u/TheBadMoish

Prophet Isa (AS) in Islam

In Islam, Isa Ibn Maryam (AS) is a respected prophet and messenger of Allah, as well as the promised messiah.

He was born miraculously to the lady Maryam, despite her being a virgin.

By the permission of the almighty, Isa (AS) spoke in the cradle, walked on water, healed the sick, resurrected the dead and made clay birds fly.

Isa (AS) taught tawhid and spoke of justice, criticizing the corrupt scholars and authorities of his time. Allah sent the gospel to Bani Israil through Isa (AS).

He would be betrayed by one of his companions and the local authorities would attempt to have him killed. However, Isa (AS) was brought up by Allah. But he was made to appear to have been crucified by his enemies.

Isa will return in the end times to fight the dajjal (antichrist) and bring justice, alongside Imam Mahdi (AS).

قُولُوا آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ (٣٦)

Say, "O believers," "We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us; and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants; and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and other prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them. And to Allah we all submit." – Quran 2:136

إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

'Remember' when the angels proclaimed, "O Mary! Allah gives you good news of a 1 Word from Him, his name will be the 2 Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honoured in this world and the Hereafter, and he will be one of those nearest to Allah'. – Quran 3:45

وَإِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَى نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ ) ٤٢

And remember' when the angels said, "O Mary! Surely Allah has selected you, purified you, and chosen you over all women of the world. – Quran 3:42

لما ولد عيسى ابن مريم عليه السلام كان ابن يوم كأنه ابن شهرين، فلما كان ابن سبعة أشهر أخذت والدته بيده وجاءت به إلى الكتاب فأقعدته بين يدي المؤدب، فقال المؤدب: قل: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. فقال عيسى عليه السلام: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. فقال له المؤدب: قل: أبجد. فرفع عيسى عليه السلام رأسه، فقال: فهل تدري ما أبجد؟ فعلاه بالدرة ليضربه، فقال: يا مؤدب لا تضربني إن كنت تدري وإلا فسلني حتى أفسر لك. قال: فسره لي. قال عيسى عليه السلام: " الألف " آلاء الله، و " الباء " بهجة الله، و " الجيم " جمال الله، و " الدال " دين الله. " هوز " " هاء " هول جهنم، و " الواو " ويل لأهل النار و " الزاي " زفير جهنم " حطي " حطت الخطايا عن المستغفرين. " كلمن " كلام الله لا مبدل لكلماته. " سعفص " صاع بصاع، والجزاء بالجزاء. " قرشت " قرشهم جهنم فحشرهم. فقال المؤدب: أيتها المرأة خذي بيد ابنك فقد علم فلا حاجة له في المؤدب.

When Isa ibn Maryam [1], peace be upon him, was born, he was as a child of one day seeming as child of two months, and when he was a child of seven months, his mother took by his hand and brought him to the writers and made him sit between the hands of the teacher. Then the teacher said: Say: In the Name of Allah, the Merciful with all the creation, the Merciful to the believers in particular. Then Isa, peace be upon him, said: In the Name of Allah, the Merciful with all the creation, the Merciful to the believers in particular. Then the teacher said to him: Recite the alphabet. Then Isa, peace be upon him, raised his head and said: Do you know what I should recite of the alphabet? Then he raised the whip to hit him, so he said: O teacher, do not hit me if you were to know. Otherwise, ask me that I might interpret to you. He said: Interpret to me. Isa, peace be upon him, said: The «Alif» is the Bounties of Allah, the «Baa’» is the Delight of Allah, the «Jeem» is the Beauty of Allah, the «Daal» is the Religion of Allah, the «Huz» - «Haa’» - is the dread [2] of Hell, the «Waw» refers to the woe to the people of the Fire, the «Zaay» is the sigh [3] of Hell, «Hhatti» is the falling [4] of intentional mistakes from (the account of) the seekers of forgiveness, «Kalman» is the Speech [5] of Allah, whose Speech none will replace, «Saa’fass» refers to a Ssaa’ [6] for a Ssaa’, the reward is based upon requital, and «Qarasht» refers to that He assembled them in Hell and gathered them. Then the teacher said: O woman, take by the hand of your son, for he has known, and there is no need to him for a teacher. – Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār, Volume 1, Book 1, Chapter 25

Prophet Isa (AS) in Judaism

In Rabbinic Judaism, Isa (AS) is rejected entirely, both as a prophet and messiah. Jews are still waiting for their messiah, as promised in the Torah.

Isa Ibn Maryam (AS) is irrelevant to most Jews today, though he is also greatly despised by some extremists, who view him as a false prophet who spread idolatry.

In historic rabbinic literature, Isa (AS) is either mentioned with indifference or outright hostility. Many apologists will argue that the Talmud isn't talking about Isa (AS), but other individuals with the same name.

It is true that Yeshua (Isa's native name) was a common name in his time period. But saying all mentions aren't about Isa (AS) seems like a massive stretch and be apologetic mental gymnastics.

אֲזַל אַסְקֵיהּ בִּנְגִידָא לְיֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מַאן חֲשִׁיב בְּהָהוּא עָלְמָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַהוּ לְאִדַּבּוֹקֵי בְּהוּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: טוֹבָתָם דְּרוֹשׁ, רָעָתָם לֹא תִּדְרוֹשׁ, כָּל הַנּוֹגֵעַ בָּהֶן כְּאִילּוּ נוֹגֵעַ בְּבָבַת עֵינוֹ.

Onkelos then went and raised Jesus the Nazarene from the grave through necromancy. Onkelos said to him: Who is most important in that world where you are now? Jesus said to him: The Jewish people. Onkelos asked him: Should I then attach myself to them in this world? Jesus said to him: Their welfare you shall seek, their misfortune you shall not seek, for anyone who touches them is regarded as if he were touching the apple of his eye (see Zechariah 2:12).

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דִינֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא בְּמַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: בְּצוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת. דְּאָמַר מָר: כָּל הַמַּלְעִיג עַל דִּבְרֵי חֲכָמִים נִידּוֹן בְּצוֹאָה רוֹתַחַת. תָּא חֲזִי מָה בֵּין פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִנְבִיאֵי אוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם.

Onkelos said to him: What is the punishment of that man, a euphemism for Jesus himself, in the next world? Jesus said to him: He is punished with boiling excrement. As the Master said: Anyone who mocks the words of the Sages will be sentenced to boiling excrement. And this was his sin, as he mocked the words of the Sages. The Gemara comments: Come and see the difference between the sinners of Israel and the prophets of the nations of the world. As Balaam, who was a prophet, wished Israel harm, whereas Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Jewish sinner, sought their well-being.

תַּנְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: בּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה גָּדוֹל(ה) כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל בּוּשָׁה, שֶׁהֲרֵי סִײַיע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת בַּר קַמְצָא, וְהֶחְרִיב אֶת בֵּיתוֹ, וְשָׂרַף אֶת הֵיכָלוֹ.

To conclude the story of Kamtza and bar Kamtza and the destruction of Jerusalem, the Gemara cites a baraita. It is taught: Rabbi Elazar says: Come and see how great is the power of shame, for the Holy One, Blessed be He, assisted bar Kamtza, who had been humiliated, and due to this humiliation and shame He destroyed His Temple and burned His Sanctuary. – Gittin 57a

וְכָרוֹז יוֹצֵא לְפָנָיו. לְפָנָיו – אִין, מֵעִיקָרָא – לָא. וְהָתַנְיָא: בְּעֶרֶב הַפֶּסַח תְּלָאוּהוּ לְיֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי, וְהַכָּרוֹז יוֹצֵא לְפָנָיו אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם: "יֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי יוֹצֵא לִיסְקֵל עַל שֶׁכִּישֵׁף וְהֵסִית וְהִדִּיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. כָּל מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לוֹ זְכוּת יָבוֹא וִילַמֵד עָלָיו". וְלֹא מָצְאוּ לוֹ זְכוּת, וּתְלָאוּהוּ בְּעֶרֶב הַפֶּסַח.

The mishna teaches that a crier goes out before the condemned man. This indicates that it is only before him, i.e., while he is being led to his execution, that yes, the crier goes out, but from the outset, before the accused is convicted, he does not go out. The Gemara raises a difficulty: But isn't it taught in a baraita: On Passover Eve they hung the corpse of Jesus the Nazarene after they killed him by way of stoning. And a crier went out before him for forty days, publicly proclaiming: Jesus the Nazarene is going out to be stoned because he practiced sorcery, incited people to idol worship, and led the Jewish people astray. Anyone who knows of a reason to acquit him should come forward and teach it on his behalf. And the court did not find a reason to acquit him, and so they stoned him and hung his corpse on Passover eve.

אָמַר עוּלָא: וְתִסְבְּרָא? יֵשׁוּ הַנּוֹצְרִי בַּר הַפּוֹכֵי זְכוּת הוּא? מֵסִית הוּא, וְרַחֲמָנָא אָמַר: "לֹא תַחְמֹל וְלֹא תְכַסֶה עָלָיו!" אֶלָּא שָׁאנִי יֵשׁוּ, דְּקָרוֹב לְמַלְכוּת הֲוָה.

Ulla said: And how can you understand this proof? Was Jesus the Nazarene worthy of conducting a search for a reason to acquit him? He was an inciter to idol worship, and the Merciful One states with regard to an inciter to idol worship: "Neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him" (Deuteronomy 13:9). Rather, Jesus was different, as he had close ties with the government, and the gentile authorities were interested in his acquittal.

Consequently, the court gave him every opportunity to clear himself, so that it could not be claimed that he was falsely convicted. – Sanhedrin 43a

הַמְסָרֶט עַל בְּשָׂרוֹ. תַּנְיָא, אָמַר לָהֶן רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר לַחֲכָמִים: וַהֲלֹא בֶּן סָטָדָא הוֹצִיא כְּשָׁפִים מִמִּצְרַיִם בִּסְרִיטָה שֶׁעַל בְּשָׂרוֹ? אָמְרוּ לוֹ: שׁוֹטֶה הָיָה, וְאֵין מְבִיאִין רְאָיָה מִן הַשׁוֹטִים. "בֶּן סָטָדָא"? בֶּן פַּנְדִירָא הוּא! אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: בַּעַל "סְטָדָא", בּוֹעַל "פַּנְדִּירָא". בַּעַל פַּפּוּס בֶּן יְהוּדָה הוּא? אֶלָּא אִמּוֹ "סְטָדָא". אִמּוֹ מִרְיָם מְגַדְלָא שְׁעַר נְשַׁיָּא הֲוָאי? אֶלָּא כִּדְאָמְרִי בְּפוּמְבְּדִיתָא: סְטָת דָא מִבַּעְלָהּ.

We learned in the mishna: If one unwittingly scratches letters on his flesh on Shabbat, Rabbi Eliezer deems him liable to bring a sin-offering and the Sages deem him exempt. It was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer said to the Rabbis: Didn't the infamous ben Stada take magic spells out of Egypt in a scratch on his flesh? They said to him: He was a fool, and you cannot cite proof from a fool. That is not the way that most people write. Incidentally, the Gemara asks: Why did they call him ben Stada, when he was the son of Pandeira? Rav Hisda said: His mother's husband, who acted as his father, was named Stada, but the one who had relations with his mother and fathered him was named Pandeira. The Gemara asks: Wasn't his mother's husband Pappos ben Yehuda? Rather, his mother was named Stada and he was named ben Stada after her. The Gemara asks: But wasn't his mother Miriam, who braided women's hair? The Gemara explains: That is not a contradiction. Rather, Stada was merely a nickname, as they say in Pumbedita: This one strayed [setat da] from her husband. – Shabbat 104b

“You approach men with lust instead of women! You are certainly transgressors.”

– Quran 7:81

“And as for those who were in awe of standing before their Lord and restrained themselves from evil desires, paradise will certainly be their home.”

– Quran 79:40

Many people condemn Muslims (alongside Christians and Jews) being "homophobic" for stating basic beliefs about sexuality and morality. Like that same-sex intercourse is haram and that marriage is between a man and woman. Which are simply what Islam factually teaches.

There is a very simple response to this accusation, which is that I don't care. I do not care about the buzz words used by supporters of sexual perversion, nor will I abide by their terms. Just as I don't care if supporters of stealing, eating pork or incest or alcohol drinking or shirk are offended by what Muslims believe.

Of course, Muslims should treat others with basic decency and shouldn’t act cruely or unjustly. But that does not mean we must approve or support what everyone does, or that we can't condemn clear immorality just because it might offend some.

The Holy Quran is very clear on this matter, and so are the sayings of the Prophet (SAWA) and the Imams (AS).

Al-Islam.org https://share.google/KOr0O5Qb2KEvdziBq

For my Sunni brothers and sisters, this is also abundantly clear in the Quran, sunnah and scholars.

https://share.google/KmYM27ZTfZ2XAqKEDhttps://share.google/yIddiyXHzgD6grCFh

Anyone who claims that the Quran never mentions sodomy is wrong. Full stop. Homosexual activities are strongly condemned and clearly haram. And marriage is between a husband and wife. Not a husband and husband, or a wife and wife.

Muslims shouldn't advocate for the "right" of the people of Lut (AS) to engage in their fawahish, nor should we be afraid to express our beliefs on this matter, nor should we support it being promoted and normalized.

We must oppose all immorality. Whether it be drinking, adultery, lying, stealing and yes, homosexual acts. As all of these things are against Islam. It is a perversion of what Allah intended sex and love to be for. That's also part of why incest is immoral, even if both parties consent.

However, we should also be clear there is a difference between homosexual activities, which are voluntary and haram, and homosexuality as an orientation, which is caused by biology and not chosen. Here's a good video about what causes homosexuality:

https://youtu.be/QCX2PJJ-2BA?si=OY3ze88SSyEKW2l8

Everyone has their own problems and shortcomings. Some people are biologically more likely to get addicted to drugs or to obesity or to anger management issues. And that doesn't mean they are doomed to fall to their temptations. The Quran says:

"Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear." - 2:286

If a Muslim finds themselves having homosexual desires, it's not the end of the world, nor does it mean they will inevitably commit sin. Homosexual fantasies and urges are surprisingly common.

https://share.google/vYx8BbpwkpgaN5iwi

If a Muslim is homosexual, that doesn't make them a bad person or mean they have done anything wrong. They often don't want it. Muslims in general should be understanding towards such brothers and sisters, and shouldn’t be cruel merely for their involuntary orientation.

Such as using slurs, calling people gay as an insult or ostracizing homosexual Muslims. Homosexual Muslims of course shouldn't act on it, nor should they tie their whole identity around their orientation. But they should also not be excluded or belittled for something they struggle with and didn't choose.

However, Muslims should not give any weight to cries of "homophobia" or let the term have any power over them. Because most people who throw "homophobia" around aren't just referring to cruelty or unjust discrimination. They are referring to any negative feelings about homosexual acts, regardless of how mild they may be.

Muslims must defend their Islamic values and be unapologetic. On this matter and all others.