Jesus in
By Dr. Tahir Ijaz and Qamar Ijaz Ph.D.
"There are worse crimes than burning books. One
of them is not reading them."
(Joseph Brodsky )
"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to
stop reading them."
(Ray Bradbury)
"Books are masters who instruct us without rods or ferules, without words
or anger, without bread or money. If you approach them, they are not asleep; if
you seek them, they do not hide; if you blunder, they do not scold; if you are
ignorant, they do not laugh at you."
Richard De Bury
"Seek knowledge, even if it
means crawling on your hands and knees to China."
(Muhammad)
Publications
supporting post-crucifixion and/or Jesus-in-India theory
Other Publications
Publications opposing Jesus-in-India theory
Publications supporting post-crucifixion and/or Jesus-in-India theory
[We are extremely pleased to have received the following book reviews from two distinguished gentleman who frequent The Tomb of Jesus Christ Website: Dr Tahir Ijaz and Dr. Qamar Ijaz. As you know, we have always been careful not to associate this subject with any particular religious viewpoint or ideology, presenting Buddhist, Muslim, New Age and other views on the historical Jesus. Dr. Ijaz and Dr. Qamar Ijaz are members of the Ahmadiyya Community. But, despite their particular affiliation, their summaries are so good and un-biased that we decided to include them here as an important part of the website. We think that these reviews will be very helpful to you, the reader, and we hope that you enjoy them. More importantly, we hope that you take advantage of this information by securing as many of these books and publications as possible. Thank you.]
The following is a selected review of books published in the last 100 years on the historical reconstruction of the life of Jesus after the crucifixion. More specifically, those studies that have examined the evidence of Jesus’ death in India are reviewed.
Masih Hindustan Mein (Jesus in India),
by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad,
Qadian, India, 1899
The
first work that discussed the migration of Jesus to India in a comprehensive
and scholarly manner was the work Jesus
in India or Masih Hindustan Mein,
by Hazrat Ahmad of Qadian. The work was completed in April 1899, but could not
be published until shortly after his death in 1908. The monograph first
outlines evidence from the New Testament that Jesus may have become unconscious
when taken down from the cross, and had his health restored by his disciples.
Hazrat Ahmad gives a lengthy list of ancient medical textbooks which describe
the healing ointment “marham-i-Isa” applied on the wounds of Jesus, hence
indicating an old Eastern tradition of Jesus recovering from the torture of
crucifixion. Evidence is given from Islamic sources – the Quran and Hadith that
Jesus died a natural death. Subsequent chapters relate the journey of Jesus to
the East, drawing mainly from old Islamic books of history such as Rauzat-us-Safa. One of the more
remarkable features of Jesus in India
is the scholarly dissertation on whereabouts of the Lost Tribes of Israel, and
evidence that these tribes were scattered throughout Afghanistan, Kashmir, and
Western China. It is these same tribes Messiah had to preach to, writes, Hazrat
Ahmad, to fulfill his mission to the Lost Sheep of Israel, as the New Testament
relates.
Hazrat
Ahmad intended Jesus in India to be
the first part of a much larger project and intended to add more chapters.
Unfortunately, plans for a three men expedition to Afghanistan, Kashmir and
surrounding areas to gather more evidence for his book never materialized for
various reasons.
Nonetheless,
his followers were able to supply more information on the historic account of
Jesus’ migration and the tomb in Kashmir, which though not in Jesus in India, is extant in Ahmadiyya
writings. Hazrat Ahmad’s companion Maulvi Abdul Karim relates that Ahmad
received a letter describing a platform near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, which is
known as the platform of Prophet Yuz Asaf. The local tradition states the
Prophet arrived from Syria about two thousand years ago, and there is a jagir attached to this platform granted
by the Afghan government (Al Hakam
Vol. III No. 24 July 1899).
Another
disciple and the first successor of Hazrat Ahmad, Hazrat Nurruddin, a long time
resident of Kashmir, was able to collect over five hundred signatures from the
local population attesting that the tomb of Yuz Asaf was indeed, the tomb of
Hazrat Isa (Jesus). Yet another companion, Maulvi Abdullah, sent to investigate
the tomb, wrote a lengthy letter describing the tomb, and reviewed the local
tradition regarding the person entombed.
The
book Jesus in India has become the
classic work on the subject, and formed the groundwork and basic template for
future studies for both Ahmad’s disciples and Western scholars interested in
the subject.
If Jesus did not die upon the cross? A Study in Evidence,
by Judge E.B. Docker, London,
1920
The book is a critical examination of the Gospel testimony, written by a judge from Australia. Unfortunately, the book has never been reprinted, and is not widely available. Copies do exist in some of the larger academic libraries in the United Kingdom, such as Oxford University. After a review of the entire evidence, the author lends support to the view of the swoon theory and the eventual migration of Jesus from Palestine. The relevant portions are quoted below (can be found quoted in JD Shams’ book Where did Jesus Die?):
“I
must note here the old legend which I have before referred to. A modern version
of it was given in the periodical The
East and West, some years ago. Briefly, it is to the effect that Jesus did
not die on the cross, but recovered under treatment with a miraculous ointment
being applied to his wounds, which healed in the space of forty days; that he
journeyed to India to preach to the lost tribes of Israel, and eventually died
in Kashmir, where a tomb is pointed out to this day as his.
Though
I do not know of any evidence tending to establish the substantial truth of
this account, I desire to point out there is nothing unreasonable or improbable
about it. We are told from other sources that there are to the present day in
Afghanistan and Bactria tribes of unmistakable Hebrew type. It is surprising to
find the number of passages in the New Testament writings which if they do not
corroborate the story, at least consonant with it. Is it unreasonable to suppose
that Jesus, finding it unsafe to remain in Judea or Galilee longer than the
forty days during which he is said to have instructed his disciples in the
things concerning the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3) should feel called to carry the
message of the Kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (page 71)?”
He
goes on to conclude: “It may be that after preaching to the lost tribes of the
House of Israel, in those remote regions Jesus died in Srinagar, and was buried
at the tomb that now bears his name (page 77).”
Dug Jesus pa korset? (Did
Jesus Die on the Cross?),
by Hugo Toll, Sweden, 1928
Dr
Hugo Toll was a Swedish physician who made a detailed study of the question of
whether Jesus died on the cross, particularly from a medical point of
view. He reconstructs the event of the
Cross, and the punishment meted out to Jesus. It would be unusual, according to
Dr Toll for an otherwise young healthy man to die in such a short time. The
Roman punishment of crucifixion resulted in death to the victim usually after
days, due to exhaustion, hunger or attacks from birds of prey. It is more
likely that Jesus went into a state of unconsciousness. His feeling of thirst
and loud utterance of the dramatic words “it (the drink) is finished” just
before he “died” is more consistent with fainting. Furthermore, the “blood and
water” which gushed out according to
the Gospel of John when the Roman soldier pierced the body of Jesus proves the
heart was still beating, according to Dr Toll.
If
one accepts only the apparent death of Jesus, the events narrated in the
Gospels have a natural explanation. He was a wounded man, still in pain, so
much so that he would not allow Mary Magdalene to touch him.
Dr
Toll gives credence to the view that Jesus, leading a low profile existence
after the crucifixion, in all likelihood departed from the region. He states
that in the East there is a community known as the Ahmadiyya who believe Jesus
survived the crucifixion and migrated to Kashmir.
Qabr-i-Masih
by Mufti Muhammad Sadiq,
Qadian India, 1936
The
author was a companion of Hazrat Ahmad, and served as missionary and teacher.
He was proficient in Hebrew. His book, written in Urdu, is a detailed study of
the death of Jesus in Kashmir and history of the tomb in Srinagar. He traveled
to Kashmir in 1925 and completed his research in three years. One of the
outstanding features of the book is the evidence he has provided of old Hebrew
inscriptions and old Israelite graves. Some eighteen archeological sites are
described. In addition, to further bolster his claim that the people of Kashmir
are indeed Israelite descendents, he has given an extensive list of Kashmiri
words and their meanings, and the similarities to Hebrew expressions.
He
has described the tomb of Yuz Asaf in one of the chapters and has summarized
the Kashmiri traditions identifying the entombed person as Hazrat Isa (Jesus).
To
our knowledge, the book, unfortunately, has never been translated in English,
though the authors provided a transliteration in English of his extensive list
of Hebrew and Kashmir words a few years ago (unpublished).
Where did Jesus Die?
by J.D Shams, Qadian
India, 1945
The
author was a prominent missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, and the book
was completed during his term as Imam of the London Mosque in England.
The
first portion reviews the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion, and some of the
inconsistencies and contradictions in the New Testament account are discussed.
There is a short chapter on the Shroud of Turin, giving an account of a German
study of the Shroud, that reached the conclusion that Jesus did not die on the
cross based on the blood stain evidence. In chapters 8 and 9, the author
reviews the role of Paul in introducing many pagan elements in the original
teachings of Jesus, and thus, creating a schism amongst the early followers of
Jesus. Following the overview of the anthropologic and historical evidence of
the Israelites having domiciled in Afghanistan and Kashmir, the book describes
the tomb of Jesus, giving references from books of history such as Ikmal-ud-din. Towards the end of the
chapter on the tomb of Jesus, the author reviews the oral and written
traditions and includes quotations from the custodians of the tomb, linking the
name Yusu Asaf with Isa. Maulana J.D Shams goes on to quote
such works as Tarikh-I-Azami (a
history of Kashmir written about 200 hundred years ago) which states Yuzu Asaf was a Prophet of God who came to Kashmir
from a foreign land.
