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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSION

HistoryHistory is shaped by people, and inevitably some leave moreof a mark than others. Amongst those standing out, the eentralfigures of major world religions have had an impact farbeyond their own followers. The three Abrahamic faiths,Judaism, Christianity and Islam, continue to influence worldevents millennia atier Moses, Jesus and Muhammad walkedupon the earth. Throughout their history, they have otien beenin competition and conflict, even at war. Their adherents oftendo not realise, therefore, that their key message was essentiallythe same. This booklet is intended to briefly present their livesand works and show how they complement, rather thancontradict, each other. Although this account of their history issupported by verses from the Qur'an and quotations from theBible, it is not aimed at the believer in any specific religion.Rather, its purpose is to provide a better insight into themonotheistic world-view these three men subscribed to andwhich has not lost any of its relevance in the world of today.

The impact of those prophets was both religious and political.They called for belief and moral conduct, and by doing sootien conflicted with the established order based on corruptpractices and oppression. As the political realities differedfrom one period of time to another, so did the course of eventsin which the prophets and their followers confronted theruling elites of their time in an attempt to reform society. Yetthe underlying basis of their message, the motivating factors,the high principles they espoused, were essentially shared byall of them.

MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSION

Moses (peace be upon him)Moses (Musa) lived at the time of a mighty tyrant ruler, thepharaoh, and rose from a member of the oppressed classes toa formidable antagonist, ullimately bringing down the wholeedifice of arrogant power. He was ideally placed to play thisrole by having been brought up in the household of thepharaoh himself."And the famil~' of Pharaoh look him up, that he might

become for them an enemy and a sorrow.'" (AI-Qur'an 28:8)

Just as a prophet's work continues to leav~ an impact long afterhis departure from this world, his arrival is usually preceded bya period of high anticipation. Moses was no different in thisrespect: Tales of a saviour of the oppressed Israelites weremaking the rounds in Egypt and grew so strong that the rulingclass fell the need to take precautionary measures. To preventthe birth of this champion of the people they had enslaved, thepharaoh ordered that every newborn male child would be put todeath during the year his arrival was foretold, leaving only thefemale babies alive.""Pharaoh exalted himself in the earth and made his peoplecastes. A tribe among them he oppressed, killing their sonsand sparing their women. He was one of those who workcorruption." (AI-Qur'an 28:4)

Fearing for the life of her son, Moses' mother, Miryam put himinto a basket and let him drift on the river to be found by amember of pharaoh's family, as intended by Divine decree."And We inspired the mother of Moses, saying: Suckle himand. ',,"'henyou fear for him, then thru,", him into the rhoerand fear not nor grie\'e. \\'e shall brin~ him back to you andshall make him (one) of Our messengers." (AI-Qur'an 28:7)

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONNot only was Moses reared and nurtured in the household of hisfuture enemy, but to console his mother, she was even employedas a wet nurse when nobody else suitable could be found."And \Vc had before forbidden foster-mothers to him. soshe said: Shall I show )'OU a household who will rear him for)"OU and take care of him'! So \Ve restored him to his motherthat Shl' might he comforted and not gricH~. and that shemight koon that the promise of Allah is truc. But most ofthem know not:' (AI-Qur'an 28: 12-13)

Moses is usually seen as the liberator as well as the law-giverfor the Israelites. However. like all lives, his life is complexand not done justice by over-simplifying. There are numerouslessons and sources of inspiration in his teaching and actions,starting from his early days before he was even called to theprophethood, until his final days when the Promised Land wasbarred to him and his people for their persistent disobedience."And (<<memh,'r) when 'loses said to his people: 0 mypeople! Reml'mher Allah's favour to you. how fie placedamon~ ~;ou prophets. and He made you kings. and gaH" youIhat (which) lie ga\'< nol 10 any (other) of (His) creatures.o m~' people! Go inlo Ihe holy land which Allah hasordained for you. Turn not in flight, for surel~' ~"ou turnhack as losers. They said: 0 'loses! A gianl people (dwell)in it and \\ e go not in till they go out from there. "'hen the~go out from there. then we "ill enter (not till then). ThenSPOkl"(\'0 of those \\ ho feared (their Lord. men) to whomAllah had been gracious: Enter in upon them by the ~ate.for if you enter b~' it. you" ill be ,"ictorious. So put ~"ourIrust (in Allah) if you are indeed belieHrs. The~ said: 0'loses! \Vc "ill ne'"er enter (the land) while they are in it.So go you and ~our Lord and fight! \\'e will sit hl"re. He

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONsaid: l\l~'Lord! I have control of none hut myself and mybrother, so distin~uish hch\cen us and the "Tong-doin~folk. (Their Lord) said: For this the land will surely beforbidden them for forty' y'ears that they "ill wander in theearth, bewildered. So grieve nol u\;er the wrongdoin~people." (AI-Qur'an 5:20-26)

Naturally. a brief treatise on the life of a great person like himmust be limited to only some aspects chosen as relevant eitherfor providing a better overview or some more interestingdetails whose importance is not merely historic but retainsvalidity up to our own time. •

Moses grew up as the privileged young man destined to be afuture ruler. Yet. he did identify with his people. eitherconsciously through an understanding of his origins, orunwittingly through a more general sense of justice. Whenwitnessing a fight between an Israelite and an Egyptian, hetakes sides and helps the Israelite. The blow he gives theEgyptian was so powerful that it killed him, bringingimmediate trouble to a remorseful Moses who did not expecthis interference in the rights and wrongs of a dispute to havesuch lasting consequences."And he entered the city at a time of carelessness of itspeople, and he found in it two men fighting, one of his owncaste, and the other of his enemies; and he ",\'ho 'was of hiscaste asked him for help against him "ho was of hisenemies. So ~loses struck him "'\ith his fist and killed him.He said: This is of the dc",'Ws doing. He is an cnemy, a mcremisleader. Ill' said: My lord! I have wronged my soul, soforgil'e me. Then lie forg",e him. He is the Forgiving, the~Ierciful." (AI-Qur'an 28: 15-16)

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONlt must have been a time of general turmoil in Egyptian society,for the very next day he encounters the man he saved involvedin another quarrel and once again asking for his help. Moseshesitates and then. helped by the urging of third parties, decidesto leave the city altogether, realising that he would otherwisebe tracked down and asked to account for what he had done.""And morninJ: found him in the cit~.•fearinJ:. "i:;:i1ant. ",h('nhe who had appealed tn him the da~' hefore called nut tohim for help . .\lo~cssaid to him:: You are indeed a merehothead. And when he would have rallen upon the man whowas an l'nemy to them both. he said: 0 ~los('s! \\'ould ~'oukill me as )'011 did kill a person ~:estf:rda~'.You \\ould henothinJ: hut a t~Tant in the land. ~'ou wuuld not be of thereformers. And a man came from the uttermost part of tlu.'cit~.• runnin~. lie said: 0 ;\los('s! The chiefs lak£' counsel3J:ainst you to sla~'~'ou:therefore escape. I am of those who~h'c ~'ou J.:ood 3lh'il'(.', So he escaped from there. rl'arillg~,'i~i1allt, Ifl' said: M)' Lord! I>l'liver me from thewrnn~doin~ people." (AI-Qur'an 28: 18-21)

A refugee and fugitive from a justice he knew would not be inhis favour, Moses travelled as far as Midian. a territory aroundwhere Jordan and Saudi Arabia meet today and which was thehome of another prophet, Jethro (Shu'aib) from whom Moseswould learn much to equip him for his eventual return to Egypt.At his arrival at Midian a hungry and tired Moses feltcompassion for two shepherd girls who had difficulty gettingtheir flock to the watering place amidst all the male shepherds.so he otTered to carry out that task for them. In return, theirfather invited him to his home where, after listening to hisstory, he otTered him employment for a set number of years andmarriage to one of his daughters.

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: 1 MISSION'.And when he came to the \\'ater of Midian he found therea whole tribe of men watering. And he found apart fromthem two women keeping hack (their flocks), He said:What troubles you'! The two said: We cannot give (ournocks) to drink till the shepherds return from the water:and our father is a vcry old man. So he watered (theirflock) for them, Then he turned aside into the shade, andsaid l\1~' Lord! [ am needy of whatever good You send downfor me. Then there came to him one of the hm women,walking shyly. She said: My father asks you, that he mayreward you with the payment for thar you did water (theflock) for us. Then, when he came to him and told him the(whole) story, he said: Fear not! You have escaped from thewrong-doing people. One of the .""0 women said: 0 myfather! Hire him! For the best (man) that you can hire isthe strong, the trush".orthy. He said: I intend to marry youto one of these h\'O daughters of mine on condition that youhire yourself to me for (the term of) eight years. Then ifyou complete ten it will he of your O\'\'n accord, for I wouldnot make it hard for you, Allah willing, you will find me ofthe righteous." AI-Qur'an 28: 23-27)

A good decade later Moses left Midian with his family insearch of a livelihood elsewhere or, as some suggest, wantingto return incognito to Egypt. But God had other plans. En routehe noticed a fire. Since where there is a fire there must bepeople, he leaves his family behind as a precautionary measureand goes to either find some food or some news. But this firewas not of the usual kind. It burned without devouring the bushfrom which it seemed to come, and a voice called from withinordering Moses to take off his shoes as a mark of respect. He isfurther told to throw down his shepherd's staff which turns into

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONa snake, and to pick it up again and watch it regain its originalshape. And his own hand changes colour and becomes a palewhite, without any sign of disease however."Then, when Moses had fulfilled the term, and wastra,"elling \-,:jth his family, he saw in tht> distance a fire andsaid to his famil,Y: \Vait (here). I see in the distance a fire;perhaps I shall bring )'ou tidings from there, or a flamefrom the fire that ~'ou may warm ~'oursel\'es. And when hereached it, he was called from the right side of the .-alley inthe blessed field, from the tree: 0 Moses! I, even I, amAllah, the Lord of the worlds:; Throu- down you staff. Andwhen he saw it writhing as if it was a demon. he tUfned toflee headlong, (and it was said to him): 0 .\loses! Draw nearand fear not. You are of those ",'ho are secure. Put ~'ourhand into the inside of your robe. It will come out whitewithout hurt. And guard your heart from fear. Then theseshall be two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and hischiefs. They are e"iI-living people. He said: .\ly Lord! Ikilled a man among them and I fear that they will kill me,.My brother Aaron is more eloquent than me in speech.Therefore send him with me as a helper to confirm me. Ifear that they will gin the lie to me, He said: We willstrengthen ~'our arm with )'our hrother, and \Ve will ~ive,you both power, so that the.y cannot reach )'OU for Oursigns. You both, and those who follow you, will be thewinners." (AI-Qur'an 28: 29-35)

Frightening as this encounter was it set him up for his missionin life: to go and confront pharaoh with the demand to releasethe Israelites from bondage. It helped him overcome the fear toface up to the tyrant who would surely have him killed, and itprovided him with the miracles needed to make the pharaoh's

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONmagicians take notice. Still, Moses is unsure whether he will beup to the task and asks for his elder brother Aaron (Ilarun) tocome along with him. This wish is granted, although we do notknow whether Aaron had already caught up with Moses inMidian or was going to meet him upon his return to Egypt.

Pharaoh, who considered himself a god to be worshipped,was anything but delighted to have Moses come back andchallenge him with a higher authority, demanding therelease of the Israelites on whose slave labour theEgyptian economy depended."Rut whell !\loses came to them "",-ith Our clear sif.:ns, the,Ysaid: This is nothjn~ but invented ma~ic. \Vc nevcr heard ofthis among our fathers of old. And :\loses said: :\ly Lord isBest 3\\'are who brings guidance from His presence, andwhose will he the sequel nf the lIollle (of bliss). Thewrongdoers will not be successful. And Pharaoh said: 0chiefs! I know not that ,you have a god other than me, sokindle for me (a fire), 0 Haman, to bake the mud; and setup for me a lofty tower in order that I may survey the Godof Moses: and I consider him of the liars."

(Qur'an 28:36-37)

He was hardly inclined to consider this man a true prophet,having previously raised him in his own household but findingthat, instead of showing him gratitude he had turned against him.'.(Pharaoh) said (to ~loses): Did we not rear you amon~ usas a child'! And you did dwell many years of your lifeamon~ us, and you did that deed of }'ours n'hich ~'oudid.and you were one of the ungrateful:' (Qur'an 26: 18-19)

For this purpose pharaoh arranged for a magnifieen! publicevent, and the magicians who had been honing their skills in

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONpreparation were given further prizes and incentives shouldthey win the contest."And verily We showed him all Our signs, but he deniedthem and refused. He said: Ha\re you rome to dri\'c usout from our land by your magic, 0 ~loses'! Rut wesurel)' can produce for you magic the like of it: so appointan appointed time between us and you, which neither wenor you shall fail to keep, at a place convenient (to usboth). (Moses) said: Yuur appointed time shall be the dayof the feast, and let the people assemble when the sun hasrisen high." (Qur'an 20:56-59)

~'SOthe wizards were ~athered to~cther at a set time on aday appointed. And it was said to the people: Are you (also)gathering'! (They said): Yes, so that we may follow the,,,'izards if they are the winners. And when the wizards camethey said to Pharaoh: 'Viii there surel)' be a rc\\'ard for usif",e are the \,,'inners'! He said: Yes. and )"ou will then surelybe of those hrought near (to me)," (Qur'an 26:38-41)

Nobody doubted the outcome, yet when Moses' staff devouredall the magic they conjured and renderd it void, the magiciansrealised that a greater power was involved and submitted toMoses and his religion, much to the dismay of pharaoh."Then the wizards were (all) flung down prostrate, erying:We belien in the Lord of Aaron and Moses. (Pharaoh) said:You put faith in him before I give you permission. He isyour ehief who taught y'ou magic. ,,"ow surely I shall eut offyour hands and ~'our feet alternatel)', and I shall crucify )'OU

on the trunks of palm trees, and you shall know for certain,,"'hich of us has sterner and more lasting punishment. Theysaid: We choose you not above the clear proofs that have

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONcome to us, and above Him \Vho created us. So decree what)'ou will decree, You will end for us only this life of theworld. \Ve believe in our Lord, that He may forgh'c us oursins and the magic to which you did force us. Allah is betterand more lastin~," (Qur'an 20:70-73)"'And the \\"izards were flung prostrate, calling: \Ve belic\'cin the Lord of the worlds, The Lord of i\foses and Aaron.(Pharaoh) said: You put your faith in him before I give youpermission. He doubtless is )'our chief who taught youmagic! But verily YOIl shall come to know. Verily I will cutoff )"our hands and your feet alternatoly, and verily I willcrucify you, everyone. They said: It is no hurt, for to ourLord we shall return. \Ve ardently hope that our Lord ,,"'illforgive us our sins because we are the first of the believers."

(Qur'an 26:46-51)

The miraculous signs given to Moses. however, make pharaohcautious, and he decides to put the matter off for another datein order to have his claim tested.

This event is followed by a showdown between Moses andpharaoh over many years during which Egypt is plagued with onedisaster after the other as a warning and punishment from God.

""And 'Ve distresst.'d Pharaoh's people with famine andshortage of fruits that perbaps they might heed, Butwhenever good befell them, they said: This is ours; andwhenever evil struck them the~' ascribed it to the evilauspices of Moses and those with him. Surely their evilauspices were only with Allah. But most of them knew not."

(Qur'an 7:130-131)

At the same time the Israelites were suffering persecution and

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONhardship until many of them also turned against Moses infrustration, blaming him for the tum of events .•"They said: 'Ve suffered hurt before you came to us, andsince you have come to us." (Qur'an: 7:129)

After years of suffering throughout Egypt the pharaoh finallyconcedes that Moses should be allowed to lead the Israelitesout of captivity. When they had hardly a day's head start,however, he regretted his decision and pursued them aheadof his army."Then Pharaoh followed them with his forces and therecoyered them that which covered them of the sea."

(Qur'an 20:78)

The Israelites lose faith in Moses and fear annihilation, but heparts the sea with his staff to let them through, drowning theEgyptians after them.hAnd \\'hen the two forces saw each other, those with :Mosessaid: We are indeed caught. He said: Nay~verily! for myLord is with me. He "",illguide me. Then \Ve inspired 1\10scs,saying: Strike the sea with your staff. And it parted, andeach part was like a ,"ast mountain. Then 'Ve brought theothers near to that place. And \\'e saved 1\10se5 and thosewith him, everyone. And \Ve drowned the others. In this isindeed a sign, yet most of them are not believers."

(Qur'an: 26:61-67)

Far from his mission being accomplished, there follow longyears of wandering through the desert during which Moses findsthat his people could be stubborn and obstinate, but had littlefaith, conditioned through generations of subservience andslavery. In spite of the many miracles that they had witnessedand continued to be blessed with, like finding food and water in

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONthe barren desert, they resented the hardship of their journey andstarted idealising their regulated lives back in Egypt."And \\-'henyou said: 0 .Moses! We are weary of one kind offood~ so call on your Lord for us that He bring out for usthat which the earth gron's - of its herbs and its cucumbersand its corn and its lentils and its onions. He said: Would~'OU exchange that n'hich is higher for that which is lower?Go back to Egypt, there you will have what you ask for. Andhumiliation and wretchedness were stamped upon themand they were yisited with wrath from Allah. That washecause they disbelieved in Allah's reHlalions and killedthe prophets wrongfully. That was for their disobedienceand transgression." (Qur'an 2:61)

They were also jealous of other people whom they encounteredand who had idols made of precious materials. They wantedprosperity and idols like them.'"And \\'e brought the Children of Israel across the sea, andthey came to a people n'ho were given up to idols which theybad. They said: 0 Moses! Make fur us a god just like theyhave gods He said: You are a people who know noC'

(Qur'an: 7: I 38)

