What Does the Quran Say About the Crucifixion of Jesus?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

I am weighing the Islamic and Christian narratives of the crucifixion.

Two things trouble me. First, the Christian claim that many people saw Jesus alive after the crucifixion, as recorded by his early followers.

Second, if he was raised to Allah and not crucified, why did he not tell his followers beforehand, so they would not come to believe he had died and risen? I would like an Islamic answer that takes the Christian claims seriously.

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate.

These are sincere questions, and they deserve a careful answer rather than a slogan. The Islamic position rests on a fixed doctrinal floor, and within that floor, there is real room to address what the early witnesses experienced.

The Islamic understanding is set by four verses.

One. Of those who claimed to have killed the Messiah, Allah Most High says: “Yet they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it was made to appear so to them.” [Quran 4:157; Keller, The Quran Beheld]

Two. He affirms instead: “Rather Allah raised him up to Himself.” [Quran 4:158]

Three. He had already told Jesus (peace be upon him): “I am taking you and raising you up to Myself, and clearing you of those who disbelieve.” [Quran 3:55]

Four. And Jesus (peace be upon him) testifies that he said only “what You commanded me, Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” [Quran 5:117] The Messiah was neither killed nor crucified; he was raised, alive, to Allah.

The Phrase That Carries the Answer

The key phrase is “it was made to appear so to them.”

Imam Razi, in his great Quranic commentary, takes the matter up under both this verse and the verse of the taking-up, and he does precisely what your question asks: he weighs the reports by reason rather than merely listing them. [Razi, Mafatih al-Ghayb]

The strongest position among the early authorities, carried by Imam Tabari and Hafiz Ibn Kathir from the Companions, is that Allah cast the likeness of Isa upon another, who was then taken for him, while Isa was raised. [Tabari, Jami al-Bayan; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim]

A scholar may hold that the strongest position without settling every transmitted detail, as other possibilities of what happened. But Jesus (peace be upon him) wasn’t actually crucified.

Why Sincere Witnesses Are Not the Difficulty

Notice what the Quran does not say. It does not call the early followers liars, nor deny that they were certain they had seen a dead and then a living teacher. It says that what they perceived and what actually happened came apart.

The very verb Allah chooses, that the matter “was made to appear” to them, puts what happened at the level of perception.

This is an everyday distinction, not special pleading: a sincere witness can report faithfully what he was sure he saw and still be wrong about what occurred.

So witnesses convinced of a death and a return are exactly what a reader of 4:157 (above) would expect, not evidence against it.

Why Jesus Did Not Announce the Rescue in Advance

Your second question touches the nature of prophethood. A prophet conveys what he is given when he is commanded to convey it. The raising-up was Allah’s act, not a future event; Jesus (peace be upon him) was told to publicize beforehand.

And his testimony in 5:117 (above) is that he said only what he was commanded, no more.

What Jesus (peace be upon him) was sent with, pure worship of the one God and glad tidings of the final Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace), is precisely what was altered after him, and that distortion is itself part of the Quranic account.

The absence of a forewarning is not a gap in the story; it fits how Allah works through His prophets.

Where is Jesus, Then?

As for where Jesus (peace be upon him) is now, he is alive in Paradise in closeness of rank with Allah. And the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us he will return before the end of time: “By Him in whose hand is my soul, the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just judge.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

In our belief and conviction as Muslims, there is more to come.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Related SeekersGuidance Answers

Is There Any Room for Muslims to Believe in the Resurrection of Prophet ’Isa (Peace Be upon Him)? — Sets the doctrinal floor: Isa was raised alive, not killed, and will descend before the end of time.

Allah Breathing His Spirit Into Jesus? The Possible Meanings of this Verse & The Approach of Sunni Islam Towards Ambiguous Texts — Explores the Sunni interpretation of verses about Allah “breathing His spirit” into Prophet ʿĪsā and explains how ambiguous theological texts are understood in orthodox Islam.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.

Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.

In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.

Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.

Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School.” This book, published by White Thread Press in 2004, is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.

His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.