To avoid unnecessary distraction and word clutter some of the quotes from scripture will be added in full at the end of this piece of writing. This is also done due to the complexity of the topic. While quotes are good, too many quotes without the proper explanation may cause confusion.
Also, this topic cannot be covered in full at one go because it is too complicated a task to expect any one to collect all of the information at one time. For example a lot of material from the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament has been left out as those verses lead onto other topics not covered very much in this writing.
However, thanks to the Glorious Quran, we have the basics spread out for us and that, in fact, is enough for the average believer to pursue in his or her pursuit of excellence!
When a person has a toothache, he doesn’t need to spend years of study in going to dentistry school. All he needs to do is to see a competent representative of dental science to alleviate his problem.
It is true that mysteries have always abounded amongst the human species and whether some of these mysteries have turned out to be factual is incidental to this topic. Solving possible mysteries, however, brings about a form of clarity as it brings things down to earth so to speak. That is important when sifting through the sands of doubt in order to show a more sensible, mature and realistic attitude in whatever the topic may be.
For example, the Sahih hadiths dealing with the torment of the grave are definitely true but some half-baked individuals have taken that to mean that one could lower a microphone into a grave and possibly hear screams of torment that would freeze the blood of those unfortunate enough to hear it. This is what is called an old wives tale and shows that some people went off the deep end in trying to decipher what Prophet Muhammad (pbh) really meant.
The biggest mystery in these writings is not about the Non-crucifixion event because that really should not be a mystery anymore. The biggest so-called mystery is about the very beloved soul, Jesus the son of Mary (pbh), the son of man himself!
He, like Paul, has presented a real huge problem to those who would like to twist things to their own carnal interpretations. As it turns out, it is very peculiar to state that Jesus (pbh) in a certain way is like Paul.
Both of those individuals brought controversy in their missionary journeys. Both have been loved and hated, both have definitely been misunderstood by quite a few worshipers and both of these men have been quoted out of context to prove, what in reality turned out to be corruption: Jesus as more than a man and Paul as developing a new religion.
If Jesus (pbh) was only a man, which he was, then he must show by example as all prophets did. This will be especially true if one considers him to be a SIGN given to humankind (the world). And being human, he cannot claim supernatural favors given to him just from the luck-of-the-draw type of action but must conform to being a real human being sent by his LORD on a vital mission of truth.
You {O man} shall surely travel from stage to stage (in this life and the Hereafter) Quran (84:19).
This thought is verified from various hadiths concerning certain stages one goes through up to and including the Last Day of Judgment. We can also see some of these ‘physical stages’ in the growth of the child and as to the ‘spiritual awakenings’ there are mentions of this also. So, in reality, life turns out not to be a sprint but a marathon and a somewhat complicated and a misunderstood one at that!
Interpretation or teaching of such is critical especially when thinking outside the norm of everyday, practical, life experiences like brushing one’s teeth or eating food.
As the Quran says: Say: “Everyone acts according to his own disposition {whispering secret agenda} but your LORD (WHO is the Real GOD) knows best who it is that is best on the WAY {correct pathway}.” Q (17: 84)
When dispensing knowledge, either the hypothetical kind or the practical kind, it is always helpful to keep in mind what the Quran says about ‘bring forth your proof/evidence, if you are telling the truth’! If it is of a religious type of evidence it should be somehow reflected in the Abrahamic Faiths due to the ONE GOD, ONE TRUTH concept as is described in the Glorious Quran!
We give the prophets their due out of respect for the office of prophethood because they deserve it. These are the humans that suffered the most in front of mankind and their stories show several traits that can be hopefully agreed upon!
- They suffered the most amongst mankind due to their message that many found unpopular.
- They were specially chosen by the ‘Hand of GOD’ and not elected to that office by mankind.
- They were born with good characteristics and toiled basically in obscurity until at some point in their lives they became one of the chosen ones. In other words, they did not seek out the office of prophethood but it came upon them at some point in time as they ‘matured into the role’.
- They had normal lives basically because they were normal people.
- They all struggled in the cause of Faith to bring back an awareness to worship the ONE WHO created them while being harmed by their own peoples.
The above description fits all the prophets except one! How can that possibly be!!!
There are, in truth, no exceptions to the above! And that can be achieved only when someone (who we might think as an exception – Jesus) is not really an exception but is put forth as a SIGN unto man about what mankind could become IF and only IF he would straighten up his soul and bow down his will to his CREATOR LORD.
