Welcome to another episode of Islam focus. Today we have our third program on Jesus, beloved messenger of Allah. And we’ll be talking more specifically about the nature of Jesus. I’m your host for today’s program, Hammad Rashid. And I have joining me on the program, brother Jamal Baddeley, of St. Mary’s University, brother, Jamal Assalamualaikum.
I wonder if I could have you very quickly summarize or highlight the main points that we touched on in the last program. Sure, must program was a continuation of explanation of what the Quran as the last divine revelation say about Prophet Jesus peace be upon him, and want to specifically discuss the elements of similarity or elements between john the baptist and Jesus on one hand, and try to tie that also between the mission and parallels between Jesus and Mohammed in this in the sense that both of them
that is john the baptist, and Jesus paved the way and forethought about their successors.
And most of the time was spent, however, in trying to explain and comment on the one of the crucial sections in the Quran pertaining to the nature of Prophet Jesus peace be upon him. That’s in Surah 19 in passages 16, through 36, more specifically, how Mary came to be aware that she will conceive of Jesus peace be upon him and should give birth to him.
What was the nature of pregnancy and childbirth, the type of distress that follows the delivery of baby Jesus and the American Prophet Jesus peace be upon him speaking, while still even in his mother’s arms,
when his people started to accuse his mother, after his birth,
like to pick up on the last point that you just mentioned, does this patchy passage in the Quran mean that Jesus peace and blessings be upon him
that he spoke rolling was still an infant, still a baby? And, and if so, why is this miracle not common among the Christian friends are Christian many? Well, as far as it’s mentioned in the Quran, it’s quite obvious and clear and the
the context of the passages in the Quran when this is mentioned shows that it cannot be interpreted in symbolically or anything that really spoke as an infant in his in his mother’s arms.
I don’t know of any parallel to that particular Americans in the canonize the Gospels, or anyone is No, never.
But in any case,
even at a noncompliance lecture, I’m not sure even the mention about the literature that has not been accepted even within the official church.
But in any case, as indicated several times before, the Quran is not based neither on canonized or non canonized religious literature, or writings of any human being or their interpretation. It is the divine revelation given by the Creator to his last messenger, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
After all, one has to realize that the writers biographers have different prophets or their disciples or other historians are human beings. And even with all good intentions, it’s quite possible that certain things might be left out or forgotten or not included simply.
But the word of Allah is the final criterion, of course that because Allah doesn’t have any mistake or doesn’t forget anything or drop anything.
However, in addition to this possible reason to explain why that particular divine information has been has not been included in the New Testament, besides the fact that it could have been possibly human imperfection, like humans trying to record the life of Jesus. If we look at it more objectively, there may be a possibility of another explanation as Shoshana explains
Because when any biographer or disciple
wanted to convey that miracle, he would not simply say that Jesus spoke as an infant, it would be essential to say, What did he say? Because of course, everyone would be interested, what did he say as a, as an infant or a baby. And if we go to the word of Allah in the Quran, we find that actually what Jesus said as a babe was in Abdullah, I am the servant of Allah, He has given me the book, and the wisdom, and he made me a prophet, and he made me blessed. See, so in other words, the, the this passage from the Quran indicates, without any doubt, without any confusion, that Prophet Jesus peace be upon him, described himself as the servant of Allah and His Prophet and Messenger, when
obviously, that statement is quite explicit, and
it is quite different from what other groups will try to prove, of course, that he was divine or God incarnate, or men and Gods at the same time. So that seemed to go against that common
notion,
whether
this was the reason for the elimination of that particular miracle.
And again, whether it is the reason why
we find that this is not included in even other ancient records,
in literature, religious literature, as you can see, it shows Indeed, the absolute truthfulness and integrity and honesty of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Could you perhaps explain how or
what do you mean by that? Well, because the Quran is where you can positively clearly negates any notion that any creature of Allah, Jesus, Abraham, or Mohammed, or anyone else, for that matter is divine. The Quran clearly negate that there is no creature of Allah who combines divinity and humanity or any person whatsoever that combines this. Now, when the Quran describes this wonderful miracle given to Prophet Jesus, basically everyone speaking as an infant, which is amazing.
