Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Authenticity of the Quran

Author(s):Shaykh MuslimBhanji

Publisher(s):Tabligh Centre of KSIJamat

www.alhassanain.org/english

Table of Contents

Introduction: Who is the author of the Qur’an? 3

Evidences on the Authenticity of the Qur’an 4

The Exclusive Eloquence of the Qur’an 5

a) The Role of Poetry in the lives of the Pre-Islamic Arabs 5

b) Miracles should be relevant to the Time 5

The Challenge of the Qur’an 7

a) The Unbelievers failed to produce the like of Qur’an 7

The Scientific Miracle of the Qur’an 9

a) Holy Qur’an is everlasting Miracle 9

b) Holy Qur’an is in Total Agreement with Modern Scientific Data 9

c) Holy Qur’an encourages seeking of Science and Knowledge 10

Some Brief Examples of Scientific Data in the Qur’an 12

a) The Earth and Heavens were Joined Together 12

b) Expansion of Universe 12

c) Force of Gravity 12

d) Production of Milk in Animals 12

e) In Pairs 13

f) Role of Wind 13

g) Light in the Moon is merely a Reflection 13

h) High Altitude 13

i) Honey Bees 14

j) Development of the Embryo 14

Accuracy of Historical Records in the Qur’an 15

a) Ashabe Kahf 15

b) City of Iram 15

c) The body of Fir’aun 16

Predictions in the Qur’an 17

a) The Descendants of the Prophet (S) 17

b) Defeat of Persian Empire 17

c) Conquest of Khaybar and Mecca 18

d) The Final Outcome of Abu Lahab 18

e) The Return of the Prophet (S) to Mecca 18

Lack of Contradictions in the Qur’an 19

Prophet Muhammad (S) was Unlettered 20

No Resemblance Between the Words of Qur’an and Hadith 22

Non-Muslims Admit 23

Conclusion 24

Selected References 25

Introduction: Who is the author of the Qur’an?

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Whatever the arguments of the non-believer critics, the Qur’an states explicitly:

“(This is) revelation of the book in which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say he has forged it? Nay it is the truth from the Lord.” (32:2-3)

From the time of its revelation till today, people have tried to cast doubts about the Divinity of the Holy Qur’an, and have tried to argue in vain that the author of the Qur’an is Prophet Muhammad himself; but they have not succeeded because of its inherent truth.

Our study of the Qur'an acquaints us with a distinguishing characteristic of this holy book. This distinguishing characteristic is the absolute authenticity of its source. That is, without the slightest need of any comparison between the oldest manuscripts, it is evident that what we recite as the verses of the Holy Qur'an, are exactly the same words presented before the world by the Almighty Allah (swt ) through His messenger Muhammadibn Abdallah (S).

In another words, thedistinguished feature of the Qur'an is the quality of its contents: its teachings are genuinely original and have not been adopted or plagiarized. Its teachings have been delivered to the Prophet from a world that transcends his thought and mind. The Prophet (S) was only a recipient of this revelation and message. As Allah says:

“. . and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord." (3 : 7).

This paper attempts to present several logical arguments, textual analysis, historical evidence and scientific data to prove that the ‘Source of Qur’an is God’, in a simple way forMadrassa teachers to use as a Resource paper in the subject.

Due to magnitude of the subject matter, this paper will limit itself to one angle of discussion only: simple and straight forward evidences to prove the “Authenticity of the Qur’an as a Word of God”. However, separate study paper will be required to discuss and make critical review and refutationof : “Authorship theories on the source of Qur’an as forwarded by the unbelievers”, as the biased unbelievers have forwarded several baseless theories on the authorship of Qur’an, which require a detailed critique.

Similarly, altogether separate study papers are needed on the following themes:

• Evidences on the “Originality and Genuineness of the Qur’an”, i.e. Qur’an has remained immune against any type of interpolation or transfiguration in its text and even its arrangement, contrary to other revealed books.

• A study on “Comparison between Qur’an and the other revealed books”.

• A paper on “Process of Revelation, Compilation and Preservation of Qur’an”.

Evidences on the Authenticity of the Qur’an

As the opponents want us to believe, the Holy Qur’an is not the product of the holy Prophet’s speculation and thinking, rather it is a revealed book in which every word is the word of the Almighty that was communicated to the Prophet through the process of revelation. While historical testimony in this regard is unquestionable, the Qur’an emphasizes it further with a view of showing the opponents of Islam that what came out from the sacred lips of the Prophet was a divine revelation:

“(This is) the revelation of the book in which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the worlds. Will they say: ‘He has forgedit! ’ Nay, it is the Truth from the Lord ...”. (32:2-3)

“But Allah bears witness that what He has revealed to you (O Muhammad), He has revealed from His own knowledge, and the angels bear witness (to it), but sufficient is Allah for witness”. (4:166).

“And you (O Muhammad) did not recite any book before this, noryou were able to transcribe one with your right hand. In that case, indeed those who talk vanity could have doubted.” (29:48).

Following are some evidences and arguments in brief, to prove the authenticity of the Holy Qur’an as the word of Allah (swt ).

The Exclusive Eloquence of the Qur’an

The Prophet of Islam began conveying his heavenly messages in the midst of society where people’s minds revolved exclusively around eloquent speech and the composition of beautiful and attractive poetry and literary excellence. Under these conditions, God equipped His prophet with a weapon, theQur’an, that apparently belonged to the same category as the literary works of the age but possessed unique and astonishing characteristics that were beyond the capacity of the human being to reproduce.

a) The Role of Poetry in the lives of the Pre-Islamic Arabs

To understand why Muhammad's strongest argument or miracle was a book, the Holy Qur'an, it is necessary to understand the role language and linguistic composition played in the lives of the pre-Islamic Arabs. It is also important to understand the nature of the Arabic language itself during the pre-Islamic period. This understanding will help to show why the revelation of the Qur'an through Muhammad (S) found attentive ears among his contemporaries, who not only were articulate users of the language but held those skilled in the arts of linguistic composition in high esteem.

Before the rise of Islam, Arabic was mainly a spoken language with an oral literature of elaborate poetry and, to a lesser extent, prose. Writing had not yet fully developed and memorization was the most common means of preserving the literature. Both poetry and prose in the pre-Islamic era dealt with a rather limited range of topics which included in the case of poetry praise, eulogy (panegyric), defamation, and love, and in the case of prose superstition, legends, parables, and wisdom tales.

