As was said before, The Quran is the most amazing book that is found on planet Earth. It is very precise and super concentrated while able to deliver the outlines of specific things in graphic detail but couched in simplified form when unraveled especially in the Arabic Language.
To show the preciseness of the Quran, I want to give a few examples. The first example, which has been covered by others is the title given to the ruler during the service of Joseph (Yusef) (pbh) in Egypt.
The Old Testament proclaims this ruler at this specific time to be a pharaoh which is a generic term used for most of the rulers of Egypt. The Quran, however, declares that this particular ruler’s title was king during the time of Joseph (pbh) and not pharaoh.
Generically, the Old Testament is kind of correct in that whether Pharaoh, King, President, Prime minister, dictator is used all can refer to the headman of the government. However, in speaking in precise terms, the correct form means the most accuracy. Would any careful citizen refer to the United States President as Prime minister X? NO!
The Quran is very precise as well as accurate and declares that the leader during the time of Yusef (pbh) was called a KING because the leader was not an Egyptian but one of the Hittites and so the Hittite conquerors of Egypt used their own form of designating their leader and would never ever refer to their leader as Pharaoh.
Another look at Quranic precision comes from Quranic verse 5:110 (… And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from (violence to) you when you did show them the clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic’).
Here we find that the Quran specifically declares that Jesus (pbh) will not be harmed by any of the Children of Israel. Limiting the saying to the ‘Children of Israel’ is very specific and well defined in that it ONLY mentions the Jews opposed to Jesus of that day!
And the Quranic verse proving that Jesus (pbh) was NOT crucified talks about the perceptions of the people who were around at that time as witnesses or planners. As for witnesses and following what to them were logical proceedings, it is only natural to believe that a certain man named Jesus was actually taken, interviewed, locked up, guarded tightly and then moved along to his ‘just desserts’.
His just desserts would be his supposed crucifixion. After all, he was a contained prisoner and he certainly didn’t go missing. And so it appeared to them (those responsible for his captivity and those who sought for him to be crucified) that the ‘tightly guarded prisoner’ was being led to his rightful doom!
And because he was in such tight confinement, it would indeed be quite a miracle for him not to be led to his death BUT MIRACLES DO TAKE PLACE EVEN WHEN THE BULK OF MANKIND BELIEVE THEY CAN’T POSSIBLY HAPPEN. Yet ordinary magicians dazzle ordinary people all the time. In this case, we are not talking about the ordinary BUT RATHER AN ACT OF GOD!!!
As for other peoples, the door is open to having him (pbh) being intimidated and abused. The Old Testament, however, in Psalms (91: 14-16) gives a generic saying in that the Messiah will not be harmed period!
Because he has set his love upon ME {the ONE GOD}, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known MY name.
He shall call upon ME, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble {to calm him down and give him assurances}; I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him {to accomplish his goal of being that anointed one}, and show him MY Salvation.” Psalms (91: 14-16)
In discussing the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, I would give that book a B grade anywhere from a B minus to a B plus for its accuracy! The Quran, however, gets an A+++++ due to its very perfect and precise accuracy making it the Pure WORD of GOD!
The Quranic verse (5:110) does allow Jesus (pbh) to go through a period of humiliation by his prison guards who were uncircumcised, Roman pagans and not Jews {Children of Israel} given to rowdy, drunken slander and sexual perversion.
It needs not be dwelt upon what these buffoons would have said and done to Jesus (pbh) when he was forcibly stripped naked in front of them and later struck and taunted in a most cruel manner!
For sure, the idea that they thought that he thought that he was better than them would have moved them as much as the alcohol they were consuming and spurring them on to ugly perverted actions and nasty derisions against an innocent man.
Not only innocent but a man holding a station of being one of the most blessed servants of the ONE GOD to ever grace this planet means a huge OFFENSE is about to be endured.