Maulana
Shams concludes that the tomb deserves more archeological investigation, as
inscriptions or other documents may be discovered.
A
lawyer by profession, K.N Ahmad completed his book after extensive travel in Kashmir.
His book is probably the most detailed on the subject, spanning over 400 pages.
The book has five parts. Part I reviews the sources of information, including
Hebrew, pagan and Christian sources and finally Islamic sources. Part II is on
the birth of Jesus, and discusses the genesis of the son-god theory, which
ultimately lead to the Trinity Dogma. Following the discussion of the death and
mission of Jesus in Parts III and IV, the author goes into detail on the
historical evidence of lost tribes of Israel having domiciled in Afghanistan
and Kashmir in Part V and provides quotations from ancient historical works of
Kashmir on the tomb of Jesus.
Two important works he has quoted are TarikhiKashmir (c 1400 A.D) by Mulla
Nadiri and Bhavishya maha Purana, an
old Hindu document from 115 A.D. He has included a photograph of the relevant
pages, important especially for TarikhiKashmir, since apparently only
one copy exists, and is in very poor condition. Mulla Nadiri relates the
arrival of Yuzu Asaf, a Messenger of God, from the Holy Land and further states
that Yuzu Asaf has traditionally been identified with Isa (Jesus). The Hindu purana mentioned above describes a
meeting of Isa-Masih, Messenger of
God with a local ruler in Northern India at the time. Indeed, Mulla Nadiri
refers to the purana and identifies Yuzu Asaf and Isa as possibly being the same personages.
Another
important contribution of Khwaja Nazir Ahmad is the detailed analysis of
Afghanistani and Kashmiri customs, habits and traditions and comparison to
Israelite peoples. Moreover, an impressive list is provided of communities in
these countries, which by name match those found in the Bible, with the
relevant Biblical reference.
The
author is guilty of some magical thinking, which does distract from the
otherwise scholarly work. He writes that Hazrat Solomon literally flew through
the air to Kashmir to visit a temple in his name. However, the current editors
have removed such references in the revised edition that was released recently.
Jesus in Rome
by Robert Graves and
Joshua Podro, London, 1957
The
book is actually a sequel to an earlier work entitled Nazarene Gospel Restored published a few years earlier by the same
authors. Robert Graves was a novelist and playwright, and Joshua Podro a rabbi.
In that earlier book, the authors opine that once one removes the fictitious
elements from the Gospels, which were introduced much later, the essential
conclusion that emerged is much different. His disciples saw Jesus after the
crucifixion alive, and thus he did not
die in the first instance.
In Jesus in Rome, the authors conclude that
Jesus must have renewed his missionary activity elsewhere after surviving the
crucifixion. The authors contend that Jesus collapsed into a coma on the cross,
and was revived by certain disciples. They quote Bishop Ignatius (died 110 A.D)
as stating that Jesus was still alive “in the flesh” some twenty years after
the crucifixion. This remarkable quotation from Ignatius is found in his
“Letter to the Smyrneans.” In Chapter
five of Jesus in Rome, entitled “The
Tomb of Jesus” they state that the tradition of the tomb of Jesus in Kashmir,
is “the only extant legend with any historical plausibility that brings the
post-crucifixion story of Jesus to a simple and natural end (page 68).” The
authors summarize the above-mentioned work (Jesus
in Heaven on Earth) and quote extensively from it.
Rauzabal and other Mysteries of Kashmir
by Mohammad Yasin, published
in Srinagar, Kashmir, 1972
The
author of the monograph is a lawyer and former research associate at the
Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. In the
preface he makes clear he is not presenting new facts or references from
ancient historical works, but only presenting them in a more “scientific and
logical manner” and staying away from religious controversy. He is not from the
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, though he fully acknowledges that Hazrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad wrote the original treatise on the subject and brought to the
world this truth. The book is written in point form, and is rather brief.
Christ in Kashmir
by Aziz Kashmiri, published in
Srinagar, Kashmir, 1973
The
author was an editor of an Urdu weekly magazine Roshni in Srinagar and has previously written Urdu books on the
subject entitled Hazrat Isa aur Isayat
and Masih Kashmir Mein. He is also
not from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. After reviewing the very name Kashmir, and pointing to its Israelite
origin, he discusses the evidence linking the people of Kashmir to the Lost Tribes
of Israel, based on physical features, customs, and traditions. He has also
given a list of Kashmiri words and compared them to the Hebrew terminology. In
the written traditions of Yuzu Asaf in Kashmir he has quoted the same documents
as previous scholars.
Did Jesus Redeem Mankind?
by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin
Mahmud Ahmad, published in Qadian, India, 1973
The
book is the English rendering of the Urdu commentary by Hazrat Mirza
Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad, on a chapter from the Quran, Surah Maryam. The book was published eight years after his death.
Basic Christian doctrines of Original Sin, divinity of Jesus, and Trinity are
discussed both in the light of the Bible and the Quran. The book is certainly
“hard core” theology, but yet is very readable, with abundant anecdotes of
debates he personally had. Towards the end of the book, the author outlines the
rationale for Messiah’s journey to Kashmir, after showing from the New
Testament itself that Jesus survived the crucifixion.
The Myth of the Cross
by AlHaj A.D Ajijola,
published in Lahore, Pakistan, 1975
The
book is written by a non-Ahmadi Muslim, dedicated to Nigerian Muslim youth
subjected to “vigorous propaganda by the Christian missionaries.” He
essentially concludes that Jesus was saved from death upon the cross and nursed
to recovery by his disciples. He went on to preach to the lost sheep of Israel,
scattered from Ethiopia to India (page 48) .The author is careful not to be too
explicit and chooses his words carefully, apparently fearing scrutiny from the
orthodox Muslim community.
Unfortunately,
he has plagiarized portions of Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad’s
book, Introduction to the study of the
Holy Quran. Chapters 3,4,5,7, and 8 are exact reproductions from
Hazrat Ahmad’s work, which deal mainly with the unreliability of the New
Testament testimony, and the scope of Jesus’ mission.
Jesus died in Kashmir
by Andreas Faber-Kaiser,
published in London, 1977
The book by Andreas Faber-Kaiser represents the most detailed treatment on the subject by a Western scholar. He mounted a personal information gathering expedition to Kashmir. He is a scholar of comparative religion and an accomplished journalist. The 1977 publication is an English translation of the original Spanish version published a year earlier. The book has been translated into other languages subsequently.
In
his book he describes a group of people living in Kashmir today who style
themselves “Bani Israel.” The travel of Jesus and his death and tomb in Kashmir
are discussed. Ample photographs are given. Faber-Kaiser goes on to write that
the local inhabitants call it the tomb of Hazrat Yuz Asaf, Nabi Sahib, Shahzada
Nabi, or Hazrat Isa Sahib. He also mentions a family he met who claim to be
descendents of Jesus, and one member of the family, possesses a genealogical
table that traces ancestry to Jesus.
Faber-Kaiser
states that his research gives credence to the Ahmadiyya view of the post
crucifixion life of Jesus, however, he stresses his work should not be
considered an Ahmadiyya tract and does not owe its origins to any sect or
denomination.
Faber-Kaiser
was one of the speakers at the 1978 London Conference, mentioned next.
Truth about the Crucifixion
published by the London
Mosque, London, 1978
The
book Truth about the Crucifixion is a
collection of transcripts from the “International Conference on the Deliverance
of Jesus from the Cross” held in London in 1978. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
organized the event. The international panel of speakers included (title of
speech in brackets): Muhammad Zafrullah Khan (Jesus Prophet or God); MM Ahmad
(Lost Tribes of Israel); A. Faber Kaiser (He did not die on the Cross); Fida
Hassnain (Tomb of Yuz Asaf); B.A Rafiq (Deliverance of Jesus from the Cross: Biblical
Evidence); A. Madsen (Deliverance of Jesus from the Cross: Quranic and Islamic
Evidence); R. Skolfield (Some observations on the life of Jesus); Sheikh Abdul
Qadir (Jesus Travels to India and Kashmir); Kurt Berna (The International
Foundation for the Holy Shroud); L. Filip (New Viewpoints on Jesus’s Activity
Beyond Palestine). Also included in the text is the speech of Hazrat Mirza
Nasir Ahmad, Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the time.
Truth about the Crucifixion perhaps represents the best
overall summary of important research done to date, all in one volume.
Deliverance from the Cross
by Muhammad Zafrulla Khan,
London 1978
The
publication of this book was meant to coincide with the above-mentioned
conference. The book provides the Ahmadiyya-Islamic perspective of the birth,
ministry and post-crucifixion life of Jesus. Chapter eight on the travel of
Jesus to Kashmir is one of the more interesting chapters. An important
reference is given regarding Oxford scholar O.M Burke, who wrote the book Among the Dervishes. In that
publication, which is quoted extensively by Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, an account
is given of a religious community near Herat, Afghanistan who are followers of
Jesus. The community believes that following the crucifixion, Jesus preached to
them. He is also known as Yuzu Asaf, the Kashmiri. They even possess a book of
his traditions. It appears that the community is composed of descendents of the
original followers of Yuzu Asaf, who have adhered to certain Christian
traditions, and at the same time embraced Islam.
