The words of Jesus in John's Gospel about the coming of another comforter (αλλον παρακλητον allon paraklēton) seems to be an interesting thing for people to claim themselves as "The Another comforter", over time. From the writing and circulation of the Gospel of John for the early Christians, have emerged of people claiming to be another Helper that has been prophesied by Jesus. Let us look at some people who claim to (or believed by his followers) as allon paraklēton promised by Jesus Christ.
- MONTANUS
Montanus was a forerunner of Montanism movement, which is a charismatic and apocalyptic movements at the end of the 2nd century. He is a former priest of pagan religion in Phrygia in Asia Minor who later embraced Christianity. Montanism movement in terms of dogmatic quite difficult for disabled, since it is a movement based on mystical inspiration to revolt against the existing authorities like the Bible and the Church hierarchy. Montanus claimed was inspired by the Holy Spirit, he regards himself as the Paraclete promised by Jesus to renew the Church, as he announced the end of the world and the need to prepare ourselves for the end times with a pure moral practices.
According to Montanus, the Comforter demanded holy behavior, that is not doing a second marriage, even as a marriage was considered a low thing; fasting; set of dry food without meat (xerophagia), may not escape in times of persecution, and ask ourselves offerings to God in martyrdom.
In its development, two women (prophetess), Maximilla and Priscilla, joined Montanus. The two of them is called Montanus as the first fruits of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32). According to their testimony, the blood of martyrdom is the key of the Kingdom of Heaven. They refuse to forgive major sins such as murder, apostasy, adultery. They reject any form of ecclesiastical authority by stating that churches and their leaders that are spiritually dead and surrendered unconditionally to the new prophets, that through these new prophets, the Spirit speaks. He declared himself as the spokesman of God to bring "New Revelation" and "New Prophecy", he is "The Mouth of the Holy Spirit.”
Montanism fragmented into many small sects, then in the 4th century began to be fought by the Roman Empire (although criticism of the doctrine of Montanus has started since the beginning of its existence) and was successfully removed in the 7th century. But the character and spirit Montanism never really disappear until these modern times. Charismatic-apocalyptic movements like Montanism become a common sight today.
- MANICHAEUS
Manichaeus, born in the village Mardinû, in the desert Nahr Kuta, Southern Babylonia, 14 April 216. At the age of 24 years, Manichaeus received a mission from the Angel al-Taum, to proclaim the peak of the divine revelation of Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus. Manichaeus teachings that are syncretic and dualistic, then called Manichaeism. According Manichaeus, the Church has misunderstood the teachings of Jesus who promised to send the Holy Comforter. Because the Holy Comforter was not the Holy Spirit, but is Manichaeus.
Manichaeus has the objective to establish a new religion, where all other religions must base themselves at him. He says that all holy books, wisdom, revelation, metaphor and Psalms of previous religions, gathered in the teachings Manichaeus and in policies which he revealed.
Manichaeus recognize Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus; they are "brothers" of Manichaeus, the interpreter of the same wisdom. But there are drawbacks to all three figures by Manichaeus, that although all three preached and spread the teachings, but none of those who wrote scripture. This is why religion Manichaeism consider superior to the religions of the three figures because Manichaeus wrote his book himself (he produced a book, called Artang, which he said had been sent down to him from heaven and contained the final revelation to men). The strange, in each of the letters he wrote, Manichaeus always referred to himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Manichaeus occupy important positions in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Shapur I (240-273). At the time of King Shapur I declare war against Rome in 241, the teachings Manichaeism also spread to the West. His teachings spread to the East to China and to the west to Spain. Manichaeus asserted, “I have come from the land of Babel to make my cry heard throughout the whole world.” He claimed to be the last and greatest of the prophets "the Ambassador of Light," which he identified with the Deity. He was impaled by the command of Bahram I, of Persia, about 276 A. D. In 302, Emperor Diocletian declared war against the teachings of Manichaeism. And in the period and other regions, Manichaeism also combated by the Buddhists and Muslims.
- MUHAMMAD
Muhammad ibn Abdullah born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the year 570, although there were some disagreements over the actual date. His father was Abdullah, while his mother was Aminah. Muhammad came from the Quraysh tribe, an influential tribe in Mecca, being the Custodians of the Ka'ba, but Muhammad's family was poor. Tradition asserts that Muhammad's father died a couple of weeks before he was born and his mother died when he was six. After Aminah's death when he was six, he was taken care of by his grandfather, `Abdul Muttalib. After `Abdul Muttalib's death when Muhammad was eight years old, his uncle, Abu Talib, became his guardian.
