<b>THE TIDINGS OF THE PROPHETS REGARDING<p/>MUHAMMAD</b> - Islam The Religion of Mankind [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

THE TIDINGS OF THE PROPHETS REGARDING

MUHAMMAD

In the previous chapters we discussed that the grand
messages of the prophets invited mankind towards the
Universal Religion called Islam; which means submission
and surrender to the commands of the Creator, Allah.

Islam, which guided humanity in its stages of development
and promises salvation in the hereafter. Islam which was
preached by such great prophets as Abraham, Moses, Jesus
(peace be upon them) and several others, scattered across
the face of the earth, reached its climax with its final
and most scientific message, the Holy Qur'an, which was
revealed to its greatest Prophet, Muhammad (s.a.w.). This
last final call or set of legislations was to supersede
all previous messages, since it is the most advanced
version, equipped to serve mankind and its scientific and
technological progress till Doomsday. In other words the
previous messages were preparatory steps and paving
measures to groom mankind intellectually for the great
task of shouldering this perfect message, and believing
sincerely in it.

Therefore it was natural for the carriers of previous
messages, Moses and Jesus (a.s.), to direct their
followers to await this great revelation, and
whole-heartedly accept its invitation by believing in the
Seal Of the prophets, Muhammad (s.a.w). as after him
neither there will be a messenger nor a message. The
sacred scriptures which contained many passages,
indicating the coming of this great Prophet, exhorted
their followers to await the auspicious event and gather
under Muhammad's (s.a.w.) banner when he appears. Despite
the havoc wrought on the Torah and the Gospel by the
rabbis and the priests, fragments remained in these very
books, heralding the great Reformer. The Jews eagerly
awaited the coming of a prophet promised by God to
deliver and guide mankind.

They even wrote books describing the signs of his
appearance. Jews living in 'Yathreb' and other parts of
Arabia and constantly embroiled with the idol worshipping
pagan Arab tribes of Aws and the Khazraj,[3] used to
declare that as soon as the promised one will appear in
this very land, he will put an end to the evil practices
of these Arabs.

The following verses of the holy Qur'an beautifully
describe these facts:

"And certainly We gave Moses the Book
(Torah) and after him We sent (many) apostles one after
another, and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs (of
Allah's sovereignty) and we strengthened him with the
holy spirit (angel Gabriel). What! whenever then an
apostle came to you with that (teachings) which your
souls did not desire, you were insolent, so you called
some (apostles) liars and some (apostles) you slew. And
they (Jews) say: Our hearts are covered. Nay, Allah has
cursed them on account of their unbelief; so little it is
that they believe. And when there came to them a Book
(Qur'an) from Allah, verifying that which they have
(Torah), although before that they used to pray for
victory over those who disbelieved, but when there came
to them that (Prophet) which they did recognize, (to be
the truth) they disbelieved in him; so Allah's curse is
on the unbelievers."

Sura Baqara (2:87-89)

The events which were foretold to the Jews in their
books and which they were awaiting as manifest signs of
the great Reformer's appearance did take place before the
coming of Muhammad (s.a.w.), a fact towards which the
Qur'an points:

".... although before that they used to
pray for victory over those who disbelieved, but when
there came to them that (Prophet) which they did
recognize (to be the truth) they disbelieved in
him...".

Sura Baqara (2:89)

Commenting on the revelation of the above verse, the
Prophet's cousin, Abdullah Ibn Abbas who was a renowned
exegete says: The Jews used to invoke Allah, in the name
of the awaited Prophet (before declaration of Muhammad's
(s.a.w.) prophethood) against the Arab tribes of Aws and
Khazraj . But when Allah commanded Muhammad (s.a.w.) to
publicly announce his prophethood they disbelieved in him
and went back on their words; on the pretext that he was
not from the Israelites but was an Arab and thus they
shamelessly denied what they used to say in his praise.

