Isa-Masiha : "I am known as the Son of God and born of a virgin."

"He, who was joined with a heavenly body: Is chosen as the prince of the Aryans."

The following statement is attributed to Jesus:

My food is fasting, my natural condition is fear, my dress a sack made from wool. My hearth is the sun in winter, my light in the night is the moon, my conveyance is my feet, my food the berries of the forest. When I go to sleep, I have nothing with me; when I rise I am empty handed. None is richer than me on the earth. I advise you to concentrate your thoughts upon God, and lead a detached life. If you have a towering aspiration to meet God, concentrate upon Him. Remember; if one employs all energy to attain an aim with clear thoughts, even a thorn may be turned into a rose garland. According to Jesus, we will receive due reward of our works. He advised people to keep away from worldly desires and do good. He says, I say unto thee;
Shun worldly desires, And give up anger, And back-biting, And keep your hearts pure.

Spirit of God

Jesus Christ was the Spirit of God, who assumed the name of Yuz-Asaph ( YOUSSEPH ) in Kashmir. This tradition has been inherited by the Muslims from the Hindus of ancient times, who also believed that Jesus came to Kashmir and settled here. Here Jesus disclosed his identity to the king of Kashmir in the following words. "I am known as the Son of God and born of a virgin. As I have preached love, truth and purity of heart, I am called Messiah."

The Silk Route

In the ancient world, the countries in southwest Asia formed one compact unit. During the 6th century B.C Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and some regions of northern India formed part of the Achaemenian dominion of Cyrus and Darius.109 The people living in this vast tract of land had close links by way of trade, commerce and culture. Prior to the advent of Jesus Christ, Egypt, Iran, Afghanistan and Kashmir were connected by the Silk Route. During the lifetime of Jesus the highway had the following stages: Jerusalem (Hierosolyma) - Bostra - Damascus - Palmyra - Edessa - Nisseus (Nisibis) - Herat - Bamiyan - Kabul - Khybar - Taxila - Murree - Chitral - Gilgit - Bandipur - Kashmir. From Herat another route lay to Balkh - Badakshan - Ladakh - Kashmir. It may be mentioned that the valley of Kashmir, though secluded and surrounded by mountains, is located in the region where west, east, south and central Asia meet. It was an important link in the communication system at the hub of Asia, centripetally uniting all its realms. From ancient times, the valley of Kashmir had established commercial relations with Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian countries. Its capital lay on the Silk Route. which connected east with west. Many centuries before the advent of Jesus Christ, the armies of the Greeks penetrated into north India and the Indus basin through land routes of the past. So it is no wonder that any traveller could reach Kashmir from Palestine. These tracks and routes were in existence through all time, and were used by emigrants, traders and pilgrims. Herodotus knew the people of Kaspira or Kashmir, long before the first century A.D.111 Seven centuries before Christ. the Jews had been transported to the northwest of Indian and central Asia, who had established small centres of civilization and trade in these regions, including Kashmir.

Dispersion of Jews

Dispersion of the Jews started with the fall of Samaria in 721 B.C. After that they went on migrating towards the east and settled in far off lands. They settled in Bamyian, Bukhara, Samarkand, Khorasan, Kashmir and Kashgar. Some of their remnants even reached Western China.It is a historical fact that the Aryans and the Semites intermingled during their dispersion in about 2000 B.C. Some of the Semitic tribes reached the western borders of the Indus valley. But it was during the period of the Assyrian Empire that intimate commercial contacts were established with lran and Gandhara, which included Kashmir also. At the time, Media extended its sway right up to borders of Chitral, and intercommunications between India and the middle east had become well developed. During the reign of Cyrus the Great, the whole region from Thebes in Egypt to Taxila in the Punjab came under the domination of the Persians. With the extension of the Persian Empire by Darius, right up to the northwestern regions of India, the valley of Kashmir, including Hunza, Nagar and Chitral came under direct control of the Persians. Invasion by Alexander the Great, and his stop at Jehlum, proves that he was fully acquainted with the age-old routes from Mesopotamia to the Punjab. His successors established small kingdoms in the northwestern regions of India, and the Greeks ruled over Kashmir. The Greeks continued in Kashmir right up to l A D., when the power was snatched by the Kushans. It may be pointed out that the Mediterranean people started moving and spreading towards the east, north and west, in the beginning of the Neolithic age. One branch migrated towards the northwestern part of the Indian sub-continent. This gigantic race movement started around 5OOO B.C. This physical type forms the basis of the inhabitants in the region. Skeletons found at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa in Pakistan include representatives of the aboriginal stock as well as long-headed Mediterraneans who migrated from Mesopotamia.113 This type is common in Iran, Afghanistan and certain other regions in the north west of India.114 Broadly speaking, Kashmiris come under the broad heading of Caucasoids. Ethnologically, they fit in under the Mediterraneans of Armenoid and Nordic type.

