الخميس، 2 مارس 2017
Do not talk for long without remembering Allah
Quest for Paradise وSundas Mehrin.
The Prophet salAllahu 'alayhi wasallam said:
Do not talk for long without remembering Allah, for talking much without remembering Allah is hardness of the heart. The most distant amongst Men from Allah is one with a hardened heart.
-At-Tirmidhi
Difference between Jesus and Moses:
Truth Stands out Clear From Error
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Mathew 5; 21, 22.
Did Muhammad PBUH preach differently from what Jesus preached?
Difference between Jesus and Moses:
If you listened to what Jesus said during his trial you will comprehend what was the mission of Jesus. He was not sent to establish a worldly kingdom like Moses was. The Torah gave the necessary Law and order system to establish peace in the realm of worldly life as well as spiritual life. The fear of God was stressed in it in order to make them accept the Torah. Many prophets were sent for preaching that one should live within the frame work of the Law. In short, the mission of Moses was to establish a worldly kingdom that does not go beyond the borders of the Law, without neglecting the spiritual realm . So in it we find the spiritual instructions to lead a virtuous life pleasing to God by filling the hearts of people with fear of God. In order to materialize the establishment of such a broad project, he had to establish all the Governmental and the law and order mechanisms. Laws of worshiping and sacrificing to God, Civil and criminal laws, judges, arms, system of punishment, laws for slaves captured in wars, laws for disposing off the properties of the enemies captured in wars, etc. were accurately given through Moses.
Jesus sent to a different political situation:
But Jesus was sent to the Children of Israel into a different political situation. During his time, children of Israel did not have their own land or power. They were a special minority community living under the Roman Empire. They who had to pay tribute to Caesar, did not have the authority to carry out the criminal laws of Torah, but could follow rites of worship, and some civil laws according to the tenets of Judaism. They were like the Muslims living under a non-Islamic Govt.
Like the Muslims, the Jews had clear cut guidance for all realms of worldly life and spiritual life. But they, like the Muslims under non Muslim Govt., did not get the freedom to carry out their criminal laws. At the same time they were allowed to follow their religious rites and some of the civil laws like that of the marriage, looking after the mosque, divorce etc. The messiah, the Jews were expecting, was to be a person who would establish an independent nation. But Jesus did not try to make any change to the existing system in Israel. Since the Jews had the Torah of Mosaic Laws, he did not have to say anything about the worldly laws. The chief problem with the Jews of the time was dishonesty. They made a show of following the Mosaic Laws but failed to observe its content according to the divine requirement. The religious leaders who were assigning difficult-to-follow rules for the masses were themselves reluctant to follow it. They were not ignorant as the people of the time of Moses. But they made the Law ineffectual knowingly. Jesus Christ worked against this. He explained the spiritual rationale behind each Law.
Jesus was not sent to remove the Law but to fulfill it:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 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: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Mathew 5; 17- 20
Jesus clarified that the law which is capable of sending a person to heaven should stay until the earth and the heavens pass away, but the Jewish elders who only followed the law in its outward shell, would not enter heaven until they followed it in its essence too.
See how Jesus explained the divine requirement of following the Law:
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Mathew 5; 21, 22.
See Jesus’ clarification of another Law which said love your neighbour and hate your enemies:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” math 5; 43, 44
The Christian brothers misunderstood Islam because of their deficiency in understanding, to whom was the message of Jesus directed.
In debates of Christianity Vs. Islam, a large part the discussion is used for explaining this Law. The question most Christians ask us on the religion is this: Great Jesus asks us to love our enemies and to pray for them. He advises not only, “not to murder”, but also that, “you should not even get angry”. Jesus shows such high values of mercy and love. Quran says that Muhammad was sent by God to follow Jesus. Then why is Muhammad’s attitude towards the enemies so different than that of Jesus? A Christian justly assumes that to evaluate a person after Jesus, the yard stick to be used is Jesus’ teachings. As it is, the Holy Quran and the Hadiths explains many incidents in which prophet Muhammad PBUH made war with the enemies. Let’s examine this teaching of Jesus which causes the Christian brothers to doubt Islam.
Do not murder: Who shouldn’t? And who can?
The law, “do not murder,” is not applicable to all the establishments but only to common people. It does not say that a judge or an army personnel or a ruler who are to enforce the divine Law should not kill. Instead, God of the Bible teaches that, in order to establish justice and peace, murder SHOULD be done. See such laws which says that murder should be done:
“He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.” Exo 21;12- 20
“Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.”. Exo 22;19, 20
“He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.” Exo 21;12- 20
“Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.”. Exo 22;19, 20
“And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.” Lev 20; 10-13.
More over, the Torah explains the approaches that have to be taken while attacking the neighboring countries, approach towards war booties, the different approaches to be taken with the man and woman imprisoned during wars etc. The judges may have to give capital punishment in unavoidable circumstances; army may have to kill infiltrators to the country,
So it is clear that these people are not bound by the Law, “do not murder”. But it is speaking about what the people have to follow between themselves who live in a country which is very systematic. They have to forgive the enemies they make personally in their life. .The Law nowhere says they have to forgive the enemies who come armed.
Jesus is talking about the law within the community only:
So Jesus is talking about this law which was given to the common people. His audience was not judges or military leaders or the others who have to look after the matters of Law and order or other Governmental authorities. Thus, to the people who were told not to murder, he told not to have anger even, and to love each other. This is the essence of the Law (Torah). Here the law “not to murder” is dealing with the boundary of anger. Even if humans do not murder, they living with anger with each other would not be the divine wish. So in the Issue, “not to murder”, the divine wish is to live with forgiveness and love towards each other.
So it is clear that these people are not bound by the Law, “do not murder”. But it is speaking about what the people have to follow between themselves who live in a country which is very systematic. They have to forgive the enemies they make personally in their life. .The Law nowhere says they have to forgive the enemies who come armed.
Jesus is talking about the law within the community only:
So Jesus is talking about this law which was given to the common people. His audience was not judges or military leaders or the others who have to look after the matters of Law and order or other Governmental authorities. Thus, to the people who were told not to murder, he told not to have anger even, and to love each other. This is the essence of the Law (Torah). Here the law “not to murder” is dealing with the boundary of anger. Even if humans do not murder, they living with anger with each other would not be the divine wish. So in the Issue, “not to murder”, the divine wish is to live with forgiveness and love towards each other.
To give an example, in our country also there is the law not to murder. But that is binding on common people only. Our judges and soldiers and executioners are not bound by that law, when they are in their office.
Islam also says, like the Moses’ law, that the common people should live with love and forgiveness for each other. Muhammad pbuh asked to kill only those who are required to be killed in Moses’ law for establishing peace on land. He who is a prophet of mercy, advised, mercy, love and co operation when teaching about inter personal relations in a society.
So when evaluating the greatest prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), compare the worldly laws given by him to the laws given by Moses, and his spiritual advices to the advices of Jesus. If this is done, a truth seeker will realize that all these prophets were sent by the same creator God.
Courtesy:
- Translated from an article written by Isa, Perumbavoor, in Sneha Samvadam magazine dated Aug 2010, with minor editing…
By Zee Net
Imagine
Imagine all these people are waiting to take your Hassanats away from you in judgement day because you backbited them, slandered them or they were subject to your malicious gossip.
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