INTRODUCTION
Revelation in the life of Humankind
Dr. Abdel Aziz Ben Abdallah
Introduction
The Messengers of Allah spoke of the existence of
another world where any human being will eternally
remain, after being brought for reckoning for what s/he
has done in this lowly world, either in felicity or
demeaning punishment.
If a person unknown to us came to inform us of events
occurring in a certain place, we would not head towards
it. We would take his statement into consideration and
be weary of these events even if they were doubtful.
However, if the Messengers’ distinguishing attributes
bespeak of the forbearance of their minds, the nobility
of their character and their disdain for lying, why then
will we not accept what they said about the existence of
another world?
If it is true that we have been inheriting knowledge
ever since our creation, from one generation to the
next, and that we have received confirmation from our
forefathers about the actual existence of another world,
can we come now to cast doubt upon this confirmation and
go further as to deny the existence of Allah, that of
the Day of Reckoning and the Hereafter? Have not there
been among our forefathers noble Messengers? Do we have
in our possession sources of knowledge or existing proof
ascertaining that there will not be resurrection after
death? Does not meditating about nature around us and
its organized interrelated elements afford us an
indication that there exists a Creator for this
universe?
The wise approach that man ought to follow, therefore,
requires that he believe in the existence of the other
world and of the reckoning. There are no peoples or
tribes on the surface of the earth which do not know the
meaning of the term Allah (God) or the Lord (God), or
Gods. Allah is the Creator of all beings and to Him are
referred all matters. Before Him takes place the
Reckoning, in a world to which we will ascend after
death. Thus, the antiquity of this belief and its spread
among peoples and nations is a confirmation that it is
not the invention of a particular person; rather, it is
evidence for the truths that man has known ever since he
has come into existence. Those among mankind who deviate
from this dominant belief, and hence deny the existence
of resurrection and the hereafter, do not possess any
proofs in support of their heretic doctrine. Moreover,
no person can deny, out of ignorance, the existence of
God. Rather, heresy is an opposition to, and disregard
for, knowledge which exists in the heretic’s conscience.
Indeed, the heretic knows what the term of Allah (God)
means, the attributes of the Creator and His
capabilities to create the universe and to facilitate
its working. Allah (Praised and Exalted Be He) has not
left anything undone for the benefit of His creatures,
singly or as groups. There is no human being – nor
animal – not endowed by Allah with a natural cognitive
ability capable of teaching him about the existence of
Allah, His might, His total omnipotence, and the purity
of His attributes.
A Brief Biography of the Most Famous
Revelation is the only source for the heavenly descended
canonical laws and faiths. The Revelator is Allah, who
called for believing in His divinity, unity, attributes,
His angels, His Messengers, and having faith in the
authentic law consigned in the heavenly revealed
Scriptures: Book of Psalms, the Torah (Old Testament),
the Gospel (New Testament), and the Qur’ân (Koran), the
last among them..
The enemies of religion have arisen, in all epochs, for
the purpose of casting doubt upon revelation. And the
learned people and thinkers arose to refute their
claims, basing their arguments on logic and scientific
evidence. The aim sought by the spreading of all the
false concepts advanced by the former (i.e. the enemies
of religion), was to invalidate the meaning of the
concept “heavenly revelation”. However, the eternal will
of Allah appeared clearly through this revelation, as a
sublime wisdom, for whose call formed a chain those who
invited for it: these were the noble Messengers, the
last of whom is our Lord Mohammed (Peace and Blessing be
Upon Him)(*). The news about the coming of his message
have spanned the successive heavenly revealed messages
that predated it and the material signs that remained
from them.
The purpose for the succession of Divine Messages had to
do with (a) reminding mankind of the divine wisdom lying
behind the creation of the universe and of the essence
of His will and knowledge, (b) overseeing the change of
circumstances due to the evolving human conditions
throughout the historical periods, and (c) calling,
through enticement and fright, for heeding the
predicament of the reckoning of the hereafter. These are
precepts based upon the notion of “continuous evolution”
known to humankind’s life. In this regard, Allah says:
“Whatever a Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause
to be forgotten, We bring a better or similar to it:[…]”
(Al Baqara (The Cow) ; v. 106)(**).
This continuous abrogation does not cover the firmly
established fundaments of faith; rather, it targets some
concepts or requirements of canonical law. In this
regard, Allah says:"He(Allâh) has ordained for you the
same religion (Islamic Monotheism) which He ordained for
Nûh (Noah),and that which We have revealed to you (O
Muhammad (PBBUH), and that which We ordained for Ibrâhîm
(Abraham), Mûsâ ( Moses), and ‘Isâ (Jesus) saying you
should establish religion (i.e. to do what it orders you
to do practically), and make no divisions in it: […]"
(Surah Ash- Shûra (The Consultation) ; v. 13)
Allah’s law is unique and immutable, save with respect
to those practical precepts in need of innovation as
events may dictate. As a case in point, most of the
Messengers appeared in situations during which
traditions derived from the natural human evolution were
the ones that governed human behavior. This took place
in different regions of the world.
Then the Mohammedan Message came about. It was referred
to, prior to its coming, in antecedent heavenly revealed
Scriptures. It is the seal of all divine messages, as
the Holy Koran made clear :
“Muhammad (PBBUH) is not the father of any of your men,
but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of
the Prophets […]” (Al Ahzâb (The Confederates); v. 40)
Moreover, it is reported in a noble Hadith(1) that
Prophet Mohammed said the following: “I and the prophets
before me are like a man who built an edifice and did
well in doing so and in making it beautiful save as
concerns one place for a brick in a corner. People set
out going around it expressing their admiration and yet
saying:” why would you not place the missing brick?” He
said: “I am the brick and the Seal of the prophets.”(1)
We will bring forth, in this study, that which will
corroborate this, from verses drawn from the heavenly
revealed Scriptures.
This concluding nature of the Mohammedan message has
two characteristics. These are:
First: It is directed to all mankind. In this regard,
consider the following excerpt from the Holy Koran:
“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad (PBBUH) except as
a giver of glad tidings, and a warner to all mankind,
but most of men know not.” (Surah Saba’ (Sheba) ; v. 28)
Consider also what Prophet Mohammed (PBBUH) said in this
agreed upon Hadith: “A prophet used to be sent to his
people in particular; as for me, I was sent to all
mankind”(2).
Second : It came with a faith that can easily be
practiced, based upon pillars which are: (a) believing
in Allah and His unity and in all His prophets; (b)
performing the (prescribed) prayers; (c) paying the
Zakat (prescribed alms-giving); (d) fasting during the
month of Ramadan; (e) making the pilgrimage to the
“House”(i.e. the Kaaba and the Holy Mosque in Mecca) if
one is able to do so.
The Divine Messages Descended Accompanied Human History
We may ask ourselves for the reason as to why the Divine
Messages have been numerous in different regions,
sometimes even in the same epoch and region. We may also
ask why there was a succession of descended revelations.
Was the reason for this the passing away of the Divine
Messages or their loss, or the distortion of religious
concepts, something which required rectification via a
new Divine Message?
In this regard, we must examine (a) the underlying
reason for the succession of Divine Messages, (b) the
particularity of each of them, (c) the ends for which
the Messengers were sent, one after the other, so that
the divine call reach all humankind.
Believing is a Natural Predisposition in Humans
In the dawn of History, human beings behaved on the
basis of the predisposition on which Allah created them.
