ALL PROPHETS OF ALLAH Prayed The Same Way. They Were All Muslims!

 All Prophets Of Allah
Prayed The Same Way.
They Were Muslims!

(M. Javed Naseem)

"O you who believe! Bow and prostrate,
and worship your Lord and do good -
that you may succeed."
(al-Quran 22:77)

Prayer is an act of worship. It is a direct connection between man and God, between the creation and the Creator. There is a saying (Hadith) of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) that when a person prays, he whispers with Allah. There cannot be a more beautiful and precise definition of prayer (Salaat).

Islam is complete submission to Allah – both physical and spiritual. The physical part being your heart/mind and body; and the spiritual part is done by your soul. So, it is the combination and coordination of the two basic elements – body and soul. Philosophers or physicians can divide these elements into three or four (heart, mind, body and soul) but body is nothing without a heart and a mind; similarly heart and mind are nothing without a body. They can’t function or even survive separately. Therefore, let’s stay with two elements – physical and spiritual.

An act of worship (prayer) demands total submission and coordination of these two elements. An Islamic prayer involves some visible physical actions. For example, when we supplicate or ask/beg Allah for something, it is called ‘Dua’. We are asking Allah for something to survive in this world. Therefore, we raise our hands toward the heavens because we believe that Allah maintains His throne (up) in the heavens or even above. But this raising of hands is not new. It existed since the time of Adam. Humans started raising hands up toward the heavens when Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise and sent down to live on earth.

Apart from ‘Dua’, the main act of prayer involves some physical actions like standing respectfully upright like a servant (Qayam); bending or bowing down (Ruku); and bowing down in prostration (Sajdah). Those are the principal actions of prayer. Again, these actions are not new to Islamic prayer. They existed in the heavens and they came down with Adam and Eve to the earth and spread through their offspring.

All prophets and their respective nations were prescribed some physical actions as part of their prayer to the Lord. All of them used to fall ‘on their faces’ on the ground. We call it ‘Sajdah’ (bow down or fall in prostration); and bending down in 'Ruku'. All prophets prayed to Allah in a similar fashion, physically bending and bowing down in prostration – ‘falling on their faces’. Here are some references from the Bible supporting the Muslim prayers.

Prostration & Bowing down:

“I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them nor serve them …” (Deuteronomy 5:6-9)

The very fact that God is instructing His messenger and the people not to ‘bow down’ to idols or to humans, means that bowing is a valid form of worship.

Abraham falls on his face:

“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and three, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations”. (Genesis 17:1-4)

David’s prayer:

“And David said to all the congregation, now bless the Lord our God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshiped the Lord, and the king”. (I Chronicles 29:20).
“David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth”. (II Samuel 12:16).

Solomon’s prayer:

“And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven”. (I Kings 8:22).

Elijah's (Ilyas's) prayer:

Elijah sits on the ground with his head between his knees:
“So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of (Mount) Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees”. (I Kings 18:42).

Isaiah (Ishaya): Every knee shall bow.

God speaking to Isaiah (‘Every knee shall bow’):
“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return. That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”. (Isaiah 45:22-23).

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God”. (Romans 14:11).

Joshua (Yusha) falls on his face

“And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast Thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!” (Joshua 7:6-7)

Moses & Aaron fell upon their faces

“And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt Thou be wroth with the all of the congregation?” (Numbers 16:20-22)

Moses and Aaron fall in prostration

“And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces; and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them”. (Numbers 20:6):

Jesus Christ falls in prostration (Sajdah):

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt”. (Matthew 26:39).
“And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed”. (Luke 22:41).

Angels fell on their faces

“And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, Amen; Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelations 7:11-12)

This verse of Bible confirms the physical actions of ‘Ruku’ and ‘Sajood’, the way Muslims pray to Allah.
“O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker”. (Genesis 17:1-4)

“Ye have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down the first; because the Lord had said He would destroy you”. (Deuteronomy 9:24-25)

Conclusion: We saw Abraham, David, Elijah, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Jesus and his disciples, and angels in the heavens – all bowing down in worship of Allah. And finally, there is Allah’s command to all believers, including the followers of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), to bow down their heads in worship. That’s the proof that the manner of worshiping One True God was the same in every Prophet’s time. The same manner of worship means the same faith or religion. And that faith/religion is called Islam in the Arabic language.

