CHAPTER 6: THE SCRIPTURES’ WITNESS FOR MUHAMMAD
The Prophets Prophesized the Advent of Muhammad
We have previously stressed several times that the witness of the previous divine scriptures for Muhammad (peace be upon hm) concerns either his prophethood or what he has stated himself. In them there are clear verses, which are signs of his prophethood as well as of the prophets before him. These clear verses are considered as an argument against the People of the Scripture and also against all polytheists and atheists.
Allah mentions this kind of verse in several places in His Book (i.e., the Qur’an). For example, He, the Almighty says,
which means, “is it not a sign to them that the learned scholars (like ‘Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) who embraced Islam) of the Children of Israel knew it (as true)?” (As-Shu’ara’, 26: 197)
And says,
which means, “So if you (O Muhammad) are in doubt concerning that which We have revealed unto you, [i.e., that your name is written in the Tawrah (Torah) and the lnjil (Gospel)] then ask those who are reading the Book [the Tawrah (Torah) and the lnjil (Gospel)j before you.” (Yunus, 10: 94) He, the
Almighty also says,
which means, “Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognize him (Muhammad or the Ka’bah at Mecca) as they recognize their sons ” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 146)
Prophecy One:
The above verses are similar to the following verse in the Torah:
And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. (Deut, 33:2)
Many scholars said (the following wording is Muhammad bin Qutaibah’s), “Nothing could be mysterious in this verse for the one who contemplated it fully, for Allah’s coming was from Mount Sinai, so as to give the Torah to Musa (Moses, peace be upon him). This is found in the books of the people of the Scripture, which is the same as that found in the Qur’an. His rise also had to be from Seir. He revealed the Gospel to Christ who was from Seir (a village in Hebron called Nazareth). That was why his followers were called “Nasara.” Just as His rising must have been from Seir, His shining forth must have been from mount Paran. He revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad (peace be upon him) from the Paran mountains, which are the mounts of Mecca.”
He added, “There is no disagreement between the Muslims and the people of the Scripture that Paran is Mecca. But if they claim that it is a place other than Mecca, this will be another example of their distortion and lying.”
We say: Is it not stated in the Torah that Ibrahim (Abraham) lodged Hajar (Hagar) and Ismail (Ishmael) at Paran? Tell us, then, about the place where Allah shone from and about the Prophet to whom Allah revealed a book after Christ, Do you know of any religion that spread in the same manner as Islam did, and which spread throughout the East and the West?
Abu Hashim bin Zhafar said, “Seir is a mountain in Syria, from which the Prophethood of Christ appeared.”
We said, “Beside Bethlehem, the village in which Christ was born, there is a village now called Seir and which contains mountains called Seir too.” It is also mentioned in the Torah that the progeny of Esau inhabited Seir. Allah commanded Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) not to harm them.
Therefore, the mention of the three mounts is true. Hira’ is the highest mountain in Mecca. It was the mountain from which the revelation descended on the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is surrounded by many mountains, to the extent that it is said that Mecca contains twelve thousand mountains. Until today, there is such a place called Paran, from which the Qur’an was first revealed. Moreover, the desert between Mecca and Mount Sinai is called the desert of Paran. None can claim that no revelation or prophet was sent in that land.
Thus, it is concluded that the intended meaning by His “Shining from mount Paran” is nothing but sending Muhammad (peace be upon him). Allah, glorified by He, mentions this in the Torah chronologically, as He mentions revealing the Torah, then the Gospel and then the Qur’an, which are the Books of the Divine Light and Guidance.
Concerning His first revelation, it is said “the Lord Came.” In the second one, it is said “rose up,” while in the third, it is said, “shined up.” The revelation of the Torah resembled the break of dawn, or what is brighter than that, while the revelation of the Gospel was like the rising of the sun; light and guidance increased with it.
As for the revelation of the Qur’an, it is just like the appearance of the sun in the sky. That was why Allah said, “He shone forth from Mount Paran.” With the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Light and Guidance of Allah spread more in the East and the West than with the two earlier Divine Books, just as sunlight spreads when it shines. For this reason, Allah calls Muhammad (peace be upon him) “a lamp spreading light” and calls the sun “a shining lamp.”
Allah takes an oath by these same three places in the Qur’an, as He says,
which means, “By the fig, and the olive, By Mount Sinai, And by this city of security (Mecca),” (95: 1-3)
The fig and olive is a symbolic reference to the Holy Land in which the fig and the olive grow, and in which Christ was sent and the Gospel was revealed.
