THE BRIDGE

Never in history has it been more important to build bridges across the deep valleys of suspicion, conflict, misunderstanding and even hatred which separate us from one another. Unless we soon learn to build such bridges, war, injustice and at the least debilitating hostility will remain an integral part of our lives. Experiencing repression, maiming, imprisonment, bombing, killing and enduring paralyzing tension is existence. It is not the life we desire for either ourselves or for those beloved gifts to us from ALLAH – our children.

It must be the will of ALLAH that we teach our children to love and not to hate. It must be his desire for all of us to pursue peace and understanding rather than conflict and retribution. If this is true, would not ALLAH Himself make provision for the healing of our wounds? Would it not be His Merciful Will that we discover His provision for healing both our personal and collective relationships?

It would be wonderful news if ALLAH Himself has provided a bridge for us to cross to find peace and healing. How magnificent it would be to know that He has provided a bridge which will stand against every deception and plan of any foe of ALLAH; that his bridge will even cross over injustice.

I do not desire to minimize the tremendous complexity of serious problems. Still, I am one hundred percent convinced that ALLAH has provided a faultless bridge over which we can travel to find peace. Not only has he provided the perfect bridge, but also both the Holy Qura’n and the Holy Bible identify this bridge for us. It is no one else than the Messiah Isa.

When I say that both of these books tell about ALLAH’S wonderful bridge to peace, many questions may enter our minds. This is very normal. Any solution to great problems must stand the test of questions. Nevertheless, we must not become intoxicated with our freedom to doubt and question. We must not pick at points which are beyond our understanding and by doing so, miss solutions which ALLAH, Himself, has provided.

There is no doubt that Muslims, followers of the Messiah, and Jews have differences regarding their understanding of the Messiah. Still, at this point in time, both followers of the Messiah and Muslims are firmly convinced that The Messiah has lived upon this earth. We also mutually believe that he struggled against oppression and injustice while he lived in this very land of Palestine. Additionally, we are certain that while living he has taken up into ALLAH’S majestic presence. Of course, we realize that most Muslims do not believe that ALLAH allowed The Messiah to experience death at the hands of his Jewish oppressors. We are well aware that followers of Isa have a different view and remain convinced that the Roman occupiers of Palestine were manipulated to execute the Messiah. But whether we believe he was saved by ALLAH from truly experiencing death, or did actually endured three days of death is not now the significant priority. Rather, for us to agree that now living in ALLAH’S presence is our Messiah, who has suffered as we have suffered, is wonderful unity. Knowing, also that he hears our groans and prayers while he observes our injustice bring us a common hope that those who reject our Messiah cannot share.

Though the majority of the Messiah’s own race do not yet realize his true identity, they cannot prevent him from being our bridge. They may exclude him from being their bridge to others, but no one can fully step the plans of the Almighty. There is no way they can prevent Isa from being the bridge by which multitudes find peace and understanding with each other. Neither can they keep Isa from being the bridge over which we may cross to help both and ourselves to replace conflict with peace.

The ancient prophets definitely predicted the coming of the Messiah Isa. They even predicted precise events which would occur in his life. Most Jewish people, however, have interpreted these Scriptures in other ways so that for them, no Messiah has come. How wonderful it is that this is not the situation for both the followers of the Messiah and Muslims. But, before we can begin to realize how great is the help available in our mutual Messiah, we must effectively resolve a problem which confronts us. While there are those of us who may consider this problem too difficult for even ALLAH to solve, this is only due to our lack of faith in His sovereignty. He undoubtedly views our conflicting perspectives as only temporary difficulties. In His time, He will lead us to His resolution. But ALLAH desires our cooperation.

When the Messiah Isa is considered by Muslims, too often they have been stimulated to focus on controversy which they have with the beliefs of the followers of the Messiah. This type of focus does not lead to the meeting of another on a bridge of understanding. The same thing happens when many followers of the Messiah focus on the contrasts between their own beliefs about Isa with what they think the Muslim believes. The differences are emphasized, communication is discouraged and the bridge is usually left abandoned.

Despite our various attempts to turn the bridge of hope into a wall of despair, the bridge remains. ALLAH continually points to the bridge. He desires that we know that it is not a barrier which be, has given us, but it is a way that he has provided. In fact, our Messiah Isa referred to himself as both the “way” and the “door”. Both of these symbols speak of movement and communication rather than rigidity and exclusiveness. If we truly wish to experience reconciliation with one another, we must begin our journey on a bridge and not at the bottom of a wall. It is a bridge which leads to steps toward one another.

In the spirit of viewing Isa as our bridge, we will now consider passages from only the Holy Qur’an. In these passages there exists a wonderful commonality in the Messiah Isa between Muslims and the Messiah’s followers. This commonality can lead to a beautiful relationship between followers of the Messiah and their brothers through the Prophet Ishmael.

We will begin our journey on ALLAH’S bridge by considering, Abraham 14:39, 40. Here a sincere prayer of Abraham is recorded. This brief prayer clearly demonstrates the historical ties through Abraham of the Prophets Ishmael and Isaac, who are both ancestors of our Messiah Isa.

“Praise be to ALLAH who hath given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Issac! Lo! My Lord is indeed the Hearer of Prayer. My Lord! Make me to establish proper worship, and some of my posterity (also); our Lord! And accept my prayer.”

Now, we consider the emphatic criticism in the Qur’an for those who had received Scripture from ALLAH. ALLAH was severely displeased with them for their failure to expound it to those it would have aided.

“And (remember) when ALLAH laid a charge on those who had received the Scripture (He said): Ye are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it. But they flung it behind their backs and bought thereby a little gain.Verily evil is that which they have gained thereby.”                The Family of Imran 187.

Let us now direct our attention to a wonderful passage from the Holy Qur’an which speaks clearly of the faultless or sinless son that Mary would bear. This passage emphasizes that Mary would become pregnant even though she had no intimate physical relationship. It is also instructive on other important aspects of Isa’s relationship to man.

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In summary:

1. Mary would have a faultless son.

2. She would be a virgin when she bore her son.

3. Mary’s son would be a revelation from ALLAH to all mankind. (Thus, knowledge about him should not be kept secret. Rather, it is ALLAH’S desire that news about Isa be shared with all people everywhere such as is happening in a very small amount in this paper.)

4. This man to be born would in a special way reveal ALLAH’S mercy to man. (If there is any location in the world today which needs a special revelation of the mercy of ALLAH, it is the occupied areas of Palestine.)

5. ALLAH’S revelation of Isa to all mankind has been ordained by ALLAH Himself. It is not to be interfered with by any person or group.

Each of the above five points is emphatically contained in the following conversation between an angelic messenger and Mary. It is recorded in the Holy Qur’an, Mary 19-21.

“He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord,

that I may bestow on thee a faultless son.:

“She said: How can I have a son when no

mortal bath touched me, neither have I been

unchaste?” “He said: So (it will be) that

We may make of him a revelation for mankind

and a mercy from us and it is a thing

ordained.”

As if the former conversation between Mary and the angel would not be enough to convince the skeptical about the absolute importance of Isa, there is another glorious passage. This passage from the Family of Imran also contains five significant aspects regarding ALLAH’S gift to man.

1. Isa is a word from GOD or a communication from GOD to man.

2. GOD gave Isa the name “The Messiah” not the name “a Messiah”.

3. Isa is to be illustrious or exalted in this life.

4. Isa will be illustrious or exalted in the next life.

5. ALLAH fully approves of “The Messiah”, as he has demonstrated by bringing him near to Himself.

“(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary!

Lo! ALLAH giveth thee glad tidings of a word

from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son

of Mary, illustrious in the world and the

Hereafter, and one of those brought near

(unto ALLAH):”     Family of Imran 45

Remarkably, there is still a third significant testimony to the central position which ALLAH has given to the Messiah. Here ALLAH teaches us that He has caused the Messiah to ascend to Himself. When we link this fact with the passage from Women, 157 and 158, we are assured of the wonderful reality that our Messiah was fully living when he ascended to ALLAH. But the present verses under consideration from the Family of Imran place great emphasis on the difference which it makes to ALLAH and to ourselves whether, we believe in the Messiah or whether we do not.

