‘Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him)
Maryam (Mary), the chaste pure daughter of ‘Imrān, was a devoted worshiper who adhered to the commands of Allah that had been revealed to the prophets after Moses. She was a member of the family which Allah Almighty chose above all humankind. In the Qur’an, Allah says:{Allah chose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of ‘Imrān above all people.}[Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 33]The angels gave her glad tidings that Allah had chosen her:{And [remember] when the angels said, “O Mary, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you over all women.O Mary, worship your Lord devoutly, prostrate yourself and bow down with those who bow down.”}[Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 42-43]Then, Allah Almighty informs how He created Jesus in her womb without a father. He says:{And mention in the Book [the story of] Mary when she withdrew from her family to a place towards the east. She screened herself from them, then We sent to her Our Spirit [Gabriel] and he appeared before her in the form of a perfect human being. She said, “I seek refuge in the Most Compassionate from you; [do not approach me] if you fear Allah. «He said, “I am only a messenger from your Lord to grant you a righteous son. «She said, “How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor have I ever been unchaste? «He said, “Thus it will be your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me; We make him a sign for people and a mercy from Us. This matter has already been decreed.’ «So, she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, would that I had died before this and had been completely forgotten! «Then the baby called her from beneath her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided a stream beneath you. Shake the trunk of the palm tree towards yourself; fresh ripe dates will drop upon you. Eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say, ‘I have vowed silence to the Most Compassionate, so I will not talk to any human being today.’ «Then she came to her people carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have committed something monstrous sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste. «Thereupon she pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk to someone who is still a baby in the cradle? Jesus said, “I am a slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I may be and has enjoined upon me prayer and Zakah as long as I am alive, and has made me dutiful to my mother, and has not made me an oppressor or disobedient. Peace is upon me the day I was born, the day I will die and the day I will be resurrected. «Such was Jesus, son of Mary – a word of truth about which they are in doubt. It is not befitting Allah to beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is.[Jesus said], “Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path.”}[Surat Maryam: 16-36]When Jesus (peace be upon him) called people to the worship of Allah, some accepted his call, but many rejected it. He kept calling them to worship Allah and faced disbelief and hostility from a lot of the people, who even tried to kill him. Thereupon, Allah said to him {Jesus, I will take you and raise you up to Myself and deliver you from those who disbelieve.}[Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 55]Allah Almighty made one of those pursuing him look like him. So, people seized that person mistaking him for Jesus (peace be upon him), and they killed and crucified him. As for Jesus, son of Mary, Allah raised him to Himself. Before his departure, he informed his disciples that Allah would send another messenger called Ahmad to convey and spread the religion. A Qur’anic verse reads:{And [remember] when Jesus, son of Mary, said, “O Children of Israel, I am truly a messenger of Allah to you, confirming the Torah which came before me, and giving glad tidings of a messenger after me whose name will be Ahmad.”}[Surat as-Saff: 6]After a period of time, the followers of Jesus were divided and there emerged a sect that went to extremes with regard to him, claiming that he is the son of Allah, far exalted is Allah above their claim. They were tempted in this claim by the fact that Jesus (peace be upon him) had been born without a father. In this regard, Allah Almighty says:{The similitude of Jesus before Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was.}[Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 59]Indeed, the creation of Jesus without a father is not more amazing than the creation of Adam with no father or mother. Hence, Allah Almighty addresses the Children of Israel in the Qur’an and commands them to keep away from this disbelief saying:{O People of the Book, do not go to extremes in your religion, and do not say about Allah but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His Word that He bestowed upon Mary, and a spirit from Him. So, believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say “Three” [Trinity]. Cease: that is better for you. Indeed, Allah is the only One God. Glory be to Him, [far exalted is He] to have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of Affairs. The Messiah would never disdain to be a slave of Allah, nor would the nearest angels to Him. Those who disdain to worship Him and are arrogant, He will gather them all together before Him. As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, He will give them their rewards in full and will increase them out of His bounty. But those who disdain and act arrogantly, He will subject them to a painful punishment, and they will not find for themselves any protector
or helper besides Allah.}[Surat an-Nisā’: 171-173]Addressing Jesus on the Day of Judgment, Allah Almighty says:{When Allah will say, “O Jesus, son of Mary, did you tell people, ‘Take me and my mother as gods besides Allah?’” He will say, “Glory be to You! It is not for me to say what I have no right. Had I said so, you would have surely known it. You know what is within myself, whereas I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, you are the All-Knower of all unseen. I did not tell them except what You ordered me – ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was witness over them as long as I was among them. But when You took me up, You Yourself were Watcher over them, and You are a Witness over all things. If You punish them, they are Your slaves; if You forgive them, you are indeed the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. «Allah will say, “This is the Day when the truthfulness of the truthful will benefit them; they will have gardens under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is the supreme triumph.”}[Surat al-Mā’idah: 116-119]
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