WAMY SER~E8 QIN ISLA.M N'D ..

,&,

THIE. TRUTH ABOUT

JISUS

BY

Dr. M.nah Hamm.d AI .. Joh.nl

DAR A.L'-KHAIR

P·ubUshers .IDd D'istrlbutors 01 Isla.,ie· Books

~Jj"U ~;udl i.!d u...UI 1/'".4JI

, Tel 68706,79 - P. '0. Box 32274 Jeddah 21428 '"AV. ,y .. ~\a

Quotations hom the Holy QURA

I. Ss,Y:,'O People iIli,r the B,(ltoit. come te common terms as between us and you: that we 'worship none bu~ G,od: tha,t we asseeiate not aught with Him: and do not s,ome: of 'Us take others: as Lords, apart fr,om God. And if they turn their backs, say: 'Bear witness that we are Muslims'. '3,:64)

• They say, 'God has taken to Him a son.' Glory be to Him, He isall-sufficient; to Him belongs all that is, in. the' heavens and in the earth; you have no authority for this. no ycltU say concerning God what you do not know? (10;16,8)

• People of the B,ook.!

why do' ou disbeliex e in God's signs, which you yourselves. witness? '(3:710)

• People of the Boo Ie.!

why do you confound the truth with falsehood and conceal tile truth knowingly'! 0:7 ~)

Quatations, from] HADITH: .

• ' Abu Hurairah reported Allah'sMessenger (PH, Hjas saying <.OJ am the nearest of kin to Jesus, son of Mary, in this world B,nd the next. The prophets are brothers. sons of one father by co-wives. Their mothers are different but, their religion WI, one There has been no prophet 'between us", (Bukhari and Muslim),

• Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 3.S saying,HOy Him in whosehand my soul is. the son of Mary win soon descend am·ong; you as a just judge. He will break crosses, kill swine and abolish the jizya ('a tax payable by a comrnuimy which accepts the "rotecholl ofa Muslim ruler but "'~'hose members do .I1,ot embraee Islam), and wealth W]U pour forth to such an extent t'h,at no one wm acceptia, and on.e' sajda (tbe porsiti,on in Mudi.n1's prayer where the forehead is pl~aQed on Ul1eground). will be better than the wOorld and what it contains". (Buka,hri and M uslim],

The controvers,y about the persoDa~ity of J'es\lIs, IChds,t, is the m~j!or ,U:ff[CRD:ce betweeu! lsll,m and Chris;Uanit,y,. This diffe:rl:DltiI' :kl'eps the iOnOWld 01 tlte two religiolns a:plart. Muslims, ~o!ok :at Jesus Christ ilS ,;1 great Prop,h,eto,f God ,and love and respect him as much as they love and respect Abraham,. M,ooesand M ubammad. Christians om the edrer hand co.sHler Jesus as; God or son of God" a concept. that Muslims cannot accept, 1 slam teaches Uta,t, Jesus ncvlermade such. a, ,cllaim for hi'msc~f.A5 amattc:r ,of fact all the cardinal d!octdnes of Cbrb;,.\ia,nity that are r-ej;eoted. by ]s.ln, ,eente,r around,the pc:n,onaHt,y of J esas, :Spec:ificaU,' tDele ar,e:

I., Thle Trinity

2., The Divinity of Jesus

1" The Divine Sonship of Christ 4 .. Od~Pnal Sin,llld

S. Atloocment.,

It Is clear that. aiUthc.se do,gmas, an tlte result o:f o,v'cr~ha1tinl.Je,sus, 'Cltr.mt abOiVtcwhat God wamtsbim to be. Tbne ,differences ~tXusi:~S on the pen,auUty of J,CSUS have oversllad,()wed the m.y similarities betw,-een Christianity and ]si~aDl. 'Some examp,les are the moral sYistem and the !emphasis on bu,man. pdnciples. They have even over shadowedtbe be~iefst:tm:tM.usUm;s, assO(.':ia:te witlt Jesus Chris' s:gch as the Vi,fain Birth of Jesu:s", bG:i.lablcto speak: .iR ,the e:r,ad.b=". perform:illl: miracles,. and the second comins o!1 Jesus Cbris:t.

Th.e foUowingtwloan.iclesaim at pfesenting a true picture of Jesus in Islam and !e.xp,laining why the Christians devia.ied.from his original~eachings.The :fi:fll article also indicates that many scbo~arrs and thlnke:YS",.ho are still witlilm the fOIM, or Christian~,t,y"l(lle gradually COoUn:ito agree witbthe Islamic pOl~Dts '(JC yiewabollt Jesus., ill. :many caSG;S, wjj,th:QHlr-ealizinl it". ThiseorRs'pondis! to.:y eOR.Yietion that the; m!Q~esciendfieam,d 'ltl,blicalstudiGs,ld"anee, the mcu,1 'tb.,cy win"I.IRe with IslumL. :In ,other words", .:bc Islamic tm't.nbJ!.on~ evideDtwlil,llt,tle pMsap of time .. God,m ,the Holy Q1urao hints to th~s, inlbe foUo,wiRI verse:

I~e sh.all sh"J,~t,bem ours/gns' in ;the horizons and,:" themselves, till,'~t is' t:~efJr to them th'lIl ,if ls t:he tr'ulh~ Iff. :1 .. ~63)

M.~J~

The Islamic view €J,f Jesus li.es be;tween. two Gxtremu" 'The Jews, who rejected Jesus as ,a. Propbe:t of God,~ caUed b'im an im,postor,. Th.e Christians o'n 'the other hand, eonsiderhim to be the SOD ,of God and wors:bip him, ,IS sueh, Is~am considers Jesus asone of the great Propbets of God aDdre,spects him as: much as ,AbraM:m~ Moses and Mgham,mad.Th.~sil,ln conformit,,'with the Islamic point of view of th.e oneness ,of God, tb.c oneness of Dirvi.e guid,IJ'l'CIl, and the complimentary role of 'the subsequent messages ofGod"s,messenprs. The ,cssence: oflsiam" which is,the willing :su bmissiou to the 'Will of God, was,reveal.ed 'to .Adam whopeised it OIB.to his, chidlren,. AU follow,ing rev,eilations to No,aht, Abraham,~ Moses" Jesus and finaUyM uhammad were in conlormity' .'lth t,bB.t. message i'll addition to some elaboration to define tberelatlonbetween Man and IGod, man and maR. mllD and his en,vironmemt,and to Uv,e accordinl: to God's, instructions. Thas, any col1itr,adicdon among revealed religions is viewed b,' Islam as amaa-made element int.roouced. into these religions, The position olf Jesus in, tbe threl :m,ajor r'I:' ons:. JII,daism,. ICllristil,n:ity and. Islam, s:h,om~,dnQlI: 'be an c:X!cept:ion •.

AJ.thougD tile !Qur~an does n~)tiPrese:n.t a detailed Iife-aeecant of Jesus, it: :ldghlilh,ts the important: aspects; of his tJiirtbt his, m.tSSioD, Ills asce:Dsion. tal heavenand passess judgements on. the Ch.ristian beOers concerning him.

The Oura'nieaceoam of Jes:1iJS starts with the oonception of hismother, Mary. The wife oiflmraD.~Marfs mother, vowed to dedleateh,er cbUdto the service 0,( God in. 'thetem.ple .. Zacharla., wholtook eiba:rp of Mary, used. to find food with Mary., When be: asked her how she ,lot it s:he answered that it was from "!Gcc,oo. The 'Q •. uraaie verses read:

. _' '_ - _' -- - '-','-. ---- ._------ _' '_'_ - -- _' - '--'-- '---

When the wile of IfIIl,II," slllrL~Lordr I,Aave VDWfJ,d to yau, in dllt11cstion"

,. what is' within m, IWOIn'Q.PJeas8'8ccep'l if trom me" you aTe ;t"8 H'ear,., snd It.n(J'w,.'~~Afld when .hll "a VII blnh Ito h.I' sh'fJ Ilitt '~L.o,d,.1 h,,,v. ,~iWJ" birthi ,to .IlSf, • ,'llmsIB~~. And' I h,sva named he" ,Msry Sltd clJmtIJ.nd h81 ;royou with b,. .sle8d~ tD'p,rotecltb,smfrDm the at:cursed'Satan. '·H.,. LDrdrecsivlfJrI :th'fI cbild'iwith gTl8,cioUSi 'IlViOUf,tJiftid by His ,gpatlna'ss she' gr,ew U1Ji Domllly~ Z,ch,,'i., t,kin,' ,~hl,g,8 Ilf hel~. WhSn.I'Vi.' Zacha,ri'B want to htJf' ,in the Sanctuf8T:V~ he found ba,r p.rovis:i.rtsd. 'MBrY', he said, fihlOW comes ;this to four ~Fr(Jm God', sb« answlred lr,uly God provisions fol' whomS'GBVlJf He

