The Terrible Mongols: A Guide for Future Victory

Bisan, Another Battle:

Tuesday, 01 April 2008

Written by Abdul-Rahim Ammar

The Mongols managed with difficulty to find an escape route from the north side; they fled the battlefield followed by Muslims who wanted to finish them off completely. Some 20 km farther, at Bisan, the Mongols realized that they couldn’t run forever, so they arranged their forces to try and fight all over again. They fought as fierce as they could; they almost managed to take on the Muslims there. Qotoz, who was in the middle of the fight as he usually was, screamed again: “Oh, Islam”, three times, to remind his soldiers of their purpose and he stood in the middle saying: “Oh Allah, grant your servant Qotoz victory.” It was so touching to see the leader admit his weakness and ask Allah for His support. 

Qotoz knocked on Allah’s door and Allah responded. As the hadith says: “Allah has said: ‘I am toward my servant as he thinks I am, and I am with him if he remembers me. If he remembers me by himself, I remember him by myself, and if he remembers me among people, I remember him among those who are better than they. If he comes nearer to me by one hand span, I go nearer to him by one cubit; and if he comes nearer to me by one cubit, I go nearer to him by two arms lengths. If he comes to me walking, I go to him running.” 

That was the end of the Mongol’s spectacular tale. They started falling apart like flies. The Muslim flag went up and the Mongols flag fell. The moment that Muslims had been waiting for over forty years had finally arrived. Do you know how many of the Mongol army survived? No one! The whole army was gone, the army that had terrorized the earth and killed millions of people. 

“…With Allah is the Decision, in the Past and in the Future: on the Day shall the Believers rejoice – With the help of Allah. He helps whom He wills, and He is exalted in Might, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an 30:4-5 ]

When Qotoz saw the massive numbers of soldiers dead, he dismounted and fell to the ground in a clear submission to Allah and put his forehead on the sand and said: “Alhamdu lillah (thanks to Allah)”. When we compare Qotoz to today’s leaders, we see the difference; there is no wonder that Qotoz was granted victory. 

“We will, without doubt, help our messengers and those who believe, (both) in this world’s life and on the Day when the Witnesses will stand forth “ [Qur’an 40:51 ]

Lessons from Ein Jalout 

Looking back at the story we realize that the Mongols were attacking and defeating Muslims for the past forty years until things turned around and the Muslims finally won. 

“If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) we give to men and men by turns: that Allah may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loves not those that do wrong.” [Qur’an 3:140] 

There are two questions that might cross the mind of our readers; both questions have the same answer. 

Why did Allah allow that destructive force to attack the Muslim nation when Muslims believe in Allah and they don’t? 
Why did Mongols defeat Muslims in all previous battles but Muslims managed to defeat them in Ein Jalout? 

We find the answer in Omar Ibn Khtab’s message to the leader of his forces to fight Persians (in Al-Qadesia); Omar tells Sa’ad: 

‘I order you and your soldiers to fear Allah at all times, that is your best weapon and best plan, and I order you and your soldiers to avoid sins. Your sins are more dangerous than your enemy; we are granted victory by their sins. We lack in numbers and in arms, we only win by Allah’s favour, not by our strength or numbers. Remember that angels are watching and recording what you are doing, so watch out and don’t say that our enemy will still be worse off. We know that many people who committed sin were destroyed by the hands of people who were worse than them. The people of Israel were destroyed by the Majoose (who worshipped fire) when they committed sins.’ 

That’s part of the very valuable message that every Muslim should study, as it gives us the clues to why we were defeated in the beginning and why we won at last. 

So, if we see the nation in shame and humility we have to realize that we are away from the right path. It is not depressing to think about it, it is a reason for us to find a way out and the way out is to fear Allah and avoid sins. Allah’s punishment might come on the hands of people who are much worse than us. 

Going back to the right path is not hard; the Prophet (peace be upon him) says: ‘Allah is more pleased with the repentance of his servant than a man who makes camp at a place where his life is threatened but has his mount, his food and his water, then rests his head and sleep for a while and then wakes to find his mount gone. He suffers from heat and thirst or whatever Allah wished him to endure. Then he says: ‘I shall return to my place’. He goes back and sleeps again and then gets up to find his mount standing beside him.’ Allah accepts our repentance and it is never too late to go back to Allah’s way. 

Liberating Damascus: 

After all that his army endured, going through the Sinai desert in July, fighting in Gaza, going through Palestine from south to north to Aka and then Ein Jalout; the next step was to liberate Damascus from the Mongols. Damascus was 150 km east of Ein Jalout and it was the nearest Muslim city under the Mongols control. Qotoz wanted to use the opportunity while the Mongols were at their lowest to take back all the Muslim cities before they got supplies from Persia, Europe or China. Qotoz wanted to send the news of the Muslims victory to the people of Damascus to raise their spirits and to encourage them to support the Muslim army. 

As soon as the news reached Damascus, the people rose against their occupying force and started killing them; soon the whole Mongol force was gone and their reputation as undefeatable was gone. But soon people were over confident and confused, they started burning churches and attacking Christians and Jews who lived in Damascus as well. On the 30th of Ramadan, 658 hijra, Qotoz and his army arrived in Damascus and people welcomed him as a hero. The real peace was suddenly established; back in the city scholars went all over the city to advise people not to bother Christians and Jews. Qotoz fired the supreme judge (who was hired by the Mongols) and hired a trustworthy judge to ensure that Christians and Jews would not be victims of any injustice. 

The second day was Eid Al-fitr, it was by far the greatest Eid Muslims had since forty years back; it was a celebration of victory. “Say:’In the bounty of Allah. And in his mercy, in that let them rejoice’, that is better than (the wealth) they hoard” 

Qotoz did not waste any time, he set Peppers and his division of the army to follow the Mongols who fled and clear the rest of Syria from them. In a short while Hems, Halab and the rest of the area was cleared of all Mongols. Qotoz announced the unity of Egypt and Syria again and started hiring the rulers over the Muslim cities. He returned Al-Ashraf to Hems when he showed regret and repentance. He also returned those Mamaleek rulers to their cities in Syria to ensure stability and security. On the 26th of Shawal, 658 hijra, Qotoz headed back to Egypt to continue governing the country after getting rid of the Mongol nightmare.

http://en.islamstory.com/bisan-another-battle.html

PS: How long are you willing to fight a war? Forty years?

Islamstory: A Zulu Lawyer

 

Dawood Ngwane, African attorney, embraces Islam

Monday, 21 March 2011

Written by Islamstory

What made a distinguished attorney, a proud Zulu by birth and a son of the African soil give up the Catholic Church in which he was raised in favour of Islam? This was a faith he was taught to be wary of.

Attorney  Dawood Ngwane was not searching for a new religion. He was quite pleased and happy as he was. At least that was what he thought. He was simply looking for a law journal in a heap of old books when he stumbled upon Sheikh Deedat's book, Crucifixion or Cruci-fiction? The title of this little booklet immediately grabbed his attention and stuck in his mind. He placed the booklet one side and felt an urgency to read it. Once he started reading the booklet he could not put it down. It had plunged him into a decisive moment of deep questioning. He had reached a point in his life where he doubted his core beliefs. He mustered the courage to go and talk to Sheikh Ahmed Deedat at the IPCI with the intention of convincing him that he got it all wrong.

"My personal encounter with Sheikh Deedat further weakened my faith in the Trinity," Attorney Dawood said. But attorney Ngwane is a man of great substance and he was not going to walk away from the Catholic Church without consulting his Bishop at the Marian Hill Diocese, a place where he loyally and devotedly served the Church and the Christian community.

Clutching Sheikh Deedat's booklet under his arm, he approached his Bishop.

"My Lord, I have a problem," Attorney Ngwane said. "Yes, what's your problem?" he responded. "I no longer believe that God is a trinity," I said to him. "He nearly collapsed. He never thought that he was going to hear those words from me, because I was so firmly rooted in the Church."  In a firm and authoritative voice the Bishop asked him, "what has happened to you?" Attorney Dawood Ngwane handed him Sheikh Deedat's book, and asked him to read it and to get back to him with his response.

Three months passed and there was still no response from the Bishop. Attorney Ngwane informed the Diocese Management Committee what transpired between him and the Bishop and they were quite shocked. The committee  then decided to arrange a meeting between him and Father Doncabe with whom he could discuss his questions of faith.

"When I met Reverend Father Doncabe he had several Bibles with him. Father Doncabe said that I need to understand right from the outset that  the 'TRINITY IS NOT IN THE BIBLE AND THAT IT IS THE TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH''.

At this point Attorney Ngwane knew that it was time for him to move on and made his transition from Catholicism to Islam in 1995, at the age of 65.

http://en.islamstory.com/dawood-ngwane-african-attorney-islam.html

PAUL REFSDAL

Paul Refsdal is an independent Norwegian journalist who has spent the last 26 years covering some of the world’s toughest conflicts from the side of the opposition. He started his ballsy freelance career in 1984 when, at the tender age of 20, he went to Afghanistan to hang out with the Mujaheddin. The rest of his resume is just as impressive–in 1985 he went to Burma with the Karen rebels, he spent 1986 in Sri Lanka with the LTTE before heading to Nicaragua with the Sandinista forces, and the 90s saw him in Peru with the Shining Path and Kosovo with the KLA, among other really fucking scary adventures. Most recently he embedded with the Taliban and then got kidnapped. Paul has made a documentary film about that experience called Taliban: Behind the Masks.

Vice: How and why did you embed with the Taliban? Isn’t that sort of a crazy thing to do?
Paul Refsdal: We have spent the last nine years exposed to very strong anti-Taliban propaganda, so I was curious to see for myself who these people were. I knew Dawran, an old school commander I worked with during the war against the Russians in the 80s, and he agreed to receive me as a guest. I wanted to spend a month with them. Unfortunately, there was an attack that killed some commanders and several of their children, so I had to leave after nine days.

Was it easy to gain the trust of the combatants?
The first day I looked like an alien to them, but the second day they started making jokes and taking off their masks. I finally managed to achieve my goal of becoming an invisible observer of that group’s everyday life.

Some people have accused you of “humanizing” the Taliban.
If anyone has a problem with that, it means that they find it uncomfortable to accept we’re fighting human beings and not demons. I went with an open mind, ready to film whatever I saw. The Taliban didn’t understand that I wanted to show their ordinary day to day, they just wanted to look like powerful warriors. I insisted that I didn’t mind the weapons and, above all, that I did not want them to carry out any attack because of me. That was exactly what the Mujahideen used to do in the 80s.

From your unique perspective, who would you say the Taliban are?
I can only speak of what I witnessed there, but I think we’re talking about a very heterogeneous group. There are fanatics, but also those who listen to music, smoke cigarettes, and shave. Moreover, commander Dawran believed that women should study and said he would never carry out an attacks on Afghan troops. Apparently, his position was that of someone struggling against the forces that have invaded their country. He also said he despised the Americans not because of the war itself, but for what he called a “total lack of respect for tradition and Islam–using metal detectors on women, entering people’s houses with a kick,” etc.

You show the Taliban chatting, joking, and even playing among themselves, but you also shot them fighting, is that right?
In the area where I was there were bombings every day, mainly from the Predators, but the Taliban didn’t seem to care that much. The group kept a position over a road used by the Americans to transport supplies and they would fire on their vehicles with heavy weapons around three times a day.

Despite the apparent confidence and mutual respect, you were still kidnapped. What happened?
The Coalition launched an offensive that killed several commanders and two of Dawran’s children, so I was forced to leave the battalion. Omar, a younger commander, gave me his phone number and invited me to his position. We met a few weeks later. After walking for a whole day, someone who claimed to be from Al Qaeda accused me of spying for the Americans and said he should kill me. I was left in custody in the house of an armed family, but they promised to protect me from the kidnappers. There I realized that if I ran away I would put their life at risk. My kidnappers expected the Norwegian government to pay $500,000, but I managed to convince them that Oslo would never pay the ransom of a journalist who had embedded with the Taliban. I told them that the most they could hope for was $20,000, which I could personally gather if they let me make some telephone calls. During this process, I called a friend of mine at Al Jazeera, who immediately informed Dawran that I had been kidnapped. He called Omar, who released me immediately because of the pressure he received from Dawran as well as from the Taliban’s spokesman and some other people in Pakistan.

