They Ask You About The Prophets

They ask you about The Prophets
Book: They ask you about the Prophets
The Author: Sheikh Dr. Akram Barakat
Publisher: Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wan-Nashr (As-Siraj House for

Culture and Publishing)
First Edition: Beirut, 2014 AD - 1435 AH
Special thanks go to translator "Fouad Rustom"

All Rights Reserved
They ask you about

The Prophets
Author
Sheikh Dr. Akram Barakat
In the name of Allah,

the Most Gracious,
the Most Merciful
A Series of Al Qaem Pulpit Sermons
These issues address the needs of society

and explain the program leading man to
happiness in both worlds.
Sheikh Akram Barakat discussed these
subjects from Al Qaem pulpit in Beiruts
southern suburb, after which he made
them available in writing in the hope
they will earn your satisfaction.
Introduction:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Let Allah bestow his blessings on his apostles in their
entirety, especially their seal Muhammad the son of
Abdullah and his purified household.
The moon crescent of the 1434 AH Ramadan
emerged with its blessings. Once again, meetings were
held within the mosque in the midst of the noon prayers,
during which my soul and the souls of my fellow
prayers nourished with spirituality. For them, this year I
chose subjects about the prophets of Allah the Exalted.
I collected these subjects in this book and named it,
They ask you about the prophets. It should complete
its previous book, They ask you about Allah, which
encountered great admiration, distributing twelve
thousand copies in only one year, with three editions.
My aim behind this book is to provide clear answers
to questions that were repeatedly asked by the keen

young men during the dialogic mosque sessions, which
became similar to those of the cultural or educational
college subjects.
These sessions took place without seats and a
blackboard but on the simple carpet of the mosque. I
arranged the book based on fourteen main questions,
the orbit of the answers.
In the end, I beseech Allah the Exalted to treasure

my work and effort for the Day of Judgment.
Akram Barakat
Al-Qaem Mosque, Beirut, Lebanon
1435 A.H.
Lesson [1]
How to find our way to perfection?
This question is based on the issue established in the
previous book, They ask you about Allah, that Allah
the Exalted created us in order to reach our perfection.
The summary of the previous book of discussions
was that Allah the Exalted is the Omni Rich. He is
the one and only primary reason for the creation of all
creatures; and from Him derives all perfections that we
experience in this universe. He is alive, all-knowing,
powerful, generous, and hence wise because a lack of
wisdom leads to the placing of objects in their wrong
positions, which takes place only because of:
1- Needfulness, whereas Allah the Exalted is Omni
Rich.
2- Ignorance, whereas Allah the Exalted is allKnowing.
3- Powerlessness, whereas Allah the Exalted is powerful.
4- Parsimony, whereas Allah the Exalted is generous.

Hence, He is wise.
Therefore, one might ask why Allah created us.
The reason that He is rich necessitates that the secret
behind our creation is not for His own benefit. Instead,
it is for our own benefit. This issue leads to one answer:
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Allah the Exalted created us in order that we seek

our own perfection. This brings us to the following
questions:
Is it possible for man to find the way to his
perfection through his available vehicles of knowledge
such as sensation, fanaticism, imagination, mind and
inspiration?
The answer is that these vehicles of knowledge,
despite their great benefit, are unable to teach man how
to find the way to his perfection that harmonizes with:
1- Body and spirit.
2- Individual and community.
3- Life and afterlife.
Allah the Exalted, being wise, His wisdom
necessitates that we are taught the way to our perfection

by means of different nontraditional ways. Otherwise,
the case of His Exaltedness will be similar to someone
who invites a guest to his house without showing him
the way leading to it!
How do we find the way?
Our minds clearly understand that Allah the Exalted
must communicate with man in order to teach him the
way to perfection. This communication did not take
place with each person independently. Therefore, it
is certain that it must have taken place with a limited
number of people only excluding others.
History contains a large data about men who informed
the people that Allah the Exalted had communicated
with them via a special process, revelation. Allah the
Exalted, via revelation, explained to them the way
leading to peoples perfection. These men have been
described using the term, Prophets. This issue,
although logical in its general term, brings about one
remaining question to be answered.
How do we recognize the true prophets?
What is the evidence that we must seek in order to
believe someone who claims to have communicated
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with Allah the Exalted via the special process of

revelation, which is unreachable by our senses and
minds?
It is normal for a person to believe someone whom
he personally knows to be honest, sincere and flawless.
This was the case of Imam Ali (pbuh) and Lady Khadija;
both believed Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) in his early
mission. However, this special case is not available to
most people. Besides, it happened in history and does
not exist in our present time.
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Therefore, we require evidence or a clue that we

can depend on in our present time in order to believe
someone who has claimed prophecy. This issue can be
attained through the term miracle.
Elements of the miracle
A miracle which is a method to prove prophecy
requires that the following elements be present:
1- It must be extraordinary
This means that it must be an issue that differs from
the normal and natural reasons that are familiar. It
must be something that man has not encountered or
experienced.
At this point, in order to confirm its unusualness we

must confirm its difference from normality without
breaching the mental reasons and laws. This is because
breaching the mental law is impossible within itself.
For instance, one of the mental laws is the impossibility
of bringing two contradictions together. For example,
the presence and absence of so-and-so take place in
one place and at the same time. Therefore, this issue is
irrelevant to the miracle because it is impossible within
itself. For example, 1+1=2, hence, nothing can make
it equal more or less. Moreover, the miracle has one
purpose, making others believe the prophet in order to
lead man to his perfection. Hence, man must maintain
the laws of his mind that must act as the basis of such
belief. These laws are also the pillars of his walk on his
way to perfection.
To clarify the issue further we must say:
A- When someone wishes to climb up to the tenth floor
of a building, he must use the elevator or the stairs,
the rope or a plane. Nonetheless, can someone leap
from down to up without depending on the means
that will take him up to the tenth floor? Yes, mentally
this is possible, yet it is out of the ordinary of mans
recognition.
B- Turning a green stick into a serpent contradicts with
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the normal reasons but does not contradict with the

mental laws. Why? This is because this stick can
disintegrate in the soil to produce a new plant after
which a snake comes to feed on it. Hence the plant,
inside the snake, changes into an egg and the egg
hatches into a snake.
As a result, it is mentally possible for a stick to
change into a serpent. However, in the case of Allahs
prophet Moses (pbuh) the event was out of the ordinary
in order to speed the stages.
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2- Ordinary peoples inability to achieve similarities

With this element, the miracle differs from the deeds
of the magicians, wizards and owners of scientific
ingenuities. These men can execute deeds that people
deem supernatural. However, they are based on reasons
that are familiar to the owners of art and science while
being screened from the owners of different fields.
Hence, the issue is deemed normal to someone who
can do the same, someone who learned the rules and
secrets of science and art.
3- It must agree with the mission
This means that the outcome of the deed must agree
with the intention of the doer or with what is demanded
of him in order to prove the sincerity of his mission.

Therefore, if he produces a supernatural act that
contradicts with his intention or with his commandment,
this would provide evidence to his falseness instead of
trueness. This was the case of Musaylama the Liar who
was asked to spit in a well so that its water increases
and overflows. Instead, the water receded deeply into
the ground, which proved his falseness.
4- Prophecy claim must be associated
For a supernatural act to indicate to the prophecy
of the doer, it must be associated with his claim to
prophecy. This is because supernatural issues could
happen through certain Imams (holy leaders) or
guardians without their claim to prophecy. These issues
are called conventionally graces, not miracles.
The Outcome
Once these four elements are established in the deed
of someone who claims to have communicated with
Allah the Exalted, via revelation - unreachable to us - the
achieving of a miracle will provide a sign to his trueness
regarding his mission. Hence, we believe that he is a
prophet and that he is assigned by Allah the Exalted to
inform us of the way that leads to our perfection.
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What is the miracle in our present time?

When reading religions that are attributed to Allah
the Exalted, we realize that they employed or depended
on miracles to persuade the public. This was the case of
the following issues:
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The Jewish religion informed of the miracles of

Prophet Moses (pbuh). The most important miracle
being when he parted the sea into two portions; each was
like a great towering mountain. The other miracle was
when he struck with his staff the stone, and there gushed
forth from it twelve springs, let alone other miracles
However, I as a man who lives in the 21st century
would ask the Jews: show me that staff and its power;
show me that stone and its sign in order to believe your
prophet. Otherwise, your words are nothing but stories
that I cannot believe without modern evidence.
The Christian religion also informed of the miracles
of Jesus the son of Mary, such as giving life back to
the dead, healing the sick and other miracles Again I
ask them: I was not present at the time of Jesus (pbuh)
to witness his miracles in order to believe your words.
Where is your evidence in our present time that can
prove those miraculous events?
On the other hand, Islam is distinguishable from the
two previous religions with two issues:

1) It presents itself as the seal of religions, acknowledging
at the same time the previous religions, such as
Judaism and Christianity. This issue encourages the
researcher to prioritize his focus on the prophet of
Islam first in his being the last in line.
2) Islam presented two types of miracles by its prophet:
The first was similar to the previously presented
miracles of the Jews and Christians, such as his
invitation to the tree that responded uprooting itself
from the ground and walking towards him. The owners
of the two previous religions presented only this similar
type of miracle, which I cannot believe because I did
not witness.
The second miracle is everlasting and is valid for
all times. In other words, it contains all the elements of
inimitability enabling even the people of the 21st century
to recognize these elements equally like the people at the
time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh), with conviction
on both sides. This miracle is the Holy Quran.
How do we prove in our present time that the Quran
is a miracle?
To find the answer, please read the following reply.
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Lesson [2]
How do we establish that the Quran is
the miracle of our present time?
(1) Rhetoric Inimitability
When following up the biographies of those who
claimed prophecies, it becomes evident that their
miracles were useful for their ages, especially when they
challenged the most advanced developments taking
place during those ages. Moses (pbuh), for instance,
presented the miracles of the staff, stone, white radiant
hand, at a time when magic was widespread. Jesus
(pbuh) presented the miracle of bringing life back to
the dead and healing the sick at a time when medication
was widespread, especially when Palestine and Syria
at the time of Jesus (pbuh) were colonized by Greece,
which was famed for medication.
These kinds of miracles can be useful for conviction
during their times or the times that link to them.
However, they are not valid for continuity regarding
all times. It is clear that immortality must hold the
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elements of inimitability to be useful and effective for

all times.
Islam presented the Holy Quran as a miracle that
can be useful at the time of its revelation, especially
when literature, poetry, rhetoric, and eloquent speech
were widespread. However, it can work as a miracle
for all times since the Quranic script within itself is
miraculous.
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To understand the authenticity of these words, we

must test it by implementing the four elements of
inimitability that were mentioned when we answered
the previous question. These are:
1- It must be extraordinary.
2- People must fail to produce another similar subject.
3- It must conform to the claim.
4- It must be associated with the prophecy claim.
Let us begin with the last element in order to end
with the first.
1- Is the Quran associated with the prophecy
claim?
This issue is evident and irrefutable.
2- Does the Quran conform to the claim?

This issue is also evident because it conforms to the
presentation of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh).
3- Did the people fail to produce a similar subject?
The Quran openly challenged the people asking them
to produce similarity. Allah the Exalted said, Say, If
mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the
like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of
it, even if they were to each other assistants.
Besides, the Quran challenged the people to even
produce only ten verses that are similar. Allah the
Exalted said, Or do they say, He invented it? Say,
Then bring ten surahs like it that have been invented
and call upon [for assistance] whomever you can
besides Allah, if you should be truthful.
It challenged them further asking to produce one
similar verse. Allah the Exalted said, Or do they say
[about the Prophet], He invented it? Say, Then
bring forth a surah like it and call upon [for assistance]
whomever you can besides Allah, if you should be
truthful.
With this challenge to the Arabs, who were at the top
of their eloquence and fluency, history did not record
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any successful attempt that could prove the peoples

ability to produce a similar book, or ten similar verses,
or even one similar verse.
22
History mentioned that some Arab authors, after

several years of the descent of the Holy Quran, tried
to protest it such as: Ibn al-Muqafa, Ibn Abi al-Awjaa,
Ibn Shakir al-Daisani, and Abdul Malik al-Hadrami.
For a full year, they exerted all their efforts and abilities
to defy it. One year passed and they assembled at the
Masjid Haram (Holy Mosque in Makah) in order to
examine their works and efforts. It was evident that
they did not reach the desired outcome. It was reported
that Imam al-Sadiq (pbuh) passed by them during
their meeting and recited these holy words, Say, If
mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the
like of this Quran, they could not produce the like of
it, even if they were to each other assistants.
Later, it became known that Ibn al-Muqafa , after a
certain period of his being occupied in protesting the
Quran, ripped up what he collected and was ashamed
of showing it.
History recorded for us a number of arguments, which
do not deserve any comment, such as Musaylama the
Liar who argued against Surat Al-Fl (The Elephant)
to say, The elephant, what is the elephant, what do
you know of the elephant, it has a short tail and a long

trunk.
4- Is the Quran supernatural?
Yes, the Quran is supernatural regarding several
issues. We will address two of them under one title:
the supernatural eloquence of high knowledge by an
illiterate person.
Eloquence
The Holy Quran challenged the people with its
eloquence, style, rhyme, vowels and letters.
History recorded that the people were attracted to
the eloquence of the Quran. The Islamism of many was
because of this attraction to the point where the prophet
was called a magician.
One of the sweetest stories of history reads that on
one occasion al-Walid Bin al-Mughirah al-Makhzoumi,
who was regarded as the most eloquent among the Arabs,
visited the prophet. Hence, the prophet (pbuh&hh)
recited to him verses of the Quran and his heart softened
on hearing its words. A man called Abu Jahl (an enemy
of the prophet) knew and visited the man to seduce
him with money and encourage him to take a negative
attitude against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
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His answer to him was, I swear in Allah, there is

no man amongst you who is better than me in poetry
and its rhyme and meter, even in the poetry of the Jinn.
I swear in Allah, nothing of what he says resembles
anything of this. I swear in Allah, he speaks sweetness
and elegance. Its top is fruitful and its bottom is
generous. It is transcendent and nothing can transcend
it. It will crush what is beneath it.
In order to clarify some of such eloquence, I present
the following examples:
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A- Allah the Exalted said, When they are thrown into

it, they hear from it a [dreadful] inhaling while it
boils up.
This is a picture of the horrifying torture in hell,
which boils up. This picture terrifies the eyes. They (the
condemned) can also hear the inhaling, which means
engulfing and pulling them downwards. They, hearing
the sound of the inhaling, will be struck by a severe
terror; hence, their hearts will jump out before the fire
blaze starts to engulf them and scorch their skins.
B- Allah the Exalted said, Rather, We dash the truth
upon falsehood, and it destroys it, and thereupon it
perishes.
Allah the Exalted describes the truth, which is

absolute, as a shell that strikes falsehood, which He
describes as weak and fragile. This is because the truth
strikes falsehood right at its core (branding it), and
discarding it as a dead straw. In other words, perishing
means the exiting of the soul. The aim is to prove
the inevitability of the collapse of falsehood and the
voidance of its effect.
C- We can realize that the verses that invite us to
contemplation and meditation are long and pacific.
Allah the Exalted said, By which Allah guides
those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace
and brings them out from darkness into the light, by
His permission, and guides them to a straight path.
On the other hand, the verses that point to sufferance,
alarm and fear are short and extreme. Allah the Exalted
said, By the mount; and [by] a Book inscribed; in
parchment spread open; and [by] the frequented House;
and [by] the heaven raised high; and [by] the sea filled
[with fire], indeed, the punishment of your Lord will
occur; of it there is no preventer.
It was reported that Jubayr Ibn Mutim, an infidel,
came to the prophet (pbuh) wishing to pay ransom for
the freedom of a slave. While present, he heard him
reciting, By the mount, And [by] a Book inscribed
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When the prophet reached His words Indeed, the

punishment of your Lord will occur. Of it there is no
preventer. The man converted to Islam and said, I
was afraid to be caught by sufferance.
Knowledge
These molds came as part of a great knowledge such
as:
A- The principle of existence coupled with His oneness
and wisdom.
26
- Originator of the heavens and the earth; when He

decrees a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.
- He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner;
to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the
heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the
Exalted in Might, the Wise.
- Had there been within the heavens and earth gods
besides Allah, they both would have been ruined
B- Allah the Wise sent the prophets with maps of
perfection, preaching with wisdom.
- Mankind was [of] one religion [before their
deviation]; then Allah sent the prophets as bringers
of good tidings and harbingers, and sent down with

them the Scripture in truth to judge between the
people concerning that in which they differed
C- The fate of man and universe
- As We began the first creation, We will repeat
it He justifies the astonishment towards this
issue by reciting the following verse, O People, if
you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then
[consider that] indeed, We created you from dust
D- Good versus evil began with the first human being
and continues to be until the time of the rise (of
Imam Mahdi May Allah speed up his emergence).
D-1- Adam (pbuh)
The Holy Quran spoke of Adam (pbuh), as the first
human being, and detailed his story from the beginning
of his creation. It explained how he was created, entered
paradise, found his perfection by learning the names
(that Allah the Exalted taught him), was exiled from
paradise, and married.
It also explained how he was given children, forming
with them the first human community, and stressed on
the major obstacles that would hinder his development
and integration, mainly Satan.
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And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind],

and given you [human] form. Then We said to the
angels, Prostrate to Adam; so they prostrated, except
for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated.
D-2- Noah (pbuh)
The holy Quran spoke also of a second human
community inside the ark of salvation led by Noah
(pbuh).
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Allah the Exalted said, [So it was], until when Our

command came and the oven overflowed, We said,
Load upon the ship of each [creature] two mates and
your family, except those about whom the word has
preceded, and [include] whoever has believed. But
none had believed with him, except a few.
D-3- The rest of the prophets (pbut)
The holy Quran spoke also of:
- Abraham (pbuh) and his unification invitation, telling
of his journey towards perfection and his encounter
with his enemies, the demons of man and jinn.
- Moses (pbuh) and his brother Aron (pbuh) and their
challenge with Pharaoh plus their story with the
children of Israel.
- David, Solomon, and Jesus the son of Mary (pbuh)

plus other prophets to the time of Muhammad the
son of Abdullah (pbuh&hh).
In its presentation, the Quran pointed to the
significance of understanding the optional divine
plan for mankind and the role of the prophets in this
plan, foretelling of the victory of the divine journey
of truth. Allah the Exalted said, It is He who has sent
His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth
to manifest it over all religion, although they who
associate others with Allah dislike it.
E- The major laws of the human community
Such as:
E-1- The rule of justice
Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts
to whom they are due and when you judge between
people to judge with justice.
E-2- The originality in respecting lives
Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for
corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain
mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he
had saved mankind entirely
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E-3- Forbidding aggression

