EASTER CELEBATION IN ISLAM Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu All Praise belong to Allah, the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden; Who said, “Will they not meditate on the Qur’an, or are there locks on their hearts?” (Q47:24). And He also said: “He gives wisdom to whomsoever He pleases; and whoever is given wisdom has truly been given abundant good” (Q2:269). We ask Allah to bestow blessings and peace upon the secret of divine Essence through whom the divine Names and Attributes were elucidated, our leader and master Muhammad, the best of creations. O Allah! Shower your grace and overflowing bounties upon his family, companions and all those who believe and follow him till the Day of Assembly. O servants of Allah! Fear Allah as He should be feared and be conscious of Him in private and public. Be dutiful to Him and follow up an evil deed with a good one; it will erase it. Deal with people kindly. Allah says: Verily, he who fears Allah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allah makes not the reward of the good-doers to be lost. (Q12:90) For us living in multi-religious settings, this is a period when the Christians celebrate the festival of resurrection of Jesus Christ (Isa Alaihis-salam). Preparations are in top gear for the Easter holidays and all kinds of evangelical crusades are on to ‘win souls for Christ’ and the targets are us, the Muslims. It is in this light that we chose to educate ourselves to know the truth and how to relate with them in this and other similar periods. O servants of Allah! The festival of the resurrection, which is called Easter, is a major pivot upon which the creed of Christianity rests. This is the most important annual Christian festival, which is preceded by the long fast (Lent) which lasts for forty days before Easter Sunday. It may interest you that most Christians hardly observe this fast these days save very few old dedicated folks. The Muslims should at once see the Grace of Allah upon the Ummah of Muhammad who have held tenaciously to the fast of Ramadan, young and the old. The Easter festival commemorates the return of the Messiah (AS) or his resurrection after his supposed crucifixion, two days after his death – according to their claims. It marks the end of the long fast of Lent, which lasts for forty days before Easter Sunday. They start fasting on a Wednesday known as Ash Wednesday, where ash is placed on the foreheads of those present and they repeat the words, “From dust we came and to dust we shall return.” While this saying is similar to the Qur’anic statement where Allah (SWT) says “Thereof (the earth) we created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again” (Q20:55), we do not take this as a ritual to rub our body with dust. However, this declaration means the earth is your beginning for your father, Adam (AS), was created with dirt from the surface of the earth and you also will be returned to the earth when you die wherein you will become dirt after decaying. The Week of Sorrows (or Holy Week), which is the last week of the fasting period of Lent, which refers to the events that led up to the death and resurrection of Jesus (AS) – as they claim. The Christians believe that Jesus (AS) was crucified and actually died on the cross and this is the source of their sorrow. But for the Muslim, Allah is very clear of what happened to His Prophet when He declared that “And because of their saying (in boast), ‘We killed the Messiah Isa (Jesus) the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah,’ – but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them [the resemblance of Isa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differed therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). But Allah raised him (Jesus - AS) up unto Himself. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise” (Q4:157-158). O servants of Allah! The verses of Surah an-Nisa’i quoted above require very serious reflection. Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi in Tafhim al-Quran (The Meaning of the Quran) did an elaborate explanation of these verses which I have excerpted below: This verse is explicit on the point that the Prophet Jesus Christ was rescued from crucifixion and that the Christians and the Jews are both wrong in believing that he died on the cross. A comparative study of the Quran and the Bible shows that most probably it was Jesus himself who stood his trial in the court of Pilate, who sentenced him to death, but they could not kill or crucify him, for Allah raised him to Himself. This is what happened, Pilate knew fully well that Christ was innocent and had been brought in his court out of jealousy. So he asked the crowd whether Jesus Christ should be released on the occasion of the Festival or Barabbas, a notorious robber. But the high priests and elders persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and for the crucifixion of Jesus. After this, God, Who can do any and everything He wills, raised Jesus to Himself and rescued him from crucifixion and the one who was crucified afterwards was somehow or other taken for Christ. Nevertheless, his miraculous escape does not lessen the wicked crime of the Jews, because they knew it well that the one, whom they crowned with a crown of thorns, and on whose face they spat and whom they crucified with disgrace was Christ, the son of Mary. As regards the matter how it was made doubtful for them that they had crucified Jesus, we have no means of ascertaining. Therefore it is not right to base on mere guess-work and rumors an answer to the question how the Jews were made to believe that they had crucified him, whereas in fact, Jesus, the son of Mary, had escaped from them. Those who have differed: the Christians. They