The symbols { } are used to further simplify explanations.
Is there any basic proofs for those ‘hard to understand things’ of which I wrote? Yes, there are and these things will go across the spectrum of the ‘former Holy Books or writings’.
In brief, one of the earliest verses found in the Bible concerning Jesus (pbh) but not giving his name occurs in the book of Micah written approximately 700 some odd years before Jesus’ birth.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for ME one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days Micah (5: 2).
A careful study of the scriptures reveals that the ONE GOD Who is ETERNAL and ABSOLUTE has no origin or beginning which is agreed upon by all the true scriptures and that those who don’t have that belief have committed a form of blasphemy or Kufur. It is clear from the above verse that even 700 or so years before Jesus (pbh) was born IN BETHLEHEM, his soul was considered ancient.
All souls are ancient so why the ‘special grandstanding’ about him (pbh)? It must be something special as to declare that ‘from of old’ he was a person of renown with a ‘distinction’ going back years and years. The only distinction worthy of mentioning would be one of ‘serving the Living GOD’ with excellence!
His soul is ancient yes but also he had a beginning or origin and in no way does this equate with him being any more than a man as all souls according to Islam were brought forth from the loins of the children of Adam and given a stern declaration not to worship anything besides ALLAH, the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD.
When your LORD drew forth from the children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves saying: “Am I not your LORD (Who cherishes and sustains you)?” They said: “Yes, we do testify! “ (This), lest you should say on the Day of Judgment: “Of this we were never mindful “:
Or lest you should say: “Our fathers before us took false gods but we are (their) descendants after them: will YOU then destroy us because of the deeds of men who followed falsehood.” Q (7: 172-173)
Now as to him being a ruler in Israel or more appropriately being a ruler over the believers called ‘Israel’ in the Hebraic Language but Muslims in the Arabic Language and in that land now called Palestine or in the Islamic interpretation – king over the peoples using the Quran as the BOOK and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbh) as the statute used for correct behavior among the believers. As to him being this ruler in and of Israel (the believers), that occurs upon his second coming as agreed in the hadith materials found in Islam.
As to what, in small part Jesus (pbh) declared about himself:
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad.
Then said the Jews to Jesus; “you are not yet fifty years old and have you seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
Then the Jews took up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid {disguised} himself and went out of the temple, going among the midst of them {without them noticing him} and so passed by. John (8: 56-59) as well as the following:
Jesus said unto him (Philip), I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the FATHER but by me. John (14: 6) as well as the following:
I am the true vine and {but my FATHER does the work by HIS WILL – for of myself I can do nothing!} my FATHER is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, HE takes away and every branch that does bear fruit, HE purges it, that it may {yet} bring forth more fruit. John (15: 1-2) as well as the following:
Jesus (pbh) being not a descendant of Aaron (pbh) cannot be of that priesthood class favored by the Jews. But being made ‘holy’ for the sake of man, {as in the PLAN of ALLAH from afore – Isaiah Chapter 53} Jesus does become that holy priest after the order of Melchisedec.
‘For it is evident that our lord {master} sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.
And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there arise another {type of} priest.
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life {for those who have faith and works as ALLAH has WILLED}.
For HE {THE POWER THAT RULES} testifies {concerning Jesus HIS Christ (anointed one)}, you are a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews (7: 14-17)
A little important background on Melchisedec:
According to the Dead Sea Scrolls, Melchisedec was born during the reign of Noah (pbh) from a mother and a father which puts him in a more proper perspective than the Old Testament does. He is taken up into heaven before the Great Flood and has Michael and Gabriel as his two teachers. He then is brought down to earth {many of thousands of years later} in the era of Abraham (pbh) and acts as a blessed and special priest – Old Testament.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad.
Then said the Jews to Jesus; “you are not yet fifty years old and have you seen Abraham?
Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. John (8: 56-58)
This ‘special priest-class person’ is shown in the Dead Sea Scrolls as the one sitting at the right hand of the king (being interpreted here as Muhammad (chiefest and leader amongst the prophets and the last of the prophets that will be sent to mankind) amongst all the other prophets at the table. AND NO ONE, NOT EVEN THE KING CAN EAT OF THE FOOD (or standing at one’s own pond to collect the faithful as in hadiths declaring that every prophet has a pond where their faithful will gather to collect souls) UNTIL THE PRIEST BLESSES IT {or accomplishes his job first – for if I do not go, he the Spirit of truth will not come {and Paradise will remain shut for all things must be completed} John (16: 7)} or some may say the food (is likened unto judgment day for souls) which cannot begin until the priest (Melchisedec) blesses it which is the start of his ‘kingdom’ on Earth. Being here understood from scripture as the ‘Christ kingdom’* lasting a ‘thousand years’ (New Testament – Rev (20: 1-6) *** with the understanding that this 1,000 year period includes Jesus’ life and death and his replacement by the 10(?) Caliphs from the Quraysh** (hadith) and then some time after this according to hadiths, a wind will come to take out every soul remaining who has at least a mustard seed of faith in the heart. Then the kingdom of Satan begins filled with unruly humans like beasts in behavior likened unto the Gog and Magog and after that comes the Final Judgment – hadiths.
This interpretation does one major thing and that is to free up many of the so-called strange sayings in the New Testament especially found in the Gospel of John and to lend a greater understanding to Isaiah (pbh) Chapter 53.
*It is called the ‘Christ kingdom’ just like Islam is called the religion brought by Muhammad (pbh). Although Muhammad (pbh) is not alive with us today, he is still credited with the notion of being the Prophet of Islam. Therefore, the ‘Christ kingdom’ will continue many hundreds of years even after his death and burial next to the Prophet (pbh).
One should not forget that the Bible does call man a ‘spirit’ and therefore the Spirit of truth found in the New Testament is none other than a man. Furthermore, according to hadith literature, the angel brings down that ‘spirit’ into the fetus of the pregnant woman after 4 months (?) and states its future livelihood, etc. hadith literature. This is to show that man and woman do not ‘create’ the human being though they are allowed to provide a ‘chalice’ for the human soul upon the merger of sperm and egg.
** The idea for this comes from the appearance of Jesus (pbh) as the Arab Mahdi is about to lead prayers. Sensing the arrival of the Messiah (pbh) the Mahdi makes ready to step aside as the greater has the honor of leading the prayers. However, Jesus (pbh) tells the Mahdi to continue with his leadership role as ALLAH has made it known that Islam IS THE WAY OF CHOICE FOR THE BELIEVERS as well as showing future generations the ‘superiority of Islam’ over any creed and that this was supported by the Messiah himself – hadith.
OK, so what? History is history but the MOST IMPORTANT THING and WISEST THING is to realize that we are not tied to the past in an unbroken chain but can gain freedom by acknowledging three major things:
- The Quran – the last and final Testament and it is protected from corruption by ALLAH and the Book used by Jesus (pbh) on his return
- The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (pbh) which will be the ‘Standard of Behavior’ in the ‘kingdom of Christ’
- Belief in the sanctity of the Original Companions of the Prophet (pbh) especially in the blessedness of the Four Righteous Caliphs – for those Muslims seeking true Islam.
No one has to slide back into the past simply because the past is GONE but the future has not yet arrived and there is still time to engage the soul with THE CRITERION FOR JUDGMENT DAY!!! But no one can get into Paradise based on his own merits as Prophet Muhammad (pbh) declared in a hadith discussing the performance of good deeds with ‘Ali (hadith)! Therefore, the Ingenious PLAN set forth from the beginning – as ALLAH WILLS!
As I have said before and that is GOD is ONE, THE RELIGION is ONE, THE PROPHETS are ONE, THE RECORDS (when understood in their ‘proper framework’) are ONE and mankind used to be ONE COMMUNITY and the BELIEVERS ARE ONE FROM EACH OTHER. ALLAH ALONE KNOWS BEST!
ALLAH is the AL-Hakeem, The ALL-Wise ONE whose actions have purpose and whose wisdom is perfect.
***Although the Book of Revelations has a lot of controversy about it, there are a few things that can be clarified through the use of the study of Islam when one talks about comparative religion. Basically, this book is about a personal ‘spiritual journey’ of one man (John the Presbyter) mixed in with symbolic language and some futuristic predictions.
To test some of the so-called truthfulness of a few of these verses one has to verify the content with Islamic hadiths, for example. Revelations (19: 21) and (20: 7-8). The ‘sword’ that comes out of his mouth has been testified to in hadith literature as Jesus (pbh) will be allowed to kill his enemies by his ‘breath’ as far as his eyes can see.
The Gog and Magog ‘second’ appearance on earth may seem strange. This was called by me the ‘sixth age of man’ in my previous works whereby all of the souls even unto the souls that had only a mustard seed of weight of goodness will be taken out of the world and what would be left would be the ‘unruly peoples’ who would behave like wild animals towards each other – hadith literature. This may equate to what Q (18: 99-100) is referring to. ALLAH alone knows best!
And the remnant {the enemies of Jesus} were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh {of the Gog and Magog}. Rev. (19: 21) ****
****The Gog and Magog according to hadith material are too many for Jesus (pbh) to handle and so he and his Companions will seek refuge on top of Mt. Tur but will come down after their destruction. The ‘remnant’ here probably means Jesus’ enemies amongst the followers of the Anti-christ who will be killed just prior to the ‘massive invasion of the Gog and Magog’.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be let loose out of his prison;
And he shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the Earth {covering the whole Earth}, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Rev. (20: 7-8)
And on that Day {the day on which the Gog and Magog peoples come out}, WE shall leave them to surge like waves on one another; and the Trumpet will be blown and WE shall collect them all together.
