Many Irish people probably do not know that Jesus and Mary also have a deep significance for Muslims. Ali Selimexplains
There are almost 40,000 Muslims in Ireland and all share a reverence for Jesus. Jesus (or Isa as he is called in Islam) is mentioned many times in the Koran and is of great significance for both Islam and Christianity.
However, there are differences in our beliefs about the nature and life events of this noble messenger.
Like Christians, Muslims believe Mary (or Maryam as she is called in the Koran) was a chaste, virgin woman who miraculously gave birth to Jesus.
Mary's virginity forms an essential part of Muslim belief.
The story of Zachary and John is told in a wonderful Koranic sketch. Zachary prayed secretly to God to give him a child. In spite of the fact that he was very old and his wife was barren, the angels told him they would have a child. It was unlikely for such an old man and a sterile woman but that is what happened.
Immediately after this story, the Koran tells us about Mary's conception. So, following one unlikely story, there is an even more unlikely story.
Apart from the creation of Adam, the birth of Jesus is the most extraordinary event in human history. Jesus is unique in this regard.
People tend to believe that only when masculine and feminine meet intimately there can be the possibility of a child. But then there is the story of Jesus to tell us that God's will can transcend all our norms.
Mary went to a place of solitude and hid herself away. Her place of solitude faced towards the east of Jerusalem. The eastern direction was respected as it was the place of light.
It was to this place the Ruh was sent to her. Ruh (which means Angel Gabriel) is the exact Arabic term used in the Koran.
When the Ruh appeared to Mary, she was scared.
Her fear was mixed with shyness when she realised he was the Lord's messenger.
Muslims believe that Jesus was the fruit of the Ruh breathing into Mary's garment.
It should be noted that Jesus is similar to Adam in this regard. This similarity was in the way both their souls were breathed into their bodies. However, God breathed Adam's soul into Adam's body but he commanded Angel Gabriel to breathe Jesus's soul into Mary's garment.
Hence, Muslims do not believe in the concept of Jesus being God's son and they see Mary's miraculous conception, in parallel with Adam's creation, as manifestations of God's power.
The severe pain of labour drove Mary to the trunk of a palm tree and raised many worries in her mind.
How would people accept this child? What would they say? Would they believe in her miraculous conception?
After giving birth to Jesus, Mary went back to her people and they were shocked to see her carrying a child. Jesus was one of a few babies who spoke in his cradle. Mary pointed to her baby and Jesus told the story. That miraculous ability to speak at such an age was given to Jesus to prove the chastity of his mother.
It was such an obvious miracle, it made the faces of all the people surrounding his mother turn pale. He told them God had given him the book and made him a prophet.
As a prophet, Jesus has a revered position in Islam.
The prophets are a certain number of people chosen by God as examples of good and as torchbearers for all time.
All the prophets are human beings - had they been of any nature other than human, they could not have been deemed examples to other humans.
They were made of the same material and spiritual qualities. God chose them to guide people and reform societies. Consequently, He gave them the very highest personal qualities.
He bestowed on them the honours of prophethood, wisdom and intelligence.
They preached God's revelation, guided people to peace and happiness and warned them against God's wrath.
Despite the fact that prophets were human beings, they were also different in their characteristics. They were truthful, intelligent, honest and sinless. God also gave them the ability to perform miracles.
Throughout history, no one ever declared himself to be a messenger without performing miracles.
Whenever an apostle was sent, his people demanded miracles from him.
A miracle is defined as the God-given ability a person has to perform something unusual so as to prove the authenticity of his prophethood.
A miracle is beyond the human and is not subject to any law. Jesus had the gift of touch. When he touched a sick man, he recovered. At the time of Jesus, there were excellent doctors, but none could compete with his miraculous touch.
Jesus could make something like the shape of a bird from clay. He would blow into it and it became a bird by God's leave.
He healed the blind and lepers, and brought the dead back to life. He also told the people what to eat and what they were storing in their houses.
It is worth mentioning that Jesus, like Muhammad, Moses, Abraham and others, performed all his miracles by God's leave.
Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet.
They believe Jesus was a link in a long chain of prophets sent by God to various societies whenever they needed guidance or deviated from divine teaching.
On the other hand, Muslims dismiss the concept of the Trinity and the divine son status of Jesus.
The question of Jesus's crucifixion touches one of the most controversial issues between Muslims and Christians.
Both Muslims and Christians have uncompromising stands in this regard.
According to the Koran, Jesus was not crucified. He was raised alive to heaven and he will be back. His likeness was placed on somebody and that person was crucified, but not Jesus.
In the light of the above, I can comfortably end by stressing that Muslim reverence for Jesus is something we have in common with Christians.
This can be of great help in assisting coexistence and in promoting good relations.
• Ali Selimis a Muslim theologian and secretary general of the Irish Council of Imams
E-mail: Aliselim_2000@yahoo.com