Islam
Claims To Be In Accord With Human Nature
Part
- III
MARY
AND CHRIST
(Peace Be Upon Them)
1. ‘KHALQ’ AND
‘AMR’:- The four basic
factors of Manifestation (Zuhoor), viz. (1) ‘Khalq (Creation), (2) ‘Amr’
(Command), and the initiative of (‘Amr’) – (3) ‘Kun’ (Be), also called (4)
‘Kalima’ (Word), have been explained before. “Verily your Rab (Lord) is God.
Who created the heavens and the earth in six days (periods), and is
firmlyestablished on the Throne of (Authority) He created the sun, the moon and
the stars (all) governed by Laws, under His (‘Amr) Command. Are not both for
Him? “Khalq’ (Creation) and ‘Amr’ (Command.” 54: 7.
In the
above passage the action of ‘Khalq’ is illustrated as a chain of Causation,
while ‘Amr’ is just hinted, as Command. Now to elucidate ‘Amr’ says the
Qur-‘aan:-
‘Verily His
‘Amr’ is this: when he intends a thing, He says for it ‘Kun’ (Be) and there it
is.’ 82: 36.
In other
words, the action of ‘Amr’ is Instantaneous and Absolute, free from the chain
of Causation. This ‘Kun’ (Be) is also called ‘Kalima’ (Word); thus owing to his
miraculous birth, under the action of ‘Kun’ (Be), Jesus Christ is himself
described as ‘Kalima’ (Word). Says the Qur-‘aan : “Behold! The angels said: Oh
Mary! God giveth thee Glad tidings of a ‘Kalima’ (Word) from Him; his name will
be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary.” 45: 3. Jesus Christ is called Kalima or
Word, being the product of ‘Kun’ (Be) in the sphere of ‘Amr’,’ is contrast with
others, born in the sphere of ‘Khalq’ through fathers, with a chain of
Causation.
2. CHRIST –
PRODUCT OF ‘AMR’:- Let us now proceed to our subject, Truth in
the life of Mary and Christ. Virgin Mary and her son Jesus Christ (God’s
blessings on both) were often subject to the action of ‘Amr’ as compared with
‘Khalq’ in their life, and hence the leading events of their life, seem, as it
were, shrouded in mystery, for instance, Mary’s miraculous supply of provisions
in girlhood, the birth of Christ, his miracles and his end, all smack of
mystery, because as pointed out before, they were dominated by ‘Amr’ in
particular, and ‘Amr’ defies the chain of Causation, so common in the sphere of
‘Khalq’, thus the action of ‘Amr’ being Instantaneous and Absolute, it is from
the sphere of ‘Amr’ that the Miracles of Prophets spring. Several problems of
spiritual sphere, for instance the ‘Mi’raaj or Ascension of Prophet Muhammad in
his life, or the Resurrection of Christ according to Christian Belief, and such
others, are stated in the Qur-‘aan and the Bible, for general information, and
for belief, and belief has got its own value and importance; but their
operation and their significance are open to the grasp of only those, who are
advanced enough in spiritual Culture. But their words and deeds have to be in
perfect consonance with the Qur-‘aan, no deviation can be tolerated in their
case, so as to detect pretenders in their fanciful interpretations who claim to
be somehow, Prophet Ahmad, and a replica of Muhammad, of Christ and Krishn,
rather an improvement upon the originals, somewhat like revised and enlarged
editions all combined. For instance, such was the origin of Qaadianism by one
Mirza Ghulam Ahmed Qaadianee of Qaadian in Punjab , India
3.
