Ibn Khaldun and the Mahdi

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

والصلاة والسلام على نبيه الكريم

There is a growing trend among a section of Muslims, affected by the poison of modernism and materialism, who are skeptical about the prophecy of the advent of the promised Mahdi عليه السلام

It is argued that Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406 CE) was a denier of the concept of the Mahdi, and that he cast doubt on the authenticity of each and every Hadith concerning the Mahdi. However, this claim is misleading. In reality, Ibn Khaldun never explicitly stated that he rejected belief in the Mahdi. On the contrary he admitted that this belief is the belief of the masses of the people of Islam throughout the ages:

اعلم أنّ في المشهور بين الكافّة من أهل الإسلام على ممرّ الأعصار أنّه لا بدّ في آخر الزّمان من ظهور رجل من أهل البيت يؤيّد الدّين ويظهر العدل ويتبعه المسلمون ويستولي على الممالك الإسلاميّة ويسمّى بالمهديّ

"Know that it has been commonly accepted among the masses of the people of Islam throughout the ages that there must be at the end of time the appearance of a man from the People of the House who will help the Din and make justice triumphant and whom the Muslims will follow and who will gain control over the Islamic lands, and who will be called the Mahdi." (Muqaddimah; v.1, ch.53, p.514)

However, it is true that Ibn Khaldun criticized and regarded as weak or fabricated the vast majority of narrations concerning the Fatimid Mahdi:

ونحن الآن نذكر هنا الأحاديث الواردة في هذا الشّأن وما للمنكرين فيها من المطاعن وما لهم في إنكارهم من المستند

"Here we will now mention the hadith which are narrated about this matter and what matters those who deny them have which would invalidate them, and what hadiths with isnads they have with which to oppose them"

بأسانيد ربّما يعرّض لها المنكرون كما نذكره إلّا أنّ المعروف عند أهل الحديث أنّ الجرح مقدّم على التّعديل فإذا وجدنا طعنا في بعض رجال الأسانيد بغفلة أو بسوء حفظ أو ضعف أو سوء رأي تطرّق ذلك إلى صحّة الحديث وأوهن منها

"with isnads which those who deny (the Mahdi) object to, as we shall mention, except that it is well known to the people of hadith that (the factors which cause the) invalidation (of a hadith narrator) take precedence over the (the factors which result in the) attribution of veracity (to him), so that when we find a flaw in some of the men in the isnads because of carelessness, bad memory, weakness or a bad view that will find a way (to affect) the soundness of the hadith and will weaken it." (ibid):

After a lengthy examination on the narrations about the Mahdi, Ibn Khaldun concludes by saying:

فهذه جملة الأحاديث الّتي خرّجها الأئمّة في شأن المهديّ وخروجه آخر الزّمان. وهي كما رأيت لم يخلص منها من النّقد إلّا القليل والأقلّ منه

"This is the sum total of the hadith which the Imams related concerning the Mahdi and his appearance at the end of time. As you see they are not free of criticism except for a few which are the very least of them." (ibid, p.532):

Had Ibrahim Lived He Would Have Been a Prophet

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ‌

يَا ‌إِلَهَ ‌الْآلِهَةِ

The last son to be born to the beloved Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was sayyidina Ibrahim عليه السلام who died in infancy. It is reported that upon his death the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

لَوْ عَاشَ لَكَانَ صِدِّيقًا نَبِيًّا

“Had he lived he would have been a truthful prophet”

(Sunan Ibn Majah)

However, this particular narration is weak due to the narrator Ibrahim b. Uthman al-’Absi who is matrūk al-hadīth ‘abandoned in Hadith’.

