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Islamic alternatives to crucifixion Jesus

Most Muslims believe that Jesus was replaced by someone else before or during the crucifixion. The Quran does not contain many details about what happened. Therefore, Muslims tried to come up with a solid story about Jesus' end on earth. The favourite story is that someone else was crucified and Jesus was immediately taken to heaven. Other theories come up with a different assumption. Muslims refer to the following verse in the Quran that Jesus was not crucified:

and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they neither killed nor crucified him—it was only made to appear so.1 Even those who argue for this “crucifixion” are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever—only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him. (Qur’an 4:157)

The next verse describes the final position of Jesus:

Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Qur’an 4:158)

An overview on the reliability of the various Islamic alternatives to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Patterns for a crucifixion alternative

Emotional trigger

The image of a suffering Messiah is too difficult for a Muslim to accept. Within Islam, there is the idea that if a believer follows God's Law, he will receive blessings and protection from bad events in life. Since Jesus is faultless, an ugly death on the cross contradicts the idea of a blessed follower of God's Law. The explanation of the Qur’an by most Muslims is that there is an ideal image of prophets and messengers who follow the Law of God which prevents them from suffering. It causes finding solutions to defend this ideal of a protected follower of God's Law.

Challenges

Muslims who want to describe what happened after the Jews decided to execute him, do not have many details from the Qur’an between the attempted crucifixion in Qur’an 4:157 and the taking to heaven in 4:158. Muslims confirm the history that it was the intention of his enemies to kill him on the cross. It takes some creativity to provide details to show that God somehow saved Jesus from death on the cross. The challenge is to show that Jesus was not crucified and died.

Islamic alternative 1: Substitution theory

Introduction

This theory mentions another person who was crucified in the place of Jesus. Jesus was taken to heaven without being crucified. The idea has been suggested that God created a man who had the same appearance as Jesus, who was hung on the cross instead of Jesus. The real Jesus, according to most Muslims, immediately ascended to heaven with this body. Within Islam, this theory is the favorite way to describe the end of Jesus' life on earth. Identity for a Jesus lookalike According to the substitution theory it was not Jesus who was crucified, but another person. No identity is given in the Qur’an about this person. It is a person who volunteered to impersonate Jesus and allowed himself to be crucified in his place.[1] The requirements for such a replacement would have to be a person of absolute moral standard, superior to the faultless Jesus, the Word of God. However, this replacement of Jesus, a super-Jesus is a contradiction in the Qur’an, because Jesus is faultless (Qur’an 19:19) and of extreme dignity in this world and the other world (Qur’an 3:45).

Candidates for a replacement of Jesus

Under Muslims is no agreement about the identity of Jesus’ substitute. It has been suggested that there was a Jesus lookalike who died on the cross instead of Jesus. Most support is for one of the disciples, including Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus or Simon of Cyrene. Basilides of the Gnosis sect suggested that Simon of Cyrene be executed instead of Jesus. [2] However, this assumption of near death and replacement by another man contradicts all accounts in the Bible and historical research. Those concepts of gnosis sects were available in the time of Muhammad. It cannot be a coincidence that they can be the source for Qur'an 4:157 on the substitute statement of Jesus by another. Therefore, many Muslim commentators think in terms of Jesus' natural death with reference to Quran 19:33. They also suggest that God took Jesus to heaven at the right time and according to Quran 3:55. The Jesus substitute as Judas Iscariot comes from the Gospel of Barnabas, a false document of a Spanish Muslim in the Middle Ages. Another candidate for Jesus replacement on the cross is Simon of Cyrene, because according to the synoptic gospels, he carried the cross of Jesus to the place of execution. However, this was by order of the Roman soldiers, who were in control of the execution process. This excludes the substitution theory from a logical standpoint that Jesus was not crucified.

Islamic alternative 2: Rescue theory

Introduction

This theory holds that Jesus was saved from the cross and ascended to heaven. It means that God prevented to attack Jesus. God intervened to take Jesus to heaven after accusations and threats from his enemies because he had a holy life. [3] A famous Quran commentator, Tabari, states that Jesus was carried off from the earth to a place with God. The adherents of this theory have referred to Quran 3:55: “[Mention] when Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ” (Qur’an 3:55). Also 4:158: “Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise”. For Muslims this showed the reward for the faithful believers and confirms the pattern of good deeds and reward.

