When it comes to understanding religious beliefs, exploring common ground can be a fascinating journey. This article delves into a frequently asked question: “Do Muslims believe in Jesus?” Despite popular misconceptions, Islam holds Jesus in high regard, albeit in a different light than Christianity.
Here, we’ll explore what Muslims believe about Jesus, using the Quran and Islamic teachings as our guide. This exploration not only offers insights into Islamic beliefs but also fosters interfaith understanding.
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Table of Contents
- Do Muslims Believe in Jesus? All Answers At A Glance
- What Is the Islamic View of Jesus Christ?
- Quran Verses to Prove Muslims Believe in Jesus
- How Do Muslims Understand Jesus’s Miracles?
- Do Muslims Believe in Jesus as the Messiah?
- What Do Muslims Believe in Jesus’ Death on the Cross?
- How Is Jesus Viewed in Relation to Muhammad and Other Prophets?
- Do Muslims Believe in Jesus’ Return?
- The Virgin Birth of Jesus in Islam
- Understanding Jesus’s Teachings in Islam
Do Muslims Believe in Jesus? All Answers At A Glance
The Islamic View of Jesus Christ
Islam recognizes Jesus as a significant prophet and messenger of God (‘Isa) but not as the Son of God or divine. He is revered for his prophethood and servitude to God’s will.
The Quran’s Depiction of Jesus
- As a Prophet and Messenger, with Surah Al-Imran (3:52-53) and Surah An-Nisa (4:171) emphasizing his role and rejecting the concept of Trinity.
- Celebrated for his Miraculous Birth, with Surah Maryam (19:16-21) and Surah Al-Imran (3:47) highlighting his unique conception.
- Known for Teachings and Miracles, including speaking as an infant and healing the sick, as described in Surah Al-Maidah (5:110) and Surah Al-Imran (3:49).
- Rejecting Divinity, where Surah Al-Maidah (5:75) and (5:116-117) underscore his humanity and deny any notions of divinity.
Understanding Jesus’s Miracles
Seen as signs of God’s power, emphasizing Jesus’s role as a prophet rather than evidence of divinity, with miracles like speaking in infancy and healing the blind detailed in Surah Maryam (19:29-31) and Surah Al-Maidah (5:110).
Jesus Was the Messiah In Islam
Jesus is acknowledged as the Messiah (‘Al-Masih’), a blessed messenger of God, with a different interpretation from Christianity, focusing on his prophethood without divinity (Surah Al-Imran 3:45; Surah An-Nisa 4:171)
The Crucifixion of Jesus in Islam
Islam teaches that Jesus was not crucified but was raised to heaven by God, clarifying misconceptions with Surah An-Nisa (4:157) stating it appeared as though he was crucified, but in reality, he was not.
Jesus Among Other Prophets
Jesus is esteemed as one of many prophets in Islam, honored within a lineage that includes figures like Moses and Abraham, without attributing any divine status to him, differentiating from Prophet Muhammad who is seen as the final prophet.
Awaiting Jesus’s Return
Islamic eschatology includes the belief in Jesus’s return as a human and a prophet, expected to defeat false messiahs and establish peace, emphasizing his significant yet non-divine role in the end times.
The Virgin Birth of Jesus
Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, seen as a miracle from God detailed in Surah Maryam (19) and serving as a point of commonality with Christian beliefs, yet within the context of his prophethood.
Jesus’s Teachings in Islam
Jesus’s teachings are respected and aligned with Islamic principles, emphasizing compassion, justice, and monotheism, viewed as part of a broader prophetic tradition shared across Abrahamic faiths.
What Is the Islamic View of Jesus Christ?
Islam regards Jesus as a significant figure, but not in the divine sense that Christianity does. He is revered as a prophet, a servant and messenger of God, but not as the Son of God. In Islam, Jesus is referred to as ‘Isa and is considered a Messenger of God.
Quran Verses to Prove Muslims Believe in Jesus
The Quran mentions Jesus (referred to as ‘Isa in Arabic) in several occasions:
Jesus as a Prophet and Messenger
Surah Al-Imran (3:52-53): When Jesus sensed disbelief from his people, he asked, “Who will stand up with me for Allah?” The disciples replied, “We will stand up for Allah. We believe in Allah, so bear witness that we have submitted. ˹They prayed to Allah,˺ “Our Lord! We believe in Your revelations and follow the messenger, so count us among those who bear witness.”
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Surah An-Nisa (4:171): O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfilment of His Word through Mary and a spirit ˹created by a command˺ from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, “Trinity.” Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
The Miraculous Birth of Jesus
Surah Maryam (19:16-21): And mention in the Book ˹O Prophet, the story of˺ Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place in the east, screening herself off from them. Then We sent to her Our angel, ˹Gabriel,˺ appearing before her as a man, perfectly formed. She appealed, “I truly seek refuge in the Most Compassionate from you! ˹So leave me alone˺ if you are God-fearing.” He responded, “I am only a messenger from your Lord, ˹sent˺ to bless you with a pure son.” She wondered, “How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me, nor am I unchaste?” He replied, “So will it be! Your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me. And so will We make him a sign for humanity and a mercy from Us.’ It is a matter ˹already˺ decreed.”
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Surah Al-Imran (3:47): Mary wondered, “My Lord! How can I have a child when no man has ever touched me?” An angel replied, “So will it be. Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He simply tells it, ‘Be!’ And it is!
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Teachings and Miracles of Jesus
Surah Al-Maidah (5:110): This verse recounts the various miracles performed by Jesus, such as speaking in infancy, creating a bird from clay, healing the blind and the leper, and raising the dead, all by Allah’s permission.
Surah Al-Imran (3:49): Here, Jesus is described as a messenger to the Children of Israel, bringing signs from Allah, including creating birds from clay, healing, and raising the dead, again emphasizing these acts were by Allah’s permission.
Rejecting Divinity
Surah Al-Maidah (5:75): This verse points out that Jesus and his mother, Mary, were both human and ate food, underlining their humanity and negating any notions of divinity.
Surah Al-Maidah (5:116-117): In this passage, Allah will ask Jesus on the Day of Resurrection about being worshiped alongside Allah, to which Jesus will respond that he never instructed such worship and only taught to worship Allah, his Lord and their Lord.
These verses collectively make a reference to Jesus as a significant and revered figure in Islam, known for his prophethood, how infant Jesus was born of a virgin, and his extraordinary abilities — all granted by Allah — but firmly within the boundaries of monotheism, denying any divine status or part in a trinity.
How Do Muslims Understand Jesus’s Miracles?
Muslims believe that Jesus performed miracles, like healing the sick and reviving the dead. These are viewed as signs of God’s power and Jesus’s prophethood, not as evidence of his divinity.
Speaking as an Infant
Surah Maryam (19:29-31): So she pointed to the baby. They exclaimed, “How can we talk to someone who is an infant in the cradle?” Jesus declared, “I am truly a servant of Allah. He has destined me to be given the Scripture and to be a prophet. He has made me a blessing wherever I go, and bid me to establish prayer and give alms-tax as long as I live,
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Creating Birds from Clay
Surah Al-Imran (3:49): and ˹make him˺ a messenger to the Children of Israel ˹to proclaim,˺ ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I will make for you a bird from clay, breathe into it, and it will become a ˹real˺ bird—by Allah’s Will. I will heal the blind and the leper and raise the dead to life—by Allah’s Will. And I will prophesize what you eat and store in your houses. Surely in this is a sign for you if you ˹truly˺ believe.
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Healing the Blind and the Leprosy and Reviving the Dead
Surah Al-Maidah (5:110): And ˹on Judgment Day˺ Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favour upon you and your mother: how I supported you with the holy spirit so you spoke to people in ˹your˺ infancy and adulthood. How I taught you writing, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel. How you moulded a bird from clay—by My Will—and breathed into it and it became a ˹real˺ bird—by My Will. How you healed the blind and the lepers—by My Will. How you brought the dead to life—by My Will. How I prevented the Children of Israel from harming you when you came to them with clear proofs and the disbelievers among them said, “This is nothing but pure magic.”
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran
Do Muslims Believe in Jesus as the Messiah?
