Khalid bin Abdullah al-Qasree: Al-Ja’d (bin Dirham) Claims Allaah Did Not Speak To Issa [Jesus]

Khalid bin Abdullah al-Qasree: Al-Ja’d (bin Dirham) Claims Allaah Did Not Speak To Issa and Did Not Take Ibrahim as a Khalil. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Muhammad bin Habeeb bin Abee Habeeb on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather [who] said: “I witnessed Khaaid bin ‘Abdullah al-Qasree – and he addressed them at Waasit – “Oh People, make sacrifice, may Allah accept it from you. Verily I am sacrificing al-Ja’d bin Dirham, for indeed he claims that Allah did not take Ibrahim as a khaleel (close friend), and [that] He did not speak to Issa. Most Perfect is He and exalted is He from what al-Ja’d says.” Then he descended and slaughtered him.

I say: And the Jahmiyyah and Mu’tazilah speak with this, and they distort the text of the revelation regarding that, and they claim that the Lord is purified of that [i.e. having spoken to Issa and taken Ibrahim as a khalil]

Note: The reason for al-Ja’d's rejection (and likewise that of al-Jahm bin Safwan) of Allaah speaking to Issa and taking Ibrahim as a khalil is because these signify events and occurrences (hawaadith), which according to Aristotle’s “al-Maqoolaat al-Ashar” (the Ten Categories) would make Allaah a body (jism). And since, the basic notions of Aristotelian Metaphysics were used as part of an intellectual proof to argue that the universe is created (as argument against the atheists), all speech regarding Allaah had to conform to this proof in the view of the Jahmiyyah and Mu’tazilah who were the pioneers of this proof – and thus, they started rejecting affairs such as these in the Book and the Sunnah, and included within this is their rejection that Allaah is above the Throne, above the Heaven.

And from this it becomes clear that the reason for their rejection that Allaah spoke to Issa direct, or that He took Ibrahim as a khalil, is the very same reason for which they rejected Allaah is above His creation, above the Throne. These are the same usool upon which the creed of the Ash’arites is built upon and their differences with the Mu’tazilah are only on subsidiary issues relating to what can and cannot be affirmed or denied for Allaah without invalidating this intellectual proof that they consider to be the base and foundation of the religion, the ultimate truth.

“Mukhtasar al-Uluww” of adh-Dhahabi.

Ka’b al-Ahbaar (d. 32H): In The Torah: ‘I am Allaah, Above My Servants and My Throne is Above All My Creation’
From Ka’b al-Ahbaar who said: “Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic said in the Torah: I am Allaah, above My servants and My Throne is above all of My creation, and I am above My Throne, I regulate the affairs of My servants. Nothing in the heavens or in the Earth is hidden from Me.”
It is reported by the thiqaat.

“Mukhtasar al-Uluww” of Imaam adh-Dhahabi,

Notes: Ka’b al-Ahbaar was a Judaic Scholar from Yemen who accepted Islam in the time of Abu Bakr (radiallaahu anhu), and he came to Medinah during the reign of Umar (radiallaahu anhu). Ibn Hajr and Ibn Hibbaan declared him “thiqah” (trustworthy).

According to the Testament of the Syriac Orthodox Church as follows:

The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the ancient churches of Christianity. St. Peter is considered as the first bishop of the Patriarchate of Antioch. The Fathers of the Syriac Orthodox Church tried to give a theological interpretation to the primacy of Saint Peter. They were fully convinced of the unique office of Peter in the primitive Christian community. Ephrem, Aphrahat and Marutha who were supposed to be the best exponents of the early Syriac tradition unequivocally acknowledge the office of Peter.

The Syriac Fathers following tradition call Jesus “Kepha” for they see “rock” in the Old Testament as a messianic Symbol. When Christ gave his own name “Kepha” to Simon he was giving him participation in the person and office of Christ. Christ who is the Kepha and shepherd made Simon the chief shepherd in his place and gave him the very name Kepha and said that on Kepha he would build the Church. Aphrahat shared the common Syriac tradition. For him Kepha is in fact another name of Jesus, and Simon was given the right to share the name. The person who receives somebody else’s name also obtains the rights of the person who bestows the name. Aphrahat makes the stone taken from Jordan a type of Peter. He says Jesus son of Nun set up the stones for a witness in Israel; Jesus our Saviour called Simon Kepha Sarirto and set him as the faithful witness among nations.

Again Peter says in his commentary on Deuteronomy that Moses brought forth water from “rock” (Kepha) for the people and Jesus sent Simon Kepha to carry his teachings among nations. Our Lord accepted him and made him the foundation of the Church and called him Kepha. When he speaks about transfiguration of Christ he calls him Simon Peter, the foundation of the Church. Ephrem also shared the same view. The Armenian version of De Virginitate records that Peter the Rock shunned honour Who was the head of the Apostles. In a mimro of Efrem found in Holy Week Liturgy points to the importance of Peter. Both Aphrahat and Ephrem represent the authentic tradition of the Syrian Church.

The different orders of liturgies used for sanctification of Church building, marriage, ordination etc. reveal that the primacy of Peter is a part of living faith of the Church. When he left Antioch, Evodios and Ignatius took over the charge of the Patriarchate. Both Evodios and Ignatius died as martyrs under Roman Persecution (Because of the prominence of St. Ignatius in the church’s history, almost all of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs since 1293 were named Ignatius). According to the New Testament “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch around 135 AD.” (Acts 11:26).

Syriac Orthodox Churches use the Peshitta (Syriac: simple, common) as its Bible. The “Old Testament” books of this Bible were translated from Greek to Syriac between the late first century to the early third century A.D. The Old Testament of the Peshitta was translated from the Hebrew, probably in the second century. The New Testament of the Peshitta, which originally excluded certain disputed books, had become the standard by the early 5th century, replacing two early Syriac versions of the gospels.

According to tradition, St Peter established the Holy See at Antioch in AD 37 and presided over the church, prior to his journey to Rome. In the 4th century the Catholicate of the East was established for the administration of the churches in the Persian Empire, Iraq and the Far East. Syrian missionaries went as far as India, China, and Mongolia. An outstanding saint was St Jacob Baradaeus (500-578) who revived the spiritual life of the church in Syria, Armenia, Egypt, Persia and Cyprus. At the beginning of the 13th century the Syrian Orthodox Church had about 20,000 parishes and hundreds of monasteries and convents.

During the 14th century the church suffered greatly through the Mongol invasions. At the end of the 18th century its strength was further reduced because of the establishment of a separate Uniate Patriarchate of Antioch (Syrian Catholics), and at the turn of the present century it suffered severe persecution at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Hundreds of thousands perished.

In 1964 the Catholicate of the Orthodox Syrian Church of the East, vacant for centuries, was re-established in India. The seat of the patriarchate, after many moves over the centuries, is now in Damascus.

The Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (SOPA) refused to accept the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon about the person of Christ, on the ground that they had made too many concessions to the Nestorians. Their doctrinal position is thus similar to that of the Armenian, Coptic and Ethiopian churches. Veneration of the saints and prayers for the dead are essential elements of the church’s tradition. The seven traditional sacraments are recognized. The Old Testament was translated into Syriac during the first century, the New Testament in the second century.

The liturgical language of the church is Syriac Aramaic. Other Syriac translations of the Bible were subsequently made by various Syrian scholars. Famous schools of theology were established in Antioch, Nassibeen, Edessa and Qenneshreen. St Aphrem the Syrian, St Jacob of Sarug, Philexinos of Maboug and Jacob of Edessa graduated from these schools. Ignatius Ephrem Barsaum (Patriarch, 1933-57) was the author of a valuable history of Syrian Orthodox literature in Arabic (recently published in English: History of Syriac Sciences and Literature). Since the church has spread widely during the centuries, languages like Arabic, Malayalam, Turkish, English, Spanish and Portuguese are today used, alongside Syriac, in religious services.

The SOPA maintains a number of monasteries which are an integral part of its spiritual and cultural heritage. There are two major and three minor seminaries for the training of the clergy. The church also operates other schools and institutions. It has close relations with the Coptic, Armenian and Ethiopian Orthodox churches.

