1 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF
JESUS’ TEACHINGS
NO DOUBT THIS LIFE IS AN EXAMINATION
WHICH NEEDS YOUR FULL CONSIDERATION
AS TO WHAT YOU WILL TAKE TO
YOUR FINAL DESTINATION?
ONLY TRUE BELIEF AND GOOD DEEDS ARE
YOUR WAY TO SALVATION
(Muhammad Sherif)
ABOUT THE WORD ‘LORD’
The word lord in English has several related meanings. The
original meaning is ‘master’ or ‘ruler’, and in this sense it is
often used to refer to human beings: ‘the lord of the mansion’
or ‘Lord So-and-So’ (in the United Kingdom, for example). The
word Lord with a capital L is used in the lexicon of Islam to refer
to the One and Only God-Allah. In Islam, there is no ambiguity
about the meaning of this word. While it is true that one may occasionally
use the word lord (whether capitalized or not) to refer
to a human being, in Islamic discourse the reference of this term
is always clear from the context. Whereas for Christians, Hindus
and other polytheists, the word Lord with a capital L may refer
to Allah, to Jesus or to some imagined deity, for Muslims, there
can be no plurality of meaning. Allah alone is the Lord, and the
Lord is Allah-not Jesus, not Rama, not any other being.
| 8
ABOUT THE WORD ‘ALLAH’
Although the English word ‘God’ has often been used interchangeably
in this book with the word Allah, there is a difference.
‘Allah’ is the word in Arabic that is translated as ‘God’.
However, ‘Allah’ has a much more precise meaning than ‘God’.
‘Allah’ is not merely an Arabic term for the word ‘god’. Instead,
the root word of the word ‘Allah’ is ilah, which means ‘a god’.
There are countless numbers of made-up ‘gods’, but only One
True God worthy of worship, Whose name is Allah. The word
‘Allah’ literally means ‘the worshipped’, or ‘the God’. Allah is,
thus, the proper name for the only Being that is worthy of worship
in truth, the True Creator of the universe. By saying ‘Allah’,
Muslims are, in essence, negating every other entity which
people wrongfully worship, while affirming worship to Him
alone. The name ‘Allah’ is how God Almighty has referred to
Himself in the Quran, and how Prophet Muhammad (blessings
and peace be upon him) also referred to Him. Therefore, in this
work, the term ‘Allah’ will often be used in reference to this One
and Only God Who is worthy of worship.
9 |
INTRODUCTION
Every individual is born into a religious environment that is not
necessarily in accordance with his or her choice; children are
raised to follow the religion or ideology of their family, society,
or culture. Even as new-born babies, they are assigned either the
religion of their family or the ideology of the state; in some countries,
the child’s assigned religion is even recorded on the birth
certificate. By the time individuals reach their teens, they have
usually accepted the beliefs of their parents or their particular society.
Since these beliefs have come to feel normal to them, they
may give no thought to examining and possibly changing them.
However, individuals often encounter, or are exposed to, various
beliefs and ideologies throughout the course of their lives,
leading many to question long-held beliefs, traditions, or philosophical
ideas. They begin to question the validity of their own
beliefs. Seekers of truth often reach a point of confusion, especially
upon realizing that the believers of every religion, sect,
ideology, and philosophy claim to profess the one and only truth.
A main point of confusion in the minds of the majority of
Christians is the relation between the two main two religions:
Christianity and Islam.
The bulk of Christians perceive Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) and
the teachings he brought to be in great conflict with the teachings
brought by Jesus (pbuh).
This book and its twin, The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad
in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs of Muhammad’s Prophethood
in the Bible, prove to the fair reader that Jesus indicated the adTHE
CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 10
vent of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), and that the latter revived
the teachings brought by the former.
Before we delve into the book, it should be noted that when beginning
the search for the true religion, one should keep in mind
the following four things:
Firstly, Allah has given us the ability and the intellect to discover
the answer to this crucial question, which is also a life-changing
decision: What is the true religion?
Secondly, Allah, the Most Compassionate, has not left us to go
astray without any guidance. Indeed, He sent us prophets with
scriptures to show us the right path.