You mention Al Qaeda. How do they fit among the local insurgent groups?
There are many groups operating there–mainly Al Qaeda, Hizb-e Islami, and the Taliban. I don’t think there is a conflict between Al Qaeda and the Taliban, but personally, I doubt they are fighting together. During my abduction it was Al Qaeda, not the Taliban, who wanted to kill me.

What differentiates the Afghans who fought the Russians from those fighting today against the Coalition troops?
I went to Afghanistan with the Mujahideen in 1984 and 1985, when the Afghan fighters were hailed as heroes. They were literally swimming in weapons, to the point that they even used RPGs to cut firewood. They had Stingers (U.S. anti-aircraft missiles) and, of course, the unconditional support of Western media. Both factors helped to balance the war in their favor. Today, Afghan fighters are completely demonized by the media and they only have guns–nowhere near the firepower they had in the 80s. But they are facing the biggest military machinery in the world, so I think they are much more committed, probably due to the lack of resources mentioned before.

Restrepo, a documentary film that shows the life of a battalion of marines in eastern Afghanistan, has recently received several international awards, but your work doesn’t seem to have had the same media coverage. Have you been deliberately ignored?
What I find most striking is that we have had to wait for nine years to get a view of the Taliban like this one. Strangely enough, we were there at the same time, and just two kilometres from the position where Restrepo was filmed. However, I am happy with the circulation my documentary has had because it has been broadcast by the major networks in 14 countries. I think that within a year we will see many films like mine.

Most journalists cover the war with the army, but you do it from the other side, why?
All insurgent movements are different, but they have two aspects in common–they have fewer resources and, of course, far less propaganda. I witnessed something similar to Afghanistan in Peru, where the demonization of Sendero Luminoso (“Shining Path”) was complete. However, I witnessed numerous atrocities at the hands of the Peruvian army–families that had been shot, fighters whose jaw had been removed to extract their gold teeth–if you want to denounce the army’s atrocities you always need to provide solid evidence. It’s just much easier to denounce the insurgents, no matter if it’s Sendero Luminoso or the Taliban. Peru and Afghanistan are two very similar examples of how war propaganda works. This is the typical scenario of an armed conflict where everyone lies.

You are an ex-military guy with a rank of Second Lieutenant and four years of service. Have you ever been accused of switching sides?
I’ve never had any problems with that. Sometimes I’m even asked to give lectures to the military about my experience as a hostage. They have a big interest because they need to know what to do if they’re abducted at some point. Besides, the military appreciate my feedback because it’s interesting for them to see who they are actually fighting.

How do you see the future of Afghanistan in the short term?
Both sides know they can not win this war. I think that today everyone agrees that peace in Afghanistan will come through a negotiation, a peace process that leads to a sharing of power. The keys to such negotiations revolve around whether the Taliban should take, let’s say, four, five, six, or seven ministries. I think that the current surge of troops in Afghanistan is meant to strengthen a position ahead of upcoming negotiations. In short, people are fighting so the Taliban will get just four, and not seven ministries in the future Afghan government. It’s something I’ve seen in other wars like El Salvador, where both sides fought from ‘93 to ‘99 in order to gain a strong position before a negotiation process. It’s very sad because many innocent people are killed in these processes.

The Taliban seem to be in an advantageous position regarding the occupation forces.
The Taliban are winning because they can withstand more casualties. Coalition troops have had 700 casualties in 2010, it has been their worst year since the invasion of the country. The difference is that the opposition can hold many more casualties. And we should not forget that the Taliban today are more realistic, more pragmatic than those before 2001. I do not believe that the pull out of foreign troops would imply the country falling into the hands of the Taliban. The latter understand that they can’t conquer the whole country, they never thought they could, and I think they would be happy if they were given control of the areas where they are strongest, like Kandahar, Helmand, etc.

Paul, being a total badass in Chechnya.

Do you think that journalists like yourself have a future in the midst of a crisis that is also wreaking havoc on the media?
The quality of war reporting has fallen dramatically in the last ten years. On the one hand, it’s our countries who are at war today, and this obviously affects the objectivity of the information. Secondly, I think that too much emphasis is being put on the safety of the journalists. Many people think they can cover a war from their hotel room and occasionally hire local journalists for the dangerous tasks. I remember the so called “disposable Chechens” in Chechnya. They were given a camera and $50. If they returned alive, they were given another $50 to continue rolling. But if something happened no one would take any responsibilities for them. Nevertheless, I am optimistic about the future of independent journalists like myself. We do not need security advisers, no bodyguards, no armored cars… we work on our own and often get the best stories.

