Chapter 8: Jesus in the Qur'an

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else.

Isaiah 45:22

The following is a short, and by no means comprehensive, selection of verses from the Qur'an with regard to Jesus (peace be upon him), the prophets of Allah in general, and some basic foundations of Islam:

First mention of Jesus (pbuh) in the Qur'an:

"And verily We gave unto moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave unto Jesus, son of Mary, clear signs, and We supported him with the holy spirit (angel Gabriel). Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with that which you yourselves desire not, you grow arrogant? Some you disbelieved, and some you killed" Al-Bakarah(2):87.

Mention made of some of the prophets of Allah:

After speaking about Abraham (pbuh) God says: "And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob; each of them We guided; and Noah did We guide aforetime; and of his seed (We guided) David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good. And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one (of them) was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one of them did We prefer above (Our) creatures" Al-Anaam(6):84-86.

The message of the prophets was ONE message:

"Say (O Muhammad): We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us, and that which was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the sons of Jacob, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered. And whosoever seeks other than Islam as [their] religion it will not be accepted from him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers. How shall Allah guide a people who disbelieved after their belief and (after) they bore witness that the messenger (Muhammad) is true and after clear proofs had come unto them. And Allah guides not wrongdoing folk." A'al-Umran(3):84-86

What was this message?:

"And verily We have sent in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Worship Allah (alone) and shun false gods. Then of them were some whom Allah guided, and of them were some upon whom misguidance had just hold. So travel through the land and see what was the end of those who denied (the truth)!" Al-Nahil(16):36

Summary of Allah's message from Jews to Christians to Muslims:

"Indeed Allah made a covenant with the Children of Israel and We appointed among them twelve chieftains: and Allah said: I am with you if you establish worship and pay the poor due, and believe in My messengers and support them, and lend unto Allah a good loan, surely I shall remit your sins, and shall admit you into gardens underneath which rivers flow. But if any among you disbelieves after this has indeed gone astray from the straight path. So because of their breaking their covenant, We have cursed them and made hard their hearts. They change words from their (correct) places and forget a part of the Message that was sent to them. You will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive them and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily Allah loves the good-doers. And from those who said: "We are Christians," We made a covenant, but they forgot a good part of the message which was sent to them. Therefore We have stirred up enmity and hatred among them till the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will inform them of what they used to do. O people of the Scripture! Now has Our messenger (Muhammad) come to you, explaining to you much of that which you used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Indeed, there has come to you a light from Allah and a plain Scripture. Wherewith Allah guides him who seeks His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He brings them out of darkness by His will into light, and guides them to a straight path. They indeed have disbelieved who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say : Who then has the least power against Allah, if He had willed to destroy the Messiah son of Mary, and his mother and everyone on earth? And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. He creates what He will. And Allah is Able to do all things. The Jews and Christians say: We are sons of Allah and His loved ones. Say; Why then does He punish you for your sins? No, you are but mortals of His creating. He forgives whom He will, and punishes whom He will. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and unto Him is the return (of all). O people of the Scripture! Now has Our messenger (Muhammad) come unto you to make things plain after a break in (the series of) the messengers, lest you should say: There came not unto us a messenger of cheer nor any Warner. Now has a messenger of cheer and a Warner come unto you. And Allah is Able to do all things." Al-Maidah(5):12-19

Allah's covenant with His prophets:

"And when We exacted a covenant from the Prophets, and from you (O Muhammad) and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of Mary. We took from them a solemn covenant; That He may ask the truthful of their truth. And He has prepared for the unfaithful a painful torment." Al-Ahzab(33):7-8

"O you messengers! Eat of the good things, and do right. Verily! I am Aware of what you do. And verily! this your religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty unto Me. But they (mankind) have broken their religion among them into sects, each sect rejoicing in what is with them. So leave them in their error till a time. Do they think that the wealth and sons that We provide them, We hasten unto them with good things? Nay, but they perceive not. Verily! those who live in awe for fear of their Lord, And those who believe in the signs of their Lord, And those who do not associate partners with their Lord, And those who give that which they give with hearts atremble because they are about to return unto their Lord, It is these who race for the good things, and they shall win them in the race. And We task not any soul beyond its capacity, and with Us is a Record which speaks the truth, and they will not be wronged. Nay, but their hearts are covered (blind) of this (Qur'an), and they have other (evil) works, besides, which they are doing;. Till when We grasp those of them who lead a luxurious life with the punishment, behold! they supplicate loudly. Supplicate not this day! Assuredly you will not be helped by Us. Indeed, My revelations were recited unto you, but you used to turn back on your heels. In scorn thereof. Nightly did you reject it." Al-Muminoon(23):51-63