Say, My Lord has only forbidden immoralities what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and
sin, and oppression without right
E-4- Confining the liability to the wrongdoing sinner
And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of
another.
30
E-5- The originality of peace within the human

community
And if they incline to peace, then incline to it
[also]
E-6- Legitimizing defense against sedition and
aggression
Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah (sedition)
and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah.
But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression
except against the oppressors.
F- The path of mankind towards perfection
We begin with the purification of oneself, on which
Allah the Exalted said, He has succeeded who purifies
it; and continue with the significance of building the
family while shunning from monasticism. Allah the

Exalted said, And of His signs is that He created for
you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility
in them; and He placed between you affection and
mercy.
With these two words, Allah the Exalted summed
the rules of a successful marriage.
Affection, for instance, is the love that is manifested
through behavior by expression or deed. Love attracts
the heart towards the beloved to discover whatever one
desires in his loved one. This is an invitation to the
eye to find perfection in both spouses (husband and
wife), and for each to express their perfections to react
towards each other producing chemistry and love.
Mercy, on the other hand, represents warmheartedness (the softness of the heart), which one
employs towards the flaw of the beloved partner.
This is an invitation to the husband and wife to treat
their flaws with warm-heartedness instead of dealing
with them negatively.
This is an outline of the correct methodology required
for the matrimonial life, giving consideration to the two
columns, one of negativities and one of positivities.
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Hence, the first column is treated with mercy and the

second with affection, leading to tranquility of the
matrimonial life.
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The holy Quran continues explaining the path, leading

people to achieve the greater goals by the manifestation
of the human perfections that the hoy Quran regarded
as the basis for precedence. Peoples contention for
precedence according to the methodology of the
holy Quran is not based on sex, race, family, money,
reverence or power. Instead, it rises upon perfections
that are achievable for all people.
- Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is
the most righteous of you.
- Say, Are those who know equal to those who do
not know?
- But Allah has preferred the Mujahideen over those
who remain [behind] with a great reward.
The eye-catching issue is that these elegant and
various fields of knowledge were sporadically reported
over 23 years during different circumstances, in
different places, and different conditions, during day
or night, while at home or while travelling, in war or
in peace, without this influencing or changing them.
The holy Quran pointed to this issue in the following

words, Then do they not reflect upon the Quran? If it
had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have
found within it much contradiction.
The other eye-catching issue in the Quranic contents
is the reports on some future and yet to be witnessed
events that were not possible at the time of the revelation
of the Quranic verses. Some of these foreseen events
were:
1- The holy Quran foretells about the victory of the
Romans in His saying, Alif; Lam; Meem. The
Romans have been defeated; in the nearest land; but
they, after their defeat, will overcome; within three
to nine years. To Allah belongs the command before
and after. And that day the believers will rejoice; in
the victory of Allah.
2- The holy Quran foretells of the return of the prophet
(pbuh&hh) and the Muslims safely to Makah after the
migration. Allah the Exalted said, You will surely
enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills, in safety
The knowledge of the holy Quran attracted scientists
and thinkers to Islam, especially that the community, in
which the Quran was revealed, used to bury alive the
newborn females, devalue the slaves, extol the families,
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seek vendetta, and stumble regarding the future.

Suddenly, Muhammad the son of Abdullah surprises
them with this superior knowledge plus all these super
eloquent molds. Nonetheless, this knowledge and this
eloquence stemmed from an illiterate person.
No one ever doubted his illiteracy. They all knew
him well as someone who had never opened a book in
his life or even written a word.
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The holy Quran stipulated on his illiteracy without

anyones protest. Allah the Exalted said, And you did
not recite before it any scripture, nor did you inscribe
one with your right hand. Otherwise the falsifiers
would have had [cause for] doubt.
It is evident that the verse indicates that the prophet
(pbuh&hh), prior to the revelation of the Quran, did not
practice any reading or writing, which contributed to
the peoples belief in his prophecy.
The holy Quran linked knowledge, eloquence and
illiteracy.
For example, when someone tried to say that parts of
the Quranic knowledge that Muhammad brought came
from a Roman blacksmith, who made and sold swords
in Makah, the holy Quran replied to these sayings,
linking knowledge and eloquence. Allah the Exalted

said, And We certainly know that they say, It is only
a human being who teaches the Prophet. The tongue
of the one they refer to is foreign, and this Quran is
[in] a clear Arabic language.
We can also notice the link between the knowledge and
eloquence to the illiteracy of the prophet (pbuh) as Allah
the Exalted says, And if you are in doubt about what
We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad],
then produce a surah the like thereof It is very likely
that the word thereof might refer to His word Our
servant, hence, the verse would be pointing to the
eloquence that originated from a person who does not
read or write, such as prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh).
Back to start
The preceding was one face of the faces proving that
the Quran is a miracle, corroborating that Muhammad
the son of Abdullah was a delegate, sent by Allah the
Exalted.
In addition, there is another face to which the modern
and developed civilization is attracted regarding its
sciences and arts. This is the scientific inimitability of
the holy Quran, which we will recognize by answering
the question that follows.
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Lesson [3]
How do we prove that the Quran is an
everlasting miracle?
(1) Scientific Inimitability
Prior to the presentation of the Quranic verses
that point to the inimitability of the holy Quran, we
must draw attention to the scientific causes, laws and
theories presented.
Laws are the solid and fixed equations that cannot
be affected by any change. Theories, on the other hand,
are equations that rise upon subjective foundations,
however, they are liable to change and modification.
Based on the preceding, it is not right to interpret
the Quranic verses according to theories because it
would result in a methodological error and might lead
to shaking trust in the holy Quran when a theory is
changed. Therefore, the scientific inimitability of the
Quranic verses must be confined to the fixed laws.
Accordingly, our presentation continues with the
following titles.
37
1- The genesis of the universe

Allah the Exalted said, Have those who disbelieved
not considered that the heavens and the earth were a
joined entity, and We separated them and made from
water every living thing? Then will they not believe?
This verse is clear in explaining that the origin of the
universe was one fused mass, one entity. Next, Allah
the Exalted caused its split, which means separation.
This scientific thesis was proven in 1945.
38
2- The continued expansion of the universe

Allah the Exalted said, And the heaven We
constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its]
expander.
Modern science proved that galaxies continue
distancing away from each other in wide space, as if
the planets have been placed on the surface of a balloon
that continually expands. More and more expansion
leads to more and more distancing of the planets from
each other. However, the increase in distance remains
proportionally equal from the center.
3- The law of gravity
Allah the Exalted said, It is Allah who erected the
heavens without pillars that you [can] see.

Asked about the meaning of the verse, Imam alRidha (pbuh) was quoted as saying, There are pillars,
but you cannot see them.
English scientist Newton discovered this fact in
1927, the law of universal gravitation.
4- The motion of the earth
Allah the Exalted said, [It is He] who has made for
you the earth as a bed [spread out]
This verse points to the scientifically proven motion
of the earth that is similar to the movement of the cradle
of little babies, which rocks gently enabling the baby to
sleep calmly and restfully.
5- The roundness of the earth
Allah the Exalted said, And We caused the people
who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern regions
of the land and the western ones
Allah the Exalted said, Lord of the heavens and the
earth and that between them and Lord of the sunrises.
Allah the Exalted said, So I swear by the Lord of
[all] risings and settings that indeed We are able.
39
These verses are signs of the multiple risings and

settings of the sun. In other words, the rising of the
sun on one part of the earth synchronizes with its
setting on another part. This fact harmonizes with
the scientifically proven [or rather eye witnessed]
roundness of the earth.
6- The role of the mountains
Allah the Exalted said, Have We not made the earth
a resting place; and the mountains as stakes?
40
Stake (plural stakes) is an object that extends deeply

into the ground. It is similar to the stake that is used to
fix a tent, where part of it is inserted deeply into the
ground.
Science has proven that the mountains that we see
on the surface of the earth extend deeply into the earth
for two reasons:
First: Preserving the mountain from sliding and
collapsing.
Second: Holding the layers of the earth, preventing
them from disturbance and sliding. This is found in the
words of Allah the Exalted, And He has cast into the
earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you
7- Lack of oxygen in the sky

Allah the Exalted said, So whoever Allah wants to
guide - He expands his breast to [contain] Islam; and
whoever He wants to misguide - He makes his breast
tight and constricted as though he were climbing up to
the sky.
This verse points to the modern scientific proof
that oxygen decreases as we ascend. For instance, at
an altitude of 3.5 miles the rate of oxygen in air equals
half the rate that is on the surface of the earth. This
creates a feeling of ascendance for man, depending
on the altitude, hence, tightening the chest due to
the lack of oxygen. Atmospheric pressure decreases
also causing difficulty in breathing. The blood cells
inside the lungs may even burst which can lead to
death.
8- Pollination or fertilization by the wind
Allah the Exalted said, And We have sent the
fertilizing winds
This verse points to the discovery of the botanists
regarding the needs of trees and plants to produce
pollen, and that the wind plays a role in the fertilization
process.
41
9- The barrier or partition between the two

oceans
All the Exalted said, He released the two seas,
meeting [side by side]; between them is a barrier [so]
neither of them transgresses.
42
This is an indication to the salty water of the sea

that meets with the fresh water such as in the case of
some ocean springs. The salty water remains isolated
from the fresh water without them mixing together,
allowing sailors to provide themselves with fresh water
at defined locations known to them.
It was reported that the French scientist Jacques
Cousteau discovered this phenomenon during his
study of the oceans without understanding the cause
behind it. By coincidence, he heard a radio station
reciting the aforementioned verse and he was attracted
to its melody. He asked about the meaning of the
verse; when they explained its meaning to him, he
bowed down in prostration for Allah and declared his
conversion to Islam.
10- The conjugation of the beings
All the Exalted said, And of all things We created
two mates; perhaps you will remember
The verse indicates that coupling includes even the

lifeless solid beings. This issue harmonizes with the
discovery of the molecules that form the atom. Some
of these molecules are positive, the proton; some
are negative, the electron. There are other neutral
molecules that do not carry any electrical charges.
These are called the neutrons.
11- The human fingerprints
All the Exalted said, Does man think that We will
not assemble his bones? Yes. We are able [even] to
proportion his fingertips.
Scientists discovered that human fingerprints are the
most complicated of the human being. They have been
used to identify people, distinguishing one individual
from another.
12- The conversation of the ant and its body
There is a reported story about Prophet Suleiman
(pbuh) as he passed with his army by the valley of the
ants. All the Exalted said, Until, when they came upon
the valley of the ants, an ant said, O ants, enter your
dwellings that you not be smashed by Solomon and his
soldiers while they perceive not.
In this verse, there are two amazing issues:
43
First: Modern science, after several tests, proved

that ants have a special language of their own, which
they use to communicate with each other.
Second: Allah the Exalted said, that you not be
smashed by The word smash symbolizes glassy
objects. Modern science proved that the body of the
ant is similar to that of glass, stepping on it leads to its
smashing.
(3) Numerical Inimitability
44
Added to the rhetoric and scientific inimitability of

the Quran, there is the numerical inimitability. We will
address this issue in summary.
1- The eye-catching digital interviews
Let us present a table recording the number of times
certain words have been mentioned by the holy Quran,
drawing our attention and amazement.
Word
Count
Word
Count
Day
365 times
Number of
days in a
year
Month
12 times
Number of
months in a
year
World
115 times
Afterlife
115 times
Life
24 times
Death
Woman
145 times
Satan
11 times
Phrases
to Seek
protection
11 times
Angels
88 times
50 times
Devils
Corruption
88 times
309 years
Allah in
narrating
their story
309 words
Man
Benefit
Period of stay
of the cave
Companions
inside their
cave
145 times
24 times
50 times
2- The eye-catching numbers

For example number 19, inspired by reading the
Quran. Allah the Exalted said, Over it are nineteen
[angels].
* Note: It is important to understand that we are refering
to the Arabic Scripture of the Holy Quran regarding
the previous details and the next table.
Other examples of the 19 digits are:
45
46
Word
Count
The letters
of the Arabic
sentence,
In the name
of Allah,
the Entirely
Merciful, the
Especially
Merciful
19 letters
Arabic
words of the
challenge
verse:
Say, If
mankind
and the jinn
gathered
in order to
produce the
like of this
Quran,
they could
not produce
the like of
it, even if
they were to
each other
assistants.
19 words
Word
Count
Letter Qaf
in Surat
Qaf
57:
it derives
from number
19
(19x3=57)
Number of
Qaf letters in
Surat AshShra (The
Consultation)
57:
it derives
from
number 19
(19x3=57)
285:
Letters of Ya
it derives
& Sin in
from
Surat Y-Sn
number 19
(Ya Sin)
(19x15=285
47
Lesson [4]
Was the Quran safe from distortion?
Asking this question comes in a natural context for
someone who is convinced that the Quran is a miracle
and is the book and words of Allah the Exalted. In
adopting the verses of the holy Quran, it is extremely
important that we verify the above question.
The meaning of distortion
There are two basic meanings of distortion. They
are:
1- Explanatory distortion: not interpreting the Quran
according to its true meaning. Definitely, this
question does not include this type of distortion
because its occurrence does not affect the Quran
in being a miracle. For example: interpreting the
Quranic verses that talk about the hand of Allah and
his face, eyes and leg, leading to the materialization
of Allah the Exalted.
2- Verbal distortion: includes several meanings. We are
49
only interested in two meanings that have relevance

to this question.
First: Distortion by increase. In other words, does
the present Quran contain words other than those
revealed by Allah the Exalted?
Second: Distortion by imperfection, hence the
question: Does the present Quran represent the complete
Quran that was revealed from Allah the Exalted?
50
How do we prove that the Quran was not distorted

regarding these two meanings?
Evidence in proving the nonexistence of distortion
by increase
The evidence proving that the Quran was not
distorted by increase is in its frequent repetition since
the time of the messenger of Allah (pbuh&hh) until our
present time, which generates solid proof that increase
never took place.
The meaning of frequent repetition: It is usually
impossible for a large group of people to intentionally
lie or misunderstand an incident. Hence, knowing is
attained by their simple telling.
The frequent repetition of the holy Quran is of a
great significance because of the interest of the Prophet

(pbuh&hh), the infallible Imams (pbut), and the noble
companions in the holy Qurans writing, memorizing,
and regulation. What confirms this issue is that during
the Yamama Battle, at the time of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh&hh), seventy memorizers of the holy Quran
were killed; another story reports that four hundred
were killed.
Other than frequent repetition, if the increase in the
Quran was a full chapter (surah), this would mean the
possibility of authoring a full chapter similar to those
of the holy Quran. If the increase was in a few words
or other distortions inside its verses, this would lead to
deformity of its shape and disorder in its rhetoric. Both
styles contradict with the rhetoric inimitability of the
holy Quran.
Evidence in proving the nonexistence of
distortion by imperfection
After proving the nonexistence of increase in the
holy Quran, we may conclude using the Quranic verses
themselves in order to substantiate the nonexistence of
any imperfection.
The holy Qurans evidence in the nonexistence of
increase
51
1- Allah the Exalted said, Indeed, it is We who

sent down the message and indeed, We will be its
guardian.
This verse points to a special divine intervention
in order to preserve the holy Quran exactly as it was
revealed. This preservation is designed for the present
and future because the phrase (We will be its guardian)
indicates to the present time and to the future.
52
The holy Quran stressed on its being preserved by

Allah the Exalted by several verbal confirmations. It
used it is as a confirmation plus adding will be
before its guardians. This adds more interest to
confirm the protective guardianship.
The aim behind the word message in this verse
refers to the holy Quran, corroborated by the previous
verse. Allah the Exalted said, And they say, O you
upon whom the message has been sent down, indeed
you are mad.
It is clear that the implication behind the message
that was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh&hh) was the
holy Quran.
We stress on this meaning so that others do not think
that the implication behind the message is the very
prophet (pbuh&hh) who was also named a message

by the Quran. Allah the Exalted said, Allah has sent
down to you the message, a Messenger reciting to you
the distinct verses of Allah.
2- Allah the Exalted said, And indeed, it is a mighty
Book. Falsehood cannot approach it from before
it or from behind it; [it is] a revelation from a
[Lord who is] Wise and Praiseworthy. The verse
indicates the banishment of falsehood from the holy
Quran that it is fortified by a secure and protective
wall. There is no doubt that distortion is part of the
falsehood against which the holy Quran has been
immunized.
Evidence of the prophetic tradition
(Sunnah) in preserving the Quran
In proving the nonexistence of increase in the holy
Quran, we can now hold on to the verses that provide
a firm and clear argument supporting the words of
Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh). Allah the Exalted said,
And whatever the Messenger has given you - take;
and what he has forbidden you - refrain from We
can add the established inerrancy of the prophet about
which we will talk later on.
Therefore, we can conclude the nonexistence of
53
distortion of the holy Quran neither by imperfection

nor by increase.
Our conclusion is in:
A- The frequent speech reported from the prophet
(pbuh&hh): I am leaving with you the two weights,
the book of Allah, and my offspring, my household.
If you hold on to them you will never be lost without
me.
54
The commandment to hold on to the holy book and

that whoever holds on to it will never be lost informs
us that it is protected from distortion. Therefore, the
perpetual negation of deviation from righteousness for
eternity for anyone who holds on to the book informs us
clearly that the holy book will never ever be distorted.
B- The reported news from the prophet (pbuh), which
was confirmed by the Imams (holy leaders) of the
household (pbut), renders the holy Quran as the
scale and criterion with which we may discover
the authenticity of the accounts and speeches. This
issue is noticeable in the following prophetic speech,
Speeches will multiply after my departing. If anyone
narrates a speech of mine to you, refer it to the book
of Allah, if it agrees with it accept it and learn that it
is from me; if it disagrees with it reject it.
This brings us to a question: how can the Quran be

utilized as a scale to differentiate between the true and
false speeches for all times if it is distorted?
Protecting the Quran from distortion, what does
it mean?
After confirming that the Quran is distinguished
from all the other divine books in being protected by a
divine intervention, a question surfaces concerning the
meaning of this divine protection:
Does this mean that no one can print a distorted
Quran in the sense that if someone wishes to do so
Allah the Exalted will interfere and deter him from
doing so?
Definitely, this is not the case.
The divine preservation of the Quran does not
deviate from the optional path that Allah the Exalted
designed for man.
Therefore, what is the meaning of Allahs preserving
the Quran from distortion?
This divine preservation has been manifested by
shaping the Quran in an inimitable form that prevents
it from distortion by any trend, sectarian, or Islamic
55
trends. It guaranteed the negation of its distortion within

the Muslim community, from Muslims themselves,
hence, from other communities other than Muslims.
How do we clarify this issue?
56
He who studies the verses of the holy Quran deeply,

which may lead to negative disagreement, will realize
that they have not been written in glassy images. This
means that the reader will either understand a particular
meaning or the verses will be shattered and lost. In fact,
the verses have been written based on two pillars:
First: The possibility of steering them to have more
than one meaning according to the different trends
despite the correctness of the steering.
Second: Despite this possibility of steering, the holy
Quran will continue to lead anyone who wishes to
reach the truth.
Example:
To clarify the issue further, let us contemplate on the
verses and the reasons for revelation which has been
a subject of argument and disagreement. These verses
were revealed for the sake of Imam Ali (pbuh) and the
entire prophetic household (pbut) and they point to
their special stature with respect to Allah the Exalted.
These verses do not state the names clearly. For

example, Allah the Exalted did not say Your guardian
is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and
Ali. Moreover, Allah the Exalted did not say Allah
intends only to remove from Ali, Fatima, Hassan and
Hussein the impurity [of sin].
Had Allah the Exalted mentioned this issue (these
names) in detail the distortion of the Quran would
have become familiar and those names would have
been traditionally removed. For instance, how could
someone who commanded that Alis name be cursed
for tens of years through rostrums bear the mentioning
of Alis name in these verses?
At this point, in order to maintain the Quran, another
method had to be adopted. For instance, Allah the
Exalted said, Your guardian is none but Allah and
[therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed
- those who establish prayer and give zakat while they
are kneeling [in worship].
Anyone who scrutinizes this verse will understand
that the targeted person is a particular individual. It did
not target a general cause. This is because it is unusual
for a Muslim to give alms while kneeling in prayers.
This issue confirms that the verse was revealed after
Imam Ali (pbuh) gave his ring to a poor person while
57
kneeling in prayers.
Nonetheless, some people interpreted this verse
in the form that it targeted the humbly submissive
kneelers.
58
Therefore, anyone reading Allahs verse, O

Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to
you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have
not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect
you from the people, will find it stressing on a very
important matter that relates to the originality of the
message. The prophet (pbuh) was careful in delivering
this message due to the negative repercussions that
could happen after the delivery. This issue agrees
with its confirmation as being revealed to declare the
guardianship of Imam Ali (pbuh) at the Ghadeer area.
However, some people understood it as an order to
announce the remaining verses of the holy Quran.
The same issue applies to the purification verse.
Anyone studying this verse and the verses before it will
understand grammatically how [regarding the Arabic
grammar] the feminine pronoun has been changed to a
masculine pronoun.
Allah the Exalted said, And abide in your houses
and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of

the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and
give zakat (alms) and obey Allah and His Messenger.
Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity
[of sin], O people of the [Prophets] household, and to
purify you with [extensive] purification.
This issue indicates that the purification verse did
not target the wives of the prophet (pbuh); instead, it
targeted specific individuals [the prophets daughter,
son in law and two grandsons]. The pronoun used in
the Arabic verses corroborates the presence of both
genders.
Nevertheless, some people exploited the presence
of the purification verse to include the wives of the
Prophet (pbuh) solely with an aim to seek another
reason for the purpose of the revelation.
These are practical examples regarding the
preservation of the holy Quran, in which righteousness
is clear and is embraced by others.
59
Lesson [5]
Why some people claim that the Quran
has been distorted?
How do we address their claim?
Despite the aforementioned clear evidence that the
Quran has not distorted by increase or imperfection,
still, a part of those who deviated from the Sunnites
and Shiites claimed that the holy Quran was missing a
number of the Quranic verses.
The reason behind this issue is due to the existence
of reports in the accounts of the Muslim Sunnites and
Shiites, which are being comprehended in the sense
that the Quran is still missing some of the revelation
that came down from Allah the Exalted.
On this issue, a number of the scholars of the Sunnites
emerged with comments. For example, Egyptian
scholar Ibn al-Khatib Muhammad-Muhammad Abdul
Khatib wrote a book about the distortion of the Quran,
which he named al-Furqan in 1948. He filled it with
reports that relay ideas concerning the distortion of
61
the holy Quran while referring to Sunnite renowned

sources. In addition, the Shiite scholar, Al-Muhaddith
An-Nouri emerged to write a book that he named Fasl
al-Khitab, which was similar to the book of Ibn alKhatib.
The scholars of al-Azhar University rose to take a
strong stance against al-Furqan book. Moreover, the
Shiite scholars rose to take a very strong stance against
the book Fasl al-Khitab and its author.
62
Sayyid Hibatullah Ash-Shahrastani described the

city of holy Najaf as a rebellious city when this book
was released. The city rebelled against its citizen AlMuhaddith An-Nouri regarding his book (Fasl alKhitab). On this issue, An-Nouri said, Whenever I
join a session in the scientific Hawza, all I witness is
commotion and noise against the book, its author, and
its publisher, attacking them with sharp tongues.
These two scholars have been influenced by some
reports that exist in books attributed to these two sects
without any efforts on their part to steer these reports or
embrace them in a way that harmonizes with inerrancy.
To clarify this issue, I will present a number of reports
on distortion quoted from Sunnite books after which
I will support them with reports on distortion quoted
from Shiite books. But before doing so, it is necessary

to explain a basic rule regarding the methodology that
was adopted by the Shiite ideology.
The attitude towards the script with respect to the
rational mind
I mentioned in my book They Ask you about
Allah that the Shiites believe that the human mind is
capable of cognizing the beauty and ugliness of objects.
Moreover, in that book, I said that the rational mind
is the one that guides us to the existence of Allah the
Exalted as well as to His qualities including wisdom.
On the basis of believing in Allah the Exalted as being
wise, a question comes to mind regarding the purpose
behind the creation of man.
The question in the book led us to begin a quest about
the divine messenger. Hence, it led us to believing
in the script of the holy Quran by regarding it as an
everlasting miracle.
Hence, the rational mind was the one that led us to
the Quranic script. We indicated earlier to the fact that
the Quranic verses provided the reason for the sayings
of Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh) by commanding
us to refer to him, And whatever the Messenger
has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you
63
- refrain from Add to this the indication of the

rational mind to the inerrancy of the Noble Prophet
(pbuh&hh), leading us to believe in the trueness of his
sayings, which represent a gate to the truth (actuality).
In conclusion, the rational mind acts as a basic
reliance in order to believe in both the Quranic and
prophetic scripts.
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At this point, we must understand that the Quranic

script is genuine regarding its source, as proven earlier.
However, this has not always been the case regarding
the source of the script that must be thoroughly studied
in order to define the designed meaning. If the source
of the Quranic script (while trying to understand it)
contradicts with the evidence of the rational mind it
becomes necessary to interpret that Quranic script in a
way that harmonizes with the rational mind.
The same issue took place when some verses were
wrongly understood (that Allah is a mass) necessitating
a guiding explanation of these verses. For example,
some verses can be misinterpreted such as the verses
that point to the hands of Allah, face, eye, leg, throne,
and chair. We did explain that these vocabularies have
nothing to do with the corporeality, which harmonizes
with our dogmatic faith in Allah the Exalted as being
incorporeal.
With respect to the prophetic script, most reported

stories on this script are inconclusive regarding the
source and they are also inconclusive regarding the
purport.
Therefore, when the inconclusive story disagrees
with the rational mind, we must construe the story in a
way that agrees with the rational conclusive evidence. If
its construction is impossible, its fate will be rejection.
Therefore, out of decorum, we must ascribe it to its
owners because we might be unable to understand it.
However, the possibility of this lack of understanding
does not justify its adoption if it continues to disagree
with the rational conclusive evidence.
Moreover, when the incoming stories disagree with
the Quranic clarity, we must correct them in a way
that harmonizes with this clarity. In other words, the
Quranic clarity comes in advance.
Implementing methodology on the false
stories of the Quran
Based on the previous explanations, the rational
conclusive evidence led us to deny Quranic distortion
by increase. This issue led to the conclusive belief in
the rational Quranic verses, a number of which proved
the non-distortion of the holy Quran. Therefore, any
65
understanding of any reported stories on the distortion

of the holy Quran must be construed (interpreted) in a
way that harmonizes with the verses that free the Quran
from distortion. If interpretation is impossible, the fate
of these stories will be denial and rejection.
Following this clarification of the methodology
that we adopt when the script disagrees with the
constructive mind, we can now read a number of the
reported stories in the Sunnite and Shiite accounts
regarding the distortion of the holy Quran.
66
Sunnite Stories on Distortion

The Sunnite accounts reported several stories about
the existence of the holy books of the wives of the
prophet (pbuh&hh) and some of his companions. These
books have additional verses that are not found in the
books that we have in our possession. There are also
other stories about the actual decrease in some verses
or words of the Quran. This issue caused some people
to misunderstand and think that the Quran has been
distorted by decrease. Some of these stores are:
1- The Quran of Aisha
Author al-Sajistani transmitted in his book alMasahif quoting Ibn Abi Hamid as saying, Hamidah
told me: Aisha commanded her possessions to us

including her Quran that reads, ((Allah and his angels
confer blessing upon the Prophet and those praying in
the front rows)); she added: ((That was before Othman
changed the Quran)).
It was also reported that the Quran of Aisha read,
Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in
particular] the middle prayer and the Asr (afternoon)
prayer.
2- The Quran of Hafsa
Some Sunnite books reported that the prophets wife
Hafsa agreed with Aisha and wrote with her own hand,
And the Asr (afternoon) prayer after His exaltednesss
saying, Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers
and [in particular] the middle prayer.
3- The Quran of Umm Salamah
Some of the Sunnite books attributed to the prophets
wife Umm Salamah that she also commanded that and
the Asr (afternoon) prayer be written in her Quran
after the middle prayer.
4- The Quran of Abdullah Ibn Masoud
Author As-Soyouti reported one story, which he
67
regarded as true, telling that companion Ibn Masoud

would not regard Almaoztain [the two chapters
(seeking refuge against evil)] as part of the Quran.
Hence, he would omit them from the Quran.
5- The Quran of Ubai Bin Kab
Author As-Sajistani stated that the Quran of Ubai
Bin Kab obtained two chapters (Surahs) that cannot
be found in our present Quran. As-Soyouti mentioned
these two parts. They are:
68
(In the name of Allah the Entirely Merciful the

Especially Merciful; O Lord, we ask your help, ask
your forgiveness, praise you, do not deny you. We
disavow and abandon anyone who denies you).
(O Lord, it is you we worship; to you we pray, to
you we prostrate and bow, we beg for your mercy, we
fear your indignation, your damnation is attached to
the infidels).
6- The Verse of Stoning
Several Sunnite books stated that Omar Bin alKhattab insisted always (verbally) on the presence of
the verse of stoning in the Quran. It reads, The old
man and old woman, if they commit adultery, stone
them under no circumstances. Omar used to say as
well, If it were not for the fear of people saying that

Omar added to the book of Allah I would have added
the verses of stoning with my own hand.
7- The Guardianship of Ali
As-Soyouti stated in his book Ad-Dorr al-Manthour
quoting Ibn Masoud as saying, We would read
during the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh)
O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed
to you from your Lord [that Ali] is the guardian of
the believers, and if you do not, then you have not
conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you
from the people.
8- The Quran consists of: 1,027,000 letters
In his predicate, At-Tabarani narrated quoting Omar
Bin al-Khattab as saying, The Quran is a thousand
of one thousand letters plus twenty seven thousand
letters. He, who reads it with patience and anticipation
of Gods reward, will earn for each letter a wife of the
women with lustrous eyes.
On the other hand, the actual number of letters of the
holy Quran is 323,671 as quoted from Ibn Abbas.
69
How do we respond?
The previous methodology that we established
necessitates that we steer the stories that can be
directed in a different direction that must harmonize
with clearing the holy Quran from any distortion.
Otherwise, their fate will be denial and rejection.
70
Based on this issue, we may interpret a part of them

with a will to explain the reason behind the revelation
of the verse. An example is the story of Ibn Masoud
(announce that which has been revealed to you from
your Lord [that Ali] is the guardian of the believers);
these utterances were not part of the holy Quran, hence,
they were omitted.
Others can be interpreted in accordance with the
will of supplication. An example is the Quran of Ubai
Ibn Abi Kab; perhaps, his aim was not to regard the
two previous phrases as two chapters [Surahs] of the
Quran. Instead, Ubai wrote them in his Quran to be
regarded as a supplication that he read to implore Allah
the Exalted. Hence, this issue caused confusion among
people.
Other stories, which cannot be interpreted in a way
that agrees with the flawlessness of the Quran against
distortion, are rejected by us as we stated earlier.
The stories of distortion in the Shiite

books
The Shiite books include some stories that can
be interpreted in accordance with the reason for the
revelation. An example is the story that is similar to the
previous story of Ibn Masoud; that the announcement
verse used to be read in this form: O Messenger,
announce that which has been revealed to you [On
Ali].
The content of the Sahihah (book) of Abi Baseer
confirms the trueness of this interpretation. It reads,
I asked Abu Abdullah [Hussein (pbuh)] about the
words of Allah the Exalted ( obey Allah and obey the
Messenger and those in authority among you ). He
(pbuh) said, It was revealed on behalf of Ali Bin Abi
Talib, Hasan and Hussein. I said to him: the people
say: Why he never named Ali and his household in the
book of Allah? He (pbuh) said, Say to them that the
prayers were revealed to Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh)
and Allah did not specify whether it is three or four
parts until the messenger of Allah was the one who
interpreted this issue to them.
Similarly, we interpret the stories on Imam Hussein
(pbuh) and the Day of Judgment of Ashura. Imam
Hussein (pbuh) said, In fact, you are part of the tyrants
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of the nation, irregulars of the parties, the secretions of

