Psalms 72:2-19

This prophecy carries glad tidings of the Prophet Muḥammad, because it refers to a prophet who rules with justice and equity, treats the poor fairly, saves the wretched, and deters the oppressors. This was achieved during the time of the Prophet Muḥammad and the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after him. Even today, countries that are ruled by Islam have the lowest crime rates.

His saying: “Let the mountains bring peace to the people, and the hills, in righteousness” means that peace and tranquility will spread throughout the land, equally on mountains and hills. And the “little hills” (Al-Aakaam) is the plural of Akamah, which means a hill.

His saying: “Let them fear You while the sun endures”, means that his enemies will fear confronting him and fear the spread of his religion, because when Islam takes hold in a country, other man-made systems disappear.

His saying: “as long as the moon endures, throughout all generations”, means the eternal continuity of this religion, and that it will not wane as long as the moon exists, or as long as days and years exist, which is an expression denoting permanence and stability.

His saying: “Throughout all generations”, means from generation to generation.

In addition, in this glad tiding there is a comparison of the mission of the Prophet Muḥammad to the descent of rain upon the mown grass. Moreover, the mown grass is what the farmer has sheared and cut from the plant, so it is severed from the earth, needing water to grow. Thus, the descent of rain upon it is considered a relief for the plant itself before it yellows and perishes.

His saying: “In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace” means that in the days of this prophet, truthfulness will be distinguished and peace will abound. Peace here means two things: saying peace, mercy, and blessings of Allāh be upon you, which is the greeting that the Prophet Muḥammad urged to be given whenever a Muslim meets his fellow Muslim; and it also means the peace, which is the fruit of security in the homelands. His saying: “So long as the moon endureth”, is an indication of the new era that all of humanity will enter, of peace and tranquility, due to the cessation of polytheism and the knowledge of monotheism. The abundance of those converting to and entering Islam, will create love among them because they have become one society even if the lands are far apart, bound by the tie of religion. So the outcome is that the number of believers grows and multiplies, and the religion of Islam spreads everywhere until the end of the world, which is expressed by the endurance of the moon.

His saying: “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth”, means that the Prophet Muḥammad will have dominion from the farthest sea to the farthest land, and that all nations will bow to him. This is what happened historically as mentioned previously in the preceding glad tidings, and this means that his message is global and comprehensive, as well as that souls quickly accept it. His saying: “They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him”, means that he will control several kingdoms, and this indeed happened. Persia and Rome fell during the era of the Caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allāh be pleased with him, in Iran, the Levant, and Egypt. After ‘Umar, Islam spread in Africa and entered Europe to the west, as well as spread to the east until it reached China and Indonesia.

His saying: “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles”, refers to Tarshish, a country in the Levant, said to be in present day Lebanon. The present is the gifts that accompany letters between kings, and the isles are the lands in general.

His saying: “The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts” – Sheba was a city, (Allāh knows best where it is), and Seba’ (Sheba) was a kingdom in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, located in Y emen.

His saying: “He shall redeem their soul... and precious shall their blood be in his sight. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba” means that he gives to the poor and is generous to them. The Prophet Muḥammad used to spend like one who does not fear poverty; he was generous, most so during Ramadan.

His saying: “prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised... His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun... and men shall be blessed in him”. This means that people will glorify the Prophet Muḥammad, commend him, thank him for calling the people to goodness, and acknowledge his virtue. Part of honoring him is that all Muslims venerate him with the phrase “(peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him),” which means praying for his status to be elevated and for the safety of his religion. His saying: “all nations shall call him blessed” means that all people will say about him “Blessed is he” (Tuba Lahu) – an expression of praise. This is indeed what happens. His saying: “There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth”– This verse expresses the flourishing of the earth and its blessings during the time of this prophet and the great message he brought, which will fill the earth with justice and mercy. Cities will prosper and grow like grass, because prosperity comes with security, while fear brings turmoil and scarcity. His saying: “There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains” is an expression of the abundance of grains and blessings that will fill the lands, even to the mountaintops. The comparison here is with Lebanon, known for the greenery of its mountains.

These glad tidings conclude with a prayer that the whole earth be filled with the glorification of Allāh the Almighty, the only one deserving of such praise.