CHRIST(PBUH) IN ISLAM (by Ahmed Deedat)

THE GOOD NEWS

BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: "O MARY!
GOD GIVETH THEE GLAD TIDINGS OF A WORD FROM HIM:
HIS NAME WILL BE CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY
HELD IN HONOUR IN THIS WORLD AND THE HEREAFTER
AND (OF THE COMPANY OF) THOSE NEAREST TO GOD;
{Holy Quran 3:45}

"Nearest to God," not physically nor geographically, but spiritually. Compare this with - "And (Jesus) sat on the right hand of God." (Mark 16:19) The bulk of Christendom has misunderstood this verse as well as many others in the Bible. They imagine the Father (God) sitting on a throne - a glorified chair - and His "son", Jesus, sitting on His right hand side. Can you conjure up the picture? If you do, You have strayed from the true knowledge of God. He is no old Father Christmas. He is a spritual Being, beyond the imagination of the mind of man. He exists. He is real, but He is not like anything we can think of, or imagine. In eastern languages "right hand" meant a place of honour, which the Holy Quran more fittingly describes as - "IN THE COMPANY OF THOSE NEAREST TO GOD."

The above verse confirms that Jesus is the CHRIST, and that he is the WORD which God bestowed upon Mary. Again, the Christian reads into these words, a meaning which they do not carry. They equate the word "Christ" with the idea of a god-incarnate; and the word of God to be God.

CHRIST NOT A NAME

The word CHRIST is derived from the Hebrew word Messiah, Arabic - Masih.Root word m-a-s-a-h-a, meaning to rub, to massage, to anoint. Priests and kings were anointed when being consecrated to their offices. But in its translated, Grecian form "CHRIST", it seems unique: befitting Jesus only.

The Christian has a knack of transmuting baser metals into shining gold. What he is wont to do is to translate names into his own language like "cephas" to Peter, "messiah" to Christ. How does he do that? Very easily. MESSIAH in Hebrew means anointed. The Greek word for anointed is "christos". Just lop of the 'os' from christos and you are left with christ. Now change the little 'c' to a capital 'C' and "hey, presto!" he has created a unique (?). name! Christos means Anointed, and anointed means Appointed in its religious connotation. Jesus (pbuh) was appointed (anointed) at his baptism by John the Baptist, as God's Messenger. Every prophet of God is so anointed of appointed. The Holy Bible is replete with the "anointed" oncs. In the original Hebvrew - made a "messiah". Let us keep to the English Translation - "anointed." Not only were prophets and priests and kings anointed (christos-ed, but horns, and cherubs and lamb-posts also.

I am the God of Beth-el, where you ANOINTED a pillar ...
{Genesis 31:13}

If the priest that is ANOINTED do sin ...
{Leviticus 4:3}

And Moses ... ANOINTED the tabernacle and all things that was therein ...
{leviticus 8:10}

... the Lord shall ... exalt the horn of his ANOINTED.
{1 Samuel 2:10}

Thus saith the Lord to his ANOINTED to Cyrus ...
{Isaiah 45:1}

Thou art the ANOINTED cherub ...
{Ezekiel 28:14}

There are a hundred more such references in the Holy Bible. Everytime you come across the word ANOINTED in you English Bible, you can take it that that word would be christos in the Greek translations, and if you take the same liberty with the word that the Christians have done, you will have - Christ Cherub, Christ Cyrus, Christ Priest and Christ Pillar, etc.

SOME TITLES EXCLUSIVE

Although, every prophet of God is an ANOINTED one of God - Messiah, the title "Masih" or "Messiah" or its translation "CHRIST" is exclusively reserved for Jesus, the son of Mary, in both Islam and Christianity. This is not unsual in religion. There are certain other honorific titles which may be applied to more then one prophet, yet being made exclusive to one by usage: like "Rasul-lullah", meaning Messenger of God, which title is applied to both Moses (19:51) and Jesus (61:6) in the Holy Quran. Yet "Rasul-lullah" has become synonymous only with the Prophet of Islam among Muslims.

Every prophet is indeed a FRIEND OF GOD, but its Arabic equivalent "Khalil-lullah" is exclusively associated with Father Abraham. This does not mean that the others are not God's friends. "Kalimul-lah" (One who spoke with God) is never used for anyone other then Moses, yet we believe that God spoke with all all His Messengers, including Jesus and Muhummad (May the Peace and Blessing of God be upon all His servents). Associating certain titles with certain personages only, does not make them exclusive or unique in any way. We honour all in varying terms.

Whilst the good news was being announced (verse 45 above) Mary was told that her unborn child will be called Jesus, that he would be the Christ. a Word from God, and that ....

"HE SHALL SPEAK TO PEOPLE IN CHILDHOOD AND IN MATURITY. AND HE SHALL BE (OF THE COMPANY) OF THE RIGHTEOUS."
{Holy Quran 3:46}

This prophecy found filfilment within a very short time. We find this in Sura Maryam below:

AT LENGTH SHE BROUGHT THE (BABE) TO HER PEOPLE, CARRYING HIM (IN HER ARMS).
THEY SAID: "O MARY! TRULY AN AMAZING THING HAST THOU BROUGHT!
"O SISTER OF AARON! THY FATHER WAS NOT A MAN OF EVIL NOR THY MOTHER A WOMRN UNCHASTE!"
{Holy Quran 19:27-28}

JEWS AMAZED

There is no Joseph the carmenter here. The circumstance being peculiar, Mary the mother of Jesus had retired herself to some remote place in the East (H.Q. 19:16). After the birth of the child she returns.

"The amazement of the people knew no bounds. In any case they were prepared to think the worst of her, as she had disappeared from her kin for some time. But now she comes, shamelessly parading a babe in her arms! How she had disgraced the house of Aaron, the fountain of priesthood!

"SISTER OF AARON: Mary is reminded of her high lineage and the unexceptionable morals of her father and mother. How they said she had fallen, and disgraced the name of her progenitors!

"What could Mary do? How could she explain? Would they in their censorious mood accept her explanation? All she could do was to point to the child, who she knew, was no ordinary child. And the child came to her rescue. By a miracle he spoke, defended his mother, and preached -to an unbelieving audience."
A. Yusuf Ali, comments in his notes 2480 -2482 on page 773 of his translation.

BUT SHE POINTED TO THE BABE. THEY SAID: "HOW CAN WE TALK TO ONE WHO IS A CHILD IN THE CRADLE?"

And by a miracle he spoke:

HE SAID: "I AM INDEED A SERVENT OF GOD: HE HATH GIVEN ME REVELATIONS AND MADE ME A PROPHET;

"AND HE HATH MADE ME BLESSED WHERESOEVER I BE, AND HE HATH ENJOINED ON ME PRAYER AND CHARITY AS LONG AS I LIVE

"(HE) HATH MADE ME KIND TO MY MOTHER, AND NOT OVERBEARING OR MISERABLE;

"SO PEACE IS ON ME THE DAY I WAS BORN, THE DAY THAT I DIE, AND THE DAY THAT I SHALL BE RAISED UP TO LIFE (AGAIN)!
{Holy Quran 19:23 - 33}

HIS FIRST MIRACLE(S)

Thus Jesus (pbuh) defended his mother from a grave calumny and innuendoes of her enemies. This is the very first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Holy Quran - that, he spoke as an infant from his mother's arms. Contrast this with his first miracle in the Christian Bible which occurred when he was over thirty years of age:

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there:
And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine.
Jesus saith unto her, Women, what have i to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
His mother saith unto the servents, Whatsoever he saith unto you do it.
And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. and they filled them up to the brim.
And he saith unto them, Draw out now, a bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and new not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
And saith unto him, Every man at the begining doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
{John 2:1-10}

Since this miracle, wine has flowed like water in Christendom. Many a fool reasons that what was good for his Master is good enough for him. Jesus was no "kill-joy" they say. Didn't he make good potent wine, that even those "well drunk", those whose senses had been dulled could make out the difference? - "THATH THE BEST WAS KEPT FOR THE LAST." This was no pure grape juice. It was the same W-I-N-E that, according to the Christian Bible enabled the daughters of Lot to seduce their father (Genesis 19:32 - 33). It was the same W-I-N-E which the Christian is adviced to eschew in Ephesians 5:18 - "And be not drunk with WINE ..."

It is that innocent (?) 1% potency that eventually leads millions down into the gutter. American has 10 million drunkards in the midst of 70 million "born again" Christians! The Americans call their drunkards - "PROBLEM DRINKERS". In South Africa, they are called "ALCOHOLICS" - drunkard is too strong a word for people to stomach.

But the Prime Minister of Zambia, Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. He say, "I am not prepared to lead nation of drunkards" - referring to his won people who drink antoxicants.

Whether the water "blushed" or not "seeing" Jesus, We cannot blame him or his disiples for the drinking habits of his contemporaries. For he had truly opined, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12). Mankind had not reached the stage of receiving the whole Truth of Islam.. Did he not also say - "You cannot put new wine into old bottle"? (Matthew 9:17)

"MOTHER" OR "WOMEN"?

"According to St. John, in the fourth verse above, describing the marriage feast at Cana, we are told that Jesus (pbuh) behaved insolently towards his mother. He calls her "WOMEN," and to rub more salt into the wound he is made to say - "what have I to do with thee? What connection is there between you and me, or what have I got to do with you? Could he have forgotten that this very "woman" had carried him for nine months, and peraphs suckled him for 2 years, and had borne endles insult and injuries on account of him? Is she not his mother? Is there no word in his language for "mother"?

Strange as it may seem, that while the missionaries boast about their master's humility, weekness and longsuffering - they call him the "Prince of Peace" and they sing that - "he was led to the slaughter like a lamp, and like a sheep who before his shearer is dumb, he opened not his mouth" - yet then proudly record in the same breath, that he was ever ready with invectives for the elders of his race, and was always itching for a showdown i.e. if their records are true:-

"Ye hypocrites!"
"Ye wicked and adulterous generation!"
"Ye whited sephulcres!"
"YE generations of vipers!"
now to his mother - "Women ....."

JESUS DEFENDED

Muhummed (pbuh) the Messenger of God, is made to absolve Jesus (pbuh) from the false charges and Caluminies of his enemies.

"AND HE (God Almighty) HATH MADE ME (Jesus) KIND TO MY MOTHER, AND NOT OVERBEARING OR MISERABLE"
{Holy Quran 19:32}

On receiving the good news of the birth of a righteous son (end of Holy Quran 3:46), Mary responds:

SHE SAID: "O MY LORD! HOW SHALL I HAVE A SON WHEN NO MAN HATH TOUCHED ME?"

The angel says in reply:
HE SAID: "EVEN SO: GOD CREATETH WHAT HE WILLETH: WHEN HE HATH DECREED A PLAN, HE BUT SAITH TO IT 'BE,' AND IT IS!
"AND GOD WILL TEACH HIM THE BOOK AND WISDOM, THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL, (check note 1)
{Holy Quran 3:47 - 48}