'1'.""" we ':"""AU' .. , .. , .•. -""""'~""'I''''II' tfJ'·3"1:'- "~I !-'" ... ·I,~"~ _ '. . 8 .. -.!O,II" ."~'. ~,~ •.... g.~ ,"

When M:a.ry became a woman, tbe Holy Spirit (the Archangel Gabriel) appeared to her as a man bringing her the news oifa son. Wle read the foUowinl dial'QI.ll!IJe in tbe Qur-'an 'belwee:nMary and the' angels:

When ':he angel/s ,s.8id~ ~M:a,y, God givels' yiOU gO()'diridings IOflJ Wo,,,d trom Him WhOSI8 nam'e l' Messiah Je'lus, son of M.sry; high ho'n'oured ,h'fI'# he be In this world and ,thene}(t~ n'eSI,. ,statloneld to God. He sill,s',ll spetJij to men in the c,,.adle~ and ot age~ rand ritJ'h'teous h'e shall be ... ~ 'Lord', s,aid Mar.V, "how ,shaUl' h'fJve III s,o,n see'lng no m'ort ill hBIS' ifouche1d me}; ~EI'/Jf!Jn SOl' hie Bsid~, '~IG(Jd' cre:IJ,teswh',at He wilt. ," Wheln' He dlfj'cr.eles a thi,ng He does but BeI',Y to il~ "'~Beu, anld it is:' t3:45-7J

Mary conceived the child mir,aculou. ly and retired to a. d .'tanlt pla,ce where she a,w,aited her delivery, The Qur"an in ,8 chapter entitled "Mary'tells us h,QW Mary feltand what the Jews told her when she: 'brought the child home:

She con,ceiived h'im .nd with,drlJw with him' Ito' B distant pls'ce. A nd the bJrthps.ngs su,:p,ised be« by thle trunk' I",' the JJ.ilm-tree~ ,She S'8~dp 'wo,u'd " had' died befo"e this; and beeome » thin.g forgotten. • The one' from be'.lo'w "IN c'a/~ed to' he,,; 'Do not' !1rie've~' SIiJ'6, yOlur Lord,h,lJs se"below ,Y:QU tl rivulet. Shs'ke slso toward YDIU [the fJalm,tr.unk~, a,nd the:re shall come tumb,"ng uptJ'n yOU' date's fresh and ripe. Eat therefo,:e~ end drink, andbe ,comforct.ed: andif you sh'ould $'fJ,#J' any martal s'ay~ U/ hBtV;fJ vowed to the' ,Alii-Merciful II IIIS,(~ and "oday I will not sps.s/c to a,ny men: ,p~ Then shill! brOlught the' child UJ' hler folk C,8,rryin,g' tum; sind they said, , Malr,y, yo'u ,have .s'urely c'ommitted " monstrous ,hin.g. Sister of Ala't:Qn, your .tathfJ'" ~8S nO'I'a wicked man" no,r was' vo,ur ,mo,rhler s woman U'nchBste~ ~ MBty p,o.lnUJd 10' ;t:he cbild; but they s8id~, ~How shall we spe,ak to one wbo is ,still in ;the cr8dJe~8IitUe',childl~'He said "110" I am God's servant; God hats given me the B'o'Q,k and made m'8 a' Pl,ophe,t" Bls'ls,e,d he has m,sdel me, whefleve, ,'m'ay be: IJIId he h,IJ',s lenjoine,d me I'Dp,rs'y, and to g'ivethea'lms~ so lo.ng as }' .Ii~e~ and' Ilicewis'B' .to' ChfUlsb my mOifher; he has no" .made' me a.rroglJnto.r wicked. Peaceoe upon me, the d":r I WallS born; and the rla:v / dle~, I.nd tbe' Iday I aim' faised ,up aUre.' (19:~'2,-23J

NOT TIHiE, ,SION O'F G,O'D

In, the same' chapter, foUowi'fii the a bove quotation, G(u:llassured M uhammad a:nd the who.le wod:d that what was: mentioned above is the truth about JICSUS although the Chrisdans might not believe it. Jesus is ROit 'the SOD of God,. :Hlc was" obviouslly [e:noul:lr~ the ,s·om of Ma.ry. The verses Icoln:l:inu,e':

.-

''fR,ar is J'e'SIU,S, son ,fI,'MarYj, In word tI,f tf.uth~ co,n,cer",:i:n.g which, they lJ,r,s doulJiting. It is not far Goa to ta,lc,e 8 son unto Him. Glory be tlO Himl 'When He Idecreesa t"'lTlII~ He blur says ,':0 it ~'BeiP;~r ,Ind if lis. (19~~34 ... 6)

After this slrong,statem,em:t about the natnre of Jesus, God directed Muhammad to call the Christians to a fair deak te worship the one God:

SU,r'lely GDd,;s my'Lolld,flnd fi(lUr L,Qrd" so Isw:e H.lm., T.his i, t:he BUa/ghit ,l1at,h~, ",9:3'0)1.

Tile rejection ofthe idea of God havin,S a son i:s reported later inthe sam,e !ch,apite(rW'ith e!W:D strorllier words,~

,And the', S',ay""~TheAIl-mle,,ciful has take'ft unto HImself a' son. ~' You haV8' inoeed' ad~tJnCBd' Siomet/Jrin,g hidsi,Qlus. The) h,tJllv,en'B ,are well nigh ren't at ita.n;(:/ the earth split ,fJ8ufJde,~ and me fflo'un,talnsw,fJlI nl{Jh' fsll do,wn crashing tor "h,8t the',' have attributed' to the' A,I/~me'r:lfu/ a eon: and' if b·enoWl,B not the AII~me,,.,cifu/'to take esan: No,ne is tnle,r,(J in th'e ,heave'lls Ilnd ea,,," b'ur' heCDme" to' thrsA lI .. mercilul as ,I s",van,t. (19'~"B'lfI~9.3)

The Qur'aa recognizes the fact that Jesus batd no human father but Uns does, not make him the son of God or God Himself, By this criterion Adam. 'Wou~d. have beem. more enUtledt,o be thes,@oI'l of Giod becaese he had neither a fatbernora mother, Sothe Qur'an drawl attentiento the rairaculous creation of bethin the :foHowinS verse:

1'''''Jty the lik,enes:s ,of Jesu ••. in GofFs slghf~. ,is as Ada,m's l'ilce,ness: He cr.eated him of dust. then sfJ'iri He unto bim, '~B,en~ and ,he W8'S'. :(3:69)

T.he Qur"ar:m, rejeots, the concept of the 'Trinity' as stro'Dllyas it :reje~ts,tb.e 'sonsl1ip of Jesus. This is because Ood~s One, 'This Is the ,essence of aU monotheistic revelations, Three" by reason and by simple ,a:rithmetic~,are not one .. The 'Qur"an :a.ddresses the 'Christian.s in 'the ~ollowinl, ¥e:r.ses in Ule chal'iter entitled "'Warne'f!"'.

preo:p.le 0' th,e Boolt" 90 nor .lJeyondr the boumds in Y(Jur,religid'l, and s''':V not BI5' t,f) G od'b,u" the' lr.uth, 1M' IMessiah, JSS'f,J'~ son of M:aryf' was: ,only th,s Mess,en:ger ot'G,ad and .His WOlid tha't ,He cOffllm.ltred tDMBrY~8nd II .splrlt from Him. S'o bieliev·fJr in God alnd .His' Messeng.er$rlll'nd ,say not,'Three', Ref tarin., betterr is it .fo, ,,0IU. God is onl,' O,,,s God., (illory be to HJm .~ that He should .h8ve 8' ,san.! To ,Him .iJel,(Jngs 811 ;rhat is In the hell'vens' ,B,nd.ln ,he , earth~ ,G,od suffices fo'l ,s gus«1ian.

The Mes:s'illih wilt nfl,' dtsrJia.in to bill ,iii' s;SrVlll1!f'·of G(JtJ~ nlflit.h8f ,fheangs"s wl1fJi are c'/os.'to Hlm'. 'WhO,08v81r dlsdtJ'ins to' SlIWa' .Hlm' a,nd waxe" p,outL

Ha will ,8,.'uredf, must." them to H;m~ lJ,lI of ,hsm.

