MUHAMMAD'S (PBUH) CLEMENCY

MUHAMMAD'S (PBUH) CLEMENCY

Contrast the alleged forgiveness from the "cross" with the historical bloodless conquest of Makkah by Muhammad (pbuh) at the head of ten thousand "saints" [A fulfilment of another prophecy in Muhammad (pbuh). "...He came from mount Paran (that is in Arabia), and he came with ten thousand saints..." Deuteronomy 33:2.] (his companions).

"THE CITY WHICH HAD TREATED HIM SO CRUELLY, DRIVEN HIM AND HIS FAITHFUL BAND FOR REFUGE AMONGST STRANGERS, WHICH HAD SWORN HIS LIFE AND THE LIVES OF HIS DEVOTED DISCIPLES, LAY AT HIS FEET. HIS OLD PERSECUTERS RELENTLESS AND RUTHLESS, WHO HAD DISGRACED HUMANITY BY INFLICTING CRUEL OUTRAGES UPON INOFFENSIVE MEN AND WOMEN, AND EVEN UPON THE LIFELESS DEAD, WERE NOW COMPLETELY AT HIS MERCY. BUT IN THE HOUR OF HIS TRIUMPH EVERY EVIL SUFFERED WAS FORGOTTEN, EVERY INJURY INFLICTED WAS FORGIVEN, AND A GENERAL AMNESTY WAS EXTENDED TO THE POPULATION OF MAKKAH ..." Sayed Amir Ali in "The Spirit of Islam"

Calling before him the populace of the vanquished city, he addressed them with 
"What do you expect at my hands today?" 
His people had known him too well, even from his childhood so they replied, 
"Mercy, O generous brother and nephew!" 
Tears came into the eyes of the Prophet, and he said, 
"I will speak to you as Joseph spoke unto his brethren, I will not reproach you today: go you are free!"

And now a scene was enacted of which there is really no parallel in the history of the world. Hosts upon hosts came forward and adopted the religion of Islam. God Almighty testifies as to the lofty and exalted behaviour of His Messenger - 
Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct). Holy Quran 33:21

How well has Lamartine¹ unknowingly echoed these sentiments -

"AS REGARDS ALL STANDARDS BY WHICH HUMAN GREATNESS MAY BE MEASURED, WE MAY WELL ASK, IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?"

In reply, we too can say once more, "No! there is no man greater than Muhammad (pbuh). Muhammad (pbuh) was the greatest man that ever lived!"

Source

To Be Continued....

4th Dream in the Qur’an - DREAMS IN ISLAM

4th. Dream:

The same surah (chapter) of the Qur’an (Yusuf) which contains the three previous dreams, also contains a fourth dream.  The King of Egypt himself saw seven fat cows, then seven lean cows devouring the fat cows etc:

“The King said: I saw seven fatted cows which seven lean ones devoured; and seven green ears (of wheat or corn) and seven others dry.  O my nobles, tell me the meaning of this dream, if you can interpret dreams.  They said: They are confused dreams; nor are we skilled in the interpretation of dreams.”

 (Qur’an: Yusuf:-12:43-4)

He considered the dream to be so important that he searched the land for someone to interpret it. No one could do so. Eventually Joseph himself had to be approached in prison to interpret the dream, which he did:

“For seven consecutive years shall you sow.  But leave your entire harvest of wheat (or corn) in the ear (the better to preserve it) except a little which you may consume (i.e., consume the minimum amount of food for those seven years). 

Then there will follow seven years of drought (and thus hardship) which will force you to consume all but a little of the food which you stored.

Then there will come a year of abundant rain in which people will press the grape.”

(Qur’an: Yusuf:-12: 47-49)

   

Using the symbolism of fat and lean cows, and ears of corn which were full and bare, the dream prophesied that seven continuous years of drought would follow seven continuous years of  harvest - something which experts in climatology may wish to reflect over before concluding on the nature of contemporary climatic changes.  The correct interpretation of the dream permitted the Egyptian ruler to take appropriate action which averted a national and, even, regional disaster.  Joseph sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was placed in charge of all food supplies of Egypt.  For seven years he diligently stored the grain.  Then, exactly as the dream had indicated, seven years of drought  followed.  This, in turn, was followed by a year of abundant rainfall and bumper harvests.  And so the dream came true.  By acting in a manner appropriate to the interpretation of the dream the King of Egypt saved his people and the entire region from disaster.

In this modern age of stupendous scientific progress, however, it would be considered by some to be ridiculous for affairs of State to be so dramatically influenced by dreams.

Yet the significance of this event, narrated by no less an authority than the Book of Allah Most High itself, is that dreams can transcend the personal affairs of the individual dreamer to prophesy future events and convey information of strategic national importance affecting an entire country or region.  Also there is the important recognition that there are some dreams which can only be interpreted by those so gifted by Allah Most High or by those who diligently pursue the science of the interpretation of dreams within an overall context of the enhancement of piety (taqwa). Such a man was the great psychologist of Islam, Ibn Sireen, whose classical work, Tafseer al-Ahlam, remains the only comprehensive work on the subject by a Muslim theoretician up to this day.

We wish to here enter a reminder to Islamic revolutionary forces struggling around the world to restore Islam as an authentic civilization that such a goal cannot be achieved if one ignores this vitally important and last remaining medium (i.e., dreams) through which Allah  Most High communicates with His servants.

Source: Dreams in Islam by Imran Hosein
To be continued ....