Muhammad later entered the services of a widow called Khadija. After a successful mercantile trip to Syria, Khadija proposed to Muhammad, and he accepted the marriage proposal. Muhammad was 25 while Khadija was 40. At the age of 40, Muhammad claimed that he was receiving revelations from the angel Gabriel when he was in the Hira cave. Angel Gabriel told him to recite in the name of the Lord. This is the first verse of the Qur’an received by Muhammad (Surah al-‘Alaq). Khadija was the first to believe in him.
Muhammad started preaching in the family and its close relatives in the city of Mecca. Nevertheless these early efforts seem less bring significant results even begin to get resistance from the people of Quraysh, including his uncles such as Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl, even the uncle who guards him when he was a child, Abu Talib, was not a adherents of Islam. Muhammad then moved to the city of Yathrib (later called Medina), where he gained the trust of the population of the city to settle disputes between tribes. Muhammad began to receive widespread support and then after a series of battles with the leaders of Quraysh, Muhammad managed to go back to the city of Mecca in triumph. And since then, the doctrine that brought by Muhammad then spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, extending to India, China, and North Africa, Spain and all over the world to become the second largest religion in the world today.
What do Muhammad with 'another comforter' (αλλον παρακλητον allon paraklēton)? Muhammad did not like Montanus and Manichaeus who admitted openly as another comforter that Jesus promised. Only one verse in the Qur'an that are associated with this matter, namely Surah as-Saff verse 6, “And remember Jesus the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he came to them with Clear Signs they said “This is evident sorcery!” This is the only verse that says that the coming of Muhammad was prophesied by Jesus, although not specifically lead to allon paraklēton that Jesus promised in John's Gospel. Almost certain that Muhammad never read the Gospel of John, either because he was illiterate or because it was translation of the Gospel of John in Arabic is not available at that time. The story that Jesus prophesied the coming of a prophet after him is very likely derived from the stories of the people around him who have heard or received little teaching of Christian monks in the Arabian Peninsula. The picture of Christianity which the Qur'an presents to us shows us what conception of it Muhammad had formed from his own limited experience. Stories about Waraqa, monk Bahira, Mary the Copt, Zaid and Bilal (a former slave who was born in Christian homes) make us better understand how Muhammad got a description of Christianity which is too faint, so Muhammad was never linked him as another Comforter, but the new prophet sent after Jesus’ prophethood.
The attempts to link the prophecy of Jesus about allon paraklēton with the prophet promised, only done by the interpreters of Islam after the era of the Caliph. Ibn Ishaq was the first to associate the word Paraclete in the Gospel of John with Muhammad by taking the similarity of the word Paraclete in the Syriac translation of Munahhemana with the word Muhammad. Interpreters of Islam after Ibn Ishaq despite using the same idea about the prophecy of Jesus in the Gospel of John 14 and 16, they charged that the word for Comforter should not be Paraclete (or Paracletos), but have been changed from the original Periklutos, meaning "Praised One". This is because the word “Ahmad” said in Surah As-Saff verse 6 means "Praised One" instead of "Comforter or Advocate". However, it is only after the middle of the 2nd century AH that Muslims begin to say that the word "Paracletos" should be "Periklutos", and this has been the favorite argument since then.
In these modern times, some followers of Muhammad even claimed that the coming of Muhammad was also predicted by Zarathustra (Zoroastrianism) and Gautama Buddha as the Buddha Maitreya.
There are many other people who claim to be allon paraklēton that Jesus promised (many people like Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Sathya Sai Baba, Imam Ahmed al-Hassan of the Shia Islam sect, etc.), there is a direct claim to be new Paraclete, there also taking the term as a prophet after Jesus, there are even claiming to be Jesus Christ who came for the second time (second coming of Jesus Christ). You believe one of them?
Showing posts with label Muhammad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Muhammad. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Gospel in Islam
وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقًا يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُم بالْكِتَابِ لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ اللّهِ وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ
There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues; (as they read) so that you would think it is a part of the Book but it is no part of the Book; and they say “That is from Allah” but it is not from Allah: it is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it! (Surah 3 (Al-Imran) verse 78, Yusuf Ali Translation)
One time in the land of Egypt, 'Umar ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas al-Ash'ari as 'Amir al-Jazirah ordered to Yuhana Abu Sedra II, Patriarch of the Church of Syria, to do the translation the gospel, into Arabic. Along with the translation command, the emir ordered the Patriarch to delete the entire paragraph that contains the teachings of Jesus' divinity (as Kalimatullah, the Word of God) and the paragraph describing the story of the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Patriarch of the refined sentence but firmly demand the Emir replied: "I will not be waived, even one letter, from the Gospel of my Lord, even though the whole arrow of Mr. Emir armies will penetrate my chest." The emir was stunned for a moment to hear the rejection of the Patriarch, and said: "Keep, and write as you know.”
