Exploring the Shared Perspective: No Birthdays in Qur’an and Torah, a Common Thread of Spiritual Insight” According to an Hadith mentioned by ibn Kathir in elucidating Qur’an 2:185. Ramadan is an extremely special month due to the fact that this month of the Islamic lunar calendar was the one in which four revelations were revealed down to four prophets: Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.
Ibn Kathir states: Imam Ahmad said that Wathilah bin Al-Asqaand claimed that Allah’s Messenger had said: “The Suhuf (Pages) of Ibrahim were revealed on the night that began Ramadan. In the first night of Ramadan, Torah was revealed on the 6th Night of Ramadan. Injil was revealed during the sixth night of Ramadan. Injil was revealed on the 13th evening during Ramadan as well. Allah disclosed to us the Qur’an on the night of the twenty fourth during Ramadan.” (Ahmad 4:107; Musnad 177025).
I don’t know what Christians would interpret the significance to that Injil on the 13th day of Ramadan however this Jewish sacred day Shavuot that commemorates the gift to the Torah to Moses and Banu Israel, does fall on the sixth day of the Jewish month of Sivan and Sivan in the year of Sivan would have coincided in time with Ramadan.
In the absence of this Hadith it wouldn’t be clear that these four life shifting revelations, that occurred hundreds of years apart, actually took place in exactly the same month of lunar calendar. because Jews utilize a lunar calendar for every religious event change the length of the year by having the leap month 7 times during every 19 years, in order to keep the festival of harvest, also known as Hajj Sukkot in the fall harvest time.
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However, there is a different Hadith which states: “Narrated Ibn `Umar: A few of the companions of the Prophet dreamed that the night of Qadr fell during the last seven night of Ramadan. Allah’s Messenger told them, “It seems that all your dreams confirm with the fact that (the Night of Qadr) occurs in the final seven night (of Ramadan), and anyone who wants to find the event (the Night of Qadr) must look for it in the final seven (nights of Ramadan). Sahih Bukhari Book 32, Hadith 3 #1943.
Be aware that the Prophet Muhammad did indeed know the date on which first hearing Gabriel’s voice Gabriel communicating with him, doesn’t specify exactly when it was. Also, the precise date for the granting of the Ten Commandments in the presence of Banu Israel in the Sinai region at Mount Sinai, is also not recorded in the Torah and only in the oral rabbinic Torah.
The Qur’an declares: “We sent it (the Qur’an) down during an incredibly blessed night (Arabic laylah mubarakah Hebrew mevurakh lailah) since We knew to inform (every person in their native language). Each aspect of wisdom is clarified in it as a result of a directive from Us, since We were obliged to give (prophets) to show mercy from the Lord, because He listens to and is aware of (all).” (44:3-6)
The Qur’an’s declarations: “We were sure to warn” and “We were bound to send” is a sign of God’s mercy to send prophets to instruct and warn each nation, tribe, and people in the earth of their obligations to God as well as their fellow humans.
In the Torah Prophet Moses tells those who are Jewish People: “Look! I have laid before you today the possibility of prosperity and life as well as death and adversity.
What I’m enjoining you to do today is to be devoted to God your God and to follow his methods, and to abide by the laws, commands and his decrees. When you do, you will be a multitude as well as God will bless you. Lord God of your God is going to bless you with the land that you’re soon to be able to enjoy.
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“However should you step off and refuse to adhere to the commandments, but instead are drawn away to worship and serve different gods, I am announcing to you today that you’ll surely die! You won’t be able to extend your time in the country you traversing the Jordan (River) to own.
“Today today, I call heaven and earth to serve as witnesses against you. I’ve set before you: death and life as well as blessings and curses. Choose life, to ensure that your descendants and you can be alive! I also encourage you to worship your Lord your God and to follow him and remain faithful to him, because He provides you with life and allows you to continue living in the land that the Lord promised to grant to you and your (Prophet) ancestral ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Torah-Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
The Prophet Moses has been viewed as a warrior (to Pharaoh and his people) and an act of merciful (bringing Torah guidance) for the Jewish people (and later, for the Christians who integrated the Torah as well as the remainder of the Hebrew Bible into their own sacred scriptures)–just like Prophet Muhammad is an “mercy for the entire world” (21:107).
The Qur’an clarifies that God’s obligation to provide Divine instructions to mankind isn’t limited just to those who descend from the prophets Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but also includes all other nations.
In the Qur’an, it is said that “The Month of Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad” (2:185) Its significance of the verse is not that the entire text of the Qur’an was handed out to Prophet Muhammad in one night, within a month, or within a decade. What it means is the fact that the revelations of Qur’an in the presence of Muhammad the prophet Muhammad started in the month Ramadan on the night of Power.
The initial revelation is considered to be part of the entire process of revelation due to revelation was made obvious to the Prophet at the first day of revelation. Later communications offered a greater the message.
According to the Jewish tradition, Rabbinic authorities insist that the revelation on Mount (Arabic Tur) Sinai begins with: “I am the Lord of your God who took thee out of Egypt …” A Rabbi says that the first sentence is all required since all the rest of Torah follows from that. Another rabbi states that everything comes from the one Divine phrase: “I am.”
Both Islam as well as Judaism are governed by a highly developed legal system, which was developed to clarify the message our ancestors were given: “Every matter of wisdom is distinctly defined by a directive from us.” The two religions have the belief that, even though God’s message is beyond time and space but it does occur in a particular date and time.