Upon this, three of the Arabs; Muadh ibn Jubail, Bishr
ibn Bara and Dawud ibn Salamah, who had renounced
idolatory and accepted Islam, reminded them in the
following words: "O Jews; Fear Allah and accept
Islam; because you yourself used to pray for victory over
us by the right of Muhammad (s.a.w.), while we were
idolators, remember you used to praise him and foretell
his prophethood and describe his attributes to us"
To this

Salam ibn Mushkim; the Jew, replied that Muhammad
(s.a.w) brought nothing to them they knew and he is not
the prophet, which they were telling about. To refute
these Jewish denials the above verse was revealed.[4]

Al-Aiyashi, in his famous exegesis on the holy Qur'an
has recorded Imam Ja'afar As-Sadeq's (a.s.) narration to
Abu Basir. The Imam says that the Jews had been informed
in their books, that the migration (Hejira) route of the
last Prophet would pass through somewhere between the
places called 'Ayr' and 'Ohud'. in the Hejaz.[5] Keen to locate the place the Jews
migrated to the Hejaz to await the eventual coming of the
last Reformer.

Passing along Mount Hadad, they thought it rhymed
perfectly with the predicted Ohud and they dispersed
along the valley, making settlements in 'Taima', 'Fadak'
and 'Khaiber'. After some time a group of Taima Jews
longing to see their brethren, hired the services of a
Bedouin and his camels, who promised to show them the
predicted lands, called Ayr and Ohud. When the party
reached the city of Yathreb (Medina) the Bedouin told
them that this is Ayr and that is Ohud. Immediately the
Jews dismounted and informed the Bedouin that they no
longer required either his services or his camels,
because they had reached their avowed goal and intend to
settle there. They wrote to their brethren in Fadak and
Khaiber about their discovery of the promised place and
invited them to join them in Yathreb. The Khaiber and
Fadak Jews, as they had grown roots in those places
showed reluctance in deserting their settlements, but
however assured the Yathreb Jews, that since it is in
close proximity to their places, when it happens (the
appearance of the awaited Prophet), they will rush to
Yathreb.

Gradually as time passed the Jews, profiting in trade
and commerce amassed considerable wealth and bought large
properties in and around Yathreb . Their new found wealth
and prosperity attracted the covetous eyes of 'Tubba',
King of Yemen, who raided them. The Jews fortified
themselves and after a long siege, the conflicting
parties came to terms. King Tubba revealed his intentions
of permanently settling in Yathreb , to which the Jews
objected, saying that Yathreb being the future migration
place of the expected Prophet, it is sacred to them and
no one else may reside there until then. The King of
Yemen persuaded them that in that case he will leave two
of his near relatives from the Aws and Khazraj tribes in
Yathreb, so that they may also support the promised
Reformer when he appears.

In course of time the numbers of the Aws and Khazraj
who were Arabs greatly increased and soon they started
vying with the Jews for supremacy and laid their hands on
Jewish lands and properties. It was during these
conflicts against the idol-worshipping Arabs (the Aws and
Khazraj tribes) that the Jews who were expecting the last
Prophet and had migrated to Arabia solely for this
purpose, used to rebuke the pagan Arabs by saying:

"When Muhammad (s.a.w) finally appears, we shall
drive you from our lands and properties."

But when Muhammad (s.a.w.) did finally appear and
declared his prophethood, it were these very same Jews
who generations ago had come in his search - who rejected
him saying that he was an Arab and not of the Israelites.

Whereas the pagan Arabs of the tribes of Aws and Khazraj
renounced idolatory , accepted Islam and rallied to his
cause, for which ironically the Jews had waited so long,
only to deviate at the last moment. Thus it is towards
this fact that the Holy Qur'an draws attention."

"... although before that they used to pray
for victory over those who disbelieved..."

Sura Baqara (2:89)

It will not be out of context to cite the following
passages from the Old Testament, which to any discernible
and rational mind are a pointer to the prophethood of
Muhammad (s.a.w.)

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among
their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in
his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall
command him."

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever
will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my
name, I will requite it of him."

Deuteronomy (18:18,19)

"And as for Ishmael I have heard thee:
Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful,
and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall
be beget and I will make him a great nation."

Genesis (17:20)

"Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My
chosen one in whom I delight, I have bestowed My spirit
upon him, and he will make justice shine on the nations.
He will not call out or lift his mice high, or make
himself heard in the open market. He will not break a
bruised reed, or snuff out a smouldering wick; he will
make justice shine on every race, never faltering, never
breaking down, he will plant justice on earth, while
coasts and islands wait for his teaching. Thus speaks the
Lord Who is God, He Who created the skies and stretched
them out, Who fashioned the earth and all that grows in
it, Who gave breath to its people, the breath of life to
all who walk upon it: I, the Lord, have called you with
righteous purpose and taken you by the hand; I have
formed You and appointed you to be a light to all
peoples, a beacon for the nations... Let the wilderness
and its towns rejoice, and the villages of the tribe of
Kedar (Qaydar)[6].

Isaiah (42:1-6,11)

These prophesies could apply to none of the Hebrew
prophets. Even Jesus (a.s.) made it plain that his
mission was far from being universal, saying:
"I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house
of Israel".

(Mathew 15:24)

His calling was limited and it was the later non
Jewish converts, not Jesus (a.s.) who gave Christianity
its inclusive nature. Nor was Jesus (a.s) or any of the
Hebrew prophets related in any way to Kedar (Qaydar). In
promising a great prophet from the Arabs, Isaiah (a.s.)
was merely amplifying the prophecy made previously by
Moses (a.s.).

God revealed to Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18,19) that a
prophet would arise from the brothers of the Hebrews the
Arabs, who were children of the brother of Isaac, Ishmael
(peace be upon them)- who would command world wide
attention and obedience.

Ishmael's (a.s.) descendants came to be known as
Arabs, a term which in Hebrew, meant those who inhabited
the 'Arabah' (desert). Further, of all the sons of
Ishmael (a.s.) the one mentioned most prominently in the
Old Testament is Kedar. In some verses Kedar is
synonymous with the Arabs in general.' This is an
important indication that the line of Kedar was marked by
God for a unique purpose for it was from this line
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) sprang.

JESUS' PROPHECY ABOUT MUHAMMAD

"And when Jesus son of Mary said: O
Children of Israel! Surely I am the apostle of Allah to
you, verifying that which was (revealed) before me of the
Torah, and giving the good tidings of an Apostle who will
come after me, whose name is Ahmad..."

Sura Saff (61:6)

"Those who follow the Apostle - Prophet the
Ummi whom they find ordained for them in the Torah and
the Gospel, he enjoins them good and forbids them
evil..."

Sura A'raf (7:157)

The Gospel of Jesus (a.s.) brought into sharper focus
the identity of the one who would fulfil the promise to
make the line of Ishmael (a.s.) a great nation. In the
Gospel of John - a New Testament book which is not the
Gospel of Jesus (a.s.) and which may be considered as
representing only in general terms portions of Jesus'
teaching - Jesus (a.s.) informs his close companions that
his work among them was drawing to conclusion, but God
would send someone else after a time to carry forward the
prophetic movement. This someone, however, would be the
last of the prophets.

The following passages of the New Testament lend
further proof to the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w):

"And this is the record of John (the
Baptist) when the Jews sent priests and levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed
I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, what then? Art thow Elias?

And he saith I am not. Art thou THAT PROPHET?
And he answered, No.

And they asked him, and said unto him, why
baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor
Elias, neither THAT PROPHET."

John (1:19-21,25)

"If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your rememberance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.

Hereafter I will not talk much with you: fur the
prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in
me."

John (14:15, 16,26,30)

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I
shall send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of
truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify
of me."

John (15:26)

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is
expedient fur you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you.

And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,
and of righteousness, and of judgement:

Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Of righteouseness, because I go to my Father, and ye see
me no more;

Of judgement because the prince of this world is judged.

I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot
bear them now.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he
will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of
himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he
speak: and he will shew you things to come.

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you."

John (16:7-14)

A careful study of these passages brings to light the
following facts:

1) Jesus Christ (a. s.) prophesies the corning of a
Comforter after him.

2) The coming of the Comforter depends on Christ's
departure.

3) He is sent by Almighty Allah.

4) He will teach everything.

5) He will draw attention towards what the Christ had
foretold.

6) He will testify and glorify Christ.

7) He will not speak by himself but what he divinely
hears.

8) He will foretell future events.

9) The world will follow his religion.

10) He will stay forever.

