1: If Jesus's mission was to the lost sheep of Israel, why was it confined to Palestine where only two of the original tribes had settled? Did that mean that Jesus had failed in his mission?
Can anyone answer...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Death on the Cross
Ten Arguments From the Bible
Jesus's Birth
Jesus's Death
o I - Jonah's Sign
o II - Pilate's Wife Sees a Dream
o III - The Roman Governor's Sympathetic Attitude
o IV - Pilate's Scheme to Save Christ
o V - Duration of Crucifixion
o VI - Coming Out of Blood and Water
o VII - No Eye-Witness of Crucifixion
o VIII - Jesus's Mission to the Lost Sheep of Israel
o IX - Jesus's Victory Over His Enemies
o X - His Prayer Was Heard
Jesus' Birth
Strangely enough the three great nations of the world : Jews, Christians and Muslims are at variance with regard, both, to the birth as well as the death of Jesus Christ who was born among the Jews. The Jews declare his birth to be illegitimate and they are guilty of uttering a grievous calumny against Mary, mother of Jesus. They declare him to be unfit to "enter the congregation of the Lord" because of his illegitimate birth (God forbid). The Christians on the other hand believe that Jesus Christ was born without the agency of an earthly father and that he was the son of God Himself.
This shows that both the Jews and the Christians have gone to the opposite extremes as regards Jesus's birth. The Muslims on their part, believe that Jesus, no doubt, was born without agency of an earthly father, but he was not the son of God. A fatherless birth, may be a strange incident but it is not unnatural. There have been cases in medical history where virgins have given birth to babies. The Muslims believe that Jesus was a true prophet of God. His birth, without the agency of man, has nothing to do with his sonship or his divinity. He was human, pure and simple. Jesus invariably calls himself the 'Son of man' in the New Testament.
Jesus' Death
His death is equally a controversial affair with the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims. The Jews believe that Jesus died on the cross because he was a false prophet. In this Connection they quote the Bible.
"And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree" is "the accursed of God".
(Deut.21:22-23).
According to them, Jesus was a false prophct, therefore he died on the cross as the accursed of God. The Christians also believe that Jesus was hanged on the cross and died an accursed death. Says Paul:
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree".
(Galatians 3:13).
But the Holy Quran declares that Christ did not die on the Cross. God saved him from death by crucifixion in the same way as He saved His dear ones from tribulations, Did not Jonah the Prophet come out alive from the belly of the whale? The fact of the matter is that Jesus Christ only fell into a swoon on the Cross, but when he was taken down from it, he recovered then died a natural death at the good old age of 120.
On the strength of their belief that Jesus was a false prophet the Jews, Particularly the Pharisees of his time brought serious political charges against him alleging that he was disloyal to the Roman Emperor, and that he claimed himself to be the King of the Jews. The governor, Pilate was not convinced of his guilt but being influenced by the tumult of the multitude he delivered Jesus to be crucified. They put him on the cross where he remained, at the utmost, for three or four hours only and then was taken down in a swoon and placed in a sepulchre in a garden nearby.
Now in those days it took several days for criminals to die on the cross. They suffered the pangs of hunger and thirst and in most cases their legs were broken. They died a lingering death extending over several days. But it was not so in the case of Jesus Christ. Incidentally, he was put on the Cross on a Friday afternoon. The following being the Sabbath - day a day of religious observance by the Jews - no criminal could remain on the Cross on that Holy day, so he was taken down from it after about three or four hours. The loss of blood from the wounds caused him to fall into a swoon. He was taken for a dead man. His body was placed in a spacious sepulchre in a garden by Joseph of Arimathaea, his own disciple. Jesus being still alive in the sepulchre, left it on the third day in disguise, met his disciples at Galilee and ate with them. His wounds were healed by the application of an ointment especially prepared by his disciples for the purpose.
This is the natural story of Jesus's Crucifixion but the Christians gave a strange version of his death which is not only unnatural but also against historical evidence as well as logic. They believe that Jesus actually died on the Cross but on the third day he rose up to the heavens. What a paradox! What a myth! Modern Christianity rests on the belief that Jesus died on the Cross. But if it is proved that he did not die on the Cross nor did he rise from the dead, then the whole edifice of Christianity tumbles to the ground. Paul, who is the real founder of modern Christianity, himself says:
"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and your faith also vain".
(Corinthians 15:14).
The late Dr. Zwemer, the well-known American missionary says:
"If our belief in the death of Christ on the Cross is wrong then the whole of Christianity is a farce".
I - Jonah's Sign
Now we proceed with our arguments from the Bible itself to show that Jesus did not die on the Cross. We read in the New Testament:
"And when the people were gathered thick together, he (Jesus) began to say, this is an evil generation: they seek a sign: and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man to this generation".
(Luke 11: 29, 30).
Again:
"But he answered and said unto them; an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and there shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth".
(Matthew 12: 39, 40).
Jesus Christ is said here to give a sign to the people of his own time as Jonah, the prophet, had given to the Ninevites? Now what was the sign given by Jonah to the Ninevites? The Bible says:
"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly. And said, l cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest, my voice".
(Jonah 1:17-2; 1,2).
According to this verse is the Bible, Jonah was swallowed up by a big fish where he remained three days and three nights and then came out alive from the belly of the fish. It was a sign given to the Ninevites. Jonah prayed to God for deliverance while in the belly of the fish. The Lord heard his prayer and Jonah came out alive. Jesus says that no sign shall be given to the evil and adulterous generation of his time except that of Jonah. Now what is the resemblance between the two signs of Jonah and Jesus. It is nothing but going alive into the belly of the fish and the heart of the earth and coming out alive. Both Jonah and Jesus cried by reason of their respective afflictions and prayed to their Lord for deliverance. The prayers of both were heard. If Jesus did not enter the heart of the earth (sepulchre) alive, and come out alive, where is the resemblance of the two signs? Jesus promised to show only one sign to the generation of his time, but even if that sign be not proved to be true, is there anything also to prove the truth of his claim to be a prophet? Jesus's reference to the sign of Jonah simply means that he would not die on the cross. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that the swoon theory is not based on a wrong hypothesis.
II - Pilate's Wife Sees a Dream
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"When he (Pilate) was set down on the Judgement seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have you nothing to do with that just man (Jesus): for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him".
(Matthew 27:19).
The lady's dream was really true and quite opportune. It purports to mean that Christ be saved from the accursed death on the Cross. God saves his dear ones by means of dreams of others as was the case with Joseph who was released from jail having interpreted the two dreams of Pharaoh. God wanted to protect Jesus against his enemies, hence the dream of the Roman governor's wife which influenced his judgement.
III - The Roman Governor's Sympathetic Attitude
The Jews presented the case of Jesus Christ to Pilate, the Roman Governor of Palestine. He held a judical inquiry into the case and declared that he was not guilty of the charges brought against him. He said unto them:
"Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things where of ye accuse him".
(Luke 23:14).
"He went out again unto the Jews and said unto them, l find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye, therefore, that l release unto you the King of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas.".
(John 18:38,40).
And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesars friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar".
(John 19:12).
From the references given above, it is evident that the Governor regards Jesus innocent of all the charges brought against him by the Jews, he tries his utmost to release him but when the Jews threatened to report him to the Caesar at Rome he yielded to them and handed Jesus over to them. However, secretly he took measures to see that Jesus should be saved.
IV - Pilate's Scheme to Save Christ
Pilate, the Governor, was thoroughly convinced of the innocence of Jesus Christ, he therefore, had a pre-planned scheme to save Jesus's life. As a responsible official of the Roman Empire he could not openly come to the forefront, but he was the master-mind behind the whole scheme and the chief actor in the drama. Other characters of the show were Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable councillor and disciple of Jesus Christ. He had already had a sepulchre hewn out in a rock garden nearby. Another actor in the drama was a learned Jew named Nicodemus who was also in the know of the whole matter. We read of him in St. John:
"And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pound weight".
(John 19: 39).
It was very clever of Pilate to choose Friday afternoon as the time for Jesus's crucifixion so that he could not rernain on the cross after sunset, the following day being Sabbath, so holy to the Jews. He selected Joseph and Nicodemus as the most trusted friends to execute the pre-arranged scheme. All necessary measures were adopted to bring Jesus to consciousness. Otherwise what did Nicodemus mean by bringing the mixture of myrrh and aloes ? Jesus was shown to have died in official records to pacify the Jews and the Imperial government at Rome. Joseph of Arimathaea boldly asked the Governor to hand over the 'body' of Jesus which request he readily granted. If the plan was not pre-conceived how could the Governor hand over the 'body' of Jesus to a stranger from outside. There is reason to believe that Jesus Christ himself must have been informed of the plan so that his prophecy might come true that as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Nicodemus's meeting with Jesus Christ the previous night brings into lime-light the whole story.
V - Duration of Crucifixion
The duration of crucifixion or the period of time for which Jesus remained on the Cross was not long enough to warrant his death on the Cross. Criminals generally took several days to die a lingering death on the cross on account of the loss of blood from the wounds on hands and feet, the physical pain and the pangs of hunger and thirst. The minimum time of death on the cross ranged between 24 and 28 hours, but in some cases it took several days to die on the cross. In such cases it became necessary to break the legs of the criminals so that death may be hastened and consumated.
Let us now probe into the matter of Jesus's crucifixion. The New Testament tells us that Jesus remained on the cross for a few hours only. The actual duration of time Jesus remained on the cross was not more than three or four hours. Jesus Christ who was in the prime of his youth (33 years) and enjoyed excellent health, could not be expected to have died within so short a time. Especially as his legs were not broken as was done in the case of the two robbers crucified with him on the same day.
It may not be out of place here to note that, according to the Roman calendar the day began with the rising of the sun and ended with its setting. The same custom is in vogue even to this day in Arab countries. According to John (19:14) it was about the sixth hour of the day (Friday) that Pilate spoke last to the Jews vis-a-vis Jesus crucifixion and handed him over to them.
"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, LAMA SABACHTHANI, My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me?"
(Mark 15:33, 34).
This shows that Jesus retained his consciousness up to the ninth hour of the day and then he fell into a swoon, that the New Testament writers call "giving up the ghost".
None of the writers were present on the spot to stand as eye-witness. The 'swoon' was taken to be 'death' and 'death on the cross' means an accursed death. Do we not read in the Bible,
"for he that is hanged is accursed of God". (Deut. 21: 23).
What an audacity on the part of Christians to call a true prophet of God an accursed of God.
VI - Coming Out of Blood and Water
"Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water".
(John 19: 3-234)
The soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus for they took him for a dead man while actually he was in a state of swoon, or just to silence the angry Jews he was declared be a 'dead' man. But one of the soldiers incidentally "pierced his side and forthwith there came out blood and water", which is a surer sign of life for blood and water do not come out of a dead man's body. There is much food for thought here for those who care to ponder over it.
VII - No Eye-Witness of Crucifixion
Three writers of the Gospels state that there was darkness over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour and that there was an earthquake and the rocks were rent and the veil of the temple was rent in twain. It is a matter of common experience at the time of a severe dust-storm accompanied by an earthquake, people generally hasten to go home and they do not enjoy the luxury of a bloody sight-seeing. Now imagine for a moment, who could stand as an eye-witness to tell the story that Jesus actually died on the cross. The Jews, if, at all, there were any on the spot, must have run away at the sight of the rising storm and the shaking of the earth must have frightened them to turn on their heels and hasten to their homes. As to the disciples they had already fled from the scene of the crucifixion.
"Peter began to curse and to swear saying, l know not this man (Jesus) of whom you speak"(Mark 14:50).
"And they forsook him (Jesus) and fled" (Mark 14:71).
To be brief, there was no one present on the scene who could definitely and certainly say that he saw Jesus 'giving up the ghost'. This is all mere conjecture and imagination.
VIII - Jesus's Mission to the Lost Sheep of Israel
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost". (Luke 19:10).
"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd". (John 10:16)
"And he said unto them, l must preach the Kingdom of' God to other cities also; For therefore l am sent". (Luke 4: 43).
