1) The Ability to
Create:
The Qur’an says,
That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but He, the Creator of all things. (Surah 6:102)
For verily it is thy Lord who is the All-Creator, knowing all things. (Surah 15:86)
Those on whom, besides Allah, ye call, cannot create (even) a fly, if they all met together for the purpose. (Surah 22:73)
Those whom they invoke besides Allah create nothing and are themselves created. (Surah 16:20)
Is then he who creates like one that creates not? (Surah 16:17)
These are only some of the verses that restrict the ability to create to God. When God wanted to distinguish Himself from other gods, He highlighted this attribute of His that surpassed all other gods. Meanwhile, the Qur’an states that Christ created things:
Thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by my leave, and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by my leave. (Surah 5:110)
When I read these verses I thought in my heart: it was God who gave Christ this ability; it was not part of His essence. Nonetheless, Christ was the only one on whom God bestowed one of His divine attributes. Why Christ and not Mohammed? God said to Mohammed,
Canst thou cause the deaf to hear the call? (Surah 27:80)
Causing the deaf to hear is a lot easier then creation. God did not give Mohammed, the best of His people and the seal of the Prophets, the ability to make the deaf hear. He challenged people to create a fly, but gave Christ the ability to create birds. Birds are small creatures, although it is not a matter of size, but of principle. He who creates a small creature can create a big one. This cannot be of man, but of God.
2) Knowing what is Hidden:
God spoke of Himself in the Qur’an,
Say: none in the heaven or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden. (Surah 27:65)
With Him are the keys to the unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. (Surah 6:59)
In the first verse, the Qur’an emphasizes beyond any doubt that knowing what is hidden belongs only to God and no one else. The second verse underlines the fact that only God knows the unseen and the future.
Meanwhile, the Qur’an teaches that Mohammed used to rebuke anyone who attributed to him the ability to know what was hidden.
Say: I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden. (Surah 3:49)
One time Moaz said to Mohammed, ”…if Allah wills an you will,” and Mohammed interrupted him saying, “how could you make me equivalent to Allah? No one in heaven or on earth knows what is hidden but Allah.”
As in Christ we find all limitations removed. He knows and does what the rest of the people cannot. The Qur’an says,
And I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. (Surah 3:49)
It is unusual that in these verses Christ speaks in the first person; it must be God Himself speaking. On the other hand, Mohammed was always told what to say. Christ was unique because He spoke of Himself, which means that His abilities were His and not acquired.
In Beginning and End by Ibn Kathir (part2, p.86), I read a story that made me ashamed. It was a proof beyond any doubt that Christ possessed supernatural powers to know what was hidden. (It is a long story; those interested may refer to the book by Ibn Kathir.)
3) Healing the Sick:
The Qur’an mentions Abraham’s words that God is the only healer,
And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. (Surah 26:80)
Mohammed said in an authentic Hadith, “Oh, Allah, there is no healing but yours.” Meanwhile, in the Qur’an we find Christ saying about Himself,
I heal those born blind, and the lepers. (Surah 3:49)\
4) Giving Life and Death:
God is the only one who holds life and death in His hand; no one else can give life and death. The Qur’an says,
And verily, it is We Who give life, and Who give death: it is We Who remain inheritors (after all else passes away). (Surah 15:23)
Verily, We shall give life to the dead, and We record that which they leave behind. (Surah 36:12)
Verily it is We Who gives Life and Death; and to Us is the Final Return. (Sruah 50:43)
And I bring the dead into life by Allah’s leave. (Surah 3:49)
Ibn Kathir tells a story that proves Christ had the authority to give death as well as life. It is told that Christ saw a woman crying over her daughter, who had died long ago. He asked her, “What makes you cry, woman?” She said, “My daughter died and I have no more children.” Christ asked her, “ Would you like me to raise her from the dead?” She said, “Yes, O Spirit of God!” So, Christ stood by grave and called the girl three times. On the third time, the little girl came out and talked with her mother. Then the girl asked Christ to let her return. He told her, “Go back!” The grave closed and she was dead (Beginning and End, part2, p.84).
