A Historical event !
Holy Qur'an 30/1 to 7
 
Dear viewers may I extend greetings of peace and prosperity in Arabic ‘Assalamu Alaikum wa Rehmatullah wa Barakatahu!
 

The major political events that occur in land, affect the conditions of the people living there as well as change the course of world history. These are events that affect lives of generations to come. They have significance in the social, economical and religious lives of the people. We find a mention of the forces of The Nature, the creation of man, the history of past nations, and the lessons to be learnt from them in the Qur’an.

 
The Holy Qur’an is the word of ALMIGHTY GOD as revealed to Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.s) for the guidance of entire mankind. The Qur'an is not a book in the sense that it might have been revealed and presented in one volume and it is not a historical record of events arranged in their sequence. The Qur'an was revealed in fragments of varying lengths over a twenty-three year period, a period of stress and conflict, and every text was not only related to the overall plan but also to emerging situations. GOD ALMIGHTY informs us in verse 17/106 in the words:
 
“The Qur’an, a discourse which WE have gradually unfolded, so that you might recite it out to mankind by stages, and WE have bestowed it from on high step by step, as revelation.”
 
As each text appeared, it was properly arranged, assigned a number among the verses and that position was never altered. It is neither a history nor a biography. It is not even an anthology, or metaphysical dialectic, or sublime homiletic. It is not poetry either in spite of its rhythm and cadence and its captivating charm. It is much more than all that. It is the Revelation of GOD ALMIGHTY, the undoubted Guidance for mankind, with a universal and eternal meaning and substance. It proclaims the common source of religions and confirms the remaining truth of the earlier Revelations. The ALMIGHTY says in verse 35/31:
 
 
“And what we have revealed to you from The Book is the ultimate truth, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains of earlier revelations. Indeed ALLAH is fully aware and watchful to HIS Creation.”
 
Its appeal is to the intellect of man, his feelings and imagination. It provides lessons from the daily experience of man's life, yet it speaks tersely and covers a multitude of subjects. The Qur'an gives insight into some natural phenomena about which man knew nothing until then. These indications correspond precisely with scientific discoveries. Yet its purpose is not to teach either astronomy or history or philosophy or the physical sciences. The Qur'an itself testifies that it is revealed by GOD Himself. It is never the Prophet who speaks in the Qur'an. The scripture addresses him directly or refers to him in the third person. What we recite as the verses of the Holy Qur'an, are exactly the same words presented before the world by Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.s).
 
Today we shall discuss amazing information of the Qur’an which came to be true and the entire world is a witness to it. Chapter 30 of the Holy Qur’an contains a remarkable historical prophecy, which was fulfilled.
 
Let us ponder over the initial 7 verses of the Chapter 30, with the supplication to our CREATOR to help us and HIS refuge from all evil thoughts and satanic forces.
 
 
 
 
As the language in which the Qur’an was revealed is Heavenly Arabic, it is impossible to render its exact meaning in any earthy language. An attempt to come closer to the meaning of the above verses in English, as I understand it, would be……
 
“Alif. Laam. Meem. The Romans have been defeated,”
“In the lands close – but after this defeat, they will soon be victorious.”
“Within a few years, with ALLAH rests all power of decision, in the past and in the future. And on that day will the believers rejoice.”
“With the help of ALLAH, HE gives succor to whomever HE wills, since HE Alone is Almighty, a Dispenser of Grace.”
“This is ALLAH's promise. Never does ALLAH fail to fulfill HIS promise - but most people know it not:”
“They know but the outer surface of this world's life, but of the hereafter, they are heedless.”
 
The period of the revelation of this chapter is determined by the historical event that has been mentioned at the outset.
 
The history of calendars is a bewitching tale that speaks of the dichotomy of the astronomers, priests, influence of politics with bloodshed, which is the reason for chronological ambiguities in the ancient calendars. Thanks to the development of science and technology, invention of printing press and after the introduction of Gregorian calendar, we have a scientific system of keeping records of events and information. Without getting into the details of days, dates and calendars, let us concentrate on the abomination and lessons of the Heavenly Words from the CREATOR of the Universe, LORD of all the times and ages.
 
Let us ponder one by one over the verses recited in the beginning,
 
“Alif. Laam. Meem. Defeated have been the Romans, in the lands close-by….”
 
In those days the Byzantine Romans ruled areas adjacent to Arabia, like Jordan Syria and Palestine and areas of the African continent. In these territories the Romans were completely overpowered by the Persians in 615 Christian Calendar, which we follow today. Therefore, it is apparent that the chapter was sent down in the same year.
 
The prediction made in the initial verses of this chapter came to be one of the most outstanding evidences of the Qur’an, being the Word of GOD ALMIGHTY and Prophet Mohammed is the Messenger of ALLAH. Let us recollect the historical background relevant to the verses.
 
Eight years before the Holy Prophet's advent as a Prophet, the Byzantine Emperor Maurice was overthrown by Phocus. History notes his brutality in Constantinople. The events provided Khusro Parvez, the Sassanid king of Iran; a good moral excuse to attack Byzantium as Emperor Maurice had once helped him to get the throne of Iran. He started war against Byzantium in 603 Christian era and within a few years, routing the armies, he conquered almost all the Asia Minor on the one hand, and entire Middle East on the other. Here, the African part of Byzantine Kingdom played a role and Hercules toppled Emperor Phocus in Constantinople in 610, the year the Holy Prophet was appointed to Prophet-hood.
 
The Moral excuse to continue the war was no more valid but Khusro Parvez continued it and gave it the color of holy war. Christians other than the Roman Catholics, suffered from the Church and Jews also joined hands with Zoroastrian power in persecuting Christian population.
 
Hercules could not stop this storm and news of fall of Antioch, Damascus and Jerusalem were coming in. In occupied territories Christians were massacred, Churches were torched. The Original Cross according to Christians was also carried away.
 
Victory made Khusro Parvez so arrogant that he wrote insulting letters to Hercules declaring himself god and using abusive words for GOD ALMIGHTY and Temple of Jerusalem.
 
Entire Middle East and Egypt were facing all kind of tyrannies. In those very days another conflict of a far greater historical consequence was going on in Makkah. The believers in One GOD, under the call of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s) were suffering tyranny. This reached such a stage that in 615 a substantial number of Muslims migrated to Christian Kingdom of Habash, now Eithopia which was an ally of the Byzantine Empire.
 

Those people of Makkah who were bent on rejecting the peaceful call to the Ultimate Reality of One GOD and responding to it with all kind of one sided violence, were also rejoicing over the victory of Polytheist and fire worshippers of Persia. They were aware of the words of reverence used for Jesus and his mother Mary in the Holy Qur’an. They were joyous over the defeat of the Christians who too were followers of scriptural religion, and the same ethics as preached by Prophet Mohammed (s.a.w.s). They taunted Muslims as to why their GOD was not helping those who believed in Jesus. They mockingly asked the Muslims, how the same God would help them!!
 
These were the conditions when these verses of the Qur’an were revealed with predictions that even after humiliating defeat, the Romans will be victorious within few years, and these persecuted Muslims will also taste victory.
 

On the other hand, the Romans were losing more and more ground and by 619, the whole of Egypt had passed into the hands of Zoroastrian armies who were now knocking the doors of Tripoli. In Asia Minor they pushed back the Romans to Bosporus and reached just opposite Constantinople. The conditions were such that even seven to eight years after this prophecy of the Qur’an, the conditions were such that no one could even imagine that the Byzantine Empire would ever gain an upper hand over Persian Empire. Not to speak of gaining domination, no one could hope that the Empire, under the circumstances, would even survive.

 
Meanwhile, here at Makkah, the Prophet and his followers were persecuted only on the ground that they invoke One and Only One GOD ALMIGHTY. Although they were practicing patience from their side, not doing anything even in self defense, the conditions were growing very hostile.
 
During Hajj days, people from entire Arab land used to visit Makkah for pilgrimage every year since the time of Prophet Abraham. Slowly the Arabs were becoming aware of the peaceful call of the Prophet. It was also appealing to the citizens of Madinah at large which is more than 4 hundred kilometers away. The Quraish tribe of Makkah enjoyed supremacy over all other Arab tribes due to its status of being custodian of The Ancient House of Worship in Makkah. Although the Prophet belonged to the same tribe, the Quraish had been opposing his peaceful call tooth and nail, as the call provided equal status to one and all. The Prophet suggested that the socially weaker people among his followers who were being tortured incessantly should migrate out of Arab land, to Habash, now Ethiopia by crossing the gulf. It was a Roman territory in African continent.
 
