Prophecies of the Quran Addressed to Muhammad

 

Entering Mecca’s Grand Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haram)

In the sixth year after the Prophet was forced to migrate from Mecca to Medina, he saw himself visiting Mecca and performing pilgrimage in a vision mentioned in the Quran:

"Certainly has God showed to His Messenger the vision (i.e. dream) in truth.  You will surely enter al-Haram mosque, if God wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened[1], not fearing [anyone].  He knew what you did not know and has arranged before that a conquest near [at hand]." (Quran 48:27)

God made three promises:

(a)  Muhammad would enter into Mecca’s Grand Mosque.

(b)  Muhammad would enter in a state of security.

(c)  Muhammad and his companions would get to perform pilgrimage and fulfill its rituals.

Ignoring the hostility of Meccans, Prophet Muhammad gathered his companions and embarked on a peaceful journey to Mecca.  But the Meccans continued to be hostile and he was forced to return to Medina.  The vision remained unfulfilled; however, an important treaty was signed between the Prophet and the Meccans, which would prove of great significance.  It is due to this treaty that Muhammad performed a peaceful pilgrimage with his companions the very next year.  The vision had found its fulfillment.[2]

The Quranic Prophecy; ‘The Unbelievers Will Lose’

Muslims were subject to severe persecution in Mecca at the hand of pagans.  At one time they were boycotted for three years, and the perpetual shortage of food sometimes bordered on famine.[3]  Any talk of victory was unimaginable.  Despite all odds, God prophesized in Mecca:

"[The pagans’] assembly will be defeated, and they shall turn their backs [in flight]!." (Quran 54:45)

The Arabic verb yuhzamu is preceded by sa (an Arabic prefix denoting the future tense), making it a distinct prophecy awaiting fulfillment in future.  And so it was in the holy month of Ramadan, two years after the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medina that the Meccans were defeated in the Battle of Badr and forced to retreat.[4]  Umar, the second caliph of the Muslims after the Prophet, used to say that they did not know how the Quranic prophecy would be fulfilled until they themselves witnessed it coming true at the famous battle of Badr! (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

The Quranic Prophecy; ‘Believers Will Get Political Authority’

Despite severe oppression at the hands of Meccans, Muslims were given good news fromGod:

"God has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me.  But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient." (Quran 24:55)

How such a promise from Almighty God would be fulfilled to the oppressed, brutalized Muslims in Mecca was impossible to imagine at the time it was made.  It was  fulfilled, nevertheless.  Indeed, God made Muslims secure and gave them political sway in a matter of years.

"And Our word [decree] has already preceded for Our slaves, the messengers, [that] indeed, they would be those given victory." (Quran 37:171-172)

At first, the Muslims established their own state, by the invitation of the people of Medina, when God commanded they migrate there from Mecca.  Then, within the lifetime of the Prophet, that state expanded to hold sway over the whole of the Arabian Peninsula, from the Gulf of Aqaba and the Arabian Gulf to the Arabian Sea in the south, including the place from whence the Muslims had been driven out (Mecca itself).  This decree was ongoing, for the expansion of the Muslim political and religious dominion did not stop at the Arabian Peninsula.  History gives a living testimony that the Muslims addressed by these verses ruled the lands of the former Persian and Roman empires, an expansion that amazed and won admiration of world historians.  In the words of Encyclopedia Britannica:

"Within 12 years after Muhammad’s death, the armies of Islam took possession of Syria, Iraq, Persia, Armenia, Egypt, and Cyrenaica (in modern Libya)."[5]

The Quran’s Prophecy Regarding the Hypocrites and the Tribe of Banu Nadhir

God says in the Quran:

"Surely, if they are expelled, never will they (hypocrites) go out with them, and if they are attacked, they will never help them.  And if they do help them, they (hypocrites) will turn their backs, so they will not be victorious." (Quran 59:12)

Pickthall

(For) indeed if they are driven out they go not out with them, and indeed if they are attacked they help them not, and indeed if they had helped them they would have turned and fled, and then they would not have been victorious.

