Jesus in the Qur’an
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim
Isa al-Masih ibn Maryam (Jesus Christ the Messiah) who is he? With whom did he originate? What was his purpose in being sent to this earth? Was he a prophet? What does the Qur’an and the Bible have to say about him?
The Qur’an calls him the “Straight Way” and the “Sign of the coming of the Hour of Judgment”. Sura 43.61 Az-Zukhruf This is huge! That Jesus is the Sign for the Hour of Judgment! So Jesus is tied to the Judgment according to the Qur’an.
In the Qur’an, Allah is called “the Sovereign, the holy one.” Sura 62.1 and Isa al-Masih (Jesus the Messiah) on the other hand is the only one called in the Qur’an “the holy son”. Sura 19.19 Maryam.
Isa al-Masih is an extremely unique person, such a person like no one else in all the history of the earth.
Who else in this world was ever born without an earthly father? Everyone knows in order to conceive a child, both the mother and father are needed, yet clearly in both the Qur’an and the Scripture, Jesus or Isa al-Masih it is recorded of him, that he did not have an earthly father. Truly a miracle from Allah!
How was Isa al-Masih conceived?
The Honored Qur’an reveals that Isa al-Masih was conceived supernaturally in the womb of Maryam (Mary) through the Holy Spirit of Allah.
“She [Maryam] said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?’ He [Angel] said: “even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, “Be” and it is! Sura 3.47 Aal-E-Imran
“And remember her [Maryam] who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.”
Sura 21.91 Al-Anbiya
And again in Sura 66.12 At-Tahrim
“And Mary…who guarded her chastity: and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit…”
So clearly it states that Isa came about through the Spirit of Allah or Ruh Allah. What about the Holy Books of Scripture, what do they say?
Injeel Luke 1:34,35,37 “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee… For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Injeel Matthew 1:18 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”
The remarkable fact is that Isa was already prophesied that he would born unto a virgin, long before he arrived. Through several ancient prophets of Allah, and especially one by the name of Isaiah who was given information 700 years before Isa arrived. Isaiah foretold his arrival that Isa would be born of a virgin.
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
This fact alone states to us that Jesus or Isa al-Masih is a sign from Allah and a very remarkable person indeed! According to the Bible, he was somehow a blend from Mary on the human side and then from the Holy Spirit of Allah on the Divine side.
Not only was Isa al-Masih conceived by the Holy Spirit of Allah, but he was given the Holy Spirit and strengthened by Him. “…We gave Jesus the son of Mary Clear (Signs) and strengthened him with the holy spirit…” Sura 2.87 Al-Baqara
“…to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the holy spirit…” Sura 2.253 Al-Baqara
“Then will Allah say: "O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit… I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel… thou healest those born blind, and the lepers, by My leave. And behold! thou bringest forth the dead by My leave…” Sura 5.110 Al-Maeda
If to Jesus, Allah gave the Holy Spirit (Ruh Allah) then we can ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit and be strengthened and guided as Isa was by the Holy Spirit!
Isa al-Masih the Mercy of Allah
Yes Isa al-Masih is termed a Mercy from Allah.
“He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him [Isa] as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed." Sura 19.21 Maryam
In the garden of Eden, man had fallen from his lofty position, as a result of him eating the fruit of the forbidden tree, which meant that he refused to heed the words of Allah. Satan had tricked the holy pair into deception. Now man in his fallen, sinful condition needed mercy. For clearly the wages or payment for sin is death, but God not willing that any should perish, sent “Mercy” in the form of Jesus (Isa al-Masih) to bear the sin which man incurred. Man had no way of returning to God as the holy laws of God were violated and now man must face judgment. A judgment is only necessary when a law has been violated. In the case of Adam, the first pair had violated the Holy and Just Laws of Allah. Jesus was sent as the Mercy of God to redeem man from his fallen condition. Without mercy mankind would be eternally lost.
Those “…who have transgressed…Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” Sura 39.53 Az-Zumar
Yes through Isa al-Masih, the Mercy of Allah, He forgives us our sins and we receive cleansing.
Isa al-Masih the Righteous
There is another extremely important point which reveals that Isa al-Masih was a very remarkable person in that he is termed ‘Righteous’.
Isa is of the ‘company of the Righteous’”. Sura 3.46 Aal-E-Imran
Jesus is in the ranks of the righteous, Sura 6.85 Al-Anaam
Among the ancients it had been asked:
Job 15:14 LITV “What is man that he should be clean? And he born of a woman, that he should be righteous?”
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”
Injeel 1 John 2:1
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:11
Both the Qur’an and the Scripture identify Isa (Jesus the Messiah) as Righteous. The only One born righteous in human history, obviously for a purpose.
“Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
Romans 3:24 NLT
To get through the Judgment we need Righteousness, because of Adam’s fall we do not have this to offer, we need to be covered with the Righteousness of God which was manifested in Isa al-Masih (Jesus). He alone is our covering or righteousness.
Isa al-Masih the Sign of Supreme Submission
Jesus is a Sign unto men…” Sura 19.21 Maryam
No greater sign of submission to God was ever given to men than the submission of Isa al-Masih. He is the supreme example to men of submission to the will of God.
Injeel John 6:38 “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
“Then He [Isa al-Masih] said, "Look, I have come to do Your will."... for God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” Hebrews 10:9-10 NLT
This ‘Sacrifice” is vividly brought to our view in the story of Ibrahim being called to sacrifice his very own son. “And we ransomed him [Ibrahim’s son] with a momentous sacrifice.” Sura 37.107 As-Saaffat
In this account is foreshadowed and foretold the “Momentous Sacrifice” which Allah sent to this world in the Sacrifice of Isa al-Masih for the sins of humanity. The only way forgiveness and cleansing from sin could occur would be for Allah to provide the payment for sin. With humanity there was no possibility for us to save ourselves, not even by our intended good deeds.
The Redeemer or Deliverer
God is known as the redeemer or deliverer, and the One whom He sent, was Isa to redeem/ransom us.
"O our people, hearken to the one who invites (you) to Allah, and believe in him: He will forgive you your faults, and deliver you from a Penalty Grievous.” Sura 46.31 Al-Ahqaf
This is a name also given to Jesus the Messiah, that when He would come on earth, He would be known as a Redeemer.
"The Redeemer will come…to buy back those … who have turned from their sins," says the LORD.” Isaiah 59:20 NLT
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Injeel Mark 10:45 MKJV
Give Isa al-Masih Ibn Maryam, the consent today, that He may Redeem you and Ransom you from the grievous penalty of sin.
Text Copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.913; Bible texts copied from the King James version unless cited.
For further study: www.salahallah.com
Jesus in the Qur’an
“…the gift of a holy son.”
Sura 19.19 Maryam
R. M. Harnisch
Series no. 30