In summary, we learn from the Family of Imran;

            1. It would be ALLAH who would cause Isa to ascent to Himself. Since we know that Isa was living when he ascended we are assured that no plan by any group could permanently end the life of Isa. No one could prevent ALLAH from taking “him up unto Himself”.

            2. Persons, who in a way which may be known only to ALLAH, but who follow Isa at least in a secret way, will be above those who refuse to believe in him.

3. It is ALLAH Himself who is the final judge about how people differ in their belief in Isa.

4. There will be discipline from ALLAH both in this world and the world to come for those who continue in their disbelief regarding Isa.

5. To continue in an attitude of disbelief in Isa is so serious that this attitude will finally place a person beyond anyone’s help.

“(And remember) when ALLAH said: O Jesus! Lo!

I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend

unto Me, and am cleansing thee of those who

disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee

above those who disbelieve until the Day of

Resurrection. Then unto Me ye will (all)

return, and I shall judge between you as to

that wherein ye used to differ. As for those

who disbelieve I shall chastise them with a  

heavy chastisement in the world and the Here-

after; and they will have no helpers.”

                                   Family of Imran 55, 56

Yes, The Glorious Qur’an exalts the Messiah Isa. When we read it we can be assured that it is ALLAH’S will that our Messiah be much more important in our lives than most of us realize. Yet, there will be those who say, “Don’t believe what these verses teach about the Messiah Isa. Possibly the writer has taken them out of their context. He’s used these verses as a trick. Don’t you know that Christians tried to kill you in the Crusades? You can’t trust them because they want you to believe in three gods. Perhaps this paper is a Zionist plot to divide us.”

When people say these things, please listen to them. Consider what they say. If what they say is ALLAH’S truth, then you are wrong to give these verses from Qur’an serious consideration. But, if these verses do contain ALLAH’S truth about Isa, is it not ALLAH’S desire that you apply that truth to your life?

Be assured that it is not ALLAH’S will that you believe in three gods. Be also assured that no less than eleven times does the Qur’an refer to Isa as “The Messiah”. Of course, consider Women, 171, where it is stated:

“ . . . So believe in ALLAH and his

Messengers, and say not ‘Three’ – Cease!

(it is) better for you! – ALLAH is only

One GOD. Far is it removed from His

Transcendent Majesty that He should have

A son. His is all that is in the heavens

And all that is in the earth. And ALLAH

is sufficient as Defender.”

Absolutely! Any time that the term son is used for Isa when it has the meaning that the one ALLAH can be divided into three ALLAH’S, it is wrong. This is as offensive to ALLAH and the Living Messiah as it was to the Prophet Muhammad. It must be recognized that the way the term son is used by many followers of the Messiah is a problem to many Muslims. Nevertheless, it is ALLAH’S will that we not allow the confusing way that a term is used to preoccupy us. Rather, we must be mature enough to know that on great issues, there will be difficulty in agreement on terminology. But we must also know that differences in words can be finally resolved without sacrificing the truth that ALLAH is One. For all of us to have our Messiah taken alive to be totally in ALLAH’S presence is absolutely wonderful. To have any of us disregard this marvelous reality so that we can argue about terms is absurd and irrational. It also plays directly into the hands of those who persistently resist ALLAH’S ways.

The Prophet Muhammad was told that he had received a revelation that confirmed the truth in the Torah and the Gospel. Family of Imran 3 tells us:

“He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.”

Since there are such passages in The Qur’an that confirm the truth before it as contained in the Torah and Gospel, do we not mock the Prophet Muhammad and the Holy Qur’an when we ignore these truths or say that they are not important?

Wait! Someone is now telling us that none of these discussions is important. They say that the Scriptures preceding the Qur’an have lost their validity because they have been changed. There are major problems with their protest. It is only the Jews which the Qur’an discusses as changing words from their context. How can Muslims possibly believe that Jewish custodians of the Torah would change these Scriptures so that they would teach that Isa would be a victorious Messiah? They are firmly convinced that he is not. No, the Prophet Muhammad’s criticism of the Jews in relation to the Scriptures was that they gave them different interpretations from what ALLAH desired that they have. In fact, the Qur’an teaches that ALLAH’S words cannot be changed. The following verse from Jonah 64 makes this point clear “ . . . there is no changing the Word ofALLAH – that is the Supreme triumph.”

