the truth about jesus by maneh hammad al-johani

8/6/2019 The Truth About Jesus by Maneh Hammad Al-Johani

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ItI s sad" ,(ba t in th . !o o'm io g,o fIslam, Cbrist ians felt ' th,I,' saw t he ,comin l ofthe 'fate prophet' or Anti-Christ,~old of h'i),tbeBoot 10 Re:vel lat ion, t,oJoha (N'ewTestament). )tis crvensadder that the noble wboorganizedthe 2nd Crusadeaga io;st the Mu lim s w a s offered , a c~opyof ,8 transikted K oran to re ad ..and castit aside, It is sad b ecause it re fi~ ets a n a .ttitu d et,Q , Islam seen even , BntH today, -kept alive in the history ef the Crusades", and founded enatotal ip.o:mnce. It isfo r Mu:sl ims"D }c )W'to assert their : f a i th and, 'or Cbrisdans t '@1 at leaslt. willin. 'til)be made aware of the meaning; o , r Islam" I am surethat to, many Eslam and itsteachings wiUbe as a mountain stream in the desert,to tile parched souls: ofman,V l~a,rchiq'I.'fortru,tb.ii' I

Your. sino.rely"Z - A ~ N I - R A - A - Z - - : I I ' Z - - : . , - M - --II._ _ ~ , - . . I f . ,

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WAMY SER~E8 Q IN ISLA.MN'D.. , & ,

TH I E . TRUTH ABOUT

J I S U SBY

Dr. M.nah Hamm.d AI..Joh.nl

DAR A.L'-KHAIRPubUshers .IDd D'is t r lbu tors01 Isla.,ie Books

~Jj"U~;udl i.!d u . . . U I 1/'".4 JI

, Tel 68706,79 - P. '0. Box 32274 Jeddah 21428 ' "AV. ,y ..~\a


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Quotations hom the Holy QURAI . Ss,Y:,'O People i I l i , r the B,(ltoit. come te common terms as between us andyou: that we 'worship none bu~ G,od: tha,t we asseeiate not aughtw ith H im : and do not s ,om e: of 'U s take others: as Lords, apart fr,omGod. And i f they turn their backs, say: 'Bear witness that we areM uslim s'. '3 ,:64)

They say, 'God has taken to H im a son.' Glory be to Him , H e isall-sufficient;to Him belongs all that is,i n . t he ' h eavens and in the earth; you haveno authority for this. no ycltUsay concerning God what you do notknow? ( 1 0 ; 1 6 , 8 )

People of the B ,ook.!why do ' ou d isbeliex e in God's s igns , w hich you yourselves.witness? ' (3:7 10 )

People of the Boo I e . !w hy do you confound the truth with falsehood and conceal tiletruth knowingly'! 0:7 ~)

Quata tio ns , from ] HAD ITH : . ' Abu Hurairah reported Allah'sMessenger ( P H , Hjas saying < . O J amthe nearest of kin to Jesus, son of Mary, in this world B ,nd t he next. The

prophets are brothers. sons of one father by co-wives. Their mothersare different but, their religion W I , one There has been no prophet'between us", (Bukhari and Muslim),

Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger (PBUH) 3.Ssaying,HOy Himin whosehand my soul is. the son of M ary w in soon descend among;you as a just judge. He will break crosses, kill swine and abolish thejizya ( 'a tax payab le by a com rnuim y w hich accepts the "rotecholl ofaMuslim ruler but "'~'hosemembers do .I1,otembraee Islam), and wealthW ]U pour forth to such an extent t'h,at no one w m acceptia, and on.e'sajda (tbe porsi t i ,on in Mudi.n1's prayer where the fo rehead is pl~aQedonUl1eground). will be better than the w O o r l d and what it contains".(Buka,hri and Muslim],


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The Islamic view J , f Jesus li.es be;tween. two Gxtremu" 'The Jews, whorejected Jesus as , a . Propb e:t of God,~ caUed b 'im an im,postor, . Th.e Christians o'n'the other hand, eonsiderhim to be the SOD ,of God and wors:bip him, ,IS sueh,Is~am considers Jesus asone of the great Propbets of God aDdre,spects him as:m u c h a s ,Abra M :m ~ Moses a nd Mgham,mad.Th.~si l , ln conformit,,'with theIslam ic poin t of view of th.e o neness ,o fGod, tb .c on eness of D irvi.e g u i d , I J ' l ' C I l , andthe complimentary role of 'the subsequent messages ofGod"s,messenprs. The,cssence: oflsiam" which is ,t he w i ll ing : submiss iou to the 'Wi l lof God , was,reveal .ed'to .A da m w h o pe is ed it OIB.to his, chidlren,. AU fol low,ing rev,ei lat ions to No,ah t,Abraham,~ Moses" Jesus and finaUyM uhammad were in conlormity' .'lth t,bB.t.message i ' l l addition to some elaboration to define tberelatlonbetween Man andIG od, m an and maR. m llD and h is en,vironmemt,and to Uv,eaccordin l : to God's ,instructions. Thas, any col1itr,adicdon among revealed religions is viewed b,'Islam as amaa-made element int.roouced. into these religions, The position olfJesus in, tbe threl :m,ajor r'I:' ons:. JII,daism,. ICllristil,n:ity and. Islam, s:h,om~,dnQlI:'b e a n c :X !c ept:io n .

AJ.thougD tile !Qur~andoes n~)tiPresell.t a detailed Iife-aeecant of Jesus, i t ::ldghlilh,ts the important : aspects; of his tJiirtbt his, m . tS S i o D , Ills a s c e : D s i o n . ta lheavenand passess judgements on. the Ch.ristian beOers concerning him.

The Oura'nieaceoam of J e s : 1 i J S starts with the oonception of hismother,Mary . The wife oiflmraD.~Marfs mother, vow ed to ded lea teh,er cbUd to theservice 0,( God in . 'the tem.ple . .Zacharla ., whol took eiba:rp of Mary , used. to findfood with Mary. , When be:asked her how she ,lot it s:heanswered that itwas from"!Gcc,oo.he 'Q. uraaie verses read:_ ' '_ - _ --- '-,- ---- ._------ _' '_'_ --- _ ---'-- '---

When the wile of IfIIl,II," slllrL~Lordr I,Aave VDWfJ,dto yau, in dll t11cstion"what is'within m, IWOIn'Q.PJeas8'8ccep'l if trom me" you aTe ;t"8 H'ear,., sndI t .n(J'w,. '~~Afldwhen .hl"a VIIblnh Ito h .I' s h'fJ Ilitt '~L.o,d,.1h,,,v. , ~ i W J "birthi,to .IlSf, ,'llmsIB~~.And ' I h ,sva named h e" ,Msry Sltd c lJmt IJ.nd h81 ;royouwith b,. .s le8d~tD'p,rotecltb,smfrDm the at:cursed'Satan. 'H.,.LDrdrecs iv l fJr I:th'f I cbi ld' iwith g T l 8 , c i o U S i 'IlViOUf,tJiftid by H is ,gpatlna 'ss she ' gr,ew U1JiDomllly~Z,ch,,'i., t,kin,' ,~hl,g,8Ilf hel~.W hSn.I 'Vi . ' Zacha,ri'B want to htJf',in theSanctu f8T:V~he found ba,r p.rovis:i .rtsd. 'MBrY', he said, f ih lOWcomes ;this tofour ~Fr(JmG od ', sb a nsw lre d lr,uly God provisions fol' whomS 'GBV l J f He' 1 ' . " " " w e ' :" " " A U ' . ., . . ,. . - " " " " ' ~ " " ' I ' ' ' ' I I ' tfJ'3"1:'- "~I-'" ...I,~"~ _ '. . 8 ..-.! O ,I I" ." ~'. ~ ,~ ....g.~,"


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When M:a.ry became a woman, tbe Holy Spirit (the Archangel Gabriel)appeared to her as a man bringing her the new s oifa son. W le read the foUowinld i a l 'Q I . ll ! IJ e i n tb e Q ur- 'a n 'belwee:nMary and the' angels:

When ':he angel/s ,s .8 id~ ~M:a,y ,God givels' yiOU gO() 'd i r id ings IOflJ Wo,,,dtrom Him WhOSI8 nam'e l' Messiah Je'lus, son of M.sry; high ho 'n 'ou red ,h 'fI '#he be In this world and ,thene}(t~ n'eS I,. ,s tat loneld t o God. He s i l l , s ' , l l spetJij tomen in the c,,.adle~and ot age~rand r i tJ 'h ' teous h'e shall be...~'Lord',s,aid Mar.V,"how ,shaUl ' h'fJve I I I s,o,n s e e ' l n g no m 'o rt ill h B I S ' i fouche1d me}; ~ E I ' / J f ! J nSOl' hieBs id~ , ' ~ I G ( J d 'cre:IJ, teswh',at H e wilt. ,"Wheln ' He d l f j ' c r . e l e s a thi,ng He does but B e I ' , Yto il~"'~Beu,anld it is:' t3:45-7J

