Some scholars use the circumcision topic to dis a certain Paul of Tarsus thinking that this issue will disqualify him from being a truthful person. The advice I would give is to check your own house before casting stones!
We begin with Dr. Yasir Qadhi’s story about a pagan who declared his belief in Islam and the Prophet (pbh) during a period whereby the fledgling group of Muslims were engaged in a war with the polytheists. This former pagan declared his belief after Fajr prayer (Morning Prayer) had already finished and went into battle immediately and was martyred. All this believer did was to pronounce his belief in the ONE GOD and that Muhammad was HIS Prophet.
He died a martyr but he never fasted, prayed or did the ritual washing. As always, his fate rests with ALLAH but it was his intention that counted and the realistic case and times that he was put under.
Now according to some strange logic, a few people might argue that because this martyr didn’t pray or take a bath first, he can’t get into Paradise. That, in truth, is stuff and nonsense!
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of ALLAH (pbh) said, “Verily, deeds are only with intentions and every person will have only what they intended. Whoever emigrated to ALLAH and HIS Messenger, his emigration is for ALLAH and HIS Messenger. Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, his emigration is for that to which he emigrated.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
So, in a balanced universe, one can apply this logic to Paul and the circumcision. The story goes (found in the Acts of the New Testament) that certain Jews from Jerusalem (supposedly sent by and approved by the brain trust of the fledgling Judeo-Christian Community – mainly James the half-brother of Jesus) made circumcision tantamount to becoming a believer.
That would mean that the belief in the ONE GOD would be secondary! Paul was against this and stated that Abraham (pbh) was chosen by GOD before he got circumcised by intent and then he later did the deed! The priority here being that belief in the ONE GOD with no partners and then doing what needs to be done to ‘fit the bill’ as it were would be the logical choice.
Well, the saying went forth that Paul was against the circumcision, which in truth according to Acts, he was not. It was just an act of setting priorities and the first priority is not to turn people away who have it in their hearts to move away from paganism and move into the realm of true belief (each one according to their stature). That is, in matters of Faith, some will reach the size of an ant and some will grow to be as big as elephants – spiritual-wise.
In the New Testament we can find that Paul exposes that people follow the traditions handed down by the Jewish community or the practioners who followed Jesus (pbh) but with any ‘growing child’ that must be done wisely and in stages so as to make the religion easy but with the idea of making it not only easy and understandable but complete!
Failure to do this will lead to what could be called a ‘heartless, ridged religion’ based solely on laws with Grace and Mercy from ALLAH being secondary or probably overlooked. This type of philosophy is like the all or nothing school of belief and has a tendency of rejecting ALLAH’s Mercy, man’s real inner desire as well as his capabilities (some humans are born blind while others are not) and human intentions as to growth in that dynamic sphere called religion.
Now, some people are going to bicker about being on the short end of the stick and this will cause a lot of resentment amongst so-called ‘brothers in faith’ such that through jealousy and hardheartedness, certain people will become believers on the outside but disbelievers on the inside!
Abdullah reported ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) as saying: Ruined were those who indulged in hair-splitting. He (the Holy Prophet) repeated this thrice. (Muslim)
The writer of the Acts, concerning Paul, found in the New Testament is a historian who was writing in the later part of the first century and did not have the niceties of traveling around by plane or helicopter. In fact Paul had died a few decades before this historical writing attempt by Luke.
Hence, when he arrived at his areas of research concerning Paul, he had some firsthand accounts as well as secondary or tertiary accounts due to the deaths (natural or otherwise) of the primary participants with Paul. Therefore, some of his historical accounts might be slightly off the beam as it were.
Not only that but this writer had claimed to be a part-time companion of Paul lasting a period of about 16 months over an extended period of 15 or so years. So, he was prejudicial to Paul to some extent and nearly half of his written work called Acts concerns Pauline development on spreading the good Word concerning the immergence of the true Messiah!
Nowhere in Acts do we find that Paul is a secret disbeliever or troublemaker to the truth! And if Paul was a ‘snake-in-the-grass’, our poor writer of Acts would be a traitor also to the truth for in fact he did know Paul!
