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This verse from the Qur’an refers to the incident when Jesus asked God to send them a table from heaven.
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In
relating the story of Jesus, the
Qur’an describes how Mary,
the mother of Jesus, was approached by an angel from God,
bringing her tidings she had never imagined: that she will give birth to a son,
a Messiah, who will be of the righteous and will be a prophet of God, calling
the Children of Israel (the Israelites) to the straight path of God.
[(And
remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings
of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary,
illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near
(unto Allah).
He
will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the
righteous.] (Aal `Imran 3:45-46)
Naturally,
for Mary, this news was both strange and seemingly impossible.
[She
said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He
said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He decreeth a thing,
He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.
And
He will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.]
(Aal `Imran 3:47-48)
The
very nature of Jesus is so special, that God compares the uniqueness of his
creation to that of the first man and prophet, Adam.
[Lo!
The likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him
of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is.]
(Aal `Imran 3:59)
Jesus
and His Miracles
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“And
(I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah.”
Jesus,
son of Mary
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Jesus
became one of the greatest prophets of God, and was sent to the Children of
Israel in order to confirm the teachings of his predecessor, the Prophet Moses.
His birth was a miracle, and, like all prophets of God, he was granted several
miracles. He approached his people, telling them:
[Lo!
I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of
clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by
Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the
dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what ye eat and what ye
store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a portent for you, if ye are
to be believers.
And
(I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make
lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a
sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.
Lo!
Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.] (Aal
`Imran 3:49-51)
Jesus’s
Followers
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The story of Jesus never really ends in the Qur’an, as we are told that Jesus was not killed.
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The
Qur’an continues the story of Jesus by relating several incidents of his life
and his disciples.
[But
when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried: Who will be my
helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We will be Allah's
helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear thou witness that we have surrendered
(unto Him).
Our
Lord! We believe in that which Thou hast revealed and we follow him whom
Thou hast sent. Enroll us among those who witness (to the truth).] (Aal `Imran
3:52-53)
In
another incident, after which an entire surah of the Qur’an is named, the
disciples of Jesus asked him for another miracle.
[Behold!
the disciples, said: “O Jesus the son of Mary! can thy Lord send down to
us a table set (with viands) from heaven?” Jesus said: “Fear Allah, if
ye have faith.”
They
said: “We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know
that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may be
witnesses to the miracle.”
Jesus
the son of Mary said: “O Allah our Lord! Send us from heaven a table set
(with viands), that there may be for us—for the first and the last of
us—a solemn festival and a sign from thee; and provide for our sustenance,
for thou art the best Sustainer (of our needs).”] (Al-Ma’idah 5:112-114)
God
sent them the table they had asked for, but not without a warning.
[Allah
said: “I will send it down unto you: But if any of you after that
resisteth faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not
inflicted on any one among all the peoples.”] (Al-Ma’idah 5:115)
The
End of the Story?
The
story of Jesus never really ends in the Qur’an, as we are told that Jesus was
not killed, but that rather, God raised his beloved prophet up to him.
[Behold!
Allah said: “O Jesus! I will take thee 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:
Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the
matters wherein ye dispute.
As
to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this
world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help.”
As
to those who believe and work righteousness, Allah will pay them (in full)
their reward; but Allah loveth not those who do wrong.] (Aal `Imran 3:53-55)
The
Qur’an also points out that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified. Speaking
of the Children of Israel, Allah faults their accusations against Mary as well
as their claim that they killed Jesus.
[That
they rejected Faith; that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge;
And
because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's
messenger - they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto
them; and lo! Those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they
have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not
for certain.
Nay,
Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.] (An-Nisaa’
4:156-158)
The
Qur’an confirms that Jesus was raised up by God, and the Prophet Muhammad
reassured us that Jesus will be sent down to earth once again before the Day of
Judgment. In a hadith
narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet Muhammad said: “By the One in Whose hand
is my self, definitely the son of Maryam will soon descend among you as a just
judge, and he will break the cross, kill the pig, and abolish the jizyah (tribute),
and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it, until a single
prostration will be better than the world and everything in it.” (Al-Bukhari)
*
Marwa Elnaggar is the Managing Editor of Discover Islam zone in IslamOnline.net.
She has an MA in English and comparative literature and teaches Qur’an on a
volunteer basis in Cairo, Egypt.
