” Jesus in Islam ” Few religious and historical figures have evoked as much respect, debate, and discussion as Jesus—’Isa (عليه السلام) in Islam. In Jesus in Islam, Christianity, and the Jewish Talmud, Abu Iyad Amjad bin Muhammad Rafiq presents a thorough, well-researched, and thought-provoking analysis of how the three Abrahamic religions portray Jesus. With clarity and academic sophistication, the book traces the sharp theological contrasts, commonalities, and polemical perceptions surrounding Jesus, offering critical insight for Muslims and others who wish to comprehend this central figure.
About the Author
Abu Iyad Amjad Rafiq is a British Islamic scholar who writes for Salafi Publications. He firmly follows the original Islamic teachings based on the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf (early followers). Readers admire him for his scholarly and polemical works that clarify Islamic beliefs and address theological deviations.
His writings are descriptive, organized, and to the point always in evidence from scripture sources. Like much of his writing, this book aims to explain Islam clearly and defend it against common misconceptions and distortions, especially in interfaith contexts.
Jesus in Islam: A Noble Prophet and Messiah
Jesus (‘Isa ibn Maryam عليه السلام) is one of the most revered prophets in Islam. He is introduced in the Qur’an as the Messiah, miraculously born to Virgin Mary, who worked miracles through Allah’s permission, and who invited the Children of Israel to worship the One God. Most significantly, Islam denies both his divinity and crucifixion. Abu Iyad carefully quotes Qur’anic verses and valid Hadith to show the Islamic perspective. Abu Iyad describes that Jesus “was not the Son of God” nor the member of a Trinity but a created servant of Allah.
The book makes clear that Islam confirms Jesus’ Second Coming before the Day of Judgment and doing justice, eliminating the Antichrist, and governing with justice. The writer emphasizes the importance of grasping Jesus in Islam’s uncompromising monotheistic context, as one strand in a coherent message presented by all prophets Adam to Muhammad ﷺ.
Jesus in Christianity: The Divine Son and Savior?
Christianity has a vastly different conception of Jesus. He is regarded as the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, and mankind’s Savior who died on the cross for human sin. Abu Iyad critiques this conception in his examination of the historical evolution of Trinitarian theology and the theory of original sin.
He points out that Jesus himself, in the earliest Gospel accounts, confirms his subordination to God and never asserts divinity in so many words. The book offers Christian scripture evidence wherein Jesus prays to God, separates himself from the Father, and admits to human limitations characteristics contradictory to divinity.
Under this comparative framework, Abu Iyad encourages readers to challenge the premises of Christian theology by asserting that the divinity of Jesus developed over time and was not an aspect of Jesus’ original teachings.
Jesus in the Jewish Talmud: A Figure of Scorn
Perhaps the most startling part of the book is its discussion of how Jesus is treated in the Jewish Talmud. Contrary to the respect accorded in Islam or the divinity accorded in Christianity, the Talmudic citations (albeit veiled or coded) tend to be derogatory and disrespectful.
Abu Iyad does not generalize the Jews or Judaism, but he does offer historical citations from rabbinic writings considered to be pointing to Jesus, depicting him as a sorcerer, a deceiver, or worse. These sayings are seldom talked about in interfaith dialogue but are worth mentioning for a full understanding of how Jesus is viewed throughout traditions.
The intention of the author is not to provoke enmity, but to bring to light and give Muslims proper knowledge—particularly in a time of confrontational missionary activities and biased interfaith histories.
Unmasking the Trinity and the Crucifixion
The crux of Abu Iyad’s criticism of Christianity is in the teachings of the Trinity and crucifixion. He accounts for both concepts not being present in Jesus’ own words but rather derived from subsequent church councils and Hellenistic philosophical influences.
Applying biblical texts, he demonstrates how the idea of “three persons in one God” is contrary to reason and to the constant biblical emphasis on God’s single nature. Of the crucifixion, he gives both Islamic faith (that Jesus was not crucified) and Christian internal inconsistencies—focusing on variation in Gospel accounts.
The book invites readers to think: how could a loving, omnipotent God demand the torture and killing of an innocent man in order to forgive other people? Rather, Islam presents a model of forthright repentance and responsibility.
The Muslim Response to Modern Evangelism
Christian evangelists have targeted Muslims aggressively in recent times, and it is with confusion over Jesus that they make their primary entry point. Abu Iyad’s book serves as a counterargument to such endeavor, providing Muslim believers with the theological working knowledge to revert.
He lays bare the strategies employed in missionary texts misquoting Islamic texts, employing emotive arguments, and concealing contradictions in Christian teachings. With level-headed but unyielding logic, he presents refutations from Qur’anic and biblical sources.
Significantly, the book encourages da’wah (Islamic evangelism) in wisdom and good sense, challenging Muslims to debate Christians respectfully but assertively, based on strong Islamic conviction.
A Call to the People of the Book
At the end of the book, Abu Iyad comes back to Qur’anic invitational call to Jews and Christians, the People of the Book, to come back to the worship of the One God alone without associates. The Qur’an affirms:
“Say: O People of the Book! Come to a word that is just between us and you that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate no partners with Him…” (Surah Aal Imran 3:64)
This appeal is universal, eternal, and merciful. It does not belittle but beckons. Abu Iyad stresses that Muslims should convey this message clearly, out of love for guidance, and firmly in belief. Jesus himself, he contends, would endorse this message if he were present in body today.
Conclusion
Jesus in Islam, Christianity, and the Jewish Talmud by Abu Iyad Amjad Rafiq is an important read for Muslims and anyone involved in interfaith debate or searching for truth. It is daring, fact-based, and intellectually stimulating. By removing centuries of distortion, the book reclaims the honorable figure of Jesus as a tawheed (pure monotheism) prophet. Readers will be left not only better informed about Jesus from an interfaith point of view but also more assured in Islam’s unambiguous and uncompromising position.
The book is both a defense against confusion and a sword of knowledge in a time of ideological challenge. Whatever you are a religious student, da’wah activist, or someone looking to find clarity within religion—this book will cause you to probe more deeply Jesus and become increasingly sensitive to the theological context that surrounds him.
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