What Muslims Say about Mary and Jesus

What Muslims Say about Mary and Jesus
By Jibrill Brill

Muslims respect Mary and Jesus very much. In Arabic Mary is called Maryam and Jesus is called Isaa or Massih. Massih means Messiah or the anointed one. They believe Mary was a Holy, pure and sinless lady. And all her forefathers, like David through Abraham up to Adam were all sinless; That without any sexual intercourse with any man, but by the power of God, Mary gave birth to Jesus who is also sinless and one of the five Arch prophets of Allah. That Jesus is not God but a prophet and Messenger of God. Just like Muslims do not worship Muhammad, they do not Jesus also. They believe that Jesus was a human being as witnessed by his physical body, eating and his being born from a human being, the sinless Mary. However they believe that God raised Jesus to heaven and one day towards the end of the world Jesus is one of those who come. Muslims do not believe that Jesus was crucified.

For evidence's sake I'm going to quote from the Qur'an to show what Muslims believe about Mary and Jesus. The chapter Mary verses 15 to 35 in parts says, "And you mention in the book the story of Mary when she withdrew from her people to an eastern place, and she took a veil apart from them. Then we sent our angel to her who presented himself to her in a form a man in all respect. She said I seek refuge from you in God Almighty if you do fear God. He said I am but a messenger from your LORD to give you glad tidings of the most pure boy. She said how shall I have a son when no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste? He said so says the LORD 'it's easy for me to do it and we wish to appoint him as a sign to the people from us. It is a thing decreed.'... That is Jesus son of Mary a word of truth, concerning whom they doubt."

The chapter the Table verse 77 to 79 says, "They claim that the Messiah son of Mary is God. But the Messiah himself said 'Children of Israel serve God my LOR D, your and your LORD. Surely those who associate any thing with God will not be allowed to enter paradise and their refuge shall be the fire. Indeed wrong doers will have no helpers. They claim that God is a Trinity. No God is only but one ... The Messiah son of Mary was only a prophet; and many were prophets before him who passed way; his mother was a just woman; they both ate food. Behold how we make our signs clear to them."

The chapter the Women verse 155 – 157 says, "They saying that we killed Jesus, the Messiah, son of Mary, but they did not kill him, neither did they crucify him for God protected him and only give them a likeness of him ... But surely God raised him up to himself."

The chapter the house of Imran verses 39 says, "And when the angels said; Mary God has chosen you and purified you; and has chosen you above all women… And when angels said; Mary, God gives you good tidings of a word from him whose name is Messiah, Jesus son of Mary; high honoured shall he be in this world and the next world, near stationed to God. He shall speak to people while an infant and in maturity and he shall be righteous. Mary said LORD how shall I have a son when no man has touched me. They said so even says God, he creates what he wishes. When decrees a thing he only says to it "be" and it is. And he will teach him the book, the wisdom, the Torah (Old Testament), the Gospel, to be a prophet to the Children of Israel saying: I have a sign from your God. I will create for you out of clay a likeness of a bird and then I will breathe into it by the permission of God, and it will turn into a bird. I will heal the lepers and bring to life the dead ... ."

The chapter the Cow verse 81 says: And we gave the book to Moses and sent after him a series of messengers and prophets. We gave Jesus son of Mary the clear signs and confirmed him with the Holy Spirit. But whenever a messenger came to you with something that you did not desire, you became arrogant to the messenger, some of you said lies about the messengers and some of you slain the messengers.

From the above quoted Qur'anic verses it can be seen that most of the belief of Muslims are similar to that of Christians. For example Christians also believe that Jesus is the Messiah; that he is son of Mary; that Mary was a virgin when she conceived him; that Jesus did not have a Biological father; that he is in heaven; that he was prophet of God; that he performed miracles and he is coming again; he is alive; that Mary was a Holy woman.

Where Muslims differ with Christians, are those same differences that are among Christian sects also. For example Muslims don't believe in the Trinity, Jehovah's Witnesses also don't believe in the Trinity whereas the Catholics and other Protestants believe in it; Muslims don't believe that that Jesus is God, Jehovah's Witnesses also say that Jesus is not God but just a son of God whereas Catholics and other Protestants believe him to be God.

The one big difference between Muslims and Christians is on the death of Jesus but that does not make disbelieves about the actual existence of Jesus which is the central them of Christianity. About the death of Jesus Christ intellectual discussions can still be held to clarify the matter on both sides.