Satan, the gang of sins, and the distorters of the holy
book [moral interpretation rather than linguistic]. At
the beginning of this answer, we mentioned that the
moral distortion occurred in the holy Quran without
resulting in any effect on its inimitability.
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Lesson [6]
Is the Quran sufficient to explain the way
to mans perfection?
We understand from the aforementioned material
that the one capable of explaining the way to mans
perfection, in our present time, is the holy Quran.
However, the question remaining, does this mean that
the believer can, by simply reading the verses of the
Quran, learn the way that leads to perfection?
There is no doubt that the main role of the holy Quran
is to shed light on the way to perfection and guidance.
Allah the Exalted said, This is the Book about which
there is no doubt; a guidance for those conscious of
Allah. However, in being so, this does not mean that it
can independently state the detailed program that helps
one follow the way of guidance. This luminosity and
guidance can be achieved through its indication and
direction to a source that contains the entire program
of mans perfection.
This is exactly what happened. For instance, the holy
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Quran - through its revealed ruling verses that do not

count more than a few hundred - explained the main
generalities of this program while detailing parts of it.
Regarding the rest of the program, the holy Quran
asked us to refer to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh)
saying, And whatever the Messenger has given you
- take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from it
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Therefore, it is right to say that the program of mans

guidance on the way to perfection is: the holy Quran +
the Messenger Muhammad (pbuh&hh).
The inerrancy of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) pertaining
to information
Based on the aforementioned material, we understand
clearly that it would be right for us to depend on the
holy Quran in order to know the way to our perfection
because it represents the speech of Allah the Exalted and
is flawless. However, a question arises: is the case of
whatever comes from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh)
when explaining the way to perfection similar to that of
the holy Quran regarding its flawlessness?
The answer is: The human brain clearly judges that
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh) is inerrant pertaining
to any flaw when receiving and delivering to people

the way to perfection. This matter is tied to a goal for
which Allah created man, his march on the way to his
perfection. Previously, we said that Allah the Wise
loves to explain the way to perfection. Therefore, if the
Quran alone was not sufficient to detail the program of
perfection, another source had to be added for further
clarification. In this sense, we are referring to the
reports from the Prophet (pbuh&hh). In conclusion,
Allah the Exalted find it necessary to protect the
Prophet (pbuh&hh) from falling into flaws regarding
his message (reception and relay) that leads to the way
to perfection.
Had this not been the case, a flaw would have struck
the divine goal behind the creation of man.
Allah the Exalted clarified that He was the fort of
the prophets when delivering their divine messages.
The Exalted said, [He is] Knower of the unseen, and
He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to
anyone; Except whom He has approved of messengers,
and indeed, He sends before each messenger and
behind him observers; That he may know that they
have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He
has encompassed whatever is with them and has
enumerated all things in number.
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The previous evidence contains a treasure that is

not confined to the sayings of the prophet (pbuh&hh);
instead, it contains two other issues, which are his
deeds and decisions.
The inerrancy of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) regarding
his deeds
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As a human being, when the Prophet (pbuh&hh)

performs his daily matters, would it be possible for
his actions to be wrong, which disagrees with the way
toward perfection?
The aforementioned issues take us to an outcome
where this probability is unlikely. The Prophet
(pbuh&hh), as established earlier, is elected and
chosen by Allah the Exalted in order to explain the
message that represents a map for man in order to
find his way to perfection. As a special missioner, the
Prophet (pbuh&hh) has a special bond with Allah the
Exalted enabling him to receive the words of Allah
the Exalted in order to deliver them to the people with
the map of perfection. For instance, he commands the
people by guiding them to follow him on the way to
righteousness. Moreover, he prevents and reproaches
them from following the way to wickedness, rendering
him the primary leading idol for the people.
Let us assume that the Prophet (pbuh&hh) commits

a wrongdoing while in this position; wouldnt this
issue cause flaw to the divine goal, which is guiding
the people to perfection?
Certainly, it will harm the designed purpose. In other
words, the Prophet (pbuh&hh) has to be a person of
inerrancy without any drive to commit wrongdoings.
Hence, his actions will certainly belong to the circle of
Halal (Permissions). Based on this issue, we can benefit
from the actions of the prophet that are legally ruled
as actions that do not belong to the circle of Haram
(Prohibitions). This is the minimum level that we can
embrace to benefit from the actions of the Prophet
(pbuh&hh).
The inerrancy of the Prophet (pbuh&hh)
regarding his decisions
If someone performs an act in front of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh&hh) without any negative reaction
on the part of the Prophet, this means that this action
is not Haram (not prohibited). Had this action been
Haram and the Prophet had not forbidden it the people
would have understood it as not forbidden. Hence, it
would be normal for the people to report this event
while regarding the act as permissible, which disagrees
with the role of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) in explaining
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the way towards mans perfection. Hence, it will harm

the purpose behind the delegation of the Messenger
(pbuh&hh) who is tied to the reason behind the creation
of mankind, as we mentioned previously.
In other words, the Prophets decision, referring to
his silence without interfering in an act that took place
in his presence without any hindrance preventing his
intervention, would indicate that this action was not
forbidden.
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We can understand from the previous issues that we

can benefit from the map of the human perfection plus
the holy Quran. This map represents the sayings, actions
and decisions of the Prophet (pbuh&hh), which is termed
as the Sunnah of the Prophet (Prophetic line of Conduct).
The Sunnah of the Prophet =
The Saying of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) + his
Actions
+ his Decisions
This issue elevates the significance of knowing
the biography of the Noble Prophet (pbuh&hh)
considering it to be as a legislative source to learn the
divine rules.
Summary: The one that guides us on the way to

mans perfection through the message of Islam is:
The holy Quran
+ The Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh&hh)
Who preserves the Sunnah (Tradition) of the
Prophet (pbuh&hh)?
We stated previously that Allah the Exalted protected
the holy Quran against any distortion in the same
method that we explained earlier to the point where
the holy Quran became flawless without any increase
or decrease with respect to all Muslims with all their
different sects and trends.
However, the Sunnah of the Prophet was treated
differently. For instance, one can discover the
difference between Muslims regarding the reporting of
this Sunnah including repeated events that took place
during the life of the noble Prophet (pbuh&hh), such
as prayers.
Daily Prayers, despite their number of Rikas (parts)
and general shape at all Muslims, remain a subject of
difference regarding certain details, such as the position
of the hands while standing. The same issue applies to
ablution plus other tasks.
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This is where the question arises regarding the

method that the Prophet (pbuh&hh) had adopted,
inspired by Allah the Exalted, in order to preserve this
Sunnah, rendering it reachable, at least, by those who
embrace this method.
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The answer comes from a Prophetic speech that

all Muslims report repeatedly in which the Prophet
(pbuh&hh) says, I am leaving with you the two
weights, the book of Allah, and my offspring, my
household. They will not part until they meet me at the
lake basin.
This speech, being reported, is a law. It informs
us that Ahlul Bayt (pbut) (members of the prophets
household) represent the religious reference (authority)
that will protect whoever embraces them together with
the holy Quran from going astray. Being the preservers
of the purified Sunnah of the Prophet, this issue can be
achieved through them. They preserve it in a way that
will not be mixed with delusion.
In other words, the speeches of Ahlul Bayt (pbut)
represent an explanatory source of the Prophetic
Sunnah hence, the way to mans perfection. They, in
their legal statements, represent the Prophet (pbuh&hh)
when clarifying the road towards perfection. This is
exactly what they meant when they said, Our first is
Muhammad, our Midst is Muhammad, and we are all

Muhammad.
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Lesson [7]
What proves that the Prophet is inerrant or
protected from wrongdoings?
We understand from the previous subjects that
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh) is inerrant pertaining
to delivering the message as well as pertaining to
his actions and decisions. This issue drags us to ask
questions about the inerrancy of the prophets in general
regarding wrongdoings, especially in light of the few
verses that do not harmonize with such inerrancy.
Hence, the question is: What is the evidence to the
prophets inerrancy or protection from wrongdoings?
It is necessary for this question to be advanced by a
question about the meaning of inerrancy.
1- What is the meaning of inerrancy?
Answer:
A- The meaning of inerrancy according to linguistics:
Note that the Arabic term to inerrancy is Esmah
with its past verb [Asama]. Ibn Faris said: asama
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(protected) refers to withholding, prevention and

inherence.
A- The meaning of inerrancy according to terminology:
The word inerrancy (Esmah) has been used by the
dogmatic terminology in the form that harmonizes
with the linguistic meaning (prevention). For example,
Al-Fadil as-Sayouri said, Inerrancy (Esmah) is
a psychological gift that prevents its owner from
wickedness with his capability to do so.
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2- What proves the inerrancy of prophets against

wrongdoings?
Inerrancy is sometimes attached to receiving
inspiration (revelation) and other times to delivering it.
This issue has been discussed previously. Other times
it is attached to faults, wrongdoing and forgetfulness.
Our conversation focuses on proving inerrancy
against faults. At this point we present two findings:
A- The mental proof to the inerrancy of prophets
against wrongdoings
The aim behind the mission of the prophets is to guide
the people to the way that leads to their perfection so
that they can pursue it. Therefore, if the Prophet, who
is chosen and selected by Allah the Exalted, commits

faults, this will result in two obstacles that will hinder
the achieving of the goal:
First obstacle: The prophets faults would only lead
to damaging their trustworthiness, which would also
lead to damaging the very message of their mission.
This issue jeopardizes the aim behind the mission of
the prophets.
Second obstacle: The accomplishment of the
divine purpose, guiding the people to their way to
perfection, cannot be accomplished by explaining the
message theoretically solely. Instead, this task must be
associated with the practical biography of the prophetic
idol. Therefore, if the Prophet commits a wrongdoing
or sin this will shake the reaction of the people towards
the Prophet. If this happens the people will wonder: If
Gods chosen, selected and inspired person amongst us
is a wrongdoer, how will the case of the other people
be?
This issue will create a psychological obstacle
that will hinder the accomplishment of the divine
goal regarding the march of the people on their way
to perfection. People are not influenced by someone
whose sayings disagree with his actions.
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Based on the previous issue, to those who understand

the few Quranic verses in the sense of wrongdoings by
the prophets, we say:
Can our minds accept or is it right for Allah the
Exalted, who selected the prophets from amongst the
people, and commanded that they be obeyed Those
are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their
guidance take an example to expose them as red
handed sinners? Does this issue harmonize with the
divine wisdom?
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For example, I am an Imam of a mosque. Let us

assume that I decided to travel for one month away
from the mosque. In order to encourage the people to
keep coming to the mosque, I introduced another man
and said this is the Imam that will lead you in prayers
during my absence. Follow his commands because
he studied in the Hawza (religious school) for several
years allowing him to be honored wearing the religious
costume in order to be a successful preacher. Although
he stole once in his life, lied another time and killed a
man with whom he had a fight, yet you must follow his
commands. Can any man consider this speech of mine
as being wise?
Isnt my assumed speech similar to the words of
Allah the Exalted, setting the prophets as a paradigm,
but at the same time his reports tell us that they sinned,
describing them with negative descriptions?
The divine wisdom renders us contemplate while
reading theses verses in order to understand them in
the sense that agrees with that wisdom. We will clarify
this issue, God willing, as we address them next.
B- The traditional proof to the inerrancy of
prophets
Let alone the two previous coherent findings to the
prophets inerrancy, the holy Quran stressed on this
inerrancy when the Exalted said:
By Your pride, I will surely mislead them all;
except, among them, Your chosen servants.
Allah the Exalted repeated this meaning in His
words, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive
to them on earth, and I will mislead them all; except,
among them, Your chosen servants.
The term I will mislead them means I will make
them deviate. Misleading causes deviation from the
right path (aberration). Moreover, the term I will make
[disobedience] attractive to them brings to surface the
method for this attraction. This means decorating and
changing the ugly picture to present it as beautiful.
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This meaning was stated in other verses, such as His

saying, Made pleasing to them is the evil of their
deeds Satan, with his decoration, flips the image
within themselves from being bad to being good,
hence, misleads them with this issue.
The holy Quran explains that this misleading and
aberration by using decoration and other similar
instruments cannot harm those who have been
categorized as the chosen servants.
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The meaning of the chosen servant is the owner of

the purified soul that is empty of everything other than
the entity of Allah. Meaning, he is clear of secularism
and its ornaments. Within these souls, there is nothing
but Allah the Exalted. This is similar to the pure gold
that is clear of any metal other than gold. Hence, he
who is a loyal servant will not be influenced by the
attractive attempts of Satan. There is no doubt that the
prophets were those loyal and chosen servants.
Based on the aforementioned subject, the holy Quran
described several prophets as the chosen servants.
Allah the Exalted said:
And mention in the Book, Moses. Indeed, he was
chosen
And remember Our servants, Abraham, Isaac and

Jacob - those of strength and [religious] vision. Indeed,
We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance
of the home [of the Hereafter].
And thus [it was] that We should avert from him
evil and immorality. Indeed, he was of Our chosen
servants.
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Lesson [8]
Can an inerrant person perpetrate a
wrongdoing?
Allah the Exalted providing the prophets with
inerrancy, what does it mean?
Does this mean that Allah the Exalted coercively
prevents them from sinning?
The coercive inerrancy
Some people answered yes; that inerrancy is
coercive, imperative and necessary. Based on this issue,
when the inerrant person inclines to do wrong, Allah
the Exalted will interfere and influentially prevent him
from doing wrong. They give an example to this idea
saying that Prophet Joseph, when inclined to the wife
of al-Azeez and almost slipped into wrongdoing, Allah
the Exalted interfered and prevented the prophet (pbuh)
from committing sin by force and coercion.
They also justify the explanation of inerrancy in
the sense of coercion by saying that Allah the Exalted
91
wanted to give an example of man who is coercively

pure of all sins; yet this issue does not prevent him
from being a paradigm for all mankind.
This explanation is challenged by another answer;
that the coercive inerrancy of the prophets does not
make them a model for people. How can the people
follow someone who is not different from them except
in being coerced into righteousness as they face good
and evil?
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In fact, the believer who can do wrong regards

himself better than the prophets when he willingly
prevents himself from doing wrong. For example, if
a married woman tries to seduce a believer and he is
capable of protecting himself from her wickedness, he
will feel inside that he is better than Prophet Joseph
(pbuh). Therefore, can this issue harmonize with the
holy Qurans invitation to take the prophets as symbols,
such as in His verse, Those are the ones whom Allah
has guided, so from their guidance take an example
I do not believe that he, who interpreted inerrancy
in the sense of coercion, is not attentive to the
aforementioned notion. However, what caused him
to adopt this interpretation was a difficulty that he
experienced while trying to harmonize between the
inerrancy as being provided by Allah the Exalted and as
being optional. For instance, how can the prophet, who

has free will regarding his actions, be simultaneously
forced with inerrancy by Allah the Exalted?
Explaining the optional inerrancy
In order to answer the previous question, let us begin
by explaining the meaning of inerrancy. Previously,
it has been explained as, A psychological gift that
prevents its owner from wickedness with his ability to
do so.
This definition requires detailing. Inerrancy (Esmah)
is a special knowledge that is ingrained within the soul
and is endowed by Allah the Exalted to the prophets
and other chosen servants. This special knowledge is
granted in a way that makes the knowledgeable see
obedience with its perfect image of beauty and sin with
its perfect image of ugliness. Hence, the image will
be formed permanently within his soul in its realistic
form to the point where no satanic servant or any other
subject will be capable of changing it by beautifying
the sin or by disfiguring the obedience.
This issue was explained previously when we talked
about the redeemer (chosen one). The redeemer, a
prophet or another subject, possesses a soul that is
perfectly purified to the point where the images of the
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objects remain as they are in reality to him without

any distortion or change. Based on this issue, when he
sees the wrongdoing in its ugly form he will willingly
refrain from it.
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Moreover, when he sees obedience in its beautiful

form he will be encouraged to embrace it willingly.
For example, Allah the Exalted described the one that
consumes the money or possessions of the orphans
as someone consuming fire. Hence, the Exalted says,
Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans
unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire
The inerrant servant has the free will to devour the
property of the orphans, but he does not do so because
he sees this fire in its realistic form. Hence, how can
the wise person come forward and consume the fire?
Suppose a thirsty doctor knew for certain that a
patient with tuberculosis drank water from a glass that
then became contaminated, will he drink from that same
glass? Will he hesitate to drink or not? Alternatively,
will he be determined to drink from it of his own free
will?
Suppose an electrical engineer knew that the
electrical wire before him was live with a deadly force
of power, would he dare touch it?
Based on this principle, the attitude of Prophet

