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Let
Muslims, Christians unite behind Jesus' mission
by Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi (House of Wisdom, Dearborn, Michigan)
"Behold! The angels
said: 'O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word >From
Him; his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in
honor in This world and the hereafter and of (the company of)
those nearest to Allah.' " -- The Holy Koran 3:45
During this blessed season, I would like to say "happy birthday"
to our beloved Jesus and congratulate the communities of faith
on this beautiful occasion.
The blessed baby of Nazareth is loved and honored throughout
Islam. The Koran teaches Muslims to recognize Jesus as a sign
from God and a manifestation of His love and beauty. Jesus was
sent to the children of Israel as a great teacher of wisdom, a
messenger of peace and justice for humanity.
Faith in Jesus occupies a big part of our Islamic faith system.
Jesus' humble heart, compassion, forgiveness, and his love and
charity for the hungry, homeless and suffering are mentioned
over and over in Islamic traditions.
Most Christians are unaware that Jesus is mentioned nearly 100
times in the Holy Koran. He is referred to as the Spirit of God,
Word of God, a sign of God for humanity, Messiah, the only man
after Adam who came to this world without a father, the man who
as a baby spoke in the cradle, the one who cured the blind,
cured the leper, raised the dead. Jesus' pious mother was chosen
by God as an example for all believing women until the Day of
Judgment.
The Koranic Jesus is a perfect man with undeniable miraculous
dimensions. He is an ambassador of the Divine who came to move
humanity from the darkness of materialism and individualism to
the light of love, selflessness and sacrifice.
He taught his disciples that too much love for the world was the
source of all evil and aggression. In his nonstop, nonviolent
struggle against the arrogant, Jesus never compromised his
principles.
Jesus became the target of suffering during his earthly life.
Jesus' disappearance from this world was not the end of the
injustice against him. A group of people treated him worse than
he deserved, and another group claimed and attributed things
about him that he never claimed. Those who speak in his name,
but don't promote his message of peace, love and compassion,
also oppress Jesus and suppress God's message through him.
Jesus, aware of human weakness, knew that his teachings would be
attacked and distorted. This is why, according to the Koran,
Jesus promised the coming of another divine messenger who would
confirm the original Gospel.
"And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said O Children of
Israel! I am the messenger of God 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 the Praised one (Periclytos)."
There are some noticeable theological differences between
Muslims and Christians, and it's O.K. to address them at the
right times and places. Yet what may unite Muslims and
Christians is much more than what divides them. In reality,
there is no essential difference between the religion of Moses,
Jesus and Mohammed.
In his short life on this earth, Jesus did every thing possible
to end war, violence and oppression by promoting a culture of
compassion and justice. It is about the time for Muslims and
Christians to unite and liberate the mission of Jesus and stop
the greedy politicians from their crusade of future world wars
in Jesus name.
In the name of Jesus' mission, let us together find ways for the
whole human family to live in peace and enjoy their lives free
from fear, pain, prejudice and inequality. On the celebration of
Jesus' birth, this beloved teacher of humankind, who lived an
infallible life of piety, humility, suffering and sacrifice, we
in the Muslim community express our love to this blessed baby
and Messiah, and open our hearts to the Christian community and
say "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" to you all.
"So Peace is on me the day I was born, the Day that I die, and
the Day that I shall be raised up to life again," says the
Koran.
(Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi heads the Islamic House of Worship in
Dearborn Heights, MI).
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