KARLOS ZURUTUZA

Mantera Beradu

Still not perfect

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim…

Move the heart
The heart must be moved

Look at me, I am him

I have thick skin, I'm invincible, thought I was invincible
Too much talking, filling the stomach with nothing but air
Always restless, never at ease, life in a mess

I'm a schizophrenia
Afraid that the truth will come out

The truth is out, the map is lost
The stork has returned, with awkward voice

My tongue is frozen, not as smooth as my nails
My best friend is the book,
My wife is the pen, never sleep

I love to peep, never to be looked at
The ending of internal conflict still long to come

Follow the hunch, the pen flies
Look not at a glance, not now
Losing temper,

Asking the big brother, what's the stuff
Body like Badang (hulk) playing with the back of the machete

I draw my keris, the enemy got guns
Keep the tradition, adaptation must be right

7 sacred verses, 7 ending lines
Don't overdo it, let's be evil as long as we're safe

Many of my good friends have been oppressed

The dark clouds hovering above
Bringing tears and restlessness
The yearning has tumbled down

All the scars on the lip and words
All the binding promises
Melted at your side

The best degree comes from the street
From experience, by talking and shaking hands
Conflicting motivation, trying to meditate
Positive and hate become the morning inspiration

Caring is an outdated interpretation
Deafening one ear, obstructing both

Nice face, asking stupid question
Becomes a melody filthier than adultery

You design sins, I design prose
Testosterone, Testarosa
Sosa's ambition, KL, KL, Cosa Nostra (The Mafia)
Winding road ahead, I ride a roller coaster

At peace, no remorse
Have an open mind, I have walked far
(No remorse)
Not perfect, still has some absurdities
Fail to plan, planning to fail

The dark clouds hovering above

Bringing tears and restlessness

The yearning has tumbled down

All the scars on the lip and words

All the binding promises

Melted at your side

Bring the cat to sleep

Bring the tiger to nightmare

Going to other's place

Bring the brain not the knife

Climbing the hill, saying proudly, dad don't worry

Going down in a hurry, startled by three meows

Bring the cat to sleep, bring the tiger to nightmare

Going to other's place, bring the brain not the knife

Pushing the cave's door, using all the body's strength

Empty, unguarded until come three dragons

Thought of fighting, but surely can't win

Winning with the brain, not necessarily with the sword

Before turning into dragon, the koi fish swims gently

The turtle answered with the wrong riddle, everyone got mad

Calling five friends or let it go fast

Worrying about little things, we won't get far

Same green faces, who knows what lie in the hearts

Burning red, a certain death, who would want to?

Stammering three times, always speaking the truth

Everyone's out when the moon is full

Climbing the bamboo plants, looking for the waterfall monastery

Climb up until you see it, mesmerized, now come down

Three snakes chasing, should you jump or hang on?

Go straight and you'll die, turn and you'll perish

The dark clouds hovering above

Bringing tears and restlessness

The yearning has tumbled down

All the scars on the lip and words

All the binding promises

Melted at your side

Poetry of your heart, Your heart is being poetic

Beating my heart, Beating on my heart

The skin can't be changed no matter how frequent we change our clothes

Look here, look here, I'm talking in plain language

All the right words, bring them together

The magic spell becomes one with melody and song

Finally it's perfect.

Taliban: Behind The Masks

All hail to the brave warriors

The defenders

Defending their family, brothers and sisters

Defending their children and wives

Their right and honour

Their only homeland

From monsters ravaging their beloved country

From shameless killers of the weak

From looters and destroyers of nations

True holy warriors of Allah

Will never lose

Death in the cause of Allah or victory

You will never lose

True holy warriors of Allah

Defenders against invasive invaders

Fighters against cruel oppressors

Glory be to you

Shame be to your slayers

Coward slayers of the weak

History will write

History will judge

Justice will be served

Here or in the  Hereafter

Be patient

Be brave

Be steadfast

Be true
Be merciful

Die and live gloriously

Live and die gloriously

Yield not to the enemy

Yield not to the enemy

The Taliban of Environment

srizals

Throughout the world, wonderful wildlife faces an unstoppable onslaught. The sharks were finned alive, only to be discarded into the sea with blood still gushing to die in agony, their bodies laid to waste for their precious tasteless fins, a major ingredient of the classy Chinese soup, a mark of stature. The brave environmentalists trying to bust the lucrative ring controlled not by the dreaded Muslims, were branded as the Taliban of environment. May be it is because the lucrative trades were monopolised by non-Muslims, so the disgusting label were cooked up and awarded to those valiant  nature warriors who try to stop them. My guess of course. 

