The Submitters, claim from the Quran that the messenger mentioned in
the Holy Quran, 3:81, was their leader Rashid Khalifa and Muhammed (pbuh).
They have put several articles on the web to prove their claim. They have
a well defined articles and literature of their own, and is widely
circulated among muslims and non-muslims.
The General Muslims, have no objections, if somebody wants to show some
miracles from the Quran. But if somebody distorts the meaning of the
Quran, or tries to propagate false teachings through that, then we object.
"There is among them a section who distort the Book with their
tongues: (as they read) you would think it is a part of the
Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from
Allah. But it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against
Allah, and well) they know it!" Holy Quran 3/78
The Submitters, claim that their Leader, Rashid Khalifa, was a messenger
of Allah, and they have written articles to support it. Here we will try
to look at those articles and find out how true their claim is. Since the
Submitters believe only in Quran and no hadith, we will examine everything
in the proof of Quran only. And we hope that a sincere reader will
appreciate our article.
"There are those who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their
commerece doth not prosper, neither are they guided. Their likeness is as
the likeness of one who kindelth fire, and when it sheddeth light around
him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they
cannot see, Deaf, dumb and Blind; and they returneth not." - Holy Quran
2:16-18
Rashid Khalifa, Messenger or Not.
"(O man), follow not that whereof thou hast no knowledge. Lo! the
hearing and the sight and heart - of each of these (who follow) it
will be asked (on the Day of Reckoning)". Holy Quran 17/36
The Claim of submitters, that Rashid Khalifa was a messnger, stems from
the Holy Quran 3:81
Behold! Allah took the Covenant of
the Prophets, saying: "I give you a
Book and Wisdom; then comes to you
A Messenger, confirming what is with
you; do you believe him and render
him help." Allah said: "Do ye agree,
and take this my Covenant as binding
on you?" They said: "We agree." He
said: "Then bear witness, and I am with
you among the witnesses." - Holy Quran 3:81 [2]
They claim that in the above verse Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) is also
included, to be a part of all prophets. But this is not possible. My
reasons for objections are:
1. This complete set of verses above and below 3:81 is the rebuttal for
the claim of the people of book, that Muhammed(pbuh) is not a prophet.
2. To show that, the above point is valid, read the verses below that till
3:84, where allah states:
Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what
has been revealed to us and what was
revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the
Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the
Prophets, from their Lord: we make no
distinction between one and another
among them, and to Allah do we bow
our will (in Islam)." - Holy Quran 3:84 [2]
If the messenger in verse 3:81 would have been Rashid Khalifa, then 3:84
would have included the name of Muhammed (pbuh).
3. The Word Prophet and Messenger has been used interchangably, in the
Translation of the Quran. There actually is no distinction between a
Messenger and Prophet. All Prophets when they come they bring along with
them the Message of Allah, and hence they are the messengers of Allah.
4. If we read 33:40 Allah says:
Muhammad is not the father of any of
your men, but (he is) the Messenger of
Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets:
and Allah has full knowledge of all
things. - Holy Quran 33:40 [2]
So, this verse clearly says that there Muhammed (pbuh) is the Last of the
Prophet or Messengers, and there is not going to be any messenger after
him.
So now having been baseless, they try to show that the covenant in 3:81 is
applicable to Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) also. For this they give reference
to Holy Quran 33:7.
So lets see what Allah says in 33:7 :
And remember We took from the
Prophets their Covenant: as (We did)
from thee: from Noah, Abraham,
Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary:
We took from them a solemn
Covenant: - Holy Quran 33:7 [2]
But what was this covenant mentioned in 33:7. For this we have to read the
verse after that.
That (Allah) may question the
(Custodians) of Truth concerning the
Truth they (were charged with): and
He has prepared for the Unbelievers a
grievous Penalty. - Holy Quran 33:8 [2]
This clearly proves that the Covenant in Surah 33 is regarding the message
of Allah. What Allah has given to his Prophets, regarding the belief in
Allah, and there being no other Gods than Allah. This is Not at all
related with the Covenant of Surah 3, mentioned above. Both of them
together are out of context. The Context of these starting verses in the
above surah, is regarding the believers: that they will be tried, as those
that were before them. This could be seen clearly from 33:9 and the verses
after that, where Allah clearly says, that the believers before were
tried, so will be the believers at that time. But Allah, promises That he
will reward the believers and punish the Hypocrites (33:24).
