Salam
Yonus (a) was a founder of his own nation and came before Musa (a).
Ayub (a) although a book is about him in Bible, his story was told about him in a way, we don't even know what time and place he was in. He was not one of the Bani-Israel Anbiya (a).
There shouldn't be argument, nothing in the Quran hints Yonus (a) was sent to bani-Israel at all, but rather, he was one of the many Messengers that was sent to people who can be destroyed. Out of all the warned cities in Quran, he is said to be the only one who his people believed when they saw the punishment from 3 days off.
Yonus (a) is greek for "Sign of God" I believe, and even his name is not Hebrew like almost all the Prophets (a) of the Bible including Adam and Seth and Noah which is all Hebrew versions of what their names mean. Yonus (a) was told I believe by Jesus (a) and hence his name is not even Hebrew.
Ayub (a) is one of the most important related stories in the Bible, but he was NOT within the children of Israel.
Anyways, the way to go about this issue is to hold on to what is clear.
There are hadiths that indicate every Nabi or Messenger has an Ahlulbayt. There are hadiths that show each Nabi and Messenger is such that with them in their blessed ascension and as well associated with their mission on earth is Twelve other Leaders.
Now there are hadith that contradict that, for example, Yushua ibn Noon would make it more then Twelve for sure. There is also other potentials like Daniel if he is not Dul-Kifl to be problematic.
But the rule to all divisions and unclarity is to seek mental clarity with what is clear.
Let us investigate how Twelve is used in Quran.
1. Suratal Baqara
Directly related to sticking to the sustenance of God and that every people knew it's drinking place, and not to corrupt or cause havoc in the earth, followed up by that they were cursed and worthy of God's wrath because they rejected God's Signs and killed Prophets without truth, and this was due to the fact they disobeyed and exceeded limits.
2. Suratal Maeeda
Twelve Captains which goes with all the verses about ships in Quran, including the line "by the name of God is it's sailing and anchoring", and there is no reason to assume Captain here is some trivial military post or tribal leaders, the reason is as follows:
(1) It's directly emphasizing the covenant, what the covenant is about is about Twelve Captains being risen over them, while Tribal leaders not chosen by God are not that important and hardly related to the covenant.
(2) There is a later verse that emphasizes the covenant and says God sent Messengers.... so we can see these two verses in the chapter interpret one another.
(3) The verse after talks about children of Israel breaking covenant but as well talks about the contemporary and future generations of Bani-Israel with regards to Mohammad (s) to be treacherous and Mohammad (s) won't cease to find treachery from them. So this can't be just about Twelve Tribal leaders of the time of Moses (a). It's about the span of children of Israel all the way to Mohammad (s)..
(4)The twelve tribes is a lie, it's irrational to divide people according to lineage so long time ago, why not different set of people down the lineage, etc, it makes no sense. Also, this organization doesn't make sense what so ever, in that how is people of different nations suppose to join.
(5) In line with that, there is serious hints to show Bani-Israel is a term like how Ahlulbayt (a) emphasized Salman (a) is from Ahlulbayt (a) while he was neither part of the chosen family nor blood related, but as hadiths show, believers are from Ahlulbayt (a) if they follow them and that they are born out of their light. Indeed a great theme of Quran is how Ibrahim (a) would emphasize who follows him is from him and other verses show the believers are closer to Ibrahim (a) regardless of blood.
(6) To emphasize more on the above, the Quran could've said children of Israel are offspring of Yaqoub (a), in the place it described their lineage, but when it did, it said "offspring of those who we carried with Noah", this shows "children of Israel" is a metaphor, and this makes sense, because what happen to all the believers of the family of Abraham (a)? Did they all go away and only people of the lineage of Yaqoub (a) remain believers?
(7) Israel means the one who struggles or fights with God or for God, both possible Hebrew wise, and so while originally about Yaqoub (a), in reality, it's also a description of the real religion, in that, Mohammad (s) is also an Israel (fighter/struggler for God) that strives the most on earth and who God trains to be strong to train others and can eventually defeat Angels in strength and even augment the strength of Angels. So when Quran talks to children of Israel, is it just talking to Jews or Jews and Christians? I believe it's talk to all people who were under the last covenant of Moses (a) - and so were under obligation of the Twelve Captains under him. The current children of Israel though is those under the covenant of Mohammad (s) but God called them that, in the same way, he calls Christians Christians, although believers of that time are more fit to be called helpers of God (Arabic version) or if he English version, they are more worthy to be said to follow the anointed one of God of the times they live in. Same with Yahud, it's a title fitting believers more, but for language precision - bani-Israel in Quran refers to the nation of Moses (a) in general, and referred to the followers of Abraham (a) and his family (a) before Moses (a).
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To have a holy meaning that has an impact on the heart, verse 5:12 flows with the day that God completed and perfected the religion (5:3) and shows a similar covenant was taken in the past as it did with Ghadeer day. The proof in this in the Surah has so many hints but the hadiths also verify this.
Surah A'araaf
(1) The talk of Ibrahim, Ismael, Isaac, Yaqoub (peace be upon them) and Asbaat, shows Asbaat doesn't mean tribes, but refers to it's original meaning which is branches. Tribes by parable can be seen as branches linking to another branch or root (the grandparent of the tribes for example by which they all link back too). But there is serious hints in every where it's used, that, branches refers to the chosen ones like Yusuf (a) being a branch of Ibrahim (a).
(2) Ummatan in many places in Quran, for example, when it states Ibrahim (a) is a ummatan, means course/way/path, and refers to Ibrahim (a) as a means to God that was the path for them to take. Keep this in mind, the verse before the mention of twelve can be saying from the people of Moses was a course/way in which they guided by the truth... this can be referring to his successors again. The next verse suggests even though they were one course, they were split in twelve branches, each themselves as ways, and to emphasize how they are one way but Twelve ways, reminds of the the twelve rivers gushing from one place and that every people knew their drinking source. Again, this meaning has a purpose of guidance, while other meanings like tribes having some sort of physical river and God dividing bani-Israel into twelve nations, simply, doesn't have any application to us and is a non-sensical way of God to act.
(3) There is a verse that has similarity in that it talks about from who God has created, there is a ummatan... and similar line. Then it heavily emphasizes not to violate God's Names and the lost of those who deny God's signs.
(4) The verses before talk about Mohammad (s) was sent to all people and emphasize on God's authority in the heavens and earth, and talked about believing in the light revealed with Mohammad (s). The light and course is obviously linked here by flow. This is a hint that twelve Successors (a) are the light revealed with Mohammad (s). Mohammad (s) is instance of the Quranic light, but it's saying believe in the light revealed alongside Mohammad (s).
(5) The chapter begins with emphasizing to follow that which God revealed and to follow any Awliya - but the chapter emphasizes Mohammad (s) and Messengers (a) before, were to be followed and believed in, and so this a serious hint that light revealed by God is referring to his chosen ones, as the Quran reveals the reality of his chosen ones and their position as guides and path to God.
Chapter Tawba
There is serious way to prove that luminaries is the proper translation and year to be generic, and this by keeping in mind the flow of the verses before, and also the significance of the name Ali (a) with respect to that topic flowing before. But let's talk about the talk above, and we can go into detail of this to finish things off.
That said, it becomes obvious, that there is but Twelve Successors of Moses (a), but the flow of all the times they are mentioned, it's stated in a way, that it's true of the future (Mohammad (s)) and it was true of the past (past Ahlulbayts).
I'm not making this concept up, it's the proper way the Quran talked about Twelve.
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June 21, 2015, 10:28:52 PM
