What The Holy Quran (Koran) and Islam Says About Jesus the Christ(Messiah)?

What Islam Says About Jesus?

Islam is the religion, which encourages its followers to respect all other religions and it is strictly prohibited to call a bad name to the respected personalities of other religion. Islam respect the holy books of other religion. It is a fact that Christianity is the religion, which has followers more than any other religion. So it will important for our Christian fellowmen to know what Islam and holy book of Islam i.e. Quran says about Jesus the Christ. This subject is also important in the wake of recent sad incidence of burning the holy Quran by some ill minded priest/pop. Moreover, it will also help to wrong eliminate the image of Islam, which is portrayed in the West as a religion which provoke terrorism.

What the Quran says about Jesus Christ

The Holy Quran calls Jesus Christ as Isa or the Messiah, the son of Mary. In Quran he is spoken of as a servant of Allah, as a prophet and as a last apostle to the children of Israel.

Belief in all Prophets is the part of Muslim faith. So the Quran says:

"Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered."

Allah has exalted some the Prophets above others in rank and Jesus is one of the exalted souls. In this context Quran says: 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 Marium, and strengthened him with the holy spirit......(2:253). In verse 6:85 it is stated: And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:

What Quran says About the Birth of Jesus

The birth of Jesus Christ was a miracle of the Almighty, as his birth was caused by the Almighty without a father. Quran says it as a sign of Allah's greatness as the Almighty is not dependent on sources. The news of the birth of Jesus was revealed to the Mary by one of the angels of the God in the following words:

"Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah."

The Holy Quran speaks about the birth of Jesus the Christ in the following versus:-

And make mention of Mary in the Scripture. When she withdrew from her people to an eastern chamber, and choose seclusion from thine, and we sent Our Spirit unto her, and it assumed for her the form of a perfect man. She said: Behold! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee if thou art God fearing (begone from me!). He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord that I may bestow upon you a holy son. She said: How shall I have a son when no mortal has touched me, and I am not unchaste. He said: So(shall it be). The Lord sayeth: It is easy for Me, and We shall make him a sign unto mankind, and a Mercy from us. And it is a thing decreed. And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place. (10: 16-22).

What Quran says about Jesus Christ’s Divinely Attributes?

Quran denies the divinely attribute of Jesus. The Holy Virgin Mary had to go through all the pangs of giving birth to him and later Jesus grew up like all other mortals. Says the Holy Quran:

"The Messiah son of Mary is no more than an apostle, the apostles before him have, indeed, passed away; and his mother was a truthful woman; they both used to eat food; see how We make the communications clear to them. Then behold: how they are turned away." (5:75)

"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. (3:59)

He was no more than a servant: We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel. 43:59
However, the Holy Quran acknowledges that the Almighty Allah breathed His Spirit unto Jesus . In this context Quran says: " .....We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Is it that whenever there comes to you a messenger with what ye yourselves desire not, ye are puffed up with pride?- Some ye called impostors, and others ye slay!(002.087).

What Quran says about Message of Jesus Christ?

The message of Jesus Christ was no different from that revealed by the Prophets before the mankind and that message was that the God is one and only one. Jesus Christ was not the son of God as on all occasions Jesus is mentioned as Son of Mary. Quran says that Jesus never instructed his followers to worship him.

About his teachings the Quran speaks in verse 5:116 as: And behold! Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah'?" He will say: "Glory to You! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You wouldst indeed have known it. You knowest what is in my heart, Thou I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

43.63-64: When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: "Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore fear Allah and obey me. For Allah, He is my Lord and your Lord: so worship ye Him: this is a Straight Way.

What Quran says about followers of Jesus?

They are mentioned in Quran in the words: O you who believe! be helpers (in the cause) of Allah, as~ Isa son of Marium said to (his) disciples: Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We are helpers (in the cause) of Allah. So a party of the children of Israel believed and another party disbelieved; then We aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became uppermost.

What Quran say about Jesus death?

According to Holy Quran the Jesus Christ was not killed. Rather he was ascended to Almighty and before the Day of Judgment he will return to earth and at that time he will follow the teachings of Quran and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him). In words of Quran:

(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 ye will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein ye used to differ.

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.
Arrival of Jesus on Earth will be a one of the signs of End of Times. Quran speaks on the subject: And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way.
What Quran says about the miracles of Jesus Christ?

When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour unto you and unto your mother; how I strengthened you with the holy Spirit, so that you spakest 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 didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by My permission, and didst blow upon it and it was a bird by My permission, and you didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by My permission; and how you didst raise the dead by My permission; and how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) you when you camest unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed: This is naught else than mere magic; (005.110)

Another miracle of Jesus mentioned in Quran was the Table spread with Food from Heaven, which was sent by God on the desire of the disciplines of Holy Jesus. This miracle is narrated in detail in verse 5:112 to 115.

Source of translation of Quran:

http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/