الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Muslims and Christians share some very similar beliefs about ‘Isa (AS). Both believe that he was born of the virgin Maryam and both believe that he was the Messiah sent to the people of Israel. Both also believe that he will return to earth in the last days. However in one major detail they are poles apart. Muslims believe with certainty that ‘Isa is not God, he is not the son of God and he is not part of a Trinity of God.
Just as Islam categorically denies that ‘Isa was God, it also rejects the notion that mankind is born tainted by any form of original sin. The Qur’an tells us that it is not possible for one person to bear the sins of another and that we are all responsible, before Allah for our own actions. A verse in the Qur’an says:
وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ
“And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden.” (Qur’an 35:18)
However, Allah, in His infinite Mercy and Wisdom has not abandoned mankind to their own devices. He has sent guidance and laws that reveal how to worship and live according to His commands. Muslims are required to believe in, and love all the Prophets; to reject one is to reject the creed of Islam. ‘Isa was but one in this long line of Prophets and Messengers, calling the people to worship One Allah. He came specifically to the People of Israel, who had at that time gone astray from the straight path of Allah.
The Prophet Mohammad (S) spoke of ‘Isa (AS) many times, and described him as his brother. He said: “I am the nearest of all the people to the son of Maryam, and all the prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me and him.”
The Qur’an informs us that Maryam, the daughter of Imran, was an unmarried, chaste and pious young woman devoted to the worship of Allah. One day while she was in seclusion, the Angel Jibril came to Maryam and informed her that she was to be the mother of ‘Isa. Her response was one of fear, shock, and dismay. “She said, ‘My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?’ (The angel) said, “Such is Allah. He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. And He will teach him the book and wisdom and the Taurat and the Injeel.” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:47-48)
Maryam conceived ‘Isa, and when the time came for him to be born, she took herself away from her family and travelled towards Bethlehem. At the foot of a date palm tree Maryam gave birth to her son ‘Isa.
When Maryam had rested and recovered from the pain and fear involved in giving birth alone, she realized that she must return to her family. Maryam was afraid and anxious as she wrapped the child and cradled him in her arms, and made her way back to Jerusalem.How could she possibly explain his birth to her people?
Allah knew that if Maryam tried to offer explanations, her people would not believe her. So, in His wisdom, he told her not to speak. From the first moment Maryam approached her people they started to accuse her, but she wisely followed Allah’s instructions and refused to respond. She merely pointed to the child in her arms.
The men and women surrounding Maryam looked at her and demanded to know how they could possibly speak to a baby in arms. Then, by the permission of Allah, ‘Isa, son of Maryam, still a baby, performed his first miracle. “He said, ‘I am the slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture, and made me a prophet, and has made me blessed wherever I may be; and has enjoined on me prayer and charity, so long as I live, and kind to my mother, and He did not make me a disobedient rebel. So Peace is upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the Day I shall be raised alive.”(Maryam, 19:30-33)
‘Isa (AS) and His Miracles
‘Isa (AS) was sent to the Children of Israel in order to confirm the teachings of his predecessor, the Prophet Musa (AS), and like all prophets of Allah, he was granted several miracles such as curing the blind and the leper, giving life to the dead, informing what one had eaten or stored in one’s house, and many others. All these miracles performed by him were by Allah’s permission.
The Qur’an continues the story of ‘Isa by relating several incidents of his life and his disciples. In one incident, the disciples of ‘Isa asked him for another miracle. They asked him to bring down from the heaven a table laden with food. ‘Isa (AS) prayed to Allah to fulfill this wish of his disciples and to provide them with sustenance.
We have much to learn from the supplications made by the Prophets and other righteous believers. ‘Isa’s supplication was not just for a table spread with food, but for Allah to provide them with sustenance. He made it comprehensive because food is but a small part of the sustenance provided by the Best of Sustainers. Sustenance from Allah encompasses all the necessary requirements for life including, but not limited to, food, shelter, knowledge, and more. And Allah replied:
Allah sent them the table they had asked for, but not without a warning: “Allah said, ‘Indeed, I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you – then indeed I will punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds.’” (al-Ma’idah, 5:115)
The reason why Allah’s response was so absolute is that if one disbelieves after being provided with a sign or miracle from Allah, it is worse than disbelieving without seeing the miracle. Why? It is because once one has seen the miracle; one has firsthand knowledge and understanding of Allah’s omnipotence. The more knowledge a person has, the more responsibility he has before Allah. Allah was commanding ‘Isa’s disciples on receiving this table spread with food to be aware of the great responsibility that they had taken upon themselves.
