[سواها قلبي]

In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful

** The crucifixion issue..


Firstly, let us discuss an important and vital matter, that is to say the crucifixion issue. One of the miracles of Holy Quran is that it absolutely negated the crucifixion of Jesus in one verse and one context. Verse (4:157) of the Noble Quran states: ((And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah ." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; Only a likeness of that was shown to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain)).


But when refuting other wrong beliefs, like (“Allah is Jesus”) or (Jesus is Allah’s son), the Noble Quran refuted and corrected such wrong beliefs in several verses and contexts, as the same are definitely deemed flagrant atheism.

allocated to emphasize monotheism (Oneness of Allah) as first and foremost step for belief, and that was summarized in one conclusive and inclusive chapter, that is chapter 112 (Surat Al-Ikhlas), which says: ((1- Say: He is Allah, The one; 2- Allah, the Eternal, Absolute, 3- He begetteth not, Nor is He begotten, 4- And there is none like unto Him)).



Now if we argued that Quran was not revealed by Allah or was invented by Prophet Mohammad, it will be more appropriate for Prophet Mohammad to adopt the idea of crucifixion in order to increase his followers, as such idea was common. And by that, he would also have attracted and persuaded the Christians, and would have overcome a lot of challenges and obstacles that prevent them from accepting Islam.


In fact, it is easy for a Christian person to transform from certain Christian sect to another because such sects share many common ideologies. Also, in the past, a lot of Roman pagans converted to Christianity when they found many common ideologies between Christianity and their doctrines. Such as the concept of incarnated god, as well as other ideas and rituals, as I will demonstrate in detail hereinafter.


However, a Christian converting to Islam is not as easy as the afore-mentioned situations; contrary, it is deemed a revolution in his life and belief because it changes and corrects many inherited concepts and beliefs.


The Noble Quran did not go a long with the wrong tenets and beliefs of Christians; contrary, it has clearly corrected them; for example, believing that (God is Jesus himself) or (Jesus is God’s Son) is deemed an unforgivable disbelief and atheism.


In the context of talking about killing Jesus in the Noble Quran, verse 4:155 states: ((And We cursed them (The Jews) for their breaking of the covenant and their disbelief in the signs of Allah and their killing of the prophets without right)). It did not state that Jesus was killed although the context is talking about Jesus and about the crimes of the Jews who used to kill prophets. The Noble Quran has completely negated that Jesus was killed or crucified, because that did not happen actually.


The Noble Quran does not say except the truth, whether such truth conforms to the old or inherited beliefs or not. Before proceeding to discuss crucifixion and other issues, I would like to share an important rule that governs all issues and matters, that is “Anything that involves doubts or uncertainties cannot be taken as evidence”.
According to the rules of justice, if the testimonies of two witnesses contained discrepancy or inconsistency, the judge shall disregard such two testimonies, unless a third witness comes and confirms the testimony of any of them; otherwise, there will be no justice.


Now, let us discuss the story crucifixion as narrated in the Bibles. The story started by talking about the attempts to kill Jesus and ended by handing a person on the cross, crying helpless, followed by shrouding and burying him.

1- Judas agreed with the Jews and priests to deliver Jesus to them:-
The Gospels differed on this simple incident, which is considered an introduction to the events of the crucifixion. The Gospel of Mark 14 says:

“1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 2 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people." 3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, "Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 " For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they criticized her sharply.”

Matthew mentioned this incident in (26:6-9), Luke in (7:36-39), and John in (12:1-6), with differences between them in its timing and main elements.

Nineham says about this story:

** We find St. John mentioning it a few days earlier than St. Mark. Likewise, St. Luke places it in a completely different context in Jesus' life. While in the Gospel of Mark it occurred in the home of Simon the leper from the village of Bethany, in the Gospel of John it occurred in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, p. 370).

The differences between the Gospels regarding this story can be summarized as follows:

Location of the incident:

In the house of Simon the leper (Mark and Matthew) - (In the house of the Pharisee’s (Luke) - In the house of the brothers Lazarus, Mary and Martha (John).

The woman's character:

Unknown (Mark and Matthew) - A sinner (Luke) - A righteous woman, Mary, the sister of Lazarus (John).

What did you do?

I anointed Jesus' head with perfume (Mark and Matthew) - I anointed his feet with perfume (Luke and John).

