Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 245
POSTSCRIPT-SIGN NUMBER 2 245 two eclipses have never happened together in the month of Ramadan. Rather, it means that the two eclipses have never occurred together in the month of Ramadan during the time when anyone claimed to be a Messenger or a Prophet. This is borne out by the explicit wording of the hadith. In case someone claims that both these eclipses did, in fact, take place together in the month of Ramadan during the time when someone claimed to be a Prophet or Messenger, it is incumbent upon him to provide its proof. In particular, who does not know the fact that, during the 1,300 years of the Islamic calendar, many impostors claimed to be the Promised Mahdi by way of fabrication and even engaged in fighting? But who can prove that, in their time, both the lunar and the solar eclipses occurred together in the month of Ramadan? So long as this evidence is not produced, such an event, without a doubt, qualifies as supernormal; for, this is what is called supernormal-that the like of it is not found in the world. Moreover, not only the hadith, but also the Holy Quran has pointed towards it. ¹ See the verse: وَخَسَفَ الْقَمَرُ وَجُمِعَ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ. The third objection that is raised is that this hadith is not marfü“, mut- taşil and is merely a statement of Imām Muḥammad al-Baqir, may 1. God Almighty has pointed out, in brief words, that the hallmark of the Latter Days is that the eclipses of the sun and the moon shall be timed to take place in the same month. In the following part of the same verse, God says that he who denies shall be left with no room for escape. This makes it evident that this solar and lunar eclipse shall take place during the days of the Promised Mahdi. In summary, since that solar and lunar eclipse shall take place in fulfilment of God's prophecy, the argument will be clinched vis-à-vis those who deny. (Author) 2. And the moon is eclipsed, and the sun and the moon are brought together (Surah al-Qiyamah, 75:9–10). [Publisher] 3. Marfu' means a hadith for which the chain of narrators reaches all the way up to the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him; muttașil means that there is no interruption in the chain of reporters. [Publisher]