Thirdly, we should always remember the underlying reason for
this search: the everlasting life to come depends upon adopting
the true religion in this life. This should be our ultimate motivation
and a driving force to keep us searching until we are
completely satisfied.1
Fourthly, we can only determine the true path and make a rational
and correct decision if we willingly put aside all the emotions
and prejudices which often blind us to reality.
Kind regards,
Majed S. Al-Rassi
Phone: 966 50 5906761
e-mail: majed.alrassi@gmail.com
1 The Bible, in its present form, confirms that seeking the truth is the main
cause for salvation. In John 8:32, it has been stated, “and you will know
the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Muslims believe that the existing
versions of the Bible contain elements of the original true message, although
it has been altered significantly over time.
11 |
ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF THE BASIC
TEACHINGS OF JESUS1
INTRODUCTION
All prophets were sent with the same message: monotheism in
the worship of Allah, the Exalted, and testifying to the supremacy
of His attributes as well as the Oneness of His essence. However,
their messages may differ in terms of legislation (Sharia), for
instance, regarding the manner of performing prayers, fasting,
types of charity, and so on. This depends upon each nation’s
characteristics, according to Allah’s wisdom, for He knows His
creatures better than they know themselves.
Every prophet revived the basic beliefs that had been distorted
since the departure of the preceding prophet. Islam, being the final
message, revived the basic beliefs and practices of all the previous
messages, including the message of Jesus. It elaborated them so
that people would find them clear and straightforward to follow.
The following are some basic teachings of Prophet Jesus (pbuh)
that were later revived in the message of Islam:
1. REVIVAL OF THE CREED OF ALLAH’S ONENESS
OF ESSENCE
This fundamental principle was taught by Jesus (pbuh), as
quoted below, but later abandoned by most Christians. It was
revived by the message of Islam. All praise and thanks are for
Allah for His guidance.
1 Compiled from Philips, The True Message of Jesus Christ and Caraballo,
My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam.
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Here are fourteen proofs from the Bible and rational thought
regarding Allah’s Oneness in His essence, negating the doctrine
of the Trinity:
1. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Deuteronomy 6:4)
2. ...that you may know and believe me and understand that I
am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any
after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.
(Isaiah 43:10-11)
3. I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
Who is like me? (Isaiah 44:6-7)
4. And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a
Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved…
To me every knee shall bow. (Isaiah 45:21-23)
5. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.1 (John 17:3)
6. Worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.
(Matthew 4:10)
7. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Mark 12:29)
8. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I did not speak in
secret, in a land of darkness… I the LORD speak the truth; I
declare what is right. (Isaiah 45:18-19)
9. An additional important proof from the Bible that God
(Allah), Jesus (pbuh), and the Holy Spirit are each distinct
in their essence: the Bible (the Old and New Testaments)
1 This verse indicates very clearly the distinction between Allah as God and
Jesus as a prophet.
13 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
does not state anywhere that Allah, Jesus and the Holy Spirit
comprise one entity called God, or one of three. This notion
is merely a product of man-made, illogical, pagan thinking
which people have blindly inherited from their parents and
grandparents throughout the ages and generations, without
any rational assessment or validation.
10. The following biblical verses, referring to God (Allah),
contradict the creed of the Trinity in an indirect way:
His voice you have never heard, his form you have never
seen. (John 5:37)
...whom no one has ever seen or can see. (1Timothy 6:16)
...you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and
live. (Exodus 33:20)
According to these biblical verses, no one can see or hear
God, yet according to Christian belief, God is supposed to
be Jesus (pbuh). If that were the case, these verses would
make no sense because Jesus’ family and followers, the
Jews, and many other contemporaries saw and heard him
during his lifetime. Obviously, these verses cannot be talking
about Jesus, so they must be referring to someone else: God
(Allah), the Highest, Whom no one can see or hear.
11. It is curious, too, that Jesus himself never mentioned the
Trinity. He never said anything about divine entities forming
a trinity. If there were a trinity, he would have explained it
very clearly to his people because prophets came to convey
the truth, not to hide it.
