3,454
edits
Prophecies in the Quran: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
| [checked revision] | [checked revision] |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
(7) They know but the outer (things) in the life of this world: but of the End of things they are heedless.}} | (7) They know but the outer (things) in the life of this world: but of the End of things they are heedless.}} | ||
This famous Quranic passage does not mention the Persians (Sasanids), though it was understood in tafsir (commentary) tradition to be a reference to the long-running war between the Byzantines (Romans) and their Sasanian (Persian) imperial rivals. Given the importance of their rivalry, often a topic of prophecy in late antiquity, it is perhaps unsurprising that a prophet would be expected to | This famous Quranic passage does not mention the Persians (Sasanids), though it was understood in tafsir (commentary) tradition to be a reference to the long-running war between the Byzantines (Romans) and their Sasanian (Persian) imperial rivals. Given the importance of their rivalry, often a topic of prophecy in late antiquity, it is perhaps unsurprising that a prophet would be expected to comment on the situation. | ||
In 614 CE, the Sasanids captured Jerusalem from the Byzantine empire, a moment of great dispair for the Christian world and seems to be the defeat mentioned in Q. 30:2. In 622 CE the Byzantines had a significant victory over the Sasanids in Anatolia, modern Turkey. This marked the end of the first stage of the war and is commonly claimed to be the fulfilment of the prophecy. Fighting continued, with the Romans increasingly successful. The end of the war came in 628 CE when the Byzantine emperor Heraclius accepted the surrender of the Sasanids, regained Jerusalem and returned to that holy city the relic of the "true cross" which the Sasanids had taken as spoils of war during their conquest of Jerusalem 14 years earlier (see [[w:Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628|Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628]]). | In 614 CE, the Sasanids captured Jerusalem from the Byzantine empire, a moment of great dispair for the Christian world and seems to be the defeat mentioned in Q. 30:2. In 622 CE the Byzantines had a significant victory over the Sasanids in Anatolia, modern Turkey. This marked the end of the first stage of the war and is commonly claimed to be the fulfilment of the prophecy. Fighting continued, with the Romans increasingly successful. The end of the war came in 628 CE when the Byzantine emperor Heraclius accepted the surrender of the Sasanids, regained Jerusalem and returned to that holy city the relic of the "true cross" which the Sasanids had taken as spoils of war during their conquest of Jerusalem 14 years earlier (see [[w:Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628|Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628]]). | ||
The Arabic word translated "a few" years in verse 4 is ''biḍ'ʿi'', which traditionally and in Arabic dictionaries indicates a range of three to nine (though there is | The Arabic word translated "a few" years in verse 4 is ''biḍ'ʿi'', which traditionally and in Arabic dictionaries indicates a range of three to nine (though there is significant doubt about this definition, discussed below). Three to nine years would fit the eight year gap between the capture of Jerusalem and the Byzantine victory under Heraclius in Anatolia, though critics sometimes point out that this was by no means the end of the war. | ||
That did not come until some years later in 628 CE, fourteen years after Jerusalem was captured in 614 CE; Jerusalem itself was only recovered to great rejoicing in 629 CE under the peace treaty. Rather, Anatolia marked what turned out to be a turning point in Byzantine fortunes. Indeed, the prophecy most likely is an attempt to predict a conclusive victory that ends the war rather than an intermediate battle. As set out below, wars between these two sides were often the topic of prophecies in late antique eschatalogical tradition, in which the final victory of the Romans (Byzantines) over the Persians was seen as an apocalyptic prelude to the end times. | |||
===Apocalyptic prophecies of a final Byzantine victory in late antiquity=== | ===Apocalyptic prophecies of a final Byzantine victory in late antiquity=== | ||
| Line 70: | Line 72: | ||