do not agree in their versions of crucifixion. The very fact that they offer so many different accounts of the matter is by itself a proof that they possess no definite knowledge of it and are, therefore, in doubt about it. One version is that the person who was crucified was not Jesus but someone who bore his likeness, whom the Jews and the Romans had disgracefully put on the cross, while Jesus was standing nearby and laughing at their folly. Another version is that the one who was nailed to the cross was Jesus, but he did not die on the cross and was alive when he was taken down from it. Some others say that he died on the cross but came to life afterwards and met his disciples more than ten times and talked to them. Still others say that death due to crucifixion occurred on the physical body of Jesus and he was buried but the Divine Spirit within him was raised. There are still others who say that after his death Jesus came to life with his body and was raised with his body. Obviously, if the Christians had any knowledge of the truth, they would not have given so many different versions of it. Here Allah has told the fact of the matter. The Quran explicitly states that the Jews did not succeed in putting Jesus to death and that Allah raised him to Himself, but it is silent about the nature and details of the matter and does neither say explicitly whether Allah raised him body and soul together from the earth to some place in heaven, nor that he died like other mortals and only his soul was raised to heaven. Therefore, on the basis of the Quran neither aspect can be definitely denied or affirmed. But a study of the style clearly shows that whatever be the nature of being raised in any case Allah certainly treated the Prophet Jesus in an extraordinary way. The following considerations lead to the conclusion that the incident was extraordinary: · First, the belief in the ascension of the Prophet Jesus, body and soul together, was already prevalent among the Christians, and was one of the causes which misled a large section of them to believe in his divinity. But, in spite of it, the Quran not only has not clearly refuted it but has used the same word ascension for the incident that the Christians use for it. Had it not been an extraordinary incident factually the Quran would not have used such ambiguous words as help support a doctrine of the divinity of Jesus. · Second, had Allah meant by the words used in verse 158 that Allah caused his death, or that Allah raised him in rank, more explicit words would have been used. In the first case, more appropriate words would be: No doubt they did not slay him nor crucified him but Allah rescued him alive from them and then gave him natural death, and in the second: The Jews intended to dishonor him by crucifixion, but Allah raised him very high in rank, as have been used in the case of the Prophet Idris: And We raised him to a high position. (Maryam, Q19:57). · Third, if the incident related here meant merely the natural death of Christ, the words, And Allah is All-Powerful and All-Wise, after it would be meaningless. These words can be appropriately used only in connection with some extraordinary manifestation of the power and wisdom of Allah. Another event in the series of events is the Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter. This is a commemoration of the triumphal entry of the Messiah into Jerusalem. This is predicated on their conjecture that Christ (AS) was the one crucified but had risen from the dead. For us, Christ never died on the cross and so resurrection was unnecessary. The late Sheikh Ahmad Deedat has done an extensive research on the issues surrounding Crucifixion and Resurrection which all Muslims MUST read for familiarity and education. The two monographs to the credit of Deedat on the subject are attached herewith for your reading delight. O servants of Allah! Know that the events of the crucifixion is shrouded in mystery and most of the Christian scholars simply do not have any understanding about it. They also do not agree in the various explanations that they offer as to how the event took place. What Allah has informed the Muslims through His Rasul (SAW) is sufficient for us and it is important for us to study and understand it for the protection of our Iman (faith) against the attack of Shaytaan masquerading in the shape of Christian evangelists. To set the records right and lead mankind back to sirat al-mustaqeem, Allah revealed the above verses of Surah an-Nisa’i where He openly let us know that ‘they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them … and those who differed therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture.’ We appreciate Allah for His guidance and beg Him to sustain this guidance unto us all until He admits us in Jannah. Aamiiin. O servants of Allah! Be steadfast and not despair even with all these calamities. Allah’s promise to the faithful believer is to the effect that “he that fears Allah will be provided a way out by Him and given sustenance from the sources he could never imagine: for Allah is all sufficient for the person who puts his trust in Him. Surely Allah brings about what He pleases, and Allah has set a measure for all things.” [Q65:2-3) PART 2 All Praises are due to Allah who sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to prevail above all other ways despite the protests and rejection by the unbelievers. O Allah! Bestow your salutation upon your confidant and messenger, Muhammad (SAW), his family and all his companions. O servants of Allah! Rejoice that you are part of the Ummah Of Muhammad- The Praised One (SAW) who said that Allah created His creation in darkness then He sprayed them with His light. Those whom this light reached became rightly guided, while those it did not went astray.