My (earnest, irate) thoughts

Edited and translated by Tarif Khalidi, The Muslim Jesus: Sayings and Stories in Islamic Literature is an attempt to bring the Muslim gospel — a collection of texts relating to Jesus in non-Christian literature — to readers unfamiliar with Arabic Islamic culture. It is a glimpse into how Jesus is regarded by Islam, a religious tradition that highly reveres him but rejects his divinity.

After about page 50, it is a collection of Jesus’ quips and parables, translated into English from Arabic. I love, love, love it. It’s like reading the Gospels without the narrative, a bit like skipping around to read the red words, and leaving behind the black (which I heartily recommend doing to both Christians and Muslims, it’ll just make you feel good). For Muslim mystics, Jesus is The Sufi — a man with no need for things, a man who spoke the truth, a man emptied of all but love. Jesus remains the perfect example of a heart enveloped by the Divine. Here are a few, with the accompanying commentary:

Jesus passed by a group of people who hurled insults at him, and he responded with blessings. He passed by another group who insulted him, and he responded likewise. One of his disciples asked, “Why is it that the more they insult you, the more you bless them, as if inviting this upon yourself?” Jesus said, “A person can bring forth only what is within him.”

Jesus passed a group of Israelites who insulted him. Every time they spoke a word of evil, Jesus answered with good. Simon the pure said to him, “Will you answer them with good each time they speak evil?” Jesus said, “Each person spends of what he owns.”

(The context here is clearly one of good manners and courtesy. There may be echoes also of Matthew 5:22. The story ends with a bon mot; one can almost imagine Jesus smiling as he delivers it. Also noteworthy is that, around this time, more of the stories and sayings begin to include the names of other actors, e.g. Simon, perhaps to lend vividness to the narrative. The Arabic has al-safi “the pure”, but this is most likely a mistake for al-safa “the rock” meaning Peter.)

Jesus said to John the son of Zachariah, “If a man makes mention of you and speaks the truth, give thanks to God. If he is lying, multiply your thanks, for God will increase the register of your good deeds without exertion from you.”

“Do not be saddened by what people say about you. If what they say is false, it would be like a good deed you have not performed. If true, it would be like an evil deed whose punishment has been prematurely exacted.”

(This elegant counsel to ignore the opinions of mankind may be a distant echo of Matthew 5:11-12.)

I picked these sayings because it’s what I need to remember the most. Personal blogs create a certain narcissism in the writer; I sometimes imagine that myriads are gathered to read these words, so imagine my disappointment in “No comments”. Is no one reading? Does no one care? Which should not matter. But it does.

And then sometimes — and I wonder if this is common for converts — I feel as if I am The Representative of Islam for various relatives, friends and co-workers. So when I annoy people, particularly by eagerly discussing topics that they find boring, imagining that I can somehow singlehandedly undo all the negative press against my faith — I feel as if I’ve doubly sinned: “Now they will think Islam is flawed.”

But Jesus’ words make me reflect. My blush when I think I’ve overheard a co-worker talking about me isn’t for naught. Neither is my ache when I read ugly words against all Muslims. And those precious times when I’ve managed to be pleasant when others were rude… I can think of Jesus, with a grin, saying: “Each person spends of what he owns.”