A,s tor the' belieVfJII'$, who, do deeds' ,of,righteo,usness, ,He will pay 'haem ithelr ffl1wards' tn .full~ lI'nd,He will,glve them m'Q,'8, olHis' bounty,' flS for thll,m who di,dBinand ws. Pfoutt them' ,HI wlTl1 punl"h Iwith • "ve"s ,punis:hment, and ther shsllnot ,find fOT ,rhem~Bp'8rt frDm ,God, .' 'riend' or ,helpel~ (4: 17'" -3)

The verses, contin,no to draw the atteniliO'D of JlC:Gple~ aU peop,lc" ",0, 'tile p'roof which Muhammad brought.. God knows, that people frequently Inb,eri't certain :~dcasand belie,ls whic;h include, amoq other' thjn,gs" the mis,takes and inte'rpntatioDs ,of pre'vion;s, len,e~rationS'i They 'hl,ve' no W8,Y' ,of discovering such mistakes for th,e:mselves,. Thus God p'rese:nts the IQur'an, as a proof to such people, He says:

o men; .',m8nifest,p.r,oo'f has ,now t:'tmlfI to you ./:rom,o,uf Lord; 'we h.'Jla ,sent do'wn to' rou 8 c'/efl,' lighi~, ,A,s for lho,'ss who' ,believe in G oct lind hold ,'list to Him" He' 'will sUTely adm'it th.'m '0 mere.,' from Him, ,and bounty; and [will guide them' to Hi'm' ,tin •• ",sight path. (4.~t73 .. B)

The denial ,of JesoS~ divin,ity (and lor that: matter Mary~s, divinity) is prGscn,ted in the Qur'an as ,a top,ic or diaJo,gue at tile Da,y ofJudpment between 'Ood. Almighty_ad, JeSDS:~ ,AU tbe: mlC$scDIe:lS and d. nations will be ptll.red. ill ,front of God and He wiD askthemesseegers how 'tDey weR :receival by ll1,ti:r pc,oples and what they said to, 'them. Amonsth,ose who arc JOiin,1 to be qucsdo:ned is JeSKS:

A,M whs1I1 Gods.it! '0 Jesus son ,of MIJIVr did' YDU say unto me" ,uTBks'me and' mv mpther BSg0ti6" Bp'srt' from G,tKD" HfI' ,said~ ~1tJ yDU •• ' ,glory" I:r is no" mtnll II' ,say wh.t l have no ri,ht to. "'lntteed ,'.irJ It, VOU' ,knew,/t ,lcnowi"l1 what'is within ,my 'G'ut ,and "do not know what'is within :rour sDU/~~you' kn,ow lhe .things ,unsee". " onl-, Ba,ld to ''',em wh,e" Vou d'irJ Icom'm'8tld mB~~ #\~SfJrv.' Go'tl, mv Lord and your ·.LIQrd. nAnd" wes' B; witness ove, ,rhflm# while I remainfJd amlong ,"'am;bul' when',ou did ,ak.",., riD :VOUfS'S!tyou welle yourself the watch.flif (J'VIJI thlem,' you' ."8 the' witn.,." ,flvflrythin,g. " you puni .. · tnem; 'h,er IIf8 ,our IB'I¥8"tS, i',ou' fOfpV. rh,.m, :V,QU a"8 the Alm:"hty, the AII-wi',fI.' G'tJd,'lJid" 'llti';8 r".,d.y',h. itruth"ul sh,all bsprofited,by thelr,rr,uthfum,tis$. FDT,the'm'II·"lJlr ganlans underneafh Iwhich' "ive,s fID!~ the'8,in dWelling fOTfliv,sr,GtJtIbeirig' weJ/~pl •• '.d with ;rhem a,lid the'," wfllI .. pl.",.d with Him;' lha" iI' the might" triumph';.

,JESUS':S MISSIION

NQ~w OD" might ask :: If the! Qur'aR denies the Trim,Iy' and the'loas,hip"uf Jes'ult, 'what "81 ,tho rcaimissioD ,of je.us, ,accordiDl toth,e Q,ur'.a"

Je:sus was ,a, link in, I, :1,0111 chain [of pr'op,bltIID,d Im_sseap'n se:Dt, b" G,ad liD 'various, socileties an,d nado,Dts whollevler 'they needed pidanee 'o:r deYiatled ff\om Ute teacbing$J 0:( 'G'od., Jesus was ,es:pee:iaUy pircpand b,r God, to 'be SCD,I, 10' tha' ,I"WI Wb;D had devial;d fr,om the ~elchi,n,I~' ,of MOIH,ls, and ollhe,r MeSSIDS,G',rs. As :be w,as miraculolusl,Y supp,o:rted by 'G,oo in cO':llc~pli,()!I), birth ,and cbildbood~ :he was, ,also[ supported, by Diu:merous m:~r-acles '~O' prove tha,t be w,as, ,8. messeOlerfrom IGod. H,lowc::ver"the majon!ty of tbe: Jews: rejected bis ministry,. The 'Qur"a,n teUs us about Jesus" :mission, :in 'the foUowinl ve:rses which are a comtinuatioiD, of 'the 'verses quoted learlier~n 'w'mcb 'the glad 'lid.ia,g 'W,as 'bro,u,g;ht to, Mary::,

- _. -

And He WI:II' ".enl ,him' the "DO,#[, rhe wilrJbm~ ths'1:0"I1, the Go",.1 ,I,n,dma'i,e him 81 Messenger to t:h,e ,ch,tldr." [(J",lsrael,.,8.,';n'/A 'I'~/,h,8ve Doml.,,:g[ you Iwith' a ,sign' ,flom :V:tJfJT LOf;d. I 'wi" ,crea'e ,~f)"'OU ,Oill 0,' c.tlJ.V as thlel ,1/k'ln,'s, of' I' lJi"d,;' th[Bin' II will' br['I,ths" intD itt and.it will,6f1 II lJild, .by 'he ptJ,wet 01 G,().d~ I will .1.,,,, ,h .• '111 ,rh'. ,b'li'nd' ,Mid the' lepe,r Bnd ,6,rln,g' ttl ,I"fe th., deart b'l the pOlwer o,f ,GQd .. /lwill inlo,r,m[ YO,U too 01 the ,th:i"1Js YDU' ,.atl#! land 'wh.,' YDU' ':,,[II.IU'.' U1J1 in .vQ'Ur hIQu,ses:., S,ur:I'/~1' .in' ,th.t is' • sign' tar .,QU il,ou ",. b'IJ'lie'viJl.S~ £.itl'WiS'8' I will c,tJlJtirm the truth' ., the 10'f,.h tha" Is ,b8"0.'.' m." ,a,nd to ,m,8'ie ,ltnvfLu'lto you certain ,tlJin,tls ifhlll,' ,belro". Iwere ,twbidde," unt:o' "ou~ I ,ha'v,(j' come to vou 'wl'h' 8' signl f,om' "jour L,ord; ,'0' '.8' G'Qd" .nd lobey me. Su,.",Ood' is ,m'y LtJ.rlrj ,'nd ,O'IU,' Lf}~fI~~ ,Stl IJlJfV[. Him~, T:hls l,'. ,'lra:(g,h,,' fJ·flth'~~ (3~·45·'~',5':' J

Inanother ve:rse o,f the Q'DI':ao., Jel,u5, ,confirmled the' v-.lidi.ly of 'till T'orah which w,as, revealedto M,oses and, he also b~OUlbl the Illd Ud:i~p, oflhe ,oomins of :1 :fiaai :messeoger :a{fie:r him .. 'This 'is ,elead,y uldicatedin 'tile fOUOMD,g '¥cnG::

And' 'when ,Je'sus sonl of,Ma:rv sairL '~chlildr.n Qlls'r.8,'~ I ami ind.ed,"'.

IM'fJss',,~,er t·O[IC'[Li, cD.fll/irming th," 70'1,,11' ,thet is; be,lor. mi.;" ,Bnd',iwnggood ridings' .(jI',aMesse,n,gel' who sh,al',coms ."er ,m:8~ 'wht'Jls,e',nam.,s"sI,',6s ~rh'8' praised one [(noile th;attbis :is 'Ir,ansla'lioID of ,Ahmad wb:ich. iI Prop.l Muhamma,d's name), ,(fil:b6)

'The messenger ,of whom Jesus p:vegl.adltid:~jn;IS' is refern~d to :i'n, botb thl,old and n.ew tcstam,en,t'S, of'tbe BU,le., The old. testament ,coDtaiDl :Ioveral prop,hccics that apply on].y~o the P'.,opbet Muhammed. 1. q1!lolle o,nly one ,ollbOlt wbicb, a,pp,lies, 'a none [cx[oepl, Prophet MUhammad,. T'hisprlDpibecy wbif:kw,aI, addressed to Moses, said tha'l Godwit send ,amo'Dg the ·bretbRR" of 'tltc' IlfaeUt,es, a priophet like: .Moses, w:h,o will be: ,I, '(ounOl,er[t a leader'[. and an, le~emplar ola Icolmmu.n~,t" of believers, W[e: rudthis: Inth.efoUowi,n,g verses, of De-at. Ic'h., 1.8;::

II will ffliBfI,fJ,P 10' "II.,ml B'IJ.r,'O,ph,s' lill'a you' ~tJm sma"" th.irbrflthran;

_9-

,I:n,d I will put, M" Iword's lin his' lDd[uth, .IJ,d he shall "p"s •• to the~m[ _1I,fha', I comm'andhim. And 'wh'''flver 'willno't g'iv[eheed't'D ,My 'words wh'ich ,he shalt spes:/{ in My n'a,me, I' M:V''1J" will requ;:rs' it of mm. (D,eu,t18:',',B-,20)

AD,y,o:n,e: who is f.mUiar with Prop[nel Muhammad's, IDIt", can easUy see,that, no, ,one fits, "be above dcsc::riplionbeUertha,n P',[lOp,D,e:t. MUhammad. ]t W,a5, Pro'phel Muhammad, no,t Jes,us~wb,o :I'lte Moses wasbom from Q,:rdi:nary parenes, ,Iotmarriedt] fOllDded a fai,t;bfol'c,ommu:nity;, es:c,.blisbed a, ,Brla,t la,w and d:ied ;1. Datu:ral,death~

CBr[erul study of ,tbe Niew Testa,men'i shows 'that 'this same p,f,opbet is referredto by Jesus in J,(idll1 14; 1,1), 17:

And I w.ill pray th'e F,lIt:hfl"~,8nd He' 'wiligivliJ'You another Co'un,selor" 10' ,b. w.llh y'QU ,fD:r BVBt~ 8'v:,n the' ,SP'it/t Gil trutb.

Later in Jo,bn, spe'cific descri"tion o,ftbU, S"bit. [of Truth iand hisf'ok: is, ai'v,eD as, we read in j,o:bn 16:13,.14.::

'Whll:n r:bs' ,$"'~'" 0,' lr,uth [C(Jm8.~ ,he' wil',guide Y;OIU ,into ,fll1ifhtJ, tr:uth, ,t'Or he [Wiill'not s,P8BIt. ,(J:fI ,"i,' [own au,lhorif", ,bu,r 'Wh8"e[ViBI' he' ,h.eBr,'h. [will' sp.",. /I,nd he' will dec/a'll U, you the things ,thllt are to co,me:. He 'W'illgtoi"~" ,Mllu.

The terms; o;fthe pir,ophecy do not warrant th,e: coRclusiomusually ,attributed to 'this proph.ecy" namely tba,t it refers: to the H,o,ly Ghcst. The H,aly G,b,(JS;l ex,llan:a'tion. is 'CXicluded by a ,p,n¥ious, ver,se' in J,o:hn w'h~ch ruds::

Na'~en:hlJle,s' I tell ,O'U' the "ruth, .... it. is' to "out tI',rkl''''f'Bge. th'.,' ,I' ,,0' awaF', ,"0,' if ,lido' not ,go' ewer, ithe c,tJlunB'elor will' n,Of com,e to ,uu~

It is, ciearfI"lJi,mUl[e Bible tb,at 'c:beHlol,Y' GhOiS:t used to vis,it. :men befor,e ,Bn,d, durinl, ,the lUie .. dme of Jes,us. JO,bD W,g filledwith ,t,b_e Holy Ghost beib,re be WII 'born aDd Jesus: himself leceivedthe Holy Ghost Inth.e shape of a do've.

Th.e ehar',acteristics o,f this counselor', as can be d.lerived :fro'm 'the: pr-ophecy I an l,bl lallowing:

I. He wlU n.oI come uud1 Jesus ,Ieaves~

2. H~e 'w,m,5:ca,yfo'r";e',r~, with. th,c'R'lieved,. It :Re wiD. glorify Jesus,

,4~ ,He will speak 'w.bat he beani :fro';m God,

lbe,se: CMl'lelJlristic-, ,ar,e applica,ble: Oial,y'tIC' P,opi1et M.u:hammad,. ,as 't,bl: :'ollowin;1 brief Mmarks, :show:

I. PJiophct Muham'mad was the only messenge['tba'tcame after Jesus. Th.lre w,asB ped,od, of's·.ix,locntu,ri,es betweenlbem., Jesus,' mjsio'DwM im,ited. t,o tile "Ial,t sb.eepl o'flhe c,bikiHD of ]s[:&.:l"'" but Muham.mad's was: a. 'univcnal,

_10 _

''1 s:

Only Pro:ph.etMuba'mmad,·s message was, inote:nded by God 'to be a u'niver:sa~ and eyer~asti.nl meG'SI.e'. This agrees 'wifh th,e I'tatel'm,en:t that the counselor will 'stay forever w:~th the: faithful. '

3.

'HID other p[lophel ,I!,orified J,e:sus, ,as 'much as Prophet :Muhamm,ad d,id .. The Jews called him an impostor and accused his mother of immor,alily. They tried to crucify him. Prop het Muhamm,ad considered Jesus as great Prophst and the "'W'Drd of God", The IQur'a1o attributed 'to him miracles that areaot mentioned in dille: Bible, Mary hi, eonsidered the mest chute woman and the best of all women in paradise, Thus did Muhammad really a,lorify Jesus.

4. Tille fourthcharaeteristic also applies neatly to Prophet Muhammad. The 'Qufan was revealed to Prophet Muham.mad throus:h:tibe ,angel Gabriel, When the angel fin'ished reciting the Qutan" P'liophe't Muhammad used 'to convey verbatim to his companions 'what he heard fromtbe angel without adding,changing, or forgetting anything. The Qur'an also, describes Prophet Muhammad. sa,yinl "He does 'Rot speilk out of his own fancy. H,e utters wb,8't isrevealed to bim. ,. (53:,4~,S). If we comparethis wit,h" 'AHe wiU not speak on his own authority", we see the striking similarity between the' eh,aracterisll:ics oftbe counselee an,d those of P:l'lo'phel Muhammad. These and other prophecies 'in the ,old and new testamlenU predict in u1],equivocal. terms the advent efProphet Muhammad who isrejected by the Jews a,oel Christians on the basis of misunderstanding and bias, rather than on tbe 'bs.'sis of ca:refui stud:y of the Bible, tbe 'QU:r'I'D and medern 'findings in. 'hI field of camp,ara,liv,e religion,

:JESUS RAISEID TOI HI'EAVEN

,II i ,8 sad ,fact of his,tory that not ma.oyfoUow' -the: str,ailbt path~', 'to wR,ie,b. people 'were called by Jesus. He 'was followed 'b, ,a few disciples: who were inspired 'by Gedte support him,.,N,ol only'd'Jat, but the non-believezs pl,otted(,as they did, to Mubammld, six centuries later) t.okilJ Jesus, b,ut 'God bad .. bett. 'p,lan for him and his fon.awers as the Quran tellis. 11'5, in Ute :~ollowiB,1 verla':

Alnd when ,JeBUS! perceived ;theirun,beliet ,h,. seift, '''WllD witt be m)f helpers ,in the ca,us. fJlI God?''The.Apos'.rlBs s,fJid,,"iWB will'b. helpels Q.f,God. r W. be/i,'ve inl G,fKI; be wirn8B,' IJ,' (Jur ,u,b.mi"iim. Lord,. 'WI. bll,liev,. in'h'_~ t

_ 11_

you h" - Ive S8n" down" 8ln',d wei ItJ,"ow .rille ,Messenger. In'sr:ribe' us therefo,e withl th'lose wh,o' bfJlJ'" 'witness~,r,And Ihe',ydevi'SerL and God de'J1is'ed,8od Godl is ,rbebes:t of dev;s,ers. Wh,en God said, ~J,s;sus, I will .rtllce 'IOU to ,me Ind WI:lI fslsa vou to Me;, and I will pur;'", y:OU (Jl/rhoss whtJ"d() n'.t,beli'e'tI:fJ: . .I' will'set your 'ollowe',sab,o've ,thle un6e,lievefS' ,til/the' ResBurrer:t/'on .DI8y. Then' um» M'e ,shall you return. ,and I w,illdec'iide betwee,,, you~ as to wh.,t you were ,It' vlJ(;ia.f'lc',1 on, As ,for ,the u'I1lbe#eve,s, I'will'pu:ni,h tbem with ,8' lerrilJ''e punishment in' ,this WDr~d and'the next: rhtJY sha'lI have n'lJ,helpe',., •. " ,(3:52'~6J

A;s "he abolY,e verses :indicate" Jesus, was raised to heaveg blfo'Ie be, died,.

This means that accordiDB' 'to tbe: Qur'a,n b,e was .not crucified. It was, tbe plan ,or the enemies of J'GSms. to put him, to death on the cr;QSS~, but, God saval him and :somebod'y else was, crucified. This plot a:nd the failleaccusa'tion o,fMary If. ,consid,clled by dte Qur'anto be' some of the 'sins olf the non-believiag Jews, An this is clear in the following quotation;

A,nd for Iheir un#Je',tiet and thei,' u,tt.e,rln, ,Igains," ,Mllry II might" ,(:alumnV,snd lor thei, sl.ying~, ~We ,Je'w ,the M'es'iBh~ Jesu, son ,of MB'K, ,the Messenger ,o/,Gorr~.,. yet ,h,e,ydld no,t slayhim~ nelthe" crucified him lonly a likeness of that Iwas shown to them: ThosBwh,(J arB at' vsrisne« ,(Jono,8,n.in,g h'im sur.tv Bre in doubf' ,rega"d;nghim~ ,they have no ,ltnowle1rlge of' him, SJI'C,ept the' f:ollo'win'fJ ,M surmise; sn'd th,ey dJd not ,slI'y him of t:18rtsinty .... , nO'inde'ed; God raised him up to H;m~' IGod is'Atmigbty, ,A,II~ wi... thef.';s .11'01' (},n, DI this psople ,of the 180tJk bu,t will' ,8SSUf.,dly believ8 in him' be,'o'rei1is dllJth~ ,Bnd on th'le Ressurrsc,r/on Day h!ewlll be a 'witne'ss lJ,gllinsf them!" (4: 156 .. 9)

Wll,o was, the; pcr:son ,efue·wled ins,lead of Je-s:us? The' Qur'B'D does 80'1 elaborate on th:.:s, po.~mlt nor does it gi.ve any answer tal this question. The interpreters olf the Qurtan have suggested a few names. But au' these are individual guesses not supported by the Qur'an orthe saY~81 of .,be Prophet MUhammad.

'This means that Jesus will come bac:k before the Day g,f Judsement. Api:n, the' Second Coming :~5, not clearly' menli!oned in the 'Qrur',an~ H,o!WeVlr, the explaaaters of tbe Qur'an, understood tbe last verse of the above 'qu!otadon: therB' is not one' 10' thel ,people of,t,he Book but will assured:ly belia:J/ls In him before' h,is de."i' and' on th'eAI.slurre'ction D.~t he IwillIJ'B II' Iwit:nfl'ls ,.';'111• th.", tiD mean 'that Jes,us 'wiUcolmc back and an 'the 'Christims and tbe Jews will bc)ie,ve' in him before be lelia. This understandi.lll :is supported hrJ ~authen.tic lsayinS.' IOf the Pl)ophet, M'uhammad ..

-12_

After readm,iI this, presentation a beUeving Christian might say "This is what the: MUI,lims" WhOiml we aJ:wII,Ys, eOIQsidJend, as hea;tbe:ns or ,~:n6del.lt say' about .J'CSUS. ,,~ But the point of 'vicW' whiehthe QUI',an presents dese:fWl,S serious consideration, to say the :~east,by those wh,o are really concerned about Goo" faith and even Cbris'liaDity itse'H IDr the: :fo'UowiDr.1 ,n:aSO'DS,:

1. The Qur"a:n is, the' last version of God'srevelation andwhat ill says is, the ultimate: truth, This mightnot mean, much for those wbo do not believe: in the Qur"a,n as s'ueiJ.How;,YGr. the' :lIistlo,ry Qftbe Qor"an" modern textual eritielsra and scientific research of ,the con,tent of this scripture I,eave ao doubt about the tnsth it eentains. 'The frequently made statements that the Qur'an i:s the wlord of Muh.ammad WbD copied bilS, information frolm Jewish and. Christian SOUfceS is made by people who do not :kn.Ow Ute bistory ofthewo,dd, the Qur'an or M1!Ihatnmad~ 'The first Arabie translation of the Bible' appeared two centuries Blltls, Muhammad's mission, ~l::f we add, to this M14ham:modils i1Hleraey' and the scarcity oif I\e:~igiou:s, books inany lan,g:oage oueside churches and temples in the sixtb ce:otury we can understand the absurdity of 'this aUeption.

2. The oneness and, universa:Jity or 'G,od's message requires tllatpeolplle accept aU the messengersef God, RejecdDI lone' o,flhem amounts, to rejecting, th_em,aU., The Jews reject Jesus'smissioa ,and Mulmmmadl"s

' s ; • "I:.. C-"L, ~ .'. I' .. '. . M -h -~, I' 'i Iio., ' h-

miSSion;; ble .. JiIl:ns,t.llns, JieJ:eet ,',u.-amm_ s mlss~o,n;, W'siereas t 'C

Muslims; accept them all, hut reject ineorrect historical interpretations and hUman elements in these miss,io:os.

3. Because Orf the Qur";an"Muslims love and r,espect Jesus as they love aDd respect the Prophet Muhammad. Mo:reoVel'"lbe Qur'an reperts some: of JI.SUS':s mif;8cles which are not. rep,ol'1ed in thep!ftsent gospel Fer cJtample~,tbe Ql1t'an tells tbait Jesus spoke in th,e eradle and was, able to tell people Wb.R't they ase or treasured ill their bOloses, tOlmentioD just a fe:v.~'~

,4. . It is co,mm,on kno,wled.ge: 'tbal the divinity of Jesuswas introduced b:y Saint Paul and his followers and was e.stabtished on the dead bodies ·9f millions of 'Chris;tia:ns thrD'U;lh his,l:ory whioh evoked the Cas,ullo·s we:U,known remark "To bum a man is: o,ot to prel've a doctrine'."

,5. The eheiee ofthe present fourgospels was im:poscd in'tbe ceeference of Ni,cta 325 'C,.E. under 'the Bus:pices of ;t:h.;e papn. :Empe:ror COMmotioe for

poUtics] :purposes,~Liter.aUy.~hl1ndmd:s ofl~Spels aodreUliollswri.tiop were considered a.pocryp,ha,Le. books of d.(),ubtful.a.utbentieity~ Some ,of thoisebo,okswer-ewritteft. b:y Jesus's discip,les. If they' were not more a.·~ u.th~n detba.fi the feu i' ~O5l;-· "... the" ·iiillli .,-:;-" ,e( u "'I·! -c ,t::t.,,· ·-t· :,/,t - :5·.·~ -. . . ~:f .. __ ......_. _._. _ .. __ .... l.peD .. _.'J .. eR! 0 __ £1._0._ au .men ICI y. ome o.

tbem sdll are 3!va'ilablesDch as, thie Gospel of lJ:tJ'r:na.ba·s and the ShfJ,phetrJ' ,of H'el'mBS whi.ch agree with the 'Qu.r;a:n ..

6. The U ni~;rian eo,ncc'pt 8!Dd tbe humanness, of Jesus :isn.ot ('J!n1~y held by Muslims, bn t also by Jews, and by seme early groups of ,c:h,ri.stiatli~y such. as tbe Ebionile.s, the l(Jerinthians, the BasiUdialls,tbe C'apocnltiam:s .an,dUJc Hypisistldans to name several early sects, The A.rians., Paulician.s.iUlJ.d Goths a)soaoceprted Jesusas .SI prophet of ·God .. Evenin rhemodern a.p tber-e an: churcbes. :in Asia, in Africa, the Unitarian. cburch., and. Jeho'''I!J' w'itne.s'se.' who! d:o not wO'f:ship J'ISU.S asG:oo ..

7. Most Sieriou,s studies of tbeBible :ba,vie shewn tha.t~ i.t ,conta~n.s a larp portion Oil' ,addi.tions whicltneithe:r' Jlesusnof rhe .. rite:fs of tb,e gospels said .. The Ichurch~, as Heinz Zahrnt said, ''':lUll words, into themouth 0,:[ Jesuswhich henever spokeand attributed actions to. him which he ne'vcr pe.rformed ... n Those conclusbl,n:s wen ,arrived. at by s,omJe mem:bers of lhe ehurch. Howeve'f"tbey are kept secret or available on:~ytn the; speciaJist;s. One of those I who 'has shown that most of what the church says about Jesus is baseless :~s R'Udo,~f .A.ullls,tei.n inhi,s; book Jasu's SOln ,of Man~ (:publishedJln Oe;rmany 1912 and uanslated.il1lito EOllish 1911).

It Theprob:.~em witbpresent Christiani:l:y is the personali,ty' ·of Jesus wh.ich is oompletei~.y misllndersttJ,od. J!ClSUS' nature, :missi,on afidI clsimed death a~d resurrection, are: all challenged bys:tudiies in the field. One ef thoseis a book. end.tled ThfJ' ,Myth 01 God Inc·.,nste' which ap',ear-ed ~ 911 (ed~ted 'b" J·OhD Hict) an.dwrittem by sleve'n. 'Illeologil.n scholars In En_and ... Their conclusion is t~at Jesus was "a man approved by l(jod.,for special rule

within tbe divine p·orpose, iand the later 'conception of him as God

i:ncarnlt,e ,., ... is a m:yt;hologi,cal or poeticwa, D.flexpresislmg his significan .• for us."

The best Gl£orgc Carey co,uld. say ill. his attempt to' rejimte the findinls:o.f these tb.co:~!oaians!i:s that un'~ess O'II1IG takes J,ISUS as Ged Inearnate OiBI wDntt be able te understand Jesust! missi.€l!D ,or exp\lain its impact (liD people. ThisdeHDilely is at vCiry weal arguraembecause all great :I-uopbets suehas Abraham~ MOilS" iandMtthammad have hiada tfie'roendoiu:s i.m.pact o •. peo'l)le~ and none of them ,ola:imed] th.at he: was God ora 5,on a,r

'Giod. .