Furthermore, Muhammad was urged by ALLAH in Jonah 94, to go to the people that read the Scriptures before him, when he himself had any doubts about the revelation he was receiving. This type of advice would certainly not have been given him if ALLAH considered these Scriptures to be unreliable. It is definitely against the spirit of the Qur’an to teach that the Scripture has been changed because the Qur’an, itself, is portrayed as both confirming and protecting the Scriptures that were before it. This is emphatically stated in The Table Spread 48:” and unto thee have we revealed the Scriptures with the truth, confirming what-ever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it.”

If it is a Gospel of Barnabas that is appealed to in order to undermine to authority of the Scriptures preceding it, this poses no problem. This particular document is easily revealed as a fraud. It contains numerous historical and geographical errors as well as unreasonable and superstitious teachings. In fact, it contains statements which not only contradict the Bible, but which also contradict the Qur’an.

The wonderful thing for each of us to know is that the bridge of Isa is totally secure. Muslims may accept none of the previous explanations about the Scriptures which preceded the Qur’an. They may totally accept all the traditional arguments against the reliability of these Scriptures. Still, there is the clear exaltation of the Messiah contained in the Qur’an. The assuring reality remains that the faultless one lives.

Now that we have examined a few barriers which may exist between the followers of Isa and Muslims, there is another objection we must consider. There are times when both believers in ALLAH and those who do not believe, raise this barrier. They tell us that we learn from history that an emphasis on religion always causes conflict and never resolves it. They may point to Iran, Pakistan, India, Ireland and the Crusades as examples. They will use this argument to say that any new understanding of Isa is totally irrelevant to meeting any real needs of people.

This objection does reserve consideration. Yes, religion many times has been used to divide, conquer and kill. But, there are two important differences in what I am suggesting and their objection.

1. I am not talking about religion or religious regulations although these may be of importance to both persons and groups. Rather, I am discussing a personal communion and relationship with a Messiah who now lives and whom we are expecting to return. If he is not now living, then he can be no bridge and the ideas in this paper become irrelevant. But, if needed, he now lives; each of us disregards his authority in our personal lives and in the world at our own great peril.

2. The wonderful reality in discovering Isa as our living bridge is that he unites rather than separates. Instead of rejecting others, he reaches out to embrace them and he asks us to do the same. His love which will finally transform our enemies, is mightier than our sword for killing them.

As we complete our consideration of the Messiah Isa being our bridge, may we examine one more amazing verse from the Holy Qur’an as recorded in The Cow. In this verse we see that Isa is viewed as the one messenger who was selected by ALLAH to receive clear proof of ALLAH’S sovereignty in his life. Through this we realize a marvelous reality. We know that the clear proofs were the miracles ALLAH performed through Isa while he was on this earth. Now, the same ALLAH is both willing and able to perform spiritual miracles in our midst through Isa as he continues to live above. Not only was the honor of receiving clear proofs from ALLAH reserved for only the Messiah Isa, but he is also the only one that the Qur’an reports as receiving support from the Holy Spirit. Whether the Holy Spirit here spoken of is the Holy Spirit in which followers of the Messiah believe or is the term for the angel of revelation is not now the important consideration. Rather, we must realize that here recorded in the Holy Qur’an is a two-fold testimony to ALLAH’S seal on the life of our Messiah Isa; ALLAH’S proof on his life by the miracles he performed and the support he received from the Holy Spirit.

But there is a sobering part to this verse which each of us must consider. Even though ALLAH’S proofs are clear and compelling, some of us may be, as the following passage states, “arrogant and disbelieving”.

“And verily We gave unto Moses the Scripture and

We caused a train of messenger to follow after

him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear

proofs (of ALLAH’S Sovereignty), and We supported

him with the Holy Spirit. Is it ever so, that

when there cometh unto you a messenger (from ALLAH)

with that which ye yourselves desire not, ye grow

arrogant, and some ye disbelieve and some ye slay?”

                                                   The Cow 87

Isa is our Bridge. Will we decide to believe? As the Holy Qur’an so briefly, but eloquently reminds us:

“Yet everything will come to a decision.”

                                                         The Moon 3

 

Abu Toma



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