In view of these glaring facts if we cast a glimpse at
the life of Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w.) we will discover the
amazing truth that these points perfectly tally with his
mission and hence without doubt he is the .Comforter'
whose tidings Jesus (a.s.) gave. Because the holy Qur'an
revealed to Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w.)not only confirms and
glorifies Jesus (a.s.) and his Prophethood but reminds
people of Christ's prophecy. Besides, the Qur'an is a
final revelation for mankind and an eternal message. It
is an inexhaustible mine of information, foretells future
events and promises that Islam will eventually spread all
over the world uniting humanity in peace and harmony.

A closer look at the word 'Comforter' as mentioned in
the Bible will help us uncover some more startling facts.

Comforter here stands for the word 'Parakletos' mentioned
in the Greek version of the New Testament from which the
English translation is made. And more precisely the
meaning of 'Parakletos' is an advocate, one who counsels
or advises another from deep concern for the other's
welfare. Or to say it more clearly 'Parakletos' would
designate one who would be considered "Mercy for all
creatures" (Rahmatun lil Alameen), the term the holy
Qur'an uses in chapter 21 verse 107 to describe Prophet
Muhammad (s.a.w.).

Moreover scholars have pointed out that what Jesus'
said in his native language of Aramaic represents another
similar Greek word 'Periklytos', which means the
Admirable or the Glorified One and corresponds exactly to
the Arabic word 'Ahmad'.

Hence the Qur'an's quotation of Jesus' good tidings to
the Jews: "An Apostle will come alter me whose
name is Ahmad".

When Jesus declares of this coming Prophet Counsellor
that he would "abide with you forever',' he shows
that there would be no need for additional prophets to
succeed him. He would be the last one. He would lead
mankind "to every aspect of the truth." So
truthful and trustworthy would he be that he will be
called Al-Arnin (The Truthful) or as the text of John
16:13 says, "the spirit of truth", one of whom
it could be said: "He has brought them the
Truth." (Qur'an 23:70)

The term 'spirit' here does not mean that the corning
Prophet would be other than human. In New Testament
Greek, this word has also been applied to an inspired
person, "the possessor of a spiritual
communication" or revelation. This is why the next
sentence of the verse containing this expression says: "He
will guide you unto all truth; for he shall not speak of
himself, but whatsoever he shall hear (from God), that
shall he speak." (John 16:13).

This person would receive the revelation of truth from
God and these words alone would constitute the message,
not his own opinions or the writings of his companions.
His message or revelation would be first and foremost and
literally the Word of God. Note that this corresponds
exactly to what God revealed to Moses (a.s.) about the
Prophet who would come from among the
"brothers" of the Hebrews: "I....
will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto
them all that I shall command him." (Deuteronomy
18:18).

Now compare these to the following verse of the holy
Qur'an which drives home the ultimate truth:

"Your companion (Muhammed) does not err,
nor does he go astray; Nor does he speak out of desire.
It is naught but revelation that is revealed, The Lord of
Mighty Power has taught him."

Sura Najm (53:25)

It cannot be overlooked that Jesus (a.s.) gives a
unique requirement that would help to identify the last
Prophet: "He shall glorify me" (John 16:14). If
anyone had come claiming to be this Prophet, but did not
give due honor to Jesus (a.s.) as Prophet and Messiah, he
would be the wrong one. At the same time, this Prophet to
come would not be a follower of Jesus (a.s.), that is, a
Christian, because Jesus (a.s.) said that this Prophet
would reveal things of which Jesus (a.s.) himself was
unaware. If Jesus (a.s.) had brought "all the
truth," there would have been no need for him to
single out someone else who would come with all the
truth. Likewise, since this Prophet would bring all the
truth he would have to be the last one, the seal of the
Prophets. Therefore, we would have to look for someone
who, like Abraham (a.s.) in whose line he would come,
would be neither Jew nor Christian but would believe in
God. He would "glorify" Jesus (a.s.) by
insisting that Jesus (a.s.) was a true Messenger of God
and by acknowledging that Jesus (a.s.) was the true
Messiah. But the teaching of this Prophet would come from
God Himself. As a revelation from God, the message of
this last Prophet would confirm what God revealed
previously by means of the original Torah and the
original Gospel, but his message would be no mere
plagiarized copy, no condensed edition of either the
Torah or the Gospel. God Almighty had said, "I...
will put My words in his mouth:' and it is proper that
these words agree with previously revealed words of the
One and Same God. "Whatsoever he shall hear
(from God), that shall he speak."

