topic by
Sam
4/25/2002 (5:40) |
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Jesus Christ, Christians & Islam
Outside the fold of Christianity, Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) is either met with indifference, animosity or awesome calumnies against him. It is Islam alone, among the non-Christian world faiths, that elevates him to a position of great esteem, without exaggerating his position. It is an article of faith for Muslims to believe in his virgin birth and the many miracles he performed by God’s permission. It is not something that the over 1.5 billion Muslims can doubt. Allah(swt) (Allah is the Arabic word for God) says in the
Quran 3:45-51:
Behold! the angels said: 'O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;
'He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.'
She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?' He said: 'Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, 'Be,' and it is!
'And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel,
'And (appoint him) a messenger to the Children of Israel, (with this message): ''I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of 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 those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah's leave; and I declare to you what ye eat, and what ye store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if ye did believe;
''(I have come to you), to attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.
''It is Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight.''
Muslims believe in Heaven, Hell, the Day of Judgement, the Angels, God, and the prophets. Muslims believe Noah(pbuh), Abraham(pbuh), Jacob(pbuh), Job(pbuh), Jonah(pbuh), Solomon(pbuh), David(pbuh), Moses(pbuh), Jesus(pbuh) & Muhammad(pbuh) were all prophets of Allah(swt).
Quran 003.084 'Say: 'We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).'
Says Allah(swt) about Jesus:
Quran 003.059
Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is.
Quran 019.035
It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! when He determines a matter, He only says to it, 'Be', and it is.
Muslims believe that Jesus Christ (pbuh) was 'a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him'. (Quran 4:171) It is not only Jesus Christ (pbuh) that occupies an honored position in Islam. His mother Maryam (Mary) also does. It may surprise some Christians to know there is a whole chapter in the Quran entitled Maryam. Muslims also believe Mary (ra) to be one of two best woman of creation – the other one being Asiya (ra), wife of the Pharaoh. (Sahih Muslim).
Muslims also believe sometimes much closeness can arise between themselves and Christians because of three traits, the Christians may possess. Allah(swt) says in the Quran: 'nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, ‘We are Christians’: because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant'.
While Muslims do not believe in the divinity of Christ, the trinity, or original sin, there is still much in common between the two faiths, since Muslims believe both faiths ultimately trace themselves to the same source: God. And certainly Jesus Christ (pbuh) and his mother Mary (ra) both occupy positions of great honor in Islam.
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