“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, in God’s sight, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, ‘Be,’ and he was.” (Qur’an 3:59)
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“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, with Allah, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, ‘Be,’ and he was.” (Qur’an 3:59)
I have often seen Muslims explain this verse by stating what is different between Jesus (as) and Adam (as). ”You see Jesus (as) had only a mother, and Adam (as) had no mother or father.” However, that is a difference and not something in common.
This verse is saying there is similitude and likeness between them.
Another point that is better than the first non-similitude is that Adam (as) was crated from dust and Jesus (as) -through his mother is created from dust. However, most Christians do not deny the humanity of Jesus (as).
Let us look at some verses in context.
“The truth is from Allah; be not of the doubters.” (Qur’an 3:60)
“And whoso disputes with you concerning him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say: ‘Come now, let us call our sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, our selves and your selves, then let us pray in humility and sincerity and invoke Allah’s curse upon the ones who lie.” (Qur’an 3:61)
“Lo! This verily is the true narrative. There is no god but Allah, and assuredly Allah is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” (Qur’an 3:62)
So from the previous verses the point that is being made in Qur’an 3:59 is such a solid point that from there on there is no more point debating with the Christians, and etc. Nor is their force of conversion. Rather, it is time to invoke the curse of Allah (swt) on the group that is lying. Allah (swt) is also connecting verse 3:62 to the point He (swt) establishes in verse 3:59. The argument presented in 3:59 strikes at the idea that Jesus is deity.
So let us go back and examine the verse:
“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, with Allah, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, ‘Be,‘ and he was.” (Qur’an 3:59)
Question: Why would Allah (swt) say, ‘Be’ understood to mean “Exist” if he already existed as “dust” ?
Answer: As explained in our previous post the “Be’ or “Kun” is a metaphor for the expediency of the command of Allah (swt). Some Muslims must imagine Allah (swt) constantly saying, “Be!” “Be!” , “Be!” when in reality He (swt) is not bound by that in order to create anything.
So what is meant by: “He created him from dust” ?
Imagine the Arabs Bedouins of the 7th century. How would you communicate to them the idea or concept of nothingness? How would you communicate to them the concept or the idea of a void?
Indeed, We have warned you of an imminent punishment—the Day every person will see ˹the consequences of˺ what their hands have done, and the disbelievers will cry, “I wish I were dust.” (Qur’an 78:40)
Subhan’Allah! I was crying and shaking while reading this verse. It is immensely powerful. Imagine the full weight of that day when being faced with the eternal consequence of ever lasting paradise or ever lasting hellfire!
The person is not saying. I am not making some please “Oh I am 182cm in height oh how I wish I could be reduced to 158cm in height.”
No! They are saying they wish were dust. They wish they were nothing, non existent.
“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, with Allah, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, ‘Be,‘ and he was.” (Qur’an 3:59)
If we as Muslims want to say: Jesus (as) is not God because Adam(as) had no parents where as Jesus (as) had at least one, Christians are keenly aware of this. In fact their text say:
“Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.” (Luke 3:38)
If we as Muslims want to say: Jesus (as) had a human origin as did Adam (as) the plain text of the Qur’an does not support that Adam (as) had a human origin. (That he had parents).
If we as Muslims want to say Jesus (as) had a human origin in that Adam (as) was made from dust and via analogy Jesus (as) is made from dust via Mary (as) Christians are aware of this too:
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)
In fact their text also says:
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14)
However, Christian theology states that Jesus (as) existed as the Word of Allah before being placed inside of Mary (as).
فِي البَدْءِ كَانَ الكَلِمَةُ مَوْجُودًا -In the beginning the Word (AlKalimat) Existed.
وَكَانَ الكَلِمَةُ مَعَ اللهِ، -And the Word (AlKalimat) was with Allah.
وَكَانَ الكَلِمَةُ هُوَ اللهَ. –And the Word (AlKalimat) was Allah.
كَانَ الكَلِمَةُ مَعَ اللهِ فِي البَدْءِ – The Word (AlKaimat) was with Allah in the beginning.
بِهِ خُلِقَ كُلُّ شيءٍ، -By Him all things were created.
وَبِدُونِهِ لَمْ يُخلَقْ شَيءٌ مِمَّا خُلِقَ. -And without Him nothing would have been created.
(John 1:1-3) from Arabic to English.
Source: (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-3&version=ERV-AR)
Prima-Qur’an comments: Now, the position of the majority of Muslim scholars is that they believe word for word the exact same views as stated in John 1:1-3 with one caveat.
That caveat being: “And the Word (AlKalimat) was Allah.” Instead they would word it as: “The Word is not Identical to the Essence of Allah and yet, it is not other than the Essence of Allah!”
If that does not send chills down your spine and a wake up call like bucket of ice cold water being splashed in your face than so be it. My refuge is in Allah (swt) the Creator of all things.
Now notice I did not say this is the view of the majority of the Muslims. I want to be honest and protect the layman from false allegations. The truth is the overwhelming majority of Muslims have never even contemplated this issue. They are simply following what their fathers follow and their father of their fathers. Or they call in and ask a Shaykh and the Shaykh tells them what to believe about the matter. The end.
The truth is the above position are taken by scholars who hold to schools that were adopted by certain Muslim empires not because the arguments in and of themselves have veracity.
Look at how the following verse describes Jesus (as)
يَلْبَسُ ثَوْبًا مَغْمُوسًا بِالدَّمِ، وَاسْمُهُ «كَلِمَةُ اللهِ. -“He wears a garment dipped in blood, and his name is, ‘The Word of Allah’. ” -Kalimat Allah (Revelation: 19:13) from Arabic to English.
Source: (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+19%3A13&version=ERV-AR)
So now back to the verse.
“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, with Allah, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, then said He unto him, ‘Be,‘ and he was.” (Qur’an 3:59)
“O People of the Scripture do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and a word (kalimatuhu) from Him which He directed to Mary and a soul from Him. So, believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you.” (Qur’an 4:171)
So the thrust of the above argument the one argument in which Allah (swt) says about: the truth is from Allah so do not be in doubt is that just as Adam (as) was created from nothing, Jesus (as) as the word of Allah was created from nothing. From non being into being.
Jesus (as) is the created word of Allah (swt). Just as all the words of Allah (swt) are created from his Speech. Not as the Christians claim that he is The Uncreated Word and that Allah (swt) uses that aspect of him known as the Uncreated Word to create everything else.
“The truth is from Allah; be not of the doubters.” (Qur’an 3:60)
May Allah (swt) open the eyes, intellects and above all, the hearts of this Muslim Ummah.
Prima Quran 