Mary conc eived the child mir,a cu lo u. ly and retired to a.d .'tanlt pla,ce wheres he a ,w , a ite d her delivery, The Qur"an in ,8 chapter entitled "M ary'tells us h,QWMary feltand what the Jews told her when she: 'brought the child home:

Sh e c on ,c eiiv ed h'im .nd with,drlJw w ith h im ' I t o ' B d is tan t p ls 'ce . A nd thebJ rth ps .ngs su ,:p ,is ed be by thle t runk ' I " , ' the JJ.ilm-tree~ ,She S'8~dp 'wo,u'd "had' died befo"e this; and beeome thin.g forgotten. The one' from be'.lo'w" I N c 'a /~edto 'he , , ; 'D o not ' !1rie've~' SIiJ '6, yOlur Lord,h, lJs se"be low , Y : Q U tl r ivulet.Shs'ke slso toward YDIU [th e fJ alm ,tr.u nk~ , a ,n d th e:re s ha ll c ome tumb,"ng uptJ'nyOU ' date's fresh and ripe. Eat therefo,:e~ end drink, andbe ,comforct .ed: andifyou sh 'ould $ ' f J , # J ' any martal s 'ay~ U/ hBtV;fJvowed to the ' ,Ali i-Merciful II IIIS,(~and "oday I will not sps.s/c to a ,n y men : ,p~ Then shill! brOlught the' child UJ' hlerfolk C , 8 , r r y i n , g ' tum; sind they said, ,M a l r , y , y o 'u ,have .s'urely c'ommitted "mons t rous , h in .g . S is t e r o f Ala' t :Qn, y ou r .ta th fJ '" ~8S nO'I'a wicked man" no,rwas ' vo ,u r ,mo,rhler s woman U 'nchB ste~ ~MBty p , o . l n U J d 10'; t : h e cbild; b u t theys8id~,~How shall we spe ,ak to one wbo i s ,sti l l in ;the cr8dJe~8IitUe',childl~'Hesaid "110" I am God ' s servant; G o d ha ts g iven me the B ' o ' Q , k and made m'8 a 'Pl,ophe,t" B l s'ls ,e ,d he has m,sde lme, whef leve , , 'm'ay be: IJIId he h , I J ' , s lenjoine,dme I'Dp ,rs 'y , and to g'ivethea'lms~ so lo.ng as }' .Ii~e~and' I l icewis'B' . to'ChfUlsbmy mOifher; he has no" .made' me a.rroglJnto.r wicked. Peaceoe upon me,the d " : r I Wal lS born; and the rla :v / dle~,I.nd tbe' I d a y I aim' fa ised ,up aUre.'(19:~ '2,-23JNOT T I H i E , ,SION O 'F G,O'D

In , the sam e' chapter, foUow i'fii the a bove quotation, G(u:llassuredMuhammad a :nd the who.lewod:d that what was : mentioned above is the truthabout J ICSUS although the Chrisdans might not believe it. Jesus is RO i t 'the SOD ofGod, . : H l c was" obviousl ly [e :noul :l r~ the , somof Ma.ry. The verses I c o l n : l : i n u , e ' :


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' ' f R , a r is J'e'SIU,S, son ,fI,'M a rY j, I n word t I , f t f .uth~ c o , n , c e r " , : i : n . g which, they l J , r , sdoulJiting. It is not far Goa to ta,lc,e8son unto Him. Glory be tlO Himl 'When HeIdecreesa t"'lTlII~ He blur says , ' : 0 it ~ ' B e i P ; ~ rInd i f l i s . (19~~34..6)

After this slrong,statem,em:t about the natnre of Jesus, God directedMuhammad to call the Christians to a fair deak te worship the one God:

SU,r' lely G D d , ; s my'Lolld,flnd f( lUr L , Q r d " so I sw :e H . lm . , T . h is i,: h e BUa/ghit,l1at,h~,,9:3'0)1.Tile rejection ofthe idea of God havin,S a son i : s reported later in the sam ,e!ch,apite(rW 'ith e!W:D strorllier words,~,And the', S',ay""~TheAIl-mle,,ciful has take'ft unto HImself a ' son. ~'YouhaV8 ' i noeed ' ad~tJnCBd ' Siomet/Jrin,g h i d s i , Q l u s . The )h , t J l l v , e n ' B ,are w ell n igh ren't

a t ita .n ;( :/ the ea rth sp lit , fJ8u fJde ,~ and m e fflo 'u n ,ta ln sw ,fJ lI n l{J h' fsll do ,wncrashing tor "h,8t the',' have attributed' to the' A,I/~me'r:lfu/ a eon: and' ifb e n o W l ,B not the AII~me,,.,cifu/'to take esan: No,ne is t n l e , r , ( J in th'e ,heave' l lsI lnd ea,, ," b ' u r ' heCDme" to ' thrsA l I . .mercilul as ,Is",van,t. (19'~"B'lf I~9.3)

The Qur'aa recognizes the fact that Jesus batd no human father but Unsdoes, not make him the son of God or God Himself, By this criterion Adam .'Wou~d.have beem. m ore enUtledt,o be thes,@ o I'lof G iod becaese he had neither afatbernora mother, Sothe Qur'an drawl attentiento the rairaculous creationof bethin the :foHowinSverse:

1 ' ' ' ' ' J t y th e lik,e ne s:s ,o f J esu . in Go fFs slghf~., is a s A d a,m 's l'ilce,ness: Hecr.eated him of dust . then sfJ'iri He unto bim, '~B,en~and ,he W8'S'. :(3:69)T .h e Q u r " a r :m ,rejeots, the c o n c e p t o f th e 'T rin ity ' a s s tro 'D lly as it :reje~ts, tb.e's on sl1 ip o f Jesus. This is b ecause O od~s One, 'Th is Is the ,essence o f aUmonotheistic revelations, Three" by reason and by simple ,a:rithmetic~,are notone ..The 'Q ur"a n :a .d dresses the 'C hristian.s in 'the ~ollowinl, e: r.s es in Ule chal'iter

entitled "'Warne'f!"'.p r e o : p . l e 0 ' th ,e Boo l t" 90 nor .lJeyondr the boumds in Y(Jur,religid'l, and s''':Vno t BI5 ' t,f) G od 'b ,u " th e ' lr.uth, 1M ' IMess iah , JSS'f,J'~ son o f M:aryf ' was : ,only th,s

Mess,en:ger ot 'G,ad and .His WOlid tha't ,He cOffllm.ltred tDMBrY~8nd II .splrltfrom Him. S 'o b ie liev fJ rin God alnd . H i s ' Messeng.er$rlll'nd ,say not,'Three',Ref t a r i n . , b e t t e r r is it . fo, ,,0IU. God is onl,' O,,,s God., ( i l lory be to H Jm .~tha t Heshould . h 8 v e 8',san.! To ,Him . i J e l, ( J n g s 8 1 1 ;rhat i s In the hel l 'vens' , B , n d . l n ,he ,earth~ ,G,odsuffices fo'l , s gus1ian.

T h e Mes:s' i l l ih wiltnfl,' d t s r J i a . i n to bill , i i i ' s;SrVl l l1!f ' of G ( J t J ~ nlflit.h8f ,fheangs"swl1fJ i a re c '/os .'to H lm '. 'WhO,08v81r d ls d tJ 'in s to ' SlIWa' . H l m ' a,nd waxe" p,outL


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Ha will ,8,.'uredf, must." them to H;m~lJ,lIof ,hsm.A ,s to r the' belieVfJII'$, who, do deeds' ,o f,r ig hte o,u sn es s, ,H e wil l pay 'haemi thelr ffl1wa rds ' tn . fu l l~l I 'nd,He wil l ,glve them m ' Q , ' 8 , olHis ' boun ty , ' flS fo r thll,mwho di,dBinand ws. Pfoutt t h em ' ,H I wlT l1 pun l"h Iw ith "ve"s,pun is :hment , and ther shsllnot ,find fO T ,rhem~Bp'8rt f rDm ,God, .' 'riend' o r,helpel~(4 : 1 7'" -3)The vers es , contin,no to draw the atteniliO'D of J l C : G p l e ~aU peop,lc" ",0, 'tile p'roofwhich Muhammad brought.. God knows, that people frequently Inb,eri 't certain:~dcasand belie,lswhic;h include, amoq other' thjn,gs" the m is,takes and

inte'rpntatioDs ,of pre'vion;s, len,e~rationS'i They 'h l,ve ' no W8,Y 'of discovering suchmistakes for th,e:mselves,.Thus God p 're se :n ts th e IQur'an, as a proof to suchpeople, He says:omen; .',m8n ifes t,p .r,oo'f has ,now t:'tmlfI to you ./:rom ,o,u f L ord; 'w e h.'J la,sent do'wn to ' rou 8c' /ef l , ' ligh i~ , ,A,s for lho,'ss who ' ,believe in G oct lind ho ld,' l ist t o H im " H e ' 'w ill sUTe l y adm 'it th .'m '0 m ere .,' from H im , ,and boun ty ; and[wil l guide t hem ' to H i'm ' ,tin ",s igh t pa th . (4.~t73..B )The denial ,of JesoS~ divin,ity (and lor that: matter Mary~s, divinity) isprGscn,ted in the Qur'an as ,a top,ic or diaJo,gue at tile Da,yofJudpment between'Ood. Almighty_ad, JeSDS:~,AUtbe: mlC$scDIe:lS and d.nations w ill be ptll.red. ill,front of God and He w iD askthemesseegers how ' t D e y weR :receival by ll1,ti:r

