I Restrained the Children of Israel From You (5:110)

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessing and peace be upon you, my master, Apostle of God!

And upon your family and your companions, my master, Apostle of God!

May my father and mother be ransomed for your sake, Apostle of God!

Allah جلّ جلاله says:

وَاِذۡ کَفَفۡتُ بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ عَنۡکَ

And when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (Jesus)

(Surah 5, Ayah 110)

This is interpreted to mean that the hostile Jews who disbelieved in the Messiah عليه السلام were prevented from killing him, as Allah says:

وَمَا قَتَلُوۡہُ وَمَا صَلَبُوۡہُ وَلٰکِنۡ شُبِّہَ لَہُمۡ

And they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, rather it was made to appear as such to them

(Surah 4, Ayah 157)

The people historically and presently differ greatly concerning the matter of Jesus’s death and crucifixion. The Jews boast that they murdered him, as Allah says:

وَّقَوۡلِہِمۡ اِنَّا قَتَلۡنَا الۡمَسِیۡحَ عِیۡسَی ابۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ رَسُوۡلَ اللّٰہِ

And their saying, “Verily, we killed the Messiah Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”

(ibid)

And this arrogant boast of the Jews about having killed Jesus Christ is mentioned in their Talmud too: “Jesus was hanged on Passover Eve. Forty days previously the herald had cried, ‘He is being led out for stoning, because he has practiced sorcery and led Israel astray and enticed them into apostasy. Whosoever has anything to say in his defense, let him come and declare it.’ As nothing was brought forward in his defense, he was hanged on Passover Eve.” (Sanhedrin 43a)

Some people object that why would the Jews, when claiming responsibility for having murdered Jesus عليه السلام refer to him as the Messiah and the Messenger of God? One possibility is that this is Allah’s own description of Jesus and not how the Jews referred to him. Another possibility is that the Jews said this sarcastically, in an apparent jest. The Gospels also state that the enemies of Jesus would call him “King of the Jews” out of mockery (Matthew 27:29) and that a sign reading INRI, a Latin acronym meaning Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews, was placed on the cross upon which Jesus was apparently crucified.

Many secular historians likewise tend to believe that Jesus was killed by means of crucifixion, though his execution was not carried out directly by the Jews but by the Romans under the authority of Pilate.

The Christians believe that Jesus was crucified and died on the cross but that he was subsequently resurrected and then ascended to Heaven, to sit at the right hand of God “the Father”. Their belief about Jesus’s resurrection and ascension are naturally rejected by the Jews and secular historians who affirm the historical existence of Jesus (as opposed to the Mythicists who say Jesus was not a historical person and never existed).

Among Muslims too there are a variety of views. Most Muslims believe Jesus was never put on the cross, that he ascended to Heaven before his enemies could capture him and that someone else was crucified in his place. This is known as the Substitution Theory. Others, especially the Qadianis who are a heretical sect that are in fact not Muslim, teach the Swoon Theory, which is that Jesus was placed on the cross but did not die, rather he merely swooned, and regained consciousness a few days after having been taken down from the cross presumed dead while in reality he was alive the whole time. The Qadianis deny that Jesus ascended to Heaven and teach that instead he migrated eastward eventually settling in present-day Kashmir where he is supposedly buried. Some others, especially the Isma’ili sect, believe Jesus really was crucified and died on the cross. According to them, when the Quran denies that the Jews killed or crucified him it means they were unable to kill his soul, but his physical body or apparent being was indeed killed.

But Allah عز وجل says about all this confusion and differing over this matter:

وَاِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ اخۡتَلَفُوۡا فِیۡہِ لَفِیۡ شَکٍّ مِّنۡہُ ؕ مَا لَہُمۡ بِہٖ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ اِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ

And, verily, those who differ therein are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge about it except the following of conjecture

(Surah 4, Ayah 157)

Ultimately it has to be admitted that nothing may be said about this matter, the alleged crucifixion of Jesus and his apparent dying on the cross, with any degree of certainty unless there is decisive Revelation on the matter. Everything else, including the various theories, must be termed nothing more than speculation. Based on the Revelation of the Quran we can know for certainty only a few matters, that Allah restrained the Jews from Jesus and ultimately saved him, that it seemed as though Jesus was killed or crucified, but in reality the Jews did not kill him, and that Allah did raise Jesus to Himself. This is all that is required for a Muslim to believe. There is no definitive basis to believe that Jesus was actually placed on the cross and either was killed or simply swooned as a result of that crucifixion, or to believe that someone else was made to look like Jesus and that person was crucified in his place, or to believe that Jesus was resurrected as the Christians say, or to believe that Jesus died already.

As a Sunni Muslim I affirm my belief that Jesus is the promised Messiah, that he is a Messenger of God and a Prophet that Allah sent to the Children of Israel, that he was born with a virgin birth to Mary without any father or male agency, that he performed many miracles like restoring sight to the blind, healing lepers from their leprosy and raising the dead back to life, that Allah raised him to the Heavens up to Himself, and that he will descend back into this world during the End Times. As a Muslim I also believe he is a mortal human and not God incarnated in the flesh as the Christians believe.

A Day With Your Lord a Thousand Years of Your Reckoning (22:47)

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessing and peace be upon you, my master, Apostle of God!

And upon your family and your companions, my master, Apostle of God!

May my father and mother be sacrificed for your sake, Apostle of God!

Allah جلّ جلاله says:

وَاِنَّ یَوۡمًا عِنۡدَ رَبِّکَ کَاَلۡفِ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ

And verily a day with your Lord is as a thousand years of your reckoning

(Surah 22, Ayah 47)

ثُمَّ یَعۡرُجُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗۤ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّوۡنَ

Then it will ascend to Him in a day whose duration is a thousand years by your reckoning

(Surah 32, Ayah 5)

This too is mirrored in the Zabur, what is known as the Psalms of David or the Tehillim:

כִּ֤י אֶ֪לֶף שָׁנִ֡ים בְּֽעֵינֶ֗יךָ כְּיֹ֣ום אֶ֭תְמֹול כִּ֣י יַעֲבֹ֑ר

For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past

(Psalm 90:4)

Thus the term “day” wherever it occurs in the Quran and Hadith should not always be understood as a 24 hour day of the human reckoning. Allah عز وجل says that He created the Heaven and the Earth in six days, then (on the seventh day) He ascended upon the Throne (in a manner that befits His majesty). It is likely that what is meant by these six days is six long periods of time whose human reckoning may be in the thousands or millions of years. So elsewhere Allah says:

تَعۡرُجُ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃُ وَالرُّوۡحُ اِلَیۡہِ فِیۡ یَوۡمٍ کَانَ مِقۡدَارُہٗ خَمۡسِیۡنَ اَلۡفَ سَنَۃٍ

The Angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a day whose duration is fifty thousand years

(Surah 70, Ayah 4)

As a matter of fact, Surat al-Ma’arij, the seventieth chapter of the Holy Quran, gives insight into the multidimensional and mysterious character of time; it’s relativity and it’s non-linear reality:

اِنَّہُمۡ یَرَوۡنَہٗ بَعِیۡدًا

They see it to be far off

وَّنَرٰٮہُ قَرِیۡبًا

But We see it nigh

(Surah 70, Ayah 6 & 7)

From this we derive an important principle that the Apocalypse, meaning the Resurrection and the Judgment, must always be discussed as though it is imminent, therefore with a sense of alarm and urgency. And those from our midst who ignorantly speak as though it is something distant and therefore not occupy our discourse too much ought to be rebuked on this point. The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم perfectly exemplified this in his own prophetic ministry, for instance, when he said:

بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْنِ

I and the Hour have been sent like these two

(and he raised his index finger along with his middle finger to indicate the proximity)

When the Stars are Dimmed (Surah 81:2)

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessing and peace be upon you, my master, Apostle of God!

And upon your family and your companions, my master, Apostle of God!

May my father and mother be sacrificed for your sake, Apostle of God!

Allah جلّ جلاله says:

وَاِذَا النُّجُوۡمُ انۡکَدَرَتۡ

And when the stars are dimmed

(Surah 81, Ayah 2)

فَاِذَا النُّجُوۡمُ طُمِسَتۡ

And when the stars are dimmed

(Surah 77, Ayah 8)

*Surah 77:8 may also be translated: “And when the stars are obliterated”

This apocalyptic prophecy in the Holy Quran should be properly understood by referring also to similar statements in other heavenly Scriptures. In the Book of Joel, attributed to the Prophet Joel: “The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining” (Joel 2:10), “The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining” (Joel 3:15) and Jesus Christ is quoted as saying “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matthew 24:29), “And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken” (Mark 13:25)

According to some of the Mufassirin, like Ibnu Zayd, the meaning of this Ayah is that the stars shall be thrown down from the sky to the Earth:

رمي بها من السماء إلى الأرض

(Tafsir Ibn Jarir)

This is mirrored in the Christian Book of Revelation: “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Revelation 6:12-14, KJV)