And on that Day WE shall present HELL to the disbelievers, plain to be seen. Q (18: 99-100)
Also the first death and the second death are talked about along with other things like Satan and his lackey the Anti-christ or ‘false prophet’. But what is important here is Rev. (20: 4-6) especially verse number 6 which I have stated that it would be best for those souls to be born into the world as close to the arrival and or the physical presence of the Christ as they could get by ALLAH’s Grace and Mercy.
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power but they shall be priests of GOD and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. Rev. (20: 6)
This is further substantiated in hadith literature when the Prophet (pbh) was asked point blank about those ‘types of people’ and Muhammad (pbh) stated that they would be like you {his Companions} or even better than you {in faith} (Mishkat al masabih)
Jesus answered, ‘Verily, verily, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of GOD.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not marvel {wonder} that I said to you, you must be born again’ {before you are ready to enter the Kingdom of GOD}. John (3: 5-7)
The ‘water’ here is the liquid-like womb of the woman and the Spirit here is that which is referred to as Islam which was brought to the Earth by the Spirit of truth or GOD’s own PROPHET (pbh) to the whole world. And this is testified to by the verse in the Quran proclaiming that ‘no other religion’ will be acceptable to ALLAH but that of Islam or the Pure Monotheism with the belief in all of the Messengers, Angels, Original Books, Paradise, the Hell-Fire and ALLAH’s Perfect Creative Plan.
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will NOT be accepted of him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. Q (3: 85)
Jabir bin ‘Abdallah reported: I heard the Messenger of GOD say: “A section of my people will not cease fighting for truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection.” He said: “Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims’) commander (Amir) would ask him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: ‘No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you).’” This is the honor from ALLAH for this Ummah. (Muslim)
“There is no prophet between me and him (Jesus), and he shall descend. He… will stay in the world for forty years; then he will die and the Muslims will offer the funeral Prayer for him.” (Abu Dawood, Ahmed)
After he descends on earth {his second coming}, Jesus (Isa-pbh) will marry. He will have children, and he will remain on earth 19 years after marriage. He will pass away and Muslims will perform his Janaza Salaat {funeral prayer} and bury him next to Prophet Muhammad (pbh). (Tirmidhi)
Abdullah b. ‘Amr reported GOD’s Messenger as saying, “Jesus the son of Mary will descend to the earth, will marry, have children and remain forty-five years, after which he will die and be buried along with me in my grave. Then Jesus the son of Mary and I shall arise from one grave between Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.” (Ibn al-Jauzi transmitted it in Kitab al-wafa’).
Prophet Mohammad (pbh) said: “In the meantime, while the Dajjal will be busy doing this and this, ALLAH will send down the Messiah son of Mary (Jesus). He will descend in the eastern part of Damascus, near the white minaret (tower), dressed in the two yellow garments, with his hands resting on the arms of two angels. When he will bend down his head, water drops will appear trickling down, and when he will raise it, it will appear as though pearl-like drops are rolling down. Any disbeliever whom the air {from his mouth} of his breath reaches, and it will reach up to the last limit of his sight, will fall dead. Then, the son of Mary will go in pursuit of the Dajjal, and will overtake him at the gate of Lud, and will kill him.” (Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes {many} who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt {the first Resurrection period?}. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. {And in the end of time/age} Many will go here and there to increase knowledge {on various subjects – science, technology and other fields}.” Daniel (12: 1-4)
No one has to slide back into the past simply because the past is GONE but the future has not yet arrived and there is still time to engage the soul with THE CRITERION FOR JUDGMENT DAY!!!
But no one can get into Paradise based on his own merits as Prophet Muhammad (pbh) declared in his discussion with ‘Ali concerning the doing of good deeds (hadith)! Therefore, the Ingenious PLAN set forth from the beginning – as ALLAH WILLS!
Abu Hurairah reported ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) as saying: “Observe moderation in deeds (and if it is not possible, try to be near moderation) and understand that none amongst you can attain salvation because of his deeds alone.” They said: “ALLAH’s Messenger, not even you?” Thereupon he said: “Not even me, but that Allah should wrap me in His Mercy and Grace.”
Abu Hurairah stated that the Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said: “I have been favored over the other Prophets in six ways: I have been given the gift of concise speech {meaning his speech being concise carries the widest of meanings}; I have been supported with fear; booty has been made permissible for me; the earth has been made a means of purification and a place of prostration for me; I have been sent to all of mankind {to the whole world, i.e. , Jews, Gentiles Believers, Non-Believers}; and the (line of) Prophets ends with me.”
As I have said before and that is GOD is ONE, THE RELIGION is ONE, THE PROPHETS are ONE, THE RECORDS (when understood in their ‘proper framework’) are ONE and mankind used to be ONE COMMUNITY and the BELIEVERS ARE ONE FROM EACH OTHER. ALLAH ALONE KNOWS BEST!
Knowledge is good but faithful practice for the sake of ALLAH is deemed better!