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In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Note: The HTML formatting is in its alpha stage, but all the text is here. Look in the future for improvements to this article
& nbsp At the end of the debate - "Christianity and Islam" - which appeared on the SABC-TV programme "CROSS (+) QUESTIONS" on Sunday 5th June 1983, the Chairman, Mr.Bill Chalmers commented:
"I think it can be said from this descussion 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 programmes, 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:
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| HOLY QURAN 5:58 |
& nbsp Were the Muslims on the panel, trying to placate the viewers out of 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 Muslim 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 DOES NOT BELIEVE IN JESUS!"
& nbsp Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have been pleasantly, but sceptically, 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 favour 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 Muhummed (May the Peace and the Blessings of God be upon all His righteous servents- like Moses, Jesus, Muhummed ); that I scratch your back and you scratch my back - which would be a sham or hypocrisy.
& nbsp We cannot blame the Christians for their scepticism. They have been so programmed for centuries. They were trained to think the worst of the man Muhummed (pbuh) and his religion. How aptly did Thomas Carlyle say about his Christian brethren over a hundred and fifty years ago - "THE LIES WHICH WELLMEANING ZEAL HAS HEAPED ROUND THIS MAN (Muhummed) ARE DISGRACE FUL TO OURSELVES ONLY." We Muslims are partly responsible for this staggering ignorance of the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the world. We have not done anything substantial to remove the cobwebs.
& nbsp 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 Muslim is 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 (pbuh): "Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall set you free" - (John 9:32).
& nbsp 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 Hazrat Eesa (meaning revered Jesus) or Eesa alai-hiss-salaam i.e. (Jesus peace be upon him).
Every time the Muslim mentions the name Jesus (pbuh) without these words of respect, he would be considered disrespectful, uncouth or barbaric. The Christian does not know that in the Holy Quran Jesus (pbuh) is mentioned by name five times (5x) more than the number of times the prophet of Islam is mentioned in the Book of God. To be exact - twenty five time as against five. For example:
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| HOLY QURAN 2:87 |
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| HOLY QURAN 3:45 |
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| HOLY QURAN 4:171 |
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| HOLY QURAN 5:49 |
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| HOLY QURAN 6:85 |
& nbsp Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the Holy Quran he is also addressed with respect as:"Ibne Maryam" - son of Mary;as Masi (Heb) Messiah - translated as Christ; "Abd-ullah" servant of Allah;"Rasul -Ullah" - 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 honour spread over fifteen different chapters. The Holy Quran honours 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.
& nbsp The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as "Eesa", and this name is used more times than any other title, because this was his "Christian"1 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 aloneof 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 (Act 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 the proper name of their God(?) - their God incarnate. The Muslim will not hesitate to name his son - "Eesa" - because it is an honoured name, the name of a righteous servant of the Lord.
& nbsp At the end of the most popular
translation of the Holy Quran in English, i.e. by A.Yusuf Ali,
there is a very comprehensive index. While browsing through, we
will discover, on page 1837,
i.e.
Jesus, a rightenous prophet, vi.85;
birth, iii. 45:47; xix. 22-33;
apostle to Israel, iii. 49-51;
disciples, iii. 52-53; v.114-118
taken up, iii. 55-58; iv.157-159;
like Adam, iii.59;
not crucified, iv.157;
no more than apostle, iv.171; v.78;
xliii 59, 63-64;
not God, v.19,75;
sent with Gospel, v.49;
not son of God, ix.30;
Message and miracles, v.113; xix.30-33;
prays for Table of viands, v.117;
taught no false worship, v.119-121;
disciples declare themselves Muslims, v.114;
mission limited, n.1861 to xiii.38;
followers have compassion and mercy, lvii.27:
disciples as God's helpers, lxi.14;
as a Sign, xxiii. 50; xliii.61;
prophesied Ahmad, lxi.6.
& nbsp The second above mentioned topic - "his birth" - are described in two places - Sura 3 and Sura 19. Reading from the beginning of his birth, on page 134 of the translation under reference, 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:
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| HOLY QURAN 3:42 |
"Chosen thee above the women of all nations." Such an honour is not be found given to Mary even in the Christian Bible! The verse continue:
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| HOLY QURAN 3:43 |
& nbsp What is the source of this beautiful and sublime recitation which, in its original Arabic, moves men to ecstacy and tears? Verse 44 below explains:
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| HOLY QURAN 3:44 |
& nbsp The story is that the maternal grandmother of Jesus, Hannan,had hitherto been barren. She poured out her heart to God:If only God will grant her child, she would surely dedicate such a child for the service of God in the temple.
& nbsp God granted her prayer and Mary was born. She 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 was clamouring to be the god father of this lovely 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.
& nbsp This was the story. But where did Muhummed (pbuh) get this knowledge from? He was an Ummi (unlettered). He did not know 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 Muhummed's own concoction. He copied his revelations from the Jews and Christians. He plagiarised 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 Muhummed (pbuh) for a moment, that he wrote it We can now expect some cooperation from the unbeliever.
Ask him, "Have you any qualms in agreeing that Muhummed (pbuh) was an Arab?" Only an opinionated fool 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 daughter would come before any other women.
Why would the Prophet of Islam honour 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.
& nbsp The Jews get their cock-eyed racism from their Holy Bible, where they are told 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 "bond- woman", and that as such, the Arabs are an inferior breed. (In fact, Hager was not a bond-woman but an Egyptian princess) Will anyone please explain the anomaly as to why Muhummed (pbuh) (if he is the author) chose this Jewess for such high honour? The answer is sim ple - 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." (H.Q.53:4)
& nbsp There is a Chapter in the Holy Quran, named Sura Maryam "Chapter Mary" (XIX) named in honour of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ (pbuh); again, such an honour 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 Jesus or Mary!
If Muhummed (pbuh) was the author of the Holy Quran, then he would not have failed to include in it with MARYAM, the mother of Jesus, his own mother - AMINA, his dear wife - KHADIJA, OR HIS BELOVED daughter-FATIMA. But No!No! this can never be. The Quran is not his handiwork!
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| HOLY QURAN 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 a spiritual Being, 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 honour, which the Holy Quran more fittingly describes as - "IN THE COMPANY OF THOSE NEAREST TO GOD."
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 from God to be God!.
& nbsp The word CHRIST is derived from the Hebrew word Messiah, Arabic-Masih. Root word m-a-s-a-h-a, 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", it seems unique:befitting Jesus only. The Christian has a knack of transmuting baser metals into shining gold. What he is wont to do is to translate names into his own language like "cephas" to Peter, "messiah" to Christ. How does he 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. Now change the little 'c' to a capital 'C', and "hey, presto!" he has created a unique (?) name! Christos means ANOINTED, and anointed means APPOINTED in its religious connotation. Jesus (pbuh) 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 - made a "messiah". Let us keep to the English translation - "anointed." Not only were prophets and priests and kings anointed (christos-ed), but borns, and cherubs and lamp-posts also.
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| Genesis 31:13 |
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| Leviticus 4:3 |
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| Leviticus 8:10 |
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| 1 Samuel 2:10 |
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| Isaiah 45:1 |
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| Ezekiel 28:14 |
There are a hundred more such references in the Holy Bible. Everytime you come across the word ANOINTED in your English 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.
& nbsp Although, every prophet of God is an ANOINTED one of God - a Messiah, the title "Masih" 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 title which may be applied to more than one prophet, yet being made exclusive to one by usage: like "Rasul-lullah", meaning Messenger of God, which title is applied to both Moses (19:51) and Jesus (61:6) in the Holy Quran. Yet "Rasul-lullah" has become synonymous only with the Prophet of Islam among Muslims.
Every prophet is indeed a FRIEND OF GOD, but its Arabic equivalent "Kha- lil-lullah" is exclusively associated with Father Abraham. This does not mean that the others are not God's friends. "Kalimul-lah" (One who spoke with God) is never used for anyone other than Moses, yet we believe that God spoke with all His Messengers, including Jesus and Muhummed (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 honour all in varying terms.
Whilst the good news was being announded (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.....
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| Holy Quran 3:46 |
* This prophecy found fulfilment within a very short time. We find this in Sura Maryam below:
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| Holy Quran 19:27-28 |
& nbsp 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 (H.Q.19:16). After the birth of the child she returns.
|
|
| A.Yusuf Ali, comments in his notes 2480-2482 on page 773 of his translation. | |
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| HOLY QURAN 19:23 |
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| Holy Quran 19:24-33 |
& nbsp Thus Jesus (pbuh) 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 occured 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:
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| John 2:1-10 |
Since this miracle, wine has flowed like water in Christendom. Many a fool reasons that what was good for his Master is good enough for him. 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 W-I-N-E that, according to the Christian Bible, enabled the daughters of Lot to seduce their father (Genesis 19:32-33). It was the same W-I-N-E 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 contemporaties. For he had truly opined, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12). Mankind had nof 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)
& nbsp "According" to St.John, in the fourth verse above, describing the marriage feast at Cana, we are told that Jesus (pbuh) 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 endles 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 hat - "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 smae breath, that he was every ready with invectives for the elders of his race, and was always itching for a show down 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....."
& nbsp Muhummed (pbuh) the Messenger of God, is made to absolve Jesus (pbuh) from the false charges and calumnies of his enemies.
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| Holy Quran 19:32 |
On receiving the good news of the birth of a righteous son (end of H.Q. 3:46 ), Mary responds:
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| HOLY QURAN 3:47-48 |
& nbsp One day, I was visiting the "Bible House" in Johannesburg, South Africa. 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 realised that I was being observed by the supervisor of the Bible House. Casually, he walked up to me. Perhaps my bread and my Muslim headgear were an attraction and a challenge? He enquired 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. I explained to him the very high position that Jesus (pbuh) occupied in the House of Islam. He seemed sceptical 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 Sura 3 -first in Arabic then in English.
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 Kalaam (God's Word). 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 believed 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 quessed that he was reading the Holy Quran 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:
& nbsp 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 scrutinise 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:
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| Mathew 1:18 |
& nbsp The eminent Billy Graham from the United States of America dramatised 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?" -meaning sexually.
The Quranic narrative is:
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| Holy Quran 3:47 |
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.
& nbsp Says the Bible:
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| Luke 1:35 |
Can't you see that you are giving the atheist, the sceptic, the agnostic a stick to beat you with? They may well ask- "How did the Holy Ghost come upon Mary?" "How did the Highest over shadow her? We know that literally it does not mean that: that it was an immaculate conception, but the language used here, is distasteful-gutter language-you agree!? Now contrast this with the language of the Quran.
& nbsp
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| Holy Quran 3:47 |
& nbsp 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 has to will 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.
& nbsp "Between these two versions of the birth of Jesus (pbuh) - 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 Muhummed (pbuh) 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 colours to being a Message from on High.
& nbsp Does the miraculous birth of Jesus make him a God or a "begotten" son of God? No! Says the Holy Quran:
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| HOLY QURAN 3:59 |
|
|
| A.Yusuf Ali's note 398 to verse 59 above. | |
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 honour, 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?
& nbsp
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| HEBREWS 7:1&3 |
& nbsp 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.
And what is this "Hebrews"? It is the name of one of the Books of the Holy Bible, authored by the gallent 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 Paul made such a fine mess of the teachings of Jesus (pbuh) 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 honour 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 wirte 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:
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| Mathew 13:13 |
The Holy Quran also contains a verse which fittingly describes this well cultivated sickness -
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| Holy Quran 2:18 |
& nbsp 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 emphasise, when they say "BEGOTTEN NOT MADE".
They know that according to their own God-given (?!) records, God has sons by the tons:
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| Luke 3:38 |
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| Genesis 6:2&4 |
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| Exodus 4:22 |
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| Jeremiah 31:9 |
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| Psalms 2:7 |
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| Romans 8:14 |
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?
& nbsp 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 Muslim of the world in making senseless statements?
& nbsp 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 (pbuh) would be closer to being the son of God than any one of us, because he would be more faithful to God than any one of us, because he would be more faithful to God than 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 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.
& nbsp 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 the one I saw in the "King of Kings" or "The Day of Triumph" or "Jesus of Nazareth" Remember jeffrey Hunter? The "SAVIOUR" 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 inferiority ingrained in their souls as God's STEP-CHILDREN. No amount to face-creams, skin-lighteners and hair-straighteners will erase the inferiority.
& nbsp God is neither Black nor White. He is a spiritual Being, 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.
& nbsp "Christ in Islam" is really Christ in the Quran: and the Holy Quran has something definite to say about every abberation of Christianity. The Quran absolves Jesus (pbuh) from all the false charges of his emenies 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 (kufr) because he was God. What does the Quran say?
Addressing both the Jews and the Christians, Allah says:-
|
| Holy Quran 4:171 |
& nbsp "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(pbuh) 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:
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.
& nbsp 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?
|
| A.Yusuf Ali's comment on verse 171 above. |
& nbsp Reproduced below are verses 119 to 121 from Sura Maida (Ch.5) depicting the scene of Judgement Day, when Allah will question Jesus (pbuh) regarding the misdirected zeal of his supposed followers in worshipping him and his mother: and his response-
|
| Holy Quran 5:119-121 |
& nbsp If this is the statement of Truth from the All-Knowing, that"Never did I say to them anything other than what I was commanded to say,that is WORSHIP GOD, WHO IS 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 exluding the Doctor of Divinity and the Professor of Theology. Even the new converts to Christianity have memorised these verses. They are programmed like zombies 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?
& nbsp 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 imaging, so I asked him, "What is the context?"
& nbsp 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(pbuh) had uttered the words.
In my forty years of experience, this test had been thrown at me hundred 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.
& nbsp 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 walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. John, or whoever he was, who wrote his 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 Then came the Jews round about him. And said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 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 valour. In a conciliatory spirit, befitting the occassion -
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and you believed not:the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. that is to say , the miracles bear witness of my prophethood and of me being the Messiah .
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 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 hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them enternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER"S HAND.
29 My father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND.
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 my Father are one.
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.
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| 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" (Mathew 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 The Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of those works 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.
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 (kufr) which is like treason in the spiritual realm. So they say that Jesus is claiming to be God--"I and my Father are one". The Christians agree with the Jews in this that Jesus (pbuh) 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 "reddance". Between the two, let the poor Jesus die. But Jesus refuses to co-operate in this dirty game, so -
34 Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the son of God?
& nbsp He is bit sarcastic in verse 34, but in any event, why does he say: "Your Law"? Is it not also his law? Did't he say:
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| Mathew 5:17-18 |
& nbsp "Ye 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 (in other words- 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 (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!
& nbsp "Where does Jesus say - "Iam God," or "Iam equal to God," or "Worship me" I asked the D.D.from Canada, again.
Reverend Morris 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 Phil claimed no divine inspiration for them. No matter what mystical meaning that Philo had woven around these words (which our John has plagiarised) we will accept them for what they are worth.
& nbsp 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 Europen (in cluding the North American) has evolved a system of using capital letter 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 translation?" "If Paul was inspired (?) to write hotheos - the God for the Devil, why begrudge him that capital 'G'?"
And in the Old Testament, the Lord said unto Moses, "See, I have made thee a god to Pharoach"(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."
& nbsp It can hardly be expected in a small publication of this nature that one can deal with all the references about Jesus(pbuh) interspersed through- out 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 this book.
Here we find three significant topics, not dealt with yet in our discussion:
Regarding the first topic, "not crucified", I wrote a full booklet titled "CRUCIFIXION OR CRUCIFICTION ?" that deals exclusively with that subject As regards the third topic mentioned above, prophesied Ahmed", you can refer to my booklet titled "WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MUHUMMED" 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 successor Muhummed(pbuh) 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 Corinthian 14:33).
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| Mathew 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 "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 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!
& nbsp 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 (Ch. 4). 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:
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| Mathew 24:4 |
If false prophets and false Christ can peform 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 the Israelite prophets. Greater than Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah and all, not excluding himself: in his own words:-
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| Matthew 11:11 |
Miracles are no standards of judging truth and falsehood. But in his childishness, the 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:-
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 (pbuh) get all his power from? Ask Jesus, and he will tell us:-
....All power is GIVEN unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18)
....I cast our 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 our devils....(Luke 11:20)
& nbsp 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.
& nbsp But since so much is made of Jesus nightiest miracle of reviving Lazarus from the dead, we will analyse 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.
& nbsp 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' sickness, 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 fulfil 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 (pbuh) would have made a fool of himself.
& nbsp 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:
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| John 11:41-42 |
What is all this, play-acting? Why all the drama? Because he knows 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. Rasul-ullah - see Chapter 6 of this booklet where Jesus is referred to as "Rasul-ullah" (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:
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| Acts 2:22 |
& nbsp 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:
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| Holy Quran 3:10 |
*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. Read them and pass them around so it may be of use to some who have faith .
As a conclusion I suggest to :
Open the Holy Quran ( I recommend having one if you still don't have it) and read the verses discussed in this book. Then we can truly conclude:
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| Holy Quran 19:34-36 |
SAY: "DO YOU SEE ?
WHETHER THIS MESSAGE BE FROM ALLAH (God Almighty),
AND YET YOU REJECT IT,
AND A WITNESS FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BORE
WITNESS OF ONE LIKE HIM......."
(Holy Qur'an 46:10). (see note 1)
Mr.Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The subject of this evening's talk - "What the BIBLE says about MUHAMMED" - will no doubt come as a surprise to many of you because the speaker is a Muslim. How does it come about that a Muslim happens to be expounding prophecies from the Jewish and Christian Scriptures ?
As a young man, about 30 years ago, I attended a series of religious lectures by a Chriatian theologian, a certain Rev. Hiten, at the "Theatre Royal", Durban in South Africa.
Pope or Kissinger?
This Reverend gentleman was expounding Biblical prophecies. He
went on to prove that the Christian Bible foretold the rise of
Soviet Russia, and the Last Days. At one stage he went to the
extent of proving that his Holy Book did not leave even the Pope
out of its predictions. He expatiated vigo rously in order to
convince his audience that the "Beast 666" mentioned in
the Book of Revelation the last book of the New Testament was the
POPE, who was the Vicar of Christ on earth. It is not befitting
for us Muslims to enter into this controversy between the Roman
Catholics and the Protestants. By the way, the latest Christia
exposition of the "Beast 666" of the Christian Bible is
Dr.Henry Kissinger(2). Christian scholars are ingenious and
indefatigable in their efforts to prove their case.
Rev. Hiten's lectures led me to ask that if the Bible foretold so many things - not even excluding the "Pope" and "Israel" - then surely it must have something to say about the greatest benefactor of mankind(3) , the Holy Prophet Muhammed (may the peace of Allah be upon him).
As a youngster I set out to search for an answer. I met priest after priest, attended lectures, and read everything that I could lay my hands relating to the fields of Bible prophecies. Tonight I am going to narrate to you one of these interviews with a dominee(4) of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Lucky Thirteen
I was invited to the Transvaal(5) to deliver a talk on the
occasion of Birthday celebration of the Holy Prophet Muhammed.
Knowing that in that province of the Republic, the Afrikaans
language is widely spoken, even by my own people, I felt that I
ought to acquire a smattering of this language so a s to feel a
little "at home" with the people. I opened the
telephone directory and began phoning the Afrikaans-speaking
Churches. I indicated my purpose to the priests that I was
interested in having a dialogue with them, but they all refused
my request with "Plausible" excuses. No.13 was my lucky
number. The thirteenth call brought me pleasure and relief. A
dominee Van Heerden agreed to meet me at his home on the Saturday
afternoon that I was to leave for Transvaal.
He received me on his verandah with a friendly welcome. He said if I did not mind, he would like his father-in-law from the Free State (a 70 year old man) to join us in the discussion. I did not mind. The three of us settled down in the dominee's library.
Why nothing?
I posed the question: "What does the Bible say about
Muhummed?" Without hesitation he answered,
"Nothing!" I asked: "Why nothing? According to
your interpretation the Bible have so many things to say about
the rise of Soviet Russia and about the Last Days and even about
the Pope of the Roman Ca tholics?" He said, "Yes, but
there was nothing about Muhummed!" I asked again, "Why
nothing? Surely this man Muhummed who had been responsible for
the bringing into being a world-wide community of millions of
Believers who, on his authority, believe in:
(1) the miraculous birth of Jesus,
(2) that Jesus is the Messiah,(note 6)
(3) 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.
Surely this book (the Bible) must have something to say about this great Leader of men who spoke so well of Jesus and his mother Mary?"
The old man from the Free State replied. "My son, I have been reading the Bible for the past 50 years, and if there was any mention of him, I would have known it."
Not One by name!
I enquired: "According to you, are there not hundreds of
prophecies regarding the coming of Jesus in the Old
Testament." The dominee interjected: "Not hundreds, but
thousands!" I said, "I am not going to dispute the
'thousand and one' prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the
coming of Jesu s Christ, because the whole Muslim-world has
already accepted him without the testimony of any Biblical
prophecy. We Muslims have accepted the de facto Jesus on the
authority of Muhummed alone, and there are in the world today no
less than 900,000,000 followers of Muhummed who love, respect and
rev ere Jesus Christ as a great Messenger of God without having
the Christians to convince them by means of their Biblical
dialectics. Out of the 'thousands' of prophecies referred to, can
you please give me just one single prophecy where Jesus is
mentioned by name? The term 'Messiah', translated as 'C hrist',
is not a name but a title. Is there a single Prophecy where it
says that the name of the Messiah will be JESUS, and that his
mother's name will be MARY, that his supposed father will be
JOSEPH THE CARPENTER; that he will be born in the reign of HEROD
THE KING, etc. etc.? No! There are no su ch details! Then how can
you conclude that those 'thousand' Prophecies refer to Jesus
(Peace be upon him)?"
