All Muslims believe in and respect Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), references to him in the Qur’an and in the traditions (hadith) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) describe him as one of the greatest messengers of God (ul al-azm min ar-rusul). The essence of his teachings was based on the belief in a unique God. This belief in one God entailed worshipping none but Him, for there was and is none worthy of worship except him. Apart from monotheism, Jesus (peace be upon him) also preached through divine revelation, a message of love and peace. He performed several astonishing miracles for the people, never once giving credit to himself for their occurrence. Rather than doing so, he always emphasized that such feats were done through God's will [1] and not his own.
Evidence for the fact that Jesus (peace be upon him) never gave credit to himself for performing miracles can be found in the Bible. In John 5:30, Jesus (peace be upon him) is quoted as saying: "I can of Myself do nothing." Luke 11:20 reads: "But if I cast out demons with the finger of God..." John 11:41-42, speaks of how Lazarus was miraculously given life after death. In this instance, not only is the miracle achieved, but the means by which it is achieved (i.e. supplication to God) is also described: "And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.'" After some contemplation, the reasonable person would ultimately conclude that Jesus (peace be upon him), rather than justifying himself as an object for worship and veneration, used to supplicate to God, and was himself dependent on God.
Simon (Peter), a major disciple, says: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know." (Acts 2:22) According to the aforementioned verse, the people who witnessed Jesus (peace be upon him) performing miracles recognized the fact that they were approved by God, and were done through his leave. Hence, in is own time, Jesus (peace be upon him) was known as a prophet of God. In the Qur’an, this great Prophet of God is referred to as "Jesus the son of Mary" (Isa bin Maryam) 25 times.
In the third chapter of the Qur’an; "the Family of ‘Imraan" (Aali-‘Imraan), God says: "And [mention] when the angels said, 'O Mary, [2] indeed God has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer].' That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed. [And mention] when the angels said, 'O Mary, indeed God gives you good tidings of a word [3] from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus (peace be upon him), the son of Mary, distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to God]. He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous.'
She said, 'My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?' [The angel] said, 'Such is God; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. And He will teach him writing and wisdom [4] and the Torah and the Gospel and [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], "Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, [5] then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of God. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of God. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey me.
Indeed, God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path."' But when Jesus (peace be upon him) felt [persistence in] disbelief from them, he said, 'Who are my supporters for [the cause of] God?' The disciples said, 'We are supporters for God. We have believed in God and testify that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]. Our Lord, we have believed in what You revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus (peace be upon him), so register us among the witnesses [to truth].' And the disbelievers planned, but God planned. And God is the best of planners. [Mention] when God said, 'O Jesus (peace be upon him), indeed I will take you and raise you [6] to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to God alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ. And as for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.'
But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and God does not like the wrongdoers. This is what We recite to you, [O Muhammad], of [Our] verses and the precise [and wise] message. Indeed, the example of Jesus (peace be upon him) to God is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, 'Be,' and he was. The truth is from your Lord, so do not be among the doubters. Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you – say, 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of God upon the liars [among us].' Indeed, this is the true narration. And there is no deity except God. And indeed, God is the Exalted in Might, the Wise."
So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, 'Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.' But he called her from below her, 'Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, "Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man."' Then she brought him to her people, carrying him.
They said, 'O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.' So she pointed to him. They said, 'How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?' [Jesus (peace be upon him)] said, 'Indeed, I am the servant of God. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and charity (zakah), [7] as long as I remain alive and [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.'
That is Jesus (peace be upon him), the son of Mary, the word of truth about which they are in dispute. It is not [befitting] for God to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is. [Jesus (peace be upon him) said], 'And indeed, God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.'" (Qur’an, 3:16-36)
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to, on occasion, make reference to Jesus (peace be upon him). On one such occasion, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of people to Jesus (peace be upon him), the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different but their religion is one." [8]
In another prophetic tradition (hadith), the Prophet Muhammad said: "When any human being is born, Satan touches him at both sides of the body with his two fingers, except for Jesus (peace be upon him), the son of Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed, for he touched the placenta cover instead." [9] This was a response to the supplication of his grandmother, "the wife of ‘Imraan," when she said: "…And I have named her Mary, and I seek refuge for her in You and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of God]." [10]
End Notes:
موضوع: The Life and Mission of Jesus (peace be upon him) 
الإثنين أبريل 22 2013, 18:25
