Q. The Bible says… ‘When Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the fish, so shall the son of man, be for 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.’ Did Jesus peace be upon him, scientifically fulfill the sign of Jonah.
(Dr. Zakir): What the sister is referring to, is the verse of the Bible, Gospel of Mathew, Chapter No 12, Verse No. 38 and 40,
‘When people asked Jesus Christ (peace be upon him)… ‘Show me a sign, show me a miracle’. Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), says… ‘You evil and adulteration’s generation, seeketh after a sign, no sign shall be given to you, but the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the son of man be 3 days and 3 nights, in the heart of the earth’ – Sign of Jonah.
Jesus Christ peace be upon him, puts all his eggs in one basket. And if you go to the sign of Jonah… the book of Jonah is less than 2 pages, and most of us know. And if you analyze, that Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights – but Jesus Christ peace be upon him, we know from the Gospels, that he was put on the cross – the alleged crucification.
By late evening, he was brought down from the cross and put in a sepulchre – And on Sunday morning if you see, the stone is moved away, and the sepulchre is completely empty. So Jesus Christ peace be upon him, is in the tomb, on Friday night.’ He was there in Saturday morning, one day, one night. And he was there Saturday night – so two nights and one day. And Sunday morning the tomb was empty.
So Jesus Christ peace be upon him, was there for two nights, and one day – It is not 3 days and 3 nights. Dr. William Campbell gives the reply in his book, that… ‘You know, part of the day can be counted as one day – And if a patient comes to me, who is sick on Saturday night – on Monday morning, and if I ask him… ‘How long are you sick for ? ’ He will say… ‘ 3 days.’ I agree with you – Concordance approach, I agree – I am very generous.
You say part of the day, is full day – I agree with you. So Saturday night, part of the day – one day. Sunday, part of the day, full day – one – good. Monday part of the day full day – no problem. If patient says… ‘3 days’ – No objection. But no patient will ever say… ‘3 days and 3 nights.’ I challenge.
I have Alhamdulillah, met various patients – I have not come across a single patient, including Christian missionaries, who have ever told to me – who were sick in the night, day before yesterday, saying… ‘I am sick for 3 days, 3 nights.’ So Jesus Christ peace be upon him, did not say… ‘3 days’ – Jesus Christ peace be upon him said… ‘3 days and 3 nights.’ So it is a mathematical error – Scientifically, Jesus Christ peace be upon him, did not prove. And further more, the prophecy says… ‘As Jonah was, so shall the son of man be.’ Jonah was – How? How was Jonah in the belly of the Whale?… Belly of the fish…
Dead or alive? Alive – When he was thrown over board, he was alive. In the belly of the whale, he goes around the ocean, dead or alive? – Alive. He prays to Almighty God… dead or alive ? – Alive! He is vomited out on the seashore – Dead of alive? Alive, alive, alive, alive.
When I ask the Christians… ‘How was Jesus Christ peace be upon him, in the sepulchre… in the tomb – Dead of alive?’ They tell me… ‘Dead.’ If he is dead, he has not fulfilled the sign. You can refer to my video cassette ‘Was Jesus Christ peace be upon him really crucified ?’ – I have proved that Jesus Christ peace be upon him was not crucified. As the Qur’an says in Surah Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse No. 157… (Arabic) …
‘They did not kill him, neither did they crucify him – It was only made to appear so.’
Source: Zakir Naik Lecture
