Conversation with Muslims about Christ
The Ten Miracles of Christ
In The Qur'an
How Can We Use What The Qur'an Says
About Christ?
Abd
al-Masih
GRACE-AND-TRUTH
All
Rights Reserved
Order Number:
FPB 8005 ENG
2nd Edition
2003
English
Title: The Ten Miracles of Christ in the Qur'an
Grace-and-Truth
l P.O.Box 2904
l Weirton,
WV 26062 l USA
Internet:
www.grace-and-truth.org
e-mail:
info@grace-and-truth.org
The miracles of Christ – a proof of
his divine mission?
Muhammad wanted to win the Christians on the
Arabian Peninsula for Islam. So he testified to them what he had heard about
Jesus from Christian slaves, from delegations of the churches in North Yemen,
from travelers from Ethiopia, and from his Hanif friends now Christians.
The Son of Mary and his miracles impressed Muhammad. He realized that his
miracles went beyond the powers of man and therefore considered them to be evidences
(bayyinaat) of his divine authority (Suras al-Baqara 2:87, 253;
al-Ma'ida 5:110; al-Zukhruf 43:63; al-Saff 61:6).
Muhammad mentions nine miracles that Moses
performed in Egypt, which he also calls evidences (Suras al-Baqara
2:49-60; al-Asra' 17:101). But the miracles of Moses were a series of
punishments by Allah inflicted upon Egypt to release the enslaved children of
Jacob. The miracles of Jesus in the Qur'an, however, appear positively as
blessings from Allah to lead the children of Israel to trust and obey 'Isa.
Muhammad was at a disadvantage in that he was
not able to perform miracles. He could not understand why most Jews were
hard-hearted, not accepting the eminent evidences of the Son of Mary,
rejecting and hating him.
The evidences of Christ (bayyinaat)
● In the Sura al-Baqara we read that 'Isa could not perform his
miracles without the help of the Spirit of the Holy One (Sura
al-Baqara 2:87). Muhammad imagined that Allah sent Jibril (Gabriel) to
strengthen the Son of Mary so that he could do his great miracles. Muhammad
claimed with this statement that Christ was unable to do any miracle on
his own. To perform them he needed the help of a messenger from Allah, whom he
called the Spirit of the Holy One.
This title is often wrongly translated as
"The Holy Spirit.” In the Qur'an Allah himself is the "Holy One,” and
the spirit is only his slave. The spirit of the Holy One is not holy in himself
and has no divine nature. He is a creation of the Almighty. This spirit in the
Qur'an should never be confused with the Holy Spirit of the Gospel, although
Muhammad may have assumed that the spirit of the Holy One was the genuine Holy
Spirit who strengthened the Son of Mary. Thus Muhammad would seem to have
indirectly acknowledged the unity of the Holy Trinity, because in the Qur'an
the three - Allah, his Spirit and Christ - brought about the miracles together!
Muhammad could not understand that the Jews
constantly rejected the evidences of the messengers of Allah, but instead
called them liars and even killed some (Sura al-Baqara 2:87)!
● In the same Sura (al-Baqara 2:253)
Muhammad confesses that there are substantial differences between the
messengers of Allah. He preferred one to the other and gave him a higher
position. He talked directly to Moses but not to Muhammad. The latter received
his so-called revelations through an unknown spirit, which he later called
Jibril (Gabriel). Muhammad himself never saw Allah, nor heard him! He had no
personal contact with God.
According to the Qur'an, Allah placed the Son of
Mary in a higher position than Moses, because he granted him special
evidences (bayyinaat) by strengthening him with the spirit of the Holy.
Muhammad shook his head over the bitter fighting of Jews and Christians against
each other and over their divisions in spite of these privileges (Sura
al-Baqara 2:253). He saw in their disagreement the wise predestination
of Allah that Islam as a third force would emerge victorious over these two
fighting parties. Muhammad did not realize that the crucified Son of God and
his justification of sinners, apart from good deeds, were the main reason for
the quarrel between Jews and Christians. Muslims and Jews are often closer to
each other than Christians and Muslims!
● In Sura al-Ma'ida we read one of the four
speeches Allah directed at Christ in the Qur'an (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:110). He
said: "Remember my grace which I granted you and your mother when I
strengthened you with the spirit of the Holy." Then follows a list of
several miracles of Christ which culminate in the statement that Allah kept
back the children of Israel from 'Isa, so that they could not kill him,
although he had come to them with clear evidences (bayyinaat). But they
hated him and said, "that is nothing but magic!"
In this verse Christ again appears as the one
who has been endowed and helped by the spirit of Allah. This confirms that in
the Qur'an the Son of Mary does not possess in himself any divine nature or
capability. At the same time, however, Muhammad confesses the unequaled
miracles of 'Isa and calls them the evidences of his authority, granted
him by Allah. Muhammad could not understand the humility of Christ, when he
denied himself and gave all honor to his Father, saying, "The Son can
do nothing by himself; he will do what he sees his Father doing, because
whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)
● In Sura al-Zukhruf we read the oriental
explanation of an evidence of Christ (Sura al-Zukhruf 43:63): He
approached the Jews with "wisdom" in order to open their eyes
to the reason for their mutual criticism and disagreement. Probably Muhammad
had heard of the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-28 through oral tradition,
and explained the speeches of Christ as efforts to reconcile the hostile
parties. In this way 'Isa demanded their unconditional obedience and their
surrender to his orders.
● According to Sura al-Saff, 'Isa came to
the children of Israel to confirm that the Torah was not falsified (Sura
al-Saff 61:6). This special explanation of the purpose of 'Isa's coming gives
us the chance to prove to Muslims that the Bible is not altered, because according
to the Qur'an, the first task of Christ was to confirm the inerrancy of the
Torah.
However, the ultimate purpose of 'Isa's coming,
the final aim of his miracles, according to the Qur'an, is a promise revealed
by the Son of Mary that after him a highly praised messenger of Allah
would come. With this prophecy Muhammad put his own coming into 'Isa's mouth!
Since then, Muslims have searched the Bible for the hidden name of
Muhammad, which literally means "the Praised One.” Several Muslim
commentators assume that Muhammad is the promised Parakletos, the Spirit
of Comfort. In order to make this Greek word fit Muhammad, Muslims changed the
vowels of Parakletos to Periklytos, which means "the Highly
Honored One". As a result Muslims accuse Christians of having covered or
falsified the prophecy of 'Isa about Muhammad in the Gospel, or erased his name
from the Bible.
The wonderful signs of 'Isa
and Muhammad ('aayaat)
In three verses of the Qur'an the
miracles of Jesus are called signs ('aayaat) of his divine mission
(Suras Āl 'Imran 3:49.50; al-Ma'ida 5:114). The word used by Muhammad for
this can also be found in the Gospel of John to describe the miracles of Jesus.
There we read, "This is the first of his signs which Jesus
performed, by which he revealed his glory." (John 2:11+12) Many people
believed in his name when they saw his signs which he performed (John
2:23). When he healed the son of the royal officer from afar, John called this
healing another sign that Jesus did (John 4:54). When the people saw
the sign (of the feeding of the 5000) they said, "Surely
this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." (John 6:14)
However, when Jesus saw that they came running to him to make him king, because
of the miracle of the bread, he withdrew.
Jesus did not perform his signs so that the
people should believe in him, but that they should recognize his love, his
authority and the omnipotence of his divinity. Jesus did not want people to
follow him for his miracles, but he expected repentance and renewal. Jesus
warned the people and said, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will
never believe." (John 4:48) In the Gospels we read several times that
Jesus forbade those he healed to talk about the one who had healed them
(Matthew 9:39; Mark 3:12; 5:43; 7:36; Luke 5:14; 8:56; 9:21).
When Jesus was persecuted and threatened with
death in Jerusalem, the crowds who wanted to see miracles turned away from him.
Only the disciples, who had confessed their sins before John the Baptist and
whose pride had been broken by repentance, remained faithful to Jesus. They saw
his glory even when he was persecuted and died on the cross. When the Jews
tempted Jesus and demanded a sign from him to prove his authority and mission,
he answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in
three days!" (John 2:18-22) And he added, "A wicked and
adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the
sign of the prophet Jonah." (Matthew 12:39-40; 16:4)
The evidences and signs that Muhammad ascribed
to 'Isa in the Qur'an try to create that same notion that Jesus
rejected! Therefore we should not explain the signs of Christ to Muslims
because they are miracles, but should stress that they only point to his
greatness, love, humility, holiness and authority. Jesus Christ himself
should be glorified by mentioning his miracles. The miracles have no glory of
their own. Every miraculous healing that does not lead to repentance and
renewal has failed deep faith in Jesus.
1. Christ speaks as a newborn baby
Three times we find an astonishing report in the
Qur'an about the speech of the newborn Son of Mary, still lying in the manger.
The fact of his speaking is mentioned twice (Suras Āl 'Imran 3:46;
al-Ma'ida 5:110). The content of his speech can be read in detail in Sura
Maryam 19:24-33.
The unbelievable story that the newborn 'Isa
could talk perfectly is explained in different ways by the commentators on the
Qur'an. Some say, 'Isa needed only minutes, others assume hours, until he could
pronounce letters, words and sentences without mistakes. His brain was fully
developed right from birth, and his comprehension, feeling and logical
abilities developed within a very short time, or so they claim.
Why do Muslim commentators believe and discuss
in this phenomenon? They read in the Qur'an that Christ is "a word of
Allah" in person. The Almighty taught him the Torah, the proverbs of
Solomon, the Gospel, and the Original Book in heaven, before his birth
(Sura Āl 'Imran 3:48). He was born into the world full of knowledge,
intelligence and the ability to speak. He had to utter Allah's words continually
from birth to death. He was like an eruption of revelation from his Lord.
The Qur'an confirms that the Son of Mary was not
a normal human being, but a spirit of Allah in the flesh. He descended
from the surroundings of the Eternal One (Sura Āl 'Imran 3:45) and
possessed great knowledge and spiritual capacity exceeding that of any other
mortal.
These speculative statements in the Qur'an come
close to the Christian understanding of the incarnation of the Son of God in
the Gospel. Jesus was born as a real human baby wrapped in cloths. His mother
Mary never told the Greek doctor, Luke, anything about speeches her son made
right after his birth because as a baby he was unable to talk and needed time
to develop (Luke 2:40,52).
Where does this imaginative story come from? In
the apocryphal childhood gospels of the Syrian and Coptic Christians we find
hints of such reports. Mothers used to sing cradlesongs about baby Jesus to
their children to get them to sleep. The sources of the story about the talking
baby Jesus are known in detail today.
Muhammad heard such children's stories from
Syrian slaves and Coptic Christians and – believed them! He believed more than
the Fathers of the Church, who did not include such fairy tales in the canon of
the Bible because they did not happen. So Muhammad appeared to be a credulous
seeker of truth, but was no prophet. He could not distinguish between fables
and reality.
As regards the content of the so-called speech
of the newborn Son of Mary (Sura Maryam 19:24-33) the baby wanted first of all
to comfort his young mother because she had borne him without being married.
She knew that she should be stoned. Therefore the newborn 'Isa encouraged her with
the news that she had given birth to an outstanding person under a palm tree in
the desert.
In Arabic one expression for an exceptional
person is suriyun, with the plurals surawaa', asriyaa' or
saraat (all stemming from the Arabic root S-R-W). But jealous
readers of the Qur'an changed the vowel and the meaning of this word into
"little creek or brook" (which in Arabic is sariyun) by
deriving it from the root S-R-Y having the plurals asriyat or
suryaan. Muslim readers were angry because 'Isa as a newborn child was
already placed higher than Muhammad, so they simply changed the vowel and
meaning from 'exceptional personality' to 'rivulet', even though their
interpretation makes less sense.
The newborn child then told his mother to shake
the trunk of a palm tree and make ripe dates fall on her so that she could
strengthen herself after the painful birth. What Bedouin logic! Several men are
unable to shake a palm tree. How could a young mother do this just after giving
birth? In the days of Muhammad the life of the Bedouins was hard, twice as hard
for women and mothers.
At the end of his first speech 'Isa told his
desperate young mother what she should tell everybody who would ask her about
the origin of the newborn child that she had promised Allah the Merciful a fast
and not to talk to anyone that day. Thus the first suggestion that the newborn
'Isa taught his mother was a trick, a ruse, and a lie, to save her from
immediate danger.
The report goes on to show how the newborn baby defended his mother against angry villagers by introducing himself as a blessed prophet in his second speech as a baby in the Qur'an.
Those who consider this story objectively will
see how dream and reality mingle and become a Fata Morgana in the mind of
Muhammad. The entire Qur'an is a mixture of fact and fiction.
