Jesus in the Glorious Qur'an ------ The True Message of Jesus Christ

Fri Jul 23 18:14:08 EDT 2010

Jesus in the Glorious Qur'an ------ The True Message of Jesus Christ

The Qur’an tells us a lot of wonderful things about Jesus. As a
result, believers in the Qur’an love Jesus, honour him, and believe in
him. In fact, no Muslim can be a Muslim unless he or she believes in
Jesus, on whom be peace.

The Qur’an says that Jesus was born of a virgin, that he spoke while
he was still only a baby, that he healed the blind and the leper by
God’s leave, and that he raised the dead by God’s leave.

What then is the significance of these miracles? First, the virgin
birth. God demonstrates his power to create in every way. God created
everyone we know from a man and a woman. But how about Adam, on whom
be peace? God created him from neither a man nor a woman. And Eve from
only a man, but not a woman. And, finally, to complete the picture,
God created Jesus from a woman, but not a man.

What about the other miracles? These were to show that Jesus was not
acting on his own behalf, but that he was backed by God. The Qur’an
specifies that these miracles were performed by God’s leave. This may
be compared to the Book of Acts in the Bible, chapter 2, verse 22,
where it says that the miracles were done by God to show that he
approved of Jesus. Also, note that Jesus himself is recorded in the
Gospel of John to have said, “I can do nothing of my own
authority” (5:30). The miracles, therefore, were done not by his own
authority, but by God’s authority.

What did Jesus teach? The Qur’an tells us that Jesus came to teach the
same basic message which was taught by previous prophets from God—that
we must shun every false god and worship only the one true God. Jesus
taught that he is the servant and messenger of that one true God, the
God of Abraham. These Quranic teachings can be compared with the Bible
( Mark 10:18; Matthew 26:39; John 14:28, 17:3, and 20:17) where Jesus
teaches that the one he worshipped is the only true God. See also
Matthew 12:18; Acts 3:13, and 4:27 where we find that his disciples
knew him as Servant of God.

The Qur’an tells us that some of the Israelites rejected Jesus, and
conspired to kill him, but Allah (God) rescued Jesus and raised him to
Himself. Allah will cause Jesus to descend again, at which time Jesus
will confirm his true teachings and everyone will believe in him as he
is and as the Qur’an teaches about him.

Jesus is the Messiah. He is a word from Allah, and a spirit from Him.
He is honoured in this world and in the hereafter, and he is one of
those brought nearest to Allah.

Jesus was a man who spoke the truth which he heard from God. This can
be compared with the Gospel According to John where Jesus says to the
Israelites: “You are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the
truth that I heard from God” (John 8:40).

The Virgin Birth of Jesus
Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. When the angels
announced to Mary (peace be upon her) about Allah’s promise that she
will have a son, she was surprised, since she was a virgin. “How can
this be?” she thought. She was reminded that it is easy for Allah to
create whatever he wills.

She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched
me? He said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He
decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is (Qur’an 3:47).

It is not difficult for Allah to do anything he wants. He can create a
child with both human parents or only one. No miracle is beyond His
power. After all, He had created Adam (peace be upon him) from neither
a man nor a woman. He created the rest of us from both man and woman.
What is so hard if Allah decides to create a human being from a woman
only? He only commands “Be!” and it occurs.

Some people think that since Jesus, peace be upon him, had no human
father then God must be his father. The Qur’an rejects this view. The
position of Jesus with Allah is comparable to the position of Adam
with Allah. Just because Adam had no human parent does not mean we
should call him the Son of God.

Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He
created him from dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is. (Qur’an
3:59).

According to the Qur’an, everyone except Allah are His servants.

