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Jesus Another prophet of God
Before looking at his life, it would be helpful to examine what his function on earth was, and how he fits into the pattern of what came before him and what was to come after him. it is stated again and again that Jesus was one of the long line of prophets who had been sent to the peoples of this earth ; that he was a Messenger whose guidance and teachings were a reaffirmation and extension of the guidance which the prophets before him had brought, and were a preparation for the guidance which the prophet coming after him would bring.
The first mention of Jesus is made very early on in the Qur'an :
And truly We gave to Moses the Books and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him, and We gave to Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and we supported him with the Pure Spirit (Angel Gabriel ) .( Chapter 2 ; verse 87)
The following passage reminds us of the line of messengers, of which Jesus was a part. After mentioning Abraham , it continues :
And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob ; each of them We guided ; and Noah did We guide in an earlier time, and of his seed David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good. And Zechariah and John and Jesus and Elias. Each one was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elisha and Jonah and Lot. Each one of them did We prefer above the (other) creatures . ( Chapter 6 ; verse 84 - 86)
And this list of messengers is by no means complete , for there are
...... messengers We have mentioned to you before and messengers We have not mentioned to you ( Chapter 4 ; verse 164)
In fact, Saydina Muhammad (peace be upon him), said that Jesus was one of one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets (1,24,000) , between who there is no cause for conflict or argument. Allah tells His messenger in one passage of Qur'an :
Say : We believe in Allah and what is revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and what was entrusted to Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have surrendered ( Chapter 3 : verse 84 )
All the prophets are well, aware that they have been sent by Allah for the same purpose and with the same message :
And when We exacted a covenant from the prophets. And from you (O Muhammad ) -and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus , son of Mary. We took from them a solemn covenant : that he may ask the loyal of their loyalty. And He has prepared a painful doom for the unfaithful. ( Chapter 33 : verse 7 - 8 )
O you Messengers ! Eat of the good things, and do right , See! I am aware of what you do. and see! This your life-transaction is one life transaction and I am your Lord, so keep you duty to Me. ( Chapter 25 ; verse 51 -52 )
He has ordained for you that life-transaction which He commanded to Noah, and that which We inspire in you (Muhammad ) , and that which We commended to Abraham and Moses and Jesus, saying : Establish the life transaction and do not be divided in it. ( Chapter 42 ; verse 13 )
Thus , the picture which unfolds is not that of some remarkable man who appeared on earth as an isolated event in an otherwise chaotic world, but of a messenger who , like all the other messengers , was sent for his time and his age, a part of the ordered unfolding of the universe:
And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming what was before him, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein in guidance and a light, confirming that which was before it in the Torah - a guidance and an admonition to those who are careful. ( Chapter 5 ; verse 46 )
And furthermore, a time which , as Jesus was well aware, had limits ; a time which was bounded by the time before his, and by the time after his:
Jesus, son of Mary , said : O Children of Israel! See ! I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what was before me in the Torah, and brining good news of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is the Praised One (Ahmad).... ( Chapter 61 ; verse 6 )
(ICRA)