Written by Khalid A. Mansour,
Al-Qassim,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Jesus' Message to his people:
Jesus' message came to denounce the practices of Pharisees and Sadducees
and to reinforce the Law of Moses. He called his people to nobler life
by word and deed against the materialistic age of luxury and worship of
gold. Jesus' call was marked by its complete uprightness and piety. It
appealed to the soul, the inner being , and not to a close system of rules
laid down by society. Jesus was inviting people to Almighty Allah. His
call was based on principle that there is no mediation between the Creator
and His creatures.
However, Jesus was in conflict with Jews' superficial interpretation
of the Torah. He said that he did not come to abrogate the Torah, but
to complete it by going to the spirit of its substances to arrive at its
essence.
He made the Jews understand that the Ten commandments have more value
than they imagined. For instance, the fifth commandments does not only
prohibit physical killing, but all forms of killing: physical, psychological,
or spiritual. And the sixth commandment does not prohibit adultery only
in the sense of unlawful physical contact between a man and a woman, but
also prohibits all forms of unlawful relations or acts that might lead
to adultery. For example, the eye commits adultery when it looks at anything
with passion.
Therefore, Jesus was in confrontation with the materialistic people.
He told them to desist from hypocrisy, show and false praise. They should
not preoccupy themselves with the goods of this passing world; rather
they must preoccupy themselves with the affairs of the coming world because
it would be everlasting.
Jesus invited people to worship the Only Lord, Who is without partner,
just as he invited them to purify the heart and soul.
His teaching annoyed the priests, for every word of Jesus was a threat
to them and their position, exposing their misdeeds. So, they started
to plot against him. Once, they wanted to embarrass him and prove that
he had come to destroy the Mosaic Law. They brought a Jewish adulteress
and asked him to stone her according to the Mosaic laws. They knew that
if he did so, he would be destroying his own rules of forgiveness and
mercy. Jesus looked at the women and at the priests and knew that they
were more sinful than her. He understood their plan.
So, He agreed that she should be stoned according to the Mosaic laws.
Then, he smiled and assented: "Whoever among you is sinless can stone
her." His voice rose in the middle of The Temple making anew law on adultery,
for the sinless to judge the sin. There was none eligible; no mortal can
judge sin, only Allah the Most Merciful.
Jesus continued to pray to Allah for mercy on his people and to teach
his people to have mercy on one another and to believe in Allah. Allah
the Almighty said:
<<(Remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): "O
Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My Favor to you and your mother when I supported
you with Ruh-Ul-Qudus (Gabriel) so that you spoke to people in the cradle
and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al-Hikmah (the power of
understanding), the Torah and Gospel; and when you made out of the clay,
as it were, the figure of a bird, by My permission, and you breathe into
it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind,
and the lepers by My Permission and when you brought forth the dead by
My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when
they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with a clear proofs,
and the disbelievers among them said: 'This is nothing but evident magic.'"
And when I (Allah) put in the hearts of the disciples (of Jesus) to
believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness
that we are Muslims.">> (Surah 5: 110-111)
<< And He (Allah) will teach him (Jesus) the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e.
the Sunna, the faultless speech of prophets, wisdom, etc.), (and) the
Torah and Gospel.
And will make him (Jesus) a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying):
"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you
out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird and breath into it, and
it becomes a bird by Allah's Leave; and I heal him who was born blind,
and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah's leave. And I inform
you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein
as a sign for you, if you believe. And I have to come confirming that
which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful to you part of what
was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with proof from your Lord.
So, fear Allah and obey me. Truly! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so
worship Him (Alone), This is the Straight Path."
Then when Jesus came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will
be my helpers in Allah's Cause?" The disciples said: "We are the helpers
of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are \Muslims (i.e.
we submit it to Allah)."
Our Lord! We believe in what you have sent down, and we follow the
Messenger (Jesus); so write us down among those who bear witness (to the
truth i.e. La Ilaha Ill Allah - none has the right to be worshiped but
Allah).
And they (disbelievers) plotted (to kill Jesus), and Allah planned
too, And Allah is the Best of the planners.>> (Surah 3:48-54)
Some of the miracles which Jesus performed had been requested by his
disciples, such as their wish for a "holy table" to be sent down from
heaven. Jesus were angry for this request for it mean that his disciple
had doubted Allah's power. But he request Allah for it and said: "O Lord,
make it a mercy and not a cause of distress." The great table came down
between two clouds, one above and one below. While the people watched,
it filled between Jesus' hands, covered with napkin. Allah the Exalted
said:
<< (Remember) when the disciples said: "O Jesus, son of Mary! Can
your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?" Jesus
said: "Fear Allah, if you are indeed believers." They said: "We wish to
eat thereof and to be stronger in Faith, and to know that you have indeed
told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses."
Jesus, son of Mary, said: "O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven
a table spread (with food) that there may be for us - for the first and
last of us - a festival and sign from You; and provide us sustenance,
for You are the Best of sustainers." Allah said: "I am going to send it
down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish
him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among (all)
the `Alamin (mankind and jinn).">> (Surah 5: 112-115)
Jesus went on with this mission until the vice knew that its throne was
threatened to fall. So the forces of evil accused him of magic, infringement
of Mosaic Laws, allegiance with devil; and when they saw that the poor
people followed him, they began to scheme against him.
The Sanhedrin, the highest judicial and ecclesiastical council of the
Jew, began to meet to plot against Jesus. When they failed to stop him,
they decided to kill him. So they agreed with one of the twelve apostles
of Jesus, Judas Iscariot to deliver Jesus to them.
The plot went on. But << Allah is the Best of planners.>> (Surah 3:54).
Allah did not permit the people of Israel to kill Jesus or crucify him.
What happened that Allah saved him from his enemies and raised him to
heaven. They never killed Jesus; they killed someone else. Allah the Almighty
declared:
<< And because of their saying (in boast), "We killed Messiah Jesus,
son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah," - but they killed him not, nor crucified
him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man (and they killed
that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have
no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely;
they killed him not (i.e. Jesus, son of Mary): But Allah raised him (Jesus)
up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in heavens). And Allah
is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.
And there is none of the people of Scripture (Jews and Christians),
but must believe in him (Jesus, son of Mary as only a Messenger of Allah
and human being), before his (Jesus or Jew's or Christian's) death (at
the time of the appearance of angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection,
he (Jesus) will be witness against them.>> (Surah 4: 157-159)
<< And (remember) when Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take you and raise
you to Myself and clear you (of forged statement that Jesus is Allah's
son) of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheists,
who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve (in Oneness
of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Muhammad, Jesus,
Moses, etc. or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Torah, the Gospel, the Qur'an)
till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge
between you in the matters in which you used to dispute." >> (Surah 3:55)
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