A Clear Prophecy about Muhammad (pbuh) in the ‘Assumption of Moses’

There is a strangely arranged prophecy regarding the Prophet

of Islam in a pseudepigraphical book

attributed to Moses named ‘The Assumption of Moses’.[1]

It was introduced to me by a worthy friend, Mr. Muhammad

Farooque Kemal.[2]

The book consisted originally of 1,100 stichoi [lines], about half of which had

been discovered. This book has been included in R. H. Charles’ compilation, ‘The

Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English’. According to the

Introduction of this book by the editor, it was originally written in Hebrew,

between AD 7 and 29. A Greek version of it appeared in the first century AD. The

Greek version was translated into Latin not later than the fifth century. Of

this version a large fragment was discovered by Ceriani in the form of a

sixth-century MS in the Ambrosian Library in Milan and published by him in his

Mon. sacr. Et prof. I. i. 55-64 in 1861. This MS is a palimpsest[3]

of the sixth century.[4]

The editor has observed:

It is not, as scholars have supposed, the actual work of

the original Latin translator, but only a fragmentary copy of that version

[stress added]; for our text contains duplicate renderings and attempts at a

better translation, which were primarily marginal glosses, but afterwards

introduced by a copyist into the text [stress added. And it is a common

practice with most of the Bible texts.].[5]

The present book is the English translation of the Latin

Version, which was translated from the Greek Version. But the Greek Version is

not its original form. It may have been translated from the Hebrew original.

That’s why the editor has observed, ‘In some cases we must translate, not the

Latin, but the Hebrew presupposed by it.‘[6];

and, ‘Frequently it is only through retranslation that we can understand

the source of the corruptions in the text [stress added. Note the

existence of the corruptions in its text.].‘[7]

The author was not a Sadducee, or a Zealot, or an Essene; but was a Pharisaic

Quietist[8].

The present treatise, ‘The Assumption of Moses’, consists of

12 chapters, rather paragraphs, of an average of about twenty lines each. At the

very outset, in chapter 1, Moses calls to him Joshua the son of Nun and tells

him,

that the time of the years of my life is fulfilled and I am

passing away to sleep with my fathers even in the presence of all the people.

And receive thou this writing that thou mayst know how to preserve the books

which I shall deliver unto thee.[9]

He also tells him,

that he might be the minister of the people (…), and that

he might bring the people into the land given to their fathers, that it

should be given to them according to the covenant and the oath.[10]

It is evinced from these lines that this treatise consists of

some information which is very important according to Moses. That’s why he is

putting it forward at the end of his ‘years of life’ as his last will or

‘testament’.[11]

It would be pertinent to study very briefly the outlines of the contents of each

chapter to understand the development of the theme.

In chapter 2 Moses tells Joshua, ‘thou shalt bless and give

to them individually and confirm unto them their inheritance in me.’[12]

He also informs him briefly about the salient features of the history of Israel

until the conquest of Nebuchadnezzer[13]

in a symbolic manner. In chapter 3 Moses gives a brief account of the

destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Nebuchadnezzer. In chapter 4 Moses

informs about the coming of Daniel and his praying for the Jews and their

deliverance from the captivity and return from the exile of Babylon to their

homeland, Jerusalem.[14]

Chapter 5 states the occupation of the Seleucidae and the Greek kings and

generals. Later, in the person of Antiochus, they punished the apostate Jewish

nation. Chapter 6 relates to the Maccabees without mentioning their names.

