Islamic differentiation of Jesus

[Yosef]

Why does Quran differentiate Jesus from other prophets by saying “Jesus is the word of Allah, and a spirit from Him.”? I couldn’t find an answer in Islamic websites.

 

[Vico]

Why does Quran differentiate Jesus from other prophets by saying “Jesus is the word of Allah, and a spirit from Him.”? I couldn’t find an answer in Islamic websites.

They believe that Adam had no human father nor mother and that Isa had no human father, and also that Isa did not die.

 

[drac16]

Well, the Qur’anic account of Jesus had to be different because otherwise everyone would accuse Muhammad of plagiarism. What’s interesting is that the Qur’an leaves out the Biblical statement of “He will save his people from their sins”. It seems that the author of the Qur’an was uncomfortable with this, so he skipped that part.

 

[Niblo]

Why does Quran differentiate Jesus from other prophets by saying “Jesus is the word of Allah, and a spirit from Him.”?

Because it is the truth!

Here are the verses you refer to:

‘People of the Book, do not go to excess in your religion, and do not say anything about Allāh except the truth: the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was nothing more than a messenger of Allāh, His word (‘wakalimatuhu’), directed to Mary, a spirit (‘warūḥun’) from Him. So believe in Allāh and His messengers and do not speak of three – stop (this), that is better for you – Allāh is only one God, He is far above having a son, everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him and He is the best one to trust.’ (Al-Nisa: 171; my emphasis).

The word ‘wakalimatuhu’ is derived from the root ‘kāf lām mīm’; and refers – not to the Logos (the Second Person of the Trinity, as understood by Trinitarians – but to speech.

The word ‘warūḥun’ is derived from the root ‘rā wāw ḥā’; and comes from the form ‘rūḥ’; meaning ‘soul’; ‘spirit’; and ‘inspiration’. When applied to Yeshua (ʿalayhi as-salām) it refers to his spirit soul.

Consider this:

‘The angels said, ‘Mary, Allāh gives you news of a word (‘bikalimatin’) from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, who will be held in honour in this world and the next, who will be one of those brought near to Allāh. He will speak to people in his infancy and in his adulthood. He will be one of the righteous.’ (Al‘Imran: 45-46).

‘Bikalimatin’ is derived from the same root (‘kāf lām mīm’) as ‘wakalimatuhu’ and, as you might expect, also refers to a spoken word.

Al‘Imran continues:

‘She said, ‘My Lord, how can I have a son when no man has touched me?’ (The angel) said, ‘This is how Allāh creates what He will: when He has ordained something, He says only, “Be” (‘kun’), and it is.’ (Verse 47).

The Qur’an is declaring that Yeshua is (entirely) a created being; albeit one created in a special way.

Yeshua is not unique in having no human father (Adam and Eve had no parents at all). He is indeed a word from Allāh (Subḥānahu ūta’āla); and that word is ‘Be’; the command that brought him – and everything else – into being.

 

[TheLittleLady]

When I had a close friend who converted to Islam, I went on a study journey.

The work of Fr Joimer was priceless:

https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Quran-...the+bible+and+the+koran&qid=1577205602&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0824509811/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0

I bought a 3rd book of his, used, cannot recall the title. Your public library would likely have inter library loans available.

The other book that I recommend to all is:

https://www.amazon.com/Between-Alla...earn+from+islam&qid=1577205714&s=books&sr=1-2

You can pick it up used, or for Kindle. Excellent book.

 

[Niblo]

Began that same journey when my son became a Muslim in 2001. Still learning

Have the Peter Kreeft. Very good. Will look out for Fr Joimer’s - in shāʾ Allāh. Thank you.

Have a very happy Christmas.

 

[Yosef]

You also have a happy Christmas my friend. Indeed I do not see a great difference between Christianity and Islam. In any path I sense we are leading to same God say Allah or say Yhwh. Muslims, jews and christians should love each other to my understanding.

 

[Niblo]

You also have a happy Christmas my friend. Indeed I do not see a great difference between Christianity and Islam. In any path I sense we are leading to same God say Allah or say Yhwh. Muslims, jews and christians should love each other to my understanding.

Thank you, brother. As you say, there is but one God, who guides us to Himself - albeit along different paths - and who loves each one of us, as though there is only the one and the One. It has been said many times: love is all that matters; and the greater our love for Him, the greater can be our love for others, regardless of any differences between us.

May you continue to walk in His love, ever aware of His nearness; of the immeasurable value He places on you.

 

[upant]

The Qur’an is declaring that Yeshua is (entirely) a created being; albeit one created in a special way.

isn’t this the real question, the Qur’an says Jesus is not God and the bible says He is.

they both can’t be correct, only one is true, which one?

 

[Niblo]

What the Bible has to say about Jesus is not the topic of this thread. However:

About fifty years ago I had an older colleague who was a Biblical Unitarian (I was a Catholic). We discussed (often) the nature of Jesus; what the Bible has to say about him. On one occasion I became very angry with my colleague (I was fiery in those days!). I grabbed my Bible and thrust it under his nose. ‘This is my Book’, I hissed. ‘What’s yours?’

He smiled, and gently removed the book from my hand. ‘This!’, he replied. I was stunned. How could this man read the very same book as I, and yet reach conclusions so opposed to my own? He was no fool; neither was he perverse. He was both genuine and honest; a decent man who lived his faith according to his conscience. And yet, he did not, could not , believe what I believed.

Here is a quote by Cliff Reed, a Unitarian minister:

‘Unitarians believe that Jesus was a man, unequivocally human. It has long been our view that to talk of him as God is unfaithful to his own understanding of himself. The New Testament accounts describe a Jewish man, chosen, raised up, adopted and anointed by God. They claim that the divine purpose was that Jesus should reconcile first the Jews and then all humanity to each other and to God. This would prepare the way for the Messianic age of peace.’ (Sourced from a Unitarian website).

Two groups of people read the very same scriptures. One group interprets these scriptures in a way that makes God a Trinity, and Jesus ‘wholly God, and wholly Man’. The other group sees absolutely no justification for the notion of a trinity; and regards Jesus as just a man; in no way divine.

Where there is disagreement we have a duty - it seems to me - to study what is said about this or that; to reflect upon it; and then to follow our conscience…to be the best we can; true to our particular (chosen) Faith.