But with almost a thousand US dollar for a fin, what man would not be tempted? I'm not sure about its said medicinal properties, or why the eaters are so desperately in need of them to stay healthy and distinctively powerful, but with such magical values, the sharks, the top predators of the oceans are getting scarce. Hopefully, the sharks in the sea around Malaysia still enjoy living their precious life as the top predator, not at the lowest part of the food chain in the most despicable way, killed not for their flesh and meat. Where are anti-Halal food crusaders when you need one?

I have to admit; even I had consumed baby sharks, as far as I can remember, two or four fish in the entire of my 39 years of living on borrowed time. I'm sure my act of predation did not jeopardise the existence of the sharks around Malaysia. I do admit, even I had consumed the eggs of the gentle turtles. Trust me, I do count them. Not more than 50 eggs, again within almost 39 years of eating, legally bought up until now. I stop consuming them on realising the dire condition of a friend of mine. He strangely suffers a number of illnesses. I suspect the over consumption of turtles' eggs might have contributed in his deteriorating condition since he always consumed them on regular basis, in the plenty.

As strange as these exotic delicacies seem to be and the filthy rich people dominating their trade, we still can't get rid of plastics in our lives. As much as these exotic foods seem to be playing a part in determining our stature in prestige and prosperity, melamine milk is still being preferred as the cheapest way to get rich for the players in the milk industry in China, the land of the dragons. A current raid exposed these myriad greedy men, never to be blame for their ethnicity and religion, nor for their beliefs. They are just common criminals. No religion, belief system or ethnicity is attached to them. They are not doing these crimes for the sake of their religion, belief system or ethnicity I guess. Not like the Muslims, of course.

The onslaught on the native animals in the lands of the Malay is still going on. The pangolins are in high demand in the land of the peaceful Buddhists. The price ranges between RM 600.00 to RM 1,000.00 per kilo. Now, what Orang Asli is not tempted to catch one and profit from these gifts of nature themselves? I used to toy with them, pulling their tails from their hideouts in the sand hole by the riverbank. I even tempted to keep one huge pangolin as a pet if it was not for my pregnant wife. How I missed the sight of them. 

As I see it, we need to recruit the Orang Asli or the man of the forest to curb these resilient, unrelenting poachers. We recruited these valiant people of the jungle when we were facing the Communist menace once, why not try the same reliable manpower against the looters of our nature's wealth? These invasive species looting the lands are not only a menace, they are like leeches, sucking the blood of our nation's precious faunas dry while fattening up themselves shamelessly. Unlike leeches that know when and how to stop, these invasive species do not. The gentle and trusting local species would be at their very mercy. How evil can they get? How evil they are indeed.

If only there were no non-Malay/Muslim exotic bushmeat traders in the lands of the Malay. Maybe the delicate balance between man and his native world would remain intact. Should the Malays become non-Islamophobic now?

Who's been eating the sharks, tigers, bears and the rhinoceros in Malaysia and all over the world almost to their extinction? The greedy Muslims? 

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1630549.php/Malaysian-wildlife-officers-seize-40-live-pangolins-bound-for-China

http://jameswhitlowdelano.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Death-Throes-of-a-Great-Rainforest/G00009miDLxOoKME/I0000.28cMIUcduE

http://www.bushmeat.org/node/3020

http://www.bushmeat.org/node/3737

"Chinese police have seized more than 26 tonnes of milk powder tainted with melamine from an ice cream maker in a south-western city, state media said, three years after milk tainted with the industrial chemical killed six and made thousands ill." 

http://mg.co.za/article/2011-04-27-china-seizes-26-tonnes-of-melaminetainted-milk

The Chosen One

In The Bible

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (pbuh) IN THE BIBLE by Dr. Zakir Naik

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the Old Testament:

The Qur’an mentions in Surah Al-Araf chapter 7 verse 157: "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (scriptures) in the law and the Gospel".

