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Fri, 05 Apr 1996 00:00
The IINN, Vol.9 No.005 04/05/96
Author: Asim Mughal
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 1996 00:00
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 1996 00:00
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I N F O R M A T I O N & N E W S N E T W O R K
A Subsidiary of Pakistan News Service
Vol. 9 No. 5-Easter-passover ZULQIDAH 14, 1416 Hijri APRIL 3,1996
____________________________________________________________________________
FOR SUBMISSIONS/ENQUIRIES: MUSLIMS@PSUVM.BITNET, MUSLIMS@ASUACAD.BITNET
FOR UN/SUBSCRIPTIONS: LISTSERV@PSUVM.BITNET, LISTSERV@ASUACAD.BITNET
SEE FOOTNOTE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SUBSCRIPTIONS
____________________________________________________________________________
**********
+++++ CONTENTS +++++
**********
--Editorial--
1. This Special Issue .................................... from Ishaq Zahid
--Articles--
2. The Jewish Passover ................................... from Ishaq Zahid
3. EASTER AS OBSERVED BY CHRISTIANS
CHRISTIANS OBSERVE THEIR HOLY WEEK......................from Ishaq Zahid
4. Resurrection Or Resuscitation? ........................ by Ahmad Deedat
--Announcements--
5. Free Ahmed Deedat's Books ............................. from IINN Staff
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1. This Special Issue ....................................... from Ishaq Zahid
from
Ishaq Zahid
This Special Issue
This special issue focusses on the two current religious observances of
Jews and Christians, namely the Passover and Easter. The Passover
relates to the Jewish exodus from Egypt led by Moses (peace be on him).
The Easter on the other hand is an observance of Jesus's alleged
crucification on "Good" Friday and his return on Sunday. This year the
Easter Sunday is April 7, 1996.
The lives of Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Solomon, Moses and
Jesus are described in the Holy Quran with all the pertinent details.
The many favors showered to the Israelites by Allah are mentioned as
well. While the Jews believe that they are the chosen people and
consider themselves as the followers of Prophets like Abraham and Moses,
Muslims believe that they no longer are and it is instead the Muslims
who have submitted themselves to the same way of life as these Prophets
and are therefore the true "heirs" of the Prophets of God. Our first
article is about the Israelites and offers a glimpse about the subject
from the Quran.
A brief article on how Christians observe their Holy week is given to
help us all understand Christian observances. It should help Muslims
interact better with their Christian friends.
The next article challenges the misconceptions of Christians about
the crucification of Jesus. The Islamic Information and News Network
has in the past published articles about Muslim view of Jesus and
Christianity. Readers are referred to the Special Christmas issues
of 1993-1995. All old issues can be obtained directly from our
LISTSERVs. First send the command INDEX MUSLIMS to one of our host
LISTSERVs (see footnote) to obtain a list of all archived files. Then
use the GET command to receive files.
Briefly the following points of Islamic view should be noted:
1. There is only one true God (Allah in Arabic), the Almighty, the
Creator, the Lord of all the universes. He alone is worthy of obedience
and worship.
2. Allah did not send Adam and Eve down from the Garden to the earth as
a punishment. Adam and Eve did commit a sin by eating from the Tree but
they were led astray by Satan and their repentence was accepted by
Allah. They were forgiven by Allah the Almighty and were sent down to
earth for an appointed time. Also it should be noted that it was Satan,
not the woman who led them astray. See Al-Quran, Ta-Ha (20:120-121),
Al-Araf (7:19-25), Towards Understanding the Quran, Vol. III, pp. 12-15,
footnote 13.
3. All babies are born innocent and obedient to Allah. No one is born a
sinner.
4. Allah did not send his "only son" to get killed on the Cross, and
thereby serve as a salvation to those who believe in him as such. The
concept of the Almighty is pure and powerful. Allah does not need sons
and daughters. He is unique. There is none like Him. He has no father
nor son. He can create anything by a mere command. It should be
noted that Allah T'ala created Adam without parents. Ishaq was born to
Sarah, the first wife of Prophet Ibrahim at a very old age, when they
were not expecting a child. Same occurred to Zakaryah, when angels gave
him the good news of a son, Yahyah (John). When God wants something to
be, it happens by a mere command, "Be", and it is." After all He is the
Creator of everything in all the Universes.
019.035 "It is not befitting to (the majesty of) God that He should
beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only
says to it, "Be", and it is." (The Holy Quran)
5. There were Prophets sent to mankind before Jesus and then Allah
finally sent Prophet Muhammad to serve as a model till the Day of
Judgement. May peace and blessings be on all Prophets.
6. The Holy Quran mentions how Jesus was born to Mary without a father
by a mere command of Allah. Mary was a chaste woman. Jesus spoke
as a baby to clarify the charges against his mother Mary.
7. Jesus was a human being and a Prophet of Allah. He was sent on earth
to invite people towards Allah, just like other Prophets.
8. Jesus was not crucified, nor was he killed. He was raised up to the
heavens. Most likely some look alike of Jesus was put on the cross.
See Al-Quran, Al-Nisa (4:157), Towards Understanding the Quran, Vol. II,
pp. 106-109, footnotes 193-195, and Crucifixion or Crucifiction by Deedat.
We hope that we will reflect on these points without prejudice and make
an effort to seek the truth. We also hope that readers will refer to the
Quran for further study.
Articles .....................................................................
2. The Jewish Passover ................................... from M. Ishaq Zahid
from
M. Ishaq Zahid
The Jewish Passover
I seek refuge in Allah from the rejected Satan. In the name of Allah,
the Most Merciful, the Most Kind.
It is that time of the year again when the Jews are observing their
religious holiday known as Passover.
This holiday signifies the deliverance of Israelites from Egypt by Allah,
lead by the Prophet Moses (peace be on him). The story of their
exodus is mentioned in the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran narrates the
history of the children of Israel and Moses in quite a detail.
The Quran tells us how the Pharaoh slaughtered their sons and
let their females live.
That was the period when Moses was born. The Quran tells us how
as a baby he was put in the river in a case and his sister
tracked him to Pharaoh's house and when he refused to suckle
from any other woman, how through his sister he was given back
to his mother for feeding.
As an adult, he accidentally killed an Egyptian who was fighting with an
Israelite. Moses was sorry for what he did and sought forgiveness from
Allah. Next day the same Israelite was fighting with another Egyptian
and when again he called for the help of Moses, Moses admonished him and
when he was approaching to hit the Egyptian, the Israelite thought that
Moses was going to hit him instead and that was when the Israelite got
scared and said to Moses if Moses was going to kill him just like he had
killed the Egyptian yesterday. The Israelite thus revealed Moses' secret
and Moses realized that it was Satan who had induced him to do the
wrong. The incidence led Moses to leave Egypt. On his journey, he came
across a well in Madayan where people were tending their animals and
there were a couple of females standing aside for their turn. He helped
them to get water. He was invited to their house and their old father
offered him the job of running their affairs for eight to ten years and
marry a daughter.
The Holy Quran further tells us how after he completed his term saw a
fire in the direction of Mount Tur and that was where Allah spoke to him
and gave him signs and asked him to go back to Egypt with a message. See
Surah Al-Qasas (Surah 28) for complete details. The message of Moses to
the Pharaoh was the same as of any other Prophet of God. Moses invited
the Pharaoh towards the submission of One True God, Allah, the Almighty.
The Holy Quran tells us how the message was refused and how Moses
brought his people out of Egypt. The parting of the sea and the drowning
of the Pharaoh are mentioned.
The Holy Quran also tells the Israelites the many favors He gave to the
Israelites and how so many times they went astray. They were chosen to
serve the mission of Allah, the One God. They received Allah's special
attention as long as they served Allah alone. When after a long period
Jesus (peace be on him) came as a messenger of Allah, they accused his
mother and tried to kill him instead of becoming his helpers.
Finally Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) came as the final messenger
of Allah and was chosen over the Israelites to complete the favor Allah
has promised to Prophet Abraham (peace be on him).
When Prophet Abraham did not have any child from his first wife
Sarah, he married Hagar, an Egyptian princess,
who gave birth to Ishmael (Ismael). The Quran tells us
how Allah commanded him to sacrifice Ismael and how Abraham fulfilled
his test and how Ismael was spared. Prophets Abraham and Ismael built
the Holy Kabah in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and about fifteen hundred
years ago, Allah sent Muhammad (peace be on him) from the progeny of
Ismael to be the final message-bearer from Allah. The Quran is the
true guidance for all mankind and it is the example of Muhammad (peace
be on him) that is to be followed till the Day of Judgement.
We invite all mankind to understand Islam by reading the Holy Quran and
the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). While the choice of
the way of life is upto the individual, it does have certain
consequences in this life and the hereafter. For that reason we also
hope that every person will revert to Al-Islam, the true way of life of
Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of Allah
before Muhammad. May Allah send his peace and blessings on all of them.
Muslims honor all of the Prophets of Allah. We also note it with sadness
that there are narrations in the Bible which dishonor some Prophets. In
order to establish that man is born sinful, even Prophet Abraham is not
spared. We invite Christians and Jews to the true path of Allah so that
in the hereafter they will be in the company of these most honorable
Prophets.
Below are some but not all the verses from the Holy Quran which describe
the many favors bestowed on the Israelites (the progeny of Prophet
Jacob), including their exodus from Egypt. We hope that these will
inspire the reader to pick up the Quran and read the entire message.
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2:47 - 2:146
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10:73 - 10:109
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References:
1. Translation of the Holy Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
2. Computer Software, "The QuranBase", by Sound Vision.
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3. EASTER AS OBSERVED BY CHRISTIANS
================================
CHRISTIANS OBSERVE THEIR HOLY WEEK
==================================
COMPILED BY M. ISHAQ ZAHID
On Sunday, March 31, 1996, Christians around the world celebrated
Palm Sunday, the day that commemorates Jesus' triumphant entrance into
Jerusalem. They brought palm fronds into their sanctuaries to remind
them of the palms the people of Jerusalem spread before Jesus as he
entered on a colt. It marks the beginning of Holy Week, the solemn
approach to Easter Sunday.
It is a time when Christians take stock once again of the central
events of their faith: the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. They
relive those events with a week of services retracing the last week of
Jesus' life according to their history. The Thursay of this week
becomes Maundy Thursday, which recalls Jesus' last meal, arrest and
imprisonment. During Maundy Thursday services, some clergy will wash
the feet of parishnors to recall Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet,
according to the Bible.
Friday becomes Good Friday for Christians, a day of mourning by
Christians in memory of Jesus' death on the cross. Some churches hold
services from noon to 3 p.m. to mark the last three hours of darkness
as Jesus' life expired. Saturday becomes Holy Saturday, a day in which
worshipers hold solemn vigils at nightfall to anticipate the
Resurrection. In some churches, the lights are turned out during the
service, and then a cleric lights one candle to symbolize the risen
Christ. One by one, others light their candles from that flame to
represent the spreading of the Gospel.
For Greek Orthodox churches, which follow a different calendar,
Easter will fall on a later day.
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4. Resurrection Or Resuscitation? ............................ by Ahmad Deedat
by
Ahmad Deedat
Resurrection Or Resuscitation?
NOTE: Ahmad Deedat is a Muslim scholar from South Africa
In one of my books - "Who Moved the Stone?" I had promised to deal with
the anomaly, where believers were reading simple English, yet were so
conditioned that they were understanding exactly the OPPOSITE of what
they were reading. The following story from real life will not only ill-
ustrate the point but will also elucidate our present case -
"RESURRECTION OR RESUSCITATION?"
I was about to leave for the Transvaal on a lecture tour, so I phoned my
friend Hafiz Yusuf Dadoo of Standerton, informing him of my impending
visit, as well as to enquire whether he needed anything from Durban. He
said that as he was taking up Hebrew, I should try and obtain a Bible in
the Hebrew language with a translation in English side by side.
I went to the "BIBLE HOUSE" in Durban. Without any difficulty I found
the appropriate Bible for my friend, the "Authorised Version," also
known as the "King James Version," looking for one with the best print
and at the cheapest price, I noticed the lady behind the counter had
lifted up the telephone to speak to someone. I was out of hearing
distance, nor was I interested, but after an exchange with the person on
the other side of the line she put her hand on the mouthpiece and
addressed me: "Excuse me, sir, are you Mr. Deedat?" I said, "Yes." She
said, "The Supervisor of the Bible Society would like my pleasure," I
answered. She spoke a few more words into the telephone and replaced the
receiver. I said with a smile, "I thought that you were ringing the
police." (perhaps because of the number of Bibles I was handling). - She
laughed and said, "No, it was the Rev. Roberts, the Supervisor, who
wishes to speak to you."
WINNING A CONVERT
Presently, Rev. Roberts approached me and after introducing himself he
gestured to me to hand over to him the Bible which I was holding in my
hand. I handed the book. He opened it and began reading to me - "and
this is life eternal that they should know Thee the only True God and
Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent." (John 17:3). (Subsequently, I checked
up the Gospel references of his quotations). After having listened to
his reading of this scripture, I responded with the words: "I accept!" -
meaning the implication of the Message he was trying to convey to me. I
did not tell him then that what he was trying to convey to me was the
same as the Holy Qura'an was telling mankind for the past fourteen
hundred years - that all must believe in the 'ONE AND ONLY GOD ALMIGHTY
AND JESUS CHRIST is only a MESSENGER OF GOD.' The words of the Holy
Qur'an are as follows:-
"MOST CERTAINLY THE MESSIAH, JESUS THE SON OF MARY, WAS AN APOSTLE OF
ALLAH AND HIS WORD,
WHICH HE BESTOWED ON MARY AND A SPIRIT PROCEEDING FROM HIM:
SO BELIEVE IN ALLAH AND HIS APOSTLES..." Holy Qur'an 4:171
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Rev. Roberts must have been elated to hear my words- "I ACCEPT," to his
first quotation. He quickly opened the Bible in another place and began
reading these words attributed to Jesus:-
"A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another." "By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another." John
13:34-35
A NEW CONVERT?
When he had finished reading these verses, I remarked-"Very good!" He
was greatly encouraged with my comment. I sincerely meant what I said
and there was no pretence. The Reverend found yet another quotation to
clinch a convert for Christ. He began:-
"Judge not that ye be not judged." "For with what judgement ye judge, ye
shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to
you again. Matthew 7:1-2
To this quotation I responded with the words, "I agree!" My only reason
for agreeing and accepting everything that the Reverend was reading to
me was not of the "special discount" I was getting from the Bible
Society on my purchases, but because these particular quotations were
conveying the same message and ideals which Allah "Subhanahoo Wa-
Ta'aala" was commanding the Muslims to preach and practice. I would be
spiritually jaundiced to take exceptions to what was common to both of
us - the MUSLIM and the CHRISTIAN. For me to say that an identical
message from my Book (the Holy Qur'an) was VERY GOOD, but the same
message in his Book (the Holy Bible) was VERY BAD would be hypocritical
in the extreme. It would be soul shaming untruth.
THE PURPOSE
What was the real purpose of the Reverend's reading the Scripture to me?
Indeed, I was getting a special discount on all my purchases from the
Bible Society and I was perhaps the only non-Christian to get such a
discount, though it was depending purely on a business transaction, and
this information must have been passed on to the Reverend as the Head of
the Bible Society; that I was a Muslim there was no mistaking my
identity, for my beard and my headgear were the badges of my Faith,
easily recognised as such in this part of the world; and that, despite
my numerous purchases of the Bibles in English (various versions), in
Zulu, Afrikaans, Urdu, Arabic and other languages, I was not yet
"converted." Perhaps, what I really needed was a gentle push, the
Supervisor must have been told. Hence the recitation of the preceding
quotations to me. The implication of this reading was that I had
probably not read those beautiful passages; how else was it possible,
then, that I had not yet embraced Christianity?
A PROBLEM
The Reverend gentleman had taken the role of a teacher who wanted to
teach, who wanted to impart new knowledge to his pupil.
