Jesus•Was he divine or only a human?

•Was he born in an ordinary way to a father & mother , like any child ?

•Whom was he sent to ?

Questions like these were & are still raised by Christians & non Christians.

• The most important question is :

Do Muslims believe in Jesus or not?

What do they think or believe about him ?

• Muslims do believe in Jesus and all messengers of Allah.

• That’s a basic belief in Islam .

• Allah condemns those who believe in some messengers & disbelieve in others .

“those who disbelieve in Allah & his messengers and desire to make distinction between Allah & his messengers saying : we believe in some but reject others and wish to adopt a way in between, those are indeed the unbelievers and we have prepared for the unbelievers a humiliating chastisement ”Qur’an(4:150-151)

• Muslims believe that all messengers are the best of human beings .

• Simply because Allah chose the best & reliable amongst his human beings.

• Muslims believe non of the messengers is divine (including Jesus).

• Jesus is attributed as one of the 5 steadfast messengers ( they had immense & great impact on the world).

• he was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad.

• Jesus is mentioned 25 times in the Qur’an while Muhammad(Pbuh) is mentioned 5 times .

• Allah also tells us that, Muhammad and Jesus, as well as the other prophets, were sent to confirm the belief in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where 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 God and obey me."» [3:50]

(always one message)

• They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.

• He was sent to the children of Israel .

• Allah revealed upon him the Gospel.

• A whole chapter in the Qur’an is called Mary.

How was Jesus born?

• Up to the time of Jesus 3 types of birth were experienced :

1- a human being created without a physical interference or presence of any known father or mother (Adam).

2-a human being created without the physical experience or precedence of any known mother ( Eve )

3-Millions of people created in the normal way i.e through intimacy of fathers & mothers .

-finally the creation of a human being without any physical interference of any human father.( Jesus)

What's mentioned in the Qur’an about

the birth of Jesus?

• The Qur’an confirms that Jesus was miraculously born by the very same command & power of Allah that had brought Adam.

“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” (3:59)

• If anyone wishes to call Jesus the son of God then its more appropriate to call Adam the son of God.

The environment in which Jesus was born & raised deserves some Attention

• 1- The children of Israel interpolated & misinterpreted the scriptures of God in meaning & word alike.

• 2- they rejected some of their prophets including Jesus & killed some.

“ is it that whenever there came to you a messenger with what you yourselves desired not , you grew arrogant ? Some you disbelieved and some you killed”. Qur’an(2:87)

The Mission of Jesus• Muslims believe: the mission of Jesus was not

the claim of salvation through total atonement by blood sacrifice.

•But : by virtue of right guidance of self-discipline.• The mission of Jesus was to install (call people

back) the true religion of Allah(swt) & regain his revelation which has been misinterpreted & abused.

Did Jesus claim divinity ?

• The Qur’an mentions that Jesus never claimed to be God or the son of God .

• He is only a messenger of Allah just like Muhammad (Pbuh) & the other messengers.

“ and in their (the prophets) footsteps we sent Jesus , son of Mary confirming the Torah that had come before him and we gave him the gospel, in which was guidance & light & confirmation of the Torah that had come before it” Qur’an 5:46

Is he the son of god?

• We have no Problem with the word “son of God ” in the Jewish context.

• “son of strength" was a hero and a warrior,• • "son of wickedness" a wicked man,• • "son of possession" a possessor,• • "son of lightning" a swift bird,• • "son of death" one doomed to death,• • "son of a bow" an arrow,• • "sons of prophets" disciples of prophets etc.

• In the bible many ,where attributed as son of god.• Ephraim: God's firstborn: "for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my

firstborn" Jeremiah 31:9• • 4. Adam: son of God "Adam, which was the son of God." Luke 3:38.

• Common people (you and me): sons of God: 1. "Ye are the children of the LORD your God“ Deuteronomy 14:1. 2. "when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men," Genesis 6:4.

‘Son’ or ‘Father’ used by Jesus

• when Jesus appeared before Mary Magdalene, outside of the empty tomb, she tried to cling him.

There upon Jesus told Mary not to hold him because he had yet to ascend to the Father. Jesus then instructed

Mary to go and tell his disciples: "I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and conveyed that Message to the disciples. (John 20: 16-18).

• Therefore the term "My Father" used by Jesus simply meant that the Almighty God was the Father of him as well as that of his disciples.

‘the only begotten Son’ John 1:18 & 3:16

• It was mentioned twice that he is the “begotten son of God” in John (1:18 & 3:16), it was added 400 years after Jesus death.

• Paul duff- head of a religious department:

translation of the Bible: earliest: Greek translation Latin English & all others .

Greek (unigenitus) (unique son of God), Latin (monogenes)= (only son of God)

• It was changed by Jerome in the 4th

Do Muslims believe that Jesuswas crucified?

• Muslims believe that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified .

• Logically speaking( why would God allow people to kill His son?)

• Allah raised him up to Himself in honor & grace .

“ 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 they were deluded (appeared so to them)”

• Nice words!

but why do muslims only mention Muhammad (Pbuh) in their prayers .

Facts : 1) Muslims do believe in the unity of God unity of mankind unity of Prophethood But what confirms all that?“Say (O Muslims) :we believe in Allah and in what has been revealed to

us and that which was revealed to Abraham , Ishmael, Isaac ,Jacob & the tribes & which was given to the prophets from their Lord. We do not make any distinction between any of them and to him we

submit ” Qur’an(2:136)

Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying:

“"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven."” {Bukhari}

Do Muslims believe that the Bible is corrupted ?

• Muslims believe in exactly what Bible scholars say:

1-The word of God.

2-The words of the Bible’s Authors .

3-The words of the Bible’s translators.

4-The words of the Bible’s historians .

(not solely the word of God )

Lastly • Muslims believe that Jesus is coming back at the end of

time . (major sign of the final hour )

• He will descend beside a white minaret in Damascus.

• He will be a Muslim calling to Islam as one of the followers of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh).

• He will kill the swine .

• Muslims will perform the ganazah prayer on him when passing away.

Conclusion

• A Muslim's concept of God, Religion, Prophet hood ,revelation & Humanity make him accept Jesus not only as a historical fact but also as one of the most distinguished messengers of Allah.

• The acceptance of Jesus by Muslims is a fundamental article of faith in Islam & a Muslim can never think of Jesus in any derogatory term .

• A Muslim is happily denied the liberty of defaming Jesus or any other Prophet of Allah .

• Islamic beliefs depict Jesus in a most respectful manner & place him in high status (among the five steadfast messengers of Allah).

• Any Trinitarian dogma or clue that Jesus is the son of god is utterly rejected by muslims .

• No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does.

Thank you for listening

Prepared by :

Maye Mahgoub

maye.mahgoub@live.com.com