By M.I. Liaqath Ali
Before commencing creation, Allah gathered the souls of Prophets He would send down to earth and told them that He gave them scripture and wisdom; after all of them an Apostle (i.e. Muhammad (Pbuh) will come and confirm their scriptures and that they must believe in him and help him. [Al Imran 3:81]
As they evidently could not be his contemporaries, they helped him only by saying and writing about his advent, such that their posterity could have an introduction of him and so trust him.
Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) was commanded by God to inform that he was not the only Messenger of God to the world [Al Qur’an 46:9]. Scholars say that there had been some 124,000 Prophet sent to the world who preached in the language of the respective people [A Qur’an 14:4]. The true religion they preached and their scriptures got corrupted with passage of time (with the exception of Al Qur’an). However, the message on the last and greatest Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) is retained till date in the scriptures of all major world religions.
We are presenting here some interesting information from these Books so that adherents to these religions (as also Muslims) come to know that Messenger e is not alien to them, get rid of unfounded prejudices against Islam and the Messenger (Pbuh) and that they may take interest in the scripture and religion he brought. The reason is that Islam as given to him is the true religion of the world brought to ultimate perfection [Al Qur’an 5:3]
These scriptures identify the greatest Prophet to come mentioning details of his birth, events of his life, his followers, etc. Some even give his Arabic name or its equivalents! This article will help creating right belief (Iman) in other religionists. Further, it will help Muslims appreciate yet another facet of greatness of Prophet (Pbuh) and deepen their Iman. We will see here only a sample of the overwhelming evidences!
Prophet (Pbuh) Foretold in India (A) Hindu scriptures
There is no doubt that God sent Prophets (Pbuh) to people of India. There is no mention of any Indian Prophet or scripture in Holy Qur’an. But Bukhari records Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) as saying he was enjoying breeze wafting from India laden with fragrance of Tawhid (unity of God). The four Vedas (scriptures) of Hindus and their epics are said to be 5000-10,000 years old. They contain a great deal of monotheistic ideas, and of course, prophecies on Hadrath Muhammad (Pbuh).
(1) Atharva Veda
A chapter called Kuntapa Sukt of Atharva Veda is said to be very obscure in meaning and its theme, inscrutable. But it readily makes sense if looked at with history of Prophet (Pbuh). One verse as translated from Sanskrit language reads; Hear O people! Narashans will be praised.
O Kaurama! We got 60,090 people from our enemies.
The word Narashans means the ‘Praised one’ and the sentence ‘praised one will be praised’ is peculiar. Here Narashans is a proper noun, Muhammad in Arabic! Kaurama means emigrant muhajir that Prophet (Pbuh) was. It also means spreader of peace - peace in Arabic is being salam or Islam! 60,000+ was the population of Makkah who eventually embraced Islam.
The first line of the next verse is translated as;
O Chanter (or Praiser)! Enjoy like a bird on a tree full of fruits.
Praiser in Arabic is Ahmad, the other name of Prophet (Pbuh). The verse compares beautifully with the Qur’anic verses 14:24,25 describing Kalima Tayyiba (“There is no god but Allah”) as a tree firmly rooted (in the earth), with branches reaching to heavens, capable of bearing fruit in all seasons (i.e. the world and the hereafter).
The Veda talks about a great sage named Mamaha that means; honoured or famed Muhammad, again. The Veda mentions a mysterious set of numbers are associated with objects that the sage would possess. They are simply incomprehensible. These are; 100 gold coins 10 garlands, 300 horses and 10,000 cows. They can very well be approximate references respectively to the first batch of Mekkan emigrants to Abyssinia; 10 companions who were designated by Prophet (Pbuh) as sure entrants to paradise; 313 companions of Battle of Badr and 10,000 companions at the invasion on Makkah.
(2) Bhavishya Puran
This is a Sanskrit work of prophecies. The title means ‘Book of the Future’. Since Hinduism is based in India it was, and still is, taken for granted that its sages will be born in India itself. Contrary to this belief the Book says that a great master will appear in a foreign country (mlechcha acharya) and live in a sandy region (marusthal). His name will be Mahaaamad. Within a short span of 18 couplets Mahaamad is mentioned five times.
One couplet enumerates the main identification points of Mahaamad’s followers; They will be circumcised (unknown in India); cut hair of their heads short (as against the Indian practice of long uncut hair knotted into a bun), keep beards call out at top voice (for prayers - Azan) and will be omnivorous (i.e. eat vegetarian as well as meat). The class of Hindu religious masters are strict vegetarians). They will be known as Musalay! These details will completely dispel any suspicions of coincidence in the matters between Mahaamad and Muhammad (Pbuh)!
There is an interesting information in Bhavishya Purana that Mahaamad would appear to Bhoj, ruler of Dhar, and say that he would establish the religion of meat eaters, by the command of Ishwar i.e. God. There is a tradition that long afterwards, Bhoj got terrified on seeing the full moon split into two. Learned men consulted holy books and told him that it was one of the signs of the Universal Master to be born in a country to the West. Bhoj sent his minister to Prophet (Pbuh) in Arabia, who named the king Abdullah. The Tomb of Abdullah is still there at Dhar. (Refer Fig.1)
This is a Hindu epic describing the struggle and triumph of good against evil. It was written by sage Vyas who also authored Bhavishya Purana. Mahabharata says that in the last eon called Kali Yug (in which we now live) a great sage will appear with name Mahaamad. He would preach about unity of God. He will be driven away from his native place by his own folk. By him the world would get peace. (Islam means peace).
Mahabharat further says that cloud will provide him shade. It is recorded in history that Buhaira, the Christian priest of Syria observed this sign with Muhammad e in his boyhood and identified him as the last Prophet anticipated for millennia.
( to be continued)