12. Jesus’ concept of Allah was no different from that of all the
previous prophets. All of them preached the Oneness of
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 14
Allah instead of the concept of a ‘Trinity’. Jesus taught the
same monotheistic, unitarian message that had been revealed
to all the prophets who came before him.
13. The doctrine of Trinity is irrational because nothing that
comes out of Allah or is created by Him can become His
equal or partner.
14. The Quran rejects the concept of the Trinity as strongly as
it rejects the idea that Allah has a son. Allah has informed
us that He is One, and this is a fundamental tenet of all
the revelations. Three, by reason and by simple arithmetic,
cannot be one. The Quran has addressed Christians on this
subject:
{O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your
religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah,
Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and
His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created
at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His
messengers. And do not say: Three; desist-it is better for
you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above
having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and
whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer
of affairs.} (Quran 4: 171)
Islam revived the concept of Allah’s Oneness in essence, and
this is very different from Jesus’ essence. It absolutely negated
the doctrine of sonship (that Jesus is the son of God and, as such,
is both human and divine) and the doctrine which states that
Allah is Jesus (pbuh). Allah has said:
{They have certainly disbelieved who say: Allah is the Messiah,
the son of Mary…} (Quran 5: 72)
15 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
He has also said in the noble Quran:
{Say: He is Allah, [Who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He
neither begets, nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.}
(Quran 112: 1-4)
Allah is the most rich; He has no need for a son or a wife.
That would be illogical, because He created both, as well as
everything else in this universe. To believe that Jesus is the son
of God, we have to close our hearts, twist our minds backwards,
and blindly follow what the religious leaders and community
members say, without any discussion or logical analysis.
2. REVIVAL OF ALLAH’S SUPREMACY IN TERMS
OF HIS ATTRIBUTES AND QUALITIES
Allah has multiple and supreme attributes. He is the Most
Gracious and Most Merciful. He was praised in all the revealed
books and through the words of all His prophets. According
to the Bible, Jesus (pbuh) taught that Allah is supreme in His
attributes.
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good
deed must I do to have eternal life?”
And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good?
There is only one [i.e., God] who is good. (Matthew 19:16-17)
He denied the attribution of ‘infinite goodness’ or ‘perfect
goodness’ to himself, affirming that this attribute belongs to
Allah alone.
In Isaiah (44:6-7, RSV), it has been reported that God (Allah)
says, “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
Who is like Me?”
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 16
Islam effectively revived this basic concept. Numerous verses in
the Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) affirm
that Allah:
Has no partners or equals.
Is ‘invisible’ because He is over His throne, and over the
heavens, and no one can see Him in this life.
Is not physically manifested or incarnated in other forms.
Is eternal; He does not die.
Begets not, nor is He begotten; He does not need anyone like
a mother, a wife, or a son.
Has no partners in His Godhead.
Is self-sufficient; everyone depends upon Him and needs Him,
but He neither depends upon anyone nor needs anything (such
as food, drink, or help). For example, Allah has said in the
Quran:
{…There is nothing like unto Him…} (Quran 42: 11)
{So do not assert similarities to Allah. Indeed, Allah knows,
and you do not know.} (Quran 16: 74)
{…and for Allah is the highest attribute. And He is Exalted in
Might, the Wise.} (Quran 16: 60)
This basic component of belief (that Allah deserves the best
names and attributes) has been emphasized repeatedly in the
noble Quran. This is evident to the reader of the Quran, who
finds that numerous Quranic verses end with a reference to a
divine attribute, such as {the All-Hearing, All-Seeing}, {the
Most Forgiving, the All-Compassionate}, and {the Most High,
the Most Great}.
17 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
3. REVIVAL OF THE DOCTRINE OF MONOTHEISM
(WORSHIP OF ALLAH ALONE)
As mentioned earlier, the call to believe in Allah alone
(monotheism), without any intermediary, was the message of
all the prophets; therefore, any acts of worship must be directed
to Allah alone. Because of the persisting deviation in this
doctrine, it has had to be reaffirmed by all the prophets of Allah
throughout the ages. The monotheistic message of Islam simply
tells people that they should worship Allah only and that they
should not worship anyone or anything other than Allah in any
way, shape or form.
