Jesus The Messiah (What Does Islam Say About Him?) Part 2 https://youtu.be/-0ME4yoSY1Q . Jesus The Messiah (What Does Islam Say About Him?) Part 1 https://youtu.be/xl8jdSe84ac .. Ebook Jesus The Messiah https://www.muslim-library.com/english/jesus-the-messiah/?lang=English&download_id=17407 . *Frequently Asked Questions*
*Below are the answers of the 5 most common questions that-Muslims are frequently asked:*
*1. Why do Muslims use the word ‘Allah’ and not God?*
*The Encyclopaedia of Britannica states under ‘Allah”: “The name’s origin can be traced back to the earliest Semitic writings in which the word for god was II or El, the latter being an Old Testament synonym for Yahweh. Allah is the standard Arabic word for “God” and is used by Arab Christians as well as by Muslims”. We can also read in the English Bible edited by Rev C. I. Scofield, D.D (Page 28): “Elohim, (sometimes El or Elah)… is uni-plural noun formed from El- strength or the strong one, and Alah’…”. “*
*Say, O Messenger: He is Allah who is alone in being a deity. There is no deity except Him.*
*(Alone, without another, indivisible with absolute and permanent unity and distinct from all else. The one and only true deity, unique in His essence, attributes and deeds)*
*He is the master to whom belongs all sovereignty and perfect, beautiful qualities. The one to whom all creation turn to.*
*(He who is absolute, perfect, complete, essential, self-sufficient and sufficient to meet the needs of all creation; the one eternally and constantly required and sought, depended upon by all existence and to whom all matters will ultimately return)*
*The one who did not give birth to anyone, nor did anyone give birth to Him. So He has no offspring – may He be glorified – nor any parent.*
*Nor does He have any equal from his creation* [The Qur’an, 112:1-5].
*The term ‘Allah’ is very significant since we know from the Bible that people were given titles ‘God’ and ‘Lord’, such as : “just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” [1 Peter 3:6], “Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet” [Exodus 7:1] “Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him” [Exodus 4:16], “I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High.” [Psalm 82:6].*
*Interestingly in Jesus’ own language, Aramaic: God is ‘Allaha’, Jesus is ‘Eesho’ where in the Noble Qur’an it’s ‘Eesa’, and Mary is ‘Maryam’ (exactly how the noble Qur’an mentions her name!) Please notice the similarities.*
*2. What does Islam say about the Bible?*
*Muslims believe in all the Divine scriptures, but in their original form. Allah (may He be exalted) sent a Prophet as a warner to each nation, and some of them with a scripture as a guidance for that particular nation only. The Suhuf (Scrolls) were brought by Abraham, the Tawrat (Torah) by Moses, the Zabur (Psalms) by David, and the Injil (Gospel) by Jesus peace and blessing of Allah be upon all of them. Finally, Allah sent Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) as the seal of all Prophets and the Qur’an as a guidance for all mankind, regardless of time and location.*
*”O Messenger, you are receiving this Qur’an which is being revealed to you from one who is Wise in His creating, managing and legislating, and Knowing, with nothing of the interests of His servants being hidden from Him.* [The Qur’an, 27:6].
*In a study done by former Christians published on www.islamtomorrow.com, they concluded that: “Both the Bible and the Qur’an have come to us by way of Almighty God, then through His angel Gabriel and then to the Prophets, peace be upon them. However, when the next step comes into play (that of the human beings faithfully transmitting it on to others and future generations) we find out that Allah has only preserved His Last and Final Revelation for all times. And He certainly did not need the humans to do that.”*
*”I alone revealed this Qur’ān to the heart of Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a reminder for people. I will guard the Qur’an from anything being added to it or subtracted from it, or anything in it being exchanged or altered.* [The Qur’an, 15:9].
*The glorious Qur’an is the ‘Criterion’ and the ‘Quality Control’ of all the previous scriptures. “*
*I sent down to you, O Messenger, the Qur’an with the truth about which there is no doubt that it is from Allah. It is a confirmation and guardian for the revealed books that came before it. Whatever in those books conforms to it is the truth, and whatever does not is false. So judge between people according to what I have revealed to you in it and do not follow their desires which they have adopted in leaving the truth that has been revealed to you about which there is no doubt. I have made a sacred law and clear path for every nation. If I willed to make all the laws one, I would have done so. But I made a separate law for every nation in order to test them all and to see who follows and who does not. So rush towards doing good actions and leave evil ones. Your return on the Day of Judgement is to Me alone. I will inform you about that which you used to differ in and will repay you for the actions you did.* [The Qur’an, 5:48].
*Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him said: “If you do ask the people of the Scripture as is inevitable – then consider what agrees with Allah’s Book (i.e. The Qur’an) and accept it, and whatever contradicts Allah’s book reject it.” [Al-Musannaf (6/112)].*
*3. Why does Islam not deify Jesus?*
*The Qur’an says: “Say, O Messenger: O Jews and Christians, People of the Scripture, come let us unite on a fair word in which we are all equal: that we worship Allah alone and we do not worship anyone besides Him, no matter what his rank and no matter how high is his status; and that we do not take one another as lords to be worshipped and followed besides Allah. If they turn away from the truth and fairness that you call them towards, then, O believers, say to them: Bear witness that we have surrendered to Allah and are obedient to Him.* [The Qur’an, 3:64].
*Interestingly, nowhere in the Bible did Jesus say in a clear and explicit passage that he is God and nowhere did he call his nation to worship him. Jesus Christ said:*
*”It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” [Luke 4:8].*
*On the contrary, there are many passages undoubtedly proving he was not God, as apparent in the following points (please consider them carefully):*
*(i) God is all-knowing:*
*”Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart” [Psalms 44:21], “for the LORD is a God who knows” [1 Samuel 2:3], and “He reveals deep and hidden things” [Daniel 2:22/, but Jesus was not all-knowing: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” [Mark 13:32] and “The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing-in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because-it was not the season for figs.” [Mark 11:12-13].*
*(ii) God is immortal: “As surely as I live forever” [Deuteronomy 32:40], but Jesus was not immortal: “We believe that Jesus died” [1 Thessalonians 4:14].*
*(iii) God is all-wise: “the only wise God” [I Timothy 1:17] and all powerful: “I am the Almighty God” [Genesis 17:1], but Jesus: “grew in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52].*
*(iv) God has full authority: “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God” (Deuteronomy 10:17], but Jesus said: “I do nothing of my own authority” [John 8:28/ and “By myself I can do nothing” John 5:30].*
*(v) God can not be seen or heard “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” [Exodus 33:20], “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only” [John 1:18], “You have never heard his voice nor seen his face” [John 5:37], but Jesus was heard and seen by his people.*
*(vi) God said “I put to death and I bring to life” [Deuteronomy 32:39], but Jesus did not raise himself; he was raised by God: “and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead” [Romans 10:9].*
*(vii) God and Jesus had two different wills: “yet not My will, but Yours be done” [Luke 22:42], “Yet not as I will, but as you will” [Matthew 26:39], and “not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38].*
*(viii) God is the ‘Mighty One’ and Jesus will be sitting at his right hand in the future “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64].*
*(ix) God does not get tempted “For God cannot be tempted by evil” [James 1:13] but Jesus was: “The Temptation of Jesus” [Matthew 4:1-11].*
*(x) “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a “son of man”(Numbers 23:19), but Jesus was a man and a son of man.*
*Jesus said, referring to himself: “a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God” (John 8:40] and “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know”[Acts 2:22].*
*In addition to the above, Jesus (himself) said: “They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.” [Mark 7:7-81. And please don’t be misled by the ‘miracles’ you hear or read about claiming to be done in Jesus’ name, as Jesus (himself) said: “Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” [Matthew 7:22-23].*
*The Holy Bible confirms that Jesus was made: “But we see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angles, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering” [Hebrews 2:9] and “Being made so much better than the angles” [Hebrew 1:4]. Then, who is Jesus? The Bible says: “When God raised up his servant” [Acts 3:26], “has glorified his servant Jesus” [Acts 3:13], and “your holy servant Jesus” [Acts 4:27]. Therefore Jesus is the servant of God and His messenger: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom-you have sent.” [John 17:3].*
*Only through the last divine revelation (the Qur’an), confusion can be removed and pure monotheism be restored. The Qur’an tells us: “The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger like other messengers. Just as death occurs to other messengers, it will occur to him as well. His mother, Mary, was a truthful and sincere woman. Both of them were in need of and used to consume food. How can they be gods when they were in need of food? Look, O Messenger, and think about how I make clear to them the signs indicating My Oneness and the falsehood of their extremism in attributing Lordship to others besides Me. Despite this, they do not recognise these signs. Then look and think about how they are misled from the truth, despite these clear signs indicating My Oneness.* [The Qur’an, 5:75]
*and “Instead of Allah, the idolaters adopted deities who cannot create anything small or large, but are themselves created. Verily, Allah created them from non-existence; they are unable to fend off any harm from themselves nor bring themselves any benefit, nor are they able to cause death to any living or give life to any dead, or raise the dead from their graves* [The Qur’an, 25:3].
*4. Why don’t Muslims believe that Jesus is the son of God?*
*The Qur’an says: “He who is described with these qualities is Jesus, son of Mary. And this discussion is the word of truth regarding him, not that which is said by the misguided who doubt and disagree in his affair.*
*It does not befit Allah to have a son, exalted and free He is from this. When He intends something, it is enough for Him to say regarding this thing: Be, and it most definitely becomes. So He who is like this is free from having a son.*
*And Allah, may He be glorified, is both my Lord and your Lord, so make worship sincere for Him alone. This which I have mentioned to you is the straight path that leads to the pleasure of Allah.* [The Qur’an, 19:34-36].
*Interestingly, the Bible refers to many Prophets and other people as sons and children of God: “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.” [Exodus 4:22] and “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.” III Samuel 7:14].*
*According to the Bible, David is the ‘begotten’ son of God: “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You” [Psalms 2:7]. Therefore, we should not take the word ‘son’ literally. We can understand it to mean the-he would be a created god. A created God is not God; a created-God has a beginning. But God has neither beginning nor end!* . *5. Why does Islam not teach that Jesus died for our sins?*
*Islam teaches that all humans are innocent at birth (i.e. born-sinless) and they become sinful only when they consciously commit a sin. “Every soul is held in pledge for what it earned(Every soul will be taken to task for the actions that it did. Either its actions will destroy it or they will release and rescue it from destruction)* [The Qur’an 74:38],
*”Remember – O Messenger – the Day when every person will come arguing for himself. He will not argue for anyone else due to the magnitude of the situation. Every soul will be given in full the recompense for what it had done, whether good or bad, and they will not be wronged by any subtraction from their good actions or addition to their evil actions.* [The Qur’an, 16:111],
*Whoever is guided to faith, then the reward of his being guided is for his own good; and whoever goes astray, the punishment for his going astray is to his detriment. No soul carries the sin of another soul, nor do I ever punish a people until I establish proof against them by sending Messengers to them.” [The Qur’an, 17:15)*
*and “Or is he fabricating against Allah? Or has this person, who makes up lies about Allah, not been informed about what was in the earlier scriptures that Allah had revealed to Moses?* “And the scriptures of Abraham who fulfilled everything His Lord tasked him with?* *That no person will bear the sin of another.* *And that man will only obtain the reward of the action that he did.* [The Qur’an, 53:36-39].
*The Bible says: “The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself” [Ezekiel 18:20], “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16], “But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.” [Jeremiah 31:30], and “The LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin” [2 Chronicles 25:41.*
*Children are born sinless and because of this Jesus said: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” [Matthew 19:14]. Jesus, interestingly, told the Pharisees to: “go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice” [Matthew 9:13]. Therefore, the doctrine of the ‘original sin’ and ‘sacrifice’ clearly seem to be a latter addition to the message of Jesus Christ, since it is inconsistent with several passages of the Bible and Jesus came not to abolish the law or the Prophets [Matthew 5:17-18].*
*We all agree that Jesus Christ was a righteous and a pious man and the Bible says that the wicked will take his place: “In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared” [Psalm 9:16], “The wicked is-a ransom for the righteous, And the treacherous is in the place of the upright” /Proverbs 21:18], and “The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place” [Proverbs 11:8].*
*Then, how can sin be forgiven?*
*The Qur’an tells us: “They are the ones; if they were to commit a major sin, or wrong themselves by committing a lesser sin, they remember Allah, and His warning to the wrongdoers and promise to the Mindful; so they ask their Lord for forgiveness, regretting what they did. They ask Allah not to take them to account for it, because Allah alone can forgive, and they do not continue in their disobedience. They know that they have done wrong and that Allah forgives all disobedience.*
*The Mindful people who are like this, and have these praiseworthy qualities, are rewarded with Allah’s forgiveness and His overlooking what they have done. In the Afterlife, they will have gardens with rivers flowing below palaces, where they will live eternally. How blessed is the reward for those who act according to Allah’s laws!* (3:135-136].
*”Seek forgiveness and pardon from Allah. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful towards those of His servants who repent to Him.* [The Qur’an, 4:106].
*The Bible says: “But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die” [Ezekiel 18:21], “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon” [Isaiah 55:6-7],*
*and “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” [2 Chronicles 7:14].*
*And so did Adam (peace be upon him): “Adam received the words given to him by Allah, and was inspired to ask for forgiveness with them. These words of forgiveness are mentioned in Surah Al-A’raf: 23: ‘They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be of the losers”. Allah accepted Adam’s turning to Him and forgave him, for He is always forgiving and Merciful towards His creation.* [The Qur’an, 2:37].
*Just a thought: If believing in a divine Jesus dying for the sins of the-world is necessary in order to go Paradise, before and after him, then why is it not mentioned clearly in every single book of the Bible? Why was it not stated in plain words by every single Prophet to his nation? Why would this message be given in such a hidden and cryptic way? Why wouldn’t Almighty God be clear on this issue considering that the consequences of not believing in it would lead to Hell?*
*These questions are addressed because Almighty God, according to the Bible, had forgiven people for centuries before Jesus: “You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins.” [Psalm 85:2], “Pardon, pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now” [Numbers 14:19], and “I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight” (Psalms 18:23-24].*
