Statement 124 a. Remember when Abraham was put to severe tests by his RABB- the Lord Supreme, by enjoining upon him certain injunctions and prohibitions, and, b. Abraham fulfilled them with commitment, humility and devotion. c. Consequently, HE said: d. 'I appoint you a leader and a source of inspiration for the humankind.' e. Abraham respectfully submitted: f. 'What about my descendents?' g. ALLAH responded: h. 'MY promise would not apply to the wrongdoers among your descendents', i.e. the leadership and authority are granted purely on merit, in reward to sincere faith and diligent obedience, and, not inherited through ancestral lineage. Statement 125 a. WE made the House of Ka'abah in Makkah a place of congregation, peace and sanity. b. WE instructed: c. 'Make the spot where Abraham once stood the Leading Place for offering the Prayers. d. WE enjoined upon Abraham and Ishmael to cleanse MY House of Ka'abah for those men and women, young and old, - who walk around it in seven-fold circumambulation, - who sojourn for meditation in its premises, and, - who bow down and who prostrate themselves in the Prayers.' Ayah 124 Wa-ithi ibtala ibraheema rabbuhu bikalimatin faatammahunna qala innee jaaailuka lilnnasi imaman qala wamin thurriyyatee qala la yanalu AAahdee alththalimeen Ayah 125 Wa-ith jaaaalna albayta mathabatan lilnnasi waamnan waittakhithoo min maqami ibraheema musallan waaaahidna ila ibraheema waismaaaeela an tahhira baytiya liltta-ifeena waalaaakifeena waalrrukkaaai alssujood 124 125 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 49
Statement 126 a. And when Abraham made a plea: b. 'O my RABB! c. Please make this Land of Makkah a place of eternal peace and security. d. Kindly bestow plenty of fruitful sustenance on its people. e. The people who firmly believe in - the absolute Unity and the Supremacy of ALLAH, and, - the Day of Judgment.' f. ALLAH responded: g. 'I would. h. Nevertheless, those who do not hold these two fundamental beliefs, i. I shall let them enjoy this worldly life for a while, and then j. I shall drag them into the scourge of the Hellfire. k. This shall be a dreadful destination.' Ayah 126 Wa-ith qala ibraheemu rabbi ijaaal hatha baladan aminan waorzuq ahlahu mina alththamarati man amana minhum biallahi waalyawmi alakhiri qala waman kafara faomattiaauhu qaleelan thumma adtarruhu ila AAathabi alnnari wabi/sa almaseer 126 Statement 127 a. While Abraham was raising the foundations and plinth of the House of Ka'abah - with his elder son Ishmael, they prayed: b. 'O our RABB! c. Please accept this from us. d. Indeed, YOU are All-Hearing. e. YOU are All-Knowing. Ayah 127 Wa-ith yarfaaau ibraheemu alqawaaaida mina albayti waismaaaeelu rabbana taqabbal minna innaka anta alssameeaau alaaaleem 127 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 50
Statement 128 a. 'O our RABB! b. Please make us subservient to YOU. c. Please make out of our descendents a strong community of individuals who should submit to YOU with all humility. d. Please guide us to learn the ways of making ourselves wholly committed to YOUR worshipful obedience. e. Please turn to us with mercyalways and in all ways. f. Indeed, YOU are the Acceptor of Repentance, g. YOU are the Merciful, the Ever- Caring. Ayah 128 Rabbana waijaaalna muslimayni laka wamin thurriyyatina ommatan muslimatan laka waarina manasikana watub AAalayna innaka anta alttawwabu alrraheem 128 Statement 129 a. 'O our RABB! b. Kindly raise up from amongst our descendents a Messenger - a reference to the coming of Prophet Muhammadwho shall convey to them the last and the final testament of YOUR Word, c. who shall teach them fundamentals and wisdom of YOUR Book, d. who shall also correct and re-shape their social behavior and individual lives in accordance with it. e. Indeed, YOU are the Mighty. f. YOU are the Wise.' Ayah 129 Rabbana waibaaath feehim rasoolan minhum yatloo AAalayhim ayatika wayuaaallimuhu mu alkitaba waalhikmata wayuzakkeehim innaka anta alaaazeezu alhakeem 129 Statement 130 a. Who but a foolish person would renounce the Faith of Abraham? b. For it is WE Who selected Abraham for OUR Mission in this life. c. Abraham shall also be distinguished among the righteous in the life after this life. Ayah 130 Waman yarghabu AAan millati ibraheema illa man safiha nafsahu walaqadi istafaynahu fee alddunya wainnahu fee alakhirati lamina alssaliheen 130 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 51