He also swore by Mount Sinai; the mount from which Allah spoke to Musa (Moses, peace be upon him). Then, He swore by the city of security, which is Mecca, the city in which Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) lodged his son Ismail (Ishmael, peace be upon him) and his mother. It is also the city that Allah made a secured sanctuary.
It is mentioned in the Torah that Isma’iI (peace be upon him) was brought up and lodged at the desert of Paran, “And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad a drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.” (Gen, 21:19-21)
It is well known and agreed upon that Isma’iI was brought up in Mecca, where he assisted his father Ibrahim in building the Ka’bah. Therefore, Mecca is Paran.
Prophecy Two:
This is a similar prophecy about Muhammad (peace be upon him) cited from the words of Simeon, “God caused clear proof to come from the mounts of Paran. And the heavens and the earth were filled with His and His nation’s Glorification.”
This is a declaration of the prophethood of Muhammad, who came from the mounts of Paran, whereupon the heavens and the earth were full of his and his nations’ glorification. None came from the mounts of Paran, whose glorification filled the heavens and the earth, except for Muhammad (peace be upon him). Christ was not in the land of Paran at all, while Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) was spoken to from Mount Sinai, which is not in the land of Paran either. If the desert between Mount Sinai and the Hejaz is Paran, Allah did not send the Torah in it. The Prophecies of the Torah were sent earlier from Mount Sinai, while that of the Gospel was sent from Mount Seir.
Prophecy Three:
This is similar to that which came in the prophecy of Habakkuk in which he said, “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power ” (Heb 3:3-4)
Prophecy Four:
David said in the Psalms, “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalms, 149:5-9)
These characteristics are rather found in Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his nation, for they are the people who glorify Allah loudly in the daily five prayers and from high places. Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “(When) we were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), we used to say Takbir (i.e., saying, Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest)), whenever we ascended and to say Takbir whenever we descended. So, prayer was performed thus.”
Glorifying Allah loudly is the way of the Muslims only, so is the adhan. It is not specific to any other nation; not to the people of the scripture or to any other people. Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) used to gather his people by blowing a horn, while the Christian’s instrument is the bell.
In addition, his saying, “and a two-edged sword in their hand” refers to the Arab swords with which the Companions and their Successors conquered countries. His saying, “let them sing aloud upon their beds” is considered as an adjectival phrase for the believers who remember Allah always, whether standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides. One may perform prayer while standing, but if he cannot stand, he can perform prayer while sitting, and if he cannot sit, he can perform prayer while reclining on his side. Muslims may never abandon remembering Allah in any condition, they even may perform prayer in bed unlike the people of the scripture.
Prayer is the highest form of glorification, as Allah says,
which means, “So glorify Allah [above all that (evil) they associate with Him (O believers)], when you come up to the evening [i.e., offer the (Maghrib) sunset and (‘isha’) night prayers], and when you enter the morning [i.e., offer the (Fajr) morning prayer]. And His is all the praises and thanks in the heavens and the earth, and (glorify Him) in the afternoon (i.e., offer ‘Asr prayer) and when you come up to the time, when the day begins to decline (i.e., offer Zhuhr prayer). (Ibn ‘Abbas said: These are the five compulsory congregational prayers mentioned in the Qur’an).'” (Ar-Rum, 30: 17-18)
He, the Almighty also says,
which means, “And glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting.” (Tana, 20′ 130)
This is Dawud’s intended meaning when he said, “Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.” (Psalms, 149:1) He meant the new glorifications, which Allah prescribed, and which are namely the five prayers that Allah prescribed on the Muslims afterwards.
The Christians could not be the people meant in those verses, because they do not glorify Allah loudly and there are no swords in their hands, through which Allah may execute vengeance. But they were rather vanquished from nations, as they did not fight them with the sword. Instead, the Christians may fault those who fight the disbelievers with the sword. Some of them regard this matter as one of the faults in Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his nation. They are unmindful about Allah’s command to Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) to fight the disbelievers, upon whose order the children of Israel fought them, as did Joshua, David, and other prophets. Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon him) also fought against the injustice done to his companions.