Jesus Lived in India
by Holger Kersten, Germany,
1983
The
English version of the book was released in 1986, translated from the German. The
author is a teacher and traveler and interested in Oriental studies. He visited
India to retrace the steps of Jesus’ actual life, having heard of the theory of
Jesus in India in early 1970s. He received help from Professor Fida Hassnain in
gathering and summarizing the ancient Indian literature of Jesus’ life in
India. The anthropologic evidence of the Lost Tribes of Israel having domiciled
in Kashmir and Afghanistan is also reviewed.
He
does rely on documents of dubious authenticity such as Notovitch’s The Unknown Life of Jesus, to show that
Jesus also visited India in his youth, as have many other scholars mentioned in
our current review.
The
journey of Jesus to India is discussed in detail in Chapter 6. No new evidence
is provided apart from one reference to certain traditions of Kurdish tribes in
Turkey. One ethnologist from Luxembourg, who spent several years with these
tribes in Turkey, mentioned there are oral traditions of Jesus residing in
Eastern Turkey after the resurrection. Kersten provides no further details.
Interestingly, there are traditions in Persian books of history, such as Rauzat-us –Safa of Jesus’ sojourn in
Turkey mentioned by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in Jesus in India. Also, in the early 1900s, some first century Syriac
documents entitled “The Odes of Solomon” were discovered. These belonged to
followers of Jesus in what is now modern day Turkey. It is clear from these
documents that Jesus survived the ordeal of the crucifixion, and due to intense
persecution, migrated.
Holger
Kersten has produced more books, focusing on the Jesus’ connection with
Buddhism and Eastern Mysticism, and has had particular appeal amongst the New
Age movement.
Lost Cities of China, Central Asia and India
by David Childress, Illinois,
USA 1985
The
author of the book describes his journey to Kashmir and Western Tibet in
Chapter 15, starting his Chapter with a quote from the Quran: “And they killed
him not, nor did they cause his death on the cross (4:157).” After reviewing
the events of the Crucifixion as related in the New Testament, he concludes
that there is a possibility that Jesus survived the crucifixion.
Next,
he takes the reader on his personal journey to the tomb of Jesus. He quotes
Kashmiri traditions, which relate that Jesus, also known has Yuz Asaf, lived in
the valley two thousand years ago. After the visit to the tomb, and describing
its interior, he writes in conclusion, “I reflected on this extra-ordinary
experience. I did not know if that really was the tomb of Jesus, and probably
never would, unless some new evidence came to light….I was grateful to have
stalked one of the world’s great teachers and travelers of the world. In fact
Jesus is know in the Koran and to Islamic scholars as the ‘Great Traveler’ and
‘Chief of Travelers!’”
The Fifth Gospel
by Fida Hassnain and Dahan
Levi, Srinagar, Kashmir, 1988
Without
doubt, Professor Fida Hassnain is currently the leading authority on the
historical study of Jesus in India. He was the Director of the Kashmir State
Archives and Director of Archaeological Research and Museums, Kashmir. He
retired in 1983.
He
has extensively studied the tomb of Yuz Asaf- as much as the current custodians
would allow. A transcription of his speech for the London Conference in 1978,
mentioned above, was included in the book Truth
about the Crucifixion and entitled “Tomb of Yuz-Asaph.”
The
Professor dedicated The Fifth Gospel
to Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Nicolas Notovitch and Pandit Sutta (author of Bhavishya maha purana) for “opening new
vistas of research into the hidden life of Jesus Christ.” The aim of the book
according to the authors was to inform the West that the East has significant
source material on the life of Jesus in India.
Following
a review of the evidence that Jesus survived the crucifixion, Professor
Hassnain discusses the ancient literature of Kashmir, which according to him,
confirm that Jesus found Israelites there.
Another book by Professor Hassnain entitled A Search for the Historical Jesus (see
below) describes in greater detail and clarity his investigation of the tomb of
Yuz Asaf and review of the historical documentation (see below).
Jesus in India
by James Deardorff, San
Francisco, 1994
This
book is divided into four parts: Jesus and reincarnation; Jesus’ lost years in
India; Jesus’ survival of the crucifixion; Jesus’ travel after crucifixion. Deardorff
attempts to put Jesus back into a solid eastern context – a man who learned
wisdom from the East and returned back to the East.