What is Prophecy?
The dominee replies: "You see, prophecies are word-pictures
of something that is going to happen in the future. When that
thing actually comes to pass, we see vividly in these prophecies
the fulfilment of what had been predicted in the past." I
said: "What you actually do is that you deduce, yo u reason,
you put two and two together." He said: "Yes." I
said: "If this is what you have to do with a 'thousand'
prophecies to justify your claim with regards to the genuineness
of Jesus, why should we not adopt the very same system for
Muhummed?" The dominee agreed that it was a fair proposition
, a reasonable way of dealing with the problem.
I asked him to open up Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verse 18, which he did. I read from memory the verse in Afrikaans, because this was my purpose in having a little practice with the language of the ruling race in South Africa. (8)
'N PROFEET SAL EK VIR HULLE VERWEK UIT DIE MIDDE VAN HULLE BROERS, SOOS JY IS, EN EK SAL MY WOORDE IN SY MOND LE, EN HY SY SAL AAN HULLE SE ALLE WAT EK HOM BEVEEL. Deut.18: 18.
The English translation reads as follows:-
"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their
brethren,
like unto thee,
and I will put my words in his mouth;
and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." Deut.18:18.
Prophet Like Moses
Having recited the verse in Afrikaans, I apologised for my
uncertain pronunciation, The dominee assured me that I was doing
fine. I enquired: "To whom does this prophecy refer?"
Without the slightest hesitation he answered: "JESUS!"
I asked: "Why Jesus?... his name is not mentioned
here." The domin ee replied: "Since prophecies are
word-pictures of something that is going to happen in the future,
we find that the wordings of this verse adequately describe him.
You see the most important words of this prophecy are 'SOOS JY
IS' (like unto thee), - LIKE YOU - like Moses, and Jesus is like
Moses. " I questioned: "In which way is Jesus like
Moses?" The answer was: "In the first place Moses was a
JEW and Jesus was also a JEW; secondly, Moses was a PROPHET and
Jesus was also a PROPHET - therefore Jesus is like Moses and that
is exactly what God had foretold Moses - "SOOS JY IS".
"Can you think of any other similarities between Moses and
Jesus?" I asked. The dominee said that he could not think of
any. I replied: "If these are the only two criteria for
discovering a candidate for this prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:18,
then in that case the criteria could fit any one of the following
Biblica l personages after Moses:- Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel,
Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist etc., because they
were also ALL Jews as well as Prophets. Why should we not apply
this prophency to any one of these prophets, and why only to
Jesus? Why should we make fish of one and fowl of anoth er?"
The dominee had no reply. I continued: "You see, my
conclusions are that Jesus is most unlike Moses, and if I am
wrong I would like you to correct me."
Three Unlikes
So staying, I reasoned with him: "In the FIRST place Jesus
is not like Moses, because, according to you - 'JESUS IS A GOD',
but Moses is not God. Is this true?" He said:
"Yes." I said: "Therefore, Jesus is not like
Moses! SECONDLY, according to you - 'JESUS DIED FOR THE SINS OF
THE WORLD', but Mose s did not have to die for the sins of the
world. Is this true?" He again said: "Yes." I
said: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses! THIRDLY, according
to you - 'JESUS WENT TO HELL FOR THREE DAYS', but Moses did not
have to go there. Is this true?" He answered meekly:
"Y-e-s." I concluded: "Therefore Jesus is not like
Moses!" "But dominee," I continued: "these
are not hard facts, solid facts, they are mere matters of belief
over which the little ones can stumble and fall. Let us discuss
something very simple, very easy that if your little ones are
called in to hear the discussion, would have no difficulty in
following it, shall we?" The dominee was quiet happy at the
suggestion.
Father and Mother
(1) "Moses had a father and a mother. Muhummed also had a
father and a mother. But Jesus had only a mother, and no human
father. Is this true?" He said: "Yes." I said:
"DAAROM IS JESUS NIE SOOS MOSES NIE, MAAR MUHUMMED IS SOOS
MOSES!" Meaning: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses,
but Muhummed is lik e Moses!" (By now the reader will
realise that I was using the Afrikaans language only for practice
purposes. I shall discontinue its use in this narration).
Miraculous Birth
(2) "Moses and Muhummed were born in the normal, natural
course, i.e. the physical association of man and woman; but Jesus
was created by a special miracle. You will recall that we are
told in the Gospel of St.Matthew 1:18".....BEFORE THEY CAME
TOGETHER,(Joseph the Carpenter and Mary) SHE WAS FOUND WITH CHILD
BY THE HOLY GHOST.' And St.Luke tells us that when the good news
of the birth of a holy son was announded to her, Mary
reasoned:'.......HOW SHALL THIS BE, SEEING I KNOW NOT A MAN? AND
THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HER, THE HOLY GHOST SHALL COME
UPON THEE, AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL OVERSHADOW
THEE:......'(Luke 1:35). The Holy Qur'an confirms the miraculous
birth of Jesus, in nobler and sublimer terms. In answer to her
logical question:
" O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH
TOUCHED ME? "
The angel says in reply:
"EVEN SO:
ALLAH CREATETH WHAT HE WILLETH:
WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN,
HE BUT SAITH TO IT "BE,"
AND IT IS " (9) (HOLY
QUR'AN, 3:47).
It is not necessary for God to plant a seed in man or animal.
He merely wills it and it comes into being. This is the Muslim
conception of the of birth of Jesus.
(When I compared the Qur'an and the Biblical versions of the
birth of Jesus to the head of the Bible Society in our largest
City, and when I enquired: "Which version would you prefer
to give your daughter, the QUR'ANIC version or the BIBLICAL
version?" The man bowed his head and answered: "The
Qur'anic.") In short, I said to the dominee: "Is it
true that Jesus was born miraculously as against the natural
birth of Moses and Muhummed?"He replied
proudly:"Yes!" I said:"Therefore Jesus is not like
Moses, but Muhummed is like Moses. And God says to Moses in the
Book of Deuteronomy 18:18 "LIKE UNTO THEE" (Like You,
Like Moses) and Muhummed is like Moses."
Marriage Ties
(3) "Moses and Muhummed married and begat children, but
Jesus remained a bachelor all his life. Is this true?" The
dominee said: "Yes." I said: "Therefore Jesus is
not like Moses, but Muhummed is like Moses."
Jesus Rejected by his People
(3) "Moses and Muhummed were accepted as prophets by their
people in their very lifetime. No doubt the Jews gave endless
trouble to Moses and they murmured in the wilderness, but as a
nation, they acknowledged that Moses was a Messenger of God sent
to them. The Arabs too made Muhummed's life imposs ible. He
suffered very badly at their hands. After 13 years of preaching
in Mecca, he had to emigrate from the city of his birth. But
before his demise, the Arab nation as a whole accepted him as the
Messenger of Allah. But according to the Bible: 'He (Jesus) CAME
UNTO HIS OWN, BUT HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.' (John 1:11). And
even today, ofter two thousand years, his people- the Jews, as a
whole, have rejeted him. Is this true?" The dominee said:
"Yes." I said: "THEREFORE JESUS IS NOT LIKE MOSES,
BUT MUHUMMED IS LIKE MOSES."