Pre-Islamic Arabs took great pride in their language and in articulate and accurate speech, the latter being one of the main requisites for social prominence. On this particular point, ProfessorHitti writes: “No people in the world manifest such enthusiastic admiration for literary expression and are moved by the word, spoken or written, as the Arabs. Hardly any language seems capable of exercising over the minds of its users such an irresistible influence as Arabic”.

Such was the role that the spoken word played in the life of pre-Islamic Arabs. With the emphasis placed on eloquent and articulate speech, the prominent position occupied by those who had the talent for linguistic composition, and the pride the early Arabs took in their language, it is little wonder that the Qur'an was revealed in the most eloquent, articulate, and elaborate style the Arabic language has known. The Qur'an has without doubt provided a level of linguistic excellence unparalleled in the history of the Arabic language.

Theologians explain this phenomenon as God's wisdom in addressing the articulate Arabs through the medium in which they were most adept and with which they felt most comfortable. The effectiveness of the Qur'an was thus ensured by the fact that it represented a level of eloquence unattainable even by their most eloquent speakers.

b) Miracles should be relevant to the Time

God offered the Qur'an as the Prophet's sign in the same way as He offered signs for all the other prophets. He sent the things most appropriate to the time in which they were sent. Thus Prophet Musa (as) had the power to divide the sea with his hand and rod, and to let the rock burst forth with water in the desert, and all his other signs in a time of magic.

And ProphetIssa (as) had the power to bring the dead back to life, to make birds out of clay, to cure those who had been blind from birth and the leprous, and all his other signs in a time of medicine. And Prophet Muhammad (S) had the book and all his other signs in a time of eloquence.

If the Prophet had performed some miracle other than the Qur’an, it would have no meaning for that people, given their mental structure. The path would have been open for all kinds of doubt and hesitation. But the Arabs of that age who were addressed by the Qur’an could never have any doubts about its extraordinary eloquence, for they were all aware of all the mysteries of rhetoric and had living among them masters of language and literary composition, hence their admitting that the Qur’an could not have been the production of Prophet Muhammad (S).

The Challenge of the Qur’an

a) The Unbelievers failed to produce the like of Qur’an

When the revelations of the Qur’an began, the Most Noble Messenger clearly proclaimed the Qur’an to be the word of God, and said it was impossible for any human being to duplicate it. If anyone disagreed, he ought to make an attempt to copy it, and should feel free to seek help from any source in doing so. None was able to take up this challenge and produce even a shortsurah similar to the Qur’an.

The Qur'an remains a book of inimitable quality, not only from a linguistic, but also from and intellectual, point of view. When Muhammad was challenged by his fellow countrymen to present a miracle, in keeping with the tradition of other prophets, he presented the Qur'an to them. The inimitability of the Qur'an is repeatedly emphasized in the Holy Book itself.

The Qur’an issued a challenge not only to the contemporaries of the Prophet but also to men in all ages. In order to demonstrate the incapacity and impotence of people to imitate it, it issued the following universal proclamation:

“Were all mankind to come together and wish to produce the like of the Qur’an, they would neversucceed, however much they aided each other”. (17:88)

It then modifies the challenge and reduces its scope by saying:

“Do people imagine that this Qur’an is not fromUs , and that you, O Prophet are falsely attributing to us? Tell them that if they are speaking truly they should produce tensurahs resembling the Qur’an, and that they are free to call on the aid of anyone but God in so doing.” (11:13)

Then, at the third stage, the scope of the challenge is reduced still further: the deniers are called on to produce only a singlesurah resembling the Qur’an:

“Oh people, if you doubt the heavenly origin of this Book whichWe have sent down to Our servant, the Prophet, produce onesurah like it.” (2:23)

A yet stronger challenge occurs in another chapter:

“Or do they say: 'He forged it'? Say: 'Bring then asura like unto it and call [to your aid] anyone you can”. (10:38)

Since we know that some of the shortersurahs consist only of a few brief sentences, this final challenge constituted a definitive proof of the human being’s inability to imitate the Qur’an. Can the person of today take up the challenge of the Qur’an and produce aSurah like it, thereby conquering the stronghold of Islam and invalidating the claim of its Prophet?

Let us not forget that this challenge was issued to a people whose leaders were threatened by the devastating attacks of the Qur’an - their lives, their property, their ancient customs, their ancestors, their whole social position. If it had been at all possible for the Arabs to respond to the challenge of the Qur’an, they would have taken it up immediately, with the unstinting aid of the masters of eloquence that were by no means rare in that age. Thus they would have invalidated the proofs of the Qur’an and won an everlasting victory.

Qur’an has proposed a very simple challenge to those who oppose it. Why do then the deniers ofprophethood choose roundabout ways, avoiding this direct method of confronting and defeating Islam? Is not because the door is firmly closed on meeting the challenge posed by the Qur’an?

It is not that they did not try to mute the challenge.Infact , they called into play all their resources in an effort to meet the challenge of the Qur’an, but all their efforts came to naught. They were unable to point even to a single error or defect in the Qur’an, and were obliged to admit that its words were situated on a higher plane than the thought and speech of the human being.

The Scientific Miracle of the Qur’an

The Qur’an is definitely not a Science book, but since the Qur’an is intended to be an eternal miracle, revealed to make science and learning blossom among human beings, it is also a scientific miracle. It has expounded, in the most eloquent fashion, truths of a physical nature together with everything that touches. Although those who are not acquainted with the scientific truths cannot fully appreciate itsmiraculousness , they can perceive the miraculous nature of the meanings and truths it contains.

a) Holy Qur’an is everlasting Miracle

The limitation in time of the miracles performed by the earlier Prophets was an indication of the impermanence of their religions and the laws that they brought. By contrast, the miracle attesting to theprophethood for the Prophet of Islam cannot be temporally limited, because his message is universal and represents the culmination of all preceding religions; hisprophethood requires an eternal miracle, a brilliant and eloquent proof of its immortality embedded with the ongoing scientific discoveries.

A permanent message must display to mankind a permanent and everlasting miracle, one which advances with time, so that just as it offered convincing proof to people of the past, it may do the same to people of the future. A short-lived miracle that is imperceptible to later generations cannot be a source of reference or judgment for the future.

For this reason, the Qur’an is presented as a permanent and everlasting miracle, the final manifestation of God's revelation. The Qur’an itself says:

"The true and well-formulated message of your Lord has now been completed, and none is able to change it." (6:115)

For Muslims, themiraculousness of the Qur’an is not only a matter of religious belief, but for scholars and researchers it is a matter of scientific belief.

The Qur’an possesses a remarkable comprehensiveness and richness, with respect to its world view and scientific content, and its ability to guide not only the individual and society in spiritual aspect, but also in the realms of natural environment and mysteries of life. There are still many matters contained in the Qur’an that call for investigation and await discovery by further research.

b) Holy Qur’an is in Total Agreement with Modern Scientific Data

Throughout ages, mankind has undergone numerous changes, and passing through repeated stages of development and growth, it has attained a more comprehensive awareness of the mysteries of creation. Nonetheless, the Qur’an has at all times retained its proud and dignified presence on the stage of human history and scientific discoveries.

Dr. MauriceBucaille , the French scientist, writes as follows: “A crucial fact is that the Qur’an, while inviting us to cultivate science, itself contains many observations on natural phenomena and includes explanatory details which are seen to be in total agreement with modern scientific data......

“These scientific considerations, which are very specific to the Qur’an, greatly surprised me first. Up until then, I had not thought it possible for one to find so many statements in a text compiled more than thirteen centuries ago referring to extremely diverse subjects and all of them totally in keeping with modern scientific knowledge. .....

A thorough linguistic knowledge is not in itself sufficient to understand these verses from the Qur’an. What is needed along with this is a highly diversified knowledge of Science. The hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad as the author of Qur’an is quite untenable. How could a man, from being illiterate, become the most important author, in terms of literary merit, in the whole of Arabic literature? How could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have developed at the time, and all this without once making the slightest error in his pronouncements on the subject?

“The ideas in this study are developed from a purely scientific point of view. They lead to the conclusion that it is inconceivable from a human being living in the seventh century A.D. To have made statements in the Qur’an on a great variety of subjects that do not belong to his period and for them to be in keeping with what was to be known only centuries later. For me, there can be no human explanation to the Qur’an”.

c) Holy Qur’an encourages seeking of Science and Knowledge

No other revealed book praises and encourages science and knowledge as does the Qur'an and it is for this reason that the Qur'an names the age of the desert Arabs, together with their pagan cultures, before Islam as the "age of ignorance." In over a hundred verses reference is made to science and knowledge in a variety of ways; and many of these verses praise the value of scientific knowledge.

In Qur’an, God indicates thefavour he has done man by bringing him out of his state of ignorance.

"He teaches man what he did not know." (96:5)

Likewise, we read in Qur’an:

"God will exalt those who believe among you and those who have knowledge to high ranks," (58:11);

and Allah (swt ) also says,

"Are those who know equal to those who do not". (39:9).

Besides the many verses in the Qur'an concerning knowledge, there are also countless traditions of the Prophet and the Imams on this subject which rank second only in importance to the Qur'an.

In verses too numerous to mention, the Qur'an invites one to reflect upon the signsOf creation: the heavens, the shining stars and their astonishing celestial movements, and the cosmic order which rules over them all.

Similarly, the Qur'an urges one to reflect upon the creation of the earth, the seas, the mountains, the desert, and the wonders contained below the surface of the earth, the difference between night and day and the changing cycle of seasons. It urges mankind to meditate on the extra ordinary creation of the plants and the order and symmetry governing their growth, as well as the multiplicity of the animal kingdom.

The Qur'an invites one to witness the interdependence of beings and how all live in harmony with nature. It calls upon man also, to ponder on his own make-up, on the secrets of creation which are hidden within him, on his soul, on the depth of his perception, and on his relationship with the world of the spirit.

The Qur'an commands man to travel in the world in order to witness other cultures and to investigate the social orders, history and philosophies of past people. Thus it calls man to a study of the natural sciences, mathematics, philosophy, the arts and all sciences available to man, and to study them for the benefit of man and the well-being of society.

The Qur'an strongly recommends the study of these sciences on the condition that it leads to truth and reality, that it produces a correct view of the world based on an understanding of God.

Knowledge, which merely keeps a man occupied and prevents him from knowing the reality of his own existence, is equated with ignorance. Allah (swt ) says in Qur’an:

"They know only some appearance of the life of one world and are heedless of the Hereafter" (30:7).

"Have you seen him who makes his Desire his goal, and God sends him astray purposely and seals up his Heart and sets a covering on his Heart. Then who will lead him after God (has condemned him)." (45:23)

However, one important point which should be considered while discussing theScientific miracles in Qur’an is that: Scientific interpretations are always unstable due to the instability of the hypotheses and the theories adopted by the theoreticians. Since no hypothesis is the last one, every new invention requires a new theory for its interpretation or explanation.

Therefore, scientific theories are subject to change. Like the Einstein's theory of relativity that changed the Newton's physics, the results of archaeological studies cannot be taken for granted to be the definite meaning. Of course, this possibility also helps us to solve some of the obscurities to some extent.

Some Brief Examples of Scientific Data in the Qur’an

a) The Earth and Heavens were Joined Together

All scientific circles in the world today agree that the planets were originally composed of a mass of Sodium gas and that first the heavens and the earth were joined together as a single entity and then they separated from each other. Centuries ago, the Qur’an referred to this scientific theory.

It says when describing the creation of the heavens:

“Then God turned to the creation of the heavens (the planets), when they were but a smoky substance.” (41:11)

“Do the unbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before we separated them, and thatWe brought all living things into existence from water? Why do they still not believe in God?” (21:30)

Thus the Qur’an unveils one of the great mysteries of nature: the planets were originally composed of smoky substance (mass of Sodium gas), and the separation of the planets from a huge object and then their separation from each other. Since at the time of revelation of the Qur’an, the general level of knowledge and science was extremely low, does this not constitute a proof of the heavenly nature of the Qur’an?

b) Expansion of Universe

One of the most subtle discoveries in science concerns the expansion of universe, its tendency constantly to extend its boundaries. This was something completely unknown to the human being until the last century. This mystery is, however, mentioned by the Qur’an in the following terms, which again bear witness to its remarkable profundity when discussing such matters:

“We created the heavens withOur strength and power, and constantly expand them”. (51:47)

c) Force of Gravity

We know that before the time of Newton, that great scientific personality, no one was aware of the force of gravity. Newton proved that the falling of objects to earth, the rotation of the moon and the Venus, the motion of the planets, and other instances of attraction are all subject to the single law, the law of universal gravity.

The Qur’an describes the above mentioned gravitational force as ‘invisible pillars’:

“God it isWho raised up the heavenly bodies to invisible pillars .....” (13:2).

In conveying this scientific truth, the Qur’an has used an expression that is comprehensible for the men of all ages. Are these ‘unseen pillars’, which prevent the planets from colliding with each other or falling, anything other than the mysterious and invisible force of universal gravity, a law to which the Creator of the universe has subjected all of the heavenly bodies?

d) Production of Milk in Animals

The Qur’an describes the factors which give rise to milk in animals in a way that is entirely compatible with the data of modern science. This is what God’s book has to say:

“There is in truth for you a lesson in your animals and flocks. We give you to drinka pure milk derived from that which is contained in their bodies, from the merging of what is held in their intestines with blood. The drinking of that is then made easy for those who drink it.” (16:66).

Dr.Bucaille writes in his book:

“From a scientific point of view, physiological notions must be called upon to grasp the meaning of this verse. The substances that ensure the general nutrition of the body come from chemical transformations which occur along the length of the digestive tract. These substances come from the contents of the intestine. On arrival in the intestine at the appropriate stage of chemical transformation, they pass through its wall and towards the systemic circulation (of blood)...... This very precise concept is the result of the discoveries made in the chemistry and physiology of the digestive system. It was totally unknown at the time of the Prophet Muhammad and has been understood only in recent times.”

e) In Pairs

It is only recently that researchers have come aware of insemination in plants and learned that every living being including plants comes into existence as the result of the mergingof a male and female parts .

In verses that are totally free of ambiguity, the nobleQur’an, sets forth clearly the principle of gender in the gender world, together with the existence of male and female parts even in plants.

“Do they not look at the earth, where we created the plants in pairs”. (26:7).

f) Role of Wind

The Qur’an also mentions the role and operation of an important factor in the bringing of things to fruition: the wind.

“We have sent the winds as a means of insemination and impregnation, and then sent down rain from the heavens.” (15:22).

In this verse, the Qur’an unveilsanother a great mystery of creation, the fundamental role played by the wind in the fertilization of plants.

g) Light in the Moon is merely a Reflection

It is known that the sun is a star that generates intense heat and light by its internal combustion, and that the moon which does not give off light itself, merely reflects the light received from the sun.

The Qur’an testifies the above fact:

“Blessedis the One Who placed the constellations in heaven and placed in it a lamp (SIRAJ) and a moon, giving light (MUNIIRA)”. (25:61)

Here the moon is defined as a body that gives reflection of light (Muniira ), while the sun is compared to a blazing lamp or torch (Siraj ).

h) High Altitude

It isinfact a highly common place reflection on the discomfort experienced at high altitude, which increases the higher one climbs, that is expressed in the Qur’an:

“Those whom God wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam. While those whom He wills to let straying, He makes their breath closed and constricted, as if they had to climb up the skies”. (6:125)

Who informed the Prophet that by climbing up in the skies, the pressure increases and breathing becomes difficult?

i ) Honey Bees

Concerning bees, the Qur’an says:

“Your Lord inspired the (female)bee, choose your dwelling in the hills, in the trees and in what (man) build. Eat of all fruit and follow the ways of your Lord in humility. From within their bodies comes a liquid of differentcolours where is cure for men”. (16:68-69)

The Qur’an refers that the worker-bees who are searching for food are females. The verbs used in Arabic refer to female bees. This is very amazing. For all along, until only recently, people imagined that the “soldier-bees” were males.

j) Development of the Embryo

TheQur’anic description of certain stages in the development of the embryo corresponds exactly to what we today know about it. After ‘the thing which clings’, the Qur’an informs us that the embryo passes through the stage of ‘chewed flesh’, then tissue appears and is clad in flesh:

“We fashioned the thing which clings into a chewed lump of flesh andWe fashioned the chewed flesh into bones, and We clothed the bones with intact flesh”. (23:14).

It was only during the nineteenth century that people had a slightly clearer view of this question.

All the afore mentioned and many other modern scientific concepts found abundantly in the Glorious Qur’an, that was revealed 14 centuries ago, with utmost accuracy and free from any error, prove beyond any iota of doubt the divine source of its revelation.

Accuracy of Historical Records in the Qur’an

Many ancient historical anecdotes and geographical regions have been mentioned in the stories of the holy Qur'an such as : the river or sea through which theBani Israel passed, the land ofAshab -eHijr ,Dhul Qarnayn Dam,Ashab -eKahf's Cave, earthy paradise ofDhat al-`Imad etc., not forgetting the detailed stories of past Prophets.

The hypothesis advanced by those who see Muhammad (S) as the author of Qur’an is untenable. How could a man from being an unlettered, become the most important author, in terms of Historical literature in the whole world, and pen down historical facts with pinpoint accuracy?

The Holy Qur’an says:

“Such are some of the stories of the unseen, whichWe have revealed unto you, before this neither you nor your people knew them. So persevere patiently, for the end is for those who are righteous”. (11:49).

Research on historical records in the Holy Qur’an and finding their traces is very effective in understanding the Authenticity of the Qur'an. In addition, being involved in exploring the past would provide a good background to take lessons from the past on which the holy Qur'an in the following verses to persuade us to do so:

"Have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than these in powers..." (30:9)

"Indeed there have been examples before you; Therefore travel in the earth..." (3:136)

To appreciate the accuracy of historical records advanced in the Qur’an, few examples are cited here below, not mentioning the detailed information on past Prophets’ history:

a)Ashabe Kahf

While narrating about the duration of which ‘As-habe Kahf ’ (the Sleepers of the Cave) stayed in the cave, the Qur’an says:

“So they stayed in their cave three hundred years and ADD nine...” (18:25).

The wording is quite significant. The verse does not say “three hundred and nine years” but uses the apparently cumbersome wording of “three hundred years and add nine”. Why add nine? This is because their stay was 300 years if one used the solar calendar and 309 years by the lunar calendar. The lunar year is 11 days shorter. Now 11 days times 300 years divided by 365 years is 9 years.

b) City ofIram

Another example of historical record can be found in chapter 89 of the Qur’an which mentions an ancient city calledIram :

“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with theAad (people), of the (city of)Iram , with lofty pillars, the like of which were not produced in (all) the land?”. (89:6-7).

