From a distance, you notice his aura, piercing, brilliant and engaging. The choicest Praise and Mercy of Allah be upon him. The Anointed one – Al-Maseeh, Jesus, son of Mary was flesh and blood. Human. The Proclaimed Word of God.
I can picture him, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam – Praise and Mercy of Allah be sent to him, from the detailed descriptions provided about him in our sacred texts.
He is of average height. Not too tall that he stands out in a crowd, nor too short that you notice a disparity between him and others. Gentleness and modesty define his character. When he spoke, the disciples paid heed. The words he chose, of course, where divinely inspired and concurrent to all that they knew.
A flowing head of hair that settle upon his shoulder-blades distinguishing him from others. From a distance, you would mistakenly suppose that his hair was wet and that drops of water were beading off it. They are in fact pearls dropping from his hair whenever he bows his head slightly to acknowledge those who recognize him.
From a young age, really young age, something about him was different to all other male children born into this world – he never cried. Rather, he spoke with intelligent fluency and cognitive wisdom from the moment he entered life.
As his mother, the Pure Virgin, Maryam (Mary -Peace of Allah be upon her), stood in prayer in an inner sanctum of the Jerusalem temple, the angel Jibreel came to her in the form of a man. With unwavering devotion and certainty of faith, she asked in the Name of the Most Merciful, the man to do her any harm. He explained that he was an emissary sent from High Above to bid her glad tidings.
Mary was protected from birth by Allah, in honor of her mother’s supplication and intention to place her unborn child in the service of the All-Mighty. Mary grew up to become the Chosen Woman. She would converse with the angels who would pray to the All-Mighty along with her and bring her gifts from High Above.
“Mary, you will carry a child. A child destined to become a manifest Sign unto humanity.”
“How? When? Why? I have been with no man. How can this be?”
The likeness of the immaculate virginal conception of Jesus by his mother Mary is similar to the initial creation of humanity through Adam. In fact, the creation of Adam is more astounding. Adam, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, was brought into life from clay.
“Be”. – The Word of Allah.
“Be” and it is.
Mary, you are now heavy with the weight of a pure, male child, The WORD of Allah.
Jesus always taught the Word of Allah. Before receiving the Gospel, at a young prepubescent age, Jesus would teach the Torah to the Rabbis he encountered.
Jesus is a blessing wherever he is. Food that was sufficient for 10 would, through Allah’s blessing be provided in honor of Jesus, amplify to feed hundreds, if not thousands. Jesus, Praise and Mercy of Allah be sent to him, with the power given to him by Allah, would mould the shape of a bird out of clay and breathe on it and it would come alive!
Word quickly began to spread that a new teacher had arrived. The Children of Israel were accustomed to Prophets and Messengers. Allah would send a multiplicity of prophets “Peace be upon all of them“ to Bani Israel (The Children of Israel). Zakariya and Yahya (my namesake), more commonly known as John the Baptist along with Jesus and others, all were Prophet’s of the All-Mighty.
All the Prophets and Messengers are brothers through bloodlines that lead back to Abraham and beyond to Noah, peace be upon them all. They all called their respective communities to the same message – unadulterated monotheism. Only the One God is worthy of devotion and worship.
“And in their footsteps We sent Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.
Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel.” (Surah Al-Ma’ida, 46-47)
Mary (Peace be upon her) hid the news and concealed her pregnancy by moving away for the duration of her 9 months. Alone and without guidance from others, the pangs of labor came upon her. Exhausted and without aid, she lamented her condition and wished to have rather never been born. She could sense the enormity of the mission that lay ahead of her. Soon, she would return to her family and people with a child who was without father. Accusations would certainly manifest and callous tongues would wag. To whom does this child belong? How could you shame your family? Were you not the chaste pupil of the Prophet Zakariyyah?
Jesus – Praise and Mercy of Allah be sent to him, would debate the establishment. He would enjoin the good upon them and forbid the evil. All the while, he would preach submission to the Creator. “Come to the Maker and seek His Favour”. He would recite to them the Torah and correct the alterations and corruption that had entered into it. He would speak and live out the Gospel.
The establishment could not tolerate his message or more accurately, they despised the Messenger. They would receive stories, daily, of Jesus – Praise and Mercy of Allah be sent to him, curing the blind through his invocation of the Merciful One. They witnessed the dead being brought back to life by the Will of Allah through Jesus. Nevertheless, their disbelief increased to a palpable level that Jesus could sense.
“’(I, Jesus, have come to you Children of Israel), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me.”
“’It is God who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a way that is straight.’”
When Jesus found disbelief on their part He said: “Who will be My helpers to (the work of) God?” Said the disciples: “We are God’s helpers: We believe in God, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims (those who Submit to God).
“Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed, and we follow the Messenger (Jesus); then write us down among those who bear witness.” (Surah Aali Imran, 49-53)
“(Remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection). “O Jesus, son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I supported you with Ruh ul Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al Hikmah (the power of understanding), the Torah and the Injeel (Gospel); and when you made out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) since you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 110)
Jesus – Praise and Mercy of Allah be sent to him, is ‘Wajeeh’ (worthy of esteem) in this world and the next, ‘Mubarak’ (blessed and a source of benefit for others). These two descriptions establish a man who is sound in his relationship with the Creator and the creation. His mother preceded him in gracious conduct and was honored with his guardianship.
Mary endured the pain of labor and delivered Jesus singularly, but not independently. Allah sent the angels to quench her thirst by establishing a spring of water near her and commanding her to shake a date palm so as to nourish herself and gain strength to face the adversity that was sure follow. As expected, all who encountered her requested an explanation. She pointed to Jesus and said nothing.
“At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms).
They said: “O Mary! truly an amazing thing that you have brought!
“O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!”
But she pointed to the babe.
They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”
He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah:
He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!
Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.”
(Surah Maryam, 27-35)
From that day onwards, Jesus was a marked man. Those who Loved the Al Mighty, loved him and cared for him and absorbed his blessing and teachings. Those who preferred the worldly life and its status opposed Jesus, openly and privately.
Assassination and murder were on the hearts and minds of many. However, Jesus was destined for a greater purpose that was beyond the times he lived in. He would prophesy to his companions of the one who will come as a comfort to the worlds. Some scholars point to:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14-16, 14-17)
As Muslims, we refer to Muhammed – Praise and Mercy of Allah be upon him, as ‘Rahmaatan lill aalamin’ (The Mercy/Comfort to all that Exists).
Jesus was saved by Allah from the hate of those plotting his death.
“(They have incurred divine displeasure): In that they broke their covenant; that they rejected the signs of Allah; that they slew the Messengers in defiance of right; that they said, “Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve Allah’s Word; We need no more)”;- Nay, Allah hath set the seal on their hearts for their blasphemy, and little is it they believe;-
That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge;
That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”;- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:-
Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;-
And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them.” (Surah An-Nisa, 155-159)
So in heaven, awaiting instruction from Allah to return as the heralded Messiah, Jesus, the Son of Mary resides. His mother, conception, birth, speaking in infancy, teaching the Torah in pubescence, receiving the Divine answer to his supplications in the assistance of curing the blind, deaf and leper, his raising the dead, his ascension to heaven and escape from death and his eventual return as the Messiah are all Signs of the All-Mighty’s Power and unchallenged and indivisible Authority.
“Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute”. (Surah Aali Imran, 55)
How can anyone not accept Jesus in their life?
Kindly Share with everyone,
AC Admins.
