The Day that Changed Mankind’s Destiny

Date: 09 March 2021 - 21:51

News ID: ۸۸۴۳۲

By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz

"Those who follow the Messenger-Prophet, the Ummi (not taught by any human), whose mention they find written with them in the Torah and the Evangel, who bids them to do what is right and forbids them from what is wrong, makes lawful to them all the good things and forbids them from all vicious things, and relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that were upon them —those who believe in him, honour him, and help him and follow the light that has been sent down with him, they are the felicitous.” (Holy Qur’an 7:157)
We are on the eve of the threshold of one of the greatest days in the history of mankind. It is the day of the formal entrustment of the universal message of Islam by God Almighty to His Last and Greatest Messenger.
It is the day called "Mab’ath”, which literally means resurgence. It happened on Mount Noor at the Cave of Hera, outside Mecca in pre-dawn hours of the 27th of Rajab, when Archangel Gabriel descended with the first rays of divine revelation to the 40-year old Prophet Muhammad (SAWA):
Here are ayahs 1 to 7 of Surah Alaq, which set in motion the revelation of the entire Qur’an over the next 23 years as the final and most comprehensive heavenly scripture for the guidance and salvation of all human beings:
"Read in the Name of your Lord Who created; Created man from a clinging mass; Read, and your Lord is the most generous; Who taught by the pen; Taught man what he did not know.”
This is how the One and Only Creator of the entire universe formally entrusted the universal mission of monotheism to the Infallible Offspring of Abraham as was foretold by all prophets of the past, while preaching to their nations the creed of peace, virtue, healthy way life and submission to none other than God Almighty, which in Arabic means "Islam”.
Thus, the formal ordainment of the person regarding whom the Lord Most High says "We have not sent you but as Mercy to the (entire) creation” (Holy Qur’an 21:107) occurred in the full limelight of recorded history, unlike the ordainment of the Prophets of the past, such as Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Noah, and the countless others whom Allah had raised in different eras and different parts of the globe, with emphasis on promoting social justice and all humanitarian values that negate idolatry, atheism, oppression, vices and indulgence in all other sins.
For instance, we read the Divine Promise to Prophet Moses in the Book of Deuteronomy of the Old Testament (Chapter 18, Verse 15):
"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren (Ishmaelite Arabs), like unto thee, and will put My Words into his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My Words which he shall speak in My Name.”
Likewise, in the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 18, Verses 7-to-14) we find Prophet Jesus prophesizing to his people:
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. How be it when he, the Spirit of truth (the Comforter), is come, he will guide into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
The prophecies about the advent of Islam are not limited to Abrahamic creeds, but are found in the holy books of other religions as well. In the Dasatir and Zend Avesta of the Zoroastrians, it is written:
"A man will appear from among the Arabs before whose followers crown, throne, kingdom and religion shall be overthrown and arrogant people will be subjugated. Instead of the house of idols and the temple of fire, they will look at the House of worship of Abraham without any idols in it and will make it their focal point of worship (Qibla).”
It is also interesting to note that in the books of the Hindus, such as Kalki Purana and Kalki Avatar, the following passage mentions the Last Prophet:
"His name will be ‘Mahamat’ (Muhammad). People will be astonished to see his style… And he will not worship as the people of his tribe will be worshipping (idols) and he will tell the people that "I have been told by the Almighty, the Only and Only (God) not to indulge in such senseless worship; and I am not turning but to the Lord Most High therefore, you should follow me.”
It is interesting note that these passages, still preserved in the texts of other religions, despite of the tampering by interlopers that these books have gone through over the past millenniums, confirm the truthfulness of Islam and the peerless personality of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), regarding whom God says:
"In the Prophet of Allah, certainly there is for you a good exemplar, for those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah greatly.” (Holy Qur’an 33:21)
Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) was thus the finest example of a perfect man in every sense of the term. He was a paragon of virtue and the most Excellent Exemplar for the human race. The Almighty distinguished him from all others by instilling in his sublime personality such fine qualities as modesty, truthfulness, kindness, patience, loyalty, honesty, courage, bravery, generosity, magnanimity, wisdom and the like. By studying his lofty characteristics and the amazingly simple life that he led with his household, companions, wives and others, we are able to learn valuable lessons from his conduct and accordingly mould our own lifestyle.
Our society could never be an Islamic one unless we sincerely tread the footsteps of Allah’s final Messenger to mankind, heed his sayings, and emulate his practice and behaviour (Sunnah & Seerah), as the faithful among his companions did. This means to desist from whatever he has forbidden, and obey whatever he has bequeathed to us.

The most important point to note is that the event of "Mab’ath” took place in the presence of a witness, who has related it precisely in the most perfect manner in one of his flawlessly eloquent sermons which also inform us of the loud moan of Satan who became dismayed forever about the success of his deceit.
He was none other than the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), who as a 10-year boy used to take food and clothing to his 40-year cousin on Mount Noor during the days of solitude the latter would spend at the Cave of Hera.
The person, whom the Prophet by the express commandment of God, formally proclaimed as Vicegerent on the plain of Ghadeer-Khom on 18th Zilhijja in 10 AH, 23 years after Mab’ath, says in sermon 191 of Nahj al-Balagha:
"When I was only a child he took charge of me… I used to follow him like a young camel following in the footprints of its mother. Every day he would show me some of his high traits and commanded me to follow it. Every year he used to go into seclusion to the Mount of Hera, where I saw him but no one else used to see him... I used to see and watch the effulgence of divine revelation and message, and breathe the scent of Prophethood.
"When the revelation descended on the Prophet of Allah, I heard the moan of Satan. I asked: O Allah’s Prophet, what is this moan? He replied: This is Satan who has lost all hope of being worshipped. O Ali! You see all that I see and you hear all that I hear, except that you are not a Prophet, but you are a Vicegerent.”