Apart from its being mentioned in the Qur’an, therewere no historical record about this city -Iram . The name itself was obscure even during the time of the Prophet himself, which led to a number of speculations about its possible geographical location. Some commentators of the Qur’an went to the extent of suggesting that probablyIram was the name of a hero of theAad .

The research findings of published by the official journal of the American National Geographic society in December 1978 have conclusively shown thatIram was a city. In 1975, Dr. Paolo Mathias of the University of Rome, director of the Italian Archeological Mission in Syria ‘hit an archeological jackpot’. In the ruins of a palace apparently destroyed in the 23rd century B.C., he came upon the greatest third millennium archive ever unearthed. More than 15,000 ‘cunei form tablets’ were discovered. Among the rich details revealed by these tablets is the fact that Ebla used to have trading links withIram ....

It is inconceivable how Muhammad could describe accurately in the Qur’an the physical features and the level of architecture of a people who lived in an ancient city which was destroyed 3000 years before he was born.

c) The body ofFir’aun

The Qur’an has explicitly recorded about what has become of the body ofFir’aun .

“This dayWe save therein your body so that you become a sign for those who come after you. But verily, many among mankind are heedless of our signs......” (10:92).

In this verse, the God's intention of bringing the body of Pharaoh out of water rather than leaving it decaying or being eaten by the sea animals is to give a lesson to future generations.

What is amazing that when the Qur’an was transmitted to man by the Prophet, the bodies of all the Pharaohs were in their tombs in the Necropolis of Thebes, on the opposite side of the Nile fromLuxor. At the time however, absolutely nothing was known of this fact, and it was not until the end of the nineteenth century that they were discovered there.

As the Qur’an states, the body of the Pharaoh (Fir’aun ) of the Exodus was in fact rescued: visitors may see him in the Royal Mummies Room of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. How did the Prophet, who lived in Arabiandesert came to know that the body ofFir’aun would be rescued for future generations to learn a lesson?

Lesson 9: The Purity of The Prophets

1. Why must the Prophets be Ma'sum?

The Wise and Merciful God sent the prophets so that human society may recognise the right way as opposed to the precipitous way, and may be able to stride up to the highest peaks of true pride, perfection and laudable virtues, and stay on that way.

With the same intention, God also made His prophets and messengers immune from every kind of sin and error, and, in one word, made them “infallible” (ma'sum), so that they may be able to lead mankind towards God without any error or mistake.

It is obvious that the very same reason which prompted the need for prophethood also requires that the prophets be immaculate and immune from all kinds of sin, impurity, error and fault.

Since the aim and purpose of sending prophets is to lead society towards God's commands, this aim is to be secured through the infallibility of the prophets, for it is clear that to do things which are repulsive or indecent, to sin, and also to be a source of error and fault is a reason for people to be averse to and diverted from these things, and thus the aim, which was the guidance and teaching of society, would be lost.

Of course, we know that no wise person does things against his aim, and that he takes regard for what is effectual in attaining and reaching his aim.

For example, someone who wants a number of distinguished individuals to take part in a celebration in his honour knows that no one without an invitation can honourably attend. He will never send an invitation to someone who is averse to him, rather he will try to send his invitations in such a way that they will all be accepted, and, if he doesn't do this, his work will not have been prudent and wise, and it will be regarded as having been unseemly and unbecoming.

The Merciful and Wise God also takes account of what basically interferes with the guidance and education of society, and does not want people to depend on and follow the will of capricious and impure men, and so to end up far from, and be deprived of their true development. Therefore, He has sent immaculate prophets so that the guidance and instruction of society may be in the best possible way.

And now we shall read in more detail why the prophets must be without fault. -

(A) The Principle of Instruction

The purpose of sending the prophets was to educate humanity; and we know that in education, the teacher's behaviour is a more effective instrument than his speech and verbal instructions.

The character and actions of the teacher can bring about a radical transformation in man, because, on the basis of the principle of imitation, man gradually adopts the manner and conduct of his teacher, and becomes of the same colour so that it is as if he is the clear, limpid surface of a pool which reflects the image of the sky above him.

Speech alone cannot play the part of instruction, rather it serves instruction, and this is the idea of the prophetic mission, that prophets must possess praiseworthy habits and qualities and be untainted with sin and error so that they can effectively attract the people of this world towards the sacred aim.

It is clear that one who has soiled his hands with sin, even though in secret and without anyone being aware, will never have that unwavering strength of mind and spirit to bring about a radical transformation in the area of the human spirit.

For example, a person who taints his lips with wine can never dissuade others from drinking it, and raise the voice of truth and mobilise his iron will in combating this act.

The secret of the prophets' success in their mission was the coordination in their words and deeds, and it is this moral strength which enabled them to transform the fundamentals of human thoughts and lead societies towards perfection.

(B) Confidence & Acceptance

The greater the degree of faith and confidence that people have in a speaker, the more their agreement with him increases, and vice versa.

For this reason, the prophets, who divulged the Divine commands and restrained people from sin and immorality, must, according to this assertion, be endowed with the greatest, most admirable qualities, and be free from every kind of sin and indecency, every error and mistake.

This is so that people's confidence and faith in them may be greater and they may accept their guidance and what they say, and so that people may strive more assiduously in carrying out the plans and putting into practice the reformative instructions of the prophets, and understand from the depths of their hearts their leadership.

Thus the aim of the prophetic mission, that is to say the leading of the human race to development on all sides, will be accomplished; the aim of the prophetic mission will not be obtained under any other circumstances, and that would be very far from the wisdom of God.

This purity and worthiness of the prophets was so extraordinary that people became devoted to them to such a degree that their followers felt great love towards them and gave up their lives in following and obeying them, without heed for the consequences.

However, the question as to how one man can be completely free from sin and error is a matter to which we shall now turn our attention.

2. How can a person be Ma'sum?

(A) Real Love of God

The holy prophets were deeply devoted to God, and why should they not have been? They, who with their senses and profound insight knew God better than anyone, who understood His Greatness, Splendour and Majesty to be above all things, who deem Him alone worthy of love, devotion and obedience, who had nothing except His Pleasure in view, who gave their hearts to none but Him, who did everything with devotion to Him, and who knew Who they were worshipping.

