To the sincere seekers of Truth it is obvious that Muhammad (pbuh) is the promised Paraclete or Comforter, alternatively called Helper, Advocate, Counsellor, etc of the prophecies of Jesus (pbuh) in the Gospel of St. John. There are millions of Christians who are hungry for this simple straight-forward Message. But alas, we can only weep with Jesus (pbuh) for our utter ineptitude —
The harvest truly is plenteous, but the workers are few.
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 9: 57
LANGUAGE OF JESUS (PBUH)
In the Holy Qur'an God Almighty puts the name "Ahmed" which is another name for Muhammad (pbuh) in the mouth of Jesus (pbuh). The Christian controversialist, Bible-thumper, Hot-Gospeller flippantly scoffs at the suggestion. The Christian missionary does not deny that Jesus (pbuh) did make a prophecy about someone coming after him. But "Ahmed" to him seems too far-fetched.
The most commonly accepted name by Christendom is "Comforter" It does not really matter Comforter or any other equivalent term will do. We will settle for Comforter as used in the most popular Bible Translation the "King James Version."
Ask your adversary, your disputant whether Jesus (pbuh) spoke the English language? "Most definitely not!" any Christian will say. If you are sharing this with an Arab Christian then you can ask him whether his "lord" used the word "MOOUZZI?" Surely not, because Arabic was not his language. Did Jesus (pbuh) prophesy "uMthokozisi?" (Comforter in Zulu) or "Trooster" from the Afrikaans Bible? The answer again is a definite NO!"
The Christians are rightfully boasting that they now have translated the complete Bible into hundreds of different languages, and the New Testament (in which this prophecy abounds) into more than two thousand different languages and dialects. So the Christian genius has invented more than 2000 different names in 2000 different languages for this one candidate — Comforter!
PNEUMA: GHOST OR SPIRIT?
The Church fathers had developed a sickness by translating names of people, for which they had no right to do. For example like Esau to Jesus, Messiah to Christ, Cephas to Peter and so on.
The closest one can ever get to the original utterance of Jesus (pbuh) in the Christian Scriptures is the Greek word "Para-cletos" which also has to be rejected because the Master did not speak Greek! But let's not be difficult for the purpose of this discussion and accept the Greek word Paracletos and its English equivalent Comforter.
Ask any learned Christian man as to who the Comforter is? You will unmistakingly hear - "The Comforter is the HOLY GHOST!" from John 14: 26. This sentence is only part of verse twenty six. We will deal with the verse fully in due course. But first we must educate the Christian mind with regards to this misnomer — "Holy Ghost." "Pneuma" is the Greek root word for SPIRIT. There is no separate word for GHOST in the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, and the Christians now boast 24,000 different manuscripts in their possession of which no two are identical!
The editors of the KJV (The King James Version) alternatively called AV (The Authorised Version) and the DOUAY (The Roman Catholic Version) of the Bibles gave preference to the word "GHOST' instead of the word SPIRIT when translating "pneuma"
The revisers of the RSV (Revised Standard Version) the most up-to-date version of the Bible, are going back, as claimed, to the Most Ancient manuscripts. These revisers, described as "thirty-two scholars of the highest eminence, backed by fifty co-operating denominations" who courageously re-placed the shady word "ghost" with the word "spirit" Hence from now on you will read in all modem translations — "The Comforter which is the Holy SPIRIT"! However, the Christian crusaders and the televangelists stubbornly cling to the spooky ("ghost"-ly) past They will not opt for the Newer Versions. It's better fishing with the old bait - the KJV and the RCV (Roman Catholic Version).
