Jurgen Hofmann<\/p>\r\n
Total word-count: 1499<\/p>\r\n
9th<\/sup> May 2015<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\nNasr’s comment is given (among other occasions) in his book in comparison of other doctrines of Jesus. Nasr\r\nstates that other doctrines that appear to be incompatible—the nature of Christ and even the idea of the trinity\r\n—can be interpreted from a metaphysical outlook that can serve to bring Islamic and Christian views into\r\nharmony.1<\/sup><\/a><\/a> Negotiable as these points may seem to Islam, with its dismissal of the passion, death and\r\nresurrection of Jesus, it right away dismisses Jesus’ divine nature and as a consequence the God as revealed\r\nthroughout Scripture.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n \r\nThe only verse about the crucifixion in the Qur’an is very clear about the incident: it was not<\/i> the way Jesus\r\ndied! Christian scholars have tried to explain that Surah 4:157 only denies that it was the Jews who crucified\r\nJesus, which is historically correct. By explaining that the Roman soldiers actually did the work, they hope\r\nthat Muslims can accept the historicity of the crucifixion, bringing them closer to the atoning work of\r\nChrist.2<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Yet, Cragg states that ‘we cannot escape the negation of crucifying by confusion as to the agent.’3<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Many understand the sentence, ‘it was made to appear to them’, as substitutional—someone else, who\r\nresembled Jesus, died on the cross. Interestingly, Ali notes that this verse can only mean that it appeared to\r\nthe people that Jesus died—the words only mean that Jesus did not die because of the crucifixion (he was\r\ncrucified nevertheless).4<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n \r\nThere seems to be more confusion about Jesus’ actual death. That is to say, the Qur’an is not absolutely clear\r\nabout Jesus’ death. There are verses in the Qur’an, like Surah 19:33 (…the day that I die…<\/i>), that state that\r\nJesus died and even that Jesus foretold His death and<\/i> His resurrection. Muslim scholars, who believe that\r\nJesus did not<\/i> die, state that Surah 19:33 narrates about the future. Notwithstanding, in a parallel verse, Surah\r\n19:15, one can read almost the same words, talking about John the Baptist’s (Yahya) death (… the day that he dies…<\/i>). Still, Muslim scholars have no problem with the fact that Yahya died.5<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Yet, following the obvious\r\nimplication of the parallel verse, one should not<\/i> place Jesus’ death in the future. What is more, one cannot\r\nfind any reference in the Qur’an about Jesus’ death after<\/i> his return.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n \r\nThere are other verses that cause dissent among Muslim scholars. Surah 3:55 says ‘O Jesus! I will take thee\r\nand raise thee to Myself […]’ (Arabic: ‘mutawaffeeka<\/i>‘). There is no unanimity among Muslim scholars on the\r\nmeaning of mutawaffeeka<\/i>. Some state that it narrates about a deep sleep, which is not logical as Allah does\r\nnot need to put Jesus to sleep in order to raise him to himself. 6<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Others explain this word in the sense of\r\n‘removing from earth.’ 7<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Still, the overall Qur’anic description of Jesus is that of a normal mortal (e.g. Surah\r\n5:75) and he is even made to deny his divinity (Surah 5:116). In line with this it would be logical to conclude\r\nthat the verse describes Jesus’ death.8<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> This rule\r\nurged the masters to treat their slaves well, with Israel’s enslavement in Egypt in mind.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n \r\nNasr’s statement may reflect the most common idea about the crucifixion, but Jesus’ death itself is certainly\r\nnot undisputed among Muslim scholars—this disagreement is mostly unknown among average Muslim\r\nbelievers. Many of the Hadith volumes including the two major authentic ones, Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih\r\nMuslim, are mute on the issue of the crucifixion which makes it precarious for scholars to reach solid\r\nconclusions.9<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> The generally accepted view however, is that Jesus did not die the usual human death, but still\r\nlives in the body in heaven. Others say that he did<\/i> die (Surah 5:117), but not when he was supposed to be\r\ncrucified. Thereafter, Jesus has been ‘raised up’ unto Allah, instead of being disgraced as a criminal, in order\r\nto be honoured by Allah as His Messenger: (cf. Surah 4:159).10<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n \r\nAs mentioned, a denial of the crucifixion triggers a chain reaction which undermines the fundamental\r\ndoctrines of Christianity.