"But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of israel". (Matthew 15: 24).
From the quotations given above, it is clear that Jesus's mission was to preach to all the twelve tribes of Israel that were scattered in the eastern countries extending from Palestine to India at the time of Jesus's appearance. Of the twelve tribes of Israel there were at that time, only two tribes in Palestine while the other ten were found scattered in the lands stretching from Palestine to the confines of India. Jesus cannot be said to have been successful in his mission if he does not address and preach to the ten lost sheep of Israel. Jesus's supposed death on the cross at the early age of 33 gives a shattering blow to the mission on which he was sent. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ, after his escape from the cross, did migrate to the East in search of the lost sheep for which there is ample historical evidence and is recently supported by the modern 'finds' of archaeology. Jesus found his lost sheep in Persia, Afghanistan and Kashmir, preached to them and comparatively he was much more successful here than in Palestine. He died a natural death and was buried in Srinagar, Kashmir.
IX - Jesus's Victory Over His Enemies
Addressing his disciples Jesus says :
Before, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"
(John 16:32,33).
Now what does Jesus's victory consist of ? In his death on the cross or in his escape from the cross ? If he died on the cross then the Jews were successful because the very aim of their's was to prove that he was false in calling himself the Messiah. They had in their support the Biblical statement "he that is hanged is an accursed of God" (Deut. 21:23).
But is we believe that he was taken down from the cross alive (in a state of swoon ofcourse) and he entered the heart of the earth alive, then he can rightly be said to have overcome his enemies and frustrated all their evil designs. Jesus says : "For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation".
In other words Jesus said to the Jews that God Almighty would save him from the clutches of death in the same way as He had saved Jonah from the belly of the whale. The similarity between the two incidents can be real and genuine only when Jesus enters the heart of the earth (grave) alive and comes out alive.
X - His Prayer Was Heard
From study of the Bible we learn that God listens to the prayers of his apostles and saves them from trials and tribulations. Says the New Testament:
"The effectual fervent prayer of a religious man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit".
(James 5: 16-18).
Again we read:
"And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said father I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that Thou hast sent me"
(John 11:14, 42).
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what 1 will but what Thou wilt".
(Mark 14:36).
From the quotations given above it is clear that Jesus was terribly afraid of being put to the cross, so he fervently prayed that the bitter cup be taken away from him. Jesus passionately and fervently prayed to God that he might be saved the accursed death on the Cross, how could he then, say that he had overcome the world; in case he died on the Cross, the mission of his whole life would come to naught and wrongdoers could challenge his claim to prophethood. The thought of death on the cross was simply grating upon his soul. Being a righteous prophet he was not afraid of mere death: he was certainly afraid of dying on the cross as such a death could be interpreted to mean an accursed death which was the very negation of his prophetic mission. He:
"In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared".
(Hebrews 5:7).
Hence we must presume that his earnest prayer was, no doubt heard and he miraculously escaped death by crucifixion and lived long enough to preach his mission to the lost sheep of the Israelites in the East.
These arguments prove that the idea of the crucifixion of Christ cannot be justified even from the Biblical point of view. Therefore, it is evident that the present Christian faith based on that erroneous idea, cannot hold ground.
Jesus's Birth
Jesus's Death
o I - Jonah's Sign
o II - Pilate's Wife Sees a Dream
o III - The Roman Governor's Sympathetic Attitude
o IV - Pilate's Scheme to Save Christ
o V - Duration of Crucifixion
o VI - Coming Out of Blood and Water
o VII - No Eye-Witness of Crucifixion
o VIII - Jesus's Mission to the Lost Sheep of Israel
o IX - Jesus's Victory Over His Enemies
o X - His Prayer Was Heard
Jesus' Birth
Strangely enough the three great nations of the world : Jews, Christians and Muslims are at variance with regard, both, to the birth as well as the death of Jesus Christ who was born among the Jews. The Jews declare his birth to be illegitimate and they are guilty of uttering a grievous calumny against Mary, mother of Jesus. They declare him to be unfit to "enter the congregation of the Lord" because of his illegitimate birth (God forbid). The Christians on the other hand believe that Jesus Christ was born without the agency of an earthly father and that he was the son of God Himself.
This shows that both the Jews and the Christians have gone to the opposite extremes as regards Jesus's birth. The Muslims on their part, believe that Jesus, no doubt, was born without agency of an earthly father, but he was not the son of God. A fatherless birth, may be a strange incident but it is not unnatural. There have been cases in medical history where virgins have given birth to babies. The Muslims believe that Jesus was a true prophet of God. His birth, without the agency of man, has nothing to do with his sonship or his divinity. He was human, pure and simple. Jesus invariably calls himself the 'Son of man' in the New Testament.
Jesus' Death
His death is equally a controversial affair with the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims. The Jews believe that Jesus died on the cross because he was a false prophet. In this Connection they quote the Bible.
"And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree" is "the accursed of God".
(Deut.21:22-23).
According to them, Jesus was a false prophct, therefore he died on the cross as the accursed of God. The Christians also believe that Jesus was hanged on the cross and died an accursed death. Says Paul:
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree".
(Galatians 3:13).
But the Holy Quran declares that Christ did not die on the Cross. God saved him from death by crucifixion in the same way as He saved His dear ones from tribulations, Did not Jonah the Prophet come out alive from the belly of the whale? The fact of the matter is that Jesus Christ only fell into a swoon on the Cross, but when he was taken down from it, he recovered then died a natural death at the good old age of 120.
On the strength of their belief that Jesus was a false prophet the Jews, Particularly the Pharisees of his time brought serious political charges against him alleging that he was disloyal to the Roman Emperor, and that he claimed himself to be the King of the Jews. The governor, Pilate was not convinced of his guilt but being influenced by the tumult of the multitude he delivered Jesus to be crucified. They put him on the cross where he remained, at the utmost, for three or four hours only and then was taken down in a swoon and placed in a sepulchre in a garden nearby.
