We are presenting this not to placate you out of policy or diplomacy.
We are only articulating what our Creator had commanded us in the
Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as follows);
"Say (O Muslim), "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent
down to us and that which has been sent down to Abraham (Abraham),
Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), Ya'qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat
[the twelve sons of Ya'cub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to
Musa (Moses) and 'Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the
Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them,
and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)". [Chapter 2: verse 136]
As Muslims we have no choice. We had said in many words:
" WE BELIEVE IN ONE CREATOR, WE BELIEVE IN ALL HIS PROPHETS, WE
BELIEVE, THAT JESUS (peace be upon him) WAS ONE OF THE MIGHTIEST
PROPHETS OF GOD, THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH AS WELL AS THE WORD OF GOD,
THAT HE WAS BORN MIRACULOUSLY- WITHOUT ANY MALE INTERVENTION (which
many modern-day Christians do not believe today) , THAT HE GAVE LIFE
TO THE DEAD BY GOD'S PERMISSION, AND THAT HE HEALED THOSE BORN BLIND
AND THE LEPERS BY GOD'S PERMISSION."
Islam respects all religions. Nevertheless, Muslims consider the view
of Christendom to be a misguided one. The Noble Qur'an highlights the
important aspects of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) mother, his birth, his
mission and his ascension to heaven.
VIRGIN MARY:
Story of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) in the Noble Qur'an starts with the
conception of his mother, Mary, when the wife of Imran, Mary's mother,
vowed to dedicate her child to the service of God in the temple. This
is mentioned in the following verses (Which is translated as follows);
"(Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: "O my Lord! I have vowed to
You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for Your
services (free from all worldly work; to serve Your place of worship),
so accept this, from me. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-
Knowing" "Then when she delivered her child [Maryam (Mary)], she said:
"O my Lord! I have delivered a female child," -- and Allah knew better
what she delivered, -- "And the male is not like the female, and I
have named her Maryam (Mary), and I seek refuge with You (Allah) for
her and for her offspring from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast." "So her
Lord (Allah) accepted her with goodly acceptance, He made her grow in
a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariya (Zachariya).
Every time he entered Al-Mihrab (a praying place or private room) to
(visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam
(Mary)! from where have you got this?" She said "This is from Allah"
Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without
limit" [Chapter 3: verses 35-37]
The Noble Qur'an stated also that the Almighty Allah chose Mary,
purified her and raised her above all other women of the world. This
is mentioned in the following verses (Which is translated as follows);
"And (remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah
has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and
chosen you above the women of the 'Alamin (Mankind and Jinns) (of her
lifetime)", "O Mary! "Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord
(Allah, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and
Irkai (bow down etc.) along with Ar-Raki'un (those who bow
etc.)" [Chapter 3: verses 42-43]
MIRACULOUS BIRTH OF JESUS (Peace Be Upon Him):
Concerning the birth of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him), Allah says thru
chapter Mary in the Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as follows);
"And mention in the Book (The Qur'an, O Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him),
the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her
family to a place facing east",
"She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to
her Our Ruh [angel Jibrael (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in
the form of a man in all respects",
"She said: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah)
from you, if you do fear Allah",
"(The angel) said: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to
announce) to you the gift of a righteous son",
"She said: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I
unchaste?",
"He said: "So (it will be), your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me
(Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy
from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah)",
"So she conceived him, and she withdrew him to a far place (i.e.
Bethlehem valley about 4-6 miles from Jerusalem)", "And the pains of
childbirth drove her to the trunk of the date-palm. She said: "Would
that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of
sight!",
"Then [the babe 'Iesa (Jesus) cried unto her from below her, saying:
"Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you",
"And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh
ripe dates upon you", "So eat and drink and be glad, and if you see
any human being, say: 'Verily! I have vowed a fast unto the Most
Beneficent (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day",
"Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They
said: "O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariya (an unheard
mighty thing)", "O sister (i.e. the like) of Harun (Aaron) [not the
brother of Musa (Moses), but he was another pious man at the time of
Maryam (Mary)]! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery,
nor your mother was an unchaste woman",
"Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a
child in the cradle?",
"He ['Iesa (Jesus)] said: Verily! I am a slave of Allah, He has given
me the Scripture and made me a Prophet", "And He has made me blessed
wherever I be, and has enjoined on me Salat (prayer), and Zakat
(charity), as long as I live." "And dutiful to my mother, and made me
not arrogant, unblest", "And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was
born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!",
"Such is 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (It is) a statement of
truth, about which they doubt (or dispute)",
"It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son [this
refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that
'Iesa (Jesus) is the son of Allah]. Glorified (and Exalted be He above
all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only
says to it, "Be!" --- and it is",
['Iesa (Jesus) said]: "And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So
worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allah's Religion of
Islamic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets)".
