The Discrepancy between the Presentation of Jesus in the Koran and His Treatment in Commentaries

During my examination of the topic "Jesus in the Koran", I made the following observations:

1. The Qur'an makes some astonishing statements about Jesus:

 - He was conceived by the blowing of God's Spirit into the Virgin Mary, without any male involvement (Enbiya 21:91).

 - He gave a weighty speech already as a baby in the cradle (Meryem 19:30-33).

 - He performed stunning miracles with God's explicit permission (Al-i Imran 3:49; Maide 5:110 and 112-115).

 - God taught him 'the Scripture, the Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel' (Al-i Imran 3:48), that is, the totality of divine revelation.

 - His departure from the earth results in his exaltation to God Himself (Al-i Imran 3:55; Nisa 4:158).  - There with God he resembles Adam at the time that the latter was created to become God's vicegerent (Al-i Imran 3:59).

 - Following Jesus results in superiority over the unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection (Al-i Imran 3:55).

 - Whoever does not believe in Jesus exactly as he is described in the Qur'an falls under a curse from God (Al-i Imran 3:61). Even Muhammad is admonished not to doubt the truth about Jesus (Al-i Imran 3:60).

 - Jesus is a sign for the resurrection of mankind (Zuhruf 43:61).

 - On the day of judgement he will be a witness against the people of the book concerning their faith in him (Nisa 4:159).  - God will select him at the Last Judgement as the only one among the prophets to intercede for his successors (Maide 5:109-110 and 116-120).

 - Jesus is granted great attributes: he is sinless (Meryem 19:19), favoured above other prophets (Bakara 2:253), righteous (Al-i Imran 3:46 and Anam 6:85), blessed (Meryem 19:31), a sign for mankind (Enbiya 21:91 and Meryem 19:21), close to God in this world and the hereafter (Al-i Imran 3:45), highly respected (Al-i Imran 3:45), God's mercy to mankind (Meryem 19:21), unable to say anything that does not please God (Maide 5:116), strengthened with God's spirit throughout his earthly existence (Maida 5:110, Bakara 2:87 and 253).  - Jesus is given extraordinary titles: 'son of Mary' (Maida 5:46, 114, etc.), 'the servant of God' (Meryem 19:30 and Nisa 4:172), a 'prophet' (Nabi, Maryam 19:30), 'the messenger of God' (Bakara 2:253, Al-i Imran 3:49, 53, Nisa 4:171), the 'Messiah' (Nisa 4:172, Maida 5:72, etc.), 'a word from God' (Al-i Imran 3:45, Nisa 4:171), 'a spirit from God' (Nisa 4:171).

2. But, the Qur'an also contains some clear warnings regarding Jesus: - Jesus (as well as his mother) must not be likened to God (Nisa 4:171, Maide 5:72-75 and 116-118).  - It is repeatedly emphasised that Jesus is not the physical Son of God (Nisa 4:171, Meryem 19:88-93, Müminun 23:91, Ikhlas 112:1-4).

3. The commentators of the Qur'an therefore find themselves in a difficult position: Should they emphasise the positive statements and thus run the risk of throwing water on the mill of the Christian-trinitarian interpretations that they reject, or should they weaken the positive statements and add serious warnings to such an extend that there is no risk left at all? This dilemma leds to the unfortunate result that Quranic statements about Jesus cannot be treated neutrally by Muslim commentators. Various interpreters use different methods to avoid placing Jesus on too high a pedestal:  - Important statements about Jesus are concealed or not really dealt with. In their place, secondary matters are placed at the centre:

Even though the tefsir work 'Kuran Yolu' in connection with Enbiya 21:91 -'And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples (al-`aalamuun)' - discusses at length the term 'chastity', it almost totally neglects the treatment of such crucial statments as 'breathing into her God's spirit' and 'a sign for mankind'.1 - Positive statements about Jesus are emphasised, but immediately played down again: Although Sayyid Qutb accepts ‘To the human mind, Jesus’s birth remains the greatest of all miracles', he is quick to add that 'according to God’s will, which is free of all restrictions, it is nothing out of the ordinary.’2 He finally quickly jumps to the conclusion that the Qur'an in its depiction of this event makes it abundantly clear that Jesus is in no way different from other prophets, and that this supernatural event is nothing more than a particular expression of the natural and normal event of procreation, which in itself is miraculous.3 - Positive statements about Jesus are discussed up to a point, but then they are declared incomprehensible to the human mind, often with a warning that further enquiry could expose the believer to serious dangers: Sayyid Qutb is an admirable exception among commentators in that he treats positive statements about Jesus with greater care than many of his professional peers. He observes, for example, on the conception of Mary that 'it is an event which has not been repeated in the entire history of mankind'4. However, he then adds the warning that humanity can never truly grasp the creation of Jesus through the breathing of God's Spirit into Mary: 'This is a secret which remains incomprehensible to human reason. We cannot achieve that understanding because it is not part of our business'5 This sober conclusion ends Qutb's treatment of one of God's most extraordinary revelatory acts in human history.6

The interplay of the above-mentioned approaches in connection with the treatment of Jesus by Qur'anic interpreters leads to a mostly negative, heavy portrayal of Jesus. Every positive mention of Jesus in the Qur'an is inevitably played down in the related tefsir works - as an automatic reflex, so to speak - and accompanied by a warning not to infer too much from it. What particularly astonished me was the recurring warning not to delve any further into the Quranic revelations relating to Jesus' life and actions, as this could lead to false teachings, even personal confusion. Such discouragement of in-depth study of the Koranic material about Jesus is justified with the assertion that such study 'is of no use whatsoever in respect of faith or its implementation. Those who pursue them will inevitably end up more confused, struggling with complicated and endless arguments, gaining no certainty or satisfaction whatsoever'7 Furthermoreit is maintained that deeper study does not benefit humans in their discharge of their God intended mission. In summary, according to Muslim commentators,- contrary to any other prophet - deeper engagement with several aspects of Jesus' life and mission proves to be harmful for individual believers and humanity in general.

The category of events in Jesus' life that are considered incomprehensible to mankind includes, depending on the author, his extraordinary birth, his performance of miracles, the way in which he departs from this earth, his tasks in connection with the last judgement and some descriptions relating to him such as "word of God", "a spirit of God" or "sign of the last hour". In other words, a huge amunt of the teaching about Jesus in the Qur'an falls into the category 'incomprehensible to humans' if one accepts the commentators verdict.

4. Koranic statement and Tefsir interpretation do not agree: Such an approach to the life of Jesus, characterised by fear, is completely unsatisfactory for the interested reader. The question of why God acts in such a marvellous, but for the believer incomprehensible, way in connection with Jesus only, demands for a satisfactory answer. The need to find an answer is reinforced by the repeated emphasis that what God did with Jesus in a miraculous way was meant to be a sign for humanity and the basis for right faith: The extraordinary conception ('We breathed into her of Our spirit') makes Mary and Jesus 'a sign for all peoples (al-`aalamuun)' (Enbiya 21:91). The miracles that God has Jesus perform are an expression of God's 'favour' and 'clear signs' for the unbelievers (Maide 5:110) and a 'sign' for the believers (Al-i İmran 3:49). Jesus' departure from the world and his exaltation 'to God Himself' must be believed and will be the subject of the Last Judgement (Nisa 4:158f.). Because Jesus is a 'sign of the [Last] Hour', Muhammad's contemporaries and the readers of the Qur'an should 'have no doubt about' the general resurrection, 'this is a straight way [right path]' (Zuhruf 43:61). The titles 'Word of God' and 'a Spirit of God' are mentioned in connection with the warning not to say anything false about God (Nisa 4:171). In other words, much that is categorised by Quran commentators as 'incomprehensible to humans' in connection with Jesus is described in the Quran as a 'clear sign' and a basis of that kind of faith that leads to acceptance into paradise. Obviously, there is a deep gap between what the Quran wants to say and what commentators allow it to say. Rather than closing every unpleasant topic with the excuse 'only God knows its meaning but it is hidden from human perception', a much better approach - in order to do justice to the Qur'an -, would be to honestly investigate what God actually wants to communicate to the believers through the revealed sign and what exactly should be believed in order to gain entry into paradise. Unfortunately, one cannot shake off the impression that many Musim commentators of the Quran are withholding information from their readers in connection with Jesus that could prove to be 'necessary for salvation'.

Conclusion: The discrepancy between statements about Jesus found in the Qur'an and their treatments in Tefsir works gives rise to the suspicion that the exigetical methods used in the interpretation of Jesus in the Qur'an do not do justice to the real intention of the Qur'anic teachings. There is no doubt in my mind that in order to really do justice to the Quranic portrayal of Jesus, new ways of interpreting the Quran must be found.

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1 Kur'an Yolu Tefsiri, Vol. 3, p. 698, in https://kuran.diyanet.gov.tr/tefsir/Enbiy%C3%A2-suresi/2574/91-ayet-tefsiri (19/01/2023).

2 Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol.2, p. 71.

3 ‘The central theme of the sūrah, as already pointed out, revolves around the issue of the oneness of God, i.e. tawĥīd. The story of Jesus and the other accounts related to it reinforce this concept as they refute and completely exclude the idea of offspring or partners as far as God is concerned. The sūrah rejects these notions as false and naïve, and presents the birth and life of Maryam and Jesus in such a manner that leaves no room for doubting his full humanity or that he was one of God’s messengers; whatever applies to them applies to him. It explains the supernatural phenomena that accompanied the birth and life of Jesus in simple, clear and reassuring terms. The whole issue is presented as a natural and normal one that should raise no confusion or suspicion. It simply says: “The case of Jesus in the sight of God is the same as the case of Adam. He created him of dust and then said to him, Be, and he was.” (Verse 59) Believing hearts find certainty and peace in these words, and wonder how this evident concept could ever have been shrouded in doubt and confusion. (Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol.2, p. 62).

4 Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol.2, p. 69.

5 Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol.2, p. 72.

6 ‘Was this breathing of the spirit what is described as the word? Or, was the word the line God’s will has taken? Or, does the word mean the command “be”, which may be taken as it is or may express that God’s will has chosen something in particular? Was the word Jesus, or is his existence derived from it? The pursuit of all such questions can only result in creating doubts. The only true conclusion is that God willed to initiate life in a manner which had no parallel. His unrestricted will accomplished such an initiation of life through a breathing of His spirit, the nature of which remains unknown to us while we understand its effects. There is no reason for us to understand its nature because such an understanding does not add to our ability to discharge our mission on earth, since to initiate life is not part of our appointed task. Viewed in this manner, the whole question becomes easy to understand and raises no doubts in our minds.’ (Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol.2, p. 72).

7 In connection with the mention of Jesus' departure from the earth (Al-i Imran 3:55), Qutb makes the following observation: ‘How Jesus was gathered and how he ascended to God are matters which lie beyond our human perception. They are unknown except to God. To try to pursue these matters is of no use whatsoever in respect of faith or its implementation. Those who pursue them will inevitably end up more confused, struggling with complicated and endless arguments, gaining no certainty or satisfaction whatsoever. For the whole matter is part of God’s own knowledge. (Sayyid Qutb, In the Shadow of the Quran, Vol.2, p. 81).