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كتاب عمران حسين بعنوان
"منظور إسلامي يأجوج مأجوج وفي العالم المعاصر".


Refutation of Imran Hosein’s Book Entitled
“An Islamic View of Gog & Magog in the Modern World”.

Bismillahi Was-salaatu Was-salaamu ‘Alaa Rasulillah, wa ba’d…

After reading your work on Gog & Magog in the modern world, I deemed it necessary to clarify the correct position of Ahlusunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah on this topic; particularly because it constitutes part of our Aqeedah (belief). The book has landed on fertile ground and resonates with the majority of Muslims seeking an explanation of the current world affairs and it seems you have taken advantage of this in your approach of tackling the subject; You look at modern day events (from America & Israel) that are unfolding in our times and make it binding to try to apply and allegorically interpret them by the ayaat and ahadeeth. And with no textual proof from the sources of Islaam, you deem it an obligation to explain “the reality of constantly unfolding mysterious events” - in effect fabricating “mysterious” interpretations from the Quran and Sunnah – and in turn deviating from the understanding of those grounded with definitive knowledge (al-Ulamaa min ahlusunnah waljamaah). And you label the interpretation of our pious predecessors as “some peripherally important comments made years ago” which requires development of “fresh ta’weel (interpretations)” and claim it’s “better off starting from scratch”. This outrageous remark made against, whom the Prophet (s) named, “khayrun-Naas” – (the best of people - sahaba of Rasulullah, followers of them and their followers – Sahih Bukhari) were both best in practice and understanding the Quran and Sunnah. They were in the company of the Messenger of Allah who clearly explained the verses of Allah unto them. Allah (swt) warns us in the blessed Quran that whosoever strays from the way of the earliest believers and follows a way other than their way, He (swt) will leave them in that path they have chosen and cast them to Hellfire – what an evil destination! [4:115].

To re-interpret the verses of Ya’juj and Ma’juj from scratch is a complete deviation from Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah in Aqeedah (belief). You mention that Dajjal and Yajuj & Majuj have been long released into the world (page 70) going against the consensus of Ahlussunah Wal-Jamaa’ah Scholars. You refer to the believers who indulge in “tasawwuf” as seeing with “two-eyes” - both the “internal and external” whereas ad-Dajjal sees with only “one-eye” that is the “external” (page xii)- effectively misinterpreting the hadith of Prophet (s) who said “ad-Dajjal a’war, wa inna rabbakum laysa bi a’war” – Dajjal is a’war (has a physical defect or is blind in one eye and not only ‘one eyed’ as is often mistranslated) and your Lord is not a’war (indicating that Allah is perfect in his Attributes)” In another narration in Sahih al-Bukhari the Prophet (s) pointed his hand towards his eye and said “ad-Dajjal is blind in the right eye and his eye looks like a protruding grape” – clearly depicting his “blind eye” as a physical attribute. You label the “Wahabis” as a “Satanic-Alliance” with the West, yet you state the Shia scholars, those who slander and curse the best of people - the Prophets companions (May Allah be please with them, & may the curse of Allah be upon those who curse them) – as “more willing and receptive” of your fabricated interpretations (page 40).

The book you have published primarily revolves around the verse from the Blessed Quran in Suratul-Anbiyaa quoted below, which you (unfortunately) bring an entirely new meaning to. You state that that “town” refers to Jerusalem and since the Jews have returned back to that “town” that Gog & Magog have hence been released.

Your translation & understanding of the verse is as follows:

There is a ban on a town (ie Jerusalem) which We have destroyed (and whose people were then expelled), that they (ie. the people of the town) can never return (to reclaim that town as their own) until Gog & Magog are released and they spread out in all directions (thus taking control of the world while establishing the Gog and Magog world-order)” [Surah Al-Anbiyaa 21:95-96]. (book blurb)

The classical Arabic translation and understanding of the verse by Prophet Muhammad (s) and his companions is as follows:

“And a ban is laid on every town which We have destroyed that they shall not return. Until Ya’juj and Ma’juj are let loose.” [Surah Al-Anbiyaa 21:95-96].

