Muslim Christians

[Gxg (G²)]

About the relationship among Judaism, Islam and Christianity, my friend a Chinese Jewish Yaakov(now live in US)has his viewpoint. just for reference.

quoted from Yaakov:
For the situation you described, I am not able to foresee it according to my knowledge because I know there is an unbreakable barrier lying between Christianity and Judaism. We had very good times with Islam in ancient times and I believe we will finally have peace with each other again in future. However, for Christianity, even we are enjoying peace with each other for a short period of time, we have to try very hard – for the Truth sake – to get along well with each other. Unless someday the barrier is removed, it’s very hard for these two religions to get even closer.

Of course, I talked from a religious perspective. For individual relationship between this two groups of people, people can become friends no matter what. This is the reason why I really enjoy many of my Christian friends despite we hold very different opinions toward some issues.

I glad that Yeshua left us the example He did when it came to relating to others---with his stances toward Samaritans being amongst the most powerful (as many have often equated the Muslims with Samaritans in many ways, more discussed here at Frontier Missions an as seen in the thread by Messianic Samaritan which had some good reviews on the issue). When we live as He did, we can truly see fruit he desires

 

[dollarsbill]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

 

[visionary]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

Muslims believe Yeshua is the son of Mary and a good man of God.

 

[dollarsbill]

Muslims believe Yeshua is the son of Mary and a good man of God.

The sinless Savior? God in the flesh?

 

[visionary]

The sinless Savior? God in the flesh?

They don't go that far..

 

[dollarsbill]

They don't go that far..

Thanks. Care to elaborate?

 

[visionary]

This might help... Jesus: The Islamic and Christian Views Compared

 

[dollarsbill]

This might help... Jesus: The Islamic and Christian Views Compared

Thanks, but I rarely follow links.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

According to the Quran, for those who read it, Isa was the Savior sent by the Lord to save mankind....announced by angels in his coming and being the Son of Mary as well as the very Spirit of God.

The sinless Savior? God in the flesh?

Indeed, they note that he was the Spirit of God in the flesh. Sadly, people RARELY read the Quran when speaking against it and thus they don't really know what they talk about.

Others are always shocked whenever they hear of Muslims who shared how they believe that Jesus is the Messiah...that He was given up to atone for mankind and that He is the way to Salvation. For an excellent video on such, one can go here/see the testimony of some..

Plenty of other testimonies have been given besides that. Of course, if they do get brought up, its easier to act as if they're not there and haven't been asked on what happens---but it is what it is.

It all depends on perspective And NOT every Muslim will answer the same automatically, nor do all even look alike anyhow. Really, its no different than asking a Christian what the Bible actually says about discipleship and then getting an entire list of responses on what it says.....even if/when it may not be what is said clearly. Others getting offended and saying that's not "Christian" has nothing to do with actually understanding what the Bible/Word and Judaic culture has actually said on an issue throughout the centuries--as many of the things done in the name of Christianity are done from a "cultural" perspective rather than Bibilical perspective. Its no different than asking Christians during the days of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade why they supported the institution and they said "The Bible says so!!!!", pointing to differing scriptures they felt supported the right to oppress others...even though they didn't do their homework. The same goes for a host of other issues (i.e sexual immorality, racism, genocide of indigenious groups, materialism, etc)--and sadly, many of those who are Biblical Christians get blasted due to others assuming that just because other Christians have interpreted something to a disaterous effect means that it is reflective of what the Bible says.

The same goes with the Quran, as many Muslims that're asked on what the Quran says don't actually READ what it says..and when many wrong things are done, people assume all Muslims are the same. They don't understand that Islamic Theology (i.e. The composite teachings of family, religious leaders, traditions, hadith, etc) is RADICALLY different from Qur’anic Theology (i.e. What the Qur’an actually says )---for if many Muslims did read what the Quran said, many of the things they've done/said counter to the Tanak/Bible would not be done anyhow. If they did, they'd already understand where their own book already points them to listen to others who are Christians/Jews---and they'd understand where their book already supports believing in Jesus as Messiah in the Qur’an

Sadly, be it with radicals trying to argue that Christ wasn't the Savior who died or with zealous believers using anything they can to argue against the Quran on Jesus, people have often tried to use Sura 4:157-158 in claiming that the Quran denies the crucifixion.


However, there was more surrounding the context behind it...and though many Muslims (and Christians) try to say the Quran denies Christ dying, there are far too many Muslims who've read the Quran and have noted (for centuries) that the book NEVER was intended to even remotely mean that Jesus didn't die for others.

There are various ways of interpreting Surah 4:157-158. One of them would be to remember the Jews’ attitude toward Christ. When Jesus was taken to the Roman governor, they did not believe He was the Messiah. They wanted to get rid of Him. By saying, “They killed him not knowingly,” the Qur’an simply states that they killed Jesus without knowing He was the Messiah.

Another possible way to interpret the passage (Surah 4:157-158) is that the unbelieving Jews intended by the crucifixion of Jesus to shame Him in the eyes of the world. The death He would suffer would then destroy and invalidate His mission in the eyes of the world. However, the Jews failed to accomplish their goal. In fact, by the crucifixion, Jesus was glorified when God raised Him up to be with Him. He became the key figure of human history. Throughout the years countless people have turned to Jesus Christ. Jews, Arabs, Asians, Europeans and people from all other nationalities and classes of society have experienced the life changing power of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

There are various ways of interpreting Surah 4:157-158. One of them would be to remember the Jews’ attitude toward Christ. When Jesus was taken to the Roman governor, they did not believe He was the Messiah. They wanted to get rid of Him. By saying, “They killed him not knowingly,” the Qur’an simply states that they killed Jesus without knowing He was the Messiah.

Another possible way to interpret the passage (Surah 4:157-158) is that the unbelieving Jews intended by the crucifixion of Jesus to shame Him in the eyes of the world. The death He would suffer would then destroy and invalidate His mission in the eyes of the world. However, the Jews failed to accomplish their goal. In fact, by the crucifixion, Jesus was glorified when God raised Him up to be with Him. For He became the key figure of human history. ..as throughout the years countless people have turned to Jesus Christ.

Others may disagree...but IMHO, it is not possible – despite what people usually think – to reach a definite conclusion based on this single and ambiguous verse….and as other Muslims /Christians have long noted, any conclusion from Surah 4:157-158 asserting that Jesus did not die involves speculation and theory to a high degree. Moreover, to focus in on the issue of crucifixtion and trying to make an issue out of it is akin to discussing whether or not surgery occurred with a patient because someone did not use the words “cutting open” when discussing how another was going to get an organ transplant . For trying to make a case that the Quran denies Jesus died because of ambiguity on the “crucifixtion” factor ignores where there are other verses in the Qur’an which say Jesus was killed.

For another one to consider, I'm reminded of Surah Maryam 19:33. In this verse, Jesus is reported to say:

“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)!” (Qur’an, Surah Maryam 19:33).
​

Muslim scholars, who believe that Jesus did not die, find themselves in a dilemma at verses like this one. Many of them attempt to respond by saying that this is a future event. Jesus will come back to this world some day to do many great and wonderful things, and then He will die.

However, we read almost an identical passage in Surah Maryam 19:15 about Yahya (John the Baptist):

“So Peace on him [Yahya] the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life (again)!”
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Muslims recognize the fact that Yahya died and was buried. Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments on this passage: “This is spoken as in the lifetime of Yahya. Peace of Allah’s blessings were on him when he was born; they continue when he is about to die an unjust death at the hands of the tyrant; and they will be especially manifest at the Day of Judgement.” I don’t know of any Muslim who would shift the death of Yahya (John the Baptist) to the future....as All know that Yahya died. Thus, following the plain meaning of the parallel verse, no one should shift the death of Jesus to the future. In fact there isn’t a single verse in the Qur’an showing that Jesus will return to die. For if remembering Yahya who died, the parallel statement clearly shows that Jesus also died.

Another Qur’anic passage that speaks of the death of Jesus is Surah Al-Imran 3:55:

“Behold! Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will take thee to Me [Arabic: mutawaffeeka, meaning ‘I will cause you to die’] and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection.’”
​

إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَجَاعِلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْق الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ.
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Still another is:

“I (Son of Mary) was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up [Arabic: tawaffaitani, meaning, ‘caused me to die’] Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a witness to all things.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Maida 5: 117).

فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنتَ أَنتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ وَأَنتَ عَلَىٰ كُلّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيد
​

The Arabic expression tawaffaitani (translated: take me up) is explained by Dr. Mahmud Shaltut, one of the previous presidents of Al-Azhar University:

“(It) is entitled in this verse to bear the meaning of ordinary death … there is no way to interpret ‘death’ as occurring after his [Jesus] return from heaven…because the verse very clearly limits the connection of Jesus … to his own people of his own day and the connection is not with the people living at the time when he returns.” (Muslim World , xxxiv, pp. 214 ff; as quoted by Parrinder. Geoffery, Jesus in the Qur'an, pp.115-116; Sheldon Press, London, 1965. )
​

These Qur’anic texts show that Christ died, even though they do not discuss how His death took place. Were the Biblical and other historic records of Jesus’ crucifixion untrue, we would expect the Qur’an to have many verses stating that Jesus did not die on the cross. The truth is that, in more than 6,000 Qur’anic verses, there is not a single one that clearly refutes Jesus’ crucifixion. .

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

It's always a trip seeing how many Muslims, counter to the stereotype often championed by others against all things Muslim, have noted that the Quran supports the concept for Christ having to die.

There are many that used to believe Islam itself was radically opposed to Christianity at all points and felt it is pure "anti-christ"--until, actually studying it itself historically and reading what it really says. As said before, perception is always what makes the difference. I don't hold to the mindset of Islam in any way being the "anti-Christ" religion and don't see any real way of even trying to claim it as such. Many times, things are claimed..but not alot is given in the way of evidence. One of those things is the common claim of how Jesus and Yeshua died on the cross is something that is often claimed to be radically different in Islam, yet many times interpretation makes a big difference---and the Quran itself doesn't claim Allah was against the concept of Christ making redeemption via sacrifice.


As said best in one of the resources offered---entitled Did Jesus Die?:

What if we have misread what the Qur’an actually says about the death of Jesus? What if there were numerous of Arabic and Islamic scholars who believed that Jesus’ death and resurrection are compatible with the Qur’an?

Listen – Death of Jesus


Before we answer this question directly we need to make a statement. Since Jesus was crucified 2,000 years ago, the cross has done two things: define and divide. For those who believe – it defines. In every aspect of life – from sorrow to joy, from the mundane to the magnificent, from death to life – it defines. For those who don’t believe – it divides. It creates a chasm – a bitter offense. Paul explains it well: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18). Make no mistake; we as Generation Salaam fall into the first category. The cross defines us. We stake every ounce of our lives on the truth that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice paid the penalty for sin. Jesus’ sacrificial act ransomed our lives from eternal destruction. We make no concession or apology: trusting Jesus and his work on the cross is the only way to be saved.

Now, there is a great deal of division concerning the crucifixion of Jesus within Islam. In our experience we have found that Muslims quickly agree Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, that he is the Word of God, and even that he is the Messiah. They almost always object to the crucifixion. Many tell us that God only made it “appear” Jesus was crucified: he was taken from the cross at the last minute and replaced by Judas. We’ve even heard that Jesus fell asleep on the cross and as a result was taken down before his death. The explanations are endless. If you have ever entered this discussion with a Muslim you understand.

The main point we want to make in light of the cross defining and dividing for centuries is this: The controversy concerning the crucifixion of Jesus has more to do with our history books than the Holy Books. Let’s go back to the Qur’an to see what it actually says.

