Prophecy of the Cult of Dhu Khalasah

In the Name of Allah; the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was undoubtedly a true prophet of God who made countless prophecies, multitudes of which have already been verifiably fulfilled.

The Prophet was sent to the pagan, idol-worshiping Arabs, who worshiped literally hundreds of idols and false “gods”. It is said that in the Sacred Ka’ba itself the pagan Arabs had placed 360 idols, one to worship for each day of the year.

But by the grace and divine help of Allah Most High, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was successful in his mission, and put an end to idolatry in Arabia. Each and every idol-worshiping cult was terminated, the idols broken, and their temples and shrines razed to the ground.

One of the idols was Dhi al-Khalasah, a shrine in Yemen that was dedicated to the worship of a false god. The shrine rivaled the House of God in Mecca, and it was known as the Ka’bat al-Yamaniyah (the Yemenite “Ka’ba). The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent his companion Jarir b. Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him) with fifty knights from the noble tribe of Ahmas to destroy the idol. They ended up burning it to ashes, which greatly delighted the Prophet (peace be upon him) who invoked blessings of Allah upon them five times.

But amazingly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) predicted that one day the cult of Dhi al-Khalasa would be revived:

لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تَضْطَرِبَ أَلَيَاتُ نِسَاءِ دَوْسٍ عَلَى ذِي الْخَلَصَةِ

“The Hour will not be established until the buttocks of the women of Daws (a tribe) move while going round Dhi al-Khalasa.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari; Kitab al-Fitan)

It is quite noteworthy that of the literally hundreds of idols that the pagan Arabs worshiped, the Prophet (peace be upon him) specified the cult of Dhi al-Khalasa as being revived before the Hour (Judgment Day).

Now the reader should be informed that this prophecy of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has already been fulfilled. But instead of bringing testimony or evidence from an Islamic or Muslim source, I will quote a Lebanese Christian historian, Professor Kamal S. Salibi (1929 - 2011), professor of history at the American University of Beirut, to confirm this fact.

It is obvious that a Christian has no motive to fabricate history in order to prove the truth of a Prophet he does not believe in. Furthermore, it is highly doubtful that Prof. Salibi was even aware that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had made this prophecy concerning the revival of the cult of Dhi al-Khalasa.

Nevertheless, Prof. Salibi writes:

“In the early seventh century, the worship of Dhu Khulasah was still popular in some Arabian regions; its principal sanctuary was somewhere south of Mecca – the famous al-Ka’bah al-Yamaniyah (the ‘Southern Kaaba’), rivalling that of Mecca, and believed to have been located in Tubalah, in inland Asir. After the triumph of Islam, Muhammad, we are told, sent a party of his followers to destroy the idol of Dhu Khulasah which stood there – a sculpture of white stone depicting a phallus topped by a crown. The cult of Dhu Khulasah, however, was subsequently resurrected in the region, where it survived until 1815. In that year, the Wahhabis organized a special military campaign to suppress remnants of pagan worship in different parts of Asir, and the reconstructed idol of Dhu Khulasah in his original Kaaba of Tubalah was destroyed by gunfire.”

Reference: Who was Jesus? Conspiracy in Jerusalem; p. 146

Furthermore, the prophecy indicates that the women of the Daws tribe in particular will be in the forefront of the worship of this false god Dhi al-Khalasa. This fact is confirmed by another non-Islamic source, Mark A. Caudill writes:

“Another temple dedicated to the phallus god Dhu al-Khalasah (‘he who has substance’, represented by a carved piece of white quartzite) is said to have existed at a place called al-Waliyyah (near the present-day northern Asir town of Tabalah), a seven nights’ journey from Mecca on the way to Sanaa. Its focus was Canopus, the brightest star in the Hejazi heavens after Sirius. Reportedly the site of ritual prostitution, Dhu al-Khalasah’s temple was maintained by the Banu Umamah’s clan of the Daws tribe.”

Reference: Twilight in the Kingdom: Understanding the Saudis; p. 133

Metaphorical Meaning of Sun, Moon and Stars in the Holy Qur'an (Part 2)

In the Name of Allah; the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

May salutations of peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, and upon his companions and family.

In a previous entry, we discussed how there is repeated mention of the sun (Shams), moon (Qamar), stars (Najm), and planets (Kawakib) throughout the Holy Qur’an, and that these words have an inner meaning that signify the genus of pious and saintly people such as Prophets, Awliya, Ulama, and other extraordinarily righteous Believers.