It was for this very reason that the prophets welcomed difficulties and formidable situations, and also paid attention to God with smiling, open faces even when they were in the most critical circumstances. And so, when, in their beloved, true way, they met with difficulties, they became overflowing with joy.

History has recorded the endeavours of these heavenly, torchbearing men of guidance, as also the condemnable behaviour of people towards them. Could steadfastness in these difficulties have had another motivation apart from love of God and the performance of His command? Surely not.

How can it be imagined that those who are completely engrossed in their beloved way, and who utter nothing except according to His wish, and in whose heart, soul, spirit and thoughts not one corner is empty of remembrance of Him, can disobey His commands? Or can give themselves up to sin? Rather, they followed the path of obedience to Him and were devoted to Him.

Someone asked the Prophet of Islam, why he himself indulged in worship of God to such an extent that he would physically suffer since he was purified and had no sins.

His answer was that why should he not be a grateful and thankful slave of God?3 So it was not out of fear of punishment that the Prophet used to worship God to such an extent, it was out of a sense of gratitude.

Thus we can understand that the perfect knowledge of the prophets and the deep and true love which they had for God resulted in infallibility and absolute purity, so that, in addition to precluding sin from their will and thinking, they withheld themselves from sin.

(B) The Deep & Perfect Insight of The Prophets

Perceptiveness is not the same in everyone. Someone who is ignorant and illiterate will never think like a doctor does about microbes and the contamination of vessels by them. A doctor who has spent years investigating microbes, has watched them multiply under a microscope, and has witnessed the fate of those who were infected by them can never neglect microbes and their dangers.

Thus we see that the ignorant person proceeds to drink water contaminated with microbes and has no worry, whereas the doctor would never be prepared to drink such water and would never even entertain the idea.

The only motive for refraining from drinking is the knowledge and information which this doctor has concerning the bad effects of microbes.

So, for example, the illiterate, ignorant person would also keep himself from eating something filthy, for, in this case, he is aware of the impurity and harmful effects of it. But a one year old child into whose reach that filthy thing falls would probably put it into his mouth.

Another point is that there are some people who attach little importance to incremental harm, although they fear sudden, unexpected dangers and avoid them.

For example, someone may be rather lazy about extracting a decayed tooth and may procrastinate about resorting to a dentist, till such time as his other teeth become affected, and a great deal more discomfort comes his way.

The toll for this is that he may be affected by very serious ailments. However, the very same person, as soon as the pain of appendicitus appears and there is a possibility of real danger, will entrust himself into the hands of a surgeon without any delay. Ordinary people take a superficial view of evil, and do not take sufficient note of its physical and spiritual, bodily and psychological effects.

However, the prophets, who, with the help of a higher power, have supremacy in their vision and knowledge over the rest of mankind, who have a profound and perfect insight into all the effects of evil, and who, by a secret witnessing, see even those effects of evil which will materialize in the next world, will never come under the influence of their own bodily desires and soil their hands with the contamination of sin; even the thought of it will never enter their hearts.

In short, remembrance of judgment and the preview of the effects of sin in the next world was the best way to keep the prophets from sin and indecency.

* * *

This lesson is based on the following: Dar Rah-e Haq, The Roots of Religion (1981) Qum, Iran.

Question Paper on Lesson 9

Question 1: [16 points]

Fill in the blanks from the pool of words given below by simply placing the number of the correct word in the blank space.

(a) A teacher's conduct undoubtedly ______ his students’ _______.

(b) For greatest impact, a prophet must instill ______ in his followers.

(c) It was their true ______ and real ______ of God that made prophets free from sins and impurities.

(d) The reason why prophets refrained from committing sins was that they could _________ the effects of evil deeds.

(e) The prophetic mission required prophets to demonstrate extremely high _______ character and ethical _______.

1. foresee

2. love

3. standards

4. character

5. moral

6. affects

7. knowledge

8. confidence

Question 2: [10 points]

Tick the appropriate box:

(a) Infallibility means complete immunity from sins.

(b) Prophets cannot commit sins because of the nature of their creation.

(c) An imperfect teacher cannot deliver perfect teaching.

(d) Mas‘ūm refers to those prophets and imams who are free from errors and sins.

(e) Prophets were immune from sins but they could make unintentional sins.

Question 3: [12 points]

Briefly discuss two reasons on why the prophets must be ma‘sūm.

Question 4: [12 points]

Is infallibility an acquired quality or is it bestowed upon the prophets by God?

Lesson 10: Prophets & Scriptures

Almighty God did not leave man alone; he sent guidance in the form of prophets and messengers. According to the common belief of all Muslims, God sent 124,000 prophets and messengers to guide mankind in all parts of the world.

The first was Prophet Adam and the last was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them both).

The basic faith of all the prophets was the same: to call people to the One and Only God (tawhid) and bring peace in human society; the differences are only in the codes of law.

However, not all the 124,000 prophets were of the same rank and status; some were greater than the other; some were sent as assistants to those messengers who came before them; some were given a holy scripture while others were not.

There were some prophets who came with divine laws which their followers were to implement. Such prophets were higher in rank over the others, and are known as ulu 'l-’azm prophets. Ulu 'l66 ‘azm means “those who possess great responsibility”. The ulu 'l- 'azm prophets are five:

1. Prophet Nuh (a.s.) known in English as Noah.

2. Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) known in English as Abraham.

3. Prophet Musa (a.s.) known in English as Moses. A person who believes in the message of Prophet Musa (a.s.) is known as a Jew.

4. Prophet 'Isa (a.s.) known in English as Jesus. A person who follows the message of Prophet 'Isa (a.s.) is known as a Christian.

5. Prophet Muhammad (a.s.). A person who follows the message of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) is known as a Muslim.

The divine laws brought by Prophet Nuh were followed till the advent of Prophet Ibrahim and the more advanced divine laws were sent by God through him.

Then Prophet Musa was sent with a new set of laws which were even more elaborate; Musa was followed by Prophet “Isa who modified the laws of Musa. Last of all came Prophet Muhammad with the most perfect and comprehensive divine law. No prophet or Holy Scripture is to be sent after Muhammad (a.s.).

Many prophets were also given scriptures - God commandments sent to mankind through His prophets and messengers.

The scriptures that were revealed to Prophet Nuh and Prophet Ibrahim are not well-known. The Qur'an talks about scrolls (suhuf) of Ibrahim which shows that many books were revealed to him.

The most famous scriptures revealed to the prophets are the following:

1. The Tawrat (Torah) revealed to Prophet Musa.

2. The Zabur (Psalms) revealed to Prophet Dawud (a.s.) known in English as David.

3. The Injil (Gospel) revealed to Prophet Isa.

4. The Qur'an (pronounced as Qur-aan) revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

* * *

This lesson has been prepared by S. M. Rizvi.

Question Paper on Lesson 10

Question 1: [1.5 points for each answer]

Fill in the blanks from the pool of words given below by simply placing the number of the correct word in the blank space.

(a) According to Islamic belief, God sent ____ prophets in all parts of the world.

(b) In Qur'anic terminology, all prophets were Muslims and their fundamental mission was to preach ____ of God and ____ on earth.

(c) The name of the first prophet was ____ (a.s.) and the name of the last prophet was ____ (a.s.).

(d) All prophets were not ____ in status and rank.

(e) The prophets who came with a divine law are called ____ prophets.

(f) Christians are those who believe in ____ known in Arabic as ____.

(g) ____ are the people who believe in Prophet Musa known in English as ____.

(h) Prophet Nuh (a.s.) is known in English as ____.

(i) Zabur, known in English as ____, was given to Prophet Dawud (a.s.) known in English as ____.

(j) Torah, known in Arabic as ____, was given to Prophet ____ (a.s.).

(k) Prophet `Isa (a.s.) was given the book called ____ in Arabic and ____ in English.

(l) The Qur'ān was revealed to Prophet ____ (a.s.).

(m) The Qur'ān talks about certain scrolls called ____ revealed to Prophet ____ (a.s.).

1. Psalms

2. Tawrat

3. 124,000

4. Ibrahim

5. Ulu 'l-`azm

6. unity

7. equal

8. `Isa

9. David

10. Muhammad

11. Suhuf

12. Jesus

13. Injil

14. Musa

15. Jews

16. Bible

17. Noah

18. Adam

19. peace

20. Moses

Question 2: [10 points]

Listed below are some of the Prophets mentioned in the Qur'ān. Circle the letter before the names of those who came with a divine law.

(a) Prophet Ya`qub (Jacob).

(b) Prophet Ayyub (Job).

(c) Prophet Musa (Moses).

(d) Prophet Yahya (John).

(e) Prophet Muhammad (a.s.).

(f) Prophet Yunus (Jonah).

(g) Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham).

(h) Prophet Yusuf (Joseph).

(i) Prophet `Isa (Jesus).

(j) Prophet Nuh (Noah)

(k) Prophet Ismail (Ishmael).

(l) Prophet Zakariyya (Zacharia).

Question 3: [10 points]

(a) Specify the names of the Divine Books in the order in which they were revealed, and also write the names of the Prophets who received those Books.

(b) Which Divine Book contains the most comprehensive and eternal laws?

Lesson 11: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah is the last and final messenger of God. The message he brought from God is known as “al-lslam,” and the scripture he was given by God is known as “al-Qur'an.”

1. Arabia at the Prophet's Birth

The Arabs prior to Islam were idol-worshippers; they believed that apart from the life of this world there was no other life. It was a society in which respect depended on wealth and family.

Woman was a commodity, counted as wealth of the father, husband and son; and after death she was inherited like the other possessions. It was a disgrace to have a daughter, and in some tribes the family buried this shameful thing with their own hands.

The situation of the poor, women and society was not much different in other parts of the world.

Every human society at that time was sunk in darkness, decline and oppression. Throughout the whole world, no glow or gleam of light met the eyes.

A darkness like a thick heavy cloud in the sky had submerged the daily life of all societies in a deep sleep; and a horrible, powerful obscurity reigned which only the rising of a radiant sun could disperse.

This darkness was more overpowering in Arabia than in any other place, as if they had been invaded to the depths of degradation and debasement. See what Imam 'Ali (a.s.) says about those days:

You people of Arabia followed the worst religion; you dwelt amongst rough stones and poisonous serpents. You drank putrid water and ate filthy food. You shed the blood of one another and paid no heed to relationships. Idols are established among you, and sins cling to you.' (Nahju 'l-Balagha, sermon 26.)

2. The Birth of the Prophet of Islam

Muhammad opened his eyes to the world on the 17th of Rabi'u 1-Awwal in the 53rd year before the hijrah (570 AD). His father, 'Abdullah, was from the family of Prophet Isma'il, and had died before he could see his son. His mother was one of the most pious women of that time.

Muhammad was entrusted to a virtuous woman called Halimah, who suckled him and nursed him.

One day, Muhammad (s.a.w.) who had not yet reached the age of four years, asked Halimah if he could go into the desert with the other boys. Halimah said, “I bathed Muhammad and anointed his hair with oil.

I put collyrium on his eyes and hung a Yemenite stone on a string and put it round his neck so that no harm could come to him from the spirits of the desert. But Muhammad tore the stone from his neck and said, 'Don't worry about me. My God is taking care of me!’”

So we see that from childhood he was blessed with God's favour and grace, and was always guided by Divine friendship and help in works that were in their right time and place.

Muhammad's behaviour and speech in childhood were such that everyone's attention was attracted. In his youth, also, he was far from all the evil deeds which tainted those people in its environment.

He took no part in their riotous poetry gatherings. He drank no wine, was an enemy of the idols; he was perfect in his speech and behaviour.

Years before he became a prophet, the people called him as- Sddiq (the truthful) and al-Amin (the trustworthy). He had a pure mind and radiant intellect, and a godly and heavenly character. Every year for one month he went to the cave of Hira and was with God in His mysteries and in prayers. At the end of the month, before returning to his home, he went to the Ka’bah and made seven or more circumambulations.

3. Commencement of the Mission

At the age of forty, while busy in worship in the cave of Hira, he was proclaimed as the Messenger of God.

For three years, the Prophet of Islam received no command to call the people openly to Islam, and during that time only a few people had accepted the message of God brought by Muhammad (s.a.w.).

Among men, the first person who loved and followed him was Imam 'Ali (a.s.j, and among women, Khadijah.4 Then after three years, he received the command to invite people openly to Islam. First he invited his relatives as guests; about forty of them assembled together.

