ARTICLES BY AHMED DEEDAT

                                 Bismillah

               CHRIST IN ISLAM BY AHMED DEEDAT
 

CHAPTER 1: CHRISTIAN MUSLIM RESPONSES

DEBATE ON TV

At the end of the debate - "Christianity and Islam" - which
appeared on the SABC-TV programme "CROSS (+) QUESTIONS" on
Sunday 5th June 1983, the Chairman, Mr.Bill Chalmers
commented:

"I think it can be said from this discussion that there is, at
present, somewhat more accommodation on the Islamic side for
the founder of Christianity than there is on the Christian
side for the founder of Islam. What the significance of that
is, we leave it to you, the viewer, to determine, but I do
think you will agree that it is a good thing that we are
talking together." "BILL" as he is popularly addressed,
without any formalities, on all his programmes, by all his
panelists, is extremely charming and stupendous in his
humility. He is a picture of what the Holy Quran portrays of a
good Christian:

"... AND NEAREST AMONG THEM IN LOVE TO THE BELIEVERS WILT THOU
FIND THOSE WHO SAY, "WE ARE CHRISTIANS"1: BECAUSE AMONG THESE
ARE MEN DEVOTED TO LEARNING AND MEN WHO HAVE RENOUNDED THE
WORLD. AND THEY ARE NOT ARROGANT."  HOLY QURAN 5:58

JESUS - HIS STATUS

We're the Muslims on the panel, trying to placate the viewers
out of policy, deceit or diplomacy? Nothing of the kind! They
were only articulating what God Almighty had commanded them to
say in the Holy Quran. As Muslim they had no choice. They had
said in so many words - "WE MUSLIMS BELIEVE, THAT JESUS WAS
ONE OF THE MIGHTIEST MESSENGERS OF GOD, THAT HE WAS THE
CHRIST, 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. IN FACT NO MUSLIM IS A MUSLIM IF HE DOES NOT
BELIEVE IN JESUS!"

PLEASANT SURPRISE

Over 90% of the people who witnessed this debate must have
been pleasantly, but sceptically, surprised. They might have
not believed their ears. They must have surmised that the
Muslims were playing to the gallery -that they were trying to
curry favour with their fellow Christian countrymen; that if
the Muslims would say a few good words about Jesus, then in
reciprocation the Christians might say a few good words about
Muhummed (May the Peace and the Blessings of God be upon all
His righteous servents- like Moses, Jesus, Muhummed); that I
scratch your back and you scratch my back - which would be a
shame or hypocrisy.

HATE CULTIVATED

We cannot blame the Christians for their scepticism. They have
been so programmed for centuries. They were trained to think
the worst of the man Muhummed (pbuh) and his religion. How
aptly did Thomas Carlyle say about his Christian brethren over
a hundred and fifty years ago - "THE LIES WHICH WELL MEANING
ZEAL HAS HEAPED ROUND THIS MAN (Muhummed) ARE DISGRACEFUL TO
OURSELVES ONLY." We Muslims are partly responsible for this
staggering ignorance of the 1,200,000,000 Christians of the
world. We have not done anything substantial to remove the
cobwebs.

OCEAN OF CHRISTIANITY

South Africa is an ocean of Christianity. If Libya boasts the
highest percentage of Muslims on the continent of Africa, then
the Republic of South Africa would also be entitled to boast
the highest percentage of Christians. In this ocean of
Christianity - the R.S.A. - the Muslim is barely 2% of the
total population. We are a voteless minority -numerically we
count for nothing; politically, we count for nothing, and
economically, one white man, as Oppenheimer, could buy out the
whole lot of us, lock, stock and barrel.

So, if we had feigned to appease, we might be excused. But no!
We must proclaim our Master's Will; we must declare the Truth,
whether we liked it or not. In the words of Jesus (pbuh):
"Seek ye the truth, and the truth shall set you free" - (John
9:32).
 
 
CHAPTER 2: JESUS IN THE QURAN

CHRISTIANS UNAWARE

The Christian does not know that the true spirit of charity
which the Muslim displays, always, towards Jesus and his
mother Mary spring from the fountainhead of his faith- the
Holy Quran. He does not know that the Muslim does not take the
holy name of Jesus, in his own language, without saying Hazrat
Eesa (meaning revered Jesus) or Eesa alai-hiss-salaam i.e.
(Jesus peace be upon him).

Every time the Muslim mentions the name Jesus (pbuh) without
these words of respect, he would be considered disrespectful,
uncouth or barbaric. The Christian does not know that in the
Holy Quran Jesus (pbuh) is men- tioned by name five times (5x)
more than the number of times the prophet of Islam is
mentioned in the Book of God. To be exact - twenty five time
as against five. For example:

"...WE GAVE JESUS THE SON OF MARY CLEAR SIGNS AND STRENGTHENED
HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT"  HOLY QURAN 2:87

"...O MARY! GOD GIVETH THEE GLAD TIDINGS OF A WORD FROM HIM:
HIS NAME WILL BE CHRIST JESUS, THE SON OF MARY..."  HOLY QURAN
3:45

"...CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY WAS (NO MORE THAN) AN APOSTLE
OF GOD..."  HOLY QURAN 4:171

"...AND IN THEIR (the previous Prophets') FOOTSTEPS WE SENT
JESUS THE SON OF MARY..."  HOLY QURAN 5:49

"AND ZAKARIYA AND JOHN, AND JESUS AND ELIAS: ALL IN THE RANKS
OF THE RIGHTEOUS:"  HOLY QURAN 6:85

JESUS - HIS TITLES

Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the
Holy Quran he is also addressed with respect as: "Ibne Maryam"
- son of Mary; as Masih (Heb) Messiah - translated as Christ;
"Abd-ullah" servant of Allah; "Rasul -Ullah" - Messenger of
Allah.

He is spoken of as "the word of God", as "the spirit of God",
as a "Sign of God", and numerous other epithets of honour
spread over fifteen different chapters. The Holy Quran honours
this mighty Messenger of God, and the Muslims have not fallen
short over the past fourteen hundred years in doing the same.
There is not a single disparaging remark in the entire Quran
to which even the most jaundiced among the Christians can take
exception.

"EESA" LATINISED TO JESUS

The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as "Eesa", and this name is
used more times than any other title, because this was his
"Christian" 1 name. Actually, his proper name was "Eesa"
(Arabic), or "Esau". (Hebrew); classical "Yeheshua", which the
Christian nations of the West Latinised as Jesus. Neither the
"J" nor the second "s" in the name Jesus is to be found in the
original tongue - they are not found in the Semitic languages.

The word is very simply - "E S A U" - a very common Jewish
name, used more than sixty times in the very first booklet
alone of the Bible, in the part called "Genesis". There was at
least one "Jesus" sitting on the "bench" at the trial of Jesus
before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions
some twenty five Jesus' in his "Book of Antiquities". The New
Testament speaks of "Bar-Jesus"- a magician and a sorcerer, a
false prophet (Act 13:6); and also "Jesus-Justus" - a
Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians
4:11). These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary.
Transforming "Esau" to (J)esu(s) - Jesus - makes it unique.
This unique (?) name has gone out of currency among the Jews
and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among
the Jews, because it came to be the proper name of their
God(?) - their God incarnate. The Muslim will not hesitate to
name his son - "Eesa" - because it is an honoured name, the
name of a righteous servant of the Lord.

MANY REFERENCES

At the end of the most popular translation of the Holy Quran
in English, i.e. by A.Yusuf Ali 2, there is a very
comprehensive index. While browsing through 3, we will
discover, on page 1837, i.e.

Jesus, a rightenous prophet, vi.85;
birth, iii. 45:47; xix. 22-33;
apostle to Israel, iii. 49-51;
disciples, iii. 52-53; v.114-118
taken up, iii. 55-58; iv.157-159;
like Adam, iii.59;
not crucified, iv.157;
no more than apostle, iv.171; v.78; xliii 59, 63-64;
not God, v.19,75;
sent with Gospel, v.49;
not son of God, ix.30;
Message and miracles, v.113; xix.30-33;
prays for Table of viands, v.117;
taught no false worship, v.119-121;
disciples declare themselves Muslims, v.114;
mission limited, n.1861 to xiii.38;
followers have compassion and mercy, lvii.27:
disciples as God's helpers, lxi.14;
as a Sign, xxiii. 50; xliii.61;
prophesied Ahmad, lxi.6.
 