2. 'Isa creates a bird
From the same apocryphal sources comes another
story: The young 'Isa formed a bird out of clay, blew on it, and away flew the
bird! (Suras Āl 'Imran 3:49; al-Ma'ida 5:110). We would be inclined to
forget this unrealistic story of the Son of Mary, but for the fact that there
are three inferences.
In Sura Āl 'Imran 'Isa tells the children
of Israel, "I will create for you the likeness of a bird out of
clay." In Sura al-Ma'ida Allah, after the ascension of 'Isa, confirms,
"You created the form of a bird out of clay!" This
miracle is attested in the Qur'an in the present tense and in the past
tense, once by 'Isa and once by Allah himself. This double confirmation
makes the text important.
In both places we hear that 'Isa was able to create
a living bird out of lifeless material. In Arabic, the word "create"
(khalaqa) is usually attributed only to Allah, the creator, who created
everything out of nothing. But this same special word is ascribed to 'Isa, too.
He is the only human, according to the Qur'an, to be a creator and to be
able to create life from dead matter. Christ in Islam appears as a creator.
Muhammad, however, limited his honoring of the
Son of Mary and introduced the expression, "with the permission of
Allah!" several times into the Qur'anic passages relating the miracles
of Christ. Therefore we can ask critical Muslims, "Do you really believe
that Christ, with the permission of Allah, was able to create a bird out of
dead material?" The answer can be, "Of course. The Qur'an confirms
this twice!" Then we can tell him that the Son of Mary is a unique creator
– with Allah's permission!
This legendary childhood story contains another
surprise. 'Isa lifted the clay bird to his mouth and blew into it. Then the
clay became alive and the bird flew away. According to the Qur'an, 'Isa carries
in himself a life-giving breath – with Allah's permission, of course!
In the Bible, God blew the "breath of
life" into Adam. And thus the first human being was created (Genesis 2:7).
On Easter night Christ breathed on his frightened yet overjoyed disciples and
said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit!" (John 20:22) Then his
followers were revived, for Christ is the life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians
15:45).
Muhammad, however, did not go as far as that in
his report. When 'Isa blew into the lifeless matter, it did not become a human
being, nor a reborn child of God, but only something like a bird!
Muhammad did not dare deny that Jesus in himself bore the life-giving spirit of
the creator.
The story of the creation of a bird gave
Qur'anic commentators some headaches, for if 'Isa was able to create a living
bird from dead material, even with the permission of Allah, then he was far
above all other men, even higher than Muhammad. So some interpreters write,
" 'Isa wanted to create a four-footed animal or a flying bird, but both
went wrong. What came out of his effort was only a 'bat', which is neither a
bird nor a mammal, but both at the same time." We can answer such critics,
"The bat is the only flying animal that is specially developed, for it
carries an ultrasound unit (like radar) in its mouth and can fly even at night,
like modern airplanes!"
3. The healing of the blind
Although the two preceding
miracles of the young ''Isa are doubtful, Muhammad is not wholly responsible
since he took them from the apocryphal childhood gospels. Next we read a true
report about Christ himself that was confirmed by Allah. 'Isa heals several
blind persons (Suras Āl 'Imran 3:49; al-Ma'ida 5:110).
In these reports we see the mercy of Christ
on the wretched that cannot see the light of the sun and stumble along in
darkness. The Son of Mary, according to the Qur'an, did not perform miracles
for a show or to win kings and princes for himself, but because he wanted to
help the sick, the miserable and the outcast of society. His pity and love made
him do his signs.
The Arabic word for "to heal" (bari'a)
in the Qur'an is linked to the notions of "to justify" or "to
cleanse.” If Allah considers an illness as a punishment for hidden sins, then
Christ did not only heal the illness but he also dealt with its cause.
Jesus did not open the eyes of the blind with a
sharp knife or with a laser beam, and he did not need medicine or antibiotics,
but he healed them with his word alone. He did not use magic,
incantations or weird spirits, but he freed suffering, miserable people from
their darkness by his powerful word alone. Of course, Muhammad added the
stereotype sentence: "with Allah's permission!" Nevertheless, anyone
can recognize the authority of Jesus Christ and his love towards the ignored in
the book of Muslims.
From the Qur'an a Muslim does not learn the
details of how, where, when or to whom Jesus opened eyes. So these texts need
the testimony of eyewitnesses in the Gospels. We should open the Bible to those
passages for interested Muslims. We should not read the stories to them ourselves
but encourage them to read the passages. Taking the Holy Scriptures into their
hands and seeing Jesus with the eyes of their hearts may help them overcome
their inhibitions. Thus they can recognize that Jesus never compelled anyone to
accept his help or healing but waited until the sick came to him or cried for
help. Jesus wanted to initiate the will to be healed in the suffering
people, until they asked for healing. He awakened in them trust
in him and in his omnipotence so that he could deliver them from their burden.
Rarely does healing come if one does not trust in the physician of all
physicians. Christ does not force his grace upon people, but creates in them
the will, faith and love for their redeemer. Jesus identifies what a person
needs to receive healing saying, "Your faith has healed
you." (Matthew 8:22; Mark 5:34; 10:52; Luke 7:50; 8:48; 17:19; 18:42).
All this is strange to a Muslim. He does not know a savior or a helper. Trust
in Christ, his Redeemer, should be nurtured, so that it may grow in him
spiritually.
4. 'Isa cleanses lepers
In the two Qur'anic reports about the cleansing
and healing of lepers the testimonies of 'Isa and Allah again confirm these
miracles (Suras Āl 'Imran 3:49; al-Ma'ida 5:110). The Arabic form for the
healed lepers is written in the singular, but means the collective plural form
covering these sick people. As with the blind, this does not mean one single
miracle, but a series of wonderful healings that Christ performed with
lepers.
If you have met such suffering people in India,
with missing fingers and disfigured faces, running together to beg at filling
stations, you will understand the great love of Jesus, his majesty and his
victory over disgust and fear of infection. He did not chase the lepers as if
they were unclean, but talked to them and even touched some of them. He built a
bridge for their faith, so that they should understand: this Jesus loves me
personally! Christ is stronger even than leprosy! He can and will heal me
(Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16). When Jesus healed the ten lepers
he expected them to have superhuman faith. They trusted in the one who spoke to
them in the love of God (Luke 17:11-19).
What the Qur'an reports is only general facts
which need the illumination of the Gospel and our own added witness: that he
has cleansed us from all our iniquity and impurity.
