The Prophecy of the Messiah

The status of the Messiah and his mother (peace be upon both of them) in the noble Qur’an
One of the things the reader should know is that the Messiah and his mother (peace be upon both of them) enjoy a great status in the Qur’an and in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and among the Muslims at large. The Muslims believe in the Messiah (peace be upon him), that he is one of the great messengers of Allah who is of firm resolve, and his mother is a woman of truth who is revered in the Qur’an and the Sunnah and among the Muslims in general.
The glorious Qur’an mentions the great status of the Messiah (peace be upon him) with Allah, such as in the verse that reads:
{إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَامَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ}
{[Remember] when the angels said: "O Mary, Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honorable in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those near [to Allah] . "} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 45] Allah Almighty also says:
 {تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ}
{Those messengers: We favored some over others. There are some to whom Allah spoke, and some He raised high in rank. To Jesus, son of Mary, We gave clear signs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. } [Surat al-Baqarah: 253] Allah Almighty also says:
{وَقَفَّيْنَا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْإِنْجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدًى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ}
{And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah that came before him, and We gave him the Gospel that contained guidance and light, confirming what came before it in the Torah; a guidance and admonition for the righteous. } [Surat al-Mā’idah: 46]
Demonstrating that the condition of Jesus (peace be upon him) is like that of his father Adam, Allah Almighty says:
{إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ}
{The similitude of Jesus before Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, "Be, " and he was. } [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 59] Although his birth was a wonder and one of Allah's signs, we may not take him as a god or allege that he is a son of Allah just because of his wondrous birth. Allah points out in the glorious Qur’an that the creation of Adam (peace be upon him) was more wondrous and greater, and he has nothing of divinity, and we may not regard him as a son of Allah or an equal and partner to Allah.
Islam enjoins belief in all the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them). Whoever disbelieves in one prophet, it is as if he has disbelieved in all the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them). A Muslim knows that the best among the prophets and messengers are the messengers of firm resolve, namely: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them). Allah Almighty says:
{شَرَعَ لَكُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ}
{He has prescribed for you [believers] the same religion which He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have revealed to you [O Prophet] and that which We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: "You should uphold the religion and make no divisions therein. " What you are calling the polytheists to is very hard for them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills, and guides to Himself who turns to Him. } [Surat ash-Shūra: 13]
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The status of the disciples in the noble Qur’an
The noble Qur’an lauds the disciples and praises them for their belief, such as in the verse that reads:
{فَلَمَّا أَحَسَّ عِيسَى مِنْهُمُ الْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ}
{When Jesus sensed disbelief from them, he said: "Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?" The disciples said: "We are helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah; so, bear witness that we are Muslims. "} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 52]

