by Sohail Ashraf

Created on: July 22, 2009   Last Updated: July 27, 2009

Once asked by a Christian (American), what Muslims think about Jesus? I replied in simple words, "No one can claim to be a Muslim, if he denies prophet-hood of Jesus or bear any disrespect for Jesus in his mind." To my surprise, my answer stunned him so much that he kept sitting for hours asking more about Islam. I am not a scholar on Islam, so it feared me to misguide him. However, he was asking such basic questions that I could handle. Nevertheless, I kept on reminding him you need to ask from an Islamic scholar.

Yes! It may surprise many Christians, especially of Western origin, to know how close we stand in our religious beliefs. The noticeable clash of Islam and Christianity and in my opinion also the Judaism, is uncalled for, if we strike a fair peace deal between Palestine and Israel. The bottom line is that Islam, Christianity and Judaism all believe in same chain of prophet-hood sent by one and the same God. They also share too many concepts about various religious matters. The differences may not be trivial for many fundamentalists in any of three religions, yet they are not so sore to justify slaughtering of each other. I wish they could understand it.

Let's analyze what Quran says about Jesus.

Birth of Jesus

(a) Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee; chosen thee above the women of all nations." 382

(b) 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." 386 387

(c) "He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity and he shall be (of the company) of the righteous." 388

(d) She said: "O my Lord! how shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah createth what He willeth; when He hath decreed a plan He but saith to it `Be' and it is!" 389

Address of Jesus to his Nation

"And (appoint him) an Apostle to the Children of Israel (with this message): I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I make for you out of clay as it were the figure of a bird and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave; and I heal those born blind and the lepers and I quicken the dead by Allah's leave; and I declare to you what ye eat and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe." 390 391

Jesus Not sent to redefine Law of Allah

"(I have come to you) to attest the Law which was before me and to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me."

What is that Law which needed to be Attested?

Jesus said to his people "It is Allah who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a way that is straight."

Concept of Allah (God)

"Say He is Allah (the) one. Allah is self sufficient Master. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable to Him"(chapter no.112)

In summation, the Muslim attribute great respect to Jesus, they consider him as one of the greatest prophets of Allah. He was no more, no less than that. He was gifted with miracles as signs of Allah to be understood by believers.

Learn more about this author, Sohail Ashraf.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.