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7) The Followers of Christ
Muhammad watched the Christians around him carefully. He discovered that they appeared with different characteristics at various stages of their maturity. He concluded that Christ was able to change and purify them, step-by-step, as the Son of Mary reforms his disciples into his own example. These fundamental changes in the character of his followers are the greatest miracles of Christ. The Qur'an states:
"… I will place those who followed you above the unbelievers until the day of resurrection ..." (Sura Al 'Imran 3:55).
ا ... وَجَاعِلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ... (سُورَة آل عِمْرَان ٣ : ٥٥)
"… and you will find that those who have the greatest sympathy with the believers are those who say, 'We are Christians'; because some of them are priests and monks, and they do not become proud" (Sura al-Ma'ida 5:82).
ا ... وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَوَدَّةً لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّيسِينَ وَرُهْبَاناً وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ. (سُورَة الْمَائِدَة ٥ : ٨٢)
"… and we sent, afterwards, 'Isa, Son of Mary, and we caused the Gospel to come to him. And we put into the hearts of those who followed him tenderness and mercy …" (Sura al-Hadid 57:27).
ا ... وَقَفَّيْنَا بِعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الإِنْجِيلَ وَجَعَلْنَا فِي قُلُوبِ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ رَأْفَةً وَرَحْمَةً ... (سُورَة الْحَدِيد ٥٧ : ٢٧)
He who meditates over these Qur'anic verses finds, as Muhammad had observed, that Christ granted his followers an admirable character:
Allah raised the Christians above others in rank, not because they were better in their nature, but because they confessed their sins before Allah, accepted the atonement of Christ and were changed into the image of the Son of Mary. The power of his love surpasses what is known by those who are far away from Christ.
The Son of Mary makes:
| The proud | – | humble |
| The stingy | – | generous |
| The lazy | – | hard working |
| The hopeless | – | full of hope |
| The impure | – | holy |
| The selfish | – | merciful |
The faithful followers of Christ are his outstanding miracle. He justifies them from their guilt and calls them to follow him so that his love can renew their hearts. This privilege is granted only to those who accept him (see Matthew 11:28-30).