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Jesus in Islam
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Jesus in Islam
A Christian Perspective of Islamic Thought
Into The Light @ http://islam.itl.org.uk
Of all the major religions in the world, Islam is the only non-Christian faith that recognises
Jesus. Within the pages of the Qur’an is a distinctly Islamic portrayal of Jesus. Three of its
Surahs (chapters), Aale-Imran, Al-Maida and Mariam are so named because of their
references to Jesus and his work. There are about ninety verses spread across fifteen Surahs
of the Qur’an that refer to Jesus. A second source for the Islamic understanding of Jesus are
the numerous Ahadith (traditions) which portray his teaching and the ultimate purpose of his
first and second coming. There are also many references to Jesus in other Islamic literature.
His Name and Its Significance
Christians believe that “Jesus” is the Greek
form of Joshua, which means ‘the Lord saves’
and occurs in the Christian scriptures around
1200. However, in Islam, Jesus is known as
Isa. In the Qur’an the name Isa often occurs
with the addition “son of Mary”. Of the 25
places in the Qur’an where Isa is used, in
sixteen of them he is called Ibn Mariam (the
son of Mary), and in five passages his name
is coupled with that of Musa (Moses).
The Qur’an does not mention who chose
the name and why he was named I s a.
Christian Scriptures, however, relate that the
name Jesus was chosen by God himself. It is
stated that the angel of God came and said
to Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have
found favour with God. You will be with child
and give birth to a son, and you are to give
him the name Jesus” (Luke 1:30-31). He was
to be called Jesus, “because he will save his
people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
Since Arabic is quite similar to Hebrew,
some question why the Qur’an used the word
Isa instead of Yesu’a. Some have suggested
that Muhammad used it to make a rhyming
couplet with the name of Musa (Moses), in
the same way as he called Goliath Jalut
(Loewenthal, Isidor, The Name Isa: An
Investigation, p.5-6, Calcutta: 1861). Other
similar examples are Haruth and Maruth
(Surah 2:102, 249-251). Examples from
traditions are Abel and Cain being called
Habil and Qabil (The Encyclopaedia of Islam,
Vol. IV, p.82).
Qazi Nasiruddin Abusaeed Abdullah bin
Umar al-Baidhawi (d. 1300 CE) who wrote a
well-known commentary on the Qur’an,
originally called “Anwar al-Taunzil”, says that
Isa is Arabized from Ishu, he probably meant
the Syriac Yeshu (vol. I. 96). Most English
translations of the Qur’an translate Isa as
Jesus.There is no hint in the Qur’an as to why
the appellation Ibn Mariam (Son of Mary) is
added to his name. Some believe that
because he had no father, he was named so
after his mother. However, we see that
though it is normal in the Semitic world for a
man to be called after his father, yet there
are instances of men being called after their
mothers in spite of having known fathers.
The poets Ibn Aish and Ibn Mayyada are
examples (Watt, Muhammad at Madina,
1956, p. 374). Only in one place in the
Christian scriptures is Jesus referred to as the
‘son of Mary’ (Mark 6:3).
As with other prophets of God, Muslims
add to his name, aleihe salam (peace be
upon him). Some wonder why Christians do
not use his name with honorific terms.
However, according to the Christian
scriptures Jesus himself is the fountain of
peace and thus it is them who need his peace
(John 14:27).
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His Miraculous Birth
The Qur’an acknowledges that Jesus was
born without a father. Mary, his mother was
chosen by God for this purpose. The Qur’an
highly reveres her. Surah 19 of the Qur’an is
given her name. She is the only woman who
is specifically called by name in the Qur’an
(Surah 3:42; cf. 21:91; 66:12; 23:50). In
line with other Qur’anic references the
designation “son of Mary” serves to remind
readers that Jesus was born of the virgin
Mary. She conceived Jesus through God’s
creative word. (Surah 3:47).
According to a tradition, Muhammad
said, “When any human being is born, Satan
touches him at both sides of the body with
his two fingers, except Jesus, the son of
Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed,
for he touched the placenta-cover instead”
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Hadith 506).
Jesus as the Messiah
Jesus is called by his proper name along with
the title Al-Masih (the Messiah). This title is
sometimes accompanied by the name Jesus
and sometimes used by itself and occurs in
the Qur’an some eleven times. This title is
used in a personal way, as in Surah 5:76/72:
‘The Messiah said, “O children of Israel, serve
God”.’There is no etymological explanation of
the word M a s i h in the Qur’an. However,
Muslim commentators and lexicographers
give various explanations. The popular one is
that it is a Hebrew word, mashiah, which was
used of kings, patriarchs, and deliverers
(Ahmad Deedat, Christ in Islam, p.13).
However, it means ‘anointed’ and it was in
this sense that Jesus was called the Messiah,
the one anointed for specific purpose, the last
prophet of Israel.
The Qur’an says that Jesus was blessed
by God (Surah 19:32/31) and so anointed
with honour. He had been protected from
Satan from birth (Surah 3:36; The
Encyclopaedia of Islam, Vol. IV, p.82). Some
attach this special anointing to his birth. Yet
others say that Jesus was the Messiah
because he anointed the eyes of the blind to
cure them (Surah 3:43; Mark 6:13; James
5:14), or because he used to rub sick people
with his hands. Some Muslims from Sufi
circles think that Jesus was called the
Messiah because he travelled far and wide
and never settled. They connect Masih with
the word Sah, to wander, to survey, to go on
pilgrimage. Thus they believe that Jesus is
the leader of Imam al sa’yihin (peripatetic
ministers) (The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Vol.
IV, p.82). The Ahmadiyya movement in Islam
has adopted this idea of the wandering Jesus
into their belief that Jesus travelled eastward
as far as Kashmir (Ghulam Ahmad, Jesus in
India, p.53).
The title Messiah is very important to
Christians. In Hebrew the word Messiah
means “the Anointed One”. It can in a lesser
form, refer to any priest or anointed leader
and occasionally the expression is used in
this context in the Old Testament. However,
later it became a title for the Promised One
from God - the Redeemer (Daniel 9:25).
When Jesus came he claimed to be that
expected Messiah (John 4:25-26). The Jews
of his day did not understand that he was the
Messiah because they had expected a
military leader, while Jesus claimed to be the
Messiah who came “not to be served, but to
serve and to give his life as a fidya (ransom)
for many” (Matthew 20:28).
In the Scriptures we find that the title
Messiah is synonymous with the title Son of
God. (Matthew 16:16; 26:63; Mark 1:1; Luke
4:41; John 11:27; 20:31).
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Other Descriptions of Jesus in the Qur’an
In the Qur’an, Jesus has been given a
number of honourable titles. Apart from
being known as the son of Mary and the
Messiah, he is the aya (sign). The sign not
only to the Israelites but to the world
(Surah 19:21; 21:91; 23:50-52; 3:44-50).
Jesus is also mentioned as a m a t h a l
(example or likeness) in the Qur’an. He is
an example for the people (Surah 43:57,
59). In another place he is likened to Adam
(Surah 3:52-59).
The Qur’an depicts Jesus also as
rahma (mercy) from God for all people
(Surah 19:21). However, for Muslims it is
the Qur’an that is the expression of the
rahma of God (Abdoldjavad Falaturi, Muslim
thoughts for Teachers and textbooks
authors, p.18. Croydon: Islamic Scientific
Academy, 1990). Since God is eternal, the
Qur’an as his rahma and word is eternal
and uncreated. This interpretation is similar
to the Christian doctrine of the pre-
existence of Jesus as the Word (Greek:
logos), presented in John 1:1.
Jesus is described as one who is min
al-muqarrabin (among the nearest to God)
and as min al-salihin (of the upright) and as
wajih (eminent) [Surah 3:40-46]. Baidhawi
amplifies this, saying that Jesus is
illustrious in this world as a Prophet and in
the next as an intercessor (Hughes, Dictionary
of Islam, p.229.) Following the Qur’anic
presentation of Jesus, he is known among
Muslims as Kalimatullah (the word of God), and
Ruh Allah (the spirit of God) [Surah 3:45;
Surah 4:171]. No other prophets have been
described in such terms. Neither Muhammad
nor any other prophet has ever been called the
spirit of God.
Islamic belief is incomplete without a
belief in Jesus. In some traditions the belief
that Jesus is the word and spirit of God, is
considered as an essential item of faith along
with the belief in the Muslim Shahadah
(Creed): Narrated Ubada: The Prophet said, ‘If
anyone testifies that none has the right to be
worshipped but Allah alone who has no
partners, and that Muhammad is His Slave and
His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah’s Slave and
His Apostle and His Word which He bestowed
on Mary and a Soul from Him, and that
Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will
admit him into Paradise with the deeds which
he has done even if those deeds were few’
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Hadith 644). In other
words, belief in Jesus can earn a soul the
paradise of God. Yet Muhammad in other
traditions is quoted as saying that he could not
give that assurance himself.
Jesus as the Prophet and Messenger
Jesus is known by the common titles of nabi
(prophet) and rasul (messenger or apostle)
and he was the recipient of the Injil (the
gospel) to give to people (Surah 19:31;
4:169; 3:48; 4:46). As in the Qur’an, we
find in the Christian scriptures that Jesus
was ‘sent’ by God who had ‘given him the
Gospel’ (Luke 10:21; 4:18). In Hebrews
3:1 Jesus is called rasul (apostle).
In John’s narrative Jesus is spoken of
as the prophet that was to come in the
world and as the Messiah, the Son of God
(John 6:14; 11:27). We also find that he was
called a prophet by those who first heard his
teaching (Mark 6:15; 8:28) and although Jesus
accepted this title (Mark 6:4; Luke 13:33), he
did not think of himself as just a prophet. At
times he claimed that he was greater than the
Prophet Jonah, David, Solomon and even
Abraham (Luke 11:31’32; Matthew 22:45;
John 8:54-55).
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The Purpose of His Coming
God taught Jesus the Tawrat (the books of
Moses) and gave him the Injil (the Gospel)
as a confirmation of the Tawrat. The Injil is
regarded by the Qur’an as Hikma (wisdom)
because it fills the hearts of those who
follow it with meekness and pity (Surah
5:82). The Qur’an claims that Jesus’
prophetic authority guaranteed the Gospel,
the Torah and all other prophetic writings,
all of them being taught by God to him
(Surah 3:43; 5:110).
Although generally Muslims claim that
the original Injil can no longer be found, yet
remnants of the teaching of Jesus can be
detected in sermons and parables ascribed
to him in the current New Testament, this
idea of corruption in the Christian scriptures
goes against not only the documentary
evidence but also the Qur’anic teaching
which claims that none can alter God’s
words (Surah 6:34; 10:64).
According to the Qur’an, the ministry
of Jesus commenced from the cradle (Surah
3:49). God sent many prophets and
messengers to lead the people of Israel. At
the end, God sent Jesus to revive their
Islam (then called Judaism). He came to
enhance the inner meaning and purity of
the religion that had become heavily
burdened by outer ritual, dietary laws and
abuse of power by rabbinical figures (Surah
3:43-40) the Qur’an mentions how Jesus
preached and taught. He called the children
of Israel to the worship of one God. He tried
to bring unity among them and legalised
things previously forbidden to them (Surah
3:50). Perhaps the Qur’an is portraying
what we read in Matthew chapters 4 to 6.
Let us not forget that the Qur’an is not
trying to tell the main reason why Jesus
came and what he was referring to: “The
son of man did not come to be served, but
to serve, and to give his life as a ransom
for many” (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).
The Qur’an, however, generally
portrays most of the children of Israel as
recalcitrant people from whom God protected
Jesus. In the face of such recalcitrance, Al-
hawariyun (the disciples) stepped forward to
accept the call of Jesus to be his helpers in
serving God (Surah 3:52-54; 5:111-113;
57:27; 61:14). Some of the things Jesus is
alleged to have said reflect the message that
Jesus sent to John the Baptist (Matthew 11:5)
and resemble several new Testament sayings
of Jesus about eating, fasting and worship
(Matthew 6:16-26). The attitude of Jesus to
the Law, and relaxation of its rigidity is found
in his sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:17).
Little importance is given in the Qur’an to the
moral teaching of Jesus and there is only one
reference to his parables which we find in
abundance in the four narratives of the Gospel
in the New Testament (Surah 48:29 compare
with, for instance, Mark 4:27-28).
Sufi traditions depict Jesus in his teaching
and practice as an ascetic. One of the most
famous Sufis in the Umayyad period was
Hasan al-Basri (d. 728). He was renowned for
his scholarship as well as his piety. A letter
that he wrote to the caliph to plead with him to
follow the teaching of the prophets, depicts the
prophets as ascetics. He portrays Jesus as
saying:
“My daily bread is hunger, my badge is
fear, my raiment is wool, my mount is my
foot, my lantern at night is the moon, my
fire by day is the sun, and my fruit and
fragrant herbs are such things as the
earth brings forth for the wild beasts and
cattle. All the night I have nothing, yet
there is none richer than I!” (A.J.Arberry,
Sufism, An account of the Mystic of Islam,
pp. 34-35)
Here too we see that the whole picture of
Christ is not available. Yes Jesus, in a way, has
given us an example of not loving the world
but that is because our abode is not this world
but the coming world, where we will be in
fellowship with God. That is our goal, which
can be achieved through Jesus.
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The Divine Status
The Qur’an denies that God begets or takes
to himself offspring (Surah 112). In other
places it asks, “How can Allah have a son,
when he hath no consort?” (Surah 6:101).
Allah “has taken neither a wife nor a son.”
(Surah 72:3). Such denunciation was
directed primarily against the polytheism of
the Makkans. However, Muslims use these
passages along with passages which deal
specifically with heretical trinitarian ideas to
condemn the doctrine of the Sonship of
Christ as they believe it is taught in
Christianity (Surah 19:88-93).
Every messenger of God is a shahid
(witness) to the true faith before his
people. Jesus’ mission as a witness is
highlighted in the discourse between him
and Almighty God that will take place on
the day of judgement but is already written
down in the Qur’an, that God will ask him
whether he taught people to worship him
and his mother beside God. Jesus will
certainly deny this and will affirm that he
had said, “Worship God, my Lord and your
Lord”. (Surah 5:116 - 117).
It is thought that the Qur’an also
denies the doctrine of the Trinity (Surah
4:171; 5:73,116). However, what it denies
is the Trinity that consists of Father, Mother
and Son. Nowhere does the Bible suggest
that type of trinity or that God is one of
three or the third of three. Christians
certainly agree that there is no god, but
one God. The notion of three gods is as
offensive to Christians as to Muslims.
There is nothing in the Bible which
could suggest that Jesus ever spoke of
Mary being taken as a god beside God.
What the Qur’an re-edits is some of the
heretical doctrines that were around in those
days in Arabia and its neighbouring areas.
It is important to appreciate that Jesus,
alone among the founders of the great
religions of the world, spoke with authority.
Others have claimed to speak the words they
have received from God, for example, Moses
begins all his teachings with the phrase, “Thus
says the LORD”. However, Jesus says, “But I
say to you...”. The people who heard him
“were amazed at his teaching, because his
message had authority” (Luke 4:32). No other
prophet spoke with such authority. Prophets
claimed to have a deeper insight into the
Truth, however Jesus went further by claiming
to be the Truth, the source of all Truth. In the
light of his claims and deeds the Bible portrays
him as the “image of the invisible God” (Col
1:15) and as the living Word of God through
whom He has spoken in a way He never did
before (Hebrew 1:1-3). Jesus certainly did not
go around saying, “I am God”. Indeed, he
joyfully acknowledged his dependence upon
God. However, the things he said and did
convinced his contemporaries that he was
stepping into the space reserved for God,
acting and speaking for him in a way never
seen or heard before.
Christians respond that they do not raise
a mere human being to the status of being
equal with God but that this Jesus before
coming into this world existed with God as his
Word. As God is, his Word is. It is due to the
glory that Jesus had with God before becoming
the Son of Mary that Christians believe in him
as coexistent and coequal with God. Jesus as
the Son of Mary or as Ibn Adam (the Son of
Man) is God az-zahir (revealed).
His Miracles
The Qur’an reports that Jesus performed a
series of miracles, such as giving life to
birds made of clay by breathing into them;
feeding people from meagre supplies,
healing the blind and the lepers; and giving
life to the dead, all by the permission of
God. All these extraordinary performances,
including the miraculous birth of Jesus,
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were meant to show the materialist Jews,
who erroneously used to associate every
incident with its immediate causes, that
God can perform anything without being
subject to normal causes.
Surah 5 is named after Jesus’ miracle
of providing “a table laden with food”
(Surah 5:112-114). From the Qur’anic
narrative it is not clear whether it is the
story of the last supper or the feeding of
the five thousand (Mark 6:34 ff; 14:12ff).
Some Muslims relate it to the prayer Jesus
taught his disciples, “Give us this day our
daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11). However the
Qur’anic reference says that this occasion
was “to be to us a festival”. The word Eid is
used, which is applied also to Islamic
festivals, and so this would be appropriate
for the Lord’s supper, which many
Christians celebrate every first day of the
week also known as the Communion.
Some Muslims think that a real table
came from heaven and it stayed with Jesus
and his disciples for three days and then
was taken into heaven. Another version
says that there was no table from heaven.
It was Jesus who multiplied the bread. They
refer to the feeding of the five thousand
(Tabari commentary on 5:112-114). Some
Sufi mystics believe that the table
symbolised the truths of mystical
knowledge, the nourishment of the spirit.
Although the Qur’an mentions Jesus as
giving life, no details are given. In the New
Testament there are three cases
mentioned; the daughter of Jairus, the
widow’s son at Nain and Lazarus (Mark 5;
Luke 7; John 11).
In Islam, it is the traditions that
provide details for these and other works of
Jesus, the abundant detail of which is
obviously found in the New Testament. As
Muslim writers came into close contact with
Christians, they assimilated stories from the
Bible and from legend. So there are
accounts in their writings about Jesus
healing the sick, raising the dead, walking
on water, making loaves, and making birds
out of clay.
For example, “The commentators al-
Jalalan say that Jesus made for his disciples
a bat, for it is the perfect bird in make, (sic)
and it flew while they looked at it; but when
it had gone out of their sight, it fell down
dead. That he cured in one day fifty
thousand persons, and that he raised
Lazarus from the dead; also Shem, the son
of Noah, who had been dead 4,000 years,
but he died immediately; also the son of an
old woman, and the daughter of a tax
collector.” (Hughes, Dictionary of Islam,
p.231)
These stories have spurious elements
in them. The miracles that are recorded in
the Gospels have greater authority in
preservation. In these scriptures we learn
the reasons why certain miracles were
performed. For example, from the raising of
Lasarus Jesus demonstrated that he had
the authority to raise the dead and that he
was the one sent by God to be followed
(John 11:25-27; 12:10-11). Jesus’ final
sign was to raise from the dead himself.
Jesus and the Coming of Muhammad
Muslims believe that one of the most
important features of Jesus’ mission was to
give the glad tidings of the coming of
Prophet Muhammad. During his short
missionary career that lasted not more than
three years and which was overshadowed
by the hostile attitude of his own people,
Jesus gave them the good news of Ahmad,
the last messenger of God, who would
perfect the divine teaching both in theory and
in practice. According to the Qur’an, Jesus
said, “O Children of Israel! I am the apostle of
God (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which
came) before me, and giving glad tidings of an
apostle to come after me, whose name shall be
Ahmad.” (Surah 61:6).
It is interesting to know that although the
Qur’an gives the name as Ahmad but there
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was a variant reading in the mashaf (copy
of the Qur’an) of Ubayy b. Ka’b, who was
also one of Muhammad’s secretaries
appointed to write the Qur’an. This
rendering referred to a prophet after Jesus
but did not speak of Ahmad (A. Jeffrey,
Materials for the history of the text of the
Qur’an, p.170). Furthermore we do not find
any mention of a name Ahmad in Ibn Ishaq
or Ibn Hisham’s Sirah Rasul, in their
argument, dealing with the prophecy of the
coming of a prophet after Jesus. (Alfred
Guillaume, The Life of Muhammad, pp. 103-
104). W. M. Watt says that ÔMuslim
children were practically never called
Ahmad before the year 125 A.H.’ (As
quoted by G. Parrinder, Jesus in the Qur’an,
p.99).Abdullah Yusaf Ali in his notes on the
verse states:
“Ahmad or Muhammad, the Praised
One is almost a translation of the
Greek word Periclytos. In the present
gospel of John 14:16, 15:26 and 16:7,
the word comforter in the English
version is for the Greek word
Paracletos, which means Advocate,
one called to the help of another, a
kind friend, rather than Comforter.
