AsSalamu Alaikum and welcome once again to Islam and focus.
Today we have our sixth program on Jesus, the beloved messenger of Allah. And our topic today will be on ascension and return on Jesus. I’m your host shot image. And here with me from St. Mary’s University is Dr. Jamal Vito.
Could you ask for the benefit of our viewers? Could you give us a summary please, of last week’s program? Certainly last week’s program focused mainly on the ministry, the end of ministry of Jesus peace be upon him. And we indicated that the Quran is quite clear, that’s in Surah, four
passage 157 and 158 that Jesus was not killed or crucified.
It was indicated, however, that this does not mean a categorical rejection of anything pertaining to the story of the crucifixion, at least insofar as the existence of a conspiracy to kill him. And that’s something happened that might have given the illusion that it was Jesus actually who died on the cross, or else the Quran would have not said that the Israelites were boasting of killing him.
We indicated that the reason for the Muslim not accepting the common story about crucifixion is not that Muslim believe that it is dishonorable for a prophet to be martyred. The Quran speaks about prophets who have been martyred before. But the main reason the Muslim believe in that, that it is in the Word of Allah, the Quran, and Allah knows best regardless of what humans say.
We try to try to understand the meaning of illusion that might have taken place that given that has given the impression that Jesus was crucified. And we indicated that the Quran does not give this detail. And we have to make a distinction between the exact wording of the Quran as the word of Allah, and the interpretation made by jurists or human beings, especially those who said that maybe someone substituted for him. But the Quran simply says should be allowed, which means it may appear to them, or it appears to them as such,
but to indicated just by way of interest that they have been several, as many as perhaps five to seven even sects in early Christianity who did not actually believe that Jesus was crucified. We also indicated that one controversial gospel that we did not discuss much and we maybe can come to that later called the Gospel according to St. Barnabas, which was discovered about the 16th century and translated into English in 1907. And also to the Nag Hammadi scrolls discovered in Egypt and made available in English 1977. In both of these documents, or documents, or allegedly all documents, I should say, to be careful.
The study again is that it was not Jesus who died on the cross. Now, we also tried to correct a common misconception that some believe that the Quran actually states that Jesus predicted or prophesied his death on the cross and his resurrection. And we again indicated that from the text of the Quran, there is no ground for this at all.
And finally, we indicated that
the Quran describes the end of the mission of Prophet Jesus using an Arabic term with our seeker. And he said the word Muto seeker is quite different from the Arabic word like matter. Match means simply diet, but moto seeker poses some difficulty in interpretation because of the difference between the lexical or literal meaning and the metaphoric meaning of the of the term.
Now, I’m glad you brought that up. So I want to ask you at this point, how would the variation of the meaning of that term affect the interpretation of the Quran in this particular issue? It affected quite significantly because of course, the word like I said before is the Quran used the term that Jesus met
that could only be understood to mean died. But of course in the context of the Quran does not necessarily mean died on the cross because the Quran negated that but the term meta was thicker if you take the lexical meaning. It means to recall from mission, that term that has been completed to finish something which in that sense could mean that a lot is addressing Jesus or promising him that India Metallica and
Going to finish your mission on Earth, I’m going to record you from mission among the Israelites. This does not necessarily imply that he either died on the cross which is negated elsewhere in the Quran, nor does it even imply that he died.
Even shortly afterwards
the if you take the metaphoric meaning of the term moto Africa, which means to take not the mission or to finish the mission, but to finish your life or to take away your life or your soul, causing you to die, if that meaning is taken,
obviously, again, it does not mean at all, causing you to die on the cross because that was negated explicitly in Surah. Number four in the Quran. But it might be like Lucy said, mustafi Allah, that is I’m completing your term and letting you die in natural deaths, but not to let your enemies kill you. It could also mean that causing you to die later.
The metaphoric meaning could apply a possible later death but not on the cross, it cannot mean on the cross on the basis of other verses in the Quran. Now, what is meant by leader is there any indication when, for example, okay, that again could have two meanings. And one has to be honest, again, in distinguishing between what the Quran specifically say and what people try to understand from the Quran. As far as the Quran is concerned, there is no indication. As far as interpretations, some said that it could have meant that Jesus was saved from the crucifixion, that Allah took him in some safe place. And then he lived like any human being, and died.
So that means maybe within a few months or years, he died.
However, I cannot find any conclusive evidence of that interpretation. And I’m not saying it has no validity at all, but I’m saying simply that it is just a matter of interpretation really, but not something that you can base on a conclusive evidence.
But it could also mean or later could mean, which is the opinion of the majority, the great majority of Muslim professor in all those writers on the exegesis of the Quran is that Jesus wouldn’t be
or will die after the second coming to earth and after he declares his unique and exclusive humanity and his servitude to his creator, Allah. That, in fact could mean that Allah extended the life of Jesus until the end of the time, and that he will not die until he comes back. The second coming. There is interestingly enough, one, saying attributed to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
narrated in an Abbe Hatton
in which it is said that the Prophet said to the Jews, that Jesus did not die, and he is coming back to you before the day of judgment. It’s quite an interesting.
I must say, however, that this setting is not
the one among the ones that are rated as the highest of authenticity is called Marco. That’s again, a big issue itself are the degrees of hobbyists but it is less than the highly authentic hobbyists but it is quite interesting, especially as we compare it. And when the program unfolds with other references. Also in the saying of the Prophet about the second coming of Jesus documentary, I’m sure he was very interested to find out as I certainly am, if there is any explanation in the Quran, as to what happened to Jesus. After Allah tala saved them from crucifixion.
The answers to that question can be found more particularly in two passages in the Quran. The first one is in
Surah, number three, passage 55 and the other one is Surah number five passage 158.
Indeed, one of them is a promise of saving him from the cross the other one is mentioning of how that promise was fulfilled.
Now, let’s take the first reference. The first one it says was called a la jolla is the name of our affair, okay.
And when Allah said, Oh, Jesus, I am again with our speaker, which means either causing you to die or completing your term and mission could carry both Metallica and raising you unto myself.
And cleansing you, that is from the deeds of the unbelievers. Now, the question here of raising What does it mean to say, raising you up?
Now, the interpretation or the understanding of what the word race means would have to be within the context of the Quran and the Quranic usage of the term youth race.
In the Quran, we find that the same term race is used to refer to raising the good deeds. For example, in Surah 35. You know, we talked about it talks about how Allah raises the good deeds of those who are doing it doesn’t mean necessarily physical lifting.
In surah, 24, passage 36 It speaks also about how Allah raises the mosques are places of worship, of course, not physical but means read in status, and Surah 58 passage 11 the Quran speaks about raising, ie the status not necessarily physically the status of knowledgeable people. So that’s one meaning the raising status.
Secondly, raising also is used in the Quran to refer not to the physical body but to the soul. Because of course, after death, the physical body doesn’t really count much has no significance, the most important part, of course, is the soul. And we find differences in the Quran, for example, when it’s both in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, about how the souls of good people ascend into heaven. But of course, when you say the person ascended to heaven, it doesn’t mean physically it means his soul. So that could mean again, that the soul of Jesus will be raised up to heaven.
A third meaning, of course, is the very literal meaning to take it raising both in body and soul. And I should hasten to say that
none of these explanations is really going too far or, again is the
common usage in the Quran. And that even the issue of raising by body and soul, while it is not very clearly stated, is something that cannot be excluded on the basis that we cannot understand how it could happen, because nothing is impossible for for the Creator. I know that some people might sometimes say like, if Allah raised Jesus, both in body and soul, what is the importance of the body, physical body, to remain alive, and heavens are
up for hundreds of years, I must say again, that without any miracle at all, even one person we all know, mentioned in the Quran, and the Bible Prophet Noah lived for nearly 1000 years, 950 years he lived on this earth, and there was no medical involves,
it is quite possible.
Not unlikely at all, that Allah would give an extend the life of Prophet Jesus, twice as much at that time, 2000 years, 3000 years or more, especially that this is America, unlike the normal life of Noah on this earth. I think for both Muslims and their Christian president, they are familiar with the story of the so called seven slippers known to Muslims as
the people went into the caves. They stayed there for 300 years, or three or nine, according to the standard calendar, living there without any food, or drink. And they were like in a state of sleep and they still alive. And this was right here, even on Earth. It is not very strange that Allah extend the life of anyone, even for more than that for 1000s of years. In fact, the Quran itself testifies to this fact that the Satan after he was dismissed from Paradise, he said, drop the underneath and I’ll move on. Soon he asked Allah to delay his life, or to keep him alive until even the end of the time. So Satan even was living all that time, let alone a Holy Prophet, who was
honored by Allah, like a Prophet Jesus.
What I’m saying here is that we should not try to over rationalize whether he must is a Muslim or not.
