happened, the Qur'an, in one verse, clearly denies the historical crucifixion and death of Jesus:

"That they [meaning the Jews] said (in boast), 'We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah';--but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.  Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise."  (Qur'an 4:157-58)

Because of certain ambiguities in the Arabic text, the Islamic interpretation of these verses in the Qur'an is not monolithic. Interestingly, there is no ahadith relating to Jesus and his crucifixion, so the only textual source of the Muslim rejection of the crucifixion is in the Qur'an.

In construing Qur'an 4:157-58, some Muslim scholars maintain that the crucifixion did not occur at all.  Others, in perhaps the most common explanation, argue that someone else, for example the apostle Judas or a Jew named Titanus, was substituted in Jesus' place.  Some, on the other hand, say that Jesus was miraculously saved from death and taken to heaven by the intervention of Allah.  Finally, some argue that Jesus did not die on the cross, but only swooned or appeared to die, and thereafter recovered.  Regardless of the various theories raised to justify the alleged revelation, the Muslim scholarship is virtually unanimous in maintaining the veracity of the clearly-historically-erroneous Qur'an and, against all reason, denying the historical crucifixion and death of Jesus.

Whatever the explanation, for the traditional Muslim, a crucifix is an abhorrent symbol.  Not only is it considered a graven image and a symbol of shirk, but, even more, it is considered to be a direct affront to the alleged veracity of the Qur'an, specifically Qur'an 4:157-58.

There are, moreover, traditions that suggest that Muhammad had a superstitious fear against the cross, a  cruciphobia more typical of what is popularly attributed to a vampire or the demonically possessed.  Muhammad possessed the opposite of the the amor crucis, or love of the cross, enjoined by Christian mystics, saints, and theologians.  According to 'Aisha, Muhammad's child bride, if she ever left anything in Muhammad's house carrying an image or a cross, "he obliterated it."  E.g., Sahih al-Bukhari 7.72.836,  There are other ahadith where Muhammad tells his followers to rid themselves of any crosses, as such are nothing less than idols.  Finally, there is some ahadith considered genuine that states that Muhammad believed that Jesus in his Second Coming will actually "break the cross," and de-Christianize Christianity."  Sahih al-Bukhari 3.34.425. 

Some of the more zealous of Muhammad's disciples have therefore taken it upon themselves to "break the cross" when they have the opportunity.  Among the more recent of these incidents we might point to the Muslims resident in Switzerland who advocate a change in the Swiss cross-bearing flag, the Muslim youth in Benghazi who ritually destroyed the tombstones marking the graves of British soldiers because they bore a cross, Muslim countries which forbid the displaying of the cross on churches, or the wearing of crosses and crucifixes when visiting a mosque.

The cruciphobia of Muhammad has been transplanted to his followers, and this is a fact which must rend the heart of any Christian.  For the Christian knows that without knowledge of the cross, we cannot have adequate knowledge of the love of God or of his healing salvation.  He also knows that that reliance on law without the cross as a means of self-justification is the vanity of vanities. 

In closing, we might turn to St. Paul's letter to the Colossians who warns them against those who might deceive them with "specious arguments" and take them from the via crucis.  "For even if I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing as I observe your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Col. 2:4-7)

In his letter to the Colossians St. Paul was speaking to the Judaizers of his day, but we may be assured that he would have used even stronger words against the Muhammadan and his vain Shari'a.  For St. Paul would have recognized what any Christian should.  He would have recognized at once that the Shari'a is a law which nullifies Christ and him crucified.

St. Paul continues with his theology of the cross: "See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ. For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily, and you share in this fullness in him, who is the head of every principality and power. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And even when you were dead (in) transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross; despoiling the principalities and the powers, he made a public spectacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it." (Col. 2:8-15)

Jesus is how we relate to God.  Law is no longer the primary way in which we relate to God. Law has been nailed to the cross, fulfilled in the person of Jesus.  The Cross, and all it accomplished, and all it stands for, and all it instructs, has become the divine law. 

The Shari'a is calculated to undo the cross.  It is a law which is based upon the "fleshly reasonings" of Muhammad and the human tradition of the legal scholars, the Fuqaha, who issue vainly their fatwas as if they are authentic indications of God's will.  It is a law based upon the circumcision of human hand instead of divine baptism, a law which does not bring authentic guidance nor purchase forgiveness.  Instead, it is a law that with its haram and halal passes judgment on food and drink and festival, on all sorts of daily activities, on externalities and trivialities of all sorts.

"Let no one, then, pass judgment on you in matters of food and drink or with regard to a festival or new moon or sabbath," St. Paul concludes, "these are shadows of things to come."  (Col. 2:16-17a)

No.  The Muslims have fallen into a trap.  St. Paul tells the Colossians what he would tell the Muslims and what we, in evangelical love, must tell the Muslims regardless of how they take it:

"The reality belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, delighting in self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, inflated without reason by his fleshly mind, and not holding closely to the head [that is, Jesus Christ], from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and bonds, achieves the growth that comes from God. If you died with Christ to the elemental powers of the world, why do you submit to regulations as if you were still living in the world? "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!" These are all things destined to perish with use; they accord with human precepts and teachings. While they have a semblance of wisdom in rigor of devotion and self-abasement (and) severity to the body, they are of no value against gratification of the flesh." (Col. 2:17b-23)

There is only thing men and women must turn to.  The truth is the same for the Muslim as it is for the Christian.  This one thing is Christ and him crucified.

Let us pray and work unceasingly for the day that each Muslim may turn away from the cruciphobia of his antichrist prophet, and reject the oppressive Shari'a, and instead pray with us as brothers in the faith:

Ave crux, spes unica!
Hail the Cross, the only hope!

And if they don't, then let us be like St. Ignatius, and, armed with the sure knowledge of the cross, be willing to suffer for the faith, even, if need be, by the loss of our lives.  Whether we be dead or whether we be alive, the same refrain will be on our lips, for the same true song is sung in heaven as it is on earth:

Ave crux, spes unica!
Hail the Cross, the only hope!

-----

Andrew M. Greenwell is an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas and practicing in Corpus Christi, Texas.  He is married with three children.  He maintains a blog entirely devoted to the natural law called Lex Christianorum.  You can contact Andrew at agreenwell@harris-greenwell.com.

- - -

Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: Muhammad, antichrist, redemption, salvation, Jesus, cruciphobia, cross, crucifixion, Andrew M. Greenwell

NEWSLETTERS »

E-mail:    Select Gender Male Female    Zip Code: (ex. 90001)

Today's Headlines Sign up for a roundup of the day's top stories. 5 days / week. See Sample