Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Jesus is a Prophet, not Son of God
From: <RBNXHS@rohvm1.rohmhaas.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 13:27:44 EST
Organization: Rohm and Haas Company

In response to Richard Pitts on what does the Qur'an say about Jesus:
       The Qur'anic account of Jesus and his teachings differs considerably
       from that of the NT (even the four canonical gospels themselves differ
       among themselves on several accounts). Some of the key points are that
       according to the Qur'an (which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)
       by angel Jibrail (AWS) or Gabriel) Jesus never claimed to be God, he
       was not crucified, neither did he die and that he was ascended to
       heaven, and that he prophesied about the coming of Muhammad, the last
       Prophet. Muslims consider Jesus to be a Prophet of God like Abraham,
       Moses, David and others (AWS). As a Prophet of God, he performed
       numerous miracles (just like other Prophets of God). Jesus was proud
       to call himself as a "servant (slave)" (Abd) of Allah.

       "O ahlal-Kitab (the people of the Book)| commit no excesses in your
        religion: nor say of God aught but the TRUTH. Al-masih (One who is
        annointed) Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), was a Rasul
        (messenger) of Allah, and His word which He bestowed on Maryam and
        a spirit proceeding from Him: So believe in God and His messengers."
        (Qur'an 4:171)

        What was the word of God that was promised to Maryam? The
        Qur'an provided the answer in Surah 3, verse 45-51:
        "Behold| The angels said: O Maryam| God giveth thee glad tidings of
        a word from Him, whose name is al-Masih Eesa, the son of Maryam,
        illustrious in this world and the Hereafter, one of company of those
        nearest to God. He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and his
        manhood, and he is among the righteous ones. She said: My Lord| How
        can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said: So (it
        will be). God created what He will, If He decreeth a thing, He hath
        only to say "BE" (Kun)| and it is. And He will teach him the scripture
        and wisdom, the Taurat and Injil, and will make him a messenger unto
        the children of Israel, (saying): Behold| I come unto you with a sign
        from your Lord, I fashion for you from clay the likeness of a bird,
        and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by God's permission. I
        heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by
        God's permission. And I announce unto you what ye eat and what ye
        store up in your houses. Behold| Herein is verily a portent for you,
        if ye would believe; And (I come) conforming that which was forbidden
        unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your
        duty to God and obey me, God is my Lord, so worship Him. That is a
        straight path."

       As can be seen from above, Muslims believe that Jesus was born to virgin
       Maryam. Maryam doubted how could such a thing be happening, yet God
       assured her that for God it is very simple, He simply had to say His
       word "Kun", and it will be done. Of course, when Jesus was born without
       a father, the people around Maryam questioned her chastity, accusing her
       of bringing a bastard son. In reply, she pointed to her newly born son,
       who spoke from the cradle:
          "He (Jesus) spoke: Behold| I am the servant of God. He hath given me
           me the scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet. He hath made me
           blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and
           alms-giving so long as I remain alive; And (hath made me) dutiful
           toward my mother, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. Peace be
           on the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be
           raised alive|  Such was Jesus, son of Maryam; that is a statement
           of truth concerning which they doubt." (Qur'an 19:30-34)

           Contrary to the above message that Jesus was dutiful to his mother,
           the gospel of John (2:1-10) suggests that Jesus was disrespectful
           of his mother by addressing her as "WOMAN", as if there are no good
           words in the vocabulary of Jesus for calling a person who had carri-
           ed him for more than 9 months, and perhaps suckled him for two years
           and who was even accused of fornication/adultery.

           What was the mission of Jesus? Was it different than other Prophets
           of God, who had passed away before? No.
            "And We caused Jesus, son of Maryam, to follow in their footsteps,
             confirming that which was (revealed) before him, and We bestowed
             on him the Injil wherein is guidance and light, confirming that
             which was (revealed) before it in the Taurat - a guidance and an
             admonition unto those who ward off (evil)." (Qur'an 5:49)

           "And when Jesus, son of Maryam, said: O children of Israel| Behold|
            I am the messenger of God unto you, confirming that which was
            (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a
            messenger who cometh after me, whose name is Ahmad. But when he
            hath come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere
            magic." (Qur'an 61:6)

            Contrary to the above message about announcing the coming of a
            Prophet after him, whose name is Ahmad (Muhammad Ahmad al-Mustafa
            al-Amin), we find John 14:16 to state that Jesus spoke about
            coming of a Parakletos (comforter), not a Periklytos (meaning
            praised one, or Ahmad or Muhammad in Arabic). John 14:26 also
            identifies the Parakletos as Holy Ghost.

            What was the fate of Jesus vis-a-vis the so-called crucifixion?
            The Qur'an admonishes those who say that Jesus died or was
            crucified:
                      "They slew him (Jesus) not, nor crucified him, but it
                       appeared so unto them; and behold| those who disagree
                       concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no
                       knowledge thereof save pursuit of conjecture; they
                       slew him not for certain. But God took him up unto
                       Himself. God is every Mighty, Wise." (Qur'an 4:157-158)


            Muslims maintain that the virgin birth of Jesus without a father
            was not any more supernatural than the creation of Adam, who
            neither had a father nor a mother:
               "Behold| The likeness of Jesus before God is the likeness of
                Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him, "Be" (kun)
                and he was." (Qur'an 3:59)

                "..... , and the Christians say: The messiah is the son of God.

                 That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the
                 saying of those who disbelieved of old. God (Himself) opposes
                 them. How perverse are they|" (Qur'an 9:30)

                "The messiah, son of Maryam, was no other than a messenger,
                 messengers (the like of whom) had passed before him. And his
                 mother was a saintly woman. And they both used to eat(earthly)
                 food. See how God doth make His signs clear to them; yet see
                 in what ways they are turned away." (Qur'an 5:78)

                 The Qur'an condemns any attribution of divinity to either
                 Jesus or his mother:

                   "And when God saith (namely, Jesus on the Day of Judgement):
                    O Jesus, son of Mary| Didst thou say unto mankind: take me
                    and my mother for two gods beside God? He saith: (God) be
                    glorified| It was not mine to utter that to which I had
                    no right. If I used to say it, then Thou knowest it. Thou
                    knewest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy
                    mind. Behold| Thou, only Thou, art the knower of Things
                    Hidden. I speak unto them only that which Thou commandest
                    me, (saying): Worship God, my Lord and your Lord. I was a
                    witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when Thou
                    tookest me Thou was the Watcher over them. Thou art Witness
                    over all things." (Qur'an 5:119-120)

In the above, I have just quoted a few verses from the Qur'an to show what
Muslims believe concerning Jesus, i.e., Jesus was  a Prophet and that he did
not preach his either being the literal (or whatever it means) son of God, or
God, and that he did not die nor was he crucified, rather he was ascended to
heaven alive (probably like Elijah or Enoch). According to sayings of our
Prophet Muhammad Ahmad (SAWS), we, Muslims, believe that he will return towards
the end of time and will die after bringing justice and peace on earth. This
is our belief. And of course, our understanding about Jesus quite significantly
vary from the NT. As such, we reject the authenticity of the NT, it is not
inspired by God. The Qur'an says about NT:
     "Therefore, woe be unto those who write the scripture with their hands and
then say "This is from Allah", that they may purchase a small gain therewith.
Woe unto them for that what their hands  have written, and woe unto them for
that they earn thereby." (Qur'an 2:79)

--
Siddiqui.
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc