Jesus: The Final Prophet of the Israelites
A significant number of prophets and messengers were sent to the Children of Israel, with Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), recognized as the last of them. He was sent with a new set of laws and teachings that remained unchanged until the advent of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the final prophet with the message of Islam. Historical accounts indicate that during the period separating Jesus from Muhammad (peace be upon them), followers continued to disseminate the teachings and laws brought by Jesus. Several verses from the Holy Quran affirm Jesus (peace be upon him) as the last messenger to the Children of Israel, highlighted by the term “قَفَّينا” (we followed), which signifies succession. The Quran does not mention any prophet sent after Jesus (peace be upon him). Here are some verses that support this assertion:
- Allah’s statement: (And We gave Moses the Book and followed him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit. So, whenever there came to you a messenger with what your souls did not desire, you became arrogant; and some you denied, and others you killed).
- Allah’s statement: (Then We followed them up with Jesus, son of Mary, confirming what was before him of the Torah. And We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light, and confirming what was before it of the Torah, and guidance and instruction for the righteous).
- Allah’s statement: (Then We followed up after them with our messengers, and We followed up with Jesus, son of Mary, and We gave him the Gospel and placed in the hearts of those who followed him mercy and compassion, and monasticism they invented; We did not prescribe it for them except in seeking the pleasure of Allah, but they did not observe it with its observance. So, We gave those who believed among them their reward, but many of them were defiantly disobedient).
The Story of the Birth of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)
The Annunciation to Mary by the Angels
The angels announced to Mary (peace be upon her) the birth of Allah’s prophet, Jesus (peace be upon him). They described him and informed her of his name and the mission he would undertake. As stated in the Quran: (When the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, his name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and one of those brought near [to Allah]”). Initially stunned, Mary wondered how she could have a child without having been touched by a man, to which the angel replied, (Thus it will be; Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is).
Mary had devoted herself to worship and service at the sacred sanctuary, dedicating her efforts to the House of God. Allah chose her and elevated her above all women, bestowing upon her the honor of bearing His messenger, Jesus (peace be upon him). Narratives affirm her virtue and perfection; as reported by Al-Bukhari, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, (Among men, many have been perfected, but among women, only Mary, the daughter of Imran, and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh have been perfected). Additionally, in a narration by At-Tirmidhi, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned: (The best women of all time are Mary, the daughter of Imran; Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid; Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad; and Asia, the wife of Pharaoh).
The Birth of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)
Jesus (peace be upon him) was born through a remarkable miracle; his mother, Mary (peace be upon her), gave birth without a father. Upon realizing her pregnancy, she withdrew from her community to a location east of Al-Aqsa Mosque. At this time, Gabriel (peace be upon him) appeared to her in the form of a man and informed her of her forthcoming delivery, leaving her astonished. Allah says: (She said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me?” He said, “Thus it will be; your Lord says it is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter already decreed).
As the time of delivery approached, Mary found herself near the trunk of a palm tree, pondering how her community would react to seeing her with a child, given her reputation for piety and purity. She wished for death, as noted in the Quran: (O, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten). At that moment, she heard a voice assuring her and guiding her towards sustenance to ease her labor pains, instructing her to refrain from speaking to anyone upon seeing them and to communicate through gestures. This was conveyed in the verse: (And he called her from below her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you; it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, ‘Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to any man.”).
This voice was attributed by some to Jesus (peace be upon him) and by others to Gabriel (peace be upon him). When Mary presented her son to her people, they were struck with disbelief and reproached her for her actions and her family’s honorable status. She did not reply verbally; instead, she gestured towards her son, urging them to speak to him. To their astonishment, the infant Jesus (peace be upon him) spoke, declaring himself as a messenger of Allah, indicating that he was human, destined to live and die, and ultimately be resurrected. He stated that Allah commanded him to perform prayers and give charity, as mentioned in the verse: (He said, “Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive).
The Message of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him)
Jesus (peace be upon him) was sent to the Children of Israel to guide them from darkness to light, preaching the oneness of Allah and His transcendence over any partners. His mission was consistent with that of previous prophets and represented the authentic creed of Christianity, distinct from the later distortions in which Jesus and his mother (peace be upon them) were wrongfully associated with divinity alongside Allah. Jesus stressed to his people that the only worthy of worship is Allah, as conveyed in the Quran: (Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him; this is the straight path). When Jesus sensed disbelief among them, he asked, “Who are my supporters for [the cause of] Allah?” The disciples responded, “We are supporters of Allah; we have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims).
Jesus (peace be upon him) admonished his people against associating partners with Allah and clarified the consequences they would face in the afterlife for committing such acts. Allah has made it clear in the Quran: (Indeed, they have disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary.’ And the Messiah said, ‘O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Indeed, he who associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire, and there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers).