Search This Blog

Friday, 27 December 2019

JINNAH'S PAKISTAN Lacks Leaders With Jinnah's Vision And Sincerity.

25th December Is A Reminder
To Honestly Renew The Oath

Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s
Pakistan Lacks Leaders
With Jinnah’s Vision
And Sincerity

(M. Javed Naseem)


اگرچہ بت ہیں جماعت کی آستینوں میں
مجھے ہے حکم اذاں ، لا الہ الا اللہ
-- علامہ اقبال
(“Although there are hypocrites (Munafiqeen) in the ranks of
the Ummah, I have the mandate to pronounce the Truth
that there is no god but Allah.” – Allama Iqbal)

Pakistan enjoyed its golden era intermittently during the governments of the honest military rulers. Apart from that, the country’s history is marred with corrupt, dishonest, inept nincompoops who covered their evil faces under the mask of ‘democracy’ and destroyed not only the democracy but also the nation as a whole. They spread corruption, nepotism, favoritism, feudalism and sectarianism. All those ‘isms’ make the recipe of political, social, economic and religious destruction.


Apart from that, those corrupt puppet leaders brought bad name to the country and to themselves. Nobody respects them in the world forum. Just yesterday, the undemocratic rogue government of the corrupt Bedouines (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – in Islam there’s NO concept of Islamic Kingdom) summoned the Pakistani Prime Minister to be present in their court and then snubbed him to refrain from participating in the Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Muslim summit conference which was called by the non-puppet rulers of Malaysia, Turkey and Qatar. Pakistani PM was ordered NOT to attend the conference or else. He was threatened of dire economic/financial consequences. And the Pak PM announced, while in Saudi Arabia, that he will not attend the conference in Malaysia, although he had earlier announced to attend. Why? Because that conference was a threat to the Saudi hegemony of the Islamic block – a powerful tool used by Trump admin., and Israel for their own interests!

That’s the respect you get from the Bedouines? You are a nuclear power. If you don’t respect yourself, nobody will respect you. You are beggars! Learn to live with honor and dignity. You humiliated yourself and Pakistan as a country! Now, the Bedouines control and dictate Pakistan policies!

Pakistan Was A Miracle!
25th of December is the birth-date of the Founder of Pakistan, M.A. Jinnah. On this occasion I would like to share with you his thoughts. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was not a prophet but he did show the world his miracle. He singlehandedly carved Pakistan out of the world map – a homeland for millions of Muslims of India. And that also happened with the Divine support as many Mullahs of India opposed him for one reason or the other. But most Muslims adored him and were so impressed that, out of love and respect, they called him “Quaid-e-Azam” (the great leader), and justly so!

Mohammad Ali Jinnah was the man who made the British Empire to respect him and give him his due. He said: “Failure is a word unknown to me.”

********************************************
I should like to give a warning to the landlords
and capitalists who have flourished at our expense
by a system which is so vicious, which is so wicked
and which makes them so selfish that it is difficult
to reason with them. The exploitation of the masses
has gone into their blood. They have forgotten
the lessons of Islam.”
-- Quaid-e-Azam
********************************************


Quaid-e-Azam (Mohammad Ali Jinnah) said:

“No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.”
“No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men.”

*******************************************
If we want to make this great State of Pakistan
happy and prosperous we should wholly and
solely concentrate on the well-being of the people,
and especially of the masses and the poor.”
-- Quaid-e-Azam

“Think 100 times before you take a decision, but once that decision is taken, stand by it as one man.”
“With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.”
“Expect the best, prepare for the worst.”

******************************************
You have to stand guard over the development
and maintenance of Islamic democracy, Islamic
social justice and the equality of mankind
in your own native soil.”
-- Quaid-e-Azam
******************************************

“Islam expect every Muslim to do this duty, and if we realize our responsibility time will come soon when we shall justify ourselves worthy of a glorious past.”
“You will no doubt agree with me that the first duty of a government is to maintain law and order, so that the life, property, and religious beliefs of its subjects are fully protected by the State…..…if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor.”

“That freedom can never be attained by a nation without suffering and sacrifice has been amply borne out by the recent tragic happenings in this subcontinent.”
“The great majority of us are Muslims. We follow the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). We are members of the brotherhood of Islam in which all are equal in rights, dignity and self-respect. Consequently, we have a special and a very deep sense of unity. But make no mistake: Pakistan is not a theocracy or anything like it.”

***************************************
The adoption of Western economic theory
and practice will not help us in achieving our
goal of creating a happy and contented people.
We must work our destiny in our own way
and present to the world an economic system
based on the true Islamic concept of equality
of manhood and social justice”
-- Mohammad Ali Jinnah

***************************************
(In New York City, Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn was named after Mohammad Ali Jinnah.)
"Yet this is a truth people so easily seem to forget and begin to prize local, sectional or provincial interests above and regardless of the national interests. It naturally pains me to find the curse of provincialism holding sway over any section of Pakistan. Pakistan must be rid of this evil."

"We must get Pakistan at any cost. For it we live and for it we will die. The Musalmans have to
struggle and struggle hard for their honorable existence…you must work and work hard. By doing so you will contribute substantially not only to the honour of ten corers of Muslims but to the crystallization of a free Muslim state of Pakistan where Muslims will be able to offer the ideology of Islamic rule”

**************************************
The Government can only have for its
aim one objective – how to serve the people,
how to devise ways and means for their
welfare, for their betterment.”
-- Quaid-e-Azam
**************************************

“If we are to make any real, speedy and substantial progress, we must bring our educational policy and program on the lines suited to the genius of our people, consonant with our history and culture, and having regard to the modern conditions and vast development that have taken place all over the world... What we have to do is to mobilize our people and build up the character of our future generation……In short, we have to build up the character of our future generations which means highest sense of honor, integrity, selfless service to the nation, and sense of responsibility, and we have to see that they are fully qualified or equipped to play their part in the various branches of economic life in a manner which will do honor to Pakistan”

(The tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah at Karachi.)
“Brotherhood, equality, and fraternity of man – these are all the basic points of our religion, culture and civilization and we fought for Pakistan because there was a danger of the denial of these human rights in the Subcontinent.”

***********

Friday, 20 December 2019

BEST TRIBUTE TO JESUS Is Obeying His Commands And Following His Teachings.


Celebrating Prophet Jesus
25th of December

Best Tribute To Jesus Is
Obeying His Commands And
Following His Teachings

(M. Javed Naseem)



1-John 3:17
“Rich people who see a brother or sister
in need, yet close their hearts against them,
cannot claim that they love God.”

December is the month of celebration and festivities as the Christian world celebrates the birthday of Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, presumed to be the 25th of December. Christmas is a billion-dollar business in the Americas alone. Every store-owner or shopkeeper counts on huge Christmas sales. But that’s the material side attributed to a Prophet’s life. Christmas is more than that.

Since Prophet Jesus was appointed by our Lord God as the guide and savior of the nation of his time, it is only befitting that his teachings are followed and his commands obeyed. There is no better tribute to him than that. The best way to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Jesus is to follow his footsteps. He showed the Jews and the tribes of Bani Israel how to live simple life and please the Almighty Lord at the same time. He was an upright man who was blessed by the Lord God to perform miracles. He healed the sick and cured the suffering mankind. Those who claim to love Jesus, should emulate the character of Jesus in their real life by pursuing righteousness; bestowing upon others compassion and love; and worshiping One God. Those who don’t like that, shouldn’t call themselves Christians!


(Jesus' Baptism site at Bethany Beyond Jordan: Memorial plaques.)

Since lots of pagans and idol-worshipers accepted the religion promoted by Prophets Moses and Jesus, they didn’t abandon everything from paganism. They brought those customs and traditions into the new religion to make it more suitable for themselves. That’s how all religions changed in this world. People want something easy and comfortable to practice as religion. Pagan traditions are being practiced by the followers of all major religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

A Christian activist asks:
Santa Claus: The Ultimate in Fake News (a.k.a. What The F… Are We Celebrating?)

“Why do we persist with the Santa Claus mythology? Do we really need all the lies and ‘naughty/nice’ behavioral rewarding to have a meaningful annual midwinter celebration? Instead of fiction, it is time instead to celebrate the true magic and wonder around us”, says Ethan Indigo Smith (a writer/activist at the Wake Up World).

(Pope with the King of Jordan: A memorial plaque at the Baptism Site of Jesus at Jordan River.)
For children who have just learned or realized the truth, the lie is everywhere we look at Christmas time. It’s at home, in schools, on the news; even the local weather forecasters cooperate with powerful military institutions like NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) lie to us! And we play along without a moment to process our loss, lest we poop the party for younger, still-ignorant children. (Never mind that ours is the only culture on Earth to base its major holy-day on a foundation of pure fictional fabrication, forgoing reality to celebrate the bounty of a deliberately false patriarch.)

In a sense the Santa Claus story is the biggest series of lies on the planet — the mother of all ‘fake news’ — because most of the white western world eats up and regurgitates it all cyclically. We all know it’s a lie, but most of us don’t question its effect on our children’s psychological and spiritual development. The Santa Claus story is not the worst of the big lies, not by far; especially when compared to the lies that underpin the financial, political and education systems, energy and resources, nuclear experimentation, and countless other industries that destroy our Earth Mother; or to the lies that inspire people to kill on behalf of religious, or national institutions. But it is one of the big lies in our lives, and it does have an effect– and arguably, a purpose.

(A plaque describing history at the Baptism Site of Jesus at River Jordan.)
Jesus Christ was known for many of his miracles that gave new life to scores of people. He gave them direction with the Divine support as he was a Prophet of God. People were so impressed that, out of love and respect, they falsely proclaimed him as son of God and then as God, and worshipped him.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Baptism site of Jesus Christ, on the River Jordan in Bethany Beyond Jordan. Therefore, I am sharing with you some rare pictures. River Jordan separates Palestine (now the Zionist Israel) and Jordan. People have constructed a couple of churches near the site. The packaged tours are being arranged and the whole affair has become a commercial activity. Everybody is milking the tourists or visitors – the govt., the churches, private organizations and the tour operators.

(The exact location where Jesus was baptized by John at the River Jordan in Bethany. The Jordan River has changed its course in the meantime and flows a few meters away now.)
(The red fence is Jordan while the palm-trees are in Palestine (now Israel). The Jordan River divides the territories and works as border-line. The Baptism Site of Jesus is on the east (Jordanian) side.)
Commemorating the occasion of Jesus’ birth, it is only befitting that I share with you some beautiful quotes of that great personality of human history.

According to Bible, Jesus Christ said:

1-Corinthians 10:24
“None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.”

Romans 12:13
“Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers.”

Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people.”

James 2:15-16
“Suppose there are brothers or sisters who need clothes and don’t have enough to eat. What good is there in your saying to them, ‘God bless you! Keep warm and eat well!’ – if you don’t give them the necessities of life?”

(Pilgrims at the Jesus' Baptism site at Jordan River in Bethany.)
(The author dipping his feet in the Jordan River at the Baptism site.)

Luke 18:29
"You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother!’”

James 4:1
“What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?”

1-Peter 2:17
“Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king!”

Ephesians 6:1-3
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”

2-Timothy 3:1-2
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy.”

(Entrance to the eastern bank of Jordan River, the Baptism site of Jesus.)
1-Timothy 5:1-2
“Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.”

Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

**************




Friday, 13 December 2019

ALLAH HAS DRAWN THE LINE Between Winners & Losers, And Between Success & Failure!


Allah Has Drawn The Line
Between Winners & Losers,
And Success & Failure!

Believers with good deeds, who follow and
promote the Truth & Patient Perseverance,
are the winners or the successful.
Everybody else is a loser!

(M. Javed Naseem)


وَٱلْعَصْرِ إِنَّ ٱلإِنسَانَ لَفِى خُسْرٍ
إِلاَّ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ
وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْاْ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
By (the Token of) Time (through the ages),
Verily Man is in loss, except such as have Faith,
and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in
the mutual teaching of Truth, and of
Patience and Constancy.
(al-Quran 103:1-3)

In today’s material world, success is measured with money. Anybody who is wealthy and who owns buildings, is considered ‘successful’ while the poor are labeled as losers or failures. Money is the yardstick used to measure people’s success. But, as they say, money is not everything. And it is true too. You can buy a lot of things with money and make your life more comfortable with wealth, but the true wealth is not measured with the yardstick of money or material. You righteousness, your love, your sincerity, your honesty, your wisdom, your knowledge and your sense of justice are a lot more valuable than money.