Viewers' reaction:

Some were outraged by her extravagance (Mark) - The disciples were outraged (Matthew) - The Pharisee questioned himself about Jesus' knowledge of the woman's identity (Luke) - Judas Iscariot was outraged by her extravagance (John).

2- Preparing for the last supper:
Mark says: “12 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, "Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?" 13 " And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. 14 Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?" ' 15 Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us." 16 So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. 17 In the evening He came with the twelve. “Mark 14 “

Nineham says:

** Most commentators believe that this passage, verses 12-16, was in fact a later addition to the narrative that Saint Mark follows in this part of his Gospel. Among the reasons for this belief are the following:

1- Describe the day on which the story is said to have taken place in a style not used by the average Jew who was a contemporary of it.
2- Jesus’ followers are described in every paragraph of this chapter (the fourteenth) as his disciples, while they are referred to insistently in this paragraph as the twelve.
3- The writer of verse (17) who says:

"And when evening came, he came with {the twelve}"

does not know anything about the journey of the two disciples mentioned in verse 13. If the writer of verse 17 had known the contents of that passage, he would have been talking about: {the ten, not the twelve}. That is, verse 17 should have read as follows:

“And when evening came, he came with the ten.” (Interpretation of the Gospel of Mark: p. 379)

Matthew differs from Mark in the story of preparing for the supper, as he makes all the disciples - as John Fenton says on page 414 of his commentary - participate in this preparation. He says:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover at your house with my disciples.” So the disciples did as Jesus had commanded them and prepared the Passover. (26:17-19)

3 - The timing of the Last Supper and its impact on the crucifixion issue:

John Fenton says: “Matthew (26:17-19) agrees with Mark (14:12-17) and Luke (22:8) that the Last Supper was the Passover. On the contrary, the Fourth Gospel makes the Passover eaten in the evening after Jesus’ death.” (John 18:28) as John Fenton says.

Most scholars believe that the timing of Matthew, Mark (and Luke) is correct and that John changed it for doctrinal reasons. (Interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew, p. 415)

This is because John decides that the last supper that Jesus attended with his disciples was before the Passover. He says:

“1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.” (John 13).

John also states that they arrested Jesus on the evening of the day before eating the Passover.. in his saying:

“28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.” (John 18).

*** The difference between the Gospels regarding the Last Supper and its timing resulted in their disagreement on a fundamental point that is considered one of the most important elements of the crucifixion issue... namely, determining the day of the crucifixion.

If we take the accounts of Mark, Matthew and Luke, then Jesus would have eaten the Passover with his disciples on Thursday evening... and then he would have been arrested shortly after that on the same Thursday evening... and thus the crucifixion would have taken place on Friday.

As for accepting John's account, it means that the arrest was on Wednesday evening... and that the crucifixion took place on Thursday...

*** Did the crucifixion happen on Thursday or Friday?!!

4 - The Last Supper and the traitorous disciple:

Mark says: “17 In the evening He came with the twelve. 18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me." 19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?" 20 " He answered and said to them, "It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. 21 " The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born." (John 14).

Matthew made some changes to Mark's account.

Luke says: “ Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude. …. When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; … But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. … Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. “ (Luke 22: 3-23 )

As for John’s account, there is a difference in it that is easy to notice - from what the other three Gospels narrated. He says: “" 21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25 Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night. “(John 13).

Regardless of the difference in the Gospels in Christ’s answer to his disciples about who the traitor was, the Gospel of Luke said:

"He who dips in the dish"

While the Gospel of John says:

"To him I will dip the morsel and give it"

But the important point regarding Judas’ betrayal is the difference between the Gospels regarding the incident of Satan’s entry into him. Here he decides that Satan entered Judas at least one day before the Last Supper (22:3-7).

While John decides that Satan entered Judas after Jesus gave him the morsel (John 13:27)... during the Last Supper...

This... and we will suffice with this amount in which we presented some elements of the crucifixion issue, which are:

The anointing of Christ's body with perfume... then the preparation for the Last Supper - then the timing of the Last Supper and its impact on the crucifixion - and finally what was said about the Last Supper and the traitorous disciple...

We will resume later, God willing, to complete the discussion of the crucifixion issue.

And there's more to come...

Your brother, Al-Athram