“And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular
charity; and bow down your heads with
those who bow down (in worship).”
(al-Quran 2:43)

And once again I would like to remind you of the same verse from the Holy Quran, in which Allah confirms that Islam is the only religion acceptable to Him. Islam means total surrender (submission) to the Will of God. Different nations might have called it by different names in different languages and in different eras but it is still the same Islam preached by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon all of them).

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam,
it will never be accepted of him, and in the
Hereafter he will be one of the losers.”
(al-Quran 3:85)

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19TH JANUARY IN BETHANY: The Day Prophet Jesus Was Baptized By Prophet Yahya (John).

19th January In Bethany:
The Day Prophet Jesus Was
Baptized By Prophet Yahya
(John, the Baptist)

(M. Javed Naseem)

(Exact spot where Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan. The river has changed its course during time and flows a few meters away now.)

To the Christian believers, the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is a major event in Christianity. This important event has been described in the Bible in three of the Gospels of the New Testament. The Orthodox Christian Church celebrates the feast of the Baptism of Jesus on the 19th of January (6th January as per the Julian calendar).

Bethany Beyond Jordan is the place where Prophet Jesus was baptized by Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) in the River Jordan. In Jordan it is known by the Arabic name of "Al-Maghtas". It is near the Madaba city. Jordan River is the border between Jordan and Palestine – actually between Jordan and Israel now. The Baptism Site is the spot where Christianity is considered to be first born.

(River Jordan separating Jordan from Palestine (now Israel), at Bethany where Prophet Jesus was baptized by Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist)

Since there is no Palestine as a country, Israel controls everything officially. The administration is Israeli; the govt. is Israeli; the money/currency is Israeli; and the immigration is Israeli. Palestine does not exist for practical purposes. It exists on paper only. Ironically, before 1945, Israel didn’t exist; it was all Palestine that existed for centuries since the period of Prophets.

Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) was the son of Prophet Zachariah (or Zakariah). Prophet Zakariah was the Guardian of Maryam (Mary), the mother of Jesus. Both Zakariah and Yahya preached in and around the Jordan Valley. Yahya (John) was well known in the region for baptizing people. He pleaded people to repent and ask God for forgiveness of their sins. Those who confessed to him, he used to give them the bath (baptism) in the Jordan River to remove their sins. After the baptism of Jesus, the Prophethood was transferred to Jesus, and Jesus himself started baptizing people.
In the Bible, the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan has been described in three of the gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke).

The site of Al-Maghtas (Arabic word meaning: baptism or immersion) on the East side of the river in Jordan has been deemed the earliest place of worship. This site was found following the UNESCO-sponsored excavations. Al-Maghtas was visited by Pope John Paul-II in March 2000, and he said: "In my mind I see Jesus coming to the waters of the River Jordan not far from here to be baptized by John the Baptist."

Prophet Yahya (John The Baptist) Was Beheaded

John the Baptist, well-known for baptizing Jesus in the river Jordan, is commonly referred to as the precursor or forerunner of Jesus. They both preached about repentance and the Kingdom of God and criticized the religious leaders of their day.  Additionally, they were both considered martyrs persecuted by officials of the Roman Empire at the instigation of the Jewish priests.

According to the gospels of Matthew and Mark, John the Baptist (Prophet Yahya) had been imprisoned because he condemned Empror Herod Antipas for divorcing his wife and unlawfully taking Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip-I. On Herod's birthday, Herodias' daughter, Salome, danced before the king and his guests and Herod was so pleased that he promised to grant her anything she desired.  Out of revenge for criticizing her marriage to Herod, Herodias told Salome to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.  Although Herod was dismayed by the request, he reluctantly agreed to have John executed in the prison of Machaerus. His head was presented to Salome in a platter.

(Tomb of Prophet Yahya or John the Baptist in the Umayyad Mosque (Umwi Masjid al-Kabir) in Damascua, Syria.)

The tomb of Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) is situated in the Umayyad Mosque (Umwi Mosque or Masjid Kabir) in Damascus, Syria. His body was buried in Palestine at Samaria, now called Sebastia. According to Christian tradition, (legend had it that) Saint John's head was buried there. Ibn al-Faqih relays the story that during the construction of the mosque, workers found a cave-chapel which had a box containing the head of St. John the Baptist (or Yahya ibn Zakaryah). Upon learning of that and examining it, al-Walid-I ordered the head to be buried under a specific pillar in the mosque that was later inlaid with marble.

