Volume 5 No. 2, June 1997

Editor: Ali R. Fazely, Associate Editors: Saied Andalib and Milan Sulc

P.O.Box 80333 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808

e-mail: 76451.271@CompuServe.com

A sophisticated, yet simple, mathematical connection controls the number of verses in suras in the Quran to their position in the domain of initialled or uninitialled chapters and their ranks in the prime and composite universe. Once again, humility overwhelms us when are faced by these awesome Signs from our Creator. I try to bring you a few examples, by which we see the awesome Power of GOD. These examples are easy to verify and can be checked very easily.

13th uninitialled sura is 24, 24th initialled sura is 43 and sura 43 has 89 verses. So we have:

13 24 43 89

Note that 13 has 43 verses and 24th prime number is 89. If we add this prime to its index we get:

24 + 89 = 113

113 is the 30th prime and sura 89 has 30 verses. Praise GOD. Note also that:

43 + 24 = 67 and 43 - 24 = 19

We know that 67 is the 19th prime. Note also that sura 67 has 30 verses and 30 is the 19th composite. Chapter 43 is the only chapter in the Quran with such a mathematical property.

Sura 78 is the 49th uninitalled sura in the Quran. Sura 49 is the 22nd uninitalled sura. Sura 22 has 78 verses.

We shall glorify and thank GOD day and night and ask Him to keep us on the straight path. We must always remember that there is no power, except what is GOD's [1].

Are We Going to Repeat the Blunder of Previous Communities? (An Ultimatum)

By: Edip Yuksel

In the April, 1997 issue of Submitters Perspective, an article titled "Pilgrimage: Hajj and Umrah" by Ahmad Rayan made me concerned about the direction of this community. Rayan, in that article repeatedly asked the reader to REMEMBER "the duties of the Messenger of the Covenant," a messenger who repeatedly asked people to remember that accepting anything besides the Quran as a religious source was shirk. Where could a person find the duties of "the Messenger of Covenant?" Sure, the students of the Quran know well that there is no such list of duties in the Quran. Mr. Rayan, in his article written on religious matters, was repeatedly asking his reader to REMEMBER a source besides the Quran.

A messenger might have had many duties and he might have listed them somewhere, but it is not the duty of Muslims (Submitters) to memorize or keep remembering the list of a particular messenger's duties. Their duty is to follow God's word alone and reject any other source or authority besides it. It does not matter if the associated source is in written or oral. They are supposed to dedicate the religion to God alone (98:5).

If we keep reminding each other of the words and writings of the late messenger, our children and grandchildren would most likely follow our advise and would remind each other of religious authorities besides the Quran, and as the sign of hypocrisy or ignorance, they might also be parroting the motto, "The Quran, the whole Quran, and nothing but the Quran."

Distinguishing their messenger's hadith from that of the previous messenger's through pseudo differences does not change the fact that accepting anything besides the Quran as another authority is shirk, Period. There is no difference between orally narrated hadith that we cannot verify and that which is transmitted in print or by video tapes, which presumably we might be able to verify. Sayings or writings of messengers might be treated differently regarding their authenticity, but our rejection of Hadith and Sunnah was not based merely on their unreliability, but primarily on the fact that messengers were not another authority or even teachers of God's religion.

Abusing the authority of prophets and messengers, and presenting their words or writings as an other authority besides God's word is one of the most common and repeated blunders of "Submitters" of many generations. Unfortunately, our community has not been different. We have witnessed some so-called Submitters claiming the infallibility of "the Messenger of the Covenant." We have witnessed published articles claiming that "Kitab" (The Book) mentioned in the Quran refers to BOTH the Quran and Rashad's translation. We have seen people claiming that the video and audio tapes of "the Messenger of the Covenant" are necessary sources besides the Quran, in addition to his three versions of translation, footnotes, subtitles, appendices and articles, thereby making him a "prophet" with new revelations. We have seen "Submitters" promoting ridiculous interpretations to justify clear errors and contradictions in Rashad's translation. We have heard outrageous misinterpretations of the claim "authorized translation" as if it meant that every word and letter of Rashad's translation were divine, including the revised and re-revised versions. Attributing human errors and contradictions to our Lord, the Omniscient, is not something to take lightly (6:21; 6:93; 6:144; 7:37; 10:17; 11:18; 29:68). We have seen people trying to freeze God's universal message with snap-shot understanding of a human messenger. We have seen people disoriented because of their insistence on following the Sunnah of "the Messenger of the Covenant" instead of indisputable facts.