In the Qur’an there are four main passages that discuss the crucifixion of Christ (3:55, 4:157, 5:17, 19:33) and one that possibly alludes to it (5:75). We do not have time here to fully unpack each one of these references, but we will look at two – the clearest and the most controversial. This should give you a general sense of what the Qur’an communicates on the issue. If you are interested in further study, we highly recommend you check out the book Jesus in the Qur’an by Geoffrey Parrinder. He gives a detailed account of each of the five references.


In Surah 3:55 we read, “God said, ‘Jesus, I will make you die and raise you up to Me, and purify you from the disbelievers, and make your followers higher than the disbelievers until the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to me and I will judge between you in matters about which you disagree.’” In most translations of the Qur’an this verse is not translated like this. You will often find the passage rendered: “Behold! Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme…’” (Y. Ali). Comparing these two translations it is clear that “I will make you die” and “I will take thee” are very different things. We offer both to show the diversity of translations. This verse is often used to make the claim that Jesus did not die. People reason that Jesus’ soul was taken and that he was not dead or that he was simply taken to God alive. These interpretations abound, but in order to find out what the passage is really communicating we must go back to the Arabic. The key Arabic word transliterated into Latin script is mutawaffeeka. It comes from the form of the verb tawaffaa, which means “to cause to die.” In the Qur’an we find this verb (or its participle) used 25 times. In 23 of the instances where it is used, it is translated ‘to cause to die’ but only in two places (3:55 and 5:117) it is translated otherwise. Ironically, those two occasions are in reference to Jesus. Why would putting the verb next to Jesus necessitate an alternate translation? The answer is found in our history books.

With the exception of a short period of time during the life of Muhammad, hostility, strife, and tension have marked Muslim and Christian relations. Wars have been fought with swords and semiautomatic weapons as well as pens and intellects. Both religions have vied for position. This is not the place to get into a lengthy discussion about which side is right or wrong. Both sides have been victim and both sides are perpetrators. In light of all this, it is difficult look at a passage for what it really is with 1,400 years of blood shed and bigotry standing in the way. By looking at the Arabic, as we did in the last paragraph, we see that this passage is a clear affirmation of the crucifixion of Jesus in the Qur’an.


If the previous passage was the clearest, the following is undoubtedly the most controversial. Surah 4:157 is translated as follows:

…And because of their saying, ‘We killed The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, God’s messenger,’ (though they did not kill him nor crucify him), but it seemed so to them. Truly those who differed about him are in doubt about him. They have no knowledge, but only follow what they think. They truly did not kill him.”
​

This passage clearly denies the crucifixion of Christ – or does it?

One of the main reasons this passage is so controversial is because the context is often ignored. When you begin reading in verse 4:155 you see that the “they” in this passage is the Jews. The Qur’an is claiming that the Jews did not crucify Jesus. Interestingly, the Bible confirms this truth as well (Matt 20:19, 27:26-35). Crucifixion was a Roman practice, not a Jewish one. The Jews executed by stoning. Furthermore, the very reason the priests brought Jesus to Pilate was because they did not have the authority to execute Jesus. And ultimately, neither the Jews nor the Romans killed him–remember that Jesus said, “No one takes it [my life] from me, I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18).

Parrinder quotes E. E. Elder to drive the point home:

The verse does not say that Jesus was not killed, nor was he crucified. It merely states that they (the Jews) did not kill or crucify him. This is true historically, although the responsibility was theirs, the Roman soldiers actually did the work… But there is another sense in which neither the Romans nor the Jews crucified Jesus. At Pilate’s judgment, Jesus answered… ‘Thou wouldst have no power against me, except it were given thee from above’ (John 19:11). (1965:119).
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What was Jesus saying here? He was saying that God was ultimately responsible for his death – that it originated with God. The Jews are not to blame, God is.

Having examined these two Qur’anic passages, we can see that there is room for a real and actual crucifixion and death of Jesus within the Qur’an. Again, the controversy surrounding this issue has more to do with our history books than the Holy Books.

In a groundbreaking paper entitled, “Did Jesus Die on the Cross? – The History of Reflection on the End of His Earthly Life in Sunni and Tafsir Literature” written by Joseph Cumming, we find that even within the history of Islamic scholarship and commentary there have been a wide variety of interpretations concerning these passages. Cumming concludes by saying:

Throughout the centuries there has never been just one, single “correct” Islamic answer to the question of whether Jesus died on the cross… it is not just a simple “yes-or-no” question… I believe that there is much more room to find common ground with Christians than is generally supposed by either Muslims or Christians today.”
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We find Cumming’s insight to be very practical for us today. Muslims and Christians do share a great deal of common ground – maybe even more than we realize.

We’d like to finish this narrative with a quote from Mark Siljander, a former politician who has spent a great deal of his life addressing relations between Muslims and Christians:

For centuries our cultures have been kept apart by our accounts of what happened or did not happen to Jesus on the cross. Perhaps it’s time we let ourselves be brought together by what he said on the cross. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.(A Deadly Misunderstanding – Siljander 2008)
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As said before, perception makes a world of difference--and it doesn't really do much in claiming the Quran Jesus is not the one of the Bible if not giving specific examples. Its why I said its often the case that the Jesus of the Quran and that of the Bible are not in two radically differing camps, when one understands the original setting..and there are plenty of other examples besides that

For something else, here's something from one of my brothers in Christ (who actively speaks out against many things in Islam). In his words:

There is no historical evidence that Jews boasted of killing Jesus. I have no idea where the author of the Qur'an got this idea

Technically it was the Romans who put Jesus to death. It was out of the hands of the Jews, but even the Romans did not have control over this situation.

Remember when Pilate said to Jesus, "Do you not know that I have power to crucify you, and power to release you?" and Jesus said, "You could have no power at all against me unless it had been given you from above." Do you see that Jesus meant that even the worst evil cannot escape the sovereignty of God and that Pilate had no real control? So the Jews "killed him not, nor crucified him" in that sense. But it "was made to appear to them" that the Jews killed Jesus and crucified Him, but they did not.

Let's look at Surah 4:158

Surah 4:158 says, "Nay Allah raised him up unto Himself, and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise."

And compare it to Surah 2:154

"And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not."

When we compare Surah 4:158 with Surah 2:154, we can understand what the Qur'an is saying in Surah 4:158.

You thought you could kill the Messiah, the messenger of God, but you failed because I raised Jesus after His body died and took Him to Myself. Jesus is not dead. Jesus is alive. Jesus is alive just as anyone who is slain in the way of God. They are living. They are not dead. You might not understand it, but it is so."

I don't believe that Surah 4:157 is denying the death of Jesus at all.
​

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

As said best by the ministry of "Generation Salaam" on the subject-as seen in their article entitled Peacemaking Key: Jesus as the Word of God in the Qur’an?:

In the Qur’an, Jesus is twice referred to as the “Word of God,” a title that many consider to be the highest title given to any person in the book. While describing Jesus’ miraculous conception, the Qur’an states: “The angels said, “Mary, God gives you good news of a word from him [God]…’” (Surah 3:45).

The second passage brings this truth to greater light: “People of the book, don’t exaggerate in your religion, and only say the truth about God. Truly the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, is God’s messenger and his word which he sent down on Mary, and a spirit from him. So believe in God and his messengers and do not say three. Stop it. It is better for you. God is one God. Far be it from him to have a boy. He owns what is in the heavens and the earth. God is a sufficient trustee.” (4:171).

There’s quite a bit in this verse, and we should spend some time unpacking it. First, notice the titles given to Jesus. Each echoes biblical truth regarding his identity. He is the Messiah (Jn. 4:25-6), the Son of Mary (Mk. 6:3), God’s Messenger/Prophet (Mt. 13:57, Heb. 3:1), the Word of God, and a spirit from God (1 Co. 15:45).

Second, if you’re coming at this text from a Christian point of view, there may be several statements in the verse that appear to contradict the biblical account. Let’s look at them in more detail:

1. Do not say three. We must remember that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all monotheistic religions. Though many casual Christian conversations or prayers might imply otherwise, the Bible is clear: there is only one God. We must remember that Moses (Dt. 6:4-5), Jesus (Mk. 12:29-30), and Paul (1 Co. 8:4) affirmed monotheism in the strongest terms. Each would have fiercely denied any notion of multiple gods. To be sure, the Scripture reveals that God’s nature mysteriously comprises himself, His eternal Word and His Spirit. But during the time of the Qur’an’s appearance, there were many heretical Christian sects in the Arabian peninsula who had misconstrued ideas about God and the divine nature of Jesus, and in this passage the Qur’an warns its readers to avoid the (heretical) “Christian” statement that there are “three” gods.

2. (no more than) Many translations of the Qur’an to English actually include : “Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a Messenger of God and His Word…” (Yusuf Ali). The parenthetical statement ‘no more than’ or similar is often added, but it is not a statement made in the Arabic text itself. The Arabic construction at that point actually draws attention to the fact that he is a messenger rather than implying he was only a messenger and nothing more. Quranic translators often include parenthetical statements such as these to aid the reader in his/her understanding of the Qur’an, but more often than not they reflect theological bias against Christianity.


3. far be it from him to have a boy. Geoffrey Parrinder points out in his foundational work Jesus in the Qur’an that “this verse seems to be directed against certain Christian heresies, and particularly against the crude notion that God had carnally begotten Jesus upon Mary. In contrast to this it is declared that Jesus is born by the divine will and word” (1965:46). Parrinder is referring to the idea that God had sex with Mary in order to conceive Jesus, an idea that is often evoked when a Muslim hears the phrase “son of God.”
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In the Arabic, ibn is the word that means “son of,” and when it is used it means “the product of sexual relations between a man and woman.” Therefore, the term “Son of God” (Ar. ibn Allah) implies this kind of conception involving God and Mary. This is clearly heresy — no Bible-reading believer would ever associate God with this kind of relationship. To do so would be blasphemous. How fascinating is it that the Qur’an was fighting against heretical Christian teachings?

The Qur’an clearly communicates that Jesus was of divine origin. The Qur’an states that Jesus was the ‘Kalima’ of God–the Word of God. In fact this honorific title does not appear with any other prophet–Jesus is the only one known as the Word of God.

How does this reality change the way we converse with Muslims today? First, it shows us that Muslims already have within their own Book a profound understanding of the nature of Jesus. Jesus is the Word of God! Now, don’t misunderstand us. We’re not saying that just because a Muslim believes Jesus is the Word of God he has entered the Kingdom of God. Rather, this passage reminds us that we need to develop an understanding of Muhammad’s teachings in the Qur’an before we confront or accuse a Muslim antagonistically about what they do or do not believe. Furthermore, understanding that Jesus is seen as the Word of God in the Qur’an shows us how much of our perception of Islam is based on cultural stereotypes and fear rather than the actual content of the Qur’an.

Understanding that Jesus is the Word of God in the Qur’an has profound implications for how we approach Muslims in sharing our faith.
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Also, as it concerns the Lord Jesus being the Messiah, as said best by "Generation Salaam":

Muhammad did believe that Jesus was the Messiah. In the Qur’an we see that Jesus receives the title “Messiah” 11 times. Here is one example: “The angels said, “Mary, God gives you good news of a word from him, whose name will be The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, [he will be] highly exalted in this world and the next, and brought near [to God].” (3:45)

Now, this passage might come as a shock to you. Perhaps you had no idea this was found in the Qur’an. We certainly didn’t during our initial conversations with Muslim friends (and we wish we had!). Quite simply, this common point of intersection between the Bible and the Qur’an can be the beginning of a very good conversation.

As you probably know, the term Messiah comes from the Hebrew masiach and it literally means ‘anointed.’ In the Old Testament the term occurs 39 times. We see it used when Samuel anointed Saul (1 Sa. 10:1) and David (16:13), as well as in many other places. When the Hebrew text was translated into the Greek (this translation is known as the Septuagint and often abbreviated as LXX) the term was rendered ‘khristos.’ We can easily see how this word became “Christ” when it was brought into English.