The Most High said in His Holy book (The Koran) the
following: “Mankind was one community and Allah sent
Prophets with glad tidings and warnings, and with them
He sent down the Scripture in truth, to judge between
people in matters wherein they differed. […]” (Al Baqara
(The Cow); v. 213)
The meaning of this is that human beings behaved in the
early times - starting with Adam - in accordance with
Allah’s guidance and true religion. They disagreed,
however, among themselves throughout generations and
entered into dispute. Therefore, Allah sent prophets.
This divine guidance was extended to all mankind on
account of the fact that the Truthful’s (i.e. Allah’s)
love for all of them. Therefore, they are naturally
predisposed to accept goodness. In this regard, we may
cite the following Prophet’s Hadith:
On the authority of Abû Hurayrah (May Allah Be Pleased
With Him), it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.B.U.H)
said: “Every newborn is born on a natural
predisposition. His parents make of him a Jew, a
Christian, or a Zoroastrian”(3)
Abd Al-Barr mentioned that this is general for all the
newborn. The assumption is that every newborn comes to
this world on a natural predisposition and that if, for
example, his parents make of him a Jew, he leans in his
maturity towards that which will serve as the basis for
his reckoning.
Allah (The Exalted) has affirmed that the Islamic
religion is the natural Faith when he said:
“ So set you (O Muhammad, PBBUH) your face towards the
religion (of pure Islamic Monotheism) Hanîf (worshipping
none but Allah alone). Allah’s Fitrah (i.e. Allah’s
Islamic Monotheism) with which he has created mankind.
No change let there be in Khalq-illâh (i.e. the religion
of Allah – Islamic Monotheism): that is the straight
religion, but most men know not.” (Surah Ar-Rûm (The
Romans); v. 30)
Islam is the religion of the unity of Allah, a religion
the call for which Allah has sent His Messengers.
Thought is something that covers and obscures the
natural predisposition that Allah has endowed
human-beings with; that is, to believe in the existence
of the Creator (Allah) and the Hereafter.
The Succession of Prophets and Messengers
We start with the names of Prophets and Messengers, in
the order in which they were mentioned in the Holy
Qur’an. The Most High said:
“Say (O Muslims), We believe in Allah, and that has been
sent down to us, and to Ibrâhîm (Abraham), Ismâ‘îl
(Ishmael), Ishâq (Isaac), Ya’qûb (Jacob, and Al-Asbât
(the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya’qûb (Jacob),
and that which has been given to Mûsâ (Moses) and ‘Isâ
(Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets
from their Lord. We make no difference between any of
them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)”. (Surah
Al-Baqara (The Cow); v. 136)
“Allah chose Adam, Nûh (Noah), the family of Ibrâhîm
(Abraham), and the family of ‘Imrân above the ‘Alamîn
(mankind and jinn) (of their times)”. (Surah Al ‘Imrân
(The Family of ‘Imrân); v. 34)
“Verily, We have sent the revelation to you (O Muhammad
(PBBUH) as We sent it to Nûh (Noah) and the Prophets
after him: We (also) sent The revelation to Ibrâhîm
(Abraham),Ismâ’îl (Ishmael),Ishâq (Isaac), Ya‘qûb
(Jacob) and Al-Asbât [the offspring of the twelve sons
of Ya‘qûb (Jacob), Isâ (Jesus), Ayyûb (Job), Yûnus
(Jonah) Hârûn (Aaron), and Sulaimân (Solomon); and to
Dâwûd (David) We gave the Zabûr (Psalms)”. “And
Messengers We have not mentioned to you before, and
Messengers We have no ;mentioned to you, - and to Mûsâ
(Moses) Allah spoke directly ; Messengers who gave good
news as well as warning, that mankind, after (the
coming) of the messengers, should have no plea against
Allah. For Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.”. (Surah An
Nisâ’ (The Women); v. 165)
“And Zakariyâ (Zachariya), and Yahyâ (John) and Isâ
(Jesus) and Ilyâs (Elias), each one of them was of the
righteous.” “And Ismâ‘îl (Ishmael) and Al-Yasa‘
(Elisha), and Yûnus (Jonah) and Lût (Lot),and each one
of them We preferred above the ‘Alamîn [mankind and
jinn(of their times)] [Surah Al An’âm, v. 85]
He also said in Surah of Al-Anbiyyâ’ (The Prophets); v.
85:
“And (remember) Ismâ‘îl (Ishmael), and Idrîs (Enoch),
and Zul-Kifl (Isaiah): all were from among As-Sâbirûn
(the patient)”. [Surah Al Anbia’ v. 85]
Adam, the Father of Mankind
The first of the Prophets is Adam. Allah descended him
from Paradise so that he could live in a part of the
Earth. What is, then, this Paradise? Is the Paradise of
the Hereafter or one of the paradises of this lowly
world?
Imam Abû Hanîfa thinks, based on what was related by Ibn
‘Abbâs (cf. the Qadi [i.e. Religious Judge] Mundhir Ibn
Sa‘îd al-Ballûtî’s exegesis), that Adam and Eve were
commanded not to eat from the [forbidden] tree. However,
life in the Paradise of the Hereafter does not involve
any commandment. Moreover, how could Iblîs [Satan] reach
them and whisper to them if they were in the Paradise of
the Hereafter, since it is forbidden for him? How could
he whisper to them that the reason for the prohibition
is to deprive them of the chance to become eternal while
it is a well known fact that life in the Paradise of the
Hereafter is eternal? This interpretation also appeared
in the Old Testament (4).
A noble Hadith of the Prophet Mohammed also confirms the
Prophethood of Adam: “ On the authority of Abû Umâmah,
it is related that a man said: “Oh Allah’s Prophet,
could it be that Adam was a Prophet?” He replied: “Yes,
a Prophet with the ability to speak”. The man said: “Oh
Allah’s Messenger, what is the full number of Prophets?”
He replied: “One hundred and twenty four thousands. Of
these three hundreds and fifteen were Messengers – a
large gathering.”(5)
It is related in the Book of Genesis that Adam lived by
the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers wherein
Allah made him dwell in a part of the land east of the
garden of Eden. He was forced to struggle for survival;
thus, he cultivated the land, married and had children.
There began, then, the population of the Earth(6).
Adam experienced the first affliction when one of his
sons, Cain, killed his brother, Abel. Regarding this, Al
Bukhârî relates in his Sahîh (The Authentic Version),
and so does Ahmad in his Musnad, the following Prophet
Mohammed’s statement:
No person is unjustly killed without the first son of
Adam shouldering a responsibility for his let blood,
because he was the first to have introduced the habit of
murdering.(7)
Idrîs (Enoch)
He is Enoch, son of Jarid, son of Mahalalel. Idrîs was
bestowed prophecy after Adam and Seth. It was said that
he was able to live through Adam’s last 308 (Three
hundreds and eight years). He was born most probably in
Babel. Upon receiving prophecy, he set out to preach for
Allah’s religion and warned the corrupters among Adam’s
descendents against transgressing Allah’s Laws which
were hitherto propagated by Adam and Seth. A large group
of people disagreed with him. From this point onward,
the call for Allah’s religion started to move from one
region to another throughout the inhabited world. Thus,
Idrîs moved to Egypt where, for a period of Eighty two
(82) years, he preached the good word calling for the
nobility of behavior. Then Allah made him ascend to Him,
as is stated in Surah Maryam (v. 52): “And We raised him
to a high station”.
Knowledge and wisdom began to appear during his era.
Thus, he was the first to have written with a pen and to
conduct research on shapes and in Astrology. It was said
that he taught people Urban science after having
founded One Hundred and Eighty Eight (188) towns. This
is probably among the Israelite stories which the people
of the Scriptures used to tell to each other and pass on
from one generation to another. They have preserved them
even after their embracing of Islam. They were then
recorded in the books about the Prophets’ stories.(8)
It was said that this Idrîs is the Prophet referred to
as Elias who was also known by the name Ikhnûkh
(Enoch) in the Book of Genesis (5: 24) and to whom the
wise men gave the appellation “the most prestigious of
the Hermeses”. They claimed that he was born in Minaf in
Egypt, from which he set out to preach the good word,
wandering in all the parts of the inhabited world.
Idrîs was also known for his literary writings and use
of wise symbols with which he called for affording
importance to Astrology (especially the observation of
the moon crescent and the movement of the Zodiac units).
Some of his writings and maxims have been conveyed by
generations to other generations belonging to various
creeds; e.g. “The good of this lowly world is but
affliction and its evil is but sorrow” and “The soul’s
life is wisdom and the prohibition of wine”, among
others.
He was attributed, wrongly, the building of the
pyramids. His slanderers also claimed that he
represented, through drawings, all the industrial
activities and machines of his epoch, out of concern for
their preservation for a long time. All this goes
against what was consigned in history.(9)
Ibn Jarîr conveys to us another relation: it consists in
saying that Ilyâs (Elias) is the son of Yâsin, son of
Fansâs , son of Al ‘Ayzurân, son of Aaron(*). He would
be, then, one of the Israelites’ Prophets who called for
the renouncement of idolatry. He left his mantle with
Allah’s Messenger Al Yasa‘ (Elisha). His prophecy was
directed at the people of Baalabak (in present-day
Lebanon), located West of Damascus, who were worshipping
an idol called “Ba‘l” (Baal).(10)
Noah
He is the son of Lamech, son of Methuselah (cf First
Book of Chronicles). The seven commandments (or Laws),
which were revealed to Noah (PBUH) after the Great
Flood (cf. Book of Genesis; Chap. 9), called for the
following: avoiding giving associates to Allah, taking
someone’s life unjustly, slandering, engaging in an
unlawful marriage (fornication), stealing, eating unpure,
raw meat(11). They also called for the establishment of
a religiously prescribed legal system for humanity.
These commandments predate the ten commandments which
Allah revealed to Moses (PBUH), according to the Old
Testament, when He spoke to him in Mount Sinai.
Two Jewish thinkers (Moses Mendelssohn and Herman Cohen)
have confirmed that Noah’s commandments constitute the
basis for the rational behavior of humanity. From them
starts the “Decalogue”, the basis for the heavenly
revealed canonical law in the Holy Books. This is the
case of the Book of Judgement, which is a section of the
Old Testament, attributed - as we shall see – to our
Lord Solomon, and that of our Lord Job’s Book of
Judgement.
Scholars wonder whether Noah’s Great Flood covered the
whole globe – given the fact that his message was
destined to only a limited area. This is in view of the
fact that mankind did not inhabit the whole of the
globe. In fact, people lived only in the region which
the Flood reached, since Noah’s Ark settled on Mount
Jûdî (or Gûdî). It is presumed to be that mount which is
located in the “Diyar Bakr” sector of the Island, which
was connected with the mountains of Armenia. The Holy
Qur’an has not taken up the issue of indicating the
geographical location of that great event.
What was related in the Qur’an about the long life of
Noah (950 years) has prompted the objection of some
Orientalists. In the Qur’an, it is said in (Surah Al
‘Ankabût; v. 14): “ And indeed We sent Nûh (Noah) to his
people, and he stayed among them a thousand years less
fifty years [inviting them to believe in the Oneness of
Allah (Monotheism), and discard the false gods and other
deities]; and the Deluge overtook them while they were
Zâlimûn (wrong-doers, polytheists, disbelievers)”
Hûd
He is the son of Shelah, son of Arpachshad, son of Sam
(Shem), son of Noah. He was sent to the giants of ‘Ad ,
in the land of ‘Ahqâf (the wind-curved sand hills) in
Yemen, by Hadramouth; that is, the uninhabited quarter
or the Gulf area presently. East of it lies the State of
Oman. Hûd is not mentioned in the Holy Scriptures other
than the Noble Koran (Surah Hûd). It is said that he was
the first who used the Arabic language, since the Arabs
were the first to have settled West of the Euphrates
river.
Sâlih
He is the son of Ubeid, son of Massih, son of Hadir, son
of Thamud, son of ‘Athir, son Aram, son of Sam, son of
Noah. As for Sâlih and his people Thamûd, their period
is not known with certainty, and the remaining vestiges
of the past do not elucidate this point. Indeed, most of
the engravings on the tombs (epitaphs) are Nabatean all
of which representing good wishes. They date back to the
period of Jesus’ birth (PBUH). It is said that Sâlih was
the son of ‘Ubayd, son of Asaf, who descended from the
ancient Arabs that remained from ‘Ad. They were known
for carving their dwellings out of the rocky flanks of
hills and mountains, and lived in the area between the
Hidjaz and Syria. The ‘Ad region is known nowadays by
the name of “Faj al Nâqah” (The She-Camel’s Pass). It is
there where Sâlih’s towns are located, adjacent to the
Gulf of Aqaba. The place was so-named because Sâlih came
with the miracle of the she-camel, which proved the
truthfulness of his message. The she-camel came out of a
massive solid rock, lived for awhile before they
hum-strung her. Allah sent over them a tornado which
destroyed them.
Abraham
He is the Son of “Tarikh”/Terah (also nicknamed Ezra),
son of “Nahor”, son of Serug, a descendant of Sam, son
of Noah. He is the ‘bosom’ friend of Allah. He is also
called the father of Prophets, and Ulu al-‘azm (the
Resolute Messengers, i.e, Moses, Aaron, Jesus, and
Mohamed (peace and Blessings be upon them)
He is from the people of “Padan Aram”, located in
present-day Irak, according to the Old Testament. He
moved to the Chaldean town of Ur, which is on the West
bank of the Euphrates river. He then proceeded to settle
in Hârân, Palestine and Egypt. His visit to this latter
took place during the reign of Pharaoh “Ammonmohat
II”(around 2,000 BC)
Abraham set foot in the land of Mecca, along with his
son Ishmael, from Hagar whom the king of Al Kinâna
(Egypt) offered him as a maid. Ishmael was then a child,
when water from Zamzem appeared between his feet, as a
miracle and fulfillment for Hagar’s invocation: she was
following a mirage looking for water. The appearance of
the water was behind the settlement of the Jurhum tribe
in Mecca. Ishmael grew up among them and took up the
Arabic language of this tribe and abandoned his father’s
Syriac language.
Abraham, along with his son Ishmael, undertook the
building of the Kaaba shrine. He also called upon people
to accomplish pilgrimage to it. In this regard, the
Koran said (Surah Al Hajj (Pilgrimage); v. 27):“ And
proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will
come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will
come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway
(to perform Hajj)”
Visits to the Kaaba have become since that moment among
the religious rituals. Abraham lived for approximately
175 years.
Ishmael
Ishmael was dispatched to the Arab tribes within which
he grew up, as was mentioned above. He lived for 137
years, died in Mecca, and was buried by his mother’s
tomb (i.e., Hagar’s) in the sacrosanct rocky area,
according to a sound general account. The Torah
mentioned that he died in the land of the Philistine
(the actual Palestine).
Isaac
He was sent to the people of Canaan (who lived in the
area spreading from present-day Syria to present-day
Palestine). He was born when his father’s age was 100
years. He lived for 180 years, died and was buried in
Hebron (Al Khalîl), where his father was entombed. There
has been disagreement over whom, of Abraham’s two sons,
was going to be sacrificed. In a prophetic tradition
related by Ibn ‘Abbâs, it is mentioned that it was going
to be Isaac; in other sources, it was going to be
Ishmael (12).
Lot
He is the son of Haran, son of Terah (i.e Ezra). He is
Abraham’s nephew. Allah sent him, as a Prophet, to the
people of Sodom, who lived East of present-day Jordan.
These people engaged in sodomy. He said to his people :
“Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation
(ever) committed before you. For ye practice your lusts
on men in preference to women : ye are indeed a people
transgressing beyond bounds.” (Surat Al-Araf, 81-81).
When they refused to repent and to abide by the command
of our lord Lot, they were exterminated. His wife was
among the exterminated because she condoned the sodomy
practiced by her people. His two daughters were saved
from Allah’s punishment, along with him.
Lot’s town was located in a place by the Dead Sea, also
called Lot’s Lake. When Allah caused the high land to
settle at the lowest level, it became below sea level;
thus, the place was submerged with water. Ruins from
Lot’s town were discovered on the bank of the Dead Sea.
The wives of Noah and Lot did not perish on account of
committing adultery ; rather, they did because they
rejected the Divine Message brought by their husbands.
As was stated by Ibn ‘Abbâs, “No wife of a Prophet
engaged in prostitution” because the prostitution of a
woman undermines the dignity of her husband. In fact,
all of the Messengers of Allah were noble and
worthy(13).
Jacob
He is the son of Isaac, son of Abraham, he is also
called Israel, i.e Allah’s servant. He was born in
Palestine, from which he emigrated when he grew up, to
go to his maternal uncle Laban, who lived in “Paddan
Aram” , in Babylon (present-day Iraq). He had a dream in
a place referred to later on as “Bayt El” (i.e. the
House of God). It is the site of the “Holy House” (i. e
Jerusalem), which he later on built. He pursued his
journey to what is now known as Iraq where he married
his uncle Laban’s two daughters (Lea and Rachel)
together. At that time, marrying two sisters together
was not prohibited but the practice was abolished later
on in the law of the Torah. One of the two sisters,
Rachel, conceived and gave birth to two sons: Joseph and
Benjamin. Jacob was buried near his father, in the town
of Al Khalîl (Hebron).
Joseph
He is, as Prophet Mohammed said (PBBUH), “the generous,
son of the generous, son of the generous, son of the
generous: Joseph, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of
Abraham”(14). Strong belief pervaded his heart and his
behavior was characterized by probity. Thus, he avoided
falling into sin with the wife of “Al ‘Azîz” (Pharaoh’s
closest Counselor), who raised him and was generous with
him. When he was reunited with his father (Jacob), after
their separation, this latter was 130 years of age.
Jacob passed away 17 years after this reunion. As for
Joseph, he lived for 110 years and died in Egypt. His
remains were transferred to the land of Ash-Shâm (the
great Syria of that time) during the time of Moses and
buried in Nablus, in all probability. Joseph died 361
years after the birth of his great grandfather
(Abraham), and 64 years before the birth of Moses.
Shu‘ayb (Choua)
He was called Choua, son of Midian. It is said that he
is a dessendant of Al-‘Aiss Ibn Ishaq (Isaac). But it is
more probable that he is Ibn Mikkel Ibn Yashjin Ibn
Maidan Ibn Ibrahim (May Allah’s peace be upon all of
them). The exegetes refer to him as the most eloquent of
the Prophets.
Shouah’s sending preceded that of Moses. Things got
confused for some historians who thought that Shouah
came several centuries after Moses. It seems that they
confused between Shu‘ayb and Ish‘ayah.
The dwellings of the people of Midian are in the
northern part of the Hidjaz, on the side of Ash-Shâm
(the former great Syria), near the Gulf of Aqaba, south
of Palestine. The people of Midian were merchants and
farmers who used to cheat people in weighing and to
defraud them. This must have probably have taken place
after the Israelites moved to Egypt. This cheating was
the cause for which this Messenger (P.B.U.H) was sent,
as they were using two different sets of scales: one for
buying and one for selling. When they refused to heed
the Messenger’s call for ceasing the cheating and
instead persisted in pursuing it, they were taken by the
torment of “yawmu adh-dhullah” (the day of the shadow,
caused by a gloomy cloud), by earthquakes and the Awful
Cry.
Job
He is the son of “Mawssy”, son of “Zarih”, son of
“Al-‘Ayss”, son of “Ishaq”, son of “Ibrahim” (Abraham)
(May Allah’s peace be upon all of them). He was a Roman.
He was a man of great wealth and a number of children.
Allah granted him this wealth; so, he was god-fearing
and very grateful to Him. Then he suffered a severe
tribulation as concerns his family, his body and his
wealth; yet, he bore all that. Then Allah came to his
rescue and saved him from his predicament. In this
regard, Allah said (cf. Surah Al Anbiyyâ’ (The
Prophets); v. 83):
And (remember) Ayyûb (Job), when he cried to his Lord:
“Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most
Merciful of all those who show mercy.
The Israelite tradition pretends that Job was spurned by
people when his illness increased and his body began to
decompose; thus, they threw him in a refuse dump outside
his town (according to the Torah). This is something
that Islam can not accept, since it sanctifies the
Prophets and place them high above any situation that
would bring about their belittling and their dislike.
What seems to be the case, then, is that Job was ill
from a natural ailment that took away 18 years from his
active life, which reached 93 years. He had 26 male
children, among whom was “Bishr” who, it is said, was
the “Dhû Al Kifl” (Isaiah) mentioned in the Koran
as one of Allah’s Messengers.
Job was sent to the Roman nation; however, he resided
in Damascus and its surroundings. Through him, the
Divine Message could reach the Roman Empire – starting
from Damascus -, then Persia, then the foreigners’ land,
later on known as the Byzantine Empire. Thus, it can be
said that the Divine Messages covered in those times the
most populated regions of the planet.
Moses and Aaron
They are “the People of Resolve” and the sons of ‘Amran,
son of “Qassit”, son of “Lawy”, son of “Ya‘qub”. Musa is
Kaleem Allah (the interlocutor of Allah), as evidenced
by the following verse : “And to Moses Allah spoke
direct.” (Surat An-Nissa’ : 164). Their story is well
known (We will return to it when we discuss the
relationship between the Torah and the New Testament).
They were the sons of ‘Imrân, (Amram, in Exodus; 6:
20), son of Qâhath (Kohath, in Exodus; 6: 18) , son of
Lâwî (Levi, in Exodus), son of Ya‘qûb (Jacob). Aaron was
born three years before his brother Moses. He was very
eloquent and endowed with strong will. He lived for 122
years and died, in the land where they had erred before
they penetrated Palestine, 11 months before Moses’
death.
The Messenger of Allah (PBBUH.) said: “Do not show a
preference to a Prophet among the others because when
the horn is blown, all those who are in the Heavens and
the Earth will be struck down, except for those whom
Allah will want to save. The horn will be blown again
and I will be the first one to be resurrected, yet Moses
will be holding the Throne. I do not know whether he had
been brought to reckoning when he was struck on the Tûr
mountain, or whether he resuscitated before me! I am not
saying that there is somebody better than Jonas, son of
Amittai”(15).
Dhu lKifli
Ibn Kathîr postulates that Dhu lkifli was indeed a
prophet even though some religious scholars are of the
opinion that he was simply a very pious and godly man
among the Israelites. This is so because the Holy
Koran’s description of him is limited to this last
characterization: i.e., he was the best among the pious
and godly. However, Ibn Kathîr points out that this
characterization is made about the prophets as well. In
support of his view, he cites the following verse from
the Holy Koran (cf. Surah Al Anbiyâ’ (The Prophets); v.
85-86):
“And (remember) Ismâ ‘îl (Ishmael), and Idrîs (Enoch)
and Dhul-Kifl (Isaiah): all were from among As-Sâbirûn
(the patient)" [v. 85] - “And We admitted them to Our
Mercy. Verily, they were of the righteous”. [v. 86].
We do not know to what people he was sent as a Prophet.
David
He is the son of Jesse, the son of “Awid”, son of “‘Abir”,
son of Salmun, from the descendants of Judah, son of
Jacob , son of Isaac, son of Abraham.
After the death of Moses and Aaron, Joshua, the son of
Nun, took charge of the affairs of the people of Israel.
In this capacity, he led them to the land of Palestine,
which they were promised according to Moses’ prophesy in
the Torah. After the death of Joshua, they were led by
Israelite judges during a period of 356 years, referred
to as the judges’ ruling period. It is during this
period that weakness and lack of courage crept into the
hearts of the people of Israel, after they had neglected
their religion. Therefore, they were invaded by other
peoples - the Amelikites, the Arameans and the
Philistines – who dared kill the prophets.
The People of Israel carried with them the “Arch of
alliance” or the “Holy Arch”, which contained Moses’
tablets and his staff through which they aspired to have
the blessings of God. The people of Gaza and Ascalon
took it away from them, something which greatly grieved
their king and caused his death out of heart sickness.
After that, they remained like sheep without a shepherd
until God sent them a prophet: Prophet Samuel.
Samuel was succeeded by Saul, who was made king through
God’s revelation. The confiscated “arch” was returned to
him. However, they rebelled against him. God tested them
very strongly through depriving them of water.
Therefore, only 319 soldiers out of 80,000 remained with
him. Saul contented himself with them in his war against
his enemies, the Philistine idolaters, led by Goliath.
This latter, having asked for a duel, a young man from
Saul’s army (called David) stepped forward to take him
on. He dueled against him and killed him. This made the
people of Israel win against the Philistines.
The Israelites pledged allegiance to David after Saul’s
death; he was only thirty years old. As their king, he
ruled over them with equity and justice, using the Torah
as the reference, until he was revealed the Book of
Psalms at the age of forty.
He had a beautiful voice to the point where, when he
recited the Psalms, the birds stopped flying. He lived
from the sweat of his brows, making shields and swords,
and did not take anything from public money. Ibn Abbâs
relates – as was related in the two Sahîh – that Prophet
Mohammed (PBBUH) said: “The most valued prayer for
Allah is David’s; the most valued fasting for Allah is
David’s. He used to sleep only half the night, spend one
third of it praying and its sixth sleeping. He used to
fast every other day” (16).
Prophet David was subject to a number of slanderous
falsehoods. It was said, for instance, that he loved the
wife of Urie, his army’s Chief of Staff; so, he sent him
many times to the front and ordered him to be on the
frontline until he was killed. This was because he
wanted him killed in order to marry his widow. This is
sheer falsehood and derision that are unacceptable
concerning Allah’s prophets and Messengers. For Allah
has guarded them from slipping into errors, perfidy and
betrayal. Besides, is it reasonable for Allah’s prophet
David (PBUH) to betray his army’s chief of staff, who
was aiding him in the jihad against idolaters?
According to the people of the Book, David lived for 77
years. However, Ibn Jarîr At Tabarî refuted that and
claimed that he lived for one hundred years. He based
himself on Ahmad’s relation of a Hadith about Adam where
it is stated that Allah added forty years to the age of
David; hence his age became one hundred years(17).
Solomon
Solomon succeeded his father, David, at the age of 12 or
13 years. In spite of his young age, he was intelligent,
resourceful, a good manager, far-sighted and wise. He
was the one who build Jerusalem, in keeping with his
father’s testamentary instructions, four years after
succeeding him, and the wall which surrounds it. Once
he had finished erecting the Holy City, he asked God to
grant him three requests. This is related in a noble
Hadith of the prophet (PBBUH), which reads as follows: “
He was granted two requests and we hope that he had been
granted the third. He had asked Allah to make him a good
judge and he was one. He asked him to have a kingdom
whom no one would have and he was granted it. He asked
Him that anyone who goes out of his house seeking solely
to accomplish prayers in the holy temple be cleared of
all his sins as when he was given birth by his mother.
We hope that Allah (Exalted and Glorified be He) has
granted David this request.” (18)
When he finished building Jerusalem, he spent thirteen
years building the temple ( i.e. the Royal Palace)
along with the altar. He had a fleet which supplied him
with gold, silver and other goods from India. He had a
passion for equitation.
Salomon lived for 52 years, forty of them as a king. He
was a prophet – king whom Allah had endowed with the
ability to understand the language of the birds and all
the languages of animals. Allah had also put at his
disposal the djinns and demons. No other prophets have
been granted that which Solomon was granted in terms of
kingdom and powers. In this regard, Allah says in the
Holy Koran the following (Surah Sâd (Sad); v. 35 – 40 ):
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.” [v. 35]
“So, We subjected to him the wind; it blew gently by his
order whithersoever he willed”, [v. 36]
“And also the Shayâtîn (devils) from the jinn
(including) every kind builder and diver,” [v. 37]
“And also others bound fetters.” [v. 38]
[Allah said to Sulaiman (Solomon)]: “This is Our gift:
so spend you or withhold, no account will be asked (of
you)" [v. 39]
“And verily, for him is near access to Us, and a good
(final) return (Paradise).” [v. 40]
The Israelite tradition tells bizarre anecdotes about
Solomon’s ring and its loss in the ocean, a loss which –
it is claimed – has cost him his empire. However, Moslem
scholars like Ibn Kathîr, Ar Râzî, and Al Baydâwî (among
others) refuted all these stories.
Jonah
Jonah was Israelite, in fact one of the grandsons of
Benjamin, Ibn Ya‘qub (Peace be Upon Them). He was sent
to the people of Niniveh, the capital of Assyria, in the
land of present-day Iraq, in the VIIIth century BC.
They were worshipping an idol named Ishtar.
He devoted a great deal of time and effort calling this
people to worship Allah only and to abandon polytheism;
however, his call was in vain. When they did not heed
his call, he left them - before Allah allowed him to do
so - angry and threatening them with Allah’s punishment.