Since I am commanded by my Prophet (Peace be upon him) to "SEEK
KNOWLEDGE FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE," and "SEEK KNOWLEDGE EVEN IF IT
BE IN CHINA," I wanted to learn. I said, "I agree with all that you have
read to me, but I have a problem with your Bible." "What problem have
you got?" he asked. I said, "Please open the Gospel of St.Luke,Chapter 3
Verse 23." This he did. I said, "Please read." He read:- "And Jesus
himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed)
the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli," Luke 3:23
I drew the Reverend's attention to the words - "(AS WAS SUPPOSED)." I
said, "Do you see that the words 'as was supposed' are written within
brackets?" He said that he saw that. I asked him, "Why are the brackets
there?" He acknowledged, "I don't know, but I could find out for you
from some Bible scholars." I admired his humility. Though I knew that
all Supervisors of Bible Houses in South Africa are retired reverends,
it was possible that this aspect of Bible Knowledge was beyond their
sphere. I said, "If you do not know, then let me tell you what the
brackets are doing there in this verse. You do not have to take the
trouble of looking for a Bible scholar."
I explained that in the "most ancient" manuscripts of Luke, the words
'(AS WAS SUPPOSED)' are not there. Your translators felt that with out
this interpolation the "little lambs" not well grounded in faith, might
slip and fall into the error of believing that JOSEPH the Carpenter was
the actual physical father of Jesus. So they took the precaution of
adding their own comment in BRACKETS to avoid any misunderstanding. I
said, "I am not trying to find fault with your system of adding words in
brackets to assist the reader, but what intrigues me is that in all
translations of the Bible in the African and Eastern languages you have
retained the words "as was supposed" but have REMOVED THE
BRACKETS.Couldn't the nations of the Earth besides the English
understand the meaning and purpose of the brackets?
What is wrong with the Afrikaner? Why have you eliminated the brackets
from the Afrikaans Bible? The Supervisor protested, "I didn't do it." I
said, "I know that you personally did not do it but why have the Bible
Society that you represent and your Bible scholars been playing with the
"Word of God?" If God Almighty did not see fit to preserve Luke from
error what right has anybody to add to or delete from words in the "Book
of God?" What right have you to manufacture "GOD'S WORDS?"
INTERPOLATIONS
The translator's own addition of words in brackets can easily be put
into the mouth of St. Luke by merely removing the brackets, and by
implication, if Luke was inspired by God to write what he did, then the
interpolations automatically become the WORD OF GOD, which really is not
the case. (More will be said on this subject in the forthcoming
publication "Is the Bible God's Word?) I concluded my explanation with
the words - "Your theologians of the day have succeeded where the
alchemists of yore failed - of turning baser metal into shining gold."
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
At this stage the Reverend introduced irrelevancies into the discussion
and the subject changed. He made some claims which made me say, "You
see, sir, you English people do not know your own language." (With
apologies to my readers whose mother tongue is English). He quickly
retorted, "You mean to say that you know my language better than I do?"
I said, "It would be presumptuous on my part to tell - an Englishman -
that I understand your language better than you do."
"Then what do you mean that we English people do not know our own
language?" he demanded. I said again, "You see, sir, you read your Holy
Scripture in your mother tongue, like every Christian belonging to a
thousand different language groups, and yet each and every Christian
language group understands the facts, OPPOSITE to what he is reading."
What are you refering to?" he asked.
A GHOST
I continued: "Do you remember the occasion when Jesus returned to that
upper room after his alleged crucifixion 'and saith unto them, his
(disciples), Peace be unto you' (Luke 24:36) and his disciples were
terrified on recognising him?" He answered that he remembered that
incident I enquired, "Why should they be terrified?" When one recognises
one's long-lost friend or one's beloved, the natural reaction is to feel
overjoyed, elated and one wants to embrace and kiss the hands and feet
of the beloved. Why did they get terrified?" The Reverend replied that,
They (the disciples) thought that they were seeing a ghost." I asked,
"Did Jesus look like a ghost?" He said, "No." "Then why did they think
that they were seeing a ghost when he did not look like a ghost?" I
queried. The Reverend was clearly puzzled. I said, "Please allow me to
explain."