 
CHAPTER 3: MOTHER AND SON

MARY HONOURED

The second above mentioned topic - "his birth" - are described
in two places - Sura 3 and Sura 19. Reading from the beginning
of his birth, on page 134 of the translation under reference,
we come across the story of Mary, and the esteemed position
which she occupies in the house of Islam before the actual
annunciation of the birth of Jesus is given:

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: "O MARY! GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE AND
PURIFIED THEE- CHOSEN THEE ABOVE THE WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS 2."
HOLY QURAN 3:42

"Chosen thee above the women of all nations." Such an honour
is not be found given to Mary even in the Christian Bible!
The verse continue:

"O MARY! WORSHIP THY LORD DEVOUTLY: PROSTRATE THYSELF, AND BOW
DOWN (IN PRAYER) WITH THOSE WHO BOW DOWN."  HOLY QURAN 3:43

DIVINE REVELATION

What is the source of this beautiful and sublime recitation
which,in its original Arabic, moves men to ecstacy and tears?
Verse 44 below explains

THIS IS PART OF THE TIDINGS OF THE THINGS UNSEEN, WHICH WE
REVEAL UNTO THEE (O APOSTLE!) BY INSPIRATION: THOU WAST NOT
WITH THEM WHEN THEY CAST LOTS WITH ARROWS, AS TO WHICH OF THEM
SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH THE CARE OF MARY: NOR WAST THOU WITH
THEM WHEN THEY DISPUTED (THE POINT).  HOLY QURAN 3:44

MARY'S BIRTH

The story is that the maternal grandmother of Jesus, Hannan,
had hitherto been barren. She poured out her heart to God: If
only God will grant her child, she would surely dedicate such
a child for the service of God in the temple.

ANTI-CLIMAX

God granted her prayer and Mary was born. She was
disappointed. She was yearning for a son, but instead she
delivered a daughter; and in no way is the female like the
male, for what she had in mind. What was she to do? She had
made a vow to God. She waited for Mary to be big enough to
fend for herself.

When the time came, Hannah took her darling daughter to the
temple, to hand over for temple services. Every priest was
clamouring to be the god father of this lovely child. They
cast lots with arrows for her - like the tossing of the coin -
head or tail? Eventually she fell to the lot of Zakariya, but
not without a dispute.

THE SOURCE OF HIS MESSAGE

This was the story. But where did Muhummed (pbuh) get this
knowledge from? He was an Ummi (unlettered). He did not know
how to read or write. He is made by God Almighty to answer
this very question in the verse above, by saying that it was
all "by divine inspiration". "No!", says the controversialist.
"This is Muhummed's own concoction. He copied his revelations
from the Jews and Christians. He plagiarised it. He forged
it."

Knowing full-well, and believing as we do, that the whole
Quran is the veritable Word of God, we will nevertheless
agree, for the sake of argument, with the enemies of Muhummed
(pbuh) for a moment, that he wrote it We can now expect some
cooperation from the unbeliever. Ask him, "Have you any qualms
in agreeing that Muhummed (pbuh) was an Arab?" Only an
opinionated fool will hesitate to agree. In that case there is
no sense in pursuing any discussion. Cut short the talk. Close
the book!

With the man of reason, we proceed. "That this Arab, in the
first instance, was addressing other Arabs. He was not talking
to Indian Muslims, Chinese Muslims, or Nigerian Muslims. He
was addressing his own people - the Arabs. Whether they agreed
with him or not, he told them in the most sublime form - words
that were seared into the hearts and minds of his listeners
that Mary the mother of Jesus - A JEWESS - was chosen above
the women of all nations. Not his own mother, nor his wife nor
his daughter, nor any other Arab woman, but a Jewess! Can one
explain this? Because to everyone his own mother or wife, or
daughter would come before any other women.

Why would the Prophet of Islam honour a woman from his
opposition! and a Jewess at that! belonging to a race which
had been looking down upon his people for three thousand
years? Just as they still look down upon their Arab brethren
today.

SARAH AND HAGAR

The Jews get their cock-eyed racism from their Holy Bible,
where they are told that their father, Abraham, had two wives
- Sarah and Hagar. They say that they are the children of
Abraham through Sarah his legitimate wife; that their Arab
brethren have descended through Hagar, a "bond- woman", and
that as such, the Arabs are an inferior breed. (In fact, Hager
was not a bond-woman but an Egyptian princess)

Will anyone please explain the anomaly as to why Muhummed
(pbuh) (if he is the author) chose this Jewess for such high
honour? The answer is simple - HE HAD NO CHOICE - he had no
right to speak of his own desire. "IT IS NO LESS THAN AN
INSPIRATION SENT DOWN TO HIM." (H.Q.53:4)

SURA MARYAM

There is a Chapter in the Holy Quran, named Sura Maryam
"Chapter Mary" (XIX) named in honour of Mary the mother of
Jesus Christ (pbuh); again, such an honour is not to be found
given to Mary in the Christian Bible. Out of the 66 books of
the Protestants and 73 of the Roman Catholics, not one is
named after Mary or her son. You will find books named after
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, Paul and two score more
obscure names, but not a single one is that of Jesus or Mary!

If Muhummed (pbuh) was the author of the Holy Quran, then he
would not have failed to include in it with MARYAM, the mother
of Jesus, his own mother - AMINA, his dear wife - KHADIJA, OR
HIS BELOVED daughter-FATIMA. But No!No! this can never be. The
Quran is not his handiwork!
 
 
CHAPTER 4: THE GOOD NEWS

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: "O MARY! GOD GIVETH THEE GLAD TIDINGS
OF A WORD FROM HIM: HIS NAME WILL BE CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF
MARY HELD IN HONOUR IN THIS WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER AND (OF
THE COMPANY OF) THOSE NEAREST TO GOD;  HOLY QURAN 3:45

"Nearest to God," not physically nor geographically, but
spiritually. Compare this with - "And (Jesus) sat on the right
hand of God."(Mark - 16:19). The bulk of Christendom has
misunderstood this verse as well as many others in the Bible.
They imagine the Father (God) sitting on a throne - a
glorified chair - and His "son", Jesus, sitting on His right
hand side. Can you conjure up the picture? If you do, you have
strayed from the true knowledge of God. He is no old Father
Christmas. He is a spiritual Being, beyond the imagination of
the mind of man. He exists. He is real, but He is not like
anything we can think of, or imagine. In eastern languages
"right hand" meant a place of honour, which the Holy Quran
more fittingly describes as - "IN THE COMPANY OF THOSE NEAREST
TO GOD."

The above verse confirms that Jesus is the CHRIST, and that he
is the WORD which God bestowed upon Mary. Again, the Christian
reads into these words, a meaning which they do not carry.
They equate the word "Christ" with the idea of a godincarnate;
and the word from God to be God!.

CHRIST NOT A NAME

The word CHRIST is derived from the Hebrew word Messiah,
Arabic-Masih. Root word m-a-s-a-h-a, meaning to rub, to
massage, to anoint. Priests and kings were anointed when being
consecrated to their offices. But in its translated, Grecian
form "CHRIST", it seems unique: befitting Jesus only. The
Christian has a knack of transmuting baser metals into shining
gold. What he is want to do is to translate names into his own
language like "cephas" to Peter, "messiah" to Christ. How does
he do that? Very easily MESSIAH in Hebrew means anointed. The
Greek word for anointed is "christos". Just lop off the 'os'
from christos and you are left with christ. Now change the
little 'c' to a capital 'C', and "hey, presto!" he has created
a unique (?) name! Christos means ANOINTED, and anointed means
APPOINTED in its religious connotation. Jesus (pbuh) was
appointed (anoited) at his baptism by John the Baptist, as
God's Messenger. Every Prophet of God is so anointed or
appointed. The Holy Bible is replete with the "anointed" ones.
In the original Hebrew - made a "messiah". Let us keep to the
English translation - "anointed." Not only were prophets and
priests and kings anointed (christos-ed), but borns, and
cherubs and lamp-posts also.

I am the God of Beth-el, where you ANOINTED a pillar...
Genesis 31:13

If the priest that is ANOINTED do sin ... Leviticus 4:3

And Moses...ANOINTED the tabernacle and all things that was
therein ... Leviticus 8:10

...THE LORD SHALL...EXALT THE HORN OF HIS ANOINTED
1 Samuel 2:10

Thus saith the Lord to his ANOINTED to Cyrus... Isaiah 45:1

Thou art the ANOINTED cherub... Ezekiel 28:14

There are a hundred more such references in the Holy Bible.
Everytime you come across the word ANOINTED in your English
Bible, you can take it that word would be christos in the
Greek translations, and if you take the same liberty with the
word that the Christians have done, you will have - Christ
Cherub, Christ Cyrus, Christ Priest and Christ Pillar, etc

SOME TITLES EXCLUSIVE

Although, every prophet of God is an ANOINTED one of God - a
Messiah, the title "Masih" or "Messiah" or its translation
"CHRIST" is exclusivel reserved for Jesus, the son of Mary, in
both Islam and in Christianity. This is not unusual in
religion. There are certain other honorific title which may be
applied to more than one prophet, yet being made exclusive to
one by usage: like "Rasul-lullah", meaning Messenger of God,
which title is applied to both Moses (19:51) and Jesus (61:6)
in the Holy Quran. Yet "Rasul-lullah" has become synonymous
only with the Prophet of Islam among Muslims.

Every prophet is indeed a FRIEND OF GOD, but its Arabic
equivalent "Kha-lil-lullah" is exclusively associated with
Father Abraham. This does not mean that the others are not
God's friends. "Kalimul-lah" (One who spoke with God) is never
used for anyone other than Moses, yet we believe that God
spoke with all His Messengers, including Jesus and Muhummed
(May the Peace and Blessings of God be upon all His servants).
Associating certai titles with certain personages only, does
not make them exclusive or uni que in any way. We honour all
in varying terms.

Whilst the good news was being announded (verse 45 above) Mary
was told that her unborn child will be called Jesus, that he
would be the Christ, a "Word" from God, and that...

"HE SHALL SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE IN CHILDHOOD* AND IN MATURITY.
AND HE SHALL BE (OF THE COMPANY) OF THE RIGHTEOUS."  Holy
Quran 3:46

* This prophecy found fulfilment within a very short time.
  We find this in Sura Maryam below:

AT LENGTH SHE BROUGHT HIM (THE BABE) TO HER PEOPLE, CARRYING
HIM (IN HER ARMS). THEY SAID: "O MARY! TRULY AN-AMAZING THING
HAST THOU BROUGHT! O SISTER OF AARON THY FATHER WAS NOT A MAN
OF EVIL NOR THY MOTHER A WOMAN UNCHASTE!"  Holy Quran 19:27-28

JEWS AMAZED

There is no Joseph the carpenter here. The circumstances being
peculiar, Mary the mother of Jesus had retired herself to some
remote place in the East (H.Q.19:16). After the birth of the
child she returns. "The amazement of the people knew no
bounds. In any case they were prepared to think the worst of
her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time. But
now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms! How
she had disgraced the house of Aaron, the fountain of
priesthood! "SISTER OF AARON: Mary is reminded of her high
lineage and the unexceptionable morals of her father and
mother. How, they said, she had fallen and disgraced the name
of her progenitors!

"What could Mary do? How could she explain? Would they, in
their censorious mood accept her explanation? All she could do
was to point to the child, who, she knew, was no ordinary
child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle he
spoke, defended his mother, and preached -to an unbelieving
audience."

A.Yusuf Ali, comments in his notes 2480-2482 on page 773 of
his translation.

BUT SHE POINTED TO THE BABE. THEY SAID: "HOW CAN WE TALK TO
ONE WHO IS A CHILD IN THE CRADLE?"  HOLY QURAN 19:23

And by a miracle he spoke:

HE SAID: "I AM INDEED A SERVANT OF GOD: HE HATH GIVEN ME
REVELATION AND MADE ME A PROPHET; "AND HE HATH MADE ME BLESSED
WHERESOEVER I BE, AND HE HATH ENJOINED ON ME PRAYER AND
CHARITY AS LONG AS I LIVE "(HE) HATH MADE ME KIND TO MY
MOTHER, AND NOT OVERBEARING OR MISERABLE; "SO PEACE IS ON ME
THE DAY I WAS BORN, THE DAY THAT I DIE, AND THE DAY THAT I
SHALL BE RAISED UP TO LIFE (AGAIN)!"  Holy Quran 19:24-33

HIS FIRST MIRACLE(S)

Thus Jesus (pbuh) defended his mother from the grave calumny
and innuen- does of her enemies. This is the very first
miracle attributed to Jesus in the Holy Quran - that, he spoke
as an infant from his mother's arms. Contrast this with his
first miracle in the Christian Bible which occure when he was
over thirty years of age: And the third day there was a
marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was
there:

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him,
they have no wine.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine
hour is not yet come.

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto
you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone,
after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two
or three firkins apiece.

Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they
filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out
now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare
it.

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made
wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew
the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the
bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning
both set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then
that which is worse: but thou hast kep the good wine until
now.  John 2:1-10

Since this miracle, wine has flowed like water in Christendom.
Many a fool reasons that what was good for his Master is good
enough for him. Jesus was no "Kill-joy" they say. Didn't he
make good potent wine, that even those "well drunk", those
whose senses had been dulled could make out the difference? -
"THAT THE BEST WAS KEPT FOR THE LAST." This was no pure grape
juice. It was the same W-I-N-E that, according to the
Christian Bible, enabled the daughters of Lot to seduce their
father (Genesis- 19:32-33). It was the same W-I-N-E which the
Christian is advised to eschew in Ephesians 5:18 - "And be not
drunk with WINE..."

It is that innocent (?) 1% potency that eventually leads
millions down into the gutter. America has 10 million
drunkards in the midst of 70 million "born-again" Christians!
The Americans call their drunkards - "PROBLEM DRINKERS". In
South Africa, they are called "ALCOHOLICS" - drunkard is too
strong a word for people to stomach. But the Prime Minister of
Zambia, Dr.Kenneth Kaunda, does not hesitate to call a spade a
spade. He says, "I am not prepared to lead nation of
drunkards" - referring to his own people who drink
intoxicants.

Whether the water "blushed" or not "seeing" Jesus, we cannot
blame him or his disciples for the drinking habits of his
contemporaties. For he had truly opined, "I have yet many
things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John
16:12). Mankind had nof reached the stage of receiving the
whole Truth of Islam. Did he not also say - "You cannot put
new wine into old bottles"? (Matthew 9:17)

"MOTHER" OR "WOMAN"?

"According" to St.John, in the fourth verse above, describing
the marriage feast at Cana, we are told that Jesus (pbuh)
behaved insolently towards his mother. He calls her "WOMAN,"
and to rub more salt into the wound he is made to say - "what
have I to do with thee?" What connection is there between you
and me, or what have I got to do with you? Could he have
forgotten that this very "woman" had carried him for nine
months, an perhaps suckled him for 2 years, and had borne
endles insults and injuries on account of him? Is she not his
mother? Is there no word in his language for "mother"?

Strange as it may seem, that while the missionaries boast
about their master's humility, meekness and long-suffering -
they call him the "Prince of Peace" and they sing hat - "he
was led to the slaughter like a lamb, and like a sheep who
before his shearer is dumb, he opened not his mouth yet they
proudly record in the same breath, that he was every ready
with invectives for the elders of his race, and was always
itching for a show down i.e. if their records are true:-

"Ye hypocrites!"
"Ye wicked and adulterous generation!"
"Ye whited sephulcres!"
"Ye generation of vipers!" and now to his mother - "Woman..."

JESUS DEFENDED

Muhummed (pbuh) the Messenger of God, is made to absolve Jesus
(pbuh) from the false charges and calumnies of his enemies.

