Short answer
Muslims believe in Jesus (Isa) as one of the greatest messengers of Allah, born of the virgin Mary by Allah's command, given the Gospel and the power of miracles. Muslims do not believe he is God or the son of God, and the Quran says he was not killed or crucified but raised to Allah and will return before the end of time.
Belief in Isa as a prophet and messenger is part of faith, and denying his prophethood is disbelief. Belief that he is divine or one of three is also rejected by the Quran. Ahl al-Sunnah, Hanafi theologians included, hold that he was raised alive and will descend near the end of time.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Jesus is honoured in the Quran by name more often than Muhammad ﷺ. He is called the Messiah, a word from Allah and a spirit from Him. His mother Maryam (Mary) has a surah named after her and is the only woman named in the Quran. The Quran says Allah chose her above the women of the worlds, and the Prophet ﷺ named her among the best women of all time.
Key points of Muslim belief about Jesus, on which the four schools and all Sunni scholars agree:
- He was born miraculously without a father, like Adam who had neither father nor mother.
- He spoke as a baby, healed the blind and the leper, and brought the dead to life by Allah's permission.
- He called people to worship Allah alone and described himself as Allah's servant.
- He was not killed or crucified. Allah raised him up, and he will return, kill the Dajjal and rule with justice.
So Muslims and Christians share deep love for Jesus and Mary, while differing on his divinity and the crucifixion. Saying "Jesus, peace be upon him" is the Muslim habit. Read his full story at Prophet Isa in Islam, and see Quran 43:61 and 5:116.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:45
إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍۢ مِّنْهُ ٱسْمُهُ ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًۭا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ ﴿٤٥﴾
[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].
Jesus is the Messiah, honoured in this world and the next.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:157
وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًۢا ﴿١٥٧﴾
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.
Jesus was neither killed nor crucified.
Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:171
يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌۭ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا ﴿١٧١﴾
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 His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.
Jesus is a messenger, not divine, and the Trinity is rejected.
Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:42
وَإِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصْطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿٤٢﴾
And [mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.
Mary's unique honour in the Quran.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3443
Sahih... أنا أولى الناس بعيسى ابن مريم في الدنيا والآخرة ...
"I am the closest of people to Jesus son of Mary in this world and the next."
The Prophet ﷺ declared his closeness to Jesus.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3432
Sahih... خير نسائها مريم ابنة عمران ...
"The best of its women is Mary, daughter of Imran."
The virtue of Mary in the Sunnah.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Aqida al-Tahawiyya, the sections on the prophets and the signs of the Hour. Belief in all prophets and in the descent of Isa near the end of time.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.