Despite all this mass reversion to shirk (associating partners to God), sure with a different idol and a different excuse, we have yet to see a single article in the Submitters Perspective criticizing this popular trend in this small community. Muhammedans who idolized Muhammad after his departure did exactly the same. While they repeatedly reminded each other of the duties and the words of "the Final Prophet" they focused their criticism on Christians and Jews. In fact, they were repeating the same great blunder with a few minor changes. They ignored the warnings of monotheists who soon became a minority and they oppressed or suppressed their voice. Unfortunately, our community has not taken heed from this history and it is failing the divine test designed for every generation (29:2). While we criticize Muslim's addiction with mentioning Muhammad besides God in their religious articles and books, we also feel a compelling urge to insert Rashad's title "the Messenger of the Covenant" in our speeches and writings.

"Is God not sufficient for His servant?. . ." (39:36)

Well, should we remind those who follow the appendices, footnotes, subtitles, video and audio tapes of Rashad, one of the Sunnah of their messenger, like we remind Muhammedans of their own Hadith and Sunnah to expose their contradiction? Why not? Do you REMEMBER the only verse that was hanging on Rashad's office door for many years until his assassination? Wasn't it 39:36? Also remember that 39:36 was the only verse that is underlined in his translation. And should I remind them of another hadith? Remember Appendix 19 of the Messenger of Covenant; what does it say about you? Do you remember Rashad's book "Quran, Hadiths and Islam?" Have you applied it to yourself?

Besides creating modern versions of Hadith and Sunnah, some are trying their best to distort, pervert and dilute the great mathematical miracle of the Quran. As we know that some members of this community abused the mathematical code of the Quran with the unforgettable May 19, 1990 doomsday prophecy and they keep abusing it with their mathematical illiteracy. Some of them did not take heed from their blunder. Now they employ the same childish numerical manipulations to find more mathematical evidence for the messengership of a dead person. One of those doomsday prophets even claimed a divine rank through his childish calculations. Incredibly, he finds followers and supporters within this community.

We have become extremely tolerant to the mushriks (those who set partners to God) among us. Probably, because of being trapped in cult-syndrome: we share the same unifying symbol, Rashad Khalifa, or "the Messenger of Covenant," equivalent to Muhammedan's repeated expression "Muhammad Sallallahu Aleyhi Wasallam." This cult or sectarian syndrome is addressed by an interesting Quranic verse:

"Are your disbelievers better than those disbelievers? Have you been absolved by the Scripture?" (54:43).

After Rashad's death, the fallible human messenger suddenly became an infallible messenger and all his work with all re-visions, contradictions and errors magically became another divine revelation. The devils who concocted or hoped such a mutation, in order to replace Rashad's translation with the original Quran, expunged the original from the translation. To imply an exclusive divine revelation, they also removed the name of those whom Rashad acknowledged for their assistance and contribution to the translation.

In brief, members of this community are replacing the Hadith and Sunnah of Muhammad with Rashad's Appendices, footnotes, subtitles, audio and video tapes. Some of those who were addressing their messenger with his first name (Rashad) during his lifetime, soon after his departure, they developed a taboo against mentioning his first name. Muhammedans and those who repeat their blunder cannot commemorate their idols' names without words of praise or rank. Are we going to follow the footsteps of previous generations? What a miserable convergence! What a regression!:

"Surely, those who slide back, after the guidance has been manifested to them, the devil has enticed them, and has misled them." (47:25)

We cannot stand idly by and observe the repetition of the worst mistake made throughout history. If we cannot burn the new calf and throw it into the sea like Moses did, we might be required to repeat Saleh's words (7:79) to our people soon.

By: Milan Sulc

In further commenting on Ahmad Rayan's article, we note that it contains many other things for which we find no basis in the Quran itself, although they are mentioned in Rashad's Appendix 15, entitled "Pilgrimage."

The Quran tells us that the religious duties were inspired to Abraham, and the Quran tells us the we do not have another source of religion, except the Quran. As none of us was with Abraham when GOD inspired him, our only source of knowledge as to what are the rites and duties that we are to perform must be the Quran and nothing else. In other words, ONLY the Quran mentions those duties we are to follow and gives the details. For example, we find all of the details of the salaat confirmed in the Quran.

We find only SOME of the rites performed today at Hajj confirmed in the Quran - for example the circumnabulation of the Kaaba, the walk between Safa and Marwa, the animal sacrifice etc. On the other hand, today's hajj contains other rites for which there is no confirmation in the Quran.

In his article, Mr. Rayan does not distinguish between the rites confirmed by the Quran and between the rites that have no basis in the Quran. He indiscriminately advocates them all, presumably on the basis that they are all listed in Rashad's appendix, and on the assumption that Rashad could not have made a mistake in matters of 'religious guidance.'

For example: Where does it say in the Quran that we walk around the Kaaba 7 times, or between Safa and Marwa 7 times? Where does it say that we pick up 21 stones to throw 7 each at the three different stations at the devil? Where does it say that we need to say 'Labbayka, etc...' and cannot say something else instead? And where does it say that males must have white, seemless sheets of cloth and nothing else?

Mr. Rayan also repeats Rashad's assertion that the hajj can be performed any time during the 4 sacred months. Rashad based this conclusion on 2:197, which says that the hajj is to be observed in the "known months" - "Al-Hajj ashhur ma'loomaat...."

[ 2 : 197 ] Hajj is in the known months. Whoever sets out to observe Hajj shall refrain from sexual intercourse, misconduct, and arguments throughout Hajj. Whatever good you do, GOD is fully aware thereof. As you prepare your provisions for the journey, the best provision is righteousness. You shall observe Me, Oh you who possess intelligence.

However, concluding from the above that the rites of the hajj can be observed "at any time" during the known months is not compatible with 2:189, which clearly states that it is the "hillal" periods of these months: "Yas'aloon-ka 'an al-ahillah. Qul, hiya mawaaqit li-an-naas, wa al-hajj..."

[ 2 : 189 ] They ask you about the "hillal periods of the months." Say, "They're timers for the people and for the Hajj....."

In the Arabic language there are 6 distinct words that describe the separate phases of the lunar month:

"Al-Hillal" - the early phase of the lunar month, characterized by the crescent; "Al-Darbeeya al-awal" - first quarter; "Al-Badr" - full moon; "Al-Darbeeya al-thani" - last quarter; "Al-Hillal al-akheer" - last crescent; "Al-Muhaq" - absence of the moon, i.e. when the moon is between the sun and the earth and cannot be seen.

Note that these individual phases are not of equal length, but some are longer and some shorter. Note also that only one phase, the beginning of the month, is called "al-hillal" as the last crescent has the qualifier "al-akheer" attached. Therefore, the ayat 2:189 refers clearly to the "hillal" period, i.e. the beginning of the lunar months, and not phases of the moon.

Since the period of the 'hillal' is only during the first few days of each lunar month, the rites of the hajj cannot be performed "at any time" during the four sacred months, but only during the "hillal" period of any of the four sacred months.

This is further elaborated on in 22:27-28, which tell us that coming to perform hajj is an exhausting process, i.e. also time consuming, since people will come from far away, but that the rites themselves are to be performed during the "known days."

[ 22 : 27 ] "And proclaim that the people shall observe the Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding or by different means of transportation, exhausted. They will come from the farthest mountain passes."

[ 22 : 28 ] They may seek benefits, and they shall commemorate GOD's name during the known days, for having provided them with the livestock. "Eat therefrom and feed the impoverished and the poor."

People who claim to "follow the Quran alone" and a publication which claims the same should have no problem with seeing that some of the rites performed today and mentioned in Rashad's appendix have no basis in the Quran. The ones who do have a problem, should ponder the following ayat:

[ 3 : 98 ] Say, "O followers of the scripture, why do you reject these ayats of GOD, when GOD is witnessing everything you do?"

We humbly request that if you have a change of address, please drop us a note and let us know. Also if you are on INTERNET or COMPUSERVE or have an e-mail address, please let us know so you can receive this journal at the speed of light, InshaAllah.

A Farsi translation of the Quran by Behruz Mofidi is available. Interested parties should contact him directly in order to obtain more information. His address/phone number is:

P.O. Box 251902 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Tel: (310) 262-7838

Behruz Mofidi has expressed and is expressing, in the strongest terms, that although; he has translated the preface, the footnotes, the subtitles, the items in the parenthesis, and the appendices from Rashad's English translation of the Quran, these items ARE NOT parts of the Quran.

The editor

By GOD's Grace, we now have the Journal of Submission in PostScript format. If you have a postscript printer, please let us know and we will send it to you in this format, InshaAllah.

We would like to announce a meeting here in Baton Rouge, LA on the 18th and 19th of July 1997, InshaAllah. The purpose of this meeting is for everyone to witness the latest findings of Ultimate Mathematics as revealed by GOD and to commemorate and glorify GOD with those who worship GOD Alone.

[1] Quran, 18:39