The Theory of the Last Prophet
To support their theory, that Prophets wont come on earth now, since
Muhammed (pbuh) was the last prophet, but messengers can they take help of
another verse. Lets see that verse, 40:34 :
"And to you there came Joseph in
times gone by, with Clear Signs, but ye
ceased not to doubt of the (mission)
for which he had come: at length, when
he died, ye said: `No Messenger will
Allah send after him.' Thus doth Allah
leave to stray such as transgress and
live in doubt" - Holy Quran 40:34 [2]
In the Above verse Allah clearly says, that those PEOPLE WHO HAD DOUBT OF
THE MESSAGE OF ALLAH THOUGHT THAT NO MORE PROPHETS WILL COME. But Allah
never said so. The Submitters have clearly mis-interpreted this verse, and
say that Allah said, Joseph was the Last Prophet but he send Prophets
after that. Allah answers such people in the verse next to that:
"
(Such) as dispute about the Signs of
Allah, without any authority that hath
reached them. Grievous and odious (in
such conduct) in the sight of Allah and
of the Believers. Thus doth Allah seal
up every heart of arrogant and
obstinate transgressors."
Are Muslim Idolators
The Submitters claim that all Muslms are Idolators, since they join the
name of Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) along with Allah in the Sahadah. But
is this claim really true. The Muslim when he takes up his Sahadah clearly
says, "There is no God except Allah and Muhammed is the Prophet of
Allah". Clearly this is not the Joining of Prophet as a God, but they
are misinterpreting it.
The Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) was to be given due respect by all of the
people of the world. In Quran Allah says in 2:104, that the prophet has to
be given more respect than ordinary men. The natrul question is why only
Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), why not all other prophets which had come before.
They also brought the same religion, they were also muslims. Here we have
to remember, that all the Messengers which came before, came to particular
region. Their message was Time bound and Space Bound. Muhammed (pbuh) was
the universal messenger (Quran 34:28).
In the Adhan the Muezzin calls, "Ashado Anna Mohammedur
Rasolullah", which means, "I bear witness that Muuhammed(pbuh) is the
Prophet of Allah". Clearly there is no sign of joining him as a partner of
Allah. This was the same Adhan which was given when the Prophet was
Alive, and has been recorded in All the historical books. All the sects in
Sunni Muslims (and some Shia Muslims), follow the same Adhan till
day.
One of their claims also state, that Muslims have accepted Prophet
Muhammed (pbuh) sinless, from birth till death, which is not true. Let us
see, that is the prophet really a nice man. Is he good enough to be
followed by Muslims.
Ye have indeed in the Messenger of
Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)
for any one whose hope is in Allah and
the Final Day, and who engages much
in the praise of Allah. - Quran 33:21 [2]
Allah clearly tells here, about the prophet's qualities.
Do we need messengers
The idea, which clicked Rashid Khalifa, about being messenger, since no
Prophets are going to come stems probably from Bible. When God stopped
sending Prophets to Israel, there were Judges, who warned the people to
cokme to the right path and not to be led astray by Satan.
Allah says, in the Holy Quran, 5:3, That he has perfected our Religion,
the religion of Islam. After the Prophet Muhammed, no one was to come and
do modification in it.
Since Islam is already been perfected, we do not need any mesengers, to
come and warn us or show us some miracles, and claim that he is a
messenger or a prophet.
We have the Book (Quran) with us, we need to analyze that and that only
and find out what is true.
Can Devil change verses in Quran ?
The Submitters claim that after the Quran was written, the Devil caused
misceif and added two verses in the Quran, which was not there. They have
removed these two verses from their Quran. But here we have to look at the
message of Allah:
Nay, this is a Glorious Qur-an,
(Inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved! - Holy Quran 85:21-22
Those who reject the Message when it
comes to them (are not hidden from
Us). And indeed it is a Book of
exalted power. No falsehood can approach it from
before or behind it: it is sent down by
One Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all
Praise. - Holy Quran 41:41-42 [2]
These verse clearly tells us, that the Quran is Preserved by Allah, and no
Falsehood will ever approach it. So this idea of two verses being wrong in
it, is not valid. Allah says:
"... Do you believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in another part?
And what is the reward of those who do so save ignominy in the life
of the world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be consigned to
the most grievous doom ..." Holy Quran 2:85 [3]
So, this book quran has to be believed in whole. Removing two verses also
removes you from the claim of believer.
References
[1] The Meaning of Glorious Quran - Pickthall
[2] The Online Holy
Quran Homepage
[3] Quran's Translation - Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Note: If there is no mention of the reference, during translation, that it
could be either Translation by Pickthall or Yusuf Ali.