pc,oples and what they said to, ' them. Amonsth,ose who arc JOiin,1 to bequcsdo:ned is JeSKS :A,M whs1I Gods.it! '0 Jesus son ,of MIJIVr did' YDU say unto me",uTBks'me and ' mv mpther BSg0ti6" Bp'srt' from G,tKD" HfI' ,said~~1tJyDU ',g lory" I:r is no" m tn ll II' ,s ay wh .t l have no ri,ht to. "'lntteed ,'.irJ It, VOU ',knew,/t , lcnowi"l1 what'is within ,m y 'G'ut ,and "do not know what'is within:rour sDU/~~you'n ,ow lhe .th ing s ,unsee". " onl-, Ba, ld to ' ' ' , e m wh,e" V ou d' irJIcom'm'8 t ld mB~~#\~SfJrv. 'Go'tl, mv Lord and your . L I Q r d . nAnd" wes ' B ;witnessove , ,rh flm # w hile I remainfJd amlong ,"'am;bul' when',ou did ,ak.",., riD:VOU fS 'S !ty ou we lle y ou rs elf th e wa tch.flif (J 'VIJI th lem,' y ou ' . " 8 the' witn.,.",flv flr yth in ,g . " you pun i .. t n em; 'h,er IIf8 ,our IB'I8"tS, i',ou' fOfpV. rh, .m,: V , Q Ua"8 the Alm:"hty, the AII-wi',fI.' G ' t J d , ' l J i d " ' l l t i ' ;8 r".,d.y',h. i t ruth"ulsh,all bsprofited,by thelr ,r r ,uthfum,t is$. FDT,the'm'II"lJlr ganlans underneafhIwhich' "ive,s fID!~ the'8,in dWelling fOTfl iv,sr,GtJtIbeirig' weJ/~pl '.d with;rh em a ,lid th e '," w f llI ..pl.",.d with Him;'lha" iI ' the might" triumph';.,JESUS':S MISSIION

NQ~wOD " might ask :: If the! Qur'aR d enies the Trim,Iy ' and the' loas,hip"ufJes'ult, 'what "81,tho rcaimissioD ,o f je.us, ,accordiDl toth,e Q,ur'.a"


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Je:sus w as ,a,l i n k in , I, : 1 ,0111cha in [of p r'op,b ltI ID ,d Im_sseap'n s e : D t , b " G,ad liD'various, socileties an,d nado,Dts whollevler 'they need ed pid anee 'o :rdeYiat led f f \omUte teacbing$J 0 :( 'G'od., Jesus w as ,es:pee:iaUy pirc pa nd b,r God, to 'be SCD , I, 1 0 ' tha',I"WI Wb;D had devia l;d fr,om the ~elchi,n,I~'ofM O I H, l s , and ollhe,r MeSSIDS,G' ,rs . As:be w,as miraculolus l,Y supp,o :r ted by 'G ,oo in cO':llc~pli,()!I),birth ,and cbi ldbood~ :hewas, ,also[ supported, by Diu:merous m:~r-acles '~O'prove tha, t be w ,as, ,8 .messeOlerf romIGod. H,lowc::ver"the majon!ty of tb e: Jew s: rejected b is ministry,. The 'Qur" a,n teUsus about Jesus" :m ission, :in 't he foUowin l ve:rses which are a comtinuatioiD, of ' the'verses quoted learlier~n 'w 'mcb 'the glad 'lid.ia,g 'W ,as 'b ro , u, g;h t t o , Mary :: ,

- _. -

And H e WI:II '" . e n l ,him' the "DO,#[ , rhe wilrJbm~ ths'1:0"I1, the Go",.1, I ,n,dma'i,e him 81Messe nge r to t:h ,e,c h,tld r." [ ( J " , l s r a e l , . , 8 . , ' ; n ' / A 'I'~/,h,8veDoml. , , :g[you Iwith' a , sign ' , flom : V : t J f J T L O f;d . I 'wi" ,crea'e ,~f)"'OU ,Oil l 0 , ' c . t l J . V as thle,1 / k'ln ,'s , o f' I' l J i " d , ; ' th[Bin' II will' br['I,ths" intD i t t and.it will,6f1 II lJi ld, .b y 'hep t J , w e t 01G, ().d~ w ill . 1 . , , , , ,h. ' 1 1 1 ,rh'. , b ' l i ' n d ' ,Mid the ' l e p e , r Bnd , 6 , r l n , g ' ttl , I " f e th.,deart b 'l the pOlwer o, f ,GQd../lwill inlo,r,m[ YO ,U too 01 th e , t h : i " 1 J s YDU ' , . a t l # ! land'wh. , ' YDU' ' : , , [ I I . I U ' . ' U 1 J 1in . v Q ' U r h IQ u , s e s : . , S,ur:I'/~1'in' ,th.t is ' sign' tar .,QU il,ou" ,. b 'IJ 'lie 'v iJ l.S~. i t l 'WiS'8 ' I w ill c ,tJ lJtirm the truth' ., the 10'f,.h tha" I s ,b8"0.'.'m ." ,a,nd to ,m,8' ie ,ltn vfL u 'lto y ou c erta in ,tlJ in ,tls ifhlll,' ,belro". Iwere , twbidde,"unt:o'"ou~ I ,ha'v,(j ' come to vou 'wl 'h' 8' s ign l f,om' "jour L,ord; ,'0' ' . 8 ' G'Qd" .ndlobey me. Su,.",Ood' is ,m 'y LtJ.rlrj ,'nd , O ' I U , 'Lf}~fI~~Stl IJlJfV[. Him~, T:hls l,'., ' l r a : ( g , h , , ' fJflth'~~3~45'~',5': '

Inanother ve:rse o,f th e Q'D I ':ao., Jel ,u5, ,confirmled th e' v- .lid i.ly o f 'till T'orahwhich w ,a s,r evea led to M,oses and , he also b~OUlbl the Illd Ud:i~p, flhe ,oominsof :1 : fia a i :messeoger :a{fie:rh im ..'T his 'is ,elead,y uldicatedin 'tile fOUOMD ,g 'cnG::A nd ' 'w hen ,Je 'sus son l o f,M a :rv s airL '~ ch lild r.n Qlls'r.8,'~I am i ind.ed,"'.IM'fJss' , ,~,ert O [ I C ' [ L i , cD.f l l / i rming th," 7 0 ' 1 , , 1 1 ' , thet is ; be , lor . mi.;" ,Bnd' , iwnggoodridings' .( j I ' ,aMesse,n,gel ' who sh , a l ' , coms . " e r ,m:8~'wht'Jls,e',nam.,s"sI,',6s ~rh'8'praised on e [(noile th;attbis : i s 'Ir,ansla'lioID of ,Ahm ad w b:ich . iI Prop.lMuhamma,d 's name) , ,(fil:b6)

'The m essenger ,ofwhom Jesus p:vegl.adltid:~jn;IS' i s refern~d to :i'n ,botb thl,oldand n.ew t c s ta m , e n , t'S , o f'tb e BU ,le ., Th e o l d . testam ent ,coD taiD l :Ioveral prop,hccicstha t apply on].y~o the P'. ,opbet Muhammed . 1 . q1!lolle o,nly one ,ollbOlt wbicb,a ,pp,lies , 'a none [cx[oepl, Prophet M Uhammad ,. T'h ispr lDpibecy wbif :kw,a I ,add ressed to Moses , said tha'l Godwi t send , amo 'Dg the b r e t bRR" of ' t ltc'IlfaeU t,es , a p r i o p h e t like: .M o s e s , w : h , o w i l l be: ,I ,' ( o u n O l , e r [ t a le a d e r '[ . a n d an,le~emplarola Ico lmm u.n~,t" o f believers , W [ e : rudthis: Inth.efoUowi,n,g verses,of D e - a t . Ic'h.,1 . 8 ; : : II will ffliBfI,fJ,P10' "II.,m l B ' I J . r , ' O , p h , s ' lill'a y o u ' ~tJm s m a " " th.irbrflthran;

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,I :n,d I w ill pu t , M " Iword's lin his ' lDd[uth, .IJ,d he sha l l "p"s to t he~m[_1I,fha', Icomm'andhim. And 'wh'''flver 'willno't g'iv[eheed't 'D , M y 'words wh'ich ,heshalts p es :/{ in My n 'a ,me, I ' M:V''1J" will requ; :rs ' it o f mm. (D,eu,t18: ' , ' ,B-,20)

A D , y , o : n , e : who i s f.mUiar with Prop[nel Muhammad ' s , IDIt",can easUy see,t ha t ,no , ,o ne fits , "be above dcsc::riplionbeUertha,n P',[lOp,D,e:t.MU h a m m a d . ]t W , a 5 ,Pro'phel Muhammad, no,t Jes,us~wb,o :I'lte Moses wasbom from Q,:rdi:naryparenes, ,Iotmarriedt] fOllDded a fa i,t;b fo l'c ,ommu:nity;, e s: c,.b lisbed a , ,Brla ,t la ,w andd:ied ;1 . Datu:ral,death~

CBr[erul study of , tbe Niew Testa ,m en 'i show s 'tha t 'this same p,f,opbet isreferredto b y Jesus in J,(idll1 1 4 ; 1 , 1 ) ,1 7 :And I w .ill p ray th 'e F,lIt:hfl"~,8nd He' 'w ilig iv liJ 'Y o u ano th e r Co'un,selor" 10',b. w.llh y'QU ,fD:r BVBt~ 8'v:,n the' ,SP'it/t Gil trutb.Later in Jo,b n, spe'cific d escri" tion o,ftbU, S"bit. [ofTruth iand hisf'ok: is ,a i ' v , e Da s , w e read in j ,o:bn 16:13,.14.::'W hl l:n r : b s ' , $ " ' ~ ' "0,' lr ,uth [C(Jm8.~,he 'wil' ,guide Y ; O I U , into , f l l1ifhtJ, t r :uth, ,t'Orhe [Wii l l 'not s,P8BIt. ,(J:fI , " i , ' [own au,lhorif", ,bu,r 'Wh8"e[ViBI' he' ,h.eBr,'h. [will 's p . " , . /I,ndhe' will dec/a'll U, you the things ,thllt are to c o , m e : . He 'W'i l lgtoi"~",Mllu.The terms; o;fthe pir,ophecy d o n ot w a rra nt th ,e:co R c lu siomusu ally ,a ttrib uted

to 'this p ro ph .e cy " n ame ly tba,t it refers: to the H,o,ly Ghcst. The H,aly G , b , ( J S ; lex,llan:a'tion. is ' C X i c l u d e d by a , p , n i o u s , ver,se' in J,o:hn w'h~ch ruds: :Na'~en:hlJle,s' I te ll ,O'U' the "ruth , ....t. is ' to "out tI',rkl''''f'Bge. th'.,' ,I ',,0'awaF ' , , " 0 , ' if , l ido 'no t , g o ' ewer, i the c,tJlunB'elor will' n,Of com ,e to ,uu~

It is , ciearfI"lJi,mUl[e Bible tb,at ' c : b e H l o l , Y ' GhOiS:t used to v i s , i t . :men befor,e ,Bn,d,durinl , ,the lUie..dme o f J es ,u s. J O , b D W,g fille dw ith ,t,b _eHoly Ghos t beib,re be WII'born aDd Jesus: himself leceivedthe Holy Ghost Inth.e shape of a do've.

Th.e ehar ',acter ist ics o, f this counselor ' , as can be d . l e r i v e d :fro'm 'the: pr-ophecy Ian l,bl lallowing:I. H e w lU n.oI com e uud 1 Jesus , Ieaves~2. H~e 'w,m,5:ca,yfo'r";e',r~, with. th,c'R' lieved,.I t :R e w i D . glorify Jesus,,4~,H e w ill speak 'w .b at he b eani :fro ';m God,lbe,se: CMl'lelJlristic-, , a r , e applica,ble: Oial,y'tIC' P,opi1et M.u:hammad,. ,a s ' t , b l :

: 'o llow in;1 b rief Mma rks, :show:I. PJiophct Muham'mad was the only messenge['tb a'tcam e after Jesus. Th.lrew,asB ped,od, o f ' s . i x , l o c n t u , r i , e s betweenlbem., Jesus, ' mjsio'DwM im ,ited . t,o

tile "Ial , t s b . e e p l o'flhe c,bikiHD of ]s[:&.:l"'"but Muham.mad ' s was: a. 'univcnal,_10 _


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''1s: Only Pro :ph.etM u ba 'mm ad ,s m essage was, inote :n ded by God 'to be au'niver:sa~ and eyer~asti.nlmeG'SI.e'. This agrees 'w ifh th ,e I 't a te l 'm , e n : t that thecounselor will 'stay forever w:~th the: faithful. '3 . 'H ID other p[lophel ,I!,orified J,e:sus, ,as 'much as Prophet :M u hamm ,ad d,id..The Jews called him an impostor and accused his mother of immor,alily.

They tried to crucify him. Prop het Muhamm,ad considered Jesus as greatProphst and the " 'W'Drd of God", The I Q u r ' a 1 o attributed 'to him miraclesthat areaot mentioned in d il le :Bible, M ary h i,eonsidered the mest chutewoman and the best of all women in paradise, Thus did Muhammadre a lly a ,lo rify Jesus.

4. Ti l le fourthcharaeteristic also applies neatly to Prophet Muhammad. The'Qufan w as revea led to Prophet Muham.mad throus:h:tibe ,angel Gabriel,W hen the angel fin 'ished reciting the Qutan" P'liophe't M u hamm ad used 'toconvey verbatim to his companions 'what he heard fromtbe angel withoutadding,changing, or forgetting anything. The Qur'an also, describesProphet Muhammad. sa,yinl "He do es 'R ot speilk out of his ow n fancy. H , eutters wb,8't isrevealed to bim. ,. (53:,4~,S). If we comparethis wit,h" ' A H e wiUnot speak on his own authority", we see the striking similarity between the'eh,aracterisll:ics oftbe counselee an,d those of P:l'lo'phel Muhammad . Theseand other prophecies 'in the ,old and new testamlenU predic t in u1 ],e q uivoca l.terms the advent efProphet Muhammad who isrejected by the Jews a ,oelChristians on the basis of misunderstanding and b ia s , r at he r than on tbe'bs.'sis of ca:refui stud:y of the Bible, tb e 'QU:r'I'D and medern 'findings in . 'hIfield of camp,a ra ,l iv ,e religion,

:JE SU S R AISE ID T OI H I ' E A V E N,I Ii ,8 sad ,fact of his,tory that not ma.oyfoUow' -the: str,ailbt path~', 'to wR,ie,b .people 'were cal led by Jesus . H e 'w as followed 'b, ,a few disciples: who w ere

inspired 'by Gedte support him,.,N,ol only'd'Jat, but the non -be li evezs p l ,o t ted ( ,a sthey d id , to M ubammld , six centuries la ter) t.okilJ Jesus, b,ut 'God bad .. bett.'p,lan for him and his fon.aw ers as the Quran tellis.1 1 ' 5 , in U te :~o llow iB ,1verla':A lnd when ,JeBUS! perceived ;theirun,beliet ,h,. seift , ' ' 'WllDwitt be m)fhelpers ,in the ca ,us . fJlI God? ''The .Apos'.rlBs s ,fJ id ,,"iWBwill'b. helpels Q . f , G o d . rW. be/i,'ve in G,fKI; be wirn8B,' I J , ' (Jur, u ,b .m i " i im . Lord, . 'WI.bll, l iev,. in 'h'_~t_ 11_


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you h" - Ive S8n" down" 8 l n ' , d wei I t J , " o w .rille ,Me s seng er. In 's r:rib e' us therefo,ewithl th ' lose wh,o ' bfJlJ'" 'witness~,r,And Ihe',ydevi 'SerL and God de'J1is'ed,8odGod l is ,rbebes :t o f dev ;s ,e rs . W h ,en G od sa id , ~J,s;sus, I w ill .r tllce 'IOU to ,m eIn d W I :l I fslsa vou to M e;, and I w ill pur;'", y : O U (J l / rhoss whtJ"d() n'.t,beli'e'tI:fJ:. . I 'will'set your 'ollowe',sab,o've ,thle un6e,l ievefS' ,til/the' ResBurrer:t/'on .D8y.Then' um M'e ,shall you return. ,and I w,illdec'iide betwee,,, you~as to wh.,ty o u w e r e ,It' v l J ( ; i a . f ' l c ' , 1 on, As ,for , the u'I1 lbe#eve,s, I'will'pu:ni,h tbem with ,8 'lerrilJ''e punishment in ' ,this WDr~dand'the next: rhtJY sha'lIhave n ' lJ ,helpe ', ., . ",(3:52'~6J

A;s " he a b o l Y , e verses : indicate" Jesus , w a s raised to heaveg b lfo 'Ie b e, died, .This m eans that accordiDB' ' to tbe:Qur 'a ,n b,e was .not crucified. Itwas , tbe plan , o rthe enemies of J'GSms. to put him, to death on the cr;QSS~,but,God saval him and:som ebod 'y else w as, crucified . This plot a :nd the failleaccusa 'tion o,fM a ry If.,consid,clled by dte Qur'anto b e ' som e of the 'sins olf the non-believiag Jews, Anthis is clear in the following quotation;