However, Christians now call upon (supplicate to) Jesus
(and others) besides Allah. Moreover, they direct all types of
worship to Jesus. Associating others with Allah is nothing but
polytheism. Surprisingly, although the text of the Bible has been
altered significantly, it still contains evidence that Jesus called
others towards monotheism:
In Luke 4:5-7, the devil asked Jesus to worship him,
promising him the authority and glory of all the kingdoms
of this world.
And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship
the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” (Luke 4:8)
And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a
Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to Me and be saved…
To Me every knee shall bow. (Isaiah 45:21-23)
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am
God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22)
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 18
You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall
you serve. (Matthew 4:10)
In the Bible, the true God emphatically testifies:
I am the LORD, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret,
in a land of darkness… I the LORD speak the truth; I declare
what is right. (Isaiah 45:18-19)
Thus, the essence of the message of Jesus was that only Allah
deserves to be worshipped; thus, worship directed to anyone or
anything besides or along with Him is false. It is important to
note that worshipping others besides God is a major alteration
of Jesus’ message because the Bible never reported that Jesus
(pbuh) wanted anyone to worship him, either directly or
indirectly through idols such as a statue of him or a cross.
After Jesus departed this world, the call to monotheism became
distorted by later followers, beginning with Paul, who turned
that pure and simple message into a complicated Trinitarian
philosophy which justified the worship of Jesus, followed by
what some consider to be worship of Jesus’ mother, Mary, the
angels, and the saints. Catholics, for example, have a long list of
saints to whom they turn in times of need.
Worshipping others besides Allah is irrational and in vain
because neither the living nor the dead can answer the prayers
(supplications) of humankind. The worship of Allah should not
be shared with His creation, because they are people just like us;
they are not the creators. They are merely weak creatures like us;
they need food, drink, shelter, and help, and after their death (or
ascension, in the case of Jesus), they cannot even hear the ones
who call them!
19 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
Islam revived the doctrine of monotheism. For example, Allah
has mentioned in the Quran:
{They have certainly disbelieved who say: Allah is the Messiah,
the son of Mary, while the Messiah has said: O Children of
Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Indeed, he who
associates others with Allah-Allah has forbidden him paradise,
and his abode is the fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers
any helpers.} (Quran 5: 72)
{Indeed, those you [polytheists] call upon besides Allah are
slaves like you...} (Quran 7: 194)
{…Is there a deity with Allah? High is Allah above whatever
they associate with Him.} (Quran 27: 63)
{…Is there a deity with Allah? Say: Produce your proof, if you
should be truthful.} (Quran 27: 64)
{And I did not create the jinn and humankind except to worship
Me.} (Quran 51: 56)
All other supposed gods and deities whom people worship
and call upon, such as Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Brahma, Shiva,
Krishna, or Buddha are not gods; nor are they manifestations of
the one true God (Allah).
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said:
«Supplication is an essential act of worship.» (An authentic hadith
narrated by Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood)
Consequently, if a person claims to be a Muslim but prays to a
prophet (including Muhammad), saint, statue, or anything else,
then he or she has stepped out of the bounds of Islam.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 20
4. REVIVAL OF THE CREED OF JESUS’ PROPHETHOOD
Nine Biblical proofs of Jesus’ prophethood
There are many verses in the New Testament which affirm Jesus’
prophethood and not divinity.
1. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.1 (John 17:3)
2. The people of his time are recorded as referring to Jesus as a
prophet. “And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus,
from Nazareth of Galilee.’” (Matthew 21:11)
3. Jesus referred to himself as a prophet. “And Jesus said to them,
‘A prophet is not without honour, except in his hometown
and among his relatives and in his own household.’” (Mark 6:4)
4. In the previous verses, Jesus is referred to as having been sent
as a messenger. In Matthew 10:40, Jesus was purported to
have said, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever
receives me receives him who sent me.”
5. It is narrated that Jesus also said:
I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my
judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will
of him who sent me. (John 5:30)
6. Jesus was also reported to have been referred to as a ‘teacher’,
which is the role of all the prophets.
