Post by Sister Abigail (Admin) on Jul 16, 2014 23:48:56 GMT -5
Peace and Islam:
Clearing Up Misconceptions
71
Peace and Islam:
Clearing Up Misconceptions
Many people in the West believe Islam is a violent religion. Reading the
newspapers or watching t-v, it's easy to see how people form this impression.
While it's wise to remember reporters may be biased, according to Muhammad
and Imam Ali (founder of Islam's Shia sect), they're right--Muslims are
incorrectly observing Islam and excessive violence is the result. Both of them
prophesied Islam would have to undergo significant change before becoming
peaceful again. How can Islam return to being peaceful if peace isn’t part of
the original message? There's an abundance of scripture showing a peaceful
path between Islam and other people. It is hoped, education on this subject
will spread outwards and assist in the prophesied transformation.
Before proceeding, there's a few things the reader should know. First, the
Qur'an is the principal holy book of Muslims, sent from Allãh (the Father) via
His Messenger, Gabriel (Jibreel) to Muhammad, who delivered it to humanity
(Sura 2:97). Quotes from the Qur'an begin with the word "Sura", which means
"Chapter". Muhammad's other sayings are found in collections called "hadiths".
Most of Muhammad's prophecies are found there. Here, hadiths will not have
the word "Sura" preceding them, but will have the name of the volume in which
they are found.
In a world where so much violence, rightly or wrongly, is associated with Islam,
people need to know Islam is a peaceful religion. We'll start with the word,
"Islam". It comes from the root word for "Peace". The following is a description
of jihad from "Introducing Islam" by Ziauddin Sardar and Zafar Abbas Malik is
very useful;
page 60; "The True Meaning of Jihad
Constant struggle for justice manifests itself as jihad. Jihad is one of the most
abused and misused Islamic concepts. It means 'directed struggle' and can take a
number of forms. A tradition of the Prophet declares that 'the supreme jihad is
against oneself': that is, against one's ego, greed, and insatiable desires. Jihad
could also, for example, be aimed at the social development of a community.
It can also be intellectual -- directed against oppressive and totalitarian thought
or towards the intellectual uplifting of a society. Lastly, jihad can also take the
form of physical struggle against oppression and aggression."
72
THE BEST JIHAD
Sunan Abu Dawud Kitãb al-Malãhim, # 4330;
Abû Sa'id al-Khudri reported
the Apostle of Allãh (may peace be upon him) as saying:
The best fighting (Jihad)* in the path of Allãh
is (to speak)* a word of justice to an oppressive ruler."
FREEDOM OF RELIGION
Sura 2:256;
Let there be no compulsion in religion.
Now is the right way made distinct from error."
Sura 3:20;
SAY to those who have received the Book,
and to the common folk,
"Do ye surrender yourselves unto God?"
If they become Muslims, then they are guided aright:
but if they turn away—thy duty is only preaching,
and God's eye is on His servants."
How is it possible the Taliban and Al Qaeda and groups like them dare claim
to be Muslim? Those who oppress and murder people of other faiths and force
them to follow laws specific to the Arabic revelation are violating the Law
stated in the Qur'an. Have they no fear of Allãh?
PEACE AND ISLAM
Sura 10:26;
And God calleth to the abode of peace;
and He guideth whom He will into the right way."
Sura 25:63;
And the servants of the God of Mercy
are they who walk upon the earth softly;
and when the ignorant address them [Muslims],
they [Muslims] reply, "Peace!" "
Sura 33:48;
...obey not the infidels and hypocrites—yet abstain from injuring them:
Sura 8:61;
And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it;…"
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 73
STRICTLY DEFENSIVE WAR IS PERMITTED
Sura 2:190;
And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you:
but commit not the injustice of attacking them first:
God loveth not such injustice:…"
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK
Sura 41:34-35;
34 Moreover, good and evil are not to be treated as the same thing.
Turn away evil by what is better,
and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity,
shall be as though he were a warm friend.
35 But none attain to this save men steadfast in patience,
and none attain to it except the most highly favoured."
Verse 35 says true Muslims turn the other cheek in pursuit of peace.
INTERFAITH PEACE BETWEEN ISLAM, JEWS, & CHRISTIANS
FULLY SANCTIONED BY THE QUR'AN
Sura 5:69;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims)*,
and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians, and the Sabeites—
whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right,
shall have their reward with their Lord:…"
Sura 5:69 proves Islam recognizes members of other faiths as among the
"faithful". It acknowledges that proper Judaism is acceptable. Therefore,
no permanent enmity need exist between Muslims and either Jews or Christians.
Let's apply the following passage to what's happening in Iraq and Israel…
Sura 49:9-10;
9 If two bodies of the faithful are at war,
then make ye peace between them;
and if one of them wrong the other,
fight against that party which doth the wrong,
until they come back to the precepts of God;
if they come back,
make peace between them with fairness, and act impartially;
God loveth those who act with impartiality."
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 74
Sura 49:9-10, cont.; 10 Only the faithful are brethren;
wherefore make peace between your brethren;
and fear God, that ye may obtain mercy."
Sura 5:69 (and others) says members of all three Abrahamic religions may
be included among the "faithful" provided these religions are followed correctly.
Verse 49:10 includes Christians and Jews as "brethren". Verse 49:10 continues;
"wherefore make peace between your brethren". These verses require Muslims
to make peace with members of other faiths who obey the precepts of God.
The next verse concerns all Israelites, not only Jews. At first glance it may
appear biased, but it must be read in context of the verses you've just read
and others that speak of righteous Jews. It relates to a specific covenant…
Sura 5:13 (speaking about Jews);
But for breaking their covenant We have cursed them ["the children of
Israel"],
and...hardened their hearts. …
…Thou wilt not cease to discover deceit on their part, except in a few of them.
But forgive them, and pass it over:
verily, God loveth those who act generously!"
The covenant was broken between the descendents of Jacob (the Israelites);
the Jewish tribes that inhabited Judea and Galilee, and the descendents of
Ephraim who had merged with other Middle Eastern peoples implanted by the
Assyrians that became known as "Samaritans". So, this passage doesn't apply
to Jews in general. It applies to untrustworthy dealings between two Israelite
factions which led to division of ancient Israel, eventually the Diaspora, and
today's misery suffered by Ephraim's descendents. The deceit was over sharing
the land then as it still is today. Had the tribes stayed united they would not
have been cursed with dispossession of their land--first the Jewish tribes,
and now, the descendents of the Samaritans, whom we today call "Palestinians".
However, they're to be forgiven! The curse is coming to an end! Verse 5:69 on
the previous page that makes it clear Jews obeying the covenant are in fine
condition. "Thou wilt not cease to discover deceit on the...part" of all peoples.
Sura 43:3,5 (speaking about Arabs);
3 We have made it an Arabic Koran that ye may understand:
5 Shall We then turn aside this warning from you
because ye are a people who transgress?"
We're all in need of forgiveness. Jesus, Muhammad, and Imam Ali all
prophesied that religion would be twisted into wayward forms. The latter two
specifically prophesied against how Islam would be practiced today. But because 75
the established theology of Islam's main branches is distorted, the message
of peace and forgiveness doesn't seem to make it's way into everyday reality.
TERRORISM IS NOT "JIHAD"
The next passage from Sura 9 is misunderstood by both outsiders and Muslims,
so it bears careful examination.
Sura 9:5-6;
5 And when the sacred months are passed,
kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them;
and seize them, besiege them,
and lay in wait for them with every kind of ambush:
but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms,
then let them go their way, for God is gracious, merciful."…
The first part of verse 5 looks threatening, but it's part of the entire passage,
not a separate clause. It must be read together with the rest of verse 5, and
verse 6. For instance, "every kind of ambush" can be construed as condoning
suicide attacks. This is convoluted thinking. One can't give a person the
opportunity to convert, observe prayer, pay the obligatory alms, and then allow
them to go on their way after they've already been blown up. Interpreting this
passage as condoning suicide attacks contradicts the rest of verse 5. The solution
is common-sense. The historical context in which this verse was delivered was a
time when warriors rode horses and carried swords, bows and arrows. This law
permitted Muslims to surround invaders, but before fighting, required offering
terms of surrender. Terrorists completely misuse it. Now, here's verse 6…
Sura 9:5-6, cont;
6 If any one of those who join gods with God ask an asylum of thee,
grant him an asylum, that he may hear the word of God,
and then let him reach his place in safety.
This, for they are a people devoid of knowledge."
This law makes terrorist attacks illegal! The latter part of verse 5 refers
to Allãh's mercy. Mercy can’t be applied after bombings or suicide attacks.
Fighting sanctioned by the Qur'an does not cover these forms of murder.
With verses 5 and 6 together we see the Qur’an requires the ambusher to go
through four steps before killing his enemy…
76
The Law of Jihad states a Muslim must;
1) warn the other person, giving them time to consider religious conversion,
2) and if they decide to convert to Islam they must be freed,
3) and if they decide not to convert, but ask to be released, they must be freed,
4) and if they request asylum, they must be granted that as well,
because, "they are a people devoid of knowledge" and Allãh is Merciful.
Thus bomb attacks are illegal, against God, and forbidden by His Law!
Sura 26:151;
And obey not the bidding of [wicked "imams" like bin Laden]
those who commit excess…"
[encouraging others to commit suicide and mass murder-terrorism]
Sura 7:28;
And when the wicked [Al Qaeda, et. al.] commit some filthy deed,
they say,
"We found our fathers practising it [illegal "Jihad""],
and to us hath God commanded it." "
—SAY:
"God enjoineth not filthy deeds.
Will ye speak of God ye know not what?" "
Sura 49:11;
...Bad it is to be called wicked after having professed the faith;
and whoso repent not of this are doers of wrong."
Romans 2:24, Paul;
As it is written:
"God's [Allãh's] name is blasphemed among the gentiles [Western nations and India]
because of you."
Sura 20:82;
"Surely however will I forgive him who turneth to God and believeth,
and worketh righteousness, and then yieldeth to guidance."
Muslims are Allãh's representatives. Misuse of Jihad turns people away from
Allãh and Islam, one of the worst possible sins. As for barbaric acts such as
beheadings perpetrated by so-called "Muslims"…
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BEHEADINGS and other BARBARISM
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 8 #7079
"Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas;
The Prophet (saw) said,
"Beware! Do not renegade as disbelievers (revert to disbelief)*
after me by striking (cutting)* the necks of one another."
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 8 #7077
"Narrated Ibn ‘Umar;
I heard the Prophet (saw) saying;
"Do not renegade as disbelievers (revert to disbelief)* after me
by striking (cutting)* the necks of one another."
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 8 #7076
"Narrated ‘Abdullah (ra);
The Prophet (saw) said,
"Abusing a Muslim is Fusüq (evil-doing) and killing him is Kufr (disbelief)*."
FIGHTING BETWEEN MUSLIMS
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 7 #7072
"Narrated Abü Huraurah (ra);
The Prophet (saw) said,
"None of you should point a weapon towards [his] Muslim brother,
for he does not know, Satan may tempt him to hit him
and thus he would fall into a pit of fire (Hell)*."
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCXCIII, #6898
Ahnaf b. Qais reported…this person (Hadrat Ali)…said:…
I heard Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
When two Muslims confront one another with swords (in hands)*
both the slayer and the slain would be in Fire."
He (Ahnaf) said: I said, or it was said:
Allãh's Messenger, it may be the case of one who kills,
but what about the slain (why he would be put in Hell-Fire)*?"
Thereupon he said:
He also intended to kill his companion."
There are many more of these thoughtful sayings throughout Sahih Bukhari
and Muslim, and Sunan Abu Dawud and Ibn-I-Majah, Sunni canonical hadiths.
Shia have no valid excuse to reject them either, even though Sunnis reject
Shia hadiths by Imam Ali and others. There are virtually no Muslims fighting
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 78
in Iraq, only infidel unbelievers and lawbreakers. Many so-called "Muslims" are
breaking the Law of Islam for personal gain, hate, revenge, fear, etc. As a result,
we see carnage…
Al-Harj : Iraq, Lebanon, & Darfur
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 6 # 7062, 7063;
"Narrated ‘Abdullah and Abü Müsä; The Prophet (saw) said,
"Near the establishment of the Hour
there will be days during which general ignorance will spread,
(religious)* knowledge will be taken away (vanish)*
and there will be much Al-Harj, and Al-Harj means killing."
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCCV, #6947;
Abû Huraira reported Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
By Him, in Whose hand is my life,
a time would come when the murderer would not know why he has committed murder,
and the victim would not know why he had been killed."
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCCV, #6950;
Abû Huraira reported Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
By Him, in Whose hand is my life,
the world would not come to an end until a day would come to the people
on which the murderer would not know as to why he has killed,
and the slain would not know as to why he had been murdered.
It would be said: Why would it happen?
To which he replied:
It would be because of general massacre and bloodshed.
And the slaughterers and the slain would be in Fire…"
Abductions & Murders of Foreign Aid Workers
Sahih Muslim, Vol 4, Kitãb al-Fitan Chapter MCXCIV p.1497 #6904;
"Thaubãn reported that Allãh’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said,
“…but it would be from amongst them, viz. your Ummah [Muslim Community],
that some people would kill others or imprison others."
Sunan Ibn-i-Majah Vol. 5, p.315 #3996;
" ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘Ãs (ra) reported…Allãh’s Messenger (s) said,
"…You [Muslims] will vie with one another, then nurse jealousy against one another,
then turn back on one another [un-civil war].
Then you will go to the residences of emigrants
and put the burden of some of them on the necks of others [beheading]."
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 79
This is a mere sampling of the myriad prophecies and guidance on these topics.
The prophecies speak of today's tragic events with people suffering such misery
that this awful prophecy has come to pass;
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCCV, #6947;
Abû Huraira reported Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
The Last Hour would not come
until a person would pass by a grave of another person and he would say:
I wish it had been my abode."
DARFUR & the apostate Janjaweed Militia
Sunan Ibn-i-Majah Vol. 5, #3948, p.281;
"Abû Huraira (ra) reported that Allãh’s Messenger (s) said,
"He who fights under the standard of blind calling towards tribal spirit
or agitates for tribal jealousy, his way of killing is (an act of) the Ignorance."
Sunan Abû Dawud Vol. 3 #4288 Chapter 1594, p. 1197);
One of the companions of the Prophet (ra) reported the Prophet (s) as saying:
"Let the Abyssinians alone as long as they let you alone."
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 6 #7065
"Narrated Abü Müsä The Prophet (saw) said
"…And Al-Harj, in the Ethiopian language, means killing."
If Muslims are doing un-Muslim, violent, things in Iraq, Gaza, Lebanon, Darfur,
and elsewhere, it should come as no surprise. The Prophet and Imam Ali said this
was exactly what would happen. Islam would stray off-course…
ISLAM ASTRAY
Bukhari 1:33, “Kitãb al-‘ilm.” Muslim #157, “Kitãb al-‘ilm.”;
"Among the Signs of [the] Last Days,
‘Abd Allãh bin ‘Amr Ibn al-‘Ãs related that the Prophet (saw) said:
"Allah will not take knowledge from the hearts of the scholars
but he takes the scholars (they die)*.
There will be no more scholars to take their place
so people will take extremely ignorant leaders.
They will be asked questions
and will give fatwahs (legal rulings)* without knowledge.
They are misguided and they misguide others."
This describes the violent doctrines of Al Qaeda's so-called "imams", and their
look-alike relatives who blow up railroad cars in Bombay, Spain, and London in the
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 80
name of Allãh. False imams tell suicide bombers they're martyrs destined for
Paradise, but the reverse is true. The following hadiths are from "The Approach of
Armageddon?", by Shayk Muhammad Hisham Kabbani;
Page 93;
"Anas related that the Prophet (saw) said:
There will come a time for people
that to hold onto one’s religion would be like holding a hot coal in one’s hand."
(Ahmad, Musnad. Tirmidhi.)
Page 93;
"Abu Hurayra (ra) related that the Prophet (saw) said:
Woe to the Arabs for a great evil which is nearly upon them:
it will be like patches of dark night.
A man will wake up as a believer, and be an unbeliever by nightfall.
People will sell their religion for a small amount of worldly goods.
The one who clings to his religion on that day
will be as one who is grasping an ember or thorns."
((sahih) Ahmad, Musnad.)
Page 97
"The Prophet (saw) said:
The keeper of my Sunnah at the time my Community has lapsed into corruption
will receive the reward of one hundred martyrs.”84
84 Narrated from Ibn ‘Abbãs by al-Bayhaqi in al-Zuhd and cited thus by al-Mundhiri
in al-Targhib. “Man ahyã sunnati ‘inda fasãda ummati fa lahu ajru mi’ata shahid.”
Sadly, vindication of the Prophet through fulfillment of accurate, tragic,
prophecies brings shame to Muslims. Ongoing violence and repression prove
virtually all have gone astray. Muslims must mend their ways if the Fitnah
(Tribulation) is to end. Here's what Muhammad is actually calling for both
Shia and Sunni to do in Iraq…
"The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement", p.30,
citing Sunan Abü Dawud Vol. 3 Kitãb al-Fitan # 4246;
Abu Musa al-Ashari said,
The Prophet said,
“Before the Hour comes, there will be a tribulation like patches of dark night.
A man will get up a believer and go to sleep a kafir [after committing illegal Jihad],
or will go to sleep a believer and get up a kafir.
The one who sits will be better than one who stands,
and one who walks will be better than one who runs.
Break your bows, cut their strings, and strike your swords against stones.
If someone comes to kill any of you,
then be like the better of the two sons of Adam." 81
"The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement",
p.26, citing Ahmad Musnad 5/149;
Abu Dharr said,
The Prophet was riding a donkey and sat me behind him.
[The Prophet] said,
"O Abu Dharr,
if the people were suffering from such severe hunger [for revenge & justice]
that you could not even get up from your bed to go to the mosque,
what would you do?"
I said, "Allãh and His Messenger know best."
He said, "Be decent and restrain yourself."
Then he said,
"O Abu Dharr,
if the people were suffering from severe death what would you do?
If the people were killing one another,
until Hajarat al-Zayt [an area of Madinah] were submerged in blood,
what would you do?"
I said, "Allãh and His Messenger know best."
He said, "Stay in your house and lock the door."
I asked, "What if I am not left alone?"
He said, "Then be one of [with] them." [Make peace with them]
I said, "Should I take up my sword?"
He said, "If you did that,
you would be joining them in their activities.
No –
if you fear that the brightness of the shining sword will disturb you,
then cover your face with part of your clothing,
and let him carry his own sin and your sin."
82
"The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement",
p.30 citing Sunan Abü Dawud Vol. 3 #4243;
Abu Bakrah said, The Prophet said,
"There will be a tribulation…
Someone asked,
"O Messenger of Allãh, what do you advise me to do?"
He said,
"Whoever has camels[, cars, trucks, or buses], let him stay with them,
and whoever has land [lives in one place], let him stay in his land."
Someone asked, ‘What about someone who does not have anything like that?’
He said, "Then let him take his sword and strike its edge against a stone
[dulling the blade], then go as far away as possible [to avoid trouble]."
This means no foreign Jihadists, that is--no "Muslims",
may travel to Iraq to fight.
Here are portions of two sermons delivered by Imam Ali, founder of the Shia
branch of Islam. In the first, Imam Ali says Muslims will be doing Islam backwards,
so much so they'll become pariahs. The second passage foretells Islam being
turned upside down at that time so as to correct it. Hadiths on the next page
support this, as well.
Nahjul Balagha (p. 304) Sermon 146,
Imam Ali;
Certainly, a time will come upon you after me
when nothing will be more concealed than rightfulness,
nothing more apparent than wrongfulness —
and nothing more current than untruth against Allah and His Prophet.
For the people of this period nothing will be more valueless
than the Qur’an being recited as it ought to be recited,
nor anything more valuable than the Qur’an being misplaced from its position.
And in the towns nothing will be more hated than virtue,
nor anything more acceptable than vice.
The holders of the book will throw it away and its memorizers would forget it.
In these days the Qur’an and its people will be exiled and expelled.
They will be companions keeping together on one path,
but no one will offer them asylum." 83
Nahjul Balagha (p. 304) Sermon 146, Imam Ali, cont.;
Consequently at this time the Qur’an and its people will be among the people
but not among them, will be with them but not with them,
because misguidance cannot accord with guidance
even though they may be together.
The people will have united on division [Imam Ali foresaw the Sunni-Shia split]
and will therefore have cut away from the community,
as though they were the leaders of the Qur’an and not the Qur’an their leader.
Nothing of it will be left with them except its name,
and they will know nothing save its writings and its words.
Before that, they will inflict hardships on the virtuous,
naming the latter’s truthful views about Allah false allegations,
and enforcing for virtues the punishment of the vice."
Nahjul Balagha (p. 247) Sermon 102, Imam Ali;
"There would be a time
wherein only a sleeping (inactive)* believer would be safe
(such that)* if he is present he is not recognized
but if he is absent he is not sought after.
These are the lamps of guidance and banners of night journeys.
They do not spread calumnies nor divulge secrets, nor slander. …
O’ people!
a time will come to you when Islam would be capsized
as a pot is capsized with all its contents."
The following hadiths were collected from "The Approach of Armageddon?",
by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani;
Page 147; " ‘Abd Allãh Ibn Mas’ud (ra) said the Prophet (saw) said:
Islam began as something strange,
and it will revert to being strange as it was in the beginning,
so good tidings to strangers."
“Sahih Muslim, “Kitãb al-Imãn, Vol. 1 Number 90. Ibn Mãjah “Kitãb al-Fitan.”
In a parallel version found in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abu Hurayra
the Prophet is quoted as saying,
"bada al-islãmu ghariban wa saya’udu kamã badã’
—Islam began strange and will return as it began."
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 84
Page 148
"In another narration ‘Amr Ibn ‘Awf (ra) related that the Prophet (saw) said:
Truly the religion shall retreat and take refuge in the Hijaz ,…
…The religion started strange, and it will return as it started.
Glad tidings to the strangers.
They are those who set right
what people have corrupted of my Sunnah [teachings] after me."143
143
Tirmidhi. Mishkãt ul-masãbih, #170 “Kitãb ul-Qadr.”
CORRUPT, VIOLENT "ISLAM" PREACHED BY SATAN'S IMAMS
"The Signs Before The Day of Judgement", pp. 1-2,
citing Sahih Bukhari Vol 9. (pp. 136-7) Book of Al-Fitan #7084;
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said,
"People used to ask the Prophet (S) about good things, but I used to ask him
about bad things because I was afraid that they might overtake me. I said,
‘O Messenger of Allãh, we were lost in ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and evil,
then Allãh brought this good (i.e. Islam).
Will some evil come after this good thing?’
[The Prophet] said, ‘Yes’
[The threat of Islam to established powers meant Islam would be subject to attack.]
I asked, ‘And will some good come after that evil?’
He said, ‘Yes, but it will be tainted with some evil’…
I asked, ‘How will it be tainted?’
He said,
‘There will be some people who will lead others on a path different from mine.
You will see good and bad in them."…
[ Hamas and Hezbollah, for example, are supposedly Muslim orgaizations providing
good social programs like health and education, while promoting apostate violence.]
7084, cont.; [The Prophet] said,
‘Some people will be standing and calling at the gates of Hell;
whoever responds to their call,
they will [order him to] throw him[self] into the [suicide] Fire.’…
[Osama Bin Laden, Mussab al-Zarqawi, etc. The wicked are Arab Muslims.
The following two prophecies say the wicked are from Muhammad's people.
He was an Arab of the Quraish tribe. Remember this when reading the prophecies.]
I said, ‘O Messenger of Allãh, describe them for us.’
He said, ‘They will be from our own people, and will speak our language.’ "
The next prophecy supports what you've just read…
85
Sahih Bukhari, Book of Al-Fitan, #7058,
Narrated Abû Hurairah (ra):
I heard the truthful and trusted by Allãh (i.e. the Prophet (saw)) saying,
"The destruction of my followers will be through the hands
of young men from Quraish."
Muhammad was a member of the "Quraish", an Arab tribe in what is Saudi Arabia
today. While both hadiths warn of evil associated with a particularly violent version
of Islam called "Wahhabi", its overly harsh and condemnatory theology is replicated
to lesser degrees throughout the Muslim world. In the process, the intent of the
Qur'an's sacred teachings are distorted into tools of Satan. Muhammad preached
peace, just like Jesus did…,
Sunan Abu Dawud Kitãb al-Malãhim, # 4330;
Abû Sa'id al-Khudri reported the Apostle of Allãh (may peace be upon him)
as saying:
The best fighting (Jihad)* in the path of Allãh
is (to speak)* a word of justice to an oppressive ruler."
From "The Approach of Armageddon?";
Page 147; " ‘Abd Allãh Ibn Mas’ud (ra) said the Prophet (saw) said:
Islam began as something strange,
and it will revert to being strange as it was in the beginning,
so good tidings to strangers."
“Sahih Muslim, “Kitãb al-Imãn, Vol. 1 Number 90. Ibn Mãjah “Kitãb al-Fitan.”
Page 148
"In another narration ‘Amr Ibn ‘Awf (ra) related that the Prophet (saw) said:
…The religion started strange, and it will return as it started.
Glad tidings to the strangers. They are those who set right
what people have corrupted of my Sunnah [teachings] after me."143
143
Tirmidhi. Mishkãt ul-masãbih, #170 “Kitãb ul-Qadr.”
O Muslims! Open your eyes! Obey the Prophet. Repent of the evil the shaitans
(satans) entice you to commit in the name of Islam. The shaitans turn Christians
and Muslims against one another, urging them to kill one another in the name of God
and country. Next, we’ll take a frank look at "lesser Jihad". The Qur'an permits
defensive warfare, which apparently contradicts Jesus' non-violence rule
(Matthew 5:39). Jesus also affirmed the Old Testament, where at times God
sanctioned war. Jesus used the issue of divorce (Matthew 19:8) as an example of
how Moses "bent the rules" so they fit the Israelites. God saw their hearts were
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 86
hard and flexibility was needed. We'll look at the most graphic violence to get
this out in the open and resolved. The Qur'an permits warfare, but only defensive,
with the spirit of the law being to that violence must be kept to a minimum and
mercy shown to the vanquished. It was permissible only because of special
circumstances of the time (rulers were sending armies to kill them) and because
those to whom it was given lived in a society with a tradition of violence. First,
the injunction against aggressive war;
Sura 17:33;
Neither slay any one whom God hath forbidden you to slay,
unless it is for a just cause:…"
Sura 2:190-194; 190
...fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you:
but commit not the injustice of attacking them first:
God loveth not such injustice:…"
[ The only just cause for violence is in self or collective defense according
to the Prophet (s). You can fight only against people who are first attacking you,
and in a manner consistent with Sura 9:6-—no bombs or suicide attacks.]
191 And kill them [the ones attacking Muslims] wherever ye shall find them,
and eject them from whatever place they have ejected you;
for civil discord is worse than carnage:…"
[Religious persecution (discord) leads to genocide, torture, and repression.
Mild civil discord by itself doesn't warrant such harsh measures,
but it's clear from this and other passages in the Qur'an, as well as history,
that violent persecution is one way religious intolerance was expressed at the time.
That's why part two of verse 191 says; ]
191 (cont.)...yet attack them not at the Sacred Mosque,
unless they attack you therein;
but if they attack you, slay them. Such the reward of infidels."
[Infidels can't keep peace, even in holy sanctuaries]
192 But if they desist, then verily God is gracious, merciful."
[ This verse is about people attacking Muslims as they worshipped.
Actually, it's repeating itself today in Iraq and Pakistan. ]
193 Fight therefore against them until there be no more civil discord,
and the only worship be that of God:
but if they desist, then let there be no hostility,
save against the wicked."
87
Sura 2:190-194, cont.;
194 The sacred month and the sacred precincts
are under the safeguard of reprisals:
whoever offereth violence to you,
offer ye the like violence to him,…"
Sura 8:61;
And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it…"
Sura 22:39-40;
39 A sanction [permission to make war] is given to those who,
because they have suffered outrages,
have taken up arms;
and verily, God is well able to succour them:
40 Those who have been driven forth from their homes wrongfully,
only because they say
"Our Lord is the God."