A ,nd fo r Iheir un#Je',tiet and thei,' u,tt .e,r ln, ,Ig ain s," ,M l lr y II might",(:alumnV,snd lor thei, sl .y ing~, ~We,Je'w, the M'es'iBh~Jesu, son ,o f MB'K,,theMessenger ,o/,Gorr~.,. yet ,h,e,ydld no,tslayhim~ nelthe" crucified himlonly a likeness of that Iwas shown to them: ThosBwh,(J arB a t' vsrisne, (Jono,8,n. in,g h'im sur.tv B re in doubf' ,rega"d;nghim~ , they have no,ltn ow le1 rlg e o f' him, SJI 'C,ept the ' f:o llo 'w in 'fJ ,M s urm is e; s n'd th,ey dJd not ,slI'yhim of t: 18rtsinty ....nO'inde'ed; God raised him up to H;m~'IGod is'Atmigbty,,A,II~w i . . . thef.';s . 1 1 ' 0 1 ' (},n, D I this psople ,of the 180 tJk bu,t will' ,8SSUf.,dlybel iev8 in him' be, 'o ' rei1 is dllJth~ , B n d o n t h ' l e Ressur rsc , r /on Day h!ewl l l bea'wi tne'ss lJ,gllinsf them!" (4:156 ..9)

W ll,o w as , the; pcr:son ,efuewled ins,lead of Je-s:us? The' Qur'B'D does 80'1elaborate on th :.:s ,po.~ml tnor does it gi.ve an y answ er tal this question. Theinterpreters olf the Qurtan have suggested a few names. But au' these areindividual guesses not supported by the Qur'an orthe saY~81 of .,be ProphetMUhammad.

'This means that Jesus will come bac:kbefore the Day g,f Judsement. Api:n,the' Second Coming :~5,not clearly' menli!oned in the 'Qrur',an~ H,o!WeVlr, theexplaaaters of tbe Qur'an, understood tbe last verse of the above 'qu!otadon:therB' is not one' 1 0 ' the ,people of,t,he Book but will assured:ly belia:J/ls In himbefore'h, isde ." i ' and'on th 'eAI.s lurre'ct ion D.~the I w i l l I J ' B II'Iwit:nfl ' ls , . ' ; ' 1 1 1 th.", ti D mean 'that Jes,us 'wiUcolmc b ack and a n 'the 'C hristim s and tb e Jew s willbc)ie,ve'in him before be lelia. This understandi.lll :is supported h rJ ~authen.ticlsayinS.' I O f the P l) ophe t, M 'u hammad ..

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After readm,iI this, presentation a beUeving Christian might say "This iswhat the: M U I , l im s " WhOiml we a J :w I I ,Y s , e O I Q s id J e n d , a s hea ;tb e: ns o r ,~:n6del.lt say'about . J 'CSUS. , ,~But th e point of 'vicW 'wh ieh the QUI',a n presents dese:fW l,S seriousconsideration, to say the :~east,by those wh,o are really concerned about Goo"fa ith and even Cbris' l iaDity itse'H I D r the: : f o ' U o w i D r . 1 , n : aSO 'DS , :1. The Qur"a:nis,the ' last version of God'srevelation andwhat ill says is , the

ultimate: truth, This mightnot mean , much for those wbo do not believe: inthe Q ur"a ,n as s'ueiJ.How;,YGr. the' : lIist lo,ry Qftbe Qor"an" mod ern textua leritie ls ra and scien tific resea rch of ,the con ,ten t o f th is scripture I,eave aodoubt about the tnsth it eentains. 'The frequently made statements thatthe Qur'an i:s the wlord of Muh . ammad WbD copied b i l S , information frolmJewish a n d. Ch ris tia n SOUfceS is m ade by people w ho do no t : k n . O w Utebistory ofthewo,dd, the Qur'an or M1!Ihatnmad~ 'The first Arabietranslation of th e Bible' appeared two centuries Bllt ls, Muhammad ' smission, ~l: :fw e add , to this M 14ham :mod ils i1Hleraey' a n d the scarcity o ifI \e :~igiou:s,ooks inany lan,g:oage oues id e chur ch e s and tem ples in the sixtbce:otury we can understand the absurdi ty of 'this aUeption.

2. The oneness and, universa:Jity o r 'G,od's message requires tllatpeolplleaccept aU the messengersef God, RejecdDI lone' o,flhem amounts, tore je c tin g, th _ em , a U., The Jews reject Jesus'smissioa ,and Mulmmmadl"s

's ; "I:.. C - " L , ~ . ' . I' .. '. . M -h -~, I' 'i I io . , ' h -miSSion; ; ble ..JiIl:ns,t.l lns, JieJ:eet , ' ,u .-amm_ s mlss~o,n;, W 's i e re a s t 'CMuslims;accept them all, hut reject ineorrect historical interpretationsand hUman elements in these miss,io:os.

3. Because O r f the Qur";an"Muslims love and r,espect Jesus as they love aD drespect the Prophet Muh ammad . Mo:reoVel '"lbe Qur 'an reperts some : ofJI.SUS':s m i f ;8 c l e s which are not. rep,ol'1ed in thep!ftsent gospel FercJtample~,tbe Ql1t 'an tells tbait Jesus spoke in th,e eradle and wa s, a ble to tellpeople Wb.R't they ase or treasured il l their bOloses, tOlmentioD just a fe:v.~'~

,4.. It is co ,mm ,on kno,wled.ge: 'tbal the divinity of Jesuswas introduced b :ySaint Paul and his followers and was e.stabtished on the dead bodies 9 fmillions of 'Ch ris ;tia :n s th rD 'U;lh his,l:ory whioh evoked the Cas,ullos we:U,-know n rem ark "To bum a m an is: o,ot to prel've a doctrine'."

,5 . The eheiee ofthe presen t fourgospels w as im :poscd in'tbe ceeference ofN i,cta 32 5 ' C , . E . under ' t he Bus:pices of ; t :h . ;e papn. :Em pe:ror COMmotioe for


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poUt ics] :purposes,~Liter.aUy.~hl1ndmd:s ofl~Spels aodreUliollswri.tiopwe re c on sid ere d a.pocryp,ha,Le. books of d.(),ubtful.a.utbentieity~ Some ,ofthoisebo,okswer-ewritteft . b : y Jesus's discip,les. If they' were not morea . ~u.th~n detba.fi the feu i' ~O5l;- "... the" iii l ll i . , - : ; -" , e( u " 'I ! - c , t : : t . , , - t :,/,t- : 5 . ~ - . . .~:f._......_. _._._. __ .... l.peD .._ . 'J . . eR ! 0__ 1 . _ 0 . _ au .m en ICI y. ome o.tbem sdll are 3!va'ilablesDch as, thie Gospel o f lJ :tJ 'r:na .bas and theShfJ ,p hetrJ' ,o f H'el 'mBS w hi.ch agree w ith the 'Q u.r;a :n..

6. The Uni~;rian eo,ncc'pt 8!Dd tbe humanness, of Jesus :isn.ot ( ' J ! n 1 ~ yheld byMusl ims , bnt also byJew s, a nd by seme early groups of ,c:h,ri.stiatli~ysuch . a stbe Ebionile.s, the l(Jerinthians, the Bas iUd ia lls ,tb e C 'apo cn ltiam :s . a n , d U J cHypis i s t ldans to name severa l early sects , The A.rians. , Paul ician.s .iUlJ.dGoths a)soaoceprted Jesusas .S I prophet of God..Evenin rhemodern a.ptb er-e a n: ch urc bes . : i n Asia, in A fric a , the Unita ria n. cb urch., and. J e h o ' ' ' I ! J 'w'itne.s'se.' w ho! d :o not wO'f:ship J'ISU.S a sG :oo ..

7. Most Sieriou,s s tudies of tbeBible :ba,vie shewn tha.t~ i. t ,conta~n.s a larpportion O i l ' , add i. tions whic ltneithe: r' Jlesusnof rhe .. rite:fs of tb ,e gospelssaid..The Ichurch~,as Heinz Zahrnt said, ''':lUll words, into themouth 0,:[Jesuswhich henever spokeand attributed actions to. him which he ne'vcrpe.rformed ...nThose conclusbl,n:s wen ,arrived. at by s,omJemem:bers of lheehurch. Howeve'f"tbey are kept secret or available on:~ytn the; speciaJist;s.One of thoseI who 'has shown that most of what the church says aboutJesus is baseless :~sR'Udo,~f .A.ullls,tei.n inhi,s; book Jasu 's SO ln ,o f Man~( :publishedJln Oe;rmany 1912 and uanslated.il1lito EOll i sh 1911) .

