived with during the reign of Pharaoh.

Moses’s People Desire an Idol – Qur’anic

Allah the Exalted revealed: And We brought the children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: “0 Moses! Make for us an ilaha (a god) as they have aliah (gods).”

He said: “Verily, you are a people who know not (the Majesty and Greatness of Allah and what is obligatory upon you, i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone, the One and the Only God of all that exists).”

(Moses added): “Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idols-worship). And all that they are doing is in vain.” He said. “Shall I seek for you an ilaha (a god) other than Allah, while He has given you superiority over the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinn of your time).”

And (remember) when We rescued you from Pharaoh’s people, who were afflicting you with the worst torment, killing your sons and letting your women live. And in that was a great trial from your Lord. Surah 7: 138-141

The Favors of Allah on Moses’s People

The children of Israel were favored with Allah’s grace and bounty. They were saved from oppression and had witnessed the drowning of their cruel ruler Pharaoh. When they needed water in the dry land, Allah commanded Moses to strike a rock, which parted and sent forth twelve springs of water for the twelve different tribes so that they need not dispute over a shortage of water. Allah also kept the skies cloudy to protect them from the scorching sun. To relieve their hunger manna (the dried exudate of certain plants) and quail were provided for them.

In spite of Allah’s generosity, the mean spirited ones began to stir Moses’s people to object that they were disgusted with this food; they desired onions, garlic, beans, and lentils, which were traditional Egyptian foods. That is why the children of Israel asked Prophet Moses to pray to Allah to make the earth produce these foods. Moses again admonished them for oppressing themselves and for their desire to return to a life of humiliation in Egypt. He also pointed out that they were ungrateful for the best and most abundant food. They wanted the worst instead of the best.

Allah’s Favors on Moses’s People – Qur’anic

Allah the Exalted said: And (remember) when Moses asked for water for his people, We said: “Strike the stone with your stick.” Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs. Each (group of) people knew its own place for water. “Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act corruptly, making mischief on the earth.”

And remember when you said: “0 Moses! We cannot endure one kind of food. So invoke your Lord for us to bring forth for us of what the earth grows, its herbs, its cucumbers, its Fum (wheat or garlic), its lentils and its onions.” He said: “Would you exchange that which is better for that which is lower? Go you down to any town and you shall find what you want!” Surah 2: 60-61

The Cowardice of Moses’s People

Allah had also directed Moses to lead them to the Promised Land (Palestine) which had been promised to Abraham as a land in which the pious and Allah-fearing of his offspring would live and uphold Allah’s law. The children of Israel were an ungrateful people. In spite of all of Allah’s favors, they could not stay away from evil and continued to reject Allah’s laws. When Moses ordered them to conquer the town of the Canaanites and Hittites (their enemies who had hounded them), the children of Israel were cowardly and made excuses: “0 Moses, a great people dwell therein. We will not go in unless they leave.” Ancient books tell that they were six hundred thousand men. Moses did not find among them but two men who were ready to fight. These two said to the people: “Once we enter through the door, Allah will make us victorious.” However, all the children of Israel were an incarnation of cowardice and quivered from within.

Allah Keeps Moses’s People Wandering

Moses knew that his people were fit for nothing. Pharaoh was dead, but his effect upon their souls still remained. Their recovery needed a long period of time. Moses returned to his Lord, telling Him that he was responsible only for the actions of himself and his brother. He prayed to his Lord to judge between his people and himself.

Allah the Exalted issued His judgment against this generation whose nature was corrupted by the Egyptians: they must wander restlessly in the wilderness until this generation had died or become senile and had created another generation, a generation which had not been defeated from within and which could fight and score victory.

The Cowardice of Moses’s People – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah revealed: And (remember) when Moses said to his people: “0 my people! Remember the Favor of Allah to you, when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the Alamin (mankind and jinn), in the past. 0 my people! Enter the holy land (Palestine) which Allah has assigned to you, and turn not back (in flight) for then you will be returned as losers.”

They said. “0 Moses! In it (this holy land) are a people of great strength, and we shall never enter it, till they leave it; when they leave, then we will enter.”

Two men of those who feared (Allah and) in whom Allah had His Grace said: “Assault them through the gate, for when you are in, victory will be yours, and put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.”

They said: “0 Moses! We shall never enter it as long as they are there. So go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here.” Surah 5: 20-24

Moses’s People are Kept Wandering – Qur’anic

He (Moses) said: “0 my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother, so separate us from the people who are the Fasiqeen (rebellious and disobedient to Allah)!”

(Allah) said: “Therefore it (this holy land) is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So be not sorrowful over the people who are the Fasiqeen (rebellious and disobedient to Allah).” Surah 5: 25-26

Moses Fasts for Forty Days

The days of restless wandering began. Each day ended where it began and began where it ended. They started walking to no destination, day and night, morning and evening. They entered Sinai. Moses came to the same place where he had spoken to Allah for the first time. He appealed to Allah for guidance in judging over his people. Allah instructed him to purify himself by fasting for thirty days, after which he was to go to Mount Sinai, where he would be given the law by which he would govern his people.

The ancients said that after Moses fasted thirty days, he hated to speak to his Lord because of the odor of his mouth. He ate a plant of the earth and then his Lord said to him: “Why did you break your fast?” Moses said: “0 my Lord, I disliked to speak to You with my mouth not having a pleasant smell.” Allah said: “Do you not know, Moses, the odor of the faster’s mouth is more fragrant to Me than the rose. Go back and fast ten days; then come back to Me.” Moses did what Allah commanded.

Moses Speaks to Allah – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah declared: And We appointed for Moses thirty nights and added (to the period) ten (more), and he completed the term, appointed by his Lord, of forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron: “Replace me among my people, act in the Right Way (by ordering the people to obey Allah and to worship Him Alone) and follow not the way of the Mufsideen mischi ef makers).”

And when Moses came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said: “0 my Lord! Show me (yourself), that I may look upon You.”

Allah said: “You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me.” So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Moses fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: “Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers.”

(Allah) said: “0 Moses, I have chosen you above men by My Messages, and by My speaking (to you). So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.”

And We wrote for him on the Tablets the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things (and said): “Hold unto these with firmness, and enjoin your people to take the better therein, I shall show you the home of AlFasiqeen (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah). I shall turn away from My Ayat (verses of the Qur’an) those who behave arrogantly on the earth, in a wrongful manner, and (even) if they see all the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will not believe in them. And if they see the way of righteousness (monotheism, piety, and good deeds), they will not adopt it as the Way, but if they see the way of error (polytheism, crimes and evil deeds), they will adopt that way, that is because they have rejected Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and were heedless (to learn a lesson) from them. Those who deny Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and the Meeting in the Hereafter (Day of Resurrection), vain are their deeds. Do they expcet to be rewarded with anything except what they used to do?” Surah 7: 142-147

The Ten Commandments

Earlier scholars said that The Ten Commandments of the Torah are included in two verses of the Qur’an. Say: “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty – We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to shameful sins (illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand. And come not near to the orphan’s property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength; and give full measure and full weight with justice. We burden not any person but that which he can bear. And whenever you give your word (i.e. judge between men or give evidence, etc.), say the truth even if a near relative is concerned, and fulfill the Covenant of Allah. This He commands you, that you may remember.” Surah 6: 151-152

 

The Story of Golden Calf

Moses’s People Turn to Idolatry

Moses had been gone for forty days and his people were becoming restless, for they did not know that Allah had extended his time by a further ten days. Samiri, a man who was inclined towards evil, suggested that they find themselves another guide, as Moses had broken his promise. He said to them: “In order to find true guidance, you need a god, and I shall provide one for you.”

So he collected all their gold jewelry, dug a hole in which he placed the lot, and lit a huge fire to melt it down. During the casting, he threw a handful of dust, making actions like a magician’s to impress the ignorant. From the molten metal he fashioned a golden calf. It was hollow, and the wind passing through it produced a sound. Since superstition was imbedded in their past, they quickly linked the strange sound to something supernatural, as if it were a living god. Some of them accepted the golden calf as their god.

Aaron Tries to Reason with the Idolaters

Moses’s brother Aaron , who acted as their leader in Moses’s absence, was grieved and spoke up: “0 my people! You have been deceived. Your Lord is the Most Beneficent. Follow and obey me.”

They replied: “We shall stop worshipping this god only if Moses returns.”

Those who had remained steadfast in belief separated themselves from the pagans.

Moses Sees the Idolaters

On his return Moses saw his people singing and dancing around the calf statue. Furious at their paganistic ritual, he flung down the Tablet of the Law he was carrying for them.

He tugged Aaron’s beard and hair, crying: “What held you back when you saw them going astray? Why did you not fight this corruption?”

Aaron replied: “0 son of my mother, let go of my beard! The fold considered me weak and were about to kill me. So make not the enemies rejoice over me, nor put me among the people who are wrong-doers.”

Moses’s anger began to subside when he understood Aaron’s helplessness, and he began to handle the situation calmly and wisely.

Moses People Turn to Idolatry – Qur’anic

Almighty Allah narrated: They said: “We broke not the promise to you, of our own will, but we were made to carry the weight of the ornaments of the (Pharaoh’s) people, then we cast them (into the fire), and that was what As-Samiri suggested.”

Then he took out (of the fire) for them a statue of a calf which seemed to low. They said: “This is your ilah (god), and the ilah (god) of Moses, but (Moses) has forgotten (his god).”

Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?

And Aaron indeed had said to them beforehand: “0 my people! You are being tried in this, and verily, your Lord is (Allah) the Most Beneficent, so follow me and obey my order.”

They said: “We will not stop worshipping it (i.e. the calf), until Moses returns to us.” Surah 20: 87-91

The Conversation Between Allah and Moses – Qur’anic

Allah the Exalted revealed some of the dialogue that took place between Him and Moses on Mount Sinai: “And what made you hasten from your people, 0 Moses?”

He said: “They are close on my footsteps, and I hastened to You, 0 my Lord, that You might be pleased.”

(Allah) said: “Verily! We have tried your people in your absence, and As-Samiri has led them astray.”

Then Moses returned to his people in a state of anger and sorrow. He said: “0 my people! Did not your Lord promise you a fair promise? Did then the promise seem to you long in coming? Or did you desire that Wrath should descend from your Lord on you, so you broke your promise to me (i.e. disbelieving in Allah and worshiping the calf)?” Surah 20: 83-86

Moses Sees the Idolaters – Qur’anic

Allah the Exalted revealed what happened further on Moses’s return. (Moses) said: “0 Aaron! What stopped you when you saw them going astray, that you followed me not (according to my advice to you)? Have you then disobeyed my order?”

He (Aaron) said: “0 son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: ‘You have caused a division among the children of Israel, and you have not respected my word!’”

(Moses) said: “And what is the matter with you, 0 Samiri? (i.e. why did you do so?)”

(Samiri) said: “I saw what you saw not, so I took a handful (of dust) from the hoofprint of the Messenger (Gabriel’s horse) and threw it (into the fire in which were put the ornaments of the Pharaoh’s people, or into the calf). Thus my inner-self suggested to me.”

Moses said: “Then go away! And verily, your (punishment) in this life will be that you will say. Touch me not’ (i.e. you will live alone exiled away from mankind); and verily (for a future torment), you have a promise that will not fail. And look at your ilah (god), to which you have been devoted. We will certainly burn it, and scatter its particles in the sea.” Surah 20: 83-98

The Idolaters’ Punishment

However, the punishment which was imposed upon the calf worshipers was severe: death. And (remember) when Moses said to his people: “0 my people! Verily, you have wronged yourselves by worshipping the calf. So turn in repentance to your Creator and kill yourselves (the innocent kill the wrong-doers among you), that will be better for you in the Sight of your Creator.” Then He accepted your repentance. Truly, He is the One Who accpets repentance, the Most Merciful. Surah 2: 54

Therefore, the crime of worshipping the calf did not pass unpunished. Moses commanded the elite of the children of Israel to pray to Allah for forgiveness and demonstrate their repentance. He chose seventy men out of them and ordered them: “Rush towards Allah and repent for what you did and ask His forgiveness for what you left.”

Moses’s People Demand to See Allah

Moses returned to Mount Sinai with the seventy elders and there he communicated with Allah. The elders heard Moses speaking with his Lord. (Allah spoke to Moses directly.) This was, perhaps, the last miracle that they would see, and it was hoped that it would be sufficient enough to convey the religion to their hearts forever. However, the seventy elite who heard the miracle were dissatisfied. They said to Moses: “0 Moses! We shall never believe in you till we see Allah plainly. ” Surah 2: 35

This was truly a tragedy that amazes one. It was a tragedy that indicated those who were hard-hearted and who continued to hold onto sensual and material concerns. Their stubborn demand was rewarded with punishing lightning bolts and a violent quaking that stupefied their souls and bodies at once, leaving them dead.

Moses Prays for His People

Moses knew what had happened to the seventy elite and was filled with sorrow. He prayed to his Lord, entreating Him to forgive them, for they were fools. Foolishness is only expiated by death. Allah forgave the elders and revived them after their death. Allah the Exalted declared: And Moses chose out of his people seventy (of the best) men for Our appointed time and place of meeting, and when they were seized with a violent earthquake, he said: “0 my Lord, if it had been Your Will, You could have destroyed them and me before; would You destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones among us? It is only Your Trial by which You lead astray whom You will, and keep guided whom You will. You are our Wali (Protector), so forgive us and have Mercy on us, for You are the Best of Those who forgive. And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. Certainly we have turned unto You.”

He said: (As to) My Punishment I afflict therewith whom I will and My Mercy embraces all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqun and give Zakat; and those who believe in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.); Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel, (See Deut. 18:18; Psl. 118:22-23; Isa. 42:1-13; Hab. 3:3-4; Matt. 21:42.43; Jn. 14:16-17. 26.28; 16:7-14.) – he commands them for Al-Maruf (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibat (all i.e. good and lawful) as regards things, deeds beliefs, persons, food, etc. and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabaith (all i.e. evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, food, etc.), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allah’s Covenant), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who-believe in him (Muhammad), honor him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur’an) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful. Surah 7: 155-157

 

The Story of the Israelites and the Cow

The Pious Man and His Son

Moses stayed among his people calling them to Allah. It seems their souls were uneasy in a way that the observant eye could not mistake. Their obstinacy and chattering about what has become known as “The Story of the Cow” was unwarranted. This topic did not need so many negotiations between Moses and the people, nor did it need all their bias.

It was said that among the children of Israel there lived a pious man. He was poor but very careful about how he earned his living; it had to be honestly earned. Everything that he did was done for the sake of Allah, never for selfish gain. On his deathbed his last words were: “0 Allah, I place my wife, my little son, and my only possession, a calf, in Your care.” Strangely, he asked his wife to lead the calf to the forest and leave it there. He did this because he did not trust the children of Israel, for they were a selfish and greedy folk.

After a few years when the boy had grown up, his mother told him: ‘Your father has left you a calf in the trust of Allah. It must have grown into a cow by now.” The son was surprised. He did not know of any calf all these years and asked his mother where it was. She replied: “Be like your father and say: ‘I trust in Allah,’ then go look for it.”

With a rope in his hand, he went to the forest and prostrated himself before Allah: “0 Allah, Lord of Abraham and Jacob and Job, return to me my father’s trust.” As he raised his head, he saw a cow coming towards him. It stopped submissively beside him. He tied the rope around its neck and led it to his house. The cow would not allow anyone else come near it except the young man.

The youth was as pious as his father. He earned his living by cutting wood. Whatever he earned he divided into three equal portions: one he gave to his mother, one he used for his needs, and the last he gave as charity. His nights, too, were divided into three parts: during the early part of the night he helped his mother, the middle part he devoted to the worship of Allah, and during the last part he rested.

The People Ask Questions About a Cow

About this time a wealthy man died, leaving behind an only son, who inherited his father’s wealth. His cousins envied his good fortune and secretly killed him so that they could inherit it.

The dead boy’s other relatives came to the Prophet Moses and asked his help in tracing the boy’s murderer. Moses instructed them to slaughter a cow, remove its tongue and place it on the corpse. This would reveal the murderer, he told them. They accused Moses of joking. He replied: “Allah forbid that I be foolish!” They questioned him about the type of cow they should slaughter, and he said: “This cow is neither young nor mature, but in between the two conditions, so do as you have been commanded.”

Instead of following his direction, they asked him more questions. “What color must it be?”

He replied: “Verily, it is yellow in color.”

They still were not satisfied with his answer and asked for more details. Moses replied: “It is an unyoked cow; it does not plow the soil nor water the tilth, and is entirely without marks.”

Musa / Moses Alayhi Salam peace on him

Bismillaah

The following is a couple of the most authentic hadith (traditions) on the prophet Musa: by a reknown Islamic Scholar by the name of Bukhari. Volume 4, Book 55, Number 613:

Narrated Said bin Jubair:

I said to Ibn Abbas, “Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses.” Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Allah’s enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka’b told us that the Prophet said, ‘Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, ‘I.’ Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, ‘Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.’ Moses said, ‘O my Lord! How can I meet him?’ Allah said, ‘Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish.’ Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yusha ‘bin Nun, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), ‘Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.’ Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, ‘Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.’ So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, ‘That was what we were seeking after.’ So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, ‘How do people greet each other in your land?’ Moses said, ‘I am Moses.’ The man asked, ‘Moses of Bani Israel?’ Moses said, ‘Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.’ He said, ‘O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.’ Moses asked, ‘May I follow you?’ He said, ‘But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?’ (Moses said, ‘You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.’) So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, ‘O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah’s Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.’ Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, ‘What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you I have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.’ Al-Khadir replied, ‘Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?’ Moses replied, ‘Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.’ So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys.

Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, “Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing.” Al-Khadir said, “Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?’ Moses said “If I ask you about anything after this, don’t accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.’ Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, “These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it.” Al-Khadir said, “This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient.” The Prophet added, “We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet said, “May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.”)

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 613:

Narrated Said bin Jubair:

I said to Ibn Abbas, “Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses.” Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Allah’s enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka’b told us that the Prophet said, ‘Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, ‘I.’ Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, ‘Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.’ Moses said, ‘O my Lord! How can I meet him?’ Allah said, ‘Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish.’ Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yusha ‘bin Nun, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), ‘Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.’ Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, ‘Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.’ So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, ‘That was what we were seeking after.’ So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, ‘How do people greet each other in your land?’ Moses said, ‘I am Moses.’ The man asked, ‘Moses of Bani Israel?’ Moses said, ‘Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.’ He said, ‘O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.’ Moses asked, ‘May I follow you?’ He said, ‘But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?’ (Moses said, ‘You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.’) So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, ‘O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah’s Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.’ Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, ‘What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you I have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.’ Al-Khadir replied, ‘Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?’ Moses replied, ‘Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.’ So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys.

Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, “Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing.” Al-Khadir said, “Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?’ Moses said “If I ask you about anything after this, don’t accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.’ Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, “These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it.” Al-Khadir said, “This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient.” The Prophet added, “We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet said, “May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.”)

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 616:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “(The Prophet) Moses was a shy person and used to cover his body completely because of his extensive shyness. One of the children of Israel hurt him by saying, ‘He covers his body in this way only because of some defect in his skin, either leprosy or scrotal hernia, or he has some other defect.’ Allah wished to clear Moses of what they said about him, so one day while Moses was in seclusion, he took off his clothes and put them on a stone and started taking a bath. When he had finished the bath, he moved towards his clothes so as to take them, but the stone took his clothes and fled; Moses picked up his stick and ran after the stone saying, ‘O stone! Give me my garment!’ Till he reached a group of Bani Israel who saw him naked then, and found him the best of what Allah had created, and Allah cleared him of what they had accused him of. The stone stopped there and Moses took and put his garment on and started hitting the stone with his stick. By Allah, the stone still has some traces of the hitting, three, four or five marks. This was what Allah refers to in His Saying:–

“O you who believe! Be you not like those Who annoyed Moses, But Allah proved his innocence of that which they alleged, And he was honorable In Allah’s Sight.”

Quran Sura Al- Ahzab 33.69

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 619:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Angel of Death was sent to Moses when he came to Moses, Moses slapped him on the eye. The angel returned to his Lord and said, “You have sent me to a Slave who does not want to die.” Allah said, “Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life.” Moses said, “O Lord! What will happen after that?” Allah replied, “Then death.” Moses said, “Let it come now.” Moses then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw from it.” Abu Huraira added, “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 626:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Once while a Jew was selling something, he was offered a price that he was not pleased with. So, he said, “No, by Him Who gave Moses superiority over all human beings!” Hearing him, an Ansari man got up and slapped him on the face and said, “You say: By Him Who Gave Moses superiority over all human beings although the Prophet (Muhammad) is present amongst us!” The Jew went to the Prophet and said, “O Abu-l-Qasim! I am under the assurance and contract of security, so what right does so-and-so have to slap me?” The Prophet asked the other, “Why have you slapped”. He told him the whole story. The Prophet became angry, till anger appeared on his face, and said, “Don’t give superiority to any prophet amongst Allah’s Prophets, for when the trumpet will be blown, everyone on the earth and in the heavens will become unconscious except those whom Allah will exempt. The trumpet will be blown for the second time and I will be the first to be resurrected to see Moses holding Allah’s Throne. I will not know whether the unconsciousness which Moses received on the Day of Tur has been sufficient for him, or has he got up before me. And I do not say that there is anybody who is better than Yunus bin Matta.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 621:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam. ‘You are Adam whose mistake expelled you from Paradise.’ Adam said to him, ‘You are Moses whom Allah selected as His Messenger and as the one to whom He spoke directly; yet you blame me for a thing which had already been written in my fate before my creation?”‘ Allah’s Apostle said twice, “So, Adam overpowered Moses.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 622:

Narrated Ibn Abbas:

The Prophet once came to us and said, “All the nations were displayed in front of me, and I saw a large multitude of people covering the horizon. Somebody said, ‘This is Moses and his followers.’ ”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 626:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Once while a Jew was selling something, he was offered a price that he was not pleased with. So, he said, “No, by Him Who gave Moses superiority over all human beings!” Hearing him, an Ansari man got up and slapped him on the face and said, “You say: By Him Who Gave Moses superiority over all human beings although the Prophet (Muhammad) is present amongst us!” The Jew went to the Prophet and said, “O Abu-l-Qasim! I am under the assurance and contract of security, so what right does so-and-so have to slap me?” The Prophet asked the other, “Why have you slapped”. He told him the whole story. The Prophet became angry, till anger appeared on his face, and said, “Don’t give superiority to any prophet amongst Allah’s Prophets, for when the trumpet will be blown, everyone on the earth and in the heavens will become unconscious except those whom Allah will exempt. The trumpet will be blown for the second time and I will be the first to be resurrected to see Moses holding Allah’s Throne. I will not know whether the unconsciousness which Moses received on the Day of Tur has been sufficient for him, or has he got up before me. And I do not say that there is anybody who is better than Yunus bin Matta.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 647:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “I met Moses on the night of my Ascension to heaven.” The Prophet then described him saying, as I think, “He was a tall person with lank hair as if he belonged to the people of the tribe of Shanu’s.’ The Prophet further said, “I met Jesus.” The Prophet described him saying, “He was one of moderate height and was red-faced as if he had just come out of a bathroom. I saw Abraham whom I resembled more than any of his children did.” The Prophet further said, “(That night) I was given two cups; one full of milk and the other full of wine. I was asked to take either of them which I liked, and I took the milk and drank it. On that it was said to me, ‘You have taken the right path (religion). If you had taken the wine, your (Muslim) nation would have gone astray.”

Volume 1, Book 3, Number 74:

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:

That he differed with Hur bin Qais bin Hisn Al-Fazari regarding the companion of (the Prophet) Moses. Ibn ‘Abbas said that he was Khadir. Meanwhile, Ubai bin Ka’b passed by them and Ibn ‘Abbas called him, saying “My friend (Hur) and I have differed regarding Moses’ companion whom Moses, asked the way to meet. Have you heard the Prophet mentioning something about him? He said, “Yes. I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “While Moses was sitting in the company of some Israelites, a man came and asked him. “Do you know anyone who is more learned than you? Moses replied: “No.” So Allah sent the Divine Inspiration to Moses: ‘Yes, Our slave Khadir (is more learned than you.)’ Moses asked (Allah) how to meet him (Khadir). So Allah made the fish as a sign for him and he was told that when the fish was lost, he should return (to the place where he had lost it) and there he would meet him (Al-Khadir). So Moses went on looking for the sign of the fish in the sea.

The servant-boy of Moses said to him: Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish, none but Satan made me forget to remember it. On that Moses said: ‘That is what we have been seeking?

Quran Sura Al Kahf 18.64

So they went back retracing their foot-steps, and found Khadir. (And) what happened further to them is narrated in the Holy Qur’an by Allah.

Quran Sura Al Kahf 18.54 up to 18.82

Volume 1, Book 3, Number 124:

Narrated Ubai bin Ka’b:

The Prophet said, “Once the Prophet Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked, “Who is the most learned man amongst the people. He said, “I am the most learned.” Allah admonished Moses as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So Allah inspired to him “At the junction of the two seas there is a slave amongst my slaves who is more learned than you.” Moses said, “O my Lord! How can I meet him?” Allah said: Take a fish in a large basket (and proceed) and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish. So Moses set out along with his (servant) boy, Yusha’ bin Nuin and carried a fish in a large basket till they reached a rock, where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down) and slept. The fish came out of the basket and it took its way into the sea as in a tunnel. So it was an amazing thing for both Moses and his (servant) boy. They proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. When the day broke, Moses said to his (servant) boy: “Bring us our early meal. No doubt, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey.” Moses did not get tired till he passed the place about which he was told. There the (servant) boy told Moses, “Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the rock, I indeed forgot the fish.” Moses remarked, “That is what we have been seeking. So they went back retracing their foot-steps, till they reached the rock. There they saw a man covered with a garment (or covering himself with his own garment). Moses greeted him. Al-Khadir replied saying, “How do people greet each other in your land?” Moses said, “I am Moses.” He asked, “The Moses of Bani Israel?” Moses replied in the affirmative and added, “May I follow you so that you teach me of that knowledge which you have been taught.” Al-Khadir replied, “Verily! You will not be able to remain patient with me, O Moses! I have some of the knowledge of Allah which He has taught me and which you do not know, while you have some knowledge which Allah has taught you which I do not know.” Moses said, “Allah willing, you will find me patient and I will not disobey you in aught. So both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, as they did not have a boat. In the meantime a boat passed by them and they requested the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and took them on board without fare. Then a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice in the sea. Al-Khadir said: “O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah’s knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.” Al-Khadir went to one of the planks of the boat and plucked it out. Moses said, “These people gave us a free lift but you have broken their boat and scuttled it so as to drown its people.” Al-Khadir replied, “Didn’t I tell you that you will not be able to remain patient with me.” Moses said, “Call me not to account for what I forgot.” The first (excuse) of Moses was that he had forgotten. Then they proceeded further and found a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boy’s head from the top and plucked it out with his hands (i.e. killed him). Moses said, “Have you killed an innocent soul who has killed none.” Al-Kha,dir replied, “Did I not tell you that you cannot remain patient with me?” Then they both proceeded till when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found there a wall on the point of collapsing. Al-Khadir repaired it with his own hands. Moses said, “If you had wished, surely you could have taken wages for it.” Al-Khadir replied, “This is the parting between you and me.” The Prophet added, “May Allah be Merciful to Moses! Would that he could have been more patient to learn more about his story with Al-Khadir. ”

Nabi Isa/Eesa/Jesus (May Allaah exalt his mention)

Bismillaah

By: Ahmad Deedat

“…And nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say: ‘We are Christians’: because among these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world. And they are not arrogant.” (The Holy Qur’ân 5:82)

Isa/Jesus peace be upon him - His Status

“We Muslims believe, that Isa/Eesa/Jesus peace be upon him,  was one of the mightiest messengers of God that he was the Christ, that he was born miraculously without any male intervention (which many modern-day Christians do not believe today), that he gave life to the dead by God’s permission and that he healed those born blind and the lepers by god’s permission. In fact, no Muslim is a Muslim if he or she does not believe in Isa/Jesus peace be upon him !”

Pleasant Surprise

Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been pleasantly, but skeptically, surprised. They might have not believed their ears. They must have surmised that the Muslims were playing to the gallery – that they were trying to curry favor with their fellow Christian countrymen; that if the Muslims would say a few good words about Isa/Jesus peace be upon him , then in reciprocation the Christians might say a few good words about Muhammed (may the peace and the blessings of God be upon all His righteous servants, Moses, Jesus, Muhammed…etc.); that I scratch your back and you scratch my back – which would be a sham or hypocrisy.

Hate Cultivated

We cannot blame the Christians for their skepticism. They have been so learned for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of the man Muhammed, (salla Allah u alihi wa sallam), and his religion. How aptly did Thomas Carlyle say about his Christian brethren over a hundred and fifty years ag “The lies which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammed) are disgraceful to ourselves only.” We Muslims are partly responsible for this. We have not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.

Ocean of Christianity

South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the highest percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then the Republic of South Africa would also be entitled to boast the highest percentage of Christians. In this ocean of Christianity the R.S.A. – the Muslims are barely 2% of the total population. We are a vote less minority – numerically, we count for nothing; politically, we count for nothing; and economically, one white man, as Oppenheimer, could buy out the whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel.

So if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no! We must proclaim our Master’s Will; we must declare the Truth, whether we liked it or not. In the words of Jesus: “Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).             

Chapter Two: Isa/Jesus peace be upon him  in the Qur’ân

Christians Unaware

The Christian does not know that the true spirit of charity which the Muslim displays, always, towards Jesus and his mother Mary spring from the fountainhead of his faith – the Holy Qur’ân. He does not know that the Muslim does not take the holy name of Jesus, in his own language, without saying Eesa, alaihi assalam (“Jesus, peace be upon him”)

The Christian does not know that in the Holy Qur’ân Jesus is mentioned twenty five times. For example:

“We gave Isa/Jesus , the son of Mary, clear signs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit” (The Holy Qur’ân 2:87)

“O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary…” (3:45)

“…Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of god…” (4:171)

“…And in their foot steps we sent Jesus the son of Mary…” (5:46)

“And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous.” (6:85)

Jesus – His Titles

Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the Holy Qur’ân, he is also addressed with respect as: Ibn Maryam, meaning “The son of Mary”; and as the Maseeh (in Hebrew it is the Messiah), which is translated as “Christ”. He is also known as Abdullah, “The servant of Allah”; and as Rasul u Allah, the messenger of Allah.

He is spoken of as “The Word of God”, as “The Spirit of God”, as a “Sign of God”, and numerous other epithets of honor spread over fifteen different chapters. The Holy Quran honors this mighty messenger of God, and the Muslims have not fallen short over the past fourteen hundred years in doing the same. There is not a single disparaging remark in the entire Quran to which even the most jaundiced among the Christians can take exception.

Eesa Latinised to “Jesus”

The Holy Qur’ân refers to Jesus as Eesa, and this name is used more times than any other title, because this was his “Christian” name. Actually, his proper name was Eesa (Arabic), or Esau (Hebrew); classical Yeheshua, which the Christian nations of the West latinised as Jesus. Neither the “J” nor the second “s” in the name Jesus is to be found in the original tongue – they are not found in the Semitic languages.

The word is very simply “E S A U” a very common Jewish name, used more than sixty times in the very first booklet alone of the Bible, in the part called “Genesis”. There was at least one “Jesus” sitting on the “bench” at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions some twenty five Jesus’ in his “Book of Antiquities”. The New Testament speaks of “Bar-Jesus” a magician and a sorcerer, a false prophet (Acts 13:6); and also “Jesus-Justus” a Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians 4:11). These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary. Transforming “Esau” to (J)esu(s) – Jesus – makes it unique. This unique (?) name has gone out of currency among the Jews and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among the Jews, because it came to be a name of ill – repute, the name of one who blasphemed in Jewry; and among the Christians because it came to be the proper name of their God. The Muslim will not hesitate to name his son Eesa because it is an honored name, the name of a righteous servant of the Lord.

Chapter Three: Mother And Son

Mary Honored

The birth of Jesus Christ is described in two places of the Qur’ân – chapter 3 and chapter 19. Reading from the beginning of his birth, we come across the story of Mary, and the esteemed position which she occupies in the House of Islam, before the actual annunciation of the birth of Jesus is given:

“‘Behold’! the angels said: ‘O Mary! God hath chosen thee and purified thee, and chosen thee above the women of all nations” (3:42)

“Chosen thee above the women of all nations.” Such an honor is not to be found given to Mary even in the Christian Bible! The verse continues:

“O Mary! Worship thy Lord devoutly: prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down.” (3:43)

Divine Revelation

What is the source of this beautiful and sublime recitation which, in its original Arabic, moves men to ecstasy and tears? Verse 44 below explains:

“This is part of the tidings, of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O Muhammad!) by inspiration: Thou wasn’t not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary: nor wasn’t thou with them when they disputed (the point).” (3:44)

Mary’s Birth

The story is that the maternal grandmother of Jesus, Hannah, had hitherto been barren. She poured out her heart to God: If only God will grant her a child, she would surely dedicate such a child for the service of God in the temple.

God granted her prayer and Mary was born. Hannah was disappointed. She was yearning for a son, but instead she delivered a daughter; and in no way is the female like the male, for what she had in mind. What was she to do? She had made a vow to God. She waited for Mary to be big enough to fend for herself.

When the time came, Hannah took her darling daughter to the temple, to hand over for temple services. Every priest wanted to be the god-father of this child. They cast lots with arrows for her – like the tossing of the coin – head or tail?
Eventually she fell to the lot of Zakariya, but not without a dispute.

The Source of His Message

This was the story. But where did Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, get this knowledge from? He was an Ummi, Arabic for “unlettered”. He did not low how to read or write. He is made by God Almighty to answer this very question in the verse above, by saying that it was all by divine inspiration. “No!”, says the controversialist. “This is Mohammed’s own concoction. He copied his revelations from the Jews and Christians. He plagiarized it. He forged it.”

Knowing full-well, and believing as we do, that the whole Qur’ân is the veritable Word of God, we will nevertheless agree, for the sake of argument, with the enemies of Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, for a moment, that he wrote it. We can now expect some cooperation from the unbelievers.

Ask him: “Have you any qualms in agreeing that Muhammed was an Arab?” Only an ignorant will hesitate to agree. In that case there is no sense in pursuing any discussion. Cut short the talk. Close the book!

With the man of reason, we proceed. “That this Arab, in the first instance, was addressing other Arabs. He was not talking to Indian Muslims, Chinese Muslims, or Nigerian Muslims. He was addressing his own people, the Arabs. Whether they agreed with him or not, he told them in the most sublime form, words that were seared into the hearts and minds of his listeners that Mary the mother of Jesus, a Jewess, was chosen above the women of all nations. Not his own mother, nor his wife nor his daughter, nor any other Arab woman, but a Jewess! Can one explain this? Because to everyone his own mother or wife, or daughters would come before other women.

Why would the prophet of Islam honor a woman from his opposition! and a Jewess at that! belonging to a race which had been looking down upon his people for three thousand years? Just as they still look down upon their Arab brethren today.”

Sarah and Hagar

The Jews learn, from the Bible, that their father, Abraham, had two wives Sarah and Hagar. They say that they are the children of Abraham through Sarah his legitimate wife; that their Arab brethren have descended through Hagar, a “bondwoman”, and that as such, the Arabs are an inferior breed.

Will anyone please explain the anomaly as to why Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, if he is the author, chose this Jewess for such high honor? The answer is simple, he had no choice he had no right to speak of his own desire. “It is no less than an inspiration sent down to him.” (53:4)

The Chapter of Maryam

There is a Chapter in the Holy Qur’ân, named Surat u Maryam “Chapter Mary”, named in honor of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him; again, such an honor is not to be found given to Mary in the Christian Bible. Out of the 66 books of the Protestants and 73 of the Roman Catholics, not one is named after Mary or her son. You will find books named after Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and two score more obscure names, but not a single one is that of Mary!

If Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, was the author of the Holy Qur’ân, then he would not have failed to include in it with Mary, the mother of Jesus, his own mother Aamina, his dear wife Khadija, or his beloved daughter Fatimah. But No! No! This can never be. The Qur’ân is not his handiwork!.

Chapter Four: The Good News

” ‘Behold!’ the angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him: his name will be Jesus, the son of Mary; held in honor in this world and the hereafter; and (of the company of) those nearest to Allah.” (3:45)

“Nearest to God,” not physically nor geographically, but spiritually. Compare this with “And (Jesus) sat on the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19). The bulk of Christendom has misunderstood this verse as well as many others in the Bible. They imagine the Father (God) sitting on a throne, a glorified chair, and His Son, Jesus, sitting on His right hand side. Can you conjure up the picture? If you do, you have strayed from the true knowledge of God. He is no old Father Christmas. He is beyond the imagination of the mind of man. He exists. He is real, but He is not like anything we can think of, or imagine.

In eastern languages “right hand” meant a place of honor, which the Holy Qur’ân more fittingly describes as “In the company of those nearest to Allah.” The above verse confirms that Jesus is the Christ. and that he is the Word which God bestowed upon Mary. Again, the Christian reads into these words, a meaning which they do not carry. They equate the word “Christ” with the idea of a god-incarnate; and the “Word” of God to be God.

“Christ” Not a Name

The word “Christ” is derived from the Hebrew word Messiah, Arabic Maseeh. Root word masaha, meaning “to rub”, “to massage”, “to anoint”. Priests and kings were anointed when being consecrated to their offices. But in its translated Grecian form, “Christ” seems unique: befitting Jesus only.

Christians like to translate names into their own language; like Cephas to “Peter” , Messiah to “Christ”. How do they do that? Very easily. Messiah in Hebrew means “Anointed”. The Greek word for anointed is Christos. Just lop off the ‘os’ from Christos, and you are left with “Christ”; a unique name!

Christos means “Anointed”, and anointed means appointed in its religious connotation. Jesus, peace and blessing be upon him, was appointed (anointed) at his baptism by John the Baptist, as God’s Messenger. Every prophet of God is so anointed or appointed. The Holy Bible is replete with the “anointed” ones. In the original Hebrew, he was made a Messiah. Let us keep to the English translation “anointed.”

Not only were prophets and priests and kings anointed (Christos-ed), but horns, and cherubs and lamp-posts also.

“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar …” (Genesis 31:13)

“If the priest that is anointed do sin …” (Leviticus 4:3)

“And Moses… anointed the tabernacle and all things that was therein…” (Leviticus 8:100)

“..the Lord shall…exalt the horn of his anointed” (I Samuel 2:10)

“Thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus…” (Isaiah 45:1)

“Thou art the anointed cherub…” (Ezekiel 28:14)

There are an hundred more such references in the Holy Bible. Every time you come across the word “anointed” in your Bible, you can take it that that word would be christos in the Greek translations, and if you take the same liberty with the word that the Christians have done, you will have Christ Cherub, Christ Cyrus, Christ Priest and Christ Pillar, …etc.

Some Titles Exclusive

Although, every prophet of God is an anointed one of God, a Messiah, the title Maseeh or Messiah, or its translation “Christ” is exclusively reserved for Jesus, the son of Mary, in both Islam and in Christianity. This is not unusual in religion. There are certain other honorific titles which may be applied to more than one prophet, yet being made exclusive to one by usage: like “Rasulullaah”, meaning “Messenger of God”, which title is applied to both Moses (19:51) and Jesus (61:6) in the Holy Qur’ân. Yet “Rasulullaah” has become synonymous only with Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, among Muslims.

