“Behold! the angels said, ‘Oh Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter, and in (the company of) those nearest to God.” [Quran 3:45]
“Behold! the angels said, ‘Oh Mary! God gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the Hereafter, and in (the company of) those nearest to God.” [Quran 3:45]
Prophet Jesus, although often only associated with Christianity, is a Prophet and heavily revered figure in Islam as well.
Preaching the importance of charity, love, and devotion to God, Prophet Jesus remains one of the most loved prophets among Muslims. As one of the most mentioned prophets in the Holy Quran, Prophet Jesus – or Isa, as he is called in Arabic – helps remind us how to become better Muslims and better human beings.
Here are six examples of what the Holy Quran says about Prophet Jesus, in the hopes that we remember to learn from him not only during the holiday season but throughout our entire lives as well.
1. Jesus was a Messenger of God
“He said: ‘I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet.'”
[Quran 19:30]
The Quran remains clear that Jesus was one of the holy prophets of God, and was given revelations to help mankind in faith and humanity. Is it therefore imperative that we, especially as Muslims, remember that his wisdom and teaching are indeed coming straight from Allah.
2. Jesus spoke as a child with revelations from God
“But she pointed to the babe. They said: ‘How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?’ He said: ‘I am indeed a servant of God: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet.'”
[Quran 19:29-30]
The Quran helps us understand the magnitude of Prophet Jesus’ status as a messenger of God through the proofs of him speaking as an infant in the cradle. Chosen by God to become a Prophet for humankind, the Quran helps us see how powerfully inspirational Prophet Jesus truly is.
3. Jesus was given the power of miracles by God
“We have made some of these messengers to excel the others among them are they to whom Allah spoke, and some of them He exalted by (many degrees of) rank; and We gave clear miracles to Jesus, son of Mary, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. And if Allah had pleased, those after them would not have fought one with another after clear arguments had come to them, but they disagreed; so there were some of them who believed and others who denied; and if Allah had pleased they would not have fought one with another, but Allah brings about what He intends.” [Quran 2:253]
The Quran is proof that Jesus did indeed work miracles, and was blessed with the ability to heal, inspire, and bring even the most downtrodden back to faith and compassion.
Without this understanding of Prophet Jesus’ miracles, one cannot understand how awe-inspiring he was and remains to this day to millions of believers.
4. God sent Jesus the Gospel
“And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Torah that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Torah that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah.”
[Quran 5:46]
The Quran, through acknowledging the previous Abrahamic religions of Judaism and Christianity, enlightens us that Prophet Jesus was in fact given the Gospel to help guide and protect us through the power of faith and belief in God.
While the Quran remains the last and final revelation from God, there is no doubt that the Gospel was previously revealed to Jesus for humankind.
5. Jesus was not the son of God
“And behold! Allah will say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst 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 wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.'” [Quran 5:116]
“O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not ‘Trinity’; desist; it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.” [Quran 4:171]
The Quran remains clear that the Prophet Jesus was not the son of God, and although he was indeed a prophet, he was still merely a human being. This is one of the most fundamental teachings of the Quran about Jesus, that he is not one of a Trinity or a physical manifestation of God, but that he is only a messenger of the teachings of Allah.
6. Jesus was not crucified
“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, but another was made to resemble him 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.”
[Quran 4:157]
The Quran differs strongly from today’s Bible in that the Quran states that the Prophet Jesus was not in fact crucified, and was not killed by his enemies. Muslims believe that Prophet Jesus was not killed and will return on the Day of Judgement to help restore justice and equality to all, similar to the Christian belief.
By understanding the Quranic perspective on Prophet Jesus, we all can better understand the true meaning behind Prophet Jesus’ message of peace, charity, devotion, and love to humankind.
