Ancient Prophets for a Modern World - The True Story of Jesus (P)

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Ancient Prophets for a Modern World - The True Story of Jesus (P)

Ancient Prophets for a Modern World - The True Story of Jesus (P)

Author:
Publisher: www.ihic.org.au
English

The Mission of Prophet Jesus

In order for us to understand the mission of Prophet Jesus it is essential to be acquainted with the period during which Jesus was living.

Christianity has emerged from Judaism. As most of the first Christians were Jews, the rest being converts, their history is deeply rooted in Judaism. The roots of Christianity are most directly traced to the period of Hellenistic Judaism (4th century BC to the 2nd century) of the ancient Greek culture. This period was introduced with Alexander theGreat’s conquest of Palestine in 332 BC. When Alexander the Great conquered Palestine, it became a Greek state. During this period the Israelites had been inflicted with various caste and tribal differences. The Roman kings had subjugated them and their main city of Jerusalem was under the reign of the Roman government.

Hellenistic influences on Jewish culture and religion were evident by the early 2nd century BC, when Hellenizing Jews took control of the high priesthood. During this time the Syrian King Antiochus IVEpiphanes gave an edict against the practice of the Jewish religion. Hellenistic Judaism continued and reached its climax during the reign of Herod I of Judea (37 BC-AD4).

The idolatrous Roman rulers had built many temples in Palestine and created various idols.

The Israelites on the other hand, after several centuries had passed from the time of Moses, were afflicted with various superstitions, theological divisions and deviations. As gradually the spell of Hellenistic influences fell upon the priesthood, the lay scribes found themselves more and more the only guardians and exponents of the Law. The scribes and teachers of Scripture gained the title of Rabbi (‘my lord’ in Hebrew) which was meant to be a title of respect. Rabbis proved by the Law (Ex. 34:37) that oral traditions (theMishna and the Talmud which was its commentary) should be preferred to the written Law (Torah). The Rabbis had perverted the Jewish scriptures and religion had become a means of their earning. Abuse of power byRabbinical figures had reached the extreme.

According to William Durant in his Story of Civilization, the Jewish merchants dissimulated in their transactions. They then assumed that by merely offering a sacrifice or prayer, their vices were compensated. In short, the Jewish community was politically, socially and religiously in decline.

The holy Quran in variousAyaat condemns theRabbinic perversion of the Mosaic Law. InSurah al-Baqarah the Almighty God reveals:

“Then Woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say this is from Allah, to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn.” [2:79]

It was under such circumstances that the Almighty Allah sent Prophet Jesus to the Children of Israel to confirm the Torah and to bring the lost sheep of Israel to the Right Path. “And when Jesus, son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Torah which came before me…” [61:6]

The following are the main themes of Jesus` mission as described in the holy Quran.

1. Monotheism

Like all other prophets, Jesus began his mission by preaching the unity of God. His first address to the Israelites was, “Truly Allah is my Lord and your Lord so worship Him alone. This is the straight path.” [3:51]

Neither Jesus nor any other Messenger of God had ever called to the worship of other than Almighty Allah. Jesus never called himself "God" or "son of God".

As already noted, the first Christians were Jews, so they worshipped only God. As long as Jesus lived with his community he made sure no one ever believed in his deity. The holy Quran quoting from Jesus states: “Never did I say to them aught except whatYou (Allah) did command me to say: Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but whenYou took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things.” [5:117]

2. Acknowledging the Torah

Jesus in his teachings confirmed the Torah of Moses. The holy Quran quoting from Jesus states: “I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Torah which came before me…” [61:6]

Prophet Jesus did not come to abolish the Torah, in all his teachings he acknowledged it although he did correct the perversions being taught by the rabbis. Nonetheless he made some minor abrogation to the law of Torah and accomplished some of its teachings.

St. Paul; the author of several Epistles in the New Testament, allegedly claimed in his letter to Ephesians [2:14-15] that Jesus had abolished the Law with all its commandments and regulations. Matthew in his Gospel narrated from Jesus quite the contrary: “Do not suppose that I came to annul the Law of the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to complete them; for I assure you, while heaven and earth endure not one iota or one projection of a letter will be dropped from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever, therefore, abolishes the least significant of these commands and so teaches the people, he shall be of least significance in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever shall observe and teach them shall be prominent in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteous surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not at all enter into the kingdom of heaven.” [Matt. 5:17-20]

It is worth mentioning that Paul, although a high-ranking Jew who referred to himself as "Hebrew of the Hebrews" from the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1,2 ; 2 Corinthians 11:22; Phil.3:5) became greatly influenced by Greek teachings and his work appears to have been largely among the Ephesians and other peoples who were Greek, whereas Matthew and those for whom he had written his Gospel were Jewish Christians.

Contrary to the Jews, the Greeks were not committed to the Jewish Law. Thus, it is quite possible that each one of the authors have compiled their works according to the interests of their readers. Thus, there are elements of exaggeration in both the records. Jesus did not thoroughly abolish the Law nor did he say that even one letter should not be dropped from it.

Religion is a set of divine guidelines for prosperity of mankind both in here and in hereafter. A religion without do`s and don’ts is no more than a deceit and in practice leads to atheism. Ironically the analogy of Paul for abolishing the Law was “to break down the barrier that separated Jews and Gentiles.” [Ephesians 2:14] He further argues that in doing so, Jesus had united the two sects! Imagine how cool it sounded to a community with an atheist background that a Prophet invites them to a religion where there are no obligations. Uniting the Jews and the Gentiles (non-Jews) by abolishing the Law was, in essence, an invitation to unite all under atheism!

The mission of every Prophet was to accomplish the teachings of the previous prophets on the one hand, and to abrogate some of the laws that the Almighty God had temporarily decreed on the other. Thus, Matthew also has exaggerated by claiming that Jesus did not even change a letter of the Law. As we shall read in the next paragraph, whilst Jesus confirmed the Torah in general, he also abrogated some of the Jewish law.

3. Removing some of the forbidden acts

One of the missions of Prophet Jesus was to remove some of the difficult statutes that the Almighty God had temporarily made obligatory upon the Israelites. Those obligations had been put upon the Israelites due to their oppression and sinful deeds. When the right time arrived the Merciful God dispatched Jesus to remove those difficult obligations. According to the holy Quran, Jesus declared “And to make lawful to you part of (not all of) what was forbidden to you.” [3:50]

One of the missions of the lawmaking prophets was to abrogate some of the temporary laws as decreed by the Almighty God. For instance, at the time of Moses God had forbidden the consumption of some foods. The holy Quran with reference to this states, “And unto those who are Jews, We forbade every (animal) with undivided hooves, and We forbade them the fat of the ox and the sheep except what adheres to their back or their entrails, or is mixed up with the bone.” [6:146]A similar rule is mentioned in chapter 11 of the book of Leviticus in the Old Testament. Thus, eating the flesh of horse and camel was forbidden for the Jews. This rule was rather a punishment for their sins. The Quran says, “We recompense them for their rebellion and verilyWe are truthful.” [6:146]

Unfortunately, at present the erroneous Christian dogma, which follows the perverted teachings of St Paul, assumes that the main reason why Jesus came was to free his believers from all religious law. Jesus, they claim, gave his life as a ransom for many (Matt.20:28-Mark 10:45) and has thus "fulfilled" the law.

It is with this justification that Christians do not commit themselves to any jurisprudential rules of the Old Testament. They called their Scripture ‘New Testament’ to indicate that it is a new version of the Old Testament. And we note that although consumption of the flesh of swine is clearly forbidden in the Old Testament (Leviticus 11:7-8, Isaiah 65:2-4), the Christians relentlessly consume it. They further argue that these are civil laws and mere rituals and the ministry of Jesus was not on earth. Therefore, Mark allegedly quotes from Jesus that he declared all food clean for the purpose of returning the emphasis of the true holiness to the heart. (Mark 7:18-23) Another reason they give is that the Mosaic Law was for the children of Israel and most Christians are not descendants of Israel hence they are not subjected to the civil laws!

Contrary to the above claim the Gospels narrate that Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day of his birth, he was a faithful and committed Jew abiding by the Mosaic Law. If Jesus had come to abolish the Law, then why did Peter the chief disciple of Jesus say, “I have never eaten anything impure orunclean. ” (Acts 10:14) We should also bear in mind that the human consumption of the flesh of swine is still a medical health issue.

Undoubtedly Jesus prayed and fasted. Historically, during the period of the Christian Church there was a period of forty days prior to Easter called Lent which was a fasting period for Christians. According to the CatholicEncyclopaedia modern scholars are almost unanimous in rejecting the view of fasting forty days before Easter. The obligation of fasting is rarely observed in its integrity nowadays. Yes, Jesus said when you fast or pray do not do it to make a show of it, like hypocrites do. But he never said to stop praying or fasting.

The truth is that it was Paul and not Jesus who abolished the law. Paul in his letter to the Romans (14:20) said that all food is clean. In his letter to Ephesians (2:14-15) he alleges that Jesus had abolished the law with all its commandments and regulations. As stated above, Matthew in his Gospel states the contrary. It is worth mentioning that in its earliest years, the Christian religion was divided into three main religious movements: The Gnostics, Jewish Christians, and Pauline Christian. The first almost disappeared. The second did disappear. Almost all current Christian groups trace their lineage back to the Pauline Christina movement. Thus, what we have today is the religion of Paul, not Prophet Jesus.

4. Follow me, not worship me

Like all other prophets Jesus had also come to teach the sublime ethical issues. With his lifestyle he set a role model for his followers inviting them to guard themselves against evil and to obey his commands. He said to his people: “Fear Allah (be pious) and obey me.” [3:50]

From the day he miraculously spoke in his crib, he declared, “Verily I am the servant of God”, and until the time that he lived among people he invited them to follow him not to worship him. He always invited people to praying, fasting and worshipping God much. He lived a very simple life and always shared his words of wisdom with people. The holy Quran quoting from Jesus stating: “And when Jesus came with clear Proofs, he said: I have come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the points in which you differ. Therefore fear Allah and obey me. Verily, Allah He is my Lord (God) and yourLord( God). So worship Him alone. This is the only Straight Path." [43:63-64]

Imam Ali (a.s ) inNahjul Balaghah in description of the simple life of Prophet Jesus says, “If you desire I will tell you about Jesus; son of Mary (p). He used a stone for his pillow, put on coarse clothes and ate rough food. His condiment was hunger. His lamp at night was the moon. His shade during the winter was just the expanse of earth eastward and westward. His fruits and flowers were only what grew from the earth for the cattle. (Sermon No.160)

How far indeed the lifestyle of the Popes is from Prophet Jesus!

5. Resolving religious disputes

Another mission of Prophet Jesus was to clarify the religious issues which different Jewish sects were disputing over. The holy Quran quoting from Jesus states: “I have come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the points in which you differ.” [43:63]

During the period of Hellenistic Judaism two major groups of Jewish religious leaders appeared on the scene, i.e. Sadducees and Pharisees. The conservative and aristocratic Sadducees accepted only the Pentateuch (five books of Moses) while at the same time denying the existence of angels, spirits, and the resurrection of the body. Pharisees were the popular Jewish group at the time of Jesus. The strict Pharisees accepted texts outside the Pentateuch and embraced doctrines of angels and resurrection. They emphasized on both the oral and written form of the Mosaic Law.

Although clarification and unification of religious issues was one of the missions of Jesus, Christianity today suffers the most major of religious divisions. There are hundreds of lists ofrecognised Christian denominations in existence- all different. In the North America itself over 1000 Christian faith groups arerecognised all of whom regard themselves to be the only ‘true’ Christianity. The holy Quran with reference to the divisions occurred in Christianity after Jesus states: “Then the sects differed amongst themselves.So, woe unto the disbelievers from the Meeting of a great Day (of Judgment).”

Glad Tidings of the Advent of Ahmad

One of the missions of all the previous prophets had been to announce and prophesy the advent of the forthcoming prophet(s). To this effect, Prophet Moses as well as many other Israelite Prophetsprophesised the coming of Prophet Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them).

Christian theologians quote from many passages of the Old Testament such as passages in the Psalms and the Book of Prophet Isaiah to prove the advent of Jesus. Muslim scholars also quote from the Bible to convince their Christian friends of the advent of Prophet Muhammad. The description about the seal of the prophets; Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w ) had been so apparent in the Torah and the Gospel (Injil ) that the People of the Book knew of his name and even the placewhereat his advent would occur.

The holy Quran states: “Those who follow the Messenger, the prophet who can neither read nor write, whom they find (his name) written with them in the Torah and the Gospel…” [7:157]

Similarly, quoting from Prophet Jesus (a.s ) the holy Quran states:

“And (remember) when Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and give glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he (Ahmad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: This is plain magic.” [61:6]

According to the above ayah Prophet Jesus introduced himself as a link between Prophet Moses and Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.w ). The above prophecy was so clear that with the advent of the Prophet of Islam many Jews and Christians embraced Islam as their religion although the majority of them denied the truth and accused the Prophet of being a magician. The question is the name of the forthcoming prophet as quoted from Jesus was to be ‘Ahmad’ whereas the name of the Prophet of Islam is known to be Mohammad. W. M. Watt claims that Muslim children were practically never called Ahmad before the year 125AH. (G.Parrinder , Jesus in the Quran, p99) Alfred Guillaume furthermore claims that the name Ahmad is not found inIbn Is’haq orIbn Hisham’s Sirah Rasul , in their argument, dealing with the prophecy of the coming of a prophet after Jesus. (The Life of Mohammad pp. 103-104) Contrary to the above claims there are many historical evidences proving that the Prophet of Islam from his very childhood was known by two names, Mohammad and Ahmad. The first was chosen for him by his grandfather AbdulMutalleb and the latter by his motherAminah . (Sirah al-Halabi ) Among those who repeatedly used to call the Prophet of Islam Ahmad was his uncle AbuTaleb . The poetry book of AbuTaleb is available today and in many instances he calls his nephew Ahmad. The following are some examples

“The wrongdoers attempted to kill Ahmad,

but they did not find any leader for this atrocity.

Although Ahmad brought them a religion

of truth and he never brought a false religion.”

(Deewan AbuTaleb pp.25-29)

It is also narrated from AbuTaleb :

“Surely Allahhonoured the Prophet Mohammad

and thus the mosthonourable creation of God amongst people is Ahmad.”

(Tarikh ibn Asaker vol.1 p.275)

Moreover, the Prophet of Islam is repeatedly addressed by the Almighty God in the night of Ascension as ‘Ahmad’. All Muslims have also narrated the following from the Prophet, “Surely there are names for me, I am Ahmad and I am Mohammad and I am the Eraser the one by whom Allah erases the infidelity and I am the Raiser that people will rise in front of my feet and I am the End that there is no prophet after me. “ (AlBukhari ,Majma’ul Bayan vol9 p357,Beharul Anwarvol 16 p129)

With regards to the claim of Mr. Watt, we agree that the name ‘Ahmad’ and ‘Mohammad’ were not common among Arabs prior to the birth of the Prophet of Islam; nevertheless, as the advent of the last promised prophet was approaching some Arabian tribes began calling their children Ahmad or Mohammad hoping that their sons would be the promised Prophet. For instance, Ahmadibn Hafs al-Moghairah known as AbuAmr al-Makhzoomi the husband of Fatima; the daughter ofQais was one of the companions of the Prophet of Islam who accompanied Imam Ali (a.s ) on his trip to Yemen. (Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani , al-Isabah vol.4, p.139)

The Prophet of Islam in the Present Gospels

Before we make any investigation in the present Gospels about the prophecy of Prophet Jesus (a.s ) with regard to the forthcoming Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (s.a.w.w ) we need to address the question of whether it is justifiable for Muslims to quote the Bible or quote from it to prove any of our claims.

As Muslims we believe that the Quran is the last but not the only book revealed by Allah to mankind through His Messengers. The holy Quran is, however, the only holy book which remained intact from the time of its revelation to the present time andfor ever . The Quran is the only divine Scripture of which the full text is available in the original language in which it was revealed (Arabic).

Although we believe in the original Torah of Moses and Gospel of Jesus, we also believe, and numerous evidences confirm, that many additions, deletions and interpolations have occurred in the previous scriptures. The original Gospel of Jesus is lost to such an extent that Christians today do not even acknowledge any written Gospel for Jesus. Thus, what is available today is the recollection of passages of the original Gospel as remembered by the authors of the Gospels in addition to their own versions of the history of Jesus.

That however does not mean that as Muslims we totally reject the present Bible and do not accept a single passage of it. We ought to distinguish betweenliterature of divine origin yet distorted throughout history, and the one which is a mere fiction. Let me give you a vivid example. Prophet Jesus (a.s ) is quoted in the Gospel according to Mark to have said: “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord and you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, with our whole mind, and with your whole strength.” [Mark 12:29-39] Muslims have no problem accepting this quotation from Jesus and agree with its essence which is the chief Commandment of the Ten Commandments.

Criteria of Acceptance

The holy Quran provides the main criteria for accepting or rejecting the passages from the Bible. InSurat-ul Ma’idah the rule is stated as follows; “AndWe have sent down to you (O Mohammad) the Book (this Quran) in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it and trustworthy in highness and a witness over it (all the scriptures). So judge among them by what Allah has revealed, and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come to you.” [5:48]This emphasises that Biblical passages must be examined and judged by the Quran, and if the Quran confirms and verifies the Biblical passages, then they can be accepted.

To this end, if the Bible contains apparent prophecies about the advent of Prophet Mohammad, and if the Quran confirms that fact, then there is no objection in referring to such prophecies. It is to this effect that the Imams ofAhlul -Bait in their debates with Rabbis or Christian scholars have quoted from the Bible.

ImamRedha (a.s ) V’sJatheliq

Ma’moon ; the Abbasid king of the 9th century AD ordered a debate between ImamRedha (a.s ); the eighth Imam ofAhlul-Bayt (a.s ) and the grand scholars of various religions.

Jatheliq was the Christian archbishop who was called to debate the Imam. When he entered the court of the Abbasid king, he complained to the king as to how he could debate with someone who may refer to a Book (the Quran) that he does not acknowledge. Upon hearing that ImamRedha (a.s ) replied: “O Christian! What if I debate you with your Bible? Would you acknowledge that?"

Jatheliq replied: "How would I be able to deny what the Bible says. Yes, indeed I will acknowledge even if it`s against my wish".

Among the points that Imam Reza raised toJatheliq was; “O Christian! Do you know the speech ofIssa in the Gospel where he says ‘Surely I am going to your Lord and my Lord andParcletos is coming to witness for me in truth as I witnessed for him and he is the one who will explain everything for you and he is the one who will convict the world of the wrongdoings and he is the one who will break the pillars ofKufr (atheism).’”

Jatheliq replied, “You did not mention anything from the Gospel but I acknowledge it.”

ImamRedha : “Are you sure you find this in the Bible?”

He answered “Yes.” [al-Tabrasi , al-Ihtejaj vol.2p.411]

The Glad Tidings of the Coming of Ahmad

Are there any passages in the present Gospels wherein the advent of Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.w ) has been prophesied? The Gospel according to John contains some passages that although they are made notoriously obscure in addition to some alterations, still the prophecy of Jesus about Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.w ) can be concluded from it.

