A Discussion of the Narrations

1. The Secret of Naming Jesus (a.s.) as the Messiah

From the Prophet (s.a.w.): “And Jesus is anointed (mamsūḥ) in religion [and thus cleansed] from impurities (adnās) and sins (āthām)”.(115)

Note: The reason for the naming is the wisdom (ḥikma) behind it, rather than the cause (ʿilla); because one cannot name all the infallible ones (maʿṣūmān) as the Messiah (masīḥ). The distinctive feature of the Messiah (a.s.) is that he did not emerge from the combination of loins (ṣulb) and dust (turāb), and the title “Was he not a drop of emitted semen?” (75:37) is not applicable to him with regard to his father.(116)

2. The Spirit of Adam and the Messiah

From Ḥamrān who said: I asked Abū ʿAbd Allāh about God’s statement: “and breathed into him of His spirit” (wa-nafakha fīhi min rūḥihi). He said: It is the spirit of God (rūḥ Allāh), created, which God created in Adam and Jesus.(117)

From Abū Jaʿfar al-Aṣamm who said: I asked Abū Jaʿfar about the spirit (rūḥ) that is in Adam and that which is in Jesus - what are they? He said: Two created spirits (rūḥān makhlūqān) which He chose and selected - the spirit of Adam and the spirit of Jesus.(118)

Note: Although all human spirits (arwāḥ insānī) are attributed to the Lord, just as some individuals are chosen (muṣṭafā) and some are selected (mujtabā), some spirits also possess a characteristic from which God the Bestower of gifts is pleased with what He has given them.

3. The Negus’s Confirmation of Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib’s Words About the Messiah

From Ibn Masʿūd who said: The Messenger of God sent us to the Negus (Najāshī), and we were eighty men, and with us was Jaʿfar ibn Abī Ṭālib. Quraysh sent ʿAmāra and ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, and with them was a gift for the Negus. When they entered upon him, they prostrated to him and sent him the gift, and they said: “Indeed, people from our tribe have turned away from our religion and have settled in your land.”

So he sent for them until they entered upon him, but they did not prostrate to him. They said: “What is wrong with you that you did not prostrate to the king?” Jaʿfar said: “Indeed, God sent us a Prophet who commanded us not to prostrate except to God.” ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ said: “They oppose you regarding Jesus and his mother!” He said: “What do they say about Jesus and his mother?” They said: “We say as God said: He is the spirit of God (rūḥ Allāh) and His Word (kalimatihi) which He cast to the virgin maiden (al-ʿadhrāʾ al-batūl) who was not touched by any man!”

So the Negus took a stick and said: “O assembly of priests and monks! You do not add to what these people say what weighs as much as this! Welcome to you and to the one from whom you have come. I bear witness that he is a prophet, and I wish I were with him so I could carry his sandals. So settle wherever you wish in my land.”(119)

Note: Setting aside the chain of transmission (sanad) for this particular report, a group from the People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb) who were reason-centered and evidence-based and fair-minded were always aware of the affliction of anthropomorphism (tashbīh) and the affliction of the Trinity (tathlīth). Therefore, they were waiting for the appropriate opportunity to embrace the blessing of pure monotheism (tawḥīd). What is narrated from the Negus can be understood in this same context.