"Have you not observed how those who are hypocrites, tell their brothers (i.e. associates) among the People of the Scripture who disbelieved, ‘If you are expelled, we will surely also leave with you, and we will never anyone against you; and if you are attacked (i.e. by the Muslim militia), we will surely aid you.’  But God bears witness that they are liars.  If they (i.e. the Jews) are expelled, they (i.e. the hypocrites) will not leave with them, and if they are fought, they will not aid them.  And [even] if they were to aid them, they will surely turn their backs; then they will not be aided." (Quran 59:11-12)

The prophecy was fulfilled when the Banu Nadhir were expelled in August 625 CE from Medina; the hypocrites did not accompany them or come to their aid.[6]

The Quranic Prophecies concerning Future Confrontations

"They will not harm you except for [some] annoyance.  And if they fight you, they will show you their backs (i.e., flee); then they will not be aided." (Quran 3:111)

"And if those (Meccans) who disbelieve were to fight you, they would certainly turn their backs (i.e., flee).  Then they would not find a protector or a helper." (Quran 48:22)

Historically, after these verses were revealed, the unbelievers in the Arabian Peninsula were never able to withstand the Muslims again.[7]

We see from the prophecies discussed in these articles that the claim many detractors of Muhammad’s Prophethood are utterly unfounded.  They have based their criticism on the challenge to show that what Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, foretold, if anything, and what came true of his foretelling.[8]  Demonstrably, he did prophesize, with God’s guidance, and demonstrably, what he was directed to tell us did actually occur.  Therefore, by the criterion of the detractors, Muhammad was the Messenger of God, and the last of the prophets to be sent, by both his statements in the Sunnah (narrations from his life) and the word of the Quran.

- islamreligion.com

---

Footnotes:

[1]Some of the rites of Hajj.

[2]See ‘Mercy For the Worlds,’ by Qazi Suliman Mansoorpuri, vol.1, p. 212 and ‘Madinan Society At The Time Of The Prophet,’ by Dr. Akram Diya al Umari, vol. 2, p. 139.

[3]‘Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources’ by Martin Lings, p. 89.

[4]‘Mercy For the Worlds,’ by Qazi Suliman Mansoorpuri, vol. 3 p. 299 ‘Madinan Society At The Time Of The Prophet,’ by Dr. Akram Diya al Umari, vol. 2, p. 37.

[5]"arts, Islamic." Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-13813)

[6]‘Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources’ by Martin Lings, p. 204.  ‘Mercy For the Worlds,’ by Qazi Suliman Mansoorpuri, vol. 3 p. 302.

[7]‘Risala Khatim al-Nabiyeen Muhammad,’ by Dr. Thamir Ghisyan.

[8]You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’  When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken.  The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (The Bible, New American Standard Version, Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

The Major Signs of the Day of Judgment : The Last of the Major Signs

 

The Three Landslides

As quoted earlier in a hadeeth (saying of Prophet Muhammad), among the major signs of the Day of Judgment are the three landslides that will occur.  One will occur in the East, one in the West and one in the Arabian Peninsula.  Not much further information has been given concerning these events—and therefore not much can be added.  However, the well-known hadeeth exegete ibn Hajar does note that landslides are a well-known occurrence and have occurred often.  Therefore, he says, it is likely that the nature of these three landslides which will occur shortly before the Day of Judgment will be of a much greater magnitude and severity, setting them apart from what occurs customarily in this world.[1]  And God alone knows best.

The Smoke

Among the major signs mentioned by the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is that of “the smoke.”  God refers to this event in the Quran, saying:

“Then wait you for the Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke, covering the people, this will be a painful torment” (Quran 44:10-11)

Again, beyond what has been stated explicitly by the Prophet, very little comment can be made concerning this sign.  However, there is a hadeeth in which the Prophet said:

“Verily, your Lord has warned you concerning three [matters]: the smoke that overtakes the believer like a cold and overtakes the disbeliever and makes him swollen until it comes out of his ears.”  

The Rising of the Sun from the West

According to a large number of the Quranic commentators, based on the hadeeth of the Prophet, the italicized portion of the following verse is in reference to the phenomenon of the rising of the sun from the West just prior to the Day of Resurrection:

“Do they then wait for anything other than that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some Signs of your Lord should come!  The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith.  Say [to the disbelievers], ‘Wait you!  We (too) are waiting’” (Quran 6:158). 

In an authentic narration, the Prophet recited this verse after mentioning the people see the rising of the sun from the West.  Thus, al-Bukhari records, that the Prophet said:

“The hour will not be established till the sun rises from the West; and when it rises (from the West) and the people see it, they all will believe.  And that is (the time) when no good will it do to a soul to believe then.”  Then he recited the complete verse (6:158).

In numerous narrations, the Prophet has made it abundantly clear that the nature of this sign is such that no one would have any reason to doubt, question or refuse to believe after seeing it.  When an individual experiences a sign of this nature, the reality virtually becomes exposed to him and, therefore, there is no longer any sense of a trial or test.  In fact, at that time, the test is over and the individual is already seeing the results unfolding in front of his/her very eyes.  That is why “conversion” to faith will have no meaning at that time and will not be acceptable by God.[2]

However, before this occurs, the door to repentance to God and His mercy is always open—such is how great the mercy of God is but it is also just and based on wisdom.  Thus, Muslim recorded that the Prophet said:

“He who seeks repentance (from the Lord) before the rising of the sun from the west (before the Day of Resurrection), God turns to him with Mercy.”

The rising of the sun from the West is one of three greatly definitive signs of this nature.  Thus, the Prophet said:

“When three things appear faith will not benefit one who has not previously believed or has derived no good from his faith: the rising of the sun in its place of setting, the Dajjaal, and the beast of the earth.”[3]

Muslim also recorded that the Prophet said:

“The first sign[4]  would be the appearance of the sun from the west, the appearance of the beast before the people in the forenoon and which of the two happens first, the second one would follow immediately after that.”  

This leads directly into the next sign which is the appearance of the Beast of the Earth.

The Beast of the Earth

God says in the Quran,

“And when the Word (of torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast to them, which will speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in Our Signs” (al-Naml 27:82). 

This verse referrs to the beast of the earth who will appear shortly before the Day of Judgment.

When the Beast comes, it will distinguish the people and declare who is a believer and who is a disbeliever.  Ahmad recorded that the Prophet said:

“The beast will appear and he will brand the people on their noses.  The people will then go on living with this branding such that a person will buy a camel and when he is asked, ‘From whom did you buy it?’ he will reply, ‘From one of the branded people.’” (Al-Albani)

The Fire that Will Gather the People

This is the last of the great signs.  After this starts the beginning of a new experience and creation.  Muslim records a hadeeth in which the Prophet stated the ten major signs and it concludes with, “at the end of which fire would burn forth from the Yemen, and would drive people to the place of their assembly.”  One can only imagine the intensity of this fire and the shear horror and fear that the individuals alive at that time will experience.  After this, all that will be left is for the masses of humanity to be resurrected and to face the reckoning of their Lord.

Final Words

No one, of course, can say why God has chosen to end this creation in the remarkable and amazing fashion that He has so chosen.  This is truly an amazing and marvelous creation and perhaps it is fitting that it should be brought to an end via amazing and marvelous events.  In any case, a Muslim knows with full certainty that this is what is going to occur, as the Quran and Prophet have described these events.  These events will occur and the Hour will be established.  With the Hour comes judgment and this is what every human should be thinking about and preparing for, especially as he/she is reading about these events that shall occur before that momentous occasion.

- islamreligion.com

---

Footnotes:

[1]Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Baari, vol. 13, p. 84.

[2]The classic example of this nature found in the Quran is that of the Pharaoh.  Once it became clear that he was facing his death, he proclaimed his belief.

[3]Recorded by Muslim.

[4]“The first sign” here is understood to mean the first of the extraordinary signs and not of the signs in general, as obviously these will occur after the coming of the Dajjaal and the return of Jesus.

The Style of the Quran

 

What topics does the Quran discuss?  It covers various subjects.  Most importantly, it talks about the unity of God and how to live a life which accords to His Will.  Other topics include religious doctrine, creation, criminal and civil law, Judaism, Christianity, polytheism, social values, morality, history, stories of past prophets, and science.

The Quran calls the great human exemplars of the past prophets and mentions their great sacrifice in spreading the message of God, the most important of them being Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.  The Quran elaborates on the ways in which the followers of the prophets, specifically the Jews and the Christians, have or have not lived up to the prophetic messages.  It also discusses the fate of past nations who rejected their Prophets, such as Noah and Lot.  It issues instructions on how to live a life pleasing to God.  It commands people that they should pray, fast, and take care of the needy.  It discusses matters of human interrelationships, sometimes in great detail - such as laws of inheritance and marriage - in a manner reminiscent of parts of the Hebrew Bible but foreign to the New Testament.  The Quran tells people that they should observe God’s instructions purely for God’s sake, not for any worldly aims.  It warns those who deny God’s messages that they will be thrown into the fire of Hell, and it promises those who accept the messages that they will be given the bliss of Paradise.