Chapter 14 of the Gospel of John reads:

“If you love me, keep my commands, and I shall ask the father and he will give you anotherparaclete to stay with you forever, the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither perceives nor understands him. You know him, for he remains with you and will be within you. “[John 14: 15-17]

Chapter 16 also reads:

“However, I tell you the truth: My going is for your benefit; for if I do not leave, theParaclete will not come to you; but if I go, then I will send him to you. When he comes he will convict the world regarding sin and righteousness and judgment- regarding sin, because they do not believe in me; regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no more and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have still many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. When the spirit of truth comes, however, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own account but he will say whatever he hears, and he will make known to you what is to take place. He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you.” [John 16: 12-14]

The word ‘Paraclete

The key word in the above passages is the Greek term ‘Paraclete ’. The word occurs 5 times in the New Testament, all in writings of John. Four instances are in his Gospel and one in the First Epistle in which Jesus is aParaclete . In the English translations of the Bible, the word ‘Paraclete ’ is usually translated to ‘Comforter’, ‘Advocate’, ‘Helper’ and ‘Intercessor.’ The term is so ambiguous that the International Standard BibleEncyclopaedia after suggesting various translations concludes that “it would be the best that instead of translating we simply transfer the word ‘Paraclete ’”.

The term ‘Paraclete ’ in John 2:1 without doubt is a title for Jesus. But Christians in general argue that theParaclete in the Gospel of John is meant as a title for the Holy Spirit that, they believe, descended to the disciples on Pentecost (50 days after the ascension of Jesus). Father Raymond E. Brown however argues in Appendix V of ‘The Anchor Bible’ that theParaclete cannot be ‘the Holy Spirit’.

The above mentioned passages of the Gospel of John has been for long the subject ofon going debates between Muslim and Christian scholars.

Analysis of the word ‘Paraclete

I believe the debate over the term ‘Paraclete ’ is quite futile. The word ‘Paraclete ’ is a Greek term. Although scholars are not unanimous about the language that Jesus used to speak, we know that Jesus did not speak Greek because the Aramaic and Hebrew speaking people in the time of Jesus considered it sinful to speak any other language.The Greek term ‘Paraclete ’ is really the distortion of ‘Periklytos ’ or ‘Paraklytos ’. Both words mean ‘praised’ or ‘celebrate’, the meaning and character of Prophet Muhammad. Also, according to the present day Aramaic scriptures, the word for Muhammad would read ‘Paraqleyta ’ or ‘Paraklytos ’ in Greek and ‘Menahem ’ in Hebrew. In the ancient Aramaic scriptures, before these changes, it read ‘Ahmad’, thenMunahammana which is the Aramaic/Syriac rendering for the name ‘Muhammad’. These are names, not simply words. Unless, one discovers the distortion occurred in the term, the passage remains notoriously obscure and the debates about it will be in vain. It is due to this obscurity of the distorted Greek word ‘Paraclete ’ that even the International Standard BibleEncyclopaedia fails to provide a clear translation for it. Similarly, it is perhaps due to this ambiguity thatAllamah Tabatabaei ; the most renowned exegete of the holy Quran in the 20thcentury, suggests that the present Gospels contain no prophecy about the advent of the Prophet of Islam.

Supporting Points from theJohannine Literature

Ironically Christians quote from many obscure passages of the Old Testament to prove the advent of Jesus, yet when Muslims exercise the same method, they bluntly deny it. “That indeed is a division most unfair”. [53:22]

Nonetheless, if one still argues about the wordParaclete that it does not, even in its original Aramaic sense, mean Ahmad, there are many supporting points that can provide a meaningful prophecy for the advent of Prophet Muhammad. Let’s examine how much the passages that John has narrated in his Gospel apply to the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.w ):

1. Regarding the coming ofParaklytos :

1/1: TheParaklytos will come (but only if Jesus departs) [15:26, 16:7,8,13 ]

The Holy Spirit was already there and had been with the Prophets including Jesus. According to the Bible when Jesus was beingbaptised by Prophet John (Yahya ), the Holy Spirit happened to be present at the River Jordon. {Mark 1: 4-11} So, how could Jesus say: “But if I don’t go away theParaklytos shall not come to you”.

1/2: TheParaklytos comes forth from the father. [15:26]

This implies that the forthcoming Prophet similar to Jesus himself would be sent by Allah.

2. Identification ofParaklytos :

2/1: He is called ‘anotherParaklytos ’ (14:16)

This can only be correct ifParaklytos is a name or a title for a male human who will be another Messenger of God. For obviously there can be no ‘another Holy Spirit’.

2/2: He will speak only what he hears and nothing on his own. (16:13)

The Messengers of God spoke only what was revealed to them from God. Thus, Jesus proclaimed: “For I have not spoken of my own accord, but the Father who sent me. He has given me a command what I should say and what I should speak.” [John12:49] Similarly, Almighty Allah proclaims the following about the Prophet of Islam: “Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only a Revelation revealed.” [53:3-4]

2/3: He is the spirit of truth. (14:17)

John in his First Epistle relates the spirit of truth and the spirit of error to human characters. [1John 4-6]. Thus, the spirit of truth can refer to an honest and very righteous person. Historically, there is no doubt that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w ) even before he received the revelation was well known as a trustworthy and honest person. It seems the prefix ‘Holy’ in Chapter 14 verse 26 is added to the ‘spirit’ for it is not consistent with other parts of the passage.

At the time of Prophet Jesus, the position of Prophet-hood belonged to Jesus. With the advent of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w ) he took over that position and declared it to the world. (16:14)With the advent of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.w .) the position of Jesus would be upheld and his teachings shown to be true.

3. His role in relation to the Disciples:

3/1: He will teach them everything (14:26)

Christians usually argue that the idea of a Prophet some 600 years after Jesus would be too late for the disciples.

Ironically however the Catholics claim that theParaclete comforts the Church by guaranteeing her inerrancy and fostering her sanctity. The Catholic Encyclopedia states: “There is no reason for limiting to the Apostles themselves the comforting influence of theParaclete as promised in the Gospel.” In fact, Jesus was sharing his prophecy with the faithful community of his time, insomuch as Moses and Isaiah did. Therefore, it should not be taken that they were the only or direct address of Jesus.

The teaching of Islam is the most comprehensive of all and the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.w ) taught the world all that was required by humanity for their prosperity both here and in the hereafter.

3/2: He will glorify Jesus. (16:14)

The history of religions has recorded none other than Muhammad (s.a.w.w ), the Prophet of Islam who has uncompromisingly borne witness to the birth of Jesus through the Virgin Mary; attested the miracles performed by Jesus by the Leave of God, and has declared Jesus as a ‘Messiah’ and the righteous Prophet..

