Once again, the symbols { } are used to bring a clearer Interpretation.
The purpose of this writing is to provide a consistency of interpretation from across cultures and religions that hopefully explains some of the dynamics of religious concepts which are extremely difficult to grasp.
Not that any of these things are essential for gaining SALVATION but freeing up the understanding of some things is one way by which some may be awakened to a more spiritual awareness and reality that can lead to a change of heart or a NEW AWAKENING of REALITY.
The flip side of this is also valid and that can be compared to a drinking party riding in a car at night at unnecessarily high speed on a road that has a sign signaling SLOW, DANGEROUS CURVE AHEAD but the car doesn’t slow down but rather speeds up for the thrill of the passengers. The end result will not be a happy one.
Politically speaking, Evangelical Christians have a great amount of impact on America’s Middle East policy, especially in dealing with Israel. These people are a classic example of those who follow corruption and are pleased by it resulting in being blind and deaf to truthful realities.
These Evangelicals, are driven by perverse philosophies and due to a large voting bloc, get a government to support a foreign policy based on their unsubstantiated, unethical and unsustainable theories. The result of these lies is that innocent people get hurt and a curse is put on the deceivers such that what is unjust and unholy becomes in their minds just and holy.
In desiring (their type of) Jesus (pbh) to return, they want the Jews to return to Israel so that they can rebuild their Temple with the help from the Evangelicals of course. Then, the Jews will, according to their fanciful theories accept the Christ as their lord, god and savior. Upon doing this the ‘End Times’ will be activated and the so-called believers will leave the Earth to its evil fate.
So the establishment of a country called Israel was evidence for these people that it’s the beginning of the end, and keeping a Jewish Israel safe and protected is vital for the fulfillment of their philosophical notions.
As to opening the mind to this and other issues, when one takes a closer, more refined look, into John (16:13), it provides the seeker with a clear cut victory in discussing the validity and truthful nature of Islam as the CHOSEN WAY FORWARD as DECLARED BY THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE!
There can be debates about that issue but to a person with ‘normal’ intelligence and an OPEN heart to GOD CONCIOUSNESS, there can be no doubt that the person talked about in John (16:13) is Prophet Muhammad (pbh).
Yet there is no compulsion in religion and a person, no matter how intelligent he or she may be, cannot get past their ‘station’. Or as people have crudely put it in the past, ‘You can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear’! So, go and find the silk and make the purse!
People have to learn to bring THEIR EVIDENCE TO BACK UP THEIR TALK AND NOT JUST THEIR MOSTLY FANCIFUL AND SECRET DESIRES UPON THE TOPIC. It comes down to NOT what people want but what actually IS the truth!
Whether it concerns abortion as in when does the fetus receive the soul and become fully human to topics like UFOs or the Anti-christ, the individual gets the straight truth/condition/deal from Islam because as is written in John’s Gospel: the seeker will get instruction into ALL THE TRUTH pertaining to the importance of a correct lifestyle and beliefs of worship.
This idea does not depend upon any of man’s desires or wishes. It is a statement of fact reinforced again and again within the Holy Works – if understood, cherished and reported correctly. Of course man has to use his GOD-given intelligence and a serious intent to seek out and uphold the truth on any matter rather than playing games.
However, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will GUIDE {as in instruction} you into ALL TRUTH: for he shall NOT speak of himself {on his own authority}; but whatsoever he shall hear {from on HIGH}, that shall he speak: and he will show you things {that will take place in the future as all high prophets do} to come. John (16:13)
Some people are astounded that Islam is more than just wearing a thobe and having some different beliefs that might sound ‘foreign’. WHY would ‘our’ GOD send another prophet after ‘our’ guy/lord has come? Or more appropriately, WHY would our GOD do that to us?
The true belief in any religion is the belief in GOD’s WAY (purpose, plan and desire) and not our personal wants and desires. And because of this, some people may feel offended or inadequate or even put-off by thinking that they are something less than adequate if they were to follow something else besides what they were accustomed to doing.
Islam can handle any topic and UFOs is no exception. The US Government has just about concluded that UFOs exist but that is about the end of it. Whatever these things are they seem to have been with us (the human race) for millennia according to some responsible research.