To the healing of the lepers can be added the
forgiveness of Jesus. In some countries, in popular Islam, leprosy is
considered as the punishment of Allah for rebellion or hidden sins. Here the
biblical report about the healing of the paralytic can help. He expected a
"healing" word from Jesus, but instead he heard, "Take heart,
son; your sins are forgiven!" When the lawyers of the Torah thought
that Jesus was blaspheming, he turned to them and said, "Why do you
entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are
forgiven', or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son
of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins ... he turned to the paralytic and
said, 'Get up, take your mat and go home.' And the man got up and went
home." (Matthew 9:1-8).
5. The awakening of the dead
If you read the short sentence which is
confirmed twice in the Qur'an that Jesus could raise dead people, your breath
may stop for a moment (Suras Āl 'Imran 3:49; al-Ma'ida 5:110). In these
two verses you find the plural form, not the singular! In Arabic that means
that Christ awakened more than two, or at least three people from the dead. It
is advisable to know by heart the passage in the Gospel where Jesus awakened a
child, a young man and an adult from the dead, and to read these passages
together with interested Muslims (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 7:11-17;
Luke 8:40-56; John 11:1-45).
The Qur'an uses two different terms for the
awakening of the dead by Christ. In Sura Āl 'Imran (Sura Āl 'Imran
3:49) he says, "I will make the dead alive again."
In the other verse (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:110) Allah
confirms, "You send the dead (alive) out (from their graves)!"
If you know a Muslim who has shown interest in
Christ you can ask him on the basis of these two testimonies in the Qur'an,
"Who is able to awaken the dead?" In most cases the answer is
"Nobody but Allah." If you ask again, "Are you claiming by this
that Christ is Allah, since he restored to life at least three dead
persons?" you may hear the caveat, "I take refuge with Allah from
you!" If you go on asking, "But in the Qur'an you find two verses
where Christ indeed awakened dead people," you may hear the answer after
some time of searching, "But every time you find the expression, 'with my
permission'! Christ was unable to awaken dead people. Therefore Allah sent
Jibril to him to strengthen him, so that he could accomplish the miraculous sign
of awakening the dead in order to glorify Allah!" If you go on asking
cautiously, "So you believe that Allah and the Spirit of the Holy and the
Son of Mary together awakened the dead?" You might hear a hesitant,
"Yes, that is revealed in the Qur'an." Then you could reply, "So
you believe in a co-operation of the Trinity?" This could, after a
preliminary denial, lead to the statement that the Qur'an actually confirms the
unity of the Trinity in action, even though it does not confirm it in
spirit and substance. It is not necessary that a Muslim should be convinced by
all our arguments. But it can be a help for him to hear new ideas confirmed in
the Qur'an, so that he may start to think in a different way.
The fact of the dead being awakened by the Son
of Mary is so astonishing that you may ask yourself why did Muhammad include
this testimony he had heard from Christians around him in the Qur'an. He
probably did it to present his Islam as a religion akin to Christianity in
order to win Christians to his faith.
We trust that the testimony of the victor over
death in the Qur'an will act like yeast, and will open the eyes of Muslims from
within, so that they may recognize the true Christ who has eternal life in
himself. Then they will understand that Christ can give everlasting life to
everyone who asks him for it. The fact that Christ awakened dead people is a
challenge for all children of Abraham, Jews as well as Muslims: "Whoever
believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see
life." (John 3:36; 1John 5:12)
6. The Omniscient One
In Sura Āl 'Imran we find a strange verse
according to which 'Isa told the Jews that he was going to reveal to them what
they had eaten in secret and what treasures they hid in their cupboards.
This improbable story allows for various
explanations: Many Jews did not strictly observe the laws of Moses, and often
ate what was forbidden in secret. Others did not fast carefully on the
prescribed days and secretly ate in their houses whatever they wanted. In
addition they kept treasures hidden in their cupboards instead of giving them
to the poor and refugees from Mecca.
Al-Suyuti, an Islamic commentator, explains:
'Isa as a boy was playing with other children when he told them, "I can
prophesy to you what your parents are eating when you are away from home, and
what they secretly keep in closets hidden from you." When those boys asked
about these revelations, their parents were surprised and asked their children,
"Who told you these secrets?" When the children replied it was 'Isa
who had told them these secrets, the parents forbade their children to go on
playing with the Son of Mary and shut them up in their backyards.
When 'Isa later asked the parents of his friends
why he could not see them any more he was told they were not at home at the
moment. When 'Isa answered the parents, "But I can hear them making noise
in your backyards", they told him, "These are only our hungry
pigs." Then 'Isa looked at them sadly and replied, "You are right! It
is only your pigs who make such a noise in your backyards." When the
parents looked for their children, 'Isa's words had come true. All their
children had become pigs!
This despicable story from a slanderous
imagination was aimed at the Jews who never keep pigs in their backyards, as
well as at Jesus himself, in order to keep children away from him, because he
could reveal hidden truths. However, this text from the Qur'an confirms that
Christ can see right through walls! According to Muhammad, Christ possessed "X-ray
eyes.” In the Gospel of John we can read that Jesus saw through all men. He did
not need information about anyone, "for he knew what was in a
man." (John 2:24-25)
In this verse the Qur'an proves the omniscience
of 'Isa, but draws the wrong conclusions from it. It is neither food eaten in
secret nor hidden treasures that Jesus discovers with his Redeemer eyes. He
uncovers hidden sins and recognizes the individual's yearning for justice,
purity and truth. He wants to save, purify and renew everybody, and does not
want to lay hands on their riches.
Muhammad suffered from increasing tension
between the refugees who had come with him from Mecca and the original
inhabitants of Medina. The immigrants from Mecca rarely found work. They did
not possess houses and could not inherit anything from relatives. On the other
hand the Muslims of Medinan origin became richer and richer. The latter had
taken the immigrants into their homes and had promised to care for them as
blood brothers. But wish and reality were far apart. The local people ate
better food when the refugees were out, and the owners of the houses hid their
wealth from the eyes of the asylum seekers. Muhammad heard about this behavior
and would have liked to lay his hands on the hidden treasures. So he said,
"When 'Isa will come again he will tell you what you eat in secret
and what you hide in your houses, because he can see through you all."
We should ponder this testimony from the Qur'an,
and when giving Muslims spiritual advice, make them aware that we all need to
be tested and uncovered by the love of Jesus Christ and by his truth again and
again! The hidden money and possessions of all Christians would be sufficient
to evangelize the entire world, if individuals would be moved to part from
their treasures.
7. The table from heaven
In Sura al-Ma'ida (5:112-115)
we can find an echo of the feeding of the 5,000 by Christ in an Islamic form.
