H. M. Baagil, M.D.
WAMY Studies on Islam
Contents
Dialogue
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The First Contact between a Christian and a Muslim
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The Holy Bible
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The Doctrine of the Trinity
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The Doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus Christ
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The Doctrine of the Divine Son ship of Jesus Christ
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Was Jesus Crucified?
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The Doctrine of Atonement and Original Sin
Muhammad in the Bible
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Both Ishmael and Isaac Were Blessed
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Criterion of the Prophet by Jeremiah Until Shiloh Come
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Baca Is Mecca
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The House of My Glory
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Chariot of Asses and Chariot of Camels
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The Prophet Like unto Moses
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My Servant, Messenger, and Elect
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King David Called Him "My Lord"
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Art Thou That Prophet?
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Baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with Fire
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The Least in the Kingdom of Heaven
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Blessed Are the Peacemakers
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Comforter
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Revelation to Prophet Muhammad
References
Acknowledgment
I am an American raised from childhood in the Christian belief. Until
I began my soul's quest for God, I had taken many matters of importance
for granted.
After discussions, reading, and rereading the manuscript of the
present Muslim Christian Dialogue, I have gone over the quotations from
the King James Version of the Holy Bible and the Holy Qur'an.
I finally announce my shahadah (testimony) publicly in English, then
in Arabic: I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, Who has no
partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger (a shhadu an la
illaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharikah lahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan
'abduhu wa rasulahu).
Through this very basic and simple testimony, I believe many people
will submit to Allah in spirit and truth.
I hope that this short and easy to read booklet will be read worldwide
and will attract many who are searching for a true belief where their
minds may find rest and satisfaction.
Roy Earl Johnson
Note from the Author
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
This booklet has been written as the result of dialogues that I had
with members of the Christian clergy and laity. The discussions were
polite, pleasant, friendly, and constructive without the slightest
intention of hurting the religious feeling of any Christian. It is
provocative and a challenge to Christianity. It is indispensable for those
looking for the truth and those studying Comparative religion.
C: Christian M or m: Muslim (pbuh): peace be upon him
(pbut): peace be upon them
(The latter two phrases are said by all pious Muslims after mentioning
the name of a prophet. They will be assumed throughout this booklet).
H. M. Baagil, M. D. January 1 984
Introduction
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
I am grateful to Allah for the opportunity to read the manuscript of
Muslim Christian Dialogue and for being asked to write an introduction to
this remarkably eye opening booklet. Anyone interested in comparative
religion will find in this booklet many surprises that challenge what many
once believed to be absolute truths.
This work by Dr. Hasan M. Baagil reflects his meticulous and
painstaking effort to present his findings clearly, concisely, and
thoroughly. As a result of his study of Christianity and the Bible over a
four year period, Dr. Baagil, a dedicated Muslim, learned that Christians
differ in their basic beliefs (i.e., the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus,
etc.), that Church doctrine contradicts the Bible numerous times, and that
the Bible even contradicts itself! His conversations with Christian clergy
and laity during this period of study have provided the impetus for the
Muslim Christian Dialogue.
The reader will be surprised to learn that, in the Bible, Jesus (pbuh)
never claimed to be God; that he did not die on the cross; that the
miracles performed by him were also performed by many other prophets and
even by disbelievers; and that Jesus himself prophesied the advent of the
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon both of them. All of this plus much more
is detailed from clear and concise passages of the Bible. The question
that obviously must be raised after witnessing such clear contradictions
is: Is the Bible God's Word? The effort here by Dr. Baagil is not intended
to deride Christian people, and certainly not to mock Jesus and his
teachings, as Allah forbids such activities. The intent is only to point
out that false charges, misrepresentations, and outright lies against
Allah and His prophets are in themselves both deriding and mocking in
nature.
Muslim Christian Dialogue also makes clear the Islamic view and shows
how the Qur'an, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad some six hundred years
after Jesus, peace be upon both of them, corrects the errors that crept
(knowingly or unknowingly) into the message that Jesus brought. This
booklet should prove to be a very valuable asset to Muslims and
Christians, particularly given the interest in dialogues between the two
faiths. God willing, it will be an effective tool for Muslims in our
efforts to invite Christians to Islam. Conversely Christians should become
more aware of what in fact the Bible says and what Jesus (pbuh) actually
taught as a result of studying this booklet. Indeed, as a Muslim the hope
is that non-Muslims will accept the truth and bear witness to the oneness
of Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
May Allah reward Dr. Baagil for his efforts to dispel darkness. May
Allah's peace be upon us all.
Muhammad A. Nubee
The First Contact between a Christian and a Muslim
C. Why have there been in the last decade many discussions held
between Christians and Muslims about their beliefs?
M. I think because we both have several things in common. We believe
in the One Creator Who sent many Prophets and in Jesus as the Messiah as
well as the Word of God who was denied by the Jews.
Our Holy Qur'an mentions in Surah 3:45:
[Remember] when the angels said: 'O Mary! Verily Allah gives you the
glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name will be Messiah Jesus, the son
of Mary, held in honor in this world and in the hereafter, and of those
who are near to Allah....'
Dialogues have been held everywhere in Europe, Canada, the United
States, and Australia. Even the Vatican has participated: discussions were
held between Vatican theologians and Egyptian Muslim scholars in Rome in
1970 and in Cairo in 1974 and 1978. Another series of discussions between
Vatican theologians and Saudi Arabian Muslim scholars was held in Rome in
1974. Muslims have also been invited by many churches to present Islam.
C. If Christianity is nearly two thousand years old and Islam more
than fourteen hundred years old, why were these discussions not held
centuries ago?
M. For the last three to four centuries, many Asian and African
countries that had been ruled by Muslims were colonized by Britain France,
Holland, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. Many Christian missionary and
religious colonists tried to convert as many Muslims as they could by
whatever means they had: giving medical treatment clothes, food, and jobs
to the poor. However, only a few converted. A small part of the elite was
converted to Christianity because of its belief that Christianity brought
civilization and progress. They adopted this mistaken idea because they
believed that western style progress was attained after the separation of
church and state in Europe.
After the Second World War, many Muslims from Asian and African
countries emigrated to the West as workers and professionals. This brought
them into much closer contact with Christians. Also, students were active
in introducing Islam.
C. Do you see other reasons why many dialogues are held nowadays even
by their respective missions?
M. I think the gap between both is becoming smaller as each is more
tolerant, although both are still competing for converts. I still remember
my Christian teacher, who used to say: "Muhammad the imposter, the
dreamer, the epileptic." You now find fewer writers depicting Islam in
such a manner.
We Muslims feel closer to the Christians than to the Jews and
disbelievers, as the Qur'an prophesied in Surah 5:82: You will find the
most vehement of mankind in hostility to those who believe (to be) the
Jews and the idolaters. And you will find the nearest of them in affection
to those who believe (to be) those who say: 'Lo! We are Christians.' This
is because there are among them priests and monks (i.e., persons entirely
devoted to the service of God, as were the Muslims), and because they are
not proud." Some Christian denominations are making tremendous progress
now by acknowledging for the first time in history that Muhammad descended
from Ishmael through his second son Kedar. The Davis Dictionary of the
Bible (1980), sponsored by the Board of Christian Education of the
Presbyterian Church in the USA, writes under the word "Kedar": "... A
tribe descended from Ishmael (Gen. 25:13) ... The people of Kedar were
Pliny's Cedrai, and from their tribe Mohammed ultimately arose." The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia quotes the following from A. S.
Fulton: "... Of the Ishmaelite tribes, Kedar must have been one of the
most important and thus in later times the name came to be applied to all
the wild tribes of the desert. It is through Kedar ("Keidar" in Arabic)
that Muslim genealogists trace the descent of Mohammed from Ishmael."
Also Smith's Bible Dictionary prints the following: "Kedar (black).
Second son of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13) ... Mohammed traces his lineage to
Abraham through the celebrated Koreish tribe, which sprang from Kedar. The
Arabs in the Hejaz are called Beni Harb (men of war), and are Ishmaelites
as of old, from their beginning. Palgrave says their language is as pure
now as when the Koran was written (A.D. 610), having remained unchanged
more than 1200 years; a fine proof of the permanency of Eastern
Institutions."
The biggest asset brought by Muslim immigrants to the West is not
their manpower but Islam, which is now taking root here. Many mosques and
Islamic centers have been established and many people have reverted to
Islam. I prefer the word "reverted" and not "converted," as everybody is
born in submission to AllahIslamand so being a Muslim is the nature of
every single individual. The parents or the community convert him to
Judaism, Christianity, other faiths, or atheism.
This is also a proof that Islam is not spreading by the sword but
simply by propagation on the part of Muslim individuals or groups. We
don't have special missions organized as in Christian missions.
The world population has increased 136 percent from 1934 through 1984,
Christianity with 47 percent and Islam with 235 percent. These figures can
be checked in The Plain Truth, February 1984, in its fiftieth anniversary
issue, quoting from The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1935, and The
Reader's Digest Almanac and Yearbook 1983.
C. If all three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, claim to
emanate from the One and same Creator, why do they differ?
M. All prophets from Adam to Muhammad were sent with the same message:
man's total submission to Allah. In Arabic, this submission is called
"Islam," which also means peace, peace between the Creator and His
creatures. Unlike the names Judaism and Christianity, the name Islam was
given by Allah Himself, as mentioned in Surah 5:3: This day I have
perfected your religion for you and completed My favor on you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your way of life. Neither "Judaism" nor
"Christianity" is found in the Bible or in a Bible dictionary. No
Israelite prophet said the word "Judaism." Jesus never claimed to
establish Christianity and never called himself a Christian. The word
"Christian" is mentioned only three times in the New Testament and first
by pagans and Jews in Antioch about 43 A.D., long after Jesus had left
this earth. Read in Acts 11:26: "... And the disciples were called
Christians first in Antioch."
Later by King Agrippa II to Paul in Acts 26:28: "Then Agrippa said
unto Paul" Almost thou persuades" me to be a Christian.' '
So the name Christian was first given by foes rather than friends. And
finally by Peter in his letter to comfort the faithful in I Peter 4: 16:
"Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.... "
The first Muslim on earth was not Muhammad but Abraham, who submitted
totally to Allah. But Islam as a way of life had been revealed to other
prophets prior to Abraham, such as Adam and Noah. Then Islam follows as
the way of life for all humanity.
C. How could Abraham be a Muslim? It is known that he was a Jew.
M. A Jew? Who told you that?
C. We are taught that, so it must be confirmed by the Bible.
M. Can you show me where in the Bible it says that he was a Jew? If
you can't find it quickly, let me help you. Read Genesis 11:31.
C. "And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's
son, and Sarai his daughter in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went
forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan;
and they came unto Haran and dwelt there."
M. So Abraham who was born in Ur of Chaldees could not have been a
Jew. First because Ur of Chaldees was in Mesopotamia, which is now a part
of Iraq. He was then more an Arab than a Jew. Secondly the name "Jew" came
after the existence of Judah, the great grandson of Abraham (see chart on
page 4). Read further, Genesis 12:4 and 5.
C. " ... and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out
of Haran.... and into the land of Canaan they came.
