Showing posts with label Jonah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jonah. Show all posts

Friday, November 19, 2021

Jesus and the 'Sign of Jonah'



In a recent series of Online interactions with Truth-seekers from around the world, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius chose to respond to several questions, explaining the teachings and practice of Deen-e-Islam as well as certain momentous episodes from spiritual history for the benefit of those who were asking. In this context, reproduced below is one of the responses given by Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) to a sister in religion, Ms. Meryl Philips from United Kingdom, explaining the crucifixion of Jesus Christ from an Islamic perspective. 


Contrary to the irrational exaggerations and mythical Divinity claims preferred by people who claim to be his followers, the historical Jesus was a human being like any other human who lived and preached Gospel among his people, a reformer-servant of God among the people of Israel in historical Palestine. While much of his life is shrouded in the distance and unknowns of history, the essence of his truthfulness as well as the shadow of Divine Protection that helped him survive the scheming machinations and plots of his wily opponents is preserved to the benefit of all times, including through the Holy Qur’an which speaks about the trial of crucifixion: 


“And they (the persecutors of Jesus) planned (to crucify him) and Allah planned (to save him) and Allah is the best of planners.” (3:55) 

“They killed him not, nor did they cause his death by crucifixion, but he was made to them to resemble (one crucified to death. Verily, those who differ therein are certainly in (a state of) confusion about it. They have no definite knowledge of the matter but are only following a conjecture. They did not kill him. This much is certain (and thus could not prove the Christ as accursed). Rather Allah exalted him with all honour to His presence”(4: 158-59)   


While Jewish tradition viewed death on the cross as an accursed imposter’s fate, Jesus himself predicted his escape from death on the cross saying, “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whales’ belly, so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of death”.  (Matt. 12: 40) The prophecy meant that like Jonah, Jesus would also survive the ‘grave’ trial and survive the attempt on his life. In this brief exposition on the crucifixion of Christ, Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) marshals evidence from human mortality, and the sign of Jonah mentioned in the Bible to dispel mythical notions about Jesus prevailing among people in our times. 

Read the Extracts from the Response Below: