Muslims — Lovers of Jesus?

Do Muslims love Jesus (peace be upon him)? Unbeknownst to many, the Holy Qur’an strongly emphasizes the importance of loving, respecting, and honouring him. But let’s take it one step further; can Muslims be considered his most devout lovers? Imitation can be seen as the sincerest form of flattery, so here are five ways Muslims emulate Jesus (peace be upon him), proving their love for him. 

Same Declaration of Faith

Throughout Prophet Jesus’s life, he taught his disciples about worshipping one God. The Gospels record that he said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” [John 17:3]

And what is the Muslim declaration of faith? The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) declared, “Verily, Islam is founded on five (pillars): testifying the fact that there is no god but Allah, establishment of prayer, payment of Zakat, fast of Ramadan and Pilgrimage to the House.” [Sahih Muslim, 16d]

The first step in becoming a Muslim is believing in the one true God, just as Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) taught. In Islam, one must sincerely declare faith in one God to embrace the religion. Over a billion Muslims worldwide follow the same message Jesus (peace be upon him) shared with his disciples. They proudly voice the same declaration he taught his followers. 

Same Way of Worship

Similarly, we see in the Bible that Jesus’ way of praying is very similar to that of Muslims. Leading up to the Crucifixion, Jesus was with some of his closest disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. After gathering them, the Bible describes that, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ’O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” [Matthew 26:39]The act of falling on the face during prayer is prostration!

This is exactly how the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught Muslims to pray. This description of Jesus’s (peace be upon him) prayer perfectly matches the sujood position of Islamic prayer. Muslims, since their childhood, pray in this exact manner. Today, we see that Muslims are at the forefront of maintaining his blessed tradition of praying like this alive and well. 

Same Diet

It is a well-known fact among theologians, historians, and Christians alike that Jesus (peace be upon him) never ate pork. He strictly followed the Mosaic Law, which forbade the consumption of swine. Similarly, the Holy Qur’an states, “Forbidden to you is the flesh of an animal which dies of itself, and blood and the flesh of swine; and that on which is invoked the name of one other than Allah…” [5:5]

Acting upon this instruction, all practicing Muslims strictly avoid consuming pork. Precisely just like Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) did. 

Same Greeting

One lesser known fact about Jesus (peace be upon him) is his greeting. In the Bible, there are many instances where he comes to his disciples and greets them by saying “Peace be with you”. For example, after the Crucifixion, it is narrated, “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.’” [John 20:19]

Similarly, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) repeatedly instructed his companions to spread the greeting of Assalamu Alaikum meaning “Peace be upon you.” On one occasion, he said, “O people, exchange greetings of peace (say: peace be upon you to one another), feed others, strengthen the ties of kinship, and be in prayer while others sleep; you will enter Jannah in peace.” [Riyadus Saliheen, 848] In another narration, he mentioned, “When you enter your house, say As Salamu ’Alaikum (peace be upon you) to your family, for it will be a blessing for both you and your family.” [Riyadus Saliheen, 861]

Every Muslim today continues Jesus’ (peace be upon him) tradition of spreading the greeting of “peace be with you” to each other. This is a divine practice taught to us by the prophets and upheld by Muslims in this era. 

Recognize the Fulfillment of a Grand Prophecy 

Finally, before his departure, Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) left his disciples with a great prophecy to share the good news of someone else who would come to complete the faith. He said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” [John 16:12-13]

Here Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is beautifully telling his disciples of the coming of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He was called As-Sadiq, meaning the Truthful. He came to complete the faith, just as Jesus (peace be upon him) said he would. He did not speak on his own but conveyed what was revealed to him by God. He made numerous prophecies, many of which are being fulfilled in this era. All of these claims were made by Jesus (peace be upon him).

Muslims, who believe in the truthfulness of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), accept this great prophecy as fulfilled. They recognize that every word he uttered has come to pass. Out of their deep obedience to the One who sent Jesus (peace be upon him), Muslims accept the one he prophesied about 2000 years ago.

Conclusion

These are just five of the many ways Muslims follow the righteous example of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). There is a well-known proverb that “Actions speak louder than words.” We can all claim to love someone, but the true lover is one who not only professes their love but also demonstrates it through every action. A true lover expresses their inspiration in their very conduct. Who else besides Muslims can say they believed, worshipped, ate, and spoke just as Jesus (peace be upon him) did?