When you read the Quran, you will see that Jesus (PBUH) holds a very high status as a prophet in Islam. He is one of the most often mentioned prophets in the Quran. His mother Mary is also highly respected and is described as an obedient woman who preserved her chastity and confirmed God’s words and Scriptures (66:12). The Quran includes a chapter named after her (Chapter 19, Maryam).
THE QURANIC VIEW ON JESUS (PBUH) AND MARY:
“Once, angels said to Mary: “Oh Mary! God gives you the glad tidings of a word from Him. His name is Jesus the Son of Mary. He will be honorable both in this world and in the hereafter, and he will be of those who are near (to God).” (The Quran 3:45)
MIRACLES OF JESUS (PBUH)
The Quran mentions the miracles Jesus (PBUH) performed with the authorization of God. God says He had aided Jesus through the Holy Spirit, that is, Angel Gabriel:
“On that day, God will say to Jesus, the son of Mary: ‘Remember My favor upon you and your mother. I supported you with the Holy Spirit (Gabriel); you spoke to the people in the cradle and your adulthood. I taught you the Book and the Wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel. So you created something out of clay looking like a bird by my permission; you breathed into it, and by My permission, it became a bird! You healed the blind and the leper by My permission, and you brought forth the dead by My permission. And when I restrained the Children of Israel from harming you when you came to them with clear proofs, those who disbelieved among them said, ‘This is nothing but evident magic.'” (The Quran 5:110)
Another (but not the only other) verse about his miracles is:
“When Jesus came to the Children of Israel as a messenger (he said): ‘I have come to you with a sign (miracle) from your Master. I create an idol of bird out of clay and then breathe into it, and it turns out to be a real bird by God’s permission. I heal the blind from birth and the leper, and I bring the dead back to life by God’s permission, and I announce to you what you eat and what you store up in your houses. Surely, in each of these, there is a sign (miracle) for you if you are (real) believers.'” (The Quran 3:49)
GOD’S WORD AND HIS PROPHET
The name Jesus is mostly qualified as “Jesus the Messiah”, or “Jesus the son of Mary” in the Quran. He is a messenger of God, a Word, and a Spirit from Him (4:171). He does not command people to worship him but to worship one God only. This is in perfect harmony with what He preaches about God in the Bible:
“Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” “ (Mark 12:28-31)
“O the Experts of the Book! Do not commit excesses in your religion. Do not say anything about God except the truth. Jesus Christ the son of Mary is only a messenger of God, the word (“be!”) of His which He bestowed upon Mary and a spirit from Him. Therefore, believe and trust God and His Messengers. Do not say “Trinity”, desist from this for your own good. Indeed, God is the only deity. Having a child cannot be attributed to Him. Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Him. God is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.” (The Quran 4:171)
VALUE OF JESUS (PBUH)
Prophet Jesus is as valuable as Prophet Muhammad, Isaac, Ishmael, Abraham, Noah, Adam (peace be upon them), or any other prophet sent by God:
“This Messenger has believed in everything that has been sent down to him from his Master, and so have the believers. Each of them believes in God, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. They say: “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” They also say: ‘We have listened (to God’s word) and obeyed voluntarily. Forgive us, our Master! Your presence is the Destination.'” (The Quran 2:285)
Jesus and his disciples were people who had submitted to God:
When Jesus noticed that they ignored (the signs), he said: “Who will be my helpers for (the cause of) God?” The Disciples said: “We are helpers of God’s cause. We have believed and trusted in God. Bear witness that we have submitted ourselves to Him. (The Quran 3:52)
A person who submits to God is called “muslim” in Arabic. So, they were also Muslims just like any other Messenger sent by God and the people who believed in them. Muslims are not allowed to favor any of God’s prophets above others.
CONCLUSION
You do not -and cannot- abandon Jesus when you take to the Islamic faith because He is one of the most honorable prophets sent by God and a valuable link in the chain of prophets.
Recommended reading:
https://www.islamandquran.org/fatwas/the-quran-the-final-link-of-divine-revelation.html
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