And they say: the Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a Son. Assuredly
ye utter a disastrous thing, whereby almost the heavens are torn, and
the earth is split asunder and the mountains fall to ruins, that ye
ascribe to the Beneficent a son, when it is not meet for (the Majesty
of) the Beneficent that He should chose a son. There is none in the
heavens and the earth but cometh unto the Beneficent as a slave.
(Qur’an 19:88-93)

The Miracles of Jesus
According to the Qur’an, Jesus, on whom be peace, performed the
following miracles by Allah’s leave:

1. Spoke while he was only a baby.
2. Healed those born blind.
3. Healed the lepers.
4. Revived the dead.
5. Breathed life into a bird made of clay.

In the Qur’an Allah quotes Jesus, peace be upon him, as saying:

Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you
out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a
bird by Allah’s leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper,
and I raise the dead, by Allah’s leave. And I announce to you what you
eat and what you store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a
portent for you if you are to be believers.
And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to
make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you
with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight
path. (Qur’an 3: 49-51).

Again, in the Qur’an Allah tells us about the situation on the Day of
Judgement:

In the day when Allah gathers together the messengers and says: What
was your response (from mankind)? they say: We have no knowledge. Lo!
Thou, only Thou art the Knower of Things Hidden.
When Allah says: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour unto you and
unto your mother; how I strengthened you with the holy Spirit, so that
you spoke unto mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught
you the ******ure and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how you
did shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission,
and did blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and you did
heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission . . .
(Qur’an 5:109-110)

Not all of these miracles are recorded in the canonical gospels, the
four gospels contained in the Christian Bible.

The fact that Jesus spoke while he was yet a baby is not written
anywhere in the Bible. This should not be surprising, because none of
the Gospels can claim to recover every single event in the life of
Jesus. Instead, the gospel According to John seeks to emphasize that
the events were too many to record.

Similarly, the miracle of breathing life into a bird made of clay is
not attested by the Christian Bible. This too should not make us
wonder. It is obvious that the writers of the gospels could write down
only the tradition that was available to them. Furthermore, they could
not write down everything they knew about Jesus for they were writing
on papyrus material that were very limited in length.

What is worthy to notice here is that the Prophet Muhammad, may peace
and the blessings of Allah be upon him, was honest enough to
promulgate this information about Jesus. The religion taught by God
through Muhammad would deny the divinity of Jesus. Any human being,
therefore, who wished to deny the divinity of Jesus would have tried
to belittle Jesus. Since Christians looked upon the miracles of Jesus
as a proof of his divinity, we might expect that any human being who
tries to deny the divinity of Jesus would not have informed people of
miracles not previously known to them. He might have even tried to
deny some of the miracles recorded in the canonical gospels. On the
other hand, the prophet Muhammad honestly conveyed the message
delivered to him from Allah. (May the peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him.)

Allah tells us the truth without fear. Human beings trying to win
followers tell us only what is conducive to winning us over. They
usually withhold information that could lead to opposite conclusions.
On the other hand, Allah informs us about the miracles of Jesus even
if people use this information to support their prior commitment to
the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus. Allah does not need to win
worshippers. Those who worship Allah does so for their own good. And
those who worship false gods do so to their own detriment.

What Allah emphasizes, though, is that the miracles of Jesus do not
prove he was divine. The miracles he performed were a sign, a proof,
that he was God’s messenger. He performed them with God’s help and
permission. Those who use his miracles as proof of his divinity would
choose to forget the following sayings of Jesus:

I can of my own authority do nothing. (John 5:30)

They also forget the declaration of Peter:

Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and
wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye
yourselves know. (Acts 2:22 KJV).

These passages suggest that Jesus did not do miracles on his own.
These, rather were accomplished by God’s leave. Allah reminds us of
this. Jesus also constantly repeated to his audience that the miracles
he performed were by God’s leave.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The True Message of Jesus Christ
بســم الله الرحمن الرحيم

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

The True Message of Jesus Christ

Auther: Dr. Bilal Philips

*******:

Introduction

Chapter One: The ******ures

Authentic Manu******s

Contradictions

Chapter Two: The Person

A Man

"Evidence"For Jesus Divinity

Chapter Three: The Message

Chapter Four: The Way

Conclusion

Bibliography

CHAPTER TWO: JESUS, THE PERSON

As has been shown in the previous chapter, the Biblical ******ures,
both New and Old Testaments, are unreliable sources and cannot,
therefore, be used as an authentic means of knowing the truth about
the man called Jesus Christ or about his mission and message. However,
a close examination of these ******ures in the light of Qur’aanic
verses will reveal some of the truths about Jesus that have survived
in the Bible.