The Prophets (s) companion Ibn Abbas (ra) said “it is enforced”, ie. it has been decreed that the people of each township that has been destroyed will never return to this world before the Day of Resurrection (release of Gog & Magog is a major sign of the Day or Resurrection), as is reported clearly [through other narrations] from Ibn Abbas, Abu Ja’far Al-Baqir, Qatadah and others” Tafsir Ibn Kathir – Al-Baghawi 3:268, At-Tabari 18:525, Ar-Razi 22:191

Bringing a completely different meaning to an (Aqeedah that was) already established and understood ayah by the Prophet (saw) and his companions would mean:

1. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) failed to prophecies that “town” as Jerusalem and hence betrayed to deliver his message even though he testified in front of all his companions by raising his index finger to the sky and saying “O Allah bear witness that I have fully delivered the message”. And because of his (saw) statement “…there is no evil that takes you closer to Hell except that I have warned you about it”. (Musnad, ash-Shafiee & others)

2. The companions of the Prophet (saw) did not understand this verse even though they were amidst the very one (saw) who was sent to explain them the Quran in its entirety as Allah (swt) says – “we have sent down this Quran to you (Muhammad (saw) so that you may explain to the people what was revealed to them” [16:44]

3. The first three generation of Muslims whom the blessed Prophet Muhammad (saw) labeled “the best generations” in understanding the religion we’re ignorant of such an important sign of the last Hour (the return of Jews to their homeland), and hence the Quran.

4. The first generation of Muslims were united upon misguidance; because the Prophet (saw) said his nation would not unite upon misguidance and not a single one of them said that that “town” is Jerusalem or indicated that it may mean other than what Ibn Abbas explained above; even though the Prophet (saw) had predicted in numerous ahadeeth the prophecy of certain events to occur at certain places (like the conquest of Constantinople) and Jerusalem was as well known then as it is now. So we are left asking why the Prophet (saw) didn’t correct the explanation of this verse by his companion Ibn ‘Abbas (ra) if he understood it wrong – and he (Ibn Abbas) was illustriously labeled “turjumaan al-Quran” – the “interpreter of the Quran” by the Prophet (saw).

5. In that verse Allah uses the word “ahlaknaa” meaning we destroyed. There are other numerous ayaat from the Book of Allah that mention this word together with “qarye” – town or township – ie. Surah Hajj [22:45] Allah says “And many a town/township (qarye) did We destroy (ahlaknaa) while they were given the wrong doing so that it lie in ruins” Ad-dahhak said “[leveled to] their roofs” ie. their houses and cities were completely destroyed (Tafsir Ibn Kathir). Again in Surah Ash-Shu’araa [26:139] Allah says “So they denied him, and We destroyed (ahlaknaa) them” – meaning they continued to disbelieve and stubbornly oppose the prophet Hud (as) so Allah destroyed them and it is well known the means of their destruction being described in more than one place in the Quran – Allah sent against them a strong and furious wind, a fiercely blowing wind that was intensely cold. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Again in Surah Yasin [36:31] Allah says “Do they not see how many of the generations We have destroyed before them? Verily they will not return to them” - meaning ‘do you not learn a lesson from those whom Allah destroyed before you of those who disbelieved in the Messengers? They came to this world once and will not return to it.” This verse is in fact in the same format to the verse quoted in Surah Anbiya [21:95-96] in which Allah says they will not return but He (swt) adds until Ya’juj and Ma’juj are released meaning until the day of judgment draws near then Allah will resurrect them for accounting as He mentions in the ayah right after that [36:32] “And surely, all – everyone of them will be brought before Us.” – (Tafseer Ibn Kathir Vol. 8 P.192 Darusalem Publications). Interpreting a Quranic verse by another Quranic verse is an established tradition of the Scholars of Tafseer. Wallahu a’lam.

Our point above is that in all the verses in which Allah states that He destroyed (ahlaknaa) the townships it is always referring to a physical destruction of the town (and it’s people) and we could not possibly apply that to Jerusalem (since the Prophets arrival as you will see below).

Interesting to note is if we read Surah al-Baqarah ayah 259 it mentions a “town” that was destroyed laying in ruin up to its roofs during the time of Prophet ‘Uzayr (4th Century BC.) and that town was known as Jerusalem. However the people of Jerusalem returned back to their town 70 years after ‘Uzayr died and it was reconstructed (Tafseer Ibn Kathir Vol 2 Page 39 Darusalem Pub.). This period was almost a century prior to the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and there have been no known destruction of Jerusalem since then. Let us say for the sake of argument that the verse of Surah al-Anbiya’s town [21:95-96] is referring to Jerusalem, and keeping in context with this verse (verses explain one another) if we apply the release of Gog and Magog with the return of the Jews back to Jerusalem as that same “town”- then they (Gog & Magog) would have had to be unleashed before the arrival of Prophet Muhammad (saw). Such a statement would nullify the circle hole opening up in their barrier as it wouldn’t even have existed and also nullify your “Gog - American/Israeli alliance” and “Magog – Russia” nations existence at that time.

To allegorically interpret destruction (ahlaknaa) in Surah Anbiya requires proof from the Quran, all of which are in opposition to it as proven by the Scholars of Tafseer above.