In 2001, Pope John Paul II visited the mosque, primarily to visit the relics of John the Baptist. It was the first time a pope paid a visit to a mosque. Similar to the account of John the Baptist in the Bible, the birth of the Prophet Yahya in the Quran is miraculous, since Zakariah and his wife were unable to conceive together—before Zakariah’s desperate prayers for a child were answered.

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SERVE MANKIND If You Want To Serve The Almighty!

 Serve Mankind If
You Want To
Serve The Almighty!

(M. Javed Naseem)

“Believe in Allah and His messenger, and
spend (in charity) out of the (substance)
whereof He has made you heirs. For, those
of you who believe and spend (in charity),
for them is a great Reward.”
(al-Quran 57:7)

When God taught us Faith, He based it on His own qualities like Mercy, Love, Forgiveness, Charity and Hope – all Good and no Evil! He told us not to follow the Devil as he was our enemy. We were strictly commanded not to spread corruption and evil in the Earth so that we could enjoy Lord’s bounties and a happy life in this world. But when we were enjoying happy life, we ignored God’s commands and started playing god on earth; hence all the corruption and evil. Out of greed and jealousy, we started depriving other humans of those bounties that we were enjoying.

Most of us are going through hard times these days that have become even harder due to some illogical restrictions and a manipulative safety protocol. Millions of people have lost their jobs, small businesses and sources of income. Some got the alternate sources of income; some got government and social help and some got nothing at all except suffering. They can’t beg and they have nobody to turn to. As responsible members of the society, we have an obligation to look around in our own neighborhood and try to help those who are suffering from poverty, unemployment and hunger.

“Whatever you shall spend in the cause
of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and
you shall not be treated unjustly.”
(al-Quran 8:60)

When you give, give with a big heart. Never think that you are doing others a favor! No, as a matter of fact, you are helping your own cause because Allah, the Almighty, will reward you for your good and charitable acts. Remember that the poor have a share in your wealth whether you accept it or not; whether you like it or not. That’s the verdict of the Lord Almighty. Share your wealth with the needy and the orphans and widows, and you would be rewarded manifold.

“Twice will they be given their reward,
for that they have persevered, that they
avert Evil with Good, and that they spend
(in charity) out of what We have given them.”
(al-Quran 28:54)

Thousands of times, we were warned via Scriptures through Prophets and Messengers but only a few paid heed. Most of the people ignored those teachings and warnings although we were informed of the fate of the earlier nations who disobeyed the Lord. Love, peace and harmony can only be created by sharing with others. Compassion is the key to a happy society. Allah, the Merciful, created us with mercy, compassion, love and hope. We are supposed to live in harmony with peace and justice. Some people are born rich while others are poor. But both are a source of ‘Test’ for each other. Allah wants to see how the rich behave and live with all the wealth and bounties He gave them in this world. At the same time, He wants to see how the poor live in contentment and survive with limited sources. If both of them succeed in keeping corruption, ungratefulness and greed at bay, they are both successful in this world and would carry the reward to the Hereafter.

“And spend of your substance in the cause
of Allah, and make not your own hands
contribute to (your) destruction; but do good;
for Allah loves those who do good.”
(al-Quran 2:195)

“Those who rehearse the Book of Allah,
establish regular prayer, and spend (in
charity) out of what We have provided
for them, secretly and openly, hope for
a commerce that will never fail.”
(al-Quran 35:29)

It is not the amount of money that counts. What matter actually is your gesture and thought behind your charitable action. Just try to put a smile on a sad face and enjoy the beautiful feeling. You can give whatever you can afford. Allah says in the Quran:

“Let the man of means spend according to
his means: and the man whose resources are
restricted, let him spend according to what
Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden
on any person beyond what He has given him.
After a difficulty, Allah will soon grant relief.”
(al-Quran 65:7)

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ALL POWER & GLORY BELONG TO ALLAH! Righteousness Can Win His Mercy.

All Power And Glory
Belong To Allah!

Only Righteousness Can Win
His Mercy & Blessings!

(M. Javed Naseem)

"Whoever seeks glory and power, to Allah belong
all glory and power. To Him mount up (all) words
of purity. It is He Who exalts each deed of
righteousness. Those who plan (plot) of evil,
for them is a terrible penalty; and the plotting
(planning) of such will be void (of result).”
(al-Quran 35:10)

We all claim to be believers but a believer who strives his utmost in Allah's cause with his life and property is the best among all believers. Next comes the believer who stays away from the race of accumulating material wealth, spends his time glorifying Allah and leaves people secure from his mischief.

Unfortunately, in all Muslim countries leadership is in the hands of puppets or opportunists. They love to fight for their own benefit, or to stay in power; All those opportunists who are using people and money to remain in power, are not fighting for the cause of Allah. Are they sacrifying their lives and property for the sake of Muslim Ummah? Obviously not! On the contrary, they are using other people’s (or other country’s) money and resources to bring misery to the local population. People are dying, getting homeless, losing their properties and jobs, losing their children and families in floods and other natural disasters. Is their any power-hungry leader out there to help them with his money or property? Absolutely not. They don't believe in serving people. They fool people with empty promises.

The rich and powerful should support the needy. It is their obligationThey can use the money they made from that country to feed those hungry mouths who have lost everything in the floods and are looking up to the heavens waiting for food to survive for another day! Allah warns them:

"And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to
you from your Lord, before the penalty comes
on you suddenly while you perceive not!”
(al-Quran 39:55)

Are we seeing the first signs of that penalty yet? Open your eyes, people! These floods are just a reminder! We are surrounded by corrupt leaders, the crooks, the thieves. They are taking turns to fool us, plunder the wealth of this nation, secure the future of their own families/children and give us misery in return. And there are still more in the waiting line with golden promises and emotional slogans.

Here’s the good promise of Allah to those who are righteous and obey His commands to bring peace and security in the land to serve mankind:

“Allah has promised, to those among you who
believe and work righteous deeds, that He will,
of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance
(of power), as He granted it to those before them;
that He will establish in authority their religion
(Islam) – the one which He has chosen for them;
and that He will change (their condition), after the
fear in which they (lived), to one of security and
peace. They will worship Me (alone) and not
associate aught with Me. If any do reject Faith
after this, they are rebellious and wicked.”
(al-Quran 24:55)

Almost all Muslim countries of the world today have corrupt governments and incompetent administrators who are, as a result, creating misery and despair for their people. A very few among them are honest, sincere, just, and are trying to pursue the right path but they are facing hardships. The lives of the righteous people have become miserable because of corruption and injustice of the powerful. They are oppressed. But, despite all odds, the righteous and the steadfast always stand the chance to be favored by Allah. Eventually, Allah grants them power and authority.

“And We desired to bestow a favor upon those
who were being oppressed in the land, and to make
them leaders (in Faith) and make them heirs.”
(al-Quran 28:5)

In the meantime, both the oppressor and the oppressed go through tests and trials. Allah has warned mankind of grave consequences if they spread corruption in the earth. But man always ignores such warnings when enjoying power and authority. These days, many Islamic countries are going through turmoil. Leaders are ‘fighting’ for power and survival. Allah has defined in the Holy Quran the qualifications of a just ruler of an Islamic state:

“(They are) those who, if We establish them in the land,
establish regular prayer and give regular charity, enjoin
the right and forbid wrong. With Allah rests the end
(and decision) of (all) affairs.”
(al-Quran 22:41)

If we are Muslims and believe in the Day of Judgment, there should not be any doubt then in our minds about the accountability process. A ruler or administrator is like a shepherd or a guardian who is responsible for the protection, safety, physical and economic well-being of the people under his charge.

According to a narration by Ibn Umar, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said:

"Beware! Every one of you is a shepherd and every one
is answerable with regard to his flock. The Caliph (ruler)
is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned
about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs).
A man is a guardian over the members of his family and
shall be questioned about them (as to how he looked after
their physical and moral well-being). A woman is a guardian
over the household of her husband and his children and
shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the
household and brought up the children). A slave is guardian
over the property of his master and shall be questioned about
it (as to how he safeguarded his trust). Beware, every one
of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be
questioned with regard to his trust.”

Those who are in charge of others, will be questioned on the Judgment Day.  There is no escape from it.  In a Muslim society, everybody is responsible. Abu Burda narrates:

“The Prophet (s.a.w.) sent my father (Abu Musa) and
Mu'adh bin Jabal to Yemen (as rulers/governors) and
said (to them): "Make things easy for the people and
do not put hurdles in their way, and give them glad
tiding, and don't let them have aversion (i.e., to make
people hate good deeds) and you both should work
in cooperation and mutual understanding."
Abu Musa said to Allah's Apostle: "In our country
a special alcoholic drink, called ‘Al-Bit’ is
common.” The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:
"Every intoxicant is prohibited.”

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