1 This verse indicates very clearly the distinction between God, the deity,
and Jesus, the prophet. See also John 4:34, 5:30, 7:16, 7:28, 11:42, 13:16
and 14:24.
21 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what
good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16)
7. In Matthew 19:17, Jesus responded to the one who addressed
him as “Teacher”, saying, “Why do you ask me about what
is good? There is only one [i.e., God] who is good.” Jesus
here rejects being called ‘good’ and states that only God is
truly good; he clearly implies that he is not God. Also, Jesus
here rejects being called ‘perfectly good’ because perfection
belongs only to God (Allah).
8. In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus stated:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is
accomplished.
9. In Matthew 5:19, Jesus Christ, in accordance with the role of
any prophet, was reported to have insisted on strict obedience
to the commandments of Allah:
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these
commandments and teaches others to do the same will be
called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them
and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
5. REVIVAL OF THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS’ HUMANNESS
No evidence in the Bible for the divinity of Jesus (pbuh)
Nowhere in the Gospels was Jesus reported to have called himself
‘God’ or one of three. If this were the case, then it would
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 22
have been mentioned very clearly in the Bible at least once because
Jesus-like all other prophets-was sent to enlighten his people
about the truth and to clear up doubts, not to confuse them
further.
Indeed, the Bible in its present form points to Jesus’ humanness
in many verses, such as these from the Gospel of John:
but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth
that I heard from God... (John 8:40)
So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then you will know that I am he...” (John 8:28)1
Even in some of the writings of Paul, which the Church considers
sacred, Jesus is referred to as a man, distinct and different from
God (Allah). In 1 Timothy 2:5, Paul writes, “For there is one
God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus.”2
Today, many modern scholars of Christianity hold that Jesus
Christ was not ‘God’.
In 1977, a group of seven biblical scholars, including leading
Anglican theologians and other New Testament scholars,
published a book called The Myth of God Incarnate, which
caused a great uproar in the General Synod of the Church of
England. In the preface, the editor, John Hick, wrote:
The writers of this book are convinced that another major theological
development is called for in this last part of the twentieth
1 Jesus (pbuh) is referred to as the ‘Son of Man’ almost 200 times in the Bible.
This is an obvious conflict if he is also supposed to be God and the ‘Son of God’.
2 All the messengers are mediators between God and people in the sense that
they are His messengers, who deliver His message.
23 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
century. The need arises from growing knowledge of Christian
origins, and involves a recognition that Jesus was (as he is presented
in Act 2.21) ‘a man approved by God’ for a special role
within the divine purpose, and that the later conception of him
as God incarnate, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity living
a human life, is a mythological or poetic way of expressing his
significance for us.1
It should be noted that the concept of Jesus’ humanness is held
not only by Muslims but also by Jews and some early sects of
Christianity such as the Ebionites (Nazarenes), Cerinthians,
Basilidians, and Goths. These sects maintained that Jesus
was a beloved prophet of God, and they did not elevate him
above his rightful status. Even today, there are churches in Asia
and Africa, in addition to the Unitarian church and Jehovah’s
Witnesses, who do not worship Jesus as God. It is important to
stress, though, that denying the divinity of Jesus is not enough
to free them on the Day of Judgement unless they also accept
Islam, Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), and the last revelation from
Allah.
Both Christianity and Islam teach that Jesus was fully human; he
was a man who was born, got hungry and thirsty, got tired and
slept, felt pain, was tempted, and had other physical functions.
But Christians are asked to believe that while Jesus was fully
human, he was somehow – at the same time – fully divine. In
other words, He is the Creator (and was not created Himself),
yet his human body was created in Mary’s womb. In Islam, God
is the Creator, not the created; He is All Powerful and cannot
be constrained by human limitations; He is All Knowing, All
1 Philips, The True Message of Jesus Christ, 61.
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 24
Seeing, and All Hearing. How can we accept that God Himself,
the Creator and the All Powerful, was a human being like us,
with our human frailties?
