Da'if (Weak) Hadith and Passing Rulings Based on Them

Many of the early scholars held the firm opinion that to act upon, or derive rulings from a hadith which has been declared to be weak by the scholars of hadith is unacceptable. Their reasoning being that Islam has no need of anything weak, and the authentic material of Islam will suffice for all time, the da’if hadith amounting only to a conjecture which has the possibility of being correct.

I quote from the introduction of The Prophet’s Prayer Described of Shaykh al-Albani, ” … this is because I hold that the authentic ahadith are sufficient, leaving no need for anything weak, for the latter does not amount to anything except dhann (conjecture, suspicion), and incorrect conjecture at that; as the Exalted says, ‘ … and conjecture is of no use against the truth.’ “

And now the following quotes will show the position of the early scholars of hadith on this issue. Imam ash-Shafi’i [1] said in his Risalah (394-403, #1090-1105):-

[#1090] Surely, the greatest of liars is he who ascribes to me that which I did not say, and who claims to have dreamt what he did not dream, and who claims that he is the son of someone other than his own father.

[#1091] Whoever ascribes to me that which I did not say, will surely have to occupy his seat in the Fire.

[#1092] Surely, whoever tells untruths about me, will have a house built for him in the Fire.

[#1093] Whoever tells untruths about me is surely seeking for himself a resting place in the Fire. The Messenger of Allah began to say that while he was wiping the ground with his hand.

[#1094] From Abu Hurayrah, “You may report about the Children of Israel and there is no blame (haraj). Report about (or from) me, but do not tell untruths about me.”

[#1095] This is the most emphatic hadith ever transmitted from the Messenger of Allah on this matter. We have relied on it as well as on others (ahadith or evidences) in not accepting any report (hadithan) except from a trustworthy transmitter, and that we know the truthfulness of those who transmitted the hadith since it was begun till its end is reached;

[#1096] If someone would say, ‘What evidence is there in this hadith for what you have stated?’

[#1097] It would be said: Knowledge surely has made it certain that the Prophet would never, in any circumstances, order anyone to lie about the Children of Israel, nor about anyone else. So when he has permitted reporting about (al-haditha’an) the Children of Israel, it was not accepting untruthfulness about the Children of Israel that he has permitted, but he only has permitted accepting that from whom reported it, whose truthfulness or untruthfulness is not known.

Imam Muslim states in the introduction to his Sahih, under the chapter heading, “The weak ahadith are to be discarded and only authentic ahadith are to be narrated”:-

“To proceed, may Allah have mercy upon you. If it were not from the evil practice that we have seen from many who take upon themselves the position of Muhaddith, in their leaving the obligation to discard the weak ahadith and munkar narrations and to suffice with only the authentic ahadith – well known and transmitted from reliable narrators, well known for their truthfulness and trustworthiness. After knowing and admitting with their tongues that much of what they fling at the ignorant is to be rejected and is transmitted by unsatisfactory narrators whose narrations are censured by the scholars of hadith like Malik, Yahya bin Sa’id al-Qattan and others … And know, may Allah have mercy upon you, that what is obligatory upon everyone who is able to distinguish between authentic and weak narrations and between the suspect and reliable narrators, is that he should narrate therefrom except that known to be authentic and have trustworthy narrators … “

Imam ibn Rajab al-Hanbali [2] said, ” … and it is clear from what Muslim mentions in the introduction to his book, that it is necessary that the ahadith to do with targhib wat-tarhib (encouragement and discouragement) are not narrated except from those that ahkam (rules and regulations) are narrated [meaning the authentic ahadith].”

Al-Allamah Jamal ud-Din al-Qasimi narrates from a group of the Imams of hadith that they did not accept acting by a weak hadith at all, like ibn Ma’in, al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi al-Maliki, ibn Hazm and others. [3]

Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi [4] said, while commenting on the hadith, “The halal is clear and the haram is clear … “, ” … What I have as the reason regarding that, and Allah knows best, is that which we have transmitted from Ahmad ibn Hanbal that he permits weak ahadith regarding al-wara’ (abstaining from doubtful matters). May Allah be pleased with al-Bukhari who did not see for the heart to hold to, nor for the religion to be connected through nothing except the authentic ahadith, and that is our position. If we were to incline to the position of Ahmad; then holding to da’if ahadith cannot be accepted except in lessons / admonishment which soften the heart, but as for the basis (usul) there is no way to accept that.” [5]

Ibn Hazm [6] said in Al-Milal, ” … and it is not permissible with us that we say as these ahadith say (i.e. those weak and fabricated narrations), or to trust in them, or to take anything from them.”