Every prophet is indeed a “Friend of God”, but its Arabic equivalent “Khalillullaah” is exclusively associated with Father Abraham. This does not mean that the others are not God’s friends. “Kaleemullaah”, meaning “One who spoke with Allah” is never used for anyone other than Moses, yet we believe that God spoke with many of His messengers, including Jesus and Muhammed, may the peace and blessings of God be upon all His servants. Associating certain titles with certain personages only, does not make them exclusive or unique in any way. We honor all in varying terms.

Whilst the good news was being announced (verse 45 above) Mary was told that her unborn child will be called Jesus, that he would be the Christ, a “Word” from God, and that…

“He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.” (3:46)

“At length she brought the (babe) to her people carrying him. They said: ‘O Mary! truly a strange thing has thou brought!’. ‘O sister of Aaron!, thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!’ ” (The Holy Qur’ân 19:27-28)

Jews Amazed

There is no Joseph the carpenter here. The circumstances being peculiar, Mary the mother of Jesus had retired herself to some remote place in the East (19:16). After the birth of the child she returns.

A. Yusuf Ali, comments in his popular English translation of the Qur’ân:

“The amazement of the people knew no bounds. In any case they were prepared to think the worst of her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time. But now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms! How she had disgraced house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood!

“Sister of Aaron”: Mary is reminded of her high lineage and the unexceptionable morals of her father and mother. How, they said, she had fallen, and disgraced the name of her progenitors!

What could Mary do? How could she explain? Would they, in their censorious mood accept her explanation? All she could do was to point to the child, who, she knew, was no ordinary child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle he spoke, defended his mother, and preached to an unbelieving audience.”

Allah azza wa jall says in the Qur’ân:

“But she pointed to the babe. They said: ‘How can we talk one who is a child in the cradle?’ He (Jesus) said: ‘I am indeed a servant of Allah (God): He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet: ‘and He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live. ‘(He hath made me) kind to my mother, and not overbearing or unblest; ‘So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life again)’!” (19:29-33)

His First Miracle(s)

Thus Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, defended his mother from the grave calumny and innuendoes of her enemies. This is the very first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Holy Qur’ân that, he spoke as an infant from his mother’s arms. Contrast this with his first miracle in the Christian Bible, which occurred when he was over thirty years of age:

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, ‘Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.’ His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.” (John 2:110)

Since this miracle, wine has flowed like water in Christendom. Many reason that what was good for the Master is good enough for them. Jesus was no “kill-joy” they say. Didn’t he make good potent wine, that even those “well drunk”, those whose senses had been dulled could make out the difference? “That the best was kept for the last.”. This was no pure grape juice. It was the same wine that, according to the Christian Bible, enabled the daughters of Lot to seduce their father (Genesis 19:32-33). It was the same wine which the Christian is advised to eschew in Ephesians 5:18 – “And be not drunk with wine…”

It is that innocent (?) 1% potency that eventually leads millions down into the gutter. America has 10 million drunkards in the midst of 70 million “born-again” Christians! The Americans call their drunkards “Problem Drinkers”. In South Africa, they are called “Alcoholics”; drunkard is too strong a word for people to stomach.

But the Prime Minister of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. He says, “I am not prepared to lead nation of drunkards”, referring to his own people who drink intoxicants.

Whether the water “blushed” or not “seeing” Jesus, we cannot blame him or his disciples for the drinking habits of his contemporaries. For he had truly opined, “have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). Mankind had not reached the stage of receiving the whole Truth of Islam. Did he not also say “You cannot put new wine into old bottles”? (Matthew 9:17).

“Mother” or “Woman”?

According to St. John, in the fourth verse above, describing the marriage feast at Cana, we are told that Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, behaved insolently towards his mother. He calls her “woman,” and to rub more salt into the wound he is made to say “what have I to do with thee?” What connection is there between you and me, or what have I got to do with you? Could he have forgotten that this very “woman” had carried him for nine months, and perhaps suckled him for 2 years, and had borne endless insults and injuries on account of him? Is she not his mother? Is there no word in his language for “mother”?

Strange as it may seem, that while the missionaries boast about their master’s humility, meekness and long-suffering, they call him the “Prince of Peace” and they sing that “he was led to the slaughter like a lamb, and like a sheep who before his shearer is dumb, he opened not his mouth”, yet they proudly record in the same breath, that he was ever ready with invectives for the elders of his race, and was always itching for a showdown i.e. if their records are true:

“Ye hypocrites!”

“Ye wicked and adulterous generation!”

“Ye whited sephulcres!”

“Ye generation of vipers!”

and now to his mother: “Woman…”

Jesus Defended

Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, the Messenger of God, is made to absolve Jesus from the false charges and calumnies of his enemies.

“And He (God Almighty) hath made me (Jesus) kind to my mother, and not overbearing or unblest” (19:31).

On receiving the good news of the birth of a righteous son Mary responds:

“She said: ‘O My Lord! how shall I have a son, when no man hath touched me?”

The angel says in reply:

“He said: ‘Even s Allah (God) createth what He willeth: when He hath decreed a matter He but sayth o it ‘Be,’ and it is! And Allah (God) will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Torah (Law) and the Gospel,” (3:47-48).

Chapter Five : Qur’ânic and Biblical Versions

Meeting the Reverend

I was visiting the “Bible House” in Johannesburg. Whilst browsing through the stacks of Bibles and religious books, I picked up an Indonesian Bible and had just taken in hand a Greek – English New Testament, a large, expensive volume. I had not realized that I was being observed by the supervisor of the Bible House. Casually, he walked up to me. Perhaps my beard and my Muslim headgear were an attraction and a challenge? He inquired about my interest in that costly volume. I explained that as a student of comparative religion, I had need for such a book. He invited me to have tea with him in his office. It was very kind of him and I accepted.

Over the cup of tea, I explained to him the Muslim belief in Jesus, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. I explained to him the high position that Jesus occupied in the House of Islam. He seemed skeptical about what I said. I was amazed at his seeming ignorance, because only retired Reverend gentlemen can become Supervisors of Bible Houses in South Africa. I began reciting from verse 42 of chapters 3 of the Holy Qur’ân:

“‘Behold!’ The angels said: ‘O Mary, Allah hath chosen thee…’”

I wanted the Reverend to listen, not only to the meaning of the Qur’an, but also to the music of its cadences when the original Arabic was recited. Rev. Dunkers (for that was his name) sat back and listened with rapt attention to “Allah’s Words”.

When I reached the end of verse 49, the Reverend commented that the Qur’ânic message was like that of his own Bible. He said, he saw no difference between what he behaved as a Christian, and what I had read to him. I said: “that was true”. If he had come across these verses in the English language alone without their Arabic equivalent, side by side, he would not have been able to guess in a hundred years that he was reading the Holy Qur’ân. If he were a Protestant, he would have thought that he was reading the Roman Catholic Version, if he had not seen one, or the Jehovah’s Witness Version or the Greek Orthodox Version, or the hundred and one other versions that he might not have seen; but he would never have guessed that he was reading the Qur’ânic version.

The Christian would be reading here, in the Qur’ân, everything he wanted to hear about Jesus, but in a most noble, elevated and sublime language. He could not help being moved by it.

In these eight terse verses from 42 to 49 we are told:

(a) That Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virtuous woman, and honored above the women of all nations.
(b) That all that was being said was God’s own Revelation to mankind.
(c) That Jesus was the “Word” of God.
(d) That he was the Christ that the Jews were waiting for.
(e) That God will empower this Jesus to perform miracles even in infancy.
(f) That Jesus was born miraculously, without any male intervention.
(g) That God will vouchsafe him Revelation.
(h) That he will give life to the dead by God’s permission, and that he will heal those born blind and the lepers by God’s permission, … etc.

“Chalk and Cheese”

The most fervent Christian cannot take exception to a single statement or word here. But the difference between the Biblical and the Qur’ânic narratives is that between “chalk and cheese”. “To me they are identical, what is the difference?” the Reverend asked. I know that in their essentials both the stories agree in their details, but when we scrutinize them closely we will discover that the difference between them is staggering.

Now compare the miraculous conception as announced in verse 47 of the Holy Qur’ân with what the Holy Bible says:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, (as husband and wife) she was found with child of the holy ghost.”(Matthew 1:18)

Master Dramatizer

The eminent Billy Graham from the United States of America dramatized this verse in front of 40,000 people in King Park, Durban, with his index finger sticking out and swinging his outstretched arm from right to left, he said: “And the Holy Ghost came and impregnated Mary!” On the other hand St. Luke tells us the very same thing but less crudely. He says, that when the annunciation was made, Mary was perturbed. Her natural reaction was:

“How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34) meaning sexually.

The Qur’ânic narrative is:

“She said: O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” (3:47) Meaning sexually.

In essence there is no difference between these two statements “seeing I know not a man” and “when no man hath touched me”. Both the quotations have an identical meaning. It is simply a choice of different words meaning the same thing. But the respective replies to Mary’s plea in the two Books (the Quran and the Bible) are revealing.

The Biblical Version

Says the Bible:

“And the angle answered and said into her: ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee” (Luke 1:35)

Can’t you see that you are giving the atheist, the skeptic, the agnostic a stick to beat you with? They may well ask “How did the Holy Ghost come upon Mary?” “How did the Highest overshadow her?” We know that literally it does not mean that: that it was an immaculate conception, but the language used here, is distasteful. Now contrast this with the language of the Qur’ân:

The Qur’ânic Version

“He said (the angel says in reply): ‘Even s Allah (God) createth what He willeth: when He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and it is!’ ” (3:47)

This is the Muslim concept of the birth of Jesus. For God to create a Jesus, without a human father, He merely has to will it. If He wants to create a million Jesus’ without fathers or mothers, He merely wills them into existence. He does not have to take seeds and transfer them, like men or animals by contact or artificial insemination . He wills everything into being by His word of command “Be” and “It is”.

There is nothing new in what I am telling you, I reminded the Reverend. It is in the very first Book of your Holy Bible, Genesis 1:3 “And God said…” What did He say? He said “Be” and “It was”. He did not have to articulate the words. This is our way of understanding the word “Be”, that He willed everything into being.

Choice for His Daughter

“Between these two versions of the birth of Jesus, the Qur’ânic version and the Biblical version, which would you prefer to give your daughter?” I asked the supervisor of the Bible House. He bowed his head down in humility and admitted “The Qur’ânic Version.”

How can “a forgery” or “an imitation”, as it is alleged of the Qur’ân, be better than the genuine, the original, as it is claimed for the Bible? It can never be, unless this Revelation to Muhammed is what it, itself, claims to be viz. The pure and holy Word of God! There are a hundred different tests that the unprejudiced seeker after truth can apply to the Holy Qur’ân and it will qualify with flying colors to being a Message from on High.

Like Adam

Does the miraculous birth of Jesus make him a God or a “begotten” Son of God? No! says the Holy Qur’ân:

“The similitude of Jesus before Allah (God) is that of Adam; He created him from dust then said to him: ‘Be’, and he was.” (3:59)

Yusuf Ali, comments in his notes in the Qur’ân translation:

“After a description of the high position which Jesus occupies as a prophet in the preceding verses we have a repudiation of the dogma that he was God, or the son of God, or any thing more than man. If it is said that he was born without a human father, Adam was also so born. Indeed Adam was born without either a human father or mother. As far as our physical bodies are concerned they are mere dust.

In God’s sight Jesus was as dust just as Adam was or humanity is. The greatness of Jesus arose from the divine command ‘Be’: for after that he was more than dust a great spiritual leader and teacher”

The logic of it is that, if being born without a male parent entitles Jesus to being equated with God, then, Adam would have a greater right to such honor, and this no Christian would readily concede. Thus, the Muslim is made to repudiate the Christian blasphemy.

Further, if the Christian splits hairs by arguing that Adam was “created” from the dust of the ground, whereas Jesus was immaculately “begotten” in the womb of Mary, then let us remind him that, even according to his own false standards, there is yet another person greater than Jesus, in his own Bible . Who is this superman?

Paul’s Innovation

“For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God… Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life…” (Hebrews 7:1,3)

Here is a candidate for Divinity itself, for only God Almighty could possess these qualities. Adam had a beginning (in the garden), Jesus had a beginning (in the stable); Adam had an end and, claim the Christians, so had Jesus “and he gave up the ghost”. But where is Melchisedec? Perhaps he is hibernating somewhere like Rip Van Winkel (a fairy tale character who slept for many ages.)

And what is this “Hebrews”? It is the name of one of the Books of the Holy Bible, authored by the gallant St. Paul, the self appointed thirteenth apostle of Christ. Jesus had twelve apostles, but one of them (Judas) had the Devil in him. So the vacancy had to be filled, because of the “twelve” thrones in heaven, which had to be occupied by his disciples to judge the children of Israel (Luke 22:30).

Saul was a renegade Jew, and the Christians changed his name to “Paul”, probably because “Saul” sounds Jewish. This St. Paul made such a fine mess of the teachings of Jesus, peace blessings be upon him, that he earned for himself the second most coveted position of “The Most Influential Men of History” in the monumental work of Michael H. Hart: The 100 or The Top Hundred or the Greatest Hundred in History. Paul outclasses even Jesus because, according to Michael Hart, Paul was the real founder of present day Christianity. The honor of creating Christianity had to be shared between Paul and Jesus, and Paul won because he wrote more Books of the Bible than any other single author, whereas Jesus did not write a single word.

Paul needed no inspiration to write his hyperboles here and in the rest of his Epistles. Did not Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda Goebbels say: “The bigger the lie the more likely it is to be believed’? But the amazing thing about this exaggeration is that no Christian seems to have read it. Every learned man to whom I have shown this verse to, seemed to be seeing it for the first time. They appear dumbfounded, as described by the fitting words of Jesus:

“…seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13)

The Holy Qur’ân also contains a verse which fittingly describes this well cultivated sickness:

“Deaf, dumb and blind, will they not return (to the path).” (2:18)

The Sons of God

The Muslim takes strong exception to the Christian dogma that “Jesus is the only begotten son, begotten not made”. This is what the Christian is made to repeat from childhood in his catechism. I have asked learned Christians, again and again as to what they are really trying to emphasize, when they say: “Begotten not made”.

They know that according to their own God given (?) records, God has sons by the tons:

“…Adam, which was the son of God.”(Luke 3:38)

“That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair… And when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them…” (Genesis 6: 2,4)

“…Israel is My son, even My firstborn:” (Exodus 4:22)

“…for I (God) am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.” (Jeremiah 31:9)

“…the Lord hath said unto me (David): ‘Thou art My son: this day have I begotten thee.” (Psalms 2:7)

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 18:14)

Can’t you see that in the language of the Jew, every righteous person, every Tom, Dick and Harry who followed the Will and Plan of God, was a “Son of God”. It was a metaphorical descriptive term commonly used among the Jews. The Christian agrees with this reasoning, but goes on to say: “but Jesus was not like that”. Adam was made by God. Every living thing was made by God, He is the Lord, Cherisher and Sustainer of all. Metaphorically speaking therefore God is the Father of all. But Jesus was the “begotten” Son of God, not a created Son of God?

Begotten Means “Sired”!

In my forty years of practical experience in talking to learned Christians, not a single one has opened his mouth to hazard an explanation of the phrase “begotten not made”. It had to be an American who dared to explain. He said: “It means, sired by God.” “What!” I exploded: “Sired by God?” “No, no!” he said, “I am only trying to explain the meaning, I do not believe that God really sired a son.”

The sensible Christian says that the words do not literally mean what they say. Then why do you say it? Why are you creating unnecessary conflict between the 1,200,000,000 Christians and a thousand million Muslims of the world in making senseless statements?

Reason for Objection

The Muslim takes exception to the word “begotten”, because begetting is an animal act, belonging to the lower animal functions of sex. How can we attribute such a lowly capacity to God? Metaphorically we are all the children of God, the good and the bad, and Jesus would be closer to being the Son of God than any one of us, because he would be more faithful to God then any one of us can ever be. From that point of view he is preeminently the Son of God.

Although this pernicious word “begotten” has now unceremoniously been thrown out of the “Most Accurate” version of the Bible, the Revised Standard Version (R.S.V.), its ghost still lingers on in the Christian mind, both black and white. Through its insidious brainwashing the white man is made to feel superior to his black Christian brother of the same Church and Denomination. And in turn, the black man is given a permanent inferiority complex through this dogma.

Brain-washed Inferiority

The human mind can’t help reasoning that since the “begotten son” of an African will look like an African, and that of a Chinaman as a Chinese, and that of an Indian like an Indian: so the begotten son of God aught naturally to look like God. Billions of beautiful pictures and replicas of this “only begotten son of God” are put in peoples hands. He looks like a European with blonde hair, blue eyes and handsome features like e one I saw in the “King of Kings” or “The Day of Triumph” or “Jesus of Nazareth”. Remember Jeffrey Hunter? The “Savior” of the Christian is more like a German than a Jew with his polly nose. So naturally, if the son is a white man, the father would also be a white man (God?). Hence the darker skinned races of the earth subconsciously have the feeling of inferiorly ingrained in their souls as God’s “step children”. No amount of face creams, skin lighteners and hair strengtheners will erase the inferiority.

God is neither black nor white. He is beyond the imagination of the mind of man. Break the mental shackles of a Caucasian (white) man-god, and you have broken the shackles of a permanent inferiority. But intellectual bondages are harder to shatter: the slave himself fights to retain them.

Chapter Six: Answer to Christian Dilemmas

“Christ in Islam” is really Christ in the Qur’ân: and the Holy Qur’ân has something definite to say about every aberration of Christianity. The Qur’ân absolves Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, from all the false charges of his enemies as well as the misplaced infatuation of his followers. His enemies allege that he blasphemed against God by claiming Divinity. His misguided followers claim that he did avow Divinity, but that was not blasphemy because he was God. What does the Qur’ân say ?

Addressing both the Jews and the Christians, Allah says:

“O People of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah (God) aught but the truth. Christ Jesus son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah (God), and His Word, which he bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah (God) and His messengers…” (4:171)

Going to Extremes

“O People of the Book” is a very respectful title with which the Jews and the Christians are addressed in the Holy Qur’ân. In other words, Allah is saying “O Learned People!”, “O People with a Scripture!” According to their own boast, the Jews and the Christians prided themselves over the Arabs, who had no Scripture before the Qur’ân. As a learned people, Allah pulls up both the contending religionists for going to either extremes as regards the personality of Christ.

The Jews made certain insinuations about the legitimacy of Jesus and charged him of blasphemy by twisting his words. The Christians read other meanings into his words; wrench words out of their context to make him God.

The modern day Christian, the hot – gospeller, the Bible thumper, uses harsher words and cruder approaches to win over a convert to his blasphemies.

He says:

(a) “Either Jesus is God or a liar”
(b) “Either Jesus is God or a lunatic”
(c) “Either Jesus is God or an impostor”

These are his words, words culled from Christian literature. Since no man of charity, Muslim or otherwise, can condemn Christ so harshly as the Christian challenges him to do, perforce he must keep non-committal. He thinks he must make a choice between one or the other of these silly extremes. It does not occur to him that there is an alternative to this Christian conundrum.

Sensible Alternative

Is it not possible that Jesus is simply what he claimed to be, a prophet, like so many other prophets that passed away before him? Even that he is one of the greatest of them, a mighty miracle worker, a great spiritual teacher and guide – the Messiah!. Why only God or Lunatic? Is “lunacy” the opposite of “Divinity” in Christianity? What is the antonym of God? Will some clever Christian answer?

The Qur’ân lays bare the true position of Christ in a single verse, followed by a note by Yusuf Ali’s:

1. “That he was the son of a woman, Mary, and therefore a man;”
2. “But a messenger, a man with a mission from Allah (God), and therefore entitled to honor.”
3. “A Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by Allah’s word ‘Be’, and he was;”(3:59).
4. A spirit proceeding from Allah (God), but not Allah: his life and mission were more limited than in the case of some other messengers, though we must pay equal honor to him as a prophet of Allah. The doctrines of Trinity, equality with God, and sons, are repudiated as blasphemies. Allah (God) is independent of all needs and has no need of a son to manage His affairs. The Gospel of John (whoever wrote it) has put a great deal of Alexandrian Gnostic mysticism round the doctrine of the Word (Greek, Logos), but it is simply explained here.”

Jesus Questioned

Reproduced below are verses 119 to 121 from the Chapter of Maeda (chapter 5 of the Qur’ân) depicting the scene of Judgment Day, when Allah will question Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding the misdirected zeal of his supposed followers in worshipping him and his mother: and his response,

“And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah?’ He will say: ‘Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

‘Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.

‘If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servant: If Thou dost forgive them, Thou art the Exalted in power, the Wise.’” (5:116-118)

Claimed No Divinity

If this is the statement of truth from the All-Knowing, that “Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord’”, then how do the Christians justify worshipping Jesus?

There is not a single unequivocal statement throughout the Bible, in all its 66 volumes of the Protestant versions, or in the 73 volumes of the Roman Catholic versions, where Jesus claims to be God or where he says “worship me”. Nowhere does he say that he and God Almighty “are one” and “the same person.”

The last phrase above “one and the same person” tickles many a “hot-gospeller” and “Bible-thumper,” not excluding the Doctor of Divinity and the Professor of Theology. Even the new converts to Christianity have memorized these verses. They are programmed to rattle off verses out of context, upon which they can hang their faith. The words “are one” activates the mind by association of memories. “Yes”, say the Trinitarians, the worshippers of three gods in one God, and one God in three gods, “Jesus did claim to be God!” Where?

Reverend at the Table

I had taken Rev. Morris D.D. and his wife, to lunch at the “Golden Peacock.” While at the table, during the course of our mutual sharing of knowledge, the opportunity arose to ask, “Where?” And without a murmur he quoted, “I and my father are one” to imply that God and Jesus were one and the same person. That Jesus here claims to be God. The verse quoted was well known to me, but it was being quoted out of context. It did not carry the meaning that the Doctor was imagining, so I asked him, “What is the context?”

Choked on “Context”

The Reverend stopped eating and began staring at me. I said, “Why? Don’t you know the context?”, “You see, what you have quoted is the text, I want to know the context, the text that goes with it, before or after.” Here was an Englishman (Canadian), a paid servant of the Presbyterian Church, a Doctor of Divinity, and it appeared that I was trying to teach him English. Of course he knew what “context” meant. But like the rest of his compatriots, he had not studied the sense in which Jesus had uttered the words.

In my forty years of experience, this text had been thrown at me hundreds of times, but not a single learned Christian had ever attempted to hazard a guess as to its real meaning. They always start fumbling for their Bibles. The Doctor did not have one with him. When they do start going for their Bibles, I stop them in their stride: “Surely, you know what you are quoting?”, “Surely, you know your Bible?” After reading this, I hope some “born-again” Christians will rectify this deficiency. But I doubt that my Muslim readers will ever come across one in their lifetime who could give them the context.

What is the Context?

It is unfair on the part of the Reverend, having failed to provide the context, then to ask me, “Do you know the context?” “Of course,” I said. “Then, what is it?” asked my learned friend. I said, “That which you have quoted is the text of John chapter 10, verse 30. To get at the context, we have to begin from verse 23 which reads:

23. “and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” (John 10:23).

John, or whoever he was, who wrote this story, does not tell us the reason for Jesus tempting the Devil by walking alone in the lion’s den. For we do not expect the Jews to miss a golden opportunity to get even with Jesus. Perhaps, he was emboldened by the manner in which he had literally whipped the Jews single-handed in the Temple, and upset the tables of the money changers at the beginning of his ministry (John 2:15).

24. “The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24).

They surrounded him. Brandishing their fingers in his face, they began accusing him and provoking him; saying that he had not put forth his claim plainly enough, clearly enough. That he was talking ambiguously. They were trying to work themselves into a frenzy to assault him. In fact, their real complaint was that they did not like his method of preaching, his invectives, the manner in which he condemned them for their formalism, their ceremonialism, their going for the letter of the law and forgetting the spirit. But Jesus could not afford to provoke them any further there were too many and they were itching for a fight.

Discretion is the better part of valor. In a conciliatory spirit, befitting the occasion:

25. “Jesus answered, I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me,”

26. “but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” (John 10:25-26).

Jesus rebuts the false charge of his enemies that he was ambiguous in his claims to being the Messiah that they were waiting for. He says that he did tell them clearly enough, yet they would not listen to him, but:

27. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

28. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

29. “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand..” (John 10:29).

How can anyone be so blind as not to see the exactness of the ending of the last two verses. But spiritual blinkers are more impervious than physical defects. He is telling the Jews and recording for posterity, the real unity or relationship between the Father and the son. The most crucial verse:

30. “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30).

One in what? In their Omniscience? In their Nature? In their Omnipotence? No! One in purpose! That once a believer has accepted faith, the Messenger sees to it that he remains in faith, and God Almighty also sees to it that he remains in faith. This is the purpose of the “Father” and the “son” and the “Holy Ghost” and of every man and every woman of faith. Let the same John explain his Gnostic mystic verbiage.

“That they all may be one as thou. Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us…”

“I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one…”(John 17:20-22)

If Jesus is “one” with God, and if that “oneness” makes him God, then the traitor Judas, and the doubting Thomas, and the satanic Peter, plus the other nine who deserted him when he was most in need are God(s), because the same “oneness” which he claimed with God in John 10:30, now he claims for all “who forsook him and fled” (Mark 14:50). All “ye of little faith” (Matthew 8:26). All “O faithless and perverse generation” (Luke 9:41). Where and when will the Christian blasphemy end? The expression “I and my Father are one,” was very innocent, meaning nothing more than a common purpose with God. But the Jews were looking for trouble and any excuse will not do, therefore,

31. “Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,”

32. “but Jesus said to them, I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33. “The Jews answered him, saying : ‘For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself a God.’” (John 10:31-33).

In verse 24 above the Jews falsely alleged that Jesus was talking ambiguously. When that charge was ably refuted, they then accused him of blasphemy which is like treason in the spiritual realm. So they say that Jesus is claiming to be God “I and the Father are one”. The Christians agree with the Jews in this that Jesus did make such a claim; but differ in that it was not blasphemy because the Christians say that he was God and was entitled to own up to his Divinity.

The Christians and the Jews are both agreed that the utterance is serious. To one as an excuse for good “redemption”, and to the other as an excuse for good “riddance”. Between the two, let the poor Jesus die. But Jesus refuses to co-operate in this game, s

34. “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your Law, `I have said you are gods’?”

35. “If he called them `gods,’ to whom the word of God came –and the Scripture cannot be broken–,”

36. “what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, `I am God’s Son’?” (John 10:34-36).

Why “Your Law”?

He is a bit sarcastic in verse 34, but in any event, why does he say: “Your Law”? Is it not also his Law? Didn’t he say: “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law of the prophets: I am come not to destroy, but to fulfill (the Law). For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one Jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:1718).

“You are Gods”

“You are gods:” He is obviously quoting from the 82nd Psalm , verse 6, “I have said, ye are gods: and all of you are the children of the most High.”

Jesus, continues: “If he (i.e. God Almighty) called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (meaning that the prophets of God were called ‘gods’) and the scripture cannot be broken…” (John 10:35), in other words he is saying: “you can’t contradict me!” Jesus knows his Scripture; he speaks with authority; and he reasons with his enemies that: “If good men, holy men, prophets of God are being addressed as ‘gods’ in our Books of Authority, with which you find no fault, then why do you take exception to me? When the only claim I make for myself is far inferior in our language, viz. ‘A son of God’ as against others being called ‘gods’ by God Himself. Even if I (Jesus) described myself as ‘god’ in our language, according to Hebrew usage, you could find no fault with me.” This is the plain reading of Christian Scripture. I am giving no interpretations of my own or some esoteric meaning to words!

Chapter Seven: “In The Beginning”

“Where does Jesus say: ‘I am God,’ or ‘I am equal to God,’ or ‘Worship me’?” I asked the Rev. Morris again.

He took a deep breath and took another try. He quoted the most oft-repeated verse of the Christian Bible – John 1:1.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Please note, these are not the words of Jesus. They are the words of John (or whoever wrote them). Acknowledged by every erudite Christian scholar of the Bible as being the words of another Jew, Philo of Alexandria, who had written them even before John and Jesus were born. And Philo claimed no divine inspiration for them. No matter what mystical meaning that Philo had woven around these words (which our John has plagiarized), we will accept them for what they are worth.

Greek not Hebrew

Since the manuscripts of the 27 Books of the New Testament are in Greek, a Christian sect has produced its own version and has even changed the name of this selection of 27 Books to Christian Greek Scriptures! I asked the Reverend whether he knew Greek? “Yes,” he said, He had studied Greek for 5 years before qualification. I asked him what was the Greek word for “God” the first time it occurs in the quotation “and the Word was With God”? He kept staring, but didn’t answer. So I said, the word was Hotheos, which literally means “The God”.

Since the European (including the North American) has evolved a system of using capital letters to start a proper noun and small letters for common nouns, we would accept his giving a capital “G” for God; in other words Hotheos is rendered “the god” which in turn is rendered “God”.

“Now tell me, what is the Greek word for “God” in the second occurrence in your quotation – “and the Word was God”? The Reverend still kept silent. Not that he did not know Greek, or that he had lied, but he knew more than that; the game was up. I said: “the word was Tontheos, which means “a god”.

According to your own system of translating you aught to have spelt this word ‘God’ a second time with a small ‘g’ i.e. ‘god’, and not ‘God’ with a capital ‘G’; in other words Tontheos is rendered “a god”. Both of these, “god” or “a god” are correct.

I told the Reverend: “But in 2 Corinthians 4:4 you have dishonestly reversed your system by using a small ‘g’ when spelling ‘God’ “(and the devil is) the god of this world.” The Greek word for “the god” is Hotheos the same as in John 1:1. “Why have you not been consistent in your translations ?” “If Paul was inspired to write hotheos the God for the Devil, why don’t you use that capital ‘G’?”

And in the Old Testament, the Lord said unto Moses: “See, I have made thee a god to Pharoah” (Exodus 7:1). “Why do you use a small ‘g’ for ‘God’ when referring to Moses instead of a capital ‘G’ as you do for a mere word ‘Word’ – “and the Word was God.”?

“Why do you do this? Why do you play fast and loose with the Word of God?” I asked the reverend. He said, “I didn’t do it.” I said, “I know, but I am talking about the vested interests of Christianity, who are hell-bent to deify Christ, by using capital letters here and small letters there, to deceive the unwary masses who think that every letter, every comma and full stop and the capital and small letters were dictated by God (Capital ‘G’ here!).”

Chapter Eight: What is left

Three Topics

It can hardly be expected in a small publication of this nature that one can deal with all the references about Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, interspersed throughout the fifteen different chapters of the Holy Qur’ân. What we can do is to give a quick glance to the index page reproduced from the Qur’ân earlier in this letter.

Here we find three significant topics, not dealt with yet in our discussion:

1. Not crucified, (4:157).
2. Message and miracles,(5:113, 19:30-33).
3. Prophesied Ahmed, (61:6).

Regarding the first topic, “not crucified”, I had written a booklet under the heading “Was Christ Crucified?” some twenty years ago. The book is presently out of print, and further, it needs updating, for much water has passed under the bridge since it first saw the light of day.

As regards the third topic mentioned above, “Prophesied Ahmed”, I propose to write a booklet under the title “Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, the Natural Successor to Christ” after I have completed “Was Christ Crucified?”, I hope to complete both these projects soon, Insha Allah! (Arabic: “By the will of Allah”).

The Way to Salvation

We are now left with Topic No. 2, “Message and miracles”. The message of Jesus was as simple and straight forward as that of all his predecessors as well as that of his successor Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, namely “Believe in God and keep His Commandments”. For the God who inspired His Messengers, is an unvarying God and He is consistent: He is not the “author of confusion” (1 Corinthian14:33).

A law abiding Jew comes to Jesus seeking eternal life or salvation. In the words of Matthew:

“And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16-17)

You will agree, that if you or I were that Jew, we would infer from these words that, according to Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, salvation was guaranteed, provided we kept the commandments without the shedding of any innocent blood. Unless, of course Jesus was speaking with tongue in cheek; knowing full well that his own “forthcoming redemptive sacrifice”, his “vicarious atonement” (?) for the sins of mankind, was not many days hence.

Why would Jesus give him the impossible solution of keeping the Law (as the Christian alleges) when an easier way was in the offing? Or did he not know what was going to happen, that he was to be crucified ? Was there not a contract between Father and Son, before the worlds began, for his redeeming blood to be shed? Had he lost his memory? No! There was no such fairy tale agreement as far as Jesus was concerned. He knew that there is only one way to God, and that is, as Jesus said, “keep the Commandments”!

Miracles, What They Prove

Regarding his miracles: the Holy Quran does not go into any detail about blind Bartimus or about Lazarus or any other miracle, except that he (Jesus) defended his mother as an infant in his mother’s arms. The Muslim has no hesitation about accepting the most wondrous of his miracles – even that of reviving the dead. But that does not make Jesus a “God” or the begotten “Son of God” as understood by the Christian.

Miracles do not prove even Prophethood, or whether a man is true or false. Jesus himself said:

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”(Matthew 24:24)

If false prophets and false Christs can perform miraculous feats, then these wonders or miracles do not prove even the geniuses or otherwise, of a prophet.

John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the greatest of the Israelite prophets. Greater than Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah and all, not excluding himself: in his own words:

“Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist…” (Matthew 11:11)

1. Not excluding Jesus: because, was he not born of a woman – Mary?
2. The Baptist, greater than “all”, yet he performed not a single miracle! Miracles are no standards of judging truth and falsehood.

But in his childishness, the might Christian insists that Jesus is God because he gave life back to the dead. Will reviving the dead make others God too? This perplexes him, because he has mentally blocked himself from the miracles of others who outshine Jesus in his own Bible. For example, according to his false standard:

		Moses is greater than Jesus because he put life back into a dead stick and transmuted it from the plant kingdom to the animal kingdom by making it into a serpent (Exodus 7:10).
		Elisha is greater than Jesus because the bones of Elisha brought a man back to life merely by coming into contact with the corpse (2 Kings 13:21).

Need I illustrate to you a catalogue of miracles? But the sickness persists – “it was God working miracles through His prophets but Jesus performed them of his own power.” Where did Jesus get all his power from? Ask Jesus, and he will tell us:

Power not His Own

“…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

“…I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is come unto you.” (Matthew 12:28)

“I can of mine own self do nothing ” (John 5:30)

“I with the finger of God cast out devils” (Luke 1 1:20)

Borrowed Power

The “power” as he says is not his, “it is given unto me”. Given by whom? By God, of course! Every action, every word he attributes to God.

Lazarus

But since so much is made of Jesus’ mightiest miracle of reviving Lazarus from the dead, we will analyze the episode as recorded in John’s Gospel. It is astonishing that none of the other Gospel writers mention Lazarus in any context. However, the story is that Lazarus was very sick, his sisters Mary and Martha had made frantic calls for Jesus to come and cure his sickness but he arrived too late, actually four days after his demise.

He Groaned

Mary wails to Jesus that had he arrived in time, perhaps her brother would not have died; meaning that if he could heal other peoples’ sicknesses, why would he not have healed her brother, a dear friend of his. Jesus says that “even now if ye have faith, ye shall see the glory of god.” The condition was that they should have faith. Didn’t he say that faith could move mountains?

He asks to be taken to the tomb. On the way, “he groaned in the spirit”. He was not mumbling; he was pouring out his heart and praying to God. But while he sobbed so bitterly his words were not audible enough for people around him to understand. Hence the words “he groaned”. On reaching the grave, Jesus “groaned” again; perhaps, even more earnestly and God heard his groaning (his prayer), and Jesus received the assurance that God will fulfill his request. Now, Jesus could rest assured and command that the stone which was barring the tomb, be removed so that Lazarus could come back from the dead. Without that assurance from God, Jesus would have made a fool of himself.

Avoiding Misunderstanding

Mary thinks of the stink because her brother had been dead for four days! But Jesus was confident and the stone was removed. Then he looked up towards heaven and said:

“Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 11:41-42)

What is all this, play – acting? Why all the drama? Because he know that these superstitious and credulous people will misunderstand the source of the miracle. They might take him for “God”. Giving life to the dead is the prerogative of God alone. To make doubly sure, that his people do not misunderstand, he speaks out loudly that the “groaning” was actually his crying to God Almighty for help. The prayer was incoherent as far as the bystanders could discern, but the Father in heaven had accepted his prayer, viz. “thou hast heard me”.

Furthermore, he says, “thou hearest me always”; in other words, every miracle wrought by him was an answer by God Almighty to his prayer. The Jews of his day understood the position well, and they “glorified God”, as Matthew tells us of another occasion when the Jews exclaimed “for giving such power unto men” (Matt. 9:8).

In fact, Jesus gives his reason for speaking loudly. He says, “that they may believe that thou has sent me.” One who is sent is a messenger, and if he be sent by God, then he is a Messenger of God i.e. Rasulullah. Jesus is referred to in the Qur’ân asRasulullah (“Messenger of Allah”).

Alas, this attempt by Jesus to prevent any misunderstanding, as to who really performed the miracle, and that he was in fact only a messenger of God, failed. Christians will not even accept the unambiguous disavowal of Jesus, nor the testimony of Peter, the “Rock” upon which Jesus was supposed to build his Church. Peter truly testified:

“Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, A man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. ” (Acts 2:22)

Case Not Hopeless

This very same message is repeated by God Almighty in the Holy Qur’ân, following the annunciation. In verse 49 of chapter 3, Allah makes it clear that every sign or wonder that Jesus performed was “By Allah’s leave,” by God’s permission. Jesus says so, Peter says so and God says so; but the stubborn controversialist will not listen: prejudice, superstition and credulity die hard. Our duty is simply to deliver the Message, loud and clear, the rest we leave to God. The case is not altogether hopeless for Allah tells us in His Holy Book:

“And among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.” (3:110)

“Among them”, meaning among the Jews and the Christians, there are two types of people; the one group described as people of faith to whom this book is addressed, and the other as rebellious transgressors. We must also find ways and means of getting at them. Our literature is eminently suited to cater for all. Pass them on to your non – Muslim friends after reading.

Open the Holy Qur’ân and make your Christian friends and acquaintances to read the verses discussed in this book. Then we can truly conclude:

“Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary:
(it is) a statement of truth, about which
they (vainly) dispute.

“It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah
(God) that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him!
when He determines a matter, He only says to it,
‘Be’, and it is.

“Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord:
Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight.” (19:34-36)

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 645:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “None spoke in cradle but three: (The first was) Jesus, (the second was), there a man from Bani Israel called Juraij. While he was offering his prayers, his mother came and called him. He said (to himself), ‘Shall I answer her or keep on praying?” (He went on praying) and did not answer her, his mother said, “O Allah! Do not let him die till he sees the faces of prostitutes.” So while he was in his hermitage, a lady came and sought to seduce him, but he refused. So she went to a shepherd and presented herself to him to commit illegal sexual intercourse with her and then later she gave birth to a child and claimed that it belonged to Juraij. The people, therefore, came to him and dismantled his hermitage and expelled him out of it and abused him. Juraij performed the ablution and offered prayer, and then came to the child and said, ‘O child! Who is your father?’ The child replied, ‘The shepherd.’ (After hearing this) the people said, ‘We shall rebuild your hermitage of gold,’ but he said, ‘No, of nothing but mud.’(The third was the hero of the following story) A lady from Bani Israel was nursing her child at her breast when a handsome rider passed by her. She said, ‘O Allah ! Make my child like him.’ On that the child left her breast, and facing the rider said, ‘O Allah! Do not make me like him.’ The child then started to suck her breast again. (Abu Huraira further said, “As if I were now looking at the Prophet sucking his finger (in way of demonstration.”) After a while the people passed by, with a lady slave and she (i.e. the child’s mother) said, ‘O Allah! Do not make my child like this (slave girl)!, On that the child left her breast and said, ‘O Allah! Make me like her.’ When she asked why, the child replied, ‘The rider is one of the tyrants while this slave girl is falsely accused of theft and illegal sexual intercourse.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 648:

Narrated Ibn Umar:

The Prophet said, “I saw Moses, Jesus and Abraham (on the night of my Ascension to the heavens). Jesus was of red complexion, curly hair and a broad chest. Moses was of brown complexion, straight hair and tall stature as if he was from the people of Az-Zutt.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 653:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “Jesus, seeing a man stealing, asked him, ‘Did you steal?, He said, ‘No, by Allah, except Whom there is None who has the right to be worshipped’ Jesus said, ‘I believe in Allah and I suspect my eyes.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 654:

Narrated ‘Umar:

I heard the Prophet saying, “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.”

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 657:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it.” Abu Huraira added

“If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): — ‘And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them.”

Quran Sura An Nisa 4.159 (See Fateh Al Bari, Page 302 Vol 7)

Volume 4, Book 55, Number 658:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said “How will you be when the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Quran and not by the law of Gospel (Fateh-ul Bari page 304 and 305 Vol 7)

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 415:

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah’s Apostle said, “Allah the Most Superior said, “The son of Adam slights Me, and he should not slight Me, and he disbelieves in Me, and he ought not to do so. As for his slighting Me, it is that he says that I have a son; and his disbelief in Me is his statement that I shall not recreate him as I have created (him) before.”

Mercy Upon Isa/Eesa/Jesus Alahi Sallam Peace on him

Technorati Verification

Technorati Verification: AWUSG8YJCNJC

Etiquette of ‘Eed

Bismillaah

‘Eeds or Festivals are moments of celebration common to all nations. The festivals of non-believing nations are associated with worldly matters such as the birth of a nation or its decline, the appointment or crowning of a ruler, his marriage, or the beginning of a season like spring, and so on. As to Muslims, their festivals (‘Eeds) are associated with their religious rituals.  They have only two festivals or ‘Eeds:  ‘Eed Al-Fitr (Celebration of the end of Ramadhaan) and ‘Eed Al-Adha (festival of sacrifice).

When the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came to Madeenah and found the people celebrating two days he,allallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:  “What are these occasions”?  They said: “We used to celebrate them in Jaahiliyya (before the coming of Islam)”.  He, allallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said : “Allaah has replaced them for you with the two better days (i.e. ‘Eed Al Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adha)”.  These two festivals which Allaah prescribed to the Muslims are part of the rituals of Islam which should be commemorated and the purposes of which should be understood.

Rules Pertaining to ‘Eed:

1. It is forbidden to fast on the day of both ‘Eeds, as it is understood from the hadeeth narrated by Abee Sa’eed that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade the fasting of the two ‘Eeds.

2. It is recommended that both men and women observe ‘Eed prayer in an open field as is clear in the hadeeth narrated by Um Atiya, may Allaah be please with her, who said:  “We used to be ordered to come out on the day of ‘Eed and even to bring the virgin girls from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand behind the men and say takbir along with them and hope for the blessings of that day for purification from sins”.  Since menstruating women as well as those who are virgin are commanded to observe ‘Eed prayer, there is no doubt that the men, old and young are even strongly commanded to observe it.

3. ‘Eed prayer should be performed before the khutba of ‘Eed as is confirmed in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Amr, Abee Sa’eed, and Ibn Abbas, may Allaah be pleased with them.

4. It is recommended that the Imaam makes Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar) during the prayer, seven times in the first Raka’at and five in the second.  This has been confirmed by the companions of the Salaf (our righteous predecessors).

5. It is recommended that the Imaam recites in the first Raka’at Soorah Al-A’alaa (chapter 87) and Soorah Al-’Ghaashiah (chapter 88) in the second.  Other reports also show that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to recite Soorah  Qaaf (chapter 50) and Soorah Al-Qamar (chapter 54) as is confirmed in Saheeh Muslim.

6. There is no Sunnah prayer either before or after ‘Eed prayer as Ibn Abbas, may Allaah,  be pleased with him, narrated that whenever the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, went for ‘Eed prayer, he used to pray two Raka’at (of ‘Eed) but nothing before or after them.

The Obligation of Loving Nabi (Prophet) Muhammad (saw) pbuh and his Rights over Muslims

Bismillaah

It is related in the Sahihain of al-Bukhari and Muslim, rahimahumallaah, from Anas, radhiallahu `anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: “None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his father, his child and all of mankind.”

And in the same sources we find that `Umar ibn al Khattab, radhiallahu `anhu, said to Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, “O Rasoolullah, you are more beloved to me than anything except my own self.” Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, then told him, “No, by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, not until I am more beloved to you than your own soul.” `Umar then told him, “By Allah, now you are more beloved to me than my own soul.” Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, then told him that now he had the complete and correct faith.

Ibn Rajab says about love of the Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam: “Love for the Messenger sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam is at two levels.

The first level is obligatory. This is the love that requires one to accept whatever the Messenger sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam brought from Allah and to receive it with love, pleasure, esteem and submission, without seeking guidance from any other source whatsoever. This is then followed by excellent following of him in whatever he conveyed from his Lord and to affirm whatever he has reported of obligations, to remain away from anything he has prohibited of forbidden acts, to give support for his religion and to strive against those who oppose him according to one’s ability. All of these are necessary components that one must possess and a person’s Faith is not complete without them.

The second level is superior [and not an absolutely necessary component of Faith]. This type of love requires following his example in an excellent way and fulfilling the following of his Sunnah with respect to his behavior, manners, voluntary deeds, supererogatory actions, eating, drinking, dressing, excellent behavior with his wives and other aspects of his perfect manners and pure behavior.

It also includes learning about his life and days. It also includes the heart trembling when mentioning him, saying prayers and blessings upon him often out of what resides in the heart of love for him, esteem for him and respect for him. It also includes loving to listen to his words and preferring them to the words of others of the creation. And one of the greatest aspects of this love is to follow him in his abstinence of this world, his being sufficient with a little and his turning to and desiring of the everlasting Hereafter.

 

Among the most important indicators of one’s sincere love of the Prophet (SAWS) is to hate those who hate him and to become an enemy against those who set him as their enemy. Also, it is to stay far away from innovators and those who are enemies and opponents of his Sunnah and to reject all matters that oppose Islamic Law.

He who truly loves somebody, whoever they may be, will love all that they love and hate all that they hate. The most worthy person for this type of love must be our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS), as he was the most honourable person that ever lived. He (SAWS) loved his wife Khadeejah (a mother of the believers) deeply. When she believed in him, supported him in his mission, and stood by him at times of hardship, all this increased his love of her – so much so that after the death of Khadeejah, the Prophet (SAWS) used to regularly check on her friends and send them gifts out of his love and loyalty to her. This example was narrated by ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her. (Bukhari & Muslim).

This is just how true and sincere love should be; to honour and revere all that the beloved cherishes. It is impossible that somebody’s love is sincere if they do not consider the enemy of their beloved as their enemy. How can someone love somebody and his enemy simultaneously? How can two matters which are diametrically opposed ever unite? True and sincere love renders the enemy of your beloved as your enemy. This is precisely why the companions of the Prophet (SAWS), who truly loved him, fought their own fathers, brothers and relatives for his sake. They only did so due to the sincere love that they had for him and for the sake of pleasing him.

Listen to the following illuminating examples that reflect this true and sincere love which the companions had for the Messenger of Allah (SAWS). They loved him to the extent that they favoured him over the dearest of people to themselves. Indeed they favoured loving the Prophet (SAWS) over loving any other person.

On the way back to Madinah when the Prophet (SAWS) finished from the battle of Bani Al-Mustaliq, ‘Abdullah Ibn Salool (the chief hypocrite) uttered the following poisonous and treacherous statement: “When we return to Madinah, the more honourable and worthier for power (meaning himself) will surely expel from there the more humble (meaning the Messenger (SAWS)).”

Zayd Ibn al-Arqam heard this and informed the Messenger (SAWS) who was saddened and angered by these words. When ‘Abdullahwho was the son of this hypocrite and a believer despite his father’s hypocrisy, heard about this, he went straight to the Messenger (SAWS) and apologised to him for what his father had said. Furthermore, ‘Abdullah\ said to the Messenger of Allah (SAWS): “If you wish, I can go and behead him (i.e., his father) for you and bring you back his head’. Upon hearing this, the Prophet (SAWS) supplicated to Allah for goodness for Abdullah, but forbade him from killing his father.

‘Abdullah unsheathed his sword and rushed with the rest of the believers to the approach of Madinah. As his father neared, he pointed his sword at him and said: “I swear by Allah that it is you who are the more humble and you will not enter Madinah until the Prophet of Allah permits you to enter. Then you will realise that it is you who are the more humble and that he is the more honourable and worthier for power.” When news of this encounter reached the Prophet (SAWS), he sent a messenger to Abdullah saying: “I have given permission to your father so allow him to enter.” It was only then that the believing son allowed his hypocrite father to enter Madinah (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and others). This is just how true and sincere love of our Prophet (SAWS) must be.

The trustee of the Ummah’ was the nickname given by the Prophet (SAWS) to Abu ‘Ubaydah Ibn Al-Jarraah and who could ever set a greater and a more astonishing example than him when he killed his own father on the day of the battle of Badr? Also, on that day, ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab killed his maternal uncle Al-’Aas and Mus’ab killed his brother. These people were killed because they had come to fight the Messenger (SAWS) and because they hated him; they were killed despite the blood relationship between themselves and their killers. This is because these relationships were severed when they began to hate the Prophet (SAWS). These people hated the Prophet (SAWS) and it was this hatred which resulted in the severing of the strongest bonds and relationships between them and their believing relatives, who set the most wonderful examples for true and sincere love of the Prophet (SAWS).

Prior to him accepting Islam, Abu Sufyaan Ibn Harb set out for Madinah to negotiate with the Messenger of Allah (SAWS). Therefore, he initially stopped off at the house of his daughter Umm Habeebah who was the wife of the Prophet (SAWS), in order to visit her. As he was about to sit down on a rug which belonged to the Prophet (SAWS), she rolled it up and moved it away. Thereupon he remarked: “My daughter! I do not know if you think that the rug is too good for me or that I am too good for the rug!” She replied: “This rug belongs to the Prophet (SAWS) and you are a filthy polytheist.” (Abu Ishaaq, At-Tabari).

Indeed this was true and sincere love. Although this man was her father, he was still a polytheist who hated the Prophet (SAWS) and was his enemy, therefore she did not even allow him to sit on his rug, as he was impure. These are the fruits of true and sincere love; the kind of love that overwhelms the heart and dominates it until all that it cherishes or despises are based on this love.

As for those who claim love yet their hearts are inclined towards the enemies of their beloved or who hate and fight their beloved, their claim is nothing but an utter lie. Allah says that which translates as: “You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred” (Al-Mujaadilah: 22).

The contemporary enemies of the Prophet (SAWS) are those who oppose his Sunnah or the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) that he was sent with. The enemies of his Sunnah are the ones who fight against it by innovating new matters into the religion of Islam, while the enemies of the Shari’ah are those who attempt to replace it with man-made legislation.

We must be aware that the enemies of the Prophet (SAWS) are of three types:

First: Those who openly reject the Sunnah in its entirety, such as those who say ‘The Qur’an on its own is sufficient.’ These are the most evil enemies of the Messenger (SAWS) and are just as wicked as those who openly reject the Prophethood of Muhammad (SAWS). The Prophet (SAWS) warned against this type when he said: “Let none of you, when he receives any of my commands say (indifferently): ‘This is not in The Book of Allah (i.e., I do not accept it)’” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi and others).

Secondly: Those who do not openly reject the Sunnah in general, but cast doubts regarding its authenticity and claim that in general, the Sunnah contradicts and even opposes the Qur’an. These people are also evil enemies of the Prophet (SAWS) even if they do not openly express their rejection of the Sunnah. Casting doubts about the soundness of the Sunnah is akin to rejecting and eradicating it. I am of course referring to those who cast doubts regarding the Sunnah as a whole and not those who regard individual Ahadith as unauthentic due to the specialist knowledge that they have in this field.

I repeat; this type of people, who cast doubts on the authenticity and applicability of the Sunnah in general are one of the most evil types of enemies of the Sunnah. This is because Allah has promised to preserve the Qur’an and this necessitates that He preserves the Sunnah as well, because the Sunnah is the explanation and clarification of the Qur’an. Therefore, preserving the Sunnah is an implication of preserving the Qur’an.

Thirdly: Those who oppose the Sunnah by innovating in the religion of Islam. Anybody who does this is in effect accusing the Prophet (SAWS) of failing to convey the entire message of Islam from his Lord, whether they realise this fact or not. An innovation in matters of religion is to believe that a certain act of worship, which has no basis in the Qur’an or Sunnah, is actually a part of the religion of Islam and that by performing such an act, one is worshipping Allah and becoming closer to him.

We must know that the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) completely conveyed the Message from his Lord in the most perfect manner. He did not leave any matter, even the most minor, undelivered or unaddressed. The Messenger of Allah delivered his Lord’s message perfectly and fulfilled his trust. Allah actually attests to this when he says that which translates as: “…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as a religion…” (Al-Maa’idah: 3).

In this verse our Lord informs us that His Messenger (SAWS) completely and perfectly conveyed His religion. Therefore, by the grace of Allah, His bounty upon us has been completed.

O you who love the Prophet (SAWS)! Beware of innovations and stay far away from the innovators, for they are the enemies of the Prophet (SAWS).

I do not know how much belief if any is left in those who willingly insist on fighting the Shari’ah of Muhammad (SAWS) and have taken it as their enemy. They have bombarded it with man-made laws and legislation and exerted all possible efforts in doing so. They even stoop to using deception, lies and trickery in order to achieve their objectives. This is despite the fact that Allah revealed the following verse about a man who refused and rejected just one judgment of the Prophet (which translates as): “But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.” (An-Nisaa’: 65).

Therefore, if Allah disaffirmed the belief of this man due to his rejection of a single judgment of the Prophet (SAWS), what is the situation of those who reject and refuse everything that Prophet conveyed in terms of legislation? Indeed they are far from being believers.

From Islamweb.net

A Great Principle

Bismillah

By: Shaykhu-l-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah
(d. 728 AH / 1328 CE)

Prologue
Shaykh al-Islaam said:

All praise and thanks are due to Allaah, we seek His Help and we seek His Forgiveness. We seek refuge with Him from the evil of our souls and the evil of our actions. Whosoever Allaah guides then none can misguide him, and whosoever Allaah leaves to stray then none can guide him. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship save Allaah, the One Who has no partner and we bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is his servant and Messenger.

Chapter One
Concerning the distinction between the worship of the adherents to Islaam and possessors of faith, guidance, tawheed, sincerity, knowledge, divine legislation, those who follow the Prophets and Messengers and between the worship of those possessing shirk, ignorance, misguidance, innovation from amongst the polytheists and those who resemble them from the adherents of the different religions.
The worship of the Muslims is founded upon two principles:

The First: they do not worship anything save Allaah, the One Who has no partner.

The Second: they worship Him in the way He has ordered and legislated and has been conveyed by His Messengers

So they worship Allaah without associating partners with him, they have taqwaa of Him and they obey His Messengers. Allaah said:

“We sent Noah to his people (with the command): ‘warn your people before there comes to them a grievous Punishment.’ He said, ‘O my people! I am to you a warner, clear and open that you should worship Allaah, fear Him and obey me.’” [ Quran Nuh (71): 1-3]

Similarly He mentioned that Hud, Saalih and Shu`ayb said to their respective nations,

“Worship Allaah! You have no other god save Him.” [ Quraan Hud (11): 50]

He said concerning the Messiah,

“The Messiah said, ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Indeed whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him and the Fire shall be his abode. And for the wrong-doers there are no helpers.” [ QuranMaa`idah (5): 72]
“And indeed Allaah is my Lord and your Lord so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path.” [ Quraan Maryam (19): 36]

Indeed every Messenger said,

“So fear Allaah, keep your duty to Him and obey me.” [ Quraan ash-Shu`araa (26): 108]

He said concerning the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him),

“They say: ‘we have believed in Allaah and His Messenger and we obey’ then a party of they turn away thereafter, such are not the believers.” [ Quraan an-Nur (24): 47]
“The only saying of the faithful believers when they are called to Allaah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say: ‘We hear and obey,’ such are the successful. And whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger, fears Him and keeps his duty to Him such are the successful.” [ Quraan an-Nur (24): 51-52]

Hence appointing obedience to Allaah and the Messenger and appointing fear and taqwaa for Allaah Alone. Allaah said,

“Would that they were contented with what Allaah and His Messenger gave them and had said, ‘Allaah is sufficient for us. Allaah will give us of His Bounty and His Messenger. To Allaah do we trurn our hopes.” [ Quran at-Tawbah (9): 59]

Appointing the giving to Allaah and the Messenger. Similarly, the Exalted said,

“Whatsoever the Messenger gives then take it and whatsoever he forbids from then abstain from it.” [ Quran al-Hashr (59): 7]

Therefore the lawful is what Allaah and His Messenger made lawful and the unlawful is what Allaah and His Messenger made unlawful and the religion is that which Allaah and His Messenger legislated.

Allaah appointed sufficiency and hope for Himself Alone in His sayings,

“Say: Allaah is sufficient for me, in Him let those who trust, put their trust.” [ Quran az-Zumar (39): 38]
“But if they turn away, say: ‘Allaah is sufficient for me. There is none worthy of worship but Him, in Him have I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.’” [ Quraan at-Tawbah (9): 129]

“And if they intend to deceive you, then indeed Allaah is All-Sufficient for you.” [ Quraan al-Anfaal (8): 62]

“They unto whom the (hypocrites) said: ‘Verily the people have gathered against you (a great army) therefore fear them.’ But it only increased them in faith and they said: ‘Allaah (Alone) is sufficient for us and He is the best Disposer of affairs.” [ Quraan Aali `Imraan (3): 173]

Hence Allaah Alone is the recourse of the Messengers and the Believers in their entirety as Allaah says,

“O Prophet! Allaah is sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you.” [ Quranal-Anfaal (8): 64]

Meaning that He Alone Suffices you and all those who follow you. This is the understanding of this verse according to the majority of the Salaf and later scholars.

So this is the religion of Islaam, a religion any other than this is not accepted by Allaah – not from the first peoples or the later peoples. Islaam is to worship Allaah at all times in the way that He has commanded – He is the sole object of worship. Allaah said,

“Allaah said: Take not two gods in worship. Indeed He is One God then fear Me (and Me Alone). To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth and to Him belongs perpetual sincere obedience. Will you then fear any other than Allaah? Whatsoever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allaah. Then, when harm touches you, unto Him you cry aloud for help. Then, when He has removed the harm from you, behold! Some of you associate others in worship with their Lord. So (as a result of this) they deny the favours We have bestowed on them! Then enjoy yourselves but you will soon come to know!” [ Quran an-Nahl (16): 51-55]

However the legislated laws have differed for example the case when the Prophet (peace be upon him) first prayed towards Bait al-Maqdis before the Hijrah and after the Hijrah for ten odd months and then Allaah had him change direction to face the Ka`ba. {1}Hence the legislated law changed but in both cases, before and after, the religion was one and the same. The religion of Islaam – to worship Allaah Alone without any partners.

In Saheeh Bukhaaree and Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “indeed we, the gathering of Prophets – our religion is one and the Prophets are paternal brothers.” [2] Meaning that their religion is one and the same even if the laws differ. Allaah said,

“Allaah has ordained for you the same religion which he ordained for Noah, and that which We have inspired in you and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses, and Jesus saying: you should establish the religion and not make any divisions in it. Intolerable upon the polytheists is that which you call them to.” [ Quran ash-Shura (42): 13]
“So set your face towards the religion of pure monotheism – the nature in which Allaah has created mankind. No change is there in the creation of Allaah. This is the straight religion but most men are unaware. (Always) turning in repentance to Him, and be afraid and dutiful to Him, establish the prayers perfectly and do not be of the polytheists. From those who split up their religion and became sects, each party rejoicing in what was with it.” [ Quran ar-Rum (30) 30-32]

“O Messengers! Eat of the lawful and good things and do righteous deeds. Indeed I am well Acquainted with what you do. Indeed your religion is one religion and I am your Lord so keep your duty to Me.” [ Quran al-Mu`minoon (23): 51-53]

Similarly He said with regards to the Prophets,

“Truly! This is religion is one religion and I am your Lord so worship Me.” [ Quran al-Anbiyaa (21): 92]

The word ‘ummah’ has been explained to mean religion, i.e. ‘your religion is one and the same’, this is as Allaah says,

“Nay! They say: ‘We found our fathers upon a religion (ummah) and we guide ourselves by following their footsteps. Similarly, We sent not a warner before you to any town but the affluent ones among them said: ‘We found our fathers upon a religion (ummah) and we will guide ourselves by following their footsteps.” [ Quran az-Zukhruf (43): 22-23]

If it said that the meaning of ‘ummah’ is people then the meaning still remains the same i.e. call all of mankind to worship Allaah Alone as Allaah says,

“Establish the religion and make no divisions.” [ Quran ash-Shuraa (42): 13]
“And We did not send any Messenger before you but We inspired him (saying): There is none worthy of worship save Me, so worship Me (Alone)” [ Quran al-Anbiyaa (21): 25]

“And ask those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: ‘Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful?’” [ Quran az-Zukhruf (43): 45]

“And indeed We sent among every community (ummah) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allaah (Alone) and avoid all that is worshipped besides Allaah.” [ Quran an-Nahl (16): 36]

“He sends down angels with inspiration of His Command to whom of His slaves He pleases (saying): ‘Warn mankind that none has the right to be worshipped but Me, so fear Me.” [ Quranan-Nahl (16): 2]

Every Prophet was upon the religion of Islaam as Allaah mentions about Noah that he said,

“But if you turn away, then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allaah and I have been commanded to be one of the Muslims.” [ QuranYunus (10): 72]

He mentioned concerning Ibraaheem al-Khaleel,

“And who turns away from the religion of Ibraaheem except he who fools himself? Truly We chose him in this world and indeed in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, ’submit,’ he said, ‘I have submitted (become a Muslim) to the Lord of the Universe.’” [ Quranal-Baqarah (2): 130-132]

Ibraaheem and Ismaa`eel said,

“Our Lord! Make us Muslims and make of our offspring those who are Muslims” [ Quranal-Baqarah (2): 128]

He said concerning Musaa that he said,

“O my people! If you have believed in Allaah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims.” [ QuranYunus (10): 84]

He said concerning the magicians who believed in Musaa,

“And you take vengeance on us only because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and cause us to die as Muslims.” [ Quranal-A`raaf (7): 126]
“Indeed We sent down the Torah wherein was guidance and light by which the Prophet who submitted themselves to the Will of Allaah (became Muslims) judged the Jews.” [ Quranal-Maa`idah (5): 44]

He said concerning Yusuf as-Siddeeq that he said,

“… and cause me to die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous” [ QuranYusuf (12): 101]

Bilqees said,

“My Lord! Verily I have wronged myself and I submit (in Islaam) together with Solomon to Allaah the Lord of the Universe.” [ Quranan-Naml (27): 44]

He said concerning the followers of the Messiah,

“And when I put into the hearts of the disciples (of Jesus) to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: We believe and bear witness that we are Muslims.” [ Quran al-Maa`idah (5): 111]

Allaah said,

“Allaah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He, and the Angels and those having knowledge (also give this witness). (He is always) maintaining His creation with justice. None has the right to be worshipped save Him. Truly the religion in the Sight of Allaah is Islaam.” [ Quran Aali `Imraan (3): 18-19]

Qataadah said concerning His saying, “the only religion acceptable to Allaah is Islaam” – “the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped save Allaah and to accept all that has come from Allaah. This is the the religion that He legislated for Himself and sent His Messengers with and guided His friends to. He does not accept any other religion and does not reward except one who follows it.”

Allaah has censured the one who legislates a religion that He did not reveal, or declares something to be lawful or prohibited without any proof from the revelation saying,

“Or do they have partners with Allaah who have instituted a religion for them which Allaah has not allowed.” [ Quran ash-Shuraa (42): 21]

He censured the polytheists for making unlawful what He had not declared to be unlawful and for making lawful what He had made unlawful thereby legislating a religion that He had not revealed saying,

“And when they commit an indecent action they say: ‘We found our fathers doing it and Allaah has commanded us to it.’ Say: ‘Nay, Allaah never commands indecent actions. Do you say of Allaah that which you know not?’ Say: ‘My Lord has commanded justice and (said) that you should face the Qiblah in each and every place of worship during prayers. Supplicate to Him only making your religion sincerely for Him.” [ Quran al-A`raaf (7): 28-29]

“Say: ‘Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allaah which He has produced for His slaves and all good things?’ Say: ‘They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe and exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus We explain the signs in detail for the people who have knowledge. Say: ‘The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are all indecent actions, whether committed openly or secretly, sins of all kinds, oppression, joining partners with Allaah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allaah of which you have no knowledge.” [ Quraan al-A`raaf (7): 32-33]

“Alif Laam Meem Saad. A Book sent down to you so let not your breast be constricted therefrom, that you may warn thereby, and a reminder unto the believers. (Say): ‘Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord and do not follow any friends or protectors who besides Him. Little do you take heed!” [ Quraan al-A`raaf (7): 1-3]

Chapter Two
As for the religion of the Polytheists and the innovating People of the Book then this is a religion for which Allaah has sent down no authority. They either supplicate to others alongside Allaah or they say: ‘we worship them only that they may make us draw closer to Allaah,’ and they say: ‘these are our intercessors with Allaah.’ Or they worship Him in a way that He has not commanded or legislated – worshipping Him with what those whom they have set up as partners to Allaah command. Allaah said,

“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and monks to be their lords besides Allaah, and they also took the Messiah son of Mary (to be their Lord) while they were commanded to worship none save One God. Glory be to Him (far above is He) from having the partners they associate.” [ Quranat-Tawbah (9): 31]
“It is not for any human being to whom Allaah has given the Book and wisdom and Prophethood to say to the people: ‘Be worshippers of me rather than Allaah.’ On contrary (he would say): ‘Be you learned men of the religion because you are teaching the book and studying it.’ Neither would he order you to take Angels and Prophets as lords. Would he order you to disbelieve after you have submitted to the Will of Allaah?” [ QuranAali `Imraan (3): 79-80]

“Say: ‘Call unto those besides Him whom you pretend (to be gods). They have neither the power to remove the adversity from you nor even to shift it from you to another place. Those whom they call upon themselves seek and desire the means of approach to their Lord, as to which of them should be nearest and they hope for His Mercy and fear His Torment. Verily the Torment of your Lord is to be feared!” [ Quran al-Israa (17): 56-57]

Meaning that those people to whom the polytheists supplicate themselves are desiring and seeking a means of approach to draw close to their Lord. Ibn Abbaas and Mujaahid said, “they are `Eesaa and his mother, `Uzayr, the Angels, the sun, the moon and the stars.” [3]

Ibn Mas`ud said, “a group of people used to worship a party of the Jinn. The Jinn then accepted Islaam and the people who used to worship them were unaware of this and stuck to their worshipping them and Allaah condemned them.” [4]

Therefore according to all the opinions concerning the meaning of this verse, Allaah censured whosoever supplicated to a created being when in fact that created being itself worships Allaah and seeks to draw close to Him – hoping and fearing Him. Included in this are all of the Angels, the Prophets and the righteous from amongst mankind and Jinns.

So if it is not permissible to supplicate to these creatures that have been exalted and are close to Allaah then it is even more the case that those disobedient to Allaah, such as the satans and jinns, cannot be supplicated to. The verse refers unrestrictedly to all who supplicate to other than Allaah.

He made clear that the person who is supplicated to is not able to remove any harm from the supplicator or even shift the harm to another place saying,

“Say: ‘Call upon those whom you assert (to be gods) besides Allaah, they possess not even an atoms weight – either in the heavens of the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor is there for Him any supporter from among them. Intercession with Him is of no avail except for him who He permits.” [ Quran as-Saba (34): 22-23]

Therefore Allaah explained that the created being does not have the sovereignty just as he does not have any share in it and just as he does not help Allaah in any form of fashion. All he can have is the ability to intercede but this intercession is of no avail unless Allaah grant him permission to intercede. Allaah said,

“And they worship besides Allaah things that hurt them not nor profit them and they say: ‘these are our intercessors with Allaah.’ Say: ‘Do you inform Allaah of that which He knows not in the heavens and the earth?’ Glorified be Allaah, Exalted is He above all that they associate with Him.” [ QuranYunus (10): 18]
“And warn therewith those who fear that they will be gathered before their Lord, when their will be neither a protector nor an intercessor for them besides Him.” [ Quran al-An`aam (6): 51]

“But remind them with (the Qur`aan) lest a person be given up to destruction for that which he has earned, when he will find for himself no protector or intercessor besides Allaah.” [ Quran al-An`aam (6): 70]

“Allaah, it is He Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in Six Days, then He Rose over the Throne. You have none besides Him as a protector or an intercessor, will you then no take heed?” [ Quran as-Sajdah (32): 4]

“Surely, your Lord is Allaah Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days and then Rose Over the Throne, disposing the affair of all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His leave. That is Allaah, your Lord; so worship Him (Alone) so will you not take heed?” [ QuranYunus (10 ): 3]

“Who is there that can intercede with Him except after His permission?” [ Quran al-Baqarah (2): 255]

“And how many are the Angels in the heavens whose intercession will be of no avail except after Allaah has given leave for whomsoever He Wills and Pleases.” [ Quran an-Najm (53): 26]

Chapter Three
The misguided people call to the religion of some unknown entity not possessing any authority sent down from Allaah for what they call to. Allaah, the Exalted says,

Say: ‘The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are all indecent actions, whether committed openly or secretly, sins of all kinds, oppression, joining partners with Allaah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about Allaah of which you have no knowledge.” [ Quran al-A`raaf (7): 33]
“And they have assign a portion of that which We have provided them unto what they know not (false deities). By Allaah, you shall certainly be questioned about all that you used to fabricate.” [ Quran an-Nahl (16): 56]

Allaah said concerning the believers from amongst the people of Pharaoh that they said,

“And O my people! How is it that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire! You invite me to disbelieve in Allaah and to join partners with Him; that of which I have no knowledge, and I invite you to the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving. No doubt you call me to one who cannot grant me me request (or respond to me invocation) in this world or the Hereafter.” [ Quran Ghaafir (40): 41-42]

Allaah said,

“And they worship besides Allaah others for which He has sent down no authority, and of that which they have no knowledge and the wrong-doers shall have no helpers.” [ Quran al-Hajj (22): 71]

Authority means: the revelation that is sent down from Allaah. Allaah said,

“Or have We revealed to them a Scripture which speaks of that which they have been associating with Him?” [ Quran ar-Rum (30): 35]
“They are but names which you have names – you and your fathers – for which Allaah has sent down no authority.” [ Quran an-Najm (53):23]

The religion that has been revealed is none other than the religion that Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent, has legislated whereas the people of misguidance follow a religion that does not concord to the legislation that has been revealed and neither do they have knowledge of it. Indeed all they do is follow their vain desires and all they find that would satisfy their base desires.

This is why the true scholars enjoin one to follow the Legislation and knowledge and they censure the worshipers who do not follow these two things just as Allaah said,

“And they worship besides Allaah other for which He has sent down no authority and of that which they have no knowledge and the wrong-doers shall have no helpers.” [ Quran al-Hajj (22): 71]

This is why Allaah demanded knowledge and authority from the misguided in His words,

“Say: ‘Has he forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.” [ Quran al-An`aam (6): 143]

Hence explaining that the truthful one is the one who is upon certain knowledge of what he says and believes, whereas the one who has no knowledge to back what he says and believes is spreading lies against Allaah. Allaah says,

“Say: ‘Tell me what provision Allaah has sent down to you! And you have made of it lawful and unlawful.’ Say: ‘Has Allaah permitted you, or do you invent a lie against Allaah?” [ QuranYunus (10): 59]
“And say not concerning that which you tongues put forth falsely: ‘this is lawful and this is unlawful’ so as to invent lies against Allaah. Indeed those invent lies against Allaah will never prosper.” [ Quran an-Nahl (16): 116]

“O Mankind! Eat of that which is good and lawful on the earth and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Indeed he is to you and open enemy. He commands you only to what is evil and indecent and that you should say against Allaah what you know not.” [ Quran al-Baqarah (2): 168-169]

“O People of the Scripture! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth.” [ Quran an-Nisaa (4): 171]

“Then after them succeeded an evil generation who inherited the Book but they chose (for themselves) the goods of this low life saying: ‘everything will be forgiven us.’ And if again the offer of the similar goods came their way they would again seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not say about Allaah anything but the truth? And they have studied what is in the Book and the Home of the Hereafter is better for those who are God-fearing. Do you not then understand? And as to those who hold fast to the Book and establish the prayers, certainly, We shall never waste the reward of those who do righteous deeds.” [ Quraan al-A`raaf (7): 169-170]

Chapter Four
There are two types of people who report hadeeth from the Prophet (peace be upon him): the trustworthy and precise; and those who are not trustworthy and precise.

From amongst this second category are those who deliberate lies while most of them do not do this but it is possible that one of them narrate a lie due to having weak memory. The scholars have criticised both these types of people [in this second category] in order to preserve the religion from addition and subtraction.

As for those who speak based upon their opinions, research, understanding, and what their hearts find contentment with then their words are of two types: whatsoever agrees with the Messenger (peace be upon him) then it is the truth and whatsoever opposes him is in error. Most of these people do not deliberately err but do so unintentionally but there are some who deliberately say something that is not true knowing that the truth lies elsewhere.

Chapter Five
The best of creation after the Prophets, those with the most complete knowledge and religion, those who clung firmest to the rope of Allaah and who followed the religion of Islaam most closely were the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him).

Indeed the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the best of nations, and the Companions are the best of the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as is established in the Saheeh with a number of different wordings that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “the best of generations is the generation in which I have been sent, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.” [5] Allaah, the Glorious, has informed us that He is Pleased with the fore-runners and is Pleased with those who follow them in good saying,

“The fore-runners, the first to embrace Islaam of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar, and those who followed them in good. Allaah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success.” [ Quran at-Tawbah (9): 100]

These fore-runners are those who gave the pledge of allegiance under the tree and they were the one who gave in charity from the beginning and they were the ones who fought (alongside the Messenger) in all the battles before the conquest of Hudaybiyyah. Allaah said,

“Not equal among you are those who spent and fought before the conquest (with those among you who did so after). Such are higher in degree than those who spent and fought afterwards. But to all Allaah has promised the best reward and Allaah is All-Aware of what you do.” [ Quran al-Hadeed (57): 10]

It is established in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “whosoever gave the pledge of allegiance under the tree shall not enter the Fire.” [6] In Saheeh Bukhaaree and Muslim from Jaabir that “the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said to us on the Day of Hudaybiyyah, ‘you are the best people on the face of the earth,’ and we numbered fourteen hundred and if I could see now I would show you the place under the Tree (where we gave our pledge of allegiance).” [7] It was these people and those who followed them that Allaah promised the best reward.

The way of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was that they would worship Allaah Alone in the way they were commanded by their Prophet. Therefore the lawful was what he made to be lawful, the unlawful was what he prohibited and the religion comprised of only what he legislated. They prayed the five daily prayers at their correct times in congregation in the Mosques as they had been ordered to do so by Allaah. They fasted the month of Ramadaan, they performed the Hajj to the Ancient House, they gave in zakaah, they enjoined the good and forbade the evil and they performed Jihaad in the Way of Allaah. They worshipped Allaah through doing everything that their Prophet ordered them to do, they did not worship any save Allaah and they did not supplicate to anything else alongside Allaah – not anything in the heavens or the earth, not the Angels, the stars, the Prophets and those who resembled them most after them. Rather they knew that doing any of this was from associating partners with Allaah which Allaah and His Messenger had explicitly forbidden.

They did not supplicate to a created object, nor an Angel, or a Jinn, or a man be he a Prophet or other than a Prophet – neither at his grave nor in his absence. They did not seek help except with Allaah and they did not seek victory except with Allaah. They did not put their trust in anything other than Allaah and they did not supplicate to any created being be he absent or dead, neither did they seek succour and relief with him, they did not complain to him and they did not seek forgiveness, guidance or victory from him. Rather they sought all of this from Allaah Alone.

They did not do what the Christians used to do and seek intercession with the Angels or the Prophets and the righteous who have passed away at their graves or away from their graves. Not one of them called out saying, “O Jibreel, O Meekaa`eel intercede for me with Allaah,” just as they did not say, “O Ibraaheem, O Musaa, O `Eesaa, intercede for me with Allaah,” as was done by the Christians. Instead they knew that nothing is to be sought from the absent and the one who has died. They knew that the Angels do nothing except that which Allaah commanded them to do and they do not intercede except for the one with whom the Lord is Pleased. The same being true for the Prophets and the righteous. However it is possible to seek supplication or intercession from them during their lifetimes as the Companions used to so with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and as the creation will seek intercession from him on the Day of Judgement. Abundant peace and blessings be upon him.

Chapter Six
They used to pray the five daily prayers behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) and behind others from the Imaams. There used to be a mosque for every inhabitation of the Ansaar and they used to have an Imaam behind whom they prayed the prayers with the exception of Jumu`ah and `Eid which they prayed behind the Prophet (peace be upon him). These were the inhabitants of Madeenah. Madeenah was a large area having no defined boundary, rather it consisted of places dispersed over an area, each tribe had their own area with a Mosque, graveyard and homes that were used to differentiate between the area of another tribe. The title ‘Madeenah’ included all of this and the only people that were not included under this name were the Bedouin Arabs. Allaah said,

“Certain of the desert Arabs round about you are hypocrites as well as among the inhabitants of Madeenah.” [ Quran at-Tawbah (9): 101]

Those who tilled the land were from amongst the inhabitants of Madeenah and they were none other than the Ansaar. The living area of each tribe was called ‘home’ (daar) and the meaning of ‘home’ here referred to the tribe itself. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered that Mosques be built in each of these ‘homes’ and that they should be cleaned and scented.

In the authentic hadeeth there occurs, “Madeenah is sanctified between `Ayr and Thawr.” [ Quran8] Ayr is a mountain near Dhul Haleefah and its rear side resembles the back of an `ayr which is a donkey. Thawr is a small mountain near Uhud and it does not refer to Mount Thawr that is in Mecca. This hadeeth fooled some scholars into thinking that Madeenah constituted everything from `Ayr to Mount Thawr in Mecca. He (peace be upon him) said, “I sanctify whatsoever lies between its two mountains” [ Quran9] And the Arab said to him, “there is no family between the two mountains of Madeenah who is poorer than us.” [ Quran10]

Hence everything between its two mountains constitutes Madeenah and that is what lies between `Ayr and Thawr.

