Friday 26 March 2010

"For they killed him not" - final part

By: Dr. Bleher, S. M. The Truth About Jesus: A Muslim Perspective (www.idci.co.uk)

INTERFAITH RELATIONS AND TOLERANCE

The Muslim understanding of Jesus differs in many respects from that of Christians, Jews, or secularists.

At the same time there are many commonalities.

Whilst these different positions could be seen as a source of conflict, the Muslim position actually aids mutual respect and tolerance.

Islam is categorical about denouncing the trinity as false and the crucifixion as untrue. Yet, the Qur'an also tells Muslim that they must leave the judgement about these differences to God Himself.

" ---------------" (Al-Qur'an, chapter 2, verse 253)

And: " ----------------" (Al-Qur'an, chapter 19, verses 18-20)

Or: " -----------------" (Al-Qur'an, chapter 2, verse 113)

It is precisely because Muslims are encouraged to leave the final judgement to Allah that churches and synagogues together with their respective communities have survived unharmed in the countries ruled over by Islam for well over a millennium*.

It is for this reason that the Golden Era of the Jews was under Muslim rule where they were never persecuted as they were in Christian Europe.

Due to these teachings Muslims showed tolerance to Jews and Christians when they governed Jerusalem and upheld their right to worship, something that unfortunately can neither be said of the Christians whose relentless persecution of both Jews and Muslims during the crusades put an indelible stain on their history, nor the Jews who today deny both Muslims and Christians an equal right to exist in the Holy Land.

Jesus then, according to the teachings of Islam, was an important prophet, but he was neither the last of prophets nor was he divine.

He himself will reject any such claims when questioned on the Day of Judgement:

" ----------------" (Al-Qur'an, chapter 5, verses 116-118)

He was one of the numerous great prophets God sent in His wisdom to guide humanity to His worship and to pave the way for the final seal of the prophets, Muhammad, as a mercy to all mankind.

" ---------------" (Al-Qur'an, chapter 19, verses 34-36)


Wallahu-a'lam.


*Some useful info by Dr. Zakir Naik:

- Muslims rules Spain for 800 years: The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christians Crusaders come to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan (azan), that is the call for prayers.

- 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians: Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.

- More than 80% non-Muslims in India: The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are nearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.

- Indonesia and Malaysia: Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, 'Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?'

- Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe: Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe is Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers?

"Islam is the way of life" - the only way and the best way!

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