When we find that this is there in the Quran, and it’s not there, in any canonized,
gospel, or in part of the New Testament,
when one has to ask here, if the Quran is trying to negate any notion that Jesus was divine,
it is quite clear that America like that could give some excuse for people who want to the 5g network, you know, how about this mechanism that showed some divinity. And if the Quran were the authorship or the work of Prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him, as a human being would expect him to drop any such kind of miracles which may give the indication or impression that Jesus was different, even if it’s misinterpretation, but at least that integration, but the fact that the Quran on one hand, negates any notion of divinity of any creature of Allah, including Jesus, but in the meantime, describes miracles that has not even been mentioned in the New Testament shows that this is the
truth as it is coming from the creator in what might have been lost to history. And it shows the absolute honesty and integrity of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him not trying to act like politicians or, you know, say the things only which are suitable for certain purpose, but to honestly convey whatever has been deleted.
A common point that is often raised is that since Jesus did not have a human father, he must be the Son of God.
What is your comment on that? One? The question that Jesus was born of a virgin is quite obvious from what the Quran describes. And that’s, again, ties to my answer to the previous question. Why even would that be included in the Quran, despite of all of the confusion about divinity of Jesus, this is the truth as Allah has lived into his last prophet.
But if an argument can be made that since a person proceeded only from a female, without a physical father than he must be the Son of God, not in the metaphoric sense, but the son, the Gatlin, Son of God that some people
wanted to put.
Then how do we explain the creation of Adam and Eve? Yes, after all,
Adam was created from either male or female, he doesn’t have a mother or father. Does that mean that he is even more divine than Jesus? It doesn’t mean that it was created from a man science but not from a woman’s side. Nobody ever said that. Because of that Adam,
can be regarded as, as divine.
Indeed, the Quran answer that in a very succinct and good
Always in Surah, three, in passage 50, a 59.
In msls, and de la the similitude of Jesus before Allah is like that of Adam, who converted him that Allah created Adam from dust, then he said to him be, and he was, this truth comes from your Lord. So be not averse, without one of the most notable Muslim scholars once explained it very nicely. And he said that Allah
will only be to Him created human beings, through four different kinds of miraculous ways. All of them are miraculous, and all of them are amazing.
One is through a mother and father coming from a male and female. And that is, of course, you and me, and I suppose everyone else for that matter.
And that’s not less miraculous, to start from this very microscopic thing and have all this hereditary characteristics definitely is a miracle in itself. But because it’s so frequent, you got to restart to think how wonderful human creation is. Secondly, humans was created from manga, male or female side, that’s Adam, and humans greatest from a man’s side, but not from one side, that if there was one link missing, to complete this various forms, a wonderful case of a human being to be created from a woman side, and not feminine side, and that was Prophet Jesus.
Some people raised a question about that. And they asked, why was Jesus peace and blessings be upon him? The only person to be to be born in this unique way? the person of Jesus peace be upon him is not unique.
But
to say that something is unique is different from saying something is divine? Yes. Okay. I mean, the two are not necessarily
synonymous synonymous.
At least as far as we know, historically, there is no other similar example that we have that exactly resembles the rest of us, at least as far as the code is concerned, because
and when they come to this point, and if you notice,
because in the Bible in the book of Hebrew, in chapter six, verse three, it speaks about someone who’s created from manga mother, or father’s. So I leave that aside and come to later when we discuss some other program, perhaps the nature of miracles of Jesus, and whether this has anything to do with divinity. But I’m speaking from the Quran, Quranic standpoint, the only record the case of virgin birth was that of Jesus peace be upon him.
Indeed, every prophet did have a unique miracle. Creation of Adam was unique creation of that particular form was was unique.
salvage Prophet Abraham coming out of the fire without being burned, is his unique prophet Solomon’s understanding of the language of birds and having the jinn Spirits working for him, whatever he wanted, is unique. The night The Night Journey and ascension to heaven have gotten Muhammad peace be upon him and his receiving of the Quran itself is a unique American also by itself. But in none of these cases, do we say that this is really a reason to say that they have this grid of its was divine or was God or God incarnate? The reason why the miracles of the prophets are not exactly the same that there have been uniqueness in that sense or variations is that the Americans were suitable
to the conditions of people around them at that time.
For example, at the time of Prophet Moses, we find that the Egyptians were priding themselves on their ability to play magic. So the American came also of similar nature. Yes, when Prophet Muhammad came, the Arabs were so proud of their eloquence and here comes a man who never have been appointed and challenges them. And for 1400 years, nobody could match the beauty and or wisdom of the Quran. And by the same token, the virgin birth of Prophet Jesus peace be upon him is quite suitable and appropriate for the situation at this time.
Because at that time, you know that first of all, the Greek philosophy was quite common popular, and the whole discussion of cause and effect has been quite prominent. The advancements in medicine, the ritualism, and materialism among bedside nights, which of course made them at times to forget about the spirit of the law and just stick to the letter of the law and of course, in the gospels, numerous examples of Jesus speaking against this. So this was a very opportune time. For people who started almost to reject even this the word of spirit or the just no con in the material, physical ritualistic thing that Allah is able to do things the way he wanted, regardless of what we consider
to be cause effects.
relationship, regardless of what we as human define as natural nodes.