DISCIPLES NOT EYE WITNESSES
"You see, sir, the disciples of Jesus were not EYE-witnessess or
EAR-witnesses to the actual happenings of the previous three days, as
vouched for by St.Mark who says that at the most critical juncture in
the life of Jesus, "they all forsook him and fled." (Mark 14:50). All
the knowledge of the disciples regarding their Master was from hearsay.
They had heard that their master was HANGED ON THE CROSS; they had heard
that he had GIVEN UP THE GHOST; they had heard that he was DEAD AND
BURIED FOR THREE DAYS. If one is confronted by a person with such a
reputation then the conclusion is inescapable; they must be seeing A
GHOST. Little wonder these ten brave men were petrified."
"To disabuse their minds from the fear that gripped them, Jesus reasoned
with them. He said, 'Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself:'
To put it in colloquial English, this is how he told them: WHAT IS WRONG
WITH YOU FELLOWS, CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I AM THE SAME PERSON - who walked
and talked with you, broke bread with you - flesh and blood in all
respects.
Why do doubts enter your minds? 'Handle me and see,for a spirit has no
flesh and bones as you see me have.' (Luke 24:39). In other words he is
telling them: If I have FLESH and BONES, then I am not a GHOST, not a
SPOOK and not a SPIRIT!" "Is that right?" I asked. "Yes," he replied. I
continued that, Jesus is telling them, as recorded in this verse, in
Basic English, that what the disciples were asked to HANDLE AND SEE' was
not a translated body, not a metamorphosed body and not a resurrected
body, because a RESURRECTED body is a SPIRITUALISED body. He is telling
them in the clearest language humanly possible that he is NOT what they
were thinking. They were thinking that he was a SPIRIT, a RESURRECTED
body, one having been brought back from the dead. He is most emphatic
that HE IS NOT!"
SPIRITUALIZATION
"But how can you be so sure that the resurrected body cannot materialise
physically as Jesus had obviously done?" murmured the Reverend. I
replied: "Because Jesus had himself pronounced that the resurrected
bodies get spiritualised." When did he say any such thing?" enquired the
Reverend. I answered, "Do you remember the incident as recorded in the
Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 20, where the learned men of the Jews- 'the
chief priests and the scribes with the elders'- had come to him with a
number of posers, and among them was one about a Jewess who had seven
husbands in turn, one after another according to a Jewish custom, and in
time all seven husbands and the woman too died?" The Reverend said that
he did remember the occassion. I continued: "The trap that the religious
hierarchy was trying to spring on him was; which one of the seven
husbands was going to possess the woman on the 'Other side'- at the
resurrection ?- since they reasoned with Jesus that the seven brothers
"had her". There was no problem while they fulfilled their obligation of
trying to give her a child, because they had possessed her one by one in
turn, and it was after the death of one that the other had taken her to
wife. But since at the resurrection all seven will be brought to life
simultaneously, there will be strife in heaven because all seven would
want to get at her at the same time, specially if they had pleasure with
her."
"Jesus debunked their false notion of the resurrection, by saying that
at the resurrection 'neither shall they die any more:' (Luke 20:36)
meaning that the resurrected persons will be IMMORTALISED. They will not
be subject to death any more, no more hunger or thirst, no more fatigue.
In short, all the instruments of death will be powerless against the
resurrected body. Jesus continues to explain: "for they (the resurrected
bodies) are equal unto the angles," that is, that they will be ANGELISED
- spiritualised, that they will become spirit-creatures, i.e. SPIRITS;
'and the children of God, for such are the children of the
resurrection.' (Luke 20:36)
JESUS NOT SPIRITUALISED
I was taken off from the theme I was expounding two paragraphs above by
the Reverend with the challenge,"But how can you be so sure..?" To
continue from where I had deviated above - 'HE IS NOT' what they were
thinking, that he was not a SPIRIT, not a GHOST, not a SPOOK. To assure
them further after having offered his hands and feet for inspection and
verification that his was a material, physical body, and that all their
bewilderment and disbelief was unjustified, he asked his disciples:"Have
you here any meat?" (Meaning something to eat). 'And they gave him a
piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb, and he took it, and did eat
before them.' (Luke 24:41-43)
A DRAMA ?