You mention that the Quran has declared that “Allah’s creation does not change” [Rum 30:30] (page 50) using this as proof that the sun will always rise from the east and not possibly from the west. However if you use your quotations from the Quran correctly in context of the verse, we are presented with the overall “bigger picture” of its real meaning. The Scholars of Tafseer like Ibn Kathir, at-Tabari and others have clarified that the verse – “So, set your face towards the religion as a Hanif (pure worshipper). Allah’s fitrah (natural disposition) which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Allah’s Khalq, that is the true religion, but most men know not.”[Rum 30:30] - in reference to the word “Khalq” means “religion”. Other scholars have interpreted this to mean “do not change the creation of Allah”, others even as “Allah made all of His creation equal with the same sound Fitrah”. But the renowned opinion of the majority like Ibn Abbas, Ibrahim an-Nakhaa’i, Sa’id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, ‘Ikramah, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd all said that the verse means “the religion of Allah”. Imam Al-Bukhari also said this verse means “the religion of Allah, and the religion, and the Fitrah is Islam” as is reported by the Messenger of Allah who stated “no child is born except in a state of Fitrah, then his parents change him to a Jew or Christian…” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir Vol.7 P. 545 Darusalem Publications). Nobody but yourself has fabricated such a solitary interpretation of this verse in order to justify your weak point of view.

Secondly, Allah (swt) states that the sun is on its course until an appointed term [Yasin 36:38] proving that the sun will indeed change its course and rise from the west when Allah the All Mighty decrees. Furthermore this is confirmed in a hadeeth recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari it is narrated that when the sun had set the Prophet (saw) said to Abu Dharr: “Do you know where it goes?” He (Abu Dharr) said Allah and His Messenger knows best. He (saw) said: “It goes and prostrates beneath the Throne (of Allah), and it asks for permission, and permission is given to it. But soon it will prostrate and it will not be accepted from it, and it will ask for permission but permission would be denied, and it will be said to it – ‘Go back from where you came’ so it will rise from its place of setting.”

Thirdly as narrated in Al-Bukhaari (4635) and Muslim (157) that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until the sun rises from its place of setting. When it rises from its place of setting, all people will believe, but on that day ‘no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before.” And also Abu Musa Ash'ari says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Allah extends His Hand at night so that He can forgive the sinner of the day; He extends His Hand in the day so that He can forgive the sinner of the night. He will continue to do this until the sun rises from the West (the Day of Judgment) - Sahih Muslim. And The Prophet (saw) said: "Whoever repents before the sun rises from its west, Allah will accept his repentance." [Reported by Muslim].

The above ahadeeth indicates that tawbah (repentance) is only accepted until the sun rises from the west. With your allegorical interpretation to mean this sun to be a “false western sunrise – symbolizing Western secular civilization with its scientific and technological revolution and it’s ever-increasing dominance over the world” (page 53) would, in our current time, imply that repentance is no longer valid and accepted by Allah (including yours) – because this “western sun” had risen quite some time ago.

You evaluate the authentic narrations from Sahih Muslim that clearly indicate Gog and Magog to be released after Eesa (as)’s descent as an apparent contradiction, only because you refer it back to your own understanding of Quranic verses and ahaadeeth (which you label a “mountain of evidence”); establishing when (the events of) the hour will unfold.

You claim that the Qur’an sits in judgment on the hadith and not vice versa - “by holding firmly to the Quran in preference to such misinterpretation of the Hadith” (page 52) indicating that it is the Quran that comes first even if it means rejecting a hadith. Even though your claimed “contradiction” of the hadith mentioning the release of Gog and Magog after Eesa (as) is based on your fabrication of the ayah in Surah al-Anbiyaa ]21:95-96] mentioned above – I’d like to clarify an important principle in classification of ayaat against ahadeeth and vice versa. In the event that we are faced with an “apparent” contradiction from the Quran and authentic Sunnah, as a Muslim we must accept and believe in both text. An example of this is the saying of Allah in the Quran: “ud khulul jannata bimaa kuntum ta’maluun” – “Enter into Paradise because of what you had done (from righteous actions)” and the Hadith of the Prophet (s) “None of you would enter Paradise because of his actions”. On the surface this appears as an apparent contradiction but in essence it isn’t, and it is the deficiency of our understanding the text that is at fault, and not the text itself.

You seek to find hidden meanings behind the ayaat of Allah to justify your interpretations - You state that the “final-key” to the Hour is with the return of Eesa (as) because Allah has mentioned him as “ilmus-saa’ah” which in plain Arabic means that he (Eesa (as)) will be a known sign for the coming of the Hour. But you bring yet another solitary interpretation of this verse to mean that Allah marked the establishment of the hour (ilmus-saa’ah) with his (Eesa (as)’s) return and anything beyond that “clearly cannot function as a sign of the Last Hour” (page 94). However the companions of Prophet Mohammed (saw) like Abu Hurayra, Ibn Abbas (ra) and scholars from the earliest generations like Mujahid (student of Ibn Abbas), Abu Al-Aliya, Abu Malik, Ikramah, al-Hasan, Qatada, Ad-dahhak and others, as proven from the many narrations of mutawaatir ahadeeth (the strongest type of hadith), stated that this means “One of the signs of the Hour will be the appearance of Essa ibn Maryam (as) before the day or resurrection” (At-Tabari 21:632 & Al-Qurtubi 16:106 – Tafseer Ibn Katheer). What is explicitly visible is your methodology of interpreting the nass (text) to fit your understanding and abandoning the methodology of ‘Ulamaa from Ahlusunnah of interpreting verses by other verses and ahaadith. Again we ask ourselves why the Prophet (saw) didn’t correct his companions when they understood this verse to be one of the signs of the hour and not the “final-key sign” to the last hour, as you claim.

You mention the muhkam (clear) and mutashaabih (unclear) ayaat of Allah (swt), and that both Allah and those grounded in knowledge know the mutashabih - effectively using this as proof to justify your fabrications. However you overlook an important principle of this verse which turns against you in that you discard so much Muhkam (clear) text (from the ahadeeth) which forms the basis of understanding the unclear (mutashabih) text. – And the ahadith are also part of revelation - the Prophet (saw) has stated that he had received the Quran and something similar to it (the Sunnah)– And the saying of Allah “And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom [3:48] – “ (wisdom is referred to His Sunnah by concensus of the scholars). Unfortunately right from the beginning of the book in its introduction (which you emphatically label a “brilliantly-written introduction”) Dr. Tammam Adi degrades the status of hadith and puts doubts into the hearts of Muslims stating that “He (Allah) did not promise to preserve the Hadith” but only the Quran (page xxi). In fact if we did not have the hadith we would not have our religion altogether because the details of our entire religion are found in the hadith and it would be nonsense for Allah not to protect the religion in its entirety. And the saying of Allah (swt) “He (Muhammad (saw)) does not speak of himself, but he speaks only via revelation (wahy)”. Our enemies know that to destroy Islam they need to destroy our sources, and so they start with the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (saw) because the hadith explain the Quran. Do away with the authentic ahadeeth then you have done away with the correct undertstanding of Islaam (and Quran), because then you can explain any ayaat in the Quran in a manner that suits you.

The hadith in Sahih Bukhari states people would continue to perform Hajj and Umrah even after the release of Gog and Magog. The addition added as “the last hour will not arrive until the Hajj is no longer made to the House” is also found in Bukhari but not part of the same narration. Using these 2 ahaadeeth you try and explain how people today are still performing Hajj and Umrah even after the “Gog and Magog world-order” (ie Jewish/Christian alliance) are established (page 94 & 194) and that they would have to arrive before Eesa (as) arrives because of your solitary understanding of the return of Eesa (as) noted in the paragraph above. And because you claim “it is only a matter of time before this prophecy of Hajj abandonment is near” since “the Jewish-Christian alliance effectively controls the Haramain and the Hajj” (page 193). However it is clearly explained from the hadith in Sahih Muslim that when Allah destroys Gog and Magog the people will live in peace and there will be much sustenance - so the Hajj will comfortably continue during this period of time. Eesa (as) will still be amongst the believers, after he dies he will be buried in the Prophets Chamber with the Messenger of Allah (indicating Makkah/Madina are still visited) then the Ka’bah will be destroyed (as reported in Sahih Muslim) by Suwaiqatain from Habasha (Ethiopia) and then it would logically entail the end of the existence (and validity) of the Hajj and ‘Umrah.

You continuously quote the famous hadith of the Prophet (s) stating that a hole the size of his index finger and thumb closed together has opened in the barrier of Ya’juj and Ma’juj during his time and fabricate this is as proof of their release that time. Or you leave the reader thinking that if the hole was that small over 1400 years ago then it must mean that Ya’juj and Ma’juj have long escaped this barrier. And because you fail to find this barrier with your trusty “Google maps” technology it must have been broken out from long ago (page 164). You state that the fact that we do not embark and seek to find this barrier is evidence enough to state that it does not exist. It is a known fact that on a daily basis, even though we are so technologically advanced, we are still discovering new areas of the Earth which were not known before. Nobody can testify that we have explored and discovered every square inch of this Earth in totality (Google maps/earth does not display every square inch of the Earth in detail). As time progresses we are faced with new breakthroughs & discoveries from our planet. What we do believe in, is that when the time comes, Allah will make known this iron and copper barrier, but at this stage we are ignorant of its location. This argument is actually a claim of the modern time orientalists’ (those who try to find faults with Islaam) that ask the question of “where” this barrier is, trying to put doubts in the hearts of the believers and their deen.