MIRACLES:- Now reverting to the features of ‘Amr’ and
‘Khalq’, let us take Virgin Mary first. While she was yet a girl, she was
endowed with ‘Amr’ in the supply of her provisions. Says the Qur-‘aan, “Every
time that he (Zakariyyaa) entered her chamber to see her, he found her supplied
with Provisions from God. Vide 37: 3. Imbued with the spirit of ‘Amr’ like his
mother Mary, and on a large scale, Christ made a prayer to God, but at the
request of his Disciples, to be supplied with provisions from heaven. The
favour based on ‘Amr’ was a gift in the case of Mary, and a grant in the case
of Christ, so a hard condition was imposed in the later case, to be severely
punished for disbelief, if the miracle were to make its appearance. Vide 115 to
118: 5. When Mary came of age, fit to give birth to Christ which took place as
below:-
“The angels said: Oh Mary! God giveth
thee Glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Christ Jesus, the son of
Mary- - - He shall speak to the people in infancy”. She said: “How shall I have
a son, when no man has touched me.” He said: “Even so: God createth what He
willeth, when He hath issued ‘Amr’ to action). Vide 45 to 47: 3. The pains of
childbirth drove her to a date-tree. She cried, “Ah, would that I had died
before this!... But a voice cried to her, “Grieve not! For thy Lord hath
provided a rivulet beneath thee. Shake the stem of the date-tree; it will let
fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.” 16 to 26: 19.
4. IMPORTANCE
OF ‘KHALQ’:- As pointed
out, ‘Khalq’ is most common in action, and ‘Amr’ is considered superior to
‘Khalq’. But ‘Khalq’ is also indispensable for spiritual Accomplishment. Thus
it is that Mary was favoured with ‘Amr’ about the supply of provisions in
girl-hood, but when she rose in status, so as to be the mother of Christ, she
was made subject to ‘Khalq’ to use efforts to make dates fall from the tree
after childbirth. Similarly while her conception of Christ was unfelt under the
action of ‘Amr’, the delivery was very hard indeed, to assert action of ‘Khalq’
at the climax to set a balance between ‘Khalq’ and ‘Amr’ to elevate her
position in Humanity. Angels are subject to ‘Amr’, and Animals are subject to
‘Khalq’, and Man holds a combination of both but the Genii are confused between
Angels and Men.
5. END OF
CHRIST IN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR-‘AAN:- The Ministry of Christ lasted only about three
years from 30 to 33 years of his age. The action of ‘Amr was most prominent in
his life that he healed the blind and lepers and quickened the dead to life
(vide 49: 2), but according to the Bible and Christian Traditions, Christ felt
agonies on the Cross which made him cry helpless till he yielded up his ghost-(in
the sphere of Khalq’). This submission (Islam) to the action of ‘Khalq’ in
spite of the gift of ‘Amr’ is the characteristic of ‘Abd’, Apostle, and saint.
Vide 30 to 35 : 19. The last moments of the life of Jesus Christ as if, on the
Cross, are thus portrayed in the Bible:-
“Now from the sixth hour was darkness
over all the land unto the ninth hour, and about the ninth hour Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying “Eli! Eli! Lama sabach-thani? That is to say. “My
God, My God, Why hast Thou forsaken me? Jesus when he had cried out with a loud
voice, yielded up the ghost.” (Matt. XXVII, 45-50).
But the Qur-‘aan says Christ was
altogether saved from the indignity of the Cross, and as if by a miracle of
likeness, someone else of the same features was crucified by the Jews under
illusion. Says the Qur-‘aan:-
(Verse, 157) “And they (Jews) said (in
boast), we killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of God (in the
Knowledge of God). But they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it was made
to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no
(certain) Knowledge, but only conjectures to follow, for a surely they killed
him not.”
(Verse, 158) “Nay, God raised him up
unto Himself, and God is Mighty, Wise.”
(Verse, 159) “And there is none, of the
people of the Book, but must believe in him (Christ), before his death. And on
the Day of Judgment, he (Christ) will be a witness.” Vide 157 to 159: 4.
While the Jews claim to have killed Christ
on the Cross, it is also a Cardinal Point of Faith to the Orthodox Christian
Churches
6. EXAMINATION
AND RESULT:- Let us ponder the passage quoted above (157
to 159).
Three points emerge from them. It would
appear from (157) that contrary to the belief of Jews and Christian, Jesus
Christ was not killed on the Cross: from (158) that Christ was raised up to
God, and from (159) that People of the Book must believe in him till the time
of his death.
Now the first point is clear and definite
in itself and needs no further elucidation. As to the second point how Christ
was raised up to God, it is further explained as below:-
(55) “Behold! God said: Oh Jesus! I will
take thy soul (make thee die) and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the,
falsehoods) of those who blaspheme, (that they crucified thee) as is cleared by
the Qur-‘aan).” Vide 55: 3.
(120) ‘And I (Christ) was a witness over
them (Christians) whilst I dwelt amongst them, (but) when Thou didst take my
soul (made me die). Thou wast the watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to
all things.” 120: 5.
(33) “So peace is on me (said Christ) the
day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to
life again (at Resurrection).” 33: 19.
The third point is only a natural
consequence of the first and second, the Jews and Christians must believe in
him not only up to the event of Crucifixion when he did not die, but also after
the said event, up to the time before his death, or till the end of his life.
This problem, the end of Christ on earth,
has been, since long, the subject of long and learned dissertations, not only
in Christian, but also in Islamic literature, covering a vast field of
Traditions, as well. The subject seems saturated with a sense of mystery. But
within the Qur-‘aan alone, its solution came so spontaneous and so plain to the
present author (Elias Burney), that he felt nervous lest he should be suffering
from delusion. But still he keeps an open mind on the question. Traditions are
no doubt an integral factor in the Teachings of Islam, but they are acceptable,
not in addition to the Qur-‘aan, but only as subsidiary to the Qur-‘aan.
7. CHRIST – ‘UZAIR-POLYTHEISM (Peace Be Upon Them)
God is indignant
if Christ is believed to be God himself. Vide 19:5, 75 to 78: 5. To say nothing
of Godship, Christ is not even the son of God, but only an Apostle like several
others. The same is the case with ‘Uzair, a Prophet of the Jews. The priests
have often been the source of trouble in Religion, to lead people astray, and
to grow rich at others’ expense. It is to be accepted that Islam is the
Religion of Truth, and Muhammad is the Apostle of God, says the Qur-‘aan. Vide
171: 4.
To sum up, great stress is laid throughout
the Qur-‘aan on God’s Transcendence (‘Tanzeeh’), but His Immanence (‘Tashbeeh’)
is admitted as well. The Oneness of God is the bedrock of Islam, called
‘Tauheed’ or Monotheism, and the reverse called ‘Shirk’ or Polytheism is the
greatest sin never to be forgiven. Vide 48, 116: 4, 119 to 121: 5.
8. LIFE IN
HEAVEN:- One view is to
treat the description of Heaven as the symbolism for the indescribable Bliss of
Hereafter, but the Religious Experience confirms the literal sense, refined of
course. Here is a synopsis of Salvation. Says the Qur-‘aan : “Theirs are the
Gardens Eternal Home: God well pleased with them, and they with God; that is
the great Salvation (the fulfillment of all desires), .” 122: 5. “They and
their associates (wives and family) will be in groves of (cool) shade,
reclining on Thrones (of dignity). (Various) Fruits (refreshments) will be
there for them. They shall have whatever they call for (endowed with ‘Amr’)
PEACE-a word (of Blessing) from the Lord, Most Merciful.” Vide 55 to 56: 36.
“Those who believe (in God and His Apostle Muhammad and in subsequent Truths)
and stick to Righteousness), their Lord will guide them because of their Faith,
(to Regions) beneath which will flow rivers in Gardens of Paradise. (This be)
their glee therein: “Glory to thee, O God!” and ‘Peace’ be their greetings (to
companions) therein, and the close of their glee will be, “Praise be to God,
the Cherisher and Sustainer of all the worlds.” 9, 10: 10, 31: 16, 25, 31 to
35: 50, 122: 5, 55 to 58: 36. On the contrary, if they disbelieve and reject
Faith, they will burn in Hell-Fire in the Next Life. Vide 77, 96: 56, 16: 11,
18, 72: 17.
9. CONCLUSION:-
Now to conclude, all the Major Religions should put before Mankind their
systems, realistic as well as idealistic, in all the spheres of human life, as
taught by their Basic Books, so as to preserve the original purity, bearing the
Seal of Authority. Numerous accretions and additions however accepted, should
not be permitted to share the Authority of any Basic Book, which alone is
accepted as the Standard of Religion. So let the Basic Books speak for
themselves. This is the only way to settle the future of Religion for Mankind
after comparative study.
There
is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.
(Peace be Upon Him)
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