Christ said:

I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.

Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

Not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.

(Mathew)

Introduction

The Quran is a complete and the most recent guide. I, therefore, never felt the need of studying any other religion. However, a Christian correspondent made me to study Christianity.

I was horrified to see that Christians do not follow Christ or any God-given law and the creed professed by them is not held by the four Gospels accepted by them. The result of my study is given in this essay.

Lahore Muhammad Ayyub Khan

April 26, 1991.

Basic Creed held by Christians

Belief of the so-called "Christians", vide Encyclopaedia of Religions by Royston Pike, published in U.S.A, is as follows:

1. It is the Religion introduced into the world by, and founded upon, Jesus Christ.
2. Its Scriptures are the Bible, composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The latter is held to contain the prophetic fulfilment of the former, and Christianity is a complete and final revelation of God to man.
3. The great majority believes in Trinity i.e. in One God in Three ___ God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. It is further held that Jesus Christ is God and yet Man, that he was incarnated in the womb of the virgin Mary, and that when He ascended into heaven, He left, as His ever-present witness in the world, the Holy Spirit, whom Christians hold as the Voice of God speaking in History and to the individual soul.
4. They also believe that Adam was created originally perfect, but he fell from that state when he and his wife Eve ate of the tree of forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Because of that act of disobedience, they lost their potential immortality and were driven out of Paradise; and all their descrndants ___ all the human race ___ have inherited "original sin", of which the inevitable fruits are death. But those who believe in Christ as the "Second Adam", as the Redeemer, who took upon himself human flesh and died as a recompense for our sins ___ those who accept his offered sacrifice are saved to life eternal.

1. Jesus Christ founded no religion. However, a religion exists in his name in the world.
2. The "Christians" formally believe that the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament are God-inspired, but they also believe that they are not required to practise the commandments given in them. They have accepted the advice of Paul who said that belief in Jesus Christ, as son of God, was enough for salvation and that it was futile to act on Law. Thus they have cast away the Bible from life and live free from all obligations.
3. Their belief that the New Testament is fulfilment of the Old is correct only in the sense that it is the last warning to Once God’s chosen people, the Children of Israel, before ending prophethood among them, and deciding their destruction and dispersal on earth, but it is not the final message for humanity.
4. The idea of Trinity is obnoxious. While glorifying Jesus, who was so badly treated by the Jews, the Christians have exceeded all limits. They have failed to appreciate the greatness of God who created this huge and perfect universe of which man is a small part. For them it is a matter of blind faith, otherwise it is unintelligible to the most learned among them.
5. The idea of Holy Spirit as a guide, without a written code, means deceiving the self. After shedding the Law and refusing to accept coming of a Prophet after Christ, they have tried to justify their stand in this imaginary way.
6. The idea of travelling of Adam’s sin in his descendants and dependence of its forgiveness on crucifixion of ‘Son of God’ is nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament or the Gospels. It is a later concoction to justify crucifixion and carries no sense. Torah (Genesis, chapter 3) says that Eve shall suffer from pangs of birth, and Adam shall earn his living through toil and sweat. It says nothing more.
7. The terms "father" and "son" are frequently used in the Gospels. Even the Jews who believe in perfect unity of God asked Jusus, ‘are you the son of God?’ It appears that the word ‘father’ used for God is intended to indicate that God is very kind, more kind than a father is to his son. But God has also the other attributes. He destroys wicked people, as He did with Jews soon after Christ. The word ‘son’ means a specially chosen person with special attributes. The Quran has prohibited the use of these words.

The Jews

Jesus Christ was born among the Jews, so let us, first of all, know something about the Jews.

Originally called the Hebrews, "the Jews" are the descendants of Abraham, "the father of the faithful" ___ Jews, Christians and Muslims. Born in the city of Ur, in Southern Mesopotemia (Iraq), he migrated to Canaan or Palestine. He had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Arabs, particularly the Quresh, are descendants of Ishmael. The last Messenger of God, Muhammad (peace upon him) was born among them.

Isaac’s son Jacob, called Israel, is the forefather of the Jews. He entered Egypt with his twelve sons about 1400 BC with the help of his son, Joseph, who had found good luck with the Pharaoh. They flourished there for sometime but were then enslaved by the Egyptians and put to hard labour. Moses brought them out of Egypt about 1200 BC and, after a wandering of forty years, and after the death of Moses, they captured Palestine.

David (died 1000 BC) was their first great king to whom Psalms (Zaboor) were revealed. His son, Solomon, further strengthened the kingdom and built the sacred Temple, their historic centre of worship, at Jerusalem. After his death, kingdom was divided into two parts. Israel in the North was inhabited by ten tribes, and idol-worship was practised there. Judaea in the South had the Temple and was inhabited by two tribes. This was their golden period.

By 600 BC their first dispersal started, when they were conquered by Nebuchadnezzer and deported to Babylone. In 586 BC he destroyed Jerusalem along with the Temple. After 50 years, Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered Babylon and permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple which they did. The Temple was destroyed second time by Assyrians in 186 BC. Then came the Roman occupation. The building of the Temple Started for the third time in 20 BC and was completed in 64 AD, but only six years after i.e. in 70 AD, it was burnt by the Romans and the Jews were slaughtered and banished. This was their second dispersal. (The Quran mentions these two big calamities in Sura 17).

Since then they have been wandering in the world, tortured and expelled from place to place. However, after the defeat of Turks in the first world war, Britain permitted them to make Palestine their home. In 1948 they declared the establishment of the Jewish state in the name of Israel, and since then the area is in a constant turmoil.

They always believed that they will one day return to Jerusalem, and David’s throne will be restored to them.

Has that happened is yet to be seen? Muslims believe that one day the Jews will be completely annihilated. The Holy Quran says:

"Behold, thy Lord proclaimed that He would raise upon them (the Jews), till the Day of Resurrection, those who would afflict them with evil chatisement; thy Lord is surely swift in retribution, and He is surely Forgiving and Merciful. And We have cut them up in communities over the earth, some of them are righteous and some of them are otherwise; and We try them with good things and bad things, that haply they will return (to God), (7:167-168).

(This statement has remained true in history).

Jesus Christ

Jesus, son of Mary, was born among the Jews, at Bethlehem, a place six miles from Jerusalem, probably in 4 BC. He lived for about 33 years and he preached the Gospel (meaning good news) for about three years. He showed some miracles and admonished the Jews. Common people accepted him as a Prophet but the chiefs and the high priests disbelieved and charged him with blasphemy. They put him before the Roman governor to obtain his permission to crucify him. God saved him.

Christ is the Greek word for Messiah, which means anointed i.e. a person rubbed with oil and deputed for a special task. The word Messiah is used for David and even Cyrus, the king of Persia, in the Bible. The Jews, however, have been waiting for a special Messiah who will restore David’s Throne to them, and they are still waiting for him. But the Christians say that Messiah has already come in the form of Jesus ___ although he restored nothing to the Jews. According to Gospel, Jesus hardly used the word Messiah for him, but, many a time, he called himself a Prophet and One sent by God. However, the word Christ or Messiah is now commonly used with his name.

The Bible

While God directly speaks in the Holy Quran, it is admitted by both Jews and Christians that the Books contained in the Bible were written by Prophets and others in their own words. They are sacred because they are believed to have been written under inspiration from God.

The Old Testament

They are the Books which were written prior to Christ. The first five Books, it is claimed, were written by Moses, but a simple look on them will show that, except for Ten Commandments, in which God spoke, they are written by somebody else, because they relate the history of the Jews, including death of Moses, in third person, and describe a complex system of rituals and sacrifices developed gradually. In other books the history of the Jews continues along with good news and warnings. The Books and the Prophets of Old Testament end by 100 BC, to show that the preference given to Jews was reaching its end. As a final warning, Jesus Christ was sent by God to them. They rejected him and met their awful fate.