One also asks the question if you consider it as easy as scanning the earth with the largest satellite probe to successfully “spot” this barrier? Or perhaps Google maps might give us coordinates and travel directions to where the barrier is (including travel time via land or air) so we can pay Gog and Magog a visit to see how big the hole is hence knowing if the hour is near or not. Do you think Allah’s sings of the last hour are discovered in such a simple trivial manner? The Prophet (saw) himself was completely ignorant of the hour so who are we to discover one of its major sings so effortlessly with “modern day Google technology”? We believe in what Allah and His Messenger came with without re-interpreting their words it to suit modern day technology or our own “ever-evolving-limited” intelligence.

The Prophet (saw) stated that “I and the hour were sent like this [joining his index and middle fingers together].” If we take the opening of a small hole in the barrier of Ya’juj and Ma’juj over 1400 years ago to imply that they must have broken through the barrier by now then we must also take the above hadith, which demonstrates no physical gap between his 2 fingers (even closer physical implication) – that the hour should have also been established long ago.

And how do we interpret the following hadith about the blowing of the horn on the day of Judgement; Ibn Abbas narrates the Prophet (saw) saying “How can I relax when the one with the Horn has put the Horn in his mouth and knelt down, listening out for the command to be given to him?” Attabari 18:122. Again this was said over 1400 years ago - one might think the horn has already blown if we take the nearness and potential time frame of this hadith the same way of the hole in the erected barrier of Ya’juj and Ma’juj during the Prophets time. Hence we cannot use such timeframe speculation as proof of the emergence of Ya’juj and Ma’juj from the barrier.

In addition to this is the hadeeth reported by Ibn Maajah with a saheeh isnad from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are digging every day until they can almost see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them says, “Go back, we will dig again tomorrow.” Then Allaah restores (the barrier) and makes it stronger than it was. (This will continue) until the appointed time. When Allaah wishes to send them against the people, they will dig until they can almost see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them will say, “Go back, we will dig again tomorrow, in sha Allah.” This time he will say “in sha Allah”, so when they come back (the next day), they will find it as they left it, so they will dig their way out and emerge to attack the people. They will dry up water (by drinking it, because of their great numbers), and the people will seek to protect themselves from them in their fortresses. They will fire their arrows into the sky, and the arrows will come back down covered in blood (as a test for them), and they will say, “We have defeated the people of the earth and have gained the upper hand over the people of heaven.” Then Allah will send worms on the napes of their necks, which will kill them. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the beasts of the earth will grow fat from their flesh.” (Saheeh Ibn Maajah, 3298)

It is clear from the above hadith that even though an opening in the barrier may appear, Allah restores this back stronger than it was before until He decrees for them to be released. The narrations make mention of Gog & Magog firing arrows to the sky and it being returned back covered in blood (as a test for them). Your modern day “Gog & Magog World-Order” unfortunately don’t quite fit into this de************************ion and you are forced to allegorically interpret the arrows as them “waging star wars”. The arrows are in fact real bows & arrows as proven in the authentic narration in Sahih Muslim and Tirmidhi in which the Prophet (saw) states “For seven years Muslims will build fires with Gog and Magog’s bows and arrows”.
In Suratul-Kahf Allah mentions the wall Dhul-Qarnan built will be “dakkaa” (leveled to the ground) for Gog and Magog to be unleashed and they will surge like waves on one another (18:98-99). The next statement (same verse) establishes the trumpet be blown and beginning of resurrection. This sequence is similarly confirmed by the hadith of Rasoolullah in Sahih Muslim (which you implicitly reject) that states Ee’saa (as) and the believers will seek refuge in Mount Tuur after Allah unleashes Gog and Magog out to cause destruction and then Allah will cause Gog and Magog to die and then the day of resurrection to commence when He wills thereafter. But you mention this hadith to be in opposition to your “own interpretation” of the Quranic verse. In fact the hadith is in perfect harmony with the ayaat of Allah, if you but only understand the verse in Surah Al-Anbiyaa [21:95-96] the same way Prophet Muhammad (saw) and his companions understood it.

The hadith mentioning 999 out of every 1000 destined for Hell to be all from Gog and Magog (also indicating their huge population) is mentioned in your book and Gog & Magog are known to be an established tribe from the progeny of Adam (as) as mentioned in the ahadith. However if Gog and Magog are all destined for the Hell-fire as in the narration above and according to your interpretation that Gog are all Anglo-American-Israeli descent and Magog are all Russian descent people then we are left wondering where the American, Israeli and Russian reverts to Islaam will be… in hell-fire? Nonsense! And if they are as you say the “evil-alliance” within these nations – you are making a statement which requires textual (not “perceived” worldly event) proof to distinguish who is and isn’t from the Gog and Magog. If it is primarily based on corruption then there are many nations that have caused this and a physical de************************ion and attribution of them to a particular tribe by Allah and the Prophet would make no sense. Allah mentions them in the ahadith as a “tribe/nation” with a certain de************************ion (wide faces, small eyes & reddish hair) that used to spread mischief on earth and thus were barricaded by the wall built by Dhul-Qarnayn - and there is no distinction made within them at all – they are only referred to as a complete tribe that will cause corruption and destruction.

