Islam Is... Islam and Its Principles

Jesus

A number in parenthesis indicates a footnote which can be found at the end of its section.

11. JESUS

Jesus was a Prophet and Messenger of God. He called to the oneness of God. He never claimed divinity for himself, nor did he ever ask to be worshipped.
He was born of a virgin. This was one of the many miracles regarding Jesus given by God. Jesus was born without a father. God says in the Qur’an, “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.” [Qur’an 3:59] God created Jesus as He created everything else in existence. Jesus, Adam and Eve were all uniquely created: Jesus was created without a father; Adam and Eve were created without a father or a mother. The rest of us were all created with a mother and a father. To believe that Jesus is the begotten son of God or that God has any relatives such as a father, mother, son, or daughter, gives the attribute of procreation to The Creator.(1) Muslims believe this to be polytheism and it is absolutely forbidden in Islam. Likewise, giving attributes of The Creator to His creation is a great sin, which in Islam is clearly in opposition to monotheism. This belief is in contradiction to the teachings of all the Prophets and Messengers of God.(2) God is beyond any created or human attributes. Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the word of God, the anointed one, sent by The Most Merciful God as a Prophet and Messenger.
God also informs us that Jesus, the son of Mary, is not dead, and that He raised Jesus up to Him. Muslims believe that the return of Jesus will be a sign of the Last Days. When Jesus returns, he will not come in the capacity of a Prophet and Messenger to bring new revelations. Rather, he will be the commander of the faithful and will destroy the antichrist, who will have brought to the earth enormous trials and evil. Jesus will follow the final manifestation of the law that was revealed to Muhammad.

(1) It was in the ancient city of Nicea (which was located in modern-day Turkey approximately 700 miles or 1100 km NNW of Jerusalem near the eastern Roman capitol) that the First Council of Nicea convened, 325 years after the birth of Jesus. It was at this council that Jesus was declared by the majority of the council members to be divine rather than God’s Prophet and Messenger. The concept of the trinity was established by declaring that Jesus was the same as and equal to God. This is in direct opposition to the Abrahamic principles of monotheism, which Jesus himself called people to and affirmed.

(2) Even though Christians and Jews may violate some of the monotheistic tenets of their original Abrahamic faith, Islam refers to them respectfully as the “People of the Book.” They are referred to in this way because they have received revealed laws and scriptures from God and do recognize some of His Prophets.