Jesus, Prophet of Islam - The Islamic Bulletin

284 Jesus, Prophet of Islam

for you, if only you knew. He will forgive you your

wrong actions and bring you into Gardens underneath

which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of

Eden. That is the supreme success. And He will give you

something else that you love: Help from God and vic­

tory that is near - and give good news to the believers!

o you who believe, be God's helpers, just as when Je­

sus son of Mary said to the disciples, 'Who will be my

helpersfor God?' andthe disciples replied, 'We are God' s

helpers.' And a party of the Tribe of Israel believed, and

a party disbelieved, and We strengthened those who

believed against their enemy, and so they became the

ones who prevailed. (Qur'an 61:5-14).

Jesus's conception and birth are recorded by the Qur'an in great
detail. It would be illuminating to begin with his mother's birth
and upbringing, for it helps us to see how Mary was chosen and
prepared by God to be the mother of Jesus:

Surely God chose Adam and Noah and the familyof

Abraham and the family of 'Irnran above all the worlds

• they were descended from each other - and God is
  Hearing, Knowing. (And remember) when the wife of
  'Irnran said, 'My Lord, surely 1have vowed that what is
  in my womb will be dedicated to Vou- so accept it from
  me. Surely it is Vou Who are the Hearer, the Knower.'
  And when she had given birth to her, she said, 'My Lord,
  surely 1 have given birth to a girl,' and God knew best
  to whom she had given birth - a boy is not like a girl,
  'and surely 1 have named her Mary, and surely 1 seek
  protection in Vou for her and her offspring from the
  outcast shaytan.'

And her Lord accepted her with complete acceptance,

and made her grow in complete health, and made Za­

chariah her guardian. And whenever Zachariah entered

the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food.

He said, '0 Mary, from where has this come?' She re­

plied, 'It is from God - surely God provides for whom­

ever He wishes without reckoning.' Then Zachariah

prayed to ms Lord, saying, 'My Lord, grant me good

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