The story above is only one of many examples of the encounter of Christians in the Middle East with Muslims. In the course of the spread of Islam in the Arab region, the Arab Prophet (Muhammad) meets and interacts with the various religious communities in his time. Muhammad interacted with Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, the Hunafa (who were seen to have rejected Shirk (polytheism) and retained some or all of the tenets of the monotheist religion of Ibrahim (Abraham), which is Islam in its purest form) and of course the Arab pagans.
In the encounter with Jews and Christians, Muhammad knew that the two communities have the Bible for guidance in their daily lives (though very doubtful about the existence of a complete Arabic translation of the Torah or the Gospel, at the time of Muhammad). When viewed more closely, it can be concluded shortly, that in theology, Muhammad received a very large influence of the Jews with some adjustments. Pure monotheistic Jewish teachings received and retained, thus rejected the teachings of the Christian Trinity. Unfortunately rejection of the Trinity doctrine is not based on complete and correct information. This can be seen from Sura 5 (Al-Ma'idah) paragraph 116, “And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.” (Yusuf Ali Translation) In orthodox Christianity is certain that Mary mother of Jesus is not part of the Trinity, and even the Roman Catholic Church was not, although there is a tendency hyperdulia (excessive veneration) for the figure of Mary but not until towards Mariolatry (the worship of Mary).
One very controversial in the Islamic relations with the People of the Book (People of the Book: Jews and Christian) is the claim of Muhammad that he had been prophesied by the Torah and the Gospel. In the Quran Surah As-Saff verse 6 says,
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنَّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدَّقًا لَّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشَّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم بِالْبَيَّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“And remember Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he came to them with Clear Signs they said, “This is evident sorcery!” (Yusuf Ali Translation)
The above verse comes from the Medina period, no doubt that the Arab prophet himself understood as news of his arrival. But in the course of "prophetic", the forecast was never again mentioned or contemplated in the Qur'an. The modern Muslim commentators associate this verse with the Paraclete in the Gospel of John, which they converted from Periklutos words (in Arabic called frqlyt without vowels, which can be fariqlyt which means: Ahmed or the Praised One, but we know that unlike the languages in the Semitic family, the Greek New Testament uses the vowels, so that the interpretation by tweaking vowels like that is not justified.) Ibn Ishaq in The Life of Muhammad (Guillaume's translation), stating that the word "comforter" in Syria called Munahhemana, that is Muhammad. Below is part of the quote from “The Life of Muhammad”, pages 103, 104:
Among the things which have reached me about what Jesus the Son of Mary stated in the Gospel which he received from God for the followers of the Gospel, in applying a term to describe the apostle of God, is the following. It is extracted from what John the Apostle set down for them when he wrote the Gospel for them from the Testament of Jesus Son of Mary: ...”But when the Comforter has come whom God will send to you from the Lord’s presence, and the spirit of truth which will have gone forth form the Lord’s presence he (shall bear) witness of me and ye also, because ye have been with me from the beginning. I have spoken unto you about this that ye should not be in doubt.” The Munahhemana (God bless and preserve him!) in Syriac is Muhammad: in Greek he is the paraclete.
Guillaume provide notes on that matter,
“The passage quoted is John 15:23ff. It is interesting to note that the citation comes from the Palestinian Syriac Lectionary and not from the ordinary Bible of the Syriac-speaking Churches. …The most interesting word is that rendered “Comforter” which we find in the Palestinian Lectionary, but all other Syriac versions render “paraclete”, following the Greek. This word was well established in the Hebrew and Aramaic speaking world. The menahhemana in Syriac means the lifegiver and especially one who raises from the dead. Obviously such a meaning is out of place here and what is meant is one who consoles and comforts people for the loss of one dear to them. This is the meaning in the Talmud and Targum. It ought to be pointed out that by the omission of the words “that is written” before “in the law” quite another meaning is given to the prophecy. The natural rendering would be “the word that concerns the Namus must be fulfilled”.
