Jesus is a figure who is loved and revered by billions of people around in world, yet there is much confusion surrounding this personality. Muslims and Christians both hold Jesus in high regard but view him in very different ways.
This Article aims to clarify the issues surrounding Jesus and the differences in the belief of Muslims and Christians. Some Important questions like:
- Was Jesus God, or was he sent by God?
- Who was the real historical Jesus?
would be answered below.
Jesus- As God?
Some Christians claim that "Jesus is God" or part of a trinity - that he is the incarnation of God on earth, and that God took on a human form. However according to Bible, Jesus was born, he ate, slept, prayed and had limited knowledge- all attributes making him a human and not befitting God.
God has attributes of perfection whereas Man is the opposite. How can anything be two complete opposites occur simultaneously.
Islam teaches that God is always perfect. To believe that God became a man is to claim that God is or was (at some point in time), imperfect. Those who believe that Jesus was God should ask themselves how is it possible for god to be a weak helpless child, who needs food and sleep etc, The answer is a Sure No.
Again one may ask ; '" If God can do anything, why can't he become a man? " The answer to this query is that by definition, God does not do ungodly acts, God does not do anything that would make Him, something other than God. if God became man and took on human attributes, he would, necessarily, no longer be God.
Some ambiguous verses of the Bible can be applied erroneously to show that Jesus is in some way divine, but if we look at the clear direct verses of the Bible, we see again and again that Jesus is being referred to as an extraordinary human being and nothing more. The Bible contains many verses in which Jesus speaks and behaves as if God is a separate being to himself
For example:
Jesus fell on his face and prayed (Matthew 26:39)If Jesus was god , then would a god fall on his face and pray? and who would he be praying to?
The Bible calls Jesus a Prophet (Matthew 21:10-11), so how could Jesus be God and be God's prophet at the same time?
Jesus said: I am going to Father, because the Father is greater than me. (John 14:28)
Jesus said: I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)If Jesus was God, then why would he say "to my God and your God" and who was he ascending to?
If Jesus was God , he would have clearly told people to worship him, and there would be clear verses in the Bible stating this, yet he did the opposite and disapproved anyone worshiping him.
And in vain they worship me (Matthew 15:9)
Son Of God ?
Some Christians claim that Jesus is the son of God. What does this actually mean?Surely God is far removed from having a physical and literal son. Humans have human children, Cats have kittens, What does it mean for God to have a child?
Rather than being taken literally, we find the term " Son of God" is symbolically used in the earliest biblical languages for a 'righteous person' and has been used for David, Solomon and Israel, and not exclusively for Jesus.
In fact, anyone who is righteous is referred to as God's son.
All who are led by God's Spirit are God's sons and daughters. (Romans 8:14)Father And Lord?
In the same way when the word Father is used to refer to God it should not be taken literally, instead, its a way of saying God is the creator, sustainer and supreme master of all.
Jesus - The Prophet:
In Judaism , Jesus (peace be upon him) is denied as the Messiah. this in in contrast to Christianity where he is worshiped as a deity or the son of God.
But according Islam Jesus is acknowledged as an honorable Prophet and Messenger of God, as well as the Messiah. Muslims do not worship Jesus not do they worship the Last Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) because worship is for God alone who has created Jesus, all the Prophets as well as everything that exists.
Miraculous Birth:
According to the Holy Quran ( the Last testament sent to Prophet Mohammad peace be upon him). the Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary, the noble virgin, in the form of a man, informing her of a child who was to be born miraculously without a father.
He (Angel Gabriel) said" I am only a messenger of your Lord to announce to you the gift of a righteous son. " She (Mary) said, "How shall I have a son , seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste? : He said: Thus (it will be). Your Lord says: " It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter already decreed. " (Chapter 19 verses 19-21)Some people claim that the miraculous birth of Jesus is the evidence of his divinity. However Jesus was not the first to come into existence without a father, as Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) the first man on earth had neither a father nor a mother.
God says:
The likeness of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him (Adam), then said to him: Be, and he was. This is the truth from your Lord, so be not of the disputers. (Holy Quran Chapter 3 verses 59-60).Miracles Of Jesus:
- Jesus was miraculously conceived with no father and also performed great miracles by the will and permission of God.
- He spoke as a baby in the cradle to defend his mother against the people who accused her of fornication.
- It is also mentioned in the Holy Quran that Jesus gave life to dead, cured the leper and the blind- all by the will of God.
Message Of Jesus:
The Prophets of the Old Testament such as Abraham, Noah and Jonah never preached that God is part of trinity and did not believe in Jesus as their savior. Instead there message was simple and common that : there is one God and He alone deserves your worship.
It is not logical for God to send Prophets for thousands of years with the same essential message , only to suddenly change it, claim that He is now a part of trinity, and to stipulate the belief in the divinity of Jesus to be saved.
The truth is that Jesus preached the same message as all the prophets in the Old Testament. There is a passage in the Bible that clearly emphasizes this core message:
A man came to Jesus and asked, " Which is the first commandment of all? Jesus answered: " The first of all commandments is Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God , the Lord is one" (Mark 12:28-29).The same message is given in the Holy Quran:
And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said... "Indeed God- He is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him alone. This is the only straight path. (Chapter 43 verse 64)Conclusion - Jesus In Islam:
Jesus was an honorable Prophet sent by God to call to the worship of God alone. This is evident is the Bible and confirmed in the Quran. The Islamic belief about Jesus explains who the real Jesus was, while maintaining the pure belief about God and His complete Greatness, Uniqueness and Perfection.
Anyone reading this article is invited to further study and look into the teachings of Isl, instead it gives the sames message as preached by Prophets Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and the Last Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon them all).
Islam means submission to God and is a natural and complete way of life that encourages one to give due attention to their relationship with God and His creation.
Islam teaches us to love and respect all Prophets of God, but loving and respecting does not mean worshiping them because worship is due only to God.
No comments:
Post a Comment