Who Kills God’s Prophets? Rulers Do – OpEd

Although there is a tendency for most religious people to blame whole nations or tribes for killing Prophets, while in reality it is political rulers who have the power over life and death.

Nimrod is a figure mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Genesis. He is described as a mighty hunter and the king of Shinar (a region in Mesopotamia), known for establishing cities like Babel (Babylon) and Erech. Nimrod was a priest-king and was an empire-builder who worshiped a fertility goddess based on a deified Eve.

Prophet Ibrahim came to (King) Numrud and they had a famous debate that is related in the Qur'an: "Have you not looked at (King Nimrod) the one who argued with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had given him (Nimrod) a kingdom?

When Abraham said (to King Nimrud); "My Lord is the one who gives life and causes death." Nimrud said, "I give life and cause death." Abraham said, " Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; so cause it to rise from the west." So the disbeliever (King Nimrud) was utterly defeated. And Allah does not guide wrongdoing people." (Qur'an 2:258)

And Prophet Moses had a difficult time with the tens of thousands of recently freed slaves: "So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?" But the (Jewish) people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"

Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." (Exodus 17:2-4)

And there was the harassment of earlyMuslimsinMecca. So Prophet Muhammadtold his followers to emigrate to the city of Yathrib,some of whose residents had pledged to protect him.To attract less attention, Muslims left Mecca in small groups, throughout the summer of 622CE,while Prophet Muhammad remained behind in Mecca to organize and encourage the emigration. The Meccan clan leaders then decided to murder Prophet Muhammad before he could escape.

The plan was for a group of warriors, one from each Meccan clan, to jointly kill Prophet Muhammad together, to forestall and prevent retribution from Muhammad's clan, theBanu Hashim. An informant disclosed the assassination plot. To foil their plans, Muhammad's young cousinAli ibn Abi Talibrisked his life and slept in Muhammad's bed that night instead of him. Prophet Muhammad safely left Mecca under the cover of darkness. This was not the first or the last Arab plot to kill Prophet Muhammad.

The Qur'an does not say the Arabs in Mecca should be blamed for attempting to kill Prophet Muhammad but states simply: "And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you, or kill you, or evict you [from Mecca]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners. (8:30)

People should learn from this verse in the Qur'an; that it is a terrible slander to blame a whole people or religion for the horrible sins of some political leaders, or even the sins of lots of individual people. As the Qur'an states: "Why, when you heard it, did you not say: 'It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You; this is a great slander?'"[Quran 24:16]

For slander is worse than adultery, because slander ruins the basis of unity, compassion, intimacy and good opinion in society, which damages our human society severely.

As the rabbis say: "Slander is worse than the three cardinal sins of murder, forbidden sexual relationships and idol worship." (Talmud Arakhin 15b) So "Whoever slanders has no place in the world to come." (Pirkei Derabi Eliezer 53, 127a) Thus the following prayer from the Talmud (Berakhot 17a) is recited three times a day, all year long: "O Lord, Guard my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking guile."

The Qur'an itself states the wide-spread rejection of Allah's Prophets: "The people of Noah denied [the Prophets sent] before them, and the companions of the well, and Thamud, and 'Aad, and Pharaoh; and the brothers of Lot, the companions of the thicket, and the people of Tubba'. All denied the messengers, [sent to them] so My threat was justly fulfilled [and they were destroyed]" (50:12-14)