But Ibn Abi Awfa رضى الله عنه who saw the Prophet’s son Ibrahim عليهما السلام said about him:

وَلَوْ قُضِيَ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَبِيٌّ عَاشَ ابْنُهُ، وَلَكِنْ لاَ نَبِيَّ بَعْدَهُ

“Had it been decreed that there be after Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم a prophet, his son would have lived, but there is no prophet after him” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

This is also the view of sayyidina Anas bin Malik رضى الله عنه who said:

لَوْ عَاشَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ابْنُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‌لَكَانَ ‌صِدِّيقًا ‌نَبِيًّا

“Had Ibrahim son of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم lived he would have been a siddīq, a prophet” (Musnad Ahmad)

Both Shuaib Arnaut and Hamza Ahmad al-Zayn have declared this narration hasan (sound) in their checking of the Musnad:

Ibn Asakir brings out another narration in which it is reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed his blessed hand in the grave of his son Ibrahim عليه السلام and said:

أَمَا وَاللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لِنَبِيٌّ ابْنُ نَبِيٍّ

“by Allah, he is a prophet, son of a Prophet”

(Tarikh Dimashq v.4 p.615):

However, Ibn Asakir has mentioned that one of the narrators, a certain Isa who is actually a direct descendant of Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali bin Abi Talib كرم الله وجهه namely, Ibn Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Umar b. Ali b. Abi Talib, is ليس بالقوى ‘not strong’ a mild criticism to be sure.

I earlier quoted the explanation of Mulla Ali al-Qari رحمه الله of the narrations ‘had Ibrahim lived he would have been a prophet’ and ‘if there was a prophet after me it would be Umar’ in which he says that they would have been prophets while remaining under the obedience to the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم

And if we accept the narration “by Allah he [Ibrahim] is a prophet, son of a Prophet” then we believe he was an Ummati prophet. He had the potential of receiving revelation from Allah and prophesying while still being subject to the Shari’ah of his blessed father صلى الله عليهما وسلم

Hadith: There is no Prophesy after me except if Allah wills

 باسمك اللهم

سبحان ذى الجبروت والملكوت والكبرياء والعظمة

Previously I quoted the statement of the great imam Ibn Abd al-Barr regarding the Hadith:

‌لَا ‌نُبُوَّةَ ‌بَعْدِي ‌إِلَّا ‌مَا ‌شَاءَ ‌اللَّهُ

"There is no prophesy after me except if Allah wills”

Although this Hadith is considered a fabrication by some, Ibn Abd al-Barr was cautious enough not to dismiss it out of hand, but to explain the exception as referring to the truthful visions that are one of the parts of prophesy, the occurrence of which is affirmed by the Muslims of virtually all schools of thought.

Along with Ibn Abd al-Barr, the great imam and exegete, al-Qurtubi (1214-1273 CE), mentioned this Hadith in connection with his explanation of the Ayah of Khatm an-Nubuwwah:

قُلْتُ: وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: (‌لَا ‌نُبُوَّةَ ‌بَعْدِي ‌إِلَّا ‌مَا ‌شَاءَ ‌اللَّهُ). قَالَ أَبُو عُمَرَ: يَعْنِي الرُّؤْيَا- وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ- الَّتِي هِيَ جُزْءٌ مِنْهَا، كَمَا قَالَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: (لَيْسَ يَبْقَى بَعْدِي مِنَ النُّبُوَّةِ إِلَّا الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ)

I say: It has been narrated from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that: “there is no Prophesy after me except if Allah wills”. Abu Umar said: “meaning the Visions – and Allah knows better – which a part of it [Prophesy], as he عليه السلام said: “nothing remains after from Prophesy except pious Visions” (Tafsir al-Qurtubi v.17 p.166):

Therefore, while the Hadith may not be established as a saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم its meaning, as explained by Ibn Abd al-Barr is certainly correct.

Hypocrisy of Deoband: Taking Sweets from Pagan Festivals

 باسمك اللهم

سبحان ذى الجبروت والملكوت والكبرياء والعظمة

The festival known as Giyarhwin is supposedly the Urs of the great Islamic saint shaikh Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani رضى الله عنه. In the Indian subcontinent it is generally held on the eleventh day of every month. Not only is it a reprehensible innovation, something which the corrupt Muslims have added to the pure religion of Islam, it involves activity which is often bordering on polytheism to say the least. Specifically, the eating of food and sweets that are offered in the name of the saint. In no less than four separate verses in the holy Quran, Allah Most High forbids Believers from eating

مَاۤ اُہِلَّ لِغَیۡرِ اللّٰہِ بِہٖ

that on which is invoked the name of one other than Allah

Those Believers who are monotheists and will never compromise on the Oneness of Allah in worship must be very careful and cautious in avoiding any participation whatsoever in these pagan festivals.

The Deobandi sect, which feigns attachment to monotheism and the pure Islamic teachings, often trivializes this activity and innovations that are bordering on polytheism. They are well aware that such practices are contrary to the monotheistic spirit of Islam. Nevertheless, the guru of the Deobandi sect, Ashraf Ali Thanwi, reportedly encouraged Muslims to take the sweets that are offered on the occasion of Giyarhwin so as not to provoke the public who are deeply attached to this pagan festival:

ایک صاحب نے سوال کیا کہ اگر گیارھویں کی مٹھائی آئے تو اس کو کیا کرے فرمایا لیکرکہیں دفن کردے اور رد کرنے میں عوام کے اندر اشتعال کا اندیشہ ہے۔ جہلا عوام الناس کو مشتعل کرنا ٹھیک نہیں۔

“Someone asked what to do if one is given sweets on the occasion of giyarhwin. [Ashraf Ali Thanwi] said ‘take it and dispose of it somewhere, because rejecting it has the potential of provoking the public. To provoke the ignorant public is not right.’” (Kamalat-e-Ashrafia pp.142-143, #628):

The reader should know that the vast majority of Deobandis belong to what is known as the Hayati sect. The Hayatis believe the Prophets are literally, bodily alive in their earthen graves, and that they and everyone else who is deceased can actually hear that which is in the vicinity of their graves. They are quite close to the pagan Barelawis. They also validate tawassul (intercession) through the dead and the practice of hanging amulets for protection. The opposing subsection of the Deobandis, known as Mamatis, are far superior to them, but are quite insignificant, as they are primarily concentrated in parts of western Punjab and the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. But generally speaking the Deobandis, who are spread throughout the Indian subcontinent and among the South Asian Muslim diaspora, are Hayatis, including their missionary wing Tablighi Jama’at.

False Prophets of Christianity Said Trump Would Be Re-Elected

 

باسمك اللهم

سبحان ذى الجبروت والملكوت والكبرياء والعظمة

If Christianity is the truth, why are their so-called prophets of our time nothing but a bunch of liars and pretenders? Last year a large number of so-called Christian “prophets” prophesied that Donald Trump would be re-elected in the 2020 election. But yesterday’s inauguration of President Joe Biden has decisively put to shame these liars. The list of these evil false prophets includes Pat Robertson, Kenneth Copeland, Jeremiah Johnson, Kris Valloton, Albert Milton, and Paula White. The latter also served as Trump’s spiritual advisor. Some of these false prophets were forced to apologize for their false prediction, while still shamelessly claiming that they are true prophets of God. This despite the fact that it is written in the Torah: “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

These Christian so-called “prophets” may be likened to the “prophets”, or more accurately, soothsayers, of the Cult of Baal that was patronized by the cursed Jezebel. That these shameless individuals claim to be spokespeople of God while associating themselves closely with the American presidency is itself a sufficient indication of their falsehood. True Prophets of God are dissident, they rebuke the evils and wickedness of the government of their day. They do not at all preach the so-called prosperity gospel nor do they amass fortunes and estates through their ministry. The Christian Evangelical movement is in general an extremely Satanic and evil pagan movement that is quite reminiscent of the old pagan cults that employed oracles to bless the activity of their evil rulers and society.

Prohibition of Concealing Face in Salah

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

نحمده ونصلى ونسلم على رسوله الكريم

Citing the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse, many if not most mosques in the world have mandated worshippers wear a mask while praying. They have even gone to the extent of making the wearing of the mask a condition for entering the mosque. This is undoubtedly a severe tribulation, and yet another example of the corruption that has become so pervasive in our Ummah. As I narrated in a previous entry, I myself was expelled from my local mosque simply for refusing to wear a mask.

The truth is that it is expressly forbidden in our Religion for worshippers to cover their face while offering the obligatory Salah. Sayyidina Abi Hurairah رضى الله عنه narrates:

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنِ السَّدْلِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَأَنْ يُغَطِّيَ الرَّجُلُ فَاهُ

“The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم forbade trailing garments during prayer and that a man should cover his mouth” (Sunan Abi Dawud #643)

It is narrated that sayyidina Salim b. Abd Allah b. Umar رضى الله عنهم

إِذَا رَأَى الإِنْسَانَ يُغَطِّي فَاهُ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي جَبَذَ الثَّوْبَ عَنْ فِيهِ جَبْذًا شَدِيدًا حَتَّى يَنْزِعَهُ عَنْ فِيهِ

“when he saw a man covering his mouth while he was praying would fiercely pull away the cloth from him” (Muwatta of Imam Malik)

These days many Ulama, who have either been purchased or else lack the moral courage to teach the correct ordinances of the Shari’ah, have issued fatāwa legitimizing the act of worshippers wearing masks while praying as a precaution against the spread of Covid-19.

Others, who are ghair muqallidīn (non-comformists) and so-called ahl al-Hadīth argue that there is nothing authentically established from the Sunnah which indicates that covering the face is prohibited in the Salah. They claim that the Hadith I quoted from Abi Hurairah رضى الله عنه in which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prohibited men from covering their mouths in prayer is weak. Incidentally, one of their most esteemed scholars of Hadith of the 20^th century, al-Albani, declared the Hadith in question to be sound:

But the fact of the matter is that it is not necessary that every single teaching connected with the Salah, and other acts of worship in our Religion, have a proof from the Ahādīth. The original source for these teachings, before the Hadith narrations were even compiled, was the mass-practise of the early Muslims, which is known as amal al-Tawātur. This is something the literalist so-called ahl al-Hadith sect utterly fails to realize.

The Hanafi madhhab, which I personally adhere to, and which Allah Most High has evidently favored by allowing to attain acceptance among the majority of the Muslim Ummah till the present time, teaches that covering the face, specifically the mouth and the nose in Salah is makrūh tahrīmī (legally prohibited), and that the Salah must be repeated – wājib al-’iyādah:

Although Ibn Abidin al-Shami has explained that the rationale behind this prohibition is that covering the face in worship is the way of the fire-worshipping Magians, in my understanding, the reason why worshippers are meant to bare their faces in the Salah is that it is not befitting to conceal one’s face while standing before Allah, just as it is not befitting to look straight toward the Qiblah, and we are taught to keep our gaze fixed at the place of prostration. The spirit of the Salah is that one is standing with utmost humility and reverence before the Lord. The literalist ahl al-Hadith have failed to understand this basic thing, which they oppose when they pray bare-headed, with their legs spread far apart, their arms folded high upon their chest, in a pose that reeks of arrogance and is certainly not befitting for one who is standing before his or her Lord.

'Seal of Prophets' Connotes Virtue, Excellence (33:40)

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

سبوحٌ قدوسٌ رب الملائكة والروح

My master the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is the Seal of the Prophets – Khātam an-Nabiyyīn – and this is one of his virtues. The prevalent interpretation of this ascription, that it means only that he is the last prophet of God in a strictly chronological sense, cannot be correct for logically there is no virtue or excellence in simply being the last chronologically. The fact that being ‘Seal of the Prophets’ is a virtue for Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is proven from the context of the Ayah in the Quran in which he has been characterized with this ascription:

مَا کَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ اَبَاۤ اَحَدٍ مِّنۡ رِّجَالِکُمۡ وَ لٰکِنۡ رَّسُوۡلَ اللّٰہِ وَ خَاتَمَ النَّبِیّٖنَ

Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets

(Surah 33:40)

The word lākin (but) is, in Arabic grammar, harf istidrāk – an amendment particle. Its purpose is to compensate for what has preceded. The Ayah begins by announcing that Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم is not the father of any adult man among the people. It is well known that all of his biological sons died in infancy. This is an apparent defect or imperfection, at least in the understanding of the pagan Arabs, and so Allah subsequently declares that despite this apparent defect, Prophet Muhammad is nevertheless His Apostle and also ‘Seal of the Prophets’. This is obviously meant to compensate for the apparent defect of not being the father of any adult man. But if ‘Seal of the Prophets’ is interpreted to mean that he is merely the last prophet in the chronological sense, it’s placement here is meaningless for there is no virtue or excellence in being at the beginning, middle or end of the chain of prophesy in the chronological sense, thus there is no compensation for the apparent defect.

That ‘Seal of the Prophets’ is necessarily an ascription that signifies some virtue or excellence is explicitly highlighted in the following Hadith of the Prophet:

فُضِّلْتُ عَلَى الأَنْبِيَاءِ بِسِتٍّ أُعْطِيتُ جَوَامِعَ الْكَلِمِ وَنُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الأَرْضُ طَهُورًا وَمَسْجِدًا وَأُرْسِلْتُ إِلَى الْخَلْقِ كَافَّةً وَخُتِمَ بِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ

I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies): spoils have been made lawful to me: the earth has been made for me clean and a place of worship; I have been sent to all mankind and the prophets are sealed by me. (Sahih Muslim)

Incidentally, this Hadith is a proof that the great Prophet Noah على نبينا وعليه الصلاة والسلام was not a universal Messenger of God sent to all humanity, contrary to popular belief, for that is the exclusive quality of our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم. This is a strong indication that Noah’s Flood was not a global phenomenon.

Did Ghulam Ahmad Claim Prophesy (Part 14): Partial Excellence Over Jesus

 

بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

سبوحٌ قدوسٌ رب الملائكة والروح

One of the notable allegations made against Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyya movement, is that he considered himself superior to some of the Prophets of God, particularly Jesus of Nazareth على نبينا وعليه الصلاة والسلام and that this is a proof that he was claiming to be a prophet himself. In answer to this allegation, I shall quote the statements of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in which he clarifies that any indication he may have made about possessing superiority and excellence over Jesus of Nazareth is in fact partial and not absolute:

تم تو قائل ہو کہ جزئی فضیلت ایک ادنی شہید کو ایک بڑے نبی پر ہوسکتی ہے۔ اور یہ سچ ہے کہ میں خدا کا فضل اپنے پر مسیح سے کم نہیں دیکھتا۔

"It is even conceded by you that an ordinary martyr may have partial [juz’i] superiority over a great prophet. Verily, I do not see myself less favoured with divine grace than the Messiah” (Siraje Munir, p.4):

اس مسیح کو اسرائیلی مسیح پر ایک جزئی فضیلت حاصل ہے کیونکہ اس کی دعوت عام ہےاور اس کی خاص تھی

"this Messiah has a partial superiority [fazilat] over the Israelite Messiah because the call of the former is universal whereas that of the latter is endemic” (Izalah Auham, p.647):

اس جگہ کسی کو یہ وہم نہ گذرے کہ اس تقریر میں اپنے نفس کو حضرت مسیح پر فضیلت دی ہے کیونکہ یہ ایک جزئی فضیلت ہے جو غیر نبی کو نبی پر ہوسکتی ہے

"Let not the reader take it that in this discourse I have placed myself superior to the Messiah. It is in fact a partial superiority [juz'i fadilat] which a non-prophet may have over a prophet” (Tiryaq ul-Qulub, p.157):

This last statement I have quoted is particularly important in proving that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad not only considered himself inferior in rank to Jesus of Nazareth, an actual prophet, but also that Ghulam Ahmad explicitly called himself ‘non-prophet’.