If indeed he also wrote the Gospel of Luke, which does show the non-crucifixion story (when read correctly), he would have to be classified as a Schizophrenic clown! Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder by which people interpret reality abnormally. In other words, they see the world completely differently than a ‘normal person’.
However, in all of my writings, I hope I have been consistent in showing that there is a type of harmony (not total 100% accuracy) found in these documents of the New Testament which, when read correctly, show the fundamental beliefs of Islam!
Hence, this fulfills the concepts shown in the Quran such that certain verses like Quranic passages (2:62), (2:136), (2:55), (4:136), (6:59) give a more sustained reality when read and interpreted correctly!
Some Good Things from Paul about Our Times
Taking out the forgeries by the known forger Marcion concerning some of Paul’s letters, we still won’t have a ‘pure Pauline’ doctrine. In other words we can’t know that every word found in the so-called Pauline writings is totally correct. Yet that should not pose a big problem. For example, some may choose to substitute the word ‘master or teacher’ for the word which he supposedly used which was ‘lord’.
Others may use logic to decide why Paul is left unscathed by Luke, Titus, and John the Presbyter amongst others a few decades after his passing. But others will find some fault from him even if they refuse to find any fault in themselves.
Whatever the case, Paul does prove to be a very dynamic and hardworking individual possessed by a spirit of duty or else he would not have undergone such hardships. And his supposed ability to plan ahead as in destroying Jesus’ teachings would be an astronomical longshot considering that the Jerusalem base for propagating the true faith was still intact before he died!
As to Paul’s words, written not by Paul but one of his followers which reflects what is happening in this world today amongst those who declare FAITH:
Now the Spirit {that gives inspiration} expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons. 1Timothy (4:1)
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. 1Timothy (4:3) {birds of a feather will flock together whether it is in religion or politics}.
Say: “Everyone acts according to his own disposition {whispering secret agenda} but your LORD (The Real GOD) knows best who it is that is best on the WAY {correct pathway}.” Q (17: 84)
But understand this: in the last days terrible times will come.
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy. 2 Timothy (3:1-2)
Unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good,
Traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of GOD. 2 Timothy (3:3-4)
Who are always learning {something worldly} but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth {as in I’m not interested in that ‘stuff’ especially when I have a cellphone to keep me entertained and friends to mess around with in useless pursuits}.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men {of contrary faith}oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith. 2 Timothy (3:7-8)
When they {the Apostles} said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.” Jude (1:18). (Jude is a half-brother of Jesus (pbh) who died around 65/66 CE around the time of Paul’s execution but many, many miles apart).
And then the lawless one {the Anti-christ} will be revealed, whom the lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth {mostly the lawless traitors who are aligned with this cancerous human called the Anti-christ} and annihilate by the majesty of his arrival {the Second Coming of Christ Jesus the son of Mary who will show the blood of the Anti-christ on his spear when he kills that depraved individual – hadith}. 2 Thessalonians (2:8)
What we get in these letters to Timothy from Paul is exactly what is happening in today’s world from various groups of really sad human beings and tragically also amongst the youth who complain that religion is a philosophical form of bunco whereas video games is where it’s at!
But take a look at 2 Thessalonians (2:8). The ‘whom the lord {meaning master} Jesus ‘will kill with the breath of his mouth’ is exactly what Prophet Muhammad (pbh) described and found in hadith material mainly Sahih Muslim.
That is that Jesus (pbh) will be able to kill with his breath as far as his eye can see. See hadith below. Or one can use the expression that a ‘sword will come out of his mouth’ as used in the Book of Revelation because as is often said, “A rose by any other name smells just as sweet.”
