Historically, Jesus has been a controversial figure. While people disagree about the reality of Jesus, they agree upon the importance of finding out the truth about him. In your quest to find out the truth about Jesus, you may turn to historical or theological writings, the New Testament, or the movie theater. But, have you thought about the Quran as a resource to find out the truth about Jesus? Do not be surprised: you can find out the truth about Jesus in the Quran of Muhammad. In the Quran, God communicates to us pivotal truths about Jesus’ birth, mission, message, ministry, ascension, and return. Islamic theology agrees with Mt 12:18, that Jesus was the servant of God. His mother, Mary, conceived him miraculously when the Holy Spirit breathed into her. The Holy Spirit is Archangel Gabriel. Bear in mind, the Bible refers to angels as spirits (Heb 1:7). Jesus was called the Word of God because he was brought into existence through God's word “Be” without having a biological father.
As you read the following quranic verses concerning Jesus, please do remember that God uses the pronoun “We” in speaking of Himself  because in the grammar of Semitic languages (biblical Hebrew or Aramaic, and quranic Arabic) it is a way of denoting the awesome majesty and great honor due to Almighty God. Now, get ready to read what the Quran has to say about Jesus:

2:62 “Those who believe and the Jews, and the Christians and the Sabians,- anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day, and does good deeds, shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”

2:87 “And indeed We gave unto Moses the Scripture and We caused a train of messengers to follow after him. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and We strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.  Is it ever so when there came unto you a messenger with that which yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant, thus you disbelieved in some and you killed some?”

2:135-136 ”And they say:  Be Jews or Christians, then you will be rightly guided. Say:  Nay, but (we follow) the upright religion of Abraham, he was not of the idolaters.  Say:  We believe in Allah and that which was revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes; and that which Moses and Jesus received, and that which the prophets received from their Lord.  We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we are submitters.”

2:253 “Those messengers, we preferred some over others.  Allah spoke to some of them (directly), and He raised some over others in ranks.  We gave Jesus the son of Mary clear proofs, and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.”

3:33-62 “Allah did select Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran above all people, - offspring one of the other; and Allah is Hearer, Knower.  When the woman of Imran said:  My Lord, I vowed to You what is in my womb free from any conditions, so accept it from me.  Indeed, you are the Hearer, the Knower.  And when she delivered her, she said: My Lord, indeed I delivered a female - Allah knew best what she delivered - and the male is not as the female.  I have named her Mary. I protect her and her offspring in You from Satan the outcast.   So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused to grow in good manners and put her in the care of Zachariah.  Every time Zachariah entered the prayer chamber, he found with her provision.  He said:  O Mary where did this come to you from.  She said:  It is from Allah.  Indeed, Allah provides for whom He chooses without limits.  There did Zachariah pray to his Lord.  He said:  My Lord, grant me from you good offspring; surely you are the one who answers prayers.  Right away, the angels called him while he was still standing praying in the praying chamber.  They said:  Indeed, Allah gives you glad tidings of John who confirms the truth of a Word from Allah.  He is noble, abstinent, and a prophet of the righteous.  He said:  My Lord, how can I have a son when age has overtaken me and my wife is barren?  (He) said:  So shall it be.  Allah does what He chooses.  He said:  My Lord, appoint a sign for me.  He said: Your sign is that you should not speak to people for three days except by gesture; and remember your Lord much and glorify Him in the evening and the morning.  And remember when the angels said:  O Mary, surely Allah has selected you and purified you and selected you above the women of the world. Mary, be obedient to your Lord, prostrate and bow with those who bow (in worship).  We reveal to you this information about the unseen.  You were not with them as they were throwing their pens to pick the one who would take care of Mary; and you were not with them when they disputed.  (And remember) when the angels said:  O Mary, indeed, Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, highly esteemed in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah).  He will speak to the people in the cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous.  She said:  My Lord, how can I have a child when no man has ever touched me? He said:  So shall it be.  Allah creates what He chooses.  If He decrees a thing, He says about it Be and then it is.  And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel.  He is a messenger to Israel, (saying):  Indeed, I came to you with a sign from your Lord.  Indeed, I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it so it becomes a living bird by Allah's leave.  I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I revive the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce to you what you eat and what you store up in your houses. Indeed, herein is a sign for you, if you are believers.  Also, I authenticate the Torah that came before me and legalize some of that which was forbidden unto you.  I brought you a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.  Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him.  That is a straight path.  But, when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he said:  Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah?  The disciples said:  We will be Allah's helpers.  We believe in Allah, so you bear witness that we are submitters.  Our Lord, we believed in what you have brought down and we followed the messenger, thus register us among those who bear witness.  And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them).  Allah is the best of schemers.  (And remember) when Allah said:  O Jesus, I will take you and raise you to Me and purify you from the disbelievers.  Indeed, I position those who followed you above those who disbelieved until the Day of Standing.  Then unto Me is your return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein you used to differ. As for those who disbelieved, I shall torment them with a severe torment in the world and the Hereafter; and they will have no helpers.  And as for those who believed and did good deeds, He will pay them their rewards in full.  Allah loves not the oppressors.  We relate to you this from the signs and the wise reminder. Indeed, the example of Jesus with Allah is like that of Adam.  He molded him from dirt, and then He said unto him:  Be.  And he is.  This is the truth from your Lord.  Thus, do not be among the doubters.   Whoever disputes with you in this matter after the knowledge has come to you, then say:  Come, let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and ourselves and yourselves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah to be on the liars.  Indeed, this is the true story.  There is no real God except Allah.  And Allah is the Wise, the Invincible.”

3:84 “Say:  We believe in Allah and that which was revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes; and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord.  We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we are submitters.”

4:153-159 “The people of the Scripture keep on asking you to bring down to them a book from the sky.   They requested of Moses a greater request.  They said:  Show us Allah openly; so the lightning struck them on account of their injustice.  Then, they took the calf (for a god), after clear signs had come to them, but We pardoned this; and gave Moses clear authority.  And We raised over them the mountain due to their covenant and said to them enter the door while prostrating and do not transgress on the Sabbath.  And we took from them a thick covenant.   Because of breaking their covenant, and their disbelief in the revelations of Allah, and their slaying of the prophets unjustly, and their saying:  Our hearts are wrapped -nay, but Allah set a seal upon them for their disbelief so that they believe not save a few- and because of their disbelief and of their speaking against Mary a tremendous calumny, and because of their saying (in boast):  We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah (we punished them).  However, they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not.  Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Invincible, Wise.  And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his (Jesus) death.  And on the Day of Standing, he will be a witness over them.”

4: 163 “Indeed, We revealed to you just like We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him, and as We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the tribes, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron and Solomon.  And We gave David the Psalms”

4:171-175 “O People of the Scripture do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter about Allah except the truth.  The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He said unto Mary, and a spirit from Him.  So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "three" – Cease. It is better for you.  Indeed, Allah is only One God.  Far away from His glory that He should have a son.  His is all that is in the skies and all that is in the earth.  And Allah is sufficient as the Disposer of affairs.  Never would the Messiah disdain to be Allah's servant, nor would the high ranking angels.  Whoever disdains to worship Him and is arrogant, He will gather them all together to Himself.  Then as for those who believed and did good deeds, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of His grace; and as for those who disdained and were arrogant, He will torment them with a painful torment.  And they shall not find for themselves besides Allah any guardian or helper.  O mankind:  There has come to you a conclusive proof from your Lord, and We have sent down unto you a clear light.  As for those who believe in Allah, and hold fast unto Him, He will admit them into His mercy and grace, and will guide them unto Him by a straight path.”

5:17 “They certainly have disbelieved who said:  Indeed Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.  Say:  Who then can do aught against Allah, if He had willed to destroy  the Messiah son of Mary, and his mother and everyone on earth?  Allah's is the dominion of the skies and the earth and all that is between them.  He creates what He chooses.  And Allah is Able to do all things.”

5:46 “And We sent after them in their footsteps Jesus, son of Mary, confirming that which was (revealed) before him in the Torah, and We gave him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah - a guidance and an admonition to the righteous.” 

5:72-76 “They certainly have disbelieved who said:  Indeed Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.  The Messiah (himself) said:  O Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.  Verily Allah has forbidden paradise on anyone who partners with Allah anything.  And the fire will be his abode.  There are no helpers for the oppressors.  They certainly have disbelieved who said:  Allah is one of three in a trinity.  There is no true God except the One God.  If they desist not from so saying, a painful torment will fall on those of them who disbelieve.  Will they not rather turn unto Allah and seek forgiveness of Him?  For Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.  The Messiah, son of Mary was no more than a messenger; many were the messengers that passed away before him.  His mother was a woman of truth. They both had to eat.  See how Allah does make His signs clear to them; yet see in what ways they are deluded away from the truth.  Say:  Do you worship in place of Allah that which has neither power to harm nor benefit you while it is Allah who is the Hearer, the Knower?”
 
5:109-120 “On the day when Allah will assemble the messengers, and then say: What answer were you given?  They shall say:  We have no knowledge.  Indeed, it is You who is the Vast in Knowledge about the unseen.  Then Allah will say:  O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My favors to you and to your mother.  Indeed, I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, so that you speak to the people in the cradle and in manhood.  Indeed, I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel.  And indeed you fashioned out of clay the likeness of a bird by My leave, and you breathed into it and it became a bird by My leave, and you healed those born blind, and the leper, by My leave.  And indeed you raised the dead by My leave.  And indeed I did restrain the Children of Israel from (harming) you when you came to them with clear signs, and the disbelievers among them said:  This is nothing but evident magic.  And remember when I inspired the disciples:  Believe in Me and in My messenger, they said:  We believe.  Bear witness that we have submitted.  When the disciples said:  O Jesus, son of Mary, is your Lord able to send down for us a table spread with food from the sky?  He said:  Observe your duty to Allah, if you are true believers.  They said:  We desire that we should eat of it and that our hearts should be at rest, and that we may know that you have indeed spoken the truth to us and that we may be of the witnesses to it.  Jesus, son of Mary said:  O Allah our Lord, send down to us from the sky a table set (with viands), to be a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You; and provide for our sustenance, for You are the best of providers.  Allah said:  I will send it down unto you.  But, if any of you after that disbelieves, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on anyone among all the peoples.  And be mindful when Allah will say: O Jesus, son of Mary.  Did you say to the people accept me and my mother as two gods beside Allah?  He said:  Glory be to you.  It does not befit me that I should claim what is not true of me.  If I had said it, then you would have known it.  You know what is in myself, and I know not what is in yourself.  Indeed, you are the Vast in Knowledge about the unseen.  I never said to them except what you commanded me to say- to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.  I was a witness over them while I dwelt among them.  When you took me, you were the Watcher over them, and you are Witness over all things.  If you should punish them, they are your slaves.  If you forgive them, you are the Invincible, the Wise.  Allah will say:  This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truthfulness.  Theirs are Gardens underneath which rivers flow.  They will be eternalized therein, Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him.  That is the great triumph.  To Allah belongs the dominion of the skies and the earth, and all that is therein. And He is Able to do all things.”

6:85 “And Zachariah and John and Jesus and Elias.  Each one (of them) was of the righteous.”

19:1-39 “This is the story of the mercy of your Lord unto His servant Zachariah; when he called unto his Lord a secretive call.  He said:  O my Lord, infirm indeed are my bones, and the hair of my head glisten with grey, but never have I been in my supplications to You, O my Lord, unhappy.  Indeed I am apprehensive of my heirs after me, and my wife is barren, therefore, grant me from you a successor who should inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, a pleasing person.  O Zachariah, indeed We give you the glad tidings of a boy whose name shall be John.  We have not made before anyone equal to him. He said:  O my Lord, how shall I have a son, when my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?  He said:  So shall it be, your Lord says:  It is easy for Me, and indeed I created you before, when you were nothing.  He said: O my Lord, give me a sign.  He said:  Your sign is to lose your ability to speak to the people while you still being healthy.  Then he came out from the praying chamber to meet his people.  He signaled to them:  Glorify (your Lord) at the break of day and the fall of night.  O John take the scriptures with strength, and We granted him wisdom while yet a child.  And he was benevolence from Us, pure, pious and dutiful to his parents.  He never was insolent or disobedient.  Peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he shall be raised alive.  Also, relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to an eastern place.   She screened herself from them.  Then, We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man.  She said:  I seek refuge in the Merciful from you even if you were pious.  He said:  I am only a messenger of your Lord to grant you a pure boy.  She said:  How can I have a son when no human has ever touched me?  And I am not a harlot.  He said:  So shall it be; your Lord says:  It is easy for Me, and that We may make him a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed.  So she conceived him; then withdrew herself with him to a remote place.  The pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree.  She said:  I wish I had died before this and was a forgotten trifle matter.  Then, he called her from beneath her saying do not grieve.  Your Lord created under you a rill.  And shake towards you the trunk of the palm tree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates.  So eat, drink, and be contented.  When you see any human being, say:  Surely I have vowed a fast to the Merciful, so today I shall not speak to any human being.  Then, she went to her people carrying him.  They said:  O Mary, surely you have done an evil deed.  O sister of Aaron, your father was not a wicked man nor was your mother a harlot.  But she pointed to him.  They said: How can we talk to a child in the cradle?  He said:  Surely I am the servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.  And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive.  And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant.  Peace be on me the day I was born, and the day I will die, and the day I shall be raised alive.  Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary:  A statement of truth, about which they are in dispute.  It is not befitting to Allah that He should beget a son.  Glory be to Him.  When He decrees a matter, He only says about it, Be, and then it is.  And indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is the right path.  But the sects differ among themselves.   So, woe to those who disbelieved when they see an Awesome Day.”

