Essentials of Christianity — The Harrowing of Hell

And Joseph rose and said to Annas and Caiaphas: You are indeed right to marvel since you have heard that Jesus has been seen alive after death, and that he has ascended into heaven. However, even more marvelous, he did not rise from the dead alone; but many other dead he raised from their graves to life, and many people have seen them in Jerusalem.

And now hear me! For we all know the blessed Simeon, the high priest who received the child Jesus in his hands in the temple. And this Simeon had two sons, brothers in blood, and we were all present at their death and burial. Go therefore and look at their graves, for they are open, because they have risen! And behold they are in the city of Arimathea living together in prayer. And indeed men hear them crying out, yet they speak with no one, but are silent as dead men. But come, let us go to them and with all honor and gentleness bring them to us. And if we command them, perhaps they will inform us about the mystery of their rising again.

When they heard these things, they all rejoiced. And Annas and Caiaphas, Nicodemus and Joseph and Gamaliel went and did not find them in their grave; but they went to the city of Arimathea, and found them there, kneeling on their knees and giving themselves to prayer. And they kissed them, and with all reverence and in the fear of God they brought them to Jerusalem into the synagogue. And they shut the doors and took the Law of the Lord and put it into their hands, and adjured them by God, Adonai, the God of Israel who spoke to our fathers through the prophets, saying, “Do you believe that it is Jesus who raised you from the dead? Tell us how you have arisen from the dead!”

And when Karinus and Leucius heard this adjuration, they trembled physically and groaned, being troubled at heart. And looking up together to heaven they made the seal of the cross with their fingers upon their tongues, and forthwith they spoke, both of them, saying: “Give us each a volume of paper, and let us write that which we have seen and heard.” And they gave them to them, and each sat down and wrote the following:

O Lord Jesus Christ, Resurrection of the dead and Life of the living, permit us to speak of the glorious secrets of Your Majesty which You accomplished after Your death on the Cross, for we have been commanded in Your Name. For You commanded Your servants to tell no one the secrets of your Divine Majesty which You wrought in Hades.

Now when we were placed with all our fathers in the deep, in shadowy darkness, suddenly the sun’s golden heat was there, and royal, purple light shone on us. And immediately the father of the whole human race, together with all the patriarchs and prophets rejoiced, saying, “This Light is the Author of everlasting light Who promised to send to us His co-eternal Light.” And Isaiah cried out, “This is the Light of the Father, the Son of God, just as I prophesied when I was alive on the Earth: ‘The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali beyond Jordan, of Galilee of the Gentiles; the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, on them the light has shone.’ And now it has come and shone upon us that sit in death!”

And as we were all rejoicing in the light which shone upon us, our father Simeon came joyfully to us pronouncing: “Glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God! For I received Him in my hands in the temple when He was born a Child, and being moved by the Holy Spirit I confessed Him, saying to Him; ‘Now my eyes have seen Your salvation which You prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’” And when they heard these things, the whole multitude of the saints rejoiced yet more.

And after that there came someone looking like a desert dweller, and everyone asked him, “Who are you?” And he answered: “I am John, the voice and the prophet of the Most High, who preceded His coming to prepare His Path, to give knowledge of salvation to His people, so that their sins might be forgiven. And when I saw Him coming to me, I was moved by the Holy Spirit and said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God! Behold Him Who takes away the world’s sins!

And I baptized Him in the river Jordan, and I saw the Holy Spirit coming down on Him with the appearance of a dove, and I heard a voice from the sky saying, ‘This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.’ And now I have come before His face, and have come down to proclaim to you that He is at hand to visit us: He, the Beatific Dawn, the Son of God, is coming from on high to us that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

And when father Adam the first-created heard this, that Jesus had been baptized in the Jordan, he cried out to his son Seth, saying, “Tell your sons the patriarchs and the prophets all you heard from Michael the Archangel, when I sent you to the Gates of Paradise to beg God to send his angel to give you oil from the tree of mercy to anoint my body when I was sick.”

Then Seth approached the holy patriarchs and prophets, and said, “When I was praying at the Gates of Paradise, behold Michael the Angel of the Lord appeared to me, saying, ‘I am sent to you from the Lord: it is I that am set over the body of man. And I say to you, Seth, do not upset yourself with weeping, praying and begging for the oil of the Tree of Mercy to anoint your father Adam because he is in physical pain; for you will not be able to receive it until the Last Days and Times, until five thousand five hundred years are accomplished. Then the Most Beloved Son of God will come upon the Earth to raise up the body of Adam and the bodies of the dead, and He shall come to be baptized in the Jordan. And when He emerges from Jordan’s water, He will anoint all those who have believed in Him with the Oil of Mercy. And for all generations that are born of water and that are born of the Holy Spirit, that Oil of Mercy will be for Eternal Life. Then the most beloved Son of God, Jesus the Anointed, will descend to Earth and bring our father Adam into Paradise to the Tree of Mercy.”

And when they heard all these things from Seth, all the patriarchs and prophets rejoiced with great joy.

And while all the saints were rejoicing, behold Satan the Prince and Chief of Death said to Hades: “Prepare yourself to receive Jesus who boasts He is God’s Son, though He is a human being, afraid of death, and says, ‘My soul is sorrowful even to death.’ And He has been my great enemy, harming me greatly. With a word He has healed who I had made blind, lame, dumb, leprous, and possessed: and some that I have brought to you dead, He has taken.”

Hades answered and said to Prince Satan, “Who is this Mighty One, if He is a human being Who fears death? For all the mighty ones of the Earth are subject to my power, even those that you have brought me subdued by your power. If, then, you are mighty, what manner of man is this Jesus Who can withstand your power, even though He is afraid of death? If He is so mighty in His humanity, I tell you truly He is Almighty in His Godhead, and no man can withstand His Power. And when He says that He fears death, He wishes to trap you; and woe shall be to you for Everlasting Ages.”

But Satan the Prince of Tartarus said, “Why do you doubt and fear to receive this Jesus Who is your adversary and mine? For I tempted Him, and have stirred up my ancient people with envy and wrath against Him. I have sharpened a spear to thrust Him through, gall and vinegar have I mixed to give Him to drink, and I have prepared a cross to crucify Him and nails to pierce Him. And His death is near at hand, so I can bring Him to you to be subject to us.”

Hades answered and said, “You told me it is He who has taken dead men from me. For there are many who when they were alive on Earth have taken dead men from me — not by their own power but by praying to God, and their Almighty God has taken them from me. Who is this Christ Jesus that has drawn dead men away from my grasp by His Own Word and without prayer? Perhaps it is He who by simply speaking a single command restored to life Lazarus, four days dead, stinking and decomposing, whom I held here demised.”

Satan the Prince of Death answered and said: “It is that same Jesus.”

When Hades heard this, he said to him: “I adjure you by your strength and my own, not to bring Him to me! For at that time when I heard him speak a command I shook and I was overwhelmed with fear, and all my servants were troubled with me. And we could not keep Lazarus — like an eagle shaking himself, he sprang forth with all agility and swiftness and departed from us, and the Earth which held Lazarus’s corpse at once yielded him up alive. And so it is I know now that the Man who was able to do these things is a God strong in command and mighty in manhood, and that He is the Savior of mankind. And if you bring Him to me He will set free all that are shut up here in this prison and bound in the chains of their sins, and He will bring them to the life of His Godhead forever.”

And as Prince Satan and Hades said these things to each other, suddenly there came a voice like thunder and a spiritual shout:

Lift up, your Gates, O Princes,
and be lifted up, you everlasting doors,
and the King of Glory shall come in.

When Hades heard this, he said to Prince Satan, “Leave me, leave my dwelling. If you are a mighty warrior then fight against the King of Glory. But what is He to you?” And Hades cast Satan out of his dwelling. Then Hades said to his wicked servants, “Shut fast the strong gates of brass and put on them the iron bars and resist bravely! Make sure we who hold the captives do not become captives ourselves!”

But when the multitude of saints all heard it, they rebuked Hades, “Open your gates, that the King of Glory may come in!” And David cried out, “When I was alive on Earth, did I not tell you beforehand, ‘Let them give thanks to the Lord, for His mercies and His wonders to the children of men; Who has broken the gates of brass and smitten the iron bars asunder? He has taken them from their wicked ways.’”

And then Isaiah likewise said, “When I was alive on Earth, did not I tell you, ‘The dead shall arise, and they that are in the tombs shall rise again, and they that are in the Earth shall rejoice, for the dew which comes from the Lord is their healing?’ And again I said, ‘O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’”

When they heard what Isaiah said, all the saints said to Hades, “Open your gates! Now you will be overcome and weak and devoid of strength.” And there came a great voice like thunder, saying, “Lift up your gates, O Princes, and be lifted up you portals of Hades, and the King of Glory shall come in!”

And when Hades saw that they cried out twice like this, he said, as if he did not know the answer already, “Who is this King of Glory?”

And David answered Hades and said, “I know the words being shouted, since by His Spirit I prophesied the same; and now I say to you what I said before: ‘The Lord strong, the Lord mighty in battle: He is the King of Glory.’” And, ‘The Lord looked down from Heaven that He might hear the groans of those in fetters and deliver the children of the slain.’ And now, most foul and stinking Hades, open your gates, that the King of Glory may come in.”

