Anyhow, let me briefly summarize important events in human history as per Bible. I am not using Muslims calendar as it has many shortcomings and it does not properly account for events prior to prophet Muhammad. Muslims calendar has dates that relate to Mohammad’s emigration from Mecca to Medina called the Hijra, and so they use AH dating method. AH stands for After Hijrah. The Year 2018 AD is 1439AH. I will tell all the coming story in AD or CE dating method. For an average person let me describe that to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars we use AD and BC. The AD is after Jesus was born and BC is before Jesus was born. The AD comes from Latin Anno Domini meaning “In the year of Our Lord” BC comes from Before Christ. There are new terms that mean the same as AD and BC which are CE and BCE. CE means “Common Era” and is the same as the AD. BCE means “Before Common Era” and is the same as BC.

So In 4111 BC, God started creation and after creating heavens and Earth created Adam and Eve.

In 4004 BC Adam and Eve’s first two children were born, Cain and Abel and later Cain killed Abel. In Arabic Cain is Qabeel and Abel is Habeel.

3900 Enoch son of Cain and Seth son of Adam born.

3000 BC Noah born, then after almost 500 years in 2500 BC Shem, Ham, and Japheth, Noah three sons born. Also this is the time that Noah was ordered by God to start building the Ark.

2350 BC is the year of The Great flood also called Noah’s Flood which as per Bible and Quran covers a vast part of Earth.

In 2300 BC After the great flood of Noah the remaining and united humanity speaking a single language started building The Tower of Babel, tall enough to reach heaven. God, observing their city and tower, disrupted the work by confounding and confusing their language so that they can no longer understand each other, and disperses them around the world

2030 or 2000 BC is the year of the death of Noah and just after 80 years in 1920, God Calls Abram. Abram and Lot departed Haran, as per God’s instruction. God promised to make Abram a great nation. Changed his name to Abraham and a son is promised to him.

Then in 1890 BC Angels came to Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah happens. Same time Isaac which in Arabic is Ishaq born to Abraham.

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1872 BC is marked as the year when Abraham is put to the test regarding Isaac. Muslims consider Abraham’s son Ishmael as the one appointed for sacrifice instead of Isaac.

During 1720-1760 BC Joseph born to Jacob, sold to an official of Egypt and his various experiences that resulted him as a ruler in Egypt.

1571 BC is the year when Moses born and adopted into the Egyptian royal court. And at the age of eighty years In 1491 BC God Calls Moses and commissions him as the messenger of God. It is during this time when Moses has the burning bush experience as in Bible old testament second book of Pentateuch Exodus chapter 2&3 and as per Quran Surah Naml chapter 27:7-12.  In the next couple of years are the events of ten plagues or ten calamities that God inflicted upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery as in Book of Exodus chapter 7-12 and Quran Surah Araf chapter 7:130-133 and during this time is the Giving of the Ten Commandments Law as in Exodus chapter 20.

In 1451 BC Moses dies and within 25 years in 1425 Israelites realized the Abrahamic promised land. Now in the promised land and in the kingdom of Israel lets jump to 1063 BC when David defeats Goliath as in Samuel 1 chapter 17 and Quran Surah Baqra chapter 2: verse 249-251. Soon after that in 1055 David is appointed as King. In 1015 Solomon, David’s son, is appointed as King and 992 BC is the time when Queen of Sheba visits Solomon as in  Kings 1 chapter 10 and Quran Surah Naml chapter 27:42.

975 BC is the year of Solomon’s death and the great kingdom of Solomon divides because of conflict between his sons Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Ultimately the twelve tribes of Israel divides, creating the Great Schism. The two southern tribes, Benjamin and Judah makes Rehoboam their king and establish the Kingdom of Judah with Jerusalem as their capital. The ten northern tribes of Israel makes Jeroboam their king and establish the Kingdom of Israel with Samaria as their capital.

In 722 BC The Assyrians capture Samaria and take Israel captive. Then in 597 BC, Jerusalem is captured by Babylon as in 2 Chronicles chapter 36 and Quran Surah Isra chapter 17: verse 4-5

3BC or 1CE Jesus and John the Baptist born and in 27AD John the Baptist began his ministry. Jesus is baptized by John and also begins his ministry as in Mark chapter 1:4-11.

30 AD Jesus is crucified and resurrected from the dead some scholars list the date as 33 AD. There are good arguments for both dates. This time table is based primarily on Jesus’ birth occurring at 3 BC. Hence, Jesus would have been 30-36 years of age when crucified.

In 64 AD Rome burns and Nero blames the Christians. As a result severe persecution of Christians begins. But soon after that in 70 AD, the Temple at Jerusalem is destroyed as prophesied by Jesus as in Matthew chapter 24 and Quran Surah Isra chapter 17:7

Now, that ends the prelude to this tale of a nation and a brief introduction of past events before the birth of Muhammad. I will now give you an overview of the beginnings of Islam. Remember Islam started from Mecca where Muhammad was born in 570 AD. Sixth Century Arab was entirely different from its surrounding regions where there were various empires the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, and the great Persian empire.

But Mecca and Arab in general were a tribal culture with no records of formal organized rule and empire in near or farther past. Just consider a tribal society in recent times in today’s world around you in countries in North Africa, Saudi Arab, Afghanistan and Pakistan and you can see how rigid and stubborn a tribal personality is. How far from modern ethical values they are. How honor killing and shedding blood on small issues is a matter of pride. Then consider what kind of tribal culture was that almost 1500 years ago in Arab.

If my Lord Wills, I will continue this in next program.

Recitation of the Holy Scripture.

Indeed Mankind was of one religion then God sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed.

And none differed over the Scripture except those who were given it – after the clear proofs came to them – out of jealous animosity among themselves.

And God, by His permission, guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed.

And God guides whom He wills to a straight path.