M. So Abraham emigrated to Canaan at the age of seventy five and the
Bible clearly mentioned that he was there a stranger m Genesis 17:8: "And
I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou
art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and
I will be their God." Read now Genesis 14:13.
C. "And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew....
" M. How can you call Abraham a Jew if the Bible itself calls him a Hebrew
which means a man from the other side of the Euphrates. It also means
pertaining to Eber, a descendant of Shem. Read now in Genesis 32:28 what
happened to the name of Jacob after wrestling with an angel.
C. "And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel;
for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast
prevailed.'"
M. So Abraham was a Hebrew. The descendants of Jacob were Israelites
consisting of the twelve tribes. Judah was nicknamed "Jew" so that only
Judah's descendants were called Jews originally. To know who Moses really
was, read Exodus 6:16-20.
C. "And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their
generations; Ghershon, and Kohath, and Merari.... And the sons of Kohath:
Amram.... And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she
bore him Aaron and Moses."
M. So Moses was not a Jew, because he was not descended from Judah,
but a Levite. Moses was the "law giver" (Torah is law) to the children of
Israel.
C. How can you explain that?
M. Because we are using the Holy Qur'an as standard. You can explain
the Bible and correct the Jewish and Christian prejudice with the context
of the Qur'an. It is the last revealed book and has never been corrupted
or adulterated. Its contents has been guaranteed by Allah in Surah 2:2:
This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt... and also in Surah 15:9:
No doubt We have sent down the Qur'an and surely We will guard it (from
corruption). This verse is a challenge to mankind. It is a clear fact that
more than fourteen hundred years have passed and not a single word of this
Qur'an has been changed although disbelievers tried their utmost to change
it, but they failed miserably in their efforts. As it is mentioned in this
Holy Verse: "We will guard this Book" by Allah, He has guarded it.
On the contrary, all the other holy books (Torah, Psalms, Gospels
etc.) have been adulterated in the form of additions, deletions or
alterations from the original.
C. What does the Qur'an say about Abraham and Moses that you can
deduce from the Bible?
M. In Surah 3:65:
O people of the Scripture [Jews and Christians]! Why do you dispute
about Abraham, while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after
him? Have you then no sense?
And in Surah 3:67:
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim
(worshiper of none but Allah alone) and he joined none in worship with
Allah.
In Surah 2:140:
Or say you that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve sons
of Jacob were Jews or Christians? Say (of Muhammad), 'Do you know better
or does Allah? And who is more unjust than he who conceals the testimony
he has from Allah?' And Allah is not unaware of what you do. Of course
they were not Jews or Christians, as the name "Jews" came after Judah
and the name "Christians" came long after Jesus had left.
C. It feels strange to hear the name Allah. Why don't you say "God" if
you speak English?
M. Yes, indeed, the name "Allah" seems to be strange to non-Muslims,
but this name has been used by all prophets since Adam until Muhammad. It
is a contraction of the two Arabic words AIlah, i.e., The God. By dropping
the letter "I," you will find the word Allah. According to its position in
an Arabic sentence, it can have the form "Allaha," which is close to the
Hebrew name of the Creator, i.e. "Eloha." But the Jews are using wrongly
the plural form "Elohim," which denotes more than one God. The word
"Allaha" sounds closer to the Aramaic word for God used by Jesus, namely,
"Alaha" (see Encyclopedia Britannica 1980 under "Allah" and "Elohim"). So
while the name "Allah" is strange to non-Muslims, it is not strange to all
prophets from Adam to Muhammad, as they propagated in principle the same
Islamtotal submissionand the word "Allah" denotes the personal name of
the Supreme Being. It is not subject to plurality or gender, so there is
no such thing as "Allahs," or a male or female "Allah," as is the case
with Gods or God and Goddess. It is confusing to use the word God, as many
English speaking Christians consider Jesus as God. Even the word "Creator"
is also confusing, as many Christians maintain that Jesus created the
world. Not only the name "Allah" is strange, but also the way Muslims
worship Allah with ablution, bowing, kneeling, prostration and fasting is
strange to non-Muslims, but not strange to all of the prophets. While
ablution (washing of face, arms, feet, and moistening of the hair) prior
to worship is not done by modern Christians, it is required of Muslims and
previous prophets, as seen in the following biblical passages: Exodus
40:31-32: "And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their
feet thereat; When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when
they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the Lord commanded Moses."
Although Paul made many changes in Jesus' teaching, he was faithful in
respect to ablution, as seen in Acts 21:26: "Then Paul took the men, and
the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple'..."
Muslim women perform their prayer with their head covered, as in I
Corinthians 11:5-6, 13: "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with
her head uncovered dishonourerh her head: for that is even all one as if
she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn:
but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be
covered.... Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God
uncovered" Muslims worship with bowing, kneeling, prostration, and without
shoes 1 , as was done by previous prophets: Psalms 95:6: "O come, let us
worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker"; Joshua 5:
14: "And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship''; I Kings
18:42: "And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down
upon the earth, and put his face between his knees"; Numbers 20:6: "...
and they [Moses and Aaron] fell upon their faces: and the glory of the
Lord appeared upon them"; Genesis 17:3: "And Abram fell on his face: and
God talked with him, saying ...", and Exodus 3:5 and Acts 7:33: "And he
[God] said [to Moses], 'Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground."'
A Christian will be very surprised to learn that the pilgrimage
(hajj), which consists of Muslims circumambulating around the sacred stone
(i.e., the Ka'bah) in Makkah, had been performed by many prophets, even by
Israelite prophets.
C. I never read anything about the pilgrimage or the sacred stone
(i.e., Ka'bah) in the Bible.
M. This has been mentioned clearly several times but is usually
overlooked by those who read the Bible. For example:
1. Jacob, on his way to Padan aram, saw a vision and built the next
morning a pillar of stone which he called Beth EI, i.e. the House of the
Lord (Genesis 28:18-19).
2. Years later the same Prophet, Jacob, was ordered by Allah to go to
Bethel (Genesis 35:4, 14-15). Jacob removed all of the strange gods prior
to going there. Later, Prophet Muhammad also removed all idols around the
sacred stone (i.e., Ka'bah in Makkah).
3. Another pillar was built by Jacob and his father-in-law, Laban,
(Genesis 31:45-49): "And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
And Jacob said unto his brethren: 'Gather stones.' And they took stones,
and made a heap; and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban called it
Jegar sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed ... and Mizpah, for he said:
'The Lord watch between me and thee ..."'
4. Jephthah and Ammon had a war against each other. Jephthah swore to
the Lord in Mizpah of Gilead to sacrifice his only daughter if he won. He
did win, and burnt his daughter there alive as an offering to the Lord
(Judges 11:29-39).
5. Four hundred thousand swordsmen from the eleven tribes of Israel
swore before the Lord in Mizpeh to exterminate the tribes of Benjamin
(Judges 20 and 21).
6. The children of Israel, under Samuel, swore in Mizpeh to destroy
their idols if they won against the Philistines (I Samuel 7).
7. The whole nation of Israel assembled in Mizpeh when Samuel was
appointed king of Israel (I Samuel 10).
It is obvious now that there is no Mizpah left in the world, except
the oldest one in the Holy City of Makkah built by Abraham and his son
Ishmael, from whom later Prophet Muhammad arose. Muslims are really the
followers of all prophets. I can tell you other things about Muslims,
Islam and Muhammad in the Bible, but why should you know this if you are
not looking for the truth?
C. I am sure of my own belief as a Christian but I would also like to
know more about both religions. I sometimes feel ridiculed as a Christian
after reading books written by Muslims.
M. Did it affect you in your religious life?
C. Yes. I am not going to Church as regularly as before. I have been
secretly reading books written by Muslims. I have asked several Muslims to
explain matters that were not clear to me, but have not yet been
satisfied. I am looking for a belief that I can rely on, that can give me
peace of mind, that is scientifically acceptable, and one that I don't
have to believe in blindly.
M. I appreciate your sentiments. However, as we are not allowed to
force people to become Muslim, I want to be sure that you are really
interested in learning the truth before I continue.
C. You mean that I can believe what I want and that nobody can force
me to believe in something else?
M. Yes, for the Qur'an says that there is no compulsion in religion.
C. Then why are Muslims calling other people to accept Islam?
M. As Christians ask the Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah, we
Muslims ask the Christians, as well as Jews and all mankind, to accept
Muhammad as the seal of the prophets. Our Prophet Muhammad said: "Convey
my message, even one ayah (verse of the Holy Qur'an)."
Also, Isaiah mentioned in chapter 21:13: "The burden upon Arabia,"
which means the responsibility of the Muslim Arabs, to spread Islam.
Isaiah mentioned this after he saw in a vision a chariot of asses and a
chariot of camels (21:7): "And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen,
a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently
with much heed."
The chariot of asses turned out to be Jesus, who entered Jerusalem
(John 12: 14; Matthew 21: 5). Who then was the chariot of camels? It could
not be other than Muhammad, who came about six hundred years after the
advent of Jesus. If this is not accepted, then this prophecy has not yet
been fulfilled.
C. Your explanation stimulates me to review the Bible more carefully.
I would like to have more discussions with you.
M. Yes, if you are successful in this world, it doesn't mean that you
will be successful in the hereafter. The hereafter is much better and more
lasting than this life. People are now becoming more materialistic and
secular. Let's meet some more and discuss the differences frankly and
without prejudice. Islam is based on reason, and you should not just
accept it. Even your Bible says: "Prove all things; hold fast that which
is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21).
C. You mentioned just now a "chariot of camels" from Isaiah and drew
the conclusion that it was Muhammad. Is he then prophesied in the Bible?
M. Sure.
C. In the Old or New Testament?
M. In both. But you cannot recognize him in the Bible as long as you
don't believe in the oneness of God. As long as you still believe in the
Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the divine son ship of Jesus, and the
doctrines of Original Sin and Atonement. All of these were made by men.
Jesus prophesied that people would worship him uselessly and believe in
doctrines made by men: "But in vain they do worship me teaching for
doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9).
The Holy Bible
M. Are you sure that the Bible is holy?
C. Yes, I am very sure about it, for it is God's Word.
M. Read what Luke said about his recording in 1:2-3.
C. "Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were
eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word. It seemed good to me also, having
held perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write
unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus."
M. If Luke had said that he himself was not an eyewitness and the
knowledge he gathered was from eyewitnesses and not as words inspired by
God, would you still believe that the Bible is God's word?
C. Maybe only this part is not God's word.
M. History has shown that the Bible has been changed. The Revised
Standard Version (1952 and 1971), The New American Standard Bible and The
New World Translation have expunged certain verses that are found in The
King James Version. The Reader's Digest has reduced the Old Testament by
50 percent and the New Testament by about 25 percent. Some years ago
Christian theologians wanted to "desex" the Bible. Does "holy" mean that
the Bible is free from error?
C. Yes, that is so. But what kind of error do you mean?
M. Suppose one verse states that a certain person died at the age of
fifty years and another verse states that the same person died at the age
of sixty years? Can both statements be right?
