The history of monotheistic religions is replete with revelations and prophecies delivered by divine figures concerning future events, particularly the Karbala event and the exalted character of Imam Hossein (AS). This article, by integrating and rewriting three provided texts, examines the signs of this event in the Revelation of John (New Testament), Quranic verses in Surah Al-Fajr and Surah As-Saffat, the Book of Jeremiah, and the hidden Jewish book Nebu’it Hild. All primary verses and passages are presented faithfully without altering the Quranic text, in a cohesive and detailed manner. This text solely focuses on the historical and religious analysis of these prophecies and does not promote violence or hatred.
Revelation of John in the New Testament
The Revelation of John, the final section of the New Testament, unveils future events. God permitted Jesus Christ (AS) to reveal these events to John, one of his disciples, through a vision, with an angel explaining their meanings. John recorded what he saw and heard.
Chapter 5: The Lamb and the Scroll
In Chapter 5, John observes 24 spiritual elders, one of whom hands him a scroll to be opened. He expects the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” a descendant of David, to open it, but instead of a lion, a lamb (symbol of sacrifice) appears:
And I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll (Chapter 5, Verse 4).
But one of the 24 elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and its seven seals” (Chapter 5, Verse 5).
And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures, and among the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth (Chapter 5, Verse 6).
Then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne (Chapter 5, Verses 7-8).
When the Lamb took the scroll, the 24 elders fell down before him, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song to him, saying:
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.
Then John saw millions of angels around the Lamb and the spiritual beings, singing loudly:
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!
He then heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea, singing:
Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
The four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the 24 elders fell down and worshiped (end of Chapter 5).
In sacred texts, the Lamb symbolizes sacrifice and refers to Imam Hossein (AS), described as the great sacrifice in Surah As-Saffat. John expected the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” (from Isaac’s lineage), but the appearance of the Lamb (from Ishmael’s lineage) signifies Imam Hossein’s (AS) exalted status. The reference to reigning on earth aligns with Shia narrations about Imam Hossein’s return after the reappearance and his thousand-year rule. Additionally, the mention of the lion in this chapter and later (horses with lion heads) may allude to the role of Yazid’s Jewish advisor in the Karbala event.
Chapter 6: The White and Red Horses
In Chapter 6, John describes the Lamb opening the scroll’s seals:
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
These passages refer to Imam Hossein’s (AS) loyal steed, Zuljanah, initially white but bloodied red in the Karbala battlefield due to wounds. Some Christian interpretations attribute these to Jesus (AS), but Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem, and the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) rode a camel, not a horse. This distinction confirms these passages relate to the Karbala event and Zuljanah.
Chapter 9: The Sixth Trumpet and the Euphrates River
In Chapter 9, John references the Euphrates River:
Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now I heard the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million. I saw the horses and their riders in the vision: the riders had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone, which killed a third of mankind.
The Euphrates River is the site of Imam Hossein’s (AS) martyrdom, not Jerusalem, where Christians believe Jesus (AS) was crucified (a belief Muslims reject, holding that Judas Iscariot was crucified instead, and Jesus is alive). This passage clearly points to Karbala and Imam Hossein’s martyrdom.
Chapter 11: The Martyrs’ Bodies in the Great City
In Chapter 11, John mentions the display of martyrs’ bodies in a great city:
When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. For three and a half days, no one is permitted to bury them, and people from various tribes will view them.
This passage refers to the display of Karbala’s martyrs’ bodies in Damascus, not a single individual (e.g., Jesus). Comparing Damascus to Sodom and Egypt due to its corruption under Yazid aligns with Surah Al-Fajr’s references to the tribes of Aad and Iram.
Chapter 12: The Sun-Clothed Woman
In Chapter 12, John describes a woman clothed with the sun, wearing a crown of twelve stars, referring to Fatimah Zahra (AS), which will be explored in a separate article.
The Great Multitude of the Saved
John also speaks of a vast group of people:
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, from all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, crying out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders asked, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” I said, “Sir, you know.” He replied, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger nor thirst anymore, nor shall the sun strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
These passages point to Imam Hossein’s (AS) intercession for humanity, a significant belief in Shia Islam.
