Contextualizing the Life and Mission of Jesus

Contextualizing the Life and Mission of Jesus

Dr. Omar Suleiman

Opening

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, his companions, and those who are loyal to him."

Introduction: Understanding Prophets in Context

So, a few things inshaAllah to start this lecture off for tonight. One of them is that this is a particular topic that I've been passionate about for a very long time, studying the life of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) the life of Jesus peace be upon him. And one of the things that I like to do with a prophet is similar to what we do with one of the companions of the Prophet peace be upon him, which is to create first and foremost or to try to recreate an image of what the world looked like before that person came into it.

So that you can more properly appreciate the role of that person in society. And one of the problems that we have as Muslims is that we often talk about these prophets only in the context of a theological debate, not in the way that the Prophet (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) taught us when we're talking about Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) Moses peace be upon him:

"We are closer to Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) even more than you."

Meaning we claim these prophets, we love these prophets, and if you truly love these prophets and claim these prophets, then you have to know more about Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) more about Jesus peace be upon him, than our theological stance on Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam). We also have to gain an appreciation for the life and the mission of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam)

The Quranic Approach to Dialogue

Number one, the Quran calls us to begin our dialogue with other people on the basis of commonality and then get to the differences. That's a prophetic approach to da'wah. So you don't start with the difference, you work up to the difference.

First you mention the commonality:

"Come to a common word between us and you. We worship only one God."

Now let's talk about the implications of that tawheed. Let's talk about the implications of that monotheism.

Dialogue with Different Faith Communities

So Muslims have a very specific way of approaching dialogue with Jews, and Muslims have a very specific way of approaching dialogue with Christians.

With Jewish People

When it comes to Jewish people, you know, any interfaith dialogue that I've ever taken part in, as far as the creed is concerned, issues of theology, issues of how we view liturgy and how we view our shari'a versus halakha and halal and kosher, and the idea of the covenant and tawheed and monotheism, Muslims and Jews will align on those issues even more than Jews and Christians will align on those issues. Meaning the theology of Islam and Judaism is closer than the theology of Judaism and Christianity, and closer than Islam and Christianity.

With Christians

A very specific connection between Muslims and Christians is some level of reverence and admiration for the person of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) the person of Jesus peace be upon him. It's special.

And if you think about it, the fact that the two largest religious groups in the world both hold this man in awe and respect and admiration is special. And it's not something we should take for granted. It's something that surprises a lot of people.

Common Misconceptions

I actually did a podcast today with an evangelical Christian about what evangelicals can do better with Muslims. And you'd be shocked that many Christians have no idea, they have no clue that we have any regard whatsoever for Jesus peace be upon him. The idea that Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) means anything to us is a shock to many Christians, especially when you say, yeah, we actually believe in the return of Jesus peace be upon him. We believe Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) is coming back.

It's like, wait, what? What are you talking about? Because the assumption is that we are Mohammedans just as they are Christians. And so we replace Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) with Muhammad (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And so all of the implications of what Jesus peace be upon him means to Christians, Muhammad (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) means to us which we know is not true.

Jesus in the Quran

In fact, a very easy look at that would be that Jesus peace be upon him is mentioned more by name in the Quran than Muhammad (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Jesus (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) is mentioned 25 times, the Prophet (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned by name 5 times. That doesn't mean that Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) is greater than Muhammad (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

That means that there is a heavy emphasis on the person of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) the story of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) the mission of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) the message of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam). And Allah talks about Jesus peace be upon him in a very holistic way in the Quran. It's not just that he's not the begotten son of God. There's so much more to the story of Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) in the Quran.

The Centrality of Jesus in Islam

Jesus peace be upon him to us is not just to win an argument. We don't just try to fit him into some broader picture. He is a central figure in our deen. His birth, his life, and his return are central parts of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet peace be upon him.

And they mean something to us. According to a narration of Tirmidhi and others that Jesus peace be upon him after he returns and after he dies will be buried next to Muhammad (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and Abu Bakr and Umar in Medina.

(Source Name)

The Prophet (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said that the prophets are stepbrothers. They share a message. They are stepbrothers in that they share a message. And in that sharing of that message, they are close to each other. And so he says that I am the closest person. The Prophet (صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) says, I am the closest person to Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) because there is no Prophet between me and him.

Historical and Political Context

Palestine Before Jesus

What does it look like in Palestine in Judea before Jesus peace be upon him comes? Well, you have to understand the political state first because the politics influence the religion. So since Julius Caesar, the Romans practiced what's called syncretism where you had client kingdoms. Semi-independent kingdoms.

So a people that ruled, but they really were ruled. Similar to our Muslim countries today. Client kingdoms, you know, they don't actually have autonomy.

Herod's Rule

So back then you had Herod who's known as the king of the Jews who operates under the Roman Empire, but it's a semi-independent kingdom. It still has to pay taxes. They still have to answer to a higher Roman authority.

And that's something that causes a lot of hatred, a lot of resentment amongst the children of Israel, amongst Bani Israel, that we are still ruled from an outside power, that the temple has been destroyed, that we don't have autonomy. And this Herod who rules from 37 before Christ up until 4 BCE before Christ. He's a successful king, but he's brutal.

He targets political opponents. He murders anyone that he even senses threatens his rule and he's really taking away the Jewish character, if you will, the Abrahamic character away from Jerusalem, away from Palestine, away from all these ideas of Tawheed and monotheism. He's removing all of that character.

And instead he's really focused on turning Palestine into a tourist destination. So he's the one to introduce sculptures and statues in that area, even though these were people that believed in the oneness of God.

The Messianic Expectation

And everything in that context becomes about to Bani Israel, who is the Messiah that's going to come and liberate us from this humiliation, from this rule. So the focus becomes on a Messiah that will liberate us from this domination that comes from outside. And the wait is for particularly al-Masih ibn Dawud, the Messiah, the son of David, meaning a Messiah that is a child, a descendant of King David (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam)

And there are many Messiahs in the Bible. And Messiahs are not necessarily prophets. There are Messiahs that are kings, prophets, rabbis. In fact, there's a huge debate in Judaism about whether Dawud (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) is a prophet or just a king.

A Messiah means someone who's anointed. And when it's stripped of its religious implications, what the focus of that Messiah becomes is establishing the kingdom of God, establishing the rule of God on earth, particularly establishing the temple, the temple of Suleiman (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) reestablishing Jerusalem, upholding the Torah, ruling by that.

Historical Examples of Messiahs

For example, biblically speaking, the Persian King Cyrus who is called a Masih, he's called a Messiah because he defeated the Babylonians and he restored the temple way before Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam)

Judas Maccabeus, 160 years before Christ, leads a successful revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the time, purifies the temple of Jerusalem, and that's where Hanukkah commemorates. Because again, the idea is the restoration of the temple, the restoration of autonomy, the ability to practice and to rule.

The Birth and Early Life of Jesus

The Righteous Community

Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah says, Bani Israel, the righteous amongst them was a small community, a small righteous practicing community. That's where the family of Imran is, Zakariya (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) Maryam (عَلَيْهَا ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhas-salam). This is a small group of people, under a hundred people according to Ibn al-Qayyim who are still holding on to the original laws of the Torah and righteous and practicing it according to its greatest commands and that are full of faith.

The Virgin Birth

Maryam (عَلَيْهَا ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhas-salam) gives birth to Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) a virgin birth of Jesus peace be upon him, without any human intervention. And Muslims affirm the virgin birth and Allah says that the creation of Jesus peace be upon him is like the creation of Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam)

"He said to it be and it was." Just like Adam had no mother or father, Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) was created without father.

Maryam's Honor

And Allah has honored this woman in the most beautiful of ways, an entire chapter in the Quran named after her. And it's really interesting, there's a chapter in the Quran named after her, there's not a chapter in the Quran named after Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam),after Jesus peace be upon him.

Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) is mentioned 25 times, she's mentioned 30 times. And Allah says about her in Surah Tahrim:

That she was from the devout using (قَانِتِينَ - qaniteen) rather than (قَانِتَات - qanitat) which means she is a leader for men and women. She is the best of women created and she is an example for all of us to look towards as a person of devotion, a person of ibadah.

Jesus Speaks from the Cradle

Now she's holding Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam). And Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhis-salam) speaks from the cradle. Jesus peace be upon him speaks from the cradle. And the first thing he says is:

"I am a servant of Allah." He declares that he is here in servitude to Allah. By doing so, he immediately clarifies he's not God and he clears the name of Maryam (عَلَيْهَا ٱلسَّلَامُ - alayhas-salam)

"He will give me a book and he will make me into a prophet." So, he's speaking to a future context.

"And he made me blessed wherever I may be." Not just blessed in Jerusalem, not just blessed in Egypt, blessed wherever I may be in both comings. Both the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ.