The Prophecy

The religious definition of the word prophet (Arabic Nabi) is the one who receives news from the heavens. So the word Nabi is taken from the word Naba’a [meaning news] and not from the word Naba [meaning to rise and ascend]. The truth is that the word Naba’a is taken from the word Naba. This is because the news are the unknown which have risen and ascended so that the people can see it and it became known after it had been covered and obscured.

The news of the heavens reach a human in multiple ways, though they are combined in one original path. So Allah can talk directly to the human from behind a veil or he can inspire unto him what He swt wills. That is to say, He writes in the page of this human’s existence whatever He swt wills or He sends angels who will talk to the human directly or these angels write in the page of his existence what Allah swt wills. Allah swt said,

{It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a Messenger to reveal, with Allah’s permission, what Allah wills; for He is Most High, Most Wise.}^[1]

As for this method of speech, revelation and writing, it is either by a vision while asleep or by a revelation while awake. And I mention revelation because the world of spirits is not like this physical world so in order for a man to see it and connect to it, the veil of this physical world must be lifted.

It is not necessary that every prophet^[2] is a messenger from Allah swt, rather perhaps there was more than one prophet at one certain time but Allah swt sends one of them to be a Proof over them and over other people. Of course this person who has been selected and chosen by Allah amongst the rest of the prophets is the best of them. He is made infallible by Allah swt and he is informed by Allah swt about what he needs to be informed with from the Unseen by the favor of Allah swt.

{[He is] the Knower of the Unseen and He reveals his unseen unto none ❦ Except unto every messenger whom He has chosen and then He makes a guard to go before him and a guard behind him.}^[3]

And those are the angels subjected by Allah swt for this sent prophet,

{For him are angels ranged before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah’s command.}^[4]

They are before him and behind him to guard him, by the command of Allah swt, from the evil of satanic beings (whether human or jinn) and from their throwing and falsehood. This angelic protection is a deterrent to and a repellent for the satanic beings from intervening and throwing into the message of the heaven as it descends to this lower physical world. Therefore the message of the heavens reaches the sent prophet correct, pure and protected from the throwing of Satan,

{Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or from behind it. [It is] a descent from the Wise, the Owner of Praise.}^[5]

{Verily, We descended the Thikr [Remembrance] and verily, We are its guardians.}^[6]

As for those prophets or those who have achieved the status of prophecy within a period of time (meaning they saw the news of the skies by permission of Allah swt after their obedience and worship towards Him swt and their ascension in the Kingdom of Heavens within a period of time), they are also tested by the prophet who is sent to them and to others. And it should be easier for them because Allah swt reveals to them, to a high degree, that he has sent this messenger. But there must remain a small percentage of ignorance about the reality of the test so that their faith would be, at a certain level, in the unseen,

{Alif Lam Meem ❦ This is the Book wherein there is no doubt, a guidance unto the pious ❦ who believe in the unseen, establish prayer and spend of that which We have bestowed upon them.}^[7]

And of course their distinction from the rest of people is their right on account of their distinction in their previous obedience and worship. But whoever disbelieves in them due to envy and ego shall fall into the abyss of hell, as had happened to Balam bin Baora. He knew some of the news of the heavens and learned from Allah swt about the message of Moses pbuh, yet he still disbelieved in Moses’ message and made uncertainties an excuse for his fall which put him in the abyss of hell. And his previous obedience and worship were of no use to him. Just like it had not been of use to Iblis (Allah curse him) before, when he disbelieved in Adam pbuh the sent prophet, and he became one of the ugliest creations of Allah after he had been the peacock of the angels. It is in the narrations that bin Baora had the mighty name and could see beneath the throne.

Abu Al-Hassan Al-Retha pbuh said,

“Balam bin Baora was given the mighty name and he made dua by it so he was answered and he inclined towards the pharaoh^[8]. So when the pharaoh sought Moses pbuh and his followers he said to Balam bin Baora, ‘Make dua to Allah against Moses and his followers to detain him away from us.’ He then rode his donkey seeking Moses and his followers and his donkey would not move. He then hit it so Allah swt made it speak and it said, ‘Woe, why do you hit me? Do you want me to come with you so you can make dua against Moses, the prophet of Allah, and faithful followers?’ He had kept on hitting it and it died and the mighty name was sloughed from his tongue, and it is Allah’s saying,

{But he was sloughed off it, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who were led astray. And had We willed We could have raised him by its means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desires. Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if you attack him he pants with his tongue out and if you leave him he pants with his tongue out.}^[9]

And it is an example He had mentioned.”

So Al-Retha pbuh said,

“No animals shall enter heaven except for three: the donkey of Balam, the dog of the people of the cave and the wolf. The reason for the wolf is that a tyrant king had sent a policeman to torture a group of faithful believers and this policeman had a son whom he loved, so the wolf ate his son and the policeman grieved over him. So Allah entered the wolf into heaven for the grief he caused for the policeman.”^[10]

In the Quran, Allah swt mentioned Balam bin Baora who had envied Moses pbuh and had been arrogant towards him. So he was panting after his ego and his desires like a dog after he had been at the status of prophecy, and he could see beneath the throne and he had the mighty name,

{Recite unto them the tale of him to whom We had given Our revelations, but he was sloughed off it, so Satan overtook him and he became of those who were led astray. And had We willed We could have raised him by its means, but he clung to the earth and followed his own desires. Therefore his likeness is as the likeness of a dog: if you attack him he pants with his tongue out, and if you leave him he pants with his tongue out. Such is the likeness of the people who deny Our revelations. Narrate unto them the history, that perhaps they may contemplate.}^[11]

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