The truth about sonship1
In the Bible, the expression ‘son’ has been used to refer to many
of the earlier prophets. Israel, for example, was called the ‘Son of
God’ in one of the books of Moses, “Then you shall say to Pharaoh,
‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son.” (Exodus 4:22)
The same title was given to David.
I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you. (Psalms 2:7)
Likewise, Prophet Solomon was called the Son of God.
He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I
will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel
forever. (I Chronicles, 22:10)
Throughout the Bible, the word ‘son’ is used to refer to ‘nearness
in love’. This is ascertained when we see Jesus himself saying
that every man who did the will of the Father in heaven was a
Son of God.
Jesus was reported to have said:
Love your enemies… so that you may be sons of your Father
who is in Heaven. (Matthew 5:44-45)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of
God. (Matthew 5:9)
1 Compiled from Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam.
25 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
Hence, what made a man worthy of being called a ‘Son of God’
was a devout life and kind, merciful behaviour.
The Bible proves that Jesus actually rejected being called ‘Son
of God’:
And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son
of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to
speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. (Luke 4:41)
In view of the above, there is no justification for regarding
Jesus as the Son of God in an exclusive and unique meaning.
When Jesus used the phrase ‘Son of God’, it meant exactly the
same as it meant when it was used for Adam, Israel, David
and Solomon (peace be upon them)-that is, the nearest in love
to God.
The humanness and prophethood of Jesus (pbuh) are
affirmed in many verses of the Quran to correct the grave
mistake of elevating him to the status of God (Allah) or
describing him as the Son of God (Allah).
In eleven different passages of the Quran, found in nine different
chapters, Allah has denied having a son: 2: 116, 10: 68, 11: 117,
18: 4, 19: 77, 19: 88, 19: 91-92, 21: 26, 25: 2, 39: 4, and 72: 3.
For example, He says:
{And they say: The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.
You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture
therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse
in devastation that they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. And
it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a
son. There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes
to the Most Merciful as a slave. He has enumerated them and
THE CLEAR RELIGION SERIES - PART 6 | 26
counted them a [full] counting. And all of them are coming to
Him on the Day of Resurrection alone.} (Quran 19: 88-95)
Allah, the Exalted, has also mentioned:
{The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other]
messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a
supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We
make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.}
(Quran 5: 75)
Clearly, the idea that Jesus was God or that he was the son of
God is textually weak and logically impossible.
Important notes
1. In none of the Christian or Muslim scriptures did Mary claim
that she was a mother of God or that her son was a God. As
mentioned in the Quran, she was a pious, virtuous woman
who worshipped God. It was never reported in the Bible that
Jesus (pbuh) instructed anyone to pray to pictures or statues
of her, and he never did this himself.
2. There are many verses in the Quran that also confirm
Prophet Muhammad’s human attributes, in order to prevent
his followers from elevating him to a divine or semi-divine
status as happened with Prophet Jesus (pbuh). For example,
Allah instructs Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) to inform all
those who hear his message:
{Say: I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed
that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the
meeting with his Lord-let him do righteous work and not
associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.} (Quran 18: 110)
27 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
6. REVIVAL OF THE DOCTRINE OF JESUS’ ASCENSION
(NEGATING THE CRUCIFIXION)
Some of the changes made to Prophet Jesus’ message after his
ascension are so fundamental that they strike at the very root
of Christianity. For example, the only two references to the
ascension of Jesus that were found in the Gospels of Mark and
Luke in the King James Version (KJV) were removed from the
1952 Revised Standard Version (RSV). Before the removal of
these passages, the relevant verses read as follows:
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up
into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19, KJV)
And it came to pass; while he blessed them, he was parted from
them, and carried up to heaven. (Luke 24:51, KJV)
The relevant verse in the Gospel of Mark was removed, along
with a number of other verses that immediately preceded and
followed it, sixteen verses in total.