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “… and it is not permissible to rely in the Shari’ah upon da’if ahadith which are not sahih or hasan. But Ahmad bin Hanbal and other scholars considered it permissible to report with regards to fada’il al-a’mal (rewards and excellences of actions) that which they did not know to be affirmed, when it is known that it is not a lie. And that is because when the action is known to be legislated with a Shari’ah evidence, it is possible that the reward be a fact. And not one of the Imams said that he considered it to be permissible to make something obligatory or recommended based upon a da’if hadith.” [7]

Then Ibn Taymiyyah said, ” … and Ahmad bin Hanbal or others like him from the Imams did not rely upon this type of ahadith in the Shari’ah. And the one who relates from Ahmad that he used to rely upon the weak ahadith, which are not sahih or hasan, has erred.”

So the narrations from him that he would act upon a da’if hadith when there was nothing else present in the texts on that subject, or nothing that contradicted that da’if hadith, does not mean that Imam Ahmad used them as proof in the Shari’ah. Allah knows best.

Al-Allamah Ahmad Shakir said, ” … and as for what Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Abdur-Rahman ibn Mahdi, and Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said, ‘When it is narrated to us pertaining to halal and haram we are strict. And when it is narrated to us pertaining to fada’il al-a’mal (the rewards and excellence of actions) then we are lenient,” they mean, according to what I find to be most convincing – and Allah knows best – that the leniency was in their taking the hasan hadith, that which does not reach the level of sahih. Because the convention of distinguishing between the sahih and hasan was not present at their time … rather many of the early scholars did not describe a hadith except by it being sahih or da’if only.” [8]

So what is clear is that the term hasan was not present at that time, and a great deal of what these scholars used to narrate in terms of fada’il al-amal was of the level of what the later scholars called hasan. So the opinion from the above mentioned scholars is to leave acting by the weak hadith in totality, except where there is a consensus of the Islamic scholars on the issue at hand. And Allah knows best. And as for the claims of some that Imam Ahmad amongst others of the early scholars allowed weak ahadith to be used in Shari’ah rulings then that has no firm basis as mentioned above. [9]

And especially in this day and age, when so many innovations and misunderstandings about Religion are present, many of them having their roots in these da’if ahadith, it becomes even more essential to narrate only authentic ahadith as part of the process of purifying the understanding of the Religion. The preceding was with regards to acting upon the da’if hadith, as regards to using the da’if hadith in certain Islamic sciences like in the hadith science in which the weak ahadith are used to support or strengthen other ahadith, then this has been done and is being done by all of the scholars of hadith. For those that follow the opinion that acting upon a da’if ahadith is permissible, it would be good to mention the three conditions for acting upon a da’if ahadith as laid out by Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani:-

1. Upon that which they all agree, that it should not be very weak so that it excludes that only narrated by a liar, one accused of lying and one who makes serious mistakes;


2. That it falls under a general proof already present – which excludes that which is invented having no basis; and


3. That acting upon it the person does not think that it is something established – in order that he does not attribute to the Prophet what he did not say. [10]

We can see from these condition the following; The first principle lays out the obligation to make known the weak ahadith from the authentic, even in fada’il al-a’mal. Something which many people who follow this opinion do not do, not only that but many of the scholars who follow this opinion today are not even capable of discerning whether the hadith they are quoting contains the types of weaknesses indicated above! The second principle establishes that in reality the person is not acting by the weak hadith but rather by the general proof already present. [11]

 

Does Allah Enable Man to Disobey Him

From a letter to an Umawi Caliph by al-Hasan of Basra (d. 110H) from Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan to al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan al-Basri

Peace be to you, and I extol you to Allah, beside whom there is nothing worthy of worship. As for what follows, there has come to the Commander of the Believers about you that concerning the description of al-qadr (Divine Decree) the likes of which have never come to him from any of the past.

The Commander of the Believers cannot remember any of the Companions of the Prophet whom he knew saying what it had come to him that you have said. He has always known good things of you in your ways, your excellence in religion and knowledge of religious insight (fiqh) and your search and your eagerness for that.

