Jesus Between Islam and Christianity


i am a christian and have always wondered about the story of jesus. my mum says he died on the cross and then came back to live, which is very confusing. islam says he never died but was raised up to heaven.

answer:

the christian belief about jesus is that he is the only-begotten son of god or god himself, who died on the cross to save humans from original sin.

muslims hold that there is no such thing as original sin. so, god had no reason to become a human and die on the cross. even if there were something called original sin, muslims do not see how god could be so helpless as to atone for that sin by dying on the cross.

the christians would answer:

"for god so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (john 3:16)

did god really love the world so much… so much that he decided to sacrifice even his son, his only begotten son, to save the world from original sin? christians would say, yes.

on the other hand, muslims would insist in the first place, that god is one and one only, and, therefore, he did not have a son. second, as god is just, he would not punish the innocent to save the sinners. third, the so-called original sin cannot be such a problem for the almighty god that he is compelled to sacrifice "his own son." he could very well cancel that sin or he could simply demand an atonement from the sinful or at least ask for sincere repentance from them.

 

indeed, there was no need for god to subject his son to the terrible torture he is said to have undergone, as portrayed in mel gibson’s the passion of the christ, for instance.

in fact, there were early christians who did not believe in the crucifixion of jesus. for instance, the basilidians believed that someone else was crucified in his place. the names of simon of cyrene and even judas iscariot are heard in this context.

as for the quran, it speaks of how allah cleared jesus of the disbelief of his people. it says what means:

*{[and remember] when allah said: o jesus! i will take you and raise you to myself, and cleanse you of those who disbelieve; and i will make those who follow [you] superior to those who disbelieve until the day of resurrection. then to me you will [all] return, and i will judge between you as to that wherein you used to differ. and as for those who disbelieve i will punish them with severe torment in this world and the hereafter; and they will have no helpers.}* (aal `imran 3:55-56)

thus, allah raised jesus up to heaven, and so he was saved from an accursed death on the cross, in contrast to what his enemies and even his self-styled "followers" alleged.

it was the plan of the enemies of jesus to crucify him, but allah foiled their plan. so, to believe in his death by crucifixion means to believe that those unbelievers were successful against god's plan. but assuredly they could not crucify jesus the messenger of allah. the quran says what means:

*{and their saying [is] 'we slew the messiah, jesus son of mary, allah's messenger' – they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them. and those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture. for of a surety they slew him not; but allah took him up to himself. allah is almighty [and] all-wise.

and there is none of the people of the book [the jews and christians] but will believe in him before his death, and on the day of resurrection he will be a witness against them.}* (an-nisaa' 4:157-159)

we muslims believe in all the prophets of god and honor and respect them alike; we do not make any distinction between one and another of them. muslims believe jesus christ to be one of the great prophets of god and hold that all prophets are brothers and that their religion is the same, namely, islam (or unconditional submission to allah). allah says in the quran what means:

*{he [allah] has ordained for you the same religion as that which he ordained to noah, and that which we inspired in you [muhammad], and that which we ordained to abraham and moses and jesus, saying: establish the religion, and make no divisions therein. to those who worship other things than allah, dreadful is that to which you call them. allah chooses for himself whom he will, and guides to himself him who turns [in repentance to him].}* (ash-shura 42:13)


the qur’an is very clear on this issue. it says what means:


*{behold! allah said, o jesus! i will take you and raise you to myself and clear you [of the falsehoods] of those who blaspheme; i will make those who follow you superior to those who reject faith, to the day of resurrection: then shall you all return unto me, and i will judge between you of the matters wherein you dispute}* (aal `imran 3:55).

*{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. only a likeness of that was shown 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:- no! allah raised him up unto himself; and allah is exalted in power, wise}* (an-nisaa’ 4:157-158).

the critical word is the bal in verse 157 which translates to but in “but they killed him not.” arabic rules of grammar require opposites to be compared when bal is used.

so, putting these two verses together, since allah clearly says *{but they killed him not}*, it means they didn’t kill him. therefore he must have been alive. so, *{i will raise you to me}* implies “i will raise you to me alive.”

the passage in verses 4:157-158 only emphasizes that many people talk about what they do not know. muslims believe that all knowledge is with allah. he knows and man knows not. what allah tells us is the truth. your question only reiterates that man is contentious and will argue on many things, even those things that he doesn’t know. yet, here the issue is, i believe, very clear.

Do We Pray for Prophets Jesus and Muhammad?


indeed, prophet jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) is honored, as are all the other prophets. but islam does not give him any special honors on account of his miraculous birth. the qur’an tells us this in several places, as in surah 2 , verse 136 that give the meaning of:


*{say [o muslims]: “we believe in allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to abraham, ishmael, isaac, jacob, and to al-asbaat (the twelve sons of jacob), and that which has been given to moses and jesus, and that which has been given to the prophets from their lord. we make no distinction between any of them, and to him we have submitted [in islam].”}*

nearly identical to this is verse 3:84. we also have surah 2, verse 285 that means:


*{the messenger (muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his lord, and [so do] the believers. each one believes in allah, his angels, his books, and his messengers. they say: “we make no distinction between one another of his messengers”—and they say: “we hear, and we obey. [we seek] your forgiveness, our lord, and to you is the return [of all].”}*

also surah 4, verse 152 reads the meaning of:


*{and those who believe in allah and his messengers and make no distinction between any of them [the messengers], we shall give them their rewards, and allah is ever oft-forgiving, most merciful.}*

we honor and respect jesus as well as all the other prophets and messengers. we also can and do ask for allah’s peace and blessings on him, as well as on all the other prophets and messengers (peace and blessings be upon them all).

but we do not ask jesus or muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them both)—or any other prophet or messenger—to intercede to allah for us, or to grant us any favors. nor do we call any of their names in exclamation when surprised, upset, or in need of help. instead we should exclaim, “allah!” or “subhan allah (how perfect is allah!)” or “la ilaha illa allah! (there is no god but allah.)”

we always need to remember that all prophets were only human. whatever miracles they performed while they were living were done only by the power of allah. prophet jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken bodily to heaven, from where he will return before the end of time. but he—as well as all the other prophets and messengers who died—has no power to do anything for us. our prayers must be directed only to allah.

Was Muhammad (P.B.U.H) a True Prophet?

muhammad (p.b.u.h) the son of `abdullaah, is allaah's prophet and the final messenger sent by allaah to the inhabitants of the earth. you should know that he (p.b.u.h) is allaah's messenger in reality and truth. the evidences that show his veracity are abundant. none but an infidel, who out of arrogance alone, could deny these signs.


among these proofs:

1.    muhammad (p.b.u.h) was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death. among all his people, he (p.b.u.h) was known as being truthful and trustworthy. before receiving revelation, he (p.b.u.h) had no prior knowledge of religion or any previously sent message. he (p.b.u.h) remained like that for his first forty years. revelation then came to muhammad (p.b.u.h) with the quran that we now have between our hands. this quran mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest detail as if he (p.b.u.h) witnessed them. these accounts came precisely as they were found in the torah sent down to moses (p.b.u.h) and in the gospel sent down to jesus (p.b.u.h). never the less, neither the jews nor the christians believed anything that he (p.b.u.h) said.

 

2.    muhammad (p.b.u.h) also foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of chosroes [the royal title for the zoroastrian kings of persia] and caesar, and the establishment of the religion of islam throughout the earth. these events occurred exactly as muhammad (p.b.u.h) foretold, as if he (p.b.u.h) was reading the future from an open book.

 

3.    muhammad (p.b.u.h) also conveyed an arabic quran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. the quran challenged those eloquent and fluent arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the quran. the eloquent arabs of his day were unable to contest this quran. indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able to compose words that equal-or even approach-the order, grace, beauty and splendor of this glorious quran.

 

4.    the life history of this noble prophet (p.b.u.h) was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the reward of the hereafter. moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he (p.b.u.h) was ever mindful and fearful of allaah.

 

5.    allaah instilled great love for muhammad (p.b.u.h) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him (p.b.u.h). this love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him (p.b.u.h). till today, those who believe in muhammad (p.b.u.h) honor and love him. anyone of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to see him (p.b.u.h) even if but once.

 

6.    all of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of muhammad (p.b.u.h) who is the most influential human in history. nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him. upon remembering muhammad (p.b.u.h) the believers in him will greet him and ask allaah to bless him (p.b.u.h) and exalt his status. they do such with full hearts and true love for him (p.b.u.h).

 

7.    nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in all his doings by those who believe in him (p.b.u.h). those who believe in muhammad (p.b.u.h)sleep in the manner he (p.b.u.h) slept; purify themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he (p.b.u.h) purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and clothe themselves.

 

indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in muhammad (p.b.u.h) adhere to the teachings he (p.b.u.h) spread among them and the path that he traveled upon during his life. during every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in this noble prophet (p.b.u.h) have fully adhered to his teachings. with some, this has reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to the prophet's way in his (p.b.u.h) personal matters regarding which allaah has not sought of them to adhere to in worship. for example, some will only eat those specific foods or only wear those specific garments that the messenger (p.b.u.h) liked.

 

let alone all that, all those who believe in muhammad (p.b.u.h) repeat those praises of allaah, special prayers, and invocations that he (p.b.u.h) would say during each of his actions during day and night, like: what he (p.b.u.h) would say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house, entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning from travel, etc.

 

moreover, all those who believe in muhammad (p.b.u.h) fully perform - even to the minute detail - every act of worship, like prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage, as this noble messenger (p.b.u.h) taught and as he (p.b.u.h) himself performed. all of this allows those who believe in him (p.b.u.h) to live their lives in all aspects with this noble messenger (p.b.u.h) as their example, as if he (p.b.u.h) was standing before them, for them to follow in all their doings.

 

8.    there has never been, nor will there ever be, a man anywhere upon this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all matters, small and large alike, as has this noble prophet (p.b.u.h).

 

9. since his days, in every region of the earth and during every period, this noble prophet (p.b.u.h) has been followed by individuals from all nations, colors and peoples. many of those who followed him were previously christians, jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. among those who chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. they chose to follow this noble prophet (p.b.u.h)after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. they did not choose to follow muhammad (p.b.u.h) out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.

 

indeed many of the followers of this prophet (p.b.u.h) chose to follow him during the time when islam was weak, when there were few muslims, and when there was severe persecution of his followers on earth. people who have followed this prophet (p.b.u.h) have not done so to acquire some material benefits. indeed many of his followers have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result of following him. despite all this harm and persecution, this did not turn them back from his religion. all of this clearly indicates, to anyone possessing any sense, that this prophet (p.b.u.h) was truly and really allaah's messenger and that he (p.b.u.h) was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about allaah without knowledge.

 

9.    with all this, muhammad (p.b.u.h) came with a great religion in its creedal and legal make-up. muhammad (p.b.u.h) described allaah with qualities of complete perfection, and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to him any imperfection. neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe allaah like such. indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability and greatness who has subdued the creation, who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large, and who possesses such perfect mercy. nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the laws that muhammad (p.b.u.h) conveyed to all spheres of human activity - like buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.

 

10.  it is impossible that any person conceive wisdom, morals, good manners, and nobleness of characters as what this honorable prophet (p.b.u.h) brought. in a full and complete manner, muhammad (p.b.u.h) spread a teaching regarding character and manners toward one's parents, relatives, fiends, family, humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. it is impossible for the human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a similar teaching. all of that unequivocally indicates that this messenger (p.b.u.h) did not bring any of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a teaching and inspiration that he (p.b.u.h) received from the one who created the earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture and perfection.

12. the legal and creedal make-up of the religion that the messenger muhammad (p.b.u.h) brought resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. all of that indicates that he who created the heavens and the earth is the one who sent down this great law and upright religion. the degree of inimitability of the divine law that was sent down upon muhammad (p.b.u.h) is to the same degree of inimitability of the divine creation of the heavens and the earth. for just as humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like allaah's law that he sent down upon his servant and messenger muhammad (p.b.u.h).

