Spirit of Islam December 2017

43 Spirit of Islam Issue 60 December 2017 ASK MAULANA Your Questions Answered How were Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Abraham interrelated? Prophet Abraham was born in Ninevah (Iraq). His sons, Prophet Ismail (Ishmael) and Prophet Ishaaq (Isaac) were ancestors to two streams of Prophets. Prophet Ishaaq was the forefather of the line starting from Prophet Jacob till Prophet Jesus. Prophet Muhammad belonged to the Quraysh tribe, which traced its origin to Prophet Ismail. The years of gap between the age of Abraham and the age of Prophet Muhammad is over two thousand. But all the prophets from Ismail and Ishaaq to Muhammad (including Jesus and Moses) share a common lineage going back to Prophet Abraham. This is why Judaism, Christianity and Islam are called Abrahamic religions. Except Prophet Muhammad, which were the other prophets who took political positions? In the modern sense of ‘politics’, Prophet Muhammad did not occupy any political position. He was only the chief of a tribal system. It was Prophet Dawud (David) and Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) who held positions of heads of state during their prophethood. Even in the case of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), he was only in charge of the food and agricultural ‘ministry’ whereas the Hyksos king prevailed upon the law. It is clearly outlined in the Quran and Torah that Prophet Yusuf did not have the system of law under him: He could not have detained his brother under the King’s law (12: 76) Why do Muslims only respect Prophet Muhammad? A believing Muslim is bound to respect all Prophets. He cannot differentiate between the messengers of God. God has sent a prophet or messenger to every group and community of people in this world. All the messengers of God enjoy an equal status. In the chapter entitled Al-Baqarah (The Heifer), the Quran says: "We do not differentiate between any of His messengers. We hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, Lord, to You we shall all return!” (2: 285) The Prophet is recorded to have said, “Do not give me superiority over other Prophets." (Sahih al Bukhari) This Quranic verse and the Hadith relates directly to the messengers or