And if God had not repelled some men by others,
cloisters, and churches, and oratories, and mosques…,
would surely have been destroyed…"
Muslims were being attacked as they worshiped, driven from their homes,
and having their mosques destroyed. God allowed them to defend themselves.
Jihad's early purpose was to help Islam counter the spread of an imperialistic
form of "Christianity" trying to be a One World Religion under Caesar-popes.
Next, a very difficult passage to understand without knowing the context…
Sura 47:4-5;
4 When ye encounter the infidels, strike off their heads
till ye have made a great slaughter among them,
and of the rest make fast the fetters.
5 And afterwards let there be either free dismissals or ransomings,
till the war hath laid down its burdens. Thus do. …"
The graphic imagery of lopping heads off shocks any person of good heart.
Verse 4 seems to sanction exactly what barbaric so-called "Muslim" terrorists do
to foreign workers and Iraqis alike. But taking prisoners as it states in verse 5
means the beheading of verse 4 pertains only to actual battle, and in battle,
cavalry are trained to lop off heads. It's what cavalry does. Today, soldiers are
taught to "Blow other peoples' heads off." Warfare is lousy. Taking prisoners
afterwards indicates he was speaking about cavalry tactics. Terrorist executions
are quite different. One is part and parcel of individual struggles to survive in
battle, the other is murder. Muslims were taught to take prisoners and afterwards
free them, not murder them. 88
In other words, Muslims are required to be merciful and just. Islam has a far
more humane code of warfare than that with which most European conflicts have
been conducted. It's even more impressive in light of the region's bloody history,
land of Babylonians and Assyrians. This is as violent as the Qur'an gets. Defensive
violence, with mercy required. In the Old Testament, prophets stood up for their
people, too. God bless them! Those were hard times for a people steeped in a
history of violence. They were being attacked by a pagans and a Christianity
corrupted by ruthless, greedy men who proved infidelity to Christ by their
barbaric actions. Muhammad's overall theme was peace wherever and
whenever possible.
The material in the next section is crucial to peace, and ever so timely. As long as
Hezbollah and Hamas believe Israel must be literally destroyed, as long as Muslim
children are taught Jews must die, we won't have peace.
CAN JEWS LIVE IN PEACE WITH MUSLIMS?
That this question need even be asked is a crying shame. Of course they can!
They're supposed to! But there are sayings in the Qur'an and hadiths that can
easily be taken out of context and twisted to create conflict. There are two things
that need to be remembered;
1.) Some of Muhammad's sayings refer to events at the beginning of Islam's
history. At that time some Jewish tribes assisted the Meccan army sent to destroy
the fledgling Muslim community.
2.) Some of Muhammad's sayings refer to specific conditions that will exist at
the Last Hour--that is, today. The point is, Muslims have lived in peace next
to Jews, and vice versa, many times in many different places throughout history.
There have been troubles, certainly, but also centuries of peaceful coexistence
and cooperation. Peaceful times can be resurrected today if we choose to.
The problem is, some prophecies in the hadiths say Jews must be killed. Not only
are they meant figuratively, they can't possibly be meant literally. Here's an
analogy; A comedian is clowning around and says, "You're killing me" (ala Rodney
Dangerfield, if you remember him) to his audience. Since they're not really causing
his natural death, it's clearly meant figuratively. However, if the audience is made
up of people who think in literal terms only and can't accept figurative language,
there'd be misunderstanding. That's how it is for the "violent" hadiths. An example
of figurative "killing" from Hosea in the Bible provides a superb example of how
figurative language can fulfill Doomsday destruction peacefully in prophecy… 89
Hosea 6:5-6 (NIV);
5 Therefore I [God] cut you in pieces with my prophets,
I killed you with the words of my mouth;
My judgments flashed like lightning upon you.
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
The phrase "burnt offerings" reads "holocausts" in the New American Bible.
Jesus knew about figurative destruction. He cited Hosea 6:6 twice;
Matthew 12:7, 9:13, Jesus;
12:7 "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'
you would not have condemned the innocent."
9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' "
John 16:25, Jesus;"...I have been speaking figuratively,...",
Jeremiah 23:29; "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD..."
Jesus pointed to the Old Testament's best example of figurative destruction.
This was discussed in chapter 3, "The Myth of Inevitable, Literal Armageddon".
The point is, the Bible uses figurative speech and so does the Qur'an;
Sura 3:7;
[Allah] it is who hath sent down to thee "the Book.[Qur'an]"
Some of its signs are of themselves perspicuous [literal];
...and others are figurative."
The question becomes, which is the correct way to read the violent hadiths;
literally or figuratively? It can easily be proven they're meant figuratively.
Interpreting them literally distorts the truth, and paints "Islam" as a religion
promoting the level of violence associated with it today. However, the hadiths
in which Jews "die" figuratively occur after Jesus has returned in the "Second
Coming" and he's in charge. In the Bible, Jesus says Moses will judge Jews
(John 5:45), and Israelites are promised salvation, not slaughter. God doesn't
want Jews killed literally, only "killed" spiritually, i.e., humbled and ready to
make peace with Palestinians, Muslims, and other people.
Ibn-I-Majah Book of Fitan #4077 (p.385);
Abû Umãma Bahili said…
Allãh's Messenger (saw) said,
"Then Isã b. Maryam (Jesus Christ, son of Maryam), peace be upon him,
will be a just Judge and a just ruler of my umma [Muslim community]."
This is the part many Muslims keep missing, because in general, Muslims
don’t eagerly await Jesus' return, preferring his representative administrator,
the Mahdi, instead. Muhammad and Imam Ali prophesied Islam would be turned
upside down, and Jesus is why. Muhammad clearly stated (Sura 5:68, 70) that 90
Muslims must learn and apply the first two Books (Old & New Testaments) of
the Bible as the foundation to understand the Qur'an. The Old Testament is
the first floor of the building, the New Testament the second, and the Qur'an
meant to be the third. Muslims using the Qur'an without the first two floors
have a theology that's floating on air without support, as the Prophet said;
Sura 5:68;
SAY: "O people of the Book!
[While Muhammad was speaking to Muslims at the time]
Ye have no [theological] ground to stand on,
Until ye observe the Law [Old Testament]
and the Evangel [The Gospels, whichJesusextends to include the New Testament],
And that which hath been sent down to you [Muslims, theQur’an] from your Lord."
Sura 2:136;
Say ye:
"We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down to us [Holy Qur’an],
and that which hath been sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob
and the tribes [Joshua], and in that was given to Moses, and to Jesus,
and that which was given to the prophets, from their Lord.
No difference do we make between any of them."
In general, Muslims refuse to comply. That's why prophecies say Islam will
be turned upside down. To attain Jannah (Heaven), Muslims must heed the Qur'an,
They must include the first two floors of Islam, the Old and New Testaments,
even if they find it distasteful. There's additional guidance similar to the Bible's
"Golden Rule", "Do unto others as we'd have done unto us"…
”The Signs Before The Day of Judgement”, p.31;780
“Abd Allah ibn Amr said,
…The Prophet was…saying:
O people,…
this Ummah [Islam] has its time of peace and security at the beginning;
at the end of its existence it will suffer trials and tribulations,
one after the other [Look at Islam today]…
Whoever wishes to be rescued from Hell, and enter Paradise,
let him die believing in Allãh and the Last Day,
and treat the people as he himself wishes to be treated."
This hadith requires believers to read scripture and prophecy that affects
others in a way they'd want it applied to themselves. It's Islam's version of
the Bible's "Golden Rule". Violent scripture should primarily be read as meaning
figurative violence (i.e., "kill" = "shame", "fire" = "intensely painful words", etc.)
rather than literal violence. With this in mind, let's see what the prophecies say… 91
Sunan Ibn-I-Majah p.384 #4077;
…Isã…[defeats the Antichrist and an army of Jews in the West Bank at Lod, and then…]
Thus Allãh would defeat the Jews
and there would be left nothing that Allãh has created
with which a Jew would hide himself but Allãh would make that thing speak:
neither a stone, nor a tree, neither a wall nor a beast
but a gharqad) (a thorny tree)*.
So it is one of their (Jews’ tree)*
-and would not pronounce (the presence of a Jew)*,
but it would pronounce:
'O Muslim servant of Allah, this is a Jew. Come and kill him."
Here's another…
Sahih Muslim Chapter MCCV p.1510m #6981-85;
[Again, Jesus defeats the Antichrist and army of Jews in the West Bank, and then…]
The Jews will be deflated with the help of Allah.
There will be no place for them to hide;
they will not be able to hide behind any stone, wall, animal or tree
– except the boxthorn (al-Gharqarah)* - without saying,
'O Muslim servant of Allah! here is a Jew, come and kill him!"
Keeping in mind a Muslim must want for his enemy what he wishes for himself,
paraphrasing the last line of the above hadith…
'O Muslim servant of Allah! here is a Jew,
come and [figuratively] kill him [with kindness and truth, as any Muslim would] !"
But Creator did even better. Not only were folks told the right way to read the
prophecies, they were specifically told it would be that way…
Sunan Ibn-I-Majah p.384 #3967;
'Abdullãh b. 'Amr (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allãh's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allãh be upon him) said,
"A turmoil [Tribulation, Fitna] will rise that will embrace the entire mankind.
They will be in [figurative] Hell-fire [Humiliation and rage].
The tongue [spoken words] in it [Tribulation]
is more severe than the blow of a sword."
Hosea 6:5; …I killed you with the words of my mouth;
My judgments flashed like lightning upon you."
These passages refer to correction of theology and also the power of God's word
in revealed prophecies of the Sacred Hoop, subject matter for another book.
Muslims will be in figurative Hell-fire because now they'll have to give real respect
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 92
in word and deed to Jesus and let Jews live in peace. Christians and Jews will
have to respect Muhammad, which won't be easy for them. Nations, such as the
United States and Israel, will discover they've strayed from the Sacred Hoop
and must change their policies, too. There's one last issue, "shunning" by
Muslims of other faiths…
SHUNNING
Sura 5:51; O believers! take not the Jews or Christians as friends.
They are but one another's friends.
If anyone of you taketh them for his friends, he surely is one of them!"
This verse may seem applicable today, especially as Christians have sided with
Jews in the Holy Land, upholding the illegal dispossession of hundreds of thousands
of Palestinians driven off their land by Israel's armed forces. However, this
passage refers to events of Muhammad's time, and isn't meant eternally or
globally. Otherwise, keeping in mind all scripture must reconcile, how does one
make sense of the following passages?
Sura 5:69;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims),
and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians, and the Sabeites
—whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right, shall have their reward with their Lord:
fear shall not come upon them, neither shall they be grieved."
Sura 3:113-114;
113 Yet all are not alike:
Among the people of the Book is an upright folk,
who recite the signs of God in the night-season, and adore:
114 They believe in God and the Latter Day,
and enjoin justice, and forbid evil, and speed on in good works.
These are the righteous [whatever their religion]."
These passages reconcile when applied in proper time context. As Suras
3:113-114 and 5:69 attest, members of other faiths may be numbered among
the righteous. The Qur'an doesn't require Muslims to shun other Faithful people.
Muhammad was speaking of specific groups who were oppressing the Muslims of
his time. Muslims have no valid excuse for further hostility towards members
of other faiths. According to Sura 2:193, when Jews and Christians stop
calling Muhammad a pagan and acknowledge him as the Prophet, civil discord
ends between them and Muslims. .
93
Next, we'll examine several passages from the Qur'an indicating it is meant
to be read as one piece of a series of three books. The Qur'an was meant as
Part 3 of the Message God delivered to Abraham's descendants. Part 1 is the
Old Testament, Part 2 is the New Testament, and Part 3 is the Qur'an. The first
two books set context for understanding new information and clarifications in the
Qur'an. Christians and Muslims should treat both the Bible and the Qur'an as
sacred and authoritative. Christians ought not reject God's Message given to
Muslims unless it can be proven the Qur'an denies either the Father or Jesus.
This will reconcile members of both religions.
The Old & New Testaments and the Qur'an
Sura 29:46;
Dispute not…with people of the Book [Muslims/Christians/Jews];
And say ye, "We believe in what hath been sent down to us [Muslims—Qur’an]
and what hath been sent down to you. [Old & New Testaments]
Our God and your God is one,..."
Sura 2:62;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims),
and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians,
and the Sabeites—
whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right,
shall have their reward with their Lord: fear shall not come upon them,
neither shall they be grieved."
Sura 5:68;
SAY: "O people of the Book!"…
[This verse was originally part of a sermon delivered to a large crowd of Muslims.]
68 cont.; …"Ye have no [theological] ground to stand on,
Until ye observe the Law [Old Testament]
and the Evangel,"… [The Gospels, which Jesus extended
to include the NewTestament by delegating authority to the apostles]
68 cont.; …"And that which hath been sent down to you [Muslims, theQur’an]
from your Lord."
Since God shows no favoritism, the above command applies to all three religions.
It’s seems incredulous from these examples problems ever existed between
Christianity and Islam. It's clear from Muhammad's teachings, the Bible is meant
to be used alongside the Qur'an. 94
Sura 2:136;
Say ye:
"We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down to us [Qur’an],
and that which hath been sent down to Abraham
and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob
and the tribes [Joshua],
and in that was given to Moses,
and to Jesus,
and that which was given to the prophets, from their Lord.
No difference do we make between any of them."
For emphasis, Muhammad repeated this almost word for word in the next Sura;
Sura 3:84;
SAY: "We believe in God, and in what hath been sent down to us [Qur’an],
and what hath been sent down to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob,
and the tribes [Joshua], and in what was given to Moses,
and Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord.
We make no difference between them."
Sura 5:48, God;
And to thee We have sent down the Book of the Koran with truth,
confirmatory of previous Scriptures, and their safe guard…and the Evangel;"
Then we have Sura 3:3-4;
3 In truth hath He sent down to thee "the Book,"
which confirmeth those which precede it.
For he hath sent down the Law, and the Evangel aforetime,
4 as man’s guidance,
and now hath He sent down the "Illumination." [Qur'an] "
Sura 5:46;
And in the footsteps of the prophets
caused We Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow,
confirming the Law which was before him:
and We gave him the Evangel [Gospels] with its guidance and light,
confirmatory of the preceding Law,
a guidance and warning to those who fear God;—"
Sura 46:12;
But before the Koran was the Book of Moses, a rule and a mercy;
and this Book confirmeth it (the Pentateuch)—in the Arabic tongue—
that those who are guilty of that wrong may be warned,
and as glad tidings to the doers of good."
95
This is the short list, confirming that Muslims are responsible to follow not only
the Qur’an, but also the five books of the Pentateuch [Moses], the book of Joshua
[the tribes], the books of the prophets [Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea,
Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zechariah, and Malachi], and the Evangel [Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)].
When Muslims obey the Prophet, a gate opens wide for mutual respect between
Muslims, Christians, and Jews for each others’ sacred books. However, we haven’t
yet conclusively established this meant the entire Bible. What about books other
than those listed from the Old Testament?
Sura 5:44;
Verily, We have sent down the Law (Towrat) [Torah]
wherein are guidance and light.
By it did the prophets who professed Islam judge the Jews;
and the doctors and the teachers judged by that portion of the Book of God,
of which they were the keepers and witnesses."
Sura 5:44 states the prophets followed Islam. The "doctors" and "teachers"
who "judged" are confirmed. Thus, the Qur'an confirms the Old Testament books
from Judges through Esther.
Sura 6:85;
And we gave him Isaac and Jacob, and guided both aright;
and We had guided before Noah; and among the descendants of Abraham,
David and Solomon, And Job and Joseph, and Moses and Aaron:…"
This makes the entire Old Testament sacred for Muslims. Now, the books of
the apostles from the New Testament…
Sura 3:184;
And if they treat thee [Muhammad] as a liar,
Then verily apostles have been treated as liars before thee,
though they came with clear proofs of their mission,
and with Scriptures, and with the light-giving Book."
The Prophet made the importance of learning the Bible very clear. Because
Muhammad is a valid apostle, he naturally acknowledged both the Old and New
Testaments. To understand the Qur’an, one must proceed from this point.
The Qur’an cannot (and does not) contradict the spirit, or underlying meaning,
of the Bible, even if at first glance it appears to. When our perspective aligns
with God's Message, the contradictions vanish. Apparent contradictions arise
in areas where traditional theology is taught in a way that disconnects us from
the rest of God's Message. Corrupted theology was often used as a means to
exert control. That’s why the Prophet said… 96
Sura 5:15;
People of the Scriptures! now is Our Apostle come to you
to clear up to you much that ye [flawed theology] concealed of those Scriptures,
and to pass over many things.
Now hath a light and a clear Book come to you from God,…"
Muhammad didn't need to repeat what Jesus taught, so the gospels are "passed
over" in the Qur’an. Faithful Muslims are responsible to know the previous books.
Muhammad confirmed the teachings of Jesus and the Prophets for "man’s guidance"
(Sura 3:3). Rejecting them because one doesn’t like the source is the behavior of
infidels. Sura 30:30;
Set thou thy face then, as a true convert,
towards the faith which God has made, and for which He hath made man.
No change is there in the creation of God.
This is the right faith, but the greater part of men know it not."
Matthew 12:25, Jesus,
Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined,…"
Sura 4:82;
Can they not consider the Koran? Were it from any other than God,
they would surely have found in it many contradictions."
John 10:35, Jesus,....and the Scripture cannot be broken…"
Abundant scripture links the Qur’an and Bible, making Christians responsible
for blaspheming an illustrious member in God's prophetic chain, i.e., the Prophet
Muhammad. The Father made His wishes known clearly to Jews (and Christians)
when He spoke through Moses;
Deuteronomy 18:18-19, the Lord;
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses]
from among their brothers;
I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name,
I myself will call him to account."
Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus;
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
18 I tell you the truth,
until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
Jesus says Deuteronomy 18:18-19 holds true for Christians, too. 97
Romans 3:31, Paul;
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith?
Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."
For Catholic or Protestant Christians to deny Muhammad as the Prophet goes
against Jesus’ commands, and is therefore antichrist. Jesus declared himself
(Jesus) to be the Messiah, Son of God, Son of Man, King of Israel, the "First and
the Last, Alpha and the Omega, the "Root" and the "Offspring" of David, and the
bright Morning Star." (Revelation 22) Yet, not once in the Bible did Jesus or any of
his apostles claim Jesus was "the Prophet". There’s an account in John 1 where the
Jews of Jerusalem came to John the Baptist to ask him if he was the Prophet…
John 1:20-22;
20 He [John] …confessed freely "I am not the Christ."
21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not."
22 "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." "
Joshua and everyone else prior to this are disqualified. Else, why would Jewish
priests from Jerusalem ask John if he was the Prophet? John readily acknowledged
Jesus as "Son of God" and "Lamb of God". Why then, when priests and Levites asked
him who he was, did he not announce to them that Jesus was the Prophet, too?
This is a somewhat misleading question, for there is an instance where Jesus said
he was the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18, but it's not in the Bible. It’s in the Book of
Mormon, which many Christians reject. The Book of Mormon appears to contradict
Muhammad’s claim of being the Prophet, it doesn’t. While in one breath Mormon
makes Jesus the Prophet, in the next, Muhammad is validated in another Mormon
holy book, the "Doctrine and Covenants". Using only their version of the Bible,
Catholics and Protestants have no basis to deny Muhammad is the "Prophet".
Following is the passage from the Book of Mormon in which Jesus says he's the
"Prophet"…3 Nephi 20:23, Jesus;
Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying:
“A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me:
him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you.
And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear the prophet
shall be cut off from among the people."
This would present an insurmountable barrier to reconciling the Qur'an and
the Book of Mormon were it not for the fact that Jesus Christ is Gabriel,
and the Qur’an teaches that Gabriel gave the Qur’an to Muhammad; 98
Sura 2:97;
SAY: …Gabriel…it is who by God’s leave
hath caused the Koran to descend on thy [Muhammad’s] heart…"
Gabriel received the Qur’an from God and then passed it on to Muhammad,
who Muslims recognize as the Prophet. When we realize Gabriel is Christ,
Muslims can rightfully say Jesus is the Prophet, too, as he delivered the same
Message as Muhammad. Jesus Christ as Gabriel was the angelic "Prophet" and
Muhammad the human "Prophet". This agrees with Deuteronomy 18, John 13:19
and 14:20, and what's written in…
Doctrine and Covenants 1:38, God;
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken,
and I excuse not myself;
and though the heavens and the earth pass away,
my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled,
whether by mine own voice
or by the voice of my servants,
it is the same."
As a sign Jews and Arabs are brothers, God’s plan for salvation requires
Muhammad be Moses' counterpart. As a sign Muslims and Christians are brothers,
God’s plan requires Muhammad and Jesus share the title of "the Prophet".
Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 validates both Jibreel-Christ and Muhammad
and reconciles perfectly with…
Zechariah 4:11,14 ;
11 Then I asked the angel,
"What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"
14 So he said,
"These are the two
who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."
In effect, both Muhammad and Jesus share the title of "the Prophet".
The final topic deals with Jesus' status in the Qur'an. Several passages in
the Qur'an are commonly taken out of context, giving Jesus lesser status in
Islam than Muhammad. This misperception creates a barrier between Muslims
and Christians. We'll take a look at some of the issues and discover what
the Qur'an says about them, issue by issue. We'll first present passages
which appear to diminish Jesus' stature, followed by the many passages which
qualify the meaning to something fully compatible with the Bible… 99
The Issues
Sura 6:86;
And Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias; all were just persons:..."
Sura 43:59; Jesus is no more than a servant whom We favoured,..."
Sura 4:171; O ye people of the Book!
overstep not bounds in your religion; and of God, speak only the truth.
The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only an apostle of God,..."
Now, about Jesus being only a person, an apostle, a servant of God...
Jesus merely a "person"
Sura 6:86;
And Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias; all were just persons:..."
First, being a person is no small affair…
Genesis 1:27,31;
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."
The Qur'an agrees with Genesis 1:31…
Sura 95:1-4;
1 I swear by the FIG and by the Olive, 2 By Mount Sinai,
3 And by this inviolate soil! 4 That of the goodliest fabric We created man,…"
We're created of the "goodliest fabric", which can only be divine.
What's better than that? While it's true Jesus was a man, he was also…
"The Messiah…", (Å Sura 3:45, 4:171)
"…an apostle endowed more highly than others:
raised by God to the loftiest grade, given manifest signs of this by God
strengthened with the Holy Spirit…", (Å Sura 2:253)
"His [God's] word [the Word incarnate] which He conveyed into Mary,
and a spirit proceeding from Himself." (Å Sura 4:171)
"…a servant whom We favoured,
and proposed as an instance of divine power to the children of Israel. (Å Sura 43:59)
"…illustrious in this world, and in the next,
one with near access to God;…" (Å Sura 3:45)
"…a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us." (Å Sura 19:21)
"And he shall be a sign of the Last Hour;…" (Å Sura 43:61)"
100
Jesus no more than a "servant"
Sura 43:59;
Jesus is no more than a servant whom We favoured,..."
This would appear to be a diminishment of Jesus' stature were Jesus not to have
said the same thing himself…
John 4:34; "My food," said Jesus,
"is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
Luke 22:27, Jesus;
…I am among you as one who serves."
The Bible teaches us to honor our parents and to "serve" them. In essence,
Jesus said that when he corrected the Pharisees in the next passage…
Matthew 15:4-6, Jesus;
4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother'
and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'
5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother,
'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me
is a gift devoted to God,' 6 he is not to 'honor his father' with it.
Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition."
We find that service to our parents is along the same lines as Jesus' service to
his Father. This might be a difficult point to prove regarding the Qur'an, were not
the following statements added to provide context…
"The Messiah…", (Å Sura 3:45, 4:171)
"…an apostle endowed more highly than others:
raised by God to the loftiest grade, given manifest signs of this by God
strengthened with the Holy Spirit…", (Å Sura 2:253)
"His [God's] word [the Word incarnate] which He conveyed into Mary,
and a spirit proceeding from Himself." (Å Sura 4:171)
"…a servant whom We favoured, and proposed as an instance of divine power
to the children of Israel. (Å Sura 43:59)
"…illustrious in this world, and in the next,
one with near access to God;…" (Å Sura 3:45)
"…a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us." (Å Sura 19:21)
"And he shall be a sign of the Last Hour;…" (Å Sura 43:61)"
That's not so shabby...
Sura 4:172;
The Messiah disdaineth not to be a servant of God,
nor do the angels who are nigh unto Him." 101
Jesus "only an apostle"
Sura 4:171;
O ye people of the Book!
overstep not bounds in your religion; and of God,
speak only the truth.
The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only an apostle of God,..."
To understand what this verse means we must understand the context,
which includes what Muhammad said next regarding Jesus...
"The Messiah…", (Å Sura 3:45, 4:171)
"…an apostle endowed more highly than others:
raised by God to the loftiest grade, given manifest signs of this by God
strengthened with the Holy Spirit…", (Å Sura 2:253)
"His [God's] word [the Word incarnate] which He conveyed into Mary,
and a spirit proceeding from Himself." (Å Sura 4:171)
"…a servant whom We favoured, and proposed as an instance of divine power
to the children of Israel. (Å Sura 43:59)
"…illustrious in this world, and in the next,
one with near access to God;…" (Å Sura 3:45)
"…a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us." (Å Sura 19:21)
"And he shall be a sign of the Last Hour;…" (Å Sura 43:61)"
Muhammad said Jesus was everything wonderful, great, and holy except,
exactly as Jesus said, Jesus is not a God on par with the Father.
John 10:29, Jesus;
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;…"
And finally, Muhammad's statement regarding his personal stature…
Sura 3:144;
Muhammad is no more than an apostle;..."
Many Muslims mistakenly claim Muhammad is superior to Jesus. The Prophet,
however, acknowledged Jesus as the "Messiah", meaning "the Anointed One"
of God. Muhammad never claimed superiority to Jesus in any way. He said they
were on the same team, separated by a few centuries, that's all. Muhammad
wouldn't cross over the line and preach a spiritually imperialistic theology
based on an edict by Constantine. Constantine, the Roman emperor at the time
of the Council of Nicaea, ordered the execution of heretics, i.e., those who
disagreed with his theology. Muhammad wouldn't submit to Rome, nor would he
disobey Jesus by idolizing him and worshipping him on par with the Father. 102
Muhammad showed great respect and reverence for Jesus' mother, Mary,
confirming the virgin birth.
Sura 19:16-21; 16
And make mention in the Book, of Mary,
when she went apart from her family, eastward.
17 And took a veil to shroud herself from them:
and We sent Our spirit to her, and he took before her the form of a perfect man.
18 She said: "I fly for refuge from thee to the God of Mercy!
If thou fearest Him, begone from me."
19 He said, "I am only a messenger of thy Lord,
that I may bestow upon thee a holy son."
20 She said: "How shall I have a son, when man hath never touched me?
and I am not unchaste."
21 He said: "So shall it be. Thy Lord hath said: 'Easy is this with me'
and: "We will make him a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us.
For it is a thing decreed."
Muhammad showed Jesus respect from "a" to "z".
Mark 9:38-40;
38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name
and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said.
"No one who does a miracle in my name
can in the next moment say anything bad about me,
40 for whoever is not against us is for us."
Sura 4:170-171;
170 The Messiah disdaineth not to be a servant of God,…"
171 …The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is…an apostle of God,…"
"Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary";
" mes·si·ah … n. [Heb mashiah & Aram meshiha, lit. anointed]
1 cap a : the expected king and deliverer of the Jews b : JESUS "
The Prophet acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, the Anointed One of Israel.
Muhammad said; "The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self."
Jesus said, Matthew 5:9;
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
It's time for Christians and Muslims to hear and obey their prophets. 103
Clearing Up Misconceptions
71
Peace and Islam:
Clearing Up Misconceptions
Many people in the West believe Islam is a violent religion. Reading the
newspapers or watching t-v, it's easy to see how people form this impression.