"Other-Wordly" Kingdom
(5) "Moses and Muhummed were prophets as well as kings. A
prophet means a man who receives Divine Revelation for the
Guidance of Man and this Guidance he conveys to God's creatures
as received without any addition or deletion. A king is a person
who has the power of life and death over his people. It is
immaterial whether the person wears a crown or not, or whether he
was ever addressed as king or monarch: if the man has the
prerogative of inflicting capital punishment - HE IS A KING.
Moses possessed such a power. Do you remember the Israelite who
was found picking up firewood on Sabbath Day , and Moses had him
stoned to death? (Numbers- 15:13). There are other crimes also
mentioned in the Bible for which capital punishment was inflicted
on the Jews at the behest of Moses. Muhummed too, had the power
of life and death over his people. There are instances in the
Bible of persons who wer e given gift of prophecy only, but they
were not in a position to implement their directives. Some of
these holy men of God who were helpless in the face of stubborn
rejection of their mesage, were the prophets lot, Jonah, Daniel,
Ezra, and John the Baptist. They could only deliver the message,
but could not enforce the Law. The Holy Prophet Jesus (Peace
b.u.h) also belonged to this category. The Christian Gospel
clearly confirms this: when Jesus was dragged before the Roman
Governor, Pontius Pilate, Charged for sedition, Jesus made a
convincing point in his defence to refute the false charg e:
JESUS ANSWERED, "MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD': IF MY
KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, THEN WOULD MY SERVANTS FIGHT, THAT I
SHOULD NOT BE DELIVERED TO THE JEWS; BUT NOW IS MY KINGDOM NOT
FROM HENCE"(John 18:36) This convinced Pilate (A
Pagan) that though Jesus might not be in full possessio n of his
mental faculty, he did not strike him as being a danger to his
rule. Jesus claimed a spiritual Kingdom only; in other words he
only claimed to be a Prophet. Is this true?" The dominee
answered:"Yes." I said:"Therefore Jesus is not
like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses."
No New Laws
(6) "Moses and Muhummed brought new laws and new regulations
for their people. Moses not only gave the Ten Commandments to the
Israelites, but a very comprehensive ceremonial law for the
guidance of his people. Muhummed comes to a people steeped in
barbarism and ignorance. They married their step-m others; they
buried their daughters alive; drunkenness, adultery, idolatry,
and gambling were the order of the day. Gibbon describe the Arabs
before Islam in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire", THE HUMAN BRUTE, ALMOST WITHOUT SENSE, IS POORLY
DISTINGUISHED FROM THE REST OF THE ANIMAL CREATI ON.' There was
hardly anything to distinguish between the "man" and
the "animal" of the time; they were animals in human
form.
"From this abject barbarism, Muhummed elevated them, in the words of Thomas Carlysle, 'into torch-bearers of light and learning.' 'TO THE ARAB NATION IT WAS AS A BIRTH FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT. ARABIA FIRST BECAME ALIVE BY MEANS OF IT. A POOR SHEPHERD PEOPLE, ROAMING UNNOTICED IN ITS DESERTS SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. SEE, THE UNNOTICED BECOMES WORLD NOTABLE, THE SMALL HAS GROWN WORLD-GREAT. WITHIN ONE CENTURY AFTERWARDS ARABIA WAS AT GRANADA ON ONE HAND AND AT DELHI ON THE OTHER. GLANCING IN VALOUR AND SPLENDOUR, AND THE LIGHT OF GENIUS, ARABIA SHINES OVER A GREA SECTION OF THE WORLD. ...' The fact is that Muhummed gave his people a Law and Order they never had before.
"As regards Jesus, when the Jews felt suspicious of him that he might be an imposter with designs to pervert their teachings, Jesus took pains to assure them that he had not come with a new religion - no new laws and no new regulations. I quote his own words: 'THINK NOT THAT IAM COME TO DESTROY THE LAW, OR THE PROPHETS: IAM NOT COME TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFIL. FOR VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS, ONE JOT OR ONE TITLE SHALL IN NO WISE PASS FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED.'(Mathew 5:17-18). In other words he had not come with any new laws or regulation he came only to fulfil the old law. This what he gave the Jews to understand- unless he was speaking with the tongue in his cheek trying to bluff the Jews into accepting him as a man of God and by subterfuge trying to ram a new religion down their throats. No! This Messenger of God would never resort to such fo ul means to subvert the Religion of God. He himself fulfilled the laws. He observed the commandments of Moses, and he respected the Sabbath. At no time did a single Jew point a finger at him to say, 'why don't you fast' or 'why don't you wash your hands before you break bread',which charges they al wasy levied against his disciples, but never against Jesus. This is because as a good Jew he honoured the laws of the prophets who preceded him. In short, he had created no new religion and had brought no new law like Moses and Muhummed. Is this true?" I asked the dominee, and he answered: "Yes." I said:"Therefore, Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses."
How they Departed
(7) "Both Moses and Muhummed died natural deaths, but
according to Christianity, Jesus was violently killed on the
cross.(10) Is this true?" The dominee said: "Yes."
I averred: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed
is like Moses."
Heavenly Abode
(8) "Moses and Muhummed both lie buried in earth, but
according to you, Jesus in heaven. Is this true?" The
dominee agreed. I said: "Therefore Jesus is not like Moses
but Muhummed is like Moses."
Ishmael The First Born
Since the dominee was helplessly agreeing with every point, I
said, "Dominee, so far what I have done is to prove only one
point out of the whole prophecy- that is proving the phrase 'LIKE
UNTO THEE' - 'Like You' 'Like Moses'. The Prophecy is much more
than this single phrase which reads as follows : "I WILL
RAISE THEM UP A PROPHET FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN LIKE UNTO
THEE......." The emphasis is on the words- "From among
their brethren." Moses and his people, the Jews, are here
addressed as a racial entity, and as such their 'brethren' would
undoubtedly be the arabs. You see, the Holy Bible s peaks of
Abraham as the "Friend of God". Abraham had two wives -
Sarah and Hagar. Hagar bore Abraham a son - HIS FIRST-BORN-
'......And Abraham(11) called HIS SON'S name, which Hagar bare
Ishmael.' (Genesis 16:15). 'And Abraham took Ishmael HIS
SON......" (Genesis 17:23). 'And Ishmael HIS SON was
thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his
foreskin.'(Genesis 17:25). Up to the age of THIRTEEN
Ishmael was the ONLY son and sed of Abraham, when the covenant
was ratified between God and Abraham. God grants Abraham another
son through Sarah, named Isaac, wh o was very much the junior to
his brother Ishmael.