And as David spoke in this way to Hades, the Lord of Majesty appeared in the form of a man and lightened the eternal darkness and broke the unbreakable bonds. And His everlasting might brought relief to us that sat in the deep darkness of our transgressions and in the shadow of death of our sins.

When Hades and Death and their wicked servants saw this, they were stricken with fear, they and their cruel officers, at the sight of the radiance of such a great Light in their own realm, seeing Christ suddenly in their dwelling. And they cried out, saying, “We are overcome by You. Who are You, sent by the Lord for our confusion? Who are You, undamaged by corruption, and with Your Majesty’s signs unblemished, in Your Wrath condemning our mighty power? Who are You so great and so small, both humble and exalted, both soldier and commander, a marvelous warrior in the form of a bondsman, and King of Glory, both dead and living, whom the Cross carried killed upon it? You that lay dead in the grave have come down to us living, and at Your death all creation shuddered and all the stars were shaken. You have become become free among the dead and You rout our legions. Who are You that free prisoners held bound by the Original Sin and restore them into their former freedom, dignity and liberty? Who are You that shed Your Divine and Blazing Light on those who were blinded with the darkness of their sins?”

Likewise all the legions of devils were stricken with the same fear and cried out all together, terrified and in confusion, saying, “Where are You from, Jesus, a man so mighty and radiant in majesty, so excellent, spotless, clean of sin? For that world, the Earth, which hitherto was always subject to us, paying tribute from which we profited, has never sent us a dead man like You, nor ever dispatched such a gift to Hades! Who then are You that enter our borders so fearlessly, not fearing our torments, but even trying to carry everyone off out of our bondage? Perhaps You are that Jesus of whom Satan our prince said that by Your death on the cross You should receive the Dominion of the world.

Then the King of Glory in his majesty trampled on Death, and laid hold of Prince Satan and delivered him to the Power of Hades, and drew Adam to Him, to His Own Brightness.

Then Hades, receiving Prince Satan, reproached him, saying, “O Prince of Perdition and Chief of Destruction, Beelzebub, the scorn of the angels and spitting of the righteous, why did you do this? You crucify the King of Glory and at His death you promise us great plunder from His death. Like a fool you did not know what you were doing! See! by the brightness of His majesty this Jesus puts to flight all the darkness of death. He has broken the strong depths of the prisons, and let out the prisoners and loosed the bound. And all those who were groaning in our torments rejoice against us, and at their prayers our dominions are vanquished and our realms conquered. And now no nation of men fears us any more. And beside this, the dead, who never used to be proud, triumph over us, and the captives who never could be joyful threaten us. O Prince Satan, father of all the wicked and ungodly and renegades, why did you do this? Of all those who from the beginning until now have despaired of life and salvation, now none of their howls can be heard nor a groan from them sounds in our ears, nor is there any sign of tears on the face of them!

“O Prince Satan, Holder of the Keys of Hades, those riches you once won by the Tree of Transgression and the loss of Paradise, you have lost by the Tree of the Cross, and all your gloating is over! When you hung up Christ Jesus the King of Glory you worked against yourself and against me. Henceforth you shall know what eternal torments and infinite pains you are to suffer in my keeping for ever. O Prince Satan, Author of Death and head of all pride, you ought first to have sought out some wrongdoing to accuse this Jesus of: why did you dare to crucify Him unjustly, without any cause, when you found no blame against Him, and to bring into our realm the Innocent Righteous One, and to lose the guilty, the ungodly and the unrighteous of the entire world?”

And when Hades had spoken like this to Prince Satan, the King of Glory said to Hades: “Satan the Prince shall be in your power to all ages in the stead of Adam, and his children My righteous ones.”

And the Lord stretching out His Hand, said, “Come to Me, all My holy ones who bear My Image and My Likeness. You that by the Tree and the Devil and Death were condemned, behold now the Devil and Death condemned by the Tree!” And immediately all the saints were gathered together under the Hand of the Lord. And the Lord holding the right hand of Adam, said to him, “Peace be to you with all your children, my righteous ones.”

But Adam, casting himself at the knees of the Lord, entreated him with tears and beseechings, and said with a loud voice, “I will magnify You, O Lord, for You have set me upright and not let my enemies triumph over me. O Lord my God I cried to You and You have healed me; Lord, You have brought my soul out of Hades, You have delivered me from those who go down into the Pit. Sing praises to the Lord, all you His saints, and give thanks to Him, remembering His Holiness! For there is Wrath in His indignation and Life is in His good pleasure.” In the same way all the saints of God knelt and cast themselves at the feet of the Lord, saying with one accord: “You are come, Redeemer of the World! What You foretold by the Law and Your prophets, You have accomplished in deed.

