Islam: A Guide for Jews and Christians - Electric Scotland

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DISCOVERING SCRIPTURE IN SCRIPTURE t 25 that they believe not, save a few” (4:155). It then continues: “And because of their disbelief and because of their terrible calumny against Mary and because of their saying that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary—they did not kill him nor did they crucify him but he was counterfeited for them [or it just seemed so to them]. ... They did not kill him certainly; rather, God raised him to Himself” (4:156–158). But all the Jews will believe in him before his actual death, and on the Day of Judgment he (Jesus) will be a witness against them (4:159). In the end, then, Jesus is, despite his miraculous birth, a human prophet like God’s other messengers (Quran 5:75), who ate earthly food like other men (25:22). He denies that he ever asked anyone to worship him (or his mother) as gods (5:116–117). Christians are wrong in making Jesus God (5:72) and part of a Trinity. He was only a messenger (4:17; 5:72). Christians and Christianity in the Quran The Quran casts Christians as occasional interlocutors with Muhammad at Medina, but as in the case of almost all the “they say” speakers in the Holy Book, their exact identity and the occasion of their remarks is left unspecified. We do not know of any permanent body of Christians at Medina, nor do the Muslim commentators on the Quran, so both they and we are hard-pressed to supply local, social, or sectarian context for “the Christians” who are referred to in the Quran, whether they were actual Christians who stood before the Prophet as he spoke, or whether “Christians” actually means “Christianity,” some general notion of the Christian faith or the Christian community. Supplying context is a problem for anyone who attempts to understand the Quran, and not least for the classical Muslim commentators who stood far closer to the events than we do. But the chapters in the Quran are not arranged chronologically, and it was as important for medieval Muslims as it is for modern historians to attempt to sort them into the order in which the revelations were pronounced. Then, with some modest assurance that at least the
26 t CHAPTER ONE gross distinctions are correct—that these suras were delivered early on, or somewhat later, at Mecca, and these at Medina—we can attempt to put the quranic references to Christians somewhere along the time line of Muhammad’s life. Christians and things Christian—Christian dogma, institutions, and personages—are often referred to in the Quran. The Quran’s Christianity is, of course, a construct, but unlike the later Christians’ construct of Islam, this one bears for Muslims a divine patent: it is God’s construct and so, by definition, undeconstructible. And what is it? Christianity, what is professed by Christians, is, in some very large areas, sheer falsehood. As the Quran explains, Jesus was not the son of God, although the Christians think so, and the Trinity does not express divine unity but tritheism, although the Christians deny it. This is theology at loggerheads, and, as has recently been observed, there is probably no more to be said about it. In one area at least, theology leads back into history. The Quran denies the central Christian dogma of redemption, not explicitly, but implicitly, by its apparent denial of Jesus’ death on the cross. It occurs in the already cited difficult passage that occurs in the Medina sura 4 (154–159). It is the Jews who are being referred to: For their [the Jews’] not fulfilling their covenant, for their unbelief in the signs of God, for their slaying the prophets unjustly, for their saying “Our hearts are uncircumcised”—nay, God has put a seal upon them for their unbelief, so that they believe not, save a few. And because of their disbelief—and because of their terrible calumny against Mary and because of their saying that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary—they did not kill him nor did they crucify him but he was counterfeited for them [or it just seemed so to them]. Those who differ in regard to him are in doubt for that reason. They have no knowledge thereof beyond following their own opinion. They did not kill him certainly; rather, God raised him to Himself. God was mighty and wise. There shall not be any of the People of the Book but shall believe in him before his death. Overwhelmingly the medieval Muslim commentators read these lines as a denial not merely of Jesus’ crucifixion by the Jews, but of
Page 2 and 3: ISLAM A GUIDE
Page 4 and 5: ISLAM A GUIDE FOR JEWS AND CHRISTIA
Page 6 and 7: For Charlie and Bonnie taken much t
Page 8 and 9: Contents Introduction xi 1. Discove
Page 10 and 11: CONTENTS t ix Prophetic Reports; Fr
Page 12 and 13: Introduction THE POINT of this book
Page 14 and 15: INTRODUCTION t xiii always appear s
Page 16 and 17: 1. Discovering Scripture in Scriptu
Page 18 and 19: DISCOVERING SCRIPTURE IN SCRIPTURE
Page 46 and 47: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 31 The Muslim
Page 48 and 49: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 33 Greco-Roma
Page 50 and 51: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 35 doubt, how
Page 52 and 53: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 37 cantile ce
Page 54 and 55: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 39 the rebuil
Page 56 and 57: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 41 of Mecca.
Page 58 and 59: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 43 milieu of
Page 60 and 61: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 45 There was
Page 62 and 63: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 47 Quran seem
Page 64 and 65: THE PAST REMEMBERED t 49 tion on th
Page 66 and 67: 3. “And Muhammad Is His Messenger
Page 68 and 69: “AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER”
Page 70 and 71: “ AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER
Page 84 and 85: THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 69 of Medina
Page 86 and 87: THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 71 at Medina
Page 88 and 89: THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 73 fashion a
Page 90 and 91:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 75 preaching
Page 92 and 93:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 77 was succe
Page 94 and 95:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 79 extent th
Page 96 and 97:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 81 chose, wh
Page 98 and 99:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 83 cousin, a
Page 100 and 101:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 85 The Openi
Page 102 and 103:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 87 Problems
Page 104 and 105:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 89 Uhud onwa
Page 106 and 107:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 91 and, to a
Page 108 and 109:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 93 various w
Page 110 and 111:
THE PRINCE OF MEDINA t 95 longer an
Page 112 and 113:
MUHAMMAD AND JESUS t 97 for us a ri
Page 114 and 115:
5. The Muslim Scripture: The Quran
Page 116 and 117:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 101 “New C
Page 118 and 119:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 103 and char
Page 120 and 121:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 105 Who Wrot
Page 122 and 123:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 107 which ar
Page 124 and 125:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 109 precisel
Page 126 and 127:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 111 tion of
Page 128 and 129:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 113 many of
Page 130 and 131:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 115 Quran (2
Page 132 and 133:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 117 perhaps
Page 134 and 135:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 119 out of i
Page 136 and 137:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 121 Plain an
Page 138 and 139:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 123 The Musl
Page 140 and 141:
THE MUSLIM SCRIPTURE t 125 Shiite T
Page 142 and 143:
6. The Umma, Allah’s Commonwealth
Page 144 and 145:
THE UMMA t 129 After Mecca’s subm
Page 146 and 147:
THE UMMA t 131 not legislate. For t
Page 148 and 149:
THE UMMA t 133 among some Muslims t
Page 150 and 151:
THE UMMA t 135 caliph to succeed hi
Page 152 and 153:
THE UMMA t 137 rather non-Arab noti
Page 154 and 155:
THE UMMA t 139 itories of the under
Page 156 and 157:
THE UMMA t 141 tionally speaking, t
Page 158 and 159:
THE UMMA t 143 ries. Then, in the s
Page 160 and 161:
THE UMMA t 145 trine until the retu
Page 162 and 163:
THE UMMA t 147 territory was called
Page 164 and 165:
THE UMMA t 149 of single and unique
Page 166 and 167:
THE UMMA t 151 ical territory in no
Page 168 and 169:
THE UMMA t 153 believers” (muminu
Page 170 and 171:
THE UMMA t 155 ment resolutions and
Page 172 and 173:
GOD’S WAY t 157 but discernible r
Page 174 and 175:
GOD’ S WAY t 159 pels’, even th
Page 176 and 177:
GOD’ S WAY t 161 tural pronouncem
Page 178 and 179:
GOD’ S WAY t 163 ambiguity or con
Page 180 and 181:
GOD’ S WAY t 165 in some form, ch
Page 182 and 183:
GOD’ S WAY t 167 Abbas, in fact a
Page 184 and 185:
GOD’ S WAY t 169 Islamic Justice:
Page 186 and 187:
GOD’ S WAY t 171 was provided by
Page 188 and 189:
GOD’ S WAY t 173 Note: The catego
Page 190 and 191:
GOD’ S WAY t 175 and glossed it.
Page 192 and 193:
GOD’ S WAY t 177 both rabbis and
Page 194 and 195:
GOD’ S WAY t 179 tect the law and
Page 196 and 197:
GOD’ S WAY t 181 was nothing more
Page 198 and 199:
GOD’ S WAY t 183 modern Muslim st
Page 200 and 201:
GOD’ S WAY t 185 rant in the Qura
Page 202 and 203:
DEFINING AND DEFENDING BELIEVERS t
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
Page 232 and 233:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 217 structed
Page 234 and 235:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 219 their ori
Page 236 and 237:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 221 Friday Pr
Page 238 and 239:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 223 paganism,
Page 240 and 241:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 225 desacrali
Page 242 and 243:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 227 from all
Page 244 and 245:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 229 The Dista
Page 246 and 247:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 231 of the Ho
Page 248 and 249:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 233 done only
Page 250 and 251:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 235 low Musli
Page 252 and 253:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 237 day. Muha
Page 254 and 255:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 239 or theolo
Page 256 and 257:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 241 even, of
Page 258 and 259:
THE WORSHIPFUL ACTS t 243 Semitic l
Page 260 and 261:
10. This World and the Next ALL THR
Page 262 and 263:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 247 in th
Page 264 and 265:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 249 rathe
Page 266 and 267:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 251 exper
Page 268 and 269:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 253 Salva
Page 270 and 271:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 255 when
Page 272 and 273:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 257 on th
Page 274 and 275:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 259 Eden,
Page 276 and 277:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 261 A hea
Page 278 and 279:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 263 dead
Page 280 and 281:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 265 women
Page 282 and 283:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 267 Islam
Page 284 and 285:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 269 Shiit
Page 286 and 287:
THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT t 271 taken
Page 288 and 289:
Reflections after a Breakfast “TH
Page 290 and 291:
REFLECTIONS AFTER A BREAKFAST t 275
Page 292 and 293:
Index Aaron, 4, 64, 125 Abbas, 82,
Page 294 and 295:
INDEX t 279 Dawud ibn Kalaf, 123 De
Page 296 and 297:
INDEX t 281 Jeremiah, 8 Jerusalem,
Page 298 and 299:
INDEX t 283 Palestine, 11-12, 15, 1
Page 300:
INDEX t 285 Tawaf. See Circumambula
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