CHRIST(PBUH) IN ISLAM (by Ahmed Deedat)

JESUS IN THE QURAN

CHRISTIANS UNAWARE

The Christian does not know that the true spirit of charity which the Muslim display, always, towards Jesus and his mother Mary spring from the fountainhead of his faith - the Holy Quran. He does not know that the Muslim does not take the holy name of Jesus, in his own language, with out saying Hazrat Eesa (meaning revered Jesus) or Eesa alai-hiss-salaam (Jesus, peace be upon him).

Every time the Muslim mentions the name Jesus (pbuh). without these words of respect, he would be considered disrespectful, uncouth or barbaric. The christian does not know that in the Holy Quran Jesus (pbuh) is mentioned by name five times (5 x) more then the number of times the prophet of Islam is mentioned in the Books of God. To be exact - twenty five times as against five. For example:

"... WE GAVE JESUS THE SON OF MARY
CLEAR SIGNS AND STRENGTHENED HIM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT."
{Holy Quran 2:87}

"... O MARY! GOD GIVETH THEE GLAD TIDINGS OF A WORD FROM HIM:
HIS NAME WILL BE CHRIST JESUS, THE SON OF MARY..."
{Holy Quran 3:45}

"... CHRIST JESUS THE SON OF MARY
WAS (NO MORE THEN) AN APOSTEL OF GOD..."
{Holy Quran 4:171}

"... AND IN THEIR (The previous Prophets') FOOTSTEPS WE SENT JESUS THE SON OF MARY .."
{Holy Quran 5:49}

"AND ZAKARIYA AND JOHN, AND JESUS AND ELIAS:
ALL IN THE RANKS OF THE RIGHTEOUS:"
{Holy Quran 6:85}

JESUS - HIS TITLES

Though Jesus is mentioned by name in twenty-five places in the Holy Quran, he is also addressed with respect as: "Ibne Maryam" - Son of mary; as Masih - (Heb) Messiah - translated as Christ; "Abd-ullah" - servern of Allah; "Rasul-ullah" - Messenger fo Allah.

He is spoken of as "the word of God", as "the spirit of God", as a "sign of God" and numerous other epithets of honour spread over fifteen different chapters. The Holy Quran honours this mighty messenger of God, and the Muslims have not fallen short over the past fourteen hundred years in doing the same. There is not a single disparaging remark in the entire Quran to which even the most Jaundiced among the Christians can take exception.

"EESA" LATINISED TO JESUS

The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as "Eesa", and this name is used more times then any other title, because this was his "Christian" name. Actually, his proper name was "Eesa" (Arabic), or "Esau" (Hebrew); classical "Yeheshua", which the christian nations of the West Latinised as Jesue. Neither the "J" nor the second "s" in the name Jesus is to be found in the original tongue - they are not found in the Semitic languages.

The word is very simply - "E S A U" - a very common Jewish name, used more then sixty times in the very first booklet alone of the Bible, in the part called "Genesis". There was at least one "Jesus" sitting on the "bench" at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. Josephus the Jewish historian mentions some twenty five Jesus' in his "Book or Antiquities". The New Testament speaks of "Bar Jesus" - a magician and a sorcerer, a false prophet (Acts 13:6); and also "Jesus-Justus" - a Christian missionary, a contemporary of Paul (Colossians 4:11). These are distinct from Jesus the son of Mary. Transforming "Esau" to (J)esu(s) - Jesus - makes it unique. This unique (?) name has gone out of currency among the Jews and the Christians from the 2nd century after Christ. Among the Jews, because it came to be a name of ill-repute - the name of one who blasphemed in Jewry; and among the Christians because it came to be the proper name of their God (?) - their God incarnate. The Muslims will not hesitate to name his son - "Eesa" - because it is an honoured name, the name of the righteous servant of the Lord.

MANY REFERENCES

At the end of the most popular translation of the Holy Quran in English, i.e. by A. Yusuf Ali, there is a very comperhensive index. While browsing through, will discover, on page 1837, the subject - JESUS:

i.e
Jesus, a righteous prophet, vi. 85;
birth, iii. 45-47; xix. 22-33;
apostle to Israel, iii. 49-51;
disiples, iii. 62-53; v. 114-118;
taken up, iii. 55-58; iv. 157-159
like Adam, iii. 59;
not crucified, iv. 157;
no more then apostle, iv. 171; v. 78; xliii 59, 63-64;
not God, v. 19, 75;
sent with Gospel, v. 49;
not son of God, ix. 30;
Message and miracles, v. 113; xix. 30-33;
prays for Table of viands, v. 117;
taught no false worship, v. 119-121;
disciples declare themselves Muslims, v. 114;
mission limited, n. 1861 to xiii. 38;
followers have compassion and mercy, lvii. 27;
disiples as God's helpers, ixi. 14;
as a Sign. xxiii. 50; xliii. 61;
prophesied Ahmed, lxi. 6.