Given the late antique context set out above, in which any prophecy about the Byzantine-Sasanid wars would be understood to refer to a final triumph of the Byzantines, as an important event in sacred history (perhaps with apocalyptic connotations), it is unlikely that the Quranic prophecy in verses 3-4 was intended as anything less than the ultimate triumph of the Byzantines over the Sasanids. Critics would point out that this would not in fact come until 14 years after the Byzantines lost Jerusalem to the Sasanids and not within the 3-9 years predicted in Surah al-Rum. | Given the late antique context set out above, in which any prophecy about the Byzantine-Sasanid wars would be understood to refer to a final triumph of the Byzantines, as an important event in sacred history (perhaps with apocalyptic connotations), it is unlikely that the Quranic prophecy in verses 3-4 was intended as anything less than the ultimate triumph of the Byzantines over the Sasanids. Critics would point out that this would not in fact come until 14 years after the Byzantines lost Jerusalem to the Sasanids and not within the 3-9 years predicted in Surah al-Rum. | ||
The Byzantine victory in Anatolia in 622 CE is often presented as the fulfillment of the Quranic prophecy within the required timeframe. However, that first major Roman victory marked | The Byzantine victory in Anatolia in 622 CE is often presented as the fulfillment of the Quranic prophecy within the required timeframe. However, that first major Roman victory marked what turned out to be a turning point in the war, after which the Byzantines became increasingly successful, culminating in the Sasanid capitulation to Heraclius which did not come until 628 CE, and the recovery of Jerusalem (lost when the Romans were defeated in the "nearest land") under the peace treaty in 629 CE. | ||
The verb ghalaba which occurs repeatedly in Q. 30:2-3 means "to overcome", "conquer", "become superior"<ref>Ghalaba - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000063.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 2279</ref> and the context of the verse suggests that it forsees a victory that ends the war. | The verb ghalaba which occurs repeatedly in Q. 30:2-3 means "to overcome", "conquer", "become superior"<ref>Ghalaba - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume6/00000063.pdf Lane's Lexicon] page 2279</ref> and the context of the verse suggests that it forsees a victory that ends the war. | ||
| Line 205: | Line 207: | ||
{{Quote|{{Quran|37|62|66}}| | {{Quote|{{Quran|37|62|66}}| | ||
Is Paradise a better accommodation or the tree of zaqqum? Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a tree issuing from the bottom of the Hellfire, Its emerging fruit as if it was heads of the devils. And indeed, they will eat from it and fill with it their bellies. }} | Is Paradise a better accommodation or the tree of zaqqum? Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a tree issuing from the bottom of the Hellfire, Its emerging fruit as if it was heads of the devils. And indeed, they will eat from it and fill with it their bellies.}} | ||
Regarding these verses and others, see the article [[Contradictions in the Quran]]. | |||
==Other prophecies== | |||
===Preservation of the Quran=== | |||
{{Main|Textual History of the Quran}} | |||
{{Quran|15|9}} states "Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur'an and indeed, We will be its guardian." This has been taken as Allah's assurance that the Quran is safe from corruption. The exact interpretation varied and became stricter over time. A common notion today is that the book is preserved from the original, letter for letter, dot for dot. Such notions have faced challenges both due to modern academic work and the Islamic tradition itself. See the main article for detailed information. | |||
===Abu Lahab's fate=== | |||
Surah 111, al-Masad, consists of five verses ({{Quran-range|111|1|5}}) condemning a man it calls Abu Lahab ("Father of the flame") and his wife to hell. According to tradition, Abu Lahab died some years later, still in disbelief. | |||
It is often claimed in apologetics discourse that Abu Lahab could have destroyed the credibility of Muhammad and the Quran by converting or pretending to do so after the surah had been revealed. This notion that the prophecy was falsifiable has faced two main criticisms: Firstly, the surah does not state that Abu Lahab will never believe, but only that he is destined to be plunged into hell when he dies, which is unfalsifiable. If instead it is interpreted as a prophecy about Abu Lahab's continuing non-belief, critics argue it was self-fulfilling the moment it was made. He could not credibly come to believe in a book which prophecises that he will not do so. | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||