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Significance of Jesus being strengthened with the Ruhu-l Kudüs at the Last Judgement
- kesfetmekursu
- Jun 18
- 30 min read
Another way in which Allah favoured Jesus during his time on earth was by strengthening him with the “Holy Spirit”. ' ... Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit [bi-rûhi l-kudusi], so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. ...' (Maide 5:110).
Why does Allah mention this aspect of Jesus' life at the Last Judgement? What is the significance of Jesus being strengthened with 'the Ruhu-l Kudüs' at the Last Judgement? In this blog, we will try to find answers to these questions.
Things Jesus said as a baby
Although the verse does not specify exactly when such strengthening took place, two examples are highlighted: when Jesus was a small child, as he was still sleeping in his cradle, and in adulthood. The word ‘adult’ (‚K-h-l - ك ه ل ‚) used here refers to a middle-aged person who is already showing the first signs of ageing, someone between 30 and 50 years old.1 Since Jesus is known to have died at around the age of 30, some interpreters have suggested that this word refers to Jesus' second coming at the end of time and his work at that point in the future.2 However, if we assume, as in this blog, that Jesus died on the cross and was then called away from Earth, the idea of a later continuation of his life makes no sense. A better understanding of Jesus at an advanced age is therefore that of the three years of his ministry before his death on the cross, as described in the Gospels.
In any case, the verse clearly shows that Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak miraculously during his earthly existence, from birth to at least his death.
Interpreters marvel at this unique event in the history of the prophets: a child in a manger speaking prophetically. 'This honourable characteristic is unique to Jesus (a.s.). Neither before nor after him was this bestowed upon any other prophet.'3
From Maryam 19:30-33, we learn the words that Jesus is said to have spoken as an infant: 'He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable [haughty or rebellious]; So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)!' In the Arabic Infancy Gospel, the baby's words are rendered similarly as follows: ‘Jesus spoke, and, indeed, when He was lying in His cradle said to Mary His mother: I am Jesus, the Son of God, the Logos, whom you have brought forth, as the Angel Gabriel announced to you; and my Father has sent me for the salvation of the world.’4 Regardless of the source, these are not the words of an infant. They clearly stem from the strengthening of the Holy Spirit.
Who is the Ruhu'l Kudüs?
A central issue is, of course, the identity of the ‘Holy Spirit’ (irûhi-lkudusi) mentioned here. There are two main schools of interpretation:
(i) The first holds that this is the pure spirit that God breathed into Mary during his ‘incarnation’, i.e. not an angel. This view is supported by reference to Nisa 4:171, in which Jesus himself is described as a Spirit proceeding from Allah Himself: 'Christ Jesus the son of Mary was ... a spirit proceeding from Him ...'
(ii) The second view is that the spirit that strengthened Jesus was the angel of revelation Gabriel, based on Nahl 16:102 5 In addition, there is also the view that the spirit could be a book of revelation (e.g. the Bible).
Many Islamic scholars subscribe to this second opinion and believe that Gabriel taught Jesus his revelatory speech. Those who subscribe to this belief see God's grace in the fact that Jesus was given the privilege of being able to speak prophetically from a young age, not in the extraordinary manner of communication between Allah and Jesus.
However, there is much to be said against this second view. As we will now demonstrate, the first interpretation provides a better understanding of the entire scene and of Jesus' place in God's plan of restoration for humanity.
In terms of its literal meaning, the term ‘Kudüs’ in the expression ‘Ruhu'l Kudüs’ refers to ‘Allah’ (as one of his 99 names), while the word “ruh” means ‘the spirit/soul that gives life to humans and society, brings order to them, and keeps them alive and healthy.’6 'However, the Qur'an does not offer a definitive explanation of the spirit (al-ruh). In response to the question about the spirit, it merely states: ‘Say: The spirit (al-ruh) comes from the command of my Lord, and you have been given only a little knowledge’ (17:85), which points to the incomprehensibility of the “Ruh”.'7
The grammatical attribution of the spirit to God not only honours the spirit,8 but also refers to the spirit that which is inherent in God. One scholar concludes: 'Therefore, it is not correct in translations to translate ‘Ruhu'l Kudüs’ as ‘Gabriel’.'9
Even Muslim theologians concede that the term 'Ruhu'l Kudüs' is not explicitly defined in the Qur'an. Firstly, the verses and hadiths provide no clear indication as to what or who the Holy Spirit is or what its characteristics are. However, some exegetes and scholars have offered different interpretations of the Holy Spirit.' ... Ultimately, we have no definitive information that allows us to say, 'The Holy Spirit is this', or anything else.'10
Theologians who equate the “Holy Spirit” with Gabriel refer to Nahl 16:102 to justify this identification. To the neutral reader, such an approach seems questionable: although the term is used three times in relation to Jesus (Bakara 2:87 and 2:253; Maide 5:110), it is only used once in another context (Nahl 16:102), yet this single verse is used to determine its meaning in connection with Jesus. A more sensible approach would be to try to understand Nahl 16:102 in light of the usage in the other verses referring to Jesus. It is entirely possible to interpret Nahl 16:102 in light of the meaning 'God's Own Spirit'. Nahl 16:102 may refer to revelations from God in general, rather than exclusively to the revelation of the Qur'an. 'Say, the Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from thy Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings [Abdullah Yusuf Ali] for those who have submitted (to God) [Ahmed Ali]".11
The verse could therefore refer to 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (‘All Scripture is God-breathed [θεόπνευστος] and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped [ἐξηρτισμένος] for every good work.’). The phrase "God-breathed" (or "breathed out by God") signifies that Scripture is divinely inspired, with its origin in God through the work of the Holy Spirit. If such a parallel is applicable, the use of the word ‘Ruhu-l Kudüs’ would then be determined by the specification in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 – ‘every Scripture inspired by God’s [own] Spirit ...’ – but would not necessarily refer to the specific manner of revelation of the Qur’an through the angel Gabriel.