C. No, for only one can be right or both are wrong.
M. If a holy book contains conflicting verses, do you still consider
it holy?
C. Of course not, because a holy scripture is a revelation from God.
Therefore, it should be impossible that mistakes or conflicting verses
could be found in it.
M. Then it's not holy.
C. Right. In that case, its holiness disappears.
M. If so, you can't trust it one hundred percent. What could be the
causes of such mistakes?
C. It could be a mistake in the recording or deliberate changes by
scribes, such as deletion or addition in it.
M. If there are conflicting verses in the Bible, do you still consider
it holy?
C. I believe that the Bible is holy, since I see no conflicting verses
M. There are many conflicting verses in it.
C. In the Old or New Testament?
M. In both Testaments. These are some of them:
II Samuel 8:4
And David took from him a thousand chariots and seven hundred
horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen ...
I Chronicles 18:4
And David took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand
horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen ...
Q. Seven hundred or seven thousand?
II Samuel 8:9-10
When Toi, king of Hamath, heard that David had smitten all the host
of Hadadezer, then Toi sent Joram, his son, unto King David to salute
him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and had
smitten him, for Hadadezer had wars with Toil. And Joram took with him
vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass.
I Chronicles 18:9-10
Now when Tou, king of Hamath, heard how David had smitten all the
host of Hadarezer, king of Zobah, he sent Hadoram, his son, to King
David to enquire of his welfare and to congratulate him, because he had
fought against Hadarezer and had smitten him (for Hadarezer had made war
withTou); and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and
brass.
Q. Toi or Tou, Joram or Hadoram, Hadadezer or Hadarezer?
I Samuel 10:18
And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David slew the men of seven
hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote
Shobach, the captain of their host, who died there.
I Chronicles 19:18
But the Syrians fled before Israel, and David slew of the Syrians
seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen,
and killed Shophach, the captain of their host.
Q. Seven hundred chariots or seven thousand men? Forty thousand
horsemen or footmen? Shobach or Shophach?
II Kings 8:26
Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign.
II Chronicles 22:2
Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign. .
Q. Twenty two or forty two years?
II Kings 24:8
Jehoiachim was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem three months.
II Chronicles 36:9
Jehoiachim was eight years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem.
Q. Eighteen years or eight years? Three months or three months and ten
days?
II Samuel 23:8
These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite
that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the
Eznite: he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at
one time.
I Chronicles 11:11
And this is the number of the mighty men who David had: Jashobeam,
an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains; he lifted up his spear against
three hundred slain by him at one time.
Q. Tachmonite or Hachmonite? Eight hundred or three hundred?
II Samuel 24:1
And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he
moved David against them to say: "Go, number Israel and Judah."
I Chronicles 21:1
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number
Israel.
Q. Is Satan the Lord of David? May God forbid it!
II Samuel 6:23
Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child until the day of
her death.
II Samuel 21:8
But the king took the two sons of Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, whom
she bore unto Saul, Arrnoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of
Michal, the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of
Barzilai the Meholthite.
Q. Did Michal have children or not? Note: The name Michal in II Samuel
21:8 is still present in The King James version and The New World
Translation of the Holy Scriptures used by the Jehovah's Witnesses, but
has been changed to Merab in The New American Standard Bible (1973).
C. I never saw any of these before. Are there many more?
M. Do you still need to hear more? Are these examples not sufficient
to deny its holiness? See Genesis 6:3: "And the Lord said: 'My spirit
shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days
shall be one hundred and twenty years."
But how old was Noah when he died? More than a hundred and twenty
years. See Genesis 9:29: "And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and
fifty years when he died." Some Christian theologians claim that this does
not mean that the maximum age of man will be a hundred and twenty years,
but that the Flood would come in a hundred and twenty years. Even this
doesn't fit, because at the time of the Flood Noah would have been six
hundred and twenty (500 + 120) years old. However, the Bible states that
he was six hundred years. Study Genesis 5:32: "And Noah was five hundred
years old . . ."; Genesis 7:6: "And Noah was six hundred years old when
the flood of waters was upon the earth."
Christianity believes that God created man in His image: white, black
or another color, male or female? This is according to Genesis 1:26: "And
God said: 'Let Us make man in our image, after our likeness . . ." But
this contradicts Isaiah 40:18, 25: "To whom then will ye liken God? Or
what likeness will ye compare unto him? . . . 'To whom then will ye liken
Me, or shall I be equal?' saith the Holy One." See also Psalm 89:6: "For
who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the
mighty can be likened unto the Lord?" and Jeremiah 10:6,7: "For as much as
there is none like unto Thee, O Lord . . . there is none like unto Thee."
C. But all these are in the Old Testament.
M. Well then, let's go to the New Testament.
John 5:37 Ye have neither heard His [God's] voice at any time, nor
seen His shape.
John 14:9 ... he that has seen me has seen the Father ...
John 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
John 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them: "Though I bear record of
myself, yet my record is true."
These are only some of the contradictions in the New Testament. You
will find more if we discuss the truth of such doctrines of modern
Christianity as the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the divine
sonship of Jesus, Original Sin and Atonement, not to mention the biblical
accounts of many prophets engaging in degrading activities: worshipping
false gods and committing incest, rape, and adultery.
C. Where do you find that in the Bible?
M. Noah is reported to have been drunk to the point of becoming naked
in the presence of his grownup sons (Genesis 9:23-24): "And Shem and
Japhet took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went
backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were
backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from
his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him."
Solomon was accused not only of having a large harem but also of
worshipping false gods (I Kings 11:9-10): "And the Lord was angry with
Solomon ... And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should
not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. "
Aaron, a prophet who accompanied his brother Moses on his mission to
Pharaoh, was accused of having fashioned the golden calf for the
Israelites to worship (Exodus 32:4): "And he [Aaron] received them [golden
earrings] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he
had made it a golden calf: and they said: 'These be thy gods, O Israel,
which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."'
You can read of Prophet Lot's incestuous encounter with his two
daughters (Genesis 19:36): "Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child
by their father."
You can read of a prophet who was married to two sisters at the same
time (Genesis 29:28): "And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he
[Laban] gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also."
And another prophet accused of adultery (II Samuel 11:4-5): "And David
sent messengers, and took her [the wife of Uriah], and she came in unto
him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness; and
she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told
David, and said: 'I am with child."'
My question is: How could David be accepted in the genealogy of Jesus
when it started with a person who committed adultery? May Allah forbid it!
Does this not contradict what is mentioned in Deuteronomy 23:2: "A bastard
shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth
generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord."
Another allegation is that of incest along with rape by Ammon, the son
of David, on his half sister Tamar (II Samuel 13: 14): "Howbeit he [Ammon]
would not hearken unto her voice, but being stronger than she [Tamer],
forced her and lay with her."
Still another multiple rape, by Absalom on David's concubines, is
recounted in II Samuel 16:33: "So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top
of the house, and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the
sight of all Israel."
Another incest, by Judah and Tamar (his daughter-in-law): "Judah on
his way to Timnath to shear his sheep saw Tamar. He thought her to be a
harlot because she had her face covered (Genesis 38: 18): ". . . And he
[Judah] gave it [signet, bracelet and staff] to her, and came in unto her
and she conceived by him."
Although Jews and Muslims often have differing views, no Muslim would
dare to write a book and stamp any Israelite prophet like Judah, David,
Jesus, and so on with rape, adultery, incest, or prostitution. All
prophets were sent by Allah for the guidance of mankind. Do you think that
God had sent the wrong people for guidance?
C. I don't think so. But don't you believe in the Bible?
M. We believe in all divine scriptures, but in their original form.
God sent a prophet as a warner to each nation, and some of them with a
scripture as a guidance for that particular nation only. The Suhuf was
brought by Abraham, the Torah (part of the Old Testament) by Moses, the
Zabur (Psalms) by David, and the Injil (New Testament) by Jesus. None of
the these scriptures remains in their original form. As part of Allah's
original plan, He finally sent Muhammad as the seal of all prophets and
with the Qur'an as a guidance for all mankind, anywhere and anytime.
Jesus himself said that he was sent only to the people of Israel
(Matthew 15:24): "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of
Israel." Also (Matthew 1:21): "And she shall bring forth a son and thou
shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins."
He even said that he came not to make changes but to fulfill (Matthew
5:17-18): "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I
am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you: 'Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from
the law till all be fulfilled."'
C. But in Mark 16:15 Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature."
M. This contradicts what is mentioned above in Matthew 15:24 and
Matthew 1:21. Secondly, Mark 16:9-20 has been expunged in many Bibles. The
New American Standard Bible has put this part in brackets and made the
following commentary: "Some of the oldest mss. omit from verse 9 through
20." The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures used by the
Jehovah's Witnesses admits that certain ancient manuscripts add a long
conclusion or a short conclusion after Mark 16:8 but that some omit those
verses. And The Revised Standard version prints the following footnote:
"Some of the most ancient authorities bring the book to a close at the end
of verse 8 ..." This means that the resurrection is not true, as it is
described in Mark 16:9.
C. But Jesus said in Matthew 28:19: "Go ye therefore and teach all
nations ..."
M. "All nations" must be explained as the twelve tribes of Israel,
otherwise it contradicts Matthew 15:24 and Matthew 1:21. In The New
American Standard Bible and The New World Translation of the Holy
Scriptures, it is not translated as "all nations" but as "all the
nations," which means the twelve tribes of Israel. What do you think of
the Bible now?
C. I am not so sure about its holiness now.
M. I am sure you will be convinced of the authenticity of Islam after
we have discussed our differences.
The Doctrine of the Trinity
M. Do you still believe in the Trinity?
C. It is said in the First Epistle of John 5:7-8: "For there are three
that bear record in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and
these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth: the
spirit, and the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one."
M. That is in The King James Version, authorized in 1611, and formed
the strongest evidence for the doctrine of the Trinity. But now this part,
"the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one," has
been expunged in The Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971 and in many
other Bibles, as it was a gloss that had encroached on the Greek text.
I John 5:7-8 in The New American Standard Bible says: "And it is the
Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three
that bear witness, the Spirit and the water, and the blood, and the three
are in agreement." Also, in The New World Translation of the Holy
Scriptures, used by the Jehovah's Witnesses, you will find: "For there are
three witness bearers: the spirit, and the water, and the blood, and the
three are in agreement." I can understand if you don't know that this
important part has been removed, but I wonder why many ministers and
preachers are not aware of this.
The Trinity is not biblical. The word "Trinity" is not even in the
Bible or Bible dictionaries. It was never taught or mentioned by Jesus.
There is no basis or proof in the Bible for its acceptance.
C. But in Matthew 28: 19 we still find: "... baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This part has
not been removed yet. Is this not a proof of the Trinity?
M. No. If three persons are sitting or eating together, does it mean
that they form one person? No. The formulation of the Trinity by
Athanasius, an Egyptian deacon from Alexandria, was accepted by the
Council of Nicaea in 325 ADmore than three centuries after Jesus had
left. No doubt Roman paganism had an influence on this doctrine of a
triune god. The Sabbath was shifted to Sunday and December 25, the
birthday of their sun god Mithra, was introduced as Jesus' birthday,
although the Bible clearly predicted and forbade the decoration of
Christmas trees in Jeremiah 10:2-5: "Thus saith the Lord: 'Learn not the
way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the
heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for
one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman
with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with
nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm
tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be
not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to
do good."
