Five Points of Convergence
As far as
the personality of
Prophet Isa (AS)
is concerned, we find that there are at least five significant points
which are common between the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith on the one hand, and
the four Canonical Gospels on the other. It is indeed significant that more
than half of the world’s population is in agreement regarding these points,
three of which are in clear opposition to the normal physical laws of the
universe. We shall discuss these points one by one.
(1) The Gospel of Matthew (1:18-24) and Luke (1:26-38)
mention that Jesus Christ was conceived without a human father, as
a miracle from
Almighty God; so
does the Holy Qur’an (Aal-e-Imran 3:45-47 & Maryum
19:17-21)
(2) Jesus Christ performed the most astonishing of
miracles — unparalleled in the history of Prophethood with respect to their
unambiguous and unmistakable nature. These miracles are described in various sections
of the Gospels (see, for example, Matthew, Chapters 8 & 14) as well as in
the Holy Qur’an (Aal-e-Imran 3:49 & Al-Ma’ida 5:110)
(3) Jesus Christ forcefully and incisively called upon
his fellow Israelites to mend their perverted ways, to give up sinful and
unethical practices, to repent with the true spirit of repentance, and to
purify themselves from all spiritual and moral corruption. He severely
criticized the pretentious religiosity, the emphasis on hollow but legally
spotless rituals, and the servile adherence to the letter of the law with no
regard to its spirit — the hallmark of the religious establishment of his time.
(Matthew 23, and the
Holy Qur’an Al-Ma’ida
5:78). As a
result, he became the sole target
of the acrimony and malevolence from the rabbis, the priests, and the
pharisees.
(4) The message and proclamation of Jesus Christ
attracted the attention of the population both in and around Jerusalem, but it
was accepted only by a very minute section of the Jews,
of which even
fewer became his
dedicated companions. The number of these close comrades, according to the
Gospels, was twelve, although the matter of their names is controversial.
(5) Jesus Christ was raised up alive from the earth, and
he will reappear some time before the end of the world. This has been mentioned
in Matthew 28:6,7; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51, John 20:17. Ascension and
reappearance of Prophet Isa (AS) has also been alluded to in the Holy Qur’an
(Al-Nisa 4:157, 158 and Al-Zukhruf 43:61), but these hints are explained more
explicitly in the Hadith.
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