Many people are surprised to learn that Muslims believe in Jesus peace be upon him. One who reads the Quran will quickly realize that it does not only speak of who Jesus was, it also teaches who he wasn’t. The Quran is a confirmation of the scriptures revealed to previous Prophets. This article will highlight 10 things you may have not known about Jesus, peace be upon him in Islam.
1. Jesus, peace be upon him, is one of the greatest Prophets and Messengers in Islam
Muslims believe in Jesus, peace be upon him, not as the son of God, but as one of God’s greatest Prophets and Messengers. He is part of a chain of Prophets such as Abraham, Noah, David, Moses, and Muhammad peace be upon them all.
2. Jesus was born miraculously without a father
In Chapter 19 of the Quran, it recalls the birth of Jesus, peace be upon him. He was born to the Virgin Mary without a father. His miraculous birth was not a sign of his divinity, but evidence of his unique status as one of God’s greatest Prophets. The Quran compares the birth of Jesus to the Creation of Adam. In God’s eyes, Jesus is just like Adam: He created him from dust, said to him, ‘Be’, and he was (3:59). Adam was created with no parents but remains a Prophet. Similarly, for Muslims, Jesus’ birth without a father is not an indication of his divinity.
3. He spoke in the cradle
When Jesus, peace be upon him, was born, the people at the time accused his mother Mary of committing fornication. In order to save her from such an accusation, the Quran explains in several places that Jesus spoke in the cradle. She pointed at him. They said, ‘How can we speak with an infant?’ He said: “I am indeed a servant of Allah: He has given me revelation and made me a Prophet (19: 30-31).
4. There is an entire chapter in the Quran named after Mary
Mary (Maryam in Arabic) is the only woman mentioned in the Quran by name. Not only that, but she is the only woman who has an entire chapter named after her. Her story is mentioned throughout the Quran, but chapter 19 highlights her giving birth miraculously to Jesus, peace be upon him. The Quran refers to Jesus as the son of Mary as a way of honoring her.
5. Jesus performed miracles
The Quran, similar to the New Testament, highlights the many miracles Jesus, peace be upon him, performed. For example, he created birds from clay and blew in them to give them life, he healed the sick, blind, and was able to revive the dead. However, all of these miracles were given to him as a sign of Prophethood. Miracles were meant to convince those who were doubtful about Jesus being God’s Messenger, they were not a sign of divinity. Otherwise, all Prophets who performed miracles would also be divine.
6. Believing in Jesus, peace be upon him, is a requirement to being a Muslim
To be a Muslim, one must believe in all Prophets and Messengers. Denying or rejecting any of those Prophets is a denial of all of them. Therefore, rejecting the Prophethood of Jesus, peace be upon him, results in one no longer being a Muslim. It is a requirement of the Islamic faith.
7. Jesus foretold the coming of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon them both
The Quran highlights that Jesus foretold the coming of Muhammad: “And remember Jesus, the son of Mary, said: O children of Israel! I am the Apostle of God sent to you confirming the Torah, which came before me, and giving Glad Tidings of an Apostle to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said: this is evident sorcery.” (61:6) The name Ahmad and Mohammed come from the same Arabic root and in essence are the same name. You can read more here.
8. Jesus was not killed or crucified
The Quran explains that Jesus, peace be upon him, did not die. It speaks of some people in his time who claimed to have killed him, but God denies this claim and explains that it was only made to appear as though they crucified him. And for their saying, “We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of God.” In fact, they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them as if they did. Indeed, those who differ about him are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it, except the following of assumptions. Certainly, they did not kill him. Rather, God raised him up to Himself. God is Mighty and Wise (4: 157-158)
9. Jesus will return to the earth before the day of judgment
In continuation with the verses about Jesus’ alleged crucifixion, the Quran explains that he will return. There is none from the People of the Scripture but will believe in him before his/her own death, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them (4: 159). In several narrations, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him explained that Jesus will return to earth and establish justice. His return to earth is considered one of the major signs of the day of judgment.
10. God revealed a book called the Injeel to Jesus, peace be upon him
Muslims believe that God revealed scripture to Jesus, peace be upon him, called the Injeel or the Gospel. This book confirmed what was revealed to Moses in the Torah. This scripture has not been preserved in its entirety. Therefore, God revealed the Quran as His final message to mankind. All three of these scriptures, the Torah, Injeel, and Quran, call to the worship of only one God.
Prophet Jesus peace be upon him was sent to the Children of Israel and was in need of individuals to support him. Similarly, the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him were his helpers and disciples. The Qurʾān speaks highly of the disciples of Jesus by highlighting their faith, conviction, and sacrifice. The Qurʾān calls on the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to be like the disciples of Jesus:
O you who have believe, be helpers of Allah as when Jesus the son of Maryam said to the disciples: “Who are my helpers for Allah?” The disciples said: “We are Allah’s helpers (anṣār Allāh).” So a group of the Children of Israel believed and another group disbelieved. So We aided those who believed against their enemy and they prevailed. (Q 61:14)
This verse establishes a parallel between the Prophets Muḥammad and Jesus, peace upon them both. Allah asks the Companions of the Prophet to be his helpers (anṣār), as Jesus had requested his followers. The disciples of Jesus had pledged to dedicate their lives to supporting him in conveying, propagating, and practicing the guidance of Allah; this is precisely what the Anṣār of Madina did for the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace upon him, hence they were given the title al-Anṣār. They came to his aid when the young and small Muslim community most needed such help. The Prophet Muḥammad, blessings and peace upon him, had been seeking aid from pilgrims visiting Mecca. Twelve such visitors from Madina accepted Islam and agreed to aid him, in what came to be known as the first pledge of ʿAqaba, which took place in the eleventh year of the Prophet’s mission. The next year, seventy-two (or seventy-three) Madinans pledged to support the Prophet and fight by his side. The Children of Israel had twelve leaders (nuqabāʾ) at the time of Prophet Mūsā, upon him peace: And Allah took a covenant from the Children of Israel, and We delegated from among them twelve leaders (Q 5:12). During the second Pledge of ʿAqaba, the twelve Madinan leaders were given the title of nuqabāʾ (leaders), and by most accounts were considered the close disciples of the Prophet Muḥammad peace be upon him.
The situation of Jesus and the disciples was similar to that of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him, and his Companions in Mecca. The verses of Q. 61:14 were revealed after the treaty of Ḥudaybiya, which took place in the sixth year after hijra, while the conquest of Mecca was at sight. This might explain why the verse that precedes the mention of Jesus and the disciples (Q. 61:13) speaks of a “victory near at hand” (fatḥun qarīb). Being that the Meccan period resembled the situation of Jesus and the disciples, the verse highlights the zeal and support of the disciples as an example for the Prophet’s Companions. Jesus peace be upon him sought the disciples to be his helpers (anṣār) against the disbelievers, as in the verse So We aided those who believed against their enemy and they prevailed (Q 61:14). Although exegetes agree that Jesus, peace upon him, did not take up arms, some note that after he was raised to the heavens a battle broke out between his followers and those who disbelieved in him. Other scholars note that this victory mentioned in the Qurʾān refers to their prevailing in argument, not in battle. Ṭabarī notes that three factions of Israelites emerged in his wake: one which claimed Jesus was God, one which considered him the son of God, and one which held that he was a Messenger of God. As indicated in the verse, the last group prevailed due to their evidences and proof against the other groups. Moreover, the emergence and triumph of the message of the Prophet Muḥammad was typologically a victory of the disciples of Jesus, because their message ultimately prevailed over the beliefs of the disbelieving parties through the victory of the Prophet Muḥammad, blessings and peace upon him.
Just as the disciples held special rank among their community, the helpers of the Prophet Muḥammad, blessings and peace upon him, enjoy an exalted position in the Qurʾān and Ḥadīth. The Prophet stated: “Only a believer loves the Anṣār, and only a hypocrite hates them. So Allah will love him who loves them, and He will hate him who hates them” (Bukhārī).
The Prophet, blessings and peace upon him, also said, “There is no Prophet who was sent by Allah to a nation before me except that he had disciples (ḥawāriyyūn) and Companions among them” (Muslim). During the campaign of al-Aḥzāb which took place during the fifth year after hijra, the Prophet thrice asked his Companions which of them would reconnaissance the disbelieving camp, and al-Zubayr volunteered himself each time. The Prophet, upon him blessings and peace, declared about his exceptional effort, “Every Prophet has a disciple (ḥawārī) and my disciple is al-Zubayr” (Tirmidhī). This hadith echoes a story related in commentaries on Q 61:14 in which a young disciple volunteered to take the place of Jesus, upon him peace, when he was to be crucified. Since some Prophet’s did not have any followers, the hadith is understood in a general and not universal sense, given other hadiths which include passages such as the following: “The nations were shown to me; I saw some Prophets who had a group of followers, and another Prophet who had one or two followers, and a Prophet who had no followers” (Muslim). This is not to say that Muhammad and Jesus peace be upon them were identical, but that they had some common themes and experiences in their lives. Prophet Muhammad said: “Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.” (Bukhari).
The Quran tells us a lot of wonderful things about Jesus. As a result, believers in the Quran love Jesus, honor him, and believe in him. In fact, no Muslim can be a Muslim unless he or she believes in Jesus, on whom be peace.
The Quran says that Jesus was born of a virgin, that he spoke while he was still only a baby, that he healed the blind and the leper by God’s leave, and that he raised the dead by God’s leave.
What then is the significance of these miracles? First, the virgin birth. God demonstrates his power to create in every way. God created everyone we know from a man and a woman. But how about Adam, on whom be peace? God created him from neither a man nor a woman. And Eve from only a man, but not a woman. And, finally, to complete the picture, God created Jesus from a woman, but not a man.
What about the other miracles?
These were to show that Jesus was not acting on his own behalf, but that he was backed by God. The Quran specifies that these miracles were performed by God’s leave. This may be compared to the Book of Acts in the Bible, chapter 2, verse 22, where it says that the miracles were done by God to show that he approved of Jesus. Also, note that Jesus himself is recorded in the Gospel of John to have said, “I can do nothing of my own authority” (5:30). The miracles, therefore, were done not by his own authority, but by God’s authority.
What did Jesus teach?
The Quran tells us that Jesus came to teach the same basic message which was taught by previous prophets from God—that we must shun every false god and worship only the one true God. Jesus taught that he is the servant and messenger of that one true God, the God of Abraham. These Quranic teachings can be compared with the Bible ( Mark 10:18; Matthew 26:39; John 14:28, 17:3, and 20:17) where Jesus teaches that the one he worshipped is the only true God. See also Matthew 12:18; Acts 3:13, and 4:27 where we find that his disciples knew him as Servant of God.
The Quran tells us that some of the Israelites rejected Jesus, and conspired to kill him, but God rescued Jesus and raised him to Himself. God will cause Jesus to descend again, at which time Jesus will confirm his true teachings and everyone will believe in him as he is and as the Quran teaches about him.
Jesus is the Messiah. He is a word from God, and a spirit from Him. He is honored in this world and in the hereafter, and he is one of those brought nearest to God.
Jesus was a man who spoke the truth which he heard from God. This can be compared with the Gospel where, according to John, Jesus says to the Israelites: “You are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God” (John 8:40).
It will be quickly obvious that they often referred to him as a servant of God, but never Son of God. Peter, for example, said:
“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus” (Acts 3:13).
Peter further said: “God raised up his servant” (Acts 3:26), where the title servant refers to Jesus.
Not only Peter, but the entire group of believers viewed Jesus as God’s servant. When they raised their voices together in prayer to God, in the course of their speaking to God they called Jesus “your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed” (Acts 4:27). They repeated this title also in verse 30. Consistently, Jesus was being called servant of God by the original followers of Jesus.
Some people mistakenly thought that the disciples called Jesus Son of God. An inconsistency of translation actually helped to give this wrong impression. In the King James Bible, the translators call Jesus “Son of God” in Acts 3:13, 26, and “child of God” in Acts 4:27. They simply translated the Greek word paida as “son” or “child”. But the word paida also means “servant”, and the present context demands this translation since the author of Acts is trying in this passage to establish that Jesus is indeed the servant of God.
The translators knew that the Greek word paida means servant. When the same word was used for David in chapter 4, verse 25, they translated it “servant”. Why not call Jesus also by the same title? Or, if they feel that “son” is the correct translation, why not also call David “Son of God”? Jesus and David are both called by the same title in Greek. Why not call them by a same title in English also?
Other translators recognised this inconsistency and corrected it in the modern translations of the Bible. Therefore the New International Version of the Bible and many others call Jesus Servant of God in the verses already quoted above. Nevertheless, the fact that Jesus was God’s servant was so well known that even the King James Bible called him by this title in Matthew 12:18. Referring back to Isaiah 42:1, Matthew identified Jesus as the servant of the one true God Yahweh.
In the next part, we will see how the eagerness in some people to call Jesus “Son of God” led them to invent explanations that indirectly insult God.
Muslims respect and venerate Jesus Christ. They consider him to be one of God’s greatest messengers to humankind. The Qur’an re-affirms his miraculous birth and his miraculous abilities. Furthermore, his mother Mary is regarded as one of the most pure and exalted women of all creation. As the Quran says:
“Behold! the angel said: ‘God has chosen you and purified you and has chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary! God gives you the good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near to God'” (3:42).
Muslims believe Jesus is a Prophet of God
Islam regards its teachings to be a re-affirmation and culmination of the teachings of previous monotheistic religions like Judaism and Christianity. Hence, all Muslims believe in Moses and Jesus as Prophets of God. (Click here to read more about prophets in Islam.)
Prophet Muhammad was commanded to recite in the Quran:
“Say, we believe in God and that which was revealed unto us, and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes and that which was entrusted unto Moses and Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have submitted” (3:84).
A Muslim never refers to him simply as “Jesus,” but always adds the phrase “upon him be peace.” (Read more: Who was Jesus?)
Muslims respect and venerate Jesus, peace be upon him. They consider him to be one of God’s greatest messengers to humankind. The Quran re-affirms his miraculous birth and his miraculous abilities. Furthermore, his mother Mary is regarded as one of the most pure and exalted women of all creation.
At the same time, Islam teaches that Jesus did not die on the cross but was instead raised up to the heavens by God. In addition, Islam maintains that Jesus was human and any divine traits he possessed were by the permission of God.