In fact, when Moses climbed up to mount Sinai in order toreceive commandments from God, leaving his people campedat the foot of the hill, they make a golden calf and declare it astheir god and saviour."And the people of Moses, after (he left them), chose a calf(for worsbip), (made) out of their ornaments, of saffronhue, ,,,'hich gave a lowing sound. Did the~: not see that itspoke not to them nor ~uided them to an)' way? The)' choseit, and became wrongdoers." (Qur'an 7: 148)

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: 1 MISSIONMoses, once he returned from having talked to God on his own,became furious at what they had done. He initially blamed hisbrother Aaron for not stopping them but accepted that any suchattempt would have only divided them and created viciousfighting amongst them."He (Moses) said: 0 Aaron! What held you back when youdid see them ~o astray, That you followed me not? Have youthen disobeyed my order? He said: 0 son of my mother!Clutch not my beard nor my head! I feared lest )'ou sbouldS3)'; You have caused division among the Children of Israel,and bave not waited for my word," (Qur'an 20:92-94)

Only Moses himself was a charismatic enough leader todemand unconditional compliance from his people. He orderedthe idol destroyed and banished Samiri, who had invented theworship of the calf for them, making him the first untouchablein recorded history.'''(Moses) said: And what have you to sa~..,0 Samiri? Hesaid: I perceiyed what they perceive not, so I seized ahandful from the footsteps of the messenger. and then threwit in. Thus my soul commended to me. (Moses) said: Thengo! and in this life if is for you to sa~::Touch me not! andthere is for ~'ouan appointed time you cannot break. Nowlook upon your god of which you ha,"e remained a deyotee.Verily we will burn it and will scatter its dust oyer the sea."

(Qur'an 20:95-97)

To teach his people Moses took a selected party of seventyfrom amongst them up the mountain with him where theywitnessed such grandeur and power that they feU unconscious.'0And ~Ioseschose out of his people seventy men for Ourappointed time and, when the trembling came on them, he

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONsaid: My Lord! If You had ","'iIled, You had destroyed themlon~ before, and me with Ihem. Will you deslroy us for Ihal,",,'hich the ignorant among us did? It is but Your trial (ofus). You send whom You will astray and guide whom You',"'ill: You are our Protecting Friend, therefore forgive usand have mercy on us, You, the Best of all who showforgiveness."(Qur'an 7:155)

Ycl, when they were ordered to sacrifice a cow after havingreturned to their people, they tried all kinds of clever reasoningand questioning in order to avoid having to give up one of theirbest animals and almost did not observe the command."And when ~'loses said to his people: Allah commands youthat you sacrifice a cow; they said: Do you make fun of us?He answered: Allah forbid Ihat I should be among Ihefoolish. They said: Pray for us 10 your Lord Ihat He makeclear to us what (cow) she is. (Moses) answered: He says,Surcl~' she is a cow neither n'ith calf nor immature; (she is)between the two conditions; so do that which ,you arecommanded. They said: Pray for us 10 your Lord Ihal Hemake clear to us what colour she is. (l\foses) answered: Hesays: Surely she is a yellow cow. Bright is her colour,gladdening beholders. They said: Pray for us to your LordIhal He make clear 10 us whal (cow) she is. Cows are muchalike 10 us; and if Allah wills, we may be led aright. (l\Ioses)answered: He says: Surely she is a cow unyoked; sheploughs uOllhe soil nor walers the lilth; whole and wilhoulmark. They said: Now you bring the trulh. So Ihc)"sacrificed her, though almost they did not."

(Qur'an 2:67-71)

The Qur'an also contains a story of Moses travelling to meet

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONthe mysterious Green Prophet al.Khidr trying to learn wisdomfrom him but being unable to keep up with his demands due toa lack of insight and knowledge of the mallcrs he wasconfronted with.hThcn the)' found one of Our sla\'es, to whom \Vc had givenmercy from Us, and had tau~ht him knowled~e frolll Ourpresence. !\loses said to him: May I follow you, to the endthat )'ou lIIal teach me ri~hl conduct of that which you havebeen laugh"! He said: \'ou cannot bear with me. Jlow can)'OU bear with that of which lOU cannot comprehend anyknowled~e'!"( 18:65-68)

Many other stories and spiritual parables about Moses abound.In summary, he was a strong and determined man, devoted tothe worship of the only one God, facing up to the greatestlyrant in human history. yet in need of guidance hilllself andunable to fully rally his own people behind hilll and make thelllsee the truth for what it was. The story of the next majorprophet to whom we now turn our attention, Jesus, is not all toodifferent in this respect.

Jesus (peace be upon him)Due to his unusual entry and exit from our world. having beenborn, like Adalll, without a father,'"The likeness of Jesus is as the likeness of Adam, He createdhim from dust, then He said to him: Be! and he is:"

(Qur'an: 3:59)and having been spared death by being raised to heaven priorto his return or second coming,"Rut Allah look him up to llimself. AII,.h is ever Mi~htl,Wise,"(Qur'an 4: 158)

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONJesus ('Issa) is so unusual amongst the prophets that some havemistakenly elevated him to divine status. As they focus on hisspiritual activities and miracles, it is often forgotten that he alsoplayed a political role in confronting the Jewish Pharisees,~4Thelaw teachers and the Pharisees sit in Moses' chair. Soyou must obey them and do ewrylhinl: they tell you, But donot do what they do, for they do not practise what theypreaeh."(Matthew 23:2)and thereby posed a problem to the Roman rulers under whoseultimate jurisdiction they operated. Whilst focusing mostly onteaching personal virtues rather than difect action, he did.however, violently evict the money changers from the temple:"Jesus entered the temple area and dro\'c out all who werebuying and selling there. He overlurned Ihe tahles of themoney changers and the henehes of those sellinl: doves. "Itis written'\ he said to them, ... 41\1)' house \\'iII be called ahouse of prayer', but you are makin~ it a 'den of robbers'."(Matthew 21: 12-13)

Since being born to a virgin is not something people take forgranted, Jesus' mother Mary was faced with accusations ofinfidelity when she returned from a secluded place after havinggiven birth to him."Then she brought him to her own people. carrying him.The~. said: 0 J\lar)'! You have come with an amazin~ thin~.o sister of Aaron! Your father was not a wicked man norwas your mother a harlot."(Qur'an 19: 17-28)

Amongst the gifts he was given was to be able to talk alreadyas a baby in the cradle, and speaking in defence of his motherand announcing his mission as a proph.ct must surely havecaused a great surprise and commotion and established his

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I M[SS[ONreputation early on."'Then she pointed to him. The)' said: ....How can we talk toone \\ho is in the cradle. a young boy?'" He spoke: "1 am theslave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and hasappointed me as a prophct", (Qur'an [9:29-30)

As he grew up he displayed both knowledge and wisdom andexcrted the powers of a hea[cr ensuring his popularity, Yet henever sought fame or following for himself, always insteadpointing to the one who sent him: God.""\VhenAllah S3)"S: 0 Jesus, son of ~Iar)'!Did you S3)" tomankind: Take me and m~' mother for two gods besidesAllah? he 53)'5: Be glorified! It was not for me to utter that10 "hich I had no right."(Qur'an 5:116)

This is, for example, clearly expresscd in Matthew 10:40 wherehe instructs his disciples: "'lie who rcceh:es you reech-es me,and he who reech'es me rccchres Him \Vho sent me.'"

His disciples were a selected number of people who followedhim as he travelled the [and to exhort people to the virtues ofbelief and good deeds and taught them that to serve God wasmore than to just obey a set of [egalistic rules. As such, he wasa refonner for the [srae[ites, "sent only to the lost sheep ofthe house of Israe'" as he is quoted in Matthew [5:24, andhad no ambition to extend his mission to those not under theLaw of Moses."Think nol that I have come to abolish the law and theprophets; I have come nol 10 abolish Ihem bul 10 fulfilIhem." Matthew 5:17-19:

The [sraelites, who as we have seen already found it difficult tokeep to Moses' instructions without deviation, had established

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONan elaborate Rabbinical system by the time Jesus was born.which replaced the simplicity of the Laws of Moses with acomplicated set of interpretations. Naturally. they saw Jesus'call to return to the spirit of the law and the essence of thebelief in God as a challenge to their authority. Ultimately. theyplotted to have him removed or killed.

Whilst not all Christians ascribe divinity to Jesus. most believethat the Jews succeeded in having him crucified by theRomans. The Qur'an contradicts this account by declaring thatthey had no certainty about the matter and it only appeared tothem as if,

.•... they killl.:'d him not nor crucifird him, but it appeared soto them: and those \\'lto disagree concerning it arc in doubtof it~they have no kno\\'lcdge of it except pursuit ofconjecture; they killed him not for certain." (Qur'an 4:157)

in other words. they crucified someone else in his stead whilstGod raised Jesus to Himself, saving him from the intendedcrucifixion. a death described in the Bible as a curse.Trinitarian Christianity later tried to explain that it wasnecessary for God to curse and sacrifice his only son in orderto save the rest of humanity from original sin. Yet, the Bibledocs nol support the idea of a cruel and punishing God whokills the innocent for the sins of others.