But the Prophet himself stayed back in Makkah. Once again, at the time of Hajj the subsequent year, the citizens of Madinah requested the Prophet to come to their city. He was aware that his own migration to Madinah could create serious problems for the city of Madinah and its citizens. The people of Makkah would not accept this and would attack the city leading to a war among Arabs. Moreover the relations between the two cities would deteriorate affecting the lives of the citizens who had relatives in Madinah. The Prophet cautioned them about the consequences and politely turned down the request of the citizens of Madinah.
 
But consequently on the third year, more than seventy people representing the two main and powerful tribes of Madina visited the Prophet, and requested him to migrate. It was evident that despite the fact that the prophet had never visited Madinah, his call was gaining ground in the city and there were a sizeable number of his followers, who were ready to sacrifice their lives for the mission of the Prophet. The Prophet allowed his followers to migrate to Madinah. This migration too, was not taken in the right spirit by the chiefs of Makkah. Finally the Prophet himself managed to reach Madinah safely with special succor of GOD ALMIGHTY, however there was a great price for him.
 
In Madinah, they were free from persecution. The migration was a turning point and a major historical landmark. After the Prophet, when the Muslims thought of making their own calendar, they resolved that during the life and call of the Prophet, the major victorious event was his migration to Madinah, so it is called the Hijri Calendar.
 
After his migration, although the people of Makkah attacked Madinah several times, but all the time, ALMIGHTY GOD helped HIS Prophet with special succor even though the balance of power was favoring his enemies.
 
The Byzantine forces continued to press the Iranians hard and in the decisive battle at Nineveh in 627, they dealt them the hardest blow. In 628, Persian king Khusro Parvez was imprisoned and the Christians got the decisive victory.
 

In the mean while followers of the Prophet were also gaining victories in many fields. Not only in battle fields, but in the mission which was gaining new grounds and response through out Arab land and people were accepting his call wholeheartedly People out of Arabian Peninsula were also becoming aware of this call to humanity, as he was the Prophet to entire humanity and not only Arabs. As the Almighty asked the prophet to make such an announcement in verse 7/158:

 
“Announce O Muhammad (s.a.w.s): "O mankind! Verily, I am a messenger of ALLAH to all of you, (sent by HIM) unto whom the dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs…….”
 
Social and economic doctrines taught by Prophet Mohammed were far more humane than those of the other peoples of the time. One-ness of Deity, morality, righteous conduct, human dignity, women rights, freedom of choice, equal rights, non-violence, respect of law and so many features were quite new and appealing to the masses. This call was simple and easy to understand, and its observances were clear and unequivocal.
 
It did not call for asceticism and condemned excesses of all kinds. The Prophet taught the One-ness of GOD based on scientific investigation of the cosmos and an objective search for the truth. Yet a very special feature like no mediator is in between the person and his Creator was gaining ground. A total rejection of priest-hood and clergy was bringing the masses out of religious exploitation and a modern era of knowledge was emerging. It was a simple call to truth, which had an appeal at individual level without organized priesthood or connection between church and state.
 
Freedom of humanity from human bondage, freedom of choice of religion was introduced for the first time in human history. Moreover, nothing like fairy tales, false-hood, dogmas, superstition and mythology were in the call. And last but not least, the Divine Message from the LORD of the persons was very much available to one and all.
 
There was no attraction for outsiders and super powers in the vast desert of Arabian Peninsula. Arabs were never ruled by others, nor did they have any kind of rule on the Peninsula ever. There never was any law and order in the land. It was a vast desert where tribal system of might is right prevailed. The call was changing the thinking process of the masses and converting them into a modern logical and rational people with a law to abide.
 
Although the verses were revealed when the Prophet and his followers were facing persecution, and there was not even a remote chance of Christian victory over Persian Empire, the Arabs witnessed the prediction of the Words of the GOD of the Universe came to be true. But the words of ALMIGHTY were not for Arabs alone, nor for that limited time and era, they have the proof for all times to come.
 
