Editing Jesus in Islam (section)

=== Symbolic interpretations ===
[[The Book of the Sage and Disciple|Ja'far ibn Mansur al-Yaman]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 958), [[Abu Hatim Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-Razi]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 935), [[Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 971), [[Mu'ayyad fi'l-Din al-Shirazi]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 1078) and the group [[Ikhwan al-Safa]] also affirm the historicity of the Crucifixion, reporting Jesus was crucified and not substituted by another man as maintained by many other popular Quranic commentators and Tafsir. More recently, [[Mahmoud M. Ayoub]], a professor and scholar, provided a more symbolic interpretation for Surah 4 Verse 157:
{{blockquote|The Quran, as we have already argued, does not deny the death of Christ. Rather, it challenges human beings who in their folly have deluded themselves into believing that they would vanquish the divine Word, Jesus Christ the Messenger of God. The death of Jesus is asserted several times and in various contexts. ({{qref|3|55|pl=y}}, {{qref|5|117|pl=y}}, {{qref|19|33|pl=y}}){{sfn|Ayoub|1980}}}}

Ayoub, instead of interpreting the passage as a denial of the death of Jesus, instead believes the passage is about God denying men the power to vanquish and destroy God's message. The words "but they killed him not, nor crucified him" are meant to show that any power humans believe that they have against God is illusory.{{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=117}}

Some [[Sunni Islam]]ic [[Mufassir|exegesists]], such as the anti-Christian polemicist [[Rashid Rida|Muhammad Rashid Rida]], held an ambiguous stance on the matter, namely that the [[crucifixion]] and ascension of Jesus were allegorical, but with extreme precaution, in order to rebut Christian doctrines on crucifixion and [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]].{{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=113–115}} Comprehensively denouncing Christian doctrines on salvation, [[Atonement (Christian)|atonement]] and crucifixion as irrational and {{transliteration|ar|[[kufr]]}} (disbelief) in his {{transliteration|ar|[[Tafsir al-Manar]]}}, Rida also denounced the [[Jews]] for their killings of the [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Prophets of God]], writing:

{{blockquote|text=The actual fact of the crucifixion is not itself a matter which the [[Qur'an|Book of God]] seeks to affirm or deny, except for the purpose of asserting the killing of prophets by the [[Jews]] unjustly, and reproaching them for that act;... that the Creator of the universe could be incarnated in the womb of a woman in this earth which, in comparison to the rest of His creation, is like an atom, and then be a human being eating and drinking, experiencing fatigue and suffering other hardships like the rest of mankind. Then His enemies would level at Him insults and pain, and finally crucify Him with thieves and declare Him cursed according to the Book He revealed to one of His apostles, exalted be He over all this! ... We say rather no one believes it because [[belief]] ({{transliteration|ar|iman}}) is the affirmation ({{transliteration|ar|tasdiq}}) by reason of something that it can apprehend;... The claim of the [[Christians|people of the Cross]], therefore, that clemency and forgiveness are opposed to justice, is unacceptable.|title={{transliteration|ar|[[Tafsir al-Manar]]}} Vol. VI pp. 23, 26-27|character=[[Imam]] [[Muhammad Rashid Rida]]|source={{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=113–115}}}}

An early interpretation of verse 3:55 (specifically "I will cause you to die and raise you to myself"), [[Al-Tabari]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 923), records an interpretation attributed to [[Abd Allah ibn Abbas|Ibn 'Abbas]], who used the literal "I will cause you to die" ({{transliteration|ar|mumayyitu-ka}}) in place of the metaphorical {{transliteration|ar|mutawaffi-ka}} ('Jesus died'), while [[Wahb ibn Munabbih]], an early Jewish convert, is reported to have said "God caused Jesus, son of Mary, to die for three hours during the day, then took him up to himself." Tabari further transmits from Ibn Ishaq: "God caused Jesus to die for seven hours",{{sfn|Zahniser|2008|p=56}} while at another place reported that a person called Sergius was crucified in place of Jesus. Ibn-al-Athir forwarded the report that it was [[Judas]], the betrayer, while also mentioning the possibility it was a man named Natlianus.{{sfn|Watt|2013|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=_qxlAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA47 47]}}

In reference to the Quranic quote "We have surely killed Jesus the Christ, son of Mary, the apostle of God", Muslim scholar Mahmoud Ayoub asserts this boast not as the repeating of a historical lie or the perpetuating of a false report, but an example of human arrogance and folly with an attitude of contempt towards God and his messenger(s). Ayoub furthers what modern scholars of Islam interpret regarding the historical death of Jesus, the man, as man's inability to kill off God's Word and the Spirit of God, which the Quran testifies were embodied in Jesus Christ. Ayoub continues highlighting the denial of the killing of Jesus as God denying men such power to vanquish and destroy the divine Word. The words, "they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him" speaks to the profound events of ephemeral human history, exposing mankind's heart and conscience towards God's will. The claim of humanity to have this power against God is illusory. "They did not slay him{{nbsp}}... but it seemed so to them" speaks to the imaginations of mankind, not the denial of the actual event of Jesus dying physically on the cross.{{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=117}}

Another report from Ibn Kathir quotes Ishaq Ibn Bishr, on authority of Idris, on authority of Wahb ibn Munabbih, that "God caused him to die for three days, then resurrected him, then raised him."{{sfn|Robinson|1991|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ht1hpisBQF0C&pg=PA122 122]}}<ref>{{harvnb|Ayoub|1980|p=108}}. Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Muhammad al-Shawkani, ''Fath al-Qadir al-Jami bayn Fannay al-Riwaya wa 'l Diraya min 'Ilm al-Tqfsir'' (Cairo: Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi, n.d.), I, 346, citing Ibn Asakir, who reports on the authority of Ibn Munabbih.</ref>

[[Al-Masudi]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 956) reported the death of Christ under [[Tiberius]].{{sfn|Watt|2013|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=_qxlAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA47 47]}}

[[Ibn Kathir]] ({{abbr|d.|died}} 1373) follows traditions which suggest that a crucifixion did occur, but not with Jesus.{{sfn|Barker|Gregg|2010|p=119}} After the event, Ibn Kathir reports the people were divided into three groups following three different narratives; The [[Jacob Baradaeus|Jacobites]] believing "God remained with us as long as He willed and then He ascended to Heaven"; the [[Nestorianism|Nestorians]] believing "The son of God was with us as long as he willed until God raised him to heaven"; and the Muslims believing "The servant and messenger of God, Jesus, remained with us as long as God willed until God raised him to Himself."{{sfn|Barker|Gregg|2010|p=121}}

Islamic reformer Muhammad [[Rashid Rida]] agrees with contemporary commentators interpreting the physical killing of Christ's apostleship as a metaphorical interpretation.{{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=113}}

Modern Islamic scholars like Sayyid [[Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i]] interpret the ascension of Jesus as spiritual, not physical. This interpretation is in accord with [[Muʿtazila]] and Shia metaphorical explanations regarding anthropomorphic references to God in the Quran. Although not popular with traditional Sunni interpretations of the depiction of crucifixion, there has been much speculation and discussion in the effort of logically reconciling this topic.{{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=100}}

In ascetic Shia writings, Jesus is depicted having "ascended to heaven wearing a woolen shirt, spun and sewed by Mary, his mother. As he reached the heavenly regions, he was addressed, 'O Jesus, cast away from you the adornment of the world.{{'"}}{{sfn|Ayoub|1980|p=103}} After his ascension, his word is believed to have been altered.{{sfn|Tieszen|2018|p=21}}