What was Jesus trying to prove by all his demonstrations of wanting his
hands and feet to be handled and chewing and masticating broiled fish
and honeycomb?
Was all this a pretence, make-belief, an act or drama? "NO!" Said
Schleliermacher in 1819, a hundred years before I was born. Albert -
Schweizer records him saying, "IF CHRIST HAD ONLY EATEN TO SHOW THAT HE
COULD EAT, WHILE HE REALLY HAD NO NEED OF NOURISHMENT, IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A PRETENCE _ SOMETHING DOCETIC."("In Quest of the Historial Jesus,"
page 64).
I had not know of Schleliermacher and other Christian scholars who over
a hundred years ago doubted the death of Jesus on the cross as recorded
by Albert Schweizer, when I was discussing this subject with the head of
the Bible Society.
NO RESURRECTION
"What is wrong with you (Christian) folk?" Jesus is telling you in the
most unambiguous language that he is not a SPIRIT - not spiritualised,
not a RESURRECTED person, and yet the whole Christian world believes
that he was RESURRECTED, i.e. SPIRITUALISED. Who is lying, you or him ?
How is it possible that you (each and every Christian) are reading your
Holy Bible in your own mother tongue and yet EACH AND EVERY LANGUAGE
GROUP IS MADE TO UNDERSTAND THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY ARE READING
? If you read the Bible, say, in Hebrew, and pleaded that you did not
understand what you were reading, I can appreciate this fact. If you
read it in Greek and pleaded that you did not really understand the
implications of what was written; I can appreciate this fact also. But
the anomaly is that you are reading the Book, each and every one, IN HIS
OWN MOTHER TONGUE, and are trained to understand the OPPOSITE of what is
written. How have you been brainwashed, or rather, how have you been
"Programmed," as the Americans would put it.
"Please tell me as to who is lying ? Is it Jesus or a thousand million
Christians of the world? Jesus says, "NO!" to his being resurrected, and
all of you say "YES!" Whom are we Muslims to believe, Jesus or his so
called disciples ? We Muslims would rather believe the Master. Did he
not say, "The disciple is not greater than the Master." (matthew 10:24)
This was more than the Reverend had bargained for. He politely excused
himself by saying that as he had to get ready to close his office,he
would look forward to meeting me again. This was sheer evasive
politeness!
With the Bible Society, I won the DEBATE but lost the DISCOUNT! No more
discount for me from the Bible Society. But let my loss be your gain. If
you dear reader, can remove a few cobwebs from your thinking on the
subject of the 'CRUCIFIXION,' I will be amply rewarded.
Now here are the verses discussed put together :
"....Jesus himself stood in their midst, and said unto them, Peace be
unto you.
"....But they were terrified, and supposing that they were seeing a
spirit. "And he said unto them,....
"Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see;
for a spirit has no flesh and bones, as you see me have.
"And showed them his hands and feet.
"And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto
them, Have ye here any meat?
"And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of a honeycomb.
"And he took it, and did eat before them." Luke 24:36-43
Announcements ................................................................
5. Free Ahmed Deedat's Books ................................. from IINN Staff
from
IINN Staff
Free Ahmed Deedat's Books
All FREE books by Ahmed Deedat available in many Islamic centers all
over the world or write to :
The Islamic Propagation Center
45/47/49 Madressa Arcade
Durban 4001
Repuplic of South Africa
Tel : (031) 32-9518
List of Free books :
1) What the Bible says about Mohammed.
2) What was the sign of Jonah?
3) Who moved the stone?
4) Resurrection or resuscitation?
5) Is the Bible God's word?
6) What is His name?
7) The god that never was.
8) Islam's answer to the racial problem.
9) Christ in Islam.
10) Crucifixion or crucifiction?
11) The Muslim at prayer.
12) Mohammed-The Prophet of Islam.
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