19:88-96 “And they say:  The Merciful has begotten a son.  Indeed, you have put forth a thing most monstrous.   Almost the skies are torn because of it and the earth is split asunder and the mountains fall in ruins, that they attribute a son to the Merciful.  It is not befitting of the Merciful that He should beget a son.  There is no one in the skies and the earth but will come to the Merciful as a slave.  Indeed,  He knows them and numbers them with (right) numbering.  And each one of them will come unto Him on the Day of Standing, alone.  Indeed, those who believe and do good deeds, the Merciful will appoint for them love.”

33:7 “And when We took a covenant from the prophets, and from you (O Muhammad) and from Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus son of Mary.  We took from them a thick covenant.”

42:13 “He has ordained for you of the religion that which He commended unto Noah, and that which We revealed to you (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham, Moses and Jesus, saying:  Establish the religion, and be not divided therein.  Dreadful for the idolaters that unto which you call them.  Allah select for Himself whom He chooses, and guides unto Himself him who turns (toward Him).”

43:57-65 “And when the son of Mary was presented as an example, immediately your people laughed aloud and said:  Are our gods better, or is he?  They raised not the objection except to argue.  Indeed, they are argumentative people.  He was no more than a servant on whom We bestowed favor, and made him an example for the children of Israel.  Had We willed, We could have replaced you (mankind) with angels to be viceroys in the earth.  And indeed he (Jesus) is a sign for the hour.  Therefore, have no doubt about it, but follow me.  This is a straight path.  And let not Satan avert you.  Verily, he is an open enemy for you. And when Jesus came with clear proofs, he said:  I have come to you indeed with wisdom, and that I may make clear to you some of what you differ in; so keep your duty to Allah, and obey me.  Indeed, it is Allah who is my Lord and your Lord.  So worship Him.  This is the right path.  But the sects from among themselves fell into disagreement.  So, woe to the those who oppressed from the penalty of a Painful Day.”

43:81-82 “Say:  If the Merciful had a son, then, I would be first among the worshippers.  The Lord of the skies and the earth, the Lord of the Throne is far above what they ascribe (unto Him).”

61:6 “And when Jesus son of Mary said:  O Israel, indeed, I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was revealed before me in the Torah, and bringing glad tidings of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is the Praised One.  Yet, when he has come unto them with clear proofs, they said:  This is mere magic.”

61:14 “O you who believe:  Be Allah's helpers, just as Jesus son of Mary said unto the disciples:  Who are my helpers for Allah?  They said:  We are Allah's helpers. Then, a party of Israel believed, while a party disbelieved.  Thus, We strengthened those who believed against their foe, so they prevailed.”

66:12 “And Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her womb, so We breathed into it through Our Spirit (Gabriel).  Also, she believed in the words of her Lord and His Books and she was of the obedient ones.

I hope that your reading in the Quran about Jesus brought to you enlightenment and spiritual strength.

Note: The translation of these verses is based on Yusuf Ali, Pichthall, Shakir, and Saheeh international translations.  Edited, adapted and compared with the original language by Radwan Kouatli.