Truth About The Crucifixion — Page 149
bound to be confined to this earth, the third text states that God has created angels that are especially commanded to execute His decree of death which must come for every human being. The two succeeding references give a more detailed description of the creation of life, its development through different - higher and higher stages and its natural end in decrepitude and death. The three last quotations affirm that death is inevitable, also in the sense that there is absolutely no return to life on this earth, and that the coming life will be a new creation of God -not belonging to our present system. All prophets have died We did not bestow on the Messengers bodies that ate no food, nor were they to live for ever. (al-Anbiya', 21:9) We granted not everlasting life to any human being before thee. If then thou shouldst die, shall they live on for ever? (al-Anbiya', 21:35) Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, all Messengers have passed away before him. (aal-e-'Imran, 3:145) The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a Messenger. All Messengers have indeed passed away before him. His mother was a righteous woman. They both used to eat food. See, how We explain the signs for their benefit, and see, how they are turned away. (al-Ma'idah, 5:76) With this last verse we are already partly tackling the next question which particularly deals with the death of Jesus. He is included -of course - in the category of both humans and Prophets, and so the question could be regarded as answered, but as some people tend to make him something special and outside the normal categories, we have to deal with it. 141