“You have redeemed the living by Your Cross, and by the death of the Cross You have come down to us, to save us out of Hades and Death through Your majesty. O Lord, as You have set the Name of Your Glory in the Heavens and set up Your Cross as a token of redemption upon the Earth, even so, O Lord, set up the sign of Your Cross’s victory in Hades, that death may have no more dominion.”

And the Lord stretched out His Hand and made the Sign of the Cross over Adam and over all His saints, and He took the right hand of Adam and went up out of Hades, and all the saints followed Him. Then Holy David cried aloud, “Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things. His Right Hand has wrought Salvation for Him and His Holy Arm. The Lord has made known His saving; before the face of all nations He has revealed His Justice.” And the whole multitude of the saints answered, saying: “Such honor have all His saints. Amen, Alleluia.”

And then Habakkuk the prophet cried out, “You went forth for the Salvation of Your people to set Your chosen free.” And all the saints answered, “Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord. The Lord is God and has appeared to us. Amen, Alleluia.”

Likewise after that the prophet Micah too shouted, “What God is like You, O Lord, taking away iniquity and removing sins? And now You withhold Your wrath as evidence that You are freely Merciful, and You turn and have mercy on us. You forgive all our iniquities and have sunk all our sins in the depths of the sea, as You swore to our fathers in the days of old.” And all the saints answered, saying, “This is our God for ever and ever! He shall be our guide, to ages of ages. Amen, Alleluia.” And so spoke all the prophets, quoting sacred words from their praises, and all the saints followed the Lord, crying “Amen, Alleluia!”

But the Lord holding the hand of Adam delivered him to Michael the Archangel, and all the saints followed Michael the Archangel. And he brought them all into the Glory and Grace of Paradise. And there two old men met them, and when they were asked by the saints: “Who are you that have never been dead in Hades with us, and are placed in Paradise in the body?” Then one of them answered, “I am Enoch, who was brought here by the Word of the Lord, and this that is with me is Elijah the Tishbite, who was taken up in a Chariot of Fire. Up to this day we have not tasted death, but we are kept until the Coming of the Antichrist to fight against him with Signs and Wonders of God, and to be slain by him in Jerusalem, and after three days and a half to be taken up again alive on the clouds.”

And as Enoch and Elijah were speaking like this with the saints, there came another man miserably dressed, carrying on his shoulders the Sign of the Cross. When they saw him, all the saints asked him, “Who are you? You look like a brigand! And how is it you bear a Sign on your shoulders?” And he answered them, “You are right: I was a brigand, doing all manner of evil upon the Earth. And the Jews crucified me with Jesus, and I beheld the Wonders in Creation which occurred through the Cross of Jesus when He was crucified. And I believed that He was the Maker of all creatures and the Almighty King, and I begged him. ‘Remember me, Lord, when You come in your Kingdom!’ And immediately He received my prayer, and said to me, ‘Truly I tell you, this day you will be with Me in Paradise.’ And He gave me the Sign of the Cross, saying, ‘Carry this and go to Paradise, and if the Angel that guards Paradise will not let you enter, show him the sign of the Cross; and say to him: Jesus Christ the Son of God, now the Crucified, has sent me.’ And when I had done this, I said all these things to the angel who guards Paradise; and when he heard this from me he immediately opened the door and brought me in, and set me at the right hand of Paradise, saying, ‘Wait just a little while and Adam, the father of all mankind, will enter in with all his children that are holy and righteous, after the triumph and glory of the Ascension of Christ the Lord, the Crucified.” When they heard all these words of the brigand, all the holy patriarchs and prophets said with one voice:

Blessed be the Lord Almighty,
the Father of eternal good things,
the Father of mercies!
You that have given such grace to Your sinners
and brought them again into the beauty of Paradise
And into Your good pastures:
for this is the most holy life of the spirit!
Amen, Amen.

— Gospel of Nicodemus, Chapter 17 to 26

Saint Mary — The Blessed Virgin

The time in which our Lady, Mother Mary, was born was a time in which the temptations of materialism held full sway over the Israelites. The interests of the world dominated them completely. They even altered the Word of God for the purpose of their buying and selling — the rulings of the Sacred Law. Allah forbade usury in all the dispensations, so they altered the rulings and made usury permitted to themselves. They made permitted to themselves much of what Allah had forbidden them. They made up clouds to obscure the order of the heavenly call, which had been directed to them, to run after material concerns. They became the slaves of Mammon.

Among the Israelites, there remained some righteous souls such as the prophets and their entourage and those who affiliated themselves to them. Among these righteous souls was our Lady Anne, the mother of our Lady, Saint Mary. Lady Saint Anne was one of the righteous women, one of the pious, worshipful, devoted to prayer and good works. She had great love for the prophets, saints, and the devotees that were in Jerusalem. When she became pregnant from her husband, she felt that she might give birth to a boy and so she vowed that what she carried in her womb would be dedicated to the Service of Allah.

Behold! A woman of Amram said, "O my Lord! I hereby do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service so accept this of me! For Thou hearest and knowest all things."
[Quran 3:35]

She vowed that the newborn would serve the Temple of Jerusalem to be prepared for the service of faith.

We look at the effect of intention. What is our goal when we want to have children? What is our intention? The very Deliverance which we await for, which will happen at the hands of our Liege Lord Jesus, for that there will be for the Lady Saint Anne an ample portion of its reward and benefit, because she possessed an intention with Allah which resulted in the Advent of the Messiah.

We look at this fortunate woman who, when she intended that in her offspring there would be someone who serves Allah, someone who would serve this religion, when she was truthful in such an intention, Allah honored her because of her intention, but not in the way she thought. For she gave birth to a female child.

When she delivered, she said, "O my Lord! Behold! I have delivered a female child!" And Allah knew best what she brought forth, "And is not the male like the female. I have named her Mary and I commend her and her offspring to Thy Protection from the Evil One, the Rejected."
[Quran 3:36]

What was the reply? The sum total of what the hearts of the truthful seek is that their Lord receive them with Gracious Favor.

Graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty; to the care of Zechariah was she assigned…
[Quran 3:37]

The intention of Anne made the one she bore accepted, even though it was other than what she had hoped for, since she had wished for a boy and received a girl. Righteous and truthful intentions are never quite in vain or futile in the Presence of Allah regardless of the judicial calculations of humankind, even if our hope and plans did not materialize. A girl came, but intentions are never lost in the Presence of Allah; thousands upon thousands of men are not even worth the foot of Mother Mary.

Saint Lady Anne gave birth to our Saint Lady Mary and she grew up, fed with purity, light, piety and righteousness. Those of the prophets, saints, and hermits that were in Jerusalem drew lots to see who would take charge of her.
The lot fell to Zechariah. He was a relative of Mary. Zechariah placed her in a mihrab.

The mihrab back then was not the prayer-niche we know today but consisted simply of an isolated cell or tower that had no door nor opening except from the top. It could be entered only with a ladder from the outside and another ladder down into it. Zechariah placed her in it. He would bring her food and go. She practiced her devotions and worship in absolute dedication and chastity, orienting herself wholly to her Lord in her place of solitude.

During his care of Mary, Allah showed our patron Zechariah certain wonders.

…Every time that he entered her chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance.
He asked, "O Mary! Whence comes this to you?"
She answered, "From Allah: for Allah provides sustenance to whom He pleases, without measure."
There did Zechariah pray to his Lord saying, "O my Lord! Grant unto me from Thee a pure progeny; because Thou art He that heareth prayer!"
[Quran 3:38]

Such was the high rank of Mary that she was in a position to teach and inspire a prophet far older than her.
At that point, one of the prophets actually became her pupil in religion.

Zechariah wondered from where the fruits he found there came. They said he would find with her the fruits of winter in the summer season and the fruits of summer in the winter season. He knew full well that no one other than he entered that place which was shut tight and inaccessible; but, more importantly, such fruits were not to be found in the land since they were out of season. She said that it is from Allah. The fact of the matter is the certitude that sustenance is from our Lord and not from any created cause. We do know that we are commanded to deal with created causes and effects. However, if created causes and effects have been suppressed or rendered insufficient, then the Sustenance of Allah can never be suppressed.

Then came the tremendous event in which Allah manifested Himself, for which He had prepared Mary.

Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.
[Quran 19:16]

The scholars have said that the East was an allusion to the Orient from where the sun rose, that is, to the East from her perspective. The people are accustomed to praise the East because it is the place from the direction of which the light of the sun comes unto Earth.

She placed a screen from them: then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her in the visage of a man.
[Quran 19:17]

They said that the screen, hijab, meant she hid herself from mankind to dedicated herself to divine worship throughout the entirety of the days and the nights. After she tasted the sweetness of worship in her isolated abode of peace and solitude, she wished to taste the sweetness of worship in her travelling throughout the Earth.

When she saw Gabriel, he assumed for her an excellent likeness, the likeness of a handsome male.

She said, "I seek refuge from thee in the Most Gracious: come not near if thou dost fear Allah."
He said, "Nay, I am only a Messenger from thy Lord to announce to thee the Gift of a holy son."
[Quran 19:18-19]

She realized the secret behind his presence, the receiving of the manifestation, tajalli, that dawned upon her from Allah. What is the secret behind such a Gift?

She said, "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?"
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 decreed."
[Quran 19:20-21]

Consider now the presence of food for our Lady Mary as she was in her cell, dedicated to her worship, without means nor sensory cause. This was a preamble so that she would understand that for the existence of the newborn there was no precondition required. The matter was not, for Mary, merely a mental apprehension. Rather, it was a discernment of certitude and of the heart, dhawq yaqini qalbî. For she witnessed and saw with her very eyes the Divine Gift with which human custom and cause-and-effect were breached right in front of her as food was conjured before her from nothingness. After that, she did not consider it strange that a customary cause be breached in the occurrence of a newborn child for her through the means of the Virgin Birth.

Then came the time for giving birth. It was said that the spirit of the child was breathed into her, the pregnancy took place, and the time of birth came all at one and the same time. We must not think this strange. The matter, from beginning to end, violates custom. The matter is one of the manifestations of the Power of Allah.

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: she cried in anguish,
"Ah! Would that I had died before this!
Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"
[Quran 19:23]

She gave birth to Jesus. The light of Jesus dawned upon this Earth. When he saw the distraught state of his mother, he addressed her even as he was in her womb or from below her after birth. He caused her to apprehend another meaning that reminded her of the Magnificence of Allah Who is with her.

"And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.
[Quran 19:25]

Here we tend to recite this verse without pausing for consideration. The palm tree is solid. It is difficult for a human being to shake it. A strong and mighty man would hardly budge a palm tree, even a number of men. The palm tree trunk at the bottom is very large while its top is thin so that the wind can move it. If we try to move a fully grown palm tree at the bottom of its trunk, we will not be able. How, then, can a woman in the weakness of giving birth be able to shake it? Yet this act is demanded of her and it is not sufficient for her to merely see the Divine Bounty.

In the first two phases, she saw the Divine Gift before her. The first time was for her schooling. Fruits and sustenance descended from the heaven and were laid before her without her asking. The second time she was told that she would give birth without outward nor sensory cause and without connection to any man, again, without her asking. Now, it is asked of her that she herself move the palm tree.

Some of the scholars said that this was an allusion to the world of cause and effect and to the fact that mankind is not to leave aside material means even though they rely on their Causer. This is a fine explanation. However, there is another meaning. The certitude that had built up in Mary has taken root in her conscience with such strength that it was now asked of her what no mind would normally accept to do whatsoever.

The mind says that in such a state there is no way for her to move the trunk of the palm tree. However, the order or directive came to her from her own child — a breach of custom in its own right, a newborn infant speaking and with this same breach of custom she was ordered to stretch her hand to do what she knew she was unable to do of her own power howsoever. And this is a meaning from certitude to which Mary ascended.

We own a share of this certitude which we ought to grasp and follow. When Allah asks us to do something from which we find our strength falling short, we ought not to procrastinate obeying the Divine Order with the excuse that we are too weak or that others are stronger. The day we reach the certitude that when we are true in helping Allah, Allah will help us, at that day, the palm trees of existence shall tremble for us.

O ye who believe! If ye will aid in the Cause of Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly.
[Quran 47:7]

The Virgin rose with her newborn child and returned to the Israelites. They saw her whom they knew to be chosen. Some of them might well have harbored jealousy in their souls against her because of her specially exalted station. Those whose hearts have muddied or become diseased by the ilk of envy find it difficult to watch those that are hale, respected and honored in the society.

This is what is called jealousy, hasad. The mark of jealousy is recognized in the heart of the jealous person by the fact that when he sees markers of distinction before him, whether in religion or anything else, something takes hold in his heart; after this he bides his time patiently until when he hears the smallest suspicion or accusation, he shouts, "Yes! I knew it!" loud and clear in its confirmation and is overjoyed at its news. Why? Because in his heart there is filth and turbidity.

When such filth and turbidity had taken root in the hearts of those people, they felt that in the special distinction of Mary lay an implicit address to themselves. They seemed to hear the message:

"You ought to return to purity, you, those of you, who have polluted yourselves with the material world and its lucre and illusion to which you should never have attached yourselves. 

Here, before your eyes, is a dainty woman who is honored with this high station of sanctity while you, who lead your society, how far behind you have left purity."

Thus, the state of purity of the Virgin Mary was a state of admonition that had been overturning the beds of those possessed of insight among the worshipers of money and property. Now, as soon as they saw the nursing infant in her arms, they became overjoyed.

At length she brought the babe to her people, carrying him in her arms. they said,
"O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!"
[Quran 19:27]

Why did they not ask when they had a chance to learn something? But their muddied hearts could not bear to see the purity of the Virgin before their eyes. This is the wont of those who have polluted themselves with the worship of materialism. It is too much for them to see purity revered and followed among the people.

But she pointed to the babe. They said, "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
[Quran 19:29]

Allah did not give them pause for her to answer them.

