In the Name of Allah - the Beneficent, the Merciful:
"Mario Joseph" is presented to us - the public - as a former Muslim "Imam" who "left Islam" and "converted to Christianity". Furthermore, He claims that the Qur'an "caused" his conversion from Islam to Christianity. His own account of his conversion can be read here: http://mariojoseph.in/about-mario-j...
I would like to make it CLEAR, from the outset, that my issue is NOT with the fact that Mr. Joseph "left Islam for Christianity," but with what he PROMOTES as his "rationale" for doing so. ALL Religions experience the "exodus" of any number of their adherents to "convert" to other religions. Christians LEAVE CHRISTIANITY FOR ISLAM just as commonly, of not MORE SO, as Muslims LEAVE ISLAM FOR CHRISTIANITY...and EACH and EVERY "trans-convert" has his or her own Reason/Story explaining "why" they Converted. So Mr. Joseph's experience is by NO MEANS "uniquely significant" of the "merits" of one Religion over the other.
That being said, below are the key points cited by Mr. Joseph cites as his "rationale" or "justification" for his conversion, followed by my analysis of, and response to, said points.
1) Name of "Muhammad" mentioned 4 times in Qur'an, while name of "Jesus" mentioned 25 times. "Qur'an giving more preference for Jesus"
Mr. Joseph says in his video interview (found on his website) that the Holy Qur'an is divided into 114 Surahs (Chapters), and contains "6666 words". In that totality, as Mr. Joseph cites, Jesus is mentioned by name 25 times. Likewise, Mr. Joseph correctly cites that the name "Muhammad" is mentioned only 4 times in the Holy Qur'an. HOWEVER, what Mr. Joseph - a former IMAM of Islam - NEGLECTS to mention (and what he KNOWS the general public is largely IGNORANT of) is that the WHOLE of the Holy Qur'an is Considered by the WHOLE of the Muslim World to be a DIRECT COMMUNICATION from GOD, HIMSELF, to His Messenger, Muhammad. Why is this omitted fact important?
Imagine you are writing a Letter to someone - a letter discussing the Past, Present and Future of Humanity...a 6666-word letter, to someone you know VERY WELL. Your Intention is to acquaint the recipient with the various aspects and relevances of the lives of people of the past, with respect to the people of the Present and the Future. How many times would you feel the need to refer to the person to whom you are writing "by name"? How NECESSARY would it be? YOU know whom you are writing to. The RECIPIENT knows whom you are writing to. Where is the need to repeatedly refer to the recipient by Name?
Recall the last lengthy conversation you had with a friend...particularly a conversation "about someone else". HOW MANY TIMES did you mention the name of the person you were talking ABOUT? HOW MANY TIMES did you mention the name of the person you were talking TO?
Were you showing "preference" to the person you were talking ABOUT, "over" the person you were talking TO? (Let that marinate...)
2) "Name of Chapter 3 of Qur'an is 'The Family of Mariam' ".
Read here what the ACTUAL Name of Chapter 3 is, and WHY it is named such.
3) "Surah 50:23 says that Mary went to heaven with her physical body"
Read Here for what Chapter 50, verse 23 ACTUALLY says.
4) "Surah 3:45-55...
a) Jesus is referred to as 'word of God'.
b) Jesus is referred to as 'Spirit of God'.
c) Jesus is referred to as "Jesus Christ".
...Qur'an gives Jesus three names: 'Word of God,' 'Spirit of God,' and 'Jesus Christ."
ACTUAL TEXT: 3:45 When the angels said: O Mary, surely Allah gives thee good news with a word from Him (of one) whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, worthy of regard in this world and the Hereafter, and of those who are drawn nigh (to Allah),
The TRUTH is that Jesus is NOT referred to as "The Word of God", NOR as "The Spirit of God", NOR as "Jesus CHRIST". The Arabic word used is "Massi", or, in English, "Messiah". Mr. Joseph - again, a former IMAM (Spiritual Leader) - KNOWS the language, but for some reason chose to MISTRANSLATE it to mean "Christ". (Why is that? Think about it...)
5) "Jesus began to speak...like 2 days after his birth."