The statement about strengthening through the Holy Spirit follows the reference to the conception of Jesus in Maide 5:110: Jesus was conceived through the breathing of “God's own spirit” into Mary (Enbiya 12:91 and Tahrim 66:12). Now, the verb ‘E-y-d’ (to support) is derived from the noun ‘strength’ or ‘power.’ When Allah says to Jesus, ‘When I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit [ruhu-l kudüs],’ according to Qurtubi, this means, ‘Behold, I have supported you,’ i.e., I have added power to your strength.”12. If one understands the supporting power to be an angel, one ends up with the curious conclusion that Jesus, who was begotten by the breathing of Allah's own Spirit, had to be supported by the power of an angel. As if God's own power were not sufficient. This certainly does not correspond to the general teaching of the Qur'an. On the contrary: the breathing of God's Spirit into Adam resulted in the general, obedient prostration of the angels before him. As a result, it is not Adam who is taught the names of all things by the angels, but the other way around: Adam teaches the angels the names of all things. Should this be reversed in the case of Jesus? Despite the breathing of God's own Spirit into him at his conception, was he nevertheless dependent on Gabriel's support? Very unlikely indeed.
The strengthening through the Holy Spirit is one of the main characteristics that distinguishes Jesus from other prophets, according to the testimony of the Qur'an: "Those messengers We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear (Signs [baiyinaat]), and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit [bi-rûhi l-kudus(i)]. ..." (Bakara, 2:253; see also 2:87). These verses indicate that there is a hierarchy among the messengers of God:13 Since the angel Gabriel is understood in Islam as the one who “conveys divine commands to angels and prophets,” it can be assumed that even the normal messengers were strengthened by him with divine revelation14. There are therefore normal messengers who received their message through an angel, those who spoke directly with Allah, and those to whom Allah granted a higher rank. Jesus occupies the highest position, distinguished by miraculous signs and strengthening by the Holy Spirit (see Maide 5:110). The prophet who spoke directly with Allah is easy to identify: it is Moses15, who was given the name ‘KELÎMULLAH’ because God spoke directly with him.16 However, it is also known that at certain times the angel of the Lord spoke to Moses (e.g. Exodus 3:2: 'And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. ...'). However, the distinction made in Bakara 2:253 is not that Moses was also taught by the angel Gabriel, but that God spoke to him directly. When Jesus is distinguished from the other prophets by being strengthened by the “Holy Spirit”, it is hardly conceivable that the emphasis here is on the fact that he received revelations from the angel Gabriel just as they did.17 This would place him below Moses, to whom God spoke directly. Obviously, however, Jesus is elevated to a higher rank than Moses by the criteria of signs and strengthening with the “Holy Spirit”. This distinction makes more sense if, in the case of Jesus, the “Holy Spirit” is God's own spirit. Jesus shares this characteristic only with Adam, but with no other prophet. The infusion of the “Holy Spirit” enabled Adam to exercise the office of God's representative (Khalif) (Bakara 2:30; Hicr 15:29, etc.). Could it be that Allah mentions the strengthening of Jesus with the Holy Spirit at the Last Judgement, at the beginning of the second creation, in order to compare him with Adam and his position before God at the beginning of the first creation (see Al-i Imran 3:59)?
Jesus himself is called “Word of God” (KELÎMETULLAH:18): “Christ Jesus ... was ... His Word (Kalima)...” (Nisa, 4:171). The angel who announces Jesus' birth to Mary also speaks of Jesus as ‘Word of God’: “O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus” (Al-i Imran 3:45; see also v. 39). Sayyid Kutb comments: ‘In the construction of the sentence, the name “the Christ” is a substitute for the term “a word”. Yet, he is indeed the “Word”.’19 In other words, Jesus embodies the Word of God. He is not only the result of a joyful message to Mary, but he is this message from God Himself. It would be contradictory if Jesus, ‘the Word of God’, still needed Gabriel at his side as the bearer of God's messages. How would one imagine the strengthening of the ‘Word of God’ with the bearer of God's messages?
The first encounters between Gabriel and the recipients of the divine message, described in the Qur'an and the Hadith (see, for example, Mary (Meryem, 19:18-19 20) or Muhammad,21, emphasise the recipients' immense fear and complete incomprehension. It is difficult to imagine Gabriel presenting the message he was to deliver to Mary's relatives, to the newborn Jesus, who was not yet able to speak, with the command ‘Read!’. How would one even imagine the conversation between the baby Jesus and the angel? God's own Spirit, on the other hand, was already present in Jesus through the special nature of his conception. It is easier to imagine that this Spirit working in Jesus spoke through him. Examples of Spirit-motivated speech in an unlearned language – that is, speech without the involvement of the mind, motivated exclusively by God's Spirit – can already be found in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2) and in the phenomenon of speaking in tongues.