As Guillaume pointed, Muhammad hardly fits the description of one who raises the dead, nor is he a life-giver. When the Syriac Christians applied that title to Jesus, it is perfectly within his authority to give life and raise the dead, as he had demonstrated. What we need to know is, that the Syriac Christians in general use the term ܦ݁ܰܪܰܩܠܺܛܳܐ Paraqlito which means "the Redeemer" or "One who ends the "curse", with an explanation: By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our fallen nature has been redeemed from the curse of Adam. In the understanding of Syriac Christianity, the word 'paraqlito' is not like the Greek word Paraclete, which originated from the word παρα ('to the side of') and καλεω ('to summon') which means the one who is called to another's side to aid him, as an advocate in a court of justice (it is to be noted that Jesus as well as the Holy Spirit is represented as Paraclete); but the Aramaic construct PRQL+A is derived from two Aramaic roots: PRQ (‘to end’, ‘to finish’ or ‘to save’) L+A (‘the curse’, cf. Mark 11:21, Matthew 5:44). It was recorded in the Peshitta / Peshitto who became their reference book, while Ibn Ishaq using Palestinian Syriac Lectionary. In the Gospel of Luke says that the angels give glad tidings to the shepherds in the field of Ephrata that the Messiah had just been born in the city of David. If we use the Peshitta as a reference then Luke 2:11 is as follows:
ܐܶܬ݂ܺܝܠܶܕ݂ ܠܟ݂ܽܘܢ ܓ݁ܶܝܪ ܝܰܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܦ݁ܳܪܽܘܩܳܐ ܕ݁ܺܐܝܬ݂ܰܘܗ݈ܝ ܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܒ݁ܰܡܕ݂ܺܝܢ݈ܬ݁ܶܗ ܕ݁ܕ݂ܰܘܺܝܕ݂ ܀
‘Itiled lekon ge’ir yaumana Paruqa, di tauhi Marya Mashiha ba m’dintah d’Dawid.
for there is born for you today the Redeemer, who is the Lord the Meshicha, in the city of David.
We can see that the Peshitta, used the word Paruqa, as a translation of the word σωτηρ Soter (the Redeemer), a word which became the root of the word 'Paraqlito'.
The apologetic Muslims in the later days, connecting the word 'Paraclete' with the word 'Periklutos', with the accusation that Christians have changed the Gospel. But it should be viewed carefully, even Ibn Ishaq was not linking the Paraclete in the Gospel of John with the word 'Ahmad' in Surat As-Saff verse 6. Ibn Ishaq does not say that the word "Paraclete" is "Periklutos". In fact, he confirmed that the word in Greek is Paraclete. He also used Comforter when translating that word. In order to apply the verse to Muhammad, Ibn Ishaq identifies the Syriac word Munahhemana to Muhammad.
Any effort to impose the Paraclete was Ahmad, it will make the position of the Arab Prophet to be down in rank. Example:
- John 14:16-17 (LITV)
And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.
- John 14:26
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you.
- John 15:26
And when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, that One will witness concerning Me.
- John 16:14
That One will glorify Me, for He will receive from Mine and will announce to you.
Jesus never spoke about the coming of a man, anyone and from anywhere, as his successor in the future. All these prophetic verses, impede their fulfillment in the human body, except if the promised prophet, is a supernatural being. Don't we know that Prophet Muhammad is truly a man, even he is believed by Muslims as the most perfect man Allah ever created?. Anyway, Is a Muslim does not feel insulted if the great prophet, the Seal of the prophets, heavenly intercessors, only a prophet sent by Jesus (messenger of Jesus) and come in the name of Jesus? How can a Muslim is not offended if the Prophet of Seventh Heaven is just a prophet that would glorify Jesus, because he will preach to the people what he receives from Jesus, the Prophet of Third Heaven?
There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues; (as they read) so that you would think it is a part of the Book but it is no part of the Book; and they say “That is from Allah” but it is not from Allah: it is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it! (Surah 3 (Al-Imran) verse 78, Yusuf Ali Translation)
One time in the land of Egypt, 'Umar ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas al-Ash'ari as 'Amir al-Jazirah ordered to Yuhana Abu Sedra II, Patriarch of the Church of Syria, to do the translation the gospel, into Arabic. Along with the translation command, the emir ordered the Patriarch to delete the entire paragraph that contains the teachings of Jesus' divinity (as Kalimatullah, the Word of God) and the paragraph describing the story of the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Patriarch of the refined sentence but firmly demand the Emir replied: "I will not be waived, even one letter, from the Gospel of my Lord, even though the whole arrow of Mr. Emir armies will penetrate my chest." The emir was stunned for a moment to hear the rejection of the Patriarch, and said: "Keep, and write as you know.”
