Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 52
52 It is said that this beloved would stand out like a flag among ten thousand men. As a flag symbolizes an army, the description, therefore, applies to some great occasion on which this beloved would command a following of ten thousand. The description of the beloved thus continues: 39 "His lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh". Now myrrh is a kind of gum, with a bitter taste but a sweet smell. It is extremely useful as a disinfectant and a cicatrizer. It is mainly used in the treatment of wounds and in the preparation of disinfectants and perfumes. It is also stated he is altogether lovely (mark the Hebrew Muhammaddim). It means that his inspiring personality and character will demand love and admiration. This prophecy clearly applies to the Holy Prophet of Islam. It was he who headed ten thousand saints and marched victoriously from the heights of Paran into the valley of Mecca, exactly as had been foretold by Moses. It was he whose teaching proved like myrrh for the world, bitter in taste but beautiful in its effects. It contained principles and rules all of which were calculated to promote human well being but tasted bitter to some nations who failed to accept it. Finally it was him who was rightly named Muhammad (peace be on him). II. The Songs of Solomon contain another prophecy about the Holy Prophet of Islam. 39 You have stolen my heart, my sister my bride. You have stolen my heart with one glance of my eyes …. let my lover come into his garden and taste its choice fruits. In these verses, Solomon addresses his beloved as both a sister and spouse. 40 The simultaneous use of the two forms of address, sister and spouse, is extremely significant. “Sister” indicates that the Promised Prophet would be an Ishmaelite, one of the brethren of the Israelites; “spouse” indicates that the Message of the Promised Prophet will not be confined to his own people, as were the messages of all the Israelite Prophets. It would be open to other nations as well. The feminine form of address used here should be analyzed with extreme care. The passage is couched in poetical language and is full of metaphors. The last line of the chapter uses the masculine form, which appears to be contradictory but is very significant. 41 Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. The prophecy, 40 therefore, applies only to the Holy Prophet of Islam. Jesus was not one of the brethren of Israel, nor was his teaching addressed to all mankind. According to the Bible, his message was restricted to the Israelites. III. The Songs of Solomon continue to prophesize the advent of the Holy Prophet of Islam: 42