Prophecy Five:
Dawud (David, peace be upon him) said in his Psalms, “Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore, God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.” (Psalms, 45:2-5)
None of the prophets girded himself with the sword after Dawud except for Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was none other than him under whom nations fell. His laws were always coupled with awe, as he (peace be upon him) said, “Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey.” Dawud mentioned here that this person will have a law. He referred to him by the phrase, “most mighty” which denotes his strength and power to subdue the enemies of Allah unlike the weak and vanquished.
He (peace be upon him) is the Prophet of both mercy and fight. His followers are severe against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves, humble toward the believers, but stern toward the disbelievers. This is contrasted to those who are subservient to both parties, like the Christians in front of the disbelievers, or those who render themselves above the believers like the Jews. Whenever there came to them a Messenger with what they themselves did not desire, a group of them they called liars, and others among them they killed.
Prophecy Six:
In one of his Psalms, Dawud (David, peace be upon him) said, “In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their souls from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.” (Psalms, 72:7-17)
These attributes are more applicable to Muhammad and his nation than to Christ. Muhammad crossed the Roman sea to reach the Persian one, from rivers like Saihun and Jaihun (two rivers in Khurasan) to the land of the west. He (peace be upon him) said, “The land was folded for me with its East and West, and the dominion of my nation shall reach that which was folded for me from it.” (Recorded by Muslim, Kitabul Fitan, vol. 19, hadith no. 2889, Abu Dawud, Kitabul Fitan, hadith no. 4252, At-Tirmidhi Kitabul Fitan, hadith no. 21 76, and by Ahmad in his Musnad, vol. 4. p. 123. They all recorded it from the narration of Thawban.)
He is prayed for and blessed at all times, in each of the five prayers and for all other prayers, during which everyone of his nation says, “O Allah! Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and send Your Blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad.” Thus, he is prayed for and blessed.
He subdued the inhabitants of several isles, such as: the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula, the inhabitants of the island between the Tigris and the Euphrates, those of the island of Cyprus, and those of islands of Andalusia.
All the kings of Persia submitted to him, none of them remained without either embracing Islam or paying the Jizyah (a head-tax to be paid by non-Muslims when they are under Muslim control). On the other hand, only some Roman kings embraced Islam or paid the Jizyah, which was why the kings of Persia were specifically mentioned in the above verses.
Thus, the majority of nations that knew him and his nation either believed in him, submitted hypocritically to him, had a truce with him or feared him. In addition, he saved the weak from the tyrants. This is contrasted to Christ, for neither did he nor any of his successors attain any such level of dominion. He is not prayed for continually during the night-time and the daytime, as the Christians claim his godhood, so they do not pray for him, but rather to him.
Prophecy Seven:
Isaiah said in his prophecy, “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, ‘Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.” (Isaiah, 21 :6-10)
The rider of the ass is Christ while the rider of the camel is Muhammad, (peace be upon him) who is more famous regarding riding camels than Christ. Under the leadership of Muhammad (peace be upon him), Babylon fell.
Prophecy Eight:
Praising Mecca, (may Allah honor it), Isaiah said, “Raise your eyes and look all around you, you will rejoice and be happy to see the riches of the seas being carried to you and the nations’ journey for pilgrimage. Until you will be filled with caravans of camels and your land is insufficient to accommodate the caravans that are coming to you. And the people of Sheba will come to you, the sheep of Paran will be led to you and you will be served by the men of Ma’rab.”
The last phrase refers to the custodians of the Ka’bah, the descendants of Ma’rab bin Isma’il.
These are all attributes specific to Mecca. It is the place to which the riches of the seas were carried, the nation’s journey for pilgrimage, and the sheep of Paran were led as presents and sacrifices. Paran is the wide desert that contains Mecca. There, the land was insufficient to accommodate all the camel caravans that carried many people and much of their provisions. It received the people of Sheba, who are the people of Yemen.
Prophecy Nine:
Isaiah said to the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioning his name, “I have made you Muhammad (i.e., praiseworthy), O Muhammad, O Lord’s Most Holy! Your name has been there from the beginning of time.”
Can anyone deny the truth after that? Isaiah’s saying that the name “Muhammad” existed from the beginning of time agrees with Dawud’s saying that Muhammad’s name existed before the sun.
His saying, “O Lord’s Most Holy” means the one whom the Lord purified and who is thus chosen and cleansed from the impurities of his human nature.