Joseph (pbuh) was explained when Allah the Exalted
described him saying, And she certainly determined
[to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had
he not seen the proof of his Lord
Zuleikha was determined to seduce him, but Prophet
Joseph (pbuh) declined because he saw the proof of his
Lord, which was the special knowledge that he used to
see actions in their real forms. Hence, he would see the
wrongdoing as ugly. If it were not for that knowledge,
he would have been inclined. Therefore, he declined
and his lust remained suppressed because he saw the
wrongdoing in its actual ugliness.
The effect of special knowledge on the
preludes of wrongdoing
Yes, I said that his lust remained suppressed because
the image of that action was ugly to him. We can also
understand this issue when we contemplate over some
issues that touch us as a result of the accumulated
conditions and education. I will give two examples:
First example The hungry and the pork
The believers are raised in our society to the fact that
pork is forbidden to the point where eating this kind of
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meat has become repulsive. Suppose that one believer

was very hungry and passed by a restaurant that sells
grilled pork with its smell emanating, will that hungry
believer, knowing that the grilled meat is pork, crave
it?
I do not believe that anyone will answer yes. Instead,
this cultivation will make him feel upset and disgusted
even if he is hungry.
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In this same manner, Prophet Joseph (pbuh) saw the

image.
Second example Looking at women forbidden
in marriages
Human societies in general, cultivate males to give
a special view to the women that are forbidden to them
in marriages such as: the mother, sister, daughter, and
other related women. This sort of cultivation incites
males in general not be influenced by the beauty of any
of such women although this beauty might influence
foreigners. Therefore, his lust remains suppressed
within because of the established image telling him
that this woman is forbidden to him.
These two previous examples explain to us that
man, with special education, can purify his soul hence
protect it from Satans ornamentation and distortion.

Allah the Exalted applied this issue to His prophets
purifying their souls and feeding them with the special
knowledge of realism. The prophets maintained the
ability to disobey and abandon obedience, yet they did
not because they saw the real picture of obedience in
its perfect beauty that attracted them towards it and saw
the real picture of disobedience in its perfect ugliness
that urged them to stay away from it.
What about the picture of passion, a situation in
which the loving person will do only that which pleases
his beloved. We will explain this issue later.
One question remains:
Why did Allah the Exalted grant this special
knowledge to certain individuals apart from others?
The answer is:
Allah the Exalted possessing the ultimate knowledge
knew from the beginning and prior to the creation
of mankind that these special people will serve their
Exalted Lord in a perfect way; and that their worship
will tower above the worship of others. Therefore,
Allah the Exalted gave them initially an advanced
prize, providing them with special knowledge.
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This answer has been quoted from the words of

sheikh or scholar al-Mufid who said, Inerrancy
(Esmah) is a kindness that Allah the Exalted grants to
whom he knew in advance of his clinging on to his
inerrancy.
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Lesson [9]
What is the secret behind Allahs invitation
to his Prophet Muhammad to ask forgiveness
for his faults?
In His holy Quran, Allah the Exalted mentioned
several verses in which he called upon His Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh&hh) to ask forgiveness for his
faults. The Exalted said:
And ask forgiveness for your sin
Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask
forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever accepting of
repentance.
Indeed, We have given you, [O Muhammad], a
clear conquest; That Allah may forgive for you what
preceded of your sin and what will follow
How do we address the interpretation of these
verses with our conviction in the inerrancy of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh&hh) while using the previous
rational evidence?
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The conclusive and dogmatic mind lies in the issue

that led us through the wisdom of Allah the Exalted to
the Quranic script. Hence, this rational proof cannot
disagree with this script. Therefore, if its surface is in
disagreement we must interpret or understand it in the
sense that harmonizes with the conclusive and rational
evidence.
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The case of these verses is similar to the case of the

verses that we mentioned in the previous book They
ask you about Allah. In this book, the verses stated
that Allah possesses hands by His saying, Rather,
both His hands are extended and that He has a face
by His saying, Everything will be destroyed except
His Face and that He has an eye by His saying,
that you would be brought up under My eye... and
that He has a leg by His saying, The Day the shin
will be uncovered In this book, we construed these
verses in the sense that agrees with the mental evidence
that informs us that Allah the Exalted is Omni rich.
Hence, He is a not a structure or a mass because a mass
requires its parts to be assembled. Therefore, being
massless, we must interpret the verses in the sense that
harmonizes with this intellectual evidence. We say: the
aim behind the hands is the hand of forgiveness and
the hand of punishment or the hand of power and the
hand of kindness. The aim behind the face is the very
entity. The aim behind the eye is guardianship. The aim

behind the leg is power. These interpretations were all
mentioned in our previous book. Therefore, based on
this principle, how do we interpret the verses of the
faults of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh)?
General answer
One can notice that several verses of the Quran were
addressed to the Prophet (pbuh&hh) whereas in fact
they were not addressed to him. Instead, they came in
the sense of an Arabic saying reading, Let me be and
listen O neighbor.
This is the example of His saying, And your Lord
has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to
parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them
reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so
much as], uff, and do not repel them but speak to
them a noble word. Yet still, the Prophet (pbuh&hh)
has been raised as a parentless orphan.
Based on this issue, the verses that encourage asking
forgiveness and other similar issues can be interpreted
as being addressed seemingly to the Noble Prophet
(pbuh&hh) but in fact they are addressed to the rest of
Muslims.
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Special answer
102
The meaning of fault in language is offense,

which is a relative concept that varies depending on the
human being and his location and environment as in the
case of shame, another relative concept. For instance,
some of the Bedouins behaviors within his own
environment are not considered shameful whereas they
can be regarded as shameful in a civilized environment.
Another example: the behavior of an ordinary person
eating a sandwich while walking on the street may not
be regarded as shameful by us; however, it may be
considered as shameful should we see a revered cleric
doing the same. Some might even regard that this act
could cause his magnanimity to vanish.
The eye-catching issue in peoples view regarding
the degree of the fault is that they may consider the
same act as a good deed on one hand and as a bad deed
on the other.
The value and importance of man might be the
origin of this issue of degree. For example, suppose
a young religious man, who does not have any social
stature, seeks help from another person, who is distant
from the environments of religiousness and moralities,
for a certain religious activity. Suppose this irreligious
man blames the young man and expels him refusing to
provide any assistance, what attitude should we have

towards the act of that young man?
It is natural for us to praise his deed and consider it as
good although the required outcome was not reached.
On the other hand, suppose a famous and great
religious authority acts similarly and the same
irreligious person expels him as well; at this point, we
will blame the authority for this deed because it does
not suit his rank and stature. Hence, we do not regard
his action as good because of his stature and position.
This deed is good on the one hand but not on the other.
To explain the notion further, I will give another
example that relates to judging an issue by using the
mind on one side and the heart on the other.
The world literature includes several love stories
that went beyond the peoples familiarity. An example
is the love story of Romeo and Juliet, in the English
literature; another example is Farhad and Shirin in
the Persian literature; Qays and Layla in the Arabic
literature, which reads that Qayss condition switches
between sanity and madness each time he meets Layla.
Regardless of the reality of this romance, let us
contemplate on the story itself. The presence of Layla
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with Qays represents the utmost happiness with respect

to him and his utmost wish. Suppose he, while sitting
with his beloved Layla, has to leave her for half an hour
in order to go to his sick mother and give her medicine
after which he will return to Layla, what is the proper
verdict regarding his visitation to his mother in order to
administer her medicine?
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It is evident that this deed, according to reason and

society, is good and represents the utmost obligation
and the best act a man could ever perform toward his
mother.
However, if we wish to talk about the attitude of
Qays when he returns to Layla Who knows what
he did after leaving her for a period of time, will he
return and act normally as if nothing happened or will
he apologize for leaving her alone for some time despite
the necessity of his act? According to the melody of the
heart, the answer would be that he should apologize to
her on the basis that the mind has a tone different than
that of the heart. His deed in accordance with the tone
of the mind is good and in accordance with the tone of
the heart requires an apology.
This is the case of the prophets regarding most of
their cases, where they regard that their privacy with
Allah the Exalted and their worship to Him represent
for them the peak of the possible perfection and human

worship. Therefore, when they dismiss themselves from
their service to Allah the Exalted in order to embark on
doing issues that are definitely good, later they return
to their privacy with Allah the Exalted while regarding
that their behavior was a fault for which they must ask
forgiveness from Allah the Exalted.
This issue can be categorized under the following
saying, The good deeds of the righteous are the sins
of the Near Ones.
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Conclusion:
First: Fault does not always mean sin nor
is considered as disobedience to the obligatory
commandments of Allah the Exalted.
Second: Fault can be attributed to a good deed
within itself; however, this depends on the stature of
certain people and their priorities.
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Third: Fault can be used to categorize an issue that

may not be ugly; however, it can be regarded as an
offense depending on certain considerations apart from
the others.
Fault in the verse Al-Fat (The Victory)
The aforementioned explanation represents a
correct answer to the preceding first and second verses
of the previous question. On the other hand, Al-Fat
verse in His words, Indeed, We have given you, [O
Muhammad], a clear conquest; that Allah may forgive
for you what preceded of your fault and what will
follow requires a special interpretation. The aim
behind the fault is the bad outcome that the polytheists
see in the invitation of the Prophet (pbuh&hh). They
received great harm from his invitation because
they regarded it as an issue that would demolish the
cornerstones of their heritage and what they regard as

their religion, consequently, damaging their pride and
dignity before the eyes of all Arabs and other nations.
Therefore, they would regard the prophets mission,
encouraging Islamism and resisting the worship
of idols, as a serious crime. They worked hard on
determining that the people regard his invitation as a
crime and they propagated this issue throughout the
widest possible regions.
For this cause, from the very beginning when he
announced his invitation, they launched an attacking
propaganda on the prophet (pbuh&hh) that distorted his
image and the very religion to which he invited them.
Hence, they called him names such as the sorcerer, the
madman, and the poet that authored the Quran. It was
even stated that during the seasons of Makkah they
would assign a number of their men to adhere to the
prophet in order to disrupt his task and disfigure his
image by calling him negative descriptions.
This propaganda greatly influenced the Arabs,
preventing them from being influenced by the prophets
logic and preventing their hearts from being attracted
towards his divine message.
Yes, the citizens from Quraish falsified their cause
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concerning the personality of the prophet and his

mission. They generalized and spread their false cause
throughout the regions and with it controlled a large
number of the minds and hearts of the Arabs. Hence,
their minds and hearts remained sealed to the invitation
of Islam.
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The task of the citizens of Quraish focused on

the public awareness because in controlling such
awareness one can steer the people in the direction
that one desires. The behavior of man acts as a servant
to his awareness and knowledge, not to the reality of
the issue. For example, if a person is approached by a
venomous snake while he is unaware, he will not move
from his place and will not run away. On the other
hand, if he senses it is approaching he will run away.
This proves that the issue driving man and affecting
his behavior is his awareness. It is not the actual
presence of the object.
In this sense, one can realize that a mans view
together with his behavior towards another does not
depend on the reality of that other person. Instead,
it depends on the awareness of the first man to the
other, who may happen to be an illusion, not a reality.
Besides, man may have no reaction towards an object
of high value due to his lack of awareness. For instance,
someone might circle the Kabah side by side with the

holy Imam of our present time without him knowing
this fact; hence he does not react with influence. On
the contrary, if he had known that the Imam was beside
him his emotions would have been indescribable.
Moreover, a person might revere and highly esteem
another person thinking that he is of a high stature and
value and yet he might be mistaken in his thinking.
Based on the above, we understand that the issue
that motivates man and influences his behavior is his
perception. It is not the reality that is extracted from
such perception.
This issue applies to the situations of the individual
and society together. He who wishes to change a society
needs not control the perception of the community in
order to obtain the required change. Man can simply
change a false legend into a believable one within the
minds of people and manage to render them adopt it
as a true cause that can be associated with a number of
resulting effects and outcomes.
One example is the holocaust cause (The Jewish
holocaust). The Jews managed to graft this idea as
a believable event within the minds of many people
in this world to be treated as a cause expressing the
utmost wrongness towards the Jewish nation. It
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reached the point where it even affected governments

in the western world that claim freedom of expression
and speech. Hence, these governments condemn and
haunt great thinkers for simply questioning the story of
the Holocaust.
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There is also the story of the Masada that narrates

the killing of 900 Jews who refused to surrender to
the Romans in an alleged epic battle. The historic
investigators confirm that there is no trace of such a
story in history. There is only a story about a bunch of
Jewish troublemakers who committed suicide during
their siege by the Romans. Yet still, the Jews turned
the Masada into a symbol of sacrifice. Consequently,
the Israeli soldier visits the Masada monument
whenever he wishes to swear an oath of loyalty to the
Zionist entity.
This is the case of many causes which the media
falsifies through the battle of awareness and perception
into what others may believe as fact. The USA in our
present time is doing the same in its soft war against
Islam and its values.
On returning to the disbelieving citizens of Quraish,
history tells us that they practiced the game of awareness
with cunning and wickedness until they managed to
greatly influence the minds and hearts of the Arabs. The
widespread propaganda, which disfigured the picture

of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hh) and his religion,
became susceptible to continuity in a concentrative
form throughout time.
The minds and hearts of the Arabs were tightly sealed
in a constant form, hindering them from embracing the
religion of Allah the Exalted.
In other words, the Prophet (pbuh&hh), in their
view, was guilty of serious crime, as we said earlier
regarding his invitation; and that his guilt will continue
into the future as long as his mission continues.
At this point, this sealing of the minds and hearts
hindered great numbers of people from embracing the
religion of Allah the Exalted. Hence, the conquering
of Makkah was a cause to conquer the minds and
hearts of the people and erase the previous propaganda
that disfigured the image of the Prophet (pbuh&hh).
In addition, it became a motive for the succeeding
propaganda of Islam. In this sense, Allah the Exalted
forgave the Noble Prophet (pbuh&hh) his previous
faults and those to follow.
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Lesson [10]
How do we explain Adams fault?
Many verses of the holy Quran talk about the fault of
Prophet Adam (pbuh). Some of these verses are clear
regarding Adams fault such as in His holy words,
And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred. In some of
its parts, the verse details Satans whispering to Adam
deluding him to eat with his wife from the tree, such as
in His holy words:
But Satan whispered to them
But Satan caused them to slip out of it
So he made them fall, through deception
Some verses declare the repentance of Adam (pbuh),
such as in His holy words, Then Adam received from
his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance.
Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the
Merciful.
How do we explain this fault of Adam (pbuh)?
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We will address three answers regarding the

explanation of the fault of Allahs Prophet Adam
(pbuh).
First answer: all the events that the holy Quran
projected regarding the fault of Adam (pbuh) took
place in paradise.
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Paradise on the other hand is not a place of

commandment and duty. Before Adams descent to earth
there was no legislation or guardian commandment,
the disobedience of which is regarded as forbidden.
When we talk about inerrancy we mean inerrancy in
this world, the place of legislation and commandment,
consequently, obedience and disobedience. Based on
this issue, all the events that took place in paradise do
not eliminate the inerrancy of Adam (pbuh).
Second answer: The divine commandments and
prohibitions are two kinds:
1- Guardians commandment and prohibition: The
guardians commandment results in reward if
obeyed. The guardians prohibition necessitates
punishment if it is violated.
2- Instructive commandment and prohibition: The
instructive commandment does not result in reward.
The instructive prohibition does not necessitate

punishment. Instead, they come in the sense of
explaining that a certain action results in the benefit
or the harm of man (the instructed). These divine
and instructive commandments and prohibitions
are similar to the commandments and prohibitions
given by a doctor to a patient.
Therefore, if a doctor prohibits a patient who
is afflicted with diabetes from eating sugary food,
this means that the patients disobedience does not
necessitate punishment by the doctor; instead, it results
in the associated harm.
Based on the preceding issues, some of the answers
concerning Adams fault tell us that the prohibition of
Allah the Exalted was in the sense of instruction rather
than guardianship. The proof of it being instructive
is that Allah the Exalted explained in His words that
harm would be inflicted upon Adam (pbuh) should he
eat from that tree.
For instance, Allah the Exalted said, So We said,
O Adam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your
wife. Then let him not remove you from Paradise so
you would suffer.
In this sense comes the obedience that contradicts
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with the instructive guidance, unlike the guardian

obligatory assignment. The words disobeyed or
disagreed can be used for the instructive orders unlike
the guardian prohibition. Hence, the case of Adam
(pbuh) does not contradict with his inerrancy, he did
not perpetrate Haram (forbidden issue) pertaining to
his entire story.
Third answer: this answer will further establish the
second answer.
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To explain this issue, we will detail the story of