He
believes that Jesus taught reincarnation, a philosophy he learned in India as a
youth. For example, in support of his theory, he quotes the saying of Jesus
that John the Baptist is the Elijah of the past, as proof.
Deardorff
reviews the hypothesis of the resuscitation and refers to Docker, Graves,
Khwaja Nazir Ahmad and of course, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad. He states history
records Jesus post crucifixion life in Hindu legends (Bhavishya Maha Purana), Buddhist legends and Greco-Roman stories (Life of Apollonius of Tyana). News of
Jesus’ mission and longevity would have reached back west, and quotes patristic
literature, specifically Bishop Ireneus of the second century A.D, as
confirming Jesus lived to a great age and continued preaching amongst his
people.
In
summary, the author concludes that the historic evidence points to Jesus’ death
in India.
A Search for the Historical Jesus
by Fida Hassnain, London, 1995
In
a follow-up to his previous work The
Fifth Gospel, Professor Hassnain published A Search for the Historical Jesus giving considerable more detail.
The book has 21 chapters, covering history of the Bani Israel in Northern India, birth of Jesus, travel to India as a
youth, crucifixion, Turin Shroud, resurrection, and tracing his journey back to
India. The final few chapters deal with the tomb itself locally known as the Rozabal, and review of the Kashmiri history
of the person entombed.
He
writes that as Director of Archaeology of Jammu and Kashmir State, he was able
to study the tomb in greater detail and even make repairs. In 1975, when
Professor Hassnain was exploring the wooden sarcophagus located within the
shrine, he came across a wooden cross and a slab of stone with foot impressions
depicting wounds. “Both Yuzu Asaf and Jesus had one thing in common,” writes
the Professor, “wound marks on their feet.” Interestingly, further research by
German scholars confirmed that the wound position represented in the carving
matched those found on the Shroud of Turin. Thus these discoveries by Professor
Hassnain connected Yuz Asaf with Jesus and, in turn the man on the Shroud.
Professor
Hassnain reviews the ancient Kashmir records and concludes that the historical
information supports the view that Jesus migrated to, and settled in Kashmir.
He writes: “it appears to me that the time has now come to ask the people of
the West to join hands in the rediscovery of the historical Jesus.”
One
interesting quotation Professor Hassnain brings to light is from an ancient
work entitled Kamal-ud-Din, from
approximately 960 A.D. It helps one to understand why, if Jesus lived in India
and his followers prospered, there is no longer a trace of his mission, apart
from the tomb. It appears there was a community in Kashmir at one time called Nasara, followers of Jesus, though now
wiped out. According to Kamal-ud-Din,
the Nasara priests realized that
their brethren in Central Asia had accepted the Holy Prophet of Islam. Shortly
thereafter, sometime after 570 A.D, they also converted to Islam. The Nasara Christians lost their separate
identity sometime before the 10th century A.D.
The
above quotation in Kamal-ud-Din,
combined with the discovery of a Hebrew Gospel in India amongst Israelites by
the Christian scholar Panteanus in the 2nd century A.D, and evidence
of persecuted Nasara communities in
Persia from old inscriptions proves that the sun of Christianity did rise in
these regions. Due to persecution and
conversion, the Nasara were
assimilated by other religions and became forgotten as an independent entity.
This can be compared to the virtual disappearance of non-Christian religions in
Europe when Pauline Christianity spread rapidly there.
Christianity a Journey from Facts to Fiction
by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad,
Tilford, Surrey, UK, 1996
This
book is an excellent summary of Ahmadiyya Muslim beliefs. He explores the
theological issues of Divinity, Trinity and Atonement and its relation to
reason and offers possible explanations as to the origins of such doctrines.
The
Ascension of Jesus to Heaven, according the Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, is a
later interpolation in the Gospel texts. In the first place, the Gospels of Matthew
and John do not mention it. Certain versions of Mark and Luke mentioned the
Ascension; however since the discovery of Codex Sinaiticus (the oldest known
version of the Bible) it is clear these are later additions by scribes. Codex
Sinaiticus makes no mention of the Ascension in any of the Gospels.
The
author writes that Ahmadi Muslims are often criticized for holding the belief
that Jesus left Palestine and went all the way to India, finding it
“far-fetched.” However he replies, “Ahmadis are left wondering as to which
distance is longer, the one from Palestine to Kashmir or the one from the earth
to the farthest reaches of heaven. Again Ahmadis wonder happened to the promise
of Jesus Christ that he would go in search of the lost sheep of the house of
Israel. If he departed straight from Palestine to sit on the right hand of his
father, did he forget about his commitment or was his promise impossible for
him to keep? It is either this, or as we suggested earlier, should it be
expected that the Lost Sheep of Israel had earlier ascended to heaven where
Jesus went in their pursuit?”(Page 97-8).