Statement 131 a. When his RABB commanded Abraham: b. 'Submit!' c. Abraham promptly and respectfully responded: d. 'I am fully submitted to YOU - O RABB - the Lord Creator of all the worlds, the universe.' Statement 132 a. Abraham left behind the legacy of this faith to his descendents. b. So did his son Jacob, saying: c. 'O my children! d. ALLAH has choiced for you this Religion of Islam. e. Do not allow death to overtake you until you are in full submission and loyal obedience to Allah, i.e. you are Muslim Faithful!' Statement 133 a. Were you present when death was approaching Jacob and he was concerned about the fate of his legacy and the future of the religion placed in his trust? b. He asked his children: c. 'who would you worship after me when I am dead?' d. Their response reassured Jacob: e. 'We shall worship your ALLAH, f. ALLAH of your ancestors - Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac. g. One ALLAH - the absolute Unity. h. To HIM alone, we shall always submit in wholesome obedience as the Muslim Faithful.' Ayah 131 Ith qala lahu rabbuhu aslim qala aslamtu lirabbi alaaalameen Ayah132 Wawassa biha ibraheemu baneehi wayaaaqoobu ya baniyya inna Allaha istafa lakumu alddeena fala tamootunna illa waantum muslimoon Ayah133 Am kuntum shuhadaa ith hadara yaaaqooba almawtu ith qala libaneehi ma taaabudoona min baaadee qaloo naaabudu ilahaka wa-ilaha aba-ika ibraheema waismaaaeela waishaqa ilahan wahidan wanahnu lahu muslimoon 131 132 133 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 52
Statement 134 a. The people and nations do not live to infinity. They come and they go. b. Their reward is for whatever they did in this life. c. Your reward shall be for whatever you do. d. You shall not be questioned or judged on the merit of their behavior or the strength of their actions. Ayah 134 Tilka ommatun qad khalat laha ma kasabat walakum ma kasabtum wala tus-aloona AAamma kano yaaamaloona 134 Statement 135 a. They preach: b. 'Accept Judaism, propagated by the Jews, or Christianity, propagated by the Christians, c. You shall only then be righteously guided.' d. Tell them: e. 'By no means! f. We believe in the faith of Abraham. The upright faith. g. Abraham was not from amongst those who are polytheists and ascribe divinity in any form to anyone beside ALLAH. Ayah 135 Waqaloo koonoo hoodan aw nasara tahtadoo qul bal millata ibraheema haneefan wama kana mina almushrikeen 135 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 53
Statement 136 a. You should further say: b. 'We have firm belief in - the One and the Only ALLAH, - all that has been bestowed upon us by way of the Qura'n, - what was formerly revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and decedents of Jacob. - the Prophetic missions of Moses, Jesus and other Prophets by their RABB. c. We neither make any differentiation nor discriminate against anyone of them in matters of their prophet-hood and the truth of their respective missions. d. To ALLAH alone we submit in worshipful obedience. e. We are Muslims for HIM. Statement 137 a. In case they are prepared to accept the building blocks of the belief the way you do, i.e. to revert to the original religion of Abraham, the founding father of the Faith of Islam, and declare an overall unity of faith, from that of Abraham right down to Muhammad, only then they shall be righteously guided. b. However, if they do not do so and turn away, they shall be truly in dissension. c. But ALLAH shall suffice for you in dealing with them. d. HE All-Hearing. e. HE is All-Knowing. Ayah 136 Qooloo amanna biallahi wama onzila ilayna wama onzila ila ibraheema waismaaaeela waishaqa wayaaaqooba waal-asbati wama ootiya moosa waaaeesa wama ootiya alnnabiyyoona min rabbihim la nufarriqu bayna ahadin minhum wanahnu lahu muslimoon Ayah 137 Fa-in amanoo bimithli ma amantum bihi faqadi ihtadaw wain tawallaw fainnama hum fee shiqaqin fasayakfeekahumu Allahu wahuwa alssameeaau alaaaleemu 136 137 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 54
Statement 138 a. The Islamic belief takes its mark from ALLAH - the way of life shaped by the principle of the unity and universality of faith that imparts a distinctive character to a Muslim Faithful, that makes them stand out and surpass all others in the world. b. Whose message could give a better mark than ALLAH's? c. To HIM alone we are devoted in complete worship. We are the true monotheists. Statement 139 a. Tell them: b. 'Do you dispute with us about ALLAH, who is our RABB and your RABB? c. Our belief, deeds and actions are for us. d. Your belief, deeds and actions are for you. e. We are sincerely committed in worshipful devotion to HIM alone. We are the true monotheists.' Ayah 138 Sibghata Allahi waman ahsanu mina Allahi sibghatan wanahnu lahu AAabidoon Ayah 139 Qul atuhajjoonana fee Allahi wahuwa rabbuna warabbukum walana aaamaluna walakum aaamalukum wanahnu lahu mukhlisoon 138 139 Statement 140 a. Do you allege that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and decedents of Jacob were either Jews or Christians? b. Challenge them: c. 'Is it you who are more knowledgeable or is it ALLAH?' d. Who is more tyrannical than the one who suppresses the truth from ALLAH? e. Indeed, ALLAH is never unaware of whatever you do. Ayah 140 Am taqooloona inna ibraheema wa-ismaaaeela wa-ishaqa wayaaaqooba waal-asbata kanoo hoodan aw nasara qul aantum aaalamu ami Allahu waman athlamu mimman katama shahadatan AAindahu mina Allahi wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma taaamaloon 140 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 55
Statement 141 a. Now those people have passed away. b. For them is the reward for whatever they earned in this life. c. Your reward shall be for whatever you may earn. d. You shall not be questioned or judged on the strength of their faith, behavior and actions. Ayah 141 Tilka ommatun qad khalat laha ma kasabat walakum ma kasabtum wala tus-aloona AAamma kanoo yaaamaloon 141 Chapter 02 Statement 142 a. The weak-minded in the community, a reference to the Jews, ask: b. 'What has caused the Muslims to turn away from the direction to which they used to offer the Prayers from Jerusalem to Masjid al-haraam in Makkah?' c. Tell them: d. 'the East and the West - all directions - belong to ALLAH,' i.e. places and directions carry no intrinsic merit in themselves, except in as much as ALLAH assigns them merit and to whatever direction one turns, ALLAH will be there. e. HE guides whomsoever HE may wish to the righteous path especially to the one who may earnestly desire to be guided. Ayah 142 Sayaqoolu alssufahao mina alnnasi ma wallahum AAan qiblatihimu allatee kanoo AAalayha qul lillahi almashriqu waalmaghribu yahdee man yashao ila siratin mustaqeemi 142 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 56
Statement 143 a. WE have made you, the Muslims, a moderate and a balanced nation as it should uphold and defend justice and equality for all people. b. Therefore, with your lives and deeds you must testify the Truth of Islam before the rest of the humankind, just as the Prophet Muhammad is an example to you. c. WE abrogated the status of former direction of your Prayers towards Jerusalem, which you were used to face. d. WE did so only in order that WE shall know the Prophet Mohammad's true followers and those who turn away. e. It was indeed a hard test for some Muslims, still fresh from polytheism, but not for those men and women, young and old whom ALLAH guided with pragmatic understanding f. It was definitely not ALLAH's aim to waste the reward for peoples' faith who had previously offered Prayers facing toward the direction of Jerusalem. g. Indeed, ALLAH is allcompassionate to the people. h. HE is ever-merciful to the entire humankind. Ayah 143 Wakathalika jaaaalnakum ommatan wasatan litakoonoo shuhadaa AAala alnnasi wayakoona alrrasoolu AAalaykum shaheedan wama jaaaalna alqiblata allatee kunta AAalayha illa linaaalama man yattabiaau alrrasoola mimman yanqalibu AAala AAaqibayhi wa-in kanat lakabeeratan illa AAala allatheena hada Allahu wama kana Allahu liyudeeaaa eemanakum inna Allaha bialnnasi laraoofun raheem 143 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 57
Statement 144 a. Many a times WE have seen you O Prophet Muhammad turn your face up to US for guidance on re-direction of the qiblah. b. WE are therefore making you turn towards a direction that you will feel happy and satisfied with. c. So, turn your face for the Prayers in the direction of the Masjid al-haraam in Makkah. d. Henceforth, whenever your are offering the Prayers anywhere and everywhere in the world you must turn faces towards this direction. e. Those to whom the former divine scriptures were given, i. e. the Jews and the Christians, etc. know that this Commandment of turning for Prayers towards the Masjid al-haraam in Makkah is absolutely genuine from their RABB. f. ALLAH is not unaware of what they do by way of gossip and intrigues. Statement 145 a. Even though you may offer to bring every evidence and logic in support of your contention, the people of former scriptures would never turn towards the direction of your Qiblah. b. Likewise, you too were also not to accept their qiblah as the direction for your Prayers. c. In fact, none would be prepared to adopt the qiblah of the other as the direction for one s Prayers. d. If you yield to their desires and errant views - in spite of all the Qura'nic injunctions that have been made clear to you - then definitely you are liable to become one of the transgressors. Ayah 144 Qad nara taqalluba wajhika fee alssama-i falanuwalliyannak a qiblatan tardaha fawalli wajhaka shatra almasjidi alharami wahaythu ma kuntum fawalloo wujoohakum shatrahu wa-inna allatheena ootoo alkitaba layaaalamoona annahu alhaqqu min rabbihim wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma yaaamaloon Ayah 145 Wala-in atayta allatheena ootoo alkitaba bikulli ayatin ma tabiaaoo qiblataka wama anta bitabiaain qiblatahum wama baaaduhum bitabiaain qiblata baaadin wala-ini ittabaaata ahwaahum min baaadi ma jaaka mina alaailmi innaka ithan lamina alththalimeen 144 145 English Paraphrasing by Badr Hashemi Page 58