Islamic Eschatology - Strategic importance!

[Naif al Hilali]

Salam and thanks bro
I wish it is to be available in the e-book format so that it searchable and indexable ...though I have apps for iPhone but I want a desktop version for MacBook.

Bismillah ir Rahman ar Raheem

Please do "CTRL-F" and enter the English word you are looking for. Works on STDU Viewer on Windows 7 for me.

 

[M. Sarmad]

Bismillah ir Rahman ar Raheem

In case, anybody was interested:

1. The Book of AlFitan (Trials & Tribulations) from Mukhtasir (Summarized) Sahih al Bukhari

2. The Book of AlFitan (Trials & Tribulations) from the full Sahih al Bukhari Vol. 9

When is the Messiah Coming?

THE NEED FOR BELIEF IN THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

(And a reformer, Mehdi)


First of all it is important to note that this belief is not one of the essential articles of faith, which are outlined in the Qur'an (2/177).

Next, it is imperative to realize that Muslims in general are a nation of experts. Every member of the Ummah happens to be a politician, a philosopher, a religious leader, a scholar, a judge or a Mufti (verdict dispenser). Being a member of the Ummah, I am no exception. So I wish to share my expertise on the subject with the open-minded reader.

In my "expert" opinion blind following of tradition and of people is no better than idol worship. This statement by itself is sufficient to draw an adverse verdict from our experts, but I have crossed the boundary lines drawn by mullahs quite a few times with no luck. "Imam" Ghazali advised centuries ago, "Do not consider yourself a significant person unless you have been honored by a verdict of infidelity!"


Before we get the ball rolling there in a RED ALERT. If you are in love with your present dogmas, if the darkness of conjecture is dearer to you than the light of the truth, if you feel safe in the cocoon of preconceived notions and rethinking is likely to disrupt this cocoon, PLEASE STOP HERE. Read something else. Watch TV. Eat a hamburger or go out for a walk. On the other hand, if you wish to let the stark reality gaze at you, PLEASE READ ON and draw your own conclusions.

A large majority of Muslims are heard saying that the advent of the Messiah and the Mehdi has been foretold in the Islamic tradition. BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE NOT READ THESE NARRATIVES. They have only heard them from the mullah screaming in his usual high-pitched, topless stopless voice. Only a senseless mind can ascribe these insults to the holy prophet. Anyone with reason who reads these accounts in the so called Islamic books, will get amazed (or amused) at these contradictory, and ridiculously funny insults. A mind without reason and committed to blind following will, of course take it with a grain of salt. Now, here are some examples:


SOME PASSAGES FROM BOOKS ON HISTORY AND TRADITION

• • The prophet (our salutes to him) said that there shall rise a person from me. His name will be Mohammad, the son of Abdullah and he will fill the earth with equity and justice (Kitabul Mehdi, Abu Dawood volume III).

• • That person's name will be Mehdi (not Mohammad, the son of Abdullah) (Ibid).

• • Hazrat Ali quoted the holy prophet, "A person will emerge from Maawara tan-Nahr. His name will be Harith (neither Mohammad nor Mehdi). A man by the name of Mansoor will walk ahead of him and he will bestow rule to the family of the prophet" (Ibid).

• • The holy prophet gave the glad tiding of Mehdi that he would come in times of chaos and instantly spread equity and justice on earth. He will stay seven, eight or nine years and then no goodness will survive on the planet (Musnad-e-Ahmad).


(How tragic! The final reformer of people comes after centuries of expectation and waiting. His monumental efforts bring about a few years of peace and then there is the instant doom!)



• • Imam Mehdi bin Hassan Askari was born in 255 A.H. (9th century A.D.). He disappeared at age four or five just 10 days before the death of his father. Then he hid in the cave of "Samera" near Baghdad. He took with him the whole Qur'an which had forty parts not thirty and seventeen thousand verses not 6,200. The child Mehdi took with him (nobody knows how) the ancient books of all prophets, the scrolls of Ali, the scrolls of Fatima, the knowledge of "JAFR", miracles of all the prophets; the staff of Moses, the shirt of Adam,
and the ring of Solomon.


Imam Mehdi will come out of the cave before the Dooms Day. He will exhume Abu Bakr and Umar from their graves and bring them to life. In one day and night he will kill them one thousand times and revive them one thousand times. Other traditions include Hazrat Uthman among the victims
(Hablillah vol 6 page 32, Alkafi, Muhaddis Al Jazaeri).


• • Mohammad, the Holy Prophet will be the first one to take the oath of allegiance (do BAIAAT) at the hand of Imam Mehdi (Basair Darajat p:213).

• • Mehdi will bring people to life and send them to paradise and hell (Miratul Anwar p: 68).

• • The hidden Imam Mehdi will bring a new religion and the new book as he comes (Fasl Al-Khitab p:283).

• • Only Mehdi will bring the real Quran. Until then use the available Qur'an. Remember! one who has no "Taqayya" has no religion. (Taqayya means uttering falsehood in order to hide the truth) (Faslul-Khitab, Imam Kalaini, Aljaezari on the alleged authority of Hazrat Ali).

• • The Ahadith of Tirmizi, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, Musnad-e-Ahmed Bin Hanbal, Al-Kafi and numerous other books note differently the period of Mehdi's rule from seven to forty years. Mehdi will fight Gog Magog! To this day it has not been determined who really Gog Magog are. Some far reaching minds suggested in the past that they were the Mongols. Today's bright mullahs think they might be the super powers of this time. In some narratives Gog Magog are shown to be abundantly numerous and intensely foolish but powerful nations. For 3000 years they have had a great wall built around them to keep them from invading other nations.Since then they have been licking the wall all day,until it becomes paper-thin by dusk. That brings a simultaneous sigh of relief from the millions (or billions!) "Let us do the remaining task in the morning", only to find that the wall has grown back to its original, full proportions! This has been happening every day for thousands of years. Gog Magog learn no lesson. But around the end of the world, i.e. during the times of Imam Mehdi they will lick the great wall to extinction and set themselves free. Imagine their numbers. They will dash and fill the earth. They will drink up all the oceans on the globe (and ease their thirst with salt water!). The narrators do not say what would become of the sea life. Mehdi would watch them like a super- bowl spectator. The Qur'an does not speak of Gog Magog in any of these terms.

• • According to some references the monocular Antichrist will appear around this time.

• • After killing Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, one thousand times Imam Mehdi will gather Muslims on the scrolls of Ali and scrolls of Fatima. Mehdi's task will thus be completed. What will happen next? See Tafheemul-Qur'an of Maududi vol IV, explanation of surah Ahzab, addendum. Maududi has
collected quite a few Ahadith from Abu Daud, Mishkat, Muslim, Tirmizi, Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal, Mustadrak Hakim etc. It is not clear why he left out Bukhari.



