Al Islam

c. 19:30. (close)

d. 3:10; 4:172. (close)

414. Kalimah means, a word; a decree; a command (Mufradat). This word along with the word, Ruh, occurring together in 4:172 makes it clear without a shadow of doubt that, far from establishing it, these words have been used to demolish and repudiate the doctrine of the so-called divinity and sonship of Jesus. In it Jesus has been called Kalimatullah because his words were helpful to the cause of Truth. Just as a person who helps the cause of Truth by his valour is called Saifullah (the Sword of God) or Asadullah (the Lion of God), so was Jesus called Kalimatullah because also his birth did not take place through the agency of a male parent but by the direct "command" of God (19:22). Besides the literal meanings given above the Qur’an has used the word Kalimah in the following senses: (1) "a Sign" (66:13 & 8:8); (2) "punishment" (10:97); (3) "plan" or "design" (9:40); (4) "glad tidings" ( 7:138 ); (5) "creation of God" (18:110); (6) "a mere word of mouth" or "a mere assertion" (23:101). Taken in any of the above senses, the use of the word Kalimah about Jesus in no way gives to him a status higher than that of other Prophets. Moreover, if Jesus has been called Kalimah (word) in the Qur’an, the Holy Prophet has been called Dhikr, i.e. a book or a good speech (65:11, 12), which evidently consists of many Kalimat (words). In fact, if Kalimatullah is taken in the sense of "Word of God," the utmost we can say is that God expressed Himself through Jesus just as He expressed Himself through other Prophets. Words are nothing but a vehicle for the expression of thoughts. They do not form part of our being nor do they become incarnated. (close)

415. Al-Masih is derived from Masaha which means, he wiped off the dirt from the thing with his hand; he anointed it with oil; he journeyed through the land; God blessed him (Aqrab). Masih, therefore, means (1) one anointed; (2) one who travels much; (3) one blessed. Al-Masih is the Arabic form of Messiah which represents the Hebrew Mashiah, i.e. Anointed One (Enc. Bib.; Enc. Rel. & Eth.). Jesus was given this name because he was to travel much. But if in pursuance of the Gospel narrative, his ministry be admitted to have been confined to only three years and his travels to only a few Palestinian or Syrian towns, the title of Masih in no way befits him. Recent historical research, however, has established the fact that after having recovered from the shock and the wounds of crucifixion, Jesus travelled far and wide in the East and finally reached Kashmir to give his message to the Lost Tribes of Israel who lived in those parts. See also 2000 where Jesus is spoken of as having been afforded shelter in a hilly tract of land. Masih as stated above also means "One Anointed." As the birth of Jesus was out of the ordinary and was liable to be looked upon as illegitimate, therefore, to remove this possible accusation, he was spoken of as "being anointed" with God’s own anointment, even as all Prophets of God are anointed. (close)

416. ‘Isa seems to be the inverted form of the Hebrew word Yasu‘. Jesus is the Greek form of Josua and Jesua (Enc. Bib.). (close)

417. Ibn-e-Maryam is a surname of Jesus known in Arabic as Kunyah. Jesus has been called Ibn-e-Maryam probably because, being born without the agency of a male parent, he could not but be known after his mother. (close)

418. This expression also gives to Jesus no higher status than that of a righteous servant of God. All highly righteous people have been spoken of in the Qur’an as being granted nearness to God (56:11, 12). (close)

a. 5:111. (close)

418A. Primary meaning of the word Mahd is the state or period of preparation when one is, as it were, being prepared and made smooth for the duties of ripe age. The fact that the two periods of Kuhulah and Mahd have been mentioned together shows that there is no intervening period between them. The entire period before Kuhulah (middle age) is Mahd. (close)

418B. Kahl means, one of middle age or of the age when one’s hair becomes intermixed with hoariness; or it means, one who is between thirty or thirty-four and fifty-one years of age or between 40 and 51 (Lane & Tha‘labi).

That Jesus spoke words of wisdom in his childhood has nothing miraculous or supernatural about it. Many intelligent and well brought up children speak like that. The whole sentence means that he would speak to people words full of extraordinary wisdom and spiritual knowledge, much beyond his years and experience, both in the period of preparation which is youth and in his middle age. The reference to the two distinct periods of Jesus’s life may also be taken to hint that his speaking in the latter period would be of a different nature from that in the former. In the latter period he would speak to men as a Prophet of God. Thus the glad tidings given to Mary consisted in the fact that Jesus was not only destined to be an intelligent young man but was also to live to a ripe old age as a righteous servant of God. (close)

b. 19:21. (close)

419. The news of a son, however happy, in ordinary circumstances, must have greatly perplexed Mary who was not only still unmarried but was also meant to remain so for life. The verse reflects her justified perplexity. It also shows that Jesus had no father, as hinted in Mary’s words, no man has touched me. Having been dedicated to the service of the Temple, Mary could not, consistently with her vow of celibacy, marry. If she was to marry and have children in due course, there was no occasion for her to be surprised when the birth of a child was announced to her by the angel in a vision. No normal girl would be surprised, if she were told in a vision that a son would be born to her; for she would naturally infer that the promised child would be born to her after marriage. In the Gospel of Mary, the vow of celibacy is clearly referred to. We have it in chapter 5 of the said Gospel that when the high priest made a general order that all the virgins living in the Temple who had reached their fourteenth year should return home, all other virgins complied with the order but "Mary, the virgin of the Lord" alone answered that she could not comply with it; and for this refusal of her she assigned the reason that both she and her parents had dedicated her to the service of the Lord, and that she had vowed virginity to the Lord, which vow she was resolved never to break (Gospel of Mary, 5:‌4, 5, 6). Mary’s subsequent marriage with Joseph was thus contrary to the vow and against her own wish. She was, however, compelled by circumstances to marry when found with child. The priests had to arrange her marriage to avoid scandal. It does not, however, appear from the Gospels how Joseph was prevailed upon to consent, for he was obviously in the dark about her being pregnant at the time of marriage (Matt. 1:‌18,19). Presumably, some plausible excuse was found to justify the breaking of the vow. For a detailed account of the manner of the birth of Jesus see 1750}-{1755. (close)

a. See 2:118. (close)

b. 5:111. (close)

c. 43:60; 61:7. (close)

419A. The words "a Messenger to the Children of Israel" show that the mission of Jesus was confined to the House of Israel. He was not a World- Messenger (Matt. 10:‌5, 6; 15:‌24; 19:‌28. Acts, 3:‌25, 26; 13:‌46. Luke, 19:‌10; 22:‌28-30). (close)

d. 5:111. (close)

420. Khalaqa means, he measured, designed, fashioned or planned; God produced or created or brought into existence a thing or being without there being any previously existing pattern or model or similitude, i.e. he originated it (Lane & Lisan). (close)

420A. Tin means, clay; earth; mould; etc. Figuratively, at-Tin may signify such persons as possess docile natures suitable for being moulded into any good shape like pliable clay. (close)

420B. Hai’ah means, form; fashion; garb; state; manner; mode or quality (Lane). (close)

420C. Tair means, a bird. Metaphorically the word signifies a highly spiritual man who soars high into spiritual regions as Asad (literally a lion) is used for a brave man and Dabbah for a worthless person, a worm of the earth (34:15). (close)

420D. ’Ubri’u is derived from Bari’a which means, he was or became clear or free from a thing and signifies, I heal; I declare a person free from the defect attributed to him (Lane). (close)

420E. Akmah means, one who cannot see at night; one born blind; one who becomes blind afterward; one deprived of reason and understanding (Mufradat). (close)

420F. There is no mention in the Bible of the miracle which is popularly believed to have been performed by Jesus that he created birds. If Jesus had really created birds, there is no reason why the Bible should have omitted to mention this, particularly when the creating of birds was a miracle the like of which had never been shown before by any Messenger of God. The mention of such a miracle would certainly have established his great superiority over all other Prophets and would have lent some support to the claim to Divinity which has been foisted upon him by his later followers. Of the different meanings of Khalq—(1) measuring; determining; designing, (2) fashioning; making and creating, etc. it is in the former sense that this word has been used in this verse. In the sense of "creating," the act of Khalq has not been attributed in the Qur’an to any other being or thing except God (13:17; 16:21; 22:74; 25:4; 31:11, 12; 35:41 & 46:5). In the light of the above explanation, and keeping in view the figurative sense of the word "clay," the whole clause, I will fashion out for you a creation…become a soaring being, would mean that if ordinary men of humble origin but possessing the inherent capacity for growth and development came into contact with him and accepted his Message, they would undergo a complete transformation in their lives. From men grovelling in the dust and not seeing beyond their material cares and mundane concerns, they would become converted into birds soaring high into the lofty regions of the spiritual firmament. And this is exactly what happened. The humble and despised fishermen of Galilee, under the impact of the ennobling precept and example of their Master, began soaring high like birds, preaching to the world of Israel the Word of God.

As for healing the blind and the leprous, it appears from the Bible that persons suffering from certain diseases (leprosy, etc.) were considered unclean by the Israelites and were not allowed to have social contact with other men. The word, "I declare to be free;" signify that the legal or social disabilities and disadvantages, under which persons suffering from such maladies laboured, were removed by Jesus. Or that Jesus used to heal persons suffering from these diseases. The Prophets of God are spiritual physicians; they give eyes to those that have lost spiritual sight, and hearing to those who are spiritually deaf, and they restore to life those who are spiritually dead (Matt. 13:‌15). In this case the word Akmah would mean such a person as possesses the light of faith but being weak of resolve cannot stand trials. He sees in daytime, i.e. so long as there are no trials and the sun of faith shines forth unclouded, but when the night comes, i.e. when there are trials and sacrifices have to be made, he loses his spiritual vision and stands still (cf. 2:‌21). Similarly, the word Abras (leprous) would, in the spiritual sense, mean one who is imperfect in faith, having patches of diseased skin among healthy ones.

The clause, I will quicken the dead, does not mean that Jesus actually brought the dead to life. Those actually dead are never restored to life in this world. Such a belief is diametrically opposed to the whole Quranic teaching (2:29; 23:100, 101; 21:96; 39:59, 60; 40:12; 45:27). The marvellous moral transformation that God’s Messengers bring about in the lives of their followers is termed "raising the dead to life," in spiritual terminology. (close)

420G. The entire clause may mean that Jesus told his disciples what they should eat, i.e. what they should spend to meet their physical needs, and what they should store up i.e. what they should lay up as spiritual treasure in Heaven. In other words he told them that their earnings should be honestly and lawfully acquired and that they should spend their savings in the way of God, having no thought for the morrow which should be left to God (Matt. 6:‌25, 26). (close)

a. 5:47; 61:7. (close)

421. Jesus came in fulfilment of the prophecies of the previous Prophets contained in the Torah. But he brought no new Law, being a follower of Moses in this respect. He himself was conscious of this limitation of his authority (Matt. 5:‌17, 18). (close)

421A. The expression does not refer to any change or modification in the Mosaic Law. The reference is only to those things which the Jews had themselves rendered unlawful for their use (4:161; 43:64). These two verses show that there were differences among the various sects of the Jews regarding the lawfulness or otherwise of certain things and that by their iniquities and transgressions they had deprived themselves of certain Divine blessings. Jesus thus came as a judge to decide in what matters the Jews had deviated from the right path and to tell them that the blessings of which they had been deprived would be restored to them, if they followed him (Kathir, Fath & Muhit). (close)

b. 5:73, 118; 19:37; 43:65. (close)

c. 5:112; 61:15. (close)

422. Hawariyyun is the plural of Hawariyy which means, (1) a washerman; (2) one tried and found to be free from vice or fault (3) a person of pure and unsullied character; (4) one who advises or counsels or acts honestly and faithfully; (5) a true and sincere friend or helper; (6) a select friend and helper of a Prophet (Lane & Mufradat). (close)

a. 8:31; 27:51. (close)

423. The Jews had planned that Jesus should die an accursed death on the Cross (Deut. 21:‌24), but God’s plan was that he should be saved from that death. The plan of the Jews miscarried and God’s plan was successful, because Jesus did not die on the Cross but came down from it alive, and died a natural death in Kashmir, full of years, and far away from the scene of his crucifixion. (close)