An-Nawwas b. Sam`an reported that ALLAH’s Messenger (pbh) made a mention of the Dajjal {Anti-christ} one day in the morning. He (pbh) sometimes described him to be insignificant and sometimes described (his turmoil) as very significant (and we felt) as if he were in the cluster of the date-palm trees. When we went to him (to the Holy Prophet) in the evening and he read (the signs of fear) in our faces, he (pbh) said:
What is the matter with you? We said: ALLAH’s Messenger, you made a mention of the Dajjal in the morning (sometimes describing him) to be insignificant and sometimes very important, until we began to think as if he were present in some (near) part of the cluster of the date-palm trees. Thereupon he (pbh) said: I harbor fear in regard to you in so many other things besides the Dajjal. If he comes forth while I am among you, I shall contend with him on your behalf, but if he comes forth while I am not amongst you, a man must contend on his own behalf and ALLAH would take care of every Muslim on my behalf (and safeguard him against his evil). He (Dajjal) would be a young man with twisted, contracted hair, and a blind eye. I compare him to `Abd-ul-`Uzza b. Qatan. He who amongst you would survive to see him should recite over him the opening verses of Sura Kahf (Chapter 18). He would appear on the way between Syria and Iraq and would spread mischief right and left. O servant of ALLAH! Adhere (to the path of Truth). We said: ALLAH’s Messenger, how long would he stay on the earth? He (pbh) said: For forty days, one day like a year and one day like a month and one day like a week and the rest of the days would be like your days. We said: ALLAH’s Messenger, would one day’s prayer suffice for the prayers of day equal to one year? Thereupon he (pbh) said: No, but you must make an estimate of time (and then observe prayer). We said: ALLAH’s Messenger, how quickly would he walk upon the earth? Thereupon he (pbh) said: Like cloud driven by the wind. He would come to the people and invite them (to a wrong religion) and they would affirm their faith in him and respond to him. He would then give command to the sky and there would be rainfall upon the earth and it would grow crops. Then in the evening, their pasturing animals would come to them with their humps very high and their udders full of milk and their flanks stretched. He would then come to another people and invite them. But they would reject him and he would go away from them and there would be drought for them and nothing would be left with them in the form of wealth. He would then walk through the waste land and say to it: Bring forth your treasures, and the treasures would come out and collect (themselves) before him like the swarm of bees. He would then call a person brimming with youth and strike him with the sword and cut him into two pieces and (make these pieces lie at a distance which is generally) between the archer and his target {at this time this evil man will be outside of Medina a city which he will not be allowed to enter}. He would then call (that young man) and he will come forward laughing with his face gleaming (with happiness) and it would be at this very time that ALLAH would send Jesus, son of Mary, and he will descend at the white minaret in the eastern side of Damascus wearing two garments lightly dyed with saffron and placing his hands on the wings of two Angels. When he would lower his head, there would fall beads of perspiration from his head, and when he would raise it up, beads like pearls would scatter from it. Every non-believer who would smell the odor of his {Jesus’} self {breath} would die and his breath would reach as far as he would be able to see. He would then search for him (Dajjal) until he would catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd and would kill him… (Muslim)
All this exercise does is to show that there is quite a deal of connectivity between true religions and this sentiment is promoted in the Glorious Quran when studied correctly. It also should help to suggest that although Paul is not perfect, he does provide evidence of ‘one who is true in faith’ rather than one who secretly tried to undermine the teachings of Jesus (pbh).
Paul does give a kind of ‘hurried atmosphere’ to his desire for rounding up souls to be delivered as true worshipers in what would be called a Ummah for Jesus’ own but that would be a small Ummah as he possibly senses a kind of collapse will happen in the ‘near future’ to the original teachings of Jesus (pbh) and what he gave emphasis to.
Each and every prophet does have an Ummah {his group} and even one prophet will have zero people for an Ummah basically because no one would believe in what he brought (reported in a hadith). We don’t know when that near future would be but the getting in of ‘pure souls’ or souls of the highest achievement seems to be a nearly non-starter sometime after the first century or century and a half.
History paints a rather confused, argumentative type of Christian history sometime after the second century starts (basically Gnostics vs the philosopher-types) but the exact time is with GOD and not man.
However, certainly with the start of the Constantine experience, Christianity was a broken ideology which does not mean that it became useless. It means that its ‘pure time’ came and went and would not be refreshed again until the prophesied coming of Prophet Muhammad (pbh):
And remember Jesus the son of Mary said; “O children of Israel! I am the Messenger of ALLAH (sent) to you confirming the Taurat {Old Testament} (which came) before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be AHMAD (Muhammad), but when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said: “This is evident sorcery!” Quran (61:6)
In conclusion, those who chose to believe in tales of the ancients can follow their own lusts but those who chose to believe in the certainty of True Faith have at their disposal a rope that never breaks!
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in ALLAH has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And ALLAH Hears and Knows all things. Quran (2:256)