With the new change in spirit, the verse under scrutiny will read:
But the Comforter, Which is The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Emphasis added). You do not have to be a Bible scholar of any calibre to sense that the expression "which is the Holy Spirit" is actually an interpolation. It ought to be in parenthesis, in brackets, like my words which have been interpolated in the quotation, i.e. "(emphasis added)." Although the editors of the RSV have expunged dozens of interpolations from their boasted Revised Standard Version, they have retained this jarring phrase which contradicts other explicit predictions of Jesus (pbuh) on the subject of the Comforter itself. "HOLY SPIRIT" IS HOLY PROPHET
(HOLY BIBLE) John 14: 26
(i) It may be noted that no Biblical scholar of any standing has ever equated the "paracletos" of John in the original Greek with the Holy Ghost. Now we can say with one breath that if the Comforter is the "Holy Spirit" then that Holy Spirit is the Holy Prophet!
As Muslims we acknowledge that every true prophet of God is Holy and without sin. But whenever the expression "The Holy Prophet" is used among Muslims it is universally accepted as referring to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). So even if we accept the above incongruous saying — "the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit," as Gospel truth, even then this prophecy will fit Muhammad (pbuh) like a glove, without any stretching of its meaning.
The same John, who is supposed to have authored the Gospel bearing his name, also penned three more Epistles which are also part of the Christian Bible. Amazingly he has used the same terminology of "Holy Spirit" for "Holy Prophet."
Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they
are of God; because many false Prophets are gone out into the World.
(HOLY BIBLE) 1 John 4: 1
You can observe that the word spirit is used here synonymously with a prophet. A true spirit is a true prophet, and a false spirit is a false prophet But for the so-called "born-again" Christians who see only with eyes of emotion, I recommend that they lay their hands on C.I. Scofield's Authorized King lames Version of the Bible who with an Editorial Committee of 9 D.D.’s adding their notes and comments. When they come to the First word "spirit" in the above verse they should give a notation to compare it with Matthew 7: 15 which confirms that false prophets are false spirits. So according to St. John the Holy Spirit is the Holy Prophet, and the Holy Prophet is Muhummed (pbuh) the Messenger of God.
A VALID TEST
But St. John does not leave us in the air, guessing the true from the false. He gives us an acid test for recognising the true Prophet, he says —
Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.
(HOLY BIBLE) 1 John 4: 2
According to John's own interpretation in verse one above the word "spirit" is synonymous with the word prophet So verse two "Spirit of God" would mean Prophet of God and "Every spirit" would stand for every Prophet You have a right to know as to what the Holy Prophet Muhummed (pbuh) says about "Jesus Christ."
Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) is spoken by name no less than 25 times in the Holy Qur'an. He is honoured as —
Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus, the son of Mary)
An-nabi (The Prophet)
As-saaliheen (The Righteous)
Kalimatu'Llah (Word of God)
Ruhu-Llah (Spirit of God)
Masih-uLlah (Christ of God)
Behold the angels said: "O Mary! God giveth thee Glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held In honour in this world and The Hereafter and of (the Company of) those nearest to God-
(SURA al-i-'imran) Holy Qur'an 3:45
MUHAMMAD(PBUH) IS THE "OTHER"
(ii) The Comforter in John 14: 26 can never be the "Holy Ghost" because Jesus (pbuh) had already explained—
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you Another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
(HOLY BIBLE) John 14: 16
The emphasis here is on the word "ANOTHER," an other, a different one, an additional one, but of the same kind, yet distinctly different from the first. Who is then the first Comforter? The Christian world is unanimous that in this case the speaker himself — Jesus Christ (pbuh) is the first Comforter; then the other, the one to follow must be of like nature, subject to the same conditions of hunger, thirst, fatigue, sorrow and death.
But this promised Comforter was to "abide with you for EVER!" No one lives for even Jesus (pbuh) was mortal so must the coming Comforter also be mortal. No son of man can ever be immortal!
Every soul shall have a taste of death.
(SURAAL-I-IMRAN) Holy Qur'an 5:185
ALIVE IN THEIR TEACHINGS
The soul does not really die, but when it separates from the body at the time of the death of the body, the soul will get a taste of death. But our Comforter was to "ABIDE" continue, endure for ever. All Comforters abide with us for ever. Moses is here with us today in his teachings. Jesus is here with us today in his teachings and Muhammad also is here with us in his teachings today. (May the peace and blessings of God be upon them all). This is not my novel idea trying to justify the preposterous. I say this with conviction and on the authority of Jesus Christ (pbuh) himself.
