Jesus of Nazareth is the central figure of the Christian religion, a savior believed to be both God incarnate and a human being.He is also known as Jesus Christ, the term "Christ" meaning anointed or chosen one. Most of the details of his life are unclear, and much of what is known about his life comes from the four Gospels of the Bible. The Gospels tell the story of Jesus's auspicious birth in a stable in Bethlehem, and then of his life as an adult, a teacher with miraculous powers who foretold his own death to his closest followers, called apostles. Jesus, betrayed by the apostle Judas, was crucified by the Romans, and his resurrection three days after his death was taken as proof of his divinity. The date of Jesus's birth to Mary is celebrated each December 25th as Christmas Day.
Jesus in Islam
Islam holds Jesus to be a prophet, or messenger of God, along with Muhammad, Moses, Abraham, Noah, and others. In particular, Jesus (Arabic: عيسى `Īsā) is described as the Messiah, sent to guide the Children of Israel (banī isrā'īl) with a new scripture, the Injīl (gospel).[196] According to the Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be God's final revelation, Jesus was born to Mary (Arabic: Maryam) as the result of virginal conception, a miraculous event which occurred by the decree of God (Arabic: Allah). To aid him in his quest, Jesus was given the ability to perform miracles. These included speaking from the cradle, curing the blind and the lepers, as well as raising the dead; all by the permission of God. Furthermore, Jesus was helped by a band of disciples (the ḥawāriyūn). Islam rejects historians assertions that Jesus was crucified by the Romans, instead claiming that he had been raised alive up to heaven. Islamic traditions narrate that he will return to earth near the day of judgement to restore justice and defeat al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl (lit. "the false messiah", also known as the Antichrist) and the enemies of Islam. As a just ruler, Jesus will then die.[197]
Like all prophets in Islam
, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim, as he preached for people to adopt the straight path in submission to God's will. Islam denies that Jesus was God or the son of God, stating that he was an ordinary man who, like other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God (shirk), emphasizing the notion of God's divine oneness (tawhīd). As such, Jesus is referred to in the Qur'an frequently as the "son of Mary" ("Ibn Maryam").[197][198] Numerous titles are given to Jesus in the Qur'an, such as mubārak (blessed) and `abd-Allāh (servant of God). Another title is al-Masīḥ ("the messiah; the anointed one" i.e. by means of blessings), although it does not correspond with the meaning accrued in Christian belief. Jesus is seen in Islam as a precursor to Muhammad, and is believed by Muslims to have foretold the latter's coming.[197]
Ahmadiyya views
According to the early 20th century teachings of the Ahmadi Muslims, Jesus did not die on the cross, but after his apparent death and resurrection (or resuscitation from his tomb) he journeyed east to Kashmir to further teach the gospel until his natural death[199] (The general notion of Jesus in
Kashmir is older than the Ahmadi tradition,[200] and is discussed at length by Grönbold[201] and Klatt[202]).
Following Jesus' death of natural causes (so the Ahmadi tradition) "at a ripe old age of roughly 120 years",[203] Jesus according to Ahmadi doctrine was then laid to rest in
Srinagar, and that the tomb of a sage known locally as Yuz Asaf (which in Kashmiri mean
Leader of the Healed"[204]) is really the tomb of Jesus of Naza
reth.[205]
Further, accordiings
to this movement, the second coming predicted in the Musli
m tradition is not actually that of Jesus, but that of a person "similar to Jesus" (mathīl-i ʿIsā), i.e. the founder of the movement himself and his teachings were representative of Jesus.[200]
According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, Ahmadi Christological beliefs are one of the three primary character
istics that distinguish Ahmadi teachings from general Islamic ones, and that it had provoked a fatwa against
the founder of the sect, "purporting that this doctrine disagreed with the Koran and therefore had to be looked upon as a heresy".[206]
Judaism's view
Judaism holds the idea of Jesus being God, or a person of a Trinity, or a mediator to God, to be heresy.[207] Judaism also holds that Jesus is not the Messiah, arguing that he had not fulfilled the Messianic prophecies in the Tanakh nor embodi
ed the personal qualifications of the Messiah. According to Jewish tradition, there were no m
ore prophets after Malachi, who lived centuries be
fore Jesus and delivered his prophesies about 420 BC/BCE. Judaism states that Jesus did not fulfill the require
ments set by the Torah to prove that he was a prophet. Even if Jesus had produced such a sign that Judaism recognized, Judaism states that no prophet or dreamer can contradict the laws already stated in the Torah, which Jesus did.[208]
The Mishneh Torah (an authoritative work of Jewish law) states in Hilkhot Melakhim 11:10–12 that Jesus is a
"stumbling block" who makes "the majority of the world err to serve a divinity besides God".[209] According to Conservative Judaism, Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah have "crossed the line out of the Jewish community".[210] Reform Judaism, the modern progressive movement, states "For us in the Jewish community anyone who claims that Jesus is their savior is no longer a Jew and is an apostate."[211]
Bahá'í views
The Bahá'í Faith
, founded in 19th-century Persia, considers Jesus, along with Muhammad, the Buddha, Krishna, and Zoroaster, and other messengers of the great religions of the world to be Manifestations of God (or prophets), with both human and divine stations.[212]
Hindu views
The Hindu beliefs about Jesus vary. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) considers Jesus to be a shaktyavesha Avatar, the beloved son of Krishna who came down to Earth to preach God consciousness. Contemporary Sant Mat movements regard Jesus as a Satguru. Ramakrishna believed that Jesus was an Incarnation of God.[213] Swami
Vivekananda has praised Jesus and cited him as a source of strength and the epitome of perfection.[214]
Paramahansa Yogananda taught that Jesus was
the reincarnation of Elisha and a student of John the Baptist, the reincarnation of Elijah.[215]
Buddhist views
Buddhists' views of Jesus differ. Some Buddhists, including Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama[216] regard Jesus as a bodhisattva who dedicated his life to the welfare of human beings. The 14th century Zen master Gasan Jōseki indicated that the Gospels were written by an enlightened being.[217]