And then the Commander of Believers found repugnant this doctrine ascribed to you; therefore write to him about your doctrine and the position you take – whether it is a tradition from the Companions of Allah’s Messenger, on whom be peace and Allah’s blessing, or only an opinion of yours, or something you know how to prove from the Qur’an. For truly, we have heard no one discuss this matter before you. Present your opinion to the Commander of Believers and clarify it.

Peace be to you, and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings.

In reply from al-Hasan al-Basri to Allah’s servant Abdul-Malik

Peace be on you, O Commander of the Believers, and the mercy of Allah. I extol you to Allah, beside whom there is nothing worthy of worship. As for what follows, may Allah bless the Commander of the Believers, may He place him among His friends who do works of obedience and desire His good pleasure and hasten to follow what He has commanded.

Those among the Companions who accomplished Allah’s command, related His wisdom and followed the tradition of His messenger, on whom be peace and Allah’s blessing, never denied a truth or justified a wrong or attached to the Lord anything He did not attach to himself. Allah has said:-

“I have not created the Jinn and mankind except to serve Me: I desire no sustenance from them, neither do I desire food to be fed.” [Al-Qur'an 51:56-57]

Now Allah would not create them for something and then come between them and it – He is no oppressor of His servants. None of those who went before denied that, or even discussed it, because they were in agreement about it.

We ourselves only began to talk about it when people began to deny it following their misleading desires and committing grave sin: distorting the Book of Allah. What Allah forbade is not from Him, because He is not pleased with what He is angry about, and not angry with what He is pleased about, and if infidelity (kufr) were by Allah’s decree or ordaining, then it would please Him from whomever it came. It is inconceivable that He would decree something and then be displeased with His own decree. Allah would not openly forbid His servants something, and then covertly decree it for them, as stupid ignorant men say. Were that the case, He would not have said:-

“Let him who wills believe and him who wills disbelieve.” [Al-Qur'an 74:40]

That is because Allah has placed in them the power (al-qudra) by which they go forward or lag behind, so that the doer of good may merit Paradise and the doer of bad may merit the Fire. If the matter were as falsifiers have interpreted it, it would not be in them to go ahead of remain behind, and there would be no praise for him who went forward or blame for him who lagged. According to what they say, power does not come from them and should not be attributed to them, rather, it is a thing that works by means of them. They follow what is ambiguous in the Qur’an seeking dissension.

They argue that Allah, the Exalted, has said:-

“Allah leads astray whomsoever He will, and guides to Him all those who repent” [Al-Qur'an 13:27] and they do not look at what comes before it and after it. If they did they would not go astray.

Know, Commander of the Believers, that those who differ from Allah’s commands and Book and justice are those who transgress in the matter of their religion, and who in their ignorance transfer responsibility to divine decree (al-qadr). If you order any of them concerning the matter of his religion, he says, ‘The pen has run dry, and it is written on our foreheads whether we shall be happy or miserable (in this world and the next)’. But if you said to one of them, ‘Do not weary yourself seeking the world, or go out in the morning in the heat and cold, and endanger your life on a journey, for your sustenance is decided about that’, then he would find fault with you.

Their idea is that Allah has charged His servants to take what they have no power to take, and to leave what they have no power to leave, but Allah, the Exalted, gives them the lie with His Word:-

“Allah imposes on no soul beyond its capacity.” [Al-Qur'an 2:286]

No, surely Allah has known that infidelity will come from them just as it happens by their own choice. Know, Commander of the Believers, that Allah did not foreordain matters for His servants, but He said, ‘If you do such and such, I will do such and such, and if you do thus and so, I will do thus and so’.

Speak to yourself, Commander of the Believers. Do not say, ‘Allah has foreordained for His servants what He forbade them, and come between them and what He ordered them to do, and sent the prophets to call them to the opposite of what He has decreed for them, so as to torment them everlastingly if they did not do what He did not let them do’. Allah is exalted far above what wrongdoers claim! This is the answer to what you asked me about, I have explained it and clarified it. Reflect on it and ponder it, for it is a cure for what is in the heart.

Does Allah Enable Man to Disobey Him

WHEN THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL CONFLICT WITH JESUS' TEACHINGS...WHO ARE WE TO BELIEVE?