The Holy Qur'an makes NO SUCH MENTION of Jesus speaking "2 days" after his birth. (See link, above) This is Mr. Joseph's OPINION being forwarded as "fact". WHY?
6) "Jesus created a live bird with mud..." (and other perceived "miracles")
Here is the text IN CONTEXT:
3:45 When the angels said: O Mary, surely Allah gives thee good news with a word from Him (of one) whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, worthy of regard in this world and the Hereafter, and of those who are drawn nigh (to Allah),
46 And he will speak to the people when in the cradle and when of old age, and (he will be) one of the good ones.
47 She said: My Lord, how can I have a son and man has not yet touched me? He said: Even so; Allah creates what He pleases. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.
48 And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel:
49 And (make him) a messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah’s permission, and I heal the blind and the leprous, and bring the dead to life with Allah’s permission; and I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses. Surely there is a sign in this for you, if you are believers.
Notice how many times Jesus is cited as giving the Credit for His Works to ALLAH (God), in his words, "with Allah's Permission". Notice, also, that Mr. Joseph conveniently OMITS this information.
7) "Jesus...is a prophet greater than Muhammad"
Here, again, Mr. Joseph - who boasts that the Qur'an contains Sufficient Truth that should be followed (since he says that the Qur'an convinced/instructed him to "become Christian") - IGNORES the injuction/instruction to the Muslims found in the Qur'an regarding "comparison" between God's Prophets and Messengers:
3:84 Say: We believe in Allah and that which is revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.
8) "Is Word CREATOR or CREATION?...Qur'an says Jesus is Word of God"
A "word", being the PRODUCT/CREATION of a SPEAKER, CANNOT be "Creator".
The Qur'an does NOT say that Jesus is "The Word of God". Again, notice that Mr. Joseph fails to SHOW the ACTUAL TEXT (Chapter, Verse) to support his claim. The TRANSLATORS of the Holy Qur'an, who have to have a THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE of the ARABIC and ENGLISH languages did not translate the Arabic as "Jesus is the Word of God". WHY then does Mr. Joseph attempt to do so? Is he qualified as an Arabic or English Lexicologist?
9) "If MY TEACHER says that Word of God IS CREATOR...'which means' JESUS IS CREATOR..."
Here, Mr. Joseph is attempting to elevate the status of his "Teacher" to "equal with God". Notice, he didn't say "GOD said Word of God is Creator", but that "MY TEACHER said Word of God is Creator."...and based on what his "Teacher" said, he jumps to the horrendously ILLOGICAL (if not FALLACIOUS) conclusion that "Jesus is Creator", again, in DIRECT CONTRADICTION of these words from the Qur'an (The Book which Mr. Joseph presents as the "justification"/"truth" for his decision to convert):
"The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, is only a messenger of Allah and His word which He communicated to Mary and a mercy from Him." 4:171
(In other words, "NOT Creator")
5:72 Certainly they disbelieve who say: Allah, He is the Messiah, son of Mary. And the Messiah said: O Children of Israel, serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Surely whoever associates (others) within Allah, Allah has forbidden to him the Garden and his abode is the Fire. And for the wrongdoers there will be no helpers.
5:75 The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a messenger; messengers before him had indeed passed away. And his mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food. See how We make the messages clear to them! then behold, how they are turned away!
5:116 And when Allah will say: O Jesus, son of Mary, didst thou say to men, Take me and my mother for two gods besides Allah? He will say: Glory be to Thee! it was not for me to say what I had no right to (say). If I had said it, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy mind. Surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen.
It is INCONCEIVABLE that a "former IMAM" of Islam, who was taught the Qur'an from an early age, would not be aware of these critical verses; or would have such low character as to blatantly misrepresent the Text of a Book that he claims to know the obvious Truth of.
It is EQUALLY INCONCEIVABLE that a TRUE Follower of CHRIST - the EPITOME of TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS - would stoop to such MISCHIEF in Jesus' HOLY Name.
Is he REALLY a "Christian"?? OR, is he one of those whom Jesus described as "workers of iniquity" who do all manner of "wickedness" in JESUS NAME?
What say YOU?
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