And for that we need a leading example or SIGN; a volunteer as it were to set forth an example to the human race concerning The WAY as to owing one’s allegiance to one’s CREATOR and to be that principal or chief witness amongst mankind and not just a tiny, small fraction of mankind!
So, in truth, as Muhammad (pbh) is THAT PROPHET to all of mankind, Jesus (pbh) is that SIGN and special priest (after the order of Melchizedek) to all of mankind and being buried in proximity to one another in Medina in the future and raising up together for the Judgment has definite and intrinsic meaning for those who understand and as a witness against what men used to do!
ALLAH will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you {ever} say unto mankind {in general}, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of ALLAH’?” He will say: “Glory to YOU! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, you would indeed have known it. YOU know {in full} what is in my heart though I do not know what is in YOUR HEART. For YOU KNOW IN FULL ALL THAT IS HIDDEN”. Quran (5:116)
People, who are nearsighted, may claim that the exception to humanity is Jesus the son of Mary (pbh) who did represent in a spiritual way SALVATION to us. But that is not true, as there are no real exceptions to the nature of being human and a prophet.
AND THAT WAY WAS TO BOW DOWN AND BEND ONE’S WILL TO THE CREATOR LORD AS A CHOSEN WAY OF APPROACH BY GOD’s WILL, WHICH BECAME THE WAY OF LIFE TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE FUTURE KINGDOM TO BE GIVEN ON EARTH TO HIM THAT CONQUERED AND THOSE WHO BELIEVED AND THAT WAY TO BE INSTITUTED IS KNOWN AS ISLAM!
How can one rejoice in GOD’s WILL and then cover up the page declaring HIS WILL! That is, hide HIS CHOICE OF PATHWAY FROM THE PEOPLE? It became easy for those types of people as they plotted and planned to keep the treasure for themselves but lo and behold! GOD rips up their plots and shreds their selfish designs so that they may either repent (given a chance to enter into truths door or cultivate their own future torment)!
Jesus (pbh) being a normal man is under the constraints of being and living a normal way of life. And when one is put in a position to climb up a ladder to reach a certain goal, one climbs one step at a time and not by leaps and bounds. This being the case, a person is rewarded for a job well done and if his trajectory is that of a certain class (prophethood), then he should be rewarded as he progresses through the tangles of life.
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)
So, being born a prophet, being born as in a Virgin Birth, being able to speak intelligently at birth (Quran 3:46), having a host of Angels protecting him from ‘slipping out of perfection’ and being hurt by his peoples (the Jews) (Psalms 91: 105-115; ), being protected from harm against his co-religionist people (basically the Pharisees – Quran (5:110), Matthew (26:53) and performing a job lasting roughly only 3 small, short years as compared to other prophets and yet obtaining the mighty and splendorous level of being the Messiah or Holy Priest like unto the order of Melchizedeck (while being able to raise up from the world with body and soul while maintaining complete humanity is in reality just a SIGN to mankind of the grandeur that awaits the future inhabitants of Paradise (first the temporal paradise in this world and then that which is the ETERNAL PARADISE in the Hereafter.
He {Jesus} said: “I am indeed a servant of ALLAH: HE has given me revelation and made me a prophet.” Quran (19:30)
“He {Jesus} shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.” Quran (3:46)
O Mary! ALLAH gives thee 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)
And if this man were truly a SIGN to mankind, he should show man, by example, how to function towards GOD and towards his fellow man.
And if this man were a SIGN to the human race, which he definitely is, he should not be a limited individual lasting only 33 years on this Earth with only 3 limited years of productive, proactive teachings. Otherwise, it makes no sense to take him as a SIGN or to have him being presented in front of the human population and asked whether he told people to worship him and his mother as gods as opposed to the correct way of worship which is the worshiping of the ONE GOD ONLY!
The hadiths do present some help in this area as the various Ummahs or groups that the prophets came to, will be under scrutiny as to whether their records show a compliance to following that prophet’s commands or not. But when Jesus (pbh) is held up to all of mankind, he must have a relationship to them in some fashion or else it would be a waste of time to present a stranger to the various groups that are being questioned as to what they used to do.
All of this is done to show that the Quran in its ‘basic way of understanding’, whether one goes deep into it or not, is TOTALLY 100% ACCURATE! That being the case, if one can grasp its essential basic message with sincerity, and strives to accommodate the belief that there is no god but ALLAH and Muhammad is HIS Prophet has taken a goodly step towards true SALVATION!
