Page:The chronology of ancient nations (IA chronologyofanci00biru).djvu/44

(by Daniel) and not a certain number of years, we can only say that we cannot accept such an opinion except it be confirmed by an argument as indubitable as ocular inspection. For if you computed the numerical Talue of the following words: (Arabic characters) ("the deliverance of the creation from infidelity by Muḥammad"), you would get the sum of 1,335. Or if you computed the words (Arabic characters) ("the prophecy of Moses ben 'Imrân regarding Muḥammad; the prophecy of the Messiah regarding 'Aḥmad"), you would get the same sum, i.e. 1,335. Likewise, if you counted these words: (Arabic characters) ("The plain of Fârân shines with the illiterate Muḥammad"), you would again get the same sum (1,335). If, now, a man asserts that these numbers are meant to indicate a prophecy on account of the identity of the numerical values of these phrases with that of the Syriac words ((Syriac characters)), the value of his argument would be exactly the same as that of the Christians regarding those passages (in Daniel), the one case closely resembling the other, even if he should produce as a testimony for Muḥammad and the truth of the prophecy regarding him a passage of the prophet Isaiah, of which the following is the meaning, or like it (Isaiah xxi. 6–9): "God ordered him to set a watchman on the watchtower, that he might declare what he should see. Then he said: I see a man riding on an ass, and a man riding on a camel. And the one of them came forward crying and speaking: Babylon is fallen, and its graven images are broken." This is a prophecy regarding the Messiah, "the man riding on an ass," and regarding Muḥammad, "the man riding on a camel," because in consequence of his appearance Babylon has fallen, its idols have been broken, its castles have been shattered, and its empire has perished. There are many passages in the book of the prophet Isaiah, predicting Muḥammad, being rather hints (than clearly out-spoken words), but easily admitting of a clear interpretation. And with all this, their obstinacy in clinging to their error induces them to devise and to maintain things which are not acknowledged by men in general, viz.: that "the man riding on the camel," is Moses, not Muḥammad. But what connection have Moses and his people with Babel? And did that happen to Moses and to his people after him, which happened to Muḥammad and his companions in Babel? By no means! If they (the Jews) had one after the other escaped from the Babylonians, they would have considered it a sufficient prize to carry off to return (to their country), even though in a desperate condition.

This testimony (Isaiah xxi. 6–9) is confirmed by the word of God to Moses in the fifth book of the Thora, called Almathnâ (Deuteronomy xviii. 18, 19): "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my word into his mouth. And he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And whosoever will not hearken unto the word of him who speaks in my name, I shall take revenge on him." Now I should like to know whether there are other brethren of the sons