To say that there is no sense of a physical body of the human being Jesus be lifted up in heaven. It is possible and the domain of Allah is so wide. We don’t know where he took him. We here even today are still arguing as to whether there is life on other planets. So, this is a matter that is even beyond the physical sciences and one should not dismiss that as a possible
possibility.
explanation of what happened? Did any other person ascend to the heavens, other than Jesus? What since your questions generally I’ll answer it both from the standpoint of the Quran and the saying of the Prophet what happened in the days of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and also from my limited knowledge also of the of the Bible. But as far as other persons going up to heavens, there is reference allusion to that in the Quran, and many sayings of the Prophet, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, that Prophet Mohammed did ascend to heaven. And this is known as the incident of the Night Journey, and ascension, and it’s about one mirage. And there are lots of evidence on that this
is not the focus of the topic, but there are lots of evidence that it was spiritual and physical.
Of course, we all know that after ascension to heaven, Prophet Muhammad came back which is even more important than staying there. Because to come back means that we can establish our own Ascension as human beings with Allah because he came to teach us how to prefer you know, to aspire, and to reach for our Creator which is more significant aspect as far as humanity and their needs are concerned.
But in addition to this, we find that there’s one passage in the Quran that speaks specifically about raising a person. But again, like the other verse about Prophet Jesus peace be upon him, one cannot say that it means only this
that appears in Surah number 19. The chapter known as Mary from the Mother, the name of Mother of Jesus,
especially in passages 56 and 57. Was cookie cutter, Lisa inna who can also do another year, what a foreigner who mccannon Alia, that is mentioned in the book, Idris Idris is believed to be the equivalent in the biblical terms to no end of ch no
mentioned in the book Anak was command of truth and sincerity, profit. And we raised him what I found out the exact term used to Jesus and we raised him to a lofty station or place.
The the wording of that passage in the Quran
gave rise to different interpretation the same way that the passage about Jesus also gave different
meanings or interpretations. For example, if Nicosia is one of the famous Austrian or interpreters of the Quran, and also in jerilyn, by Geraldine asuci, famous scholar also
they speak both about raising of Idris or no physically. In fact, one of them
traces his interpretation to one of the very earliest scholars by the name of Mujahid
who said that Jesus was raised, sorry, no, was raised, and he did not die in the same way that Jesus was raised.
Of course, again, we are not
certain as to whether it could only mean that or could mean like we said, also in the case of Jesus raising in status, as far as the biblical references to that it is interesting to note, and maybe we might come back to this quotation later,
in the second Book of Kings in the Old Testament, second Book of Kings, in chapter two, in verses 11 and 12.
It describes what happened to Elijah. And it says, and they quote, and Elijah went up by a word and went into heaven. And Elijah went up by a weld went into heaven. The wording here is even very decisive because it’s speaks about physical reason, not a wording that could be interpreted as raising of the soul or raising of status. It is interesting to notice that in the Gospel of john in chapter three, verse 13, he speaks as if he’s not aware of that quotation in the Old Testament, and he says, nobody else was raised to heaven even though the testament is quite clear on that.
But in any case, whether the raising was in body or body and soul, definitely there is an element of American bare American of saving a profit at the last minute. An indication as the Quran states that Allah has the best of planners, that people can conspire against his profits. But if Allah wills to save their lives, he can do this. And just by way of final remark, which is quite interesting that they
seminary miraculous
rescue took place also for Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Again, that’s a big topic in itself. But for the benefit of those who are not familiar, the prophet was pursued and denied when he was supposed to be assassinated and the assessment that would be assessed as we’re lining up outside his house, he went out miraculously, and he could not see him. He went to the cave of South, where he stays for three days there. And at one point, the pursuers were just at the edge of the, of the caves, but again, they were medicals, again, he had not gone to the test right now. But miraculously, again, they could not see him and something there appeared that misled them or
push them aside from from that particular place.
So this is again, one other titles of medical, if Allah wants to save his property, he can if he wants him to be martyred, fine, but as in the case of Jesus, is quite clear on that. He was not the one who’s killed.
