[Al-Quran 50:6-8] Have they not looked at the heaven above them - how We structured it and adorned it and how it has no rifts? And the earth - We spread it out and cast therein firmly set mountains and made grow therein [something] of every beautiful kind, Giving insight and a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah].

Showing posts with label masjid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label masjid. Show all posts

Thursday, May 27, 2021

The Destruction of The Masjid of Solomon


وَآتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلْنَاهُ هُدًى لِّبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَلَّا تَتَّخِذُوا مِن دُونِي وَكِيلًا

And We gave Musa the Book, and made it a guidance for the Children (of) Israel, "That not you take from other than Me (as) a Disposer of affairs."

ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا

Offsprings (of one) who We carried with Nuh. Indeed, he was a servant grateful.

[Al-Quran 17:2-3, Translation]

The Bani Israel have a long history on the world stage. They are the custodians of the Torah, which was revealed as a guidance. They were, and are, under a ratified covenant to enforce its teachings upon themselves, and to rule by it, and to make it known to all people. While they ruled according to The Torah, Allah granted them prophethood and kingdom. However, they were also warned of at least two certain destructions. Both of those have happened. They have also been warned to not to repeat their sins which were the just cause of their destruction, else they will again be dealt with as before! 



The Destructions of Jerusalem: Past & Future 

The First Destruction 

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرًا

فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ ۚ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولًا

And We decreed for (the) Children (of) Israel in the Book, "Surely you will cause corrupt in the earth twice, and surely you will reach, haughtiness great."
So when came (the) promise (for) the first of the two, We raised against you servants of Ours Possessor those of military might great and they entered the inner most part (of) the homes, and (it) was a promise fulfilled.
[Al-Quran 17:4-5, Translation]

Archaeological Evidence: 

The Earth’s magnetic field in Jerusalem during the Babylonian destruction: A unique reference for field behavior and an anchor for archaeomagnetic dating Published: August 7, 2020. 

Quoting from the abstract of the paper:  

Here we present an accurately dated reconstruction of the intensity and direction of the field in Jerusalem in August, 586 BCE, the date of the city’s destruction by fire by the Babylonian army, which marks the end of the Iron Age in the Levant. We analyzed 54 floor segments, of unprecedented construction quality, unearthed within a large monumental structure that had served as an elite or public building and collapsed during the conflagration. From the reconstructed paleomagnetic directions, we conclude that the tilted floor segments had originally been part of the floor of the second story of the building and cooled after they had collapsed. This firmly connects the time of the magnetic acquisition to the date of the destruction. The relatively high field intensity, corresponding to virtual axial dipole moment (VADM) of 148.9 ± 3.9 ZAm2, accompanied by a geocentric axial dipole (GAD) inclination and a positive declination of 8.3°, suggests instability of the field during the 6th century BCE and redefines the duration of the Levantine Iron Age Anomaly. 

 


The Second Destruction 

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا

إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا

Then We gave back to you the return victory over them. And We reinforced you with the wealth and sons and made you more numerous.
 If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, then it is for it. So when came promise the last, to sadden your faces and to enter the Masjid just as they (had) entered it first time, and to destroy what they had conquered (with) destruction.

[Al-Quran 17:6-7, Translation]

Evidence Of Roman Violence Hiding Underneath Jerusalem | Blowing-Up History: Seven Wonders 

Posted May 11, 2021 on Discovery UK YouTube channel, video length 9:30  



The Warning 

عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا ۘ وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرًا

إِنَّ هَـٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا

وَأَنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ أَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا

"(It) may be your Lord that (may) have mercy upon you. But if you return, We will return. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed."
Indeed, this, the Quran, guides to that which (is) most straight and gives glad tidings to the believers - those who do the righteous deeds, that for them (is) a reward great,
And that those who (do) not believe in the Hereafter, We have prepared for them a punishment painful

[Al-Quran 17:8-10, Translation]

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وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ ۖ فَاسْأَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا

قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنزَلَ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا

فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ جَمِيعًا

وَقُلْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اسْكُنُوا الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا

وَبِالْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَاهُ وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلَ ۗ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

