It is certainly noteworthy that some of the highly educated Indian
converts from Islam to Christianity have been men who have passed
through a stage of Sufism, _e.g._, Moulvie Imaduddin of Amritsar, on
whom Archbishop Benson conferred a D.D. degree, and Safdar Ali, late
Inspector of Schools at Jabalpur. In one of the semi-domes of the Mosque
of St. Sophia at Constantinople is a gigantic figure of Christ in
mosaic, which the Mohammedans have not destroyed, but overlaid with
gilding, yet so that the outlines of the figure are still visible. Is it
not a parable?
APPENDIX IV
CHRIST IN MODAMMEDAN TRADITION.
The following brief article is an attempt to bring together some of the
passages in Mohammedan writers in which Christ is accorded a higher
place than in the Koran, and in which deeds and words of His are
mentioned regarding which the Koran is quite silent. For though the
Koran calls Him 'the Spirit of God' and 'a Word proceeding from Him,' at
the same time it says 'What could hinder God if He chose to destroy the
Messiah and His mother both together?'
In the traditional sayings of Mohammed collected by Al Bokhari, accepted
by all Sunni Mohammedans, we have the following:--
1st. The sinlessness of Christ. The Prophet said, 'Satan touches every
child at its birth and it cries out from the touch of Satan. This is the
case with all, except Mary and her son.'
2nd. A famous utterance of Christ is attributed to God. The Prophet
said, 'At the resurrection God shall say, "O ye sons of men, I was sick
and ye visited Me not." They shall say, "Thou art the Lord of the worlds
how should we visit Thee?" He will say, "A certain servant of Mine was
sick; if you had visited him you would have found Me with him."' This
tradition is noteworthy as it brings out the affinity between God and
man which the Koran for the most part ignores.
3rd. Christ returning to judgment. The Prophet said, 'How will it be
with you when God sends back the Son of Mary to rule and to judge
(hakiman, muqsitan)?'
In the 'Awarifu-l-Mawarif of Shahabu-d-Din Suhrawardi the doctrine of
the New Birth is definitely attributed to Christ: 'The death of nature
and of will which they call "the second birth" even as Christ has
written.'
Ghazzali in the Ihya-ul-ulum thus refers to St. Matt. xi. 17: 'Some one
said, "I saw written in the Gospel, We have sung to you but ye have not
been moved with emotion; we have piped unto you but ye have not
danced."' He also quotes St. Matt. vi. 25, 'Jesus said, Consider the
fowls, etc.'
The historian Tabari mentions the institution of the Last Supper,
Christ's washing His disciple's hands, requesting them to watch with
Him, predicting Peter's denial, and quotes the text, 'The shepherd shall
be smitten, and the sheep shall be scattered.'
In the Bostan of Sa'di the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee
takes the following curious shape:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account