Like most Muslims, I believe Jesus was taken up to heaven and will return before the Day of Judgment to bring peace and justice to the world. I often wonder if I am lucky enough to ever meet him, and have the honor and opportunity to talk to him (which frankly speaking I don’t qualify for but it is OK to dream, I guess), I would like to ask him some questions. Of course I would first like to kiss his feet to show my utmost respect for him. Once I have recovered from my amazement and my unbelievable good fortunes, and have found courage to speak, I would want to ask him the following questions, in no particular order:
- Does he consider himself a Palestinian or an American? Does he care either way? Would he prefer to live back in Nazareth or would he want to immigrate to America? And if he is indeed a Palestinian, why did we see his pictures with blonde hair and blue eyes?
- Who does he think more closely follows his teachings- the evangelicals, the liberals, the Republicans, the Democrats? While I am it, I may even ask as to who follows his teachings the way he intended to- the Christians, the Jews, the Muslims, the Hindus, the ‘Nones’ or none of the above? Does he think the evangelicals are following his teachings- especially when it comes to their politics and their views and treatment of the immigrants? Does he think they have hijacked his teachings? Or does he think the liberals have it all wrong? Did he not mean that ‘love thy neighbor’ includes EVERY neighbor or did he put an asterisk on it (so the people who claim to follow him may love their neighbors except if they are Muslims, immigrants, Jews, Blacks and so on).
- I am a Muslim and believe in One God without partners. Can I be your follower? After all, as a Muslim I believe you are one of God’s Prophets- in fact one of the 5 most exalted prophets. Can I not love you, and Prophet Muhammad at the same time?
- I realize when he returns, it will be a short time before the end times but would still want to know as to what would he recommend the best discourse is to bring all these factions under one umbrella? And what will that umbrella look like? Will we all “convert” to one faith-whatever that is/will be called?
- I hope I am not offending my Christian cousins but in the end I would still like to ask him the burning question most Muslims would want to ask: Did he preach that he was God himself, or the Son of God, or did he preach the unity of God?
Of course these are the questions I would want to be asking through my “Muslim” lens. I wonder what will your questions be (other than first asking me why I am being so delusional).
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