First let us focus on the inner meaning of Qamar (moon). According to Lane’s Lexicon, one of the meanings of القَمَرُ is “the moon, absolutely, in many instances, so called because of its whiteness.” (Book I; p. 2562). Similarly, a meaning of قُمْرَةٌ is “clear, or pure, whiteness” (ibid). A meaning of أَقْمَرُ is “intensely white” (ibid; p. 2563). According to the Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, the meaning of the root Q-M-R is “whiteness” (p. 775)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is described as being exceedingly bright, radiant and white. This meaning explains why often the Prophet’s Companions compared him (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) to the full moon in all its glory. For example, the companion al-Baraa’ b. ‘Aazib (Allah be pleased with him) was asked whether the Prophet’s face resembled a shining sword, to which he replied:

لَا بَلْ مِثْلَ الْقَمَرِ

“No, rather it resembles the full-moon”

(Sahih al-Bukhari; Kitab al-Manaqib)

Similarly, the companion Jabir b. Samurah (Allah be pleased with him) observed:

رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي لَيْلَةٍ إِضْحِيَانٍ ، فَجَعَلْتُ أَنْظُرُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَإِلَى الْقَمَرِ وَعَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ حَمْرَاءُ فَإِذَا هُوَ عِنْدِي أَحْسَنُ مِنَ الْقَمَرِ

“I saw Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) on a clear night, so I looked at Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and I looked at the moon, and he was wearing a red hullah, he looked better than the moon to me.”

(Jami’ al-Tirmidhi)

Consider also the poetry of the illustrious companion Hassaan b. Thabit (Allah be pleased with him) eulogizing the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam):

لا نـورَ مـن نـورهِ فـي نــــــــورهِ غرقتْ والـوجهُ مـثل طلـوع الشّمس والقـمـــــــر

روحٌ مـــــــن النّور فـي جسمٍ مـن القـمـــر كحُلّةٍ نُسِجت مـن أنجـم الزهـــــــــــــر

The lights from his light are drowned in his light and his faces shines out like the sun and moon in one.

A spirit of light lodged in a body like the moon, a mantle made up of brilliant shining stars.

And similarly that of the great Muhaddath and Mujaddid of the 14^th century, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadiyan:

پہلوں سے خوب تر ہے، خوبی میں اک قمر ہے

اسپہ ہر اک نظر ہے، بدر الدّجی یہی ہے

Consider also the vision of the Prophet’s beloved wife and our mother Safiyah bint Huyay before she married over even met the Prophet (peace be upon him). Safiyah was from the Jewish tribe of Bani Quraizah. It is said that on her wedding night when she was married to Kinanah b. al-Rabi’ she saw in a vision:

أَنَّ قَمَرًا وَقَعَ فِي حِجْرِهَا

“That the moon was placed in her lap”

When she related this vision to Kinanah, he became enraged, stating that she wished to be with the “King of the Hijaz, Muhammad”, and slapped her on her face, blackening her eye. According to another version, it was her father who slapped her, leaving a mark on her face, stating that she wished to be with the “King of the Arabs”, after he was informed of this dream of hers. (Asad al-Ghabah; Kitab al-Nisa)

Similarly, the Prophet’s beloved wife and our mother A’ishah (Allah be pleased with her) had a vision, which she described:

رَأَيْتُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَقْمَارٍ سَقَطْنَ فِي حُجْرَتِي فَقَصَصْتُ رُؤْيَايَ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ " ، قَالَتْ : " فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَدُفِنَ فِي بَيْتِهَا ، قَالَ لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ : هَذَا أَحَدُ أَقْمَارِكِ وَهُوَ خَيْرُهَا

“I saw three moons fall into my room, and I related my vision to Abu Bakr as−Siddiq.” Then, when the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) died and was buried in her house, Abu Bakr said to her: “This is one of your moons, and he is the best of them.”

(Muwattaa’ Lil-Imam Malik; Kitab al-Jana’iz; Bab Maa Ja’a fi Dafnil-Mayyit)

Note that along with the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam), his first and second successors, namely, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with them both) were buried alongside him in what was A’ishah’s room. The three of them are symbolized by the three moons of A’ishah’s vision.

Keeping this inner meaning of Qamar (moon or full moon) in mind, consider the following Verse of the Holy Qur’an:

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا سِرَاجًا وَقَمَرًا مُنِيرًا

Blessed is the One (Allah) Who has made in the Heaven a constellation of stars, and placed therein a Lamp and luminous Moon. (Sura 25: 61)

The inner meaning of this Verse is that Allah has placed in Heaven a great host of Saints who are likened to a constellation of stars in the sky, and from among them is a Lamp and luminous Moon, namely, the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam).

Gog and Magog Have Already Been Released (Part 2)

بِسمِ اللهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah; the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Continuing from the last entry regarding the reality of Gog and Magog, we now come to the description of these two nations from an authentic Hadith of the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam):

يَأْتِيَ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ ، عِرَاضُ الْوُجُوهِ ، صِغَارُ الْعُيُونِ ، شُهْبُ الشِّعَافِ ، مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ ، كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمْ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَةُ

“Gog and Magog will come, their faces are wide, with small eyes, they will descend from every elevated place. Their faces are like hammered shields.”

