Mary, Jesus, Abraham, Real Mathematics and a head-ache

There are occasions in life that we simply could not erase from our memory and one of that occasions was the time when I have discussions with my close buddy scientist in our "search for truth" back in my early working days.

Note: Non-Muslim readers are much-welcomed to read but may find the content is a tad too "Islamic". For your easy reading the words/paragraphs in italics are from Yusof Abdullah Ali's interpretation of Al-Quranic verses.

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee- chosen thee above the women of all nations. 3.42

“O Mary! worship Thy Lord devoutly: Prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down.” 3.43.

This is part of the tidings of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O Messenger!) by inspiration: Thou wast not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary: Nor wast thou with them when they disputed (the point). 3.44

Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah; 3. 45

“He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.” 3. 46.

She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and it is! 3.47

“‘And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law(Torah) and the Gospel, 3.48

“‘And (appoint him) a messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message): “‘I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah’s leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe; 3.49

“‘(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me. 3.50

“‘It is Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight.’” 3.51

When Jesus found Unbelief on their part He said: “Who will be My helpers to (the work of) Allah?” Said the disciples: “We are Allah’s helpers: We believe in Allah, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims. 3.52

“Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed, and we follow the Messenger; then write us down among those who bear witness.” 3. 53

And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah. 3.54

Behold! Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute. 3.55

“As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.” 3.56

“As to those who believe and work righteousness, Allah will pay them (in full) their reward; but Allah loveth not those who do wrong.” 3.57

“This is what we rehearse unto thee of the Signs and the Message of Wisdom.” 3.58

The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”. And he was. 3.59

The Truth (comes) from Allah alone; so be not of those who doubt. 3.60

Ye People of the Book! Why dispute ye about Abraham, when the Law (Torah) and the Gospel Were not revealed Till after him? Have ye no understanding? 3. 65

Ah! Ye are those who fell to disputing (Even) in matters of which ye had some knowledge! but why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge? It is Allah Who knows, and ye who know not! 3. 66

Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was true in Faith, and bowed his will to Allah’s (Which is Islam), and he joined not gods with Allah. 3.67

History-Of-Pi-In-Mathematics

In Real Mathematics, there is such thing as “complete set” and it goes on to say that a null set i.e. a set that contain nothing is a complete set. For those who are keen on history of mathematics, they may remember that the early mathematicians have problem with the concept of “nothingness” hence the allure attached to null set. I was told that the Arabs are the one who came and add the number “zero”.

So again talking about real mathematics
Thus a total set of two objects A and B is exactly four sets.
1. A set containing both A and B i.e.{A, B}
2. A set containing only A, no B i.e.{A, 0}
3. A set containing only B, no A i.e.{0, B}
4. A set containing nothing, neither A nor B i.e.{0, 0}.

Back in early 1980, there was a devout Christian worker who preached the Chinese ladies in my department. I used to have a lot of religious discussion on the subject of Jesus with him. I remembered using the concept of real mathematics similar to the above: replacing A as father and B as mother to explain a complete set of mankind to him:-

1. A set containing both father and mother i.e. {F, M} -> most human
2. A set containing only father, no mother i.e. {F, 0} ->Eve
3. A set containing only mother, no father i.e. {0, M} ->Jesus
4. A set containing neither father nor mother i.e. {0, 0} ->Adam.

Using the concept of real mathematics thus results in:
A complete set of human being that has the elements of father and mother is exactly four sets.

The above also hold that the creation of Jesus from a mother, without a father is similar to the creation of Eve from Adam without a mother.

Going along the same argument, the creation of Adam from neither father nor mother is more miraculous than that of Jesus and Eve.

Unfortunately, although the scientist in him made him believed that mathematics, since time immemorial, has been used by human being to solve all their daily problem, he insisted that the same rationale has no bearing on theology. My argument “that religions should also be logical to human mind” holds no water to him.

The other argument that used to give my preaching friend a “head-ache” was a question on what happened to those Prophets (such Abraham, Noah, Job and Moses for examples) who did not know Jesus as such does not pray through/to Jesus. He normally answered that those Prophets should know as it was in “Genesis” and I did not normally able to ask him on book of Genesis to add more head-ache to that friend of mine or perhaps to give a head-ache to myself as well.



Have a sound “real mathematical” week and please take good care of yourself.