************************************
Jesus said:
“Be on your guard against all covetousness,
for one’s life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions!”

************************************
Man is a social animal who cannot live alone – by himself. He needs others and that makes us a community and a society. It is up to us if we want to make it a material society or balance it with spiritual and sentimental feelings. For that, the rules and regulations have been laid out. There are man-made rules and then there are God-made rules or laws that the Almighty Creator has conveyed to us through His Messengers or the Prophets. While a man judges other people’s success on material wealth, the Almighty has declared His own criterion. God judges us on the scale of righteousness or piety and commands us to do the same.



“But those will succeed
who purify themselves.”
(al-Quran 87:14)

Success is in the obedience to God Almighty. Success is in the pleasure of Allah. Success is to surrender unconditionally to the will of God. Successful are those who live by the Book of Allah, as per the rules & regulations prescribed by Allah.

The Quran says:

“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to
all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding
what is wrong. Such are they who are successful.”
(al-Quran 3:104)

“The answer of the Believers, when summoned to
Allah and His Messenger, in order that He may judge
between them, is no other than this: They say,
"We hear and we obey". And such are the successful.”
(al-Quran 24:51)

“But any that (in this life) had repented, believed,
and worked righteousness, will have hopes to be
among the successful.”
(al-Quran 28:67)

“So fear Allah as much as you can; listen and obey;
and spend in charity for the benefit of your own soul;
and those saved from the covetousness of their own
souls, they are the successful.”
– (al-Quran 64:16)

The scriptures tell us that the most successful people are those who are closer to God because they fear Him, respect Him and love Him too. They obey God’s commands and stay within the limits prescribed by the Creator. In return, God is pleased with them because of their obedience and righteousness; and raises their status. In truth, they are the people who are really successful. They are the winners.



The Bible says:

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.”
– (Matthew 6:33)

“For everything in the world–the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–comes not
from the Father but from the world. The world and
its desires pass away, but whoever does the will
of God lives forever.”
– (1 John 2:16-17)

“He holds success in store for the upright;
He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.”
– (Proverbs 2:7)

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you
may be careful to do according to all that is written in it;
for then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have success.”
– (Joshua 1:8 )

“Commit your actions to the LORD,
and your plans will succeed!”
(Proverbs 16:3)



I started this article with Surah al-Asr (Chapter 103) of the Quran and I would like to finish it with the same, as this is one of my favorites. In this Surah (Chapter), the Most Merciful Lord draws the line between success and failure, between the winners and the losers. He makes it very clear, without any confusion or ambiguity, that whosoever does the following four deeds, is the winner or the successful. Everybody else is a loser or a failure! Those four deeds are:

1)      Faith or belief in Allah’s sovereignty.
2)      Deeds of Righteousness.
3)      Practicing and promoting the Truth; and
4)      Practicing and promoting patient perseverance.

This is the yardstick by which the entire humanity would be judged by Allah on the Day of Judgment. If we have not performed those four acts; didn’t live our lives according to those four fundamental principles, we would be the real losers in the Hereafter – for an eternal life that really matters!

*************

Friday, 6 December 2019

IN THE QURAN Allah Talks About Moses More Than Any Other Prophet. Land of Prophets (Part 5 of 5)


Land of The Prophets (Ardh al-Anbia)
(Part 5 of 5)

Wadi Musa And Tomb of Harun (Aaron):
In The Quran Allah Talks
About Moses More Than
Any Other Prophet

(M. Javed Naseem)

(Prophet Moses' Memorial stone on Mount Nebo, Jordan.)
“Most of them We found not men (true) to their
covenant: but most of them We found rebellious
and disobedient. Then, after them We sent Moses
with Our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they
wrongfully rejected them. So, see what was the
end of those who made mischief!”
(al-Quran 7:102-103)

Bani Israel was the nation or tribes consisting of the children (and grand-children) of Prophet Yaqoob (Jacob), whose other name was Israel. He had 12 sons who became the heads of 12 tribes. When Allah delivered them from the Pharaaoh, Prophets Musa and Harun (Aaron) led the 12 tribes of Bani Israel to the ‘promised land’ and traveled up north in Jordan. They were lost in the desert and wandered in wilderness for 40 years. This was the region between Egypt and Jordan, around Dead Sea and Jordan River.

