People of the book – part 13

The weirdest of all! in the verse 19 of Deuteronomy chapter 18:
” And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

We have a further fulfillment of the prophecy in Muhummed! Note the words-‘…..MY WORDS WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME,” and in whose name does Muhummed speak? We all know the answer even if we’re not Muslims: “in the name of God, most gracious, most merciful”

The Prophecy was fulfilled in to the letter. Every chapter of the Holy Qur’ân except the 9th begin with the formula: in the name of God, most gracious, most merciful.

The Muslim begins his every lawful act with this. But the Christian begins: “In the name of the Father, son and Holy Ghost.”
Concerning Deuteronomy chapter eighteen, I have given you more than 14 reasons as to how this prophecy refers to Muhummed and NOT to Jesus.

The Christian theologians are ignorant of even the name of God. Because “God” is not a name, and “Father” is also not a name.

What about… #17

There is so much disorder in our lives which turns our world into a very tight planet.

Issues absorbs our brain’s concern so that we are convinced that other’s problems are minor compared to ours. We are at the center of THE world, we don’t acknowledge  that we’re a mere invaluable fraction of Earth. What if earth could speak? What would she say? Are we doing the right thing for us and for our fellow humans? Our interest come first in every situation. We have to gain something from every opportunity. Is that the right thing to do? Probably yes, because opportunities are meant to be caught, otherwise why naming them opportunities, right? But, every opportunity isn’t one if we don’t make of it an opportunity. So what’s the point of speaking about it? It’s that what we believe to be opportunities are in fact co-incidents (read this post for more info) that our brain suggests as something valuable, not to miss. While if we look with our soul/consciousness, we’ll notice that the moment in question or the opportunity is nothing more than a lapse in time which doesn’t affect us unless we take advantage of it. The brain controls our actions, thoughts and deeds, while our soul keep an eye on us to help us achieve the best of our potential.

The world is big enough for everyone, there is no need for wars, disputes, jealousy… Thinking about other’s problems can help us be more altruistic and use the opportunities for the good of all the people around us.

Peolle of the Book – part 12

History tells us that the Archangel Gabriel commanded Muhummed in his mother tongue: “READ!” or “RECITE!” Muhummed was terrified and replied “I’m not learned!” The angel commands him a second time with the same result. For the third time the angel continues.
“Read: In the Name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot.
Read: And your Lord is the Most Generous. He who taught by the pen.
Taught man what he never knew.”

Now Muhummed, grasps, that what was required of him was to repeat! to rehearse! And he repeats the words as they were put into his mouth.

The words (revelation) were actually put into his mouth, exactly as foretold in the prophecy under discussion: ‘and I will put my words in bis mouth.’ (Deut. 18:18).

That first Revelation is the exact fulfillment of another Biblical Prophecy. In the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 29, verse 12, we read: “and the book is delivered to him that is not learned” (Isaiah 29:12). “I am not learned.” is the exact translation of the words which Muhummed uttered twice to the Holy Ghost – the Archangel Gabriel, when he was commanded : “READ!”
Let me quote the verse in full without a break as found in the “King James Version,” or the “Authorised version” as it is more popularly known “And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned”
(Isaiah 29:12).

It may be noted that there were no Arabic Bibles in existence in the 6th Century of the Christian Era when Muhummed lived and preached! Besides, he was absolutely unlettered and unlearned. No human had ever taught him a word. His teacher was his Creator:

Without any human learning, ‘he put to shame the wisdom of the learned’.”
See, how the prophecies fit Muhummed like a glove. We do not have to stretch prophecies to justify their fulfillment in Muhummed.

You may say that all your expositions sound very well, but they are of no real consequence, because we Christians have Jesus Christ the “incarnate” God, who has redeemed us from the Bondage of Sin.

Is that so? God didn’t think so! He went to a great deal of trouble to have His warnings recorded. God knew that there would be people like you who will flippantly, light-heartedly discount his words, so he followed up Deuteronomy 18:18 with a dire warning: “AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT WHOSOEVER WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO MY WORDS WHICH HE SHALL SPEAK IN MY NAME, I WILL REQUIRE IT OF HIM” . (in the Catholic Bible the ending words are – “I will be the revenger”, I will take revenge!)
Does not this terrify you? God Almighty is threatening revenge! We shake in our pants if some hoodlum threatens us, yet you have no fear of God’s warning?”

People of the Book – part 11

So far what I have done is to prove only one point out of the whole prophecy- that is proving the phrase ‘like unto thee – ‘Like You’ – ‘Like Moses’. The Prophecy is much more than this single phrase which reads as follows : “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee…….” The emphasis is on the words- “From among their brethren.”
Moses and his people, the Jews, are here addressed as a racial entity, and as such their ‘brethren’ would undoubtedly be the Arabs. You see, the Holy Bible speaks of Abraham as the “Friend of God”. Abraham had two wives – Sarah and Hagar. Hagar bore Abraham a son – his first born- ‘……And Abraham called HIS SON’S name, which Hagar bare Ishmael.’ (Genesis 16:15). ‘And Abraham took Ishmael his son……” (Genesis 17:23). ‘And Ishmael HIS SON was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.'(Genesis 17:25). Up to the age of THIRTEEN Ishmael was the ONLY son and seed of Abraham, when the covenant was ratified between God and Abraham. God grants Abraham another son through Sarah, named Isaac, who was very much the junior to his brother Ishmael.

If Ishmael and Isaac are the sons of the same father Abraham, then they are brothers. And so the children of the one are the BRETHREN of the children of the other. The children of Isaac are the Jews and the Children of Ishmael are the Arabs – so they are BRETHREN to one another. The Bible affirms, ‘and he (ISHMAEL) shall dwell in the presence of all his bretheren’ (Genesis 16:12). ‘and he (ISHMAEL) died in the presence of his bretheren (Genesis 25:18). The children of Isaac are the brethren of the Ishmaelites. In like manner Muhummed is from among the brethren of the Israelites because he was a descendant of Ishmael the son of Abraham. This exactly as the prophecy has it- ‘FROM AMONG THEIR BRETHREN’.(Deut.18:18). There the prophecy distinctly mentions that the coming prophet who would be like Moses, must arise NOT from the ‘children of Israel’ or from ‘among themselves’, but from among their brethren. Muhammed therefore was from among their bretheren!

The prophecy proceeds further: “…….and I will putmy words into his mouth…….’ What does it mean when it is said ‘I will put my words in your mouth’? You see, if I asked you to open Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 18, at the beginning, and if I had asked you to read, and if you had read: would I be putting my words into your mouth?
But If I were to teach you a language like Arabic about which you have no knowledge, and if I asked you to read or repeat after me what I utter would I not be putting these unheard words of a foreign tongue which you utter, into your mouth? In an identical manner, the words of the Qurân, were revealed by the Almighty God to Muhummed.

People of the book – part 10

As regards Jesus, when the Jews felt suspicious of him that he might be an impostor with designs to pervert their teachings, Jesus took pains to assure them that he had not come with a new religion – no new laws and no new regulations. I quote his own words: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled…'(Mathew 5:17-18). In other words he had not come with any new laws or regulation he came only to fulfil the old law. This what he gave the Jews to understand- unless he was speaking with the tongue in his cheek trying to bluff the Jews into accepting him as a man of God and by subterfuge trying to ram a new religion down their throats. No! This Messenger of God would never resort to such fool means to subvert the Religion of God. He himself fulfilled the laws. He observed the commandments of Moses, and he respected the Sabbath. At no time did a single Jew point a finger at him to say, ‘why don’t you fast’ or ‘why don’t you wash your hands before you break bread’,which charges they always levied against his disciples, but never against Jesus. This is because as a good Jew he honoured the laws of the prophets who preceded him. In short, he had created no new religion and had brought no new law like Moses and Muhummed.
Therefore, Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses.

Both Moses and Muhummed died natural deaths, but according to Christianity, Jesus was violently killed on the cross.
Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses.