References in Surah Al-Fajr to the Ten Nights and Alignment with the Revelation of John
In Surah Al-Fajr, God swears by the ten nights:
By the dawn,
And [by] ten nights,
And [by] the even and the odd,
And [by] the night when it passes.
(Surah Al-Fajr 89:1-4, translated from https://surahquran.com/)
These ten nights refer to the first ten nights of Muharram, when Imam Hossein (AS) journeyed to Karbala, culminating in his pure blood being shed on Ashura. Philosophically, what nights are more sacred than those in which God’s purest creation, Imam Hossein (AS), was sacrificed? These nights are deeply tied to the Karbala event, a pivotal moment in divine history. Imam Hossein’s caravan moved from Medina to Mecca, then to Karbala, reaching its climax during these ten nights, with his and his loyal companions’ martyrdom on the tenth day, Ashura. These nights symbolize the struggle of truth against falsehood and sacrifice for divine values.
Further in Surah Al-Fajr, God refers to the punishment of oppressive tribes:
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with Aad,
[With] Iram – who had lofty pillars,
The likes of whom had never been created in the land?
And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley?
And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?
(Surah Al-Fajr 89:6-10, translated from https://surahquran.com/)
These verses refer to the punishment of oppressive tribes like Aad, Thamud, and Pharaoh. There is a striking similarity with Chapter 11 of the Revelation of John, where Damascus under Yazid is likened to Sodom and Egypt due to its corruption. In the Revelation, Karbala’s martyrs’ bodies were displayed in the streets of the great city (Damascus) for three and a half days, with burial forbidden. This oppression aligns with the punishment of Aad and Iram in Surah Al-Fajr, as both refer to cities punished for corruption and tyranny. This non-coincidental alignment highlights the deep connection between these sacred texts and underscores Karbala’s significance as an exemplar of resistance against oppression.
Verse 3 of Surah Al-Fajr (“the even and the odd”) corresponds to Yazid’s three-year-and-three-month rule after Karbala. It is said Yazid fell ill and died after his beloved concubine Hababa’s death, possibly linked to the “even” reference. The verse number (third) also aligns with this duration. Additionally, Karbala’s culprits like Shimr, Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad, and others were punished by Mukhtar Thaqafi about five to six years later, corresponding to verse 6 and the punishment of Aad. These numerical and conceptual alignments strengthen the connection between Surah Al-Fajr and the Karbala event, indicating these verses specifically point to this monumental divine event.
Book of Jeremiah
Prophet Jeremiah (AS), during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, witnessed the destruction of Solomon’s (AS) remaining kingdom and the exile of Jews to Babylon. God demonstrated life after death by reviving Jeremiah’s donkey after a hundred years. In the Book of Jeremiah (page 50, Chapter 47, Verse 10), an event over a thousand years later is foretold:
This is the day of the Lord’s vengeance (the day of the final savior’s advent). God has resolved to take vengeance on His enemies. The sword of God will begin its vengeance, and the sword of God will be satiated with their blood, for the Lord has offered a sacrifice on the northern bank of the Euphrates River.
This passage explicitly points to Imam Hossein’s (AS) martyrdom by the Euphrates. God exacted vengeance once through Mukhtar Thaqafi, with final vengeance to occur at the savior’s advent. This prophecy, directly referencing the Euphrates, is closely tied to Karbala and highlights Imam Hossein’s role as a divine sacrifice.
Hidden Jewish Book Nebu’it Hild
Seventy years before the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) birth, a child named Lahman Hafuta, born to a Jewish scholar, prostrated and spoke immediately after birth, astonishing scholars with his cryptic words. Fearing their impact, his father ordered silence. After twelve years, he spoke again, foretelling the final prophet and his progeny, perplexing scholars. These prophecies were later collected but remained hidden for centuries. In 1726, a Jewish scholar who converted to Islam published Exile and Mitzvah in Istanbul, including these prophecies, mentioning Muhammad (SAW), idol-breaking, and his ascension, and referencing the “son of the maidservant” (Hagar, Abraham’s wife), whose progeny would transform the world.
The most remarkable sections relate to Karbala:
- Verse 16:
Six aspirants will fall into great hardship, hardship upon hardship, and their adherents will suffer.
This likely refers to Imam Hossein’s (AS) children and companions, such as Ali Akbar, Muhammad, Uthman, Ali Asghar, Abdullah, Abbas, Qasim, or Muslim’s children, facing immense trials in Karbala.
- Verse 17:
They will fall into hardship and torment, be torn apart, and crushed.
This points to Imam Hossein’s (AS) sacred body being trampled by Yazid’s army horses, symbolizing the enemy’s cruelty.
- Verse 18:
The head will be severed from behind with a dagger, both hands will be cut off, it will occur by the Euphrates River, and changes will appear in heaven and earth.
This refers to Shimr ibn Ziljawshan severing Imam Hossein’s head from behind. Historians note Shimr did so due to the Prophet’s (SAW) kisses on Hossein’s throat or, fearing his gaze or resembling Ishmael’s sacrifice, could not cut from the front. “Both hands cut off” refers to Abbas (AS) losing his hands while fetching water. “Euphrates River” denotes Karbala, and “changes in heaven and earth” alludes to events like the red wind and darkness after Ashura.
- Verse 19:
Colorful tents, the dwelling of descendants, will be burned, revealing renowned kin raised in comfort, and it will be said they died thirsty.
This points to Umar ibn Sa’d’s army burning the Ahl al-Bayt’s tents and the thirsty martyrdom of Imam Hossein’s companions and family, highlighting their profound suffering and the enemy’s oppression.
The book contains additional related verses, which can be studied in the original text.
Reference to the Great Sacrifice in Surah As-Saffat
Surah As-Saffat (Quran, Chapter 37) recounts Prophet Abraham’s (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael (AS) by divine command (37:99-107):
And he said, “Indeed, I will go to [where I am ordered by] my Lord; He will guide me.
My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous.”
So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy.
And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” He said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.”
And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead,
We called to him, “O Abraham,
You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good.
Indeed, this was the clear trial.
And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.
(Surah As-Saffat 37:99-107, translated from https://surahquran.com/)
These verses describe Abraham’s (AS) readiness to sacrifice Ishmael (AS), with God ultimately redeeming Ishmael with a “great sacrifice.” Many Shia scholars believe this “great sacrifice” refers to Imam Hossein (AS), a descendant of Ishmael. His martyrdom in Karbala, as the divine great sacrifice, completes this narrative. This sacrifice not only signifies Hossein’s devotion to God but also his role as the criterion of truth and falsehood and humanity’s savior through intercession. The Lamb in the Revelation of John also points to this great sacrifice from Ishmael’s lineage, not Isaac’s. This connection between Surah As-Saffat and the Revelation confirms Imam Hossein’s exalted role as a divine sacrifice.
The story of Ishmael’s sacrifice resembles Karbala, as both reflect complete submission to God’s command and readiness for sacrifice. Just as Ishmael fully submitted, Imam Hossein, aware of his fate, went to Karbala to uphold faith and resist oppression, sacrificing himself and his family.
Conclusion
The verses of Surah Al-Fajr and Surah As-Saffat, alongside prophecies in the Revelation of John, the Book of Jeremiah, and Nebu’it Hild, all point to the Karbala event and Imam Hossein’s (AS) exalted status. The ten nights of Surah Al-Fajr correspond to Muharram, the comparison of Damascus to Sodom, Egypt, and Iram in the Quran and Revelation, the mention of the Euphrates in various texts, and the great sacrifice in Surah As-Saffat and the Revelation highlight the deep connection between these sacred texts and this monumental event. This historical and religious analysis emphasizes Karbala’s significance as a turning point in divine history and underscores Imam Hossein’s role as the great sacrifice and criterion of truth and falsehood.
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