12 Fountains/wells of Musa
During this period Allah provided them with Manna and Salwa (quail) to eat; and Prophet Musa showed his miracle by striking the mountains/rocks with his staff (Assaa) so that the drinking water started gushing out. There are three such places with water-sources. The first is called Elim, which is in Egypt, where 12 wells provided water to the 12 Bani Israel tribes. Those desert wells have gone dry now.

(12 Wells/fountains of Prophet Moses created for Bani Israel at Elim, Egypt.)

“We divided them into twelve tribes or nations.
We directed Moses by inspiration, when his
(thirsty) people asked him for water: "Strike the
rock with your staff", out of it there gushed forth
twelve springs. Each group knew its own place
for water. We gave them the shade of clouds,
and sent down to them manna and quails, (saying):
"Eat of the good things We have provided for you",
(but they rebelled); to Us they did no harm,
but they harmed their own souls.”
(al-Quran 7:160)

(Two Fountains/wells of Prophet Moses at Mount Nebo and in Wadi Musa, Petra, Jordan.)
The two other places are in Jordan: One near Mount Nebo (or Nibu) and the other near Petra in Wadi Musa (the Valley of Moses). At both of those places, the fresh drinking water is still flowing from the rocks after 4,000 years. We were lucky to drink the blessed water from those two wells, apart from drinking from the ZamZam well in Makkah. Alhamdo-lillah.

(Ain Musa - Moses' fountain/well in Wadi Musa near Petra, Jordan.)
Today’s Jews claim to be the latest generation of those tribes. But there is one problem, and that is Zionism. Real Judaism (Jewish religion) has got nothing to do with Zionism which is a vicious movement to control the wealth and natural resources of the entire world. Its main agenda is the hegemony of the world. They are using Jews or Judaism and Christian Evangelic sects to achieve their object. Their center of gravity or the headquarter is the state of Israel which has been created on the land of Palestine by brutal occupation and genocide of original Palestinians. Israel never existed before 1948. They are not the real heirs of Bani Israel, nor are they real Jews. They are the fake Jews from the European Khazars or the Ashkenazi.

(Orthodox Jews protesting against Israel, demanding the State of Palestine, in New York city.)
Among the real Jews of Bani Israeli origin today, there are still righteous people who stand for truth and justice. They are against the evil Zionism. Allah has mentioned them in the Quran:

“Of the people of Moses there is a section
who guide and do justice in the light of truth.”
(al-Quran 7:159)

Prophet Musa (Moses) was a great prophet of Allah who was raised from the tribes of Bani Israel in Egypt during the time of Pharaohs. In the Quran, Allah talks about Musa (Moses) more than any other Prophet. His survival as a baby, when all male children were being killed by the order of the Pharaoh, and subsequent upbringing in the royal palace of the Pharaoh, is a great miracle in itself.

Prophet Harun (Aaron)
On Prophet Musa’s request, Allah made his brother Harun (Haroun or Aaron) a Prophet too, to assist Musa in dealing with the Pharaoh. The Quran tells us:

“(Moses) said: "O my Lord! Expand me my breast;
ease my task for me; and remove the impediment
from my speech, so they may understand what
I say. And give me a Minister from my family,
Aaron, my brother!”
(al-Quran 20:25-30)

“(Allah) said: "Granted is your prayer, O Moses!"
(al-Quran 20:36)

"Go, you and your brother, with My Signs,
and slacken not, either of you, in keeping Me
in remembrance! Go, both of you, to Pharaoh,
for he has indeed transgressed all bounds!
But speak to him mildly; perchance he may
take warning or fear (Allah)!"
(al-Quran 20:42-44)

According to the Bible, after killing an Egyptian slave-master who was smiting a Hebrew, Moses fled across the Red Sea to Midian (or Madyan/Midyan), which is in southern Jordan, where he encountered the Angel of the Lord, speaking to him from within a burning bush on Mount Horeb, which he regarded as the Mountain of God.

Madyan or Midian was the region (today’s southern Jordan) where Prophet Shoayb (Jethro) preached. He took Musa (Moses) as his son-in-law and married one of his seven daughters to Moses.

