Muslim Q And A

[Selah]

I thought it would be easier if we all made one big thread to ask our dear guests questions

I have one. Can any of you tell me about the Buraq? Apparently, it's a horse with the head of a woman that carried Mohammed to heaven.

Thanks!

Selah

[extempers]

SubhanAllah, I've never heard anyone claim it was a head of a woman.

But thanks for the question. Here you go:

After the Prophet performed the Evening Prayer (^Isha'), Jibril came to him with a white animal, slightly larger than a donkey yet smaller than a mule. This animal was the buraq,--one of the animals of Paradise. Jibril held the buraq by his ear and told the Prophet to mount it. When the buraq was mounted, the Prophet set forth.

The buraq is a very fast animal; the length of the buraq's stride is the farthest distance it's eye can see.

from sunna.info
I can get a lot more, God willing, if you are interested

[Selah]

It's always facinated me Thank you for answering (Jibril is Gabriel, right?)

[mortify]

Note that the face of Muhammad is hidden:

http://zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_face_hidden/nizami_detail.jpg

Edited December 13, 2009 by homeschoolmom
Out of respect for our guests

[Selah]

Very interesting.

Fatima is his daughter, correct? Is it true that she is considered one of the purest women to live? Can you tell me anything else about her?

[extempers]

Still disgusting, extremely offensive and something of similar nature we would not do when discussing Christianity with Christians, but you do as you wish.

I will not respond to a painting. The painting is in itself unlawful so it's not exactly a source of authority regarding the buraq.

[mortify]

[quote name='extempers' date='12 December 2009 - 06:01 PM' timestamp='1260658880' post='2019342']
Still disgusting, extremely offensive and something of similar nature we would not do when discussing Christianity with Christians, but you do as you wish.

I will not respond to a painting. The painting is in itself unlawful so it's not exactly a source of authority regarding the buraq.
[/quote]

The painting was made by Persian Muslims, what do you find disgusting and extremely offensive about it?

[Selah]

Mohammed isn't to be depicted, as I recall. He may not like the fact that he is painted there.

Now then...about Fatima. Tell me a bit about her

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
selah, I had made a thread already

[Selah]

Oh. Sorry

[extempers]

[quote name='mortify' date='12 December 2009 - 06:37 PM' timestamp='1260661057' post='2019378']
The painting was made by Persian Muslims, what do you find disgusting and extremely offensive about it?
[/quote]

And there are "christians" who have depicted Jesus (as) in a horrible light, that doesn't make it right.

[Lounge Daddy]

[quote name='extempers' date='12 December 2009 - 10:50 PM' timestamp='1260676241' post='2019502']
And there are "christians" who have depicted Jesus (as) in a horrible light, that doesn't make it right.
[/quote]

That's a good point. And I didn't know that depicting the Prophet is unlawful. So I learned something already in this thread.

[OraProMe]

If Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet then why not his claims to divinity and the establishment of his Church that he is recorded as having said ("I am the way, the truth..." "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I shall build MY Church")? What is the Muslim position on the Gospels?

[extempers]

[b]1. Do Muslims believe he was a Messenger of One God? YES[/b]

Belief in all of the Prophets and Messengers of God is a fundamental article of faith in Islam. Thus, believing in Prophets Adam, Jesus, Moses, and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them) is a requirement for anyone who calls him or herself a Muslim. A person claiming to be a Muslim who, for instance, denies the Messengership of Jesus, is not considered a Muslim.

The Quran says in reference to the status of Jesus as a Messenger:

"The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger before whom many Messengers have passed away; and his mother adhered wholly to truthfulness, and they both ate food (as other mortals do). See how We make Our signs clear to them; and see where they are turning away!" (Quran 5:75).


[b]2. Do Muslims believe he was born of a Virgin Mother? YES[/b]

Like Christians, Muslims believe Mary, Maria in Spanish, or Maryam as she is called in Arabic, was a chaste, virgin woman, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus.

"Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her family, to a place in the East. She screened herself from them; then We sent to her Our spirit (angel Gabriel) and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: I seek refuge from you in God Most Gracious (come not near) if you do fear God. He said: Nay, I am only a Messenger from your Lord, to announce to you the gift of a pure son. She said: How shall I have a son, when no man has ever touched me, and I am not unchaste? He said: So it will be, your Lord says: ‘That is easy for Me; and We wish to appoint him as a sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': It was a matter so decreed" (Quran 19:16-21).

[b]
3. Do Muslims believe Jesus had a miraculous birth? YES[/b]

The Quran says:

"She (Mary) said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.' He (God) said: ‘So (it will be) for God creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: ‘Be!'- and it is" (3:47).

It should also be noted about his birth that:

"Verily, the likeness of Jesus in God's Sight is the likeness of Adam. He (God) created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!'-and he was" (Quran 3:59).

[b]
4. Do Muslims believe Jesus spoke in the cradle? YES[/b]

"Then she (Mary) pointed to him. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' He (Jesus) said: ‘Verily! I am a slave of God, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; " (19:29-30).

[b]5. Do Muslims believe he performed miracles? YES[/b]

Muslims, like Christians believe Jesus performed miracles. But these were performed by the will and permission of God, Who has power and control over all things.

"Then will God say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favor to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit (the angel Gabriel) so that you did speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold: you make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and you breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by My leave, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers by My leave. And behold! you bring forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the children of Israel from (violence to you) when you did show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic' (5:110).


[b]6. Do Muslims believe in the Trinity? NO[/b]

Muslims believe in the Absolute Oneness of God, Who is a Supreme Being free of human limitations, needs and wants. He has no partners in His Divinity. He is the Creator of everything and is completely separate from His creation.

God says in the Quran regarding the Trinity:

"People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and attribute to God nothing except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of God, and His command that He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in God and in His Messengers, and do not say: ‘God is a Trinity.' Give up this assertion; it would be better for you. God is indeed just One God. Far be it from His glory that He should have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. God is sufficient for a guardian" (Quran 4:171).


[b]7. Do Muslims believe that Jesus was the son of God? NO[/b]

"Say: "God is Unique! God, the Source [of everything]. He has not fathered anyone nor was He fathered, and there is nothing comparable to Him!" (Quran 112:1-4).

The Quran also states:

"Such was Jesus, the son of Mary; it is a statement of truth, about which they vainly dispute. It is not befitting to the majesty of God, that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be' and it is" (Quran 19:34-35).


[b]8. Do Muslims believe Jesus was killed on the cross then resurrected? NO[/b]

"“They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did.” (Quran 4:156) “God lifted him up to His presence. God is Almighty, All-Wise” (Quran 4:157) .

soundvision

[extempers]

[b]The role of Paul of Tarsus in shaping this belief and the belief in Trinity
[/b]
The notion of Jesus as son of God is something that was established under the influence of Paul of Tarsus (originally named Saul), who had been an enemy of Jesus, but later changed course and joined the disciples after the departure of Jesus.

Later, however, he initiated a number of changes into early Christian teachings, in contradiction, for instance, to disciples like Barnabas, who believed in the Oneness of God and who had actually lived and met with Jesus.

Paul is considered by a number of Christian scholars to be the father of Christianity due to his additions of the following ideas:

that Jesus is the son of God,

the concept of Atonement,

the renunciation of the Law of the Torah.

Paul did these things in hopes of winning over the Gentiles (non-Jewish people). His letters are another of the primary sources of information on Jesus according to the Christian tradition.

The original followers of Prophet Jesus opposed these blatant misrepresentations of the message of Jesus. They struggled to reject the notion of the Divinity of Jesus for close to 200 years.

One person who was an original follower of Jesus was Barnabas. He was a Jew born in Cyrus and a successful preacher of the teachings of Jesus. Because of his closeness to Jesus, he was an important member of the small group of disciples in Jerusalem who had had gathered together following the disappearance of Jesus.

The question of Jesus's nature, origin and relationship with God was not raised amongst Barnabas and the small group of disciples. Jesus was considered a man miraculously endowed by God. Nothing in the words of Jesus or the events in his life led them to modify this view.

The Gospel of Barnabas was accepted as a Canonical Gospel in the Churches of Alexandria till 325 CE Iranaeus (130-200) wrote in support of pure monotheism and opposed Paul for injecting into Christianity doctrines of the pagan Roman religion and Platonic philosophy. He quoted extensively from the Gospel of Barnabas in support of his views. This indicates that the Gospel of Barnabas was in circulation in the first and second centuries of Christianity.

In 325 (CE), a council of Christian leaders met at Nicaea and made Paul's beliefs officially part of Christian doctrine. It also ordered that all original Gospels in Hebrew script which contradicted Paul's beliefs should be destroyed. An edict was issued that anyone in possession of these Gospels would be put to death.

The Gospel of Barnabas has miraculously survived though.

http://www.soundvision.com/Info/Jesus/inIslam.asp