Ibn Abbas ‘supposedly’ said concerning the verse of the 7 heavens and Earths, “If I explain this verse to you, it will {be made to} feel absurd to you. And you will think of it as a lie.” He also was reputed to have said: “How can I be sure that you won’t deny the extraordinary explanation of this verse {if I give it to you}?”
Ibn ‘Abbas was once reportedly asked about the verse Q (65: 12), “It is ALLAH who has created seven heavens and of the Earth, the like of them.” He replied, “Seven Earths: In every Earth is a prophet like your Prophet, an Adam like your Adam, a Noah like your Noah, an Abraham like your Abraham and a Jesus like your Jesus” (Al-Durr Al-Manthur in the Tafseer Bil-Ma’thur by Imam Suyuti who adhered to the Sunni- Shafi’i madhhab or school of thought). The soundness or correctness of the above declaration may or may not be in doubt.
If one takes the assumption that UFOs have been around the human race for millennia, then one must face an important point! In these long years, when the human race engaged in various wars, practiced tyranny against their fellowman and was ravished by natural disasters altogether killing hundreds and hundreds of millions of people, where and what did these ‘things’ do to elevate or alleviate the human race? The answer is NOTHING!
So here is some sound Islamic advice as one looks into the situation and to the future on this planet or plane of existence:
Qatadah said: “ALLAH created these stars for three purposes: to adorn the heavens, to stone the devils and as signs by which to navigate. Whoever seeks ANYTHING ELSE in them is mistaken and does not benefit from them, and he is WASTING HIS TIME AND EFFORT in seeking something (about) which he has no {adequate} knowledge.” (Bukhari)
How many souls, since the creation of souls, are there in this or any level of universe that we can talk about? Is it 100 billion, 400 billion, 700 billion or more? That knowledge is with ALLAH ALONE. Think about that!
What is needed is to take care of one’s self as pertaining to one’s own salvation (the ultimate goal) in following the correct teachings by using the correct ‘tool’ to fine-tune one’s religious beliefs and practices – as can be realistically/credibly achieved in one’s own sphere of existence!!!
That should cause us to reflect not on past horrors or the future possibilities so much but rather the present time. Why? The past is murky to say the least and is gone, written about and packed away. The future hasn’t yet arrived so it is not concrete. The present is here and can be used to do something constructive.
It is like the saying, ‘Charity starts at home first’! That doesn’t mean one can’t think. It just means that one should be cognizant of what is around one and what one can realistically and actually accomplish.
A tradition of Ubayy-bin Ka’b – All of mankind was assembled in {to} separate groups giving them {the separate groups} the understanding that they were to be made vicegerents on {their} Earth while imparting their wisdom and understanding, i.e. granting them power such that each individual (would be) completely and fully responsible for his own actions.
That means that no individual can absolve him or herself from the responsibility of deviation from ALLAH’s WAY no matter where they may be. Therefore, it became man‘s duty, if he so chose to make it, to make use of all of his facilities of the gifts given to them to discern truth from error in their respective journeys (stages) through life-giving experiences.
When we look at the above hadith with the saying of Ibn ‘Abbas above, we might be able to follow that ‘our’ adam belonged to a particular group that includes us. What was his name back then? ALLAH ALONE knows for sure but IF it was that essential to know, we would have been told it.
With this understanding, one can hopefully comprehend that in the search for a comprehensive truth (from the Spirit of truth) one should go to the sources and weigh and compare them with each other and try and leave the personal egos at home.
This would be like ‘testing the waters’ or seeking out wisdom as was directed by Prophet Muhammad (pbh). For our times, we should be concerned basically with the Abrahamic Faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam in a Comparative Religious quest.
Their (the Abrahamic Faiths) claim to be ‘pillars of truth’ coming from the SAME SOURCE (GOD) and this should render them similar and amicable to each other’s worth – in theory. It will be found by honest and honorable searchers that this is so but it is man who takes the dishonor of being corrupters of the scriptures either:
- Through forgeries (changing vowels/consonants – key letters) in words or
- Through subtracting or adding words not found in the original) or
- Through mistaken concepts (dogma) taught and fostered by a corrupt priest-class/leadership and followed by a careless people who are happy in general in that particular concept laid down by the corrupters, for example as is found in Q (9:31) found below.
These three instances of corruption have been mentioned in the Quran!!! That to a Muslim says it all!
They take their priests and their anchorites {religious guides/leaders} to be their lords {guiding lights} in derogation of ALLAH {WHOM they should really follow and worship}, and (they take as their LORD) Christ the son of Mary; yet they were commanded to worship but One {GOD} ALLAH: there is no god but HE. Praise and glory to HIM: (Far is HE) from having the partners they associate (with HIM). Quran (9:31)
What is Bid’ah? Bid’ah is the heinous act of introducing a belief/practice system into Islam (or any religion) which is intended to replace the structure/commandments laid down by the founder of that particular faith, in the case of Islam the holy Prophet Muhammad (pbh).
In Islam, Bid’ah has nothing to do with tolerance because it leads to actions CONTRARY to Islamic foundations laid down by the Quran, authenticated hadith material and the practices that were practiced or allowed by the four Righteous Caliphs of Islam.
The idea of Bid’ah does NOT stifle creative thinking/opinions, research or even discussions. Bid’ah is usually used by the unscrupulous to further enhance a practice of belief systems that were NOT practiced before. For example, the use of an amulet like a so-called holy stone to enhance or keep in remembrance about something in one’s prayer as some claimant Muslims do.
Or one can find great spiritual treasures when ‘visiting’ a place deemed ‘holy’ by certain sects of Muslims. These things lead to practices contrary to pure Islamic worship and therefore, the society as a whole gets poisoned by these phony rituals/desires.
Truth, which is higher than just blind faith, must be long sought for and it too has its parameters. However the case may be, people who have spent no particular care with being insightful have dwelled upon the case of, for example, the Anti-christ and have come up with what appears to them as marvelous solutions.
The identity of the Anti-christ has become almost a cottage industry among some Christian Evangelical groups. Among some of the people who have held this ‘honor’ at various times are the following. Saint Paul, Emperor Nero, Rasputin, any number of popes, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Nelson Mandela, Charles Prince of Wales, the Secretary General of the United Nations, the European Union, Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and various Presidents of the United States.
So far, in this silliness, Elvis Presley and the great symbol of Western freedom – Mickey Mouse – have not yet come under the gun. Hopefully they won’t feel too sad about being left out of the party honors paid to the above partial list of candidates. This kind of speculation is far-fetched and also ruinous because it dwells on little and becomes even less while diluting the pathway of actual scholarly works.
People who are interested in this topic are directed to the Tafseer by Ibn Kathir concerning the identity of the individual mentioned in the following verse of the Quran:
If it had been OUR WILL, WE should have elevated him {this character} with OUR SIGNS {and made him a great soul}; but he inclined to the earth {earthly matters – searching out earthly secrets for his own aggrandizement} and followed his own vain desires {for his own selfish reasons}. His similitude is that of a dog: if you attack him, he lolls out his tongue, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls out his tongue. That is the similitude of those who {are vain enough to} REJECT OUR SIGNS; so relate the story; perchance they may reflect. Quran (7:176)
What one is looking for is the name of that man and his doings reported in Jewish lore from several sources including a credible encyclopedia. He is, as some Jewish literature has called the one-eyed false prophet who was a contemporary of Prophet Moses (pbh).
AND ALLAH did NOT miss or forget anything in HIS QURAN AND THAT IS A FACT!!!
Let us now travel down another dark road while our lands are still intact and the minds of men can still engage in rational thought. The following story has many angles to it, depending on how far a person wants to take it.
Many of the companions of the Holy Prophet (pbh) felt that a person called Ibn Sayyad was the Anti-christ. An interesting but very weak hadith follows.
Abu Bakra reported GOD’s Messenger as saying {to some of his Companions} , “The parents of the Dajjal will wait thirty years without having any children born to them, and then a boy who will be one-eyed and have a long molar tooth and be most useless will be born to them. His eyes will sleep but his heart will not.” GOD’s Messenger then described his parents to them saying, “His father will be very tall and spare and will have a nose like a beak, and his mother will be a huge woman with long arms.” Abu Bakra said they heard of a child being born among the Jews in Medina. So, azZubair b. as-‘Awwam and he went to visit the parents and saw they were as GOD’s Messenger had described. They asked them if they had a child and they replied that they had waited thirty years without having a child born to them but now a boy had been born to them who was one-eyed, had a long molar tooth and was most useless, whose eyes slept but whose heart did not. When they went out they found him lying in the sun in a wrapper mumbling. He uncovered his head and asked what they had said, and when they asked if he had heard what they said he replied that he had, for his eyes slept but his heart did not. (Tirmidhi)
The aforementioned hadith is classified as a weak hadith. That means basically that it cannot be trusted as authentic due to one or more faults applied by the science of hadith. For example, a weak hadith may be lacking in a sound chain of transmission or it might contain within the hadith combinations of other hadiths put together in a haphazard way.
Even if a weak hadith might sound logical, its elements cannot nor should not be taken as fact. Therefore, it is best not to believe in that hadith blindly but rather to take it with the proverbial ‘grain of salt’.
On the other hand, a weak hadith is not guaranteed to be 100% defective and sometimes can be more truthful than a Sahih hadith in a few rare instances. Tirmidhi himself doesn’t classify the above hadith as being weak. He declares it as Hassan Gharib.
However, the majority of the scholars say that it is weak due to ‘only’ one narrator in a chain of narrators who is considered not dependable. In this case it is always better to put one’s trust in the CREATOR LORD while following the majority of scholars and not overly consider this hadith. ALLAH ALONE KNOWS BEST.
When a person, any person, puts forth a ‘claim’, he should be able, as the Quran states, to bring forth his evidence if he is telling the truth. The evidence becomes more fortified if that evidence can be coordinated between various scriptures and the sayings of the Prophet (pbh).
There are various levels of speculation that can be applied in religious dealings. For example, some may speculate the Sun is made of wax and lit up like a giant candle. Others may speculate that the Sun is a giant ball of various gasses due to many types of scientific evaluations. Since man has never actually been to the Sun directly, some people may think that it is useless to speculate at all.
However, mankind is not built that way and fortunately most people who are serious and well-balanced would favor the later type of ‘speculation’ rather than the former one because it is based on concrete, logical thinking and practical data rather than silly whims or superstition.
Islam is first and foremost action based on revelation from the CREATOR LORD to HIS Prophet (pbh). It is a ‘green’ type of action representing growth and development of the human being rather than a ‘dry’ action which can be represented by stagnation and rote memory only.
A dry action is likened to a ritual done for ritual sake with no thought or love or meaning attached to it. On the other hand, Islam challenges people to dwell on the nature (society, science, life) that surrounds man and see how it fits in with the grand scheme of things together with the consciousness of the Unity of the Godhead (GOD IS ONE WITH NO PARTNERS AND IN NEED OF NO HELPERS).
Even so, this pathway like all pathways is fraught with danger and narrow limits have been set so that the follower doesn’t wander all over the place and fall in a ditch by the wayside and break his neck (MEANING TO LOSE HIS FAITH).
So speculative thinking must be grounded on sound and practical occurrences that with the rightful insights can lead to a greater understanding. A greater understanding of his CREATOR LORD and his own duties and responsibilities towards HIM.
More information concerning Ibn Sayyad:
Nafi’ reported that Ibn ‘Umar met Ibn Said (Ibn Sayyad) on some of the paths of Medina and he said to him a word which enraged him and he was so much swollen with anger that the way was blocked. Ibn ‘Umar went to Hafsa (one of the wives of the Prophet) and informed her about this. Thereupon she said: May ALLAH have mercy upon you, why did you incite Ibn Sayyad in spite of the fact that you knew it would be the extreme anger which would make Dajjal appear in the world? (Muslim)
Nafi’ reported that Ibn ‘Umar said: I met Ibn Sayyad twice and said to some of them (his friends): You state that it was he (the Dajjal). He said: By ALLAH, it is not so. I said: You have not told me the truth; by ALLAH some of you informed me that he would not die until he would have the largest number of offspring and huge wealth and it is he about whom it is thought so. Then Ibn Sayyad talked to us. I then departed and met him again for the second time and his eye had been swollen. I said: What has happened to your eye? He said: I do not know. I said:
This is in your head and you do not know about it? He said: If ALLAH so wills HE can create it (eye) in your staff. He then produced a sound like the braying of a donkey. Some of my companions thought that I had struck him with the staff as he was with me that the staff broke into pieces, but, by ALLAH, I was not conscious of it. He then came to the Mother of the Faithful (Hafsa) and narrated it to her and she said: What concern {do} you have with him? Don’t you know that ALLAH’s Apostle (pbh) said that the first thing (by the incitement of which) he would come out before the public would be his anger? (Muslim)
Muhammad b. Munkadir reported: As I saw Jabir b. ‘Abdullah taking an oath in the name of ALLAH that it was Ibn Said (Ibn Sayyad) who was the Dajjal. I said: Do you {dare} take an oath in the name of ALLAH? Thereupon he said: I heard ‘Umar taking an oath in the presence of ALLAH’s Apostle (pbh) to this effect but ALLAH’s Apostle (pbh) did not disapprove of it. (Muslim)
Jabir said: The Apostle of ALLAH (pbh) said one day on the pulpit: When some people were sailing in the sea, their food was finished. An island appeared to them. They went out seeking for bread. They were met by the Jassasah (the Anti-christ’s spy). I said to Abu Salamah: What is the Jassasah? He replied: A woman trailing the hair of her skin and of her head. She said: {A man will be found} in this castle {so go and see him}. He then narrated the rest of the tradition. He asked about the palm-trees of Baisan and the spring of Zughar. He said: He is the {false} Messiah (Anti-christ). Ibn Salamah said to me: There is something more in this tradition which I could not remember. He said: Jabir testified that it is he who is Ibn Sayyad. I said: He died {at the battle of Harra but the Anti-christ will ONLY be killed by Jesus (pbh)}. He said: Let him die. I said: He accepted Islam. {Of course the real Anti-christ will never accept Islam} He said: Let him accept Islam. I said: He entered Medina {According to the Prophet, he will not be allowed to enter Medina}. He said: Let him enter Medina. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
This last hadith concerning Ibn Sayyad is an interesting one and teaches us a good lesson. It seems that even in a supposed state of death that the vile creature Ibn Sayyad could cause confusion. We are reminded that the important thing in life is to get on with the worshiping of one’s LORD (pay attention to the practices that do good) instead of wandering in one’s mind about something insignificant, fanciful or that which becomes impossible to prove under normal circumstances.
What could be more significant than the Anti-christ? That is not the point! The point is to ignore what is not in one’s hand and in leaving this, one is free to go on to more important and concrete matters than fooling around with iffy situations and wasting time on thinking about unclear matters that can’t normally be resolved and that provide NO REDEEMING VALUE.
It is NOT wrong to dwell on certain points that certain evidence might bring forth for the correction and edification of the truth. It is NOT wrong to dwell on points that give PRACTICAL insights especially to religious matters.
But it is FOOLISH to spend time on chasing down worthless things and becoming like a dog going around in circles chasing its own tail and getting nowhere while lolling out its tongue. This is especially so if the so-called knowledge provides absolutely nothing of a ‘learning value’!
So, what is the Anti-christ? For many the Anti-christ is a mixture of fiction, fantasy, a Hollywood creation or some irrelevant entity that is not well understood. In fact, to many this individual may not even be an individual at all. To some it may be an organization like the UN or a figurehead of an organization like the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church or some other flight of fantasy.
This is one of the reasons that people should bring forth their evidence if they are telling the truth. Documented evidence from across the ages and in books declared to be sacrosanct and holy do provide the best evidence in detail and scope more than fantastic notions provided by someone whose intelligence is weak or whose motives are questionable even if they were to declare themselves ‘religious’ in nature.
Anyway, knowledge, when applied and used correctly, gets people thinking and out of the ‘daily stupor’ or off the worldly wheel of how to run after wealth and power. In the end, SALVATION is the goal to which (good) men of good faith strive!
And then there is Prophet Isaiah (pbh):
The three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) have all spent time attaching themselves to his prophetic station in one form or another. There is no problem in intelligent research and the crowning virtue of this Old Testament piece of writing (the Book of Isaiah) is that it predates our current Old Testament by several centuries due to the fact of what was found in the Dead Sea Scrolls – called the Copper Scroll – the Book of Isaiah (pbh).
That finding of the Dead Sea Copper Scroll allowed researchers to check the veracity of what we have in the current Old Testament concerning Isaiah (pbh) with a much more ancient form of the same writing. They were found to coordinate extremely well!
Two chapters from the Book of Isaiah have caught the three Abrahamic Religions by storm: Chapter 42 and Chapter 53.
Basically, the Jewish thought is that the suffering Jewish nation/peoples and or a stressful but finally conquering Jewish Messiah will come in the future to set the Jews free from their underdog status and elevate the Jews to a new level of excellence.