He said, "I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me Revelation and made me a Prophet."
[Quran 19:30]

He listed the meanings which Allah had especially bestowed upon him and the ranks with which He had honored him. He made the key to that list the affirmation that he was the slave of Allah, his servitude to Allah. Then, proceeding from the secret of his submission and servitude to Allah, came the ranks of loftiness. Then he described himself as being Blessed and Dutiful so we would know that the secret of dutiful piety is not binding merely upon those who possess it but also applies to others. The societies that recognize the degrees of piety and righteousness among its people of merit are the societies that rise in the ranks of merit.

And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be;
And He hath enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live.
[Quran 19:31]

Allah had said to her before she went back out to her people:

So eat and drink and cool thine eye. And if thou dost see any man say, "I have vowed a fast to the Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being."
[Quran 19:26]

Ponder this meaning. The rule would have been that He tell her, "Get ready to answer them. Say to them, Allah is able to do all things. Give them the proof and the evidences: I carried and gave birth in a very brief time, you saw me just before and I was not pregnant, if this had been a falsehood or a sin, this should have taken the normal span of time, nine months..." But He did not give her permission to speak nor to prove her innocence. Meaning, in facing this trial, she had turned entirely to her Lord Almighty and Glorious in tawakkul.

At length she brought the babe to her people, carrying him in her arms, and they said,
"O Mary! Truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!"
"O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"
[Quran 19:27-28]

There was implied parentage. It was also said that Aaron, the lineage of whom Mary was from, was proverbially known for integrity and purity. This is a preamble for the charge that is coming up. After falsehood settles firmly in the heart of the dishonest person, he becomes refined in the art of bringing out that falsehood. "We know so well that you are righteous and goodly, but this, this terrible thing you have done!" They seem happy to see evil.

But she pointed to the babe. They said, "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
He said, "I am indeed a Servant of Allah: He hath given me Revelation and made me a Prophet; and He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and enjoined on me prayer and charity as long as I live."
[Quran 19:29-31]

So then blessing is with Jesus wherever he is. When he walked upon the Earth blessing was with him wherever he walked, and after he ascended unto Heaven blessing ascended with him wherever he ascended.

"He hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable."
[Quran 19:32]

And now the fruit of what preceded:

"So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die and the day that I shall be resurrected!"
[Quran 19:33]

When this meaning came into broad daylight, they were crestfallen and remained unable to say anything.

Jesus grew up, fed with purity. When Allah willed to send him forth, his mission among his people was the mission of the spirit: to link the hearts back with their Lord and revive values and morals. This is the reason we do not find, in the Gospel, much talk about the Law but instead find that the Gospel focuses on morals, parables, and spirituality.

Jesus said, as is mentioned in the Gospel:

And he answered, “My errand is only to the lost sheep that are of the house of Israel.”
[Matthew 15:24]

That is, Allah sent him to those whom the world has so overwhelmed that they have become, unconcerned with anything other than food, drink, and lusts, without the least heed to rising to any Divine Connection.

When they did not accept that magnificent mission, denying its truth, plotting against it, denigrating it and defaming Jesus while some of them believed in him, Allah desired to cleanse him and raise him up to the Second Heaven.

He raised him up and the days passed while they remained in their disbelief, defacing the creed, far from spirituality and connection, and so until the time came when our Sultan Muhammad appeared.
Jesus had given the Glad Tidings of him in the Gospel.

— Sheikh Habib 'Ali al-Jifri, translated by Sheikh Gibril Fouad Haddad,
transmitted via Sidi Terence Helikaon Nunis of A Muslim Convert Once More

The Sermon on the Mount

When Jesus saw the crowds approaching, he climbed the mountain; after he sat down, his Disciples came to him.
He opened his mouth and began to teach them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they shall be comforted. 

Blessed are the gentle,
for they shall inherit the Earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied. 

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall receive mercy. 

Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God. 

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called the children of God. 

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you,
and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great;
for in the same way they persecuted the Prophets who were before you. 

You are the salt of the earth;
but if the salt has become tasteless,
how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 

You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light
to all who are in the house. 

Let your light shine before men
in such a way that they may see your good works,
And glorify your Father Who is in Heaven. 

Do not think that I came to abolish the Law
or the Prophets;
I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
For truly I say to you,
until the Heavens and the Earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass
from the Law until all is accomplished. 

Whoever then annuls
one of the least of these Commandments,
and teaches others to do the same,
shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven;
but whoever keeps and teaches them,
he shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

For I say to you that
unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the Scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 

You have heard that the ancients were told,
‘Thou shall not commit murder’
And ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’
But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother
shall be guilty before the court;
And whoever utters hurtful words upon his brother
shall be guilty before the court,
guilty enough to be tossed unto the Fires of Hell.
Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the Altar,
and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your offering there before the Altar and go;
First be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and present your offering.
Make friends quickly with your opponent at law
while you are with him on the way,
so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge,
and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Truly I say to you,
you will not come out of there
until you have paid up the last cent. 

You have heard that it was said,
‘Thou shall not commit adultery’;
But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman
with lust for her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye makes you stumble,
tear it out and throw it from you;
For it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body,
than for your whole body to be thrown into Hell.
If your right hand makes you stumble,
cut it off and throw it from you;
For it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body,
than for your whole body to go into Hell.
It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away,
let him give her a certificate of divorce’;
But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife,
except for the reason of infidelity, commits adultery;
And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 

Again, you have heard that the ancients were told,
‘Thou shall not make false vows,
but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
But I say to you, make no oath at all,
Either by Heaven, for it is the Throne of God,
Or by the Earth, for it is the Footstool of His Feet,
Or by Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King.
Nor shall you make an oath by your head,
for you cannot make one hair white or black.
But let your statement be, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;
Anything beyond these is of evil. 

You have heard that it was said,
‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
But I say to you, do not resist an evil person;
But whoever slaps you on your right cheek,
turn the other to him also.
If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt,
let him have your coat also.
Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
Give to him who asks of you,
And do not turn away from him
who wants to borrow from you. 

You have heard that it was said,
‘Thou shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies
And pray for those who persecute you,
so that you may be sons of your Father
Who is in Heaven;
For He causes His sun to rise
on the evil and the good,
And sends rain
on the righteous and the unrighteous.
If you love those who love you,
what reward do you have?
Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
If you greet only your brothers,
what more are you doing than others?
Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Therefore you are to be perfect,
as your Heavenly Father is Perfect. 

Beware of practicing your righteousness
before men to be noticed by them;
Otherwise you have no reward
with your Father Who is in Heaven.
So when you give to the poor,
do not sound a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets,
so that they may be honored by men.
Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
But when you give to the poor,
do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing,
so that your giving will be in secret;
And your Father Who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 

When you pray, do not to be like the hypocrites;
For they love to stand
and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners
so that they may be seen by men.
Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
But you, when you pray, go into your inner room,
close your door and pray to your Father in secret,
And your Father Who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 

And when you are praying,
do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do,
for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.
So do not be like them;
For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father Who is in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your Will be done,
On Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Eternal.
Amen.’ 

If you forgive others for their transgressions,
your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others,
then your Father will not forgive your sins. 

Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do,
for they neglect their appearance so that
they will be noticed by men when they are fasting.
Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face
so that your fasting will not be noticed by men,
but by your Father Who sees in secret;
And your Father Who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth,
where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves Treasures in Heaven,
where neither moth nor rust destroys,
and where thieves do not break in or steal;
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be. 

The eye is the lamp of the body;
So then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 

No-one can serve two masters;
For either he will hate the one and love the other,
Or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and wealth. 

I say to you, do not be worried about your life,
as to what you will eat or what you will drink;
nor for your body, as to what you will put on.
Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 

Look at the birds of the air:
that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns,
and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?
And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 

Why are you worried about clothing?
Observe how the lilies of the field grow;
they do not toil nor do they spin,
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory
clothed himself like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field,
which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace,
will He not much more clothe you? 

You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying,
‘What will we eat?’
or ‘What will we drink?’
or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things
and your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you. 

Do not worry about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
For in the way you judge, you will be judged;
and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own?
Or how can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’
and behold, the log is in your own? 

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s. 

Do not give what is holy to dogs,
and do not throw your pearls before swine,
or they will trample them under their feet,
and turn and tear you to pieces. 

Ask, and you shall receive;
seek, and you shall find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

What man is there among you who,
when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, he will give him a snake?
If you then, being inclined to sin,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father
Who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?!

In everything, treat people the same way
you want them to treat you,
for this is the Law and the Way of the Prophets. 

Enter through the Narrow Gate;
for the Gate is wide and the way is broad
that leads to Destruction,
and there are many who enter through it,
but the Gate is small
and the way is narrow that leads to Life,
and there are few who find it.

Beware of false prophets
who come to you in sheep’s clothing
but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits. 

Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes
nor figs from thistles, are they?
So every good tree bears good fruit,
but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit,
nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire.
So then, you will know them by their fruits. 

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of Heaven,
but he who does the Will of My Father
Who is in Heaven
shall enter. 

Many will say to Me on that Day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,
and in your name cast out demons,
and in your name perform many miracles?’
And then I will declare to them,
‘I never knew you;
depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them
may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew
and slammed against that house, and yet it did not fall
for it had been founded on the rock. 

Everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not act on them,
will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew
and slammed against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall.

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching; for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes of the law.



— Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5 to 7