The story of Prophet Eesaa

[حنان]

While Maryam (Mary), may Allaah exalt her mention, was praying in her place of worship, an angel in the form of a man appeared before her. Filled with terror, she tried to flee, praying (what means): "…'Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allaah.' He said: 'I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son].' She said: 'How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?' He said: 'Thus [it will be]; your Lord says: 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.''" [Quran: 19:18-21

The angel's visit caused Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, great anxiety, which increased as the months went by. How could she face giving birth to a child without having a husband?

Later, she felt life kicking inside her. With a heavy heart, she left the place of prayer and went tobecame so involved in this exchange that he forgot he was expected back home. In the meantime, his mother went home, thinking that he might have gone back with relatives or friends. When she arrived, she discovered that he was not there, so she returned to the city to look for him. At last she found him in the temple, sitting among the learned, conversing with them.

Maryam, may Allaah exalt her mention, became angry with him for causing her worry. He tried to assure her that all the arguing and debating with the learned had made him forget the time.

'Eesaa grew into manhood. It was the Sabbath (Saturday), a day of complete rest for the Jews: no fire could be lit or extinguished, nor could females plait their hair. It was a Jewish practice that Saturday be dedicated to the worship of Allaah. However, the wisdom behind the Sabbath and its spirit had gone, and only the letter remained in the Jews' hearts. Also, they thought that Sabbath was kept in heaven, and that the People of Israel had been chosen by Allaah only to observe the Sabbath.

They made a hundred things unlawful on Saturday, even self-defence, or calling a doctor to save a patient who was in poor condition. There was, for example, a rule which prohibited a journey of more than one thousand yards on the Sabbath day.

One day (on a Sabbath), 'Eesaa was on his way to the temple. He reached out his hand to pick two pieces of fruit to feed a hungry child. This was considered to be a violation of the Sabbath law. He made a fire for the old women to keep themselves warm from the freezing air, which was considered another violation. He went to the temple and looked around.

There were twenty thousand Jewish priests registered there who earned their living from the temple. The rooms of the temple were full of them. In the temple, the Pharisees and Sadducees acted as if it was a market place, and these two groups always disagreed on everything. 'Eesaa followed the scene with his eyes and observed that the poor people who could not afford the price of the sheep or dove were swept away like flies by the Pharisees and Sadducees. 'Eesaa was astonished. Why did the priests burn so many offerings inside the temple, while thousands of poor people were hungry outside it?

On this night, the two noble Prophets Yahyaa (John) and Zakariyyaa (Zachariah), may Allaah exalt their mention, were executed by the ruling authority. On the same night, the revelation descended upon 'Eesaa . Allaah, the Exalted, commanded him to begin his call to the children of Israel. To 'Eesaa the life of ease was now closed, and the page of worship and struggle had opened.

Like an opposing force, the message of 'Eesaa came to denounce the practices of the Pharisees and to reinforce the Law of Moosaa . In the face of a materialistic age of luxury and worship of gold, 'Eesaa called his people to a nobler life by word and deed. This exemplary life was the only way out of the wretchedness and diseases of his age.

'Eesaa's call, from the outset, was marked by its complete uprightness and piety. He continued inviting people to Almighty Allaah. His call was based on the principle that there is no mediation between the Creator and His creatures. However, 'Eesaa was in conflict with the Jews' superficial interpretation of the Torah. He said that he did not come to abrogate the Torah, but to complete it by going to the spirit of its substance to arrive at its essence.

He made the Jews understand that the Ten Commandments had more value than they imagined. For instance, the fifth commandment does not only prohibit physical killing, but all forms of killing: physical, psychological, or spiritual. The sixth commandment does not prohibit adultery only in the sense of unlawful physical contact between a man and a woman, but also prohibits all forms of unlawful relations or acts that might lead to adultery. The eye commits adultery when it looks at anything with passion.

'Eesaa was, therefore, in confrontation with the materialistic people. He told them to desist from hypocrisy, showing off and false praise. There was no need to hoard wealth in this life. They should not preoccupy themselves with the goods of this passing world; rather they must preoccupy themselves with the affairs of the coming world because it would be everlasting. He told them that caring for this world is a sin, not fit for pious worshippers. As for the believers, they know that their sustenance is with Allaah, so they trust in Him and scorn this world.

'Eesaa continued to invite people to worship the Only Lord who is without partner, and to purify the heart and soul. His teaching annoyed the priests, for every word of 'Eesaa was a threat to them and their position, exposing their misdeeds.

The priests started to plot against 'Eesaa . They wanted to embarrass him and to prove that he had come to destroy the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law provides that an adulteress be stoned to death. They brought him a Jewish adulteress and asked 'Eesaa : "Does not the law stipulate the stoning of the adulteress?" 'Eesaa answered: "Yes." They said: "This woman is an adulteress." 'Eesaa looked at the woman and then at the priests. He knew that they were more sinful than she. They agreed that she should be killed according to Mosaic Law, and they understood that if he was going to apply Mosaic Law, he would be destroying his own rules of forgiveness and mercy.

'Eesaa understood their plan. He smiled and assented: "Whoever among you is sinless can stone her." His voice rose in the middle of the Temple, making a new law on adultery, for the sinless to judge sin. There was none eligible; no mortal can judge sin, only Allaah the Most Merciful.

He continued his mission, aided by divine miracles. Some Quranic commentators said that 'Eesaa brought four people back from the dead: a friend of his, an old woman's son, and a woman's only daughter. These three had died during his lifetime. When the Jews saw this, they said: "You only resurrect those who have died recently; perhaps they simply fainted." They therefore asked him to bring back to life Sam, the son of Nooh .

