The Bible and Christianity (an Islamic View)

Part 4: Jesus According To the Holy Qur’an

The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him “Be”: and he was. The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 59. . . . In fact he (Jesus) is not more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.

The Holy Qur’an: Adornment (43): 59.

Foreword

The holy Qur’an, the last of the Divine Books, revealed by the Creator to the last of His Messengers, is unarguably the only Divine Book we have that has not undergone any distortion or corruption since its revelation. The last Revelation, coming as it does 610 years after the birth of Jesus, tells us about the role and mission of Jesus. The Qur’an also informs us about the miracles and powers that Allah Almighty had bestowed upon Jesus, and emphasises upon the virtues of his mother Mary.

Mary was a devout woman such that she received blessing of God, and on many occasions she received food from the heavens. The conception of Jesus was also extraordinary in that he did not have a father, and his conception took place by the Will of God. By the Will of God he spoke from birth, when announced to the people that he was a prophet.

Jesus was sent as a prophet to the Children of Israel, in a long tradition of prophets sent to them by the Creator of existence. He was the bearer of the same message that prophets and messengers before him had brought, the unity and indivisible oneness of the Creator, Eloh in Hebrew or Allah in Arabic, to abide by, and in harmony with the teachings of Allah, and to prepare for the life of the hereafter.

{Say: We believe in Allah and what is revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and his descendents, and what was entrusted to Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have surrendered.}51

{The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say) "We make no distinction between any one of His Messengers." And they say: "We hear, and we obey, (we seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys."}52

Different prophets and messengers are sent to different nations and peoples to guide them to the truth, to better life here and in the hereafter, but they always carry the same message from the one and only Creator to the masses. There was not, and there could not be any contradiction 51 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 84. 52 The Holy Qur’an: The Heifer (2): 285.

between the various messengers. If we come across any discrepancies, this is due to corruption and distortion that have occurred – intentionally or not – in the course of history.

Jesus was sent to the people of Israel to affirm the message of the prophets and messengers who had come before him and to give the news of the Final Messenger who is to come after him. With his name, Muhammad, being translated from Greek/Hebrew into English as the Comforter, or the Spirit of Truth, Jesus refers to Muhammad and the significance of his role to guide mankind on many occasions. This is quoted in the New Testament in the following:

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. [John 16:7] I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. [John 16:12]

However when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak from Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak; and He will show you things to come. [John 16:13]

He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. [John 16:14]

As a complement to the above work, and to present the teachings of Islam and the holy Qur’an about God’s messengers in general and Jesus Christ in particular, the editorial board considered it appropriate, and for the convenience of the non-Muslim reader who is not familiar with Islam to include a section on statements made by Allah Almighty in the Qur’an about Jesus son of Mary. This would give the reader an insight into the teachings of the Qur’an about Jesus. The following are some of the verses of the holy Qur’an about two noble mortals who are much respected in Islam.

The Conception, Birth and Naming of Mary

{Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Emran above all people.

Offspring, one of the other; and Allah hears and knows all things. [Remember!] When the wife of Emran said: “O my Lord! I do dedicate unto Thee what is in my womb for Thy special service: so accept this of me: for Thou hear and know all things.”

When she was delivered, she said: “O my Lord! Behold! I am delivered of a female child!” - and Allah knew best what she brought forth - “and the male is not the same as the female. “I have named her Mary” . .}53 Protection of Mary and her Progeny {. . . and I commend her and her offspring to Thy protection from the Evil One, the Rejected.}54

Mary and her trustee Zechariah {This is part of the things unseen, which We reveal unto thee (O Prophet!) by inspiration: thou was not with them when they cast lots with arrows, as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary: nor was thou with them when they disputed (the point).}55

Allah Chooses Mary

{Right graciously did her Lord accept her: He made her grow in purity and beauty}56

{And (remember) when the angels said: “O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee, chosen thee above the women of all nations.}57 Mary the Truthful

{(Mary) was a woman of truth.}58

53 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 33-36. 54 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 36. 55 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 44. 56 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 37. 57 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 42.

Preparation of Mary for the Task

Sustenance (Provision) of Mary

{. . . And to the care of Zechariah was she assigned. Every time that he entered (her) chamber to see her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: “O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?” She said: “From Allah: for Allah provides sustenance to whom He pleases, without measure.”}59 Mary the Devout

{O Mary! Worship thy Lord devoutly: prostrate thyself, and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down.}60

Mary's Honour and Virtue {And (remember) she who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and We made her and her son a Sign for all peoples.}61 {And Mary, the daughter of Emran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of his Revelations, and was one of the devout (Servants).}62

The good tidings of Jesus to Mary {Behold! The angels said: “O Mary! Allah gives Thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus. The son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah.}63

58 The Holy Qur’an: The Table Spread (5): 75. 59 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 37. 60 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3): 43. 61 The Holy Qur’an: The Prophets (21): 91. 62 The Holy Qur’an: The Prohibition (66): 12. 63 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3):45.

Mary's reaction to the news of bearing Jesus

{She said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: Allah creates what He wills: when He hath decreed an order, He but says to it, “Be”, and it is!}64

Conception and birth of Jesus Bearing of Jesus

{Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East.

She screen herself from them; then We sent to her Our Spirit, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.

She said: “I seek refuge from thee to the Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou do fear Allah.”

He said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a pure son.”

She said: “How shall I have a son, when no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?”

He said: “So (it will be): thy Lord said, “That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us”: it is a matter (so) decreed.”}65 Mary's seclusion from the people So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place.66 Labour pain

{And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree: she cried (in her anguish) “Ah! Would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!”}67

64 The Holy Qur’an: The Family of Emran (3):47. 65 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 16-21. 66 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 22. 67 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 23.

Birth of Jesus

{But (baby Jesus) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): “Grieve not! For thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee;

“And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree; it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.”}68

After the birth of Jesus Jesus advises his mother on how to address the people {And if thou do see any man, say, “I have vowed a fast to the Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being”}69 Mary addresses the people

{So she brought him (baby Jesus) to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary! Truly an amazing thing have thou brought! “O sister of Aaron! thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!” But she pointed to him. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?”}70

Jesus defends his mother {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 am, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live.}71

Jesus is kind and polite to his mother {“(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable;

68 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 24-25. 69 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 26. 70 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 27-29.

71 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 30 “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)!”

Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of Truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.}72

Jesus and his mother were not Divine

Jesus and his mother are Miracles of Allah {And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a Sign: We gave them both shelter on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs.}73

Jesus denies being Divine {And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Did thou say unto men, 'Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?” He will say: “Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou would indeed have known it. Thou know what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou know in full all that is hidden.}74

Those who attribute Divinity to Jesus commit heresy

{In blasphemy indeed are those who say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: “Who then hath the least power against Allah, if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary, his mother, and all, everyone that is on the earth? For to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between. He creates what He pleases. For Allah hath power over all things.”}75

Jesus is Not Allah

{They do blaspheme who say: “Allah is Christ the son of Mary.” But said Christ: “O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the Garden, 72 The Holy Qur’an: Mary (19): 31-34.

73 The Holy Qur’an: The Believers (23): 50.

74 The Holy Qur’an: The Table Spread (5): 116.

75 The Holy Qur’an: The Table Spread (5): 17.

and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrongdoers be no one to help.

They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One God. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them. Why turn they not to Allah and seek His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.}76