(Musnad of Imam Ahmad)

The physical description of Gog and Magog matches the same description the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) gave of the Turkic people:

لَا تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ حَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمًا نِعَالُهُمُ الشَّعَرُ وَحَتَّى تُقَاتِلُوا التُّرْكَ صِغَارَ الْأَعْيُنِ حُمْرَ الْوُجُوهِ ذُلْفَ الْأُنُوفِ كَأَنَّ وُجُوهَهُمُ الْمَجَانُّ الْمُطْرَقَةُ

“The Hour will not be established until you fight a nation whose shoes are made of hair, and until you fight the Turks (having) small eyes, red faces, and flat noses. Their faces are like hammered shields.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

Other Hadith give a similar description of the people of Khuz and Kerman. It is mentioned that the Dajjal will descend upon that land (Khuz and Kerman) with seventy thousand followers whose faces are like hammered shields.

It is my conclusion that the first attack of Gog and Magog upon the Arabs, as warned by the Prophet (peace be upon him) was by these nomadic Turkic tribes, having shoes made of hair, reddish complexion and reddish faces, small, beady eyes, flat noses, and round faces like hammered shields. The attacks of the Mongols, Tatars, Huns, etc., represent other waves of Gog and Magog.

However, it should be kept in mind that Gog and Magog are not restricted to being only Mongolic and Turkic people. All of the foreign nations which oppose the Muslims and Arabs specifically are described as Gog and Magog and included among them. This is made clear from the Hadith quoted in the previous entry which describes the taking out of 999 out of every 1000 for the Hellfire. 999 are from Gog and Magog and the 1 saved from Hell is from the Muslims.

Gog and Magog Have Already Been Released (Part 1)

In the Name of Allah; the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Invocations of peace and blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad and upon his family, companions and pure progeny.

By the grace of Allah جلَّ جلاله I am beginning a new series on my blog concerning the Apocalypse and End Times prophecy which will focus on the reality of Ya’juj wa Ma’juj (Gog and Magog).

Most Muslims are deeply uninformed about Gog and Magog. The ignorant masses imagine that Gog and Magog are some kind of supernatural force. Some even believe they are not human beings, but monstrous creatures that are hiding somewhere. There are many other fantastic notions regarding this subject but have no basis in reality. However, majority of the ‘Ulama (Islamic scholars) say that Gog and Magog are human beings, from the children of Adam, but are concealed in some remote area of the world and have not yet emerged.

It is my thesis that most the present-day ‘Ulama are woefully wrong and have regrettably neglected this crucial subject. Some, like Imran N. Hosein, have reawakened an interest among common Muslims. Sheikh Imran correctly informs his listeners and readers that Gog and Magog have already been released into the world. But even Sheikh Imran is forced to give credit to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1839-1908), founder of the Ahmadiyyah movement, for being the first person to correctly reveal this fact in the modern age, and for correctly identifying who exactly Gog and Magog are. Sheikh Imran writes: “a man named Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, correctly located Gog and Magog in the nations of modern Western civilization. Indeed, this false Prophet was amazingly correct on several other very important issues.” (An Islamic View of Gog and Magog in the Modern World; p. 70)

To understand this crucial subject and its significance for the present era in which the world of Islam is experiencing all sorts of disasters and tribulations, we must analyze the nations of Gog and Magog from a historical perspective.

The first mention of Magog (but not Gog) is found in the Book of Genesis: “The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.” (Genesis; 10: 2) The children of Japeth, including Magog, are located in the “isles of the Gentiles” or “maritime nations” (Genesis; 10: 5). The Christian theologian, Albert Barnes (1798-1870), in his commentary of this verse writes: “Thus, we have discovered the ancient seats of Japheth, Iapetos - , around the Caspian, the Euxine, the Aegean, and the north of the Mediterranean. From these coastlands they seem to have spread over Europe, northern, western, and southern Asia, and, both by Behring's Straits and the Atlantic, they at length poured into America. So true is it that Japheth was enlarged, and that by them were ‘the isles of the nations divided.’”

More detailed mention of Gog and Magog is found in the Book of Ezekiel:

וּבָאתָ מִמְּקוֹמְךָ, מִיַּרְכְּתֵי צָפוֹן--אַתָּה, וְעַמִּים רַבִּים אִתָּךְ: רֹכְבֵי סוּסִים כֻּלָּם, קָהָל גָּדוֹל וְחַיִל רָב

And thou shalt come from thy place out of the uttermost parts of the north, thou, and many peoples with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army (Ezekiel 38:15, and Ezekiel 39:2)

This indicates that the nations of Gog and Magog are from the colder, northern regions of the world, i.e., northern Eurasia, or the lands of Russia and Europe that are remote and distant from the perspective of the Holy Land of Israel or Judea. The word “isles” refers, according to Biblical scholars, to the distant and remote regions of the world, beyond the coast (against from the perspective of Judea).