TAFHEEM-UL-QUR'AN (by Maududi)


• • (In Damascus) Muslims will be lining up for prayers. Takbeer, Aqamat would have been uttered as Jesus the son of Mary will suddenly descend (from thin air) and he will lead the prayers for Muslims (Ref: Mishkat & Muslim).

• • Jesus, the son of Mary will descend. The leader of Muslims (Imam Mehdi) will ask him to lead prayers but Jesus will say, "No, you are leaders unto each other" (Ref: Muslim and Musnad-e- Ahmed).

• • The Imam of Muslims will turn back so that Jesus may advance but Jesus will say, "No, you lead the prayers." So the Imam will lead the prayers. (Incidentally, mullahs world-wide seem to have a burning desire to lead prayers whenever and wherever possible, not realizing its significance.)

(However, these three Ahadith do not clarify as to who will actually lead the prayers. Jesus, Mehdi or some ordinary Muslim.)

• • After ending the prayers with Salaam right and left, Jesus will command that the door of the Masjid be opened. Outside, Dajjal the Antichrist will be present with 70,000 armed Jews. As soon as Jesus looks at him, the Antichrist will start dissolving like salt dissolves in water and he will quicken to flee. Jesus will run after him. (After approx. 30 miles of dash and marathon while the 70,000 watch the greatest foot race ever) Jesus will get the Antichrist at the eastern gate of Lydda (near Tel-Aviv). And ALLAH WILL DEFEAT THE JEWS (Tafheem-ul-Quran p. 160). (Please note that Allah will defeat the Jews).

• • If Jesus left the Dajjal alone the latter will die himself dissolving and melting. But Allah will get him killed at the hands of Jesus. And Jesus will show his blood on his spear to Muslims (show his blood to get some lollipops!).

• • After finishing the prayers Jesus will walk toward the Antichrist with his spear in hand. As soon as the Dajjal sees Jesus the former will start melting like the melting of lead (not like salt dissolving in water). Jesus will kill him with his spear (no marathon this time). (Tafheem-ul-Quran v.IV p.161).

• • Jesus, the son of Marry will descend in the eastern part of Damascus near the white minaret. (The white minaret probably helping the landing). He will be dressed in two yellow shawls and will come down with his hands placed on the arms of two angels. His breath will reach as far as his eyesight and all infidels in the range of his eyesight will succumb instantly (ref. P.158).


THE WESTERN SARCASM

The orientalist Dorcey Williams writes:

"The Messiah of Muslims will descend from the heavens holding on to the wings of two angels. He will start breathing fire like a dragon. He will be attired in two pieces of yellow cloth like a sick weakling. The moment he touches the ground, (In times of rockets, missiles and laser) he would hold his spear and race after the Antichrist for thirty miles. The rest of the world would be watching the drama probably on CNN. At the gate of Lydda the Antichrist will say "Brother Jesus! I am tired. I have had it, please, for God's sake kill me".

Muslim, Tirmizi, Abu Daud and Ibne Majah report in this Hadith that Jesus, the son of Marry will not concern himself with following or leading prayers. While the same books and others also narrate that first of all he will follow or lead prayers. I will urge Jesus not to pull his spear and have some mercy. Let the dissolving melting Dajjal Antichrist vanish in peace."

Williams comments that:

"The Muslims keep and will keep living under the wishful thinking that the Dajjal (Antichrist) will have only 70,000 soldiers in his legion holding only swords in their hands. While Imam Mehdi will be an amused spectator, Jesus the son of Mary will step forward and solve all their (Muslims') problems and get rid of all non-Muslims" (The Return of Jesus p.271-273).


(Note: Some people believe that during those times all technology might vanish, therefore an "Armageddon" of sword and spear is quite possible. But, the same traditions insist that this high drama will take place with science at its fullest glory.)


MORE (FABRICATED) AHADITH

• • Not one of the followers of Dajjal will survive the spear of Jesus (Tafheem vol 4 p 158).
(But, a short while ago all non-believers, infidels had been
killed by Jesus's breath!)

• •(What will the Muslims do when the Messiah's breath kills all infidels in the range of his sight? Probably clap their hands). Allah (not Messiah) will defeat the Jews (ref. Tafheem vol.IV p. 168).

• • Muslims will prevail and break the cross, kill the swine and revoke jizyah (tax) (Ibid p.162).

• •(Sorry, Muslims will not do that) The son of Mary will break the cross and kill the swine (Ibid p.155).

• • Allah (not Jesus) will kill the Dajjal near the incline of Afeeq (Ibid p. 162).

• • (Sorry again, it won't be Allah, rather) the son of Mary will kill the Dajjal at the gate of Lydda (please forgive and forget Afeeq) (Ibid p. 160).

• •The Antichrist will rise among the Jews (Ibid p.165).

• •(No, No, sorry!) without any doubt the Dajjal has to rise amongst you (Muslims) (Ibid p.142).

• • Many books of history and tradition narrate a fabricated Hadith that Umar Farooq (R.A) wanted to kill a man believing him to be the Dajjal. The Holy Prophet stopped him from doing so saying, "If this man is Dajjal you cannot be his killer. Only Jesus, the son of Mary will be the one to kill him."


Readers should note here that in this fabricated Hadith Dajjal is clearly depicted as a man, as is the case in Ahadith noted by Maududi. Any interpretations showing Dajjal or Antichrist as a nation, as a super-natural creature, the railway engine etc. are nothing but shameful apologies of the text.

Once the Muslim deviates from the Qur'an and falls into the swamp of conjecture, he finds it difficult to get out. Irrational and apologetic explanations bury him even deeper.

Maududi, the most "authoritative" and popular Islamic scholar of the mid 20th century writes on page 165 of Tafheem vol.4:

"The literature of Jews is loaded with sweet dreams about the promised one. They have been living in this utopia for the last many centuries."

Paradoxically, was Mr. Maududi not a victim of this sweet dream till the end of his life? How about other mullahs and their blind followers?

All the above mentioned lines and paragraphs of Maududi's Tafheem have been taken from addendum to the explanation of the surah "Ahzab" vol:4 Urdu (Maktaba Taameere Insaniat, Lahore). The writer (Maududi) has selected these Ahadith from, Abu Daud, Muslim, Tirmizi, Masnade Ahmed, Mishkat, Hakim etc. Now watch a beautiful confession on page 163. Maududi unwillingly reveals the truth:

"The belief in the promise one is founded on nothing but Ahadith." (It is nowhere seen in the Qur'an)


Everyone seems to be waiting

Wider than the confession of Maududi is the fact that the dogma of a promised one is found almost in every religion of the world. When the Messiah of the Jews comes he will bestow upon them the everlasting kingdom. When the Messiah of the Christians shows up again, mankind will unite under Christendom. Likewise when the Meeta, Buddha II arrives he will erase all religions and turn every human being into a Mahatma. The Mithra of Zoroastrians will herald the return of the lost Maggian glory for his followers. The "Kalki Avtaar" will revive Hinduism to total victory. The Tri-Thanker of Jainism will unify all human beings on earth into his religion. Then all people will become Bugs Bunnies eating plants only. It is amazing to note that even some ancient tribes of Africa and the
Americas charm themselves with this "redeemer" concept.

