SELECTED KHUTAB VI

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S E L E C T E D K H U Ṭ A B VI (SERMONS & SPEECHES) 30 August 2012 – 4 April, 2014

*

BY

MUHAMMAD AMIN A. SAMAD CANBERRA, APRIL, 2014

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‫الرِح ْيم‬ ‫بِ ْس ِم اللّ ِه َّ‬ ‫الر ْ‬ ‫حم ِن ّ‬ ‫َو بِه نَ ْستَ ِع ْين‬ ‫فِ ْي أ ُ​ُم ْوِر ُّ‬ ‫الدنْ يَا َو الدِّيْن‬

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Contents .…………………………….

Transliteration …………………………………........

Preface ……………………………………………...

A. Introduction to the Khuṭbah ………………...……

B. Some Examples of Du‘ā’ for the Second Khuṭbah ……………………..

1. Revolting against Impious Rulers (1) …..

2. Revolting against Impious Rulers (2) …..

3. Slander …………………

4. If Allah Wills ………………………

5. Changing the Words from their Right Places 6. Reasons for Sending down the Qur’ān in Stages (1) …………………………………

7. Reasons for Sending down the Qur’ān in Stages (2) …………………………..

8. Reasons for Sending down the Qur’ān in Stages (3) ……………………………

9. Reasons for Sending down the Qur’ān in Stages (4) ……………………..

10. The Acceptance of the Qur’ān’s

iii v vii x xii 1 7 13 19 25 32 38 45 53

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Challenge (1) ……………………………

11. The Acceptance of the Qur’ān’s Challenge (2) ……………………..…

12. The Acceptance of the Qur’ān’s Challenge (3) ………………..

13. The Acceptance of the Qur’ān’s Challenge (4) ……………………..

14. The Acceptance of the Qur’ān’s Challenge (5) …………………………

15. The Amazing Qur’ān (1) …..

16. The Amazing Qur’ān (2) ………

17. The Amazing Qur’ān (3) ………………

62 66 73 79 85 92 99 106

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TRANSLITERATION SYSTEM The English transliteration for Arabic names and terms followed in this booklet is as follows: a. Consonants: ‫ = ا‬a or ’

‫ = ب‬b

‫= ج‬j

‫ =ح‬ḥ

‫ = ذ‬dh

‫ = ر‬r

‫ = ز‬z

‫ = س‬s

‫ = ش‬sh

‫ =ص‬ṣ

‫=ض‬ḍ

‫ = ط‬ṭ

‫= ظ‬ẓ ‫= ق‬q

‘ =‫ع‬ ‫ = ك‬k

‫ = غ‬gh ‫ = ل‬l

‫ = ف‬f ‫=م‬m

‫ = ن‬n

‫ = ت‬t ‫ = خ‬kh

‫ = هـ‬h ‫ = و‬w ‫( ’ = ء‬like alif)

‫ = ث‬th ‫ = د‬d

‫ = ي‬y

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b. Vowels: Short:

Long:

Fatḥah

--َ---: =

Kasrah

--َ---: = i

‫= ـي‬

ī

Ḍammah -- َ---: = u

‫= ـو‬

ū

a

‫ـا‬

= ā

c. Tā’ marbūṭah: ah, e.g., sūrah (‫)س ُْو َرة‬ Tā’ marbūṭah in iḍāfah: at, e.g., sūrat alBaqarah (‫)س ُْو َرةُ ْال َب َق َرة‬ d. Alif maqṣūrah: á, e.g., qad.á (‫ضى‬ َ ‫ ) َق‬and shūrá (‫)شوْ رى‬

vii

ِ ‫الر‬ ‫ح ْيم‬ ِ​ِ ‫الر ْح َم‬ َّ ِ‫ن‬ َّ ِ​ِ​ِ‫ِب ْس ِ​ِمِللا‬ PREFACE This booklet is the sixth part of my collection of speeches and writings from 30 August, 2013 till 4 April, 2014, entitled Khutab VI. They were delivered at the muṣallā (place of prayer) at the Multi-Cultural Centre, Canberra Museum and Gallery building, Civic Square, Canberra.

The abbreviations used in this booklet are: (1) s.a.w. (and ‫م‬.‫ص‬.) for ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (and ‫صلّى للا ُ َعلَيْه َو َسلَّ ْم‬ َ ) meaning “may Allah bless him and grant him salvation”, sometimes translated as “peace be upon him” (p.b.u.h.), an eulogy after the name of Prophet Muhammad, (2) a.s. (‫س‬.‫ع‬.) for ‘alayhis salām (‫ ) َعلَيْه السَّال ْم‬meaning “upon him be peace” usually used after the names of angels and prophets before Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., (3) and r.a. (‫ع‬.‫ر‬.) for raḍiyallāhu ‘anhu (and ‫ ) َرض َي للا َع ْن ُه‬meaning “may

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Allah be please with him” usually used after the names of the ṣaḥābah (companions of the Prophet).

It has been like an accident that before leaving a certain place I left a booklet behind. The booklet Khuṭab I (the collection of speeches and sermons at the Canadian Islamic Centre, al-Rashid Mosque) before leaving Edmonton (Canada) for Australia; Khuṭab II (the collection of sermons at the Canberra Islamic Centre) at Monash, ACT, before leaving for overseas (the longest and happiest travel I have ever made); the Khuṭab III before leaving for Indonesia and Malaysia in September 2007; Khuṭab IV, was the collection of my sermon at the ANUMA delivered until the first quarter of the year 2011, and published later at the end of this year after recovering from the operation of removing the aortic aneurism of my stomach on 11 June; the Khuṭab V is the collection of my khuṭbah at the prayer room at the Multicultural of Canberra Museum and Gallery building, at Civic

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Square, Canberra, from the end of December, 2012 till the end of June, 2013 before leaving for Indonesia; this Khuṭab VI is the continuation of my collection of my khuṭbah at the same location at Civic Square, Canberra before leaving for Melbourne visiting friends. This visit is following the advice of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. «‫ َت ْزد َْد ُح ًّ​ّبا‬،‫“ » ُزرْ غ ًّ​ّبا‬Visit at intervals, so that you will increase love.”

This booklet, like the booklets written before, is far from perfect. However, this is another attempt to introduce some Islamic teachings to the public. May Allah accept this humble contribution to Islam, and may He forgive any mistake in this booklet. Amin!

Canberra, April, 2014 M.A.S.

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‫‪A. INTRODUCTION FOR THE KHUṬBAH‬‬ ‫‪This is an example for the introduction to the khuṭbah‬‬ ‫‪as follows:‬‬ ‫ أَ ْل َح ْم ُد ِّل َنحْ َم ُدهُ َو َنسْ َتع ْي ُن ُه َو َنسْ َت ْغف ُرهُ َو َنسْ َتهْديْه َو َنع ُْو ُذ باِل منْ‬‫ُ‬ ‫شر ُْور أَ ْنفُس َنا َو منْ َس ِّي َئات أَعْ َمالناَ‪َ ،‬منْ َيهْد للاُ َفه َُو ْال ُم ْه َتد َو َمنْ‬ ‫يُضْ ل ْل َفلَنْ َتج َد لَ ُه َول ًّ​ّيا مُرْ ش ًّدا ‪َ ،‬و أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ َل إلَ َه إلَّ ّ‬ ‫للا ُ َوحْ َدهُ َل‬ ‫ئ َو يُع ْي ُد َو ه َُو ْال َغفُ ْو ُر ْال َو ُد ْو ُد ُذو ْال َعرْ ش ْال َمجيْد‪َ ,‬فعَّال‬ ‫ك لَهُ‪ُ ،‬يبْد ُ‬ ‫َشر ْي َ‬ ‫الى َعمَّا‬ ‫ك اسْ ُم ُه َو َعال َشأْ ُن ُه ُسب َْحا َن ُه َو َت َع َ‬ ‫ار َ‬ ‫ل َما يُر ْي ُد‪َ ,‬ع َّز َجا ُرهُ َو َت َب َ‬ ‫َي ْف َتري ْال ُم ْف َتر ُْو َن َو َي َت َق َّو ُل ال ُ ْمشر ُك ْو َن‪َ .‬و أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًّدا َع ْب ُدهُ َو‬ ‫ص َح‬ ‫صف ُّي ُه َو َخل ْيل ُ ُه َو َكل ْي ُم ُه ‪َ ،‬س َّل الرِّ َسالَ َة َو أَ َّدى ْاألَ َما َن َة َو َن َ‬ ‫َرس ُْول ُ ُه َو َ‬ ‫لى للا َو س َراجًّ ا مُنيْرًّ ا َمنْ‬ ‫ْاأل ُ َّم َة ‪ ،‬أَرْ َسلَ ُه للا ُ َبشيْراًّ َو َنذيْرًّ ا َو َداعيا ًّ​ّ إ َ‬ ‫للا َو َرس ُْولَ ُه َف َق ْد َر َش َد َو َمنْ َيعْ صه َما َفإ َّن ُه ل َيضُرُّ إل ّ َن ْف َس ُه‬ ‫يُطع َ‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ك َو َرس ُْول َ‬ ‫لى َعبْد َ‬ ‫ص ِّل َو َسلِّ ْم َو َباركْ َع َ‬ ‫للا َش ْي ًّئا‪ .‬أَللَّ ُه َّم َ‬ ‫َول َيضُرُّ َ‬ ‫صحْ به أَجْ َمعي َْن‪َ َ .‬من اهْ َتدَى ب َه ْديه َو‬ ‫لى آله َو َ‬ ‫َسيِّد َنا م َُحمَّد َو َع َ‬ ‫ك ب ُس َّنته َو َسلِّ ْم َتسْ ل ْيمًّا َكثيْرًّ ا‬ ‫اسْ َت ْم َس َ‬ ‫ أَ ْل َح ْم ُد ِّل َنحْ َم ُدهُ َو َنسْ َتع ْي ُن ُه َو َنسْ َت ْغف ُرهُ َو َنسْ َتهْديْه َو َنع ُْو ُذ باِل منْ‬‫ُ‬ ‫شر ُْور أَ ْنفُس َنا َو منْ َس ِّي َئات أَعْ َمالناَ‪َ ،‬منْ َيهْده للا ُ َفالَ مُض َّل لَ ُه َو َمنْ‬

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‫ي لَ ُه ‪َ ،‬و أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ َل إ َل َه إلَّ ّ‬ ‫ك لَهُ‪ ،‬لَ ُه‬ ‫للا ُ َوحْ َدهُ َل َشر ْي َ‬ ‫يُضْ ل ْل َفالَ َهاد َ‬ ‫لح ْم ُد يُحْ ييْ َويُمي ُ‬ ‫ْالم ُْل ُ‬ ‫ْت َوه َُو َعلَى ُك ِّل َشيْ ء َقديْر‪َ .‬و أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ‬ ‫ك َولَ ُه ْا َ‬ ‫لح ِّق لي ُْظه َرهُ َعلَى‬ ‫م َُح َّم ًّدا َع ْب ُدهُ َو َرس ُْولُهُ‪ ،‬أَرْ َسلَ ُه للا ُ باْل ُهدَى َوديْن ْا َ‬ ‫لى ْال َم ْبع ُْوث َرحْ َم ًّة‬ ‫صلَّيْ َوأ ُ َسلّ ْم َع َ‬ ‫ال ِّديْن ُكلَّه َولَ ْو َكر َه ْال َكافر ُْون‪َ .‬وأ ُ َ‬ ‫لى للا بإ ْذنه َو س َراجًّ ا مُنيْرًّ ا‬ ‫ل ْل َعالَمي َْن َهاديًّا َو ُم َب ِّشرًّ ا َو َنذيْرًّ ا َو َداعيا ًّ​ّ إ َ‬ ‫الطيِّبي َْن ّ‬ ‫لى آله َوأَصْ َحابه َّ‬ ‫لى َي ْوم‬ ‫الطاهري َْن َو َمنْ َو َال ُه ْم بإحْ َسان إ َ‬ ‫َو َع َ‬ ‫ال َّديْن ‪.‬‬ ‫لي‪ ،‬أَحْ َم ُدهُ ُسب َْحا َنهُ‪َ ،‬و أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ َل إلَ َه إلَّ ّ‬ ‫ أَ ْل َح ْم ُد ِّل ْال َعليِّ األعْ َ‬‫للاُ‬ ‫ْك لَ ُه‪َ ،‬خلَ َق َف َس َّوى َو َق َّد َر َف َه َدى‪َ ،‬و أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًّدا‬ ‫َوحْ َدهُ َل َشري َ‬ ‫لى‬ ‫ص ِّل َو َسلِّ ْم َو َباركْ َع َ‬ ‫َع ْب ُدهُ َو َرس ُْول ُ ُه َنبيُّ الرَّ حْ َمة َو ْال ُهدَى‪ ،‬أَللَّ ُه َّم َ‬ ‫صحْ به األَئمَّة األَب َْرار‬ ‫لى آله َو َ‬ ‫ك َسيِّد َنا م َُحمَّد َو َع َ‬ ‫ك َو َرس ُْول َ‬ ‫َعبْد َ‬ ‫ْال ُن َج َباء‪َ ،‬وال َّتابعي َْن َو َمنْ َتب َع ُه ْم بإحْ َسان إلَى َي ْوم ْال َبعْ ث َو ْال ُن ُ‬ ‫ش ْور َو‬ ‫ْال َج َزاء‪.‬‬ ‫ي ب َت ْق َوى للا َف َق ْد َف َ‬ ‫از‬ ‫أَمَّا َبعْ ُد ‪َ ،‬ف َيا أَ ُّي َها ْالم ُْؤم ُن ْو َن‪ ،‬أ ُ ْوص ْي ُك ْم َو إيا َّ َ‬ ‫للا‬ ‫ْال ُم َّتقُ ْو َن‪ .‬قا َ َل َت َعالَى َو ُه َو أَصْ َد ُق ْال َقائل ْين‪َ ”:‬يا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ َ‬ ‫ين آَ َم ُنوا ا َّتقُوا َّ َ‬ ‫صدَ َق للا ُ ْال َعظيْم‪.‬‬ ‫ُون“ ‪َ .‬‬ ‫َح َّق ُت َقاته َو َل َتمُو ُتنَّ إ َّل َوأَ ْن ُت ْم مُسْ لم َ‬

xii

B. SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DU‘Ā’ (SUPPLICATION) AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND KHUTBAH After performing the first khuṭbah stand up again for the second khuṭbah citing its introduction briefly, such as the following: ّ َّ‫ َو أَ ْش َه ُد أَنْ َل إلَ َه إل‬.‫ أَ ْل َح ْم ُد ِّل َربِّ ْال َعالَميْن‬‫للا ُ َو أَ ْش َه ُد أَنَّ م َُح َّم ًّدا‬ .‫صحْ به أَجْ َمعي َْن‬ َ ‫لى آله َو‬ َ ‫لى م َُحمَّد َو َع‬ َ ‫ص ِّل َع‬ َ ‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم‬.‫َرس ُْو ُل للا‬ Some examples of du‘ā’s and its meanings in the second khuṭbah, are as follows: ‫ َر َّب َنا َل ُت َؤاخ ْذ َنا إنْ َنسي َنا أَ ْو أَ ْخ َطأْ َنا َر َّب َنا َو َل َتحْ م ْل َعلَ ْي َنا إصْ رًّ ا َك َما‬ُ‫ين منْ َقبْل َنا َر َّب َنا َو َل ُت َحم ِّْل َنا َما َل َطا َق َة لَ َنا به َواعْ ف‬ َ ‫َح َم ْل َت ُه َعلَى الَّذ‬ ْ ‫َع َّنا َو‬ َ ‫اغفرْ لَ َنا َوارْ َحمْ َنا أَ ْن‬ ‫ين‬ َ ‫ت َم ْو َل َنا َفا ْنصُرْ َنا َعلَى ْال َق ْوم ْال َكافر‬ Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not lay on us such a burden as You placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not lay on us a burden that which we have not the strength to bear! Forgive us, have mercy on us. You are our protector, help us against the unbelievers.

xiii

ْ ‫ َر َّب َنا إ َّن َنا َسمعْ َنا ُم َناديًّا ُي َنادي ل ْ​ْلي َمان أَنْ آم ُنوا ب َر ِّب ُك ْم َفآ َم َّنا َر َّب َنا َف‬ْ‫اغفر‬ ‫ َر َّب َنا َوآت َنا َما َو َع ْد َت َنا‬.‫لَ َنا ُذ ُنو َب َنا َو َك ِّفرْ َع َّنا َس ِّي َئات َنا َو َت َو َّف َنا َم َع ْاألَب َْرار‬ .‫ك َل ُت ْخلفُ ْالمي َعا َد‬ َ ‫ك َو َل ُت ْخز َنا َي ْو َم ْالق َيا َمة إ َّن‬ َ ‫َعلَى ُرسُل‬ Our Lord! We have heard someone calling to the rue faith, saying ‘Believe in your Lord!’ So we believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, remove from us evil deeds and make us die with the righteous. Our Lord! Give us what You have promised through Your messengers and save from the shame on the Day of Resurrection; for You never break Your promise. ْ ‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم‬‫اغفرْ ل ْلمُسْ لمي َْن َو ْالمُسْ ل َمات َو ْالم ُْؤمني َْن َو ْالم ُْؤم َنات ْاألَحْ َياء‬ ‫ك َيا َم ْول َنا َسميْع َقريْب مُجيْبُ ال َّد َع َوات َو َقاضي‬ َ ‫إ َّن‬،‫م ْن ُه ْم َو ْاألَمْ َوات‬ ‫اجات َيا َربَّ ْال َعالَمي َْن‬ َ ‫ْال َح‬ O Allah! Forgive the Muslims, males and females, the believers, males and females, the living among them as well as the dead! Verily, You are, O our Lord, the All-Hearing and Near, Who answer (our) prayers, and fulfil (our) needs, O the Lord of all creatures.

‫‪xiv‬‬

‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم َنوِّ رْ َعلَى أَهْ ل ْالقُب ُْور قُب ُْو َر ُه ْم؛ اَللَّ ُه َّم ْ‬‫اغفرْ ل ْ​ْلَحْ َياء َو َيسِّرْ لَ ُه ْم‬ ‫أُم ُْو َر ُه ْم‪.‬‬ ‫‪O Allah! Lighten the graves of the dead, O Allah,‬‬ ‫‪forgive the living and facilitate their affairs.‬‬ ‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم ُتبْ َعلَى ال َّتائبي َْن َو ْ‬‫ضى‬ ‫ب ْالم ُْذنبي َْن َو ا ْشف َمرْ َ‬ ‫اغفرْ ُذ ُن ْو َ‬ ‫ْالمُسْ لمي َْن َو ْ‬ ‫اك ُتب الصِّحَّ َة َو ْال َعاف َي َة َو ال َّت ْوفي َْق َو ْاله َدا َي َة لَ َنا َو ل َكا َّفة‬ ‫أُمَّة م َُحمَّد أَجْ َمعي َْن‪.‬‬ ‫‪O Allah! Forgive the repentant, forgive the sins‬‬ ‫‪of the sinners, heal the sick among the Muslims,‬‬ ‫‪prescribe well-being, vitality, prosperity and‬‬ ‫‪guidance for us and for the entire‬‬ ‫‪community of Muhammad.‬‬ ‫ َر َّب َنا ْ‬‫اغفرْ لَ َنا َو ل َوالد ْي َنا َو ارْ َح ْم ُه َما َك َما َر َّب َيا َنا ص َغارًّ ا‬ ‫‪“O Lord! Forgive us as well as our parents‬‬ ‫‪and bestow on them Your mercy as they did‬‬ ‫”‪bring us up when we were young.‬‬ ‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم ْاصْ لح لَ َنا د ْي َن َنا الَّذيْ ه َُو عصْ َم ُة أَمْ ر َنا‪َ ،‬و اصْ لحْ لَ َنا ُد ْن َيا َنا الَّتيْ‬‫ف ْي َها َم َعا ُ‬ ‫ش َنا‪َ ،‬و اصْ لحْ لَ َنا آخ َر َت َنا الَّتيْ إلَ ْي َها َم َعا ُد َنا‪َ ،‬و اجْ َعل ْال َح َيا َة‬ ‫ز َيا َد ًّة ل َنا َ فيْ ُك ِّل َخيْر َو اجْ َعل ْال َم ْو َ‬ ‫اح ًّة لَ َنا منْ ُك ِّل َشر‬ ‫ت َر َ‬

xv

O Allah! Bring prosperity to our affairs in this world that is the preservation of our lives, and in the next world to which we shall return, and increase our good deeds in our lives, and make our death repose from evil. ‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم أَر َنا ْال َح َّق َح ًّقّا َوارْ ُز ْق َنا ا ِّت َبا َع ُه َوأَر َنا ْال َباط َل َباطالًّ َوارْ ُز ْق َنا‬‫اجْ ت َنا َب ُه‬ O Allah! Show us the truth as truth, and guide to follow it, and show us the falsehood as falsehood, and guide us to avoid it. ‫ين إ َمامًّا‬ َ ‫ َر َّب َنا َهبْ لَ َنا منْ أَ ْز َواج َنا َو ُذرِّ يَّات َنا قُرَّ َة أَعْ يُن َواجْ َع ْل َنا ل ْل ُم َّتق‬Our Lord! Bestow on us, our spouses and our offspring the comfort of our eyes and make us leaders of the pious. ‫ف ْالمُسْ لمي َْن َو َوحِّ د َكل َم َت ُه ْم َوا ْنصُرْ ُه ْم َعلَى أَعْ َدائه ْم‬ ُ ‫أَللَّ ُه َّم َوحِّ ْد‬ َ ‫صفُ ْو‬ O Allah, unite the Muslims and assist them against their enemies.

-

‫‪xvi‬‬

‫ أَللَّ ُه َّم ام َْ​ْل ُبي ُْو َ‬‫ين ًّخيْرًّ ا َو َب َر َك ًّة َوع ْلمًّا َود ْي ًّنا َو ه َدا َي ًّة َو َت َق َوى‪.‬‬ ‫ت ْالمُسْ لم َ‬ ‫‪O Allah, fill the houses of the Muslims‬‬ ‫‪with welfare, blessing, knowledge,‬‬ ‫‪religion, guidance, and piety.‬‬ ‫اب ال َّنار‪.‬‬ ‫ َر َّب َنا آَت َنا في ال ُّد ْن َيا َح َس َن ًّة َوفي ْالَخ َرة َح َس َن ًّة َوق َنا َع َذ َ‬‫اللَّ ُه َّم آميْن َيا َربَّ ْال َعالَميْن‬ ‫‪Our Lord! Give us the goodness, both in this‬‬ ‫‪world and in the Hereafter and save us from‬‬ ‫)‪the torment of Hellfire. (Q. 2:201‬‬ ‫للا َيأْ ُم ُر ب ْال َع ْدل َو ْاْلحْ َسان َوإي َتاء ذي ْالقُرْ َبى َو َي ْن َهى َعن‬ ‫ع َبا َد للا‪ ،‬إنَّ َّ َ‬ ‫ْال َفحْ َشاء َو ْال ُم ْن َكر َو ْال َب ْغي َيع ُ‬ ‫للا َي ْذ ُك ُر ُك ْم َو‬ ‫ظ ُك ْم لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم َت َذ َّكر َ‬ ‫ُون‪ .‬ا ُ ْذ ُكرُوا َ‬ ‫لى ن َعمه َيز ْد ُك ْم َو لَذ ْك ُر للا أَ ْك َب ُر َو للا ُ َيعْ لَ ُم َما َتصْ َنع ُْون‪.‬‬ ‫ا ْش ُكر ُْوهُ َع َ‬ ‫أَقم الصَّالة !!!‬

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1. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (1) When we read the Qur’ān, it is actually Allah Who is talking to us. In general, Alllah talks to His servants among human or jinn, believers as well as non-believers, directly or indirectly. He had talked to them in the past, He is talking to them in the present, and He will be talking to them in the future. But you may ask, if you have a problem, and you want Allah’s answer. You may have found it in the Qur’ān, just try to find it, as the Qur’ān is guidance and light.

Many of our scholars answer your question through citing Qur’ānic verses. If you want Allah talk to you, read the Qur’ān. In particular, Allah talked to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. because he was the receiver of the revelation, through whom He talked to us.

We can divide whom Allah addressed to in the Qur’ān: a. to the Prophet; b. to the believers, c. to people in general, d. to the people of the book (Jews and Christians), directly and indirectly. a. To the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. There are thirteen verses starting with ُّ‫“( َيا أَ ُّي َها ال َّن ِبي‬O Prophet”) (Q. 8:64,65,70; 9:73; 33:1, 28, 45, 50, 59; 60:12; 65:1; 66:1, 9), then followed by several verses. The Prophet s.a.w. was also addressed by Allah ‫“( َيا أَ ُّي َها الرَّ سُو ُل‬O Messenger”, Q. 41, 67). In the early period of Islam the Prophet was addressed by Allah ‫“( َيا أَ ُّي َها ْالم َُّز ِّم ُل‬O you wrapped in garments”, Q. 73:1), and ‫“( َيا أَ ُّي َها ْال ُم َّد ِّث ُر‬O you enveloped in garments”, Q. 74:1). They contain Allah directions to him what to do in facing emerging situation, and any other directions. It is totally wrong to think that these verses have nothing to do with us, because the Prophet is our model. For example, the following verses seemed to be directed solely to the Prophet, but actually it is also to his followers: َّ‫ِين إِن‬ َ ‫ين َو ْال ُم َنا ِفق‬ َ ‫ّللا َو َل ُتطِ ِع ْال َكاف ِ​ِر‬ َ َّ ‫َيا أَ ُّي َها ال َّن ِبيُّ ا َّت ِق‬ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ك مِنْ َر ِّب‬ َ ‫ُوحى إِلَ ْي‬ َ ‫ َو ا َّت ِبعْ َما ي‬. ‫ان َعلِيمًا َحكِيمًا‬ َ ‫ّللا َك‬ َ َّ )2-1:‫ون َخ ِبيرً ا (األحزاب‬ َ ُ ‫ان ِب َما َتعْ َمل‬ َ ‫ّللا َك‬ َ َّ َّ‫إِن‬ O Prophet! Keep your duty to Allah and obey not the disbelievers and the hypocrites. Verily, Allah is Well-acquainted with what you do (Q. 33:1-2)

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The words ‫ون‬ َ ُ‫ ِب َما َتعْ َمل‬in plural number means “with what you (people) do” indicating that Allah is also addressing the Muslims. It is like the advice of the President, or Prime Minister to his general before engaging in the battlefield, “Be patience, be brave and optimistic, do not mutilate the bodies of your enemy, etc….” This advice is not for himself only, but more importantly to every individual in his army.

Addressing the Prophet with ‫“( َيا أَ ُّي َها الرُّ ُس ُل‬O Messengers” in plural) in the following verse, َّ ‫َيا أَ ُّي َها الرُّ ُس ُل ُكلُوا م َِن‬ ‫صالِحً ا إِ ِّني‬ ِ ‫الط ِّي َبا‬ َ ‫ت َواعْ َملُوا‬ )51:‫ون َعلِيم (المؤمنون‬ َ ُ‫ِب َما َتعْ َمل‬ O (you) Messengers! Eat of the ṭayyibāt [all kinds of halal food which Allah has made lawful] and do righteous deeds. Verily, I am All-Knower of all what you do. (Q. 23:51) this could also mean, as suggested by the Qur’ān commentator alZajjāj, that previous messengers had also been given such advise as in the above verse.

Sometimes revelation seemed to have come late, after the Prophet had waited for Allah’s guidance, and after he had made his decision. There was wisdom behind it. Allah allowed him to make this apparent “mistake” which would be better for him; for example, Allah said, َّ ‫َع َفا‬ َ ‫ك لِ َم أَ ِذ ْن‬ )43:‫ين (التوبة‬ َ ‫ص َدقُوا َو َتعْ لَ َم ْال َكاذ ِ​ِب‬ َ ‫ِين‬ َ ‫ك الَّذ‬ َ َ‫ت َل ُه ْم َح َّتى َي َت َبي َ​َّن ل‬ َ ‫ّللا ُ َع ْن‬ Allah has forgiven you. Why did you grant them leave until those who told the truth were manifest to you and you had known the liars? (Q. 9:43) This verse was about criticizing the Prophet s.a.w. for allowing the hypocrites to stay behind, and not joining the Muslim army to Tabῡk to face the Roman army. Allah wanted him to investigate whether those who asked permission to stay had valid and genuine excuse or not. Those who had no valid reason to stay were hypocrites, except a few of them. ‘Ibn ‘Abbās said that before

3

revelation came in sῡrat al-Tawbah (chapter 9) dealing with hypocrites, the Prophet had not known who they were. Mujāhid said that they were people who said that if they were permitted to stay they would stay, and if they were not permitted, they would stay anyway. َّ ‫ َع َفا‬the verb ‘afā is in the past tense In the expression ‫ّللا ُ َع ْن َك‬ (perfect, preterit) which indicates in Arabic grammar the past or hope. Past tense indicting hope and prayer are used in many times, such as, ‫ َرضِ َي ّللا َع ْن ُه‬meaning "may Allah be pleased with him”, abbreviated with r.a.) added after mentioning the names of ‫“( َر ِح َم ُه ه‬may Allah have mercy on him”) Prophet’s companions; ‫ّللا‬ after mentioning the name of a dead person, and thanking a person ‫ك ه‬ by saying ‫ّللا‬ َ ‫“( َج َزا‬may Allah reward you”), and after mentioning the name of the Prophet we add ‫صلهى ّللا ُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ ْم‬ َ (“may Allah bless him and grant him salvation, abbreviated as s.a.w. or p.b.u.h). Therefore, َّ ‫ َع َفا‬has two meanings: “Allah has forgiven you” the expression ‫ّللا ُ َع ْن َك‬ and “may Allah forgive you.” Since it was Allah who said it, it is most likely to mean “Allah has forgiven you”, rather than “may Allah forgive you” as He is the Forgiver. However, it was not clearly mentioned in classical commentaries of the Qur’ān, which of the two meanings meant in this verse, because it is self-evident to mean that Allah had forgiven him. Before Allah criticized the Prophet, He had forgiven him so that he would not be terrified with the criticism.

Pointing to this verse, Ibn Abī Ḥātim reported that ‘Awn ibn ‘Abdullah said, “Have you heard criticism softer than this, starting with forgiveness before criticism?”

The verse continues with, ‫اّلل َو ْال َي ْو ِم ْاْلخ ِ​ِر أَنْ ي َُجا ِه ُدوا ِبأَم َْوال ِ​ِه ْم‬ ِ َّ ‫ون ِب‬ َ ‫ِين ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬ َ ‫ك الَّذ‬ َ ‫َل َيسْ َتأْ ِذ ُن‬ َّ ‫َوأَ ْنفُسِ ِه ْم َو‬ ‫اّلل‬ ِ َّ ‫ون ِب‬ َ ‫ِين َل ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬ َ ‫ك الَّذ‬ َ ‫ إِ َّن َما َيسْ َتأْ ِذ ُن‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫ّللا ُ َعلِيم ِب ْال ُم َّتق‬ ْ ‫َو ْال َي ْو ِم ْاْلخ ِ​ِر َوارْ َتا َب‬ )45:‫ون (التوبة‬ َ ‫ت قُلُو ُب ُه ْم َف ُه ْم فِي َري ِْب ِه ْم َي َت َر َّد ُد‬ Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask your leave to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives; and Allah is All-Knower of the pious. It is only those who believe not in Allah

4

and the Last Day and those whose hearts are in doubt that ask your leave (Q. 9:44-45) These verses indicated that hypocrites only who asked the Prophet to be exempted from fighting, and therefore they made themselves known to him as hypocrites.

Allah explained further that had they intended to join the Prophet in fighting, they would have made some preparation for it.

But Allah did not like them to go. So, He made them left behind.

Why? Because these hypocrites could have made trouble and sedition among the Muslim army, as some of them would have listened to them for being the masters of their people. Allah said in the Qur’ān: َّ ‫َو َل ْو أَ َرا ُدوا ْال ُخرُو َج َألَ َع ُّدوا َل ُه ُع َّد ًة َو َلكِنْ َك ِر َه‬ َ ‫ّللا ُ ا ْن ِب َعا َث ُه ْم َف َثب‬ ‫َّط ُه ْم َوقِي َل ا ْق ُع ُدوا‬ ‫ضعُوا خ ََِللَ ُك ْم َي ْب ُغو َن ُك ُم‬ َ ‫ لَ ْو َخ َرجُوا فِي ُك ْم َما َزا ُدو ُك ْم إِ َّل َخ َب ًال َو َألَ ْو‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫َم َع ْال َقاعِ د‬ َّ ‫ّللا ُ َعلِيم ِب‬ َّ ‫ُون لَ ُه ْم َو‬ )47-46:‫ِين (التوبة‬ َ ‫الظالِم‬ َ ‫ْال ِف ْت َن َة َوفِي ُك ْم َسمَّاع‬ And if they had intended to march out, certainly, they would have made some preparation for it; but Allah was averse to their being sent forth, so He made them lag behind, and it was said (to them),”Sit you among those who sit (at home). Had they marched out with you they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you—and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is All-Knower of the wrong doers. (Q. 9:46-47) In order to conceal their hypocrisy these hypocrites built a mosque and asked the Prophet to pray in it, but the Prophet said that because he was on his way to Tabῡk, he might do it upon his return from the Tabῡk campaign. On his way back when he reached Dhῡ Awān where people used to stay before reaching Madinah, the angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) a.s. told him about this mosque, that it was built to create dissension among Muslims. It was close to Qubā mosque

5

and was made an outpost for them in fighting against Allah and His Messenger. So, the Prophet asked his companion ‘Ᾱṣim ibn ‘Adī al‘Ajlānī and Mālik ibn al-Dakhsham al-Sālimī to destroy and burn it. It was known as Masjid al-Ḍirār (“Harmful Mosque”). Allah revealed to the Prophet about this mosque as follows: ً‫ِين َوإِرْ صادا‬ َ ‫ِين ا َّت َخ ُذوا َمسْ ِجداً ضِ راراً َو ُك ْفراً َو َت ْف ِريقا ً َبي َْن ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َ ‫َوالَّذ‬ ْ‫لِ َمن‬ ‫ّللا َو َرسُولَ ُه مِنْ َق ْب ُل َولَ َيحْ لِفُنَّ إِنْ أَ َر ْدنا إِلَّ ْالحُسْ نى‬ َ ‫حار‬ َ َ َّ ‫ب‬ َ َّ )108-107(…. ‫ َل َتقُ ْم فِي ِه أ َب ًدا‬.‫ُون‬ َ ‫َوّللا ُ َي ْش َه ُد إِ َّن ُه ْم لَكا ِذب‬ As for those who put up a masjid by way of harm and disbelief to disunite the believers and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger aforetime, they will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good. Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars. Never stand you therein… (Q. 9:107-108) Back in Madinah, the hypocrites explained to the Prophet the reason for their absence from joining the campaign. He listened to them, without anger, nor resentment, although they had disappointed him. There were three Muslims who were absent from joining the campaign only because of their negligence and indifference. They were: Ka‘b ibn Mālik, Murārah ibn Rabī‘, and Hilāl ibn Umayyah. They asked forgiveness from Allah and the Prophet, and the Prophet asked them to wait for revelation concerning their negligence, whether they would be forgiven or not. In the meantime, the Prophet told the Muslims to excommunicate them, so that no one would talk to them, as punishment.

After forty days of suffering, there came another punishment for them. They were not allowed to approach their wives. After fifty days waiting, eventually revelation came to forgive them, and the excommunication ended. The verses run as follows: َّ ‫اب‬ ‫ِين ا َّت َبعُوهُ فِي َسا َع ِة‬ َ ‫ار الَّذ‬ َ ‫ين َو ْاألَ ْن‬ َ ‫ّللا ُ َعلَى ال َّن ِبيِّ َو ْال ُم َها ِج ِر‬ َ ‫لَ َق ْد َت‬ ِ ‫ص‬ ‫اب َعلَي ِْه ْم إِ َّن ُه ِب ِه ْم َرءُوف‬ َ ‫ْالعُسْ َر ِة مِنْ َبعْ ِد َما َكا َد َي ِزي ُغ قُلُوبُ َف ِريق ِم ْن ُه ْم ُث َّم َت‬ َّ ‫ َو َعلَى‬.‫َرحِيم‬ ْ ‫ت َعلَي ِْه ُم ْاألَرْ ضُ ِب َما َر ُح َب‬ ْ ‫ضا َق‬ ‫ت‬ َ ‫ِين ُخلِّفُوا َح َّتى إِ َذا‬ َ ‫الث َ​َل َث ِة الَّذ‬ ْ ‫ضا َق‬ ‫اب َعلَي ِْه ْم‬ ِ َّ ‫ت َعلَي ِْه ْم أَ ْنفُ ُس ُه ْم َو َظ ُّنوا أَنْ َل َم ْل َجأ َ م َِن‬ َ ‫ّللا إِ َّل إِلَ ْي ِه ُث َّم َت‬ َ ‫َو‬

6

)118-117:‫ّللا ه َُو ال َّت َّوابُ الرَّ حِي ُم (التوبة‬ َ َّ َّ‫لِ َي ُتوبُوا إِن‬ Allah has forgiven the Prophet, the Muhājirīn (Muslim emigrants who left their homes and came to Madinah) and the Anṣar (Muslims of Madinah) who followed him in the time of distress (Tabῡk expedition), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is to them full of Kindness, Most Merciful.

And (He did forgive also the three who did not join (the Tabῡk expedition whose case was deferred by the Prophet s.a.w. for Allah’s Decision) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ownselves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him. Then, He forgave them (accepted their repentance), that they might begfor His pardon (repent to Him).

Verily, Allah is the One Who forgives and accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.(Q. 9:117-118) Ka‘b said that when he entered the mosque people congratulated him. When he greeted the Prophet s.a.w. his face was bright with joy, and said: “Be happy with the best day you have ever seen since your mother gave birth to you.” When Ka‘b asked whether this forgiveness came from him or from Allah, he said, it came from Allah. Because of Allah’s acceptance of his repentance he told the Prophet that he would give up all his wealth as alms for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, but the Prophet told him to keep some for himself and his family. It is worthy to remember that the campaign of Tabῡk took place in th 9th year of Hijrah, coincided with the 9th chapter of the Qur’ān, sῡrat al-Tawbah (Repentance), also called sῡrat Barā’ah (Freedom of Obligation) in which many verses of the Qur’ān were revealed dealing with the campaign of Tabῡk.

Since then Allah allowed the Prophet s.a.w. to give permission to whom he liked. Condition had changed, and there was no more danger or threat like before, so that the Prophet did not have to wait for revelation to make his decision to give permission to whom he liked. Those who would ask permissions to stay behind were no

7

longer hypocrites, but believers. As the condition changed the ruling also changed. Allah said in the Qur’ān: َ ‫ض َشأْن ِ​ِه ْم َفأْ َذنْ لِ َمنْ شِ ْئ‬ (62 :‫ت ِم ْن ُه ْم )النور‬ َ ‫َفإِ َذا اسْ َتأْ َذ ُنو‬ ِ ْ‫ك لِ َبع‬ … So if they ask your permission for some affairs of theirs, give permission to whom you will of them… (Q. 24:62) Some classical commentators of the Qur’an called this new ruling as abrogating the previous one, whereas modern commentators call it ‫“( َت ْخصِ يْصُ ْال َعام‬specification of general concept”) or ‫“( ال َّتدَرُّ ُج ْفي ال َّت ْش ِريْع‬the application of law in stages”).The difference is ْ namely, the only in name )‫(اإلسْ م‬, not in what is named )‫(ال ُم َسمَّى‬, subject matter.

After the battle of Badr the Prophet s.a.w. asked his companions what to do with the seventy prisoners. He said: “Allah has made you prevail above them, and only yesterday, they were your brothers.” ‘Umar said that they should be put to death.

According to Abῡ Bakr they should be pardoned and freed in return for ransom. As no revelation came to guide him, he pardoned them and set them free in return of ransom. Then revelation came as follows: ‫ون‬ َ ‫ض ُت ِري ُد‬ َ ‫ان ِل َن ِبي أَنْ َي ُك‬ َ ‫َما َك‬ ِ ْ‫ون لَ ُه أَسْ َرى َح َّتى ي ُْثخ َِن فِي ْاألَر‬ َّ ‫ّللا ُ ي ُِري ُد ْاْلخ َِر َة َو‬ َّ ‫ض ال ُّد ْن َيا َو‬ )67:‫ّللا ُ َع ِزيز َح ِكيم (األنفال‬ َ ‫َع َر‬ It is not (fitting) for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has fought (his enemies thoroughly) in the land. You desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise (Q. 9:67) The Prophet should have accepted ‘Umar’s advice to kill the captives instead of that of Abῡ Bakr to set them free, but Allah did not want it to happen, as revelation came late. This delay saved the lives or seventy Makkan people, including the Prophet’s uncle al‘Abbās who was forced to come with the pagan army. This was a dire warning to the Makkan pagans that this might be the first and the last time they would be safe from execution once they were taken prisoners in the battlefield.

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The revelation continued that Allah did not punish them for taking ransoms or spoils or war because it had been made allowed for them, as written in the Preserved Tablet (Q. 8:68). Then Allah concluded this case with the following verse: َ ‫َف ُكلوُ ا ِممَّا َغنِم ُت ْم َح‬ )69:‫ّللا َغ ُفور َرحِيم (األنفال‬ َ َّ َّ‫ّللا إِن‬ َ َّ ‫َللً َط ِّيبًا َوا َّتقُوا‬ So enjoy what you have gotten of booty of war, lawful and good and be afraid of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Q. 8:69) The permission to take booty of war has been misunderstood by some Orientalists as the motive for waging war. We have to remember that in the time of the Prophet every Muslim provided for himself his own war equipment. If he had a horse, he himself had to train it to fight in the battlefield. There was no regular army, no salary, nor pension. All were volunteer soldiers ready to fight for Islam whenever they were called by the Prophet. In such case, Satan kept reminding them of their families they were leaving behind, “who would take care of them if you perished or taken prisoners?” If they died they became martyrs, and if they were alive, at least they could have booty of war, and this was also distributed by the Prophet. They might have better war materials left by the enemy.

War is only the last resort for defending Islam. Even if fighting occurs, and taking booty is allowed, the verse continued with “be afraid of Allah” as mentioned above. It is a warning. (CIVIC, 11 April, 2014) :‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ )‫ هـ‬310 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ )‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ )‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ )‫هـ‬373 .‫بحر العلوم للسمركندي (ت‬ )‫هـ‬1394 .‫زهرة التفاسير للشيخ محمد أبوزهرة (ت‬ Ahmad Hatta, dkk. The Great Story of Muhammad s.a.w. Jakarta: Maghfirah Pustaka, 2013.

9

2. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (2) The hypocrites who stayed behind and did not join the Prophet s.a.w. and the Muslims in the campaign of Tabuk were not forgiven

by Allah, Who revealed to the Prophet s.a.w., ْ‫ّللا ُْلَ ُه ْم‬ َّْ ْ‫ِينْ َمرَّ ةْ​ْ َفلَنْ​ْ​ْ َي ْغف َِْر‬ َْ ‫لْ َتسْ َت ْغفِرْ​ْ​ْلَ ُه ْ​ْمْإِنْ​ْ​ْ َتسْ َت ْغفِرْ​ْ​ْلَ ُه ْ​ْمْ َس ْبع‬ ْ َ ْ​ْ​ْ‫اسْ َت ْغفِرْ​ْ​ْلَ ُه ْ​ْمْأَو‬ (08:ْ‫ِينْ(التوبة‬ َْ ‫لْ َي ْهدِيْ ْال َق ْو َْمْ ْال َفاسِ ق‬ ْ َ ُْ ‫ّللا‬ َّْ ‫اّللْ​ْ َو َرسُو ِل ِْهْ َو‬ َْ ‫ذ ِل‬ ِ َّ ‫كْ ِبأ َ َّن ُه ْ​ْمْ َك َفرُواْ ِب‬ Whether you ask forgiveness for them (hypocrites), or do not ask for forgiveness for them. Even though you ask for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah will not forgive them. (Q. 9:80) Moreover, they would no longer be allowed to join the Muslim army in any campaign. Allah revealed the Prophet the following verse: ْ​ْ‫ِيْأَ َبداْ َولَن‬ َْ ‫لْلَنْ​ْ​ْ َت ْخ ُرجُواْ َمع‬ ْ​ْ ُ‫وجْ َفق‬ ِْ ‫كْل ِْل ُخ ُر‬ َْ ‫ّللا ُْإِلَىْ َطا ِئ َفةْ​ْ ِم ْن ُه ْ​ْمْ َفاسْ َتأْ َذ ُنو‬ َّْ ْ‫ك‬ َْ ‫َفإِنْ​ْ​ْ َر َج َع‬ (08:‫ِينْ(التوبة‬ َْ ‫لْ َمرَّ ةْ​ْ َفا ْق ُع ُدواْ َم َْعْ ْال َخالِف‬ َْ ‫ِيْ َع ُدواْإِ َّن ُك ْ​ْمْ َرضِ ي ُت ْ​ْمْ ِب ْالقُعُو ِْدْأَ َّو‬ َْ ‫ُت َقا ِتلُواْ َمع‬ If Allah brings you back [from this battle] to a party of them [in reference to twelve party of hypocrites men, according to Qatadah] and they ask your permission to go out [with you in another battle] say: “Never shall you go out with me nor fight an enemy with me [because] you were pleased to sit (inactive) on the first occasion, then you sit now with those who lag behind.” (Q. 9:08) This prohibition of the Bedouins who lagged behind the Prophet s.a.w. in the ‘umrah of Hudaybiyyah (6 AH) from joining the Muslim army in the campaign of Khaybar (7 AH) was also revealed as follows: ْ​ْ‫ونْأَن‬ َْ ‫ونْإِ َذاْا ْن َط َل ْق ُت ْ​ْمْإِلَىْ َم َغا ِن َْمْلِ َتأْ ُخ ُذو َهاْ َذرُو َناْ َن َّت ِبعْ ُك ْ​ْمْي ُِري ُد‬ َْ ُ‫لْ ْالم َُخلَّف‬ ُْ ‫َس َيقُو‬ 51:‫ْ(الفتح‬...‫ل‬ ُْ ‫ّللا ُْمِنْ​ْ​ْ َق ْب‬ َّْ ْ‫ل‬ َْ ‫لْلَنْ​ْ​ْ َت َّت ِبعُو َناْ َك َذلِ ُك ْ​ْمَْْقا‬ ْ​ْ ُ‫ّللاْ​ْق‬ ِ َّ ْ‫) ُي َب ِّدلُواْ َك َ​َل َْم‬ Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, “Allow us to follow you.” They want to change Allah’s Words. Say: “You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand.”… (Q. 48:15) Allah had already known that the intention of these Bedouins in joining the campaign of Khaybar was merely to collect spoils of war.

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When the chief of the hypocrites of Madinah ‘Abddullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salῡl died his son who was also called ‘Abdullah came to the Prophet s.a.w., asked him to give him his shirt to shroud his father in, and to offer his father’s funeral prayer the Prophet which he did. When he stood up to offer the funeral prayer, ‘Umar r.a. took hold his robe and told him that he was a hypocrite. But the Prophet did it. Only after that, Allah prohibited him from praying funeral prayer to any hypocrite, without criticizing him. Allah revealed to him, ‫لْ َتقُ ْ​ْمْ َعلَىْ َقب ِْرِْهْإِ َّن ُه ْ​ْمْ َْك َفرُوا‬ ْ َ ‫اتْأَ َبداْ َو‬ َْ ‫لْ َعلَىْأَ َحدْ​ْ ِم ْن ُه ْ​ْمْ َم‬ ِّْ ‫ص‬ ْ َ ‫َو‬ َ ‫لْ ُت‬ (08:‫ونْ(ْالتوبة‬ َْ ُ‫اّللْ​ْ َو َرسُولِ ِْهْ َو َما ُتواْ َو ُه ْ​ْمْ َفاسِ ق‬ ِ َّ ‫ِب‬ And never (O Muhammad) pray (funeral prayer) for any of them (hypocrites) who dies, nor stand at his grave. Certainly, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and died while they were disobedient (rebellious) (Q. 9:84) This is another example where revelation was apparently came down late to the Prophet s.a.w., as it was done intentionally for giving us a moral lesson. The Prophet did not kill the hypocrites, so that people would not accuse him of killing his own followers, as they practiced Islam liked the Muslims did. In the same way, the Prophet s.a.w. prayed funeral prayer for the leader of the hypocrites in Madinah, so that the enemy of Islam would not accuse him of refusing to pray for his own followers.

Although the Prophet’s prayer would not benefit the dead hypocrite, as it was only ْ‫( اسْ ت ِْغ َفارْ ْلِ َسانِي‬verbal asking Allah’s forgiveness) it benefited some of the living relatives of the dead, namely, pleasing their hearts. The shirt of the Prophet used as the hypocrite’s shroud would not also benefit the dead, but the Prophet expected that this deed would convert one thousand people of his (the Prophet’s) people, in one report, while in another report of the dead’s people, namely, the Khazraj tribe, the tribe of the dead. It was reported that it did really happen later, that one thousand of Khazraj people repented and converted to Islam.

11

Since the revelation of the above verse, no funeral prayer was allowed for Muslims on hypocrites. Their identity was informed by the angel Gabriel (Jibrīl) to the Prophet, and the Prophet before his death, told Ḥudhayfah al-Yamānī only. The prohibition of standing in the graves of hypocrites includes, not only praying for them, but also being involved in their burial. In other words, it is not the Muslims’ business, but it is that of their relatives.

Although ‘Abddullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salῡl was the leader of the hypocrites of Madinah, he did not allow his companions speak evil of him after his death. He said that this act would not hurt the dead, but the living, especially his son ‘Abdullah who was an honourable companion of the Prophet. When ‘Ikrimah son of Abu Jahl (who was the enemy of the Prophet) came to him to convert to Islam, the Prophet told his companions not to curse his father, as the curse would only harm the living, not the dead.1 When Allah wanted to abolish child adoption practiced before Islam, and the prohibition of the Muslims from marrying the ex-wives of their adopted son, He started with the Prophet’s freed slave and adopted son, Zayd ibn Ḥārithah. The Prophet loved him so much that his son Usāmah was known as the beloved son of the beloved. ‘Ᾱishah r.a. was reported (by Imam Ahmad) to have said that if Zayd had lived after the Prophet, he would have appointed him as his successor. The Prophet had given him in marriage to his cousin, Zaynab bin Jaḥsh, the daughter of his paternal aunt, Umayyah bint ‘Abdul Muṭṭalib. After about one year of marriage, problems arose between them, and he complained about her to the Prophet. The Prophet, instead of telling him to divorce his wife, because Allah had decreed him to marry her, his cousin and the ex-wife of his “adopted son”, he told him to keep her and fear Allah. Then revelation came down to rebuke him, as follows: ‫ّللاْ َو ُت ْخفِي‬ ََّْ ْ‫ق‬ ِْ ‫كْ َوا َّت‬ َْ ‫كْ َز ْو َج‬ َْ ‫ْتْ َع َل ْي ِْهْأَ ْمسِ كْ​ْ​ْ َعلَ ْي‬ َْ ‫ّللا ُْ َعلَ ْي ِْهْ َوأَ ْن َعم‬ َّْ ْ‫لْلِلَّذِيْأَ ْن َع َْم‬ ُْ ‫َوإِ ْ​ْذْ َتقُو‬ 1

For further details, see Selected Khuṭab vol. 1, p. 49, ‘Abd Allah bin Ubay, p.

50.

12

‫ضىْ َزيْدْ​ْ ِم ْن َها‬ َّْ ‫اسْ َو‬ َْ ‫ّللا ُْ ُم ْبدِي ِْهْ َو َت ْخ َشىْال َّن‬ َّْ ْ‫كْ َما‬ َْ ِ‫فِيْ َن ْفس‬ َ ‫ّللا ُْأَ َحقْ​ْأَنْ​ْ​ْ َت ْخ َشاْهُْ َفلَمَّاْ َق‬ ‫اجْأَ ْدعِ َيائ ِ​ِه ْ​ْم‬ ِْ ‫ِينْ َح َرجْ​ْفِيْأَ ْز َو‬ َْ ‫ونْ َعلَىْ ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َْ ‫لْ َي ُك‬ ْ َ ْ​ْ​ْ‫َو َطراْ َز َّوجْ َنا َك َهاْلِ َكي‬ 83:‫ّللاْ​ْ َم ْفعُولْ​ْ(األحزاب‬ َْ ‫ض ْواْ ِم ْنهُنَّْ​ْ َو َطراْ َو َك‬ ِ َّ ْ‫انْأَ ْم ُْر‬ َ ‫)إ َذاْ َق‬ And (remember) when you said to him [i.e., Zayd ibn Ḥārithah] on whom Allah has bestowed grace [i.e. becoming Muslim and following the Prophet] and you have done a favour [freeing him from slavery]: Keep your wife to yourself and have taqwa to Allah.

But you did hide in yourself that which Allah will make manifest, you did fear the people whereas Allah had a better right that you should fear Him. So, when Zayd had completed his aim with her, We gave her to you in marriage, so that there may be no difficulty to the believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have no desire to keep them.(Q. 33:37) Al-Sha‘bī reported that ‘Ᾱ’shah r.a. said that if the Prophet s.a.w. were to have concealed anything that was revealed to him he would have concealed this verse. It was an honour for Zaynab r.a. as the marriage was conducted by Allah as his walī (guardian), without contractual agreement, dowry, or human witnesses. She was reported to have said boastingly to ‘Ᾱ’ishah r.a. that her marriage was arranged by Allah from above the seven heaven, but she conceded when ‘Ᾱ’ishah replied that her innocence was revealed from heaven.2 While the Prophet s.a.w. was addressing one of the leaders of the Quraysh idolaters hoping that he might be guided to Islam, a blind man called Ibn Umm Maktῡm began asking him to guide him.

He kept repeating, “O Muhammad, teach me what Allah has taught you!” As he was blind he did not see that the Prophet was being busy with another man. He felt uneasy that people would think that those who would follow him were weak people only like this blind man.

The Prophet frowned and turned away from him and faced the other man, saying, “Do you think that there is a problem with what I am 2

For further details, see Selected Khuṭab vol. 4, The Institution of Marriage in Jeopardy, p. 58

13

saying?” and the man said, “No.” Because of his frowning at a weak man, Allah reprimanded him, revealing the following verses: ِّ ْ‫ْأَوْ​ْ​ْ َي َّذ َّك ُْرْ َف َت ْن َف َع ُْه‬.‫يكْلَ َعلَّ ُْهْ َي َّز َّكى‬ ْ ْ​ْ.‫الذ ْك َرى‬ َْ ‫ْ َو َماْي ُْد ِر‬.‫أَنْ​ْ​ْ َجا َءْهُْ ْاألَعْ َمى‬.‫سْ َو َت َولَّى‬ َْ ‫َع َب‬ ْ ْ.‫كْ َيسْ َعى‬ َْ ‫ْ َوأَمَّاْ َمنْ​ْ​ْ َجا َء‬.‫لْ َي َّز َّكى‬ ْ َّ َ‫كْأ‬ َْ ‫ْ َو َماْ َعلَ ْي‬.‫ص َّدى‬ َْ ‫ْ َفأ َ ْن‬.‫نْاسْ َت ْغ َنى‬ ِْ ‫ْأَمَّاْ َم‬ َ ‫تْلَ ُْهْ َت‬ ْ )58-5:‫تْ َع ْن ُْهْ َت َلهَّىْ(عبس‬ َْ ‫ َفأ َ ْن‬.‫َوه َُْوْ َي ْخ َشى‬ He frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man. And how can you know that he might become pure [i.e., attain purification and cleanness in his soul]? Or he might receive admonition, and the admonition might profit him [i.e., he may receive admonition and abstain from the forbidden]? As for him who thinks himself self-sufficient. To him you attend [i.e., you face the rich person so that perhaps he may be guided]. What does it matter to you if he will not become pure? [i.e., you are not responsible for him if he does not attain purification But as for him who came to you running, and is afraid. Of him you are neglectful and divert your attention to another [i.e. he is seeking you and he comes to you so that he may be guided by what you say to him, you are too busy]. Nay; indeed it is an admonition. So, whoever wills let him pay attention to Him (it). In Records held in honour. Exalted, purified. In the hands of ambassadors (safarah). Honourable and obedient. (Q. 80:1-10) Since then whenever the Prophet met ibn Umm Maktῡm, he extended his cloak, saying, ‫اجةْ؟‬ ْ​ْ ‫ ْ َه‬،ْ ‫َمرْ َحبا ْ ِب َمنْ​ْ ْ َعا َت َبنِي ْفِي ِْه ْ َربِّي‬ َ ‫ل ْمِنْ​ْ ْ َح‬ “Welcome to whom my Lord has reprimanded me, do you need anything?”

The Prophet expected that talking to one of the the leaders of the Quraysh pagans might be guided, and in turn would guide his people to Islam. Ibn Umm Maktῡm had already become Muslim and who asked for guidance, and he can wait a moment until the Prophet finished his conversation. He did what he thought the priority, but for Allah the priority was to deal with those who had already asked for guidance, disregarding their social status. Ibn Zayd said that had

14

the Prophet intended to hide something in the revelation he would have hided this verse.

In reprimanding the Prophet for his frowning at the weak man Allah did not tell him directly, saying, “You frowned and turned away, because there came to you the blind man.” This would be hard for the Prophet. Instead, Allah said, “He frowned… to him …” as if Allah talked to him indirectly which would be more lenient for him. The use of “he” is as glorification to the Prophet s.a.w., as if Allah was reprimanding some body else. Then Allah continued with, “And how can you know that he might become pure?” Here Allah talked to him directly. This is what we call iltifāt (sudden transition), from “he” to “you”. We find many examples of the iltifāt in the Qur’an which we shall deal with in due course.

There is a moral lesson here: If you want to reprimand someone, especially your subordinate, do it in the most polite way, rather than frightening him, or confronting him with anger and threat. (CIVIC, 2 May, 2014) :‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبةْالشاملة‬ (‫ْهـ‬858ْ.‫تفسيرْالطبريْ(ت‬ )‫ْهـ‬635ْ.‫تفسيرْالقرطبىْ(ت‬ )‫ْهـ‬338ْ.‫تفسيرْابنْكثيرْ(ت‬ )‫هـ‬838ْ​ْ.‫بحرْالعلومْللسمركنديْ(ت‬ ‫هـ‬5898ْ.‫زهرةْالتفاسيرْللشيخْمحمدْأبوزهرةْ(ت‬ ْ ‫المحررْفيْأسبابْنزولْالقرآنْمنْخَللْالكتبْالتسعةْدراسةْاألسبابْروايةْودراية‬ ‫للمؤلف ْخالدْبنْسليمانْالمزيني‬

15

3. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (3) Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) a.s. and his son Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) prayed to Allah after building the Ka‘bah in Makkah to send to the people of this area a messenger to guide them. They prayed: ً ‫ِيه ْم َرس‬ ْ ‫َر َّب َنا َوا ْب َع‬ ‫اب َو ْالح ِْك َم َة‬ َ ‫ك َو ُي َعلِّ ُم ُه ُم ْال ِك َت‬ َ ‫ُول ِم ْن ُه ْم َي ْتلُو َعلَي ِْه ْم آ َيا ِت‬ ِ ‫ثف‬ َ ‫ك أَ ْن‬ )921:‫ت ْال َع ِزي ُز ْال َحكِي ُم (البقرة‬ َ ‫يه ْم إِ َّن‬ ِ ‫َوي َُز ِّك‬ Our Lord! And send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite to them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’an) and wisdom, and purify them.

Verily, You are the Almighty, the All-Wise (Q. 2:129) The term ḥikmah (wisdom) in this verse means: full knowledge of Islamic laws and jurisprudence or the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w.

About 25 centuries later this prayer was accepted with the advent of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Allah said: ‫ِين‬ َ ‫َل َق ْد َجا َء ُك ْم َرسُول مِنْ أَ ْن ُفسِ ُك ْم َع ِزيز َع َل ْي ِه َما َع ِن ُّت ْم َح ِريص َع َل ْي ُك ْم ِب ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َّ ‫َرءُوف َرحِيم َفإِنْ َت َولَّ ْوا َفقُ ْل َحسْ ِب َي‬ ُ ‫ّللا ُ َل إِلَ َه إِ َّل ه َُو َعلَ ْي ِه َت َو َّك ْل‬ ‫ت‬ )921-921:‫ش ْال َعظِ ِيم (التوبة‬ ِ ْ‫َوه َُو َربُّ ْال َعر‬ Verily, there has come to you a Messenger (Muhammad s.a.w.) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad) is eager for you; for the believers he is full of pity, kind and merciful. But if they turn away, say (O Muhammad), “Allah is sufficient for me.

None has the right to be worshiped but He, in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne (Q. 9:128-129) The explanation of these two verses is as follows: “It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty” means that it grieves him whatever would cause hardship to his people, that they might go to hell for their infidelity. “He (Muhammad s.a.w.) is eager for you “means that he is anxious that his people would receive guidance, believe and eventually enter Heaven. To believers among them he was ra’ῡf (merciful, compassionate; kind, benevolent; gracious) and raḥīm (merciful,

16

compassionate). These two attributes of the Prophet s.a.w., ra’ῡf and raḥīm share those of Allah, as in the following verse: )56 :‫اس لَ َرؤُ ف َرحِيم [الحج‬ َ َّ َّ‫ إِن‬... ِ ‫ّللا ِبال َّن‬ … Verily, Allah is, for mankind, Full of Kindness, Most Merciful (Q. 22:65) These are the last two verses of sῡrat al-Tawbah. The first verse is addressing the Arabs as he was the descendent of Prophet Isma’il a.s., according to the vast majority of Qur’an commentators, whereas according to al-Zajjāj, it is addressing the whole mankind. In the second verse Allah is addressing the Prophet to say, “But if they turn away, say (O Muhammad), Allah is sufficient for me…” indicating the existence of iltifāt (sudden transition). At first Allah talked to people in general, the human kind or particularly the Arabs in the time of the Prophet, to show how he was so concern with them, how eager he was to guide them. However, not all of them would follow him. To this, Allah told him to be patient and to put his trust in Him. If Allah talked to the Prophet in the Qur’an, how could we say that He also talked to us? As Muslims the Prophet is our model. As a human being he had faced many problems in his life, especially in delivering the message of Islam. As a prophet, a family man (a husband, a father), a leader of the community, a teacher, a judge, a general in the army, a persecuted person, a ruler, etc. he constantly received revelation from Allah to guide him. We might have similar problems with his. Then the revelation to solve them would also be applicable to ours, as if Allah is talking to us. Whatever our profession is, there is always guidance from Allah which He had given to the Prophet dealing with it, as if Allah is guiding us directly.

Muslim scholars are not prophets, but the Prophet s.a.w. said that they were inheritors of prophets. He said: ‫ إِ َّن َما‬،‫ إِنَّ ْاْلَ ْن ِب َيا َء لَ ْم ي َُورِّ ُثوا دِي َنارً ا َو َل دِرْ َهمًا‬،‫ إِنَّ ْال ُعلَ َما َء َو َر َث ُة ْاْلَ ْن ِب َيا ِء‬... )‫ َف َمنْ أَ َخ َذهُ أَ َخ َذ ِب َحظ َوافِر(رواه أبو داؤد والترمذي وابن ماجة‬،‫َورَّ ُثوا ْالع ِْل َم‬ … Verily, the ‘ulamā’ are the inheritors of prophets; verily prophets did not bequeath dinars, nor dirhams, but they bequeathed knowledge, and whoever takes it, he

17

will have abundant fortune.

(Reported by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah) These ‘ulamā’ (Muslim scholars) are to give advice to people based on the knowledge they inherit from the Prophet. They are the people who know the spirit of Islamic injunction and prohibition.

They are the people who know which verses of the Qur’an to be used as medicine to cure our spiritual sickness, for example, not to use verses dealing with war when we are in peace, and vice versa.

B. Allah talked to people in general addressing them as ‫َيا أَيُّها َ ال َناس‬ (“O people”). These verses were mostly revealed in Makkah, before the Prophet’s migration to Madinah in 6122 CE. He talked to them directly starting with “O People” (Q. 2:29,951; 4:970, 974; 90:23, 67; 22:1, 5, 73; 31:33; 35:3, 5, 15; 49:1),1 or indirectly, starting with ‫قُ ْل َيا‬ ‫“( أَيُّها َ ال َناس‬Say: O people”, Q. 7:961; 90:904,901; 22:41). They are in chapters called Makkan sῡrahs. Out of 114 sῡrahs in the Qur’an there are 85 of them.

Some characteristics of the Makkan sῡrahs are as follows: (1) It contains the verse ‫“( َيا أَيُّها َ ال َناس‬O people”), and does not contain the verse ‫“( َيا أ ُّي َها الَّ ِذي َْن آ َم ُنوا‬O believers”) (2) It contains negations َّ‫“( َكل‬not at all!” “on the contrary!” “by no means!” “Certainly not!|” “never!” “no!”). The term indicates prevention and rebuke, mentioned in 33 times in 15 sῡrahs.

(3) It contains the story of Adam and Iblis, except sῡrat al-Baqarah (Chap. 2) (4) It mentions the stories of ancient time, Allah and His Oneness (tawḥīd), the coming of the Resurrection and the Judgment Day. The main themes in these chapters are mainly Allah and His Oneness (tawḥīd), the coming of resurrection and judgment, and righteous conduct. The Arabs in pre-Islamic Arabia believed in the Supreme Power controlling the universe, but this belief was 1

It is excluded the statement of Prophet Sulaymān (Solomon) a.s. when he said ‫“( َيا أَيُّها َ ال َناس‬O People”) in Q. 92:43.

18

corrupted because they worshiped idols. They were called pagans, because they did not believe in any chief religions of the world, such as Judaism and Christianity. They were also called idolaters because they worshiped idols.

The examples for their belief in one God are found in their poems, such as the pre-Islamic poet al-Nābighah al-Dhubyānī (d. 604 CE) said, ”I swear without any margin of doubt, for who else can support man beside Allah? Another pre-Islamic poet Zuhayr ibn Abī Sulmá (d. 609) said, “The deeds are recorded in the scroll to be presented in the Judgment Day.” Allah says in the Qur’an: َّ َّ‫ْس َو ْال َق َم َر لَ َيقُولُن‬ ِ ‫َولَئِنْ َسأ َ ْل َت ُه ْم َمنْ َخ َل َق ال َّس َم َاوا‬ َ ‫ض َو َس َّخ َر ال َّشم‬ َ ْ‫ت َو ْاْلَر‬ ُ‫ّللا‬ ‫ض مِنْ َبعْ ِد‬ َ ْ‫ َو َلئِنْ َسأ َ ْل َت ُه ْم َمنْ َن َّز َل م َِن ال َّس َما ِء َما ًء َفأَحْ َيا ِب ِه ْاْلَر‬... .‫ون‬ َ ‫َفأ َ َّنى ي ُْؤ َف ُك‬ َّ َّ‫َم ْو ِت َها لَ َيقُولُن‬ )53 ،59:‫ون (العنكبوت‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫ّللا ُ قُ ِل ْال َح ْم ُد‬ َ ُ ‫لِل َب ْل أَ ْك َث ُر ُه ْم َل َيعْ ِقل‬ If indeed thou ask them who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon (to His law) they will certainly reply ‘Allah!. How are they then deluded away (from the truth)?.... And indeed if thou ask them who it is that sends down rain from the sky, and gives life therewith to the earth after its death, they will certainly reply ‘Allah!’ Say ‘Praise be to Allah’ But most of them understand not. (Q. 29:61,63)2 Each tribe in pre-Islamic Arabia worshiped its own idols. The Kalb worshiped ‫( َو ًد‬Wadd), the Hudhayl worshiped ً‫( س َُواع‬Suwā‘ ), َ ‫( َي ُغ‬Yaghῡth), the Hamdān worshiped ‫َيعُوق‬ the Quraysh worshiped ‫وث‬ (Ya‘ῡq, in the form of a horse), and the Ḥimyar worshiped‫ َنسْ ر‬, (Nasr, in the form of Vulture). These idols are mentioned in the Qur’an as follows: َ ‫َو َقالُوا َل َت َذرُنَّ آلِ َه َت ُك ْم َو َل َت َذرُنَّ َو ًدا َو َل س َُوا ًعا َو َل َي ُغ‬ َ ‫وث َو َيع‬ )23:‫ُوق َو َنسْ رً ا (نوح‬ And they have said: “You shall not leave your gods: not shall you leave, Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaguth, nor Ya’uq, nor Nasr” (Q. 71)

2

For similar verses, see Q. 43:9 and 87)

19

Their most ancient idol was called Manāt. Other idols were Allāt and Al-‘Uzzá which was erected at Nakhlah Shāmiyah between Makkah and Iraq. These idols are also mentioned in the Qur’an, as follows: َّ ‫ َو َم َنا َة‬.‫ت َو ْالع َُّزى‬ َّ ‫أَ َف َرأَ ْي ُت ُم‬ َ ‫الل‬ )20-91:‫الثالِ َث َة ْاْل ُ ْخ َرى (النجم‬ Have you then considered Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza. And Manat, the other third? (Q. 53:19-20) There were also many other idols around and inside the Ka‘bah.

The biggest idol was Hubal located inside the Ka‘bah in the form of a man carved of red granite. Ritual arrows stood beside it drawn by the soothsayer (kāhin) for divination in many purposes. For example, if someone wanted to know whether his baby was legitimate or not, he went to the soothsayer who drew one of the two arrows; if it was written ‫( َس ِريْح‬sarīḥ, “free”), the baby was legitimate. Otherwise, it was written ‫صق‬ َ ‫( م ُْل‬mulṣaq, “attached”), then the baby was illegitimate.

The idols in pre-Islamic Arabia can be divided into three categories: (a) ‫( ْاْلَ ْو َثان‬al-awthān), carved metal or wooden images or statues resembling living forms; (b) ‫( ْ​ْلَصْ َنام‬al-aṣnām), stone statues also resembling living forms; and (c) ‫صاب‬ َ ‫( ْاْلَ ْن‬al-anṣāb), shapeless masses of stone, pieces of volcanic or meteoric rock they made sacred because they believed that their origins were heavenly.

Before traveling they touched their idols, and upon their return the first thing they did was to touch them again in reverence and gratitude.

The pre-Islamic Arabs also worship the heavenly bodies, trees and dead heroes of their tribes. They worshiped the sun, and had their names connected to it, such as ‫“( َع ْب ُد ال َّشمْس‬The servant of the sun”), and ‫“( َع ْب ُد ال ُّشر ُْوق‬the servant of the rising sun”).

The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that time can shape their destiny, that fate determined the course of their lives, which was a fatalistic view. Allah referred it in the Qur’an, as follows: ُ ‫ِي إِ َّل َح َيا ُت َنا ال ُّد ْن َيا َنم‬ ‫ُوت َو َنحْ َيا َو َما ُي ْه ِل ُك َنا إِ َّل ال َّدهْ ُر‬ َ ‫َو َقالُوا َما ه‬

20

ُ ‫ك مِنْ عِ ْلم إِنْ ُه ْم إِ َّل َي‬ )24:‫ون (الجاثية‬ َ ‫ظ ُّن‬ َ ِ‫َو َما لَ ُه ْم ِب َذل‬ And they say, ‘What is there but our life in this world? We shall die and we live, and nothing but time can destroy us.’ But of that they have no knowledge: they merely conjecture. (Q. 46:24) It was the duty of the Prophet in this Makkan period to bring people from the darkness of the jahiliyyah (ignorance) to the light and guidance of Islam, from worshiping idols to worshiping Allah Alone, tawḥīd. There are three aspects of tawḥīd: a. Tawḥīd al-Rubῡbiyyah, Oneness of the Lordship of Allah. It is to believe that there is only one Lord for the entire universe; He is the Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, and the Giver of security; He is Allah the Almighty. The Arabs in pre-Islamic Arabia believed in this. b. Tawḥīd al-Ulῡhiyyah, Oneness of the worship of Allah. It is to believe that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah. This is what the pre-Islamic Arabs did not have. They worshiped idols. c. Tawḥīd al-Asmā’ wa ’l-Ṣifāt, Oneness of the Names and the Qualities of Allah. It is to believe that: (i) we must not name Allah or qualify Him except what He and the Prophet have named or qualified Him; (ii) none can be named or qualified with the names or qualifications of Allah. In other words, Allah’s names and qualifications are, in strict sense, attributed solely to Him, such as al-Karīm (“the [real] Noble, the [real] Beneficent, the [true] Generous, the [true] Honourable, the [real] Benefactor”(. We can be karīm (generous, honourable), but it is relatively and extremely very little, compared to Allah’s generosity and nobility.

We are living in the era similar to that of the jāhiliyyah (preIslamic ignorance and un-Islamic practices) and we can call it the modern one. In some aspects, modern jāhiliyyah is worse that the classical pre-Islamic one. Therefore, as Allah talked to people

21

through the Prophet in the early jāhiliyyah era, He is talking to us in this modern jāhiliyyah era in order to solve our similar problems. For example, in modern time, by using modern and sophisticated arms, the victims of war are not only those who are engaged in the battlefield, but also non-combatants, civilians who are not in the battlefield, even animals. Buildings are destroyed, water and air become polluted and contaminated, and various sicknesses became rampant due to lack of food, clean water, medicine, and sanitation.

Gambling becomes legal and can be done in many ways: buying lottery tickets, and going to gambling casinos. Gambling machines are installed in night clubs to entertain their customers. You can even gamble wherever and whenever you are through the internet and mobile-phones. In order to attract people to buy fund-raising tickets, they are also tempted and promised with prizes, as if they are buying lottery tickets. In Las Vegas, California, one welcomed its visitors, saying, “Welcome to the Gambling Capital of the World.” Another city of gambling is Monte Carlo near Nice, in Monaco.

Instead of worshiping idols, people worship their jobs, positions, and wealth. In the early jāhiliyyah some people buried their infant girls alive, nowadays they kill their children before they are born, disregarding their gender through abortion. Living together out of matrimony, adultery, legalized prostitution, brothels in almost every big city, and alcohol drinking are made legal, with the exception of girls trafficking, the consumption of narcotics, the practice of money laundering, corruption, bribery.

With the advance of science and technology, people feel that they can solve all their problems, and they become further and further away from religion and God, resulting with their lack of spirituality. Mental depression occurs, especially among soldiers returning from the fronts in the Middle-East ending up in mental hospitalities, and sometimes with suicide.

22

With the invention of computer in 9119 called “Silicon Neuron” by scientists in California Technology laboratory in Boston, USA, people started relying on it in finding the solutions of their problems.

The more advanced it is made, the more people rely on it, until it is treated like a sole adviser, and for atheists, this is their god, as it can think and analyze faster than man. Sometimes we say jokingly, “if you have any question, ask Shaykh Google.”

Like the classical jāhiliyyah the modern jāhiliyyah can be solved with the application of the Islamic law. When Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, declared on the 1st week of of May this year 2014, that he is applying the Shariah (Islamic law) in this country the West responded negatively, he replied: The West should worry about themselves, about their children shot dead at schools, or their prisons which have become too crowded that they cannot accommodate criminals any longer, the high rate of crimes, suicides, abortions, and the spread of AIDS in their countries. The West should open their eyes on what is happening in Syria, Bosnia, Rohingy, Palestine, Egypt, etc. where thousands of people have been killed. Not a single person has been killed after applying Islamic law in his country, and people accept it peacefully. (CIVIC, 16 May, 2014) :‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬390 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬579 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Ahmad von Denffer, ‘Ulῡm al-Qur’ān. Kuala Lumpur: A.S. Noodeen, 1991. http://www.islamedia.co/2014/05/diserang-dunia-barat-ini-jawaban -cerdas.html

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4. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (4) As Allah is talking to the whole mankind, we can divide it as follows: a. to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., and we have a chapter in the Qur’an bearing his name, called sūrat Muhammad (chapter 47); b. to people in general, and we have a chapter called sūrat al-Nās (People, chap. 14); it includes the jinn, and we have a chapter called sūrat al-Jinn (chapter 72); and to mankind we have a chapter called sūrat al-Insān (Mankind, chapter 76); c. to the Children of Israel, and we have a chapter called sūrat Banī Isrā’īl (also called sūrat al-Isrā’, Night Journey, chapter 17); d. to the believers, and we have chapter called sūrat al-Mu’minūn (Believers, chapter 23); e. to previous prophets, and we have a chapter called sūrat al-Anbiyā’ (Prophets, chapter 21). There are twenty-five prophets mentioned in the Qur’an, and five of them bear the names of chapters of the Qur’an beside Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., namely, sūrat Yūnus (Jonah, chap. 10), sῡrat Hūd (chap. 11), sūrat Yūsuf (Joseph, chap. 12), sūrat Ibrāhīm (Abraham, chap. 14), and sūrat Nῡh (Noah, chap. 71); f. to disbelievers, although indirectly, we have also a chapter called sūrat al-Kāfirūn (Disbelievers, chap. 109). This does not mean that every chapter limits itself with the topic that bears its name, but it generally covers various topics. For example, Sūrat al-Baqarah which means “cow” mentions about it in 7 verses only (verse 67 – 73) out of 286 verses.1

1

Some names of sūrah are also taken from pious people, such as sūrat Ᾱl ‘Imrān (Family of ‘Imrān, ch. 3), sūrat Maryam (Mary, ch. 19), and sūrat Luqmān (ch. 31). Allah purified and chose Mary above the women of the mankind and jinn (Q. 3:42). Others taken from the names of insects, such as sūrat al-Naḥl (the Bee, ch. 16), sūrah al-Naml (the Ant, ch. 27), sūrat al‘Ankabūt (the Spider, ch. 29); of celestial bodies, such as, sūrat al-Shams (the Sun, ch. 91), sūrat al-Qamar (the Moon, ch. 54), sūrat al-Najm (the Star, ch.

53), sūrat al-Ṭāriq (the Morning Star, ch. 86); of the natural phenomena, such as, sūrat al-Ra‘d (the Thunder, ch. 13), sūrat al-Zalzalah (the Earthquake, ch.

99); etc.

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With regard to disbelievers, Allah does not talk to them directly in this world, but in the Hereafter only, where they could not make any excuse for disbelieving, as the following verse: )7:‫ون (التحريم‬ َ ُ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َل َتعْ َت ِذرُوا ْال َي ْو َم إِ َّن َما ُتجْ َز ْو َن َما ُك ْن ُت ْم َتعْ َمل‬ َ ‫َيا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ‬ (It will be said in the Hereafter) “O you who disbelieve!

Make no excuse this Day! You are being requited only for what you used to do.” (Q. 66:7) Otherwise, they would say, “O Allah, why do you call me disbelievers, when You can make me right now believers and guide me?”

Allah talked to disbelievers indirectly through the Prophet s.a.w. who talked to them directly, as follows: )21:‫س ْال ِم َها ُد (آل عمران‬ َ ‫ُون إِلَى َج َه َّن َم َو ِب ْئ‬ َ ‫ُون َو ُتحْ َشر‬ َ ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َس ُت ْغلَب‬ َ ‫قُ ْل لِلَّذ‬ Say (O Muhammad), “You will be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and worst indeed is that place of rest.”(Q. 3:12) Upon his return from the Battle of Badr victoriously, the Prophet s.a.w. gathered the Jews at the market of Banī Qaynuqā‘ Jewish community and said: “O Jewish people! I am warning you of Allah’s punishment like the one inflicted to the Quraysh. Embrace Islam, as you know well that I am a prophet sent by Allah whom you find in your Book and promised by Allah to you.”

They replied: “O Muhammad! You think we are like your people! Do not be arrogant at all. You have been victorious against people who do not know how to fight! By Allah, if we fight you verily you would know that we are the men.” So, Allah revealed the above verse addressing them not as “People of the Scripture”, but as “disbeliever”, for they had rejected the Prophet’s invitation to Islam. They also hated the Prophet more for his victory in the Battle of Badr.

The defeat of the Jews of Qaynuqā‘ took place at the same year (2 AH). What happened was that a Muslim woman came to their market to sell some jewelry and sat beside a Jewish jeweler of the Bani Qaynuqa’ tribe. He went behind her and tied the edge of her

25

garment to her back, so that when she stood up later her private area became exposed. People laughed, but she screamed. A Muslim who was nearby jumped and attacked the jeweler, and a group of Jews killed him. Then the Prophet and his companions surrounded their fortress, waiting them to come out. They besieged them for 15 nights until the surrendered. Instead of being punished, they were expelled from Madinah. This Jewish tribe was the first who broke the pact that they had made with the Prophet.

In another verse Allah talked to them indirectly through the Prophet who also talked to them indirectly, as follows: ْ‫ف َوإِن‬ َ َ‫ِين َك َفرُوا إِنْ َي ْن َتهُوا ي ُْغ َفرْ لَ ُه ْم َما َق ْد َسل‬ َ ‫قُ ْل لِلَّذ‬ ْ ‫ض‬ ُ ‫ت ُس َّن‬ )83:‫ِين (اْلنفال‬ َ ‫ت ْاْلَ َّول‬ َ ‫َيعُو ُدوا َف َق ْد َم‬ Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the example of those (punished) before them have already preceded (as a warning) (Q. 8:38) When a group of pagan Quraysh, namely, al-Walīd ibn alMughīrah, al-‘Ᾱṣ ibn Wā’il, al-Aswad ibn al-Muṭṭalib, and, came to the Prophet offering him to worship their idols for a year, and they would in turn worship his God for a year. Allah revealed the sūrat alKāfirūn (chap. 209), to disavow himself from their religion completely, as follows: ‫ َو َل أَ َنا َع ِابد‬.‫ون َما أَعْ ُب ُد‬ َ ‫ َو َل أَ ْن ُت ْم َع ِاب ُد‬.‫ون‬ َ ‫ َل أَعْ ُب ُد َما َتعْ ُب ُد‬.‫ُون‬ َ ‫قُ ْل َيا أَ ُّي َها ْال َكا ِفر‬ )6-2:‫ِين (الكافرون‬ َ ‫ َو َل أَ ْن ُت ْم َع ِاب ُد‬.‫َما َع َب ْد ُت ْم‬ ِ ‫ لَ ُك ْم دِي ُن ُك ْم َول َِي د‬.‫ون َما أَعْ ُب ُد‬ Say: “O disbelievers [of the Quraysh]! I worship not that which you worship [i.e., statues, rival gods]. Nor will you worship whom I worship. And I shall not worship that which you are worshiping [i.e. I do not worship according to the way you worship].Nor will you worship whom I worship [i.e., the manner in which Allah loves and pleased with]. To you your religion, and to me my religion.”(Q. 109:1-6) These verses are Allah’s verdict to them that they all would die as disbelievers. Al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah and Umayyah ibn al-Khalaf,

26

were killed in the battle of Badr in 2/624; al-‘Ᾱṣ ibn Wā’il who had planned to kill the Prophet died from the wound from a stone that hit his bottom while he was relieving himself; al-Aswad ibn alMuṭṭalib was blinded by the angel Gabriel with a thorny leaf hitting his eyes while he was resting under a tree. He lost two sons in the battle of Badr. He died from his illness at old age while the Quraysh pagans were preparing for the battle of Uḥud in 3/6225.

Allah never talked to hypocrites, yet we have a chapter in the Qur’an bearing this name, sūrat al-Munāfiqūn (chapter 68), to indicate its importance, as they are the enemy in disguise, and more dangerous than open enemy.

C. There are two ways Allah talked to the Jews and the Christians in the Qur’an, either directly or indirectly.

1. As ‫“ َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل‬Children of Israel”. They are mostly found in sūrat al-Baqarah, the second chapter of the Qur’an. Allah talked directly to them, saying ‫“ َيا َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل‬O Children of Israel!” (as in Q. 2:40, 47, 122; 20:80). Allah reminded them of His favour and blessings to them, as in the following verse: ُ ‫َيا َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل ْاذ ُكرُوا نِعْ َمت َِي الَّتِي أَ ْن َعم‬ ‫ْت َعلَ ْي ُك ْم َوأَ ْوفُوا‬ )00:‫ُون (البقرة‬ َ ‫ِب َع ْهدِي أُوفِ ِب َع ْه ِد ُك ْم َوإِي‬ ِ ‫َّاي َفارْ َهب‬ O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed upon you, and fulfil (your obligations to) My Covenant (with you, so that I fulfil (My Obligations to) your covenant (with Me) and fear none but Me. (Q. 2:40) Among Allah’s blessings upon them are: Allah sent down to them manna and quails when they were in the desert of Sinai, made water gush from stones, He release from Pharaoh’s bondage, He sent messengers from among them, and revealing books to them. These messengers are used to be called “biblical prophets”. Their covenant with Allah is to obey Him, and Allah’s covenant to them is that Allah would reward them and admit them the Paradise. It includes following Prophet Muhammad

27

s.a.w. mentioned in their Torah and the Gospel. Allah invited them to believe in the Qur’an revealed to him, as follows: ُ ‫َوآ ِم ُنوا ِب َما أَ ْن َز ْل‬ ‫ص ِّد ًقا ِل َما َم َع ُك ْم َو َل َت ُكو ُنوا أَ َّو َل َكافِر ِب ِه‬ َ ‫ت ُم‬ ً ‫َو َل َت ْش َترُوا ِبآ َياتِي َث َم ًنا َقل‬ )41‫ون (البقرة‬ َ ‫ِيل َوإِي‬ ِ ُ‫َّاي َفا َّتق‬ And believe in what I have sent down (this Qur’an), confirming that which is with you, [i.e., the Torah and the Gospel], and be not the first to disbelieve therein, and buy [get] not with My Verses [i.e., the Torah and the Gospel] a small price (i.e., getting a small gain by selling My Verses), and fear Me and Me Alone. (Q. 2:41) Ibn Kathīr’s commentary of this verse is as follows: Allah commanded the Children of Israel to embrace Islam and to follow Muhammad s.a.w. He also reminded them with the example of their father Israel, Allah’s Prophet Ya‘qūb, as if saying, “O children of the pious, righteous servant of Allah who obeyed Allah! Be like your father, following the truth.”

Besides inviting the Children of Israel into Islam, to believe in the Qur’an, He also warned them not to be the first one among the Children of Israel who denies it and the Prophet, who brought it, and not to manipulate their Torah and their Gospel for worldly gain, and to fear Him Alone. Allah reminded them again in the Qur’an of His blessings and that they were preferred above other nations are mentioned in two verses, as follows: ُ ‫َيا َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل ْاذ ُكرُوا نِعْ َمت َِي الَّتِي أَ ْن َعم‬ ‫ْت َعلَ ْي ُك ْم َوأَ ِّني‬ )211 ،07:‫ِين (البقرة‬ َ ‫َفض َّْل ُت ُك ْم َعلَى ْال َعالَم‬ O Children of Israel! Remember My Favour which I bestowed upon you and that I preferred you to the mankind (and jinn) (Q. 2:47, 122) This preference of Allah was given to them in their time, to their fore-fathers. Each of these two verses is followed with two almost identical verses, as follows:

28

‫َوا َّتقُوا َي ْومًا َل َتجْ ِزي َن ْفس َعنْ َن ْفس َش ْي ًئا َو َل ُي ْق َب ُل ِم ْن َها َش َفا َعة‬ )03 :‫ُون (البقرة‬ َ ‫صر‬ َ ‫َو َل ي ُْؤ َخ ُذ ِم ْن َها َع ْدل َو َل ُه ْم ُي ْن‬ And fear a Day (of Judgment) when a person shall not avail another, no will intercession be accepted from him, nor will compensation be taken from him, nor will they be helped.(Q. 2:48) ‫َوا َّتقُوا َي ْومًا َل َتجْ ِزي َن ْفس َعنْ َن ْفس َش ْي ًئا َو َل ُي ْق َب ُل ِم ْن َها‬ )218:‫ُون (البقرة‬ َ ‫صر‬ َ ‫َع ْدل َو َل َت ْن َف ُع َها َش َفا َعة َو َل ُه ْم ُي ْن‬ And fear a Day (of Judgment) when a person shall not avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from him, nor shall intercession be of use to him, nor shall they be helped (Q. 2:123) On the Day of Resurrection no person shall be of any help to another. This is supported with other Qur’anic verses, namely: )23:‫از َرة ِو ْز َر أ ُ ْخ َرى (فاطر‬ ِ ‫َو َل َت ِز ُر َو‬ And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden.” (Q. 35:18). )03:‫ِين (المدثر‬ َ ‫َف َما َت ْن َف ُع ُه ْم َش َفا َع ُة ال َّشا ِفع‬ So no intercession of intercessors will be of any use to them.” (Q. 74:48). ‫ض َذ َهبًا َو َل ِو‬ َ ‫إِنَّ الَّذ‬ ِ ْ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َو َما ُتوا َو ُه ْم ُك َّفار َفلَنْ ُي ْق َب َل مِنْ أَ َح ِد ِه ْم ِم ْل ُء ْاْلَر‬ )92:‫ين (آل عمران‬ َ ‫ك لَ ُه ْم َع َذاب أَلِيم َو َما لَ ُه ْم مِنْ َناصِ ِر‬ َ ‫ا ْف َتدَى ِب ِه أُولَ ِئ‬ Verily, those who disbelieved, and died while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth full of gold will not be accepted from anyone of them even if they offered it as a ransom. (Q. 3:91)

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Starting from verse 40 chapter 2 (Q. 2:40) above Allah talked to the Children of Israel; sometimes the verses start with ‫“ َوإِ ْذ‬And (remember) when…”, as in verse 09, 50, 52, 58, 50, 55, 58, 60, 61, 63, 67, 72, 83, 84, and in 124, 125, 126, 127, 131 about Prophet Ibahim a.s. There are about a quarter of the whole chapter 1 of the Qur’an where Allah talked to the People of the Scripture, about themselves, and about their prophets, especially Prophet Abraham (Ibrāhīm) a.s.

Allah talked to the Children of Israel indirectly when He said, “Ask the Children of Israel,” as follows: ‫ّللا‬ ِ َّ ‫َس ْل َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل َك ْم آ َت ْي َنا ُه ْم مِنْ آ َية َب ِّي َنة َو َمنْ ُي َب ِّد ْل نِعْ َم َة‬ (122:‫ب (البقرة‬ ِ ‫ّللا َشدِي ُد ْال ِع َقا‬ َ َّ َّ‫مِنْ َبعْ ِد َما َجا َء ْت ُه َفإِن‬ Ask the Chjildren of Israel how many clear ayats (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) We gave them.

And whoever changes allah’s Favour after it had come to him, then surely, Allah is Severe in punishment. (Q. 2:211) ‫ُوسى تِسْ َع آ َيات َب ِّي َنات َفاسْ أ َ ْل َبنِي إِسْ َرائِي َل إِ ْذ َجا َء ُه ْم‬ َ ‫َولَ َق ْد آ َت ْي َنا م‬ ُ َ‫َف َقا َل لَ ُه فِرْ َع ْونُ إِ ِّني َْل‬ )202:‫ك َيا مُو َسى َمسْ حُورً ا (اإلسراء‬ َ ‫ظ ُّن‬ And indeed We gave Musa (Moses) nine clear signs. Ask then the Children of Israel, when he came to them, then Fir’awn (Pharaoh) said to him: O Musa! I think you are indeed bewitched.” (Q. 17:101) 2. As ‫اب‬ َ ‫ِين أُو ُتوا ْال ِك َت‬ َ ‫“ الَّذ‬those who have given the Scripture”, Allah talked to the Jews and the Christians directly and indirectly. He talked to them directly, as follows: ‫ص ِّد ًقا لِ َما َم َع ُك ْم‬ َ ‫اب آ ِم ُنوا ِب َما َن َّز ْل َنا ُم‬ َ ‫ِين أُو ُتوا ْال ِك َت‬ َ ‫َيا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ‬ َ ‫ار َها أَ ْو َن ْل َع َن ُه ْم َك َما‬ َ ‫مِنْ َقب ِْل أَنْ َن ْطم‬ ِ ‫ِس وُ جُوهًا َف َن ُر َّد َها َعلَى أ ْد َب‬ ً ‫ّللا َم ْفع‬ (07: ‫ُول (النساء‬ ِ ‫اب ال َّس ْب‬ ِ َّ ‫ان أَ ْم ُر‬ َ ‫ت َو َك‬ َ ‫لَ َع َّنا أَصْ َح‬

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O you who have given the Scripture! Believe in what We have revealed (to Muhammad s.a.w.) confirming what is (already) with you, before We efface faces (by making them like the back of necks; without nose, mouth, eyes) and turn them hindwards, or curse them as We cursed the Sabbath-breakers. And the commandment of Allah is always executed. (Q. 4:47) Allah talked to them indirectly when He said: ‫ِّين أَأَسْ لَ ْم ُت ْم َفإِنْ أَسْ لَمُوا َف َق ِد اهْ َتد َْوا‬ َ ‫اب َو ْاْل ُ ِّمي‬ َ ‫ِين أُو ُتوا ْال ِك َت‬ َ ‫ َوقُ ْل لِلَّذ‬... َّ ‫ك ْال َب َل ُغ َو‬ (10:‫ّللا ُ بَصِ ير ِب ْال ِع َبا ِد (أل عمران‬ َ ‫َوإِنْ َت َولَّ ْوا َفإِ َّن َما َعلَ ْي‬ …And say (Muhammad) to those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and those who are illiterates (Arab pagans): “Do you (also) submit yourselves (to Allah in Islam)?” If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message; and Allah is all-Seer of (His) slaves. (Q. 3:20) 3. As ‫“ أَهْ َل ْال ِك َتاب‬the People of the Scripture”, mostly found in the third chapter of the Qur’an, sūrat al-Nisā’, where Allah talked to the Jews and the Christians directly and indirectly. Ahl al-Kitāb meant in the Qur’ān are the followers of Prophet Mūsá (Moses) a.s. whose scripture is called al-Tawrāt (the Torah), in the Qur’ānic term al-Yahūd (the Jews), and the followers of Prophet ‘Īsá (Jesus) a.s. whose scripture is called al-Injīl (the Gospel), in the Qur’ānic term al-Naṣārá (the Christians). The Torah and the Gospel meant here are revelations sent down to Prophet Jesus a.s. and Prophet Moses a.s. respectively, not those we are having today, because they were not purely revelations from Allah. Allah talks to them directly by saying, ‫“ َيا أَهْ َل ْال ِك َتاب‬O people of the Scripture!” (as in Q. 3: 65, 70, 71; 4, 171; 5:15, 19, 19). He talks to them indirectly when He says: ‫“ قُ ْل َيا أَهْ َل ْال ِك َتاب‬Say (O Muhammad), ‘O people of the Scripture!’” (as in Q. 3: 64, 98, 99; 5:59, 68, 77) 4. As ‫“ الَّ ِذي َْن َها ُدوا‬those who are Jews”, where Allah talked to them indirectly, as in the following verse,

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‫ون‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫ِين َها ُدوا إِنْ َز َع ْم ُت ْم أَ َّن ُك ْم أَ ْولِ َيا ُء‬ َ ‫قُ ْل َيا أَ ُّي َها الَّذ‬ ِ ‫لِل مِنْ ُد‬ َ ‫اس َف َت َم َّنوُ ا ْال َم ْو‬ ‫ َو َل َي َت َم َّن ْو َن ُه أَ َب ًدا‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫صا ِدق‬ َ ‫ت إِنْ ُك ْن ُت ْم‬ ِ ‫ال َّن‬ َّ ‫ّللا ُ َعلِيم ِب‬ َّ ‫ِيه ْم َو‬ ْ ‫ِب َما َق َّد َم‬ )7-6:‫ِين (الجمعة‬ َ ‫الظا ِلم‬ ِ ‫ت أَ ْيد‬ Say (O Muhammad) “O you Jews! If you pretend that you are friends of Allah, to the exclusion of (all) other mankind, then long for death if you are truthful.” But they will never long for it, because of what their hands have sent before the! And Allah knows well the wrongdoers.(Q. 62:6-7) Ibn Kathir’s commentary to these verses is as follows: If you claim that you are on the correct guidance and that Muhammad and his Companions are being led astray, then invoke Allah to bring death to the misguided group among the two, if you are truthful in your claim. Allah said that they will never long for it because of the disbelief, injustice and sins that they commit.

This is called mubāhalah (lit. “invocation of the curse of Allah upon one another”). Allah told the Prophet to the Jews of Madinah who claimed to be “chosen people” who solely deserved to enter Heaven to long for death if they were truthful, but they would never do so because of their disbelief, injustice and sin. They even wished to live long (Q. 2:94-96).

When a delegation from the Christians of Najrān came to Madinah to argue and claimed that ‘Īsá a.s. was divine and the son of Allah, Allah revealed to the Prophet to make mubahalah with them, saying: “… Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves - then we pray and invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie.” (Q. 8:62) Ibn ‘Abbas said that Abū Jahl said, “If I see Muhammad praying at the Ka‘bah, I will step on his neck.” On hearing this, the Prophet said:

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Had he done so, the angels would have snatched him away in public. Had the Jews wished for death, they would all have perished and saw hey seats in Hellfire.

Had those accepted for invoking the curse of Allah with Allah’s Messenger, they would not have found families or property when they returned him.

(Reported by Bukhari, Tirmidhi, and Nasa’i) It literally means “mutual cursing”. When two contenders cannot come to a conclusion through arguments, each side prays to Allah to reveal the truth by cursing the wrong side, the liar. Ibn Hajar says that one can resort to mubāhalah if insists after losing the argument that he is right and telling the truth whereas his opponent is wrong and lying. In modern time we have mubāhalah between the Sunnī and the Shī‘ī scholars, such as between the Sunni Muhammad al-Kūs and the Shi’ī Yāsir al-Ḥabib, and between the Sunnī Dr. Muhammad al-Barrāk and the Shi’ī ‘Alī Ᾱl Muḥsin.

This is the consequence of the failure of both sides in settling their differences, or at least tolerates each other.

(ANUMA, 23 May, 2014) :‫المراجع‬: ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬820 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬672 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬770 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Hatta, Ahmad, dkk. The Great Story of Muhammad s.a.w. Jakarta: Maghfirah Pustaka, 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mubahala http://library.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?bk_no=196& pid=124519

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5. ALLAH IS TALKING TO US THROUGH THE QUR’ᾹN (5) In the tenth year of the Prophet’s messengership, two persons who were very dear to the Prophet passed away: his uncle Abū Ṭālib and his wife Khadījah. That year in Islamic history was known as ām al-ḥuzn (“the Year of Mourning”). These two persons had supported and protected the Prophet in delivering his message from the harassment of the Quraysh tribe.

The Prophet s.a.w. and his servant Zayd bin Hārithah went secretly to Ṭā’if, about 90 km (60 miles) south-east of Makah. After four days walking they finally reached to town. He hoped that its inhabitants might accept Islam, since the majority of the inhabitants of Makkah rejected Islam. The Prophet stayed in Ṭā’if 15 nights calling them to Islam, but to no avail. They even threw stones at him and Zayd. They returned to Makkah.

After this year of mourning and terrible condition, Allah wanted to show the Prophet’s noble position not only to human beings, but also to the angels, that He ordered the arch-angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) to accompany the Prophet in his isrā’ (“night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem”) and mī‘rāj (“ascension to heaven”). This took place before the Prophet’s migration to Madinah.

Allah says in the Qur’an, َّ )6-5:‫َّإِنََّّ َم َ​َّعَّ ْالعُسْ َِّرَّيُسْ راََّّ(الشرح‬.َّ‫َفإِنََّّ َم َ​َّعَّ ْالعُسْ َِّرَّيُسْ را‬ Verily along with every hardship is relief. Verily along with every hardship is relief. (Q. 94:5-6).1 It means that with difficulty there is ease, and Allah reaffirms this information by repeating it. The Prophet commenting on this verse said, َِّ ‫ِبَّعُسْ رََّّيُسْ َري‬ ‫ْن‬ َّ​َ ‫نَّ َي ْغل‬ َّْ َ‫َّل‬،ُ‫أبْشِ رُواَّأتا ُك َُّمَّاليُسْ ر‬ Have a good news, ease has come to you; a difficulty would never defeat two eases.

1

Mujāhid’s interpretation of ‫“( َم َ​َّع‬along with”) in the above verse is ‫َبعْ َ​َّد‬ (“after”), so that the verse means “after difficulty there is ease.”

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After over ten years calling people to Islam to people of Makkah with difficulty and minimum result, on the contrary, the people of Madinah had already accepted him and his message before he immigrated to this city. Here the Prophet established an Islamic city-state making peace between the two tribes, Aws and Khazraj. He also made an agreement with the Jewish tribes in a constitution called Madinan Charter, where they agreed to join the Muslims in defending the city from external attack.

This was the Madinan phase which lasted about ten years, starting from the hijrah (migration) of the Prophet until his death.

Verses revealed in this phase are different from those revealed in Makkah in length, themes, and forms of address. Madinan verses are longer than the Makkan. The new themes are of social and legal, such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, punishment, etc. The forms of address are: ‫ِين َّآ َم ُنوا‬ َّ​َ ‫“ َيا َّأَ ُّي َها َّالذ‬O you who believe”, and ‫ب‬ َِّ ‫ل َّ ْال ِك َتا‬ َّ​َ ْ‫“ َيا َّأَه‬O people of the Scripture”.

D. As Muslims Allah talked directly to the Muslims in Madinah in the time of the Prophet, and is still talking to us with His injunction, prohibition and direction when He says ‫ِين َّآ َم ُنوا‬ َّ​َ ‫“ َيا َّأَ ُّي َها َّالذ‬O you who believe!” It is mentioned 11 time in chapter 2 ; 7 times in chap. 3; 10 times in chap. 4; 15 times in chap. 5; 6 times in chap. 8; 6 times in chap. 9; 3 times in chap. 24; 7 times in chap. 33; twice in chap. 47; 5 times in chap. 49; once in chap. 57; 3 times in chap. 58; once in chap. 59; 3 times in chap. 60; 3 times in chap. 61; once in chap. 62; once in chap. 63; once in chap. 64; twice in chap. 66. Total: 86 times.2 One example to indicate that Allah is still talking to us through the Qur’an is the following verse: َّ َّ‫نَّلَ َّْمَّ َت ْف َعلُوا‬ َّْ ِ‫َّ َفإ‬.‫ِين‬ َّ​َ ‫نَّ ُك ْن ُت َّْمَّم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َّْ ِ‫ِنَّالرِّ َباَّإ‬ َّ​َ ‫ِيَّم‬ َّ​َ ‫ّللاَّ َو َذرُواَّ َماَّ َبق‬ َّ​َ َّ‫ِينَّآ َم ُنواَّاتقُوا‬ َّ​َ ‫َياَّأَ ُّي َهاَّالذ‬ 2

For details: Q. 2:104, 153, 173, 178, 183, 208, 254, 264, 276, 278, 282; Q. 3:100, 102, 118, 130, 149, 156, 200; Q. 4:1, 19, 29, 43, 59, 71, 94, 135, 136, 144; Q. 5:1, 2,6, 8, 11, 35, 51, 57, 87, 90, 94, 95, 101, 105, 106; Q. 8:15, 20, 24, 27, 29, 45; Q. 9:23, 28, 34, 38, 119, 123; Q. 22:77; Q. 24:21, 27, 58; Q. 33:9, 41, 49, 53, 56, 69, 70; Q. 47:7, 33; Q. 49:1, 2, 6, 11, 12; Q. 57:28; Q. 58:9, 11, 12; Q. 59:18; Q. 60:1, 10, 13; Q. 61:2, 10, 14; Q. 62:9; Q. 63:9; Q. 64:14; Q. 66:6, 8.

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َّ .‫ُون‬ َّ​َ ‫لَّ ُت ْظلَم‬ َّ َ ‫ُونَّ َو‬ َّ​َ ‫لَّ َت ْظلِم‬ َّ َ َّ‫ُوسَّأَم َْوالِ ُك َّْم‬ َُّ ‫نَّ ُت ْب ُت َّْمَّ َفلَ ُك َّْمَّ ُرء‬ َّْ ِ‫ّللاََّّ َو َرسُولِ َِّهَّ َوإ‬ َّ​َ ‫َفأْ َذ ُنواَّ ِب َحرْ بََّّم‬ ِ َّ‫ِن‬ َّ .‫ُون‬ َّ​َ ‫نَّ ُك ْن ُت َّْمَّ َتعْ َلم‬ َّْ ِ‫صدقُواَّ َخيْرََّّ َل ُك َّْمَّإ‬ َّْ َ‫انَّ ُذوَّعُسْ َرةََّّ َف َنظِ َرةََّّإِلَىَّ َم ْي َس َرةََّّ َوأ‬ َّ​َ ‫نَّ َك‬ َّْ ِ‫َّ َوإ‬ َ ‫نَّ َت‬ َّ ‫ت‬ َّْ ‫لَّ َن ْفسََّّ َماَّ َك َس َب‬ َُّّ ‫ّللاََّّ ُثمََّّ ُت َوفىَّ ُك‬ َّ​َ ‫َّ َواتقُواَّ َي ْوماَّ ُترْ َجع‬ ِ َّ‫ُونَّفِي َِّهَّإِلَى‬ َّ )178-181:‫ُونَّ(البقرة‬ َّ​َ ‫لَّي ُْظ َلم‬ َّ َ َّ‫َو ُه َّْم‬ O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah and give up what remains (due to you) from ribā (usury) (from now onward), if you are (really) believers. And if you do not do it, then take a note of war from Allah, and His Messenger, but if you repent, you shall have your capital sums. Deal not unjustly (by asking more than your capital sums), and you shall not be dealt with unjustly (by receiving less than your capital sums).

And if the debtor is in a hard time (has no money), then grant him time till it is easy for him to repay, but if you remit it by way of charity, that is better for you if you did but know.

(Q. 2:278-281) If we Muslims do not stop taking usury, interest (ribā), then both Allah and His Messenger will declare war against us, the Muslims of the past, of the present, and of the future. Practicing ribā is a grave sin.

Allah prohibits us from deserting the battlefield in defending Islam. He says: َّ َّ‫نَّي َُولِّ ِه َّْم‬ َّْ ‫َّ َو َم‬.‫ار‬ َّ​َ ‫لَّ ُت َولُّو ُه َُّمَّ ْاْلَ ْد َب‬ َّ َ ‫ِينَّ َك َفرُواَّ َزحْ فاَّ َف‬ َّ​َ ‫ِينَّآ َم ُنواَّإِ َذاَّلَقِي ُت َُّمَّالذ‬ َّ​َ ‫َياَّأَ ُّي َهاَّالذ‬ َّ ََّّ‫ّللا‬ َّ​َ ‫ضبََّّم‬ ِ َّ‫ِن‬ َ ‫َي ْو َمئِذََّّ ُدب َُرَّهَُّإِلََّّ ُم َت َحرِّ فاَّلِ ِق َتالََّّأَ َّْوَّ ُم َت َحيِّزاَّإِ َلىَّ ِف َئةََّّ َف َق َّْدَّ َبا َ​َّءَّ ِب َغ‬ َّ )16-15:‫سَّ ْالمَصِ ي َُّرَّ(اْلنفال‬ َّ​َ ‫َو َمأْ َواَّهَُّ َج َهن َُّمَّ َو ِب ْئ‬ O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield, never turn your back to them. And whoever turns his back to them on such a day—unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own—he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allah. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination! (Q. 8:15-16) According to the Old Testament, King Solomon who was said to be the wisest man ever to live in his time warned people about seven

36

deadly sins, detestable to God: 1. haughty eyes, 2. a lying tongue, 3. hands that shed innocent blood, 4. a heart that devises wicked schemes, 5. feet that are quick to rush into evil, 6. a false witness who pours out lies, 7. and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. (Proverbs 6:16-19) In Islam we have what the Prophet s.a.w. called ‫ُوب َقات‬ ِ ‫السب ُع َّالم‬ “the seven great destructive sins” which are: َّ،‫الَّال َيت ِ​ِيم‬ َِّ ‫لَّ َم‬ َُّ ‫َّ َوأَ ْك‬،‫لَّالرِّ َبا‬ َُّ ‫َّ َوأَ ْك‬،‫الح ِّق‬ َّ َّ‫سَّالتِيَّ َحر َ​َّم‬ َِّ ‫لَّالن ْف‬ َُّ ‫َّ َو َق ْت‬،ُ‫َّ َوالسِّحْ ر‬،‫اَّلل‬ َُّ ْ‫ال ِّشر‬ ِ ‫كَّ ِب‬ َ ‫ّللا َُّإِلََّّ ِب‬ َّ )‫ت (رواهَّالبخاريَّومسلم‬ َِّ َ‫تَّال َغا ِفل‬ َِّ ‫تَّالم ُْؤ ِم َنا‬ َِّ ‫ص َنا‬ َُّ ‫َّ َو َق ْذ‬، ِ‫َوالت َولِّيَّ َي ْو َ​َّمَّالزحْ ف‬ َ ْ‫فَّالمُح‬ To join others in worship along with Allah, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, magic, to consume riba, to consume an orphan’s wealth, to turn away from the enemy and flee from the battlefield when the battle begins, and to accuse chaste women, who never ever think of anything that would tarnish their chastity and are good believers. (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim) We see that riba (usury, interest) and deserting the battlefield are included in the seven great destructive sins. However, in another hadith the Prophet s.a.w. said: َّ،‫اَّلل‬ َُّ ‫اإل ْش َرا‬ َّ​َ ‫َّ َقا‬،‫ّللا‬ َّ​َ ‫َّ َبلَىَّ َياَّ َرسُو‬:‫لَ​َّأ ُ َن ِّب ُئ ُك َّْمَّ ِبأ َ ْك َب َِّرَّال َك َبائِر؟»َّقُ ْل َنا‬ َّ َ‫"أ‬ ِ ‫كَّ ِب‬ ِ َّ‫ل‬ ِ َّ"َّ:‫ل‬ ُّ َّ‫ل‬ َّ‫ل‬ َّ​َ ‫ور"َّ َف َماَّ َزا‬ َِّ ‫الز‬ َُّ ‫لَ​َّ َو َق ْو‬ َّ َ‫َّأ‬:‫ل‬ َّ​َ ‫سَّ َف َقا‬ َّ​َ َ‫انَّمُتكِئاَّ َف َجل‬ َّ​َ ‫َّ َو َك‬،‫ْن‬ َُّ ُ‫َو ُعق‬ َ َّ‫وق‬ ِ ‫الوالِ َدي‬ َّ )‫تَّ(رواهَّالبخاريَّومسلم‬ َّ​َ ‫َّلَ ْي َت َُّهَّ َس َك‬:‫َّ ُي َكرِّ ُر َهاَّ َحتىَّقُ ْل َنا‬ “Should I inform you about the greatest of the great sins?” We [the narrator] said, “Yes, O Allah’s Messenger! He said, “To join others in worship with Allah and to be undutiful to one’s parents.”

He was reclining, then he sat up and said, “And I warn you against false speech,” and he continued repeating it until we wished that he would stop. (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim) Allah talks to us and reminds us to remain believers, fearing Him (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden), and to die as Muslims. He says: 101(َّ‫ُون‬ َّ​َ ‫لَّ َتمُو ُتنََّّإِلََّّ َوأَ ْن ُت َّْمَّمُسْ لِم‬ َّ َ ‫ّللاَّ َحقََّّ ُت َقا ِت َِّهَّ َو‬ َّ​َ َّ‫ِينَّآ َم ُنواَّاتقُوا‬ َّ​َ ‫) َياَّأَ ُّي َهاَّالذ‬

37

O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared.

[Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) (Q. 3:102) This verse continues with His advising us to hold fast to the Qur’an, not to be divided among ourselves, and remember His favour in uniting us as brothers in faith, and in saving us from the Hellfire (verse 103). He then advises us that a group of people among us should invite people to all that is right (ma‘rūf) and forbid all that is wrong (munkar) (verse 104).

In Q. 5:35 Allah told us believers to fear Him, to seek the means of approach to Him, and to strive hard to His Cause. In Q. 9:119 and 33:70 He told us to fear Him and tell the truth. In Q. 57:28 Allah told us to fear Him and to believe in His Messenger.

Allah orders us to obey Him and to obey His Messenger. He says: َّْ ِ‫لَّ َوأُولِيَّ ْاْلَمْ َِّرَّ ِم ْن ُك َّْمَّ َفإ‬ ‫ن‬ َّ​َ ‫ّللاَّ َوأَطِ يعُواَّالرسُو‬ َّ​َ َّ‫ِينَّآ َم ُنواَّأَطِ يعُوا‬ َّ​َ ‫َياَّأَ ُّي َهاَّالذ‬ َ ‫َت َن‬ َِّ ‫ونَّ ِب‬ َّ​َ ‫نَّ ُك ْن ُت َّْمَّ ُت ْؤ َِّم ُن‬ َّْ ِ‫ُولَّإ‬ َِّ ‫ّللاََّّ َوالرس‬ ‫اَّلل‬ ِ َّ‫ازعْ ُت َّْمَّفِيَّ َشيْ ءََّّ َف ُر ُّدوَّهَُّإِلَى‬ ْ 55:‫نَّ َتأ ِويلَََّّّ(النساء‬ َُّ ‫كَّ َخيْرََّّ َوأَحْ َس‬ َّ​َ ِ‫ِرَّ َذل‬ َِّ ‫) َو ْال َي ْو َِّمَّ ْاْلخ‬ O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority. And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. (Q. 4:59) Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is unconditional, whereas obedience to those who are in authority is conditional, that it does not constitute disobedience to Allah, as the Prophet said: (‫ُوفَّ(رواهَّالبخاريَّومسلم‬ َِّ ‫إِن َماَّالطا َع َُّةَّفِيَّ ْال َمعْ ر‬ Obedience is only in righteousness (Reported by Bukhari and Muslim) Obedience to Allah and His Messenger is Allah enjoined by Allah, and not to turn away from him, and not to be like those who

38

say “we have heard”, but they do not hear (Q. 8:10-21), and in order that we would not make vain our deeds (Q. 47:33) Allah reminds us from rendering in vain our deeds of charity by reminders of our generosity, injury, showing off (Q. 2:264). He prohibits us from laughing at each other, from suspecting each other, and from spying each other (Q. 49:11-12). He reminds us not to let our wealth and children divert us from remembering Allah. (Q. 63:9) There are two verses only in the Qur’an where Allah told us directly to spend our wealth in charity for His sake while we are still alive, as our wealth would not avail in the Hereafter (Q. 2:254). He told us to spend from the purest and best money/income, as Allah accepts only that which is pure and good. (Q. 2:267). However, there any many verses dealing with spending our wealth, either for voluntary charity called ṣadaqah, or obligatory one called zakāt. He said that we would never attain. He said that we would not attain birr (piety, righteousness, devoutness, kindness), unless we spend of that which we love (Q. 4:42) Giving charity to the needy, whether they are believers or nonbelievers, as long as it is for seeking Allah’s pleasure, it will be for our own benefit, as Allah will reward it (Q. 2:272). The reward for every good deed is between tenfold and seven hundred fold, and the reward of spending in the way of Allah, is seven hundred fold. (Q. 1:161). Allah in the Qur’an encourages us to give charity to help our fellow human beings, even our fellow creatures. (ANUMA, 30.05.140 َّ:‫المراجع‬ َّ‫المكتبةَّالشاملة‬ (َّ‫َّهـ‬010َّ.‫تفسيرَّالطبريَّ(ت‬ (‫َّهـ‬671َّ.‫تفسيرَّالقرطبىَّ(ت‬ (‫َّهـ‬777َّ.‫تفسيرَّابنَّكثيرَّ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 1000 Hatta, Ahmad, dkk. The Great Story of Muhammad s.a.w. Jakarta: Maghfirah Pustaka, 2013. islam.aljayyash.net/encyclopedia/book-8-9

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6. PROPHETS’ DU’Ᾱ (INVOCATIONS) IN THE QUR’ᾹN (1) Adam and Noah Accordding to some ḥadīths, but not very strong, there are 124 000 prophets, among them about 313 were messengers. 1 There are four prophets among the Arabs: Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Shu‘ayb, and Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The first prophet was Adam a.s. and the last one was Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Allah said in the Qur’an: )42:‫ك ِب ْال َحق بَشِ يرً ا َو َن ِذيرً ا َوإِنْ مِنْ أُمَّة إِ َّ​ّل َخ َل فِي َها َنذِير (فاطر‬ َ ‫إِ َّنا أَرْ َس ْل َنا‬ Verily, We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them (Q. 35:24) In 1986 or 87 in Edmonton, Canada, a friend told me that there was an American Indian tribe who used smoke instead of dust in making ablution, like doing tayammum in Islam before they prayed.

Another tribe said that they had in distant past a wise man called Napi. This word is close to the Arabic word ”nabi” meaning “a prophet.” I have mentioned earlier that an unidentified Aborigine tribe in Australia called their god “Atnatu”, meaning the one who does not have orifice, namely, the one who does not eat and drink.

1. Adam a.s.w. Adam is mentioned in the Qur’an 45 times. Adam and his wife Ḥawā’ (Eve) were allowed to dwell in Paradise and to eat from all of is fruits, except one tree, the “Tree of Eternity”.

But Satan tempted them to eat it to make them become angels or become eternal (Q. 7:40). Satan even told them, “I was created before you, and I have better knowledge than you. Therefore, follow me and I will direct you!” (Qatadah’s commentary). As they followed the temptation of Satan, they were expelled from 1

Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 5, 169 ; in another ḥadīth it is said that the number of prophets is 120 000, and the number of messenger is 315. These ḥadīths are considered weak by many scholars.

40

Paradise and brought to the earth together with Satan. Allah told Adam and Eve that they and their descendants would be perpetual enemy of Satan. Adam a. s. and Eve asked Allah’s forgiveness. ‫َق َاّل َر َّب َنا َظلَمْ َنا أَ ْنفُ َس َنا َوإِنْ لَ ْم َت ْغفِرْ لَ َنا َو َترْ َح ْم َنا‬ )42:‫ين (األعراف‬ َ ‫لَ َن ُكو َننَّ م َِن ْال َخاسِ ِر‬ They [Adam and Eve] said: “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.”

(Q. 7:23) We Muslims also cite this du‘ā’ (invocation, supplication, prayer) of our fore-father Adam a.s. We shall have double merit in citing this du‘ā’, asking Allah’s forgiveness, and at the same time citing the Qur’anic verses by which we shall have tenfold rewards.

The prayer of Adam and his wife Hawwa (Eve) was accepted, and their sin for eating the forbidden fruit was forgiven. Allah said: )27:‫اب َعلَ ْي ِه إِ َّن ُه ه َُو ال َّت َّوابُ الرَّ حِي ُم (البقرة‬ َ ‫َف َتلَ َّقى آ َد ُم مِنْ َرب ِه َكلِ َمات َف َت‬ Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.(Q. 2:37) Therefore, they came to this earth forgiven sin which means without sin. Allah said in the Qur’an: )55:‫ (اإلسراء‬... ‫از َرة ِو ْز َر أ ُ ْخ َرى‬ ِ ‫ َو َّل َت ِز ُر َو‬... … No one laden with burdens can bear another’s burden… (Q. 57:55) Similarly, in the New Testament, it says: “Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” (Matthew 19:14, NIV). In the

41

Old Testament it said: “…The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.”

(Ezekiel 18:15, NIV). “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor did children put to death for his own son.”

(Deuteronomy 24:16, NIV) The doctrine of the Original Sin was attributed to Paul who was said to have invented it, as Jesus did not talk about it.

Paul in his letters to the Romans he said: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. (Romans 5:12-13, ESV).2 It is mentioned in the Qur’an that Allah warned both Adam and Eve not to approach the forbidden tree, and both Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan, not Eve only. Allah said: ُ ‫ك ْال َج َّن َة َو ُك َل ِم ْن َها َر َغ ًدا َحي‬ َ ‫َوقُ ْل َنا َيا آ َد ُم اسْ ُكنْ أَ ْن‬ ‫ْث شِ ْئ ُت َما‬ َ ‫ت َو َز ْو ُج‬ َّ ‫َو َّل َت ْق َر َبا َه ِذ ِه ال َّش َج َر َة َف َت ُكو َنا م َِن‬ ‫ َفأ َ َزلَّ ُه َما ال َّش ْي َطانُ َع ْن َها‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫الظالِم‬ ُ ‫َفأ َ ْخ َر َج ُه َما ِممَّا َكا َنا فِي ِه َوقُ ْل َنا اهْ ِب‬ ‫ض ُك ْم لِ َبعْ ض َع ُدو َولَ ُك ْم‬ ُ ْ‫طوا َبع‬ )26-25 :‫ض مُسْ َت َقر َو َم َتاع إِلَى حِين (البقرة‬ ِ ْ‫فِي ْاألَر‬ And We said: “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise and eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight, of things therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both will be of the wrongdoers.” But Satan made them slip therefrom (Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were in. We 2

However, it was found in the Old Testament that David prayed to God and said: “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” (Psalms 55:5, NIV).

42

said: “Get you down, all with enmity between yourselves.

On earth will be the dwelling place for you and enjoyment for a time.” (Q. 2:35-36) But in the Old as well as New Testament it was said that it was Eve only who was deceived by Satan (Serpent), and for this reason, God blamed Adam for his listening to his wife (Genesis 3:17). She gave some of the forbidden fruit to her husband.3 Adam and Hawwa (Eve) started a new life, an earthly life where they have to work to survive. This earth and its contents are all for them and their descendants for their benefit. Allah said: )42:‫ (البقرة‬....‫ض َجمِي ًعا‬ ِ ْ‫ه َُو الَّذِي َخلَ َق لَ ُك ْم َما فِي ْاألَر‬ It is He Who created for you all that is on earth …(Q. 2:29) This earth, then, as our home is amānah (a trust) that we as human beings are entrusted by Allah to keep it in good condition, to keep it clean, like cleaning our own house.4 2. Noah (Nūḥ) a.s. He is mentioned 22 times in the Qur’an. He and his people lived in Southern Iraq round the present site of Kufah.

He called his people to worship Allah Alone instead of idols. But they did not want to listen to him. When Allah told him that no more people would follow him, He told him to build an ark (Q. 11:36).5 3

"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and taste it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."

(Genesis 3:6 NIV); "And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner." (1Timothy 2:14, NIV) 4 Full accounts of Adam a.s. in the Qur’an can be read in Q. 4:20-38; 7:11-27; 20:115-123 5 According to the Old Testament Prophet Noah drank and got drunk. “When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.”

(Genesis 2:45, New International Version). It is also said: “Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” (Proverbs 40:5,

43

Prophet Noah a.s. complained to Allah, and prayed: ‫ َفا ْف َتحْ َب ْينِي َو َب ْي َن ُه ْم َف ْتحً ا َو َنجنِي َو َمنْ َم ِع َي‬.‫ُون‬ ِ ‫َقا َل َرب إِنَّ َق ْومِي َك َّذب‬ .‫ُون‬ َ ‫م َِن ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬ ِ ‫ َفأ َ ْن َج ْي َناهُ َو َمنْ َم َع ُه فِي ْالفُ ْلكِ ْال َم ْشح‬.‫ِين‬ )540-557:‫ِين (الشعراء‬ َ ‫ُث َّم أَ ْغ َر ْق َنا َبعْ ُد ْال َباق‬ He (Noah) said: “My Lord! Verily, my people have denied me. Therefore, judge you between me and them, and save me and those of the believers who are with me.”

And We save him and those with him in the laden ship.

Then We drowned the rest (disbelievers) thereafter. (Q. 26:117-120) In another verse Prophet Noah a.s. asked Allah’s help, as his people denied him. Allah told him to build an ark. ‫ك ِبأَعْ ُي ِن َنا َو َوحْ ِي َنا‬ َ ‫ َفأ َ ْو َح ْي َنا إِلَ ْي ِه أَ ِن اصْ َن ِع ْالفُ ْل‬.‫ُون‬ ِ ‫َقا َل َرب ا ْنصُرْ نِي ِب َما َك َّذب‬ ‫ك إِ َّ​ّل َمنْ َس َب َق‬ َ َ‫ْن َوأَهْ ل‬ َ ‫َفإِ َذا َجا َء أَ ْم ُر َنا َو َف‬ ِ ‫ْن ْاث َني‬ ِ ‫ار ال َّت ُّنو ُر َفاسْ لُكْ فِي َها مِنْ ُكل َز ْو َجي‬ َ ‫ْت أَ ْن‬ َ ‫ إِ َذا اسْ َت َوي‬.‫ون‬ ‫ت‬ َ ُ‫ِين َظلَمُوا إِ َّن ُه ْم م ُْغ َرق‬ َ ‫َعلَ ْي ِه ْال َق ْو ُل ِم ْن ُه ْم َو َّل ُت َخاطِ ْبنِي فِي الَّذ‬ َّ ‫لِل الَّذِي َنجَّ ا َنا م َِن ْال َق ْوم‬ ‫ َوقُ ْل‬.‫ِين‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫ك َعلَى ْالفُ ْلكِ َفقُ ِل ْال َح ْم ُد‬ َ ‫الظالِم‬ َ ‫َو َمنْ َم َع‬ ِ َ ‫ار ًكا َوأَ ْن‬ )42-46:‫ِين (المؤمنون‬ َ ‫ت َخ ْي ُر ْال ُم ْن ِزل‬ َ ‫َرب أَ ْن ِز ْلنِي ُم ْن َز ًّل ُم َب‬ Nūḥ (Noah) said: “O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.” So We revealed to him (saying): “Construct the ship under Our Eyes and under Our Revelation (guidance). Then, when Our Command comes, and water gushes forth from the oven, take on board of each kind two (male and female), and your family, except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth. And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned.” And when you have embarked on she ship, you and whoever is with you, then say: “All praise and thanks are Allah’s, Who has saved us from the people who are wrong-doers.”

And say: “My Lord! Cause me to land at a blessed New International Version). committed such sin.

As a prophet, we cannot accept that he

44

landing-place, for you are the Best of those who bring to land.” (Q. 23:26-29) When Prophet Noah saw his son swimming and called him to embark with him and not to be with disbelievers. But his son answered that he would prefer to take safety from the mountain.

Then big waves separated them, and his son was drowned like other disbelievers. So, Prophet Noah prayed to Allah. َ ‫ك ْال َح ُّق َوأَ ْن‬ ‫ت‬ َ ‫َو َنادَى ُنوح َر َّب ُه َف َقا َل َرب إِنَّ ا ْبنِي مِنْ أَهْ لِي َوإِنَّ َوعْ َد‬ ‫صالِح‬ َ ‫ك إِ َّن ُه َع َمل َغ ْي ُر‬ َ ِ‫ْس مِنْ أَهْ ل‬ َ ‫ َقا َل َيا ُنو ُح إِ َّن ُه لَي‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫أَحْ َك ُم ْال َحا ِكم‬ ُ ِ‫ك ِب ِه عِ ْلم إِني أَع‬ ‫ َقا َل‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫ون م َِن ْال َجا ِهل‬ َ ‫ك أَنْ َت ُك‬ َ ‫ظ‬ َ َ‫ْس ل‬ َ ‫َف َل َتسْ أ َ ْل ِن َما لَي‬ ُ ‫َرب إِني أَع‬ ‫ْس لِي ِب ِه عِ ْلم َوإِ َّ​ّل َت ْغفِرْ لِي‬ َ ‫ك َما لَي‬ َ َ‫ك أَنْ أَسْ أَل‬ َ ‫ُوذ ِب‬ )27-25:‫ (هود‬.‫ين‬ َ ‫َو َترْ َح ْمنِي أَ ُكنْ م َِن ْال َخاسِ ِر‬ And Nūḥ (Noah) called upon his Lord and said, “O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges.”

He (Allah) said: “O Nūḥ (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, he work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you lest you should be one of the ignorant.” Nūḥ (Noah) said: “O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I will indeed be one of the losers.” (Q. 11:45-47) Since Prophet Noah’s prayer for his son was not accepted, he concluded with praying for forgiveness himself, his parents and people who enter his house and believers male and females, as follows: ْ ‫َرب‬ َ ‫اغفِرْ لِي َول َِوالِدَيَّ َولِ َمنْ د‬ ‫ِين‬ َ ‫َخ َل َب ْيت َِي م ُْؤ ِم ًنا َول ِْلم ُْؤ ِمن‬ َّ ‫ت َو َّل َتز ِد‬ )42:‫ِين إِ َّ​ّل َت َبارً ا (نوح‬ ِ ‫َو ْالم ُْؤ ِم َنا‬ َ ‫الظالِم‬ ِ “My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who

45

enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And to the wrong-doers grant You no increase but destruction.” (Q. 71:28) According to the Qur’an commentator al-Ḍaḥḥāk, the verse “and him who enters my home as a believer” here means “my place of worship (mosque)”. This is the last verse in this chapter of Noah, where he is asking Allah’s forgiveness for any shortcoming in delivering His message. Most of the verses in this chapter deal with the story of Noah, where he complained to Allah against his people.

The story of Adam a.s., Noah a.s. and other prophets is mentioned briefly in the Qur’an, as it is not a book of history, but a book of guidance. Each story contains guidance and moral lessons.

(CIVIC, 6 June, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬250 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬675 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬772 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Holy Bible, New International Version Yaacob, M.A. Christianity. Kuala Lumpur: Perniagaan Jayabersa, 2004 Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 4002 http://fatwa.islamweb.net/fatwa/index.php?page=showfatwa&Opti on=FatwaId&Id=9475

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7. PROPHETS’ DU’A (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’AN (2) 3. Ṣāliḥ (Shelah) a.s.

Prophet Ṣāliḥ (Saleh, Shelah) a.s. was sent to the Thamūd tribe lived at an area between Hejaz (Western Arabia) and Shām (Greater Syria), known as “Madā’in Ṣāliḥ”, several hundred kilometres north of Madinah. This tribe was named from their ancestor Thamūd bin (son of) Athīr bn Iram bin Sām bin Nūḥ. His name was mentioned nine times in the Qur’an (Q. 7:73. 75, 77; 11:61, 62, 66, 89; 26:142; 27:45). The Thamūd people worshiped idols. Allah sent them Prophet Ṣāliḥ to advise them to worship Allah and reminded them of their duties towards Him. He lived according to some sources closer to 500 B.C. As a miracle for him they asked him to bring a pregnant camel out of a certain solid rock which they chose, or they would not believe and obey him. Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s. prayed to Allah, and He answered his prayer. Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s. informed them that the camel would drink in the well by turns, a day for the camel, and the other day for them. On the days for the camel to drink they could milk her and fill their containers from its milk (Q. 54:28 and 26:155).

The she-camel used to graze in some of their valleys so that she could move easily and drink a lot of water. When she passed by their cattle, the cattle would be afraid of her. Although their chief Jundu‘ bin ‘Amr and several others believed him, others did not believe him and wanted to kill the camel so that they could take the water for themselves every day. Nine chiefs of them persuaded the entire tribe in agreeing to kill the camel (Q. 27:48). They killed her, and the entire tribe was responsible for the crime (Q. 91:14; 17:59) When the news of the crime reached Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s. he came to them while they were gathering. They told him to bring the threat of punishment. When he saw the dead camel he cried to them, “Enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days.” (Q. 11:65).

It is said that on Wednesday the nine people killed the camel.

That night they plotted to kill Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s and said: “If he is

47

truthful, we should finish him before we are finished. If he is a liar, we will make him follow his camel.” But Allah protected Ṣāliḥ a.s and rained down stones that smashed their heads. The next day, Thursday, the first day of the respite, they found their faces had turned yellow. On Friday, the second day of the respite, their faces turned red. On Saturday, the third day of the respite, their faces turned black. On Sunday morning they heard a loud cry (ṣayḥah) from above and a severe tremor overtook them from below. Within an hour their bodies became dead, and none of them escaped. “And they lay (dead) prostrate in their homes.” (Q. 7:78) Here history repeats itself. The fate of those who disbelieved and disobeyed Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s. was like that of those who disbelieved and disobeyed Prophet Noah a.s., namely, total punishment. Only believers of these respective prophets escaped the torment. The prayer of Prophet Ṣāliḥ a.s. when he found out that his people denied him, was as follows: (39:‫ُون (المؤمنون‬ ِ ‫َقا َل َرب ا ْنصُرْ نِي ِب َما َك َّذب‬ He said: “O my Lord! Help me because they deny me.” (Q. 23:39) and Allah answered him: (44 :‫ِين (المؤمنون‬ َ ‫َقا َل َعمَّا َقلِيل لَيُصْ ِبحُنَّ َنا ِدم‬ “In a little while, they are sure to be regretful.” (Q. 23:44).

The whole story of Ṣāliḥ a.s. is mentioned in the Qur’an in Q. 7:73-79; 11:61-68; and 26:141-159.

4. Abraham (Ibrāhīm) a.s.

Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. the supplication of Prophet Abraham a.s. to make the city of Makkah and its inhabitants in peace, security, prosperity and Allah’s guidance. It was in Makkah where he placed his wife Hajar and his son Ismā‘īl. When Ismā‘īl grew up he and his father raised the foundations of the Ka‘bah, then they both prayed to Allah to accept this service. Then they prayed to Allah that would send them a messenger among them

48

from their descendants, and that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. as the descendant of Prophet Ismā‘īl a.s. was the answer of their prayer.

Allah says, .‫َوإِ ْذ َقا َل إِب َْراهِي ُم َرب اجْ َع ْل َه َذا ْال َبلَ َد آ ِم ًنا َواجْ ُن ْبنِي َو َبنِيَّ أَنْ َنعْ ُب َد ْاْلَصْ َنام‬ ْ‫اس َف َمنْ َت ِب َعنِي َفإِ َّن ُه مِني َو َمن‬ ِ ‫َرب إِ َّنهُنَّ أَضْ لَ ْل َن َك ِثيرً ا م َِن ال َّن‬ (36-35:‫ (إبراهيم‬.‫ك َغفُور َرحِيم‬ َ ‫صانِي َفإِ َّن‬ َ ‫َع‬ And (remember) when Ibrāhīm (Abraham) said: “O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.

O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso disobeys me, still You are indeed Off-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q. 14:35-36) َّ ‫َوإِ ْذ َقا َل إِب َْراهِي ُم َرب اجْ َع ْل َه َذا َبلَ ًدا آ ِم ًنا َوارْ ُز ْق أَهْ لَ ُه م َِن‬ ‫ت َمنْ آ َم َن‬ ِ ‫الث َم َرا‬ ً ‫اّلل َو ْال َي ْوم ْاْلخ ِ​ِر َقا َل َو َمنْ َك َف َر َفأ ُ َمت ُع ُه َقل‬ ‫ار‬ ِ ‫ِيل ُث َّم أَضْ َطرُّ هُ إِلَى َع َذا‬ ِ َّ ‫ِم ْن ُه ْم ِب‬ ِ ‫ب ال َّن‬ ِ ‫ت َوإِسْ مَاعِ ي ُل َر َّب َنا َت َق َّب ْل ِم َّنا‬ ِ ‫ َوإِ ْذ َيرْ َف ُع إِب َْراهِي ُم ْال َق َواعِ َد م َِن ْال َب ْي‬.‫س ْالمَصِ ي ُر‬ َ ‫َو ِب ْئ‬ َ ‫ك أَ ْن‬ ‫ك‬ َ َ‫ك َومِنْ ُذر َّي ِت َنا أُم ًَّة مُسْ لِ َم ًة ل‬ َ َ‫ْن ل‬ َ ‫إِ َّن‬ ِ ‫ َر َّب َنا َواجْ َع ْل َنا مُسْ لِ َمي‬.‫ت ال َّسمِي ُع ْال َعلِي ُم‬ ً ‫ِيه ْم َرس‬ ْ ‫ َر َّب َنا َوا ْب َع‬.‫ت ال َّت َّوابُ الرَّ حِي ُم‬ َ ‫ك أَ ْن‬ ‫ُول‬ َ ‫َوأَ ِر َنا َم َناسِ َك َنا َو ُتبْ َعلَ ْي َنا إِ َّن‬ ِ ‫ثف‬ ‫يه ْم‬ َ ‫ك َو ُي َعل ُم ُه ُم ْال ِك َت‬ َ ‫ِم ْن ُه ْم َي ْتلُو َعلَي ِْه ْم آ َيا ِت‬ ِ ‫اب َو ْالح ِْك َم َة َوي َُزك‬ َ ‫ك أَ ْن‬ (129 -126:‫ت ْال َع ِزي ُز ْال َحكِي ُم (البقرة‬ َ ‫إِ َّن‬ And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, “My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day.” He (Allah) answered: ”As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!” And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) and (his son) Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka’bah at Makkah), (saying), “Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us.

Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. Our Lord! Make us submissive to You, and show us our manāsik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage—hajj and ‘umrah), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. Our lord! And send amongst them

49

a messenger of their own, who shall recite to them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’an), and al-hikmah, (wisdom, i.e., full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence, or wisdom or Prophet’s sunnah—legal ways), and purify them. Verily, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (Q. 2: 126-129) Bukhari reported that Ibn ‘Abbas said: “Prophet Ibrahim took Ismā‘īl l and his mother and went away with them until he reached the area of the House, where he left them next to a tree above Zamzam in the upper area of the Masjid. During that time, Ismā‘īl’s mother was still nursing him. Makkah was then uninhabited, and there was no water source in it. Ibrahim left them there with a bag containing some dates and a water-skin containing water. Ibrahim them started to leave, and Ismā‘īl s mother followed him and said, ‘O Ibrahim! To whom are you leaving us in this barren valley that is not inhabited?’ She repeated the question several times, and Ibrahim did not reply. She asked, ‘Has Allah commanded you to do this?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘I am satisfied that Allah will never abandon us.’

Ibrahim, left and when he was far enough away where they could not see him, close to Thaniyyah, he faced the House, raised his hands, and supplicated, as follows: ُ ‫َر َّب َنا إِني أَسْ َك ْن‬ ‫ك ْالم َُحرَّ ِم‬ َ ‫ت مِنْ ُذر َّيتِي ِب َواد َغي ِْر ذِي َزرْ ع عِ ْن َد َب ْي ِت‬ ‫اس َته ِْوي إِلَي ِْه ْم َوارْ ُز ْق ُه ْم م َِن‬ ِ ‫َر َّب َنا لِ ُيقِيمُوا الص َ​َّل َة َفاجْ َع ْل أَ ْف ِئ َد ًة م َِن ال َّن‬ َّ (37:‫ (إبراهيم‬.‫ُون‬ ِ ‫الث َم َرا‬ َ ‫ت لَ َعلَّ ُه ْم َي ْش ُكر‬ O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord that they may perform al-salat (prayer). So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and ( Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks (Q. 14:37) Prophet Ibrahim a.s. praised and thanked Allah for answering his invocation for his descendants. He then prayed that he and his

50

descendants would be made to establish the prescribed prayer. He said, ‫ّللا مِنْ َشيْ ء‬ ِ َّ ‫ك َتعْ لَ ُم َما ُن ْخفِي َو َما ُنعْ لِنُ َو َما َي ْخ َفى َعلَى‬ َ ‫َر َّب َنا إِ َّن‬ ‫ب لِي َعلَى ْال ِك َب ِر إِسْ مَاعِ ي َل‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫ ْال َح ْم ُد‬.‫ض َو َل فِي ال َّس َما ِء‬ َ ‫ّلل الَّذِي َو َه‬ ِ ْ‫فِي ْاْلَر‬ َ ‫َوإِسْ َح‬ ‫ َرب اجْ َع ْلنِي ُمقِي َم الص َ​َّل ِة َومِنْ ُذر َّيتِي‬.‫اق إِنَّ َربي لَ َسمِي ُع ال ُّد َعا ِء‬ ْ ‫ َر َّب َنا‬. ‫َر َّب َنا َو َت َق َّب ْل ُد َعا ِء‬ ‫ِين‬ َ ‫اغفِرْ لِي َول َِوالِدَيَّ َول ِْلم ُْؤ ِمن‬ (41-38:‫َي ْو َم َيقُو ُم ْال ِح َسابُ (إبراهيم‬ O our Lord! Certainly, You know what we conceal and what we reveal. Nothing on the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Allah. All praise and thanks are Allah’s Who has given me in old age Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) and Isḥāq (Isaac).

Verily, my Lord is indeed the All-Hearer of invocations.

O my Lord! Make me one who perform al-salat (prayer) and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation.” (Q. 14:35-41) Prophet Ibrahim also made invocation for himself and forgiveness for his father. He said, ‫ان صِ ْدق‬ َ ‫ َواجْ َع ْل لِي لِ َس‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫َرب َهبْ لِي ُح ْكمًا َوأَ ْل ِح ْقنِي ِبالصَّالِح‬ ْ َ ْ ‫ َو‬.‫ِيم‬ ‫ان‬ َ ‫اغفِرْ ِْلَ ِبي إِ َّن ُه َك‬ َ ‫فِي ْاْلخ ِ​ِر‬ ِ ‫ َواجْ َعلنِي مِنْ َو َرث ِة َج َّن ِة ال َّنع‬.‫ين‬ ‫ون‬ َ ‫ َي ْو َم َل َي ْن َف ُع َمال َو َل َب ُن‬.‫ون‬ َ ‫ َو َل ُت ْخ ِزنِي َي ْو َم ُيب َْع ُث‬.‫ين‬ َ ‫م َِن الضَّال‬.

(89-83:‫ّللا ِب َق ْلب َسلِيم (الشعراء‬ َ َّ ‫إِ َّل َمنْ أَ َتى‬ “My Lord! Bestow hukm (religious knowledge, right judgement of the affairs and Prophethood) on me, and join me with the righteous. And grant me an honourable mention in later generations And make me one of the inheritors of the Paradise of Delight.

And forgive my father, verily, he is of the erring. And disgrace me not on the Day when (all the creatures) will be resurrected. The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, Except him who comes to Allah with a clean heart [from polytheism and hypocrisy).” (Q. 26:83-89) Prophet Ibrahim also prayed for righteous offspring. He said,

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(101-144 :‫ (الصافات‬. ‫ َف َب َّشرْ َناهُ ِب ُغ َلم َحلِيم‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫َرب َهبْ لِي م َِن الصَّالِح‬ “My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.” So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy (Q. 100-101) The forbearing boy was Ismā‘īl (Ishmael), who inherited the forbearing character of his father. He was the ancestor if the Arabs.

Allah said about Prophet Ibrahim a.s., as follows: )114:‫إِنَّ إِب َْراهِي َم َْلَ َّواه َحلِيم (التوبة‬ “…Verily, Abraham was tender-hearted, forbearing” (Q. 9:114) Prophet Ibrahim was also blessed with another son, Isaac (Isḥāq) who would be the ancestor of the Jews. The angel (rather than Allah) gave a glad tiding of a boy who would possess knowledge and wisdom, )53:‫ُك ِب ُغ َلم َعلِيم (الحجر‬ َ ‫َقالُوا َل َت ْو َج ْل إِ َّنا ُن َبشر‬ They (the angels) said: “Do not be afraid! We give you glad tidings of a boy (son) possessing much knowledge and wisdom” (Q. 15:53) The brief story of Ishmael and Isaac in the Qur’an has been dealt with in my Friday khuṭbah in the ANUMA on 15 August, 2006.

(CIVIC, 1 August, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬314 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Selected Khutab vol. 3, “Ishmael and Isaac” (pp. 145-150; 15 August, 2006) http://islam.about.com/od/prophets/p/saleh.htm Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003

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8. PROPHETS’ DU’A (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’AN (3) 5. Prophet Lot (Lūṭ : ‫لوط‬‎) a.s.

Prophet Lot in the Quran is considered to be the same as Lot in the Hebrew Bible. According to Islamic tradition, he lived in Ur (southern Babylonia) and was a nephew of Ibrahim (Abraham). He migrated with Ibrahim to Canaan and was commanded by Allah to go to the land of Sodom and Gomorrah (Amoura) located at the south of the Dead Sea (in Arabic, ‫ َبحْ ُرل ُ ْوط‬, Lot’s Sea) to preach monotheism and to stop them from practising homosexuality. His messages were ignored by the inhabitants, prompting Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction. Though Lut left the town, his wife stayed behind and was also destroyed with others.

The name of Prophet Lūṭ (Lot in the English Bible) a.s. was mentioned 17 times in 14 chapters in the Qur’an.1 He was mentioned briefly in the Qur’an, like that of other previous prophets, to give examples of the consequence of disbelieving and disobeying prophets sent to them, namely, punishment. He was the son of Hārān, son of Ᾱzar (Terah, Prophet Abraham’s father). He was then Prophet Abraham’s nephew. They both emigrated to the Shām (Greater Syria) area.

Prophet Lot a.s. was sent by Allah to the people of Sadūm (Sodom) and the surrounding villages to call them to Allah, and to forbid them from their evil practices which was unknown before among the Children of Adam, not even crossed their minds, namely, homosexuality. So, it was the people of Sodom who invented this practise of having sexual intercourse with males instead of females.

They desired men rather than women. They said to him that they desired men like the handsome men who had visited him. They were referring to the angels who had come into the shape of man to destroy them. They tried to expel him and his followers from their village. At night he and his family with the exception of his wife took 1

See Q. 6:86; 7:80; 11:70, 74, 77, 81, 89; 15:59, 61; 21:71, 74; 22:43; 26:160, 161, 167; 27:54, 56; 29:26, 28, 32, 33; 37:133; 38:13; 50:13; 54:33, 34; 66:10.

53

refuge to the neighbouring town Sughar (Zoar).2 Then Allah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with a violent earthquake.

Prophet Lot’s wife who did not believe him, used to conspire with her people against him. She informed them who came to visit him with certain signals known by them. Therefore, he was ordered not to inform or to take her with him.

The Qur’an mentions that Prophet Lot a.s. offered his people to marry his daughters instead of practising sodomy. He said: )78:‫ (هود‬... ‫َيا َق ْوم َهؤُ َ​َلء َب َناتي هُن أَ ْط َه ُر لَ ُك ْم‬ “O my people! Here are my daughters; they are purer for you (if you marry them lawfully).” (Q. 11:78) A.Y. Ali gives his commentary on the following verse (71:‫ين (الحجر‬ َ ‫َقا َل َهؤُ َ​َلء َب َناتي إنْ ُك ْن ُت ْم َفاعل‬ “These are my daughters (to marry lawfully), if you must (act) so.” (Q. 15:71) is that the expression “my daughters” in the above verse when it was said by a venerable man like Prophet Lot, the father of his people, may mean, as suggested by some commentators, any young girls of these town. It is common among Arabic speaking countries when an elderly man addresses a young man as “my son”.3 A.Y. Ali said further: 2

According to the Bible, Lot's wife who was travelling behind him looked back, and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. xix. 16). It is said that a pillar of salt named "Lot's wife" is located near the Dead Sea at Mount Sodom in Palestine.

This is contrary to the Qur’an that makes it clear that she remained behind deliberately with the sinning people of Sodom, and had no faith with him, and she was said to have been a native of Sodom. (Q. 11:81 and 66:10). Although Christians also revere Lot as a righteous man of God, he was said to have committed incest with his elder daughter while he was drunk from the alcohol given to him by her, and Moab was born. According to the Bible, Jesus is a descendant of Lot through David's great-grandmother Ruth, who is descended from Moab.

3 According to the classical commentator ‘Ikrimah, Prophet Lot did not really mean when he offered his people to marry either his daughters or the

54

The Biblical narrative suggests that the daughters were married and their husbands were close by (Gen. xix. 14) and that these same daughters afterwards committed incest with their father and had children by him (Gen. ixi. 31).

The Holy Qur’an nowhere suggests such abominations…. [1575].

When Prophet Lot’s people threatened him to drive him out of their village, he prayed, )161:‫ون (الشعراء‬ َ ُ ‫َرب َنجني َوأَهْ لي مما َيعْ َمل‬ “My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.”

Q. 26:169( and when his people challenged him to bring punishment if he told the truth, he prayed, )33:‫ين ( العنكبوت‬ َ ‫َقا َل َرب ا ْنصُرْ ني َعلَى ْال َق ْوم ْال ُم ْفسد‬ He said: “My Lord! Give me victory over the mischief-makers.” (Q. (Q. 29:30) Allah answered his prayer, saved him and his family from the punishment, except his wife who did not believe him.

The question whether homosexuality is based on nature or nurture, whether it is something a person is born with, or is due to factors such as upbringing and environment is debatable among scholars. It was said that the people who moved to Sodom practised practiced sodomy only after they had moved to that town. In other words, it was nurture, environment and upbringing rather than nature, inborn. Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, a psychiatrist and Director of Comprehensive Counselling Services in W. Conshohocken, PA, gives his view about this issue. He said: The most common conflicts at different life stages that predispose individuals to homosexual attractions and behaviour are daughters of people in town, but he said it so that they would go away.

(Qurṭubī, Tafsīr)

55

loneliness and sadness, profound feelings of inadequacy, mistrust and fear, narcissism, sexual addiction, excessive anger, sexual abuse in childhood and a lack of balance in one's life.

(Fitzgibbons, Richard. “Origin and Healing of Homosexual Attractions and Behaviors.� 2nd Pan American Conference on Family and Education Toronto, Ontario May, 1996).

Even if a person was born with unnatural tendency towards homosexuality, he or she must find cure for this abnormal behaviour, like any physical or mental abnormality after birth. He or she might suffer from sex hormone deficiency, and the doctor can treat him or her. One of many treatments given to a homosexual man is this. A picture a handsome man was shown to him on the screen and at the same time he was given an electric shock. Then a picture of a beautiful woman was shown to him on the screen, and at the same time the electric shock was released. This procedure was repeated several times, so that the patient associated the handsome man with pain, and the beautiful woman with relief.

The great Greek philosopher Socrates (469?-399 BC) himself admitted that he had an inborn tendency to commit crime. One day while he was walking on the street, a man who did not know him said to the people that this man was a criminal. When the people who knew Socrates wanted to throw stones at that man, Socrates told them not to do so, because he admitted that he had an inborn tendency to commit crime, but he fought it. For us the Muslims, this is a kind of jihad against our own passion and tendency towards evilness.

In conclusion, homosexuality in Islam is a disease, an abnormality which should be medically and psychologically treated, whatever the cause, either by nature or nurture.

(CIVIC, 8 August, 2014)

56

: ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬313 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an. http://www.gallup.com/poll/13930/origin-homosexuality-britonscanadians-say-nature.aspx http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot_(biblical_person) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot's_wife

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9. PROPHETS’ DU’A (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’AN (4) 6. Job (Ayyῡb) and 7. Yūnus (Jonah) Prophet Job (Ayyūb) a.s. is mentioned in the Qur’an by name four times (Q. 2:163; 6:84; 21:83; and 38:41). He is mentioned very briefly in the Qur’an, whereas in the Old Testament the story of Prophet Job was mentioned in the Book of Job containing 42 chapters, although mostly contain discourses between him and his friends. He lived in an area South of Damascus in Syria or West of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, or north-east corner of Palestine.

He was one of the descendants of the Prophet Ibrahim a.s. and a nephew of Prophet Ya‘qub a.s. He was sent by Allah to advise people to do good and shun evil.