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nLove<\/i>\r\n \r\nTrinity<\/i>\r\n \r\nSalvation<\/i>\r\n \r\nTheologically<\/i>\r\n \r\nContextualisation<\/i>\r\n \r\nLooking at the results of the dismissal of the crucifixion one can indeed conclude that it is an irreducible fact\r\nthat not only separates Christianity and Islam but also demonstrates that the two in their profound\r\nfoundations cannot be united. What is more, while talking about Allah and YHWH, one needs to recognise\r\nthat they are not the same.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nTo have effective conversations with Muslims, it is worthwhile to examine Islam. Christ’s death, for\r\nexample, is not a straightforward issue in Islam. This can, together with a strong community to welcome\r\npossible converts, be a fruitful topic in dialogue—realising that (often) contextualisation is needed.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n \r\nAll biblical references are taken from The Holy Bible: King James Version<\/i> (1611).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nAll qur’anic references are taken from The Holy Quran (Koran) – English Translation of the Meanings by Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1938).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nAli, A. Y., The Glorious Qur’an: The Meaning of the Glorious Quran Text, Translation & Commentary by: Abdullah Yusuf Ali<\/i>, [ebook] (23 February 2015, http:\/\/www.islamicbul letin.org\/services\/details.aspx?id=252).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nAli, M. M., English Translation of the Holy Qur’an \u2013 with Explanatory Words<\/i>, (ed.) Z. Aziz, Wembley: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Lahore Publications, 2010.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nAli, M. M., History of the prophets: As Narrated in the Holy Qur’an Compared with the Bible<\/i>, Columbus: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Islam Lahore, Inc., 1996.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nCragg, K., Jesus and the Muslim: An Exploration<\/i>, Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2003.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nChristianAnswers, ‘Witnessing to Muslims<\/i>,’ Christian Answers Network, website (08 March 2015, http:\/\/www.christiananswers.net\/evangelism\/beliefs\/islam.html).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nKathir I. H., ‘A Compilation of the Abridged Tafsir Ibn Kathir Volumes 1-10,’ Islamic- Invitation.com<\/i> [ebook] (17 February 2015, http:\/\/www.islamic-invitation.com\/book_details.php?bID=1430&dn=1).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nMed, C., The Shadows of the Sword: Islam, a Religion Specifically for Arabs<\/i>, Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2014.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nMission Islam, ‘Teaching the Child Islamic Rules Regarding Puberty,’ website (09 February 2015, http:\/\/www.missionislam.com\/family\/puberty.htm).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nNasr, S. H., Islamic Life and Thought<\/i>, New York: State University of New York Press, 1981.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nParrinder, G., Jesus in the Qur’an<\/i>, London: Oneworld Publications, 2014.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nParshall, P., Muslim Evangelism: Contemporary Approach to Contextualization<\/i>, Waynesboro: Gabriel Publishing, 2003.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nRhodes, R., Reasoning from the Scriptures with Muslims<\/i>, Eugene: Harvast House Publishers, 2012.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nSearchTruth, website (31 March 2015, http:\/\/www.searchtruth.com\/searchHadith.php).\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nSmith, J. I., Muslims, Christians and the Challenge of Interfaith Dialogue<\/i>, Oxford: University Press, 2007.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nStrandness, E. L., The Director’s Cut: Finding God’s Screenplay on the Cutting Room Floor<\/i>, Bloomington: WestBow Press, 2014.\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\nYahya, H. (A. Oktar), ‘The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die,’ [ebook] (17 February 2015, http:\/\/www.harunyahya.com\/en\/Books\/3294\/The-Prophet-Jesus-%28pbuh%29-Did-Not-Die).\r\n<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\nIntroduction<\/h4>\r\n
Crucifixion<\/h4>\r\n
Confusion<\/h4>\r\n
Chain Reaction<\/h4>\r\n
\r\nBy denying Jesus’ sacrifice, Islam denies the very essence of God’s nature, which is ‘love.’ The Bible teaches\r\nthat YHWH is love (1 John 4:7-21). It is this love that urged YHWH to send the Son as the Saviour of the\r\nworld (vs.14). YHWH loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (vs.9-10). This concept of\r\nGod is absent in Islam as love requires a relationship. Since Allah exists as one he lacks the inherent\r\nrelationship needed to love. It is only in the trinity that God can be called love.11<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Al-Ghazali notes that it is\r\nimpossible that Allah should love mankind because ‘when there is love there must be a sense of\r\nincompleteness in the lover, a realisation that the beloved is needed for complete realisation of self.’ Al-\r\nGhazali concludes that this is inconceivable with Allah, since Allah is perfectly complete in himself.12<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> The\r\nconclusion thus is that Allah and YHWH cannot be seen as the same God.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nIn addition, when God’s nature of love is denied, one does no longer need the doctrine of the trinity. As\r\nstated, Islam sees God as an absolute unity (tawhid<\/i>) and does not accept distinction within the Godhead.\r\nIslamic arguments against Christianity and<\/i> problems for Muslims when they consider Christianity have\r\ncentred on the doctrine of Trinity.13<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Accepting the Christian view of God is an unpardonable sin in Islam.\r\nWhile Islam has a high view of Jesus, it denies his divinity or that He was the Son of God.14<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\nAnother problem that arises is the corruption of salvation itself. This saving act of Jesus is crucial for\r\nChristianity. It is the<\/i> doctrine that sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Jesus was crucified for our\r\nsins and raised for our justification (Romans 4.25). In Islam it is believed that at puberty, an account of each\r\nperson’s deeds is opened, and this will be used at the day of judgement to determine one’s eternal fate.15<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> THowever, good deeds are still no guarantee that one will be saved as the Qur’an teaches that Allah\r\npredestines the fate of every soul (e.g. Surah 2:284)—it is Allah’s will when one goes astray, as he will lead astray whomever he pleases (e.g. Surah 14:4).\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\nDialogue<\/h4>\r\n
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\r\nThe Qur’an contains little detail about what happened and, as shown, Muslim scholars are not in agreement\r\nabout Jesus’ death. What they do<\/i> agree on is the concept of Jesus as a very important prophet who plays a\r\ncrucial role in the end-times.16<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> In dialogue one can challenge a Muslim to discover more about Jesus’ life and\r\ndeath—a prophet is worthy to be known. Many Muslims are willing to talk about faith—although it is better\r\nto avoid hot debates about the crucifixion on the first meetings. The Qur’an can be laid next to the Bible to\r\ndemonstrate the unique position of Jesus: Word of and<\/i> from God (Surah 3:39,45; 4:171; John 1:1-3,14);\r\nSpirit from God (Sura 4:171; 1 Corinthians 15:45); strengthened by the Holy Spirit (sura 2:87,253; 5:113)\r\nand He performed miracles (Surah 3:49; 5:113).\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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\r\nThe certainty of salvation is absent in Islam,making it hard for Muslims to rejoice over the future. Dialogue\r\nwith non-Western Muslims can be fruitful when highlighting the shameful situation of being separated from\r\nGod. Jesus took upon Himself the shame of humanity—like a father who takes the shame of his son’s\r\nmisbehaviour. Non-Western Muslims will recognise this metaphor as many Islamic cultures are shame\r\nbased.17<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> Furthermore, ChristianAnswers states that the factors that hold Muslims to their religion are usually\r\nabout 10% theological and 90% cultural. In other words, even though a Muslim accepts Christ’s offer, the\r\nMuslim will find difficulties leaving Islam because of the risk of losing the safety of the community.\r\nNeedless to say that this should be a serious consideration while witnessing to Muslims—one should be\r\nwilling to guide a Muslim into a new community.18<\/sup><\/a><\/a><\/a> \r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\nIn Retrospect<\/h4>\r\n
Footnotes<\/h4>\r\n
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\r\nBibliography<\/h4>\r\n