I’ve wondered this for a couple of decades.
First, I posted here knowing there was no chance of it staying in GQ. That said, I almost expect it to be moved to the Pit.
To the question.
What do Muslims believe of Jesus? From my understanding, the Koran refers to Him as a prophet. So He’s acknowledged as an actual person, but how does He fit into the religion? Obviously, He’s below Muhammed in the faith, but where does he fit in?
Thanks
Your question appears to be asking for information only. I am a little bit dubious as to what you are up to here.
Why ask a question from the participants of SDMB on a subject involving information that is already widely accessible on the net. Particularly where it involves religious matters.
From my own observations, you will find that there are, actually, very few Muslim people on SDMB, and the answers of those few you who are members you will find to be pretty incoherent.
There are, however, a number (5 or 6) of Muslim Culture/Religion apologists on the SDMB and they should be able to provide you with lots of material, full of power and fury, if signifying nothing else.
Realistically, though, this thread will probably die a swift death. Your topic question lacks substance.
Salaam aleikum Duffer,
In my opinion there is no reason that your thread would be moved to « the Pit ».
About Jesus in Al Qur’an/Islam
In Al Qur’an Jesus is named 25 times “Ibn Marjam ” = son of Maria, 25 times “Isa” = Jesus and 11 times “Al Masih” = the Messiah/the Christ.
Making a resumé (=not following the exact the texts! Nevertheless the right meaning/intention) from stories about Jesus in suras 3,19, and 21, the story in Al Qur’an goes as follows:
Zacharia and the birth of John.
Al Qur’an mentions how God showed mercy to Zacharia when he complains that he is old and doesn’t have a son. God announce the birth of a son who must be named “Jahja” = John.
The story goes on mentioning the doubt of Zacharia en how God reassures him that what God told him shall happen since such things are easy for God. On request of Zacharia God gives him a sign: he shall not be able to speak for 3 days except by use of gestures. Next Zacharia leaves the holy place en made with gesticulations clear to the people that they must praise God in the morning and the evening. Thus God furfills his wish and Jahja is born.
All tree compete with each other in doing good dead and praise of God and submit themselves humble to God.
Mary and Jesus
Next Al Qur’an mentions Marjam (=Mary)
We read that her mother when she became pregnant made a vow to God to dedicate her child to Him. When the child was born, she was surprised to see it was a girl. Nevertheless she kept her promise: she named the child Marjam and prayed to God to protect her and her progeny and cursed satan. The girl was dedicated to God. The care for her was given to Zacharia in the holy place. But every time he visited her, he saw she was provided with foord. When asked where she got that, Marjam said”It comes from God. God gives means of living to whom He wants, without counting for it” (Al Qur’an 3;33-37)
Then God sens het His spirit, who presented himself to her as a good looking human. Marjam(afraid) put herself under the protection of God, but he said that he was a messenger of God with the message that the Lord would give her a pure boy. She said “how can I receive a bioy when no human has touched me; I am not an unchase woman” He replied that this was easy for God. Out of mercy God would make him (the child) a sign for humanity: thus was decided. (Al Qur’an 19;16-21)
Further is mentioned that God wants the child to be named “Al Masih, Isa ibn Marjam”. He shall be in high esteem in this life and in the afterlife.
There is also mentioned that he shall speak to menkind from in the cradle and as adult. God shall give him the book, the wisdom,the Tawraat (the Thora) and teach him the Indjiel (the gospel). Jesus shall perform as messenger of God to the Israelites. These miracles are meant to be a sign for those who believe (in God) (Al Qur’an 3;45-49)
It goes further about Marjam. She gets pregnant and gets in labour under a palmthree and how the messenger of God tries to comfort and bring her God’s support (Al Qur’an 19,22-60)
Next is described the reactions of the people when she goes back to them with her child and how the child starts talking to them explaining himself as a prophet of God. (Al Qur’an 19,28-33).
There are two versions of the same story:
Sura Marjam (19) talks about the spirit of God who brings as messenger the announcement of the birth of Jesus. In surah Al-imraan (3) there are angels who talk to Mary. This sura also brings a longer version of the story and with more details.
In the later Islamic traditions, and especially in the “stories of the prophets” one can find much more details about Jesus as a child. Most plausible explanation for this is that they show the influence of what people knew about Christian traditions/stories of Jesus.
Salaam. A
[text=jesus&search_type=Exact+String&B1=Search]Here](http://www.answering-christianity.com/cgi-bin/quran/quran_search.cgi?searchrl) are a the mentions of Jesus by name in the Qur’an.
OK, that didn’t exactly work, but you can still click on it and do a “Jesus” search.
Gee Alan, we all know you the smartest person here regarding this topic, or so you’ve said repeatedly, but if you don’t know the answer, why post?
My pedestrian understanding is that Jesus is known in Islam as the “prophet of the Heart.” His primary significance was demonstrating that the word of religious law had to be tempered by the spirit of the law, i.e. God’s love and his personal relationship with the individual. Some of this is borne out in scripture, such as the attempts to trip jesus up by asking him pointed questions about Judaic law about paying taxes and stoning adulteresses (“render unto Ceasar” and " let he who is without sin…").
I notice it hasn’t been mentionned until now that according to the muslim tradition, Jesus hasn’t been crucified, since his execution was sort of “faked” (god making him appearing to be executed while actually he wasn’t). Surely, someone will come with a more detailed explanation.
Also, isn’t he suposed to come back at the end of times?
For essentially al questions posted on the GQ board, one could find the answer on the net (though he could have to be careful in sorting out relevant and valid informations, which could take a lot of time). Similarily, all topics debatted on the GD bord are also debatted endlessly on many sites. So you could post the same comment in response to essentially all OP made on the SD. Why did you so specifically in this thread?
I too am a little bit dubious as to what you are up to here. Since when asking religious-related questions is suspect here? What issue do you have exactly with this question which led you to post such negative and unhelpful comments?
I supose you’re refering to the few non-muslim posters who have an actual knowledge of the muslim history and religion, and who aren’t particularily apologists (except perhaps for people who think that anything objective or, worse, positive, said about Islam is biased and “full of power and fury”). As for the material provided being meaningless according to you, at least it would hopefully answer the OP’s questions, which is exactly the point of this thread, contrarily to your own totally unhelpful comments.
Why is the OP question without substance? It’s a perfectly legitimate question, and there’s certainly a lot of informations to provide in reponse to this topic which is generally very poorly known in our western countries. Could you explain why this question has less substance than any other taken at random on the GQ or GD boards?
Your response, on the other hand, definitely lacks it, since you provide absolutely no answer at all. What was the point of your post, exactly?
You bring to me an interpretation I never heard of before
Salaam. A
It is not “tradition” It is mentioned as such in Al Qur’an that Jesus didn’t die on the cross, which indeed led to the traditions mentioning that jesus didn’t die on the cross.
Al Qur’an says in an-nisaa’ (4), 157
"They haven’t killed him and they haven’t crucified him, it only appeared to them to be so/was suggested to them (shubbiha lahum). Those who disagree about this are in doubt about it; except from trusting on suspicions, they have no knowledge of it. They surely did not kill him ".
“However, God has has lifted him up unto Him. God is powerfull and wise” (4;158)
Strange confirmation to this statement in Al Qur’an, is the testimony of Ireneüs (died 200 AD). In the first book of his work “Contra Haereses” (from which the Latin version is completely preserved) he describes the vision of some people (who he describes as heretics) on the event of the crucification:
" So Jesus should not have suffered the Passion himself, but a certain Simon from Cyrene was ordered to carry the cross in his place. And it is that Simon who was crucified, by mistake or by ignorance, after he had been trough a transformation so they should take him for Jesus (…)"
" … So people should not have been worshipping the crucified, but the one who had come in human form, and of whom people thought he was being crucified, and who was called Jesus ".
The analogy between the Arab term “shubbiha lahum”, it appeared to them to be so, and the Latin term used by Ireneüs " putatus est crucifixus" they thought that he had being crucified, is at least very striking.
The return of Jesus who is according to Al Qur’an lifted up to God and not put to death on the cross, is only mentioned in the Islamic traditions. Not in Al Qur’an itself.
Both Buchari and Muslim and other sources mention the return of Isa as " a just judge; but he shall destroy the cross and put to death the swine; he shall put an end to the war".
By using the symbols cross and swine is a reference that for Muslims and Jews the Christians are in transgression of what is forbidden. Thus the indication is made that Jesus himself shall bring an end to Christianity.(According to Muslims the Christians commit an eror in their religion)
Some traditions add to it that the son of Mary then shall lead all Muslims in prayer and he shall concur a figure you can can compare with the anti-christ.
Salaam. A
Well, someone certainly has a sinister agenda. I am extraordinarily dubious as to why you bothered posting at all in this thread, except for trying to preempt any replies by casting slurs and aspersions on any posters with knowledge of Islam and Muslim history.
Muslims I have met: be they Gulf or Levantine, appear to have a lot of respect for Jesus and Mary. This is one thing that makes them stronger brethren to Christians, which is why as a Christian here (by origin - not whether you are practicising or not) you are afforded considerable respect and protection by Muslims.
Similar perhaps to (early?) Roman Catholicism, there seems to be sometimes a stronger emphasis on Mary than on Jesus. Certainly variations of Mary - especially Maryam - are extremely popular girls’ names here.