Jesus In India — Page 104
94 JESUS IN INDIA him had departed from this world. It should be noted that this learned authority calls Jesus, the Messiah, not merely 'a traveller' but 'the chief of travellers. Likewise, on page 431 of Lisānul-Arab it is stated: لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ سَائِحًا فِي الْأَرْضِ لَا يَسْتَقِرُ قِيْلَ سُمِّيَ عِيْسَى بِمَسِيحٍ Meaning that, Jesus was named ‘Messiah, because he continually travelled about, and did not stay at one place. The same is recorded in Tājul-Arūs Sharah Qāmus. Therein it is also stated that a 'messiah' is one who is annointed with good- ness and blessings, that is to say his very nature is endowed good- ness and blessings, so much so that even his touch causes goodness and blessings to come into being. And that this name was given to Jesus, and Allah, the Exalted, gives it to whomsoever He pleases. And opposed to him is that other 'messiah' who has been touched with evil and accursedness, that is to say his nature is innately evil and accursed so much so that his mere touch results in evil, accursedness, and waywardness. This name, Messiah, was there- fore given to Masih-e-Dajjal [the Antichrist] and to all those who are like him. And the two names, Messiah the Traveller and Messiah the Blessed, are not antagonistic to each other. The first mean- ing does not invalidate the second. For, it is also the practice of God Almighty to bestow a name upon someone and mean many things by it, all of which hold true concerning that person. In short, Jesus, may peace be on him, being a traveller is so well estab- lished by Islamic history that if all the references were copied from