Adam (pbuh) and its background.
When Allah the Exalted decided to create man, he
informed the angels from the beginning that He was
creating man to be His successive authority on earth,
not in heaven. Hence Allah the Exalted said, And
[mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the
angels, Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive
authority
Therefore, his entrance to paradise was a station for
his descent to earth. Hence, the divine scheme, from
the beginning, was for Adam (pbuh) to live on earth.
However, Allah the Exalted, according to the analysis
of the verses, wished for Adam (pbuh) to descend
to earth of his own will, not through enforcement or

coercion.
In order to execute the divine plan required for
Adams descent, Allah the Exalted made Adam (pbuh)
reside in paradise in the beginning. Moreover, Allah
the Exalted provided him with the necessary elements
for his life to continue on earth.
These elements are:
1- Sex and passion via creating his wife Eve to reside
with him in paradise. The Exalted said, And We
said, O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise
2- Food and clothing, Allah the Exalted said, Indeed,

it is [promised] for you not to be hungry therein or
be unclothed.
3- Drinking, the Exalted said, And indeed, you will
not be thirsty therein or be hot from the sun
4- Clothing, Allah the Exalted said, Indeed, it is
[promised] for you not to be hungry therein or be
unclothed.
5- The suitable atmosphere, the Exalted said, And
indeed, you will not be thirsty therein or be hot from
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the sun Note that the exact translation of the

verse is [or see the morning] but was translated [be
hot from the sun], this is because the morning is an
expression for sunrise hence heat.
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Allah the Exalted explained to Adam (pbuh) that

paradise is permissible to him in its entirety except for
one tree. Hence, the Exalted said, And We said, O
Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat
therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you
will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among
the wrongdoers.
One can understand from the Quranic verses that
this tree had special earthly characteristics that differed
from the other trees in paradise.
Allah the Exalted explained to Adam (pbuh) that
eating from this special tree would change him into
an earthly human being, hence making him loose the
characteristics of someone living in paradise. Therefore,
if he eats from it he will be transported from the special
divine care in paradise to another position where he
and his wife will have to exert efforts to obtain their
needs, beginning with concealing their private parts.
This is exactly what happened next. Allah the Exalted
said, And when they tasted of the tree, their private
parts became apparent to them, and they began to
fasten together over themselves from the leaves of

Paradise
This is why the divine instructive order was given
to Adam (pbuh) and his wife, instructing them not to
approach that three. Allah the Exalted, but do not
approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.
If we eliminate the probability of paradise as being
one of the gardens on earth, an important question
arises. How do we harmonize between Allahs desired
plan for Adam (pbuh) to descend to earth to be His
authority on it and that of Allahs instruction to Adam
(pbuh) not to approach and eat from the tree which
would result in his descent to earth?
There is possible benefit in bringing together Allahs
desire for Adam (pbuh) to descend to earth and Allahs
instruction to him to avoid the act that obliges his
descent. Allah the Exalted, due to the suffering that the
environment would cause on earth, willed for Adam
(pbuh) to descend through his own choice. Hence,
instructing him not to approach that tree explains the
resulting outcome of suffering, so you would suffer.
At this point, Adam (pbuh) who was aware of the
names (And He taught Adam the names - all of them)
and the divine plan on earth faced two situations:
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1- That he does not eat from that tree and remains in

paradise, hence obeying the instructive orders of
Allah the Exalted while sparing himself suffering.
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2- That he eats from that tree hence descends to earth

and be deprived of living in paradise plus disobeying
the instructive orders of Allah the Exalted in the
sense that he involves himself in the misery that
Allah the Exalted warned him about. However, at
the same time, he would achieve the will of Allah
the Exalted and the execution of His great plan for
mans succession on earth. Hence, Adam (pbuh) will
suffer the troubles on earth but will also integrate
further and become more complete than he was in
paradise due to that sufferance coupled with his
tolerance and patience.
Therefore, Adam (pbuh) decided to accomplish the
will of Allah the Exalted and eat from that tree.
Perhaps, this notion can be more comprehensive,
summing between Allahs will for something to be and
His prohibition for its preludes. It is like the father who
wants his son to be trained in fighting that necessitates
great efforts of rough training. However, he does not
wish to be the father who forces his son to train. Instead,
he wants his son to act through his own desire.
Therefore, Allah the Exalted explains to Adam the

difficulties that he will encounter on earth, such as
tiredness, exhaustion, thirst, hunger, lack of sleep, etc
unlike someone living under the care of his guardian,
sleeping in comfort.
Hence, if someone overhears a father disciplining
his son, he might think that he is forbidding him from a
certain issue, which he dislikes for him. However, the
father might in fact be favoring this issue for him, but
on the basis of his sons own choice and self-drive.
In the end, Adam (pbuh) reached a conclusion
and decided to fulfill the desire of Allah the Exalted
by descending to earth via eating from that tree. He
analyzed the divine embargo as an instruction to the
reality that will happen as a he descends to earth.
However, that suffering will take him to a level for
which the angles will feel happy for him more than
they did when they were ordered to prostrate for him at
his first creation.
Satans part in the equation of descent
The previous issue was not only confined to Adams
relationship with his Lord. Instead, Satan, based on the
Quranic verses, interfered clearly in the events. For
instance, Satan had an interest in the descent of Adam
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to earth. This is because he, incapable of breaking into

the soul of Adam (pbuh), was hoping that he would be
able to divert a large number of his children or rather
the majority of them, as he declared in this verse,
If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will
surely destroy his descendants, except for a few.
In other words, I will lead them to wrongdoings
like the animal that is led by its leash, based on certain
interpretations.
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Therefore, the descent of Adam (pbuh) to earth via

eating from that tree achieves two aims:
One: A praised aim for Adam (pbuh), achieving the
will of Allah for man to be His authority on earth.
Two: A dispraised aim for Satan, seducing and
misleading a large number of the children of Adam
(pbuh).
This is when Satan whispered to Adam (pbuh)
explaining to him the benefits behind eating from
that tree. He said to him in the following verse, O
Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and
possession that will not deteriorate. Satan also said
in the following verse, He said, Your Lord did not
forbid you this tree except that you become angels or
become of the immortal. And he swore [by Allah] to

them, Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere
advisors.
We can notice that Satan tried to give the opposite
image of that which would result from the eating from
that tree. Immortality for instance is for the residents of
the paradise and security from afflictions is one of its
descriptions. Hence, Satan used these two descriptions
in a totally opposite form that contradicted with the
reality. Therefore, he made the false picture appear real
for anyone eating from the earthly tree whereas the fact
that eating from it would lead to a life that ends with
death and a residence that is struck by afflictions.
Adam (pbuh) faced three calls:
1- The call of Allahs restriction instructing him to
avoid approaching the tree so that misery does not
strike.
2- The call of Allahs will to eat from the tree in order
to accomplish the plan of mans authority on earth
via the integral misery.
3- The call of Satans whispering deluding him into eating
from the tree, inspiring immortality and everlasting
security with an aim to seduce his children.
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Adam (pbuh) decided to answer the call of the will

of Allah the Exalted although it is associated with
Satans interest.
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This prelude of Adams story is an attempt to address

the reality of what happened to the first man who was
excelled by Allah the Exalted over the angels with
knowledge, (And He taught Adam the names - all of
them.) From the beginning, when he refused to prostrate
for Adam, Satan knew that this was a defense in favor
of mankind that did not start with the disobedience of
Allah the Exalted. Instead, Adam (pbuh) representing
mankind marched in harmony with Allahs will
although it had to be mixed with misery. However, it
represents the peak of the optional integration.
Lesson [11]
How do we explain the verses that mention
Prophet Abraham (pbuh) regarding dogma
and behavior?
Several verses of the holy Quran mentioned the
intimate friend of Allah the Exalted, His prophet
Abraham (pbuh). One time they mention his faith
in Allah the Exalted. Other times, they mention his
behavior, which might delude some people, thinking
that the verses disfigure his stature of inerrancy. Here
we present some events of his story.
Abraham and the godhead of the planets
Allah the Exalted said, And thus did We show
Abraham the realm of the heavens and the earth that
he would be among the certain [in faith]. So when
the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star.
He said, This is my lord. But when it set, he said,
I like not those that disappear. And when he saw the
moon rising, he said, This is my lord. But when it set,
he said, Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be
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among the people gone astray. And when he saw the

sun rising, he said, This is my lord; this is greater.
But when it set, he said, O my people, indeed I am
free from what you associate with Allah. Indeed, I have
turned my face toward He who created the heavens and
the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those
who associate others with Allah.
Some people might believe that these verses
disfigure Prophet Abrahams position of faith in Allah
the Exalted.
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When someone begins a research into the story of

Abraham (pbuh), he might misunderstand that the
prophet of Allah has converted during his life from
believing in the godhood of the planets to believing
in the unity of Allah the Exalted. Al-Mamun presented
a question to Imam Ali Bin Moussa Ar-Ridha (pbuh)
regarding these verses. The Imam (pbuh) answered,
Abraham (pbuh) addressed three kinds: one kind that
worships planet Venus, another kind that worships the
moon, and a kind that worships the sun.
Therefore, the words of the prophet of Allah were
addressed to three kinds of worshipers, each of which
worshiped a different planet that they regarded as the
managing lord of the universe and mankind. The prophet
(pbuh) wanted to convince them that lordship and deity
was only confined to Allah the Exalted. Hence, he

employed a method that influenced conviction. When
he saw planet Venus he said: this is my lord (!) using an
explanatory method, which is termed as a disapproving
explanation. An example of this issue is a beggar saying
to someone that gives him a little charity: This is your
generosity! This is an example of the disapproving
explanation regarding the small donation.
Therefore, when the planet Venus set and disappeared
with its light vanishing, Abraham (pbuh) said: I do not
like those that disappear. Disappearance is the quality
of an event, an object that is preceded by nonexistence.
Allah the Exalted, an ancient entity, cannot be preceded
by nonexistence. Again, when he saw the moon shining
with a size that made it look bigger than Venus he said
with a disapproving explanation: this is my lord!
He said this on the basis that if divinity depended on
the apparent size of the light, the moon was worthier
than Venus. This issue created doubt in the minds of the
worshipers of Venus although it did not necessitate their
conversion. However, when the moon disappeared he
brought up the same question again; that disappearance
and vanishing did not harmonize with the qualities of
the divine lord that must associate his servant with
guidance; otherwise, he would go astray from the
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right path. When the morning arrived and the sun rose
with its larger size and brighter light, he repeated his
disapproving explanation saying (this is my lord!), and
justified this issue saying (this is bigger!), which created
doubt in the minds of the worshippers of both Venus
and the moon, although this issue did not necessitate
their conversion. But, when it set and disappeared,
Prophet Abraham (pbuh) grabbed the chance to repeat
his disapproving explanation saying that disappearance
was not a quality of divinity in an attempt to encourage
people to convert to worshiping Allah the Exalted, the
ever existent, the creator of planets, skies and earth.
Hence he said, O my people, indeed I am free from
what you associate with Allah. Indeed, I have turned
my face toward He who created the heavens and the
earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who
associate others with Allah.
Therefore, the attitude of Abraham (pbuh) did not
express a progressive conviction of his. Instead, it was a
method of protest and persuasion to convince his people in
the unity of Allah the Exalted. Allah the Exalted clarified
this issue saying, And that was Our [conclusive]
argument which We gave Abraham against his people.
The aforementioned issues explain the answer of
Imam Ar-Ridah (pbuh) to the question of Al Mamun.
Abraham (pbuh) and insecurity

Allah the Exalted said quoting Abraham (pbuh),
And [mention] when Abraham said, My Lord, show
me how You give life to the dead. [Allah] said, Have
you not believed? He said, Yes, but [I ask] only
that my heart may be satisfied. [Allah] said, Take
four birds and commit them to yourself. Then [after
slaughtering them] put on each hill a portion of them;
then call them - they will come [flying] to you in haste.
And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
Some people might falsely understand that the
question of Prophet Abraham (pbuh) mirrors a certain
flaw in his faith due to his words (that my heart may be
satisfied) thus understanding that his faith is incomplete
pertaining to the ability of Allah the Exalted in giving
life to the dead.
In order to eliminate this false thinking we offer
two answers:
First answer: Prophet Abraham (pbuh) possessed
certainty in the ability of Allah the Exalted in giving life
to the dead and that He will truly give them life. However,
a true faith in a certain issue does not contradict with
ones asking to do so in an aim to understand the how
it happens. For example, if I see an illuminating lamp
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I truly believe in its existence with its light. However,

this conviction can be added to my question about the
process of illumination. What happens inside the lamp
when the electricity power runs through the wire inside
in order to give this strong light? I ask: how does the
lamp light? Therefore, does my question contradict
with my faith and solid conviction in the presence of
the light and its illumination? The answer would be no.
And when I return to my heart, before understanding
the process of lighting, I find it wondering about
the method with a quest to understand it. Once my
understanding takes place my question stops. Hence, I
will reach to a situation of utmost complete reassurance
and stability.
This is how we address the situation of Prophet
Abraham (pbuh) who had a complete and solid
conviction that Allah the Exalted will give life to the
dead. However, he did not witness the method that will
transfer him to a situation where his heart would be
reassured once this method is witnessed. Therefore, he
asked Allah the Exalted to show him how he gives life
to the dead. Allah the Exalted answered his call and
commanded him to take four birds of different kinds
and commit them to himself. Hence, as the story tells,
he took an eagle, a duck, a peacock and a rooster. Then
he chopped them and mixed them together and placed
parts of each on each of the ten mountains around him.