The food which the Prophet had prepared was no more than enough to satisfy the appetite of one man, but by the power of God that little food filled everyone, and this was the cause of much amazement. Abu Lahab, without thinking what he was saying, cried out: “Muhammad is a magician!” That day the relatives dispersed before the Prophet could speak. So he called them again the next day.

After they had partaken of the food and hospitality, he spoke: “O Sons of ‘Abdul Muttalib! No youth has brought to his people better than what I bring to you. I have brought to you the best of this world and of the hereafter.

I have been commanded by God to call you to Him. Which of you will extend his help to me and become my brother and successor?” Apart from 'Ali (a.s.), no one answered. The Prophet placed his hand on 'Ali's shoulder and said, “This is my brother, the executor of my will and my successor among you.

Listen to what he says and obey him.”5

One day the Prophet went up on to Mount Safa and called the people around him. He said, “If I told you that an enemy was going to fall on you this morning or this evening, would you trust me?”

All together they replied, “Yes!” He said, “I warn you of a severe torment that is soon to fall on you.” Out of fear that the speech of Muhammad (s.a.w.) would take effect in the hearts of those present, Abu Lahab broke the silence and said to him, “Did we assemble here just to listen to this nonsense?”

The Prophet of Islam started his call with the slogan of tawhid and the worship of one God, and established tawhid as the basis of all other beliefs. He made known to men Allah, who is nearer to man than man himself; he abolished all forms of idol-worshipping, revolutionized the atmosphere of Mecca, and drew people to his religion.

Meanwhile, the Quraysh (the most powerful tribe in Mecca to which the Prophet belonged) were becoming ill at ease with the progress he was making and tried hard to stop his preaching, even once trying to kill him; but with the help and protection of God all their tortures, persecutions and schemes were without effect and came to nothing.

Day by day the call to Islam, and also the acceptance by people, spread, even to those who came from outside Mecca. People rose up with their souls in answer to this Divine invitation.

In the eleventh year of the prophethood, some people from the tribe of Khazraj of Medina came to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage. The Prophet invited them to Islam and they accepted, with the promise that when they went back to Medina they would call the people to Muhammad's religion. They went to Medina and spread the invitation of the Prophet.

The next year, twelve Medinese accepted the faith of the Prophet of Islam at Aqaba and resolved: not to associate anything with Allah, not to steal, not to fornicate, not to indulge in infanticide, not to bring malicious accusations against anyone, not to disobey the Prophet in any thing which he indicated.

Then the Prophet sent a man by the name of Mus'ab bin “Umayr with them to teach the Qur'an, and thus a large group in Medina pledged their faith in the Prophet.

4. The Prophet's Migration (Hijrah)

Till the thirteenth year of his mission, the Prophet called the people of Mecca to Islam, and stood firm when faced with the persecutions of the Quraysh. Eventually he got to know that the Quraysh had hatched an incredible plan to kill him, so he put Imam 'Ali (a.s.) to sleep in his bed in his place and left Mecca at night; he hid in a cave, and then migrated from there to Medina.

The hijrah of the Prophet opened an entirely new chapter in the history of Islam from which a stimulating and surprising lead forward was made. For this very reason, the hijrah of Muhammad (s.a.w.) became the beginning of the calendar of the Muslims.

The two tribes of Medina, Aws and Khazraj, were bitter enemies of each other for generations. But with the presence of the Prophet of Islam in Medina, they became brothers for life in the shadow of the teachings of Islam, and blessed sincerity and cordiality was established between them.

The example of Muhammad's behaviour, his spiritual and moral superiority, and the natural aspect of his pure religion, caused the people to come to Islam by the score, and in the end to accept it.

The Prophet of Islam was from the people and with the people, and did not maintain a distance from them. He shared with them in their gains and losses.

He firmly criticised oppression and aggression, which he refrained from and prevented. He set forth all the principles which were, in the light of Islam, effective for the development of the position of women,

and put an end to the tyranny they had been subjected to previously, but he also vehemently fought against their unchastity and licentiousness, for he wanted them to attain real development on the basis of the true principles of Islam.

He defended the rights of slaves, and had comprehensive programmes for their freedom. The Prophet of Islam created a society where black and white, rich and poor, great and small, were all equal and could enjoy the benefits of being human beings.

In such an atmosphere, there could be no question of 'racial discrimination/ for there was a much higher basis in virtue, knowledge, piety, human values and ethical greatness.

* * *

This lesson has been adapted from Dar Rah-e Haq,

The Roots of Religion (1981) Qum, Iran.

Question Paper on Lesson 11

Question 1: [17 points]

True or False:

(a) The Prophet of Islam was born in 560 AD.

(b) Arabs, before Islam, followed a monotheistic religion.

(c) The essential ingredient of the Prophet's message was the unity of God.

(d) Before the commencement of his mission, the Prophet used to meditate in the cave of Thawr.

(e) Prior to Islam, the Arabs were completely submerged in the darkness of ignorance and moral degradation.

(f) Abu Jahl repeatedly interrupted the Prophet when he was calling people to Islam on Mount Safa.

(g) According to the historian, at-Tabari, Imam ‘Ali was the first among men to accept Islam.

(h) Muhammad (a.s.) commenced his prophetic mission at the age of 40.

(i) The Prophet openly started inviting people to Islam when he was 43 years old.

(j) The Prophet preached in Mecca for 11 years.

(k) In the 11th year of prophethood, 12 people from Medina accepted Islam.

(l) Aws and Khazraj were two historically friendly tribes of Medina who strongly supported the Prophet.

(m) It was the universal truth of the Prophet's message and his superior moral qualities that attracted people to Islam in large numbers.

(n) Islam strongly condemns mistreatment of women by their male counterparts.

(o) Islam promotes equality, piety, peace and justice.

(p) When the Prophet invited his family members to embrace Islam, Imam ‘Ali, according to at-Tabari, was the only person to offer help in the prophetic mission.

(f) The Prophet asked Imam ‘Ali to sleep in his bed on the night of his migration to Medina.

Question 2: [12 points]

When the 12 Medinese accepted Islam at Aqaba, what were the six things that they promised they will never do?

Question 3: [6 points]

What are the two titles by which the Prophet of Islam was known among his people even before he proclaimed his prophethood.

Question 4: [15 points]

In a five line paragraph, describe in your own words the message of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) and his teachings.