[Tirmidhi] And he (SAW) also said, as recorded by Muslim, Allah, SWT, wrote the destinies of creation fifty thousand years before He created the Heavens and the earth. His throne was on the water. Among what He wrote in the Remembrance, which is the Mother of the Book, was: Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets. In the light of this, know that salvation does not lie in the blood of anybody but in Allah’s Mercy which will guide you to follow the seal of Prophethood (SAW) and the best of Allah’s creation which will in turn meet Ridwanullah (the Good Pleasure of Allah) and the admittance of the servant of Allah into Jannah. O brethren! Know that our Great Prophet (SAW) who is the ‘mercy to the whole of creation’ is the only rope to hold on to which will lead to salvation. At this period, anyone who hears the message of this Light of Allah(Nurullah-SAW) and refuses to accept will not be saved by the blood of anybody. Rasulullah has tirelessly struggled to ensure that no one derails from sirat al-mustaqeem to the point that Allah has to advise him thus: “Ta Ha. We have not sent down the Qur’an unto you (O Muhammad, SAW) to cause you distress, but only as a Reminder to those who fear Allah” Q20:1-3. He also let us into knowing that “Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad, SAW) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty.” Such a Prophet sent to us by Allah is the only one worthy of followership in this era. What are we expected to give in return to this great servant of Allah, the Light (Nuur) and the Guide (al-Haadi) who had to endure all kinds of tribulations and difficulties to bring the message of Islam to us? Allah and His Messenger advised us thus: •“Say (O Muhammad, SAW, to mankind): If you (really) love Allah then follow me; (only) then will Allah love you.” Q3:31 •“None of you has faith unless I am dearer to him than his father and his sons and all mankind.” Hadith. O servants of Allah! Know that the Christian belief of the ascension of Jesus Christ (AS), body and soul together, is a major pillar of their faith today and one of the factors which misled a large section of them to believe in his divinity. Even though the Quran has affirmed the ascension, clarifications have been made to the fact that there was no death prior to the ascension which Allah did out of His Immense Powers. Recall that in the case of Prophet Idris (AS) Allah stated that: ‘And We had raised him to a high position’ (Q19:57). Therefore, Christ’s ascension is not the first and not outside the powers of Allah. O servants of Allah! This discussion is to acquaint us with the events of the Easter and what it is celebrating: the false divinity attributed to Isa (AS). We have done this peace in compliance with Allah’s directive to “Help one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment” [Q5:2]. On his part, the Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031). O servants of Allah! Notwithstanding what we have presented on what Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi said in Tafhim al-Quran, Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir also provided the following details: When Allah sent `Isa with proofs and guidance, the Jews (may Allahs curses, anger, torment and punishment be upon them) envied him because of his Prophethood and obvious miracles; curing the blind and leprous and bringing the dead back to life, by Allahs leave. He also used to make the shape of a bird from clay and blow in it, and it became a bird by Allahs leave and flew. `Isa performed other miracles that Allah honored him with, yet the Jews defied and bellied him and tried their best to harm him. Allahs Prophet `Isa could not live in any one city for long and he had to travel often with his mother, peace be upon them. Even so, the Jews were not satisfied, and they went to the king of Damascus at that time, a Greek polytheist who worshipped the stars. They told him that there was a man in Bayt Al-Maqdis misguiding and dividing the people in Jerusalem and stirring unrest among the kings subjects. The king became angry and wrote to his deputy in Jerusalem to arrest the rebel leader, stop him from causing unrest, crucify him and make him wear a crown of thorns. When the kings deputy in Jerusalem received these orders, he went with some Jews to the house that `Isa was residing in, and he was then with twelve, thirteen or seventeen of his companions. That day was a Friday, in the evening. They surrounded `Isa in the house, and when he felt that they would soon enter the house or that he would sooner or later have to leave it, he said to his companions, Who volunteers to be made to look like me, for which he will be my companion in Paradise? A young man volunteered, but `Isa thought that he was too young. He asked the question a second and third time, each time the young man volunteering, prompting `Isa to say, Well then, you will be that man. Allah made the young man look exactly like `Isa, while a hole opened in the roof of the house, and `Isa was made to sleep and ascended to heaven while asleep. Allah said, (And (remember) when Allah said: O `Isa! I will take you and raise you to Myself). (Q3:55) When `Isa ascended, those who were in the house came out. When those surrounding the house saw the man who looked like `Isa, they thought that he was `Isa. So they took him at night, crucified him and placed a crown of thorns on his head. The Jews then boasted that they killed `Isa and some Christians accepted their false claim, due to their ignorance and lack of reason. As for those who were in the house with `Isa, they witnessed his ascension to heaven, while the rest thought that the Jews killed `Isa by crucifixion. They even said that Maryam sat under the corpse of the crucified man and cried, and they say that the dead man spoke to her. All this was a test from Allah for His servants out of His wisdom. Allah explained this matter in the Glorious Quran which He sent to His honorable Messenger, whom He supported with miracles and clear, unequivocal evidence. Allah is the Most Truthful, and He is the Lord of the worlds Who knows the secrets, what the hearts conceal, the hidden matters in heaven and earth, what has occurred, what will occur, and what would occur if it was decreed. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Abbas (RA) said, Just before Allah raised `Isa to the heavens, `Isa went to his companions, who were twelve inside the house. When he arrived, his hair was dripping water and he said, `There are those among you who will disbelieve in me twelve times after he had believed in me. He then asked, `Who volunteers that his image appear as mine, and be killed in my place. He will be with me (in Paradise). One of the youngest ones among them volunteered and `Isa asked him to sit down. `Isa again asked for a volunteer, and the young man kept volunteering and `Isa asking him to sit down. Then the young man volunteered again and `Isa said, `You will be that man, and the resemblance of `Isa was cast over that man while `Isa ascended to heaven from a hole in the house. When the Jews came looking for `Isa, they found that young man and crucified him. Some of `Isas followers disbelieved in him twelve times after they had believed in him. They then divided into three groups: 1. Al-Ya`qubiyyah (Jacobites) said, `Allah remained with us as long as He willed and then ascended to heaven. This is the group Allah is referring to when He said, “Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary’. But the Messiah said: ‘O children of Israel! Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him and the Fire will be his abode”. Q5:72 2. An-Nasturiyyah (Nestorians) said, `The son of Allah was with us as long as he willed and Allah took him to heaven. Allah responded that “they say : ‘The Most Gracious (Allah) has begotten a son. Indeed you have brought forth a terrible evil thing whereby the heavens are almost torn and the earth is split asunder and the mountains fall in ruins that that they ascribe a son to the Most Gracious (Allah). But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Gracious (Allah) that He should beget a son. There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes to the Most Gracious (Allah) as a slave.” (Q19:88-93) 3. The True Believers (Muslims) said, `The servant and Messenger of Allah remained with us as long as Allah willed, and Allah then took him to Him. As for this group they will benefit from Allah’s promised that “those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, shall have the Gardens of Al-Firdaws (Paradise) for their entertainment wherein they shall dwell forever”. (Q18:107-108) The two disbelieving groups cooperated against the Muslim group and they killed them. Ever since that happened, Islam was then veiled until Allah sent Muhammad (SAW). This statement has an authentic chain of narration leading to Ibn Abbas, and An-Nasai narrated it through Abu Kurayb who reported it from Abu Mu`awiyah. O servants of Allah! And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): O `Isa, son of Maryam! Did you say unto men, ‘worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?’ (Q5:116). And on that Day of Resurrection, he (`Isa) will be a witness against those who claim is god or son of god. He will bear witness before them that he has delivered the Message from Allah and that he is but a servant of His. The matter of Jesus (AS) has remained the determining factor for the path of faith since the events of crucifixion till the Day of Assembly. While the Jews revile him and truly believed that they killed him, the Christians raised him to the level of partnership with Allah as one in the Trinity that govern the Universe. Out of Allah’s favour to His Prophet (SAW) and his followers, we were guided and upon this guidance we know the true nature of Jesus and uphold him as such. This Ummah which is justly balanced will act as witness for Jesus on the Day of Assembly as Allah has told His Rasul and on this account we gave gratitude to Allah. While we pause here and continue, insha Allah next Juma’a, I urge you and I to remain steadfast and appreciate the lofty position Allah has placed us as Muslims and be a shining example to all and sundry. All manners of evil should not be seen in us. And remember that because “If your Lord had so willed, He would have made mankind one people, but they will not cease to differ, except those on whom Your Lord and Sustainer has bestowed His mercy, and for this did He create them” (Q11:118-9). O servants of Allah! “Verily, Allah commands justice, and the doing of good and giving (help) to the kith and kin and He forbids evil deeds, polytheism and oppression. He admonishes you that you may take heed.” Q16:90 Our Lord, the Creator of the universe, disassociate us from every wrong doer, and reward everyone that is good to us and bless them abundantly for us. O Allah, cast trouble, hunger and blame away from us and guard us against calamities that no one except You can forestall. Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the hereafter and save us from the torment of fire. Our Lord, punish us not if we forget or fall into error; Our Lord, lay not on us a burden like that which You laid on those before us; Our Lord, put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Patron. And give us victory over the disbelieving people.
Posted on: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 07:44:40 +0000
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