 

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Whether or not one believes in the popular theologies surrounding the divinity of Christ, it is obvious that he was a very advanced thinker for his time. He presented a philosophy of love, kindness and forgiveness, which was quite revolutionary for this point in history. He introduced the picture of a loving God (a “Heavenly Father”), a picture that is quite a different from the vengeful wrathful God that is found in the Old Testament:

Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get out of control and make fools of themselves in front of their enemies. So he stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Everyone who is on the Lord’s side come over here!” So all the Levites gathered around him, and he said to them, “The Lord God of Israel commands every one of you to put on your sword and go through the camp from this gate to the other and kill your brothers, your friends, and your neighbors.” The Levites obeyed, and killed about three thousand men that day. Moses said to the Levites, “Today you have consecrated yourselves as priests in the service of the Lord by killing your sons and brothers, so the Lord has given you his blessing.” (Exodus 32:25-29)

Or this:

Elisha left Jerico to go to Bethel, and on the way some boys came out of a town and made fun of him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they shouted. Elisha turned around, glared at them, and cursed them In the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the boys to pieces. (2 Kings 2:23-24)

Praising people for killing their sons and brothers, or having forty-two boys killed horribly because of bad manners, is hardly what one would expect from a “Heavenly Father.” However, this was the predominant view of God that was presented prior to the coming of Yeshua. Yeshua proposed a different outlook and advocated different actions than what the people were accustomed to at that time. To determine that Paul corrupted the Christian faith from within, it is necessary to consider whether Paul continued the changes that Yeshua had begun or if, in fact, he worked diligently to undo the work of Yeshua and returned to a view more in keeping with the one that is presented in the Old Testament.

I realize that such a thought seems preposterous to the reader already, but let me say that I am not a liar as Paul will be shown to be.

Answer for yourself: Have you the courage to read this article with an open mind?

Answer for yourself: Have you the courage to confront the facts concerning what you have been spoon-fed since childhood that is supposed to be the faith that Jesus desires you have?

If you do, then you will be greatly rewards for in this article, as others from Bet Emet Ministries, we will reveal to you have Paul changed the religion of Yeshua and transformed in from one of obedience to the commandments of God seen as fruit of our faith, into one concerned mainly with the cosmic identity of Christ. Either Paul shifted the influence of the message of Yeshua or else he didn’t.

Answer for yourself: Dare you dare look?

Let us examine doctrines and teachings where Yeshua is corrected by Paul:

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

This is what Yeshua had to say on this subject:

You have heard it said, “Love your friends, hate your enemies.” But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the sons of your Father In heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done any” thing out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! You must be perfect—just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).

This was a revolutionary idea at that point in history, and it would be amazing if people would live up to it today!

Take a look at what Paul does with this same idea:

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; FOR BY SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS UPON HIS HEAD (Romans 12:20)

Answer for yourself: Does Paul respond to his enemies out of love as Yeshua instructs and does it seem that he desires to be perfect before God?

In this same chapter, Paul also states:

Let love be genuine. (Romans 12:9)

No matter what you say, this is not genuine love, but rather deceit. Paul advocates what he calls love in order to defeat one’s enemies. He reaches back into the Old Testament (Proverbs) and while making it sound as if he is preaching the same love of enemies that was taught by Yeshua, he in fact undoes Yeshua’s work and returns us to the thoughts of the pre-Yeshua era.

REVENGE

Along with love for one’s enemies, Yeshua talks about revenge:

You have heard that It was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. (Matthew 5:38-39)

Here, Yeshua takes a quote from the Old Testament [Ex. 21:42, Lev. 24:20, Deut. 19:21], and directly contradicts what the people had been hearing in error.

Now consider if Paul is faithful to this idea:

Never take revenge, my friends, BUT INSTEAD LET GOD’S ANGER DO IT. For the scripture says: “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

Once again, Paul is using words similar to Yeshua’s but in fact is leaping over Yeshua and back into the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:35). While Yeshua advises people to rise above thoughts of revenge, Paul merely tells them that revenge will be theirs but that God will be the instrument of that revenge rather than themselves. And so, another of the ways of dealing with difficult people as advocated by Yeshua is cleverly undone by Paul.

CONCERNING WOMEN

Yeshua does not say very much concerning the status of women. There is, however, reference to the fact that women were helpful to Yeshua and his disciples:

Some women were there, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph, and Salome. THEY HAD FOLLOWED JESUS WHILE HE WAS IN GALILEE AND HAD HELPED HIM. (Mark 15:40ff.)

There is also evidence that Yeshua considered it important for women to be interested directly in spiritual matters, as opposed to domestic chores (women’s work.):

As Yeshua and his disciples went on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him In her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to his teaching. Martha was upset over all the work she had to do, so she came and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” The Lord answered her, Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but Just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Paul also seems to indicate that Yeshua was in favor of equality between the sexes:

It is through faith that all of you are God’s sons in union with Christ Yeshua. You were baptized into union with Christ, and now you are clothed, so to speak, with the life of Christ himself. SO THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free men, BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN; you are all one in union with Christ (Galatians 3:26-28).

This sounds very good.

However, once again, after making a general statement that would seem to align him with the wishes of Yeshua. Paul deviates markedly when he gets down to the specifics:

As In all the churches of God’s people, the women should keep quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; they must not be In charge. IF THEY WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT SOMETHING, THEY SHOULD ASK THEIR HUSBANDS AT HOME. It is a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in a church meeting (1 Corinthians 14:34-35).

Answer for yourself: Does this sound like there is no difference between men and women?

SALVATION

Take a look first at what Paul has to say about salvation:

But now God’s way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. God puts people right with Him through their faith in Yeshua Christ. God does this to all who believe In Christ, because there is no difference at all: everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the tree gift of God’s grace all are put right with him through Christ Yeshua, who sets them free (Romans 3:21-24).

So, Paul is saying that since no one lives up to the ideals of God, people will be judged worthy as long as they merely have faith in Yeshua. Other factors, such as deeds and obedience to God’s law, are not taken into consideration.

Now compare this idea to what Yeshua has to say about the subject:

NOT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ME “LORD, LORD” WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do. (Matthew 7:21)

And later:

For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then HE WILL REWARD EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. (Matthew 16:27)

It is also interesting to note what James (the brother of Yeshua) had to say about this subject. (It is reasonable to assume that he would be quite familiar with Yeshua’s views.)

My brothers, what good is it for someone to say that he has faith if his actions do not prove it? (James 2:14)

You see, then, that it is by his actions that a person is put right with God, and not by his faith alone. (James 2:24)

Answer for yourself: You must put your faith as a Christian in someone or something; who are you going to believe…James, Yeshua’ hand-picked Pastor of the church Yeshua said he was to build, and Yeshua who agree on the issue of salvation or Paul who contradicts both them and the other Apostolic writings in the New Testament?

One more passage just for good measure:

So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead. (James 2:26)

PAUL’S CHARACTER

What a difference there is in the words of those who knew Christ personally (Peter and James) and the words of Paul. The tone of Peter’s letters is exemplified in the following quote: I, who am an elder myself, appeal to the church elders among you. I am a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and I will share in the glory that will be revealed. I appeal to you to be shepherds of the flock that God gave you and to take care of it willingly, as God wants you to, and not unwillingly. Do your work, not for mere pay, but from a real desire to serve. Do not try to rule over those who have been put in your care, but be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the glorious crown which will never lose Its brightness. In the same way you younger men must submit yourselves to the older men. And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up In his own good time. Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:1-7)

You can sense here the loving concern at selflessness that one would expect from a true follower of Yeshua.

Compare this with some typical quotes from Paul:

I beg you not to force me to be harsh when I come; for I am sure I can deal harshly with those who say that we act from worldly motives. (2 Corinthians 10:2)

Answer for yourself: Have you ever wondered what cause the Corinthian church had to even say that Paul acted from worldly motives (where there is smoke there is fire)?

And after you have proved complete loyalty, we will be ready to punish any act of disloyalty. (2 Corinthians 10:6)

Answer for yourself: Where is Yeshua’s message of love in this response of Paul?

For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Yeshua, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us! I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called apostles” of yours! (2 Corinthians 11:4-5)

The difference in tone is undeniable. One can only wonder what changes might have occurred had the teachings of Peter and James been accepted as the foundation of the Christian faith, rather than the teachings of Paul.

GOVERNMENT

Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God’s permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring Judgment on himself. For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of the man In authority? Then do what is good, and he will praise you, because he Is God’s servant and carries out God’s punishment on those who do evil. For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just because of God’s punishment, but also as a matter of conscience (Romans 13:1-5).

This certainly seems to be ignoring the separation suggested by Yeshua:

So Yeshua said, “Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor and pay to God what belongs to God.” (Luke 20:25)

It is also interesting to note that according to Paul’s reasoning, Hitler, and Stalin were given their power through the will of God and deserved the respect of their people.

One more bit of evidence from Revelation should be pointed out here. When describing the second beast (Paul), it says: It had two horns like a lamb’s horns, and it spoke like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)

In other words, while giving the impression of being Christ-like (the Lamb), his words were those of the devil (the dragon).

EVIDENCE THAT SOME EARLY CHRISTIANS OPPOSED PAUL

Although there is no direct and open opposition to Paul in the Bible because such accounts have previously been edited out by the Gentile Church, it is inferred by the way Paul repeatedly defends himself against unnamed opponents. This is a very strong witness of the rejection of Paul and his Gospel by the Jerusalem Church. Listed below are a few examples:

Even if others do not accept me as an apostle, surely you do! (1 Corinthians 9:2)

I can deal harshly with those who say that we act from worldly motives (2 Corinthians 10:2)

For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preach a different Yeshua, not the one we preached. (2 Corinthians 11:4)

I do not think that I am the least bit Inferior to those very special called “apostles” of yours (2 Corinthians 11:5)

I will go on doing what I am doing now, in order to keep those other “apostles” from having any reason for boasting and saying that they work in the same way that we do (2 Corinthians 11:12)

I am surprised at you! In no time at all you are deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ, and are accepting another gospel (Galatians 1:6)

I want you to stay In Ephesus, just as I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia. Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop. (1 Timothy 1:3)

As the above quotes indicate, there were many within the followers of Yeshua who opposed Paul.

MANY OF PAUL’ FOLLOWERS LATER DESERT HIM

Do your best to come to me soon. Demas fell in love with this present world and has deserted me, going off to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke Is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he can help me in the work. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring my coat that I left en Troas with Carpus; bring the books too, and especially the ones made of parchment. Alexander the metalworker did me great harm; the Lord will reward him according to what he has done. Be on your guard against him yourself, because he was violently opposed to our message. NO ONE STOOD BY ME THE LAST TIME I DEFENDED MYSELF; ALL DESERTED ME. (2 Timothy 4:9-16)

In Paul’s own words, there is sufficient evidence that many people took exception to his version of Christianity. This occurred more and more as men from James continually pursued Paul and un-did what he was teaching. I challenge you to read the New Testament and follow these “blood hounds” on the sent of Paul. The only problem is that the New Testament calls these men by a negative term today….”Judaizers”. Because the original Apostles understood that the Covenant was not null and void and that the Law of God was still in effect in their day after the cross of Yeshua gives me no right to call them by the very negative term “Judaizers” as do the writers of the New Testament. This is again one way we are deceived when reading the New Testament. If you want to lump all the Apostles including James, Peter, and John and the boys under the mantle of “Judaizers” that is your prerogative. As for me I will continually strive to understand the dynamics involved in the censuring of Paul by the Jerusalem church as recorded in the New Testament. No wonder his apostleship and authority was questioned by James and the Jerusalem Church.

Answer for yourself: Are you to believe me because I write these articles?

No, but you should go back to the Bible and read the New Testament with these thoughts in mind. Then draw your own conclusions. Read first just the words of Yeshua in the four Gospels plus the letters of Peter (especially 1 Peter) and James. After reading these scriptures, imagine a Christian faith built upon this foundation and compare it with what resulted from the works of Paul!

CONCLUSION

This, as well as other articles of Bet Emet Ministries, have touched on some of the areas where it is apparent that Paul twisted the meanings and, in fact, undid many of the teachings of Yeshua. As you review the Bible, look for other evidences of Paul’s betrayal of Yeshua’s work. Remember…study to show yourself approved…not having to stand ashamed before God in the resurrection because you accepted “another Gospel” by believing Paul over James and Yeshua. Shalom.

WHEN THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL CONFLICT WITH JESUS' TEACHINGS...WHO ARE WE TO BELIEVE?

MANY OF PAUL'S FOLLOWERS LATER DESERT HIM

Do your best to come to me soon. Demas fell in love with this present world and has deserted me, going off to Thessalonica. Crescens went to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke Is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he can help me in the work. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring my coat that I left en Troas with Carpus; bring the books too, and especially the ones made of parchment. Alexander the metalworker did me great harm; the Lord will reward him according to what he has done. Be on your guard against him yourself, because he was violently opposed to our message. NO ONE STOOD BY ME THE LAST TIME I DEFENDED MYSELF; ALL DESERTED ME. (2 Timothy 4:9-16)

In Paul’s own words, there is sufficient evidence that many people took exception to his version of Christianity. This occurred more and more as men from James continually pursued Paul and un-did what he was teaching. I challenge you to read the New Testament and follow these “blood hounds” on the sent of Paul.

PAUL - THE ORIGINATOR AND FOUNDER OF CHRISTIANITY

It is understandable that he was the originator of Christian anti- Semitism. He belonged to the fringes surrounding Judaism, of people who were impressed and attracted by Judaism, but had to fight against their upbringing and emotional make-up when they attempted a closer approach. Often such people would succeed in overcoming all difficulties and would become fully attached to Judaism either as “God-fearers” or as proselytes; such people, as the Talmud says, became the best Jews of all. But occasionally the influence of childhood culture was too strong; they might fall back into paganism or, alternatively, they might concoct weird religious fantasies, partly derived from Judaism and partly from Hellenism, in which the Jews tended to figure as the villains, rather than as the heroes. A certain ,feeling of failure or rejection lies behind these fantasies.

Paul was the greatest dreamer of all. He created the Christian myth by deifying Jesus, a Jewish Messiah figure whose real aims were on the plane of Jewish political Utopianism. Paul transformed Jesus’ death into a cosmic sacrifice in which the powers of evil sought to overwhelm the power of good, but, against their will, only succeeded in bringing about a salvific event. This also transforms the Jews, as Paul’s writings indicate, into the unwitting agents of salvation, whose malice in bringing about the death of Jesus is ironically turned to good because this death is the very thing needed for the salvation of sinful mankind. The combination of malice and blindness described here is the exact analogue of several of the myths from pagan mystery religions from which Paul borrows his ideas.

Paul took the cosmic drama of good and evil from Gnosticism, and so took over also the dramatization of the Jews as the representatives of cosmic evil. But, by combining the myth of Gnosticism with the myth of the mystery cults (which were not themselves anti-Semitic), Paul sharpened and intensified the anti-Semitism already present in Gnosticism. The Jews became not just the opponents of the figure descended from the world of light, but the performers of the cosmic sacrifice by which the heavenly visitant brings salvation. The Jews thus become identified as the, dark figure which in myths of the deaths of gods brings about the saving death – Set, Mot, Loki; and the stage is prepared for the long career of the Jews in the Christian imagination as the people of the Devil. The elements which Paul took over from Judaism to embellish his myth – the religio-historical element which set the death of Jesus in a panorama of world history – only intensified the resultant anti-Semitism, because there was now an aspect of usurpation in the Pauline myth, an incentive to blacken the Jewish record in order to justify the Christian take-over of the Abrahamic “promises.” The career of the Jews in history began to be seen as a prefiguring of their central role, the murder of the divine sacrifice; they were separated from their prophets, now regarded as proto-Christs, hounded, like Jesus, by the Jews.

Paul’s religious ideology did not end with him as you well know but it served as the background for the later writing of the Gospels which we today also know came from non-Jewish hands. The religious synthesis or myth foreshadowed by Paul was then brought into full imaginative life in the Gospels, which were written under the influence of Paul’s ideas and for the use of the Pauline Christian Church. A fully well-developed account of mythological dimensions is now elaborated on the basis of historical materials, which are adapted to provide a melodrama of good and evil. The powerful image of Judas Iscariot is created: a person fated and even designated by his victim, Jesus, to perform the evil deed, possessed by Satan and carrying out his evil role by compulsion, yet suffering the fate of the accursed – a perfect embodiment of the role of the sacred executioner, deputed to perform the deed of blood, yet execrated for performing it. While Judas performs the role on the personal level, the Jewish people, in the Gospel myth, perform it on the communal level: actuated by blindness and malice in alternation, calling for Jesus’ crucifixion in the climactic Barabbas scene and accepting responsibility for the sacrifice by saying, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27: 25).

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