RE-WAS JESUS REALLY CRUCIFIED?

A letter to Abu Muhammad Hamzah Tijani
 by Rev Ola Oladejo

Dear Abu Muhammad Hamzah Tijani,

Greetings to you Abu Tijani. I have never met you before and I doubt if you know me. You might be a Sheik, Imam or Alhaji but I am not sure. Please, do not be offended that I am not addressing you by position, title or rank. I would gladly have done so since I want to give you the respect you deserve. I hope you will allow me to address you for now simply as Abu Tijani. Thank you, Sir for your understanding.

 

Your 58 page book titled, "Was Jesus (pbuh) really crucified? - scriptural evidence" got to me through a member of my congregation. Definitely it must have been sent as a reaction to my article; "For the Love of Mankind" published by the Christian Leaves blog shortly before this April's Easter celebrations.

 

In that article I chronicled the untold pain, suffering and agony of our Lord Jesus on the cross and affirmed His incontestable death on that same cross. I qouted the scriptures which proved beyond doubts that His death was not for His own sins for He was blameless, innocent and without sin. The point was made clear that He died on the cross for the sins of mankind including sins of men like you, Tijani and I. Emphatically the point was made that He was born for that purpose, to die on the cross for mankind's redemption. When your book came via email, I guess it was your effort to educate me from the stand point of your faith, Islam. I am indeed grateful.

Old controversies

 Without doubt, your book, "Was Jesus (pbuh) really crucified? -Scriptural evidence" is not a new as far as the subject matter is concerned. The views it contained have been in circulation for centuries. Even at that, they have not been able to controvert the Bible's account of redemption in the mind of unbiased public.

But since you have refired that age old controversies in your discourse and made them to appear new, I have taken it upon myself to point to you the errors in your book and provide correct information on the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus to help those who might be led astray by so many wrong notions on those issues.

Muslim/Christian engagement

First of all, I commend you for choosing to write on the important subject. It shows your strong faith as a Muslim. You have put your views out there in the public domain for those who could read to either agree or disagree with. I personally believe that there is need for religions to open up for more public discussions on their tenets without fear that comments could attract violence. The fear hitherto has been that observations critical of some religions, Islam included could result in over reaction. We have seen people burnt just for mere cartoons or statements which appear to be against some religious beliefs. I commend your boldness. As you can see despite the inaccuracies, unsuccessful attempts to wring your conclusions from apparently contrary scriptures, there is no violent reaction from Christians, no backlash. Even when you chose what you wanted to see and saw only what you desired to see, the reaction has been calm. The only reaction you get is this kind of response showing the reading public that you were sincerely wrong. That is the ideal. I pray that this culture will develop in Christian and Muslim relationship all over the world.

Jesus in the Quran

In summary, your positions are as follows; that the Koran holds Jesus Christ in high esteem and teaches Muslims to reverence Him. In fact, you noted that Islam stands out as the only non- Christian faith that teaches belief in Him. To quote you, "No Muslim is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus." Five areas of these beliefs are that He was one of the mightiest Messengers of Allah and that He was born miraculously without male intervention. He was also the Messiah, the Christ who gave life to the dead by God's permission. The Muslims must also believe that He healed the blind and the lepers with God's permission, according to Tijani.

The contradictions

The pity, however, Tijani is that the assertions you made above, you went to contradict when you deny the divinity of Jesus and in the face of the preponderance of Bible evidences, you went overboard to dispute that Jesus was not crucified. As if that was not enough, you moved your arguments into uncontrollable gear by also denying that He died for the sins of humanity.

 

Then like all past attempts to disparage the redemption story, you had the audacity to say that you do not believe that the Bible is the word of God. According to you, the Bible is the word of God, word of the prophets and the word of historians. But you fail to tell us which aspect is the word of God and which belongs to human fancy.

 

No wonder why you concluded that Jesus was not buried but was hidden in the tomb for medical treatment! You went further to suggest that He disguised as gardener to escape being caught and being finished off. Therefore you concluded that there was no resurrection. According to you, therefore, to teach that belief in His death and resurrection brings salvation is not true, since Jesus Himself had taught one could be saved by following His commandments. Surely you are troubled by the truth man's so called good deeds alone cannot guarantee eternal life and that man needs to be saved and that Saviour is Jesus Christ.

The Bible is God's word

For today, let us consider the habit so prevalent by some Muslims to dismiss the Bible as the word of God. You said, "I don't believe the Bible is the word of God: yet would prove from the Bible that Jesus Christ (pbuh) was not crucified because many Christians and missionaries alike agree the Bible to be the word of God." Let us overlook the impossibility of such exercise in view of its false premise. This attitude itself runs against the basic teachings of Qur'an which admonishes belief in Jesus. To quote you, "No Muslim is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus." If this is the case how can you turn around to say you do no believe in the Bible which gives divine account of that same Jesus? My friend, I am a Christian. I believe that a Christian in a country like Nigerian should have a good knowledge of the Qur'an for a better understanding of the Muslims. In the same way, Muslim should be free to study the Bible and make up their minds on these salient matters.

 

An unbiased study of the Qur'an says much about Jesus. It assents to His virgin birth by Mary. He is sinless without fault and He is the clear sign sent by God. The Koran attests to Him as the author of creation and miracles. Furthermore, the Qur'an states He is the heir to the throne of judgement adding that the followers of Jesus are superior. I urge you to read Surah 3:56 which says that those who reject Him will perish. Surah 43:61 singles out Jesus as the straightway. A little bit of study will also show from the Qur'an that He was raised to heaven and He still is.

No reason to reject the Bible

In view of what the Koran itself says, Tijani you do not have any basis to reject the Bible. The right thing to do is to see that the Qur'an is pointing you to a deeper study of Jesus which the Bible provides. To me, without bias, the Qur'an cannot exercise any authority over the Bible not only because Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born in 570 AD when all books of the Bible had been universally accepted as authoritative scriptures. Th Qur'an came years after. The implications of thse should not be lost on you, my friend.

Conclusion

In conclusion of my first letter, dear Tijani, let me bring to you some of the words of our Lord Jesus which are very germane to our discussion.

"And the Father Himself, who sent Me has testified of Me. You have neither heard

His voice in any time nor seen His form.

"But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do

not believe.

"You search for the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these

are they which testify of Me.

"But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have eternal life" John 5:37-40 (NKJV)

Dear Tijani, the scriptures, the Bible testifies of Jesus whom the Koran and Muhammad (pbuh) admonish you to believe. Are you doing the right thing not believe Jesus as witnessed to mankind by the Bible's account? I urge my friends, to check out the Quran and the Bible. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. You will be surprised at the level of understanding that will come your way if you choose to believe Him.

Next: Interesting rebuttal of Tijani's denial that Christ died and rose on the third day.

Rev Ola Oladejo, Senior Pastor Hundredfold Covenant Bible Church, Otunoba bus stop, Itire, Surulere, Lagos. 08023148846 Email address: ola2dejo@gmail.com