What is the current state of christianity? What issues is christianity facing today?
As mentioned before, after Jesus (as), Christianity has many times been subjected to human intervention. The Qur’an thus refers to the People of the Book as “…those who have split their religion up.” (Al-Rum, 30: 32) The Prophet (saw) has also said:
“The nation of Jesus remained on his path and guidance for 200 years (they then corrupted their religion and changed direction).” (Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, VIII, 207)
Christianity was certainly distorted by its own clerics; and as a result, it has come to us entirely stripped from its monotheistic origin.
Due to this distortion, Christianity, like other divine religions, lost its authority and validity, and Allah (jj) sent down Islam as the final and true religion. The Almighty declares:
“Indeed, for Allah, the only true religion is Islam.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 19)
Both Christians and Jews nonetheless rejected Islam and its great Prophet (saw), as they presumed the final messenger would hail from among them. While the adherents of both faiths had eagerly awaited the final messenger based on the information they had received in their books, they had a sudden change of attitude once he came. They became jealous that the Prophet (saw) and the final religion did not rise from their ranks and resisted believing in him.
The Almighty states:
“And those who were given the Book did not differ except after knowledge had come to them, out of jealousy among themselves. And whoever defies Allah’s signs, know that Allah is swift at reckoning.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 19)
The People of the Book not only resisted out of jealousy, they also altered the passages of their books, which heralded the coming of Islam, the final religion, and its Prophet Muhammed (saw). They made the changes, as upon reading those passages, many prudent Christians and Jews were grasping the truth and wholeheartedly becoming Muslim. These included the likes of former Jewish scholar Abdullah ibn Salam, and Christians such as Salman Farisi and Abyssinian king, Negus. The Qur’an says:
“Among the People of the Book, there are surely some who have faith in Allah, in what has been sent down to you, and in what has been sent down to them. They are humble toward Allah.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 199)
After hearing that the Final Prophet (saw) had emerged, even the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius became excited, as he told the Prophet’s (saw) envoy:
“That man will soon capture these lands I now step on. All along, I knew that this prophet would come, but I did not expect him to hail from among you. If I knew I would be able to make it there, I would go to great trouble just to see him. If I was by his side, I would wash his feet.”
After witnessing scenes like these, Jews and Christians blinded to the truth began to worry that, in time, all their faithful would enter Islam. To prevent that, they resorted to altering the passages of their books that spoke about the Final Prophet (saw) and the religion he would bring.
This, however, would prove to be their own undoing. Allah (jj) states:
“Those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and sell it for a paltry gain, do not take inside their bellies anything except fire. Allah shall not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor shall He purify them. And for them is a painful punishment.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 174)
“Evil is that for which they have sold their souls, by defying what Allah has sent down, out of jealousy that Allah should bestow His grace on any of His servants that He wishes. Thus, they earned wrath upon wrath; and for the faithless, there is humiliating punishment.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 90)
As the verse states, the People of the Book who resisted coming under the banner of Islam only to follow their false books shaped in line with their desires, have laid waste to their lives both here and the hereafter. It is Allah (jj) who sent down all divine religions; and He says He will not accept the faiths of those who desist Islam and stick with religions He has annulled:
“Should anyone follow a religion other than Islam, it shall never be accepted from him, and he will be among the losers in the hereafter.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 85)
A quick look at the principles of faith and worship of all religions outside of Islam, including Christianity, shows that they not just defy the commands of the Lord but also logic. Christians, in fact, believe that:
All humans are born sinners. That is because Adam violated God’s command and was subsequently expelled from paradise. This sin is passed on generation after generation to every human being. Jesus was sent to save humanity form this ‘original sin’; and for that, God sacrificed his own son on the cross.
Yet, in do divine book does the Almighty suggest punishing one person for the crime of another. Sacrificing an innocent person for the sins of other would be nothing short of tyranny.
On the other hand, to believe that humans are born with sin, is to ascribe tyranny to the Almighty. The truth of the matter is beautifully stated by the Prophet (saw) himself:
“Every baby is born upon the disposition of Islam! (clean, sinless and with a natural tendency to believe God is one)” (Muslim, Qadar, 22)
Allah (jj) declares:
“So set your heart on the religion as a people of pure faith, according to the disposition in which Allah originated mankind. There is no altering Allah’s creation. This is the upright religion but most people do not know.” (Al-Rum, 30: 30)
Another false practice that has taken root in Christianity, is baptism. The Church decrees for all Christians to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The priest carries out the baptism by either splashing water on one’s face or dipping his body in water. There is also belief that baptism absolves a person from the original sin. Christians consider people who die without getting baptized as sinners.
Also according to Christians, the world is a land of trouble. Humans should seek no pleasure, as they have been created to suffer. Yet, how contradictive it is to say this, while trying to indulge in every pleasure life has to offer.
It is unthinkable for a way of life that promises eternal peace in this trial on earth, to be full of such contradictions. The truth is that Allah (jj) tests His servants in various ways. It can be through poverty or wealth, just as it can be through joy or grief.
Christians also believe that a person cannot establish a direct link with God. They cannot ask God for anything. Only priests can ask on their behalf. Again, only priests can forgive their sins. In other words, priests act as means between a person and God. Hence, confessing sins, in Christianity, has become a rite of worship. The church makes the person confess a sin, while the priest has the authority to forgive in return for either some money or making the person do chores inside the church. Christians base this on the following words found in the corrupted Bible:
“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John, 20/21-23)
Rather than guiding people, this in a way ascribes divinity to priests and encourages others to sin knowing they will be forgiven anyway.
How is it possible for priests to forgive the sins of others when they cannot even forgive their own? How can man who is not exempt from sin forgive the sins of another man? Not even messengers, including the six major prophets, were given this power. When even prophets spent their entire lives repenting for sins they had never committed, could there be anything more deviant than to think that divine mercy lies in the hands of priests?