"He (Allah) has ordained for you that religion which He ordained unto Noah, and that which We inspire in you (Muhammad), and that which We ordained unto Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying: Establish the religion, and be not divided therein. Intolerable for the idolaters is that unto which you call them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He will, and guides unto Himself him who turns to Him in repentance and obedience." Al-Shurah(42):13

The mission of Jesus (pbuh):

"And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil)." Al-Maidah(5):46

The endurance of moses, Jesus, and Muhammad:

"And (remember) when moses said unto his people: O my people! Why persecute you me, when you well know that I am Allah's messenger unto you? So when they went astray Allah sent their hearts astray. And Allah guides not the deviant folk. And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who comes after me, whose name is Ahmed (the Praised One). Yet when he had come unto them with clear proofs, they said: This is clearly magic. And who does greater wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah when he is summoned unto Islam. And Allah guides not the unjust folk. Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light however much the disbelievers are averse. He it is who has sent His messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it conqueror of all religion however much the idolaters may be averse. O you who believe! Shall I show you a commerce that will save you from a painful torture? You should believe in Allah and His messenger, and should strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if you did but know. He will forgive you your sins and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eden. That is the supreme triumph." Al-Saf(61):5-12

Jesus' conception, birth, and mission:

"(Remember) when the wife of Imran said: My Lord I have vowed unto You that which is in my belly for your special service. Accept it from me. Lo! You, only You, art the Hearer, the Knower! And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female. Allah knew best of what she was delivered. the male is not as the female; and Lo! I have named her Mary, and Lo! I crave Thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast. And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth; and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: O Mary! Whence cometh unto you this (food)? She answered: It is from Allah. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will. Then Zachariah prayed unto his Lord and said: My Lord! Bestow upon me of Thy bounty goodly offspring. Lo! You are the Hearer of Prayer. And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth you glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah, lordly, chaste, a Prophet of the righteous. He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when age has overtaken me already and my wife is barren? (The angel) answered: So (it will be). Allah doeth what He will. He said: My Lord! Appoint a token for me. (The angel) said: The token unto you (shall be) that you shalt not speak unto mankind three days except by signs. Remember thy Lord much, and praise (Him) in the early hours of night and morning. And when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah has chosen you and made you pure, and has preferred you above (all) the women of creation. O Mary! Be obedient to thy Lord, prostrate thyself and bow with those who bow (in worship). This is of the tidings of things hidden. We reveal it unto you (Muhammad). You were not present with them when they cast their pens (to know) which of them should be the guardian of Mary, nor were you present with them when they quarreled (thereupon). (And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah). He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous. She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal has touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah creates what He will. if He decrees a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. And He will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel. And will make him a messenger unto the children of Israel, (saying): Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what you eat and what you store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a portent for you, if you are believers. And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path. But when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried: Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We will be Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear you witness that we have surrendered (unto Him). Our Lord! We believe in that which You have revealed and we follow him whom You have sent. Enroll us among those who witness (to the truth). And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers" A'al-Umran(3):35-54.

"And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking East, And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our spirit (Gabriel) and he assumed for her the likeness of a man in every respect. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Compassionate One from you, if you art God fearing. He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on you a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when no mortal has touched me, neither have I been unchaste! He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. And she, conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a place. And the pangs of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of the palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this and had become a thing of naught, forgotten! Then (one) cried unto her from below her, saying: Grieve not! Thy Lord has placed a rivulet beneath you, And shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you, you wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon you. So eat and drink and be consoled. And if you meet any mortal, say: Lo! I have vowed a fast unto the Compassionate, and may not speak this day to any mortal. Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! You hast come with a most wicked thing. Oh sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. Then she pointed to him. They said How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and has appointed me a Prophet, And has made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and alms giving so long as I remain alive, And (has made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and has not made me arrogant, unblessed. Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive(the hereafter)! Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt. It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path. The sects among them differ: but woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of an awful Day. See and hear them on the Day they come unto Us! Yet the evil doers are today in error manifest. And warn them of the Day of anguish when the case has been decided. Now they are in a state of carelessness, and they believe not. Lo! We inherit the earth and all who are thereon, and unto Us they are returned." Maryam(19):16-40