As Christianity deviated far from the original teachings of Jesus,
Allah sent His last prophet, Muhammad, as a revivalist to undo changes
made by man: the Roman Julian calendar was introduced as the Christian
era; Pork was allowed; circumcision was abolished by Paul (Galatians 5:2:
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall
profit you nothing."
The Qur'an warns in Surah 5:73: Surely they are disbelievers, those
who said: 'Allah is one of the three in a Trinity.' But there is none who
has the right to be worshipped but one God (Allah). And if they cease not
from what they say, verily a painful torment will befall the disbelievers
among them. Do you still believe in the Trinity, which was never taught by
Jesus?
C. But God and Jesus are one (John 14: 11): "Believe me that I am in
the Father, and the Father in me."
M. Read John 17:21.
C. "That they [the disciples] all may be one; as thou, Father, art in
me, and I in thee, that they may also be one in us ..."
M. It is clear here that God and Jesus are one, and that the disciples
are one in Jesus and God. If Jesus is God because he is in God, why are
the disciples then not God, as they are like Jesus, who is in God? If God,
Jesus, and the Holy Ghost form one unitthe Trinitywith the disciples
included they should form a fifteen unit God.
C. But Jesus is God according to John 14:9: "... he that hath seen me
hath seen the Father."
M. Look at what comes before and after: (John 14:8): "Philip saith
unto him: 'Lord, show us the Father, and it aufficeth us."' (John 14:9):
"Jesus saith unto him: 'Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast
thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hast seen the Father; and
how sayest thou then: Shew us the Father?"'
Jesus asked Philip how to show God to the disciples, which is
impossible. You should believe in God by admiring His creation: the sun,
the moon, all creation, and Jesus, who was created by God. He said in John
4:24: "God is a Spirit" and in John 5:37: "Ye have neither heard his voice
at any time, nor seen his shape." How can you see a spirit? What they saw
was Jesus, not God. Paul said in I Timothy 6: 16: "... whom no man hath
seen, nor can see." So what you see is not God. The Qur'an says in Surah
5:103: "Vision comprehends Him not, but He comprehends (all) vision. He is
the Subtle, the Aware."
C. It is hard to deny what has been taught to us since childhood.
M. Maybe the following questions will give you a better understanding
of the Trinity: What is the Holy Spirit?
C. The Holy Spirit is the Holy Ghost and is also God. We are taught
that the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Ghost is God. We are not
allowed to say Three Gods, but One God.
M. Read Matthew 1:18.
C. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way: When as his mother
Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with
child of the Holy Ghost."
M. Compare this with Luke 1:26-27.
C. "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a
city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name
was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary."
M. In Jesus' miraculous birth Matthew mentioned the Holy Ghost and
Luke mentioned the angel Gabriel. What is the Holy Ghost?
C. That being the case, the Holy Ghost is the angel Gabriel.
M. Do you still believe in the Trinity now?
C. Then God is God and the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit is the angel
Gabriel, and Jesus is ...
M. Let me help you: Jesus is a prophet, the son of Mary.
C. How can you solve what we call a divine mystery?
M. We use the Qur'an as the standard to correct man made changes in
previously revealed scriptures. If you believe in One God, and Jesus as a
prophet, why don't you go one step further and accept Muhammad as the last
messenger? Recite after me the shahadah or witness (testimony), first in
English and then in Arabic.
C. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, Who has no
partner, and Muhammad is His servant and messenger. Ashhadu an la illaha
illa Allahu wahdahu la sharikah lahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abdahu wa
rasuluhu.
But what about my great grandparents? I would like to stay with them.
They were all Christians.
M. Abraham left his parents and great grandparents when the truth
Islamwas revealed to him. Everyone is responsible for himself. Maybe the
truth hadn't come to your ancestors as clearly as it has to you. The
Qur'an says in Surah 17:15: Whoever goes right, then, he goes right only
for his own soul's benefit. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray
only to his own loss. No laden soul can bear another's load. And We never
punish until We have sent an apostle (to give warnings). The Truth has
come to you and it is up to you.
C. Can I accept both Islam and Christianity?
M. There is no force in religion. You can do what you want. But if YOU
combine both faiths, it means you haven't surrendered to Allah. You are
still a disbeliever, as He states in Surah 4:150-152: Verily those who
disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to make distinction
between Allah and His messengers [by believing in Allah and disbelieving
in His messengers] saying: 'We believe in some and reject others,' and
wish to take a way in between [this and] that: They are disbelievers in
truth. And We have prepared for disbelievers a humiliating torment. To
those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction
between any of them [messengers], We shall give them their rewards, and
Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful. You may agree with me if we discuss
some other issues.
C. Should we recite a confession (shahadah) before we are fully
committed?
M. As soon as you reach adulthood and you are mentally competent, you
are then committed whether you recite the shahadah or not. Allah created
this world for a purpose. He has supplied you with the organs to
differentiate between right and wrong. He has sent many prophets as
warners. We are created to worship Him and to compete with each other in
good deeds in this world.
Surah 3:191: ... Our Lord! You have not created [all] this without
purpose, Glory to You! ... "
Surah 90:8-10: Have We not made for him [mankind] a pair of eyes? And
a tongue and a pair of lips? And shown him the two ways [good and evil]?
Surah 51:56: And I created not the jinns and mankind except they
should worship Me [alone]. (Every deed for the pleasure of Allah is
worship.)
Surah 18:7: Verily! We have made that which is on earth as an
adornment for it [the earth] in order that We may test them [mankind] as
to which of them is better in deeds.
The Doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus Christ
M. Is Jesus God?
C. Yes. In the Gospel according to John 1:1: "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was Cod."
M. We have agreed that a holy scripture should not contain
contradictions. If there are two conflicting verses, then only one can be
true or both are wrong, for both cannot be correct.
According to John l:1 Jesus is God. Then how many Gods are there? Two
at least. This contradicts many passages in the Bible: Deuteronomy 4:39:
"... that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath:
there is none else"; Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is
one Lord", (Isaiah 43:10-11): "... that ye may know and believe Me, and
understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall
there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no
savior"; (Isaiah 44:6): "Thus saith the Lord ... I am the first, and I am
the last, and beside Me there is no God"; (Isaiah 45:18): "For thus saith
the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and
made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it
to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else."
From Isaiah 45:18 we can conclude that God alone was the Creator and
that no one else, not even Jesus, participated in the creation.
You should also read Deuteronomy 4:35; Exodus 8:10; II Samuel 7:22; I
Kings 8:23; I Chronicles 17:20; Psalms 86:8, 89:6 and 113:5; Hosea 13:4;
and Zechariah 14:9.
C. But these are all in the Old Testament. Do you find these same
statements in the New Testament?
M. Sure. Read Mark 12:29, where it is recorded that Jesus himself
said: "And Jesus answered him: 'The first of all the commandments is:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord."'
I Corinthians 8:4: "... we know that an idol is nothing in the world,
and that there is none other God but one"; (I Timothy 2:5): "For there is
one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." Look
at the expression "the man Christ Jesus." Now you can either say that John
1:1 is right and all these other verses are wrong, or vice versa.
C. How can anybody make such a judgment?
M. Lets look at it from the Qur'anic point of view, which corresponds
with what Jesus himself said in the Bible. Jesus is mentioned several
times in the Qur'an as a "Word from Allah." In Surah 3:39: Then the angels
called to him [Zechariah] while he was standing in prayer in the chamber
(saying): "Allah gives you glad tidings of John [the Baptist] believing in
a Word from Allah [Jesus, son of Mary], noble, keeping away from sexual
relations with women, a prophet, and one of the righteous."
In Surah 3:45: [Remember] when the angels said: "O Mary! Verily Allah
gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name will be Messiah
Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter, and
of those who are near to Allah." In both verses, Jesus is called a "Word
from Allah," by which is meant a Word coming from Allah or belonging to
Allah, in correspondence with I Corinthians 3:23: "And ye are Christ's;
and Christ is God's." John 1:1 should also have been written: "... and the
Word was God's." The mistake could have been in the translation from
Aramaic to Greek, deliberately or not. In the Greek language, Theos is
God, while Theou means God's (see any Greek dictionary or Bible, or
Muhammad in the Bible by Prof. Abdul Ahad Dawud, former Bishop of Uramiah,
page 16). This difference of only one letter has major consequences.
C. Why is Jesus called the "Word of God" in both scriptures?
M. The creation of Jesus in Mary's womb was without sperm, for it was
the result of the decree of Allah: "Be" as mentioned in the Surah 3:47:
She [Mary] said; "O, my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has
touched me?" He said: "So [it will be], for Allah creates what He will.
When He has decreed something, He says to it only 'Be' and it is."
C. Jesus is God because he is filled with the Holy Spirit.
M. But there are other people who have been filled with the Holy
Ghost? Are they also divine? Look at Acts 11:24: "For he [Barnabas] was a
good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and many people were
added unto the Lord" and Acts 5:32: "And we are his witnesses of these
things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that
obey him." You should also read Acts 6:5; II Peter 1:21; II Timothy 1:14;
I Corinthians 2:16; Luke 1:41.
C. But Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost while he was still in his
mother's womb.
M. The same was true with John the Baptist, for we read in Luke 1: 13,
IS: "But the angel said unto him: 'Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is
heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call
his name John. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he
shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. "'
C. But Jesus could do miracles. He fed five thousand people with only
five loaves and two fishes.
M. The same was done by Elisha and Elijah. Elisha fed a hundred people
with twenty barley loaves and a few ears of corn, for II Kings 4:44
relates: "So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof,
according to the word of the Lord." Elisha secured the increase of a
widow's oil and he said to her, in II Kings 4:7: "Go, sell the oil, and
pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest." See also I
Kings 17:16: "And the barrel of meal wasted not neither did the cruse of
oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he speak by Elijah."
Also I Kings 17:6: "And the ravens brought him [Elijah] bread and flesh in
the morning, bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."
C. But Jesus could heal leprosy.
M. So could Elisha, who told Naaman the leper to wash in the Jordan
river. As recounted in II Kings 5:14: "Then went he [Naaman] down and
dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man
of God [Elisha]: and his flesh came again like unto a flesh of a little
child, and he was clean."
C. But Jesus could cause a blind man to see again.
M. So could Elisha: II Kings 6:17: "And Elisha prayed, and said:
'Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see.' And the Lord opened
the eyes of the young man: and he saw ...", II Kings 6:20: "And it came to
pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said: 'Lord, open the
eyes of these men, that they may see.' And the Lord opened their eyes, and
they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria."
Elisha was also told to cause blindness: 11 Kings 6: 18: "And when
they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said: 'Smite this
people, I pray thee, with blindness.' And he smote them with blindness
according to the word of Elisha."
C. Jesus could raise the dead.
M. Compare that with Elijah: I Kings 17:22: "And the Lord heard the
voice of Elijah: and the soul of the child came into him again, and he
revived." Such a miracle was also attributed to Elisha: II Kings 4:34:
"And he [Elisha] went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon
his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and
he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed
warm."
Even touching the bones of Elisha could restore a dead body to life:
II Kings 13:21: "And it came to Dass, as they were burying a man, that,
behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre
of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha,
he revived, and stood up on his feet."
C. But Jesus walked upon the water.
M. Moses stretched out his arms over the sea: Exodus 14:22: "And the
children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground; and
the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left."
C. But Jesus could cast out devils.
M. Jesus himself admitted that other people could do it: Matthew 12:27
and Luke 11:19: "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your
children cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges. "
Also the disciples could cast out devils, as Jesus said: Matthew 7:22:
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many
wonderful works?"
Even false prophets would do wonders, as prophesied by Jesus himself:
Matthew 24:24: "For there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets,
and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
C. But Elijah and Elisha did wonders through praying to the Lord.
M. Jesus also did the miracles with the grace of God, as he himself
said: John 5:30: "I can of mine own self do nothing ..." and Luke 11:2):
"But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of
God is come upon you."
All miracles performed by Jesus have been done by previous prophets,
disciples, and even unbelievers. On the other hand, Jesus could do no
mighty work where there was unbelief: Mark 6:5-6: "And he could there do
no mighty work save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and
healed them. and he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went around
about the villages, teaching."
C. But Jesus was resurrected three days after he died.
M. We will talk about his crucifixion later, because there are so many
controversies about it. For now, I'll only say that this was said by Paul,
who never saw Jesus alive: II Timothy 2:8: "Remember that Jesus Christ of
the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel."
The gospel of resurrection in Mark 16:9-20 has also been removed in
many Bibles. If it has not been removed, it is printed in small print or
between two brackets and with commentary. See The Revised Standard
version, The New American Standard Bible, and The New World Translation of
the Holy Scriptures of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Let me ask you one thing:
Did Jesus ever claim to be God or to say: "Here am I, your God, and
worship me?"
C. No, but he is God and man.
M. But did he ever claim that?
C. No.
M. Indeed, he prophesied that people would worship him uselessly and
would believe in doctrines made not by God but by man: Matthew 15:9: "But
in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of
men.
All doctrines of modern Christianity are made by men: the Trinity, the
divine sonship of Jesus, the divinity of Jesus Christ, and the doctrines
Original Sin and Atonement. From Jesus' own sayings, recorded in the New
Testament, it is clear that he never claimed divinity or identity with
God: "I do nothing of myself" (John 8:28); "My Father is greater than I"
(John 14:28; "The Lord our God is one Lord" (Mark 12: 29); "My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34); and "Father, into Thy hands
I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46); and "But of that day and that hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son,
but the Father" (Mark 13:32). Jesus was called a prophet, a teacher from
God, His servant, the Messiah, and later was escalated to the Son of God,
and then to God Himself.
Let us now use our reason: how can a mortal woman give birth to God?
Jesus slept while God never sleeps: Psalms 121:4: "Behold, he that
keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." God should be
powerfulbut how could people spit on him and crucify him as the Bible
alleges? How could Jesus be God if he worshipped God as any other mortal:
Luke 5:16: "And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed."
Jesus was tempted by Satan for forty days(Luke 4:1-13), but in James
1:13 it is said: "... for God cannot be tempted with evil ..." How can
Jesus be God, then? We can rationalize further and further.
C. Yes, I myself can't understand it, but we have to accept it
blindly.
M. Doesn't that attitude contradict the Bible itself, which says that
you have to prove it: I Thessalonians 5:21: "Prove all things; hold fast
that which is good."
C. It's really confusing.
M. But I Corinthians 14:33 says: "For God is not the author of
confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." Doctrines made
by men create confusion.
The Doctrine of the Divine Sonship of Jesus
M. Is Jesus the Son of God?
C. Yes. Read in Matthew 3:17, when Jesus was baptized by John: "And lo
a voice from heaven, saying" 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased."'
M. You should not accept the word "son" literally, because the Bible
also refers to many prophets and other people as sons and children of God.
Read Exodus 4:22.
C. "And thou [Moses] shalt say unto Pharaoh: 'Thus saith the Lord,
Israel is my son, even my firstborn."'
M. Here is Jacob (Israel) His firstborn son. Read II Samuel 7:13-14 or
I Chronicles 22:10.
C. "He [Solomon] shall build a house for My name, and I will establish
the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father and he shall be
My son."
M. It will be confusing if you read Jeremiah 31:9: "I am a father to
Israel and Ephraim is my firstborn." In Exodus 4:22 just now, Israel was
called also called the firstborn. Who is the real firstborn: Israel or
Ephraim? Even common people can be children of God. Read Deuteronomy 14:1.
C. "Ye are the children of the Lord your God."
M. Common people can also be called firstborn. Read Romans 8:29.
C. "For whom he did fore know, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn of many
brethren."
M. If all are firstborn, then what is Jesus?
C. He is the only begotten son of God.
M. Long before Jesus was born, God said to David (Psalms 2:7): "I will
declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me [David]: 'Thou art my son;
this day have I begotten thee."' So David is also God's begotten son. The
meaning of "Son of God" is not literal but metaphorical. It can be anyone
who is beloved by God. Jesus also said that God is not only his Father but
also your Father (Matthew 5:45, 48).
C. "That ye may be the children of your Father" and "Be ye therefore
perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
M. You can see in many biblical passages that the phrase "Son of God"
signifies love and affection and neamess to God, and that it is not to be
applied to Jesus alone. You will see sons and daughters of God: II
Connthians 6:18: "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons
and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." In view of these and other
passages in the Bible, there is no reason why Jesus should be regarded as
the son of God in a literal or unique sense.
C. But he has no father. That is why he is the son of God.
M. Then you must also consider Adam as a son of God, for he had no
father or mother. In Luke 3:38, it is said "... Seth, who was the son of
Adam, who was the son of God." Read Hebrews 7:3.
C. "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither
beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the son of God;
abideth a priest continually."
M. Who is he? The answer is in Hebrews 7:1: "Melchisedec, king of
Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham ..." He is more unique
than Jesus or Adam. Why is he not considered a son of God or God Himself?
C. What do you call Jesus then?
M. Muslims call him Jesus, the son of Mary.
C. No one will deny this.
M. Yes, it is simple and nobody can deny it. Jesus called himself the
son of man and refused to be called son of God. Read Luke 4:41.
C. "And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying: 'Thou
art Christ, the Son of God. And he, rebuking them, suffered them not to
speak, for they knew that he was Christ."
M. It is clear here that he refused to be called the son of God. He
also refused such a designation in Luke 9:20-21, and told his disciples
not to refer to him that way.
C. "He [Jesus] said unto them [the disciples]: 'But whom say ye that I
am?' Peter, answering, said: 'The Christ of God.' And he straightly
charged them and commanded them to tell no man that thing."
M. Jesus, who was the expected Messiah, a prophet, was escalated from
teacher to son of God, Lord, and finally to God Himself. Read John 3:2:
"The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him: 'Rabbi, we know that
thou art a teacher come from God ..."; John 6:14: "Then those men, when
they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said: 'This is of a truth that
prophet that should come into the world."' Jesus is also called a prophet
in John 7:40; Matthew 21:11; Luke 7:16 and 24:19. In Acts 9:20, we read:
"And straightway he [Paul] preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is
the son of God." (You can conclude from here also that early Christians
were still using synagogues, but later when Christianity deviated from the
original teaching of Jesus, churches were established. Paul, Barnabas, and
the Gentiles were expelled from the synagogues, as they were accused of
blasphemy and pollution. See Acts 13:50, 17:18, and 21:28.). In Luke 2:11,
it is said that: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Savior, who is Christ the Lord" and in John 1:1: "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Was Jesus Crucified?
M. The Qur'an states in Surah 4:157 that Jesus was not crucified: "And
their [Jews'] boasting: 'We killed Messiah Jesus, Son of Mary the Apostle
of Allah, but they [Jews] killed him not, nor crucified him ..." Do you
still believe that he died on the cross?
C. Yes, he died and was then resurrected.
M. We all agree that nobody saw the moment he was resurrected. They
found that the sepulchre in which Jesus had been laid was empty and
concluded that he had been resurrected, because the disciples and other
witnesses saw him alive after the alleged crucifixion. Could it not be
possible, as the Qur'an claims, that he didn't die on the cross?
C. Where is the proof?
M. Let's look at the biblical passages that support this conclusion.
Do you give more weight to what Jesus said or to the hearsay of the
disciples, apostles, and other witnesses?
C. Of course more to what Jesus himself said.
M. That is in accordance with what Jesus said: Matthew 10:24: "The
disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord."
C. But Jesus himself said that he will rise from the dead: Luke 24:46:
"And said unto them: 'Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day."'
M. Suffering is often exaggerated in the Bible and termed "dead," as
Paul said in I Corinthians T5:31: "I protest by your rejoicing which I
have in Christ, I die daily" (i.e., I suffer daily). Here are some of the
proofs:
1. On the cross, Jesus beseeched God for help: Matthew 27:46: "My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In Luke 22:42, it is recounted:
"Saying, Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless
not my will, but shine, be done." (This cup is the cup of death.)
2. Jesus' prayer not to die on the cross was accepted by God,
according to Luke, the author of Hebrews, and James. Thus, how could he
die on the cross?: Luke 22:43: "And there appeared an angel unto him from
heaven, strengthening him." It means that an angel assured him that God
would not leave him helpless: Hebrews 5:7: "Who in the days of his flesh,
when he [Jesus] had offered up prayers and supplications with strong
crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was
heard in that he feared."
Jesus' prayers were "heard," which means that they were answered in a
positive way by God: James 5:16: "... The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much." Jesus himself said in Matthew 7:7-10: "Ask,
and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth, and to him who knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there
of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask
a fish, will he give him a serpent?" If all of Jesus' prayers were
accepted by God, including his prayer not to die on the cross, how could
he still die on the cross?
3. His legs were not broken by the Roman soldiers: John 19:32-33:
"Then came the soldiers, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other
which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he
was dead already, they broke not his legs." Can you rely on these
soldiers' assertion that Jesus was dead, or did they want to save him out
of their belief that he was really innocent?
4. If Jesus died on the cross, his blood would clot and thus no blood
would have gushed out of his body when his side was pierced. But the
Gospel states that blood and water came out: John 19:34: "But one of the
soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood
and water."
5. When the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign of his true mission, he
answered: Matthew 12:40: "For as Jonas was three days and three nights in
the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights
in the heart of the earth." Disregard the time factor, which was also not
three days and three nights but one day (Saturday, daytime only) and two
nights (Friday night and Saturday night). Was Jonas alive in the belly of
the whale?
C. Yes.
M. Was Jonas still alive when he was vomited out of the belly the
whale?
C. Yes.
M. Then Jesus was still alive, as he prophesied.
6. Jesus himself stated that he didn't die on the cross. Early Sunday
morning Mary Magdalene went to the sepulchre, which was empty. She saw
somebody standing who looked like a gardener. After a conversation, she
realized that he was Jesus and wanted to touch him. Jesus said, as
recounted in John 20:17: "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my
Father ..." "Touch me not" perhaps because the fresh wound would hurt him.
