A Letter to a Muslim Friend –
From a Christian (1)
My Dear Friend
I have discovered the Qur’an’s secret because King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, The Islamic Foundation, and others have pledged to translate the Arabic Qur’an into all the languages of the world. I am thankful and happy that I can now read the Qur’an in my mother tongue. Since less than 20 percent of Muslims around the world can read Arabic most Muslims cannot understand the Qur’an in the Arabic language and must rely on someone else to explain its message to them. In other words, they hear the messages in the Qur’an through the words of another. Increasingly, thanks to King Fahd, this is no longer necessary.
Allah wants you to understand His message, but how can you obey Him if you do not clearly understand what Allah says? Muslims living before the Prophet Muhammad understood what Allah said because Allah spoke to them in their own language. Do not miss Allah’s message. Do not rely on someone else to tell you the message of Allah. Instead, find a Qur’an translated into your own language and together let us discover in it a treasure that will change your life.
Al-Imran 3:42-55
As I was reading the Qur’an in my mother tongue, I came upon a passage that filled my heart with faith. You too can experience this same faith after you receive the Truth found in surah al-Imran 3:42-55.
It grieves me to know that not everyone has the eyes to see this Truth. I pray that Allah will open your eyes to recognize His Truth.
In surah al-Maidah 5:83 we read: “And when they listen to what has been sent down to the messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the Truth they have recognized. They say; “Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses.”
Who are the “they” in this ayyah (verse)? Who are the people that are able to recognize Allah’s Truth? We will find the answer in surah al-Imran.
I have read surah al-Imran 3:42-55 countless times. Each time, I feel the same joy that I received the first time I discovered the Truth in this passage. The discovery I made is nothing new. Many people in history have made the same discovery because their eyes were also opened to the Truth.
Each day, hundreds of our Muslim brothers’ eyes are being opened by Allah as they read surah al-Imran 3:42-55. In one of the holy kitabs (books of the Bible written before the Qur’an), an ayyah says, “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.” Do you want to know the Truth and be set free?
Please take the time to open your Qur’an and read for yourself, ayyah by ayyah, this wonderful passage, surah al-Imran 3:42-55. I have provided you with my explanation of each ayyah. I pray that your eyes will be opened and you will understand this Truth
Surah al-Imran 3:42-55 - Explained
3:42 And (remember) when the angels said: “O Maryam! Verily, Allah has chosen you, and made you pure, and has preferred you above the women of the creation.
3:43 O Maryam! "Be obedient to your Lord and bow with those who bow (in worship).
Before the Injil Sharif (Gospel) was written, there was a period of 400 years in which the people of the Scripture did not have a prophet to speak to them. Allah’s people had reached the bottom of the pit of despair and hopelessness.
It was at this dark moment in the history of the world, that Allah did something very unusual. He spoke through the angel Jibreel to a young virgin named, Maryam. The angel told her that Allah chose her for a special assignment. But first, Maryam was to reaffirm her calling as a true Muslim. She was told to totally submit herself in obedience to Allah.
3:44 This is of the tidings of things hidden. We reveal it unto you. You were not present with them when they threw their pens (to know) which of them should be the guardian of Maryam, nor were you present with them when they quarreled thereupon.
The story behind ayyah 44 is not clear. It seems that the religious leaders called several young bachelors together. Once they were assembled, they cast lots to see which of them would be chosen by Allah for this noble cause of caring for Maryam and her baby. History tells us that Joseph became the husband of Maryam.
In no other place in the Qur’an do we read of this much excitement taking place in heaven. Allah was about to do something very special for all the people of the world; something that has never been done before or since.
3:45 (And remember) when the angels said: "O Maryam! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word from Him,whose name Isa Masih (Jesus Messiah), the son of Maryam, held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to Allah."
Ayyah (verse) 45 is the announcement to Maryam that she had been chosen to give birth to the prophet Isa. Muslims around the world have two names for Isa. They call him “Isa Kalimatullah” (Isa the Word of Allah) and “Isa Ruhullah” (Isa) the Spirit of Allah). Why do Muslims call Isa by these two names?
The answers are found in surah al-Imran 3:45 and surah Ambiyaa 21:91. Allah said that He would put his Word into Maryam. What or who is Allah’s “Word?”
To better understand this, read surah Ambiyaa 21:91 “…and she (Maryam) guarded her chastity, therefore We breathed into her of our Spirit and made her and her son a sign for all people.”
Why do we refer to Isa as “Isa Kalimatullah” and “Isa Ruhullah?” The Qur’an makes it clear; Isa is the Word (Kalim) and Spirit (Ruh) of Allah. No other person or prophet carries these titles.
Allah’s “Word” and “Spirit” were placed inside of Maryam and became a living baby. Allah told Maryam to name the baby Isa al-Masih (Jesus the Messiah). Al-Masih means “the anointed or promised one.” 758 years before the birth of Isa, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “… a virgin will conceive and his name will be called, ‘Immanuel’ (Isaiah 7:14). “Immanuel” is a Hebrew word meaning, “Allah is with us.” Isa would be honored by all people in this world and forever in heaven and he would be one of those nearest to Allah Himself.
The Qur’an paints a picture of Isa for us. He is Allah’s Kalim (Word), His Ruh (Spirit), (al-Masih) the promised anointed one, and “a sign for (all) the nations” (Ambiyaa 21:91). When we want to go somewhere that we have never gone before, we look for a sign to guide us. Where will we go if we follow Isa?
3:46 "He will speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous."
Isa’s birth was to be a message to the entire world and he was to be one of the righteous. How righteous was Isa? Allah told Maryam, in surah Maryam 19:19, that Isa would be “a faultless son.” The Injil Sharif teaches us that Isa never killed anyone; he did not have a love for money; he never married; he spoke out against corruption among the religious leaders; he prayed every day; he fasted for 40 days and nights in which he did not eat anything at all; and he taught us to love our enemies. If Isa ever committed a sin, then he would have ceased to be Allah’s Kalimatullah or Ruhullah and he could not have gone to heaven to be with Allah. Through Isa, Allah showed the world how we should live our lives. This would be a wonderful world if we all lived our lives like Isa.
3:47 She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said: "So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" and it is. Maryam was shocked at the news that Allah gave her. She said to Allah, “How can I have a baby when I am not married and no man has ever touched me?” Allah was very patient with Maryam. He answered her, “I am Allah; it is easy for me to do what I wish.”
Knowing that Allah does nothing by accident, all that Allah does is according to his perfect plan, why would Allah have Isa born without a father? Has there ever been another prophet born without a father? What does this event mean to all Muslims?”
To answer these questions we must look closely at the life of Adam.
In al-Imran 3:59, the Qur’an says that Isa is like Adam. They were similar because both of them had no earthly father. Before Adam disobeyed Allah, he walked with Allah in the garden (paradise). Adam could live in Allah’s presence forever and talk to Allah because he did not have any sin, just like Isa. Adam, at first, was righteous and holy because he was created that way by Allah and filled with Allah’s holy breath. Once Adam disobeyed Allah, Adam became unholy and could no longer live with Allah in the garden (paradise).
Read in the Qur’an 20:121: “Then they (Adam and his wife) both ate of it, so their shame became apparent unto them, and they began to hide by heaping on themselves some of the leaves of the garden, and Adam disobeyed his Lord and his nature became evil.”
Most certainly, all of us are children of Adam except one - his name is Isa al-Masih. Apple trees produce only apples! Can an apple tree produce oranges? All humans born in Adam’s family inherit Adam’s nature. The curse of sin in Adam isbeing passed down among his descendants. Isa is the only man who never sinned. He did not sin because he was not born in the blood line of Adam. He did not inherit Adam’s sinful nature.
Now do you understand why I love to read the Qur’an? Because it show us that Isa is the Word and Spirit of Allah, that he was the anointed promised one, and that he was sinless! All of this has enlightened me. But wait, there is more…
3:48 And He (Allah) will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Taurat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel).
Allah taught Isa the holy Kitabs (Sacred Scriptures). Allah instructed Muhammad,peace be on him, that if he had a question about any message from heaven, that he should look for the answer among those who read the “Before Kitabs”, i.e. those Kitabs written before the Qur’an.
Surah Yunnus 10:94 says “And if thou (Muhammad) art in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto thee, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before thee. Verily the Truth from thy Lord hath come unto thee. So be not thou of the waverers.”
I have read the Taurat (Torah), the Zabur (Writings), and the Injil (Gospels). These Kitabs have been translated directly fromthe original languages and are trustworthy.
Surah 4:136 “O ye who believe! Believe in Allah and His messenger and the Scripture which He hath revealed unto His messenger, and the Scripture which He revealed aforetime. Whoso disbelieveth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers and the Last Day, he verily hath wandered far astray.”
Have the “Before Kitabs” been changed? The Qur’an says, “No!” Is Allah not powerful enough to protect His message?
Read in the Qur’an surah an-An’am 6:115-116 “Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it isrevealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O Muhammad) of the waverers. Perfected is the Word of the Lord in truth and justice. There is no one that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.”No one can change the words of Allah. If someone tells you that the“Before Kitabs” have been changed, ask them, “Who changed them and when were they changed?” Then ask them, “Why does the Qur’an which was written 600 years after the Injil, not tell us that the Injil has been changed?”
Now read al-Imran 3:49 And will make him (Isa) a messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): "Lo I come to you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and breathe into it, and it is a bird by Allah's leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah’s leave. And I announce to you what you eat, and what you store up in your houses. Lo! here is a sign for you, if you are to be believers in Isa.
Allah had also created Adam out of the dirt of the ground. According to the Qur’an,ayyah 49, Allah also gave Isa the power to create life. With the power of Allah, Isa also stilled storms, healed the sick, forgave sins and even raised the DEAD TO LIFE. Thus proving Isa is Allah come in the flesh. Why? To bring us into a personal relationship with God and worship Him because of what His Son Isa has done for us in His unique life and death and resurrection.
After reading this ayyah, once again my soul is filled with hope. Isa has been given power over life and death. POWER OVER DEATH, this is amazing! Before, I had thought that death was my greatest enemy in the world. But now I realize from the Qur’an that Isa was given power over death. The world has been waiting for someone who can conquer our greatest and final enemy, death. If Isa was given the power of life and death, what can he do for us?
3:50 And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Taurat (Torah), and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
Isa said that his life verified or confirmed what the prophets had spoken about him in the ‘Before Kitabs.’ The old prophets spoke much about Isa al-Masih. When I read the “Before Kitabs,” that have been translated from the original languages, I found over 300 prophesies (foretelling) about Isa!
In al-Imran 3:50 Isa tells us that our duty to Allah is to obeyhim (Isa)! To show your highest respect to Allah, you must obey Isa. The only command of Isa that we find in the Qur’an is here in 3:50. The command is clear, “Obey me” (Isa). Later you will see an amazing promise of a blessing given to those who obey the commands of Isa.
If we are to obey the commands of Isa, where can we find these commands? They are found in the Injil. How can you do your duty to Allah and obey Isa unless you know what he has commanded you to do? You must find out what the Injil says so that you can know how to obey Isa? The same Injil that Muhammed, peace be upon him, used is available today. When you find an Injil, be sure to check to see if it was translated from the original Greek language in which it was written in the 1st century.
3:51 Truly! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him.This is the Straight Path. A road or path always leads us to something or someone. The Straight Path (Tarika) mentioned in this ayyah is the road that leads us to Allah. It is a straight and direct road to Allah. There are no bypasses or turns. It is a direct path which means that it does not stop short of its intended goal which is heaven. So who can travel on this path to Allah?
Have you ever heard someone say, “If I do enough good works, Allah will let me go to be with Him in heaven after I die?” The one who says this is blind and insults the holiness of Allah. No matter how many good works you do, you can never remove the fact that your life also includes times when you have
disobeyed Allah.
Allah is 100 percent holy and no sin can come into His presence. Remember that Adam was removed from the presence of Allah because of his one sin. 99.9 percent holy people cannot go to heaven. In fact there is no such thing as 99.9 percent holiness; holiness is always 100 percent. Only people who have their sins removed from them can go to be with Allah. This is sad news for us, because we have all sinned. Our only hope is that Allah will create a way for us to be totally cleansed of our sin and our sinful nature.
3:52 But when Isa came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah?" The disciples said: "We will be Allah’s helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah)."
3:53 Our Lord! We believe in that which You have sent down, and we follow him that You have sent (Isa). Enroll us among those who witness (to the Truth)
In order to get all of the people of the world to worship Allah alone, Isa asked for some helpers. A small group of men came forward saying that they are Muslims and that they will help Isa. They said that they believe in Allah’s message and the messenger (Isa) that He sent down. According to the Qur’an , the followers of Isa are Muslims!
Nowhere in the Qur’an does it say that Muslims are released from their responsibility to follow Isa. The Qur’an never says that one prophet cancels out the authority of another prophet!
3:54 And they (disbelievers) schemed (to kill Isa) and Allah schemed too: and Allah is the best of the schemers.
Satan hates Truth and will do everything he can to make sure that people do not hear it. How long have you been reading the Qur’an and yet you have never understood surah al-Imran 3:42-55? Satan does not mind if you can read the Qur’an, but he does have a great concern if you understand the Qur’an. Allah will not allow Satan to win. He has a plan to give Truth to all the people in the world.
There were two plans for the death of Isa. The leaders of the Jews had a plan to kill Isa and Allah had a plan for the death of Isa. Does the Qur’an ever say that Isa did not die?
No. Surah The Women 4:157 says that the Jews said that they did not kill or crucify him. Note that the ayyah does not say “Isa did not die.” Also note that the Jews were not allowed to put anyone to death, only the Romans could do this. So it was actually notthe Jews but the Romans who executed Jesus. If you think that the Qur’an says that Isa did not die, read the next ayyah.
3:55 And (remember) when Allah said: "O Isa (Jesus)! I will take you* and raise you to Myself and clear you of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute."
Ask your Imam to read in Arabic ayyah 55. Listen carefully as he reads. You will hear him say the Arabic word, *“mutawaffika.” The root of this word is “tawaffa.” This word means “to die” or “to cause one to die.” The word, “tawaffa” is used 26 times in the Qur’an. 24 times it is translated, “to die” or “to cause to die.” Twice it is translated, “to sleep.” Never is it translated, “to take.”
Translators must be careful to accurately translate the Qur’an into other languages. Therefore, ayyah 55 should be correctly translated to say, “And when Allah said: ‘O Isa! I will cause you to die and then raise you to Myself…”
Surah Maryam 19:33 Isa says about himself, “Blessed was the day I was born, blessed was the day I died, and blessed was the day I was resurrected.” Resurrected means, “raised from the dead.” This was Allah’s perfect plan. But why would Allah have Isa killed? I will answer this later.
Where is Isa at this time? Ayyah 55 proclaims that Isa was raised up to Allah himself. Remember that Allah is 100 percent holy.
If someone is brought directly to Allah, they too must be 100 percent holy as well. No evil or sinful person can come into the presence of Allah.
The summary of Isa’s life is as follows:
* Born without inheriting Adam’s evil nature
* Lived a holy and sinless life
* Allah gave him power over life and death
* Isa traveled the straight path (Tarika) to Allah
* Isa is now with Allah
This is the Truth that comes directly to us from the Qur’an. Do you understand this Truth?
In the Injil Sharif, Isa made a bold statement about himself. He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (Yuhonna 14:6)
Surah al-Imran 3:42-55 agrees with the Injil Sharif. Isa knows the way to Allah because he has traveled the Straight path (Tarika) to Allah. “Isa is the Truth because he is the Word of Allah. Allah’s Word is always true. Isa is the Life because he was given power over death.
The Straight Path (Tarika) to Heaven
Blind people need help in traveling. Until I read surah Al Imran 3:42-55, I felt that I was a “spiritually” blind person. My evil and sinful nature prevented me from seeing the straight path (Tarika) to heaven. I needed someone to help me. I needed someone who knows the way. Another blind person is of no use to me. It must be someone who has traveled the straight path (Tarika) before and whose home is heaven.
Can Isa help us get to heaven? I believe surah al-Imran 3:42-55 is a special message from Allah. This wonderful message tells about a prophet that came from heaven, lived as a man and then went back to home in heaven. Yes, I believe Isa can help us.
At the beginning of this booklet, I presented to you an ayah from the Qur’an and then I asked you a question. It is now time to answer that question.
Surah Al Maidah (5:83) “And when they listen to what has been sent down to the messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the Truth they have recognized. They say; “Our Lord! We believe; so write us
down among the witnesses.”
I asked the question, “Who is the “they” in this ayyah?” The answer is, “The followers of Isa.
How Can You Follow Isa to Heaven?
Allah loves you and wants you to be with Him in heaven after you die. But to go to heaven, your sins must be totally removed from you. To fix this problem, Allah developed a way that we could be totally forgiven and the curse of sin removed from us. Starting with Adam, man could be forgiven of his sins if he followed the sacrifice system called “korban (sacrifice).”
With his sins forgiven and removed, he could join Allah and Isa in heaven directly after death.
The korban is a picture of the punishment that we deserve for our sins.
Think about the Muslim festival of korban. First, we are to find a pure animal. A sick or low quality animal cannot be used for the sacrifice. Immediately before the sacrifice, we are to pray to Allah saying, “Allah, I am guilty of committing sin against you. I deserve to have my blood poured out of me until I die. So Allah, please have mercy on me and instead of taking my blood, take the blood of this innocent animal.”
From the time of Adam until the time of Isa, korban was practiced. Allah did not always require the blood of animals to be used for the korban. Ibrahim was told to do the korban with his promised son. At the last moment, Allah stopped Ibrahimfrom sacrificing his son. Allah was only testing Ibrahim’s love and devotion to Him.
The korban was only a shadow of the ultimate korban, the korban described in al-Imran 3:54-55, that Allah would provide for all the people of the world: past,
present, and future. For Allah to do korban for all of mankind shows us how much He loves us and gives us confidence that we can be totally cleared of the curse of sin.
But what would Allah use for His korban for all the people of the world?
The Qur’an says that the birth of Isa would be a sign for the world. In order for Allah to do korban for all mankind, he needed the most pure, holy, and powerful sacrifice available. We have seen from the Qur’an that the purest, holiest, and most powerful blood in the world was that of Isa. Allah performed the korban using the innocent and holy blood of Isa.
What Allah prevented Ibrahim from doing with his promised son, Allah Himself did for us with Isa. This was an act of love unlike any we have every seen, the innocent giving his blood for the guilty. Isa took upon himself the punishment that we deserve. If you believe that Isa took the punishment you deserve for your sins you will be ever grateful. The Injil says in surah Yuhonna 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Isa laid down his life for us.
The good news is through Isa’s perfect life, death on a cross and resurrection Allah promises to forgive you your sin, cleans you of them and remove there curse from you. You will never be good enough because of Adam’s bad heart and bad record you have inherited. You are guilty and deserving of judgement and hell at death.
But in His mercy Allah now looks on you in Isa and see his perfect life and credits that to you. Also now by Allah’s Spirit you can know in your being your Allah’s child and heaven is to be your home when you die because of Isa’s unique person and work for a sinner like you.
Today you, too, can become a follower of Isa by believing that Allah gave the korban for you, substituting Isa for you. Stop now, hold your hands up before you, and humbly
Pray:
Allah,
I am a sinner, I want your forgiveness for all my sins, past present and future. I receive your korban and thank you Isa became my Korban and my Allah. I believe you are Holy and just and therefore must punish sin. But I also now believe you punished Isa by placing my sins on Him. He took your wrath for my sins. Through His death I have eternal life and forgivness of my sins and new life in your son Isa.
I also am sorry for living sinfully independent of you. I now live for Isa your son who is now my Allah, saviour and King.
Amen.
Adapted from “Camel Tracks... Discover the Camel ’s Secret” By Kevin Greeson
There is no copyright on this tract Please feel free to make or translate as many copies as you desire without notifying the author.
For questions please contact www.christianlibrary.org.au