AYTD's: Qur'an Quote #87

"And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Salihun (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficent for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people)."

(Surah #24: An-Nur (The Light); verse 32)

AYTD's: Qur'an Quote #87

"And do not marry Al-Mushrikat (idolatresses, etc.) till they believe (worship Allah Alone). And indeed a slave woman who believes is better than a (free) Mushrikah (idolatress, etc.), even though she pleases you. And give not (your daughters) in marriage to Al-Mushrikun till they believe (in Allah Alone) and verily, a believing slave is better than a (free) Mushrik (idolater, etc.), even though he pleases you. Those (Al-Mushrikun) invite you to the Fire, but Allah invites (you) to Paradise and Forgiveness by His Leave, and makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to mankind that they may remember."

(Surah #2: Al-Baqarah (The Cow); verse 221)

AYTD's: Qur'an Quote #85

"Forbidden to you (for marriage) are: your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your father's sisters, your mother's sisters, your brother's daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster mother who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters, your wives' mothers, your step daughters under your guardianship, born of your wives to whom you have gone in - but there is no sin on you if you have not gone in them (to marry their daughters), - the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time, except for what has already passed; verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

(Surah #4: An-Nisa' (The Women); verse 23)

Street Fighter II (The Church Edition)

"Black Jesus" - Season 1 Episode 1

Black Jesus is an American comedy series created by Aaron McGruder and Mike Clattenburg, that airs on Adult Swim. The series stars Gerald "Slink" Johnson, Charlie Murphy, Corey Holcomb, Kali Hawk, King Bach, and Andra Fuller. The series premiered on August 7, 2014... The live action, scripted comedy features the black Jesus Christ living in modern day Compton, on a mission to spread love and kindness throughout the neighborhood with his small group of followers.

AYTD has just watched this premiere episode and thought it was fairly funny. Perhaps the bad language was a tad excessive, but I assume it's trying to be authentic to the perceived nature of overall life and culture within the black community of Compton.

Although the show does play out the theme as Jesus being the Son of God, the Lord Saviour that died on the cross for all of our sins as detailed in Christian faith, the human qualities of making mistakes and being susceptible to one's weaknesses shows that even JC is somewhat fallible. Displays such as smoking weed and encouraging alcohol drinking points out to us that much like us mere mortals, Jesus also indulges in things he'd be better off without. At one point he even put his feet up at his homie's mum's home; he soon apologised for his action, but it is again another example of how Jesus is capable of flawed behaviour. These instances seem to adhere closer to how Islam refers to Jesus. Although he is indeed the Messiah having been born via the immaculate conception and having the holy spirit instilled into him from birth, The Qur'an shows that he is no more or less a human being than you or I - 

"The Messiah ['Iesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddiqah [i.e. she believed in the words of Allah and His Books (see Verse 66:12)]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). Look how We make the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)."

(Surah 5; Surah Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread with Food), verse 75)

This above verse from The Book gives a great example of not only how God and Jesus are not the same or parts of a God that make the one God, but also how they are different. the two verses below go a bit further to explain that God is not related to Jesus (nor anyone or anything else for that matter):

"And they say: "The Most Beneficent (Allah) has begotten a son (or offspring or children) [as the Jews say: 'Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say that He has begotten a son ['Iesa (Christ)], and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels, etc.)].""

(Surah 19; Maryam [Mary], verse 88)

"He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Who has begotten no son (children or offspring) and for Whom there is no partner in the dominion. He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements.
Yet they have taken besides Him other aliha (gods) that created nothing but are themselves created, and possess neither hurt nor benefit for themselves, and possess no power (of causing) death, nor (of giving) life, nor of raising the dead."
(Surah 26 Al-Furqan (The Criterion), verses 2-3)

There is even a surah dedicated to this very issue; it is short and clear:

"Say (O Muhammad (pbuh)): "He is Allah, (the) One.
"Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks).
"He begets not, nor was He begotten;
"And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him." "
(Surah 112; Al-Ikhlaas or At-Tauhid (The Purity), verses1-4)

I don't think Jesus swearing and smoking within the show discredits or taints his inherent core status of his purpose in life. The underlying message of him showing his friends and to his community The Way of doing good as much as possible was present in the programme, and that surely is a more important thing to remember and take from it than his relinquishing to his vices, his skin colour, or that he had a weave rather than a natural afro-like do.

So, what did you think of Black Jesus? Please leave a comment below.

WARNING: The programme contains highly explicit language; viewer discretion is advise.

The episode can be watched by following this link.