Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 272
272 which established beyond controversy the fact that after he was drowned his dead body was recovered and was embalmed and preserved. In spite of its having been embalmed it could have been destroyed during the many convulsions through which the land of Egypt had passed after the time of Moses but it escaped destruction and was preserved to serve as a Sign and a lesson to mankind and to confirm the truth of the Quran. Again, the very early revelations contain the verse: "By the night when it spreads," 348 which means that God calls to witness the night to point to the fact that Islam would be subjected to a succession of severe trials and persecutions. This prophecy was made at a time when even the Holy Prophet himself did not apprehend that his people would put up a severe opposition to his Mission. Immediately after he had received the first revelation, Khadijah took the Holy Prophet to her cousin, Waraqah bin Nawfal. After the Holy Prophet had related his recent experience to him, Waraqah said: "The angel that brought the revelation to Moses has also descended upon you. I fear, however, that your people will persecute you and expel you from Mecca. " The Prophet was very much struck by this and asked in great surprise: "Will my people indeed expel me?" 349 He knew that he was a great favourite with his people and did not apprehend that he would be opposed by them. At that very time, however, God informed him that Islam and the Muslims would have to pass through a very dark night of opposition and persecution. That night soon commenced and lasted through ten weary years. That this period of persecution and trial would extend over ten years was also foretold in another place in the Quran. In the opening verses of Surah al-Fajr God calls to witness the ten nights which will precede the dawn. Sir William Muir and other Western writers agree that this Surah was revealed towards the close of the third year of the Prophet’s Ministry. Up to that time opposition by the people of Mecca had not taken on a severe complexion. At that time the Quran gave a warning that Muslims would have to pass through ten dark nights of persecution. Those who are familiar with the phraseology of sacred Scriptures are aware that a day or a night often signifies a year. The Bible contains many instances of this, though it employs the expression "a day" to indicate a year while the Quran when indicating a period of distress employs the word "night", for a period of distress is a period of darkness and is signified more properly by "night". This verse gave warning of severe trials and persecutions which would last for a period of ten years. That period commenced almost immediately after this verse was revealed and continued for ten years. A hostile critic might suggest that at the time when this verse was revealed the Holy Prophet could well have anticipated that the Meccans would soon convert their opposition into persecution; but were there any means, apart from divine revelation, by which he could have ascertained that the period of persecution would continue for ten years and not for five or for eight or for twelve or for thirteen? The revelation specified ten years and the Holy Prophet was permitted to remain in Mecca for only