Isa al-Masih (Jesus Christ)

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An old Turkish depiction of the ascension of the Islamic Isa.

In orthodox Islam, Isa al-Masih (عيسى المسيح usually translated as Jesus Christ) is believed to be a prophet, second in rank to Muhammad, and not the son of God. Indeed, associating divinity with Jesus is decried as blasphemy in the Qur'an time and again. The Qur'an, though, does have its own Christological vision of Jesus' mission on earth and his incarnation in the virgin Mary. Islamic holy literature including the Qur'an also carries over many fantastic tales of the doings of Jesus from apocryphal literature.

The Conception of Isa

Main Article: Virgin Conception of Jesus in the Qur'an

The Qur'anic verses 21:91 and 66:12 in conjunction with the tafsirs, tell us the angel Jibreel (جبريل Gabriel) was sent to breathe Allah's spirit into Maryam's (Mary's) vagina in order to conceive Jesus.

[وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَةَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِى أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا]

(And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran who guarded her chastity (private part).) meaning, who protected and purified her honor, by being chaste and free of immorality,

[فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا]

(And We breathed into it (private part) through Our Ruh,) meaning, through the angel Jibril. Allah sent the angel Jibril to Maryam, and he came to her in the shape of a man in every respect. Allah commanded him to blow into a gap of her garment and that breath went into her womb through her private part; this is how `Isa was conceived.
Tafsir 'ibn Kathir - Quran 66:12

The Messiah (al-Masīḥ)

The term "al-Masīḥ" in the Qurʾan, referring to ʿĪsā (Jesus), presents an intriguing case of linguistic and theological borrowing from the Biblical tradition into the Islamic text. As Durie 2018 shows, while al-Masīḥ as a phonological form has Biblical origins, its Qurʾanic usage does not carry the theological weight or implications it holds in the Biblical tradition. The incorporation of this term into the Qurʾan illustrates a borrowing process that involves the adaptation of a superficial feature stripping away its original theological significance from one religious tradition into another, serving a different theological function simply as a 'fossilized title' in its new context.[1]

Messiah in the Bible and Biblical Theology

In the Hebrew Bible, the term māshiaḥ (Greek: messías or christós) carries rich narrative, ritual, and theological connotations. It means "anointed one" and is applied to kings of Israel, signifying their consecration and divine favor through anointing with oil. This practice is seen in the anointing of Saul (1 Samuel 10:1)[2] and David (1 Samuel 16:13).[3] Anointing was not limited to kings but extended to priests[4] and sacred objects,[5] indicating dedication to God.

The term māshiaḥ thus encompasses themes of kingship, divine favor, protection, and covenant, especially highlighted in God's promise to David of an eternal dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12-16).[6] In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, māshiaḥ is translated as christós. In the New Testament, christós (or messías) is used as a title for Jesus, central to the proclamation of his identity and role as the fulfillment of Messianic prophecies, thus embedding Jesus deeply in the Messianic traditions of Israel.

The borrowing is more likely from Syriac məšîḥ, a regular passive participle of the root m-š-ḥ ("anoint"), used in Syriac Christian texts not only for Jesus but for other anointed Biblical figures as well.[7]

Masīḥ in the Qurʾan

The Qurʾan refers to ʿĪsā as al-Masīḥ in six passages (Q3:45; Q4:157, 171–172; Q5:17, 72, 75; Q9:30-31). In these instances, al-Masīḥ is presented as part of Jesus' full name without any explicit theological or narrative context that would link it to its Biblical meanings. The term appears in the structure: laqab (descriptive epithet) + ism (personal name) + nasab (ancestry): al-Masīḥ ʿĪsā ibn Maryam.[8]

The Qurʾan does not provide any context that would suggest a meaning for al-Masīḥ beyond it being a title for ʿĪsā. There are no implications of kingship or divine favor, nor is there any association with the rich Messianic traditions found in the Bible. This absence of context suggests that the term was borrowed as a phonological form—a title stripped of its original Biblical meanings.

This has led to various speculative interpretations by Muslim exegetes, often attempting to connect the term to Arabic roots in creative ways. However, these interpretations do not align with the original Biblical meanings.[9]

Nicolai Sinai similarly notes:

Al-masīḥ is a conventional Qur’anic epithet for Jesus, whose full Qur’anic name three verses give as al-masīḥu ʿīsā bnu maryama, “al-masīḥ Jesus, the son of Mary” (Q 3:45, 4:157.171), but who is also referred to simply as al-masīḥ, as in Q 4:172 or 9:30.6 Al-masīḥ obviously reflects the Syriac title mshīḥā, “the Messiah, the anointed one,” which renders Greek christos (CQ 24–25; FVQ 265–266). Within the morphological structure of Arabic, masīḥ is formed like a regular passive verbal adjective, such as qatīl, “killed,” with the corresponding first-form verb presumably being masaḥa bi-, “to wipe s.th.” (Q 4:43, 5:6, 38:33).7

Despite its potential semantic analysability, however, the expression al-masīḥ appears to be little more than a fossilised title in the Qur’an that does not convey any properly messianic expectations of the sort that imbue the New Testament title christos (Robinson 2003b, 12–13; Durie 2018, 157–164; see also QP 310–311). The fact that al-masīḥ can be followed by the matronymic “son of Mary” without an intervening “Jesus” (see Q 5:17.72.75) further heightens the impression that it behaves largely like an alternative proper name for Jesus; although al-masīḥ may formally be described as a laqab or “descriptive epithet,” which “would normally have a recognizable meaning” (Durie 2018, 161), there is no clear Qur’anic evidence to confirm that the Qur’an’s addressees did in fact connect the title al-masīḥ with the verb masaḥa, “to wipe,” which is only employed in the context of regulating the ablutions to be performed before prayer (Q 4:43, 5:6). Translationally, this state of affairs is best conveyed by rendering al-masīḥ as “Christ” rather than as “the Messiah” or “the anointed one,” seeing that in ordinary English usage “Christ” has come to function as a semantically opaque quasi-surname of Jesus (thus also Stewart 2021, 54–56).

The epithet al-masīḥ entered Arabic prior to the Qur’an: it is reported that ʿabd al-masīḥ, “servant of Christ,” was a pre-Islamic proper name (KU 130). This is confirmed by a Nabataeo-Arabic inscription from the region around Najrān (Robin et al. 2014, 1125). Moreover, the title ms1ḥ, “Messiah,” features in Epigraphic South Arabian inscriptions by the Christian king Abraha (Sima 2004, 25; Robin 2015a, 153–154, 164, 169).
al-masīḥ Entry | Christ Further vocabulary discussed: masaḥa intr. bi- | to wipe s.th. Sinai, Nicolai. Key Terms of the Qur'an: A Critical Dictionary (p. 621-622). 2023. Princeton University Press.

This also may be why despite being called the Messiah, he does not feature particularly prominently in the Qur'an.

It is initially striking that, notwithstanding the numerous Christian traditions reflected in the Qur’an,56 the figure of Jesus himself is not very prominent in the Qur’an. At his first appearance, he does not figure independently but rather as an accompanying figure in a story about his mother, and remains closely bound up to her. The Qur’anic Jesus, ʿĪsā, bears the matronymic Ibn Maryam, “son of Mary,” obviously a polemically motivated “overwriting” of his Christian title “Son of God,” and this already signals his exclusively inner-worldly role in the Qur’an. The story of his life is not told coherently, but individual reports are scattered throughout the entire Qur’an,57 without crystalizing into a coherent vita, as for example in the case of Moses.
Neuwirth, Angelika. The Qur'an and Late Antiquity: A Shared Heritage (Oxford Studies in Late Antiquity) (p. 290). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

No More Than a Messenger

The Qur'an designates Jesus as a "rasul" (رسول) "messenger" or "apostle", putting him on the same level as the prophet Muhammad in this regard. This is, in effect, an attack on the trinitarian, god-unity conception of him in orthodox Christianity, which is underscored by how he is placed together with the other "messengers".

Christ the son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They had both to eat their (daily) food. See how Allah doth make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth!
Quran 5:75

Who was Given the Injil

Main Article: Injil

The Qur'an talks of the Injil (إنجيل) referring to the New Testament of the Bible (usually the four Gospels) as being given to Jesus, rather than being written by his followers. The Qur'an also treats this as one book instead of many (and not as the general "good news" of Jesus' incarnation, death, and resurrections as the word is used in Christian literature):

And We sent after them in their footsteps Isa, son of Marium, verifying what was before him of the Taurat and We gave him the Injeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Taurat and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil).
Quran 5:46

The Crucifixion of Isa

Islam's portrayal of the crucifixion of Jesus differs vastly from the mainstream Christian view and approaches the Gnostic view. According to Islamic theology, Jesus was never crucified. It was merely a deception by Allah who made it appear that he was. This conception of Jesus' crucifixion curiously borrows elements from the docetist heresy (in Greek Δοκηταί Dokētaí , from the word δοκεῖν/δόκησις dokeĩn "to seem", dókēsis "apparition, phantom), a heresy which otherwise is the total opposite of the Islamic christology: in this conception, Jesus was a totally unearthly, divine being, without even a human body. Knowledge of its doctrines in the present day are based on several apocryphal works which have been discovered, particularly from the Nag Hammadi cache of gnostic Christian texts.

The dates of authorship for these writings show the relative lateness of the doctrine. All of The canonical Christian scriptures were authored during the 1st century A.D. The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter and the Second Treatise of the Great Seth were authored during the 3rd century A.D.[10][11] Meanwhile, according the traditional Muslim chronology, the Qur'an was revealed between 610-632 AD; its initial compilation was in 633 AD; and a "revisionary committee" preserved a standardized version sometime between 644-656 AD. Possible modern findings allow for an even earlier date of composition, but no estimate puts any Qur'anic material as in existence before the 5th century.

Quran

That they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge; That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:- Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;- And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them;-
Quran 4:156-159

Gnostic Writings

The Savior said to me, "He whom you see above the cross, glad and laughing, is the living Jesus. But he into whose hands and feet they are driving the nails is his physical part, which is the substitute. They are putting to shame that which is in his likeness. But look at him and me."