Furthermore, Christ is one of the great titles given to Jesus. Today these two terms–‘Christ’ and ‘Messiah’–are often used interchangeably.

Now, when we return to the Qur’an and look at the 11 passages describing Jesus in this way, we will likely run across either the term. They mean the same thing. Interestingly, however, the term Messiah is not described or defined in any depth within the Qur’an itself. It is a term that most Muslims today will not have spent a great deal of time considering. Second, the term in the Christian tradition has come to mean a whole host of things that are certainly true of Jesus but may or may not be in the Biblical meaning of that term. Simply put, the Messiah promised by the prophets and awaited by the Jews was the true king, God’s chosen servant, who would redeem Israel from her exile and inaugurate the age of His forgiveness of sins. Within 50 years before and after the life of Jesus, there were several aspiring “Messiahs” who tried to take up this role of warrior king and tried to lead a revolt against the Gentile Roman Empire. But only One was the true Messiah, the true King.


For most Muslims, however, this biblical understanding of the term is unknown. We offer this understanding not to fuel an argument about whose interpretation of the word is correct but rather to help Muslims and Christians navigate the territory of discussing this point together. We need to both understand as well as be understood.
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[ann216]

no such thing as a muslim christian

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

Most people trying to make it out as if the Quran denies the death/sacrifice of Christ have to be more creative than most when missing what the text of scripture and the Quran says plainly...though when one's precommitted to not supporting something, its not difficult to see the worse even if no one's looking for it. Salvation in the Quran is always through Jesus and Jesus alone---and there's nothing in the Quran that denies Jesus is the way to salvation...just as the Tanak and B'rit Hadasha (New Testament scriptures) note

Jesus, as declared in the Scriptures, is also seen as the Messiah dozens of times within the Quran as well. In the Qur’an we see that Jesus receives the title “Messiah” 11 times. Here is one example: “The angels said, “Mary, God gives you good news of a word from him, whose name will be The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, [he will be] highly exalted in this world and the next, and brought near [to God].” (3:45).

The term Messiah comes from the Hebrew masiach and it literally means ‘anointed.’ In the Old Testament the term occurs 39 times. We see it used when Samuel anointed Saul (1 Sa. 10:1) and David (16:13), as well as in many other places. When the Hebrew text was translated into the Greek (this translation is known as the Septuagint and often abbreviated as LXX) the term was rendered ‘khristos.’ We can easily see how this word became “Christ” when it was brought into English. Furthermore, Christ is one of the great titles given to Jesus. Today these two terms–‘Christ’ and ‘Messiah’–are often used interchangeably. Now, when we return to the Qur’an and look at the 11 passages describing Jesus in this way, we will likely run across either the term. They mean the same thing. Interestingly, however, the term Messiah is not described or defined in any depth within the Qur’an itself. It is a term that most Muslims today will not have spent a great deal of time considering.

Second, the term in the Christian tradition has come to mean a whole host of things that are certainly true of Jesus but may or may not be in the Biblical meaning of that term. Simply put, the Messiah promised by the prophets and awaited by the Jews was the true king, God’s chosen servant, who would redeem Israel from her exile and inaugurate the age of His forgiveness of sins. Within 50 years before and after the life of Jesus, there were several aspiring “Messiahs” who tried to take up this role of warrior king and tried to lead a revolt against the Gentile Roman Empire. But only One was the true Messiah, the true King.

For a few resources for further study:

Parrinder, Geoffrey. 1995 Jesus in the Qur’an. New York: Oxford University Press.

Robinson, Neal. 1991 Christ in Islam and Christianity. New York: Suny Press.

Moucarry, Chawkat. 2002 The Prophet and the Messiah: An Arab Christian’s Perspective on Islam and Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.


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There are many others who have spoken in-depth on the issue. Some good places for review would be sites such as Exploring Our Matrix: A Muslim Who Loves Jesus ..

For others, one of the, know as Craig Lock, has shared many solid things on those who're both Muslims and Followers/disciples of Jesus. Carl Medearis, who wrote one of the of the books referenced earlier, has also spoken on it (even though others may sharply disagree, which is their right).

Apart from that, one may consider going online/investigating a ministry under the name of "People of the Book - Following Isa along the straight path", concerning people in Arabic communities learning how to follow Isa (i.e. Jesus) as He desires when in the Islamic world and learning from how those in the Messianic Jewish world operated when it came to Judaism...all of it focused on understanding the worldview of those who come from Muslim backgrounds and yet follow Christ in their own contexts just as the Woman from Samaria did after encountering Christ in John 4.

To give a different perspective on why so much within the Qur'an is similar to what is found in Christianity and why Mohommad knew that, it was once noted that what was noted in the Qura'an on Christ was indeed the same Yeshua but with a newly decorated biography---with the essentially looking to the right person but with an incomplete understanding that could lead to bad consequences.

Seeing how Muhammad himself was not really a scholar on all points and was heavily influenced by the accounts of Christ he may've heard from other believers in Christ, it is not surprising to me to see the many ways in which some of the things he notes are not fully accurate..or as well expounded upon as in the very Bible which the Quran encourages all to actually study. Its always interesting to see the many accounts of believers in Christ who noted that they grew up studying the Quran--and yet, grew from that into reading the scriptures when they noticed how the Quran instructed them to do so...and thus, they ended up reading the scriptures/gaining a fuller view of what the Quran only saw to a limited degree...

Some of it's akin to the dynamic of folk or tale tales and real biographies, as the former deal with unbelievable elements, related as if it were true and factual, even thoug there are many true aspects it was built around while other things are exaggerations. Some stories are exaggerations of actual historical/biographical eventS (i.e. Davey Crocket and the Alamo, John Henry, etc), for example fish stories ('the fish that got away') such as, "that fish was so big, why I tell ya', it nearly sank the boat when I pulled it in!"---but compared to an actual biography, one will get fuller details that describe an event in its fullness and give clarity on one aspect that wasn't understood as fully.

