Prophet Jesus (^Isa) and His Mother Mary are Muslim

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم

Praise be to God the Creator of the world, the One Who exists without beginning, without end, without location, without a "how" and Who does not depend on time. Nothing resembles Him in anyway and He hears and sees everything without organs. Whatever you imagine, God is different from that. May the elevation in degree and preservation of his community of what he fears for it, be granted to our master Muhammad Al-‘Amin, the Honest One, who called for following Islam, the religion of truth, the religion of all the Prophets: of the First, Adam, to the last Muhammad.

More than 2000 years ago, in the blessed land of Palestine, there lived the Israelites (12 tribes that descended from Prophet Jacob, otherwise known as Israel). Among them was a girl called Maryam (Miriam, Mary, Maria) the daughter of `Imran (not Moses’ father) and Hannah (Anna, Ann). After her father’s death she grew up in the care of Prophet Zakariyya (Zechariah), the husband of her sister Elizabeth. By the age of 14, she was a devout and righteous young female. She became the highest ranking woman in history, as stated in the Qur’ân (Sûrat Al `Imrân, ‘âyah 42):

﴿ وَإِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴾

One day while fetching water by herself, Maryam was startled by the presence of a man. Terrified, she told him that he should not harm her if he feared God. He announced himself as the messenger of God (Jibril, Gabriel) carrying good news of her bearing a boy who would grow pious and sinless. The pure Maryam inquired, « How can I have a son when no man has touched me, and I am not a fornicator?! » Angel Jibril told her: « Creating a son without a father is an easy matter to Allâh. Allâh will make your son a sign to mankind and mercy and a blessing to those who believe in and follow him. Creating him is a matter that Allāh has decreed ; so it will not be blocked or changed. »

Angel Jibril blew the soul of Jesus in Maryam through the collar of his garment and it went into her womb. Maryam became pregnant with Jesus, peace be upon him. Later, when the signs of pregnancy became apparent on her, her cousin, Joseph (Joseph the son of Jacob the son of Nathan) the Carpenter, was disturbed and did not know how to interpret that matter. If he wanted to accuse her he would remember how pious she was. If he wanted to assume her innocence, he would see the signs of pregnancy. So he asked her, « Tell me, would plants grow without seeds? Would trees grow without rainfall? Would there be a child without a male? » To all these questions Maryam said, « Yes. » Then she asked him, « Did you not know that Allâh made the plants emerge without seeds the day He created them? Did you not know that Allâh created the trees the first time without rain? Did you not know that Allâh created Adam and Eve without a father or a mother? » Joseph knew all these things and when she responded in this way, he felt assured of her innocence and that her pregnancy was something special given to her by Allâh.

Soon enough, Maryam went away from her people. The pangs of birth led her to the trunk of a dead palm tree. Out of her shyness from the people, and fearing they would accuse her of having done an ugly act, she wished she was dead and not a trace of her could be found. Angel Jibril called to her, comforting her. He told her Allâh made a water stream run under her from which she could drink, and should she shake the trunk of the dead palm tree next to her, it would turn green and moist dates would fall down from which she could eat and be nourished. He told her when she faced her people with her son to tell anyone who questioned her about him that she had made a vow not to talk to any human for that day. That day, Maryam gave birth to her son, Jesus, peace be upon him. Forty (40) days later she carried him back to her people. They accused her of having fornicated. In response, Maryam pointed to her son, signaling to talk to him. They were angered at this and thought she was mocking them by asking them to speak with a 40-day old baby lying in a small cradle. At this, Allâh made Jesus speak. He said:

﴿ قَالَ إِنّى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ءَاتَانِىَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّا وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُ ‎وَأَوْصَانِى بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِى وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدْتُ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا ﴾

These are verses 30-33 of Sûrat Maryam and their meaning is: « I am a slave of Allâh. He will reveal the Book (Injîl) to me and make me a prophet. He blessed me wherever I am. He ordered me to perform the Prayers and fulfill Zakah as long as I live. Allâh decreed that I will be kind/dutiful to my mother and not arrogant with a bad ending. Peace was on me the day I was born, on the day I will die, and on the day I will be raised alive again. »

When Maryam’s people heard that, they refrained from harming her or Prophet Zakariyya, about whom they had made ugly accusations. After Baby Jesus spoke these words, he did not speak again until he became at an age when children normally begin to speak. His speaking in the the cradle was a preparation for his coming Prophethood, when he would call the people to believe in Allâh, the One Who does not have a partner and to believe in his message - that he was the slave and messenger of Allâh -. The first words he spoke were, « I am a slave of Allâh.»

To God, the case of Jesus is similar to the case of Adam. God created Adam of soil. He also created Jesus. He willed for him to be and he was.

قال تعالى: ﴿وَمَا يَنبَغِى لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا إن كُلُّ مَن فى السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إلاَّ ءَاتِى الرَّحْمَنِ عَبْدًا﴾ (مريم 92-93).

It is not befitting to God to have children. There is none in the heavens and the earth but will be resurrected by Allâh as a slave.

Conclusion

The one seeking salvation must believe in Jesus as ordered by God. Jesus is the slave of God and His Messenger. He conveyed the religion of Islam and to call people to worship Allâh, their Creator. Muslims believe in his prophethood and in his truthfulness in conveying that message. Prophet `Isa is alive now, living in the second heaven, worshipping Allâh. He will return to earth before the Day of Judgment and will rule the Muslims with the Sacred Law of Prophet Muḥammad. Peace be upon this respected, honored and beloved Messenger of Allâh.

الحمد لله رب العالمين

Praise to Allâh, the Creator of the world.

https://www.islam.ms/en/?p=31