9. The mission of Jesus (pbuh)


Now one might ask: what was the real mission of Jesus (pbuh) according to the Quran?


11 Mary was a pious, virtuous woman who never claimed that she was the mother of God or that her son was God.


Eleven facts about Jesus (pbuh) and his mother (Mary) 19


The answer is that Jesus (pbuh) propagated the message of monotheism: worship of Allah alone, as prescribed in the original Gospels. He worked hard to propagate this message, inviting all of the people of Israel to accept it. On the Day of Judgement, when Allah asks Jesus whether he instructed the Christians to worship him and his mother, Jesus will reply:


{I said not to them except what You commanded me—to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord...} (Quran 5: 117)12


The prophecy of Muhammad (bpuh) as a successor to Christ was a part of Jesus’ message. Allah has mentioned:


{And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said: O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad. But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said: This is obvious magic.}


(Quran 61: 6)


Though the Bible has been altered a great deal over time, it contains remnants of the original true message revealed to Prophet Jesus (pbuh). In this regard, the messenger of whom Jesus gave glad tidings and prophecies is still referred to in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.


Jesus was a link in a long line of prophets and messengers whom Allah sent to various civilizations and nations whenever they needed guidance or deviated from His teachings. Jesus was sent by Allah especially to preach to the Jews, who had deviated from the teachings of Moses and other messengers. Just as he was supported by Allah miraculously in his conception, birth and childhood, he was also


12 For details, refer to Section 17.3, “Revival of the doctrine of monotheism”, in my book Who Deserves to Be Worshipped?


20 Eleven facts about Jesus


supported by numerous miracles to prove that he was a messenger from Allah. However, a majority of Jews rejected his ministry.


It must be noted that Jesus Christ (pbuh), son of Mary, was the last in the line of prophets sent to the Jewish people exclusively.


10. The ascension of Jesus (pbuh)


Jesus’ ascension is the last miracle that was given to him while he was on the earth. The Jews and Romans attempted to kill him, but Allah replaced him with another man who resembled him, and it was this man who was killed. Jesus (pbuh) was neither killed nor crucified; rather, he was raised to Allah. To this day, the Christians believe that Jesus himself was the one who was killed, but Allah has said:


{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)


11. The second coming of Jesus (pbuh)


In the Islamic teachings, there is clear evidence indicating the second coming of Jesus (pbuh) before the final hour; this will be his final miracle. He will return not as God, as the Christians believe, but as Jesus, Allah’s messenger and slave, as he has always been. One of the purposes of his coming will be to correct the misconceptions surrounding his message and mission. According to a statement of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), he will stay for forty years, and these will be the happiest years of life on this earth. During that time, those who had misconceptions about him will correct their understanding and believe in him as a messenger, not as the son of God (Allah).


Eleven facts about Jesus (pbuh) and his mother (Mary) 21


It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)13 that the Messenger of Allah (bpuh) said:


«By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, it will not be long before the son of Mary descends amongst you, a just judge and ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine and abolish the jizyah.14 Money will be so plentiful that no one will accept it. At that time, a single prostration will be better than this world and everything in it.15


Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) then said: Read if you wish (the following verse of the Quran):


{And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be against them a witness.} (Quran 4: 159)»


(Recorded by Bukhari)


In another narration, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that:


«Among the things that Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was recorded to have said regarding Prophet Jesus’ return is the following:


13 Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the closest Companions of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh). It should be noted that the words, actions and tacit approvals of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) have been narrated by the Companions and have subsequently been recorded. A Companion, according to the majority of scholars, is one who met personally with Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) during his lifetime and was a Muslim at the time of meeting him. Thus, one will find much of the history of the Prophet (bpuh) through such narrations, called hadiths.


14 jizyah: a tax paid by Christians and Jews living under Muslim protection. (The Muslims do not pay jizyah, but they must give a percentage of their personal wealth as obligatory charity to designated categories of recipients, such as the poor and the needy.)


15 This is because with the coming of Jesus, people will know with certainty that the final hour is very near.


22 Eleven facts about Jesus


There will be no prophet between Jesus and me, and Jesus will return. When he does, you will know him. He will be a well-built man of ruddy complexion, and he will descend wearing a two-piece garment. His hair will look wet, though no water will have touched it. He will fight people to establish Islam and he will break the cross, kill the swine and cancel the jizyah. During his time, Allah will destroy all religions except Islam, and the Antichrist will be killed.16 Jesus will remain on Earth for forty years, and when he dies, Muslims will pray the funeral prayer for him.»


(A sound hadith recorded by Abu Dawood)


Jesus’ return will be one of the signs of the Day of Judgement. It will be the final miracle given to him before he dies.


