Jesus, Prophet of Islam - The Islamic Bulletin

Jesus in Hadith and Muslim Traditions 265

the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant

him peace, carne, many of the followers of these follow­

ers embraced Islam. They had retained these traditions

about sayyedina 'Isa, peace be on him, and had passed

them down from generation to generation. l

These traditions were then passed down from generation to gen­
eration by the Muslims and many of them were finally gathered
together in Ath-Tha'labi's Stones oftheProphets and in Al-Ghazzali's
Revival of the Life-Transaction Sciences. It is significant tosee how
these traditions give a clear and unified picture of the ascetic
Prophet who prepared the way for the final Messenger:

Ka'b al-Akbar said, 'Jesus, son of Mary, was a ruddy

man, inclined to white; he did not have long hair, and

he never anointed his head. Jesus used to walk bare­

foot, and he took no house, or adornment, or goods, or

clothes, or provision, except his day's food. Wherever

the sun set, he arranged ms feet in prayer till the morn­

ing came. He was curing the blind from birth, and the

Ieper, and raising the dead by God's permission, and

was telling his people what they were eating in their

houses and what they were storing up for the morrow,

and he was walking on the surface of the water in the

sea. His head was dishevelled and his face was small;

he was an ascetic in the world, longing for the next world

and eager for the worship of God. He was a pilgrim in

the earth till the Jews sought him and desired to kill

him. Then God raised him up to heaven; and God knows

best.'

Malik, son of Dinar, said, 'Jesus, peace be upon him, and

the disciples with him passed by the carcass of a dog. A

disciple said, "What a stench this dog makes!" Then he,

(blessings and peace by upon him), said, "How white

are its teeth!"'

It is related on the authority of Ma'ruf al-Karkhi that

Jesus, peace be upon him, said,'Remembercotton when

it is put over your eyes.'