الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره، ونعوذ بالله تعالى من شرور أنفسنا، وسيئات أعمالنا، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله، اللهم صلِّ وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه ومن تبعه إلى يوم الدين.

When you study the Quran, you will note that almost 1/3 of the Quran is stories.   This means that the stories in the Quran offer major learning and development tools for Muslims.  The stories in the Quran are not intended for entertainment, though they will, but they are intended to achieve at least two objectives.

1. Demonstrate the divine laws, approach and methodology (منهج)
2. Develop the cognitive capacity of Muslims from younger age.

Therefore, the stories in the Quran are not based on imaginary events or fables but rather they are based on real human experiences that are mostly unknown, even to those who lived at that time of their occurrence.  Since many stories in the Quran present the application of the divine laws on nations that have vanished, they present some events that are only known to Allah.  Through these stories, Allah unveils to us certain events from the unseen world. 

These events from the unseen world are either related to conditions that only Allah knows, or conditions that only those who were intimately associated with them know.  But others who even existed at that time are unaware of them.   This point is critical because you may find old books speak about stories in the Quran but from the hearsay point of view and thus includes many fabrications.  The only accurate account of any story is the presentation in the Quran.

Because of the importance of the stories in presenting Allah’s rules, Allah commanded Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to relate the stories to Muslins to make them think, as He said in Surat Al-Araf:

 فَٱقۡصُصِ ٱلۡقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (١٧٦)

“So, relate the stories, perhaps they may think/ponder/reflect.” (Al-Araf 7:175-176)

We often give a writer or a speaker who impresses us the title (مفكر اسلامى) “Islamic Thinker or Islamic Intellectual”.  But the truth is that Allah wanted every Muslim to be an Islamic thinker.  And the way to become an Islamic thinker is to study the stories in the Quran.

Since the stories in the Quran present the practical application of the divine laws, it is important that we study them seriously to identify the divine laws whether they are physical or social based on these fully accurate and relevant human experiences.   We can derive these divine laws using the induction approach of scientific studies. 

As you know, there are mainly three scientific approaches for identifying laws in nature whether these laws are related to natural or social sciences.  These three approaches are: 

1. The Induction Approach: It involves the observation of many real events and identifying the common factors among them and thus you will be able to say if these conditions exist, the outcome should be as follows.
2. The Experimental Approach: It involves running large number of experiments to achieve certain results and when one of them succeed, this experiment is repeated several times to confirm the conclusion.
3. The Deduction Approach: It involves noting a relationship between certain initial conditions and a result and thus when a result is observed, the initial conditions are assumed to have been present.   This is often used in the court by saying since this happened and this happened and this happened, this must have happened. 

The stories in the Quran offer us the ability to use the induction approach to derive the divine laws and then use the deduction approach to explain current conditions and predict future events.  But this requires serious analysis of the stories in the Quran.  Unfortunately , this is extremely lacking among the Islamic literature. May be this gap remained, so everyone of us will have the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of Islamic thoughts.

Because the importance of the stories in the Quran, Allah says at the end of Surat Yusuf:

لَقَدۡ كَانَ فِى قَصَصِہِمۡ عِبۡرَةٌ۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ‌ۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثً۬ا يُفۡتَرَىٰ وَلَـٰڪِن تَصۡدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَتَفۡصِيلَ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُؤۡمِنُونَ (١١١)

“Indeed, in their stories, there is a lesson for the people of understanding. It is not a forged story but a confirmation of what existed before it (previous scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything and guidance and Mercy for the people who believe.” (Yusuf 12: 111) 

This verse identifies four key values of the stories in the Quran as: 1) Lessons (عِبۡرَةٌ۬), 2) explanation of everything (وَتَفۡصِيلَ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬), 3) guidance (وَهُدً۬ى) and 4) Mercy (وَرَحۡمَةً۬).  But the verse also identifies the two attributes of those who will benefit from these stories and these are: 1) intellect (لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ‌) and 2) belief (لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُؤۡمِنُونَ).

Allah describes the stories in the Quran as the best stories that should elevate you to the state of Ihsam at which you will feel seeing Allah and if you have not reached the level of righteousness of this feeling, you are fully confidence that He is seeing you all the time.  Allah says:

نَحۡنُ نَقُصُّ عَلَيۡكَ أَحۡسَنَ ٱلۡقَصَصِ بِمَآ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ وَإِن ڪُنتَ مِن قَبۡلِهِۦ لَمِنَ ٱلۡغَـٰفِلِينَ (٣)

“We relate unto you the best of stories through Our Revelations unto you, of this Quran. And before this, you were among those who are unaware (of it).” (Yusuf 12: 3)

The challenge that we often face when studying the stories in the Quran is that books of Tafseer can actually cloud our understanding and shield the real knowledge that exists in the Quranic stories because of integrating in them false accounts from other books.  This is why it is so critical that you should not study the stories in the Quran from any other source other the Quran itself and the authentic sayings of the Prophet (PBUH). 

The use of other sources such as the Old testament creates confusion and leads to misguidance.  In my previous talk I discussed Prophet Dawud and Prophet Suliman; unfortunately, some books of tafseer mixed some stories form the old testaments with the authentic account in the Quran to create false projections that is causing major geopolitical issue for Muslims in our current time. 

The issue I am talking about is related to some of Islamic books that made the claim that the Prophet Solomon’s Temple (معبد سليمان) (هيكل سليمان) was built in the same place where the Masjid Al-Aqsa is now built. This wild speculation was unfortunately advanced by both Ibn Khaldun (عبد الرحمن ابن خلدون) and Ibn Al-Wardy (زين الدين ابن الوردي) and propagated by some later Muslim writers.

Ibn Khaldun (أبو زيد عبد الرحمن بن محمد بن خلدون الحضرمي‎) [born in 1332 AD (732 AH) and died in 1406 AD). 

Ibn al-Wardī (عمر ابن مظفر ابن الوردي‎) [born in 1291 (691 AH) and died in 1348 AD]

There is absolutely no reference in the Quran or the Sunnah or even a statement in the Old Testament that places the two buildings at the same location.  The current archeological effort by Israel that involves digging under the Masjid Al-Aqsa in search for Solomon’s temple is based on the unfortunate account by Muslims.  This digging is continuing even when this speculation is rejected by many Muslim scholars and even by many archeologists.  But Israel continues to explore with the goal to destroy Al-Aqsa Masjid.

This is just one example to illustrate the danger that can happen when other books are used to give tafseer of accounts in the Quran.   The Quran is very is clear that Prophet Sulaiman has a kingdom that no one has seen it before and no one will ever see it after.  

The Quran informs us of a unique castle/palace that Prophet Sulaiman had and that it was made of pure glass.

قِيلَ لَهَا ٱدۡخُلِى ٱلصَّرۡحَ‌ۖ فَلَمَّا رَأَتۡهُ حَسِبَتۡهُ لُجَّةً۬ وَكَشَفَتۡ عَن سَاقَيۡهَا‌ۚ قَالَ إِنَّهُ ۥ صَرۡحٌ۬ مُّمَرَّدٌ۬ مِّن قَوَارِيرَ‌ۗ قَالَتۡ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمۡتُ نَفۡسِى وَأَسۡلَمۡتُ مَعَ سُلَيۡمَـٰنَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٤٤)

“It was said to her, “Enter the castle (palace).” When she saw it, she thought it was flowing water, and uncovered her legs. He (Sulaiman) said, “This is a palace made of glasses.” She said, “My Lord, I had surely wronged myself, and now I submit, along with Sulaiman, to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.” (Al-Naml 27:44)

This castle as mentioned in the Quran is made of pure glass that is completely transparent and as we know glass does not degrade or decompose by time.  Also, it seems that it cannot break easily since many people used to enter this castle because it was the place of government for Prophet Sulaiman and it was also the place to meet the dignitaries and this is where Prophet Suliman met the queen of Yemen.  It is interesting that Archaeologists have been trying for years to uncover parts of the kingdom of Prophet Sulaiman but nothing has been discovered yet. 

We know from the Quran that the first house of worship that was built on earth was the sacred Masjid in Mecca and based on an authentic hadeath the second masjid was Al-Aqsa masjid in Jerusalem and it was built 40 years after the Sacred Mosque.   This means that Al-Aqsa Masjid existed far before the time of Prophet Sulaiman and no way he would have built a place or castle on it.  

Is what the Jews are searching for the glass castle or are they looking for another building that they call Solomon’s Temple (معبد سليمان)  (هيكل سليمان) in which the box that contains the remains of Prophet’s  Musa and Haroun exists.   The Quran informs us of a  sign that Allah offered to Bani Israel to convince them that Talut was selected as their king.  This sign was that the angles will bring to him the remains of Prophet’s Musa and Haroun in a box.  Allah says in Surat Al-Baqara:

وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ نَبِيُّهُمۡ إِنَّ ءَايَةَ مُلۡڪِهِۦۤ أَن يَأۡتِيَڪُمُ ٱلتَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَڪِينَةٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡ وَبَقِيَّةٌ۬ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ءَالُ مُوسَىٰ وَءَالُ هَـٰرُونَ تَحۡمِلُهُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ لَّڪُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (٢٤٨)

“Their prophet said to them (Bani Israel): “The sign of his kingship (kingship of Talut) is that the At-Tabut (a wooden box) (Ark) shall come to you having therein tranquility from your Lord, and the remains of what the House of Musa (Moses) and the House of Harun (Aaron) had left, carried by the angels, Surely, in it there is a sign for you, if you are believers.” (Al-Baqara 2:248)

This wooden chest, named in the Bible as the Ark of the Covenant, contains the Tablets of Torah and some remains of the prophets (A.S). This Ark was taken away from Bani Israel by their enemies; so Allah declared that it would be a sign of the appointment of Talut as king that the Ark would come back to them carried by angels.  Where is this box now, no one knows, though there are indications that it exists in Ethiopia?  But the Jews are looking for it under the Al-Aqsa Masjid based on Muslims’ writings because as I said, unfortunately, Ibn Khaldun suggested that this castle of pure glass is where the Ark of Covenant was placed and this where the Aqsa Masjid is now. 

Here we see that going beyond what the Quran says regarding authentic historical events can lead to problems.    This is why the Prophet (PBUH) prevented the companies from using the previous books to explain anything in the Quran since anything of relevance is already included in the Quran as Allah says:

وَنَزَّلۡنَا عَلَيۡكَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ تِبۡيَـٰنً۬ا لِّكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ وَبُشۡرَىٰ لِلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (٨٩)

We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition/explanation of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims. (Al-Nahl 16:89)

It is the responsibility of every Muslim who has intellect and believer to study these stories and derive the truth from them as Allah says:

لَقَدۡ كَانَ فِى قَصَصِہِمۡ عِبۡرَةٌ۬ لِّأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَلۡبَـٰبِ‌ۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثً۬ا يُفۡتَرَىٰ وَلَـٰڪِن تَصۡدِيقَ ٱلَّذِى بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ وَتَفۡصِيلَ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ وَهُدً۬ى وَرَحۡمَةً۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يُؤۡمِنُونَ (١١١)

“Indeed, in their stories, there is a lesson for the people of understanding. It is not a forged story but a confirmation of what existed before it (previous scripture) and a detailed explanation of everything and guidance and Mercy for the people who believe.” (Yusuf) 12: 111)

One of the stories in the Quran that have been infiltrated with references from the Old Testament in many books of Tafseer and thus lead to complete misunderstanding and even derogatory description of a Prophet of Allah is the story of Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist).  

The first step in understanding the history of Prophet Yahya is to assemble all the verses related to him in the Quran and any authentic hadeath.    The name of Prophet Yahya (يحيى) was mentioned in the Quran 5 times, in surat Al-Imran, آل عمران (39), Al-An’am الأنعام (85), Maryam  مريم(7 and 12) and Al-Anbia الأنبياء (90) .  The main account about him came in Surat Maryam (مريم).

Let me highlight 4 key observations that one can note based on these verses:

First the name of Prophet Yaha was given to him by Allah and therefore the name must have significance.  Allah says:

يَـٰزَڪَرِيَّآ إِنَّا نُبَشِّرُكَ بِغُلَـٰمٍ ٱسۡمُهُ ۥ يَحۡيَىٰ لَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ مِن قَبۡلُ سَمِيًّ۬ا (٧)

“O Zakariya, We give you the good news of a boy whose name is Yahya. We did not create any one before him of the same name. (Maryam 19:7)

The name Yahya mean to “The one to Live”. If Allah is calling him the one to live, it will be hard to accept that he will be killed but rather that he is still alive. 

But this assumption that Prophet Yahya was not killed may be challenged by someone who may say that if Prophet Yahya was killed by king Herod for refusing to compromise the divine laws as reported in the book of Tafseer based on the Old Testament, this makes him a martyr and the Quran states that the Martyrs are always alive as Allah says:

وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَنْ يُقْتَلُ فِي سَبيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمْوَاتٌ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ وَلَكِن لاَّ تَشْعُرُونَ ) البقرة  154(

“D o not say of those who are killed in the way of Allah that they are dead. Rather, they are alive, but you do not perceive it.” (Al-Baqara 2:154)

 وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ أَمْوَاتاً بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ)   آل عمران 169(

“Do not think of those who are killed in the way of Allah that they are dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, well-provided,” (Al-Imran 2:169)

Therefore, being killed as Martyr does not violate the name that Allah gave him as Yahya (the one to live) because he would have remained alive with Allah.  But this suggestion can be easily rejected because it contradicts the other attribute that Allah stated in the verse that (لَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُ ۥ مِن قَبۡلُ سَمِيًّ۬ا) “no one before him have been given this attribute”.  There were, obviously, many people before him who died as Martyrs and thus, he would not be unique.

Second: When we study the hadeath of the Prophet’s ascension (المعراج) to heaven we note that he saw different Prophets with only one Prophet in each heaven except in the 2^nd heaven where he saw both Prophet Jesus (Isa) and Prophet John (Yahya). 

In the 1st heaven, the Prophet (PBUH) saw Prophet Adam

In the 3^rd heaven, he saw Prophet Joseph (Yusuf).

In the 4^th heaven, he saw Prophet Enoch (Idris).

In the 5^th heaven, he saw Prophet Aaron (Harun)

In the 6^th heaven, he saw Prophet Moses (Musa).

In the 7^th heaven, he saw Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim).

In the 2^nd heaven, the Prophet (PBUH) saw both Prophet Jesus (Isa) and Prophet John (Yahya).  This is the only heaven where there were two Prophets suggesting that there is clear connection between these two Prophets that is even more relevant than the connection between Prophets Musa and Haroun who were separated in Heaven. 

Third:  In reading the Quran, we will note a very strong similarity and connection between Prophet Isa (Jesus) and Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist).  The following are few examples:  

Fourth: The Quran shows that Prophet Yahya will be accused of being oppressor and disobedient (جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّ۬ا) and Allah refuted this claim.  But this means that the claim will be made and this cannot happen unless Prophet Yahya will be in a position of authority.  Also, his description as master and seizer (وَسَيِّدً۬ا وَحَصُورً۬ا) in Surat Al-Imran:

أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكَ بِيَحۡيَىٰ مُصَدِّقَۢا بِكَلِمَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَسَيِّدً۬ا وَحَصُورً۬ا وَنَبِيًّ۬ا مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ (آل عِمرَان)

“Allah gives you the good news of Yahya who shall come to confirm a word of Allah and shall be master (chief), Hasora (حَصُورً۬ا) and a prophet among the righteous.” (Al-Imran 3:39)

Allah described Prophet Yahya as being (سَيِّدً) that can be translated as master and chief and thus suggesting that he will be in position of authority.

Allah also described Prophet Yahya as being Hasora (حَصُورً۬ا) and this term is derived from the root that means “put to siege” and the form of the term is what is known as the subjective name (اسم فاعل) means that he is the one who is putting others under siege.

This suggest that he must serve in a position of power and leadership to put his enemies under siege and this justifies his enemies accusing him of being oppressor and disobedient (جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّ۬ا) that Allah refuted.

Unfortunately, many books of Tafseer made the interpretation that “Hasora” (حَصُورً۬ا) means that he put his desires under siege and abstained from women. Obviously, this is not something that Allah ever suggested as good.  But to understand the meaning of “Hasora” (حَصُورً۬ا), we need to consider the other attributes that Allah attributed to him such as master/chief (سَيِّدً) and also the attributes that he will be accused of as oppressor and disobedient (جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّ۬ا). 

We can understand that the people whom he will put under siege will accuse him of being oppressor (جَبَّارًا) but why they would accuse of him of being disobedient (عَصِيًّ۬ا).

Now we can make the hypothesis that Prophet Yaya did not die but similar to Prophet Isa was raised up alive and he will return back and rule for while and will die natural death.   In his return, he will be following the religion of Islam as revelaed to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).  He will be accused of being disobedient because his enemies will tell him that is not following the example of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who was kind even with his enemies and that the Quran teaches the kind treatment of the prisoners as Allah said:

وَيُطۡعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسۡكِينً۬ا وَيَتِيمً۬ا وَأَسِيرًا (٨) إِنَّمَا نُطۡعِمُكُمۡ لِوَجۡهِ ٱللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمۡ جَزَآءً۬ وَلَا شُكُورًا (٩)

“And they (the righteous) feed, out of their love for Him (Allah), to the needy, and the orphan, and the prisoner, (8) (Saying) “We feed you only for the sake of Allah; We wish no reward nor thanks from you.” ( Al-Insan 76:8-9)

So, the understanding that I am proposing based solely on the analysis of the verses in the Quran is that Prophet Yahya was not never killed but he may have been saved and raised to heaven as Prophet Isa (Jesus) and he will return to earth and rule to possibly prepare for the return of Prophet Isa (Jesus) and then he will die natural death.  This is obviously contradictory to the story in the Bible that was used as basis in many books of Tafseer. 

But this is just a human effort and Allah knows best.

DUA

  fight eneies

about him. will acknowledge as  sis no and keeping away from sexual relations with women.  But some transgressed and claimed that the term means that Prophet Yahya does male organ; obviously this interpretation is not befitting for a Prophet of Allah.

But the proper interpretation of this term “Hasora” (حَصُورً۬ا) must be considered with the other attribute of being (سَيِّدً) “master or chief”.  The term “Hasora” (حَصُورً۬ا) is derived from the root “Hasr” (حصر) which means restrict or take inventory.  The term “Hisar” (حصار) means siege.  The term “Mahsour” (محصور) means “being under siege or being confined”.  But the term “Hasora” (حَصُورً۬ا) means “to restrict others by putting them under siege”.   Since the meaning of (سَيِّدً۬ا وَحَصُورً۬ا) means that he will be master and powerful enough to put his enemies under siege, it will be logical to expect them to accuse him of being “oppressive and disobedient.  This explains why Allah negated these descriptions form him.

حصور اسم فاعل

و محصور اسم مفعول

Let us test the Hypothesis that Prophet Yaha is still alive and he will return to earth and rule.

Let me stop here and leave it up to you to reflect on these 4 observations to derive the real story of Prophet Yahya and the lessons from it. 

We pray to Allah to grant us the opportunity and wisdom to study the stories of the Quran as they should be studied.

 We pray to Allah to grant us the wisdom to be regular reader of the Quran and grant us the ability to be true thinkers.  

DUA