In response to the People of the Book believing they can have their sins forgiven in exchange for money or working in the church, the Almighty declares:
“O you who have faith! Many scribes and monks wrongfully eat up the people’s wealth, and bar them from the way of Allah.” (Al-Tawbah, 9: 34)
Still, Christians blindly follow their clerics. Even though the Bible is filled with slanders against prophets, they consider the pope innocent and without sin. They regard the pope’s every action infallible.
It is remarkable that Christians hold the prophets chosen by the Almighty in low esteem[1] and claim that they engaged in vile actions like adultery, drinking, lying and idolatry, for no other reason that their egos found it hard to cope with the truth to which the prophets invited them. In contrast, they glorify the pope chosen by none other than themselves, with sublime attributes, when he is in fact just an ordinary human being.[2]
The Qur’an says:
“They have taken their scribes and monks as lords besides Allah, and also Christ, Mary’s son, even though they were commanded to worship only the One God. There is no god except Him. He is far too immaculate to have any partners that they ascribe.” (Al-Tawbah, 9: 31)
Christianity’s false conception of God highlighted in the verse above, also transpires in a false conception of man. For Christians, the spirit and body are separate entities. Only priests can cleanse the spirit. As for the body, it is regarded a vile and sinful being.
Yet, this is an unjust characterization of the human being, who has been created as the kernel of the universe and the most honorable of all creation. The truth of the matter is told by the Qur’an:
“We certainly created man in the best of forms.” (Al-Tin, 95: 4)
Sheikh Galib expresses this truth wonderfully:
See yourself with joy, you are the core,
You are man… the eye of the world
The human being is created so perfectly that, in a universe adorned with innumerable streaks of divine power, he represents the pinnacle of divine art.
Yet, those who do not live up to this status by shunning a life of faith and worship, lose the sublime qualities with which they have been created. Consequently, they betray the divine trust and fall to a level the Almighty calls ‘the lowest of the low’. Otherwise, at the beginning, all human beings are endowed with the honor conveyed in the verse:
“We have certainly honored the Children of Adam.” (Al-Isra, 17: 70)
Christians bring several proofs from the Bible to claim that Christianity is a religion of peace. Yet, the same Bible also contradicts that claim. For example, Luke quotes Jesus as saying:
“And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king, bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.” (Luke, 19/27)
Similarly, Paul’s letters contain:
“For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” (I Corinthians, 15/25)
Elsewhere, Jesus (as) supposedly says:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law!” (Matthew, 10/34-35)
And in the Old Testament, which Christians also accept, it is said:
“However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them.” (Deuteronomy, 20/16-17)
“Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys!” (I Samuel, 15/2-3)
As can be seen, Christianity’s sacred book contains messages of violence and tyranny that cast a shadow on any claim of love and peace.
The Qur’an explains what war really should be:
“Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress. Allah certainly does not like transgressors.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 190)
Warfare, in Islam, is only to uphold the truth and justice. The verses of the Qur’an that enjoin war are only directed against those who have declared war and are already in the process of fighting. Women who do not take up arms, as well as children, the elderly and ill are untouchable. Even harming animals and nature is forbidden.
Like other prophets, Jesus (as) urged his followers to observe the commands and bans of Allah (jj). It is also certain that he did not condone conduct that appeared correct, yet contradicted the spirit of religion. Yet, today’s Christianity has adopted a number of innovations as worship. One of them is what is called communion.
Communion is where Jesus’ (as) last supper is re-enacted by eating bread dipped in wine. The bread supposedly symbolizes Jesus’ flesh, and the wine his blood. By consuming these, Christians believe they become one with Jesus (as). After baptism, communion is the second most important type of worship. All Christians observe this rite.
At first, communion was conducted only once a year. Later, it was increased to once a week and adopted as a principle of faith. The belief that one can receive a share of godliness by participating in such an activity, can have no place in monotheistic faith.
Worshipping, in Christianity, consists mostly of prayers and hymns sung for God. Apart from communion, it does not contain obligatory rites like Islam does, such as ritual prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and so forth. In Christianity, fasting is no more than a diet. A person may not eat certain foods while fasting, but can have a light breakfast or dinner.
Allah (jj) declares these rites and others which Christians have incorporated into their religion, as false; and says these are not what they had been commanded with:
“And those given the Book did not split except after the proof had come to them. Yet, they were not commanded except to worship Allah, dedicate their faith to Him as men of pure faith, and to maintain the prayer and pay the alms. That is the upright religion.” (Al-Bayyinah, 98: 4-5)
Beside all this, Christianity’s greatest handicap is another belief introduced much later; and that is the doctrine of trinity. It was this issue that the Prophet (saw) laid emphasis on in the letters he sent to Christian kings. Below is his letter to Byzantine Emperor Heraclius:
From Muhammed, the servant and messenger of Allah, to Heraclius, the leader of the Romans:
Peace be upon those who follow guidance!
I hereby invite you to Islam. Enter Islam, so you find peace and Allah gives your rewards in double. If you do not accept, you will bear the sins of the peasants under your command.
“O People of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you: that we will worship no one but Allah, we will not ascribe any partner to Him, and that we will not take each other as lords besides Allah.’ But if they turn away, say, ‘Be witnesses that we are Muslims.’” (Al-i Imran, 3: 64)
Trinity: Belief in Three Gods
Trinity denotes the Christian belief in the ‘Father, Son and Holy Ghost.’ Generally, Christianity is cited among religions that believe in one God. Whereas the Old Testament, which forms the basis of the Christian faith, lays strenuous emphasis on monotheism, Christianity in time turned into its opposite, as its capital Jerusalem wavered under the influences of Indian and Greek cultures.
Trinity entered Christendom much later. It did not exist at the time of Council of Nicaea in 325. The council only spoke of how the Father and Son were gods from the same essence. It was only at the Council of Constantinople in 381 that the Holy Ghost was also declared god and Christians were told to worship one divinity that consisted of three persons.
