Eternal Truth
Prophet Moses, born in Egypt in the 15th century B.C., was chosen by God to be His messenger. In those days, Egypt was under the dynastic rule of the Pharaohs, who were idolaters. Prophet Moses encountered two of the kings of this dynasty: one was appointed to be his guardian by God, while the other was one with whom he came into confrontation during his missionary struggle.
When Moses presented the Divine Message of Truth before the latter Pharaoh, he turned against him. To prove the genuineness of his prophethood, the Prophet Moses showed the miracle of his rod turning into a serpent. Pharaoh said that it was mere magic, and that his people too could perform such feats. So, Pharaoh ordered all the magicians of Egypt together on the occasion of a national festival in order to nullify the miracle of Moses by demonstrating their superior skills in magic. At the appointed time the most renowned magicians from all over the country duly gathered in the royal court. When the Prophet Moses arrived, he not only surpassed the performance of the court magicians with further miracles, but he also made a very significant speech, a part of which is as follows:
“What you have brought is deception. Surely God will render it vain. God does not bless the work of the evil-doers. By His words He vindicates the truth, much as the guilty may dislike it.” (10:81-82)
What Prophet Moses said at that time was in fact a proclamation of God’s eternal verdict. In the present world man has been granted freedom so that he may be put to the test. In consequence, untruth has had the opportunity to mar the human condition. But this rise of falsehood is only a temporary phase, for the system of the world is so perfect that it does not accept untruth for long. After a period of time, it rejects all falsity. It is truth and truth alone which will endure.
This law of God was manifest in ancient times just as it is manifest today. That is why, in the time of Prophet Moses, the sorcery of the magicians was set at naught by the miracle granted to Moses. This phenomenon of truth finally conquering untruth has been repeated many times throughout the ages in different forms. In present times God has ordained this through human knowledge itself, advances in knowledge and science having made it possible to prove with finality the unassailability of divine Truth. With the revelation of the Quran, the events that were to unfold found expression in these words:
We will show them Our Signs in all the regions of the earth and in their own souls, until they clearly see that this is the truth. Does it not suffice that your Lord is watching over all things? (The Quran, 41: 53).
The commentator, Ibn Kathir has explained this verse in these words:
“Soon We shall make manifest the truth of the Quran through the external arguments of reasoning.”
This verse of the Quran needs to be looked at in the context of posterity. These are the words of a Being before whom are ranged not only the generations of that time, but all succeeding generations.
Addressing itself to all the peoples of the present, past and future, this verse declares that whatever is presented in its own times on the basis of revealed knowledge, will in the future have its authenticity proven by advances in human knowledge itself. What is merely a matter of assertion today will become a confirmed reality tomorrow.
This prediction of the Quran has been proved true in the fullest sense. In ancient times when the magicians countered Truth with magic, God demolished their magic. In present times when the case for atheism was projected without its having any basis in truth, God made all the arguments in its favour vanish into thin air. By the same token, whatever is raised up against Truth will in like manner be demolished,—as has happened in all ages. God’s word, its veracity intact, will be perpetuated, for all time to come.
