As a Muslim, I love Jesus too - here's why

As a child, I didn't really get Christmas, but as I grew older, I began to realise that baby Jesus wasn’t so far away from the religion I grew up with

A man walks past a Christmas tree on the Manger Square (AFP)

Each year, amid the seasonal hustle and bustle, I think back to one particular school end of term celebration. The Christmas party was in full swing as I sat with my class playing Pass the Parcel. I remember fumbling with the parcel as I unfolded the final bit of paper, and clutched the prize that had been wrapped inside. You might think this is a happy memory, but in the background my classmates howled, ‘How did she win!' angry that the Muslim girl had won the prize. In their eyes, this was not a party I should have been invited to.

As a child, I never really understood what Christmas was about; all I knew was that it was celebrating the birth of Jesus and I was never really sure what he was supposed to mean to me, and maybe that is why my classmates didn’t want me at the party, they also couldn’t see how I was relevant to the festivities.

However as I grew older, I began to realise that baby Jesus wasn’t so far away from the religion I grew up with - Muslims revere Jesus too. In Islam, Jesus, or Isa, as he is known in the Qur'an, is a Prophet of God. In fact, Jesus’ conception and birth appear in the Qu’ran. We Muslims believe that Jesus was born of a virgin and was sent as a messenger of God.

The difference is that we do not believe that he was crucified or is the son of God or God incarnate. Instead as a messenger, Prophet Jesus provided us with lessons to be learnt from his life and teachings. In fact, his tradition of peace, love, gentleness and compassion need to be revived more than ever, in a world fraught with fear.

In wake of the recent attacks, this year has been difficult for Muslims in the West, as we have experienced the backlash caused by atrocities carried out in the name of our faith. But the Islam I believe in is one based on the foundations of peace taught by the Prophet Jesus and the rest of God’s messengers: Moses, Abraham and Mohammed.

While it is true that there are doctrinal differences between Islam and Christianity, there are also similarities. The differences should not be a source of conflict and tension, rather the similarities should render a forum for interfaith dialogue and create tolerance between the world's two largest faiths. The basic principles of tolerance and treating others the way we wish to be treated are the foundations of both faiths, repeated in the sacred texts.

While spending time with friends and family this festive period, take a moment to reflect on the true message of Prophet Jesus who is cherished and venerated by both Muslims and Christians alike.