Jesus’ Disciples

‘Disciples’ were those who chose to follow Prophet Jesus and to listen to his teachings. They are also called ‘Apostles’. According to the Bible they called him ‘Rabbi’ or ‘Teacher’. Historically we know very little about Jesus’ disciples. The Gospel of Matthew and Luke have mentioned their names (Chapter 6). The Twelve Disciples were followers of Jesus whom he had chosen to become his core group, the people he talked things over with and depended on. Ironically, however, the Bible records that one of his disciples named Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver! Similarly, according to the Gospel of Mark prior to the so-called crucifixion of Jesus all his disciples forsook him and fled. (Mark 14:50)

Disciples in the Quran

The disciples of Prophet Jesus are mentioned five times in the Quran and their faith has been always praised. The holy Quran states with reference to their sincerity and submission to Allah:

“Then when Jesus came of know of their (Jews) disbelief, he said: Who will be my helpers in Allah’s Cause? Al-Hawariyyun (the disciples) said: We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims.” [3:52]

According to a narration from ImamRedha (a.s ) the name ‘al-Hawariyyun ’ (literally means whitening) is given to them for they used to cleanse themselves from sins and struggling in cleansing others by teaching and preaching. (al-Bahrani , al-Borhan vol. 2: p.40)

Islamic literature does not confirm the betrayal of Jesus by any of his disciples. Nay, an authenticHadith indicates that one of his disciples following the request of Jesus offered himself to be killed instead. (Ibid p.41)

Jesus; the Messenger of Allah

Both the Christians and the Jews exceeded the limits with regards to Prophet Jesus by uttering grave false charges about him. The Jews not only denied him as a Prophet, but also accused him –May Godforgive - of being an illegitimate son! The Christians on the other hand, exaggerated about Jesus and believed in his deity andsonship to God! The dogma of the Trinity and the crucifixion of Jesus as a ransom are the bedrocks of Christian ideology. All other concepts in Christianity stem from, and rotate around, these two doctrines.

To this end, the main emphasis in the Quran is given to verification, clarification and correction of these two dogmas. The holy Quran places blame on both groups for their blasphemous dogmas. Therefore, a good understanding of theAyaat with reference to Prophet Jesus definitely requires a good understanding of the Judo-Christian doctrines with regards to the personality of Jesus.

Jesus son of Marry was no different than other Prophets and Messengers of Allah. He was selected by the Almighty God as His Messenger to the Israelites. Jesus is one of the five law-giving and great Prophets and Messengers. The Almighty God revealed a Scripture to him called ‘Injil ’ or Gospel.

1. Jesus’ Appellations in the Quran

The first approach of the Quran for correction of the false Jewish and Christian doctrines about Jesus is with reference to the appellations given to him.

1. Son of Mary

The most commonly used title for Jesus is ‘son of Mary’. Of the 25 places in the Quran where Jesus is mentioned, in 16 of them he is called ‘son of Mary’. In the present Gospels, however, only in one place is Jesus referred to as ‘the son of May’ (Mark 6:3) although not withfavour . The reason why this appellation is added to his name in the Quran is a hint that he was not son of God!

2. Al-Maseeh (The Messiah)

The second most common appellation of Jesus in the Quran is ‘al-Maseeh ’. Prophet Jesus is eleven times referred to as al-Maseeh in the holy Quran. Commentators of the Quran and Muslim lexicographers have given various etymological explanations of the word ‘al-Maseeh ’. Some suggested that the name is given for Jesus when he was travelling in the earth as he was a mobile preacher. Others say that Jesus was the Messiah because he healed the ill by touching their bodies.

With all respect to these explanations, I believe none of them are actually reflecting on the purpose of the usage of the term ‘al-Maseeh ’ in the Quran.

The title of ‘the Messiah’ is very important to the Jews and the Christians.

We need to bear in mind that the term al-Maseeh is the Arabic form of the Hebrew word mîa (Mashiach ). The Greek equivalent is Christ. Thus, the etymology of the term must be sought in its original language, i.e. Hebrew not Arabic. ‘al-Maseeh ’ in Hebrew means ‘anointed one’. In the Jewish tradition the term was a dignified title. Al-Maseeh was used for the ceremonial induction into leadership. Three types of leaders were anointed:

1) Prophets; representing God among people as in the case ofAbelmeholah to be the prophet in place ofEliha . (1 King 19:15-17)

2) Priests; representing the people before God through sacrifices and prayers. (Ex. 28:40-41)

3) Kings; to defend and rule over the people on God’s behalf. (1 King 19:15)

In general, the anointing meant that someone was authorized to serve God in a position ofhonour and responsibility. Although many people in the Old Testament were called Messiah, there was only one referred to as ‘the Messiah,’ whose coming the Israelites were both hoping for and expecting as "The Deliverer" of the Jewish people. (Daniel 9:25)

The term ‘al’ in Arabic is a definite article similar to ‘the’. ‘al-Maseeh ’ therefore is equivalent to ‘the Messiah, the Anointed one’ as used in the Hebrew language.

It seems when Almighty Allah states: “Indeed, the Messiah; Jesus son of Mary, was a Messenger of Allah” [4:171] He thus refers to this belief of the Messiah that the Jewish people were expecting, confirming that this was, indeed, Jesus son of Mary; the Messenger of God.

In short, both the Jews and the Christians exceeded the limits with regards to Christ. The Jews went astray by denying Jesus as ‘the promised Messiah and the Prophet of God’, and the Christians of later centuries also erred in misinterpreting Jesus as the Messiah who forgives their sin. It is with reference to this explanation that Almighty Allah states: “O people of the Book (Jews and the Christians) do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth. The Messiah; Jesus son of Mary, was a Messenger of Allah.” [4:171]

3. The Messenger of Allah

The third appellation used in the Quran for Jesus is ‘the Messenger of Allah’.

In theJudaeo -Christian tradition an apostle or a prophet meant no more than an upright spiritual leader. Paul was regarded an apostle and so was Barnabas. In the Acts of the Apostles [21:8-9] four girls are mentioned who prophesied. Thus, for the Christians it is not a very impressive title to call Jesus a prophet. Nonetheless, even according to the present Gospels Jesus has called himself a prophet. (Mark 6:4, Luke 13:33)

In Islam, however, prophet-hood is a divine position. Prophets are sinless and divinely protected from any error or sin. They are empowered by the will of God to conduct miracles as proof of their position. A Messenger of Allah is one who also came with a new Scripture. Thus, every Messenger was also a Prophet, although not all prophets were Messengers. It is to this effect that the holy Quran introduces Jesus as ‘a Prophet’ [19:30] as well as ‘a Messenger of Allah’ [4:171, 61:6]

4. The ‘Word’ of Allah

John, the alleged author of the fourth Gospel of the present Bible, contrary to the synoptic Gospels and under the influence of the Alexandrian school of ancient Greek philosophy, declares Jesus to be the ‘Word’ (Logos) who in the begging was with God and was God, by whom all things were made. A similar doctrine was laid down by Paul in his epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians. This pagan Greek concept laid a foundation for the heretical concept of Trinity according to which Jesus was allegedly the son of God!

