Question
09: What evidence proves that Jesus was not a God, but only a
messenger from God?
Answer
09: Jesus Christ (pbuh),
following both the Gospels and the Qur’an, was born of the virgin Mary, who was
just like any other human being. It is
common knowledge that whoever is born cannot be deified. Jesus Christ was a human being who used to
eat and drink just like anybody else. He
was susceptible to hunger, grief and/or merriment. He experienced all the paraphernalia
pertaining to human life. His miraculous
creation from no father is no stranger than that of Adam, a being who was both
fatherless and motherless. This is an
evidence of God’s omnipotence. Jesus
Christ was no more than a servant to, and messenger of God, who revealed the
scripture in order to promulgate it and carry out His call. On the day of judgement Jesus Christ is not
to be judged because of those who deified him in exclusion of God or thought of
him as parallel. In the Qur’an we have a
mentioning of this, where in the hereafter God will ask Jesus if he had asked his
followers to deify him, whereby Jesus will answer God by saying: “If you punish
them, they are your slaves, and if you forgive them, verily, you, only you, are
the all-Mighty, the all-Wise” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 118). Here is one more reply to the one who seeks
an evidence as to the deification of Jesus Christ, while he has none of the
qualities of God. Whatever miracles he
performed emanated from God, just as He supported other prophets.
Question
10: In what way was Jesus Christ a Muslim, as well as all the
other prophets?
Answer
10: There is no doubt that all prophets (peace be upon them),
beginning with Adam and ending in Muhammad, preached one religion—the worship
of God alone and disregarding all other powers.
This is something advocated by Islam. God says: “Truly, the true religion with God
is Islam” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 19). About
Abraham (pbuh), God says: “Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but was a
true Muslim (hanif: monotheist—a worshipper one God alone) and he was
not a mushrik—a polytheist” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 67). On the question of the disciples of Jesus,
God says: “And when I (God) inspired al-hawariun (the disciples of
Jesus) to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: ‘We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims’.” (Holy
Qur’an: 5: 111). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
confirmed this in his saying: “Prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers
are different, but their religion is one.”[1]
Question 11:
If people have managed to distort the message of Christ, is not this
sufficient evidence that he failed in his mission? If he was great, how could God allow his call
to peter out into failure?
Answer
11: Christ (pbuh)
cannot be said to have failed in his mission.
God supported him with astounding miracle and convincing arguments. Whatever distortion has befallen the
scripture preached by Christ, it must have happened after his ascention to
heaven. Failure and disintegration are
the works of the followes who fell a prey to whims and caprice. In this connection God says:
[And
(remember) when God will say (on the day of reurrection): ‘O Jesus, son of
Mary! Did you say unto men: ‘worship me
and my mother as two gods besides God?’ He will say: ‘Glory is to You! It is not for me to say what I had no right
(to say). Had I said such a thing, You
would surely, have know it. You know
what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly You, only
You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and seen). Never did I say to them aught except what You
(God) did command me to say: worship God my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt
amongst them, but when you took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You
are a Witness to all things’.”] (Holy Qur’an: 5: 116-117)
Question 12:
Seeing that God’s message to humanity is one and the same, why was it
partitioned among more than one prophet and not revealed in one package?
Answer
12: The message entrusted to all prophets is one and the same. It finds expression in a call for the worship
of the one God and the avoidance of false dieties, God says: “And verily, we
have sent among every ummah (community/nation) a messenger
(proclaiming): ‘Worship God (alone), and avoid taghut (all false
deities)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 16: 36). God
almighty also said: “And We did not send any messenger before you (Muhammad)
but We revealed to him (saying): ‘None has the right to be worshipped but I
(God), so worship Me (alone and none else)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 21: 25). As for the multiplicity of the prophets, it
has been caused by various motives:
1. So that people in any age
may not have the pretext as to have been ignorant of God’s commandments. God says: “Messengers as bearers of good news
as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against God
after the (coming of) messengers.” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 165).
2. Specifying individual laws
for each nation which shall conform to its nature and circumstances. God says: “…To each among you, We have
prescribed a law and a clear way…” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 48).
3. The differences among
languages and their multiplicity, required entrusting more than one
prophet/messenger, each speaks the language of a certain nation. This is obvious in the Almighty’s words: “And
We sent not a messenger except with the language of his people in order that he
make (the message) clear for them” (Holy Qur’an: 14: 4).
Question
13: Is the Muslim entitled to blend his/her
faith with other faiths or creeds?
