The Islam Compass

Is Jesus the Son of God?

What the Qur'an says Jesus was — and why 'son' is the one title it withholds.

Jesus in Islam6 min

No. But the reason matters, and so does everything Islam does say about him.

A Muslim cannot be a Muslim without believing in Jesus. He is named in the Qur'an more often than Muhammad ﷺ. He is called the Messiah, the Word of God, a Spirit from Him, born of a virgin, strengthened with the Holy Spirit, a worker of miracles, taken up by God, and returning before the end of time. Islam does not diminish Jesus. It draws a line at one word.

[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah]."
Qur'an — Surah Aal 'Imran 3:45Translation: Saheeh International

Why not 'son'?

Because in Islam, God does not have children — not because He could not, but because sonship implies a likeness and a need that God does not have. The Qur'an states this flatly and often, and it rejects 'son of God' whether applied to Jesus, to angels, or to anyone.

Christians will rightly point out that they do not mean physical sonship. Islam's reply is that the underlying claim — a being who shares in God's own nature — is the problem, whatever the metaphor. God is not like anything. That includes not being like a father with a son.

And they say, "The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son." You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.
Qur'an — Surah Maryam 19:88-92Translation: Saheeh International

The virgin birth — and Adam

Christians often see the virgin birth as evidence of Jesus's divinity: no human father, therefore God's Son. Muslims affirm the virgin birth completely, and draw a different conclusion. The Qur'an compares Jesus to Adam, who had neither father nor mother. A miraculous origin shows God's power. It does not make the one created divine.

Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.
Qur'an — Surah Aal 'Imran 3:59Translation: Saheeh International
  • Qur'anQur'an 3:59
  • TafsirIbn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, on 3:59The comparison of Jesus with Adam as an argument against his divinity.

What Jesus will say

The Qur'an records a scene from the Day of Judgement in which God asks Jesus whether he told people to worship him and his mother. His answer is the Qur'an's last word on the subject.

And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it.… I said not to them except what You commanded me - to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.…"
Qur'an — Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:116-117Translation: Saheeh International

A note on the Gospels

Muslims observe that in the Gospels Jesus most often calls himself 'the Son of Man', calls God 'my Father and your Father', teaches his followers to pray 'Our Father', and is called 'a prophet' by those who saw his miracles. Christians read 'Son of God' in these texts as unique and ontological; Muslims note that Israel, David and the peacemakers are also called God's sons in the Bible, and read the phrase for Jesus as an honorific — one the Qur'an, for the reasons above, chooses not to use even so.

We do not pretend this settles the question. We offer it so that a Christian reader can see that Islam's position is not ignorance of the Gospels but a different reading of them — and an invitation to read them again with the Qur'an's account in mind.

  • Comparative religionJohn 20:17 (Bible, ESV)"…I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."
  • Comparative religionMatthew 5:9 (Bible, ESV)"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
  • Comparative religionLuke 24:19 (Bible, ESV)"…Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word…"

Continue

Sources & References

13 cited
    1. 1Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, on 3:59The comparison of Jesus with Adam as an argument against his divinity.
    1. 1John 20:17 (Bible, ESV)"…I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."
    2. 2Matthew 5:9 (Bible, ESV)"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
    3. 3Luke 24:19 (Bible, ESV)"…Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word…"

Religious content here follows the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, and the established scholarship of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. Qur'an citations link to the verse; hadith carry collection and number; Tafsir and historical claims name the work. Where something could not be verified, it is not published.

Continue