A Messenger

Throughout the Qur‘aan, Jesus is identified fundamentally as a
Messenger of God. In Chapter as-Saff (61):6, God quotes Jesus as
follows:

{ وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَابِنِي إِسْرآئِيلَ إِنِّي
رَسُولُ اللهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ
التَّوْراةِ }

“And [remember] when Jesus, son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel,
I am the messenger of Allaah sent to you, confirming the Torah [which
came] before me.”

There are many verses in the New Testament supporting the
messengership / prophethood of Jesus. The following are only a few: In
Matthew 21:11, the people of his time are recorded as referring to
Jesus as a prophet: “And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus
of Nazareth of Galilee.’ ” In Mark, 6:4, it is stated that Jesus
referred to himself as a prophet: “And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet
is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his own
kin, and in his own house.’ ” In the following verses, Jesus is
referred to as having been sent as a messenger is sent. In Matthew
10:40, Jesus was purported to have said: “He that receiveth you
receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” In
John 17:3, Jesus is also quoted as saying: “And this is life eternal,
that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent.” [1]

====================

A Man

The Qur’aanic revelation not only affirms Jesus’ prophethood, but it
also clearly denies Jesus’ divinity. In Chapter al-Maa’idah, (5): 75,
God points out that Jesus ate food, which is a human act, obviously
not befitting to God.

{ مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ
قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ
انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ اْلآيَاتِ تُمَّ انْظُرْ أَنَّى
يُؤْفَكُونَ}

“The Messiah, Son of Mary, was no more than a messenger and many
messengers passed away before him. His mother was exceedingly
truthful, and they both ate food. See how I have made the signs clear
for them, yet see how they are deluded.”

There are numerous accounts in the New Testament which also deny
Jesus’ divinity.

For example, in Matthew 19:17, Jesus responded to one who addressed
him as “O good master”, saying: “Why callest thou me good? There is
none good but one, that is God.” If he rejected being called “good”,
[2] and stated that only God is truly good, he clearly implies that he
is not God.

In John 14:28, Jesus was saying: “The Father is greater than I.” By
stating that the “Father” is greater than himself, Jesus distinguishes
himself from God. Also in John 20:17, Jesus told Mary Magdalene to
tell his followers: “I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to
my God and your God.” Jesus’ reference to God as “my Father and your
Father” further emphasizes the distinction between himself and God.
Furthermore, by referring to God as “his God”, he left no room for
anyone to intelligently claim that he was God.

Even in some of the writings of Paul, which the Church has taken to be
sacred, Jesus is referred to as a “man”, distinct and different from
God. In 1st Timothy, 2:5, Paul writes: “For there is one God, and one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

There are also verses in the Qur‘aan which confirm Prophet Muhammad’s
humanity, in order to prevent his followers from elevating him to a
divine or semi-divine status, as was done to Prophet Jesus. For
example, in Chapter al-Kahf (18):110, Allaah instructs the Prophet
Muhammad (e) to inform all who hear his message:

{ قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَاْ بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَا
إلَـهُكُمْ إِلهٌ وَاحِدٌ }

“Say: ‘Indeed, I am only a man like you to whom it has been revealed
that your God is only one God.’ ”

In Chapter al-A‘raaf (7):187, Allaah also directed Prophet Muhammad
(e) to acknowledge that the time of the Judgement is known only to
God.

{يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ السَّاعَةِ أَيَّانَ مُرْسَاهَا قُلْ إِنَّمَا
عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبَّي لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ }

“They ask you about the Final Hour: 'When will its apointed time be?’
Say: ‘Knowledge of it is with my Lord. None can reveal its time
besides Him.’ ”

In the Gospel according to Mark 13:31-32, Jesus is also reported to
have denied having knowledge of when the final hour of this world
would be, saying: “Heaven and the earth shall pass away but my word
shall not pass away, but of that day or hour no man knoweth, neither
the angels in the heaven nor the Son but the Father.” One of the
attributes of God is omniscience, knowledge of all things. Therefore,
his denial of knowledge of the Day of Judgement is also a denial of
divinity, for one who does not know the time of the final hour cannot
possibly be God .[3]

An Immaculate Conception

The Qur‘aan confirms the Biblical story of Jesus’ virgin birth.
However, in the Qur‘aanic account of Jesus’ birth, Mary was an
unmarried maiden whose life was dedicated to the worship of God by her
mother. While she was worshipping in a place of religious seclusion,
angels came and informed her of her impending pregnancy.

{ إِذْ قَالَتِ الْملآئِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ
بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيْحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا
فِي الدُّنْيا وَ اْلآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبينَ}

“When the angels said: ‘O Mary, indeed Allaah gives you glad tidings
of a Word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus the son of
Mary. He will be honored in this world and the next and will be of
those close to Allaah.’ ” Qur’aan, (3):45

{ قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِي بَشَرٌ
قَالَ كَذَلِكِ اللهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْرًا
فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ }

“She said: ‘O my Lord, how can I have a son when no man has touched
me?’ He said: ‘Even so—Allaah creates what He wishes. When He decrees
something, He only has to say to it: “Be!” and it is.’ ” Qur’aan, (3):
47

However, the Qur’aan clarifies that Jesus’ virgin birth did not change
the state of his humanity. His creation was like the creation of
Aadam, who had neither father nor mother.

{ إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِنْدَ اللهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ
تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ }

“Surely, the example of Jesus, in Allaah’s sight, is like that of
Aadam. He created him from dust and said: ‘Be!’ and he was.” Qur’aan,
(3):59

The Miracles

The Qur‘aanic account of Jesus’ ministry confirms most[4] of his
miracles mentioned in the Bible and identifies some not mentioned in
the Bible. For example, the Qur‘aan informs that Jesus was a messenger
of God from his birth, and his first miracle was speaking as a child
in the cradle. After Mary had given birth to Jesus, people accused her
of fornication. Instead of responding to their accusations, she
pointed to her newly born child:

{ فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مِنْ كَانَ فِي
الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ
وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا}

“[When] she pointed to him, they asked, ‘How can we talk to a child in
the cradle?’ He [Jesus] said: ‘Indeed, I am a servant of Allaah. He
gave me the ******ure and made me a prophet.’ ”

Qur’aan, (19):29-30

Among his other miracles of bringing the dead back to life, healing
lepers, and making the blind see, the Qur‘aan records another miracle
not mentioned in the Bible. Prophet Jesus fashioned birds out of clay,
blew on them and they flew away, living birds. But the point which is
emphasized throughout the Qur‘aan is that whenever Jesus performed a
miracle, he informed the people that it was by God’s permission. He
made it clear to his followers that he was not doing the miracles by
himself, in the same way that the earlier Prophets made it clear to
those around them.

Unfortunately, those who claim divinity for Jesus, usually hold up his
miracles as evidence. However, other prophets were recorded to have
done the same or similar miracles in the Old Testament.

Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fishes.
Elisha fed 100 people with twenty barley loaves and a few ears of corn
(II Kings 4:44)

Jesus healed lepers.
Elisha cured Naaman the leper (II Kings 5:14).

Jesus caused the blind to see.
Elisha caused the blind to see (II Kings 6:17&20).

Jesus raised the dead.
Elijah did the same (I Kings 17:22). So did Elisha (II Kings 4:34).
Even Elisha’s bones could restore the dead (II Kings 13:21).

