LIII.—THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR
SAVIOUR.
The following are the verses in the Qurán which allude to our blessed Lord's crucifixion:
Surat-un-Nisá (iv.), 157:—
"And for their saying (we have cursed them'), 'Verily we have slain the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, and Apostle of God.' Yet they slew him not, and they crucified him not; but they had only his likeness. And they who differed about him were in doubt concerning him; no sure knowledge had they about him, but followed only an opinion, and they did not really slay him, but God took him up to Himself."
Surat-ul-Maida (v.), 19:—
"They are infidels who say, 'Verily God is the Messiah, the son of Mary.' Say: And who could obtain anything from God to the contrary if he chose to destroy the Messiah, the son of Mary, and his mother, and the whole world also."
Surat-i-A′l-i-Imrán (iii.), 47, 48:—
"The Jews plotted and God plotted: but of those who plot is God the best. Remember when God said, 'O Jesus! verily I will cause thee to die, and will take thee up to myself and deliver thee from those who believe not; and I will place those who follow thee above those who believe not until the day of resurrection. Then to me is your return, and wherein ye differ will I decide between you.'"
Whilst all Muslim commentators are agreed as to the literal interpretation of these passages, there is some difference as to the person crucified in Christ's stead.
1. In the Tafsír-i-Bezáwí it is said that Christ asked one of his disciples to take his place.
2. In the Tafsír-i-Mazhárí, that God took Christ in his human body to heaven alive.
3. In the Tafsír-i-Baghwí, that God transformed Christ’s appearance to one of his enemies, a spy, who was thus crucified in his stead by mistake.
4. In the Tafsír-i-Kalbí, that Titánús was crucified, God having transferred Christ's appearance to that person.
5. In the Tafsír-i-Kamálain that Christ was dead seven hours, then restored to life and taken to heaven.
It will be seen that these commentators have adopted the errors of the Basilidians, and other heretics, with reference to our Lord's crucifixion; for Irenæus says that the Basilidians held that Simon of Cyrene was crucified instead of Christ.
The "Cross of Christ" is the missing link in the Muslim's creed; for we have already alluded to the great anomaly of a religion which rejects the doctrine of a sacrifice for sin, whilst its great central feast is a Feast of Sacrifice.
It is related by the Muslim historian Waqidi, that Muhammad had such repugnance to the sign of the cross, that he destroyed everything brought to his house with that figure upon it.