The nature of Christ in the holy Quran: An analytical and critical study of the Evangelists’ modern approaches in Nigeria / Uthman Sulaiman Zakariyya

Uthman Sulaiman , Zakariyya (2018) The nature of Christ in the holy Quran: An analytical and critical study of the Evangelists’ modern approaches in Nigeria / Uthman Sulaiman Zakariyya. PhD thesis, Universiti Malaya.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the nature of Jesus in the Holy Quran and the methods of modern missionaries to raise suspicions and doubts around it, especially in Nigerian society. The research focuses first with brief about old and contemporary Nigeria, followed with a historical overview of the arrival of Christianity to the region and its relationship with European colonialism, afterward, the introduction to the Christians and Christianity, with reference to their books recognized by them, and then the most important contemporary sects and their beliefs with some of their differences in the doctrine and belief. Furthermore, the study discussed the history of the Christians criticism of the Qur'an and the shubuhāt (doubts) they put against the reference of Jesus in the Qur’ān, with the motives and objectives of that, and then the approaches followed by them in their criticism of the Qur'anic verses concerning the nature of Jesus Christ and their method in criticizing and raising suspicions about it. This research attempted to study these suspicions and doubts, analyze it, and criticize it, and provide the true and correct meaning of it from authentic sources. The research also reveals the true nature of Jesus Christ in the Holy Quran and in the Scriptures, and explains how the Christians understood these natures. Eventually, it exposed the relationship of these suspicions and doubts with Christianization of Muslims in Nigeria, and then revealed the means and methods used to broadcast and promote these suspicions and doubts in the present era. And finally, it explained the ways to address them. The methodology used in this study is the inductive deductive approach with text analysis, comparison and criticism in scientific argumentative style. The study discovers the beginning of Christian existence in Nigerian in the late 18th century, by the presence of missionaries in the European occupying forces. And that the missionary effort still remains strongly in the present days in the country. And that the missionaries use different ways and means to raise suspicions about the nature of Christ - peace be upon him - mentioned in the Holy Quran to prove the validity of the Christian beliefs; such as Jesus divinity, trinity and incarnation. In addition, various types of the media are used to raise those suspicions to destabilize the belief of Muslims and put doubts in their religion and distort their thinking to serve the Christianization of Muslim communities in Nigeria; audios, videos, writings and the Internet all used to turn the facts and mislead people that the Holy Quran supports Christianity. However, the research affirmed invalidity of the missionaries' claims that the Qur'an supports their beliefs related to Jesus, such as: the divinity of Christ, incarnation and so on, but is proven his humanity, his being servant and messenger of God, and it is clear that both the Holy Qur'an itself and in the Bibles confirmed that Jesus is neither God nor divine being.

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