Author: Harris Abdullah
Assalamulaikum WBT
As I was meditating on the words of Allah in Mat 5:7 & Surah 57:27. I don’t know if you notice if it is a coincidence that the 2 verses from the Injil and the Quran has quite a ‘number’ of amazement. Do you believe that Allah is in control of everything in the midst of all the problems that men have done?
Let’s look at Mat 5:7 & Surah 57:27: What can you see?
1) The number 5:7 and 57 both in Injil and Quran,
2) 2+7 = 9
A) There are 9 Blessedness in Mat 5:3-11: i) Poor, ii) Mourn, iii) Gentle, iv) Hunger & Thirst for Righteouness, v) Merciful, vi) Pure in Heart, vii) Peacemaker, viii) Persecuted for Righteousness and ix) Insulted and people say all kinds of evil things against you (Slandered).
B) The number 9 is also significant as shown in the Injil: according to Mark 15:25 -third hour ie. about 9am using the common Jewish Time, the event on the crucifixion of Isa. So, from here we could see this process began from 6am to 9am and around 9am Jesus was crucified. Does this not give us further insight and revelation concerning Surah 19:21 (see analysis below) of the significance of Isa’s death and sacrifice as a lamb for the whole world, ‘…a Sign and Mercy from Us’ a concrete manifestation of Allah’s Mercy & Compassion shown by this act as forgiveness to us all? This is one of the signs to all men. Many times, Allah/Yahweh’s Mercy in scriptures has to do with forgiveness of sin as shown in the Taurat, Injil and Quran. Further analysis on the remarkable revelation is found in the Quran in the subject of ‘Mercy’:
Surah 6:154-157, regarding the Book in Surah 6:154f & Surah 7:52,203. Firstly, the contexts talk about all the Books given are described as guidance and mercy from Allah. Secondly, we need to acquaint ourselves with and read all the Books sent down. Finally, look at Surah 19:21 He said: “So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, ‘that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’: It is a matter (so) decreed.” [Yusus Ali] – (Isa as a sign and mercy from Allah.) So, take careful note of Surah 6:154-157 & Surah 7:52 that talk about all the Books, but can you see the difference in Surah 19:21? What is this revelation all about? Why is Isa called Sign & Mercy from Us? Take a look again. Here, it specifically did not mention the Injil/book but Isa, the person himself. Isn’t it very clear that the significance of Isa’s death and sacrifice as a lamb is a sign for mankind to see the concrete expression of Mercy & Compassion of Allah as forgiveness to the whole world? We can never truly understand the mercy of Allah without understanding Isa as the Mercy of Allah.
3) 5+7 = 12 what is the significance of this number 12? Acts 2:15 mentioned that the disciples (hawariyyun) gathered at the third hour (Jewish time in morning) 9am (third hour is again around 9am, the number 9) where the Spirit of Allah descended onto them. When you can see the word جعل as in Surah 57:27, it literally means Allah puts into them His Spirit. What for? So that they can be merciful in the ways of Allah because Allah is the Most Compassionate/Merciful. The disciples of Isa would also be as merciful as Allah/Yahweh.
4) 5,7,2,7 what is the common number here? It is 7. Seven is also a significant number in the scriptures. It symbolises perfection and in everything Allah/Yahweh’s qualities or attributes are perfectly shown in the only perfect man, Isa Al-Masih. We will study in more detail on this in the future.
5) Mat 5:7 Merciful lies in the midst of the 9 blessedness. What does this mean? I hope we know that the Arabic word Rahman and Rahim (Surah 1:1) are sharing the same root word. This shows that in everything that Allah does, He does everything with all His Mercy and Compassion. These 2 words are not independent of one another. When we say mercy, it involves compassion. When say compassion it involves mercy. Is the centre of our whole being governed/ controlled by mercy/compassion that was supposed to be put/ placed/ ordained by Allah? If not, then something is not right with our hearts and lives. When the contrary is true, it shows that we do not have the Spirit of Allah/Yahweh in us.
(Note: in John 19:14 the sixth hour here was following a completely different time system. If one does a proper analysis, you can see that John’s system of time was from 12am to 11.59am and 12pm to 11.59pm. John’s usage of time, when compared with all the other Gospel writers on the crucifixion account, the sixth hour here was 6am and the account showed that Isa was not crucified yet, and the context showed that it was the preparation for the Passover which started in the morning. Other reference in John 18:28 showed that it was very early in the morning before sunrise, does a rooster crow normally around 4am or 5am before sunrise (John 18:27)? This time system applied to the rest of Gospel of John, depending on the context it used, either 12-hour block in the before midday or 12-hour block after midday. In John 1:39, 4:6, the 10th and 6th hour here were not morning but 10pm and 6pm respectively; John 4:52– 7th hour was 7pm. There could be other way to explain that the principles of Scriptures are not primarily a historical or chronological book but on the Principles and the Power of Allah/Yahweh)
From the above, we can see what the scriptures intend is contrary to what we want to believe. The Christian says that you have to believe in Jesus as the Saviour and you will be saved. The Muslims say that you have to say the Testimony of Faith (Syahadah) and you are a Muslim and for being a Jew, there is a lot of Jewish legal criteria. Religion try to call themselves Christians or Muslims or Jews that add a lot of things that are unscriptural and reject things that are scriptural. You will not be saved by believing in creeds or repeat orally what men had made. All these do not come from merely understanding the scriptures. What the scriptures say is not what you believe intellectually/in your minds or say with your mouth that you are a Christian/Muslim/Jew but what you are or have become internally. The scriptures are saying that you are to believe in such a way that Allah could ordain or put Mercy and Compassion into your heart or in other words, to give you a new heart that enables you to show Allah’s qualities & attributes. Isn’t this the revelation in Surah 57:27? I pray that Allah will help us understand the Scriptures in the way they are meant to be understood and may Allah have mercy and compassion to all of us who still do not understand and see.
Thank you for your time and wassalam.