And certainly We had given Musa nine Signs clear, so ask (the) Children (of) Israel when he came to them, then said to him Firaun, "Indeed, I [I] think you - O Musa! (you are) bewitched."
He said, "Verily, you have known none has sent down these except (the) Lord (of) the heavens and the earth (as) evidence, and indeed, I [I] surely think you O Firaun! (you are) destroyed."
So he intended to drive them out from the land, but We drowned him and who (were) with him all.
And We said from after him to the Children (of) Israel, "Dwell (in) the land, then when comes (the) promise (of) the Hereafter, We will bring you (as) a mixed crowd."
And with the truth We sent it down, and with the truth it descended. And not We sent you except (as) a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.
[Al-Quran 17:101-105, Translation]


  1. Pharaoh was convinced that the nine clear Signs were from Allah, yet he denied. 
  2. Pharaoh tried to remove the Bani Israel, and Allah removed him instead. 
  3. After Moses' death, eventually the Bani Israel were given the land to dwell in it. 
  4. It was written that they will cause corruption twice and will be punished twice. 
  5. Both warnings came true, and the Israelis are themselves digging up the evidence.  
  6. They have been warned that if they return/repeat, they will be dealt with similarly. Note concordance for  عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا ۘ : https://corpus.quran.com/qurandictionary.jsp?q=Ewd#(17:8:6)
  7. The present State of Israel is comprised of a mixed crowd of Jewish people from all over the world. 
  8. They have become a technologically advanced state, with great military power. 
  9. They have been occupying land and removing the local people from their homes. 
  10. Their haughtiness and occupation is being noticed and decried all over the world.  

...

Excavation reports online:  

Maze of tunnels reveals remains of ancient Jerusalem National Geographic, November 14, 2019 

FILMING MYSTERIOUS TUNNELS BENEATH THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM 

Underground Jerusalem: An Interactive Journey Haaretz, 05.24.2016 




Related Posts in this blog:

The Case against the Bani Israel 

The Quran, the Pharaoh, Exodus and the Promised Day 

The Covenant & Its Ratification 

Seventy Men & The Torah in Seventy Languages 

Iron Age 

The Language of The Birds 

The Serpent & The Snake: a Clear Sign 

The Prophesy 

Jesus (عليه السلام) – Ascension & Return 

Days of Allah  


Last updated on: June 16, 2021

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Gog Magog & The City that will Return

Is the Babylon of The Book of Revelation being rebuilt?! 


21:1  اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُون

21:1  There hath approached unto mankind their reckoning, while they in neglect are turning away

...

21:95  وَحَرَامٌ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُون

21:96  حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُون

21:97  وَاقْتَرَبَ الْوَعْدُ الْحَقُّ فَإِذَا هِيَ شَاخِصَةٌ أَبْصَارُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا قَدْ كُنَّا فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِّنْ هَٰذَا بَلْ كُنَّا ظَالِمِين

21:98  إِنَّكُمْ وَمَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ حَصَبُ جَهَنَّمَ أَنتُمْ لَهَا وَارِدُون

21:99  لَوْ كَانَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ آلِهَةً مَّا وَرَدُوهَا وَكُلٌّ فِيهَا خَالِدُون

21:95  And a ban is laid on every town which We have destroyed, that they Shall not return

21:96  Until when Ya'juj and Ma'juj are let out, and from every mound they are trickling down

21:97  And there shall approach the true promise; and lo! the eyes of those who disbelieved shall be staring: woe unto us! surely we have been in neglect thereof; aye! we have been the wrong-doers

21:98  Verily ye and whatsoever ye worship beside Allah shall be firewood for Hell: thereunto ye shall go down

21:99  Had these been gods, they would not have gone down thereunto; and all of them therein shall be abiders

[Al-Quran 21:1,...,95-99, Translation: Daryabadi]

Few other translations of Q21:95

21:95  وَحَرَامٌ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَاهَا أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُون

[Dr S Shaikh, Katri and more] And (there is) prohibition upon a city which We have destroyed, that they not will return.

[Yusuf Ali] But there is a ban on any population which We have destroyed: that they shall not return

[Dr Laleh Bakhtiar] And there is a ban on the town that We caused to perish. They will not return 

[Muhammad Shafi] And an injunction against any village/town that We have destroyed: they shall not return

The reason there is a difference in the translations is because the word قَرْيَةٍ is a singular common noun. The next ayat (Q21:96) goes on to mention the condition: 

21:96  حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُم مِّن كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنسِلُون

21:96  Until when Ya'juj and Ma'juj are let out, and from every mound they are trickling down

We know from Surah al-Kahf that Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj), who were causing corruption, were contained behind a metal barrier by the legendary Dhu al Qarnayn. They are probably living in some cave system in some mountainous terrain. The Quran also foretells their release, and informs us that a town will return (become re-inhabited) when they are released. Among the places we read about in The Quran, one of them mentioned by name is Babylon. The world has a lot of detail about the Kingdoms of Babylon, how it flourished, how it ruled the world. Its various rulers, their beliefs and the power bestowed upon them, and when and how it was taken away. The Quran mentions Babylon in the context of the angels, the devils, and the magic being taught and learnt there: 

2:97  قُلْ مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّجِبْرِيلَ فَإِنَّهُ نَزَّلَهُ عَلَىٰ قَلْبِكَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَهُدًى وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُؤْمِنِين

2:98  مَن كَانَ عَدُوًّا لِّلَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَجِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَدُوٌّ لِّلْكَافِرِين

2:99  وَلَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ وَمَا يَكْفُرُ بِهَا إِلَّا الْفَاسِقُون

2:100  أَوَكُلَّمَا عَاهَدُوا عَهْدًا نَّبَذَهُ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُم بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُون

2:101  وَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُون

2:102  وَاتَّبَعُوا مَا تَتْلُو الشَّيَاطِينُ عَلَىٰ مُلْكِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَلَٰكِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَفَرُوا يُعَلِّمُونَ النَّاسَ السِّحْرَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى الْمَلَكَيْنِ بِبَابِلَ هَارُوتَ وَمَارُوتَ وَمَا يُعَلِّمَانِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ يَقُولَا إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَا تَكْفُرْ فَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمَا مَا يُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَزَوْجِهِ وَمَا هُم بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَيَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمُوا لَمَنِ اشْتَرَاهُ مَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ وَلَبِئْسَ مَا شَرَوْا بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُون

2:103  وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُون

2:97  Say thou: whosoever is an enemy unto Jibril, ----then verily he it is Who hath brought down this Revelation, by Allah's command, to thine heart, confirming that which went before, and a guidance and glad tidings unto the believers

2:98  Whosoever is an enemy unto Allah and His angels and His apostles and Jibril and Mikail, then verily Allah is an enemy unto the infidels

2:99  And assuredly We have sent down Unto thee evident signs,and none shall disbelieve therein save the transgressors

2:100  Is it that whenever they enter into a covenant some party among them cast it aside? Aye! most of them even believe not

2:101  And whenever there came unto them an apostle from Allah confessing to that which was with them, a Party among those who were vouchsafed the Book, cast Allah's Book behind their backs as though they knew not

2:102  And they follow that which the Satans recited in the reign of Sulaiman; and Sulaiman blasphemed not, but the Satans blasphemed.; teaching people magic; and they follow that also which was sent down unto the two angels in Babil, Harut, and Marut. Unto none the twain taught it until they had said: We are but a temptation, so blaspheme not; but they learned from the twain that wherewith they might separate man from his wife; and they could harm none thereby save by Allah's will. And they have learnt that which harmeth them, and profiteth them not; and assuredly they know that whosoever purchaseth it, his is no portion in the Hereafter. And surely vile is the price for which they have bartered themselves, if they but knew

2:103  And had they believed and feared, surely better had been the reward from before Allah, if they but knew

Babylon lies in ruins today. Is it the city mentioned in Surah al-Anbiya which will return? 