In the 1952 RSV, Luke 24:51 read, “While he blessed them, he
parted from them.” The words “carried up to heaven” had been
removed.1
Islam revived the creed of Jesus’ ascension. The Quran
confirms the earliest scriptures, which inform us that Allah
raised him when his enemies attempted to crucify him. Allah
replaced Jesus with another person who resembled him, so in
reality, it was this other person who was crucified. To this day,
1 The verses numbered Mark 16:9-20, as well as the words “carried up to
heaven” in Luke 24:51, were restored in 1971, and they are found in today’s
RSV with a footnote explaining that some of these verses were not found in
early manuscripts. (Editor)
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Christians believe that Jesus himself was the one who was killed,
and to commemorate that, many wear crosses or crucifixes or
hang them in their homes, even though Jesus (pbuh) never asked
them to do that and never did it himself.
Allah has mentioned in the Quran:
{And [for] their saying: Indeed, we have killed the Messiah,
Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah. And they did
not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made
to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it
are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the
following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain.
Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted
in Might and Wise.} (Quran 4: 157-158)
7. REVIVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF AUGURY1
Knowledge of what is going to happen in the future is an
attribute of Allah alone. No one knows what will happen in
the near or distant future except Him. The revealed scriptures
prohibited augury and witchcraft because those who engage in
these practices try to raise themselves to the level of Allah in
terms of assuming one of His divine attributes.
Forecasting the weather is not considered part of augury and
witchcraft because weather forecasters depend upon physical
measurements and mathematical calculations. This is unlike
1 Augury has many meanings, some of which are: prognostication, prophecy
and divination. Of course, prophecy is a gift that Allah gave to the prophets
alone, by revealing to them news of future events that human beings
could not otherwise have known, so that sceptics could see evidence of their
prophethood.
29 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
augury and witchcraft, where a person claims to know what is
going to happen in the future, just like Allah knows. In fact, He
alone is All-Knowing.
Jesus prohibited augury and witchcraft. Leviticus 19:26 says,
“You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not
interpret omens or tell fortunes.”
Islam revived this doctrine that Allah alone knows the future.
Allah has mentioned:
{…The unseen is only for Allah [to administer]…} (Quran 10: 20)
{Say: None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except
Allah, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.}
(Quran 27: 65)
Based on this, Islam strictly prohibits consulting fortune-tellers,
clairvoyants and the like. Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said:
«If anyone consults a fortune-teller or sooth-sayer and believes
in what he (or she) says, then (that person) has disbelieved in
what was revealed to Muhammad (bpuh).» (Recorded by Bukhari
and Abu Dawood)
8. REVIVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF WITCHCRAFT
The Old Testament quotation above (Leviticus 19:26) makes
it clear that witchcraft is prohibited in the teachings of Moses,
Jesus, and all the prophets (peace be upon them all). The
reason for this is that sorcerers and practitioners of the occult
seek satanic assistance to do their magic, and this is against the
teachings of all the prophets.
Islam revived the prohibition of witchcraft.
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«Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said: Avoid the seven great
destructive sins.
His Companions asked: O Allah’s Messenger, what are they?
He said: To worship others besides Allah, to practice sorcery...»
(Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)
Revival of the prohibition of harmful practices
Without doubt, the doctrinal teachings about the nature of Allah
and Jesus were revived by the religion of Islam. At the same
time, some of the prohibitions (related to practices that are
harmful to the individual and/or to society) taught by Jesus and
the earlier prophets were revived as well.
9. REVIVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF TAKING
INTEREST
Upholding the law, Prophet Jesus opposed the giving or taking
of interest because the texts of the Old Testament expressly
forbid interest.
You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest
on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for
interest. (Deuteronomy 23:19)
Islam revived what Jesus taught regarding the prohibition of
interest:
{O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains
[due to you] of interest, if you should be believers.} (Quran 2: 278)
There is great wisdom in the prohibition of interest. Firstly, the
one who earns income through interest does so without working
for it, whereas Islam strongly encourages working for a living.
31 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
Secondly, the one who borrows does so due to a lack of financial
resources, but the interest creates an even greater debt burden
because the borrower must repay the principle coupled with
interest charges. Thirdly, a system based on interest can lead to
inflation, recession, and even a complete collapse of financial
markets, as we have witnessed in our time. Many nations in both
the developed and developing worlds have become enslaved by
the system of usury and interest.
