Return to God
Muslims and Christians disagree about the circumstances surrounding the end of Jesus' life on earth. According to Islamic teaching, the crucifixion of Jesus never took place. The Qur'an states very clearly that while there was a plot to kill Jesus, it failed because God saved Jesus from his enemies by raising him up to heaven.
The Qur'an condemns the actions of some disbelievers among the Children of Israel, who rejected Jesus' mission, made false charges of fornication against Mary, and boasted about killing Jesus: “They rejected faith. They uttered against Mary a grave, false charge. They said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of God.’ But they killed him not, nor crucified him. Only a likeness of that was shown to them. And those who debate about this are full of doubts, with no certain knowledge, but only conjecture to follow. Surely, they did not kill him. No, God raised him up unto Himself, and God is Exalted in Power, Wise” (Qur'an 4:156–158).
Who do Muslims believe was crucified instead of Jesus?
The Qur'an does not elaborate; it only points out that it was someone who looked like him, who “appeared” to be him. Indeed, there is as much mystery about the “death” of Jesus as there is about his birth.