In Luke, chapter sixteen, Jesus (pbuh) tells us the story of the "Rich Man, Poor Man.' At death both find themselves at opposite ends — one in Heaven and the other in Hell. The rich man (Dives) simmering in Hell cries to Father Abraham to send the beggar (Lazarus) to assuage his thirst. But when every plea fails, he, as a last favour, requests that Father Abraham send the beggar back to earth to warn his living brothers against their impending doom if they heeded not the warnings of God.
But Abraham said, "If they (those still alive on earth) won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even though someone rises from the dead. " (to warn them) Jesus (pbuh) uttered the above fact centuries after the demise of the prophets of Israel like Jeremiah, Hosea, Zechariah, etc and over thirteen hundred years after Moses (pbuh). The Pharisees at the time of Jesus (pbuh) and we today can still listen to "MOSES AND THE PROPHETS," for they are still alive, and with us here today in their teachings. 'YOU' OF THE TIME If it is said that the Comforter was promised to the immediate disciples of Jesus (pbuh) and not to a people six hundred years later:
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 16: 31
and he (God) shall give You another Comforter, that he may abide with You for ever.
(HOLY BIBLE) John 14:16
Surprisingly, the Christian sees no difficulty in justifying the fulfilment of prophecies "since the world began," and after over a millennium when Peter in his second sermon to the Jews, reminds them:
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord Your God raise up unto You of Your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear In all things what-soever he shall say unto You.
(HOLY BIBLE) Acts 3: 22
All these "YE, YOU and YOURS" are from the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 18, when Moses (pbuh) addressed his people and not the Jews at the time of Peter, thirteen hundred years later. The Gospel writers have put the same compromising words in the mouth of their Master which are begging for fulfilment for two thousand years. I think just one example will suffice:
But when they persecute You in this city, flee Ye into another: for verily (most assuredly) I (Jesus) say unto You, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man (Jesus) be come.
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 10: 25
SCANNING THE CLOUDS
These early followers of the Messiah, forever ran, forlornly fleeing persecution. They ran from one city to another in Israel, scanning every dark cloud for the descent of Jesus (pbuh) in his second coming. The missionaries see no anomaly in their millennium of unfulfilled prophecies. God Almighty did not keep them waiting for even a quarter of the time for the advent of the "paracletos," — the Comforter or Ahmed which is another name for the Praised One. Let them show gratitude to God by accepting this Last and Final Messenger of God — Muhammad(pbuh)!
ADVENT OF COMFORTER CONDITIONAL
(iii) The Comforter is definitely not the "Holy Ghost" because the coming of the Comforter was conditional whereas that of the Holy Ghost was not as we observe in the prophecy —
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go for If I Go Not Away, The Comforter Will Not Come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
(HOLY BIBLE) John 16: 7
"lf I don't go he won't come, but if I go, I will send him." There are numerous instances in the Holy Bible about the coming andgoing of the HOLY GHOST, before the birth and departure of the Messiah. Do yourself a favour, please verify these references in your Bible -
B.C. BEFORE CHRIST'S BIRTH:
1. ... and he (John the Baptist) shall be
filled with the Holy Ghost,
even from his mother's womb.
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 1: 15
2. ... and Elizabeth was filled
with the Holy Ghost.
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 1: 41
3. And his father Zacharias was
filled with the Holy Ghost.
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 1:67
A.C. AFTER CHRIST'S BIRTH:
4. ... and the Holy Ghost was upon him (Simeon).
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 2:26
5. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily
shape like a dove upon him (Jesus).