[Chapter 19: verses 16-36]
JESUS (Peace Be Upon Him) THE SON OF MARY:
The Church maintains that Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) is the "Only-
begotten Son" of God, and also God Himself, since the doctrine of
Trinity considers God as the Son, as the Father and as the "Holy
Ghost" all at the same time! Catholics further emphasize the divinity
of Mary as the "Mother of God". Islam rejects all these concepts in
totality. Allah says in the Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as
follows);
"Surely, they have disbelieved who say: "Allah is the Messiah ['Iesa
(Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary)", But the Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)] said;
"O Children of Israel! worship Allah, My Lord and your Lord."
"Verily, whosoever setup partners in worship with Allah, then Allah
has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And
for the Polytheist and wrong-doers there are no helpers",
"Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the
three (in a Trinity)", But there is no Ilah (God) (none who has the
right to be worshipped) but One Ilah (God --- Allah). And if they
cease not from what they say, verily, painful torment will befall the
disbelievers among them",
"Will they not repent to Allah and ask His forgiveness? For Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful", "The Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)], son of
Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; Many were the Messengers
that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddiqah
[i.e. she believed in the words of Allah and His Books]. They both
used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allah does not eat).
Look how We make the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lesson, signs,
revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away
(from the truth)".
[Chapter 5: verses 72-75 ]
The Muslims rather contend that the miraculous birth of Jesus (Peace
Be Upon Him) without a father does not make him a God or a "begotten"
son of God. Allah said in the Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as
follows);
"And they (Jews, Christians and pagans) say: Allah has begotten a son
(Children or offspring). Glory be to Him (Exalted be He above all that
they associate with Him). Nay, to Him belongs all that is in the
heavens and on earth, and all surrender with obedience (in worship) to
Him", "The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a
matter, He only says to it: "Be!" and it is". [Chapter 2: verses
116-17]
Further Allah says in the Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as
follows);
"Say (O Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him)) "He is Allah, (the) One", "Allah-
us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He
neither eats nor drinks)", "He begets not, nor was He begotten", "And
there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him". [Chapter 112 verses
1-4]
The birth of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)was not any more supernatural
than the creation of our father Adam. Allah said in the Noble Qur'an
(Which is translated as follows);
"Verily, the likeness of 'Iesa (Jesus) before Allah is the likeness of
Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: "Be!"--- and he
was". [Chapter 3: verse 59]
MISSION OF JESUS (Peace Be Upon Him):
Our creator sent Prophets to set mankind on the right path. Jesus
(Peace Be Upon Him) was similarly one of the Messengers of God, he was
prepared by God to be sent to the Jews (children of Israel) who had
deviated from the teachings of prophet Moses (Peace Be Upon Him) He
(Allah) taught him the Book, the wisdom, the Torah, the Gospel and
supported him with numerous miracles to prove that he was a Messenger
from Allah. In the Noble Qur'an Allah says (Which is translated as
follows);
"(Remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah
gives you the glad tidings of a Word ["Be!" -- and he was! i.e. 'Iesa
(Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from him, his name will be the
Messiah 'Iesah (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in
this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near
to Allah",
"He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood, and he will
be one of the righteous", "She 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 wills. When He has
decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!"---and it is" "And He
(Allah) will teach him ['Iesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e.
the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom, etc.), (and)
the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)",
"And will make him ['Iesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the children of
Israel (saying): "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that
I design for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and
breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's Leave; and I heal
him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by
Allah's Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in
your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe",
" And I have to confirm that which was before me of the Taurat
(Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you,
and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allah and
obey me".
[Chapter 3: verse 45-50]
It should be mentioned that while Muslims believe that Jesus (Peace Be
Upon Him) was given God's "Good news" they do not recognize the
present "Four Gospels" as the utterances of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him).
Even the church agrees that the "Four Gospels" were written by four
different men, but they maintain that they were divinely inspired.
This idea is rejected by us. It can be agreed that if the four writers
were divinely inspired, then why are there so many serious
discrepancies and omissions in their individual accounts of the life
of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)? Another mission of Jesus (Peace Be Upon
Him) was to tell the people about the coming of the final Prophet
after him. The Almighty God said in the Noble Qur'an (Which is
translated as follows);
"And (remember) when 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O
Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you confirming
the Taurat [Torah which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a
Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed . But when he
(Ahmed i.e. Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) came to them with clear
proofs, they said: "This is plain magic".
