Jesus in Islam

The Christians believe that Jesus was put on the cross for the atonement of the sins of humanity, was resurrected after three days, and then ascended to Heaven. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I will share my understanding of this subject. Muslims believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) was a true prophet of God born to the Virgin Mary (peace be upon her). According to the Qur’an Mary said to the angel Gabriel, "How can I have a child when no man has touched me and neither have I been unchaste" (19:21)?

We believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) was taken down from the cross in the state of unconsciousness and he went to his tribes who lived in the eastern countries like Kashmir and Tibet. Gospel also provides a piece of evidence on this and states, “But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee” (Matthew 26: 32). In this verse, “After I am risen” doesn’t mean coming to life after being dead. Jesus (peace be upon him) used these words in the anticipation of what the people will say in future because they all thought that he died on the cross. It also shows that Jesus (peace be upon him) went to Galilee, not to heaven.

God says in the Holy Quran, “And their saying ‘we did kill the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah;’ whereas they slew him not, nor crucified him, but he was made to appear to them as one crucified, and those who differ therein are certainly in a state of doubt about it; they have no definite knowledge thereof, but only follow a conjecture, and they did not convert this conjecture into a certainty” (4:158).

This verse of the Quran shows that Jesus (peace be upon him) was placed on the cross and the intention was to kill him but He was not killed. They were merely laboring under the misconception that Jesus (peace be upon him) had died on the cross.