This is more or less a true account expanded to take in the teaching points that were once made clear but which were forgotten and abused by many charlatans who have had their hands in the till so to speak!
Some people, mostly certain types of born again Christians, take the following Biblical passage as some sort of proof for their superiority amongst mankind as the true goal for mankind is Salvation. Hence, when a very narrow approach is applied to John (12:24-32), it makes a beautiful sentiment from the mouth of Jesus (pbh) appear to certain individuals that the Christ is a very restrictive, insensitive being except for those whose heart and mind are indeed very miniscule.
To counteract this, I use the following marks { } to expand the meaning of Jesus’ teachings (after all he is the Messiah) to be inclusive to those humans seeking salvation in any religion that has the concept of the ONE GOD as the top priority:
From the Gospel of John:
Most assuredly, I {Jesus} say to you {mankind – but here specifically to his followers and what is good for the goose is good for the gander!}, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies {which it is supposed to do in showing obedience to its CREATOR}, it remains alone {basically worthless}; but if it dies {and follows the normal creative pathwaygiven by its CREATOR}, it produces much grain {gets much Baraka from ALLAH}.
He who loves his life {so much as to cherish the worldly things over right guidance} will lose it, and he who hates his life {serves with true humble distinction} in this world will keep it for Eternal Life.
If anyone serves me, let him follow me {my pathway and dictates including the one who will come after me as I have prophesied}; and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me {IN TRUTH}, my FATHER will honor him {with Paradise and on him shall be no fear}.
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘FATHER, save me from this {tormenting}hour’ {where I shall be disrespected, beaten and scorn and spit heaped upon me} But for this purpose I came to this hour {to bear the brunt of their humiliating me – the willing SIGN unto mankind for it has been promised by my LORD that I shall conquer}.
FATHER, {I} glorify YOUR NAME.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both Glorified IT and {I} will Glorify IT again {when MY SERVENT {Muhammad} shall come.” {And remember Moses said to his people: “O my people! Why do you vex and insult me though you know that I am the Messenger of ALLAH (sent) to you?” Then when they went wrong, ALLAH let their hearts go wrong for ALLAH does not guide those who are rebellious transgressors.
And remember, Jesus the son of Mary said; “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of ALLAH (sent) to you, confirming the {truth found in} the Taurat (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, “This is evident sorcery!” Quran (61:5-6)}
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of me, but for your{remembrance} sake {so reflect back to this point and keep your faith refreshed}.
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will {eventually} draw all {true believing} people to myself” {on being established on my Second Coming as all true believers will have believed in me (Quran)}. John (12:24-32)
All of these things above have been talked about from the various records spanning all the true Testaments and found in my various writings. From Deuteronomy, Isaiah and other prophets, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the continuation of the Old Testament under new management from the last Jewish prophet (Jesus) with special emphasis coming from the Gospel of Luke, the Gospel of John, the Book of Hebrews, some of the Letters of John, some of Paul’s writings, the Book of Revelation, the Book of Acts and most importantly from the Protected BOOK itself (the Quran) and true hadith material.
Proof demands consistency and the ability to understand how other cultures see and translate the same problems in their own GOD-given way. Loyalty to the TRUTH is far greater than loyalty to a ‘sect’ or belief system set up by mere mortals made of clay {false guides – certain preachers, ministers, priests, imams, and other influencers}.
Interpretation without guile is really everything! So, it kind of depends on how a person’s soul can see what is called Scripture. What was taken out, what was added in will become known on what is called THE LAST DAY OF JUDGEMENT!
True Scripture equals records that are uniform in content even though the language and its usage may differ across cultures. For example, a Jew, a Christian and a Muslim have presented things handed down from antiquity like the concept of there is truly and only ONE GOD.
The following hadith has been tested in my writings by ALL the various Scriptures from the ‘People of the BOOK’ including the Dead Sea Scrolls and has been found to be completely accurate!!!!! People may rail (to criticize severely or angrily especially for personal failings) against this idea and where is their proof but something poorly taken out of context or manufactured in their own heads:
Narrated Abu Huraira that the Messenger of ALLAH said, “By HIM in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief) {before his Term of Appointment is up}, he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire”. (Muslim)
If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to THE ONE GOD), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good). Quran (3:85)
What makes the search for truth so difficult amongst the various religious groups is that most people are invested in their own belief system as to what supposedly makes them feel comfortable NOT in what is really correct. But when people break outside their self-made prison walls, they are forced to think and this sometimes becomes too much of a struggle for many.
As the Quran says: Say: “Everyone acts according to his own disposition {whispering secret agenda} but your LORD (WHO is the Real GOD AND DETERMINER OF ONE’S FATE) knows best who it is that is best on the WAY {correct pathway}.” Q (17: 84)
Jesus said: “And in vain {do} they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men {self-styled church councils and edicts and NOT of GOD}”. Matthew (15:9)
They take their priests and their anchorites {meaning religious leaders} to be their lords in derogation of ALLAH, and (they take as their lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One ALLAH: there is no god but HE. Praise and Glory be to HIM: (Far is HE) from having the partners they associate (with HIM). Quran (9:31)
We {people who actually believe in a ONE GOD AND ONE DEVELOPMENTAL MESSAGE} believe in ALLAH, and the Revelation given to us, and to Abraham {and his seed} Isma’il {and} Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their LORD: We make no difference between one and another of them {in their philosophical content}. Quran (2:136)
Narrated Abu Huraira that the Messenger of ALLAH said, “The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross {represented by false doctrines}, kill the pigs {represented by those resisting his GOD-given leadership of the paradise on Earth}, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it” (as charitable gifts). (Bukhari)
Galvanizing these ‘warnings/positive declarations’ (depending on what side of the religious fence one is standing on, together with the notion of the practice what you preach concept comes a warning from the Quran and Paul about taking the above subject lightly:
They are those who deny the {REAL} Signs and Evidences of their LORD and the meeting with HIM (in the Hereafter {as to Judgment}). So their works are in VAIN and on the Day ofResurrection, WE shall assign NO weight for them {with the result that they will have to enter the Hell-Fire}. Quran (18:105)
“YOU HAVE MET THIS FATE because you rejoiced on the earth in things OTHER than the TRUTH, AND THEN EXULTED IN IT {while pushing out the real realities of our true purpose of living on this planet}.” Quran (40:75)
Also, according to Paul in the New Testament:
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness {found} in them that perish; because they DID NOT receive {believe in or fight for} the love of the truth {SO} that they might be saved.
AND FOR THIS REASON {contempt for GOD’s TRUTH} GOD shall send {upon} them STRONG DELUSION that they should believe {in} a lie {focus not on doing what is rightFOR THE SOUL- the real food for the soul}
That they all might be damned who didn’t believe the truth {OR EVEN SHOW SIGNS THAT THEIR HEART CARRED ABOUT IT} but had pleasure in unrighteousness {took their comfort in doing other than the truthful WAY}. 2 Thessalonians (2: 10-12)
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in ALLAH has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, which never breaks. And ALLAH hears and knows all things. Quran (2:256)
A puzzle and a solution: If it swims like a duck, flies like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, then it probably is a duck!
In the English Language from The Old Testament’s book entitled Song of Solomon we find:
My beloved is white and ruddy, CHIEF among ten thousand. Song of Solomon (5:10)
His mouth is most sweet, yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem! Song of Solomon (5:16)
The King James Authorized Bible has approximately 783,137 words but only one word is expressed as ‘Muhammad’ as to its sound. In the Old Testament Book entitled The Song of Solomon there is mentioned the word that sounds like the word Muhammad plus an addition to this word.
Most languages that I know of any way have things called verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs and the various types of these things, for example, common noun types and proper noun types. Also, I believe that there are affixes (prefixes or symbols/letters attached to the beginning of the ‘base word’ called a ‘stem’ and suffixes or symbols attached to the end of a base word) present in most languages.
The Hebraic Language appears to be no different. Therefore, let us take a look at that one word which sounds like Muhammad and its surrounding sentences (in brief) plus the apparent suffix at the end of that word in order to see the language and context symmetry if Prophet Muhammad (pbh) is mentioned at all!!!
So a translation of the Hebraic word for ‘altogether lovely’ can be suggested as a superlative form of the word ‘lovely’. This noun sounding like ‘Muhammad’ (translated as ‘lovely’) is enhanced by the suffix ‘dim’ at the end of the word. What does this suffix do or mean?
In English, we can take a stem or base word like great and put a suffix to this word and we can end up with greatly as an adverb, greatness as a noun and greatest as the SUPPERLATIVE form. The superlative form makes the base ‘great’ into something that is the highest or topmost way of describing the superiority of this word. So, the word ‘greatest’ cannot be logically topped by any other thing or else it would not achieve the status of being ‘greatest’ (see hadith near the end of this written piece)!
In the Song of Solomon, we also find a description of the likeness of ‘skin color’ and ‘him’ being the chiefest of 10,000 which is the exact number of ‘BELIEVERS’ following Prophet Muhammad (pbh) on the conquest of Makkah. Furthermore, this individual is praised as the big leader of Solomon (pbh) and Solomon is a prophet so this ‘person’ would be the headman so to speak of not only Solomon but of all the prophets.
Why so? This is where the suffix ‘dim’ comes in as it forms a SUPPERLATIVE. And Solomon was known as a prophet rather than an electrician, dentist or computer programmer. So, we keep within the same set as Solomon’s job description because that is the only logical thing to do.
