This is an interview from the Polish Magazine Polonia Christiana (Christian Poland) with Dr. Bartholomew Grysa, and Arabist and author of the international Catholic magazine “Love!” In it he goes into several topics, including why the Catholic Faith and Islam are incompatible and touches on the connection between the Catholic Faith, the Blessed Virgin, and Fatima (translated from Polish with Google Translate):
With Islam you can not carry on a dialogue, because in Islam dialogue with any religion is rejected advance. Dialogue can and should be conducted with individual Muslims: those who really try to live honestly and industriously and are on the way to the knowledge of Christ – said Arabist Bartholomew Grysa in an interview with PCh24.pl. He speaks with Matthew Ziomber about the Quranic conceptions of Jesus and Mary and Islamic interpretations of Fatima.
Polonia Christiana (PC): How does the Koran present Jesus and Mary? It is conciliatorily often stressed that “Isa” occupies a very important place: the great prophet. Great, but of course lesser than Mohammed.
Bartholomew Grysa (BG): The Koran apparently distinguishes between Jesus and Mary. However, examine closer. The name “Jesus” comes from the Hebrew “Yeshua” . The correct form is “Jesu'”. Hebrew and Arabic are similar with multiple words at the core of consonants. The name “Jesu ” consists of the letters” i-sin-waw-ajn “. Vowel signs are a matter of secondary importance in the Semitic languages. On the other hand, the name ” ‘Isa” – the Quranic version of the name “Jesus” – consists of the letters “Ain-i-sin-I”. The letters “I” and “waw” represent so. Weak consonants are to some extent interchangeable.
The word ” ‘Isa” can be decomposed into prime factors as the arrangement of the letters “ajn-waw-sin-I”. When we compare it with the system “I-sin-waw-ajn” ( “Jesu ”) shows that it is the word “Jesu” inverted. For Semites reversing one’s name means cursing and desecrating it. The Koran, which apparently stands Jesus, transmitted at the same time that He is not God, or the Son of God, did not die on the cross, and consequently rejects the Trinity, especially the words of Surah 112 (Sincerity of Faith): “Say: God is one God eternal. He was not born and not been born, and no one Him is not equal. ”
In this light, let us look at Mary. One of the Koran’s surahs bears her name, but the story described therein has little in common with the biblical description: Quranic Mariam is the sister of Aaron, who conceives and gives birth to a son under a palm tree. Sura 3 (Family of Imran), verse 35, in turn, reported that her father was supposed to be Imran (identical with the Biblical Amram) – the father of Moses.
In the context of Jesus and Mary, the most interesting is verse 171 of Surah 4 (Women), where ‘Isa, son of Mary “is called the Word of God and Spirit from Him, but that does not stop the author stating a moment further that ” God is too lofty to have a son. ” Muslim tradition holds it is true that Mary was a virgin (the considerable influence of the Syrian churches), but in heaven- it has to be given by Allah to Muhammad married, becoming one of the houris.The image of the Muslim heaven is completely sensual, and on this detail a long writing for centuries Islamic “scholars”.
PC: The Koran speaks of the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus, he does not recognize His divinity, rejecting his resurrection, and the belief in the Trinity treated as severely punished polytheism. As far as is possible in this context, “dialogue” with Islam? .
BG: With Islam you can not carry on a dialogue because Islam rejects dialogue with any religion in advance. Evidence of this clearly has the text of the first sura where the Jews are called those with whom Allah is angry, and Christians those who have gone astray. In this environment Muhammad grew up and thus really is the only reference to religion in the Koran. Dialogue can and should be conducted with individual Muslims who perform very differently in the lives of their religion. Those who renounce violence and really try to live honestly and industriously, not pretending to be victims and not blaming the world for their misfortune, are on the way to the knowledge of Christ. Our role in such a situation is to pray for them, bearing witness to life and words. Pressure exerted on these Muslims by their co and anxiety, which is often accompanied by a self-criticism religion is something very difficult to overcome them.