In Islam, Jesus is revered as the Messiah (‘Al-Masih’), a title that signifies his distinguished role as a prophet sent by God, distinct from the Christian understanding of the term as a savior or divine being. The Quran affirms Jesus’s messiahship within the strict framework of monotheism, emphasizing his human status as a blessed messenger without ascribing to him divinity.
Surah Al-Imran (3:45) announces, “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 honor in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah.'”
Furthermore, Surah An-Nisa (4:171) reminds believers, “O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers.” These references encapsulate the Islamic view of Jesus as the Messiah, underscoring the belief in his prophethood and his esteemed place within Islam, while also reinforcing the core tenet of monotheism that defines the faith.
What Do Muslims Believe in Jesus’ Death on the Cross?
In Islam, the crucifixion of Jesus is understood in a unique manner that diverges significantly from Christian doctrine. The Quran teaches that Jesus was not crucified, stating it appeared so to the onlookers, but in reality, he was not killed or crucified.
Surah An-Nisa (4:157) articulates this belief, clarifying, “but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it was made to appear to them so.” This verse underscores a profound doctrinal difference, emphasizing that Almighty God raised Jesus to Himself, a point of consensus among Muslims that reinforces the notion of Jesus’s prophethood and his special status with God, while firmly denying the crucifixion event as understood within Christianity.
How Is Jesus Viewed in Relation to Muhammad and Other Prophets?
Within the Islamic tradition, Jesus is venerated as one of the line of esteemed prophets sent by God, which includes notable figures such as Moses and Abraham. Like these prophets, Jesus is honored and respected, recognized for his submission to God’s will and his conveyance of God’s message to humanity.
However, unlike the unique status ascribed to Jesus in Christianity, Islam does not attribute divinity to him, maintaining the principle of Tawhid, the absolute oneness of God. This perspective is further contextualized by the standing of Prophet Muhammad, who is regarded as the final prophet (“Seal of the Prophets”), marking a distinct completion to the prophetic tradition in Islam.
Do Muslims Believe in Jesus’ Return?
Islamic eschatology intriguingly incorporates the return of Jesus, portraying him as a pivotal figure in the events leading to the Day of Judgment. Unlike the Christian anticipation of Jesus’s return as a savior, in Islam, Jesus is expected to return as a human and a prophet, playing a crucial role in defeating the false messiahs and establishing peace.
This aspect of Islamic belief showcases the intricate role Jesus occupies within Muslim eschatology, revered as a prophet who will once again walk the earth, affirming Islam’s monotheistic creed and exemplifying the ultimate submission to God’s will.
The Virgin Birth of Jesus in Islam
In Islam, the virgin birth of Jesus is a significant event that showcases God’s omnipotence and mercy. Surah Maryam (19) recounts the story of Mary (Maryam) receiving news of her miraculous conception, a moment that highlights the divine intervention by Almighty God.
This narrative establishes Jesus’s unique position as a prophet but firmly denies any notions of his divinity, maintaining the strict monotheism that Islam upholds. Muslims revere Jesus, acknowledging him as a prophet of God born to the Virgin Mary, which signifies the miraculous and exceptional nature of his birth.
Understanding Jesus’s Teachings in Islam
In the Islamic tradition, Jesus was a man who brought teachings that are in harmony with Islamic principles of compassion, justice, and monotheism. The Quran and Hadiths reference Jesus’s moral and ethical teachings, illustrating how they align with the messages brought by other prophets, including Muhammad.
Many Muslims hold the teachings of Jesus in high regard, viewing them as part of a broader prophetic tradition that emphasizes the unity of God’s message to humanity. This respect for Jesus’s teachings underscores the Islamic view that all prophets, from Adam to Muhammad, preached a consistent message of faith in one God and obedience to His commandments.
Islam has a great respect for Jesus as a prophet of God and an exemplar of righteous conduct.
Conclusion
- Jesus is a revered prophet in Islam, not the Son of God.
- Miracles of Jesus are seen as signs of God’s power.
- Jesus is considered the Messiah, but with a different interpretation than in Christianity.
- Islam teaches that Jesus was not crucified but was raised to heaven.
- Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.
- Jesus’s teachings are respected and seen as in line with Islamic principles.
- Jesus is believed to return as a prophet in Islamic eschatology.
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