How Can I Help Christians Understand Who Jesus Really Is?

Someone sent this question: “I have a Christian colleague who is very sticking to his religion and knows a lot of things in the Christians Bible and about Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him).So, I want to help him expand his knowledge more by telling him who Jesus really is. So, he will know more about Muhammad’s teaching and know more about Allah. How do I tell him? What should I tell him? I really want to help him so I can help his entire church to know the truth about Jesus. Because as he said Jesus is the God, the son, and the holy spirit.”

ANSWER

Salam Sister,

Thank you for your question and for contacting Ask Sunna Files Team. As Muslims we are encouraged in the Quran and by our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to seek advise for people and do our best to show them the light of truth.

Islam: The Natural Religion

Muslims believe that Islam is the natural religion of mankind and that it has existed since the beginning of time. Allah Almighty informed his Creation right from the very beginning of time through Prophets.

It surely makes sense that the message He sent through these Prophets was the same message. It would make no sense at all that Allah would send different messages.

Why would He do this?

No, Muslims believe that the one message spoken by all Prophets was the Oneness of God. God, in other words, is without partner or equal and there is nothing like unto Him. He existed before creating anything, he exist before place, heaven, skies, human beings, and everything.

So are we saying, then, that Christians and Jews are telling lies when they speak about God?

Muslims believe that over time the one message proclaimed by all Prophets became distorted, either through translation or even by deliberate effort on the part of some.

Jesus Between Christianity & Islam

The message revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), however, was intended for all people and for all time. So, it has remained completely unaltered since it was first revealed fourteen hundred years ago.

The problem that many people have today is that they have been fed a particular narrative for over two thousand years.

Christian art, architecture, sculpture, and poetry have all reinforced this notion of Jesus as God’s “son”, born in a stable in Bethlehem, and people have come to accept this as fact, just as many people accept as fact that the same Jesus died on the Cross.

Muslims follow another narrative. The Quran tells them that Jesus did not die on the Cross and that he was not God’s son.

Whilst his birth is described in the Quran, it is different from the one we have in the versions of the Christian Gospel which were chosen, from among many, by the early Church to represent its belief.

Islam is Simple

Islam is a kind of religion which directly touches the heart with wisdom, conviction, and logical truth. Allah only says to a thing “Be” and it is (It is literal translation of the Arabic meaning). He does not need a son or anyone else to help him. This is a very reasonable and sensible belief.

Just as importantly, we need to show them by the goodness of our own lives that Islam helps a person to be the very best he can be.

Indeed, we believe that Islam is the fullness of revelation, completing all that had gone before and presenting a simple way for men and women to approach their Creator.

Insha’Allah, these words will help.

Salam and please keep in touch.