The Church of Antioch played a significant role in the early history of Christianity. It played a prominent role in the first three Synods held at Nicea (325 AD), Constantinople (381 AD), and Ephesus (431 AD), shaping the formulation and early interpretation of Christian doctrines.

In the 4th century, an Alexandrian presbyter named Arius began a theological dispute about the nature of Christ that spread throughout the Christian world and is now known as Arianism. The Ecumenical Council of Nicea AD 325 was convened by Constantine under the presidency of Saint Hosius of Cordova and Saint Alexander of Alexandria to resolve the dispute and eventually led to the formulation of the Symbol of Faith, also known as the Nicene Creed. The Creed, which is now recited throughout the Christian world, was based largely on the teaching put forth by a man who eventually would become Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, the chief opponent of Arius.

In the year AD 381, Saint Timothy I of Alexandria presided over the second ecumenical council known as the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, which completed the Nicene Creed with this confirmation of the divinity of the Holy Spirit: “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified who spoke by the Prophets and in One, Holy, Universal, and Apostolic church. We confess one Baptism for the remission of sins and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age, Amen.”

Another theological dispute in the 5th century occurred over the teachings of Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople who taught that God the Word was not hypostatically joined with human nature, but rather dwelt in the man Jesus. As a consequence of this, he denied the title “Mother of God” (Theotokos) to the Virgin Mary, declaring her instead to be “Mother of Christ” Christotokos.

When reports of this reached the Apostolic Throne of Saint Mark, Pope Saint Cyril I of Alexandria acted quickly to correct this breach with orthodoxy, requesting that Nestorius repent. When he would not, the Synod of Alexandria met in an emergency session and a unanimous agreement was reached. Pope Cyril I of Alexandria, supported by the entire See, sent a letter to Nestorius known as “The Third Epistle of Saint Cyril to Nestorius.” This epistle drew heavily on the established Patristic Constitutions and contained the most famous article of Alexandrian Orthodoxy: “The Twelve Anathemas of Saint Cyril.” In these anathemas, Cyril excommunicated anyone who followed the teachings of Nestorius. For example, “Anyone who dares to deny the Holy Virgin the title Theotokos is Anathema!” Nestorius however, still would not repent and so this led to the convening of the First Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431 AD), over which Cyril I of Alexandria presided.

The First Ecumenical Council of Ephesus confirmed the teachings of Saint Athanasius and confirmed the title of Mary as “Mother of God”. It also clearly stated that anyone who separated Christ into two hypostases was anathema, as Athanasius had said that there is “One Nature and One Hypostasis for God the Word Incarnate” (Mia Physis tou Theou Loghou Sesarkomeni).

When in AD 451, the Roman Emperor Marcianus attempted to affect matters of doctrine, the response of Pope Dioscorus – the Pope of Alexandria – was that the emperor should not intervene in the affairs of the Church. It was at Chalcedon that Emperor Marcianus, through the Imperial delegates, enforced harsh disciplinary measures against Pope Dioscorus in response to his boldness, and would exile him until Pope Dioscorus’ death in 458.

In terms of Christology, the Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonians) understanding is that Christ is “One Nature—the Logos Incarnate,” of the full humanity and full divinity. The Chalcedonians understanding is that Christ is in two natures, full humanity and full divinity. Just as humans are of their mothers and fathers and not in their mothers and fathers, so too is the nature of Christ according to Oriental Orthodoxy. If Christ is in full humanity and in full divinity, then He is separate in two persons as the Nestorians teach. This is the doctrinal perception that makes the apparent difference which separated the Oriental Orthodox from the Eastern Orthodox.

The Council’s findings were rejected by many of the Christians on the fringes of the Byzantine Empire, including Syriac Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Apostolic Church, and others.

The spiritual care of the Church of Antioch was vested in the Bishop of Antioch from the earliest years of Christianity. The first among the Bishops of Antioch was St. Peter who is believed to have established a church at Antioch in AD 37. Given the antiquity of the bishopric of Antioch and the importance of the Church in the city of Antioch which was a commercially significant city in the eastern parts of the Roman Empire, the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) recognized the bishopric as a Patriarchate along with the bishoprics of Rome, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, bestowing authority for the Church in Antioch and All of the East on the Patriarch. (The Synod of Constantinople in 381 AD recognized the See of Constantinople also as a Patriarchate).

Syrian Orthodox Church of St. Mary in Bethlehem

Even though the Synod of Nicaea was convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, the authority of the ecumenical synod was also accepted by the Church in the Persian Empire which was politically isolated from the Churches in the Roman Empire. Until 498, this Church accepted the spiritual authority of the Patriarch of Antioch.

The Christological controversies that followed the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD resulted in a long struggle for the Patriarchate between those who accepted and those who rejected the Council. In 518 AD, Patriarch Mar Severius was exiled from the city of Antioch and took refuge in Alexandria. On account of many historical upheavals and consequent hardships which the church had to undergo, the Patriarchate was transferred to different monasteries in Mesopotamia for centuries. In the 13th century it was transferred in the Mor Hananyo Monastery (Deir al-Za`faran), in southeastern Turkey near Mardin, where it remained until 1933. Due to an adverse political situation, it was transferred to Hims, Syria and in 1959 was transferred again to Damascus.

The Patriarchate office is now in Bab Tuma, in Damascus, capital of Syria; but the Patriarch resides at the Mar Aphrem Monastery in Ma`arat Sayyidnaya located about twenty five kilometers north of Damascus.

The spiritual care of the Church of Antioch was vested in the Bishop of Antioch from the earliest years of Christianity. Given the antiquity of the bishopric of Antioch and the importance of the Church in the city of Antioch which was a commercially significant city in the eastern parts of the Roman Empire, the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) recognized the bishopric as a Patriarchate along with the bishoprics of Rome, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, bestowing authority for the Church in Antioch and All of the East on the Patriarch. (The Synod of Constantinople in 381 AD recognized the See of Constantinople also as a Patriarchate).

Even though the Synod of Nicaea was convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, the authority of the ecumenical synod was also accepted by the Church in the Persian Empire which was politically isolated from the Churches in the Roman Empire. Until 498 AD, this Church accepted the spiritual authority of the Patriarch of Antioch.

The Christological controversies that followed the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD resulted in a long struggle for the Patriarchate between those who accepted and those who rejected the Council. In 518 AD, Patriarch Mar Severius was exiled from the city of Antioch and took refuge in Alexandria. On account of many historical upheavals and consequent hardships which the church had to undergo, the Patriarchate was transferred to different monasteries in Mesopotamia for centuries. In the 13th century it was transferred in the Mor Hananyo Monastery (Deir al-Za`faran), in southeastern Turkey near Mardin, where it remained until 1933. Due to an adverse political situation, it was transferred to Hims, Syria and in 1959 was transferred again to Damascus.

The Patriarchate office is now in Bab Tuma, in Damascus, capital of Syria; but the Patriarch resides at the Mar Aphrem Monastery in Ma`arat Sayyidnaya located about twenty five kilometers north of Damascus.

The Mass, which is called Holy Qurbono in Syriac Aramaic and means ‘Eucharist’, is celebrated on Sundays and special occasions. The Holy Eucharist consists of Gospel Reading, Bible Readings, Prayers, and Songs. During the celebration of the Eucharist, priests and deacons put on elaborate vestments which are unique to the Syriac Orthodox Church. Whether in the Middle East, India, Europe, the Americas or Australia, the same vestments are worn by all clergy.Apart from certain readings, all prayers are sung in the form of chants and melodies. Hundreds of melodies remain and these are preserved in the book known as Beth Gazo. It is the key reference to Syriac Orthodox church music. Anyone who wishes to sing Syriac Orthodox music well must master the Beth Gazo

The Syriac Orthodox Church is very active in ecumenical dialogues. It has been a member church of World Council of Churches since 1960 and the Patriarch, Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas is one of the presidents of World Council of Churches. The Syriac Orthodox Church is also actively involved in ecumenical dialogues with the Catholic Church and Eastern orthodox churches. There are common Christological and pastoral agreements with the Catholic Church. It has also been involved in the Middle East Council of Churches since 1974.

Since 1998, the heads of the three Oriental Churches in Middle East i.e. the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicate of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon) meet regularly each year.