It was asserted that his leaving was on account of a
deception by Satan. After his departure, the people
realized that Allah’s punishment was going to befall
them when they saw its signs; so they repented and kept
asking for Allah’s forgiveness until Allah lifted those
signs and restored safety. At that time, Jonah was
traveling on board a boat. When this latter was being
tossed about and rocked by the swells, his fellow
passengers perceived an evil omen. So, they drew lots
and the lot fell on him many times. In this way they
became convinced that whatever is happening to the boat,
which they considered abnormal, was because of Jonah.
So, they threw him out of board into the sea because
they thought that a calamity was going to fall upon
them. He was swallowed by a whale which Allah commanded
not to harm him. Jonah called upon Allah in the darkness
saying:
“[…] Lâ ilâha illâ Anta [none has the right to be
worshipped but You (O Allah)]…Truly, I have been of the
wrong-doers”. (Surah Al Anbiyâ’ (The Prophets); v. 87).
The whale cast him out of its belly to dry land. It was
said that this took place in present-day Iraq. Jonah
became well and realized the mistake he made in shirking
his task of preaching to Niniveh before Allah relieved
him of it. He returned to Niniveh and found the people
believing in Allah. However, they returned to their
corrupt ways again, after some time. So, Allah sent them
invaders, who destroyed their city.
Zacharias and John
He is Zacharias the son of “Ladin”, son of “Muslim” Son
of “Sadduq”. His son is Yahya. Their ascendancy has
been traced up to Suleiman (Solomon) (May Allah’s peace
be upon him).
Zacharias was sent to the people of Israel, before Jesus
was sent, to urge them to ward off evil deeds like
debauchery, moral depravity and degeneration. They
thought nothing of spilling the blood of virtuous men
and that of the prophets. The most cruel and blood
thirsty among them was Herod, the governor of Palestine.
It was said about him that he was the one that ordered
the murder of John, son of Zacharias, and the victim’s
head was delivered to him on a (silver) platter so as to
satisfy the whims of his sweetheart (Salome).
Imran, the father of Mary, who was the greatest scholar
for the people of Israel, then When Imran died,
Zacharias – who was the husband of Mary’s aunt -
volunteered to be her legal guardian. It was said that
when he requested of Allah that he be granted a son, he
was 99 years old and his wife was 98. He begot John, who
was murdered while his father was still alive. According
to some historians, Zacharias was also murdered some
time after his son.
John, who was born three months before Jesus, was made a
prophet at age thirty. During his youth, he led an
ascetic life in the desert, eating herbs and locusts. He
became an erudite scholar to whom people referred when
it comes to issuing opinions about religious points and
matters(19). As a prophet, John used to call upon the
people of Israel to obey Allah and broke to them the
good news of the coming of the kingdom of heaven. He
ministered in the Jordan valley area where he used to
baptize children in the waters of the Jordan river.
Jesus himself was baptized by John in the water of this
river(20).
Jesus, son of Mary
He is the son of the virgin Mary, daughter of Imran, a
descendent of Prophet David. In the Holy Koran, she said
:
v. 20 : “How can I have a son, when no man has touched
me, nor am I unchaste”
v. 21 : “He said : ‘So (it will be), your lord said :
‘That is easy for me (Allah) : And (We widh) to appoint
him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from us (Allah),
and it is a matter to mankind and a mercy from us
(Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by
Allah).”
v. 22 : “So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him
to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles
from Jerusalem).”
Jesus’birth was a miracle; for Allah made him speak
while still an infant in his crib for the purpose of
absolving his mother of all charges laid against her :
v. 29 : “Then she pointed to him. They said : “How can
we talk to one who is a child in the crradle?”
v. 30 : “He said [‘Isâ (Jesus) said : “verily I am a
slave of Allâh, He has given me the Scripture and made
me a Prophet;"
v. 31 : “And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be,
and has enjoined on me Salât (prayer), and Zakât, as
long as I live.”
He was sent by the Most High after the killing of John,
the son of Zacharias (Peace be upon them). After he
fulfilled his mission, the Jews attempted to kill him or
to crucify him. Indeed, the Christians believe that this
is what took place as the jews did kill and crucify
another man whom Allah made resemble Jesus. In the Holy
Koran, it is said :
“ [...] but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but
it appeared so to them [...]"
Christians and Muslims agreed that jesus will be sent
again before doomsday. However, Muslims believe that he
will come, this time around, with the principles of the
unity [of Allah] which the original Christian faith came
with. Moreover, he will guide people in accordance with
the precepts of the closing religion : Islam.
Jesus was sent to the people of Israel after they had
spent thirteen centuries without any prophet. During
this long period, their hearts hardened and they
distorted the divine law sent to them and lost its
precepts. Thus, they ceased doing good deeds, took the
Shabat as simply a workless day, skipped many duties
during it, and competed for material goods and money.
The Holy Koran declared Jesus and his mother to be far
above all the false characterizations that were assigned
to them when it stated the following (Surah Al Mâ’ida
(The Table Spread); v. 116):
“And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of
Resurrection): “O ‘Isâ (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)!
Did you say unto men: “Worship me and my mother as two
gods besides Allah?” “He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It
was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had
I said such a thing, You would surely have known it.
You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know
what is in Yours; Truly, You only You, are the
All-Knower of all that is hidden (and unseen).”
Moreover, Allah has granted His prophet Jesus and his
mother their share of respectability when He said
(Exalted Be He) the following:
“(Remember) when the angels said: “O Maryam (Mary)!
Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word
[“Be!” -- and he was! i. e .’Isâ (Jesus) the son of
Maryam (Mary)]from Him, his name will be the Messiah
‘Isâ (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour
in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of
those who are near to Allah.” (Surah Al ‘Imrân (The
Family of Imran); v. 45)
“And (remember) when the angels said:(O Maryam (Mary)!
Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you (from
polytheism and disbelief) and chosen you above the women
of the ‘Alamîn (mankind and jinn) (of her lifetime).”
[Same Surah as above; v. 42]
In Prophet Mohammed’s Hadith, related by Abû Hurayra, it
is said the following: “There is no newborn child, of
the descendents of Adam, who has come into this world
without it being touched by Satan –hence its crying
because of this touch – save Mary and her son. He then
recited the following verse:[…] and seek refuge with You
(Allah) for her and for her offspring from Shaitân
(Satan), the outcast.” (21)
Mohammed (PBBUH), the Seal of the Prophets
Prophet Mohammed has as ancestor ‘Adnân. Indeed he is
Mohammed, son of Abdallah, son of ‘Abd Al Muttalib, son
of Hâshim, son of ‘Abd Manâf, son of Qasî, son of Kulâb,
son of Murrah, son of Ka‘b, son of Lu’y, son of Ghâlib,
son of Fihr (and Ghâlib, son of Fihr, was nicknamed
Quraysh and the tribe was named after him), son of
Mâlik, son of An-Nudhr, son of Kinânah, son of
Khuzaymah, son of Madrakah, son of Ilyâs, son of Middir,
son of Nizâr, son of Mu‘idd, son of ‘Adnân (22)
From ’Adnân, his ascendancy rises to Abraham (Peace Be
Upon Him). For ‘Adnân is the son of ’Ad, son of
Hamaysa‘, son of Salâmân, son of ‘Aws, son of Bûz, son
of Qamwâl, son of Ubayy, son of ‘Awwâm, son of Nâshid,
son of Haâ, son of Baldâs, son of Yadlâf, son of Tâbikh,
son of Nâhish, son of Mâkhî, son of ‘Ayd, son of ‘Abqar,
son of ‘Udayd, son of Ad-Da‘a, son of Hamdân, son of
Sunbur, son of Yathribî, son of Yahzin, son of Yalhin,
son of Ar‘awî, son of ‘Ayd, son of Dayshân, son of
‘Aysar, son of Afnâd, son of Ayhâm, son of Muqsir, son
of Nâhith, son of Zârih, son of Summay, son of Mazzay,
son of ‘Awdah, son of ‘Arâm, son of Qaydâr, son of
Ismâ‘il (Ishmael), son of Ibrâhîm (Abraham). (23)
Mohammed’s family is called the Hashimite Family
He was born in the family of Banû Hâshim, in Mecca, in
the month of Rabia I, during the first anniversary year
of the historical event called “the Event of the
Elephant”, forty years into the rule of the Persian
Emperor Anusharwan. It is possible that the
corresponding date within the Christian calendar is 20
or 21 or 22 April 571(24). The date of birth that is
well known among the biographers is 02 Rabia I; however,
it was said the 9th and the 12th of the same month. As
for the day, it is said Monday.
Mohammed’s father died a few months before his birth
and his mother died when he was just three.
We will content ourselves with this amount of
information about the ascendancy of Mohammed, the Seal
of the Prophets, since the third Section, below,
contains a full discussion about Allah’s revelation to
Mohammed (PBBUH).
The Revelation
The word wahy (revelation) appeared in many Koranic
verses. Indeed, In the Holy Koran, the Most High said:
(a) “Say (O Muhammad): “I warn you only by the
revelation […].But the deaf […] will not hear the call,
(even) when they are warned[…]" (Surah Al Anbiyâ’ (The
Prophets); v. 45)
(b) “It is not given to any human being that Allah
should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation, or
from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to
reveal what He wills by His Leave. Verily, He is Most
High, Most Wise.” (Surah Ash- Shûra (The Consultation);
v. 51)
(c) “By the star when it goes down (or vanishes)".
[v.1]“Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray
nor has erred”. [v.2]“Nor does he speak of (his own)
desire.” [v.3]“Its is only a Revelation revealed.” [v.4]
(Surah An-Najm (The Star); v. 1-4)
In other verses of the Holy Koran, “revelation” is
expressed by the word tanzîl (meaning literally
“sending down”). In this regard, the Holy Koran says:
“It is He Who has sent down the book (the Qur’ân) to you
(Muhammad) with truth, confirming what came before it.
And He sent the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel).”
(Surah Al ‘Imrân (The Family of Imran); v. 3)
The true revelation takes place through an angel, who
carries the Divine Message to the Messenger to whom the
revelation is destined strengthened by a miracle. Thus,
every Messenger is strengthened in his mission with
miraculous actions that are consonant with his people
and his epoch. For illustration, we have the medical
miracles performed by Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him), as he
made the dumb talk and healed the leper. We have also
the miracle of resurrection, as Jesus did bring back to
life, by Allah’s power, deceased people. Moreover, the
Holy Koran is characterized by the miracle of rhetoric
in defiance of the Arabs’ well-known eloquence. The
Koran is Allah’s revealed discourse, in both meaning and
form. It is an emanation from Allah in both form and
meaning.
According to one of its acceptations, the term wahy
refers to man’s “innate inspiration” and the animal’s
“innate instinct” or to a simple suggestion. In this
regard, the Holy Koran says: “And your Lord inspired the
bees” [..] – (Surah An-Nahl (The Bees); v. 68)
Man’s innate inspiration and the voice of his conscience
are kinds of revelation which differ from the revelation
conveyed to a Messenger or prophet. As man possesses a
soul that leans towards fulfilling capricious desires,
helped in that by the evil spirits who roam around him,
he is also endowed with a mind, a heart and a
conscience, and is surrounded by angels who direct him
to accomplishing good deeds.
The True Nature of the Revelation sent to the Messengers
The true nature of the revelation is not apprehended
through the mind alone and personal perceptions,
starting from that which is felt and staying clear of
that which is invisible. It is not apprehended through
transcendental meditation, being at the periphery of the
material world. Thus, if we say that revelation is an
inspiration overflowing from the subconscious or the
spiritual soul in order to be reflected on the
conscious, this means that revelation lies outside the
prophet’s conscience. The truth, however, is that
revelation descends to the prophet’s conscience from the
heavens, through an angel: namely, Gabriel.
The true nature of revelation sent to Allah’s Messengers
differs from what George Post says, to the effect that
it is “an incarnation of divine spirit into that of
inspired writers in order to acquaint them with the
spiritual truths and the supernatural ones”(25). (our
translation : J.S) This view of revelation has opened
the door to the unbelievers to consider it as a sort of
hallucination, visionarism and phantasm, coming from the
depths of a sick soul (i.e., a psychotic person).
Some philosophers corroborated the conception of
revelation propounded in this chapter when they
characterized revelation as being a spiritual
communication between a speaking human soul and the
souls of angels. However, they do not distinguish
between revelation and inspiration.
Types of Revelation
Revelation can be conveyed in a number of ways. It can
be conveyed through impregnating the heart with it, or
words dictated by an angel, or the rings of a bell. Some
Messenger, for example Moses, may receive Allah’s words
not through revelation, but directly, from behind a veil
(26). It is as Allah said in the Holy Koran (cf.
Ash-Shûra (The Consultation); v. 51):
“It is not given to any human being that Allah should
speak to him unless (it be) by Revelation, or from
behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal
what He wills by His Leave. Veerily, He is Most High,
Most Wise.”
In any case, Prophet Mohammed (PBBUH), received the
revelation through encounters with the angel Gabriel, in
a state of wakefulness, as is reported in Hadiths
attributed to Aisha (MABPH)(27).
The Content of Revelation
The Holy Koran has its own wisdom as concerns the
related stories about the prophets which it contains.
Through this relation, it confirms the existence of
revelation and the unity of the heavenly revealed
religions. It also underscores the significance of the
lesson to be drawn from the prophets’ missions and from
the attitude that peoples took regarding these latter.
Moreover, it analyses the close relationship that exists
between faiths and religions and brings out all the
goodness and piety which result from the revelation.
This latter expresses Allah’s power to perform wonders
while the human being’s endeavor would stop at the level
of the causes(28).
In this regard, Allah (Mighty and Sublime Be He) says in
the Holy Koran:
(a) “And indeed We granted to Mûsâ (Moses) and Hârûn
(Aaaron) the criterion (of right and wrong), and a
shining light (i.e. the Taurât (Torah) and a Reminder
for Al-Muttaqûn (the pious). - (Surah Al Anbiyâ’ (The
Prophets); v. 48)
(b) “And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrâhîm
(Abraham) his (portion of) guidance, and We were
Well-Acquainted with him (as to his belief in the
Oneness of Allah).” (Idem; v. 51)
(c) “[…] He has chosen you […], and has not laid upon
you in religion any hardship: it is the religion of your
father Ibrâhîm (Abraham)(Islamic Monotheism). It is He
(Allah) Who has named you Muslims both before and in
this (the Qur’ân) […]" (Surah Al Hajj (Pilgrimage); v.
78)
Revelation and Religion
The concept of Revelation relates to that of Religion.
This latter is the sum of what Allah reveals to His
Messengers. Allah says in the Holy Koran: “Truly, the
religion with Allah is Islâm.”[…] Surah Al Imrân (The
Family of Imran); v. 19)(29)
For certain philosophers, Religion is a kind of
understanding of that which lies outside the reach of
science ( i.e. is part of the hidden) and which the
mind’s faculty of reasoning can not grasp (30).