"I am not yet ascended to my Father" means that he was still alive,
because when somebody dies he goes back to the Creator. This was the
strongest proof and was admitted by Jesus himself.
7. After the alleged crucifixion, the disciples thought that he was
not the same Jesus in body but in spirit, because resurrected bodies are
"in spirit."
C. Wait a minute. How can you be sure that resurrected bodies are "in
spirit"?
M. That is what Jesus himself said in the Bible: that they are equal
to angels.
C. Where does he say that?
M. In Luke 20: 34-36: "And answering said unto them: 'The children of
the world marry, and are given in marriage. But they which shall be
accounted worthy to obtain that world, and then resurrection from the
dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any
more for they are equal unto the angels, and are the children of God,
being the children of the resurrection."'
Then Jesus convinced them that he was the same person by letting them
touch his hands and feet. As they could not believe him yet, he asked for
meat to show them that he still ate like any living individual. Read Luke
24:36-41: "And as they [the disciples] thus spake, Jesus himself stood in
the midst of them, and saith unto them: 'Peace be unto you.' But they were
terrified and frightened, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he
said unto them: 'Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your
hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and
see, for a spins hath not flesh and bones, as ye see that I have.' And
when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while
they yet believed not for Joy, and wondered, he said unto them: 'Have ye
here any meat?' And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an
honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them."
8. If you still believe that he died on the cross, then he was a false
prophet and accursed of God according to these passages: beuteronomy 13:5:
"And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death ...";
Deuteronomy 21:22-23: "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death,
and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: His body shall
not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him
that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not
defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance."
To believe in his death on the cross is to discredit his prophethood.
The Jews claimed that they killed Jesus on the cross in order to portray
him as a false prophet. Christians believe in the crucifixion, for it is
necessary for their doctrine of redemption of sin and, consequently, have
to accept the accursedness of Jesus, too. This Christian belief opposes
the Bible's teaching in Hosea 6:6: "For I desired mercy and not sacrifice,
and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." It also opposes
Jesus' own teaching in Matthew 9:13: "But go ye and learn what that
meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice ..." Again Jesus said in
Matthew 12:7: "But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy,
and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless."
C. Why do people believe in the resurrection then?
M. It was Paul who taught the resurrection: Acts 17:18: "... And some
[Jews] said: 'What will this babbler say?' To others, He [Paul] seemeth to
be a setter forth of strange gods, because he preached unto them Jesus and
the resurrection." Paul, who never saw Jesus, also admitted that the
resurrection was his gospel (II Timothy 2:8): "Remember that Jesus Christ
of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel." He
was also the first one to declare Jesus the Son of God: Acts 9:20: "And
straightway he [Paul] preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the
Son of God." So Christianity is not a teaching of Jesus but of Paul.
C. But Mark 16:19 states that Jesus was raised up to heaven and sat on
the right hand of God: "So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he
was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. "
M. As I told you earlier, Mark 16:9-20, has been expunged in certain
Bibles: The Revised Standard Version, The New American Standard Bible and
The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures of the Jehovah's
Witnesses Church. If you still believe that Jesus is divine because he was
raised up to heaven, why don't you accept the divinity of other prophets
who were raised up to heaven?
C. Who were they?
M. Elijah: II Kings 2:1 1-12: "... and Elijah went up by a whirlwind
into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried ... And he saw him no more
..." Enoch was also taken by God to heaven: Genesis 5:24: "And Enoch
walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." This was also repeated
in Hebrews 11:5: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see
death, and was not found, because God translated him, for before his
translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."
The Doctrine of Atonement and Original Sin
C. So the redemption of sin through the crucifixion of Jesus was not
part of Jesus' teaching?
M. This is the Doctrine of Atonement, which was accepted by the Church
three or four centuries after Jesus left the earth. It contradicts the
Bible, as the following passages show: Deuteronomy 24:16: "The fathers
shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be
put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own
sin."; Jeremiah 31:30: "But every one shall die for his own iniquity ...",
Ezekiel 18:20: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not
bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the
iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him,
and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Adam and Eve were
responsible for their own sin, which was forgiven by Allah according to
the Islamic version.
C. But these are in the Old Testament.
M. Read what Jesus himself said in Matthew 7: 1-2.
C. "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge,
ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to
you again."
M. Read I Corinthians 3:8.
C. "Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and every man
shall receive his own reward according to his own labour." But we believe
in Original Sin!
M. Do you still want me to prove that children are born without sin?
Read Matthew 19:14.
C. "But Jesus said: 'Suffer not little children, and forbid them not,
to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
M. So everybody is born without sin and all children belong to the
kingdom of heaven. Do you know that it was Paul who abolished the Mosaic
law? Read Acts 13:39.
C. "And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from
which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."
M. Let me ask you a question. Why do you believe in the resurrection
if Paul himself, who never saw Jesus alive, admitted that this was his
gospel?
C. Where is it written?
M. Read II Timothy 2:8.
C. "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from
the dead according to my gospel." But why do we have to believe that he
was crucified and raised from the dead?
M. I don't know. Islam, the teaching of all of the prophets of God,
has not been contaminated with beliefs or concepts that come from paganism
and superstition.
C. That's what I'm looking for.
M. Why don't you consider the shahadah (witness) or testimony, first
in English and then in Arabic. Let me help you pronounce it.
C. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, Who has no
partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
Ashhadu an la illaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharikah lahu, wa ashhadu anna
Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu.. Was Prophet Muhammad ever mentioned in the
Bible?
M. Yes, but it is not necessary for a Muslim to know it from the
Bible. As you have studied the Bible, I would like to discuss it with you
briefly next time.
Note: The rest of the discussion will be conducted between two
Muslims: "M" and "m."
Muhammad in the Bible
Both Ishmael and Isaac Were Blessed
M. Why did Ishmael and his mother Hagar leave Sarah?
m. After Isaac was weaned, his mother Sarah saw Ishmael mocking him.
After that, she didn't want Ishmael to be heir with her son Isaac: Genesis
21:8-10: "And the child grew, and was weaned, and Abraham made a great
feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar
the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham mocking. Wherefore she said
unto Abraham: 'Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this
bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac."'
M. Isaac was about two years old when he was weaned. Ishmael was then
sixteen years old, because Abraham was eighty six years old when Hagar
bore Ishmael and one hundred years old when Isaac was born, according to
Genesis 16:16: "And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare
Ishmael to Abram" and Genesis 21:5: "And Abraham was a hundred years old
when his son Isaac was born unto him." Genesis 21:8-10 thus contradicts
Genesis 21:14-21, where Ishmael was portrayed as a baby put on the
shoulder of his mother, called "lad" and "child," when both left Sarah:
"And Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a bottle of
water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child
...'Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in shine hand ..."' This is the
profile of a baby, not of a teenager. So Ishmael and his mother Hagar left
Sarah long before Isaac was born. According to the Islamic version,
Abraham took Ishmael and Hagar and made a new settlement in Makkah, called
Paran in the Bible (Genesis 21:21), because of a divine instruction given
to Abraham as a part of God's plan. Hagar ran seven times between two
hills, Safa and Marwa, looking for water. This is the origin of one of the
rituals that is performed during the pilgrimage to Makkah. The well of
water mentioned in Genesis 21:19 is still present and is known as called
Zamzam. Both Abraham and Ishmael later built the Ka'bah in Makkah. The
spot where Abraham used to perform prayers near the Ka'bah is still
present and is known as the Maqam Ibrahim, i.e., the Station of Abraham.
During the pilgrimage, pilgrims in Makkah and Muslims all over the world
commemorate the offering of Abraham and Ishmael by slaughtering cattle.
m. But the Bible mentions that Isaac was to be sacrificed.
M. The Islamic version states that the covenant between God, Abraham,
and his only son Ishmael was made and sealed when Ishmael was supposed to
be sacrificed. On the very same day, Abraham, Ishmael, and all the men of
Abraham's household were circumcised. At that time, Isaac had not even
born: Genesis 17:24-27: "And Abraham was ninety years old and nine when he
was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was
thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. And all
the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the
stranger, were circumcised with him."
A year later, Isaac was born and circumcised when he was eight days
old: Genesis 21:4-5: "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight
days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old,
when his son Isaac was born unto him." So when the covenant was made and
sealed (circumcision and sacrifice) Abraham was ninety nine and Ishmael
was thirteen. Isaac was born a year later, when Abraham was one hundred
years old.
The descendants of Ishmael, Prophet Muhammad including all Muslims,
remain faithful until today to this covenant of circumcision. In their
five daily prayers, Muslims include the praise of Abraham and his
descendants with the praise of Muhammad and his descendants.
m. But in Genesis 22 it is mentioned that Isaac was to be sacrificed.
M. I know, but you will see the contradiction there. It is mentioned
"shine only son Isaac." Shouldn't it be "shine only son Ishmael," when
Ishmael was thirteen years old and Isaac had not even been born? When
Isaac was born, Abraham had two sons. Because of chauvinism, the name of
Ishmael was changed to Isaac in all of Genesis 22. But God has preserved
the word "only" to show us what it should have been.
The words "I will multiply thy seed" in Genesis 22:17 was applied
earlier to Ishmael in Genesis 16:10. Was not the whole of Genesis 22
applicable to Ishmael then? "I will make him a great nation" has been
repeated twice for Ishmael in Genesis 17:20 and Genesis 21:18, and never
applied to Isaac at all.
m. The Jews and Christians maintain that Isaac was superior to
Ishmael.
M. They can say that if they want to, but the Bible does not support
this claim: Genesis 15:4: "And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him
[Abraham], saying: 'This [Eliezer of Damascus] shall not be shine heir,
but he that shall come forth out of shine own bowels shall be shine
heir."' So Ishmael was also Abraham's heir.
Genesis 16:10: "And the angel of the Lord said unto her [Hager]: 'I
will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for
multitude. "'
Genesis 17:20: "And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee. Behold, I have
blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him
exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great
nation."
Genesis 21:13: "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a
nation, because he is thy seed."
Genesis 21:18: "Arise, lift up the lad [Ishmael], and hold him in
shine hand, for I will make him a great nation."
Deuteronomy 21:15-17: "If a man have two wives, one beloved and
another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the
hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be,
when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hash, that he may not
make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which
is indeed the firstborn: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for
the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hash: for he
is the beginning of the strength; the right of the firstborn is his."
Islam does not deny God's blessings on Isaac and his descendants, but the
son of promise is Ishmael, from whom arose Muhammad as the seal of the
prophets.
m. But Christians and Jews claim that Ishmael was an illegitimate son.
M. That is what they say, but not what the Bible states. How could
such a great prophet as Abraham have an illegal wife and a son out of
wedlock!
Genesis 16:3: "... and [Sarah] gave her [Hager] to her husband Abram
to be his wife." If the marriage was legal, how could their offspring be
illegal? Is a marriage between two foreigners, a Chaldean and an Egyptian,
not more legal than a marriage between a man with a daughter of his
father? Whether it was a lie of Abraham or not, it is stated in Genesis
20:12: "And yet indeed she [Sarah] is my sister, she is the daughter of my
father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife."
