2:58 The mysterious Town

YUSUFALI: And remember We said: "Enter this town, and eat of the plenty therein as ye wish; but enter the gate with humility, in posture and in words, and We shall forgive you your faults and increase (the portion of) those who do good."
PICKTHAL: And when We said: Go into this township and eat freely of that which is therein, and enter the gate prostrate, and say: "Repentance." We will forgive you your sins and will increase (reward) for the right-doers.
SHAKIR: And when We said: Enter this city, then eat from it a plenteous (food) wherever you wish, and enter the gate making obeisance, and say, forgiveness. We will forgive you your wrongs and give more to those who do good (to others).

The questions that rise:
1.Which town is it?
2.Why God forgive those who enter the town?
3.Where is this story in the bible?

Jerusalem

In Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali translation we find one interpretation:
And (remember) when We said: "Enter this town (Jerusalem) and eat bountifully therein with pleasure and delight wherever you wish, and enter the gate in prostration (or bowing with humility) and say: 'Forgive us,' and We shall forgive you your sins and shall increase (reward) for the good-doers."

There's no explain upon what the translator knew that this town was Jerusalem but it make sense,cause Jerusalem is a holly place so the combination of holly place and humility will give forgiveness.

So the 2 questions above have answers,but the third,where is such story in bible?

There's another difficult:
One Verse before was the story of the Manna:
And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you Manna and quails, saying: "Eat of the good things We have provided for you:" (But they rebelled); to us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls. (2:57)

Two verse after there's the story of water from the rock:
And remember Moses prayed for water for his people; We said: "Strike the rock with thy staff." Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs. Each group knew its own place for water. So eat and drink of the sustenance provided by Allah, and do no evil nor mischief on the (face of the) earth. (2:60)

So The story with the manna was in the desert and the story of water from the rock was in the desert so where Jerusalem fitting in?

Shittim

Yusuf Ali's Commentary:
This probably refers to Shittim. It was the "town of acacias," just east of the Jordan, where the Israelites were guilty of debauchery and the worship of and sacrifice to false gods a terrible punishment ensued, including the plague of which 24,000 died. The word which the transgressors changed may have been a pass-word. In the Arabic text it is "Hittatun" which implies humility and a prayer of forgiveness, a fitting emblem to distinguish them from their enemies. From this particular incident a more general lesson may be drawn; in the hour of triumph we are to behave humbly as in God's sight, and our conduct should be exemplary according to God's word; otherwise our arrogance will draw its own punishment.

Is this explain what is so important to enter the town?shittim wasn't a holly place!
This interpretation try to answer where this story is in the bible,but is there a connection between the story in Quran to the story of shittim in bible?

The shittim story is in Numbers:
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto the Baal of Peor; and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel...And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand. (25:1-9)

So there's no room to try to match between those 2 stories.

So we didn't found any story in bible that fitt to those verse and it very odd cause Muhammad speak to the jews and say remember ,how can someone remember somthing he never knew?

2:55 What did Israel say to Moses in mount sinai

YUSUFALI: And remember ye said: "O Moses! We shall never believe in thee until we see Allah manifestly," but ye were dazed with thunder and lighting even as ye looked on.
PICKTHAL: And when ye said: O Moses! We will not believe in thee till we see Allah plainly; and even while ye gazed the lightning seized you.
SHAKIR: And when you said: O Musa! we will not believe in you until we see Allah manifestly, so the punishment overtook you while you looked on.

This in contray to what is written in Bible:

And all the people perceived the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the voice of the horn, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses: 'Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.' (Exodus 20:14-15)

2:47 - Israel,The chosen Nation

YUSUFALI: Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favour which I bestowed upon you, and that I preferred you to all other (for My Message).
PICKTHAL: O Children of Israel! Remember My favour wherewith I favoured you and how I preferred you to (all) creatures.
SHAKIR: O children of Israel! call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and that I made you excel the nations.

This verse talk about the unique status of Israel.Reading the verse it sound like Muhammad agree with the Biblical verses about the chosen nation:

For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be His own treasure, out of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth.
The LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people--for ye were the fewest of all peoples-- but because the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

If we compare the translations we see that YUSUFALI added interpretation-I preferred you to all other (for My Message). So it would sound that Israel aren't special nation,just God decided to start with them...

Muhammad in Jewish Scriptures ?!

Dr Zakir Naik,a famus muslim scolar in India, tell to his students that Muhammad is mentioned in the Jewish scripts.
The source is here:
http://www.irf.net/irf/comparativereligion/middle/judaism/1.htm#link

At the first time i heard about this concept,i laught...well i know the jewish scripts and never bumped into Muhammad...

The base to this theory is this verse:
I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)

If you ask evry little Jewish boy,he would say that the meaning of this verse is that there will be prophets from the Jewish people,so how could Dr Naik say that this verse talk about Muhammad?

This is Dr Naik explaination:
Muhammad (pbuh) is from among the brethren of Moses (pbuh). Arabs are brethren of Jews. Abraham (pbuh) had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac. The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail (pbuh) and the Jews are the descendants of Isaac (pbuh).

There's a verse ,few verses before,that say:
A prophet will the LORD thy God raise up unto thee, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; (Deuteronomy 18:15)

So lets do a little exercise in reading comprehension :
Moses speak in front of the Jewish people and say to them that God will raise a prophet from the midst of them.
So is there any other way to understand it that this prophet will be from the Jewish people?!

I Can understand why Dr Naik brought the 18:18 Verse and not the 18:15-
In 18:15 Moses speak to the Jews,so there no room to say he ment to Ishmailies.
In 18:18 God Speak to Moses,So one without sharp eye won't notic...

The meaning of the word Brother

But lets go back to 18:18...
Can the word brethren can tolarate the interpataion that it means Ishmailies and not Jews?

When Moses speak about the relationship between Jews,he say brethren
There's a lot examples ,i will bring few:

1.And ye may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession: of them may ye take your bondmen for ever; but over your brethren the children of Israel ye shall not rule, one over another, with rigour. (Leviticus 25:46)

2.thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not put a foreigner over thee, who is not thy brother.(Deuteronomy 17:15)

3.The priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and His inheritance. And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He hath spoken unto them.(Deuteronomy 18:1-2)

4.And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben: 'Shall your brethren go to the war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore will ye turn away the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? (Numbers 32:6-7)

Do Jews and arabs are really brothers?

Another little thing Dr Naik didn't mentiond:
Abraham had two sons: Ishmail and Isaac.
Isaac had two sons : Jacob and Esau.
So if the Arabs are the descendants of Ishmail and The Jews are the descendants of Jacob
that make them cousins not brothers...

Does Muhammad is like Moses?

Here Dr Naik give a very sharp observation:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is like Moses (pbuh):
i) Both had a father and a mother.
ii) Both were married and had children.
iii) Both were accepted as Prophets by their people in their lifetime.
iv) Both besides being Prophets were also kings i.e. they could inflict capital punishment.
v) Both brought new laws and new regulations for their people.
vi) Both died a natural death.

So insdet of understand the prophet like moses In the immediate way -like moses,A Jew like moses,Dr Naik interpret it -like moses,Same biography.

So does Muhammad has the same biography as moses?
i)Moses was Jew,Muhammad wasn't
ii)Moses was raised as a prince,Muhammad was a trader

and above all:
iii)Muhammad was illiterate,Moses wasn't - And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Write this for a memorial in the book...' (Exodus 17:14)

and it will be easy to find more gap between Moses to Muhammad

Words in his Mouth

Another claim by Dr Naik is :

d) Words in the mouth:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was unlettered and whatever revelations he received from God Almighty he repeated it verbatim.
Deuteronomy (18:18):
"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

We can find this kind of term about Prophet Jeremiah:

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I: 'Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.' But the LORD said unto me: say not: I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth; and the LORD said unto me: Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth; (Jeremiah 1:4-9)

So we can find the exact terms of Deuteronomy (18:18) fulfilled in Jeremiah!

But for Muhammad we can see different term:

Say: Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel-for he brings down the (revelation) to thy heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings for those who believe,- (2:97)

So who is more like "Words in his Mouth" ,Muhammad or Jeremiah ?

