"TO HIM SHALL BE THE OBEDIENCE OF THE PEOPLES" (Series – IV)

Jacob Gathered His Tribe

Prophet Jacob, peace be upon him (pbuh), before his death summoned his twelve sons and their families at his deathbed (Genesis 49). He blesses them and told the future of his whole tribe.

Prophecy

This prophecy may be regarded as the nucleus of these scriptures which can be found in Genesis (49:10):

"The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he (Shiloh) comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples."

In many versions of the Bible, Shiloh is written instead of the pronoun he. Incidentally, Shiloh is also a name of a town, but it is interesting to note that another meaning of it is peace, tranquility, e.g. Islam. Shiloh refers to a person who would come and bring peace to the people. So the Israelite Prophethood would stop as soon as the he (Shiloh) comes. Another warning to Israelites to cease as a nation before God is foretold in the book of Jeremiah (31:36): "If this fixed order departs from before me, says the Lord, then shall the descendants of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." In fact, the above prophecies were corroborations of God's threat to the Israelite nation prophesied in the book of Deuteronomy (32:21): "They have stirred me to jealousy with what is no god; they have provoked me with their idols. So I will stir them to jealousy with those who are no people; I will provoke them with a foolish nation."

The Jews who regard themselves as the chosen people and like to think of themselves as a superior race were, in fact, described by Moses (pbuh) as stiffnaked, arrogant and rebellious people in Deuteronomy (31:27). They have been chauvinistic, unyielding and idol worshippers. The truth was that the Jews have been jealous of Ishmael (pbuh) because they knew very well that in him, the Covenant of God was made, concluded and sealed through his circumcision (Deuteronomy 17:13, 17:24-26). It was out of this rancor that their scribes and doctors of law have corrupted the Scriptures. They have intentionally removed the name Ishmael and inserted Isaac instead, thus, denying the existence of the former and depriving him of his legitimate right as the firstborn. However, the descriptive epithet "thy only son" in Genesis (22:2 and 22:12), has unveiled the truth. It was Ishmael who was "the only son" of Prophet Abraham (pbuh) when Isaac was not yet born. In fact, Prophet Ishmael (pbuh) was 14 years older than Prophet Isaac (pbuh) according to Genesis (16:16 and 21:5).

God's Wisdom and Justice

God, seeing their inequity and injustice punished the Israelites by shifting the scepter and ruler's staff (Gen. 49:10), to the Arabs (descendants of Prophet Ishmael [pbuh]) who were then considered as a foolish nation. A western commentator consumed of jealousy, intellectual dishonesty, bigotry, contempt, with certain vile and venom in his tongue likened the Arabs as brutes with human skins. For the Arabs before Islam were marauders, hence, they were called a foolish nation by those who were hostile towards them.

Moreover,in the book of Matthew (21:42-44), we read the following prophecy by Prophet Jesus (pbuh): (Verse 42): Jesus said to them: "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner;" (Verse 43): "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof;" (Verse 44): "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

God, through His infinite wisdom and justice, commissioned Muhammad (pbuh) to be His Messenger. God conferred o him and to his nation (the Muslim Ummah) the spiritual honor to propagate His religion – ISLAM. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the seal of all the prophets brought with him a fiery law (Quran) with universal and comprehensive characters for the ultimate guidance of mankind. Up to the time of Jesus (pbuh), the Israelites were anticipating for "the prophet like unto Moses" prophesied in Deuteronomy (18:18) and in John (1:19-21) when they asked John the Baptist: "Are you that Prophet?" He answered "No." They were expecting a prophet who would come with a temporal power to restore the kingdom of David and who would gather the dispersed Israelites unto Canaan.

Fulfillment of the Prophecies

The phrase "Scepter and ruler's staff" means the royal authority and power of a sovereign. And the phrase "until he (Shiloh) comes to whom it belongs" and "to him shall be the obedience of the peoples," means the one who possessed the sovereign power (royal authority) and the prophecy (prophethood) to whom the obedience of the peoples belong.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the fulfillment of the prophecies of the earlier prophets. He wasthe one to whom God's Revelations throughout history were culminated and perfected, thus forming a universal religion as ordained by God for mankind to follow.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) replaced the Jewish worn-out royal authority and prophecy (scepter and the ruler's staff) which was adulterated, and the corrupt priesthood who were burdensome and oppressive. He removed all forms of idol worship from a greater part of the globe. He has brought with him the purist monotheistic religion which is ISLAM – the religion of total surrender, submission and obedience to the Only One True God (Allah). He has established the kingdom of God on Earth by producing the desired fruits prophesied by Prophet Jesus (pbuh) in Matthew (21:42-44). In fact, in less than a century, Islam spread throughout Africa, Asia and Europe.

God (Allah) says in His Book:

"…This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…" (Quran, chapter 5, verse 3)

What George Bernard Shaw said about Muhammad (pbuh):

"He must be called the saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring much needed peace and happiness." (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936).

Conclusion

I conclude with honest conviction that no other prophets of God rendered so great and admirable service to man than Muhammad (pbuh). He was the one prophesied by the earlier prophets. He was the noblest and the greatest prophet of all times.

By: M.A.C. Cave