Question
- What are Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani’s thoughts and beliefs about Jesus Christ?
- What are the Christian beliefs regarding Jesus Christ?
- What is the correct Islamic belief about Jesus Christ?
Answer
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani’s cursed theory about Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, is that, God forbid, Jesus has passed away, and he gradually fabricated this belief. Initially, he was also a believer in the living status of Jesus, but when he wanted to claim his prophethood, he gradually denied the life of Jesus and ultimately accepted his death.
In “Aina Qadianiat” it is stated:
“Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani initially believed in the life of Jesus and used verses from the Holy Quran to argue for the life of Christ.”
“This verse (هو الذي ارسل رسوله) is a prophecy regarding Hazrat Messiah in terms of physical presence and political authority, and the dominance promised to the religion of Islam will come through Messiah. When Hazrat Messiah (peace be upon him) returns to this world, Islam will spread across all realms and corners through his hands.”
(Brahin-e-Ahmadiyya, Vol: 1, Ruhani Khazain, Vol: 1, p. 593, and the metaphor of the stream of knowledge in Ruhani Khazain, Vol: 23, p. 91)
In the beginning, Mirza believed in the life of Jesus Christ, but he gradually went through stages to claim prophethood. First, he claimed to be a servant of Islam, then a missionary of Islam, a divinely appointed figure, and a reformer. The ultimate goal was to claim prophethood. The plan was to first assert that he was the Messiah. The belief in the life of Jesus was an obstacle to becoming the Messiah, so he crafted the idea of the death of Jesus to get around that barrier. He then claimed that since the Hadiths confirm the coming of the Messiah and that he had passed away, he had come as the Messiah and that he was superior to him. One of his famous couplets is:
“Forget the mention of the son of Mary,
A better one is Ghulam Ahmad.”
(Daafi’ al-Bala, p. 24, Ruhani Khazain, p. 240, vol. 18)
“When Mirza became deluded into thinking he was the Messiah, he claimed that Jesus (peace be upon him) was a prophet, so why isn’t the Second Messiah (Mirza Qadiani), who is superior to him, a prophet? Therefore, I am a prophet. In this way, he twisted the beliefs around and adopted the idea of the death of the Messiah just to make his claim of prophethood.”
(Page 158-160, International Council for the Preservation of the Finality of Prophethood)
- Regarding Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), Christians believe that, God forbid, Jesus is the Son of God. They also hold the belief that he was (God forbid) killed by the Jews, but after that, he returned to life and ascended to the heavens.
The Holy Quran states:
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ [التوبة:30]
It is mentioned in the interpretation of Qurtubi:
“وظاهر قول النصارى أن المسيح ابن الله، إنما أرادوا بنوة النسل كما قالت العرب في الملائكة. وكذلك يقتضي قول الضحاك والطبري وغير هما. وهذا أشنع الكفر. قال أبو المعالي: أطبقت النصارى على أن المسيح إله وأنه ابن إله. قال ابن عطية: ويقال إن بعضهم يعتقد ها بنوة حنو ورحمة. وهذا المعنى أيضا لا يحل أن تطلق البنوة عليه وهو كفر.”
It seems that Christians say that Christ is the Son of God, but they mean it in a way of lineage, similar to how Arabs refer to angels. This view is also supported by figures like Al-Duhak and Al-Tabari, and it’s a serious form of disbelief. Abu Al-Maali noted that Christians unanimously believe that Christ is a God and the Son of a God. Ibn Ateeah mentioned that some of them think of this sonship as stemming from affection and mercy. However, this understanding is also inappropriate when it comes to referring to him as a son, and it constitutes disbelief.
(Surah At-Tawbah, Vol: 8, Page: 117, Publisher: Dar Al-Kutub Al-Misriyah)
What is Christianity? In a book titled “What is Christianity?”, Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani writes:
“Until the Jews had you crucified, at that moment the divine essence separated from your body, then three days later you came back to life and appeared to the disciples, giving them some guidance before ascending to heaven.”
What is Christianity? (p. 29, Published by Dar al-Isha’at, Karachi)
- The correct and Islamic belief regarding Jesus (peace be upon him) is that he is a servant of Allah, His prophet, and messenger. Allah has protected him from the plots and deceptions of the Jews and Christians and has raised him up to the heavens, where he is alive. He will return to the world by the command of Allah before the Day of Judgment; this is the belief of Muslims.
There are verses in the Holy Quran and numerous Hadiths concerning the life of Jesus (peace be upon him). For instance, the Quran states:
﴿ وَّ قَوْلِهِمْ اِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِیْحَ عِیْسَی ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ ۚ وَ مَا قَتَلُوْهُ وَ مَا صَلَبُوْهُ وَ لٰکِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ؕ وَ اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ اخْتَلَفُوْا فِیْهِ لَفِیْ شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ ؕ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ اِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ ۚ وَ مَا قَتَلُوْهُ یَقِیْنًا ﴿۱۵۷﴾ بَلْ رَّفَعَهُ اللّٰهُ اِلَیْهِ ؕ وَ كَانَ اللّٰهُ عَزِیْزًا حَکِیْمًا ﴿۱۵۸﴾ وَ اِنْ مِّنْ اَهْلِ الْکِتٰبِ اِلَّا لَیُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ ۚ وَ یَوْمَ الْقِیٰمَةِ یَکُوْنُ عَلَیْهِمْ شَهِیْدًا ﴿۱۵۹﴾
“And on their claim that we killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, who was a messenger of Allah, they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them as such. Those who argue about it are in doubt, relying only on conjecture; they did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself, and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. And there is not one of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.”
It is stated in the work of Ibn Abi Shaybah:
” عن أبي هريرة، رفعه قال: «لا تقوم الساعة حتى ينزل عيسى ابن مريم حكما مقسطا وإماما عادلا فيكسر الصليب ويقتل الخنزير ويضع الجزية ويفيض المال حتى لا يقبله أحد.”
Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet said: “The Hour will not come until Jesus, the son of Mary, descends as a just ruler and an equitable imam. He will break the cross, kill the pig, abolish the jizyah, and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it.”
(Book of Trials, Vol: 7, p: 494, published by Dar Al-Taj)
It is in the “Al-Mu’jam Al-Awsat” by Al-Tabarani:
“عن عبد الله بن مغفل قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «ما أهبط الله إلى الأرض منذ خلق آدم إلى أن تقوم الساعة فتنة أعظم من فتنة الدجال، وقد قلت فيه قولا لم يقله أحد قبل: إنه آدم، جعد، ممسوح عين اليسار، على عينه طفرة غليظة، وإنه يبرئ الأكمه والأبرص، ويقول: أنا ربكم، فمن قال: ربي الله، فلا فتنة عليه، ومن قال: أنت ربي، فقد افتتن، يلبث فيكم ما شاء الله، ثم ينزل عيسى ابن مريم مصدقا بمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، وعلى ملته مات، إماما مهديا، وحكما عدلا، فيقتل الدجال.”
On the authority of Abdullah bin Mughfil who said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: “What did God bring down to the earth from the time of the creation of Adam until the coming of the Hour is a greater temptation than the temptation of the Dajjal, and I said in it a word that no one had said before: He is Adam, Jaad, wiped out.” The left eye, on the eye, is a sharp deviation, and He clears the deaf and blind, and says: I am your Lord, so whoever said: My Lord, let no fitnah be upon him, and whoever said: You are my Lord, let no fitnah befall you, as God wills. Peace and blessings of God be upon him, and on the death of the multa, Imam Mahdiyyah, and righteous judgement, and the Dajjal was killed.”
(C: 5, p: 27, I: Dar al-Harameen)
For more details on the above issues, it will be useful to read the following books:
1- The book of Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri, may Allah have mercy on him: “Aqeedah al-Islam fi Hayat Isa (peace be upon him)”
2- Allama Suyuti’s magazine: “The Book of Information by the Command of Isa (peace be upon him)”
3- Hazrat Maulana Idris Kandhalvi’s book: “Hayat Isa (peace be upon him)”
Only God knows