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CHRIST IN ISLAM
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate
Christ in Islam
by Ahmed Deedat
Chapter One :
Christian Muslim Responses
Debate on TV
At the end of the debate - "Christianity and Islam" - which appeared on the
SABC-TV program "Cross Questions" on Sunday 5th June 1983, the Chairman, Mr.
Bill Chalmers commented: "I think it can be said from this discussion that there
is, at present, somewhat more accommodation on the Islamic side for the founder
of Christianity than there is on the Christian side for the founder of Islam.
What the significance of that is, we leave it to you, the viewer, to determine,
but I do think you will agree that it is a good thing that we are talking
together."
"Bill" as he is popularly addressed, without any formalities, on all his
programs, by all his panelists, is extremely charming and stupendous in his
humility. He is a picture of what the Holy Quran portrays of a good
Christian:
"...And nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who
say: 'We are Christians': because among these are men devoted to learning and
men who have renounced the world. And they are not arrogant." (The Holy Quran
5:82)
Jesus - His Status
Were the Muslims on the panel trying to placate the viewers out policy,
deceit or diplomacy? Nothing of the kind! They were only articulating what God
Almighty had commanded them to say in the Holy Quran. As Muslims, they had no
choice. They had said in so many words: "We Muslims believe, that Jesus was one
of the mightiest messengers of God that he was the Christ, that he was born
miraculously without any male intervention (which many modern-day Christians do
not believe today), that he gave life to the dead by God's permission and that
he healed those born blind and the lepers by god's permission. In fact, no
Muslim is a Muslim if he or she does not believe in Jesus!"
Pleasant Surprise
Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been pleasantly,
but skeptically, surprised. They might have not believed their ears. They must
have surmised that the Muslims were playing to the gallery - that they were
trying to curry favor with their fellow Christian countrymen; that if the
Muslims would say a few good words about Jesus, then in reciprocation the
Christians might say a few good words about Muhammed (may the peace and the
blessings of God be upon all His righteous servants, Moses, Jesus,
Muhammed...etc.); that I scratch your back and you scratch my back - which would
be a sham or hypocrisy.
Hate Cultivated
We cannot blame the Christians for their skepticism. They have been so
learned for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of the man Muhammed,
salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, and his religion. How aptly did Thomas
Carlyle say about his Christian brethren over a hundred and fifty years ago:
"The lies which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammed) are
disgraceful to ourselves only." We Muslims are partly responsible for this. We
have not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.
Ocean of Christianity
South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the highest
percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then the Republic of South
Africa would also be entitled to boast the highest percentage of Christians. In
this ocean of Christianity the R.S.A. - the Muslims are barely 2% of the total
population. We are a voteless minority - numerically, we count for nothing;
politically, we count for nothing; and economically, one white man, as
Oppenheimer, could buy out the whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel.
So if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no! We must
proclaim our Master's Will; we must declare the Truth, whether we liked it or
not. In the words of Jesus: "Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall set you
free" (John 8:32).
Chapter Two : Jesus in the Quran
Christians Unaware
The Christian does not know that the true spirit of charity which the Muslim
displays, always, towards Jesus and his mother Mary spring from the fountainhead
of his faith - the Holy Quran. He does not know that the Muslim does not take
the holy name of Jesus, in his own language, without saying Eesa, alaihi
assalam ("Jesus, peace be upon him")
The Christian does not know that in the Holy Quran Jesus is mentioned twenty
five times. For example:
"We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear signs and strengthened him with the
Holy Spirit" (The Holy Quran 2:87)
"O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be
Christ Jesus, the son of Mary..." (3:45)
"...Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of god..."
(4:171)
"...And in their foot steps we sent Jesus the son of Mary..." (5:46)
"And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the
righteous." (6:85)
Jesus - His Titles
Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the Holy Quran, he
is also addressed with respect as: Ibn Maryam, meaning "The son of Mary";
and as the Maseeh (in Hebrew it is the Messiah), which is
translated as "Christ". He is also known as Abdullah, "The servant of
Allah"; and as Rasul u Allah, the messenger of Allah.
He is spoken of as "The Word of God", as "The Spirit of God", as a "Sign of
God", and numerous other epithets of honor spread over fifteen different
chapters. The Holy Quran honors this mighty messenger of God, and the Muslims
have not fallen short over the past fourteen hundred years in doing the same.
There is not a single disparaging remark in the entire Quran to which even the
most jaundiced among the Christians can take exception.
Eesa Latinised to "Jesus"
The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as Eesa, and this name is used more
times than any other title, because this was his "Christian" name. Actually, his
proper name was Eesa (Arabic), or Esau (Hebrew); classical
Yeheshua, which the Christian nations of the West latinised as Jesus.
Neither the "J" nor the second "s" in the name Jesus is to be found in the
original tongue - they are not found in the Semitic languages.
The word is very simply "E S A U" a very common Jewish name, used more than
sixty times in the very first booklet alone of the Bible, in the part called
"Genesis". There was at least one "Jesus" sitting on the "bench" at the trial of
Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions some twenty
five Jesus' in his "Book of Antiquities". The New Testament speaks of
"Bar-Jesus" a magician and a sorcerer, a false prophet (Acts 13:6); and also
"Jesus-Justus" a Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians 4:11).
These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary. Transforming "Esau" to (J)esu(s)
- Jesus - makes it unique. This unique (?)) name has gone out of currency among
the Jews and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among the Jews,
because it came to be a name of ill - repute, the name of one who blasphemed in
Jewry; and among the Christians because it came to be the proper name of their
God. The Muslim will not hesitate to name his son Eesa because it is an
honored name, the name of a righteous servant of the Lord.
Chapter Three : Mother And Son
Mary Honored
The birth of Jesus Christ is described in two places of the Quran - chapter 3
and chapter 19. Reading from the beginning of his birth, we come across the
story of Mary, and the esteemed position which she occupies in the House of
Islam, before the actual annunciation of the birth of Jesus is given:
"'Behold'! the angels said: 'O Mary! God hath chosen thee and purified thee,
and chosen thee above the women of all nations" (3:42)
"Chosen thee above the women of all nations." Such an honor is not to be
found given to Mary even in the Christian Bible! The verse continues:
"O Mary! Worship thy Lord devoutly: prostrate thyself, and bow down (in
prayer) with those who bow down." (3:43)
Divine Revelation
What is the source of this beautiful and sublime recitation which, in its
original Arabic, moves men to ecstasy and tears? verse 44 below explains:
"This is part of the tidings, of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee
(O Muhammad!) by inspiration: Thou wast not with them when they cast lots with
arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary: nor wast
thou with them when they disputed (the point)." (3:44)
Mary's Birth
The story is that the maternal grandmother of Jesus, Hannah, had hitherto
been barren. She poured out her heart to God: If only God will grant her a
child, she would surely dedicate such a child for the service of God in the
temple.