Dr. Nasir Sultani, Others, Sentenced to Death

 بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ

اللهم صلى وسلم على نبينا ومولانا محمد وبارك وسلم وصلى عليه

On Friday, January 8, 2021, the Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad sentenced Dr. Nasir Ahmad Sultani, self-proclaimed Mujaddid of the 15^th century AH, to death, along with his co-accused, Abdul Waheed a.k.a “Allama Ayaz Nizami” and Rana Nu’man Rafaqat. A fourth co-accused in this high profile case, Professor Anwaar Ahmad, was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. These four individuals were found guilty of having committing blasphemy, which is a serious offense in Pakistan. I had the opportunity to meet all four of them, and spend extensive time in their company, during my incarceration at Adiala Jail from November 2019 to April 2020. Like them, I was charged with a blasphemy offense, though of a considerable lesser degree of severity (295-A and 298-C) that I was, by the grace of Allah, able to secure bail from the Punjab High Court after five months of imprisonment, and subsequently returned to my country of birth and citizenship, Canada.

Dr. Sultani is fond of his title “doctor” although in reality he isn’t a licensed medical doctor but a practitioner of homeopathy. In this photograph, note that Nasir Sultani is prominently displaying a stethoscope around his neck, giving the false impression that he is a certified medical doctor:

This is noteworthy because one should consider that if someone is a recipient of divine revelation, and the Mujaddid appointed by Allah of this age, then there should be no element of deception or history of such in his person.

When I first met, in person, Dr. Sultani at Adiala Jail, I was taken aback by his extreme shortness. I estimate his height to be somewhere between 5 feet to 5 feet and two inches. I believe that because of his physical appearance, or more accurately, the lack thereof, Dr. Sultani has suffered from an inferiority complex all his life, and this seems to be the main psychological motivation for his making of grandiose claims about himself beginning in 2011.

Although he never stated this to me personally, despite our extensive face to face conversations, I have come to learn that Dr. Sultani had claimed that one of his daughters is comparable in rank to the Prophet’s beloved daughter, the lady of Heaven, sayyida Fatima az-Zahra سلام الله عليها (God forbid!), and this was apparently a huge factor in the verdict of guilt against him.

Though I have already written in depth regarding Dr. Sultani and why I believe he is a false prophet, either delusional or an outright liar, the reason I have decided to dedicate another post to him on my blog in light of the recent death sentence passed against him is that this individual who emphasize not only to me, but to his other fellow inmates in jail, that God had given him the glad tidings that he would soon be released from custody. Now it has been nearly four years since Nasir Sultani was put behind bars at Adiala Jail, and whatever dim light there was for his release appears to have been completely extinguished with this damning verdict. Whether I agree or disagree with the verdict is another matter, I’ve already explained that in principle I don’t find the concept of a worldly, legislated punishment for blasphemy in the Shari’ah of Islam, nor any prescribed legal penalty for a false claimant of prophesy. Nevertheless, it is clear to me that Allah Most High is not on Dr. Sultani’s side, and that he is suffering this unenviable fate, this bitter disgrace, because he continues to lie upon God with such ridiculous claims. Though it is quite possible that Dr. Sultani will get some relief from the High Court or the Supreme Court eventually, for now there is little doubt he will remain a prisoner in Adiala Jail for a considerable length of time.

I must confess that during my initial encounter with Dr. Sultani I was somewhat impressed and drawn to him. When he told me matter-of-factly that Allah speaks to him regularly, and even shared some of his revelations with me, I believed him. It is my habit to believe what someone says, especially if he is a Muslim, unless I have a compelling reason not to. This is especially true of those who claim they have received a divine inspiration or seen a vision from God, for I consider this phenomenon to be a sign that Islam is a living religion.

Prophet Elijah the Tishbite (37:123-132)

 باسمك اللهم

وصلاتك وسلامك على نبيك محمد

وعلى آله واهل بيته الطيبين الطاهرين

The prophet Elias, also known as Elijah the Tishbite على نبينا وعليه الصلوات والتسليمات was one of the greatest prophets to have walked the face of the Earth. Allah Most High speaks highly of him in the holy Quran:

وَ اِنَّ اِلۡیَاسَ لَمِنَ الۡمُرۡسَلِیۡنَ

And assuredly Elias also was one of the Messengers

(37:123)

It is interesting that in the Quran this prophet’s name is based on the Greek rendering, from the Septuagint, and not the Hebrew rendering Eliyahu or Elijah which means “my El is Yah”. An example of the opposite phenomenon is the prophet Zechariah “Yah remembers”, the priest and father of John the Baptist, whose name in the Quran زكريّا appears based on the Hebrew rendering and not the Greek rendering Zecharias.

اِذۡ قَالَ لِقَوۡمِہٖۤ اَلَا تَتَّقُوۡنَ

When he (Elias) said to his people, ‘Will you not fear (God)?’

(37:124)

Prophet Elias lived during the time of the evil and wicked king Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel, sometime in the 9^th century BCE.

اَتَدۡعُوۡنَ بَعۡلًا وَّ تَذَرُوۡنَ اَحۡسَنَ الۡخَالِقِیۡنَ

‘Do you call on Baal, and forsake the Best of creators,’

(37:125)

In this verse the Quran has summarized the entire ministry of the prophet Elias as one dedicated to the condemnation of the pagan cult of Baal that had become widespread in the kingdom of Israel. King Ahab married Jezebel, a Phoenician princess, who was a fanatic for the false deity Baal. Under her influence, the true Israelite prophets were persecuted and murdered. The prophet Elias, under divine commission, challenged the cult of Baal, which was under this wicked royal patronage, which culminated in the contest at Mount Carmel. It is in the context of the incident and miracle of Mount Carmel the words of the Quran “Will you not fear? Do you call on Baal and forsake the Best of creators?” is to be understood.

And this is one of the proofs of the divine authorship of the Quran. Those who allege the Quran was a fabrication of the prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم are at a loss to explain how an unread, simple shepherd in seventh century Arabia, hailing from the pagan clan of Quraish, could possibly know the historical reality of Elijah’s ministry against Baal in ninth century BCE Israel. He could not read, let alone have access to the Book of Kings or the Book of Chronicles which are written in a language foreign to his native Arabic. And this is what Allah Himself says in the Quran:

تِلۡکَ مِنۡ اَنۡۢبَآءِ الۡغَیۡبِ نُوۡحِیۡہَاۤ اِلَیۡکَ ۚ مَا کُنۡتَ تَعۡلَمُہَاۤ اَنۡتَ وَ لَا قَوۡمُکَ مِنۡ قَبۡلِ ہٰذَا

This is of the tidings of the unseen which We reveal to thee. Thou didst not know them, neither thou nor thy people, before this

(11:49)

Baal was the name of the false deity and idol worshipped by the heathens. The name means “owner” and “lord”, but as a proper name, it is not the name of our God but of the imaginary false deity of the pagans in ancient times. In the Quran, the husband of a woman is referred to as her ba’l (4:128), which indicates that the husband is meant to reign over his wife, and that she should treat him as her master according to the philosophy of Islam. The patriarch Abraham’s wife Sarah عليهما السلام referred to him as her ba’l (11:72).

But we should understand that just because a deity bears the name of one of God’s characteristics does not mean that deity is synonymous with the One True God, or that we should call upon our God, Allah Most High, with that name. The controversial and ignorant televangelist Dr. Zakir Naik said that he has no objection to naming Allah with the names of the Hindu pagan deities Brahma, Siva and Visnu. Because, according to his research, these Sanskrit names can be generic in meaning and not necessarily referring to the conception of those deities that bear those names in Hinduism, it is not objectionable to call upon Allah with such names! But this is utter falsehood. If that was true, then it would be right to call upon Allah with the name Baal, which simply means ‘lord’ or ‘owner’.