When 'Eesaa asked them to show him his grave, the people accompanied him there. 'Eesaa invoked Allaah the Exalted to bring him back to life and behold, Sam came out from the grave grey-haired. 'Eesaa asked: "How did you get grey hair, when there was no ageing in your time?" He answered: "O Spirit of Allaah! I thought that the Day of Resurrection had come; from the fear of that Day my hair turned grey."

In the first part of the Story of Prophet 'Eesaa (Jesus) we highlighted the most important events in his life: his miraculous birth, his childhood, the opposition of the Jewish authorities to his mission, his miracles, etc. Here we continue his story:

Prophet 'Eesaa continued calling people to Almighty Allaah and laying down for them what might be called the 'Law of the Spirit.' Once, when standing on a mountain surrounded by his disciples, 'Eesaa saw that those who believed in him were from among the poor, the wretched, and the downtrodden, and their number was small. Some of the miracles which 'Eesaa performed had been requested by his disciples, such as their wish for a 'holy table-spread' to be sent down from heaven.

Allaah the Exalted Says (what means): "[And remember] when the disciples said: 'O 'Eesaa, Son of Maryam! Can your Lord send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven?' ['Eesaa] said: 'Fear Allaah, if you should be believers.' They said: 'We wish to eat from it and let our hearts be reassured and know that you have been truthful to us and be among its witnesses.' Said 'Eesaa, the son of Maryam: 'O Allaah, our Lord! Send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.' Allaah said: 'Indeed, I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you - then indeed will I punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds.'” [Quran: 5:112-115

'Eesaa commanded his disciples to fast for thirty days; at the end of it, they asked 'Eesaa to bring food from heaven to break their fast. 'Eesaa prayed to Allaah after his disciples had doubted Allaah's power. The great table came down between two clouds, one above and one below, while the people watched. 'Eesaa said: "O Lord! make it a mercy and not a cause of distress." So it fell between 'Eesaa's hands, covered with a napkin.

'Eesaa suddenly prostrated, and his disciples followed suit. They sensed a fragrance, which they had never smelled before. 'Eesaa said: "The one who is the most devout and most righteous may uncover the table, that we might eat of it to thank Allaah for it." They said: "O Spirit of Allaah! You are the most deserving."

'Eesaa stood up, performed ablution and prayed before uncovering the table, and behold, there was a roasted fish. The disciples said: "O Spirit of Allaah! Is this the food of this world or of Paradise?" 'Eesaa said to his disciples: "Did not Allaah forbid you to ask questions? It is the divine power of Allaah the Almighty, Who said: 'Be' and it was. It is a sign from Almighty Allaah warning of great punishment for unbelieving mortals of the world. This is the kernel of the matter."

It is said that thousands of people ate from it, and yet it was never entirely consumed. A further miracle was that the blind and lepers were cured by 'Eesaa by Allaah's leave.

The Day of the Table became one of the holy days for the disciples and followers of 'Eesaa . Later, the disciples and followers who forgot the real essence of the miracles, worshipped 'Eesaa as a god. Almighty Allaah asserts (what means): "And [beware the Day] when Allaah will say: 'O 'Eesaa, Son of Maryam! Did you say to the people: 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allaah?' He (i.e. ‘Eesaa) will say: 'Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen'"[Quran: 5:116

'Eesaa went on his mission, until the corrupted leaders and hypocritical men of religious power felt his threat to them. So the forces of evil accused him of magic, infringement of the Mosaic Law, and allegiance with the devil; and when they saw that the poor people followed him, they began to scheme against him.

The Sanhedrin, the highest judicial and ecclesiastical council of the Jews, began to plot against 'Eesaa . The plan took a new turn. When the Jews failed to stop the call of 'Eesaa they decided to kill him. The chief priests held secret meetings to agree on the best way of getting rid of 'Eesaa . While they were in such a meeting, one of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to them and asked: "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" Judas bargained with them until they agreed to give him thirty pieces of silver, known as shekels. The plot was laid for the capture and murder of 'Eesaa .

The priests had no authority to pass the death sentence at that time, so they convinced the Roman governor that 'Eesaa was plotting against the security of the Roman Empire and urged him to take immediate action against him. The governor ordered that 'Eesaa be arrested and crucified.

The Glorious Quran, contrary to the Gospels, affirms that Allaah, the Exalted, did not permit the people of Israel to kill or crucify 'Eesaa . Allaah saved him from his enemies and raised him to heaven. They never killed 'Eesaa ; they killed someone else.

Allaah the Almighty declares (what means): "And [We cursed them for] their saying: 'Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, 'Eesaa, the son of Maryam, the messenger of Allaah.' And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allaah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allaah Exalted in Might and Wise." [Quran: 4:157-158 Almighty Allaah also revealed (what means): "[Mention] when Allaah said: 'O 'Eesaa! Indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e., free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allaah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.'" [Quran: 3:55

Almighty Allaah refutes the claims of the Jews and the Christians many times in the Glorious Quran. For example, He Says (what means): " And they say: 'The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.' You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation; That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son. There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant." [Quran: 19:88-93

In many verses, in addition to those already mentioned, Allaah, the Almighty, affirmed His being highly above having a child, a wife, or a partner, thus, refuting all such false allegations. Allaah, the Almighty, revealed a separate Quranic chapter to affirm His Unity and Uniqueness. This chapter is the one-hundred and twelfth, the meaning of which is: "Say: 'He is Allaah, [who is] One. Allaah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born. Nor is there to Him any equivalent.'" [Quran: 112:1-4

Imaam Ibn Katheer

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The story of Prophet Eesaa

[كريم القوصي]

Thank you very much for your efforts my sister Hanan

[محمد نصر]

thank yuo my sister hanan