Many of these things are mentioned in the Holy Quran:

A great earthquake:

إِذَا زُلْزِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ زِلْزَالَهَا

And when the Earth is shaken with her shaking

(Surah 99, Ayah 1)

*It should be noted that in religious terminology “quakes” usually refer to political turbulence. The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم said concerning the land of Najd:

هُنَاكَ الزَّلاَزِلُ وَالْفِتَنُ وَبِهَا يَطْلُعُ قَرْنُ الشَّيْطَانِ

There are earthquakes and tribulations, and from it rises the Horn of Satan (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The sun becoming dark:

اِذَا الشَّمۡسُ کُوِّرَتۡ

When the sun is wrapped up

(Surah 81, Ayah 1)

The blood moon eclipse:

وَخَسَفَ الۡقَمَرُ

And the moon is eclipsed

(Surah 75, Ayah 8)

The heaven being rolled up like a scroll:

یَوۡمَ نَطۡوِی السَّمَآءَ کَطَیِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلۡکُتُبِ

The Day when We shall roll up the Heavens like the rolling up of written scrolls

(Surah 21, Ayah 104)

The mountains moved from their places

وَاِذَا الۡجِبَالُ سُیِّرَتۡ

And when the mountains are made to move

(Surah 81, Ayah 3)

*See also Surah 20:105; 52:10; 56:5; 70:9; 73:14; 77:10; 78:20; 101:5

Returning to the subject of the stars becoming dim, that is being diminished in their luminosity, this should be understood as literally occurring as a Sign of the Apocalypse, the Final Judgment. Jesus is quoted as saying: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25)

The general summary we can derive from the apocalyptic narrative in the Holy Quran concerning the darkening of the sun, moon and stars is that these shall literally be perceived in the End Times. They shall serve as celestial signs concerning the nearness of the End. If these prophecies have a dual meaning they may be understood as referring also to the significant reduction of saints and pious Believers in this world who serve as stars through whom Allah guides the people and brightens this place with their presence. It may refer to the fall or death of the Angels or Angelic forces and figures. Other apocalyptic language concerning the earthquakes, shifting and annihilation of mountains surely refers to political upheaval and the destruction of once large and mighty nations. Allah knows best!

Answering the Christian Argument that Jesus is Lord (Kyrios)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessing and peace be upon you, my master, Apostle of God!

And upon your family and your companions, my master, Apostle of God!

May my father and mother be sacrificed for your sake, Apostle of God!

Dr. Zakir Naik’s tour of Pakistan has been a disaster. The man has been exposed as under-qualified and frankly comes off as arrogant and ignorant. Zakir Naik is a typical ghair muqallid whose approach to the field of comparative religion, in which he is self styled as some sort of expert, is very mechanical and shallow. He lacks intellectualism and the ability to satisfy questioners with profound knowledge and depth of reasoning. Even worse, Zakir Naik often ventures out of his so-called expertise in the field of comparative religion to discuss matters in which he has absolutely no qualification or credibility. He teaches that Brahma, Siva and Visnu are valid names for Allah, that women shall practice polyandry in Paradise, that Allah is pleased with Yazid, and that masturbation is permissible!

It is hardly appropriate for such an ignorant and shameless donkey to be considered a representative of Islam in the field of comparative religion or any other field for that matter. Zakir Naik’s favoring of the European suit and tie and other unique features of his style of so-called Da’wah indicate he is a copycat of the typical Protestant minister rather than an Islamic preacher. It would not be a stretch to liken his entire approach to Islam as being heavily influenced by modernist Protestantism.

In his present tour of Pakistan (October 2024), Zakir Naik has been nothing short of an embarrassment for the Muslims. It has been demonstrated that he has not increased in understanding in the field of comparative religion since he first entered into it. Since his debate with Dr. William Campbell almost a quarter of a century ago (Chicago, April 2000), he has not had any significant debate or accepted any challenge for debate from the Christians. Recently, when a Christian representing the Christian Debate Academy in Pakistan challenged Dr. Zakir Naik to a debate, the latter refused under a flimsy excuse. One wonders if Zakir Naik himself knows the limits of his knowledge and ability to debate the Christians and perhaps that is the reason he has not debated any one formally in over 24 years despite claiming to be the preeminent expert in the field of comparative religion.

Zakir Naik famously challenges the Christians to produce a single verse from the Bible where Jesus is quoted as saying unambiguously that he is God or where he commands people to worship him. The Christian gentleman representing the Christian Debate Academy in Pakistan cited John chapter 13, verse 13, to answer Zakir Naik’s challenge. Zakir Naik couldn’t be bothered to address the verse or the argument put forward by the Christians concerning it. But this humble blogger shall address it in the service of Allah Most High, in sha Allah!

