Question 01: What is the indisputable evidence that the teachings of Muhammad have all come from God?
Answer 01: There are numerous irrefutable evidences indicating that such teachings originated from God almighty. Here are some:
1. All that has been enjoined, and denied, can be found highly propitious and useful to all mankind, everywhere and at any time.They are commensurate with the sound mind and the chaste insight. Examples are commandments on solidifying family ties,preserving superior moral qualities, avoiding usury and all misdemeanors. All that the prophet (pbuh) has been told in inspiration has been proved valid. Such material falls in two categories:
A. Pertaining to the past. These are corroborated by former books as well as authenticated evidence confirmed by science and modern discoveries, e.g. finindgs in geology as the era of the deluge, in archeology as the relics from the epochs of Thamud and the Pharaos.
B. Pertaining to the future. Certain incidents were predicted by the prophet, e.g. the fire which blasted Medina in 654 hijra, the good offices performed by Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib in reconcilating between two major factions of Muslims, the gathering of the Jews in Palestine today, the emergence of nudist women who earn their living in immodest ways, and the spread of ususry, corruption, murder, etc.
C. Evidences derived from the prophet’s own life and morals, a study of both of which can only cofirms that such actions can never emerge except from one who is both true and honest. Whoever considers God’s support of His prophet (pbuh), the victory over his enemies, and the spread of his religion, must come to the conclusion that this prophet was sustained by God and that all he preached had come from the Almighty.
D. Some contemporary scientific discoveries support the prophet’s tenets, e.g. stages of the life of the embryo, the way in which milk comes into being in the mammals, the existence of the aquarian barrier between two adjecent seas, the fact that the Dead Sea is the nethermost place on earth, etc.
E. The miracles performed by him: these were simultaneously witnessed by both his followers and antagonists, e.g. the fissure of the moon surface, the springing of water from his fingers, the healing of the sick, etc. His greatest miracle remains the glorious Qur’an that has proved the authenticity of its contents over the ages.
Question 02: Who is the prophet?
Answer 02: He is a man chosen by almighty God, inspired by Him, and enjoined to proclaim the call to the people he was sent to.
Question 03: How can prophet Muhammad (pbuh) be the imam (leader) of all the prophets when he is the last messenger?
Answer 03: Preference is God’s own prerogative. It is exclusive to such and not to others, in accordance with His emmiscience and wisdom. Preference has no relation with precedence or antecedence in time. Moses and Jesus are are among the latter batch of prophets, still they are the best among all those who preceded them except Noah and Abraham (peace be uponh them).Furthermore, prophet Muhammad’s religion, in terms of creeds and the morals, conforms to those preached by the previous prophets. As for the rules of these religions, the prophet (pbuh), by commandments from almighty God, nullified some, modified others; altered some, and augmented others. Accordingly, his call has become more comprehensive, more perfect, hence has dominion over precedences. The one in charge of such a call deserves being an imam to those who preceded him. Those were made to pledge to the be faithful to him and support him, almighty God says:
“And (remember) when God took the covenant of the prophets, saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the book and hikmah (understanding of the laws of God), and afterwards there will come to you a messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.’ God said: ‘Do you agree (to it) and will you take up my covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They said: ‘We agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 81).
Such favours prove that he is the best.
Question 04: What evidence proves that Jesus was not a God, but only a messenger from God?
Answer 04: Jesus Christ (pbuh), following both the Gospels and the Qur’an, was born of the virgin Mary, who was just like any other human being. It is common knowledge that whoever is born cannot be deified. Jesus Christ was a human being who used to eat and drink just like anybody else. He was susceptible to hunger, grief and/or merriment. He experienced all the
paraphernalia pertaining to human life. His miraculous creation from no father is no stranger than that of Adam,a being who was both fatherless and motherless.This is an evidence of God’s omnipotence. Jesus Christ was no more than a servant to,and messenger of God,who revealed the scripture in order to promulgate it and carry out His call. On the day of judgement Jesus Christ is not to be judged because of those who deified him in exclusion of God or thought of him as parallel. In the Qur’an we have a mentioning of this, where in the hereafter God will ask Jesus if he had asked his followers to deify him, whereby Jesus will answer God by saying: “If you punish them, they are your slaves, and if you forgive them, verily, you, only you, are the all-Mighty, the all-Wise” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 118). Here is one more reply to the one who seeks an evidence as to the deification of Jesus Christ, while he has none of the qualities of God. Whatever miracles he performed emanated from God, just as He supported other prophets.
Question 05: In what way was Jesus Christ a Muslim, as well as all the other prophets?
Answer 05: There is no doubt that all prophets (peace be upon them), beginning with Adam and ending in Muhammad, preached one religion—the worship of God alone and disregarding all other powers. This is something advocated by Islam. God says: “Truly, the true religion with God is Islam” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 19). About Abraham (pbuh), God says: “Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but was a true Muslim (hanif: monotheist—a worshipper one God alone) and he was not a mushrik—a polytheist” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 67). On the question of the disciples of Jesus, God says: “And when I (God) inspired al-hawariun (the disciples of Jesus) to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: ‘We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims’.” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 111). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) confirmed this in his saying: “Prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.”
Question 06: If people have managed to distort the message of Christ, is not this sufficient evidence that he failed in his mission? If he was great, how could God allow his call to peter out into failure?
Answer 06: Christ (pbuh) cannot be said to have failed in his mission. God supported him with
astounding miracle and convincing arguments. Whatever distortion has befallen the scripture preached by Christ, it must have happened after his ascention to heaven. Failure and disintegration are the works of the followes who fell a prey to whims and caprice.In this connection God says:
[And (remember) when God will say (on the day of reurrection): ‘O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto men: ‘worship me and my mother as two gods besides God?’ He will say: ‘Glory is to You! It is not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely, have know it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and seen). Never did I say to them aught except what You (God) did command me to say: worship God my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when you took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things’.”] (Holy Qur’an: 5: 116-117)
Question 07: Seeing that God’s message to humanity is one and the same, why was it partitioned among more than one prophet and not revealed in one package?
Answer 07: The message entrusted to all prophets is one and the same. It finds expression in a call for the worship of the one God and the avoidance of false dieties, God says: “And verily, we have sent among every ummah (community/nation) a messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship God (alone), and avoid taghut (all false deities)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 16: 36). God almighty also said: “And We did not send any messenger before you (Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): ‘None has the right to be worshipped but I (God), so worship Me (alone and none else)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 21: 25). As for the multiplicity of the prophets, it has been caused by various motives:
1. So that people in any age may not have the pretext as to have been ignorant of God’s commandments. God says: “Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against God after the (coming of) messengers.” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 165).
2. Specifying individual laws for each nation which shall conform to its nature and circumstances. God says: “…To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way…” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 48).
3. The differences among languages and their multiplicity, required entrusting more than one prophet/messenger, each speaks the language of a certain nation. This is obvious in the Almighty’s words: “And We sent not a messenger except with the language of his people in order that he make (the message) clear for them” (Holy Qur’an: 14: 4).
Question 08: Is the Muslim entitled to blend his/her faith with other faiths or creeds?
Answer 08: In no way should a Mulslim adopt other creeds or principles which conflict with the fundamentals underlying the Islamic doctrine. Monotheism runs counter to polytheism, nor does sunna (prophet’s words and deeds) agrees with innovations.Likewise, the love of God is incompatiable with the love of some other power, etc.
Question 09: Why were the first batch of prophets sent to certain geographical areas and not others? How can we judge those areas which received no prophets? Why were they left without the word of God?
Answer 09: Judging by the accounts given by the prophet’s hadiths (sayings) God sent to various folks 124,000 prophets, while God’s messengers numbered 314. Such a large number of prophets and messengers prove that not one nation or area went without one (or some). In this regard God almighty says: “…And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them” (Holy Qur’an: 35: 24). And again, He also says: “And verily, we have sent among every ummah (community/nation) a messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship God (alone), and avoid taghut (all false deities)’.” (Holy Qur’an: 16: 36).
Question 10: Why should Muhammad (pbuh) be considered the last prophet while Jesus Christ will reappear?
Answer 10: Muhammad (pbuh) is actually the last of all prophets, according to what he siad. The descent of Jesus Christ (pbuh) from heaven is not a new mission. It is a return whose aim is to reinforce Islam and its shari’a (Islamic laws and rules) our propeht called for, and the last celestial techings. This is clear in his words: “The coming of Jesus is imminent.He will come as a just ruler, destroy the cross, and nullify the poll tax. There would be so much money that no one would accept charity.” In another long hadith, he says: “…He (Jesus Christ) will call peope to Islam and God would abolish all religions leaving Islam alone.
It is quite obvious from the above evidences that whatever Jesus Christ preaches is nothing but Islam and the law of Muhammad (peace be upon them both). He will even pray behind a Muslim. The prophet says: “How will you be when the son of Mary (Jesus Christ)
descends among you, while you are praying behind an imam (a prayer leader) from among you?”
Muslim scholars referred to the return of Jesus Christ (pbuh) at the end of time. They mentioned that his return will be especially significant to:
1. Empashize the facts of Islam as preached by prophet Muhammad (pbuh); 2. Reply to the claims of the Jews and the Christians as to his death, crucifixion.;
3. His return indicates the approach of the end of his life and his his burial.
4. The prophet’s report about Jesus Christ must be the truth, because it is something that had been revealed to him from God.
Question 11: How can you claim that Jesus did not die while his death is actually mentioned in Surrat Al-Imraan (Chapter 3 of the Holy Qur’an)?
Answer 11: No verse in the Qur’an relates the death of Jesus Christ (pbuh). The term used in the chapter ‘wafaat‘ does not refer to death as much as it refers to departure from earthly existence. His appointed time on earth had elapsed. Accordingly, God says: “And (remember ) when God said: ‘O Jesus! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you of those who disbelieve…’.” (Holy Qur’an: 3: 55).This can be paraphrased thus: I have teken you body and soul. The term wafaat can also be used to indicate sleep. God says: “It is He who takes your sould by night (when you are asleep), and has knowledge of all that you have done by day…” (Holy Qur’an: 6: 60).
Contrary to what the Chrstians claim, the Qur’an confirms that Jesus Christ (pbuh) was not killed. God raised him up to Himself: “…For Surely, they killed him (Jesus) not. But God raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself…” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 157-158). The truth of the matter is that Jesus was ascended alive and will come back alive.
Question 12: How can you prove that Jesus Christ was not crucified?
Answer 12:This question can be answered from different angles:
1. There are many ambiguities surrounding the issue of Christ’s crucifixion in the canonical Gospels. How was the Crucifixion carried out? For how long did Jesus hungon the cross? What are the precise dates? Who carried the cross? What was his prayer while he was on the cross? How do you explain his cry of despair? Who were the witnesses?What happened after the crucifixion?There is no consensus on these questions. So much of the crucifixion story is based on mere conjecture.
2. The issue of crucifixion is based on the belief in the original sin and redemption by blood. This issue contradicts common sense, and it is irreconcilable with God’s justice and mercy. How can the innocents be held accountable for the actions of the guilty?
3. Finally, the Qur’an has unambiguously refuted the Bible’s crucifixion story. God says: “…They killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man, and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him (Jesus) not. But God raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself. And God is ever all-powerful, all wise” (Holy Qur’an: 4: 157-158).
No comments:
Post a Comment