Religion and politics have been intertwined through history. It has become impossible to discuss events of rise and fall of nations and ideologies without having a comprehensive analysis of both (religious and political factors). So, any ideological account of events that divorces politics from religion will result in immature conclusions and interpretations. It is undeniable that what goes on in Northern Ireland, Southern Philippines, Kashmir, Palestine, India, Bosnia, Kosovo, Southern Sudan and many other hot spots in the world is very much a product of religious-political factors. Therefore, politically motivated solution cannot offer complete and final resolutions. The Palestinian conflict is one of that type.
In order to attract sympathy of Christian people, the Zionists linked the existence of the State of Israel to the coming of the Messiah who will establish the Kingdom of God on earth. However, do the Zionists have the same belief about the advent of the Messiah as that of Christians? Do Zionists regard Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) as the coming Messiah as the Christians? In a number of previous essays, I highlighted that religious factors were behind some of the most decisive decisions taken by Western leaders in relation to the Palestinian Issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict. As a matter of fact, Balfour Declaration, which was the igniting spark for the establishment of the Zionist State, was influenced by religious factors as stated by The Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge (1991, pp. 893-895).
Another question should be addressed and then answered first: Are the Jews the only descendents of Ibraheem (peace be upon him), and therefore the sole legitimate inheritors to receive the claimed Promised Land? The Zionists along with Zionist Christians refer to Genesis 15:19 as the statement which gives Jews the right to occupy Palestine and the neighboring areas, extending from the Nile to Euphrates as Ibraheem’s, [Abraham], (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) claimed Promised Land.
First of all, was Ibraheem (Abraham) the forefather of the Jews only? The answer is definitely no. The first son and the only son that was born to Ibraheem for about thirteen years was Ishmael (peace be upon him), the forefather of a large portion of the Arabs. As a matter of fact, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was a descendent of Prophet Abraham’s progeny through Ishmael. According to the Old Testament, Abraham said to God:
Let but Ishmael live on by your favor! … As for Ishmael, I am heeding you: I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become a father of twelve chieftains, and will make him a great nation (Genesis 18: 18-21).
A question immediately emerges for those who believe in the Old Testament; who is the great nation of the descendents of Ishmael (peace be upon him)? Aren’t they the Muslims who believe in all the prophets appointed by Allah with no distinctions?
Say ye: "We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam)" [The Qur’an 2:136].
{قُولُواْ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ}
Transliteration: Qūlū 'Āmannā Billāhi Wa Mā 'Unzila 'Ilaynā Wa Mā 'Unzila 'Ilá 'Ibrāhīma Wa 'Ismā`īla Wa 'Isĥāqa Wa Ya`qūba Wa Al-'Asbāţi Wa Mā 'Ūtiya Mūsá Wa `Īsá Wa Mā 'Ūtiya An-Nabīyūna Min Rabbihim Lā Nufarriqu Bayna 'Aĥadin Minhum Wa Naĥnu Lahu Muslimūna
If it is a fact that the Muslims are descendants of Abraham (peace be upon him), aren’t they legitimate heirs to Abraham’s promise in the Old Testament?
It was on that occasion that the Lord made a covenant with Abram, Saying to your descendants I give this land (Genesis 15:19)
If the Jews, as they claim, believe in the Torah (Old Testament) and derive guidance from it, why did they strip the Muslims from their right to the land promised by Abraham? Is it their arrogant nature, which they have practiced even against Allah and His prophets? Aren’t they the ones who killed their prophets according to the Bible?
That upon you may come all the righteous bloodshed upon earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily, I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation (Matthew 23:35).
Can such a people, who rebel against the teachings of God and kill his prophets, be given priority and be chosen over other nations?
Another fallacy that needs to be addressed here is the claim that Jews make that Abraham was a Jew. They even made such a claim long prior to the advent of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him).
Ye People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Why dispute ye about Abraham, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have you not understanding? Ah! Ye are those who fell to disputing (even) in matters of which you had some knowledge, but why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge? It is Allah who knows, and ye know not! Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was upright and bowed his will to Allah’s (which is Islam) and he joined no gods with Allah. [The Qur’an 3:65-68].
{يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمَا أُنزِلَتِ التَّورَاةُ وَالإنجِيلُ إِلاَّ مِن بَعْدِهِ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ (65) هَاأَنتُمْ هَؤُلاء حَاجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِ عِلمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَآجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (66) مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيّاً وَلاَ نَصْرَانِيّاً وَلَكِن كَانَ حَنِيفاً مُّسْلِماً وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ (67) إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَـذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَاللّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ}
Transliteration: Yā 'Ahla Al-Kitābi Lima Tuĥājjūna Fī 'Ibrāhīma Wa Mā 'Unzilati At-Tawrāatu Wa Al-'Injīlu 'Illā Min Ba`dihi 'Afalā Ta`qilūna, Hā'antum Hā'uulā' Ĥājajtum Fīmā Lakum Bihi `Ilmun Falima Tuĥājjūna Fīmā Laysa Lakum Bihi `Ilmun Wa Allāhu Ya`lamu Wa 'Antum Lā Ta`lamūna, Mā Kāna 'Ibrāhīmu Yahūdīyāan Wa Lā Naşrānīyāan Wa Lakin Kāna Ĥanīfāan Muslimāan Wa Mā Kāna Mina Al-Mushrikīna, 'Inna 'Awlá An-Nāsi Bi'ibrāhīma Lalladhīna Attaba`ūhu Wa Hadhā An-Nabīyu Wa Al-Ladhīna 'Āmanū Wa Allāhu Wa Līyu Al-Mu'uminīna
If it is agreeable that Abraham (peace be upon him) had lived probably thousands of years before the revelation of the Old Testament, why would the Jews claim that he was Jewish and promised the Jews the Holy Land?
Yet, the above discussion might seem irrelevant to the political discourse about the Palestinian Issue by the World Community and international media, I think it is in the heart of the problem. Zionist leaders who plotted the occupation of Palestine took in consideration all possible means to attract the sympathy of powerful nation to support their cause.
Our next discussion will focus on the fallacy the Jews ride on to derive support of the Christian World and right wing parties, that is the claim of preparing the kingdom of God in Palestine to be ready for the advent of The Messiah. The question is what Messiah? Is it Jesus Christ (pbuh)?
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