The word "DHANB" (Sin) when used for the prophets...

The word "DHANB" (Sin) when used for the prophets, means Tark-e-Awla (leaving a better course for a lawful but unpreferred one), and not sin in usual sense. Q14: WAS ISA (AS.) BORN ON 25th DECEMBER? Was Nabii Isa (a.s.) born on 25th December, according to our history? A.Hazrat Isa (a.s.) was not born in December; he was not born even in winter. It is no question of "our" or "their" history. It is an accepted fact.

25th December was the day when the Romans (worshippers of Mitra) used to celebrate birth of Sun-God. 23rd December, is the shortest day in Northern hemisphere; so, the next day sees the beginning of the elongation of day-time. But the Romans miscalculated and thought that the day starts to become longer from 25th December; hence their festival.

When the Roman emperor Constantine left Mitraism to become a Christian, the Christian priests took a lot of myths from Mitraism and made them a part of Christianity to please him and accommodate the Romans' practices within the Christianity. The belief in sonship of God, the atonement, the Mass, Easter, Christmas, all fall in this category. Q15: RELIGIOUS GUIDE BEFORE OUR HOLY PROPHET Who was the Prophet in the world before Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w.)?

If it were Nabi Isa (a.s.) then how many years after his being taken up by Allah came Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w.)? Was it that the world was without any prophet for a long period, and then came Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w) I hope you will explain to me with full necessary details. A. The world cannot remain without a religious guide appointed by Allah. That guide may be a prophet or a successor of the prophet (without himself being a prophet).

Between Hazrat Isa (a.s.) and Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.w.) there was a gap of about 6 centuries. During this period, there were 3 chains of religious guides: (a) The successors of Hazrat Isa (a.s.), last of whom was Hazrat Salman Farsi who became a follower of our Holy Prophet. (b) The of Hazrat Ismail (a.s.), last of whom was Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s). He also became a follower of our Holy Prophet. These guides in these two chains were not prophets themselves.

(c) Also, there came a few prophets in various places, and name of one or two of them is mentioned in the traditions. Q16: THE FIRST AYAT REVEALED On what date and place was the first ayat revealed to the Prophet (s.a.w.)? And which ayat? A. The prophet of Islam was in the cave of the mountain "Hira" (3 miles from Mecca) when the following 5 Ayats were revealed: "Proclaim!