Nowhere in the Qur'an does it say that Jesus met with the angel Gabriel. Instead, it says that God personally taught him the holy scriptures, without any intermediary (Maide 5:110; see also Al-i Imran 3:48): '... Behold! I taught thee the Book and Wisdom, the Law ...' (Maide 5:110). There are therefore no passages in the Qur'an that could irrevocably prove that the angel Gabriel accompanied Jesus at certain points in his earthly life to strengthen him.
The term 'strengthened' (eyyedtuke) is unusual in connection with the angel Gabriel. According to Islamic theology, his primary role as an angel of revelation is to deliver divine messages to prophets. He also appeared to the Virgin Mary in human form to announce the birth of Jesus (Mary 19:17–19). Gabriel revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad and taught him: 'He is the friend of the Prophet' and 'supporter of the believers'. On the Night of Power, he descended to Earth, and he will stand beside the angels at the Last Judgement. 22 Only in relation to Jesus is the combination of 'spirit belonging to Allah' and 'supported with victorious power' used in the Qur'an.23 Some interpreters believe that Gabriel played an extraordinary role in Jesus' life, one that went beyond that of the angel of revelation.24
Strengthening is also understood as 'giving security and encouragement'.25 If Gabriel were to play such an extraordinary role in Jesus' ministry, one would expect the Qur'an to provide clearer information about this.26
The concept of ‘strengthening with the Holy Spirit’ is familiar from the Gospel. Paul writes to the believers in Ephesus: ‘he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit [i.e., the Holy Spirit] in your inner being ...’ (Ephesians 3:16). This strengthening by God's Spirit is intended to enable Christ to dwell in the hearts of the Ephesian believers through faith. They are also to be 'rooted and established in love', so that they may 'have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,', which 'surpasses [all] knowledge', so that they may ' be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God' (Ephesians 3:17–19). Clearly, Paul's explanation of the strengthening by the Holy Spirit cannot simply be transferred to Jesus, except in regard to the final general statement. Jesus is also to be strengthened until he attains 'the fullness of God'.
However, the Gospel also recounts the specific experiences that Jesus had with angels and the Holy Spirit. For instance, it is said that angels served Jesus by giving him strength after he was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:11). Shortly before he died on the cross, an angel strengthened Jesus when he cried out to God in fear of death (Luke 22:43). The Qur'an does not seem to refer to these Gospel events, as the identity of the angels is not mentioned in either incident. Unlike in Maide 5:110, this strengthening does not result in Jesus speaking miraculously.27 Furthermore, there is no explicit mention of angels strengthening Jesus during his early childhood. Although a whole army of angels was present at his birth (see Luke 1–2 and Matthew 1–2), the Gospels do not mention any encounters between Jesus and the angels. Therefore, it is unlikely that Maide 5:110 refers to the angels mentioned in these passages.
By contrast, Luke 2:40 brings together the concepts of 'spirit', 'strength' and 'God's grace', as referenced in Maide 5:110, in relation to the childhood of Jesus: 'And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, becoming filled with wisdom; and the grace of
Baby Jesus strengthened with Ruhu-l Kudüs (produced by chatgpt.com) God was upon him.' (Diatesseron Luke 2:40). Of course, the spirit mentioned here is that of Jesus, but the context suggests that the strengthening was brought about by the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel, the strengthening is only explained in the episode involving the approximately 12-year-old Jesus in the temple. Jesus sat among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 'And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers' (Luke 2:46–47). Outside of the Gospels, for example in the Arabic Infancy Gospel, Jesus' spirit-filled speech is said to have begun from the crib. In adulthood, these concepts converge at Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist: God demonstrates Jesus' grace by filling him with the Holy Spirit and saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased' (Matthew 3:17).On this occasion, the Spirit of God descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove and remains upon him (John 1:32-34 28). Jesus then returns 'to Galilee in the power of the Spirit ...' (Luke 4:14a) and preaches to the people in the synagogues of Galilee (Luke 4:15). It is this strengthening by the Holy Spirit that empowers Jesus for his ministry as prophet and Messiah. The speeches that Jesus delivers, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, are perceived by his listeners as “mighty” (Luke 4:32). Jesus commands demons to come out of possessed people (Luke 4:33-37): 'All the people [eyewitnesses] were amazed [in fear] and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!”' (Luke 4:36).
It seems much more likely that the Qur'an in Maide 5:110 refers to these events than to the vague angel episodes. Both in his childhood and in adulthood, God showed mercy to Jesus by strengthening him with the Holy Spirit. According to the Gospel, however, the Holy Spirit is clearly understood in these accounts as the Spirit of God, not as an angel. Based on the story of Jesus' miraculous speech as a toddler, as recounted in the Arabic Infancy Gospel, and the mention of Jesus' preaching ministry in the synagogues of Galilee following his strengthening with the Holy Spirit, the statement in Maide 5:110 in the form of the first school of interpretation (see above) corresponds to a confirmation of the Gospel.
According to the Torah and the Gospel, the main characteristic of the Messiah is his anointing with God's own Spirit, which is also called ‘Holy Spirit’ or ‘Spirit of God’ (in the Gospel in Greek: Πνεύματος Ἁγίου (Pneumatos Hagiou); in the Torah in Hebrew: ר֛וּחַ אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה (Spirit of God of the Lord)): 'The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.' (Isaiah 61:1-3).
The Holy Spirit rests on the person described because God has “anointed” (mā·šaḥ29) them. The word ‘Messiah’ means ‘anointed one’ and is thus related to the verb ‘anointed’.30 Interestingly, in Isaiah, the anointed one is also equipped to proclaim hope: 'to bring good news to the afflicted, ... to proclaim liberty to the captives, to the bound that they shall be free and unbound; to proclaim a year of the Lord's favour and a day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, ...'. According to the Torah, it is the combination of 'strengthening with God's Spirit' (Isaiah 61:1-3) and performing miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6 31) that distinguishes the Messiah and, according to Bakara 2:87 and 2:253, elevates him above the other prophets. In the Gospel, Jesus claims to be the fulfilment of the Messiah described in Isaiah 61:1-3 (see Luke 4:16-21 32). It would be very confusing if the Qur'an used the same word as in the Torah and the Gospel in connection with Jesus the Messiah, 'Ruhu-l Kudus', but defined it completely differently without making this clear. This would probably have to be classified as 'very misleading communication'. Therefore, it is preferable to understand the term 'Ruhu-l Kudüs' in connection with the Messiah Jesus as referring to God's own Spirit, as in the Gospel.
In summary, the term 'Ruhu-l Kudus' cannot be precisely defined based on its description in the Qur'an. To determine its exact meaning, we must therefore look to sources outside the Qur'an. Both the Gospel and the Qur'an refer to two significant moments in Jesus' life when he was empowered by the 'Holy Spirit': his early childhood and adulthood. In the Gospel, the 'Holy Spirit' at work in these situations is clearly referred to as the 'Spirit of the Lord God'. This is certainly not an angel. In the Torah, strengthening by the 'Holy Spirit' – understood as God's own Spirit – with the aim of delivering hopeful and powerful messages is the very hallmark of the Messiah. Since the Qur'an vehemently defends Jesus' messiahship to the Jews (see Nisa 4:156–159), it would be confusing if this strengthening by the 'Holy Spirit' were emphasised as one of the Messiah's main characteristics (Bakara 2:87 and 253) based on a different understanding of the term 'Holy Spirit' to that in the Torah and Gospel. In addition, the above discussed many reasons against the identification of Ruhu'l Kudüs with the angel Gabriel - mainly stemming from Qur'anic materiel -, it is more plausible to understand 'Holy Spirit' as (i) God's own Spirit than (ii) the angel Gabriel. In what follows, we assume that Allah's own Spirit is referred to by the expression 'Ruhu-l Kudus'.
The significance of strengthening with the Ruhu-l Kudus in the Last Judgement
We therefore conclude that, at the Last Judgement, it is fundamentally important for Allah that humanity understands that Jesus, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, communicated with them at various points in his life. This establishes him as the Messiah of God, as set out in the Torah and the Gospel. Additionally, Bakara 2:87 and 2:253 suggest that God highlights Jesus' elevated status above other prophets by emphasising his empowerment by the Holy Spirit. However, the question remains as to why this understanding is of such fundamental importance to Allah.
This becomes clearer when compared to Adam: after he and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, they descended from being Allah's representatives to being Allah's servants. Symbolically, this means the loss of the 'garment of honour', also known as 'the garment of piety'. Initially, the first humans exchanged these for tree leaves, and later for the animal clothing provided by Allah:33
So by deceit he [Satan] brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?
They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost.
(Allah) said: "Get ye down. With enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood,- for a time.
He said: "Therein shall ye live, and therein shall ye die; but from it shall ye be taken out (at last).
O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness,- that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition!
O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as He got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame: for he and his tribe watch you from a position where ye cannot see them: We made the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith. (Araf 7:22-27)
The Torah also explains what happened in symbolic terms: after Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, ‘the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves’ (Genesis 3:7). However, when God called them to an account, they realised that their homemade aprons were not adequate clothing, and they hid from God. Finally, God himself made them more suitable garments with which to cover their shame. To this end, God slaughtered an animal. 'And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them' (Genesis 3:21), thus showing his forgiving willingness to continue walking with humankind. Both in Surah Araf and in Genesis 3, three types of clothing are mentioned: 1. Simple and plain clothing that serves only the purpose of covering, in the Torah these are fig leaves. 2. High-quality, clean and neat clothing that serves not only to cover but also to adorn, these are the clothes made of animal skins that God ‘provides as a grace and blessing’ to humans. 3. Clothing of piety ('raiment of righteousness', Takva) is the state of humans before their rebellion against God.
The garments mentioned symbolise the relationship between Allah and humankind: the 'raiment of righteousness' represents the perfect state of the ever-obedient human being. The garment made of tree leaves represents the human being who has transgressed God's commandments and attempts to justify themselves to God through their own means. The garment made of animal skins represents the human being who uses the clothing provided by Allah to cover their shame resulting from disobedience.
Muslim interpreters have examined the ‘raiment of righteousness (takva)' and have come up with various ways of interpretation, for example as ‘raiment that protects the body; armour, helmet, etc., war garments, in a figurative sense righteous deeds; chastity; good character; unity'.... Verse 7:26 refers to the connection between piety and modesty. Moreover, piety is indirectly portrayed as a protective virtue that adorns the spirit, concealing sinful feelings and suppressing them to prevent the commission of sins. Just as clothing covers, protects and adorns the body, takva conceals the negative emotions of the spirit while simultaneously adorning it. Therefore, it is unthinkable that a person possessing takva could be rude, harsh, unjust, rebellious, lustful, greedy, indecent or shameless ...'34. In the Epistle to the Galatians, Paul describes the difference between people without the Spirit of God and those gifted with the Holy Spirit: 'love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. ... Against such things there is no law' (Galatians 5:22f.), meaning they live 'Takva' thanks to the Holy Spirit's strength.
On the other hand, people without the Spirit of God are characterised by 'sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like' (Galatians 5:19-21). From the combination of Muslim interpreters' thoughts and Paul's descriptions, it follows that the Spirit of God constitutes the raiment of righteousness. Losing this clothing, i.e. losing the Spirit of God, results in a much more shameful covering made of tree leaves or animal skins. Following his disobedience to God, Adam lost his position as God's representative and the protective influence of the Holy Spirit, the garment of piety (Araf 7:23–29). Since then, he and all those who descended to Earth with him have clothed themselves only in tree leaves or, at best, clothing made of animal skins – still secondary and ultimately inadequate. God warns the children of Adam not to be deceived by Satan and suddenly find themselves 'naked':
'O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as He got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame (Araf 7:27). Despite the warning, Allah realistically observes that Adam's children will also need clothing to cover their shame: 'O ye Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be an adornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness,- that is the best. Such are among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition!' (Araf 7:26). Satan has led every servant of Allah astray from the 'right path' at least once in their lifetime. None of Allah's servants were able to maintain the raiment of righteousness.
Unlike Adam and his descendants, Jesus never lost the strength of God's Spirit during his entire earthly existence. He was strengthened by 'the raiment of righteousness', God's Spirit, both as an infant and as an adult. This garment of piety was never exchanged for a lesser one. The sign of Allah in connection with the garment covering the private parts (Araf 7:26) is revealed through Jesus at the beginning of the second creation. What was hinted at throughout Jesus' life and work is now openly proclaimed by Allah to all the prophets and their followers: Jesus retained his 'raiment of righteousness' from birth into adulthood, and it was superior to the replacement clothing provided by God for the rest of humanity. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit, Jesus lived in perfect obedience to God, distinguishing himself from all other prophets (see Bakara 2:87 and 2:253) and human beings. As it says in Al-i Imran 3:45, Jesus '... held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah'. By mentioning the blessings bestowed upon Jesus, Allah ensures that none of his messengers – or their followers – overlook this fact.
The question of whether the followers of the various messengers understood the distinction given to Jesus by Allah and lived their lives accordingly will be raised once again at the Last Judgement. For the Jews, who proudly claimed to have exposed Jesus as a false Messiah (see Sura 4:157), this statement by God is a pronouncement of judgement. The same applies to all the other people assembled who subordinated Jesus to another prophet (see Bakara 2:153).
When Allah commanded the angels and Satan to bow down before Adam, who was created from 'black mud', Satan disobeyed because he failed to realise that God had breathed His own spirit into Adam. Arrogantly refusing to submit to Adam, he revealed his false conviction:
'When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance [reverence] unto him (qa`uu lahuu saadschidiena). So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together: Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.
(Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?
(Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape.
(Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed' (Hicr 15:29-34). Had Satan understood what it meant that Adam, formed from black clay, had been strengthened with God's own spirit, he would not have been so proud and arrogant towards him.
At the beginning of the second creation, Allah emphasises the grace of strengthening Jesus with His Spirit. Contrary to Adam, Jesus was not only strengthened by the Ruh-l Kudus in the early stages of his human existence (as was true with Adam), but also in adulthood, up to the time of his death. In light of Satan's failure and the subsequent punishment, it would be extremely foolish not to draw the necessary conclusions while we are still on this earth. Like Adam, Jesus was begotten by the infusion of God's Spirit. Throughout his life, Allah strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. He deserves reverent, obedient prostration. 'But those who reject Our signs [here: strengthening with Allah's own spirit] and treat them with arrogance [as Satan did],- they are companions of the Fire, to dwell therein (for ever)' (Araf 7:36). The significance of Jesus being strengthened with the Ruhu-l Kudüs at the Last Judgement is Allah's way of reminding humankind of Jesus' importance in His plans, and of preparing those who did not respond correctly to Jesus for judgement. This is because they missed the fact that Allah's own Spirit strengthened Jesus throughout His worldly existence.
1 Siehe Râgıb el-İsfehânî'nin el-Müfredât fî Garîbi'l Kur'ân eserinde;K-h-l - ك ه ل in https://www.kuranmeali.com/Aciklama.php?id=1271&islem=mufredat (visited: 10/05/2023).
2 'The expression ‘when fully grown’ is said to refer to the fact that when Allah makes him descend from heaven, he will be thirty-three. He will be fully grown ...' (Tafsir Al Qurtubi zu Al-i İmran 3:45-46 in Al Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 3, ss. 310f., in https://readislam.org/pdf/book/tafsir-al-qurtubi/volume/4/ (visited: 10/05/2023).
3 Fahruddin el Razi, Tefsir i Kebir, Vol. 9 s. 279. Though there is a hadith by Al Bukhari and Muslim who claim that three babies spoke while still in the cradle. Of course the two babies appart from Jesus were not prophets: 'The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None spoke in cradle but three: (The first was) Jesus, (the second was), there a man from Bani Israel called Juraij. While he was offering his prayers, his mother came and called him. He said (to himself), 'Shall I answer her or keep on praying?" (He went on praying) and did not answer her, his mother said, "O Allah! Do not let him die till he sees the faces of prostitutes." So while he was in his hermitage, a lady came and sought to seduce him, but he refused. So she went to a shepherd and presented herself to him to commit illegal sexual intercourse with her and then later she gave birth to a child and claimed that it belonged to Juraij. The people, therefore, came to him and dismantled his hermitage and expelled him out of it and abused him. Juraij performed the ablution and offered prayer, and then came to the child and said, 'O child! Who is your father?' The child replied, 'The shepherd.' (After hearing this) the people said, 'We shall rebuild your hermitage of gold,' but he said, 'No, of nothing but mud.'(The third was the hero of the following story) A lady from Bani Israel was nursing her child at her breast when a handsome rider passed by her. She said, 'O Allah ! Make my child like him.' On that the child left her breast, and facing the rider said, 'O Allah! Do not make me like him.' The child then started to suck her breast again. (Abu Huraira further said, "As if I were now looking at the Prophet (ﷺ) sucking his finger (in way of demonstration.") After a while the people passed by, with a lady slave and she (i.e. the child's mother) said, 'O Allah! Do not make my child like this (slave girl)!, On that the child left her breast and said, 'O Allah! Make me like her.' When she asked why, the child replied, 'The rider is one of the tyrants while this slave girl is falsely accused of theft and illegal sexual intercourse." (Sahih al-Bukhari 3436, Vol. 4, Book 55, Hadith 645 in https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3436 (visited, 18/06/2026)).
4 Arabic Infancy Gospel in https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf08.vii.xi.html (visited 24/11/2025).
5 ‘„Ruhu'l-Kudds “is explained in two ways. The first, as mentioned previously, is ‘And a spirit from Him’ (An-Nisa’, 4:171, 3rd point), as stated in the verse, which refers to the pure spirit that Allah Himself bestowed upon Him. The second meaning is Gabriel, aleyhisselam, which is also the more accurate interpretation. This meaning is already found in Surah al-Baqara (2:87, in the commentary on the verse). (Translated using DeepL.com (free version)), (Tafsir Al Qurtubi zu Maide 5:110 in Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 3, s. 1975. In https://archive.org/details/kurtubi-el-camiul-ahkamul-kuran/page/n1974/mode/1up?view=theater (visited: 10/05/2023)).
6 Erhan Aktaş zu Maide 5:110 in https://www.derlemetefsir.com/maide/5/ayet/110 (visited: 09/07/2025).‘Das Wort „rûh“, das im Wörterbuch mit den Bedeutungen „gehen, vorbeigehen; (Wetter) windig sein; (etwas) weit und geräumig sein“ aus der Wurzel „revh“ stammt, wird als Begriff im Allgemeinen als „das Element, das Lebewesen Leben verleiht“ definiert. Ruh bedeutet in gewisser Weise auch „Atem“, der einen Teil von ihm ausmacht und sein Fortbestehen gewährleistet (Râgıb el-İsfahânî, el-Müfredât, „rvḥ“ md.; Lisânü’l-ʿArab, „rvḥ“ md.). Obwohl es verschiedene Definitionen gibt, kann der Geist im Rahmen des Verständnisses der meisten Gelehrten wie folgt definiert werden: „Die wahrnehmende und erkennende Wahrheit, die während der Entstehung im Mutterleib von einem Engel in den Körper des Menschen geblasen wird und im Moment des Todes aus dem menschlichen Körper austritt.” Ähnliche Definitionen finden sich auch bei Nazzâm, Ebû Mansûr el-Mâtürîdî, Gazzâlî, Râgıb el-İsfahânî und Seyyid Şerîf el-Cürcânî’ (YUSUF ŞEVKİ YAVUZ, "RUH", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/ruh#1 (15.07.2025)).
7 Wikipedia contributors. Rūḥ [Internet]. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; 2025 Jul 8, 02:35 UTC [cited 2025 Jul 11]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R%C5%AB%E1%B8%A5&oldid=1299382239.
8 So argumentiert Razi (in Tefsir-i Kebir Vol. 9, s. 279): ‘Ruhu’l-Kudüs ist Gabriel (a.s.). Ruh ist Gabriel, Kudüs hingegen ist Allah Teâlâ. (Das bedeutet also „Allahs Gabriel“.) Der Allmächtige Allah hat Gabriel (a.s.) zu sich genommen, um ihn zu verherrlichen.’
9 Erhan Aktaş zu Maide 5:110 in https://www.derlemetefsir.com/maide/5/ayet/110 (visited: 09/07/2025). 'Allah'ın Ruhu ile. Ruhu'l Kudus, “Ruh” ve “Kudus” sözcüklerinden bir araya gelmiş belirtili isim tamlamasıdır; “Kudusun Ruhu” demektir. Sıfat tamlaması olarak, “Kutsal Ruh” diye anlam verilmesi doğru değildir. Kur'an'da dört yerde geçmektedir. Ruhu'l Kudus” tamlaması, “Allah'ın ruhu, Allah'ın vahyi, Allah'tan gelen bilgi anlamına gelmektedir. Ruh sözcüğü; Kur'an'da, sözcük anlamı olan, “can”, “vücuda hayat veren cevher” anlamında değil, “insanı ve toplumları yaşamlarında diri, sağlıklı kılan vahiy” anlamında kullanılmaktadır. Kur'an'da geçen Ruhu'l-Kudus ifadeleri, “Vahiy, Allah'tan gelen temiz, sağlam bilgiler” demektir.” Ruhu'l Kudus ifadelerinin geçtiği ayetler: 2: 87, 253; 5:110; 59:23. 2- Hz. İsa'nın beşikte konuşması gerçektir. Bunu başka türlü açıklamak ayete açıkça muhalefettir. 19: 21. ayette de denildiği gibi bu olay bir mucizedir. Hz. İsa'nın beşikte iken konuştuğunu hiçbir yoruma gerek kalmayacak açıklıkta başka ayetler de bildirmektedir: 3:46: “O, beşikte de yetişkinliğinde de insanlarla konuşacak. O, salihlerden olacaktır.” Ve 19:29, 30, 31. ayetler. 3- Alacalıyı. 4- Dirilterek çıkarıyordun. 5- Kanıt içeren, açıklayıcı, açığa çıkarıcı bilgi.' (Explanation about Erhan Aktaş's translation of Maide 5:110 in https://www.kuranoloji.com/kuran/5-110/ (visited, 18/06/2026)).
10 The author of 'Kurantime' argues: ‘... some exegetes and scholars have offered different interpretations of the Holy Spirit. According to these interpretations, the Holy Spirit is:
One of the names of Allah the Almighty.
One of the names of the holy books, the Qur'an and the Gospel.
The spirit of Allah Almighty.
The Archangel Gabriel (as).
... The Holy Spirit could be any of these, or it could have a different nature altogether. Perhaps it is a different dimension of manifestation, in accordance with Allah's sublime attributes. Allah knows best. Ultimately, we do not have any clear evidence to say, ‘The Holy Spirit is this.’’ (Ruhu’l Kudüs Cebrail midir? in https://kurantime.com/ruhulkudus-cebrail-midir (visited, 14/07/2025)).
11 Nahl 16:102 nach der Übersetzung Almuntakhab Fi Tafsir Alquran Alkarim in https://surahquran.com/tafsir-english-aya-102-sora-16.html (visited, 16/07/2025).
12 Tafsir Al Qurtubi zu Maide 5:110 in Tafsir al-Qurtubi, Vol. 3, s. 1975. In https://archive.org/details/kurtubi-el-camiul-ahkamul-kuran/page/n1974/mode/1up?view=theater (visited: 10/05/2023).
13 So z.B. Sayyid Qutb, In the Shade of the Quran, Vol.1, s.339: ‘This verse summarizes the essence of the mission of God’s messengers, whom it speaks of as a distinct group of human beings. It asserts that God has placed some of the messengers higher than others, pointing out some of the reasons for, and signs of, doing so.’
14 ‘In diesem Vers wird erwähnt, dass Jesus vom Heiligen Geist unterstützt wurde. Im Grunde genommen gilt diese Unterstützung für alle Propheten …’ (Koran Yolu Tefsiri, Cilt: 1, ss. 154-155).
15 Siehe Araf 7:143 und 144: "Und als Moses zu unserem Termin kam und sein Herr mit ihm sprach … "Allah sagte: ""Moses! Ich habe dich durch die Botschaften, die ich dir aufgetragen habe, und dadurch, daß ich (mit dir) gesprochen habe, vor den (anderen) Menschen auserwählt.'
16 KELÎMULLAH كليم الله Allah’ın konuştuğu kişi anlamında Hz. Mûsâ için kullanılan tabir. (Eintrag 'Kelimullah' in İslam Ansikolpedisi, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kelimullah (visited: 11/05/2023)).
17 ‘… whilst it is not said of the Prophet Moses, ‘We supported him with the Holy Spirit’, this is said of the Prophet Jesus. This means that it is not a revelation [, for Moses also received one]. Nor is it an angel, for the angel came to both Moses and Jesus.’ (İslamoğlu, TEF. DERS. BAKARA SURESİ (87-103) (7) in https://kurantefsir.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/islam31oglu-tefsir-dersleri-bakara-67-%E2%80%93-86-6/ (visited: 09/07/2025)).
18 'The term is used in the Qur’an to denote the Word of God and also to describe Jesus Christ' (Article 'Kelimetullah' in İslam Ansikolpedisi, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/kelimetullah (visited: 11/05/2023)).
19 'In the construction of the sentence, the name “the Christ” is a substitute for the term “a word”. Yet, he is indeed the “Word”. What does this expression actually mean? This and similar statements are of those matters which lie beyond our human perception. There is no way to determine what they precisely mean.' (Sayyid Qutb, In the Shade of the Quran zu Al-i İmran 3:45, s. 513 in English All Volume in One (or Vol.2, s. 72)).
20 ‘Sie sagte: "Ich suche beim Erbarmer Zuflucht vor dir. (Weiche von mir) wenn du gottesfürchtig bist!"’
21 ‘According to Islamic tradition, during one such occasion while he was in contemplation, the angel Gabriel appeared before him in the year 610 CE and said, "Read", upon which he replied, "I am unable to read". Thereupon the angel caught him (forcefully) and pressed him so hard that he could not bear it any more. This happened two more times after which the angel commanded Muhammad to recite’ the first verse. Muhammad later put into words the unease that gripped him during this ‘violent’ encounter: 'Perplexed by this new experience, Muhammad made his way to home where he was consoled by his wife Khadija, because he thought it might have been a jinn (demon) who possessed him. He said: "Woe is me - poet or possessed!", to which his wife reassured him: "No, by Allah, Allah would never disgrace you." (siehe Wikipedia contributors. Muhammad's first revelation [Internet]. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia; 2025 Jul 3, 09:26 UTC [cited 2025 Jul 11]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Muhammad%27s_first_revelation&oldid=1298573311).
22 And this despite the fact that Cebrail is considered to be very strong: According to Islamic sources, Gabriel's power is unimaginably superior. He is considered the strongest and greatest angel, one of the angels who carry the Throne and are known as the ‘mukarrebîn’ (close angels) in the presence of Allah. His role in bringing revelation also demonstrates his exalted position and power.'Most Muslim linguists, probably based on certain narrations in hadith collections (Müsned, V, 15-16; Bukhari, ‘Tafsir’, 2/6, 16/1) that Gabriel is a word of Hebrew origin meaning ‘servant of Allah’, while others have suggested that it comes from the Arabic phrase ceberûtullah, meaning ‘the power of Allah’. Considering Gabriel's connection to cebr, meaning ‘power,’ this meaning can also be considered to be included.' (YUSUF ŞEVKİ YAVUZ, ZEKİ ÜNAL, "CEBRÂİL", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/cebrail (27.11.2025)).
22 YUSUF ŞEVKİ YAVUZ, ZEKİ ÜNAL, "CEBRÂİL", TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/cebrail (15.07.2025).At least Muhammed experienced the encounter with Cebrail decisively different. Rather than being strenghtened by the angel, Muhammed was deeply shaken, terrified, and feared he was possessed or going mad. He was strengthened not by Cebrail but by the physical and mental support of his wife Khadije and her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, an elderly Christian scholar.
23 ‘...yet, as Allah had entrusted Jesus with a special mission upon his arrival in the world, Gabriel takes on a special significance in relation to Jesus, one that goes beyond that of a revelatory angel’ (Kur'an Yolu Tefsiri Cilt: 2 Sayfa: 360-361).
24 Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol. 1, s. 339.
25 In the nativity narratives, whenever prophetic speech is mentioned, the filling with the Holy Spirit – that is, the Spirit proper to God – is explicitly referred to (see Lk.1:41, 67; 2:25-27).
26 In some important ancient texts, the word ‘Spirit’ is omitted, but in the Diatessaron, which Muhammad may have been familiar with, it is used.
27 This reference is in connection with the description of John the Baptist: ‘And the child grew and became strong in spirit’ (Lk.1:80).
28 ‘ Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.’
29 The word means: 'anoint, as consecration, solemn setting apart to an office, always by the use of oil poured on the head: לנביא as a prophet 1 Kings 19:16 (Elisha by Elijah) Isaiah 61:1; elsewhere of king ...' (Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Unabridged, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com in https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4886.htm (visited: 12/05/2023)).
30 The literal translation of the Hebrew word mashiach (המשיח, messiah), is 'anointed', which refers to a ritual of consecrating someone or something by putting holy oil upon it. It is used throughout the Hebrew Bible in reference to a wide variety of individuals and objects; for example, kings, priests and prophets, the altar in the Temple, vessels, unleavened bread, and even a non-Jewish king (Cyrus the Great).
31 ‘Dann werden die Augen der Blinden aufgetan und die Ohren der Tauben geöffnet werden. 6 Dann wird der Lahme springen wie ein Hirsch, und die Zunge des Stummen wird frohlocken. …’ Vergleiche die Aufzählungen der Zeichen in Al-i Imran 3:49 und Maide 5:110: Vögel aus Ton, Blinde und Aussätzige heilen, Tote lebendig machen, geheimes Wissen.
32 ‘Und er kam nach Nazareth, wo er aufgewachsen war, und ging nach seiner Gewohnheit am Sabbat in die Synagoge und stand auf, um zu lesen. Da wurde ihm das Buch des Propheten Jesaja gereicht. Und als er das Buch auftat, fand er die Stelle, wo geschrieben steht (Jes 61,1-2): »Der Geist des Herrn ist auf mir, weil er mich gesalbt hat und gesandt, zu verkündigen das Evangelium den Armen, zu predigen den Gefangenen, dass sie frei sein sollen, und den Blinden, dass sie sehen sollen, und die Zerschlagenen zu entlassen in die Freiheit und zu verkündigen das Gnadenjahr des Herrn.«Und als er das Buch zutat, gab er’s dem Diener und setzte sich. Und aller Augen in der Synagoge sahen auf ihn. Und er fing an, zu ihnen zu reden: Heute ist dieses Wort der Schrift erfüllt vor euren Ohren.’ (Lukas 4:16-21).
33 ‘Das Wort „rîş“ im Verstext, das im Wörterbuch „Vogelfeder“ bedeutet, wird hier im übertragenen Sinne als „Schmuckkleidung“ verwendet’ (Kuran Yolu Tefsiri, Cilt: 2, Sayfa: 513-514 in https://kuran.diyanet.gov.tr/tefsir/A'r%C3%A2f-suresi/980/26-ayet-tefsiri (visited: 15/07/2025)).
34 31Kuran Yolu Tefsiri, Cilt: 2, Sayfa: 513-514 in https://kuran.diyanet.gov.tr/tefsir/A'r%C3%A2f-suresi/980/26-ayet-tefsiri (visited: 15/07/2025).
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