The New Testament

No book, revealed by God to Jesus or written or dictated by him, is held by the Christians. The New Testament contains:

1. Four Gospels relating the life-story and teachings of Jesus Christ.
2. Acts of the Apostles, showing details of work done by some followers of Christ.
3. Letters written by Paul and others explaining Christianity.
4. Revelation of John – a vision indicating events expected to happen.

The Gospels were written by four persons between 60 AD and 100 AD in Greek language, i.e. in a language other than that spoken by Christ and the Jews. The four persons were Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. Mathew was a disciple of Christ but Mark and Luke were not. Luke was not even a Jew and he wrote it for a Roman chief, as he had heard. About John, some say that he was a disciple and some say that he was not.

Thus the first hand knowledge about Christ and exact words spoken by him are not available. Translations have also been changed from time to time so that exact meaning and intentions cannot be ascertained. However, these Gospels still contain the truth, and the way Christ addressed the people proves that he was indeed a true Messenger of God of great heights.

Some of his Sermons, which appear to be against the dictates of Torah, infact show the inner wisdom of Law and its intentions. Christ said:

"I will utter things which were kept secret since the world was made." (Mathew 13:35)

They are not practicable on their face value. For instance, if somebody slaps you on the cheek, you cannot turn the other cheek to him for a second slap. One has to consider the spirit behind it before acting.

The Gospels prophesy the destruction of the Jews. We may call it a good news as elimination of an ever-transgressing people like Jews was beneficial for the world around. However, Christ also foretold the coming of another "Comforter" after him, who will abide with the people forever. That, no doubt, was a good news.

The other writings added after the Gospels have no reason to be accepted as part of the New Testament. They describe the work done by some of the followers and their opinions. People may or may not accept them. In fact any opinion against the teachings of Christ should be rejected. Unfortunately the teachings of one of them, viz Paul, are accepted by Christians now.

While Christ and all the Prophets asked the people to submit to Law, Paul said that it was enough to believe in Christ as Son of God for salvation, because, by his ‘offered’ sacrifice, he has taken over our sins. In fact he never offered it, but wished to be saved, and succeeded in avoiding it.

The Christians have taken this false creed as a license for committing sins and follow no God-given law. Under cover of such words, as democracy and secularism, they act at their will. No wonder then, that their atrocities on own people and other nations have surpassed limits in the history of mankind.

Holy Spirit

Spirit (Arabic Rooh) means a force that moves one to action. When it moves one in the right direction it is holy, and when it moves one to bad things, it is evil.

It is not visible, nor does it speak; it whispers in the hearts of men.

It was always there and will always be there. But we cannot depend on it altogether. Man needs clear-cut guidance. That is why Prophets were sent and Law was given, and people were asked to submit to commandments.

According to Gospels, Zacharia, his wife, Jesus and his disciples, all were filled up with the Holy Spirit when they were required to say a difficult thing or face powerful enemies. Jesus, with no wordly power, spoke the truth and admonished high priests in harshest words with the help of Holy Spirit. The Quran says:

We gave Jesus, son of Mary, Clear Signs and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. (2:40)

In the hearts of the Believers God has imprinted Faith and strengthened them with a Spirit from Himself. (58:22)

Therefore, when Christ at the time of his departure says, "I am going and another Comforter and Spirit of Truth will come and abide with you", he means someone in flesh like him, with a final complete Message, will come.

Jesus No Founder of a Religion

Jesus gave some sermons for almost three years and had then to depart. In this short period he could not found a new religion, give a complete message and present himself as a model for posterity. He himself made no such claims either. He said:

"Think not that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to destroy but to complete. ---- whosoever therefore shall break One of these least Commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:17,19)

Jesus No Redeemer

He did come to redeem the Jews, but they rejected him, and he prophesied their destruction and left. So he redeamed nobody.

He said: I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. (Matthew 15:24)

These twelve disciples Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying, "go not into the way of the gentiles (Non-Jews), and into any city of the Samaritans (Jews of mixed blood) enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel." (Matthew 10:5-6)

Jesus preceded by John

To make sure that no argument shall stand against God’s justice, John the Baptist was sent before Jesus to prepare the way for him. He asked the people to repent, and he baptized them in water to remove their misconception that, being the descendants of Abraham, their preference could not be taken away. John declared:

You vipers’ brood! who warned you to escape from the coming retribution? Then prove your repentance by the fruit it bears, and do not presume to say to yourselves, we have Abraham for our father." I tell you that God can make children for Abraham out of these stones here. Already the axe is laid to the roots of the trees; and every tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance; but the one who comes after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to take off his shoes; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His shovel is ready in his hand, and he will purge his threshing floor; the wheat he will gather in his granary, but he will burn the chaff on a fire that can never go out. (Matthew 3:7-12)

(It means that after rejecting Christ, Jews will always burn in fire and will never have peace.)

The Quran is very clear on it. It says:

When his Lord tested Abraham with certain things, he fulfilled them; He said, "I am making thee a leader of mankind;" he said, "and out of my seed?" He said, "My Covenant shall not reach the wrongdoers." (2: 124)

Jesus Last Warner to Israel

After John came Jesus as the last warner for the children of Israel. They were a transgressing people and even Babylonian Captivity and destruction of the sacred Temple and Jerusalem had not reformed them.

Sermon of John proves that they were not willing to improve themselves. Common men seeing the miracles and healing power of Christ and hearing his sermons, full of wisdom and truth, believed in him, but the leaders and chief preists refused to believe him. Instead, they tried to crucify him. So ultimately. Gods command came into action. The Quran say:

Thy Lord is not such as would destroy cities until He raises in their Mother-city, a Messenger reciting Our signs to them; and We never destroy the cities except that their people are wrongdoers. (28:59)

And Jesus said:

"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they have no excuse for their sin now." (John 15:22)

His first message was:

Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)

But when they did not hear him, he told them:

Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a people that yields the fruit thereof. (Matthew 21:43)

And finally, He prophesied their utter destruction.

There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. (Matthew 24:2) (Details later)

Christianity Not the Final Word

Christians have abandoned Mosaic law and Christ brought no fresh law. Therefore, Christianity has no feet to stand, so their claim of finality of message is baseless. We have amply proved that Jesus came to redeem the Jews, and to establish the Kingdom of God in place of Roman Kingdom. Jews rejected him; and the Christians even today follow Roman laws and glorify Greek philosphies. Moreover, Jesus clearly said;

I go to my Father (God) and I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter (or Advocate) that he may abide with you forever. (John 14:12,16)

Another Comforter means that one was Jesus himself and another should be like him ___ a man ____ not an invisible spirit. The actual word used by Jesus is not recorded. Its Greek equivalent adopted in Gospel is Parclete, whose meaning have been often changed by translaters. Quran used the word "Ahmad" meaning one praiseworthy or one who praises God vehemently. In all probability, Arabic translation of the days of Holy Prophet used the word Ahmad. The Quran calls the Prophet of Islam as "Mercy for the whole world" and "God’s Messenger to all men" and he is defacto the last Messenger of God on earth, because he alone has appeared after Christ with the claim of Prophethood and that he seals the institution for good. No other Prophet appeared during last two thousand years.

Jesus said "I must give the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, for that is what I was sent to do.""(Luke 4:43)

Jesus said, "Begone Satan; Scripture says, "you shall do homage to the Lord, your God, and worship Him alone." (Matthew 4:10)

Jesus cried aloud, "When a man believes in me, he believes in Him who sent me rather than in me.—I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has Himself commanded me what to say and how to speak. I know that His commands are eternal life. (John 12:44,49,50)

Jesus said, "and this is life eternal that they might know Thee, the Only True God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." (John 17:3)

So they fell foul of him, and this led him to say, "a Prophet will always be held in honour except in his home town and in his own family." (Matthew 13:57)

Jesus asked his disciples, "how do men say that son of man is?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the son of the living God!" Then Jesus said, "You did not learn it from mortal man, it was revealed to you by my heavenly Father; ___ He then gave strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (Matthew 116:13,17, 20)

(The words mortal man seem to refer to Jesus himself)

When people were about to come to seize Jesus, he said, "my heart is ready to break with grief. Stop here and stay awake with me. He went on a little, fell on his face in prayer and said, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by, yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt. (Matthew 26:38,39)

He felt hungry and noticing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. But when he came there he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. (Mark 11:13)

They (two blind men) shouted, "Have pity on us. Son of David." … Jesus stopped and called the men, "what do you want me to do for you," he asked, "Sir," they answered, "we want our sight." Jesus was deeply moved and touched their eyes. At once their sight came back, and they went on after him. (Matthew 20:30-34)

Command is God’s

The mother of Zebedee’s sons said, "I want you to give orders that in your Kingdom my two sons here may sit next to you, one at your right, and the other at your left." Jesus said, "It is not for me to grant; it is for those to whom it has already been assigned by my Father." (Matthew 20:21,23)

Jesus said, "I cannot act by myself, I judge as I am bidden, and my verdict is just because my aim is not my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." (John 5:30)

Any man who speaks a word against the Son of Man (Jesus) will be forgiven, but if any one speaks against the Holy Spirit, for him there is no forgiveness, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:32)

(Here Holy Spirit is mixed up with God’s command. Quran says, "God shall forgive all sins but not that any is asociated with Him.")

Not everyone who calls me, "lord, lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Heavenly Father. When that day comes many will say to me, "lord, lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out devils in your name, and in your name perform many miracles?" Then I will tell them to their face, "I never knew you, out of my sight, you and your wicked ways." (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will heed what I say, then my Father will love him and we will come to Him and make our dwelling with Him; but he who does not love me does not heed what I say. And the word you hear is not mine, it is the word of the Father who sent me. ()John 14:23-24)

Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.—Whoever then will acknowledge me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. (Matthew 10:28,32)

Good alone is Good

As he was starting out on a journey, a stranger ran up and, kneeling before him, asked, "Good master what will I do to win eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." (Mark 10:17-18)

Serve God Only

One tested Jesus, "Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" He answered, "Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)

Jesus said, "whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, my sister, my mother." (Matthew 12:50)

"You must not be called "rabbi", for you have one Rabbi, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth "Father" for you have one Father and He is in heaven." (Matthew 23:8-9)

(It means that the word father for God is used to mean a protector and a provider of all things)

How to Pray

This is how you should pray:

"Our Father in heaven,

Thy Name be hallowed,

Thy Kingdom come,

Thine will be done,

On earth as in heaven.

Give us today our bread,

Forgive us the wrong we have done,

As we have forgiven those who have wronged us,

And do not bring us to the test,

But save us from evil one;

For thine is the Kingdom and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:4-13)

If you then, bad as you are, know how to give your children what is good for them, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him. (Matthew 7:11)

After curing a leper, Jesus said, "Be sure you tell nobody, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering laid down by Moses for your cleansing, for a testimony unto him. (Matthew 8:4)

Who shall enter Kingdom of God

I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

I bid you to put away anxious thoughts about food and drink to keep you alive and clothes to cover your body.--- All these are things for the heathen to run after, not for you, for your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your mind on God’s Kingdom and His justice before everything else, and all the rest will come to you as well. (Matthew 6:25-33)

(here, obviously, Kingdom of God means earthly power.)

Alas for you, lawers and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are, you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven to men. You do not enter yourselves, and when others are entering, you stop them. (Matthew 23:13)

You clean the outside of cup and dish, which you have filled inside by robbery and self-indulgence. (Matthew 23:25)

Recompense is related to Deeds

Whosoever calls his brother, "thou fool" shall be in danger of hell. (Matthew 5:22)

If a man looks on a woman with a lustful eye, he has already committed with her in his heart. If your right eye leads you astray, tear it out and fling it away, it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for the whole of it to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand is your undoing, cut it off and fling it away; it is better for you to lose one part of your body than for the whole of it to go to hell. (Matthew 5:28-30)

(It proves that mere belief in Jesus is not enough.)

