Jesus The Prophet

Peace of God and His mercy to you.

Free Quran

If I was in the time of Prophet Jesus and I denied him, it would mean I denied the message he is trying to spread and denied that the god exists. At that time I would be a disbeliever not an anti-Christ. The anti-Christ mentioned in the holy books is different. He will try to make the people disbelieve in the existence of Allah. He will come before the end of time and he will be killed by Jesus, the Christ, peace be upon him.

We Muslims believe, as written in the Quran and told by Prophet Muhammad, that Prophet Jesus is a miracle from the god; not a god or a son of god. The god the Greatest can do anything a human cannot do. He created Jesus in Mary's womb. Like we were created, an Angel with our souls were sent to our mothers and had our souls into our bodies. Prophet Jesus is a great believer in Allah. He called people to believe in Him and to worship Him. Prophet Jesus himself prayed to Allah. Did he call people to pray to him? Did he pray to himself?

Do not forget that Jesus the Prophet was not sent only to the Jews. He was sent for the nonbelievers to believe in only one god. The message he carried spread to many parts of the world and people believed in the existence of a god.

If Jesus was not a Prophet, why was he given the Bible? It is a guidebook so people stop doing sins. Why? Because they are recorded and they displease Allah. You were born free of sin. Keep your soul free of sin as Jesus told you.

We believe that Allah is your god and the god of the Jews as he is the god we worship. We are not sure of the authenticity of the previous holy books. There are many versions of them and notes added to them. We are not sure if people missed with them.

Virgin Mary

Peace of God and His mercy to you.

Free Quran

The Holy Quran regarded Virgin Mary (Maryam) with great respect. She was not a whore, may Allah be pleased with her, nor she was after men. She was so religious and loved Allah and followed Him. Allah, with His might, made Mary pregnant with Jesus (Isa) and He told her it was a miracle and more would become of Jesus. Both of them are respected by the Muslims and it is considered a disbelief in Allah if a Muslim defames Mary or Jesus, may peace be upon them.

One of the loved names for girls is Maryam. And one of the respected names for boys in Isa.

From Reading Islam:

Question:
Dear Sirs,

Thank you for your very informative site. As a high school history teacher, it serves an invaluable source of accurate information about Islam and the Islamic world.

My question regards the person of the Virgin Mary in Islamic teaching. I have read that in many Islamic nations - Iraq and Syria mostly - Mary has a prominent place within the hearts of Muslims. Is this the case?

If so, how and what are the Islamic theological foundations for this role vis a vis Christianity?

Thank you in advance for your response.

Answer:
Salaam (Peace) Pablo,

Thank you for your question.

No faith or holy book has honored Virgin Mary and held her in high esteem as did Islam and the Holy Qur’an, not even the Bible. A full-chapter of the Qur’an was titled Maryam (Arabic of Mary). You would also find that simply many Muslims love to call their daughters Maryam out of love and respect.

The Holy Qur’an portrays the character and merits of Virgin Mary since her birth till her miraculous pregnancy and birth of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). In doing so, Qur’an, which is a divinely revealed book, does not give much emphasis on detailing the events. This is typical of human authors, as it is outlining the significance, wisdom and lessons learnt.

Thus the virtues, high status and moral excellence of Virgin Mary are exposed: a chaste and pious human woman who was chosen, purified, and preferred over all of the women of creation to be the one to give birth to the Messenger Jesus through the command of God. This is without any father whatsoever.

The following are quotations from the English interpretations of some Qur’anic verses, which narrate the story of Virgin Mary. These citations, if read in their original Arabic text - with its inimitable divine eloquence and superb rhetoric - are so moving that they bring tears into the eyes of Arab listeners, Muslims and Christians alike.

Surah 66, verses 12:

*{…and Mary, daughter of `Imran, who attended to her private parts [guarded her chastity, so We breathed in it of Our Spirit (Gabriel)], and she sincerely believed in the Words of her Lord, and His Books; and she was one of the devout.}*

Surah 3, verses 42 – 43:

*{And [remember] when the angels said: O Mary! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds. O Mary! Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord [Allah] and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with those who bow down [for Him].}*

Surah 19 - named after her name: Maryam, verses 16 - 31:

*{And mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen from them; then We sent to her Our Spirit [Gabriel], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. She said: Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious [Allah] from you, if you do fear Allah. He said: I am only a messenger from your Lord, [to announce] to you the gift of a righteous son.

She said: How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste? He said: So [it will be], your Lord said: 'That is easy for Me [Allah]’. And [We wish] to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us [Allah], and it is a matter [already] decreed [by Allah].

So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said: “Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!” Then (one) cried from beneath her, saying: “Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you. And shake the trunk of date palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: 'Verily, I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious [Allah] so I shall not speak to any human being this day.'”

Then she brought him [the baby] to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary! Indeed you have brought a fabricated thing. O sister [i.e. the like] of Aaron! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.” Then she pointed to him. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?” He (Jesus) said: “Verily, I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me prayer, and zakat (alms), as long as I live.}*

For more, read also in Surah 3 – named after the Household of `Imran, verses 33 - 38, 44 – 47, in Surah 4, verses 155 – 162 and Surah 21, verses 91-91.

Also Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has pointed out to the status of Virgin Mary in Islam when he said:

“The best of the world's women is Mary.”

He also said:

“Among women none attained perfection except Mary the daughter of `Imran, and Asiya the wife of Pharaoh.”

As for the Bible, Virgin Mary was mentioned mainly in Matthews 1: 15 - 25 and Luke 1: 26 – 57. This was in the context of narrating the story of the birth of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him). This can give you a comparative appreciation - bearing in mind my previous remark on the original Arabic Qur`an - of the status of Virgin Mary in Islam and Christianity.

Thank you again for your question and please keep in touch.

Salaam.

Do Muslims Believe That Jesus Is The Son Of Allah?

Peace of God and His mercy to you.

Jesus is not the son of Allah. He is a miracle from Allah.

From Islam Q&A:

Question:
Can you be a Muslim and still believe that Jesus is the son of God?

Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.

One of the most important principles of belief in Allaah is to declare that Allaah is above all attributes that imply shortcomings. One of the attributes that imply shortcomings that the Muslim must reject is the notion that Allaah has a son, because that implies need and that there is a being who is like unto Him, and these are matters which Allaah is far above. Allaah says in Soorat al-Ikhlaas, which describes an attribute of the Most Merciful and is regarded as being equal in reward to reciting one-third of the Qur’aan:

“Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the) One.

Allaah-us-Samad [Allaah — the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)].

He begets not, nor was He begotten.

And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him”

[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4 – interpretation of the meaning]

Because the Christians believe that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of God – exalted be Allaah far above what they say – many verses of the Qur’aan deny this claim and refute it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!”

[al-Tawbah 9:30]

“O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (‘Be!’ — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: ‘Three (trinity)!’ Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allaah is (the only) One Ilaah (God), glory is to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allaah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs”

[al-Nisa’ 4:171]

“The Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddeeqah [i.e. she believed in the Words of Allaah and His Books]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allaah does not eat). Look how We make the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them; yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)”

[al-Maa’idah 5:75]

“And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!”

[al-Tawbah 9:30]

Because this false belief existed among the Christians, it was essential for those among them who entered Islam to give up these false beliefs which contradict Islam, one of which is this belief. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever bears witness that there is no god except Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and that ‘Eesa is His slave and Messenger, and His Word which He bestowed upon Maryam and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is real and Hell is real, Allaah will admit him to Paradise (and grant him a position therein) according to his deeds.” (al-Bukhaari, 3435; Muslim, 28). Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: From this it may be understood what the Christian must be taught to say when he becomes a Muslim. Fath al-Baari, hadeeth no. 3435.

Based on this, a person can only be regarded as a Muslim if he disavows himself of this false belief, and believes that Allaah is above all shortcomings. Whoever acknowledges the greatness of Allaah will find it easy to give up his old beliefs that are not appropriate with regard to Allaah. We ask Allaah to help us to venerate Him and appreciate how great He is.