JESUS IN ISLAM

| The Birth of Jesus | The Mission of Jesus | The Miracles of Jesus |
| Christians and the Divinity of Jesus | Conclusion | References |

It is sad that many Christians do not know that Jesus, peace be upon him, holds a very high position within Islam. Unlike Orthodox Judaism, Islam considers Jesus to be the promised Messiah, a word from God, born of the Virgin Mary to bring a new covenant to the people of Israel.

"Hear, 0 Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." (Deuteronomy 6:4)

...that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I Am He: before Me there was no God, neither shall there be after Me. I, am the Lord; and besides Me, there is no savior.(Isaiah 43: 1 0-1 I)

And Jesus answered him: The first of all the commandments Hear, 0 Israel:' My Lord our God is one Lord. (Mark 12:29)

... We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

(I Corinthians 8:4)

Given these verses, one should be careful not to take the verse in John 1: I literally because it could easily have been mistranslated from Aramaic into Greek and should read "and the word was God's." It should be noted here that in the Greek language theos is God while theou means God's (see any Greek dictionary or see the book Muhammad in the Bible by Professor Abdul Ahad Dawud, former bishop of Uramiah, p. 16). On more logical grounds, insisting that Jesus is God or son of God as the main article of faith reduces the 'natural' human instinct to believe in a Creator (it is 'natural' because every human being feels that anything that is organized must have an organizer) from believing in an absolute Creator of the universe who is felt naturally into having to believe in a given historical event that is limited in both time and space.

According to the Quran, Jesus was the blessed Prophet of God who was sent to return the people of Israel to the true worship of God. He was a Prophet (Messenger) of God. His servitude and Prophethood is to be held in honor in this world and in the hereafter. He was miraculously born of the Virgin Mary (May Allah be pleased with her).

The Quran accounts how God chose Mary, purified her, and raised her above all other women of the world (3:42,43). The angels brought her the glad tidings of the birth of Jesus. This is best described by the beautiful verses of the Quran (and translated as follows):

(And remember) when the angels said: 0 Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah). He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous. She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal has touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah creates what He will. If He decrees a thing, He says unto it only, Be! and it is. And He will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel. And will make him a messenger unto the children of Israel, (saying): Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what you can eat and what you store up in your houses. Lo! herein surely is a portent for you, if you are believers. And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.(3:45-51)

Concerning the birth itself, the Quran (19:16-34) says- that Mary retired from her family and went into a state of privacy (for prayer and devotion). The Holy Spirit (i.e., Gabriel) appeared to her as a man bringing the news of a son. She conceived the child miraculously and retired to a distant place. After the child was born she brought him to her people. They accused her of being unchaste. In reply, she made a sign to the infant, whereupon they 'd that they could not converse with an infant in the cradle! But the infant answered them as follows:

He spoke: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and has appointed me a Prophet. And has made me blessed wheresover I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive. And (has made me) dutiful toward my mother, and has not made me arrogant, unblessed. Peace on me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt. (19:30-34)

The Mission of Jesus (peace be upon him)

The Quran says that Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with evident signs and miracles to set mankind on the right path. Jesus (peace be upon him) was similarly one of the Messengers or Prophets of God. This is mentioned at least four places in the Quran. One of them declares:

And we caused Jesus, son of Mary to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil). Let the People of the Gospel judge by that which Allah has revealed therein. Who judges not by that which Allah has revealed; such are evildoers. (5:4647)

Another of Jesus' missions was to tell people about the coming of a final Prophet after him. This is mentioned clearly in the Quran:

And when Jesus, son of Mary, said: 0 Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who comes after me, whose name is the Praised one. Yet when he has come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic. (61:6)

The New Testament also speaks of the coming of a 'Comforter' after the ministry of Jesus. The Church interprets the promised 'Comforter' as the Holy Spirit; but this view cannot be successfully maintained when the word is considered in its original context along with the meaning given by the different sects of Christianity. The Muslims believe that this term, 'Comforter,' of necessity refers to Muhammad (peace be upon him) not only because the message of the Prophet Muhammad is calling upon the worship of the One Almighty God, but also because there are clear indications in the Bible that there will be someone coming after Jesus with the attributes that clearly fit the Prophet Muhammad. In John 16:13-14 Jesus tells us:

How be it when he, the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you unto all truth; for he shall not speak of himself-, but whatsoever he shall hear (from God) that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me ...

Analyzing this verse we find the following: "He will not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak." The Prophet Muhammad always maintained that the Quran was not his words but the words of God revealed to him. In fact, there is a verse in the Quran that plainly declares:

He does not speak (aught) of his own desire. It is but an inspiration sent down to him. (53:34)

"He will guide you unto all truth." Regarding this sign we notice that the Quran provides specific rulings on all sorts of matters such as inheritance, alcohol, race, borrowing, motherhood, and the moral code of conduct one should follow. Accordingly, we can say that the "all truth" that Jesus, peace be upon him, spoke of is referring to the illuminating insights provided in the Quran that provide guidance to mankind.

"He shall glorify me." In regard to this sign, we notice that throughout the Quran Jesus is glorified as a righteous prophet who is free of falsehood, the promised Messiah and the deliverer of the Gospels (for more details see F. Siddiqui's book The Bible's Last Prophet, 1995, pp. 55-64).

The Miracles of Jesus

Jesus Was Not the Son of God The Church maintains that Jesus was the 'Only begotten Son' of God, and also God Himself, since the doctrine of the Trinity considers God as the Son, as the Father, and as the Holy Ghost all at the same time! Catholics also emphasize the divinity of Mary by designating her the "Mother of God". However, Islam completely rejects these concepts. First of all, Muslims maintain that the virgin birth of Jesus without a father was not any more supernatural than the creation of Adam without a father or mother. The Qur'an says.

Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto Him : Be! and he is. (3:59)

Refuting the idea that Jesus was the 'Son of God' the Qur'an declares:

And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah curse is against them. How perverse are they! (9:30)

The Quran repeatedly emphasizes the fact that Jesus was a human being. The Quran maintains:

The Messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) had passed away before him. And his mother was a saintly woman. And they both used to eat (earthly) food. See how we make the revelations clear for them. (5:75)

The Quran condemns the Trinity dogma at several places (e.g., 4:171), and says that Jesus never claimed divinity, and that he would assert on the Day of Judgment that he always taught the worship of One, Almighty God. This is described in the following verses from the Quran:

And when Allah says: Jesus son of Mary! Did you say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? He says: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then You knew it. You know what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Your mind. Lo! You, only You are the Knower of Things Hidden. I spoke unto them only that which You commanded me, (saying): Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord, I was a witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when You took me You were the Watcher over them. You are Witness over all things. (5:116-117)

Contradictory Statements in the Gospels Concerning Jesus' Divinity According to the verses quoted above, Muslims believe that Jesus not only will disavow any claim to divinity, but he will also assert that he never preached such a doctrine to his disciples when he was with them. The following selected verses from the New Testament clearly show that Jesus does not claim divinity or identity with God (Jesus says):

"I can do nothing of myself." (John 8:28)

"My Father is greater than I." (John 14:2)

"The Lord our God is one Lord." (Mark 17:29)

"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" (Matt. 27:46)

"Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

"But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the

Angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." (Mark 13:32) It is also

written of Jesus:

Behold my servant, whom I have chosen. (Matt. 12:18)

God ... glorified His servant, Jesus. (Acts 3:13)

Thy holy servant, Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint as Messiah. (Acts 4:27)

(It might be noted that the N.T. Greek word here for 'servant' is pais or paida, which corresponds to the Arabic ghulam 'boy, son, servant, attendant'. Further, the term 'Father,' as used by Jesus, corresponds more closely to the Arabic ten-n Rabb, i.e., 'one who nourishes and sustains,' so that in Jesus' doctrine God is 'Father' [Nourisher and Sustainer of all men.)

These expressions, among others, confirm to a great extent the Islamic notion of Jesus (peace be upon him), namely, that he was a true servant and a Messenger of God.

Christians and the Divinity of Jesus

Since the 4th century, Christian doctrine has been that Jesus is God, the second member of a 'Trinity'; in addition, Catholics also believe in the divinity of Mary. However, from time to time there have arisen 'heretics' in the Christian Church who refuted the doctrine of Jesus' divinity. For instance, sale mentions that long before the Prophet Muhammad was born, certain Christian sects-the Corinthians, ' the Basilidians, and the Carpocratians believed that Jesus was not crucified, but that one of his followers, looking very much like him, was put on the cross in his place. In addition, the Corinthians and Basilidians asserted that Jesus was a man and a prophet. The Church hierarchy harshly suppressed the early Christians who did not accept Jesus as God. Chadwick sites several instances of individuals who were burned alive for not accepting this doctrine. The last incident of this kind took place as recently as 1612 in England. At the Present time, Christian sects such as the Unitarians, Christdelphians, and Jehovah's Witnesses reject the doctrines of Jesus' divinity and the Trinity.

Conclusion

To reiterate, the Quran asserts in clearest terms that Jesus was a true servant and Messenger (Apostle) of God. Muslims hold Jesus in the highest reverence. He is the result of a virgin birth; he was endowed with the power to perform many miracles; and he was sent to preach the true worship of God.

References

The Sonship of Jesus: The case made by a former Christian (Sulayman Shahid Mufassir):

After centuries of dogmatic decree that Jesus is the Son of God, modern Christianity is no longer sure just who he is. Since a large segment of the Christian world believes practically that 'God is dead,' where does that leave Jesus? Jews and Muslims have held throughout history that Jesus could not have been the Son of God. But, whereas Judaism does not accept the mission of Jesus, Islam accords him the exalted position of Prophet of God to his people. Nevertheless, this question of sonship stands as a barrier between Christians and Muslims, being the cause for each labeling the other infidel: Christians, because only an unbeliever would deny Christ's sonship; Muslims, because only an unbeliever would associate anything with the One God the Christian charges, antichrist; the Muslim, polytheist.

Yet, if we examine the New Testament and consider what scholars believe are most likely the true sayings of Jesus, we are surprised. Despite centuries of Christian tradition and theology, when we look into the source book of Christianity, the gulf between Christian belief and Muslim belief shortens considerably. For one thing, we find in the mouth of Jesus the Shema' of Israel- "Hear 0 Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord"- which corresponds with the first part of the Kalimah of Islam found in chapter Ikhlas. Jesus himself confirmed the monotheistic creed of the nation from which he sprang: God is One. And since God is One, it follows logically then (as the Quran inquires), "How can He have a son when He hath no consort?

Christianity admits of no female God-principle, but imputes the sonship of Jesus to the virgin birth. Islam, on the other hand, recognizes the virgin birth but points out the obvious: this makes Jesus the 'Son of Mary,' not the 'Son of God'. In fact, whenever Jesus is mentioned as a son in the Quran it is always Isa ibn Maryam 'Jesus, the son of Mary'. The Church makes him 'Son of God,' either because it contends that God took on flesh and was born from Mary's womb as a man, or that God sent one of His angels (the Logos, or first created being) into Mary's womb to be born as a man. The first idea is repugnant to reason. If, as the Bible says, human sight cannot bear to look upon the Glory of God, how can human flesh bear to have this Glory, or the God of Glory, wrapped up in it? The second thought does not confer literal sonship, but calls for a special form of creation.

The vital Point, however, is that the biblical expression 'Son of God' cannot be said to have ever come, authentically, from the lips of Jesus himself. According to Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, "Whether Jesus used it of Himself is doubtful." It is found in the New Testament most frequently on the lips of others. And this is mentioned in the Quran as merely following in the custom of the pagans, notably the Greeks and Romans of the time, whose gods had sons. "The Christians call Christ, the Son of God. That is, a saying from their mouths; in this they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say." Even if Jesus had occasionally used such, or similar, a title, "Semitic idiom must be born in mind . . . In various (Bible) passages Israel is referred to as 'God's son,' and in others the righteous are thus described ... So a 'son of God' is a man, or even a people, who reflect the character of God" (Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, P. 143).

Contrasted with the non-use or limited use of the title 'Son of God' by Jesus himself, we find him using the expression 'Son of Man' many times in the New Testament. What does this phrase mean? In the first place, an expression like this automatically negates any literal interpretation of 'Son of God'. It emphasizes that Jesus thought of himself as a man only. Further, scholars determine that Jesus' usage of this term was meant to be reminiscent of that of the Prophet Ezekiel, i.e., a Prophet or a Messenger of God. 'Son of Man' is consistent with the Quran's statement that " Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, was no more than an Apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him."

This Quranic passage confirms some of the most precious truths of unadulterated Christianity: (1) Jesus is Christ; (2) he is 'Son of Man,' i.e., a Prophet/Messenger of God; (3) he is the product of a special act of creation, the virgin birth ("His Word"), and a "spirit proceeding from Him," one of a blessed mission. At the same time, this passage affirms that none of these facts makes Jesus the 'Son of God' in the sense of an incarnation of God, as it concludes: "So believe in God and His Apostles. Say not 'Trinity', desist; it will be better for you, for God is One God. Glory be to Him; far exalted is He above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heaven and on earth."

If the title 'Son of God' has any validity, Semitic usage would never have allowed for the literal sense, even though such an expression would be interpreted literally in the Hellenistic world of Jesus' later followers. No doubt, here is where the confusion arose. But if Jesus or his earliest disciples said 'Son of God' they could have meant only 'servant' of God. For example, in Matthew 12:'] 8 and Acts 3:13, we find that some Bible versions read 'Son' with reference to Jesus while others translate 'servant'. This is because the New Testament's Greek words used in these passages (pais and paida) mean 'boy' or 'son' in the sense of a servant, attendant or minister. The Quran puts it clearly: "And they say: Allah The Most Gracious has begotten offspring. Glory to Him.' They are but servants raised to honor." Both the Quran and the Bible agree that 'son(s) of God' can mean only servant(s) of God'. No physical sonship or incarnation was intended in the Semitic usage of the earliest Christians. But when Christians became predominantly Gentile, of Roman and Greek background, the Semitic meanings of 'Son of God' were lost, and pagan Hellenistic meanings took their place. This is why the Church, from the 4th century onward, had raging controversies over the nature of Christ. What was obvious to the earliest Christians became lost and distorted to later converts. They began to interpret sonship literally, according to their pantheistic upbringings; thus, they overrode the basic monotheistic imperative of Jesus' teachings.

There is ground for closer relations between Christians and Muslims because, essentially, Muslims believe the same things about Christ as did the earliest Christians. It is only the unfortunate encrustations of old pagan mythology that divide them.
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