While it's wise to remember reporters may be biased, according to Muhammad
and Imam Ali (founder of Islam's Shia sect), they're right--Muslims are
incorrectly observing Islam and excessive violence is the result. Both of them
prophesied Islam would have to undergo significant change before becoming
peaceful again. How can Islam return to being peaceful if peace isn’t part of
the original message? There's an abundance of scripture showing a peaceful
path between Islam and other people. It is hoped, education on this subject
will spread outwards and assist in the prophesied transformation.
Before proceeding, there's a few things the reader should know. First, the
Qur'an is the principal holy book of Muslims, sent from Allãh (the Father) via
His Messenger, Gabriel (Jibreel) to Muhammad, who delivered it to humanity
(Sura 2:97). Quotes from the Qur'an begin with the word "Sura", which means
"Chapter". Muhammad's other sayings are found in collections called "hadiths".
Most of Muhammad's prophecies are found there. Here, hadiths will not have
the word "Sura" preceding them, but will have the name of the volume in which
they are found.
In a world where so much violence, rightly or wrongly, is associated with Islam,
people need to know Islam is a peaceful religion. We'll start with the word,
"Islam". It comes from the root word for "Peace". The following is a description
of jihad from "Introducing Islam" by Ziauddin Sardar and Zafar Abbas Malik is
very useful;
page 60; "The True Meaning of Jihad
Constant struggle for justice manifests itself as jihad. Jihad is one of the most
abused and misused Islamic concepts. It means 'directed struggle' and can take a
number of forms. A tradition of the Prophet declares that 'the supreme jihad is
against oneself': that is, against one's ego, greed, and insatiable desires. Jihad
could also, for example, be aimed at the social development of a community.
It can also be intellectual -- directed against oppressive and totalitarian thought
or towards the intellectual uplifting of a society. Lastly, jihad can also take the
form of physical struggle against oppression and aggression."
72
THE BEST JIHAD
Sunan Abu Dawud Kitãb al-Malãhim, # 4330;
Abû Sa'id al-Khudri reported
the Apostle of Allãh (may peace be upon him) as saying:
The best fighting (Jihad)* in the path of Allãh
is (to speak)* a word of justice to an oppressive ruler."
FREEDOM OF RELIGION
Sura 2:256;
Let there be no compulsion in religion.
Now is the right way made distinct from error."
Sura 3:20;
SAY to those who have received the Book,
and to the common folk,
"Do ye surrender yourselves unto God?"
If they become Muslims, then they are guided aright:
but if they turn away—thy duty is only preaching,
and God's eye is on His servants."
How is it possible the Taliban and Al Qaeda and groups like them dare claim
to be Muslim? Those who oppress and murder people of other faiths and force
them to follow laws specific to the Arabic revelation are violating the Law
stated in the Qur'an. Have they no fear of Allãh?
PEACE AND ISLAM
Sura 10:26;
And God calleth to the abode of peace;
and He guideth whom He will into the right way."
Sura 25:63;
And the servants of the God of Mercy
are they who walk upon the earth softly;
and when the ignorant address them [Muslims],
they [Muslims] reply, "Peace!" "
Sura 33:48;
...obey not the infidels and hypocrites—yet abstain from injuring them:
Sura 8:61;
And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it;…"
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 73
STRICTLY DEFENSIVE WAR IS PERMITTED
Sura 2:190;
And fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you:
but commit not the injustice of attacking them first:
God loveth not such injustice:…"
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK
Sura 41:34-35;
34 Moreover, good and evil are not to be treated as the same thing.
Turn away evil by what is better,
and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity,
shall be as though he were a warm friend.
35 But none attain to this save men steadfast in patience,
and none attain to it except the most highly favoured."
Verse 35 says true Muslims turn the other cheek in pursuit of peace.
INTERFAITH PEACE BETWEEN ISLAM, JEWS, & CHRISTIANS
FULLY SANCTIONED BY THE QUR'AN
Sura 5:69;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims)*,
and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians, and the Sabeites—
whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right,
shall have their reward with their Lord:…"
Sura 5:69 proves Islam recognizes members of other faiths as among the
"faithful". It acknowledges that proper Judaism is acceptable. Therefore,
no permanent enmity need exist between Muslims and either Jews or Christians.
Let's apply the following passage to what's happening in Iraq and Israel…
Sura 49:9-10;
9 If two bodies of the faithful are at war,
then make ye peace between them;
and if one of them wrong the other,
fight against that party which doth the wrong,
until they come back to the precepts of God;
if they come back,
make peace between them with fairness, and act impartially;
God loveth those who act with impartiality."
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 74
Sura 49:9-10, cont.; 10 Only the faithful are brethren;
wherefore make peace between your brethren;
and fear God, that ye may obtain mercy."
Sura 5:69 (and others) says members of all three Abrahamic religions may
be included among the "faithful" provided these religions are followed correctly.
Verse 49:10 includes Christians and Jews as "brethren". Verse 49:10 continues;
"wherefore make peace between your brethren". These verses require Muslims
to make peace with members of other faiths who obey the precepts of God.
The next verse concerns all Israelites, not only Jews. At first glance it may
appear biased, but it must be read in context of the verses you've just read
and others that speak of righteous Jews. It relates to a specific covenant…
Sura 5:13 (speaking about Jews);
But for breaking their covenant We have cursed them ["the children of
Israel"],
and...hardened their hearts. …
…Thou wilt not cease to discover deceit on their part, except in a few of them.
But forgive them, and pass it over:
verily, God loveth those who act generously!"
The covenant was broken between the descendents of Jacob (the Israelites);
the Jewish tribes that inhabited Judea and Galilee, and the descendents of
Ephraim who had merged with other Middle Eastern peoples implanted by the
Assyrians that became known as "Samaritans". So, this passage doesn't apply
to Jews in general. It applies to untrustworthy dealings between two Israelite
factions which led to division of ancient Israel, eventually the Diaspora, and
today's misery suffered by Ephraim's descendents. The deceit was over sharing
the land then as it still is today. Had the tribes stayed united they would not
have been cursed with dispossession of their land--first the Jewish tribes,
and now, the descendents of the Samaritans, whom we today call "Palestinians".
However, they're to be forgiven! The curse is coming to an end! Verse 5:69 on
the previous page that makes it clear Jews obeying the covenant are in fine
condition. "Thou wilt not cease to discover deceit on the...part" of all peoples.
Sura 43:3,5 (speaking about Arabs);
3 We have made it an Arabic Koran that ye may understand:
5 Shall We then turn aside this warning from you
because ye are a people who transgress?"
We're all in need of forgiveness. Jesus, Muhammad, and Imam Ali all
prophesied that religion would be twisted into wayward forms. The latter two
specifically prophesied against how Islam would be practiced today. But because 75
the established theology of Islam's main branches is distorted, the message
of peace and forgiveness doesn't seem to make it's way into everyday reality.
TERRORISM IS NOT "JIHAD"
The next passage from Sura 9 is misunderstood by both outsiders and Muslims,
so it bears careful examination.
Sura 9:5-6;
5 And when the sacred months are passed,
kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them;
and seize them, besiege them,
and lay in wait for them with every kind of ambush:
but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms,
then let them go their way, for God is gracious, merciful."…
The first part of verse 5 looks threatening, but it's part of the entire passage,
not a separate clause. It must be read together with the rest of verse 5, and
verse 6. For instance, "every kind of ambush" can be construed as condoning
suicide attacks. This is convoluted thinking. One can't give a person the
opportunity to convert, observe prayer, pay the obligatory alms, and then allow
them to go on their way after they've already been blown up. Interpreting this
passage as condoning suicide attacks contradicts the rest of verse 5. The solution
is common-sense. The historical context in which this verse was delivered was a
time when warriors rode horses and carried swords, bows and arrows. This law
permitted Muslims to surround invaders, but before fighting, required offering
terms of surrender. Terrorists completely misuse it. Now, here's verse 6…
Sura 9:5-6, cont;
6 If any one of those who join gods with God ask an asylum of thee,
grant him an asylum, that he may hear the word of God,
and then let him reach his place in safety.
This, for they are a people devoid of knowledge."
This law makes terrorist attacks illegal! The latter part of verse 5 refers
to Allãh's mercy. Mercy can’t be applied after bombings or suicide attacks.
Fighting sanctioned by the Qur'an does not cover these forms of murder.
With verses 5 and 6 together we see the Qur’an requires the ambusher to go
through four steps before killing his enemy…
76
The Law of Jihad states a Muslim must;
1) warn the other person, giving them time to consider religious conversion,
2) and if they decide to convert to Islam they must be freed,
3) and if they decide not to convert, but ask to be released, they must be freed,
4) and if they request asylum, they must be granted that as well,
because, "they are a people devoid of knowledge" and Allãh is Merciful.
Thus bomb attacks are illegal, against God, and forbidden by His Law!
Sura 26:151;
And obey not the bidding of [wicked "imams" like bin Laden]
those who commit excess…"
[encouraging others to commit suicide and mass murder-terrorism]
Sura 7:28;
And when the wicked [Al Qaeda, et. al.] commit some filthy deed,
they say,
"We found our fathers practising it [illegal "Jihad""],
and to us hath God commanded it." "
—SAY:
"God enjoineth not filthy deeds.
Will ye speak of God ye know not what?" "
Sura 49:11;
...Bad it is to be called wicked after having professed the faith;
and whoso repent not of this are doers of wrong."
Romans 2:24, Paul;
As it is written:
"God's [Allãh's] name is blasphemed among the gentiles [Western nations and India]
because of you."
Sura 20:82;
"Surely however will I forgive him who turneth to God and believeth,
and worketh righteousness, and then yieldeth to guidance."
Muslims are Allãh's representatives. Misuse of Jihad turns people away from
Allãh and Islam, one of the worst possible sins. As for barbaric acts such as
beheadings perpetrated by so-called "Muslims"…
77
BEHEADINGS and other BARBARISM
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 8 #7079
"Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas;
The Prophet (saw) said,
"Beware! Do not renegade as disbelievers (revert to disbelief)*
after me by striking (cutting)* the necks of one another."
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 8 #7077
"Narrated Ibn ‘Umar;
I heard the Prophet (saw) saying;
"Do not renegade as disbelievers (revert to disbelief)* after me
by striking (cutting)* the necks of one another."
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 8 #7076
"Narrated ‘Abdullah (ra);
The Prophet (saw) said,
"Abusing a Muslim is Fusüq (evil-doing) and killing him is Kufr (disbelief)*."
FIGHTING BETWEEN MUSLIMS
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 7 #7072
"Narrated Abü Huraurah (ra);
The Prophet (saw) said,
"None of you should point a weapon towards [his] Muslim brother,
for he does not know, Satan may tempt him to hit him
and thus he would fall into a pit of fire (Hell)*."
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCXCIII, #6898
Ahnaf b. Qais reported…this person (Hadrat Ali)…said:…
I heard Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
When two Muslims confront one another with swords (in hands)*
both the slayer and the slain would be in Fire."
He (Ahnaf) said: I said, or it was said:
Allãh's Messenger, it may be the case of one who kills,
but what about the slain (why he would be put in Hell-Fire)*?"
Thereupon he said:
He also intended to kill his companion."
There are many more of these thoughtful sayings throughout Sahih Bukhari
and Muslim, and Sunan Abu Dawud and Ibn-I-Majah, Sunni canonical hadiths.
Shia have no valid excuse to reject them either, even though Sunnis reject
Shia hadiths by Imam Ali and others. There are virtually no Muslims fighting
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 78
in Iraq, only infidel unbelievers and lawbreakers. Many so-called "Muslims" are
breaking the Law of Islam for personal gain, hate, revenge, fear, etc. As a result,
we see carnage…
Al-Harj : Iraq, Lebanon, & Darfur
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 6 # 7062, 7063;
"Narrated ‘Abdullah and Abü Müsä; The Prophet (saw) said,
"Near the establishment of the Hour
there will be days during which general ignorance will spread,
(religious)* knowledge will be taken away (vanish)*
and there will be much Al-Harj, and Al-Harj means killing."
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCCV, #6947;
Abû Huraira reported Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
By Him, in Whose hand is my life,
a time would come when the murderer would not know why he has committed murder,
and the victim would not know why he had been killed."
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCCV, #6950;
Abû Huraira reported Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
By Him, in Whose hand is my life,
the world would not come to an end until a day would come to the people
on which the murderer would not know as to why he has killed,
and the slain would not know as to why he had been murdered.
It would be said: Why would it happen?
To which he replied:
It would be because of general massacre and bloodshed.
And the slaughterers and the slain would be in Fire…"
Abductions & Murders of Foreign Aid Workers
Sahih Muslim, Vol 4, Kitãb al-Fitan Chapter MCXCIV p.1497 #6904;
"Thaubãn reported that Allãh’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said,
“…but it would be from amongst them, viz. your Ummah [Muslim Community],
that some people would kill others or imprison others."
Sunan Ibn-i-Majah Vol. 5, p.315 #3996;
" ‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘Ãs (ra) reported…Allãh’s Messenger (s) said,
"…You [Muslims] will vie with one another, then nurse jealousy against one another,
then turn back on one another [un-civil war].
Then you will go to the residences of emigrants
and put the burden of some of them on the necks of others [beheading]."
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 79
This is a mere sampling of the myriad prophecies and guidance on these topics.
The prophecies speak of today's tragic events with people suffering such misery
that this awful prophecy has come to pass;
Sahih Muslim Ch. MCCV, #6947;
Abû Huraira reported Allãh's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
The Last Hour would not come
until a person would pass by a grave of another person and he would say:
I wish it had been my abode."
DARFUR & the apostate Janjaweed Militia
Sunan Ibn-i-Majah Vol. 5, #3948, p.281;
"Abû Huraira (ra) reported that Allãh’s Messenger (s) said,
"He who fights under the standard of blind calling towards tribal spirit
or agitates for tribal jealousy, his way of killing is (an act of) the Ignorance."
Sunan Abû Dawud Vol. 3 #4288 Chapter 1594, p. 1197);
One of the companions of the Prophet (ra) reported the Prophet (s) as saying:
"Let the Abyssinians alone as long as they let you alone."