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 3:22
From the above quotations, before and after the birth of Jesus (pbuh), one cannot help admiring St. Luke who appears to be a specialist on the Holy Ghost We may well ask the Christians, after the descent of the "dove", with whose help did Jesus (pbuh) perform his many miracles if not with the help of the Holy Ghost? Let the Master himself tell us. When accused by his own people, the Jews, that he was working in league with Beelzebub (the chief of the devils) to work his miracles, Jesus (pbuh) rhetorically questions them, "How can Satan cast out Satan?" The Jews imputed that this spirit of holiness - the Spirit of God - which was helping him, was devilish. This was treason of the highest order. So he gives them a dire warning:
... but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, it shall never be forgiven
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 12:31
This "Holy Ghost" is non other than what Matthew himself has described in three verses before quoting the Master:
But if I (Jesus) cast out devils by the Spirit OF God, then the kingdom of God is come upon you.
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 12:28
Compare the same statement by another Gospel writer
But if I (Jesus) by the Finger Of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 3:22
You do not have to be a Bible scholar to understand that the expressions (a) "Finger of God" (b) "Spirit of God" and (c) "Holy Ghost" are all synonymous phrases. So the Holy Ghost was helping Jesus (pbuh) in his ministry. The Holy Ghost was also helping his disciples on their missions of preaching and healing. If there is still any doubt in your minds about the workings of the Holy Ghost then please read:
EMPTY PROMISE
...as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you (the disciples of Jesus),
And when he had said this, be breathed on them, and saith unto them,
Receive Ye The Holy Ghost
(HOLY BIBLE) John 20: 21 –22
This was surely no empty promise. The disciples must have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. So if the "Holy Ghost" was with (1) John the Baptist, (2) Elizabeth. (3) Zacharias. (4) Simeon. (5) Jesus and (6) the Disciples of Jesus; then all this makes nonsense of the saying that "if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you." Therefore the Comforter is not the Holy Ghost?
The verse under discussion is John 16: 7.
DISCIPLES NOT FIT
We now come to the four most comprehensive and decisive verses in John. chapter sixteen to solve the enigma of the Successor to Christ. For Jesus (pbuh) did truly say:
I have yet Many Things to say unto you, but Ye Cannot Bear Them Now.
(HOLY BIBLE) John 16: 12
We will later tie up the phrase "many things" from the above verse with "guide you into all truth" from the verse that follows, when discussing it. For now. let us discuss the phrase — "YE CANNOT BEAR THEM NOW"
The truth of this statement "ye cannot bear them now" is repeated monotonously throughout the pages of the New Testament:
And he (Jesus) saith unto them (the disciples). Why are ye fearful, O Ye Of Little Faith?
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 8. 26
AND (JESUS) said unto him (Peter) O Thou of Little Faith...
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 14:31
... he (Jesus) said unto them (the disciples), O Ye Of Little Faith, why reason among yourselves ...
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 16: 8
And he (Jesus) said unto them (his disciples). Where Is Your Faith?
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 8: 25
We must bear in mind that this is not the indictment of Jesus (pbuh) on the indecisiveness of the Jews, but on his very own elect. He stoops down to the level of little children to make things plain to his disciples but he is compelled to burst out in frustration
And Jesus said, Are Ye Even Yet Without Understanding?
(HOLY BIBLE) Matthew 15:16
And when he was provoked to breaking point, he rails against his chosen ones —
' ... O Faithless And Perverse Generation, how long shall I
be with you, how long shall I bear with you?
(HOLY BIBLE) Luke 9: 41
OWN FAMILY THOUGHT HIM MAD
If Jesus (pbuh) would have been a Japanese instead of a Jew. he would happily have committed that honourable "harakiri" (suicide). Sadly, he was the most unfortunate of God’s Messengers. His family disbelieved him For neither did his (]esus’) brethren believe in him (John 7: 5). In fact they went to the extent of wanting to apprehend him. believing that he was mad.
And when his relatives heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him (Jesus); for they said, he is beside himself.
(HOLY BIBLE) Mark 3. 21
Who were these friends and relatives of Jesus (pbuh) which had concern for his sanity? Let Rev. J.R. Dummelow. M.A. in his One Volume Bible Commentary tell us. On page 726 he says —
"FROM V.31" (just 10 verses following the above quotation) "THEY APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN HIS MOTHER AND BRETHREN… HIS FAMILY SAID ‘HE IS BESIDE HIMSELF,’" (meaning that he is not right in his head); "THE SCRIBES SAID, ‘HE IS POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL HIMSELF.’ IT IS NOT, HOW EVER, IMPLIED AT ALL THAT HIS FAMILY WAS IN SYMPATHY WITH THE SCRIBES" (the learned men of the Jews). "THEIR APPREHENSION BEING SIMPLY THAT HIS MIND WAS UNSETTLED. AND THAT HE NEEDED TO BE PUT UNDER RESTRAINT."
JESUS - REJECTED BY HIS NATION
That was the verdict of the close relations of Jesus (pbuh). What then was the response of his own nation, the Jews, after all his beautiful preachings and mighty miracle workings? His disciple puts it very mildly:
He came unto his own (the Jews) and his own received him (Jesus) not.
(HOLY BIBLE) John 1:11
Actually "his own" mocked him. scorned him and vehemently rejected him. To the extent of making an attempt to crucify him.' Despite two thousand years of Christian persecutions and pogroms, and now their overweening love and infatuation for them, so as to salve their own conscience, the Jews as a people and as a whole can never accept Jesus as their Saviour, their Deliverer, their God, simply because of their one sound judgement —
"THAT NO JEW CAN EVER ACCEPT ANOTHER JEW AS A GOD!"
It is only in Islam that the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims can find accommodation — all believing in Jesus Christ (pbuh) for what he really was — one of the mightiest Messengers of God; and not as God or His son!
DISCIPLES DESERTED HIM
What was the response of the chosen twelve; of his own "mother and bretheren!" (Mark 3: 34), as he called them? I will allow Professor Momerie to describe it in his own inimitable words—
"HIS IMMEDIATE DISCIPLES, WERE ALWAYS MISUNDERSTANDING HIM AND HIS WORK: WANTING HIM TO CALL DOWN FIRE FROM HEAVEN; WANTING HIM TO DECLARE HIMSELF KING OF THE JEWS; WANTING TO SIT ON HIS RIGHT HAND AND ON HIS LEFT HAND IN HIS KINGDOM; WANTING HIM TO SHOW THEM THE FATHER. TO MAKE GOD VISIBLE TO THEIR BODILY EYES;
WANTING HIM TO DO. AND WANTING TO DO THEMSELVES. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS INCOMPATIBLE WITH HIS GREAT PLAN. THIS WAS HOW THEY TREATED HIM UNTIL THE END. (and) WHEN THAT CAME. THEY ALL FORSOOK HIM. AND FLED."
Quoted from Sayed Amir All in his "The Spirit of Islam" page 31.
It was most unfortunate that Jesus Christ (pbuh) had no real choice in selecting his disciples. They let him down as no other group of devotees had ever let down their prophet before. It was no fault of the Master. He bewailed his plight: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh (clay) is weak" (Matthew 26: 41). Truly, this is not the clay out of which a new Adam could be made. He passes on that responsibility to his Successor, whom he calls here — "The Spirit of Truth," ie the Prophet of Truth, the Prophet of Righteousness!
"SPIRIT" AND "PROPHET" SYNONYMOUS
Howbeit when he, the Spirit Of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth
(Holy Bible) John 16:13
It has already been established that. Biblically, the word "Spirit" is used synonymously for "Prophet," by the same author in 1 John 4: 1 (as seen earlier).
Hence the "Spirit of Truth" would be the Prophet of Truth. A prophet in whom Truth is personified. He had walked through life so honourably and industriously that he had won for himself even from his pagan fellow countrymen the noble designation of as-Saadiq (the Truthful One) and al-Amin, "the Honest," "the Upright." "the Trustworthy;" the Man of Faith who never broke his word. His life, his personality, his teachings are the veritable proof of Muhammad (pbuh) being the embodiment of Truth (al-Amin) — the Spirit of Truth!
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