These are my individual part in doing the group assignments for the Quranic Perspective on Other Religions class (Dr. Maziah Mustafa)
1. Trinity
In Christianity, God seen in three ways as the Father, the Son
Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Some of Christianity sects, mentioned Mary
instead of Holy Spirit. Regarding to one of online dictionary, found that the
terminology of ‘Trinity’ was firstly used in 13th century. Thus it
was existed thousands years after the birth of Jesus. The saints of
Christianity claim that Trinity is a belief that should be doubtless and
secured in heart even they are hardly to make people understand it well.
Peoples always wonder how three entities are the same body, but in a meantime,
that one entity is actually three different bodies?
The Quran referred
this Trinity teaching in various places. In chapter al Maidah, verse 72 and 73,
indicates that Jesus was free from dedicating himself as a part of Trinity. In
addition, he also warned his people to submit themselves in oneness of Allah
but his people paid no heed[1].
According to Tafseer
al Tabari, these two verses are the argument for Prophet Muhammad and Muslim to
deny the teaching of Christians’ people that confusing about Jesus. Christians’
from sect of Ya’qubiyyah saying that Jesus is a God, meanwhile other Christians
believe that Jesus is a son of God[2].
All of these accusations are wrong and not acceptable as mentioned in former
verses that Jesus and his mother are ordinary people that eat and drink like
usual peoples are doing.
This kind of belief
actually is categorized in committing syirk which is strictly prohibited in
Islam. Those are doing syirk to Allah will be received a painful torment from
Allah[3].
Besides, in verse
116 to 117 in the same chapter (al-Maidah) depict the interesting points
related to Trinity concept[4].
In verse 116, people will questioning why Allah asks Jesus about what he
conveyed to his people as the concept of worshipping to Jesus and Mary are
existing in the world? In the same time, we all know and Allah knows that Jesus
is one of the real prophets and he did his job well. This situation is closely
related to the position of judge or lawyer asking his witness even he is already
possessing information and realize the integrity of his witness. But
nevertheless, the witness must be questioned in order to clarify the matter to
the entire world.
Consequently, Jesus
makes it unambiguous about his task that his limit. He, himself is from God and
for what he mentioning something outside his rights? Second, he acknowledges
the power of Allah as an all-hearing and all-knowing God and Jesus’s limitation
of knowing what is inside Allah’s knowledge.
Therefore, the
belief of Trinity that spread out among his people is out of his responsible as
Jesus already delivered the genuine path, but they went astray after the
absence of Jesus. Jesus only can be witnesses for them as long as he remains
with them.
2. Jesus is son of God
According to Christians’ belief, Jesus was sent down to earth in
order to wipe out all the sins of people. He was known as Son of God. Here
again the question can be marked there as did the Jesus is only the son of God?
Meaning that, the God and Jesus are partially different entities that can’t be
united as one.
In the Quran, there are more than ten verses revealing about
Christians’ statement of God having a son. In Chapter al Tawbah, Allah stories
to us that people of Jews proclaim that Ezra[5]
is son of God meanwhile Christian said Jesus is son of God[6].
Clearly this verse shows that both group of people really in a wrong path,
exaggerated and beyond the limit as they put the wrong teaching of tauhid.
Even they were continuously be warned by the prophets, but they didn’t have any
attention to it.
Meanwhile, in other
place in the Quran, from chapter al Baqarah, verse 116 also indicates that
those peoples proclaim that Allah had a son[7].
This verse is such a reminder as the last verse mention about the sovereignty
of Allah, controlling the entire world, but still there are groups of
overstated person making a false allegation to Him. Surely, they are extremism.
The next point that
has to be stated is, for what purpose of having son as He is differed from His
creatures. Allah doesn’t need any helpers or even a kin to be a superior power.
In the Quran, there are few chapters that Allah had clarifies that he has no
need of having a son. He knows and owns everything but how brave those peoples
said something falsely about God that they are nil about[8].
Correspondingly to
notes before, is verse 2, chapter al Furqan;
“He unto Whom
belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, He hath chosen no
son nor hath He any partner in the Sovereignty. He hath created everything
and hath meted out for it a measure. (25:2)[9]”
Then, Allah make a
strong clarification and justification in Chapter al Ikhlas as He is the
self-sufficient Master; he begets not, nor was begotten; there is none co-equal
or comparable to Him[10].
Only to Him, we should worship to and no one should worships other than Him.
To make it
corrected, Allah had put a well-defined history about the birth of Jesus. He is
son of Maryam or known as Mary. Her childbearing was portrayed in chapter
Maryam verse 22 to 26. Despite Jesus was born without father, which will not
become evidence that Jesus is a son of God. Logically, Adam and Eve also can be
considered as son and daughter to God as their birth without the presence of
parents, but Christians didn’t claim them so.
To make it
corrected, Allah had put a well-defined history about the birth of Jesus. He is
son of Maryam or known as Mary. Her childbearing was portrayed in chapter
Maryam verse 22 to 26. Despite Jesus was born without father, which will not
become evidence that Jesus is a son of God. Logically, Adam and Eve also can be
considered as son and daughter to God as their birth without the presence of
parents, but Christians didn’t claim them so. Allah had mentioned earlier that
the creation of Adam and Jesus were alike and that is under Allah’s superior
power[11].
In other chapter, An
Nisa’, Allah said to the believers of Holy Books, strictly declared that Jesus
is only son of Mary and he is sent to mankind as a prophet[12].
This verse is some kind of picture to clarify that the teaching of ‘Son of God’
was started with the exaggeration of Ahl Kitab in putting appraisal to
Jesus until they are out from believing Jesus as one of the prophets. Also this
verse is a warning to Ahl Kitab to be honest, truthful in speech. They were
summoned to believe in greatness of Allah and stop from delivering to people
about the teaching of Trinity.
3. Jesus was Died
For Christians’ believer, they certainty sure that the coming of
Jesus was to clear off and atoned all the sins in human being. The crucifixion
of Jesus, the blood shed was the meaning of great sacrifice of Jesus to human
kind. He was believed, being crucified on cross, nailed his both palm and being
on the cross till he died.
In my point of view,
the crucifixion of Jesus only because of jealousy and hatred of Jewish people
to the prophet and that is what they are since the epoch of the past prophets.
They were composing another story to reconcile the new teaching as the
Christianity was emerged thousands year after the death of Jesus.
In chapter al Nisa’
verse 158, Allah had rejected their story of crucifixion and added that Allah
took Jesus unto him, means he is not yet dying. The person that had been on the
cross and killed was neither Jesus, as Allah took someone else that was alike
to Jesus in order to substitute the place of Jesus.
“And because of
their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they
slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and
lo! Those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no
knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain.
(157) But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise. (158)[13]”
In the verse, Allah
clarify to all human beings that Jesus is not being crucified and killed.
Furthermore, how come the story of Jesus being on the cross merged to be their
false teaching when they were also not really certain that Jesus had been
killed? Indeed they are making a big disturbance and controversy.
Hence, Prophet Jesus
is still alive till now until the time of he will be sent back to the earth to
defeat Dajjal. His mission going to accomplish at that particular time, and
Christian’s people will realized who Jesus truly is.
4. The Original Sin
This belief is one of the main teachings in Christianity. They have
trust that all babies born together with sins that are inherited from Adam and
Eve. Both religions, Islam and Christianity do accept the story of the expelled
Adam and Eve from paradise because they were eating the forbidden fruit.
“Thus did he lead them on with guile.
And when they tasted of the tree their shame was manifest to them and
they began to hide (by heaping) on themselves some of the leaves of the Garden.
And their Lord called them, (saying): Did I not forbid you from that tree and
tell you: Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you? (7:22)”[14]
Then they seek for Allah’s forgiveness and surely Allah is great
forgiver.
“Say: O My slaves
who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of Allah,
Who forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. (39:53)[15]”
“And seek forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is ever Forgiving,
Merciful. (106)[16]
For Christians, they believe that the person should be blamed is
Eve, because of her desires, Adam was affected too. Thus, all the peoples are
born to be sinful as they are from the womb of women. They believed, the
painful that the entire mothers feel, is the retaliation from what Eve had
done. Meanwhile, in Islamic teaching, the painful of mothers feel are going to
be rewarded by Allah for their patience and struggle to give a birth to their
children.
Back to the original
sin, Quran denies all the teachings of it with the revelation of verses that
show that all the sin that someone commit into, will be not inherited to
others. They should shoulder their own sins and the babies that brought into
life are like a piece of plain, white cloth as narrated in hadith Sahih and Muslim.
“And guard
yourselves against a day when no soul will in aught avail another, nor will
intercession be accepted from it, nor will compensation be received from it,
nor will they be helped. (2:48)[17]”
“And no burdened
soul can bear another's burden, and if one heavy laden crieth for (help
with) his load, naught of it will be lifted even though he (unto whom he
crieth) be of kin. Thou warnest only those who fear their Lord in secret, and
have established worship. He who groweth (in goodness), groweth only for
himself, (he cannot by his merit redeem others). Unto Allah is the journeying.
(35:18)[18]”
In addition, those who are willingly to carry others’ sin actually
they are liar because they not be able to place others’ on themselves.
“Those who
disbelieve say unto those who believe: Follow our way (of religion) and we
verily will bear your sins (for you). They cannot bear aught of their sins. Lo!
They verily are liars. (29:12)”
“That they may bear their burdens undiminished on the Day of
Resurrection, with somewhat of the burdens of those whom they mislead without
knowledge. Ah! evil is that which they bear! (16:25)[19]
[1] لَقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ
قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَۖ وَقَالَ ٱلۡمَسِيحُ يَـٰبَنِىٓ
إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّڪُمۡۖ إِنَّهُ ۥ مَن يُشۡرِكۡ
بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَمَأۡوَٮٰهُ ٱلنَّارُۖ وَمَا
لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِنۡ أَنصَارٍ(72) لَّقَدۡ ڪَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ
ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍ۬ۘ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۚ وَإِن لَّمۡ
يَنتَهُواْ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ.(73)
“They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah,
son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah,
my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah
hath forbidden paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no
helpers. (72) “They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the
third of three; when there is no God save the One God. If they desist not from
so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. (73)”
[2]
'al-Maidah'. In: (ed), Al Quranulkarim, Miracle The Reference. 1st ed. : Sygma
Publishing. pp.252.
[3] إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَغۡفِرُ أَن يُشۡرَكَ بِهِۦ وَيَغۡفِرُ مَا دُونَ
ذَٲلِكَ لِمَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِ فَقَدِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰٓ إِثۡمًا
عَظِيمًا 2:48)
[4]
وَإِذۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلۡتَ
لِلنَّاسِ ٱتَّخِذُونِى وَأُمِّىَ إِلَـٰهَيۡنِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِۖ قَالَ
سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنۡ أَقُولَ مَا لَيۡسَ لِى بِحَقٍّۚ إِن كُنتُ
قُلۡتُهُ ۥ فَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتَهُ ۥۚ تَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى نَفۡسِى وَلَآ
أَعۡلَمُ مَا فِى نَفۡسِكَۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّـٰمُ ٱلۡغُيُوبِ (١١٦) مَا قُلۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِلَّا مَآ أَمَرۡتَنِى بِهِۦۤ أَنِ ٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمۡۚ وَكُنتُ عَلَيۡہِمۡ شَہِيدً۬ا مَّا دُمۡتُ فِيہِمۡۖ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيۡتَنِى كُنتَ أَنتَ ٱلرَّقِيبَ عَلَيۡہِمۡۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ شَہِيدٌ (١١٧)
And when Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Didst thou say unto
mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be
glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I had ever
said it, then Thou wouldst have known it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and
I know not what is in Thy Mind. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower of Things
Hidden? (116) I spake unto them only that which Thou commandedst me, (saying):
Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt
among them, and when Thou tookest me Thou wast the Watcher over them. Thou art
Witness over all things. (117)
[5]
From the Quranic Arabic Corpus - Ontology of Quranic Concepts: Uzair (عزير) is the name of a historic person mentioned in the Quran (also
known as Ezra), who according to Islamic belief used to be falsely called
"the son of God".