According to Mostafa Ibn Abd Ar-Râziq (31), the affinity
which exists between Philosophy and Religion aims to
attain happiness through achieving true belief and
performing good deeds. The same idea was corroborated by
Ash-Shahrastânî(32) as he affirmed that the part of
practical work (the praxis) in Philosophy is performing
good deeds and the scientific part in it is knowledge of
the truth. In this regard, Ibn Hazm says: “The meaning
of a truth-based Philosophy, the fruits of its quest and
the purpose for its learning seek nothing but to make
the soul righteous. The human-being must perform in this
lowly world virtuous actions, behave towards his fellow
folks – in the community and the family - in such a way
as to secure God’s grace on the Day of the Reckoning.
This is exactly what Religion aims at.”
Avicenna, however, made a distinction between Philosophy
and Religion. He observed that the goal of the latter is
originally a practical one while that of the former is a
theoretical one. He also affirmed that the principle of
practical wisdom (the praxis) is induced from divine law
while that of theoretical wisdom is derived from the
believers in divine faith.
In his writings on Avicenna, the Sheikh Mostafa Abd
Ar-Râzaq relates an anecdote. He bought one of
Aristotle’s books on the subject of “Metaphysics” which
he endeavored to study for a whole month without
unlocking its secrets. One day, he went to the Mosque to
accomplish his early morning prayer. And upon his
returning home from that prayer, he resumed his study
of Aristotle’s book. This time around, he was able to
unlock its meanings. This underscores the fact that
practical wisdom (i.e practical endeavor) has an impact
on theoretical wisdom (33).
The Prophets and Messengers
A Messenger is one of the human beings to whom Allah
revealed a (divine) law and entrusted him with the
mission of conveying it to his fellow humans. As for a
Prophet, he is a person charged with the task of guiding
his people basing himself on a preceding message which
has remained standing and whose fundaments have not
suffered any changes through intentional distortion or
loss. Given this distinction, any Messenger is a Prophet
but the reverse is not true.
According to certain traditions, the number of Prophets
is One Hundred and Twenty Four Thousands. Of these
Prophets, the Messengers are Three Hundreds and Fifteen
in number. This is what emerges from a Hadith attributed
to Abû Dhurr Al Ghafârî, which is related by the Imâm
Ahmed Ibn Hanbal in his “Musnad” (34). Of these
Messengers, those that are referred to as “ûlu al ‘azm”,
that is endowed with strong will, are the most
prominent, patient and strong. Prophet Mohammed (PBBUH)
was one of them, and Allah (The Most High) ordered
him to follow their example, as he is the last of them.
In this regard, the Holy Koran says: “Therefore be
patient (O Muhammad) as did the Messengers of strong
will […]” (Surah Al Ahqâf (The Curved Sandhills); v.
35).
They were called “ûlû al ‘azm” because of the strength
of their will and the great endurance with which they
faced tribulations. For in the Imâm Ahmed’s “Musnad”,
the following Hadith is related:“The men who best endure
tribulations are the Prophets, they are closer and
closer to perfection.” (35)
The granting of Prophecy is an exclusive prerogative of
Allah; it comes about as the result of a selection,
endowment and distinction that Allah bestows on any of
His servants. It is granted only to believers and only
to the males among them. In this regard, the Holy Koran
says: “And We Have sent not before you (as Messengers)
any but men unto whom We revealed […]" (Surah Yûsuf
(Joseph); v. 109)
The Infallibility of Prophets and Messengers
The Holy Book (The Koran) mentions so many outstanding
qualities of the Prophets and Messengers that make it
incumbent upon us to respect them, love them and
believe in the Divine Message they brought to us. All
the Messengers are high examples for the believers to
follow. In this respect, the Koran says:
(a) “And mention in the Book (the Qur’ân) Ibrâhîm
(Abraham). Verily he was a man of truth, a Prophet”
(Surah Maryam (Mary); v. 41)
(b) “Verily, Ibrâhîm (Abraham) was an Ummah.[…], or a
nation, obedient to Allâh, Hanîf (i.e to worship none
but Allah), and he was not one of those who were
Al-Mushrikûn [(polytheists, idolaters, disbelivers in
the Oneness of Allah, and those who join partners with
Allah)]" (Surah An-Nahl (The Ants); v. 120)
(c) (Allah) said: “O Mûsâ (Moses) I have chosen you
above men by My Messages and by My speaking (to
you)[..]" .(Surah Al A‘râf ( The Heights); v. 144).
(d) “And mention in the Book (the Qur’ân) Ismâ ‘îl
(Ishmael). Verily he was true to what he promised, and
he was a Messenger, (and) a Prophet.” (Surah Maryam
(Mary); v. 54)
(e) “And remember Our slaves, Ibrâhîm (Abraham), Ishâq
(Isaac), and Ya‘qûb (Jacob), (all) owners of strength
(in worshipping Us) and (also) of religious
understanding” (Surah Sâd (Sad); v. 45)
(f) “Verily, We did choose them by granting them (a good
thing, -i.e.) the remembrance of the Home [in the
Hereafter” (Idem; v. 46)
Thus has Allah (The Most High) brought out the most
exemplary traits of the Prophets and Messengers. Among
these traits, and as many theologians underscored, we
must cite the following: probity, honesty, chastity,
perspicacity, being devoid on any repulsive defects, and
infallibility. Thanks to these virtues, they
distinguished themselves from the rest of humans. They
were able to do so also because they stayed clear of
any sin and of anything that may affect their honor and
dignity. In this way they became the incarnation of
Perfection and fit to undertake the task of
“Imâmah”(office of spiritual leader) and “hidâyah”
(guidance) for the whole of humanity.
We must, therefore, reject any writing where defects are
attributed to Messengers, because all the dishonorable
deeds that are attributed to them are pure inventions by
people, who also spread falsehoods and distort the
content of Divine Messages.
It is a well known fact, established on objective
grounds, that if the early religious documents drawn by
people were exact records of utterances of the
Messengers who preceded Prophet Mohammed (PBBUH), if
these documents were available now, we would have found
out that all of them had pictured the Prophets and
Messengers as honest and dignified persons. This should
not come as a surprise, because they were considered
high examples and models to be emulated in the history
of humanity. Unfortunately, these early documents are
not available in our era, and it is practically
impossible to find any of them. Moreover, contemporary
humanity has in its possession no original of Scriptures
containing the text of a heavenly revealed message as
conveyed by a Messenger, written in a language that is
still alive nowadays, save the Holy Koran. This sacred
book has been able to preserve to all the Prophets and
Messengers their infallibility, pride and dignity.
Islam respects all the Messengers and Prophets. It
constantly recalls the spiritual leadership that they
exercised and all the guiding principles they brought
with them. Allah (The Most High) says in His noble Book
(the Qur’an) the following:
“And We made them leaders, guiding (mankind) by Our
Command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds
performing Salât (Iqâmat as-Salât), and the giving of
Zakât and of Us (Alone) they were the worshippers.”
(Surah Al Anbiyâ’ (The Prophets); v. 73).
The Messenger or the Prophet is a model to be followed,
for he can not be accused of a behavior that runs
contrary to that of a straight and pious person. If it
so happens sometimes, and outside of the Revelation,
that he makes mistakes in his evaluations and his
personal assessme