Prophet Job (Ayyūb) a.s. was a wealthy man with firm faith in Allah. Allah gives us an excellent example of a person who had the utmost patience upon the trial with his wealth, family and health.1 He had plenty of livestock, cattle and crops, beautiful houses and children, and a healthy body, and then he lost all of them. With his wealth: thieves attacked his big farm, killing many of his servants and taking away his crops and cattle; with his family: the roof of his houses fell down crushing many members of his family; with his health: he suffered from skin disease. Parts of his body were covered with loathsome sores. His friends attributed his calamities to his sins.

People abandoned him for the ugly looking ulcers on his face and hands. He was left alone on the edge of the city, and no one took care of him except his wife. In his extremely pathetic condition, he prayed to Allah as mentioned in the Qur’an as follows: ‫َ َفاس َت َجب َناَلَ َه‬.َ‫ِين‬ َ​َ ‫تَأَر َحمَ​َالرَّ ا ِحم‬ َ​َ ‫ِيَالضُّرَُّ​َ َوأَن‬ َ​َ ‫ُّوبَإِذَ​َ َنادَىَ َربَّهَ​َأَ ِّنيَ َم َّسن‬ َ​َ ‫َوأَي‬ ‫َ َف َك َشف َناَ َماَ ِب َِهَمِنَ​َضرَ​َ َوآ َتي َناهَ​َأَهلَهَ​َ َومِثلَهمَ​َ َم َعهمَ​َ َرح َمةَ​َمِنَ​َعِ ن ِد َناَ َوذِك َرى‬ )34-38:‫ِينَ(األنبياء‬ َ​َ ‫َلِل َع ِابد‬ And (remember) Ayyῡb (Job), when he cried to his Lord: 1

According to the Old Testament he “had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:2-3)

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“Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy.” So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on and We restored with them as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all those who worship Us.” (Q. 21:83-84) The Qur’an mentioned further that Allah reminds us of him, as follows: َ .‫ِيَال َّشي َطانَ​َ ِبنصبَ​َ َو َع َذاب‬ َ​َ ‫ُّوبَإِذَ​َ َنادَ ىَ َربَّهَ​َأَ ِّنيَ َم َّسن‬ َ​َ ‫َواذكرَ​َ َعب َد َناَأَي‬ َ َ‫َ َو َو َهب َناَلَهَ​َأَهلَهَ​َ َومِثلَهمَ​َ َم َعهم‬.َ‫اردَ​َ َو َش َراب‬ َ​َ ِ‫َب ِرجل‬ ِ ‫اركض‬ ِ ‫كَ َه َذاَمغ َت َسلَ​َ َب‬ َ َ‫ل‬ َ َ ‫كَضِ غثاَ َفاض ِربَ​َ ِب َِهَ َو‬ َ​َ ‫َوخذَ​َ ِب َي ِد‬. َِ ‫َرح َمةَ​َ ِم َّناَ َوذِك َرىَ ِألولِيَاألل َبا‬ َ َ‫ب‬ َ )44-41:‫ص ِابراَنِع َ​َمَال َعبدَ​َإِ َّنهَ​َأَ َّوابَ​َ(ص‬ َ َ​َ‫َتح َنثَ​َإِ َّناَ َو َجد َناه‬ And remember Our slave Ayyub (Job), when he invoked his Lord (saying), “Verily Satan has touched me with distress (by ruining my health) and torment (by ruining my wealth!)

(Allah said to him): “Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.”

And We gave him (back) his family, and along with them the like thereof, as a Mercy from Us, and a Reminder for those who understand. “And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath.” Truly We found him patient.

How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oftreturning in repentance (to Us). (Q. 38:41-44) The Qur’an commentator Ibn Kathīr gives us his commentary on the above verses as follows: Here Allah tells us about His servant and Messenger Ayyūb (Job) and how He tested him. These tests afflicted his body, his wealth and his children, until there was no part of his body that was healthy except his heart. Then he had nothing left in this world which he could use to help him deal with his sickness or the predicament he was in, besides his wife, who retained her devotion to him because of her faith in Allah and His Messenger. She used to

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work for people as a paid servant and she fed and served him (Ayyūb) for nearly eighteen years. Before then, he was very rich and had many children, being well off in worldly terms. All of that had been taken away until he ended up being thrown into the city dump where he stayed all this time, shunned by relatives and strangers alike, with the exception of his wife—may Allah be pleased with her. She did not leave him, morning and evening, except for when she was serving people, then she would come straight back to him. When this had gone on for a long time, and things had gotten very bad, and the time allotted by divine decreed had come to an end, Ayyūb prayed to the Lord of the worlds, the God of the Messengers, and said,‫ِين‬ َ​َ ‫تَأَر َحمَ​َالرَّ ا ِحم‬ َ​َ ‫ِيَالضُّرَُّ​َ َوأَن‬ َ​َ ‫أَ ِّنيَ َم َّسن‬ (“verily, distress has seized me, and you are the most merciful of all those who show mercy.”)

In a long tradition recorded by Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Abī Ḥātim that Anas Ibn Mālik r.a. said that the Prophet s.a.w. said about Prophet Ayyūb who suffered for eighteen years from his affliction. He was shunned by his relatives and as well as strangers, except two men who were the closest of his brothers to him. They visited him every morning and every evening. They told him that he might have committed a grave sin which nobody in the world had ever committed, because of his eighteen year suffering. Whenever he went out to answer the call of nature, when he finished, his wife would take his hand until he returned home. One day he took a long time, and Allah revealed to him َ‫اردَ َ َو َش َراب‬ َ​َ ِ‫اركضَ َ ِب ِرجل‬ ِ ‫ك َ َه َذا َمغ َت َسلَ َ َب‬ “Strike the ground with your foot. This is (a spring of) water to wash in, cool and a (refreshing) drink.” (Q. 21:42) He did and washed himself and drank the spring water, and suddenly recovered from all of the ailments and afflictions. His wife who came to find him for his being late saw him and said: “May Allah bless you! Have you seen Allah’s prophet, the one who is sorely tested? By Allah, I have never seen a man who looks more like him than you, if he were healthy.”

He said: “ I am he”…

Prophet Ayyūb (Job) was upset about something his wife had done, and he swore an oath that if Allah healed him, he would strike

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her with one hundred blows. When Allah healed him, how could he repay her kindness and service with a beating? Allah gave him a way out to fulfil his oath without breaking his vow: َ‫ِكَضِ غثاَ َفاض ِربَ​َ ِب َِه‬ َ​َ ‫َوخذَ​َ ِب َيد‬ َ‫ل َ َتح َنث‬ َ َ ‫“ َو‬And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath.” (Q. 38:44). The term “your wife” is not in the text, but in the translation between brackets. This is apparently to avoid mentioning wife beating, and to indicate the importance of fulfilling the oath, and of knowing the science of tafsīr (commentary of the Qur’an).

The Qur’an commentator Mujahid said that Allah told Prophet Ayyub that his family would be with him in Paradise, and if he wished Allah would bring back to him, or left them in Paradise and Allah would compensate him with others like them in this world. He chose the latter, so he became prosperous again. 2 Allah praised Prophet Job for his long patience, and said: “Truly We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily, he was ever oftreturning in repentance (to Us).”

A person who is very patient is called doing َ ‫صبر َأَيُّوب‬ َ (“Job’s patience” who had been patient for 13 years.

7. Yūnus (Jonah) Prophet Yūnus (Jonah) a.s. is mentioned four times in the Qur’an (Q. 4:163; 6:86; 10:98; and 37:139). Like the Old Testament where we have the Book of Jonah, we also have chapter 10 in the Qur’an called sūrat “Yūnus (Jonah”), although he is mentioned once only in one verse in this chapter.” He was son of Amittai, lived in Gath-hepher, near Nazareth in lower Galilee. He was sent by Allah to the people of Nineveh (Ninawa), the capital of Assyria in 2

According to the Old Testament, Allah gave Prophet Job twice as much as he had before. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. He also had seven sons and three beautiful daughters. Moreover, he lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation (Job: 10, 12-16)

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Mesopotamia, a town near Mosul (Mawṣil) [in northern modern Iraq], east of the Tigris river, with a population over one hundred thousand.3 He called them to worship Allah, but they did not believe him. He left them in anger abandoning the mission entrusted to him

by Allah, and running away to board a ship, and threatening them with punishment after three days.4 When they realized that he was telling the truth, like any other prophet, they went out to the desert with their children and livestock. They separated the mothers from their children and prayed and beseeched Allah to spare them from the punishment. Their camels and their young were groaning, the cows and their calves were mooning, and the sheep and their lambs were bleating, and they themselves cried for forgiveness. Their prayer was accepted, and Allah did not punish them. Allah said: َ َ‫سَلَمَّاَآ َمنواَ َك َشف َنا‬ َ​َ ‫لَ َقو َ​َمَيون‬ َ َّ ِ‫لَ َكا َنتَ​َ َقر َيةَ​َآ َم َنتَ​َ َف َن َف َع َهاَإِي َمان َهاَإ‬ َ َ ‫َفلَو‬ َ َ​َ)93:‫يَِفِيَال َح َياَِةَال ُّدن َياَ َو َم َّتع َناهمَ​َإِلَىَحِينَ(يونس‬ َ ‫ابَالخِز‬ َ​َ ‫َعنهمَ​َ َع َذ‬ Was there any town that believed (after seeing theَ punishment) and its faith saved it? Except the people of Yunus; when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while.(Q. 10:98) This is the only example where people obeyed their prophet before Allah sent them His punishment.

Prophet Yunus a.s. wanted to flee to Tarshish (a city near Gibraltar) in southern Spain and sailed with some people. The ship tossed about on the sea, and they were afraid that they would drown. They cast lots to choose one of them would be thrown into the sea. Three times the lot fell to him, but they refused to throw 3

Q. 37:147; according to the Old Testament its population at that time was over 120 000 (Jonah 4:11) 4 This was according to Ibn Kathīr. According to the Old Testament when Jonah came to Nineveh for the second time, he threatened people that the town of Nineveh would be overturned in forty days if they did not obey him. (Jonah 3:4)

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him overboard. So, he removed his garment and threw himself into the sea.5 Allah inspired a big fish to make its belly a prison for him without devouring his flesh or breaking his bones, as if inspiring it that he was not food for it. In the darkness upon darkness, the darkness in the sea and inside the belly of the fish, he prayed, َ‫ل‬ َ َّ ِ‫لَإِلَ َ​َهَإ‬ َ​َ َّ َ‫ِن‬ َ​َ ‫الظالِم‬ ‫ِين‬ َ​َ ‫كَإِ ِّنيَكنتَ​َم‬ َ​َ ‫تَسب َحا َن‬ َ​َ ‫“ أَن‬None has the right to be worshipped but You, and Glorified are You, truly I have been of the wrong doers.”

Allah said: ُّ َ‫ِرَ َع َلي َِهَ َف َنادَىَفِي‬ َِ ‫الظل َما‬ ‫ت‬ َ​َ ‫بَم َغاضِ باَ َف َظنََّ​َأَنَ​َلَنَ​َ َنقد‬ َ​َ ‫ونَإِذَ​َ َذ َه‬ َِ ‫َ َو َذاَال ُّن‬ َّ َ‫ِن‬ َ‫َ َفاس َت َجب َناَلَه‬.‫ِين‬ َ​َ ‫الظالِم‬ َ​َ ‫كَإِ ِّنيَكنتَ​َم‬ َ​َ ‫تَسب َحا َن‬ َ​َ ‫لَأَن‬ َ َّ ِ‫لَإِلَ َ​َهَإ‬ َ َ َ​َ‫َأَن‬ (88 -38:‫ِينَ(األنبياء‬ َ​َ ‫كَنن ِجيَالمؤ ِمن‬ َ​َ ِ‫ِنَال َغ َِّمَ َو َك َذل‬ َ​َ ‫َو َنجَّ ي َناهَ​َم‬ And (remember) Dhun-Nūn [Yunus (Jonah)], when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e., the calamities which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): “Lā ilāha illā Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrong doers.” So, We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness). (Q. 21:87-88) Other verses dealing with Prophet Jonah are as follows: َ‫ان‬ َ​َ ‫َ َف َسا َه َ​َمَ َف َك‬.‫ون‬ َِ ‫قَإِلَىَالفلكَِ​َال َمشح‬ َ​َ ‫َإِذَ​َأَ َب‬.‫ِين‬ َ​َ ‫ِنَالمر َسل‬ َ​َ ‫سَلَم‬ َ​َ ‫َوإِنََّ​َيون‬ َ​َ ‫َلَلَ ِب‬.‫ِين‬ ‫ث‬ َ​َ ‫ِنَالم َس ِّبح‬ َ​َ ‫انَم‬ َ​َ ‫لَأَ َّنهَ​َ َك‬ َ َ ‫َ َفلَو‬.َ​َ‫َ َفال َت َق َمهَ​َالحوتَ​َ َوه َ​َوَملِيم‬.‫ين‬ َ​َ ِ‫ِنَالمد َحض‬ َ​َ ‫م‬ َ َ‫َ َوأن َبت َناَ َعلَي َِهَ َش َج َرةَ​َمِن‬.َ‫َ َف َن َبذ َناهَ​َ ِبال َع َرا َِءَ َوه َ​َوَ َسقِيم‬.‫ون‬ َ​َ ‫َفِيَ َبط ِن َِهَإِلَىَ َيو َِمَيب َعث‬ َ​َ‫َ َفآ َمنواَ َف َم َّتع َناهم‬.‫ون‬ َ​َ ‫َ َوأَر َسل َناهَ​َإِلَىَمِا َئ َِةَأَلفَ​َأَوَ​َ َي ِزيد‬.َ​َ‫َ َيقطِ ين‬ َ)143-189:‫إِلَىَحِينَ​َ(الصافات‬ And verily, Yūnus (Jonah) was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship: Then he (agreed to) cast lots, and he 5

Instead of throwing himself into the sea, according to the Old Testament he was thrown overboard, so that the raging sea became calm. He had confessed to the sailors that the tempest was caused by his sin, i.e., he had “fled from the presence of the Lord.”(Jonah 1:3-15)

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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) till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick, And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. And they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while. (Q. 37:139-148) The city of Nineveh was rediscovered in the mid-1800 after more than 2,500 years of obscurity. It was found buried beneath an ancient mound called by its local name “Nabi Yunus.” (Prophet Jonah). As for the big fish that swallowed Prophet Jonah most people assumed that it was a cachalot (a sperm whale), and may have been a white shark. According to the Biblical account he remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. These two creatures had been known to Mediterranean sailors since antiquity, and these two species was described by Aristotle in his Historia Animalium (History of Animals) in 4 th Century B.C It is said that the reason for Prophet Jonah’s running, was that he did not like the Assyrians who were idolatrous, proud and ruthless, had been a threat to Israel. (CIVIC, 29 August, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبةَالشاملة‬ (‫َهـ‬813َ.‫تفسيرَالطبريَ(ت‬ (‫َهـ‬181َ.‫تفسيرَالقرطبىَ(ت‬ (‫َهـ‬884َ.‫تفسيرَابنَكثيرَ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2338 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an The Holy Bible: New International Version. East Brunswic k, N.J, 1984. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/job_in_Islam www.itsislam.net/articles/prophet_ayub.asp en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Job_(biblical_figure) Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2338 www.gotquestions.org/Jonah-whale.html ‫ـ‬

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10. PROPHETS’ DU’A (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’AN (5) 8. Zakariyyā (Zechariah) a.s.

Prophet Zakariyyā (Zechariah) a.s. is mentioned seven times by name in the Qur’an (Q. 3:37 (twice), 38; 6:85; 19:2, 7; 21:89). There is a book in the Old Testament bearing this name, the Book of Zechariah, and was considered to have been its author, but he was not the prophet meant here. There are three prominent people in the Bible named Zechariah (or Zacharias), a. Zechariah, King of Israel1, b. Zechariah, the prophet2, and c. Zechariah, the priest, and the father of John the Baptist.3 Therefore, when we mention Prophet Zachariah to the Christians, we mean the priest and the father of John the Baptist. But when the Christians mention Prophet Zechariah they mean the prophet from 520 BC to 518 BC in Jerusalem.

Zakariyyā (Zechariah) a.s. was a prophet, but in the Bible he was a priest attached to the Temple and a carpenter. His wife 1

Zechariah, the son of King Jeroboam II who reigned for only 6 months around 746 BC and became the 14th King of Israel. He was an evil king (2 Kings 15:9), assassinated by Shallum, who then became king. For Zechariah's story in the Old Testament, see 2 Kings 14:29 and in 2 Kings 15:8-12.

2 Zechariah, the son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo was a prophet from 520 BC to 518 BC in Jerusalem. Prophet Zechariah and Prophet Haggai preached to their fellow Jews to rebuild the Temple which had been destroyed by the Babylonians (see Ezra 6:14). After their return to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity they rebuilt the city and the Temple. Among Zachariah’s prophecy are the promise of the Messiah, the persecution of Jews and Jerusalem would become a battleground of nations. The Book of Zechariah in the Old Testament is the 11th book of the twelve minor prophets.

3 Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and husband of Elizabeth was a priest belonging to the order of Abijah. (Luke 1:5) While he was offering incense in the Temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to him, and told him that his prayer had been heard; his wife Elizabeth who had been barren for many years would give birth to a son, and the son's name would be John. (Luke 1:11-13).

Another priest called Zechariah, was the son of Jehoiada, who was stoned to death as he chastised the people in the courts of the First Temple (2 Chron.

24:20-24).

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Elisabeth (Luke 1:36) had a cousin called Mary, or she was her maternal aunt (according to Ibn Jarir al-Tabari and Ibn Ishaq). Her mother had vowed to dedicate her to Temple service. Lots were drawn to decide which of the priests should have the responsibility to her and as her guardian, and the lot was won by Zakariyya.

Whenever he visited her in her place of worship in the Temple he found her supplied with sustenance. According to Qur’an commentators, he found her with the fruits of the summer during winter, and the fruits of the winter during summer. We know that as winter in the northern part of the hemisphere the southern part is summer, and vice versa.

Seeing this miracle of having Maryam fruits out its season, Prophet Zakariyyā (Zechariah) a.s. prayed for a child of his own, expecting that miracle might also happen to him. By then he had become old and weak, his head was full of grey hair, and his wife was a barren old woman. He prayed in secret, (38:‫ك َسمِي ُع ال ُّد َعا ِء (آل عمران‬ َ ‫ك ُذريَّة َطي َبة إِ َّن‬ َ ‫َرب َهب لِي مِن لَ ُدن‬ O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring.

You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation (Q. 3:38) While he was standing in prayer at his place of worship the angels came and spoke to him directly that Allah gave him good tidings of a son called Yahya. Allah Himself gave him this name which literally means “he lives”, because Allah filled his life with faith (Qatadah’s interpretation). A person without faith is spiritually a dead person. Muhammad Asad’s commentary to this is that “ … he will be spiritually alive and will be remembered for ever; and the fact that God Himself had chosen this name for him was a singular distinction, equivalent to a divine promise.”

The angels told Zakariyya a.s. further that the future son would believe in the word of Allah, which according Ibn ‘Abbas and several other Qur’an commentators, he would believe in ‘Isa (Jesus) son of Mary, a.s. He would also be a noble, wise, pious, and chase man and a prophet. (Q. 3:39)

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When Prophet Zakariyya a.s. heard the good news of having a son, he wondered how could he have a child in his old age with a barren wife, the angel told him that it was Allah’s will. When he asked a sign that alerted him that the child would come, he was told that he should not be able to speak to people in three days and nights except by signals.4 Moreover, he was ordered to remember Allah and to glorify Him in the afternoon and in the morning. (Q. 3:39-41) In chapter 19 (surat Maryam), the supplication of Prophet Zakariyya a.s. for a son and the answer of this supplication are mentioned again. His supplication runs as follows: .‫ك َرب َشقِيا‬ َ ‫َقا َل َرب إِني َو َه َن ال َعظ ُم مِني َواش َت َع َل الرَّ أسُ َشيبا َولَم أَ ُكن ِب ُد َعا ِئ‬ ُ ‫َوإِني خِف‬ .‫ك َولِيا‬ ِ ‫ت ال َم َوال َِي مِن َو َرائِي َو َكا َن‬ َ ‫ت ام َرأَتِي َعاقِرا َف َهب لِي مِن لَ ُدن‬ ُ ‫َي ِر ُثنِي َو َي ِر‬ )6-4:‫وب َواج َعل ُه َرب َرضِ يا (مريم‬ َ ُ‫آل َيعق‬ ِ ‫ث مِن‬ He said: “My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head. And I have never been unblessed in my invocation to You, O my Lord! And verily I fear my relatives after me, and my wife is barren.

So give me from Yourself an heir who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya‘qub (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not of wealth). And make him, my Lord, one with whom 4

Instead of three days and three nights Zakariyya was not allowed to talk to people, according to the Bible’s account he was only able to speak when he wrote the name of his new born baby “John” in a writing table. This means that Prophet Zakariyya was unable to speak for several months, about nine months, since the angel Gabriel visited until his baby was born. The Bible states as follows: “When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John." They said to her, “There is no one among our relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.” (Luke 1:57, 59-64).

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You are Well-Pleased!.” (Q. 19:4-6) He became overjoyed and amazed as he and his wife had become old, and his wife had not given birth to any children in her entire life. He wondered how could this happen, and Allah told him through the angel who visited him that it was easy for Him. He had created him before, when he had been nothing. When he asked a sign and a proof of the existence of which Allah had promised, i.e., pregnancy, so that his soul would be at rest, He told him that the sign would be that he shall not speak to mankind for three nights without defect, namely, without sickness or illness. Classical Qur’an commentators, such as Ibn ‘Abbas, Mujahid, Qatadah, al-Suddi and others said: “His tongue was arrested without any sickness or illness.” Another classical Qur’an commentator, ‘Abd al-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said: “He used to recite and glorify Allah, but he was not able to speak to his people except by gestures.” He then came out from his place of worship to his people and made a subtle and swift gesture to glorify Allah in the morning and in the afternoon (Q. 19:7-11).5 Allah’s answer of Zakariyya’s prayer is as follows: )7:‫ك ِب ُغ َ​َلم اس ُم ُه َيح َيى لَم َنج َعل لَ ُه مِن َقب ُل َسمِيا (مريم‬ َ ‫َيا َز َك ِريَّا إِ َّنا ُن َبش ُر‬ “O Zakariyya (Zechariah! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son, whose name will be Yahya (John). We have given that name to none before (him). (Q. 19:7) There are several interpretations regarding the name Yahya in the above verse: a. No name “Yahya” had been given to a person before, according to Qatadah, Ibn Jurayj, al-Suddi, and ‘Abd al-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. b. Allah had, for the first time, called one of his elect by that name, according to Abdullah Yusuf Ali. He said that “Yahya” in the 5

According to the Bible account Zechariah doubted the glad tidings the angel Gabriel had told him. Because he did not believe him he would not be able to speak until the day this happened, which would come true at its proper time.

(Luke 1,18-22).

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Hebrew form is “Johanan” which means “Jehovah has been gracious”, and the name was not given for the first time, as we read that Johanan was the son of Careah in II Kings, xxv, 23. c. The term ‫( َسمِيا‬samiyyan) instead of meaning “name” it means ‫( َش ِبيها‬shabihan) meaning “resemblance” and ‫( َم َثَل‬mathalan) meaning “similarity”. The verse then means: “No barren woman at all had ever born a baby like him,” according to Ibn ‘Abbas. It means, “We have not made before any similarity with him”, according to Ibn Mujahid.

The supplication of Prophet Zakariyya (Zechariah) a.s. is mentioned again briefly in the Qur’an capter 21 (surat al-Anbiya’, the Prophets), as follows: َ ‫َو َز َك ِريَّا إِذ َنادَى َر َّب ُه َرب َل َت َذرنِي َفردا َوأَن‬ ‫ َفاس َت َجب َنا‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫ارث‬ ِ ‫ت َخي ُر ال َو‬ َ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ُون فِي ال َخي َرا‬ َ ‫ارع‬ ِ ‫لَ ُه َو َو َهب َنا لَ ُه َيح َيى َوأصلَح َنا لَ ُه َزو َج ُه إِ َّنهُم َكا ُنوا ُي َس‬ )90-89:‫ِين (األنبياء‬ َ ‫َو َيدعُو َن َنا َر َغبا َو َر َهبا َو َكا ُنوا لَ َنا َخاشِ ع‬ And (remember) Zakariyya (Zechariah), when he cried to his Lord: “O my Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors.” So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya (John [the Baptist]) and cured his wife (to bear child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us. (Q. 21:89-90) The above verses indicate that like his parents, Yahya (John) would also be used to hasten on to do good, to call on Allah with hope and fear, and to humble himself before Him. According to Biblical account both prophets were killed. Allah mentions in the Qur’an about their cruelty, as follows: ‫ِين‬ ِ ‫ُون ِبآ َيا‬ ِ َّ ‫ت‬ َ ‫ون الَّذ‬ َ ُ ‫ين ِب َغي ِر َحق َو َيق ُتل‬ َ ‫ون ال َّن ِبي‬ َ ُ ‫ّللا َو َيق ُتل‬ َ ‫ِين َيكفُر‬ َ ‫إِنَّ الَّذ‬ )21:‫اس َف َبشرهُم ِب َع َذاب أَلِيم (آل عمران‬ َ ‫َيأ ُمر‬ ِ ‫ُون ِبالقِسطِ م َِن ال َّن‬ Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah and slay the Prophets wrongfully and slay those of mankind who enjoin

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equity, promise him a painful doom. (Surah 3: Verse 21)6 They killed Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, not the father of John the Baptist. He died natural death. According to the Bible, Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) was beheaded by the order of King Herod (Matthew 14:3-11), It is said that Prophet Yahya a.s. was killed upon a rock in Jerualem, and his head was taken to Damascus. The reason was that a king wanted to marry one his relatives, but Yahya refused the idea. He was killed and the king married the woman.

Some say that he was killed in Damascus instead of Jerusalem. A monument for him in the Umawi mosque still remains until today.

However, there is no indication in the Qur’an that he was executed, nor in the sound traditions. Three traditions mention about him but all are weak. Allah says about him in the Qur’an, as follows: ُ ‫ُوت َو َيو َم يُب َع‬ ُ ‫َو َس َ​َلم َعلَي ِه َيو َم وُ لِ َد َو َيو َم َيم‬ )15:‫ث َحيا (مريم‬ And peace be upon him the day he was born, and the days he dies, and the day he will be raised up to life (again) (Q. 19:15) The Qur’an does not say that he was killed which is ‫( قُ ِت َل‬qutila), as the Qur’an makes distinction between dying and being killed, such as in Q. 2:154; 3:157, 169; 33:16 and in the following verse: َ ‫َو َما م َُحمَّد إِ َّل َرسُول َقد َخلَت مِن َقبلِ ِه الرُّ ُس ُل أَ َفإِن َم‬ ‫ات‬ )144:‫(آل عمران‬... ‫أَو قُ ِت َل ان َقلَب ُتم َعلَى أَع َق ِاب ُكم‬ Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed 6

The Bible also mentions about the killing of prophets as follows: “Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, others you will flog in your in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth. all this will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, … (Matthew 23:34-37). See also Luke 11:51. But according to the Book of Chronicles, it was "Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who was "stoned to death in the courtyard of the Lord's temple" not Zechariah son of Berekiah, namely, Zechariah the prophet, not the priest (2 Chronicles 24:20).

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(many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)?...(Q. 3:144) Another view is that like John the Baptist who died natural death, Jesus also would die natural death after his return to the earth. He said, among other things, to those who accused his mother Mary (Maryam) of indecency, as follows: ُ ‫ُوت َو َيو َم أُب َع‬ ُ ‫ت َو َيو َم أَم‬ ُ ‫َوالس َ​ََّل ُم َع َليَّ َيو َم وُ لِد‬ )33:‫ث َحيا (مريم‬ And peace be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, ُ ‫( ُقتِل‬, or [he did not say “the day I died )‫ (مِت‬, or I was killed )‫ت‬ ُ ‫صلِب‬ crucified)‫ت‬ ُ ”] and the day I shall be raised alive again [he did not say “I was raised alive again (after his crucifixion)]”. (Q. 19:33) Who was, then, executed and crucified as mentioned in the Bible? There should have been somebody else, and Allah knows best.

Other similarities between the two prophets are that they were dutiful to their parents (Jesus to his mother), not arrogant, nor disobedient (for Yahya), nor unblessed (for ‘Isa) (Q. 19:14, 32).

According to Islamic tradition Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. met both of them in the second heaven in his mi’raj (ascension to heaven).

(CIVIC, 5 September, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬310 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 http://www.ebadalrehman.com/t167-topic ‫من قتل زكريا ويحيى‬ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_(priest) http://www.itsislam.net/articles/prophet_zakariya.asp http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p184.htm

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11. PROPHETS’ DU’A (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’AN (6) 9. Shu‘ayb a.s.

Prophet Shu‘ayb a.s. is mentioned by name 11 times in the Qur’an (Q. 7:85, 88, 90, 92 twice; 11:84, 87, 91, 94; 26:177; 29:36).

The term shuʿayb, (‫شعيب‬‎( literally means “he who shows the right path”. The story of him is given more details in Q. 7:85-93 and Q. 11:84-95. He was sent by Allah to the people of Madyan (Midian) ibn Ibrahim a.s. to worship Allah instead of idols. According to tradition he was granted talent and eloquence in his language, so that he had the surname of ‫( َخطِ يْبُ األ ْن ِب َياء‬khaṭīb al-anbiyā’, "the eloquent preacher amongst the prophets". His identification with Jethro (Yethro) in Jewish tradition is rejected by modern scholars, including A. Yusuf Ali for the following reasons: 1. Shu‘ayb was believed to have been the son of Mikil, son of Isaachar, son of Midian, son of Abraham, so that he would be only four generations and less than two centuries from Abraham. His name was not mentioned in Jewish tradition.

According to Ibn Khaldun’s research, Prophet Shu'aib’s mother was the pious daughter of the Prophet Lut (Lot). His genealogy joins with Madian son of Prophet Ibrahim. On the other hand, Jethro was mentioned in the Bible with another name, Reuel, the father-in-law of Moses,1 and according to the Bible there were between four and six centuries between Abraham and Moses.

2. The Midianites were mainly a nomad tribe. Although Jethro was also a Midianite, the complete destruction of one of their settled towns by earthquake in which Shu‘ayb was sent to preach, other settlements and towns would have survived many centuries later till the time of Moses and Jethro the Midianite.

1

See Numbers 10:29

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3. Prophet Shu‘ayb was sent to preach to the Midianites who lived in Madyan located east of the Gulf of Aqabah extended to the city of Tabūk , and according to some it was in the site of Tabūk itself. Therefore, Shu‘ayb was an Arab prophet. On the other hand, in Jethro’s time, the region of Madyan (the Midian of the Bible) extended from the Gulf of Aqaba westward deep into the Sinai Peninsula. This was their principal territory; to the north it extended to the mountains of Moab east of the Dead Sea. Although its inhabitants were Arabs they intermixed with their neighbors the Biblical Canaanites. However, there was a small town at the eastern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba called Midian, and then disappeared. It was revived in Muslim times, but never flourished.

The people of Madyan to whom Prophet Shu‘ayb was sent was also called in the Qur’an ‫“( أَصْ َحابُ األَ ْي َكة‬The Companions of al-Aykah”), namely, the dwellers of al-aykah, a tree of a group of trees (which were tangled like those in the thicket) they used to worship. They were notorious for their cheating and dishonesty in their daily activity, and idolatry. It was to the merchant of this Midianite tribe that the boy Joseph (Yusuf) was sold into slavery, and who took him to Egypt. Being in the path of commercial highway of Asia, namely, Egypt, Assyria and Babylonia, their besetting sins characterized by A. Yusuf Ali are as follows: 1. giving short measure or weight, whereas the strictest commercial probity is necessary for success; 2. a more general form of such fraud, depriving people of rightful dues; 3. producing mischief and disorder, whereas peace and order had been established (again in a literal as well as metaphorical sense); 4. not content with upsetting settled life, taking to highway robbery, literally, as well as 5. metaphorically, in two ways, namely, cutting off people from access to the worship of Allah, and abusing religion and piety for crooked purposes, i.e., exploiting religion itself for their

73

crooked ends, as when a man builds houses of prayer out of unlawful gains or ostentatiously gives charity out of money which he has obtained by force or fraud, etc.

Then Prophet Shu‘ayb a.s. made two appeals to the past: 1. You began as an insignificant tribe, and by Allah’s favor you increased and multiplied in numbers and resources; do you not then owe a duty to Allah and fulfil His Law?” 2. What was the result in the case of those who fell into sin?

Will you not take warning by their example?

The people not only rejected him, but also the chiefs among them threatened to drive him out from their village unless he returned to their religion. Of course Prophet did not want to disobey Allah to please them, and put his trust in Allah. He prayed to Him, saying: َ ‫َر َّب َنا ا ْف َتحْ َب ْي َن َنا َو َبي َْن َق ْو ِم َنا ِب ْال َحق َوأَ ْن‬ )89:‫ِين (األعراف‬ َ ‫ت َخ ْي ُر ْال َفا ِتح‬ “Our Lord! Judge between us and our people in truth, for You are the best of those who give judgment.” (Q. 7:89) Since Prophet Shu‘ayb knew that he was on the right side, Muhammad Asad translates the term ْ‫ ا ْف َتح‬as “lay open” (the truth), so that he translates the above prayer of prophet Shu‘ayb as follows: “O our Sustainer! Lay Thou open the truth between us and our people—for Thou art the best of all to lay open the truth.”

They strongly disbelieved him and rebelled against him and said that if you follow him you would be the losers (Q. 7:90). They accused him of being bewitched, affected by witchcraft, and lying when he said that Allah had sent him (Q. 26:185-186) He warned them that their disobedience would lead them to destruction, like what befell upon the people of Noah, Hūd, Saleh, and Lot, and asked them to repent. But they said that they did not know what he was talking about, and thought that he was weak because his tribe did not follow him. If it were not because of the powerful position of his family over the people of Madyan, they would have stoned him to death (or according to another interpretation, they would have

74

cursed him verbally), and that he had no position of power over them (Q. 11:89-91).

As refutation of his people Prophet Shu‘ayb told them that he wondered that they would have left him alone out of respect for his people instead of respect for the greatness of the Lord, the Most Blessed and Exalted. Their awe of Allah should have prevented them from harming him rather than their respect for his people. They should have feared Allah Who knew all of their actions and reward them for their deeds (Q. 11:92) Prophet Shu‘ayb out of despair of their response to him threatened them that the unchanging action and attitude of theirs and his would result in Allah punishment upon the wrong side of the two, them or him, and asked them to join him in waiting for this coming punishment (Q. 11:93). Stubbornly and defiantly they challenged him and said, “So, cause a piece of the heaven to fall on us, if you are of the truthful” (Q. 26:187). Then Prophet Shu‘ayb turned from them and said: ُ ْ‫صح‬ ‫ْف‬ ِ ‫َيا َق ْو ِم لَ َق ْد أَ ْبلَ ْغ ُت ُك ْم ِر َس َاَل‬ َ ‫ت لَ ُك ْم َف َكي‬ َ ‫ت َربي َو َن‬ )93:‫ين (األعراف‬ َ ‫آ َسى َعلَى َق ْوم َكاف ِ​ِر‬ “O my people, I have indeed conveyed to you the messages of my Lord and advised you, so how could I grieve for a disbelieving people?” (Qur’an 7:93( When Allah’s punishment came He saved Prophet Shu‘ayb and his followers, then an awful cry seized the wrongdoers, and they lay lifeless in their homes, on the ground, as though they had never lived there (Q. 11: 67-68 and 94-95). Ibn ‘Abbas explains that the term ‫صي َْحة‬ َ (lit. a “vehement cry” or “sound”) in the verse is a synonym of ‫صاعِ َقة‬ َ , “a thunderbolt” or the “sound of thunder”. The punishment on the Thamūd people who disobeyed Prophet Saleh was ‫“ َرجْ َفة‬violent trembling” indicating an earthquake (Q. 7:78).

Therefore, it is possible that the “vehement sound” and the “sound of thunder” mentioned here and in other verses of the Qur’an, such as that befell on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (Q. 15:73) were

75

the subterranean rumbling preceding or accompanying the earthquake and the thunder-like noise of a volcanic eruption.2 Then Allah sent his punishment to the people of Madyan, as follows: ُّ ‫َفأ َ َخ َذ ُه ْم َع َذابُ َي ْوم‬ )189:‫اب َي ْوم َعظِ يم (الشعراء‬ َ ‫ان َع َذ‬ َ ‫الظلَّ ِة إِ َّن ُه َك‬ ِ …So the torment of the Day of Shadow seized them. Indeed, that was the torment of a Great Day. (Q. 26:189) Ibn ‘Abbas was asked by Yazīd al-Bāhilī about the meaning of the above verse. He said: Allah sent upon them thunder and intense heat, and it terrified them [so they entered their houses and it pursued them to the innermost parts of their houses and terrified them further], and they ran fleeing from their houses into the fields.

Then Allah sent upon them clouds which shaded them from the sun, and they found it cool and pleasant, so they called out to one another until they had all gathered beneath the cloud, then Allah sent fire upon them. That was the torment of the Day of Shadow, indeed that was the torment of a Great Day. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar’s commentary on “the torment of the Day of Shadow” in the above verse is that the intense heat lasts for seven days. Another classical commentator, ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Zayd bin Aslam said that the intense heat burned them like roasted insects.

There are many views about the Prophet Shu‘ayb’s later life and where he died: 1. Shu’ayb and his followers settled in Mecca where he died .

2

The term ‫صيْحة‬ َّ ‫( ال‬al-ṣayḥah, “the vehement cry/sound”) in the Qur’an is found in Q. 11:67; 15:73 and 83. The term ‫صيْحة‬ َّ (ṣayḥah, “a vehement cry/sound”) in the Qur’an is found in Q. 36:29, 49, and 53; 38:15, and 54:51. In Q. 63:4 it means “a cry”. The term ‫صاعِ َقة‬ َّ ‫ ال‬, (al-ṣā‘iqah, “the thunderbolt” or “the sound of thunder”) in the Qur’an is found in Q. 2:55; 4:153; 23:41; 29:40; 50:42, and 51:44. The term ‫صَّاعِ َقة‬, (ṣā‘iqah, “a thunderbolt” or “a sound of thunder”) in the Qur’an is found in Q. 41:13.

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2. Shu‘ayb settled in Hadramaut where he died.

3. He was buried in Shaban near the Valley of Ibn ‘Ali where people came to visit his grave.

4. The tomb of Shu‘ayb is overall saved in Jordan, 2 km west of the town of Mahis in an area called Wadi Shuʿayb. Other spots in the Sinai Peninsula and Palestine were also claimed to be his tomb.

5. Another site recognized by Druze as the tomb of Shuʿayb, Nabi Shu‘ayb, is located in Hittin in the Lower Galilee. Each year on April 25, the Druze3 gather at that site to discuss their community affairs.

(CIVIC, 12 September, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ )‫ هـ‬310 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ )‫ هـ‬671 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ ) ‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuaib http://muslim-academy.com/hazrat-shuayb-great-prophet/ http://www.itsislam.net/articles/prophet_ shuayb https://www.facebook.com/notes/way-to-jannat/prophet-shuaybas/473939456042373 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/172195/Druze 3

The name “Druze” is taken from Arabic “Durūz”, plural form of “Darazī”, the followers of Muḥammad al-Darazī, the subordinate of Ḥamzah ibn ʿAlī, the founder of Druze religious beliefs which developed out of Ismāʿīlite teachings.

They believed that al-Ḥākim bī-Amr Allāh (“Ruler by the Command of Allāh”), the sixth caliph (996–1021) of the Fāṭimid dynasty of Egypt, whom they call alḤākim bī-Amrih (“Ruler by His Own Command”) did not die but vanished. One day he will return triumphantly to inaugurate a golden age.

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12. PROPHETS’ DU’A (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’AN (7) 10. Yūsuf (Joseph) Prophet Yūsuf (Joseph) a.s. is mentioned by name 27 times in the Qur’an. His name is mentioned once in Q. 6:84 and Q. 40:34.

There is a special chapter in the Qur’an bearing his name, sūrat Yūsuf (Q. 12) where his name is mentioned 25 times1 and where the story of him is mentioned in more details. However, since the object of the story is to give moral lessons besides giving consolation to the Prophet, as we shall see, not a single name is mentioned in this chapter of the Qur’an, containing 111 verses, other than himself and his for-fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are mentioned in verse 6 when Allah perfected His Favour on them, and verse 38 when Yusuf invited his inmate to worship Allah like what he himself did, that he worshiped their Lord, and never took partner with Him.2 Therefore, names mentioned here other than these names are based either on Qur’an commentators or Biblical accounts the veracity of which is questionable. However, as we are living among Christians and Jews who are familiar with the story of Yusuf as mentioned in their Bible, and being rich with moral lessons which we shall deal in due course, some of their names are also mentioned here.

Yusuf’s dream that eleven stars and the sun and the moon prostrated to him, according to Ibn ‘Abbās, Qatādah, and others, represent the eleven of his brothers, as well as his father and mother respectively.3 One of these favours was Yusuf’s ability to give interpretation of dreams (Q. 12:4 and 6). The interpretation of dreams )‫ث‬ ِ ‫ ( َتأْ ِويل ْاْلَ َحادِي‬is mentioned three times in the Qur’ān: when 1

See Q. 12:4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 21, 29,46, 51,56, 58, 69, 76, 77, 80, 84, 85, 87, 89, 90 (twice), 94, and 99.

2 It is coincident which helps us to remember that as Yusuf and his brothers are 12 in number, this sūrat Yūsuf is chapter 12 in the Qur’ān. These twelve brothers were called the children of Israel, another name for Jacob.

3 For the Bible’s account, see Genesis 37:10. Here Joseph did tell his brothers about this dream, which made them more jealous, whereas his father rebuked him (Gen. 37:9-10)

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Allah favoured Yūsuf with it (Q. 12:6), when Allah wanted to teach it to him (Q. 12:21), and when he mentioned it as one among Allah’s blessings (Q. 12:101).

Yūsuf’s brothers envied him and his brother (Bunyāmīn, Benjamin, according to the Bible), because both were dearer to their father than the rest of them, and this was not fair for them. They planned to get rid of him, either by killing him or banish him to a distant land. They knew that this was a crime, but they promised to themselves that by then they would become good sons. They agreed to the advice of their elder brother Reuben to throw him down to the bottom of the well, and to sell him as suggested by their other brother Judah.

Then they came to their father Ya‘qūb (Jacob) a.s. asking him to let Yūsuf go with them playing and enjoying themselves while they were tending their cattle. Eventually, their father allowed Yūsuf to go after they had convinced him that they would take care of him. The classical commentator al-Suddī said that the moment they were out of their father’s sight they started abusing Yūsuf, cursing and harming him by beating.

When they reached the well they had agreed to throw him dawn, they tied him with rope and lowered him down. When he tried to hold to the sides of the well they struck his hand, and when he was only half the distance from the bottom of the well they cut the rope, and he fell into the water. Luckily, he was able to stand on a stone in the wall. In this critical situation Allah revealed to him, ))11:‫ون (يوسف‬ َ ‫ َلت َن ِّب َئ َّنه ْم ِبأَم ِْر ِه ْم َه َذا َوه ْم َل َي ْشعر‬... … “Indeed, you shall (one day) inform them of this their affair, when they know [you] not.” (Q. 12:15) Ibn ‘Abbās commented on this verse as follows: “You will remind them of this evil action against you, while they are unaware of your identity and unable to recognize you.”

Then they brought his shirt stained with the blood of a sheep they had just slaughtered, then brought it to their father, telling him

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that Yusuf had been taken by a wolf while they were racing one another. As they forgot to tear off the shirt of Yusuf their father knew that they were lying, he told them that they had made up a tale, and he would firmly observe patient.4 The brothers of Yusuf remained around the well for the rest of the day to see what he might do or what might happen to him (Muhammad Ibn Isḥāq’s commentary). When a caravan of travelers came and sent their water-drawer, he let down his bucket into the well. He was happy to see Yusuf holding on to it and exclaimed: “What good news! Here is a boy” meaning a slave they could sell.

Allah said about Yusuf, َّ ‫ضا َعة َو‬ )11:‫ون (يوسف‬ َ ‫ّللا َعلِيم ِب َما َيعْ َمل‬ َ ‫َوأَ َسرُّ وه ِب‬ So they hid him as merchandise, and Allah was the All-Knower of what they did (Q. 12:190) Who were “they” who hid Yūsuf as merchandise? According to the classical commentator Ibn ‘Abbās, they were Yūsuf’s brothers.

When they saw him out of the well they said to his rescuer, the water drawer called ‫( َمالِك بْن دعْ ر‬Mālik bin Du‘r): “What a bad deed you have done! This is our slave who is running away.” Then they told Yūsuf in Hebrew to admit it, so that they could sell him to them; otherwise, he would take him and kill him. It was also said that his brother Judah told him in Hebrew to admit that he was a slave running away to save his life, and so he did, and they sold him to them as a slave. When Malik told them that he did not look like a slave they said it was because they treated him nicely like a member of the family.5 4

For Biblical accounts, see Gen. 37:12-35.

According to Rabbi Judah, Joseph was sold four times: (1) his brothers sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites (2) the Ishmaelites sold him to the Midianite traders, (3) the Midianite traders to the Medanites (4) the Medanites to the Egyptians.

Rav. Huna adds one more sale (5) the Egyptians sold him to Potiphar. (Genesis Rabbah 84:22). According to the Bible his brothers sold him to the Medianite traders, and in Egypt they sold him to Potiphar, one of the Pharaoh’s officials (Gen. 37:36). The Qur’an briefly stated, “And they sold him for a lower price, -5

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Allah knew what they were doing, and could prevented them from committing their crimes, but He had decreed otherwise out of His perfect wisdom. As we shall see, Allah wanted him to be an important and influential person in Egypt who eventually rescued his whole family, parents and brothers, from starvation.

Then he was sold to “a man from Egypt”, a noble man or a minister who was entitled ’Azīz. According to Abdullah Yusuf Ali, “Aziz is a title of a nobleman or officer of Court, of high rank.

Considering all of the circumstances, the office of Grand Chamberlain or minister may be indicated.” He thought the term aziz was not an office, but a title, and therefore, he did not translate it. It could be in modern time, like “Excellency” or “Highness”. According to the Biblical account he was called in the Bible Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. So, eventually Yusuf was in good hands. The aziz treated him well, not as a slave. He said to his wife: )20:‫(يوسف‬...‫ أَ ْك ِرمِي َم ْث َواه َع َسى أَنْ َي ْن َف َع َنا أَ ْو َن َّت ِخ َذه َولَدا‬...

“Make his stay comfortable, may be he will profit us or we shall adopt him as a son.” (Q. 12:21) When Yusuf attained his full manhood in Egypt Allah gave him wisdom and knowledge, namely, the prophethood. Because he was so handsome, the wife of the Aziz tried to seduce him, but he rejected. Although he was innocent he was put in jail, so that people would think that he was guilty of seduction. In prison he had two jail mates; each of them had a dream. One of them saw in his dream that he was pressing wine, and the other saw that he was carrying bread in his head and birds were eating it. Before giving interpretation of their dreams, Yusuf as a prophet invited them to tawḥīd, worshipping Allah Alone, following the religion of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To the former he said that he would be saved and would pour wine to his master. To the other he said that he would be crucified and birds would eat from his head. He asked to the former to mention his case to his king, but Satan made him for a few Dirham (i.e., for a few silver coin. And they are of those who regarded him insignificant.” Q. 12:20)

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forget it, and Yusuf remained in the jail for a few years, (five years according to al-Qurṭubī, seven years according to Wahb ibn Munabbih).

When Yusuf gave the interpretation of the King’s dream he was released as innocent from the prison. His dream was that seven lean cows devour seven fat cows, and seven green ears of corn and seven others withered. Yusuf said that he will receive the usual amount of rain and fertility for seven consecutive years (seven fat cows produce fruits and vegetables represent seven years producing seven green ears of corn in the dream). Here is his advice to the king: Leave whatever you harvest during those seven fertile years in the ears to preserve it better and stay healthy longer, except the amount he needs to eat. Then the harvest of seven years of drought would follow where whatever you plant will not produce anything, represented by seven lean cows that eat seven fat cows. During this time you will eat from the harvest you collected during the seven fertile years. Then a fertile year will follow where there will be rain and the land will produce in abundance.

The king was happy, trusted him and gave him high status.

When the king said that nobody could do this job, even the whole people of Egypt were unable to do this work, and were not reliable, Yusuf asked the king to be a minister of finance in charge of the harvest storehouses, and the king whose name was al-Rayyān ibn alWalīd (‫)الرَّ يَّان بْن ْال َولِيْد‬, accepted his request.6 Moreover, the king gave him full authority, to do whatever he wanted, and to go wherever he wanted. He became de facto ruler of Egypt. Allah said in the Qur’an about this, ‫ض َي َت َب َّوأ ِم ْن َها َحيْث َي َشاء نصِ يب‬ َ ‫ك َم َّك َّنا لِيوس‬ َ ِ‫َو َك َذل‬ ِ ْ‫ف فِي ْاْلَر‬ )16:‫ِين (يوسف‬ َ ‫ِب َرحْ َم ِت َنا َمنْ َن َشاء َو َل نضِ يع أَجْ َر ْالمحْ سِ ن‬ Thus We give full authority to Yusuf in the land to take 6

According to the classical Qur’an commentator Mujāhid, he also answered Yusuf’s call to religion of his father and fore-fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to worship Allah Alone, namely, Islam and became Muslim, (as Islam is the religion of all prophets from Adam to Muhammad s.a.w.). Many Egyptians also followed him and became Muslims.

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possession therein, when or where he likes (Q. 12:56) Here, the table has turned: Yusuf who had been sold as a slave now has become the ruler of Egypt. Before, he was confined in prison, now he is free and can go wherever he likes.

We wonder why they could not get water from the Nile in the time of drought that lasted seven years. It is because they were living in a town called Tanis (San al-Hajar), and in Old Testament was called Zoan, an ancient city of Lower Egypt in the Nile Delta. Its present location is approximately in the midst of the triangle of the present cities of Ismailia, Port Said and Mansoura. It is far from the river Nile to get its water. In normal condition rain water is sufficient for cultivating the land. It was just a matter of temporary climate change. Therefore, the idea of digging a canal from the Nile or moving away to another place was out of the question.

TO BE CONTUNUED

(CIVIC, 19 September, 2014)

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13. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (8) 10. Yūsuf (Joseph) cont.

The seven years of drought Egypt also reached Canaan, (the part of Palestine between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, including Jerusalem) where Yūsuf’s family lived. When his brothers came to Egypt to buy food, he recognized them, but they did not recognize him. This was the first visit. Ibn ‘Abbās said that Yūsuf asked his interpreter to tell them that they might be spies, as they spoke a different language and wore different dress. The ten brothers denied, and told about their background, that they had an old father, and were twelve brothers, one “perished in the desert” (meaning Yūsuf), and the other stayed with their old father.

Yūsuf honoured them and told them to bring their brother from their father’s side (meaning Benjamin) next time as evidence that they were telling the truth, or they would not be allowed to buy food. He ordered his steward to put back secretly the merchandise they brought with them in exchange for food in their bags, so that they would come again.

When they went back to their father they told him that Benjamin had to go with them next time, otherwise they would not get food from Egypt. Moreover, when they opened their bags they found their merchandise returned to them, which meant they got a camel’s load of corn for free. They told him that by allowing Benjamin to come with them they would get more food.

When Yūsuf saw his younger brother Benjamin with them in their second trip he took him aside telling him his identity, but not to reveal it, and not to grieve for what they had done to him. Yūsuf plotted with Benjamin to keep him (Benjamin) in Egypt. Yūsuf ordered his steward to put secretly his silver bowl in Benjamin’s bag.

After they had left suddenly the steward went after them telling them that they were thieves. They denied it, and agreed that the thief would be punished according to the law of Ibrāhīm, that he would become a slave of the victim. As they found the cup in Benjamin’s bag he would become a slave. They protested their

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innocence saying that if it were doing so, his brother meaning Yusuf had also stolen before.1 As they had promised their father to bring Benjamin back as they had done with Yūsuf, they begged for clemency that Benjamin had an old father, who loved him very much, and take one of them in his place. Yusuf rejected the idea as it is unfair to free the criminal and to punish the innocent. The eldest brother Reuben, who did not want to return without Binyāmīn (Benjamin) as he and his brothers had promised, stayed in Egypt, awaiting Allah’s decision, either to return or to release Benjamin.

Hearing the grave news that his sons remained in Egypt, Ya‘qūb told them the same words he had said when they brought false blood on Yūsuf’s shirt, ْ‫صبرْ​ْ َجمِيل‬ َ ‫َبلْ​ْ َس َّولَتْ​ْلَ ُكمْ​ْأَنفُ ُس ُكمْ​ْأَمرً اْ َف‬ “Nay, but your own selves have beguiled you into something.

So, patience is most fitting (for me)” (Q. 12:83) Before, Ya‘qūb lost one son, Yusuf. Now, he has lost two more sons, but he kept praying that Allah might bring them back to him. So, he said, 33:‫ّللا ُْأَنْ​ْ َيأ ِت َينِيْ ِب ِهمْ​ْ َجمِي ًعاْإِ َّن ُْهْه َُْوْال َعلِي ُْمْال َحكِي ُْمْ(ْيوسف‬ َّْ ْ‫) َع َسى‬ “May be Allah will bring them (back) all to me.

Truly He! Only Hed is All-Knowing (in my distress), the All-Wise (in His decision)” (Q. 12:83) 1

A story said that his aunt who loved him very much and wanted to keep him longer with her lied by telling his mother that he had stolen and therefore, as punishment, she kept him longer with her. His brothers later repeated this allegation. Yūsuf used the same trick to keep his younger brother Benjamin with him. However, unlike the Qur’an where Yūsuf secretly revealed his identity to Benjamin and comforted him by telling him “Verily, I am your brother, so grieve not for what they used to do” (Q. 12:69), the Bible apparently was silent in this matter. This would have made him stressed, and should have protested about his innocence, that someone else had put the cup into his bag. Yūsuf made himself known only to all his brothers after telling others to leave his presence. He and Benjamin embraced each other weeping, kissed all his brothers weeping (Gen. 45:1-14)

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In the third trip to Egypt Yu‘qūb ordered his children to enquire in polite way about the news of Yūsuf and his brother Benjamin, and not to despair of Allah’s mercy. They told Yūsuf their sufferings and afflictions because of severe droughts, and that they and their family were hit with hard time and scarce of food. Despite their little money they asked him to be generous to them including by returning their brother Benjamin to them. Yūsuf felt pity with them, and remembered his father’s grief of losing his two children, Benjamin and himself. It is in this third meeting by Allah’s command, after over two years hiding his identity, when the affliction became harder, Yūsuf revealed his true identity, asking his brothers, ْ )38:‫ونْ(يوسف‬ َْ ُ ‫ُفْ َوأَخِي ِْهْإِذْ​ْأَن ُتمْ​ْ َجا ِهل‬ َْ ‫ْ َهلْ​ْ َعلِم ُتمْ​ْ َماْ َف َعل ُتمْ​ْ ِبيُوس‬...

“Do you know what you did with Yūsuf and his brother, when you were ignorant?” (Q. 12:89) In other words, “Did you know that it was your ignorance of the grave sin you are committing by separating Yūsuf and his brother Benjamin?” Allah had inspired him when they put him in the well that one day he would remind them of this incident.

They asked in amazement whether he was really Yūsuf. When he did, he told them that Allah had been gracious to them by gathering them together after being separated for long time. He told them further that whoever feared Allah and became patient, Allah would keep the reward of his goodness.

They acknowledged Yūsuf’s virtue above them when they said: “By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us, and we certainly have been sinners.” (Q. 12:91). He told them that there would be no blame for them that day, and he would not remind them of their error against him. He not only totally forgave them, but also asked Allah’s forgiveness for them. Moreover, he told them to bring his shirt to their father, and then to take the whole family to move to Egypt. The good news came one after the other, after years of suffering.

According to the classical Qur’an commentators Mujāhid and al-Suddī, Judah who had brought Yūsuf’s shirt tainted with false

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blood, brought this time Yūsuf’s shirt, hoping to erase his error with good act. He placed it on his father’s face as requested by Yūsuf, and his eyesight was restored to him. Then he told them, “Didn’t I tell you that I know from Allah something you do not know, that Allah will bring Yūsuf back to me?” By then they admitted their mistakes, and asked their father to Allah’s forgiveness for their sins, which he did late at night.

While the whole family of Ya‘qūb was leaving Canaan for good, Yūsuf prepared a welcome party for them. It is said the king himself ordered princes and notables to join him and Yūsuf in the party to receive Ya‘qūb and his family. They all went out to receive them. We have to remember that Yūsuf was son of a prophet (Ya‘qūb), who was son of a prophet (Isḥāq), who was a son of a prophet (Ibrāhīm), peace be upon them. When they arrived he Yūsuf took his parentsْto himself and said to them, )88:‫ِينْ(يوسف‬ َْ ‫ّللا ُْآ ِمن‬ َّْ ْ‫ْاد ُخلُواْمِص َْرْإِنْ​ْ َشا َْء‬...

“Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in security” (Q. 12:99) Then he raised them to his bedstead where he sat and the whole family prostrated before him. He then told his father that this was the interpretation of his dream when he told him that he saw in a dream eleven stars, and the sun and the moon prostrated themselves to him. (Q. 12:4) He told him further that Allah had done good to him when He took him out of the prison, and brought them all out of the Bedouin-life, after the Satan had sown enmity between him and his brothers (Q. 12:100). It was Satan, then, to be blamed for sowing enmity in his brothers.

This practice of prostrating oneself before a person was no longer allowed in Islam. When the companion of the Prophet, Mu‘ādh bin Jabal, saw people prostrating themselves before their priests in Syria, he did the same to the Prophet, but he prohibited it.

The invocation of Prophet Yūsuf a.s. started with mentioning Allah’s favour to him, then asked Him as the Only Creator of the universe and the Protector in the world and the Hereafter, to cause him die as a Muslim, and join him with the righteous. He prayed:

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ْ‫ض‬ ِْ ‫ثْ َفاطِ َْرْال َّس َم َاوا‬ ِْ ‫يلْاْلَ َحادِي‬ ِْ ‫ِنْالمُلكِْ​ْ َو َعلَّم َتنِيْمِنْ​ْ َتأ ِو‬ َْ ‫َربْ​ْ َقدْ​ْآ َتي َتنِيْم‬ ِ ‫تْ َواْلَر‬ 101:‫ِينْ(يوسف‬ َْ ‫تْ َولِييْفِيْال ُّدن َياْ َواْلخ َِرِْةْ َت َو َّفنِيْمُسلِمًاْ َوأَلحِقنِيْ ِبالصَّالِح‬ َْ ‫)أَن‬ “My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams—the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth!

You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, God, Lord) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous.” (Q. 12:101) Allah said in the beginning of this surah (chapter) of the Qur’an: ْ‫ك‬ َْ ‫صْ ِب َماْأَو َحي َناْإِلَي‬ ِْ ‫ص‬ َْ ‫كْأَح َس‬ َْ ‫َنحنُْ​ْ َنقُصُّْ​ْ َعلَي‬ َ ‫نْال َق‬ ْ )3:‫ِينْ(يوسف‬ َْ ‫ِنْال َغا ِفل‬ َْ ‫تْمِنْ​ْ َقبلِ ِْهْلَم‬ َْ ‫آنْ َوإِنْ​ْ ُكن‬ َْ ‫َه َذاْالقُر‬ We relate unto you the best of stories through Our revelations unto you, of this Qur’an. And before this, you were among those who knew nothing about it (Q. 12:3) The story of Yūsuf is said to be the best revealed in the Qur’an, and some commentators give their views, as follows: 1. It contains warning or deterrent examples, and wisdom more than in any chapter of the Qur’an.

2. It contains Yūsuf’s good behaviour in disregarding his brothers errors, his patient over their bad deeds and his forgiving them when they met. He said that it was Satan who created enmity between him and his brothers.

3. It contains the story of prophets, pious people, angels, satans, jinn, human beings, cattle and birds, kings and kingdoms, business people, scholars, ignorant, men and women and their temptation, belief in oneness of Allah, religious law, biography, interpretation of dreams, politics, social interaction, life management, and the whole benefits for our lives and religion.

In other words, it contains various aspects of life.

4. It contains the lover and the beloved one and their life stories.

5. The term aḥsan (the best) in the verse means a‘jab (the most marvelous). Some scholars of rhetoric say that it is so, because

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everything in the story ends up with happiness: Yusuf and his parents and family settled in Egypt, the wife of the aziz was not to be blamed because of the irresistibility of Yusuf’s handsomeness, the king became a devout Muslim, and Yusuf’s inmates also believed and followed him. The story ends up with a happy ending.

Although the name Pharaoh was mentioned in the Bible, and that Potiphar was the captain of his guards, he was not mentioned in the story of Yusuf in the Qur’ān. He was just called the King, probably because the name “Pharaoh” in the Qur’ān is associated with disbelief and oppression, and he might also belong to a new dynasty.

The Pharaohs of Egypt consist of many dynasties. One dynasty could die out, replaced or overthrown by another, sometimes by foreign rulers. The new ruler could be the Hyksos Pharaohs who were contemporaries of Abraham (c. 2000 BC), and were thrown out of Egypt about 1700 BC, probably after the death of Yūsuf. The Hyksos Pharaohs were of Semitic tribes, descendants of Shem, relatives of the Hebrew, and therefore welcomed and treated Yusuf’s family nicely, whereas the Egyptians were of Hamitic tribes, descendants of Ham. This Pharaoh gave Yusuf’s brothers the land of Goshen, the best part of the country. Yusuf came to Egypt in the right time in the right place.

(CIVIC, 26 September, 2014) ‫المراجع‬:

‫المكتبةْالشاملة‬ (‫ْهـ‬310ْ.‫تفسيرْالطبريْ(ت‬ (‫ْهـ‬171ْ.‫تفسيرْالقرطبىْ(ت‬ (‫ْهـ‬777ْ.‫تفسيرْابنْكثيرْ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 Funk & Wagnalls. Standard Dictionary of the English Language, 1973 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28son_of_Jacob%29 http://committedtotruth.wordpress.com/2009/10/17/questionwho-was-pharaoh-during-josephs-life/

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14. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ḤAJJ (PILGRIMAGE) AND ITS RITUALS Hajj or pilgrimage resembles the re-enactment of the experiences of the Prophet Abraham whose epithet was ‫َخلِ ْي ُل هللا‬ (“Allah’s friend”, “Allah’s beloved one”). He was the fore-father of Semitic prophets, and his selfless sacrifice has no parallel in the history of humankind. Hajj symbolizes the spiritual journey of our life. Life itself is a journey, from birth to death and beyond. We need guidance in our journey of life, as we need it in our pilgrimage journey. We have to know what to do and what not to do in our journey, either in life by following Islam or in pilgrimage by following the rituals prescribed in Islam, some of which are as follows: 1. Al-Iḥrām = state of sanctity The first step of our journey is to be in the state of ihram. We wash and wear a special kind of clothes (unstitched peace of white material cloth which looks like our coffin), make our intention for this sacred and spiritual journey, leaving our material world behind. In this state we are not allowed to do things which we usually can do in our normal material life, such as killing animals, cutting our nails and hair.

2. Al-Ṭawāf (Circumambulation) When we as pilgrims arrive at Makkah we go to the Holy Sanctuary (al-Masjid al-Ḥarām), and perform ṭawāf al-qudūm, namely, circumambulation around the Ka‘bah which is also called Baytullāh (“the House of Allah”) upon our arrival. This is obligatory, as Allah said: )92:‫ِيق (الحج‬ ِ ‫ور ُه ْم َو ْل َيطوفُوا ِب ْال َب ْي‬ َ ‫ُثم ْل َي ْقضُوا َت َف َث ُه ْم َو ْليُوفُوا ُن ُذ‬ ِ ‫ت ْال َعت‬ Then let them complete their prescribed duties (manasik hajj) and perform their vows, and circumambulate the Ancient House (the Ka‘bah) (Q. 22:29) This act is also a reminiscence of the building of the Ka‘bah by Prophet Abraham and Ishmael in its original foundation. In the material world the similar things happen, that everything keeps moving: the electrons encircle the protons of the atoms, the moon encircles the earth, the earth

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in turn encircles the sun, and the sun keeps moving in the Milky Way. The Milky Way and other galaxies also keep moving away and expanding the universe; in the spiritual world the angels are around the ‘Arsh (Throne) glorifying Allah, ‫ون ِب ِه‬ َ ‫ُون ِب َح ْم ِد َرب ِ​ِّه ْم َوي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬ َ ‫ش َو َمنْ َح ْولَ َه ُي َس ِّبح‬ َ ْ‫ون ْال َعر‬ َ ُ ‫ِين َيحْ ِمل‬ َ ‫الذ‬ ْ ‫ت ُكل َشيْ ء َرحْ َمة َوعِ ْلما َف‬ َ ْ‫ِين آ َم ُنوا َرب َنا َوسِ ع‬ ْ‫اغفِر‬ َ ‫ُون لِلذ‬ َ ‫َو َيسْ َت ْغ ِفر‬ ْ َ ‫ك َوق ِ​ِه ْم َع َذ‬ )7:‫ِيم (غافر‬ َ ‫ِين َتابُوا َوات َبعُوا َس ِبي َل‬ َ ‫لِلذ‬ ِ ‫اب ال َجح‬ Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah) (saying): “Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive who repent and follow Your way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire” (Q. 40:7) 3. Al-Wuqūf bi-‘Arafah (Standing on the Plain of Arafah).

On the ninth day of Dhul Hijjah, between dawn and sunset every Muslim has to be present in this plain of Arafah, where the Mt. Arafah is located. The pilgrim has to be present there or his pilgrimage would not be completed. The Prophet s.a.w. said, )‫ (رواه ابن ماجة‬...‫ْال َحج َع َر َف ُة‬ Pilgrimage is (with being in) Arafah….

(Reported by Ibn Majah) That day all pilgrims were in one place, a reminder of the coming Grand Assembly on the Judgment Day when people will stand equal before God waiting for their final destiny, and as the Prophet Muhammad said, "Allah does not judge according to your bodies and appearances, but he scans your hearts and looks into your deeds." The pilgrims chant answering the call Allah through Prophet Abraham a.s. and later Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. to come to visit the Ka’bah, citing, as taught by the Prophet s.a.w., as follows: ،‫ إِن ْال َحمْ َد‬.‫ك‬ َ ‫ك لَب ْي‬ َ َ‫ك ل‬ َ ‫ك لَ َش ِري‬ َ ‫ لَب ْي‬.‫ك‬ َ ‫ك اللهُم لَب ْي‬ َ ‫لَب ْي‬ .)‫ك (رواه مالك‬ َ َ‫ك ل‬ َ ‫ك لَ َش ِري‬ َ ‫ َو ْالم ُْل‬.‫ك‬ َ َ‫َوال ِّنعْ َم َة ل‬ “O Allah, here we are responding to your call. Oh God,

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(we witness that) there are no partners with You. To You belongs all Praise, Grace and Dominion.”

(Reported by Malik) It was in this plain of ‘Arafah that the Prophet proclaimed the completion of his mission. Allah said, ُ ‫ت لَ ُك ْم دِي َن ُك ْم َوأَ ْت َمم‬ ُ ‫ْال َي ْو َم أَ ْك َم ْل‬ ‫ْت َعلَ ْي ُك ْم نِعْ َمتِي‬ ُ ِ‫َو َرض‬ )3:‫اْلسْ َ​َل َم دِينا (المائدة‬ ِ ْ ‫يت َل ُك ُم‬ "This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam, or submission to God, as your religion" (Qur’an 5:3( 4. Sacrifice Sacrifice which is done on the same day of the Feast, ‘Īd alAḍḥā, is the reminiscent of the sacrifice of Prophet Abraham a.s. After three night vision of sacrificing his only son, he became certain that it was Allah’s command which had to be executed. However, at the last moment, Allah replaced his son with a ram. This was the highest level of sacrifice, sacrificing what you love most; it is total obedience.

Although Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) is not mentioned by name in the Qur’an, there are many indications that he was the intended son to be sacrificed, whereas according to the Christians it was Isḥāq (Isaac).

When Prophet Abraham prayed for offspring from the righteous, Allah gave him glad tiding of a forbearing boy (Q. 37:100-101). The boy Ishmael was born when Abraham was 86 years old (Gen. 16:16), whereas Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old (Gen. 21:5). Abraham was 99 years old and Ishmael was 13 years, when they were both circumcised (Gen. 17:24-26).

Then Allah commanded Abraham to take his wife Hajar and his baby Ishmael to Makkah to live there, long before Isaac was born. He asked Allah to protect them and to provide them with food and make people love them (Q. 14:37). When Hajar asked whether this was Allah’s command to take them to

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Makkah or his own will, he said that it was Allah’s command, and that made her content. Abraham then visited them regularly in Makkah. It was said that Ishmael was 8 years old when his father visited him and a vision that he sacrificed his son Ishmael.1 He was the only son of Abraham at that time.2 5. Stoning Satan (Iblis) After 8 years leaving Hajar and Ishmael in Makkah he came back to visit them. They were overjoyed, but at the same time Abraham had a vision that he sacrificed Ishmael in three executive nights, meaning it was Allah’s command. He asked his wife to dress up Ishmael, and told her that he was taking him to a friend, meaning Allah. So Abraham took his son Ishmael from Makkah to Mina where he would be sacrificed. They arrived on the same day due to the short distance; about 12 km.3 When According to Biblical account, Sarah ordered Hajar and Ishmael to be taken away, because Ishmael was mocking. They were taken to Beersheba. Ishmael must have been over 14 years old. He cried out of thirst, and the angel told her that God had heard the boy crying, to lift him by the hand, and he would be made into a great nation. When she opened her eyes she saw a well of water.

They lived in the Desert of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him (Gen. 21:820) 2 When the Bible said, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah (Gen. 22:2), this indicated that Abraham did not like Ishmael, which was unlikely, although he was the first born, and the answer of his prayer, because Isaac was the only son he loved.

Moriah where Isaac was to be sacrificed is the present Mt. Zion. This mount is very important for the Jewish tradition, as it was the central of Jewish history.

Here Jacob dreamed of a ladder to heaven, the place where King Solomon later built the first Temple, and where Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead.

Today, the Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem, stands on the site of the sacrifice of Isaac. It was the place where Adam first offered sacrifice, as well as his sons Cain and Abel. The Land of Moriah was said to have been the place where God created the universe, and the dust of Moriah is said to have been used to create Adam.

3 According to the Bible it took 3 days for Abraham, Isaac and two servants to reach the place where Isaac would be sacrificed. The distance was 50 miles (over 75km) which took them 3 days either from Beersheba or the land of Philistine to reach their destination. On the third day the two servants were 1

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they reached Mina, Abraham told him that he had a dream that he sacrificed him, and asked his opinion. The son said, “My father, obey the command given by Allah. You will, Insha’Allah, find me steadfast (Q. 37:101-102). Give my shirt to my mother as it will be a source of comfort for her and wrap me in your own shirt. Put me face down so you can’t see my face, lest you hesitate in carrying out my slaughter.” This was a test for both of them. On their way, Satan persuaded him not to obey Allah.

Satan came to Hajar, telling her that when Abraham told her he was taking Ishmael to a friend, he meant he was taking to Allah by sacrificing him. When she asked whether it was Allah’s command, he said it was. Then she said even one hundred Ishmaels could be sacrifice in that way.

In Mina Satan appeared in three spots to distract him and to disobey Allah. Gabriel told him to pelt Satan, so he threw seven stones at him, and Satan disappeared. This spot is called Jamratul Ūlā (the First Place for Throwing). Satan appeared again, and Gabriel told him again to throw 7 stone at him, and he disappeared him. |This spot is called Jamratul Wusṭā (the Middle Place for Throwing). Satan appeared again, and Gabriel told Abraham to pelt him again, and he did with seven stones, and Satan disappeared again. This spot is called Jamratul ‘Aqabah (steep place for throwing). Following this ritual, the pilgrims are required to resist Satan’s temptation in obeying Allah, so that when they come back they would become better Muslims.

6. Running between Mt. Ṣafā and Mt. Marwah When the child Ishmael became thirsty, his mother went back and forth franticly between the two hills, Mt. Ṣafā and Mt. Marwah to find water. When she returned to her baby who was left behind, and Isaac asked his father, “…, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” His father answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son!” Isaac only knew that he was the intended sacrifice when his father bound him and laid him on the altar on the top of the wood.

(Gen. 22: 4-9)

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crying suddenly water came out, either by Ishmael who hit the ground or by Gabriel, now called the well of Zamzam inside the Masjid al-Ḥarām.

7. Visiting the Prophet Although visiting the tomb of the Prophet is not obligatory for the pilgrims, it is highly recommended to visit his tomb which is inside the mosque of Madinah. He said: ْ ‫ار َقب ِْري َو َج َب‬ (‫ارقُ ْطنِي َو َغيْره‬ َ ‫ت لَ ُه َش َفا َعتِي ) َر َواهُ الد‬ َ ‫َمنْ َز‬ Whoever visited my grave my intercession would be incumbent for him. (Reported by al-Dāraquṭnī and others) In general, returning from performing the accepted pilgrimage is like being “born gain” Muslim. The Prophet s.a.w. said: ْ ُ‫ْت َفلَ ْم َيرْ ف‬ َ ‫َمنْ َحج ْال َبي‬ )‫ث َولَ ْم َي ْفس ُْق َر َج َع َك َما َولَ َد ْت ُه أُم ُه (رواه أحمد‬ Whoever performs the pilgrimage to the House (of Allah) without committing any act of obscene manner and corruption therein he would return as if he was just born by his mother (Reported by Ahmad) )CIVIC, 3 October, 2014( :‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ )‫ هـ‬313 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ )‫ هـ‬171 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ )‫ هـ‬777 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28son_of_Jacob%29 The Egyptian Society for Spiritual and Cultural Research http://www.gotquestions.org/Abraham-Isaac.html#ixzz3EiEW2S00 www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/.../Vayera/.../ake dah.htm http://www.amazonintl.in/forum/index.php/topic,19048.0.html

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15. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (9) 11. Sulaymān (Solomon) a.s.

Sulaymān (Solomon) a.s. is mentioned 17 times in the Qur’an (Q. 2:102 –twice; 4:163; 6:84; 21: 78, 79, 81; 27:15, 16, 17, 18, 30, 36, 44; 34:12; 38:30, 34). He was the son of Dāwūd (David) a.s., a prophet who was a son of a prophet according to the Qur’an, whereas according to the Bible he was a king and a son of a king.

However, there is indication that both Dāwūd and Sulaymān were also kings. Allah said, “We made his [Dāwūd’s] kingdom strong and gave him wisdom (prophethood) and sound judgment in speech and decision.” (Q. 38:20); “O Dāwūd (David)!, Verily, We have placed you as a successor on the earth …(Q. 38:26), “… and Allah gave him (Dāwūd) the kingdom and wisdom (i.e., prophethood)…(Q. 2:251).

