The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 215
The Messiah and his Second Coming 215 1. He was accursed because his birth was illegitimate. 2. He death was accursed as he died upon the cross. . The Torah declares that a person of illegitimate birth is accursed and will not be admitted to heaven nor will he be spiritually exalted. It was also written that he who dies on the cross will be accursed and will not be spiritually exalted. These are grave charges indeed! The Holy. Qur'an has refuted them together in the same place: و بِكُفْرِهِمْ وَ قَوْلِهِمْ عَلَى مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَانًا عَظِيمًاهُ وَ قَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ 184 (Part Number 6, Surah Al-Nisa'). Here the response is given to both the allegations. . The meaning of these verses, in brief, is that: 'Jesus was neither of illegitimate birth nor did he die on the cross. It was mistakenly believed that he had so died. Hence he was accepted of God and was spiritually exalted like the other Prophets. '. There is no mention of his bodily ascent to heaven, as the. Maulavis would allege. The whole controversy was simply about his spiritual exaltation. . The Holy Qur'ān affirms his righteousness, but it is a pity that his prophecies are strongly criticized by the. Jews and we have no answer to their criticism. We accept him sincerely as a true Prophet because the Holy Qur'ān so affirms; we have no other proof of his Prophethood. . The Christians exalt him to godhood while there is little proof even of his Prophethood. [I'jāz-e-Aḥmadī, Rūḥānī Khazā'in, vol. 19, pp. 120-121] 184. Al-Nisa', 4:157-158 [Publisher]