Conclusion


The eleven points in this chapter shed light on the personality of Jesus (pbuh) from the Islamic perspective. Splits and conflicts regarding the reality of Jesus’ personality have existed over the last twenty centuries, as Christian teachings were heavily polluted with man-made thoughts and Roman beliefs, causing them to stray far from the inspiration revealed to Jesus (pbuh). These controversies have been cleared away by the teachings of Islam.


16 The Antichrist is also called the ‘false Christ’; he is a man who will claim that he is Allah, and he will be followed by ignorant people, but Prophet Jesus will find him and kill him.


A CALL TO REASON


concluding suggestion: consider what everyone has in common. Come, let us reason together:


{Say: O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you—that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah. But if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].} (Quran 3: 64)


In the noble Quran, {People of the Scripture} is the respectful title given to the Jews and the Christians. Muslims are being commanded to invite them with noble and respectful words: O People of the Book, O learned people, O people who claim to be the recipients of divine revelation of a holy scripture, let us gather onto a common platform: that we worship none but Allah, because none but Him is worthy of worship and because He is our Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy of all praise, prayer and devotion.


These truths are basic and an integral part of any human being’s intellect. Sort through the layers of indoctrination that hide this simple fact, and one will be able to see that deep down, every human being retains the simple and obvious concept of Allah. In essence, every human being agrees that there is only One God worthy of worship, One God Who is free of partners, helpers, and anything that is ascribed to Him falsely.


A

THIS IS IT


n this book, you have been shown the right path, and Allah has given you the ability to distinguish right from wrong. He has also given you the freedom of choice as to whether or not to accept the message of Islam. If you accept His call, you will be warmly welcomed into paradise. If you reject it, you will end up with the biggest loss ever imagined: the loss of paradise and the guarantee of dwelling in hellfire for all eternity. Take a moment to comprehend what eternity really means. It is a very frightening realization.


To those who have been faithful Christians, you are warmly welcome to embrace Islam because:


❖ Jesus asked his followers to follow Muhammad (bpuh) whenever he appeared.17


❖ When Jesus comes back before the end of this world, he will follow Muhammad (bpuh) and abide by his teachings.


Yes, since Jesus called his true followers to follow it while he was on the earth, and he will follow Islam when he comes back, all faithful Christians should follow Islam as well.


To those who have been believing Jews, remember that Abraham and Moses surrendered themselves completely to their Lord, whether they called Him Elohenu, God, or Allah. All pride in ethnicity or ancestry is vain; what will matter in the end is your individual relationship with your Creator. This means total submission: Islam.


To those of other faiths or those who, until now, did not feel that they had any faith at all, consider this message now, without any


17 See al-Rassi, The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s Prophethood.


I


26 Eleven facts about Jesus


reluctance or hesitation, before it is too late―before death overtakes you. It could be soon. Who knows?


A WHISPER


ome people are not able to find the truth because of their blind commitment to their beliefs. Their tenacious adherence is usually not based on an intellectual understanding of the teachings but on powerful cultural and emotional influences. Because they were brought up in a particular family or society, they firmly cling to the beliefs of that group, believing that they are upholding the truth.


There are others who are convinced about the religion of Islam and are mentally ready to embrace it. However, when they contemplate the drastic changes it will bring to their lives, changes that might not please their families and communities, they hesitate, and even after taking the decision, they sometimes go back and change their minds later.


It is whispered in their ears that no matter how much money, prestige, status, and power an unbeliever may have possessed in this life, he or she will never have enough to buy entrance into paradise. In the hereafter, the poorest inhabitant of Earth who has testified to the truth of Islam will be far happier and more dignified than the richest person who did not accept the message of Islam.


Rejecting Allah’s message is the biggest sin that one can commit. For this reason, while the soul is still in his or her body, the wise individual should take this opportunity; he or she is still alive to accept Allah’s message before it is too late. The time for repentance is limited because once death arrives, it is no longer possible to obtain forgiveness.18 Allah has mentioned:


{[For such is the state of the disbelievers] until, when death comes to one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back that I might do


18 Compiled from Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam.


S


28 Eleven facts about Jesus


righteousness in that which I left behind. No! It is only a word he is saying…}19 (Quran 23: 99-100)


Religion is, without question, the most important aspect of a person’s life, for it determines whether or not a person is rightly guided. It follows, therefore, that choosing the true faith is the most important personal decision one must make, and this decision needs to be based on clarity and total conviction. When it comes to matters of religion and creed, nothing must be left to chance because the one who is truly guided—as opposed to the one who is not—will surely find eternal happiness in the hereafter!


Having been presented with the previous proofs, we should use our intellect to analyse and reason. A crossroad has been reached, and Allah (Glorified is He) calls on all people to follow the clear, straight road and avoid all the murky, dubious ones. The right path has now become distinct from the wrong path, as Allah has mentioned:


{There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong, so whoever disbelieves in taghoot and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.}


(Quran 2: 256)


It is my duty and responsibility, as a resident of this great planet, and as one who has submitted my free will to the law and commandments of the Supreme Being, to urge all human beings to stay away from the worship of false deities—to stop putting their faith in statues, sphinxes, figures, amulets, talismans, horseshoes, and any other objects that have been manufactured by humans or created by


19 The unbelievers will ask for a ‘second chance’ when they see the angels ready to punish them, but it will be too late; they were given the time, the intellect and the guidance, but they neglected it for years until time ran out.


A whisper 29


God. After first repenting, a person should submit completely to the will of Allah, the Only God of the universe.

HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM


very religion has its own requirements for conversion.


Someone who wants to become Jewish must pledge all of the following:


1) To enter the ‘eternal covenant’ between God and the people of Israel and to become a Jew of his or her own free will;


2) To accept Judaism to the exclusion of all other religious faiths and practices, which means to deny the prophethood of Jesus and Muhammad (bpuh) and to deny the revelations that God sent to humankind through them;


3) An undivided loyalty to Judaism and to the Jewish people under all circumstances;


4) To commit to learning the Torah and other Jewish knowledge; and


5) To raise his or her children as Jews.


To be a Christian, one must:


1) Believe that God (Allah) has a partner, a mother, and a son;


2) Believe that every new-born baby is born sinful;


3) Believe that God became a man and descended to Earth to die for the sins of the people;


4) Deny the prophethood of Muhammad (bpuh) publicly; and


5) Deny that the Quran is a revelation from Allah, the Exalted.


However, to become a Muslim is simple. One must:


1) Bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (in other words, disown all false gods),


2) Bear witness that Muhammad (bpuh) is His messenger,


3) Believe in all the six articles of faith, and


4) Worship Allah as taught by Prophet Muhammad (bpuh).


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32 Eleven facts about Jesus


Hence, becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process. If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full belief that Islam is the true religion of God, all he or she needs to do is to pronounce the shahadah, the testimony of faith.20 Pronunciation of this testimony with a sincere heart brings the person into the fold of Islam. It is the main gateway to Islam.


Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said:


«Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, Who has no partner; that Muhammad is His slave and messenger; that Jesus is the slave of Allah, His prophet, and His word21 which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; that paradise (heaven) is true; and that the hellfire is true—Allah will eventually admit him into paradise, according to his deeds.»


(Recorded by Bukhari)


The first part of the testimony consists of the most important words of truth that Allah has ever revealed to His noble prophets, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.” He has stated:


{And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that: There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.}


(Quran 21: 25)


Bearing this testimony implies that all forms of worship—whether praying, fasting, supplicating, seeking refuge, or offering an animal as sacrifice—must be directed to Allah and to Him alone. Directing any form of worship to other than Allah (whether to an angel, a prophet, Jesus, Muhammad [bpuh], a saint, an idol, a statue, the sun, the moon,


20 The words of the shahadah are: Ash-hadu al-la ilahailla Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluhu. (I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.)


21 It means that Jesus was created when Allah said the word “Be”; when He said it, Jesus was created in the womb of his mother, Mary.


How to become a Muslim 33


a tree, a cross, or anything else) contradicts the fundamental message not only of Islam but of all the prophets; it is an unforgivable sin in the hereafter, so one must repent before death.


The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) is the slave and the chosen messenger of Allah.22 This implies that a true Muslim obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet (bpuh) as mentioned in the collections of his hadiths. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings, and avoid what he has forbidden because the hadiths were, in fact, revelations and inspiration conveyed to him by Allah.


As mentioned earlier, Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was sent in order to implement the Quran in a practical way through his sayings, deeds, and legislation, as well as all other facets of his life. When his wife Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked about his character, she replied:


«His character was that of the Quran.»


(Recorded by Muslim and Abu Dawood)


Hence, to truly adhere to the second part of the shahadah is to follow his example in all walks of life. Allah has mentioned:


{Say [O Muhammad]: If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Quran 3: 31)


A true Muslim must strive to mould his or her life and character to emulate the Prophet (bpuh), for he was a living example for human beings to follow. Allah has said to His Prophet (bpuh):


{And indeed, you are of a great moral character.} (Quran 68: 4)


22 The meaning of worship is, simply, total submission and complete obedience to Allah’s commandments in belief, intentions, statements, and actions. This is what is meant by ‘slavery to Allah’ in Islam.


34 Eleven facts about Jesus


Allah has also said to all people:


{There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.} (Quran 33: 21)


When one enters the fold of Islam, all previous sins are forgiven; one starts a new life of piety and righteousness since he or she, in essence, has repented from the ways and beliefs of the previous life. One man told the Prophet (bpuh) that he would accept Islam only under the condition that Allah would forgive his sins; the Prophet (bpuh) asked him:


«Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins that came before it?» (Recorded by Muslim)


As soon as a person accepts Islam, he or she is free of all previous sins. The person’s record is wiped clean, as if he or she was born that very day. One should try as much as possible to keep his or her records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible; the more good deeds, the more he or she will be elevated in paradise.


It should be emphasized again that accepting Islam does not mean turning your back on the messages of previous prophets (peace be upon them all). Indeed, it is a fulfilment of those messages. Therefore, if you are a Jew or a Christian, accepting Islam and following Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) is a fulfilment of the messages which Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) brought, as has been clearly described and proven in my book The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s Prophethood.


On the other hand, rejecting Islam means turning your back not only on Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) but also on Prophets Moses and Jesus. Doing so is actually a clear violation of their messages, and it diminishes your hope of paradise in the hereafter.


How to become a Muslim 35


It is now up to you to decide where your own future home will be. I wish you all the best!

TO SUM IT UP…


he creation and existence of everything in this world has a purpose and wisdom behind it. Human beings are the most superior creation because Allah has given them the intellect, has created everything for them, and has given them power and knowledge over most of the creation. There is obviously a specific purpose behind their existence, and this has been elaborated in this book.


Wise people are expected to behave and act in accordance with the purpose of their existence; they should not remain oblivious to the final destination, which they are going to reach one day or another.


T

BIBLIOGRAPHY


Badawi, Dr Jamal. Muhammad in the Bible. Halifax, Canada: Islamic Information Foundation (IIF).


Caraballo, Simon (Muhammad bin Abdullah Caraballo). My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam. Jubail, KSA: Dawah & Guidance Centre.


Deedat, Ahmed. Christ in Islam (peace be upon him). Durban, RSA: Islamic Propagation Centre International.


______. What the Bible Says About Muhammad.


Philips, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal. The True Message of Jesus Christ. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.


______. The True Religion. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.


al-Rassi, Majed. The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s Prophethood. http://www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/06.pdf.


______. Who Deserves to Be Worshipped? http://www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/017.pdf.


Saheeh International. The Quran: Arabic Text with Corresponding English Meanings. Jeddah: Abul Qasim Publishing House, 1997.


APPENDIX


For Further Information about Islam


❖ Arfaj, Dr Naji I. Discover Its Beauty in 7 Minutes Series. http://discoveritsbeauty.com/.


❖ Ata ur-Rahim, Muhammad and Ahmad Thomson. Jesus: Prophet of Islam. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2008.


❖ Baagil, M. Christian-Muslim Dialogue. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.


❖ Bucaille, Maurice. The Quran and Modern Science. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2001.


❖ Ibrahim, I. A. A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam. Houston, TX: Darussalam, 1997. Also available at www.islam-guide.com.


❖ Khan, Maulana Wahiduddin. God Arises. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2005.


❖ Khan, Abdul Waheed. The Personality of Allah’s Last Messenger, 2nd ed. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2007.


❖ LeBlanc, Abdul-Malik. The Bible Led Me to Islam. Toronto: Al-Attique Publisher.


❖ Liepert, David. Choosing Faith. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2011. (Available online at http://www.choosingfaith.com/.)


❖ al-Uthaymeen, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih. Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Islaam. UK: Al-Hidaayah Publishing and Distribution, 1997.


Appendix 41


Online Information about Islam


❖ islam-guide.com


❖ iera.org


❖ islamtomorrow.com


❖ discoveritsbeauty.com


❖ edialogue.org (live chat)


❖ islamhouse.com/en/ (thousands of free books)


❖ iera.org/shop/ (free downloads)


❖ iiph.com

GLOSSARY OF ISLAMIC TERMS


abu (or abi)


father (of)


Bayt al-Maqdis


the Islamic name for Jerusalem


hadith


a statement or action of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) that was remembered and recorded by his Companions and followers


jizyah


a tax paid by Christians and Jews living under Muslim protection. (The Muslims do not pay jizyah, but they must give a percentage of personal wealth as obligatory charity to designated categories of recipients, such as the poor and the needy.)


shahadah الشهادة testimony, esp. the Islamic testimony of faith: Lâ ilâha the Islamic testimony of faith: Ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluhu. (I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.)


taghoot


idols; everything evil that is worshipped


zakah


obligatory charity payable by Muslims, to be distributed to poor Muslims who qualify as recipients


23 If a word has become part of the English language (i.e., is found in a dictionary of Standard English), that spelling is used in this book.