God granted her prayer and Mary was born. Hannah was disappointed. She was
yearning for a son, but instead she delivered a daughter; and in no way is the
female like the male, for what she had in mind. What was she to do? She had made
a vow to God. She waited for Mary to be big enough to fend for herself.
When the time came, Hannah took her darling daughter to the temple, to hand
over for temple services. Every priest wanted to be the god-father of this
child. They cast lots with arrows for her - like the tossing of the coin - head
or tail? eventually she fell to the lot of Zakariya, but not without a
dispute.
The Source of His Message
This was the story. But where did Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa
sallam, get this knowledge from? He was an Ummi, Arabic for
"unlettered". He did not low how to read or write. He is made by God Almighty to
answer this very question in the verse above, by saying that it was all by
divine inspiration. "No!", says the controversialist. "This is Muhammed's
own concoction. He copied his revelations from the Jews and Christians. He
plagiarized it. He forged it."
Knowing full-well, and believing as we do, that the whole Quran is the
veritable Word of God, we will nevertheless agree, for the sake of argument,
with the enemies of Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, for a
moment, that he wrote it. We can now expect some cooperation from the
unbelievers.
Ask him: "Have you any qualms in agreeing that Muhammed was an Arab?" Only an
ignorant will hesitate to agree. In that case there is no sense in pursuing any
discussion. Cut short the talk. Close the book!
With the man of reason, we proceed. "That this Arab, in the first instance,
was addressing other Arabs. He was not talking to Indian Muslims, Chinese
Muslims, or Nigerian Muslims. He was addressing his own people, the Arabs.
Whether they agreed with him or not, he told them in the most sublime form,
words that were seared into the hearts and minds of his listeners that Mary the
mother of Jesus, a Jewess, was chosen above the women of all nations. Not
his own mother, nor his wife nor his daughter, nor any other Arab woman, but a
Jewess! Can one explain this? Because to everyone his own mother or wife, or
daughters would come before other women.
Why would the prophet of Islam honor a woman from his opposition! and a
Jewess at that! belonging to a race which had been looking down upon his people
for three thousand years? Just as they still look down upon their Arab brethren
today."
Sarah and Hagar
The Jews learn, from the Bible, that their father, Abraham, had two wives
Sarah and Hagar. They say that they are the children of Abraham through Sarah
his legitimate wife; that their Arab brethren have descended through Hagar, a
"bondwoman", and that as such, the Arabs are an inferior breed.
Will anyone please explain the anomaly as to why Muhammed, salla Allah u
alihi wa sallam, if he is the author, chose this Jewess for such high honor?
The answer is simple, he had no choice he had no right to speak of his
own desire. "It is no less than an inspiration sent down to him."
(53:4)
The Chapter of Maryam
There is a Chapter in the Holy Quran, named Surat u Maryam "Chapter
Mary", named in honor of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him; again, such an honor is not to be found given to Mary in the
Christian Bible. Out of the 66 books of the Protestants and 73 of the Roman
Catholics, not one is named after Mary or her son. You will find books named
after Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and two score more obscure names,
but not a single one is that of Mary!
If Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, was the author of the Holy
Quran, then he would not have failed to include in it with Mary, the mother of
Jesus, his own mother Aamina, his dear wife Khadija, or his beloved daughter
Fatima. But No! No! This can never be. The Quran is not his handiwork!.
Chapter Four : The Good News
" 'Behold!' the angels said: 'O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a
word from him: his name will be Jesus, the son of Mary; held in honor in this
world and the hereafter; and (of the company of) those nearest to Allah."
(3:45)
"Nearest to God," not physically nor geographically, but spiritually. Compare
this with "And (Jesus) sat on the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19). The bulk of
Christendom has misunderstood this verse as well as many others in the Bible.
They imagine the Father (God) sitting on a throne, a glorified chair, and His
Son, Jesus, sitting on His right hand side. Can you conjure up the picture? If
you do, you have strayed from the true knowledge of God. He is no old Father
Christmas. He is beyond the imagination of the mind of man. He exists. He is
real, but He is not like anything we can think of, or imagine.
In eastern languages "right hand" meant a place of honor, which the Holy
Quran more fittingly describes as "In the company of those nearest to Allah."
The above verse confirms that Jesus is the Christ. and that he is the Word which
God bestowed upon Mary. Again, the Christian reads into these words, a meaning
which they do not carry. They equate the word "Christ" with the idea of a
god-incarnate; and the "Word" of God to be God.
"Christ" Not a Name
The word "Christ" is derived from the Hebrew word Messiah, Arabic
Maseeh. Root word masaha, meaning "to rub", "to massage", "to
anoint". Priests and kings were anointed when being consecrated to their
offices. But in its translated Grecian form, "Christ" seems unique: befitting
Jesus only.
Christians like to translate names into their own language; like
Cephas to "Peter" , Messiah to "Christ". How do they do that? Very
easily. Messiah in Hebrew means "Anointed". The Greek word for anointed
is Christos. Just lop off the 'os' from Christos, and you
are left with "Christ"; a unique name!
Christos means "Anointed", and anointed means appointed in its
religious connotation. Jesus, peace and blessing be upon him, was appointed
(anointed) at his baptism by John the Baptist, as God's Messenger. Every prophet
of God is so anointed or appointed. The Holy Bible is replete with the
"anointed" ones. In the original Hebrew, he was made a Messiah. Let us
keep to the English translation "anointed."
Not only were prophets and priests and kings anointed (Christos-ed),
but horns, and cherubs and lamp-posts also.
"I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar ..." (Genesis
31:13)
"If the priest that is anointed do sin ..." (Leviticus 4:3)
"And Moses... anointed the tabernacle and all things that was
therein..." (Leviticus 8:100)
"..the Lord shall...exalt the horn of his anointed" (I Samuel
2:10)
"Thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus..." (Isaiah 45:1)
"Thou art the anointed cherub..." (Ezekiel 28:14)
There are an hundred more such references in the Holy Bible. Every time you
come across the word "anointed" in your Bible, you can take it that that word
would be christos in the Greek translations, and if you take the same
liberty with the word that the Christians have done, you will have Christ
Cherub, Christ Cyrus, Christ Priest and Christ Pillar, ...etc.
Some Titles Exclusive
Although, every prophet of God is an anointed one of God, a Messiah, the
title Maseeh or Messiah, or its translation "Christ" is
exclusively reserved for Jesus, the son of Mary, in both Islam and in
Christianity. This is not unusual in religion. There are certain other honorific
titles which may be applied to more than one prophet, yet being made exclusive
to one by usage: like "Rasulullah", meaning "Messenger of God", which
title is applied to both Moses (19:51) and Jesus (61:6) in the Holy Quran. Yet
"Rasullullah" has become synonymous only with Muhammad, the prophet of
Islam, among Muslims.
Every prophet is indeed a "Friend of God", but its Arabic equivalent
"Khalillullah" is exclusively associated with Father Abraham. This does
not mean that the others are not God's friends. "Kaleemullah", meaning
"One who spoke with Allah" is never used for anyone other than Moses, yet we
believe that God spoke with many of His messengers, including Jesus and
Muhammed, may the peace and blessings of God be upon all His servants.
Associating certain titles with certain personages only, does not make them
exclusive or unique in any way. We honor all in varying terms.
Whilst the good news was being announced (verse 45 above) Mary was told that
her unborn child will be called Jesus, that he would be the Christ, a "Word"
from God, and that...
"He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be
(of the company) of the righteous." (3:46)
"At length she brought the (babe) to her people carrying him. They said: 'O
Mary! truly a strange thing has thou brought!'. 'O sister of Aaron!, thy father
was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!' " (The Holy Quran
19:27-28)
Jews Amazed
There is no Joseph the carpenter here. The circumstances being peculiar, Mary
the mother of Jesus had retired herself to some remote place in the East
(19:16). After the birth of the child she returns.
A. Yusuf Ali, comments in his popular English translation of the Quran:
"The amazement of the people knew no bounds. In any case they were prepared
to think the worst of her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time.
But now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms! How she had
disgraced house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood!
"Sister of Aaron": Mary is reminded of her high lineage and the
unexceptionable morals of her father and mother. How, they said, she had fallen,
and disgraced the name of her progenitors!
What could Mary do? How could she explain? Would they, in their censorious
mood accept her explanation? All she could do was to point to the child, who,
she knew, was no ordinary child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle
he spoke, defended his mother, and preached to an unbelieving audience."
Allah azza wa jall says in the Quran:
"But she pointed to the babe. They said: 'How can we talk one who is a child
in the cradle?' He (Jesus) said: 'I am indeed a servant of Allah (God) : He hath
given me revelation and made me a prophet: 'and He hath made me blessed
wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live.
'(He hath made me) kind to my mother, and not overbearing or unblest; 'So Peace
is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be
raised up to life again)'!" (19:29-33)
His First Miracle(s)
Thus Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, defended his mother from the
grave calumny and innuendoes of her enemies. This is the very first miracle
attributed to Jesus in the Holy Quran that, he spoke as an infant from his
mother's arms. Contrast this with his first miracle in the Christian Bible which
occurred when he was over thirty years of age:
"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of
Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no
wine. Jesus saith unto her, 'Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is
not yet come.' His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you,
do it. And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the
purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto
them, Fill the water pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And
he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And
they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made
wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;)
the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man
at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk,
then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now." (John
2:110)
Since this miracle, wine has flowed like water in Christendom. Many reason
that what was good for the Master is good enough for them. Jesus was no
"kill-joy" they say. Didn't he make good potent wine, that even those "well
drunk", those whose senses had been dulled could make out the difference ? "That
the best was kept for the last.". This was no pure grape juice. It was the same
wine that, according to the Christian Bible, enabled the daughters of Lot
to seduce their father (Genesis 19:32-33).It was the same wine which the
Christian is advised to eschew in Ephesians 5:18 - "And be not drunk with
wine..."
It is that innocent (?) 1% potency that eventually leads millions down into
the gutter. America has 10 million drunkards in the midst of 70 million
"born-again" Christians! The Americans call their drunkards "Problem
Drinkers". In South Africa, they are called "Alcoholics"; drunkard is too strong
a word for people to stomach.
But the Prime Minister of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, does not hesitate to
call a spade a spade. He says, "I am not prepared to lead nation of drunkards",
referring to his own people who drink intoxicants.
Whether the water "blushed" or not "seeing" Jesus, we cannot blame him or his
disciples for the drinking habits of his contemporaries. For he had truly
opined, "have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now"
(John 16:12). Mankind had not reached the stage of receiving the whole Truth of
Islam. Did he not also say "You cannot put new wine into old bottles"? (Matthew
9:17).
"Mother" or "Woman"?
According to St. John, in the fourth verse above, describing the marriage
feast at Cana, we are told that Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, behaved
insolently towards his mother. He calls her "woman," and to rub more salt into
the wound he is made to say "what have I to do with thee?" What connection is
there between you and me, or what have I got to do with you? Could he have
forgotten that this very "woman" had carried him for nine months, and perhaps
suckled him for 2 years, and had borne endless insults and injuries on account
of him? Is she not his mother? Is there no word in his language for
"mother"?
Strange as it may seem, that while the missionaries boast about their
master's humility, meekness and long-suffering, they call him the "Prince of
Peace" and they sing that "he was led to the slaughter like a lamb, and like a
sheep who before his shearer is dumb, he opened not his mouth", yet they proudly
record in the same breath, that he was ever ready with invectives for the elders
of his race, and was always itching for a showdown i.e. if their records are
true:
"Ye hypocrites!"
"Ye wicked and adulterous generation!"
"Ye whited sephulcres!"
"Ye generation of vipers!"
and now to his mother: "Woman..."
Jesus Defended
Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, the Messenger of God, is made
to absolve Jesus from the false charges and calumnies of his enemies.
"And He (God Almighty) hath made me (Jesus) kind to my mother, and not
overbearing or unblest" (19:31).
On receiving the good news of the birth of a righteous son Mary responds:
"She said: 'O My Lord! how shall I have a son, when no man hath touched
me?"
The angel says in reply:
"He said: 'Even so: Allah (God) createth what He willeth: when He hath
decreed a matter He but sayth o it 'Be,' and it is! And Allah (God) will teach
him the Book and Wisdom, the Torah (Law) and the Gospel," (3:47-48).
Chapter Five : Quranic and Biblical Versions
Meeting the Reverend
I was visiting the "Bible House" in Johannesburg. Whilst browsing through the
stacks of Bibles and religious books, I picked up an Indonesian Bible and had
just taken in hand a Greek - English New Testament, a large, expensive volume. I
had not realized that I was being observed by the supervisor of the Bible House.
Casually, he walked up to me. Perhaps my beard and my Muslim headgear were an
attraction and a challenge? He inquired about my interest in that costly volume.
I explained that as a student of comparative religion, I had need for such a
book. He invited me to have tea with him in his office. It was very kind of him
and I accepted.
Over the cup of tea, I explained to him the Muslim belief in Jesus, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him. I explained to him the high position that Jesus
occupied in the House of Islam. He seemed skeptical about what I said. I was
amazed at his seeming ignorance, because only retired Reverend gentlemen can
become Supervisors of Bible Houses in South Africa. I began reciting from verse
42 of chapters 3 of the Holy Quran:
"'Behold!' The angels said: 'O Mary, Allah hath chosen thee...'"
I wanted the Reverend to listen, not only to the meaning of the Quran, but
also to the music of its cadences when the original Arabic was recited. Rev.
Dunkers (for that was his name) sat back and listened with rapt attention to
"Allah's Words".