.~ 14_

[9. The concc:pt of theT'rrinity' is not, of course, ,Bv,ailable even in 'I,he present Bible. There are statements, whichnelBte it sueh as "The Lord OUf God is one Lord (Math, 1:2':29) and 'many others .

• 0. It Is worth notinl: ,tha.t Jesus never c1la:ims divinity even in the present text of the Biiblle,. The: expr,essiorD "Son (I,:f God" eannotbe ,said to h,av'l come fJiom Jesus himseU'. Hastilll i.nThe Dilili'rJ,'nary' D" the 8,16,', g,ys ~'Wbethe.r Jesus' used it of himself is, doubtfut'-In my reading ·of'tbe Bible, 1 found only two .~mstaDces[ in .John Chapter 5; and J Iwbe,re J esususes "SiDR 0:( God" tiO ~ef.r to himself. Other iDI,tanccs 'wIre 'Uscd. by otbers. Even tb[oe are Viery Hmi,erd. Ho,_ver, evea if the dUe "son of God" .,as used by Jesus himse,)f one: should remember 'the following: points:

a) As a bi.bHaJ ,SCbD,1ar said, "sem.id,c usage wou.ld never have al1ow1ed literal sense even though such an express;io'D WOUld, be interpreted literally in the HleUenis,t:~e world of .lesusfoUowcn,M.

b), Thle New Testament Greek 'word:S:UfS!ed fOrr "son" are piasa:nd pa;dfJ~ which means 'senant· or 'son in the' sense ofsc~rvant,a,re translated son im reference 'tJD Jesus I,nd ",v:8:nt' in refen::nee 1,1), ,G,tDen in [lome tra,Dslatio[ns of the B,iMe (Mul.sir;, P. ,~, S).

c) The title "s,oo, of man" which, is, a.le:lf~esigna:t'i\on o,:f Jesus and occurs II times in the ,gospe:ls, is the' clearest deserlption and emphasis by j'ICSUS, O'D his humaaity. The classical interpretation liven to this title is that it is used to ,emphas,iz:etbe bu:ma,n side of Jesas, No,wlb.e ques,ti[on, whi.ch :s:u,acsts itself is :, Do c,on:iemporary Christians e'mp,basiu' this: aspect Oil Jesus?

'TIHI POIPE C,ONTFlA,D'ICTI THIE ,11[a,LI

The tradldonal Biblical accQunt '0'( Jesus' 'c:nJcifixio,n is that. he W'IS arr[csted and. crucified by 'the orders and plans of tbe' chief priest and ,J'cwisb ,elll.rs. Tbis ,aCCDu:nt 'was d'coied in. th'e 196011& by i'be highest Catholic Christian a.ut,bority';, the Pope, He issued a statement mwhich be sa:id the Jews had Do,thin,8 ,to do widl Jesus:'] cfUcifixi.o,n. This: definit,e~l, does 'conlmdict lb, BiblicldaecountYou :milh:t sa,y' :: 'Thi:s, is, ,s :poHdcai, decree. This agr1ees with what M:uUm:sare :sa.yiq. [tbe church' had introduced :many e,lements in'to chr~s,tiaDity and wu influenced by man, factorswhic:h made its view of cb.rislianity no,t only chan,lable but. by and large, contradict the ear.l:y fo·rms ,of chris,tianity ~

The religious views, concerning God, 'the Bible" and Man":s relation to G'od which. the chu'rch presented fo:rced people into a'D, 'umort.na'le 'cho,ice: eitber science lo,r God. 'Most educated people 'ha,~e' come to the' eon,clusioDthat Qne ean't be a scientist or an educated peBo:n and be a' ehristian, Thus man,y ph:il.oS'OP'bCfS; sac'ntis.ts, I:nd. the majority' of 'the peoplei:ost h'Dpe ,of nconciliDI; lIeligi,on aad seiHemce., This unfonunate und,entandin,llater'on wu p:nlralized 'to inc:l,ad[e every Rligian, as ia ·:result of the inlfuenoe: o,r 'western ,civiUzatio,:n.,. which was mainly' christian, This wbol.e :issuew'ou~d net havre risen in the fm,t place'ff 'the teachings of Jesus were n,a't d:ist!(lrted ,o:r tampered, with,. This i'l becaUst'I' as Islam views the matter, there is DiD contradictienwhatscever between r'eliaio'n and scicncie. Sc:,ientificfacl's are jus't one source of our kno[wledge O!,f IG[od. The other source is, r.,.velatiorD as i.t. is canta:incd im the ~iri,linal 'AchhlP ol'J csus and in the: pr-esent tex:l of the rQur'a,n ... B:oth r'eligilon. and true: scientific kno,w[edge are from tbe same' source: 'God. SOl He wont't Icontrad.ietHim5elf~

Thus. cQ,:n,cepts like the T'ri:n.it.y, The S,on ,of 'Ood, Original ,s:in, t,he Atonement ete .. , 'which. were the:, product ,o;fld.istol1i,on and ruis,,,,unden:landins;iB the bist,o:ry .of Christiani~y drove people away no[t ronly fro,m Christianity b'ut also (liom o,th.er rllil~!OIi1I, 'i~cludin8 bJam~ wbi,e_h 'is nol, ,affected,by these pro,b~em:s. This is due tethefaetthat many people: tkink that because Islam is, a religion (the meaning oltbe veryw[ord is limi,ted io. western Ia:o;guages,) iltmus,t. 'be similar to Christianity. VleE)' few'pGo,ple will havetbe interest and the ,ability to' discover the fBilsebood of this Issomp't1on.

Th~ impllicit assumption is one of the: causes of hesitation and uuwilliQgness (lifmany :people' 1,0' accept the Qur':anic view [of Jesus, This is. in

- --

:sphe oftbe faot, thattbispoint of'vi,ew is, s:u,ppol1ed by:

a) The early :bistory of Cbristianity wbichcon,linued fOII three deeades after Jesus's disappearance as a sect wlltbin Judaism.

b) The practia: of ma:D)" Christian seets and scholars tmolJlhou.t, the hist,olry , of Christianity.

c) The findi:D,1S of many B,ib~al sch.olars and. scie,ndfic resear'ch. w,bicn was a:pplied to the BiMe.,

- 'I~'

"_ U!!!iii!iiiiii

lei) The instinct of matDypeop,~.e: (180m.: o,:fwhom. think they are Christians,) who believe in the: One God, batcan't accept Jesus as, God or The Son of

(i,od. .

It i,sw'orthno:t:i:ng thalt the mahl differ'Cnces betwe,en the: Qurtan1c ,accounl and wbatmode:mres.earc:Jl,and scholars have found is,lhat the Qur'ansaid what it says nowa.bo'Dt Jesus and his,missi on feurteen centuries ago and never ehang_d its stand,

g,ome of the other reasons w:hich might account for therejectlon of the Qurtanic: ac~ount include:

il) lh. timlJ .. h(J,norIJQ'IJ.iss a,pi:nst Islam whilh wu p.arUy thole product of th.e Cmsade.s, and parUy' the product oftbe Arab-Israeli conn~lct in the Middle East.

'b) CODluslo:n.Many people altbJo'l1gh they donet accep!t, Chrlsdan.ity, (b,! not know w:herethe truth. is,

,e)! S'M';'" P'.8,S'Ufe fiJ,ft,d Academic R8PiutS.tiolJ;. Many people were afrai.d. tOI accept. Islam. because the, f;elt the, 'wouldb:e mocked, alienated from t,beir relad.¥es and peers, if th,ey opelll.y rejected. Christianity and ,accepted IS;~lm. AI Ule acad.e:mlc level ,esplciattyamoq; ,orientaUsts, if 'ODe writes favourably abeut Islam and the Q'ur',an no body wilUlieview his wort" quote fremitor Crgen consider ita lohola.rly work. He could be eve:o. destroyed professl~,oIl8Jl.y.,. The' W •. _ 1"'ngtQ,n' ,Post (Ja'l1uary S'i. 197'8:) reportedtbat a University ,o,f R.ichmo!o:d PrOfl!lso·f, De .. R.:o'be:r1. Alley loss I •• chairmanship o,fthe Department or Reiiaj.on there because be holds, lb,eview tba', JIS1.I.S: nIVer olaimedto be 'the SOiD, ,of God.. After eons~id.erabl;; Rses,fch. into newly IGand aRcient documents:~, Dr, Alley ,cont~.ud,ed tha.'t:

TheIBible)ps'ssags, where J'es,us talks '(J,bo'ut ths',sonot,Godars' '.,.r Idd#f;rJ,"'.~.~ .. , 'whBt the ,church' "aid IIbo,ut him~ Such I' cllim ,fJt dl:if.~' for h'ims.1f WIIlultJ 110," h,ve b •• " t:,onlJi'S,t,snt wi,h his .,."tire IIfs'" .",'8' " we cen '.J,on,trut:l.. For the ;first 1.'h"i68 de'c'sdes IJfteIJesus;~ deBr.h Chli"tl,nit" !continued liS s' ,ssct withlnJ'udsism. lhe firs't rhr:f!Ji' del'.des 0/' It. IIxl.(t8ntJe a' the church were wirh.ln thiS! 5""lago.gue~ ThatWlould' h,ve bun beiyond bS'Ii.,f If they (the) tolfDw8r,~1 ,h,ld boldty pfocla,imsd'ths deity tJf Jesus.

_17 -

Despite these factors, and some others which I did not mention" there have been many people whe havesubmitted totruth, The lstamicpoint efview about Jesus and other major issaes strlkes those who gel introdueed to it as something whichmakes ,3. lot of sense, and something which they hold implicitly without knowin,i it. This, and other c:haract,eristirc:s m,alde Islam the' fastest ,growinl reiigj,on in 'the 'World 'lhrIDlUlhou't history. It appeals even to faithful Christians because they discover that:

a) Islam does not abolish Jesus, it rather puts :him in 'the right position in the I,oog line of men. who brought real salvatiento humanity. In, reality Ib,e:y are adding a new dimension to their understanding of God, prophetb,ood,an.d revelation.

b) When C:hristianilY and Judaism (or for tbat matter any religion) are looked ail from the Islamic perspective' tne'y fit in neatly in the universal framework of the oneness ofOod and His, plans formankind, Morcolver" one win understand clearly' why there are some gapis, or discrepancies in the Bibncal account aboat certain issues.

c) Islam d.oe5 cOD.tdder hself th1e: final.lin,k in the ~ong ehain of nn"eialion., It promises the followers of previous faiths great rewards if they' add belief'in Islamte their belief in tbeirpreviousfaith, The Prophet Muhammad said, "He who, has believled in. his relig~oln then beUeved. in what ls,r,_ve,aled 'rtJo me win be rewarded twice (by God), ~I That is once for believing .i'n his f81.ilth and the other for recognizing truth and believing in Islam.

To sum U:P" Islam conslders Jesus as one g,f God's ,g['eat plfophets .. His mission was to preach the Oneness IOf God and to lead man, to his Lord. He aever claimlred, to be other than a servant and a Mes5cinger of God .. The Qur"ank~ account of bis, life and mission is supported by overwhelming cV'j,d!cnce. The Muslims do believe in and are: ,a;waitin,l; the Second Coming of Jesus. He win come back no't as God to judie the non-caristians, but as, JICS.uS, OOO":s, servant, His coming is: to correct du~ misconce,pt~oD whiell, people have' deve'~.'o:ped about his pe:rso:nali'ty and his mission.' Aceording jc ,a sayi:llI of the Prophet Muhammad" be will stay forfOony years: which is'loi,ng to, be the happiest year,s of life ,o:m this earth . .All:ftat time ,eyerybody will beleive i.n him. as the mlessen,l~r" not the :Son €l,f God. However, wh.at about those' w.ho win not be able' to live: tin his second c,omi'ng? They better do it :now!~

M.M. Pick.thall.rhe Me'iJ'ning of the GloliDus Q'uli~an T'.B. Irvi.ng., let al., The au:r~:a.n : Basic Teachings Hamuda Abdulad~,lsla.m in, Focus

M~Qutb, Is,iam ;' The Misu,nlderSIOod Reliyi'on

B A-B' .·aw''''lIn\JlcJ:~m·.·, • Th . .iICI' c'~·r· 'st ?r'lld··· .C'/rn··· ?/'R···a.I~·n 'on

:i' ~ _~, , .. _. _'_ I&~"~'J ~ , Q-"!Ii!!Il'. '_ ,_, Ii Il .. ~ r!r',~; _ ~'''J.', , IF-" ... ~_' ,_, _'Ir;;;-,'-"-.Iv .,',,,

Mallrice B;ucaUle~ The B'iDIJe:, THe (Ju,~.t!Jn .a.nd Scienc,fl M,3urice Bueaille, The On?gin of Man

Lord-sale and laura Ragg;.,. The Gospel of 8'a,nabas Muhammad Ata-ur ... Ra.hma:n~Jesu"S .. A ProfJh,et of 18,t8rn Rudolf Augll:stein, Jesu« Son of Man

John Hick [ed), The .Mythl 0,' God'/n:carnate S .. S. Mufas:l.i.r, Je'Bus in the IQur'a·n ..

S,ome of t:be:s.e boo,ksand others abeut Islam lean be: ebeained from:

Wodd .Assembly ofMtrI:s:~im Youth (WA'MY) P. 0'.80.)[, 1084.5

Tel. (01.1)4641.663

Riyadb 11443" Saudi Am-,abia

Or the nearest Islamic Center in YOI\l:rpart of the wodld.

TheIslamie iatCCOunt ·of Jesus~slife and missfon is,quite muonab,l.eand puts, Jesus in. his diRt place ,amollg thclfl'a.t.messeoa:e:rs of G,ad to ku:mani,ty • . Although the IsJJami.c view lof Jesus .agree.s with wnatm.an.ypeo pie instlnctive: •. y think" it is sometimes .rej'cct.edbecause this is wbat Islam, says about him~ Howlv.f:1 those who come to, Islam with aD lopen odod and,fr,GG Cro'm, bias will :5ubmit, to the IOllie and bClievabUi,1:Y of'the ]s[a,mie account o:fJ,csus. "Tne Islamic posidoD~S especially aplp!feciated by those who have :struglcd with tllevario,UlS 'Christiam dogmas that are centered around the pcrsonality of Jesus Christ.

The fol1owmg is a letter which I received. from oneef the viewe.rs who follow' my program: ISLAM IN PERSP'E:CTIVE,. tele~:Rd by. the Saud.i Arabiam 'Tclcvmion. ScooodCbannel. I.t :ils a RSPOftse to atw~lpisode, ,discussion of JeSDS, atUcd: JES USIIN ISLAM. I include tms letter hcr,c far tile foUowimg reas.oni:

.1. The writC!'fis an, II.XPIr.t 0'0 this tOr.IJilC as a stud.enIQr( .religi,on ,and an, t)/.jecdve :8ft/kef of'truth.

2.. The WritGf 'Was a IJc6evina: 'Christian who kU,DWS Christians' feelil1gs a.nd belief oolftcLtrnina: J:tSUS Christ ..

3.. The 'writers expblutio,n of bo,w t:be Chris,tians d."iated. from J elus~ instruct'ilons ,Ina. m.sion is: ,quite pila,usible and acco,ullts for tile present Chr.tstian 'belief about Jeses,

I would lii'l: 1o thank 'lhe wri,lerfDr her .kind pe:.t.lllission loin.clud. her let.t"f in this: pimblicalion.

M.J ..

. _ 2.0 _

WHIY' DID CHIRIISTIA,N:I, CLA,IM THAT JIl!SUIS liS THII! ,SONI OIF GOIIDI? Dear sir"

Alu;alamlo Alaikum W,I,Rahma,t:uUah.

OPIN'ION REiG,ARDIN'G THE, ,DISCUSSION O'N Y'QIU·:RPRO:GR.,AM

I was, very interested in, )'Iour dlscassicn (J'D TV siaee this, is, a topic which

,I bay', Idilcussedmal1,,. ti.mes"bothas, student of relisio,n:. and outside thl' learnilll enviroament, iamany parts of the world,

As an Englisb Muslim co:n'y'crt"now' living in Saudi A~ra,bia" I find 'the sharp contr,as;t, between soci.eties~, thoul'h,t .. p:ro:y,o:kinS from man.y Dew poin'ts.

Focussing upon the nature o,r Jesus, and Mary as, ex.p,llained in. 'the Koran, and inthe Gaspel,of till New Testamen,t, 'we SIC 1.wO opplosinS vie:"s .. thaI: 'of Christian teac~hiDg that Jlesusis"S'OD of God" and t.ba'llof the lCo,ran D.e.lecting ,an SlUch claims. It 'then, becomes, :neces:sary to ask the question WHY was: it necessary for the ,early Cbristiana to mak,c: such a claim aboll1'l Jesus" whc,ft aft'er all he never made any such claim. ldmse~n

It is my opinien dUllt answer becomes clear if we study the buis for t:be r-tHgio'R. of Islam aad Christiamty ... A,s, Muslims we base our faith U.pOD 'God IDd UpOD. Him aloln,l, and upo:n the K.:o!r,l.n, .. 0100''':9 womto, His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in whom we: also beilie've - as a true 'Prophet. IOf the one God .. Muhammad (P.BUH) is God's servant, .. faithful and obedi~nt and totally huma,D. , .. he re:ma'llts the m'stru:ment of God":s purp,o.sl: to lead. His peo,:p:le back tiD Him alain.