Besides this is the hadith reported by Sahih Muslim in which Allah (swt) states: “I have created servants of mine (ie. Gog and Magog) so powerful that none but I can wage war on them”. Allah explicitly states that nobody except Him can wage war on these people. Not even Eesa (as) to whom Allah has given the power to kill ad-Dajjal (the Anti Christ) can fight Gog and Magog but will flee with the believers from them to the mountain and only Allah will destroy Gog and Magog by sending a disease on them as reported in the hadith in Sahih Muslim. If it is as you say that Gog is the “American/Israeli Alliance and Magog is Russia” (page 139) then we are left puzzled how the Chechen Mujahideen (fighters) almost single handedly expelled the Russian army out of their homeland. Not to mention the many freedom fighters currently waging war on Israeli/American occupation in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

You state that the water level of Lake Tiberias in Jerusalem is just about to dry out using this vague argument to validate the release of Gog and Magog. However the hadith in Sahih Muslim clearly states their consumption from Lake Tiberias to occur after the descent of Eesa (as) and death of ad-Dajjal when Eesa (as) and the believers flee to Mount Tur and they (Gog and Magog) are released the first of them will pass by the lake and drink out of it and when the last of them does he says there was once water here. The hadith also clearly states both Gog & Magog will consume the water from this lake together as they pass by it. It is reasonable to comprehend Israel’s consumption of their homeland Lake Tiberias but questionable how America and Russia (your claimed Gog & Magog counterparts) from such a remote geographical distance are also consuming water from this Lake.

You mention the statement of our Prophet (saw) in Sahih Bukhari as saying “woe to the Arabs from an evil that has approached…” thereafter he (saw) mentions a hole in the barrier of Gog and Magog and you interpret this to mean Gog and Magog will specifically target and “persecute” Arabs (page 133). However this expression is commonly used by the Arabs of that time. Prior to making an important statement, they would start by mentioning an affliction to befall them. Like the statements of the Prophet (s) “may your mother lose you!” and “may your face be covered with dust!” or just simply “waylaka!” (woe to you..) in many narrations, preceding before he would mention a significant matter. The ahadeeth of Gog and Magogs’ corruption indicate they attack all the people in general because of their statement as authentically reported in Ibn Majah: “We have defeated the people of the earth and gained the upper hand over the people of heaven…”

Having written and compiled an entire book on this subject matter, it is clearly evident how compassionate and attached you are to such a solitary school of thought. In almost each chapter you make mention of your attempted failure to convince those “doubters” and “arguers” that continue to “stubbornly” reject your opinion and that your critics will one day be “silenced” when your prophecies are fulfilled – these remarks obviously suggest there have already been others that have approached and advised you about this. However my statements are but a plain and clear small naseehah insha-Allah from a brother of yours - that will either be for you or against you on the Day of Judgment. Anything that I have said that is correct is from Allah (swt) and anything I said that is wrong is from Shaytaan. Wallahu Teala A’lam. May Allah (swt) keep us upon the understanding and path of the pious predecessors whom Allah is pleased with and they are pleased with Him – Ameen.

Subhanakallahumma wabi hamdik ash-hadu anlaa ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atuubu ilayk.


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Originally Posted by Reckoning


This argument is solid but the shaykh forgets about the hadith of the black flags of Khorasan!

Then you have this argument
There is one problem the hadith does not say that Gog and Magog will be released but that Allah will send Gog and Magog againts Isa pbuh!

and finally there is the prophet's (peace and prayers be upon him) last sermon
http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/lastserm.HTM
All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people".
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Are you telling me nobody else apart from Ahlul-Khorasan has waged war against America/Israel and Russia?

Please do a little more research on the hadith of black flags emerging from Khorasan and you will see that it refers to when the beleivers join with Imam Mahdi in fighting and they settle in Jerusalem.

I'm sorry but are you missing something in this narration? I fail to find where it states Allah will send Gog and Magog against Isa (as) - or is that your own interpretation missing in brackets?

Please quote your narrations accurately and in context - in Khutbat-ul-Wadaa' Rasulullah (s) began his sermon with the following:

"O people, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether, after this year, I will ever be among you again. Therefore, listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and take these words to those who could not be present today...." and concluded it in a similar fashion "... and perhaps the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly..."

During his farewell sermon, the Prophet (s) was addressing a large audience of his companions in general - among them the old, the young, the women, and everyone else with different levels of of knowledge. So it was reasonable for him to state those that didn't understand his words should pass it on to others that may.

It is true that certain ambigious text can be understood better by different scholars but that door of ijtihaad is generally performed by scholars of Fiqh. There is no ambiguity or door open for further interpretation in already established Aqeedah by our Prophet (s). Ahlu-sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah are strictly followers of the Prophets Companions when it comes to Aqeedah.

If you think the Prophet (s) was addressing the scholars among his companions (particularly in Aqeedah) such as Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (labelled turjuman al-Quran) and Muadh ibn Jabal (the most knowledgable in Halal & Haram) in this sermon then you are gravely mistaken. Otherwise this argument can be used by all deviant sects to propagate their own ideology of "mysterious interpretations" from the Quran & Sunnah.

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Originally Posted by Al Sayf

“ .. the first of them (i.e. Gog and Magog) will pass by Lake Tiberias (i.e. the Sea of Galilee) and drink out of it, and when the last of them passes, he will say: ‘There was once water here .. ’” (Sahīh Muslim)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvYJefTW29A
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Here is the narration in context:

"...a people whom Allah had protected would come to Jesus son of Mary, and he would wipe their faces and would inform them of their ranks in Paradise and it would be under such conditions that Allah would reveal to Jesus these words: I have brought forth from amongst My servants such people against whom none would be able to fight; you take these people safely to Tur, and then Allah would send Gog and Magog and they would swarm down from every slope. The first of them would pass the lake of Tiberias (ie Sea of Galilee) and drink out of it. And when the last of them would pass, he would say: There was once water here. Jesus and his companions would then be besieged here (at Tur, and they would be so much hard pressed) that the head of the ox would be dearer to them than one hundred dinirs..."

Besides being completely out of context, your ta'weel is based on uncertainty because if the water level rises due to rainfall (as mentioned by the authorities) then your interpretation dissapears along with it.

Note: You have destined everyone in that youtube clip that said "there was once water here" automatically to hell-fire with no possibility of repentence because of the hadith which explicitly states Gog & Magog are all doomed for Jahannam.

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Originally Posted by Al Sayf

So where exactly does it state that Allah 'releases' gog/magog ? It only states HE sends them.

Anyway, let me educate you...
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With an ego like that you wouldn’t educate anybody. I would refuse to continue arguing with someone who does so for the sake of it, but I will clarify some points for the sake of explaining the correct methodology in ta’weel from the Book of Allah and rebuttal of your false fabrications.

Actually the correct Arabic is "fayabathullah ya'juj wa ma'juj" - Allah uses the word "ba'ath" - "raise" (like in ba’athu ba’dal mawt – resurrection after death) them and "sending" is yet another forced interpretation. Even if we assume that Allah does not release but only “sends” them, their consumption from Lake Tiberias is mentioned proceeding this “sending” and not before so how is it that you use this vague argument of the water levels when Isa (as) isn’t even amongst us. Again before sending them why does Allah give a unique de************************ion of them as saying “none can fight them except Him”? And how many battles have there been against America/Israel & Russia from various opposing nations.

Yet another allegorical interpretation stating “they will come in waves” – interpreting “waves” as groups or generations. So tell me how did the groups/generations of Americans, Israelis and Russians all drink from the lake of Tiberias (the first of them and the last of them) after Allah revealed to Jesus that he would “send” them? That's right we're not even in that era yet! Every single argument and narration you use and quote is full of ambiguity, struggling to justify your point of view.

The black “point of no return” line still does not “without doubt” establish that we are amongst gog and magog because that only refers to the system that is able to “supply and pump” water into the pipes for the Jews to drink and not the disappearance of the entire lake.

Prove to me where that was common knowledge prior to the mention that Gog and Magog made a hole in the barrier. I could argue the opposite and state the hole in the barrier was mentioned first and then the companions had "common knowledge" that Allah was resealing it.

You yet again rely on ambiguity opposing a mountain full of clear evidences which indicates the opposite of what you believe.

Deviation of Aqeeda in explaining the Quran and performing ta’weel (interpretation) of its verses are well spread amongst the Ummah. Ta’weel in Aqeedah which is Halal is based on the understanding of the Companions. Ta’weel that is forbidden has some possible basis in the Arabic language. And Ta’weel which is Kufr has no basis in the Arabic language and is merely playing with the book of Allah.