The position of the children of Israel concerning the Messiah (peace be upon him)
The noble Qur’an demonstrates the position of the children of Israel concerning the Messiah (peace be upon him). They were divided into two groups; one group believed in him and the other denied him. In this regard, Allah Almighty says:
{قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ مَنْ أَنْصَارِي إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ اللَّهِ فَآمَنَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَكَفَرَتْ طَائِفَةٌ فَأَيَّدْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَى عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَصْبَحُوا ظَاهِرِينَ}
{Jesus, son of Mary, said to the disciples: "Who will be my supporters for Allah’s cause?" The disciples said: "We are the supporters for Allah’s cause. " Then a group of the Children of Israel believed and another disbelieved. We then supported those who believed against their enemies, so they prevailed. } [Surat as-Saff: 14] Allah Almighty also says:
{وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَابَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشِّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ}
{And [remember] when Jesus, son of Mary, said: "O Children of Israel, I am truly a messenger of Allah to you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger after me whose name will be Ahmad. " But when he came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is clear magic. "} [Surat as-Saff: 6]
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The glorious Qur’an's justice to the Jews and the Christians
The noble Qur’an addresses the Jews and the Christians in a profound and fair manner, praising those of them who follow the truth and guidance. For example, Allah Almighty says:
{لَيْسُوا سَوَاءً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ أُمَّةٌ قَائِمَةٌ يَتْلُونَ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ آنَاءَ اللَّيْلِ وَهُمْ يَسْجُدُونَ}
{Yet all are not alike: there are some among the People of the Book who are upright: they recite the verses of Allah during the night, and they prostrate. } [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 113] Allah Almighty also says:
{وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ مَنْ إِنْ تَأْمَنْهُ بِقِنْطَارٍ يُؤَدِّهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ إِنْ تَأْمَنْهُ بِدِينَارٍ لَا يُؤَدِّهِ إِلَيْكَ إِلَّا مَا دُمْتَ عَلَيْهِ قَائِمًا ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا لَيْسَ عَلَيْنَا فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ سَبِيلٌ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ}
{And among the People of the Book are some who, if you entrust with a heap of gold, will return it to you; yet there are others who, if you entrust with a single coin of gold, will not return it to you unless you keep standing over them. This is because they say: "We are under no obligation towards the gentiles. " And they tell lies about Allah knowingly. } [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 75]
And Allah Almighty points out that there are those among the Christian rabbis and scholars who accept the truth and follow the messengers (peace be upon them), saying:
{لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَوَدَّةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ (82)
{You will surely find that the most hostile people towards the believers are the Jews and those who associate partners with Allah, and you will surely find that the closest of them in affection to the believers are those who say: "We are Christians. " That is because among them are priests and monks, and they are not arrogant.
وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَى أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (83)
When they hear what has been sent down to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of recognizing the truth. They say: "Our Lord, we believe, so record us among those who testify [to the truth] .
وَمَا لَنَا لَا نُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَمَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَنَطْمَعُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَنَا رَبُّنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الصَّالِحِينَ}
Why should we not believe in Allah and the truth that has come to us? And we hope that our Lord will include us in the company of the righteous people. "} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 82-84] The Qur’an also points out that there are groups among the Jews and the Christians who opposed the messengers. They also engaged in distortion and alteration and followed their whims, so they went astray and led others astray without knowledge. Allah Almighty says:
{فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ الْكِتَابَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا بِهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌ لَهُمْ مِمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ}
{So, woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, and then say, "This is from Allah, " in order to trade it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn. } [Surat al-Baqarah: 79]
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The noble Qur’an calls the People of the Book to Islam.
As the glorious Qur’an does justice to the People of the Book, it also calls them to worship Allah alone and abandon the worship of anyone other than Him, and it calls them, as it calls others, to the renunciation of polytheism. Allah Almighty says:
{قُلْ يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلَا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ}
{Say: "O people of the Book, come to a common term between us and you, that we worship none but Allah and associate no partners with Him, and that we do not take one another as lords besides Allah. " But if they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Allah] . "} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 64]
Clarifying to the Muslims how they can argue with the People of the Book, Allah Almighty says:
{وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ}
{Do not argue with the People of the Book except in the best manner, unless with those of them who transgress [against you] . } [Surat al-‘Ankabūt: 46]
Allah Almighty also says:
{وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَهُنَا وَإِلَهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ (46)}.
{And say: "We believe in what is sent down to us and what was sent down to you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit. "}He commanded them to declare their monotheistic belief openly and say: We believe in what was sent down to us and what was sent down to you, and we submit to Him and associate no partner with Him.
So, it behooves anyone who looks for the truth and loves Jesus and Mary (peace be upon both of them) to investigate the noble Qur’an. This is because it is the speech of Allah serving as the eternal divine message. One is encouraged to ponder the guidance and wise, perfect legislation contained therein, and consider its proofs and arguments, which would lead an unbiased person to the truth. And it benefits a person to know the reality of the Messiah's message, explore the information related to Mary and her son, the Messiah (peace be upon both of them) in the noble Qur’an, and consider how Islam did justice to Mary and Jesus (peace be upon both of them). And how it did justice to the Messiah's followers and others, and it attested to the belief of those of them who believed and the rejection and disbelief of those who turned away. Moreover, it invited them to enter the religion of Allah and clarified to them that whoever believes in the final Prophet, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), that person will have a double reward, one for believing in his Prophet and the other for believing in the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Allah Almighty says:
{الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ (52)
{As for those whom We gave the Scripture before this [Qur’an] , they do believe in it.
وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ (53)
When this [Qur’an] is recited to them, they say: "We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. We had already submitted [as Muslims even] before this.
أُولَئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُمْ مَرَّتَيْنِ بِمَا صَبَرُوا وَيَدْرَءُونَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ السَّيِّئَةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ (54)}
They will be given their reward twice for their patience, repelling evil with good, and for spending out of what We have provided for them. } [Surat al-Qasas: 52-54]
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A comparison between the fundamentals that the prophets came with and the fundamentals upon which Christianity rests
After we learned the fundamentals over which the prophets (peace be upon them) agreed and the major acts of worship with which they used to worship Allah, which they commanded their people to perform, and the commendable values which they were commanded to uphold, as well as the immoralities and misdeeds which they unanimously prohibited, it becomes clear to us that the true followers of the prophets do believe in these fundamentals, perform these acts of worship, adhere to commendable values, and avoid immoralities and misdeeds.
We have pointed out. the prophecies of the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them) about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the report about the birth of Mary and her son the Messiah (peace be upon both of them), the status of the Messiah and his mother in the Qur’an and the Sunnah and among the Muslims, and how Islam did justice to the People of the Book and others and called them to enter Islam, However, we find that there are pressing questions that impose themselves upon the reader and oblige him to find adequate and convincing answers to them. These questions are as follows:
1. Is the Christianity of today compatible with what was brought by all the prophets and messengers, or does it contradict them over the fundamentals?
2. Is the Christianity of today, in its fundamentals and pillars, compatible with what the Messiah (peace be upon him) came with, or it is opposed to it? And does Christianity remain in its condition in which Allah sent it down to His servant and Messenger Jesus (peace be upon him), or not?
3. Is what was transmitted in these books about the life of the Messiah, the Messenger (peace be upon him), compatible with the image drawn by the churches for the alleged character of the Messiah (the god), or it differs from that?
4. Do the Torah and the Gospel attest to today's Christianity or they do they stand as witnesses against it?
5. Did the difference and contradiction with the Messiah take place in the fundamentals and pillars of Christianity or in its branches and secondary elements?
