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What are the Muslims’ beliefs concerning the Messiah `Isa ibn Maryam?
Praise be to Allah.
Muslims’ beliefs concerning the Messiah `Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary – peace be upon him) are those indicated by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of our Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
We believe that `Isa (peace be upon him) was one of the slaves of Allah, and one of His noble Messengers. Allah sent him to the Children of Israel to call them to believe in Allah Alone and worship Him Alone .
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Tawrat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic.’” [Al-Saff 61:6]
“But the Messiah [`Isa (Jesus)] said: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers.” [Al-Maidah 5:72]
Jesus was not a god or the son of God as the Christians claim.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allah is the Messiah [`Isa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary).’” [Al-Maidah 5:72]
“And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [Al-Tawbah 9:30]
The first words that Jesus spoke when Allah caused him to speak when he was in the cradle were (interpretation of the meaning):
“He [`Isa (Jesus)] said: ‘Verily, I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet’” [Maryam 19:30]
We believe that Allah supported him with miracles that proved he was speaking the truth.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“(Remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection). ‘O `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I supported you with Ruh-ul-Qudus [Jibril (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, Al-Hikmah (the power of understanding), the Tawrat (Torah) and the Injil (Gospel); and when you made out of the clay, a figure like that of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) as you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: This is nothing but evident magic’” [Al-Maidah 5:110]
We believe that Jesus was born from the Virgin Maryam with no father, and that is not impossible for Allah Who, when He wills a thing, says “Be!” and it is.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, the likeness of `Isa (Jesus) before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’ — and he was” [Aal 'Imran 3:59]
“(Remember) when the angels said: ‘O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word [‘Be!’ — and he was! i.e. `Isa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah `Isa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah.”
He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.’
She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.’ He said: ‘So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is’” [Al ‘Imran 3:45-47]
We believe that he permitted to the Jews some of the things that had been forbidden to them.
Allah tells us that `Isa said to the Children of Israel (interpretation of the meaning):
“And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Tawrat (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me” [Al ‘Imran 3:50]
We believe that he did not die and his enemies (the Jews) did not kill him, rather Allah saved him from them and raised him up to heaven alive.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam (Mary) a grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse);
And because of their saying (in boast), ‘We killed Messiah `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allah,’ — but they killed him not, nor crucified him , but it appeared so to them the resemblance of `Isa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]:
But Allah raised him [`Isa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise” [Al-Nisa 4:156-158]
We believe that he told his followers of the coming of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah unto you, confirming the Tawrat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’” [Al-Saff 61:6]
We believe that Jesus will come back down at the end of time , and will disprove the claim of his enemies, the Jews, that they killed him, and will disprove the claim of the Christians that he is God or the son of God, and he will not accept anything from them but Islam.
Al-Bukhari (2222) and Muslim (155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, soon the son of Maryam will descend among you [According to another report: the Hour will not begin until the son of Maryam descends among you] as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the jizyah, and money will become abundant until no one will accept it.”
“Soon” means it will inevitably happen quickly. “Will descend among you” means among this ummah. “A just judge” means that he will come down and rule according to this Shari`ah (divine law), and that this Shari`ah will remain and not be abrogated, rather `Isa will be one of the rulers of this ummah. “He will break the cross and kill the pigs” means he will declare as false the religion of the Christians by breaking the cross in a real sense and proving false the Christians’ claims and veneration of the cross.
Commenting on “and he will abolish the jizyah”, Al-Nawawi said:
“The correct view concerning this is that he will not accept it, and he will not accept anything from the kafirs (disbelievers) but Islam. If any of them offer the jizyah that will not make him stop fighting them. Rather he will not accept anything but Islam or death. This is the view of Imam Abu Sulayman al-Khattabi and other scholars (may Allah have mercy on them).”
“Money will become abundant” – the reason for this abundance will be the descent of blessings and the spread of goodness because of justice and the absence of oppression or wrongdoing. At that time the earth will bring forth its treasures, and desire to keep money will decrease because they will know that that Hour is at hand.
Then he will die and the Muslims will offer the funeral prayer for him and bury him.
Ahmad (9349) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I am the closest of people to `Isa ibn Maryam because there was no Prophet between him and me…” Then he mentioned his descent at the end of time. Then he said: “And he will remain for as long as Allah wills he should remain, then he will die and the Muslims will offer the funeral prayer for him and bury him.” (Classed as sahih by al-Albani in al-Silsilah al-Sahihah (2182)
We believe that he will disavow himself on the Day of Resurrection of the claims that he was a god.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): 'O `Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and unseen).
Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say: Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things’” [Al-Maidah 5:116-117]
“‘Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say: Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things’” [Al-Maidah 5:116-117]
This is what the Muslims believe about the Messiah Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him).
Al-Bukhari (3435) and Muslim (28) narrated from ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allah Alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and that `Isa is His slave and Messenger, a word which Allah bestowed upon Maryam and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is real, and Hell is real, Allah will admit him through whichever of the eight gates of Paradise he wishes.”
We ask Allah to make us steadfast in faith and to cause us to die as believers.
And Allah knows best.