When I reached the end of verse 49, the Reverend commented that the Quranic
message was like that of his own Bible. He said, he saw no difference between
what he behaved as a Christian, and what I had read to him. I said: "that was
true". If he had come across these verses in the English language alone without
their Arabic equivalent, side by side, he would not have been able to guess in a
hundred years that he was reading the Holy Quran. If he were a Protestant, he
would have thought that he was reading the Roman Catholic Version, if he had not
seen one, or the Jehovah's Witness Version or the Greek Orthodox Version, or the
hundred and one other versions that he might not have seen; but he would never
have guessed that he was reading the Quranic version.
The Christian would be reading here, in the Quran, everything he wanted to
hear about Jesus, but in a most noble, elevated and sublime language. He could
not help being moved by it.
-
In these eight terse verses from 42 to 49 we are told:
- (a) That Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virtuous woman, and honored
above the women of all nations.
(b) That all that was being said was God's
own Revelation to mankind. (c) That Jesus was the "Word" of God. (d)
That he was the Christ that the Jews were waiting for. (e) That God will
empower this Jesus to perform miracles even in infancy. (f) That Jesus was
born miraculously, without any male intervention. (g) That God will
vouchsafe him Revelation. (h) That he will give life to the dead by God's
permission, and that he will heal those born blind and the lepers by God's
permission, ... etc.
"Chalk and Cheese"
The most fervent Christian cannot take exception to a single statement or
word here. But the difference between the Biblical and the Quranic narratives is
that between "chalk and cheese". "To me they are identical, what is the
difference?" the Reverend asked. I know that in their essentials both the
stories agree in their details, but when we scrutinize them closely we will
discover that the difference between them is staggering.
Now compare the miraculous conception as announced in verse 47 of the Holy
Quran with what the Holy Bible says:
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this wise: When as his mother Mary was
espoused to Joseph, before they came together, (as husband and wife) she
was found with child of the holy ghost."(Matthew 1:18)
Master Dramatizer
The eminent Billy Graham from the United States of America dramatized this
verse in front of 40,000 people in King Park, Durban, with his index finger
sticking out and swinging his outstretched arm from right to left, he said: "And
the Holy Ghost came and impregnated Mary!" On the other hand St. Luke tells us
the very same thing but less crudely. He says, that when the annunciation was
made, Mary was perturbed. Her natural reaction was :
"How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34) meaning
sexually.
The Quranic narrative is:
"She said: O my Lord! how shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?"
(3:47) meaning sexually.
In essence there is no difference between these two statements "seeing I know
not a man" and "when no man hath touched me". Both the quotations have an
identical meaning. It is simply a choice of different words meaning the same
thing. But the respective replies to Mary's plea in the two Books (the Quran and
the Bible) are revealing.
The Biblical Version
Says the Bible:
"And the angle answered and said into her : 'The Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee" (Luke
1:35)
Can't you see that you are giving the atheist, the skeptic, the agnostic a
stick to beat you with? They may well ask "How did the Holy Ghost come upon
Mary?" "How did the Highest overshadow her?" We know that literally it does not
mean that: that it was an immaculate conception, but the language used here, is
distasteful. Now contrast this with the language of the Quran:
The Quranic Version
"He said (the angel says in reply): 'Even so: Allah (God) createth what He
willeth: when He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, 'Be,' and it is!' "
(3:47)
This is the Muslim concept of the birth of Jesus. For God to create a Jesus,
without a human father, He merely has to will it. If He wants to create a
million Jesus' without fathers or mothers, He merely wills them into existence.
He does not have to take seeds and transfer them, like men or animals by contact
or artificial insemination . He wills everything into being by His word of
command "Be" and "It is".
There is nothing new in what I am telling you, I reminded the Reverend. It is
in the very first Book of your Holy Bible, Genesis 1:3 "And God said..." What
did He say? He said "Be" and "It was". He did not have to articulate the words.
This is our way of understanding the word "Be", that He willed everything into
being.
Choice for His Daughter
"Between these two versions of the birth of Jesus, the Quranic version and
the Biblical version, which would you prefer to give your daughter ?" I asked
the supervisor of the Bible House. He bowed his head down in humility and
admitted "The Quranic Version."
How can "a forgery" or "an imitation", as it is alleged of the Quran, be
better than the genuine, the original, as it is claimed for the Bible? It can
never be, unless this Revelation to Muhammed is what it, itself, claims to be
viz. The pure and holy Word of God! There are a hundred different tests that the
unprejudiced seeker after truth can apply to the Holy Quran and it will qualify
with flying colors to being a Message from on High.
Like Adam
Does the miraculous birth of Jesus make him a God or a "begotten" son of God?
No! says the Holy Quran:
"The similitude of Jesus before Allah (God) is that of Adam; He created him
from dust then said to him: 'Be', and he was." (3:59)
Yusuf Ali, comments in his notes in the Quran translation:
"After a description of the high position which Jesus occupies as a prophet
in the preceding verses we have a repudiation of the dogma that he was God, or
the son of God, or any thing more than man. If it is said that he was born
without a human father, Adam was also so born. Indeed Adam was born without
either a human father or mother. As far as our physical bodies are concerned
they are mere dust.
In God's sight Jesus was as dust just as Adam was or humanity is. The
greatness of Jesus arose from the divine command 'Be': for after that he was
more than dust a great spiritual leader and teacher"
The logic of it is that, if being born without a male parent entitles Jesus
to being equated with God, then, Adam would have a greater right to such honor,
and this no Christian would readily concede. Thus, the Muslim is made to
repudiate the Christian blasphemy.
Further, if the Christian splits hairs by arguing that Adam was "created"
from the dust of the ground, whereas Jesus was immaculately "begotten" in the
womb of Mary, then let us remind him that, even according to his own false
standards, there is yet another person greater than Jesus, in his own Bible .
Who is this superman?
Paul's Innovation
"For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God... Without
father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of
days, nor end of life..." (Hebrews 7:1,3)
Here is a candidate for Divinity itself, for only God Almighty could possess
these qualities. Adam had a beginning (in the garden), Jesus had a beginning (in
the stable); Adam had an end and, claim the Christians, so had Jesus "and he
gave up the ghost". But where is Melchisedec? Perhaps he is hibernating
somewhere like Rip Van Winkel (a fairy tale character who slept for many
ages.)
And what is this "Hebrews"? It is the name of one of the Books of the Holy
Bible, authored by the gallant St. Paul, the self appointed thirteenth apostle
of Christ. Jesus had twelve apostles, but one of them (Judas) had the Devil in
him. So the vacancy had to be filled, because of the "twelve" thrones in heaven
which had to be occupied by his disciples to judge the children of Israel (Luke
22:30).
Saul was a renegade Jew, and the Christians changed his name to "Paul",
probably because "Saul" sounds Jewish. This St. Paul made such a fine mess of
the teachings of Jesus, peace blessings be upon him, that he earned for himself
the second most coveted position of "The Most Influential Men of History" in the
monumental work of Michael H. Hart: The 100 or The Top Hundred or
the Greatest Hundred in History. Paul outclasses even Jesus because,
according to Michael Hart, Paul was the real founder of present day
Christianity. The honor of creating Christianity had to be shared between Paul
and Jesus, and Paul won because he wrote more Books of the Bible than any other
single author, whereas Jesus did not write a single word.
Paul needed no inspiration to write his hyperboles here and in the rest of
his Epistles. Did not Hitler's Minister of Propaganda Goebbels say: "The bigger
the lie the more likely it is to be believed'? But the amazing thing about this
exaggeration is that no Christian seems to have read it. Every learned man to
whom I have shown this verse to, seemed to be seeing it for the first time. They
appear dumbfounded, as described by the fitting words of Jesus:
"...seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they
understand." (Matthew 13:13)
The Holy Quran also contains a verse which fittingly describes this well
cultivated sickness:
"Deaf, dumb and blind, will they not return (to the path)." (2:18)
The Sons of God
The Muslim takes strong exception to the Christian dogma that "Jesus is the
only begotten son, begotten not made". This is what the Christian is made to
repeat from childhood in his catechism. I have asked learned Christians, again
and again as to what they are really trying to emphasize, when they say:
"Begotten not made".
They know that according to their own God given (?) records, God has sons by
the tons:
"...Adam, which was the son of God."(Luke 3:38)
"That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair...
And when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare
children to them..." (Genesis 6: 2,4)
"...Israel is My son, even My firstborn:" (Exodus 4:22)
"...for I (God) am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn."
(Jeremiah 31:9)
"...the Lord hath said unto me (David): 'Thou art My son: this day
have I begotten thee." (Psalms 2:7)
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God." (Romans 18:14)
Can't you see that in the language of the Jew, every righteous person, every
Tom, Dick and Harry who followed the Will and Plan of God, was a "Son of God".
It was a metaphorical descriptive term commonly used among the Jews. The
Christian agrees with this reasoning, but goes on to say: "but Jesus was not
like that". Adam was made by God. Every living thing was made by God, He
is the Lord, Cherisher and Sustainer of all. Metaphorically speaking therefore
God is the Father of all. But Jesus was the "begotten" son of God, not a
created son of God ?
Begotten Means "Sired"!
In my forty years of practical experience in talking to learned Christians,
not a single one has opened his mouth to hazard an explanation of the phrase
"begotten not made". It had to be an American who dared to explain. He
said : "It means, sired by God." "What!?" I exploded : "Sired by
God?" "No, no!" he said, "I am only trying to explain the meaning, I do not
believe that God really sired a son."
The sensible Christian says that the words do not literally mean what they
say. Then why do you say it? Why are you creating unnecessary conflict between
the 1,200,000,000 Christians and a thousand million Muslims of the world in
making senseless statements?
Reason for Objection
The Muslim takes exception to the word "begotten", because begetting is an
animal act, belonging to the lower animal functions of sex. How can we attribute
such a lowly capacity to God? Metaphorically we are all the children of God, the
good and the bad, and Jesus would be closer to being the son of God than any one
of us, because he would be more faithful to God then any one of us can ever be.
From that point of view he is preeminently the son of God.
Although this pernicious word "begotten" has now unceremoniously been thrown
out of the "Most Accurate" version of the Bible, the Revised Standard
Version (R.S.V.), its ghost still lingers on in the Christian mind, both
black and white. Through its insidious brainwashing the white man is made to
feel superior to his black Christian brother of the same Church and
Denomination. And in turn, the black man is given a permanent inferiority
complex through this dogma.
Brain-washed Inferiority
The human mind can't help reasoning that since the "begotten son" of an
African will look like an African, and that of a Chinaman as a Chinese, and that
of an Indian like an Indian: so the begotten son of God aught naturally
to look like God. Billions of beautiful pictures and replicas of this "only
begotten son of God" are put in peoples hands. He looks like a European with
blonde hair, blue eyes and handsome features like e one I saw in the "King of
Kings" or "The Day of Triumph" or "Jesus of Nazareth". Remember Jeffrey Hunter?
The "Savior" of the Christian is more like a German than a Jew with his polly
nose. So naturally, if the son is a white man, the father would also be a white
man (God?). Hence the darker skinned races of the earth subconsciously have the
feeling of inferiory ingrained in their souls as God's "step children". No
amount of face creams, skin lighteners and hair straighteners will erase the
inferiority.
God is neither black nor white. He is beyond the imagination of the mind of
man. Break the mental shackles of a Caucasian (white) man-god, and you have
broken the shackles of a permanent inferiority. But intellectual bondages are
harder to shatter: the slave himself fights to retain them.
Chapter Six : Answer to Christian Dilemmas
"Christ in Islam" is really Christ in the Quran: and the Holy Quran has
something definite to say about every aberration of Christianity. The Quran
absolves Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, from all the false charges of
his enemies as well as the misplaced infatuation of his followers. His enemies
allege that he blasphemed against God by claiming Divinity. His misguided
followers claim that he did avow Divinity, but that was not blasphemy because he
was God. What does the Quran say ?
Addressing both the Jews and the Christians, Allah says:
"O People of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah
(God) aught but the truth. Christ Jesus son of Mary was (no more than) a
messenger of Allah (God), and His Word, which he bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit
proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah (God) and His messengers..."
(4:171)
Going to Extremes
"O People of the Book" is a very respectful title with which the Jews and the
Christians are addressed in the Holy Quran. In other words, Allah is saying "O
Learned People!", "O People with a Scripture!" According to their own boast, the
Jews and the Christians prided themselves over the Arabs, who had no Scripture
before the Quran. As a learned people, Allah pulls up both the contending
religionists for going to either extremes as regards the personality of
Christ.
The Jews made certain insinuations about the legitimacy of Jesus and charged
him of blasphemy by twisting his words. The Christians read other meanings into
his words; wrench words out of their context to make him God.
The modern day Christian, the hot - gospeller, the Bible thumper, uses
harsher words and cruder approaches to win over a convert to his
blasphemies.
He says:
- (a) "Either Jesus is God or a liar"
(b) "Either Jesus is God or a
lunatic" (c) "Either Jesus is God or an impostor"
These are his words, words culled from Christian literature. Since no man of
charity, Muslim or otherwise, can condemn Christ so harshly as the Christian
challenges him to do, perforce he must keep non-committal. He thinks he must
make a choice between one or the other of these silly extremes. It does not
occur to him that there is an alternative to this Christian conundrum.
Sensible Alternative
Is it not possible that Jesus is simply what he claimed to be, a prophet,
like so many other prophets that passed away before him? Even that he is one of
the greatest of them, a mighty miracle worker, a great spiritual teacher and
guide - the Messiah!. Why only God or Lunatic? Is "lunacy" the opposite
of "Divinity" in Christianity? What is the antonym of God? Will some clever
Christian answer?