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomon ?!

well that is the Joke of the year!
Dr Naik is trying to prove that Muhammad Name is in bible so he bring this verse,In Hebrew:
Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehrace Bayna Jerusalem. (Song of Songs 5:16)

What is Muhammadim - It's a word for candy...the im in the end of the word is for plural so it's candys...
Beside Hebrew and Arabic are cousin languages so finding word in bible that is similar to Arabic Name isn't surprising...
My Name is also in Bible:
And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon. (1 Kings 9:28)

So does that mean this blog was prophesy?

Confirm The jewish scripts 2:41 - Part 2

I published my previous post in orkut.com and got a lot a responses,so i want to summarize the whole debate.
And believe in that which I reveal, confirming that which ye possess already (of the Scripture), and be not first to disbelieve therein, and part not with My revelations for a trifling price, and keep your duty unto Me. (2:41,translation by PICKTHAL)

Muhammad try to convince the Jews to accept him as a prophet,he wanted to assure them he's not deny their scripts,on the contrary,he confirms & validates the authentication of their scripts and he's the successor of the Jewish prophets.

Muslims,today believe that The Jewish/Christian Scripts are Corrupted so the try to explain that Muhammad didn't confirm the scripts Just confirm the Relevation to the prophets,assisted with the translation of YUSUFALI
And believe in what I reveal, confirming the revelation which is with you, and be not the first to
But still there's another translation that support the PICKTHAL translation:
And believe in what I have revealed, verifying that which is with you, and be not the first to deny it, neither take a mean price in exchange for My communications; and Me, Me alone should you fear.

To support the their explain,they brought this verse to show that Muhammad only confirm the Relevation:
Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)." (3:84 By YUSUFALI)

But the difference between are:
2:41 Muhammad talk to the Jews
3:84 Muhammad talk to his believers Hence the differences...

But there still no proof that Muhammad thought that the Jewish scripts are corrupted,so Another verse brought:
And there are among them illiterates, who know not the Book, but (see therein their own) desires, and they do nothing but conjecture. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from Allah," to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby. (2:78-79 by YUSUFALI)

So Muslims say this verse talk about Jews and it say who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:"This is from Allah,"

So what does the verse say?Does it talk about Jews?It doesn't say ,but if so there differences between the 2 verses:
2:41 Muhammad talk to The Jewish community,as a public
2:78 Muhammad talk about individuals that deceive in order to sell scripts,but this verse doesn't talk about The scripts the Jewish community has.

So there's no evidence that Muhammad say that the Jewish scripts are corrupted,on the contra,Muhammad confirm the Jewish scripts!

So why Muslims don't accept this?
There's a lot contradictions between The Jewish/Christians Scripts and The Quran and there 2 ways to explain that:
1.Muhammad didn't knew the bible well.
2.Where there's a contradiction between Bible and Quran it's because Muhammad came to correct the corruption in The Jewish scripts

So if the Muslims accept 2:41 that Muhammad confirms the Jewish Scripts How can explain the contradiction between them?

Confirm The jewish scripts 2:41

O Children of Israel, remember My favor, which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your part of the covenant, that I fulfill My part of the covenant, and reverence Me.
You shall believe in what I have revealed herein, confirming what you have; do not be the first to reject it. Do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price, and observe Me. (2:40-41)

Muhammad want to convince the jews to join his religion.His strategy to show the jews he's not founding a new religion but he is the successor of the jewish prophets.

In this verse Muhammad accept the Jewish scripts-confirming what you have

So does it mean Muhammad confirm the Jewish script,that jews possess nowadays ?

Sura Al-Baqara is a Madinan sura which were revealed at Madina about the year 622 .

How can we know if the jewish scripts today are the scripts were in Muhammad time?

Today jewish and christians have the same verse of the Jewish scripts,Jewish call them-Tanach(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanach) , christians call them - The old Testement(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testement).

The Church in year 364 had the The Council of Laodicea,produced a list of books of the Old Testament that accepted as canon.(http://reluctant-messenger.com/council-of-laodicea.htm).

Another council was the Council of Rome in 382 gave us the complete list of the books of the Old Testament(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Rome).

Since 380 the jews and christians have the same books of the jewish scripts.

If Muhammad confirmed the jewish scripts in 622,So unless the jews and christians had a plot altogether to change the jewish scripts,the jewish scripts nowadays are the same scripts Muhammad confirmed!