But I, when I had looked, said, "Lord, no one is looking at you. Let us flee this place." But he said to me, "I have told you, 'Leave the blind alone!' And notice how they do not know what they are saying. For the son of their glory, instead of my servant, they have put to shame."

And I saw someone about to approach us who looked like him, even him who was laughing about the cross, and he was <filled> with a pure spirit, and he (was) the Savior...And he said to me, "Be strong! For you are the one to whom these mysteries have been given, to know through revelation that he whom they have crucified is first-born, and the home of demons, and the clay vessel in which they dwell...But he who stands near him is the living Savior...
The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter
"And I was in the mouths of lions. And (as for) the counsel which they planned about me against destruction of their deception and their foolishness, I did not give in to them as they had devised. And I was not afflicted at all. Those there punished me, yet I did no die in solid reality but in what appears.....For my death which they think happened, (happened) to them in their error and blindness. They nailed their man up to their death. For their minds did not see me, for they were deaf and blind. But in doing these things, they render judgment against themselves...For when I came down no one saw me. For I kept changing my forms above, transforming from appearance to appearance.
The Second Treatise of the Great Seth

Canonical Christian Scriptures

The doctrine of Jesus' escape from the crucifixion starkly contrasts with all of the writings of Paul the apostle, as well as the canonical gospels, which along with the testimony of some Roman historians such as Tacitus and Josephus constitute our earliest testimony on the life of Jesus. The aforementioned Roman historians agree with the gospels that Jesus was executed by the Roman state, and modern historians tend to rate the reality of the crucifixion as the single most certainly true aspect of the gospels.

Gospels

Acts of the Apostles

The Return of Isa

Muslim apocalyptic literature says that Jesus will return as a Muslim and will break the cross (destroy Christianity), kill swine (This may be a reference to the destruction of the Jews, as the Qur'an says Jews were once turned into apes and pigs[12]), and advance the cause of Islam. He will also abolish the jizyah, which will leave Jews and Christians with only two options, to convert to Islam or face execution and enslavement. Verse 9:29 calls for the subduing of Jews and Christians.

Fight those who believe not in Allah or the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.
Quran 9:29

Quran

When (Jesus) the son of Mary is held up as an example, behold, thy people raise a clamour threat (in ridicule)! And they say, "Are our gods best, or he?" This they set forth to thee, only by way of disputation: yea, they are a contentious people. He was no more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel. And if it were Our Will, We could make angels from amongst you, succeeding each other on the earth. And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way. Let not the Evil One hinder you: for he is to you an enemy avowed. When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: "Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore fear Allah and obey me. "For Allah, He is my Lord and your Lord: so worship ye Him: this is a Straight Way."
Quran 43:57-64 (Yusufali), see also Quran 4:159

Hadith

Islam carries over its apocalyptic tradition from Christianity. As such the hadith teaches that Jesus will come back to fight for Islam.

Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (peace be upon him). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.
Sunan Abu Dawud 37:4310
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it.” Abu Huraira added “If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): — ‘And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them.” (4.159) (See Fateh Al Bari, Page 302 Vol 7)
Sahih Bukhari 4:55:657

As in Christian apocalyptic literature, on judgment day Jesus will judge the people by the words of the Qur'an.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said “How will you be when the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Quran and not by the law of Gospel (Fateh-ul Bari page 304 and 305 Vol 7)
Sahih Bukhari 4:55:658

It is further worth noting that the life and purpose of Jesus as outlined in the Islamic scriptures differs a great deal from the narrative presented regarding Jesus in Christian scriptures.

See Also

  • Jesus - A hub page that leads to other articles related to Jesus

External Links

References

  1. ↑ Durie, Mark. The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion. 6.2 Christology (p. 315 - 325). Lexington Books. 2018.
  2. ↑ 1 Samuel 10. Saul Anointed King. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com
  3. ↑ 1 Samuel 16:1-13. Samuel Anoints David. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com
  4. ↑ Exodus 28:41. Other Priestly Garments. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com
  5. ↑ Exodus 29:36. Other Priestly Garments. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com
  6. ↑ 2 Samuel 7:12-16. Samuel Anoints David. English Standard Version. Biblegateway.com
  7. ↑ Durie, Mark. The Qur’an and Its Biblical Reflexes: Investigations into the Genesis of a Religion. 6.2 Christology (p. 321). Lexington Books. 2018.
  8. ↑ Ibid. pp 320.
  9. ↑ Ibid. pp 321-322.
  10. ↑ Ehrman, Bart D. (2003) The Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament. (p. 78). Oxford: Oxford University Press. "Most scholars have dated this gnostic treatis [The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter] to the third century."
  11. ↑ Ehrman, Bart D. (2003) The Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament. (p. 82). Oxford: Oxford University Press. "This book [The Second Treatise of the Great Seth], which was discovered at Nag Hammadi (see page 19), probably dates from the third century."
  12. ↑ Quran 5:60
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