Refuting the Suspicion that Says: The Prophet’s Birth was a Normal one

 

 

some of the insulters of islam (especially christians) say that muhammad’s birth is a normal one in comparing with jesus’ birth that was a gift given by allah to the virtuous maria.

muhammad (pbuh) was born as all other humans from a mother and a father, not as jesus’ birth that was from a mother only.

those insulters think that muhammad’s prophecy isn’t a true one because of that!

 

1-they ignore that prophet muhammad shares this quality( having a father & mother) with all other prophets, starting with prophet noah and abraham ( pease be upon them ) and all other sent prophets till prophet mousa (pbuh), and this special case of jesus’ birth didn’t happen to any other prophet.

 

2-muhammad’s birth in a normal way makes him a good example to be followed by all humans because he doesn’t differ from anyone of them in his qualities; he eats and drinks, sleeps and wakes up, becomes happy and sad, marries, becomes ill and also dies.

so he will be an easy example to follow by everyone being the last sent messenger that must be followed by all mankind.

 

3- prophet muhammad was proud of being one of the people around him. he saw this as an advantage, to be nearer to people in his call; so that they can understand each other, and to be closer to their qualities to deal with them in a right way. as mentioned in the holy quran :” verily, there has come unto you a messenger (muhammad) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom you know well). it grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. he (muhammad) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to allâh, and beg him to pardon and forgive your sins in order that you may enter paradise and be saved from the punishment of the hell-fire); for the believers (is) full of pity, kind, and merciful.“(at tauba: 128)

 

and muhammad (pbuh) declared this; when his folk told him:”we shall not believe in you (o muhammad), until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us;*or you have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst abundantly;*or you cause the heaven to fall upon us in pieces, as you have pretended, or you bring allâh and the angels before (us) face to face;*or you have a house of zukhruf (like silver and pure gold), or you ascend up into the sky, and even then we will put no faith in your ascension until you bring down for us a book that we would read“ ( al israa’, 90,91.92,93) ….the prophet replied :“glorified (and exalted) be my lord [(allâh) above all that evil they (polytheists) associate with him. am i anything but a man, sent as a messenger?”(al israa’ : 93)

 

4-the almighty allah says in the holy quran, that the sent messengers have to be from the same kind of people to whom they’re sent to:

” say: "if there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, we should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a messenger."  

( al israa’: 95).

 

the same meaning is included in abraham’s call:

” our lord! send amongst them a messenger of their own (and indeed allâh answered their invocation by sending muhammad), who shall recite unto them your verses and instruct them in the book (this qur’ân) and al-hikmah (full knowledge of the islâmic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or prophethood), and purify them. verily! you are the all-mighty, the all-wise."  ( al baqara: 129),

 

 and in allah’s words:

” similarly (to complete my blessings on you), we have sent among you a messenger (muhammad) of your own, reciting to you our verses (the qur’ân) and purifying you, and teaching you the book (the qur’ân) and the hikmah” (al baqar : 151)…

 

” indeed allah conferred a great favour on the believers when he sent among them a messenger (muhammad) from among themselves, reciting unto them his verses (the qur'an), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the book (the qur'an) and al hikmah [the wisdom and the sunnah of the prophet (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest error.   ” ( aal imran: 164)….

 

” and we sent to them a messenger from among themselves (saying): "worship allâh!“ (al mu’mimoun : 32)…..and….

” he it is who sent among the unlettered ones a messenger (muhammad ) from among themselves, reciting to them his verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the book (this qur'an, islamic laws and islamic jurisprudence) and al-hikmah (as-sunnah: legal ways, orders, acts of worship, etc. of prophet muhammad ). and verily, they had been before in mainfest error; “

 (al jumu’a: 2)

 

and a lot a lot of other verses from the holy quran show that messengers must be of the same kind of the people they’re sent to; so they can understand each other.

that’s why a prophet like muhammad (pbuh) had to have the same circumstances as all other people to make communications easier, so that the message of islam can be understood by all to be guided to the right way.

 

Is Jesus Dead or Alive?