In the face of current criticisms, explanations like ‘God is one and has the power, while Jesus is simply his son and the Holy Spirit, his force’ do not bring trinity any closer monotheism. Furthermore, ascribing a son to Allah (jj), who is above all deficiencies and human qualities, is nothing but a deviation that will take a person to a grave punishment. On this subject, the Almighty declares:
“And they say, ‘Allah has taken a son.’ Immaculate is He! Rather to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are obedient to Him.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 116)
“They say, ‘Allah has taken a son!’ Immaculate is He! He is the All-sufficient. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and in the earth. You have no authority to say this. Do you attribute to Allah what you do not know.” (Yunus, 10: 68)
“Say, ‘Those who fabricate lies against Allah will certainly not be saved.” (Yunus, 10: 69)
“A small enjoyment in this world; then to Us they will return. We will then make them taste the severe punishment because of what they had rejected.” (Yunus, 10: 70)
“Allah has not taken any offspring, neither is there any god besides Him; for then each god would take away what he created, and some of them would surely rise up against others. Clear is Allah of what they allege!” (Al-Muminun, 23: 91)
Christianity began purely as a monotheistic faith. While the doctrine of trinity was added much later, it has no clear proof in the Bible. None of the current gospels even mention the word ‘trinity’. In the history of Christianity, Tertullian was the first person to use the concept; and that was at around the second century CE.
Also, nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus (as) say ‘I am God.’ Quite the opposite, he stresses that he is but a man, a servant.[3] Allah (as) also declares in the Qur’an that Jesus is His servant.[4] And in no way did being a servant offend Jesus (as). On the contrary, both the Old and New Testaments say he took pride in it,[5] and led an exemplary life as a servant of Allah (jj). Moreover, Jesus (as) spent his entire nights worshipping. This is not a sign of being god. It rather confirms the fact he was a human.
The only proof for trinity Christians can come up with, is this Bible passage:
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew, 3, 16-17)
Similar words are found elsewhere in the Bible.[6] Yet, a closer inspection shows that it is impossible to interpret this and other passages as pointing to a god that consists of three persons.
Despite having undergone human intervention, even Christianity’s sacred book, the Bible, offers no strong and clear proof that could justify the doctrine of trinity; and regardless of how it is interpreted or understood by Christians, trinity is absolutely incompatible with the belief of tawhid brought by Allah’s (jj) final religion, Islam.
Also, the term ‘Father’ Christians use to refer to God, is demeaning. As well as there being good fathers, there are also types of fathers that evoke a bad image. At the same time, the word ‘father’ calls to mind things like a relationship between man and woman, having children and dying, which all relate to human life, and from which the Creator is exempt.
It certainly is a tremendous miracle that the Almighty created Jesus (as) without a father. Yet, this does not require Jesus (as) to be god. Adam (as) was not only created without a father, but also without a mother. What is more, Eve (as) was created through him. One cannot call Jesus (as) god any more than he can call Adam (as) god. If a child is born without a father from a virgin, it makes infinitely greater sense to worship, not the child, but the One who created that child.
Islam announces Allah (jj) as the Lord with endless glory and power, endowed with sublime attributes and free of all deficiencies. He does not resemble creation in any way; and apart from Him, there is no god. This is succinctly told in chapter Al-Ikhlas:
“Say, ‘He is Allah, the One. Allah is the All-embracing. He neither begat, nor was begotten; nor has He any equal.”
As short as it may be, this chapter summarizes every aspect of tawhid. It also suffices to dismiss claims that a man like Jesus (as), bound by the limitations of life and death, can be god; and thus makes the doctrine of trinity impossible to defend.
For that reason, the Almighty severely warns those who believe in trinity:
“They are certainly faithless who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.’ But the Messiah had said, ‘Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Whoever ascribes partners to Allah, Allah will forbid him from paradise, and his refuge will be the Fire. The wrongdoers will not have any helpers.’” (Al-Maidah, 5: 72)
“They are certainly faithless who say, ‘Allah is the third person of a trinity,’ when there is no god except the One God. If they do not stop what they say, for the faithless among them, there will be a painful punishment.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 73)
“Will they not repent to Allah and plead to Him for forgiveness? Yet Allah is the Forgiving, the Compassionate.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 74)
“The Messiah, son of Mary, is but a prophet. Certainly, other prophets have passed before him. His mother was truthful. Both of them would eat food. Look how We clarify the signs for them, and yet, look how they go astray!” (Al-Maidah, 5: 75)
The verse says ‘both of them ate’ to emphasize how Jesus (as) and his mother Mary (as) were both humans. Being human comes with needs like hunger, from which Allah (jj) is most certainly exempt.
Only ignorance can explain why, in spite of all this, Christians still incline towards a belief that ascribes divinity to Jesus (as) and Mary (as). Not even did Jesus (as) himself open the slightest window that would justify a belief of this kind. Allah (jj) declares:
“The day Allah will gather the prophets and say, ‘What was the response to you?’ They will say, ‘We have no knowledge. Indeed, You are the Knower of all that is unseen.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 109)
“And when Allah will say, ‘Jesus son of Mary! Was it you who said to the people, ‘Take me and my mother for gods besides Allah?’ He will say, ‘Immaculate are You! It does not befit me to say what I have no right to say. Had I said it, You would certainly have known. You know whatever is in myself, and I do not know what is in Your Self. You are indeed the Knower of all that is unseen.” (Al-Maidah, 5:116)
“I did not say to them anything except what You had commanded me: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness to them so long as I was among them. But when You took me away, You Yourself were watchful over them, and You are witness to all things.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 117)
People with reason must ask, since Jesus (as) never existed prior to his birth and came into existence long after the earth’s creation, how could it be possible to add something to God? How can a ‘divine’ Jesus (as) who the Gospel of John addresses as ‘Our Lord’, not have any power against those who crucified him on the cross? The Bible has passages indicating that Jesus was crucified unwillingly. When being taken towards the cross, Jesus supposedly ‘cried with a loud voice’:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew, 27: 46)
Are not these words of helplessness and rebellion an expression of human deficiency?
Islam commands utmost sensitivity regarding tawhid. Even the slightest thing that harms monotheistic belief, is considered idolatry (shirk). Just a small example is how the Qur’an refers to a person, who puts aside the Lord’s commands and follows his own whims, as having “…taken his own desire as god.” (Al-Furqan, 25: 43) Moreover, the Qur’an refers to people who overrule Allah’s (jj) commands and bans as pseudo ‘gods’, and their followers as ‘those who have adopted them as god’. Showing off while worshipping is also called secret idolatry.
The Qur’an maintains its sensitivity for tawhid to sternly reject the Christian doctrine of trinity, calling it a heresy (kufr).
In His final revelation, Allah (jj) cautions Christians against the heresy of trinity they have fallen into:
“O People of the Book! Do not exceed the bounds in your religion, and do not attribute anything to Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only prophet of Allah; His Word that He cast toward Mary and a spirit from Him. So have faith in Allah and His prophets, and do not say, ‘God is a trinity.’ Let it go! That is better for you. Allah is but the One God. He is far too immaculate to have any son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on the earth, and Allah suffices as trustee.” (Al-Nisa, 4: 171)
“The Messiah would never disdain being a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near to Him. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant, He will gather them all.” (Al-Nisa, 4: 172)
“They are certainly faithless who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.’ Say, ‘Who can avail anything against Allah should He wish to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone upon the earth?’ To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them. He creates whatever He wishes, and has power over all things.” (Al-Maidah, 5:17)
As mentioned before, according to many researchers, the idea of ‘a divine Jesus’ entered Christianity through the influence of Greek, Alexandrian and Indian philosophies.
In Encyclopedia Britannica, it is said:
“Jesus never claimed to be supernatural. Neither did he say he had a nature above humans.” (V. 5, p. 636)
Jesus (as) stated:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Mark, 12,:29. Also see, Matthew 23, 8; Luke, 13, 33)
The Bible also contains the following:
“Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, ‘A mighty prophet has risen among us!’” (Luke, 7/16)
“When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, ‘Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!’” (John, 6/14)
Clearly, even Christianity’s own sources are enough to show that Jesus (as) was the Lord’s servant and messenger, and had nothing to do with divinity. Yet, bogus clerics like Paul carried out a campaign against religion under the guise of being religious; and not only deceived people about the nature of Jesus (as), but also dragged them into error through countless false information. Despite that being the case, Christians today still fool themselves by thinking they are God’s beloved nation and will be the only people to enter paradise. This assumption is answered by the Almighty Himself:
“And they say, ‘No one shall enter paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian.’ Those are their false hopes! Say, ‘Produce your evidence, if you speak the truth.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 111)
“The Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.’ Say, ‘Then why does He punish you for your sins?’ Rather you are humans from among His creatures. He forgives whomever He wishes, and punishes whomever He wishes. To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them. And to Him is the return.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 18)
This sad end, which Christians have wound up in, is due to the fact that just like the Jews, they corrupted the divine word in line with their own desires and humanized its content. This not only appeared more attractive to their egos, it also gave them a chance to legitimize their sins by incorporating them into their sacred book. Naturally, however, this has come at the expense of their eternal happiness in the hereafter. How sad is the situation of the People of the Book, mired so deep in perversion that even the arrival of the Final Messenger (saw) could not wake them up!
A group of priests from Najran once came to the Prophet (saw) and said:
“Since the Qur’an accepts that Jesus was born without a father, he must be god!”
It was then that the Almighty revealed the verse of mubahalah, which is the act of cursing one another to reveal who is right:
“Should anyone argue with you concerning Jesus, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, ‘Come! Let us call our sons and yours, our women and yours, our souls and yours, then let us pray earnestly and call down Allah’s curse upon the liars.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 61)
The Prophet (saw) then offered to proceed with the act but the Christians of Najran refused. They signed a pact, where they agreed to enter Muslim protection and returned to their land.
Allah (jj) also cautions:
“People of the Book! Why do you defy Allah’s signs while you are witness to them?” (Al-i Imran, 3: 70)
“People of the Book! Why do you mix the truth with falsehood, and conceal the truth while you know it?” (Al-i Imran, 3: 71)
“Say, ‘People of the Book! Why do you bar the faithful from the way of Allah, seeking to make it crooked, while you are witnesses to its truth? And Allah is not oblivious to what you do.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 99)
The ‘truth’ the Qur’an says Christians are well aware of, is the fact that their religion is corrupted and subverted, for which reason Allah (jj) has sent the Qur’an as the final word and Prophet Muhammed (saw) as the final messenger. Although they keep this knowledge a secret, the Almighty unravels it as follows:
“Those whom We have given the Book recognize him just as they recognize their sons. Yet, some of them conceal the truth while they know.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 146)
“Indeed those who conceal what We have sent down of manifest proofs and guidance, after We have clarified it in the Book for mankind, will be cursed by Allah and the cursers.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 159)
What a shame it is that Christians and Jews stand so distant from Islam, the only valid religion in the sight of God! But what a bliss it is for those among them who understand the great truth and turn to serving Allah (jj) in the most genuine sense! The Qur’an, in fact, tells us that near the final hour, and with the second coming of Jesus (as), the People of the Book will embrace Islam:
“There is no one among the People of the Book who will not but believe in him before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.” (Al-Nisa, 3: 159)
The only reason why today’s Christians are unable to abandon their false path, are the current Bibles. Their authors have transformed the true, original Gospel to such an extent that the Almighty states:
“So woe to those who write the Book with their hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ so that they may sell it for a paltry gain. So woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 79)
Interfering in the content of a divine book -which they have committed- is a strict ban that even prophets are not allowed breach. Even to the Prophet (saw) received this divine edict:
“Had he faked any sayings in Our name, We would have surely seized him by the right hand and then cut off his aorta, and none of you could have held Us off from him.” (Al-Haqqah, 69: 44-47)
At the same time, by stating:
“Indeed, the only religion with Allah is Islam.” (Al-i Imran, 3: 19) Allah (jj) has willed for the final religion to be valid until the Day of Judgment. There will be no more religions after Islam. The Holy Qur’an is therefore protected from human intervention, as expressed in the verse:
“Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed We will preserve it.” (Al-Hijr, 15: 9)
The Nature of the Four Gospels
The Gospel Allah (jj) revealed to Jesus (as) was certainly the truth, and is among the ‘divine books’ all Muslims must believe in as part of the declaration of creed (amantu). Regarding many verses of the Qur’an, the Almighty declares He had made similar revelations in the Torah and the Gospel. Therefore, like the Qur’an, the Gospel was a divine book of guidance.
Yet, as discussed earlier, the Christian Church has seriously pruned the life and teachings of Jesus (as). The first part of the tree it chopped was the trunk itself. Monotheism was entirely removed from Christianity.
Contrary to Islam and what most Christians imagine, revelation in Christianity consists of testimonies by certain people that have been passed on in an indirect manner. Even Christian scholars admit that Christianity lacks any eyewitness knowledge from the time of Jesus (as).
One of the biggest problems of the Bible is the fact that the Old Testament, which comprises the books before the time of Jesus (as), was originally written in Hebrew, while the language of the New Testament is Greek; even though that, too, was originally Hebrew. While the Greek translations exist, the Hebrew original of the Bible is missing. So, how could one be sure that the translations have been loyal to the original, which they claim to be based on but which is nowhere to be seen?
With the exception of Matthew, the oldest copies of the gospels are in Greek. Christian sources, however, say Jesus (as) spoke in Hebrew and Aramaic, and gave his sermons in those languages. In light of this fact, should not the original copies of the Bible have at least been written in a language native to Jesus (as)? Neither today’s gospels, nor the words of Jesus (as) himself, are written in his native tongue.
Looking at how the first Hebrew copies of the Bible were lost and the remaining editions were translated into Greek and quickly destroyed; and how these were later merged with a new Greek translation of the Old Testament, clearly shows the extent of Greek influence on early Christianity. With this being the case, Greek culture took hold of Christianity as much as Greek philosophy, corrupting it and changing its original monotheistic direction in line with its own mentality. It is for that reason that the Qur’an says:
“So woe to those who write the Book with their hands…and woe to them for what they earn!” (Al-Baqarah, 79)
It is for the same reason that there are chasms between the current gospels and positive science. When Galileo spoke of the earth’s rotation based on the idea he received from the works of Muslim scientists, the Church reacted to it, as it contradicted the information given in the Bible. Galileo was told:
“Recant your words or face death!”
After being threatened with his life only because he spoke the truth, a helpless Galileo simply said:
“Have it your way”, as he quietly murmured:
“But the earth is still moving!”
Due to these chasms, and perhaps from an urgency to hide the Bible’s contradictions, handbooks about Christianity usually come in selected pieces. The Bible is almost never read from start to end. Various Christian sects and communities even pick and choose the books they read. This fact alone is enough to logically convince any person with common sense that there is nothing authentic about the Bible.
- Jacob says the flow of stories in the Bible gradually start to resemble fables. Maurice Bucaille writes:
“The Bible consists of what people, who have changed the scripture as they wished, wanted to hand down to us. Hence, it does not even dwell on the most fundamental questions pertaining to how the books were written. It simply glosses over them. Like an object put through a sieve, these books were many times subjected to human intervention. And the innumerable factual errors are never analyzed but passed over in silence. How painful it is for a ‘sacred book’ to ignore something that cannot be condoned even in a book written by a human!”
Even though many people may not admit to it, it suffices for the Almighty to declare that the Gospel He sent has been corrupted. Not only does the Almighty state this fact, He also warns Muslims against falling into the same error:
“…of those who split up their religion and became sects: each faction exulting in what it possessed.” (Al-Rum, 30: 32)
It is understood from this that as is the case with all divine religions and books sent prior to Islam, Christians have corrupted and distorted the religion and the Gospel Allah (jj) had handed down to Jesus (as). Therefore, the present four gospels have nothing to do with the original Gospel, as we shall see.
Matthew
As a Jew who collected tax on behalf of the Roman Empire, Matthew wrote his gospel for Christians of Jewish origin. It is said that he wrote it around the year 65 CE. In a way, the gospel was penned to prove that Jesus (as) marked the completion of the history of Israel. A group of researchers, however, argue that gospel’s author was not Matthew but an anonymous Palestinian Jew. A closer inspection does show that the gospel is more a reflection a Judaic system of thought than it is of Christianity.
Further, the Gospel of Matthew takes as its source the Gospel of Mark, who was not an apostle. It is really senseless for Matthew, who is regarded as an apostle, to benefit from a gospel written by a person who was not. A. Tricot comments:
“The Gospel of Matthew is dressed in Greek clothes, while its flesh, bones and spirit is Jewish. The traces of Judaism are plain to see; and they form the book’s distinctive characteristic.”
Mark
Mark had, at first, written a shorter gospel, which he later expanded. Afterward, however, three quarters of it was lost, and Mark rewrote the gospel based on his previous collections. Considering this fact, it is quite futile for Christian scholars to try to give credibility to Mark’s gospel by citing him as a student of both Peter and Paul.
There are also serious questions about the author. Some believe the gospel was written, not by Mark, but by Peter.
The fact is Mark never saw Jesus (as). What he wrote is basically what he could remember from what he had heard about him. These writings are disorganized and blemished with many flaws. The content and structure of his sentences lack the least concern for chronology.
About the author of this gospel, believed to have been written between 63-70 CE, M.P. Roguet says:
“Mark is a novice writer. Of all the authors of the gospel, he is the most banal.”
Luke
Luke was a doctor by profession. He is also the author of the book titled ‘Acts of the Apostles’.
Luke wrote his gospel for the Greeks. However, the gospel is riddled with serious historical errors. In writing his gospel, Luke made use of Mark, as well as other manmade works, including oral sources; and added a number of stories. For that reason, M.P. Kannengiesser calls him ‘a true novelist!’
Being a man of Greek origin, Luke describes Jesus (as) in the manner of a Greek historian speaking about a Greek hero; and adopts a novelist approach, which instantly give his gospel away as a manmade work. Thus, the Gospel of Luke is another attempt for human effort to replace divine revelation.
