JESUS IN ISLAM

Muslims believe that Jesus (peace be upon Him) is one of the Prophets of Allah (God), who had been sent to guide the Children of Israel with a new scripture. In fact, belief in all of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah is a fundamental article of faith in Islam. The Holy Book of Muslims, the Qur’an, declares: “Say (O Muhammad): ‘We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham (Ibrahim), Ishma’el, Isaac (Ishaq), Jacob (Yaqub), and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).” (Qur’an, 3/84).

Jesus (Isa) is seen in Islam as a precursor to Muhammad, and is believed by Muslims to have foretold the latter’s coming. In fact, according to the Islamic creed, the original religion taught by all these prophets is and was always Islam, which means peaceful submission to the One and Only God.

Another verse in the Qur’an (5/46) affirms that Jesus follows the line of Prophets like Moses before Him: “And We sent after them (the previous messengers) in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, verifying what was before him in the Torah and We gave him the Gospel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it in Torah and a guidance and an admonition for the God-fearing.”

Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty- five places in the Qur’an. He is also addressed with respect as “son of Mary; messiah; servant of Allah; messenger of Allah.” He is also spoken of as “the word of God”, “the spirit of God”, a “sign of God”, and numerous other epithets of honor spread over fifteen different chapters

jesus was given the ability to perform miracles to aid him in his quest, all by the permission of God. “I have come to you, with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave. And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I bring the dead into life, by God’s leave; and I declare to you what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if you did believe. (I have come to you) to attest the Torah which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you. I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. So fear God, and obey me. It is God Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a way that is straight.” (Qur’an, 3/49-51).

Was Jesus a God or the Son of God?

Muslims do not view Jesus as the Son of God or a God but consider him as an ordinary human being who, like other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread Allah’s message to his people, the people of Israel. Islam forbids the association of partners with God, emphasizing the notion of God’s divine oneness. The Qur’an declares: “There is nothing like unto Him.” (Qur’an, 42/11); and, “He begets not, nor was he begotten.” (Qur’an, 112/3).

Was Jesus Crucified?

Trinitarian Christians believe that Jesus was God Himself, or part of God, came to earth, and was crucified on the cross to purify our sins and then resurrected and ascended to heaven until he will come back again to earth.

Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross at all. Allah saved him, and someone else was crucified in his place. The Qur’an states: “That they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’; but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not: rather, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.” (Qur’an, 4/157-158).

There is a difference of opinion as to the exact interpretation of this verse with regard to the following statement: “They (the Jews) did not kill Jesus, but Allah raised him up to Himself.” Some hold the view that Jesus did not experience the usual human death, but still lives in body and flesh in heaven. This is the widely accepted view by Muslims. Others hold that he died, but not on the cross, and being “raised up” to Allah means that Allah saved him from the hands of those who wanted to kill him.

Did Jesus Die for Our Sins?

Most Christian denominations hold the belief that the sin of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God is passed on to their descendants and thus the whole of mankind is accursed with that Original Sin, from which no salvation is possible unless one believes in the atoning death on the cross of the Son of God.

Muslims believe that Jesus did not die for the purification of our sins and for our forgiveness. In contrast to the Christian teaching that human nature is basically evil (due to the original sin), Islam teaches that all humans are innocent by birth and they become sinful only when they consciously commit a sin. Therefore, there is no original sin in Islam.

The Islamic concept of sin is grounded on the belief that one man’s sin cannot be transferred to another; nor can the rewards of good deeds. Every individual is responsible only for his or her actions, for God is never unjust. The Qur’an (17/15) makes clear that every individual is an independent person who is responsible for his or her actions alone. There is no need for salvation from sin, for there is no original burden.

This article is taken from the website of The Presidency of Religious Affairs. To see it, check the link:  https://diniyayinlar.diyanet.gov.tr/Documents/Hz-Isa-Peygamber-Ingilizce.pdf