The Christian thought is that Jesus (pbh) came to liberate folks from all philosophies including the old ways of Judaism into a new way of privileged thinking/lifestyle. He will come again and, according to them, his description is clearly set forth in the short Chapter 53 of Isaiah.
The Islamic thought considers Chapter 42 to be about the liberation of people from false ideas and practices through the introduction of the Promised Prophet (Muhammad – pbh) to come and in the bringing in of a new but Final Testament – THE QURAN as a Standard for this imperfect world and the New Holy Age to Come under the leadership of the Mahdi and Spiritual blessedness following after (the priesthood of Melchizedeck by Jesus the son of Mary (pbh) who returns as a king since Prophethood ended with the exit of Prophet Muhammad (pbh).
Chapter 42 and 53 have been taken by two of the three faiths (Judaism, Christianity) to discuss their own peculiar slant on truth. Two books that may shed some ‘tedious’ light on the ‘bragging rights’ to one’s own peculiar philosophy concerning these matters are:
- Judaism and Christianity: A Contrast by Rabbi Stuart Federow and
- The Fifty-third chapter of Isaiah according to Jewish interpreters by A. Neubauer, S. R. Driver.
Islam has not generally ventured into the shadowy area of the notorious Chapter 53 of Isaiah – except in these writings. According to this author the 53rd Chapter of Isaiah is and can only be logically and intellectually described as the blessed occurrence of the Christ-soul and his many incarnations into the Earthly dimension to become that ‘Shepard to the flock of the faithful’ leading to the paradise on Earth.
The Jewish and Christian explanations are literally full of optimistic holes that will tend to contradict their own books while not looking at the problem holistically. While the Christian beliefs are fairly easy to reject due to the many inconsistencies they present, the Jewish notions are harder to pin down, until one looks deeper into the problem at hand.
Generally, the problem would be difficult to express and so that is why the Quran is used to bring forth the truth (a psychological, cultural/historical proof) in a very condensed but accurate form. The Quran puts it succinctly and we always should go to the Quran first!
And they {radicals amongst their collective faiths} say: “NONE shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.” Those are their (VERY VAIN) desires. Say: “Produce your proof if you are truthful.”
Nay, WHOEVER submits his whole self to ALLAH {THE ONE AND ONLY GOD}, AND is a doer of good, he will get his reward with his LORD; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. Quran (2:111-112)
What does Isaiah Chapter 53 actually show? Like with Isaiah’s Chapter 42 all things (every detail) must coordinate with each other to show its reliability as to interpretation. Things like subjective feelings (I don’t believe it because I’m not of that religion or I personally don’t like the idea or that thought doesn’t appeal to me) are not standards of true measurement.
What has to be shown is the patience to see the bigger picture and reject any possibility if it is found to be off by even a little bit. Hence, there is no fitting a square block into a circular mold just because one wants to derail an uncomfortable theory!
Secondly, and perhaps most important of all, is this going to be recognized as an article of indispensable and compulsory Faith? The answer is most definitely NO!!! So, belief in this exposé is not even considered essential.
The Children of Israel were blessed and chosen above all nations to receive and carry the DIVINE MESSAGE. But they quibbled and grew arrogant in their UNLAWFUL PRIDE and considered ‘their’ GOD as a hostage in that whatever may occur they would be blessed above the nations of the world!
Their arrogant, prideful hearts became like stone:
Thenceforth were your hearts hardened: They became like a rock and even worse in hardness. For among rocks there are some from which rivers gush forth; others there are which when split asunder send forth water; and others which sink for fear of ALLAH. And ALLAH is not unmindful of what you do. Q (2:74)
What would be a reason for all this confusion concerning Isaiah’s Chapter 42 and 53? Naturally, we go to the Quran first for the reason!
It is ALLAH WHO has sent down to you the BOOK: In it are verses BASIC or FUNDAMENTAL, clear (in meaning); they are the FOUNDATION of the BOOK: others are NOT entirely clear {Mutashabihat verses}. BUT THOSE IN WHOSE HEARTS IS PERVERSITY {will} FOLLOW THE PART THEREOF THAT IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR. Seeking discord {while} searching for its interpretation but no one knows its true meanings except ALLAH. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: “We believe in it {in its entirety}, the whole of it is from our LORD {for HIS PURPOSES}” and no one will grasp the MESSAGE {of such} except men of understanding. Q (3:7)
Isaiah Chapter 53 is filled with Mutashabihat verses or verses carrying the ‘supernatural meanings‘ of things which are extremely difficult to understand and interpret. Therefore, the conclusion for these verses will vary drastically from religion to religion due to personalized concepts.
NOTE, however, that both Judaism and Christianity base their interpretations on GOD being ‘our guy’ and favoring us above all creation. This is an egocentric approach to self-glorification. This has and continues to have horrendous effects on the land of Palestine and its peoples, namely the Palestinians who are being constantly, as human beings, cheated and tormented by the ‘so-called representatives of GOD’!!!
In truth, GOD does favor HIS people but HIS people are THE BELIVERS in any age and according to HIS WILL (Well Developed Plan) and NOT regulated to the pompous definition of being either a Jew or Christian under their definitions. Hence, Chapter 53 of Isaiah must be looked at in a unified way showing some kind of ‘historical, comprehensive and universal’ SIGN to mankind. Otherwise, some misfits will take Chapter 53 as something written by a ‘drunken sailor’.
So, our adam was a leader of lights to give, as it were, instruction to those desiring a way to their LORD. And through various incarnations or visitations to Earth such as Enoch, Zul-Qarnain, Melchizedeck, Joseph son of Jacob (who is called Israel), Joshua son of Nun, Ezekiel and Jesus the son of Mary to mention a few; this valiant soul of a man was preordained to lead men and women, if they would but accept it, on the long road to salvation.
Could one declare that Joseph (pbh) who has been called the ‘Noblest of souls’ by the Prophet (pbh) was the same as Jesus (pbh)? Definitely not! They did not have the same body for one thing as the clay casing was different.
The job of the Christ-soul was to first eventually become acceptable as being one who walked with GOD or to become humanly and acceptably pure. This type of purity was reported in a hadith, concerning that there have been many men who have achieved perfection but there have been only 4 women, etc.
Then, he, the Christ-soul must put his full trust in his LORD, his CREATOR and work toward that goal of starting again to be worthy of that station like unto the priest of GOD forever and ever (the Messiah). Hence, he can be designated truly as Master of the two Ages.
And WHO was responsible for this? Was it the Christ? NO!!!!! For it is ONLY ALLAH WHO DECREES and what HE WILLS HE DOES!!! So, this future Messiah had to master both himself and the conditions set for him and the only way he could do that was to put his full and complete trust in his CREATOR LORD.
The test for excellence was NOT going to be easy and would carry with it much derision and heartache (thus he was pierced for our transgressions and scorned by those who would not listen) but with AND ONLY WITH ALLAH’s HELP WOULD THIS SOUL SUCCEED. And succeed he did!
The road would be long and hard but the PROMISE OF ALLAH IS ALWAYS TRUE. So, this particular soul (the Christ-soul) learned to grow into his exalted station of being that chief priest of GOD through whom much blessings would befall to those fortunate enough to be in that ‘one-thousand year kingdom’.
Enter through the narrow gate {to Salvation}. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it {to their own destruction}.
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life {the Kingdom of Paradise}, and ONLY A FEW FIND IT. Matthew (7:13-14)
The Gog and Magog or the ‘unprincipled people’ are the bad souls that have gone rotten. One saying by Prophet Muhammad (pbh) found in the hadiths by Bukhari has them being numbered as 99 out of 100 when it comes time for Judgment. Hence, their rejection!
The above is stated for those Evangelicals who deem Islam does not show a loving GOD like their GOD. So they try to make out that Islam is full of contradictions without compassion and that Christianity, as they believe it, is full of great love and salvation for all if they but follow their ways.
What to make of this? It is simple! Just tell them to read their own Book and understand it before launching off into ridiculous statements.
The physical leader of this blessed kingdom on Earth is the Islamic Mahdi who comes from the line of Hassan who is the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbh) through his daughter Fatimah and his cousin ‘Ali (may ALLAH be pleased with both of them).
However, as Islamic rules stand, the higher soul is the Messiah (pbh) and that was shown in the hadith of when he comes back. He will be asked to lead the prayers but will, as ALLAH has WILLED, decline this honor and give it to the Mahdi who has been destined to be in charge of the Islamic world government.
The Christian rendition of the events occurring in Isaiah Chapter 53 are faulty to say the least. They claim that when Jesus (pbh) will be buried with the Rich it occurred due to the grave that was paid for by a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea.
As has been explained several times in these writings, Jesus (pbh) will be buried after several decades upon his return and his burial will be next to Prophet Muhammad (pbh) as has been stated by the excellent Companion Abdullah b. Salam who was a leading Rabbi to the Jews of Medina but became a Muslim.
Abdullah b. Salam said the description of Moses is written in the Torah and also {to be found in the Torah} that Jesus son of Mary will be buried along with him (Muhammad). Abu Maudud said that a place for a grave has remained in the house (where Muhammad is buried). (Tirmidhi)
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death {his term appointed to die the physical death that all must go through}, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Isaiah (53:9)
Abdullah b. Salam was specific in his discussion about this and his source of information was not some secret book of the Jews but their Old Testament of which we have with us to this very day. So, the idea that Jesus (pbh), when he dies, will be buried next to Muhammed (pbh) is truly found in Isaiah Chapter 53 and only those who are patient enough can understand this.
Some people, however, expect that a personalized message addressed directly to them (maybe going so far as mentioning them by name) should have been put in the scriptures by GOD so that they would not have to work so hard in their studies of the holy works. With that deformed idea, the next step would be to have their GOD come down and serve them lunch.
In all seriousness, the scriptures are not common, comic book fodder but should be used as a serious method of Divine Communication by way of instruction to man. For example, verse number 7 would appeal to the Christians as signifying an oppressed and afflicted person who is being led to his death without defending himself. And because Jesus (pbh) is often referred to as the ‘Lamb of GOD’, it would seem to be easy to suggest that this is talking about Jesus.
He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth {to defend himself}. Isaiah (53:7)
The expression ‘like a lamb that is led to the slaughter’ is an expression of one who is surrendering his will to GOD’s WILL and in putting one’s full trust in his LORD, he will go quietly to his ‘fate’ trusting in his GOD and NOT making a fuss! It does not mean that person will be killed!!!
A prophet in a prison? The one who truly was oppressed and afflicted in his youth!
Actually, because we can find in the Gospel John where Jesus (pbh) did open his mouth in his defense would suggest that part of the formula concerning Jesus is missing. In truth, this is about another prophet who spent seven to nine years in prison.
The person who this verse is actually about is Joseph (Yusef) who voluntarily went to prison without even trying to defend himself and who stayed in prison without complaint even when there was a chance for him to be released due to his innocence.
He (Yusef) said: “O my LORD! Prison is dearer to me than to which they {the treacherous, designing women} invite me. Unless YOU turn away their plot from me, I will feel inclined towards them and be one (of those who commit sin and deserve blame or those who do deeds) of the ignorant.” Quran (12:33)
And the king {of Egypt (at that time he was called king)} said: “Bring him {Yusef} to me.” But when the messenger came to him, {Yusef who still languished in prison did not go out right away but}, Yusef said: “Return to your lord {king} and ask him, ‘What happened to the women who cut their hands? Surely, my LORD is ALL-KNOWER of their plot.”’ Quran (12:50)
One can go on and on but what is the point? We know that Jesus (pbh) is a SIGN given to the whole of mankind as is related in the Quran. We also know that the definition of the word ‘SIGN’ has many interesting and truthful meanings to it.
From demonstrating to living the correct way, this mighty soul took on THE EXPERIENCES OF THE WORLD, CONQURED THEM BY ALLAH’s PERMISSION AND BECAME THAT SIGNAL OR REPRESENTATIVE OF MAN (SIGN) FOR THAT SPIRIT OF TRUTH TO ENTER THE WORLD AND GIVE TO THE WORLD THAT FORMALIZED FAITH THAT WILL BE USED IN THE PARADISE TO COME!
Not that other faiths have been in vain but they have been used as good ‘VEHICLES’ to the various souls for their instruction/testing/development or what that peculiar soul needs IF IT WOULD ACCEPTE IT. And it is very logical to think that the paradise in this world that is to come, would be a unified world worshiping with one consent without blemish, war or turmoil under ONE TRUE FAITH.
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 olden times}, from ancient days. Micah (5:2)
{“O you Jews,” declared Jesus!}“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, BEFORE Abraham was born, I am.” John (8:56-58)
Oh ALLAH! Grant me knowledge that will be of benefit, a goodly provision and deeds that will be accepted by YOU!