Prophecy Ten:
Stressing the fact of the seal of prophethood, Isaiah said, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government snail be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah, 9:6-7)
Thus, Isaiah witnessed the truth of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Moreover, he described his features specifically, including his mole. Neither Sulaiman (Solomon, peace be upon him) nor Christ had such a mole. He mentioned him sitting on the throne of Dawud, (David, peace be upon him) which indicates that he would inherit the Children of Israel: their prophethood and rulership.
Prophecy Eleven:
Isaiah described the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him), “Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voices, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them glorify the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” (Isaiah, 42:11-13)
It is agreed that Kedar is the son of Isma’il (Ishmael, peace be upon him), that Rabi’ah and Mudar are Kedar’s sons and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a descendent of Mudar. This celebration of Allah’s praise throughout the land and sea did not occur except after Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent. Celebrating Allah’s praise refers to the five prayers, as the earth was made a place of worship and a means of purification for the Muslims, So the five prayers are performed on land and on sea.
Prophecy Twelve:
Isaiah said, “We have heard the voice of Muhammad (i.e., the Praiseworthy) coming from the ends of the earth.”
Let the people of the Scripture tell us about a prophecy, which mentions a prophet’s name more explicitly than this one!
Prophecy Thirteen:
Daniel threatened the Jews and described the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to them, “Allah will conquer you and will send a prophet from amongst them and will reveal a book unto them. He will empower them over you; they will overpower you and guide you to the truth. The men of Kedar will come out in groups of nations accompanied by armed angels on white horses. They will besiege you and your end will be in Hellfire. We seek refuge with Allah from Hellfire.”
The men of the tribe of kedar are Rabi’ah and Mudar. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was from Mudar.
Daniel mentioned, “armed angels on white horses.” This is recurrently related in traditions; the angels did descend riding white horses. They descended on the Battle of Badr to support the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his nation, and also on the day of Al-Ahzab (i.e., the battle of the clans) when they besieged Bani Quraizhah.
Prophecy Fourteen:
Daniel (peace be upon him) mentioned Muhammad by name saying, “Your enemies shall draw in your bows, and the arrows will be quenched, O Muhammad, by your command.”
This is an explicit declaration that cannot be refuted, and if anyone attempts to do so, let him bring another one whose name is Muhammad, who has arrows to be drawn and a command that is ever obeyed.
Prophecy Fifteen:
Mentioning the personal features of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in the original Torah, Ka’b quoted, “Ahmad is My chosen servant. He is neither severe or harsh, nor does he raise his voice in markets. He does not recompense the bad deed with its like, but pardons and forgives. His birthplace is Mecca, his place of emigration is Taba and his rule is in Sham (Region covering Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon). His people are those who praise, who praise Allah in every highland and glorify Him in every lowland, who lower their gazes and cover the lower half of their bodies. They are the watchers of the sun, and they announce their athans up in heaven. Their rows in prayers are the same as those in Jihad (fighting for the Cause of Allah). They are monks in the night and lions in the day. They have a buzzing sound like that of the bees. They perform prayer whenever it is due, even if on sweepings.”
Prophecy Sixteen:
John the Disciple said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26)
John also said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John: 14′ 15- 17)
He also said, “He that loveth me net keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you,’ I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that, when it comes to pass, ye might believe.” (John, 14:24-29)
He also said, “When the Comforter whom my Father sent comes, he shall witness for me. I have said this to you, so that when he comes, you should believe in him and never doubt him.”
And then he said, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John, 16:7-14)
John reported that Christ said, “The Prince of the world shall come, and nothing is for me.”
Matthew the Disciple said, “When the lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbands? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the comer: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Therefore, say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fail, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.” (Matt, 21 :40-46)
Christians differed regarding the word “Comforter.” Some of them said that it was a spirit, which descended upon the Disciples, while others said that it was flames of a fire that descended upon them from heaven, which performed wonders and miracles. That was why those who knew well the conditions of the Christians clarified the matter by saying that none of the Christians were able to provide plausible evidence to prove the coming of this Comforter.
