The Bible is perhaps is the most publicized, the most sponsored
and also probably the most discussed and consequently criticized religious book
in the world today. The 14th century Protestants made the Bible
readily accessible for people of all castes and systems, for the first time.
Before that, the commoners were only able to learn the Bible in snippets from
Church priests, whilst it was easily accessible for the upper class society.
Before we determine whether the Bible is ‘enlightening’ or not, it
is necessary that we search for the reasons the Bible was claimed to be
‘enlightening’ in the first place.
I remember watching hawkers in front of my house or in the bazaar,
use manual weight balancing machines to buy and sell an assortment of products
ranging from vegetables, meat to a stash of unwanted paper. There was a belief
amongst the people that the weight balancers used during those exchanges, were
dubious and/or had faults in them. As such they used to hover over the hawkers
while they sold or bought goods from them…
I myself have caught many of these unscrupulous traders in my
time. The secret was in the angle they held the weight balance, and of course
the wooden or steel bar attached with them. After I grew up a bit, unusually
enough, whenever I saw weight balancers from then on, it reminded me of the
Cross. And then once I’d grown up enough, the false myths in the world surrounding
the Cross, shocked me to the core. As such my interest in Isa (Jesus), prompted
my mission to extract the black and white truth, from what is ‘believed’ to be
the truth.
Let us now search for that very public speech (and completely
untrue), which has festered as the notion of belief amongst people for
generations. I’m of course referring to the birth of Isa or Jesus, his prophecy
and his resurrection for recognizing Islam…
The prophecy of the resurrection Jesus is of paramount importance
to Islam and Muslims and to me, if I were to expose the ultimate truth about
Islam. Jesus Christ is the key.
If we start from the beginning of the beginning,
If we analyse the 3 possible ways Mother Mary or Mariam could have
conceived Jesus, we’ll find,
1)
She got pregnant after having sex with someone
who had her full consent.
2)
She was raped and then caused to become
pregnant.
3)
It was down to some inexplicable or unnatural phenomenon.
Or maybe, it was a ‘surrogate birth’, the likes of which are regular done in
modern medical science. Perhaps she simply discovered a technique thousand
years quicker than the ones who discovered it a thousand years later.
We think that Jesus Christ cannot be held culpable or be
criticized in any way or in any scenario. This begs the question, who can be
blamed then… for that we need to go back a bit.
Since the Jews are blamed for nailing Jesus to the Cross and
killing him, it is safe to assume some of us may not buy into their
perspectives. As such, I shall rely on the findings of the Bible and the Quran
to supplement my case. And besides, I have the added advantage of growing up in
a Muslim family and learn the Islamic perspective on Jesus Christ or prophet
Isa, as he is known there.
The Quran began to be advertised 600 years after the crucifixion
of Christ. The Quran does indeed discuss the birth of Jesus or Isa and his
inexplicable powers and of course of his mysterious birth.
Chapter 3, verse no. 35 to 41 describes the birth of Jesus’s
mother,
( 35 ) [Mention, O Muhammad], when the wife of 'Imran
said, "My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb,
consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the
Hearing, the Knowing."
( 36 ) But when she delivered her, she said, "My
Lord, I have delivered a female." And Allah was most knowing of what she
delivered, "And the male is not like the female. And I have named her
Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan,
the expelled [from the mercy of Allah]."
( 37 ) So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance
and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah.
Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her
provision. He said, "O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?" She
said, "It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without
account."
( 38 ) At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying,
"My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the
Hearer of supplication."
( 39 ) So the angels called him while he was standing
in prayer in the chamber, "Indeed, Allah gives you good tidings of John,
confirming a word from Allah and [who will be] honorable, abstaining [from
women], and a prophet from among the righteous."
( 40 ) He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy
when I have reached old age and my wife is barren?" The angel said,
"Such is Allah; He does what He wills."
( 41 ) He said, "My Lord, make for me a
sign." He Said, "Your sign is that you will not [be able to] speak to
the people for three days except by gesture. And remember your Lord much and
exalt [Him with praise] in the evening and the morning."
Readers, after Mariam was
born, her mother vowed to pledge her to Allah and his ways. Now, if she cannot
keep Mariam to herself, who will take care of her? On one side was the concern
for the girl’s future and on one side was the promise made to Allah. This
instigated a society wide conflict between who will take care of the girl and
between those who think the original promise should be kept.
Eventually, to honour all
opinions, a lottery system was devised, to elect a caretaker for Mariam. The
potential candidates will have to write their names on a piece of paper with a
pen and throw them both against the waves created by running water. The person,
whose pen will ride the waves back to where it was thrown from, will be
nominated as Mariam’s caretaker.
As it happened, Zachariah,
Mariam’s uncle, won the lottery. Thus she was kept at the temple which was ran
by Zachariah. Chapter 3, verse no.42-43 refers to this story,
( 42 ) And [mention] when the angels said, "O
Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the
women of the worlds.
( 43 ) O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and
prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer]."
( 44 ) That is from the news of the unseen which We
reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their
pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them
when they disputed.
( 45 ) [And mention] when the angels said, "O
Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will
be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the
Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].
( 46 ) He will speak to the people in the cradle and in
maturity and will be of the righteous."
( 47 ) She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child
when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allah; He
creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and
it is.
( 48 ) And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the
Torah and the Gospel
( 49 ) And [make him] a messenger to the Children of
Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord
in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird,
then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure
the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah.
And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in
that is a sign for you, if you are believers.
( 50 ) And [I have come] confirming what was before me
of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And
I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me.
( 51 ) Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so
worship Him. That is the straight path."
( 52 ) But when Jesus felt [persistence in] disbelief
from them, he said, "Who are my supporters for [the cause of] Allah?"
The disciples said, "We are supporters for Allah. We have believed in
Allah and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].
( 53 ) Our Lord, we have believed in
what You revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus, so register us among
the witnesses [to truth]."
Chapter
19, verse no. 2-15 of the Quran also discusses the story. But there are a few mentions
of Yahiya in there as well.
( 2 ) [This is] a mention of the mercy of your Lord to
His servant Zechariah
( 3 ) When he called to his Lord a private
supplication.
( 4 ) He said, "My Lord, indeed my bones have
weakened, and my head has filled with white, and never have I been in my
supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy.
( 5 ) And indeed, I fear the successors after me, and
my wife has been barren, so give me from Yourself an heir
( 6 ) Who will inherit me and inherit from the family
of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."
( 7 ) [He was told], "O Zechariah, indeed We give
you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John. We have not assigned to any
before [this] name."
( 8 ) He said, "My Lord, how will I have a boy
when my wife has been barren and I have reached extreme old age?"
( 9 ) [An angel] said, "Thus [it will be]; your
Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were
nothing.' "
( 10 ) [Zechariah] said, "My Lord, make for me a
sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people
for three nights, [being] sound."
( 11 ) So he came out to his people from the prayer
chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allah] in the morning and afternoon.
( 12 ) [Allah] said, "O John, take the Scripture
with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a boy
( 13 ) And affection from Us and purity, and he was
fearing of Allah
( 14 ) And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a
disobedient tyrant.
( 15 ) And peace be upon him the day he was born and
the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.
( 16 ) And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the
story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
( 17 ) And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen.
Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a
well-proportioned man.
( 18 ) She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the
Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah."
( 19 ) He said, "I am only the messenger of your
Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy."
There are two instances where the Quran mentions
Jesus’s birth. They are on chapter 3, verse no. 42-53.
( 16 ) And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the
story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
( 17 ) And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen.
Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned
man.
( 18 ) She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the
Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah."
( 19 ) He said, "I am only the messenger of your
Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy."
( 20 ) She said, "How can I have a boy while no
man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"
( 21 ) He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord
says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy
from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.' "
( 22 ) So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him
to a remote place.
( 23 ) And the pains of childbirth drove her to the
trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was
in oblivion, forgotten."
( 24 ) But he called her from below her, "Do not
grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.
( 25 ) And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree;
it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.
( 26 ) So eat and drink and be contented. And if you
see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful
abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' "
( 27 ) Then she brought him to her people, carrying
him. They said, "O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented.
( 28 ) O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of
evil, nor was your mother unchaste."
( 29 ) So she pointed to him. They said, "How can
we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?"
( 30 ) [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of
Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.
( 31 ) And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has
enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive
( 32 ) And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has
not made me a wretched tyrant.