Details rescue action

According to an Islamic story, Jesus went to heaven wearing a woolen dress made by his mother Mary. When he arrived in heaven, they said to him, “O Jesus, cast away from you the adornment of the world”.[4] It is an indication that things of this world are different in compared to the life in heaven. However, no evidence or record has been found that a miraculous intervention was done at the last minute. It is unlikely, because Jesus' enemies and friend witnessed the crucifixion.

Islamic alternative 3: Swoon theory

Introduction

This theory is an attempt to explain the resurrection of Jesus with the claim that Jesus survived the method of execution on the cross. It means that Jesus did not die on the cross, he passed out or fainted for several hours, but later returned to a conscious position in the same body. First, Jesus was hung on the cross. Then the Jews thought he died on the cross because Jesus looked like someone who was dead, but they weren't sure. The swoon theory assumes that Jesus did not die. As a result, Jews failed in their plan to kill him.

Variants

The founder of the Ahmadiyya sect in Islam, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, launched the idea that Jesus survived the crucifixion on the cross, went to India to die in that country.[5] Ahmed Deedat commented crucifixion of Jesus in the four Gospels and proposed an alternative scenario that can be seen as a swoon theory.[6] Deedat support the swoon theory with arguments Dean Farrar, who argues in that Jesus was only for 3 hours on the cross and then taken down. Islam promotor Zakir Naik used the swoon theory in a debate with Pastor Henry Pio Ruknuddin. Naik used many of the arguments of Dean Farrar and Ahmed Deedat.[7] However, medical researchers state that it is not unlikely that Jesus died during the crucifixion.[8]

Problems with this theory

Jesus had not slept the night before, had not eaten well, was tortured and crucified. Crucifixion is a severe punishment that must result in death. The crucifixion practice of the Roman Empire was that Jesus was first given a heavy whip on his shoulders, back and legs. The whip was reinforced with metal to inflict further injuries and tear open the skin. After he survived this attack and the bleeding had stopped, the Roman soldiers put a crown of thorns on his head, so that the bleeding started again in an even more vital place, his head. Then they beat him again. It is therefore unlikely that Jesus survived the cross. The Gospel records that Jesus was not buried until the Roman soldiers were certain that Jesus died: “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs” (John 19:33). There are verses in the gospel that Jesus was martyred and crucified (Mark 15:15; Matt 27:26; John 19:1). He died earlier than expected (Mark 15:44). The Gospel mentions the torture and cruel treatment Jesus received before the crucifixion.

General difficulties with Islamic alternatives

It is possible that in the time of Muhammad Nehemiah 9 was used as a quote in a discussion against pro-Persian Jews. This could have resulted in it being added in Qur’an 4.[9] Jews of apocalyptic poetry in the time of Muhammad saw in Micah 5:1, 4 a prophecy that the Assyrians would conquer the land of Israel and be associated with a Davidic leader.[10] Muhammad had to become involved in Jewish discussions when he migrated from pagan Mecca to Jewish-dominated Medina in 632. Mohammed did not want to demonize all Jews and claimed that they did not kill Jesus in Quran 4:157. He had to be friends with the Jews Reading the context of Qur'an 4:157, we come to the conclusion that the Jews are accused of murdering Jesus and that the Qur'an states that they did not actually kill Jesus. This is also a historical truth, because the Roman soldiers killed Jesus. Another support for crucifixion comes from Qur’an 19:33: “And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.". The order of this Qur’an verse is (1) born, (2) died and (3) rose alive. In this Qur’an verse there is support that Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected. The Jews did not kill Jesus (Luke 23:24-25), Jesus was crucified (Luke 23:33, Matthew 27:35-38) , died on the cross (Mark 15:37-39, John 19:32-33) and resurrected (Luke 24:34). Death on the cross for God's most powerful man seems ugly. However, we must look at the full picture that God raised Jesus from the dead and this is the sign that the glorious Jesus Christ had made a triumph over the Jewish unbelievers. This is a great victory of the Supreme Being and there is support in the Qur’an as well: “And the disbelievers planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners” (Qur’an 3:54).

