Page 182 - New English Book L

181

John – Baptist foretold Muhammad (pbtuhem)

1. According to the testimony of Jesus (pbuh) , no man
born of woman was ever greater than John the Baptist
(pbuh) was. However, the “least” in the Kingdom of Heaven
is greater than John. The comparison made by the “Spirit
of Allah” (Ruhu ’llah, i.e. Jesus (pbuh) is between John
and all the preceding John Prophets (pbuh) as the officers
and administrators of the Kingdom of Heaven. Now in
chronological order the last Prophet would be the least
of them all, he would be their junior and their youngest.
The word “z’ira” in the Aramaic, like the Arabic “saghir,”
signifies “little, small young.” The Pshittha Version uses
the word “z’ira” or “z’eira” in apposition to “rabba” for
“great, old.” Every Christian will admit that Jesus (pbuh)
is not the “last” Prophet, and therefore he cannot be the
“least.” Not only were the Apostles themselves endowed
with the gift of prophecy, but also many other holy men
in the apostolic age were favoured with it (Acts xi. 27, 28;
xiii. I; xv. 32; xxi, 9, 10, etc.).

Moreover, as we cannot determine which of these
numerous Church John Prophets was the “last, we are
naturally forced to seek elsewhere a Prophet who is
indisputably the Last and the Seal of the Prophetic List.
Can we imagine a stronger and more brilliant evidence in
favour of Muhammad (pbuh) than the fulfilment, in his holy
person, of this wonderful prophecy of Jesus Christ (pbuh) ?

In the long list of the prophetic family, certainly the
“youngest,” the “least” is Muhammad (pbuh) ; he is the
“Benjamin” of the John Prophets; yet he is their Sultan,
their “Adon” and their “Glory.” To deny the prophetical
and apostolical character and nature of Muhammad’s
mission is a fundamental denial of the whole Divine
Revelation and all the John Prophets who preached it. For
all other John Prophets put together had not accomplished