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Night of Power Night of Power is more than just the celebration of the exact night that the Qur’an’s revelation started as indicated by the various Islamic traditions (ahadith) concerning the exact date for The Night of Power. For instance, according to one of the traditions (hadith) The Prophet once said: “Whoever wants to search for (this night) should do so in those seven days (of Ramadan).”
However, in a different tradition, the Prophet is believed to have stated: “Look for the Night of Power in which nine seven or five nights continue to be during Ramadan (i.e. from 20th to 25th of Ramadan all inclusive).” However, it also states, “Search for it on the 29th, 27th, and the 25th” in Ramadan.”
The following traditions are all quoted from Bukhari which is one of the two trustworthy sources for Prophetic Tradition. Combine these traditions with other Hadith collections and the number of possible dates expands to seven dates to mark the evening of the power: 17th, 21st 23rd, 24th 25th, 27th or the final day of Ramadan. Prophet Muhammad could have been aware of the precise date of the initial Divine revelation that he received. But neither the Qur’an, or the Prophet reveals the date of that historic landmark.
It’s the same scenario found within the Torah. Shavuot, a day of holy celebration that marks the revealing of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai–is the only Jewish holy day on which the Torah doesn’t provide an exact date of the year.
The Passover holiday, which commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from oppression and slavery in Egypt under Moses — falls on the 15th day of the month of the first. Rosh Hashanah — the beginning of the Jewish new year of the religious observance – falls celebrated on the 1st day of the month of July. Yom Kippur — the day of the atonement fast is the tenth of the seventh month. Haj Sukkot, the week-long autumn harvest festival for pilgrims to the holy land–falls on the 15th day of the seventh month.
For Shavuot, Jews are simply informed that beginning with on the Shabbat of the long week-long Festival of Passover, we should keep track of each days for 7 weeks (Shavuot) then the day that is fifty-fifth is Shavuot. In a single text, the Torah simply says: “You shall count for yourself seven weeks. From when the sickle first thrown into the stand crop will you commence counting for seven weeks. Then, you’ll be observing this Festival of Shavuot for the Lord your God” (Torah-Deuteronomy 16:9-10)
The text begins counting with an agricultural harvest time that varies little from one area to the next Therefore, no specific date is envisaged. There is a second Torah text that ties counting seven weeks with Passover however it does not contain an explicit date for the year: “You shall count for yourself–from the day after the sabbath and from the day you carry an Omer of the waving, seven total Shabbats. From the the seventh sabbath, you will count five hours …” (Torah-Leviticus 23:15-16)
This is why Qur’an as well as Torah both agreeon the phrase “No Birthday For Us”. Shavuot is a celebration of a historic celebration that marks the beginning of the covenant that was in place with God as well as Banu Israil in the third month following the time that God had delivered people from slavery. Jewish People from Egypt; and Shavuot also marks the transhistorical non-temporal revelation event, which could be like the moment of love:
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I remember the exact date that my wife and I were married. I don’t know the exact day, week, or even the month when I began to fall in love with her. A wedding is a celebration that occurs on a particular day of one particular month in an exact year.
Making a commitment to love is a natural process that has to be felt. That’s why the sole Jewish holy days without any specific dates on the calendar of the year are the Sabbath on a weekly basis and the once in a year Shavuot, a day that commemorates that the first day of covenant and commitment that was made between God as well Abraham’s son Israel (i.e. Jacob/Arabic Ya’kob) A relationship that will continue with the descendants of Israel.
Being selected is a moment and choosing is a process. One day, fueled by my growing affection for my partner I suggested marriage. After a couple of weeks she finally agreed to marry me.’ About four months after that, on the 25th of December the 25th of December, 1966, we were married. I don’t know the exact date or even the month that I was so in love that I decided to marry however, I do know that it happened and that’s the most important thing for the relationship’s ongoing success.
In the fifty-five subsequent anniversary celebrations, our love has grown. Each anniversary we celebrate is more significant than the first wedding day. The effects of our choice appear more important than the initial ceremony itself – provided it was the right choice.
However, without the option to commit the desire to be loved and loved will remain unstated and unfulfilled: a devastating loss for both parties.
In the same way, revelation was a process, but the beginning of it occurred as an occasion on a specific day in a particular month in a particular year. The celebration of the occasion celebrates the continuing impact of this historical event and individuals’ efforts to benefit from its effects. Being able to experience even a tiny part the revelation of God is as love is a continual process that is repeated for every generation.
Therefore, both Shavuot and Laylat al-Qadr have more than one calendar date. Important things may have calendar dates that are movable due to the fact that they are ongoing instances. Since Shavuot or Laylat al-Qadr occur annually this means that certain doors of mercy from God remain open, even if prophetic revelation has come an end.
What is most important isn’t the date at which God’s revelation was first accepted by prophets Moses, Jesus or Muhammad or Muhammad, but rather whether you live your everyday life as dictated by God’s revelation.
Categories: PRAYER (Salat), ALMS (Zakat), SAWN (Fasting) HAJJ (Pilgrimage) & DUA (Supplications), Hadith and Tafseer, The Holy Quran, Quran Jaz 1- 114
Topics: Ushr and Zakat, Hijab, Arabic Corner, Faith, Islamic History, Biography, Sirat ul Nabi PBUH, Islamic Studies, Halal & Haram