According to the Holy Qur’an, Gog and Magog were located in a mountainous region, and the mighty ruler Zul-Qarnain (peace be upon him) cut off their access by building a wall composed of iron between two mountains:

فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا

So [Gog and Magog] were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration. (18: 97)

Many Islamic scholars and historians, including Sheikh Imran N. Hosein, inform us that this wall was constructed somewhere in the Caucasus mountainous region, between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. We can conclude, therefore, based on these religious texts, history, and archaeology, that Gog and Magog are nations that are located in regions north of the Middle East, beyond the mountainous region of the Caucasus, in Russia, Europe, Siberia, and other northern and remote regions of Asia.

However, this region of the world is vast and home to many different racial and ethnic groups. They are divided into numerous nations, speaking numerous languages. This brings us to the next important fact which is that Gog and Magog are described as being immensely numerous. The Book of Ezekiel describes Gog and Magog as a “great horde” consisting of many nations, all coming out from the north (Ezekiel 38: 15). According to the Book of Revelation: “In number they are like the sand on the seashore.” (Revelation 20: 8).

The Holy Qur’an states:

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُونَ

Until when Gog and Magog are released, and they, from every elevation, descend (Sura 21: 96)

This Verse not only indicates the fact that Gog and Magog will come from the northern, mountainous and elevated regions of Eurasia, but that they will be large in number, as they are descending from “every” high place.

The following Hadith graphically illustrates this point:

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ، قَالَ : قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ : " يَا آدَمُ ، يَقُولُ : لَبَّيْكَ رَبَّنَا وَسَعْدَيْكَ ، فَيُنَادَى بِصَوْتٍ ، إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تُخْرِجَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ بَعْثًا إِلَى النَّارِ ، قَالَ : يَا رَبِّ ، وَمَا بَعْثُ النَّارِ ؟ قَالَ : مِنْ كُلِّ أَلْفٍ أُرَاهُ ، قَالَ : تِسْعَ مِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ ، فَحِينَئِذٍ تَضَعُ الْحَامِلُ حَمْلَهَا ، وَيَشِيبُ الْوَلِيدُ ، وَتَرَى النَّاسَ سُكَارَى وَمَا هُمْ بِسُكَارَى وَلَكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللَّهِ شَدِيدٌ سورة الحج آية 2 ، فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ حَتَّى تَغَيَّرَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " مِنْ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ تِسْعَ مِائَةٍ وَتِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ ، وَمِنْكُمْ وَاحِدٌ ، ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ فِي النَّاسِ كَالشَّعْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ فِي جَنْبِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَبْيَضِ ، أَوْ كَالشَّعْرَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ فِي جَنْبِ الثَّوْرِ الْأَسْوَدِ ، وَإِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونُوا رُبُعَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ، فَكَبَّرْنَا ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : ثُلُثَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ، فَكَبَّرْنَا ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : شَطْرَ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ، فَكَبَّرْنَا "

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: The Prophet said, "On the day of Resurrection Allah will say, 'O Adam!' Adam will reply, 'Labbaik our Lord, and Sa'daik ' Then there will be a loud call (saying), Allah orders you to take from among your offspring a mission for the (Hell) Fire.' Adam will say, 'O Lord! Who are the mission for the (Hell) Fire?' Allah will say, 'Out of each thousand, take out 999.' At that time every pregnant female shall drop her load (have a miscarriage) and a child will have grey hair. And you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet not drunk, but severe will be the torment of Allah." (22.2) (When the Prophet mentioned this), the people were so distressed (and afraid) that their faces got changed (in color) whereupon the Prophet said, "From Gog and Magog nine-hundred ninety-nine will be taken out and one from you. You Muslims (compared to the large number of other people) will be like a black hair on the side of a white ox, or a white hair on the side of a black ox, and I hope that you will be one-fourth of the people of Paradise." On that, we said, "Allahu-Akbar!" Then he said, "I hope that you will be) one-third of the people of Paradise." We again said, "Allahu-Akbar!" Then he said, "(I hope that you will be) one-half of the people of Paradise." So we said, Allahu Akbar."

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

This Hadith explicitly states that by the time of Judgment Day, 99.9% of humanity will be categorized as from among the nations of Gog and Magog, destined for the Hellfire. Incidentally, the Hadith reveals that Gog and Magog are corrupt and faithless masses of mankind (children of Adam).

The fact that Gog and Magog are so large in number necessitates that they are already released and prominent in the world today. It is not possible that such a large number of mankind remains concealed somewhere in the remote regions of the mountains and the rest of us are simply unaware of them. Consequently, the traditionalist ‘Ulama desperately need to re-evaluate their teachings concerning Gog and Magog and awaken from their slumber, before they become even more irrelevant than they already are.

In another Hadith, Lady Zaynab bint Jahsh narrates that once the Prophet (peace be upon him) awoke from his sleep with a flush red face and said:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدِ اقْتَرَبَ ، فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ ، وَعَقَدَ سُفْيَانُ تِسْعِينَ أَوْ مِائَةً

None has the right to be worshipped but Allah! Woe to the Arabs, from the great evil that is nearly approaching them. Today a gap has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this." (Sufyan illustrated by this forming the number 90 or 100 with his fingers)

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

This Hadith is very significant in that it reveals the fact that during the very lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Gog and Magog had already succeeded in penetrating the wall that had been built by Zul-Qarnain. Remember the Holy Qur’an clearly states that Gog and Magog will be unable to scale the wall or penetrate it until the promise of the Lord comes and the wall shall be leveled (Sura 18: 98), which plainly indicates that the wall of Zul-Qarnain was breached in the very lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Some of the traditionalist ‘Ulama argue that Gog and Magog are a Sign of the Hour and they cannot be released until after the Messiah slays the Dajjal (Antichrist) and his forces in a great battle. They base this reasoning on the following Hadith which states:

إِذْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ، فَيَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ شَرْقِيَّ دِمَشْقَ بَيْنَ مَهْرُودَتَيْنِ ، وَاضِعًا كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى أَجْنِحَةِ مَلَكَيْنِ إِذَا طَأْطَأَ رَأْسَهُ قَطَرَ ، وَإِذَا رَفَعَهُ تَحَدَّرَ مِنْهُ جُمَانٌ كَاللُّؤْلُؤِ ، فَلَا يَحِلُّ لِكَافِرٍ يَجِدُ رِيحَ نَفَسِهِ إِلَّا مَاتَ وَنَفَسُهُ يَنْتَهِي حَيْثُ يَنْتَهِي طَرْفُهُ ، فَيَطْلُبُهُ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ بِبَابِ لُدٍّ ، فَيَقْتُلُهُ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ قَوْمٌ قَدْ عَصَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ ، فَيَمْسَحُ عَنْ وُجُوهِهِمْ وَيُحَدِّثُهُمْ بِدَرَجَاتِهِمْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى عِيسَى إِنِّي قَدْ أَخْرَجْتُ عِبَادًا لِي لَا يَدَانِ لِأَحَدٍ بِقِتَالِهِمْ ، فَحَرِّزْ عِبَادِي إِلَى الطُّورِ ، وَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ وَهُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ ، فَيَمُرُّ أَوَائِلُهُمْ عَلَى بُحَيْرَةِ طَبَرِيَّةَ ، فَيَشْرَبُونَ مَا فِيهَا وَيَمُرُّ آخِرُهُمْ ، فَيَقُولُونَ : لَقَدْ كَانَ بِهَذِهِ مَرَّةً مَاءٌ ، وَيُحْصَرُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى ، وَأَصْحَابُهُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ رَأْسُ الثَّوْرِ لِأَحَدِهِمْ خَيْرًا مِنْ مِائَةِ دِينَارٍ لِأَحَدِكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَيَرْغَبُ نَبِيُّ اللَّه عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ النَّغَفَ فِي رِقَابِهِمْ ، فَيُصْبِحُونَ فَرْسَى كَمَوْتِ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ، ثُمَّ يَهْبِطُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ، فَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَوْضِعَ شِبْرٍ إِلَّا مَلَأَهُ زَهَمُهُمْ وَنَتْنُهُمْ ، فَيَرْغَبُ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ عِيسَى وَأَصْحَابُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ، فَيُرْسِلُ اللَّهُ طَيْرًا كَأَعْنَاقِ الْبُخْتِ ، فَتَحْمِلُهُمْ فَتَطْرَحُهُمْ حَيْثُ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

Allah would send Christ, son of Mary, and he will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damscus wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and placing his hands on the wings of two Angels. When he would lower his head, there would fall beads of perspiration from his head, and when he would raise it up, beads like pearls would scatter from it. Every non-believer who would smell the odour of his self would die and his breath would reach as far as he would be able to see. He would then search for him (Dajjal) until he would catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd and would kill him. Then a people whom Allah had protected would come to Jesus, son of Mary, and he would wipe their faces and would inform them of their ranks in Paradise and it would be under such conditions that Allah would reveal to Jesus these words: I have brought forth from amongst My servants such people against whom none would be able to fight; you take these people safely to Tur, and then Allaah would send Gog and Magog and they would swarm down from every slope. The first of them would pass the Lake of Tiberias and drink out of it. And when the last of them would pass, he would say: There was once water there. Jesus and his companions would then be besieged here (at Tur, and they would be so much hard pressed) that the head of the ox would be dearer to them than one hundred dinars and Allah's Prophet, Jesus, and his companions would supplicate Allah, Who would send to them insects (which would attack their necks) and in the morning they would perish like one single person. Allah's Prophet, Jesus, and his companions would then come down to the earth and they would not find in the earth as much space as a single span which is not filled with their putrefaction and stench. Allah's Prophet, Jesus, and his companions would then again beseech Allaah, Who would send birds whose necks would be like those of bactrin camels and they would carry them and throw them where God would will. (Sahih Muslim)