The story above is only one of many examples of the encounter of Christians in the Middle East with Muslims. In the course of the spread of Islam in the Arab region, the Arab Prophet (Muhammad) meets and interacts with the various religious communities in his time. Muhammad interacted with Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, the Hunafa (who were seen to have rejected Shirk (polytheism) and retained some or all of the tenets of the monotheist religion of Ibrahim (Abraham), which is Islam in its purest form) and of course the Arab pagans.
In the encounter with Jews and Christians, Muhammad knew that the two communities have the Bible for guidance in their daily lives (though very doubtful about the existence of a complete Arabic translation of the Torah or the Gospel, at the time of Muhammad). When viewed more closely, it can be concluded shortly, that in theology, Muhammad received a very large influence of the Jews with some adjustments. Pure monotheistic Jewish teachings received and retained, thus rejected the teachings of the Christian Trinity. Unfortunately rejection of the Trinity doctrine is not based on complete and correct information. This can be seen from Sura 5 (Al-Ma'idah) paragraph 116, “And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.” (Yusuf Ali Translation) In orthodox Christianity is certain that Mary mother of Jesus is not part of the Trinity, and even the Roman Catholic Church was not, although there is a tendency hyperdulia (excessive veneration) for the figure of Mary but not until towards Mariolatry (the worship of Mary).
One very controversial in the Islamic relations with the People of the Book (People of the Book: Jews and Christian) is the claim of Muhammad that he had been prophesied by the Torah and the Gospel. In the Quran Surah As-Saff verse 6 says,
وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِنَّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدَّقًا لَّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَمُبَشَّرًا بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم بِالْبَيَّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
“And remember Jesus, the son of Mary, said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.” But when he came to them with Clear Signs they said, “This is evident sorcery!” (Yusuf Ali Translation)
The above verse comes from the Medina period, no doubt that the Arab prophet himself understood as news of his arrival. But in the course of "prophetic", the forecast was never again mentioned or contemplated in the Qur'an. The modern Muslim commentators associate this verse with the Paraclete in the Gospel of John, which they converted from Periklutos words (in Arabic called frqlyt without vowels, which can be fariqlyt which means: Ahmed or the Praised One, but we know that unlike the languages in the Semitic family, the Greek New Testament uses the vowels, so that the interpretation by tweaking vowels like that is not justified.) Ibn Ishaq in The Life of Muhammad (Guillaume's translation), stating that the word "comforter" in Syria called Munahhemana, that is Muhammad. Below is part of the quote from “The Life of Muhammad”, pages 103, 104:
Among the things which have reached me about what Jesus the Son of Mary stated in the Gospel which he received from God for the followers of the Gospel, in applying a term to describe the apostle of God, is the following. It is extracted from what John the Apostle set down for them when he wrote the Gospel for them from the Testament of Jesus Son of Mary: ...”But when the Comforter has come whom God will send to you from the Lord’s presence, and the spirit of truth which will have gone forth form the Lord’s presence he (shall bear) witness of me and ye also, because ye have been with me from the beginning. I have spoken unto you about this that ye should not be in doubt.” The Munahhemana (God bless and preserve him!) in Syriac is Muhammad: in Greek he is the paraclete.
Guillaume provide notes on that matter,
“The passage quoted is John 15:23ff. It is interesting to note that the citation comes from the Palestinian Syriac Lectionary and not from the ordinary Bible of the Syriac-speaking Churches. …The most interesting word is that rendered “Comforter” which we find in the Palestinian Lectionary, but all other Syriac versions render “paraclete”, following the Greek. This word was well established in the Hebrew and Aramaic speaking world. The menahhemana in Syriac means the lifegiver and especially one who raises from the dead. Obviously such a meaning is out of place here and what is meant is one who consoles and comforts people for the loss of one dear to them. This is the meaning in the Talmud and Targum. It ought to be pointed out that by the omission of the words “that is written” before “in the law” quite another meaning is given to the prophecy. The natural rendering would be “the word that concerns the Namus must be fulfilled”.
