“Indeed, I swear by My might that I shall surely bring upon them a trial in which even the wise will be bewildered; and I shall surely set over them a mighty Persian tyrant, whom I shall clothe in awe and from whose heart I shall strip mercy, followed by a multitude like the blackness of a dark night.”

Then Allah revealed to Jeremiah: “I shall destroy the Children of Israel through Japheth.” Japheth was one of the people of Babylon, and they were among the descendants of Japheth son of Noah. When Jeremiah heard this, he cried out, wept, tore his clothes, and scattered ashes over his head. When Allah heard his supplication and weeping, He called to him: “O Jeremiah, does what I have revealed to you grieve you?” He said, “Yes, my Lord. Cause me to die before I see among the Children of Israel that which will not please me.” Allah Most High said, “By My might, I shall not destroy the Children of Israel until the decision concerning that comes from you.”

Jeremiah rejoiced at this, and his heart was put at ease. He said, “No, by Him who sent Moses with the truth, I will not consent to the destruction of the Children of Israel.” Then he went to the king and informed him of this. The king was righteous, so he received the news with gladness and rejoiced. He said, “If our Lord punishes us, it is because of our many sins; and if He pardons us, it is by His mercy.”

After this revelation, they remained for three years, increasing only in sin and persistence in evil. This was when their destruction drew near, and revelation became infrequent. The king called them to repentance, but they did not respond. So Allah set Nebuchadnezzar over them. He set out with six hundred thousand banners, intending to march against the people of Jerusalem. When he had departed on his march, news of it reached the king, who said to Jeremiah, “Where is that which you claimed Allah had revealed to you?” Jeremiah replied, “Allah does not break His promise, and I trust in Him.”

When the appointed time drew near, Allah sent to Jeremiah an angel who had appeared to him in the form of a man from the Children of Israel. Jeremiah said to him, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am a man from the Children of Israel. I have come to seek your counsel concerning my relatives. I have maintained ties with them and shown them nothing but kindness, yet the more I honor them, the more displeased with me they become. So advise me concerning them.” He said, “Conduct yourself well in what lies between you and Allah, maintain your ties with them, and be assured of goodness.”

The angel departed, remained away for some days, and then came to him again in the form of that same man. He sat before him and said, “I am the one who came to you concerning my family.” Jeremiah said to him, “Has their conduct toward you not improved yet?” He replied, “O Prophet of Allah, by Him who sent you with the truth, I know of no kindness bestowed upon anyone which I have not shown them—and more besides.” The Prophet Jeremiah said to him, “Go back and treat them well. Ask Allah, who sets right His righteous servants, to set them right.”

The angel rose and remained away for some days. By then Nebuchadnezzar and his troops had encamped around Jerusalem, more numerous than locusts. The Children of Israel were terrified of them, and their king said to Jeremiah, “O Prophet of Allah, where is that which Allah promised you?” He replied, “I trust in my Lord.”

Then the angel came to Jeremiah while he was sitting on the wall of Jerusalem, laughing and rejoicing at the victory of his Lord, which He had promised him. The angel sat before him and said, “I am the one who came to you twice concerning my family.” The Prophet said, “Has the time not come for them to recover from what they are in?” The angel said, “O Prophet of Allah, before today I bore patiently whatever I suffered from them. But today I saw them engaged in a deed that does not please Allah.” The Prophet asked, “What deed did you see them doing?” He replied, “A grave deed that incurs Allah’s wrath. Allah became angry, and I came to inform you. I ask you, by Allah who sent you as a prophet with the truth, to pray against them, that He may destroy them.”

Jeremiah said, “O Sovereign of the heavens and the earth, if they are upon truth and right guidance, then spare them; but if they are engaged in deeds that do not please You, then destroy them.” As soon as these words left Jeremiah’s mouth, Allah sent a thunderbolt from heaven into Jerusalem. The place of sacrifice burst into flames, and seven of its gates were swallowed by the earth. When Jeremiah saw this, he cried out, tore his clothes, and scattered ashes over—