The Kashmiri Jews

Most of the Afghan tribes are the descendants of the Jewish tribes. They lived as Jews till they were converted by the Muslims during the days of Khalid.115 Ethnologically, the overwhelming numbers of inhabitants of Afghanistan are the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel.As the centuries passed, these ancient tribes of Israel were succeeded in power by Islam and the rule of ten leaders was broken. Directly and indirectly, the broad mass of population was coerced to Islamic faith. Despite these changes a segment of population between Iran and Kashmir is still called Bani Israel, meaning the sons of Israel. Even today in the eastern areas from Afghanistan to Kashmir, in more then 350 instances, places and castes bear names which originate in, or derive from the Old Testament of the Hebrews.During the ancient period, the valley of Kashmir was occupied by various tribes. Among the prominent tribes mention has been made of the Nagas, the Pishachas, the Sakas, the Gandharas, the Khasas and the Tunganas.118 Most of these tribes were not the original inhabitants of the valley but came from the north and the west. It is possible that some of the Jewish tribes might have settled in the valley also. This is more probable, as Al-Beruni is definite in stating: The Kashmiris are particularly anxious about the natural defences of their country. They keep strong vigil and hold on the passes and routes leading into it. In former times, they used to allow one or two foreigners to enter their country, particularly the Jews.According to Jesuit Catrou, the author of The History of the Mughal Empire, published in 1708, the Kashmiris are the descendents of the Jewish tribes which came out of Israel. They built an edifice on a high mountain near Srinagar, which is still known as the Throne of Solomon.120 Another author also writes that the people of Kashmir are the children of Israel.121 Bernier wrote in 1644 as follows: There are many marks of Judaism to be found in this country. On entering the kingdom, the inhabitants in the frontier villages struck me as resembling Jews.The Kashmiris are of a tall, robust frame of body, with manly features; the women, full formed and handsome with aquiline noses and features resembling the Jews.123 Their physical and ethnic character has always struck observant visitors to the valley and they have universally connected them with the Jews.124 Kash or Cush, the overlord of one Jewish tribe, seems to be the main tribe which migrated to Kashmir. During their travel when they reached Nishapur in Iran, they founded the village of Kashmar when in Bokhara, they founded a village named Kash; in Samarkand, they founded the villages Kashband. Kashania, and after having founded Kashgar, they came to Kashmir, and named it Kashir, or the country of the Kash tribe.Jesus Christ had spoken of the Jews as the children of God that had scattered abroad, and he wanted to seek and save the lost sheep of Israel. Therefore there is no wonder that he proceeded towards the east, and reached Kashmir. He was noticed by the King of Kashmir and when the king asked him :

'Who are you?' asked the king, and the person replied in a pleasant manner:

Know me as Ishvara-putaram (the Son of God),
Kanya-garbam (Born of the womb of a virgin),
Being given to the truth, I
And penances:
I preached the religion to the Mleechas (Amalekites)

After hearing this, the king asked: "Which religion do you preach?" He answered:

When the truth had vanished,
And all bounds of propriety were crossed;
In the land of the Mleechas (Amalekites):
I appeared as Isha-Masih (Jesu Messiah).
I received the Messiah-hood, (Christhood)
In the land of Mleechas:
I saith unto them;
Remove all mental and bodily impurities,
Recite the revealed prayer truthfully,
Pray in the right manner,
Repeat within your heart the name of our Lord God,
Meditate upon Him whose abode is in the sun!
When I appeared in the Mleecha country:
The wicked and the guilty underwent pain through my
works;
But. they made me to suffer at their hands.
I say unto thee:
In truth all power rests with the Lord,
\The sun is in the centre;
While the cosmos is the contraction of the moving
elements;
And the elements, the sun and God are forever.
Perfect, pure and blissful frame of God
Has entered into my heart:
Thus my name has been established,
And promulgated as Isha-Masih!

Jesus in Persia

From Babylon, Jesus proceeded to Ur and from that place to Kharax, which was the capital of the kingdom of Mesene. It was the main port to which ships brought the products of India and the far east. From that place, the goods were transported up the river Euphrates to Babylon, then to Arbel in Adiabene and thence to Nisibis and Edessa in the west.33 It was possible for Jesus to take a sea route to India but he avoided it and instead crossed into the Persian empire. In Persian works, we hear about Yuz-Asaph, which means Yuzu, who is the leader of those lepers who have been cured by him. Here is the report given in the Persian dictionary: In the days of Hazrat Isa, when lepers were cured by him, they, on being admitted among the healthy people, were known as Asaph. Thus Hazrat Isa, who cured lepers. also came to be known as Yuz-Asaph, for he not only cured them but gathered them under his merciful protection.34

Some information though scanty but significant is available about Jesus Christ in Kashmir. It is reported that people came together unto him; the rich and the poor, for blessings and guidance. Jesus said unto them:

Listen:
I say unto thee,
The words of wisdom,
And truth;
Ye may be able to make distinction,
Between right and wrong.
Indeed this is the religion of those,
Unto whom the words of God come.
Whosoever shall discard righteousness
Shall not enter heaven.

Jesus had once said that those who are persecuted for righteousness shall enter the kingdom of heaven.137 He repeats the same sermon in Kashmir. He had also said that those who hear the word of God, and keep it, are blessed.138 Here, Jesus asks people to make distinction between right and wrong, and thus keep the word of God.

Listen,
I say unto thee;
Seek ye the kingdom of heaven,
Rather than that of the world;
Woe unto the seekers of the world,
For they shall perish.

Jesus Christ was known in Persia as Yuz-Asaph. His sayings and teachings in the region, as recorded in the Iranian traditions, are the same as those of Jesus Christ.35 This shows that his preachings were popular among the Persians. It is clear that after the advent of Islam, the Christians, the Jews and the Zoroastrians lost importance, and were reduced in numbers. But the sayings, and parables of Jesus Christ continued in their traditions and lived afterwards as those of Yuz-Asaph. From Nisibis two routes led toward the east; one passed through Nishapur and Herat to Kabul, and the other through Susa, and Hermuz to Sind. Jesus Christ took the former route. It may be recalled that from the beginning of the second millennium B.C. till about 1200 B.C., the Hittites inhabited Asia Minor. From the middle of the 13th century B.C. the Hurrians formed one of the most powerful states of western Asia, which included Mesopotamia, Syria, and Assyria. The Hurrians worshipped the Indian gods Varuna, Indra, Mittra, and the Matsiya, besides other deities. The Assyrians consolidated their supremacy in the region at the end of the 9th century B.C. However, the creators of the first flowering of civilization which connected the east with the west were the Sumerians, who had settled in Mesopotamia in about 3000 B.C. It may be mentioned that trade routes, both by sea and land, between India and other countries in the west have existed since ancient times. It was in about 3100 B.C. that the seafaring Sumerians established their colonies in the Indus Valley region. right from Mohenjo-daro to Kashmir. They exploited the economic and commercial resources of the region. The Sumerian seals excavated at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa have revealed that the Indus Valley region was an abode of Amorites or the seafaring people, who were fire and sun worshippers.From Kabul, the trade route went to Peshawar, and then to Taxila. Jesus Christ and his companions had to bear many hardships during their travel from Herat to Kabul, and then to Taxila. They had lived on wild fruits and vegetables. Jesus had walked on foot, but some of his companions brought a horse for him. But Jesus refused to have the horse, and journeyed on foot. During his travels, he had to face many hardships. It is reported that he was arrested, but as he had healed the sick, the governor of the city became his devotee. Many among the people and the soldiers became his disciples. He, preached among them and they became happy to hear his words.

Jesus in Persia

Jesus delivered many sermons in Persia, and he was welcomed by the people, who listened to him devoutly. The high priest got him arrested, and he was asked about which new God he was speaking to the people when Zoroaster only had the privilege of communion with the Supreme Being. He was also told that the laws were given to Zoroaster by God, and he should not sow doubts.in the heart of believers. On hearing this, Jesus said unto them:

It is not of a new God that I speak:
But of our Heavenly Father,
Who has existed since all time;
And who will still be after,
The end of all things.
It is of Him,
That I have discoursed to the people,
Who,
Like unto innocent children,
Are not yet capable,
Of comprehending God,
By the simple strength of their intelligence;
Or of Penetrating,
Into His divine,
And spiritual sublimity.

In the Name of the Heavenly Father

Jesus told them that he spoke in the name of our Heavenly Father. He explained that just as a baby discovers in the darkness its mother's breast; in the same way, people who have been led into error by erroneous doctrine,do recognise by instinct their Heavenly Father. Jesus paused a while in many a hamlet, town and cities in Persia. He preached and healed among the common people, who followed him in throngs. He also attended a feast in Persepolis. He spoke to the priests in these words:

There is a Silence where the soul may meet its God,
And there the fount of wisdom is,
And all who enter are immersed in light,
And filled with wisdom, love and power.
The Silence is not circumscribed;
Is not a place closed in with wall, or rocky steeps,
Nor guarded by the swords of men!
Men carry with them all the time the secret place,
Where they may meet their God.
It matters not where men abide,
On mountain top, in deepest vale or in the quiet home;
They may at once,
At any time,
Flung wide the door,
And find the Silence,
Find the house of God:
It is within the soul.

During his short sojourn in Persia, Jesus sat in silence in the prayer hall of the Magi priests, for seven days. Then he spoke on the origin of evil and good.

He told them not to worship the sun, for it was but a part of the cosmos which God has created for humanity. It is to God and to God alone, that we owe all that we possess in this world. On hearing him, the priests asked how could a people live according to the rules of justice if it had no preceptor? Jesus replied that so long as the people had no priests, the natural law governed them, and they preserved the candour of their souls. He further explained that when their souls were with God, they could commune with the Father, without the medium of any idol or animal or the Sun or the fire. He said:

You contend,
That one must worship the sun,
The spirit of good and of evil:
Well:
I say unto you;
Your doctrine is a false one:
The sun acting not spontaneously,
But according to the will of,
The invisible Creator,
Who gave it birth.
The Eternal Spirit is the soul of all,
That is animate.
You commit a great sin in dividing it,
Into a spirit of evil,
And a spirit of good:
For there is no God outside the good.
Who,
Like unto the father of a family,
Does but good to His children,
Forgiving all their faults:
If they repent.
Wherefore I say unto you,
Beware of the day of judgment,
For God will inflict a terrible chastisement.
Upon all those,
Who shall have led His Children astray,
From the right path.

We have no information about the route taken by Jesus and his companions in their onward march towards the east. Maybe they visited Hamadan and Nishapur, from which city there are two roads, one leading to Afghanistan via Herat and thence to Kandhar and the other leading to Bukhara and Samarkand. The tomb of Mary Magdalene has been located near Kashgar in Central Asia. It is probable that Jesus took her to Bukhara, then to Samarkand and thence to Kashgar. After her demise, Jesus came back to Balkh and thence took the route along the bank of the river Indus and reached Sind.

