Birth[edit] also: Maryam (sura) and Islamic views of Mary Jesus lineage, going back to his great-grandfather. The Quranic account of Jesus begins with a prologue, which describes the birth of his mother, Mary, and her service in the Jerusalem temple, while under the care of the prophet and priest Zechariah, who was to be the father of John the Baptist.[9] The Quran then goes on to describe the conception of Jesus. Mary, whom the Quran states was chosen by God over the women of all the worlds, conceives Jesus while still a virgin. Annunciation[edit] Mary had withdrawn into the Temple, where she was visited by the angel Gabriel (Arabic: Jibrail) who brought the glad tidings of a holy son.[10] The Quran states that God sent the message through the angel Gabriel to Mary, that God had honoured her among the women of all nations. The angel also told Mary that she would give birth to a pure son, named Isa (Jesus), who would be a great prophet, to whom God would give the Gospel. The angel further told Mary that Jesus would speak in infancy and maturity and be a companion to the most righteous. When this news was given to Mary, she asked the angel how she could conceive and have a child when no man had touched her.[11] The angel replied: Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, Be, and it is![12] The Quran, therefore, states that Jesus was created from the act of Gods will. The Quran compares this miraculous creation of Jesus with the creation of Adam, where God created Adam by his act of will (kun-fa-yakun, meaning Be and it is.).[13] According to the Quran, the same answer was given to the question of Zechariah, when he asked how his wife, Elizabeth, could conceive a baby, as she was very old.[14] Birth of Jesus Virgin Mary nurtured by a palm tree, as described in the Quran. The Quran narrates the virgin birth of Jesus numerous times. The Quran states that, Mary was overcome by the pains of childbirth. During her agony and helplessness, under her feet God provided a stream of water from which she could drink. Furthermore, near a palm tree, Mary was told to shake the trunk of the palm tree, so that ripe dates would fall down and she could eat and be nourished. Mary cried in pain and held onto the palm tree, at which point a voice came from beneath her, understood by some to refer to Jesus, who was yet in her womb, which said, Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; And shake the trunk of the palm tree, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. And eat and drink and calm thy mind. That day, Mary gave birth to her son Jesus in the middle of the desert. Mary carried baby Jesus back to her people. The Quran goes on to describe that Mary vowed not to speak to anyone that day, as God was to make Jesus, who Muslims believe spoke in the cradle, perform his first miracle. The Quran goes on to narrate that Mary then brought Jesus to the temple, where she was immediately ridiculed by all the temple elders. But Zachariah believed in the virgin birth and supported her. The elders accused Mary of being a loose woman and having touched another man while unmarried. In response, Mary pointed to her son, telling them to talk to him. They were angered at this and thought she was mocking them, by asking them to speak with an infant. It was then that God made the infant Jesus speak from the cradle and he spoke of his prophecy for the first time. He said, which are verses 19:30-33 in thechapter of Mary in the Quran: He said: I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)! —Quran, sura 19 Maryam, ayat 30-33[6][15] Mission[edit] See also: Apostle (Islam) The Jordan river, where some Muslim accounts narrate that Jesus met with Yahya ibn Zakariyya (otherwise known as John the Baptist).[16] According to Islamic texts, Jesus was divinely chosen to preach the message of monotheism and submission to the will of God to the Children of Israel (banī isrāīl). Received scripture[edit] Muslims believe that God revealed to Jesus a new scripture, al-Injīl (the Gospel), while also declaring the truth of the previous revelations: al-Tawrat (theTorah) and al-Zabur (the Psalms). The Quran speaks favorably of al-Injīl, which it describes as a scripture that fills the hearts of its followers with meekness and piety. The Quran says that the original biblical message has been distorted or corrupted (tahrif) over time.[citation needed] In chapter 3, verse 3, and chapter 5, verses 46-47, of the Quran, the revelation of al-Injil is mentioned: It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). —Quran, sura 3 (Al-i-Imran) ayah 3[17] And in their footsteps We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law that had come before him: We sent him the Gospel: therein was guidance and light, and confirmation of the Law that had come before him: a guidance and an admonition to those who fear Allah. Let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah hath revealed therein. If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) those who rebel. —Quran sura 5, (Al-Maida), ayat 46-47[18] Disciples[edit] The Quran states that Jesus was aided by a group of disciples who believed in His message. While not naming the disciples, the Quran does give a few instances of Jesus preaching the message to them. The Quran mentions in chapter 3, verses 52-53, that the disciples submitted in the faith of Islam: When Jesus found Unbelief on their part He said: Who will be My helpers to (the work of) Allah? Said the disciples: We are Allahs helpers: We believe in Allah, and do thou bear witness that we are Muslims. Our Lord! we believe in what Thou hast revealed, and we follow the Messenger; then write us down among those who bear witness. —Quran Surah Al-Imran 52-53[19] The longest narrative involving Jesus disciples is when they request a laden table to be sent from Heaven, for further proof that Jesus is preaching the true message: Behold! the disciples, said: O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to us a table set (with viands) from heaven? Said Jesus: Fear Allah, if ye have faith. They said: We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may be witnesses to the miracle. Said Jesus the son of Mary: O Allah our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set (with viands), that there may be for us—for the first and the last of us—a solemn festival and a sign from thee; and provide for our sustenance, for thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs). Allah said: I will send it down unto you: But if any of you after that resisteth faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on any one among all the peoples. —Quran Surah Al-Maida 112-115[20] Ascension[edit] Main article: Islamic view of Jesus death Islamic texts categorically deny the idea of crucifixion or death attributed to Jesus by the New Testament.[6][21] The Quran states that people (i.e., the Jews and Romans) sought to kill Jesus, but they did not crucify nor kill him, although this was made to appear to them. Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified but instead, he was raised up by God unto the heavens. This raising is often understood to mean through bodily ascension. And they said we have killed the Messiah Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God. They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, though it was made to appear like that to them; those that disagreed about him are full of doubt, with no knowledge to follow, only supposition: they certainly did not kill him. On the contrary, God raised him unto himself. God is almighty and wise. —Quran surah 4 (An-Nisa النساء) ayah 157-158[22] Discussing the interpretation of those scholars who deny the crucifixion, the Encyclopaedia of Islam writes: The denial, furthermore, is in perfect agreement with the logic of the Quran. The Biblical stories reproduced in it (e.g., Job, Moses, Joseph, etc.) and the episodes relating to the history of the beginning of Islam demonstrate that it is Gods practice (sunnat Allah) to make faith triumph finally over the forces of evil and adversity. So truly with hardship comes ease, (XCIV, 5, 6). For Jesus to die on the cross would have meant the triumph of his executioners; but the Quran asserts that they undoubtedly failed: Assuredly God will defend those who believe; (XXII, 49). He confounds the plots of the enemies of Christ (III, 54). Substitution interpretation[edit] While most western scholars,[23] Jews,[24][25] and Christians believe Jesus died, most Muslims believe he ascended to Heaven without being put on the cross and God transformed another person to appear exactly like Jesus who was crucified instead of Jesus (cf. Irenaeuus description of the heresy of Basilides, Book I, ch. XXIV, 4[26]). Jesus ascended bodily to Heaven, there to remain until his Second Coming in the End Days. Second coming[edit] See also: Second Coming#Islam and Islamic eschatology According to Islamic tradition which describes this graphically, Jesus descent will be in the midst of wars fought by al-Mahdi (lit. the rightly guided one), known in Islamic eschatology as the redeemer of Islam, against al-Masīh ad-Dajjāl (the Antichrist False messiah) and his followers.[27] Jesus will descend at the point of a white arcade, east of Damascus, dressed in yellow robes—his head anointed. He will then join al-Mahdi in his war against the Dajjal. Jesus, considered as a Muslim, will abide by the Islamic teachings. Eventually, Jesus will slay the Antichrist, and then everyone who is one of the People of the Book (ahl al-kitāb, referring to Jews and Christians) will believe in him. Thus, there will be one community, that of Islam.[28] Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 43: Kitab-ul-`Ilm (Book of Knowledge), Hâdith Number 656: The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts). After the death of al-Mahdi, Jesus will assume leadership. This is a time associated in Islamic narrative with universal peace and justice. Islamic texts also allude to the appearance of Yajuj and Majuj (known also as Gog and Magog), ancient tribes which will disperse and cause disturbance on earth. God, in response to Jesus prayers, will kill them by sending a type of worm in the napes of their necks.[27] Jesus rule is said to be around forty years, after which he will die. Muslims will then perform the funeral prayer for him and then bury him in the city of Medina in a grave left vacant beside Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and Umar (companions of Muhammad and the first and second Sunni caliphs (Rashidun) respectively).[6] See
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 09:35:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015