(Wadi Shoayb - named after Prophet Shoayb - near Midian (Madyan), south Jordan.)
The Bible tells us that God sent Moses back to Egypt to demand the release of the Israelites from slavery. Moses said that he could not speak eloquently, so God allowed Harun (Aaron), his brother, to become his spokesperson. After the Ten Plagues, Moses led the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, after which they based themselves at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses died within sight of the Promised Land on Mount Nebo.

(Prophet Moses' memorial erected at his supposed place of death, on top of Mount Nebo, Jordan.)
Prophet Musa’s body was never found, therefore, there is no grave or tomb of him. But his followers did mark a spot and put a sign there to commemorate Moses’ memorial. It is a symbolic tomb. It’s on the top of Mount Nebo. A Christian church has been built up there and they have blocked the summit area. You can enter the area on payment of about $5.00. All those religious sites and memorials, tombs and ruins are a good source of income (million-dollar tax-free business) either for the govt., or for the churches that control them.

(Jabal Nebo or Mount Nebo where Prophet Moses died.)
Mount Sinai & Mount Horeb
In other biblical passages, these events are described as having transpired at Mount Sinai. Although most scholars consider Sinai and Horeb to have been different names for the same place, there is a minority body of opinion that they may have been different locations.
The Protestant reformer John Calvin took the view that Sinai and Horeb were the same mountain, with the eastern side of the mountain being called Sinai and the western side being called Horeb. Abraham Ibn Ezra suggested that there was one mountain, "only it had two tops, which bore these different names"

Wadi Musa, Ain Musa (Fountain of Musa or Moses’ Well),
Prophets Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron) along with their Bani Israel tribes wandered in the deserts of Egypt and Jordan for 40 years. Most of that period was spent in Jordan, from the Read Sea in the south to the Jordan River Valley. They stayed most of the time in the middle region, around Petra and Dead Sea, which is still considered southern Jordan. That region is called Wadi Musa (the Valley of Moses). The city of Petra has become a part of that valley. In that valley, we find two fountains of water that Prophet Moses created by striking the rocks. Those fountains are called “Ain Musa” in local language.

(Wadi Musa or Valley of Moses where Prophet Moses, Prophet Aaron and Bani Israel wandered and stayed before crossing the Jordan River over to Palestine - the Promised Land.)
Mount Nebo (Nibu),  Tomb of Prophet Musa (Moses):
According to the Bible:
“So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-Peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day. Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.” – (Deutéronome 34.5–7)

After seeing the glimpses of the Promised Land on the other side of the River Jordan, both Prophets Musa and Harun were satisfied and they took the elders of the tribes to the mountain top to show them the same. As per Biblical narration, God informed them that they would never set foot on that land but the tribes of Bani Israel would cross over and live on that land. Prophet Harun (Aaron) died before Prophet Musa (Moses) and was buried on top of the mountain ‘Jabal Harun’, which was named after him. His simple tomb with white dom, on the summit of the mountain, can be seen from afar.

(A 14th-century white shrine, built on top of the supposed grave of Prophet Aaron, on Jabal Hārūn in Petra, Jordan.)
Death of Prophet Harun (Aaron)
The Biblical narration of Prophet Harun’s (Aaron’s) death goes like this:
“And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, “Let Aaron be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land that I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar (his son) and bring them up to Mount Hor. And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people and shall die there.” Moses did as the Lord commanded. And they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. And when all the congregation saw that Aaron had perished, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.” – (Numbers 20:22-29 ESV)
(The rugged Jabal Harun - Mountain of Aaron - or Mount Hor, near Petra, Wadi Musa, Jordan. Prophet Harun's tomb can be seen on the summit of the mountain.)
Jabal Harun (Mountain of Aaron) is located near Petra in Jordan. At 1,350m (4,429-feet) above sea-level, it is the highest peak in the area; and it is a place of great sanctity to the local people. A 14th-century Mamluk mosque stands there with its white dome visible from most areas in and around Petra.

In Mid-October 2019, Aaron’s Tomb Was Closed
In October 2019, the Jordanian authorities decided to close the Tomb of Prophet Harun in Petra, south of Jordan, after a video of Israeli tourists holding religious service in the place emerged on social media violating the visitor instructions. The Tomb overlooks the West Bank and is a registered heritage of the historic city of Perta, which is classified among the Seven Wonders of the World.

In an official statement, Jordan’s Minister of Awqaf & Holy Places, said the decision to close the holy site was made because of the “illegal entrance of the tourists, without the knowledge of the Ministry.”  The statement issued a condemnation of the group's behavior and said that an investigation of the incident will be launched.
The closure of the Tomb comes amid a national rejection of a movie that US production companies sought to shoot in Petra. The story claims that Jews lived in southern Jordan, and a huge number of them resided in Petra. The film “Jaber” aims to claim that the sacred land to Jews is not only Israel and Palestine but also Jordan.
Meanwhile, the tomb site has been reopened for public visits.

*************

Friday, 29 November 2019

PETRA: THE MASTERPIECE! Land of The Prophets (Part 4 of 5).


Land of The Prophets (Ardh al-Anbia)
(Part 4 of 5)

Petra: The Masterpiece!
Amazing Rock-Carving
By Thamudian Nomads

In 2019 Million-Plus Tourists Visited
The UNESCO World Wonder

(M. Javed Naseem)


The historic “rose city” of Petra (in Arabic: ‘al-Batra’) is a symbolic identity of Jordan, and it is located in Wadi Musa (The Valley of Moses). It is referred to as ‘stone’ because of its amazing rock-cut dwellings and mountain-carved houses. It was originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu. This city is a historical and archaeological wonder of the world. Petra lies on the slope of Madbah Mountain (Jabal al-Madbah) in the south of Jordan, in Arabah valley that runs from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It’s about 300km from the capital Amman city.


Petra is believed to have been settled as early as 9,000 BC, and it was possibly established in the 4th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom. The Nabataeans were the nomadic tribes of Arab people who traveled between Hijaz/Arabia and Syria via Egypt, Jordan and Palestine. The Nabataeans worked marvelously hard and established trade routes in the rough terrains and deserts. Through the trading business, the Nabataeans earned a lot and became wealthy and prosperous. They established Petra as their capital and the business hub.



According to Wikipedia, the earliest historical reference to Petra was an unsuccessful attack on the city ordered by Antigonus-I, in 312 BC, and recorded by various Greek historians. The Nabataeans were, unlike their enemies, accustomed to living in the barren deserts, and were able to repel attacks by taking advantage of the area's mountainous terrain. They were particularly skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving. Petra flourished in the 1st century AD, when its famous Khazaneh (Treasury) structure – believed to be the mausoleum of Nabataean king Aretas-IV – was built, and its population peaked at an estimated 20,000 inhabitants.  


Although the Nabataean kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire in the first century BC, it was only in 106 AD that it lost its independence. Petra fell to the Romans, who annexed Nabataea and renamed it as Arabia Petraea. Petra's importance declined as sea trade routes emerged, and after an earthquake in 363, destroyed many structures. In the Byzantine era several Christian churches were built, but the city continued to decline, and by the early Islamic era it was abandoned except for a handful of nomads. It remained unknown to the world until it was rediscovered in 1812 by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

The city is accessed through a 1.2-kilometre-long (0.75 mi) gorge called the Siq, which leads directly to the Khazneh (Treasury). Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system, Petra is also called the Rose City due to the color of the stone out of which it is carved. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage". In 2007, Al-Khazneh was voted as one of the New7-Wonders of the World. Petra is a symbol of Jordan, as well as Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction. Tourist numbers peaked in November 2019, when the figure exceeded one-million mark.
(Courtesy: Wikipedia.com)


Chronological Order of Major Prophets
The Middle East hosted most of the major Prophets of Allah. There were also many other Prophets who passed before or in between those mentioned in the list below. The Quran mentions about 25 of the Prophets but Allah made it clear in the Quran that there were many others about whom we don’t know anything. The tradition says there were a total of 124,000 Prophets/Messengers of God that passed in the universe since its inception. Only Allah knows best, man can only guess.

Major Prophets: Noah, Hud, Saleh, Ibrahim, Loot (Lot), Yaqoub (Jacob), Shoayb (Jethro), Joseph (Yousuf), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad. May Allah bless the souls of all of them!