1.

MUHAMMAD (PBUH) PROPHESISED IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY:

Almighty God speaks to Moses in Book of Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 18: "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth; and  he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." The Christians say that this prophecy refers to Jesus (pbuh) because Jesus (pbuh) was like Moses (pbuh). Moses (pbuh) was a Jew, as well as Jesus (pbuh) was a Jew. Moses (pbuh) was a Prophet and Jesus (pbuh) was also a Prophet. If these two are the only criteria for this prophecy to be fulfilled, then all the Prophets of the Bible who came after Moses (pbuh) such as Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist, etc. (pbut) will fulfill this prophecy since all were Jews as well as prophets. However, it is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who is like Moses (pbuh):

i)	Both had a father and a mother, while Jesus (pbuh) was born miraculously without any male intervention. [Mathew 1:18 and Luke 1:35 and also Al-Qur'an 3:42-47]
ii)	Both were married and had children. Jesus (pbuh) according to the Bible did not marry nor had children.
iii)	Both died natural deaths. Jesus (pbuh) has been raised up alive. (4:157-158)

Muhammad (pbuh) is from among the brethren of Moses (pbuh). Arabs are brethren of Jews. Abraham (pbuh) had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac (pbut).  The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail (pbuh) and the Jews are the descendants of Isaac (pbuh). Words in the mouth: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was unlettered and whatever revelations he received from Almighty God he repeated them verbatim. "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." [Deuteronomy 18:18]

iv)	Both, besides being Prophets were also kings i.e. they could inflict capital punishment.  Jesus (pbuh) said,     "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36).
v)	Both were accepted as Prophets by their people in their lifetime but Jesus (pbuh) was rejected by his people.  John chapter 1 verse 11 states, "He came unto his own, but his own received him not."
iv)	Both brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Jesus (pbuh) according to the Bible did not bring  any new laws. (Mathew 5:17-18).

2.	It is Mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18:19
	"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not harken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."
3.	Muhammad (pbuh) is prophesised in the book of Isaiah:
	It is mentioned in the book of Isaiah chapter 29 verse 12: "And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned." When Archangel Gabrail commanded Muhammad (pbuh) by saying Iqra - "Read", he replied, "I am not learned".
4.	Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) mentioned by name in the old testament:
	Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon chapter 5 verse 16: "Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem." "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." In the Hebrew language im is added for respect. Similarly im is added after the name of Prophet Muhammad  (pbuh) to make it Muhammadim. In English translation they have even translated the name of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as "altogether lovely", but in the Old Testament in Hebrew, the name of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is yet present.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the New Testament: Al-Qur'an Chapter 61 Verse 6: "And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said, 'O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed.' But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, 'This is evident sorcery!' " All the prophecies mentioned in the Old Testament regarding Muhammad (pbuh) besides applying to the Jews also hold good for the Christians.

1.	John chapter 14 verse 16:
	"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever."
2.	Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 26:
	"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me."
3.	Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 7:
	"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". "Ahmed" or "Muhammad" meaning "the one who praises" or "the praised one" is almost the translation of the Greek word Periclytos. In the Gospel of John 14:16, 15:26, and 16:7. The word 'Comforter' is used in the English translation for the Greek word Paracletos which means advocate or a kind friend rather than a comforter.   Paracletos is the warped reading for Periclytos. Jesus (pbuh) actually prophesised Ahmed by name. Even the Greek word Paraclete refers to the Prophet (pbuh) who is a mercy for all creatures. Some Christians say that the Comforter mentioned in these prophecies refers to the Holy Sprit. They fail to realise that the prophecy clearly says that only if Jesus (pbuh) departs will the Comforter come. The Bible states that the Holy Spirit was already present on earth before and during the time of Jesus (pbuh), in the womb of Elizabeth, and again when Jesus (pbuh) was being baptised, etc. Hence this prophecy refers to none other than Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
4.	Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 12-14:
	"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 unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me".
The Sprit of Truth, spoken about in this prophecy referes to none other than Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) NOTE: All quotations of the Bible are taken from the King James Version.