Let's conceive for a moment that dozens of promised ones have appeared in the world for a final round. Trying to prevail over one another ! Violence, commotion, social disorder, blood shed, total chaos as far as our imagination can take us.


MIRZA GHULAM AHMED (1830's to 1908)


The most interesting claim was made by Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian around 1900 A.D that he was the Mehdi and the Messiah (two in one).

Step One:

First he relates that God made him Mary. Then God exercised his power of manhood (i.e. performed the male sexual act on Mary Mirza). Mirza as Mary became pregnant. Then Jesus was born. Mary disappeared and now Mirza Ghulam Ahmed is Jesus, the son of Mary (Ref: Islamic Sacrifie by Qazi Yar Mohammad Qadiyani).


Read and enjoy again before going to the next step; How Mirza became Mehdi!


Mirza Ghulam writes in his book (Shahadat-ul-Qur'an p.61).

Step Two:

"It is written in the Bukhari (collection of Ahadith) that a voice will announce from the heavens. This Mirza is Mehdi, the caliph of Allah."

Tragic for Mirza that there is no such thing remotely mentioned in the Bukhari. And Mirza was the sole figure to be blessed with that voice!

Mirza Ji went onto claim that he was all in one i.e. the Holy Prophet, Mehdi, Jesus, Krishna plus the promised one of all religions. Countless people have claimed to be the promised one, the Mehdi or the Messiah in the last many centuries. It is a strange paradox that people keep waiting and waiting intently for someone to come. But as soon as some priest, monk, mullah, sufi, yogi, mystic makes the claim, they raise furor against him. They even attempt to kill him!


THE PROBLEM

The real problem with the dogma of a promised one is that it serves as an opium for nations. It snatches from them the will to strive and struggle. Well, someone will come to solve their problems and raise them to glory. The situation is quite understandable as far as other religions are concerned because they do not have "Al-Qur'an" the Criterion between the right and the wrong. But it is strange that Muslims who regard the Qur'an as their own book, keep groping in the dark. We will see shortly that the final Word of God very clearly rules out the coming of anotherpromised one after Prophet Mohammad (our salutes to him). We have documented that Maududi in his Tafheem vol. 4 pg. 163 admits that there is no place for this utopian dogma in the Qur'an.



SIR SYED AHMED KHAN (1817 to 1898)

JESUS WAS NEVER RAISED TO HEAVEN.

That great wizard of a genius was a commentator of the Qur'an par excellence. Follow his pen,

"Our (Muslim) commentators of the Qur'an have blindly followed the Christian traditions to concoct such Ahadith. These so-called experts have assigned totally erroneous meaning to "Rafaa" or the raising of the prophets Jesus (3:55) and Enoch (19:56). The Qur'an absolutely does not portray the raising of these prophets bodily up into the heavens. It describes raising them in honor. The prophecies of the coming of Mehdi and Messiah have been introduced into our history by non-Muslims. The Qur'an is absolutely free of these ridiculous statements. (Ref. Tafseer vol.I part 7 pg 123 and vol 2 several pages).



DR SIR ALLAMA MUHAMMAD IQBAL (1877 to 1938)


The most outstanding exponent of the Qur'an, Sir Iqbal does not subscribe to the view of ascension of Jesus up into the heavens or to his second coming. Nor does Sir Iqbal see Mehdi as a specific person.


You O' preacher, have placed God on top of the heavens.
(Didn't you think) what kind of God He would be
that shies away from his servants!

See another example:

"Who is the Mehdi, who is the leader of the last period?
The one whose self wakes up, one who recognizes the human potential.
He is Mehdi and he is the promise one of the latter times."


And another:

Look at the revelation of God on the minaret of your heart
And stop waiting for the advent of Mehdi and Jesus



In his English writings against the Qadianis, Sir Iqbal thrashed the dogma of a promised one as a Maggian and a Jewish heritage.


Abulkalam Azad And Ubaidullah Sindhi


These two noted scholars of the twentieth century in their respective explanations of the Qur'an very forcefully and convincingly dismiss the notion of the advent of a Messiah or Mehdi (Ref Tarjamanul Qur'an Urdu and Ilhamur Rahman Arabic; commentary on surah 3:55).



MUFTI SHEIKH MUHAMMAD ABDUH (1849 to 1906)


The celebrated scholar of Islam, Mohammad Sheikh Abduh of Egypt maintains that the stories of a living Jesus in the heavens and his second coming were inserted into our Ahadith centuries ago by Christian scholars so that Christianity may seem to be superior to Islam.




JAMAL-UDDIN AFGHANI (1830 to 1899)


This great torch bearer of Muslim unity said, "My intensive research in the Qur'an, Hadith and history has taught me that any human being who tries to save the planet and make it a better place to live is the Mehdi and the Messiah in his own right."



THE TRUMP CARD

Dear reader, Muslims, the so called custodians of the Qur'an are facing a strange dilemma. North or South, East or West, the Christian missionaries are asking a few simple questions to Muslims especially the youth. A sample of that

Q.A. session goes likes this:

"Well, dear Muslim friend! you believe that Jesus is sitting in the company of God in the heavens."
You also believe that in the final times he will come again.

Now just think who is more glorious? Jesus who is living in the heaven or Muhammad who is burried in dust.

Is that Messiah greater who will come and bring order to the earth or that Muhammad who will wake up when the bugles are blowing only to find Moses alert and oriented and standing holding the thrown of God! (Moses holding the thrown, this statement has been interjected into our Ahadith
obviously by Jewish historians).

The unsuspecting Muslim easily falls into this trap because the religious school and the mullah have taught him exactly this nonsense. Hardly any sufi, mullah, or maulvi advises the Muslims to turn to the Qur'an. The Muslim does not study the Qur'an and Ahadith himself. He only listens to the maulvi.