This false doctrine is corrected and clarified in the holy Quran.

Prophet Jesus is twice referred to in the Quran as ‘a Word from Allah’ [3:45], and ‘His Word’ [4:171].

The term ‘word’ in the Quran is commonly used for a ‘Divine Decree’ [10:33, 11: 119] as well as ‘the creatures’ of God. [18:109, 31:27] All the creatures of God are ‘the words of God’ and the most perfect of them all are ‘the complete words of God’.

The miraculous creation and birth of Jesus was brought about by the divine decree, ‘BE’. It is to this effect that when Mary surprisingly asked her Lord as how she could conceive a child whilst she was unmarried, Almighty Allah answered her: “So (it will be) for Allah creates what He whilst. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: ‘Be’- and it is.” [3:47] Thus, theQuranic expression, ‘the Word of God’ is a confirmation of the creation of Jesus, not his divinity as portrayed by Christians.

5. A ‘Spirit’ from Allah

Another appellation used for Jesus in the Quran is that he is ‘a spirit from Him (Allah)’.

“Indeed the Messiah; Jesus son of Mary, is the Messenger of Allah and His Word which He bestowed upon Mary and a spirit from Him.” [4:171]

“And Mary, the daughter ofImran , who guarded her chastity. AndWe breathed into it from Our Spirit.” [66:12]

Christian theologians quote the aboveAyaat to support their dogma of Trinity, to allege that evenQur`anically Jesus is part of God and from God and God!

The Arabic term ‘MIN’ which is generally translated to ‘from’ has fifteen different meanings. In this context ‘MIN’ is used to explain the source of its creation not to be part of something. Therefore, the meaning of ‘a spirit from Him’ is a spirit that is created by God and He is the source of it. A similar usage of the term ‘MIN’ can be noted in Ayah 13 of Chapter 45: “And He has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth from Him.” If Jesus is literally from God and part of God, then according to the above Ayah, all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth must also be part of God! Also, the holy Quran refers to the she-Camel at the time of prophetSaleh ‘the She-Camel of God’ [91:13] does it mean that God has a camel or she is part of God?!

Moreover, the expression of ‘a Spirit from God’ is used in the Quran with reference to the creation of Adam. “So I have fashioned him and breathed into him from My Spirit, then you fall down prostrate to him.” [38:72]Similarly , regarding the believers, the Almighty Allah states: “For such people He has written faith in their hearts, and strengthened them with a Spirit from Him.” [58:922] Thus, one should also claim that Adam, the believers and the whole of humanity are all part of God!

The expression of ‘a spirit from Allah’ therefore is meant to explain that God is the source of the life of Jesus and all other creatures.

6. Supported by ‘the Holy Spirit’

Of the appellations of Jesus in the Quran is that God has supported and protected him by the Holy Spirit.

In Christian theology the Holy Spirit is regarded as part of the Godhead, or the third person of the Trinity, and hence is regarded as synonymous with God! In essence, even though the "Holy Spirit" has been referred to in earlier writings, as at the time of the baptism of Jesus, and has been spoken of in the New Testament as being in previous times: "Yestiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51) it is generally accepted that the work of the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost came into play after Jesus was taken up into heaven (Acts 11:28). Therefore while it may appear to be logical that the Holy Spirit in Christian theology is the angel Gabriel or another of the Messenger angels, this is not in keeping with today`s dogma of Christianity.

There are two famous meanings for ‘the Holy Spirit’ from the Islamic point of view.

One is that it’s meant for Gabriel; an angel whose main task –though surely not the only one- is to bring the revelations to the Prophets. This meaning is supported by Ayah 102 in Chapter 16 wherein the Almighty Allah states: “Say: the Holy Spirit (Gabriel) has brought it (the Quran) down from your Lord with truth.” Gabriel is called ‘the Spirit’ for as an angel he is not physical and is ‘holy’ in his purity and infallibility.

Another suggestion for the meaning of ‘the Holy Spirit’ is that it is a spirit greater than Gabriel by whom Almighty Allah supported His Messengers and their successors. It is by possessing this spirit that they are safeguarded from any sin or error and can gain an intuitive knowledge of the reality of the universe. The Messenger of Islam (s.a.w.w ) was bestowed with this spirit. “And thusWe have sent to you a Spirit of Our Command.” [42:52]

Jabir al-Jo’fi asked ImamBaqir (a.s ) about the knowledge of the Imams. The Imam explained: “O Jabir! Verily there are five types of spirits in the Prophets and their successors; the holy spirit, the spirit of faith, the spirit of life, the spirit of power, and the spirit of desire. It is by the Holy Spirit that they know what is in the kingdom of God. O Jabir! All the other four spirits can be afflicted, but the Holy Spirit will not amuse or entertain.”

Thus it is explained that the Holy Spirit is accorded the nature which Almighty God has bestowed upon His Messengers and their successors to protect them against sinning. We should however bear in mind that whatever the meaning of the Holy Spirit may be, it is undoubtedly a creature of God subjugated by His Will.

The Scripture of Prophet Jesus

Prophet Jesus is one of the five great Messengers of God to whom Almighty God had revealed a Scripture. Thus, they had come with a new divine law for people. The Scripture of Jesus was called the ‘Injil ’ (Gospel) which means a glad tiding. Almighty God, twice, in the Quran (5:46 & 57:27) has mentioned that “We gave him (Jesus) theInjil ”. The name of this Scripture is mentioned 12 times in the Quran always in a singular form.

It seems from the present Bible that Jesus had a Scripture called ‘the Gospel’. Luke in the beginning of Chapter 20 says: “One day as he (Jesus) was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the Gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came up with the elders and said to him…” This passage is the clear evidence that Jesus had a Scripture which he was preaching in the temples. Luke also narrates that Jesus was asking his disciples to go around from village to village and preach the Gospel. (Luke 9:6)

Christians however do notrecognise any written Gospel for Jesus. They claim he did not consign to writing his own teachings and directed his apostles not to write, but to preach the Gospel verbally to their fellow-men. In justification of their belief, they offer a literal interpretation for the abovementioned Biblical quotations. Thus, they assert the term ‘Gospel’ in those passages has a literal meaning, i.e. glad tiding.

This claim is an attempt to conceal an historical fact about the original Gospel. Unfortunately, the Gospel of Jesus was lost or destroyed by the Jews. Though it is expressed by a number of historians that divisions between early sects of Christianity also encouraged the destruction of writings of which they did not approve. Subsequently, many people`s hands were employed in the rewriting of the Gospel.

Historically, there have been a large number of narratives connected with Jesus’ life called ‘Gospel’. Luke in the beginning of his Gospel with reference to this says: “Now that many have put their hands to the composition of a narrative regarding the events that have certainly taken place amongst us, transmitted as they were to us by those who were from the first eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, it seemed fitting for me as well…”

The testimony of Luke indicates that many gospels before and after composition of his Gospel had been compiled. Today Christian scholars acknowledge this in at least some fifty historical gospels such as the Gospel according to the Hebrews, the Gospel according to Barnabas, the Gospel according to Peter, the Gospel according to Philip, etc. The Christians however have onlyrecognised four Gospels, i.e. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Dating the Gospels

When were the Gospels written? Our Christian friends commonly preach that the present Gospels were compiled by those whose name they bear - all of which would place them within a short period of time of Jesus. A number of scholars believe that they were compiled between the years 50 to 100 AD which would make the first assumption impossible. The truth is that the physical manuscript evidence of the Gospels does not start until early mid 2nd century with the famous P52- a tiny piece of papyrus with fragments of only 7 verses. The full manuscripts of the present four Gospels were completed in the 4th century. There are also many scholarly debates about the authenticity of some chapters and the verses of the present Gospels. For instance, New International Version of the Bible warns the reader:

“The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20", and "The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11"

The Language of the Gospels

Circa 400AD, Saint Jerome translated the Bible from Greek into Latin. This translation is called the "Vulgate" and is still in use by those still interested in Latin and is used in a revised form as the Roman Catholic Authorized Version. But in what language were the Gospels originally written, in Greek or Hebrew or even Aramaic? There is an ongoing debate as to whether the earliest Gospels were written in Aramaic or Greek. Some scholars have proposed that they were written in Aramaic. But then again, no one has ever seen an Aramaic Gospel predating the fourth century which had to be translated from Greek to Aramaic.

Titles of the Gospels

The present Gospels are supplied with the title the Gospel ‘according to’ Matthew, Mark, etc. Many Biblical scholars have taken it to mean not ‘written by’, but ‘drawn up according to the conception of Matthew, Mark, etc. In the same way, the Gospel according to the Hebrew, or the Gospel according to the Egyptians, does not mean that they would have been written by the Hebrews or the Egyptians, but that peculiar from Gospel which either the Hebrews or the Egyptians had accepted. Therefore, the Gospel of Matthew is no more than a Gospel according to the school of Matthew and his view of Christ whether it is really written by him or not. (an impossibility due to time frame)

Divergence of the Gospels

The existence of numerous differences between the present four Gospels is a fact which has long been noticed and admitted by Christian scholars. The Gospels differ in many instances from the narration of the genealogy and the birth of Jesus to his so-called crucifixion. I shall refer to some of the differences in due courses.

Original Gospel

The first three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) which share content, style and order of events and which differ largely from John are called synoptic Gospels. The similarity between the three Gospels has urged the scholars to believe in an original Gospel. Scholars believe there can have been an original source for the Gospels that they call ‘Q’. The name comes from German for ‘source’ “Quelle ”. What has led them to this assumption is that there must be a written source whereby mainly the three synoptic Gospels used in their efforts of writing.

The Miracles of Prophet Jesus

Prophet Jesus like many other Prophets had proved the authenticity of his mission by miracles he demonstrated with the Permission of God.

The wonders performed by the Prophets that we call ‘miracles’ are referred to in the Quran (3:49, 5:114) and the Bible (Act2:43) as ‘the Sign of God’, because it verifies and confirms the claim of the Prophets. Miracles also mean ‘wonders’ because they made the observers marvel.

In Arabic a miracle is called ‘al-Mo’jezah ’ which means an act that humans are incapable of doing. No human including the Prophets could ever perform the miracles independently and without the Leave of God.

The holy Quran in a general rule states that no miracle can ever take place without the Permission of God. “And it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a Sign (Miracle) except by the Leave of Allah.” [40:78, 13:38]

The purpose of demonstrating the miracles was mainly for people to be able to verify and confirm the claim of the Prophets and to increase their faith. Thus, Jesus after performing miracles said to his people: “Surely, therein is a Sign for you, if you believe.” [3:49]

The Jewish people at the time of Jesus were also of the opinion that miracles are the works of the Prophets by the Leave of God. Thus, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin who, while visiting Jesus by night for the purpose of learning more of his teachings, said to him: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can work the Signs you work unless God is with him.” (John3:1-3) Similarly, according to the Gospel of John, when Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people with a little food, people who saw that Sign said: “This surely is the prophet who is to come into the world.” [John 6:14]

The holy Quran has mentioned many miracles performed by the Prophets. Although they all did take place by the Permission of God, the phrase of the ‘Permission of God’ is mentioned only with regard to the miracles performed by Prophet Jesus. For instance, the great miracle of splitting the sea by Moses is mentioned in the Quran. “ThenWe revealed to Moses: Strike the sea with your stick, and it parted.” [26:63] Also, the amazing miracle of the conversion of Moses’ stick to a serpent is mentioned in the Quran. “He cast it down, and behold! It was a snake, moving quickly.” [20:20] With reference to the miracle of Prophet Yusuf (a.s ), the holy Quran narrates that he said to his brothers: “Go with this shirt of mine, and cast it over the face of my father, he will become clear-sighted.” [12:93] and once his brothers reached home and cast the shirt of Yusuf on their father’s face “he became clear-sighted.” [12:96]

In none of the above examples the phrase of ‘by the Leave of Allah’ is added, although they have undoubtedly occurred by His Leave. It is only with reference to the miracles performed by Prophet Jesus that the Almighty God deliberately adds the expression of ‘by the Leave of Allah’ [5:110, 3:49].

Interestingly, this phrase is repeated six times in the Quran only with reference to the miracles of Jesus. Even in one Ayah (3:49) two miracles are related to Jesus and as such the phrase ‘by the Leave of God’ is repeated twice. Why?

This is because the Almighty God aims at correcting the false and blasphemous dogma of the Trinity.

Traditional Christians say: “One way to establish Jesus’ deity andsonship to God is by the miracles he performed. Jesus’ life was characterized by undeniable miracles. He was born of Virgin Mary, was resurrected and ascended to heaven. He also performed many miracles. A miracle is the act of God. Thus Jesus had power over nature. This upholds the belief that Jesus is the son of God!”

Many modern Christian scholars on the other hand are verysceptical about any miracle related to Jesus. The Jews also regarded him no more than a magician.

