Contrary to popular understanding, Islam did
not start in Arabia and Prophet Muhammad is not the founder of Islam. Arab
history is just a small part of Islamic history. Let me explain.
From the Quranic standpoint Prophet Muhammad is
not the founder of Islam. He was the seal, the final one, the prophet who came
to conclude a long string of messengers from the very beginning of human
history (Quran 33:40). In fact, the Prophet himself declared that he follows
the belief of Abraham at Quran 16:123 (Also refer 2:135, 3:95 and 4:125).
The Quran declares Islam’s inclusive history by
suggesting that it is Allah – not Prophet Muhammad – who named Muslims, Muslim
(those who have surrendered themselves to God); long before the birth of the Prophet.
(Quran 22:78)
Based on the Quran, almost all of the history
books on Islam, whether written by Muslims or Non-Muslims, that usually record
Islam with the coming of Prophet Muhammad and making the Prophet as the founder
of Islam run contrary to the Quranic stance. Many even erroneously call Muslims
Mohammedans!!! The Quran specifically said at 3:144 that the Prophet is just an
apostle like the many that had passed away before him.
At best these history books are relating the
history of the Arab people and how the Arabs impacted the world and built an
empire based on their ‘new faith’, Islam. The Quran’s version of the history of
mankind is inclusive and universal. It started with Adam, the first civilized
homo sapiens - one who is endowed with the power of conceptual thoughts and
language: our ability to talk and define reality (Quran 2:31). Islam’s history
as far as the Quran, is world history, not only the history of the Arabs. (Here
is where the historian Albert Habib Hourani got it right by calling his book “A
History of the Arab Peoples”.)
The Quran is not a history book but the Quran
tell stories of the past. Interestingly though, the Quran has an uncanny way to
make the past as though it is ours. In many verses when dealing with old
events, the Quran tell us the story in a style as though those events are our
own – be it the creation of the universe or old civilizations. The stories,
become our story. (There are so many examples, here’s a few – Quran 1: 7, 12:7,
10:13-18, etc.)
How does the Quran do that? The Quran brings
back historical events to the current - compressing hundreds if not thousands
or millions of years to the present-day and make us feel and get closer to the happenings.
In other words, the Quran engaged us as if these events exist within our own
memories. We become ONE with the history of the world – be they good or bad.
The Quran makes all of history belong to us. We thus become connected with
forlorn people no matter who they are or where they were from. As such, we are linked
to world history – not just our community’s history - the history of every child of Adam (Quran
17:70)
However, as I stated earlier, today, Islamic
history seems to be confined to Arab history. This myopic view of Islam is
tragic and has cause Muslims to be exclusive, sectarian and constricted, unlike
the Muslims from the 7th to 14th century – known as the
Golden Age where the Muslims read, studied, learn and relate to the history of
all over the known world. A most magnificent renaissance.
I hope this post can help you attune to the
Quranic version.
All emphasis are mine to help readers focus on
a particular message.
1. And He imparted unto Adam the
names of all things; then He brought them within
the ken of the angels and said: "Declare unto Me the names of these
[things], if what you say is true." - Quran 2:31
2. AND WHENEVER thy Sustainer
brings forth their offspring from the loins of the children of Adam, He [thus]
calls upon them to bear witness about themselves:
"Am I not your Sustainer?" - to which they answer: "Yea, indeed,
we do bear witness thereto!" [Of this We remind you,] lest you say on the Day of Resurrection, "Verily, we were unaware
of this"; - Quran 7:172
3. O CHILDREN OF ADAM! Whenever
there come unto you apostles of your own, conveying
My messages unto you, then all who
are conscious of Me and live righteously - no fear need they have, and neither
shall they grieve; Quran 7:35
4. And
who could be of better faith than he who surrenders his whole being unto God
and is a doer of good withal, and
follows the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false -
seeing that God exalted Abraham with His love: 4:125
5. Say:
"God has spoken the truth: follow,
then, the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, and was
not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God."- Quran 3:95
6. And
strive hard in God’s cause with all the striving that is due to Him: it is He
who has elected you [to carry His message] and has laid no hardship on you in
[anything that pertains to religion, [and
made you follow] the creed of your forefather Abraham. It is He who has named
you in bygone times as well as in this [divine writ] – “those who have
surrendered themselves to God”, so that the Apostle might bear witness to
the truth before you, and that you might bear witness to it before all mankind.
Thus, be constant in prayer, and render the purifying dues, and hold fast unto
God. He is your Lord Supreme: and how excellent is this Lord Supreme, and how
excellent this Giver of Succour! Quran 22:78
7. Verily,
We have sent thee with the truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner: for
there never was any community but a
warner has [lived and] passed away in its midst. - Quran 35:24
8. NOW every community has had an
apostle; and only after their apostle has appeared [and
delivered his message] is judgment passed on them, in all equity; and never are
they wronged. Quran 10:47
9.
[And as for thee, O Prophet,] nothing
is being said to thee but what was said to all [of God’s] apostles before thy
time. Behold, thy Sustainer is indeed full of forgiveness - but He
has also the power to requite most grievously! Quran 41:43
10. AND MUHAMMAD is only an
apostle; all the [other] apostles have passed away before him:
if, then, he dies or is slain, will you
turn about on your heels? But he that turns about on his heels can in no
wise harm God - whereas God will requite all who are grateful [to Him].- Quran
3:144
Peace, anas
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