6. Do the rabbis and priests of Christianity enjoin people today to do what was enjoined by the prophets (peace be upon them) and prohibit them from doing what was prohibited by them? Or do they have their particular ways and creeds which were not known to the prophets (peace be upon them) and their followers?
Before talking about the fundamentals of Christianity, it behooves us to mention the origin of the Christian religion, and how it used to be. This is to prepare the reader's mind for the comparison between the fundamentals of Christianity and the fundamentals which the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them) came with.
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The origin of Christianity
In its origin and essence, Christianity was a divine message like other divine messages, such as the messages of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Muhammad (peace be upon them). The following comparison will clarify to us whether Christianity has remained as that which the Messiah came with, or whether it has undergone distortion and alteration.
And we well know, all the divine messages agree -as previously mentioned- on the major fundamentals, like the belief that Allah is One in His lordship, divinity, names, and attributes, the belief in the angels and the divine scriptures, the belief in the messengers and prophets (peace be upon them), and the belief in the Last Day and in predestination, the pleasant and unpleasant aspects thereof.
One of the things agreed upon by the divine messages is that Allah is One and has no partner, that He did not beget nor was He begotten, and that no one among the humans shares with Him His attributes, dominion, or providence. It is also agreed in the divine messages that whoever associates a partner with Allah in His lordship, dominion, management of affairs, or in His divinity is a polytheist, disbeliever, and out of the fold of religion which Allah approved for Himself and with which He sent His messengers (peace be upon them).
It is not reported at any point throughout history, from Adam to the last of the prophets, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), that there was a divine message that contradicts these beliefs. The difference between them only pertained to the kinds and manners of the acts of worship, the types of prohibitions and permissible things, and the related causes, in addition to other things Allah legislated for His prophets (peace be upon them) and commanded them to offer clarification to the people to whom they were sent.
Accordingly, the Christianity with which the Messiah came is a divine message that calls to the belief that Allah is One and has no partner and that He did not beget nor was He begotten, and it emphasizes that Allah has messengers and prophets whom He selected and chose from among humankind to convey His message to the people, so that the people may have no excuse before Allah after the sending of the messengers.
This is the time to consider and compare the fundamentals upon which today's Christianity rests with the following:
First: what the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them) followed
Second: what the glorious Qur’an came with
Third: what is stated in the Two Testaments, the Old and New
Fourth: what is approved by sound minds
Here are the most prominent beliefs that will be the subject of comparison and study:
First: The Christians' belief that the Messiah is "the son of Allah" or that he is Allah.
This belief is one of the venerated fundamentals in Christianity. Rather, all Christian beliefs do revolve around it. When we look into the New Testament to see the foundation upon which this belief was built, we find that it contains texts that state explicitly and plainly that there is no god but Allah and that the Messiah is a servant and Messenger of Allah, whom Allah sent to the Children of Israel with the Gospel and in confirmation of the Torah; and that Allah Almighty did not take him as a son or send him as a god. Here are some of the texts that confirm that.
1. The first of the Ten Commandments in the Torah forbids polytheism and prohibits taking gods that are worshiped beside Allah. It is stated in the Book of Exodus: (I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved statue or an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I am the Lord your God. ) [Exodus 20: 2-5] Whoever believes that the Messiah is a god, or the son of a god has associated a partner with Allah, and whoever associates a partner with Allah has contradicted all the divine messages and disbelieved in Allah Almighty.
2. The statement of the Messiah (peace be upon him): (Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me. ) [John 17: 3-5] The Messiah (peace be upon him) acknowledges in this text that Allah alone is the true God, and that the Messiah is a mere messenger.
3. The Messiah (peace be upon him) possessed the traits of humans, for he used to eat food and he even sought figs on the tree outside the season for figs. This is reported in the Gospel of Mark: (He went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. ) [Mark 11: 11-13] This gives a clear indication of the Messiah (peace be upon him) being a human, for the Lord does not eat food and is never ignorant of the seasons of fruits. Demonstrating the reality of the Messiah being a human, Allah Almighty says in the glorious Qur’an:
{مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلَانِ الطَّعَامَ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الْآيَاتِ ثُمَّ انْظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ}
{The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger. There were messengers who passed away before him, and His mother was a woman of truth; they both ate food. See how We make Our signs clear to them yet see how they are deluded!} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 75] As part of his commentary on this verse, Ibn Jarīr at-Tabari (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "{They both ate food} is a piece of information given by Allah Almighty about the Messiah and his mother: that they needed food and drink to nourish themselves and support their bodies like all other humans. Whoever is like that is not a divine being, for he who needs nutrition is supported by something other than himself, and his need for support by something else is a clear indication of his helplessness, and a helpless being can only be a servant of the Lord, not a Lord. "
4. The Messiah negated from himself the attribute of absolute perfection, as he knew that the One to Whom belongs absolute perfection is Allah alone. We find this text in the Gospel of Matthew: (Now behold, one came and said to Him: "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So, He said to him: "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. ") [Matthew 19: 16-17]
5. The Messiah's disciples understood and learned from him that Allah is One and has no partner. The Gospel writer Mark reported the scribe's statement to the Messiah (peace be upon him): (And the scribe said to him: "You are right, Teacher. You have honestly said that he is one, and there is none beside him. ") [Mark 12: 32] Then, despite this clear instruction from him to his followers, how do Christians today believe that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is a god along with Allah? Far more exalted be Allah above that.
6. The Messiah (peace be upon him) would feel fear and sadness like other human beings, whereas the Lord does not possess the traits of human weakness. Here is Luke informing us about the last hours of the Messiah's life on earth: (He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt, and prayed: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. " An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was falling to the ground like drops of blood. ) [Luke 21: 42-45]
7. After Allah caused the Messiah (peace be upon him) to appear, one of the signs with which Allah supported him was that those around him attested to him being a Prophet, as related in the Gospel of Luke: (And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying: a great prophet has risen among us, and God has visited his people. ) [Luke 7: 17]
8. The Gospel writer Luke reported the testimony of Cleopas that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is a powerful Prophet, saying: (One of them, named Cleopas, asked him: "Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" And he said to them: "What things?" They replied: "About Jesus of Nazareth; he was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ") [Luke 18: 20-24] Moreover, the author of the Acts of the Apostles also attested to the Messiah (peace be upon him) being a human, saying: (Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him. ) [Acts 2: 22]
9. The Messiah (peace be upon him) came to complement the laws of the Torah. This statement occurs in the Gospel of Matthew: (Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore, anyone who abolishes one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.) [Matthew 5: 17-20] This truth is affirmed in the noble Qur’an, in the verse that reads:
{وَقَفَّيْنَا عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْإِنْجِيلَ فِيهِ هُدًى وَنُورٌ وَمُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَهُدًى وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ}
{And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah that came before him, and We gave him the Gospel that contained guidance and light, confirming what came before it in the Torah; a guidance and admonition for the righteous. } [Surat al-Mā’idah: 46] Since the Messiah (peace be upon him) came to complement what is in the Torah and confirm it, and the Torah affirms the oneness of Allah, and the Messiah (peace be upon him) did not come to revoke that, how then is it stated in the Christian beliefs that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is Allah or the son of Allah, far exalted be Allah above that?!
Indeed, the Torah, the Gospel, and the noble Qur’an all affirm that Allah is One and has no partner, that He did not beget nor was He begotten, and that He has no wife or son. According to the following text in the Gospel of John, the Jews asked the Roman ruler to crucify the Messiah (peace be upon him) because he claimed to be the son of Allah. Far exalted be Allah above what they say: (As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify him!" But Pilate answered: "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for any charge against him. " The Jewish leaders insisted: "We have a law, and according to that law he must die because he claimed to be the Son of God. ") [John 19: 6-8] We are faced here with two options: either we say that John's text is false or say that Matthew's text in the previous section is false. The truth is that the Messiah (peace be upon him) did not claim for himself a rank higher than the servitude and being a messenger.
In these preceding texts, we find that the Messiah (peace be upon him) openly states that whoever seeks eternal happiness should know with certitude that Allah is the true God, that all others are created beings and servants of the Lord, and that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is a Messenger of Allah.
We also find therein the testimony of those who lived at his time that he was a Prophet and messenger, supported by signs and miracles that attest to his prophethood and message, which were denied and rejected by most Israelites at the time.
Allah points out in the noble Qur’an that the Messiah (peace be upon him) expressed disapproval of those who claimed that he is god, and he judged them to be polytheists and disbelievers. Allah Almighty says:
{لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَابَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ مَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ}
{They have certainly disbelieved those who say: "Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. " But the Messiah said: "O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. " Whoever associates any partners with Allah, Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and his abode will be the Fire. And the wrongdoers will have no helpers. } [Surat al-Mā’idah: 72]
Allah judged the belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is Allah to be disbelief in Allah Almighty, and He gave them a profound, irrefutable, and undeniable statement. Since they cannot deny it, they should then believe in Allah or take a position of rejection and obstinacy. Allah Almighty says:
{لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ قُلْ فَمَنْ يَمْلِكُ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا إِنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَأُمَّهُ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَلِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (17)}
{Those who say, "Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary, " have certainly disbelieved. Say: "Who has the power to prevent Allah, if He chose to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, his mother, and all those who are on earth?" To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth and everything between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is Most Capable of all things. } [Surat al-Mā’idah: 17]
Someone may say: The Messiah is described as "the son of Allah" in the New Testament, and hence, the Christians claim that he is the son of Allah.
I say, was it really established that the Messiah called himself the son of Allah? The Christians should produce the original copy of the Messiah's Gospel so that we can see whether the Messiah really attributed this description to himself. Indeed, all Christian sects and denominations agree that the Gospel was not written by the Messiah (peace be upon him) or during his lifetime. They also agree that they did not see the real Gospel. Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that this statement exists in the circulating Gospel, indeed this description is reported in the Old and New Testaments for other prophets and for nations and peoples; it is not exclusively used for the Messiah (peace be upon him). Whoever wants to investigate can investigate the following texts: In the Book of Exodus, the term "the son of Allah" is used for the Children of Israel: (Then say to Pharaoh: "This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you: Let my son go, so he may worship me. But you refused to let him go; so, I will kill your firstborn son. ") [Exodus 4: 22-23] So, are the Children of Israel the sons of Allah based on this text? And were they called gods?
In the Book of Psalms, Allah said to David: (I will proclaim the Lord's decree: He said to me: "You are my son; today I have become your father. ") [Psalms 2: 7] If the Messiah (peace be upon him) was a son of Allah by this description, then David would also be a son of Allah, far exalted be Allah above that.
And in 1 Chronicles, Allah said about Solomon (peace be upon him): (I shall be his father, and he shall be my son. ) [1 Chronicles 17: 13] So, does Solomon (peace be upon him) become Allah's son based on this description?
In the Gospel of Matthew, we find that the term "the sons of Allah" is used for anyone characterized by the love for doing good to people: (Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ) [Matthew 5: 9]
The Gospel of John agrees with this text of the Gospel of Matthew in using this description for the pious and righteous ones: (Yet those who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave them the authority to become children of God. ) [John 1: 12] This Gospel brings to us the interpretation or description of the term "son of Allah", which means the believer in Allah.
Those described as the sons of Allah were not elevated to the status to which Christianity raised the Messiah (peace be upon him), nor were they regarded as the sons of Allah.
This deviant creed - the belief that someone of the people is a son of Allah or is Allah Himself, far exalted be Allah above that - is not the invention of the Christians only; the Jews also claimed it earlier, as they believed that Ezra is the son of Allah. In the noble Qur’an, Allah Almighty mentions that, and points out that the Jews and the Christians, in this creed, are imitating the earlier disbelievers. Allah Almighty says:
{وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُمْ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ قَاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ}
{The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah, " and the Christians say: "The Messiah is the son of Allah. " These are mere words that they utter, imitating the words of the disbelievers before them. May Allah ruin them; how can they be deluded?} [Surat at-Tawbah: 30]
It remains for the reader to know the answer to this question: When did this creed - that the Messiah is the son of Allah - enter the religion of Christianity?
The answer: This creed entered the Christian religion by a decision from the Council of Nicaea, which was attended by many Christian scholars, said to number 2048, or around 500, at the invitation of the pagan Roman ruler Constantine, in 325 A. D. After a prolonged debate, the Roman ruler approved the opinion of the minority, numbering 318 priests, who were influenced by philosophy and paganism, and advocated the son ship of the Messiah to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. And he rejected the opinion of the majority, who believed that the Messiah is a human being and a Messenger from the Lord of the worlds. Since then, this nascent creed has become a principle upon which the Christian religion rests.
After presenting these texts from the Gospel and clarifying that the belief in the Messiah's son ship and divinity was only approved as a creed 325 years after the Messiah (peace be upon him) was born, despite its contravention of the principles with which the prophets (peace be upon them) came, would any unbiased person consider this creed to be consistent with the creeds brought by the prophets (peace be upon them) or contrary to them?
Is it not true that Christians regard anyone who believes that Allah has a son as a disbeliever?
What is the difference between the belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is Allah or the son of Allah and the belief of the Jews that Ezra is the son of Allah?Or what is the difference between the belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is God and the belief of the Jews that the calf is their god? They said what Allah informs us about them in the noble Qur’an:
{فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَذَا إِلَهُكُمْ وَإِلَهُ مُوسَى فَنَسِيَ}
{Then he molded for them an image of a calf that made a mooing sound. They said: "This is your god and Moses’ god, but he has forgotten. "} [Surat Tāha: 88]
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Second: The belief that Allah is one of the three hypostases, which is known as "the Trinity doctrine".
When you ask Christians about the trinity, the answer differs from one person to another, and you can hardly find two people who agree upon one clear answer. To know the incomprehensibility of this doctrine, let us read the definition of the trinity in the dictionary of the Bible, which reads: "Trinity: The law of faith defined this doctrine by saying: 'We believe in one God: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One God, one essence, equal in power and glory. ' In the nature of this one God, there appear three eternal attributes which the Bible expresses in the form of equal persons 'hypostases'. Our knowledge of this character of three hypostases is but a divine right. . . and it says: This doctrine can be summarized in these following six points:
1. The Holy Bible presents to us three persons whom it considers to be the person of Allah.
2. The Bible describes these three persons in a way that makes them distinct from one another.
3. This trinity in the nature of Allah is not temporary or apparent, but eternal and real.
4. This trinity does not mean three gods, but these three persons are one essence.
5. The three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - are equal.
6. There is no contradiction in this doctrine. Rather, it presents to us the key to understanding other Christian doctrines. " End of quote.
Whoever reads this definition of the Trinity doctrine will find it difficult to understand. Even in this text, which I have cited from the dictionary of the Holy Bible, we find that the author is confused and is unable to clarify it. The dictionary's author once regards them as divine attributes and another time considers them to be three equal persons.
If the components of the Trinity are traits, then they cannot be equal persons, and if they are persons, they cannot be traits. On the other hand, the dictionary of the Bible emphasizes in Article 2 that they are: "persons distinct from one another. "
The first part cited from the dictionary says: "The law of faith defined this doctrine. " This means that the basis for adopting this doctrine and deeming it one of the fundamentals of the Christian religion is: "the law of faith". This law of faith was drafted and approved in the Council of Nicaea, 325 A. D.
One of the things that should be heeded is that these hypostases cannot be equal in eternity, for the following reasons:
1. Christians believe that the Holy Spirit emerged from the Father and the Son and that they both existed before it.
2. Each one of the persons of the Trinity has particular attributes by which the others cannot be described.
3. The Father always occupies the first rank, and the Son comes after Him, and then the Holy Spirit is in the third rank. The Christians would never agree to the rearrangement of this Trinity so that the Spirit comes first, and the Son occupies the second rank. Rather, they consider this to be disbelief and heresy. Then, how can they be regarded as equal?