John 13:13 reads: “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am”

The Christian argument is simple. Jesus acknowledges that his disciples and followers are correct to address him as lord [kyrios in Greek] thus it is a proof that Jesus asserted Lordship or Divinity for himself.

The answer to this argument is that the word lord, or kyrios in Greek, is not an exclusive title or attributive name for God, and that there are many instances in many languages where “lord” may be applied to persons who are not God, including many instances in the Bible itself.

According to Strong’s Concordance (2962 kyrios), the word kyrios is derived from kuros which means authority. It may be translated into English as lord, master, owner or even sir in addressing someone with reverence. Kyrios is a person exercising absolute ownership rights and likewise denotes an owner (master) exercising full rights. According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, kyrios is a title of honor, expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants salute their master. He cites a parable of Jesus about a father with two sons: “A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir [kyrie]: and went not.” (Matthew 21:28-30, KJV) In this instance a son addresses his father as kyrie meaning lord, master, or sir. Thayer gives another example, this time of the Pharisees who went to Pilate and said to him: “Sir [kyrie], we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.” (Matthew 27:63)

Paul of Tarsus likewise, in his Epistle to the Galatians, applies the word “lord” to persons who are not God: “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord [kyrios] of all.” (Galatians 4:1)

In conclusion, the word kyrios, often translated to mean “lord”, is not always synonymous with Theos “God” but is often applied to persons in positions of authority or ownership, and is also a title of reverence that is not exclusive to God. Thus John 13:13 is not at all an unambiguous and definitive proof text that Jesus claimed Godhood for himself.

In this blogger’s humble opinion, the Muslim community requires true experts in the field of comparative religion who are especially qualified to debate Christians. Such individuals should have an understanding of the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew and Greek), though Dr. Zakir Naik is completely ignorant of either. Let alone Biblical Hebrew and Greek, Zakir Naik is even ignorant of basic Arabic and is unable to recite the Quran properly!

Addressing Prophet ﷺ Directly In His Absence and After His Passing Away

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الصلاة والسلام عليك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

وعلى آلك واصحابك يا سيدي يا رسول الله

فداك ابي وامي يا رسول الله

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Blessing and peace be upon you, my master, Apostle of God!

And upon your family and your companions, my master, Apostle of God!

May my father and mother be sacrificed for your sake, Apostle of God!

Many extremists and other misguided groups within the Ummah falsely claim that it is idolatrous or at the very least an innovation in the Religion to address the holy Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم directly after his passing away from this temporary world. The form of Salawat and Salam that I have written at the beginning of this entry is declared as innovative (bid’ah) or even shirk by such ignorant people. But we in Ahl us-Sunnati wal-Jama’ah affirm that validity of addressing the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم directly during his absence and after him having passed away from this world. Here I shall present some of our proofs:

During the Tashahhud in Salah we recite the following:

السَّلامُ عَلَيـكَ أَيُّهـا النَّبِـيُّ وَرَحْمَـةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكـاتُه

Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَلاَئِكَةً سَيَّاحِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ يُبَلِّغُونِي مِنْ أُمَّتِي السَّلاَمَ

Verily, Allah has Angels that travel the Earth conveying to me from my Ummah the Salam (Sunan an-Nasa’i)

Therefore it is correct to address the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم directly with Salam (by saying يا نبي سلام عليك and other variations of the Salam) since there are Angels who convey our Salam to him.

As for addressing the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم with addresses other than the Salam after he has passed away from this world, that too is established from the Sahabah رضى الله عنهم

For example, shortly after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم passed away, sayyidina Abi Bakr رضى الله عنه did the following actions and spoke the following words:

فَتَيَمَّمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهْوَ مُغَشًّى بِثَوْبِ حِبَرَةٍ فَكَشَفَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ ثُمَّ أَكَبَّ عَلَيْهِ فَقَبَّلَهُ وَبَكَى‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ مَوْتَتَيْنِ أَمَّا الْمَوْتَةُ الَّتِي كُتِبَتْ عَلَيْكَ فَقَدْ مُتَّهَا‏

Abu Bakr رضى الله عنه  went straight to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ who was covered with a Hibarah (a kind of Yemenite cloth). He then uncovered the Prophet’s face and bowed over him and kissed him and wept, saying, “Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you. By Allah, Allah will never cause you to die twice. As for the death which was written for you, it has come upon you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)