The Quran lays bare the true position of Christ in a single verse, followed
by a note by Yusuf Ali's:
- "That he was the son of a woman, Mary, and therefore a man;"
- "But a messenger, a man with a mission from Allah (God), and therefore
entitled to honor."
- "A Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by Allah's word 'Be', and he
was;"(3:59).
- A spirit proceeding from Allah (God), but not Allah: his life and mission
were more limited than in the case of some other messengers, though we must
pay equal honor to him as a prophet of Allah. The doctrines of Trinity,
equality with God, and sons, are repudiated as blasphemies. Allah (God) is
independent of all needs and has no need of a son to manage His affairs. The
Gospel of John (whoever wrote it) has put a great deal of Alexandrian Gnostic
mysticism round the doctrine of the Word (Greek, Logos), but it is simply
explained here."
Jesus Questioned
Reproduced below are verses 119 to 121 from the Chapter of Maeda (chapter 5
of the Quran) depicting the scene of Judgment Day, when Allah will question
Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding the misdirected zeal of his
supposed followers in worshipping him and his mother: and his response,
"And behold! Allah will say: 'O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto
men, take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah?' He will say: 'Glory to
Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing,
Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know
not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.
'Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to
wit, 'Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them
whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the Watcher
over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.
'If Thou dost punish them, they are Thy servant: If Thou dost forgive
them, Thou art the Exalted in power, the Wise.'" (5:116-118)
Claimed No Divinity
If this is the statement of truth from the All-Knowing, that "Never said I to
them aught except what Thou didst command me to say, to wit, 'Worship Allah, my
Lord and your Lord'", then how do the Christians justify worshipping Jesus?
There is not a single unequivocal statement throughout the Bible, in all its
66 volumes of the Protestant versions, or in the 73 volumes of the Roman
Catholic versions, where Jesus claims to be God or where he says "worship me".
Nowhere does he say that he and God Almighty "are one" and "the same
person."
The last phrase above "one and the same person" tickles many a
"hot-gospeller" and "Bible-thumper," not excluding the Doctor of Divinity and
the Professor of Theology. Even the new converts to Christianity have memorized
these verses. They are programmed to rattle off verses out of context, upon
which they can hang their faith. The words "are one" activates the mind by
association of memories. "Yes", say the Trinitarians, the worshippers of three
gods in one God, and one God in three gods, "Jesus did claim to be God!"
Where?
Reverend at the Table
I had taken Rev. Morris D.D. and his wife, to lunch at the "Golden Peacock."
While at the table, during the course of our mutual sharing of knowledge, the
opportunity arose to ask, "Where?" And without a murmur he quoted, "I and my
father are one" to imply that God and Jesus were one and the same person.
That Jesus here claims to be God. The verse quoted was well known to me, but it
was being quoted out of context. It did not carry the meaning that the
Doctor was imagining, so I asked him, "What is the context?"
Choked on "Context"
The Reverend stopped eating and began staring at me. I said, "Why? Don't you
know the context?", "You see, what you have quoted is the text, I want to know
the context, the text that goes with it, before or after." Here was an
Englishman (Canadian), a paid servant of the Presbyterian Church, a Doctor of
Divinity, and it appeared that I was trying to teach him English. Of course he
knew what "context" meant. But like the rest of his compatriots, he had not
studied the sense in which Jesus had uttered the words.
In my forty years of experience, this text had been thrown at me hundreds of
times, but not a single learned Christian had ever attempted to hazard a guess
as to its real meaning. They always start fumbling for their Bibles. The Doctor
did not have one with him. When they do start going for their Bibles, I stop
them in their stride: "Surely, you know what you are quoting?", "Surely, you
know your Bible?" After reading this, I hope some "born-again" Christians will
rectify this deficiency. But I doubt that my Muslim readers will ever come
across one in their lifetime who could give them the context.
What is the Context?
It is unfair on the part of the Reverend, having failed to provide the
context, then to ask me, "Do you know the context?" "Of course," I said. "Then,
what is it?" asked my learned friend. I said, "That which you have quoted is the
text of John chapter 10, verse 30. To get at the context, we have to begin from
verse 23 which reads:
- 23. "and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's
Colonnade." (John 10:23).
John, or whoever he was, who wrote this story, does not tell us the reason
for Jesus tempting the Devil by walking alone in the lion's den. For we do not
expect the Jews to miss a golden opportunity to get even with Jesus. Perhaps, he
was emboldened by the manner in which he had literally whipped the Jews
single-handed in the Temple, and upset the tables of the money changers at the
beginning of his ministry (John 2:15).
- 24. "The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep
us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." (John 10:24).
They surrounded him. Brandishing their fingers in his face, they began
accusing him and provoking him; saying that he had not put forth his claim
plainly enough, clearly enough. That he was talking ambiguously. They were
trying to work themselves into a frenzy to assault him. In fact, their real
complaint was that they did not like his method of preaching, his invectives,
the manner in which he condemned them for their formalism, their ceremonialism,
their going for the letter of the law and forgetting the spirit. But Jesus could
not afford to provoke them any further there were too many and they were itching
for a fight.
Discretion is the better part of valor. In a conciliatory spirit, befitting
the occasion:
- 25. "Jesus answered, I did tell you, but you do not believe. The
miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me,"
- 26. "but you do not believe because you are not my sheep." (John
10:25-26).
Jesus rebuts the false charge of his enemies that he was ambiguous in his
claims to being the Messiah that they were waiting for. He says that he did tell
them clearly enough, yet they would not listen to him, but:
- 27. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
- 28. "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no
one can snatch them out of my hand."
- 29. "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all;
no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.." (John 10:29).
How can anyone be so blind as not to see the exactness of the ending of the
last two verses. But spiritual blinkers are more impervious than physical
defects. He is telling the Jews and recording for posterity, the real unity or
relationship between the Father and the son. The most crucial verse:
- 30. "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30).
One in what? In their Omniscience? In their Nature? In their Omnipotence? No!
One in purpose! That once a believer has accepted faith, the Messenger sees to
it that he remains in faith, and God Almighty also sees to it that he remains in
faith. This is the purpose of the "Father" and the "son" and the
"Holy Ghost" and of every man and every woman of faith. Let the
same John explain his Gnostic mystic verbiage.
"That they all may be one as thou. Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us..."
"I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in
one..."(John 17:20-22)
If Jesus is "one" with God, and if that "oneness" makes him God, then the
traitor Judas, and the doubting Thomas, and the satanic Peter, plus the other
nine who deserted him when he was most in need are God(s), because the same
"oneness" which he claimed with God in John 10:30, now he claims for all
"who forsook him and fled" (Mark 14:50). All "ye of little faith"
(Matthew 8:26). All "O faithless and perverse generation" (Luke 9:41).
Where and when will the Christian blasphemy end? The expression "I and my Father
are one," was very innocent, meaning nothing more than a common purpose with
God. But the Jews were looking for trouble and any excuse will not do,
therefore,
- 31. "Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,"
- 32. "but Jesus said to them, I have shown you many great miracles
from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"
- 33. "The Jews answered him, saying : 'For a good work we stone thee
not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself a
God.'" (John 10:31-33).