Sulaymān inherited the knowledge of his father and gathered before him his hosts of jinn, mankind and birds, all were set in battle order (Q. 27:16, 17).1 Sulaymān was born and died in Jerusalem. He was said to start his rule in ca. 970 BC and died in 931 BC after forty years as ruler of Israel. He was buried in the City of David. His son Rehoboam 1

As a righteous king, Sulaymān was not an idolater, as claimed by the Old Testament. According to Islam, all prophets sent down to man by Allah (God) from Adam to Muhammad s.a.w. belonged to the same true religion, Islam (lit. , “submission to the will of God”). Idolatry, worshipping idols, or anything other than God is the gravest sin (Q. 4:48). But according to the Old Testament, Sulaymān disobeyed God by marrying foreign women which turned his heart after their gods. He had seven hundred wives, and three hundred concubines, and this number was considered by some scholars as an exaggeration. So, God appeared to him twice, became angry with him and would tear his kingdom, not in his lifetime, for the sake of his father David, but after his death. Solomon strengthened his kingdom through marital alliances, but at the expense of his obedience to his Lord. For full details, see 1 Kings, 11:1-13. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. also married 13 wives, all of them were widows except Ā’ishah bint Abu Bakr, not at the expense of his mission, but rather to strengthen his relations and alliance with people of various tribes and clans in delivering his mission and propagating Islam.

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succeeded him, and his empire became divided into two; (1) Sāmirah (Samaria) in the north whose capital was Sabsatiyyah (Sebastia), destroyed by the Assyrian under Surjun II (Sargon II) in 722 BC, and is inhabitants were deported to Assyria; (2) Yahūdhā (Judah) in the south whose capital was Jerusalem, destroyed by the Chaldeans under Bukhtunaṣṣar (Nebuchadnezzar) in 586 BC and took its people as slaves. Eventually, the empire of Solomon became lost.

As a king Allah tested Sulaymān with a (lifeless) body (jasad) put on his throne, and he returned back to Him (Q. 38:34). Rejecting commentaries based on Talmud sources, the classical Qur’an commentator Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī (d. 606/1210) suggests that the “lifeless” body in Sulaymān’s throne was metonymically he himself and his kingly power, for lacking moral values. He realized it, and he returned to Him, asking Him forgiveness. He prayed: ْ َ​َ‫لَ َرب‬ َ َ​َ‫لَ َي ْن َبغِيَ ِ​ِلَ َحد‬ َ َ َ‫اغفِرَْ​َلِيَ َو َهبَْ​َلِيَم ُْل ًكا‬ َ​َ ‫َقا‬ َ )33:‫تَ ْال َوهَّابَُ​َ(ص‬ َ​َ ‫كَأَ ْن‬ َ​َ ‫مِنَْ​َ َبعْ دِيَإِ َّن‬ He said: “My Lord! Forgive me, and bestow upon me a kingdom such as shall not belong to any other after me: Verily, You are the Bestower.” (Q. 38:35) He asked Allah’s forgiveness for his attachment to the worldly kingdom, and prayed for a spiritual kingdom which could not be inherited by anyone. So, Allah accepted his prayer by subjecting the wind which blew gently by his order wherever he willed, the jinn who worked for him as builders, especially in doing difficult tasks which humans were unable to do; some of them dived into the sea collecting pearls and jewels and other precious things, while others who rebelled and refused to work were tied up in chains. Then Allah said to him, “This is Our Gift, so spend you or withhold, no account will be asked of you” (Q. 38:36-39). Moreover, Allah guaranteed that these jinn would not be able to harm him (Q. 21:82).2 2

It is mentioned in the Old Testament that God asked Solomon whatever he wanted. He asked wisdom and knowledge, rather than wealth, riches, honour, or long life. So, God gave him wisdom and knowledge, in addition to wealth, riches and honour, no king before him had ever had, and no king after him

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Allah gave great blessings and favour to Dāwūd and his son Sulaymān, the position of being prophets and power and authority they enjoyed in this world. He said, َ َ‫ضلَ َنا‬ َ َ ‫انَعِ ْلمًاَ َو َق‬ َ​َ ‫َولَ َق َْدَآَ َت ْي َناَ َداوُ و َ​َدَ َو ُسلَ ْي َم‬ َّ ‫لِلَ​َالَّذِيَ َف‬ ِ َّ ِ َ‫الَ ْال َح ْم َُد‬ َ )13:‫ِينَ(النمل‬ َ​َ ‫َعلَىَ َكثِيرَ​َمِنَْ​َعِ َبا ِدَِهَ ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬ And indeed We gave knowledge to Dāwūd and Sulaymān, and they both said: “All the praises and thanks to Allah, Who has preferred us above many of His believing servants.”(Q. 27:15) After the death of Dāwūd his son Sulaymān inherited from him (Q. 27:16) the inheritance of kingship and prophethood, rather than wealth, as prophets’ wealth cannot be inherited. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said : َ ‫صدَ َق ًَة‬ َُ ‫ور‬ َ َ َ‫َنحْ نَُ​َ َ​َم َعاشِ َ​َرَ ْاِلَ ْن ِب َيا َِء‬ َ َ‫ثَ َماَ َت َر ْك َناهَُ َفه َ​َُو‬ َ ‫لَ ُن‬ ”We Prophets cannot be inherited from; whatever we leave behind is charity.َ Among the blessings of Allah bestowed on Sulaymān was his ability to understand the language of the birds and animals in addition to his complete authority and power whereby human beings, jinn, and birds were subjugated to himَ(Q. 27:16). When he and his army reached the valley of the ants (in the present town of Ascalon) one of the ants said: “O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaymān and his army should crush you, while they perceive not.”

(Q. 27:17-18).3 Sulaymān smiled and amused with her speech, then said: َ َ‫ل‬ َ​َ ‫تَ َعلَيََّ​َ َو َعلَىَ َوالِدَيََّ​َ َوأَنَْ​َأَعْ َم‬ َ​َ ‫كَالَّتِيَأَ ْن َع ْم‬ َ​َ ‫َربَ​َأَ ْو ِزعْ نِيَأَنَْ​َأَ ْش ُك َ​َرَنِعْ َم َت‬ )11:‫ِينَ(النمل‬ َ​َ ‫كَالصَّالِح‬ َ​َ ‫كَفِيَعِ َبا ِد‬ َ​َ ‫ضاَهَُ َوأَ ْدخ ِْلنِيَ ِب َرحْ َم ِت‬ َ ْ‫صالِحً اَ َتر‬ َ would ever have. He owned 12,000 horses with horsemen and 1,400 chariots (2 Chronicles 1-12, 14).

3 There is a story of a woman carrying her baby was walking by a creek.

Suddenly, her baby fell into the water. A monkey came to rescue the baby, gave it to its mother, and talked to her in monkey language to be more careful in future.

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“My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favors which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves.” (Q. 27:19) The Qur’an commentator Ibn Khathīr commented on this verses saying that what Sulaymān meant was, “Inspire me to give thanks for the blessings You have bestowed upon me by teaching me to understand what the birds and animals say, and the blessings that You have bestowed upon my parents by making them Muslims who believe in You.’ When Sulaymān inspected the birds he found that the hoopoe was absent, and he would punish or slaughter him unless he gave clear reason. He was absent “for a short time only”, but he brought new information. He just came from Saba’ (Sheba) where it was ruled by a powerful and rich queen (Bilqis bint Sharāhīl). She had a great throne. She and her people worshiped the sun. Sulaymān asked him to bring his letter to her, then drew back. It contained, “It is from Sulaymān, and it (reads): In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Be you not exalted against me, but come to me submitting (as Muslims)! In other words, “do not refuse or be too arrogant to come to me….” (Q. 27:20-31).

After consulting her chiefs Queen Bilqis decided to send Sulaymān a gift to see his response. He did not pay attention to it, and said not to flatter him with wealth so that he would leave them alone with their idolatry and their kingdom. He told the messengers to come back to her with her undelivered gift, and he would come with armies they could not resist, and they would be humiliated and driven out with disgrace from their land (Q. 27:32-37).

The distance between Sheba and Jerusalem is about 3000 km which could take three months on camel’s back, and Queen Bilqis decided to come with the leaders of her people to Jerusalem to meet

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Sulaymān.4 Before she arrived Sulaymān had asked his chiefs if any of them would be able to bring her throne. An ‘Ifrit among the jinn (demons), a giant one, could bring it before Sulaymān rose from his place. His scribe, called Āṣif bin Barkhiyā, a truthful believer who knew the Great Name of Allah, said he would bring it within the twinkling of an eye. When they saw it before them, Sulaymān said, “This is by the grace of my Lord to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for himself; and whoever is ungrateful, certainly my Lord is rich, Bountiful.” (Q. 27:38-40) Sulaymān ordered to alter some of the features of her throne to see whether she would still recognize it or not. When it was shown to her, she said that it looked like it. He ordered his jinn to build for her a palace of glass beneath which water was flowing.

When she entered the palace she thought it was a pool, and she tucked up her clothes, uncovering her legs.5 When Sulaymān told her 4

This is the Qur’anic version. According to the Old Testament the motive of Bilqis’s visit was to test him with hard questions, as he was very famous for his knowledge and wisdom. Both 1 Kings 10:1-25 and 2 Chronicles 9:1-24 under the title The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon mentioned about this visit with exact wordings. The only difference is that verse 1 and 2 which contains 2 sentences in 1 Kings are combined into one verse in 2 Chronicles, so that verse 3 in the former is still verse 2 in the latter, and therefore, verse 25 in the former is verse 24 in the latter. As the location of Kings in the Bible is followed

by Chronicles, they are separated less than 100 pages from each other. Some examples Queen Bilqis might have asked Solomon are as follows: Bilkis: "What is the most powerful organ of the body?" Solomon: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Bilqis: “What is the ugliest thing in the world, and what is the most beautiful? What is the most certain, and what is the most uncertain?" Solomon: "The ugliest thing in the world is the faithful turning unfaithful; the most beautiful is the repentant sinner. The most certain is death; the most uncertain, one’s share in the World to Come."

5 Tradition said that Solomon’s jinn feared that he might be tempted to marry Queen Bilqis. They whispered to him that she had hairy legs and the hooves of an ass. So he built a glass floor before his throne, and when Queen Bilqis crossed it she would lift her skirt and would reveal her legs. As her legs were

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it was a glass surface with water underneath it, she realized the greatness of his authority and power, and acknowledged that he was a noble prophet. (Q. 27:41-44).6 She said, َ )44:‫ِينَ(النمل‬ َ​َ ‫لِلَ​َ َربَ​َ ْال َعا َلم‬ َ​َ ‫ْتَ َم َ​َعَ ُس َل ْي َم‬ َُ ‫ْتَ َن ْفسِ يَ َوأَسْ َلم‬ َُ ‫َربَ​َإِنيَ َظ َلم‬ ِ َّ ِ َ‫ان‬ “My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself [for worshipping the sun], and I submit, together with Sulaymān to Allah, the Lord of that exists.” (Q. 27:44) What is important here is the moral lessons we learn from the story of Prophet Sulaymān a.s. in the Qur’an rather than stories and legends in Christian and Jewish traditions. The Qur’ān explicitly cleared his name as a pious prophet against the allegation of idolatry and disobeying Allah.

(CIVIC, 10 October, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبةَالشاملة‬ (‫َهـ‬313َ.‫تفسيرَالطبريَ(ت‬ (‫َهـ‬671َ.‫تفسيرَالقرطبىَ(ت‬ (‫َهـ‬774َ.‫تفسيرَابنَكثيرَ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Hatta, Ahmad, etal. The Great Story of Muhammad s.a.w. Jakarta: Maghfirah Pustaka, 2013 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/539342/Queen-ofsheba http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/gmd1999/sheba.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Solomon.ht ml truly hairy, he then ordered his jnn to create depilatory to remove superfluous hair from her legs.

6 Solomon was said to have been very generous to Queen Sheba. “King Solomon gave Queen Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country” (1 Kings 10:13).

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16. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (10) 12. Mūsā (Moses) a.s.

Mūsā (Moses) ) a.s. is mentioned 136 times in 34 chapters in the Qur’an.1 He is then mentioned the most compared to other prophets and in most chapters in the Qur’an, and the story of him in it is also the longest one, mainly in six chapters: (1) sūrat al-Baqarah (chapter 2) in verse 49-74, 83-93; 122-123; (2) sūrat al-A‘rāf (chapter 7) in verse 103-145; 148-156; 159-163; 171.

(3) sūrat Yūnus (Jonah, chapter 10) in verse 75-93 (4) sūrat Ṭāhā (chapter 20) in verse 9-52; 56-73; 77-99.

(5) sūrat al-Shu‘arā’ (Poets, chapter 26) in verse 10-66 (6) sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ (chapter 28) in verse 3-46 In the Bible, the narratives of Moses are in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In the Qur'an, the narratives of Mūsā are in the following passages: 2:49-61, 7:103-160, 10:75-93, 17:101104, 20:9-97, 26:10-66, 27:7-14, 28:3-46, 40:23-30, 43:.46-55, 44:1731, and 79:15-25. The story in his childhood is in Q. 28:3-46 with some commentaries are as follows: (6) Sūrat al-Qaṣaṣ (The Narration, chapter 28) verse 3-43 how Mūsā was raised in the Pharaoh (Fir‘awn)’s house until he escaped but return again to Pharaoh bringing with him Allah’s message to Pharaoh. Commentaries of some Qur’an commentators are also included here. Allah told the Prophet s.a.w. the story of Moses and Pharaoh as they really were, as if he was seeing them himself.

1

See Q. 2:51, 53, 54, 55, 60, 61, 67, 87, 92, 108, 136, 246, 248; 3:84; 4:153 (twice), 164; 5:20, 22, 24; 6:84, 91, 154; 7:103, 104, 115, 117, 122, 127, 128, 131, 134, 138, 142 (twice), 143 (twice), 144, 148, 150, 154, 155, 159, 160; 10:75; 10: 75, 77, 80, 81, 83, 84, 87, 88; 11: 17, 96, 110; 14: 5, 6, 8; 17: 2, 101 (twice); 18:60, 66; 19:51; 20: 9, 11, 17, 19, 36, 40, 49, 57, 61, 65, 67, 70, 77, 83, 86, 88, 91; 21:48; 22:44; 23: 45, 49; 25:35; 26:10, 43, 45, 58, 52, 61, 63, 65; 27: 7. 9. 10; 28: 3, 7, 10, 15, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30 , 31, 36, 37, 38, 43, 44, 48 (twice), 76; 29:39; 32:23; 33:7, 69; 37:114, 120; 40:23, 26, 27, 37, 53; 41:45; 42:13; 43:46, 46:12, 30; 51:38; 53:36; 61:5; 79:15; 87:19.

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Pharaoh was an arrogant oppressor and tyrant. He forced the Israelites (the Children of Israel, the Hebrews) to do most of the menial work and to hard labour night and day.

As Pharaoh feared that with the increase of the number of the Children of Israel, there might appear among them who would be the cause of the destruction and the downfall of his kingdom he ordered the newly born male babies to be killed. But Allah was on the side of the weak and oppressed Children of Israel. So many of their baby boys were killed that the Egyptians (Copts) worried that if these people died out they might have to do the heavy labour the Children of Israel used to do. They suggested to the Pharaoh that the boys born should be killed in one year, and would be left alone the following year. Hārūn (Aaron) was born in the year where the boys were not killed, but his younger brother Mūsā was born in the year boys would be killed. Egyptian midwives were to check on Israelite pregnant woman, and to write down their names. They would come again for the delivery of the babies. Baby boys would be killed, and baby girls would be spared.2 The classical Qur’an commentator Ibn Kathīr said that when the mother of Mūsā became pregnant of him, she did not show any sign of pregnancy, and none of the midwives noticed it. But when she gave birth to a boy she became stressed and did not know what to do with him. Then Allah inspired her to suckle him, but when she feared for him, then to cast him into the river, not to fear and not to grieve, as He would bring him back to her and would make him one of His messengers (verse 7). In this verse Allah gave here two orders, namely, to suckle her baby and to throw him into the river, two prohibitions, namely, not to fear and not to grieve, and two promises, namely Allah would bring him back to her and would make him a messenger. All of these promises were fulfilled.

2

According to the Old Testament the midwives did not obey the king of Egypt to kill the baby boys, for fear of God. When the king asked them why they had let the boys live, they said: “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” (Exodus 1:19).

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Ibn Kathīr said further that the house of Mūsā ’s mother was on the banks of the Nile, and she took a box and made it into a cradle.

When someone whom she did not trust came to her, she put the baby in the box, put it in the river, and tied it with a rope. One day she forgot to tie the box, and the water carried him away, past the house of Pharaoh, and some female servants picked it up and took it the Pharaoh’s wife, whose name, according to tradition, Āsiyah bint Muzāhim.3 She opened the box and they found a beautiful baby.

When Pharaoh saw the baby Mūsā he wanted to kill him, fearing that he might be one of the Children of Israel, but his wife told him that he was a comfort of the eye for her and for him, and that the baby might be of benefit to them or they might adopt him as a son. Being a future prophet Allah had made whoever saw him would love him. The Qur’an commentators Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, Mujāhid, Ibn Jurayj, and al-Suddī when the Pharaoh’s beard was pulled out by the infant Mūsā the Pharaoh wanted to kill him saying that he might be one of the babies of the Israelites. But his wife Āsiyah told him that the infant was from outside the country drifted down the river, and was still an infant and did not have any intelligence yet.

She said, “I shall put sapphire and a brand of fire in front of him. If he takes the sapphire, you may kill him, but if he takes the brand of fire it means that he is still too young to have intelligence. The angel Jibrīl 3

Unlike the Old Testament which mentions genealogies, names and details in its stories, the Qur’an limits itself with the course of the story and moral lessons behind it. In the story of Joseph, for example, Yusuf only was mentioned by name, neither his parents nor his brothers. In the story of Moses, he and his elder brother Aaron only, were mentioned by name, and both of them were prophets. It was said that he was born in Goshen, Egypt in c. 1392 B.C.E. and died in Moab, Syria in c. 1272 B.C.E. He was the son of Amram and Joshebed of the tribe of Levi, one of the elder brothers of Joseph.

According to the Old Testament it was Pharaoh’s daughter who found the baby while she was bathing in the Nile. His elder sister Miriam suggested to her to find a Hebrew woman to nurse him for her. She agreed to take him to the woman which was his own mother and paid her, until he grew older, and took him back to her (Pharaoh’s daughter). She adopted him and called him “Moses” (Exodus 2:5-10).

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(Gabriel) led Mūsā’s hand to the brand of fire, and he put his hand into his mouth and burnt his tongue. This was the reason he could not speak properly and asked Allah to appoint his elder brother Hārūn (Aaron) to assist him in delivering the message to the Pharaoh.

As the infant Mūsā refused any wet nurse brought to him, they took him to the market place to find a suitable woman to nurse him.

His sister recognized him and offered them a woman suitable for him which was his own mother. When he accepted her milk, she was offered to stay with the Pharaoh’s wife to nurse the baby, but she refused, saying that she had a husband and children to look after.

However, she would be ready if she could take the baby and nurse him in her own house (Ibn ‘Abbas’s commentary), and the Pharaoh’s wife agreed. Then he was brought back to the Pharaoh’s household and treated as an adopted son of the Pharaoh and his wife.

When Mūsā reached maturity Allah gave him wisdom and religious knowledge. He became Allah’s prophet and messenger. One day he entered the city and found two men fighting, one of them was an Israelite like him, and the other was an enemy, an Egyptian (a Coptic). The Israelite asked him for help, and as people were not paying attention, he hit the Egyptian with his fist, and the man died. 4 He became very sorry and said that this was the Satan’s doing, the plain misleading enemy. He prayed for Allah’s forgiveness, and He forgave him. ْ ‫ َربِِّّإِنيِّ َظلَمْتِِّّ َن ْفسِ يِّ َف‬...

(16ِّ:‫ِّ(القصص‬...‫اغف ِِّْرِّلِي‬ “My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself so forgive me…”(Q. 28:16) He also prayed and promised not to help wrongdoers. He said, )11(ِّ‫ِين‬ َِّ ‫ونِّ َظ ِهيرً اِّل ِْلمجْ ِرم‬ َِّ ‫نِّأَك‬ ِّْ ‫ْتِّ َع َليِِّّ َف َل‬ َِّ ‫ِّ َربِِّّ ِب َماِّأَ ْن َعم‬ “My Lord! For that with which You have forgiven me, I will nevermore be a helper of the criminals.”(Q. 28:11) 4

According to the Old Testament Moses went to see his people the Israelites at their hard labour and saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. As no one saw him he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand (Exodus 2:11-12).

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Mūsā became afraid as the consequence of his action. He went out and saw the man whom he had helped the day before was fighting again with another Egyptian. When the man asked him to help him again, Mūsā told him, “Verily, you are a plain misleader!” meaning, “You obviously lead people astray and are very evil.”

According Ibn Kathīr’s commentary, when Mūsā intended to attack the Egyptian, the Israelite thought that he wanted to attack him, because of what he had just said, blaming him as an evil man.

So, he said, “O Mūsā! Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a man yesterday?” When the Egyptian heard this, he took the news to the Pharaoh. Pharaoh became angry and sent people after him to bring him to him. A man running from the farthest end of the city came to him and told him to escape, as the chiefs were consulting one another to kill him. He escaped in as state of fear, and prayed, (21:‫ِينِّ(القصص‬ َِّ ‫ِنِّ ْال َق ْو ِ​ِّمِّالظالِم‬ َِّ ‫ َربِِّّ َنجنِيِّم‬...

“My Lord! Save me from people who are wrong-doers” (Q. 28:21) When he went to Madyan (Midian) he said, “It may be that my Lord guides me to the right way.” Indeed, Allah guided him to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter, and guided others. He reached the well of Madyan where he drank and found a group of shepherds watering their sheep, but two women waited until the shepherds finished, as their father was an old man and could not do the job, watering the sheep. Mūsā helped the two women watering their sheep, then sat beneath a tree, and prayed, heard by the two women. )24:‫ِنِّ َخيْرِِّّ َفقِيرِِّّ(القصص‬ ِّْ ‫تِّإِلَيِِّّم‬ َِّ ‫َربِِّّإِنيِّلِ َماِّأَ ْن َز ْل‬ “My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!” (Q. 28:24) The old man (a priest of Midian whose name was “Reuel” according to Exodus 2:16, and the priest of Midian whose name was “Jethro” according to Exodus 3:1, and Exodus 18:1) was surprised to find his daughters came back quickly with the sheep. They told him that a man called Mūsā had helped them. So he sent one of his

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daughters to call him to meet him. She came walking shyly and told him that her father invited him that he might reward him for having watering their sheep. After telling about his story the old man told him to calm down, not to fear any longer, as he had escaped from people of wrongdoings, and he had now been in a land where they had no authority.

One of the two daughters5 asked her father to hire him as a shepherd to look after their sheep, because he was the best man to hire, he was strong and trustworthy. ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbās, Qatādah and other Qur’an commentators said that when her father asked her what she knew about it, she said: “He lifted a rock which could only be lifted by t en men, and when I came back with him, I walked ahead of him, he asked me to walk behind him, and if he gets confused about the route, he asked me to throw a pebble so that he would know which way to go.” (to be continued) (CIVIC, 7.11.2014)

ِّ‫المكتبةِّالشاملة‬ (ِّ‫ِّهـ‬310ِّ.‫تفسيرِّالطبريِّ(ت‬ (‫ِّهـ‬611ِّ.‫تفسيرِّالقرطبىِّ(ت‬ (‫ِّهـ‬117ِّ.‫تفسيرِّابنِّكثيرِّ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’anِّ Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 ِّen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Moses.html http://www. mediaislamia.com/2

5

He was said to have had seven daughters (see Exodus 2:16)

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17. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (11) 12. Mūsā (Moses) a.s. (cont.1) Accepting the suggestion of his daughter the old man (Reuel/Jethro) offered Mūsā (Moses) a.s. to marry one of his daughters on the condition that he would take care of his flocks for eight years, and if he could give an extra two years if he liked to do so. Mūsā agreed to the condition and, according to Ibn ‘Ābbās, Mūsā fulfilled the longer term, ten years, and he married to girl who had suggested to her father to ask Mūsā to tend their flocks, and her name according to the Old Testament was Zipporah (Exodus 2:21).

After fulfilling the term Mūsā wanted to visit his country Egypt secretly with his relatives, so that neither Pharaoh nor his people would know it. He set out in the dark cold rainy night with his family taking with him the flocks his father-in law had given to him. He stopped to camp, and tried unsuccessfully to make fire. From afar he saw a fire burning in the direction of al-Ṭūr. So, he said to his family to wait while, as he wanted to go to the fire to get a burning fire brand to warm themselves and to relieve them from the cold, or to get information, because they were losing their way. He headed in the direction of the Qiblah on the western mountain on his right (Q. 28:29-30) When he reached the fire Allah called him from the right side of the valley, in the blessed place, from the valley: “O Mūsā, I am Allah, the Lord of all that exists!” Allah told him to throw down his staff, and when he saw it moving as if it were a serpent moving quickly, he turned in flight and did not look back. The Qur’an commentator Ibn Kathīr said that the serpent was so big; his mouth was so huge, swallowing rocks as it passed. Then Allah told him to come back and not to fear as the serpent had turned back into a staff.

Then Allah told him to put his hand into the opening of his garment and then draw it out it would shine white without a disease.

To be free from fear Allah told him to draw his hand close to his side.

With these two signs, turning his staff into a serpent and putting his hand into his garment turning it white without a disease, Allah

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commanded Mūsā to go to Pharaoh to deliver a message. Mūsā said that he feared that people would kill him, as he had killed one of them. Moreover, he could not speak well. He asked Allah to send his brother Hārūn (Aaron) with him as a helper, as his brother would understand him more than they, and could explain to them what he meant. So Allah granted his request provided Aaron, his brother, as a prophet, and would give both of them power, namely, overwhelming evidence, so that they would not be able to harm both of them.

When Mūsā and his brother Hārūn came to Pharaoh and his chiefs with the message from Allah to worship Him Alone, showing them the clear miracles and evidence to confirm the truth of what they claimed that it was from Him, Pharaoh and his chiefs disbelieved them. They said that what Mūsā was claiming was nothing but invented magic, and that they had never heard of this among their fore-fathers. Mūsā told them that Allah knew whom He guided and prevailed, and wrongdoers would not be successful. (Q. 28: 29-37).

Sūrat Ṭāhā (chapter 20) also talked about Mūsā and his brother Hārūn. This surah consists of 135 verses, 1 verse ends with long “ū”, 19 verses end with long “ī”, and the remaining 115 verses end with long “ā”, including the name “Musā” in 12 verses. These long vowels are usually used to express emotion, especially sorrow and distress, such as “āh”. Other prophets’ names ending with long “ā” are Zakariyyā, Yaḥyā, and ‘Īsā.1 The verse 1-8 was verses read by 1

In classical Arabic poetry the names of the beloved ones usually also end with long “ā”, such as “Laylā” and “Salmā”. We have the long poem of “Majnūn Laylā” about Qays who madly fell in love with his own cousin Laylā, until he became out of his mind. In 1930 the great poet Aḥmad Shawqī in his poem entitled ‫“( تلفتت َظ ْب َية الوادي‬the female gazelle of the valley turned away”) said, among other things, sung by Muhammad ‘Abdul Wahhāb, as follows: ‫ليلى نداء بليلى رن فى اذنى ** سـحر لعمرى له فى السـمع ترديد‬ ‫ليلى تردد فى سـمعى و فى خلدى ** كما تردد فى االيـك االغاريد‬ ‫ليلى ترى انا مجنون يخيل لى ** ال الحى نادواعلى ليلى و ال نودوا‬ Laylā, the call to Laylā rang in my ear, * a magic, upon my life, which I keep hearing repeatedly.

Laylā, is repeated in my ear and mind * like

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‘Umar which touched his heart and became a Muslim. He had intended to kill the Prophet, but he was told to deal first with his own sister, because she had converted to Islam.

The first verse starts with the term “ṭāhā” which is, like ‫الم‬ (A.L.M.), considered by the majority of Qur’an commentators as “one of the letters of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.” However, other Qur’an commentators, like ‘Ibn’Abbās, ‘Ikrimah, and al-Ḍaḥḥāk, the term was originally derived from the Nabataean language, whereas according to Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, Qatādah, and al-Ḥasan it was derived from Syriac, meaning ‫َيا َر ُج ُل‬ (“O man!”). Another interpretation was that it means ‫“( يا َ إِ ْن َسان‬O human being!). Another interpretation is that “Ṭāḥā” is another name for Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.The meanings of the verse 1-8, then, run as follows: “O man! (or O Muhammad!). We have not sent down the Qur’an to you to cause you distress, but only as a Reminder to those who fear (Allah). A Revelation from Him (Allah) Who has created the earth and high heavens. The Most Gracious (Allah) rose over the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and all that is between them, and all that is under the soil.

And if you (Muhammad) speak (the invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden. Allah! None has the right to be worshiped but He! To Him belongs the Best Names (Q. 20:1-8) The verses which follow, namely, verse 9-47 dealt with Allah’s dialogue with Mūsā upon his entering the sacred valley Ṭuwā’. While the repetition of the singing of birds in the jungle.. … Laylā, I wonder whether I have become crazy as I have imagined * for the tribe neither called Laylā, nor they were called (by her).

The pre-Islamic Arab poet Imru’ al-Qays also mentioned and called his beloved Salmā in his poem entitled ‫“ أال عِ م صبـاحا‬Oh, good morning!”)

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Mūsā was wandering one night in the desert he was apparently lost, he saw fire. He told his wife to wait, and he might bring some burning brand from it, or some guidance at the fire. When he came to it he heard a voice calling him by name, that He was his Lord, and to take his shoes off, because he was entering the Sacred Valley Ṭuwā’. He told him that He was Allah, and to worship Him Alone, as none had the right to be worshiped but Him, and to perform prayer for His Remembrance.2 Then He gave him two miracles: turning his staff into a serpent, and turning his right hand into white colour after pressing it to his left side. He then ordered him to convey the message of worshiping Allah Alone to Pharaoh, and these two miracles would be used as evidence of his prophethood to him. He then prayed to Allah, as follows: .‫ َواحْ ل ُ ْل ُع ْق َدة مِنْ لِ َسانِي‬.‫ َو َيسرْ لِي أَم ِْري‬.‫ص ْد ِري‬ َ ‫ َرب ا ْش َرحْ لِي‬... .‫ ا ْش ُد ْد ِب ِه أَ ْز ِري‬. ‫ُون أَخِي‬ َ ‫ َهار‬.‫ َواجْ َع ْل لِي َو ِزيرا مِنْ أَهْ لِي‬.‫َي ْف َقهُوا َق ْولِي‬ .‫ك َكثِيرا‬ َ ‫ َو َن ْذ ُك َر‬.‫ك َكثِيرا‬ َ ‫ َكيْ ُن َسب َح‬.‫َوأَ ْش ِر ْك ُه فِي أَم ِْري‬ َ ‫ك ُك ْن‬ (55-25:‫ت ِب َنا بَصِ يرا (طه‬ َ ‫إِ َّن‬ “O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me selfconfidence, contentment, boldness). And ease my task for me, and loose the knot (the defect) from my tongue, (i.e., remove the incorrectness from my speech). And appoint for me a helper from my family, Hārūn (Aaron) my brother.

Increase my strength with him, and let him share my 2

In the Old Testament, God said: “Do not come any closer.” God said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this Mūsā hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God (Exodus 3:5 and 6). This is contrary to the Qur’an where Mūsā wished to see ُ ‫ِن ا ْن‬ ُ ‫َرب أَرنِي أَ ْن‬ Allah. He said, ‫ف‬ َ ‫ظرْ إِلَى ْال َج َب ِل َفإِ ِن اسْ َت َقرَّ َم َكا َن ُه َف َس ْو‬ َ ‫ظرْ إِلَي‬ ِ ‫ْك َقا َل لَنْ َت َرانِي َولَك‬ ِ َ َ َ ْ َّ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ ‫ْك َوأنا أ َّو ُل‬ َ ‫ فلمَّا أفاق قا َل ُسب َْحان َك تبْت إِلي‬.‫صعِقا‬ َ ‫ُوسى‬ َ ‫ فلمَّا ت َجلى َر ُّب ُه لِل َج َب ِل َج َعل ُه دَ كا َوخرَّ م‬.‫َت َرانِي‬ )145 :‫ِين (األعراف‬ َ ‫“ ْالم ُْؤ ِمن‬O 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 Mūsā fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said: “Glorified are You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers.(Q. 7:143)

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task (of conveying Your message) that we may glorify You much, and remember You much. Verily, You are Ever a Well-Seer of us.” (Q. 20:25-35) If we compare the meeting between Allah and the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in his mi‘rāj and between Allah and Prophet Mūsā in Sinai, we find that: 1. In the mi‘rāj the Prophet met Allah in Sidrat al-Muntahā, beyond the seventh heaven, while Prophet Moses met Allah on the earth, in the Sacred Valley of Ṭuwā’ in Sinai. These two places do not imply fixing a place for Allah, because He is beyond the limitation of time and space. The places were fixed only for the two prophets, Muhammad and Moses respectively. Allah mentions the place where His signs appeared for Prophet Moses in a burning bush in the following verses: ُ ‫ك َحد‬ ‫ إِ ْذ َرأَى َنارا َف َقا َل ِألَهْ لِ ِه ا ْم ُك ُثوا‬.‫ِيث مُو َسى‬ َ ‫َو َه ْل أَ َتا‬ َ َ ُ ْ‫إِني آَ َنس‬. ‫ار هُدى‬ ِ ‫ت َنارا لَ َعلي آَتِي ُك ْم ِم ْن َها ِب َق َبس أ ْو أ ِج ُد َعلَى ال َّن‬ ْ ‫ك َف‬ ‫ك ِب ْال َوا ِد‬ َ ‫ك إِ َّن‬ َ ‫اخلَعْ َنعْ لَ ْي‬ َ ‫ إِني أَ َنا َر ُّب‬.‫ِي َيا مُو َسى‬ َ ‫َفلَمَّا أَ َتا َها ُنود‬ ُ ‫س‬ َّ ‫ إِ َّننِي أَ َنا‬.‫ُوحى‬ ْ ‫ َوأَ َنا‬.‫طوى‬ َ ‫ك َفاسْ َتمِعْ لِ َما ي‬ َ ‫اخ َترْ ُت‬ ُ‫ّللا‬ ِ ‫ْال ُم َق َّد‬ )۱٤-٩:‫ (طه‬.‫َال إِلَ َه إِ َّال أَ َنا َفاعْ ب ُْدنِي َوأَق ِ​ِم الص َ​ََّل َة لِ ِذ ْك ِري‬ “Has the story of Moses reached thee: Behold, he saw a fire: so he said to his family, ‘Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire.’ But when he came to the fire, he was called: ‘O Moses! Verily I am thy Lord! Therefore put off thy shoes: thou art in the sacred valley of Tuwa’. I have chosen thee: Listen, then, to the inspiration (given to thee). Verily, I am Allah: there is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only)and establish regular prayer for My remembrance.” (Q. 20:9-14) In other verses Allah specified the place more clearly, as follows: ُّ ِ ‫س مِنْ َجا ِن‬ ‫ور َنارا َقا َل‬ َ ‫ار ِبأَهْ لِ ِه آَ َن‬ َ ‫ضى مُو َسى ْاألَ َج َل َو َس‬ َ ‫َفلَمَّا َق‬ ِ ‫ب الط‬ ْ َ ُ ْ‫ِألَهْ لِ ِه ا ْم ُك ُثوا إِني آَ َنس‬ ‫ار لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم‬ ِ ‫ت َنارا لَ َعلي آَتِي ُك ْم ِم ْن َها ِب َخ َبر أ ْو َجذ َوة م َِن ال َّن‬ ‫ار َك ِة م َِن‬ َ ‫ئ ْال َوا ِد ْاألَ ْي َم ِن فِي ْال ُب ْق َع ِة ْال ُم َب‬ َ ‫ َفلَمَّا أَ َتا َها ُنود‬.‫ون‬ َ ُ ‫َتصْ َطل‬ ِ ِ‫ِي مِنْ َشاط‬ َّ ‫ال َّش َج َر ِة أَنْ َيا مُو َسى إِني أَ َنا‬ )٠٣-۲٩:‫ِين (القصص‬ َ ‫ّللا ُ َربُّ ْال َعالَم‬

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“ Now when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was travelling with his family, he perceived a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He said to his family: ‘Tarry ye; I perceive a fire; I hope to bring you from there some information, or a burning firebrand, that ye may warm yourselves. But when he came to the (Fire), he was called from the right bank of the valley, from a tree in hallowed ground: ‘O Moses! Verily I am Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (Q. 20:29-30) 2. The meeting in mi‘rāj was with preparation. Allah sent Gabriel and Michael to accompany the Prophet to heaven, while Prophet Mūsā’s meeting with Allah was without preparation: he saw fire at night, told his wife to stay and went to the fire where Allah talked to him. He did not come to talk to Allah, but to take some fire or to find guidance at the fire. He might have lost his way, he wanted physical guidance, and instead, he got spiritual guidance.

3. Prophet Muhammad went to heaven on the Burāq, while Prophet Moses walked when he entered the sacred valley Ṭuwā’. He was ordered by Allah to take off his shoes when he entered the valley, according to some commentators, symbolizes leaving the material world behind when he entered the spiritual one.

3. Both meetings ended with the injunction of prayers, which indicates the importance of prayers. (to be continued) (CIVIC, 14 November, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ (‫ هـ‬510 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬171 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬774 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’an. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’an Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’an.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mūsā http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Mūsā.html

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18. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (12) 12. Mūsā (Mūsā) a.s. (cont.2) Sūrat al-A‘rāf (The Heights, chapter 7) verse 103-145 dealt with Mūsā (Moses) who came to the Pharaoh telling him that he was sent

by Allah to him and to let the Children of Israel depart along with him. As evidence he produced the miracles given by Allah to him. He threw his staff, and it turned into a huge serpent. The classical Qur’ān commentator al-Ṭabarī said that the serpent with its mouth open rushed towards Pharaoh (Fir‘awn) to swallow him. Pharaoh was frightened, jumped, and wet himself. He cried to Mūsā to take it away, and promised to believe and release the Children of Israel.

Mūsā did, and drew his hand and it became white and radiant without hurt.

The chiefs of the people of Pharaoh agreed with him and said that Mūsā was a great sorcerer. They feared that he might make people to be his side with his magic, and might drive them away from their land. So, they made an appointed meeting where they challenged him with their own magicians. They were promised by Pharaoh that they would be nearest to him if they won. They threw first, according to al-Ṭabarī, their thick ropes and long sticks which appeared to be real and crawling.

When Mūsā threw his staff, it turned to be a real serpent and devoured their ropes and sticks. The magicians realized that Mūsā’s staff was not an illusion when it turned into a serpent, and that he must have been a messenger from Allah. They prostrated themselves in front of Mūsā. Pharaoh accused his magicians of plotting with Mūsā to gain influence and power replacing the chiefs and masters.

He threatened them to cut off their hands and feet from opposite sides, and crucify them. But the magicians said that they were returning to their Lord, and the revenge on them was only because they believed in the proofs and signs of their Lord. They prayed to be given patience and to die as Muslims. Ibn ‘Abbās, Qatādah and Ibn Jurayj said that they started the day as sorcerers and ended it as martyrs.

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When the chiefs of Pharaoh asked him whether he would leave Mūsā and his people spread mischief in the land and to abandon him and his gods, he said that he would kill their sons and let live t heir women, and he had irresistible power over them.

Mūsā told his followers the Children of Israel to be patient for the affliction and humiliation upon them, as the earth belongs to Allah. They told him that they had suffered humiliation and disgrace before and after he had come to them. Mūsā told them, “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.” (Q. 7:128-129).1 Allah had punished the people of Pharaoh with years of drought and lack of fruits, that they might take heed. But whenever good things, such as fertile seasons and provisions came to them, they said that they deserved it. But when evil afflicted them, such as draught and famine, they said that the hardship is because of Mūsā and his followers and what they had done.

As the Pharaoh’s followers would never believe in Mūsā despite signs brought to them Allah sent them flood, locusts, lice, frogs, blood that filled the river as consecutive signs. Heavy rain caused flood, destroying their land and crops. Then various types of produce grew, but locusts started feeding on their crops and grass. Then bugs (weevil)2 infested their grains. Then suddenly many frogs appeared which annoyed them. Then Allah sent blood in their rivers and wells.

1

On the 8th night of Ramadan (the year unknown), the Palestinian Prime Minister, Isma’il Haniyyah, was leading the tarawih prayer in a mosque in the Western part of Ghaza. At that time Ghaza had been blockaded by Israel over one year. While reciting Surat al-A‘rāf (chapter 7), he came to verse 128 and 129 in which Prophet Mūsā asked his followers to be patient from Pharaoh’s oppression, and hoped that Allah would destroy their enemy and make them successor on the earth. He wept while reciting these verses followed by the ma’mūm, as they were suffering from the blockade by Israel who claimed to be followers of Prophet Mūsā a.s.

2 “It is a small beetle with a hard shell, feeding on and infesting stores of grain, nuts and other seeds.” Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, s.v. “weevil.”

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They asked Mūsā to pray to Allah to remove the punishment, and they would believe in him and let the Children of Israel go with him.

But whenever Allah removed the affliction, they kept breaking their promise.3 As retribution Allah drowned them at sea that parted through which he and the children of Israel passed. Pharaoh and his soldiers went into the sea chasing them, and when they were all inside the water the sea closed in them and they all drowned. Then Allah granted the eastern and the western part of the Holy Land to them, and destroyed what Pharaoh and his people produced, such as agriculture and buildings.

It is worthy to mention here why the Qur’ān deals briefly with the story of the Israelites which was narrated in details in the Bible.

Muhammad Asad said: The story of the suffering of the Israelites during their bondage in Egypt, their deliverance through Moses, their crossing of the Red Sea (or, more probably, of what today is known as the Gulf of Suez), and the destruction of Pharaoh and his hosts is narrated in considerable detail in the Bible (Exodus i-xiv). The Qur’ān, on the other hand, does not give us a consecutive narrative: for historical narrative as such is never its purpose. Whenever the Qur’ān refers to past events—whether recorded in the Bible or alive in Arabian tradition—it does so exclusively with a view to bringing out elements that are relevant to the ethical teachings which it propounds.

The Qur’ān is not a book of history, and therefore does not give any detail of the events mentioned in it, but rather a book of guidance for believers, claimed by the Qur’ān itself, َ )2:‫ِينَ(البقرة‬ َ​َ ‫ْبَفِي َِهَه ًدىَل ِْلم َّتق‬ َ​َ ‫لَ َري‬ َ َ َ​َ‫كَ ْال ِك َتاب‬ َ​َ ِ‫َذل‬ 3

The Old Testament mentions 10 plagues, namely, the plague of blood, of frogs, of gnats, of flies, on livestock, of boils (hard, usually red, often painful poisoned swelling under the skin, which bursts when ripe) , of hail, of locusts, of darkness, and on the first born (Exodus 7-11)

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This is the Book (the Qur’ān), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are alMuttaqīn [the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)] (Q. 2:2) It contains, among other things, universal moral lessons which are the purpose of mentioning the events of the past. The story of Qārūn, for example, due to his arrogance and ingratitude, Allah punished him: he and his wealth were swallowed by the earth (Q.28:76-82).4 After crossing the sea safely, the Children of Israel came upon people who worshiped idols.5 The Qur’ān commentator al-Ṭabarī said that the idols were made in the shape of cows. They asked Mūsā to make for them an idol like the idols they had. Mūsā replied that they were ignorant people, and that these people would perish, and that what they were doing was in vain. He told them how could he 4

Muhammad Asad’s commentary on Qārūn is as follows: “…. The conventional ‘identification’ of Qārūn with the Korah of the Old Testament (Numbers xiv) is neither relevant nor warranted by the Qur’ānic text, the more so as the purport of this legend is a moral lesson and not a historical narrative…” (The Message of the Qur’an, Note 84 of Q. 28, p. 602). He added, “Qārūn’s being ‘swallowed by the earth’ may possible a metaphor of a catastrophic, unforeseen loss – from whatever cause – of all his worldly goods and, thus, of his erstwhile grandeur.” (The Message of the Qur’an, Note 91 of Q. 28, pp. 603604) 5 The Bible told us that Pharaoh himself told Mūsā and Hārūn to let them and the Israelites go and leave the Egyptians. The number of the Israelites who joined Mūsā in escape from Egypt journeying from Ramses to Succoth “… were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.” (Exodus 12: 31, 37-38). However, Pharaoh changed his mind, as they had lost the Israelites’ services. With six hundred his best chariots along other chariots, horsemen and troops pursued the Israelites (Exodus 14:59). The Israelites, according to the Bible lived in Egypt in 430 years (Exodus 12:40)

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seek for them a god other than Allah Who had given them superiority over the nations! He reminded them of Allah’s blessings over them.

Allah appointed thirty nights for Mūsā. Qur’ān commentators said that he fasted during this period. Allah added ten more days, and Mūsā completed the term of forty nights. He entrusted his brother to take his place among his people and act in the right way.

Then he went to the appointed time and place at the right side of Mt. Ṭūr. Then he asked Allah directly to show Himself to him.6 Allah told him, “You cannot see Me, but look at the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me.” When Allah appeared in the mountain He made it collapse to dust, and Mūsā fell down unconscious. When he recovered his sense he said, ( 141:‫ِينَ(الشعراء‬ َ​َ ‫كَ َوأَ َناَأَ َّولَ​َ ْالم ْؤ ِمن‬ َ​َ ‫كَتبْتَ​َإِلَ ْي‬ َ​َ ‫سب َْحا َن‬...

“Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance, and I am the first of the believers [that none shall see You (in this life)] (Q. 7:143) Allah told Mūsā that He had chosen him above men (in his time) by His Message and by His speaking to him. So Allah wanted him to hold what He had given to him, and to be of the grateful.

Allah also gave him Tablets containing lessons and exhortation for all things, as well as explanation for all things, and the details of the commandment for lawful and unlawful things. Allah told him to be firm on his obedience and to enjoin his people to take the better of what was ordained on his people, namely, according to Ibn ‘Abbās, to adhere to the toughest of it. To those who defy His order He would inflict upon them destruction, demise and utter loss. (Q. 7:144-145).7 6

This is in contrast with the Bible which stated that “Mūsā hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.” (Exodus 3:6) 7 Some said the these tablets were given to Prophet Mūsā before he received the Torah, while others said the Torah itself which contains their law was given to him together with the tablets.

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While Mūsā was away to receive the Ten Commandments from Allah at Mt. Sinai, the Israelites were misguided by al-Sāmirī (the Samaritan).8 He made an idol made of golden calf worshiped by them, and Hārūn was unable to stop them. They even threatened him to kill him9 Sūrat al-Baqarah (Cow, chapter 2) consists of 286 versus. In the first part of it Allah talked to the People of the Scripture (the Jews and the Christians), especially the Children of Israel reminding them of His favour on them, delivering them from Pharaoh’s bondage, providing them with white clouds to protect them from the heat of the sun while they were wandering in Sinai and sending down for them manna and quails for their food. But because of their lack of faith, impatience and ingratitude Allah brought them to humiliation and misery.

(CIVIC, 21 November, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبةَالشاملة‬ (‫َهـ‬110َ.‫تفسيرَالطبريَ(ت‬ (‫َهـ‬671َ.‫تفسيرَالقرطبىَ(ت‬ (‫َهـ‬774َ.‫تفسيرَابنَكثيرَ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’ān. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’ān Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’ān.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mūsā http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Mūsā.html http://www.mediaislamia.com/2 8

According to the Qur’an commentator al-Ṭabarī, the Samaritan was a man of a Jewish clan of the Sāmirah, but as this sect did not yet exist in the time of Mūsā, it might be possible, according to Ibn ‘Abbās, that he was one of the Egyptians who converted to Judaism and joined them in the exodus. The word sāmirī might be connected with the ancient Egyptian word shemer meaning “a foreigner”, “a stranger. For the whole story of “the Samaritan”, see Q. 20:8598).

9 According to the Bible it was Aaron who made the golden calf from their gold earrings (Exodus 32:1-4)

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19. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (13) 13. ‘Īsā (Jesus) a.s.

The name of Jesus Christ is mentioned in the Qur’ān 59 times: as ‘Īsā 25 times1, as “the Messiah” (al-Masīḥ) his title 11 times2 and as “the son of Mary” (Ibn Maryam) 23 times.3 He was mentioned as “Jesus son of Mary” (‘Īsā ibn Maryam) 13 times4; as “the Messiah the son of Mary” (al-Masīḥ ibn Maryam) 6 times;5 as “the Messiah Jesus son of Mary” (al-Masīḥ ‘Īsā ibn Maryam) 3 times.6 His name is mentioned in 13 sūrahs (chapters) of the Qur’ān. Although no sūrah (chapter) in the Qur’ān bears his name such as sūrat Yunus (Jonah, chapter 10), sūrat Yusuf (Joseph, chapter 12), sūrat Ibrahim (Abraham, chapter 14), two chapters deal briefly with him and his background, namely, sūrat Āl ‘Imrān (the Family of Imran, chapter 3), and sūrat Maryam (Mary, chapter 19).

The sūrah which mentions his names most is sūrat al-Mā’idah (the Table Spread, chapter 5). The name is taken from the verse 114 in which Prophet ‘Īsā’s disciples called al-Ḥawāriyyūn asked him to ask Allah to send down to them a table spread with food from heaven. He told them to fear Allah, if they were indeed believers.

Allah revealed to the Prophet s.a.w. this incident as follows: ‫لْ َع َلي َنا‬ َْ ‫كْأَنْ​ْي َن ِّز‬ َْ ‫نْ َمر َي َْمْ َهلْ​ْ َيس َتطِ يعْ​ْ َر ُّب‬ َْ ‫ُّونْ َياْعِ ي َسىْاب‬ َْ ‫اري‬ َْ ‫إِذْ​ْ َقا‬ ِ ‫لْال َح َو‬ ْ )112:‫(المائدة‬.‫ِين‬ َْ ‫ّللاْإِنْ​ْكنتمْ​ْمؤ ِمن‬ ََّْ ْ‫لْا َّتقوا‬ َْ ‫ِنْال َّس َما ِْءْ َقا‬ َْ ‫ْ َما ِئ َدةْ​ْم‬ And (remember) when the disciples said: “O ‘Īsā, son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?”ْ‘Īsā said: “Fear Allah, 1

See Q. 2:87, 136, 253; 3:45, 52, 55, 59, 84; 4:157, 163, 171; 5:46, 78, 110, 112, 114, 116; 6:85; 19:34; 33:7; 42:13; 43:63; 57:27; 61:6, 14.

2 See Q. 3:45; 4:157, 171, 172; 5:17 (twice), 72 (twice), 75; 9:30, 31.

3 See Q. 2:87, 253; 3:45; 4:157, 171; 5: 17 (twice), 46, 72, 75, 78, 110, 112, 114, 116; 9:31; 19:34; 25:50; 33:7; 43:57; 57:27; 61:6, 14.

4 See Q. 2:87, 253; 5:46, 78, 110, 112, 114, 116; 19:34; 33:7; 57:27; 61:6, 14.

5 See Q. 5:17 (twice), 72 (twice), 75; 9:31.

6 See Q. 3:45; 4:157, 171.

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if you are indeed believers.” (Q. 5:112) Instead of ‫ُّك‬ َْ ‫( َهلْ ْ َيس َتطِ يعْ ْ َرب‬hal yastaṭī‘u rabbuka, “Can your Lord…”) a variant reading reads ‫ك‬ َْ ‫( َهلْ َْْتس َتطِ يعْ ْ َرَّْب‬hal tastaṭī‘u rabbaka “Can you (ask) your Lord...)" which was also revealed to the Prophet, and was the reading several outstanding Companions of him, such as ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbās, ‘Ā’ishah, and Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal. In this variant reading there is no change in the consonantal skeleton. As both readings are correct, it means that one of ‘Īsā’s disciples asked him: “Can your Lord send down to us a table spread…”, whereas another person asked: “Can you ask your Lord to send down to us a table spread…” We notice here that unlike the followers Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. who never asked any miracle as evidence, it was non-believers who asked it, as well as Prophet ‘Isā’s own disciples who apparently had not yet strong faith in him, or at least to increase their faith. If they really believed that Allah could send down to them a table spread, then will He do it if you asked Him? So, it is here the matter of Allah’s willingness which they doubted, not His ability which they were certain.

With regard to the second reading, ‘Īsā’s disciples doubted his willingness to ask Allah to send down to them a table spread. ‘Īsā told them to fear Allah, and not to ask for it, as it might become a trial for them, but trust in Allah for their provisions, if they truly were believers. (They said:) ْ ْ​ْ‫لْمِن َهاْ َو َتط َمئِنَّْ​ْقلوب َناْ َو َنعلَ َْمْأَنْ​ْ َقد‬ َْ ‫َقالواْن ِريدْ​ْأَنْ​ْ َنأك‬ ْ​ْ​ْ)113:‫ِينْ(المائدة‬ َْ ‫ِنْال َّشا ِهد‬ َْ ‫ونْ َعلَي َهاْم‬ َْ ‫ص َدق َت َناْ َو َنك‬ َ They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to satisfy our hearts (to be stronger in Faith), and to know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witness.” (Q. 5:133) Then Prophet ‘Īsā a.s. made his prayer: ْ ْ‫ِنْال َّس َما ِْءْ َتكونْ​ْلَ َناْعِ يدا‬ َْ ‫لْعِ ي َسىْابنْ​ْ َمر َي َْمْاللَّه َّْمْ َر َّب َناْأَن ِزلْ​ْ َعلَي َناْ َما ِئ َدةْ​ْم‬ َْ ‫َقا‬ )114:‫ِينْ(المائدة‬ َْ ‫ازق‬ َْ ‫كْ َوارزق َناْ َوأَن‬ َْ ‫ِ​ِلَ َّولِ َناْ َوآخ ِ​ِر َناْ َوآ َيةْ​ْمِن‬ ِ َّ‫تْ َخيرْ​ْالر‬ ‘Isā (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send us from the heaven a table spread (with food) that

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there may be for us - for the first and the last of us –ْa festival and a sign from You; and provide us with sustenance, for You are the Best sustainers.” (Q. 5:114)7 Allah accepted his prayer with a threat, that if anyone after that disbelieved He would punish him severely He had never punished anyone before. )He said:( ْ ْ​ْ‫ّللاْإِ ِّنيْم َن ِّزل َهاْ َعلَيكمْ​ْ َف َمنْ​ْ َيكفرْ​ْ َبعدْ​ْمِنكمْ​ْ َفإِ ِّنيْأ َع ِّذبه‬ َّْ ْ‫ل‬ َْ ‫َقا‬ ْ )111:‫ِينْ(المائدة‬ َْ ‫ِنْال َعالَم‬ َْ ‫لْأ َع ِّذبهْ​ْأَ َحداْم‬ ْ َ ْ‫َع َذابا‬ Allah said: “I am going to send it down to you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among (all) mankind and jinn (Q. 5:115).

Then Allah informed Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. that in the Day of Resurrection Allah would ask ‘Isā a.s., whether he told people to worship him, he and his mother Maryam, as two gods beside Allah.

‘Isā would answer that he never did that, and even if he did it Allah would surely have known it… ‘Isā said only what Allah had ordered him to say, to worship Allah his Lord and the Lord of people… and if Allah punished them they were His slaves, but if He forgave them He was the All-Mighty, the All-Wise (Q. 5:116-118). The worship of Mary, although rejected by the Protestants, was widely practised in the early Churches.

One of the main differences between Christianity and Islam is the belief in the crucifixion of ‘Isā a.s. without which Christianity would crumble. For the Christians Jesus died on the cross to redeem the sins of human beings; no crucifixion means no redemption. Islam denied it. The Qur’ān revealed: 7

According to Muhammad Asad this prayer for heavenly mā’idah (repast, table spread) “might possibly be an echo of the request for daily bread contained in the Lord’s Prayer (cf. Matthew vi, 11), since, in religious terminology, every benefit that accrues to man is “sent down from heaven” – that is, by God – even I f it comes into being through man’s own effort. But … the manner in which the disciples are said to have asked for the “repast” … seems to point to a request for ‘a miracle’ which would assure them of God’s acceptance of their faith.” Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’ān, p. 168, n. 137.

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And because of their saying (in boast), “We killed Messiah ‘Isā (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allah,” – but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them[the resemblance of ‘Isā (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him not [i.e., ‘Isā (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]: But Allah raised him [‘Isā (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) to Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All Wise. (Q. 4:157, 158).

This statement of the Qur’ān was confirmed by the Bible discovered in 1941 at Naj’ Hammādi )‫ (نجع ْحمادي‬in the highlands of Egypt and its texts were distributed by UNESCO in 1975 which runs as follows: It was another person who drank the bitterness and vinegar, and not I. And it was another (Simon Peter) who carried the cross on his shoulders; 8 and it was yet another who placed a crown of thorns upon his head.9 Meanwhile, I [Jesus] was above, laughing at their ignorance.

Some early Christian sects did not believe that Jesus was killed on the cross, such as the Basilidans who believed that someone else was substituted for him. This view was supported by the Gospel of Barnabas. This was also the view of some classical Qur’ān commentators, such as Ibn Kathīr who said that on that Friday evening he and his twelve, thirteen, or seventeen of his companions were in the house when it was surrounded by the soldiers who wanted to arrest him, to crucify him, and made him wear a crown of thorn. He said to his companions: “Who volunteers to be made to look like me, for which he will be my companion in Paradise?” A young man volunteered, but ‘Isa thought he was too young. He 8

According to John 19:17 it was Jesus who carried his own cross.

According to John 19:2 it was the soldiers who put a crown of thorn on his head.

9

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asked the question again and again, and the young man kept telling him he was ready to volunteer. ‘Īsā agreed, and Allah made the young man look exactly like ‘Īsā. A hole opened in the roof of the house, and ‘Īsā was made to sleep and ascended to heaven. His companions in the house saw him ascending to heaven. Then they went out of the house, and the young man who look like ‘Īsā was arrested and crucified.10 Allah talked about this in another verse, as follows: )11:‫(آلْعمران‬...ْ​َّْ‫كْإِلَي‬ َْ ‫كْ َو َرافِع‬ َْ ‫ّللاْ َياْعِ ي َسىْإِ ِّنيْم َت َو ِّفي‬ َّْ ْ‫ل‬ َْ ‫إِذْ​ْ َقا‬ ْAnd (remember) when Allah said: “O ‘Īsā! I will take you and raise you to Myself…” (Q. 3:55) The meaning of ‫يك‬ َْ ‫ م َت َو ِّف‬according to Muhammad Asad, “I shall cause thee to die”, according to A.Y. Ali, “I will take you,” according to M. Pickthall, “I am gathering thee.” The Arab expression ‫َت َو َّفاه ّْللا‬ means “Allah has taken him unto Him.” The term could mean “sleep” as well as “death.” The English proverb says” “Sleep is the twinbrother of death.” Allah said, ْ‫ضى‬ َْ ‫سْح‬ َْ ‫ّللاْ َي َت َو َّفىْاِلَنف‬ َّْ َ ‫ِينْ َْمو ِت َهاْ َوالَّتِيْ َلمْ​ْ َتمتْ​ْفِيْ َم َنا ِم َهاْ َفيمسِ كْ​ْالَّتِيْ َق‬ 10

The Gospel of Barnabas stated that instead of Jesus the soldiers mistakenly arrested Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve ‘Īsā’s disciples who betrayed him, as Judas's appearance was transformed to that of Jesus'. According to Biblical accounts Judas died in many different ways: a. Judas returned the money to the priests and committed suicide by hanging himself (Matthew 27:3–10). b. “…Judas bought a field: there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.” (Acts 1:18). c. Papias, the early Christian leader: “Judas walked about in this world a sad example of impiety; for his body having swollen to such an extent that he could not pass where a chariot could pass easily, he was crushed by the chariot, so that his bowels gushed out.”

(Papias Fragment 3, 1742-1744). Due to this discrepancy, C. S. Lewis rejected the view that every account in the Scripture has to be historical truth. “The Gospel of Judas” discovered near Beni Masah, Egypt, during the 1970s, described the story of Jesus's death from the viewpoint of Judas. An article entitled “The Gospel of Judas” in the US National Geographic Magazine (May edition, 2006), stated in its introduction, “"An ancient text lost for 1,700 years says Christ's betrayer was his truest disciple".

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)42:‫ْ(الزمر‬...ْ​ْ‫تْ َويرسِ لْ​ْاِلخ َرىْإِلَىْأَ َجلْ​ْم َسمّى‬ َْ ‫َعلَي َهاْال َمو‬ It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed…ْ(Q. 39:42).

By studying the above verse Prof. Arthur Allison, President of British Society for Psychological and Spiritual Studies reverted to Islam before the Rector of al-Azhar at that time, Shaykh Jād al-Ḥaqq, the Minister of Awqāf of Egypt, and changed his name from “Arthur” to “Abdullah.”

In other words, when we sleep Allah takes our souls to Him, and return them back to our bodies when we are awake. But when we die, Allah keeps our souls with Him. Therefore, the verse mentioned above does not support the idea that Jesus died on the cross, then Allah sent him to heaven, as claimed by the Christians.

The history Prophet ‘Īsā (Jesus) a.s. is shrouded by mystery from his birth to his ascension to heaven. The Injīl believed by Muslims as the revelation from Allah to him, is not the New Testament we are having now, which was “written” much later by people (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) who had never seen him. )CIVIC, 28 November, 2014) : ‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبةْالشاملة‬ (‫ْهـ‬310ْ.‫تفسيرْالطبريْ(ت‬ (‫ْهـ‬671ْ.‫تفسيرْالقرطبىْ(ت‬ (‫ْهـ‬774ْ.‫تفسيرْابنْكثيرْ(ت‬ ْ .ْ‫ْمفرداتْألفاظْالقرآن‬.ْ)‫ْهـ‬412ْ.‫الراغبْاإلصفهانيْ(ت‬ Abu Khalil, Dr. Shauqi . Atlas of the Qur’ān. Riyadh, Darussalam, 2003 Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’ān Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’ān.

Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Iscariot

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20. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (14) 14. Muhammad s.a.w.

Although the whole Qur’ān containing 6236 verses was revealed to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in 23 years, his name “Muhammad” is mentioned as a third person four times only, in Q. 3:144, 33:40, 47:2, and 48:29. His other name, Aḥmad, was mentioned in Q. 61:6 when Prophet Isa a.s. foretold his coming.1 When Allah enjoined the Prophet to say, to do or not to do something He did not mention him by name, so that the translators used to put in the bracket (“O Muhammad”). The wisdom behind it is that Allah’s injunction is also applicable to his followers, unless there is an indication that it was specifically intended exclusively for him. It includes the injunction when it started with ‫“( ياأيها النبي‬O Prophet”).

There are 11 verses where Allah addressed him as (“O Prophet”).2 The Qur’ān refers to Prophet Muhammad with his profession as a prophet (nabī)3 and a messenger of Allah (rasūl Allāh).4 He was addressed as “the Mesenger” when he complained to Allah for his people’s neglecting the Qur’ān, as follows: )03 :‫آن َم ْهجُورً ا (الفرقان‬ َ ْ‫َو َقا َل الرَّ سُو ُل َيا َرب إِنَّ َق ْومِي ا َّت َخ ُذوا َه َذا ْالقُر‬ 1

Both “Muhammad” and “Ahmad” are derived from ḥamida (“he praised”) and ḥamd (praise), have the same meaning, namely, “the praised one.” In Aramaic, which was the mother tongue of ‘Isa a.s., and was used in Palestine in his time and for some centuries later, he was called Mawḥamana translated into Greek as Períklytos (“the Much Praised”). The original Gospel which is now lost must have been written in this language, the name was mistakenly referred to as Paráklētos in the Gospel of St. John (John 14:15-17, 25-26; 15:26; 16:7-8) meaning “the Comforter.” However, this name was also one of the epithets of the Prophet, namely “Bashīr” ( lit. “the Bringer of Glad Tidings” besides “Nadhīr” (“the Warner”), see Q. 2:119. The claim that the term in Syriac was menahhemana meaning “the life giver” is also applicable to the Prophet, as Allah said: )42:‫ُول إِ َذا َدعَا ُك ْم لِ َما يُحْ يِي ُك ْم (األنفال‬ ِ ‫يَا أَيُّهَا الَّ ِذينَ آ َمنُوا ا ْست َِجيبُوا ِ َّلِلِ َولِل َّرس‬ “O you who believe! Answer Allah and his Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life…” (Q. 8:24).

2 See Q. 8:64, 65; 9:73; 33:1, 28, 45, 50; 60:11; 65:1; 66:1, 9.

3 See Q. 3:68; 7: 158; 9:61, 117; 33:6, 13, 30, 32,38, 53; 49:2; 66:3,8.

4 See Q. 7:158; 9:61, 81, 120; 33:21, 40, 53; 48:29; 49:3, 7; 63:5, 7.

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And the Messenger (Muhammad) will say: “O my Lord, Verily, my people deserted this Qur’ān (neither listen to it, nor acted on its laws and teachings).” (Q. 25:00)5 In this verse the Prophet complained to Allah that his people deserted the Qur’ān by saying that it was black magic (Mujāhid and al-Nakha‘ī’s interpretation. They did not want to listen to it, and if they were called to Allah they would say “no” (Ibn Zayd’s interpretation). The idolaters among his people would not listen to the Qur’ān, as mentioned in another verse of the Qur’ān, as follows: )22:‫ُون (فصلت‬ َ ‫آن َو ْال َغ ْوا فِي ِه َل َعلَّ ُك ْم َت ْغلِب‬ َ ‫َو َقا َل الَّذ‬ ِ ْ‫ِين َك َفرُوا َل َتسْ َمعُوا لِ َه َذا ْالقُر‬ And those who disbelieve say: “Listen not to this Qur’ān, and make noise in the midst of its (recitation) that you may overcome.” (Q. 41:26).

In response to this, Allah consoled the Prophet by informing him that this was nothing new. He said: )31:‫ِين َو َك َفى ِب َرب َك َها ِديًا َو َنصِ يرً ا (الفرقان‬ َ ‫ك َج َع ْل َنا لِ ُكل َن ِبي َع ُد ًوا م َِن ْالمُجْ ِرم‬ َ ِ‫َو َك َذل‬ Thus have We made every Prophet an enemy among criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a Guide and Helper (Q. 25:26) Just as the presence of those criminals for the Prophet who scorned the Qur’ān, so in all previous nations, for every Prophet there were criminals who tried to misguide his people and to make them disbelievers, (such as Abū Jahl according to Ibn ‘Abbas). He should then be patient with them.

Allah encourages the Muslims to pray to Him and He guarantees that He would answer their honest and sincerely prayers 5

This verse was misunderstood by the followers of Inkār al-Sunnah to mean that the Prophet’s followers abandoned the Qur’an and instead, they were more concerned with his Sunnah (sayings and practices), and therefore, they did the opposite, abandoning the Sunnah, and said the Qur’an was sufficient for them. In fact, the Prophet’s people (qawm) were disbelievers, and idol worshippers, and therefore, they deserted and disregarded the Qur’an; but when they became believers they upheld the Qur’an, and became his followers and were called his ummah (community, nation).

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(invocations, supplications). He revealed to the Prophet the following verse: ‫ون‬ َ ‫ِين َيسْ َت ْك ِب ُر‬ َ ‫َو َقا َل َر ُّب ُك ُم ْادعُونِي أَسْ َت ِجبْ َل ُك ْم إِنَّ الَّذ‬ )60 :‫ين (غافر‬ َ ‫ون َج َه َّن َم َداخ ِ​ِر‬ َ ُ ‫َعنْ عِ َبا َدتِي َس َي ْد ُخل‬ And your Lord said: “Invoke Me, [i.e., believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocations). Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation.” (Q. 40:60).

Moreover, for further encouragement, Allah said that He was near, He did not need any mediator between Himself and His slaves. He said: ُ ‫ان‬ َ َ‫َوإِ َذا َسأَل‬ ِ ‫اع إِ َذا َد َع‬ ِ ‫ك عِ َبادِي َعني َفإِني َق ِريب أ ِجيبُ َدعْ َو َة ال َّد‬ ُ ْ‫َف ْل َيسْ َت ِجيبُوا لِي َو ْلي ُْؤ ِم ُنوا ِبي لَ َعلَّ ُه ْم َير‬ (182: ‫ون" (البقرة‬ َ ‫ش ُد‬ And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor).

So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Q. 2: 186).

There are many du’as (prayers, supplications) of the Prophet recorded in the books of Sīrah (Biography of the Prophet) and the Ḥadīth (Traditions of the Prophet). But in the Qur’ān his du’as were taught to him by Allah, in various topics and situations, and therefore, the du’a was preceded with ‫“( قُ ْل‬say [O Muhammad]”), such as: a. to increase knowledge, )111:‫َوقُ ْل َرب ِز ْدنِي عِ ْلمًا (طه‬ …and say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! Increase Me in knowledge.” (Q. 20:114) b. protection against Satan,

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ُ ‫ َوأَع‬.‫ين‬ ُ ‫َوقُ ْل َرب أَع‬ ‫ك َرب‬ ِ ‫ك مِنْ َه َم َزا‬ َ ‫ُوذ ِب‬ َ ‫ُوذ ِب‬ ِ ِ‫ت ال َّشيَاط‬ )78-79: ‫ُون (المؤمنون‬ ُ ْ‫أَنْ َيح‬ ِ ‫ضر‬ …and say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the satans (devils).

And I seek refuge with You, my Lord! lest they should come near me.” (Q. 23:97-98) This means that in order to ward off from the devils, we are recommended to mention Allah immediately before undertaking any daily activity, including drinking, eating, even in intimacy with our spouse. c. forgiveness and mercy, ْ ‫َوقُل رَّ ب‬ َ َ‫اغفِرْ َوارْ َح ْم َوأ‬ (118:‫ِين (المؤمنون‬ َ ‫نت َخ ْي ُر الرَّ ا ِحم‬ … and say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy (Q. 23:118) d. prayer for parents, (21:‫صغيرً ا " (اإلسراء‬ َ ‫ارحمهُما َكما َربَّياني‬ َ ‫" َوقُل َرب‬.. … and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them [my parents] Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.” (Q. 17:24) We say this prayer for our parents when they grow old and continue to do it after their death. e. prayer upon entering Madinah as emigrant, ‫َوقُ ْل َرب أَ ْدخ ِْلنِي م ُْد َخ َل صِ ْدق َوأَ ْخ ِرجْ نِي م ُْخ َر َج صِ ْدق‬ )83:‫ك س ُْل َطا ًنا َنصِ يرً ا (اإلسراء‬ َ ‫َواجْ َع ْل لِي مِنْ لَ ُد ْن‬ …and say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! Let my entry (to the city of al-Madinah be good, and (likewise) my exit (from the city of Makkah) be good. And grant me from You an authority to help me (or a firm sign or a proof).” (Q.17:80) f. deliverance from any impending doom, ‫ َرب َف َل َتجْ َع ْلنِي‬.‫ون‬ َ ‫قُ ْل َرب إِمَّا ُت ِر َيني َما يُو َع ُد‬

129

َّ ‫فِي ْال َق ْوم‬ )118:‫ِين (المؤمنون‬ َ ‫الظالِم‬ ِ And say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! If You would show me that with which they are threatened (torment), My Lord!

Then (save me from Your punishment), put me not amongst the people who are wrong-doers.” (Q. 23:93-94( Besides the du‘ā’ (prayer, supplication, invocation), Allah also taught the Prophet what to say in showing people his complete submission and dedication to Him. He said: ‫قُ ْل إِ َّننِي َه َدانِي َربي إِلَى صِ َراط مُسْ َتقِيم دِي ًنا ِق َيمًا ِملَّ َة إِب َْراهِي َم َحنِي ًفا َو َما‬ .‫ِين‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫اي َو َم َماتِي‬ َ ‫لِل َرب ْال َعالَم‬ َ ‫ص َلتِي َو ُن ُسكِي َو َمحْ َي‬ َ َّ‫ قُ ْل إِن‬.‫ِين‬ َ ‫ان م َِن ْال ُم ْش ِرك‬ َ ‫َك‬ ُ ْ‫ك أُمِر‬ )120-121:‫ِين (األنعام‬ َ ‫ت َوأَ َنا أَ َّو ُل ْالمُسْ لِم‬ َ ِ‫ك لَ ُه َو ِب َذل‬ َ ‫َل َش ِري‬ Say (O Muhammad): “Truly, my Lord has guided my to a Straight Path, a right religion, the religion of Ibrāhīm (Abraham), Hanif [i.e. the true Islamic Monotheism—to believe in One God (Allah, i.e. to worship none but Allah, Alone) and he was not of idolaters.” Say (O Muhammad): “Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the world (mankind, jinn and all that exists). He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” (Q. 6:161-163).6 Allah also taught the Prophet and us the Muslims how to address Him with our glorification, to show our acknowledgment of His Omnipotent and Wisdom as the Sole Creator of the Universe. He said: 6

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was the first Muslim in his time among his ummah (nation, i.e. followers) only, because prophets before him had preached worshiping Allah Alone, which is Islam (Q. 21:25). Prophet Nūḥ (Noah) a.s. was commanded by Allah to be of the Muslims (Q. 10:72). Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) a.s. enjoined upon his sons not to die except as Muslims (Q. 2:130-132). Prophet Yūsuf (Joseph) a.s. prayed to Allah to die as a Muslim (Q. 12:101). Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said: “We, the Prophets, are half-brothers, but our religion is one.”

130

‫ب َوال َّش َها َد ِة‬ ِ ‫ض َعالِ َم ْال َغ ْي‬ ِ ‫قُ ِل اللَّ ُه َّم َفاطِ َر ال َّس َم َاوا‬ ِ ْ‫ت َو ْاألَر‬ َ ‫أَ ْن‬ )12:‫ون (الزمر‬ َ ُ‫ك فِي َما َكا ُنوا فِي ِه َي ْخ َتلِف‬ َ ‫ت َتحْ ُك ُم َبي َْن عِ َبا ِد‬ Say (O Muhammad): “O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! All-Knower of the Unseen and the seen!

You will judge between your slaves about that wherein they used to differ.” (Q. 39:46) ‫ك ِممَّنْ َت َشا ُء َو ُتع ُِّز‬ َ ‫ك َمنْ َت َشا ُء َو َت ْن ِز ُع ْالم ُْل‬ َ ‫ك ْالم ُْلكِ ُت ْؤتِي ْالم ُْل‬ َ ِ‫قُ ِل اللَّ ُه َّم َمال‬ ‫ ُتو ِل ُج اللَّ ْي َل‬.‫ك َعلَى ُكل َشيْ ء َقدِير‬ َ ‫ك ْال َخ ْي ُر إِ َّن‬ َ ‫َمنْ َت َشا ُء َو ُت ِذ ُّل َمنْ َت َشا ُء ِب َي ِد‬ َ ‫ت َو ُت ْخ ِر ُج ْال َمي‬ ‫ت م َِن‬ ِ ‫ار فِي اللَّي ِْل َو ُت ْخ ِر ُج ْال َحيَّ م َِن ْال َمي‬ َ ‫ار َو ُتولِ ُج ال َّن َه‬ ِ ‫فِي ال َّن َه‬ )29-22:‫ْال َحي َو َترْ ُز ُق َمنْ َت َشا ُء ِب َغي ِْر ِح َساب (آل عمران‬ Say (O Muhammad): “O Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whim You will, and You humiliate whom You will.

In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.

You make the night enter into the day, and You make the day enter into the night (i.e.; increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will without limit (measure or account).” Q. 3:26-27) (CIVIC, 5 December, 2014) :‫المراجع‬ ‫المكتبة الشاملة‬ ( ‫ هـ‬013 .‫تفسير الطبري (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬291 .‫تفسير القرطبى (ت‬ (‫ هـ‬991 .‫تفسير ابن كثير (ت‬ Ali, A.Yusuf. The Meanings of the Holy Qur’ān Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the Qur’ān Holy Bible: New International Version, 1973 http://www.quranstudygroup.org/Resources%20page/other/Qurani c%20Duas-%20Dr%20Riza%20Mohammed.pdf