Jesus in the Muslim mind
The Islamic doctrine is composed of numerous invaluable descriptions and commands regarding the sanctity of Jesus as a great prophet of Allah and his particular mission to the Israelites. His mother, Mary is also regarded as occupying a status that no woman was given in the history of Islam. A whole chapter in the Qur’an […]
The Islamic doctrine is composed of numerous invaluable descriptions and commands regarding the sanctity of Jesus as a great prophet of Allah and his particular mission to the Israelites. His mother, Mary is also regarded as occupying a status that no woman was given in the history of Islam. A whole chapter in the Qur’an is named after her and Maryam (Mary) is the only female name mentioned and repeated thirty times in the Holy Qur’an. Evidently in chapter 66 verse 12 Allah told his messenger “And Maryam, the daughter of Imraan who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her garment) through Our Ruh (Gabriel) and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord (believe in the words of Allah “Be!” and he was) that is Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam as a messenger of Allah and (also believed in) His scriptures and she was of the obedient to Allah”.
Similarly in chapter 3 verse 59 Allah also said “Verily the likeness of Isa (Jesus) before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then He said to him Be and he was”. Allah also reminds Prophet Muhammad (saw) in chapter 3 verse 44 that “This is part of the news of the unseen which We reveal to you. You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary; nor were you with them when they disputed”. Even though Prophet Muhammad came some 600 years after Jesus but he affirms the mission of not only Jesus but all other messengers of Allah that came long before him.
The foregoing words of Allah about Jesus and Mary has also confirmed the message in one of the two historic letters written by the authority of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and conveyed to the then Christian King of Abyssinia during the very early days of Islam in Arabia, the prophet said “In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, Most Gracious, from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah to the Negus Al-Asham, king of Abyssinia. Peace, I praise Allah, who is the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Faithful, the Watcher, and I bear witness that Jesus, son of Mary, is the Spirit of Allah and His Word, Which He cast to Mary the virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. Allah created him from His Spirit and His Breathing as He created Adam by His Hand and His Breathing. I call you to Allah, the Unique without partner, and to His obedience, and to follow me and believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of Allah. I have sent to you my cousin Jafar with a number of Muslims, and when they come, entertain them without haughtiness, for I invite you and your armies to Allah. I have accomplished my work and my admonition, so receive my advice. Peace upon all those that follow True Guidance.”
With that kind of message and with the pure character and discipline of the bearers of the message the king was convinced to allow the Muslims to live in Abyssinia for as long as they wish. Even though the king never met Prophet Muhammad (saw) but thereafter, he embraced Islam and was quoted as saying that by God the light of the Qur’an was the same light that gave the bible its light.
Mankind are commanded in Qur’an chapter 2, verse 136, to “say we believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to Al-asbat (the offspring of the twelve sons of Jacob), and that which has been given to Moses, and Jesus, and that which has been given to the prophets from their lord. We make no distinction between any of them and to Him we have submitted in Islam”. This is one of the many reasons which indicate from the Islamic perspectives that Jesus is a servant of God and like any other prophet he has no share in Divinity.
Illustratively, in chapter 19 verse 35 Allah says “It befits not (the majesty of) Allah that he should beget a son. Glorified (and exalted) be He. When He decrees a thing He only says to it “Be” and it is”. The Qur’an helps us to understand how Jesus fits in the line of national Prophets and Messengers sent by Allah to different communities. While Muhammad (saw) being the universal leader of all the prophets sent to mankind. He did this by amalgamating all the prophetic messages in his teachings for the salvation of all sons of Adam as commanded by God.
Therefore, Islam is rooted on the conviction that God is one and alone in his majesty, He created the world and all that exist as one and then He sent prophets in the course of history with one message to various communities. Finally, He sent Muhammad (saw) to the whole of mankind as the seal of all prophets and their messages. I wish all Christians hitch-free and peace-filled Christmas festivities.
Kollere contributed this piece from Abuja