Islam honours all the prophets who were sent to mankind. Muslims respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad. Muslims, too, await the second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.
No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled "Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:
"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!' and it is." [3:42-47]
Muslims believe that Jesus was born immaculately, and through the same power which had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a father or a mother.
"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." [
During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said:
"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: 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 God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave." [
Muhammad and Jesus, as well as the other prophets, were sent to confirm the belief in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where Jesus is reported as saying that he came:
"To attest the law which was before me, and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey me." [
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying:
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that
The Holy Qur'an, the Final Testament which God revealed to Prophet Muhammad as the guidance for all mankind, speaks highly not only of Mary, but also of Jesus, her son.
According to The Qur'an, Jesus is a prophet as are Noah, Abraham and Moses, etc. As far as Mary is concerned, The Qur'an has hailed her as a model for the women of the entire world. The following passage of The Qur'an will further explain this:
Behold! The angels said: "O Mary! Allah hath chosen thee and purified thee; chosen thee above the women of all nations. "O Mary! Worship thy Lord devoutly; prostrate thyself and bow down (in prayer) with those who bow down." Chapter 3, Verse 42
The Qur'an further states that it is an awesome statement to accuse Mary of unchastity, as did the Jews:
That they rejected faith: that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge. Chapter 4, Verse 156
In the Qur'an, Mary has been mentioned several times, especially in the chapters called “Al-Imran” and “Mariam”, the Arabic name for “Mary”.
When Mary was born, her mother prayed that her daughter should be given the protection of God so she would lead a good life. God heard her plea and accepted Mary into His protection, under the care of Zachariah, the father of John “the Baptist”.
Whenever Zachariah visited Mary in her sanctuary, he found her provided with food and upon questioning her, she would reply:
...He said: "O Mary! Whence (comes) this to you?" She said: "From Allah: for Allah provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure." Chapter 3, Verse 37
The Qur'an also gives an account of the birth of Jesus by Mary.
Just prior to Jesus’ birth, Mary retired to an eastern place where she prayed. It was in this state that the angel appeared to her in the shape of a man. As she thought the angel was a man, she was frightened and asked him not to invade her privacy:
She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah." Chapter 19, Verse 18
The angel then allayed Mary’s fears by saying:
He said: "Nay I am only a messenger from thy Lord (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son." Chapter 19, Verse 19
Mary was naturally confused by this as she proclaimed that she had not been touched by any man to which the angel then replied:
He said: "So (it will be): thy Lord saith `That is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us': it is a matter (so) decreed." Chapter 19, Verse 21
The Qur'an continues the narration:
So she conceived him and she retired with him to a remote place. Chapter 19, Verse 22
Mary, being human, suffered the effects of childbirth as any expectant mother would during these times then and in her anguish, she called:
And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: she cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!" But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-free): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man say `I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious and this day will I enter into no talk with any human being.' "
Chapter 19, Verses 23-26
When Mary showed the baby to her people, they said that this was truly an amazing thing that had happened. The newly born baby (Jesus) replied to the people:
He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; "And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; "(He) hath made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable; "So Peace is on me the day I was born the day that I die and the Day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! Chapter 19, Verses 30-33
Even though Mary is the mother of Jesus and occupies a highest position among the women, neither Mary nor Jesus have any divine attributes in them. The Holy Qur’an makes this clear in the following verse:
They do blaspheme who say: "Allah is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O children of
They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy) verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.
Why turn them, not to Allah and seek His forgiveness? For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful. Christ the son of Mary was no more than an Apostle; many were the Apostles that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth makes His Signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!
Say: Will ye worship besides Allah something which hath no power either to harm or benefit you? But Allah He it is that heareth and knoweth all things." Say: "O people of the Book! exceed not in your religion the bounds (of what is proper) trespassing beyond the truth nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by who misled many and strayed (themselves) from the even way. Chapter 5, Verses 72-77
Say: He is Allah the One and Only; Allah the Eternal Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.
Chapter 112