The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 256
256. Essence of Islam-III was afraid to show overt favour to Jesus, as the Jews had threatened to inform Caesar against him. All the same,. Pilate was lucky to have beheld Jesus, but Caesar was not so fortunate. Pilate not only saw him but also treated him with favour and did not at all wish that Jesus should die on the cross. It is clear from the Gospels that Pilate sought several times to release him, but the Jews cried out that if he let Jesus go he would be no friend of Caesar. . . . . Among the testimonies which bear out that Jesus as was indeed saved from the cross is the one narrated in Matthew 26:36-46. It relates that, having been informed by revelation of his impending arrest, Jesus as prayed to God all night, crying and prostrating. These prayers, which. Jesus as offered in such humility, and for which he was given ample time, could not have gone unaccepted. God never turns down the prayer of a chosen one when he prays in distress. How could Jesusas, prayer have been turned down, which he offered all night in a state of anguish and distress, particularly when he had himself claimed that his Father in heaven listened to his prayers. . How could one believe that God heard his prayers, if this prayer, which was offered in such anguish, was not accepted?. The Gospels also show that Jesus as was sure that his prayer had been heard and he had great faith in his prayer. . That is why when he was arrested and nailed to the cross, he found things contrary to his expectation and involuntarily cried out: 'Eli, Eli, Lima sabachtani'-My Lord, My. Lord, why has Thou forsaken me? That is, ‘I never expected things to come to this pass, and that I would have to die on the cross. I expected You to hear my supplications. '. God Almighty does indeed accept prayers, especially