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THE PROPHET YA'QUB (peace be upon him) Allah conveyed to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) glad tidings regarding the birth of elite Prophets, Ishaq and Ya'qub (peace be upon them). The Holy Qur'an says: "We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub. Each of them We made a Prophet. And We gave them of Our mercy and assigned to them a high and true renown." (19:49,50) Qualities of the Prophet Ya'qub: The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was the son of Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) and his wife Rebecca. He was born at Palestine. He passed his life exactly in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He had full faith in the Oneness of God. He directed his followers to do good and shun evil. He advised them to keep up prayer and give alms. He was a man of parts and wisdom. God showered His blessings on him and his kith and kin. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "And We gave him tidings of the birth of Ishaq, a Prophet of the righteous and We showered Our blessings on him and on Ishaq and of their off-spring are some who do good and some who plainly wrong their own selves." (37: 113) At the age of sixty the Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was blessed with a pair of twins namely Esau and Ya'qub. Esau was a hunter and provided his aged parents with meat. Ishaq was chosen to be the Prophet of the Bani Israel. His marriage and off-spring: It is narrated that his uncle Laban made Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) serve him for seven years on promise to marry Rachel with him. At the end of this period the marriage was solemnised. Later on he entered into matrimonial contract with three more women. The Prophet Ya'qub(peace be upon him) had four wives and twelve sons who became the progenitors of twelve tribes. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) and Benjamin were from Rachel. The Prophet Ya'qub(peace be upon him) had great affection for them. Plot against Prophet Yusuf: As the off-springs of his other wives were jealous of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) they hatched out a plan to separate Yusuf from his father. They took him out on a lame excuse of tending sheep and threw him into a waterless well. They came back home shedding crocodile tears and said: A wolf has devoured Yusuf. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) suspected foul play on the part of his sons. He bore with patience the mental torture to which he was subjected in his old age. He wept bitterly day and night and lost his eye-sight. After a long time he came to know that Prophet Yusuf (peace Be upon him) was alive. He was the custodian of storehouse in Egypt. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) along with the whole family proceeded towards Egypt on the invitation of his son. They were awarded a warm reception. He settled in Egypt. He died at the age of 140 years. He was buried in Hebron (al-Khalil) according to his will. When the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was on the point of death, be called his sons and held conversation, with them. It is mentioned in the following Verses of the Holy Qur'an: "The same did Ibrahim enjoin upon his sons, and also Ya'qub (saying): O' my sons! Lo! Allah has chosen for you the true religion, therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him) or were you present when death came to Ya'qub when he said to his --sons: What will you worship after me? They said: We shall worship your God, God of your fathers Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq, One God and unto Him We have surrendered." (2: 132, 133) Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET YUSUF (peace be upon him) The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had twelve sons and one of them was called Yusuf (Joseph) whose life is full of many interesting: happenings. He was a handsome and smart boy with polite habits and polished manners. He bore a sound character. He had an attractive personality. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had a deep affection for his son, Yusuf who occupied a rank of remarkable distinction among his brothers. His brothers began to Feel jealous of him. They became united against Yusuf and hatched a plan to do away. with him. Vision of Prophet Yusuf and its Interpretation: When the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) became a teenager, he had a special vision. He rushed towards his father to inform him about it. He dreamt that there were eleven stars with the moon and the sun kneeling in front of him. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was much excited to see this fantastic dream. His heart was beating fast while he was breaking the news to his father. The Holy Qur'an describes: "Yusuf said to his father: 0' my father! I have indeed seen in a dream eleven stars and the sun and moon making obeisance to me." (12: 4) On hearing about this vision the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) whisperingly advised his son not to divulge it to his brothers lest their jealousy should be excited. He had sound reasons to Fear that they would plot against him. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) interpreted that Yusuf was destined to become a great personality. God would give him wisdom, grace and honour. He would enable him to read into the future. To crown all he would become a Prophet. His eleven brothers (the stars) and his father and mother (the sun and moon) would stand in need of him and bow to his dignified position. The Holy Qur'an relates: "He (Ya'qub) said: O' my dear son! Tell not your brethren of your vision lest they should plot against you because surely Satan is the manifest enemy of man. So your Lord shall prefer you and will teach you the interpretations of dreams and will perfect His favours upon you and upon the family of Ya'qub as He perfected it upon your forefather Ibrahim and Ishaq. The Lord is Knowing, Wise." (7:5, 6) Plot against the Prophet Yusuf: The brothers of Prophet Yusuf did not like that he should become the only centre of their paternal love. The sentiments of jealousy burnt them inside. They decided to get rid of him. One of them suggested that he should be put to death but the others did not agree with him -because it was a terrible thing. Then another brother proposed to throw him into a pit. All of them I unanimously voted in favour of this scheme. The Holy Qur'an says: "One said: Slay Yusuf or drive him some other land so that your father's favours may be exclusively for you and after that you shall live as upright persons. One among them said: Kill not Yusuf but cast him down into the bottom of a pit if you must do it so that some wayfarers may pick him up." (12: 7-10)) The Plan is put into Practice: In order to put their plan into practice the mischievous brothers of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) approached their father. They persuaded the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) to allow his affectionate son, Yusuf to accompany them for tending the sheep. They insisted so much that their father became quite suspicious. He feared lest the jealous brothers should do some harm to Yusuf. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was hesitant in parting with his son but his other sons went on insisting and trying to satisfy him. They assured their father that they would look after their younger brother even at the risk of their own lives. As the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) did not wish to compel Yusuf to avoid his brothers he granted his permission hesitatingly. So the brothers got an opportunity of carrying out their evil design of casting him into the pit. The Holy Qur'an says: "They said: O' our father! Why do you not entrust us with Yusuf though we, indeed, mean him well. Send him with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and sport and surely we shall take good care of him. He said: It grieves me that the wolf should devour him while you are heedless of him. They said: Surely if the wolf should devour him notwithstanding we are so strong a band, then we shall be in that case justly blamed for losing him." (12: 11-15) They proceeded towards the hills. All of them were nervous except the unsuspecting Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). When they were enjoying a trip, they pushed the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) sharply towards the waterless well He fell down with a thud and became sore all over. There was no food to eat and no water to drink. It was dark and scary. 'He screamed at the top of his voice but he could hear nothing except the echoes of his voice. He realised that a clever trick had been played upon him. Father is Informed: The brothers of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) were feeling guilty inside because they had committed a shameful act. They walked back slowly with dejected faces. They approached their father crying and sobbing. They were shedding crocodile tears while they were informing their father that the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)had been devoured by the wolf. They produced the blood smeared shirt of the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) as an evidence. The Holy Qur'an says: "And they came back weeping to their father at night fall and said: O' our father! of a truth, we went racing with one another and left Yusuf to loot after clothes and the wolf devoured him; but we art afraid you will not believe us though we speak the truth. And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it." (12: 16-18) The Prophet Yusuf is Delivered out of Well and Sold: The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was quite vigorous. He tried many times to climb out of the deep well but he could not. Finally he sat down in utter despair beseeching Allah's help. After some time a caravan happened to pass by the well. Some men needed water to quench their thirst. One of them lowered his bucket into the well but he could not hear the splash of water. The well was dry and there was nothing except the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) who was waiting anxiously for some one to come and rescue him. When the bucket came down, it touched the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). He clung to it with his dear life. The man pulled hard at the bucket and the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) came out of the well. He felt a great pleasure and expressed a deep sense of gratitude to Allah Who had bestowed favour upon him. He dusted himself off and told the man all about what had happened to him. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was taken to Egypt where he was sold as a slave. The Holy Qur'an states: "And there came a wayfarer and they sent down a water drawer. He let down his pail into the pit. He said: What a good luck, here is a youth. And they kept his case secret to make merchandise of him and Allah knew what they did, and they sold him for a petty price, a few dirhams and they attached little value to him." (12:1,0, 21) The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was purchased by a famous rich man. He rendered services to him and his family. The Prophet Yusuf Overpowers Temptation: The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was a handsome and an attractive young man. He was extremely charming and irresistible. He was a perfect gentleman whom Allah had honoured with His love, grace and protection. He was held in high esteem in the house of his master. As the time passed the lady of the house put him in an awkward position. She fell in love with him. She could hardly shake him out of her mind. One day in the absence of her husband she approached him and desired to be very close to him. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) refrained from even casting a glance at her. He tried to get rid of her but she chased him. She grabbed hard at the back of his shirt and it was torn apart. Just at that time the master appeared on the scene. He saw what was going on, He flew into a rage. The master's wife was embarrassed beyond all limits. She cried out after absolute frustration in her evil designs and levelled false accusations against Yusuf, the innocent. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) clarified his position with the moral support of one of the maid-servants who bore witness by saying: Look at the shirt. If it is torn at the back, the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) will be quite innocent. He should not be blamed. In case it is rent from the front the accused will be one of the liars. When the shirt was examined it was torn at the back and the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was found truthful. The master was fully convinced of the innocence of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). He appealed to him to keep the matter in secret lest it should become a scandal. Moreover he admonished his wife to beg pardon of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). Banquet is Arranged: Many people got wind of this incident. They starred to talk about the master's wife who had been deeply affected with the love of her slave. She wished to seduce him. The whole town kept on talking maliciously about her. When the master's wife heard about it, she made a special plan. She wished to show the people that it was very hard to resist the charm of Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) and his lovely youth. She arranged a grand banquet and invited most of the women in the town. They were talking and enjoying themselves. The most delicious food and fruit were served before the guests. The master's wife gave a sharp knife to every lady to peel off the fruit. When the ladies were busy with using the knives, the master's wife asked the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to enter the room. As the door opened with a squeak, there prevailed a pen-drop silence for a few second and the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) stood calmly. The ladies looked at him constantly and got stunned at his beauty. He was so attractive that many of them were taken by a great surprise. They forgot that they were using the knives. They cut their fingers in utter amazement. The Holy Qur'an says: "When they saw him, they exalted him? and (in their amazement) cut their hands exclaiming: Remote is Allah from imperfection. This is not a mortal but is a noble angel. She said: It is he about whom you blamed me Certainly I wished him to yield to my desires but he stood firm." (12:31,3?) The Prophet Yusuf in the Prison: The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) found himself in a great trouble. As the time passed by, the Problems became more complicated. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) prayed to Almighty Allah to grant him protection from those ladies. He wished to be in prison rather than being indecent. He desired to escape from the temptations of sexual instinct. The Holy Qur'an says: "He said: MY Lord! I Prefer the Prison to compliance with their bidding: and if you turn not away their snares from me, I may perchance yearn towards them (out of youthful folly) and become one of the unwise." (7: 33) Allah accepted his prayer to shield him from evil temptations. The elite of the town noticed that their females were becoming ardent lovers of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). Although they knew that he had committed no crime yet they decided to imprison the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to avoid disturbance in their society. He remained in the prison for several years and developed friendly relations with many prisoners. There he preached the religion of Allah and tried to reform the prisoners who were greatly impressed by his personality. One day two prisoners saw strange dreams. They came to the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) for asking the Interpretations of those dreams. One of them said: I saw in a dream that I was pressing wine. The other prisoner said: I saw in my dream that I was carrying a basket of bread on my head and the birds were eating from it. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) asked them to wait until lunch time so that they might become anxious and listen to him attentively. At the appointed time the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: The one who was pressing wine, will be set at liberty and he will serve wine to his master. The other will be crucified for the crime, he had committed. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "O' my two fellow prisoners! As for one of you he shall Pour out wine for his lord to drink and as for the other, he shall be executed and the birds shall eat from off his head. The matter is decreed concerning which you inquired." (11:40) Soon after the interpretations of those dreams turned out to be true. When the first man was about to leave the prison, the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) asked to remember him to the master. He did so as a self-respecting man without adopting a supplicative attitude. The man who found deliverance forgot mentioning all about the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to his lord. So he had to linger in the prison for a few more years. He continued praying and teaching goodness in the prison. One day, the king of Egypt dreamt that seven fat cows were eaten by seven thin cows and he also saw seven preen ears of corn and seven others that withered. The king wished to know the interpretation of that strange dream. Every one was puzzled because no one could really say what it meant. Some of them thought that it was a passing dream. The ex-prisoner informed the king about the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) who was well versed in the art of explaining the dreams accurately. The king became quite curious and sent the man to see the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) in the prison. The man rushed towards him and tendered an apology for not speaking to the master about him. Then he asked him about the fantastic dream of the king. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: You will sow for seven years diligently. There will be seven years of rich harvest in the country. It is better to store as much of the food stuff as possible because there will be a famine lasting for seven years. During this period of hardships the preserved stores of grain shall be consumed except a little quantity. Afterwards there will be a year in which the people shall have heavy rains and bumper crops. They shall press grapes. The Prophet Yusuf's Innocence is Established: The man sought permission of leave from the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) and proceeded towards the king. He told him the interpretation of his dream in the presence of many courtiers. They were much surprised. The king was greatly impressed and expressed a keen desire to see him in person. He issued an immediate order to release the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) from the prison but he refused to leave it until he had his innocence established beyond all doubts. He told the king about the cruelty and injustice inflicted upon him without any fault. He wished to clear the blot of crime on his fair name. The king summoned the women who put the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to inconvenience. They all confessed that he was quite innocent. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "They (women) said: Allah Blameless! We knew of no evil on his part. Thereupon the Chief's wife said: Now the truth has become established. I asked of him an evil act and he is surely of the truthful." (7: 50) The Prophet Yusuf as Director of Stores: The king was much impressed with his nobility and intelligence. He therefore, offered him an important position in the Government. He was appointed as the Director of Stores. The Holy Qur'an says: "He (the king) said: Surely from this day you shall be with us invested with rank and trust. Then he (Yusuf) said: Set me over the store houses of the land. Surely I am a skilled custodian (knowing well my duties). (1:54, 55) The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) worked efficiently and managed the affairs. he won a good name as an officer and became powerful in the land. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him)was awfully unhappy. He missed the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) very much. He was assured by Almighty Allah that he would see his son again. The brothers of the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) grew in age and kept remembering the mischievous trick which they had played upon him. It was highly shameful act. Now Palestine was also in the grip of dreadful famine. There was an acute dearth of food. The family of the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was passing through the most straitened circumstances. They heard that Egyptians had huge stock of food stuff. They sold it at reasonable rates. The sons of the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) prepared a caravan and went to Egypt to purchase grain. The Prophet Yusuf's Brothers go to Egypt and buy Food Conditionally: When they reached Egypt the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) recognised his brothers immediately and his heart was beating violently. He did not remind them of the cruelty inflicted upon him. He did not disclose his identity. He showed kindness to them and furnished them with provision at a very fair price. They felt highly obliged because of his noble behaviour. Before their departure the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: If you come back, bring with you a younger brother of yours from your father's side. If my request is not complied with, I shall sell you no more grain. They came back home after a tiresome journey. They told their father that the custodian of the food stores in Egypt had expressed a keen desire to see their younger brother. On hearing this the Prophet Ya'qub's face became tense and worried. He did not like the same thing happen to his other son. He hesitated to allow Yusuf's brother to accompany them. Because of his previous bitter experience he could not trust them. They in the long run convinced him after giving him a firm covenant in Allah's name that they would bring back the brother of Yusuf. When they opened the sacks of grain and were much surprised to find their money in it. After many weeks their second caravan reached Egypt and went directly to the main store-house. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) greeted them with open arms. Every one was much pleased. There was a lot of hustle and bustle. The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) took his younger brother aside and told him that he was Yusuf who was thrown into the well. His brother was much surprised and his joy knew no bounds. The Holy Qur'an says: "And when they came into Yusuf's presence, he took his own brother aside with him saying: LO I am your brother. Therefore grieve not at what they do." (7:69) Younger Brother is Detained: The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) had certain plans in his mind. He furnished them with their provisions and asked one of his servants to put a drinking cup in their bag. As the caravan was about to depart, some one shouted! The king's silver drinking cup is missing. Every one got puzzled. The brother of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: We are not thieves and we have not come here to make mischief. One of the Egyptians said: He who is found guilty, shall be detained here as penalty. All of them agreed upon the awarding of this punishment. They began to search out the sacks of the customers. They found the missing drinking cup in the sack of the younger brother of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). It followed a great deal of excitement. The brothers tried very hard to convince the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) not to detain their brother but he flatly refused. He asked them not to back out of their promise. They became upset. Their eldest brother decided not to go back to the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) again and face him with heart breaking news. He stayed there and sent back his other brothers to inform the care-worn father of the whole situation. They went back and conveyed the most shocking news to their father. He displayed unshakeable patience and said: "So patience is most fitting for me. May Allah restore them all to me. Surely, He is the Knowing, the Wise." (12: 83) Any how he directed his sons to go and seek tidings of the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) and his younger brother for whom he used to yearn day and night. They went to Egypt again after a few weeks. This time they had scanty money. They requested the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) to help them in charity. They were dressed in rags. They looked pathetic due to poverty. The Holy Qur'an states: "And when they came back into the presence of Yusuf, they said: O' chief! Misfortune has afflicted us and our family and we have brought a small amount, so give us full measure and be charitable to us; Surely Allah will requite charitable." (12: 88) The Prophet Yusuf Helps his Brothers and Discloses his Identity: The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was well known for his generosity. He had a tender and sympathetic heart. He took pity on them. He helped them from the core of his heart. They had also sinking feelings inside. Soon after he disclosed his identity to his brothers. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "He (Yusuf) said: I am Yusuf and this is my brother. Allah has shown us favour. Surely who fears Allah and endures, is rewarded for surely Allah does not waste the reward of those who do good." (12:90) Now every one wished to go immediately to their father to inform him of the happy news that the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) was alive. At the time of departure the Prophet Yusuf(peace be upon him) gave them his shirt and said: "Cast it on my father's face and he will recover his sight and come to me with all your family." (12: 93) The brothers came home with happy spirit. They put the shirt of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) on the face of the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him). He regained his eye sight in the twinkling of an eye. He took a sigh of relief when he smelt the sweet perfume of the Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) from his shirt. The brothers of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) begged pardon of their father and he forgave them with an open heart. The Prophet Ya'qub Meets the Prophet Yusuf: They decided to settle in Egypt. They took their bag and baggage and set out on a long journey. They were given a warm reception when they reached Egypt. The father, Ya'qub, met his son Yusuf after a long separation. He said: "O' my father! This is the interpretation of my old vision. My Lord has indeed made it to be true and He has shown me kindness. When He brought me forth from prison and brought you all from the desert even after Satan has sown (seeds of) dissension between me and my brothers. Surely my Lord is tender to whom He wills. Surely He is the Knowing, the Wise. O' my Lord! You have indeed given me (something) of the sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of dreams--Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Protecting friend in this world and the Hereafter. Make me die submissive (unto You) and join me with the righteous". (12: 100, 101) Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

