Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 49
CHAPTER III 49 arbitrator to settle the differences between the Jews and the Christians. It was incumbent upon it to give its verdict on the issues wherein they disputed. Among the issues on which they disputed, one was that the Jews used to contend that it is written in their Torah that anyone who is hung on the wood [i. e. the cross] is accursed, and, after his death, his soul does not return to God. They argued that since Ḥaḍrat ‘Īsā died on the cross, he did not return to God and the doors of Heaven were not opened for him. Whereas the Christians who were contemporaries of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had proclaimed this doctrine of theirs—and even unto this day it remains the same doctrine-that though Haḍrat Īsā did become accursed by dying on the cross, he took the curse upon himself willingly for the salvation of others; and he was ultimately raised to God, not with his physical body, but with a new and a glorious body that was free from blood, flesh, bone, and perishable matter. ¹ Concerning these two contending parties, God gave the verdict in the Holy Quran that it is totally contrary to the facts that ‘Īsā died on the cross or that he was killed such that it might be concluded that he is accursed in accordance with the dictates of the Torah. Rather, he was saved from death on the cross and he was raised towards God in the same way that all believers are. Just as every believer is raised to God, the Holy and Exalted, after having received a glorious spiritual body from God, he was similarly raised and joined the Prophets who 1. If the verse [On the contrary, Allah exalted him to Himself] means that Ḥaḍrat ‘Īsā was physically raised to Heaven, then can anyone show me the verse that settles the matter under dispute; in other words, that confirms that after death Ḥaḍrat Īsā would be raised like the believers towards God, and he would join the Prophets like Yaḥyā [John] and others? God forbid, did God misunderstand the Jews' rejec- tion of his spiritual ascension, which happens to every believer after death, and mistook it to mean something completely different [i. e. physical We seek refuge] نَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ هَذَا الْاِفْتِرَاءِ عَلَى اللهِ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى [ascension with Allah from this calumny against Allah. Holy is Allah, the Glorious, the Exalted!] (Author)