The Advent of the Promised Messiah — Page 9
9 grand reformer was required! But I see that the condi- tion of the Muslims has weakened considerably. They no longer ponder over the Holy Quran and their character has fallen to ruins. If their character was appropriate and they had paid due attention to the Holy Quran and its lexicons, they would never have sub- scribed to such an interpretation. It is for this reason that they, of their own accord, invented the aforemen- tioned meaning. For the word tawaffa was not some- thing unique or novel. Every Arabic lexicon, by every author, defines it as ‘death’. Why then have they invented, of their own fancy, the meaning of bodily ascension to heaven ? I would have no regret if they had applied this word in a similar sense to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as well. This is because the very same word has also been used for him in the Holy Quran, as it is stated: ۠ 1 Now if this word truly means bodily ascension to heaven, are we not justified in applying the same sense to the 1 And if We show thee in thy lifetime the fulfilment of some of the things with which We have threatened them, thou wilt know it; or if We cause thee to die before that… ( Yunus, 10:47) [Publisher]