With the end of chapter 6

the author’s own lifetime starts. He can now no more state the events of the

past as the predictions of the future. He can now state only some obscure

predictions and enigmatical symbols. The treacherous men, self-pleasers,

gluttons, and deceitful people of chapter 7 can be interpreted in terms of the

Sadducees. According to the editor the ‘second visitation [and wrath of chapter

8] is too accurate an account of Antiochus Epiphanes’[15]

 persecution.’[16]

 The editor has further observed here

in his footnote, ‘Thus we have a clear case of transposition by the final

editor.’[17]

 It shows that at every stage of its

compilation the redactors of the treatise had been liberally modifying the text

to their taste or intelligence. As regards chapter 9, Moses, or whosoever of the

inspired saints or scribes be the author, foretells the incident of taking

refuge of the ‘Seven Sleepers’ in a cave to spare themselves from the

persecution of the Roman Emperor, Decius.[18]

 The incident has been recorded in the Qu’an in chapter XVIII (al-Kahf,

i.e., The Cave). Although the editor attaches chapter 9 to some other irrelevant

person Eleazar of 2 Macc. vi. 18 (whose name has been mentioned here as ‘Taxo’),

who was one of the chief scribes, and, according to 4 Macc. v. 3, a priest; its

application to the event of the ‘Seven Sleepers’ of Ephesus is more significant.

Some of its excerpts would illustrate it:

Then in that day there shall be a man of the tribe of Levi,

whose name shall be Taxo, who having seven sons shall speak to them exhorting

(them): ‘Observe, my sons, behold a second ruthless (and) unclean visitation

has come upon the people, and a punishment far exceeding the first. (…). Now,

therefore, my sons, hear me (…). Let us fast for the space of three days and

on the fourth let us go into a cave which is in the field, and let us die

rather than transgress he commands of the Lord of Lords, the God of our

fathers. For if we do this and die, our blood shall be avenged before the

Lord.[19]

It may be noted here that the event of the ‘Seven Sleepers of

Ephesus’ is the main and significant event of the domain of religion between the

period of Jesus Christ and the Prophet Muhammad

(sws). That’s why Moses has told it to Joshua.

Now comes the most conspicuous chapter 10 of the ‘Testament’,

which indicates its main and central theme. It relates the advent of the Prophet

of Islam. Some of its lines are

reproduced below:

And then His kingdom[20]

shall appear throughout all His creation,[21]

(…)

And He will appear to punish the Gentiles,[22]

 And He will destroy all their idols.[23]

(…).[24]

And do thou, Joshua (the son of) Nun, keep these words and

this book;

For from my death [assumption] until His advent[25]

there shall be CCL times [stress added].[26]

And this is the course of the times which they shall pursue

till they are consummated.

And I shall go to sleep with my fathers.

Wherefore, Joshua thou (son of) Nun, (be strong and) be of

good courage; (for) God hath chosen (thee) to be minister in the same

covenant.[27]

In chapter 11 Moses reminds Joshua his assignments

emphatically. Joshua is aggrieved upon and afraid of the heavy task before him.

Finally, in chapter 12 Moses Consoles and encourages Joshua. He affirms that the

will of God shall be fulfilled and shall prevail and He shall help him in the

accomplishment of his assignment. And with this our present treatise comes to

the end.

As can be easily appreciated, chapter 10 is the most

conspicuous part of the book, because it foretells the advent of the ‘kingdom of

God’ which is to be established 1750 years after the death of Moses. To

appreciate the exact personality which was to establish the foretold ‘kingdom of

God’, first of all we have to find out the point of time in the world history

which falls 1750 years after the death of Moses. Although the time of Moses’

death cannot be exactly pin pointed, the scholars have made all out efforts to

reach as near to the exact point of time of the event as possible with the help

of the available data of the annals of the world history.

Oxford Bible Atlas asserts that the Exodus of the Israelites

under Moses from Egypt took place during the period of Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses

II of the 19^th dynasty, who ruled Egypt until 1224 BC:

The oppression of Israel and the exodus from Egypt took

place most probably [stress added] under Rameses II (1290-24),[28]

Now if this Pharaoh Rameses II (1290-24 BC)[29]

were, as is generally accepted by the scholars of the Bible, the same Pharaoh,

during whose reign the Israelites migrated from Egypt with Moses, he must have

drowned in the sea while chasing Israelites. The Bible has recorded the event

fairly in detail:

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,

Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have

we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” So he

[this ‘he’, obviously, here means none other than ‘Pharaoh’] had his chariot

made ready and took his army with him. He took six hundred of the best

chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all

of them. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he

pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians ƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬ all

Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops ƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬ pursued the Israelites

and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal

Zephon.

