Jesus and Muhammed in the Qur'an: a Comparison and Contrast
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Jesus and Muhammed in the Qur’an: A Comparison and Contrast Norman L. Geisler Norman L. Geisler is President and Islam is the second largest and the fastest those nearest to God; He shall speak to the people in childhood and in Professor of Theology and Apologetics growing religion in the world. One out of maturity. And he shall be (of the at Southern Evangelical Seminary in every five persons on earth is a Muslim— company) of the righteous.” She Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the some 1.2 billion. As such, it presents one said: “O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched author or co-author of some fifty books of the greatest challenges to Christianity me?” He said: “Even so: God and numerous articles and has spoken in the world today. It behooves us, then, createth what He willeth: When He frequently across the country and in to understand it better. And there is no hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and it is! And God will teach twenty-five countries. Dr. Geisler is the better way to understand Islam than him the Book and Wisdom, the Law co-author (with Abdul Saleeb) of through its own Holy Book, the Qur’an. and the Gospel, and (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light We will begin with a comparison of Jesus (with this message): ‘“I have come of the Cross (Baker, 2002). and Muhammed in the Qur’an. to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and A Brief Comparison of Jesus and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird Muhammed in the Qur’an by God’s leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I Jesus in the Qur’an Muhammed in the Qur’an Virgin Born Not Virgin Born quicken the dead, by God’s leave; Sinless Sinful and I declare to you what ye eat, and Called “Messiah” Not called “Messiah” what ye store in your houses. Surely Called “Word of God” Not called “Word of God” therein is a Sign for you if ye did Performed Miracles Did not Perform Miracles believe; (I have come to you), to Ascended Bodily into Heaven Did not ascend bodily into heaven attest the Law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (before) forbidden to you; Now let’s examine the Quranic texts that I have come to you with a Sign from support the above comparison.1 This will your Lord. So fear God, and obey me”’” (Surah 3:45-50). be extremely helpful for witnessing to Muslims about the Christian Faith. Jesus Was Virgin Born and Muhammed Was Not An Examination of the Quranic It is noteworthy that this text affirms the Texts on Jesus and Muhammed virgin birth of Christ for Mary said: “O my Those not familiar with the Qur’an and Lord! How shall I have a son when no man Muslim teaching about Jesus may be sur- hath touched me?” He said: “Even so: God prised at the honored place Jesus is given createth what He willeth: When He hath among the prophets of Islam. Consider this decreed a plan, He but saith to it, ‘Be,’ and text alone: it is!” (3:45-47, emphasis added). Surah 19 also affirms that Jesus was born of a vir- Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a gin: “He [the angel] said: ‘Nay, I am only a Word from Him: his name will be messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the to thee the gift of a holy son.’ She said: ‘How Hereafter and of (the company of) shall I have a son, seeing that no man has 50 touched me, and I am not unchaste?’ He said: a matter has been decided by God and His ‘So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, “That is easy Apostle to have any option about their for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a decision: if any one disobeys God and His Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us”: It is Apostle, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.” a matter (so) decreed’” (19:19-21, empha- But “thou didst hide in thy heart that which sis added). God was about to make manifest: thou didst Nowhere in the Qur’an is a supernatu- fear the people, but it is more fitting that ral conception of Muhammed recorded. In thou shouldst fear God.... And God’s fact, both his father (Abdullah) and mother command must be fulfilled” (33:36-38, (Aminah) are known from the history of emphasis added). Islam. Muhammed’s birth was as natural as any mortal since Adam. Jesus Is Called the “Messiah” and Muhammed Is Not Jesus Is Sinless and Jesus is called Messiah (Christ) eleven Muhammed Is Not times in the Qur’an. Surah 3:45 declares, In the nearly one hundred references to “Behold! the angels said: ‘O Mary! God Jesus in the Qur’an, never once does it refer giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from to him as committing a sin. Indeed, he is Him: his name will be Christ [Messiah] called a “righteous” prophet (6:85). His Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in sinlessness can be inferred from His virgin this world and the Hereafter and of (the birth which the Qur’an affirms (implies company of) those nearest to God.’” Again Jesus’ sinlessness, as does His title of “Mes- we read: “That they said (in boast), ‘We siah” [cf. Isa 53:5, 9]). Further, the “Book” killed Christ [Messiah] Jesus the son of Mary, or Bible2 to which Muhammed referred his the Apostle of God’;—but they killed him antagonist (see Surah 4:171; 5:46), speaks not, nor crucified him, but so it was made of Christ as sinless (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; to appear to them...” (4:157). Later in verse 1 Pet 1:19; 1 John 3:3). 171 it adds, “O People of the Book! Com- In contrast to the sinlessness of Jesus, mit no excesses in your religion: Nor say Muhammed is repeatedly said to have of God aught but the truth. Christ [Messiah] sinned. In Surah 47 the prophet is told to Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) ask God to forgive his faults. We read, an apostle of God...” (see also 5:72, 75; 9:30, “Know, therefore, that there is no god but 31). God, and ask forgiveness for thy fault, and Nowhere in the Qur’an is Muhammed for the men and women who believe: for called Messiah. He is merely called an God knows how ye move about and how “apostle” or “prophet” of God. For ye dwell in your homes” (47:19, emphasis example, “And remember, Jesus, the son added). Again, we read of God saying to of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am Muhammed: “That God may forgive thee thy the apostle of God (sent) to you, confirm- faults of the past and those to follow; fulfil ing the Law (which came) before me, and His favour to thee; and guide thee on the giving Glad Tidings of an Apostle to Straight Way” (48:2, emphasis added). In come after me, whose name shall be fact, Muhammed is rebuked by God for his Ahmad [Muhammed]’” (61:6, emphasis sin in Surah 33 which affirms, “It is not added). Elsewhere Muhammed is called a fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when “prophet” (cf. 7:158; 33:45). Indeed, he is 51 considered the last of the prophets: ners” (7:145; 41:47). However, there is an “Muhammad is not the father of any of inherent inconsistency here since many your men, but (he is) the Apostle of Muslims believe that the Qur’an is eternal God, and the Seal of the Prophets: and God and yet is not identical to Allah. Why then has full knowledge of all things” (33:45, cannot Jesus be the eternal Word, a perfect emphasis added). Thus, he is affection- expression of God and yet not identical to ately labeled “the prophet” by Muslims. the Father? For example, they believe the Nowhere is Muhammed honored with the Qur’an is the eternal Speech of God, exist- title “Messiah” as Jesus is. ing in the Mind of God from all eternity. Surah 85:21-22 declares, “Nay, this is a Jesus Is Called the “Word of God” Glorious Qur’an, (Inscribed) in a Tablet and Muhammed Is Not Preserved! [in heaven].” And in Surah In the Qur’an Jesus is referred to as the 43:3-4, we read, “We have made it a Qur’an “Word of God.” It speaks of “Christ Jesus in Arabic, that ye may be able to under- the son of Mary” who was “His [God’s] stand (and learn wisdom). And verily, it is Word” (4:171). Again, “Behold! the angels in the Mother of the Book, in Our Presence, said: ‘O Mary! God giveth thee glad tid- high (In dignity), full of wisdom” (cf. ings of a Word from Him: his name will be 13:39). This eternal Original is the template Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in of the earthly book we know as the Qur’an.