We will translate this text literally, so that Muhammad's way of thinking and
the attitude of his Muslims can be understood as a basis for our conversations
with them:
112 The disciples said, "O 'Isa, Son of Mary! Can your Lord
send down for us a table of food from heaven?"
He answered (them), "Fear Allah
if you are believers!"
113 But they said, "We want to eat from it so that our hearts would
be calmed and we can know that you have revealed the truth to us, and we shall
be eye-witnesses of it (i.e. the table)."
114 Then 'Isa, the Son of Mary said, "Allahumma (Elohim), our Lord!
Send down upon us a table of food from heaven, so that it be a feast for us,
for the first and the last among us, and a sign from you! And provide us (with
our daily living)! You are the best of all providers."
115 Allah answered, "Truly, I am already sending it (the food
table) down to you. But if anyone of you still does not believe afterwards, I
will punish him terribly, as I punish nobody else in the worlds!"
On this imaginative story about the feeding of the 5,000 we comment as
follows:
·
Several times Muhammad distinguished
between Christians according to their maturity and called them disciples
(beginners), enthusiastic helpers or fighters, praying believers, Muslims,
followers and witnesses (Āl 'Imran 3:52-53). In the story on the table from
heaven 'Isa speaks to disciples as beginners.
·
In the Qur'an, 'Isa himself is not
considered to be "the Lord,” but Allah is his Lord. 'Isa always is at his
disposal.
·
After 'Isa had delivered a long
sermon in the desert the disciples became hungry. They did not wait patiently
until 'Isa provided some food for them, but 'tempted' him and questioned
Allah's omnipotence, whether he would be able to help them. They did not
really believe in his caring love but wanted to try him.
·
'Isa did not challenge his disciples
to believe, but to fear Allah. The love for God and the trust in his
care are not the main topics in Islam, rather total submission to Allah and
fear with deep respect for him.
·
Muslims have no assurance of being
redeemed and have no inner peace because there is no Holy Spirit in this
religion. The spirit of the Holy One is considered to be Jibril (Gabriel), so
Muslims are often searching for substantial evidence for their faith.
They wanted to be eye-witnesses of the table, not of 'Isa's action. The table
and what was on it were central to their expectations.
·
Strangely, the Son of Mary did not
pray to Allah, but to Allahumma (Elohim). This name for Muhammad seemed
to be the key to helpful prayers that might be answered quickly. Elohim is the
plural form of Allah and contains the possibility of the Unity of the Holy
Trinity. In the Qur'an 'Isa called the God of the Old Testament "the GOD
(Allahumma) our Lord.” This is contrary to what "the Lord" revealed
to Moses when he said, "I am the LORD your God!" Muhammad
tried to Islamize the God of the Old Testament.
·
In the Qur'an 'Isa called the
banquet from heaven a special feast for everybody -- for the
least and the greatest of Christ's disciples equally. Perhaps Muhammad in his
imagination combined the table of the Lord's supper with the feeding of the
5,000. He called this banquet from heaven a miraculous sign. The fifth Sura
of the Qur'an accordingly is called "The Banquet" (al-Ma'ida).
·
The Son of Mary also asked Allah to
provide his followers regularly with all necessary food. In Islam faith
means business (Sura Fatir 35:29-30) and should result in concrete
success. Allah is not a father but a sultan who generously provides for his
Muslims – if he so wishes.
·
Allah immediately acceded to
'Isa's prayer, which is remarkable in Islam. While 'Isa was still praying,
Allah instantly began to send down the heavenly table to 'Isa's hungry
disciples.
·
A side-effect of 'Isa's miracle,
however, is dreadful. Allah threatens any unbelieving skeptics among his
disciples with the most horrible of all punishments he would inflict in this
world and in the next. This threat is also directed at Muslims unless
they believe in the miracles of 'Isa as written in the Qur'an.
·
The commentators of the Qur'an
discuss more the variety of the food on the table than the nature of the one
who provided the heavenly gifts. Muslims would like to know whether wine, pork
and other forbidden food were waiting for them in paradise, yet forget the one
who brought the table down from heaven to them. Most of them do not realize
that even in Islam, the Son of Mary has the privilege to intercede for
his followers.
·
When you tell Muslims that Jesus had
only five loaves of bread and two fishes in his hands to feed the 5,000, you
can see long faces, because bread and fish are not deemed as special food of
paradise.
·
But if you inspire your listeners with
the thought that Jesus gave thanks for the little he had in his hands,
and that then, on his thanksgiving, it became a massive amount of food. Then
you can explain to Muslims that receiving food and money is not the evidence of
truth, but that faith with thanks in advance will bring blessing for
many.
·
We know that Jesus himself,
rather than the multiplication of the bread, is the center of this miracle. Our
Lord assures us that he gives daily bread to all who follow him, trust in him
and thank him in advance for his providing care. This contrasts with what the
Qur'an teaches. The Biblical grace of God the Father can displace the concept
of an arbitrary sultan who saves whomsoever he wishes, and who misleads
whomsoever he wishes.
·
The outstanding message of this
miracle of Christ in the Qur'an is the evidence that he is the only
mediator between God and humans. He is the secret center in this
great miracle which every Muslim can understand if he is willing. Prayer in the
name of Christ is made possible for Muslims too. Christ has opened the door to
God for us. There is no way to the Father except through him. "For
there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5, Sura al-Anbiya' 21:28).
8. 'Isa the divine legislator
In the Qur'an we find several
passages which testify to the authority of Christ over the Torah. Two of these
passages call his attitude and his handling of the scriptures of the Old
Testament a sign and an evidence of his divine mission (Suras Āl 'Imran
3:50-51; al-Ma'ida 5:46-47; al-Zukhruf 43:63). The following points of this legal
miracle should be taken into consideration:
·
Allah sent Christ into the world to confirm
the infallibility of the Torah. Why then do the Muslims maintain again and
again that the Torah has been falsified? The Qur'an itself denies this claim
several times. In addition, Christ is the word of Allah personalized and
thus represents the Torah in his life (Suras Āl 'Imran 3:50; al-Ma'ida
5:46 et al.).
·
Allah himself taught the Son of Mary
- before he was born - the Torah, the Proverbs of Solomon, the Gospel and the
Original Book with all its significance (Sura Āl 'Imran 3:48). Therefore
'Isa was able to come to the children of Israel with divine wisdom and
to explain to them all unsolved questions of the law, thus removing the reason
for their divisions.
