The Prophesy of Zechariah
"Tell the daughter of Zion: Here is your King, who comes to you in gentleness riding on an ass, riding on the foal of a beast of burden."
Gospel of Mark.
"Rejoice, rejoice daughter of Zion,
shout alound, daughter of Jerusalem;
for see, your king is coming to you,
his cause won, his victory gained.
Humble and mounted on an ass,
on a foal, the young of a she-ass.
He shall banish chariots from Ephraim,
and war-horses from Jerusalem;
the warriors bow shall be banished.
He shall speak peaceably to every nation,
and his rule shall extend from sea to sea,
From the river to the ends of the Earth."
Book of the Prophet Zechariah, son of Berachiah.
Jesus (as) is said according to the Christians to have fulfilled this prophesy by entering Jerusalem on the back of a colt, on which no one had yet ridden. However much of the rest of this prophesy has been unfulfilled by Jesus (as)…
An Unfullfilled Prophesy:
1-The banishing of chariots, which is a clear reference to Rome…
2-peace and rule extending from sea to sea…
3-· from the river to the ends of the Earth…
All remain unfulfilled…
Context
When Jesus (as) came the Jews were subjugated under Roman Rule. They were expectantly awaiting the coming of a Prophet who would deliver them from this ordeal, who would fight for them and remove the yoke of Roman rule from them. They delved deep into prophesies and knew that a prophet would come from the wilderness. Hence, the community at Qumrun for whom we have to thank the Dead Sea Scrolls. They were a puritanical hermitic community that sought to purify themselves to ready themselves for the coming of that Prophet.
A whole melee of Jewish Reformers sought to ready the Jewish Nation for this occurence. And when Jesus (as) appeared they denied his claim to Prophethood, denied that his coming was the inception of the Kingdom of God and sought to kill him.
A Prophet in the Depths of Wilderness:
Some 600 years later…. A man appeared in Mecca, in the depths of the dessert and wilderness, and started to call his people to the worship of the One True God… Allah t'ala (which means the most high). The God of Abraham, of Moses and of Jesus (as).
He claimed nothing more than Prophethood, he denied Kingship and his people sought to kill him.
After years of conflict and war, he conquered them in Peace and forgave them. When he died, according to the lore and traditions of the Muslims, he was given a choice between seeing the extent of his authority in this world coming to fruition and the next World.
Even before that GOD had promised him through three visions seen whilst the whole of Arabia sought to destroy his city, Persia, Syria and Yemen. (This occurred at the battle of the trench).
But, he (saw) choose the latter; to accept to the call to the next life.
When the Angel of Death came to him, the Angel asked permission to take him, and he gave it.
That man was Muhammad (saw= peace and blessings be upon him).
He was and is one of the greatest proofs to the existence of a merciful God.
The Successors of Muhammad (saw)
When he died he left behind a community of believers. He was succeeded by Abu Bakr (ra= may God be pleased with him).
Abu Bakr (ra) used the title Khalifatul RasulAllah which means the Successor of the Messenger of God. And in sending communications to his commanders and to the sovereigns of other powers he retained and used the signet ring of Muhammad (saw).
This signet ring was used as a stamp for the political authority of the Messenger (saw) on this Earth, and it read "Muhammad RasulAllah" (Muhammad the Messenger of God).
With it Abu Bakr (ra) carried the whole political authority of the Messenger.
The second of the Khilafah Rashidun (the rightly guided Khalifs)was Umar (ra). He called himself Khalifatul Khalifatul Rasul Allah, the Successor of Abu Bakr (ra), (literally the Successor of the Successor of Muhammad (saw)). He retained the signet ring of the Prophet and used it on his communications to communicate his political authority.
During the authority of the third of the Khalifah Rashidun being Uthman bin Affan (ra) the triplicate title khalifatul khalifatul khalifatul RasulAllah became cumbersome and someone suggested that it be changed to Amir ul Mumineen (the leader of the Believers), Uthman conceded and the title change was effected.
The signet ring that held the political authority of the Messenger (saw) was lost in the well of Aris. The Muslims searched for it for 3 days and could find it no more.
The important thing to note in all of the following is that it is quite clear that up until the time of Umar (ra), the authority of Muhammad (saw) was retained by the Khalifah (the leaders of the Muslims) both in terms of the title used and in terms of the signing of documents and formal communications. They were his successors and carried his authority. After that time our leaders became the leaders of the believers (amirul Mumineen).
Muhammad (saw) was shown the extent of his authority.
And that authority was fulfilled during the time of Umar (ra), whereby the Muslim community witnessed it's greatest expansion.
Unfulfilled Zahariah’s Prophesy
Whilst the prior heavenly books: the Torah and Injeel (gospel) concern themselves with prophesies of the future, the Quran does not. The Quran prophesies two main events, one of which occurred within the lifetime of our Messenger.
Indeed the title of Prophet in the Quran is Nabi- someone who is the bringer of news- whilst a Messenger is a Rasul, literally someone who brings a letter or a Message from God.
The main concern of the Quran is the creation of a just and equal society. And in the helping of people towards God consciousness.
That the prophesy of Zachariah may have been inadvertently fulfilled by the community of Muslim believers, is of no concern to the Muslims, other than as a means of educating the former Nations in the truth of what Muhammed (saw) brought.
Indeed the Jews still await the fulfillment of the prophesy of Zachariah. Whilst the Christians ignore it, forgetting that Jesus (as) began its enactment as a means of reminding them and preparing them for one foretold who would come.
the Muslim conquest of Jerusalem.
A succession of battles took place between the Muslims and Persia and Rome. Contrary to popular thought these battles were of a denfensive character vis a vis the Muslims. The Muslim state was continually threatened with anilation both by tribal elements within Arabia and later by both Persia and Rome. During the time of Abu Bakr (ra) the Arabian problem was dealt with, and during the time of Umar (ra) the Muslims fought against both Persia and Rome.
After clearly defeating the Persian Empire, the Muslims were set upon by Heraclius the Emperor of Rome. He ordered a noted general of his, to muster his troops at Ajnadain. Amr bin Al-As (ra) defeated him in battle and he fled to Jerusalem. All places around Jerusalem fell to the Muslims.
The Christians were left with no alternative but to sue for peace, which they knew the Muslims would be ready to accept. It was the character of the Muslims to give easy terms which included the freedom to pass into another territory not held by the Muslims with peace, the freedom to accept Islam or to hold onto your original belief so long as you paid a tax called Jizya.
The jizya was no different to what any other conquerer would ask, except that it entitled the payer to protection and the right of law. The Muslims were always found to be trustworthy and fulfill their obligations. And they always gave easy terms, for them the issue was protection and peace for everybody. To the extent that even after that had taken Damascus peaceably, the commanders of their different armies were forced to re-concentrate and regroup to counter the attack of Heraclius at another famous battle, the commanders decided to give back the Jizya tax that they had taken because they could no longer offer the resident population protection against Roman oppression. So the Christians of Jerusalem were predisposed to the signing of a peace treaty.
An Unusal Request.
However, the Christians did something unusal. They wanted the actual Caliph of Islam to visit Jerusalem to ratify the peace document himself.
Instead of the Muslim Generals' refusing their wishes outright, as any realist would naturally do, they sent this information to Umar (ra) in Medina a full 3-4 days journey away by the fastest route. This is an unusal action by any standards.
Umar (ra) convened his council of advisors. Some argued that the request should be flatly denied and rejected and that this would humiliate the Christians still more. Others, notably Ali (ra), the cousin of Muhammad (saw), argued for the Caliph going to Jerusalem. Umar (ra) consented to go to Jerusalem.
This is a most unusal decision, and one that cannot be disputed because of it's complete unnaturalness. That the leader of the conquering army, and in fact the whole Muslim empire, be forced to go to Jerusalem to capitulate on it's peace terms. After having conquered the Empires of Persia and having put to fright the Romans?
Umar (ra) goes to Jerusalem.
So Umar (ra), the leader of the Muslims, the Successor of the Successor of Muhammad (saw) made his way to Jerusalem. The manner of his way is told by the Muslims…
He travelled accompanied by only his servant. He came on a camel… a beast of burden, not a beast of war.*1
Contrary to the popular imagery of Lawrence of Arabia… Arabs, at least at that time, during war had recourse to normal horse cavalry. *2
Umar (ra) and his servant took turns to ride the mount. On one day he himself would ride and on the following day his servant would ride.
His clothes were patched, and when the commanders of the Muslims knew of his approach they went out to meet him. He rebuked them for their finery and silk (for which it is forbidden for any Muslim male to wear except in times of war… where silk can help extract the plunge of a blade), and they assured him, by showing him their swords under their garments, of their not leaving the path of truth.
The Part Fullfillment of the Prophesy.
This is the way that Umar (ra) entered Jerusalem…. Not as a conqueror, nor a defiler, nor a king… but with humility. He established peace, threw off Roman rule. And between the seas of the Meditterean and the Persian Gulf there was peace and security. Where once there had been the two great Empires of Persia and Rome constantly at arms with one another, now there was only Islam.
The:
1- Chariots of Rome were banished from Jerusalem...
2-and Peace reigned from the seas of the Meditterean to the Persain Gulf and beyond...
Jesus (as) and Muhammed (saw).
For me the Prophesy of Zachariah speaks of both Jesus and Muhammad (saw), and his deputy being Umar (ra).
I will later post a translation of the peace document signed on that historic occassion and the behaviour of Umar (ra) in Jerusalem when he met the Christians.. Insha-Allah..
For Muslims do believe in Jesus (as (abbrev: alayhi salam= peace be upon him)):
· In his virgin birth…
· In his miracles of curing the leper and blind, and bringing some people back from the dead…
· In his removing of spirits (which we call Djinn)…
· In his return..
What they dispute about with the Christians is..:
· The claim that he called himself the Son of God. Muslims believe that he called himself the Son of Man and believe in his humanity, and believe him to be one of the 5 greatest Prophets and Messengers sent from God.
· His supposed death on the Cross. Muslims say that he did not die, was not crucified and that God changed the likeness of another to appear that he died on the cross. It is reputed that Judas had a similar likeness to Jesus, and it could be that it was he that was crucified instead of Jesus. And that would account for the words on the cross “O Lord, why have you abandoned me”. After all Judas believed that he was being a dutiful Jew, dutiful to his faith. The God of the Quran calls those that sought to murder Jesus unbelievers, because even whilst affirming God they denied Jesus.
In a like manner, any who denies the truth of Muhammed (saw) after coming to know it’s undeniably, will be classed as an Unbeliever even whilst they profess to believe in God.
The Last Portion of the Prophesy
According to Muslim Lore (held in the traditions and sayings of Muhammad (saw)), Jesus (as) told his disciples that the comforter, the promised one could not come until he himself had gone. Jesus (as) fate is tied to Muhammad (saw).
To such an extent that in the last days he will come as a verifier of the truth of Muhammad, as a follower of Muhammad (saw). And at that time he will bring war.
Muslims are duty bound to offer Jizya and give protection and safety to all that ask for it, Jesus (as) will not. And PEACE will reign from the River to the ends of the Earth.
This Prophesy is fulfilled by Muhammad (saw)… by his deputy.. Umar (ra) and by the one who announced his coming and will come again to verify his truth: Jesus (as).
Peace to the End of the World
The middle part of the Prophesy speaks as such:
He shall speak peaceably to every nation
And this finds expression in the first chapter of the Quran that determines what a Muslim society should look like:
“And thus We have made you a justly balanced Nation, so that you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Messenger might bear witness to it before you.” Al-Baqara 143
This contrary to what is popularly believed is an instruction on how the Muslim Nation is to behave in relation to other Nations and communities: calling to truth and standing up for both truth and justice.
Not a conquering Nation, but a Nation that wishes for Peace.
END
This is an original work…. All Glory Belongs to the ONE True God… Allah t'ala… the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad… And all faults belong to me… May Allah t'ala forgive me. Ameen.
Shafees
NOTES
*1 I have not seen anywhere a report of the nature of the mount that Umar (ra) took precisely because the Muslims have never claimed the fullfillment of this prophesy. However, Umar (ra) was a big man being over 6ft tall, and so it is unlikely that he mounted a small camel. It is narrated in a separate incident that Muhammad (saw) wanted to give a present to a man and he (saw) said that he would give him the young of a she-camel. The man got upset because he wanted one that would carry him, and Muhammad (saw) laughed and said is not every camel the young of a she-camel?
*2 After the Muhammad (saw) lost the battle of Uhud, he sent a scout to observe the behaviour of the Quraish, his enemies, and he said: "If they mount horses, then they will go and ransack Medina (his city) and if they mount camels then they are leaving back for Mecca (the Quraish's home)."
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