The Companions used to invoke prayers (salaah) and peace (salaam) upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) in their daily prayers as ordered by Allaah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) saying in their tashahhud, “peace be upon you O Prophet, and the Mercy of Allaah and His Blessings.” [11]

They used to invoke blessings upon him in the way that he (peace be upon him) taught them, for example their saying, “O Allaah send Your prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad just as You sent your prayers upon the family of Abraham, indeed you are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious. And send Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad just as you sent Your blessings upon the family of Abraham, indeed you are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.” [12]

This hadeeth as also been reported with the wording, “just as You sent Your prayers upon Abraham” [13]

It has also been reported with the wording, “just as You sent Your prayers upon Abraham and the family of Abraham.” [14]

It is established from him (peace be upon him) in the Saheeh that he said, “whosoever invokes prayers upon me once, Allaah sends prayers upon him ten times.” [15]

A similar hadeeth is reported with regards to sending peace upon him that whosoever sends peace upon him once, Allaah sends peace upon him ten times. [16]

Therefore when they invoked prayers and peace upon him (peace be upon him), Allaah sent prayers and peace upon them (ten times).

This invocation of peace (salaam) [ Quransaid in the prayer and in the absence of the Prophet] was not of the type that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would reply to, rather the type of salaam that he replied to was when they met him and greeted him. As for the salaam said in the prayer then this was like the invocation of prayers (salaah) upon him in the prayer – it was Allaah who replied to them tenfold.

When the Allaah caused His Prophet (peace be upon him) to pass away the Companions continued upon what they were upon during his lifetime. They and the Taabi`een used to pray behind Abu Bakr, `Umar, `Uthmaan and `Alee in his (peace be upon him) Mosque just as they used to pray behind others. However these four led the prayers in his Mosque – Abu Bakr and `Umar until they died, `Uthmaan until he was besieged and `Alee before he moved to Iraq. The pledge of allegiance was given to these four in his Mosque and this is why Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal said, “every pledge of allegiance that was given in Madeenah was for the Khilaafah upon the Prophetic way.”

They continued praying the five daily prayers and invoking salaah and salaam upon him in them. They used to supplicate to Allaah during the prayers and outside of the prayers knowing that this was sufficient for them and in fact sufficed them from anything else from those matters that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had not commanded or legislated.

When he (peace be upon him) died, he was buried in the room of Aa`ishah, in the same room in which he became ill. The rooms of his wives were to the east and to the rear of his Mosque, joining on to the Mosque. Allaah mentioned them in His saying,

“Those who call out to you from without the Inner Apartments, most of them lack understanding.” [ Quraan al-Hujuraat (49): 4]

These houses belonged to him and his wives. Allaah mentioned this in His sayings,

“O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet until leave is given you.” [ Quran al-Ahzaab (33): 53]
“And stay quietly in your houses…” [ Quraan al-Ahzaab (33): 33]

In Two Saheehs from Aa`ishah (RA) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said during the illness from which he died, “Allaah cursed the Jews and the Christians, they took the graves of their Prophets as Mosques.” [17] And via another route, “except that he feared that it would be taken as a Mosque.” [18]

Aa`ishah said, “had it not been for this his grave would have been raised but it was feared that it would be taken as a Mosque,” [19] the wording of Bukhaaree has, “except that I feared it would be taken as a Mosque.” [20]

In Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of Jundub bin Abdullaah that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying five days before he died, “I stand acquitted before Allaah that I should take a beloved friend (khaleel) from amongst you for indeed Allaah has taken me as His beloved friend just as He took Abraham as a beloved friend. If I had taken a beloved friend from my nation then I would have taken Abu Bakr. Indeed those who came before you took the graves of their Prophets and Righteous as Mosques, do not take graves as Mosques for indeed I forbid you from this.” [21]

In the Two Saheehs from Aa`ishah and ibn Abbaas that they said, “when the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) was about to breathe his last he drew his sheet upon his face. When he felt uneasy he uncovered his face and said, ‘the curse of Allaah be upon the Jews and Christians, they took the graves of their Prophets as Mosques,’ warning from their practice.” [22]

In the Two Saheehs from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said, “may Allaah destroy the Jews and Christians, they took the graves of their Prophets as Mosques.” [ Quran23]The wording of Muslim has, “Allaah cursed the Jews and Christians, they took the graves of their Prophets as Mosques.” [ Quran24]

In the Musnad and Saheeh Abee Haatim that he said, “from the worst of people are those upon whom the Hour will be established and those who took graves as Mosques.” [25]

In the Muwatta of Maalik that he (peace be upon him) said, “O Allaah do not make my grave an idol that is worshipped. The Anger of Allaah was severe upon a people who took the graves of their Prophets as Mosques.” [26]

In the Sunan of Abu Daawood and other from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said, “do not take my grave as a place of festivity and invoke prayers upon me wheresoever you may be for indeed they are conveyed to me.” [27]

In the Sunan of Sa`eed bin Mansoor that Abdullaah bin Hasan bin Hasan bin [ QuranAlee bin] Abee Taalib[28] – and he is from the most noble Hasans during the period of the tab`a taabi`een – that he peace be upon him a person frequenting the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “O person indeed the Messenger of Allaah said, “do not take my grave as a place of festivity and invoke prayers upon me wheresoever you may be for indeed they are conveyed to me.” You and a person in Andulus are equivalent with regards to this.” [29]

In the Sunan of Abu Daawood and others from Aws bin Aws ath-Thaqafee that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “frequent the salaah upon me on the day and night of Jumu`ah for indeed your salaah is presented to me.” They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah how can our salaah be presented to you after you have passed away?’ He replied, “indeed Allaah has forbidden the earth from eating the flesh of the Prophets.” [30]

In an-Nasaa`ee and ibn Hibbaan and others from ibn Mas`ud from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said, “indeed Allaah has Angels roaming the earth who convey to me the salaam of my nation.” [31]

We have been informed that the salaah and salaam reaches him from near and far through his saying, “send salaah upon me from wheresoever you may be for indeed your salaah is conveyed to me,” and his saying, “do not take my grave as a place of festivity.” Similarly the salaam reaches him from near and far as in his saying, “indeed Allaah has Angels roaming the earth who convey to me the salaam of my nation.”

So when every Muslim says in his prayer, “peace be upon you O Prophet, and the blessings and mercy of Allaah” then this reaches him (peace be upon him).

The Companions and the Taabi`een knew that this salaam was better and more virtuous then the salaam said to him (peace be upon him) at his grave to which he replied because the salaam said upon greeting is shared by the Muslims as occurs in the hadeeth, “there is not a person who passes by the grave of someone who he knew while alive except that Allaah returns his soul to him so that he may reply to the salaam.” [32]

However the salaam through which one worships in the prayer, which in fact one has been commanded to say in prayer, is answered by Allaah tenfold whereas this other type of salaam that is said is answered by him (peace be upon him) just as he would have answered during his lifetime.

All of the Companions used to send salaam upon him in every prayer and on some occasions used to go to him and extend the salaam to him. So the first salaam has been ordered by Allaah to be said in every prayer whereas the second type of salaam has only been legislated upon meeting him. The reward of the first type of salaam is greater because Allaah returns the salaam tenfold whereas only the Messenger answers the second type.

He also taught them to say upon entering the Mosque, “with the Name of Allaah, peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah, O Allaah forgive me my sins and open for me the gates of Your Mercy,” and upon leaving the Mosque to say, “with the Name of Allaah, peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah, and open for me the gates of Your Bounty.” [ 33]

Many people took the graves of their Prophets as places of festivities and as objects of worship and through them committed shirk with Allaah after their death whereas during their lifetimes it was impossible for any of them to commit shirk through them or to take them as lords (besides Allaah). This is why the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) and those who followed them strictly adhered to the tawheed with which Allaah sent His Messenger, they avoided all that he forbade them from such as shirk and the means of falling into it. They followed his command to prohibit people (from doing this) by his grave so that shirk would not occur through him. Therefore the performance of evil near him was prevented after his death just as it was prevented during his (peace be upon him) lifetime.

This is one of his excellent qualities and one of the excellent qualities of his nation for there is no Prophet after him and his nation cannot gather and unite upon misguidance. If his grave were to be raised then many ignorant people would desire to take it as a Mosque, an idol and a place of festivity. Instead he was buried in the room, hidden away from the people and therefore no one was able to commit shirk through him and neither to take him as an idol or perform any evil near his grave. Hence this situation became specific to him – not shared by anyone else (who was righteous for shirk was committed through them). This is because his Mosque was built upon taqwaa, and it is legislated to make a journey to it, and performing worship in it is of extra merit and there is no Mosque near the grave of any other to which it is legislated journey to, indeed many of those other Mosques have been built as a result of graves and this is prohibited, the Prophet (peace be upon him) warned his nation from this, cursing those who did it.

The Mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was built upon taqwaa, and it is the best of Mosques after the Holy Mosque and it is said: rather it is the best of all Mosques. To perform prayer in it is better than a thousand prayers in any other Mosque (except the Holy Mosque) and journeying to it is legislated and recommended.

As for enacting the prohibited matters then this is not possible to be done by his grave. It is not possible for anyone to visit his grave and travel to it as it is possible for them to visit any other grave such that they can do whatever (prohibited matter) they desire. It is established in the Saheeh that he (peace be upon him) said, “do not sit on the graves and do not pray towards them.” [34] Also he forbade people from taking the graves as Mosques as has just preceded. The reason for all of this is because the basis for the shirk that occurred amongst the children of Aadam was by their committing shirk through the graves of their righteous. The first shirk that appeared was amongst the people of Nuh. Abdullaah bin Abbaas (RA) said, “between Aadam and Nuh were ten generations all of them upon Islaam.” [35]It is also established in the Saheeh that the people will say on the Day of Judgement (while asking for intercession), “O Nuh you are the first Messenger that Allaah sent to the inhabitants of the earth.” [36]

This is why Allaah did not mention a Messenger who came before Nuh and neither did He mention a nation that was destroyed before the nation of Nuh. Allaah said, while narrating his story,

“They said: ‘do not abandon your gods, abandon not Wadd, Suwa, Yaguth, Ya`uq and Nasr.’ They have already misled many; and do not increase the wrong-doers in anything save misguidance.” [ Quran Nuh (71): 23-24]

A group of the Salaf said, from amongst them Muhammad bin Ka`b al-Qardhee, “these were the names of a righteous people who lived some time between Aadam and Nuh. When they died they had a following who followed them and took to their way of worship. Then Iblees came to them and said, ‘if only you depicted forms for them then this would increase your eagerness to worship.’ They did this, then a people arose after them and Satan came to them and said, ‘indeed those who came before you used to worship them’ and so they worshipped them.” Reported by Abd bin Humaid in his tafseer from Muhammad bin Ka`b. [37]

This then was the beginning of the worship of statues and these statues were called by these names (mentioned in the verse) because these statues were made in the forms of those Muslims.

Bukhaaree mentions in his Saheeh from `Ataa from ibn Abbaas who said, “the idols that were worshipped by the People of Nuh also came to be worshipped by the Arab who came after. As for the idol Wadd, it was worshipped by the tribe of Kalb at Dawmatul Jandal. Suwa was the idol of Bani Hudhayl and Yaguth was the idol of the tribe of Muraad and then by Bani Ghutaif at al-Jurf near Saba. Ya`uq was the idol of Himyr.” [38]

…To Be Continued Insha’Allah

Footnotes
{1} Saheeh Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/267 no.'s 1071-1075 ]
{2} Saheeh Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 4/434 no.'s 651,652], Saheeh Muslim [Eng. Trans. 4/1260 no.'s 5834-5836]

{3} Refer to ‘ad-Durr al-Manthoor’ [ 4/189-190]

{4}ibid.

{5} A similar wording has been reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 5/2 no. 3] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 4/1345 no.'s 6150-6159]

{6} A similar wording has been reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 4/1332 no. 6090] and at-Tirmidhee [ 5/357]

{7} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 5/337 no. 475] and a similar wording has been reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 3/1035 no. 4580]

{8} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 3/56 no. 97] with similar wording and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 2/688 no. 3163]

{9} A similar wording is reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 3/54 no. 93] and the wording given is that of Muslim [Eng. Trans. 2/686 no. 3153]

{10} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 3/89 no.157] with the words ‘Ahwaj’ instead of ‘Afqar’ and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 2/540 no. 2457]

{11} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/441 no. 794] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/221 no. 793]

{12} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 6/302 no. 320] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/223 no.'s 803-808]

{13} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 6/303 no. 321] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/223 no. 807]

{14} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 6/303 no. 322]

{15} Reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/224 no. 808]

{16} Reported by an-Nasaa`ee [ Quran3/44] with the wording, “no one sends peace upon you except that I send peace upon him ten times,” and it was declared hasan by al-Albaanee in ‘Saheeh an-Nasaa`ee’ [ Quran1/274]

{17} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 2/267 no. 472] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/268 no. 1079]

{18} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 2/267 no. 472]

{19} A similar wording is reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/268 no. 1079]

{20} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 2/232 no. 414]

{21} Reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/269 no. 1083]

{22} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/255 no. 427] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/269 no. 1082]

{23} Reported by Bukhaaree [Eng. Trans. 1/255 no. 428] and Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/269 no. 1080]

{24} Reported by Muslim [Eng. Trans. 1/269 no. 1081]

{25} Ahmad [1/435] and Ahmad Shaakir said in his notes to the Musnad, “its isnaad is saheeh.”[Hadith 5/324]

{26} al-Muwatta [ 1/244]. Ahmad [f2/246] also reports the hadeeth from Abu Hurayrah with the words, “O Allaah do not make my grave an idol that is worshipped. Allaah cursed a people who took the graves of their Prophets as Mosques.” Ahmad Shaakir said in his notes upon the Musnad, “its isnaad is saheeh.” [ Hadith 13/86]

{27} Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans. 2/542 no. 2037] and it was declared saheeh by Al-Albaanee in Saheeh al-Jaami` [Hadith 2/1211]

{28} He is the noble, trustworthy and precise scholar. He died in the year 145H at the age of 75. Refer to ‘Taqreeb at-Tahdheeb’ [ Hadith no. 3292]

{29} Shaykh al-Islaam said in his book, ‘ar-Radd alaa al-Akhnaa`ee’ [pg. 93], “and Sa`eed also said – i.e. Sa`eed bin Mansoor – Abdul Azeez bin Muhammad reported to us that Suhail bin Abee Suhail said, ‘al-Hasan bin Hasan bin Alee bin Abee Taalib peace be upon him me at the grave and called to me from the house of Faatimah when it was close to the time of `Ishaa saying, “come to `Ishaa!” I replied, “I do not wish to.” He said, “why do I see you by the grave?” I said, “I sent my salaam upon the Prophet (peace be upon him).” He replied, “when you enter the Mosque then send your salaam upon him for the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said, “do not take my grave as a place of festivities and invoke prayers upon me wheresoever you may be for indeed they are conveyed to me.” Therefore you and a person in Andulus are equivalent (with regards to this).’

Qaadee Ismaa`eel bin Ishaaq reported this in his ‘Fadl as-Salaah `alaa an-Nabee (peace be upon him)’ without mentioning the addition, “you and a person in Andulus are equivalent (with regards to this).” This is because his opinion is that it is better for the one who is leaving or returning from a journey to send the salaam upon him from the side of the grave and that those outside of Madeenah send their salaams upon him when entering and leaving the Mosque and therefore the people of Madeenah have a ranking above those outside Madeenah with regard to this. As for al-Hasan bin al-Hasan and others then they did not differentiate between the inhabitants of Madeenah and those outside Madeenah and neither between the traveler and the resident.” Refer to ‘Fadl as-Salaah `alaa an-Nabee (peace be upon him)’ [no. 20, 30] of Qaadee Ismaa`eel bin Ishaaq.

Ibn Abee Shaybah [ Hadith 4/345] reported a similar wording without the addition, “you and a person…” and likewise Abdur Razzaaq [ Hadith 3/577] in his ‘Musannaf’.

{30} Reported by Abu Daawood [Eng. Trans. 1/269 no. 1042], ibn Maajah [Hadith 1/524], Ahmad [Hadith 4/2] and al-Haakim [Hadith 1/278] who said, ‘it is saheeh, meeting the criteria of Bukhaaree’ and adh-Dhahabee agreed.

{31} Reported by an-Nasaa`ee [Hadith 2/43], ibn Hibbaan [ Hadith 2/134] and declared saheeh by al-Albaanee in ‘Saheeh al-Jaami’ [Hadith 1/434]

{32} A similar hadeeth is reported by al-Bayhaqee in ‘ash-Shu`ab’, ibn Abee ad-Dunya in ‘al-Quboor’, as-Saaboonee in ‘al-Mi`atayn’, ibn Abdul Barr in ‘al-Istidhkaar’ and ‘at-Tamheed’ and was declared saheeh by Abdul Haqq as mentioned by as-Suyutee in ‘Sharh as-Sudoor’ [pg. 84]. Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned that ibn Abdul Barr declared it saheeh in ‘ar-Ruh’ [pg. 8]

{33} Reported by ibn Maajah [1/253] and Ahmad [6/283]. The hadeeth was declared saheeh by al-Albaanee in ‘Saheeh ibn Maajah’ [1/128-129]

{34} Reported by Muslim [Hadith Eng. Trans. 2/460 no. 2121]

{35} Ibn Jareer reports a similar narration in his tafseer [Hadith 4/275] and al-Haakim [Hadith 2/546] who said that it was saheeh according to the conditions of Bukhaaree and Muslim and adh-Dhahabee agreed.

{36} Bukhaaree reports a similar hadeeth to this [ Eng. Trans. 6/198 no. 236] and Muslim [Eng. Trans.]

{37} Mentioned by as-Suyutee in ‘ad-Durr al-Munthoor’ [ Hadith 6/269]

{38} Reported by Bukhaaree [ Eng. Trans. 6/198 no. 236]. Al-Haafidh ibn Hajr al-Asqalaanee said in ‘Fath’ [6/83], ”

Misconceptions Regarding Good Religous Bid’ah Innovation

Bismillaah

From Islamweb.net

Those who think that this Bid’ah should be continued produce specious arguments which are flimsier than a spider’s web. These specious arguments may be dealt with as follows:

1 – Their claim that this is veneration of the Prophet :

The response to that is that the way to venerate him is to obey him, do as he commanded and avoid that which he forbade, and to love him; he is not to be venerated through innovations, myths and sins. Celebrating his birthday is of this blameworthy type because it is a sin. The people who venerated the Prophet the most were the Sahaabah as ‘Urwah Ibn Mas’ood said to Quraysh: “O people, I swear by Allaah that I have visited kings. I went to Caesar, Chasroes and the Negus, but I swear by Allaah that I never saw a king whose companions venerated him as much as the companions of Muhammad venerated Muhammad. By Allaah, whenever he spat it never fell to the ground, it fell into the hand of one his companions, then they would wipe their faces and skins with it. If he instructed them to do something, they would hasten to do as he commanded. When he did Wudoo’, they would almost fight over his water. When he spoke they would lower their voices in his presence; and they did not stare at him out of respect for him.” [Al-Bukhaari] Yet despite this level of veneration, they never took the day of his birth as an ‘Eed (festival). If that had been prescribed in Islam they would not have neglected to do that.

2 – Using as evidence the fact that many people in many countries do this.

The response to that is that evidence can only consist of that which is proven from the Prophet and what is proven from the Prophet is that innovations are forbidden in general, and this is an innovation. What people do, if it goes against the evidence (Daleel), does not prove anything, even if many of them do it. Allaah Says (what means): {And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allaah.}[Quran 3: 116]

Nevertheless, in every age, and all praise is due to Allaah, there have always been those who denounce this Bid’ah and state clearly that it is false. Those who persist in following it after the truth has been explained to them have no proofs to fall back on.

