THE STATUS OF JESUS IN ISLAM

The word status is defined by Webster dictionary to mean rank or condition. This leads to the question how is Jesus Christ ranked in Islam?

 One He is the miracious son of Mary. This son was given by Allah to Mary by  through Angel Gabriel. This is clear in the following verses.

“And make mention of Mary in the scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to a chamber looking east, and had chosen seclusion from them. Then we sent unto her our spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man.

She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the beneficiary one from thee, if thou art God-fearing. He said: I am only a messenger of they Lord that I may bestow on there a faultless son.

She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste?

He said: so (It will be). Thy Lord saith; it is easy for me. And (It will be) that we may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from us and it is a thing ordained.” (Surah 19:16-21)

It is there in the quranic verses above that Mary conceived by the power of Allah’s spirit.

Secondly Jesus is the word of Allah. Allah’s word became a human being. This is clear as one reads the following verses:

“(And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name is the messiah, Jesus, son of Mary illustrious in the world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah)”. (Surah 3:45).

Indeed in Islam as it is in Christianity Jesus is the word of Allah and as stated above He is the spirit of Allah that was clothed in human flesh.

            Thirdly Jesus in Islam has to been permitted by Allah to create. He has creative ability. This is found in the following verses:

“When Allah saith: O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember my favor unto thee and unto thy mother; how I strengthened thee with  the Holy Spirit, so that thou spakest unto mankind in the cradle as immaturity; and how I taught thee the scripture and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and how thou didst shape of clay as it were the likeness of a bird by my permission and thou didst heal him who was born blind and the leper by my permission; and how didst  raise the dead by my permission; and how I restrained the children of Israel from (harming) thee when thou camest unto them with clear proofs, and those of them who disbelieved exclaimed. This is naught else than more magic! (Surah 5:110)

It is said in the above verse that Jesus son of Mary was the creator and a miracle worker. However, there are arguments that He did that with the permission of Allah not out of his own power. In Islam the little of creator is only given to Allah not anybody else. It should also be noted that the only person that Allah has given permission to Create is Jesus son of Mary. This permission Allah gave voluntarily. The bird that Jesus created is still part of Allah’s creation, it is not wrong to ascribe the little of the Creator to Jesus.

            Jesus in Islam is also given the title of Lord or lordly in the quriah. Read the following verse carefully.

“And the Angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah, lordly, chaste, a prophet for the righteous (Surah 3:39).

That the Angels of Allah called Jesus “Lordly;” He is lord that means master or, noble. This title is also given, to Jesus Christ in Christianity. He is the Lord of Lords. He is a prophet.

            In Islam again Jesus is considered to be only a human being but not God. Yes it is clear from the quarian that He is the word of Allah and Allah’s spirit helped Mary conceive, Jesus is denied divinity in Islam.

“They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the messiah, son of Mary. The messiah (himself) said: O children of Israel worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! Whose ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden paradise. His abode is the fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers. ---The messiah, son of Mary, was no other than a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) had passed away before him. and his mother was a saintly woman. And they both used to eat (earthly) food. See how we make the revelations clear for them, and see how they are turned away.” (Surah 5:72-75)

Lastly Jesus in Islam He is not the saviour. The very concept of salvation by atonement is not there. The death of Jesus Christ is completely denied.

It did not occur. A person the appearance of Jesus was crucified instead. Allah took Jesus to heaven as they were heading to Golgotha. The whole world was cheated for over 500 years until Muhammad came and told the world the truth again that Jesus was not crucified. It was a person who had the same appearance as Jesus that was crucified. The people plotted and Allah plotted but Allah is the best. His plot succeeded. This raises many questions In ones mind. Read the following passage from the quarian.

“And because of their saying: we slew the messiah Jesus son of Mary, Allah’s messenger. They slow him not nor “crucified, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! Those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain.

But Allah took him up unto Himself. Allah was over mighty, wise.” Surah 4:157-158.

They crucified him not; it just appeared to them as if they have crucified him. Allah is mighty wise. He took him a way from the midst of the Roman soldiers and the thronging multitudes. As if that is not enough; it took Allah over 500years to inform the Roman empire and the Jews that the one they crucified on Golgotha was not Jesus the son of Mary Allah’s word and messenger.