According to this Hadith, the armies of Gog and Magog will descend into the Holy Land after the destruction of the Dajjal. This Hadith does not at all state that the wall of Zul-Qarnain will be levelled at that time, for we have already proven that the wall of Zul-Qarnain was already penetrated by Gog and Magog during the very lifetime of the Prophet (peace be upon him) some fourteen centuries ago.

Furthermore, the Hadith states that during the invasion of Gog and Magog into the Holy Land, they will come in waves and drink up all the remaining water of Lake Tiberias also known as the Sea of Galilee. It is quite interesting that at present the Sea of Galilee has a very low threshold of water and is quickly drying up. But the Lake will only be completely drained and dried up when Gog and Magog launch their invasion.

To be continued…

Reality of the Second Advent of Jesus son of Mary (Peace be upon him)

In the Name of Allah; the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Invocations of peace and blessings upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad and upon his family, companions and pure progeny.

The grand prophecy of the second coming of the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, is established not only from numerous and authentic Ahadith from the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam), reaching the level of Tawaatur (mass-transmission at every level), but even has strong indication from the Qur’an al-Karim itself:

And indeed, he [Jesus] will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour, so be not in doubt of it, and follow Me. This is a straight path. (Sura 43: 61)

According to an authentic Hadith reported in the Sahih of Ibn Hibban, Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said concerning this Ayah:

نُزُولُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مِنْ قَبْلِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

“Jesus son of Mary will descend before the Day of Resurrection.”

According to the version reported in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, the wording is:

خُرُوجُ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

“Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him, will come out before the Day of Resurrection.”

However, we have already proven repeatedly on this blog that Prophet Jesus of Nazareth (peace be upon him), who was born some two thousand years ago, and preceded our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by some six centuries, died in his own time. Likewise, we have proven from the Holy Qur’an that the souls of the deceased are forbidden from returning to this world. The Religion of Islam rejects both concepts of Tanaasukh (re-incarnation), and Raj’ah (return of the dead to this world before Judgment Day).

How then are we to understand the numerous reports from the Sunnah which are the basis for the grand prophecy of the second coming of the Messiah before Judgment Day?

One possibility which must be considered is that the prophecy of the coming of Jesus son of Mary signifies the birth of a saintly figure from within the Ummah who will bear the characteristics of Jesus, and shall act as an Imam for the entire Ummah. In order for the respected reader to understand this idea, we must examine two important issues.

1. Is there any precedent in the history of Religion which lends credence to this view?

2. What is the significance of Nuzool (descent)? Must it mean a literal descent to Earth from Heaven?

To answer the first question, I refer the reader to the Biblical prophecy of the second coming of Prophet Elias (peace be upon him), also known as Elijah:

הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם, אֵת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא--לִפְנֵי, בּוֹא יוֹם יְהוָה, הַגָּדוֹל, וְהַנּוֹרָא.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.

(Malachi; Ch. 3 V. 23 or Ch. 4 V. 5)

Orthodox Jews are expecting the literal return of the Prophet Elijah, but according to the Gospel narrative Jesus of Nazareth explained that the prophecy of the coming of Elijah was fulfilled in the person of Prophet John the Baptist (Matthew 11: 14, 17: 12; Mark 9: 13; Luke 1: 17).

Consider also the figure of Prophet Zul-Qarnain (peace be upon him) whose affair is mentioned in Sura 18 of the Holy Qur’an. The title Zul-Qarnain can mean either “the one of two horns” or “the one of two generations”. The latter meaning is surely more profound than the first and ought to be preferred for understanding the reality of this mysterious figure who is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

A strong possibility about the reality of the name Zul-Qarnain is that it indicates to us that this figure will have two appearances in two different generations. He may have been a historical person but at the same time a person predicted to appear sometime in the future.

In the year 235 of the Islamic calendar, a false prophet named Mahmud b. al-Faraj al-Naysaburi appeared in Samarra and claimed to be Zul-Qarnain. He was executed by severe flogging during the reign of the Abbasid ruler al-Mutawakkil.

