WHAT IS LEFT
THREE TOPICS
It can hardly be expected in a small publication of this nature that
one can deal with all the refrences about Jesus (pbuh) intersperesd 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 on page
7 of the book.
Here we find three significant topics, not dealt with yet in our discussion:
- not crucified, iv.157
- Message and miracles, v.113; xix 30-33;
- prophesied Ahmed, 1xi.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 "MUHUMMED (pbuh)
the Natural Successor to CHRIST (pbuh)" after I have completed "WAS CHRIST CRUCIFIED?", I hope to complete both these
projects soon, Insh-Allah! Pray for me.
THE WAY TO SALVATION
We are now left with Topic No. 2 - "Message and miracles". The message of Jesus (pbuh) was as simple and straight forward as that
of all his predecessors as well as that of his seccessor Muhummed (pbuh)
- namely "BELIEVE IN GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS". For the
God who inspired His Messenger, is an unvarying God and He is consistent:
He is not the "author of confusion" (1 Corinthian 14:33).
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 commandements.
{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 (pbuh), salvation was guaranteed provided
we kept the commandments without the shedding of any innocent blood. Unless,
of course Jesus (pbuh) was speaking with tongue in cheek; knowing full
well that his own "forthcomming 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 fairytale agreement as far as Jesus
was concerned. He knew that there is only one way to God, and that is,
as Jesus (pbuh) 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 (page
15). The Muslims 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 shell arise false Christs, and false prophets,
and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect.
{Matthew 24:4}
If false prophets and false Christs can perform miraculous feats, then
these wonders or miracles do not prove even the genuineness or otherwise,
of a prophet.
John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the greatest of Israelite prophets.
Greater then 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 then John the Baptist ...
{Matthew 11:11}
(1) Not excluding Jesus (pbuh): because, was he not born of a women -
Mary? (2) The Baptist, greater then All, yet he performed not a single
miracle! Miracles are not standards of judging truth and falsehood.
But in his childishness, the Christian insists that Jesus is God because
he gave life back to dead. Will reviving the dead others make 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 standards:-
- Moses is greater then Jesus because he put life back into a
dead stick and transmuted it from the plant kingdom to the animal kingdom
by making into a serpent (Exodus 7:10)
- Elisha is greater then Jesus because the rotten bones of Elisha brought
a man 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 of his own power." Where did Jesus (pbuh) 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 11:20}
BORROWED POWER
The "power" as he says is not his. "it is given
unto me". Given by whome? 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 analyses 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 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 (pbuh) 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 hearst 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 hearst 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
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 Messenger of God i.e. Rasul-ullah - See page 31 of this booklet where Jesus is refefrred
as "Rasul ullah"
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 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.
{Act 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 simple 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.
{Holy Quran 3:110}
Among them: meaning 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 dook. 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 mijesty of) 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 God is my Lord
And your Lord: Him
Therefore serve ye: this is
A Way that is straight.
{Holy Quran 19:34-36} |
