A Backward Glance
We now turn to the history of Jews, in the hope that the
Muslims might learn something from their ups and down.
By the time when
the Qur’an was
being revealed to Prophet Muhammad
(SAW), the Jews
had already passed through two phases of rise and two
phases of decline. In general, they
enjoyed material prosperity
and political domination
as long as they acted righteously, and suffered from misery and
slavery and persecution
whenever they rebelled
against the Divine commands. The
Jews were invited, through the Qur’an — and that invitation is still open — to
accept Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as the last Messenger of God and to repent for
their collective sins. They were clearly warned that rejecting Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) and the Qur’an would mean that their humiliation will continue. The
Qur’an proclaims:
We announced to the Children of
Israel in the Book: “You will surely create disorder twice in the land, and
become exceedingly arrogant.” So, when the time of the first prediction came,
We sent against you Our creatures full of martial might, who ransacked your
cities; and the prediction was fulfilled. Then We gave you a chance against
them, and strengthened you with wealth and children, and increased your numbers
(and said): “If you do good, you will do so for your own good; if you do evil,
you will do it for your own loss.” So when the time of the second prediction
came, (We roused against you another people) to ravage you, and to enter the
Temple as they had done the first time, and to destroy utterly what they
conquered. Your Lord may haply be merciful to you. But if you
repeat (the crime),
We shall repeat
(the punishment). (Al-Isra 17:4-9)
In order to comprehend these historical events, alluded
to in the above verses, and to appreciate their significance with regard to the
Muslims of the world, we must go back in time.
As mentioned before,
Jews are the
descendants of Prophet Yaqoob
(AS) — also known as Israel — son of Prophet Ishaq (AS), son of Prophet Ibrahim
(AS). Prophet Ibrahim (AS) had migrated, nearly 4000 years ago, from the city
of Ur in the Euphrates Valley (now Iraq) to Cannan (now divided between Jordan
and Israel), along with his wife Prophet Sarah (SA) and nephew Prophet Lut
(AS). Prophet Ibrahim (AS) acquired a second wife, Hajrah (SA), who bore him
Isma‘el, when he was 86 years old. Then, at the ripe old age of 100, Sarah (SA)
gave birth to his second son, Ishaq. Prophet Ibrahim (AS) established two
centers for the spread of God’s word, one in Makkah where he settled Hajirah
(SA) and her son Prophet Isma‘el (AS), and the other in Palestine where he
settled Sarah (SA) and her son Prophet Ishaq (AS). This gave rise to the birth
of two great nations, Banu Isma‘el and Banu Israel, as promised by Almighty
Allah (SWT). According to the Old Testament:
God said to Abraham: “Look up at
the sky, and count the stars, if you can. So many will your descendants be.”
(Genesis 15:5)
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