For a practical example of this within the Quran, one can consider the example of where it was noted that the Lord made clay pigeons come to life. In the Quran, it notes that "Jesus could make birds out of clay and create life for the amusement of his playmates with "Allah's" permission. He would make clay birds into which he breathed and they were transformed, by the Lord's permission into real birds that could fly. i.e. duplication of the process of CREATION, by God's permission. Seeing that, one must ask 'what purpose was there in allowing 'Jesus' to make birds out of clay what could fly (with Allah's permission) further God's purpose? For God doesn't do things without a purpose.

That fact that 'Jesus' could do this tells us that as a child 'Jesus' could create life. And who creates life, but God Himself? In the final analysis, perhaps the Qur'an is demonstrating that 'Jesus' is the Creator. For notice according to the Qur'an "Allah" creates through His Word---and Jesus/Isa is considered the Word and Spirit of God. Perhaps the author of the Qur'an didn't realize what this all meant...as he repeated Christian folklore and made a huge mistake in repeating it without understanding the full implications.

From an historical perspective, some of the stories in the Quran must have been circulating around Arabian caravan routes where Muhammad may have heard them when he was in the employ of his wife Khadija. If interested, the following 7-minute video explains a few of them.

Is the Quran Corrupted? Biblical Characters in the Quran​

With Eastern Christianity (in some circles), similar things have often come up...as there's one account somewhere I remember learning of where the 18yrs of the life was Christ (between when he was 12 and when he went into ministry) involved Him traveling to India, making playful miracles and learning. In the Quran itself, those specific folklore stories are from the second century and older. Some of the material in the Ahadith is actually taken verbatim from the Gospel of Thomas. The story of Jesus talking to Mary in the Cradle, as it appears in the Quran in Surah 3:38-48, has always interested me. For the story was most likely being told in the times of Muhammad when considering the pseudepigrapha accounts of the same. --and for more, one can go here or here, in light of how many other scholars have been noting the same for sometime now. Apparently Muhammad heard them told verbally and thought they were true, when in fact, they are folklore. He couldn't tell the difference, as one who wasn't educated. They include Jesus talking as an infant and making clay birds that could fly, plus others.

On the issue of folklore within the Quran, something else that may be worth noting is that many of the things that could be folk stories learned from other Christians still have much they can convey. In example, concerning the clay pigeon example, Christ did some pretty radical miracles that may've been VERY CRAZY to see---such as spitting in mud/placing it in someone's eyes ( John 9:5-7 ) or touching one's tongue and spitting before they were healed--as in Mark 7:32-34 --and the same with Mark 8:22-24 where he spit in a man's eyes. John 2 where he turned water into wine and helped keep a party going is another famous (and hilarious ) instance that I'm reminded of. ...and much of it seems odd. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean that because it seems odd to us automatically makes it something to suspect would not further God's purpose. In the wilderness experience in Matthew 4, if God commanded Jesus to turn stones into bread, that would have not been a problem. For God made food and Jesus being God could have done so. But his purpose in the wilderness was to fast...and had He turned stones to bread without first being One with the Father in reflecting His Will, He would have been acting without proper authority. What Satan tried to do with Jesus was to get Him to use His powers to satisfy His own desires rather than trusting God to supply all that He needed during His temptation...which Jesus responded to by reminding the enemy what the people of Israel should have learned in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:3).

Likewise, with clay pigeons, I don't think it'd be a good example for one to use if trying to show where Islam may miss it with stories of Christ. For even if/when it may not be a true story, it still does show the dynamic of what Scripture testifies to when saying that Jesus obeyed as a man, as the representive for all who believe so as to "fulfill all righteousness" ( Matthew 3:15, Hebrews 2:5-18, Hebrews 5:1-10, etc).

The same dynamics, IMHO, would also apply to things such as the Talmud and Rabbinical sources which are often quoted as authoritative, even if many weren't expressely mentioned in the Torah--for although some have aspects to them which are not really accurate according to the Torah and some things can be speculative, they can still offer valuable insights which can be benefical when having a Hebraic perspective on who the Messiah is.


Just some thoughts. Shalom

 

[SharonL]

I have read where Jesus is coming to the Muslims in dreams - but they can't speak about it or they will be killed.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I wasn't aware that Muslims believe that Jesus is the Savior.

Would encourage you, if you ever have the chance, to experience life on the Mission Field and work with them directly--as it's truly a different world. Additionally, If you'd like, there's an amazing Jewish couple I was blessed to meet 2 years ago who does ministry with others in Islamic contexts and have seen a lot of impact. They're known as Jamie and Donna Winship. They serve with the REI Inc (www.reiinc.org ). Formerly a vice squad officer in Washington DC, Jamie and his wife Donna have spent their recent years pointing people to Jesus in America, Indonesia, Iraq, and other Middle Eastern countries. In the past few years, they‘ve seen dozens of friends in those places decide to follow Him...and I've been immensely blessed in witnessing how they have developed a unique methodology for using education as a means to transform the views of militant groups in high conflict areas. Jamie is a stellar communicator and a well-published author. One can Click here to check out one of his pieces. With his down-to-earth, yet dynamic and hilarious style, Jamie makes talking about Jesus seem like the easiest and most fun thing ever. Which is what it is....

Donna's testimony of working with Muslim women was truly powerful when it came to showing Jesus to them right where they were at. Jamie wrote a paper on the issue that you may find a blessing, as seen in the article called From Bandung to Baghdad: A Journey to the Inside--discussing the experiences he and his wife have gone through in witnessing.

To see audio of where Jamie/his wife discussed sharing their faith, one can go here/here . One can also hear Jamie speak at his home church by clicking here..and for more:

• Living Your Dream

• Sharing Our Faith, Part 1

• Sharing Our Faith, Part 2

• Hearing from God & Sharing Our Faith

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I have read where Jesus is coming to the Muslims in dreams - but they can't speak about it or they will be killed.