"AND HE (God Almighty) HATH MADE ME (Jesus) KIND TO MY MOTHER,
AND NOT OVERBEARING OR MISERABLE"  Holy Quran 19:32

On receiving the good news of the birth of a righteous son
(end of H.Q. 3:46), Mary responds:

SHE SAID: "O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH
TOUCHED ME?" The angel says in reply: HE SAID" "EVEN SO: GOD
CREATETH WHAT HE WILLETH: WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN, HE BUT
SAITH TO IT, 'BE,' AND IT IS! "AND GOD WILL TEACH HIM THE BOOK
AND WISDOM, THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL,  HOLY QURAN 3:47-48
 
 
CHAPTER 5: QURANIC AND BIBLICAL VERSIONS

MEETING THE REVEREND

One day, I was visiting the "Bible House" in Johannesburg,
South Africa. Whilst browsing through the stacks of Bibles and
religious books, I picked up an Indonesian Bible and had just
taken in hand a Greek/English New Testament - a large,
expensive volume. I had not realised that I was being observed
by the supervisor of the Bible House. Casually, he walked up
to me. Perhaps my bread and my Muslim headgear were an
attraction and a challenge? He enquired about my interest in
that costly volume. I explained that as a student of
comparative religion, I had need for such a book. He invited
me to have tea with him in his office. It was very kind of him
and I accepted.

Over the cup of tea, I explained to him the Muslim belief in
Jesus. I explained to him the very high position that Jesus
(pbuh) occupied in the House of Islam. He seemed sceptical
about what I said. I was amazed at his seeming ignorance,
because only retired Reverend gentlemen can become Supervisors
of BIBLE HOUSES in South Africa. I began reciting from verse
42 of Sura 3 -first in Arabic then in English

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: "O MARY! ALLAH HATH CHOSEN THEE...

I wanted the Reverend to listen, not only to the meaning of
the Quran, but also to the music of its cadences when the
original Arabic was recited. Rev. Dunkers (for that was his
name) sat back and listened with rapt attention to Allah's
Kalaam (God's Word). When I reached the end of verse 49, the
Reverend commented that the Quranic message was like that of
his own Bible. He said, he saw no difference between what he
believed as a Christian, and what I had read to him. I said:
"that was true". If he had come across these verses in the
English language alone without their Arabic equivalent, side
by side, he would not have been able to guess in a hundred
years that he was reading the Holy Quran. If he were a
Protestan he would have thought that he was reading the Roman
Catholic Version, if he had not seen one, or the Jehovah's
Witness Version or the Greek Orthodox Version, or the hundred
and one other versions that he might not have seen; but he
would never have guessed that he was reading the Holy Quran
The Christian would be reading here, in the Quran, everything
he wanted to hear about Jesus, but in a most noble, elevated
and sublime language. He could not help being moved by it.

In these eight terse verses from 42 to 49 we are told:

(a) That Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virtuous woman, and honoured
    above the women of all nations.
(b) That all that was being said was God's own Revelation to Muhummed
(c) That Jesus was a "Word" from God.
(d) That he was the Christ that the Jews were waiting for.
(e) That God will empower this Jesus to perform miracles even in infancy
(f) That Jesus was born miraculously, without any male intervention.
(g) That God will vouchsafe him Revelation.
(h) That he will give life to the dead by God's permission, and that he
    will heal those born blind and the lepers by God's permission,
    etc., etc.

CHALK AND CHEESE

The most fervent Christian cannot take exception to a single
statement or word here. But the difference between the
Biblical and the Quranic narratives is that between "chalk and
cheese"!

"To me they are identical, what is the difference?" the
Reverend asked. I know that in their essentials both the
stories agree in their details, but when we scrutinise them
closely we will discover that the difference between them is
staggering.

Now compare the miraculous conception as announced in verse 47
of the Holy Quran with what the Holy Bible says:

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was in this wise: When as his
mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, BEFORE THEY CAME TOGETHER,
(as husband and wife) she was found with child OF THE HOLY
GHOST."  Mathew 1:18

MASTER DRAMATISER

The eminent Billy Graham from the United States of America
dramatised this verse in front of 40.000 people in King Park,
Durban - with his index finger sticking out and swinging his
outstretched arm from right to left, he said, "And the Holy
Ghost came and impregnated Mary!" On the other hand St.Luke
tells us the very same thing but less crudely. He says that
when the annunciation was made, Mary was perturbed. Her
natural reaction was -

"...How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" -

meaning sexually.

The Quranic narrative is:

SHE SAID: "O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH
TOUCHED ME?" -meaning sexually.  Holy Quran 3:47

In essence there is no difference between these two statements
"seeing I know not a man" and "when no man hath touched me".
Both the quotations have an identical meaning. It is simply a
choice of different words meaning the same thing. But the
respective replies to Mary's plea in the two Books (the Quran
and the Bible) are revealing.

THE BIBLICAL VERSION

Says the Bible:

And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost
shall COME UPON THEE, and the power of the Highest shall
OVERSHADOW THEE"  Luke 1:35

Can't you see that you are going the atheist, the sceptic, the
agnostic stick to beat you with? They may well ask- "How did
the Holy Ghost come upon Mary?" "How did the Highest over
shadow her? We know that literally it does not mean that: that
it was an immaculate conception, but the language used here,
is distasteful-gutter language-you agree!? Now contrast this
with the language of the Quran: THE QURANIC VERSION

HE SAID:(the angel says in reply) "EVEN SO: ALLAH CREATETH
WHAT HE WILLETH: WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN, HE BUT SAITH TO
IT, 'BE', AND IT IS!"  Holy Quran 3:47

This is the Muslim concept of the birth of Jesus. For God to
create a Jesus, without a human father, He merely has to will
it. If He wants to create a million Jesus' without fathers or
mothers, He merely has to will them into existence. He does
not have to take seeds and transfer them, like men or animals
- by contact or artificial insemination. He wills everything
into being by His word of command "BE" and "IT IS".

There is nothing new in what I am telling you, I reminded the
Reverend. It is in the very first Book of your Holy Bible -
Genesis 1:3 "And God said ..." What did He SAY? He SAID - "BE"
and "IT WAS!" He did not have to articulate the words. This is
our way of understanding the word 'BE'-that He willed
everything into being.

CHOICE FOR HIS DAUGHTER

"Between these two versions of the birth of Jesus (pbuh) - the
Quranic version and the Biblical version - which would you
prefer to give your daughter?" I asked the supervisor of the
Bible House. He bowed his head down in humility and admitted -
"THE QURANIC VERSION."

How can "a forgery" or "an imitation" (as it is alleged of the
Quran) be better than the genuine, the original (as it is
claimed for the Bible)? It can never be, unless this
Revelation to Muhummed (pbuh) is what it, itself, claims to be
viz. the pure and holy Word of God! There are a hundred
different tests that the unprejudiced seeker after truth can
apply to the Holy Quran and it will qualify with flying
colours to being a Massage from on High.

LIKE ADAM

Does the miraculous birth of Jesus make him a God or a
"begotten" son of God? No! Says the Holy Quran:

THE SIMILITUDE OF JESUS BEFORE GOD IS THAT OF ADAM; HE CREATED
HIM FROM DUST, THEN SAID TO HIM: 'BE': AND HE WAS.  HOLY QURAN
3:59

"After a description of the high position which Jesus occupies
as a Prophet, In the preceding verses) we have a repudiation
of the dogma that he was God, or the son of God, or anything
more than man. If it is said that he was born without a human
father, Adam was also so born. Indeed Adam was born without
either a human father or mother. As far as our physical bodies
are concerned they are mere dust.

In God's sight Jesus was as dust just as Adam was or humanity
is. The greatness of Jesus arose from the divine command "Be".
for after that he was - more than dust - a great spititual
leader and teacher." (A.Yusuf Ali's note 398 to verse 59
above.)

The logic of it is that, if being born without a male parent
entitles Jesus to being equated with God, then, Adam would
have a greater right to such honour, and this no Christian
would readily concede. Thus, the Muslim is made to repudiate
the Christian blasphemy.