As Guillaume pointed, Muhammad hardly fits the description of one who raises the dead, nor is he a life-giver. When the Syriac Christians applied that title to Jesus, it is perfectly within his authority to give life and raise the dead, as he had demonstrated. What we need to know is, that the Syriac Christians in general use the term ܦ݁ܰܪܰܩܠܺܛܳܐ Paraqlito which means "the Redeemer" or "One who ends the "curse", with an explanation: By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our fallen nature has been redeemed from the curse of Adam. In the understanding of Syriac Christianity, the word 'paraqlito' is not like the Greek word Paraclete, which originated from the word παρα ('to the side of') and καλεω ('to summon') which means the one who is called to another's side to aid him, as an advocate in a court of justice (it is to be noted that Jesus as well as the Holy Spirit is represented as Paraclete); but the Aramaic construct PRQL+A is derived from two Aramaic roots: PRQ (‘to end’, ‘to finish’ or ‘to save’) L+A (‘the curse’, cf. Mark 11:21, Matthew 5:44). It was recorded in the Peshitta / Peshitto who became their reference book, while Ibn Ishaq using Palestinian Syriac Lectionary. In the Gospel of Luke says that the angels give glad tidings to the shepherds in the field of Ephrata that the Messiah had just been born in the city of David. If we use the Peshitta as a reference then Luke 2:11 is as follows:
ܐܶܬ݂ܺܝܠܶܕ݂ ܠܟ݂ܽܘܢ ܓ݁ܶܝܪ ܝܰܘܡܳܢܳܐ ܦ݁ܳܪܽܘܩܳܐ ܕ݁ܺܐܝܬ݂ܰܘܗ݈ܝ ܡܳܪܝܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܒ݁ܰܡܕ݂ܺܝܢ݈ܬ݁ܶܗ ܕ݁ܕ݂ܰܘܺܝܕ݂ ܀
‘Itiled lekon ge’ir yaumana Paruqa, di tauhi Marya Mashiha ba m’dintah d’Dawid.
for there is born for you today the Redeemer, who is the Lord the Meshicha, in the city of David.
We can see that the Peshitta, used the word Paruqa, as a translation of the word σωτηρ Soter (the Redeemer), a word which became the root of the word 'Paraqlito'.
The apologetic Muslims in the later days, connecting the word 'Paraclete' with the word 'Periklutos', with the accusation that Christians have changed the Gospel. But it should be viewed carefully, even Ibn Ishaq was not linking the Paraclete in the Gospel of John with the word 'Ahmad' in Surat As-Saff verse 6. Ibn Ishaq does not say that the word "Paraclete" is "Periklutos". In fact, he confirmed that the word in Greek is Paraclete. He also used Comforter when translating that word. In order to apply the verse to Muhammad, Ibn Ishaq identifies the Syriac word Munahhemana to Muhammad.
Any effort to impose the Paraclete was Ahmad, it will make the position of the Arab Prophet to be down in rank. Example:
- John 14:16-17 (LITV)
And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you.
- John 14:26
but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you.
- John 15:26
And when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, that One will witness concerning Me.
- John 16:14
That One will glorify Me, for He will receive from Mine and will announce to you.
Jesus never spoke about the coming of a man, anyone and from anywhere, as his successor in the future. All these prophetic verses, impede their fulfillment in the human body, except if the promised prophet, is a supernatural being. Don't we know that Prophet Muhammad is truly a man, even he is believed by Muslims as the most perfect man Allah ever created?. Anyway, Is a Muslim does not feel insulted if the great prophet, the Seal of the prophets, heavenly intercessors, only a prophet sent by Jesus (messenger of Jesus) and come in the name of Jesus? How can a Muslim is not offended if the Prophet of Seventh Heaven is just a prophet that would glorify Jesus, because he will preach to the people what he receives from Jesus, the Prophet of Third Heaven?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Copts of Egypt
A 2010 New Year's Eve attack on the Coptic Orthodox Church in the city of Alexandria left 23 dead. A sad event in the midst of feelings of joy to welcome the coming new year 2011, a bomb rocked the front page of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the city of Alexandria when the Copts were holding mass. Muslim extremists suspected to be responsible for these terrible events.
Pondering the events that happened in Egypt, with a deep feeling of grief, raises a lot of memory. Egypt, a country with the Arab-Muslim majority, but in Egypt also has a largest Christian community in the Middle East region. Christians, a minority in Egypt with estimates-amount of 10-12%of the total population of Egypt. Of this amount, the Coptic (which means: The Egyptians) owns 95% of the total number of Christians in Egypt.
