Islamic view of Jesus' death
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The issue of Jesus' death is important to Muslims because Muslims believe in Jesus's return at the end of time. Muslims believe Jesus was not crucified but was raised bodily to heaven by God. Depending on the interpretation of the following verse, scholars have abstracted different opinions. Some believe that God gave someone Jesus' appearance, causing everyone to believe Jesus was crucified. Others believe that God does not use deceit and therefore they contend that simply no crucifixion occurred. The basis of any of these beliefs is the following verse in the Qur'an:
| “ | And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the messenger of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure. Nay! Allah took him up to Himself; and Allah is Mighty, Wise. | „ |
Most Muslims believe Jesus was raised to heaven alive by God. However, a small minority of Islamic scholars argue that he was indeed rescued but died before his ascension.[1]
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[edit] Substitution interpretation
While Christians believe Jesus was crucified, Muslims believe he was raised to heaven without being put on the cross and Allah (God) transformed another person to appear exactly like Jesus to deceive the Romans and he was crucified instead of Jesus. Jesus was ascended bodily.
The substitute has been a great source of interest among Muslims. Two categories of people emerge: volunteers and victims. Common interpretation is that Allah (God) used the substitution to punish one of Jesus' enemies. Judas Iscariot, Jesus' traitor, is most often cited, including by the medieval Gospel of Barnabas. Other possibilities are Titawus, a Roman soldier, or an anonymous guard put to watch Jesus when arrested.
The converse interpretation is that Allah (God) asked for someone to volunteer to be crucified instead of Jesus. Simon of Cyrene is the most commonly accepted person to have done this, perhaps because according to the Synoptic gospels he was compelled by the Romans to carry Jesus' cross for him, (there is no indication in the Gospels that he volunteered). Al-Baidawi writes that Jesus told his disciples in advance that whoever volunteered would go to heaven.[citation needed]
However, Muhammad Asad writes that Qur'an's statement about Jesus' death that "but it only appeared to them as if it had been so" means that long after Jesus a legend of Jesus' death on the cross was firmly established among the latter-day followers. And this verse has nothing to do with substitution of Jesus.[2]
[edit] Jesus died
Hadith related to Jesus' second return are often quoted to deny Jesus' death (see Jesus' second coming). But Islamic scholars like Javed Ahmed Ghamidi and Amin Ahsan Islahi argue that Jesus was indeed rescued but was given death by God before he was ascended bodily as God never allows to dishonour His messengers, even their dead bodies.[1] There is no clear evidence in the Quran nor the Sunnah that support his death. Moreover, scholars who claim Jesus is dead usually base their opinions on their own interpretation of the holy Quran. The verses involved are listed below.
[edit] 5.117
According to some translations, Jesus says in the Qur'an:
| “ | I was a witness of them so long as I was among them, but when Thou didst cause me to die, (literally mutawafik) Thou wert the watcher over them, and Thou art witness of all things. | „ |
Majority of Muslims translate verb "mutawafik" (متوفيك) "to terminate a period of time" while others translate it "to die." Islamic scholars like Javed Ahmed Ghamidi and Amin Ahsan Islahi consider it as physical death of Jesus, and hence question the return of Jesus.[3][1][4] Geoffrey Parrinder discusses different interpretations of this Qur’anic verse and writes in his conclusion that ‘the cumulative effect of the Qur’anic verse is strongly in favor of a real death’.[5] Ali ibn Abu Talha, a Tabi‘in, has also reported that `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas said: Mutawaffika connotes Mumayyituka (I am going to give you death).[6]
For understanding the traditional translation, see this article.
[edit] 3.55
| “ | O Jesus! I will cause you to die of natural causes and I will exalt you in honor in My Court... | „ |
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—Qur'an, 3:55 as per QXP translation |
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The following translations or translators translate "to die"[7]
- QXP translation
- Muhammad Asad
- George Sale
- Mohamed Ahmed*
- Maulana Muhammad Ali
- Free Minds Muslims A Qur'an alone translation
- JM Rodwell
[edit] 3.144
According to Qur'an, every prophet (messenger) dies.
| “ | And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him... | „ |
An Ahmadiyyan, Maulana Muhammad Ali writes about verse 3:144:[8]
Some of the companions thought that the Prophet was not dead. Abu Bakr went in, and seeing that life had departed, ascended the pulpit and read this verse, which had a magical effect upon his hearers, all of them being convinced that the Prophet had passed away, as all prophets had passed away before him. . . . This verse affords a conclusive proof that Jesus Christ was also dead; otherwise Abu Bakr's argument could not have silenced the doubters of the Prophet's death."