It is undisputed that the 2008-2009 world economic downturn
(and possible collapse of many world economies), which started
in the United States and spread to Europe and Asia, was caused
directly by excessive lending in amounts several times more than
the actual worth of the assets in loans. The interest charges were
spread over many resold loans, resulting in an exaggerated and
unrealistic inflation of the value of the actual money lent. This
false representation of value meant that it would be impossible
for most debtors to pay back such loans.
Allah, the Almighty, forbade usury in three places in the Quran
(2: 275-278,3: 130, and 4: 161).
{Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection]
except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into
insanity. That is because they say: Trade is [just] like interest. But
Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden interest. So whoever
has received an admonition from his Lord and desists may have
what is past, and his affair rests with Allah. But whoever returns
to [dealing in interest or usury]-those are the companions of the
fire; they will abide eternally therein.} (Quran 2: 275)
In Islam, the distinction between legitimate (allowed) and
forbidden practices is very clear. Islam permits loans and the
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borrowing of money, but without interest charges. In fact, the
Quran highly encourages forgiving a debt in order to remove the
hardship from the borrower, especially if he or she is in financial
difficulties. Allah has promised a great reward for the one who
is able to make this sacrifice.
Muslims who abide by these rules consequently never suffer
negative repercussions. In contrast, when human beings disobey
God Almighty, they are engulfed by disastrous results. These may
come in the form of threats to health, financial collapse, break-up
of the social fabric, and much more. So it is clear that Islam warns
people about many serious ailments afflicting our societies in this
day and age; it is equally clear that these problems are recognized
by the world community as harmful. This is a powerful sign that
Islam is the true religion and that Allah (Hallowed is He) is the
true God, the One and only divine Lord and saviour.
10. REVIVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF CONSUMING
PORK
Jesus followed the laws of Moses and did not eat pork at all.
And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but
does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any
of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are
unclean to you. (Leviticus 11:7-8)
Nevertheless, most Christians today eat pork. Islam revived
the prohibition of consuming the meat of the pig. Allah has
mentioned:
{He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of
swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.
But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor
33 | ISLAM’S REVIVAL OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS
transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah
is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Quran 2: 173)
11. REVIVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF CONSUMING
BLOOD
Jesus also did not eat anything containing blood, nor did
he consume blood itself. God (Allah) is recorded as having
instructed Prophet Moses in the Torah:
Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it upon the earth
like water. (Deuteronomy 12:16)
You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not
interpret omens or tell fortunes. (Leviticus 19:26)
This prohibition has been revived in many verses of the Quran,
one of which mentions:
{Say: I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything]
forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead
animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine-for indeed, it is
impure…}1 (Quran 6: 145)
12. REVIVAL OF THE PROHIBITION OF ADULTERY
The Bible says about adultery:
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful
intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your
right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is
1 Quran 2: 173 (mentioned earlier) prohibits the meat of the pig (pork, ham,
etc.) as well as the blood of any animal (even if the animal is lawful to eat).
Blood must be drained from the slaughtered animal before preparing the
meat for eating.
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better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body
be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut
it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your
members than that your whole body go into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30)
Islam revived the prohibition of adultery by considering
fornication to be amongst the strictly forbidden acts. Allah, the
Most High, has mentioned:
{And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill
the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by
right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever
should do that will meet a penalty.} (Quran 25: 68)
{And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is
ever an immorality and is evil as a way.} (Quran 17: 32)
As a precaution against adultery and fornication, all acts which
might lead to them are also prohibited. Thus, Islam has strictly
forbidden men from being alone with non-mahram women,1
mixing with them freely, or even shaking hands with them. At
the same time, it encourages men and women to dress modestly
and to speak to non-mahrams with a firm, business-like voice
that is not enticing.
At this point, one may inquire about the wisdom behind the
prohibition of adultery. The answer is that premarital and extramarital
relationships are destructive to the family system that is
so precious in Islam. Intimate relationships outside the sacred
bond of marriage have numerous harmful effects, including
1 mahram: a man with whom marriage is not permitted; for example, a woman’s
brother or father. Non-mahram men are those whom a woman is permitted
to marry.