Historically, the word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos, Which was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah", one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. Kaptah means "House of the god Ptah", the god who is highly respected in the era of ancient Egypt. The modern use of the term "Coptic" describes Egyptian Christians. Christianity in Egypt by Saint Mark the Evangelist. According to tradition the Coptic Orthodox Church is the Church of Alexandria Which was established by Saint Mark the Apostle and evangelist in the middle of the 1st century (approximately AD 42). While the relationship between Muslim and Coptic race started from the marriage of Muhammad (Muslim prophet) with a Coptic girl named Maria (Maria al-Qibtiyya or Mary the Copt). Mariya al-Qibti can be regarded as a political gift of a Byzantine governor of Egypt, called al-Muqawqis (which is not completely clear or completely distance of its origin, although some have argued that it was Cyrus, Patriarch of Byzantium in Alexandria). Mary gave birth to a son Muhammad, Ibrahim bin Muhammad. Only one other wife of Muhammad, Khadijah who have died, have given the child. Ibrahim died while still in its infancy.
There is a statement based on the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad which states that "The Copts are the most precious among all the foreigners, the most friendly in his behavior, the best in quality and most familiar in kinship with the Arabs in general and the Quraysh (tribe origin of the Prophet Muhammad) in particular." Likewise, the sayings of the prophet to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (the second caliph): "After my death, God will open Egypt to you. Therefore, carefully guard the Copts in the country because they are also relatives-brothers, and they are in your protection." Saying of Muhammad is presumably a reference to 'Amir ibn al-'Ås, leader of the Arab-Muslim armies conquered Byzantine power in Egypt. In turn, 'Amir ibn al-'Ås provide sufficient warm welcome in Alexandria for the Coptic Church Father who was a native of Benjamin, who had just returned from his flight at the desert monastery of North Egyptian territory. Copts, thus, were allowed to freely practice their religion and were to a large degree autonomous, provided they continued to pay a special tax, called "Gezya”, which qualifies them as "Ahl Zemma" protégés (protected). Individuals who cannot afford to pay this tax were faced with the choice of either converting to Islam or losing their civil right to be "protected", which in some instances meant being killed.
There is a tidal race between Coptic and Muslim governments. All depends on the Muslim leaders who should run the command of the Prophet Muhammad to treat Coptic people well. As the reign of al-Hakim ibn 'Amr Allah (996-975), forcing Christians to leave their religion through coercion (this broke the Qur'an: There is no compulsion in religion). Many churches were destroyed, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem burned. But others, such as during the reign of Ahmad ibn Tulun, al-Mu'izz and al-Zahir, the Coptic get better treatment.
The position of the Copts began to improve early in the 19th century under the stability and tolerance of Muhammad Ali's dynasty. The Coptic community ceased to be regarded by the state as an administrative unit and, by 1855 A.D., the main mark of Copts' inferiority, the "Gezya" tax was lifted under Khedive Sa’id administration, and shortly thereafter Copts started to serve in the Egyptian army. The 1919 A.D. revolution in Egypt, the first grassroots display of Egyptian identity in centuries, stands as a witness to the homogeneity of Egypt's modern society with both its Muslim and Coptic sects. Makram 'Ubayd, a Coptic politician in the era of the Egyptian national movement said: "By my religion I am a Christian, but according to my homeland I am a Muslim." Today, this homogeneity is what keeps the Egyptian society united against the religious intolerance of extremist groups, who occasionally subject the Copts to persecution and terror. As is known, in part late 1970s, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Egyptian schools of which appear to be supported by Khomeini, as a result of the success of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Bearded young men (called Abou Douhun) is widely held racial violence in the young Copts, as well as Ikhwanul Muslimin (Muslim Brotherhood). May the unity of Egypt with Coptic-Muslim elements can be maintained in an equal and harmonious relationship.
READING LIST
- Iris Habib al-Masri, The Story of the Copts, M.E.C.C., Beirut, 1978
- Phillip K. Hitti, The Origins of the Islamic State, Beirut, 1966
- The Coptic Encyclopedia (8 vols.), edited by Aziz Sourial Atiya, MacMillan, New York, 1989, provides a comprehensive coverage of the Coptic church, culture, and history.
Pondering the events that happened in Egypt, with a deep feeling of grief, raises a lot of memory. Egypt, a country with the Arab-Muslim majority, but in Egypt also has a largest Christian community in the Middle East region. Christians, a minority in Egypt with estimates-amount of 10-12%of the total population of Egypt. Of this amount, the Coptic (which means: The Egyptians) owns 95% of the total number of Christians in Egypt.