The Lord is indeed coming to Muslims in dreams and visions...although there has been variation on it many times. Others were persecuted/harmed for it, even to the point of death, whereas others were welcomed/accepted in sharing it...and others were simply looked at with suspicion and confusion. Ultimately, no one will be able to stop what the Lord is doing amongst those who are Muslims....many being won by the Love of Messiah

 

[BiblicalMissiology]

I'm always amazed that people can take a text and twist it to mean what they want it to mean. It's incredible hubris to take the Quran, which has been interpreted for thousands of years, twist it to mean that Jesus was the Savior, and then try to convince Muslims of this.

Anyone with an once of knowledge of the Quran and what it teaches are well aware that the Quran teaches against Christ as the Son of God, and Savor of the earth, both of which are core and central to salvation.

Anyone with a proper biblical foundation will know the Biblical view of false religions, and how Satan twists the truth to be palatable to the weak. That using Anti-biblical sources to to support the Bible is foolish at best. The Quran is an Anti-biblical book. Only those who think they are wiser than Satan will try to use it. Satan is no fool in this manner, he has led the whole human race to Hell, with only Christ swooping in and saving the elect. Satan is not to be played with folks.

If you want to understand the half-truths and lies that Joseph Cummings, Mark Siljander (who happens to be in jail for giving money to terrorists), Jesus in the Quran heresies, Jamie Winship, Becky Lewis with Frontier's, and others teach in being advocates of the Insider movement, Muslim Followers of Jesus, which simply are syncretic cults, please go to the site: BiblicalMissiology_dot_ORG for a fully biblical view of how to biblically do ministry with Muslims.

 

[GuardianShua]

I'm always amazed that people can take a text and twist it to mean what they want it to mean. It's incredible hubris to take the Quran, which has been interpreted for thousands of years, twist it to mean that Jesus was the Savior, and then try to convince Muslims of this.

Anyone with an once of knowledge of the Quran and what it teaches are well aware that the Quran teaches against Christ as the Son of God, and Savor of the earth, both of which are core and central to salvation.

Anyone with a proper biblical foundation will know the Biblical view of false religions, and how Satan twists the truth to be palatable to the weak. That using Anti-biblical sources to to support the Bible is foolish at best. The Quran is an Anti-biblical book. Only those who think they are wiser than Satan will try to use it. Satan is no fool in this manner, he has led the whole human race to Hell, with only Christ swooping in and saving the elect. Satan is not to be played with folks.

If you want to understand the half-truths and lies that Joseph Cummings, Mark Siljander (who happens to be in jail for giving money to terrorists), Jesus in the Quran heresies, Jamie Winship, Becky Lewis with Frontier's, and others teach in being advocates of the Insider movement, Muslim Followers of Jesus, which simply are syncretic cults, please go to the site: BiblicalMissiology_dot_ORG for a fully biblical view of how to biblically do ministry with Muslims.

The Quran dose not teach against Christ, what it teaches against is Trinitarianism.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I'm always amazed that people can take a text and twist it to mean what they want it to mean. It's incredible hubris to take the Quran, which has been interpreted for thousands of years, twist it to mean that Jesus was the Savior, and then try to convince Muslims of this.

Anyone with an once of knowledge of the Quran and what it teaches are well aware that the Quran teaches against Christ as the Son of God, and Savor of the earth, both of which are core and central to salvation.

Anyone with a proper biblical foundation will know the Biblical view of false religions, and how Satan twists the truth to be palatable to the weak. That using Anti-biblical sources to to support the Bible is foolish at best. The Quran is an Anti-biblical book. Only those who think they are wiser than Satan will try to use it. Satan is no fool in this manner, he has led the whole human race to Hell, with only Christ swooping in and saving the elect. Satan is not to be played with folks.

If you want to understand the half-truths and lies that Joseph Cummings, Mark Siljander (who happens to be in jail for giving money to terrorists), Jesus in the Quran heresies, Jamie Winship, Becky Lewis with Frontier's, and others teach in being advocates of the Insider movement, Muslim Followers of Jesus, which simply are syncretic cults, please go to the site: BiblicalMissiology_dot_ORG for a fully biblical view of how to biblically do ministry with Muslims.

Truthfully, I'm always amazed seeing the ways speak in terms of ridicule as if that makes a case (which is a logical fallacy when it comes to simply saying how another side is "bad" or "Worse" than another and yet offer no real critique that's consistent). People did the same thing to Messianic Jews when claiming that the Jewish people couldn't remain Jewish and be believers, be it in accepting Jewish liturgy from others who didn't believe in Yeshua or even referencing the Talmud and other Jewish writings.

Seeing that Muslims have long noted otherwise when it comes to the MANY throughout the centuries noting where the Quran points to Christ as the Savior, it's foolish to ignore where others in the culture have long understood something and then tell them what it means....and for those using the Quran as a point of connection/bridge for preaching the Gospel, Paul was no different in Acts 17 when it came to preaching on the Unknown God and using that as a spring board for making others aware of the fullness of who the Lord was. Same with a myriad of other things, be it the Arts, Philosophy or a host of other venues.

BiblicalMissiology_dot_ORG ( ministry of Boulder, Colorado-based Horizon International) has been debunked multiple times as it it, even by others who don't agree with those who work with believers inside other cultures (as well as by others actually living in those areas who do ministry)...and thus, one would need to do better than simply announcing where others are off. For it doesn't deal with showing what the Quran says or addressing the issue in full.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

The Quran dose not teach against Christ, what it teaches against is Trinitarianism.

When understanding the background of how the Quran developed, some things tend to make more sense as to how it developed as it did.

For in my view, studying one of the earliest critiques of St.John of Damascus is amongst the best routes to go with since his view was that Islam (when it was starting) was essentially a heresy within Christianity rather than something different at ALL points from Christianity. He called it the "Heresy of the Ishmaelites." John the Damascene was a saint and an early Church Father who experienced Islam during its infantile stages...

