The Big Move
Death approached the man of 'Amooreeyah. Salman repeated his requests, but [this time] the answer was different. The man said, 'O son! I don't know of anyone who is upon the same [religion] as we are. However, a Prophet will emerge in your lifetime, and this Prophet is on the same religion as Abraham."
The bishop knew the Path of Abraham. It is the origin of Monotheism, and calls to the worship of Allah Alone. The bishop knew well what Abraham recommended his children,
)) وَوَصَّى بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ ))
"And this (submission to Allah, i.e. Islam) was enjoined by Abraham upon his sons and (so did) Jacob, saying, 'O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except on the Faith of Islam.'"
[Surah al-Baqarah (2):132]
Abraham married Sarah and Haajar (Hagar). From his descendants with his union with Sarah were Isaac,Jacob,Joseph, David,Solomon, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them all; and from his descendants with his union with Haajar were Ishmael and Muhammad. Ishmael was raised in Becca (known also as Makkah) in Arabia, and Muhammad was from his descendants.
The man knew that the faith of Abraham is the true faith to be followed. He must have read the promise of Allah to raise a 'Great Nation' from the lineage of Ishmael (Genesis 21:18), and so he recommended Salman to go and join the Prophet, who is from the descendants of Ishmael, who submits to Allah and follows the path of Abraham.
(رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ129 )
"Our Rubb!10 send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in this Book (this Qur'aan) and 'Al-Hikmah' (Full knowledge of Allah's Laws of Jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood, etc.), and shall sanctify them. You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise."
[Surah al-Baqarah (2):129]
( ثُمَّ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ أَنِ اتَّبِعْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفاً وَمَاكَانَ مِنَ المُشْرِكِينَ 123 )
" Then, We have inspired you ( O Muhammad ) (saying), 'Follow the religion of Abraham 'Hanifan' (Islamic Monotheism, to worship none but Allah) and he was not of the 'mushrikoon' [i.e., polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger, those who worship others along with Allah or set up rivals with (or partners to ) Allah etc.]' "
[Surah an-Nahl (16):123]
(إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَذَا النَّبِيُّوَالَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (68 ) )
"Verily, those among mankind who have the best claim to Abraham are those who followed him, and this Prophet (Muhammad) and those who have believed (Muslims). And Allah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers."
[Surah Aali 'Imraan(3):68]
The man described this Prophet, saying, "He will be sent with the same religion as Abraham. He will come from the land of Arabia and will migrate to a place located in between two lands filled with black stones [as if burned by fire]. There are palm trees spread in the midst of these two lands. H can be recognized by certain signs. He [will accept] and eat [from] the [food] which has been given as a gift, but will not eat from charity. The seal of Prophethood will be between his shoulders. If you can move to that land, then do so."
The man knew about the coming of a Prophet from Arabia, from the brethren of the Israelites (Deuternomoy 18, 17-18: "I will raise a prophet from among their Brethren, like unto thee (i.e., Moses) 11 and will put My Words in his mouth.12 And he shall
Speak unto them all that I shall command him"). Certainly, this verse is not in reference to Jesus as Paul tried to interpret it (Acts 13:22-23). Jesus was neither from the descendants of Ishmael, and being an Israelite himself,13 he was not from their [the Israelite's] 'brethren'.
The man knew what was mentioned in their book about God's Revelation coming from Teman (North of the City of Medinah in Arabia, according to J. Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible), and the 'holy one' coming from Paran.14 According to Genesis 21:21, the wilderness of Paran was the place where Prophet Ishmael settled and had twelve children, amongst them Kedar the second son of Ishmael. In Isaiah 42:1-13, 'the beloved of God' is linked to the descendants of Kedar, the ancestor of Prophet Muhammad.
When Prophet Muhammad called the People in Makkah to submit to Allah, most of them refused, and they in turn plotted to kill the Prophet. He along with those who accepted Islam was commanded by Allah to migrate to the city of Medinah. Soon, a battle took place at Badr between the 'few and ill-armed' , represented by Muhammad and his followers, and the pagans from Makkah a year after the Prophet's migration. The Prophet and his companions were victorious (Isaiah 21:13-17).
The man knew that Jesus told of the coming of Prophet Ahmad (Muhammad).15 These were the good tidings which Allah spoke about on the tongue of Jesus,
(وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ(
"And (remember) when Jesus, son of Mary said: 'O children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Torah (which came) before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.'"
[Surah as-Saff (61):6]
The man died, and Salman stayed in 'Amooreeyah. One day, "Some merchants from the tribe of Kalb 16passed by me," Salman said, "I told them, 'Take me to Arabia and I will give you my cows and the only sheep I have.' " They said, "Yes." Salman gave them what he offered, and they took him with them. When they reachd Waadi al-Quraa [close to Medinah ], they sold him as a slave to a Jew. Salman stayed with the Jew, and he saw the Palm trees [his previous companion had described]. "I hoped that this would be the same place described by my companion," Salman said. One day, a man who was a first cousin to Salman's master from the Jewish tribe of Bani Quraidha in Medinah came visiting. He bought Salman from his Jewish master, "He took me with him to Medinah. By Alah! When I saw it, I knew it was the place my companion described."
"Then Allah sent His Messenger [i.e., Muhammad]. He stayed in Makkah as long as he did.17I did not hear anything about him because I was very busy with the work of slavery, and then he migrated to Medinah."
Salman continued saying, "[One day,] I was on a palm-tree on top of one of its date-clusters doing some work for my master. A first cousin of his came and stood in front of him [his master was sitting ] and said, 'Woe to Bani Qeelah [ people of the tribe Qeelah], they are gathered in Qibaa'21 around a man who came today from Makkah claiming to be a Prophet!'"
" I trembled so fiercely when I heard him that I feared that I would fall on my master. I descended and said, 'What are you saying!? What are you saying!? My master became angry and punched me with a powerful punch saying, 'What business do you have in this [matter]? Go and mind your business.' I said, 'Nothing! I just wanted to be sure of what he was saying.'"
"On that evening, I went to see the Messenger of Allah while he was in Qibaa'. I took something with me which I had saved. I went in and said, 'I was told that you are a righteous man and that your company [who] are strangers [here] are in need. I want to offer you something I saved as charity. I found that you deserve it more than anyone else.'" Salman said, "I offered it to him; he said to his companions, 'Eat,' but he himself kept his hand away [i.e., did not eat]. I said to myself, 'This is one [i.e., one of the signs of his Prophethood].' "
Following this encounter with the Prophet, Salman left to prepare for another test! This time he brought a gift to the Prophet in Medinah. "I saw that you do not eat from that given as charity, so here is a gift with which I wish to honor you." The Prophet ate from it and ordered his companions to do the same, which they did. I said to myself, 'Now there are two [i.e., two of the signs of Prophethood].'"
On the third encounter, Salman came to Baqee'-ul-Gharqad [ the burial site of the Prophet's companions ] where the Prophet was attending the funeral of one of his companions. Salman said, " I greeted him [with the greeting of Islam: 'Peace be upon you'], and then moved towards his back attempting to see the seal [ of Prophethood] which was described to me by my companion. When he saw me [doing so], he knew that I was trying to confirm something described to me. H took the garment off his back and I looked at the seal. I recognized it. I fell down upon it, kissing it and crying. The Messenger of Allah told me to move around [i.e., to talk to him.] I told him my story as I did with you, ibn'Abbaas [remember that Salman is telling his story to ibn 'Abbass]. He [the Prophet] liked it so much he wanted me to tell my story to his companions."
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10Rubb: Allah is Ar-Rubb: He is the One Who gives all things the power to grow, move and change, to Whom belongs he Creation and Commandment. He is The Master Who has no equal in His Sovereignty, Predominance, and Highness, and He is The One Who Provides and Sustains all that exists.
11A Prophet Like Unto Moses:
12Muhammad was forty years of age when he was in the cave of Hira in Makkah when the Archangel Gabriel Commanded him to, "Read" or "Recite". Muhammad was terrified and replied, "I am not learned!" Then the Angel recited and the Prophet rehearsed the Words of Allah,
( اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ ،خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ، اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ ،الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ ،عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ )
[b][align=left[/b]]"Read! In the Name of Your Rubb Who has created (all that exists).*He Who has created man from a clot (a piece of thick congealed blood). *Read! And Your Rubb is the Most Generous.*Who has taught (the Writing) by the pen (the first person to write was Prophet Enoch. Idris) He has taught mean that which he knew not."
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13Note also that the Bible refers to the Israelites as the "brethren" of the Ishmaelites:e.g. Gen. 16:12 & 25:18.
"14God (His revelation) came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the
earth was full of his praise." [ Habakkuk 3:3]
15Ahmad literally means: "One who praises Allah more than others". It is the second name of Prophet Muhammad who said in an authentic hadith, "I have five names: I am Muhammad and Ahmad, I am Al-Maahi through who Allah will eliminate (infidelity), I am Al-Haashir who will be the first to be resurrected, all other people being resurrected thereafter, and I am also Al-'Aaqib [ i.e., there will be no Prophet after me]. This narration is reported in Sahih al-Bukhaari, the most authentic collection of Prophetic sayings, actions and traditions. (V.4,#732, English-Arabic. Published by Dar-Arabia, Beirut, Lebanon)
16An Arab tribe.
17Thirteen years after he received the revelation from Allah.
18In the city of Medinah.