2nd & 3rd Dream in the Qur’an - DREAMS IN ISLAM

2nd. and 3rd. Dreams:

The Qur’an declared that Allah Most High taught Joseph the interpretation of dreams:

“Thus does thy Lord choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of stories (i.e., dreams).” 

(Qur’an: Yusuf:-12:6)

and, as a consequence, his reputation for interpreting dreams must have spread throughout  the prison after his imprisonment in Egypt. Two prisoners approached him with their dreams. According to the Biblical account (not contradicted by the Qur’an) they were the King’s cupbearer and baker, both of whom were imprisoned for unspecified offences.  The Qur’an portrayed Joseph  correctly interpreting the dreams of  the two prisoners, dreams which they themselves, like the earlier young Joseph, could not interpret.

In the first instance  the dream communicated, through the symbol of the pouring of wine for the King, the happy news of immanent freedom and a return to the employ of the King.  In the second, the tragic news of execution was conveyed through the symbols of birds eating from a basket of bread held on the head of the dreamer. In both instances, the dreams communicated information of vital personal importance  relating, this time, to immediate  future events which were to take place in the lives of the individuals who had the dreams:

“Two young men went to prison with him (Joseph).  One of them said: I saw (in a dream) that I was pressing grapes.  And the other said: I saw (in a dream) that I was carrying bread on my head, and that birds came and ate of it.”   (And both entreated Joseph) Let us know the real meaning of this. Verily, we see that you are one of those who well know (how to interpret dreams).  

 (Qur’an: Yusuf:-12:36)

Joseph sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam  correctly interpreted both dreams.  And both turned out to be true dreams:

“(And now) O my companions in the prison!  I shall tell you the meaning of your dreams:) As to one of you he will (again)  pour out wine for his lord (the King) to drink: but as for the other, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. (But whatever be your future,) the matter on which you have asked me to enlighten you has been decided (by Allah).”

 (Qur’an: Yusuf:-12:41)

It is significant that a true dream can also communicate sad news, or news of a tragedy.  As a consequence Islam has given a certain Ada (etiquette) for a listener when he is about to listen to a dream someone wishes to disclose. ¹⁴

A dream can also be the means through which Allah Most High informs us of His displeasure, disappointment or even anger with us or with someone close to us.  Unless the servant of Allah Most High is careful enough in monitoring his or her dreams, he/she may not recognize a ‘wake up’ call from Allah Most High and may, as a consequence, suffer greatly from that act of ignorance, indifference or carelessness.       

 

Source: Dreams in Islam by Imran Hosein
To be continued ....

1st Dream in the Qur’an - DREAMS IN ISLAM

1st. Dream:

The Prophet Joseph (Yusuf) had a dream in which he saw the sun, the moon and eleven stars prostrating themselves before him. His father, the Prophet Jacob (Yacub), immediately understood the significance of the dream and warned him not to disclose it to his brothers for fear that they might harm him:

“Behold, Joseph said to his father: father, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating themselves before me.  He said: O my son, say nothing of this dream to your brothers, lest they should plot evil against you: the devil is the sworn enemy of man.”

(Qur’an: Yusuf:-12:4-5)

Joseph sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam could not as yet interpret his dream, but his father did.  Both in the Biblical and in the Qur’anic accounts of the dream Jacob sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam immediately interpreted the dream to mean that his son was destined for future greatness, with the eleven stars symbolizing his brothers and the sun and moon his parents. There is an important difference, however, in the two accounts to which Asad directs attention:

“Whereas the Bible quotes the father as “rebuking” his son (Genesis xxxvii, 10) in the obvious assumption that the dream was an outcome of wishful thinking, the Qur’an makes it clear that Jacob - who was himself a prophet - at once realized its prophetic quality and its deeper implications.” ¹³

Not only did Jacob sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam interpret the dream but, just as important, he also recognized the possibility that his less-than-righteous eleven other sons also had the capacity to interpret that dream.  Thus both religious as well as irreligious people may be able to interpret a dream.  Hence the warning from Jacob sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam concerning the indiscriminate public disclosure of dreams.  And Prophet Muhammad

sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam  also advised: 

“ . . . so if any one of you sees that which he likes he should not disclose it to any except to one whom he loves . . .”  

(Narrated by Abu Salama and reported in Sahih Muslim)

The dream of Joseph sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was eventually fulfilled some twenty or thirty years later when his father, mother and all eleven brothers came to Egypt many years later:

“Then when they entered the presence of Joseph, He provided a home for his parents with himself, and said:  Enter ye Egypt (all) in safety if it please Allah.

And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity), and they fell down in prostration (all) before him. 

He said: O my father! This is the fulfilment of  my dream of old! Allah has made it come true!”

(Qur’an: Yusuf:12:99-100)

The significance of the above is that the Qur’an has confirmed that a dream can prophesy future events.  Events seen in a dream may belong even to the distant  future, and such dreams may employ symbols which require interpretation.  Some dreams can be interpreted even by ordinary people and, as a consequence, one should exercise adequate care to whom one discloses the contents of a dream.

Of even greater importance to the believers is the indisputable fact that the modern secular epistemology of today’s dominant western civilization has no means of explaining the phenomenon of a true dream such as this.  Truth, however, which is preserved in its authentic form in Islam, has an explanation for the phenomenon of a true dream.  We shall soon provide that explanation Insha Allah.

Source: Dreams in Islam by Imran Hosein
To be continued ....