It Theprob :.~em w itb pre se nt Ch ris tia ni: l: y is the per sonal i,t y' o fJesus wh .ic h isoompletei~.ymisl lnderst tJ ,od. J!ClSUS' nature, :missi,on a fid I cls im e d d ea th a~dresurrection, are: all challenged bys:tudiies in th e field. One ef thoseis abook. end .t led ThfJ ' ,Myth 01God Inc.,nste' which a p',ea r-ed ~91 1 (ed ~ted'b " J OhD Hic t) a n.dw rittem by s l e v e ' n . ' I l leologil.n scho la rs In E n_a nd ...Theirconclusion is t~at Jesus w a s "a man approved by l(jod.,for special rulewithin tbe divine porpose, iand the later 'conception of him as Godi: nca rn lt ,e , .,.. is a m:yt;hologi ,cal or poet icwa, D.flexpresislmgh is s ig nific an .for us."The best G lorgc Carey co,uld . say ill. h is a ttem pt to ' re jim te the findinls:o.fthese tb.co:~!oaians!i:s that un'~ess O ' I I 1 I G takes J , I S U S as Ged Inearnate O i B IwDntt be able te understand Je sust! m iss i. l!D ,o r exp\lain its impact (liDpeople. ThisdeHDilely is a t vCiry weal arguraembecause all great :I-uopbetssuehas Abraham~ MOilS" iandMtthammad have hiada tfie'roendoiu:si.m .pa ct o . pe o'l) le ~a nd n on e o f them ,ola:im ed ] th.at he:was God ora 5,on a , r'G iod. .

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The religious views, concerning God, 'the Bible" and M a n " : s relation to G'odwhich. the c hu 'rc h p re se nte d fo:rced people in to a 'D,'umort.na'le 'cho,ice: eitbers c i e n c e l o , r God. 'Most educated people 'ha,~e'come t o the' eon,clusioDthat Q neean't be a scientist or an educated peBo:n and be a ' ehristian, Thus man,yp h : i l . o S ' O P ' b C f S ; sac'ntis.ts, I : n d . the m ajority' o f 'the peoplei:os t h 'D p e , o f nconci l iDI;l Iel igi,on aad s e i H e m c e . , This unfonunate und,entandin,llater'on wu p:nlralized'to inc:l ,ad[eevery R l ig ia n, a s i a : r e s u l t of th e inlfuenoe: o , r 'western , c i v i U z a t i o , : n . , . whichwas mainly' ch ris tian , This wbol.e :issuew'ou~d net havre risen in the fm,t place'ff'the teachings of Jesus w ere n,a 't d:ist!(lrted ,o:r t ampered , w i t h , . This i'lbecaUst'I' asIslam views the matter, there is DiD contradictienwhatscever between r'eliaio'nand scicncie. Sc:,ientificfacl's are jus't one source of our kno [wledge O ! , f I G [ o d . Theother source is,r . , . v e l a t i o r D as i . t . i s canta : incd i m th e ~iri,linal 'AchhlP ol'J csus andin th e: p r- es en t tex:l of the rQur'a,n . ..B:oth r'eligilon. and true : s cie ntific kn o,w [ ed ge a refrom tbe same'source: 'God. SO lHe wont't Icontrad.ietHim5elf~

Thus. cQ ,:n,cepts like th e T ' r i : n . i t . y , The S,on ,o f 'O od, O riginal , s : i n , t , h eAtonement ete..,'w h ic h. w e re th e: ,product ,o;fld.istol1i,on and ruis, , , ,unden:landins; iBthe bist,o:ry .o f Christiani~y drove people away n o [ t r o n l y fro,m Christianity b'uta lso (liom o,th .er rllil~!OIi1I, ' i~cludin8 bJam~ w b i , e _ h 'i s n o l , ,a ffected ,b y thesepro,b~em:s.This is due tethefaetthat many peo ple: tkink that because Islam is,areligion (the m e a n i n g o ltb e veryw [ ord is limi,ted io.western Ia:o;guages,)i l tmus,t .'b esim ilar to C hristianity. V leE )' few 'pGo,ple w ill havetbe in teres t and the ,a b ility to 'discover th e fBilsebood of this Issomp't1on.

Th~ impllicit assumption is one of the: causes of hesitation anduuw illiQ gn es s (lifm a ny :peo ple ' 1 , 0 ' accept the Qur':anic view [of Jesus , This i s . in- --

: sp he o ftb e faot, thattbispoint o f'v i,ew is , s:u,ppol1ed by:a) The early :bistory of Cbristianity wbichcon,linued fOII three deeades afterJesus's disappearance as a sect wlltbin Judaism.

b) The practia: of ma:D) " Christian seets and scholars tmolJlhou.t, the hist,olry ,of Christianity.

c) The find i:D ,1Sof many B,ib~al sch.olars and. scie,ndfic resear'ch. w,bicn wasa :pplied to the B iM e.,

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l e i ) The instinct of matD ypeop,~.e: (180m.: o, : fwhom. think they are Christians,)who believe in the:One God, batcan't accept Jesus as,God or The Son of(i,od . .It i,sw'orthno:t:i:ng thal t th e mahl d iffer'C nces b etw e,en th e: Q urtan1c ,accounl

and wbatmode:mres.earc :J l ,and scholars have found is,lhat theQur'ansaid whatit says nowa .bo 'D t Jesus and his,missi on feurteen cen turies ago and neverehang_d it s stand,

g,ome of the other reasons w:hich might account for therejectlon of theQurtanic: ac~ount include:il) lh.t imlJ ..h(J,norIJQ'IJ. iss a ,p i: ns t Is lam whilh w u p.arUy t ho l e product o f th .eCm sa de.s , a nd pa rU y' th e prod uct oftbe Arab-Israe l i conn~lctin the Middle

East.'b) CODluslo:n.Many people altbJo'l1gh they donet accep!t, Chrlsdan.ity, (b,!not know w:herethe truth. is,,e)! S'M'; '" P'.8,S'Ufe fiJ,ft,dAcademic R8PiutS.t iolJ; . M any people were afrai.d.

tOI accept . Islam. because the, f;elt the, 'wouldb:e mocked , alienated fromt,beir relad.es and peers, if th,ey opel ll .y rejec ted . Christianity a nd ,a cc epte dIS;~lm.AI Ule a c a d . e :m l c level ,esp lc ia t tyamoq; ,orientaUsts, i f 'ODewritesfavourably abeut Islam and the Q'ur',an no body w ilU liev iew h is wo rt"quote fremitor Crgenconsider ita lohola.rly work. He could be eve:o.destroyed p r o f e s s l ~ , o I l 8 J l . y . , . The ' W . _1 " ' n g t Q , n ' ,Pos t (Ja' l1uary S'i. 197 '8 :)reportedtbat a University ,o,fR.ichmo!o:d P r O f l ! l s o f , De..R . :o ' b e : r1 .Alley lossI chairmanship o,fthe Department o r Reiiaj.on there because be holds,lb,eview tba', J I S 1 . I . S : nIVer olaimedto be 'the S O i D , ,o f God .. Af te r eons~id.erabl;;Rses,fch. in to newly IGand aRcient documents:~, Dr, Al ley ,con t~ .ud ,ed t h a . ' t :TheIBible)ps'ssags, where J'es,us talks '(J,bo'ut ths',sonot,Godars''.,.r Id d#f; rJ ," '.~ .~., 'whBt the ,church' "aid I Ibo,ut him~Such I'cllim , fJtdl:if.~'o r h 'ims .1 f W I I l u ltJ 1 1 0 ,"h,ve b " t : , o n l J i ' S , t , s n t wi,h h is .,." tir e IIfs'". " , ' 8 ' " w e cen '.J ,on ,tru t: l.. For the ;first 1.'h"i68 de'c 'sdes IJfteIJesus;~deBr.h Ch li" tl ,n it" !c o ntin ue d liS s ' ,ssct withlnJ'udsism. lhe firs'tr h r : f ! J i ' del'.des 0/' It. IIxl.(t8ntJe a ' the church were wirh.ln t h i S !5""lago.gue~ ThatWlould' h,ve bun beiyond bS'Ii.,f If they (the)tolfDw8r,~1 ,h , ld boldty pfocla,imsd'ths deity tJf Jesus.

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Despite these factors, and some others which I did not mention" there havebeen many people w he havesubmitted totruth, The lstamicpoint efview aboutJesus and other major issaes strlkes those who gel introdueed to itas somethingwhichmakes ,3 . lot of sense, and something which they hold implicitly withoutknow in ,i it. This, a nd o ther c:ha rac t,e ris tirc :s m,alde Is lam the ' fastest ,grow inlreiig j,on in 'the 'W orld ' lhrIDlUlhou't h is to ry. It appeals even to faithful Chris t iansbecause they discover that:a) Islam does not abolish Jesus, it rather puts :himin 'the right position in theI,oogline of men. who brought real salvatiento humanity. In, reality I b , e : y

are adding a new dimension to their understanding of God, prophet-b ,o od ,a n.d rev ela tio n.b) When C:hristianilY and Judaism (or for tbat matter any religion) arelooked ail from the Islamic perspective ' tne'y fit in neatly in the universal

fram ew ork of the oneness ofOod and H is , p la ns fo rm a n kin d, Morcolver"one w in und erstand c learly ' why th ere a re som e gapis , or d is cre pa nc ie s inthe Bibnca l account aboat certain issues.

c) Islam d.oe5cOD.tdder hself th1e:final.lin,k in the ~ongehain of nn"eialion., Itprom ises the fo llow ers of previous faiths great r ewa rds if th ey ' a d d b elie f'inIslamte their belief in tbeirpreviousfaith, The Prophet Muhammad said,"He who, has believled i n . his relig~oln then beUeved . in what l s , r , _ v e , a l e d 'rtJome w in b e rewarded tw ice (b y God) , ~I That is once for believing .i'nhis f 8 1 . i l t hand the other for recognizing truth and believing in Islam.