Now~ as a total eo,mtrast WI: turn to Christiani,ty .... ' a religion built: not around God" or His boo,.k ... fOIi',tbGfC W'IIS no ·boot' until 150 ye'ars,atter J,tHUS· death. Christianity became built around the perslonality of Jeeus :bimseIf~ By layin,1 mere and more: stress u.pom the ma.lnedcand wond,e:dul personality ,of , Jesus ,and un.b).1 ,and un .. wi~UDg te Idescribe· 'the Pr,op:b.t·s effeci up,on an who came 'to bim -ineve:ryday terms .. more and more attributes. are added to hisreput81tiO:O ~ amlin who ,could performmiracles, briu11 back. the dead. to Iife, heal the leper, curethe blind ... all by Gioo's wili,il ind,.cd a wonderful man .... blessed by God ' .. born by God's .UI to do, His, service. Butafler his'ldeath, the 'magi.calt personality must be kept alive ami "Son, of God"a,ppearsto suitably qualify all his, actions.

Li.Y,inS in ,8 l'ocietY"'1 strongly 'Oavound by tbl'Gnco .. Rolmanlodl, all 'super huma.n,:' the edBcared cady Christians must. sure'., also have been inftllenced :in. tbou,ht by their surroundings, Paul bim'sclf, one of the greatteachers ,of

-21-

Christianity, W'U a HeUenized Jew, who never sa,w or mIl Jesus duri.ng; his lifetime. Yetm,a:ny of his reported sayings shew the influesee of th'c times: in. wbichhe lived. 'The Living Lord:' was very realto him.

Tbe miraculous na,t.'ure of Jesus" birth.~ also could help, to give' eredence to the idea of Jesus, identity as son of God, But it is child-likein its I + I.; 2 type phUolso:p:hy, Le, .• God bJew lato the womh of Mary '@ Mary' bad Jesui" ·therefore God is, Jesus,' fatber and Jesus, is, His S(UJJ.

What Chris:lians fai~ to sec" and to understand is that,:in Jesus' birth and conception we'Slle a touching and: wonderful revela:t.Jon ,o·f the Kin.dn,cs:s of God,.

We are told by both Koran and Christian wridngs thai :Maryw,as a you,ng woman of exceptional purity of both mind and body, breught imo the world ,Itre'ady pledged. as God,'~s servaat, blessed 'by God, while :in His service in the synagegue so that she herself could produce small "miraculous" occurrences by God'swill, How naturalthen, that God" having chosen heir 'to. be tbe vehicle by Wh.iCDI :His new-Prophet should 'be born OD earth ... choosesa means, by wbicb, none ofher blessed purity is touched. She serves her 'God, but in so doing He::m His infinite k.~ndness preserves her precious plurity. Surely th~s,needs DO rem beUishmen:t .... '010 claims to "S,ons.hip~' ef 'GlOO., G,od,'s ereation y,es, brut not S,(JI,n by Paternity, 'That is o'bviously D.lot the' int,entioD, ..

Thefact that so much time ,c:lapsed before an,y 0-[ the s81,yings ofJesuscr his teachinls were written" also allows for the uOral tf,.dition", 'b,Y wh.ich. 'they wIre passed 08, to hAVl1! substantially ehanged the original And y,et 'thrODJ:b, the thl'CC syno'ptic gospels(J ohn being wriuen last and 0 bvio'usly fuU of:reli,giou:s dogma) Mathew,. Luke and Mark despite any a~ter;a:t,ion "", a picture ·o,f Jesus, •• , ,I qUiCit" yet mapetic personali~y .. II P'r'o:p:itet inspi'~ed by ,G'oo, with ira great I,ave of sit buma.D.tty, sent to. sharpen out aw:areness of God, in all the aspects of .tife; Jesus tries tOr open Qiur reyes, amd our bearts to a ,greater a.wareness oflGod ~ aa 'unselfish ,ap!pra~sa~ of ounelvesfrom our ,thoughts:;, 'to our act.on:s,a:nd 'to en:lar,ge Fai,th and Trust in God. Onl,' by so doi~g by 'Ule simple Raith and Trust o,l' a cbild il God's KingdOIM 'to come on Earth .. this idea is ,repca~ed many 'times: in 'many of his re1porled sayinp. ,His closeness to G,od '.,IS evitlIrl'.Oi froml 'the str,engththa,1 h,e drew from p,r,ayers, and 'the powc:rhe was, given b, God, to perform miracles, Yet in, a:U this power and in the performance ofGod's wonders NEVER does he procJ,ai.m himelf Son o,f God • .In Jesus ,Sline of' the word ·Sonnw,e are an children of God, :H1& SOiDS and daushters, here on earth, and as such Jesus taught the people topray to 'Our Father, which ,art in Heaven',

O!f' the aetual 'Volume' ofwlords. he s:pate or must have' spo:ten inbis leachings only ,Ii pitiab~fewt and not all reliable, have been. recorded. Jesus

_ 22_

:seemed.to be prri:marily ,co.oemedi with the: :1'0 or , tille' ,(Jippres:ed,. the euteast, 'tbe siek - aad not to)erani .of the saBd:imonious and m.eani.nglesiSlieligious "cant' til,' the so-called "p!j,t)us,"His oaU was to the be arts, o,lmen." and his them'e WDS humaftit~yand Jo¥e. Did. he meaD. to estaJ',l,i;sb. a dhu,n:::k? IbeIU:~e he did .: ~ but no,t in the sense we see the c:tJ.orch today - Jesus was p'l!actical aswell as: spiritual, I believehe wantedto crease a socie't.!f of people whose Faith in God boyond tbe:m to one another relardlelliS of 'race (l'[ creedL,in a fanUly. , ... tYl)ecar:ingrela:tion:sbip'

- -

'under God's guid:ance. ltis not really evidem from his te.::h.ingsthat he saw-

bimselfas a great, :shining Iight in :thi.s proeess, He temdled mOR; to rtSalnJ. himself ,as I U)'!OIi~ in the:i1ano s' of 'Ood"

B,yraising; him up tlO unbelievable he'ights, tile early Cheistianfollowers brQ:ug,llIt. Mpon t.bemselvesthe endless problems oftheoredc:aUy expllain:ingOlJe ,eruciraion ... ID.d. fromUds comesthe d(u:t:ri.ne of tile sufre'fi~1 servants, raised from the Jewish aacient texts .~ s,p,oken of InIsaiah, the doctrine of Sacrifice for the sins of JnaJl'!land the eonseqaential exclusiveness of Jesus - which is V,f;fY impofta:n.ttoUlle:arly 'Ctlristiansl.A.p\al~U!1 eeuld beeq uaUy :fal.thfmit,o rn.3Jny ~Iods' - but in Ctlr~sdanj.ty this co,uld not be .. ONLY by fa~·tb in Jesus !C8.n. ~he Christian. hope togain salvation - IONL Y by accepung his death for the sake oif man'ssi:m .. and ONLY bybeHefiohis resurrection !(.~or as so,o ,of O·od" ,010<1 mus,t ~ut him, up aga.ln) can. tb.1 Chris,t:ii8n hope '10Ia1o! P;aradise . .A.ny oUter path: .~~ death -aUhouglii thisplaces Jesus absolutely between God and His: people Mel :POSitiO!R he never o·ccupied in his life unEarth.

Dectrine (lin doctrinebecomesfntertwined.and we find in the hi.S:~lory of'the ehureh.eadless meetings, theories and argnments 15'0 the Nature of Jesus - he has become now,~ in fael:l, ~iess a. t.:o.llble r~a.lity, 8.ndm.ore am unea:rtbly se'mi, .. :spiritd~ beiag, w.rapped im endless doctrine and dW!,gma .. fa:r indeed from tile simple:~.gentle per:sonality ~ in whom Godplaeed soreueb p ower .. in order that he ,could briusaw;'l[lcnes."stio!His pef),p~,e. Has not the: church tbe:R defeated Jesus" ,own o:bje!ctive ... s:im.pUcily1

We find in 'the "Trinity" ~. Father - Sen-and Holy Gbost~perhaps the ,culmbulltion of' 'the effoets of peo;,ple stfU!SSU.fll fOlf ,I +Supflmacy' ill. :relisiolws ,expression and ,achievinl,an en i:l;m.a , :rewChristia.ns can a,dequa.te~.y explaia 'today ..

Ood,ts spirit is as rel~.~:n the day:s of Moses and .Abr,ahamBs it is, intbe time ,of Prophet Mu.b,ammad (PBU H). .1.1 does, Do:l need, 10 be held II. Ute cOiRfines 011 a ""man-;lDaJde" triangle, Nor did Jesus associate himself with .any theory of this. kind ..

._ 23_

by .. ·'.·'·.'··"

1"","1

_uS"

I. -.~.:: I I •