The Qur’an says,
That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but He, the Creator of all things. (Surah 6:102)
For verily it is thy Lord who is the All-Creator, knowing all things. (Surah 15:86)
Those on whom, besides Allah, ye call, cannot create (even) a fly, if they all met together for the purpose. (Surah 22:73)
Those whom they invoke besides Allah create nothing and are themselves created. (Surah 16:20)
Is then he who creates like one that creates not? (Surah 16:17)
These are only some of the verses that restrict the ability to create to God. When God wanted to distinguish Himself from other gods, He highlighted this attribute of His that surpassed all other gods. Meanwhile, the Qur’an states that Christ created things:
Thou makest out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by my leave, and thou breathest into it, and it becometh a bird by my leave. (Surah 5:110)
When I read these verses I thought in my heart: it was God who gave Christ this ability; it was not part of His essence. Nonetheless, Christ was the only one on whom God bestowed one of His divine attributes. Why Christ and not Mohammed? God said to Mohammed,
Canst thou cause the deaf to hear the call? (Surah 27:80)
Causing the deaf to hear is a lot easier then creation. God did not give Mohammed, the best of His people and the seal of the Prophets, the ability to make the deaf hear. He challenged people to create a fly, but gave Christ the ability to create birds. Birds are small creatures, although it is not a matter of size, but of principle. He who creates a small creature can create a big one. This cannot be of man, but of God.
2) Knowing what is Hidden:
God spoke of Himself in the Qur’an,
Say: none in the heaven or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden. (Surah 27:65)
With Him are the keys to the unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. (Surah 6:59)
In the first verse, the Qur’an emphasizes beyond any doubt that knowing what is hidden belongs only to God and no one else. The second verse underlines the fact that only God knows the unseen and the future.
Meanwhile, the Qur’an teaches that Mohammed used to rebuke anyone who attributed to him the ability to know what was hidden.
Say: I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden. (Surah 3:49)
One time Moaz said to Mohammed, ”…if Allah wills an you will,” and Mohammed interrupted him saying, “how could you make me equivalent to Allah? No one in heaven or on earth knows what is hidden but Allah.”
As in Christ we find all limitations removed. He knows and does what the rest of the people cannot. The Qur’an says,
And I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. (Surah 3:49)
It is unusual that in these verses Christ speaks in the first person; it must be God Himself speaking. On the other hand, Mohammed was always told what to say. Christ was unique because He spoke of Himself, which means that His abilities were His and not acquired.
In Beginning and End by Ibn Kathir (part2, p.86), I read a story that made me ashamed. It was a proof beyond any doubt that Christ possessed supernatural powers to know what was hidden. (It is a long story; those interested may refer to the book by Ibn Kathir.)
3) Healing the Sick:
The Qur’an mentions Abraham’s words that God is the only healer,
And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. (Surah 26:80)
Mohammed said in an authentic Hadith, “Oh, Allah, there is no healing but yours.” Meanwhile, in the Qur’an we find Christ saying about Himself,
I heal those born blind, and the lepers. (Surah 3:49)\
4) Giving Life and Death:
God is the only one who holds life and death in His hand; no one else can give life and death. The Qur’an says,
And verily, it is We Who give life, and Who give death: it is We Who remain inheritors (after all else passes away). (Surah 15:23)
Verily, We shall give life to the dead, and We record that which they leave behind. (Surah 36:12)
Verily it is We Who gives Life and Death; and to Us is the Final Return. (Sruah 50:43)
And I bring the dead into life by Allah’s leave. (Surah 3:49)
Ibn Kathir tells a story that proves Christ had the authority to give death as well as life. It is told that Christ saw a woman crying over her daughter, who had died long ago. He asked her, “What makes you cry, woman?” She said, “My daughter died and I have no more children.” Christ asked her, “ Would you like me to raise her from the dead?” She said, “Yes, O Spirit of God!” So, Christ stood by grave and called the girl three times. On the third time, the little girl came out and talked with her mother. Then the girl asked Christ to let her return. He told her, “Go back!” The grave closed and she was dead (Beginning and End, part2, p.84).
