As a matter of fact, not only do Muslims deeply revere and hold Jesus
Christ in high esteem as a Prophet of Allah, but they also view him as
one of the greatest Messengers of Allah. According to Muslims, he is
counted as one of ulu Al-`Azm Mina Al-Rusul (the most resolute messengers).
Commenting on the verse:
“So be patient [O Muhammad] as were ulu Al-`Azm Mina Al-Rusul,” (Al-Ahqaf 46:35)
Ibn Abbas remarked: “Ulu Al-`Azm Mina Al-Rusul are Prophet Muhammad, Prophet Noah, Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Moses and Prophet `Isa (Jesus).”
Under Islam,
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) has special privileges and
peculiarities. Muslims recognize that Jesus Christ is favored with many
things more than the other Prophets and Messengers. He is seen as a man
with exceptional life and mission. In this article, I will try to cover
most of Jesus’s privileges according to Islam.
In the Qur’an,
we notice that Allah repeatedly confirms that Jesus was supported with
the Holy Spirit. There are three verses in the Qur’an affirming that
Jesus was supported with the Holy Spirit. We do not find anywhere in the
Qur’an any indication that there was another Prophet supported with the
Holy Spirit. Allah says twice in the Qur’an:
And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Holy Spirit. (Al-Baqarah 2:87 and 253)
Allah also says:
O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit. (Al-Ma’idah 5:110)
Another privilege of Jesus in Islam is that he, to the exclusion of
all other human beings, was immune to Satan’s work. In the Qur`an, Allah
cites the supplication of Mary’s mother for her daughter and her
offspring when she gave birth to her. Allah says:
In Islam, Jesus is seen as a man with exceptional life and mission.
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 Allah]. (Aal `Imran 3:36)
Regarding this supplication, Al-Tabari cites, on the authority of Abu
Hurayrah, the following hadith: “The Messenger of Allah said, “Every
newborn of the children of Adam must
endure the stab of Satan’s (finger), which causes the child to cry out
except Mary daughter of `Imran and her son. This is because when her
mother gave birth to her, she said: ‘and I seek refuge for her in You
and [for] her descendants from Satan, the expelled [from the mercy of
Allah].’ A curtain was drawn between them and so Satan stabbed the
curtain instead.’”
Al-Tabari also relates the following hagiographic tale on the
authority of Wahb bin Munabbih: “When Jesus was born, the devils came to
Satan (their chief), informing him that all the idols were found that
morning lying face down. He said, ‘Something important must have
happened; stay where you are!’ He then flew out and searched the entire
earth, but he found nothing. He searched the seas, but again to no
avail. He flew out once more until he discovered Jesus near a donkey’s
manger, with angels standing all around him. Satan returned to the
devils and said, ‘A prophet was born last night. No female has conceived
or given birth, but that I was present at her side, except this woman.
You must despair, therefore, of idols being ever worshipped again after
the last night. You must attack the children of Adam henceforth quickly
and stealthily.’”
Furthermore, in Islam, Jesus is the only Prophet who is described as a word and spirit from Allah. In the Qur’an, Allah says:
(And
mention) when the angels said, ‘O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good
tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the
son of Mary– distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near (to Allah.)’” (Aal `Imran 3:45)
He also says:
The
Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His
word which He directed to Mary and a spirit [created at a command] from
Him. (An-Nisaa’ 4:171)
Moreover, Jesus (peace be upon him) was endowed several unique
miracles in which Muslims themselves must believe just as they do with
those of Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Islam. Jesus (peace be upon
him) spoke to people in the cradle and was taught writing, wisdom, the
Torah and the Gospel. With Allah’s permission, he could fashion birds,
heal the blind and the leper and resurrect the dead. Allah (Glory be to
Him) says in the Qur’an:
[The
Day] when Allah will say, ‘O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon
you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit and
you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember]
when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and
when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My
permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My
permission; and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission;
and when you brought forth the dead with My permission;
and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you
came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them
said, ‘This is not but obvious magic.’ (Al-Ma’idah 5:110)
Finally, it is quite safe to say that Muslims share with Christians
reverence and esteem of Jesus, with a reservation that he was neither a
god nor demigod, but an extraordinary Prophet and Messenger who was
created as a sign of the omnipotence of Allah. In the Qur’an, Allah
says:
AndWemade the sonofMaryandhis mother asignandsheltered them withinahighgroundhavinglevel[areas]andflowingwater.(Al-Mu’minun 23:50)
As a matter of fact, not only do Muslims deeply revere and hold Jesus
Christ in high esteem as a Prophet of Allah, but they also view him as
one of the greatest Messengers of Allah. According to Muslims, he is
counted as one of ulu Al-`Azm Mina Al-Rusul (the most resolute messengers).
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