Names of Mohammad and ‘Ali (SBUT) in the Bible

Part 17

 

There are other somewhat ambiguous occurrences of the word ‘Ali in the old testament of the current bible but we are going to look at only one more case; Dr. Thomas McElwain says:

 

 “There is a final verse in Ezekiel 3:14 where the word could just as well be translated as an epithet of God. The Authorised Version gives So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. The alternative translation would be “...the hand of the LORD exalted was strong.”

 

The Authorised Version has obviously translated “’Ali” as “upon me”; and the Dr. is translating it as “exalted”.

 

Again here ‘Ali may very well be considered as the Hand of God, as explained in part 16 of this writing …

 

Before closing our brief look at the so called old testament of the current bible we wish to present the following thought from Thomas McElwain:

 “… several of the ambiguous names, notably those in the Torah, associate the name cAli with a source of water. This brings to mind Qur’anic associations, specifically the pool of Kauthar and the role given to cAli (as) in that regard. While it is not possible to state that the word cAli in the Hebrew Scriptures is used in a prophetic [of the nature of prophecy] sense in regard to cAli (as), there are passages that seem to be evocative of that. They are ambiguous, and perhaps refer to God, but the possibility remains that they are faint intimations, or perhaps more than faint intimations of a promised figure to come.”

 

Any how, the few possible occurrences of the exact name ‘Ali which have been mentioned are from that which is called the old testament in the current bible; of course what was originally mentioned in the undistorted versions of these books Allah Knows Best …

 

May Allah in His Grace hasten the wonderful Appearance of the everPromised Hadrat Mahdi (SBUH) … when the Truth shall be divulged … AAMEEN …

 

Now we are going to move on to the so called new testament of the current bible …

 

First we need to remember a very important prophecy stated in the book of Deuteronomy of the old testament of the current bible:

 

1:1 These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel …

 

18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me [Moses]; unto him ye shall hearken;

 

18:18 I [God] will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee [Moses], and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

 

18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

 

For an analysis of the undeniable fact that the prophesied Prophet who was like Moses (SBUH), was indeed the Prophet Mohammad (SBUH & HA), we cordially invite our friends to read the E-book “Mohammad and the AhlulBayt (SBUT), the Promise of Bible”, and “What the Bible says about Muhammad” with Shi’ah comments- in which some undeniable similarities between Moses and Mohammad (SBUT), and obvious dissimilarities between Moses and Jesus (SBUT) are indicated- in this site: kindfather.com

 

In addition Thomas McElwain, formerly a christian scholar, in the introduction to his “Islam in the Bible” writes:

 

“The subject of Biblical prophecy as related to Muham­mad is widely dealt with by Ahmed Deedat, Abdul-Ahad Dawud, and many others. I have said little here in addition to such studies and left out much that has been said. I would only add something to Ahmed Deedat's excellent handling of Deuteronomy 18:18, `I will raise 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.' Christians often claim that this refers to Jesus. But the parallel between Moses and Jesus seems inconsistent, since Christians claim Jesus to be God and deny such status to Moses. If Jesus is God, he is definitely not like Moses and the passage cannot apply to him. If he is not God, then the Christian doctrine falls.”

 

The fulfillment of this very prophecy of a Promised Prophet like Moses was undoubtedly what the jews at time of Jesus (SBUH) were still anticipating. But the jews were also anticipating: Messiah (Christ, which according to Webster Unabridged Dictionary is the translation of the Hebrew Messiah), and Elias (Elijah, Elia, Eli, …, please also refer to parts 7 to 12 of this writing).

 

The gospel of John in the new testament verifies that the jews at time of Jesus (SBUH) were indeed waiting for the fulfillment of THREE distinct prophecies: 1) The coming of Messiah, 2) The coming of Elias, and 3) The coming of That Prophet:

 

1:19 And this is the record of John [the baptist], when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

 

1:20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

 

1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

 

The case of “that Prophet” is quite clear; “that Prophet” was indeed Hadrat Mohammad (SAWA) who had not yet come. As for “Messiah”, the jews were actually waiting  for “two Messiahs”; one being a priestly Messiah sent to the children of Israel, Jesus son of Mary (SBUT) whom the jews rejected; and the other, the kingly Savior of humankind at the Last Days, Hadrat Mahdi of Mohammad (SBUT) who is yet to Appear … in this regard, we refer readers to all parts of the article “Two Messiahs” in this site: kindfather.com

 

And as for Elias … in addition to the points mentioned in parts 7 to 12 of this writing, let us consider:

 

At time of the Prophet ‘Eesa- Jesus- (SBUH), Hadrat Yahya, known as John the Baptist to christians- (SBUH) clearly, as indicated above in gospel of John 1:21, denied that he was Elias.

