It explores how islam honours jesus christ as a prophet but not as the son of god. In his fascinating book the muslim jesus, tarif khalidi brings together, from a vast range of sources, 303 stories, sayings and traditions of jesus that can be found in muslim literature, from the earliest centuries of islamic history. This website is for people of various faiths who seek to understand islam and muslims. The muslim jesus provides common ground for christianity. Mention of jesus son of mary from the quran and the sayings of prophet muhammad. The culture and heritage of the golden age and arabic historical thought in the classical. Among various muslim interpretations of the text, altabari favors that the people of the book will believe in jesus between his return and his death, when believers will unite under islam. He has written about many islamic theologians, mystics, and scholars, including the thcentury poet and sufi mystic rumi and the early 20th. An exploration into islam in the context of the first muslims and the early origins of christianity.
Book a guest speaker or seminar program arrange for a day weekend of teaching with dr masood, an ex muslim with three decades of experience of a christian approach in islam and outreach to muslims dr steven masood is a christian from a sectarian muslim background. The quran gives a history of his life, whilst the hadith collections recollections of muhammads words and deeds establish his place in the muslim understanding of the future. In this accessible and thoughtful book, muslim scholar and popular commentator mona siddiqui takes her reader on a personal, theological journey exploring the centrality of jesus in christianmuslim relations. Like islam, the book of james, and the teaching of jesus in q, emphasize doing the will of god. New jesus book is written by a muslim new jesus book is written by a muslim the u. Zeki saritopraks book islams jesus examines the role of jesus in the quran and in islamic theology. Muslims and the first christiansthe jewish followers of jesussaw jesus as not divine but rather as a prophet and human messiah and that salvation comes from faith and good works, not merely as faith, as christians would later emphasize.
The muslim jesus tarif khalidi harvard university press. The bible clearly indicates teaches gods promise to israel and their relationship with the messiah, the hebrew word for christ. This is precisely what we find emphasized in the book of james. Jesus, son of mary, or jesus, is the penultimate prophet and messenger of god and the messiah, sent to guide the children of israel with a new revelation. Th at is why, at some point during my reading, i decided t o use a. In doing so, it traces a tradition of love and reverence for jesus that has characterized islamic thought for more than a thousand years. This work presents in english translation the largest collection ever assembled of the sayings and stories of jesus in arabic islamic literature. Perhaps most provokingly, it even contemplates, what jesus can teach muslims today at a time, akyol argues, when muslims are haunted by their own herods, pharisees and zealots. Its a national geographic presentation it also offers a kids version that showcases all the various scientific and technological creations dreamed up by. Islam insists that neither jesus nor mohammed brought a new religion. Isa ibn maryam or jesus, is the penultimate prophet and messenger of god allah.
Exploring the significance of the figure of jesus not only in the christian bible, but also in the quran, muslim poetry and muslim devotion. A devout muslim of 50 years, haitham besmar was so committed to his religion that he actually memorized the entire koran. In fact, ross douthat of the new york times wrote that if aslan had actually written in defense of the islamic view of jesus, that. A welcome expansion of the fragile territory known as common ground.
It contains a lot of brief, yet informative articles about different aspects of islam. As in the christian new testament, the quran the central religious text of islam describes jesus as the messiah. The muslim jesus explores the similarities and differences between the jesus of the gospels and in the quran. This view of a muslim jesus, directly contradicts the biblical view of christs return and the events surrounding it. He is the author of numerous books, including classical arab islam. A book about jesus by a muslim author which has enraged christians has been propelled to the top of amazons bestseller list after a tv interview of him eloquently defending his credentials went. But this does not mean that muslims believe in the bible we have today because it is.
In the muslim jesus, he presents more than 300 stories and sayings consider one interesting eastwest parallel aided by the books. The enduring legacy of muslim civilizations by salim alhassanni is a mustread for all the critics of islam who wonder what muslims have ever given this world. Mustafa akyol is a regular columnist for the hurriyet daily news, and the international new york times. The significance of jesus in islam is reflected in his being mentioned in the quran in 93 verses with various titles attached such as son of mary. An invaluable resource for the history of religions, the collection documents how one culture, that of islam. Fatehpur sikri is the ruined mughal capital built by the emperor akbar just outside agra at. Rausch february 16, 2017 medieval persian manuscript depicting muhammad leading abraham, moses and jesus in prayer. William dalrymple finds a deep kinship between christianity and islam in the muslim jesus. According to the quran the crucifixion was a divine illusion.
He then fills in the details that include jesus descending, breaking the crucifixes, killing the. Muslim writer explores current relevance of jesus message. The final part of a threepart article discussing the islamic concept of jesus. Jesus never called himself a christian the same way buddha never. In this accessible and thoughtful book, muslim scholar and popular commentator mona siddiqui takes her reader on a personal, theological journey exploring the centrality of jesus in christian muslim relations. The muslim jesus provides common ground for christianity, islam. I liked how it showed what the jews of the time would consider a messiah. Prophet or messiah, the figure of jesus serves as both the bridge and the barrier between christianity and islam. Scholars, teachers, parents, rappers, poets and historians come together for the one hour special narrated by melvin bragg. It was not a political institution or a theocracy, but a spiritual kingdom. Messiah also become one of the most admired figures in the quran. I trust that this book can be a powerful encouragement for all christians to pray for many muslims to find jesus christ. Muslims book on jesus sparks outrage all the way to. He became a follower of jesus in april 1973 in karachi, pakistan.