The name Ishmael was also chosen by Allah Himself: Genesis 16:11: "And
the Angel of the Lord said unto her [Hager]: 'Behold, thou art with child,
and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the Lord
hath heard thy affliction."' Ishmael means "God hears." Where in the Bible
is it written that Ishmael was an illegitimate son?
m. Nowhere.
M. Long before both Ishmael and Isaac were born, Allah made a covenant
with Abraham: Genesis 15:18: "... saying Unto thy seed have I given this
land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the Euphrates."
Doesn't the greater part of Arabia lie between the Nile and the Euphrates,
where all the descendants of Ishmael settled at a later date?
m. Do you mean that no land was promised to Isaac and his descendants?
M. We Muslims don't deny that Isaac was also blessed. See Genesis
17:8: "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed [Isaac] after thee, the
land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land Canaan, for an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God."
Do you see also the difference that Abraham was called "a stranger" in
Canaan but not in the land between the Nile and the Euphrates? As a
Chaldean, he was more Arab than Jew.
m. But the covenant was made with Isaac, according to Genesis 17:21:
"But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto
thee at this time in the next year."
M. Does this exclude Ishmael? Where in the Bible does it say that
Allah would not make any covenant with Ishmael?
m. Nowhere.
Criterion of the Prophet by Jeremiah
Jeremiah 28:9: "The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word
of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that
the Lord hath truly sent him."
The word Islam also signifies tranquillity and peace, peace between
the Creator and his creatures. This prophecy of Jeremiah cannot be applied
to Jesus, as he himself stated that he didn't come for peace: Luke
12:51-53: "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you
nay, but rather division, for from henceforth there will be five in one
house divided, three against two and two against three. The father shall
be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother
against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against
her mother-in-law." See also Matthew 10:34-36.
Until Shiloh Come
This was a message of Jacob to his children before he died: Genesis
49:1): "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: 'Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last
days. "
Genesis 49:10: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a law
giver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. And unto him shall the
gathering of the people be."
Shiloh is also the name of a town, but its real meaning is peace,
tranquillity, restIslam. It could never refer to a town here. If it
referred to a person, it could be a corruption of Shaluah (Elohim), i.e.,
Messenger (of Allah) .
So the Israelite prophethood in the lineage of Isaac would stop as
soon as Shiloh came. This corresponds with Surah 2:133: "Were you
witnesses when death came to Jacob? When he said to his sons: 'What will
you worship after me?' They said: 'We shall worship your God [Allah], the
God of your fathers Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac, One God and to Him we
surrender [in Islam]."'
The shift of prophethood to another nation was threatened in Jeremiah
31:36: "'If those ordinances depart from before me,' saith the Lord, 'then
the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for
ever."' This was also hinted at by Jesus in Matthew 21:43: "Therefore say
I unto you: 'The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits
Baca Is Makkah
The Holy Ka'bah, which was built by Abraham and his son Ishmael, is in
Makkah. This name Makkah has been mentioned once in the Qur'an in Surah
48:24. Another name for Makkah is Bakkah, depending on the dialect of the
tribe. This also has been mentioned once, in Surah 3:96: "Verily, the
first House [of worship] appointed for mankind was that in Bakkah
[Makkah], full of blessing, and guidance for all people." Amazing enough,
this word Bakkah was mentioned by Prophet David in his Psalm 84:6: "Who
passing through the valley of Baca make it a well, the rain also filleth
the pools." The well here is the well known well of Zamzam, which is still
present today and is located close to the Ka'bah.
The House of My Glory
Isaiah chapter 60:
1. "Arise shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is
risen upon thee." Compare the with Surah 74:1-3: 0, you [Muhammad] wrapped
up in garments! Arise and warn! And your Lord magnify!
2. "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross
darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory
shall be seen upon thee." The advent of Prophet Muhammad was at a time of
darkness when the world had forgotten the oneness of God as taught by
Abraham and all of the other prophets, including Jesus.
3. "And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the
brightness of thy rising."
4. "Lift up shine eyes round about, and see: all they gather
themselves together, they come to thee: ...." Within less than twenty
three years the whole of Arabia was united.
5. "... because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee,
the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee." Within less than a
century, Islam had spread beyond the borders of Arabia.
6. "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of
Midian and Ephah, all they from Sheba shall come, they shall bring gold
and incense, and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord."
7. "All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the
rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee. They shall come up with
acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory." The
tribes of Kedar (Arabia) who were divided were then united. "The house of
my glory," referred here to the House of Allah in Makkah and not the
Church of Christ as thought by Christian commentators. It is a fact that
the villages of Kedar (now the whole of Saudi Arabia at least) are located
in the only country in the world that remains impenetrable to the Church's
influence.
8. "Therefore thy gates shall be open continually. They shall not be
shut day nor night, that men may bung unto thee the forces of the Gentiles
and that their kings may be brought." It is a fact that the mosque
surrounding the Holy Ka'bah in Makkah has remained open day and night
since the Prophet Muhammad removed the idols located within it fourteen
centuries ago. Rulers as well as subjects came for the pilgrimage.
Chariot of Asses and Chariot of Camels
The vision of Isaiah of the two riders in Isaiah 21:7: "And he saw a
chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of
camels ..."
Who was the rider upon an ass? Every Sunday School student knows that
this person was Jesus: John 12:14: "And Jesus, when he had found a young
ass, sat thereon, as it is written."
Who, then, is the promised rider on a camel? This powerful prophet has
been overlooked by readers of the Bible. This person is Prophet Muhammad.
If this is not applied to him, then the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled.
That is why lsaiah mentioned in 21:13: "The burden upon Arabia ...," which
means the responsibility of the Arab Muslims, and of course now of all
Muslims, to spread the message of Islam.
Isaiah 21:14: "The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to
him that was thirsty, and they prevented with their bread him that fled."
Tema is probably Madinah, the city to which Prophet Muhammad and his
Companions immigrated. Each immigrant was joined to a citizen of Madinah
in ties of brotherhood by the Prophet. The immigrants were also given food
and shelter.
Isaiah 21:15: "For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword and
from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war." This was when
Prophet Muhammad and his Companions were persecuted and left Makkah for
Madinah.
Isaiah 21:16: "For thus hath the Lord said unto me: 'Within a year,
according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall
fail."' Exactly in the second year of Hijrah (immigration), the pagans
were defeated in the battle of Badr
Finally Isaiah 21:17 concludes with "... the mighty men of the
children of Kedar shall be diminished, for the Lord God of Israel hath
spoken it." Kedar is the second son of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13), from whom
ultimately Prophet Muhammad arose. In the beginning, the children of Kedar
were attacking Muhammad and his Companions. But as many of them accepted
Islam, the number of children of Kedar who resisted began to diminish. In
some Bible verses, "Kedar" is synonymous with "Arab" in general, as in
Ezekiel 27:21: "Arabia, and all the Princes of Kedar ..."
The Prophet Like unto Moses
God addressed Moses: Deuteronomy 18:18: "I will raise them up a
prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee [Moses], and will put my
words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command
him."
1. Brethren of Israelites (descendants of Abraham through Isaac) are
Ishmaelites (descendants of Abraham through Ishmael). Jesus is here
excluded, as he is an Israelite. Otherwise it should be written "a prophet
from among yourselves."
2. Is Muhammad not like unto Moses? If this is not accepted, this
promise has yet to be fulfilled. The table below, taken from Al-lttihad
(January-March 1982), page 41, is self explanatory:
Following is a comparison between a few crucial characteristics of
Moses, Muhammad, and Jesus which may clarify the identity of "that
prophet" who was to come after Moses:
Area of Comparison |
Moses |
Muhammad |
Jesus |
Birth: |
Usual |
Usual |
Unusual |
Family Life: |
Married, children |
Married, children |
Single, No children |
Death: |
Usual |
Usual |
Unusual |
Career: |
Prophet/Statesman |
Prophet/Statesman |
Prophet |
Forced Emigration (in adulthood): |
To Median |
To Madinah |
None |
Encounter with Enemies: |
Hot pursuit |
Hot pursuit/Battles |
No similar encounter |
Results of Encounter: |
Moral/Physical victory |
Moral/Physical victory |
Moral victory |
Writing down of Revelation: |
In his lifetime (Torah) |
In his lifetime (Qur'an) |
After him |
Nature of Teachings: |
Spintual/Legal |
Spintual/Legal |
Mainly spintual |
Acceptance of his Leadership (by his people) |
Rejected, then accepted |
Rejected, then accepted |
Rejected (by most
Israelites) |
3. "Put my words in his mouth." God's revelation came through
Gabriel, and Prophet Muhammad's own thinking was not involved. But this
applies to all divine revelation. Perhaps it is mentioned here
specifically because it is compared with the revelation to Moses, which is
believed to have been revealed on "written tablets."
Deuteronomy 18:19: "And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not
hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it
of him."
In the Qurtan, 113 of the 114 surahs start with the phrase: "In the
name of Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful." This phrase is also a common
part of a Muslim's daily speech, for it is used when beginning a new
activity. It is not in the name of God, but "in my name"God's personal
name is Allah. It has no gender or plural forms, as the English word "God"
does. Christians start with "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit."
It should also be noted that those who will not hear or accept the
message that he brings will be punished. This corresponds with surah 3:19:
Truly the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam and surah 3:85: And
whoever desires a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of
him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.
My Servant, Messenger, and Elect
A clearer furfillment of the prophecy of Muhammad is found in Isaiah
42:
1. "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him, and he shall bring forth
judgment to the Gentiles." He is also called "my messenger" in verse 19.
No doubt all prophets were indeed servants, messengers, and the elect of
Allah. Yet no prophet, with the exception of Muhammad, is universally
called by these specific titles. In Arabic, these are: Abduhu wa Rasuluhu
MustaphaHis servant and His elected messenger. The testimony of a person
accepting Islam is: "I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, Who
has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and
messenger." This same formula is repeated five times a day in the call to
prayer before the beginning of each prayer, nine times a day in the
tashahhud during the minimum obligatory prayers, and several more times if
a Muslim performs any of the additional recommended prayers. The most
common title of Prophet Muhammad is Rasul Allah, which means "the
Messenger of Allah."
2. "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in
the street." This describes the decency of Prophet Muhammad.
3. "... he shall bring forth judgment unto truth."
4. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he has set judgment in
the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law." This is to be compared
with Jesus, who did not prevail over his enemies and who was disappointed
because of the rejection by the Israelites.
5. "I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold
shine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the
people, for a light of the Gentiles." The phrase "and will keep thee"
indicates that no other prophet will come after him. In a short time, many
Gentiles embraced Islam.
6. "To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the
prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." "Blind
eyes, life of darkness" denotes pagans and their paganism. "Bring out the
prisoners from the prison" denotes the abolishment of slavery for the
first time in the history of mankind.
7. "I am the Lord. That is my name, and my glory I will not give to
another, neither my praise to graven images." Prophet Muhammad is unique
among all prophets, as he is the "seal of the prophets" and his teachings
remain undistorted until today, as compared with Christianity and Judaism.