Among those who denounced the celebration of this occasion was Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, in Iqtidaa’ Al-Siraat Al-Mustaqeem; Imaam Al-Shaatibi in Al-‘I’tisaam; Ibn Al-Haaj in Al-Madkhil; Shaykh Taaj Al-Deen ‘Ali Ibn ‘Umar Al-Lakhami who wrote an entire book denouncing it; Shaykh Muhammad Basheer Al-Sahsawaani Al-Hindi in his book Siyaanah Al-Insaan; Al-Sayyid Muhammad Rasheed Ridaa wrote an essay on this topic; Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Ibraaheem Aal Al-Shaykh wrote a separate essay on it; Shaykh ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez Ibn Baaz; and others who are still writing and denouncing this Bid’ah every year in the pages of newspapers and magazines, at a time when this Bid’ah is widespread.

3 – They say that by celebrating the Mawlid they are keeping the memory of the Prophet .

The answer to this is that the memory of the Prophet is constantly kept alive by the Muslim, such as when his name sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam is mentioned in the Adhaan and Iqaamah and in Khutbahs, and every time the Muslim recites the Shahaadatayn after doing Wudoo’ and in the prayers, and every time he sends blessings upon the Prophet in his prayers and when he is mentioned, and every time the Muslim does a Waajib (obligatory) or Mustahabb (recommended) action that was prescribed by the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. In all of these ways (the Muslim) remembers him and the reward equivalent to the reward of the one who does that action goes back to the Prophet . Thus the Muslim constantly keeps the memory of the Messenger alive and has a connection with him night and day throughout his life through that which Allaah has prescribed, not only on the day of the Mawlid and things which are Bid’ah and go against the Sunnah, for that puts one at a distance from the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and the Messenger will disown him because of that.

The Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, has no need of this innovated celebration, because Allaah has already bestowed veneration and respect upon him, as He Says (what means): {And raised high for you your repute.}[Quran 94: 4]

This is because the name of Allaah is not mentioned in the Adhaan, Iqaamah or Khutbahs, except that the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is mentioned after Him; this is sufficient veneration, love and renewal of his memory, and sufficient encouragement to follow him.

Allaah did not refer to the birth of the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, in the Quran, rather He referred to his Mission, and Says (what means): {Indeed, Allaahconferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad) from among themselves.}[Quran 3: 164]

{It is He who sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves.}[Quran 62: 2]

4 – They may say that the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday was introduced by a knowledgeable and just king who intended thereby to draw closer to Allaah.

Our response to that is that Bid’ah is not acceptable, no matter who does it. A good intention does not justify a bad deed and even if a person died as a knowledgeable and righteous person, this does not mean that he was infallible.

5 – They say that celebrating the Mawlid comes under the heading of Bid’ah Hasanah (good innovation) because it is based on giving thanks to Allaah for the Prophet !

Our response to that is that there is nothing good in innovation. The Prophet said: “Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours(i.e., Islam),that is not part of it will have it rejected.” [Al-Bukhaari] And he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Every innovation is a going astray.” [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi) The ruling on innovations is that they are all misguidance, but this specious argument suggests that not every Bid’ah is a going astray, rather there are good innovations.

Ibn Rajab said: “The words of the Prophet ‘every innovation is a going astray’ is a concise but comprehensive comment which includes everything; it is one of the most important principles of religion. It is like his words ‘Whoever innovates anything in this matter of ours (i.e., Islam) that is not part of it will have it rejected.’ [Al-Bukhaari] Whoever innovates anything and attributes it to Islam when it has no basis in the religion, this is a going astray and is nothing to do with Islam, whether that has to do with matters of belief (‘Aqeedah) or outward and inward words and deeds.”

These people have no proof that there is any such thing as a “good innovation” apart from the words of ‘Umar concerning Taraaweeh prayers when he said: ‘What a good innovation this is.’ [Al-Bukhaari]

They also said that things were innovated which were not denounced by the Salaf, such as compiling the Quran into one volume and writing and compiling the collections of Ahadeeth.

The response to that is that these matters had a basis in Islam, so they were not newly-invented.

‘Umar said: ‘What a good Bid’ah’ meaning innovation in the linguistic sense, not in the Shar’i sense. Whatever has a basis in Islam, if it is described as an innovation, is an innovation in the linguistic sense, not in the Shar’i sense, because innovation in the Shar’i sense means that which has no basis in Islam.

Compiling the Quran into one book has a basis in Islam, because the Prophet had commanded that the Quran be written down, but it was scattered, so the Sahaabah compiled it in one volume so as so protect and preserve it.

The Prophet led his companions in praying Taraaweeh for a while, then he stopped doing that, lest it become obligatory on them. The Sahaabah continued to pray it individually during the life of the Prophet and after his death, until ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, gathered them behind one Imam as they used to pray behind the Prophet . Therefore, this was not an innovation introduced into the religion.

Compiling the collections of Ahadeeth also has a basis in Islam. The Prophet ordered that some Ahaadeeth be written down for some of his companions when they asked him for that. Generally, doing this during his lifetime was prohibited, for fear that the Quran might be mixed with things that were not part of it (from the sayings of the Prophet . When the Prophet died, this fear was no longer a factor, because the Quran had been completed and arranged in order before he died. The Muslims compiled the Sunnah after that in order to preserve it and keep it from being lost. May Allaah reward them with good on behalf of Islam and the Muslims, because they preserved the Book of their Lord and the Sunnah of their Prophet from being lost or being tampered with.

We may also say to them: why was this act of thanksgiving, as they call it, not done by the best generations, the Sahaabah, Taabi’een and followers of the Taabi’een, who loved the Prophet the most and who were most keen to do good and give thanks? Are those who introduced the innovation of the Mawlid more rightly-guided than them? Do they give more thanks to Allaah? Definitely not!

6 – They may say that celebrating the birthday of the Prophet is indicative of their love for him; this is one way of showing that, and showing love of the Prophet is prescribed in Islam!

The answer to that is that undoubtedly loving the Prophet is obligatory for every Muslim; he should love him more than he loves himself, his child, his father and all of mankind – may my father and mother be sacrificed for him – but that does not mean that we should introduce innovations for doing so that have not been prescribed for us. Loving him dictates that we should obey him and follow him, for that is one of the greatest manifestations of love, as it is said: “If your love is sincere then obey him; for the lover obeys the one whom he loves.”

Loving the Prophet implies keeping his Sunnah alive, adhering firmly to it, and avoiding words and deeds that go against it. Undoubtedly everything that goes against his Sunnah is a reprehensible innovation (Bid’ah) and a manifest act of disobedience. That includes celebrating his birthday and other kinds of Bid’ah. Having good intentions does not mean that it is permissible to introduce innovations into the religion. Islam is based on two things, purity of intention and following the Prophet .

Allaah Says (what means): {Yes [on the contrary], whoever submits his face [i.e., self] in Islam to Allaah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve.}[Quran 2: 112]

Submitting one’s face to Allaah means being sincere towards Allaah, and doing good means following the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and implementing his Sunnah.

7 – Another of their specious arguments is when they say that by celebrating the Mawlid and reading the biography of the Prophet on this occasion, they are encouraging people to follow his example!

We say to them that reading the biography of the Prophet and following his example are required of the Muslim all the time, all year long and throughout his life. Singling out a specific day for that with no evidence for doing so is an innovation, and “…every innovation is a going astray.” [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi] Bid’ah does not bear any fruit but evil and it leads to a person distancing himself from the Prophet .

The Awliya’ (Beloved) of Allah By: Shaykh Abû Bakr Jâbir al-Jaza’iry

Bismillaah

The Muslim believes that Allaah the Almighty has chosen some of His servants to be His devotees, making them act in obedience, and honoring them with His Love, and giving them of from His grace. He is their Supporter Who loves them and draws them nearer to Him. They are His devotees who love and revere Him. They do whatever He commands them and recommend others to do the same. They refrain from whatever He forbids and advise others to refrain from it. They love what He loves and hate what He hates. If they ask Him, He gives them. If they seek His aid, He aids them. If they seek refuge in Him, He grants them asylum. They are the men of piety and belief, dignity and good news in both this life and in the Hereafter. Each pious believer is one of the Awliya’ of Allah. They differ in only grades proportional to their belief and piety. The more one’s share of piety and belief, the higher his rank and dignity before Allaah. Those with the most grace are the Prophets and the Messengers of Allaah, then, the believers. The Muslim believes in all of the phenomenon and miracles that Allah causes to occur by their hands. Events such as the increase of otherwise little amounts of food, curing the diseased and the ill, crossing oceans (without navigational means), and fire that causes no harm etc. It is important to differentiate between Al-Karamah -the phenomenon (which is given to the devotee) and Al-Mu’jizah – the miracle (which is given to the Messenger). The miracle is accompanied by a challenge while the phenomenon is not. Among the greatest phenomenon is abiding in obedience by doing what is commanded in the Shari’ah and staying away from what is prohibited.

Textual Proofs
1. The statements of Allah the Almighty such as:
“No doubt! Verily, the Awliya’ of Allah, no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve. Those who believed, and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds). For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world, and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme success.” (Quraan 10:62-64)

And:

“Every time Zakariyya entered Al-Mihrab (a place to pray) to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: ‘0 Maryam! From where have you gotten this?’ She said, ‘This is from Allah.’” (Quran 3:37)

And:

“Allah is the Wall (Protector) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light.” (Quraan 2:257)

And:

“And they are not its (Al-Masjid Al-Haram’s) guardians? None can be its guardians except the pious.” (Quran 8:34)

And:

“Verily, Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship. Then he (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers. Then a (big) fish swallowed him as he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) until the Day of Resurrection .” (Quraan 37:139-144)

And:

“Verily, my Wali (Protector) is Allaah Who has revealed the Book (the Qur’an), and He protects the righteous.” (Quran 7:196)

And:

“Thus it was, that We might turn away from him evil and immorality. Surely, he was one of Our chosen (guided) servants.” (Quraan 12:24)

And:

“Certainly, you shall have no authority over My servants.” (Quran 15:42)

And:

“Every time Zakariyya entered Al-Mihrab (a place to pray) to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: ‘0 Maryam! From where have you gotten this?’ She said, “This is from Allah.”(Quraan 3:37)

And:

“Verily, Yunus was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship. Then he (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers. Then a (big) fish swallowed him as he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) until the Day of Resurrection .” (Quran 37:139-144)

And:

“Then cried unto her from below her, saying: ‘Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you. And shake the trunk of date palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad.”(Quraan 19:24-26)

And:

“We (Allaah) said: ‘O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrahim!’ And they wanted to harm him, but We made them the worst losers.” (Quran 21:69-70)

And:

“Do you think that people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs? (Remember) when the young men fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folk) to the Cave. They said: ‘Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!’ Therefore, We covered up their (sense of) hearing (causing them to go in deep sleep) in the Cave for a number of years. Then We raised them up (from their sleep) .” (Quraan 18:9-12)

2. Allaah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) informed about the Awliya’ of Allah and their grace, according to what he narrated from Allah:

“Whoever shows hostility to My Wali, I proclaim war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me by anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me by the voluntary deeds, until I love Him. When I love him, I will be his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his feet with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him. And if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely give him refuge.” (Hadith Agreed upon)

And: “Indeed I rage for My Awliya’ as the lion rages in war.) Arid the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

(Indeed Allah has men, such that if one of them swears that a thing will be done, it will be done.” (Hadith Agreed upon with the wording “servants” instead of “men.”)

And:

“Among the nations before you there were Muhaddathun (people who were inspired, though they were not Prophets). And if there is any such a person among my followers, it would be ‘Umar” (Hadith Agreed upon)

In his (peace be upon him) saying:

“A woman was nursing her infant when she saw a man mounting a high horse, she said: ‘O Allah! Make my infant like that man.’ The infant looked at the man and said: ‘O Allah! Do not make me the like of him.’” (Hadith Agreed upon)

The statement of the infant was a miracle dignifying the infant and his parent. In his saying regarding Juraij the worshipper and his mother who said: “O Allah! Do not take away his soul unless and until he sees the prostitutes’ faces.”

Her prayer being against her son was miracle dignifying her. When Juraij was accused of being the father of the prostitute’s son, he said to the baby: “Who is your father?” The baby answered: “The shepherd.” (Hadith Al-Bukhari)

The statement of the baby was a miracle dignifying Juraij the worshipper.

He mentioned the three people that were trapped in the cave, petitioning Allah by their good deeds, so Allah opened the way for them and they escaped safely after petitioning Him by their good deeds. (Hadith Agreed upon)

In the Hadith about monk and the boy, the boy threw a stone killing the beast that was preventing the people from passing. Thus the people were able to pass. This also was a miracle showing the dignity of the boy. When the king tried to kill the boy, he could not. He threw him from the top of a high mountain, he did not die. Then he threw him in the sea but he emerged walking out of it. This also was a miracle dignifying the righteous boy. (Hadith Al-Bukhari)

3. Thousands of scholars and witnesses narrate the phenomenons of countless number of individuals.[1] Like the report that says that the angels used to shake hands with ‘Imran bin Husayn, may Allaah be pleased with him. That Salman Al-Farisi and Abu Ad-Darda’ were eating in a bowl. They hear the bowl or the food glorifying Allah. While Khubayb was a captive of the pagans in Makkah, he was seen eating grapes, while there were no grapes in Makkah.

Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib, may Allaah be pleased with him, is one of those who if he swore (by Allah) that anything would be done, it was done. When it was the day of Qadisiyyah, he petitioned Allah that the Muslims overpower the polytheists and that he be the first martyr of the battle. It was thus.

‘Umar bin Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was delivering the Friday sermon on the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Al-Madinah, and behold! He was heard saying: “O Sariyah! The mountain!” He repeated it twice directing the leader of the army to a better position.

Sariyah, who was far from Al-Madinah heard the call and retreated to the mountain. The army was victorious. When Sariyah returned to Al-Madinah, he told ‘Umar and the Companions what he heard.

Al-’Ala’ Al-Hadrami, may Allaah be pleased with him, used to pray: “O All-Knower, All-Wise, the Most High, the Most Great!”His supplications were responded to. Once he crossed the sea with a troop yet the saddles of their horses did not get wet.

Al-Hassan Al-Basri prayed to Allaah against a man who used to hurt him; instantly, the man died.

The donkey of a man from Nakh’a died while he was traveling. The man performed Wudu’ (ablution), prayed two Rak’ahs and called upon Allah. And behold! Allaah resurrected his donkey for him and the man carried his luggage on it. There are countless cases of phenomenons witnessed by thousands, even millions of people.

—————————————————————————­—–

The Awliya’ (Friends) of Shaytan (Satan)
by Shaykh Abû Bakr Jâbir al-Jaza’iry

—————————————————————————­—–

The Muslim believes that Shaytan has evil companions that are overpowered by him and consequently forget about their Lord. He seduced them to evil, encouraging them to falsehood, deafening them from hearing the truth, blinding them from seeing the proofs, so that they are subordinate to him, obeying his commands. He misled them to mischief by making it attractive to them, until they consider evil to be good and good to be bad. Thus, they became enemies and opponents to the Awliya’ of Allah, and warriors against them. The Awliya’ of Allah take Allah the Almighty as their Supporter, while the Awliya’ of Shaytan chose to be the opponents of Allah. The Awliya’ of Allah love Him and strive hard to please Him, while the Awliya’ of Shaytan strive to displease Allah. May the curse and anger of Allah befall them. Nevertheless, amazing feats may occur by their hands, such as; flying in the sky, or walking on water. Such feats are merely a means by which Allah facilitates the downfall of His enemies, or some form of assistance by Shaytan for his supporter. The following are some evidences for this topic:

1. The statements of Allah the Almighty, such as:

“But as for those who disbelieve, their Awliya’ (supporters and helpers) are false deities, they bring them out from light into darkness. Those are the dwellers of the Fire, and they will abide therein forever .” (Quran 2:257)

And:

“And certainly, the Shayatin (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them, then you would indeed be polytheists .” (Quraan 6:121)

And:

“And on the Day when He will gather them (all) together (and say): “O you assembly of jinn! Many did you mislead of men,” and their Awliya’ (friends and helpers) amongst men will say: “Our Lord! We benefited one from the other, but now we have reached our appointed term which You did appoint for us.” He will say: “The Fire be your dwelling place, you will dwell therein forever, except as Allah may will.”" (Quraan 6:128)

“And whosoever turns away blindly from the remembrance of the Most Gracious (Allah), We appoint for him a Shaytan to be a companion to him. And verily, they (Satans) hinder them from the path (of Allah), but they think that they are guided aright!) (Quran 43:36-37)”

And:

“Verily, We made the Shayatin, Awliya’ (protectors) for those who believe not.” (Quran 7:27)

And:

“Surely, they took the Shayatin as Awliya’ instead of Allah, and think that they are guided.” (Quraan 7:30)

And:

“And We have assigned for them (devils) intimate companions (in this world), who have made fair-seeming to them, what was before them and what was behind them.” (Quran 41:25)

And:

“And (remember) when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.” So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the command of his Lord. Will you then take him and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you?” (Quraan 18:50)

2. The statements of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) such as: When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw a shooting star, he asked his Companions:

“What would you say about this in Jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era)?)”

“We used to say: This is a precursor of a great person’s birth or death.’”

They replied. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“If does not fall for the birth or the death of anyone. But when our Lord the Blessed and Most Exalted decrees a matter, the Throne bearers glorify Him, upon hearing them, the inhabitants of the heaven after them glorify Him, then those who come after them until it reaches this heaven. Then, the inhabitants of heaven ask the bearers of the Throne: ‘What did our Lord say?’ So the bearers of the Throne tell them. The inhabitants of every heaven inquire about the news until it reaches the inhabitants of the lower heaven. Then the devils snatch the news; thus, these are shot at them. Then, the devils cast the news to their companions. If the companions convey the news as it reached them, it would be right; but they add to it.” (Muslim, Ahmad and others)

When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked about the fortunetellers, he said: “They are nothing (they know nothing of the unseen).” They said: “What they tell us sometimes comes true.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

“The jinn snatches the right word then recites it into the ear of his ally. They add one hundred lies to it.” (Hadith Al-Bukhari)

He (peace be upon him) also said:

“There is none of you but he has an assigned companion.” (Hadith Muslim)

And:

“Shaytan circulates in the veins of the son of Adam like blood, so restrict its ducts by fasting.” (Hadith Agreed upon with different wording)

3. Hundreds of thousands of humans have witnessed strange Satanic circumstances surrounding the Awliya’ of Shaytan in every time and place. For some, Shaytan would bring him different types of food and drink, fulfill some sort of need he had, inform him of some secret matters of the unseen, or prevent the sword from penetrating him. For some, Shaytan comes to him in the form of a righteous man from whom he seeks some benefit. Then he changes, misleading him and bringing him to acts of Shirk and disobedience. Of them are those that are carried to a far away land, or delivered persons or things from distant places etc.

The real cause for such devilish actions are due to the wickedness of the human soul which results from his addiction to evil deeds, corruption, disbelief, and the acts of disobedience, until the human reaches a level of evil that unites him with the Satanic souls. Then the allegiance between himself and the devils is complete. They give information to each other, serving each other in any way possible. So on the Day of Judgment it will be said to them:

“O you assembly of jinn! Many did you mislead of men .” (Quraan 6:128)

The companions of the jinns will say:

“Our Lord! We benefited one from the other..” (Quran 6:128)

The difference between the phenomenon committed by the Awliya’ of Allah and devilish feats, is apparent by the behavior and condition of the one involved. He will be either a person of belief and piety who adheres to the Law of Allah, and this phenomenon is a means of honor from Allah. Or, he will be a wicked, evil, impious person, in which case it is a means of drawing himself or his Satanic helpers into their own destruction.

Extracted from “Minhaj al Muslim” published by Dar as Salam