Other Christians claimed that the Comforter is Christ himself, as he came forty days after his crucifixion. He also rose from his grave. But interpreting the Comforter as being a spirit is false and interpreting it as Christ is even falser. The Holy Spirit, which is Jibril (Gabriel), continued to descend upon the prophets before and after Christ. This is a fact upon which the people of the Scripture agree. Moreover, the Holy Spirit was not described as above. Thus, the Comforter is an entity other than the Spirit by which prophets and pious people continue to be supported. So, Christ prophesied concerning someone greater than that, who will come after him. In addition, he described the Comforter with characteristics that were not applicable to the Holy Spirit, but rather to a man who would be like him, as he said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” (John, 14:15)
The phrase, “another comforter” denotes that there was one before him. There was no other extraordinary being than Christ in his lifetime, during which no spirit descended upon any of his people. Thus, the one who would come after him should be like him. He said, “that he may abide with you forever” , so that means that he will stay with mankind until the end of time. It is understood that this does not mean his actual physical presence, but rather the existence and execution of his laws and commands. Thus, the law and religion of the first Comforter will not remain forever. This indicates that the law and religion of the second will not be abrogated, unlike those of the first. This applies perfectly to Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Christ also said that this Comforter will witness for him, teach people everything, remind them of all that Christ said and reprove them of sins. He said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John, 14:26)
He also said, “When the Comforter whom my Father sent comes, he shall witness for me. I have said this to you, so that when he comes, you should believe in him and never doubt him.”
And he said, “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John, 16:7-14)
These descriptions and attributes conveyed by Christ about the Comforter do not apply to something that is found in the hearts of some people, which can neither be seen nor heard (i.e., a spirit). They are rather applicable to a tangible being that can be seen and heard by people; a person who will witness for Christ, teach people everything, remind them of what Christ said, reprimand them because of committing sins and guide people to the truth. This person does not speak of himself, but rather conveys what he hears and he explains to people the truth about the Lord of the Universe.
This being can neither be an angel, which nobody can see, nor can it be guidance or knowledge, which is found in the hearts and minds of some people. He cannot be any other being except a great human being, who will speak to people with that which Christ conveyed to them previously. He cannot be anything other than a human Messenger, who is greater than Christ; as Christ made it clear that the other Comforter would be capable of things, he himself was not, such as conveying great matters to people s of which the minds of his people could not conceive, being aware of matters about which Christ had knowledge and talking about all that would come and of the praise the Lord deserved. Christ said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John 16:12-14)
These attributes can only be verified in Muhammad (peace be upon him). Conveying detailed information about Allah, His Attributes, His Angels, His Kingdom, and what He prepared in Paradise for His pious worshippers and in Hellfire for His enemies, is a matter that cannot be conceived by the minds of most people. That was why Christ said to them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (John, 16:12) He was so honest and truthful with his followers. Thus, concerning the Attributes of Allah, the description of His Kingdom, and the Hereafter, the Bible only contains some brief information. The Torah also contains brief information about the Last Day, but Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) paved the way for Christ by mentioning the matter. In spite of that, Christ said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John, 16:12-14)
The above verses indicate that the Comforter would do this, not Christ. That was exactly what Muhammad (peace be upon him) did. as he guided humanity to the truth. Through him, Allah perfected His religion and His Blessing on mankind. He was the last of the Prophets, so there was nothing left for another prophet after him to convey. Muhammad (peace be upon him) informed mankind about all the Portents of the Hour; the Resurrection; Reckoning; the Straight Path; weighing of deeds; Paradise and the various blessings therein; and Hellfire and the different ways of torment therein. The Qur’an contains a great deal of information about the Hereafter, Paradise, Hellfire, and the like, which are neither found in the Torah nor in the Bible. That is a verification of Christ’s statement, “and he will show you things to come.”
Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed a great deal of information about what would occur in the future, in a manner which none of the prophets before him ever did, not to mention the Disciples.
Christ also said that the Comforter would inform people about their Lord. This includes speaking about His Names, Attributes, Books and Messengers, so that with which he comes should be comprehensive enough to include all that the Lord deserves. None has come with such things except Muhammad, for the Book and wisdom revealed to him include all these things.
It is known that what was revealed to the Disciples did not contain all of this, half of it, or even one third of it. The message of Christ was far greater than what the Disciples came with and this second Comforter came with a greater message than that of Christ.
As well as this, Christ said, “When the Comforter whom my Father sent comes, he shall witness for me. I have said this to you, so that when he comes, you should believe in him and never doubt him.”
He clarified the point that he said about him, so that you believe in him when he comes, not to doubt him. and added that he would testify for Christ.