Arabs and Jews
If Ishmael and Isaac are the sons of the same father Abraham,
then they are brothers. And so the children of the one are the
BRETHREN of the children of the other. The children of Isaac are
the Jews and the Children of Ishmael are the Arabs - so they are
BRETHREN to one another. The Bible affirms, 'AND HE (ISHMAEL)
SHALL DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS BRETHREN.' (Genesis
16:12). 'AND HE (ISHMAEL) DIED IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS
BRETHREN.(Genesis 25:18). The children of Isaac are the
brethren of the Ishmaelites. In like manner Muhummed is from
among the brethren of the Israeli tes beause he was a descendant
of Ishamel the son of Abraham. This exactly as the prophecy has
it- 'FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN'.(Deut.18:18). There the
prophecy distinctly mentions that the coming prophet who would be
like Moses, must arise NOT from the 'children of Israel' or from
'among the mselves', but from among their brethren. MUHUMMED
THEREFORE WAS FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN!
Words in the Mouth
"The prophecy proceeds further:'.......AND I WILL PUT MY
WORDS INTO HIS MOUTH.......' What does it mean when it is said 'I
will put my words in your mouth'? You see, when I asked you (the
dominee) to open Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 18, at the
beginning, and if I had asked you to read, and if you had read:
would I be putting my words into your mouth?" The dominee
answered: "No." "But," I continued: "If
I were to teach you a language like Arabic about which you have
no knowledge, and if I asked you to read or repeat after me what
I utter i.e.:
"SAY: HE IS ALLAH THE ONE AND ONLY;
ALLAH, THE ETERNAL ABSOLUTE;
HE BEGETTETH NOT, NOR IS HE BEGOTTEN:
AND THERE IS NONE LIKE UNTO HIM.
(Holy Qur'an 112:1-4)( I read them in Arabic )
Would I not be putting these unheard words of a foreign tongue which you utter, into your mouth?" The dominee agreed that it was indeed so. In an identical manner, I said, the words of the Holy Qur'an, the Revelation vouchsafed by the Almighty God to Muhummed, were revealed.
History tells us that Muhummed was forty years of age. He was in a cave some three miles north of the City of Mecca. It was the 27th night of the Muslim month of Ramadaan. In the cave the Archangel Gabriel commands him in his mother tongue:'IQRA' which means READ! or PROCLAIM! or RECITE! Muhummed w as terrified and in his bewilderment replied that he was not NOT LEARNED! The angel commands him a second time with the same result. For the third time the angel continues.
Now Muhummed, grasps, that what was required of him was to repeat! to rehearse! And he repeats the words as they were put into his mouth:
"READ! IN THE NAME OF THE LORD AND CHERISHER, WHO
CREATED-
CREATED MAN, FROM A (MERE) CLOT OF CONGEALED BLOOD:
READ! AND THY LORD IS MOST BOUNTIFUL,-
HE WHO TAUGHT (THE USE OF) THE PEN,
TAUGHT MAN THAT WHICH HE KNEW NOT".
(Holy Qur'an 96:1-5)
These are the first five verses which were revealed to Muhummed which now occupy the beginning of the 96th chapter of the Holy Qur'an.
The Faithful Witness
Immediately the angel had departed, Muhummed rushed to his home.
Terrified and sweating all over he asked his beloved wife Khadija
to 'cover him up!' He lay down, and she watched by him. When he
had regained his composure, he explained to her what he had seen
and heard. She assured him of her faith in him and that Allah
would not allow any terrible thing to happen to him. Are these
the confessions of an imposter? Would imposters confess that when
an angel of the Lord confronts them with a Message from on High,
they get fear-stricken, terrified, and sweating all over, run
home to their wives? Any critic can see that his reactions and
confessions are that of an honest, sincere man, the man of Truth-
'AL-AMIN' - THE Honest, the Upright, the Truthful. During the
next twenty-three years of his prophetic life, words were 'Put
into his mouth', and he uttered them. They made an indeliable imp
ression on his heart and mind: and as the volume of the Sacred
Scripture (Holy Qur'an) grew, they were recorded on palm-leaf
libre, on skins and on the shoulder-blades of animals; and in the
hearts of his devoted disciples. Before his demise these words
were arranged according to his instructions i n the order in
which we find them to-day in the Holy Qurann.
The words (revelation) were actually put into his mouth, exactly as foretold in the prophecy under discusiion: 'AND I WILL PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH.'(Deut. 18:18).
Un-lettered Prophet
Muhummed's experience in the cave of Hira, later to be known as
Jabal-un Noor - The Mountain of Light, and his response to that
first Revelation is the exact fulfilment of another Biblical
Prophecy. In the Book of Isaish. Chapter 29, verse 12, we read:
"AND THE BOOK" (al-Kitaab,al-Quran the 'Readin g', the
'Recitation') "IS DELIVERED TO HIM THAT IS NOT
LEARNED," (Isaiah 29:12) "THE UNLETTERED PROPHET
" (Holy Qur'an 7:158) and the biblical verse
continues : "SAYING, READ THIS, I PRAY THEE:" (the
words "I pray thee", are not in the Hebrew manuscripts;
compare with the Roman Cathol ics' "Douay Version and also
with the "Revised Standard Versions") "AND HE
SAITH, I AM NOT LEARNED." ("I am not learned." is
the exact translation of the Arabic words which Muhummed uttered
twice to the Holy Ghose - the Archangel Gabriel, when he was
commanded : "READ!").
Let me quote the verse in full without a break as found in the "King James Version," or the "Authorised version" as it is more popularly know "AND THE BOOK IS DELIVERED TO HIM THAT IS NOT LEARNED, SAYING, READ THIS I PRAY THEE: AND HE SAITH, I AM NOT LEARNED." (Isaiah 29:12).
Important note :
It may be noted that there were no Arabic Bibles(12) in existence
in the 6th Century of the Christian Era when Muhummed lived and
preachedl Besides, he was absolutely unlettered and unlearned. No
human had ever taught him a word. His teacher was his Creator:
"HE DOES NOT SPEAK (AUGHT), OF (HIS OWN) DESIRE:
IT IS NO LESS THAN INSPIRATION SENT DOWN TO HIM:
HE WAS TAUGHT BY ONE MIGHTY IN POWER,"
(Holy Qur'an 53:3-5).
Without any human learning, 'he put to shame the wisdom of the learned'.
Grave Warning
"See!" I told the dominee, "how the prophecies fit
Muhummed like a glove. We do not have to stretch prophecies to
justify their fulfilment in Muhummed."
The dominee replied, "All your expositions sound very well, but they are of no real consequence, because we Christians have Jesus Christ the "incarnate" God, who has redeemed us from the Bondage of Sin!"
I asked, "Not important?" God didn't think so! He went to a great deal of trouble to have His warnings recorded. God knew that there would be people like you who will flippantly, light-heartedly discount his words, so he followed up Deuteronomy 18:18 with a dire warning: "AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, " (it is going to happen) "THAT WHOSOEVER WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO MY WORDS WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME, I WILL REQUIRE IT OF HIM. (in the Catholic Bible the ending words are - "I will be the revenger", I will take vengeance from him - I will take revenge!) "Does not this terrify you? God Almighty is threathening revenge! We shake in our pants if some hoodlum threathens us, yet you have no fear of God's warning?"
"Miracle of Miracles! in the verse 19 of Deuteronomy chapter 18, we have a further fulfilment of the prophecy in Muhummed! Note the words-'.....MY WORDS WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME," In whose name is Muhummed speaking?" I opened Yusuf Ali's translation of the Holy Qur'an, at chapter 114- 'Sura Nas', or Mankind - the last chapter, and showed him the formula at the head of the charpter: and the meaning: "IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL." And the heading of chapter 113: and the meaning: "IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL". And every chapter downwards 112 , 111, 110.......was the same formula and the same meaning on every page, because the end SURAS (chapters) are short and take about a page each.
"And what did the prophecy demand?' ......WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME and in whose name does Muhummed speak?'IN THE NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS MOST MERCIFUL.' The Prophecy is being fulfilled in Muhummed to the letter "Every chapter of the Holy Qur'an except the 9th begin with the formula: IN TH E NAME OF GOD, MOST GRACIOUS, MOST MERCIFUL.' The Muslim begins his every lawful act with the Holy formula. But the Christian begins: "In the name of the Father, son and holy ghost.'"(13)
Concerning Deuteronomy chapter eighteen, I have given you more than 15 reasons as to how this prophecy refers to Muhummed and NOT to Jesus.
Baptist Contradicts Jesus
In New Testament times, we find that the Jews were still
expecting the fulfilment of the prophecy of 'ONE LIKE MOSES',
refer John 1:19-25. When Jesus claimed to be the Messiah of the
Jews,the Jews began to enquire as to where was Elias? The Jews
had a parallel prophecy that before the coming of the Messiah,
Elias must come first in his second coming. Jesus confirms this
Jewish belief:
".......ELIAS TRULY SHALL FIRST COME, AND RESTORE ALL THINGS. BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT ELIAS IS COME ALREADY, AND THEY KNEW HIM NOT,...THEN THE DISCIPLES UNDERSTOOD THAT HE SPAKE UNTO THEM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST."(Matthew 17:11-13). According to the New Testament the Jews were not the ones to s wallow the words of any would-be Messiah. In their investigations they underwent intense difficulties in order to find their true Messiah. And this the Gospel of John confirms: "AND THIS IS THE RECORD OF JOHN,"(the Baptist) "WHEN THE JEWS SENT PRIESTS AND LEVITES FROM JERUSALEM TO ASK HIM, WHO ART THOU? AND HE CONFESSED AND DENIED NOT; BUT CONFESSED, I AM NOT THE CHRIST." (This was only natural because there can't be two Messiahs (14) at the same time. If Jesus was the Christ then John couldn't be the Christ!) "AND THEY ASKED HIM, WHAT THEN? ART THOU ELIAS? AND HE SAITH, I AM NOT." (Here Joh n the Baptist contradicts Jesus! Jesus says that John is "Elias" and John denies that he is what Jesus ascribes him to be. One of the TWO (Jesus or John), God forbid!, is difinitely not speaking the TRUTH! On the testimony of Jesus himself, John the Baptist was the greatest of the Israelite prophet s:"VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, AMOUNG THEM THAT ARE BORN OF WOMEN THERE HAS NOT RISENA GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST:... (Matthew 11:11).
We Muslims know John the Baptist as Hazrut YAHYAA Alai-his-salaam (peace be upon him). We revere him as a true prophet of Allah. The Holy Prophet Jesus known to us as Hazrut ISAA Alai-his-salaam (peace be upon him), is also esteemed as one of the mightiest messenger of the Almighty. How can we Musl ims impute lies to either of them? We leave this problem between Jesus and John for the Christians to solve, for their "sacred scriptures abound in discrepancies which they have been glossing over as the "dark sayings of Jesus"(15). We Muslims are really interested in the last questions posed to Jo hn the Baptist by the Jewish elite- "ART THOU THAT PROPHET? AND HE ANSWERED, NO."(John 1:21)
Three Questions!
Please note that three different and distinct questions were
posed to John the Baptist and to which he gave three emphatic
"NO'S" as answers. To recapitulate:-
1) ART THOU THE CHRIST?
2) ART THOU ELIAS?
3) ART THOU THAT PROPHET?
But the learned men of Christendom somehow only see two questions implied here. To make doubly clear that the Jews definitely had T-H-R-E-E separate prophecies in their minds when they were interogating John the Baptist, let us read the remonstrance of the Jews in the verses following:
"AND THEY ASKED HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, WHEY BAPTIZEST
THOU THEN, IF THOU BE
a) NOT THAT CHRIST,
b) NOR ELIAS,
c) NEITHER THAT PROPHET?"
(John 1:25)
The Jews were waiting for the fulfilment of THREE distinct prophecies: One, the coming of CHRIST. Two the coming of ELIAS, and Three, the coming of THAT PROPHET.
"That Prophet"
If we look up any Bible which has a concordance or
cross-references, the we will find in the marginal note where the
words "the Prophet", or "that Prophet" occur
in John 1:25, that these words refer to the prophecy of
Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18. And that 'that prophet' - 'the prophet
like Moses' - "L IKE UNTO THEE", we have proved through
overwhelming evidence that he was MUHUMMED and not Jesus!
We Muslims are not denying that Jesus was the "Messiah", which word is translated as "Christ".(16) We are not contesting the "thousand and one prophecies" which the Christians claim abound in the Old Testament foretelling the coming of the Messiah. What we say is that Deuteronomy 18:18 does NOT ref er to Jesus Christ but it is an explicit prophecy about the Holy Prophet MUHUMMED!"
The dominee, very politely parted with me by saying that it was a very interesting discussion and he would like me very much to come one day and address his congregation on the subject. A decade and half has passed since then but I am still awaiting that privilege.
I believe the dominee was sincere when he made the offer, but prejudices die hard and who would like to loose his sheep?
The Acid Test
To the lambs of Christ I say, why not apply that acid test which
the Master himself wanted you to apply to any would be claimant
to prophethood? He had said: "BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW
THEM. DO MEN GATHER GRAPES FROM THE THORNS, OR FIGS FROM THE
THISTLES? EVERY GOOD TREE WILL BEAR GOOD FRUIT AN D EVERY EVIL
TREE WILL BEAR EVIL FRUIT....BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM.
(Matthew 7:16-20).
Why are you afraid to apply this test to the teachings of Muhummed? You will find in the Last Testament of God - the Holy Qur'an - the true fulfilment of the teachings of Moses and Jesus which will bring to the world the much-needed peace and happiness. "IF A MAN LIKE MOHAMED WERE TO ASSUME THE DIC TATORSHIP OF THE MODERN WORLD, HE WOULD SUCCEED IN SOLVING ITS PROBLEMS THAT WOULD BRING IT THE MUCH NEEDED PEACE AND HAPPINESS."(George Bernard Shaw)
The Greatest!
The Weekly Newsmagazine "TIME" dated July 15, 1974,
carried a selection of opinions by various historians, writers,
military men, businessmen and others on the subject: "Who
Were History's Great Leaders?" Some said that it was Hitler;
others said-Gandhi, Buddha, Lincoln and the like. But Jules Mass
erman, a United States psychoanalyst put the standards straight
by giving the correct criteria wherewith to judge. He said:
"LEADERS MUST FULFIL THREE FUNCTIONS:-
(1) Provide for the well-being of the led,
(2) Provide a social organization in which people feel relatively
secure
and
(3) Provide them with one set of beliefs."
