In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful....

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful....

Introduction

This is a journal of my experience in life as as a Muslim convert. I share about the things I learn, question, reflect upon, achieve, and experience on the path of Islam. [96:1-5] Read! In the name of your Lord who created - Created the human from something which clings. Read! And your Lord is Most Bountiful - He who taught (the use of) the Pen, Taught the human that which he knew not.

About Maryam

I study Islamic Studies and International Business at the university, and enjoy studying political science and languages as well. On my free time I study Arabic, Hebrew, and religion. I am Guatemalan and American.I am also Spanish, Italian Scottish and German. I also speak Spanish, Japanese, and Italian. I love to learn about other cultures. I also love to learn about nutrition and fitness. I am very active in sports, outdoor activities and exercise, and flamenco dance class. I am fascinated with my country, Guatemala, it is such a beautiful place, full of variety and rich culture and history, especially the Maya. I LOVE to cook and I try to have a well-balanced diet. Someday I also hope to learn Amharic, Persian (Farsi), and Aramaic and I hope to travel to all of the middle east and Ethiopia, Japan, and Sicily.

Knowledge and Understanding

[2:269] He [Allah] grants wisdom to whom He pleases; and he to whom wisdom is granted indeed receives a benefit overflowing. But none will grasp the Message except men of understanding.
[20:114] High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth. Do not be in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to you is completed, but say, "O my Sustainer! Increase my knowledge."
[3:190-191] Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day - there are indeed signs for men of understanding; Men who remember Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth (with the thought) "Our Lord! Not for nothing have You created (all) this. Glory to You! Give us salvation from the suffering of the Fire."
[39:9] ...Say: Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that remember (Allah's Message).
[58:11] ...Allah will raise up to (suitable) ranks (and degrees) those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge.

Sheikh Mishary Al Afasy

He came to my mosque in the USA to recite from the Qur'an recently and when he prayed salat he cried. My first time to pray the late night prayer during Ramadan was when I went to Kuwait in the Grand Mosque and Mishary was reciting Surat Maryam! Sub7anAllah... Here is a video of nasheed (Islamic poetry) from him. He has been blessed with a beautiful voice for praising Allah, masha' Allah. You can see some of his recitations of the Qur'an at my mosque at this site - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg2QYHmRfY0&mode=related&search=

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Prophet Joshua, Yeshua, Eissa? (pbuh)

"7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." - JOSHUA 1:7-9

7 Solamente esfuérzate y sé muy valiente, cuidando de obrar conforme a toda la Ley que mi siervo Moisés te mandó; no te apartes de ella ni a la derecha ni a la izquierda, para que seas prosperado en todas las cosas que emprendas.

8 Nunca se apartará de tu boca este libro de la Ley, sino que de día y de noche meditarás[i] en él, para que guardes y hagas conforme a todo lo que está escrito en él, porque entonces harás prosperar tu camino y todo te saldrá bien.

9

"MIRA QUE TE MANDO QUE TE ESFUERCES Y SEAS VALIENTE;
NO TEMAS NI DESMAYES, PORQUE TU DIOS ESTARA CONTIGO DONDEQUIERA QUE VAYAS."
-JOSUE 1:7-9

God's commands to Joshua in this passage greatly contributed to shaping my character, behavior and empowering me in so many ways. It is one of the first verses I would teach my students at bible study and one that I would often reflect upon for a large portion of my life.

It has been a long time since I posted to my blog. It had also been a long time since I had recalled prophet Joshua and his words until Arilev and I were discussing the root letters of the names of the prophets between Arabic and Hebrew and the connection between Eissa's (Jesus') name and Joshua's (Yeshua's) name with regards to the Semetic letter spellings. Yosha' bin Noon as he is known in Arabic (Pbuh), is recognized as a prophet in the famous book Qasas Al-Anbiyaa (Stories of the Prophets).... He accompanied prophet Musa (Moses) (alayhi salam) in the desert for 40 yrs...also Yusha' bin Nun led bani israel into yareho known as Jericho. He was the prophet after Moses.  You will probably be seeing many more blog posts than what I typically word. It is always a blessing to be surrounded by people who inspire through example and who have nothing but goodness coming out of their mouths. As Jesus (pbuh) said; "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."

Joshua is believed to be mentioned indirectly in at least two places in the Qur'an...

(1) "Two men of those who feared, upon both of whom Allah had bestowed a favour..." (Qur'an 5:23)

One of the "two men" is said to have been Joshua as various commentators mention:

Ibn Kathir: "It is said that they were Yashu bin Noon and Kaleb..."

al Suyuti: "They were Yusha and Kaleb"

al Qurtubi: "Ibn Abbas and others have said (that) they were Yusha and Kaleb"

See also Abdullah Yusuf Ali's footnote to this verse.


(2) "Behold, Moses said to his attendant..." (Qur'an 18:60)

Commenting on "attendant":

Ibn Kathir: "Yashu bin Noon"

al Suyuti: "Yusha bin Noon"

al Qurtubi: "His attendant, Yusha bin Noon"
   

Yehoshua (Joshua) of Nun is called Yeshua in Nechemyah (Nehemiah) 8:17.  At the time of the Second Temple, the name Yeshua was one of the most common names of that period, evidently tied with Eliezer (another one of my favorite names) for fifth place, behind Simon (love that name), Joseph (my all time favorite), and Judah.  John, known as Yahya in the Quran (pbuh), was said in the Quran to be the first to be named Yahya by Allah.

Joshua's original name apparently was Hoshea, meaning Salvation (Num. 13:8), but then Moses changed it to Yehosua, and then Yeshua is the shortened form of it. 

According to another source, Yeshua is the original Aramaic proper name for Jesus the Nazarene.  

Yusha' bin Nun, in Hebrew - Yeshua and Oshea are said to mean "God is my salvation."

There is also a hadith where Mohammed (pbuh) is said to have mentioned that the sun never stopped to anyone except for Yusha bin Nun where he led his people after the death of Moses to enter the Promised Land.  "So he marched on and approached a village at or about the time of the Asr prayers.  He said to the sun:  Thou art submissive to Allah and so am I.  Oh Allah, stop the sun for me a little.  It was stopped for him until Allah granted him victory...." Muslim 19, 4327

It might also be possible to argue the similarity of Issa and Yusha, as the dots added later along the history of the Arabic language, if removed, would bring these two names very close together in pronunciation, but that would require more research on my part.

In conclusion, this is all I have been able to collect on the topic so far.  I will continue to add and refine this post as time goes on and I welcome any comments or corrections.  


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