The Tomb of Yuz-Asaph

The Tomb of Yuz-Asaph is situated in Anzimar, Khanyar, Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir. Srinagar, which means the city of the sun, is an ancient city. It is divided into parts, i.e. the old city and the new city and the tomb is situated in the old city. The people of Kashmir call it Roza-bal, meaning the site of the tomb, and declare that it is a tomb of Yuz-Asaph. This prophet came to Kashmir 1000 years ago, and preached the same parables of Christ.Popular local to tradition connects it with the tomb of Jesus Christ.190 Some say it is the tomb of the Prophet of "the people of the Book." In Bagh-i-Sulaiman, there is a poem about the tomb of Yuz-Asaph, which is reproduced below: Here is the Tomb, so famous! Sepulture of the Prophet, So illuminating! Whosoever bows before it, Receives inner light, solace and contentment, According to a tradition there was a prince, Most accomplished, pious and great, Who received the Kingdom of God. He was faithful to the Lord. Who commanded him to be the Prophet, Through His grace he became the guide to the people, Of this valley of Kashmir. Here is the tomb of that prophet Who is known as Yuz Asaph.

The Muslims of Jesus

"La-illaha-illul-lah, Issa Roh-Allah."

We have definite evidence about the Christian communities in Persia, Afghanistan and northwest India, In the 3rd century. These Chrlstians were called Nasara or the Followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Some of them were also named Kristanis or Christians.216 We know about the followers of Yuz-Asaph in Kashmir since the advent of the 2nd century. But the most interesting information comes from the followers of Issa, Son of Miriam, who call themselves Muslims. O.M.Burke, who visited Afghanistan, has the following report about them: The followers of Issa, Son of Miriam generally call themselves Muslims and inhabit a number of villages scattered throughout the western area of Afghanistan whose centre is Herat. I have heard of them several times, but considered that they were probably the people who had been converted by European missionaries from Eastern Persia, or else that they were a relic of the time when Herat had been a flourishing bishopric of the Nestorian rite, before the Arabs conquered Persia in the seventh and eighth centuries. But from their own accounts and what I could observe they seem to come from a much older source. There must be about a thousand of these Christians. Their chief is the Abba Yahiya who can recite the succession of teachers through nearly sixty generations to Issa, Son of Miriam, of Nazara, the Kashmiri.We already know that Jesus is known as Issa and Mary is known as Miriam in the East. Similarly, Nazareth is termed as Nazara or Nasara among the Oriental sources. But the reference to Issa, the Son of Miriam of Nazara, is very interesting and would mean Jesus, the Son of Mary of Nazareth and Kashmir. Here reference to Kashmir is very significant. Jesus, after his escape from the cross, reached Kashmir, where he was known as Yuz-Asaph. It is from that time that these Muslims of Issa seem to have got their message and they still consider Jesus as belonging to Kashmir. It was by chance that we located a printed publication in the Urdu language which also mentions Issa, the prophet of Allah, whose followers were Muslims. They call him Issa, the Son of Mary, who reached Islam as a religion for his followers.218 In order to clear the issue, we reproduce some portions from this source .

The Word Made Flesh

1. His mother Miriam was a virgin from an Israelite family. She had not yet married when Allah decided to send his messenger without a father, so that the world would understand that Allah can do whatever He likes or wills. Allah is capable of creating a human being without the aid of a father.
2. When Miriam was fourteen, she went to take a bath in a spring. She had not finished her bath, when Allah ordered Gabriel to carry the first breath of Adam and blow it into the belly of Miriam.
3. When Miriam finished her bath and was about to leave, she saw a handsome young man. She felt afraid and thought that the young man might be from the tribe of goldsmiths and might have harboured bad intentions.
4. He came nearer and said: I have been sent by Allah. I have been sent to give you a handsome child.
5. Hearing this, she said: how can it happen when no man has even touched me until now.
6. The angel said that it is the will of God that a child is born to you without the aid of a father. It has been ordained like that. Then he blew the breath on her belly and disappeared.
7. Miriam came back to her home and engaged herself in prayers.
8. After a few months, signs of pregnancy appeared on Miriam. Then all from the tribe and her family began to cast aspersions on her; saying: you have sinned.
9. But Miriam refuted this, saying that she had never sinned; but none believed her. As such, she stopped going out of her home. When nine months were complete, the angel told her to go to a nearby forest. Issa was born in a natural way without any labour pains.
The miraculous birth of Jesus is accepted by both the Christians as well as the Muslims. But here, the Muslims of Jesus claim that the breath of Adam was put into the womb, while the Gospel say that the Holy Ghost came upon Mary. However, in both the accounts, it is Gabriel who is sent by God to Mary.
Jesus Begins His Ministry

1. When Jesus was young he received the honour from Allah and revelations started reaching him through Gabriel. In accordance with the wishes of Allah, he asked people to shed evil and kufur. He invited them towards truth and Righteousness. The Bani-Israel stood, one and all, against him. They hurled abuses on him, saying that this young chap is shifting us from our religion.
2. Then they inflicted many hardships on Jesus. He felt sorry for them and left the city and sat on the bank of a river.
3. The place where Jesus sat was the place where washermen washed the clothes. Jesus said to them: "You wash filthy clothes, why not wash your hearts?" Then he said again: "You have drowned yourselves in the mud and filth of kufur and evil, why don't you come out of it? Those washermen who heard Jesus came to him and asked: "Which is the soap for washing of hearts?" Jesus uttered this sentence: "La-illaha-illul-lah, Issa Roh-Allah."
4. Then all of them made this invocation: "La-illa-ha-illullah, Issa Roh-Allah," and became Muslims.
5. When this news reached the other group of washermen, they came and asked for a miracle. Issa asked them: "What do you want to witness?" All cried with one voice: "Tell your God to send us a plate full of heavenly food and fruits, so that after eating it, we will recognize that you are a true messenger."

Jesus Performs Miracles

1. Issa prayed to the Lord God saying: "O Allah, these people are ignorant. Have mercy upon them ! Let Thy will be done !" At that very moment a voice was heard from the sky: "We will send heavenly food for them who are blessed." At once, plates of heavenly food full of delicacies with roasted fish descended from the sky .
2. The people did not eat this dish but said: "We want another miracle from you. Let this roasted fish come to life." Issa lifted up his eyes towards the sky.
3. Suddenly, the roasted fish came to life and jumped with force into the river. Some felt puzzled, and died.
4, All believing persons sat to eat the heavenly food but the proud refused to partake of this dish. Those who were sick became healthy after eating this food, the poor became wealthy, the blind received eyesight; strangely enough, whatever one wished, one got.
5. For many days, this heavenly food descended from the sky and thousands ate it. Those who rejected this heavenly food with contempt, became victims of arthritis and their faces changed into ugly ones. Many accepted Issa as the prophet of God and became Muslims.

The glory of truth shone,
The flowers of blief blossomed,
The infidels were defeated;
Thc blind obtained eyes,
The lame got legs to walk!
The sick were blessed with health!
The hungry got food,
Every one danced with joy!

In the above account, a definite statement is made in the 4th verse that after making an invocation that Allah is the one God and Issa is His Spirit, they became Muslims. Here the author does not speak of the followers of Jesus as Christians but declares that "many accepted him as the prophet of God and became Muslims".

O Woman, Great is Thy Faith

1. It so happened that in a city there lived a young woman with her husband and Allah had bestowed a baby son to them. One day when the father had gone out, the lady was offering the Nimaz, and her child slipped out of his cot and fell into a burning oven. This lady had great faith in her God.
2. She saw that this had happened but continued her prayers till she completed them. Then she proceeded towards the oven.
3. Strangely enough, the oven had turned into a bed of flowers. Her baby boy was safe and playing. She picked him up and kissed the boy. This song came to her lips:

O my Allah, Thou art the creator!
I offer my Nimaz to Thee five times:
Thou art my master,
Thou art my Protector
It is thee who saved my child.
O my Allah,
Thou art kind and full of meroy.
O my Allah, I am your dutiful maid;
Accept my gratitude, O Lord of Majesty

4. When Issa heard this episode, he hastened to the lady and asked, "How have you attained this position with God?"
5. The woman replied: "I know nothiog excopt that I abide by the will of God. Under all conditions, I am a servant of Allah. He is my refuge!"
6. Hearing this Issa said: "O woman, great is thy faith. Had you been a man, Allah would have made you a prophet with a book!"
The Muslims offer Nimaz, which are obligatory prayers to be performed five times during day and night. Besides this, the Muslims have to join congregations on Fridays. The Christians have to go to church on Sundays only, and they are not requirod to offer Nimaz, five times.
ln the Gospels, Mary the Mother lives even after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. But the Moslems of Issa believe that she passed away during the lifetime of Jesus. Here is the relevant account from the work under review.