Sahih Al-Bukhari The Book of Al-Fitan Chapter 6 #7065
"Narrated Abü Müsä The Prophet (saw) said
"…And Al-Harj, in the Ethiopian language, means killing."
If Muslims are doing un-Muslim, violent, things in Iraq, Gaza, Lebanon, Darfur,
and elsewhere, it should come as no surprise. The Prophet and Imam Ali said this
was exactly what would happen. Islam would stray off-course…
ISLAM ASTRAY
Bukhari 1:33, “Kitãb al-‘ilm.” Muslim #157, “Kitãb al-‘ilm.”;
"Among the Signs of [the] Last Days,
‘Abd Allãh bin ‘Amr Ibn al-‘Ãs related that the Prophet (saw) said:
"Allah will not take knowledge from the hearts of the scholars
but he takes the scholars (they die)*.
There will be no more scholars to take their place
so people will take extremely ignorant leaders.
They will be asked questions
and will give fatwahs (legal rulings)* without knowledge.
They are misguided and they misguide others."
This describes the violent doctrines of Al Qaeda's so-called "imams", and their
look-alike relatives who blow up railroad cars in Bombay, Spain, and London in the
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 80
name of Allãh. False imams tell suicide bombers they're martyrs destined for
Paradise, but the reverse is true. The following hadiths are from "The Approach of
Armageddon?", by Shayk Muhammad Hisham Kabbani;
Page 93;
"Anas related that the Prophet (saw) said:
There will come a time for people
that to hold onto one’s religion would be like holding a hot coal in one’s hand."
(Ahmad, Musnad. Tirmidhi.)
Page 93;
"Abu Hurayra (ra) related that the Prophet (saw) said:
Woe to the Arabs for a great evil which is nearly upon them:
it will be like patches of dark night.
A man will wake up as a believer, and be an unbeliever by nightfall.
People will sell their religion for a small amount of worldly goods.
The one who clings to his religion on that day
will be as one who is grasping an ember or thorns."
((sahih) Ahmad, Musnad.)
Page 97
"The Prophet (saw) said:
The keeper of my Sunnah at the time my Community has lapsed into corruption
will receive the reward of one hundred martyrs.”84
84 Narrated from Ibn ‘Abbãs by al-Bayhaqi in al-Zuhd and cited thus by al-Mundhiri
in al-Targhib. “Man ahyã sunnati ‘inda fasãda ummati fa lahu ajru mi’ata shahid.”
Sadly, vindication of the Prophet through fulfillment of accurate, tragic,
prophecies brings shame to Muslims. Ongoing violence and repression prove
virtually all have gone astray. Muslims must mend their ways if the Fitnah
(Tribulation) is to end. Here's what Muhammad is actually calling for both
Shia and Sunni to do in Iraq…
"The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement", p.30,
citing Sunan Abü Dawud Vol. 3 Kitãb al-Fitan # 4246;
Abu Musa al-Ashari said,
The Prophet said,
“Before the Hour comes, there will be a tribulation like patches of dark night.
A man will get up a believer and go to sleep a kafir [after committing illegal Jihad],
or will go to sleep a believer and get up a kafir.
The one who sits will be better than one who stands,
and one who walks will be better than one who runs.
Break your bows, cut their strings, and strike your swords against stones.
If someone comes to kill any of you,
then be like the better of the two sons of Adam." 81
"The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement",
p.26, citing Ahmad Musnad 5/149;
Abu Dharr said,
The Prophet was riding a donkey and sat me behind him.
[The Prophet] said,
"O Abu Dharr,
if the people were suffering from such severe hunger [for revenge & justice]
that you could not even get up from your bed to go to the mosque,
what would you do?"
I said, "Allãh and His Messenger know best."
He said, "Be decent and restrain yourself."
Then he said,
"O Abu Dharr,
if the people were suffering from severe death what would you do?
If the people were killing one another,
until Hajarat al-Zayt [an area of Madinah] were submerged in blood,
what would you do?"
I said, "Allãh and His Messenger know best."
He said, "Stay in your house and lock the door."
I asked, "What if I am not left alone?"
He said, "Then be one of [with] them." [Make peace with them]
I said, "Should I take up my sword?"
He said, "If you did that,
you would be joining them in their activities.
No –
if you fear that the brightness of the shining sword will disturb you,
then cover your face with part of your clothing,
and let him carry his own sin and your sin."
82
"The Signs Before The Day Of Judgement",
p.30 citing Sunan Abü Dawud Vol. 3 #4243;
Abu Bakrah said, The Prophet said,
"There will be a tribulation…
Someone asked,
"O Messenger of Allãh, what do you advise me to do?"
He said,
"Whoever has camels[, cars, trucks, or buses], let him stay with them,
and whoever has land [lives in one place], let him stay in his land."
Someone asked, ‘What about someone who does not have anything like that?’
He said, "Then let him take his sword and strike its edge against a stone
[dulling the blade], then go as far away as possible [to avoid trouble]."
This means no foreign Jihadists, that is--no "Muslims",
may travel to Iraq to fight.
Here are portions of two sermons delivered by Imam Ali, founder of the Shia
branch of Islam. In the first, Imam Ali says Muslims will be doing Islam backwards,
so much so they'll become pariahs. The second passage foretells Islam being
turned upside down at that time so as to correct it. Hadiths on the next page
support this, as well.
Nahjul Balagha (p. 304) Sermon 146,
Imam Ali;
Certainly, a time will come upon you after me
when nothing will be more concealed than rightfulness,
nothing more apparent than wrongfulness —
and nothing more current than untruth against Allah and His Prophet.
For the people of this period nothing will be more valueless
than the Qur’an being recited as it ought to be recited,
nor anything more valuable than the Qur’an being misplaced from its position.
And in the towns nothing will be more hated than virtue,
nor anything more acceptable than vice.
The holders of the book will throw it away and its memorizers would forget it.
In these days the Qur’an and its people will be exiled and expelled.
They will be companions keeping together on one path,
but no one will offer them asylum." 83
Nahjul Balagha (p. 304) Sermon 146, Imam Ali, cont.;
Consequently at this time the Qur’an and its people will be among the people
but not among them, will be with them but not with them,
because misguidance cannot accord with guidance
even though they may be together.
The people will have united on division [Imam Ali foresaw the Sunni-Shia split]
and will therefore have cut away from the community,
as though they were the leaders of the Qur’an and not the Qur’an their leader.
Nothing of it will be left with them except its name,
and they will know nothing save its writings and its words.
Before that, they will inflict hardships on the virtuous,
naming the latter’s truthful views about Allah false allegations,
and enforcing for virtues the punishment of the vice."
Nahjul Balagha (p. 247) Sermon 102, Imam Ali;
"There would be a time
wherein only a sleeping (inactive)* believer would be safe
(such that)* if he is present he is not recognized
but if he is absent he is not sought after.
These are the lamps of guidance and banners of night journeys.
They do not spread calumnies nor divulge secrets, nor slander. …
O’ people!
a time will come to you when Islam would be capsized
as a pot is capsized with all its contents."
The following hadiths were collected from "The Approach of Armageddon?",
by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani;
Page 147; " ‘Abd Allãh Ibn Mas’ud (ra) said the Prophet (saw) said:
Islam began as something strange,
and it will revert to being strange as it was in the beginning,
so good tidings to strangers."
“Sahih Muslim, “Kitãb al-Imãn, Vol. 1 Number 90. Ibn Mãjah “Kitãb al-Fitan.”
In a parallel version found in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abu Hurayra
the Prophet is quoted as saying,
"bada al-islãmu ghariban wa saya’udu kamã badã’
—Islam began strange and will return as it began."
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 84
Page 148
"In another narration ‘Amr Ibn ‘Awf (ra) related that the Prophet (saw) said:
Truly the religion shall retreat and take refuge in the Hijaz ,…
…The religion started strange, and it will return as it started.
Glad tidings to the strangers.
They are those who set right
what people have corrupted of my Sunnah [teachings] after me."143
143
Tirmidhi. Mishkãt ul-masãbih, #170 “Kitãb ul-Qadr.”
CORRUPT, VIOLENT "ISLAM" PREACHED BY SATAN'S IMAMS
"The Signs Before The Day of Judgement", pp. 1-2,
citing Sahih Bukhari Vol 9. (pp. 136-7) Book of Al-Fitan #7084;
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said,
"People used to ask the Prophet (S) about good things, but I used to ask him
about bad things because I was afraid that they might overtake me. I said,
‘O Messenger of Allãh, we were lost in ignorance (Jahiliyyah) and evil,
then Allãh brought this good (i.e. Islam).
Will some evil come after this good thing?’
[The Prophet] said, ‘Yes’
[The threat of Islam to established powers meant Islam would be subject to attack.]
I asked, ‘And will some good come after that evil?’
He said, ‘Yes, but it will be tainted with some evil’…
I asked, ‘How will it be tainted?’
He said,
‘There will be some people who will lead others on a path different from mine.
You will see good and bad in them."…
[ Hamas and Hezbollah, for example, are supposedly Muslim orgaizations providing
good social programs like health and education, while promoting apostate violence.]
7084, cont.; [The Prophet] said,
‘Some people will be standing and calling at the gates of Hell;
whoever responds to their call,
they will [order him to] throw him[self] into the [suicide] Fire.’…
[Osama Bin Laden, Mussab al-Zarqawi, etc. The wicked are Arab Muslims.
The following two prophecies say the wicked are from Muhammad's people.
He was an Arab of the Quraish tribe. Remember this when reading the prophecies.]
I said, ‘O Messenger of Allãh, describe them for us.’
He said, ‘They will be from our own people, and will speak our language.’ "
The next prophecy supports what you've just read…
85
Sahih Bukhari, Book of Al-Fitan, #7058,
Narrated Abû Hurairah (ra):
I heard the truthful and trusted by Allãh (i.e. the Prophet (saw)) saying,
"The destruction of my followers will be through the hands
of young men from Quraish."
Muhammad was a member of the "Quraish", an Arab tribe in what is Saudi Arabia
today. While both hadiths warn of evil associated with a particularly violent version
of Islam called "Wahhabi", its overly harsh and condemnatory theology is replicated
to lesser degrees throughout the Muslim world. In the process, the intent of the
Qur'an's sacred teachings are distorted into tools of Satan. Muhammad preached
peace, just like Jesus did…,
Sunan Abu Dawud Kitãb al-Malãhim, # 4330;
Abû Sa'id al-Khudri reported the Apostle of Allãh (may peace be upon him)
as saying:
The best fighting (Jihad)* in the path of Allãh
is (to speak)* a word of justice to an oppressive ruler."
From "The Approach of Armageddon?";
Page 147; " ‘Abd Allãh Ibn Mas’ud (ra) said the Prophet (saw) said:
Islam began as something strange,
and it will revert to being strange as it was in the beginning,
so good tidings to strangers."
“Sahih Muslim, “Kitãb al-Imãn, Vol. 1 Number 90. Ibn Mãjah “Kitãb al-Fitan.”
Page 148
"In another narration ‘Amr Ibn ‘Awf (ra) related that the Prophet (saw) said:
…The religion started strange, and it will return as it started.
Glad tidings to the strangers. They are those who set right
what people have corrupted of my Sunnah [teachings] after me."143
143
Tirmidhi. Mishkãt ul-masãbih, #170 “Kitãb ul-Qadr.”
O Muslims! Open your eyes! Obey the Prophet. Repent of the evil the shaitans
(satans) entice you to commit in the name of Islam. The shaitans turn Christians
and Muslims against one another, urging them to kill one another in the name of God
and country. Next, we’ll take a frank look at "lesser Jihad". The Qur'an permits
defensive warfare, which apparently contradicts Jesus' non-violence rule
(Matthew 5:39). Jesus also affirmed the Old Testament, where at times God
sanctioned war. Jesus used the issue of divorce (Matthew 19:8) as an example of
how Moses "bent the rules" so they fit the Israelites. God saw their hearts were
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 86
hard and flexibility was needed. We'll look at the most graphic violence to get
this out in the open and resolved. The Qur'an permits warfare, but only defensive,
with the spirit of the law being to that violence must be kept to a minimum and
mercy shown to the vanquished. It was permissible only because of special
circumstances of the time (rulers were sending armies to kill them) and because
those to whom it was given lived in a society with a tradition of violence. First,
the injunction against aggressive war;
Sura 17:33;
Neither slay any one whom God hath forbidden you to slay,
unless it is for a just cause:…"
Sura 2:190-194; 190
...fight for the cause of God against those who fight against you:
but commit not the injustice of attacking them first:
God loveth not such injustice:…"
[ The only just cause for violence is in self or collective defense according
to the Prophet (s). You can fight only against people who are first attacking you,
and in a manner consistent with Sura 9:6-—no bombs or suicide attacks.]
191 And kill them [the ones attacking Muslims] wherever ye shall find them,
and eject them from whatever place they have ejected you;
for civil discord is worse than carnage:…"
[Religious persecution (discord) leads to genocide, torture, and repression.
Mild civil discord by itself doesn't warrant such harsh measures,
but it's clear from this and other passages in the Qur'an, as well as history,
that violent persecution is one way religious intolerance was expressed at the time.
That's why part two of verse 191 says; ]
191 (cont.)...yet attack them not at the Sacred Mosque,
unless they attack you therein;
but if they attack you, slay them. Such the reward of infidels."
[Infidels can't keep peace, even in holy sanctuaries]
192 But if they desist, then verily God is gracious, merciful."
[ This verse is about people attacking Muslims as they worshipped.
Actually, it's repeating itself today in Iraq and Pakistan. ]
193 Fight therefore against them until there be no more civil discord,
and the only worship be that of God:
but if they desist, then let there be no hostility,
save against the wicked."
87
Sura 2:190-194, cont.;
194 The sacred month and the sacred precincts
are under the safeguard of reprisals:
whoever offereth violence to you,
offer ye the like violence to him,…"
Sura 8:61;
And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it…"
Sura 22:39-40;
39 A sanction [permission to make war] is given to those who,
because they have suffered outrages,
have taken up arms;
and verily, God is well able to succour them:
40 Those who have been driven forth from their homes wrongfully,
only because they say
"Our Lord is the God."