8. "Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the
earth, ...." A new song, as it is not in Hebrew or Aramaic, but in Arabic.
The praise of God and His messenger Muhammad is chanted five times daily
from the minarets of millions of mosques all over the world.
9. "Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the
villages that Kedar cloth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing,
let them shout from the toP of the mountains." From Mount Arafat near
Makkah the pilgrims chant every year the following: "Here I come [for Your
service] O, Allah. Here I come. Here I come. There is no partner with you.
Here I come. Verily Yours is the praise, the blessings, and sovereignty.
There is no partner besides You." Isaiah 42 can never be applied to an
Israelite prophet, as Kedar is the second son of Ishmael. See Genesis
25:13.
10. "Let them give glory unto the Lord and declare his praise in the
islands." And really Islam spread to the small islands as far as Indonesia
and the Caribbean sea.
11. "... he shall prevail against his enemies." In a short period, the
Kingdom of God on earth was established with the advent of Muhammad. This
forty second chapter of Isaiah fits the character of Prophet Muhammad
exactly.
King David Called Him "My Lord"
Psalm 110:1: "The Lord said unto my Lord: 'Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make shine enemies thy footstool."'
There are two Lord mentioned here. If the first Lord (the speaker) is
God, the second Lord (the one spoken to) could not also be God, for David
knew only one God. So it should read: "God said unto my Lord, ..." Who was
that whom David called "my Lord"? The Church would say Jesus. But this was
denied by Jesus himself in Matthew 22:45, Mark 12:37, and Luke 20:44. He
excluded himself from this title, as he was a son of David. How could
David call him "my Lord" if he was his son, he argued. Jesus said, in Luke
20:42-44: "How say they that Christ is David's son? And David himself
saith in the book of Psalms: 'The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my
right hand till I make shine enemies thy footstool.' David therefore
calleth him Lord. How is he then his son?"
Jesus must have given an answer not recorded in the four canonical
Gospels. However, it is mentioned explicitly in the Gospel of Barnabas
that the promise was made to Ishmael, not to Isaac. David's "Lord" was
thus Muhammad, whom he saw in spirit. No prophet ever accomplished more
than Muhammad. Even the combined work of all of the other prophets remains
small in comparison with that of Muhammad, who, during a twenty three year
period, was able to leave a legacyIslamthat remains unchanged until now.
Art Thou That Prophet?
The Jews sent priests and Levites to John the Baptist to ask who he
really was. John 1:20-21: "And he [John the Baptist] confessed and denied
not; but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' And they asked him: 'What then?
Art thou Elias? 'And he saith: 'I am not.' 'Art thou that prophet?' And he
answered: 'No."'
The crucial question here is: Art thou that prophet? Who was the long
awaited prophet who was to come after the advent of Jesus and John the
Baptist? Was he not the one like unto Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18) who is
Muhammad?
Baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with Fire
Matthew 3:1 1: "I [John the Baptist] indeed baptize you with water
unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost,
and with fire."
If Jesus was alluded to here, John the Baptist would not have gone
back to live in the desert again, but would have clung to him and become
one of his disciples, which he did not do. Thus John was alluding to
another Dowerful prophet here. The one coming after John the Baptist could
not be Jesus, as both were contemporaries. Here again, was it not Prophet
Muhammad who was being alluded to by John the Baptist?
The Least in the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus was quoted, in Matthew 11:11, as saying: "Verily I say unto you.
Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater man than
John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he."
Can you believe that John the Baptist is greater than Adan., NG".,
Abraham, Moses, David, and many other prophets? How many pagans did John
the Baptist convert, and how many followers did he have? But this is not
the main point here. The question is: who was the least in the kingdom of
heaven, greater than John the Baptist? For sure not Jesus, as at that time
the kingdom of heaven was not yet formed and he never claimed to be the
least, i.e., the youngest one. The kingdom of heaven consists of God as
the Supreme Being and all of the prophets. The least or youngest one is
here Prophet Muhammad.
Blessed Are the Peacemakers
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was quoted, in Matthew 5:9, as
saying: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the
children of God."
One of the meanings of the word "Islam" is peace: peace between the
Creator and the worshiper. Jesus could not mean that his mission was that
of a peacemaker, as he stated clearly that he had not been sent for that
purpose (Matthew 10:34-36): "Think not that I am come to send peace on
earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man
at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and
the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be
they of his own household." See also Luke 12:49-53.
Comforter
John 14:16: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever."
We do not know exactly the original Aramaic word used by Jesus for
"Comforter." Other Bibles use "Consoler," '`Advocate," "Helper," and in
Greek Bibles we find the word "Paraclete." There are different
explanations for it, among them "Holy Spirit" and "the Word. "
The Qur'an states in surah 61:6 that Jesus explicitly mentioned the
name Ahmad: "And (remember) when Jesus, Son of Mary, said: 'O, children of
Israel! I am the Apostle of Allah (sent) to you confirming the Torah
(which came) before me, and giving glad tidings of an Apostle to come
after me, whose name shall be Ahmad (i.e., the second name of Prophet
Muhammad, and literally it means "the one who praises Allah more than
others")."
Whatever the explanation is of the Comforter, we conclude that Jesus
left an unfinished work and that someone was coming to complete his
mission. Let us examine, in the light of the Bible, if this Comforter fits
the character of Prophet Muhammad:
1. "Another Comforter": So many Comforters had come, and another one
was to come. 2. "That he may abide with you for ever": As there was no
need for another one to come after him, and he was the seal of all
prophets. The teaching will abide for ever and will remain intact. In
fact, the Qurtan and all of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad remain as
they were 1400 years ago.
3. "He will reprove the world of sin": (see John 16: 8) All other
prophets, even Abraham, Moses, David, and Solomon chastised their
neighbors and their people for sin, but not the world as Muhammad did. He
not only rooted out idolatry in Arabia within a twenty three year period,
but also sent envoys to Heraclius, the sovereigns of the Persian and Roman
empires, to Najashi (the king of Ethiopia), and to Muqauqis (the governor
of Egypt). He reprimanded the Christians for dividing the unity of God
into three portions, for having raised Jesus to a Son of God and then to
God Himself. It was he who condemned the Jews and Christians for having
corrputed their scriptures, demonstrated the birthright of Ishmael, and
cleared the prophets from accusations of adultery, incest, rape, and
idolatry.
4. "The prince of the world is judeed" (John 16:11). This is Satan, as
explained in John 12:31 and 14:30. So Prophet Muhammad came to chastise
the world on account of judgment.
5. "The Spirit of Truth" (John 16: 13). Since childhood, Prophet
Muhammad was called al-Amin, i.e., the Honest or Truthful One. This person
will also come and "he will guide you into all truth: ..." (John 16:13).
6. "For he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak" (John 16:13). The Qur'an is God's word. Not a single
word from Prophet Muhammad or his Companions was included within it. The
angel Gabriel read it to him, he memorized it, and it was written down by
his scribes. His own sayings and teachings were recorded in the hadith or
(lit. tradition) literature.
Compare this with Deuteronomy 18:18: "... and will put my words in his
mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." This
corresponds with surah 53:2-4: "Your companion [Muhammad] is neither
astray nor being misled. Nor does he speak of [his own] desire. It is only
the inspiration that is inspired."
7. "And he will show you things to come" (John 16: 13). Many
prophecies of Prophet Muhammad have already come to pass, and the rest
will be fulfilled in the future.
8. "He shall glorify me (John 16:14). Actually, the Qurtan and Prophet
Muhammad have more reverence for Jesus than do the Bible and Christians
themselves. The following will clarify this point:
a. To believe in Jesus' death on the cross discredits his prophethood,
according to Deuteronomy 13:5: "And that prophet, or that dreamer of
dreams, shall be put to death ..." It also stamps him as accursed, (May
Allah forbid it!) according to Deuteronomy 21:22-23: "... for he that is
hanged is accursed of God . .."
b. Matthew 27:46: "... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Would Jesus have said such a thing? Even a non prophet would smile at
agony, as he would know that his death would win him the title of martyr.
Is this not an insult to Jesus and an insinuation that he did not have
faith in Allah?
c. We Muslims cannot believe that Jesus could label the Gentiles as
dogs and swine and address his mother with "woman," as the Qurtan states
in surah 19:32: "And dutiful to my Mother [i.e. Mary], and [Allah] made me
not an unblessed and arrogant." Matthew 7:6: "Give not that which is holy
unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine ..." John 2:4:
"Jesus saith unto her [Mary], Woman, what have I to do with thee?"
Revelation to Prophet Muhammad
The first revelation (surah 96: 1-5) of Allah through the angel
Gabriel to Muhammad was the word iqra', which means "read."As he was
illiterate, he replied: "I cannot read." This first revelation was
prophesied in Isaiah 29:12: "And the book is delivered to him that is not
learned, saying: 'Read this, I pray thee,' and he saith: 'I am not
learned. "'
The Qurtanic verses were not revealed in the order in which they
appear in the Qur'an. In other words, the first part that was revealed is
not the first page and the last part that was revealed is not the last
page. That these revelations came in installments and were inserted in a
certain order in the Qurtan as ordained by Allah was also mentioned in
Isaiah 28:10-11: "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. For
with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to his people."
Another tongue means here another languagenot Hebrew or Aramaic, but
Arabic
Muslims all over the world use one language "Arabic" in calling their
God, in their prayers, pilgrimage, and in their greetings to each other.
This unity of language was also prophesied in Zephaniah 3:9: "For then
will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the
name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent." Alas the truth has come
in Arabic, but some still expect Prophet Jesus, who might teach mankind to
worship Allah in one unique language in his second coming. We Muslims are
sure that Prophet Jesus, in his second coming, will join the Muslims in
their mosques, as he is like any other Muslim: he is circumcised, abstains
from pork, and performs prayers with ablution, and that he stands, bows,
and prostrates during his prayers.
References
1. Explanatory English Translation of Holy Qur'an, by Dr. Muhammad
TaquiDin al-Hilali and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan. 2. The Holy Bible
(King James Version), authorized 1611. 3. The Holy Bible (Revised
Standard Version). 4. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
(Jehovah's Witnesses Church). 5. New American Standard Bible. 6.
The Myth of the Cross, by A. D. Ajijola. 7. The Cross and the
Crescent, by Maulana Muhammad Imran. 8. Davis Dictionary of the Bible,
1980. 9. The International Standard Bible Enyclopedia. 10. Smith's
Bible Dictionary, 1980. 11. The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1980. 12.
Muhammad in the Bible, by Prof. Abdul Ahad Dawud. 13 Muhammad in the
Bible, by Ahmed Deedat. 14 Jesus: A Prophet of Islam, by Sulaiman
Shahid Mufassir. 15. Biblical Studies from Muslim Perspectives, by S.
Mufassir. 16. Muhammad in the Bible, by Jamal Badawi: Al-lttihad
(January-March 1982). 1 While it has become customary to take off one's
shoes in a mosque, it is sunnah to pray with one's shoes on. (See Sunan
Abu Dawood.)
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