Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Q-1: ‘Israel’ is not the name given to Prophet Jacob in the Bible! What is the meaning of Israel? And who does the term Israel refer to?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Meaning of Israel

Israel is a Hebrew term which means ‘he who struggles with God’ and it was a name apparently given to Prophet Yaqoob (a.s.) after he apparently wrestled with God, as stated according to Jewish tradition and in the Bible in the Book of Genesis 32:22-32.

Book of Genesis Chapter 32: 22-32

22. That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of Jabbok.

23. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.

24. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

25. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.

26. Then the man said: ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’ But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’

27. The man asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Jacob’, he answered.

28. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.

29. Jacob said, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he replied, ‘Why do you ask my name?’ Then he blessed him there.

30. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, ‘It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.’

31. The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.

32. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Book of Genesis Chapter 35:10

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. God said to him, ‘your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.’ So he named him Israel.

Q-2: There is nothing in the Bible that states that the Prophets of God (Allah forbid!) committed ‘zina’ !

Just see the state of the blasphemy against the noble and chaste Prophet of God in the Bible!! Not only do they blaspheme and accuse the noble Prophets of Allah, Prophet Lot (a.s.) of the evil sin of ‘zina’, but they accuse him (a.s.) of the highest evil of zina, ie. Incest!!!

Book of Genesis 19:30-36.

30. Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.

31. One day the older daughter said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth.

32. Lets get our father (Prophet Lot) to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father.

33. That night they got their father (Prophet Lot) to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and lay with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

34. The next day the older daughter said to the younger, ‘Last night I lay with my father (had intercourse with him!!!). Lets get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him so that we can preserve our family line through our father.’

35. So they got their father (Prophet Lot) to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went and lay with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down and when she got up.

36. So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father (Prophet Lot!)

Allah Subhanah Himself states and confirms in several places in the Glorious Quran that the People of the Book distorted, altered, changed, and intentionally misrepresented the Revelations that were revealed to their Prophets!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imraan verse 78:

78 There is among them (the People of the Book) a section who distort the Book with their tongues; (as they read) you would think it is a part of the Book but it is no part of the Book; and they say "That is from Allah" but it is not from Allah: it is they who tell a lie against Allah and (well) they know it!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 13-18:

13 But because of their breach of their (the People of the Book) Covenant, We cursed them and made their hearts grow hard: they change the words from their (right) places and forget a good part of the Message that was sent them, nor wilt thou cease to find them barring a few ever bent on (new) deceits: but forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds): for Allah loveth those who are kind.

14 From those too who call themselves Christians We did take a Covenant but they forgot a good part of the Message that was sent them: so We estranged them with enmity and hatred between the one and the other to the Day of Judgment. And soon will Allah show them what it is they have done.

15 O People of the Book! There hath come to you Our Messenger (Mohamed (saws)) revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): There hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.

16 Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety and leadeth them out of darkness by His Will unto the light guideth them to a Path that is Straight.

17 In blasphemy indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: "Who then hath the least power against Allah if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary his mother and all everyone that is on the earth? For to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between. He createth what He pleaseth. For Allah hath power over all things."

18 (Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)."

The Quran leaves absolutely no doubt that the Revelations and thus the beliefs of the People of the Book were severely distorted and altered by their scholars after the deaths of their Prophets; for they wished to follow their desires rather than the Word of God!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan