Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him), and await his second coming. We consider him one of the greatest of Allah’s messengers to mankind.

Allah mentions in the Qur’an:

The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.

Say, “Do you worship besides Allah that which holds for you no [power of] harm or benefit while it is Allah who is the Hearing, the Knowing?”

Say, “O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way.” [5:75-77]

A Muslim never refers to him simply as Jesus’, but always adds the phrase “peace be upon him.” The Qur’an confirms his virgin birth (in a chapter of the Qur’an entitled `Mary’), and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Qur’aan describes the creation of Jesus as follows: “Behold! the Angel said, Allah has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one that shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.’ She said: `O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said: `Even so; Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He but says to it, “Be!” and it is.” (3:42-7) Jesus (peace be upon him) was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam (peace be upon him) into being without a father: “Truly, the likeness of Jesus unto Allaah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, `Be!’ and he was.” (3:59) During his prophetic mission, Jesus (peace be upon him) was granted and performed many miracles. The Qur’aan tells us that he said (interpretation of meaning): “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by Allah’s leave. And I heal the blind and the lepers, and I raise the dead by Allaah’s leave.” (3:49). Other miracles include speaking soon after birth in defense of his mother’s piety. Allah’s other gifts to him included healing the blind and the sick, reviving the dead, and, most importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles were granted to him by Allah to establish him as a prophet. According to the Qur’aan, he was not crucified, but only appeared so; instead, Allah raised him unto Heaven. (Quraan, Chapter Maryam) Neither Muhammad (peace be upon him), nor Jesus (peace be upon him), came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in one Allah, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Qur’aan Jesus (peace be upon him), is reported as saying that he came: “To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign form your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me.” (3:50). Allah also says in the chapter entitled “Mary”: It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that Jesus is the son of Allaah]. Glorified (and Exalted be He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, “Be!” and it is. And Jesus said (to the Children of Israel: “And verily Allaah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (19:36-37). It was also narrated by one of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon) disciples that: I heard the Prophet saying, “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah and His Apostle.”(Authentic narration from the al Bukhari traditions)

A few verses from the Qur’an also read:

Surah al-Maedah, Verse 116:

وَإِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ أَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ اتَّخِذُونِي وَأُمِّيَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَلَا أَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ

And (remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): “O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allah?’ ” he (Jesus) 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.

Verse 117:

مَا قُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَا أَمَرْتَنِي بِهِ أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ وَكُنتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَّا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ

“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.

Verse 118:

إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

“If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”

(English – Mohsin Khan)

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Pertaining this topic, an earlier Muslim Scholar wrote a poem to enlighten fellow Christians in this matter. The intention with this poem was to emphasize the fallacies in worshipping Jesus, while he was a creation himself. This poem isn’t here to offend any readers, but rather emphasize that we should be worshipping the One who created Jesus, and not Jesus himself; as he was a creation whom was dependent on his Lord.

The poem reads: Imam Ibn Qayyim’s Poem: Oh Christian Worshippers

Taken from his Book Ighaatha-tul-Lafhaan (pg. 1063-1064)

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya

Poem to the Christians:

“O Christ-worshippers! We want an answer to our question [from your wise ones],

If the Lord was murdered by some people’s act, what kind of god is this?

We wonder! Was He pleased by what they did to Him?

If yes, blessed be they, they achieved His pleasure,

But if He was discontented, this means their power had subjugated Him!

Was the whole entity left without a Sustainer, so who answered the prayers?

Were the heavens vacated, when He laid under the ground somewhere?

Were all the worlds left without a God, to manage while His hands were nailed?

Why did not the angels help Him, when they heard him while he wailed?

How could the rods stand to bear the True Lord when He was fastened,

How could the irons reached Him and [had] His body pinned?

How could His enemies’ hands reach Him and slap His rear,

And was Christ revived by himself, or was the Reviver another god?

What a sight it was, a grave that enclosed a god,

Stranger still is the belly that confined Him!

He stayed there for nine months in utter darkness, fed by blood!

Then he got out of the womb as a small baby,

Weak and gasping to be breast-fed!

He ate and drank, and did what that naturally resulted,

Is this [what you call] a god?

High Exalted be Allah above the fabrication of the Christians,

All of them will be held accountable for their false accusation! (i.e On the Day of Judgement) 

O Cross-worshippers! For what reason is this exalted and blame [is cast upon those] who reject it?

Is it not logical to break and burn it, along with the one who innovated it?

Since the Lord was crucified on it, and his hands were fastened to it?

That is really a cursed cross to carry,

So discard it, do not kiss it!

The Lord was abused on it, and you adore it?

So [it is clear that] you are one of His enemies!

If you extol it because it carried the Lord of the Worlds, 

Why don’t you prostrate yourself and worship graves,

Since the grave contained your god in it?

So Christ-worshipper, open your eyes,

This is what the matter is all about.”

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Furthermore, I would like to mention a verse from the Qur’an:

 

Surah Maryam, Verse 36:

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ

 And (Jesus) said: “And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. 

 

Surah Al-Hadid, Verse 28:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِن رَّحْمَتِهِ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ نُورًا تَمْشُونَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

 O you who believe [Moses (i.e. Jews) and Jesus (i.e. Christians)]! Fear Allah, and believe too in His Messenger (Muhammad), He will give you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight), and He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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If you have made it this far down the text then you are probably feeling one of two ways, 1, offended, or 2, intrigued with a deeper craving.

I sincerely hope it is it the latter feeling, with that said I thank you for spending your time reading this, and I ask the Lord to grant us sincerity in learning who He is and how He should be worshipped.

With this I would like to conclude with a pamplet entitled ‘What does Islam say about Jesus’, which was written by a brother by the name of Faisal. Again, I would like to reiterate my intent behind this. It is not to offend any readers, rather I desire to enlighten you…

(Click the PDF below to view the pamplet)

What does Islam say about Jesus