Now in those days it took several days for criminals to die on the cross. They suffered the pangs of hunger and thirst and in most cases their legs were broken. They died a lingering death extending over several days. But it was not so in the case of Jesus Christ. Incidentally, he was put on the Cross on a Friday afternoon. The following being the Sabbath - day a day of religious observance by the Jews - no criminal could remain on the Cross on that Holy day, so he was taken down from it after about three or four hours. The loss of blood from the wounds caused him to fall into a swoon. He was taken for a dead man. His body was placed in a spacious sepulchre in a garden by Joseph of Arimathaea, his own disciple. Jesus being still alive in the sepulchre, left it on the third day in disguise, met his disciples at Galilee and ate with them. His wounds were healed by the application of an ointment especially prepared by his disciples for the purpose.
This is the natural story of Jesus's Crucifixion but the Christians gave a strange version of his death which is not only unnatural but also against historical evidence as well as logic. They believe that Jesus actually died on the Cross but on the third day he rose up to the heavens. What a paradox! What a myth! Modern Christianity rests on the belief that Jesus died on the Cross. But if it is proved that he did not die on the Cross nor did he rise from the dead, then the whole edifice of Christianity tumbles to the ground. Paul, who is the real founder of modern Christianity, himself says:
"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and your faith also vain".
(Corinthians 15:14).
The late Dr. Zwemer, the well-known American missionary says:
"If our belief in the death of Christ on the Cross is wrong then the whole of Christianity is a farce".
I - Jonah's Sign
Now we proceed with our arguments from the Bible itself to show that Jesus did not die on the Cross. We read in the New Testament:
"And when the people were gathered thick together, he (Jesus) began to say, this is an evil generation: they seek a sign: and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet. For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man to this generation".
(Luke 11: 29, 30).
Again:
"But he answered and said unto them; an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and there shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth".
(Matthew 12: 39, 40).
Jesus Christ is said here to give a sign to the people of his own time as Jonah, the prophet, had given to the Ninevites? Now what was the sign given by Jonah to the Ninevites? The Bible says:
"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly. And said, l cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest, my voice".
(Jonah 1:17-2; 1,2).
According to this verse is the Bible, Jonah was swallowed up by a big fish where he remained three days and three nights and then came out alive from the belly of the fish. It was a sign given to the Ninevites. Jonah prayed to God for deliverance while in the belly of the fish. The Lord heard his prayer and Jonah came out alive. Jesus says that no sign shall be given to the evil and adulterous generation of his time except that of Jonah. Now what is the resemblance between the two signs of Jonah and Jesus. It is nothing but going alive into the belly of the fish and the heart of the earth and coming out alive. Both Jonah and Jesus cried by reason of their respective afflictions and prayed to their Lord for deliverance. The prayers of both were heard. If Jesus did not enter the heart of the earth (sepulchre) alive, and come out alive, where is the resemblance of the two signs? Jesus promised to show only one sign to the generation of his time, but even if that sign be not proved to be true, is there anything also to prove the truth of his claim to be a prophet? Jesus's reference to the sign of Jonah simply means that he would not die on the cross. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that the swoon theory is not based on a wrong hypothesis.
II - Pilate's Wife Sees a Dream
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"When he (Pilate) was set down on the Judgement seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have you nothing to do with that just man (Jesus): for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him".
(Matthew 27:19).
The lady's dream was really true and quite opportune. It purports to mean that Christ be saved from the accursed death on the Cross. God saves his dear ones by means of dreams of others as was the case with Joseph who was released from jail having interpreted the two dreams of Pharaoh. God wanted to protect Jesus against his enemies, hence the dream of the Roman governor's wife which influenced his judgement.
III - The Roman Governor's Sympathetic Attitude
The Jews presented the case of Jesus Christ to Pilate, the Roman Governor of Palestine. He held a judical inquiry into the case and declared that he was not guilty of the charges brought against him. He said unto them:
"Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things where of ye accuse him".
(Luke 23:14).
"He went out again unto the Jews and said unto them, l find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye, therefore, that l release unto you the King of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas.".
(John 18:38,40).
And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesars friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar".
(John 19:12).
From the references given above, it is evident that the Governor regards Jesus innocent of all the charges brought against him by the Jews, he tries his utmost to release him but when the Jews threatened to report him to the Caesar at Rome he yielded to them and handed Jesus over to them. However, secretly he took measures to see that Jesus should be saved.
IV - Pilate's Scheme to Save Christ
Pilate, the Governor, was thoroughly convinced of the innocence of Jesus Christ, he therefore, had a pre-planned scheme to save Jesus's life. As a responsible official of the Roman Empire he could not openly come to the forefront, but he was the master-mind behind the whole scheme and the chief actor in the drama. Other characters of the show were Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable councillor and disciple of Jesus Christ. He had already had a sepulchre hewn out in a rock garden nearby. Another actor in the drama was a learned Jew named Nicodemus who was also in the know of the whole matter. We read of him in St. John:
"And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred pound weight".
(John 19: 39).
It was very clever of Pilate to choose Friday afternoon as the time for Jesus's crucifixion so that he could not rernain on the cross after sunset, the following day being Sabbath, so holy to the Jews. He selected Joseph and Nicodemus as the most trusted friends to execute the pre-arranged scheme. All necessary measures were adopted to bring Jesus to consciousness. Otherwise what did Nicodemus mean by bringing the mixture of myrrh and aloes ? Jesus was shown to have died in official records to pacify the Jews and the Imperial government at Rome. Joseph of Arimathaea boldly asked the Governor to hand over the 'body' of Jesus which request he readily granted. If the plan was not pre-conceived how could the Governor hand over the 'body' of Jesus to a stranger from outside. There is reason to believe that Jesus Christ himself must have been informed of the plan so that his prophecy might come true that as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Nicodemus's meeting with Jesus Christ the previous night brings into lime-light the whole story.
V - Duration of Crucifixion
The duration of crucifixion or the period of time for which Jesus remained on the Cross was not long enough to warrant his death on the Cross. Criminals generally took several days to die a lingering death on the cross on account of the loss of blood from the wounds on hands and feet, the physical pain and the pangs of hunger and thirst. The minimum time of death on the cross ranged between 24 and 28 hours, but in some cases it took several days to die on the cross. In such cases it became necessary to break the legs of the criminals so that death may be hastened and consumated.
