With the grocery store aisles stocked full of chocolate eggs and cute rabbit shaped novelties, almost any child could tell you that Easter is around the corner. Ask them about the religious significance behind the celebration and many would draw a blank. Each year in America, it seems that more and more candy and bunny toys come out and less crosses, which begs the question, what is the true meaning behind the day?
Learning about the events on the cross have been replaced by egg hunts, the Easter bunny and Easter baskets filled to the top with candy and toys. Many have lost sight of what the holiday means and Christians alike are losing sight of the religious significance. So what is Easter really about?
I grew up with Christian beliefs, learning about the life of Jesus (peace be upon him) and the sacrifice he made for us all. It was a day to celebrate his rebirth and the power of God as He raised His son from the grave after a most horrific death on the cross. That day the sins of the world were taken away. Sunday mornings would come and we would be dressed to the gills as we would wait for the church bus to come pick up my sisters and I. Coming from a very low income family, it was one of the only days we would have nice clothes. I can remember waiting all year for those new shoes to wear as a way to honor the sacrifice Jesus (peace be upon him) made for me and all those I loved.
As a mother, I taught my children about Easter and read to them from the Bible, the books of Luke and John. I always questioned the chain of events surrounding the crucifixion that shaped Christianity. Like many other Christians, my beliefs were founded on blind faith and trust in the scholarly interpretations from the past. It wasn’t until I was twenty nine years old that I found answers to so many questions that had left a void in my faith. I was given a book titled, Jesus in India, written by the Holy founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be on him).
The book talked about the events of Jesus (peace be upon him) on the cross and his escape after being taken down from it alive. It referenced Biblical verses as evidence, mentioning how when one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’s side with a spear, blood and water gushed out, a phenomenon not experienced after death. It mentioned the healing ointment that was applied to Jesus’s wounds by his companions, while he lay in the sepulcher in a comatose state. It went on to provide evidence that Jesus (peace be upon him) healed, awoke from his coma and gained enough strength to complete his mission of spreading the message to the twelve tribes of Israel. He traveled, went to India, and eventually died a natural death in Kashmir.
While many still wait on the second coming of Jesus (peace be upon him) which is promised in The Holy Bible and the Holy Quran, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community believes that the second coming of Jesus (peace be upon him) happened in the form of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (peace be upon him).
As Christians celebrate Easter, we Muslims also feel the pain that Jesus (peace be upon him) went through on the cross that day for his faith and his teachings. As Ahmadi Muslims, we want to join in on the love that Jesus (peace be upon him) taught with our fellow Christian brothers and sisters and come together to celebrate his awakening. Our doctrines may differ but the teachings and life of Jesus (peace be upon him) are still held in high regards. Let us remember as Easter approaches that the holiday is not about eggs, baskets, bunnies, or candy; it is about the life of Jesus (peace be upon him) and the mistreatment he suffered at the hands of others who wanted to stop his teachings. Let us show love for him and remember the pain he went through and the teachings he shared with the world. Let us thank God for sending him to the world at a time when the world was lost. Have a blessed Easter everyone!