The next thing to do, which only a qualified and hopefully honest linguist can provide, is to determine if the word ‘Muhammad-(dim’) is, in reality, able to be translated as ‘lovely’. We can accept the superlative ‘altogether – dim’ (kind of) but does the word ‘lovely’ fit this passage as to it meaning beautiful?
At first glance one might suggest yes because Solomon (pbh) seems to be sensually talking about the ‘other sex’ (hopefully). However, let those who are crude be crude and show their intentions openly! So, it can be doubted if a true prophet of GOD would be talking like something one might find in a cheap novel or a girlie magazine (erotic poetry as some have labeled the Song of Solomon)!
Now if the number 10,000 means something real and practical in Islamic history and the Prophet’s skin color amongst other things being equal can fit the bill, then the choice of not what but WHO is being talked about should be crystal clear!
To suggest that this passage of 8 chapters in the Song of Solomon belongs to a ribald (lewd) classic of ‘fleshy carnage’ is straying far, far from the truth not to mention reality. But proof like confronting the issue at hand can be very fleeting indeed.
Some people need a hundred proofs to be motivated. Others need a thousand proofs to be motivated while others already know the answer and what is best for their souls. It is just that simple. Review Quranic passage (2:67-71) showing what dillydallying can bring.
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri stated that the Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said: “I am the Chief of the children of Adam on the Day of Judgement and I am not boasting, and in my hand is the banner of praise {for GOD} and I am not boasting, and there has been no Prophet since Adam or other than him, except that {even} he is under my banner. And I am the first for whom the earth will split open, and I am not boasting….” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi)
Does the Quran speak in specific times, ways and means or is it universal in its approach?
The answer for that is that it is both specific and universal depending upon the topic and the times it is talking about! But it goes much deeper than that of which I can’t even put into words. Something like a forming of patterns that are repetitive in scope but perhaps not in kind so, once again, we have a universality.
For example, when we have some Quranic passages like (2:62) and (2:136), the various Testaments cannot have been poisoned beyond recognition meaning that they would then offer only small pieces of value. The value that they offer is the UNIVERSAL MESSAGE representing the UNIVERSAL TRUTH which can be found in any AGE and in any religious BOOK if it is read and studied correctly!
The priest-class or guiding lights for the people are the ones that have tended to destroy the harmony of the scriptures – not the common people because the common people are not in charge of ‘laying down the law’ as it were:
They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of ALLAH, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One ALLAH: there is no god but HE. Praise and glory to HIM: (Far is HE) from having the partners they associate (with HIM). Quran (9:31)
However, the common people are still held responsible because they have a soul and a (good) whispering conscience, which if they allow it, they can use to bring them to the truth of the matter concerning ‘right guidance’! Therefore, passing the blame onto others is not going to be accepted and hence ‘double the penalty for ALL’ as the Quran says concerning those going into the Hell-Fire is fair and just:
HE {ALLAH} will say: “Enter you in the company of the peoples who passed away before you – men and jinns, – into the Fire.” Every time a new people enters, it curses its sister-people (that went before), until they follow each other, all into the Fire. Says the last about the first: “Our LORD! It is these that misled us: so give them a double penalty in the Fire.” HE will say: “Doubled for all”: but this you do not {fully} understand {at this time}. Quran (7:38)
So, it is OK to accept their BOOKS but not necessarily THEIR INTERPRETATION of what is in their BOOKS! Their interpretations may be egocentric and not relevant to the truth! Remember, THE TRUTH is not in only one age but it is Universal. How one perceives the truth is a matter of how one’s soul is adjusted to accept it!
And the ‘fine-tuning’ of the soul in its various experiences and adventures is the work of GOD WHO has Power over all things! So, truly HE knows what is before, during, after, in front of and behind, above and below mankind’s experiences or else HE would not be GOD as is suggested in the Greatest Verse from the Quran (2:255) according to hadith literature!
And the invocation to HIM concerning the envelopment of HIS WAY can be stated as:
O ALLAH! Place Light in my heart; Light in my sight; Light in my hearing; Place Light on my right and on my left; Place Light above me, Light below me and place Light in front of me and Light behind me. Make Light for me. (Bukhari, Muslim)
A variation of this hadith switches around the wording like so: ‘Place Light on my left and on my right’. However, the practice of the Prophet (pbh) was to begin ‘clean’ things like eating etc. with the right and then using the left for other things!
With this said, it becomes easier to ‘go with the flow’ and if the Books are pointing to a final, protected Scripture, then follow that line of thinking which is staying within the program as it were instead of not giving two hoots and a holler about what is supposed to be real and what is imaginary.