·
According to the Qur'an, Christ
possessed the authority to change and cancel some commandments of Allah
in the Torah and to free his followers from them. Hence in Islam 'Isa is a legislator.
He is not under the law as an executive. This means more than a miracle
to Muslims, because to them Allah alone is the legislator and the revealer of
the Law. According to the Qur'an Christ possessed this divine function because
he himself was the incarnation of the word of Allah in the flesh. He is the
divine truth and law in person (John 13:34; Suras Maryam 19:21; al-Anbiya'
21:91; al-Tahrir 66:12 et al.).
In these verses of the Qur'an we hear an Islamic echo to the revelation
of Jesus, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the
Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill them." (Matthew
5:17-18) He also explained, "It was said to the people previously ...
But I tell you!" (Matthew 5:21-48) "What goes into a man's
mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what
makes him unclean." (Matthew 15:11.16-20)
Muhammad may have heard of these revolutionary
principles that Christ taught, but he did not understand them as the
fulfillment of the Law, but as the removal of some obstacles of the Law for his
disciples. In a surprising way he attributed to 'Isa this divine right
to dissolve laws and to impose new ones as the messenger of Allah.
·
In spite of all alterations of the
Law by the Son of Mary, he confirms the core of Islamic worship: "Fear
Allah!" Islam is not governed by the love of God for men or by their
love for him. There is no fatherhood of God and no desire to save all men, but
only power, omnipotence and the sacred sovereignty of Allah, who, as a
dictator, can neither be questioned nor be made responsible for anything.
Muslims can only prostrate before him and worship him in deep respect with
fear.
·
A similar submission should be
offered to every messenger from Allah. In the Qur'an, the Son of Mary twice
demands from all Jews, Christians and Muslims: "Obey me!"
(Suras Āl 'Imran 3:50; al-Zukhruf 43:63). This sentence turns Islam
completely upside down! It implies that everyone shall honor Christ Jesus,
devote themselves to him and meticulously keep his commandments, just as they
fear Allah! Islam does not teach, "Believe in the grace of Allah, or
accept the forgiveness of Christ or love him because he loved you first,"
but 'Isa rather demands faith-obedience and unconditional submission under his
authority. Whoever understands this Qur'anic commandment can find in it a
convenient method for evangelizing Muslims. A Muslim should first learn the law
of Christ, before he is taught his saving grace. We should first study
with him the 510 commandments of Christ in the four Gospels and compare them
with the 613 commandments of Moses in the Torah. Then we should live according
to the Law of Jesus as true examples and confess before a Muslim that we are
not all fulfilling his commandments completely, and that therefore we have to
ask for forgiveness daily. A Muslim should recognize that it is impossible to
fulfill the law of Christ by ourselves because he commands us, "Be
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect!" (Matthew 5:48) and "Love
one another, as I have loved you." (John 13:34) Then he may understand
that no one can fulfill the law of Christ by himself, but needs the forgiveness
of Jesus and his salvation daily. The grace of Christ Jesus is the only
way to the Father (John 3:16; 14:4 et al.).
·
Muhammad quickly stopped such
critical ideas and conclusions by making Christ Jesus say, "Allah is my
Lord and your Lord. Worship him, that is the right service." He did
not let 'Isa in the Qur'an say: "I will ascend to my Father and to your
Father, to my God and to your God!" No, Muhammad placed 'Isa under Allah's
power and authority. Muhammad was never prepared to admit that Christ Jesus is
the Lord himself to the glory of God his Father. While accepting some essential
principles of the Christian faith, he finally rejected its core and made the
Son of Mary a slave of Allah, who would lead his followers to paradise
on the "broad way" of the Islamic Law.
In spite of these Islamic devices, Muhammad has
confirmed Christ Jesus as a divine legislator who has the right to
demand the unconditional obedience of his followers and of all men. We
should make all Muslim seekers aware of this Qur'anic message, and help them – through
a spiritual breakdown of their pride - to accept the grace of Christ available
for them, too.
9. Christ renews his followers
In the Qur'an there are several verses which
describe the character of Christians in a positive way. From the testimonies of
Muhammad one recognizes that the Son of Mary was able to change the arrogant
into humble ones and egoists into merciful servants. This is the greatest
miracle Christ did according to the book of the Muslims. This change did
not happen only once, but it occurs daily, then and now. Christians are
described more than 50 times in the Qur'an. Some of these verses have not been
written about Christians only, but about Jews, too (Suras Āl 'Imran
3:55.113-114.199; al-Ma'ida 5:65-68; al-An'am 6:90; al-Hadid 57:27; al-Saff
61:14 et al.).
In Sura Āl 'Imran we read Muhammad's
evaluation to a Christian delegation from North Yemen (Wadi Nadjran), who
discussed faith with him in Medina for three days. He tried to win these
Christians over to Islam and let Allah say to 'Isa:
"I will place those who follow you above the unbelievers until the
day of the resurrection." (Sura Āl 'Imran 3:55)
Muhammad and his Muslims were impressed by the
well-dressed delegation of 60 men from the Christians in North Yemen. Muhammad
felt that their culture was higher than his own but wanted to draw them
into Islam. He noticed their superiority and economic dominance over idolaters
and animists. But surely in his negotiations he did not reveal his true
opinion, namely that Muslims are, of course, on a much higher level than
Christians are.
In the same Sura we read about slaves and
workers who met at night to read the Bible together and to worship their Lord
by prostration. These were probably orthodox Christians because no other
churches, not even the Jews, prostrate themselves in their services. Muhammad
acknowledged that they kept their covenant with God and that their life was in
accordance with their faith. He called them "Good ones" who would be
rewarded by Allah (Sura Āl 'Imran 3:113-114). What a great testimony about
downtrodden Christians in the Hidjaz!
According to Sura Āl 'Imran, Muhammad also
met Christians who were humble and modest and who quoted verses from the Bible
without asking for money. This differed from the Jews in Medina who usually
shared something from the Mishna or the Talmud only after he bought goods from
them (Āl 'Imran 3:199). Several times, according to the Qur'an, Christians
tried to evangelize Muhammad, but in vain.
In Sura al-Ma'ida a dividing line is drawn
between Jews and Christians. Allah is supposed to have revealed to Muhammad:
"You will certainly find that those who oppose you (Muslim
believers) with the severest enmity are the Jews and the idolaters. You will
also find that those who (oppose you but) have the greatest sympathy with the
believers (Muslims) are the ones who call themselves Christians (Nasara),
because they have priests and monks among them and (because) they are not
arrogant (lit.: they do not make themselves great)." (Sura
al-Ma'ida 5:82)
Muhammad recognized the humility of Christ in
his followers, who did not try to make themselves great. At the same time
Muhammad understood that this quality did not come from within them but came
from their spiritual leaders. This verse offers an astonishing recognition of
the humility of Christians in the days of Muhammad.
In Sura al-Hadith you can read a profound
analysis of the Christians. Muhammad let Allah reveal,
"Finally we let 'Isa, the Son of Mary, follow (our previous
messengers), and gave him the Gospel and put into the hearts of those who
follow him loving-kindness, mercy and monasticism." (Sura al-Hadid
57:27)
Muhammad distinguished between different kinds
of Christians. He recognized seekers as disciples, enthusiastic warriors
and helpers who were ready to storm into battle for the new doctrine. He
saw them as conscious believers and praying worshippers who tried
to live according to their conviction, genuine 'Muslims' who devoted
themselves to Allah and his messenger (Christ). They surrendered to him
unconditionally, followers who tried to imitate their master and went
with him through thick and thin. They were eyewitnesses of his deeds who
were prepared to die for their testimony. They asked 'Isa for one thing only,
that he would write their names in the Book of Life in heaven (Sura Āl
'Imran 3:52-53).
According to Muhammad, not all Christians take
part in the secret of the greatest miracle that Christ did – except for his followers!
Muhammad felt that Allah personally did a miracle with them. He put something
into their hearts that no one else possessed: pity and mercy, even for
their enemies! When Muhammad pondered about the origin of this charisma he did
not find any other source for it but the Gospel, inspired by Allah to
'Isa. Muhammad believed that the pity and the mercy in the hearts of Christ's
followers came out of this book. But he did not recognize the power of the Holy
Spirit of which Paul writes, "The love of God has been poured out into
our hearts by the Holy Spirit given us." (Romans 5:5)
Muhammad felt positively about genuine
Christians. Not only did he know Waraqa b. Naufal, the cousin of his first wife
Khadidja, the honorable elder of a home Bible group in Mecca, but he also
experienced that 83 Muslims found shelter with Christians in Abyssinia when the
persecution of Muslims in Mecca became unbearable. The behavior of the
Abyssinian Christians gave shape to the image of the Christians in the Qur'an
more than we suspect. However, the Abyssinians failed to evangelize the Muslim
refugees. When the Muslims returned to Medina after Islam had become strong,
230 Ethiopians had accepted Islam, but only one Muslim there had become a
Christian. He died shortly after his conversion (probably a violent death).
In Sura al-Saff the Christians are called helpers
and co-workers of Allah when they swore to be faithful to 'Isa in his
trials and were prepared to fight for him. Allah assured them of victory over
their enemies (Sura al-Saff 61:14).
When you read these verses in the Qur'an you
find that Muhammad noticed that 'Isa had changed his followers into his
image. They loved their enemies, blessed those who cursed them and did good to
those who insulted and persecuted them (Matthew 5:44). They were humble, meek
and not greedy. They prayed together, even at night if necessary. Their Book
was the center and source of their worship. These Christians described in the
Qur'an, were usually not foreigners, but Arabs from the north, south and
west of the Arabian Peninsula. Christ accomplished his greatest miracle in
them; they lived according to what they believed and had become a new
creation by the grace of their Savior. Today former Muslims find
their new identity as Biblical Christians described in the Qur'an. These
verses can help them when they talk to their Islamic relatives.
10. The true Ayatollah
Twice we find in the Qur'an that Christ Jesus
and his mother are great signs made by Allah (Suras al-Anbiya' 21:91;
Āl 'Imran 3:50). Once it is revealed that Christ himself is a sign for
the people and a mercy of Allah (Sura Maryam 19:21). These three verses
confirm the mystery of Christ in the Qur'an and summarize the essence of
all his miracles. The purpose of his miracles is not in themselves but as the
revelation of him, who worked them.
In Arabic the word for sign is ajatun
which also means miracle. Read together with the word Allah these
two words make up the honorary title Ayatollah! Christ Jesus is
the miraculous sign of Allah! The text in the Qur'an broadens the meaning of
this word and shows its purpose: for men! Everybody should see Allah's
omnipotence and love in the Son of Mary. No other prophet, king or priest bears
this title of honor according to the Qur'an, not even Muhammad. Christ is
the sole miracle of Allah that all men should recognize. All other Ayatollahs
received their titles only from men.
When we ask why the Son of Mary is the greatest
sign of Allah in the Qur'an, we find the answer in the Islamic belief that
Allah created Christ in Mary solely through his word, without the participation
of a human father. Allah breathed his spirit into her body. Therefore Christ is
not only a man from a woman, but according to the Qur'an, also a spirit from
Allah in the body of a man. 'Isa existed with Allah even before he was born.
After his ascension he returned to Allah with body, soul and spirit. Today,
Jesus lives with Allah. Muhammad is dead. Christ Jesus is the only man who can
be called "the Spirit of Allah" and "his word incarnate."
Therefore Christ is the only sensory sign of Allah for all men.
From this dual quality – being a true man and a
true spirit from Allah - all his signs and miracles occurred, according to the
Qur'an:
·
He is the word of Allah
incarnate. He could already speak as a newborn child in the cradle.
·
He is a creator with a
life-giving breath – with Allah's permission!
·
He is full of mercy for the
sick and the miserable. He healed all that came to him.
·
He is the best doctor in the
world – with Allah's permission!
·
He is the victor over death,
for he raised the dead – with Allah's permission!
·
He is omniscient, for his
"x-ray eyes" can see through everybody and everything.
·
He has the right to intercede
as the mediator between Allah and his followers.
·
He brought down food from
paradise for them and provides them with their daily bread!
·
He is a lawgiver and has
confirmed the infallibility of the Torah. He changed divine laws and set up new
orders.
·
He is entitled to demand faith-obedience
from all men, including the Muslims.
·
He changed the egoistic characters
in his followers and filled them with love and humility.
These signs in the Qur'an are like a mirror that reflects the attributes
and qualities of 'Isa, the Son of Mary. They show that he is the miracle of
all miracles.
The Biblical Jesus can be found again and again
in the verses of the Qur'an. Muhammad included much of the Christian faith to
present his Qur'an as comparable to the Gospel so Christians would be enticed
to accept Islam. He did not always reveal his rejection of Christ's divinity
and the discarded crucifixion of Jesus to Christians he tried to convert. He
acknowledged 'Isa the merciful miracle worker, the great physician, the
resurrector of the dead and the just legislator in order to draw Christians to
Islam.