Each deviant sect relies on certain verses from the Quran to justify their principles. Examples of deviation in ta’weel from the book of Allah are from the likes of the Shia who state that the when Allah ordered the Jews to slaughter a cow that “cow” was referring to Aisha (ra). And the likes of the extreme Sufi’s who state that the verse “worship Allah until you reach yaqeen” - fabricating “yaqeen” to mean a pinnacle in spiritual level and not what the companions understood as “death”. Again the multitude of examples from the Khawarij who focus on the verses of Hell-fire and Kufr trying to prove their understanding that whoever committed a major sin to be a disbeleiver. And the opposite extreme of the Murjia that focused on the verses of Mercy and forgiveness propagating their dogma of Iman to be one level that does not rise of fall no matter how pious you are. There are ample examples of such deviance in Aqeedah from similar sects.

Important to note is that each sect above strayed from the way of the companions because of their deficient methodology in understanding the book of Allah and because they had to somehow try to “prove” and validate their own understandings by the verses of Allah.

The fact that nobody can explain verses like “Alif Lam Meem” is a perfect example of a mutashabih ayah in which Allah states in surat ali-Imran that none but He knows their meanings and nobody can truly understand it – it is not open to interpretation as Imran Hosein claims in his book.

1. Capacity – all the deviant sects mentioned above use their “capacity” to fabricate such interpretations from the Book of Allah and your mention of the last ayah in surah albaqara can support their view as much as yours.

2. The Quran is not designed as a book of Science - nor is it a book that must explain events to unfold – it is not a “crystal ball” as people are using it as today – it is clearly defined by Allah as a book of guidance for the muttaqeen in the opening verses of suratul-baqara. You may find aspects of science reflected in it but that is not the purpose of its revelation. Moreover your interpretations are not based on modern scientific discoveries but “hidden” meanings of Aqeeda behind verses. Fear Allah from dwelling into such matters that may lead one into the same path of the misguided sects mentioned above.

3. Let us read the ayah in it's entirety to understand it properly... “Afa’laa yatadabbarun al-Qurana am alaa Qulubin Aqfaaluhaa...” “Do they not contemplate (think) on this Quran or are their hearts sealed”. The verse is clearly referring to those whose hearts that are “sealed” from the remembrance of Allah. Again in various verse Allah mentions them as “ya’qiluun” – those who use their intellect - and “yatafakkaruun” – those who ponder - so that those who deny Him or fail to worship Him reflect on the “signs” of Allah. Just because there is a discovery in today’s science that is reflected in the Quran does not make it “mandatory” for you to embark on a journey to explain certain verses according to today's events using your own “intellect”. Nor does not dwelling into such hidden meanings render the Quran’s verses inapplicable as this is not the intent of revelation - this is just your own perceived opinion.

The verse you mention in surah al-baqara 2.286 is another perfect example of why we should follow the understanding of the prophets companions in Aqeedah of every single verse, lest we be misguided with such fabrications and ammunition for every single misguided sect to “use” as proof of their deviations.

Imam Ahmad records in his Musnad that the companions were worried of the verse which was revealed preceding 2.286 “and whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it Allah will bring you to account for it”. Ibn Abbas said when this ayah was revealed it was very hard on the companions to know they would be punished for their external actions but could not control their inner whispers. Thereafter Allah revealed the following verse abrogating the preceding “Allah burdens not a soul beyond his scope...” therefore they were pardoned for what happens in their hearts but accountable for their actions. And the hadith of the prophet (s) which states in sahih Muslim that “My ummah is pardoned for what they say to themselves as long as they do not utter or act upon it.”

“Lay not on us a burden which you layed on those before us” referring to Jews and Christians and how they were given certain laws (like the Jews killing themselves to repent) as mentioned by the scholars of Tafseer. And in the narration of Sahih Muslim it states that Allah said “I did accept your statement” in reference to this ayat (dua). Also because of the statement of the prophet (s) in which he states “I was sent with the easy Hanifiyya way” (rawahu -ahmad).

So my dear brother, I ask you.... what is stopping all those deviant sects from using the same ta’weel you have taken out from the verse above to support their views? That is why the prophet (S) stated to follow his way and the way of his companions to avoid being from among the 73 misguided sects. So instead of relying on such vague interpretations one needs to go back to the roots to seek its original unadulterated meaning. Go back to where it was all understood correctly. The way which Allah is pleased with.

I leave you with the words of Allah below to think and contemplate a little (hint: use your “intellect”)

“O you who believe obey Allah, and obey His Messenger and those in authority among you. If you differ in anything amongst yourselves refer it back to Allah and His Messenger if you but truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination (ahsanu ta’weel).” 4.59

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Originally Posted by mogamadza

I wonder where the King of Saudi Arabia fits in? lol...

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I wonder where all the "Muslim" Leaders fit. But that wasn't part of the subject. Funny some will do to divert attention away from the subject matter of truth when it's hard to accept. Allah-ul-Musta'aan.