Jum'ah Journal-, Was Jesus a Muslim?

   First a brief look at the non-Muslim influence on Islam.
During the life of the prophet PBUH the principles of Islam were put into operation and were tested fully for 30 years after his death during the khilafat-e-rashida. That is the best governance the humanity has ever experienced. These four persons (AbuBakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali) may God be pleased with them were educated and trained by him, so nothing could tarnish their clear vision, but as vast lands were brought under the newly born Islamic empire, a vast variety of peoples got introduced to Islam and its principles. Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and other followers of pagan religions who saw the truth of Islam and accepted it but they all did not necessarily 'vomited out' everything they had before for 'swallowing' pure Islam.
Many of them perhaps continued their pre-Islamic thought process and indeed the Greek and Zoroastrian as well as Hindu philosophies found their way into the new Islamic lands That started off the 'discussion' process or "kalam" which led many Muslims into beliefs that were not in the true spirit of Islam especially for the unwary Muslims. This verse sort of is a reminder for such "converts"?
"O ye who believe! Enter into Is;lam wholeheartedly and follow not the footsteps of the Evil one...."S,II, Aya 208. It has also been interpreted to means 'enter into the "whole of Islam"', i.e. give up all preIslamic things and accept this new "way of life" in toto.
   The 'infection' of Aristotalian and Platonian philosophies had its effect on the Muslim 'intelletuals' of those days and times, with sometimes disasterous results (Just recall the question of "Qur'an is created" concept during Mamoon-ur-rashid's time) and sometimes less obtrusive consequences but more subtle and more permanent results.

Hans Kung, a scholar of theology and philosophy has a very clever way of describing these "changes" in the Islamic political theological and cultural sphere, calling them "paradigms" (Islam, past present and future, a worth reading book)
 
 However it is indeed a pleasant surprise to see a Christian Scholar of today saying
"JESUS WAS A MUSLIM"
  Yes and he gave us his concept of Tawheed, (No! not three-in-one type) that Muslims and Christians have the same mission today to work together to establish Justice and Equality on earth, which was the mission of Jesus Christ PBUH as he traced his (meaningful) life events. (Like "It is He who has sent down His apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that he may proclaim it over all religions, even though the pagans may detest it."--Vrse 9 sura 61)
 His studies led him (Dr. Robert F. Shedinger) to write a book with a provocative title
 "Was Jesus a Muslim?"
It was refreshing to listen to his lecture in our Islamic center


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