Reference: Tarikh al-Tabari; v. 12, p. 457

What the claim of Mahmud b. al-Faraj indicates to us is that there may have been some sort of expectation among the Muslims of that time for the advent of the Prophet Zul-Qarnain (peace be upon him). Incidentally, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyyah movement, also claimed that he was Zul-Qarnain (Malfuzat; v. 5 p. 406). And there are many other such examples from the history of Religion about the “re-appearance” of an ancient Prophet, but not literally, rather the “re-appearance” of the prophet is fulfilled in the appearance of a different man who bears some spiritual resemblance to him.

The second issue is regarding the reality of Nuzool (descent). Many Muslims believe that the Hadith-based prophecies indicate that the coming Messiah will literally descend from heaven, carried on the wings of two Angels.

However, words derived from the root ن-ز-ل (N-Z-L) can also mean: “to facilitate, to grant, to provide” (Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’anic Usage, p. 930)

For example, Allah Most High says:

Say, “Have you seen what Allah has sent down [ANZALA] to you of provision of which you have made [some] lawful and [some] unlawful?” Say, “Has Allah permitted you [to do so], or do you invent [something] about Allah?” (Sura 10: 59)

خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَنْعَامِ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ

He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced [ANZALA] for you from the grazing livestock eight mates. (Sura 39: 6)

Concerning the coming Messiah, Nuzul (descent) does not necessarily mean “descending from Heaven” but, as reported in the version of Musnad Ahmad, it means Khuruj (coming out).

Now let us examine authentic Ahadith from the collections of Bukhari and Muslim which strongly indicate that the prophecy of the descent of the Messiah means the emergence from within the Muslim Ummah of a noble and great Imam:

أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ إِذَا نَزَلَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ فِيكُمْ وَإِمَامُكُمْ مِنْكُمْ

Aba Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “How will you be when the Son of Mary descends among you and your Imam is from among you.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari)

According to some scholars, this Hadith predicts the appearance of two different individuals, the Son of Mary and an Imam from among the Muslims. According to them, that Imam is none other than the promised Mahdi. However, other versions of this Hadith make it clear that the Imam spoken of in this Hadith who shall lead the Muslims is in fact Jesus Son of Mary:

كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ إِذَا نَزَلَ فِيكُمْ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ، فَأَمَّكُمْ مِنْكُمْ

“How will you be when the Son of Mary descends among you and leads you from among you?”

(Sahih Muslim)

كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ إِذَا نَزَلَ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ، فِيكُمْ ، وَأَمَّكُمْ

“How will you be when the Son of Mary descends among you and leads you?”

(Sahih Muslim)

Furthermore, the reader should consider the fact that Jesus son of Mary has been given two physical descriptions by the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) which are at variance with each other. This is another strong indication that the historical Jesus of Nazareth is not necessarily the same Jesus Son of Mary who is prophecised to appear before Judgment Day. During the night of Mi’raj, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) beheld Jesus son of Mary in Heaven and described him as a man of reddish (Ahmar) complexion, having curly hair, and a broad chest. This is the physical description of the historical Jesus of Nazareth whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw on the night of Mi’raj.

However, in another vision, the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) saw himself performing Tawaaf of the sacred Ka’bah and saw the coming Messiah, whom he described as having a wheatish (Adam) complexion, and having straight or lank hair.

In summary, these evidences point to the fact that the coming Messiah, who has been named as Jesus son of Mary, is not necessarily the historical Israelite prophet Jesus of Nazareth, who is deceased. According to the divine law, the souls of the deceased cannot return to this world. The coming Messiah whose advent is predicted in numerous Ahadith is in fact a noble and just Imam who shall arise from within the Ummah to lead and guide it, and he has been named as Jesus son of Mary due to spiritual resemblance and fulfilling the Messianic role. And Allah knows best.

Iqbal's Book Islam and Ahmadism Refuted...Part 4

In the Name of Allah; the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Continuing from my last entry, let us now examine what Iqbal states regarding the concept of Buruz :

“He [Mirza Ghulam Ahmad] claims to be a buruz (بروز) of the Holy Prophet of Islam insinuating thereby that, being a buruz of him, his “finality” is virtually the “finality” of Muhammad; and that this view of the matter, therefore, does not violate the “finality” of the Holy Prophet. In identifying the two finalities, his own and that of the Holy Prophet, he conveniently loses sight of the temporal meaning of the idea of Finality. It is, however, obvious that the word buruz , in the sense even of complete likeness, cannot help him at all; for the buruz must always remain the other side of its original. Only in the sense of reincarnation a buruz becomes identical with the original. Thus if we take the word buruz to mean “like in spiritual qualities” the argument remains ineffective; if, on the other hand, we take it to mean reincarnation of the original in the Aryan sense of the word, the argument becomes plausible; but its author turns out to be only a Magian in disguise.” (Islam and Ahmadism ; pp. 22-23)

One is simply astonished as to how Iqbal sneaks in a sentence that so obviously misrepresents the position of Ghulam Ahmad and then proceeds to refute that strawman argument. Iqbal wrote: “In identifying the two finalities, his own and that of the Holy Prophet…” but failed to reference when or where Ghulam Ahmad identified “two finalities”. The whole point is that Ghulam Ahmad, in the capacity of being a Buruz (projection) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not possess a “finality” in his own self or essence. His “finality” is identical and synonymous with the finality of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). There is only one finality as there is only one final Prophet, and that is Muhammad not Ghulam Ahmad. The latter is simply acting as a projection of the image of the former.