[6]
(30) وَقَالَتِ ٱلۡيَهُودُ عُزَيۡرٌ ٱبۡنُ ٱللَّهِ
وَقَالَتِ ٱلنَّصَـٰرَى ٱلۡمَسِيحُ ٱبۡنُ ٱللَّهِۖ ذَٲلِكَ قَوۡلُهُم
بِأَفۡوَٲهِهِمۡۖ يُضَـٰهِـُٔونَ قَوۡلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ مِن قَبۡلُۚ
قَـٰتَلَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ أَنَّىٰ يُؤۡفَڪُونَ
[7] وَقَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدً۬اۗ سُبۡحَـٰنَهُ ۥۖ بَل
لَّهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ كُلٌّ۬ لَّهُ ۥ
قَـٰنِتُونَ (١١٦)
[8] قَالُواْ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدً۬اۗ سُبۡحَـٰنَهُ ۥۖ
هُوَ ٱلۡغَنِىُّۖ لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ إِنۡ
عِندَڪُم مِّن سُلۡطَـٰنِۭ بِہَـٰذَآۚ أَتَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ(68)
[9] ( ٱلَّذِى لَهُ ۥ مُلۡكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَمۡ يَتَّخِذۡ
وَلَدً۬ا وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ شَرِيكٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡمُلۡكِ وَخَلَقَ ڪُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬
فَقَدَّرَهُ ۥ تَقۡدِيرً۬ا(2
[10] قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (1) ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ (2) لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ (3) وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُ ۥ ڪُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (4)
[11] إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ
ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَۖ خَلَقَهُ ۥ مِن تُرَابٍ۬ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ ۥ
كُن فَيَكُونُ (٥٩)
Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness
of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is. (3:59)
[12] يَـٰٓأَهۡلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغۡلُواْ فِى دِينِڪُمۡ
وَلَا تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَقَّۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ
مَرۡيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَڪَلِمَتُهُ ۥۤ أَلۡقَٮٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرۡيَمَ وَرُوحٌ۬ مِّنۡهُۖ
فَـَٔامِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦۖ وَلَا تَقُولُواْ ثَلَـٰثَةٌۚ ٱنتَهُواْ خَيۡرً۬ا
لَّڪُمۡۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ۖ سُبۡحَـٰنَهُ ۥۤ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ
ۥ وَلَدٌ۬ۘ لَّهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ
وَڪِيلا “O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion
nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son
of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto
Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say
not "Three" - Cease! (it is) better for you! - Allah is only One God.
Far is it removed from His transcendent majesty that He should have a son. His
is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is
sufficient as Defender. (3:171)
[13]
وَقَوۡلِهِمۡ إِنَّا قَتَلۡنَا ٱلۡمَسِيحَ عِيسَى
ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ
لَهُمۡۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّ۬ مِّنۡهُۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ
مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينَۢا (158) (بَل رَّفَعَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيۡهِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمً۬ا
(158
[14]
فَدَلَّٮٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ۬ۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ
بَدَتۡ لَهُمَا سَوۡءَٲتُہُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخۡصِفَانِ عَلَيۡہِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلۡجَنَّةِۖ
وَنَادَٮٰهُمَا رَبُّہُمَآ أَلَمۡ أَنۡہَكُمَا عَن تِلۡكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل
لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬(22)
[15] قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ
ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِۚ
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًاۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ(53)
[17] وَٱتَّقُواْ يَوۡمً۬ا لَّا تَجۡزِى نَفۡسٌ عَن نَّفۡسٍ۬ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا
وَلَا يُقۡبَلُ مِنۡہَا شَفَـٰعَةٌ۬ وَلَا يُؤۡخَذُ مِنۡہَا عَدۡلٌ۬ وَلَا هُمۡ
يُنصَرُونَ (48)
[18]
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ۬ وِزۡرَ أُخۡرَىٰۚ وَإِن تَدۡعُ مُثۡقَلَةٌ
إِلَىٰ حِمۡلِهَا لَا يُحۡمَلۡ مِنۡهُ شَىۡءٌ۬ وَلَوۡ كَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَىٰٓۗ
إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخۡشَوۡنَ رَبَّہُم بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَأَقَامُواْ
ٱلصَّلَوٰةَۚ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفۡسِهِۚۦ وَإِلَى
ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ (18)
[19]) لِيَحۡمِلُوٓاْ أَوۡزَارَهُمۡ كَامِلَةً۬ يَوۡمَ
ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِۙ وَمِنۡ أَوۡزَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُم بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍۗ أَلَا
سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ (65
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