Coincident of revelation book to John with Islamic Shia narrations
“In the name of God, the beneficent, the merciful”
Coincident of revelation book to John with Islamic Shia narrations from prophet Muhammad (S)’s Ahl Al-Bait “people of the house”
Holy Bible includes Torah, Injil and other prophet books. The last book of Bible called ‘Revelation to John’ which include twenty-two chapters with different numbers of verses in each chapter. This book is part of Christianity holy book and the last book of New Testament. Christians have done extensive research studies on this book and concluded some incidents that will happen at end of the time in future. It is not clear which John is the author of this book. Is it the same John who was Juses (PBUH)’s student and follower? or he is another John that was living after Prophet Juses (PBUH). By the way, he wrote this book and claimed that he ascent to sky and had some visions. Most of this book was written in secret type sentences and interesting enough that they are coincident with Shia narrations from Ahl Al-Bait. We will study some parts of this book and compare it with the Holy Quran and Shia narrations. It is decided to not include all narrations and just summaries some of them in this study.
Chapter1 – verse 1:
1- “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John”
It says, God sent his angel to John and angel descend to him and took him to sky and he had some visions. John says when I went to sky, I saw an angel or person:
15- “His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.”
16- “In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, (it seems missed translation, should be I am the one who make thing alive or dead) and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
These words also can be found in Shia narrations from Amir al- Mu’minin Ali(A); Sayed Hashem Bahrani in his book (Madinat Al-Ma’ajez) narrated from Imam Ali (A) which says: “I am the person who seek contest and defeat. I am the person who give life and death. I am the person who is the First and the Last, manifest and unmanifest (Outward and Inward). he said I hold the keys for death and hades”; Another Shia narration says: “the keys of heaven and hell are in Imam Ali’s hand”.
Narration from Ibn-Abbas from prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “O Ali; you are the owner and divider of the heaven and the hell. Be aware that “Owner” and “Satisfaction” will come from God and says: Muhammad; these are keys for heaven and hell; pass them to Ali; keys of heaven and hell is for you, do whatever you want.”
John continues: Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
Chapter two verse 12: To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword (The owner of double-edged sword is Imam Ali (Amir al- Momenin))
Then in chapter 3 verse 14: To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
Amen is attributes of Prophet Mohammad (S) in Quran: Al-Ahzab verse 45.” O Prophet! Verily We have sent you as a witness and as a bearer of glad tiding and as a warner” Shoara verse 107-178 “ Verily I am unto you an Amin(trust-worthy) messenger”. God called prophet as “Amin Prophet”.
The first of God’s creation is Light of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which we have this on Islamic narrations from Jaber Ibn Abdullah; “I asked a question from Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) about the first creation of God ; Prophet said: the first creation of God was light of your prophet”. There is unity between light of Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ali (A) (also other 11 Imams) therefore we can say the light of 14 Masumin (the fourteen infallible) were first creation of God.
Then John in chapter 3 verse 21 says: To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne
There is a Shia narration from Imam Ali (A) which says: “For our uprising Imam Mahdi , there is a long absence … Be aware that anyone who follows true religion and his heart not deviated after long absence of Imam Mahdi ; he will be with me at the same level on the day of judgment.”
While our matching narration is that if you be persistence in this path you would be with me.
John continues his vision journey till he says at chapter 4 verse 2: At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
We have narration for interpretation of Surah Forqan verse 75 in Quran “Those (servants of the Beneficent) shall be rewarded with the high stations (in Paradise) because they were patient, and they shall be met therein with welcome and salutations”. A narration says: one day Salman said to Imam Ali (A): I have heard something about you from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Imam Ali (A) said: whatever he said to you, he said to me as well. Salman continues: Prophet said: “O Ali; God gave you patience, knowledge and special high station which mentioned in Quran( Forqan verse 75 ). I swear to God that no one entered and nor will enter this station until you stand in front of God. Everyday 70,000 angels decorate and repair it until you arrive then God will grant access for this high station to your people of the house (Ahl Al- Bait). Ali, I swear to God in that high station, it is a throne of light that no angle can look at it. This is your place Ali. the day you entered the high station. While you want to sit there; God will make all sky creatures stand up until you sit on the throne of light. All angles in the sky and around the throne will bring salutation and greetings from God”. This is like what John says in verse 3 chapter 4.
John in chapter 5 verse 1-9 says:1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
The question is that who this lamb in John vision is; Christians believe that he was Prophet Juses (PBUH), but we know that he was not slaughtered. There is a narration form Imam Reza(A) which says to one of his followers: “Ibn-Shobayb, if you want to cry then cry for Hussain; they slaughtered him like slaughtering a lamb”. There is another narration from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which says: “They slaughter my Hussain like they slaughter baby lamb”. There is also other narration from Imam Sadegh(A) and Bibi Zainab S.A. with similar meaning. So, there should be some mysteries behind this. In John’s vision, it says only that Lamb could open the book and other people bowing down before him; so that Lamb must be a person.
In continue John says: 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
John said, I saw all creatures in the sky and earth praised and honor him. Sadugh in his book “Amali” from Maysam Tammar says: “Imam Ali (A) told me everything will cry for Hussain; even desert savages, fishes in sea, birds in the sky, sun, moon, stars, sky, earth, good people from human and Jin, all angels in sky and earth, heaven, owners of throne and there will be falling blood and ashes from sky”. Christians believe that this Lamb was Prophet Juses (PBUH) but he ascent to sky; some Christians believe in crucifixion of Prophet Juses (PBUH) but in both cases he was not slaughtered like a lamb, so that lamb was Imam Hussain and the person on the throne was his father Imam Ali (A).
Ibn Al-Arabi(Great Mystics) said in his praise and greeting to Imam Hussain: “he is opener of martyrdom book, and he has superiority and guardianship to all”. In John’ vision also said: only lamb was able to open the book.
In continue the lamb started breaking all those seals from the book: chapter 6 verse 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
We know that one of the names of Imam of our Time (God accelerates his manifest and relief) is “Montaghem” means the person who judge and revenge for Innocent people’s death. In Nodbeh dua we say: “where is the person who revenge for blood of innocent killed prophets and children of prophets. Where is the person who revenge for martyrdom in Karbala (Imam Hussain(A))?”
Quran: Al-Ahzab verse 23: “Among the believers are men who were true to their covenant with Allah; some of them have fulfilled their vow (by martyrdom), and some are still awaiting, and they have not changed in the least”.
John in continue says: 12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! (From wrath of Imam Ali; Amir Al-Momenin and Imam Hussain A.S.) 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
The day of revenge also exist in Quran and narrations; surah Dukhan verse 16 “On the Day when We shall seize you with the greatest seizure. Indeed, We will exact retribution”.
Chapter 7 verse 16: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” 13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (means people who participated in Imam Hussain mourning)15 Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.(means there they are close to God)16‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, ‘nor any scorching heat.( this is also exist in Quran surah Taha verse 119: “And that you shall not be thirsty therein nor suffer (the heat of) the sun”) 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;(means will be very kind with them) ‘ he will lead them to springs of living water.’(means Huz Al-kawthar)”And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ”
There is a narration which says: one day prophet Muhammad (PBUH) informed his daughter “Fatimah (SA)” about martyrdom of his son Imam Hussain and his pain and affliction, then Bibi Fatimah cried very hard; prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: O Fatimah, in the day of judgment all eyes will cry expect the one who cried for affliction of Hussain, those will be happy and smiling with heaven blessings. Here in John’s vision that says: And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes
Chapter 12 verse 1: A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
This woman is Bibi Fatimah and 12 crown pointed to 12 Imams. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “I am like sun, Ali like moon and my people of the house “Ahl Al-Bait” are stars”.
2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.
He says: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. This is a symbolic thing and pointed to martyrdom of Mohsen (son of Fatimah and Ali) that after his death, one third of prophet Muhammad children were killed. So, fell down many stars from Bibi Fatimah children who are also Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) children.
There were several attempts to cut offspring of prophet Muhammad (PBUH). These are written in history books. For example, when Obaidullah Ziyad saw Imam Sajjad(AS) between slaves after Ashura event in Karbala, he said: “I order you to kill all boys from Ali’s children”.