Answer
13: In no way should a Mulslim adopt other creeds or principles which
conflict with the fundamentals underlying the Islamic doctrine. Monotheism runs counter to polytheism, nor
does sunna (prophet’s words and deeds) agrees with innovations. Likewise, the love of God is incompatiable
with the love of some other power, etc.
Question 14:
Why were the first batch of prophets sent to certain geographical areas and
not others? How can we judge those areas
which received no prophets? Why were
they left without the word of God?
Answer
14: Judging by the accounts given by the prophet’s hadiths
(sayings) God sent to various folks 124,000 prophets, while God’s messengers
numbered 314.[2] Such a large number of prophets and
messengers prove that not one nation or area went without one (or some). In this regard God almighty says: “…And there never was a nation
but a warner had passed among them” (Holy Qur’an: 35: 24). And again, He also says: “And
verily, we have sent among every ummah (community/nation) a messenger
(proclaiming): ‘Worship God (alone), and avoid taghut (all false
deities)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 16: 36).
Question 15:
Why should Muhammad (pbuh) be considered the last prophet while Jesus Christ
will reappear?
Answer 15: Muhammad (pbuh) is actually the
last of all prophets, according to what he siad. The descent of Jesus Christ (pbuh) from
heaven is not a new mission. It is a
return whose aim is to reinforce Islam and its shari’a (Islamic laws and
rules) our propeht called for, and the last celestial techings. This is clear in his words: “The coming of
Jesus is imminent. He will come as a
just ruler, destroy the cross, and nullify the poll tax. There would be so much money that no one
would accept charity.”[3] In another long hadith, he says: “…He
(Jesus Christ) will call peope to Islam and God would abolish all religions
leaving Islam alone.”[4]
It
is quite obvious from the above evidences that whatever Jesus Christ preaches
is nothing but Islam and the law of Muhammad (peace be upon them both). He will even pray behind a Muslim. The prophet says: “How will you be when the
son of Mary (Jesus Christ) descends among you, while you are praying behind an imam
(a prayer leader) from among you?”[5]
Muslim
scholars referred to the return of Jesus Christ (pbuh) at the end of time. They mentioned that his return will be
especially significant to:
1.
Empashize the facts of Islam as preached by prophet Muhammad (pbuh);
2.
Reply to the claims of the Jews and the Christians as to his death,
crucifixion.;
3. His return indicates the
approach of the end of his life and his his burial.
4.
The prophet’s report about Jesus Christ must be the truth, because it is
something that had been revealed to him from God.
Question 16: How can you claim that Jesus did not die while his death is
actually mentioned in Surrat Al-Imraan (Chapter 3 of the Holy Qur’an)?
Answer
16: No verse in the Qur’an relates the death of Jesus Christ (pbuh). The term used in the chapter ‘wafaat‘
does not refer to death as much as it refers to departure from earthly
existence. His appointed time on earth
had elapsed. Accordingly, God says: “And (remember ) when God said:
‘O Jesus! I will take you and raise you
to Myself and clear you of those who disbelieve…’.” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 55). This can be paraphrased thus: I have teken
you body and soul. The term wafaat can also be used to indicate
sleep. God says: “It is He who takes
your sould by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you
have done by day…” (Holy Qur’an: 6: 60).
Contrary to what the Chrstians
claim, the Qur’an confirms that Jesus Christ (pbuh) was not killed. God raised him up to Himself: “…For Surely,
they killed him (Jesus) not. But God
raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself…” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 157-158). The truth of the matter is that Jesus was
ascended alive and will come back alive.
Question 17: How can you prove that Jesus
Christ was not crucified?
Answer 17: This question can be answered
from different angles:
1. There are many ambiguities
surrounding the issue of Christ’s crucifixion in the canonical Gospels. How was the Crucifixion carried out? For how long did Jesus hung on the
cross? What are the precise dates? Who carried the cross? What was his prayer while he was on the
cross? How do you explain his cry of
despair? Who were the witnesses? What happened after the crucifixion? There is no consensus on these
questions. So much of the crucifixion
story is based on mere conjecture.
2. The issue of crucifixion is
based on the belief in the original sin and redemption by blood. This issue contradicts common sense, and it
is irreconcilable with God’s justice and mercy.
How can the innocents be held accountable for the actions of the guilty?
3. Finally, the Qur’an has
unambiguously refuted the Bible’s crucifixion story. God says: “…They killed him not, nor crucified
him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man, and those who
differ therein are full of doubts. They
have no knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him (Jesus) not. But God raised him up (with his body and
soul) unto Himself. And God is ever
all-powerful, all wise” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 157-158).
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