21/11/2024
The Call to Monotheism: Understanding the Message of Jesus from an Islamic Perspective
By: Faisal Al-Sharif
In a world filled with diverse religious beliefs and interpretations of divine messages, we find that the call to monotheism—the worship of one God—is the core message upon which all prophets agreed. In the Book of John 14:6, Jesus is quoted as saying: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This statement has been interpreted in various ways across different faiths, often leading to questions and discussions about its true meaning. From an Islamic perspective, how should we understand this statement, and what does it imply about the mission of Jesus (peace be upon him)? In this article, we will explore the Islamic understanding of Jesus’s message and extend an invitation to the reader to reflect upon the call to worship the one true God through evidence from the Quran, the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and even the Bible itself. We invite those seeking truth to reach out to us on WhatsApp or Messenger for a deeper discussion.
Understanding the Message of Jesus in the Light of Islam
Muslims hold that Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), was a great prophet and messenger sent by God to guide the Children of Israel to the worship of one true God. The Quran affirms Jesus’s role with reverence, saying:
“The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger of God and His word which He conveyed to Mary, and a spirit from Him.” (Quran 4:171)
In Islam, Jesus is not viewed as divine but as a prophet, a teacher, and a guide sent by God to lead humanity towards truth. When Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” Muslims understand this statement as indicating his role in guiding people to God, not as a declaration of divinity. In other words, Jesus was a means to God, a messenger leading people to the path of righteousness and devotion to God—not to himself as an object of worship.