It should be known that the Trinity is not mentioned in the Two Testaments, the Old or the New. So, the earlier Christians did not know this doctrine. Hence, the dictionary of the Holy Bible says about the Trinity: "The word 'trinity' itself is not mentioned in the Holy Bible, and the first one to have formed, invented, and used it is thought to be Tertullian, in the third Gregorian century. "
Thus, the Christians did not know this doctrine or believe in it for long years until it was introduced into their religion and became one of its important fundamentals.
Whoever impartially investigates what was transmitted from the Messiah (peace be upon him) will find that he made the basis of his message the call to monotheism, exalting Allah above similarity to His creation, freeing the status of divinity from all things other than Allah, and actualizing the position of servitude to Allah alone.
By considering the proofs we have reviewed in the previous section, we find that they run counter to the Trinity and oppose it.
The Trinity doctrine brings our memory back to the plurality of deities in pagan communities, and I will mention in the following section some examples of the plurality of gods.
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The plurality of gods
O reader, let us have a look at examples of the plurality of deities that were worshiped along with Allah, or besides Allah. We will find that the first plurality of lords besides Allah emerged among the people of Noah, who took five deities along with Allah, namely: Wadd, Suwā‘, Yaghūth, Ya‘ūq, and Nasr. About this, Allah Almighty says:
{وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلَا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلَا سُوَاعًا وَلَا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا (23)}
{They said: "Do not abandon your gods; and do not abandon Wadd, Suwā‘, Yaghūth, Ya‘ūq, and Nasr. "} [Surat Nūh: 23]
The plurality of gods also existed among the Pharaohs. The Pharaonic deities consisted of the Great Ennead . The Hindus believed in three gods: "Brahma", the Creator, "Vishnu", the Preserver, and "Shiva", the Destroyer. So, the Hindus believe in a trinity of hypostases, and the Assyrians and Phoenicians also used to worship gods of three hypostases. And the Buddhists believe in the trinity and that God descended from heaven to redeem people from their sins. The Jews also believed that Ezra (‘Uzayr) is the son of Allah. In his book, "The Pagan Beliefs in the Christian Religion", Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullh at-Tannr, a researcher, includes a chapter comparing the alleged events that transpired at the time of Buddha to those of the Messiah (peace be upon him). The result of this comparison was that he found them to be quite similar. The polytheists in Makkah, before the mission of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), used to extol the idols, the greatest of which, in their eyes, were three: Lāt, ‘Uzzā, and Manat. Allah Almighty says:
{أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّى (19)
Have you [O disbelievers] thought about [the idols of] Lāt and ‘Uzzā, وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الْأُخْرَى (20)} and Manāt, the third one as well?} [Surat an-Najm: 19-20] The plurality of gods in the pagan religions is well known, though there is a difference between these religions in terms of the number of deities in each religion.
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Allah is Ad-Dayyān (the Recompenser)
Allah Almighty is the Recompenser, Who recompenses His servants on the Day of Judgment; He is the One to Whom belongs the true religion; He is the One Who legislates the religion and gives recompense for it; and He alone rules for His servants, exercises His rule over them, and judges between them. The true God ruled that every religion other than Islam is invalid and every belief that includes association of another god with Allah or that another god is a partner with Allah or an equal to Him is false, and whoever holds this belief is a disbeliever and polytheist. Allah Almighty says:
{لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلَّا إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهُوا عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (73)}
{They have certainly disbelieved, those who say: "Allah is one of Three. " None has the right to be worshiped except One God. If they do not desist from saying this, those who disbelieve from among them will be afflicted with a painful punishment. } [Surat al-Mā’idah: 73] Allah Almighty also says:
{يَاأَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَا تَقُولُوا ثَلَاثَةٌ انْتَهُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ إِنَّمَا اللَّهُ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ سُبْحَانَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا}
{O People of the Book, do not go to extremes in your religion, and do not say about Allah but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His Word that He bestowed upon Mary, and a spirit from Him. So, believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say "Three" [Trinity] . Cease: that is better for you. Indeed, Allah is the only One God. Glory be to Him, [far exalted is He] to have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of Affairs. } [Surat an-Nisā’: 171] So, in these verses, Allah prohibits the People of the Book - the Jews and the Christians - from extremism and forbids them from saying anything but the truth about Allah. He also points out that the Messiah (peace be upon him) is a Messenger from Allah, whom He created with a Word from Him. He also prohibits them from saying "three", for Allah is One God; far exalted is He above having a partner or anyone similar or equal to Him.
I conclude this section with the following question: Is the belief in Trinity like what the prophets (peace be upon them) came with, or it is like the pagan beliefs?
Third: The belief that the divine nature indwells in the human nature
The Messiah (peace be upon him) came with Tawhīd (monotheism), free from all impurities of polytheism. The most apparent proof of that is probably the Messiah's response to a question by one of the disciples, who said: ("Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered: "The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. '") [Mark 12: 28-30] When we review the teachings of the Messiah (peace be upon him), we find that he did not refer to this matter of indwelling at all.
If anyone reviews the proofs mentioned in the first section, in addition to this proof, it will appear to him whether these proofs cited from the book of Christianity support this belief or they run counter to it and oppose it.
It is no secret to a reader well acquainted with history that this strange belief, which can hardly be understood or conceived, took place with the Christian belief in the 5th Century, 451 A. D. , in the Council of Chalcedon, which was attended by 520 bishops. They approved of the unity of divine nature with human nature. In other words, the unity of the divine element is combined with the human element. But a difference of opinion arose in that council: Does the Messiah have two natures and two wills: divine and human?Or does he have one nature and one will?The difference remains between the churches over this issue. So, how can one believe in a religion to which people add new principles with the passage of time, and then they differ over these principles?
Here is an important question: What phases has Christianity gone through until it settled on this belief?
And here is another question resulting from that question: Do the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians agree on these principles? And do they agree on one copy of the Gospel, or do these three sects: the Catholic, the Orthodox, and the Protestant have different copies of the Gospels?
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Fourth: The Christians' belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) was crucified and died on the cross
Let us read the story of the crucifixion as related by the evangelist Matthew, who said: (Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, O king of the Jews!" they said. They spat on him, took the staff, and struck him on the head repeatedly. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means "the place of the skull"). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. [Matthew 27: 27-35]
But if we review the Gospels, we will find therein many texts in total contradiction with this story and belief, as they say, that the Messiah (peace be upon him) was saved by Allah from the plots of his enemies and was raised up and suffered no harm at all. In the Gospel of Luke, it is stated that Allah protected the Messiah (peace be upon him) and preserved him from the plots and cunning of the Jews, and so they could not crucify him: (They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. ) [Luke 4: 29-30]
And John said: (They took up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. ) [John 8: 59]
These texts, and many similar others, maintain that Allah protected the Messiah (peace be upon him) from the plots and cunning of the Jews.
The Gospel of Matthew even states that the Jews were not certain about the person of the Messiah (peace be upon him) and so they hired someone to lead them to him and gave him a wage for that. (See: Matthew 27: 3-4).
It also stated that all the people would be doubtful about the news related to the Messiah (peace be upon him) concerning that night on which this incident took place. Mark said: (And Jesus said to them: "You will all doubt me this night. ") [Mark 14: 27] As he informed them that they would be doubtful about his matter, it did happen as he told them, and Allah kept him safe from their plotting.
Here is a question: How could the Gospel affirm the crucifixion and that the crucified person was hung on a piece of wood and his leg was broken, whereas the Gospel contains the divine promise to the Messiah (peace be upon him) that Allah assigned His angels to preserve and carry him? Whoever is preserved by the angels may not be harmed by any human. Luke said: (For it is written: "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up on their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ") [Luke 4: 10-11] See: Matthew 4: 6.
In a clear-cut statement, the author of the Acts of the Apostles said that Allah raised the Messiah (peace be upon him) and they could not harm him. He said: (After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee, " they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. ") [Acts 1: 9-11]
John quoted the Messiah as informing them that after a little while they would not see him, for Allah would raise him up to Himself: (After a while, and you shall not see me: and again, after a while, you shall see me, for I am going to the Father. ) [John 16: 16]
Thus, the Messiah was not killed or crucified. Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself, as stated in the Gospel and confirmed by the noble Qur’an about the Messiah (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty says:
{وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا (157) {
And for their saying: "We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah. " But they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear to them so. Even those who dispute about it are in doubt; they have no certain knowledge other than conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him.
 بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا (158)}
 Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 157-158] The two verses comprise five important things:
First: They did not kill him.
Second: They did not crucify him.
Third: It was made to appear to them so.
Fourth: They are in doubt about it.
Fifth: Allah raised him up to Himself and saved him from their plotting.
It has been previously stated in the texts I have cited from the New Testament that they were in doubt about it, that they could not kill or crucify him, and that Allah raised him up.
A mind free from deviant inherited influences and a safe and sound mind would utterly reject this alleged story, which forms the basis of the belief of  the crucifixion. It is astonishing to say that this happened according to Allah's wisdom, mercy, and love for His servants, and that Allah willed and planned it to pardon people's sins!
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The position of the Old Testament on the crucifixion
If we investigate the Old Testament, we will find that the crucified person is ruled to be cursed. It is stated in the Book of Deuteronomy: (If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but to bury him that day, for anyone hung [on a tree] is under God's curse. You must not defile the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. ) [Deuteronomy 21: 22-23]
Consider how this belief leads to the crucified person being cursed. Far be it from the Messiah, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), to be like that. But does not this belief need to be checked against what was reported from the prophets (peace be upon them) and be subject to sound and reasonable examination to determine whether it should be accepted or rejected?
Moreover, do you not see that the whole incident of crucifixion attributed to the Messiah (peace be upon him) lacks the correct religious basis and the historical foundation upon which it rests? So, why does it enjoy all this significance? And why does it receive all this attention in the Christian belief?
Do you see how the Gospels contain the following truths:
First: Allah protected the Messiah and saved him from crucifixion.
Second: The Messiah mentioned that the crowds of people would be in doubt about his affair that night.
Third: Allah raised him up to heaven and saved him from the criminals' plotting.
Fourth: Whoever is hung on the wooden cross for crucifixion is cursed.
Now, this question comes to one's mind: Is crucifixion regarded as an honor for the crucified one, as the Christians still hold this incident in high regard and extol it and take the cross as the slogan of their religion?Or is crucifixion, as perceived by people's minds, a disgraceful punishment by which serious criminals are punished?And why is the cross regarded as sacred in Christianity? Is it not a reminder of this crime?Is it not the symbol of this crime and its tool?
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Fifth: The Christians' belief that the Messiah died on the cross to redeem humanity by expiating for the inherited sin
Based on the alleged story of the crucifixion, the Christians built a stranger creed, namely their belief that Allah sent His only son to be killed and crucified in order to redeem humanity from the sin of their father Adam (peace be upon him) when Allah forbade him to eat from the tree, yet he forgot and ate, and then asked for Allah's forgiveness and Allah pardoned and forgave him. They believe that every man is born impure with Adam's sin and that Allah wanted to redeem humankind from this inherited sin by presenting His son as an offering on their behalf, so that He will forgive their sins.
Here are some pressing questions that require answers so that the truth can be distinguished from falsehood and guidance from misguidance:
Who will purify the criminals who shed blood and pillaged people's wealth throughout history after the Messiah (peace be upon him)?
Will the Messiah's purification and redemption include them, in that they will remain purified no matter what they do?
If the church believes in the redemption of sin by the Messiah, why does it practice the secret of absolution with its followers?
Although this creed runs counter to reason and logic, it also contradicts key rules and fundamental texts contained in the Old and New Testaments. These rules include the following:
Rule 1: Parents are not killed in place of their children.
Rule 2: Each person will die for his own sin.
Rule 3: The one who sins is the one who will die.
Rule 4: Allah accepts the repentance of those who repent.
As for the texts that contain these rules, they occur in the Book of Deuteronomy, which they count among the Five Books of Moses (peace be upon him): (Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor are children to be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.) [Deuteronomy 24: 16]
And it is stated in the Book of Jeremiah: (In those days people will no longer say: "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are painful." Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes, their own teeth will be painful.) [Jeremiah 31: 29-30]
And there is a text in the Book of Ezekiel that negates the inheritance of sin and states that the one who does evil is the one who deserves punishment: (Yet you ask: "Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?" Since the son has done what is just and right and has been dutiful to all my obligations, he will surely live. The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them. But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my obligations and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. ) [Ezekiel 18: 19-22]
Then, how, despite all these texts, does this creed remain one of the fundamentals of Christianity, and the Christians even take pride in it, knowing that Allah redeemed them through His son? Far more exalted be Allah above this misguidance!
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The return of the Messiah (peace be upon him) to earth before the coming of the Hour
The Christians believe that the Messiah (peace be upon him) died on the cross, then he was buried, rose from his grave, ascended to heaven, and that he will return to earth and call people to account recompensing them according to their deeds.
The truth is that Allah raised him up alive and saved him from the plots of the Jews, and he will return to earth before the coming of the hour and rule people with justice. He will break the cross, for it is a false superstition, and he will kill the pig, for its eating is prohibited in the divine scriptures.
In the Book of Acts of the Apostles, Paul said: (This same Jesus, who has been taken from you to heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him. ) [Acts 1: 11] So, raising the Messiah and his return to earth once again before the Day of Judgment are mentioned in the New Testament. However, Christians believe that it is the Lord Jesus who will return and call people to account and judge them; whereas what is mentioned in the Qur’an is that he will return as a human messenger. Allah Almighty mentions it in the glorious Qur’an, saying:
{وَإِنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا (159)}
{There will be none from the People of the Book but will believe in him [upon his return] before his death; and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 159] Allah Almighty also says:
{وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ هَذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ (61)}
{And he [Jesus] will be a sign of the Hour; so, do not have doubt about it and follow me. This is a straight path. } [Surat az-Zukhruf: 61]
About this, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him),  says: "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the pig, and abolish the tribute, and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it. " [21] Look how Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), stated that the Messiah (peace be upon him) will break the cross when he descends, for this will disprove the reality of the distorted Christianity and prompt people to embrace Islam. [22]
Telling about the place where the Messiah (peace be upon him) will descend at the end of time, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), said: "He will descend in eastern Damascus at the white minaret, wearing mahzūtayn and placing his hands on the wings of two angels. When he lowers his head, drops fall of it, and when he raises it, gems like pearls drop from him."
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The abstract (comprising five truths)
After looking into the fundamentals of Christianity, the following truths became clear:
The First Truth: The message with which the Messiah (peace be upon him) came is a divine message from Allah, and it is not the one adopted by Christians today.
The Second Truth: The religion of the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them) is one, and they do not differ over the fundamentals. So, how did Christianity depart from the religion laid down by Allah for the people and come to contradict it? Allah will hold people accountable in accordance with their belief in His religion which He legislated for them.
The Third Truth: The prophets (peace be upon them) gave glad tidings about the coming of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and directed their followers to believe in him. So, whoever wants to be with the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them) on the Day of Judgment, they should believe in the last of them and their seal, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as he believed in the first of them. And whoever opposes the prophets in this world will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment along with the opponents of the prophets, like Nimrod, Pharaoh, and others.
The Fourth Truth: The Torah and the Gospel do not approve of these serious deviations; they oppose them.
The Fifth Truth: The Christian creed is a cumulative one, growing with the passage of time and moving from one phase to another.
So, a rational person who disdains from falsehood and turns away from error should look for guidance, pursue the truth, save himself from ruin, and take the path of the Messengers of firm resolve: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them).
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The true religion
Indeed, the religion of Islam is the religion of Allah; it is the religion of all the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them); and it is the true religion other than which Allah does not accept any religion. Allah Almighty says:
{وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ}
{Anyone who seeks a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted from him; and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. } [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 85]
It is the religion that combines various lofty inclinations for the Muslim, namely: the love of Allah, the hope in Allah, and the fear of Allah. Allah loves the believers, loves those who constantly purify themselves, loves the oft-repentant, loves the doers of good, and Allah loves every pious and pure person. The believer loves Allah and His messengers (peace be upon them) and loves all that Allah loves, including the acts of worship, words, deeds, persons, and places.
Hope in Allah means: The Muslim hopes that Allah will accept his righteous deeds and accept his repentance if he repents.
The fear of Allah means: The Muslim fears that Allah will punish him for his sins if he engages in immoralities and misdeeds, hurts people, or neglects religious duties.
And it is the religion of pleasant and great glad tidings, for it is Allah Who gives glad tidings to His servants about His mercy, pleasure, and forgiveness. Allah Almighty says:
{يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَرِضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُقِيمٌ (21)}
{Their Lord gives them glad tidings of mercy from Him and His pleasure, and of gardens in which they will have everlasting bliss. } [Surat at-Tawbah: 21]
And it is the religion of repentance: In Islam, a person who repents from a sin is like one who has not sinned in the first place. Also, conversion to Islam abrogates all the sins committed before that, no matter what they may be. Allah Almighty says:
{قُلْ يَاعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ}
 {Say [Allah says]: "O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy, for indeed Allah forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful."} [Surat az-Zumar: 53] Allah Almighty also says:
{وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا (68)
{And those who do not invoke besides Allah another god, and who do not kill a soul whom Allah has forbidden, except in the course of justice, and who do not commit adultery, for whomever does any of this will face the penalty,
يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا (69)
the punishment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, wherein he will remain disgraced forever,
إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا (70)
except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds; for them, Allah will change their evil deeds into virtuous deeds, for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
وَمَنْ تَابَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَإِنَّهُ يَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَتَابًا}
Whoever repents and does righteous deeds has turned to Allah with sincere repentance. } [Surat al-Furqan: 68-71]
And it is the eternal religion that endures until the coming of the Hour. Allah pledged to protect and preserve it from distortion and alteration. And it is the religion in which thousands and thousands of people believed and with which humanity found bliss.
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How a person becomes a Muslim
As for how a person becomes a Muslim and one of the followers of the messengers (peace be upon them) so that he can attain the same as they attained, this is quite easy. A person should only bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; he should believe that none is truly worthy of worship except Allah and that Allah is the only Lord and God and the Possessor of the excellent names and sublime attributes. He should then take a bath, get purified, and rid his body of any dispraised trace. Then he should worship Allah in accordance with what was conveyed by His Messenger Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and obey his commands, believe his speech, and avoid what he forbade and prohibited.
Furthermore, he should bear witness that Jesus is a servant and Messenger of Allah and His Word which He cast to Mary, and a spirit from Him, that Paradise is true, and Hellfire is true, and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves. Whoever fulfills that becomes worthy of being among the inheritors of Paradise, along with the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous.
For more sources and references that guide to the truth and lead to the right path, here is a list of some books written by some Christian priests whom Allah guided to Islam. They recorded in these books the news of their conversion from Christianity to Islam, the causes that led them to abandon Christianity, and the proofs upon which they relied in establishing that Islam is the final and enduring message.
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These books are:
1. Ad-Dīn Wa Ad-Dawlah (The Religion and the State), by ‘Ali ibn Rabban at-Tabari (a Christian who embraced Islam).
2. An-Nasīhah Al-Imāniyyah Fi Fadīhat Al-Millah An-Nasrāniyyah, by Nasr ibn Yahya al-Mutatabbib (a Christian who embraced Islam).
3. Muhammad in the Bible, by David Benjamin Keldani. He converted to Islam and changed his name to "‘Abdul-Ahad Dāwūd". The book was published in both Arabic and English by the presidency of the Shariah courts in Qatar.
4. The Gospel and the Cross, by David Benjamin Keldani. He converted to Islam and changed his name to "‘Abdul-Ahad Dāwūd".
5. Muhammad Fi At-Tawrāh Wa Al-Injīl Wa Al-Qur’ān (Muhammad in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur’an), by Ibrāhīm Khalīl Ahmad. He was a Christian priest, and his name was Ibrāhīm Philips, before converting to Islam.
6. Al-Ghufrān Bayn Al-Islām Wa Al-Masīhiyyah (Absolution Between Islam and Christianity), by Ibrāhīm Khalīl Ahmad. He was a Christian priest and his name was Ibrāhīm Philips, before converting to Islam.
7. Allah Wāhid Am Thālūth (Allah is One or Trinity?), by Magdi Morgān (a Christian who embraced Islam).
8. Al-Masīh Insān Am Ilāh (The Messiah: a Human Being or a God?), by Magdi Morgān (a Christian who embraced Islam).
9. Sirru Islāmi (The Secret of My Conversion to Islam), by Fouad al-Hāshimi (a Christian who embraced Islam).
10. Al-Manārāt As-Sāti‘ah Fi Zhulumāt Ad-Dunya Al-Hālikah, by Al-Muhtadi Muhammad Zaki ad-Dīn an-Najjār (a Christian who embraced Islam).
This blessed group preferred the truth to falsehood, guidance to misguidance, and renounced what was familiar to them from the beginning of their lives. In addition to them, there are large numbers of scholars and intellectuals around the world who convert to Islam, proclaiming that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
So, he who looks for the truth should ask himself about the reasons that prompted them to abandon their religion and declare their immigration to Islam, and about the proofs and arguments which came to their knowledge and led them, with Allah's permission, to the guidance and light.
In conclusion, Islam is the religion of all prophets and messengers (peace be upon them).  It is the religion of Allah. Allah will not accept any other religion, for Allah does not accept that people worship Him with a religion He did not legislate, as in those laid down by others. So, whoever worships Allah with the true religion He legislated, He will honor him and admit him to Paradise. In contrast, whoever disobeys his Lord and favors his own whims, He will admit him to Hellfire, the abode of His punishment.
I hope that you, O you, the honorable one, will sit with yourself and think about what I have presented to you. Is what was presented to you true or false? If it is true, a rational person should not forsake the truth after it becomes clear to him. I wish you a blessed and dignified life full of goodness and pleasant things.
And our last invocation is: praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds,
and may Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and Companions.
For more information about Islam, you can visit the following link:
This work was completed in Riyadh on
20/10/1443 A. H.
21/5/2022 A. D.
You may contact the author at ams_1423@hotmail. com
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The Prophecy of the Messiah (peace be upon him)
Introduction
The One Origin
The beginning of deviation
The messengers are bearers of glad tidings and warners
The one creed and the one religion are Islam.
The disciples' submission as Muslims
Allah is the One who called the Muslims by this name.
The agreement among the prophets and messengers over the fundamentals of religion
The belief in Tawhīd (Allah's Oneness) is the greatest thing enjoined by the messengers (peace be upon them).
Associating partners with Allah is the gravest thing prohibited by the messengers (peace be upon them).
The major acts of worship brought by the messengers (peace be upon them)
The common values among the prophets and messengers (peace be upon them)
The succeeding prophets complete the work of the preceding ones (peace be upon them).
The prophecy of the prophets (peace be upon them) about the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
The Messiah's prophecy about the Messenger Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
The momentous news and the huge event
The birth of Mary and her son, the Messiah (peace be upon both of them), as revealed in the noble Qur’an
The status of the Messiah and his mother (peace be upon both of them) in the noble Qur’an
The status of the disciples in the noble Qur’an
The position of the children of Israel concerning the Messiah (peace be upon him)   
The glorious Qur’an's justice to the Jews and the Christians
The noble Qur’an calls the People of the Book to Islam.
A comparison between the fundamentals that the prophets came with and the fundamentals upon which Christianity rests
The origin of Christianity
First: The Christians' belief that the Messiah is "the son of Allah" or that he is Allah.
Second: The belief that Allah is one of the three hypostases, which is known as "the Trinity doctrine".
The plurality of gods
Allah is Ad-Dayyān (the Recompenser)
Third: The belief that the divine nature indwells in the human nature
Fourth: The Christians' belief that the Messiah (peace be upon him) was crucified and died on the cross
The position of the Old Testament on the crucifixion
Fifth: The Christians' belief that the Messiah died on the cross to redeem humanity by expiating for the inherited sin
The return of the Messiah (peace be upon him) to earth before the coming of the Hour
The abstract (comprising five truths)
The true religion
How a person becomes a Muslim