The holy Quran, whilst acknowledging the miracles of Jesus,emphasises that they all occurred ‘by the Permission of God’.

In short, regarding the miracles of Jesus, all, other than Muslims, have gone astray. Traditional Christians although they believe in the miracles of Jesus as reported in the Gospels, wrongly conclude from them the deity of Jesus. Liberal Christians and the Jewish people also have gone astray by either denying his miracles or accusing Jesus of being a magician.

It is narrated from ImamSadiq (a.s ) that Jesus was once on the peak of a mountain called ‘Ariha ’. Satan appeared to him in the form of the King of Palestine and said to him: “ORuhullah ! You revived the dead and healed those born blind and cleaned the lepers. Can you drop yourself down from the mountain without being hurt? Jesus replied: “I was given Permission for those miracles and for this I do not have the Permission.”

The Gospel according to John also quoting from Jesus with reference to the healing of the man who had suffered from an infirmity for 38 years, states that Jesus could do nothing independently. [John 5:30]

If Jesus be the son of God because of the miracles he performed, then Moses must have been the son of God before him, and so are Abraham, Jacob, Muhammad and all other Prophets peacebe upon them. “Be He (Allah) Glorified and Exalted above all that (evil) they attribute to Him.” [6:100]

Thus, according to the sublime teachings of the Quran performing miracles is a sign of being a Messenger of God not of being God or son of God!

The Holy Quran has narrated six different types of miracles performed by Prophet Jesus, all by the Leave of God.

1. Speaking in the crib

Before a human baby learns how to talk, he has to learn the rules of language and how adults use it to communicate. He begins with babbling,then will pick up some simple words from his mum and those around him, and then between the age of one or two years he will begin to form two to three word sentences. This is a normal development of the human ability of speaking.

The first miracle of Prophet Jesus was demonstrated when he was only a few days or even few hours old. When he was just a new born babe in the crib he fluently spoke out and introduced himself. [19:30-33]

The purpose of this miracle was to safeguard Mary from false charges. Without this miracle, Mary would have been persecuted for adultery. It is, however, astonishing that none of the Gospels have narrated such an important and vital miracle.

2. Creating a living bird

Creation is themarvellous act of God. The Almighty God in the holy Quran refers to the creation of man: “So, when I have fashioned him completely and breathed into him from My Soul................” [15:29]

Another miracle related to Jesus in the Quran is the creation of a living bird out of clay. “I create for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s Leave.” [3:49, 5:110]

Referring to the above Ayah, some Christian evangelists attempt to confirm the divinity of Jesus according to the Quran! The main point they miss or ignore is ‘by Allah’s Leave’. None of the creatures of God are capable of creating anything without his Leave. “Those whom they invoke besides Allah have not created anything, but are themselves created.” [16:20]

3. Bringing the dead to life

The act of causing living creatures to die or reviving the dead to life is a divine act. The Almighty God reveals in the holy Quran: “And that it is He (Allah)Who causes death and gives life.” [53:44]

One of the miracles of Jesus was that he was, by permission from God, bringing the dead to life. [3:49]The holy Quran does not give the details of thepersonpersons that Jesus brought back to life. The present Gospels however have recorded some dead people whom Jesus revived such as Lazarus (John 11:1-44).

For Christians, the reviving of the dead is considered one of the greatest miracles demonstrated by Jesus. They count on this miracle as one of the signs for his deity.

We however, need to bear in mind that firstly the miracles of Jesus were performed by the Leave of God and secondly according to the Old Testament Prophet Elijah also revived the dead by the Permission of God. (1 Kings 17: 2-24). If reviving a dead to life makes the actor god or son of god, then why can’t Elijah also be the same?

4. Healing the terminally ill and those born blind

Jesus was healing those born blind and the lepers too as indicated in the holy Quran. (3:49)

Christians argue that in the Old Testament it is God Himself Who is associated with the giving of sight to the blind. (Ex. 4:11). Thus, they conclude, Jesus is god! The answer to this is that neither Jesus nor any other person can ever perform any miracle without the Leave of God and hence the miracles of Jesus are in fact the intervention of God through His selected servant, i.e. Jesus.

5. Disclosing secrets

The holy Quran narrates another miracle that Jesus performed by God`s permission, which is related to the scope of human knowledge. Jesus was informing people about thosetings which were secret to other than them, such as what they ate at home and what they had hidden there. (3:49)

Although man in an ordinary manner has no access to the unseen, God chooses to unveil the secrets and the unseen to some of His servants. “He (Allah alone is) the All-Knower of the unseen, and He reveals to none His unseen.Except to a Messenger whom He has chosen.” [72:26-27] Jesus was a chosen Messenger of God and hence God revealed to him the secrets.

6. A table spread with food from heaven

Prophet Jesus performed a miracle exclusively for his disciples when they were wandering with him on the earth preaching his teachings. Once they ran out of food and asked Jesus: “Can your Lord send down to us a table spread with food from heaven?” Jesus, who was not sure about their intention, refused to perform the miracle and advised them: “Fear Allah if you are indeed believers.” They explained that they had no intention for this request but “to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts to be stronger in faith, and to know that you have indeed told the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses.”

Once Jesus was assured of their sincere intention he invoked to God saying: “O Allah, Our Lord! Send us from the heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us –for the first and the last of us- anEid and a Sign from You; and provide us with sustenance, forYou are the Best of sustainers.” The fifth chapter of the Quran is named after this miracle ‘al-Ma’edah ’ and its story is mentioned inAyaat 112 to 114.

The holy Quran, as of its usual style, does not mention the details of the story. According to aHadith from ImamBaqir (a.s ) their heavenly food was bread and fish.

7. Prophecy of the coming of Ahmad (s.a.w.w )

I shall deal with this miracle in chapter seven.

The Miracles of Jesus in the Gospels

The four Gospels recorded about 35 separate miracles Jesus performed. The Bible, distorted as it is, has narrated in the Gospel of John (chapter 2) that the conversion of twenty to thirty gallons of water into wine at a wedding was the first miracle performed by this great Messenger of God! Undoubtedly a religion where its leader converts water into wine, will serve wine as part of their religious service! According to the sublime and rational teachings of the holy Quran, “all intoxicants are an abomination, the Satan’s handiwork”. [5:90] Thus, the finger print of Satan is so obvious in the narration of John. The compilers of the Gospels exaggerated so much about the number of miracles performed by Jesus that it was as if all the people in his area were born blind, deaf and lepers, and Jesus had no mission other than to heal them all. John at the end of his Gospel says that if all the miracles of Jesus were described in detail, he supposed the world itself would not have room for the books that would have be written!


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