Amal Al-Sibai Saudi Gazette An essential tenet of faith in all monotheistic religions, including Islam, is the belief in all of the prophets sent by God with a message to humanity to guide them. Muslims believe in One God and they believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a prophet, just as Noah, Moses, Abraham, and Jesus were prophets sent by God with a divine message. Jesus is revered and loved by Muslims worldwide; his birth and life was miraculous, his compassion was unparalleled. Jesus is one of the greatest of the messengers. The rift between Muslims and Christians is that Muslims believe that Jesus was a man, a prophet, but not the son of God, because how could God the Supreme resemble His creation? How could God have a son? God created Jesus in the womb of his virgin mother, Mary, without a father. A whole chapter in the Holy Qur'an is dedicated to the story of Jesus and his mother. In the Qur'an there is only one chapter titled with the name of a woman, and that is Maryam (Mary). Devoted and pious, once while praying in the temple, an angel came to her and informed her that she would carry a righteous son who would be a prophet of God and a mercy to humanity. Baffled, she questioned, “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?” As the baby grew inside her, so did her anxiety and fear over what was to become of her and her child, what would the people think and say? How could she prevent people from attacking her honor? Mary left the temple, and she left the city where she grew up in, Nazareth. Alone, scared, and in pain, Mary gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Mary heard a message from the angel, comforting and reassuring her of her innocence and purity, and that this baby was a miracle from God. She returned to Nazareth, and as she had expected, her arrival in the city with a newborn baby in her arms aroused the curiosity and suspicions of the people. They charged her of committing a sin. She put her finger to her lips and pointed to the child. To their amazement, the infant spoke clearly, “I am Allah's servant. Allah has given me the Book, and has made me a prophet, and has blessed me wherever I may be, and has enjoined on me prayers and alms-giving as long as I live. Allah has made me dutiful towards she who had borne me. He has not made me arrogant nor unblessed. Peace unto me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive.” Most of the people realized that the baby was a special gift from God. Some regarded the baby's speech as a strange trick, but at least Mary could stay in Nazareth without being harassed. “Jesus was an intelligent child. He was obedient and dutiful to his mother and was very kind to everyone. He spoke words of wisdom from his early childhood. Whenever he was confronted with difficult questions, his answers were so enlightening and wonderful, not expected from a child of his age,” wrote Rashid Ahmad Chaudhry. As Jesus grew into manhood, the signs that he was a prophet also increased. He could tell his friends what kind of supper waited for them at home and what they had hidden and where. By the will of God, Jesus could heal blindness and leprosy. Jesus never commanded any person to worship him; he never claimed to be God, or the son of God. Over the passage of time, the people of Israel had deviated from the teachings of Moses. The priests had twisted the laws of the Torah to their own advantage. Jesus bore the task of bringing them back to God and abolishing the corruption and greed that had become rampant among the religious authority. He began to ask question. Why were the priests burning offerings of sheep and birds inside the temple when thousands of poor people were going hungry outside? Why were people preoccupied with luxuries and materialistic gains rather than the condition of the heart and soul? Jesus preached that obsession over this world is a sin, not fit for pious worshipers. He invited people to worship One God, without partner, and he invited them to purify the heart and soul. People tried to put an end to his message, but in spite of this, the number of his followers gradually grew. The first to believe in him were the poor. He taught people to earn their livelihood lawfully and honestly and to give in charity to the needy. He called for humbleness, peace, mercy, and forgiveness. His teachings annoyed the Jewish clergy, for every word of Jesus was a threat to them and their position. They were determined to put an end to his message and bring about his ruin. They accused him of changing the accepted religious practices and said that his teachings were leading people astray. Jesus was aware of their plans. He was cautious on his visit to Jerusalem where he continued to deliver God's message to the people. Jesus commanded his disciples to fast for thirty days. At the end of the fast, they asked Jesus to bring down food from Heaven to break their fast. Jesus prayed to Allah, and a great table came down between two clouds, one above and one below, while the people watched. Jesus stood up, performed ablution and prayed before uncovering the table. It is said that thousands of people ate from the feast and yet they never exhausted it. When the influence of Jesus spread, the Jewish rabbis plotted for the capture and murder of Jesus. They convinced the Roman governor that Jesus was plotting against the security of the Roman Empire and urged him to take immediate action against him. The governor ordered that Jesus be arrested. One of the disciples of Jesus, a traitor, led a group of Roman soldiers to where Jesus was supposed to be. Allah the Exalted did not permit the people of Israel to kill Jesus or crucify him. Allah saved Jesus from his enemies, raised him to the Heavens, and made someone else appear like Jesus, and this man was crucified in the place of Jesus. They never killed Jesus, they killed someone else. Jesus was saved by Allah, he was lifted up to the Heavens, and will return one day. Jesus never mentioned that people's salvation is in his death over the cross. Rather, he promised salvation and eternal life of bliss in Heaven for those who obey the commandments of God.
