Did the Jews Kill ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام?
Source: Fatāwā Amun Pūrī by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amun Pūrī
The Question
Did the Jews succeed in killing ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام?
The Answer
According to the Qur’an, the Jews intended to kill ʿĪsā عليه السلام, but Allah ﷻ did not allow them to succeed in their evil plans.
Qur’anic Evidence
Allah ﷻ says:
وَبِكُفْرِهِمْ وَقَوْلِهِمْ عَلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ بُهْتَانًا عَظِيمًا وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ ۖ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا
(Sūrah al-Nisāʾ: 156–159)
Translation:
“This was because of their disbelief, and because they uttered a mighty slander against Maryam (Mary), and because they said: ‘We killed the Messiah, ʿĪsā (Jesus), the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.’ But they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him — but it was made to appear so to them. Those who differ concerning it are full of doubts, with no certain knowledge, only conjecture to follow. And for certain, they did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. And there is none of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.”
Conclusion
- The Jews neither killed nor crucified ʿĪsā عليه السلام.
- Allah ﷻ made someone else appear like him, and ʿĪsā عليه السلام was raised alive to the heavens.
- He will return before the Day of Judgment, and eventually, all People of the Book will believe in him before his death.