One good review on the issue can be found if going here...or at the following:

• St John of Damascus on Islam | biblicalia
• Of The Tractate of John of Damascus on Islam
• The Way of the Fathers » St. John of Damascus on Islam
• St. John of Damascus and the Ishmaelite Heresy « Marcio.ca
• St. John of Damascus’s Critique of Islam - Orthodox Christian Information Center
• Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road: Exploring a New Path Between Two FaithsBy Paul-Gordon Chandler
• Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road: Exploring a New Path ... - Page 102

As others have often noted, the problem with Islam is that it stopped where Muhammad began. He had tried to call his people to worship God against pagan worship/idolatry..and reintroduced the Abrahamic faith into a pagan area. However, despite any positive gains, there were many others that were later developed into error as life went on---making him comparable to Solomon, the great teacher/king who ended his life doing exactly opposite of what he had initially preached and demonstrated. To judge from the subsequent nature of Islam, Christianity seems to have been particularly interesting to him, since Muhammad adopted and adapted quite a few Christian ideas...and IMHO, when studying the people who initially came into the land where Muhammad grew up in, it seems that much of the Disputes between the Eastern Orthodox Christians and the Roman Catholic papacy influenced Muhammad s understanding of Christianity on certain levels. Despite all of the ways that Muhammad did erroneous things, I'd tend to agree with others who feel that the man was partially a victim of Christianity/the evolution it went through.

From what I understand, Constantine legalized Christianity and made it the official religion of the Empire---and during the time when the Nicene Creed established orthodoxy, especially as it related to the Person of Christ, Expulsion of heresy occurred as a result of nationalized Christianity—many “Christians” with variant beliefs migrated/fled to the Arabian peninsula, which by the 6th century comprised a mixture of Jews, Hanifs, polytheistic Arab tribes, and “Christians” with varying beliefs.

In the context that Muhammad lived in, his influences were Arab polytheists, "heretic" Christians, Jews, and Abrahamic monotheists called Hanifs. The Qur’an addresses a number of heresies that had already been dealt with 300 years earlier during the age of great Christian councils, and we should learn to read it through the cultural lens of its time. Some examples of heresies it addressed were ones like saying that Jesus/God the Father and the Holy Spirit were "3 different gods" (as many Muslims often say "CHristians" say when failing to understand that Muhammad said not to support the ideology of 3 gods since other Christians were condeming such).

Happened for others when they witnessed to Muslims and realized that many of their reactions were due to misunderstanding what Biblical Christianity was truly about. One story I remember involved a man witnessing to two Muslims and one Muslim noted "Did God have any sons?"---and the man said "Yes"...with the Muslim replying "NOT ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE!!!!". The believer was shocked and asked his Arabic Christian friend why, with the other responding by asking what the Muslim meant. The man translated and said the Muslim was offended due to thinking that God having a Son (Christ) meant that he had sexual relations with Mary---similar to the ways that Greek-Gods did things and how Mormonism teaches when it says God fathered Jesus through "celestial sex" with other beings.

When the Christian explained the issue to the man and clarified what he meant---that being the Son of GOD DIDN'T imply sexual relations, the Arabic Christian asked the Muslim if what the Christian made sense...and to the Muslim, he said that it definately connected. It all came back to the issue of understanding how to best connect with others and changing the conversation/finding ways to speak in manners that actually made sense to others....

For more on the subject, one can go online/investigate the article entitled The Trinity as radical monotheism or The Holy Trinity in the Qur'an « God Omnipotent


As another ministry said best on the subject:

A great deal of difficulty exists in concretely describing the indigenous religions of the Arab people during Muhammad’s time. While it is known that the Arabs indulged in a mixture of polytheism and animism, their exact level of adherence to these deities is uncertain

....
During this period, there were various Jewish, Zoroastrian, and Christian (largely outside the bounds of historic orthodoxy) settlements within Arabia. According to some scholars many of the known Christian settlements of the period were mostly comprised of Nestorians and Monophysites. The Nestorians taught that “… two persons as well as two natures in[dwelled within] Christ.” This would mean that “… when Christ sacrificed His life on the cross, it was not the person who is also divine, the Son of God, who died for us.” The Monophysites, on the other hand, denied that Christ possessed a fully human and a fully divine nature. This belief went against the orthodox teaching that the two natures existed alongside one another, undiminished and unmixed. According to some sources, these settlements held positions of influence, albeit to a small degree, on the Arabian Peninsula. As a result, their theological positions were known by at least some throughout the region.

Some scholars believe that the existence of such groups potentially impacted the development of Islamic theology, as well as Muhammad’s understanding of Christianity. However, in light of the Muslim understanding of the Qur’an’s origination, it would not matter who Muhammad came into contact with from within the outskirts of Christendom, because the Qur’an as Allah’s direct word by its very nature necessitates an accurate account of orthodox Christian belief entirely untarnished by Muhammad’s faulty understanding of Christian theology.

In addition to these Christian settlements, there were a number of Christian slaves living on the Arabian Peninsula. According to those who opposed Muhammad’s monotheism, the prophet received his information concerning Allah from these Christian slaves; however, this assertion cannot be concretely confirmed or rejected.

Regardless, Muslim tradition does preserve accounts, not inherently improbable, concerning several Meccan Arabs who possessed knowledge of Jewish and Christian scriptures, and these figures are generally accepted by Muslim opinion as having had close relations with Muhammad and even affected his spiritual development. Whether directly influenced by “Christian” heretics or by Muslims who received second-hand information pertaining to the biblical text, it is plausible that Muhammad’s conception was likely influenced by those acquainted with a variety of Christian theological positions. However, it must be pointed out that even if Muhammad’s understanding of Christian doctrine was delivered via second-hand information or through theologically sub-biblical positions, this does not provide an adequate explanation for the Qur’an’s misrepresentation of what orthodox Christians actually believe.

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