Introduction
According to Al-Johani (1-3), the view of Jesus in the Qur’an is based on two boundaries. The two extremes are based on both Christianity and Judaism perception of Jesus. On the one hand, Muslims believed that the Jews rejected the teachings of Jesus and referred to him as a phony. On the other hand, they believe that Christians valued Jesus and his teaching and continued to pray to him as the son of God.
The Islamic beliefs about Jesus are based on tolerance, and he is believed to be one of the greatest prophets that ever lived. Similar to Christianity, the Muslims believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Reynolds (237-238) reports that the Islamic religion believes in respect of Allah’s messengers and oneness in God. Unlike the bible, the Qur’an does not offer a detailed history of Jesus (Shoemaker 12-13).
However, it analyses important issues related to his birth, works on earth, and his ascension into heaven. In addition, religion also talks about Jesus’s purpose on earth and its impact on the lives of human beings. Al-Johani (1-3) explains that Jesus was born by a virgin mother. Her name was Maryam (Arabic), and the birth of her son is described as miraculous as he had no father. In reference to the Qur’an, Maryam isolated herself from her family and travelled east.
Prior to her journey, an angel appeared and revealed to her about her pregnancy. The angel (Gabriel) also explained to her that God decreed Jesus, and he would be born as a sign of Allah’s love for humanity. Therefore, Jesus was incarnate of Allah, he was a prophet of Allah who came to teach human beings about the commandments of God, and the importance of living in accordance with His will. The aim of the current research is to assess the origin of Jesus in Islam and compare this with Christianity and Judaism views on the same.
The nativity of Jesus in the Qur’an
Ur-Rahim (5-7) indicates that Jesus is referred to as Isa Ibn Maryam (Son of Mary) in the Qur’an. He is considered the Messiah and the prophet of God. Moreover, he was sent by Allah to spread the gospel and save the children of Israel. Reynolds (237-239) reports that there are 14 suras (90 verses) that speak about Jesus. However, the holy book seems to focus more on the lives of Abraham and Moses than that of Isa Ibn Maryam.
This has led some scholars to argue that Allah did not pay so much regard to Jesus in comparison to the other prophets. The Qur’an focuses on Jesus in both the Meccan and the Medinan era. The resistance of Muhammad’s teachings characterized the Meccan era, while the Medinan era was regarded as the period when Muslims exhibited hostility toward Judaism and the Jews. Ur-Rahim (1-5) explains that the origin of Jesus in Islam begins from his birth by the Virgin Mary.
Maryam was the daughter of Imran and was taught to live a sacred life from a tender age. Her mother dedicated her to the service of Allah, and she spent most of her life in the temple. When Maryam became a woman, Allah sent an angel to inform her that she would get a son conceived by the Holy Spirit. Al-Johani (3-4) notes that Maryam conceived and travelled east as directed by angel Gabriel to give birth to her son. In the message given by Angel Gabriel, Allah honoured Maryam most in comparison with other women in the world. Gabriel also notified Mary that her son would be pure and righteous (Shoemaker 11-13).
Moreover, Jesus was to be compared to the righteous and would spread the good news of Allah from infancy to old age. When Mary received the news, she was confused and asked the angel regarding the possibility of getting pregnant while she was still a virgin. Gabriel informed her that it was the will and command of Allah. In this view, the Qur’an emphasizes on the birth of Christ being the will of Allah and his miraculous birth is compared to Allah’s creation of Adam, who was the first man to be created. The Qur’an refers to the birth of Jesus as kun-fa-yakun, which means, “Be and it is”.
Tarif (5-9) explains that Mary experienced the pain of childbirth like any other woman despite the conception being miraculous. When she was in labour, Allah provided a stream of water in the desert, and she was able to wash her face and drink it. The Qur’an describes her experience as helpless and painful. It is also evident that Allah guided Mary throughout her trip to the desert and the birth of Jesus. He provided food and water to her and ensured that she survived to give birth to her child.
The food was in the form of dates from a palm tree. Thus, Mary was able to eat during her time in the desert. The Quran refers to the palm tree again when Mary held onto it in time of pain. After the painful experience, Jesus was born in the desert. Al-Johani (3-7) indicates that Mary left the desert to join her family after the birth of her son. The Qur’an explains that Mary did not speak to anyone after she returned home as Allah had promised to make the baby perform his first miracle. In addition, most scholars state that the baby started speaking immediately after birth. The holy book also reports that Mary introduced Jesus to the temple to ensure that he learnt about Allah from a tender age. However, the temple elders did not believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus and ridiculed his mother.
Despite such ridicule, Zachariah believed and supported Mary’s stories due to his strong believe in the power of Allah. Islamic teachings speak against getting children before marriage. Thus, Mary was referred to as a prostitute and a liar. Ur-Rahim (4-7) narrates that Mary demanded the elders to speak to her son and await a response. As a result, the elders were angered, and they could not understand how a newborn would be able to speak to them. The Qur’an notes that God was angered by their behaviour and made the baby speak from the cradle. Jesus’s first words talked about his prophesy and his role as the prophet of God. He also stated that he was the messanger of Allah and he was blessed. Furthermore, he proclaimed peace upon himself until his death.
In an analysis of the birth of Jesus, Tarif (9-11) explains that Jesus was a sign of the power of Allah. In specific, the Qur’an uses the word Aya to describe the wonders and the power of God. Aya is also used to describe the miraculous birth of Jesus. Based on the Islamic view, the birth of Jesus is mysterious and he is depicted to be more than a human being. The Qur’an forbids the comparison of a prophet with Allah. In this respect, Jesus was simply a messenger of Allah and not His partner.
Jesus had the ability to perform miracles (ayat) and they are explained at length in the Qur’an. According to Al-Johani (7-9), the Gospel of Thomas (Sura 3:49;5:110) tells a story about how Jesus transformed birds of clay and gave them life. Majority of the words used to describe Jesus are also used to describe Adam. Jesus was also involved in the restoration of life among the dead. His actions in the Qur’an are all based on directives from Allah and He often refers to him as the “Son of Mary”. Allah talks to Jesus and reminds him of his mission on earth. Jesus affirms the validity of the scriptures of wisdom given to Moses by Allah.
The Qur’an talks about the al-injil when referring to these scriptures. Jesus’s role on earth was to reach the weary and the meek and affirm the validity of Allah’s teachings as told by the prophets who came before him. The Son of Maryam was given the scriptures by Allah as a sign of confirming that the law of Allah had happened. Similar to the Christianity view of Jesus, the Qur’an refers to the disciples of Jesus. However, Ur-Rahim (10-11) notes that the holy book does not give the names of his disciples. Nonetheless, Jesus is seen preaching to them severally and the Qur’an indicates that they were committed to Islam. Moreover, Jesus often refers to them as his helpers and witnesses of the miraculous nature of the son of Mary. The longest description of the disciples in the Qur’an was before the resurrection of Jesus.
Tarif (11-16) notes that six centuries after the death of Jesus, Prophet Mohammed’s teachings were based on the resurrection of Jesus into heaven. In addition, the Qur’an gives an account of his resurrection after his mission on earth was completed. The Qur’an talks about a plan by the non-believers to kill Jesus. However, God was able to save him in an effort to complete his mission on earth. Unlike the Christian account of Jesus, the Qur’an does not talk about his crucifixion but explains that he was raised into heaven before his death. During Prophet Mohammad’s preaching in Mecca, he taught about the resurrection of Jesus.
However, he encountered so much opposition because Islam did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Although majority of the Arabs in Mecca ridiculed his message, Mohammed pointed out that the resurrection was an indication of the power and creativity nature of Allah. Al-Johani (9-13) states that the life of Jesus on earth was an indication of the renewing power of Allah. Moreover, the Qur’an is specific in stating that Allah gave power to Jesus as it was given to other prophets before him. Similar to the other prophets, Jesus also faces opposition while on earth and he was often accused of lying.
The Qur’an talks about the hostility of the Jews toward Jesus. Reynolds (250-252) notes that the death of Jesus in Islam was as mysterious as his birth. However, unlike the crucifixion accounts given by other religions, the Quran does not elaborate on this. Thus, it is impossible to give am account on the crucifixion of Jesus in Islam. Despite this, the Qur’an is clear on the second coming of Jesus. The holy book refers to the day of judgement. In summary, the origin of Jesus in Islam is starts from his conception and birth by Maryam. Moreover, he lived a sacred life guided by teachings from Allah and he referred to him as His prophet.
Comparison of Jesus nativity in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism
In Christianity, Prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament had prophesied on the birth of a Messiah. The Messiah was Jesus and his mission is clearly outlined in the Old Testament. James (1-4) indicates that Jesus was born to redeem the people of their sins and to fulfil the prophesy of the Old Testament. Similar to the Islamic accounts of the origin of Jesus as analysed by Ur-Rahim (2-6), the nativity of Jesus in Christianity starts after conception.
James (3-5) explains that the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to reveal to the Virgin Mary regarding the birth of Jesus. As expected, Mary was shocked as she was still a virgin. Contrary to the Islamic faith, Christianity explains that Jesus had an earthly father referred to as Joseph who was carpenter. The bible provides a detailed explanation of the birth of Jesus in Nazareth. He was born in a manger as Mary and Joseph did not get a decent place to rent in the city.
After his birth, the three wise men were directed by God to go and visit the Son of God in the Manger. It is important to note that the Qur’an does not refer to Jesus as the son of God but as the son of Mary. Moreover, the Quran explains that Mary was alone in the desert when Jesus was born ( ur-Rahim 3-4). This is contrary to the Christian story of Jesus as Joseph was present during his son’s birth. In addition, the Christian perspective does not give any accounts of miracles performed by God during the birth of Jesus. While the birth of Jesus takes place in the desert near a palm tree in Islam, the Christian Jesus was born in a manger at night.
The Qur’an reports that Jesus started performing miracles and talking from infancy (Tarif 5-7). The early life of Jesus in Christianity was different as he grew up just like any other child. The gospels of Luke and Mathew give an analysis of his early life in Nazareth. The Quran offers no account of the baptism of Jesus as described in the bible. The holy book in Christianity explains that Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist (James 5-9).