[Chapter 6: verse 61]
The New Testament speaks of the coming of a "Comforter" after the
ministry of Jesus. Some Christians believe or were made to believe
that the promised "Comforter" is the "Holy Spirit", but this view
cannot be maintained because the "Holy Spirit" was already present
during Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) ministry, and its coming was not a
future event. The Muslims, therefore, believe that the term
"Comforter" of necessity refers to a Prophet. He was Mohammed (Peace
Be Upon Him) the unlearned Prophet , the sole Prophet who brought with
him a complete, comprehensive revelation from God which has been
preserved as it was revealed to him originally, challenging the whole
world to come up with one chapter like it, yet unsuccessfully
challenged till present day. It is the Miracle of Miracles, the Last
Testament of faith addressed to the whole world embodying complete
light and guidance as well as the reprove of sin.
JESUS (Peace Be Upon Him) WAS RAISED TO HEAVEN:
Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) was followed by a few disciples who were
inspired by God to support him. Not only that, but the non-believers
plotted to kill Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him), but God had a better plan
for him and his followers as the Noble Qur'an tells us in the
following verses (Which is translated as follows);
"Then when 'Iesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said:
"Who will be my helpers in Allah's Cause?" Al-Hawariun (the disciples)
said: "We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear
witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah)",
"Our Lord! We believed in what You have sent down, and we follow the
Messenger ['Iesa (Jesus)]; so write us down among those who bear
witness (to the truth i.e. La Ilaha Ill-Allah -- none has the right to
be worshipped but Allah)",
"And they (disbelievers) plotted [to kill 'Iesa (Jesus)], and Allah
planned too. And Allah is the best of the planners",
"And (remember) when Allah said: "O 'Iesa (Jesus)! I will take you and
raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that 'Iesa
(Jesus) is Allah's son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those
who follow you (Monotheist, who worship none but Allah) superior to
those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some
of His Messengers, e.g. Mohammed, 'Iesa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), etc.
(Peace Be Upon Him), or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurat (Torah),
the Injeel (Gospel), The Qur'an] till the Day of Resurrection. Then
you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in
which you used to dispute",
"As to those who disbelieve, I will punish them with a severe torment
in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers".
[Chapter 3: verses 52-56]
As the above verses indicate Jesus was raised to heaven before he
died. This means that according to the Noble Qur'an he was not
crucified. It was the plan of the enemies of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)
to put him to death on the cross, but God saved him and somebody else
was crucified. This plot and the false accusation about Mary are
considered by the Noble Qur'an to be some of the sins of the non-
believing Jews. All of this is made clear in the following verses
(Which is translated as follows);
"And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam
(Mary) a grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual
intercourse)", "And because of their saying (in boast), "We killed
Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allah,"
-- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of
'Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and
those who differ therein are full of doubts.
They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture.
For surely; they killed him not [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam
[Mary]", "But Allah raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and
soul) unto Himself (and he (Peace Be Upon Him) is in the heaven).
And Allah is ever All-Powerful, All-Wise", "And there is none of the
people of the scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him
['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allah and
a human being], before his ['Iesa (Jesus) or a Jews or a Christian's]
death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on
the Day of Resurrection, he ['Iesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against
them".
[Chapter 4: verses 156-159]
Finally, we testify that there is no God except Allah and there is
none worthy of worship except Him, He has no partners, Mohammed is His
slave and His Messenger, and that 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Mary is Allah's
slave, His Messenger, His word (Be! and he was) which he bestowed on
Mary and a spirit created by Him. We believe that all Prophets are
brothers no different between their religion, which is one religion
"Al-Islam". We attest that the Paradise is true, the Hell-fire is
true, and God will Resurrect mankind from graves. Allah says in The
Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as follows);
"He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islam) which He
ordained for Nuh (Noah), and that which We have inspired in you (O
Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him)) and that which We ordained for Ibrahim
(Abraham), Musa (Moses) and 'Iesa (Jesus) saying you should establish
religion (i.e. to do what it orders you to do practically), and make
no divisions in it (religion) (i.e. various sects in religion).
Intolerable for the Polytheist, pagans and idolaters is that to which
you (O Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) ) call them. Allah chooses for
Himself who He wills, and guides unto Himself who turns to Him in
repentance and in obedience". [Chapter 42: verse 13]
This is our message and we will be witnesses against you in the day of
Judgment that we conveyed the message of TRUTH and left it up to you,
to follow the TRUTH or stay in darkness. The Almighty Allah said in
the Noble Qur'an (Which is translated as follows);
"Allah! La Ilaha Illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but
He), the Ever Living, the One Who Sustains and protects all that
exists. Neither slumber, nor sleep overtake him. To Him belongs
whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he
that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what
happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to
them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His
Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi (a footstool or chair)
extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in
guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most
Great." "There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right path
has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in
worship other than the real God (Allah), and believes in Allah, then
he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break.
Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower".
[Chapter 2: verses 255-56.]
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