Historically, the word Copt is derived from the Greek word Aigyptos, Which was, in turn, derived from "Hikaptah", one of the names for Memphis, the first capital of Ancient Egypt. Kaptah means "House of the god Ptah", the god who is highly respected in the era of ancient Egypt. The modern use of the term "Coptic" describes Egyptian Christians. Christianity in Egypt by Saint Mark the Evangelist. According to tradition the Coptic Orthodox Church is the Church of Alexandria Which was established by Saint Mark the Apostle and evangelist in the middle of the 1st century (approximately AD 42). While the relationship between Muslim and Coptic race started from the marriage of Muhammad (Muslim prophet) with a Coptic girl named Maria (Maria al-Qibtiyya or Mary the Copt). Mariya al-Qibti can be regarded as a political gift of a Byzantine governor of Egypt, called al-Muqawqis (which is not completely clear or completely distance of its origin, although some have argued that it was Cyrus, Patriarch of Byzantium in Alexandria). Mary gave birth to a son Muhammad, Ibrahim bin Muhammad. Only one other wife of Muhammad, Khadijah who have died, have given the child. Ibrahim died while still in its infancy.
There is a statement based on the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad which states that "The Copts are the most precious among all the foreigners, the most friendly in his behavior, the best in quality and most familiar in kinship with the Arabs in general and the Quraysh (tribe origin of the Prophet Muhammad) in particular." Likewise, the sayings of the prophet to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (the second caliph): "After my death, God will open Egypt to you. Therefore, carefully guard the Copts in the country because they are also relatives-brothers, and they are in your protection." Saying of Muhammad is presumably a reference to 'Amir ibn al-'Ås, leader of the Arab-Muslim armies conquered Byzantine power in Egypt. In turn, 'Amir ibn al-'Ås provide sufficient warm welcome in Alexandria for the Coptic Church Father who was a native of Benjamin, who had just returned from his flight at the desert monastery of North Egyptian territory. Copts, thus, were allowed to freely practice their religion and were to a large degree autonomous, provided they continued to pay a special tax, called "Gezya”, which qualifies them as "Ahl Zemma" protégés (protected). Individuals who cannot afford to pay this tax were faced with the choice of either converting to Islam or losing their civil right to be "protected", which in some instances meant being killed.
There is a tidal race between Coptic and Muslim governments. All depends on the Muslim leaders who should run the command of the Prophet Muhammad to treat Coptic people well. As the reign of al-Hakim ibn 'Amr Allah (996-975), forcing Christians to leave their religion through coercion (this broke the Qur'an: There is no compulsion in religion). Many churches were destroyed, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem burned. But others, such as during the reign of Ahmad ibn Tulun, al-Mu'izz and al-Zahir, the Coptic get better treatment.
The position of the Copts began to improve early in the 19th century under the stability and tolerance of Muhammad Ali's dynasty. The Coptic community ceased to be regarded by the state as an administrative unit and, by 1855 A.D., the main mark of Copts' inferiority, the "Gezya" tax was lifted under Khedive Sa’id administration, and shortly thereafter Copts started to serve in the Egyptian army. The 1919 A.D. revolution in Egypt, the first grassroots display of Egyptian identity in centuries, stands as a witness to the homogeneity of Egypt's modern society with both its Muslim and Coptic sects. Makram 'Ubayd, a Coptic politician in the era of the Egyptian national movement said: "By my religion I am a Christian, but according to my homeland I am a Muslim." Today, this homogeneity is what keeps the Egyptian society united against the religious intolerance of extremist groups, who occasionally subject the Copts to persecution and terror. As is known, in part late 1970s, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Egyptian schools of which appear to be supported by Khomeini, as a result of the success of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Bearded young men (called Abou Douhun) is widely held racial violence in the young Copts, as well as Ikhwanul Muslimin (Muslim Brotherhood). May the unity of Egypt with Coptic-Muslim elements can be maintained in an equal and harmonious relationship.
READING LIST
- Iris Habib al-Masri, The Story of the Copts, M.E.C.C., Beirut, 1978
- Phillip K. Hitti, The Origins of the Islamic State, Beirut, 1966
- The Coptic Encyclopedia (8 vols.), edited by Aziz Sourial Atiya, MacMillan, New York, 1989, provides a comprehensive coverage of the Coptic church, culture, and history.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)