From Palestine to Kashmir
by P. Choudhury, New Delhi,
India, 1996
The
author of From Palestine to Kashmir
dedicates his book to “Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Brotherhood.” The first few
chapters discuss his view that India is the land of the Bible starting with the
garden in Genesis, and ending with
Jesus preaching in India, where he died. According to the author, this is one
of the reasons that Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity have so much
in common – a common spiritual heritage of India.
Unfortunately,
rather than working on the thesis himself, and undertaking meaningful research
on the subject, he has reproduced word for word entire pages from Imam
Shams work mentioned above, entitled Where
did Jesus Die? He does not even mention Shams’ book in the references given
at the end of the book, and in no way gives any indication that he has lifted
words from another source!
He
concludes that Jesus died in Kashmir, which he states is the Land of the Bible.
In Search of the Loving God
by Mark Mason, Oregon, USA
1997
Mark
Mason is a Christian whose purpose of writing this book is for “resolving past
traumas of Christianity and bringing to light its healing spirit.” It is meant
to be a self-reflection on how Christianity can improve and be more relevant
and appealing to people. He exposes the medieval church as being power-hungry
and guilty of atrocities.
In
Chapter 4 entitled “The Mystery-Shrouded Life of Jesus” he reviews the evidence
that Jesus may have spent the so-called “lost years”, his formative years, in
India. Furthermore, quoting mainly from Holger Kersten, he pieces together the
post-crucifixion life of Jesus, including a description of the tomb in Srinagar,
Kashmir. He includes a reference of an early Church Father, Ireneus of the
second century, who wrote that Jesus lived to be an old man and remained “in
Asia” with his disciple John, up until the time of Emperor Trajan – whose rule
began in 98 A.D.
His
final appraisal of the historical data is interesting. What if Jesus did die a
natural death in Kashmir? He states: “My own belief is that this should not
adversely affect Christian faith. Whether Jesus actually physically died on the
cross is a minor point. The important thing is that he suffered for the sins of
all, and indeed, if he didn’t physically die he would have suffered much more
(have died a worse ‘death’) due to the pain of recovering, than he would have
if he had just quickly died and been miraculously raised to life.” He finally
concludes: “Jesus may have visited India
and may have even returned there after the crucifixion.”
The Christian Conspiracy
by Joseph Macchio, USA, 1999
The
book by J. Macchio is an “e-book” or electronic book, and not available on
paper. It is accessed through the site newhopeent.com. Like the previous work
by Mason mentioned above, this particular book, by a Christian, is a Christian
introspection of sorts.
The
purpose of writing this book is to outline and chronicle the replacement of
what he calls the “original Christianity” by man-made creeds and dogmas. He
asserts there was far more diversity of Christian beliefs, including different
views as to the nature of Jesus, the resurrection, and his whereabouts after
the incident of the Cross. However such views were suppressed and almost
crushed by a certain faction of Christianity that ultimately became the
orthodox movement. Destruction of gospels and other works by an arbitrary and
edited canon of four ensued and continued unabated for centuries.
Beneath
the dogma and theology, the author maintains the original Jesus of history
exists and can be traced. Certain clues can be ascertained from apocryphal and
patristic literature. For instance, the author writes that the dogma of the
Ascension of Jesus forty days after the resurrection became official Church
doctrine, though the reality is that there are a number of traditions
indicating that Jesus was on earth at a time when he was supposed to be in
heaven. For instance the gospel entitled Pistis
Sophia from the 3rd century A.D mentions that Jesus spent eleven
years with his disciples preaching after the crucifixion. Moreover
the Church Fathers Ireneus and Ignatius both believed Jesus was still on earth decades
after the crucifixion.
J.
Macchio traces the path of Jesus to India, relying and quoting from Kersten’s
book Jesus Lived in India. About the
Kashmir tomb Macchio writes: “the very fact that Jesus’ tomb is visited by Moslems,
Hindus and Buddhists as well as Christians, shows us that Jesus is revered in
the East as a universal prophet and teacher whose doctrines are considered
applicable within the context of several religions.”
Like many of other authors, Macchio is of the
opinion that Jesus also traveled to India as a youth, and learned eastern
mysticism, Hindu philosophy and other spiritual concepts. As mentioned before,
the identification of Jesus as an eastern man, who brought Hindu and Buddhist
concepts into Palestine and later returned to that mystical place called India,
is gaining popularity among Western writers, especially among the New Age
circles.
