The Prophet 'Isa ibn Maryam (2/4)

'Isa's call to true religion and the Jews' rejection of him

'Isa uncovered the lies of the Jews in many of the matters that they had dreamed up and practised. They made unlawful what Allah had made lawful and lawful what Allah had made unlawful. 'Isa began to call them to the spirit and heart of true religion, to its basis and inward reality, to the love of Allah which comes before every other love, to mercy and respect for mankind, and to charity towards the poor. He called them to pure belief in God and dismissed all the ignorant customs and false beliefs which had crept into the religion of the Prophets.

The Jews oppose 'Isa

Isa's teaching proved unbearable to the Jews. They became hostile to him. They poured blame on him, and taunted him with suspicions and slander. They used curses and foul words against him. They slandered his mother, Maryam the Virgin. They attacked him, aroused the rabble against him and ridiculed his teachings.

The story of 'Isa in the Qur'an

Then the Jews sought to kill 'Isa and be rid of him, but Allah protected him and turned their plots back against them. He raised him to Himself and honoured him. Read the story in the Qur'an:

When the angels said: 'Meryem’ Allah gives you the good news of a word from Him. His name is Messiah’ 'lsa the son of Meryem, noteworthy in this world and in the Hereafter, one of those brought near. He will speak to people in the cradle and when he is an adult. He is one of the righteous.’ She said: ‘My Lord! How can I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said: 'Just like that. Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decrees something, He only says to it “Be!” and it is. He will teach him the Book, the wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel, and he will be a Messenger to the Children of Israel.’

“I have brought you a sign from your Lord. I will form for you out of clay something similar to the form of a bird and I will breathe into it and it will become a bird by Allah’s permission. I will heal the blind from birth and the leper and I will bring the dead back to life by the permission of Allah and tell you what you eat and what you store up in your houses. There is a sign for you in that if you are believers. I confirm what is before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was unlawful for you. I have brought you a sign from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me. Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.”

When ‘lsa sensed rejection in them, he said: “Who are my helpers to Allah?” The disciples said: “We are the helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah. We testify that we are those who submit (to Him). Our Lord, we believe in what You have sent down. We follow the Messenger, so write us down among the witnesses!” (Those who rejected) plotted and Allah plotted. Allah is the best of plotters.

When Allah said: ‘lsa, I will take you and raise you up to Me and purify you from those who have rejected will place those who follow you above those who have rejected until the Day of Judgement. Then you (all) will return to Me and I will judge between you regarding that about which you used to differ. Those who reject I will punish them with a terrible punishment in this world and the Next World. They will have no helpers.’

Those who believe and do good deeds will be given their wages in full. Allah does not love the wrong-doers. That is what We recite to you of the signs and Wise Reminder.

The example of 'lsa in the sight of Allah is as the example of Adam. He created him from earth and then He said to him, “‘Be!’ and he was.” “The truth is from your Lord. Do not be one of the doubters.”(Surah Al-Imran, 3: 45 and 60)

‘lsa's life and call in the Qur'an

Read Allah's description of 'Isa's life and call:

“I am the slave of Allah. Allah has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined me to pray and to pay the zakat as long as I am alive and to be dutiful to my mother. He did not make me arrogant and wretched. Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die and the day I will be raised up alive.” (Surah Maryam, 19: 30-33)

An eternal conflict

What had happened to other Prophets before him happened to 'Isa. The rulers and leaders kept away from him. The rich and powerful ignored him. They thought it a sin to believe in him and his followers. They would not give up the leadership, position, privilege and distinction they enjoyed. The words of Allah are true:

“We sent no warner into any city except that its wealthy said: 'We disbelieve in the Message you have been sent with.’ They also said: 'We are more abundant in wealth and children, and we will not be punished.’” (Surah Saba', 34: 34-35)

The belief of the common and poor people

'Isa despaired of the obstinacy and disbelief of the wealthy people. They rejected the clear signs and wonderful miracles he had brought even though they knew they were true. They belittled him because he did not have power and might. So 'Isa devoted himself to the common and poor people whose hearts yielded, whose souls were pure because they lived by the toil of their hands and the sweat of their brows. They did not boast of lineage nor become insolent because of rank and position. A group of them, including fishermen, craftsmen and workers believed.

We are the helpers of Allah

These people believed in the Messiah and gathered around him and placed their hands in his hand and said: 'We are the helpers of Allah.’ Allah says:

 “When 'Isa sensed rejection in them, he said: 'Who are my helpers to Allah? The disciples said: 'We are the helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah. We testify that we are those who submit (to Him). Our Lord, we believe in what You have sent down. We follow the Messenger’, so write us down among the witnesses!” (Surah Al-Imran, 3: 52-53)

Travel and call

'Isa spent most of his time travelling from place to place teaching about the One God. He called the Israelites to Allah and guided those among them who were astray to their Lord and Master. In his travels he met with both ease and hardship. He endured all this with patience and accepted it in gratitude. He endured hunger and was content with just enough food to keep body and soul together.

The disciples ask for a table from heaven

The disciples did not have the same degree of patience that 'Isa had not his steadfastness, discipline and self-control. They were afflicted by the continual hardship and wanted 'Isa to ask Allah to send down a table from heaven for them, from which they could eat and be filled after their hunger, and have comfort after their difficulties.

Improper manners

But the disciples did not behave correctly when making their request. They said: 'Is it possible for your Lord to send down on us a Table from out of heaven?' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5: 112) 'Isa did not like their request or the manner in which they presented it to him. The Prophets ask their communities to believe in the Unseen, and make it obligatory for them to do so. Miracles are not games to amuse children and divert the gullible. They are signs from Allah which He manifests at the hands of His Prophets whenever He likes. Through them the proof of Allah is established against His slaves. They are not given any reprieve after these miracles appear and are rejected.

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