Egypt's Strange Fascination with Pharaoh

Egypt will be moving a famous statue of Ramses II from a crowded, dirty square in downtown Cairo to a cleaner area near the pyramids.

I never really understood Egyptians' fascination with glamorizing Ramses II. By most accounts, he is the actual Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) that persecuted the Children of Israel, and followed Prophet Mūsā (Moses) into the Red Sea, only to be drowned when the sea collapsed on his army.

According to all Abrahamic traditions - whether Islamic, Christian or Jewish - he was one of the most vile, tyrannical people to have ever walked the face of this Earth.

So then what's the deal? Why are Egyptians so fascinated with him? Think about it this way: imagine if 4,000 years from now, excavators in Germany uncover Hitler's body, and they erect statues throughout the country honoring the guy.

Time should not erode how vile a tyrant is in the minds of people. It's one thing to preserve and document history, and another to glamorize a tyrant.

Egypt to Move Famous Ramses Statue in Cairo, Egypt to Move Famous Ramses Statue From Downtown Cairo to Quiter, Cleaner Area Near Pyramids - CBS News

Official Google Blog: How to move Ramses II

The Night Journey and the Ascension to Heaven

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ

Subhāna lladhī asrā bi‘abdihī laylan mina l-Masjidi l-Harāmi ilā l-Masjidi l-Aqsā lladhī bāraknā hawlahū linuriyahū min āyātinā. Innahū Huwa as-Samī‘u l-Basīr.

Transcendent is He Who carried His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs, for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

(Qur’ān, Sūrat al-Isrā’, Āyah 1)

Tonight (Monday, August 21, 2006) will be the 27th night of Rajab in the Islamic calendar, which according to many scholars corresponds to the night of al-Isrā’ wa l-Mi‘rāj. It is a night so momentous, that Allāh begins Sūrat al-Isrā’ (the 17th chapter of the Qur’ān entitled “The Night Journey”) with its mention.

It was on this night, 10 years after the first revelation of the Qur’ān (620 CE), that Prophet Muhammad (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) traveled by night from Makkah to al-Quds (Jerusalem) and ascended to the Heavens. The trip culminated with him coming into the direct Presence of Allāh.

The Muslims were facing terrible persecution at the hands the Quraysh, the ruling tribe of Makkah. Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had recently returned from the city of Tā’if, having been attacked with stones by the children of the city.

It was soon after this low-point that Angel Jibrīl (Gabriel) awakened the Prophet (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) at Masjid al-Harām in Makkah, and ordered him to mount a swift animal named al-Burāq.

The highlights of the first part of the night journey, named al-Isrā’, include:

• Stopping to pray in Yathrib (later to renamed to al-Madīnah).
  
  
• Stopping to pray on Jabal at-Tūr (Mount Sinai) where Allāh spoke directly to Prophet Mūsā (Moses), may Allāh grant him peace.
  
  
• Stopping to pray in Bayt Lahm (Bethlehem), the birth-place of Prophet ‘Īsā (Jesus), may Allāh grant him peace.
  
  
• Arriving at Masjid al-Aqsā (the Farthest Mosque) in al-Quds (Jerusalem), where Prophet Muhammad (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) encountered every prophet from Prophet Ādam to Prophet ‘Īsā (may Allāh grant them all peace) and led them in prayer.
  

Afterwards, Angel Jibrīl (may Allāh grant him peace) led Prophet Muhammad (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) on the second part of the journey, named al-Mi‘rāj.

Highlights of this journey include:

• Being greeted by several prophets (may Allāh grant them all peace) in different Heavens, where each prophet warmly welcomed him and testified their faith in his prophethood:
• Prophet Ādam in the First Heaven.
• Prophet ‘Īsā (Jesus) and Prophet Yahyā (John) in the Second Heaven.
• Prophet Yūsuf (Joseph) in the Third Heaven.
• Prophet Idrīs (Enoch) in the Fourth Heaven.
• Prophet Hārūn (Aaron) in the Fifth Heaven.
• Prophet Mūsā (Moses) in the Sixth Heaven.
• Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) in the Seventh Heaven.
  
  
• Seeing first-hand the pleasures enjoyed by the inhabitants of Jannah (Paradise) and the torments suffered by the inhabitants of Jahannam (Hell-Fire).
  
  
• Finding Prophet Ibrāhīm (may Allāh grant him peace) resting against al-Bayt al-Ma‘mūr (the Much Frequented House), which is the Heavenly equivalent of the Ka‘bah with 70,000 new angels encompassing it each day - never to return - until Yawm al-Qiyāmah (the Day of Judgement).
  
  
• Being taken to Sidrat al-Muntahā (the Remotest Lote Tree), which Allāh shone His Light upon. Prophet Muhammad (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) told his companions afterwards that he was unable to capture the beauty of this tree in words.
  
  
• Coming into the direct Presence of Allāh and conversing directly with Allāh. This is where Allāh ordained daily prayers.
  
  
• Being advised by Prophet Mūsā (may Allāh grant him peace) to return to Allah and have the number of daily prayers reduced from 50 to eventually five.

This night is a source of joy and celebration for every Muslim for it was a respite for the Prophet (may Allāh bless him and grant him peace) and his companions, it was a night of grand miracles, and it was the night during which the five daily prayers were ordained.

We should make it a point to learn the details of this night and reflect upon the lessons learned from it. Furthermore, we should make a habit out of recounting this story to our families and friends, especially our children.

Read more about al-Isrā’ wa l-Mi‘rāj:

• Amr Khaled Official Website: On the Path of the Beloved Episode 13: Al-Israa and Al-Mi'raj
  
  
• Miracle Of Al-Isra & Al-Miraj
  
  
• The following three selections of Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad, may Allāh bless him and grant him peace):
  
• Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 429
  
• Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Volume 5, Book 58, Number 227
  
• All of Chapter 75 of Sahih Muslīm
  
  
• Glimpses of History: The Night Journey
  
  
• Islamweb - Al Isra' and Al-Mi'raj

You can also purchase The Isra' & Mi'raj: The Prophet's Night-Journey and Ascent to Heaven by Huda Khattab.

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The Arabic text from Surat al-Isrā’ was taken from Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem: Arabic text and English Translation.

The English translation of the verse was adapted from The Majestic Qur’ān: An English Rendition of its Meanings, translated by Ali Özek, Nureddin Uzunoğlu, Tevfik R. Topuzoğlu and Mehmet Maksutoğlu, edited by Abdal Hakim Murad, Mostafa al-Badawi and Uthman Hutchinson.

Bismillāh al-Rahmān al-Rahīm

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful

Al-hamdu lillāhi Rabbi l-‘Ālamīn wa l-salātu wa l-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlihi l-Karīm, Muhammadin, wa ‘alā ālihi wa sahbihi ajma‘īn.

All praise belongs to God, the Lord of the Worlds. May the blessings and peace of God be upon his Noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.

This is intended to be an attempt to share reflections on a wide variety of topics, including Islam, Muslims, the global Islamic movement, current events, technology, and many other items of interest.

I decided to go with the name Lingua Islamica, which I kind of derived from the term lingua franca, defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as “a language used as a common language between speakers whose native languages are different”.

I suppose that for the most part I intend to use the common “language” of the Islamic movement when sharing my thoughts and ideas on various issues.

May Allāh enable this effort be successful.