Who is Jesus to the Jews and Muslims?

[Phoenix8099]

As I don’t personally know any people of the Jewish/Islamic faiths, I have no one to ask this question to:

I have always wondered who Jewish and also Islamic theology teaches that Jesus was. Although I know they do not accept Him as the Messiah, do they believe that He even existed? Do they believe He was just a prophet? What role (if any) does He play in these religions and what is taught about the actual man that was born 2000+ years ago that Christians believe to be the Son of God?

Although it may be incorrect, I thought I’d heard somewhere that Islam does believe that Jesus lived, but that He was another prophet instead of the Son of God.

I’ve always wondered about these things and would greatly appreciate any answers!

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi Phoenix 8099!

Yes, as far as I know Muslims revere Jesus as a flesh-and-blood, entirely human, prophet. There are more than a few verses about him in the Qur’an.

We (orthodox Jews) don’t even see him as that. We view him as neither a prophet, nor the Messiah, nor the Son of God (we do not believe in the Trinity), nor God-made-flesh. Rabbi Shraga Simmons’ article Why Jews Don’t Believe in Jesus (aish.com/jewishissues/jewishsociety/Why_Jews_Dont_Believe_In_Jesus.asp) is pretty good.

See also forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=36724.

Be well!

ssv

 

[Malgosia]

In Islam Jesus is viewed as a prophet, born of a virgin who was named Mary. Muslims believe that the message of Christianity was the same as that of Koran, before Christians changed the Bible. They however have no answers to how the scriptures were corrupted, when and why.

Koran contains many names for Jesus that we use: Word of God, Messiah, a.s.o. But they do not believe that He was the Son of God. They also believe that he was not crucified, but God took Him straight to Heaven. They are waiting for Him to come at the end of time back to earth, to fulfill His purpose (but they do not know what this purpose is), get married, have family, and finally die and be burried by Muhhamad.

Let’s pray that they too may come to know Jesus as the Lamb of God, who loved them so much that He gave His life that they might live.

 

[Alexandra]

Malgosia:

Koran contains many names for Jesus that we use: Word of God, Messiah, a.s.o. But they do not believe that He was the Son of God. They also believe that he was not crucified, but God took Him straight to Heaven. They are waiting for Him to come at the end of time back to earth, to fulfill His purpose (but they do not know what this purpose is), get married, have family, and finally die and be burried by Muhhamad.

Let’s pray that they too may come to know Jesus as the Lamb of God, who loved them so much that He gave His life that they might live.

There are more disturbing things that Muslims believe about Jesus.
‘Isa (Jesus) in the Hadith

‘Isa the destroyer of Christianity

The prophet ‘Isa will have an important role in the end times, establishing Islam and making war until he destroys all religions save Islam. He shall kill the Evil One (Dajjal), an apocalyptic anti-Christ figure.

In one tradition of Muhammad we read that no further prophets will come to earth until ‘Isa returns as ‘a man of medium height, or reddish complexion, wearing two light garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head although it will not be wet. He will fight for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill pigs, and abolish the poll-tax. Allah will destroy all religions except Islam. He (‘Isa) will destroy the Evil One and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die’. (Sunan Abu Dawud, 37:4310) The Sahih Muslim has a variant of this tradition: ‘The son of Mary … will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will … abolish the poll-tax, and the wealth will pour forth to such an extent that no one will accept charitable gifts.’ (Sahih Muslim 287)

What do these sayings mean? The cross is a symbol of Christianity. Breaking crosses means abolishing Christianity. Pigs are associated with Christians. Killing them is another way of speaking of the destruction of Christianity. Under Islamic law the poll-tax buys the protection of the lives and property of conquered ‘people of the Book’. (At-Taubah 9:29) The abolition of the poll-tax means jihad is restarted against Christians (and Jews) living under Islam, who should convert to Islam, or else be killed or enslaved. The abundance of wealth refers to booty flowing to the Muslims from this conquest. This is what the Muslim ‘Isa will do when he returns in the last days.

 

[Greek]

Alexandra, Islam is not a destructive religion. I have many muslim freinds who are great people. Jihad only means a struggle in the name of God. Now, this does not always mean waging war. It can also mean not looking at porn whne your friends are or something to that effect. Most of this information is either distorted or a creation of Christian radicals bent on giving a bad name to Islam. Stop hating.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

The Koran contains 93 verses about Jesus - and they do need to be read in context.​

For Islam, Jesus is the prophet who is second only to Mohammed. ##

 

[nike248]

Greek:

Alexandra, Islam is not a destructive religion. I have many muslim freinds who are great people. Jihad only means a struggle in the name of God. Now, this does not always mean waging war. It can also mean not looking at porn whne your friends are or something to that effect. Most of this information is either distorted or a creation of Christian radicals bent on giving a bad name to Islam. Stop hating.

Just 'cause your friends are kind, doesn’t mean that Islam is about kindness. Muslims are called to be enemies of Jews and Christians (Read the Quran) and Islamic law is meant to be practiced in all countries. Wahhabists practice Islamic law. Osama bin Laden and a HUGE amount of the suicide bombers are wahhabists. Also, Islamic law severely restricts the rights of women and execute Christians simply because they are carrying a Bible or a cross. This happens in Saudi Arabia where Islamic law is practiced. Again, just 'cause your friends are peaceful, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Islam is a religion of peace.

 

[Greek]

nike248:

Just 'cause your friends are kind, doesn’t mean that Islam is about kindness. Muslims are called to be enemies of Jews and Christians (Read the Quran) and Islamic law is meant to be practiced in all countries. Wahhabists practice Islamic law. Osama bin Laden and a HUGE amount of the suicide bombers are wahhabists. Also, Islamic law severely restricts the rights of women and execute Christians simply because they are carrying a Bible or a cross. This happens in Saudi Arabia where Islamic law is practiced. Again, just 'cause your friends are peaceful, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Islam is a religion of peace.

Give me proof of these allegations and I’ll believe you.

 

[The_Black_Knight]

Greek:

Alexandra, Islam is not a destructive religion. I have many muslim freinds who are great people. Jihad only means a struggle in the name of God. Now, this does not always mean waging war. It can also mean not looking at porn whne your friends are or something to that effect. Most of this information is either distorted or a creation of Christian radicals bent on giving a bad name to Islam. Stop hating.

Stop throwing accusations of “hate” around like a left-wing liberal at a pro-life rally.

 

[Greek]

The Black Knight:

Stop throwing accusations of “hate” around like a left-wing liberal at a pro-life rally.

I am not “throwing it aorund”, nor am I making accusations. What she is saying is misinterpreted and simply uneducated.

 

[Malgosia]

Greek:

I am not “throwing it aorund”, nor am I making accusations. What she is saying is misinterpreted and simply uneducated.

It is hardly uneducated, and you cannot judge Islam by looking at individual Muslims.

60% of Koranic verses are about jihad. Jihad means struggle in the name of Islam.

There are some verses that talk positively about Jews and Christians. These verses come from Mecca period of revelation, when Muhammad tried to convert Jews and Christians with words only. When he didn’t manage to do it, he conquered Medina, moved there and from then on used a sword to convert. The Medina revelation is very negative toward Jews and Christans, and calls for believers to convert infidels by force.

There is a principle called “naksh” in Islam, and it means that later revelation overwrites earlier. Therefore the verses that talk about living in peace with Jews and Christians are canceled by those talking about fighting them, “till there is no unbelief and religion is for Allah alone (in all of the world)”.

If anyone wants to learn more about Jesus in Islam, and also about who Muhammad was I highly recommend a book by Mark Gabriel “Jesus and Muhammad. Suprising Similarities and Profound Differences”. Mark Gabriel lived as a Sunni Muslim for 35 years (before converting to Christianity), and holds bachelor, masters and doctoral degree from Al Azar University in Kairo, Egypt, the biggest and oldest islamic university in the world.