 

Some christians referring to gospel of Matthew 11:14 claim that Jesus did say that John (SBUT) was Elias; let us look at a few versions of this passage:

 

And if ye will receive it this is Elias which was for to come. (KJV)

 

Indeed, if you are willing to accept it he is Eliyahu, whose coming was predicted. (CJB)

 

And if you wish to accept it, he is Ěliyahu who was about to come. (TS1998 version)

 

If we pay attention Jesus (SBUH) here was not literally confirming that John the Baptist was Elias; rather talking to those who were anticipating Elias, Jesus was perhaps telling them if they wished to believe that John was Ěliyahu, they could do so since John had come “in the spirit of” Elias as a helper of Jesus. In part 11 of this writing we have already established that “Throughout the ages followers of bible have always associated the name Elijah (the Anglicized form of Elia, Eli, Eliya, Eliea, …) as an anticipated loving and reverent helper”.

 

Again in Matthew 17:13 it is verified that Jesus (SBUH) did not literally say that John was Elias rather the disciples thought so: “Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.”

 

Some christians trying to explain the contradiction regarding John’s denial of being Elias and Jesus’ seemingly confirming, have given different interpretations which we have, previously in parts 7 to 12 of this writing, looked at a few; also some such as Dr. Michael Pedrin a Seventh-day Adventist, have concluded that John was not the literal but the symbolic Elijah …

 

Any how … for an undeniable clue to the identity of that real “Anticipated beloved Elia, Elijah, Elias, …” let us look at gospel of Luke in which it is claimed that the angel Gabriel told Zacharias, John’s father:

 

“Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John... And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:13, 17)

 

According to this passage too, John (known as Hadrat Yahyaa (SBUH) in the Majestic Qur’an) was not really the “Anticipated Elias”, rather it is clearly stated that John was “in the spirit and power of Elias”.

 

Let us also remember the prophecy in Malachi of the old testament in which the “Anticipated Elijah” was said to come before “The great and dreadful day of the Lord.” (Malachi 4:5) … Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse …

 

Undoubtedly John did come before Jesus (SBUT), but that time (the time of John and Jesus) was by no means a “dreadful day of the Lord”; a day, according to other biblical statements, when The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood … (Joel 2:31, …)

 

So from this aspect, the loving “Anticipated Elijah” was to come first to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers … then the “Dreadful Day” was going to happen and God was going to curse and La’n those who were going to cause that “Dreadful Day” …

 

In order to understand this, let us refer to the undistorted version of the Prophet Zakariyaa’s (Zacharias, Zechariah …) supplication. We cordially invite our friends to refer to the article “A rain of Red dust and blood” in this site, kindfather.com, which is a translation of a precious Hadith from Imam Reza (SBUH) in this regard …

 

In this Hadith Imam Reza (SBUH) talking to one of his close companions, has clarified that first of Moharram was the day when the Prophet Zakariya (SBUH) prayed: “O' my Lord! Grant me from Your Presence, a pure offspring, surely You are the Listener of prayers.” [cf Surah 19 of the Majid Qur’an]

 

By command of Allah, angels addressed him and said: “O' Zakariya! Surely Allah gives you the good news about Yahya -John- [known as the Baptist to christians], a confirmer.”  

 

Then the Imam (SBUH) explained “the dreadful Day” of the tenth of Moharram, ‘Aashoora, for his companion and follower, son of Shabeeb …

 

“O' son of Shabeeb! Indeed Moharram is the month which the people of Jaaheliyah of the past, honored it by considering cruelty and war as unlawful in it, and this Ommah [nation] have neither recognized the Hormat [honor and …] of this month, nor the Hormat of their Prophet (PBUH & HP); surely in this month, they killed his children, captured his women, and plundered his possessions;

 

THUS ALLAH SHALL NEVER EVER FORGIVE THEM. 

 

O' son of Shabeeb! IF YOU EVER CRY FOR ANY THING, SO DO CRY FOR HOSSAIN SON OF ALI SON OF ABITAALEB (PBUT); and indeed he was slaughtered as a sheep is slaughtered! And with him were killed eighteen men from his household whom no one resembles, on earth! And certainly the Heavens and the lands cried in his killing; indeed four thousand angels descended down to earth to assist him, and they surely found him killed, and they have been next to his grave, dusty and with disheveled appearance, until when the Qaa'em (PBUH) shall Rise, so that they will be his helpers; and their slogan has been: "O' THE SEEKERS OF THE BLOOD OF HOSSAIN!" … ”

 

[Please also refer to the article “Zebh ‘Azim (Grand Slaughter)” in this site: kindfather.com]

 

The Imam (SBUH) has also asserted that: “O' son of Shabeeb! Surely my father has narrated from his father from his forefather (PBUT), indeed when my forefather Hussain (PBUH) was killed, red dust and blood rained from the sky; O' son of Shabeeb! If you cry for Hossain (PBUH) until your tears flow on your face, Allah shall forgive all your sins, small or big, few or many. O' son of Shabeeb! If it delights you to meet Allah while you are sin-free, SO DO GO ON ZIYAARAT OF HUSSAIN (PBUH). O' son of Shabeeb! If it delights you to abide in a place in Heaven with the Prophet and his Progeny (PBUT), SO DO LA'N [CURSE, …] THE KILLERS OF HOSSAIN (PBUH). O' son of Shabeeb! If it delights you to gain rewards like those who were martyred with Hossain (PBUH), so any time you remember Hossain (PBUH), do say: "I WISH I WAS WITH THEM, SO THAT I MAY HAVE ACHIEVED SALVATION, A GREAT SALVATION" O' son of Shabeeb! If it delights you to be with us in the most exalted levels of Heavens, SO BE SAD FOR OUR [THE AHLULBAYT'S] SORROW, AND BE JOYFUL FOR OUR JOY; [I EXHORT EARNESTLY] UPON YOU, OUR WILAYAT …”

 

In another Hadith as mentioned in this site in the article “Watchful Presence of our beloved Mahdi (PBUH)”  Part 4, Hadrat Mahdi (SBUH) has asserted that Zakariya (SBUH), when being informed about Imam Hosain (SBUH), said:

 

“When Zakariya (PBUH) heard that, he did not leave his place of prostration for three days and prevented people from entering unto him, and resorted to crying, and his lament was: 

 

O my God! Will You bereave the best of all your creations [Hadrat Mohammad (PBUH & HP)] of his son? [I.e. will You allow it to happen, justice-fully, by not taking away the bestowed freedom and power of humankind so that the cruel wrong doers deserve Hell as the result of their own actions?] 

 

O my God! Will You descend the suffering of this grief before his presence? 

 

O my God! Will You clothe Ali and Fatemah (PBUT) with the garment of this bereavement? 

 

O my God! Will You allow the pain of this bereavement in their presence? 

 

Then he [Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH)] continued: 

 

He [Zakariya (PBUH)] then said: 

 

O my God! Bestow upon me a son and by him light up my eyes in my old age; and once You bestow him upon me make me zealous in his love, then bereave me of him, just as You bereave Mohammad (PBUH & HP), Your Habib (Beloved), of his son. 

 

Then Allah bestowed upon him Yahya [known as John the Baptist among christians], and bereaved him of him. [Hadrat Yahya (PBUH) was also martyred and decapitated.] …”

 

So Prophet Zakariya (SBUH) was told in regard to the “Dreadful Day” of ‘Aashoora … and Zakariya (SBUH) knew that Hadrat ‘Ali (SBUH)- manifestation of Divine love and benevolence- would come, and loving him would bind the hearts of true believers … and Zakariya (SBUH) cried for the “Dreadful Day” of ‘Aashoora … then, Zakariya (SBUH) was given the glad tiding in regard to a son who would bind hearts and would be martyred in the cause of Allah …

 

To be continued …