The Death of Miriam

1. Once, Issa went with his mother Miriam on a long journey. She was very old and weak. It became impossible for her to move or walk.
2. Issa kept her at a place and himself went to the forest to search some herb.
3. In the meanwhile, Miriam became unconscious and died.
4. Allah, the Lord of Majesty deputed heavenly maids to wrap her in a heavenly shroud. She was buried by heavenly maids and angels.
5. When Issa came back, he did not find his mother. He cried: Mother, Mother, where are you?
6. From a nearby grave, a voice came:

Dear son, I am before my God!
Dear son, I am near the throne of God!
Dear son, 1 am in paradise!
Dear son, I am protected by the mercy of Allah!
Dear son, you attend to the work of God!
Dear son, you call people to the right path!
Dear son, You come to me soon!

Jesus Preacbes

1. Jesus departed from the tomb of Miriam and went to the city. He called the people towards Allah. Many joined his fold and became Muslims.
2. Everyone praisod the Lord God but the rich became his enemies. Those who were evil mindcd conspired against him. They were kafir and their hearts were black. They raised a cry: Issa is against Mossa! He has changed the religion of Mossa. Klll him, Kill him!

3. Issa said:
O people! Mossa has fixed Saturday as the sacred day.
It was incumbent on you to offer prayers to Allah on that day.
It was forbidden to attend to worldly works on that day.
It was written in the Torah.222
But, now Allah has changed that day and fixed Sunday as his day.
Consider Sunday as the sacred day.
Now, the Enjeel 223 has come with the new order.
As such, obey Enjeel and entertain doubts in your heart!

While the Muslims obeyed his sacred orders, the kafirs did not. The Muslims declared that they would obey Issa with their heart and soul. But the evil minded kafirs incited the masses against Issa. They alleged that Issa had desecrated Mossa and Torah. As such, they said, it was the duty of all followers of Mossa to kill lssa.
4. Now tbousands of kafirs decided to kill Issa.
5. There were some good yuhudis,224 who said: "Leave Issa alone. Do not kill him. Are you not the same persons who killed Zakariya 225 with a saw? Are you not afraid of Allah? Fear the wrath of God!"
6. But they did not listen to these wise words. They were bent upon killing Issa. They had become mad!
7. They went to the king and incited him against Issa. He declared: "Anyone who kills Issa will get a reward."
8. The evil-minded persons hatched conspiracies.

The Departure of Jesus

1. The kafirs held a meeting and engaged a yuhudi to kill him. When Issa was in a house, they surrounded it so that they could kill him.
2. But Allah had willed otherwise! As ordained by God, Gabriel flew straight away to that house where Issa had absorbed himself in prayers. The angel salaamed Issa and flew with him towards the sky. All the prophets welcomed him and Allah congratulated him for his work. Since then Issa is alive in the fourth heaven!
3. The kafirs who had surrounded the house, deputed one person named Shiyuh to search out Issa. He went in but could see none inside the house. When he came out, all cried: "Kill him." He felt bewildered because his face had transfigured and he looked like Issa.
4. They captured Shiyuh and put him on the gallows thinking that they had killed Issa.
5. Allah says that He has protected Issa and those who think he is dead are in the wrong.
These followers of Issa, Son of Miriam. call themselves Muslims. Once a week, they join a rltual meal in which bread and wine are taken as symbolic of the grosser and finer nutritions which are the experiences of attainment of nearness to Allah. They are convinced too, that the day will come when the wortd will discover the truth about Jesus.