The Christian does not know that the true spirit of charity which the Muslim displays, always, towards Jesus and his mother Mary spring from the fountainhead of his faith - the Quran. He/she does not know that the Muslim does not take the holy name of Jesus, in his own language, without saying Eesa (Jesus), ‘peace be upon him’. The Christian does not know that in the Quran Jesus is mentioned twenty five times: “We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit.” (Quran 2:87) “Behold! the angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;” (Quran 3:45) “Jesus Christ the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not ‘Trinity’: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son.” (Quran 4:171) “And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.” (Quran 5:46) “Zechariah, John, Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous” (Quran 6:85) Jesus - his titles Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the Quran, he is also addressed with respect as: Ibn Maryam, meaning ‘The son of Mary’; and as the Maseeh (in Hebrew it is the Messiah), which is translated as ‘Christ’. He is also known as Abdullah, ‘The servant of Allah’; and as Rasulu Allah, the messenger of Allah. He is spoken of as ‘The Word of God’, as ‘The Spirit of God’, as a ‘Sign of God’, and numerous other epithets of honour spread over fifteen different chapters. The Holy Quran honours this mighty messenger of God, and the Muslims have not fallen short over the past fourteen hundred years in doing the same. There is not a single disparaging remark in the entire Quran to which even the most jaundiced among the Christians can take exception. Eesa latinised to ‘Jesus’ The Quran refers to Jesus as Eesa, and this name is used more times than any other title, because this was his ‘Christian’ name. Actually, his proper name was Eesa (in Arabic), or Esau (in Hebrew); classical Yeheshua, which the Christian nations of the West latinised as Jesus. Neither the ‘J’ nor the second ‘s’ in the name Jesus is to be found in the original tongue - they are not found in the Semitic languages. The word is very simply ‘E S A U’ a very common Jewish name, used more than sixty times in the very first booklet alone of the Bible, in the part called ‘Genesis’. There was at least one ‘Jesus’ sitting on the ‘bench’ at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions some twenty five Jesus’ in his ‘Book of Antiquities’. The New Testament speaks of ‘Bar-Jesus’ a magician and a sorcerer, a false prophet (Acts 13:6); and also ‘Jesus-Justus’ a Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians 4:11). These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary. Transforming ‘Esau’ to (J)esu(s) - Jesus - makes it unique. This unique (?) name has gone out of currency among the Jews and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among the Jews, because it came to be a name of ill - repute, the name of one who blasphemed in Jewry; and among the Christians because it came to be the proper name of their God. The Muslim will not hesitate to name his son Eesa because it is an honoured name, the name of a righteous servant of the Lord. Mary honored The birth of Jesus Christ is described in two places of the Quran - chapter 3 and chapter 19. Reading from the beginning of his birth, we come across the story of Mary, and the esteemed position which she occupies in the House of Islam, before the actual annunciation of the birth of Jesus is given: “Behold! the angels said: ‘O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee- chosen thee above the women of all nations.’’ (Quran 3:42) “Chosen thee above the women of all nations.’ Such an honour is not to be found given to Mary even in the Christian Bible! The verse continues ‘O Mary! Worship thy Lord devoutly: prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down.” (Quran 3:43)
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:02:10 +0000
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