Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 152
152 MOSES sa* MUHAMMAD sa Birth: A Levite by birth, belonged to a noble tribe who possessed the hereditary honor of keeping the Tabernacle and the House of God in Jerusalem. Birth : Belonged to the famous tribe of Quraish, which, for generations possessed the hereditary honour of keeping the Kaaba, the House of God, in Mecca. Infancy: Breast-feed and nursed by a lady, other than his mother, for compensation. It is written: Take this child away and nurse him for me, I will pay you your wages (Exodus 2:9) Infancy: As an infant, breast-fed and nursed by a paid nurse, Halima. She says: Every woman refused him, when she knew that he was an orphan. For, we hoped to get a goodly payment from the child's father. 1 went and took him, as I could not find any one to nurse. (Ibne Ishaq p. 104) Early life 1 : Lived among idol- worshippers. His own people, the Israelites also became idolaters, because of their long association with the Egyptians and lack of Divine Teachers among them for a long time. Early life: Lived among Idol-worshippers. His own people the Arabs, including his near relations indulged in idolatry, because of lack of Divine Teachers among them for a long time. First Marriage: Moses sa married in the family he worked for in Midian. His diligence, honesty and righteousness impressed them. He married in his employer’s household. First Marriage: Muhammad sa married Khadija, a rich widow whom he worked for as a young man. Having been impressed with his honesty, and intelligence, she proposed to him. He married in his employer’s household. Baptism: Moses was not baptized. He founded the Jewish religion. Baptism: Muhammad was not baptized. He laid the foundation of Islam. First Call: It came at Horeb: Put off your shoe from your feet; for the place you are standing is holy to the Lord. . . come, I send you to Pharaoh, that bring forth My people, the sons of Israel. (Exodus 3:5-101). After this experience, Moses hid his face in fear. (Exodus 3:6) First Call: Came at Hira (a cave): Read! in the name of Thy Lord Who created man from a clot of will blood. Read! and Thy Lord is Most Generous Who taught by the pen, taught man what he knew not (then). (Quran 95:2-6). Muhammad was frightened after this experience; he returned home and hid his face under a blanket (Bukhari 1:1) Divine Status 2 : Jewish scripture refers to Moses as God: You shall be to him as God (Exodus 4:7). And: See I make you as God to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:11). The magicians of Pharaoh saw Moses' finger and they cried out: This is the finger of God (Exodus 8:19) Divine Status: The Quran refers to Muhammad as 'God': When he threw a handful of pebbles at the enemy in the Battle of Badr, the revelation said: It was God who threw it (Holy Quran 8:18). And when he put his hand atop the hands of his followers, at Hudaibiyya, the revelation said: The hand of God was on top of their hands. (Quran 48:1 1) First Commandment: Moses’ first command- ment was to establishment the unity of God: The Lord your God is One Lord, and you shall First Commandment: Unity of God was forcefully emphasized by Muhammad. The first piller of Islam is the affirmation: La ilaha * Traditional salution used after prophets’ names. It means “peace be on him”. 1 Jesus’ early life, in contrast, was spent in strict religious atmosphere. His parents worshipped One True God and regularly visited Jerusalem, the seat of Divine Law of the Jehovah God. 2 Jesus has allegorically been called the “Son of God” in the scriptures.