5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
This person is Imam Mahdi(A) who will rule all the nations. We have in narration that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Mahdi is from my family and children of Fatihmah (AS), also said: There are 12 Imams after me, 9 from Hussain offspring and 9th of them is Mahdi”.
Another narration said: “When Imam of time was born, Imam Hassan Al-Askari (his father) said to his sister Hakimeh Khatun that when God gave me the Imam Mahdi of this nation; two angels took him to throne of God and stand before him”.
John in continue says: 13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. ( dragon is a symbol for enemies of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his Ahl Al-Bait) 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. (this refer to Imam of time who is growing out of oppressive people eyes) 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. ( means the snake wants to kill the women but earth open his mouth and swallow the water) 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.( it says , dragon went to kill children of that women whose are Amir Al-Momenin children’s and his followers that have been killed many of them in past)
John continues: in chapter 13: 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” (It says there were people who worship dragon whose are the followers of oppressors) 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. (This is pointed to Yazid’s kingdom who was in power for more than 3 years and did lots of terrible thing during that time, in first year he martyrdom Imam Hussain(AS) and second year “hareh tragedy” that killed too many people of Madinah city and third year that destroyed Kaaba) 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. (Refer to Humiliated guardianship people of God) And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. (It says; the names of people who worship the beast are not in the lamb book)
There is a narration that says, the name of our followers exists in a book which is by us Ahl Al-Bait. Also There is another narration from Imam Hussain: “I entered to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) while Abi- Ka’ab was with him; Prophet said; welcome Hussain, you are adornment and beauty of sky and earth, God gathered 313 men for army of Mahdi ( equivalent to people of Badr) from farthest cities; he has a book that is sealed and within there is list and name of his companion, there is also the name of their cities, their character and habitude, their appearance, their face and their descendent. These people are warrior, and they have obedience and submission to him and the act diligently”.
Here in John’s vision says: The names of people whose follow the beast is not recorded on slaughter lamb book, so their name is not in Imam Hussain book and they are not his followers.
In chapter 14 verse 1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
Name of Imam Hussain(A) father is Ali (A), Ali was written on their forehead.
John continues in chapter 19 verse 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
Means he is faithful and with justice he judges and wages wars. He is Imam of Time (God accelerate his reveal). Quran Surah Al-Anaam 115 “ And perfected the Word of your Lord in truth and justice; there is naught that can change His Words, and He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing”, there is a narration that says: “This verse was written on the arm of Imam of Time (A) when he was born.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. (Means he has a helmet that written a name on that and no one knows what name that except himself was) 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ( it says the ridder of white horse that with justice judge and wages war was word of God; (we have in Quran perfected word of God is Truth and justice also in Surah Tawbah verse 40 “ and the word of Allah is the highest “ means Imam of time is higher than all) 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty (this is about future).
In chapter 21 verse 5 says: He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Means make the world again) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End. (Imam Ali; Amir Al-Momenin says: I am the first and I am the last and I am Inward, and I am Outward). To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. (The person who gave Water of life “kawthar” is Amir Al-Momenin Ali A.S. who give water on the day of judgment)
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
This is about the time when Imam of Time; Imam Mahdi comes: There is a narration for Surah Zumar verse 69: “[On that Day] the earth will shine with the Light of its Lord “, it says: when Imam of time comes, darkness will go away, and people will no longer need sun’s light. This is exactly aligning with John vision, and it says: “Imam Hussain is who give light to the earth and earth has light because of him”.
In continue chapter 22 verse 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Means they will see him and in their forehead will be written “Imam Hussain”, this is what we have in our forehead with name of Imam Hussain and Imam Mahdi) 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (If God wishes)
Revelation to John is the last book which Christians believe, and they interpret and link it to Prophet Juses (PBUH). If Christian aware of Shia narrations they understand that John vision is related to Ahl Al-Bait of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Imam of Time, Imam Mahdi and his rule and justice on the earth.
The highest action of Ahl Al-Bait followers is to wait for relief ”Faraj”. If God wishes, we will be their followers that waiting for relief and praise God in Imam Mahdi governance.
And (All) praise is (only) Allah’s, the Lord of the Worlds.