Muhammad Confirms that Jesus in Revelation Claims to Be God Almighty!

Muhammad proclaimed that Allah is the first and the last, an expression which speaks to the uncreated, timeless existence of God:

He is the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward; He has knowledge of everything. S. 57:3 Arberry

Muhammad also taught that the most vile human being in the sight of his god is the one who claims to be the king of kings, obviously because only God can make such an assertion:

CXIV. The name which Allah most hates

5852. Al-A’raj related from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah said, “The most ignoble name in the sight of Allah on the Day of Rising will be a man who calls himself ‘the king of kings’.”

5853. Al-A’raj related from Abu Hurayra, “The most ignoble name in the sight of Allah.” Sufyan said another time, “The most ignoble of names in the sight of Allah on the Day of Rising will be a man calling himself ‘the king of kings’.” Sufyan said that someone else says that it means “Shahan Shah (King of Kings in Persian).” (Aisha Bewley, The Sahih Collection of Al-Bukhari, Chapter 81. The Book of Adab* (Good Manners) https://bewley.virtualave.net/bukhari41.html; italicized and underline emphasis ours)

Here is a different English rendering of the hadith:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “The most awful (meanest) name in Allah’s sight.” Sufyan said more than once, “The most awful (meanest) name in Allah’s sight is (that of) a man calling himself king of kings.” Sufyan said, “Somebody else (i.e. other than Abu Az-Zinad, a sub-narrator) says: What is meant by ‘The king of kings’ is ‘Shahan Shah.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 73, Number 224 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=73&translator=1&start=0&number=224; bold and italicized emphasis ours)

And yet, in the revelation that the Lord Jesus sent his angel to give to his servant John, Christ identifies himself as the First and the Last who died and came to life again:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand… I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST: I am he that liveth, AND WAS DEAD; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” Revelation 1:1-3, 9-20

“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star… For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:16, 18-20

“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which WAS DEAD, and is alive;” Revelation 2:8

The Risen Lord also claims to be the One who rules over all the earthly kings because of his being the King of kings, as well as the Lord of lords:

“and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6

“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16

The foregoing explicitly shows that the Lord Jesus identified himself as God Almighty in the flesh by ascribing to himself the very unique names and functions, which even Muhammad taught belong to the true God alone!

As such, Jesus is the God of all creation, and therefore the God of all Muslims, which in turn makes him the God of their false prophet Muhammad!

All biblical citations taken from the Authorized King James Version (AV) of the Holy Bible.

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/12/muhammad-confirms-that-jesus-in-revelation-claims-to-be-god-almighty/ 

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Islam Bears Witness: Christ is Superior to and Greater than the Baptist Pt. 2

We continue to list some of the various ways in which Jesus is depicted as being greater than John https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/islam-bears-witness-christ-is-superior-to-and-greater-than-the-baptist-pt-1/.

2. Unlike John who was born through the normal process of sexual reproduction, Christ was born miraculously from a virgin (cf. Q. 3:47; 19:20-21).

3. Unlike John, Jesus and his blessed mother were protected from being touched by Satan at their respective births.

Narrated Said bin Al-Musaiyab: Abu Huraira said, “I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, ‘There is NONE BORN among the off-spring of Adam, but Satan touches it. A child therefore, cries loudly at the time of birth because of the touch of Satan, except Mary and her child.” Then Abu Huraira recited: “And I seek refuge with You for her and for her offspring from the outcast Satan” (3.36) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 641 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=55&translator=1&start=0&number=641)

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger as saying: NO CHILD is born BUT he is pricked by the satan and he begins to weep because of the pricking of the satan except the son of Mary and his mother. Abu Huraira then said: You may recite if you so like (the verse):” I seek Thy protection for her and her offspring against satan the accursed” (iii. 36). This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters (and the words are):” The newborn child is touched by the satan (when he comes in the world) and he starts crying because of the touch of satan.” In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Shu’aib there is a slight variation of wording.  (Sahih Muslim, Book 030, Number 5837 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=030&translator=2&start=0&number=5837)

 4. Unlike John who was merely a prophet, Jesus is the Messiah, a King (cf. Q. 3:45).

The following expositor was aware that the word Messiah meant that Jesus would be a King,

((And remember) when the angels) i.e. Gabriel (said: O Mary! Allah giveth you glad tidings of a Word from Him) of a son who shall come into being by means of a Word from Allah, (whose name is the Messiah) because he travels from one country to another; it is also said: the Messiah means the king, (Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world) he has standing and position amidst people in the life of this world (and the Hereafter) he has standing and position with Allah, (and one of those brought near) unto Allah in the Garden of Eden. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=3&tAyahNo=45&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0; bold and underline emphasis ours)

Which is exactly how both the Old and New Testaments define this particular title:

“Then their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate. They began to accuse Him, saying, ‘We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Messiah, a King.’ So Pilate asked Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ He answered him, ‘You have said it.’” Luke 23:1-3 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

 5. Unlike John, Jesus is the Creator and Life-giver who performed signs and wonders.

The Quran fails to mention a single miracle that the Baptist did, obviously because he never performed any, just as God’s Word plainly testifies:

“Then He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, and He remained there. Many came to Him and said, ‘John did no sign. But everything that John said about this Man was true.’” John 10:40-41

Jesus, on the other hand, is depicted as performing divine works such as creating life and raising the dead, as well as speaking from the cradle:

He shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall be… to be a Messenger to the Children of Israel saying, “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I will create for you out of clay as the likeness of a bird; then I will breathe into it, and it will be a bird, by the leave of God. I will also heal the blind and the leper, and bring to life the dead, by the leave of God. I will inform you too of what things you eat, and what you treasure up in your houses. Surely in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. S. 3:46, 49 Arberry – cf. Q. 5:110

O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet, And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, And (hath made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! S. 19:28-33 Pickthall

6. Unlike John who died, Jesus was taken physically, bodily into the very presence of Allah himself.

But Allah raised him [‘Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise. S. 4:158 Hilali-Khan – cf. Q. 3:55

7. Unlike John who shall remain dead till the day of resurrection, Jesus will return as a just judge to rule the earth and kill the antichrist.

Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it.” Abu Huraira added “If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): — ‘And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e. Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them.” (4.159) (See Fateh Al Bari, Page 302 Vol 7) (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 657 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=55&translator=1&start=0&number=657)

‘Abdullah b. ‘Amr reported that a person came to him and said: What is this hadith that you narrate that the Last Hour would come at such and such time? Thereupon he said: Hallowed be Allah, there is no god but Allah (or the words to the same effect). I have decided that I would not narrate anything to anyone now. I had only said that you would see after some time an important event that the (sacred) House (Ka’ba) would be burnt and it would happen and definitely happen. He then reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: The Dajjal would appear in my Ummah and he would stay (in the world) for forty-I cannot say whether he meant forty days, forty months or forty years. And Allah would then send Jesus son of Mary who would resemble ‘Urwa b Mas’ud. He (Jesus Christ) would chase him and kill him… (Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 7023 http://searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=041&translator=2&start=0&number=7023)

It is painfully obvious from the above examples that even Islam denies that John is anywhere near the exalted status of Christ. According to the so-called authentic sources of Islam, the Lord Jesus is vastly superior to the Baptist, being counted worthy of greater glory and honor than all the prophets combined, even Muhammad himself.

This should now put to rest the feeble and desperate attempt by some Muslims to use what the Quran says about John to undermine the explicit Islamic witness to the incomparability and transcendent majesty of the Lord Jesus over all creatures, including Muhammad.

Unless noted otherwise, all Scriptural references taken from the Modern English Version (MEV) of the Holy Bible.

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/islam-bears-witness-christ-is-superior-to-and-greater-than-the-baptist-pt-2/ 

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Islam Bears Witness: Christ is Superior to and Greater than the Baptist Pt. 1

In order to undermine the unambiguous Islamic witness to the incomparability of Christ, especially in respect to his absolute and essential purity and holiness, some Muslims like to bring up the fact that the Quran also describes John the Baptist as being pure or sinless:

“and grace from us, and purity (wazakatan); and he was pious.” S. 19:13 Palmer

Here is another rendering of this verse:

I gave him tenderness of heart and saved him from any sin and he responded to these blessings with righteousness. Bijan Moeinian http://islamawakened.com/quran/19/st11.htm

They assume that this somehow refutes the Christian attempt of using the Islamic sources to affirm the absolute transcendence and superiority of the Lord Jesus over all the prophets, especially Muhammad.

However, the appeal to John’s sinlessness doesn’t help the Muslims, but actually makes matters worse for them.

In the first place, just as we saw in the case of Christ and his blessed mother,

John’s sinless purity ends up contradicting the plain witness of the Quran and Sunna that there is no creature that is absolutely flawless:

And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). S. 16:61 Hilali-Khan – cf. Q. 18:58; 35:45

Sunan Ibn Majah

The Chapters on Asceticism

It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah said:

“EVERY son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent.’”

Grade: Hasan (Darussalam)

English reference: Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4251

Arabic reference: Book 37, Hadith 4392 (Sunna.com http://sunnah.com/urn/1293540; capital, italic and underline emphasis ours)

This now creates a major problem for Muslims since the only that the Baptist could be sinless is if he is a divine being. Logically, there is really no way around this:

1. There is no creature that is absolutely sinless.

2. John the Baptist is absolutely sinless.

3. Therefore, John is not a mere creature but one who is fully divine as well.

When we add the fact that the Islamic sources also confirm the absolute moral perfection of both Christ and his beloved mother, which therefore makes them uncreated as well,

The Prophet of Shirk Strikes Again Pt. 1 https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/the-prophet-of-shirk-strikes-again-pt-1/ 

Then the assertion that Allah is the only god that exists falls flat on its face, since the reality is that Islam posits at least six separate divine and uncreated beings/entities:

1. Jesus.

2. The Holy Spirit.

3. Mary.

4. John

5. The Quran

6. Allah.

The second problem which these polemicists encounter is that both the Quran and Sunna depict Christ as far surpassing the Baptism in terms of status and honor. Here is a list of those traits.

1. John sent as Christ’s forerunner to confirm that Jesus is the Word and Spirit of/from Allah.

When he was standing during prayer in his place of worship, the angels called him saying, “God gives you the glad news of the birth of your son, John who will be a confirmation of (Jesus) the Word of God (bikalimatin mina Allahi). He will become a chaste, noble leader and one of the righteous Prophets. S. 3:39 Muhammad Sarwar http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/3/st23.htm

Note how the following versions translate this text:

“… who shall confirm Allah’s Word (i.e., ‘Isa [Jesus])…” Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/3/st43.htm

“…confirming a word (B-kalimah) from Allah (Jesus, the word of Allah, the manifestation of specific forces)…” Ahmed Hulusi http://www.islamawakened.com/quran/3/st63.htm

That these translations are correct in seeing Jesus as the Word that John was sent to bear witness to, can be seen from what this same chapter goes on to say a few verses later:

When the angels said, ‘Mary, God gives thee good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary (bikalimatin minhu ismuhu al-Maseehu ‘Isa ibnu Maryama); high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. S. 3:45 Arberry

“… God has given you the glad news of the coming birth of a son whom He calls His Word, whose name will be Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary…” Sarwar

Here we are expressly told that the name of the Word that the Baptist bore witness to is the Messiah Jesus, Son of Mary.

This explains why the Muslim commentators were virtually unanimous in identifying the Word whom John was sent to confirm as Jesus Christ:

(believing in the Word from Allah) Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said, and also Al-Hasan, Qatadah, `Ikrimah, Mujahid, Abu Ash-Sha`tha, As-Suddi, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, Ad-Dahhak, and several others said that the Ayah…

(believing in the Word from Allah) means, “Believing in `Isa, son of Maryam.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=543&Itemid=46; bold and underline emphasis ours)

And the angels, namely, Gabriel, called to him, standing in the sanctuary, in the temple, at worship that (anna, means bi-anna; a variant reading has inna, implying a direct speech statement) ‘God gives you good tidings (read yubashshiruka, or yubshiruka) of John, who shall confirm a Word, being, from God, namely, Jesus, that he is God’s Spirit; he is referred to as [God’s] ‘Word’, because he was created through the word kun, ‘Be’; a lord, with a following, and one chaste, forbidden from women, and a prophet of the righteous’: it is said that he never sinned and never so intended. (Tafsir al-Jalalayn http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=74&tSoraNo=3&tAyahNo=39&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold and italic emphasis ours)

(And the angels) i.e. the Angel Gabriel (called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary) in the mosque: (Allah giveth thee glad tidings of John) a son whose name is John, ((who cometh) to confirm a Word from Allah) Jesus son of Mary that he will be a word from Allah, created without a father, (lordly) who is clement when wronged, (chaste) has no desire for women, (a Prophet of the righteous) among the messengers. (Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs http://altafsir.com/Tafasir.asp?tMadhNo=0&tTafsirNo=73&tSoraNo=3&tAyahNo=39&tDisplay=yes&UserProfile=0&LanguageId=2; bold and italic emphasis ours)

Astonishingly, some of these interpreters went as far as to say that John even bowed down in homage to Jesus while both of them were still in the wombs of their blessed mothers!

Note, for example, what the following renowned Muslim authority wrote concerning this point:

Allah says: “Confirming a word from Allah.” (3:39)

Yahya confirmed ‘Isa when he was three years old. He testified that he was THE WORD OF ALLAH and HIS SPIRIT. It is said that he confirmed him when he was in his mother’s womb. Yahya’s mother said to Maryam, “I feel what is in my womb BOWING TO what is in your womb to greet him.” (Qadi ‘Iyad Ibn Musa al-Yahsubi, Kitab Ash-shifa bi ta’rif huquq al-Mustafa (Healing by the recognition of the Rights of the Chosen One), translated by Aisha Abdarrahman Bewley [Madinah Press, Inverness, Scotland, U.K.; third reprint 1991, paperback], p. 51; capital and underline emphasis ours)

The qadi wasn’t alone here, since this is what the Muslim exegete Al-Qurtubi wrote in regards to Elizabeth’s visiting Mary (said to be her sister) shortly after both women had conceived their sons:

“The sister visited Mary and said, ‘O Mary, do you perceive that I am with child?’ Mary answered, ‘Do you see that I am also with child?’ Her sister went on, ‘I feel the child in my womb bowing down to the child in your womb.’”

Al-Qurtubi further stated that:

“It is reported that she felt the fetus in her womb bow down with its head turned toward Mary’s womb.” (Mahmoud M. Ayoub, The Qur’an and Its Interpreters, Volume II, The House of ‘Imran [State University of New York Press, Albany 1992], p. 108; bold and italic emphasis ours)

One main problem with this story is that it was Mary who visited Elizabeth, not the other way around.

Al-Tabari, another renowned Muslim scholar and expositor, wrote:

“She [Mary] came to her sister who was then pregnant and to whom the birth of the Baptist had been announced. When the two met, the Baptist’s mother felt that her child was bowing within her in recognition of Jesus…” (History of Al-Tabari: The Ancient Kingdoms, translated by Moshe Perlmann [State University of New York Press, Albany, 1987], Volume IV, p. 114; bold emphasis ours)

And:

“… Her sister, the wife of Zechariah, came to visit her at night. When Mary opened the door for her, the sister clung to her. The wife of Zechariah said, ‘Oh Mary, do you know I am with child?’ Mary replied, ‘Do you know, that I too am with child?’ Zechariah’s wife then said, ‘I felt that the child in me was bowing to the child in you,’ as it is written, ‘confirming the Word of God.’” (Ibid., p. 119; bold emphasis ours)

These scholars were simply regurgitating (albeit not in the most accurate manner) what is found in the Gospel of Luke:

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother OF MY LORD should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.’” Luke 1:41-44

God’s Holy Spirit, who was already filling him in the womb,

“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” Luke 1:15

Caused the Baptist to leap in his mother’s belly in honor of Christ being his Sovereign Lord.

Now notice how Elizabeth’s proclamation to Mary, who had just conceived her glorious child, that her unborn Son was already her Lord from the womb, echoes what the angels would later announce at Christ’s birth:

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

There are a lot of other ways where Islam presents Christ as outshining the Baptist, which we will highlight in the second part of our discussion https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/islam-bears-witness-christ-is-superior-to-and-greater-than-the-baptist-pt-2/.

Source: https://answeringislamblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/islam-bears-witness-christ-is-superior-to-and-greater-than-the-baptist-pt-1/ 

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