King of Travelers: Jesus' Lost Years in
India
by Edward T. Martin,
Lampaas, USA 1999
This book is yet to be reviewed
The
Tomb of Jesus
by Sufi Motiur Rehman
Bengali, 1946
A small booklet
summarizing Ahmadiyya Muslim Beliefs and an overview of the history of the tomb
at Srinagar.
Jesus
Son of Mary
by Qazi Muhammad Barkatullah,
Philadelphia, USA, 1972
Crumbling
of the Cross,
by Mumtaz Ahmad Faruqi, Lahore 1973.
This book is essentially an abridged form of Jesus in Heaven on Earth, with no new significant information.
Jesus
did not Perish on the Cross (Jesus Nicht am Kreuz gestorben)
by Kurt Berna. Zurich, Switzerland, 1975.
This
is an English translation of the original German book published in 1962. The
author reaches the conclusion that Jesus did not die on the cross based on the
blood stain evidence on the Shroud.
Jesus
among the Lost Sheep
by Aziz A Chaudhry, London,
UK, 1992
A
book summarizing Ahmadiyya Muslim beliefs on the account of Jesus’ journey to
Kashmir.
The
paper would not be complete without mentioning the scholarly contributions of
the late Sheikh Abdul Qadir, a Pakistani who published a series of articles
throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. His articles appeared in such magazines as The Review
of Religions, The Muslim Herald, Al-Furqan
and Al-Fazl.
The
titles of some of his articles were, “Last Verse of Mark’s Gospel”, “Discovery
of a New Coptic Gospel”, “Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the East”, “Bhavishya Maha
Purana”, “Messiah in the East”, “History of the Tomb of Yuz Asaf”, “The Odes of
Solomon.” Much of his research was summarized in his speech delivered at the
London Conference in 1978.
The
article “Mary, Mother of Jesus, in the East” will be described in more detail
since it is a topic that is not addressed as often. It appeared in the January
1964 edition of The Review of Religions.
The Quran states that both Jesus and his mother Mary were made a sign,
and given refuge on an elevated land. Like the situation with Jesus, the
whereabouts of Mary after the event of the crucifixion has been a mystery. Some
traditions relate she was taken unto Heaven, since no tomb of Mary has ever
been described in the Palestine or neighboring regions. Another early Christian
tradition (from St Epiphinius, 315-403 A.D) relates that Mary was entrusted
under the care of the disciple John, and traveled with him to Asia (Parthia).
The apocryphal Acts of Philip also
relates John’s departure eastward to Parthia. It appears that due to intense
persecution by the Jews in the Roman Empire, Jesus’ disciples migrated eastward
to Parthia, where presumably they caught up with Jesus himself. The apocryphal
work Pistis Sophia also mentions Mary
was with Jesus on earth some eleven years after the crucifixion.
Sheikh
Abdul Qadir continues to reconstruct Mary’s travels with references to such
works as Rauzat-us-Safa, which states
Mary accompanied Jesus during his travels. Another work is Bihar-ul-Anwar, (appears to be based on Christian traditions) which
mentions Mary with Jesus and other disciples in what is now modern day Iraq. Of
note, the first Epistle of Peter in the New Testament also refers to followers
of Jesus in Babylon (Iraq).
Finally,
Sheikh Abdul Qadir discusses the tomb of Mary that does exist in Murree,
Pakistan, though another tomb has been identified in Kashgar as belonging to
Mary. Further archaeological research can disclose the truth.
Publications opposing Jesus-in-India theory
The Essene Odyssey, by Hugh Schonfield 1984
A
portion of the book is devoted to understanding the origin of the name “Yuzu
Asaf” from Buddhist and Kashmiri sources. He concludes that the Jewish tomb in
Srinagar is likely that of a great Essene teacher, the name being similar to
“Joseph.” The figure of Yuzu Asaf came to be associated with Jesus and even the
Buddha, due to religious influences over time.
Strange Tales about Jesus: A Survey of
Unfamiliar Gospels, by Per
Beskow, Philadelphia, USA 1985
“The
Ahmadiyya legend is generally supported by references to diverse Oriental sources,
which are said to confirm the theory, but which in fact do not carry any weight
at all (Page 63).”
Jesus’ Tomb in India by Paul Pappas, Berkeley, California, USA
1991
“Although the Ahmadis claim to have the tomb of
Jesus in Srinagar, India, no historical evidence has been offered to confirm
its authenticity except for questionable works based on oral legends. In
addition, the Ahmadis have failed to produce any archaeological or
anthropological evidence that the grave of Yuz Asaf might be that of Jesus.
Therefore, the Ahmadi thesis is based only on the revelation of Hazrat Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement (Page 154).”
Jesus starb nicht in Kashmir,
(Jesus did not die in Kashmir), by S. Landmann, Germany 1996.
English translation not available.