How many of you out there...?

This article appeared in a Magazine Radiance NewsWeekly.

We reproduce this article for the Readers of The True Call

DR. MUZAMMIL H. SIDDIQI clarifies the position of Prophet Jesus in the light of the Qur’ân and calls upon Muslims to use this opportunity to inform others about Islamic position about Jesus, peace be upon him.

Say ye: “We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma’il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord: we make no difference between one and another of them: and we bow to Allah (in Islam).” (Al-Baqarah 2:136)

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 honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah. (Al ‘Imran 3:45) We believe in all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah. We respect and honor all of them without any discrimination. We believe that all Prophets preached the message of Tawhid (monotheism) and all of them invited human beings to worship Allah alone and to live righteous life. Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him- was not the only Prophet of God, but he was the last and final Prophet of God. Prophet Muhammad is not the founder of Islam; all Prophets submitted to God (Muslims) and followed the way of submission to God (Islam). We believe that Jesus was one of the great prophets of God. In the Qur’ân he is called ‘Isa. He is also known as al-Masih (the Christ) and Ibn Maryam (Son of Mary). He has many other honorable names and titles in the Qur’ân. He is a highly respected religious figure. Every Muslim believes in him, honours him and loves him. His mother is also highly respected, loved and honoured. There are hundreds of thousands of Muslim men all over the world who feel proud and blessed to have the name ‘Isa; as there are thousands of Muslim women who feel honoured and blessed to be called Maryam.

There is a big controversy going on all over the world at this time about Dan Brown’s novel known as The Da Vinci Code. This novel has become a big thriller and until now more than 45 million copies of it are sold. Today a movie is going to be released based on this novel. Many Christians, especially Catholics are outraged with this novel. In several countries Christians are protesting and asking their governments to ban this novel and its movie. Some Bishops and Cardinals referred to Danish Cartoons against Prophet Muhammad and said that Muslims were angry with a few cartoons we should be more angry with this book. Some Muslims and non-Muslims are asking our reaction to this book.

We as Muslims do not want to be known as people who react only when something wrong is done to the blessed name of our Prophet Muhammad only. We stand for the respect of all religious figures of all religions. Furthermore, Jesus –peace be upon him- is also a blessed Prophet to us. We believe in him and honour him. We also have something to say something about this novel and movie.

There are two things that I would like to say about the Da Vinci Code and its movie. One is positive and the other is negative. The positive thing is that it says that for the first four centuries Jesus was known only as a Prophet of God, not God. At the Council of Nicea around the year 325 CE the Emperor Constantine and some Bishops with him changed the true teachings of Jesus. The Da Vinci Code also says that Jesus – peace be upon him - married one of his female disciples Mary Magdalene and had children and his descendants still exist. Although the Qur’ân does not say anything about Jesus’ marriage, his wife or children (nor does the New Testament); there is nothing wrong from the Islamic point of view if he was married and produced children. Allah says in the Qur’ân:

We did send Messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and children: and it was never the part of a Messenger to bring a Sign except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is a Book (revealed). (Hud 13:38)

Some Christians consider this a blasphemy. According to them to say that Jesus was married means that he was not God. Although they say that God had a son (na’udh billah); but they say that Jesus could not have a son. However, as Muslims we say that if he was not married then this does not make him God; because Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) who was Jesus’ contemporary was not married and no one considered him divine. Celibacy does not make any person divine. And if Jesus was married then this does not take away his honour because there were many prophets before him and after him who were married and had offspring. It is interesting to see a number of books produced today by Christian writers that also say that Jesus was not crucified and he never claimed to be “the Son of God.” This is what the Qur’ân said long time ago.

There is, however, a negative side of the Da Vin

Uh, The Da Vinci Code is fiction, so is the bible... Jesus was probably a real man, probably was married, probably did have children, was a religious fundamentalist spreading the NEW word of Christianity (in it's old form, because let us not forget it changed a lot as it moved throughout Europe, adopting many other religious traits And also changing in the 1400/1500's/Henry the VIII - go look it up) What i want to know is how can you seriously believe he rose from the dead & was the son of an invisible nutcase in the sky?

The Da Vinci code is fiction

You would have to be pretty thin skinned to be offended by a work of fiction, whether it is the Da Vince Code or the Last Temptation of Christ. If you think it might bother you, dont read it.

We're not offended at all. Because we know The Da Vinci Code is fiction.

I'm not offended by it, but I have no reason to believe it.

The Gnostic religion (not to be confused with the American sect of the same name) was an early heresy that mixed the life of Jesus with Greek Philosophy. The story that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were an item is one of theirs (celibacy wasn't a very Greek concept). Every so often, archaeologists turn up old Gnostic literature and claim that it's the end of Christianity as we know it. The yarn that they had a child was made up many centuries later to flatter the Kings of France.

It does not offend me, Because the way I look at it is, even if Jesus Christ did get married to Mary, It was not important enough to be published in the Bible, The focus should be on the fact that he died for our sins, No matter if it happened or not, he is the son of God and died for our sins and what I need to know to live in his will is all in the word!

it doesn't offend me...nor do i think it is true.

i think the da vinci code is a great read! brown took bits of everything and wove them together to great story...unfortunately i think many people took it all too seriously....

I personally believe that it's ridiculous.

I'm a born again christian, and I find the notion that jesus was married and had a child to be a joke.

It goes against the bible verse's which mention his line being cut off....

Somewhere in Isiah?? 40 something??

And if it's against the bible,

Then it's certainly against what I believe.

God Bless

Only those who confuse the Message with the Messenger, the light with the lamp.