Islam_in_Focus_text

and seek His Forgiveness? For God is
Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful. Chnst the
son of Mary was no more than an apostle;
many were the aposties that passed away
before him. His mother was a woman of
truth. The y had both to eat their (daiiy)
food. See hovv God does make His Signs
clear to theni; vet see in what ways they
are deluded away from the truth!.. Say: 'O
People of the Book! exeeed not in your re-
ligion ihe bounds (of what is proper), tres-
passing beyond the truth. Nor follow the
vain desires of people who went wrong in
times gone by, who misled many, and
strayed (themselves) from the even Way".
(5:72-75: cf. 4:171-172)
The beginning of Jesus was controversial. So was his
end. In between he was persistent in carrying out his mis-
sion, strengthened by the Book of God, by wisdom, by the
clear signs and by the Holy Spirit. Yet very few were those
who accepted him whole-heartedly. Although tolerant and
peace-minded, Jesus could not tolerate the hypocrisy of the
Children of Israel and their devotion to the letter of the law
at the expense of its spirit. He was rejected and opposed by
theiru and his violent death was actually plotted. It was cus-
tomary among them to reject some of their prophets and kill
some. Jesus was no exception to this rule. They almost killed
him on the cross. In fact they believed that they did crucify