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there

were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to

the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt

that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing

us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve

the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than

to die in the desert!”

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm

and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians

you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need

only to be still.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?

Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand

over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea

on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go

in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through

his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when

I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” (….).

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all

that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it

into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the

sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and

chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.  (…).

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over

the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots

and horsemen.” Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea

went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it and the Lord

swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and

horsemenƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the

sea. Not one of them survived.[30]

It shows that the Pharaoh, who followed the Israelites in the

dried seabed, had been drowned and was not spared. Consequently the Israelites

entered into Sinai. Thus the Exodus took place in 1224 BC, which is also the

same year in which Pharaoh Rameses II died of drowning in his hot pursuit of the

fleeing Israelites.

Now the Israelites along with Moses wandered for forty years

in Sinai before entering into the land of Canaan. Moses died at the end of this

forty-year wandering in the wilderness before the entry of the Israelites into

the Promised Land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua son of Nun. It shows

that Moses died in the year 1184 BC (1224-40=1184). That the Israelites had

wandered in Sinai for forty years after the announcement of this punishment for

their misbehavior in Sinai and before their entry into the Promised Land of

Canaan, can be appreciated from the following excerpt of the Bible:

In this desert your bodies will fall ƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬ every one of you

twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled

against me. Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to

make your home except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for

your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to

enjoy the land you have rejected. But you ƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬ your bodies will fall in this

desert. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for

your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. For

forty years ƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬ one year for each of the forty days you explored the land ƒ¢¢â€š¬¢â‚¬ you

will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you. I,

the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked

community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in

this desert; here they will die.[31]

It is to be noted that there is an error in counting the

years of the common Christian era. Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible has recorded:

The date of his birth

was most probably in December, B.C. 5, four years before the era from which we

count our years. That era was not used till several hundred years after

Christ. The calculations were made by a learned monk, Dionysius Exiguus, in

the sixth century, who made an error of four years.[32]

It means that the number of years after the death of Moses

till the birth of Jesus Christ, which have became 1184 years, is not right.

Jesus had born four years prior to what is generally stated. So the actual gap

between the death of Moses and the birth of Jesus is 1180 years (4 years earlier

than 1184=1180). 

It is almost unanimously held that the Prophet of Islam

was born in AD 570. In his article ‘Mohammed, Mohammedanism’ Geo. W. Gilmore

observes:

Mohammed, “The Praised,” the posthumous son of Abdu Allah,

a member of the Koraish tribe, by Aminah, was born at Mecca Aug. 20, 570, and

died at Medina June 8, 632.[33]

Michael H. Hart writes:

The majority of the persons in this book had the advantage

of being born and raised in centers of civilization, highly cultured or

politically pivotal nations. Muhammad, however, was born in the year 570, in

the city of Mecca, in southern Arabia, at that time a backward area of the

world, far from the centers of trade, art, and learning.[34]

It can thus be appreciated that the number of years from the

death of Moses till the birth of Jesus is 1180 years; and the number of years

from the birth of Jesus till the birth of the Prophet of Islam

is 570. Now 1180+570 make nothing else than 1750 years. It reveals that Moses

foretold about none other than the Prophet of Islam

in his prophecy recorded in the “Assumption of Moses”. It should also be born in

mind that it is only the Prophet of Islam,

and none other than he, who came after 1750 years from the death of Moses. And

as such, there remains no justifiable reason for denying the sincerity of the

claim to the apostolate of the Prophet of Islam

for an honest, impartial, and unbiased person.