History has recorded that Christians during the first
few centuries after Christ, not only believed in these
above-mentioned facts but eagerly awaited the coming of
the last Prophet, as foretold by Jesus (a.s.) It was only
during the 3rd century, when hordes of Roman pagans began
converting to Christianity, the pure monotheistic message
of Prophet Jesus (a.s.) showed signs of pollution, with
weird heathen ideas such as 'God Father', 'God Son',
'Holy Ghost' and 'Trinity' creeping in.

This strange Holy Ghost interpretation gained currency
only after Christians began to look upon God as a Trinity
with the Holy Ghost being an aspect of it. Neither the
word Trinity nor its concepts can be found anywhere in
the Bible. The Paraclete would be a man, not a ghost,
because the same word is applied to Jesus (a.s.) himself,
in John (2:1).

The annals of history prove that faithful Christians from
time to time stood up against these heretical ideas.

But when Constantine assumed the reins of the Roman
Empire, not only did he espouse the cause of the
heretics, but also launched a mass persecution against
the true believers, forcing them to flee to deserts and
inaccessible mountains to live as hermits.

Finally the following passage from the French
Encyclopaedia, 'Larousse,[7], is a sufficient admittance
to the truth of Islam: "Muhammad' is a derivative of
the word 'Mahmood', whose root-word is 'Hamd', which
means glorifying. Strangely another word is derived from
the same origin and that is 'Ahmad'. It is widely
believed, Christians in the Arabian Peninsula used the
word 'Ahmad' for the Greek word 'Paraclete' mentioned in
the Bible, which means 'the Glorified or Promised one'.
Muslims subsequently made great efforts saying this
refers to Prophet Muhammad, as described by the Qur'an
(in Chapter 61)."

Thus it is clear that despite centuries of disastrous
human interference in the Torah and the Bible, portions
remain indicating the eternal truth of Islam.

The Encyclopaedia Brittanica has the following
comments on the Gospels:

"They resemble oil paintings rather than
photographs. Legendary and apologetic motifs, and the
various preoccupations of the communities for which they
were first produced, can readily be discerned as
influences upon their narratives."[8]

The coming of Muhammad (s.a.w.) was heralded, not only
by Moses (a.s.) and Jesus (a.s.), but by all the
prophets.

Even Abraham (a.s.), the father of the prophets,
foretold his coming, and prayed God for a guide and
rescuer. This is explicitly referred to by the Qur'an
which quotes Abraham's prayer:

"Our Lord! and raise up in them an Apostle
from among them who shall recite to them Your
revelations, and teach them the Book and the Wisdom and
cleanse them (of false beliefs); surely You are the
Mighty, the Wise."

Sura Baqara (2:129)

The verse given below declaring the prophethood of
Muhammad (s.a.w.) is a clear answer to Abraham's (a.s.)
prayer mentioned above; for Muhammad (s.a.w.), was a
direct descendent of Abraham (a.s.) through his eldest
son Ishmael (a.s.):

"He it is Who raised among the unlettered,
an Apostle from among themselves, who recites to them His
revelations and cleanses them (of false beliefs), and
teaches them the Book and the Wisdom, although they were
before certainly in clear error."

Sura Jum'a (62:2)

These facts are quite obvious to a rational thinker
and any seeker of truth interested in finding the path of
guidance, like Negus, the Christian king of Abyssinia,
who positively responded to the call of truth. When the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) wrote to Negus citing proofs
of his prophethood, foretold in the Torah and the Gospel
and invited him to accept Islam, Negus immediately
surrendered (became Muslim) to the message of Islam.
History has preserved his eternal words as a fair
testimony of a just man, free from the effects of the
environment, or the pressures of obstinacy and bigotry;
"I call Allah as witness that he (Muhammad s.a.w.)
is the prophet awaited for by the followers of the
Scriptures..."[9]

Thus, anyone pursuing truth can clearly discern that
Muhammad (s.a.w.) had been heralded by the previous
prophets, and that he was the awaited one to reform
mankind and deliver them, from darkness and going astray.
Yes, it was he whom all the prophets had heralded and
prayed Allah to send.