Another important issue here, and by that, I’m referring to the second coming of Jesus in which you alluded to a little while earlier. Now, first of all, how does Muslim Muslim belief in the second coming of Jesus relate to the belief that Mohammed was the last prophet of Allah? Okay. I appreciate the question, because again, they might, on the surface, superficially, they may appear to be some ecosystems you have come in previous programs, you know, we said that Muhammad is the last and final messenger of Allah and now here is another messenger coming called prophet. No, you see, the effect of Prophet Mohammed being the seal or the last of all prophets means that no human being will come
after him, in the capacity, in the capacity of being a new Prophet, a new messenger, receiving a new revelation, or having a new holy book to replace or supersede a previous revelation. Now, according to Muslim belief, the second coming of Jesus peace be upon him is not in the capacity of a new prophet really, nor superseding the Quran, the last revelation which has been preserved fully, perfectly, not as a substitute for Islam, as he superseded the Torah, for example, in his time, but as a follower of Islam, in its complete form. And I think we mentioned before, that Islam is the religion of all of the prophets, the same divine revelation that all profits from Adam to Mohammed,
peace, be upon them all, thought that he will be coming under the leadership of the last and greatest of all of these messengers, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, he would come Muslim, as other prophets were Muslims before him. I think the problem perhaps will become more clear when we discuss in some more detail, the nature of the Second Coming and what activities
will will take place. But
as far as his coming, it’s not a superseding the last evolution is part of it. Now like to ask what I think is interesting question anyway. Now, would you consider the second coming of Jesus as a possible point of agreement between Islam and Christianity? Well, I do not wish to approach this question with either undue optimism or pessimism, I think, as we have
been used to doing this programs, and I do hope that the viewers appreciate this, that one would like to discuss things with more open hearts and open mind but also with some candidness and honesty. In one hand, I should say that there is definitely one area of possible agreement or meeting between Muslims and their Christian brethren.
And that is at least the acceptance by both that Jesus is coming again, one, secondly, that is coming, we’ll be close somewhere close to the end of the days, the end of life on this earth cluster.
Three, that is coming will be very significant to be very useful, because it will bring a great deal of peace to
the conflict among humanity and the various members of the
human race. But on the other hand, there are differences of course, some of which are quite essential. And the basic points really relate to his capacity. In what capacity is he coming back? What is the nature of that second coming?
My humble understanding of
The Christian theology is that Jesus Second Coming, is in the capacity of God, or as a divine being, to rule and judge, and that this will be the final judgment, that is to judge even those who are dead and alive. So that’s the end of it.
And that understanding obviously is based on some other aspects of the common
Christian theology
that is related to the issue of Trinity, or at least the divinity of Jesus as the Son of God, or God in human form, whichever way it has been explained,
as far as Muslim understanding, there is a major difference there. Because the Muslim believed that Jesus peace be upon him, in His second coming, is coming not as God because he was never God never even claimed to be divine. But he is coming as one of the greatest prophets of Allah has nothing to do with the notion of God incarnate. And of course, that, in turn, is very much consistent with the Muslim understanding about the nature of Jesus about the attributes of deity of Allah, the creator of all, and the fact that there is no such concept in Islam. As you know, Son of God in the way it has been interpreted to attribute divinity to Prophet Jesus May peace and blessings be upon you.
Last thank you very much like the Gemma.
Ashley, we have another topic, but I really don’t know if this would be the proper time to go into our
topic, I hate to cut you off in the middle of a new issue.
But maybe
I would like to proceed here. Now,
let’s examine the second coming of Jesus from the Islamic point of view. Okay. But I mean, first of all, is there any direct mention of that in the cross? What, in terms of the second coming again, as we have used to do all those, again, we have to make a clear distinction between the exact wording in the Quran on one hand, and the interpretation given.
The reason I mentioned before that about Muslim belief in the second coming of Jesus is that this represents the majority understanding of Muslims throughout history. But again, to be very accurate about it, I must say that they in the Quran, there is no conclusive
passage of verse, which say, for example, that Jesus is coming again. However, there are two verses in the Quran, which are interpreted to the first to the second coming of Jesus, maybe I can at least touch on one of them or just introduce it and perhaps if we don’t have time to pursue that later, the first one appeared in Surah, number 43. And that especially number 61, and it says about Jesus, ya know, who nine Melissa
This is rather difficult to translate, because it says and he or it could mean it could mean and he are
under explained vaccinators is a
and means also knowledge literally. But could we also assign
for the hour, therefore, have no doubt about it? And follow me, follow me here refers to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. This is a straight way. In other words, if you take into consideration now, and we can perhaps leave it at that, and he that is Jesus, or it’s, and we’ll talk about what it could mean is a knowledge or science, both words are possible knowledge or sign for the hour, therefore, has no doubt about it. And follow me that’s for Mohammed, peace be upon him. This is a straight person that needs some explanation. And what context was this verse revealed to and how it was intended, but perhaps you can catch up later? Continue I was afraid to cut off in the middle.
Thank you very much. Thank you all for joining us.
Hope to see you next week. inshallah.