Our doctors contend that Paracletos is
a corrupt reading for Periclytos, and
that in their original saying of Jesus
there was a prophecy of our Holy
Prophet Ahmad by name. Even if we
read Paracelete, it would apply to the
Holy Prophet, who is a Mercy for all
creatures (21:107) and most kind and
merciful to the Believers (9:128).”
However, none of the manuscripts
available to us have a variant reading of the
word Paracletos. Neither is there any evidence
to suggest that there ever was a variant
reading. In the Gospel according to John, Jesus
promised the Paraclete four times (John 14:16-
17; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-15). Christians believe
that the promise is about the Holy Spirit, to
descend upon the disciples, on the Day of the
Pentecost, to witness of Christ and lead them
into truth and to be with the believers forever.
The promise clearly was to have its fulfilment
with the first disciples, therefore the idea of its
fulfilment 600 years later in Muhammad would
be too late for them. Secondly, this Paraclete,
comforter, or the Spirit of truth, was going to
live for ever while the Prophet of Islam lived on
this earth only for about 63 years. Thirdly, the
message the Paraclete was to give was from
Jesus; “He will bring glory to me by taking
from what is mine and making it known to
you.” (John 16:14). Therefore, if we agree with
the claim that, ‘Muhammad is the Paraclete’,
then we would have to conclude that the
Qur’an came from Jesus.
Hearing this argument, Muslim friends
state that the Bible is corrupt and this passage
has been changed. However, see our
discussion topic for the discussion on the
Integrity of the Bible.
The Last Days of Jesus
The mission of Jesus, according to Islam, is
in two phases. The first was as a prophet to
Israel, the second will be at his second
coming when he, as a follower of
Muhammad, will fight Dajjal (the anti
Christ), and help Muslims to change the
world into an Islamic abode. In his first
phase, during the third year of his mission,
Jesus was strongly opposed and harassed
by the Jews. Though they had been long
awaiting a Messiah to relieve them of their
miseries, they did not believe Jesus to be
the true Messiah. Out of their disappointment,
hatred and enmity towards Jesus, they finally
accused him of rebellion against the emperor,
whose officers gave orders for his arrest and
eventual crucifixion. Muslim commentators
believe that the Jews failed in their treacherous
plot, that the Roman soldiers arrested a person
who had a striking resemblance to Jesus, while
Jesus himself was lifted alive to Heaven.
The Qur'an points out that the Jews
claimed, "We killed Christ Jesus, the son of
Mary, the apostle of God; but they killed him
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not, nor crucified him, but so it was made
to appear to them, and those who differ
therein are full of doubt, with no (certain)
knowledge, but only conjecture to follow,
for of a surety they killed him not" (Surah
4:157). It further adds, "Nay, God raised
him up unto himself, and God is exalted in
Power, wise" (Surah 4:158). The same
issue is dealt with in other places of the
Qur'an (Surah 3:54-55).
Commentators, such as Baidhawi,
Tabari, Razi and Zamakhshari express
similar opinions that God raised Jesus into
heaven, a substitute being killed whom God
had made to look like Jesus. Despite some
differences, all these commentators agree
that Jesus was not killed by crucifixion
(Tabari, Jam al-Bayan, part 6, p.9, line 35
to p. 13, line 6; Zamakhshari, al-Kashshaf,
vol. 1, p. 432, lines 23ff; Razi, al-Tafsir al-
Kabir, vol. 2, p. 454, line 27 to p. 455, line
2. Baidhawi, Anwar al-Tanzil, p.75, lines
8ff). Some Muslims do not believe in the
substitution theory. In his book, 'City of
Wrong', Qaryah Zalimah, Dr. Kamil Hussain
says, "the idea of a substitute for Christ is a
very crude way of explaining the Qur'anic
text. ... No cultured Muslim believes in this
nowadays. The text is taken to mean that
the Jews thought they killed Christ but God
raised him unto him in a way we can leave
unexplained among the several mysteries
which we have taken for granted on faith
alone" (City of Wrong, p.231).
Like Dr. Hussain, some Muslims
disagree with the substitution theory but
they insist on a swoon theory. Sir Syed
Ahmad Khan of Aligarh, India (1817-1898),
in the nineteenth century believed that
Jesus was crucified but did not die. This
theory, that the soldiers thought he was
dead, yet he was just unconscious, was
later adopted and enlarged by Mirza
Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908), the founder
of the Ahmadiyya movement. He asserted
that Jesus was taken away by friends, his
wounds treated and later, he travelled to India
where he died at the age of 120.