And if God had not repelled some men by others,
cloisters, and churches, and oratories, and mosques…,
would surely have been destroyed…"
Muslims were being attacked as they worshiped, driven from their homes,
and having their mosques destroyed. God allowed them to defend themselves.
Jihad's early purpose was to help Islam counter the spread of an imperialistic
form of "Christianity" trying to be a One World Religion under Caesar-popes.
Next, a very difficult passage to understand without knowing the context…
Sura 47:4-5;
4 When ye encounter the infidels, strike off their heads
till ye have made a great slaughter among them,
and of the rest make fast the fetters.
5 And afterwards let there be either free dismissals or ransomings,
till the war hath laid down its burdens. Thus do. …"
The graphic imagery of lopping heads off shocks any person of good heart.
Verse 4 seems to sanction exactly what barbaric so-called "Muslim" terrorists do
to foreign workers and Iraqis alike. But taking prisoners as it states in verse 5
means the beheading of verse 4 pertains only to actual battle, and in battle,
cavalry are trained to lop off heads. It's what cavalry does. Today, soldiers are
taught to "Blow other peoples' heads off." Warfare is lousy. Taking prisoners
afterwards indicates he was speaking about cavalry tactics. Terrorist executions
are quite different. One is part and parcel of individual struggles to survive in
battle, the other is murder. Muslims were taught to take prisoners and afterwards
free them, not murder them. 88
In other words, Muslims are required to be merciful and just. Islam has a far
more humane code of warfare than that with which most European conflicts have
been conducted. It's even more impressive in light of the region's bloody history,
land of Babylonians and Assyrians. This is as violent as the Qur'an gets. Defensive
violence, with mercy required. In the Old Testament, prophets stood up for their
people, too. God bless them! Those were hard times for a people steeped in a
history of violence. They were being attacked by a pagans and a Christianity
corrupted by ruthless, greedy men who proved infidelity to Christ by their
barbaric actions. Muhammad's overall theme was peace wherever and
whenever possible.
The material in the next section is crucial to peace, and ever so timely. As long as
Hezbollah and Hamas believe Israel must be literally destroyed, as long as Muslim
children are taught Jews must die, we won't have peace.
CAN JEWS LIVE IN PEACE WITH MUSLIMS?
That this question need even be asked is a crying shame. Of course they can!
They're supposed to! But there are sayings in the Qur'an and hadiths that can
easily be taken out of context and twisted to create conflict. There are two things
that need to be remembered;
1.) Some of Muhammad's sayings refer to events at the beginning of Islam's
history. At that time some Jewish tribes assisted the Meccan army sent to destroy
the fledgling Muslim community.
2.) Some of Muhammad's sayings refer to specific conditions that will exist at
the Last Hour--that is, today. The point is, Muslims have lived in peace next
to Jews, and vice versa, many times in many different places throughout history.
There have been troubles, certainly, but also centuries of peaceful coexistence
and cooperation. Peaceful times can be resurrected today if we choose to.
The problem is, some prophecies in the hadiths say Jews must be killed. Not only
are they meant figuratively, they can't possibly be meant literally. Here's an
analogy; A comedian is clowning around and says, "You're killing me" (ala Rodney
Dangerfield, if you remember him) to his audience. Since they're not really causing
his natural death, it's clearly meant figuratively. However, if the audience is made
up of people who think in literal terms only and can't accept figurative language,
there'd be misunderstanding. That's how it is for the "violent" hadiths. An example
of figurative "killing" from Hosea in the Bible provides a superb example of how
figurative language can fulfill Doomsday destruction peacefully in prophecy… 89
Hosea 6:5-6 (NIV);
5 Therefore I [God] cut you in pieces with my prophets,
I killed you with the words of my mouth;
My judgments flashed like lightning upon you.
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
The phrase "burnt offerings" reads "holocausts" in the New American Bible.
Jesus knew about figurative destruction. He cited Hosea 6:6 twice;
Matthew 12:7, 9:13, Jesus;
12:7 "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,'
you would not have condemned the innocent."
9:13 "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' "
John 16:25, Jesus;"...I have been speaking figuratively,...",
Jeremiah 23:29; "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD..."
Jesus pointed to the Old Testament's best example of figurative destruction.
This was discussed in chapter 3, "The Myth of Inevitable, Literal Armageddon".
The point is, the Bible uses figurative speech and so does the Qur'an;
Sura 3:7;
[Allah] it is who hath sent down to thee "the Book.[Qur'an]"
Some of its signs are of themselves perspicuous [literal];
...and others are figurative."
The question becomes, which is the correct way to read the violent hadiths;
literally or figuratively? It can easily be proven they're meant figuratively.
Interpreting them literally distorts the truth, and paints "Islam" as a religion
promoting the level of violence associated with it today. However, the hadiths
in which Jews "die" figuratively occur after Jesus has returned in the "Second
Coming" and he's in charge. In the Bible, Jesus says Moses will judge Jews
(John 5:45), and Israelites are promised salvation, not slaughter. God doesn't
want Jews killed literally, only "killed" spiritually, i.e., humbled and ready to
make peace with Palestinians, Muslims, and other people.
Ibn-I-Majah Book of Fitan #4077 (p.385);
Abû Umãma Bahili said…
Allãh's Messenger (saw) said,
"Then Isã b. Maryam (Jesus Christ, son of Maryam), peace be upon him,
will be a just Judge and a just ruler of my umma [Muslim community]."
This is the part many Muslims keep missing, because in general, Muslims
don’t eagerly await Jesus' return, preferring his representative administrator,
the Mahdi, instead. Muhammad and Imam Ali prophesied Islam would be turned
upside down, and Jesus is why. Muhammad clearly stated (Sura 5:68, 70) that 90
Muslims must learn and apply the first two Books (Old & New Testaments) of
the Bible as the foundation to understand the Qur'an. The Old Testament is
the first floor of the building, the New Testament the second, and the Qur'an
meant to be the third. Muslims using the Qur'an without the first two floors
have a theology that's floating on air without support, as the Prophet said;
Sura 5:68;
SAY: "O people of the Book!
[While Muhammad was speaking to Muslims at the time]
Ye have no [theological] ground to stand on,
Until ye observe the Law [Old Testament]
and the Evangel [The Gospels, whichJesusextends to include the New Testament],
And that which hath been sent down to you [Muslims, theQur’an] from your Lord."
Sura 2:136;
Say ye:
"We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down to us [Holy Qur’an],
and that which hath been sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob
and the tribes [Joshua], and in that was given to Moses, and to Jesus,
and that which was given to the prophets, from their Lord.
No difference do we make between any of them."
In general, Muslims refuse to comply. That's why prophecies say Islam will
be turned upside down. To attain Jannah (Heaven), Muslims must heed the Qur'an,
They must include the first two floors of Islam, the Old and New Testaments,
even if they find it distasteful. There's additional guidance similar to the Bible's
"Golden Rule", "Do unto others as we'd have done unto us"…
”The Signs Before The Day of Judgement”, p.31;780
“Abd Allah ibn Amr said,
…The Prophet was…saying:
O people,…
this Ummah [Islam] has its time of peace and security at the beginning;
at the end of its existence it will suffer trials and tribulations,
one after the other [Look at Islam today]…
Whoever wishes to be rescued from Hell, and enter Paradise,
let him die believing in Allãh and the Last Day,
and treat the people as he himself wishes to be treated."
This hadith requires believers to read scripture and prophecy that affects
others in a way they'd want it applied to themselves. It's Islam's version of
the Bible's "Golden Rule". Violent scripture should primarily be read as meaning
figurative violence (i.e., "kill" = "shame", "fire" = "intensely painful words", etc.)
rather than literal violence. With this in mind, let's see what the prophecies say… 91
Sunan Ibn-I-Majah p.384 #4077;
…Isã…[defeats the Antichrist and an army of Jews in the West Bank at Lod, and then…]
Thus Allãh would defeat the Jews
and there would be left nothing that Allãh has created
with which a Jew would hide himself but Allãh would make that thing speak:
neither a stone, nor a tree, neither a wall nor a beast
but a gharqad) (a thorny tree)*.
So it is one of their (Jews’ tree)*
-and would not pronounce (the presence of a Jew)*,
but it would pronounce:
'O Muslim servant of Allah, this is a Jew. Come and kill him."
Here's another…
Sahih Muslim Chapter MCCV p.1510m #6981-85;
[Again, Jesus defeats the Antichrist and army of Jews in the West Bank, and then…]
The Jews will be deflated with the help of Allah.
There will be no place for them to hide;
they will not be able to hide behind any stone, wall, animal or tree
– except the boxthorn (al-Gharqarah)* - without saying,
'O Muslim servant of Allah! here is a Jew, come and kill him!"
Keeping in mind a Muslim must want for his enemy what he wishes for himself,
paraphrasing the last line of the above hadith…
'O Muslim servant of Allah! here is a Jew,
come and [figuratively] kill him [with kindness and truth, as any Muslim would] !"
But Creator did even better. Not only were folks told the right way to read the
prophecies, they were specifically told it would be that way…
Sunan Ibn-I-Majah p.384 #3967;
'Abdullãh b. 'Amr (Allah be pleased with him) reported that
Allãh's Messenger (peace and blessings of Allãh be upon him) said,
"A turmoil [Tribulation, Fitna] will rise that will embrace the entire mankind.
They will be in [figurative] Hell-fire [Humiliation and rage].
The tongue [spoken words] in it [Tribulation]
is more severe than the blow of a sword."
Hosea 6:5; …I killed you with the words of my mouth;
My judgments flashed like lightning upon you."
These passages refer to correction of theology and also the power of God's word
in revealed prophecies of the Sacred Hoop, subject matter for another book.
Muslims will be in figurative Hell-fire because now they'll have to give real respect
* The translator added descriptions in parentheses. 92
in word and deed to Jesus and let Jews live in peace. Christians and Jews will
have to respect Muhammad, which won't be easy for them. Nations, such as the
United States and Israel, will discover they've strayed from the Sacred Hoop
and must change their policies, too. There's one last issue, "shunning" by
Muslims of other faiths…
SHUNNING
Sura 5:51; O believers! take not the Jews or Christians as friends.
They are but one another's friends.
If anyone of you taketh them for his friends, he surely is one of them!"
This verse may seem applicable today, especially as Christians have sided with
Jews in the Holy Land, upholding the illegal dispossession of hundreds of thousands
of Palestinians driven off their land by Israel's armed forces. However, this
passage refers to events of Muhammad's time, and isn't meant eternally or
globally. Otherwise, keeping in mind all scripture must reconcile, how does one
make sense of the following passages?
Sura 5:69;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims),
and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians, and the Sabeites
—whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right, shall have their reward with their Lord:
fear shall not come upon them, neither shall they be grieved."
Sura 3:113-114;
113 Yet all are not alike:
Among the people of the Book is an upright folk,
who recite the signs of God in the night-season, and adore:
114 They believe in God and the Latter Day,
and enjoin justice, and forbid evil, and speed on in good works.
These are the righteous [whatever their religion]."
These passages reconcile when applied in proper time context. As Suras
3:113-114 and 5:69 attest, members of other faiths may be numbered among
the righteous. The Qur'an doesn't require Muslims to shun other Faithful people.
Muhammad was speaking of specific groups who were oppressing the Muslims of
his time. Muslims have no valid excuse for further hostility towards members
of other faiths. According to Sura 2:193, when Jews and Christians stop
calling Muhammad a pagan and acknowledge him as the Prophet, civil discord
ends between them and Muslims. .
93
Next, we'll examine several passages from the Qur'an indicating it is meant
to be read as one piece of a series of three books. The Qur'an was meant as
Part 3 of the Message God delivered to Abraham's descendants. Part 1 is the
Old Testament, Part 2 is the New Testament, and Part 3 is the Qur'an. The first
two books set context for understanding new information and clarifications in the
Qur'an. Christians and Muslims should treat both the Bible and the Qur'an as
sacred and authoritative. Christians ought not reject God's Message given to
Muslims unless it can be proven the Qur'an denies either the Father or Jesus.
This will reconcile members of both religions.
The Old & New Testaments and the Qur'an
Sura 29:46;
Dispute not…with people of the Book [Muslims/Christians/Jews];
And say ye, "We believe in what hath been sent down to us [Muslims—Qur’an]
and what hath been sent down to you. [Old & New Testaments]
Our God and your God is one,..."
Sura 2:62;
Verily, they who believe (Muslims),
and they who follow the Jewish religion, and the Christians,
and the Sabeites—
whoever of these believeth in God and the last day,
and doeth that which is right,
shall have their reward with their Lord: fear shall not come upon them,
neither shall they be grieved."
Sura 5:68;
SAY: "O people of the Book!"…
[This verse was originally part of a sermon delivered to a large crowd of Muslims.]
68 cont.; …"Ye have no [theological] ground to stand on,
Until ye observe the Law [Old Testament]
and the Evangel,"… [The Gospels, which Jesus extended
to include the NewTestament by delegating authority to the apostles]
68 cont.; …"And that which hath been sent down to you [Muslims, theQur’an]
from your Lord."
Since God shows no favoritism, the above command applies to all three religions.
It’s seems incredulous from these examples problems ever existed between
Christianity and Islam. It's clear from Muhammad's teachings, the Bible is meant
to be used alongside the Qur'an. 94
Sura 2:136;
Say ye:
"We believe in God, and that which hath been sent down to us [Qur’an],
and that which hath been sent down to Abraham
and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob
and the tribes [Joshua],
and in that was given to Moses,
and to Jesus,
and that which was given to the prophets, from their Lord.
No difference do we make between any of them."
For emphasis, Muhammad repeated this almost word for word in the next Sura;
Sura 3:84;
SAY: "We believe in God, and in what hath been sent down to us [Qur’an],
and what hath been sent down to Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob,
and the tribes [Joshua], and in what was given to Moses,
and Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord.
We make no difference between them."
Sura 5:48, God;
And to thee We have sent down the Book of the Koran with truth,
confirmatory of previous Scriptures, and their safe guard…and the Evangel;"
Then we have Sura 3:3-4;
3 In truth hath He sent down to thee "the Book,"
which confirmeth those which precede it.
For he hath sent down the Law, and the Evangel aforetime,
4 as man’s guidance,
and now hath He sent down the "Illumination." [Qur'an] "
Sura 5:46;
And in the footsteps of the prophets
caused We Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow,
confirming the Law which was before him:
and We gave him the Evangel [Gospels] with its guidance and light,
confirmatory of the preceding Law,
a guidance and warning to those who fear God;—"
Sura 46:12;
But before the Koran was the Book of Moses, a rule and a mercy;
and this Book confirmeth it (the Pentateuch)—in the Arabic tongue—
that those who are guilty of that wrong may be warned,
and as glad tidings to the doers of good."
95
This is the short list, confirming that Muslims are responsible to follow not only
the Qur’an, but also the five books of the Pentateuch [Moses], the book of Joshua
[the tribes], the books of the prophets [Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea,
Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zechariah, and Malachi], and the Evangel [Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)].
When Muslims obey the Prophet, a gate opens wide for mutual respect between
Muslims, Christians, and Jews for each others’ sacred books. However, we haven’t
yet conclusively established this meant the entire Bible. What about books other
than those listed from the Old Testament?
Sura 5:44;
Verily, We have sent down the Law (Towrat) [Torah]
wherein are guidance and light.
By it did the prophets who professed Islam judge the Jews;
and the doctors and the teachers judged by that portion of the Book of God,
of which they were the keepers and witnesses."
Sura 5:44 states the prophets followed Islam. The "doctors" and "teachers"
who "judged" are confirmed. Thus, the Qur'an confirms the Old Testament books
from Judges through Esther.
Sura 6:85;
And we gave him Isaac and Jacob, and guided both aright;
and We had guided before Noah; and among the descendants of Abraham,
David and Solomon, And Job and Joseph, and Moses and Aaron:…"
This makes the entire Old Testament sacred for Muslims. Now, the books of
the apostles from the New Testament…
Sura 3:184;
And if they treat thee [Muhammad] as a liar,
Then verily apostles have been treated as liars before thee,
though they came with clear proofs of their mission,
and with Scriptures, and with the light-giving Book."
The Prophet made the importance of learning the Bible very clear. Because
Muhammad is a valid apostle, he naturally acknowledged both the Old and New
Testaments. To understand the Qur’an, one must proceed from this point.
The Qur’an cannot (and does not) contradict the spirit, or underlying meaning,
of the Bible, even if at first glance it appears to. When our perspective aligns
with God's Message, the contradictions vanish. Apparent contradictions arise
in areas where traditional theology is taught in a way that disconnects us from
the rest of God's Message. Corrupted theology was often used as a means to
exert control. That’s why the Prophet said… 96
Sura 5:15;
People of the Scriptures! now is Our Apostle come to you
to clear up to you much that ye [flawed theology] concealed of those Scriptures,
and to pass over many things.
Now hath a light and a clear Book come to you from God,…"
Muhammad didn't need to repeat what Jesus taught, so the gospels are "passed
over" in the Qur’an. Faithful Muslims are responsible to know the previous books.
Muhammad confirmed the teachings of Jesus and the Prophets for "man’s guidance"
(Sura 3:3). Rejecting them because one doesn’t like the source is the behavior of
infidels. Sura 30:30;
Set thou thy face then, as a true convert,
towards the faith which God has made, and for which He hath made man.
No change is there in the creation of God.
This is the right faith, but the greater part of men know it not."
Matthew 12:25, Jesus,
Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined,…"
Sura 4:82;
Can they not consider the Koran? Were it from any other than God,
they would surely have found in it many contradictions."
John 10:35, Jesus,....and the Scripture cannot be broken…"
Abundant scripture links the Qur’an and Bible, making Christians responsible
for blaspheming an illustrious member in God's prophetic chain, i.e., the Prophet
Muhammad. The Father made His wishes known clearly to Jews (and Christians)
when He spoke through Moses;
Deuteronomy 18:18-19, the Lord;
18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you [Moses]
from among their brothers;
I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.
19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name,
I myself will call him to account."
Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus;
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
18 I tell you the truth,
until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."
Jesus says Deuteronomy 18:18-19 holds true for Christians, too. 97
Romans 3:31, Paul;
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith?
Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."
For Catholic or Protestant Christians to deny Muhammad as the Prophet goes
against Jesus’ commands, and is therefore antichrist. Jesus declared himself
(Jesus) to be the Messiah, Son of God, Son of Man, King of Israel, the "First and
the Last, Alpha and the Omega, the "Root" and the "Offspring" of David, and the
bright Morning Star." (Revelation 22) Yet, not once in the Bible did Jesus or any of
his apostles claim Jesus was "the Prophet". There’s an account in John 1 where the
Jews of Jerusalem came to John the Baptist to ask him if he was the Prophet…
John 1:20-22;
20 He [John] …confessed freely "I am not the Christ."
21 They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not."
22 "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." "
Joshua and everyone else prior to this are disqualified. Else, why would Jewish
priests from Jerusalem ask John if he was the Prophet? John readily acknowledged
Jesus as "Son of God" and "Lamb of God". Why then, when priests and Levites asked
him who he was, did he not announce to them that Jesus was the Prophet, too?
This is a somewhat misleading question, for there is an instance where Jesus said
he was the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18, but it's not in the Bible. It’s in the Book of
Mormon, which many Christians reject. The Book of Mormon appears to contradict
Muhammad’s claim of being the Prophet, it doesn’t. While in one breath Mormon
makes Jesus the Prophet, in the next, Muhammad is validated in another Mormon
holy book, the "Doctrine and Covenants". Using only their version of the Bible,
Catholics and Protestants have no basis to deny Muhammad is the "Prophet".
Following is the passage from the Book of Mormon in which Jesus says he's the
"Prophet"…3 Nephi 20:23, Jesus;
Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying:
“A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me:
him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you.
And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear the prophet
shall be cut off from among the people."
This would present an insurmountable barrier to reconciling the Qur'an and
the Book of Mormon were it not for the fact that Jesus Christ is Gabriel,
and the Qur’an teaches that Gabriel gave the Qur’an to Muhammad; 98
Sura 2:97;
SAY: …Gabriel…it is who by God’s leave
hath caused the Koran to descend on thy [Muhammad’s] heart…"
Gabriel received the Qur’an from God and then passed it on to Muhammad,
who Muslims recognize as the Prophet. When we realize Gabriel is Christ,
Muslims can rightfully say Jesus is the Prophet, too, as he delivered the same
Message as Muhammad. Jesus Christ as Gabriel was the angelic "Prophet" and
Muhammad the human "Prophet". This agrees with Deuteronomy 18, John 13:19
and 14:20, and what's written in…
Doctrine and Covenants 1:38, God;
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken,
and I excuse not myself;
and though the heavens and the earth pass away,
my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled,
whether by mine own voice
or by the voice of my servants,
it is the same."
As a sign Jews and Arabs are brothers, God’s plan for salvation requires
Muhammad be Moses' counterpart. As a sign Muslims and Christians are brothers,
God’s plan requires Muhammad and Jesus share the title of "the Prophet".
Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 validates both Jibreel-Christ and Muhammad
and reconciles perfectly with…
Zechariah 4:11,14 ;
11 Then I asked the angel,
"What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?"
14 So he said,
"These are the two
who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."
In effect, both Muhammad and Jesus share the title of "the Prophet".
The final topic deals with Jesus' status in the Qur'an. Several passages in
the Qur'an are commonly taken out of context, giving Jesus lesser status in
Islam than Muhammad. This misperception creates a barrier between Muslims
and Christians. We'll take a look at some of the issues and discover what
the Qur'an says about them, issue by issue. We'll first present passages
which appear to diminish Jesus' stature, followed by the many passages which
qualify the meaning to something fully compatible with the Bible… 99
The Issues
Sura 6:86;
And Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias; all were just persons:..."
Sura 43:59; Jesus is no more than a servant whom We favoured,..."
Sura 4:171; O ye people of the Book!
overstep not bounds in your religion; and of God, speak only the truth.
The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only an apostle of God,..."
Now, about Jesus being only a person, an apostle, a servant of God...
Jesus merely a "person"
Sura 6:86;
And Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias; all were just persons:..."
First, being a person is no small affair…
Genesis 1:27,31;
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good."
The Qur'an agrees with Genesis 1:31…
Sura 95:1-4;
1 I swear by the FIG and by the Olive, 2 By Mount Sinai,
3 And by this inviolate soil! 4 That of the goodliest fabric We created man,…"
We're created of the "goodliest fabric", which can only be divine.
What's better than that? While it's true Jesus was a man, he was also…
"The Messiah…", (Å Sura 3:45, 4:171)
"…an apostle endowed more highly than others:
raised by God to the loftiest grade, given manifest signs of this by God
strengthened with the Holy Spirit…", (Å Sura 2:253)
"His [God's] word [the Word incarnate] which He conveyed into Mary,
and a spirit proceeding from Himself." (Å Sura 4:171)
"…a servant whom We favoured,
and proposed as an instance of divine power to the children of Israel. (Å Sura 43:59)
"…illustrious in this world, and in the next,
one with near access to God;…" (Å Sura 3:45)
"…a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us." (Å Sura 19:21)
"And he shall be a sign of the Last Hour;…" (Å Sura 43:61)"
100
Jesus no more than a "servant"
Sura 43:59;
Jesus is no more than a servant whom We favoured,..."
This would appear to be a diminishment of Jesus' stature were Jesus not to have
said the same thing himself…
John 4:34; "My food," said Jesus,
"is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
Luke 22:27, Jesus;
…I am among you as one who serves."
The Bible teaches us to honor our parents and to "serve" them. In essence,
Jesus said that when he corrected the Pharisees in the next passage…
Matthew 15:4-6, Jesus;
4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother'
and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'
5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother,
'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me
is a gift devoted to God,' 6 he is not to 'honor his father' with it.
Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition."
We find that service to our parents is along the same lines as Jesus' service to
his Father. This might be a difficult point to prove regarding the Qur'an, were not
the following statements added to provide context…
"The Messiah…", (Å Sura 3:45, 4:171)
"…an apostle endowed more highly than others:
raised by God to the loftiest grade, given manifest signs of this by God
strengthened with the Holy Spirit…", (Å Sura 2:253)
"His [God's] word [the Word incarnate] which He conveyed into Mary,
and a spirit proceeding from Himself." (Å Sura 4:171)
"…a servant whom We favoured, and proposed as an instance of divine power
to the children of Israel. (Å Sura 43:59)
"…illustrious in this world, and in the next,
one with near access to God;…" (Å Sura 3:45)
"…a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us." (Å Sura 19:21)
"And he shall be a sign of the Last Hour;…" (Å Sura 43:61)"
That's not so shabby...
Sura 4:172;
The Messiah disdaineth not to be a servant of God,
nor do the angels who are nigh unto Him." 101
Jesus "only an apostle"
Sura 4:171;
O ye people of the Book!
overstep not bounds in your religion; and of God,
speak only the truth.
The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only an apostle of God,..."
To understand what this verse means we must understand the context,
which includes what Muhammad said next regarding Jesus...
"The Messiah…", (Å Sura 3:45, 4:171)
"…an apostle endowed more highly than others:
raised by God to the loftiest grade, given manifest signs of this by God
strengthened with the Holy Spirit…", (Å Sura 2:253)
"His [God's] word [the Word incarnate] which He conveyed into Mary,
and a spirit proceeding from Himself." (Å Sura 4:171)
"…a servant whom We favoured, and proposed as an instance of divine power
to the children of Israel. (Å Sura 43:59)
"…illustrious in this world, and in the next,
one with near access to God;…" (Å Sura 3:45)
"…a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us." (Å Sura 19:21)
"And he shall be a sign of the Last Hour;…" (Å Sura 43:61)"
Muhammad said Jesus was everything wonderful, great, and holy except,
exactly as Jesus said, Jesus is not a God on par with the Father.
John 10:29, Jesus;
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;…"
And finally, Muhammad's statement regarding his personal stature…
Sura 3:144;
Muhammad is no more than an apostle;..."
Many Muslims mistakenly claim Muhammad is superior to Jesus. The Prophet,
however, acknowledged Jesus as the "Messiah", meaning "the Anointed One"
of God. Muhammad never claimed superiority to Jesus in any way. He said they
were on the same team, separated by a few centuries, that's all. Muhammad
wouldn't cross over the line and preach a spiritually imperialistic theology
based on an edict by Constantine. Constantine, the Roman emperor at the time
of the Council of Nicaea, ordered the execution of heretics, i.e., those who
disagreed with his theology. Muhammad wouldn't submit to Rome, nor would he
disobey Jesus by idolizing him and worshipping him on par with the Father. 102
Muhammad showed great respect and reverence for Jesus' mother, Mary,
confirming the virgin birth.
Sura 19:16-21; 16
And make mention in the Book, of Mary,
when she went apart from her family, eastward.
17 And took a veil to shroud herself from them:
and We sent Our spirit to her, and he took before her the form of a perfect man.
18 She said: "I fly for refuge from thee to the God of Mercy!
If thou fearest Him, begone from me."
19 He said, "I am only a messenger of thy Lord,
that I may bestow upon thee a holy son."
20 She said: "How shall I have a son, when man hath never touched me?
and I am not unchaste."
21 He said: "So shall it be. Thy Lord hath said: 'Easy is this with me'
and: "We will make him a sign to mankind, and a mercy from Us.
For it is a thing decreed."
Muhammad showed Jesus respect from "a" to "z".
Mark 9:38-40;
38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name
and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said.
"No one who does a miracle in my name
can in the next moment say anything bad about me,
40 for whoever is not against us is for us."
Sura 4:170-171;
170 The Messiah disdaineth not to be a servant of God,…"
171 …The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is…an apostle of God,…"
"Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary";
" mes·si·ah … n. [Heb mashiah & Aram meshiha, lit. anointed]
1 cap a : the expected king and deliverer of the Jews b : JESUS "
The Prophet acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, the Anointed One of Israel.
Muhammad said; "The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self."
Jesus said, Matthew 5:9;
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God."
It's time for Christians and Muslims to hear and obey their prophets. 103