Regarding the prophet Elias, Allah جلّ جلاله says:

فَکَذَّبُوۡہُ فَاِنَّہُمۡ لَمُحۡضَرُوۡنَ

But they treated him as a liar, and they will surely be brought (before God to render an account)

(37:127)

We are to understand that in his day the general attitude of the wicked Israelites, especially as represented in the acts of their rulers, was one of rejection and scorn of the prophet Elias. According to the Bible a certain righteous man named Obadiah was forced to hide as many as a hundred true prophets of God lest they be slain by the wicked rulers: “When Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and provided them with food and drink” (1 Kings 18:4,13).

It is truly amazing that true prophets of God appeared literally in their hundreds contemporaneously. Islam teaches that the prophets are the supreme creation of Allah Most High. If people wonder at the enormity of the sun, which is over a million times greater than the Earth in volume, and is said to have been burning for billions of years, and then consider that there are some 300 billion suns (stars) in our galaxy alone, then why should it be so mind boggling that God raised up prophets in their hundreds, nay thousands, in human history? Rather, what should amaze people, especially us Muslims, is the superficial understanding that hundreds of prophets appeared in ancient Israel, but that for this Ummah, which is the best of nations, prophesy has apparently ceased after nabiyyina Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم.

The prophet Elias was forced to flee and hide in various locations outside the dominion of Ahab and his wretched wife Jezebel. Even after the contest at Mount Carmel, in the aftermath of which Elias ordered the killing of the false prophets of Baal, he had to flee into hiding once again for fear of Jezebel’s retributive threats.

In a somewhat enigmatic verse, the Quran concludes the account of prophet Elias thus:

سَلٰمٌ عَلٰۤی اِلۡ یَاسِیۡنَ

Peace be upon Il Yāsīn

(37:130)

The word Ilyasin is perhaps the plural of Ilyas (Elias), as some exegetes have speculated. Indeed, this form of the greeting of peace upon him is unique for him in this Surah. It points to something distinct about the prophet Elias among the other prophets. I tend to believe it is pointing to the particular tradition or typecast of the prophesy he exemplified which was inherited by some subsequent prophets.

The Hebrew Bible states that prophet Elias was taken up into Heaven in a whirlwind, on a chariot of fire with horses of fire (2 Kings 2:11). According to many classical Muslim exegetes, Elias has also been named Idris in the Quran, which says:

وَّ رَفَعۡنٰہُ مَکَانًا عَلِیًّا

And We raised him to a lofty station

(19:57)

They interpret this verse as referring to the physical ascension of the prophet Elias on a chariot of fire into Heaven as mentioned in the Book of Kings. But the reality of Elijah’s ascension into Heaven in a whirlwind is unclear and should not be understood as meaning anything contrary to his mortality. Every human prophet was a mortal and tasted death, as per the concise teaching of the Quran. The ascension into Heaven, as in the case of Jesus and even Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in the event of the Mi’raj, is to be understood as a spiritual ascension, and not a physical raising of the earthen, corporal body.

Prophet Elias was then succeeded by Elisha, who inherited his mantle and continued his prophetic ministry. Elisha, or اليسع is listed in the Quran twice among other prophets and Biblical figures like Ishmael, Jonas and Lot (6:86; 38:48) but he is not mentioned in conjunction with Elias. However, three other figures are mentioned in conjunction with Elias, namely, Zechariah, his son Yahya (John the Baptist), and Jesus (6:85). These three were contemporaries, prophets from the first century CE, and belonging to that apocalyptic, messianic tendency that can be said to be the inheritance of the legacy of the great prophet Elias, which best explains their being listed together in the same verse. This is especially true of John the Baptist, who was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the second coming of Elijah. He even appeared in the garb of Elijah - a raiment of camel’s hair and a leather belt. He could be found in the wilderness on the banks of the River Jordan, baptizing those who came to him, and sustaining on locusts and wild honey. As for our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم he manifested the beauty and quality of all the prophets of old within his person, be it the royalty and splendor of kings David and Solomon, to the austerity of Elijah and John the Baptist عليهم السلام