The life of Jesus of Nazareth (pbh) was very brief as a Messenger of GOD. His coming out period before the public lasted approximately 3 somewhat condensed but still paltry years in comparison to say Moses (pbh). In what he laid a claim to would have necessitated a much longer experience than a mere few items of practice enabling him to reach the grand height of those who are held in the highest esteem in the Hereafter:
Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! ALLAH gives you glad tidings of a Word from HIM: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to ALLAH. Quran (3:45)
No prophet or any other human being, if one is truly sincere, can dispense advice without his own person being engaged in that activity himself. This is commonly translated as ‘practice what you preach’!
All the Holy Books would agree that if one calls anyone to honesty, for example, but is dishonest himself, then that person is a hypocrite. And in Islam the lowest dwellers of the Hell Fire will be those who practiced hypocrisy!
Yet it shall not be so among you {the way of the unbeliever}; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
And whoever of you desires to be first {reach the highest places} shall be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man {I, Jesus} did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His{my} life {through my works} as ransom for many.” Mark (10: 43-45)
Did not the Christ soul follow his own advice or was he a hypocrite? For sure, he was a true prophet of ALLAH and not a hypocrite! Therefore, in his ongoing capacities given to him, he demonstrated such service to the truths he was espousing as to be at times a servant to other spokespersons (prophets) of ALLAH. In this way he (Jesus), who desired as a man to become great amongst men, must of necessity be the servant amongst them.
We can know of two (direct) instances from the Quran. One as Yusef (pbh) (a very symbolic chapter for those who understand) and the other as Joshua bin Nun (pbh) or the one who took over when Moses (pbh) died and who is the one who in Sura 18 proclaims that he forgot about the fish due to the interference from Satan.
Ezekiel (pbh), the son of man, may also fall into that category. The one as Zul-Qarnain is not as a servant to mankind but as a Commander-type in being ‘Master’ of the farthest East and West/lord of the two ages (one then and the other coming) when he will inherit that kingdom promised him from his LORD.
In all things, the answers are there for those who can see! And what one sees, if one looks properly enough, is a man (a human being like we are also human) being of service in the cause of ALLAH. Not a god-man, not a god-son but a normal human being desirous to be a servant of ALLAH for truth and justice in obeying the pursuit of what he was created for and what he strove for.
So, go back over his statements which some would twist into what they twisted from of old and that is to, in their case, falsely join others as gods with GOD which is a disdainful and reprehensible practice showing contempt for the ONE WHO CREATED THEM.
Jesus (pbh) was no more than a man and a prophet sent to only a part of mankind (the lost sheep of the house of Israel) and he reached his full ‘growth’ or potential as Jesus of Nazareth in becoming that one, that gifted one, whom we call the Messiah (meaning one who was appointed/anointed to that position by his LORD, the LORD OF ALL OF MANKIND.
Thus he signaled the coming of the Last Day in heralding the coming of that Special Messenger of GOD, Prophet Muhammad (pbh) who would lay down the Final Foundations of THE WAY and which will be THE RELIGION of his (Christ’s) kingdom on Earth – Book of Revelation, Acts Chapter 3 at the end, Deuteronomy (similar to Acts), the Quranic declaration of the return of Jesus and that all will believe in him, various sayings in the Gospel of John as to the Spirit of truth, hadith literature, some statements in the Dead Sea Scrolls and of course some of chapter 42 of Isaiah (pbh), Quranic declaration as to the importance of Prophet Muhammad to all creatures etc.
Some people can see it while others are in quieting doubt and would not recognize a sandwich if it was placed directly in front of them! Who can open the eyes of man but only the ONE WHO CREATED THEM!
For many of mankind, however, it is distasteful to be aware of or acknowledge the ongoing struggles or lifespans to engage in the contest of good versus evil. People in general want a ‘one stop shop’ especially if they are in a position to enjoy the world. Going out on top means to them a hot time in the worldly life and a belief that they will have a big success in the Hereafter.