Let us now probe into the matter of Jesus's crucifixion. The New Testament tells us that Jesus remained on the cross for a few hours only. The actual duration of time Jesus remained on the cross was not more than three or four hours. Jesus Christ who was in the prime of his youth (33 years) and enjoyed excellent health, could not be expected to have died within so short a time. Especially as his legs were not broken as was done in the case of the two robbers crucified with him on the same day.
It may not be out of place here to note that, according to the Roman calendar the day began with the rising of the sun and ended with its setting. The same custom is in vogue even to this day in Arab countries. According to John (19:14) it was about the sixth hour of the day (Friday) that Pilate spoke last to the Jews vis-a-vis Jesus crucifixion and handed him over to them.
"And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, LAMA SABACHTHANI, My God, My God why hast thou forsaken me?"
(Mark 15:33, 34).
This shows that Jesus retained his consciousness up to the ninth hour of the day and then he fell into a swoon, that the New Testament writers call "giving up the ghost".
None of the writers were present on the spot to stand as eye-witness. The 'swoon' was taken to be 'death' and 'death on the cross' means an accursed death. Do we not read in the Bible,
"for he that is hanged is accursed of God". (Deut. 21: 23).
What an audacity on the part of Christians to call a true prophet of God an accursed of God.
VI - Coming Out of Blood and Water
"Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water".
(John 19: 3-234)
The soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus for they took him for a dead man while actually he was in a state of swoon, or just to silence the angry Jews he was declared be a 'dead' man. But one of the soldiers incidentally "pierced his side and forthwith there came out blood and water", which is a surer sign of life for blood and water do not come out of a dead man's body. There is much food for thought here for those who care to ponder over it.
VII - No Eye-Witness of Crucifixion
Three writers of the Gospels state that there was darkness over all the land from the sixth to the ninth hour and that there was an earthquake and the rocks were rent and the veil of the temple was rent in twain. It is a matter of common experience at the time of a severe dust-storm accompanied by an earthquake, people generally hasten to go home and they do not enjoy the luxury of a bloody sight-seeing. Now imagine for a moment, who could stand as an eye-witness to tell the story that Jesus actually died on the cross. The Jews, if, at all, there were any on the spot, must have run away at the sight of the rising storm and the shaking of the earth must have frightened them to turn on their heels and hasten to their homes. As to the disciples they had already fled from the scene of the crucifixion.
"Peter began to curse and to swear saying, l know not this man (Jesus) of whom you speak"(Mark 14:50).
"And they forsook him (Jesus) and fled" (Mark 14:71).
To be brief, there was no one present on the scene who could definitely and certainly say that he saw Jesus 'giving up the ghost'. This is all mere conjecture and imagination.
VIII - Jesus's Mission to the Lost Sheep of Israel
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost". (Luke 19:10).
"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd". (John 10:16)
"And he said unto them, l must preach the Kingdom of' God to other cities also; For therefore l am sent". (Luke 4: 43).
"But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of israel". (Matthew 15: 24).
From the quotations given above, it is clear that Jesus's mission was to preach to all the twelve tribes of Israel that were scattered in the eastern countries extending from Palestine to India at the time of Jesus's appearance. Of the twelve tribes of Israel there were at that time, only two tribes in Palestine while the other ten were found scattered in the lands stretching from Palestine to the confines of India. Jesus cannot be said to have been successful in his mission if he does not address and preach to the ten lost sheep of Israel. Jesus's supposed death on the cross at the early age of 33 gives a shattering blow to the mission on which he was sent. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ, after his escape from the cross, did migrate to the East in search of the lost sheep for which there is ample historical evidence and is recently supported by the modern 'finds' of archaeology. Jesus found his lost sheep in Persia, Afghanistan and Kashmir, preached to them and comparatively he was much more successful here than in Palestine. He died a natural death and was buried in Srinagar, Kashmir.
IX - Jesus's Victory Over His Enemies
Addressing his disciples Jesus says :
Before, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"
(John 16:32,33).
Now what does Jesus's victory consist of ? In his death on the cross or in his escape from the cross ? If he died on the cross then the Jews were successful because the very aim of their's was to prove that he was false in calling himself the Messiah. They had in their support the Biblical statement "he that is hanged is an accursed of God" (Deut. 21:23).
But is we believe that he was taken down from the cross alive (in a state of swoon ofcourse) and he entered the heart of the earth alive, then he can rightly be said to have overcome his enemies and frustrated all their evil designs. Jesus says : "For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation".
In other words Jesus said to the Jews that God Almighty would save him from the clutches of death in the same way as He had saved Jonah from the belly of the whale. The similarity between the two incidents can be real and genuine only when Jesus enters the heart of the earth (grave) alive and comes out alive.
X - His Prayer Was Heard
From study of the Bible we learn that God listens to the prayers of his apostles and saves them from trials and tribulations. Says the New Testament:
"The effectual fervent prayer of a religious man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit".
(James 5: 16-18).
Again we read:
"And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said father I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me. And I knew that Thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that Thou hast sent me"
(John 11:14, 42).
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what 1 will but what Thou wilt".
(Mark 14:36).
From the quotations given above it is clear that Jesus was terribly afraid of being put to the cross, so he fervently prayed that the bitter cup be taken away from him. Jesus passionately and fervently prayed to God that he might be saved the accursed death on the Cross, how could he then, say that he had overcome the world; in case he died on the Cross, the mission of his whole life would come to naught and wrongdoers could challenge his claim to prophethood. The thought of death on the cross was simply grating upon his soul. Being a righteous prophet he was not afraid of mere death: he was certainly afraid of dying on the cross as such a death could be interpreted to mean an accursed death which was the very negation of his prophetic mission. He:
"In the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared".
(Hebrews 5:7).
Hence we must presume that his earnest prayer was, no doubt heard and he miraculously escaped death by crucifixion and lived long enough to preach his mission to the lost sheep of the Israelites in the East.
These arguments prove that the idea of the crucifixion of Christ cannot be justified even from the Biblical point of view. Therefore, it is evident that the present Christian faith based on that erroneous idea, cannot hold ground.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
An Overview
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a religious organization, international in its scope, with branches in over 193 countries in Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. This is the most dynamic denomination of Islam in modern history, with worldwide membership exceeding tens of millions.
The Ahmadiyya Community was established in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) in a small and remote village, Qadian, in the Punjab, India. He claimed to be the expected reformer of the latter days, the Awaited One of the world community of religions (The Mahdi and Messiah). The Community he started is an embodiment of the benevolent message of Islam -- peace, universal brotherhood, and submission to the Will of God -- in its pristine purity. Hadhrat Ahmad proclaimed Islam as the religion of man: "The religion of the people of the right path" (98:6)
With this conviction, the Ahmadiyya Community, within a century, has reached the corners of the Earth. Wherever the Community is established, it endeavors to exert a constructive influence of Islam through social projects, educational institutes, health services, Islamic publications and construction of mosques, despite being bitterly persecuted in some countries. Ahmadi Muslims have earned the distinction of being a law-abiding, peaceful, persevering and benevolent community.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam was created under divine guidance with the objective to rejuvenate Islamic moral and spiritual values. It encourages interfaith dialogue, and diligently defends Islam and tries to correct misunderstandings about Islam in the West. It advocates peace, tolerance, love and understanding among followers of different faiths. It firmly believes in and acts upon the Qur'anic teaching: "There is no compulsion in religion." (2:257) It strongly rejects violence and terrorism in any form and for any reason.
The Community offers a clear presentation of Islamic wisdom, philosophy, morals and spirituality as derived from the Holy Qur'an and the practice (Sunnah) of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). Some Ahmadis', like late Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan (who served as the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan; President of the 17th General Assembly of U.N.O.; President and Judge of the International Court of Justice, at the Hague), and Dr. Abdus Salam (the Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1979), have also been recognized by the world community for their outstanding services and achievements.
After the demise of its founder, the Ahmadiyya Community has been headed by his elected successors -- Khalifas. The present Head of the Movement, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, was elected in 2003. His official title is Khalifatul Massih V.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Unity Of God
Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad
The Review of Religions, November 1992
The following is the gist of the opening address delivered by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam, on July 31, 1992 at the three day annual Convention held at Islamabad, U.K.
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Blessed is He Who has sent down al-Furqan to His servant, that he may be a Warner to all the worlds—
He is to Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And He has taken unto Himself no son, and has no partner in the Kingdom, and He has created everything, and has determined its proper measure.
Yet they have taken beside Him gods, who create nothing but are themselves created, and who have no power to harm or benefit themselves, nor have they any power over death or life or Resurrection. (25:1-4)
After reciting the above passage from the Holy Quran, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad said that he had chosen to speak on the subject of "The Unity of Allah". It was Allah Who had revealed the Al-Furqan (The Discrimination, another name of the Holy Quran) to His servant the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) whom God declared was a Warner for all mankind. The message conveyed by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad the Promised Messiah and Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam, was the same Quranic message preached and expounded by the Holy Prophet of Islam which we have vowed to convey to the whole world.
Allah is the Master and the King. He has no equal or partner and He is the sole Creator of everything in the universe. He has no son or a ssociate. He has determined a measure of everything. It is unfortunate that people have set up other gods besides Him. Allah says in the passage which I recited that their false gods have not only been created but they themselves are unable to create anything. They have no power over life and death.
In the presence of false religions the Unity of God has been revived and re-established. By false religions I mean those which originally taught Unity of God but gradually deviated away from this universal truth and introduced idolatrous beliefs.
Leaders of the world loudly proclaim their solutions for world problems but I say, in the name of God, that they will never be solved with out recognition of the truth of the claims of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the implementation of the teachings of the Holy Quran. There is no value, otherwise, in their claims. The great task of solving the problems of the world is in the hands of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam. There is no one else who can do this work.
In the early history of Islam the Holy Prophet had prayed for the victory of Muslims against their powerful enemy at the battle of Badr. He beseeched Allah for His help saying that if this small band of Muslims be annihilated (God forbid) then there would be no one left to proclaim and worship the Unity of God.
O Ahmadis! O Ahmadis! O the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam! You have been commissioned to discharge this sacred work. If you become negligent then you will be responsible for your own destruction. If you are destroyed then the Unity of Allah will be effaced from the world. I know, however, that God will never permit this to happen for He loves His Unity and it is impossible that He would ever allow His true worshippers to perish. No one can harm you as long as you sing the praises of Allah and declare His Unity. No power on earth can destroy. Recognition of the Unity of God is not only necessary for your salvation but also for the whole of mankind.
Unless the meaning of the Unity of God is properly understood how can you expect to guide others to believe in it? In order to clarify the matter I shall refer to the writings of the Promised Messiah who had a deep insight and knowledge of the matter which he gained from the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) which he presented to the world in a clear way of understanding. He advanced no new teaching on the subject but, as it were, he presented old wine in new bottles. Only when you drink deeply from this wine will you be able to go out into the world and intoxicate people with the belief and understanding of the Unity of God.
It is my belief that the Unity of God was taught by all previous revealed scriptures and that the main aim and desire of God's Prophets has always been to spread this truth. The Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam, explains the subject in more detail than any other scripture, but still the disbelievers insisted on believing what they had been told by their fore-fathers. This is the response which has always been forth by the opponents of all Prophets of God.
What God wants from you and which concerns your salvation is that you should believe in the absolute Unity of God free of all deified associations such as stone idols, celestial bodies or sons etc., otherwise the Declaration of faith: There is none worthy of worship other than Allah is meaningless. You should examine yourselves to find out what kind of inner idols need to be broken.
One of the commonest kinds of idolatory is the worship of oneself. There have been and are such people who make their own ego their god. We should pray to God to overlook our weaknesses which however, is insufficient as long as we do not ask Him for light and guidance. When you will break this idol you will experience the Grace of God. I advise the members of the Community to purify themselves and break into pieces all fake gods because as long as they do not purify themselves they cannot exhibit full faith in the Unity of God.
