A while back I did an article on the Gog, Magog and Friends. In trying to keep the concepts simple, what are more precisely the ‘Friends’ in this equation? In the broadest of terms, the ‘Friends’ are like-minded souls that are attracted to certain policies that dehumanize others for twisted, selfish gains. They may operate independently or they may form groups acting in tandem.
As the world is getting smaller through electronic contact, we are hearing more and more bizarre tales of human tragedy (torture, rape, mutilation, senseless killing and the like). That is one part of the equation as all soul-types do not fit into one convenient box and at one time.
Another variation of the degenerate soul-type can be found in what has been called in the Old Testament ‘the northern tribes’ (especially in the Book of Ezekiel) which are a people who are malcontents with other races and act as predatory animals based on a false philosophy of human birthright. An example of such a so-called tribe of brutish human beings is the tribe known as Chetniks. This name can be looked up in any Encyclopedia and pursued at one’s leisure as to their history, etc.
What or who are the Chetniks? They are a group of people believed to be of a Serb/Russian origin who believe in ethnic superiority and who revel in things like ethnic cleansing, rape, torture and murder of men, women and children. Their fuel is hatred especially of Muslims or anything else that does not self-depreciate when confronted by these thugs. They represent an epidemic of psychopathic behavior when their history is studied.
In modern terms, these unholy thugs joined forces with the Fascist and Nazi groups in a show of combating Communism but in reality they joined those groups because they were given a freehand to practice degradation on those who were NOT of their persuasion. In other words, these ‘beasts’ in human clothing were given a license to maim and kill and because they enjoyed the torturing of men, women and children in serving their lusts, they didn’t mind operating under Fascist or Nazi designs as thugs for hire. Why? The purpose was to vent their anger and ratchet up their lusts for implementing dehumanizing practices on other peoples not of their ‘tribe’ and when given the green light to do so, they would join any side that encouraged their low-life activities.
In modern times, we see the clarion call for ‘enjoyment’ of destruction, torment and torture to be put on other peoples from the ‘90s war in Serbia and most recently the planned takeover of Crimea for so-called mother Russia. Notice how certain thugs were called in to pave the way for the grabbing of the Crimean Peninsula. Notice also that it doesn’t matter who these people work for, according to Encyclopedic research, (Communists, Neo-communists, Italian Fascists, Nazis or whoever), their sole purpose is to engage in underhanded or lethal activity – a kind of ‘blood lust’ that gives them exalted feelings of egotistic fantasies of greatness.
Zainab daughter of Jahsh told that ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) came in to visit her one day in a state of trepidation saying, “There is NO god but ALLAH. Woe to the Arabs because of {the} evil which has drawn near! Today an opening* has been made in the barrier restraining Gog and Magog to this extent and he (pbh) made a circle with his thumb and forefinger. Zainab said she asked ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) whether they would perish when there were righteous people among them and he replied, “Yes, when wickedness is abundant.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
*Some might proclaim that the ‘opening’ represents a hole made in the barrier or wall that was planned out and put down by Zulqarnain which occurred many, many, many, many thousands of years ago and which in all probability is no more. However, that doesn’t make much sense at all. The ‘opening’ here is best thought of as a return of certain soul-types attracted to bestial activities and dastardly deeds. So by dribs or by drabs or in a flood, these souls are the ones sent to punish and wreck havoc on a world bent at ease rather than caring so much about the TRUTH in the worship of THE ONE GOD.
Much of this idea about soul activities and a relationship with happenings and consequences to ‘on a world where souls are bent at ease’ is explained below by the insertion of the asterisk mark* because this is a highly complex subject but in a ‘unified universe’ that is highly connected, all things lead to the GREATNESS of the CREATOR LORD.
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported the Prophet (pbh) as saying that ALLAH Most High will call Adam (pbh) {on that most dreadful of days} and he will reply, “At YOUR service and at YOUR pleasure in WHOSE hands is ALL GOOD.” ALLAH will tell him to bring out those who are to go to HELL and when he asks what this consists of, he {Adam} will be told that it is 999 out of every 1,000*. Then {as prophesied by Muhammad (pbh)} young children will become grey-haired, pregnant women will give birth and mankind will appear drunk {dazed beyond endurance due to fear and terror} although they will not be really drunk. On being asked which of them that {fortunate} one would be, ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) replied, “Be of good cheer, for there is one of you to every thousand of Gog and Magog.” He then said, “By HIM in WHOSE hand my soul is, I hope you may be a quarter of the inhabitants of paradise,” and when they cried {out}, “GOD is MOST GREAT,” he said, “I hope you may be a third of the inhabitants of paradise.” Again they cried {out}, “GOD is MOST GREAT,” and he said, “I hope you may be half the inhabitants of Paradise.” Yet again they cried {out}, “GOD is MOST GREAT,” and he said, “Among mankind you are just like a black hair in the skin of a white bull or a white hair in the skin of a black bull.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
*Some hadiths place this number as 99 out of 100. Can people turn into ‘monsters’ so quickly? They can if the layers covering up their true natures, is stripped away. But we can’t know of this because no one knows the future unless shown in advance by a holy book or a prophet and this world has seen the last of holy books (the Quran) and the last of the prophets Muhammad (pbh).
Hopefully, that solves part of the puzzle of the Gog, Magog and Friends. As was stated before and that was that as the time for the END of this AGE comes close, the entrance into the world of these souls is becoming more and more frequent. It seems that their purpose besides showing that they are willingly running towards the HELL-FIRE is to be a warning and a punishment to the world for its laxness in compliance to TRUE FAITH and ignoring the TRUTH and HUMBLENESS in WORSHIPING THE ONE WHO HAS NO PARTNERS AND IS TRULY ALL POWERFUL AND SELF SUFFICIENT, ABLE TO CARRY OUT HIS PLANS!
And what is there to keep back men from believing now that guidance has come to them, nor from praying for forgiveness from their LORD but* that (They wait for) the ways of the ancients to overtake them or the Wrath be brought to them face to face? Q (18: 55)
*Their inner beings know the truth but how can they climb out of a box that they so love and cherish AND WAS FASHIONED BY THEIR OWN HANDS FROM THEIR OWN LUSTS. So, their dispositions have them appearing like mindless zombies to what they must surely face and like frozen and mindless zombies, they are chained by their own hands to wait for the ways of destruction that took down the ancients in the past or that they will put themselves under their own trust to somehow wiggle out of that which they know they will have to face.
Say: “Everyone acts according to his own disposition {inner drive or lust}: But your LORD KNOWS BEST who it is that is best guided on the WAY.” Q (17: 84)
Say, “The Truth is from your LORD”. Let him who will believe and let him who will reject (it): For the wrongdoers WE have prepared a FIRE WHOSE (SMOKE AND FLAMES) like the walls and roof of a tent will hem them in: if they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces, how dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on! Q (18: 29)
It was mentioned before as to the Christ-soul being born amongst many nations as the first-born from the New Testament. That is the more correct saying because Jesus (pbh) was put here on Earth but only once. So what of this soul? *
It is a soul like any soul but placed under different conditions. Are all flowers, fruits and vegetables alike in looks, taste and color? The answer is NO THEY ARE NOT. So why pursue the unknown or unproven philosophies that are not stable or cannot be proven?
WE know of him, Jesus the Christ (pbh), as Isa bin Miriam and that will be his name because of the truth of the saying from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas in declaring the Arabic Language the language for the (Earthly) paradise and consequently the BOOK and PRACTICES of this Messiah will be THE QURAN AND THE SUNNAH OF OUR PROPHET MUHAMMAD (pbh) and that ALL will believe upon him (Jesus) before his death as being a united world in SURRENDER to the WILL of ALLAH. That has been guaranteed in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Old Testament, New Testament (in particular) and in Islam. For those who have eyes to see, let them see.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for ME one who will be ruler over Israel {servants of ALLAH}, whose origins {goings forth} are from of old, from ancient times. Micah Old Testament (5: 2) – New International Version of the Bible
“Father, I will that they also, whom YOU have given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory {greatness} which YOU have given me for YOU have loved me before the foundation of the world.” John New Testament (17: 24)
For whom HE {GOD} did foreknow {as was preordained} HE also did predestinate {him-that soul} to be conformed to the image of HIS son {HIS first man creation – Adam} that he {Jesus- THE CHRIST-SOUL} might be the firstborn among many brethren {peoples of different faiths}. Romans (8: 29)
So as Prophet Muhammad (pbh) called Jesus (pbh) the ‘Righteous Servant’ and the Dead Sea Scrolls call him the Teacher of Righteousness being one and the same human being, and a treasure laid up and given as an example for salvation even unto the future following of Islam and the special prayers to be said for the Prophet (pbh) that he (Jesus) will rejoice in asking that Muhammad (pbh) receive that prized and most exalted station of excellence, we praise ALLAH’s Most Perfect Plan even though the disbelievers may detest it!
So yes, let it be said that Jesus the son of Mary (pbh) mirrors salvation for the human race and is set as an example for the human race EVEN DOWN TO THE PRACTICE OF FOLLOWING ISLAM. Therefore, he is and has become that Messiah promised to the world (of believers). So now it is better in this understanding to say he is the servant of the ONLY AND TRUE SAVIOR WHICH IS ALLAH and that he came to show the way of salvation like all the other prophets did.
*When it is stated from past holy books that this soul is the ‘suffering servant’ as in the Old Testament book of Isaiah or that he suffered ‘for our sakes’ that is correct BUT ONLY in the proper understanding given in those books. Many people have interpreted those things literally and have equated this thinking of suffering with what I have proven to be false, that is, his crucifixion which of course did not happen because he was neither crucified (not being on the cross) nor was he killed because he is still alive and according to Isaiah (pbh), he will be buried, when he returns, with the one who can be considered ‘spiritually’ THE RICH (see my first article called Islam and the Rise and Fall of the Teachings of Jesus)
As the late Ahmed Deedat has explained in one of his videos in that when a person says, “Look out”, that could mean bad things if the person takes those words in the wrong way under the wrong context. When someone is dropping a safe over one’s head, the ‘look out’ means take care but not stretch one’s neck further out to have one’s head pounded to pieces by a heavy safe.
So if one translates the word “Suffering” as “Enduring for a cause”, the more proper context is found. Enduring can be suffering but enduring requires much, much more. It requires patience and growth, trials and winning through or completion to become something. That something we now know as the one chosen to be the Messiah at the Age End meaning that he and he alone is that leader to usher in world-wide Islam – the Earthly paradise. It doesn’t mean that other people won’t help him or that they won’t be put in a very high and exalted station but that he is the crowning jewel in the cap of man’s salvation. And this is proven simply by understanding ALLAH’s WORD, the Quran:
And there is NONE of the People of the Book but MUST BELIEVE IN him BEFORE HIS DEATH. And on the DAY of JUDGMENT he will be a WITNESS against them {all those who did not really believe} Q (4: 159)
And he {Jesus the Christ} is the head of the body, the church {the group of true believers in any approved faith, dead or alive, by GOD and not a building that decays}: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead {while enduring much}; that in all things he might have preeminence {take the leadership role}. Colossians (1: 18)
So according to the dictates of Paul, Jesus (pbh) did these things for basically two reasons:
1. As scripture has pointed out, he loved his LORD and was strictly obedient to HIM and 2. He desired to have that lofty position or high valued position or that undertaking that would lead to that ‘crowning jewel’ effect not from greed but from being formed and molded into a most excellent servant.
Sanctify them {the peoples} through YOUR TRUTH: {and YOUR Prophet is the Trustworthy one that I have spoken to come after me –John (16: 7-14)} YOUR WORD is TRUE. John (17: 17)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you {your development} that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not be sent unto you; but if I depart, I will{ask him to be sent to you} send him unto you.
And when he has come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment:
Of sin, because they believe NOT ON ME {in truth};
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you will not see me no more {until I return};
Of judgment, because the prince of this world {who lorded it over men’s souls} is judged.
I have many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now.
However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into ALL TRUTH; for he shall not speak {using his own tongue and inventions} but whatsoever he shall be given to hear that shall he speak; and he will prophecy things to come in the future.
He shall glorify me {by putting me in the proper perspective}: for he shall receive of mine {prophethood} and shall show it {by proofs} unto you. John (16: 7-14)
Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believes in me {as a true servant of ALLAH}, though he were {spiritually} dead {an unbeliever before}, yet he shall live:
And whoever lives and believes in me shall never {spiritually} die. Do you believe this? John (11: 25-26)
In fairness, some people have attacked John 11: 26 by claiming that ‘even’ if a person believes in Jesus, he will die. So that is my point exactly and that is the misconstruing of the interpretation of scripture. In truth, the body dies but the soul will continue on such that if one truly believed in Jesus (pbh) as a true appointed servant of the ONE GOD and acts on that belief in an acceptable manner, that person, whatever condition, position, time frame or fate intervenes between his belief and final ‘sleep’, will not in fact have lived in vain but will be counted as a believer unto salvation. So if one has lived and truly believed in the real Jesus (pbh), he will NOT be counted as the living ones who are ‘dead’!
As to the belief that the recreation of man is a simpler matter for ALLAH than the start of creation itself, one has to turn to science to see what has lately become a fascinating discovery. Recently, the Big Bang Theory received a great boost and furtherance in understanding. Although man is just at the threshold in understanding his playground, the universe, we can marvel at the ‘beginnings’ of what we call our universe.
Recently, new findings make it possible to go back in time and understand the ‘near beginnings’ of the universe and these things are hinted at in the Quran*. So what about our humble beginnings as the universe was PLANNED as our temporary abode?
Before the infinitely small spot was created that would explode and expand into our known universe today, a strategic PLAN was set out covering more than the infinite ways of the myriad of workings of the various worlds to come into being and the eventual setting up (creation of the GODHEAD) or those beings/laws that work meticulously without flaw or error.
This PLAN which is above the minds of men or anything living, was set to EVOLVE in an orderly but dynamic fashion set in certain stages and recreations of birth, death and birth again of stars, etc. What may appear to be random chaos actually is a well thought out PLAN of development even taking into consideration of a specific raindrop that would fall on a specific insect at a specific time, specific place and for a specific reason.
Of course all of this is well above the understandings of mere mortal men but it shows a complexity that is so deep and well-developed that nothing that has ever come into existence could comprehend the extent of the MIND that went into DEVELOPING THIS PLAN!
It is HE WHO begins the creation; then repeats it; and for HIM it is most easy. To HIM belongs the loftiest Similitude (that can be imagined) in the heavens and the earth: for HE is EXALTED IN MIGHT, FULL OF WISDOM Q (30: 27)
So before that infinitely small spot which was to be the start of our universe was created there had to be some awesomely detailed PREPLANNING that would take into account the before, during and after effects of this immense creation and its substrates that people call the UNSEEN. So the true worshippers of the ONE GOD look up to HIM in awe and a kind of comfortable helplessness as they can only sense HIS DIVINE POWER and MAJESTIC MIGHT!!!
So how could anyone in their right mind ever, and I mean ever, make comparisons to HIM WHO GAVE US LIFE? Not even a lowly animal could be that stupid!
On the authority of Abu Huraira (may ALLAH be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said: “ALLAH Almighty has said: ‘The son of Adam denied ME and he had no right to do so. And he reviled ME and he had no right to do so. As for his denying ME, it is his saying: HE will not remake me as HE made me at first – and the initial creation [of him] is no easier for ME than remaking him. As for his reviling ME, it is his saying: ALLAH has taken to HIMSELF a son, while I am the ONE, the Everlasting Refuge. I begot not nor was I begotten, and there is none comparable to ME’.
It was related by al-Bukhari and by an-Nasa’i
Do those who practice evil think that they will get the better of US? Evil {then} is their judgment! Q (29: 4)
HE punishes whom HE pleases, and HE grants MERCY to whom HE pleases and towards HIM are you turned.
Neither on earth nor in heaven will you be able to flee in order to frustrate (HIS PLAN), nor have you {in reality}, besides ALLAH, any protector or helper. Q (29: 21-22)
Those who reject the Signs of ALLAH and the meeting with HIM (in the Hereafter), it is they who shall despair of MY MERCY: it is they who will (suffer) a most grievous penalty. Q (29: 23)
So how possibly could the recreation of man after his death be easier than the original creation? As in all things, ALLAH KNOWS BEST of course. Bringing back the evolved ‘thing’ that has evolved from the infinite evolved things is even simpler in practice because the infinite stages of how it got to that point would be the culmination of expressions that made the current body what it is.
Therefore, bringing man back naked and uncircumcised at the end of this current time or phase of creation is simpler than having the lengthy process that led up to man’s fate (Paradise or Hell-Fire) in the first place. Although both processes need the command of ‘BE’ from THE LORD, the bringing back of man from the grave does not require he be ‘evolved’ and given chance upon chance in any dimension or life to seek out the TRUTH because what is brought back is the culmination of what went on before. ALLAH ALONE of course knows what is correct concerning this idea!
Assuredly the creation of the {complexity of the} heavens and the earth is a greater (matter) than the creation of {mere} men: yet most men know not. Q (40: 57)
Have they never observed how ALLAH creates for the first time and then repeats it? Indeed (to repeat the creation of a thing) is even easier for ALLAH (than creating it for the first time).
Say: “Travel through the earth and see how ALLAH originated the creation; so will HE recreate life: Surely, ALLAH HAS POWER OVER ALL THINGS. Q (29: 19-20)
*A dramatic new discovery has recently been made about our nearly 14 billion year old universe which may help to explain many possible things. Now it is not surprising that the ‘Big Bang’ theory of the creation of the universe is represented in the Quran which beats science by well-over one thousand years but something new and revolutionary may have been added to the fray.
From an infinitely small and supper massive speck came the ‘explosion’ that went on to make our super spacious universe. With the theory of what is called ‘Inflation’, we can now look at the universe in a more understandable light going back to less than 400,000 years after its start.
It now appears that ripples or pockets of gravitational spheres ended up being formed in this expansion which strongly suggests that along with our universe there are multiple universes or perhaps dimensions that were created in this ‘simple’ but highly complex creation. This idea has strong repercussions for what could be called a religious-theoretical science.
For one thing, the ‘THRONE OF ALLAH’ can be stated to be possibly near but at the same time very far away. Simply put, if the universe is likened to a football field but is folded again and again upon itself, this football field (our known universe) now looks like being only one meter square. So this is the explanation of THE THRONE of ALLAH being very near to Earth yet being very far away.
To understand this from a strictly religious background one has to go to that religion and try to understand some of the basics. For up to this time, we must settle only on the basics without having concrete knowledge. So here are some ‘basics’ that might go on to explain that ‘certain things exist’ but they are still unknown and we as human beings DO NOT have to know them for salvation.
The Kursi mentioned in Q (2: 255) is completely different than the Throne of Allah. Prophet Muhammad (pbh) said: “The Kursi compared to the Throne (‘Arsh) is nothing but like a ring thrown out upon open space of the desert.”
Imagine, if you will, that if the Kursi extends over the complete, expanding universe, then how much greater is the Throne!
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “I have been given superiority over the prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies); spoils have been made lawful to me; the earth has been made for me a place of worship and ceremonially pure; I have been sent to all mankind; and the line of prophets is closed with me. (Muslim)
Basically we don’t know very much but we do know about the power of speech and the saying, “I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning” gives a clue that there is depth behind the words of ALLAH’s Prophet (pbh). So in this respect (about the feeling of the possibility that there are multiple universes or dimensions) one can go to the words attributed to the Prophet (pbh) the truthful and trustworthy representative given to mankind.
Abu Huraira said: The Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said: “In Paradise there are one hundred levels that ALLAH has prepared for the mujahedeen who strive for the sake of ALLAH. (The distance) between each two levels is like the distance between the heavens and the earth. When you ask of ALLAH, ask Him for al-Firdaws for it is in the middle of Paradise and is the highest part of Paradise. Above it is the Throne (which is above the seventh heaven) of the Most Merciful and from the Throne the rivers of Paradise are brought forth. (Bukhari)
Ibn Khuzaymah narrated in his Sahih and in his Kitab al-Tawheed that Ibn Mas’ud (may ALLAH be pleased with him) said: “Between the lowest heaven and the one above it is (a distance of) five hundred years, and between each heaven and the next is (a distance of) five hundred years marching.”
According to another report: “The thickness of each heaven is a distance of five hundred years marching. Between the seventh heaven and the Footstool (al-Kursi) is (a distance of) five hundred years. Between the Footstool and the water is (a distance of) five hundred years. The Throne is above the water and ALLAH is above the Throne, and none of your deeds are concealed from Him.” This saying was classed as Sahih by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Alw (p. 64) and by Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoosh al-Islamiyyah, p. 100.
This insight together with the other things the Prophet (pbh) has said might give us a notion that there are ‘areas’ or pathways of experiences for the soul after death and before life as we know it on this Earth. Given this notion, one can easily see that the Quranic thought of MAGNIFY YOUR LORD is quite correct and a worthy action by which the human should realize by now that there is NONE who can compare unto HIM!!!
It is important to note that the believer does NOT have to believe in the theory of ‘Inflation’ or even think about the possibility of many dimensions in space. And those who CLAIM TO HAVE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THESE MATTERS ARE PROBABLY ATTROCIOUS LIARS.
The purpose of this discussion should be obvious by now. It is the GLORIFICATION OF THE ONE LORD by which we should owe our allegiance and our loyalty even recognizing that every day we falter but there is ONE WHO and ONLY ONE WHO HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE AND UPLIFT.
*When we look at nature we can see a tree as it grows in good soil under good conditions being like a revitalized group (revitalized by the coming of a new prophet or law) and the strength of the growth of the tree to maturity and then after a certain sustained period that same tree starting to wither and grow weaker such that it will be more susceptible to disease and finally death.
Such is the disease of modern society when coupled with a lack of discipline or knowledge and commitment to the ideal of worshiping in truth the ONE GOD. This lack of sense of urgency leads to ‘a world bent at ease’ rather than caring so much about the TRUTH in the worship of THE ONE GOD’.
…Zainab said she asked ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) whether they would perish when there were righteous people among them and he replied, “Yes, when wickedness is abundant.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
To understand this, one can take a look at the feelings of ‘cohabitation’ as just one example that is being expressed currently by many people.
The idea here is on a multi-level thought principally orchestrated by Satan (whom many people believe is a figment of the imagination but is in reality a very real entity). The thinking goes that since this is the ‘modern era’ and since the so-called GOD effect seems to be unreal or ‘distant’ at best, the need to ‘SELF- INDULGE’ to give good feelings of adequacy should be allowed to make things in life easier.
That means living together without a ‘marriage bond’ and enjoying the little mirages that life can throw at one is a lot more fun than having to follow the advice of any prophet or seek out answers from any Divine source.
Hence, one should enjoy life which probably got here by accident rather than creation and the sense of responsibility, being re-created or the ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE LAST DAY is for the most part an old wives tale. And if one can sneak out the proverbial ‘forbidden cookies’ from the cookie jar without suffering immediate consequences, one can be free to worship, if that is the right word, science, nature or nothing at all.
Many of the young are crying out for such a relief as in the freedom to cohabitate with each other and are offering so-called ‘proof’ from statistics showing by their narrowed interpretation that the world is suffering under so-called ‘primitive rules’ (religious in nature) that are destroying the fulfillment of society. What absolute rubbish people can think of!
Yes, studies have been done, notably by James W. Prescott* (Body Pleasure and the Origins of Violence) which shows a certain type of relationship in society but this is misleading because there are literally thousands of variables occurring within society that are extremely complex. Suffice it to say, society seems to be breaking down all over the place and the going back to one’s roots (our CREATED PURPOSE and RESPONSIBILITIES IN THAT PURPOSE) is being ignored or pooh-poohed as being ‘primitive’ and obsolete.
*According to Prescott, if young people were given certain freedoms of expression like premarital sexual freedom, societal violence would be lessened greatly. For example, adults could also lesson their anxieties in a grocery store if their screaming, tantrum throwing children were given all their desired wishes. So if the child wanted to buy anything that takes his or her fantasy, the Prescott way would seem to suggest that the parents (now slaves of the tantrum throwing brat) give the boisterous and immature ‘baby’ what he wants if they don’t want trouble.
For every action there is a reaction and for every choice there will be consequences. That is a fact of life and that is not going to change before the Last Day. So, the idea that {Zainab said she asked ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) whether they would perish when there were righteous people among them and he replied, “Yes, when wickedness is abundant.”} is valid and a guide and a warning to the populace as a whole.
The end result is that it is a good thing to open up the topic of religion ‘as a complete and sensible way of life’ formed as a map to get one to the ‘Promised Land’ or the successful entrance into one of the greatest of all of creations and that is PARADISE.
Conversely, the opposite is also true and that is that a willful ignoring of certain things will end up causing pain and confusion and ‘fuzzy thinking’ so one cannot blame society for their ills but as is stipulated in the Quran it is what one’s own hands have passed on before one’s self.
Finally, we come to the topic of prayer and the correctness of prayer times. It has been suggested in the Sunni versus Shia philosophical debates that Prophet Muhammad (pbh) granted the believers to pray five prayers at three sittings – according to the Shia belief. That is their belief and that was put in their craw simply to be different from the Sunni beliefs AND THAT IS A SIMPLE PROCESS THAT IS EASILY PROVEN.
However the case may be, the Shia, according to them put up strong arguments for their actions but in the light of commonsense these so-called strong arguments fall flat on their collective faces. Besides this, when due process and thought is applied to the argument, it is easy to see and understand that the Shia view is nothing more than a later day dodge of celebrating being different than the Sunni group.
First, we start off with something simple like the commandment ‘Thou Shall NOT Kill’. One could suggest that when faced with a mass murderer, it behooves a person not to interfere with his killing spree lest he be killed in the process. Well that idea is simply foolish and has nothing to do with the commandment of not to kill.
Related to this idea are people who are called literalists. These people tend to take a point blank approach to religious practices without giving much thought to a well-rounded approach as has been discussed previously in this article. When people do that, they fall into the trap of oversimplification and see things as being either black or white.
Hence, especially with religious practices, their minds can’t function on a deeper level and they therefore generally miss the proverbial boat when it comes to religious interpretation. An example of these people are the creationists who believe that the dinosaurs were roaming around at the same time as man and that the ONE GOD was a busy beaver creating everything in a Santa-like workshop.
However, more ominously than unsound judgments based on biased prejudices in order just to be different from the Sunnis is the ominous implications that are against the following: Prophet Muhammad (pbh), the Four Righteous Caliphs including Ali, the family of the Prophet, the Prophet’s close Companions and Ja’far al-Sadiq to mention just a few.
It is true that the Shia can point to sources such as Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim as well as some of their own sources in trying to explain their misconstrued praying practice of combining prayers. However, such things are based on slanted interpretations without due thought processes. This is especially true when some source might come from that rag al-Kafi which also declares the Quran to be only one-third valid. If one doesn’t like the smelly garbage in the kitchen, then throw it out the door! Therefore, why keep such nonsense and putrid, evil thoughts in a book that you admire!
Anyway, let us take a look at the Shia thought process. It all starts with Prophet Muhammad (pbh) and the Shia claim that the Prophet (pbh) combined his prayers and when asked what he was doing, he said that he did this so as not to make a hardship on his Ummah (nation). So far so good but IN WHAT CONTEXT DID HE DO THIS IN AND WHAT WAS HIS AND HIS COMPANIONS PRACTICE AFTER THE FACT AND WAS THE CALL TO PRAYER ALTERED IN ANY WAY AS TO TIMES OF PRAYER?
So, if the Prophet (pbh) changed the rules of the game for the ‘ease’ AND BETTERMENT OF HIS COMMUNITY why did he not tell Bilal (the caller of adhan) to adhere to the beneficial practice of combining prayers as a preferred choice? Why say one thing and go and do another thing which would have been a negation of his so-called helping his people.
Furthermore, all of the Righteous Caliphs including Ali would seem to have blatantly ignored the Prophet’s gift to his Ummah as something of a useless thing – IMAGINE THAT! It is a sign of a hypocrite to suggest, “Do as I say but don’t do as I do!” Granted the Prophet (pbh) prayed extra prayers than the five daily ones but he was clear that this practice was NOT mandatory.
Let’s take a look at Ja’far al-Sadiq. In one of my articles I called him the LAST of the TRUE SHIA. Looking at it from another angle, he actually in practice and performance belongs in the Sunni group IF one has to make a distinction at all. Ja’far was a true and loyal Tabi’een and a great grandson of Abu Bakr by way of being descendent of Abu Bakr from his mother’s side and a descendant of ‘Ali from his father’s side. Ja’far was known to be historically somewhat helpful towards the two Sunni schools of thought – the Maliki and Hanafi schools and he practiced his Islam in the beloved and chosen city of Medina where Islamic practices remained fairly strong when compared to the original practices.
Both the Maliki group and Hanafi groups do not pray like the Shia concerning the combining of prayers and neither did Ja’far al-Sadiq (their so-called sixth Imam). One must ask the question, “Why did they not combine their prayers like the Shia do today?” The reason is simple. There are set rules in the combining of one’s prayers with enough leeway put in to cover all emergencies because ALLAH does not want to make Islam hard for people.
Generally speaking, one can combine prayers, if one is on an extended journey or expedition, if one is acutely suffering health-wise, one is extremely tired and doesn’t want to chance missing the prayer, and one is in a state of war or in a dangerous situation and perhaps some violent weather conditions but ALLAH ALONE KNOWS BEST ABOUT THIS!!! The idea here is that combining prayers is a temporary condition but NOT A PERMENANT CONDITION.
ALLAH not only makes the religion of Islam easy, HE makes it extremely logical. Those Blessed Companions who were given ‘concessions’ as to their religion would follow those practices and not avoid them so that they could show their gratitude and appreciation for ALLAH’s MERCY and they would have prayed all the time by combining the prayers IF such a thing were allowed. Hence, this is another shoot down of praying the five prayers in three time slots.
One might argue that the Quran gives tidings of three time slots for prayer. If that is so taken together with the understanding of the Prophet’s Sunnah (pbh) then it is a proclamation that someone was not fit for the job of being prophet because that person couldn’t distinguish or understand Revelation. But when one saw the Prophet (pbh) according to his wife ‘Aisha, one saw the Quran in action as hadiths explain and so that point is well taken care of.
What we are left with is a sneaky suspicion that people are people no matter what country, religion or skin color they might find themselves draped with. So by keeping this thought in mind and by using Comparative Religion, we see the ‘so-called Christian higher-ups (doctrine makers) of the early second and third centuries making DIFFERENT PRACTICES than their Jewish brothers for basically only one reason: that reason was to proclaim ‘just a distinctive difference between the Jew and the supposed followers of Christ. The result was that a freehand was opened up to deviate from practices followed by Jesus (pbh) and his followers and create new practices in religion for themselves while still proclaiming themselves as faithful followers. Hence, the oft repeated slogan of ‘There is nothing new underneath the Sun’.
It would only be fair, for balance sake, to take from a Shia website 14 points that they use out of many points to defend their position of combining prayers constantly. Even one of their Tafsirs is used to give an explanation. However, when one studies these hadiths in relationship to the COMMON AND FOLLOWED PRACTICES, then one can easily see that the practice of making 5 separate prayer times is the correct procedure and that the combining of prayers is done only for a few reasons but NOT DONE AS A PERMENANT PRACTICE!
My words are placed in { }
1. Imam al-Sadiq was asked about combining prayers without an excuse and he said: “The Holy Prophet (pbh) did that and he wanted to make it easier for the people” (Wasa’il Alshia, 2.161)
2. A man who used to be rich and lost his fortune came to the Imam Al-‘askari and complained to him. The Imam told him “Combine your prayers and you will see what you like “ (Wasa’il Alshia, 2.162) This is an indication that combining prayers brings fortune and blessings from Allah (SWT).
3. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1515:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together, and the sunset and Isha’ prayers together without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey.
4. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1516:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together in Medina without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey. (Abu Zubair said: I asked Sa’id [one of the narrators] why he did that. He said: I asked Ibn ‘Abbas as you have asked me, and he replied that he [the Holy Prophet] wanted that no one among his Ummah should be put to [unnecessary] hardship.)
5. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1517:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) combined the prayers as he set on a journey in the expedition to Tabuk. He combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the ‘Isha’ prayer. Sa’id (one of the rawis) said to Ibn ‘Abbas: What prompted him to do this? He said: He wanted that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.
6. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1518:
Mu’adh reported: We set out with the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) on the Tabuk expedition, and he observed the noon and afternoon prayers together and the sunset and ‘Isha’ prayers together.
7. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1519:
Mu’adh b. Jabal reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) combined in the expedition to Tabuk the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the ‘Isha’ prayer. He (one of the narrators) said: What prompted him to do that? He (Mu’adh) replied that he (the Holy Prophet) wanted that his Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.
8. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1520:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the ‘Isha’ prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall. And in the hadith transmitted by Waki’ (the words are):” I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his (Prophet’s) Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship.” And in the hadith transmitted by Muawiya (the words are):” It was said to Ibn ‘Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah should not be put to unnecessary hardship.”
9. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1521:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported: I observed with the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) eight (rak’ahs) in combination, and seven rak’ahs in combination. I (one of the narrators) said: O Abd Sha’tha’, I think that he (the Holy Prophet) had delayed the noon prayer and hastened the afternoon prayer, and he delayed the sunset prayer and hastened the ‘Isha’ prayer. He said: I also think so.
10. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1522:
Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed in Medina seven (rak’ahs) and eight (rak’ahs), i. e. (be combined) the noon and afternoon prayers (eight rak’ahs) and the sunset and ‘Isha’ prayers (seven rak’ahs).
11. Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 1523:
‘Abdullah b. Shaqiq reported: Ibn ‘Abbas one day addressed us in the afternoon (after the afternoon prayer) till the sun disappeared and the stars appeared, and the people began to say: Prayer, prayer. A person from Banu Tamim came there. He neither slackened nor turned away, but (continued crying): Prayer, prayer. Ibn ‘Abbas said: May you be deprived of your mother, do you teach me Sunnah? And then he said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) combining the noon and afternoon prayers and the sunset and ‘Isha’ prayers. ‘Abdullah b. Shaqiq said: Some doubt was created in my mind about it. So I came to Abu Huraira and asked him (about it) and he testified his assertion.
12. Narrated that Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud said I asked the Holy Prophet (pbh): What is the deed Allah (SWT) loves the most? He said: “Praying on time” (Bukhari 496, Muslim 122)
13. “Establish prayer (regularly) from the declension of the sun till the darkness of the night, and the recital at the morn; verily the recital at the morn is witnessed” Quran (Alisra’, 78) The verse only lists three times for prayer: “declension of the sun” which is Duhr, “darkness of the night” which is Maghrib and “recital at the morn” which is Fajr. One of the great Sunni scholars says in explaining this verse: “if we interpret the darkness mentioned to be the beginning of Maghrib then the declension has to be the time for both Duhr and Asr and the beginning of Maghrib is the time for both Maghrib and Isha’… and this establishes the permissibility of combining Duhr and Asr, Maghrib and Isha’ at any time” (Tafseer Alrazi, 5.428) {Who is this great Sunni scholar and under what conditions is he talking about?}
14. “And establish thou, prayer in the two ends of the day, and at the approaches of the night, Verily the good deeds take away the evil deeds; this is a reminder for the (believers who are) mindful (of their lord)” Quran (Hud, 114)
A Shia-type Conclusion – However my words are placed in { }
It is clear from the evidence presented here and in our previous article regarding the sujood on clay* that the position of the Shia is not something made up or invented but it is something that is based on {a} good foundation in Islam. The question asked by many is if the evidence is so clear that combining prayers is (at least) permissible if not recommended why don’t other Muslims do it {here, meaning the vast majority of the Muslims}? As it is said that one of our great scholars S. Abd Alhussain Sharaf Aldeen (author of Muraja’at) when he debated many scholars of other sects they told him {or so we are led to believe what this individual says. It sounds like Mahmoud Ahmaddinejad’s proclamation of what happened when he spoke to the assembly at the UN. He declared that a mysterious light appeared as he was speaking and that his international audience listened for over half an hour or an hour and a half without even blinking their eyes and other such silly rubbish that only the mind of a child would give any credibility to his fairytale expressions!!!} they find it permissible to combine prayers but announcing such a position would receive a huge backlash from the people. We thank Allah (SWT) for guiding us to the path of AhlulBayt (A) who continued the teachings of the Holy Prophet (S) and preserved the straight path to Allah (SWT).
*Another prominent difference about prayer ritual between the Shia and Sunni is the use of some kind of ‘stone’ – a so-called ‘holy stone’ or one not so holy – to put on the floor as to come before the floor and the forehead. Simply put, if this practice was done by the Prophet (pbh) or the four righteous Caliphs, the Shias have a solid argument for what they do. However, if this practice was not done by those individuals, the practice should be labeled as ‘invented’ and NOT Islamic.
The Shia supposedly believe that only pure and natural substances like earth or ‘stone’ should be used to make contact with body and ground.
However, prayer actually consists of 8 contact points with the ground NOT ONLY ONE and therefore, to make any logical sense one would expect 8 stones to be used and not just one. One way to look at it is that it is OK to put the seven parts touching the ground (the toes of the two feet, the two knees, the two hands and the nose) in an unclean place but the forehead alone should be in contact only with a ‘natural or holy relic type of surface’.
Obviously, the invention of the stone turned out to be a good money-maker for some people just like the Christian invention of the ‘holy bones of saints’ and the ‘true’ cross which, in truth, should be a practice that should be swiftly eliminated. However, due to the malfeasance of use through misunderstanding of hadiths of making the prayer area clean (if filth is detected), some of their old scholars went overboard and added in ‘hero worship’ from the stones of Karbala to differentiate between Muslims which is a practice highly rejected. The Roman Catholics did the same type of thing with their so-called relics and history is filled with such foolishness.
Like some of the Christian monks of old who wouldn’t bathe for months and months so as to become ‘holy’, the practice of having the tops of the busses cutoff during Hajj so as nothing can come between the head and the sky shows just how quirky some Islamic sects have become when their interpretation of simple Islamic practices are hijacked by bizarre individuals claiming to be true scholars.
One of the most prominent of all of the Caliphs was ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib – the fourth righteous Caliph. The Shias even consider him as the door of knowledge. So if these practices were considered alien by him, it must mean that the ‘door’ was sleeping on the job.
So, one should be very careful when doling out ‘approved practices’ in the name of Islam or following said practices. Hence, it is a good and sound practice to follow ‘Original Islam’. This requires thought and the willingness to look at and believe in the Ways of the Prophet (pbh) and the practices of the 4 excellent follower-guides, the four Righteous Caliphs.
{The purpose of my writings is not to pick a fight with any sect/version of Islam but rather to generate commonsense in the search for the truth. Whenever people go in search for the truth amidst controversial issues, some feathers are going to be ruffled. So be it but the freedom to honestly seek out knowledge and to show a rightful direction is not anathema to real Islam. I’m not against combining of prayers but what I am against is the misuse of a practice that has deviated from the practice of Prophet Muhammad (pbh) and his rightfully guided Companions.}
As to the Book of Daniel (Chapter 11) found in the Old Testament and its discussion leading up to the END TIMES, it might be best just to keep an eye opened on certain things. And those things may be interpreted by the understanding of the dynamics of political moods as expressed during times of the ‘breaking away’ of the unity of thought as each state or section tries to stand up for its perceived rights rightfully or wrongfully and then condemning the others with twisted motives. So paying attention to chapter 11 about who is the king of the south as should be well-known as to what is starting to happen now may provide a benefit in not to make fitna. Otherwise as in all things do not count time as some commodity that must happen according to your wants but as something that is very much in the control of ALLAH.
***The symbols { } used in this article were given to show my words to reflect either a deeper understanding of what idea is taking place or to clarify already existing words so as to make things easier to understand.