Allah says, which means, “And (remember) when ‘Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: *0 Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Tawrah [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed.” (As-Saff, 61:6)
He said that this Comforter would reprove the world of sin while none but Muhammad has reproved the whole world of sin. He warned all people and reproved them of sins such as disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience. He reproved all the disbelievers whether among Arabs, Turks, or others. He reproved the Magi at a time when their kingdom was the greatest. He also reproved the Jews and the Christians.
He pointed out that he does not speak of his own accord, but that he speaks what he hears. This means that all of his words are revealed to him and are not something that he learned from people or deduced by himself. This is the unique feature of Muhammad (peace be upon him), for both Christ and the previous prophets learned from their people, as well as having knowledge revealed to them.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) said nothing except what was revealed to him, for he was a conveyer of the message. Allah says to him, which means, “Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind.” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 67)
Allah guaranteed His Protection for Muhammad (peace be upon him) if he conveyed the message. So, he guided people to the Truth and conveyed to them that which none of the previous prophets could convey for fear of being killed, as they claim happened to Christ and others.
Christ said that he did not tell them all that he had to say, as they could not bear it at that time. They acknowledged that he feared them when he told them about the truth.
Allah supported Muhammad in a way that was never done with any previous prophet. He protected him from mankind so that he would never be afraid to say anything. He bestowed revelation and knowledge upon him that were not given to anyone before.
The book (Qur’an) sent to Muhammad (peace be upon him) is full of revelation concerning the unseen, which has not been mentioned in any other book.
He supported his nation in order to bear the weight of the Qur’an. They were not like the people of the Torah who were entrusted with it but failed in this obligation or like the people of the Bible to whom Christ said, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” (John, 16:12)
There is no doubt that the nation of Muhammad is better in reason, greater in faith, and fuller in belief than other nations.
Christ also said that this Comforter would testify in his favour, teach people everything, and remind them of Christ’s words. It is known that this would not happen unless all mankind listened to this testimony not just to a few people.
No one has ever testified for Christ in front of all mankind except Muhammad (peace be upon him), for he made known all the truth about Christ and testified that he was an honest messenger. Most people listened to him and knew that he believed in Christ and exalted him above the claims of the Jews and the falsehood of the Christians, and knew that he testified for him Truthfully.
That is why when Negus heard from the Companions what Muhammad said about Christ, he said to them, “‘Isa never preached anything more than what you said even to the size of this stick.”
Allah made the nation of Muhammad witnesses over mankind with what they knew of the Truth, for they are just and would never testify to falsehood. The witness must always be just unlike him who transgresses in his witness by adding or deleting something. This is like the witness of the Jews and the Christians.
Furthermore, assuming that Farqlit (the Syriac word for Comforter) means “the oft-praising one”, “the praising one”, “praise” or “consoler”, such qualities are proven to apply to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). For both Prophet Muhammad and his nation are known for praising Allah at all times, and when their condition is good or bad. Also, Prophet Muhammad is the carrier of the banner of praise, and he used to celebrate the praises of Allah at the commencement of his speeches and prayers.
For being “oft-praising” of Allah, he was similarly rewarded in his name as he was called Muhammad and Ahmad, which both mean “the praiseworthy.”
Some people say that the meaning of the word Farqlit is the Consoler. There was no prophet who consoled the monotheists like Muhammad did. That is why he is more entitled to this name than any other person.
Some say it means “the saviour” which is also clearly applicable to him. Christ was the first saviour as was mentioned in the Bible. It is known by Christians that Christ was named the Saviour. Thus, Christ (peace be upon him) was the first Comforter and he gave the glad tidings of another Comforter. He said, “And I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” (John, 14:16)
This is another Comforter, who will abide forever with them while Christ was the first Comforter.
No one ever called that which is revealed in the hearts, a saviour or comforter. The words of Christ must only be interpreted in their own language and the common meanings of the language in which it was said. The same applies to all prophets and callers to the truth. This other Comforter is said to abide with them forever.
Muhammad is the Comforter who came with a law, which stays forever and is not abrogated.
It is also mentioned in the Bible in the Book of John that Christ said, “The Prince of the world shall come, and nothing is for me.”
The word ‘Prince’ in the Syriac language means one of high esteem. They used to say that Christ is the Prince of Devils meaning that he is the greatest of them all. This is a lie from the Jews concerning Christ.
When Christ says, “The Prince of the world,” he means the greatest person in the world and its chief.
Christ anticipated his coming, which eliminates the possibility of the person being Christ or someone like him. No one has come after Christ and has been obeyed by the whole world like than Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is among the glad tidings Christ gave of the coming of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He also named some prophets of which they had no knowledge like Hud, Salih, Shu’aib (peace be upon them) and others.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) agreed with Christ that he was the Prince of the world. He said, “I am the master of all the sons of Adam (mankind) with no pride (for it was a privilege bestowed by Allah) and I have in my hand the banner of praise with no pride… and I am the first one for whom the earth will split asunder, with no pride.” (Recorded by At-Tirmidhi, Tafsir Al-Qur’an, hadith no. 3148 and he said, “It is an authentic hadith;” and by Ahmad, vol. 3, p. 2.)
He is the one with the banner of praise and with Al-Maqam Al-Mahmud (the highest degree in Paradise) for which the first and later generations will envy him on the Day of Resurrection. He is really the master of the world. This coincides with what Christ said about him. He is the prince of the later generations in this world and in the hereafter and he is the prince of the first and later generations in the hereafter.
The Statement of Christ, “The Prince of the world shall come, and nothing is for me,” includes both assertions; asserting that he is a messenger and asserting monotheism and that all matters are in the Hands of Allah. This verifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The statement of Christ, “And nothing is for me,” indicates that he has no godly attributes. This refutation applies to all creatures. Allah, the Exalted, says to Muhammad, which means, “Not for you (O Muhammad, but for Allah) is the decision.” (Al-‘imran, 3: 128)
He, the Almighty also says, which means, “Say (O Muhammad): ‘I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills.'” (Al-A’raf 7:188)
In the prophecy of Isaiah, he described Muhammad as the Prince of peace. Peace and Islam come from the same root linguistically. Thus, it is clear that he is the master of the religion of Islam.
There is no doubt that all the prophets were sent with Islam, but this religion was not known or spread on earth through any of them, as it was for Muhammad, who is the Prince of Islam just as Satan is the Prince of evil. Allah says that Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him) said, which means, “0 my people, if my stay (with you), and my reminding (you) of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah is hard on you, then I put my trust in Allah. So, devise your plot, you and your partners, and let not your plot be in doubt for you. Then pass your sentence on me and give me no respite. But if you turn away [from accepting my doctrine of Islamic Monotheism, i.e., to worship none but Allah], then no reward have I asked of you, my reward is only from Allah, and I have been commanded to be one ^ Muslims (those who submit to Allah’s Will).” (Yunus, 10: 71-72)
This is Nuh, the first Prophet sent to the people of the earth, mentioning that he was commanded to be one of the Muslims.
The Exalted says that Ibrahim (Abraham) said, which means, “And who turns away from the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham) (i.e., Islamic Monotheism) except him who befools himself? Truly, We chose him in this world and verily, in the Hereafter he will be among the righteous. When his Lord said to him, “Submit (i.e., be a Muslim)!” He said, “I have submitted myself (as a Muslim) to the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” And this (submission to Allah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya’qub (Jacob), (saying), “O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims – Islamic Monotheism).” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 130-132)
Allah says that Musa (Moses) said, which means, “And Musa (Moses) said, ‘O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allah’s Will) ‘” (Yunus, 10: 84)
Allah says that Bilqis said, which means, “My Lord! Verily, i have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islam, together with Sulaiman (Solomon)! to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Afamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).” (An-Naml, 27; 44)
When the sorcerers embraced Islam, Fir’awn (Pharaoh) wanted to kill them, so they said (as Allah mentions), which means, “Our Lord! Pour out on us patience, and cause us to die as Muslims.” (Al-A’raf, 7: 126)
Allah, the Almighty also says, which means, “Verily, We did send down the Tawrah (Torah) [to Musa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah’s Will, judged the Jews.” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 44)
And says, which means, “And when I (Allah) put in the hearts of Al-Hawariyyin (the disciples) [of Isa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: “We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Al-Ma’idah, 5: 111)
He, the Almighty also says, which means, “Then when ‘Isa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: “Who will be my helpers in Allah’s Cause?” Al-Hawariun (the disciples) said: “We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e., we submit to Allah). Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger [‘Isa (Jesus)]; so, write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth i.e., La ilaha ill-Allah – none has the right to be worshipped but Allah).'” (Al-Imran, 3: 52-53)
By: Sheikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah
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