What Muslims Say about Mary and Jesus
Sunday, December 13, 2009 Read more → christmas, Holidays-Festivals, prophets, quran, Religion In the name of God, entirely Compassionate, especially Merciful | Peace be with you
In the name of God, compassionate & merciful بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ | Peace be with you السلام عليكم
Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him). They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind. The Quran confirms his virgin birth in a chapter entitled ‘Maryam’ (Mary). The Quran describes the birth of Jesus as follows:
(Remember) when the angels said, “O Mary, Allah gives you good news of a word from Him (Allah), whose name is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, revered in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (to Allah). He will speak to the people from his cradle and as a man, and he is of the righteous.” She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child when no mortal has touched me?” He said, “So (it will be). Allah creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says to it only, ‘Be!’ and it is.”
(Quran, 3:45-47)
Jesus was born miraculously by the command of Allah, the same command that had brought Adam into being with neither a father nor a mother. Allah has said:
'The case of Jesus with Allah is like the case of Adam. He created him from dust, and then He said to him, “Be!” and he came into being.' (Quran, 3:59)
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. Allah tells us that Jesus said:
“I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you the shape of a bird out of clay, I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper. And I bring the dead to life by Allah's permission. And I tell you what you eat and what you store in your houses....” (Quran, 3:49)
Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified. It was the plan of Jesus’ enemies to crucify him, but Allah saved him and raised him up to Him. And the likeness of Jesus was put over another man. Jesus’ enemies took this man and crucified him, thinking that he was Jesus. Allah has said:
' ...They said, “We killed the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the likeness of him was put on another man (and they killed that man)...' (Quran, 4:157)
Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Qur'an, 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 to you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me." (Qur'an 3:50)
Islam regards its teachings to be a re-affirmation and culmination of the teachings of previous monotheistic religions like Judaism and Christianity. Hence, all Muslims believe in Moses and Jesus as Prophets of Allah. Prophet Muhammad was commanded to recite in the Qur'an:
"Say, we believe in Allah and that which was revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes and that which was entrusted unto Moses and Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and to Him we have submitted as Muslims." (Quran 3:84).
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In Arabic Mary is called Maryam and Jesus is called Isaa or Massih. Massih means Messiah or the anointed one. Muslims strongly believe Mary was a holy, pure and sinless woman. Furthermore, his mother Mary is regarded as one of the most pure and exalted women of all creation. As the Qur'an says:
"Behold! the angel said: 'Allah has chosen you and purified you and has chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary! Allah gives you the good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near to Allah" (3:42).
And all her forefathers, like David through Abraham up to Adam were all sinless...
Muslims also believe that Jesus is not god but a prophet and Messenger of God. Just like Muslims do not worship Muhammad, they do not worship Jesus. They believe that Jesus was a human being with a physical body, eating, drinking and doing all humanly things.
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It can be seen that many Muslim beliefs are similar to that of Christians. For example:
- Christians also believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
- Both believe he is the son of Mary.
- That Mary was a virgin when she conceived him.
- That Jesus did not have a biological father.
- That Jesus is in heaven.
- That he was messenger of Allah,
- And that Jesus performed miracles and he is coming again. He is alive.
(Where Muslims differ with Christians, are those same differences that are among Christian sects also. For example, Muslims don't believe in the Trinity: Jehovah's Witnesses also don't believe in the Trinity whereas the Catholics and other Protestants do. Muslims don't believe that Jesus is god, Jehovah's Witnesses also say that Jesus is not god but just a son of god whereas Catholics and other Protestants believe him to be god.) [link]
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A Muslim doesn't refers to him simply as "Jesus", but always adds the phrase "upon him be peace," this is pronounced in Arabic as 'Alayhis'salam'.
Information derived from original sources:
Jibrill Brill on Belief Net.com | Islam Guide | Why Islam
Image Source: Flickr
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