The majority opinion is that Jesus was
taken up bodily into heaven. However,
adherents of the Ahmadiyya Movement, and
some orthodox Muslims, do not believe in the
bodily ascension of Jesus. Dr. Mahmud Shaltut,
late Rector of Al-Azhar university did not
believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus, his
being alive in heaven and his descent
therefrom in the latter days (Ali Akbar, Israel
and the prophecies of the Holy Qur'an, page
127). Similar opinions have been presented by
others like Muhammad Asad and Muhammad
Abduh (ibid., pp. 124-127). Such
interpretations have led some to wonder
whether it is essential to have a clear belief
about what happened to Jesus.
In spite of such ideas, Christians uphold
the belief that Jesus was crucified, as
prophesied by him and by other prophets
before him, that he also died and rose from the
dead. Although it is suggested that his death
on the cross is a defeat, the whole story is that
he gave his life, died and rose victoriously.
Jesus himself spoke about this event stating, "I
am the First and the Last. I am the Living One;
I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and
ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."
(Revelation 1:18). The Qur'an has just one
verse which may be ambiguously quoted to
deny the crucifixion, but about one third of the
Christian Gospels refer to this event.
Christians are often asked: 'Why did Jesus
go through all this?' Jesus was sent by God to
be the way to eternal life to all who believes in
him (John 3:16 and John 14:6). By his death
on the cross he became the fidya (ransom) for
all who believe in him, including those who
went before. Jesus said, "Before Abraham was
born, I am!", and that "Abraham rejoiced at
the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and
was glad" (John 8:56-57). God had announced
the Gospel of Christ in advance to Abraham
that all nations were to be blessed through
Jesus (Gal 3:8-9).
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9
The Second Coming
There are two verses in the Qur'an that
Muslims believe indicate the second coming
of Jesus: "And there is none of the People
of the Book but must believe in him before
is death; and on the Day of Judgement he
will be a witness against them" (Surah
4:159). "And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for
the coming of) the Hour (of Judgement):
Therefore have no doubt about the (Hour),
but follow ye Me: This is a Straight Way"
(Surah 43:61).
According to the first verse, all the
Ahl-e-Kitab (Jews and Christians), will
believe in Jesus before his death. Muslim
commentators state that the Arabic
leuaminanna (must believe) refers to an
event in the future. This they believe could
only be possible should Jesus come again
and live in this world till he dies. The
second verse shows that Jesus is the sign
of the Last Hour. So it is argued, 'How can
he be a sign for Doomsday if he doesn't
appear sometimes before it?'
Those who do believe Jesus will come
again, see him in a subordinate role to that
of the Prophet of Islam. Jesus will be under
a Muslim Amir, leader, showing his
complete adherence to Islam. Some
Ahadith indicate that on his arrival Jesus
will kill an impostor Messiah (i.e. the
antichrist). He will live for forty years
during which he will marry, have children,
and perform Hajj (pilgrimage). After his
death, he will be buried beside the grave of
the Prophet Muhammad (Wali ad-Din,
Miskat Al-Masabih, (tr. James Robson),
Vol.II, p.1159; Sahih Muslim, Vol.1, p.92).
Most Muslims believe that Jesus
descent from heaven will be accomplished
by resting his hands on the wings of two
angels. He will descend onto the white
minaret, situated in the eastern part of
Damascus. He will invite the whole world to
be Muslim including Christians and Jews.
The one eyed antichrist, accompanied by
seventy thousand Jews, will be killed by
Jesus, at the place called Lod. The Jews will
be badly defeated. Jesus will break the cross,
annihilate swine and will end all wars and jizya
(poll tax). His position will be like that of a
judge. During this period there will be an
abundance of all sorts of goods. Muslims will
dominate the world and there will be an end of
all religions except Islam (Mawdudi, A.A,
Finality of Prophethood, pp. 58-61).
Some groups like the Ahmadiyya and the
Bahai believe that their founders were the
second coming of Christ. Other groups like the
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus came
back at the turn of this century and took the
elect with him. However, the Bible reveals that
his second coming will not be in secret. When
the apostles saw Jesus ascending into heaven,
the angels told them: "This same Jesus, who
has been taken from you into heaven, will
come back in the same way you have seen him
go into heaven" (Acts 1:11).
Muslim friends have various ideas about
the physical descent of Jesus. Some say he will
land on the Ka'ba, others claim he will land on
the minaret of the Umayyad mosque in
Damascus, yet others think he will descend in
Jerusalem. Whether coming to Jerusalem,
Damascus or Mecca, one has to think carefully
where he is coming from. If he is coming from
heaven, then this coming will not be an
ordinary one, with an ordinary body like ours.
The Bible declares that he is coming in
heavenly splendour. He will come in all his
glory and power (2 Thessalonians 1:7). Jesus
said: "as lightning that comes from the east is
visible even in the west", so will be his coming
(Matthew 24:27). In simple words, his coming
will be visible to everyone. His first coming
took place in obscurity, but his second coming
will be universally visible. His coming will be so
dramatic, no-one will fail to recognise him.
(Matthew 24:30; Acts 1:9,11).
Christians are fortunate to find a major
part of the New Testament directly concerned
with Christ's second coming. Jesus and his
return as Judge is one of he major themes.
Nevertheless, there is no mention of him
coming as an ordinary being, nor is there the
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10
least suggestion that he will marry, die, and
be buried. The Scriptures indicate that
when he comes, his people both living and
the dead will be raised or changed and
meet him in the air and the earth will be
destroyed (1 Thessalonians 4 :15 - 17; 1
Corinthians 15:50-54; 2 Peter 3:10).
On many occasions Jesus said that he
came down from heaven and that he would
come again (John 3:13; 8:23; 14:2-3,18-
19; 16:28; Matthew 25:31-32; 26:64). This
second coming is to be different from the
first , his coming will be as the Mighty
Judge
and
conquering
King
(2
Thessalonians 1:6-10). The reassuring
news and the final reminder is found in the
last chapter of Revelation, the last book of
the Bible: "Behold, I am coming soon! My
reward is with me, and I will give to
everyone according to what he has done"
(Revelation 22:12).
At his first coming Jesus became like
us in every respect, to deliver us from the
power of Satan (John 1:18; Hebrews 2:14-
17). He came to conquer sin and rise from
the dead to gain victory and triumph. At his
second coming, we are going to see him as
he really is (1John 3:2).
The mission that Jesus had left to his
Church to perform and proclaim his Gospel
to the world will terminate at his second
coming. He will uproot evil and enthrone
righteousness for ever. He will establish eternal
peace. Although it is right to campaign for
social justice and peace to improve society, the
Bible makes it clear that we will never be able
to perfect it. Only Christ at his second coming
will fulfil it.
The Bible speaks clearly about the
unexpectedness of his return. About the day of
his return, Jesus advised us all not to speculate
because no one knows the date but God (Mark
13:32). All that we have to do is to be ready
and prepared for his return - at any time.
Jesus said that he would come when people did
not expect him. Critics consider the idea of
Jesus' second coming as naive: "Where is this
coming he promised? Ever since our fathers
died everything goes on as it has since the
beginning of creation" (2 Peter 3:4).
Jesus has already answered such ridicule.
He said his coming would be as unexpected as
the flood in the time of Noah (Matthew 24:37-
41). People were told about it but they did not
believe it. Then it arrived and it was too late.
Today everyone has the opportunity to believe
in Christ now and act as he has commanded (2
Peter 3:9; Acts 2:37-38). At his arrival this
chance will have been withdrawn; it will be too
late.
The Whole Story
The Qur'an and the Bible agree that Jesus
was special. He is recognised as one 'par
excellence' but to understand the whole
purpose of his coming one has to study and
see him in the light of the Torah, the
psalms and the books of the prophets,
which Jesus himself referred to. It is
through these scriptures that one can see
the full picture of Jesus and how his
companions and disciples understood him (2
Peter 1:16-17; 1 John 1:1-4). The Qur'an says
that Jesus was sent in order to 'make him a
Sign unto men' (Surah 19:21). However, the
whole story can only be found in the scriptures
of those, known to Muslims as ahl al-kitab (the
people of the Book) or in today's language, the
people of the Bible.
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11
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