In verse 24 above the Jews falsely alleged that Jesus was talking
ambiguously. When that charge was ably refuted, they then accused him of
blasphemy which is like treason in the spiritual realm. So they say that Jesus
is claiming to be God "I and the Father are one". The Christians agree with the
Jews in this that Jesus did make such a claim; but differ in that it was not
blasphemy because the Christians say that he was God and was entitled to own up
to his Divinity.
The Christians and the Jews are both agreed that the utterance is serious. To
one as an excuse for good "redemption", and to the other as an excuse for good
"riddance". Between the two, let the poor Jesus die. But Jesus refuses to
co-operate in this game, so:
- 34. "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your Law, `I have
said you are gods'?"
- 35. "If he called them `gods,' to whom the word of God came --and
the Scripture cannot be broken--,"
- 36. "what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own
and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I
said, `I am God's Son'?" (John 10:34-36).
Why "Your Law"?
He is a bit sarcastic in verse 34, but in any event, why does he say: "Your
Law"? Is it not also his Law? Didn't he say: "Think not that I am come to
destroy the Law of the prophets: I am come not to destroy, but to fulfill
(the Law). For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one Jot
or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled."
(Matthew 5:1718).
"You are Gods"
"You are gods:" He is obviously quoting from the 82nd Psalm , verse 6, "I
have said, ye are gods: and all of you are the children of the most
High."
Jesus, continues: "If he (i.e. God Almighty) called them gods, unto whom the
word of God came (meaning that the prophets of God were called 'gods') and the
scripture cannot be broken..." (John 10:35), in other words he is saying: "you
can't contradict me!" Jesus knows his Scripture; he speaks with authority; and
he reasons with his enemies that: "If good men, holy men, prophets of God are
being addressed as 'gods' in our Books of Authority, with which you find no
fault, then why do you take exception to me? When the only claim I make for
myself is far inferior in our language, viz. 'A son of God' as against others
being called 'gods' by God Himself. Even if I (Jesus) described myself as 'god'
in our language, according to Hebrew usage, you could find no fault with me."
This is the plain reading of Christian Scripture. I am giving no interpretations
of my own or some esoteric meaning to words!
Chapter Seven : "In The Beginning"
"Where does Jesus say: 'I am God,' or 'I am equal to God,' or 'Worship me'?"
I asked the Rev. Morris again.
He took a deep breath and took another try. He quoted the most oft-repeated
verse of the Christian Bible - John 1:1.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God."
Please note, these are not the words of Jesus. They are the words of John (or
whoever wrote them). Acknowledged by every erudite Christian scholar of the
Bible as being the words of another Jew, Philo of Alexandria, who had written
them even before John and Jesus were born. And Philo claimed no divine
inspiration for them. No matter what mystical meaning that Philo had woven
around these words (which our John has plagiarized), we will accept them for
what they are worth.
Greek not Hebrew
Since the manuscripts of the 27 Books of the New Testament are in Greek, a
Christian sect has produced its own version and has even changed the name of
this selection of 27 Books to Christian Greek Scriptures ! I asked the
Reverend whether he knew Greek? "Yes," he said, He had studied Greek for 5 years
before qualification. I asked him what was the Greek word for "God" the first
time it occurs in the quotation "and the Word was With God"? He kept staring,
but didn't answer. So I said, the word was Hotheos, which literally means
"The God".
Since the European (including the North American) has evolved a system of
using capital letters to start a proper noun and small letters for common nouns,
we would accept his giving a capital "G" for God; in other words Hotheos
is rendered "the god" which in turn is rendered "God".
"Now tell me, what is the Greek word for "God" in the second occurrence in
your quotation - "and the Word was God"? The Reverend still kept silent. Not
that he did not know Greek, or that he had lied, but he knew more than that;
the game was up. I said : "the word was Tontheos, which means
"a god".
According to your own system of translating you aught to have spelt this word
'God' a second time with a small 'g' i.e. 'god', and not 'God' with a capital
'G'; in other words Tontheos is rendered "a god". Both of these, "god" or
"a god" are correct.
I told the Reverend: "But in 2 Corinthians 4:4 you have dishonestly reversed
your system by using a small 'g' when spelling 'God' "(and the devil is) the god
of this world." The Greek word for "the god" is Hotheos the same as in
John 1:1. "Why have you not been consistent in your translations ?" "If Paul was
inspired to write hotheos the God for the Devil, why don't you use
that capital 'G'?"
And in the Old Testament, the Lord said unto Moses: "See, I have made thee
a god to Pharoah" (Exodus 7:1). "Why do you use a small 'g' for 'God'
when referring to Moses instead of a capital 'G' as you do for a mere word
'Word' - "and the Word was God."?
"Why do you do this? Why do you play fast and loose with the Word of God?" I
asked the reverend. He said, "I didn't do it." I said, "I know, but I am talking
about the vested interests of Christianity, who are hell-bent to deify Christ,
by using capital letters here and small letters there, to deceive the unwary
masses who think that every letter, every comma and full stop and the capital
and small letters were dictated by God (Capital 'G' here!)."
Chapter Eight : What is Left
Three Topics
It can hardly be expected in a small publication of this nature that one can
deal with all the references about Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him,
interspersed throughout the fifteen different chapters of the Holy Quran. What
we can do is to give a quick glance to the index page reproduced from the Quran
earlier in this letter.
Here we find three significant topics, not dealt with yet in our
discussion:
- Not crucified, (4:157).
- Message and miracles,(5:113, 19:30-33).
- Prophesied Ahmed, (61:6).
Regarding the first topic, "not crucified", I had written a booklet under the
heading "Was Christ Crucified?" some twenty years ago. The book is presently out
of print, and further, it needs updating, for much water has passed under the
bridge since it first saw the light of day.
As regards the third topic mentioned above, "Prophesied Ahmed", I propose to
write a booklet under the title "Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam,
the Natural Successor to Christ" after I have completed "Was Christ Crucified?",
I hope to complete both these projects soon, Insha Allah! (Arabic: "By
the will of Allah").
The Way to Salvation
We are now left with Topic No. 2, "Message and miracles". The message of
Jesus was as simple and straight forward as that of all his predecessors as well
as that of his successor Muhammed, salla Allah u alihi wa sallam, namely
"Believe in God and keep His Commandments". For the God who inspired His
Messengers, is an unvarying God and He is consistent: He is not the
"author of confusion" (1 Corinthian14:33).
A law abiding Jew comes to Jesus seeking eternal life or salvation. In the
words of Matthew:
"And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I
do, that I may have eternal life?
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one,
that is God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew
19:16-17)
You will agree, that if you or I were that Jew, we would infer from these
words that, according to Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, salvation was
guaranteed, provided we kept the commandments without the shedding of any
innocent blood. Unless, of course Jesus was speaking with tongue in cheek;
knowing full well that his own "forthcoming redemptive sacrifice", his
"vicarious atonement" (?) for the sins of mankind, was not many days hence.
Why would Jesus give him the impossible solution of keeping the Law
(as the Christian alleges) when an easier way was in the offing? Or did he not
know what was going to happen, that he was to be crucified ? Was there not a
contract between Father and Son, before the worlds began, for his redeeming
blood to be shed? Had he lost his memory? No! There was no such fairy tale
agreement as far as Jesus was concerned. He knew that there is only one way to
God, and that is, as Jesus said, "keep the Commandments"!
Miracles, What They Prove
Regarding his miracles: the Holy Quran does not go into any detail about
blind Bartimus or about Lazarus or any other miracle, except that he (Jesus)
defended his mother as an infant in his mother's arms. The Muslim has no
hesitation about accepting the most wondrous of his miracles - even that of
reviving the dead. But that does not make Jesus a "God" or the begotten "Son of
God" as understood by the Christian.
Miracles do not prove even prophethood, or whether a man is true or false.
Jesus himself said:
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show
great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect."(Matthew 24:24)
If false prophets and false Christs can perform miraculous feats, then these
wonders or miracles do not prove even the geniuses or otherwise, of a prophet.
John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the greatest of the Israelite
prophets. Greater than Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah and all, not excluding
himself: in his own words:
"Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not
risen a greater than John the Baptist..." (Matthew 11:11)
- Not excluding Jesus: because, was he not born of a woman - Mary?
- The Baptist, greater than "all", yet he performed not a single miracle!
Miracles are no standards of judging truth and falsehood.
But in his childishness, the might Christian insists that Jesus is God
because he gave life back to the dead. Will reviving the dead make others God
too? This perplexes him, because he has mentally blocked himself from the
miracles of others who outshine Jesus in his own Bible. For example, according
to his false standard:
Moses is greater than Jesus because he put life back into a dead stick and
transmuted it from the plant kingdom to the animal kingdom by making it into a
serpent (Exodus 7:10).
Elisha is greater than Jesus because the bones of Elisha brought a man
back to life merely back to life merely by coming into contact with the corpse (2 Kings 13:21).
Need I illustrate to you a catalogue of miracles? But the sickness persists -
"it was God working miracles through His prophets but Jesus performed them of
his own power." Where did Jesus get all his power from? Ask Jesus, and he will
tell us:
Power not His Own
"...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew
28:18)
"...I cast out devils by the Spirit of God then the kingdom of God is
come unto you." (Matthew 12:28)
"I can of mine own self do nothing " (John 5:30)
"I with the finger of God cast out devils" (Luke 1 1:20)
Borrowed Power
The "power" as he says is not his, "it is given unto me". Given by whom? By
God, of course! Every action, every word he attributes to God.
Lazarus
But since so much is made of Jesus' mightiest miracle of reviving Lazarus
from the dead, we will analyze the episode as recorded in John's Gospel. It is
astonishing that none of the other Gospel writers mention Lazarus in any
context. However, the story is that Lazarus was very sick, his sisters Mary and
Martha had made frantic calls for Jesus to come and cure his sickness but he
arrived too late, actually four days after his demise.
He Groaned
Mary wails to Jesus that had he arrived in time, perhaps her brother would
not have died; meaning that if he could heal other peoples' sicknesses, why
would he not have healed her brother, a dear friend of his. Jesus says that
"even now if ye have faith, ye shall see the glory of god." The condition was
that they should have faith. Didn't he say that faith could move mountains?
He asks to be taken to the tomb. On the way, "he groaned in the spirit". He
was not mumbling; he was pouring out his heart and praying to God. But while he
sobbed so bitterly his words were not audible enough for people around him to
understand. Hence the words "he groaned". On reaching the grave, Jesus "groaned"
again; perhaps, even more earnestly and God heard his groaning (his prayer), and
Jesus received the assurance that God will fulfill his request. Now, Jesus could
rest assured and command that the stone which was barring the tomb, be removed
so that Lazarus could come back from the dead. Without that assurance from God,
Jesus would have made a fool of himself.
Avoiding Misunderstanding
Mary thinks of the stink because her brother had been dead for four days! But
Jesus was confident and the stone was removed. Then he looked up towards heaven
and said:
"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest
me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may
believe that thou hast sent me." (John 11:41-42)
What is all this, play - acting? Why all the drama? Because he know that
these superstitious and credulous people will misunderstand the source of the
miracle. They might take him for "God". Giving life to the dead is the
prerogative of God alone. To make doubly sure, that his people do not
misunderstand, he speaks out loudly that the "groaning" was actually his crying
to God Almighty for help. The prayer was incoherent as far as the bystanders
could discern, but the Father in heaven had accepted his prayer, viz. "thou hast
heard me".
Furthermore, he says, "thou hearest me always"; in other words, every miracle
wrought by him was an answer by God Almighty to his prayer. The Jews of his day
understood the position well, and they "glorified God", as Matthew tells us of
another occasion when the Jews exclaimed "for giving such power unto men" (Matt.
9:8).
In fact, Jesus gives his reason for speaking loudly. He says, "that they may
believe that thou has sent me." One who is sent is a messenger, and if he be
sent by God, then he is a Messenger of God i.e. Rasulullah. Jesus is
referred to in the Quran asRasulullah ("Messenger of Allah").
Alas, this attempt by Jesus to prevent any misunderstanding, as to who really
performed the miracle, and that he was in fact only a messenger of God, failed.
Christians will not even accept the unambiguous disavowal of Jesus, nor the
testimony of Peter, the "Rock" upon which Jesus was supposed to build his
Church. Peter truly testified:
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, A man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him
in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. " (Acts 2:22)
Case Not Hopeless
This very same message is repeated by God Almighty in the Holy Quran,
following the annunciation. In verse 49 of chapter 3, Allah makes it clear that
every sign or wonder that Jesus performed was "By Allah's leave," by God's
permission. Jesus says so, Peter says so and God says so; but the stubborn
controversialist will not listen: prejudice, superstition and credulity die
hard. Our duty is simply to deliver the Message, loud and clear, the rest we
leave to God. The case is not altogether hopeless for Allah tells us in His Holy
Book:
"And among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted
transgressors." (3:110)
"Among them", meaning among the Jews and the Christians, there are two types
of people; the one group described as people of faith to whom this book is
addressed, and the other as rebellious transgressors. We must also find ways and
means of getting at them. Our literature is eminently suited to cater for all.
Pass them on to your non - Muslim friends after reading.
Open the Holy Quran and make your Christian friends and acquaintances to read
the verses discussed in this book. Then we can truly conclude:
"Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about
which they (vainly) dispute.
"It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah (God) that He should
beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to
it, 'Be', and it is.
"Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye:
this is a Way that is straight." (19:34-36)
Truth revealed |
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