Answer
Salam (Peace) Steve,
Thank you for contacting About Islam with your question.
Please find part one of the answer to your question below. Find the second and final part at the link here.
The Holy Quran refers to Jesus as al-Masih ‘Isa ibn Maryam, that is the Messiah Jesus, son of Mary. In fact, this is an indirect way of saying that Jesus Christ was not God’s son, but rather Mary’s son.
You may know that the Muslim scripture is emphatic in its statement that God is one and one only. In other words, the Muslims do not accept the Christian claim that Jesus was/is God, or one of the three constituents of God.
The Holy Quran clearly states that Jesus (peace be upon him-PBUH) was miraculously born the son of the Virgin Mary.
Muhammad (PBUB) recited these relevant verses about Jesus (PBUH) that were revealed to him by God (Allah) at a time when the Jews of Medina maliciously alleged that Jesus falsely claimed to be the Messiah, and was an illegitimate son of Mary. To the Jews of Medina, Jesus “deserved” crucifixion for this.
At this crucial moment, Allah vindicated His beloved Prophet Jesus (PBUH) by revealing to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that Jesus (PBUH) was in fact the Messiah, a true prophet of God, and had been miraculously born to the Virgin Mary.
The Holy Quran narrates the story as follows:
{And mention Mary in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place;
So she took a veil (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man.
She said: Surely, I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficent Allah, if you are one guarding (against evil).
He [angel Gabriel] said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy.
She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste?
He said: Even so; your Lord says: “It is easy for Me: and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from Us, and it is a matter which has been decreed”.
So she conceived him.
[…] And she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her).
They said: O Mary! Surely you have done a strange thing.
O sister of Aaron! Your father was not a bad man, nor, was your mother an unchaste woman.
But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle?
He (the baby Jesus) said: Surely I am a 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 He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live;
And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me insolent, unblessed;
And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life.
Such is Jesus, son of Mary; (this is) the saying of truth about which they dispute.
It befits not Allah that He should take to Himself a son, glory to be Him! When He has decreed a matter He only says to it “Be,” and it is.} (Quran 19:16-35)
I hope the foregoing answers some of your question. I urge you to continue to read part two at the link here, and to search our site for more information about Islam and its comparative relationship to Christianity.
Thank you and please stay in touch.
Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:
Did Jesus Claim That He Is God?