"Jesus was Muslim" could some one explain this to me?

[Toddlerteaplease]

Not trying to be goady, I'm genuinely puzzled by this statement. I saw it on one of the stalls giving out Information and literature about Islam, In my city centre. I am aware that Jesus is regarded as a prophet In Islam. But since he was Jewish, his entire life, I'm not sure how anyone can claim he was Muslim.

Can I just go back to the dietary restrictions conundrum as it intrigues me.

In some translations of the Bible there is a part which goes like this:

Mark 7:19 (NIV translation)

For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

This is taken by some people as justification for abandoning dietary restrictions.

However, the part in parenthesis does not appear in all translations. It does not appear in the King James Version, for example.

I have read that it does not appear in the original Greek manuscripts either but I cannot vouch for this as I can't read Greek!

It seems that the part in parenthesis does not add clarity but is misleading. Reading Mark and Matthew together, it becomes clear that what is being referred to is eating with unclean hands, not eating unclean meat.

In short, Jesus was not saying you don’t need to follow the Jewish food laws. That was a later misinterpretation.

Jesus did not want to tamper with pre-existing laws.

Matthew 5:17 (NIV translation)

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.

In Acts, as others have posted, Peter, an apostle who knew Jesus when he was alive, is surprised to find out - via his vision - that the food laws have apparently been cancelled.

Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Why would Peter be surprised if Jesus, during his lifetime, had made it clear that the dietary rules no longer applied?

My understanding of the dietary thing is that it's more important what is in your heart and actions than what you eat

I think Peter's vision clarifies this

The dietary restrictions make sense in the desert with no fridges though

Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

In KJB 7 19

Sorry I have never heard of Bibles being burned by Muslims- can you provide a link please?

Owning a Bible is vastly different to burning one- not saying I agree with Somalia/Maldives though. I myself own a Bible- it’s not haram!

Every single Muslim I know would never condone burning the Torah/NT. As I mentioned upthread the term ‘People of the Book’ is used in a respectful manner and it’s also why Muslim men can marry Jewish/Christian women.

Coming back to the issue of Pork- it’s nonsensical again from a Muslim perspective that Christians worship Jesus as God, yet they’re fine with eating pork when their God never did. The fact that Peter changed it is neither here or there again solely from a Muslim
perspective because it’s Jesus that was the Messenger not Peter.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66525150.amp

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/jul/27/where-in-the-world-is-it-worst-place-to-be-a-christian#:~:text=punishable%20by%20death.-,Churches%20are%20banned%3B%20Christian%20migrants%20and%20tourists%20also%20have%20to,secret%20and%20cannot%20own%20Bibles.&text=Most%20Christians%20in%20Saudi%20Arabia,Islam%20is%20punishable%20by%20death.

Peter didn't change it himself. It was the vision he had

Telling him not too get hung up on dietary laws as theses were from the OT perhaps (only suggestion)

It was the context of the passage

Yes you are right Jesus wouldn't have eaten pork following Jewish law.

@Wheresthescissors Thanks for the links- that’s horrendous. As a Muslim I apologise for their actions. This is not acceptable at all- I’m reminded of the story where the Prophet conquered Makkah and came across an idol of Mary holding the baby Jesus, he wrapped it in a cloth and buried it. Before anyone jumps on me, this was done out of respect (the other idols and statues of the pagan gods were destroyed and again before anyone jumps on me, the same condemnation of idolatry can be found in the Bible) and I would like to think if Muslims could follow these examples a bit better, the world would be a nicer place!

Ah right ok- so it was a vision therefore inspired by God?

In Islamic history we know that after the Prophet, there were many different rulers and there was a whole period of codification of Islamic law and one key principle is that no new law/rule can contradict something that’s in the Qur’an or Hadith so likewise is there was a Muslim leader who had a vision that pork is not unclean and whatever you eat does not defile you, it would be instantly rejected as it totally goes against the Qur’an and practice of Muhammad. I just wonder if throughout history there have been any Christians who also followed a similar principle. I myself come from a mixed family, so do have some Christian relatives, some who do eat pork and some who abstain for the reason above.

I’ve been reading a bit of background about Mohammed. The story goes that he’d go to the cave in Hira to pray in isolation, and that was where the Angel Gabriel came to him and revealed the Qu’ran. I’m confused about something though- to whom was he praying?

I also found it fascinating that Mohammed’s first wife proposed to him, not the other way around. Is it still the case in Islam that a woman can propose to a man?

A woman can, however it's very rare. Societal expectations nowadays still very much want the man to propose

So contrary to the example of the prophet himself? Interesting.

Yes! Sadly, even in Muslim countries, culture clashes with religion a lot.

Suburburban, according to Matthew, Jesus was not referring to unclean meat but unclean hands in that story.

Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

But just suppose, for argument’s sake, that Jesus had been suggesting Jewish food laws be abandoned. Then there would be no need for Peter to have his vision in Acts and have it revealed to him many years later that the food laws were no longer significant. He would not be surprised by the message of his vision as he would have known this already from his direct friendship with Jesus.

The existence of the passage about the vision of Peter in Acts suggests this was news to him, not something Jesus had told him.

In short, I’m not saying there are no passages in the Bible supporting giving up food laws. I’m saying that careful analysis of different verses and translations suggests it was not part of the original message of Jesus.

Yes it's very interesting and you make valid points

Thank you suburburban, you too! 😉

Yes so often he would go to meditate in the caves surrounding Makkah- the pagan Arabs believed in Allah as the highest, creator God but they believed He was too holy to reach directly, so the used other deities as intermediaries. The Hanifs would pray to God alone- so we can assume that the Prophet would have done the same. Also it’s important to add he wouldn’t have prayed in the way that Muslims do now- 5 daily prayers with kneeling and bowing- Muslims believe this command came a few years after Muhammad received Prophethood.

Re: women proposing, yes the marriage proposal can come from the male or female side- Khadijah sent her male servant to the Prophet to ask for his hand, she did not do so directly. As pp mentioned, in most Muslim cultures it’s more common place for the initial proposal to come from the groom’s side however.

@Elopelo thank you, but you absolutely don't have to apologise for actions that you didn't take part in. There are bad people/actions amongst every faith.

Jesus was a Jew and would have observed Old Testament dietary rules, such as not eating pork or shellfish or mixing milk products with meat. However, St Paul confirmed that those rules were not compulsory for Christians, who consequently are free to eat a bacon sandwich and have a latte on the side if they wish.

Elopelo, that may be one of the fundamental difference between many Christians and Islam, that we don't have this one book which is the only thing - instead you have the Pope when speak ex cathedra (from the throne) on certain things declaring them to be so (changes) and in protestantism since the reformation a lot more changes too; rather than there is one book - it is word of God and it does not change. It is why most Christians do not believe the bible is only a few thousand years old and they have no problems with humans on the planet for a very long time indeed (other than a few weird Americans who believe in literal truth of the bible).

Very moving x

Should add that the above video is a deeply personal account of a Muslim woman who met Jesus. It touches upon some of the themes in this thread! x

I remember that book

I dared to call him father

Thank you for sharing this very moving account of who is the real Christ Jesus as revealed in the Bible.