Prophets Noah, Hud and Saleh passed in succession. The people/nation of Prophet Hud were called ‘Aad’. Actually they were the people who survived the great floods of Noah.
After the great floods during the period of Prophet Nouh (Noah), survivors fled the affected areas and settled on the higher land or mountains. The nations of Prophets Hud and Saleh, were, as a matter of fact, the same people of different generations, settled on the mountains in the region between Hijaz (today’s Saudi Arabia) and greater Palestine (now Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel) area. In the Quran, they are referred to as the nation of Thamud. Historians call them “Thamudians”. They traveled from the southern lands of Arabia, via Egypt, to the north in Syria. The main area of activities for the Prophets of Allah was generally (but not limited to) the Dead Sea, Palestine, the Jordan Valley and Syria.

The Quran Says:

“To the Aad people, (We sent) Hud, one of
their (own) brethren. He said: O my people!
Worship Allah! You have no other god but
Him; will you not fear (Allah)?"
(al-Quran 7:65)

Before the Aad people were destroyed for their corrupt, sinful way of life and rebellion to Allah, the pious/righteous people, along with their Prophets, were saved. They migrated to safer places. Allah says in the Quran:

“We saved him and those who adhered to him.
by Our mercy; and We cut off the roots of those
who rejected Our signs and did not believe.”
(al-Quran 7:72)

After the Aad people of Prophet Hud were destroyed, the survivors flourished, multiplied and spread over mountain areas. They were called Thamud people. They became the nation of Prophet Saleh. The Quran says:

“To the Thamud people (We sent) Salih, one of
their own brethren. He said: "O my people! Worship
Allah! You have no other god but Him….”
(al-Quran 7:73)

Prophet Saleh pleaded with his people and we learn from those pleas that they were very skilful people who built castles and palaces in the plains, and also carved out homes in the mountains. In the Quran, we see these verses:

"And remember how He made you inheritors
after the Aad people and gave you habitations
in the land. You build for yourselves palaces and
castles in (open) plains, and carve out homes in
the mountains; so bring to remembrance the
benefits (you have received) from Allah, and
refrain from evil and mischief on the earth."
(al-Quran 7:74)

But like their ancestors Aad, the people of Thamud also adopted corrupt and evil ways of life, disobeying Allah. Therefore, they were punished and their towns were destroyed, sparing those who were righteous. The Quran tells us:

“Then they hamstrung the she-camel, and insolently
defied the order of their Lord, saying: "O Salih! Bring
about your threats, if you are a messenger (of Allah)!"
So the earthquake took them unaware, and they lay
prostrate in their homes in the morning!”
(al-Quran 7:77-78)

Prophet Loot or Lut (Lot) was also sent to the same region, southern Jordan, to the people of Sodom, Gomorrah and neighboring towns.

In the Bible, we also find the references to the people of Aad and Thamud, who lived in the houses carved in the mountains and rocks.


The Bible Says:
“The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of hill. Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord. “Edom will become an object of horror; all who pass by, will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds. As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns,” says the Lord, “so no one will live there, no people will dwell in it.” – (Jeremiah 49:16-18)

“He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.” – (Daniel 11:41)

“The man’s name was Elimelek, his wife’s name was Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They wwere Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.” – (Ruth 1:2)




Mada’in Saleh (Saudi Arabia)
Petra is known by many names. It has a long history and has seen many rules including Roman and Byzantine. Its ancient name was Hegra (or al-Hijr) meaning the Stone-land or the Rocky Place. Saudi Arabia claims that the real home of Nabataean people (or the Thamudians), the nation of Prophet Saleh, was the “Mada’in Saleh” – an archaeological site 20km north of the town al-Ula, which is 400km north-west of Madinah (Hijaz), the town of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). This site is about 500km south-east of Petra (Jordan).


Al-Hijr is a small village. It belongs to Wadi al-Gura and is located inside the Ithlib mountains. It was the homeland of the Thamudians. The mountains and their carvings are very similar to Petra site. There are also signs of Lihyanite and Roman occupation, apart from Nabataean rule.
With the immense influx of Western tourists, the Pyramids of Egypt and Petra of Jordan are making endless money from tourism. Saudi Arabia wants to exploit the opportunity too and has started promoting Mada’in Saleh as a tourist attraction.


In 2008, UNESCO declared Mada’in Saleh a site of patrimony, thus becoming Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage Site. It was chosen for its well-preserved Thamudian remains, especially the 131 rock-cut monumental tombs, with their elaborately ornamented façades, of the Nabataean Kingdom.

**************