Hence, we have the right to take out the distorted
testimony of the Christians from the Qur'an and to put it into the right
context of the whole Gospel, as the only truth and the way to peace with God.
The aim is not only to show law and grace, commandments and obedience in faith,
but to draw the picture of the real Christ before the eyes of the Muslims in
order that they may see him, love him, believe in him,
cling to him, receive his everlasting life and bear the holy
fruit of his Spirit.
For this, Jesus calls himself the light of the
world, the bread of life, the right way, the everlasting truth, the good
shepherd, the true vine, the resurrection and the life, the king (with the
crown of thorns), the first and the last. The "I am..." words of
Jesus in the Gospel can enlighten a searching Muslim to comprehend that Jesus
is not only a doer of miracles but the very love of God and his holiness in
person.
Q
U I Z
Dear reader!
If you have studied this booklet carefully, you can easily answer the
following questions. Whoever answers 90% of all questions in the eight booklets
of this series correctly, can obtain a certificate from our center on
Advanced Studies
in helpful
ways for conducting conversations with Muslims about Jesus Christ
as an
encouragement for his/her future services for Christ.
1. How many miracles of Moses does the Qur'an mention? What
are their characteristics and aims?
2. How
often can we read about the evidences (bayyinaat) of Christ in
the Qur'an? What are their characteristics and aims?
3. Who
is the Spirit of the Holy that according to the Qur'an strengthened Christ to
perform his miracles? (Suras al-Baqara 2:87, 253; al-Ma'ida 5:111 et al.)
4. How
did Muhammad try to bolster his own prophethood with the evidences of Christ?
(Sura al-Saff 61:6)
5. How
often did Muhammad use the term sign (aayat) for the miracles of
Christ in the Qur'an? Where in the Gospels can we read the same term for the
miracles of Christ? How does the meaning of this word differ in the two books?
6. Why
did Jesus consider the craving to see miracles as unbelief or as an act of
tempting God according to the Gospel?
7. From
what sources did Muhammad hear about the legend that the newborn 'Isa spoke
immediately after his birth? Why did Muhammad tolerate and believe such a
fable story?
8. How
does the inclusion of this legend about 'Isa in the Qur'anic revelation of
Allah prove that Muhammad was no real prophet?
9. What
are the questionable and fantastic contents of the first speech of Christ in
the Qur'an? (Sura Maryam 19:24-26)
10. How
did Muhammad imagine the creation of a bird by the boy 'Isa?
11. Why
is the expression "I create" in the Qur'anic description of
this miracle by the Son of Mary important in our conversations with Muslims?
12. What
can we infer from 'Isa breathing into a birdlike form of clay and the
Qur'an claiming that the bird afterwards flew away? Where in the Gospels can we
read that Jesus actually breathed on people? What were the different results of
the breathing of Christ in the Qur'an and in the Gospels?
13. How
did Muhammad in the Qur'an try to limit the capacity of 'Isa to perform his
miracles? Why did Jesus Himself limit His capacity to perform miracles in John
5:19?
14. For
how many blind people could Christ open their eyes according to the
Qur'an? And how did he practically open their eyes according to the imagination
of Muhammad?
15. How
is leprosy misjudged and evaluated negatively in many countries in Asia
and Africa?
16. What
does the authority of Christ to heal lepers include?
17. What
does the care of the Son of Mary for the ill and miserable in the Qur'an
reveal?
18. How
many dead persons did Christ raise and make alive according to the
Qru'an?
19. Why
was Christ the only person on earth able to raise the dead according to the
Qur'an?
20. Which
secret can we explain to Muslims in view of the Islamic idea that Christ could
perform his miracles only with the help of the Spirit from Allah?
21. How
does 'Isa in the Qur'an appear to be omniscient? How can we use the
secret of the all-knowing Jesus in our conversations with Muslims?
22. How
did al-Suyuti comment on the Qur'an when he used a tradition (Hadith)
about Jesus to explain His omniscience?
23. What
seems to you most important in the Qur'anic story about the table from
heaven for the followers of 'Isa?
24. Why
did Jesus pray "Allahumma" and not "Oh Allah"?
25. How
did Muhammad confirm that Christ had the right to mediate between his followers
and Allah? Why did the Almighty immediately answer the intercession of the Son
of Mary?
26. Why
could Christ change the inspired Law of Moses? How could he "allow"
his followers what was forbidden by Allah? Did Christ according to the Qur'an
have only executive or also legislative authority?
27. Why
does 'Isa in the Qur'an speak often about the fear of Allah and hardly ever
about the love of God?
28. What
does the categorical command of Christ in the Qur'an "Obey me!"
mean for all Muslims? Why should we study the Law of Christ for our
conversations with Muslims?
29. How
did Muhammad with a play of words try to empty the authority of Christ and make
out of him a god-fearing Muslim?
30. Which
different titles and names did Muhammad invent to describe the different
stages in the maturity of the followers of Christ? Why did he call them
"Muslims"?
31. Which
unique attributes did Muhammad use to characterize the followers of
Christ? From where did he know these attributes?
32. Why
is the transformation of egotistic sinners into peaceful servants of the Lord the
greatest of all miracles of Christ?
33. Why
is 'Isa in the Qur'an the only male Ayatollah appointed by Allah
in history? What does this title mean and what equivalent title for Christ can
you find in the Gospels?
34. How
did Muhammad explain and deepen the title Ayatollah for Christ? What can
it mean that in Islam Christ is the mercy of Allah incarnate?
35. Which
ten extraordinary titles and attributes of Christ can you derive from
the miracles of Christ in the Qur'an?
36. Why
did Muhammad paint an extremely positive picture of Christ for the Christian
delegation that visited him?
37. How
can we use the miracles of Christ in the Qur'an as a bridge to the real
Gospel? What is indispensable for achieving this goal in your practical
services among Muslims?
Every
participant in this quiz is allowed to use any book at his disposition and to
ask any trustworthy person known to him when answering these questions. We wait
for your written answers including your full address on the papers or in
your e-mail. We pray for you to Jesus, the living Lord, that He will send,
guide, strengthen, protect and be with you every day of your life!
Yours in His
service,
Abd al-Masih
and his brothers in the Lord
Send your replies to:
P.O.Box 2904
Weirton,
WV 26062
or by e-mail
to: info@grace-and-truth.org