To sum U : P " Islam conslders Jesus a s one g , f God's ,g['eat p lfo ph et s .. Hismission was to preach theOneness I O f God and to lead man,to his Lord. He aeverclaimlred, to be other than a servant and a M es5 cinger of God ..The Qur"ank~account of bis, life and mission is supported by overw helm ing cV 'j,d !cnce. TheMuslims do believe in and are: ,a ;wait in,l ; the Second Coming of Jesus. He wincome back no't as God to jud ie the non-caristians, but as , JICS.uS, OOO":s ,e rvant ,H is com ing is:toco rrec t d u~ m is conc e,pt~oD wh ie ll, pe ople h ave ' d e v e ' ~ . ' o : p e d abouthis pe:rso:nali'tyand his mission.' Aceording jc ,a sayi:llI of the ProphetM uhamm ad" be w ill stay forfO ony years: w hich is ' loi,ng to , be th e h ap pie st year,sof l i f e , o :m this e a r t h . .All:ftat time , eyerybody w i l l beleive i.n h im. as the mlessen,l~r"not the :Son l , f God. How ever, w h.a t about those' w .ho w in not be able ' to live: tinhis second c,om i'ng? They better do it :now!~


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M.M. Pick.thall.rhe Me'iJ'ning of the GloliDus Q'uli~anT'.B. Irvi.ng., le t al., The au:r~:a.n: Basic TeachingsHamuda Abdulad~,lsla.m in , FocusM~Qutb, Is,iam ;' The Misu,nlderSIOod Reliyi'onB A-B' .aw'' '' lIn\JlcJ:~m., T h . . i I C I ' c ' ~ r st ? r ' l l d . C ' / rn/'Ra.I~noni' ~ _~, , .. _. _'_ I&~"~'J~ , Q - " !I i! ! Il '. ' _ , _ , Ii Il .. ~ r!r',~; _ ~'''J.', , IF-" ... ~_ ' ,_ , _'Ir;;;-,'-"-.Iv .,',,,Mallrice B;ucaUle~ The B ' i D I J e : , THe (Ju ,~ .t !Jn.a .nd Scienc, f lM,3ur ice Bueaille, The On?gin of ManLord-sale and laura Ragg;.,. The Gospel of 8'a,nabasMuhammad Ata-ur ...Ra.hma:n~Jesu"S..A P ro fJh ,e t o f 18,t8rnRudolf Augll:stein, Jesu Son of ManJohn Hick [ed), The .M y th l 0 ,' God'/n:carnateS..S. Mufas:l.i.r, Je 'Bus in the IQur 'an . .

S,ome of t:be:s.eboo ,ksand others abeut Islam lea n b e: ebeained f rom:Wodd .Assembly ofMtrI :s :~imYouth (WA'MY)P. 0'.80.)[, 1084.5Tel. (0 1.1)4641.663Riyadb 11443" S aud i A m- ,ab iaOr the nearest Islamic Center in YOI\ l : rpart of the wodld.


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TheIslamie i a t C C O u n t ofJesus~slife and miss fon is,quite muonab,l.eand puts ,Jesus in . his diRt place ,amollg thclfl'a .t.m esseoa :e :rs of G ,ad to ku:m ani,ty .A lth ough the IsJJam i.cview lo f Je sus .agree.swi th w n atm .a n.ypeo pie ins t lnc tive : .ythink" it is sometimes .rej'cct.edbecause this is wbat Is lam, says about him~Howlv.f :1 those who com e to , Islam with aD lopen odod a n d , f r , G G Cro 'm ,b ia s w ill: 5ubmi t , t o t h e I O l l i e a n d b C l i e v a b U i , 1 :Y of'the ] s [a , m i e account o : f J , c s u s . " T n e I s l a m i cposidoD~S especially aplp!feciated by those w ho have :struglcd with t l levario,UlS'Christ iam dogma s tha t a re cen tered around the pcrsona lity of Jesus C hris t.

The fol1owmgis a letter which I received.from oneef the viewe.rswhofollow' my program: ISLAM IN PERSP 'E :CTIVE, . tele~:Rd by. the Saud.iA ra biam 'T clcvm io n. ScooodCbannel. I . t : i l s a RSPOftse t o atw~lpisode,,d iscussion of JeSDS , a tU cd : JE S U S I I N IS L AM . I include tm s letter hc r,c fa r tilef oUow img reas.oni:.1 . The w ritC !'fis an, II.XPIr.t 0'0 this t O r . I J i l C as a stud .enIQ r( .re ligi,on ,and an ,t )/.jecdve : 8 ft/ ke f of'truth.2 . . The WritGf 'W a s a IJc6evina: 'Christian who kU,DWS Christians' feelil1gs a.ndbel ief o o l f t c L t r n i n a : J: tSUS Ch ris t ..3.. The 'w riters expb lutio ,n of bo ,w t:be Chris ,tians d ." ia ted . from Jelus~instruct'ilons ,Ina. m.sion i s : ,qui te pila,usible and acco,ullts fo r tile presentCh r.ts tia n 'b e lie f a b ou t Jeses,

I w o uld lii'l: 1o thank 'l he wr i, le rfDr her .kind p e : . t . l l l i s s i o n loin.clud. her let . t"fin this: pimblica l ion.

M.J..

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WHI Y ' DID C H IR IIST IA,N :I, C LA,IM THAT JIl!SUIS liS T H II! ,SONI O IF GOIIDI?D ear sir"Alu;alamlo A la ikum W ,I,R a hma ,t:uU ah .OPIN ' ION R EiG ,A R DIN 'G THE , ,D ISCUSS ION O 'N Y'QIU :RPRO:GR.,AMI was , very interested in , ) 'Iour dlscassicn (J'D TV siaee this, is,a topic which,I bay', Idi lcussedmal1, , . t i .mes"bothas , studen t of relisio ,n :. and outside thl'learnilll enviroament, iamany parts of the world,

As an E nglisb Musl im co:n'y'crt"now' livin g in Saudi A~ra,bia"I find 'the sharpcont r,a s ;t , be tween soci.et ie s~, thou l'h ,t ..p :ro:y,o:kinS from m a n . y D ew poin'ts.Focussing upon the nature o,rJesus, and Mary as, ex.p,llained in . ' the Koran,and inthe Gaspel,of till New Testamen,t, 'w e SIC 1.wO opplosinS vie:"s .. thaI: 'o f

C h r is tia n te ac ~h iD gthat Jlesusis"S'OD of G od" and t.ba'llof the lCo,ran D.e.lecting , a nSlUch claims. It ' then, becom es, :neces:sary to ask the question WHY was: itnecessary for the ,early Cbristiana to mak,c: such a claim ab oll1 'l Jesus" w hc,ft aft'erall he never m ad e any such claim. ldmse~n

It is my opinien dUllt answer becomes clear ifwe study the buis for t:ber - tH g i o 'R . o f Islam aad Ch ris tiam ty ...A,s,Musl ims w e base our faith U.p O D 'God I D dUpOD.H im aloln,l, a n d upo:n t h e K . : o ! r , l . n ,. 0 1 0 0 ' ' ' : 9 womto , H i s Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) in whom we: also beilie've - as a true 'Prophet. I O f the one God..Muhammad (P.BUH) is God's servant, .. fa ithful and obedi~nt and totallyh u m a , D . ,. . he r e : m a ' l l t s th e m 's t r u :m e n t o f G o d " : s purp,o.sl: t o le ad . H is p e o , : p : l e back tiDHim alain.

Now~ as a total eo,mtrast W I: turn to Ch ris tia ni,ty ....a religion b uilt: not aroundGod" or H is boo,.k ...fOIi',tbGfC W 'I IS no boot' until 15 0 ye'ars,atter J , t H US death.Christianity became built around the perslonality of Jeeus :bimseIf~By layin,1m ere and more: stress u.pom th e ma. lnedcand wond,e:dul persona lity ,of ,Jesus ,andun.b).1 ,and un..wi~UDgte Idescribe 'the Pr ,op:b .t s effeci up,on a n who cam e 'to bim- in ev e:ry day term s ..mo re and more attributes. are added to h isre pu t8 1 tiO :O ~amlinwho ,could performmiracles, briu11 back. the dead. to Iife, heal the leper, curetheb l ind .. .a l l by Gioo's wili,il ind ,.cd a wonderfu l m an ....blessed by God '.. b orn byGod 's .U I to do , His, service. Butafler his'ldeath, th e 'magi .ca l t personality m u s tbe kept a live am i "S on , o f God"a,ppearsto sui tably qualify all his , ac t ions .

Li.Y,inSi n ,8 l ' o c i e t Y " ' 1 s t r o n g l y 'Oavound by tb l'Gnco ..Rolmanlodl, all 'superhuma.n , : 'the edBcared cady Chris t ians must . sure'., a lso ha ve been inftllenced : in.tbou,ht by their surroundings, Paul bim'sclf, one of the greatteachers ,o f

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Chris t ian i ty, W 'U a H eUenized Jew , w ho never sa,w or m Il Jesus duri.ng; h islifetime. Yetm,a :ny of h is reported sayings shew the influesee of th 'c tim e s: in.w bichhe lived . 'The L iving L ord : ' w as very rea lto h im .Tb e m iraculous na,t.'ure of Jesus" b irth .~ a lso could h elp , to give ' e redence to

th e id ea o f Jesus , identity a s son of God, But it is ch ild -like in its I+I.;2 typephUolso:p:hy, Le, God bJew lato the womh of Mary '@ Mary ' bad Jesui" thereforeG od is , Jesus ,' fa tb er and Je sus, is, H is S(UJJ.W ha t C hris : lia ns fai~ to sec" and to understand is tha t,: in Jesus ' b irth andconception we'S lle a to uching a nd : w o nd erful r e v e l a : t . J o n ,o fth e K in .dn,c s: s o f God ,.We are told by both Koran and Christian wridngs tha i :Maryw,as a you,ngwoman of exceptional purity of both mind and body, breugh t imo the world

,Itre 'ady p ledged . as God,'~sservaat , blessed 'by G od , w hile :in H is service in thesynagegue so that she h ers elf c ou ld produce small "miraculous" occurrences byGod'swill, How naturalthen, that God" having chosen h e i r ' t o . be tbe vehicle byWh . i C D I :H is new -Prophet should 'b e born OD e a rt h ...c h oo ses a means , by wbicb,none ofher b lessed purity is touched . S he serves her 'G od , b ut in so d o ing He::mHis infinite k.~ndness preserves her precious plurity. Surely th~s,needs DOr e m beUishmen: t . . . .' 0 1 0 cla im s to "S ,o ns.h ip~ 'ef ' G l O O . , G,od,'s ereation y , e s , brut not S , ( J I , nby Paternity, 'T ha t is o 'b vio usly D . l o t the' int ,entioD , . .

Thefa c t th a t so m uch time ,c :lapsed b efo re a n,y 0-[ the s 8 1 , y i n g s ofJesuscr histeach inls w ere wr itten " a lso a llow s for the uOra l tf,.d itio n" , 'b ,Ywh.ich. ' they wIrepassed 08, to hAVl1! substant ia l ly eh ang ed the original A nd y,et ' thrODJ:b, the thl'CCsyno 'ptic gospels (J ohn b eing w riuen la s t a nd 0bvio 'us ly fuU of: re li, giou :s dogma )Ma thew ,. L uke and M ark despite any a~ter;a :t,ion"", picture o,fJesus, , ,I q UiC i t"yet m a petic personali~y .. II P ' r ' o : p : i t e t inspi'~edby ,G 'o o, with i r a grea t I,ave of sitbuma .D. t t y , sent to. sharpen out aw:areness ofGod, in all the aspect s of . ti fe ; Jesustries t O r o p e n Qiur r e y e s , am d our bearts to a ,greater a .wareness oflGod ~a a 'unselfish,a p!p ra ~s a~f o un elv es from our ,thoughts:;, 'to o ur ac t .on :s ,a :nd 't o en:lar,ge Fai,thand Trust in God. Onl,' by so doi~g by 'Ule simple Raith and Trust o,l 'a cbildilGod 's K in gd OIM 'to com e on E a rth .. this id ea is ,re pc a~ ed ma n y ' t imes: in 'many o fhis re1porled sayinp. ,H is closeness to G,od '.,IS evitlIrl'.Oir o m l ' the str,engththa,1 h ,ed rew from p,r,ayers , and 'the pow c:rhe w as, g iven b , God, to perfo rm mirac le s ,Y et in , a :Uthis pow er and in the perform ance ofGod 's wonde r s NEVER does heproc J ,a i.m h im e lf S on o,f G od .In Jesus ,Sline o f' the w ord Sonnw,e are a nchild ren of God , :H1&SOiDS and daushters, here on earth, and as such Jesus taughtthe people topray to 'Our Father, which ,art in Heaven',O !f' the a e tua l 'V olum e' ofwlords. he s:pate o r m ust have ' spo : ten inb istea ch in gs on ly ,Ii pitiab~few t and no t a ll re liab le , have been . record ed . Jesus

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: seemed .to b e prri:marily ,co.oemedi with the: : 1 ' 0 or , tille' , ( J i p p r e s : e d , . the euteast, 'tbesiek - aad not to)erani .o f the saBd: imonious and m.eani.nglesiSl iel igious "cant' t i l , 'th e so- ca lle d "p!j,t) us ,"H is oaU was to the bear ts , o,lm en." and his them 'e WDShumaftit~yand Joe. D i d. he meaD . to e s t a J ' , l , i ; s b . a d h u , n : : : k ? IbeIU:~e he did .:~but no,tin the sense we see th e c :tJ.o rc h today - Jesus w as p 'l !a c tic a l a swe ll as:spiritual, Ibelievehe w anted to crea se a socie't.!f of people whose Faith in God boyond tbe:mto one another relardlelliS of 'race (l'[ creedL,in a f a n U l y . , . . .Yl)ecar:ingrela:tion:sbip'- -'under God's guid:ance. ltis not really evidem from his te.::h.ingsthat he saw-b im selfas a great , :sh in ing Iigh t in :th i.s proeess , H e t emd ledmOR; to rtS a ln J. h imse l f, a s I U)'!OIi~ n t h e : i 1 a n o s ' of 'Ood"

B,yraising; him up tlO unbelievable he'ights, tile early CheistianfollowersbrQ:ug,llIt.Mpon t.bem selvesthe endless problems oftheoredc:aUy expllain:ingOlJe,eruciraion ... ID . d . fromUds comesthe d(u:t:ri.ne of tile sufre'fi~1 servants, raisedfrom the Jewish aacient texts .~s,p,okenof InIsaiah, the doctrine of Sacrifice forthe sins of JnaJl'!land the eonseqaential exclus iveness of Jesus - which is V,f;fYimpofta :n . t toUlle :ar ly 'Ctlristiansl.A.p\al~U!1 eeuld beeq u a U y :fal.thfmit,o r n . 3 J n y~Iods' - but in Ctlr~sdanj.ty this co,uld not be ..ONLY by fa~tb in Jesus !C8.n. ~heChristian. hope togain salvation - IONLY by accepung his death for the sake oifman'ssi:m .. and ONLY bybeHef ioh is re surrection !(.~o ra s so,o ,o fOod" , 0 1 0 < 1 mus, t~ u thim, up aga.ln) can. tb .1 Chris, t: ii8n hope '10Ia1o! P ;a ra dis e . .A.ny oUter path: .~~death -aUhouglii thisplaces Jesus absolutely between God and His: people Me l:POSitiO!Rhe never occupied in his life unEarth.

Dectrine (lindoctrinebecomesfntertwined.and we find in the hi.S:~loryof'theehureh.eadless meetings, theories and argnments 15'0 the Nature of Jesus - hehas becom e now ,~ in f a e l :l, ~iessa . t . :o.llble r~a .l it y, 8 . ndm.ore a m unea:r tbly s e 'm i , . .:spiritd~ beiag, w.rapped im endless doctrine and d W ! , g m a . . fa:r indeed from tilesimple:~.gentleper:sonality~in whom Godplaeed soreueb pow er ..in order that he,could b riusaw ;'l[lcnes." stio !H is pef) ,p~,e. Has not the: church tbe:R defeated Jesus",own o:b je!c tive ...s:im.pUcily1

We find in 'the "Trinity" ~.Father - Sen-and Holy Gbost~perhaps the,culm b ulltio n of' 'th e effoets o f p e o ; , p l e stfU!SSU.fll fOlf ,I +Supflmacy' ill. :relisiolws,exp ress ion and ,achievinl ,an en i : l;m.a, : rewChr is t ia .ns can a,dequa.te~.y explaia't od ay ..Ood, t s spirit is a s re l~ .~ :n t h e day:s of M oses and .Abr ,ahamBs it is , in tb e tim e,ofProphet Mu.b,ammad (PBU H ). . 1 . 1 does, Do:l need, 10 be held II. Ute cOiRfines 01 1 a

""man- ; lDaJde"triangle, N or d id Jesus associa te himself with .any theory of th is .k in d ..

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the truth about jesus by maneh hammad al-johani

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