He has been entangled into the cobweb of stories, legends, and mythology. According to Sir. Iqbal much of our tradition consists of Israelite history, traditions and sayings


ABANDONING THE QUR'AN

Now let the Qur'an keep saying O' people! listen carefully, the Laws of Allah do not change. Bodily ascension is not the Law of God. Allah has not given immortality to anyone. The messengers before Muhammad have all passed away. Jesus was a prophet like other prophets who used to eat and drink. Let the Qur'an remind again and again that religion has been perfected. The last prophet
has come and gone. The Book of Allah has preserved all rules and laws of religion. All the teachings necessary for mankind have been compiled in this book for all and for ever. Therefore, there is absolutely no need for a Mehdi and Messiah to come. Let the Qur'an declare that all prophets were mortal human beings. Then let it affirm that the dead do not return to this world (23:100, 23:107) and let the Qur'an scream whatever and however, the Muslim places peacock feathers and rose petals between its sacred leaves and squeezes the book shut in reverence with silk covers and binders then places it on the highest and the remotest place in the closet.


Result: The Muslim wants to live and die believing that "Imam Mehdi" will come out of the historically mysterious cave near Baghdad in Samera or Sura Mann Rye. (Wish he had come out during the 1990 Gulf war to defend Muslims).He will head straight for Medina, will exhume and revive Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman (the first three rightly guided caliphs of Islam). He would then kill them with one swipe of his sword. He will do this 1000 times in 24 hours more that 40 times an hour, about once a minute. Revive them kill them revive them kill them!

The historical narratives and Ahadith literature is unclear whether Mehdi will still be a 5 year old child, a youth, a 40 years old mature person or whether he would be 11-1200 year old at the time of his peak performance!

Anyhow the current "fake" Qur'an will be pulled by God up into the heavens probably angels fishing it up with millions of fishlines.



IMAGINE!

Jesus the Messiah will, without seeking permission from the Father descend from the heaven near the white minaret of Damascus in the manner of a sick man being supported by two angels. Medium height, two yellow shawls, white blonde fellow with blue eyes, curly hair as if drenched in water, a short spear in his right hand. In times of nuclear, hydrogen, neutron bombs and laser technology a battle of spear and 70,000 swords will take place. Dajjal (the Antichrist) runs away or not, melts down or not, the Messiah will plunge his spear into his chest. Then (most important) the Messiah will show to Muslims the Dajjal's blood shining on his spear (probably to get a good round of applause and a lollipop). Now suddenly rocks and trees will start yelling, "O' Muslim! O' Abullah! O'Abdur Rahman! here, behind me is hiding a Jew-----come here, kill him. Before the blink of an eye all 70,000 Jews will be slain! The rest of the millions will probably watch the superbowl.

Then Jesus breaks the cross (which will be provided to him graciously perhaps by the pope) and kills the swine (gifted to him probably by the chief priest of Damascus). Lo and behold! Two billion Christians in the world will suddenly embrace Islam.

Here the narrators breathe a sigh of relief but only for a moment. Breaking of the cross and killing of the swine has been interpreted by the so called scholars with frank apologies. For, example, Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian writes that breaking of the cross signifies the end of Christianity. And that he has done it. On the contrary during his life and after his demise in 1908, Christianity beat up the Muslims quite thoroughly and convincingly. A quick glance at the First World War will suffice to elaborate that point.

Killing of the swine is interpreted as restoration of the Law of Moses. But, didn't Jesus this time come as a follower of Muhammad? (our salutes to them).



THE DROP SCENE

Ironically the conclusion of the thrilling story is very tragic. Like the story itself the drop scene has been fabricated and concocted by our "able" historians, narrators and commentators and filled in by non-Muslim "experts". Think about it ------

The five to six billion years old planet, inhabited by Homo sapiens for a million years. Human civilization for ten thousand years, numerous prophets and reformers, wars and battles, the pursuit of peace, fall rise and decline of human civilization, political and social turmoil, ups and downs. Finally the advent of the last messenger Mohammad (our salutes to him), gradual evolution of the human culture. Billions of men and women in fourteen centuries pass away waiting for the establishment of the Divine kingdom on earth. What was not accomplished in centuries is done with a stroke of magic by Mehdi and Messiah. They kill all Jews, convert all Christians and pat the back of Muslims. The whole scenario changes. What a lovely scenario! A paradise on earth. Peace, prosperity and wellness.

Tiger and lamb drinking water from the same fountain. No more injustice. Men become angels and women became "hoories" (heavenly creatures). But for some obscure reason the God of our narrators hates the happy change. He was sitting in the skies on His royal thrown. He summoned the angel of winds. "O, angel of wind and rain! I hate the tranquility and prosperity of the planet earth. The happiness of its inhabitants is sorrow to me. Turn about your feet. Quick! go back. Blow noxious wind all over the planet. But watch, formulate this wind with a very clever technique. It should be such that my believing servants fall dead as soon as they take their first breath. Then I will send the angels of the Day of Dooms. Every thing will fall apart. Earthquakes, cyclones, fires, and floods will have their day out. Mountains will blow up like cotton shreds. The sun will come down the distance of 1 1/4 spears from the earth. My dear angel, I intend to bring this horrible torment upon those men and women who are the slaves of the Satan, not mine.

Our great scholar and historian writes that the Dooms Day will befall the infidels. He has forgotten that previously he wrote that all Jews of the world would be perished. All Christians will become Muslims. Muslims will remain untouched by the "blessing of the Kalema." No non-Muslim will survive the great calamity. Now he changes his mind and states that the Qiamat, the apocalypse
will befall the believers!

PLEASE REMEMBER

That a living Jesus and his second coming are absolutely non- Quranic. Therefore it is not one of the five article of faith (2:177). Maududi is absolutely right that this dogma is entirely based on Ahadith and it is not found in the Quran. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Jamaluddin Afghani, Mufti Muhammad Abduh, Allama Iqbal, Allama Muhammad Asad (The greatest German exponent of the
Qur'an) Ahmed Deedat, Imam Vehbi Ismael, Mujtahid Imam Al-Husseini, and Maurice Buccaile, Allama Inayatullah Mashriqi, Abul Kalam Azad, Ubaidullah Sindhi, Allama Tamanna Imadi, and numerous other scholars reject this story as fabrication or interpolation. These great scholars maintain that only those Ahadith should be accepted that agree with the Quran. They are infact obeying the Holy Prophet.

The Prophet (our salutes to him) said that quotations recited in his holy name must be checked against the Qur'an. The author of this booklet remembers thousands of Ahadith by heart and those Ahadith which stand up to the criterion of the Qur'an are extremely dear to him.

Now it is up to the reader whether to accept the Quran or keep these fabricated stories close to the heart ......

"When it is said to them, Follow the Book of God they say No, we will follow the path of our ancestors" (Al-Qur'an 2:170).






Excerpts from "When is the Messiah coming ?" ... About the author (Dr. Shabbir Ahmed)

In the last few years, Dr. Shabbir Ahmed has emerged as one of the foremost Islamic scholars in the world. He is also considered by many as the best contemporary writer of Urdu. I, and many others, regard Dr. Ahmed as the most eloquent spokesperson of Allama-Iqbal as well. Read any of Dr. Ahmed's books and you will probably agree with these statements.

A man of true knowledge, Dr. Shabbir Ahmed writes with confidence, honesty, boldness, clarity, and humor. His grasp of the subject under discussion is awesome and the documentation is superb. Once you start reading his book it is difficult to put down because it is so interesting and when you finish, it is difficult to disagree because he is so convincing.

The advent of the Messiah (and Mehdi), and the appearance of the Antichrist (Dajjal) and Gog Magog (Yajooj Majooj), have captured the imagination of billions of people for centuries. Almost every nation and every religion has looked forward to welcoming the SAVIOR. People have their own versions of the catastrophic events of the "Armageddon". It is easy to understand that any
nation in her period of decline will be more prone to believe in a "promised one". Muslims today are showing the best example of this phenomenon.

In this booklet Dr. Ahmed has collected some of the most important traditions and made objective observations about them.

This work highlights the fabricated accounts introduced into the Islamic history and helps readers discern the truth.

Dr. Javed Iqbal

 

[TMA]

!!Gog and Magog empowered the Ottomans!!

The Soviets created Ukraine and gave Crimea to Ukraine away from Russia.

 

[messiach]

!!Gog and Magog empowered the Ottomans!!

The Soviets created Ukraine and gave Crimea to Ukraine away from Russia.

This is really interesting stuff TMA. This man looks very knowledgable. This must have strategic and military importance for us all incld. armed forces. He should be invited for a frank discussion. Who is he?

 

[TMA]

This is really interesting stuff TMA. This man looks very knowledgable. This must have strategic and military importance for us all incld. armed forces. He should be invited for a frank discussion. Who is he?

http://www.imranhosein.org/about-imran-n-hosein.html

That is why I posted information on Islamic Eschatology as I deem it to be of the utmost strategic importance.
Hence why I say that Pakistan should move closer to Russia (and it seems this is happening).

Go to https://www.youtube.com/user/SheikhImranHosein/videos

Watch them. Read his books. You will then realize what a knowlegdable man is...and more.

 

[messiach]

This fellow should be invited for a live Q&A session. We should be able to assess him fully. What he is saying is radically significant with military & strategic implications.

http://www.imranhosein.org/about-imran-n-hosein.html

That is why I posted information on Islamic Eschatology as I deem it to be of the utmost strategic importance.
Hence why I say that Pakistan should move closer to Russia (and it seems this is happening).

Go to https://www.youtube.com/user/SheikhImranHosein/videos

Watch them. Read his books. You will then realize what a knowlegdable man is...and more.

 

[TMA]

This fellow should be invited for a live Q&A session. We should be able to assess him fully. What he is saying is radically significant with military & strategic implications.

Invite him where? He does not attend NATO countries.

Perhaps via a video link?

 

[Azadkashmir]

alot of people are subscribing to him now since they realizing now geo-political events.

 

[Clutch]

Invite him where? He does not attend NATO countries.

Perhaps via a video link?

Sheikh imran Husein is a one trick pony... be wary of so called sheikhs who one dwell on a single subject.

He has devolved into a pro-russian fanatic. Be wary of fanaticism.

Every end time prediction for sheikh imran Husein is about the current times we live in.... He will change the hadith to fit his theories and disregards others that don't fit his theories.. False messenger.

I have followed him since 2001....for over 15 years... when most of you were in diapers

 

[TMA]

Sheikh imran Husein is a one trick pony... be wary of so called sheikhs who one dwell on a single subject.

He has devolved into a pro-russian fanatic. Be wary of fanaticism.

Every end time prediction for sheikh imran Husein is about the current times we live in.... He will change the hadith to fit his theories and disregards others that don't fit his theories.. False messenger.

I have followed him since 2001....for over 15 years... when most of you were in diapers

Can you give examples of him changing hadith?

Should we be wary of other experts who dwell on a single subject? (I think most experts are experts in a single subject or at most two, where I work we have to specialize in one discipline or at max two, so using your argument I should be wary of my teachers?)
(By the way Eschatology incorporates and integrates a lot.)

Why do you say he is a fanatic?

"I have followed him since 2001....for over 15 years... when most of you were in diapers".
Rubbish argument...try better.

alot of people are subscribing to him now since they realizing now geo-political events.

When he first started on this subject neigh on twenty years ago, people called him crazy.

 

[Azadkashmir]

Can you give examples of him changing hadith?

Should we be wary of other experts who dwell on a single subject? (I think most experts are experts in a single subject or at most two, where I work we have to specialize in one discipline or at max two, so using your argument I should be wary of my teachers?)
(By the way Eschatology incorporates and integrates a lot.)

Why do you say he is a fanatic?

"I have followed him since 2001....for over 15 years... when most of you were in diapers".
Rubbish argument...try better.


When he first started on this subject neigh on twenty years ago, people called him crazy.

i know he calls it, in the wilderness.

 

[TMA]

http://thesaker.is/meeting-with-the-saker-in-beautiful-tobago/

Meeting with the Saker in beautiful Tobago

by Imran N. Hosein

"I have just spent 10 exciting days with my Russian friend, ‘The Saker’, in the enchantingly beautiful Caribbean island of Tobago. I was born in the island of Trinidad where I now live, and Tobago is located just next to Trinidad in the South Caribbean Sea close to Venezuela:

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/central_america_map2.htm

This was the first time that I ever met with ‘Saker’, and I am happy to report that I succeeded in persuading him to come out in the open with his true identity, while putting his trust in the One God. As a consequence, his identity is now public. He is Andrei Raevsky, but he will continue to use his nom de plume of Saker. If you visit his website: http://thesaker.is/sakers-open-letter-to-the-saker-community/ you will even see his photograph. Those who are not familiar with him will get to know him if they visit his website.

I also got him to agree to record a joint video with me in which I interviewed him for half of an hour, so viewers will soon be able to see us together in that interview in Tobago. It will be placed on my website at www.imranhosein.org as well as my You-tube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/SheikhImranHosein

We were joined in Tobago by my Serbian friend, the US-trained Attorney, Stefan Karganovic, and by his friend, a Serbian Neurosurgeon. I got to know Stefan a few years ago through the Saker, and we corresponded with each other by email before I travelled to Belgrade in 2015 to meet with him and so many others in what must be recorded as a blessed visit to that historic city. It was a dream come true for me to welcome my friend Stefan to beautiful Tobago.

Stefan has just completed the Serbian/Bosnian translation of my book on ‘Methodology for Study of the Qur’an’, and Prof Branko Rakic of the Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade has written a long Foreword for the book. It will soon be published in a new edition with Prof Branko Rakic’s Foreword Insha Allah.

Both Saker’s wife, Ana, and my wife, Aisha, were also with us in Tobago.

I took them for an all-day tour all around the island of Tobago – driving from one end of the island to the other, while passing through Roxborough and Speyside where we stopped for lunch at a beachside restaurant with an absolutely stunning view of the Speyside Bay, until we reached the town of Charlottesville located at the other end of the island. Here are some pictures of Speyside Bay and Charlotteville:

https://www.google.tt/search?q=parlatuvier+bay+pictures+tobago&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwji4_zCgozTAhUESiYKHSBTDQgQ7AkIJA&biw=1163&bih=545&dpr=1.65#tbm=isch&q=speyside++bay+pictures+tobago&*

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g1463485-Charlotteville_Tobago_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html

We then drove through the rain-forest from the eastern side of the island across to the western side, got stuck in soft mud at the side of the road, and eventually found a rest-shed where we could enjoy our desert – which, inevitably, was pineapple.

Perhaps the most beautiful sight of all was when we looked down at the Parlatuvier Bay (otherwise known as Englishman’s Bay) from high up a hill. My guests were all absolutely amazed by the stunning natural beauty of Parlatuvier Bay. Here are some pictures of the Bay: https://www.google.tt/search?q=parl...ESiYKHSBTDQgQ7AkIJA&biw=1163&bih=545&dpr=1.65.

We also made the trip by boat to Tobago’s Nylon Pool as well as to the archipelago known as No Man’s Land.

https://www.google.tt/search?q=toba...W0hozTAhUGKCYKHYMbCd4Q7AkINA&biw=1163&bih=545

https://www.google.tt/search?q=toba...HehozTAhXqr1QKHXd9B3EQ7AkIMg&biw=1163&bih=545

Captain Phillips, who piloted our boat, assured my guests that whoever took a bath in the Nylon Pool would emerge looking ten years younger. Not only did they all look ten years younger at the end of their visit to Tobago, but Stefan eventually looked quite red. He spent endless hours enjoying himself swimming in the blue/green Caribbean Sea. I do not know why the native people who lived in what is now known as America, were called ‘Red’ Indians, but I am satisfied that Stefan should enter history as the first ever ‘Red’ Serbian who was authentically ‘red’.

Since it was the Christian time of Lent, when Christians have certain dietary restrictions, we bought lots of fresh fish at the Lambeau Fish Market, and took turns in cooking. I had my turn twice, and I was fortunate to escape, despite my somewhat unconventional menus, without any culinary disaster. I took lots of pineapples and two large watermelons to Tobago from Trinidad, and was very relieved when they turned out to be quite sweet. Indeed we ate pineapples so often that some of my guests may even have had dreams of sweet pineapples. I also took a local Indian bread called Dhalpouri Roti. It is soft, round in shape, and large enough for two people to eat one of them. The flour is mixed with yellow lentil called Dhall, which makes it very delicious indeed. My guests loved it.

Despite the time spent in cooking, touring, and bathing in the blue/green Caribbean Sea, we still found time for all four of my Orthodox Christian guests to visit Tobago’s Masjid al-Taubah to attend the congregational prayers known as Salaat al-Jumu’ah. The Imam invited me to deliver the Khutbah (i.e., sermon) and to lead the prayer, and I delivered a Khutbah on Christian-Muslim relations which was based on verses of the Qur’an. Saker responded to the sermon with a declaration that he wanted all of Russia to be able to hear it, and Stefan had the same wish for all of the Balkans.

My sermon was based on verses of the Qur’an which explicitly affirmed faith in some Christians:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

“You (Muslims) are an excellent community evolved (by divine wisdom) for the sake of mankind, (provided that you) enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and you have faith in Allah. If only the People of the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians) had faith (in Muhammad as a Prophet of the One God and in the latest Book, i.e., the Qur’ān, as His revealed Word), it would have been beneficial for them: amongst them there are those who have faith, but most of (the rest of them) are perverted transgressors.”

(Qur’ān, Ale ‘Imran, 3:110)

In consequence of the above unambiguous declaration by Allah Most High in which He affirmed that amongst the Christians and Jews (i.e., the People who have the Book of Allah as we, Muslims, also have the Book of Allah) there are those who have ‘faith’, while most of them are sinful in conduct, it became necessary for Muslims to make an effort to identify and demarcate the two groups, i.e., those Christians and Jews who act in a manner consistent with a people who have ‘faith’, and those whose conduct is manifestly sinful. A people who have ‘faith’ would not harbor feelings of hatred in their hearts for the believers in Allah Most High. Nor would a people who have ‘faith’ become friends and allies of those whose hearts are filled with hatred for Muslims.

I quoted the verse of the Qur’ān which explicitly identified Jews to be a people whose hearts will display great hatred for Islam and Muslims. While some Jews did not act in this way towards Muslims, most Jews did so. This was manifest in the life-time of Nabī Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and has once again manifested itself in the modern age in the conduct of Zionist Jews:

لَتَجِدَنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَدَاوَةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُواْ وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِينَ قَالُوَاْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ

“Strongest among men in enmity to the believers will you find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers will you find those who (openly and publicly) declare, “We are Christians”: because amongst them are priests (who devote their lives to teaching and administering religious rites) and men who have embraced monasticism (and have hence renounced the world), and they are not arrogant.”

(Qur’ān, al-Māidah, 5:82)

Not only did the Qur’ān identify in the above verse the community of Jews as the People of the Book who are without faith, but it also went on to identify those (amongst the People of the Book) who display love and affection for Muslims – and hence display an important sign of faith. They are a people who declare of themselves that: “We are Christians”.

Christians who displayed love and affection for Islam and for Muslims, did appear in early Islam when the Negus of Abyssinia (i.e., modern-day Ethiopia) rejected the request of Makkah to repatriate the Muslims (who were slaves or semi-slaves) who had fled from persecution and oppression in Makkah, and had sought asylum in Abyssinia. Indeed, when the Negus died, and the news of his death reached Nabī Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in Madīna, he performed the funeral prayer for him, thus recognizing him as a Christian who had faith in Allah Most High despite some of his Christian beliefs with which the Qur’an had taken issue.

There is absolutely no evidence that the Negus had renounced his belief in Jesus as the son of God, or that he had ceased to worship Jesus as God, prior to his death; nor do we have any such evidence from the community of Christians of whom he was the leader. When there is no such evidence from these two primary sources, dubious evidence from self-serving secondary sources is of no scholarly value. Yet the Prophet offered the funeral prayer for the Negus who was a Christian.

I argued in my sermon that such Christians who will be closest in love and affection for Islam and Muslims will once again emerge in the historical process in a time-frame that will match the contemporary emergence of Zionist Jews who have displayed unprecedented hatred for Islam and Muslims. That hatred is most visible in their barbarous oppression of the innocent people of Gaza in the Holy Land.

The verse of the Qur’ān provided important signs by which such Christians who would be closest in love and affection for Muslims, would be identified:

1. They would be a Christian people who preserve the institution of priesthood and whose priests, from their Patriarch down to the lowest Priest, will demonstrate genuine love and affection for Islam and Muslims. This most certainly excludes the Vatican and the Roman Catholic faith, the Anglican Church (of England), and all other Christian churches in western Christianity.
2. They would be a Christian people who preserve the institution of monasticism, and whose monks would display love and affection for Islam and Muslims. This most certainly excludes western Christianity which has almost totally abandoned monasticism and the monastic way of life. Monasteries in the West have almost all been sold, and have now become McDonalds Hamburgers etc.
3. They would be a Christian people in whose conduct there is no arrogance. This again excludes those Christians who brought modern western civilization into being with an unprecedentedly arrogant agenda of imposing its unjust and oppressive rule over all of mankind at the point of a naked blood-stained sword.
4. They would be a Christian people who would publicly and proudly identify themselves as ‘Christians’. This would exclude the secularized Christians of modern western civilization whose primary identity is with their nation or State, rather than with their religion.
5. They cannot be a handful of scattered Christians who worship Allah as prescribed in the Qur’ān, and hence do not worship Nabī ‘Īsa (Jesus (عليه السلام as a third person in a trinity; and do not declare that Allah Most High had a son etc. Rather, they would have to be a community of Christians complete with their priests and monks, and hence can easily be identified. One would not have to search for them in some nook or cranny with a fine-teeth comb!

My sermon identified those Christians, referred to in the Qur’an, with the world of Orthodox Christianity.

When the prayer was over, the entire congregation of Muslims turned around and reached out to the Orthodox Christians sitting on chairs at the back of the prayer hall and greeted them with love and with affection. This first-ever visit to a Masjid was a very moving experience which Saker and his wife, Stefan and the Neurosurgeon, are unlikely to ever forget. No one turned away from them. No one rejected them. No one displayed any negative behavior towards them. I felt confident that they would have received the same welcome in all the Masajid (plural of Masjid) in the neighboring island of Trinidad. The only ones who would have displayed hostility towards them would have been those who took state-of-the-art weapons and heaps of US dollars from Santa Claus to fight their bogus ISIS Jihad in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.

Unfortunately the sermon was not recorded, so we do not have a video of it which can be viewed.

In the ten days which we spent together in Tobago we had adequate time to engage in religious dialogue, and the remarkable thing about our dialogue was that it was always conducted with profound respect for each other, and for each other’s religion. At no time did our discussions reach a state in which either side was subjected to any deliberate discomfort. There was no hint of rivalry, and no debate, in which one side sought to defeat the other side, and yet, we never compromised in stating the viewpoint of our respective religions. In fact, what we did was to set an example for those who come after us, in engaging in Muslim – Orthodox Christian dialogue in a form and manner which was free from rancor and bigotry. In doing so, we conformed to Allah’s command in the Qur’ān in which He ordered as follows:

وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَهُنَا وَإِلَهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

And do not argue or dispute with the Ahl al-Kitab (i.e., People of the Book, or followers of earlier revelation who are like us since we also have a Book) otherwise than in a most kindly manner, (or except with means better than mere disputation), – unless it be such of them as are bent on evildoing, (or who inflict wrong or injury) and say: “We believe in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, as well as that which has been bestowed upon you: our God and your God is One, and it is unto Him that We [all] surrender ourselves.”

(Qur’an, al-Ankabūt, 29:46)

The above verse of the Qur’an has therefore prohibited Muslims from engaging in religious discussions with those who received the Torah, Psalms and Gospel, except in the best way possible. This prohibition did not apply, however, with such Christians and Jews who committed acts of Dhulm, i.e., injustice, oppression, wickedness.

The verse also went on to establish the very foundation of any engagement in religious discussions with Christians and Jews in the declaration that: “We believe in the revelation which has come down to us (i.e., the Qur’an) and in that which came down to you (i.e., the Torah, Psalms, Gospel); Our Ilah (i.e., God), and your Ilah (i.e., God), is One; and to Him we bow (in submission)”.

It is not my intention to write a comprehensive report of all subjects of our dialogue since Saker and I have decided to jointly write a book which will present both Islamic and Orthodox Christian Eschatology while examining the subject of Islam and Russia. Rather I choose to focus on only one subject of our dialogue and, in doing so, offer our readers a glimpse of what is to come when the book is written Insha Allah (God Willing).

Saker already knew that the Arabic word ‘Allah’ was a combination of the definite article (‘the’) and the Arabic word for God (‘ILAH’). Hence the word ‘Allah’ meant ‘The God’ i.e., The One God. Even though the Christian worshiped Jesus as God, he was still insistent that he worshiped One God since the Bible was unequivocal in its declaration: Know Oh Israel that the Lord, Your God, is One! Hence when I repeated to Saker on several occasions that his God and my God were One God, it built between us a solid common foundation for positive dialogue.

There might, unfortunately, be some Muslims who will be uneasy with the above verse of the Qur’an in which Allah Most High ordered Muslims to declare to Christians and to Jews that: Our Ilah (i.e., God) and your Ilah (i.e., God) is One. Their uneasiness would be in consequence of their knowledge that Christians worship Jesus as God. Allah Most High has already responded to such uneasiness by asking them whether they wish to teach religion to the Lord-God (Allah):

قُلْ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ اللَّهَ بِدِينِكُمْ . . . .

Say: “Do you want to teach your religion to Allah? . . . .

(Qur’ān, al-Hujurāt, 49:16)

It is remarkable that we conducted our religious discussions in exactly the opposite way from the boxing matches staged by the late Ahmad Deedat of South Africa which sought to expose several things in the Bible, belligerently so, as false and rancid. Many Christians were enraged by those boxing matches, and those who were not enraged were secretly smiling with Deedat’s Saudi sponsors since they shared a covert agenda of driving such a thick wedge between the two faiths as would preclude any possibility of friendship and alliance ever emerging between Muslims and Christians. I believe that Saker and I were more faithful to the Qur’an than Deedat and his acolytes ever were, and we set the right example of mutual respect and proper decorum for those who will now follow us Insha Allah, in Orthodox Christian-Muslim dialogue.

I asked Saker what were his expectations for the future of Muslim – Orthodox Christian dialogue, and he was very clear and precise in his response in directing attention, first of all, to those matters wherein we differed, and which appeared to him to be beyond resolve. Saker was forthright in his declaration that Orthodox Christianity does not recognize Muhammad as a Prophet of the One God, like unto Abraham and Moses (Allah’s blessings be upon them all), and does not recognize the Qur’ān as a divinely-revealed Word of the One God. However he did go on to explain that Orthodox Christianity does not have a book comparable in absolute authority to the Qur’an. Rather, Orthodox Christianity is dependent on both the Bible as well as the Church, and the collective wisdom of its luminaries through the ages, for an authoritative declaration of what constitute Truth and Faith. And so, it appeared to me that Orthodox Christians have a possible future in which the Church and its luminaries can modify Christian views through new interpretations of Christian religious symbolism and through divine visions etc. I therefore did not close the chapter between us pertaining to the status of the Qur’an and of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Most High ever be with him).

I was familiar, of course with our own Islamic view that while whatever is clearly and explicitly stated in the Qur’an is eternally binding on all Muslims, there are other verses in the Qur’an which have to be interpreted, and hence that new knowledge would constantly keep on flowing from the Qur’an.

I did address the matter of Christian worship of Jesus as God, and as Son of God, and put the matter to rest between us when I quoted a passage of the Qur’an in which Allah Most High addressed Jesus on the subject:

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَـهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلاَ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

AND LO! Allah said: O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto men, `Worship me and my mother as deities beside Allah?” [Jesus] answered: “Limitless art Thou in Thy glory! It would not have been possible for me to say what I had no right to [say]! Had I said this, You would indeed have known it! You know all that is within myself, whereas I know not what is in Yourself. Verily, it is You alone who fully knows all the things that are beyond the reach of a created being’s perception.

مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلاَّ مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
Nothing did I tell them beyond what You did bid me [to say]: `Worship Allah, [who is] my Lord-God as well as your Lord-God.’ And I bore witness to what they did as long as I dwelt in their midst; but when you took me (i.e., took my soul and hence made it appear that I was dead, and then returned my soul and raised me into the Samawat or parallel universes), You alone has been their keeper: for You are witness unto everything.

إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
If You punish them – verily, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them – verily, You are Almighty (and) Wise!”

(Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:116-118)

I argued that this response implied that the matter of the worship of Jesus as God, and as the Son of God, should not become a subject of dispute and debate between Muslims and Christians. The Qur’an has advised the Muslim to let the matter rest until Allah Most High deals with it Himself on Judgment Day. This Divine wisdom seems to have escaped the attention of those misguided Muslims who ignore the Qur’an whenever they take up their boxing gloves to do religious battle with Christians and with the Bible.

This brief report does not record all the matters discussed between us, since there is a book coming, Insha Allah, which Saker and I will jointly write. He and I will endeavor to set the example, as well as the stage, for future such dialogue between Muslims and Orthodox Christians so that we can advance the cause of friendship and alliance between our two persecuted peoples.

Saker has already set the example of faithfulness to his Orthodox Christian creed, and I too will endeavor to ensure in my dialogue with Saker that I remain faithful to the Qur’an and faithful Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) who personally received in Madina a delegation of about 60 Byzantine Christians (including many religious scholars) who travelled from their native Najran in Yemen to meet with him. He not only welcomed them warmly and kindly, but offered them the Masjid itself as their place of residence and rest, as well as a place for them to pray, during their stay of approximately 3 days in Madina. The inter-religious dialogue did not yield any break-through regarding the central issues which divided the Christians and the Qur’an, but also did not result in bitter and acrimonious exchanges. Before saying good-bye and returning to Najran in Yemen, the delegation of Christians even requested of the Prophet that a learned and trustworthy Muslim be sent to them in Najran so that, among other things, the lines of communication for continuing dialogue could remain open. Despite all that has since occurred between our two peoples, and which unfriendly critics will now rush to relate, Saker and I are doing precisely that – we are continuing that Orthodox Christian – Muslim dialogue that was initiated in Madina in the presence of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and upon all the messengers of Allah Most High)."

——-

Small post-scriptum by The Saker: with all due respect and love for the Sheikh, I don’t believe that he is correct when he writes that “it appeared to me that Orthodox Christians have a possible future in which the Church and its luminaries can modify Christian views through new interpretations of Christian religious symbolism and through divine visions etc.“. The problem here is that for a teaching to be considered “Orthodox” it has to meet two criteria:

1. It has to be the expression of the consensus patrum, the agreement of all the Church Fathers, and thus is cannot contradict the past position of the Church. Saint Vincent of Lérins (5th century) expressed it in the following words when he said that is true that “which has been believed everywhere, always and by all” . Thus, it cannot be the opinion of only some, contemporary, Church Fathers.
2. It has to be “upward compatible” with what has been taught in the past. Saint Athanasios (4th century) expressed this idea in the following words that the Orthodox faith is the faith “which the Lord gave, was preached by the Apostles, and was preserved by the Fathers. On this was the Church founded; and if anyone departs from this, he neither is nor any longer ought to be called a Christian“. Thus no new teaching can be accepted if it contradicts what was taught in the past.

The Church having refused to recognize Muhammad as a prophet of God and having refused to accept the Quran as a divine book, She cannot under any circumstances change Her point of view. On issues of faith and dogmatics the Church, being the Theandric Body of God filled with the Holy Spirit, She is infallible.

However, and as long as their is no compulsion in religion and as long as everybody recognizes the absolute right of each human being to follow his/her conscience, I totally agree with the Sheikh when he writes “the matter of the worship of Jesus as God, and as the Son of God, should not become a subject of dispute and debate between Muslims and Christians. The Qur’an has advised the Muslim to let the matter rest until Allah Most High deals with it Himself on Judgment Day“.

As long as our differences are not obfuscated or otherwise minimized, I do believe that it makes little sense to engage in disputes about them. What we all have to do is the explain our beliefs and make sure that the other is not mislead/misinformed about them. But once that “informational” phase is over, there is simply no point in engaging in disputes. Finally, we all have to recognize that the other is following his/her conscience with as much honesty, zeal and purity of faith as we do. While we do not have to agree with the other, we do have to respect this quest for the truth in by the other.

These are my humble comments to the wise and kind words of the Sheikh.

The Saker

 

[TMA]

Is Pakistan ready for an attack on herself from Israel and Bharat, in order to denuclearize her, when NATO attacks Russia?

The Sheikh fears that this may happen soon and that Pakistan better be prepared for this.

And Allah Knows Best.

 

[TMA]

Wonderful interview. A must watch!!

 

[TMA]

http://thesaker.is/stefan-karganovic-interview-sheikh-imran-nazar-hosein/

Stefan Karganovic, who is the leader of the Serbian Saker blog and Deputy Editor of the History of the Orthodox People project, recorded this interview for the Strategic Culture Foundation during our visit with the Sheikh in beautiful island of Tobago (with yours truly recording the video and audio). I hope that you like it!

The Saker