Jesus in Action

He went wound the whole of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and curing whatever illness or infirmity there was among the people. (Matthew 4:23)

He now called the twelve together and gave them power and authority to overcome all the devils and to cure diseases and sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal. (Luke 9:1-2)

As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered, "Foxes have their holes, the birds their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." (Luke 9:57-58)

After this the lord appointed a further seventy two and sent them on ahead in pairs to every town and place he was going to visit himself. He said to them, "The crop is heavy but the labourers are scarce ___ I am sending you like lambs among wolves ___ say, "the Kingdom of God has come close to you." (Luke 10:1-12)

(It shows that Jesus was trying to deliver the warning to all before they met their fate.)

Jesus gives Warnings

General public believed in him.

And the multitude said, "this is Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee." (Matthew 21:11)

But the leaders and the high priests did not believe in him. In fact worldly interests and comforts do not permit big people to adopt the humane laws of God. It also appears that Romans were suspicious of his declaration of Kingdom of God.

At that time a number of Pharisees came to Jesus and said, "You should leave this place and go on your way. Herod is out to kill you." He replied, "Go and tell that fox, "listen, today and tomorrow, I shall be casting out devils and working cures; on the third day, I reach my goal, "___ it is unthinkable for a Prophet to meet his death anywhere but in Jerusalem." (Luke 13:31-33)

The Holy Quran describes the law as under:

When We desire to destroy a city, We enjoin its people living at ease, so that they transgress there; then the Word is realized against it, and We destroy it utterly. (17:16)

No sign

The Scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign and Jesus answered, "It is a wicked, Godless generation that asks for a sign. --- At the judgement when this generation is on trial, the men of Nineveh will appear against it and ensure its condemnation, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and what is here is greater than Jonah. (Matthew 12:38-41)

Utter Destruction

Ultimately Jesus decided to move to Jerusalem. When he came in sight of city he wept over it and said, "If only you had known, on this great day, the way that leads to peace! But no; it is hidden from your sight, for a time will come upon you, when your enemies will set up siege works against you; they will encircle you and hem you in at every point; they will bring to the ground, you and your children within your walls, and not leave you one stone standing on another, because you did not recognise God’s moment when it came. (Luke 19:41-44)

Time is not Far

There are some standing here who will not taste death before they have seen the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom. (Matthew 16:28)

Then Jesus gave his last speech in the Temple. Addressing the lawers and pharisees, he condemned them and finally said:

On you will fall the guilt of all the innocent blood shed on the ground, from righteous Abel to Zechariah, son of Berachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Verily all these things shall come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, the city that murders the Prophets and stones the Messengers sent to her. How often I have longed to gather your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you would not let me. Behold, your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you that you shall not see me henceforth until the time when you say, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord." (Matthew 23:35-39)

And Jesus went out and departed from the Temple; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the Temple. Jesus said to them, "Verily there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (Matthew 24:1-2)

Advice to Disciples

Sitting on the Mount of Olive Jesus gave last instructions to his disciples and he said:

"So when you see the abomination of desolation of which the Prophet Daniel spoke, standing in the holy place, then those who are in Judaea must take to the hills. If a man is on the roof, he must not come down to fetch his goods from the house; if in the field he must not turn back for his coat. Alas for women with child in those days and those who have children at the breast.___ It will be a time of great distress, such as has never been seen from the beginning of the world until now, and will never be again. ___ This generation shall not pass till all these things are fulfilled. (Matthew 24:15-21, 34)

(Jesus words proved true after forty years on that very generation. Everything was destroyed.)

Then one of his twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him and helped the priests to arrest him. That night he prayed thrice in these words:

"My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by, yet not as I will but as Thou wilt. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:38)

(This proves that Jesus was a man, for whom it was natural to detest death.)

When he was being carried for crucifixtion, great number of people followed, many women among them, who mourned and lamented over him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; no, weep for yourselves and your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, "Happy are the barren, the wombs that never bore a child, the breasts that never fed one." Then they will start saying to the mountains, "Fall on us," and to the hills, "Cover us". For if these things are done when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry. (Luke 23:27-31)

Not Crucified

As per Gospel report, Jesus was fastened to the cross on Friday afternoon. At about three, he cried, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

(This proves that Jesus was a man and not God.) He again cried and breathed his last.

When evening fell, a man, Joseph by name, who was a disciple of Jesus and a man of means, approached Pilate (Roman governor) to get the body of Jesus and Pilate permitted. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen sheet, and laid it in his own unused tomb, which he had cut out of the rock and rolled a large stone against the entrance and went away. On Sunday morning. Mary was told by an angel that Jesus was gone. He was then seen by many people.

Although many Muslims believe that somebody else was crucified in place of Jesus, yet if we accept the description of the Gospels we conclude that in that short period in which Jesus remained tried on the cross he would not die; he only became unconscious. His rich disciple with the permission of the governor removed him from the cross, put him in a specially prepared safe rocky grave where his body laid at rest. From there he was taken out by the disciple when the guards were asleep. Thus Jesus did not die on the cross, though people suspected so.

Last Hoope ____ Who

In his last meeting with his disciples, Jesus gave them final instructions and also said:

"I go to my Father (God) ___ and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever ____ Hereafter I will not talk much with you, for the prince of this world comes, and he has that, of which nothing is in me.""(John 14:12, 16, 30)

"They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from my Father (God), the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify me." (John 15:25-26)

"But now I go my way to Him that sent me; ___ sorrow has filled your hearts. However, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away the Comforter will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will reprove the world of sin, and of judgement.___ I have yet many things to say with you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you unto all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come." (John 16:5-13)

Note that, here, the word "Spirit of Truth" is used and not "Holy Spirit". It is also said that he will only come if Christ leaves, while Holy Spirit was always there and disciples were filled up with it in the presence of Christ. Again, Jesus also says that he has not spoken all things because people could not bear them; it is the coming Comforter who will tell all the truth and will stay forever. He also says that through him God shall speak; and in the Quran, God directly speaks, and Muhammad (may God bless him) says what he hears.

Now let us read some verses from the Quran.

Jesus, son of Mary, said, "O Children of Israel, I am God’s Messenger to you, confirming what is before me of Torah, and giving good news of a Messenger, who will come after me, his name being Ahmad (one who glorifies God). (61:6)

God said to Mary that He will teach Jesus the Book and the Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel, and (make him) a Messenger to the Children of Israel. (3:47-48)

About Muhammad

By the star when it plunges, your companion is not astray, nor perverted; and he does not speak out of caprice either. It is not but a revelation revealed, taught him by One Mighty in power and very Strong. (53:1-6)

Say, "O mankind, I am the Messenger of God to you all." (7:156)

We have not sent thee but a mercy for all people The Quran is not but a Remembrance for all people (12:104)

It is God who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it prevail over all the religions. (9:33)

Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is a Messenger of God and Seal of the Prophets. (33:40)

This day I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My blessing on you, and I have approved Islam (Surrender to God’s commandments) to be your religion. (5:3)

Conclusion

From the above discourse, which is taken from the Bible, except a few confirmatory verses from the Quran, it is amply proved that:

1. Jesus Christ was a man and a Messenger of God.
2. He was last of the series of Israelite Prophets. No Prophet appeared among them after him.
3. He came to give them good news of Kingdom of God, or else announce a severe unparallelled punishment for them.
4. With him their preference over the world ended and shifted to their brothers i.e. descendants of their father’s brother __ Ishmael.

(See Torah : Deut )

6. He insisted that Mosaic Law must be observed. Therefore, lawlessness of the Christians is uncalled for.

7. Christ prophesied coming of another Comforter who will tell them everything, and abide with them forever.
8. After Christ only one man, Muhammad came who claimed to be a Prophet and a Messenger of God. He gave a complete Book (Law) preserved in words, in a living language to stay forever. He said that he and his Book were for all people, that the religion is now perfected and he is the Seal of the Prophets. So people may henceforth live a free life under guidance of the Quran.
9. Therefore, there is no alternative for Jews, Christians and the whole world but to believe in Muhammad and his Book, the Quran, for their salvation, for unity of mankind, for ready guidance for all times, directly from God.
10. Now, will you, the reader, please pay heed. May God guide you on the right path. Amen.