The Promised Messiah said that if you have full faith in God you should not seek your needs from anyone as God alone possesses all power and provides you with sustenance. If he chooses to give or take anything away from you then none of the great powers of the world can do anything about it. No high level worldly plans or conferences can interfere with the plans of God. It is God only who can help you in times of worldly trials and when your honour is at stake. It is necessary, however, that your love for Him should be exclusive.
The Promised Messiah has explained different aspects of the Unity of God. You should consider everything unreal and non-existent besides Him. That is to say nothing except Him has independent power of its own. Everything is dependent upon God. If He so wishes He could destroy the universe in a moment. Such a firm faith represents pure belief in the Unity of God in Whose love a believer should be lost.
Every Ahmadis should understand the reality of the Unity of God and manifest it in his life otherwise his claim about caring for the welfare of mankind would be meaningless. The Holy Prophet of Islam was so absorbed in his love of God's Unity that the world has not witnessed an equal to it. His opponents described him as being madly in love with his Lord. This is the state of love for God which the Promised Messiah has expounded upon in his writings. It has been related that once the Holy Prophet was speaking about the Unity of God with such feeling and emotion that the stage on which he stood collapsed.
It is asked sometimes why is it that man undergoes so much suffering in the world when God claims that He is Compassionate and Merciful? God's reply is that if man wants Him to be compassionate and merciful to him at all times then he should abstain from injustice. Man himself has created his own suffering by his unjust and wrong actions. Unless man turns to God and recognises His Unity there can be no security for him.
During my recent visit to India I told many prominent figures and officials, collectively and individually, that some people had the mistaken idea that as a representative of the Ahmadiyya Community I had come to seek shelter from persecution in Pakistan. I categorically refuted this suggestion and told them that I am a representative of God Who is the Creator of mankind. You should never think that I am seeking human shelter. My Community and I are in the shelter of God Who has polished us with love for righteousness. As long as you do not accept our divine message of guidance you would not be able to find salvation. I told these leaders and officials that they should rise above politics and that they should try to improve their relationship with Pakistan; and I gave the same message to the leaders of Pakistan. They should not undermine the welfare of mankind.
We are linked with God and the whole world is our homeland. We have been created for the sake of good. Our message is Unite in goodness and righteousness. We should help one another to promote those qualities. I do not care what the Pakistani mullahs say about me. I am answerable to God only and not to them. On the day of Judgement God will be my judge and not the mullahs. I worship only one God, Allah, on Whom I depend. I am only concerned in taking steps which will win the pleasure of God and promote the welfare of mankind. Unfortunately the world today does not understand these practical truths which are the basic teachings of all religions. They all sprout from the fountain of the Unity of God. People do not realize the evil aspects of human activities which have taken command of man. Man suffers on account of his own unjust behaviour and I see this danger spreading throughout the world.
I speak with my heart full of passion when I tell the members of the Community that if they want to save the world they should call mankind to the Unity of God; and in order to fulfil this task they must be prepared to sacrifice everything if need be, even their families, property and lives. It will prove to be of great benefit to them. Concerning the situation facing mankind, the Promised Messiah said:
O Europe, you are not safe and O Asia, you, too, are not immune. And O dwellers of islands, no false gods shall come to your rescue.I see cities falling and settlements laid waste. The One and the Only God kept silent for long. Heinous deeds were done before His eyes and He said nothing. But now He shall reveal His face in majesty and awe. Let him who has ears hear that the time is not far. I have done my best to bring all under the protection of God but it was destined that what was written should come to pass. Truly do I say that the turn of this land too is approaching fast. The times of Noah shall reappear before your eyes and your own eyes will be witnesses to the calamity that overtook the cities of Lot. But God is slow in His wrath. Repent that you may be shown mercy! He who does not fear Him is dead not alive.
This is the spirit and effort required by you in conveying your message to the whole world. Again the Promised Messiah has urged mankind to repent so that they may shown divine mercy. He said that whoever forsakes God is not a man but a worm. He is dead not living. On the other hand he urged everyone to propagate the Unity of God, to show mercy on all, refrain from committing injustice and showing pride, and help in the welfare of mankind. Be kind and patient with those who abuse you.
The Review of Religions, November 1992
The following is the gist of the opening address delivered by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam, on July 31, 1992 at the three day annual Convention held at Islamabad, U.K.
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Blessed is He Who has sent down al-Furqan to His servant, that he may be a Warner to all the worlds—
He is to Whom belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And He has taken unto Himself no son, and has no partner in the Kingdom, and He has created everything, and has determined its proper measure.
Yet they have taken beside Him gods, who create nothing but are themselves created, and who have no power to harm or benefit themselves, nor have they any power over death or life or Resurrection. (25:1-4)
After reciting the above passage from the Holy Quran, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad said that he had chosen to speak on the subject of "The Unity of Allah". It was Allah Who had revealed the Al-Furqan (The Discrimination, another name of the Holy Quran) to His servant the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) whom God declared was a Warner for all mankind. The message conveyed by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad the Promised Messiah and Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam, was the same Quranic message preached and expounded by the Holy Prophet of Islam which we have vowed to convey to the whole world.
Allah is the Master and the King. He has no equal or partner and He is the sole Creator of everything in the universe. He has no son or a ssociate. He has determined a measure of everything. It is unfortunate that people have set up other gods besides Him. Allah says in the passage which I recited that their false gods have not only been created but they themselves are unable to create anything. They have no power over life and death.
In the presence of false religions the Unity of God has been revived and re-established. By false religions I mean those which originally taught Unity of God but gradually deviated away from this universal truth and introduced idolatrous beliefs.
Leaders of the world loudly proclaim their solutions for world problems but I say, in the name of God, that they will never be solved with out recognition of the truth of the claims of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the implementation of the teachings of the Holy Quran. There is no value, otherwise, in their claims. The great task of solving the problems of the world is in the hands of the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam. There is no one else who can do this work.
In the early history of Islam the Holy Prophet had prayed for the victory of Muslims against their powerful enemy at the battle of Badr. He beseeched Allah for His help saying that if this small band of Muslims be annihilated (God forbid) then there would be no one left to proclaim and worship the Unity of God.
O Ahmadis! O Ahmadis! O the Ahmadiyya Community in Islam! You have been commissioned to discharge this sacred work. If you become negligent then you will be responsible for your own destruction. If you are destroyed then the Unity of Allah will be effaced from the world. I know, however, that God will never permit this to happen for He loves His Unity and it is impossible that He would ever allow His true worshippers to perish. No one can harm you as long as you sing the praises of Allah and declare His Unity. No power on earth can destroy. Recognition of the Unity of God is not only necessary for your salvation but also for the whole of mankind.
Unless the meaning of the Unity of God is properly understood how can you expect to guide others to believe in it? In order to clarify the matter I shall refer to the writings of the Promised Messiah who had a deep insight and knowledge of the matter which he gained from the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) which he presented to the world in a clear way of understanding. He advanced no new teaching on the subject but, as it were, he presented old wine in new bottles. Only when you drink deeply from this wine will you be able to go out into the world and intoxicate people with the belief and understanding of the Unity of God.
It is my belief that the Unity of God was taught by all previous revealed scriptures and that the main aim and desire of God's Prophets has always been to spread this truth. The Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Holy Prophet of Islam, explains the subject in more detail than any other scripture, but still the disbelievers insisted on believing what they had been told by their fore-fathers. This is the response which has always been forth by the opponents of all Prophets of God.
What God wants from you and which concerns your salvation is that you should believe in the absolute Unity of God free of all deified associations such as stone idols, celestial bodies or sons etc., otherwise the Declaration of faith: There is none worthy of worship other than Allah is meaningless. You should examine yourselves to find out what kind of inner idols need to be broken.
One of the commonest kinds of idolatory is the worship of oneself. There have been and are such people who make their own ego their god. We should pray to God to overlook our weaknesses which however, is insufficient as long as we do not ask Him for light and guidance. When you will break this idol you will experience the Grace of God. I advise the members of the Community to purify themselves and break into pieces all fake gods because as long as they do not purify themselves they cannot exhibit full faith in the Unity of God.
The Promised Messiah said that if you have full faith in God you should not seek your needs from anyone as God alone possesses all power and provides you with sustenance. If he chooses to give or take anything away from you then none of the great powers of the world can do anything about it. No high level worldly plans or conferences can interfere with the plans of God. It is God only who can help you in times of worldly trials and when your honour is at stake. It is necessary, however, that your love for Him should be exclusive.
The Promised Messiah has explained different aspects of the Unity of God. You should consider everything unreal and non-existent besides Him. That is to say nothing except Him has independent power of its own. Everything is dependent upon God. If He so wishes He could destroy the universe in a moment. Such a firm faith represents pure belief in the Unity of God in Whose love a believer should be lost.
Every Ahmadis should understand the reality of the Unity of God and manifest it in his life otherwise his claim about caring for the welfare of mankind would be meaningless. The Holy Prophet of Islam was so absorbed in his love of God's Unity that the world has not witnessed an equal to it. His opponents described him as being madly in love with his Lord. This is the state of love for God which the Promised Messiah has expounded upon in his writings. It has been related that once the Holy Prophet was speaking about the Unity of God with such feeling and emotion that the stage on which he stood collapsed.
It is asked sometimes why is it that man undergoes so much suffering in the world when God claims that He is Compassionate and Merciful? God's reply is that if man wants Him to be compassionate and merciful to him at all times then he should abstain from injustice. Man himself has created his own suffering by his unjust and wrong actions. Unless man turns to God and recognises His Unity there can be no security for him.
During my recent visit to India I told many prominent figures and officials, collectively and individually, that some people had the mistaken idea that as a representative of the Ahmadiyya Community I had come to seek shelter from persecution in Pakistan. I categorically refuted this suggestion and told them that I am a representative of God Who is the Creator of mankind. You should never think that I am seeking human shelter. My Community and I are in the shelter of God Who has polished us with love for righteousness. As long as you do not accept our divine message of guidance you would not be able to find salvation. I told these leaders and officials that they should rise above politics and that they should try to improve their relationship with Pakistan; and I gave the same message to the leaders of Pakistan. They should not undermine the welfare of mankind.
We are linked with God and the whole world is our homeland. We have been created for the sake of good. Our message is Unite in goodness and righteousness. We should help one another to promote those qualities. I do not care what the Pakistani mullahs say about me. I am answerable to God only and not to them. On the day of Judgement God will be my judge and not the mullahs. I worship only one God, Allah, on Whom I depend. I am only concerned in taking steps which will win the pleasure of God and promote the welfare of mankind. Unfortunately the world today does not understand these practical truths which are the basic teachings of all religions. They all sprout from the fountain of the Unity of God. People do not realize the evil aspects of human activities which have taken command of man. Man suffers on account of his own unjust behaviour and I see this danger spreading throughout the world.
I speak with my heart full of passion when I tell the members of the Community that if they want to save the world they should call mankind to the Unity of God; and in order to fulfil this task they must be prepared to sacrifice everything if need be, even their families, property and lives. It will prove to be of great benefit to them. Concerning the situation facing mankind, the Promised Messiah said:
O Europe, you are not safe and O Asia, you, too, are not immune. And O dwellers of islands, no false gods shall come to your rescue.I see cities falling and settlements laid waste. The One and the Only God kept silent for long. Heinous deeds were done before His eyes and He said nothing. But now He shall reveal His face in majesty and awe. Let him who has ears hear that the time is not far. I have done my best to bring all under the protection of God but it was destined that what was written should come to pass. Truly do I say that the turn of this land too is approaching fast. The times of Noah shall reappear before your eyes and your own eyes will be witnesses to the calamity that overtook the cities of Lot. But God is slow in His wrath. Repent that you may be shown mercy! He who does not fear Him is dead not alive.
This is the spirit and effort required by you in conveying your message to the whole world. Again the Promised Messiah has urged mankind to repent so that they may shown divine mercy. He said that whoever forsakes God is not a man but a worm. He is dead not living. On the other hand he urged everyone to propagate the Unity of God, to show mercy on all, refrain from committing injustice and showing pride, and help in the welfare of mankind. Be kind and patient with those who abuse you.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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