The day of the table became a day of feast and celebration for the disciples and followers of ‘Isa, but, as time passed, the real meaning and essence of the miracle was lost. Eventually ‘Isa (AS) came to be worshipped as a god. On the Day of Resurrection, when all of mankind will stand before Allah, He will speak to ‘Isa (AS) directly and say:
“O ‘Isa, son of Maryam, did you say to the people, `Take me and my mother as gods rather than Allah?’“ He will say, “Glory be to You! It is not for me to say what I have no right to. Had I said it, You would have known it. You know what is in my soul, and I do not know what is in your soul. You are the Knower of the hidden. I only told them what You commanded me: that you shall worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” (al-Ma’idah, 116-117)
At the time of ‘Isa, the concept of One God was not new to the Children of Israel. The Torah had proclaimed “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One,” However, God’s revelations had been misinterpreted and abused, and hearts had become hardened. ‘Isa came to denounce the leaders of the Children of Israel, who had fallen into lives of materialism and luxury, and to uphold the Shariah or Law given to Musa (AS), found in the Torah which they had even changed. ‘Isa’s mission was to confirm the Torah, to make certain things lawful that were previously unlawful and to proclaim and reaffirm the belief in One Creator.
In order to effectively spread his message, ‘Isa understood the Torah, and he was provided with his own revelation from God – the Injeel, or Gospel. God also endowed ‘Isa with the ability to guide and influence his people with signs and miracles.
At the time of ‘Isa, (AS), the Bani Israel were very knowledgeable in the field of medicine. Consequently, the miracles ‘Isa performed (by the permission of God) were of this nature and included returning sight to the blind, healing lepers and raising the dead.
Muslims are required to believe in all the books revealed by Allah (SWT) to mankind. However, the Bible, as it exists today, is not the Gospel that was revealed to Prophet ‘Isa. The original words of the revelation given to ‘Isa (AS) have been lost.
We know that ‘Isa lived amongst his people – the Bani Israel for many years, calling them back to the worship of the One True Allah and performing miracles by the permission of Allah. Most of those around him rejected his call and failed to heed his message. However, ‘Isa had gathered around him a group of companions or disciples. Allah says in Surat al-Ma’idah: “I (God) put in the hearts of Al-Hawariyeen to believe in me and my Messenger; they said: ‘We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.’” (Qur’an 5:111)
The disciples referred to themselves as Muslims. How could this be when the religion of Islam would not be revealed for another 600 years? The word Muslim and Islam come from the same Arabic root – sa la ma – and that is because peace and security (Salam) is inherent in one’s submission to Allah. Thus it can be understood that all the Prophets of Allah and their followers were Muslims.
The idea of ‘Isa dying on the cross is central to the Christian belief. It represents the conviction that ‘Isa died for the sins of mankind. The crucifixion of ‘Isa is a vital doctrine in Christianity; however Muslims reject it completely.
Muslims do not believe in the crucifixion of ‘Isa, nor do they believe that he died. ‘Isa (AS)’s message was rejected by most of the Children of Israel as well as the Roman authorities. The Bani Israel plotted against him and formulated a plan to have him assassinated. He was to be executed in public, in a particularly gruesome manner, well known in the Roman Empire as crucifixion.
Crucifixion was considered a shameful way to die, and “citizens” of the Roman Empire were exempt from this punishment. It was designed to not only prolong the agony of death, but to mutilate the body. The Bani Israel planned this humiliating death for their Messiah – ‘Isa, the messenger of Allah. Allah in his infinite mercy prevented this abominable event by putting the resemblance of ‘Isa on somebody else and elevating ‘Isa alive, body and soul, to heaven. The Qur’an is silent about the exact details of just who this person was, but we know and believe with certainty that it was not Prophet ‘Isa (AS).
Muslims believe that the Qur’an and the authentic narrations of Prophet Muhammad contain all the knowledge mankind needs in order to worship and live according to Allah’s commandments. Therefore, if small details are not explained, it is because Allah in His infinite wisdom has judged these details to be of no benefit to us. The Qur’an explains, in Allah’s own words, the conspiracy against ‘Isa (AS) and His plan to outsmart the Bani Israel and raise ‘Isa (AS) to heaven. Allah says:
“And they plotted to kill ‘Isa and Allah planned too. And Allah is the best of the planners.” (Aal ‘Imran, 3:54)
‘Isa (AS) is not dead, and that he will return to this world in the last days before the Day of Judgment. In a hadith, the Prophet Mohammad (S) said to his companions: “How will you be when the son of Maryam, ‘Isa descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Qur’an and not by the law of Injeel.”
Therefore, the Islamic belief about ‘Isa’s crucifixion and death is clear. There was a plot to crucify ‘Isa but it did not succeed; ‘Isa did not die, but ascended to heaven. In the last days leading up to the Day of Judgment, ‘Isa (AS) will return to this world and continue his message.
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Resources and References:
Imam Ibn Kathir – Stories of the Prophets
Mufti Menk – Lessons from the Stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an (https://muslimahlifestyle.com/lessons-stories-prophets-quraan-mufti-menk-creation-of-aadam-as/)
Anwar Al-Awlaki – The Lives of the Prophets (https://www.kalamullah.com/anwar-alawlaki.html)
Aisha Stacey – The Religion of Islam (islamreligion.com)
