Assalam-u-alaikum to all!
"Say: "O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back say: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's will)." (Al-Quran, 3:64)
After my post on problems in the Bible, I have come to the point that it was useless since no Christian would agree with me. I should have known better not to have wasted my time in such a fruitless talk. But I hope that I can now, after my experience, start a discussion that is going to be more profitable to both Christians as well as Muslims.
First off, I would like Christians to point out to me verses in the Bible where Jesus(pbuh) himself says 'worship me' or that he says 'I am God'. This is the most fundamental belief of Christianity, and I cannot find it in the Bible.
Secondly, I will point out certain verses in the Quran talking about Jesus(pbuh). I have mentioned them before but I would like to state them again.
"That they said (in boast) "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary the Apostle of Allah"; but they killed him not nor crucified him but so it was made to appear to them and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge but only conjecture to follow for of a surety they killed him not. "
"Nay Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power Wise. "
"And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them."
(4:157-159)
So according to the Quran, when Jesus(pbuh) was about to be crucified, Allah raised him up to Himself and made it appear to the people that they had killed him. And we Muslims must believe that on the Day of Judgment, he will return to earth and bear witness against the Christians that he never told them to worship him. In fact, he told all that there is only one God.
The Quran says:
"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 though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden. "
"Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say to wit `Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up thou wast the Watcher over them and Thou art a Witness to all things. "
"If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants: if Thou dost forgive them Thou art the Exalted the Wise."
(5:116-118)
Further:
"O people of the Book! commit no excesses in your religion: nor say of Allah aught but truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an Apostle of Allah and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His Apostles. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is One Allah: glory be to him: (for Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. " (4:171)
I would like to point out here that the word 'Trinity' that is the most fundamental belief of Christianity, is not present in the Bible but it is present in the Quran in the above verse.
"Christ the son of Mary was no more than an Apostle; many were the Apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!"
"Say: Will ye worship besides Allah something which hath no power either to harm or benefit you? But Allah He it is that heareth and knoweth all things."
(5:75-76)
The former verse gives an example to show that Jesus(pbuh) cannot be God since he was restricted by hunger. God is unrestricted by anything, and God is All-Powerful. If Jesus(pbuh) did not even have the power to live without eating, how could he be God? The latter verse points this out.
This is exactly what we find in the Bible. In the Bible, Jesus(pbuh) repeatedly says that whatever he does is with the will of God and that he himself doesn't have power to do everything.
Jesus(pbuh) says in the Bible:
Mark12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Here, Jesus(pbuh) is talking about the Oneness of Allah.
Mat19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Here, Jesus(pbuh) says that firstly, that there is one good and that is God. He clearly says that there is only One God. Further, he says that in order to enter paradise, the people should keep the commandments. He doesn't say that to enter paradise you should 'worship me' or that you should 'believe that I am God'. He says instead "keep the commandments" and the first commandment is to believe that there is one God. This is in fact the first commandment of Islam. The first pillar of Islam is Tawheed, which means "Oneness of Allah".
John14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
John10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Mat12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Luke11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
John5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
John14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
John17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Acts2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved f God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
In these verses, the Islamic belief that Jesus(pbuh) was a profit of God and that all that he did was by the will of God. How then do you say that Jesus(pbuh) is God?
I hope this discussion is going to be more profitable than the previous one.
Take care