He carried their beaks with his fingers and called them
by their names and the mixed parts flew separating
from each other until the bodies were complete with
each joining its neck and head. In the end they came
to the prophet and said, O prophet of Allah, you gave
life to us my Allah give life to you. Abraham (pbuh)
replied: it is Allah that gives and takes life and he is the
Omnipotent.
Second answer: This is the reply of Imam Ar-Ridha
(pbuh) to Al- Mamun when he asked him about the
meaning of these verses. The holy Imam said, Allah the
Exalted and Graced inspired Abraham (pbuh) saying: I
am taking an intimate friend who if asks me to give life
to the dead I would answer his call. Abraham (pbuh)
felt that he was that intimate friend. Therefore, he said
(My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.
[Allah] said, Have you not believed? He said, Yes,
but [I ask] only that my heart may be satisfied) with
such intimacy. He wanted his heart to be reassured that
he is that intimate friend of Allah the Exalted about
whom his Lord spoke.
Abraham (pbuh) and the precision of words
Allah the Exalted said quoting Abraham (pbuh),
And [I swear] by Allah, I will surely plan against
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your idols after you have turned and gone away. So he

made them into fragments, except a large one among
them, which they might return to it [and question].
They said, Who has done this to our gods? Indeed,
he is of the wrongdoers. They said, We heard a young
man mention them who is called Abraham. They said,
Then bring him before the eyes of the people that
they may testify. They said, Have you done this to our
gods, O Abraham? He said, Rather, this - the largest
of them - did it, so ask them, if they should [be able to]
speak. So they returned to [blaming] themselves and
said [to each other], Indeed, you are the wrongdoers.
Then they reversed themselves, [saying], You have
already known that these do not speak! He said, Then
do you worship instead of Allah that which does not
benefit you at all or harm you?
Some people might falsely understand that Prophet
Abraham (pbuh) when he said to them (Rather, this the largest of them - did it) was not sincere, god forbid,
and thus this issue contradicts with his inerrancy.
The answer to this questioning is that the prophet
of Allah the Exalted linked the guilt of their largest to
their ability in talking, which is impossible. In other
words he said, If they could speak consequently it is
their largest that did it.
Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) did not lie when

he said these words. Instead, he wanted to deliver a
message to them whoever experiences this sort of
condition cannot be god and is not worthy of worship.
Therefore, he who cannot defend himself how can he
defend others in order to be god?
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Lesson [12]
How do we explain the verses that mention
Prophet Moses (pbuh) regarding dogma
and behavior?
Several verses of the holy Quran narrate the story of
the prophet and speaker of Allah Moses (pbuh). One
time they mention his faith in Allah the Exalted while
other times his behavior. Some people might falsely
understand the meaning of these verses in a sense that
tarnishes his stature of inerrancy. We will address this
case as follows.
Moses (pbuh) manslaughter
Allah the Exalted said, And he entered the city at
a time of inattention by its people and found therein
two men fighting: one from his faction and one from
among his enemy. And the one from his faction called
for help to him against the one from his enemy, so
Moses struck him and [unintentionally] killed him.
[Moses] said, This is from the work of Satan. Indeed,
he is a manifest, misleading enemy.
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Question: How do we explain his killing of his

enemy and his words: This is from the work of Satan?
Also, how do we explain his words: My Lord,
indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me
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Answer: It seems that when Moses (pbuh) saw the

two men fighting, he wanted to push harm away from
the believer who sought his help. Hence, Moses struck
his enemy using his fist. In other words, he punched
him as mentioned by al-Majlisi. Based on this issue,
scholar At-Tabarsi explained the verses saying that
Moses (pbuh) pushed him by the chest using his fist.
Obviously, his intention was not to kill the man
with such a blow. What happened was unintentional.
When Moses (pbuh) said this is the work of Satan he
meant that Satan was behind the dispute that took place
between the two men, not behind his unintentional
doing.
Mosess asking the forgiveness of Allah the Exalted
for wronging himself was based on the expected
repercussions of this event and the punishment that
must result under the rule of Pharaoh. Therefore, he
asked Allah the Exalted to forgive him in the sense
where forgiveness at this point means covering and
concealing him.
The proof to Prophet Moses (pbuh) in not being

sorrowful for his deed was that he said after that
incident, My Lord, for the favor You bestowed upon
me, I will never be an assistant to the criminals. The
criminals are the people of Pharaoh. Moses (pbuh)
promises Allah the Exalted that he will not support the
criminals. Instead, he will continue to fight the enemies
of Allah the Exalted regardless of the cost.
Moses (pbuh) request to see Allah the
Exalted
Allah the Exalted said, And when Moses arrived
at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he
said, My Lord, show me [Yourself] that I may look at
You. [Allah] said, You will not see Me, but look at
the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will
see Me. But when his Lord appeared to the mountain,
He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious. And
when he awoke, he said, Exalted are You! I have
repented to You, and I am the first of the believers.
Question: Why did Moses (pbuh) request to see
Allah the Exalted while he knows it is impossible?
How can he ask for something that is impossible?
Answer: Moses (pbuh) did not request the seeing
for himself. Instead, he asked it for his own people. It
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was narrated that his people requested this issue from

him. He replied that seeing Allah the Exalted is not a
quality attributed to Him. However, they insisted that
he asks Allah the Exalted to reveal Himself to them.
Moses (pbuh) thought that if the answer came from His
side, His greatness would manifest, which would be
more conclusive against any doubt and would remove
any suspicion entirely. Hence, he chose seventy
people to accompany him to the meeting so that the
event would happen in their presence and they would
receive the answer they were seeking. Moses (pbuh)
requested exactly as the Quran reads, and the divine
answer returned with the impossibility of seeing. The
exalted said, look at the mountain; if it should
remain in place, then you will see Me; But when his
Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level
Therefore, He made the issue of seeing dependent
on the stability of the mountain that was in the process
of being leveled, which was impossible. Depending on
the impossible is impossible.
The proof to the authenticity of this answer and that
the question came from his people are in the following
verses:
1- The exalted said, The People of the Scripture ask
you to bring down to them a book from the heaven.
But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than

that and said, Show us Allah outright, so the
thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing
2- The exalted said, And [recall] when you said, O
Moses, we will never believe you until we see Allah
outright; so the thunderbolt took you while you
were looking on.
3- The exalted said, And when the earthquake
seized them, he said, My Lord, if You had willed,
You could have destroyed them before and me [as
well]. Would You destroy us for what the foolish
among us have done? Moses (pbuh) attributed this
issue to the foolish, which proves that the request
was theirs, not his.
Moses (pbuh) anger with his brother
Aaron (pbuh)
Allah the Exalted said, And he threw down the
tablets and seized his brother by [the hair of] his head,
pulling him toward him.
Allah the Exalted said quoting Aaron (pbuh),
[Aaron] said, O son of my mother, do not seize [me]
by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you
would say, You caused division among the Children of
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Israel, and you did not observe [or await] my word.

It seems from the verse that Prophet Moses (pbuh)
was angry at his brother Aaron, both are prophets.
Therefore, if his anger was righteous this issue would
cause damage to the inerrancy of Aaron (pbuh); and
if it was not righteous this would cause damage to the
inerrancy of Moses (pbuh). Therefore, how can we
solve this ambiguity?
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Answer: Prophet Moses (pbuh) brought his brother

close to him in order to whisper to him. He did not
pull him by his shoulder; instead, he brought his head
towards him to talk to him. This issue does not mirror
any negative attitude or insult. It can happen between
two people when there are no formalities amongst
them. The verse in which Moses (pbuh) says How
wretched is that by which you have replaced me after
[my departure] indicates a clear sign that he blamed
his people for what happened while not blaming his
brother Aaron (pbuh).
On the other hand, the words of Aaron (pbuh) O
son of my mother, do not seize [me] by my beard or by
my head and his saying so let not the enemies
rejoice over me were simply said to remove any
delusion of those present in that the problem was
between Moses and Aaron (pbut), especially that the
children of Israel were on the verge of ending their

distrust with Moses (pbuh). Moreover, Aaron (pbuh)
had absent from them for a period of time. Hence, they
said to Moses (pbuh): you have killed him. Therefore,
Aaron wanted to remove their bad thinking about
Moses (pbuh).
Moses (pbuh) protesting against al-Khidr
(pbuh)
Allah the Exalted, And they found a servant from
among Our servants to whom we had given mercy from
us and had taught him from Us a [certain] knowledge.
Moses said to him, May I follow you on [the condition]
that you teach me from what you have been taught of
sound judgment? He said, Indeed, with me you will
never be able to have patience. And how can you have
patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?
[Moses] said, You will find me, if Allah wills, patient,
and I will not disobey you in [any] order. He said,
Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything
until I make to you about it mention. So they set out,
until when they had embarked on the ship, al-Khidr tore
it open. [Moses] said, Have you torn it open to drown
its people? You have certainly done a grave thing.
[Al-Khidr] said, Did I not say that with me you would
never be able to have patience? [Moses] said, Do not
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blame me for what I forgot and do not cover me in my

matter with difficulty. So they set out, until when they
met a boy, al-Khidr killed him. [Moses] said, Have
you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed]
a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing.
[Al-Khidr] said, Did I not tell you that with me you
would never be able to have patience? [Moses] said,
If I should ask you about anything after this, then do
not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from
me an excuse. So they set out, until when they came to
the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but
they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found
therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidr restored it.
[Moses] said, If you wished, you could have taken for
it a payment. [Al-Khidr] said, This is parting between
me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of
that about which you could not have patience. As for
the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So
I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them
a king who seized every [good] ship by force. And as
for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared
that he would overburden them by transgression and
disbelief.
So we intended that their Lord should substitute
for them one better than him in purity and nearer to
mercy. And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan
boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure

for them, and their father had been righteous. So your
Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their
treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of
my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about
which you could not have patience.
Question: How do we explain the error that came
from Prophet Moses (pbuh) when describing the deeds
of al-Khidr (pbuh)? For example, he told him, You
have certainly done a grave thing. In other words,
he performed a wrongdoing. Moreover, how did he
describe the boy as a pure soul when in fact he was not?
Therefore, where does this thinking stand regarding
the special knowledge about which we talked earlier?
Answer: Moses (pbuh) said these words while using
the legislative verdicts that judge the surface of matters.
Therefore, when he saw al-Khidr (pbuh) tearing the
ship open he expressed this matter as a deplorable
issue for anyone who sees it, thus he said, You have
certainly done a grave thing. And yes this issue is
true; on the surface, this action is not acceptable to the
public. When he saw him killing the boy he expressed
this issue (on the surface) as the killing of a pure soul
who did not perpetrate a crime that necessitated capital
punishment, thus he said, Have you killed a pure
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soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have

certainly done a deplorable thing. The aim behind the
word pure is the meaning that we said earlier; that this
soul does not deserve to be killed. The aim behind the
purity is not the internal purity. It is not a secret that
killing without a reason (on the surface) is an issue that
the public denounces.
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And when he saw him restoring the wall without

asking for a payment, he expressed this voluntary work
as not suitable (on the surface) due to the negative
attitude of the residents of the village, thus he said, If
you wished, you could have taken for it a payment.
All the reactions that came from Prophet Moses
(pbuh) were correct, based on the surface of the
matters. On the other hand, the deeds of al-Khidr
(pbuh) were representing the occurrences of the divine
will regarding the actuality, not the surface. In other
words, he was representing the creational will of
Allah the Exalted that launches from secrets that are
unknown to man. Al-Khidr (pbuh) wanted through this
educational process to inform Moses (pbuh) of both the
surface and actuality of his secrets in order to generate
an acceptance by him pertaining to his deeds, even
if they were beyond the comprehension of man. For
example, the tearing of the ship open was an issue that
would be denounced (on the surface) by its owners.

However, in reality, it was for their benefit. Moreover,
killing the boy is a deplorable issue (on the surface),
yet it was in fact for the benefit of the parents. Besides,
volunteering to restore the wall for someone who does
not deserve it (on the surface) is also unacceptable; yet
still in fact it was for the benefit of the faithful people.
At this point, Moses (pbuh) was righteous in his
words (in accordance with the superficial world). On
the other hand, al-Khidr was also righteous in his deeds
(in accordance with the factual world).
In addition to the previous issues, some interpreters
indicated that there was a hidden message relayed
from Allah the Exalted to Prophet Moses (pbuh). For
instance, the events that he experienced with al-Khidr
(pbuh) were similar to three events that took place in
his life.
The tearing of the ship was similar to the action of
the mother of Prophet Moses when she put him in a
small box, when he was child, and threw him in the
river to result in a dignified life and noble prophecy.
Moreover, the killing of the boy was similar to Mosess
killing of his enemy when Allah the Exalted saved
him. Besides, the voluntary work to build the wall was
similar to his voluntary work in bringing water for the
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two daughters of Shuayb (pbuh), which was a prelude

for the positive alteration in the life of Prophet Moses
(pbuh).
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Lesson [13]
Was David (pbuh) mistaken in his judgment?
Allah the Exalted said, And has there come to you
the news of the adversaries, when they climbed over the
wall of [his] prayer chamber. When they entered upon
David and he was alarmed by them? They said, Fear
not. [We are] two adversaries, one of whom has wronged
the other, so judge between us with truth and do not
exceed [it] and guide us to the sound path. Indeed this,
my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe;
so he said, Entrust her to me, and he overpowered me
in speech. [David] said, He has certainly wronged you
in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And
indeed, many associates oppress one another, except
for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and
few are they. And David became certain that We had
tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell
down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance
[to Allah]. So We forgave him that; and indeed, for him
is nearness to Us and a good place of return. [We said],
O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon
the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do
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not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray

from the way of Allah . Indeed, those who go astray
from the way of Allah will have a severe punishment
for having forgotten the Day of Account.
Question: Was Prophet David (pbuh) mistaken in
his judgment in listening to one party without listening
to the other?
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It is obvious that the judge will not judge unless he

first hears both parties. Therefore, does the story in the
verse contradict with the inerrancy of Prophet David
(pbuh)?
Prior to answering this question, we must bring
our readers attention to the fact that coupled with the
general evidence that we mentioned earlier pertaining
to the inerrancy of the Prophets (pbut), one can notice
that the previous verses of Surat d (The Letter
Saad), which are the subject of protesting against
those who deny prophecy, necessitate that we ask: does
this issue agree with the verses that censure one of the
prophets (pbut)?
There are two answers:
First answer: based on some accounts, most
interpreters report that the two contenders were angels
who came in the shapes of men and arrived directly

to the prophet of Allah. This explanation draws ones
astonishment as to why the two contenders did not
enter through the main gate. Instead, they climbed
up the wall and came directly to the Mihrab (niche)
of Allahs Prophet David (pbuh). Based on this issue,
the world of visualization is like the world of dreams,
where there is no assignment (responsibility). Instead,
assignment is limited to our real world that is the world
of material. The event of the dispute and judgment did
not happen in such world and there were no contenders
or sheep. Instead, this event in its entirety took place
in the world of visualization. Therefore, there is no
objection in saying that David (pbuh) was wrong in
issuing the verdict before asking the other complainant.
His case is similar to that of Adam (pbuh) when he
was in paradise, where there was no assignment. The
case was simply a trial and an examination for David
(pbuh), in which Allah (using the method of training)
tested him to become a judge in that world so that he
does not make a mistake in this world of ours.
Therefore, when David (pbuh) learned of his
mistake, he asked for Allahs forgiveness and repented
similar to Adam (pbuh) who asked for forgiveness and
repented.
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Second answer: This case took place in that visualized

world. However, based on the principles of the trials,
a judicial verdict, which does not work unless the two
parties are first heard, remains utterly inconclusive
and the judges and jurors must commit. Therefore,
what prevents David (pbuh) from being empowered by
Allah the Exalted to use his own judgment based on his
realistic knowledge, which he did simply by listening to
the first party. A number of established reports support
this side of the interpretation considering that Imam alMahdi or the Guided One (May Allah speedup his rise),
will rule among the people based on the judgment of
David (pbuh), not on the judgment of explanations and
faith.
Israeli Interpretation
Some people interpreted the previous verses in
a way that damages greatly Allahs Prophet David
(pbuh). They tied the case of Davids verdict to his case
when he saw the wife of Ouria, one of his soldiers,
thus liking her. Therefore, Prophet David (pbuh) sent
Ouria into battle ordering him to advance the coffin
of assurance (which protects the soldiers behind). The
Prophets aim was that he be killed in that battle, which
indeed happened. Hence, David (pbuh) married later
the widow of that soldier.
As a result, Allah the Exalted sent two angels in the

shape of two men to David (pbuh), and the aim behind
this issue was to deliver a message to David (pbuh). It
says that he favored to take the woman of that soldier
although he had many wives.
The story that reported this content contradicts or
disagrees with the necessities that the minds accept
regarding the prophets. Besides, its reporters are
questioned. It seems that the origin of this story is the
Jews who leaked several contents of their books to
the Muslims in the form of stories that were reported
from Allahs messenger (pbuh&hh). Their books also
include a very ugly story about David (pbuh), which
accuses him of killing Ouria with a sword and taking
his woman, who later conceived his son Suleiman.
The commander of the faithful (pbuh) was quoted
as saying, Any man who is brought with a claim that
David married the woman of Ouria will receive two
penalties of lashing by me; one penalty for prophecy
and one for Islam.
What is the meaning of Davids fear although he
was an inerrant Prophet?
Answer: Ar-Raghib said: Fear is a contraction and
retraction that attacks man on seeing a frightful object.
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Therefore, awe is a natural reaction. The harmony

of this issue with the prophecy was explained by
scholar At-Tabatabaei saying that there is a difference
between fear and awe.
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Fear is when the heart is affected in a way that will

be followed by confusion and worry. This is a rejected
flaw unless it is fear of Allah the Exalted. Therefore,
the Prophets (pbut) feared only Allah the Exalted
Who said, [Allah praises] those who convey the
messages of Allah and fear Him and do not fear anyone
but Allah
Fear on the other hand is being influenced when
you think that you will be hurt in a certain position,
hence work on making preparations that will protect
you from the evil. This is not a flaw in itself. It is good
for someone who masters protection and security from
evil. Allah the Exalted said addressing his messenger
Muhammad (pbuh&hh), If you [have reason to] fear
from a people betrayal
As a result, fear is a contraction of the heart caused
by a fearful issue at the time of action, which is not
a flaw. Hence, there is no problem in attributing it to
David (pbuh).
The reason for his fear and caution of them was
because they entered not through the main gate but

climbed the wall instead and entered directly to see him
while at his Mihrab. In this case, it is normal for the
Prophet (pbuh) to be cautious and take the necessary
safety measures against them.
What is the meaning of Davids plea for
forgiveness and repentance?
Answer: Davids asking for forgiveness and
repentance, which means resorting to Allah the
Exalted, is a natural issue as we mentioned earlier
when explaining the meaning of the Prophets faults.
Their asking for forgiveness could have happened for
any matter that pulled them away from their special
affiliation (with the Lord), even if it was the case of a
person requiring a verdict.
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Lesson [14]
What is the secret behind Jonahs (pbuh)
anger and injustice, and Allahs leniency
towards him?
Yunus Bin Matta [Prophet Jonah the son of
Amathi (pbuh)]
Before we answer this question, let us examine the
house inside which Prophet Jonah (pbuh) has been
raised, the house of his father Amathi (pbuh). Imam
As-Sadiq (pbuh) was quoted as saying, Prophet David
(pbuh) said: O Lord, tell me who is my companion in
heaven and my peer in my level. Allah the Exalted
inspired him that this is Amathi the father of Jonah.
Therefore, he asked Allahs permission to visit him
and he was granted permission. Consequently, he and
his son Suleiman departed until they reached his place.
They saw a house that was made of tree leaves. They
were told that he was at the market Seek him with the
seekers They sat waiting for his arrival. Suddenly,
he arrived with a pile of firewood on his head. He put
down the wood and praised Allah the Exalted and said:
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who wishes to trade purity for purity. And he sold

it.
They greeted him and he said: come with me to
my house. He bought food with the money he made.
He grinded the flour and made a dough after which he
lit a fire and baked the dough. He sat with them for a
conversation.
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When the bread was ready, he took a piece and said:

in the name of Allah. When he swallowed it he said:
praise is to Allah. He did the same issue with another
piece. Next, he drank water and mentioned the name of
Allah. When he placed the water down he said: praise
is to Allah. O Lord, who is he to whom you gave more
than youve given to me? You gave me eyes to see, ears
to hear, and a strong body to access trees which I did
not plant or maintain, and which you made as a living
for me. In the end, you sent someone to buy from me
and I used the money to buy food that I did not plant.
You mended the fire for me and I cooked. You made
me eat to give me strength so that I can worship you.
Therefore, all praise is to You. In the end, he cried.
David said: O son, let us go, I never saw a servant
who is more praiseful than this one.
After this touching story, we will answer our former
question in the context of our projection of the story of