Jesus walked on water.
Moses and his people crossed the dead sea (Exodus 14:22).

There are also ****s in the New Testament which confirm that Jesus did
not act on his own. Jesus is quoted in John 5:30, as saying: “I can of
mine own self do nothing...” and in Luke 11:20, as saying, “But if I
with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is
come upon you.” In Acts 2:22, Paul writes: “Men of Israel, hear these
words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty
works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst,
as you yourselves know...”

Is the message of Prophet Jesus to the worlds or the children of
Israel only?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...5500 # post85500

Jesus said, "I am the way and no one up to the father except through
me"
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...2091 # post92091

The Bible itself shows a lack of Christ's crucifixion and that no one
else has the heart
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...2282 # post82282

Gospel of Judas (to prove that the heart of Jesus Christ peace be upon
him)
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14478

Do you send Christ to be crucified?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2588

Proof of the prophethood of the Prophet Jesus in the Bible
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2610

Meaning of the word "Christ"
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2607

Jesus between Islam and Christianity
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13716

Prophet Jesus peace be upon him (Abdullah) in the Qur'an and the
Bible
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10772

Paul is the invention of modern Christianity and destroyed the
original message of Christ
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...0361 # post80361

Confessions of the Christians themselves not credible Gospels
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2626

Christian scholars recognize contradictory texts in the Bible
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2625

Description of God (exalted above what they attribute) in the Bible
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2640

Muslims pray as the Prophet Jesus prayed
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2656

Muslim Peace Xlam prophet Jesus peace be upon him
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2655

Who is the "Emmanuel" (Emmanuel: God with us means) Christians believe
that Jesus Christ but it is only the name of another person, the name
of a person shows God's help us and not the fact (that God is with us
and us in the form of human being)
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2653

Who is the "Melchizedek" or the king of peace (not the prophet Jesus
given that he mentioned (the guide was born))
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2652

Is the Bible the Word of God? (Sheikh Ahmed Deedat God's mercy)
http://jamaat.net/bible/BibleIntro.html

Recognition of the founder of Christianity distorted (Paul) twisting
the Bible
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2623

Destruction of the principles and instructions of the prophet Jesus
peace be upon him Graphically
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2622

History of the foundation, "Trinity or Triangulation"
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2621

Random evidence of modern Christian thought
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2620

Prophet Jesus did not say never "was the right", he was calling to
worship God alone (according to the Bible)
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2619

Erroneous translation of the Bible word for "worship of Christ"
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2618

What the Bible says the sin of Adam?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...3994 # post83994

Who forgives sins?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2617

Lifting of the prophet Jesus does not indicate his divinity
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2616

What about the previous nations that have not contemporary with Jesus
Christ? Has not been invited to the faith and the Trinity Steel
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2615

Evidence to refute the divinity of Christ, peace be upon him
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2614

God calls Christ "Abdi (according to the Gospel)" so it is not
unreasonable to have his son and call him so
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2613

May God, "Isa (as they claim)," he prayed for himself?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2612

Code is "Da Vinci"
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15166

Discuss the idea of "text from the Bible" Itallon the divinity of
Christ
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2608

The word "father" in the Bible did not mean the real father of Christ
and the directory as stated more than one person
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2605

Miracles of the Prophet Jesus does not indicate his divinity and the
evidence that more than a prophet had miracles
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2604

Some churches believe in the Prophethood of Jesus Christ peace be upon
him
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2603

Refute the idea of the Trinity scientifically (analogy with water, ice
and steam)
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2602

Logical analysis
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2599

Discuss the idea of triangulation and the greatest sin
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2598

How the son of God? (I ask forgiveness from God)
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2589

How mixed with polytheistic religion Christianity ideas?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2586

Questions from a Christian to Sheikh Mohammed Locket
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...0169 # post80169

Answer Question: Why do Muslims hate Jesus
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16150

What Jesus said about the celebration of Christmas?
http://www.imanway.com/vb/showthread...2283 # post92283