Experts estimate that since the turn of the century to Christianity converted up to seven million Muslims. The number of converts from Islam is constantly growing. The share of traditional churches is relatively small in this movement, but it enjoys the fact that in spite of the followers of Allah to know Christ. In approx. 50 per cent. cases, this happens in a supernatural way. Jesus reveals to Muslims in dreams and visions from Morocco to Indonesia reached where not reach dawned missionaries because of harassment and locks.
PC: How strong are the differences in the perception of Jesus between Sunnis and Shiites? As it looks for Mary?
BG: Contrary to appearances, Sunni Islam and Shia do not differ from each other significantly. It is true that taking other traditions, holidays, leadership is different, but the same Koran. The Shiites insist on the worship of seven or twelve imamom. The last of them, the Mahdi, to be according to some Jesus himself. The role of the prophet Isa in Islamic eschatology is noticeable, but rather in order to – as reported by the Islamic tradition – to fight the Jews and the enemies of Islam before the Day of Final. In the case of Mary it is the same. It is rather more Muslim piety directs them towards Marian devotion and visiting churches, than it would have in any way due to the tradition of Sunni or Shiite. In Islam churches, monasteries and the bins are considered to be the seat of the jinn, not a dwelling place of Allah.
PC: According to the Koran, Mary was exalted above all women. It also sets the pattern of Aisha, Khadijah, and Fatima- presented as a Muslim. Is the place that the Koran acknowledges Mary leads Muslims to the Christian faith?
BG: I hope so, although so far only heard about one such case. It was a an Egyptian, who dreamed up the Mother of God giving him a hand when he was drowning. I know that he is on the road of conversion and definitely in need of our prayers.
PC: How do Muslims perceive the cult of Mary and the Marian apparitions? The Koran forbids Muslims to believe in such a revelation?
BG: The only revelation for a Muslim is the Koran, which is considered to be uncreated, and the copy of the Koran in the heavenly earthy Arabic. Of course, the hadith are also important because they explain many issues not contained in the Koran, and the Sunnis are considered an important source of revelation. In this context, issues typically Christian, as Marian apparitions, have nothing to do with the content of the constitutive sources of Islam. This is the domain of Christians, and Christians – depending on the circumstances and interests – are called human beings “protection” ( “ahl adh-Dhimma”), the people of the Book ( “ahl al-kitab”), idolaters ( “mushrikun”) or “those who have gone astray “(” ad-dallun “). This, they believe, is for Islam idolatry and heresy.
PC: Revelation in Fatima met with some interest on the part of the Islamic world. How Muslims interpret them ?
BG: A Shiite cleric explained recently on the Internet, that the shepherds of Fatima revealed itself Fatima! She had to introduce ourselves as “Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad” and be recognized by Christians as a saint. Perhaps it is best to explain the phenomenon of attention to these revelations by Shiites.
PC: In 2007, Ali Agca (MY NOTE: The man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981) claimed that “Islamic fanaticism” is preparing for the final battle. He suggested that the decisive attack reaches 13 May 2017 year, the hundred years after the first apparition at Fatima.
BG: I’m not a futurologist, but the current movements invading (euphemistically called “refugee”) pester many European countries. Besides, as you know, Ali Agca has a very personal relationship to Fatima in connection with the failed attack on St. Pope John Paul II. This man still asks himself, how could this happen, since he – a professional killer hired by the secret services – shooting so close to the Pope, and he survived! His suggestions too I would not care, but rather drew attention to the message of Fatima, which Our Lady calls us to prayer and penance for the world drowning in sin.
The sin tone not only the West, but the world of Islam. Muslims need our prayers to open their eyes to the truth because only the truth triggers. There is a prayer that refuse to, among others, Copts for Muslims:
“Lord Jesus Christ, untie the bonds of Satan, which hampers Muslims. Liberate them, O Lord, from sin, adultery, theft, murder, witchcraft and spells through the power of the Blood, which is shed on the Cross. Send, O Lord, Your gift to priest to cast out the evil spirits and liberate them from the shackles of the devil. Amen”.
Thanks for the interview!
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