The baptism marked the beginning of his ministry and miracles. Prior to his birth, John the Baptist preached to his congregation informing them about the coming of Jesus. After he baptizes Jesus, the skies opened and God proclaimed that Jesus was his son. Majority of the stories written in the New Testament of the bible are based on the mission and the miracles performed by Jesus. Jesus appoints the twelve disciples in his early days of ministry. Unlike the Qur’an, the disciple’s names are well outlined. The disciples promoted the work of Jesus and learned from him. James (11-13) indicates that the miracles performed by Jesus are comprehensively analysed in the New Testament.
Most of these miracles involved healing of the sick. The Qur’an talks about Jesus receiving a scripture referred to as Injil, which contained the good news of Allah. The Christian Jesus does not receive any scripture or book from God. In regard to his death, crucifixion, and resurrection, the bible offers a lengthy analysis of the events that transpired. In Christianity, the suffering of Jesus in his last days portrays him as a human and not a supernatural being. While the Islamic account of his death is mysterious, the Christian Jesus is crucified to death. He is also buried in the tomb just like any other human being. The Qur’anic account indicates that he ascended into heaven and does not talk about his dying (Reynolds 249-250). The Christian Jesus then resurrects and ascends into heaven.
The Jewish nativity of Jesus is different from both Christianity and Islamic perspectives. Schäfer (3-11) notes that Jesus is not depicted as a significant figure in the history of Judaism. While they believe that Jesus was a Jew, most of them did not follow his teaching and did not accept his purpose on earth. Moreover, the Jews do not believe that Jesus was divine and special. In this regard, the Torah offers no account of his miraculous birth.
On the contrary, the Jews believed that he was a “false messiah” whose teachings were against their beliefs. The Jewish holy book emphasizes on the presence of only one Messiah. Unlike Islam and Christianity, the Jews believed that Jesus was just a normal child who was born by normal parents. There are no accounts of the miraculous birth of Jesus and their holy book does not give a detailed account of his birth. The Jewish Jesus was brought up following the Jewish traditions and his followers were Jews. His family paid tithes, observed the Torah and the Sabbath, and Judaism believes that Jesus was circumcised based on their traditions.
Schäfer (10-15) notes that the Jewish account of Jesus is based on their negative attitudes toward him. They rejected his teachings and did not portray him as the incarnate of God. These attitudes were aggravated after the persecution of the Jews by the church. The Jews believed that the famous apostle (Jesus) did not attempt to prevent their persecutions. Based on this incident, majority of the traditional Jews never acknowledge that Jesus actually existed.
However, Schäfer (13) acknowledges that there has been a significant change in the portrayal of Jesus among the modern day Jews. The modern Jews continue to accept and acknowledge the purpose of Jesus on earth. It is important to note that Jesus had Jewish followers who majorly adopted the Christian religion after his death. The Jewish Holy Scripture does not give an account of Jesus’s death and resurrection into heaven.
In summary, most of the Jews believed that proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah was against the belief of One God and an offense against Judaism. This could explain why some of the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy. Christianity and Islam pay so much regard to the origin and the life of Jesus. On the contrary, Jesus is not seen as a significant being in the Jewish teachings and there is a scanty account of his origin.
Conclusion
The origin of Jesus in Islam and Christian as described in the respective holy books starts from his conception. Both religions give a detailed account of his conception, birth, and mission in the world. In Islam, the mother of Jesus was a virgin called Maryam (ur-Rahim 3-4). In the two religions, Angel Gabriel informed Mary and Maryam about the birth of Jesus and his mission as the messenger of God. However, Islam recognizes Jesus as the son of Maryam while Christianity refers to him as the son of God. While Jesus started performing miracles at an early age in Islam, the bible account of his first miracle indicates that he was in his youth.
The Qur’an talks about Allah giving Jesus the scripture that contained his good news (Tarif 11-13). On the Contrary, the Christian Jesus did not receive any scripture. The death and resurrection of Jesus is miraculous in Islam as his birth. In Christianity, Jesus also died, was buried and resurrected into heaven after three days. Conversely, the Jewish account of Jesus is scanty, as the Jews did not pay much regard to his work on earth. The origin of Jesus in Judaism was not miraculous as he was born as a normal child and God performed no miracles during his conception. In summary, the Islamic account of the origin of Jesus is more similar to the Christian perspective that Judaism.
Works Cited
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James, Dunn. Christianity in the making. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2003. Print.
Reynolds, Gabriel Said. “The Muslim Jesus: Dead or alive?” Bulletin of SOAS 72.2 (2009): 237–258. Print.
Schäfer, Peter. The Jewish Jesus: How Judaism and Christianity shaped each other. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2012. Print.
Shoemaker, Stephen J. Christmas in the Qur’an: the Qur’anic account of Jesus’s nativity and Palestinian local tradition. Oregon: University of Oregon, 2003. Print.
Tarif, Khalidi. The Muslim Jesus: Sayings and stories in Islamic literature. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2001. Print.
Ur-Rahim , Ata. Jesus Prophet of Islam. Elmhurst, NY: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, 2003. Print.