Prophet Jesus (AS) in Qur'an

The Holiday Season and Dawah

During the holiday season, non-Muslim colleagues might ask about Christmas and Isa (AS), leading into the difference between Christianity and Islam. The Quran calls Jews and Christians the People of the Book, and we have to show respect and educate them about Islam — dawah.

Showing Respect

وَلَتَجِدَنَّ أَقْرَبَهُمْ مَّوَدَّةً لِّلَّذِینَ آمَنُواْ الَّذِینَ قَالُوَاْ إِنَّا نَصَارَى ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسِّیسِینَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَأَنَّهُمْ لاَ یَسْتَكْبِرُ ونَ

“Nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, 'We are Christians': because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant.”

Al-Ma'idah 5:82

• Al-'Ankabut 29:46 — And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better than mere disputation, but say, 'We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow.'

The Story of Najashi

Jafar ibn Abi Taleb, the elder brother of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, escaped persecution in Makkah after embracing Islam and led a delegation of over 80 emigrants to Habesha, standing in the court of the Christian King Najashi to defend Islam. Abu Jahl and Abu Sufyan, warlords of the pagans of Makkah, sent a delegation asking Najashi to expel the Muslims.

Najashi asked Jafar what this new religion was, and whether he had brought anything of what his Prophet had received. Jafar recited a portion of Surah Maryam, verses 19 to 32, in his rich, melodious voice. Najashi stood up for Allah's words and said, "Certainly this and what Jesus had brought come out of one source," adding, "You're welcome; your Prophet is welcome. I admit that he is the Apostle about whom Jesus had given good news. Live wherever you like in my country." This shows that we have to find common ground with Christians.

Isa (AS) Prophesied Ahmad

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِیسَى ابْنُ مَرْیَمَ یَا بَنِي إِسْرَ ائِیلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللهَّ ِ إِلَیْكُم مُّصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَیْنَ یَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَ اةِ وَمُبَشِّرً ا بِرَسُولٍ یَأْتِي مِن بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَلَمَّا جَاءهُم بِالْبَیِّنَاتِ قَالُوا هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِینٌ

“And this happened too, when Jesus, the son of Mary, said: 'O children of Israel! Behold, I am an apostle of God unto you, sent to confirm the truth of whatever there still remains of the Torah, and to give you the glad tiding of an apostle who shall come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.' But when he came unto them with all evidence of the truth, they said: 'This is nothing but spellbinding eloquence!'”

As-Saff 61:6

The Miraculous Birth and Speech from the Cradle

"Such was Jesus the son of Mary: a statement of truth, about which they vainly dispute. It is not befitting to the majesty of Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (Maryam 19:34-35).

فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَیْهِ قَالُوا كَیْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِیًّا قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللهَّ ِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِیًّا وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَ كًا أَیْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَیًّا وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ یَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارً ا شَقِیًّا وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيَّ یَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَیَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَیَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَیًّا

“But she pointed to the babe. They said: 'How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?' He said: 'I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; and He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; and hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable. So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life again!'”

Maryam 19:29-33

Born in August or September, Not December

Middle Eastern people know that dates come out in August and September. December 25 was a Roman holiday, so it came to be called the birth of Jesus.

فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِي قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحْتَكِ سَرِ یًّا وَهُزِّي إِلَیْكِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَیْكِ رُ طَبًا جَنِیًّا

“Thereupon a voice called out to her from beneath that palm-tree: 'Grieve not! Thy Sustainer has provided a rivulet running beneath thee, and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee.'”

Maryam 19:24-25

The Savior — Not Crucified, Not the Son of God

Jesus (Isa AS) is not Christ in the Christian sense — he is Jesus the Messiah. He is not the son of God; he was the son of Mary. He was not crucified — it was another person who looked like him. "And for their refusal to acknowledge the truth, and the awesome calumny which they utter against Mary" (An-Nisa 4:156).

وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِیحَ عِیسَى ابْنَ مَرْیَمَ رَسُولَ اللهَّ ِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللهَّ ُ إِلَیْهِ وَكَانَ اللهَّ ُ عَزِ یزً ا حَكِیمًا

“And their boast, 'Behold, we have slain the Christ Jesus, son of Mary, an apostle of God!' However, they did not slay him, and neither did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them as if it had been so. Nay, God exalted him unto Himself — and God is indeed almighty, wise.”

An-Nisa 4:157-158

A Servant, Like Adam Created from Dust

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِیسَى عِندَ اللهَّ ِ كَمَثَلِ آدَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَ ابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَیَكُونُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْمُمْتَرِ ینَ

“Verily, in the sight of God, the nature of Jesus is as the nature of Adam, whom He created out of dust and then said unto him, 'Be' — and he is. This is the truth from thy Sustainer; be not, then, among the doubters!”

Al-Imran 3:59-60

• An-Nisa 4:172 — Never did the Christ feel too proud to be God's servant, nor do the angels who are near unto Him.
• Al-Imran 3:51 — Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship Him alone: this is a straight way.
• Al-Imran 3:55 — O Jesus! Verily, I shall cause thee to die, and shall exalt thee unto Me, and cleanse thee of the presence of those who are bent on denying the truth.
• Al-Imran 3:52 — He called his followers Ansar (helpers) — Nasara comes from there — never asking them to call themselves Christians.

We Believe in All the Prophets

قُلْ آمَنَّا بِاللهَّ ِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَیْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ عَلَى إِبْرَ اهِیمَ وَإِسْمَاعِیلَ وَإِسْحَقَ وَیَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِیسَى وَالنَّبِیُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّ قُ بَیْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ

“Say: 'We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, and that which has been vouchsafed by their Sustainer unto Moses and Jesus and all the other prophets: we make no distinction between any of them. And unto Him do we surrender ourselves.'”

Al-Imran 3:84

A Common Word

May Allah forgive our sins and allow us to represent Islam in its truest spirit.

قُلْ یَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْاْ إِلَى كَلَمَةٍ سَوَاء بَیْنَنَا وَبَیْنَكُمْ أَلاَّ نَعْبُدَ إِلاَّ اللهَّ َ وَلاَ نُشْرِ كَ بِهِ شَیْئًا وَلاَ یَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضاً أَرْبَابًا مِّن دُونِ اللهَّ ِ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَقُولُواْ اشْهَدُواْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

“Say: 'O followers of earlier revelation! Come unto that tenet which we and you hold in common: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall not ascribe divinity to aught beside Him, and that we shall not take human beings for our lords beside God.' And if they turn away, then say: 'Bear witness that it is we who have surrendered ourselves unto Him.'”

Al-Imran 3:64