Of what struggle have they shown? They are like a hollow tree: standing but basically dead!
But read the Quran whereby ALLAH tells the truth in that HE gives to mankind varying conditions and that HE tests mankind in their fealty:
If a wound has touched you {in particular}, be sure a similar wound has touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) WE give to men and men by turns: that ALLAH may know those that Believe, and that HE may take to HIMSELF from your ranks Martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And ALLAH does not love those that do wrong. Quran (3:140).
Or one can review Sura (chapter) 30 in the Quran to get a context of what is being talked about!
So, he (the Christ-soul) as our adam was part of our CREATOR’S PLAN, which as of now we cannot fully comprehend but we trust in HIS PLAN to be PERFECT in all phases. And then the following words from Isaiah (pbh) make more sense if we employ them in the correct manner.
This then results in the belief in ISLAM and Muhammad (pbh) as GOD’s personal spokesperson and the religion of choice to be followed on the return of the Christ-soul and the gift given to him (that special kingdom) that he so earnestly desired which is repeated in Isaiah Chapter 53:
As a result of the anguish of his soul {in his various strivings}, he will see it {his GOD-given kingdom on his return} and be satisfied; By his knowledge the Righteous One {the Christ-soul}, MY servant, will justify the many {turning them to Righteousness – for he is the original Teacher of Righteousness}, for he will bear their wrongdoings {by acting in their capacity as a sacrifice by his continuous struggles and his service to his GOD through his belief; he overcomes those various temptations and as an adam, he represents the man of faith trusting in his CREATOR LORD to guide him on the STRAIGHT WAY and in the end the joining of him with ISLAM as his WAY}.
Therefore, I {ALLAH} will allot him a portion with the great, and he will divide the plunder with the strong {faithful}, because he poured out his life unto death {various times}, and was counted {by worldly forces} with wrongdoers; yet he himself bore the sin of many {by undergoing those temptations and overcoming them setting forth a pattern or example as a sacrifice}, and interceded for the wrongdoers. Isaiah (53:11-12)
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me is {now} reaching its fulfillment.” {The glorification of that man as the Messiah well-blessed.} Luke (22:27)
Did not Prophet Muhammad (pbh) in his way act as a Guiding Force also to his people by taking his experiences and manifesting them to his followers as an Advocate right blessed but in clear speech rather than hard to understand parables? For sure he did and the following hadiths give us the way to look at his leadership as all prophets should lead by example:
Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) saying, “My example and the example of the people is that of a man who made a fire, and when it lighted what was around it, moths and other insects started falling into the fire. The man tried (his best) to prevent them (from falling in the fire) but they overpowered him and rushed into the fire. The Prophet (pbh) added: Now, similarly, I take hold of the knots at your waist (belts) to prevent you from falling into the Fire, but you insist on falling into it.” (Bukhari)
Narrated Abu Musa: ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) said. “My example and the example of the message with which ALLAH has sent me is like that of a man who came to some people and said, “I have seen with my own eyes the enemy forces, and I am a naked {truthful and without any hidden demands} warner (to you) so save yourself, save yourself! A group of them obeyed him and went out at night, slowly and stealthily and were safe, while another group did not believe him and thus the army took them in the morning and destroyed them.” (Bukhari)
And in giving his (Christ’s) life means the giving of himself over and over in accordance with ALLAH’s WILL so that he, being the First of many who were born (according to Paul), would succeed in showing that WAY of obedience to his CREATOR LORD. But no one can take his life. For he received this ‘gift’ or commandment from his CREATOR in that he could lay down his life {voluntarily} only to TAKE IT UP AGAIN – John (10:18). And that shows the Believer that he had to wait upon the GOOD GRACES OF THE LORD LIKE THE BELIEVER HAS TO WAIT – in patience and hope!
And the Eternal Truth from the ONE GOD prevails over the inventiveness and imagination of the spiritually corrupt:
Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how ALLAH does make HIS Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth! Quran (5:75)
And So It Goes