The Quran retells in their original form many of the stories from the Biblical heritage, especially that of Moses (mentioned by name more than any other person, followed by Pharaoh, his great enemy, who is the Quranic archetype of human evil).  However, it does not offer a sustained narrative of the kind found in the Book of Exodus.  It has much to say about the moral and legal duties of believers, but contains nothing like the law-code which is the centerpiece of the Book of Deuteronomy.  Many Quranic passages could aptly be described as preaching; but where the voice of the preacher in the Gospels is that of Jesus during his ministry on earth, in the Quran it is that of the ever-living God.

Also, the Quran repeats certain verses and themes at times, shifts topics, and often relates narratives in summarized form.  We can see two reasons for this characteristic.  First, it serves a linguistic purpose and is one of the powerful rhetorical techniques of classical Arabic.  Second, all themes of the Quran, no matter how varied, are wrapped around one common thread running through the entire book: that all types of worship rendered to others besides or alongside God is false, and that obedience to Him and His prophets, Muhammad being one of them, is a must.  The Quran, unlike the Bible, does not mention genealogies, chronological events, or minute historical details, but rather uses events from both past and present to illustrate its central message.  So, when the Quran is discussing the healing properties of honey or the life of Jesus, neither topic is an end in itself, but each is related in one way or another to the central message – unity of God and unity of the prophetic message.  No matter what the topic may be, it finds occasion to refer the discussion back to this central theme.

Another important point to keep in mind is that the Quran was not revealed in one sitting, but was revealed in parts over a span of 23 years.  Like the previous scriptures, many passages were revealed in response to specific events.  Often, Quranic revelation would come from the angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammad as a response to questions raised by those around him, whether believers or unbelievers.  The Quran addresses the People of the Scripture (a term used by the Quran for Jews and Christians), humanity at large, believers, and, finally, it addresses the Prophet himself, commanding him what to do in certain situations or supporting him and giving him solace in the face of ridicule and rejection.  Knowing the historical and social context clarifies the text.

Some other notable features of Quran’s style are the following:

(1)  The use of parables to stir curiosity of the reader and explain deep truths.

(2)  More than two hundred passages begin with the Arabic word Qul - ‘Say’ - addressing Prophet Muhammad to say what follows in reply to a question, to explain a matter of faith, or to announce a legal ruling.  For example,

“Say: ‘O People of the Scripture!  Do you disapprove of us for no other reason than that we believe in God, and the revelation that has come to us and that which came before (us), and because most of you are rebellious and disobedient?’” (Quran 5:59)

(3)  In some passages of the Quran, God takes oaths by His marvelous creation to strengthen an argument or to dispel doubts in the mind of the listener,

“By the sun and its brightness,

by the moon when it follows it,

by the day when it displays it,

by the night when it covers it,

by the sky and He who constructed it,

by the earth and He who spread it,

by the soul and He who proportioned it…” (Quran 91:1-7)

Sometimes God takes an oath by Himself:

“But no, by your Lord, they will not (truly) believe until they make you, (O Muhammad), judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in (full, willing) submission.” (Quran 4:65)

(4)  Lastly, the Quran has what is called ‘the disjointed letters,’ composed of letters of the Arabic alphabet which taken together do not have a known meaning in the Arabic lexicon.  Their meaning is only known to God.  They appear at the beginning of twenty nine surahs, and upon recital, each letter is pronounced and not the words they form.  For example, the first aayah of Surat-ul-Baqara appears as Alif-Lam-Mim, three letters of the Arabic alphabet pronounced individually.

A person unfamiliar with the Quran may find it a little difficult to read, especially at the start, but if they keep these points in mind, they will become more accustomed to it, and they will indeed find that even though it is a translation, it is truly profound book incomparable to any other. - islamreligion.com

11 Qualities of The Servants of the Most Merciful

 

In chapter Al Furqan, there is a passage (verses 63 to 76) in which Allah describes a special group of people.

This group is given a name by Allah – ibad-ur Rahman, the Servants of the Most Merciful, and they enjoy a special mercy from the Most Merciful.

Allah describes in this passage what it takes to be an Abd ar Rahman, the qualities which distinguish this special group of people.

1- Easy-going

And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily. (25:63)

2- Forbearance

…and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace.

When someone makes fun of them, insults them or hurts them, they don’t strike back or seek revenge. They forgive and overlook. They have this attitude towards disbelievers who insult them.

Then imagine how much more leniently we should behave to our believing brothers and sisters.

Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves [even] after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah delivers His command. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (2:109)

3- Devotion in Tahajjud

And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer]. (25:64)

The Prophet said:

The best month for observing Saum (fasting) next after Ramadan is the month of Allah, the Muharram; and the best Salah (prayer) next after the prescribed Salah is Salah at night (Tahajjud prayers). (Muslim)

4- Fear of Allah’s Punishment

And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence.” (25:65)

For these people, Hellfire is not a theoretical concept, but a reality.

5- Moderation

And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate. (25:67)

Allah says in another verse (translation):

O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess. (7:31)

On the other hand, we shouldn’t be miserly to the point of harming ourselves and our families.

6- Leaving Sins

And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated. (25:68)

7- Tawbah

Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance. (25:70)

8- Leaving Lying

And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood. (25:72)

The Prophet said:

I guarantee a house in the surroundings of Paradise for a man who avoids quarrelling even if he were in the right, a house in the middle of Paradise for a man who avoids lying even if he were joking, and a house in the upper part of Paradise for a man who made his character good. (Abu Dawud)

9- Remain Away from Evil Conversation

…and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity.

10- Accept Admonition

And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind. (25:73)

11- Turning to Allah

And those who say, “Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.”

Conclusion

At the end of this passage, Allah mentions the reward of the Ibadur Rahman:

Those will be awarded the Chamber for what they patiently endured, and they will be received therein with greetings and [words of] peace. Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence.

Source: Understand Quran

About Tabassum

Tabassum is a freelance writer and online Alimiyyah student at Al-Salam Institute, UK.  ihsan.life

Crime and Punishment in Islam : The Objectives of the Islamic Penal System

 

The Objectives of the Islamic Penal System

The Islamic penal system has many objectives, the most important of which are as follows:

The First Objective: Islam seeks to protect society from the dangers of crime.  It is common knowledge that if crimes are not countered with serious punishments, then society will be in grave danger.  Islam seeks to make social stability and security widespread, making life in society secure and peaceful.  It has made this consideration a platform for action, legislating punishments that will discourage crime.  This purpose has been articulated by the following verse that discusses retribution and its effects on society:

“There is (preservation of) life for you in retribution, O people of understanding, that you may become pious.” (Quran 2:179)

If the murderer, or any other criminal for that matter, knows the extent of the negative consequences for himself that his crime will cause, he will think a thousand times before committing it.  Awareness of the punishment will cause the criminal to abstain from committing the crime in two ways.  The criminal who has already been subject to the punishment will most likely not return to the crime again.  As for the rest of society, their awareness of the effects of this punishment will keep them from falling into the crime.  To realize a general effect from the punishment, Islam has established the principle of publicly announcing when it will be carried out.  God says:

“…A group of the believers should witness the punishment.” (Quran 24:2)

The Second Objective: Islam seeks to reform the criminal.  The Quran often makes mention of repentance in association with the crimes that it deals with, making it clear that the door to repentance is open whenever the criminal abandons his crime and behaves properly.  It has made repentance a means of waiving a fixed punishment in some instances, like the punishment for highway robbery.  God says:

“…except for those who repent before you take hold of them.  Then know that God is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Quran 5:34)

God says regarding the punishment for fornication:

“It they both repent and mend their ways, then leave them alone.  Verily, God is the Accepter of repentance, the Merciful.” (Quran 4:16)

God says after mentioning the punishment for false accusation:

“… except for those who repent afterwards and makes amends, then verily God is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

God says after mentioning the prescribed punishment for theft:

“Whoever repents after his wrongdoing and makes amends, then verily God will accept his repentance and verily God is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Quran 5:39)

This objective is seen more frequently with regard to discretionary punishments, whereby it is incumbent upon the judge to take into consideration the circumstances of the criminal and what will insure his betterment.

The Third Objective: The punishment is a recompense for the crime.  It is undesirable to treat a criminal lightly who threatens the security of society with danger.  The criminal should receive his just recompense as long as he is pleased with taking the path of evil instead of the path of righteousness.  It is the right of society to be secure in its safety and the safety of its individual members.  The Quran has asserted this objective when mentioning a number of punishments.  God says:

“The thieves, male and female, cut off their hands as a recompense for what they have earned...” (Quran 5:38)

“The recompense for those who wage violent transgression against God and His Messenger and who go forth spreading corruption in the Earth is that they should be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet should be cut off on alternate sides or that they should be sent into exile…” (Quran 5:33)

- islamreligion.com

Dates: Relief of Pain

 

It is a long-established custom among Muslim parents to put a piece of well-chewed date (or other available sweet fruit) in the mouth of a newborn baby.  Muslims do this following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, believing him to bee, as the Quran says, sent as a healing and a mercy to mankind.  We may infer from the way this custom originated that there is a virtue in it.  There is - complimentary to the virtue and pleasure of following the Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet) - placing a `sugary substance’ inside the mouth of a new-born baby dramatically reduces pain sensation and heart rate.

An interesting scientific medical study, published in the British Medical Journal (No. 6993, 10 June 1995), proved beyond any doubt the benefit of giving a new-born child sugar, in order to reduce the feeling of any painful procedure like heel pricking for a blood sample or before circumcision.

The study, entitled `The analgesic (pain killing) effect of sucrose in full term infants: a randomized controlled trial’, was done by Nora Haouari, Christopher Wood, Gillian Griffiths and Malcolm Levene in the post-natal ward in the Leeds General Infirmary in England.

60 healthy infants of gestational age 37-42 weeks and postnatal age of 1-6 days, were randomized to receive 2ml of one of the four solutions: 12.5% sucrose, 25% sucrose, 50% sucrose, and sterile water (control).

The first group of 30 babies received sugar syrup before a routine blood test (heel pricking, which is usually painful) done to detect jaundice.  The other 30 babies were given only sterile water as a control group.

Placing 2ml of a 25% or 50% sucrose solution on the tongue before pricking the heel significantly reduced the crying time, compared to babies who got water.  Also, their heart rate returned to normal more quickly.  The stronger sugar solution had the greater effect, crying being reduced further with increasing concentration of sucrose.  From which we may conclude that sucrose (sugar) placed on the tongue may bee a useful and safe form of analgesia for use with newborn infants.

Blass and Hoffmeyer also showed that 12% solution of inter-oral sucrose significantly reduced the duration of crying in new-born babies subjected to heel pricking or circumcision.  This study was reported in The Independent newspaper (Friday 9 June 1995) as well as in the British Medical Journal article.

The practice of the Prophet, upon him b piece, is recorded in the collections of his sayings and reports about him, of which the most revered are the two authentic collections of Al-Bukhari and Muslim:

Abu Buradah reported from Abu Musa, who said:

“I had a new-born baby; I took him to the Prophet Muhammad, who called him Ibrahim.  The Prophet chewed a date then he took it and rubbed the inside of the baby’s mouth with it.”

There are many other reported incidents like this one.

The date contains a very high percentage of sugar (70-80%); it has both fructose and glucose which have high calorific values, it is easily and quickly digestible, and very helpful to the brain.  The date contains 2.2% protein, vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2 ad nicotruic acid (against Pellagra); it has traces of minerals needed for the body such as potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper.  Potassium, of which percentage is very high, has been found to be very effective for cases of haemorrhage, such as the occasions of birth or circumcision.

We may note that the Sunnah also commends dates for the breaking of the fast in Ramadan.  Dates should be eaten, if available, before the sunset prayer - this is medically and nutritionally the best way and the Sunnah.

The great worth of dates is also indicated in a famous and beautiful passage of the Quran, in chapter named Maryam, verses 25-6:

“And shake towards you the trunk of the palm-tree and it will drop on you fresh ripe dates.  So eat and drink and be comforted.”

This was the prescription of God, the Creator, for the blessed Virgin Mary at the time of the birth of Jesus, the blessed Prophet of God.  It was a prescription to make the delivery easy and comfortable.

As the authors of the medical study referred to intend trying new sugary or sweet substances, we shall recommend that they try dates for the newborn for the relief of pain.

“We shall show them our signs on he furthest horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth.  Is it not sufficient that your Lord is witness over all things?” (Quran 41:53)

- islamreligion.com