Undoubtedly, Jesus is a notable figure with high status in both Islam and Christianity, the two major religions in the whole world. Yet, there is a huge difference between Jesus’ position to the Muslims, and that to the Christians. Here, let’s figure out who Jesus is, according to Islam.
Who Is Jesus in Islam?
Let’s answer this so simply and precisely; in Islam, Jesus is Messiah, an honorable prophet sent by Allah to His servants, for calling them to worship Allah only, exactly like all the messengers and prophets. So, to the Muslims, Jesus is:
A Servant to Allah, and a Prophet to People:
The Christians’ widespread claim of Jesus’ divinity is actually contradicted by their own Bible, where Jesus himself is called a servant of God, like in “The God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.”
(Acts 3:13).
In Islam, Jesus is like Moses, Noah, Muhammed, and others. He is simply a human, one of Allah’s servants, and prophets sent with divine miracles. In the Qur’an, you see that fact stated so clearly:
[(Jesus) said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allāh. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet.]
Not a Claimer of Divinity:
Divinity of Jesus in Christianity is really a perplexing concept, as there are encountering verses in the Bible that show that Jesus has many human limits and acts, like sleeping, eating, getting exhausted, and so on, that are contradicting the divine limitlessness. Also, Jesus never called people to worship him, actually he denies this, even in the Bible, like:
“And in vain they worship me.”
(Matthew 15:9)
In Islam, Jesus never called people to such deviation of worshipping him; rather, Jesus, as all prophets, called them to worship Allah, The One and Only God, as monotheism of Allah, and submission to Him is the heart of the divine Message sent by all messengers and prophets.
[(Jesus said), “And indeed, Allāh is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.” [Maryam: 36].
Also, in the Qur’an, mentioned is Jesus’ denial of considering him a God, by any means, confirming that he never called his people for so:
[I said not to them except what You commanded me – to worship Allāh, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me up, You were the Observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness.]
Not a Son of God:
Some Christians think that even in the case that Jesus is not God, he is a son of God, as he was born without a father. Yet, to Muslims, Jesus getting born without a father is just one of the divine signs and miracles granted to Jesus, as a prophet. Moreover, Adam, the first created human being, was created without a father, and even without a mother, too! So, why Christians don’t call him a Son of God?!
To the Muslims, neither Adam, nor Jesus, is a son of God! Actually, nor any human being on earth; as that is not befitting God; The Almighty Creator is incomparable to us! In the Qur’an, you find:
[He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.]
In Islam, Jesus is created and decreed by Allah, The God, The Creator, The Majestic, The All-Powerful:
[It is not [befitting] for Allāh to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.]
A Sign, Mercy, and Blessing from Allah:
Before Jesus was born, Allah sent Angel Jibril to the Chaste Maryam, one of the Paradise Ladies, to let her know of her son’s miraculous birth, and blessing prophethood:
[He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son].” She said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?!” He said, “Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.’]
To the Muslims, Jesus is a blessing from Allah, as Allah decreed that, and a mercy sent to get people back to the right path of worshipping Allah.
Honorable Messenger:
In Islam, as Moses was sent with Torah, and Muhammad was sent with Qur’an, Jesus was sent with the Gospel, that divine, pure scripture before getting distorted by humans later. Again, the true Gospel calls for following Jesus’ call to worship Allah Alone, and do good as commanded. Yet, unfortunately, some follow and many deviate from that straight path:
[… and followed [them] with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy and monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did so] seeking the approval of Allāh. But they did not observe it with due observance. So We gave the ones who believed among them their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient.]
Jesus’ Miracles as a Messenger:
Like other messengers and prophets, Allah granted Jesus some stunning miracles, which were done by the permission and power of Allah, through Jesus, like:
Miraculous Birth:
Jesus came to life without a father, and that was unusual miracle to his people, as a sign of Allah’s limitless power of creation, and that He is The Cause of All Causes:
[Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, “Be,” and he was.]
Talking In Cradle:
After Maryam gave birth to Jesus, Allah let Jesus, as an infant, talk to people and defend his mother. So, she just pointed to Jesus, without talking to them. They got stunned by him talking to them!
[So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle as a child?! [Jesus] said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allāh…]
Breathing Life into Clay, Bringing Back Dead, and Healing:
Allah granted Jesus a miraculous power of giving life into clay-formed birds, bringing the dead back to life, and of healing the blind and leper. Those were unimaginable miracles, by permission of Allah, that some thought it all a sort of magic!
[when Allāh will say, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit Gabriel] and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, “This is not but obvious magic.”]
Conclusion:
In Islam, Jesus is a blessed prophet and honorable messenger who came with the message of worshipping and submitting to Allah, The One and Only God, like all other prophets. Muslims highly respect, and deeply love Jesus, as they respect and cherish all Allah’s messengers, following the straight path of Allah’s guidance.