John
It is claimed that this fourth gospel was penned by John, the son of apostle Zebedee and Salome. Yet, based on the logic of the Alexandrian school -again rooted in Greek philosophy- which is visible throughout the work, researchers believe its author was another person by the name of John. Otherwise, it would be a stretch to think that apostle John would have been trained in Greek philosophy and reflected this influence onto the Bible. Moreover, the fact that the gospel sets out to prove Jesus’ divinity, also shows that he could not have been an apostle.
The Gospel of John is believed to have been written between 90-110 CE. As is the case with the others, it is impossible to find in it any trace of revelation. It quotes the apostles as referring to Jesus as ‘the Lord!’ In this regard, John comes across as a person who takes up where Paul the Jew left off in distorting Christianity. Thus, P. Roquet says:
“Whereas the synoptic gospels (the first three gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, which resemble one another) relay the words of Jesus in a striking and conversational manner, every theme in the Gospel of John is drowned in the author’s contemplation. At times, this reaches such a point that we are forced to ask, ‘Is it really Jesus who is speaking, or is the author stealthily expounding his words?’”
A number of Christian scholars have also confessed to these oddities in the Bible.
Tauste, who lived around the 3rd century and subscribed to the Manawiyyah school, has said the following on the issue of the Bible’s authorship:
“Everybody knows that the Bible was written neither by Jesus (as) nor the apostles, but much later by anonymous authors. People are also aware that because these authors knew no one would believe them talking about events they never saw, they added the names of apostles or their disciples for credibility.”
The Qur’an declares that although now lost, this is definitely not the Gospel revealed to Jesus (as), which was a book of guidance and advice for the righteous:
“And We followed them with Jesus son of Mary, to confirm the Torah before him. And We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light, confirming the Torah before, and as guidance and advice for the pious.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 46)
The Almighty also assures that the People of the Book will be saved by embracing Islam, which He has sent to compensate for the distortion of their religions, and by observing His commands:
“Had the People of the Book believed and feared, We would surely have absolved them of their misdeeds and admitted them into gardens of bliss.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 65)
As mentioned before, apart from these four, there is another famous gospel known as the Gospel of Barnabas. Barnabas was a leading apostle of Jesus (as) and subscribed to tawhid. Thus, great battles took place between the monotheist Barnabists and the trinitarian Paulists.
The main points that set the Gospel of Barnabas apart from the others, are:
Jesus (as) is neither God nor the Son of God. He is a prophet sent by the Almighty.
The son Abraham (as) wanted to sacrifice was not Isaac (as) but Ismail (as).
Jesus (as) was not crucified on the cross.
The awaited Messiah is the Paraclete, who is Prophet Muhammed Mustafa (saw).
Contradictions in the Four Gospels
Before delving into this issue, let us remind that of all the religions on earth, only Islam holds that Jesus (as) was born without a father from a devout and virgin mother. Prophet Muhammed Mustafa (saw) also taught his companions that Jesus (as) was a great prophet sent to guide people out of the swamp of ignorance. Islam has never attacked the true religion conveyed by Jesus (as). Much to the contrary, it has commanded the need to believe in and respect Jesus (as), his mother Mary (as) and the true Gospel he received. However, this acceptance and respect is valid only for the original, uncorrupted form of Jesus’ (as) religion.
Following this short reminder, we may now proceed to examine the current gospels, which have lost their original nature:
Jesus (as) neither saw nor commanded the writing of the four gospels. No two scholars even agree on the dates of their authorship. Therefore, the countless errors, contradictions and distortions do not go unnoticed. Human intervention has combed out all traces of the sublime; and the gospels are consequently filled with obscure and conflicting information.
Some of the most striking ones are as follows:
The four gospels recount the same events many times over, with at times the same gospel retelling the exact event twice or three times, with all of the versions contradicting one another. It is evident that the Almighty would not give such false, conflicting reports.
Whereas the gospels of Mark and John do not speak of Jesus’ (as) genealogy, Matthew and Luke do. But while Matthew counts 40 people from Jesus (as) to Abraham (as), Luke counts 55. Moreover, Luke adds another 20 people up to Adam (as). As for Matthew, he gives no information about the genealogy of Jesus (as) prior to Abraham (as). (Matthew, 1/17; Luke, 3/23-38)
It is not a simple case of Matthew forgetting to mention the 15 names Luke did. A closer look at the names listed in both these gospels easily shows that they are all different; and in some cases, the same names appear in different slots.
These are serious contradictions that cannot be tolerated even in books authored by humans. What should we make of the fact people today uncritically believe in these gospels, when people of yesteryear would ask prophets for more miracles, despite seeing them and their divine books in the flesh?
According to Matthew, Prophet John (as) is Elijah. The Gospel of John, however, says he is not. (John, 1/21)
There are different reports as to whether John (as) ever met Jesus (as). While the gospels of Matthew and Mark give detailed accounts of his martyrdom, John’s gospel passes over it in one or two sentences. (John, 19/28-30; Matthew, 27/32-56; Mark, 15/33-41)
There are entirely different reports between the Gospel of John and others as to how Jesus (as) met the apostles and took them by his side. (Luke, 5/1-17; John, 1/35-51; Mathew, 4/18-22)
There are also conflicting reports regarding the ethnicity of the woman in Tyre and Sidon, who asks Jesus (as) to cure her bewitched daughter. Matthew says she is from Canaan (Matthew, 15/21-22), while Mark holds she is Greek (Mark, 7/26). It is bizarre to think that the Almighty, free of all deficiencies, would confuse the birthplace of a person He created, when even a person herself would not.
This shows the Bible is full of information which different authors, unaware of each other, have cobbled together in line with their cultural levels and personal desires.
Despite the gospels associating Jesus (as) with divinity, they also refer him as a ‘son of man’ and ‘a servant of God.’ (Matthew, 12/17-18; Acts, 3/13, 4/27-28) How can it be explained that person is, at once, ‘a son of God’ and a human? In that case, humans must equal God, which is too absurd to even debate. God is the Creator, while humans are the created.
Aware of this problem, Christians ignorantly argue that the Biblical term ‘son of God’ refers to how God became incarnate in Jesus (as), settled in his body and, through it, appeared to other humans, for which reason Jesus supposedly became god. Even giving this the slightest consideration is incompatible with the quality of Allah (jj) as the greatest and beyond any need.
Again, the gospels also refer to others as ‘children of god.’ For example, Jesus allegedly tell his apostles:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew, 5/9)
This superstition of ‘God the Father’ that has crept into Christian culture, is so blatantly false that no curtain of interpretation could possibly veil it. On the other hand, Christians use this expression to claim supremacy over all other people.
The Almighty, however, responds to them with the words:
“The Jews and the Christians say, ‘We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.’ Say, ‘Then why does He punish you for your sins?’ Rather you are humans from among His creatures. He forgives whomever He wishes, and punishes whomever He wishes. To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between them. And to Him is the return.” (Al-Maidah, 5: 18)
The Bible’s list of contradictions goes on and on.
All the four gospels detail the events that unfolded on the night Jesus (as) was arrested. Yet, the account of one belies the others, presenting great variations and contradictions. (Matthew, 26/47-56; Mark, 14/13-52; Luke, 22/47-53)
Luke notes Heli as the father of Mary’s husband, Joseph; while according to Matthew, it was Jacob. (Luke, 3/23; Matthew, 1/16)
While Matthew, Mark and Luke say Jesus (as) was baptized by John (as), the Gospel of John makes no mention of it. (Matthew, 3/17; Mark, 1/9-12; Luke, 3/21-22)
Matthew, Mark and Luke cite Jesus’ (as) birthplace as Galilee, whereas John says it is Judea. (Matthew, 13/54-58; Mark, 6/4; Luke, 6/29; John, 4/3, 43, 45)
The Gospels of Matthew and Mark say Jesus’ (as) duty began after John (as) was imprisoned. However, the Gospel of John says it started before. (Matthew, 4/12-17; Mark, 1/14-15; John, 3/22-26, 4/1-3)
Another set of contradictions in the Bible involves the conflicting information given about Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, appearance to the apostles and ascension to the heavens, which make it impossible to classify it as a divine book. (Matthew, 27-28; Mark, 15-16; Luke, 23-24; John, 19-20)
Also, according to the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, while being taken to the cross, Jesus (as) yelled:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew, 27: 46; Mark, 15/34) A prophet could not have said these words, as they, in a way, show attitude towards the Lord.
Jesus is taken captive by demons on reaching Gadara, where according to Matthew, he encounters two mad men. Luke says it was just one. (Matthew, 2/28; Mark, 5/1-2; Luke, 8/27-29)
When Jews ask Jesus (as) for the sign of Jonah (as), Mark quotes him as replying that ‘they shall never be given any sign.’ Yet, according to Matthew, he says ‘they will be given a sign’. (Matthew, 12/38-41; Mark, 8/11-12)
This is a religion stuck between as many details as historians! And such is today’s Christianity!
The Reason why Jesus was Crucified According to Christians
Christians believe that by eating the forbidden fruit in paradise, Adam (as) and Eve committed the original sin. (Genesis, 2/34) God, therefore, sentenced all their descendants to burn in hell. Yet, because Jesus (as) had mercy on humans, he shouldered the sins of all humankind by sacrificing himself on the cross. With it, humanity was relieved of the sin it had inherited. (Epistle to the Romans, 3/23-26)
The Qur’an, however, tells us this could not be further from the truth:
“And for their faithlessness, their monstrous slander against Mary and for saying, ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the prophet of Allah!’. They neither killed nor crucified him, but that is how it was made to appear to them. Those who differ concerning him are surely in doubt about him. They have no knowledge of it beyond conjecture. And they certainly did not kill him.” (Al-Nisa, 4: 156-157)
“Rather Allah raised him up toward Himself. And Allah is the Mighty, the Wise.” (Al-Nisa, 4: 158)
Be that as it may, how bizarre is it to believe that, to quell His anger, God would kill His own son for a fruit his ancestor ate. It is to make someone else pay for a crime, when the Almighty says he will not punish a person for the sins of another. The fact that such a belief exists in a religion originally sent by the Lord, only goes to show that it has become corrupted. Moreover, missionaries today invite people to Christianity by inanely arguing ‘Jesus died on the cross for our sins’, which is nothing but to make a deformed religion look and sound appealing.
Still, it must be asked that given that Christians consider even the consumption of a forbidden fruit a sin against humanity, how do they possibly approve their crimes against human dignity and which are too disgraceful to even mention? On top of many examples throughout history, there is the recent Bosnian genocide and other similar massacres, which Christians watched on in silence, along with the Vatican and other clerical institutions. How can this attitude be reconciled with being followers of a prophet of mercy like Jesus (as)? Are they not sinning when they slash the bellies of pregnant women or kill children just because they are different to them?
Jesus (as) was a great prophet with an exceptional standing among people and in the sight of the Lord; and who was sent to convey beautiful morals. Therefore, for Allah (as) to consign a prophet He loved to a punishment like crucifixion, is impossible to even consider, let alone believe. On another level, it also ignorantly accuses the Almighty of tyranny, which is absurd. The fact is Allah (jj) has promised His prophets many sublime ranks and rewards. Besides, if Jesus (as) was really God as they claim, would it be reasonable to think that a god would be so helpless as to allow a few people to hang him on the cross?
When we refer the claim that Jesus (as) burdened the sins of others back to divine ruling, we are met with the truth in all its clarity:
“Whoever is guided is guided only for the good of his own soul, and whoever goes astray, goes astray only to its detriment. No bearer shall bear another’s burden. We do not punish any community until We have sent it a prophet.” (Al-Isra, 17: 15)
Given the verse states that not even a sinner is burdened with the sins of another, how contrary to divine justice and even illogical is it to claim that an innocent person has shouldered the sins of entire humanity? Who would want to be responsible for a sin he has nothing to do with?
On the issue of Adam (as) approaching the forbidden tree in paradise, the truth is that the act was a blunder; in other words, an involuntary error. In a way, it occurred as part of divine will. The Almighty had willed for Adam (as) and Eve to descend on earth, which was created for humankind, and for human species to multiply and prevail there until the Day of Judgment. The Lord wanted those able to refine their spirits to eventually return to paradise from which Adam (as) had come, and for those tricked by their egos to accompany the devil in hell.
