Jesus
Islam honors all the prophets who were
sent to mankind. Muslims respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because
he was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad. Muslims, too, await the
second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to
mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the
phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.
No other religion in the world respects and dignifies
Jesus as Islam does. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is
entitled "Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in
all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:
"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen
you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you
good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored
in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak
to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said:
"My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so;
God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!' and it is."
[3:42-47]
Muslims believe that Jesus was born immaculately, and
through the same power which had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a father
or a mother.
"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is
as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he
was." [3:59]
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many
miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said:
"I have come to you with a sign from your
Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it
and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise
the dead by God's leave." [3:49]
Muhammad and Jesus, as well as the other prophets,
were sent to confirm the belief in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where Jesus
is reported as saying that he came:
"To attest the law which was before me,
and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign
from your Lord, so fear God and obey me." [3:50]
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by
saying:
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah,
alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant and
messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that
Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven."
[Bukhari]
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