Mustafa akyols the islamic jesus presents the islamic jesus as more of a. The new york times when reza aslans bestseller zealot came out in 20, there was criticism that he hadnt addressed his muslim faith while writing the origin story of christianity. He has written about many islamic theologians, mystics, and scholars, including the thcentury poet and sufi mystic rumi and the early 20thcentury turkish muslim scholar bediuzzaman said nursi. If 911 was going to rip the world apart, i was going to do everything i. Alphabet media has introduced reza aslan as a religious scholar but they have failed to mention that he is a devout muslim jihadist, a lie by omission. Christians, muslims, and jesus yale university press. In his fascinating book the muslim jesus, the former cambridge. Muslims also believe that god revealed a holy book to jesus called the injeel, some parts of which may be still available in the teachings of god to jesus in the new testament. The islamic jesus reveals startling new truths about islam in the context of the first muslims and the early origins of christianity. Muslim encounters jesus christ on hospital bed youtube. Newcomers to the quran might be surprised to find that the prophet muhammad is only mentioned a handful of times in the muslim holy book. The islamic jesus also offers an islamic christology, and probes into muslim beliefs on the second coming.
A muslim scholar sets out to investigate jesus christ thomas p. In fact, ross douthat of the new york times wrote that if aslan had actually written in defense of the islamic view of jesus, that would have been something provocative and new. Jesus in islam could at least open the possibility of a dialogue with a religion that otherwise is reputed to harbor conceptions of god and faith that are diametrically opposed to the christian ones. In the muslim jesus, he presents more than 300 stories and sayings. Zeki saritopraks book islam s jesus examines the role of jesus in the quran and in islamic theology. When reza aslans bestseller zealot came out in 20, there was criticism that he hadnt addressed his muslim faith while writing the origin story of christianity. However, he had a change of heart when he lay dying in a. Similarities with the bible account, found in luke 1. I theres a few things wrong that should be very obvious here. We are shown jesus from an islamic and historical perspective. The difference between jesus according to islam and jesus christ according to christians is crucial. A christianturnedmuslim who penned a book about the life of jesus and included such controversial findings as the son of god never considered himself a deity has catapulted into bestseller.
As a muslim, you want to know allah, but do you know isajesus christwhom god sent. In a 14th century collection by the lawmaker alsubki, jesus is still a cherished figure, instructing muslims that the rich shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Mark gabriel, author and former lecturer, alazhar university in cairo seeking allah, finding jesus is a brilliant book with an authentic and challenging message. Christianity is rooted in the belief that jesus is the son of god, so is islams. The result will come as something of a revelation to many nonmuslim readers, since jesus is revered in islams sacred text as a great teacher. Approximately 600 years after according to wikipedia. Theres just a few problems the muslim author has attempted to debunk what made jesus the center of christianity. Instead of dying on the cross, jesus was rescued by angels and raised to heaven. A muslim scholar sets out to investigate jesus christ.
The islamic jesus by mustafa akyol is an eye opening look at jesus from a muslim. Akyol has appeared on fareed zakarias gps on cnn, hardtalk on bbc, and ted. Muslims revere jesus too, but this turkish author sees the islamic. Sayings and stories in islamic literature by tarif. Hes free to write whatever he wants, but isnt it interesting that the one jesus book the media decides to promote is the o. The muslim isa jesus there are two main sources for isa, the muslim jesus. The atlantic noted that the book debuted at the second spot on the new york. In his fascinating book the muslim jesus, the former cambridge professor of arabic and islamic studies tarif khalidi brings together, from a vast range of sources, 303 stories, sayings and traditions of jesus that can be found in muslim literature, from the earliest centuries of islamic history. Consider one interesting eastwest parallel aided by the books chronological format.
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true god, and jesus christ whom you have sent john 17. What is missing, the author argues, is the message jesus preached about the kingdom of god. The muslim jesus uses the quran and other islamic texts to explore the differing ways in which christian and muslim faiths both acknowledge jesus. In fact, ross douthat of the new york times wrote that if aslan had actually written in defense of the islamic view of jesus. This study written by bishop kenneth cragg, one of the worlds leading islamicists, is an introduction to the new testament that takes into account the issues of central interest to muslims. It also showed similarities between the three abrahamic religions. To my muslim mind, jesus as a messenger of god was a very familiar, appealing theme. Kindle ebooks can be read on any device with the free kindle app. And he will teach him the book, wisdom, the torah, and the gospel, and he will be a messenger to the children of israel 3. The quran specifically protects jews and christians as peoples of the book, the book meaning revelations from god to jews and. The muslim jesus by tarif khalidi books the guardian. Muslim professor writes book about jesus glenn beck. The media is in love with the new book zealot which claims to be a historical look at the life of jesus. In this oneweek bible study, well study the life of jesus, primarily through the gospel of luke.