This most beloved soul, this man of the flesh has been elevated by THE ONE GOD to a rank of the highest group of superior men both spiritually in the Heavens and physically as being a renowned prophet.
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)
That is all that needs to be known in a ‘bare bones approach’ to understanding faith. However, relieving the ‘stone of hindrance’ from one’s brother (fellow man) is credited as something that is praiseworthy.
So, if a stone is removed from the pathway according a hadith, one gets a reward from GOD! Yet some people would declare this a bad idea because a person should ‘mind his own business’ as it were.
So, if a person were starving would it then be righteous, if one could help, to let him die? After all, what business does the starving one have to do with us?
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said: ALLAH (Mighty and Sublime is HE) will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited ME not. He will say: O LORD, and how should I visit YOU when YOU are the LORD of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that MY servant so-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found ME with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed ME not. He will say: O LORD, and how should I feed YOU when YOU are the LORD of the worlds? HE will say: Did you not know that MY servant so-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with ME? O son of Adam, I asked you to give ME to drink and you gave ME not to drink. He will say: O LORD, how should I give YOU to drink when YOU are the LORD of the worlds? HE will say: MY servant so-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with ME. (Muslim)
Like with Paul, the object or bone of contention for the three Abrahamic Faiths is what to do with this man of Nazareth called Jesus the son of Mary? The bare bones approach is quite simple. This man was indeed a true prophet from the ONE GOD. Hence, it is imperative to respect him, treat him with honor and obey what he brought (at that time) and to follow his dictates including his prophecy of another Prophet (Muhammad) to come after him!
But man’s proclivity is to ‘taint the pure waters’ and bend things to his own advantage. Whether it be changing the original day for worship or slightly altering texts to ‘gain an advantage’ or remove a sticking point, man does so for the purpose of control.
A selfish control over others for some type of worldly gain which the wise know will only turn to dust! And this selfish control will only lead to man’s torment on the Last Day of Judgment.
But even so, a balanced and well thought out argument, provided that proofs are brought forth, does help to clarify matters to those ‘open’ for clarification. Private feelings like the private feeling that the Moon is made of green cheese is selfish and self-defeating and provides no thoughtful answers to the serious student.
Rational people bring forth rational thoughts and in this way people can be allowed to see the bigger scope of things. So, presenting one’s particular viewpoint should be built upon concrete evidence and not personal desires!
Humans have the right to be wrong but they also have a moral responsibility to their own souls. The body eventually goes, for it is only a temporary shelter but the soul remains and this is what is judged!
The Christ’s soul and the Davidic connection:
But you, O Bethlehem EPH′RATHAH, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for ME {THE ONE GOD} one who is to be RULER in Israel {that is Ruler over the Believing Folk when he returns for ‘his own’}, WHOSE ORIGIN IS FROM OLD {meaning ancient times}, from ancient days. Micah (5:2)
The similitude of Jesus before ALLAH is as that of Adam; HE created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”. And he was. Quran (3:59)
Curses were pronounced on those among the Children of Israel who rejected Faith, by the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary: because they disobeyed and persisted in excesses. Quran (5:78)
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a Righteous Branch, and he will reign wisely as a king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.
In his days, Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely. And this is his name by which he will be called: the lord (meaning master/teacher) our {of} Righteousness. Jeremiah (23:5-6)
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever {in the Paradise in the Heavens}. The zeal of the LORD of hosts {THE ONE GOD} will perform this {be THE ONE to make this happen}. Isaiah (9:7)
The words ‘even forever’ does not mean forever on this planet because people will have to be raised up for the Judgment to come. The meaning implies the forever in the Heavens.
“When your days are fulfilled {O David} and you rest with your fathers {the peaceful rest in the grave}, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his {Christ’s} kingdom {on Earth}.
He shall build a house for MY name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be his FATHER, and he shall be MY son {group meaning the united group of believersfurther meaning those who will be saved and here, wrongfully called the ‘sons’ of GOD as it is alluded to in the Old Testament}. If he {the believer} commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men {to hold him to the straight pathway}. ({Added to this thought to make things clear: But when we {the real and true believers} are judged {punished} by the LORD, we are being disciplined so that we will NOT be condemned with the world {worldly disbelievers}. 1Corinthins (11:32)}) 2 Samuel (7:12-14)
And we know that GOD works all things together for the good of those who {truly} love HIM, who are called according to HIS purpose {PLAN}.
For those GOD Foreknew, HE also predestined to be conformed to the image of HIS son{chosen servant – the Messiah as to being sons of Adam}, so that he {the Christ-soul}would be the firstborn among many brothers {and thus become that SIGN to mankind}. Romans (8:28-29)
Abu Hurairah said that the Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said: “When ALLAH created Adam HE wiped his back and every person that HE created among his offspring until the Day of Resurrection fell out of his back. HE placed a ray of light between the eyes of every person. Then HE showed them to Adam and he (Adam) said: ‘O LORD! Who are these people?’ HE said: ‘These are your offspring.’ He (Adam) saw one of them whose ray between his eyes amazed him, so he (Adam) said: ‘O LORD! Who is this?’ HE said: ‘This is a man from the latter nations of your offspring called Dawud {David}.’ He (Adam) said: ‘LORD! How long did YOU make his lifespan?’ HE said: ‘Sixty years.’ He (Adam) said: ‘O LORD! Add forty years from my life to his.’ So at the end of Adam’s life, the Angel of death came to him, and he (Adam) said: ‘Do I not have forty years remaining?’ He (the Angel of death) said: ‘Did you not give them to your son Dawud {David}?'” He (the Messenger of ALLAH) said: “Adam denied, so his offspring denied, and Adam forgot and his offspring forgot, and Adam sinned, so his offspring sinned.” (Jami’at-Tirmidhi)
The similitude of Jesus before ALLAH is as that of Adam; HE created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”. And he was. Quran (3:59)
And if we are children {of Faith meaning true believers}, then we are heirs {to Paradise}: heirs of GOD and co-heirs with Christ – if indeed we suffer with him {follow his patient ways in bending our will to GOD’s WILL}, so that we may also be glorified with him. Romans (8:17)
{In My FATHER’s house are many mansions {levels of excellence}; if it were not so, I would have told you. {So now,} I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come AGAIN and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may {eventually} be also. John (14:2-3)}
Of the increase of his government {Christ’s governmental reign on Earth} and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever {when these saved souls pass the test of Judgment}. The zeal of the LORD of hosts {GOD} will perform this {and do this according to HIS DESIRE such that Islam will be the chosen WAY for this kingdom}. Isaiah (9:7)
And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark (10:47)
And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
After this I {Jesus} will return {as king of this earthly realm} and rebuild the fallen tent of David {because they have turned away from true Faith and now I have brought it back with ALLAH’s Permission}. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it. Acts (15:15-16)
Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem {O Bethlehem EPH′RATHAH}, where David was?” John (7:42)
But you, O Bethlehem EPH′RATHAH, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for ME {THE ONE GOD} one who is to be RULER in Israel {that is Ruler over the Believing Folk when he returns for ‘his own’}, WHOSE ORIGIN IS FROM OLD {meaning ancient times}, from ancient days. Micah (5:2)
He will be great, and will be called the Son {Chief Servant in his kingdom, for we all are servants of the MOST HIGH} of the HIGHEST; and the LORD GOD will give him the throne of his father David.
And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom {in the heavens – Paradise} there will be no end.” Luke (1:32-33)
Or do you think that I {Jesus} cannot now pray to my FATHER, and HE will provide me with more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew (26:53)
For HE {GOD} shall give HIS angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways {without sin and on point for that which you came}.
In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone {commit a sin for he must remain perfect to be that Messiah}.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
“Because he has set his love upon ME {to be strictly obedient to ME}, 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; I will deliver him and honor him {by raising him up to be of those closest to MY THRONE} {Quran (3:45)}.
With long life I will satisfy him, and show him MY salvation.” Psalm (91:10-16)
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. John (21:25)
A justifiable form of hyperbole (paying tribute to the man Jesus) from one of the followers of Jesus (pbh) puts things into a proper perspective as to the labors of that soul. This verse, without going into a depth of explanation, sort of ‘rounds out’ the feeling (in a teaching mode) that there is more to that man Jesus than meets the eye!
Still, like handling firearms, tragedies can be avoided when using the proper caution and intelligence. That is one of the big reasons why Prophet Muhammad (pbh) wisely said as narrated by ‘Umar bin al-Khattab: “I heard the Prophet (pbh) saying, “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of ALLAH and HIS Apostle.” (Bukhari)
And that is a lesson to learn:
Anas b. Malik stated that the Messenger of ALLAH said:
None of you is {truly} a believer {that is that his desire should be upright to follow Islam as best as he is able} until I am dearer to him than his child, his father, and the whole of mankind {and this includes Jesus the son of Mary who will lead by example on his return even unto following the SUNNAH OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (pbh)}. (Muslim)
