The Revolution of the Prophet

THE REVOLUTION OF THE PROPHET A nation of unprecedented dynamism would be required to establish the dominance of true religion on earth. Earlier generations, which had grown up in the artificial environment of human civilization, had lacked the dynamism and vitality needed to perform this task. This was the reason the previous prophets failed to elicit a positive response. Therefore, a new nation would have to grow up, nurtured under conditions especially suited to cultivating these qualities. This would involve a long process of human reproduction, extending over several generations. This accounts for the 2500-year gap between Abraham’s prayer and its fulfilment: when the stage was fully set, the prophet he had prayed for was born to Aminah, the daughter of Wahab ibn ‘Abd Manaf of the Banu Hashim in Makkah. Nothing but dry land and inhospitable rubble awaited Abraham when he arrived in Makkah with his wife and infant son. Soon the water in their flask finished, and Ishmael started thrashing with his hands and feet because of his great thirst. It was then that the spring of Zamzam gushed forth, a sign that although God had indeed made them face a stiff test, He would not leave them to face it alone: they were engaged in God’s work, and He would always be there at crucial moments to grant them succour. When Ishmael was in adolescence, Abraham dreamt he was slaughtering his child. He interpreted it as God’s commandment and readied himself to carry it out. Then, as he held the knife poised over Ishmael’s throat, a voice came from heaven telling him to stop and sacrifice a lamb