Rejoinders to Friday sermon

In the Name of the Almighty, the Beneficent, the Merciful

I therefore express my deep appreciation to our readers, Muslims and Christians alike, particularly those who always share their opinion with me on their perspectives to subjects of interest to us in this column. Below are some of the reactions I received during the past week on the Sermon.
08135428717- A child that came from a woman without sex (should be referred to as) a Supreme Being and to be called a son, not a servant. I see no difference between Christianity and Islam from this angle.

Sequn Ajala wrote saying: ‘I like information concerning the belittling title of the word prophet I believe the Bible account of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

08064407033 says: Quran 19 verse 27-34 says …let us forget the controversy about religion. The truth is that if Jesus is not alive or raised from death then our faith is baseless. Since there is no controversy about Jesus being alive or not so whether he died on the cross and was raised in the third day according to a religion or belief does not nullify that Jesus is alive and cannot be killed as the anointed or Messiah as well as the author and finisher of faith or the only mediator with God for the salvation of our soul…

0907278482 wrote: I am an ardent reader of your Friday Sermon. Today’s sermon was very captivating as it concerns the just concluded Easter. How I wish my Christian brethren would find time to read this sermon as it concerns our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Muslim brethren should be well informed that the two religions complement each other. This no doubt will help bring peace in our nation.

080383081652 wrote: if Jesus were physically with us today, I believe a private Jet could be an option for him considering the number of souls He needs to reach out to all over the world, the level of disappointments of airlines and the short time left for everything to come to an end. Private jet is not a luxury for serious evangelism assignment at least, it’s better than marrying numerous wives with caution. I am ready to meet Jesus should he come today… we need private jets for the work he has committed into our hands.

08134150700 wrote: from your opinion in the Guardian today sir, if Quran verse 157-158 negates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, please can you tell us of the spiritual meaning of God’s word to Jesus in Quran 3: 54 -55.

It is not my intention today to engage, in depth, these reactions. I do not hold that what the Quran says about those who follow Jesus Christ when he was alive applies to me as a Muslim today (Quran 3: 54). The reason for this is simple- the emergence of Prophet Muhammad complements, amplifies and seals the message Jesus Christ and prophets before him brought to the world. In fact, the patronage of the story of Jesus in the Quran and that of Prophets before him exemplifies the divinity and authenticity of the Quran. Those who followed his message while he was alive were elevated above those who did not, the same way those who hearkened to and followed the messages brought by Prophet Noah and Prophet Musa (a.s), for example, were delivered and elevated above those who rejected the message of the Almighty.

In the course of putting these ideas together, news reached me of the passage into eternity of Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, the popular politician and until his death, the Senator representing Osun West at the national Assembly. He was aged sixty two years. His death particularly at a time plans were underway for him to contest once again for the governorship office of Osun State must have led to a Tsunami in the political configurations of the State. His death is reminiscent of the death of Alhaj Audud Abubakar, the former governor of Kogi State who bid the world bye after he had won the gubernatorial election of the State.

When the news got to me I muttered words of submission Muslims are required to express in time of bereavement: “From Him and back to Him is our destiny”. I remembered that nothing can delay death once it’s time for the subject born of the womb to experience liquidation. When eventually pictures of his burial rites appeared on the social media, I could not but pity the tragedy of our life. I could not but lament the ephemerality of earthly luxuries; I could not but bewail the death of illusion and the ‘resurrection’ of reality. In other words, while the corpse of the dead was been lowered inside his grave, I longed to see the millions and the billions in his bank accounts; I longed to see the faces of his consorts and friends. Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke came to the world all alone; he had since begun his journey back to his Lord all alone. Neither the money he acquired nor the position he occupied mattered anymore. What remains for and with him now are his acts of righteousness. I pray the Almighty grant him redemption and acceptance: I ask: “who is next in line?”

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