Was Jesus Tortured and Crucified?

7 min readNov 15, 2018

Question : Why will Jesus come down to earth again? Was he really crucified and was he really tortured before the crucifixion?

answer by Professor Shahul Hameed: Islamic consultant. He also held the position of the President of the Kerala Islamic Mission, Calicut, India.

Was Jesus Tortured and Crucified?

Jesus was not crucified, the truth is mentioned in the Qur’an. Muslims believe that before the Last Day, Jesus will return to earth. The meaning of the relevant verse in the Quran is as follows:

“And [for] their saying, “Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah .” And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise.”
The Holy Qur’an 4:157–158

Note that the Arabic word used for “raised up” is rafa`a. In one view, this need not mean a physical lifting up, so the word in this context may refer to the raising of Jesus to a lofty station, as one of the closest to God.

That is to say, that he was spiritually elevated to a high status in divine presence. But a careful reading of the above verse should make the following clear:

The Romans and the Jews did not kill Jesus; they did not crucify him; but it appeared so.

The question is: what happened to Jesus, then?

And the answer is “Allah raised him up to Himself.” That is to say, Jesus was physically lifted up and thus was saved from the curse of a death on the cross.

Muslims reject the Christian claim that an innocent Son of God — or God Himself — had to die on the cross to save sinners from punishment. The Quran says that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified.

So, he must be alive. Hence it is natural for the Muslims to believe that Jesus will return; and it is noteworthy that the Quran and the hadith (recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) support that belief. Here is one example of such a hadith:

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him-PBUH) said:

By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Maryam* will soon descend among you as a just judge, and he will break the cross, kill the pig, and abolish the jizyah and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it, until a single prostration will be better than the world and everything in it. (Al-Bukhari)
* son of Maryam : The Messiah Jesus son of Mary)

( And there is none from the People of the Scripture* but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness ) Quran 4:159

*People of the Scripture : Jews and Christians

The above verse and hadith essentially suggests that Jesus will return as a just judge between truth and falsehood. Breaking the cross, killing the pig, and so on simply mean that he will correct the false doctrines and beliefs spread about him and his teachings among his followers.

Consequently, many of them (Christians) will follow him. And thus, the followers of Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Jesus (peace and blessings be upon both of them) will be united into one ummah (nation). This is the purpose of Jesus’ return to earth. [1]

According to Mark 14/50, the “crucifixion” was not witnessed by anyone of the disciples of Jesus as “they all forsook Him and fled.” Also, none of the Gospel and Epistle writers witnessed the “crucifixion”; in other words, there were no credible eyewitnesses. Thus, the sources of the story of the “crucifixion” are doubtful, especially considering that the Canonical Gospels themselves differ as to the exact details of the “crucifixion” from beginning to end. [2]

In brief, the Quran makes it clear that God saved Jesus from torture and death on the cross, and he will come back to earth as a just ruler. This is quite in keeping with the Biblical reference to Jesus’ prayer to God to save him (Matthew 26:36–40), as well as to his second coming.

according to Matthew 26:36–40, Mark 14:36, and Luke 22:42 Jesus prayed to God to save him and In Hebrews 5:7 below, Paul said God heard [ANSWERED] Jesus prayers. And James, in his James 5:16 said the prayers of a righteous person availed much.

The Many Prayers Of Jesus To God To Be Saved From The Alleged Crucifixion

The summary of the many prayers of Jesus to God in Matthew 26:39, Matthew 26:42, Mark 14:36, and Luke 22:42 is:-

‘‘My will is You protect me from disbelievers and if Your will is to let me die in their hands, Your will only should be done.’

In Hebrews 5:7 below, Paul said God heard [ANSWERED] Jesus prayers.

“In his life on earth Jesus made his prayers and requests with loud cries and tears to God, who could save him from death. Because he was humble and devoted, God heard him. “ Good News Translation

And James, in his James 5:16 below said the prayers of a righteous person availed much. Jesus, being one of the most righteous persons in the sight of God, his many prayers to be saved from the ALLEGED crucifixion should have been answered unless, God forbids, God is unmerciful!

“. . . The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” [James 5:16]

After all, what said in Matthew 7:7–9 below is still relevant: Ask, Seek, Knock

“ 7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened .9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”

So, today Christians say Jesus is a God, he will forgive all of your sins….this all have no truth in it because Jesus himself was praying to God to be saved. how he will save others? [3]

According to the Bible, death by crucifixion is for the accursed one; so, one cannot imagine a respectable prophet of God being subjected to a death described by the Bible as accursed.

All this simply points to the fact that Jesus, who was a prophet of God, was saved by God from the pain of torture and the shame of a death on the cross.

According to Quran Jesus Christ is :

-1- human

-2- great prophet

-3- pure son of virgin Mary (Quran 19:16–21)

-4- not divine

-5- The Quran teaches that Jesus is a true Messenger and Prophet of God sent to the children of Israel.

-6- He was born by the command of God to virgin Mary.

-7- He preached the gospel and the oneness of God.

-8- He led a righteous life and was kind to his mother.

-9- He never claimed to be God reincarnate or God in human flesh.

-10- He is not the son of God but His creature.

-11- He was neither killed nor crucified. God protected him from his enemies and raised him in honour and before his departure from the world he prophesied the coming of Muhammad the last and final Messenger of God.

-12- He is mentioned in the Quran a total of 25 times by name.

-13- His full name given in the Quran is Al Maseeh Isa Ibn Maryam or The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary.

-14- Belief in Jesus is an article of faith in Islam. No Muslim is a Muslim unless he believes in Jesus.

-15- He performed miracles (speaking as a baby, making a clay bird alive, healing the blind and the lepers, etc.)

-16- He will return back from the heavenly realm to ours at the end times.

Jesus Christ is described in the Quran as Pure Son (Quran 19:16–21) and his mother Mary mentioned as the chosen woman of the world (Quran 3:42–44) and Allah has chosen her as the best of the women of this world. In fact, Mary is the only woman mentioned by her name in the Entire Quran.

i will conclude with this verse:

( That is Jesus, the son of Mary the word of truth about which they are in dispute. it does not befit the majesty of God that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! He is far above that: when He decrees something, He says only, Be! and it is )

The Quran 19:30–35

Allah knows best.