So the miracle of that verse par excellence really was very suitable and very fitting to the circumstances as it was with other prophets.
Of course, we, we know that the gong refers to Jesus being busted main problem is a word from God. How similar or different is this term with Christian theology? Big difference. I’m not saying from the Bible, because sometimes when you read the Bible carefully, you may not necessarily find complete support of theological documents in opposition that has developed later, much later after Jesus. But I would say it’s quite different, for example, from the Greek concept of the logos in the Oto s.
But it looks like what appears in the Gospel of john, according to john I should say, in the first chapter,
the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh that as many scholars indicated, they seem to be an adaptation, from alexandrian and gnostic mysticism.
When the Quran however, the finished refers to Jesus as a word from Allah. It has absolutely no relevance or no relationship to these ancient philosophical concepts or theological
dogmas. The best way to explain to us would be to refer to one passage in the Quran that uses the term word to refer to Jesus Word of God and sutra, in passage 171. In an unnecessary sadhana, Maria Montessori mahila canonet. That Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, was no more than an apostle, or messenger of Allah, and his world, which he stood that Allah bestowed upon me, and a spirit proceeding from him. As the great interpreter of the Quran, probably the most famous perhaps, of all, interpreted our experience the word kameena, or Word of God as message, that the word or promise or message that Allah conveyed, to marry through the agency of engine. Gabrielle, in another
citation, in the Quran, also we find that
it is, it was termed, to marry,
and that Allah send you advertising or use of a word, from him, his name shall be Christ, the son of Jesus, the son of Mary. Now, it should be noted here that the term Word of God is used in the Quran, not to refer to Jesus only, but to refer to many other people. Indeed, there are at least one places that I could trace in the Quran, where the word or Word of God has been used even in plural.
Examples of that would be in Surah, 18, passage 110 in Surah, 31 passage 27 talks about kennametal law, the words equivalent of Allah. In any case, there is
an interesting passage in the Quran that shows an identical usage of the term Word of God, in reference to Jesus as well as others.
In surah, number 36, in passage 82, it says very, when he that’s Allah, the creator, intense, I think
his command is, quote unquote, be, can be, and it is also in Surah, 16. In passage 14,
Allah Himself speaks in the Quran and says, For anything, he has went back, say to it, or say the word be, and it is. So in that sense, Jesus is a word from Allah, and that sense that he was created, not through any particular known agency of meal intervention. But he was created directly by God through the command of the word be. So he skated through that word is not not the word. Support materializing? Yes, but he is created by the word be yes. And I’d like to indicate to you that sometimes also, some writers,
I don’t want to say deliberately, it could be lack of understanding of the Quranic language, they, they say the Quran says that Jesus is the Word of God as again indicating a false impression. As if you know, there’s nobody else because of course, the Word of God is just the Word of God. Yes. And they do not mention anything about that it is became and an Arabic that’s known that debris of a word from him. Yes. There are other words too. We our own words of
Yes, tainted by this comment.
I’d like to pursue this line of questioning and raise a similar question with reference to poverty as we speak.
We upon in the Quran, this has to do to the reference to Jesus
as the spirit from Allah.
Is there any difference in the meaning of that term? Torah? does this relate to the concept of Trinity in your view? No, it has the word also absolutely nothing to do with the concept of Trinity or Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, capital H capital S us that is regardless in the concept of Trinity as you know, one person or the third person in the Trinity, the Triune Godhead. No, actually the best way is to refer first to the usage of the term in the Quran.
And the Quran uses the Arabic term which has usually been translated as Arabic term is rural, it is our edge.
And if one examines the Quran, you find that it appears in four meanings, none of which has any relevance to Trinity
appears in the Quran in surah 58, verses 22 to refer to the strength that Allah gives to believers at the time of crisis. Why is that the believers received this strengthening or row from Allah. Secondly, it is used in reference to revolution get into profits, I just get number of passages for those viewers might wish to check it on their own. It is in the Quran in surah 16, passage two in sort of 14, passage, 15, and in Surah, 42, passage 52. And all of these, it’s used in that sense of Revelation.
Thirdly, it is used to refer to angels, and more particularly, some verses refer to Gabrielle, Angel Guardian, Angel Gabrielle, and this appears in 287, and five 113. And in 1916, I should add here that sometimes also, in the case of Gabrielle, he was called Holy Spirit, but in essence of owner’s spirit, not as part of godhood, but as a servant of godliness. Sometimes individuals is the honest spirit rather than me. But again, this small essence, not me, no part of godhood at all. And the force of Rome, as used in the Quran is the secret of life and spirituality that
markets are endowed the human with. Let me just refer to quotations by example of the connection between the terms and the nature of Jesus, at least we are planning.
For example, in Surah, four, passage 170, we’ll find that Jesus is described as roofing and that he is a spirit from Allah, that was the passage I did earlier. But if you check, for example, in passage, or should I should say Surah 32, passage nine,
you find that Allah describes the creation of the human in general and it says, but he that Allah fashion, the human into proportion, and breathed into it, something of his spirit.
Some verses actually speak about Adam, in particular, the others, like this one speaks about the human in general, which means that the human is created also, not only as a word of God or the word of Allah, but also having this or having been endowed with a spirit from Allah. But nobody can ever argue that say, right because the spirit of ALLAH has been presented even I must be divine, it has absolutely no relevance to that. So the meanings really are very different. And I should add also a comment, similar to the one I made about the use of the term Word of God. Some writers again, are not totally accurate. When they say that according to the Quran, Jesus is the spirit capital S of
Allah. The verse actually says, borrowed from men and men in Arabic means fabried, which is
a spirit from him just like you and I also have a spirit from Allah within our
identity and existence. So not none of this has anything to do at all with the concept of Trinity. Well, summary let orientalist
continuously make the claim that what the Quran gate is not the Trinity, but other earlier church heresies. What is your comment on that? And in particularly in view of your familiarity with the with the
one of my comments and that this is a very, very common error I have.
Just to confirm what you said I have seen that stated over and over again in many writings by missionaries, Christian missionaries and orientalist and others and it reflects really lack of difference.
examination of the crown,
we find that not only does the Quran negates
any aberration, which was regarded as heresy by the early Christian church, it says when even the commonly accepted idea of Trinity or divinity of Jesus, let me give you example of each that you can at least give documentary clarification of this, in the Quran in surah, five, particularly in passages 119 and 120. It’s very clear, it negates the heresy of considering many, the mother of Jesus peace be upon him, or attributing some divinity to her something that, as you know, has been rejected in early church councils and then accepted in the year 431, which is not accepted by other sects now. But in any case, the text translation of the meaning I should say in the Quran says, and
behold, Allah who say that is in the Day of Judgment, addressing Jesus, or Jesus, the son of Mary, did you ever say unto people, worship Me and my mother, as Gods interrogation of Allah, that Jesus would say, that is to unlock, glory be to you? Never could I say, what I had no right to say.
And then he continues on and if you continue, later in the verse, it says, never Jesus says, never said I unto them, except what you, the creator, did command me to say, worship God or worship Allah, my Lord, and your Lord?
I know that this, of course, is not the belief of the mainstream of Christianity. It was regarded as you know, at some point or other as a heresy.
But yes, that’s, on the other hand. Another belief that again, many Christians would consider to be heretical, is to believe that Jesus was God himself that he and the father were the same person not in unity, that is, He and the Father are One person, not two persons in childhood and adulthood. But I do find that this is negated also in the Quran in surah 572. It says, certainly, they disbelieve, or they reject face, who say, God is Christ, the son of me, got this crisis of me, but said Christ are children of Israel, worship God are allowed my Lord and your Lord, Whosoever associate others with Allah, Allah will forbid him the garden and the fire will be his abode and for the room tours,
there will be no helpers. But in addition to this, you find that the concept of Trinity also are three persons in unity, or one entity and scene one has also been negated if you continue in the following passage that is in 573. In the translation of meaning, it says, certainly, they have rejected face who say, God is the third of three. an explanatory theory should be as useful it suggests a trinity. There have been misconception many times of this verse of the Quran, and I’ve seen some translation that say, they dispute those who say God is the third of three gods, the word Gods never appear in the Quran. It’s simply Sally Samantha, a third of three which means clearly,
three entrenched in the Quran is very precise. If you plan three Gods if you put that explicitly as you find in other places in the Quran, to continue, and it says, quote, there is no god except God or Allah alone. So I think the old forms of the attributing divinity to the creature is the honored messenger and prophet of Allah Jesus peace be upon him, are indicated in the Quran as contrary to the one of the creators who send Jesus and contrary to his own teaching, to the teaching of Jesus May peace and blessings.
Thank you, Bella Jamal, for a very interesting program. We want to thank you for being our guest and invite you back next week we will continue our discussion of Jesus, beloved messenger of Allah. Thank you for watching. Assalamu alaikum peace