And why also did Muhammad (pbh), the most beloved of the CREATOR, have to suffer the effects of a headache-type pain that would have driven any other man to insanity in the last few days of his life when he was already forgiven his future and his past sins (rendering him sinless)?
It is a testament to these men showing how much they loved their CREATOR that they submitted their whole selves to their CREATOR LORD.
The lesson here is a simple one. The New Testament gives a fair to very good account of Jesus’ non-crucifixion event, his total dependency on the ONE GOD and his human reaction to being put in a very ugly position due to his advanced station (Messiah to the World’s Believers) but still being able to endure obedience under horrendous circumstances for the sake of his LORD.
The Quran once again is very specific and precise when studied and appreciated and is a good helpmate in opening up the other records when used correctly.
So, although Jesus (pbh) was neither killed nor crucified as the Quran declares, he did suffer humiliation, as was predicted, at the hands of his ‘ROMAN’ captors and the idea of ‘letting that cup pass him by’, only if ALLAH WILLED of course, did not signal any nervousness from him about being crucified for he knew that it would not be so!
But his passion was real!
Jesus’ Passion in the Garden of Gethsemane! What it was all about:
He (Jesus) went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed {to his LORD}, saying, “O my FATHER, IF it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as YOU WILL.”
Then he came to the Disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with me one hour?
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, saying, “O my FATHER, if this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, YOUR WILL, WILL BE DONE.”
And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
So he left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Then He came to his Disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Matthew (26:39-45)
Now if one doesn’t have a Canon concerning one’s religious beliefs such as a Holy Book as in a concrete Testament, then one can NOT make a concrete religion based on the always changing whims and corrupted theories leadership was advancing. And we historically know that burgeoning Christianity had no real acceptable Canon of ‘facts’ even after 150 years after Jesus’ Ascension.
Having NO APPROVED MANUAL (Testament) for declaring the constructs of their religious beliefs only shows that there was much speculation and uncertainty exactly what Christianity was!
This is due to the historical facts that showed burgeoning Christianity had NO concrete proof of the crucifixion issue amongst other issues also. True historical research has shown without a doubt that before 146 CE the ‘waring factions’ making up the Christian theology of the day could NOT come to a final conclusion about this topic.
Therefore, a church philosopher-theologian named Justin Martyr had to go forth to research the ‘facts’. Naturally, only a fool would try to reinvent the wheel idea and that tells us that Christianity before Justin Martyr’s exploration was heavily divided about this issue with no competing group being able to overcome the other. Christian research has proved this point in uncovering the heavy Gnostic influence on so-called Christian thought in the early parts of the second century CE.
Even today, some deluded people are covering up the above issue so as to make it appear that Christianity and the Cross are synonymous with the truth!
An experiment in uncovering their various deceits can be shown when taking into consideration the verses of Isaiah’s Chapter 53 dealing with … as a sheep before its shearers is silent so he opened not his mouth. They would claim that this verse is about Jesus (pbh) and his crucifixion.
However, let’s see just how correct they are concerning Jesus (pbh) NOT OPENING his mouth:
The high priest then asked Jesus about his Disciples and his doctrine.
Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
“Why ask this of me? Ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.”
And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “{Do you} answer the high priest in that manner?”
Jesus answered him, “if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why did you hit me?”
Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. John (18: 19-24)
Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning me?”
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me. What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the {corrupted-type Jews of the day for Jesus and his followers were} Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here.”
Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” John (18:33-37)
The end result and the only conclusion that can be reached is that that a certain verse found in Isaiah Chapter 53 could NOT, as I have stated before, belong to the physical crucifixion of Jesus the Christ (pbh). It does, however, belong to one of the prophets whom I have named concerning his prison confinement and proven with certain verses of the Quran.
He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened NOT his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before its shearers is silent SO HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH {to defend himself}.
He was taken from prison and from judgment {by the excellence of his acts and was raised up and cleared from all falsehood pronounced against him {Behold! ALLAH said: “O Jesus! I will take you and raise you to MYSELF and clear you (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; … Quran (3:55)} and who will declare his generation? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of MY {True people of ANY FAITH} people he was stricken.
And they made his grave with the wicked {accounted him not among the privileged upper class but with the low class of sinners} — but with the rich at his death {due to the companions he will be buried next to in his final resting place}, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Isaiah (53:7-9)
Now concerning Paul who was known also as Saul. Saul proclaimed his high level and extensive Jewish Law tradition from the following:
Then he {Paul} said: “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward GOD as you all {Jews} are today. Acts (22: 3)
The enigmatic Paul/Saul:
Now we come to the enigmatic Saul known by Christians as Paul. In truth, Paul was aggressive in nature having a great zeal for his religion – Pharisaic Judaism. So, he tended at times to be sanctimonious in his dealings with others due to his belief that he held a great deal of knowledge concerning philosophy and his superior religion. In other words, he was highly opinionated and that was just part of his character that would never leave him.
He also had more training in Jewish expressions than the 12 original Disciples but did not have the good fortune to have ever learned under the master teacher, Jesus (pbh). Still, his words or what is thought to be his words have greatly affected history.
To ideally understand this man, one would have to be with him for a period of time to visualize his philosophical approach that he had a habit of using. His style needs patience and understanding if one is to fathom this man’s message in the complexity he brings to the table.
We have no need of that now except in an academic sense because Islam has come and the Quran has been delivered much to the sadness of those who have rebelled.
Academically it is well known that the author of ACTS (nearly half of this book deals with the doings of Paul) found in the New Testament does, as a part-time travelling companion of this legend, seem to understand Paul from some experience travelling around a few of the areas visited with him. The rest comes from his historical research that he did a decade plus after the death of this so-called stalwart of Christianity who remained a dedicated and practicing Jew.
The author of ACTS seems to be the author of the Gospel of Luke of which this Gospel is a main contributor to the story of the non-crucifixion of Jesus (pbh) when read with understanding.
Also, the ACTS does not portray Paul as a corrupter of what would later become neo-Christian thoughts (second, third and very early fourth century stuff when the competing factions in Rome were trying to decide the need for and the dictates of a final credible Canon).
With the author of ACTS clearly painting Jesus (pbh) as only a man chosen of GOD* and a coming of another Prophet after Jesus** (pbh), how is this so-called friend of Paul and part time travelling companion perceived by others?
Somewhat knowledgeable about Paul one would presume at the time of his writings somewhat after a little more than a decade and a half after Paul’s death.
*{“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by GOD to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which GOD did through him in your midst… Acts (2:22}
** {For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your GOD will raise up for you a Prophet like me {A Law Giver with a NEW COVENANT} from your brethren {Arabs – the other Semitic Line}. Him you shall hear {follow and swear allegiance to in all things}, whatever he says to you.
And it shall be {it shall come to pass} that every soul who will NOT hear that Prophet {follow willfully in truth that system (Message) that he brought} shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days {but corrupt people have hidden the truth}. Acts (3: 22-24)}
Now we can use Comparative Religion to try and fathom the understandings between these sayings. This can be done in several ways but only one or two ways need to be given. ***
*** {There is a hadith that declares that on Jesus’ return, he will break crosses and kill swine:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Abu Huraira narrated that ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) said, “The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler; he will break the cross; kill the pigs; and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts). Bukhari
And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him BEFORE his {final} death {in that era leading up to the eventual Day of Judgment}; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them Quran (4:159)
As to breaking crosses, one does not imagine Jesus (pbh) going on an extensive safari wearing a pith helmet and swinging an ax! The symbolism here is that he will break the false doctrines that were taught that led to various corruptions preached to men (pollutions against the truth)!
As for the swine to be killed, they represent the people who will try to wriggle out from their responsibility by hook or by crook in following Islam (THE WAY he (Jesus) will adhere to)!
Since both the Book of Revelation in the New Testament and hadith material agree that from out of Jesus’ mouth will come a ‘sword’ and that he will rule with a rod of iron (Rev.) or that he will be able to kill with his breath as far as his eyes can see (hadith), one can sense that ‘his holy kingdom’ that the ONE GOD promised him will NOT be cheated out of existence by the falsehoods of men who serve corruption!}
Continuing on with the story of Paul:
About 3 years after hearing a voice on the road to Damascus and being healed from his blindness and spending some time in solitude in the Arabian Desert to collect his thoughts, he went to Jerusalem to discuss certain things with those in charge. Naturally, he did a little preaching about his ‘changed heart’ and the man called Jesus (pbh) beforehand.
He wouldn’t be going to Jerusalem to occupy his time in a coffee house! He, of course, had to be interviewed and questioned about his philosophy and teachings as any normal human would do so as not to let a wolf run alone amongst the flock.
Here he would be tested as to his veracity and knowledge as well as his intentions. After all, three years before, Saul was a willing tormentor to those who claimed to follow Jesus (pbh) and he did hate with great hate what he considered the new sect of Judaism promising something that he religiously found offensive in that no Holy Kingdom was at hand!
The old Saul truly believed in a conquering Messiah figure that would NOT be hurt by his contemporaries and that he would accomplish mighty works such as to overthrow the Jewish tormentors (Romans) and USHER IN A NEW AGE TO LIBERATE JUDAISM AND RETURN IT TO ITS DAYS OF FORMER GLORY ONLY BETTER!
Was not this the promise given by his GOD? Was he not hurt by the small but vociferous challenge to his trusted beliefs whereby an apparent charlatan was corrupting the profane and sacrosanct religion of the Jews? It happened several times in the past with so-called self-proclaimed phony messiahs so why should this time be different?
Besides, the sign of a new beginning for the glory of Judaism had not come and it boiled down to one important thing in Saul’s mind. Either that man Jesus was a liar or the Jewish GOD was a liar.
Saul chose what his brain could comprehend and that was that the man called Jesus was indeed a dangerous, false prophet and that his sect of dreamers was making a mockery of what he really believed and stood for! Therefore, he logically went on the offensive to obliterate this new sect!
Well, he was wrong and he found out about it and pondered over his mistakes that he made. He, like many new converts, tended to be eager followers of the ‘new WAY’ and with his background in Judaist and philosophical (Platonic) thought he was moved to actively play a part in the spreading of this new Judaist movement. And history hasn’t been the same since!
O you who believe! Be you helpers of ALLAH: As {for example} said Jesus the son of Mary to the Disciples, “Who will be my helpers to ({do} the work of) ALLAH?” Said the Disciples, “We are ALLAH’s helpers!” then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, and a portion disbelieved: But WE gave power to those who believed, against their enemies, and THEY became the ones that prevailed****. Quran (61:14)
**** {The word PREVAILED here means the ‘ones that won out’ as to those who would be defining Christianity and what could be presented as a philosophy to the people. Naturally believing in ONLY ONE GOD is far superior to holding a weird belief system of two gods as the Gnostics tended to do.}
Yes, the portion that failed were the Gnostics and their two-god strategy (the evil god versus the Good GOD). The one’s that overcame them were those who, even though they eventually believed in Jesus’ crucifixion, went forward at least in an attempt to have a ONE GOD strategy.
Eventually, they would get a CANON in which to base their presumptions on and be entitled (back then) to be called a MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION! And this can be seen in their New Testament Book as there is NO unequivocal statement that in their Testament gives any DIVINE STATUS to Jesus (pbh)!!!
How one reads or teaches from their Book, however, depends mostly on the heart AND what philosophical strategy their various organizations use to get their various dogmas across! At least they have mostly a viable CANON to follow and this is yet another sign on how the better course of Faith won out!