The Christian Bible mentions terrible end times, and names Babylon as the city of vice. As quoted above, The Quran mentions Babylon during the time of the righteous Solomon, and the evil magic taught and practiced there. Jewish Books record the besieging and capture of Jerusalem and Judah by the King of Babylon. The Quran mentions the destruction of their homes and their masjid (The Temple of Solomon) when they were causing corruption on Earth: 

17:4  وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرً

17:5  فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ أُولَاهُمَا بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ فَجَاسُوا خِلَالَ الدِّيَارِ وَكَانَ وَعْدًا مَّفْعُولً

17:6  ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَا لَكُمُ الْكَرَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَمْدَدْنَاكُم بِأَمْوَالٍ وَبَنِينَ وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرً

17:7  إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرً

17:8  عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرً

17:9  إِنَّ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرً


17:4  And We decreed unto the Children of Isra'il in the Book; ye will surely cause corruption in the land twice, l and ye will surely rise to a great height
17:5  Then when the promise for the first of the two came, We raised against you bondmen of Ours endued with exceeding violence, so they entered the dwellings; and it was a promise fulfilled
17:6  Thereafter We gave you a return of victory over them, and We supported you with riches and children, and We made you a numerous concourse
17:7  If ye will do well ye will do well for yourselves, and if ye will do evil it will be against the same. Then when the promise of the second came, We raised up a people that they may disgrace your faces and may enter the Mosque even as they entered it the first time, and that they may destroy with utter destruction whatsoever may fall under their power
17:8  Belike your Lord may yet have mercy on you; and if ye still revert, We will revert. And We have appointed Hell for the infidels a prison
17:9  Verily this Qur'an guideth unto that path which its sraightest and beareth glad tidings to the believers who work righteous deeds that for them shall be a hire great
[Al-Quran 17:4-9, Translation: Daryabadi

Though Jerusalem has been plundered twice, it has continued to remain a populated area. The mosqueالْمَسْجِدَ || Temple of Solomon), however, was destroyed and no longer exists. Now,  Jerusalem is being repopulated with its original people (Bani Israel), as per Q17:104. As the State of Israel has already been established in 1948, it follows that the promise has come to pass, and we are in the last times.  

The first containment of the corruption of the Bani Israel was by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar who captured Jerusalem and Judah. He took many slaves. Among them was the Prophet Daniel by whose name The Book of Daniel is known. This book is included in both the Jewish and Christian canon. It chronicles the faith(s), dream(s), loss of, and return to, power of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3 and 4. In Daniel 5, Nebuchadnezzar's son King Belshazzar blasphemes and the kingdom is taken away: 

17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the writing for the king and tell him what it means. 18 “Your Majesty, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. 19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled. 20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes. 22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. 25 “This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN 26 “Here is what these words mean: Mene : God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel : You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. 28 Peres : Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 29 Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. 30 That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, 31 and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.

Babylon changed hands, and eventually ceased to exist. Babylon still lies in ruins. It has not been populated for centuries. Saddam Hussain tried to rebuild it. He also razed the village near it to build his palace. His palace is also in ruin. The invading army "Coalition of the Willing" inflicted further damage to the ruins. Now, UNESCO and World Monuments Fund, along with Iraqi authorities, are making efforts to restore and preserve what was erased. Is Babylon being rebuilt? 2020!   

Babil, Iraq 2005

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A Prayer in Surah al-Mominoon

23:93  قُل رَّبِّ إِمَّا تُرِيَنِّي مَا يُوعَدُون

23:94  رَبِّ فَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي فِي الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِين

23:95  وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ أَن نُّرِيَكَ مَا نَعِدُهُمْ لَقَادِرُون

23:96  ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ نَحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَصِفُون

23:97  وَقُل رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِين

23:98  وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُون

23:93  Say: My Lord! If Thou wilt cause me to see what they are promised,
23:94  then, assign me not, my Lord, to the folk, the ones who are unjust.
23:95  And, truly, We cause thee to see what We promise them as certainly ones who have power.
23:96  Drive thou back evil deeds with what is fairer. We are greater in knowledge of what they allege.
23:97  And say: My Lord! I take refuge with Thee from the evil suggestions of the satans.
23:98  And my Lord, I take refuge with Thee so that they not attend me.



Excerpt from Dhu al Qarnayn visited the Polar Regions? 

 ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا  
    حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَّا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا  
   قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰ أَن تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا  
    قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا  
   آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انفُخُوا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا  
  فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا  
   قَالَ هَـٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ ۖ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا
وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ ۖ وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا   

[Al-Qur’an 18:92-99] [link27] [92] Then followed he (another) way, [93] Until, when he reached (a tract) between two mountains, he found, beneath them, a people who scarcely understood a word. [94] They said: "O Zul-qarnain! the Gog and Magog (People) do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them? [95] He said: "(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than tribute): Help me therefore with strength (and labour): I will erect a strong barrier between you and them:  [96] "Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." [link28] [97] Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it. [98] He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it into dust; and the promise of my Lord is true." [99] On that day We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another: the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together.

The third place Dhu al Qarnayn arrives at is distinguished by the facts that it is between two mountains or barriersthe people did not have understanding or knowledge, they were suffering due to Gog and Magog, who did great mischief on Earthiron was used and another element was poured over it, the opening was sealed, thereby making them powerless to scale or dig through it.

Space between two barriers?
The word used is ‘alssaddayni’ [root: s-d-d] meaning two barriers. Since the word j-b-l has been used elsewhere in the Qur’an when speaking of mountains, and s-d-d has been used for barrier, hence it is reasonable to assume that here also two barriers are being referred to, and not two mountains.

Who scarcely understood a word? 
‘yafqahoona’ root f-q-h: to possess fiqh means to possess understanding, and knowledge, and intelligence, and especially knowledge of the law. [29] ‘la yakadoona yafqahoona qawlan’ or ‘who scarcely understood a word’ implies, I suppose, that these people were primitive in the sense that they were not organized in terms of religion or society, or were lawless/unable to follow the law/suffering lawlessness (due to terrorism?). The former follows from the fact that these people are in isolation between two barriers, while the latter follows from the fact that, in the subsequent verses, they converse with Dhu al Qarnayn, tell him about the mischief being created by Gog and Magog, request a barrier from them, and also offer tribute for the building of such a barrier. Furthermore, they were also able to bring (mine?) iron and lead or copper alloy, as well as provide the labour.  

Barriers against whom?
Barriers are meant to prevent something or someone from crossing over, i.e. entering or leaving, as the case may be. Dhu al Qarnayn was able to reach this place, thus these barriers did not keep him out. Perhaps, and this is pure speculation, these barriers were not meant to keep out the people on Earth, but rather were meant to seal a ‘portal’ to keep out ‘aliens’ from the sky or below Earth from reaching the Earth’s surface?

Filled between the ‘l-ṣadafayni’?
‘l-ṣadafayni’ is the dual form of the noun with root s-d-f, meaning mother of pearl as well as two tall structures meeting together or facing each other. [30] I assume then that this was a portal or a breached barrier that needed to be sealed.

Iron covered with molten Copper alloy or Lead? Powerless to scale or dig through it?
Sheets or blocks of Iron were placed to construct/repair the barrier. Then, it was coated with another material, probably to reinforce it and prevent rusting, thus giving it a smooth finish and making it impenetrable.

The word used for this coating material is ‘qitra’, which has been variously translated as Copper[31], Brass[32] and Lead. [33]  The same word has been used for the spring of molten liquid that was made available to Solomon. [34] (Interestingly, Iron was made pliable for his father, David. [35]) 

Gog and Magog, who did Great Mischief on Earth?
There is mention of and references to these in ancient scriptures and related works. [36] Some have identified them with a particular place/race, while others do not identify them with a particular place or race on Earth. Notable among them is the Hindu mythology, according to which they are hidden from human realm and are probably subterranean. [37] [38]

Legends and adventure stories[39] also abound about the inner Earth, of creatures/people dwelling within the Earth. Though modern science refutes ideas about a hollow earth, if there is any figment of truth to any of these accounts, then it is a wonder why we humans have not been able to dig through or find a way to their subterranean civilization, or why they haven’t been able to reach up to the Earth’s surface, unless there exists a natural barrier with only one opening, which was sealed by Dhu al Qarnayn.

Until the Promise comes to Pass?
In the Quran, this expected event is mentioned twice: in Chapter 18 (as quoted above), and in Chapter 21, Verse 96, ‘Until when [the dam of] Gog and Magog has been opened and they, from every elevation, descend,’ [40]

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Excerpt from The Case against the Bani Israel

Gathered Together 
Towards the end of the surah, the proofs that were being demanded from Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding his ascension are quoted. The surah includes the following remarks about the Bani Israel among its last few ayaat: 

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ تِسْعَ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ فَاسْأَلْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ فِرْعَوْنُ إِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ مَسْحُورًا
قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنزَلَ هَٰؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَا فِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا
فَأَرَادَ أَن يَسْتَفِزَّهُم مِّنَ الْأَرْضِ فَأَغْرَقْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ جَمِيعًا
وَقُلْنَا مِن بَعْدِهِ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اسْكُنُوا الْأَرْضَ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ جِئْنَا بِكُمْ لَفِيفًا
وَبِالْحَقِّ أَنزَلْنَاهُ وَبِالْحَقِّ نَزَلَ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا

And verily We gave unto Moses nine tokens, clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty). Do but ask the Children of Israel how he came unto them, then Pharaoh said unto him: Lo! I deem thee one bewitched, O Moses.
He said: In truth thou knowest that none sent down these (portents) save the Lord of the heavens and the earth as proofs, and lo! (for my part) I deem thee lost, O Pharaoh.
And he wished to scare them from the land, but We drowned him and those with him, all together.
And We said unto the Children of Israel after him: Dwell in the land; but when the promise of the Hereafter cometh to pass We shall bring you as a crowd gathered out of various nations.
With truth have We sent it down, and with truth hath it descended. And We have sent thee as naught else save a bearer of good tidings and a warner. 
[Al-Quran 17:101-105, Translation: M. M. Pickthal] 

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Excerpt from The Oaths in Surah alFajr 

The Dawn  

وَالْفَجْرِ
  
By the dawn,
[Al-Quran 89:1]


إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ

Indeed, We revealed it in a Night Blessed flourishing. Indeed, We [We] are (ever) warning.
[Al-Quran 44:3; Translation edited for clarity in italics]


سَلَامٌ هِيَ حَتَّىٰ مَطْلَعِ الْفَجْرِ

Peace it (is) until (the) emergence (of) the dawn.
[Al-Quran 97:5

Fajr is the time before sunrise, when the darkness of the night begins to dissipate. Surah al-Qadr,  informs us that The Quran was sent in the night of al-Qadr. Its last ayat (97:5) informs us that there is peace until dawn (الْفَجْرِ) . The root ف ج ر occurs 24 times in The Quran in words translated as: gush forth, wicked, wickedness, abundance and dawn.

The Book of Daniel is included in both Jewish and Christian canon. The Jews have it as part of the Ketuvim (Writings), while the Christians have it in The Prophets in the Old Testament. It prophesies end-time events. There are many reservations about the Book of Daniel among Jewish and Christian readers, especially the Jews.

Among the end-time events, The Quran prophesies:
(i) an announcement of war by Allah and His Messenger to those who continue to indulge in usury [ref Q2:278-279]
(ii) the Hour & the recompense, the evil burden of those who turn away from The Quran, the Day the Horn will be blown, the blue-eyed criminals, the passing away of the mountains, ...  [ref Q20:14-16, Q20:100-114]
(iii) the release and swarming return of Yajuj and Majuj, known for their corruption, who were contained behind a metallic barrier by Dhu al Qarnayn [ref Q18:98-99, Q21:96]
(iv) the rise of a creature from the Earth, speaking with humans, because the people did not believe in Allah's ayaat / signs [ref Q27:82]

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the seal of the prophets, is the most definite sign of the beginning of end-time prophecies. In Surah Muhammad it states:

فَهَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا السَّاعَةَ أَن تَأْتِيَهُم بَغْتَةً فَقَدْ جَاءَ أَشْرَاطُهَا فَأَنَّىٰ لَهُمْ إِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ ذِكْرَاهُمْ

فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَاكُمْ 

Then do they wait but (for) the Hour that it should come to them suddenly? But indeed, have come its indications. Then how to them when has come to them their reminder.
So know that [He] - (there is) no god but Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and the believing women. And Allah knows your movement and your resting places.
[Al-Quran 47:18-19
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Last updated on December 29, 2020