Iqbal postulates that since a buruz necessitates oneness of identity it is only possible to understand it as reincarnation! Again, we are simply unaware of the basis upon which Iqbal has made such an obviously false presumption. The concept of Buruz is a Sufi concept, formulated and elucidated upon by the eminent Sufis of the Ummah. They have never understood it as reincarnation. For example, the great Mujaddid Alf Thani Ahmad Sirhindi (Rahimahullah) (1564-1624) writes:

بروز (پوشیدہ ہونا اور ظاہر ہو جانا) جو بعض مشائخ نے بیان کیا ہے اس کا تناسخ سے بالکل کوئی تعلق نہیں ہے کیوںکہ تناسخ میں نفس کا تعلق دوسرے بدن کے ساتھ اس لئے ہوتا ہےکہ اس کے لئے حیات و زندگی ثابت ہو اور اس کو حس و حرکت حاصل ہو۔ اور بروز میں نفس کا تعلق دوسرے بدن سے اس غرض کے حصول کے لئےنہیں ہوتا بلکہ اس کا مقصود یہ ہوتا ہےکہ اس بدن کو کمالات حاصل ہوں اور درجات وصول ہو جائیں۔

Translation: “The burooz spoken of by some spiritual Shaikhs has nothing to do with re-incarnation. In re-incarnation, a soul forms a connection with another body as the means of its life, and to give it sensation and movement. In burooz a soul forms a connection with another body, not for this purpose, but to make that body acquire attainments and reach high grades.”

Reference: Maktubat Imam Rabbani; Daftar II, Letter no. 58

A good analogy to understand the concept of burooz is seeing the image of one’s face reflected in a mirror. The original face has an independent existence, but the reflection of the face in the mirror does not have an independent existence, it is only a projection or reflection. In this way one realizes that there is only one face, but that face can be projected from another direction with the use of a mirror. In the same way, there is only one Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he is the last and final Prophet of God. The projection of his image through Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who is the mirror or repository of that image, is what is an example of Burooz.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad himself clarifies this point quite explicitly:

جاہل مخالف میری نسبت الزام لگاتے ہیں کہ یہ شخص نبی یا رسول ہونے کا دعوی کرتا ہے مجھے ایسا کوئی دعوی نہیں۔ میں اس طور سے جو وہ خیال کرتے ہیں نہ نبی ہوں نہ رسول ہوں۔ ہاں میں اس طور سے نبی اور رسول ہوں جس طور سے ابھی میں نے بیان کیا ہے۔ پس جو شخص میرے پر شرارت سے یہ الزام لگاتا ہے جو دعوی نبوّت اور رسالت کا کرتے ہیں وہ جھوٹا اور ناپاک خیال ہے۔ مجھے بروزی صورت نے نبی اور رسول بنایا ہے اور اسی بنا پر خدا نے بار بار میرا نام نبی اللہ اور رسول اللہ رکھا مگر بروزی صورت میں۔ میرا نفس درمیان نہیں ہے۔ بلکہ محمد مصطفے صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ہے۔ اس لحاظ سے میرا نام محمد ص اور احمد ص ہوا۔ پس نبوّت اور رسالت کسی دوسرے کےپاس نہیں گئی۔ محمد ص کی چیز محمد ص کے پاس ہی رہی۔

Translation: My ignorant opponents accuse me of claiming to be a Prophet or Messenger, I myself make no such claim. I am neither a Prophet nor a Messenger as they think. But I am a Prophet and a Messenger in the way that I have just explained. Therefore, false and evil is the thinking of the one who mischievously accuses me of claiming to be a Prophet and Messenger. It is only by way of Buruz that I have been made a Prophet and a Messenger, and it is on this very basis that Allah has repeatedly named me His Prophet and His Messenger, but only by way of Buruz. My own self comes nowhere in between, rather it all belongs to Muhammad Mustafa (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam ). Thus it is that I have been called Muhammad (S) and Ahmad (S). Hence, Prophethood and Messengership have not been transferred to anyone else. What belonged to Muhammad (S) remains with Muhammad (S).

Reference: Eik Ghalati Ka Izala; p. 12

To be continued…