	THE PROPHET SHU'AIB (peace be upon him) The People of Madian and Their Character: Long ago a nation colonised in the northern Arabia. This nation had an ancestral link with Madian, the son of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The name of the habitation where he resided was also Madian. It was a fertile land which produced rich crops. Most of the people had adopted trade as their profession and earned a lot of money by fair or foul means. They hankered after wealth from dawn to dusk. They used to give short measures and weight to their customers. They were dishonest and deceitful in their dealings. In addition to malpractices in commerce and trade the People indulged in theft, debauchery, fornication and numerous unlawful acts. The abundance of wealth had made those people refractory and wayward. They were not afraid of God even and did whatever they liked. They ignored all moral values. Allah sent Shu'aib for the reformation of His people. The Holy Qur'an says: "And unto Madian We sent their brother Shu'aib who said: O' my people! serve Allah, you have no god save Him. There has come to you a manifest sign from your Lord: then give good weight and measure, and be not niggardly of your gifts to men and do not do evils in the earth after it has been righted. That is better for you if you are believers." (7:83-86) The Prophet Shu'aib Preaches and is Tortured: According to the research of Ibn Khaldun the mother of Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) was the pious daughter of the Prophet Lut (peace be upon him). His genealogy joins with Madian son of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). The Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) was an eloquent orator. He had the surname of Khatibul Anbiya (the Preacher to the Prophets). He advised the people to mend their ways and give up wrangling in evil ways. The people turned a deaf ear to his advice and ridiculed him whenever they had got an opportunity. They began to torture him. The mischief makers used to sit in the way towards the residence of the Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) and threatened his visitors of dire consequences. They disgraced those who followed him. He continued preaching and warned the evil doers by saying: "And sit not down in every path, threatening and turning from the path of God those who believe in Him and craving to make it crooked. Remember when you were few and He multiplied you; and see what was the end of the evil doers. " Some haughty chiefs of the Madian tribe threatened the Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) and his followers to be banished from that locality. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "Said the crowd of those who were big with pride amongst his people: We Will surely turn you out, O' Shu'aib and those who believe with thee from our village, or else you should return to our faith'' (7: 88) The Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) was not coerced by such threats and went on conveying the message of Allah. He reminded them of dreadful calamities which befell upon the previous nations The Holy Qur'an affirms: "And, O' my people! let not the schism with me cause you to sin so that there befall you that which befell the folk of Nuh? and the folk of Hod and the folk of Salih and the folk of Lut are not far off from you." (11: 89) Visitation Befalls upon them: The people jocularly rejected the veracity and truth of the religion of Allah. They tortured Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him)and his followers by transgressing all moral limits. When they did not give up their obstinacy in doing evil actions, Allah destroyed them by descending dreadful chastisement upon them. The Holy Qur'an says: "And when Our Commandment came to pass, We saved Shu'aib and those who believed with him by a mercy from Us, and the awful cry seized those who did injustice and morning found them prostrate in their dwellings As though they had not dwelt there. A far removal for Madian, even as Thamud had been removed afar." (11:94,95) "But they denied him, so there came on them the retribution of the day of gloom. LO! it was the retribution of an awful day." (16: 189) Death and Burial: After the perdition of that sinful nation. Prophet Shu'aib (peace be upon him) settled in Hadramaut where he passed away after some time. He was buried in Shaban near the Valley of Ibn 'ALI. The people came from far and wide to visit his sacred grave. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
	THE PROPHET DAWUD (peace be upon him) Dawud (David) was not only an illustrious Prophet of the Israelites but he was also their king. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "And Allah gave him the kingdom! and wisdom and taught him of that which He willed." (2: 251). "(And it was said unto him) 0' Dawud!To! We have set you as a vicegerent in the earth, therefore, judge aright between mankind and follow not desire." (38:26) The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) had an ancestral link with the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him). He lived in Bait-ul-Lahm which was situated at the distance of ten miles from Jerusalem. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) was the youngest of his eight brothers. The Prophet Samuel (peace be upon him) had received an indication that the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) would become king after Jalut (Goliath). He went to Baitul-Lahm to cast a glance at Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). He was much impressed at his attractive and angelic sight. The Prophet Dawud Adopts the Companionship of Talut: According to the Torah Talut (Saul)was in quest of a man who could play on a harp. As the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) was well versed in this art, he was asked to come to Talut and stay with him. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) passed most of the time in the companionship of his master and visited his father off and on. He helped him in tending the sheep. Thus he got an opportunity to hunt wild beasts. The Holy Qur'an, makes mention of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) at many places. Heroic Deeds of Prophet Dawud: The Bible relates an incident which throws a light on the heroic deeds of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). Once a war broke out between the Israelites and the Philistines. The army of the Philistines was commanded by Jalut who was a man of lofty stature. He put on a shining armour. The Israelites were overawed to see Jalut's army which was well accoutred. He called out his opponents to combat but none of the Israelites had the courage to accept the challenge. He declared: In case any one of the Israelites overpowered me, I would surrender to him but if I gained the upper hand, the opponents would have to become under the sway of the servitude of the Philistines. The Israelites were terror-stricken. They had lost their courage and self respect. The Prophet could not bear this disgrace. So he decided to face Jalut for the sake of truth, honour and dignity. The king Talut advised him to refrain from fighting with an experienced warrior. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) did not budge an inch from his decision. He took his cudgel and proceeded towards the battle-field to fight with Jalut. When they faced each other, Jalut disdained his adversary and cursed him by taking the name of some deities. He threatened Talut that his flesh would be thrown before the wild beasts and birds. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) did not care for such warnings and marched forward. He prayed: "Our Lord! Pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm and help us against those who are disbelievers." (2:249) By God's will Jalut was killed by Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) and his army was put to rout. The Philistines took to their heels. The Israelites chased them and came by an enormous booty. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) won a good deal of appreciation and popularity because he rescued his people from those grave dangers which prevailed over them. The Prophet Dawud is Raised to Eminence: Talut (Saul) enriched Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) with valuable rewards and gave his daughter in marriage to him. He appointed him as the Supreme Commander of his army because of his valour. When he saw that Prophet Dawud's influence was increasing rapidly, he began to feel jealous of him. He nursed enmity against his son-in-law. The son of Talut was very kind to Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). He informed him of the real position. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) tried his best to clear the mind of his father-in-law but in vain. Accidentally Taint was killed by his enemies and his son committed suicide. The Israelites unanimously acknowledged the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) as their king. He managed the administration of the country efficiently. He conquered vast areas of land. The people prospered during his reign. They became morally strong, just, fair-minded and God-fearing They worshipped one God. Their minds were illuminated with the light of true guidance. Revelation of Zabur: Allah revealed the Zabur (Book of Psalms) to Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). It contains lessons for the guidance of Israelites. The Holy Qur'an says: We gave to Dawud Zabur. (4: 163) Whenever he recited the verses of the Zabur in a sweet melodious tone, the listeners began to dance in a fit of religious frenzy. They Rocked around him and eulogised God in the accompaniment of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). Above all the beasts. birds, creeping insects and even mountains were fascinated on hearing the recitation of the hymns from the Zabur. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "We bestowed grace aforetime on Dawud from Ourselves. O ye mountains! Sing you back the praises of Allah with him and you birds also." (34:10) It was We that made the hills declare in union with him Our praises at eventide and the break of day and the birds all with him turned to Allah." (38:18,19) The Prophet Dawud as an Adept Craftsman: Iron is hard stuff but in the hands of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) it became soft and pliable to be turned into any shape. As an adept craftsman he made coats of mail. Thus the manufacture of this defensive armour is traditionally attributed to the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). The Holy Qur'an says: "It was We who taught him the making of coats of mail for your benefit, to guard you from each other's violence. Will you then be grateful." (11:80) "And We made the iron soft for him (commanding) make thou coats of mail balancing well the rings of chain armour and work ye righteousness." (34:10) The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) was endowed with the knowledge of understanding the tones of the bird. He could talk and listen to the birds just like human beings. Death and Burial: The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) passed away at the age of 70 years. He was buried in Jerusalem. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET SULAIMAN (peace be upon him) The Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) was the youngest son of the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). He was born at Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Saba. As he was a talented fellow with versatile gifts, his father made him his heir. After the death of Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) he ascended the throne of Judia on account of his sagacity, power of judgement, right understanding and spiritual insight. The Holy Qur'an says: "And We verily gave knowledge to Dawud and Sulaiman and they said: praise be to Allah Who has preferred us above many of his believing sons". (27: I5) The Prophet Sulaiman Makes Sound Decisions: The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was endowed with the quality of giving sound decision in complicated cases. Once a dispute arose between two persons. They were present before the Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him). One of them said: Sir, the sheep of that person have trampled over my crops. They have grazed and caused me a considerable loss. It must be compensated by the owner. The shepherd was very poor. He had nothing except sheep and the damage done to the crops exceeded the price of the sheep. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) ordered the defaulter to give his sheep to the owner of the land as reparation. Sulaiman, the teen-aged child was listening to the judgement of his father. He, respectfully, spoke out: Dear father, undoubtedly, your decision is correct but it will be handed over to more appropriate if all the sheep are the plaintiff for the utilisation of their milk and wool only. The respondent should be directed to render services to the owner of the field until the condition of the damaged fields restores to the normal position. When it is done, sheep must be given back to the shepherd. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) appreciated this novel way of awarding justice and the Holy Qur'an speaks very highly of him: "And Dawud (David) and Sulaiman (Solomon) when they gave judgement concerning the field, when people's sheep had strayed and browsed therein by night; and We were witnesses to their judgement. And We made Sulaiman to understand (the case); and unto each of them We gave judgement and knowledge." (21: 78, 79) Prevalence over Wind: The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) inherited many virtues from his illustrious father. He was endowed with special gifts. Wind was made subservient to him and he could easily perform long journey in the twinkling of an eye. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "And (We made) the wind subservient to Sulaiman whereof the morning course was a month's journey and the course a month's journey." (54:12) "So We subjected the wind to his power, setting fair by his command withersoever he intended" (38:36) "And unto Sulaiman We subdued the wind in its raging. It flows by his order towards the land which We had blessed And of every thing We are aware." (21:81) The Prophet Dawud Perceives the Speech of the Birds: The Prophet Sulaiman peace be upon him) was gifted with the knowledge of understanding the speech of birds, animals and insects. He was also capable to talk to them. The Holy Qur'an testifies to it in the following Verses: "He (Sulaiman) said: O' People! We have been taught the language of the birds and have been given (abundance) of all things; this is indeed grace manifest (from Allah)." Jinns are Subdued to Him: He was also given the power over Jinns and Devils. He utilised them in his service. They carried out his orders ungrudgingly and were punished when they became refractory The Holy Qur'an affirms: "We gave (Sulaiman) certain of the Jinns who worked before him by the permission of his Lord. And such of them as deviated from Our command, We caused to taste the punishment of flaming fire to them. They made for him what he willed; synagogues, images, basin-like reservoirs and cooking cauldrons fixed into the ground. Give thanks, 0' House of David! Few of my bondsmen are thankful." (24: 12, 13) In another Verse the Holy Qur'an says: "And before Sulaiman were marshalled his hosts--of Jinns, and men and birds and they were all in order and ranks." (21: 17) It is stated that the Jinns were subjugated to the Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) to help him in the construction of the Holy Temple - Baitul Muqaddas (Masjid Aqsa). Ardent Lover of Horses: The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was also a great lover of horses. They constituted an essential part of his army. When they returned after a mission, he would give them strokes of affections on ankles and necks. The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) did so in approbation of their loyalty and high speed. The Incident of the Queen of Saba: The area which now comprises Yemen and is known as Saba was ruled by a queen. It was a prosperous kingdom. The queen enabled its people to attain a high degree of civilisation. One day Hud informed the Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) of the flourishing kingdom of Saba. It said: "The ruler of Saba is the queen upon whom, God has bestowed His unlimited favours. Her throne is magnificent. She is depraved. The inhabitants of her kingdom worship the sun and the moon. They do not make obeisance to Allah and refrain from thanking Him Who has created all these objects." Sulaiman, the Prophet of Allah and the King wrote a letter and handed over to Hud to be conveyed to the queen of Saba. He warned her not to be arrogant of her power. He advised her to submit to God and abide by His Commandments. The queen read this letter and was much puzzled. As she was a prudent lady, she called her chiefs and sought their counsels. Some proud chiefs suggested to fight tooth and nail against the Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) whereas the others left the matter for her to decide. The Holy Qur'an says: ''She said: O' chiefs! Advise me in this affair for I never decide an affair until you are in my presence. They said: We are endowed with strength and ale possessors of mighty powers but the command is thine. Therefore see what you will command." (27:29-33) The queen did not like to embroil her country into war because it would cause destruction. She thought of a plan and arranged for precious gifts for the monarch. She planned to germinate cordial relations and pacify her warlike subjects by using this device. But wealth had no value for the Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him). He was annoyed at the delivery of the presents. He returned them with harsh words and said to the messenger: "I do not hanker after wealth. I, therefore, attach no importance to there Costly gifts. I wish that the queen and his followers should submit to God and follow the true faith. I shall invade your country if the queen does not come to me in submission.'' After some time the King marched with an army and passed through the Valley of Ants on his way to the kingdom of Saba. In the Valley he overheard the conversation among the terrified ants who hurried towards their holes for fear of being crushed under the feet of the marching army. The King was moved to pity and learnt the lesson to protect the life and honour of the humble creatures. He thought that the queen and his people are just like humble ants. They should not be trampled upon and killed to win Fame in the world. An account of this incident is related in the following Verses: "At length when they came to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: 0' ants! Get into your holes lest Sulaiman and his hosts crush you without knowing it. Thereupon he smiled at her speech and he said: 0' my Lord! So order the that I may be grateful for Your favours which You have bestowed upon me and my father and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee and admit me by Your grace into the ranks of Your righteous servants.'' (27: 18, 19) The King did not proceed further because he did not like the massacre which would result in case of clash between two armies. His aim was to reform the queen and the inhabitants of Saba. He desired to bring them to the right path. He wished to save the depraved people from seduction. When the queen got wind of an expected attack of the Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) she proceeded towards him to patch up differences. When the King came to know of her departure, he ordered one of the Jinns to bring the magnificent throne of the queen in the twinkling of an eye. The command was obeyed immediately. When the queen arrived at the court of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) after a long journey, she was asked to identify her throne. She recognised the throne and said: "I am already aware of your power and majesty. I have come to you as your submissive servant." The Holy Qur'an states: "So when she arrived she was asked: Is it your throne? She said: It was just like this and we were given the knowledge before it and we were already submissive and he diverted her from the worship of others besides Allah, for she was Sprung of a people that have no faith." (7:4L, 43) The queen was taken to the lofty palace. Its floor was made of slabs of polished glass that deceived the eyes and looked like water. The queen tucked up her shirt to pass through it. She was reminded that that was not water. She then realised that reality did not lay at the surface and it needed eyes to see. According to the Holy Qur'an she said: "O' my Lord! I have indeed wronged myself; I do submit with Sulaiman to the Lord of the Worlds." (27:45) The queen of Saba felt penitence and accepted the religion of God. The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) ruled for thirty years. He died at the age of eighty-nine years. After his death Rohoboam, his son became a king. He led a luxurious life and yielded to pleasure seeking temptations. The people revolted against him and soon the glorious chapter of the reign of Prophet Dawud's family came to an end. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET ILYAS (peace be upon him) After the death of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) his kingdom was dismembered. There was virtually the rule of Satan all around. The religious people were mocked at. The ruler of Somaria killed a large number of learned people. When the evil reached the saturation point, God sent the Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) to reform mankind during the reign of the king Ahab of Israel. He tried his best to save the people from polytheism. He forbade them to worship the Tyrian Bal. He advised the people to ward off evil and worship One God. When his efforts bore no fruit he suddenly appeared before the king and foretold him that severe draught and famine would overtake his kingdom. He added that the Tyrian Bal would be powerless to avert it. The people paid no heed to his warnings and did not mend their ways. The prophecy of the Prophet Ilyas (peace de upon him) turned out to be true and whole of the kingdom came under the sway of famine. The people began to starve. After three years the Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) supplicated to show mercy to the famine stricken people. They acknowledged the authority of God and felt penitence. Soon after the rain ended the draught and God lifted his curses After this he was directed by God to call upon al-Yasa to be his successor. The Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) did so in obedience to His command and disappeared mysteriously. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) in the following Verses: "And commemorate Ismail, Ilyas and Dhul Kifl. Each of them was the companion of the good." (38:48) Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET ILYAS (peace be upon him) After the death of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) his kingdom was dismembered. There was virtually the rule of Satan all around. The religious people were mocked at. The ruler of Somaria killed a large number of learned people. When the evil reached the saturation point, God sent the Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) to reform mankind during the reign of the king Ahab of Israel. He tried his best to save the people from polytheism. He forbade them to worship the Tyrian Bal. He advised the people to ward off evil and worship One God. When his efforts bore no fruit he suddenly appeared before the king and foretold him that severe draught and famine would overtake his kingdom. He added that the Tyrian Bal would be powerless to avert it. The people paid no heed to his warnings and did not mend their ways. The prophecy of the Prophet Ilyas (peace de upon him) turned out to be true and whole of the kingdom came under the sway of famine. The people began to starve. After three years the Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) supplicated to show mercy to the famine stricken people. They acknowledged the authority of God and felt penitence. Soon after the rain ended the draught and God lifted his curses After this he was directed by God to call upon al-Yasa to be his successor. The Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) did so in obedience to His command and disappeared mysteriously. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of Prophet Ilyas (peace be upon him) in the following Verses: "And commemorate Ismail, Ilyas and Dhul Kifl. Each of them was the companion of the good." (38:48) Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

THE PROPHET MUSA (peace be upon him) The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) and his family settled in Egypt. They were called the Israelites. Gradually they increased in number and gained considerable power. These Israelites did not intermingle with other native people. They remained isolated and were considered as foreigners in Egypt. Cruel Act of Pharaoh in respect of Israelites: At that time Egypt was ruled by the king Fir'aun (Pharaoh). He was arrogant, tyrant and powerful. He thought himself to be god. In their kingdom the people led miserable lives. They were forced to work as slaves. They were chained and whipped if they refused to work. The Israelites were looked down upon in that society. They suffered badly due to destitution and indigence. Some of them grew weak and died of starvation. When Pharaoh noticed that the Israelites were increasing in number, he was much alarmed. He held discussions with his counsellors on this topic. They decided that Israelites should be snubbed. They should not be allowed to become powerful and supreme in the land. They planned to oppress and persecute them in different ways. Pharaoh ordered that all male children born in the families of the Israelites should be put to death. This tyrannical act of Pharaoh against the Israelites has been described in the following Verses of the Holy Qur'an: "Surely Fir'aun exalted himself in the land and divided its people into parties, oppressing one party from among them by killing their sons and sparing their women. Surely he was one of the mischief-makers." (28:3, 5) When the people heard those terrible orders they were much upset. The soldiers started complying with the orders of their king. Whenever they got wind of the male baby born to any family, they would yank him out of his mother's arms. They did not care for the feelings of the crying mothers. They used to throw the infants mercilessly into the river. It was an awful act of cruelty but no one dared to disobey the orders of Pharaoh because every one was much scared of him. Many innocent babies were drowned in this way and numerous unfortunate parents expressed lamentations over the death of their dear ones. The Prophet Musa (Moses) Enclosed into Chest and Cast into the River: In that era one of the Israelite woman gave birth to a male baby who was: extremely beautiful. The mother thought that the soldiers of Pharaoh would soon find him out. They would throw him to the fish in the river. God revealed to her to be patient and not to be frightened. She was communicated the glad-tidings that her son would become an Apostle. The newly born baby was named Musa (Moses). He was very attractive. His mother fed and concealed him for a few months. When she was unable to hide him any longer, God guided her saying: "And We revealed to Musa's mother saying: Give him suck. When you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear nor grieve, surely We will restore him to you and make him one of the apostles." (28: 7) The same direction is expressed in other Verses: "Call to mind the occasion when We revealed to your mother: Put him into the chest and cast it down into the river, then the river shall throw him on the shore; then shall take him up to one who is an enemy to Me and enemy to him and I cast down upon you love From Me and that you may be brought up before My eyes." (20:38-39) When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) had attained the age of a few months, his mother got made a very tight box. She put a blanket in the box. She lifted her affectionate son and kissed him again and again. She put him in the box with tears in her eyes. Her heart was beating violently. She pushed the box into the water when it was still dark. The box moved slowly on the surface of the water. His sister watched the box at a distance but the mother went back home wailing and sobbing. She was full of anxiety due to the separation of her beloved baby. The Prophet Musa's sister was hiding from place to place along the shore of the river. She was constantly watching the box and praying for the safety of her brother. The box went on moving and gradually came near the shore. Some People were washing their clothes at the shore. By chance they saw the box floating slowly. They waded through the water and picked up the box. They were greatly surprised to see a beautiful infant enclosed in the box. He had a smiling countenance. The Prophet Musa Grows up in Pharaoh's House: The people took the box to Pharaoh and his family. All of them were full of excitement. The Prophet Musa's sister followed them but no one recognised her. The wife of Pharaoh fell in love with the baby. She decided to make him her own son: "And Fir'aun's wife said: Joy of the eye to me and to you, do not slay him, may be he will be useful to us or we may take him for a son. But they knew not what they did.'' (28: 10) The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) became awfully hungry. He began to cry out of hunger. The baby was handed over to a woman who was appointed to nurse him. He did not take her breast and kept on weeping. Every one was in a fix what to do. The sister of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) who was standing near remarked: May I bring a woman whom the baby requires? She was directed to go immediately and call her. She rushed towards her house and informed her mother of the whole situation. She requested her mother to accompany her to Pharaoh's house. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was still crying due to hunger. The mother gave him her breast. He was much pleased and drank milk to his heart's content. Pharaoh's wife requested the mother of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to stay with them and nurse him. The Holy Qur'an states: "So We restored him to his mother that her eyes might be refreshed and that she might not grieve and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true but most of them do not know." (28: 13) The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was brought up in Pharaoh's house like a prince. His mother was taking care of him and he was the apple of her eye. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) learnt a great deal about Pharaoh and his indecent ways of life. He came to know about his cruel treatment towards Israelites. Although he led a luxurious life yet deep inside his heart he had pains. An Egyptian is Killed by Prophet Musa: One day he saw an Israelite fighting hard with one of the men of the King. They were shouting and hitting each other. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) appeared on the scene. He tried to pacify them. When he saw that the Egyptian was not going to spare him in spite of several requests, he lifted up his stick and hit the man of the King. The man became dizzy and fell to the ground with a bang. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and his companions stepped forward to support the man but he was limp like a rag. Soon after he passed away. The Prophet Musa Repents: The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) felt sorry for what had happened. It was an accidental and not intentional act. One blow of the stick is quite insufficient to cause the death of a person. His head was twirling. He called his action as a devil's doing who misled human beings. He realised his mistake and prayed for Divine protection. The Holy Qur'an states: "He found therein two men fighting, one being of his party and the other of his foes and he who was of his party cried out to him for help against him who was of his enemies. Musa struck him with his fist and despatched him. He said: This is of the devil's doing; surely he is an open enemy leading astray. He said: My Lord: Surely l have done harm to myself, so, You should protect me." (18: 18) The Prophet Musa's Migration and Marriage: Soon the news of the murder of a man spread far and wide. The people flew into a rage. They hatched a plan to kill the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). He became scared and was directed to migrate to another place. The Holy Qur'an states: "A man came running from the remotest part of the City. He said: 0' Musa Surely the Chiefs are consulting together to slay you. Therefore, begone at once. Surely I counsel you as a friend." (28:19) The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) packed up his luggage and left Pharaoh's house in the pitch dark when every one was enjoying a sound sleep. He reached Madian after a long tiresome journey. He sat down to take rest near a watering place. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) saw two young girls waiting at a distance. Their sheep were standing near the spring for drinking water. The Prophet Musa (peace he upon him) thought that the girls needed some help. Although he was tired and hungry yet he wished to help them. He went up to the girls and asked if they needed help. The girls were modest and bashful. They said that they were waiting so that the shepherds might go away. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) drove the sheep to the spring to drink water. It was a kind act of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). The girls expressed a deep sense of gratitude for this favour. They took their sheep and proceeded towards their house. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went back to rest. He became depressed and prayed to Almighty Allah to help him. In the meanwhile two women came to him and said: "My father invites you so that he may give you the reward of your having watered for us." (28:24) The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) accompanied them. When be entered the house, he introduced himself politely; Soon after he dined with the members of the family. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was asked to stay with them. The time passed on happily. One day the master of the house said: "I desire to marry one of these two daughters of mine to you on the condition that you should serve me for eight years but if you complete ten, it will be of your own free will, and I do not wish to be hard on you. If Allah pleases, you will find me one of good. He said: This will be an agreement between you and me. whichever of the two terms I fulfil, there shall be no wrong doing to me and Allah is a witness of what we say." (28:27, 28) According to the agreement Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) got married to one of the girls of that family. He took care of the farm and the sheep efficiently. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) had been away from his family for many years. He missed his kith and kin. One day he set out on a journey from Madian. His family accompanied him. The Call of Prophet Musa to Prophethood: The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) crossed the sandy desert and reached the mountain, Tur. He perceived a brilliant light from a distance. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) thought that to be fire land reached near it to warm himself. All of a sudden a voice was-heard from the right side of the Valley. It uttered: "Surely. I am your Lord: so put off your shoes because you are in the sacred Valley which is blessed twice I have chosen you; so hearken to what shall be revealed: Verily, I am Allah, there is no god but I, therefore serve-Me-and keep up prayers for My remembrance." (10: 22) The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was puzzled and scared. The thing which looked like fire was not fire in the real sense of the word but it was the reflection of the glory of God. It was a moment of great honour for the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). Some Miracles of Prophet Musa: God commanded Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to throw the stick that was in his hand on the ground. He threw the stick in compliance with the orders. To his surprise he saw the stick moving like a long wiggling snake and it greatly scared him. He thought that it was going to bite him. God directed the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) not to lose courage and pick up the snake. He obeyed and caught hold of the terrible looking snake. When he touched it, it was restored to its former shape. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was much amazed to see those happenings. Soon afterwards God ordered the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to thrust his hand into his armpit. He did so. When he took out his hand, it was shining white when he put his hand back into his armpit and pulled it out it had been changed into its normal position. Allah, the Almighty made the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to perform those miracles so that he might feel better and become sure of the existence of Allah and His power. He was going to derive benefits out of such miracles in future. The Prophet Musa Settles in Egypt Again: Allah commanded the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to go to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh and reform his depraved people. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was not good at arguing. He had an impediment in his tongue to speak freely. He sought permission from Allah to take his brother Prophet Harun with him as an aider because he was an eloquent speaker. The permission was immediately granted. The Prophet Musa Argues with Pharaoh: The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) settled with his family in Egypt. They went to Pharaoh to argue with him. They conveyed him the message of Allah but he made fun of them. He did not lose heart and kept on preaching. The king and his people were not convinced. Finally in desperation, the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said: 0' King! Do you like me to show you that my message is true? He replied in affirmative with an unbelieving smile on his face. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) threw his stick on the ground and it changed its shape as a terrible looking snake. The people were wonder-struck and got scared of it. When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) picked it up, it became a stick again. Every one was much amazed. Then the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) put his hand in his armpit. When he got it out, his hand was shining brilliantly. The Holy Qur'an states: "Then he threw down his staff and lo! it was an obvious serpent. And he drew forth his hand and lo! it appeared white to the beholders." (26:32) The Prophet Musa Contests with Magicians: The Chiefs said that the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was an enchanter. He intended to turn the minds of the people. Pharaoh was much worried. He feared lest people should begin to follow him. He fixed a special day for contest between the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and other magicians. He sent collectors in various parts of the country to bring enchanters to hold competition and prevail upon the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). He promised to reward the winners. On the appointed day thousands of people gathered there. There was a great deal of excitement. Every one was eager to see the performances of the magicians of the king and the miracles of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). First of all the royal magicians threw their sticks. They moved and looked like snakes from a distance. They deceived the eyes of the people and frightened them. The people were much surprised. They appreciated the magicians for their astonishing performances. Soon after the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) cast his stick. The stick became a hungry serpent by the order of Allah. It wiggled and moved like a dart. It devoured every moving stick that the magician had thrown. The spectators were much impressed. Some of the priests thought that such miracles could be done only by the order of Allah. Most of the magicians drew back humiliated and prostrated themselves adoring. They said: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds; the Lord of Prophet Musa and Prophet Harun (peace be upon them). On seeing this state of affairs Pharaoh was much worried. He became mad with rage because his men were inclined to follow the Prophet Musa peace be upon him) and adopt his new religion. He threatened them of dire consequences. He said: "I shall certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite side, then I will crucify you altogether. (7: 124) Persecution of Prophet Musa slid his followers: Pharaoh and his men began to persecute the followers of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). The Israelites remained patient. They began to worship and glorify God in their homes. They kept praying to God. They said: "O' Our Lord! Make us not subject to persecution of the unjust people, and deliver us by Your mercy from the unbelieving people." (20: 86) When the Israelites were under the burden of hardships and sufferings, Allah ordered the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to leave the area with his followers. He promised to save them. In compliance with the Commandment of Allah the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) directed his people to migrate secretly to another place. The Prophet Musa Leaves Egypt: When it was dark, a scanty band of the Israelites left Egypt. They took all precautionary measures to escape from the eye-sight of the guards. They moved as fast as they could with firm conviction that they would he saved by Allah. Next day the residence of the Israelites were found desolate and without hustle and bustle. Pharaoh was informed. He lost his temper and sent heralds to chase the absconders. He wanted to take revenge of his disgrace. He ordered his soldiers to arrest the Israelites and bring them back. When the followers of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) were near the sea-shore, they heard the sound of the hoofs of their horses. They were much frightened. They thought that they would be overtaken and punished by the enemies. The Sea Splits and Pharaoh is Drowned: When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and his followers were being chased Allah revealed this order to him: "Strike the sea with the rod; and it clove asunder and each part become like a large mountain." (26: 60) The water of the sea went up high with the great uproar. The bottom of the sea turned into dry land. It was an amazing miracle. The people could hardly believe their eyes. The Israelites ran desperately and went far ahead. Pharaoh and his huge army chased them in hostility. There was a great uproar again. The water from both the sides poured. It rushed over Pharaoh and his soldiers. They were completely drowned. The Holy Qur'an relates this incident in the following Verses: "And We made the children of Israel to pass through the sea, then Fir'aun and his hosts followed them in hostility and for oppression until when drowning overtook him, he said: I believe that there is no god but He in Whom the children of Israel believe and I am of those who submit. What now! said God, and indeed you have been rebellious and was of the mischief makers. But this day We save you in your body so that you may be a sign to those after you and most surely most people are heedless of Our Signs". (20:90-92) The body of Fir'aun is still present in the Egyptian Museum as an admonitory sign to those who are transgressors. When Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and thousands of his followers got rid of Pharaoh, they expressed a deep sense of gratitude to Allah. They had witnessed an impressive miracle. Now they were free to live according to the teachings of Allah. The Prophet Musa Receives Instructions: Allah commanded Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to go to a certain mountain for austerity. He had to stay there for forty days. During this period Allah, the Almighty gave a lot of religious knowledge to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him). He gave him the tablets which contained ten Commandments. One day he (Musa) said: "My Lord! Show me Thyself so that I may look upon Thee. He said': you cannot bear to see Me but look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me. When his Lord manifested His glory to the mountain He made it crumble and Musa fell down in swoon. When he recovered, he said: Glory be to You: I turn to You and! am the first of believers". C7:142) At the end of the appointed time Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) went to his people to tell them about the revelations which he had received. Israelites Worship the Calf: The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was much grieved to know that his followers had become addicted to praying to the cow instead of Allah. Whenever his brother Prophet Harun (peace be upon him) forbade them to do so, they made fun of him. Sometimes they tortured him. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) tried hard to uproot this form of idolatry from the hearts of the Israelites. Some men who had gone astray, repented but most of them insisted on worshipping a cow. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) said to his people: "Surely, Allah commands you that you should sacrifice a cow." (2: 71) Most of them did so hesitatingly but the others refused. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) kept on conveying the people the new message of God. Another Miracle: One season came there was hardly any rain. It overtook the people with draughts and diminution of fruit. There was an acute shortage of water and food. The people began to die of starvation. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah and He provided them with eatables. Water was not available in the area. They approached Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) for help. He prayed to Allah for a miracle. Allah directed the Prophet to hit a special high cliff with his stick. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) touched the cliff saying: By the name of our Lord, Almighty Allah. At once the water gushed forth. There were twelve places in that cliff from which sprang out cool clear water. The people were much amazed at the sight of this wonderful miracle. The Holy Qur'an states: "And when Musa prayed for drink for his people, We said: Smite with your staff the rock, and there gushed out therefrom twelve springs so that each tribe knew their drinking place: Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act corruptly making mischief in the earth." (2: 60) The Israelites were of twelve branches each a descendant of a son of Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him). So each branch came to drink from one of the springs of water from that cliff. The people drank water to their hearts content. They do not have to shove and push for the water because Allah gave them twelve springs. Israelites Win Victory and Prosper: After staying in the desert for some time Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) planned to proceed towards the blessed land, Palestine. The Prophet Musa ( peace be upon him) sent twelve men in advance to go and had a bird's eye view of the blessed land. They came back after many days. They told him that there were fertile farms and green trees. There was plenty of water. It made every one eager to go there. It was also reported that the owners of the blessed land were strong and brave. They had invincible armies. It was impossible to capture that land without fighting. The Israelites were much terrified because they were weak and armless. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and a small group of Israelites wished to fight tooth and nail whereas most of them did not agree to fighting. Some of them said to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him): You go with your God and fight against them. We will stay here and wait. As the years passed, they increased in number. They gained strength gradually. They formed a small army of their own and marched with faith in their hearts towards the rich blessed land. They fought hard and became victorious in the battle. They became the rulers of Palestine. The inhabitants of that land lived with them in peace and harmony. Allah showered favours on Israelites and they began to prosper wonderfull. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'

THE PROPHET AZIZ (UBAIR OR EZRA) (peace be upon him) The lineage genealogy of the Prophet 'Aziz (peace be upon him) linked with that of Harun bin 'Umran. The name of his father was Khalqiyah. The Holy Qur'an has made mention of him in the Surah Immunity. The Jews regarded him as the son of Allah as the Christians thought 'Esa (peace be upon him) as His son. The Holy Qur'an affirms: The Jews say: 'Aziz is the son of Allah and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. Such they say in their mouth! These resemble the sayings of the infidels of old. Allah do battle with them. How are they misguided ? (9:30) He was the son of Sharahya, the Scribe. He was in his teens when Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem and put it to rout. When he attained the age of forty years the crown of Prophethood was conferred upon his head. He began to perform the duty of showing the path of righteousness to the depraved humanity. He was held in high esteem among his followers. When the Israelites planned to reconstruct the Bait-ul-Muqaddis, he exercised his influence to gain co-operation of the Government officials. He assisted the Jews to carry out their plan. Al-Baizawi says: During the Babylonish captivity the Torah was lost and there was none who remembered it. Allah raised up Aziz (peace be upon him) from the dead one century after his burial. He dictated to the scribes from his memory the whole Jewish law (Torah). He would have been fully worthy of having been the law-giver if Musa (peace be upon him) had not preceded him. History bears testimony to this fact that the Prophet 'Aziz (peace be upon him) guided the Israelites during the period which lasted from the destruction of Jerusalem to the reconstruction of Bait-ul-Muqadis. It has been narrated that a person rode upon an ass and passed near a city called Jerusalem. He possessed a basket of figs and a vessel of the juice of grapes. He wondered at the power of Allah and said: How will Allah re-build and populate it again? 'Aziz (peace be upon him) was much shocked at the sight of dilapidated dwellings. When he was under the sway of utter disappointment, Allah caused him to die for a hundred years. Then He raised him to life and said: How long have you tarried here? He replied: I have tarried for a day or a part of it. He slept in the first part of the day and was deprived of his life. He was reanimated at sunset. Allah, the Exalted said: You have tarried a hundred years. Look at your food and drink. They are as fresh as you have left them. They have remained unchanged even after the passage of century. Look at the ass. It has been decomposed and reduced to skeleton of bones. I have wrought this miracle to make manifest to you that I have the power to immune or destroy anything. The Holy Qur'an narrates this miracle in the following Verses: And how He demeaned him who passed by a city which had been laid in ruins. He said: How shall Allah give life to this city after it had been destroyed. And Allah caused him to die for a hundred years and then raised him to life. He said: How long have you waited? He said: I have waited a day or part of a day. Allah said: look on your food and your drink; they are not corrupted. Look on your ass, We would make you a sign for men and look on the bones of your ass, how We will raise them, then clothe them with flesh and when this was shown to him, he said: I acknowledge that Allah has power to do all things. (1:270) Allah commanded the Prophet 'Aziz (peace be upon him) to go to Jerusalem to render services to the cause of religion. He passed away at Sa'irabad near 'Iraq. He was buried there. Some historians say that his grave is in Damascus. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET AYYUB (peace be upon him) The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was one of the descendants of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and a nephew of Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him). He was sent to reform the people who lived in the desert situated in the north eastern corner of Palestine. When Ayyub (Job) was chosen to be the Prophet, he started to teach the people about God and His religion. He advised the people to do good and shun evil. As usual with all the Prophets very few people believed in him in the beginning but gradually the number of his followers began to increase. The Prophet Ayyub was Well Off: The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was a prosperous man with firm faith in Allah. He possessed vast farms, enormous wealth, many cattle and valuable property but these things did not make him arrogant. His wealth provided him with a medium by means of which he sought Allah's grace. The Prophet Ayyub Displays Patience: The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was a pattern of humility and faith in Allah. He was very patient. He suffered from a number of calamities but did not utter a single word of complaint. One day his big farm was attacked by the thieves. They killed many of his servants and carried away forcibly all his cattle. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) did not feel sorry at this loss and thanked Allah. After some time the roof of the house fell down and many members of his family were crushed. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was much shocked but he held fast to his faith in Allah. He neither shed a tear nor heaved a sigh. He prostrated before the Almighty. He remarked that possessions and children were the gifts from Allah. If He had taken His things, it was useless to lament over their loss. After a few years Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) suffered from skin disease. His parts of body were covered with loathsome sores. He had many ugly looking ulcers on his face and hands. The sores were full of worms. It is narrated that he picked up those worms which fell from his abscess and praised Allah for creating them. Above all, his false friends attributed his calamities to his sins. They ridiculed and looked down upon him. All the persons deserted him with the exception of his faithful wife, Rahima. She also grew tired of him in the long run and prayed for his death. She cursed her husband for retaining integrity in Allah. When Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was in an extremely pathetic condition he prayed: "Truly adversity has afflicted me and You are Most Merciful of all who show mercy." (21: 83) Allah accepted his prayer. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "Then We heard his prayer and removed that adversity from which he suffered, and We gave him his household and the like thereof along with them, a mercy from Our store and remembrance for the worshippers." (21: 84) The Prophet Ayyub Recovers and Prospers: Allah turned to him with mercy. He was commanded to strike the earth with his foot. He complied with the order and water from the spring gushed forth. He took a bath with the water and got cured from his evil disease. After this he was restored to prosperity. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) knelt and prayed expressing a deep sense of gratitude to Allah. He never forgot His favours, mercy and love. The Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was one of the celebrated Prophets. His example illustrates: that those who remain patient under the stress ｷ of all circumstances, art never deprived of high rewards. The Holy Qur'an affirms: "And surely we try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and crops, but give glad-tidings to the steadfast, who when a misfortune befalls them, say lo! we are Allah's (possession of Allah) and to Him shall we surely return. ｷ Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly-guided." (2: 155-157) Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET DHUL-KIFL (ISAIH OR KHARQIL BIN THAURI) (peace be upon him) Dhul-kifl (peace be upon him) was the Prophet of Allah. The Holy Qur'an has made mention of him in the following two Verses: And Isma'il and Idris and Dhul-kifl; all were men of constancy and patience. We admitted them into out mercy because they were of the righteous ones. (21:85. 86) And remember Isma'il, Elisha and Dhul-kifl. Each of them was of the company of the good. (38:48) Al-Baizawi says that he was so called because he had to do double the work of the Prophets of his time. He is identified with Ezekiel of the Bible who was carried away to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem. He was chained and imprisoned. He bore all hardships with patience and continued reproving the evil sin the Bani Israel. Ibn Jarir, an interpreter has narrated an event which throws some light on his life. When Al-Yasa (peace be upon him) grew old, he wished to appoint a suitable person as his successor to guide the Israelites. He declared: Only that person will be considered competent to become his successor who observes fast during the day remembers Allah throughout the night and refrains from flying into a rage. One among the crowd stood up and said: (I will adhere to all these conditions. The Prophet Al-Yasa (peace be upon him) repeated these conditions thrice and the same person promised solemnly to fulfil the conditions. Thereupon he was appointed as a vicegerent. After some time he was subjected to a trial. One day the Satan in the disguise of an old man knocked at his door. He was allowed to get in. The visitor lodged a complaint against the cruel treatment of the people towards him. The vicegerent directed him to come in the evening. He assured the visitor that all his grievances shall be redressed. He promised but did not turn up at the appointed time. Next day he came again and complained as usual. The vicegerent commanded him to come in the evening. He made a solemn promise to come but did not abide by it. On the third day he came again and knocked at the door but it was not opened. The Satan in the disguise of an old man managed to slip into the room and presented himself before the vicegerent. He was wonder-struck at the sudden appearance of the old man. The vicegerent interrogated the visitor. He admitted that he was Iblis who assumed the likeness of an old man and was trying to enrage him. He endeavoured to make him back out of his promise but failed in his mission. Thereupon the vicegerent became known as Dhul-kifl because he maintained his solemn promise with the Prophet Al-Yasa (peace be upon him). He refrained from losing temper though the Satan left no stone unturned to annoy him. Soon after Allah chose him as His Prophet. He commanded the Israelites to wage holy war against those who made mischief on the earth and opposed the religion of Allah. His followers, the Israelites refused to carry out his orders because they were afraid of death. As a retaliation for the utter disobedience of the Commandment of Allah and His Prophet, most of the people were overtaken by calamity. Plague broke out and numerous people died miserably. They deserted their houses in terror and ran away to save their lives. When they covered some distance, they heard a dreadful sound and the death prevailed over them. None remained alive to bury them. The corpses were putrefied in the scorching heat of the sun. The Prophet Dhul-kifl (peace be upon him) came out of the seclusion after seven days. He was overwhelmed with grief to see the predicament of his followers and supplicated: O' Allah! You have perished my followers. Take pity on them and give them a new life. Allah granted the prayer of His Prophet, the dead persons regained their lives. The Holy Qur'an Affirms: Have you not thought on those who quitted their dwellings--and they were thousands for fear of death. Allah said to them: Die! Then He restored them to life, for full of bounty towards man is Allah. But most men give not thanks. (2: 280) Afterwards the Prophet Dhul-kifl (peace be upon him) left his followers and migrated to Babylon. He died there. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET YUNUS (peace be upon him) The Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) is also addressed by two other surnames "Dhun-Nun" (Lord of the Fish) and "Sahibil-Hot" (Companion of the Fish). The Holy Qur'an says: "And (mention) Dhun-Nun when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him but he cried out in darkness, saying: There is no god save Thee. Be Thou glorified! Lo! I have been an evil-doer." (11 ｷ: 87) "But wait thou for thy Lord's decree and be not like the Sahibil-Hut who cried out in fear." (68 :48) Yunus (Jonah) was the son of Mitta according to a Tradition quoted in Sahih Bukhari but the Torah states that his father's name was Amittai. When the prophethood was conferred upon him, he was commanded to go Nineveh for preaching the true faith of God. Nineveh was situated on the right bank of the river Tigris. It was the capital city of Assyria. Its people were arrogant and conceited. They led sinful lives. The Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) tried his best to reform them but they turned a deaf ear to his advice and warnings. Soon he began to feel disgusted. Consequently human frailty overpowered him. He flew into a rage and invoked Allah's wrath on the people of Nineveh. He became impatient and departed without waiting for further command from Allah. He imagined perhaps God had no power over him. The Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) proceeded towards the sea and took a boat. Unfortunately the boat was caught in a storm. The sailors held him responsible for bringing misfortune to the boat. They decided to throw Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) into the water but the passengers did not agree to their decision. Then lots were drawn and the name of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) came out. The Prophet Yunus was thrown into the sea for the safety of the boat. When Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) fell into the water, a great fish with capacious belly drew him in. He was in extreme distress. He realised that he had to suffer for committing dereliction towards his duty as a prophet. Instead of running away he must have relied upon the power of Allah even in the most discouraged circumstances. The Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) felt penitence and supplicated to Allah in the humblest tone. His repentance was accepted and he was to be delivered ashore. He was provided with the shelter of a spreading plant. The Holy Qur'an relates this incident in the following Verses: "And lo! Yunus verily was of those sent ( to warn). When he fled into the ladenship, then drew lots and was of those rejected, the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy, and had he not been one of those who glorify Allah, he would have tarried in its belly till the Day of Resurrection, then We cast him on a desert shore while he was sick and We caused a tree of gourd to grow above him, and We sent him to a hundred thousand (folk) or more. And they believed, therefore We gave him comfort for a while." (27: 139-i18) When Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) regained his health, he was commanded to go back to the same town and fulfil his mission of making the people give up their iniquitous life. Now the people of Nineveh repented and followed their Prophet. God showed mercy and they prospered remarkably. They got a new lease of glorious life. The Holy Qur'an says: "When they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the world and permitted them to enjoy their life for a while." (10:98) Gradually the people of Nineveh again adopted evil ways of life. They indulged in idol-worship and debauchery. Eventually they were destroyed by the Scythians. The Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) died in Nineveh and was buried there. According to the story of some of the historians his tomb is in the village Halmol about ten miles away from Hebron. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET ZAKARIYA (peace be upon him) Zakariya (Zachariah) was an illustrious Prophet of the Israelites. He was one of the descendants of Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him). The name of his wife was al-Yashbi' who belonged to the family of Prophet Harun (peace be upon him). The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) was the patron of Mary, the mother of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). He was the trustee of Hekal. He worked as a carpenter and earned his livelihood. The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) kept the torch of Mosaic law burning. He used to pray devotionally and preach zealously. His wife and he were the symbols of piety and righteousness. Most of his kinsmen lacked in spirit of true faith. As they were seduced, they were inclined to doing evil deeds. They were going out of the right path. The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) was much anxious about this state of affairs. He had no offspring and there was no suitable person to hold the office of priesthood of Hekal after his death. He was desirous of having a son to become his good successor. He did not long for a son to satisfy a mere human desire for one's progeny. He wanted to have a son to maintain the warmth of religious activities. One night he stood in prayer in his sanctuary and prayed to Allah to bless him with a good son. He was conscious that he was in an advanced age and his wife was barren and unable to raise any issue. He had full faith in Allah Who possesses power to do whatever He wills. He came to know through his prophetic insight that Allah would grant his request. He would be blessed with a good son to act as his heir who could guide the people aright. God in His infinite mercy removed the defect of his wife's barrenness so that she might become mother. She gave birth to Prophet Yahya. (peace be upon him) who was destined to be honourable, chaste, and a prophet from among the righteous. The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) felt satisfied as his son grew up and became a symbol of piety. He was graced with wisdom, obedience and asceticism. The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) continued preaching the religion of Allah even in old age. The Israelites were indulged in mischief making and wickedness. They had not only ignored the teachings of his Prophet but tortured him also. The Holy Qur'an makes mention of the cruel acts of the Israelites in the following Verses: "Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah and slay the Prophets wrongfully and slay those of mankind who enjoin equity, promise him a painful doom." (3:21) The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) did not die a natural death. One day the Israelites decided to put him to death. He hid himself in the covern of the tree. The Jews began to saw that part of the tree. The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) did not even utter a faint cry. His body was cut into two pieces. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET YAHYA (peace be upon him) Yahya (John the Baptist) was the son of Prophet Zakariyya (peace be upon him). His birth was a miracle because. He was born of a barren mother and an aged father. In the fagging part of life Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah to bless him with a son who could prove to be a successful heir and preacher of the religion of Allah. His prayer was promptly granted. The Holy Qur'an says: "0' Zakariya! Lo! We bring you a glad tidings of a son whose name is Yahya. We have given the same name to none before him.'' (19: 7) The Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him) was dedicated to the noble work of leading men to the path of salvation. He exhorted his people to have unstinted faith in God. He moved among the humble and despised sofe raiment. He was not arrogant. He spent most of his life in wilderness. He was pure and devout. He was dutiful towards his parents. The Holy Qur'an says: "(And it was said unto his son) 0' John! Hold fast the scripture. And We gave him wisdom when he was a child! And compassion from Our presence and punity, and he was devout. And dutiful towards his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious. Peace on him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he shall be raised alive.'' (19: 12-15) The Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him) moved to the desert of Judea. He dressed himself in a robe made of camel hair. He ate simple food and wild honey. His sermons were most impressive and people flocked to hear his trumpet message. The whole of the Jordan valley was baptised due to his preaching. The Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him) was the precursor of Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ). He was his cousin and contemporary as well. His fidelity to his mission as a preacher soon deprived him of his liberty and subsequently his life. The Roman Ruler Herod Antipas was the ruler of Galilee. He had an adulterous relations with Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip. The Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him) reproached him for this grave sin. Herod Antipas got annoyed and imprisoned him till his execution. Once Herod Antipas arranged a grand feast. Herodias allowed her daughter, Salome to dance. The Ruler was fascinated with the performance of the dancing girl. He declared that he would grant whatever Salome wanted. She immediately made a demand for the head of Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him). Herod was in a fix what to do. He had no alternative to adhere to his words. So Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him) was beheaded at the instigation of the mother of that girl with whom Herod was infatuated. His grave is in Umayyah Mosque in Syria. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'
THE PROPHET ISA (peace be upon him) The Israelites had settled in the blessed land, Palestine. They ruled for a long time. They had a vast kingdom. Allah, the Almighty chose many prophets from among them. They followed the Holy Book, the Torah. The Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) and his son Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) won great popularity as kings and commanded high respect. Their followers believed in God and led noble lives. As the time passed by, they began to pay less attention to the teachings of God. They forgot the Divine favours. They made alterations in the Holy Book according to their own tastes. Most of the Israelites adopted indecent ways of life and committed major sins. At that time there existed a powerful kingdom in the world. It was called the kingdom of Romans. They were polytheists and pagans. They did not worship one God and prayed to many idols made of stones. The Roman society was divided into two factions. The ruling class was very strong and arrogant whereas the ordinary people lived in misery. They were ill-treated as slaves. The female sex enjoyed no privilege in that era. Palestine, the blessed land was ruled by Herod, a cruel king. The people disliked him. They were scared stiff of him. They could not utter a word of complaint against him lest they should be put to sword. Allah, the Beneficent, showed His favours and wanted to guide the depraved humanity to the right oath. He desired to make the people believe in Allah through miracles. Maryam (Mary) was a beautiful maiden. She was virtuous, abstemious and chaste. She used to pray to Allah frequently. Site grew up in the house of prophet Zakariyya (peace be upon him) and learnt a good deal about Allah and His religion. One night Maryam was engaged in glorifying the Almighty, Allah. Suddenly she saw a handsome looking young man. She got embarrassed and her face turned pale. She felt jittery and had goose pimples on her skin. Soon after she got tranquillity of mind. She heard a voice from the invisible world: "I am an angel of Allah. He has sent me to inform you that you are going to have a baby." Maryam was much perplexed. As she was a virgin, it was quite impossible for her to give birth to baby without entering into matrimonial allegiance with an opposite sex. Once again the Angel remarked: It is the Will of Allah, the Almighty that you should give birth to a fatherless baby. It is easy for Him to do what He pleases. He has His own reasons. I, however, convey you the good news. Soon after the Angel vanished. Maryam became wet with perspiration. She apprehended that her name would be sullied if she gave birth to a baby before marriage. After some days Maryam became pregnant. Many people began to level false accusations against her. They calumniated her for developing contraband relations with a man. The whole population of the town derided Maryam. She was feeling terribly ashamed on hearing the baseless charges of slanders. She had a firm faith in Allah. She was sure that Allah would help her in washing away a blot on her fair reputation. She prayed to her Lord frequently to save her honour. The people passed taunting remarks about her every now and then. When site was reduced to straits by the mischievous persons, she decided to leave Nazareth and settle in another town. She went to a locality called Bethlehem seventy-one miles away from her native town. She resided near a manger under a palm-tree. Soon after her arrival there Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) was born. Maryam washed, cleansed and dressed him. He looked very beautiful and attractive. Some of the people got wind of that incident and visited Maryam who gave birth to a fatherless baby. They also made fun of her and began to ask questions. As Maryam had been directed by Allah not to utter a single word for three days from the moment she gave birth to a baby. She complied with the orders and refrained from talking. When the people pressed her hard to reply to their questions, the baby began to utter some words to clarify the position of his pious mother. The listeners were much surprised. They were full of excitement. Isa (Jesus Christ) claimed to be the Prophet of Allah. He advised the people to follow the right path and do noble acts. When the people got a convincing proof regarding the truthfulness and chastity of Maryam, they were much impressed and amazed. The birth of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) became a talk of the town. Herod, the king, got wind of that miracle. He became worried lest people should obey the directions of the newly born Prophet and neglect his orders. He issued terrible orders to kill all those babies who art under the age of two years. The parents became much upset because they thought that they would be deprived of their affectionate children after the implementation of those orders. Allah guided Maryam to migrate to Egypt to seek protection for her baby. She carried out the orders and reached Egypt after a troublesome journey. They stayed away from home for twelve years. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) grew up gradually and Allah gave him a good deal of wisdom and knowledge. In the meantime Herod passed away and the people took a sigh of relief. Maryam felt a great pleasure. She picked up her belongings and proceeded towards the blessed land again. She, along with her baby reached there after a long journey. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) was handsome and dignified. When he had attained the age of thirty years, he began to preach the religion of Allah. Most of the people were not convinced and thus he was exposed to ridicules. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) entreated Allah to grant him a miraculous power to impress the people. Allah gave him that power. He showed many miracles which won the hearts of the people. Gradually they became his followers and began to believe in him and his message. One day Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) was preaching to a large gathering. He exhorted the people to believe in Allah and follow His religion. Most of them turned a deaf ear to his instructions. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) tried to convince them with a miracle. He took some wet clay in his hand and made the statue of a bird with it. He blew his breath on the clay. It became a real bird with wings, eyes and legs by Allah's power. It flew up chirping in the sky. The people looked at the bird but could hardly believe their eyes. They were wonder struck at the sight of this miracle. They were so impressed that they began to take the oath of allegiance to Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) kept on preaching and many people began to believe in true religion. One day a man came limping towards him. He had suffered from leprosy. He was looking terrible due to lumps on his face. His fingers were crooked and he had lost some toes. The people were scared of him. They detested him but the heart of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) was bleeding for the wretched man. The diseased man said in the weak tone: Cure me, cure me. I am disgusted with my life. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) knelt and supplicated for his recovery. He patted at his shoulders. He recovered and his face became clear. All the lumps vanished in the twinkling of an eye. The crowd was much amazed at the sight of this miracle. Every one was much impressed. The people began to follow the teachings of the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). One day the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) was going through the street which was narrow and winding. He came across a man who was blind and dumb. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) decided to show mercy to him because he was kind-hearted. He put his hand on the shoulder of the man. The blind man opened his eyes and Allah restored his eye sight. Moreover he was endowed with the power of talking. He expressed a deep sense of gratitude for the kindness shown by the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). This miracle impressed the spectators and they began to follow the teachings of Allah. A man, Lazarus passed away and his sisters, Mary and Martha fell into melancholy and extinction. They were making preparations to perform burial ceremonies. The mourners flocked at the residence of the deceased. Suddenly the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) appeared on the scene. He knelt down and started to pray to Almighty Allah. After a short time Lazarus was revived by the grace of Allah. He got up and began to talk. Every one jumped out or joy. They began to acknowledge the supreme power of their Lord. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) came to remind the people of the teachings of the other Prophets. He advised the people to believe in Allah and pray to Him only. He asked them not to indulge in back-biting, oppression, sinfulness and impiety. He directed his followers to do noble deeds. He taught them to be loving and tolerant. He also had his own revelations. The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) had twelve disciples who assisted him in preaching. They helped him in spreading the religion of Allah during the life of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) and afterwards. The preaching work by Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) lasted for three years. A considerable number of people began to follow him. They adopted good ways of life. The Romans and the Jews were much worried because of the prevailing influence of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) and his disciples. They feared lest they should rise in revolt against them. They decided Isa, the Prophet to be crucified. Allah loved his Prophet. He wanted to save him. On the other hand the Romans made a heavy big cross of wood to put their plan into practice. There was a large gathering and the soldiers were standing all around where Isa, the Prophet was supposed to be crucified. Even those people who were against the teachings of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) were feeling queezy inside. They did not agree with the idea of crucifying him. Allah ordered some one who bore resemblance to Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) to take the place of the Prophet on the cross. In fact the man who was analogous to Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) was crucified and his own life was saved in this manner. Most of the teachings of Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) are still in the Gospel but some of the things written in the Bible are not in original form. They were changed and some additions as well as subtractions have been made in his teachings. Copied from 'THE ISLAMIC SCHOLAR'