"The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, norshall the children be put to death for the fathers, every manshall be put to death for his own sin." Deuteronomy 24: 16:

As a loving God He is able to forgive rather than having toexact revenge.

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHA:-'1MAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONWhilst Muslims and Christians disagree on how Jesus departedthis world when the Israelites plotted against him, they agreethat he will return near the end of time as the Messiah, theAnointed, the Saviour. The Jews also expect their promisedMessiah, but having rejected Jesus and denounced him as a toolof Satan, they would not agree on the choice. Just as Jesuswould be a false Messiah in their eyes, for Christians and Jewsany Jewish Messiah proclaimed in the future would be a falseMessiah, a liar, the Anti-Christ, given the name "Dajjal" byIslamic tradition. According to that tradition Jesus will descendnear Damascus and confront and defeat the false Messiah, afterwhich he will rule over a period of peace and prosperity forforty years, marry, have children and die a natural death. Hewill be buried next to Muhammad, the final prophet.

Muhammad (peace be upon him)Muhammad, too, was both a spiritual leader and a reformer, butbecause unlike other prophets before him he succeeded inestablishing an organised social structure following the rules hebrought, many biographers focus more on his political careerthan his spiritual teachings. His miracles, too, receive littleattention since they are dwarfed by that ongoing miracle, theQur'an, preserved unchanged since the days of its revelation."'He has revealed to )'OU (~luhammad) the scripture withtruth, confirming that which was (re\"Caled) before it ...••(Qur'an, 3:3). "And we re\"Cal in the Qur'an that which is ahealing and mercy for the bcliC\"ers ...•• (Qur'an 17:82)

Muhammad was born into a noble family in Makkah, but thedeath of his father before his mother gave birth made him anorphan and somewhat more vulnerable in Arabian society. Hismother died while he was still young and he was then brought

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONup by his uncle Abu Talib. He became a successful trader in theemployment of a wealthy widow, Khadija, who was soimpressed with his integrity that she approached him with aproposal of marriage, although he was considerably youngerthan her. He was respected in society, and it was only after hehad been called to prophethood by the archangel Gabriel whilstmeditating in the cave of Hira, as he often did, that the verysame society turned against him. They did not resent him as aperson, but feared his message of equality before God.-'Or do they not know their messenger,.and so reject him'!Or do they say: There is a madness in him? Nay~ but hehrings them the Truth; and most uf them hate the Truth.And if the Truth had followed their desires, verily theheavens and the earth and whosoever is in it would haveheen corrupted:' (Qur'an 23:69-71)

Initially his call to reject idolatry and submit to the only trueGod was only directed at his family and friends. When itbecame a public invitation, however, the upholders of theestablished order, who benefited from the influx of pilgrimsand wealth connected to their existing religion, becameincreasingly intolerant of this new movement and respondedwith slander and vilification as well as physical persecution.Eventually the growing number of Muslims followingMuhammad's teachings were banished from town and anembargo on trade and dealings with them was ordered."The Qurap;h gathered together to cOllfer and decided (0

draw lip a document ill which they undertook 1I0t to marr)'women from Banu Hashim and the Banu af Jfuttalib, or togil'e them women in marriage, or to sell all},thing to them orbuy anything from them. They drew lip a written contraet to

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONthat effect and solemnly pledged themselve."; to observe it.They thell hUlig lip the document in the interior of the Ka 'bahto make it even more binding "pon tJrelllseh'es. "

(Tarikh al-Tabari)When Muhammad managed to find a safe haven amongstsupporters of a different town, Yathrib (later known asMadinah). he began to organise the migration of his followersinto exile and did not leave himself until they had all safelyreached their new home. An attempt to intercept the prophet onhis own migration to Medinah failed. and he establishedhimself at the head of a flourishing community there whilst atthe same time forging further alliances with neighbouringtribes and leaders of state. For the people of Makkah he becameeven more of a threat and rival by doing so, and their enmityculminated into drawing him and his followers into a militaryconfrontation. In spite of their inferior numbers and lack ofequipment they emerged victorious from the battle afBade, andlater at the battle of Uhud. during which Makkah tried toavenge its earlier defeat, the Muslims sutTeredheavy losses butsurvived the onslaught. Within less than ten years since theHijrah. the first migration to Madinah. Muhammad retookMakkah at the head of a numerous and invincible army, butshowed great compassion and leniency to its inhabitants andhis former foes. He rooted out idolatry by removing the idolsfrom the Kaabah, the House of God, to which people had madepilgrimage from the days of Abraham.

"011 the morning of Friday, 20 Ramadan, 8 A.H., theMessenger of Allah entered Makkah with his head bowed.If/hen he realised the honour of the conquest Allah hadbestowed. upan him, he felt so humble befare Allah that hischin all1lm..t touched the back of his camel. He was recitingSurar al-Fath as he rode into .lfakkah in victory. He raised

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: I MISSIONthe standard of justice, equality, and humility. Behind himrode Usumuh ibn Zayd, the SOil of his freed slave, rather thanany sons of the Banu RU.\-}'inror of the Qurapih leaden', el'(!nthough they wert! pre."ient. Olle melli, trembling with awe 011

the Day of the Conquest, was told, ;'Be at eu.\'e. Do not heafraid. I am not a king. 1 am 0111)' the SOli of a woman of theQuru.vsh who used to eat meat dried in the sun.' •..

The people assembled at the Ka'aba, and the Holy Prophetdelivered the following address: "There i.~no God hul Allah.He hWi 110 u!'Osociute. He hWi mude good His promise that Heheld to His bOl/dmal/ al/d helped him hl/d defeated all his('onfederate.5. Remember that el'ery daim of pril'iJege,whether thut of blood or property bj abo/i.'ihed except that ofthe custody of the Ka 'aba and of supplying water to thepilgrims. Remember thut for any olle who is !l1uin thebioodwit is IIII/Idred camei.,. 0 people of Qllraish. sllrely Godha.\'abolished from you all pride of the time of ignorance andall pride in your an('e~1ry. because all men are descendedfrom Adam, alld Adllm WIIS'made of day." Then the HolyProphet turning to the people said: "0 Qllraish. whattreatment do you think f should a('cord you". And they said,"Mercy, 0 Prophet of Allah. We expectl/othillg bllt f(oodfrom)'011." Upon tlris the Ho(r Prophet .fiaid: "f speak to }'OU in the.fiamewords as .Jo.\'eph~p()ke to hi~'brothers. This day, there i.fino reproof against you: Go your way. for you are free." Thisannouncement was receil'ed with great joy and applause. "(Biography of Muhammad, based on Ibn Ishaq)

When Muhammad returned to Madinah he was the undisputedruler of a united Arabia, and Islam began to spread in alldirections across the world. Within just over two decades

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MOSES, JESUS, MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: 1 MISSIONMuhammad had transformed a remote desert community withsuperstitious practices into an enlightened world power with awritten constitution and a refined code of law. establishinguniversities and cultural centres across the then known world.Europe, then still under the yoke of ao ossified andmonopolistic church rule, owes its scientific advances andcultural progress to the inspiring contact with the world ofIslam which did not stop until the church regained its authorityduring the dark days of the inquisition and later the crusades.

Muhammad was not only a worldly leader. Hc established astate on the foundations of religious laws in order to secure thefreedom of people to worship God without persecution.During his night journey to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven(lsra and Mi'raj) "Glorified be He Who carried His servantb~' night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Fardistant place of worship the neighbourhood whereof Wehave blessed, that We might show him of Our tokens! Lo!He, only He, is the Hearer, the Seer." (Qur'an 17:1)

long before the migration to Madinah and whilst most peoplestill doubted he and his followers would ever survive thepersecution in Makkah, he declared his mission as a universalprophet and final link in the chain of prophets who had gonebefore him.

Belief and good worksAll the prophets of God, including the three examples selectedabove, shared a common goal: to fe-orientate people's mindstowards their Creator and thereby encourage them to actpiously and responsibly. They preached that only the one trueGod deserved to be worshipped and neither loyalty to, or fear

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MOSES. JESUS. MUHAMMAD ... 3 MEN: 1 MISSIONof, a despotic ruler, nor subservience to the trappings of wealthand influence - as represented in the golden calf or the idolsonce housed in the Kaabah - should interfere with such truebelief. Their faith, therefore, demanded to be expressedpublicly through a change in behaviour and society. Theypreached justice, compassion and equality before God. Theydemanded an end to usury. exploitation and oppression. Peoplewho enrich themselves at the expense of others frequently tryto even make religion a weapon in their arsenal of foolingothers into giving up their rights and serving them. They incitehatred through focussing on the differences between, forexample, Jews, Christians and Muslims. An honest look at theteachings of their respective prophets, however, Moses, Jesus,and Muhammad. reveals that they essentially brought the samemessage around which humanity can unite and build aprosperous future without false divisions. This message is bestpreserved and unadulterated in the Qur'an, makingProphetl\lllhammad the final link in the chain of divinemessengers and his message of paramount importance toall of us who want to lh'c in accordance with theexpectations of our Creator.