( 33 ) And peace is on me the day I was born and the
day I will die and the day I am raised alive."
( 34 ) That is Jesus, the son of Mary - the word of
truth about which they are in dispute.
( 35 ) It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted
is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it
is.
( 36 ) [Jesus said], "And indeed, Allah is my Lord
and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path."
And chapter-23 and verse no.50 talks about
Jesus’s birthplace,
( 50 ) And We made the son of Mary and
his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level [areas]
and flowing water.
Up until now we have read0 excerpts from the
Quran discussing Jesus’s birth, that of his mother Mariam’s and of their lives
afterwards. But for the sake of humanity, there are some questions that still
need to be answered…
Once Mariam came of age, her mother Hanna Binte
Fakuj had her transferred permanently to the house of the Lord, as promised.
Now, if should we stop and debate who should be
the caretaker of Mariam there, we might want to consider the following couple
of things,
1) It may be an act of virtue to take care of Mariam or
2) She might get into trouble from time to time, who then will partner her?
It is easy enough to assume what kind of
‘trouble’ a woman might get into. inside a male dominated society. We can
compare the above mentioned thoughts side by side. After he’d won Mariam’s
guardianship amongst intense competition, we learned from the Quran that
Zachariah taught religion to Mariam and also providing for her.
Zachariah was the only person who had legal or
approved access to Mariam.
We must be familiar with the sacrificial
practices in amongst our society. Cows or buffalooes are sacrificed ‘in the
name of the Lord’. Nobody necessary ‘kills’ the animal, or drinks the milk from
the animal. There were similar practices in Ancient Indian civilizations and in
amongst ancient Arab a person as well, as Prophet Muhammad testifies in his
Hadith.
Now, just to be clear, I am not in the process
of comparing Mariam to animals, but individuals who undergo oblation, are
definitely sacred to most people. So let us come back and ask again, how didd
Mariam actually become pregnant?
Almost certainly Zachariah’s name will pop up
and why not? Mariam was young and beautiful (an opinion derived from Jesus’s
own words). Zachariah had unrestricted access to Mariam which only further
strengthens the theory that they could have had sexual intercourse, and Mariam
must’ve have gotten pregnant as a result. For those who may argue that he was
old, I’d like to refer them to the fact that he gave birth to Yahiya at about
the same time. The above mentioned verses of the Quran taken from chapter 3
verse no. 42-53, is documented proof of that. Now if we take Zachariah’s
longings for a son and cross reference them with the descriptions in the Quran,
who will find it in their heart to believe that Mariam, a down to earth and
dedicated to God, could ever be corruptible?
So if we omit Zachariah name from the list of
Jesus’s probable father, we have to assume that someone from the community,
someone with bad and/or perverted intentions, chose to defile Mariam and make
her pregnant. It could have happened with or without Mariam’s consent. If we
read Zachariah’s testimony, we’ll find,
Whenever Zachariah used to visit her, he would
find her room laden with food and drinks. He would then exclaim, “Oh Mariam!
Where did find get all this?” and Mariam would reply, “Allah gave them to me”
(chapter 3, verse no.42-53)…
Zachariah was Mariam’s only link to the outside
world. He used to bring her food and clothes. Those of us who seek to explain
an events or phenomenon which goes against the perceptions of logic or reason,
refuse to validate that by some alternate ‘supernatural’ theory. As such the
dubious practices of people reflected in the irregularities in Mariam’s story,
is proof enough that Zachariah was the only person who saw and visited her on a
daily basis. And that is what led him to question Mariam about the food and
water she receives on top the provisions he allocates her. Even if I admit that
it was God who provided all that food to Mariam, why was it that she didn’t
even bother asking the name of the bearer of all these delicacies? And if God
bestowed them to her straight from the heavens, why does he refrain from
providing food to the millions and millions of desperately hungry and
malnourished people in the world today?
The community which decided Mariam’s fate via
that lottery, had this to say once Mariam came back to them with her son,
“Oh Mariam, what have you done? Young lass!
Neither your mother nor your father were of such unsavoury character.”
Based on the verses of the Quran, we can
conclude that Zachariah’s religious repertoire or that it was the ’work of
angels’, were explanations deemed both dubious and contentious by the people
and as such, was not enough to cover up Zachariah’s illicit deed. But the sad
truth is millions of people today believe in this repulsive truth.
It is worth noting that to cover up what he’d
done, Zachariah immediately shipped Mariam out from his temple, after he
learned that she had become pregnant. The Quran testifies to that as well.
Funny thing is, Hindu mythology is laced with
similarly laughable tales of ‘supernatural births’ such as that of Korno.
Meanwhile in Greek mythology, the meritless story of the birth of Hercules has
a few telling similarities with that of Jesus’s. But the real question is how
could Muslims adopt such a story?
It is important to remember that, the
hostilities towards Jews and maintaining fragile economic and diplomatic
relations with them, was the biggest challenge that faced the post-Hijrat
(migration) Muslims. As such the support of lower caste people, slaves and the
Christian community was vital for Muslims. And that is why Isa is mentioned in
the Quran so many times in comparison to other prophets.
To establish the tale of Meraj, a refined
version of Isa’s biography has been published in the Quran, based on the story
of his ‘appearance’ and the evidence gathered from the Gospels. Besides that,
according to 70 Sahih Hadith (meaning rightful edicts or claimed to be so
anyway), Isa is professed to return, which should be a comfortable transition
for Christians. But when it will be
Muslims who will see their powers grow, they will proclaim that Jesus is the
‘Ummat’ (descendent) of Mohammed. Surah Azab in the Quran, chapter 33, verse
no. 40 says,
( 40 ) Muhammad is not the father of
[any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the
prophets. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.
Besides that, Surah Al-Maeda, chapter 5, verse
no. 3 draws an official conclusion to the story which claims, Isa will come to
the world again to distract all Christians,
( 3 ) Prohibited to you are dead
animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other
than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by
a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal
has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and
those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek
decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who
disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but
fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor
upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by
severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and
Merciful.
When Isa reached maturity and started preaching,
the then society’s opinion of his actions are documented in chapter 61, verse
no.14,
( 14 ) O you who have believed, be
supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples,
"Who are my supporters for Allah?" The disciples said, "We are
supporters of Allah." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and
a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy,
and they became dominant
Chapter 5 verse no.111 to 115 has,
( 111 ) And [remember] when I inspired to the disciples,
"Believe in Me and in My messenger Jesus." They said, "We have
believed, so bear witness that indeed we are Muslims [in submission to
Allah]."
( 112 ) [And remember] when the disciples said, "O
Jesus, Son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a table [spread with food]
from the heaven? [Jesus] said," Fear Allah, if you should be
believers."
( 113 ) They said, "We wish to eat from it and let
our hearts be reassured and know that you have been truthful to us and be among
its witnesses."
( 114 ) Said Jesus, the son of Mary, "O Allah, our
Lord, send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a
festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And
provide for us, and You are the best of providers."
( 115 ) Allah said, "Indeed, I will send it down to
you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you - then indeed will I punish
him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the
worlds."
Question is, if someone had been preaching straight after his
birth and right from the get go, why would the commoners not believe him when
he’d reached maturity?
Obviously people chose react to what happened with Mariam by
rejecting Jesus. According to the Quran, the commoners had this to say, chapter
3 verse no. 42-53,
( 42 ) And [mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah has
chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.
( 43 ) O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and
prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer]."
( 44 ) That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal
to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as
to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when
they disputed.
( 45 ) [And mention] when the angels said, "O
Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will
be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the
Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].
( 46 ) He will speak to the people in the cradle and in
maturity and will be of the righteous."
( 47 ) She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child
when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allah; He
creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and
it is.
( 48 ) And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the
Torah and the Gospel
( 49 ) And [make him] a messenger to the Children of
Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord
in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then
I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the
blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allah. And
I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that
is a sign for you, if you are believers.
( 50 ) And [I have come] confirming what was before me
of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And
I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me.
( 51 ) Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so
worship Him. That is the straight path."
( 52 ) But when Jesus felt [persistence in] disbelief
from them, he said, "Who are my supporters for [the cause of] Allah?"
The disciples said, "We are supporters for Allah. We have believed in
Allah and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].
( 53 ) Our Lord, we have believed in
what You revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus, so register us among
the witnesses [to truth]."
It is clear as day that the people remembered what happened with
Mariam and as a consequence, chose to reject Isa’s teachings.