Further, if the Christian splits hairs by arguing that Adam
was "created from the dust of the ground, whereas Jesus was
immaculately "begotten" in the womb of Mary, then let us
remind him that, even according to his own false standards.
there is yet another person greater than Jesus, in his own
Bible. Who is this superman?

PAUL'S INNOVATION

"FOR THIS MELCHISEDEC, KING OF SALEM, PRIEST OF THE MOST HIGH
GOD..." "Without father, without mother, without descent,
having NEITHER BEGINNING of days, NOR END of life..."  HEBREWS
7:1 and 3

Here is a candidate for Divinity itself, for only God Almighty
could possess these qualities. Adam had a beginning (in the
garden), Jesus had a beginning (in the stable); Adam had an
end and, claim the Christians, so had Jesus "and he gave up
the ghost". But where is Melchisedec? Perhaps he is
hibernating somewhere like Rip Van Winkel.

And what is this "Hebrews"? It is the name of one of the Books
of the Holy Bible, authored by the gallent St.Paul, the self
appointed thirteenth apostle of Christ. Jesus had twelve
apostles, but one of them (Judas) has the Devil in him. So the
vacancy had to be filled, because of the "twelve thrones in
heaven which had to be occupied by his disciples to judge the
children of Israel  (Luke 22:30).

Saul was a renegade Jew, and the Christians changed his name
to "Paul", probably because "Saul" sounds Jewish. This Paul
made such a fine mess of the teachings of Jesus (pbuh) that he
earned for himself the second- most -coveted position of "The
Most Influential Men of History" in the monumental work of
Michael H.Hart. "The 100" or "The Top Hundred" or the
"Greatest Hundred in History". Paul outclasses even Jesus
because, according to Michael Hart, Paul was the real founder
of present-day Christianity. The honour of creating
Christianity had to be shared between Paul and Jesus, and Paul
won because he wrote more Books of the Bible than any other
single author, whereas Jesus did not write a single word. Paul
needed no inspiration to write his hyperboles here and in the
rest of his Epistles. Did not Hitler's Minister of Propaganda
- Goebbels - say "The bigger the lie the more likely it is to
be believed"? But the amazing thing about this exaggeration is
that no Christian seems to have read it. Every learned man to
whom I have shown this verse to, seemed to be seeing it for
the first time. They appear dumbfounded, as described by the
fitting words of Jesus:-

"... seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither
do they understand." Mathew 13:13

The Holy Quran also contains a verse which fittingly describes
this well cultivated sickness -

DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND, THEY WILL NOT RETURN (TO THE PATH).
Holy Quran 2:18

THE SONS OF GOD

The Muslim takes strong exception to the Christian dogma that
"Jesus is the only begotten son, begotten not made". This is
what the Christian is made to repeat from childhood in his
catechism. I have asked learned - Christians, again and again
as to what they are really trying to emphasise, when they say
"BEGOTTEN NOT MADE". They know that according to their own
God-given (?!) records, God has sons by the tons:

"...Adam, which was the SON OF GOD."  Luke 3:38

"That the SONS OF GOD saw the daughters of men that they were
fair... "And when the SONS OF GOD came in unto the daughters
of men, and they bare children to them..." Genesis 6:2 and 4

"...Israel is MY SON, even my firstborn:"  Exodus 4:22

"...for I (God) and a FATHER to Israel, and Ephraim is my
firstborn."  Jeremiah 31:9

"...the Lord hath said unto me, (David) Thou art MY SON: this
day have I BEGOTTEN thee."  Psalms 2:7

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
SONS OF GOD."  Romans 8:14

Can't you see that in the language of the Jew, every righteous
person, every Ton, Dick and Harry who followed the Will and
Plan of God, was a SON OF GOD. It was a metaphorical
descriptive term, commonly used among the Jews. The Christian
agrees with this reasoning, but goes on to say - "but Jesus
was not like that". Adam was made by God. Every living thing
was made by God; He is the Lord, Cherisher and Sustainer of
all. Metaphorically speaking therefore God is the Father of
all. But Jesus was the "BEGOTTEN" son of God, not a CREATED
son of God?

BEGOTTEN MEANS "SIRED"

In my forty years of practical experience in talking to
learned Christians, not a single one has opened his mouth to
hazard an explanation of the phrase - "begotten not made". It
had to be an American who dared to explain. He said, "It
means, sired by God." "What?" I exploded. "SIRED- by God?" -
"NO, no," he said, "I am only trying to explain the meaning, I
do not believe that God really sired a son."

The sensible Christian says that the words do not literally
mean what they say. Then why do you say it? Why are you
creating unnecessary conflict between the 1,200,000,000
Christians and a thousand million Muslim of the world in
making senseless statements?

REASON FOR OBJECTION

The Muslim takes exception to the word "begotten", because
begetting is an animal act, belonging to the lower animal
functions of sex. How can we attribute such a lowly capacity
to God? Metaphorically we are all the children of God - the
good and the bad - and Jesus (pbuh) would be closer to being
the son of God than any one of us, because he would be more
faithful to God than any one of us, because he would be more
faithful to God than any one of us can ever be. From that
point of view he is preeminently the son of God.

Although this pernicious word "begotten" has now
unceremoniously been thrown out of the "MOST ACCURATE" version
of the Bible - the R.S.V. its ghost still lingers on in the
Christian mind, both black and white. Through its insidious
brainwashing the white man is made to feel superior to his
black Christian brother of the same Church and Denomination.
And in turn, the Black man is given a permanent inferiority
complex through this dogma.

BRAIN-WASHED INFERIORITY

The human mind can't help reasoning that since the "begotten
son" of an African will look like an African, and that of a
Chinaman as a Chinese, and that of an Indian like an Indian:
so the begotten son of God aught naturally to look like God.
Billions of beautiful pictures and replicas of this "ONLY
BEGOTTEN SON"(?) of God are put in peoples hands. He looks
like a European with blonde hair, blue eyes and handsome
features - like the one I saw in the "King of Kings" or "The
Day of Triumph" or "Jesus of Nazareth" Remember Jeffrey
Hunter? The "SAVIOUR" of the Christian is more like a German
than a jew with his polly nose. So naturally, if the son is a
White man, the father would also be a White man (God?). Hence
the darker  skinned races of the earth subconsciously have the
feeling of inferiority ingrained in their souls as God's
STEP-CHILDREN. No amount to face-creams, skin-lighteners and
hair-straighteners will erase the inferiority.

GOD IS SPIRIT

God is neither Black nor White. He is a spiritual Being,
beyond the imagination of the mind of man. Break the mental
shackles of a Caucasian - (white) man-god, and you have broken
the shackles of a permanent inferiority. But intellectual
bondages are harder to shatter: the slave himself fights to
retain them.
 
 
CHAPTER 6: ANSWER TO CHRISTIAN DILEMMAS

"Christ in Islam" is really Christ in the Quran: and the Holy
Quran has something definite to say about every abberation of
Christianity. The Quran absolves Jesus (pbuh) from all the
false charges of his enemies as well as the misplaced
infatuation of his followers. His enemies allege that he
blasphemed against God by claiming Divinity. His misguided
followers claim that he did avow Divinity, but that was not
blasphemy (kufr) because he was God. What does the Quran say?
Addressing both the Jews and the Christians, Allah says:-

O PEOPLE OF THE BOOK! COMMIT NO EXCESSES IN YOUR RELIGION: NOR
SAY OF GOD AUGHT BUT THE TRUTH. CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY
WAS (NO MORE THAN) AN SPOSTLE OF GOD, AND HIS WORD, WHICH HE
BESTOWED ON MARY, AND A SPIRIT PROCEEDING FROM HIM: SO BELIEVE
IN GOD AND HIS MESSENGERS...  Holy Quran 4:171

GOING TO EXTREMES

"O People of the Book:" is a very respectful title with which
the Jews and the Christians are addressed in the Holy Quran.
In other words, Allah is saying - "O Learned People!" "O
People with a Scripture!" According to their own boast, the
Jews and the Christians prided themselves over the Arabs, who
had no Scripture before the Quran. As a learned people, Allah
pulls up both the contending religionists for going to either
extremes as regards the personality of Christ.

The Jews made certain insinuations about the legitimacy of
Jesus(pbuh) and charged him of blasphemy by twisting his
words. The Christians read other meanings into his words;
wrench words out of their context to make him God.

The modern-day Christian - the hot-gospeller - the Bible
thumper - uses harsher words and cruder approaches to win over
a convert to his blasphemies. He says:

(a) "EITHER JESUS IS GOD OR A LIAR"
(b) "EITHER JESUS IS GOD OR A LUNATIC"
(c) "EITHER JESUS IS GOD OR AN IMPOSTER"

These are his words - words culled from Christian literature.
Since no man of charity, Muslim or otherwise, can condemn
Christ so harshly as the Christian challenges him to do,
perforce he must keep non-committal. He thinks he must make a
choice between one or the other of these silly extremes. It
does not occur to him that there is an alternative to this
Christian conundrum.

SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE

Is it not possible that Jesus is simply what he claimed to be-
a prophet like so many other prophets that passed away before
him? Even that he is one of the greatest of them - a mighty
miracle worker, a great spiritual teacher and guide - the
Messiah! Why only God or Lunatic? Is "lunacy" the opposite of
"Divinity" in Christianity? What is the antonym of God? Will
some clever Christian answer?

The Quran lays bare the true position of Christ in a single
verse,it say

(1) That he was the son of a woman, Mary, and
    therefore a man;
(2) But an apostle, a man with a mission from God,
    and therefore he is entitled to honour;
(3) A Word bestowed on Mary, for he was created by
    God's word "Be" (kun), and he was; see Holy Quran 3:59.
(4) A spirit proceeding from God, but not God: his
    life and mission were more limited than in the case
    of some other apostles, though we must pay equal
    honour to him as a man of God. The doctrines of
    Trinity, equality with God, and sonship, are
    repudiated as blasphemies. God is independent of all
    needs and has no need of a son to manage His
    affairs. The Gospel of John (whoever wrote it) has
    put a great deal of Alexandrain Gnostic mysticism
    round the doctrine of the Word (Greek, Logos), but
    it is simply explained here, and our Sufis work on
    this explanation." (A.Yusuf Ali's comment on verse
    171 above)

JESUS QUESTIONED

Reproduced below are verses 119 to 121 from Sura Maida (Ch.5)
depicting the scene of Judgement Day, when Allah will question
Jesus (pbuh) regarding the misdirected zeal of his supposed
followers in worshipping him and his mother: and his response-

AND BEHOLD! GOD WILL SAY: "O JESUS THE SON OF MARY! DIDST THOU
SAY UNTO MEN, WORSHIP ME AND MY MOTHER AS GODS IN DEROGATION
OF GOD'?" HE WILL SAY: "GLORY TO THEE! NEVER COULD I SAY WHAT
I HAD NO RIGHT (TO SAY). HAD I SAID SUCH A THING, THOU WOULDST
INDEED HAVE KNOWN IT. THOU KNOWEST WHAT IS IN MY HEART, THOUGH
I KNOW NOT WHAT IS IN TIME. FOR THOU KNOWEST IN FULL ALL THAT
IS HIDDEN. "NEVER SAID I TO THEM AUGHT EXCEPT WHAT THOU DIDST
COMMAND ME TO SAY, TO WIT, 'WORSHIP GOD, MY LORD AND YOUR
LORD'; AND I WAS A WITNESS OVER THEM WHILST I DWELT AMONGST
THEM; WHEN THOU DIDST TAKE ME UP THOU WAST THE WATCHER OVER
THEM, AND THOU ART A WITNESS TO ALL THINGS. "IF THOU DOST
PUNISH THEM, THEY ARE THY SERVANTS: IF THOU DOST FORGIVE THEM,
THOU ART THE EXALTED IN POWER, THE WISE."  Holy Quran
5:119-121

CLAIMED NO DIVINITY

If this is the statement of Truth from the All-Knowing, that
"Never did I say to them anything other than what I was
commanded to say, that is WORSHIP GOD, WHO IS MY LORD AND YOUR
LORD", then how do the Christians justify worshipping Jesus?

There is not a single unequivocal statement throughout the
Bible, in all its 66 volumes of the Protestant versions, or in
the 73 volumes of the Roman Catholic versions, where Jesus
claims to be God or where he says - 'worship me.' Nowhere does
he say that he and God Almighty are one and the same person.

The last phrase above - "one and the same person" tickles many
a "hot- gospeller" and "Bible-thumper," not exluding the
Doctor of Divinity and the Professor of Theology. Even the new
converts to Christianity have memorised these verses. They are
programmed like zombies to rattle off verses, out of context,
upon which they can hang their faith. The words "ARE ONE"
activates the mind by association of memories. "Yes", say the
Trinitarians - the worshippers of three gods in one God, and
one God in three gods - "Jesus did claim to be God!" Where?

REVEREND AT THE TABLE

I had taken Rev. Morris D.D. and his wife, to lunch at the
"Golden Peacock". While at the table, during the course of our
mutual sharing of knowledge, the opportunity arose to ask,
"Where?" And without a murmur he quoted, "I AND MY FATHER ARE
ONE" - to imply that God and Jesus were one and the same
Person. That Jesus here claims to be God. The verse quoted was
well known to me, but it was being quoted out of context. It
did not carry the meaning that the Doctor was imaging, so I
asked him, "What is the context?"

CHOCKED ON "CONTEXT"

The Reverend stopped eating and began staring at me. I said,
"Why? Don't you know the context?" - "You see, what you have
quoted is the text, I want to know the context, the text that
goes with it, before or after." Here was an Englishman
(Canadian), a paid-servant of the Presbyterian Church, a
Doctor of Divinity, and it appeared that I was trying to teach
him English. Of course he knew what "context" meant. But like
the rest of his compatriots, he had not studied the sense in
which Jesus (pbuh) had uttered the words.

In my forty years of experience, this test had been thrown at
me hundred of times, but not a single learned Christian had
ever attempted to hazard a guess as to its real meaning. They
alwasy start fumbling for their Bibles. The Doctor did not
have one with him. When they do start going for their Bibles,
I stop them in their stride. "Surely, you know what you are
quoting?" "Surely, you know your Bible?" After reading this, I
hope some "born-again" Christians will rectify this
deficiency. But I doubt that most Muslim readers will ever
come across one in their lifetime who could give them the
context.

WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?

It is unfair on the part of the Reverend, having failed to
provide the context, then to ask me, "Do you know the
context?" "Of course," I said. "Then, what is it?" asked my
learned friend. I said, "That which you have quoted is the
text of John chapter 10, verse 30. To get at the context, we
have to begin from verse 23 which reads:

23  And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

John, or whoever he was, who wrote his story, does not tell us
the reason for Jesus tempting the Devil by walking alone in
the lion's den. For we do not expect the Jews to miss a golden
opportunity to get even with Jesus. Perhaps, he was emboldened
by the manner in which he had literally whipped the Jews
single-handed in the Temple, and upset the tables of the
money-changers at the beginning of his ministry (John 2:15).

24  Then came the Jews round about him. And said unto him, How
long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell
us plainly.

They surrounded him. Brandishing their fingers in his face,
they began accusing him and provoking him; saying that he had
not put forth his claim plainly enough, clearly enough. That
he was talking ambiguously. The were trying to work themselves
into a frenzy to assault him. In fact, the real complaint was
that they did not like his method of preaching-his invectives,
the manner in which he condemned them for their formalism,
their ceremonialism, their going for the letter of the law and
forgetting the spirit. But Jesus could not afford to provoke
them any further -there were too many and they were itching
for a fight. Discretion is the better part of valour. In a
conciliatory spirit, befitting the occassion.

25  Jesus answered them, I told you, and you believed not: the
works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
that is to say,  the miracles bear witness of my prophethood
and of me being the Messiah .

26  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I
said unto you.

Jesus rebuts the false charge of his enemies that he was
ambiguous in his claims to being the Messiah that they were
waiting for. He says that he did tell them clearly enough, yet
they would not listen to him, but

27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me:

28 And I give unto them enternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER"S
HAND.

29  My father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no
man is able to PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER'S HAND.

How can anyone be so blind as not to see the exactness of the
ending of the last two verses. But spiritual blinkers are more
impervious than physical defects. He is telling the Jews and
recording for posterity, the real unity or relationship
between the Father and the son. The most crucial verse.

30  I and my Father are one.

One in what? In their Omniscience? In their Nature? In their
Omnipotence No! One in purpose! That once a believer has
accepted faith, the Messenger sees to it that he remains in
faith, and God Almighty also sees to it that he remains in
faith. This is the purpose of the "Father" AND the "son" AND
the "Holy Ghost" AND of every man AND every woman of faith.
Let the same John explain his Gnostic mystic verbiage.

That they all may be ONE: as thou. Father, art in me, and in
thee, thet they also may be ONE in us... I in them, and thou
in me, that they may be made perfect in ONE...  John 17:20-22

If Jesus is "ONE" with God, and if that "ONENESS" makes him
God, then the traitor Judas, and the doubting Thomas, and the
satanic Peter, plus the other nine who deserted him when he
was most in need are God(s), because the same ONENESS which he
claimed with God in John 10:30, now he claims for ALL "Who
forsook him and fled" (Mark 14:50) - ALL "ye of little faith"
(Mathew 8:26) - ALL "O faithless and perverse generation"
(Luke 9:41) Where and when will the Christian blasphemy end?
The expression "I and my Father are one," was very innocent,
meaning nothing more than a common purpose with God. But the
Jews were looking for trouble and any excuse will not do,
therefore, -

31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him.

32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from
my Father for which of those works do you stone me?

33  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone
thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a
man, makest thyself a God.

In verse 24 above the Jews falsely alleged that Jesus was
talking ambiguously. When that charge was ably refuted, they
then accused him of blasphemy (kufr) which is like treason in
the spiritual realm. So they say that Jesus is claiming to be
God - "I and my Father are one". The Christians agree with the
Jews in this that jesus (pbuh) did make such a claim; but,
differ, in that it was not blasphemy because the Christians
say that he was God and was entitled to own up to his
Divinity.

The Christians and the Jews are both agreed that the utterance
is serious. To one as an excuse for good "redemption", and to
the other as an excuse for good "reddance". Between the two,
let the poor Jesus die. But Jesus refuses to cooperate in
this dirty game, so -

34  Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I
said, Ye are gods?

35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came,
and the scripture cannot be broken;

36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent
into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the son
of God?

WHY "YOUR LAW"?

He is bit sarcastic in verse 34, but in any event, why does he
say: "Your Law"? Is it not also his law? Did't he say: THINK
NOT THAT I AM COME TO DESTROY THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS: I AM
COME NOT TO DESTROY, BUT TO FULFIL (the Law). FOR VERILY I SAY
UNTO YOU, TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY, ONE LOT OR ONE
TITLE SHALL IN NO WISE PASS FROM THE LAW, TILL ALL BE
FULFILLED.  (Mathew 5:17-18)

"YE ARE GODS"

"Ye are gods:" He is obviously quoting from the 82nd. Psalm
(verse 6)

"I have said, YE ARE GODS: and all of you are, the children of
the most High."

Jesus, continues, "If he (i.e. God Almighty) called them gods,
unto whom the word of God came (meaning that the prophets of
God were called 'GODS' and the scripture cannot be broken (in
other words- YOU CAN'T CONTRADICT ME!)." - Jesus knows his
Scripture; he speaks with authority; and he reasons with his
enemies that "if good men, holy men, prophets of God are being
addressed as "GODS" in our Books of Authority, with which you
find no fault - then why do you take exception to me? - When
the only claim I make for myself is far inferior in our
language, viz. "a son of God" as against others being called
"GODS" by God himself. Even if (Jesus) described myself as
"god" in our language, according to Hebrew usage, you could
find no fault with me." This is the plain reading of Christian
Scripture. I am giving no interpretations of my own or some
esoteric meaning to words!
 
 
CHAPTER 7: "IN THE BEGINNING"

"Where does Jesus say - "I am God," or "I am equal to God," or
Worship me" I asked the D.D.from Canada, again.

Reverend Morris took a deep breath and took another try. He
quoted the most off-repeated verse of the Christian Bible.  -
John 1:1. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God and the Word was God."

Please note, these are not the words of Jesus. They are the
words of John (or whoever wrote them). Acknowledged by every
erudite Christian scholar of the Bible as being the words of
another Jew, Philo of Alexandria, who had written them even
before John and Jesus were born and Philo claimed no divine
inspiration for them. No matter what mystical meaning that
Philo had woven around these words (which our John has
plagiarised) we will accept them for what they are worth.

GREEK NOT HEBREW

Since the manuscripts of the 27 Books of the New Testament are
in Greek, a Christian sect has produced its own version and
has even changed the name of this selection of 27 Books to
"CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURES"! I asked the Reverend whether he
knew Greek? "Yes," he said, He had studied Greek for 5 years
before qualification. I asked him what was the Greek Word for
"GOD" the first time it occurs in the quotation - "and the
Word was with God"? He kept staring, but didn't answer. So I
said, the word was HOTHEOS, which literally means "THE GOD".
Since the European (including the North American) has evolved
a system of using capital letter to start a proper noun and
small letters for common nouns, we would accept his giving a
capital "G" for God; in other words HOTHEOS is rendered "the
god" which in turn is rendered - God.

"Now tell me, what is the Greek word for God in the second
occurrence in your quotation - "and the Word was God"? The
Reverend still kept silent. Not that he did not know Greek, or
that he had lied - But, he knew more than that, the game was
up. I said the word was TONTHEOS, which means "a god".

According to your own system of translating you aught to have
spelt this word God a second time with a small "g" i.e. god,
and not God with a capital "G"; in other words TONTHEOS is
rendered "a god". Both of these, "god" or "a god" are correct.

I told the Reverend "But in 2 Corinthians 4:4 you have
dishonestly reversed your system by using a small "g" when
spelling GOD - "(and the devil is) the god of this world." The
Greek word for "the god" is HOTHEOS the same as in John 1:1.
"Why have you not been consistent in your translation?" "If
Paul was inspired (?) to write hotheos - the God for the
Devil, why begrudge him that capital 'G'?"

And in the Old Testament, the Lord said unto Moses, "See, I
have made thee a god to Pharoach" (Exodus 7:1). "Why do you
use a small "g" for "GOD" when referring to Moses instead of a
capital "G" as you do for a mere word - 'WORD' - "and the Word
was God."?

"Why do you do this? Why do you play fast and loose with the
Word of - God?" I asked the reverend. He said, "I didn't do
it." I said, "I know, but I am talking about the vested
interests of Christianity, who are hell bent to deify Christ,
by using capital letters here and small letters there, to
deceive the unwary masses who think that every letter, every
comma and full stop and the capital and small letters were
dictated by God."
 
 
CHAPTER 8: WHAT IS LEFT

THREE TOPICS

It can hardly be expected in a small publication of this
nature that one can deal with all the references about Jesus
(pbuh) interspersed throughout the fifteen different chapters
of the Holy Quran. What we can do is to give a quick glance to
the index page reproduced from the Quran on page 7 of this
book.

Here we find three significant topics, not dealt with yet in
our discussion:
(1) not crucified, iv. 157
(2) Message and miracles, v. 113;xix. 30-33;
(3) Prophesied Ahmed 1xi.6

Regarding the first topic, "not crucified", I wrote a full
booklet titled "CRUCIFIXION OR CRUCIFICTION?" that deals
exclusively with that subject As regards the third topic
mentioned above, prophesied Ahmed", you can refer to my
booklet titled " WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MUHUMMED" We are
now left with Topic No.2 - "Message and miracles".

The message of Jesus (pbuh) was as simple and straight forward
as that of all his predecessors as well as that of his
successor Muhummed (pbuh) namely "BELIEVE IN GOD AND KEEP HIS
COMMANDMENTS". For the God who inspired His Messengers, is an
unvarying God and He is consistent: He is not the "author of
confusion" (1 Corinthian 14:33).

A law abiding Jew comes to Jesus seeking eternal life or
salvation. In the words of Mathew:

And behold, one came and said unto him, Good
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have
eternal life?

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good?
there is none good but one, that is God: but if
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
                                 Mathew 19:16-17

You will agree, that if you or I were that Jew, we would infer
from these words that, according to Jesus (pbuh), salvation
was guaranteed provided we kept the commandments without the
shedding of any innocent blood. Unless, of course Jesus (pbuh)
was speaking with tongue in cheek; knowing full well that his
own "forthcoming redemptive sacrifice", his "vicarious
atonement"(?!) for the sins of mankind, was not many days
hence.

Why would Jesus give him the "impossible" solution of keeping
the law (as the Christian alleges) when an easier way was in
the offing? or did he not know what was going to happen - that
he was to be crucified? Was there not a contract between
Father and "son", before the worlds began, for his redeeming
blood to be shed(?!) Had he lost his memory? No! There was no
such fairy tale agreement as far as Jesus was concerned. He
knew that there is only one way to God, and that is, as Jesus
(pbuh) said, - KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!

MIRACLES - WHAT THEY PROVE

Regarding his miracles: the Holy Quran does not go into any
detail about blind Bartimus or about Lazarus or any other
miracle, except that he (Jesus) defended his mother as an
infant in his mother's arms (Ch. 4). The Muslim has no
hesitation about accepting the most wondrous of his miracles -
even that of reviving the dead. But that does not make Jesus a
"God" or the begotten "son of God" as understood by the
Christian. Miracles do not prove even prophethood, or whether
a man is true or false. Jesus himself said:

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  Mathew 24:4

If false prophets and false Christ can peform miraculous
feats, then these wonders or miracles do not prove even the
genuineness or otherwise, of a prophet.

John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the greatest of the
Israelite prophets. Greater than Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah
and all, not excluding himself: in his own words:-

Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there
hath not risen a greater than John the Bapist...  Matthew
11:11

(1) Not excluding Jesus (pbuh): because, was he not born of a
woman- Mary? (2) The Baptist, greater than ALL, yet he
performed not a single miracle! Miracles are no standards of
judging truth and falsehood. But in his childishness, the
Christian insists that Jesus is God because he gave life back
to the dead. Will reviving the dead make others God too? This
perplexes him, because he has mentally blocked himself from
the miracles of others who outshine Jesus in his own Bible.
For example, according to his false standard:-

(a) Moses is greater than Jesus because he put life back
    into a dead stick and transmuted it from the plant
    kingdom to the animal kingdom by making it into a serpent
    (Exodus 7:10)
    
(b) Elisha is greater than Jesus because the rotten bones
    of Elisha brought a man back to life merely by coming
    into contact with the corpse (2 Kings 13:21).

Need I illustrate to you a catalogue of miracles? But the
sickness persists - "it was God working miracles through His
prophets but Jesus performed them of his own power." Where
did Jesus (pbuh) get all his power from? Ask Jesus, and he
will tell us:-

POWER NOT HIS OWN

...All power is GIVEN unto me in heaven and in earth.
Matthew 28:18

...I cast our devils BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, then the kingdom of
God is come unto you.  Matthew 12:28

I can of mine OWN SELF do nothing...  John 5:30

...I with the FINGER OF GOD cast our devils...   Luke 11:20

BORROWED POWER

The "Power" as he says is not his. "it is given unto me".
Given by whom? By God, of course! Every action, every word he
attributes to God.

LAZARUS

But since so much is made of Jesus nightiest miracle of
reviving Lazarus from the dead, we will analyse the episode as
recorded in John's Gospel. It is astonishing that none of the
other Gospel writers mention Lazarus in any context. However,
the story is that Lazarus was very sick, his sisters Mary and
Martha had made frantic calls for Jesus to come and cure his
sickness but he arrived too late, actually four days after his
demise.

HE GROANED

Mary wails to Jesus that had he arrived in time, perhaps her
brother would not have died; meaning that if he could heal
other peoples' sickness, why would he not have healed her
brother, a dear friend of his. Jesus says that "even now if ye
have faith, ye shall see the glory of God." The condition was
that they should have faith. Didn't he say that faith could
move mountains? He asks to be taken to the tomb. On the way,
"he groaned in the spirit". He was not mumbling; he was
pouring out his heart and praying to God. But while he sobbed
so bitterly his words were not audible enough for people
around him to understand. Hence the words "he groaned". On
reaching the grave, Jesus "groaned" again; perhaps, even more
earnestly and God heard his groaning (his prayer), and Jesus
received the assurance that God will fulfil his request. Now,
Jesus could rest assured and command that the stone which was
barring the tomb, be removed so that Lazarus could come back
from the dead. Without that assurance from God, Jesus (pbuh)
would have made a fool of himself.

AVOIDING MISUNDERSTANDING

Mary thinks of the stink because her brother had been dead for
four days But Jesus was confident and the stone was removed.
Then he looked up towards heaven and said:

"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

"And I knew that thou hearest me alwasy: but
because of the people which stand by I said it, that
they may believe that thou hast sent me."  John 11:41-42

What is all this, play-acting? Why all the drama? Because he
know that these superstitious and credulous people will
misunderstand the source of the miracle. They might take him
for "God". Giving life to the dead is the prerogative of God
alone. To make doubly sure, that his people do not
misunderstand, he speaks out loudly that the "groaning" was
actually his crying to God Almighty for help. The prayer was
incoherent as far as the bystanders could discern, but the
Father in heaven had accepted his prayer, viz. "thou hast
heard me".

Furthermore, he says, - "thou hearest me always"; in other
words every miracle wrought by him was an answer by God
Almighty to his prayer. The Jews of his day understood the
position well, and they "glorified God", as Matthew tells us
of another occasion when the Jews exclaimed "for giving such
power unto men" (Matt.  9:8).

In fact, Jesus gives his reason for speaking loudly. He says,
"that they may believe that thou has sent me." One who is sent
is a messenger, and if he be sent by God, then he is a
Messenger of God i.e. Rasul-ullah - see Chapter 6 of this
booklet where Jesus is referred to as "Rasul-ullah" (Messenger
of Allah).

Alas, this attempt by Jesus to prevent any misunderstanding,
as to who really performed the miracle, and that he was in
fact only a messenger of God, failed. Christians will not even
accept the unambiguous disavowal of Jesus, nor the testimony
of Peter, the "Rock" upon which Jesus was supposed to build
his Church. Peter truly testified:

Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN
approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs,
which GOD-DID by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves
also know.  Acts 2:22

CASE NOT HOPELESS

This very same message is repeated by God Almighty in the Holy
Quran, following the annunciation. In verse 49 of chapter 3,
Allah makes it clear that every sign or wonder that Jesus
performed was.

"BY ALLAH'S LEAVE," by God's permission. Jesus says so, Peter
says so and God says so; but the stubborn controversialist
will not listen: prejudice, superstition and credulity die
hard. Our duty is simply to deliver the Message, loud and
clear, the rest we leave to God. The case is not altogether
hopeless for Allah tells us in His Holy Book:

AND AMONG THEM * ARE SOME WHO HAVE FAITH, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE
PERVERTED TRANSGRESSORS.  Holy Quran 3:10

* Among them: meaning the Jews and the Christians there are
two types of people; the one group described as people of
faith to whom this book is addressed, and the other as
rebellious transgressors. We must also find ways and means of
getting at them. Our literature is eminently suited to cater
for all. Read them and pass them around so it may be of use to
some who have faith .

As a conclusion I suggest to:

Open the Holy Quran (I recommend having one if you still don't
have it) and read the verses discussed in this book. Then we
can truly conclude:

SUCH (WAS) JESUS THE SON OF MARY: (IT IS) A STATEMENT OF
TRUTH, ABOUT WHICH THEY (VAINLY) DISPUTE. IT IS NOT BEFITTING
TO (THE MAJESTY OF) GOD THAT HE SHOULD BEGET A SON.  GLORY BE
TO HIM ! WHEN HE DETERMINES A MATTER, HE ONLY SAYS TO IT,
"BE", AND IT IS. VERILY GOD IS MY LORD AND YOUR LORD: HIM
THEREFORE SERVE YE: THIS IS A WAY THAT IS STRAIGHT.  Holy
Quran 19:34-36