Verses revealed 14 centuries ago even today are a sign that the Qur’an is the words of none other than The GOD Almighty, GOD of Universe, GOD of all unseen and invisible, GOD of all that exists anywhere in the heaven, in the land and in the oceans. GOD ALMIGHTY says that every sentence of HIS Book is a sign and evidence that it is the Revelation form HIM, for the guidance of HIS special Creature, the mankind, whom HE made inhabit and inherit the Earth.
 
Amazingly when the world entered the era of science and knowledge, and Man started expedition of the earth and space, the sea level came to treated as a measuring standard for the ups and downs of land, the same verses are still a proof that the Holy Qur’an is none but from The Creator of the heaven and earth. Let us take this point in some detail. In the Words of The Creator, there ever will remain such inner proof of its being from the LORD, not from any other being of heavens and earth.
 

In the verses, we recited in the beginning, for the defeat of Romans, the geographical information is coming in the Original Arabic as “Fi Adnal Ard”. In old days when the world was yet to measure the up and down of the earth from sea level, translators of the Quran were safely translating the original word “Adnal Ard” as the nearby land as the area is near the Peninsula of Arab.
 
But the antonym of word the original word “Adna” is “A’ala” which means ‘highest’. So the real meaning of the word will be ‘the lowest’.
 
The history of the world tells us that the place where the Romans were defeated by fire worshipper Persians was Antioch. Antioch was the capital of ancient Syria and the leading city of Roman east in the area now know as southern Turkey. And in this modern age, if a geometric scientist were asked as to which is the lowest part of land from sea level, the answer will be Antioch and nearby in the Middle East. For modern man, this is enough proof that the words of the Final Testament are heavenly and unchanged till date.
 

Once we come to the conclusion that The Revelation has inner proofs that it is from GOD ALMIGHTY, now we must correct our approach towards the Original Wordings of our LORD.

 
It is Human to observe, evaluate and judge a situation and reach a conclusion as to a possible outcome, but this is not so with The GOD. HE is the ALMIGHTY, CREATOR and SUSTAINER of the Universe. HE is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to HIM. GOD is Intensely Real and approachable and is not a vague, distant or amorphous-being or logical abstraction. HE is closer to man than his jugular vein as HE said in verse 50/16:
 
 
“And indeed WE Created man, and WE know what his innermost self whispers within him: for WE are closer to him than his jugular-vein.”
 
HE has a direct link with all HIS creatures and responsive to anyone who calls out to Him. HE is within the reach of all HIS creatures, Sustains them, protects them, cares them. Any of HIS servants can approach HIM for fulfillment of his wishes, and aspiration, for contentment of his mind, for his protection and safety and for GOD's Grace, Mercy, Bounty and Forgiveness and Guidance without the aid of any intercessor.
 
 
“Such is ALLAH, your CREATOR, SUSTAINER and LORD: there is no deity except HIM, the CREATOR of everything: so worship HIM Alone - and HE has the Power to dispose-off all affairs.”

“No vision can grasp HIM, but HIS Grasp is over vision, HE Alone is unfathomable, all-aware.”
 
A question is often comes in our mind that if GOD is All-Powerful, why does HE not abolish the ills from which the world is suffering? HE is Perfect, Kind and All-Wise, then why is there starvation for some people while others feast, why is there so much inequality in the world? And why is there so much injustice on earth? We see some people suffer while others enjoy at their cost! Why is there tyranny and unheard sighs of the wronged!
 
Yes, this is very important question for all of us. It must be our first duty to solve this. To start our research, we must find out who we are? Where are we from? Why do we die? Can we avoid our own death? Can we return life into any dead man, an animal, a bird or a cell? What is life? From where does life originate? Where does it end?
 

There may be a few other unsolved questions; to which humanity has been searching answers from the beginning. Is it possible for us, even in this modern age, with all our developments in space and genetic science, to get the answers?

 

Only one way remains for us. We should ask all these questions to our own Most Powerful and Perfect Creator, whether HE has provided the reply? Where is that reply? I request all the mankind to get this reply from their own CREATOR.
 
I pray ALMIGHTY to provide all of us the answers to our vital questions, and help us in passing a peaceful and successful life. Aameen.
 
Thank you very much, GOD Bless us all