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Footnotes
1.      Al-Musnad (23489).

2.      Narrated by Muslim (2865)]

3.      Narrated by Al-Bukhari (1458) and Muslim (31).

4.      Al-Mu‘jam Al-Kabīr by At-Tabarāni (218) and Sunan At-Tirmidhi (3095).

5.      Narrated by Muslim (268).

6.      Narrated by Muslim (216).

7.      In order for this excerpt to achieve the desired results, I hope that anyone who wants to translate it to any language should take the texts of the Torah and the Gospel from the circulating copy in the language to which he will translate.)

8.      Al-Musnad (8952) and Al-Mustadrak (4221). Al-Hākim said: This Hadīth is authentic as per the requirements set by Muslim; and they both did not narrate it.

9.      Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (45), and this is his version, and by Muslim (3017).

10.   See the book: Muhammad in the Bible (115-122), by ‘Abdul-Ahad Dāwūd. He was a Christian and converted to Islam.

11.   Muhammad in the Bible (119).

12.   Jāmi‘ Al-Bayān, (10/485).

13.   The Dictionary of the Holy Bible (232).

14.   Opcit. (232).

15.   See: Comparison of Ancient Religions, by Muhammad Abu Zahrah, 12.See: The Major Religions of India, by Ahmed Shalaby, 48.

16.   Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (3448) and Muslim (242).See: Fat'h Al-Bāri Bi Sharh Sahīh Al-Bukhāri (6/491) and ‘Omdat Al-Qāri’ (34/12).