Jonah (pbuh), the prophet of Allah the Exalted.
Jonah (pbuh) and his people
Prophet Jonah (pbuh) lived with a nation that insisted
on maintaining their infidelity despite the desperate
efforts of the Prophet to guide them. In the end, the
Prophet lost hope in their conversion to faithfulness.
Therefore, he threatened to ask Allah the Exalted to
punish them if they would not believe. Still, they did
not care. He informed them of the imminent suffering
that will perish them. Yet again, they did not care.
Consequently, his anger with them increased for the
satisfaction of Allah the Exalted Whom he invoked to
bring down His divine damnation upon them. Allah
the Exalted accepted his invocation inspiring him about
the time of the gradual damnation.
Prophet Jonah (pbuh), merely to satisfy his Exalted
Lord, abandoned his village (angered) by his people,
awaiting the arrival of the punishment. However,
another issue took place. Allah the Exalted began to
gradually bring down his punishment, exactly as He
had told His prophet who had informed his people of it.
When his people realized what was happening to them
and that it was exactly as Jonah (pbuh) had told them,
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they recognized his trueness and prophecy. Suddenly,

they began to pray to Allah the Exalted begging Him to
lift the punishment from them. When Allah the Exalted
sensed their sincere faithfulness, loyal direction, and
honest repentance, He lifted the punishment from them.
Allah the Exalted said, Then has there not been a
[single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except
the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed
from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life
and gave them enjoyment for a time.
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This was a lesson not to lose hope in guiding the

people back to the right path. A word of guidance might
not cause any influence at the time of its deployment,
yet it remains inside the heart to cause influence in the
future.
Jonah (pbuh) at the sea
Prophet Jonah (pbuh) decided not to return to his
people. Hence, he went to the coast. He boarded a ship
that sailed with other passengers.
While being in the midst of the ocean, a large fish
(whale) emerged. The passengers decided to throw one
passenger to the whale as a redeemer for the rest of
passengers. Therefore, they drew a lot and Jonah was
the one that lost. Allah the Exalted said, And indeed,
Jonah was among the messengers. [Mention] when he

ran away to the laden ship. And he drew lots and was
among the losers.
Jonah (pbuh) inside the whale
Allah the Exalted said, Then the fish swallowed
him, while he was blameworthy. His high exaltedness
did not say it ate him. Instead, he said it swallowed
him; and here blameworthy means a friendly reproach.
Perhaps the explanation of the verse is that he was
blamed by the passengers of the ship who deduced that
he was a man of bad omen because of their incident with
the whale, especially that the lottery chose his name.
Allah the exalted inspired the fish as some accounts
read, I made my servant not as sustenance for you.
Instead, I made your belly as a mosque for him.
While being inside the fish, Allah the Exalted
explained to us the behavior of Prophet Jonah (pbuh).
First Attitude: Absolute Reliance
Allah the Exalted said, And [mention] the man of
the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We
would not decree [anything] upon him He went in
anger because of his people who did not believe. Yet
suddenly, he ends up inside the belly of the whale.
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How do we picture the reaction of Jonah (pbuh) and

his morale inside the belly of the whale?
It is expected for an ordinary person to lose hope
in survival and prepare himself for the inevitable
death. However, Prophet Jonah (pbuh) had a different
attitude. For instance, he (thought that We would not
decree [anything] upon him).
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The term thought has another meaning; it also means

to know for certain. Its meaning is not limited to the
strongest probability. The holy Quran used it in the
sense of certainty as in His exaltednesss words, But
those who were certain that they would meet Allah
said, How many a small company has overcome a
large company by permission of Allah. And Allah is
with the patient.
The term decree leads to another meaning,
restriction. Allah the Exalted said, and he whose
provision is restricted - let him spend from what Allah
has given him In other words, it means whose
provision is decreed to be restricted. Allah the Exalted
said, Allah extends provision for whomever He wills
and restricts [it] This means He decrees to extend or
restrict. Allah the Exalted said, But when He tries him
and restricts his provision This means He decrees
to restrict his provision.
Consequently, the words (he thought that We would

not decree [anything] upon him) mean that he had a
solid conviction that we will not restrict his provision.
Instead, we will provide him while being inside the
belly of the whale.
This is the necessity of reliance that launches from
ones faith in Allah the Exalted, the All-Knowing,
capable of changing circumstances, and generous in His
giving. It is the absolute reliance on Allah the Exalted.
Second Attitude: Unifying Allah
Allah the Exalted said, And he called out within the
darknesses [the darkness of the ocean, the darkness of
the night, and the darkness of the whales belly] There
is no deity except You; exalted are You [a speech of
direct amiability with Allah the Exalted coupled with a
unification slogan in the sense that Allah the Exalted is
the only deity that deserves worship.
Third Attitude: Transcending Allah
The Prophet of Allah continues saying, There is no
deity except You; exalted are You. In other words, I
am transcending you above all defects. Praising Allah
the Exalted means transcending Him above all flaws
and defects. This is the expressive praise of the divine
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perfection. Allah the Exalted indicates to the effect of

this praising saying, And had he not been of those
who exalt Allah; He would have remained inside its
belly until the Day they are resurrected.
Allahs Prophet Jonah (pbuh), facing the hard
situation inside the belly of the whale, sang the praise
of unification, transcendence, and reliance.
Fourth Attitude: Admitting Wrongdoing
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Allahs Prophet Jonah continues, Indeed, I have

been of the wrongdoers. This was a confession to the
reality of his rank that sits below a higher perfection,
which the prophets consider as a wrongdoing.
Therefore, he (pbuh) contemplated on the damnation
that he asked from the Lord for his people, which was a
prayer of justice to which Allah the Exalted responded.
Nonetheless, he discovered that it would have been
more suitable for him to be more patient towards his
people. This is where the wrongdoing resides on the
basis that we mentioned earlier: The good deeds of
the righteous equal the wrong deeds of those brought
near to Allah the Exalted.
The Divine Response
After these dogmatic attitudes, Allah the Exalted
responded to his Prophet (pbuh). His Exaltedness said,

So We responded to him and saved him from the
distress.
Generalizing the Response
Allah the Exalted did not limit the response to
Prophet Jonah (pbuh). Instead, He generalized it to
include anyone who embraces these four attitudes:
reliance, unification, transcendence, and admission of
wrongdoing. Hence, Allah the Exalted said, And thus
do We save the believers.
In other words, be like Jonah and I will save you
from distress, even if you were inside the belly of the
whale.
The praise of Jonah became a symbol to push away
stress from each believer.
For example, Imam As-Sadiq (pbuh) was quoted
as saying, Four is for four The fourth one is for
the distressed and miserable. Say, There is no deity
except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the
wrongdoers.
163
Contents
Introduction:............................................................................................................. 7
How to find our way to perfection?................................................. 9
How do we find the way?..............................................................11
How do we recognize the true prophets?........................11
Elements of the miracle....................................................................12
The Outcome..............................................................................................15
What is the miracle in our present time?.........................15
How do we establish that the Quran is the miracle of
our present time?................................................................................................19
Eloquence......................................................................................................23
Knowledge...................................................................................................26
Back to start.................................................................................................35
How do we prove that the Quran is an everlasting
165
miracle?........................................................................................................................37
Was the Quran safe from distortion?...........................................49
The meaning of distortion..............................................................49
Evidence in proving the nonexistence of distortion
by imperfection...............................................................................................51
Evidence of the prophetic tradition (Sunnah) in
preserving the Quran..................................................................................53
166
How do we clarify this issue?....................................................56

Why some people claim that the Quran has been
distorted?....................................................................................................................61
How do we address their claim?..............................................61
Implementing methodology on the false stories of
the Quran...............................................................................................................65
Sunnite Stories on Distortion......................................................66
How do we respond?..........................................................................70
The stories of distortion in the Shiite books.................71
Is the Quran sufficient to explain the way to mans
perfection?.................................................................................................................73
The inerrancy of the Prophet (pbuh&hh) regarding

his decisions.......................................................................................................77
What proves that the Prophet is inerrant or protected
from wrongdoings?..........................................................................................83
Can an inerrant person perpetrate a wrongdoing?......91
The coercive inerrancy......................................................................91
Explaining the optional inerrancy..........................................93
The effect of special knowledge on the preludes of
wrongdoing.........................................................................................................95
What is the secret behind Allahs invitation to his Prophet
Muhammad to ask forgiveness for his faults?............................99
General answer...................................................................................... 101
Special answer....................................................................................... 102
Conclusion:............................................................................................................ 106
How do we explain Adams fault?................................................ 113
Satans part in the equation of descent........................... 121
How do we explain the verses that mention Prophet
167
Abraham (pbuh) regarding dogma and behavior?... 125

Abraham and the godhead of the planets..................... 125
Abraham (pbuh) and insecurity............................................. 129
Abraham (pbuh) and the precision of words............. 131
How do we explain the verses that mention Prophet
Moses (pbuh) regarding dogma and behavior?............. 135
Moses (pbuh) manslaughter.................................................... 135
168
Moses (pbuh) request to see Allah the Exalted..... 137

Moses (pbuh) anger with his brother Aaron (pbuh).... 139
Moses (pbuh) protesting against al-Khidr (pbuh).141
Was David (pbuh) mistaken in his judgment?................ 147
Israeli Interpretation......................................................................... 150
What is the secret behind Jonahs (pbuh) anger and
injustice, and Allahs leniency towards him?................... 155
Jonah (pbuh) and his people..................................................... 157
Jonah (pbuh) at the sea.................................................................. 158
Jonah (pbuh) inside the whale................................................ 159

The Divine Response...................................................................... 162
Generalizing the Response......................................................... 163
Contents............................................................................................... 165
169
Other Publications of the Author

1- Haqiqat al-Jafr end Ash-Shia (The truth of al-Jafr
Book with respect to the Shias), Dar As-Safwah
(Publishing House)
2- Haqiqat Mushaf Fatima end Ash-Shia (The truth
of Fatimas Quran with respect to the Shias), Dar
As-Safwah (Publishing House). This book won the
Best Book Prize in 2003 A.D. at the International
Commandment Festival in Iran.
3- Wilayat al-Faqih, Bayn al Badaha wa al-Ekhtilaf
(Supreme Jurist Leadership, amid intuition and
differences), Dar As-Safwah (Publishing House).
This is a Masters thesis that was awarded excellence
coupled with commendation and recommendation
for publishing.
4- Dourous Fee elm Ad-Dirayah (Lessons in cognitive
science), Dar As-Safwah (Publishing House),
approved for use by the religious studies curriculum.
5- Mizan as-Siyar Wa As-Solouk (The Scale of
Biographies and Conduct), Dar As-Siraj Lith-
171
Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture

and Publishing).
6- Kayfa Tajal Waladaka Salihan (How to make
your child righteous?), Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah
Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture and
Publishing).
172
7- Kayfa Tarje Kama Waladatka Ummuk (How to

leap back to the day when your mother gave birth
to you?), Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr
(As-Siraj House for Culture and Publishing).
8- Limaza Noqallid? Kayfa Wa Man? (Why do we
imitate? How and Whom?), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).
Translations to English and French by:
(Noun Center for printing and translation)
8-Why do we imitate? How and whom? English issue.
(Noun Center for printing and translation)
8-Pourquoi imiter? (suivre un concept) Comment? Et
qui? French issue. (Noun Center for printing and
translation)
9- Wa Layal (in) Ashr [And [by] ten nights (Inspirational
Ashura)], Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr

(As-Siraj House for Culture and Publishing).
10- Nidaa Ar-Rahil (Departure invitation (Death and
the Partition [amid both words]), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).
11- Dalil al-Arousayn (The bride and bridegroom
manual, from Engagement to Marriage), Dar AsSiraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House
for Culture and Publishing).
11-The bride and bridegroom manual, from Engagement
to Marriage, English issue.
12-Barqiyyat al-Hussein peace be upon him (Al
Husseins telegram), Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah
Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture and
Publishing)
13- Thalath Houqouq Lihayat Zawjiyyah Najiha (Three
rights made for a successful marital life), Dar AsSiraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House
for Culture and Publishing).
14- Saadat Az-Zawjayn Fee Thalath Kalimat (The
spouses happiness in three words), Dar As-Siraj
Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for
173
Culture and Publishing).

15- Hakaza Takoun Saeedan (Finding Happiness),
Dar As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj
House for Culture and Publishing).
16- Wa Atmamnaha Biashr (And we completed it with
ten others (Inspirational Ashura)), Dar As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (As-Siraj House for Culture
and Publishing).
174
17- Al-Masael al-Musaffat Fee Ahkam At-Tahara Wa

As-Salat (Chosen matters regarding the rules of
purification and prayer).
18- Ahkam An-Nisaa (Women Matters).
19- At-Tableegh Min Wahei At-Tajribah (Information
inspired by experience).
20- Paulo em busca da verdade (Paulo, in search of
the truth), Portuguese issue.
21- ISLAM NO ORACAO A <<Assalat>> (Prayer in
Islam), Portuguese issue.
22- Khoyout Al Qubbaah (Hat linings), Dar As-Safwa
(Publishing House).
23- Hayek Al Qubbaah (Hat weaver), by Imam Sayyid
Abdul Hussein Sharaf Ed-Dean, Dar As-Safwa

(Publishing House).
24- Shahrullah (The month of Allah Decorum
Occasions Commanders), Bayt As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (Lantern House for Culture
and Publishing).
25- Yasalounaka An Allah (They ask you about Allah),
Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa An-Nashr (Lantern
House for Culture and Publishing).
25-1- They ask you about Allah, English issue.
26- Yasalounaka An al-Anbiyaa (They ask you about
the prophets), Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa AnNashr (Lantern House for Culture and Publishing).
27- Yasalounaka An al-A`emmah (They ask you about
the Imams peace be upon them), Bayt As-Siraj LithThaqafah Wa An-Nashr (Lantern House for Culture
and Publishing).
28- Yasalounaka An al-Waley (They ask you about
the guardian), Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wa AnNashr (Lantern House for Culture and Publishing).
29- Kayfa Nabni Mujtamaan Arqa (How do we build
an advanced society).
175
30- Kayfa Natawasal Ma An-Nas (How do we

communicate with the people).
31- Qafilat al-Bashariyah, Min Safinat Nuh Ela Dawlat
al-Mahdi (The caravan of mankind, from the time of
Noahs ark until the time of the state of al-Mahdi
the guided one; may Allah hasten his advent).
You can review all these books and more
at siraj-alqaem website.
176
www.sirajalqaem.com
akrambaraket@sirajalqaem.com

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They Ask You About The Prophets

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They ask you about The Prophets

Book: They ask you about the Prophets

The Author: Sheikh Dr. Akram Barakat

Publisher: Bayt As-Siraj Lith-Thaqafah Wan-Nashr (As-Siraj House for

First Edition: Beirut, 2014 AD - 1435 AH

Special thanks go to translator "Fouad Rustom"