Historical evidence

Sources from the Roman Empire

Jewish sources

New Testament

The New Testament gives testimony that the Jews killed Jesus:

“Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” (1 Thessalonians 2:15–16)

According to historical research, the original is from before 55 AD, less than 33 years after crucifixion. For non-Christian historians, the testimony is therefore reliable. There are more verses in the New Testament about crucifixion, who are dated before 100 AD:

They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha (John 19:17)

When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left (Luke 23:33)

There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between (John 19:18)

And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take (Mark 15:24)

And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots (Matthew 27:35)

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece (John 19:23)

It was the third hour when they crucified Him (Mark 15:25) Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews." (John 19:19)

And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, "This is Jesus the king of the Jews" (Matthew 27:37)

Now there was also an inscription above Him, "This is the king of the Jews." (Luke 23:38) So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs (John 19:32-33)

Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:54)

Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent." (Luke 23:47)

Witnesses in the Bible that Jesus was crucified and that he died So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2)

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)

Conclusion

Islamic alternatives to the crucifixion of Jesus face many difficulties. The challenge is illustrated by the fact that there are many proposals to link only a few Qur’anic verses with historical facts. This creates the impression that a detailed account of what happened in the event that Jesus was not crucified and died, cannot be given. Despite this, Muslims spend a lot of energy trying to come up with a satisfactory explanation because they believe that Jesus, who is the most powerful messenger of God, cannot come in ugly events in human life. However, the image of a protected messenger is under pressure even in the Qur’an. There are prophets who were martyred to death, such as John the Baptist (Yahya), who was beheaded and died as a martyr. There is also a problem for Muslims who believe the Qur’anic verses that the Bible is from God. Therefore, most Muslims treat the end of Jesus' life on earth as a mystery. They follow the straightforward literal explanation of Qur’an 4:157-158, that Jesus somehow went straight to heaven just before the crucifixion. But this ascension theory has no support because there is no evidence that Jesus was saved from the cross and ascended to heaven. Another theory, the swoon theory, has failed because it has been disproved by medical research. All the alternatives lack support from the Bible. Moreover, atheist scholars agree with the Bible: "Jesus' death as a result of crucifixion is indisputable."[18] The fact that alternatives to crucifixion are unsuccessful opens up the possibility that the Bible gives the complete story about Jesus, that he was crucified and died on the cross as the Bible states: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)

Notes

  1. Ibrahimkhan O. Deshmukh, The Gospel and Islam, Mumbai, 2011, 230-231.
  2. Irenaus of Lyons, Against the Heresies, I, 24, 40, in: James A. Kelhoffer, Conceptions of “Gospel” and Legitimacy in Early Christianity. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. Vol. 324. Tübingen, 2014, p. 80.
  3. Hüseyin Ilker Çinar, Maria und Jesus im Islam, in: Arabisch-Islamische Welt in Tradition und Moderne, Band 6, Wiesbaden, 2007, 112.
  4. Mahmoud M. Ayoub, Towards an Islamic Christology II: The Death of Jesus, Reality or Delusion, A Study of the Death of Jesus in Tafsir Literature, The Muslim World, Vol. LXX, Hartford Seminary. 70 (2), 1980, 103.
  5. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Masih Hindustan Mein, 1908 (English translation: Jesus in India, 1944).
  6. Ahmed Deedat, Crucifixion or Cruci-fiction, 2007.
  7. Zakir Naik, Debate: Was Jesus Christ (PBUH) Really Crucified? Dr. Zakir Naik debates Pastor Ruknuddin, 2011, Youtube.Com.
  8. Bergeron, Joseph W. , The crucifixion of Jesus: Review of hypothesized mechanisms of death and implications of shock and trauma-induced coagulopathy, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 19 (3): 113–116. doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2011.06.001, 2012.
  9. Juan Cole, It was made to appear to them so’: the crucifixion, Jews and Sasanian war propaganda in the Qur’ān, Religion, Volume 51, 2021 - Issue 3, 2021, 404-422.
  10. Hagith Sivan, From Byzantine to Persian Jerusalem: Jewish Perspectives and Jewish/Christian Polemics., Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 41 (3), 2006,288-291.
  11. Alfred John Church (ed.), Complete Works of Tacitus, Random House, New York, 1942, Book XV, Chapter p. 44.
  12. Gerd Theissen, Annette Merz, The Historical Jesus, A Comprehensive Guide, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 1998, p. 85.
  13. Gerd Theissen, Annette Merz, The Historical Jesus, A Comprehensive Guide, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 1998, p. 78.
  14. W. Cureton, Spicilegium Syriacum, London, 1855, p. 43-48.
  15. Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18, 63 in: William Whiston et al (translators), The Works of Flavius Josephus, John E. Beardsley, p. 1895.
  16. Gerd Lüdemann, The Resurrection of Christ, Prometheus, Amherst, 2004, p. 50.