Jesus in Islam

Overview

In Islam, Jesus, referred to by the Arabic rendering of his name Isa, is believed to be the penultimate prophet and messenger of God (Allāh) and the messiah. He was the last of the messengers sent to the Israelites, and carried a revelation called the Injīl. In the Quran, Jesus is described as the Messiah, born of a virgin, performing miracles, accompanied by his disciples, and rejected by the Jewish establishment; in contrast to the traditional Christian narrative, however, he is stated neither to have been crucified, nor executed, nor to have been resurrected. Rather, it is stated that it appeared to the Jews as if they had executed him and that they therefore say they killed Jesus, who had in truth ascended into Heaven. The Quran places Jesus among the greatest prophets and mentions him with various titles. The prophethood of Jesus is preceded by that of Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyyā and succeeded by Muhammad, the latter coming of whom Jesus is reported in the Quran to have foretold under the name Ahmad.

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Islamic Perspective

The study of Islamic history helps Muslims understand the development of their faith and draw inspiration from those who sacrificed for Islam.

"There was certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding." — Quran 12:111

Key Lessons

The life and legacy of Jesus in Islam teaches:

• The importance of steadfastness (sabr) in the face of trials
• The value of knowledge and wisdom in serving Islam
• The role of sincere faith (iman) as the foundation of all actions

Content adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 license. For scholarly Islamic sources, consult Ibn Kathir's Al-Bidaya wa Al-Nihaya.