With the above three criteria he searches history and analyses - Hitler, Pasteur, Gaesar, Moses, Confucius and the lot, and ultimately concludes:
"PEOPLE LIKE PASTEUR AND SALK ARE LEADERS IN THE FIRST SENSE. PEOPLE LIKE GANDHI AND CONFUCIUS, ON ONE HAND, AND ALEXANDER, CAESAR AND HITLER ON THE OTHER, ARE LEADERS IN THE SECOND AND PERHAPS THE THIRD SENSE. JESUS AND BUDDHA BELONG IN THE THIRD CATEGORY ALONE. PERHAPS THE GREATEST LEADER OF ALL TIMES WAS MOHAMMED, WHO COMBINED ALL THREE FUNCTIONS. To a lesser degree, MOSES DID THE SAME."
According to the objective standards set by the Professor of the Chicago University, whome I believe to be Jewish, - JESUS and BUDDHA are now - here in the picture of the "Great Leaders of Mankind", but by a queer coincidence groups Moses and Muhummed together thus adding further weight to the argu ment that JESUS is not like MOSES, but MUHUMMED is like MOSES: Deut.18:18 "LIKE UNTO THEE" - Like MOSES!
In conclusion, I end with a quotation of a Christian Reverend the commentator of the Bible, followed by that of his Master:
"THE ULTIMATE CRITERION OF A TRUE PROPHET IS THE MORAL CHARACTER OF HIS TEACHING."(Prof.Dummelow.)
"BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM." (Jesus Christ)
A concluding suggestion : Come let us reason together !
SAY:"O PEOPLE OF THE BOOK!
COME TO COMMON TERMS AS BETWEEN US AND YOU:
THAT WE WORSHIP NONE BUT GOD;
THAT WE ASSOCIATE NO PARTNERS WITH HIM;
THAT WE ERECT NOT, FROM AMONG OURSELVES,
LORDS AND PATRONS OTHER THAN GOD."
IF THEN THEY TURN BACK,
SAY:"BEAR WITNESS THAT WE (AT LEAST)
ARE MUSLIMS (BOWING TO GOD'S WILL)."
(Holy Qur'an 3:64)
"PEOPLE OF THE BOOK" is the respectful title given to the Jews and the Christians in the Holy Qur'an. The Muslims is here commanded to invite - "O People of the Book!" - O Learned People! O People who claim to be the recipients of Divine Revelation, of a Holy Scripture; let us gather together onto a common platform - "that we worship none but God", because none but God is worthy of worship, not because "THE LORD THY GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME."(Exodus 20:25). But because He is ou r Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy of all praise, prayer and devotion.
In the abstract the Jews and the Christians would agree to all the three propositions contained in this Qur'anic verse. In practice they fail. Apart from doctrinal lapses from the unity of the One True God, (ALLAH_ Subha-nahu wa ta-ala) there is the question of a consecrated Priesthood (among the J ews it was hereditary also), as if a mere human being - Cohe or Pope, or Priest, or Brahuman, - could claim superiority apart from his learning and the purity of his life, or could stand between man and God in some special sense. ISLAM DOES NOT RECOGNISE PRIESTHOOD!
The Creed of Islam is given to us here in a nutshell from Holy Qur'an:
Say ye: "We believe in Allah,
And the revelation given to us,
And to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac,
Jacob, and the Tribes,
And that given to Moses and Jesus
And that given to (all)
Prophets from their Lord:
We make no difference
Between one and another of them:
And we bow to Allah (in Islam)."
(Holy Qur'an 2:136).
The Muslim position is clear. The Muslim does not claim to have a religion peculiar to himself. Islam is not a sect or an ethnic religion. In its view all Religion is one, for the Truth is one. IT WAS THE SAME RELIGION PREACHED BY ALL THE EARLIER PROPHETS. (Holy Qur'an 42:13). It was the truth taug ht by all the inspired Books. In essence it amounts to a consciousness of the Will and Plan of God and a joyful submission to that Will and Plan. IF ANYONE WANTS A RELIGION OTHER THAN THAT, HE IS FALSE TO HIS OWN NATURE, AS HE IS FALSE TO GOD'S WILL AND PLAN. Such a one cannot expect guidance, for he has deliberately renounced guidance.
NOTES
(1) This refers to Moses. See Yusuf Ali's commentaries Nos.
4783/4 to this verse.
(2) Christian exegesists give progressive numerical values by sixes, to the English alphabet and add up to get the total 666. i.e.A=6,B=12,C=18, D=24 and so on. Progression by 6's because the number of the Beast in the Bible is "666". Try it for Dr.Kissinger.
(3) The writer has just delivered another talk in the City Hall, Durban on the 10th December, 1975 on the subject "Muhummed the Greatest".
(4) "Dominee" is the Afrikaans equivalent of priest, parson and predikant.
(5) One of the Provinces of the Republic of South Africa.
(6) The word "Messiah" comes from the Arabic and Hebrew word masaha which means to rub, to massage, to annoint. The religious significance is "the one who is anointed' - priests and kings were anointed in consecration to their offices. Messiah translated Christ does not mean God. Even the heathen C yrus is called "Christ" in the Bible, (Isaiah 45:1)
(7) Muhummed is mentioned by name in the Song of Solomn 5:16. The Hebrew word used there is Muhammuddim. The end letters IM is plural of respect majesty and grandeur. Minus "im" the name would be Muhamudd translated as "altogether lovely" in the Authorised Version of the Bible or 'The Praised One' 'the one worthy of Praise' i.e. MUHUMMED!
(8) If this lecture is translated into any language, please change the Afrikaans words into the local dialect; and do not try a free hand translation of the Biblical quotation. Obtain a Bible in the language in which translation is being made and transcribe exactly as the words occur in that Bible.
(9) Please open the Holy Qur'an 3:42 and 19:16 where the birth of Jesus is spoken about; read it with the commentry, note the high position which Jesus and his mother occupy in Islam.
(10) Write for "Was Christ Crucified?" by the writer, free on request.
(11) According to the Bible Abraham's name was Abram before it was changed by God to Abraham.
(12) There are today Arabic Bibles in Fourteen different scripts and dialects for the Arabs alone. See "The Gospels in many tongues", obtainable from the Bible Society.
(13) The Christian theologians are ignorant of even the "name of God. Because "God" is not a name, and "Father" is also not a name. What's his name? See "Muhummed-the Natural Successor to Christ", by the author, available free.
(14) The Jews were expecting a single Messiah not two.
(15) See the "TIMES" Magazine December 30th, 1974, article "How true is the Bible?" And write for your free copy of "50,000 Errors in the Bible? a reproduction from the Christian Magazine "AWAKE!" September 8, 1957.
(15) How the word Messiah was transmuted to Christ? Write for booklet above, reference 13.
END OF LECTURE
NOW :
Don't you think you need to read more about Islam and
Christianity? To that end, The following literature is available
FREE on request:
|) what the Bible says about Mohammed.
2) what was the sign of Jonah?
3) who moved the stone?
4) resurrection or resuscitation?
5) is the Bible God's word?
6) what is His name?
7) the God that never was.
8) Islam's answer to the racial problem.
9) Christ in Islam.
10) crucifixion or crucifiction?
11) the Muslim at prayer.
12) Mohammed-the prophet of Islam.
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