160 - PROMINENT PROPHETS & MOTHERS OF BELIEVERS PROPHET ISA - TopicsExpress

160 - PROMINENT PROPHETS & MOTHERS OF BELIEVERS PROPHET ISA (Alaihus Salam) Birth of Prophet Isa Archangel Jibreel came to Maryam and told her that she will have a pious son, who would be called Isa and would be an exalted Prophet of Allah. ‘How is it possible when no man has touched me?’ asked Maryam. ‘It will happen by the Will of Allah (1)’, replied Jibreel. The birth of Prophet Isa is like that of Hazrat Adam who was made from earth and given a soul. After this, Maryam went to the Aqsa Mosque to continue her prayers. She, however, was very much worried. While praying, she would cry and ask Allah, how would she face her people with a baby in her belly? Soon the Bani Israel came to know about it, and started questioning her pregnancy. They alleged and charged her with promiscuity, but she kept quiet. After nine months, when the time of delivery came closer, Maryam, at the command of Allah, went to Bait-ul-Laham (Bethlehem) about four to six miles away from Jerusalem and rested under the trunk of a palm tree. Soon, she delivered her son Isa. The dry tree, it is said, immediately became alive and fresh with ripe dates and a fountain of water sprouted under it, to feed Maryam. After the birth of her son, Maryam was very worried about facing her people. She was instructed to go back to Bait-ul-Maqdes and not to speak to the people. She was asked to tell them that she was fasting and therefore could not speak. She was instructed to direct them toward the child, who would speak for himself. She returned. When the people asked her about the child and his father, she pointed toward the child and gestured that the baby would answer. ‘How can a child speak?’ They argued. Allah made the child speak: ‘I’m the servant of Allah. Allah has made me a Prophet with a book, to convey His message to you.’ The Bani Israel could not resist this miracle. They came daily to sit near the baby’s cot and listen to him, reciting the holy Torah. Most people believed in the miracle of the child. However, there were some who thought it a bad omen for the ruler. It is said that when Prophet Isa was born, the same night the ruler of Faris (Iran) saw a new bright star on the sky. He asked his astrologers about it, who told him that the new star marks the birth of a great person somewhere near Bait-ul-Maqdes. He would be the King of Spiritualism. The ruler, with lots of gifts for the child, sent his delegation to the King of Syria - Heroses, to inquire about the child. Heroses sent his people to find the child. When they found him, the delegation from Faris presented the gifts to the child. During their stay in Bait-ul-Maqdes, they saw in a dream that the King of Syria was against the blessed child and considered him a threat to his rule. They advised Maryam to take him away somewhere to save his life. It is said that she took him to Egypt to her relatives and returned when he was thirteen years old. Prophet Isa delivers the message At the age of about thirty, Prophet Isa was blessed with Prophethood and he started giving Allah’s message to the Bani Israel. He travelled from city to city to deliver the message. The Bani Israel however argued why should they leave Deen-e-Musa (the religion of Moses) and accept a message from a man who did not even have a father. Prophet Isa tried his best to bring them to the Divine Message, but in vain. Disappointed, he moved to a village, where he saw some men washing their clothes. ‘You clean the clothes of other people, but you should also clean your hearts,’ commented the Prophet. ‘How can we do that?’ asked the men. ‘By reciting the Kalmah - La illaha illallaho Isa Roh Allah’ (Verily, there is no one to worship but Allah, and Isa is His messenger). They recited the Kalmah and joined him as his followers and helped him in the propagation of his message. Later, they were known as Ansars or Hawarees (friends). Prophet Isa continued further and passed by a river where he saw some fishermen. He gave them the message, but they asked for some signs of his Prophethood as the earlier Prophets had. ‘Ine akhloqo lakum mina-teen (I can put soul in the shapes of animals made from clay and then, they become alive like real animals). I can cure the blind and leper, and can raise the dead. Also, I can tell you what you have eaten and what you have left at home. This power and knowledge is given to me by Allah, and you should follow His message.’ They asked him to bring food for them from the skies, as a proof to his Prophethood. Prophet Isa prayed to Allah lifting his hands toward the sky. Jibreel appeared and told him that Allah would send food for them, but then if they did not accept the message they would be severely punished (2). A big platter, with a variety of food (including fish) came down from the sky. They did not touch anything and asked Prophet Isa to make the fish alive. Prophet Isa prayed to Allah, and the fish became alive and jumped out of the platter. The people were scared, and asked him to return it to its original shape. Once again, it became the cooked fish. After this, Prophet Isa enjoyed the meal. Some people ate with him but some refused. The next day again, the food platter appeared and several people enjoyed it. At night, the platter would go back to the sky. This practice continued for three days. Some books quote that the food came for forty days. Those who refused to eat the food, turned into pigs and monkeys. The ones who ate were given the privilege of the followers. Unusual events Like other exalted prophets, Prophet Isa also came across several unusual events, as mentioned in the books. There lived a very pious woman in his time. Once, she was making bread for her son, when the prayer time came. She left everything and engaged herself in prayers. When she finished, she found her son in the hearth playing with fire. She rushed to pull him out from the fire, and was astonished to see him not hurt at all. When she told her husband about the incident, he took her to Prophet Isa to find out how their son could escape the burns. Prophet Isa asked her what good work had she done in return of which Allah had saved her son? ‘I don’t know’, said the woman. ‘But I believe in the following four things: a) I am grateful to Allah all the time. b) I am patient in pain. c) I am content with what Allah has given me. d) I never give preference to worldly things over Allah’s work.’ Hearing this, the Prophet said: ‘This is the reason why Allah has saved your son.’ Once, Prophet Isa passed by a graveyard and saw some light emanating from a grave. He prayed to Allah to open the grave for him so he could learn the cause of that light. The grave opened and a man wrapped with light appeared. Prophet Isa asked him about the light coming out from his grave. ‘I had a very pious son. He used to pray for me, and in response to his prayers Allah forgave my sins.’ ‘Truly Allah accepts prayers of children, in favor of their parents,’ said the Prophet and the grave closed. Prophet Isa meets King Jamjah Prophet Isa once passed through a deserted place, where he saw a very old skull lying on the ground. He prayed to Allah to let the skull answer his questions. Allah accepted his wish and the skull started talking to him. ‘O Prophet of Allah, ask me what you want to know.’ ‘Were you a man or woman, rich or poor, pious or sinful, tall or short, generous or miser, what did you do and what was your name?’ The skull replied: ‘O Prophet of Allah, I was the King of a very large empire, which dominated all the neighboring kingdoms. No other king dared to challenge me. I had such splendor that, while moving around, several thousand attendants accompanied me. I was tall and handsome and had all the luxuries of life. I used to give lots of charity and feed the poor and needy, but I never believed in Allah. I worshipped idols, and my name is Jamjah.’ ‘When did you die and how did you find the angel of death?’ asked Prophet Isa. ‘One hundred years have passed since I died’, replied the skull. ‘One summer while sitting outside in the garden of my palace, I developed a headache. I felt dizzy and weak and could not get up. No treatment or medicine helped. On the fifth day, I lost my voice and my body started shivering. Darkness fell before my eyes and I heard a voice saying: Take his soul to Hell.’ The angel of death appeared in a dreadful form. He was huge. He had several other angels with him, who struck me with batons. I pleaded with them to take all my wealth and empire but spare me the punishment and pain but they would not listen to me. Then they took my soul, and the people around me took my dead body to the graveyard for burial. In the grave I was raised again and I saw two angels: Munkar and Nakeer. They asked me: ‘Mun Rub-o-ka (who is your Creator)?’ I said: ‘You’. Hearing this, they started beating me. Again they asked: ‘Ma Deen-o-ka (what is your religion)?’ My tongue could not move. I did not know what to answer. Then the sides of the grave started crushing me and I was put into Hell. After a long time, I heard someone saying: ‘Put Jamjah before Isa, because he fed the poor and gave charity to the needy. He would be sent again to the world.’ Prophet Isa asked him if he wanted anything from him? ‘Ask Allah to finish my punishment and send me back to this world. I’ll remain his most obedient servant.’ Allah answered the prayer of Prophet Isa and resurrected Jamjah. He recited the Kalmah and thereafter, spent his life in the worship of Allah as long as he lived (3). Maryam leaves It is said that once Prophet Isa accompanied his mother on a journey to Syria. On the way, Syeda Maryam fell sick. The place was almost deserted and no medicine was available. Prophet Isa went to a nearby place to bring some food and medicine. In the meantime, Syeda Maryam passed away. When Prophet Isa returned, he did not find his mother. He called her several times and then came the voice: ‘O my son, why are you calling me? I’m very comfortable in paradise.’ Prophet Isa returned to Bait-ul-Maqdes in tears and continued with his preaching (4). The Crucifixion Soon the Bani Israel became very upset at Isa’s preaching. They went to the ruler and asked him to get rid of the man, as he had become a troublemaker and a big challenge to them and the ruler. They decided to kill him on a Friday evening, so that they could celebrate on Saturday - their day-off. Those days, it was customary that the victim himself would bring the cross on the gallows, on which he would be nailed and executed. The cross was heavy and far away and the restless crowd was eager to see the execution before dark. The weak and frail Prophet Isa tried to haul the heavy cross but he was too slow. A boisterous, young man called Shimon, who very much resembled Prophet Isa, came forward to carry the cross. After giving the cross to him, it is said that Prophet Isa disappeared from the scene. The soldiers erected the cross and got hold of the boy who had brought it. He protested that he was not Isa, but in the babble of so many voices and the dark, no one paid attention to him. The Roman soldiers, who were not aware of the change that had happened on the way while bringing the cross over, ignored his protests. They believed that the convict always made protests before an execution. Shimon was executed. It is said that the thirty-three years old Prophet Isa appeared after three days, but soon he was lifted to heaven (the day is celebrated now as Easter). He did not marry. Another story has it that the Bani Israel surrounded the house of Prophet Isa. When they were about to barge in to hurt him, Allah lifted him to heaven. ‘They (Jews) plotted against him (Prophet Isa), Allah plotted against them (Jews). Verily, Allah is the best planner,’ (Surah al-Imran, verse 54). The Holy Quran states that Isa was not crucified: ‘Wa ma qatalu ho wa ma salabu ho (Neither was he killed, nor crucified, (Surah al-Nisa - verse 157. It is believed that near the Day of Judgment, Jesus would come back again in the world and, along with Imam Mehdi, fight the unbelievers. He would live for forty-five years. He would come as the follower of the Last Prophet and would join the Muslims in their mosques like any other Muslim. It is said that he would be buried near the grave of the Last Prophet. The birth of Prophet Jesus marked the beginning of the Christian calendar. When we say 2000 AD, it means that 2000 years have passed since the death (according to Christians) of Jesus Christ. The period between Prophet Isa and the Last Prophet was 570 years during which no Prophet appeared. The Bible (also called Injeel) was sent to Prophet Isa. Unlike the Holy Quran, not a single version of the present-day Bible is in the original text. In sixteenth century, a very old version of the Bible was found in the library of Pope Skits. That version was read by a very close aide of the Pope, who later stole it away. That version gave the news of the arrival of the Last Prophet and mentioned his name as ‘Ahmed’. The priest, after reading that version, became a Muslim. The Arabic translation of that version was made by Allama Syed Rashid Raza in Egypt. Note: The companions of Prophet Isa were called ‘Hawarees’, who were twelve in number. The word ‘Hawaree’ is derived from ‘Hoor’ which means ‘white’. They were called Hawarees because they washed and whitened the clothes of other people. __________________________________________________ 1 Surah al-Imran (verse 47) 2 Surah al-Maeda (verse 115). 3 Qisas-ul-Anbiya by Maulana Muhammad Abdul Mannan (page 324). 4 Qisas-ul-Anbiya by Maulana Muhammad Abdul Mannan (page 330). __________________________________________________ (Taken from my book - PROMINENT PROPHETS & MOTHERS OF BELIEVERS, published by FEROZSONS, Lahore, 2011). These stories are based on the literature already available in one form or the other such as Tafseer Ibne Kathir (1301 - 1373), widely considered authoritative, Qisasul Anbiya by Maulana Abdulmannan and several other books. For references, see bibliography of the author’s book. Note: Salutations are mentioned in the beginning of the book. To keep the flow of the text they are not repeated all the time. However, I expect readers to say them for the Holy Prophets when they read the story.