[edit] 19.31
In verse 19:31, Jesus says of God regarding himself:
| “ | And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live. | „ |
Charity here refers to alms, Sadaqa. If Jesus did not die, he is still giving money to the poor from heaven.
[edit] 19.33
In verse 19:15, says of the prophet John the Baptist:
| “ | And peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he is raised to life. | „ |
and is repeated later in the same chapter by Jesus talking about himself in verse 19:33:
| “ | And peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he is raised to life. | „ |
An obvious parallel is made between the pattern of life of the two prophets and no Muslim believes that John did not die. Muslims believing the substitution interpretation agree that "raised to life" here refers to when God raised Jesus up at the time of the crucifixion. The order in verse 19:33 implies that Jesus died before being raised up, not after.
[edit] Other opinions
Thomas McElwain states that the context of the verse is clearly within the discussion of Jewish ridicule of Christians, not in context of whether or not Jesus died. He continues that the text could be interpreted as denying the death of Jesus at the hands of Jews rather than denying his death. He however adds that "the expressions against the crucifixion are strong, so that to interpret the meaning for Romans rather than Jews to have committed the act is also suspect" and that if this meaning is correct, "it would have been more effective to state that the Romans killed Jesus, rather than to emphasise that the Jews were not in possession of the facts."
[edit] Swoon hypothesis
In the swoon hypothesis, Jesus was crucified but did not die. He fainted (swooned) and the Romans thought he was dead. He later awoke and a rumor naturally started that he had risen from the dead. The interpretation that Jesus taken down alive from the cross is considered valid, linguisticly, even if it's not the common interpretation. This is mostly followed by Ahmadiyya community. According to Ahmadiyya after a period Jesus migrated to Kashmir with his Mother Mary to search for the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel where he spent rest of his life and died there.[9] Jesus took the name Yuz Asaf.[10] Yuz Asaf was venerated by Hindus and died a natural death at the age of 120. Muslims who disagree consider this belief heresy. To support this theory Ahmadiyya Community presents following Quranic verses:[11]
| “ | And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a Sign: We gave them both shelter on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs | „ |
Mary Magdalene came to his tomb and revived him. His ability to survive the crucifixion is considered proof of his prophethood. Deedat has been criticized by Christians for adopting a view where Jesus is deceptive and that contradicts the Qur'an that "they killed him not nor crucified him."[citation needed]
Supporting the swoon hypothesis, Shabir Ally said[12]
We see that the quranic text ends with a summary which says wama qataloohu yaqeenan, "they did not kill him definitely", Bal rafaAAahu Allahu ilayhi, "but God raised him to himself." I take this to be a summary of the whole discussion on what has happened to Jesus. There was a plot to kill him but they neither killed him nor crucified him, crucified him in the sense of killing him by crucifixion. That is a definition that has been given in Tafsir-Ul-Qur’an by Abdul Majid Daryabadi, which is a Sunni Tafsir on the Qur'an.
[edit] Esoteric interpretations
- See also: Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an
An alternative, more esoteric interpretation is expounded by certain Islamic philosophers and some Sufi and Isma'ili commentators. They interpret the Quranic passages on the death of Jesus thus: the Jews intended to destroy the person of Jesus completely; in fact, they crucified only his nasut (material being), his lahut (spiritual being) remained alive. [13]
[edit] Muslim and Christian interpretation
Apart from the historical death of Jesus, Christians and Muslims have given certain interpretations to that.
[edit] Muslim interpretation
On the interpretation of those scholars who deny the crucifixion, the Encyclopedia of Islam writes:
The denial, furthermore, is in perfect agreement with the logic of the Qur’an. The Biblical stories reproduced in it (e.g., Job, Moses, Joseph etc.) and the episodes relating to the history of the beginning of Islam demonstrate that it is “God's practice” (sunnat Allah ) to make faith triumph finally over the forces of evil and adversity. “So truly with hardship comes ease”, (XCIV, 5, 6). For Jesus to die on the cross would have meant the triumph of his executioners; but the Quran asserts that they undoubtedly failed: “Assuredly God will defend those who believe”; (XXII, 49). He confounds the plots of the enemies of Christ (III, 54).
On the interpretation of the minority of Muslims who accept the crucifixion, Mahmoud Ayoub for example states:
The Qur'an is not here speaking about a man, righteous and wronged though he may be, but about the Word of God who was sent to earth and returned to God. Thus the denial of killing of Jesus is a denial of the power of men to vanquish and destroy the divine Word, which is for ever victorious.[14]
[edit] Christian interpretation
The Christian interpretation of the death of Jesus can be taken from the writings of Paul and Peter. According to Paul, people normally used to follow “the ways of this world and of the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”Ephesians 2:2 But those who become Christians will be reborn of the spirit of God (the Holy Spirit), and as a result will become “slaves to righteousness.”Romans 6:18 This transformation of mind is described as dying to one's old self. Paul writes that “If we have been united with him [Jesus] like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.”Romans 6:5 Salvation is guaranteed for one who is united with Jesus in his resurrection. Even though one has earned God's wrath before conversion and deserves (spiritual) death, yet as Jesus overcame death by his resurrection, God will forgive the convert's past sins and grant him a new life through Jesus.
[edit] See also
- Jehovah's Witnesses view of Jesus' death
- Atonement Christian meaning of Jesus' death
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Tariq Hashmi. The Second Coming of Jesus. Renaissance - Monthly Islamic Journal, 14(9). September 2004.
- ^ http://www.geocities.com/masad02/004
- ^ Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, Qur'anic Verse regarding Second Coming of Jesus.
- ^ Islahi, Amin. Tadabbur-i-Qur’an, 1st, Lahore: Faran Foundation. OCLC 60341215. vol.2, p.243
- ^ Geoffrey Parrinder, Jesus in the Quran, p.121, Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1996. ISBN 1-85168-094-2
- ^ Yusuf ibn Abd-al-Barr, Al-Tamhid, vol. 14, (Maktabah Al-Mu’id), p. 203
- ^ http://www.islamawakened.com/Quran/3/55/default.htm
- ^ (Ali, Holy Quran [USA; Ahmadiyyah Anjuman Isha'at Islam Lahore Inc., 1995], pp. 168-169, f. 496 emphasis ours) as quoted [1]
- ^ "Death of Jesus", by Shahid Aziz, Bulletin October 2001, Ahmadiyya Anjuman Ishaat Islam Lahore (UK), [2]
- ^ http://www.alislam.org/topics/jesus/index.php
- ^ http://www.alislam.org/quran/tafseer/?page=698®ion=EN
- ^ debate with Dr. William Lane Craig, "Did Jesus of Nazareth Physically Rise from the Dead?", held on Monday, March 4, 2003 at the University of Toronto
- ^ Encyclopedia of Islam, Jesus article. cf. L. Massignon, Le Christ dans les Évangiles selon Ghazali, in REI , 1932, 523-36, who cites texts of the Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa, a passage of Abu Hatim al-Razi (about 934), and another of the Isma'ili da'i Mu'ayyad fid-din al-Shirazi (1077).
- ^ The death of Jesus: Reality or Delusion (Muslim World 70 (1980) pp. 91-121)
[edit] External links
- Did Jesus Die, A short BBC Film
- Regarding the Death of Jesus
- What Was the Sign of Jonah Ahmad Deedat's pamphlet describing the swoon hypothesis.
- Was Christ Crucified? Transcript of a Deedat debate about the swoon hypothesis
- A Fact, not Fiction Christian response to the swoon hypothesis
- Jesus in Heaven on Earth An account of Jesus' life and death in Kashmir
| Prophets of Islam in the Qur'an | ||||||||||||
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