The Prophet (saw) explains this divine will below:
“Adam (as) and Moses (as) had an argument. Moses (as) said to Adam (as):
‘Are you not the one who committed the sin that had humankind expelled from paradise and thrown into misery?’
Adam (as) replied:
‘Remain the person who Allah chose as prophet and spoke to…and do not blame me for a thing Allah willed for me to do before I was ever created!’
Moses (as) was silenced.” (Bukhari, Qadar, 11; Muslim, Qadar, 13)
On the other hand, both Adam (as) and our mother Eve repented with the words:
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves! If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.” (Al-Araf, 7: 23) And through it, they were graced and forgiven.
With that divine pardon, not only did Adam (as) become sinless, he was also honored with prophethood, the highest and nearest rank to the Lord, which is received only through divine grace and not gained through personal effort.
In short, it is impossible for man to inherit a forgiven sin, when even an unforgiven sin is not inherited! Besides, sins that are forgiven through sincere repentance are converted, through divine grace, into rewards. The Qur’an states:
“Except those who repent, attain faith, and act righteously. For such, Allah will replace their misdeeds with good deeds, and Allah is the Forgiving, the Compassionate.” (Al-Furqan, 25: 70)
All the divine books Allah (as) has sent to humankind have the quality of being ‘clear’ (mubin). This is made obvious by the last of them, the Holy Qur’an. It insistently repeats the word ‘clear’ to draw attention to this fact. Yet, it is impossible to notice a similar clarity in the Bible. It was obscured to the point of necessitating the revelation of the Qur’an.
Each of the Bible’s contradictions gives plenty of insight into whether it is the product of divine revelation. All people of sound mind can grasp that God would not send His servant a book so murky and laced with deficiencies, when He Himself is free of all deficiencies and has power over everything. Allah (jj) is the Transcendent (Subhan) who does not admit any shortcomings.
The fact is that almost immediately after Jesus (as), Christianity was corrupted. It quickly lost its quality of being a true religion, and assumed a pagan character instead.
The very pagan motif of a ‘crucified folk hero’ was applied to Jesus (as), and the centerpiece of the story, the cross, became a sacred symbol. The cross existed in the pagan beliefs of Europe long before Christianity.
During the first years of Christianity, January 1st was not marked as the start of the new year. Pagans celebrated new year on various dates between December 24th and January 6th. This influenced Christianity; and on the back of a claim regarding the birthdate of Jesus (as), it adopted a new calendar starting from January 1st. This date was thereafter celebrated as the beginning of the new year.
The kings and emperors of Rome and Greece had the sole desire of becoming gods after death. This was also applied to Jesus (as). The Bibles portrayed him as a legendary hero who reached the status of god.
In brief, the Bibles entwine the words of God with the words, as well as superstitions, of men.
The Jews, who were materialist from the beginning, distorted the monotheist belief Jesus (as) had brought. This, to them, came naturally, as they were people who rarely minded being burdens on their own prophets or trying to manipulate them for their personal interests and welfare.
It should be remembered that just as Moses (as) and the Torah were shining lights on the path of guidance, so was Jesus (as) and the Gospel for as long as they lasted; and now, so is Prophet Muhammed (saw) and the Qur’an. What is certain is that if a legislator who makes a ruling at one point in time and then later overrides that with another ruling, it is always the final ruling that is valid. For example, in the time of Moses (as), people would not have been obeying Allah (jj) if they adhered not to what was revealed to Moses (as) but to that which was revealed to Abraham (as). On the contrary, they would have been rebelling against Him. As Allah (jj) has sent Islam as a final religion and willed for it to be last until the end of time, that leaves the Qur’an as the only divine book still valid.
The source of all divine books is the One and Only Allah (jj). All prophets came with the same purpose, confirming the prophets before them and giving news of the prophets to come. The Prophet of Islam Muhammed (saw) also affirmed the prophets before him but also conveyed the message that Islam is the final religion, he is the final prophet and the Qur’an is the final book.
The Prophet (saw) has said:
“Among all people, I am the closest to Mary’s son Jesus, both in this life and the next. Between him and I, there are no prophets. Prophets are brothers. They are brothers from different mothers but the same father. Their religion is also one.
“Whoso among you gets to meet him (near the final hour when comes back down), send him my greetings.” (Jam’ul-Fawaid, V, 16)
In stark contrast to today’s Church, Jesus (as) led a simple and ascetic life. He set himself apart with a focus on cleansing the ego and refining the heart, which can be summarized as leading a spiritual life away from worldly desires that appeal to the ego; as well as his sublime morals, mercy and a promotion of brotherhood.
‘Loving for Allah and hating for Allah’ is one of the most distinct features of the Sufi way. And it was revealed to Jesus (as):
“If you were to offer the worship of every being in the heavens and on earth, they will be of no benefit to you unless you loved for Me and hated for Me!”
Our deeds and conduct are perfect only to the extent of our spiritual depth. In other words, we must love for the sake of Allah (as) and dislike only for His sake.
Jesus (as) has said:
“Become the friends of Allah by becoming the enemies of rebels! Get close to Allah by keeping a distance from rebels; and gain Allah’s pleasure by hating them!”
Oh Lord! Grant us the ability to know the truth and seize it, to know the false and avoid it; and grace us by turning us into Your righteous servants immersed in Your blessings in the gardens of Your pleasure, in both this world and the next!
Amin…
[1]. For baseless allegations levelled against prophets in Christianity’s holy book, also see, Genesis, 12/11-13, 19/30-38, 20/1-7, 30/1-24 II. Samuel, 11; I. Kings, 11/1-13 [2].Protestants, however, reject the pope’s innocence and power to forgive sins[3]. See, Matthew, 12/18[4]. See, Al-Nisa, 172[5]. See, Matthew, 12/18; Isaiah, 42/1.[6]. See, John, 1/1, 14.