Moses and Muhummed both lie buried in earth, but according to you, Jesus in heaven.
Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses.

People of the book – part 9

There are instances in the Bible of persons who were given gift of prophecy only, but they were not in a position to implement their directives. Some of these holy men of God who were helpless in the face of stubborn rejection of their message, were the prophets lot, Jonah, Daniel, Ezra, and John the Baptist. They could only deliver the message, but could not enforce the Law. The Prophet Jesus also belonged to this category. The Christian Gospel clearly confirms this: when Jesus was dragged before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, Charged for sedition, Jesus made a convincing point in his defence to refute the false charge: He answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the jews, but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36) This convinced Pilate (A Pagan) that though Jesus might not be in full possession of his mental faculty, he did not strike him as being a danger to his rule. Jesus claimed a spiritual Kingdom only; in other words he only claimed to be a Prophet. Is this true?
Therefore Jesus is not like Moses but Muhummed is like Moses.

Moses and Muhummed brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Moses not only gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites, but a very comprehensive ceremonial law for the guidance of his people. Muhummed came to a people steeped in barbarism and ignorance. They married their step-mothers; they buried their daughters alive; drunkenness, adultery, idolatry, and gambling were the order of the day. the Arabs before Islam brutes. There was hardly anything to distinguish between the “man” and the “animal” of the time; they were animals in human form.
The fact is that Muhummed gave his people a Law and a way to live with each other with compassion and respect.

Fatima

The worldwide fame of the city is permanently associated with the apparitions of the Virgin Mary reported by three little shepherds – Lúcia, Francisco and Jacinta – from May 13 until October 13 of 1917. The Catholic Church later recognized these events as “worthy of belief”. A small chapel, now known as the Chapel of the Apparitions, was built at the site of the supernatural events, and a precious statue of Our Lady of Fátima installed.

Due to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, a Marian shrine complex containing two minor basilicas, located in the wealthy quarter of Cova da Iria, the city has become in one of the most important international destinations of religious tourism, receiving between 6 and 8 million pilgrims by year. It attracts the religious people, but also those who seek a peace lifestyle usually only found in the convents and monasteries.
Fátima was said to be the name of a Moorish princess kidnapped by a knight, Gonçalo Hermigues, and his companions. Hermigues took her to a small village in the Serra de Aire hills, in the recently created Kingdom of Portugal. According to the Western Catholic narrative, Fatima fell in love with her kidnapper and decided to convert to Christianity in order to marry him (sounds familiar doesn’t it? see Lourdes) She was baptized and given a Christian name, Oureana.

Arab sources, however, claim that Fátima was forced into Christianity, as were most Reconquista captives. There is no documentary evidence to support either scenario of such a conversion.

Whatever version is true, the place name recalls the Princess’ original Arab name rather than her Christian baptismal one.

The parish was founded in 1568, when it was annexed by the Collegiate of Ourém. For centuries, most of the villagers kept herds of sheep and depended also on subsistence farming.

Since the early 20th century, Fátima has been associated with events in which three local children, Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, purportedly saw visions of a woman known as Our Lady of Fátima, since believed by the Catholic Church to be the Virgin Mary. On 13 May 1917, whilst guarding their families’ sheep in the Cova da Iria, the children first claimed to have seen an apparition of a “lady dressed in white” and shining with a bright light.

Francisco died in 1919 and Jacinta in 1920, during the international Spanish flu pandemic. Lucia dos Santos became a nun and lived until 2005. The two who died young were beatified on 13 May 2000 by Pope John Paul II, and were canonised by Pope Francis on 13 May 2017, the hundredth anniversary of the first apparition. Some rumors say that the two youngest ones were killed somehow. Because they were too young to keep secrets, they might have reveled something that they shouldn’t.

The construction of the sanctuary and the steady visits by pilgrims stimulated local development. In addition to construction of a large shrine, basilica, and sanctuary, the complex includes a hotel and other facilities. The town of Fátima was elevated to the status of city on 12 July 1997.