"When Jesus came with clear proofs (of Allah's sovereignty), he said: I have come unto you with wisdom, and to make plain some of that concerning which you differ. So keep your duty to Allah, and obey me. Lo! Allah, He is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. This is a right path. But the factions among them differed. Then woe unto those who do wrong from the doom of a painful day. Await they aught save the Hour, that it shall come upon them suddenly, when they know not? Friends on that day will be foes one to another, save those who kept their duty (to Allah). O My slaves! For you there is no fear this day, nor is it you who grieve; (You) who believed Our revelations and were self surrendered, Enter the Garden, you and your wives, to be made glad Therein are brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that souls desire and eyes find sweet. And you are immortal therein. This is the Garden which you are made to inherit because of what you used to do. Therein for you is fruit in plenty whence to eat. Lo! the guilty are immortal in hell's torment. It is not relaxed for them, and they despair therein. We wronged them not, but they it was who did the wrong. And they cry: O master! Let thy Lord make an end of us. He saith: Lo! here you must remain. We verily brought the Truth unto you, but you were, most of you, averse to the Truth." Al-Zukhruf(43):63-78

Some of the miracles of Jesus mentioned again:

"When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favor unto you and unto thy mother; how I strengthened you with the holy Spirit, so that you spoke unto mankind in the cradle as in maturity; and how I taught you the Scripture and Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how you did shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and did blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and you did heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how you did raise the dead, by My permission and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) you when you came unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than mere magic" Al-Maidah(5):110

How Allah saved Jesus from the crucifixion by ascension:

"(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering you and causing you to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing you of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me you will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein you used to differ. As for those who disbelieve I shall chastise them with a heavy chastisement in the world and the Hereafter; and they will have no helpers. And as for those who believe and do good works, He will pay them their wages in full. Allah loves not wrongdoers. This (which) We recite unto you is a revelation and a wise reminder." A'al-Umran(3):55-58

"And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger. They slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain, But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was ever Mighty, Wise" Al-Nissa(4):157-158

"They surely disbelieve who say : Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said : O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribes partners unto Allah, for him Allah has forbidden Paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evildoers there will be no helpers. They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three; when there is no God save the One God. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. Will they not rather turn unto Allah and seek forgiveness of Him? For Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. The Messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) had passed away before him. And his mother was a saintly woman. They both used to eat (earthly) food. See how we make the revelations clear for them, and see how they are turned away!" Al-Maidah(5):72-75.

Jesus (pbuh) was not the son of God but His creation (like Adam).

"Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is. (This is) the truth from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be not you of those who waver. And whoso disputes with you concerning him, after the knowledge which has come unto you, say (unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we will pray humbly (to our Lord) and (solemnly) invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie. Lo! This verily is the true narrative. There is no God save Allah, and lo! Allah is the Mighty, the Wise. And if they turn away, then Lo! Allah is Aware of (who are) the corrupters. Say: O People of the Scripture. Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him)."A'al-Umran(3):59-64.

"And when Allah said: O Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say unto mankind: Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he saith: Be You glorified. It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then You knew it. You know what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Your mind. Lo! You, only You are the Knower of Things Hidden. I spoke unto them only that which You commanded me, (saying) : Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when You took me You were the Watcher over them. You are Witness over all things. If You punish them, lo! they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them (lo! they are Your slaves). Lo! You, only You, art the Mighty, the Wise. Allah said: This is a day in which their truthfulness profits the truthful, for theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they are secure for ever, Allah taking pleasure in them and they in Him. That is the great triumph. Unto Allah belongs the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is therein, and He is Able to do all things." Al-Maidah(5)116-120.

"They say: Allah has taken (unto Him) a son. Glorified be He! He has no needs! His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. You have no warrant for this. Do you say concerning Allah that which you know not? Say: Verily those who invent a lie concerning Allah will not succeed. This world's portion (will be theirs), then unto Us is their return. Then We make them taste a dreadful doom because they used to disbelieve."(10):68-70

"And they say: Allah has taken unto Himself a Son. Be He glorified! Nay, but whatsoever is in the heaven and the earth is His. All are subservient unto Him. The Originator of the heavens and the earth! When He decrees a thing, He says unto it only: Be! and it is." Al-Bakarah(2):116-117.

"And they say: The Compassionate has taken unto Himself a son. Be He glorified! Nay, but (those whom they call sons) are honored slaves; They speak not until He has spoken, and they act by His command. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepts, and they quake for awe of Him. And one of them who should say: Lo! I am a God beside Him, that one We should repay with hell. Thus We repay wrong doers." Al-Anbia(21):26:30.

"And they say: The Compassionate has taken unto Himself a son. Assuredly you utter a most horrifying thing, Whereby the heavens are about to be torn, and the earth to split asunder and the mountains to fall in ruins, That you ascribe unto the Compassionate a son, When it is not meet for (the Majesty of) the Compassionate that He should take a son. There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Compassionate as a slave. Verily He knows them and numbers them with (right) numbering. And each one of them will come unto Him on the Day of Resurrection, alone. Lo! those who believe and do good works, the Compassionate will grant them love. And We make (this Scripture) easy in thy tongue, (O Muhammad) only that you may bear good tidings therewith unto those who ward off (evil), and warn therewith the forward folk." Maryam(19):88-97

"They indeed have disbelieved who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. Say : Who then can do aught against Allah, if He had willed to destroy the Messiah son of Mary, and his mother and everyone on earth? Allah's is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. He creates what He will. And Allah is Able to do all things." Al-Maidah(5):17.

"And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (himself) fights against them. How perverse are they! They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no god save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)!" Al-Tauba(9):30-31

Rejection of the concept of the "trinity":

"O mankind! The messenger has come unto you with the truth from your Lord. Therefore believe; (it is) better for you. But if you disbelieve, still, lo! unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth, and Allah is the all-knowing, the wise. O people of the scripture, do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary was only a messenger of Allah and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "three." Desist, (it is) better for you. Verily Allah is one God. Far exalted is He above having a son. His is all that is in the heavens and the Earth, and suffice in Allah as a Trustee. The Messiah will never scorn to be the slave of Allah, nor will the favored angels. Whoso scorneth His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him; Then, as for those who believed and did good works, unto them will He pay their rewards in full and He will add unto them from His bounty. And as for those who were scornful and proud, them will he punish with a painful torture and they will not find for themselves any other than Allah as a friend or a supporter" Al-Nissa(4):170-173.

The miraculous birth of prophet John (the Baptist):

"A mention of the mercy of thy Lord unto His servant Zachariah. When he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret,. Saying: My Lord! Lo! the bones of me wax feeble and my head is shining with gray hair, and I have never been unblessed in prayer to You, my Lord. Lo! I fear my kinsfolk after me, since my wife is barren. Oh, give me from Thy presence a successor. Who shall inherit of me and inherit (also) of the house of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, acceptable ( unto You). (It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring you tidings of a son whose name is John; We have given the same name to none before (him). He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached infirm old age? He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me, even as I created you before, when you wast naught. He said: My Lord! Appoint for me some token. He said: Thy token is that you, with no bodily defect, shalt not speak unto mankind three nights. Then he came forth unto his people from the sanctuary, and signified to them: Glorify your Lord at break of day and fall of night. (And it was said unto his son): O John! Hold the Scripture. And We gave him wisdom while yet a child. And compassion from Our presence, and purity; and he was devout, And dutiful toward his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious. Peace on him the day be was born, and the day he dies and the day he shall be raised alive!(the hereafter)" Maryam(19):2-14.

The Feast:

"And when I inspired the disciples, (saying): Believe in Me and in My messenger, they said: We believe. Bear witness that we have surrendered (unto You). When the disciples said: O Jesus, son of Mary! Is thy Lord able to send down for us a table spread with food from heaven? He said: Observe your duty to Allah, if you are true believers. (They said:) We wish to eat thereof, that we may satisfy our hearts and know that you have spoken truth to us, and that thereof we may be witnesses. Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Allah, Lord of us! Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for Us, for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from You. Give us sustenance, for You are the Best of Sustainers. Allah said: Lo! I send it down for you. And whoso disbelieveth of you afterward, him surely will I punish with a punishment wherewith I have not punished any of (My) creatures" Al-Maidah(5):111-115

The response of Jesus' people:

"Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. But monasticism they invented. We ordained it not for them. Only seeking Allah's pleasure, and they observed it not with right observance. So We give those of them who believe their reward, but many of them are transgressors." Al-Hadeed(57):27

"And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example, behold! the folk laugh out, And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay! but they are a contentious folk. He is but a slave on whom We bestowed favor, and We made him a pattern for the Children of Israel." Al-Zukhruf(43):57-59

Christians and Islam:

"...and nearest among them (men) in love to the believers wilt you find those who say 'we are Christians': because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. And when they listen to the revelation received by the messenger, you wilt see their eyes overflowing with tears for they recognize the truth: They pray: 'Our lord! we believe; write us down among the witnesses'." Al-Maidah(5):82-83.

The relationship of Islam and the Qur'an to the previous messages and scriptures:

"And unto you (O Muhammad) have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher/corrector over it. So judge between them by that which Allah has revealed, and follow not their desires away from the truth which has come unto you. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced out way. Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He has given you (He has made you as you are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto Allah you will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein you differ. So judge between them by that which Allah has revealed, and follow not their desires, but beware of them lest they seduce you from some part of that which Allah has revealed unto you. And if they turn away, then know that Allah's will is to smite them for some sin of theirs. Lo! many of mankind are rebellious." Al-Maidah(5):48-49