In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Thanks for your question, and we implore Allah to guide all the members of the human family to the best, both in this world and in the hereafter.

Islam urges Muslims to have fruitful and constructive dialogues with people of different faiths especially the People of the Book. Referring to this, Allah Almighty says, [And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better] (Al-`Ankabut 29:46).

He Almighty also says, [Say: O People of the Scripture. Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him)] (Aal `Imran 3:64).

Moreover, there are many Qur'anic verses that speak about Jesus. Some examples are Al-Baqarah 2:87; Aal `Imran 3:45-51; An-Nisaa' 4:171; Al-Ma'idah 5.  

Responding to the question, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Mukhtar Al-Shinqiti, director of the Islamic Center of South Plains, Lubbock, Texas, states the following:

The story of Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) has been repeated in the Qur'an in a number of places: See Al-Baqarah 2:87; Aal `Imran 3:45-51; Maryam 19:16-35, etc. To have a comprehensive Qur'anic view of Jesus, you should refer to the translation of the Qur'an by the great Indian scholar Yusuf Ali's in order to see the relevant topics under Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him).

Examples of your particular question about the denial of the divinity of Jesus in the Qur'an are Al-Ma'idah 5:17, 72; At-Tawbah 9:30-31.

The Qur'an affirms that Jesus is no more than a human messenger: An-Nisaa' 4:171; Al-Ma'idah 5:75; and Az-Zukhruf 43:57-59.

Having said this, we must clearly state Muslims believe in Jesus (peace and blessings be upon him) as one of the great Messengers of Allah and as the Messiah, and we believe in his miraculous virgin birth.

The difference between Islamic belief and Christian belief on Jesus can be outlined in four points as follows:

1. Divinity: Only God is divine in Islam. No one else is divine, including prophets, such as Jesus and Muhammad.

2. Trinity: Muslims believe that trinity is NOT compatible with the oneness of God. The idea of three-in-one is not convincing to Muslims.

3. Crucifixion: The Qur'an teaches us that Jesus was not crucified; rather, God saved him from his enemies and raised him to Heaven.

4. Lastly, Muslims believe in the Second Coming of Jesus, but our belief in his Second Coming is less dramatic than the way portrayed by the Christian fundamentalists in North America. Our Jesus at the end of time is not coming for the Armageddon War or destruction of the world; he is more loving and peaceful than what Christian fundamentalists claim.