'"Be!" And he was’ (Al-i Imran 3:59)

To answer the question of whether the

portrayal of Jesus in the Qur'an is mostly positive or predominantly corrective and of a warning nature, we looked at Al-i Imran 3:59. The Muslim interpretation sees in this verse a warning against the Christological claims of Christians: Jesus is - as far as his earthly conception is concerned - not more special than Adam, therefore certainly not divine. This conclusion is based on the assumption that the comparison of the two prophets concerns their respective births: Adam created "before God" and inmidst of angels, before his descent to earth; Jesus conceived by the Virgin Mary as announced by an angel on this earth. Muslims percieve Al-i Imran 3:59 as a warning against and correction of Christians.

 When Adam and Jesus are compared in the Gospel, Jesus is always portrayed as highly exalted above Adam: a) Adam allows himself to be seduced by Satan, but Jesus resists sin; b) both Adam and Jesus stand as representatives for the whole of humanity; c) however, in two different orders of creation: Adam in the first and Jesus in the second order of creation; d) Adam represents sinful, disobedient man, but Jesus is exalted for his unwavering obedience to the highest position in the entire cosmos. Through his obedience unto death, he brings about the return of mankind to God in the resurrection, that is a kind of 'second creation'. Jesus is the solution to the problem inflicted by Adam on humans, and the firstborn in the second creation. The comparison of the two prophets in the Gospel therefore does not concern Jesus' birth on earth so much, but rather his resurrection existence after his departure from the earth.

The great difference in the perception of the relationship between these two prophets by Muslims and Christians lies mainly in the different orders of creation in which the two are compared. In the Gospel, Adam is understood as a representative of humankind in his being expelled from Paradise waiting on this earth for his return to God. Jesus, on the other hand, is understood to represent humanity after its return to God (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-24).

 The following question still awaits an answer: is the difference of perception between Muslim and Christian interpreters regarding this comparison based on the Qur'an and the Gospel respectively, or does it rest solely on the way those commenators approach their relative texts? When we examine Al-i Imran 3:59 more closely, we realise that although the verse clearly speaks of the creation of Adam before God, that is at a time in history before he was commanded to descend to earth, in the case of Jesus the question of which phase of his life is involved cannot be answered immediately: 'The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" [kun]. And he was [fe-yekûn(u)]’. So the question we want to address in this blog is: which stage of Jesus' life is compared to the creation of Adam in Al-i Imran 3:59?

a) 'kun' and 'fe-yekûn(u)'

As already mentioned, it is the words ʻ"be! (kun)", and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ at the end of verse 59, which has led Muslim exegetes to conclude that the comparison between Adam and Jesus is about Jesus' birth. The angel uses the same words when announcing Jesus' conception to his mother, Mary: ‘… Even so [`Such are the ways of Allah (Abdul Mannan Omar)]: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, "Be!" (kun), and it is! (feyekûn(u)).’ (Al-i İmran 3:47; siehe auch Meryem 19:35). Based on the observation that the same choice of words are used for Jesus' conception (Al-i Imran 3:49) as for Adam's creation (Al-i İmran 3:59), it has been concluded that Al-i İmran 3:59 compares these two states. However a carful reading of the passages shows that God's command ''Be', and it is!' does not refer to Jesus' conception but rather to the coming into existence of 'God's plan' (Al-i İmran 3:47; see also Bakara 2:117) respectively 'Allah's determined matter' (Meryem 19:35). That means, in both verses the command does not refer to the act of coming into existence of a person but of a divine descision and plan. Hence neither of the two passeges related to Jesus' conception can properly applied for understanding Al-i Imran 3:59, where the comparison is between persons, not Adam and Allah's predetermined plan regarding Jesus.

Moreover, these 'ways of Allah' to 'act' are not only limited to the first creation, that is, the way Adam came into existence. God's command "be! (kun)" with the result ʻit is (fe-yekûn(u))' occurs in the Qur'an in eight different places (Bakara 2:117; Al-i İmran 3:47 u. 59; Enam 6:73; Nahl 16:40; Meryem 19:35; Yasin 36:82 and Mümin 40:68) and refers to different situations: (i) On the one hand, these words refer to the creation of Adam (Al-i İmran 3:59).

(ii) Three times it is about Allah's plan regarding Jesus' earthly birth (Bakara 2:117; Al-i İmran 3:47 and Meryem 19:35), once addressing Mary's lack of understanding of the impending miracle (Al-i İmran 3:47) and twice addressing the misconception that Jesus could be the physical son of God (Bakara 2:117; Meryem 19:35). In none of these examples is a comparison made to the first creation of Adam, rather the emphasis in these instances is on God's creative power to do what he wants. It is highlighted that God is not limited by natural laws and therefore the extraordinary conception is definitely not based on a sexual relationship between God and Mary. God's mighty words are the sole reason for the miracle of Jesus' conception and birth. In all these three instances the command refers to God's plan, not the person Jesus. (iii) The remaining four occurences are about the resurrection of people at the last judgement (Enam 6:73; Nahl 16:40; Yasin 36:82 and Mümin 40:68). In three of these verses, a direct comparison is made with the original creation (Enam 6:73; Yasin 36:81-83; Mümin 40:67-68). Against the doubters' argument that the decayed human being will never rise from death to new life and henceforth there will never take place any thing like a resurrection, God's power to create the cosmos and everything in it at the first creation merely with the command 'be!' is utilised to prove God's potential to bring about the resurrection of humankind. Just as God created the cosmos and man for the first time, he will realise his plan to create them for the second time on the day of resurrection: Quite simply with the command ʻBe!ʼ.

Assuming that God's command 'Be' with the result 'it is' also do apply to Jesus' state before God in Al-i Imran 3:59, the overview of the use of these words shows, the words ʻbe!ʼ(kun)' with the result ʻit is (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ do not necessarily refer to Jesus' conception and birth (abbreviated in the future as ʼC-Bʼ). In order to correctly interpret the comparison in Al-i İmran 3:59 between Jesus' state before God and Adam's creation, we need to clarify which of the above-mentioned categories apply to Jesus: Is it simply a case of delayed creation (i), with the aim of a warning not to understand Jesus as the physical son of God (ii) - that is what the common Muslim interpretation claims -, or could it imply the meaning of a 'new creation' in the sense of the resurrection of man in his return to God (iii) - which comes closer to the point implied in the Gospel when there occures a comparison between Adam and Jesus.

In favour of points (i) and (ii) is the choice of words ʻ"be! (kun)", and he is (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ, already used in three other places in the Qur'an when criticising the view that Jesus could be the physical son of God (Bakara 2:117; Al-i İmran 3:47; Meryem 19:35). In favour of point (iii) is the mention of Adam's creation in connection with the words ʻ"Be! (kun)", and he is (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ, since there are three other verses in the Quran which explicitly compare the first creation with the final resurrection (Enam 6:73; Yasin 36:81-83; Mümin 40:67-68). Al-i Imran 3:59 would be the only place in the Qur'an where the first creation was compared to Jesus' 'C-B'.

Hence, the mention of Jesus' name in connection with ʻ"Be! (kun)", and he is (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ, speaks in favour of choices (i) and (ii), but the mention of Adam in this context speaks more in favour of option (iii). We are left to decide, which of these two options was originally intended in this verse?

First, it should be noted that the words ʻ"Be! (kun)", and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ in Al-i İmran 3:59 are not directly related to Jesus, but refer clearly to Adam: The verse compares a certain state of Jesus - 'before Allah' - with the actual creation of Adam - 'He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be" [kun]. And he was [fe-yekûn(u)]’ . As stated before, the very fact that the same words - "Be"! there he was' - are used with Jesus' ʼC-Bʼ is not proof enough to conclude that in Al-i Imran 3:59 it is his 'C-B' that has to be compared with Adam's act of creation. So we are not necessarily looking for an event in Jesus' life in which the words ʻ"be! (kun)", and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ explicitly occur, but we are rather interested in a state of Jesus that would be comparable to that of Adam at his creation. The similar statement about the blowing of God's own spirit into matter both at Adam's creation1 as well as at Jesus' conception2 could indicate a similar state of the two prophets after their creation respective conception. Obviously, the coming into phisical existence of the two men differs greatly from that of humanity in general, due to this breathing of God's own Spirit into matter in their particular case. We will have to examine this fact in more detail later. First of all, we note that the immediate result of this divine breathing into Adam and Jesus brings about quite different situations as pointed out below. It seems as if the similarity between Jesus' birth and Adam's creation has already ended with God's words of command and the blowing of His spirit into matter: - Jesus was not created 'from dust' but developped 'normally' in his mother's womb; - Adam had neither father nor mother, but Jesus was born of his mother Mary; - Adam became the progenitor of all people, Jesus was not married and had no children, therefore no descendants; - Adam was made a representative ('Khalif'; Bakara 2:30) created by God, Jesus was 'a servant of Godʼ with the divine mission to be a ʻan example to the Children of Israelʼ (Zuhruf 43:593); - God teaches through Adam the 'names of all things' (Bakara 2:31-33) and later on Adam receives 'words of inspiration' (Bakara 2:37) ; whereas God teaches Jesus the ʻScripture, Wisdom, Torah and the Gospelʼ (Al-i Imran 3:48), but also inspires the newly born baby Jesus to speak ʻin the cradle (mahd) ... and (also later) as an adultʼ in his interaction with people (Al-i Imran 3:46), Jesus' message is only accepted by a few (Al-i Imran 3:52). Even his miracles only induce faith in his disciples (Maide 5:110; Al-i İmran 3:52). The angels are not taught by Jesus until his appearance at the last judgment (Maide 5:109-120); - The angels and Iblis must prostrate themselves in obedience to Adam (Hicr 15:28-29; Sad 38:72). Jesus, on the other hand, is rejected during his earthly life even by his own countrymen and they even plan to kill him (Al-i İmran 3:55). There is no mention of angels and Satan submitting to Jesus' authority anywhere in the Qur'an during his earthly existence; - The consequences of rejecting Adam are eternal damnation for Iblis (Hicre 15:34-35), but in the case of Jesus, even 600 years after his birth, people still seem to be able to claim unchallenged that they have exposed Jesus as a blasphemer (Nisa 4:157).

As the above list suggests, Jesus' ʼC-Bʼ is only partially comparable with the creation of Adam, both in its nature and in its effect. The aspect of being the forefather of a new creation of an entire species is completely missing in Jesus' 'C-B'. According to the Quran, he seems to be just another member in the group of Adam's offsprings, with the exception that his conception was not in accordance with the natural rules of procreation. Otherwise, Jesus' extraordinary conception has no immediate effect on his nature or function in God's plans. It does not exalt him above angels and does not provide him with the position of God's vicegrent. Despite the "abnormality" of the conception, the result is nothing new under the sun. In the case of Jesus' 'C-B' we search in vain for the extraordinary position and function associated with the creation of Adam. Obviously Jesus' nature (cf. Muhammad Asad's translation) at his 'C-B' is not the same as Adam's nature immediately after his creation.

In favour of point (iii), however, stands the following observation: In none of the verses that explicitly describe Jesus' ʼC-Bʼ (Bakara 2:117; Al-i İmran 3:47 and Meryem 19:35), a comparison with the creation of Adam is mentioned. In our discussion about the use of the expression ʻ"Be! (kun)", and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ we have already pointed out, that the Qur'an explicitly relates the first creation - and Adam's creation is part of that - to the resurrection of humanity:

ʻDoth not man see that it is We who created Him from sperm? … He says, “ Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that) ?” Say, “ He will give them life who created them for the first time! For He is well-versed In every kind of creation!— (wa-huwa bi-kulli khalqin `aliemun) … . “ Is not He who created the heavens and the earth able to create the like thereof ?”—Yea, indeed ! For He is the Creator Supreme, of skill and knowledge (infinite)! Verily, when He intends a thing, His command is, “ Be ”, and it is ! So glory to Him In whose hands is the dominion of all things : And to Him will ye be all brought back.ʼ (Yasin 36:77-83).'4

Based on the use of the expression '"Be" and he was!' in the Qur'an, it would be quite possible to read Al-i İmran 3:59 as reference to Jesus' own resurrection into the second creation; in the sense of ʻJesus is regarding his entering the second creation, his resurrection state at the time of his return to God, just like Adam at the stage of his creation inmidst of angels. The state of Jesus after his resurrection is just as much the result of God commanding '"Be," and he was!' as Adam's creation at the beginning of the world:

'To Him will be your return- of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure. It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; ...' (Yunus 10:4).

Our discussion of the expression ʻ"Be"! (kun), and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ in Al-i Imran 3:59 has shown that Jesus' condition in comparison with Adam's creation does not necessarily have to be related to his ʼC-Bʼ. On the contrary, much of Jesus' state at his 'C-B' does not correspond to Adam's state at his creation. Jesus' 'C-B' is certainly not a new creation in the sense of Adam's original creation.

However, Jesus' resurrection from the death could also be unterstood as the reuslt of God's commanding '"Be"! (kun), and he was (fe-yekûn(u))ʼ. The comparison with Adam's creation could therefore just as well be interpreted as referring to Jesus' resurrection state. In order to clarify which of the two possibilities the comparision between the two men is referring to - Jesus' earthly 'C-B'  or his resurrection from the dead - we must look for further clues in the context of Al-i İmran 3:59.

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1 Hicr 15:28-29: ʻBehold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape; When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him.' (see also Sad 38:72)

2 Enbiya 21:91: ʻAnd (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).ʼ (see also Tahrim 66:12).

3 ʻHe was no more than a servant: We granted Our favour to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.ʼ

4 The resurrection is a kind of second creation: 'They swear their strongest oaths by Allah, that Allah will not raise up those who die: Nay, but it is a promise (binding) on Him in truth: but most among mankind realise it not. (They must be raised up), in order that He may manifest to them the truth of that wherein they differ, and that the rejecters of Truth may realise that they had indeed (surrendered to) Falsehood. For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, "Be", and it is.' (Nahl 16:38-40). See also Araf 7:29: '… such as He created you in the beginning, so shall ye return.' Yunus 10:4: ''To Him will be your return- of all of you. The promise of Allah is true and sure (wa`da llaahi haqqan). It is He Who beginneth the process of creation, and repeateth it, that He may reward with justice those who believe and work righteousness; ...' (Yunus 10:4).