Jesus Christ, the divine prophet, was born on Dec 25th in Bethlehem, Palestine.
To celebrate his birth, an interview was conducted with Akbari Chenari, a researcher from the Department of Religions and Denominations at AQR’s Islamic Research Foundation, in a bid to shed more light on various aspects of Jesus Christ's character in Imam Reza’s teachings.
In contemporary Christianity, many major denominations like Catholicism and Orthodoxy emphasize the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Q: Which aspect of Jesus Christ's character did Imam Reza emphasize the most?
A: In his famous debate in Marv, Imam Reza emphasized the human and mortal nature of Jesus Christ, citing both the Gospels and the Quran. He recognized Jesus as a prophet who confirmed the prophethood of Moses and foretold the coming of Prophet Muhammad.
Q: Can you elaborate on this?
A: In his debate with the Christian leaders, Imam Reza refuted the divinity of Jesus by citing his need for food and fasting as proof of his human nature. In his debate with the Jewish leaders, Imam Reza also demonstrated that Jesus was a prophet of the Almighty God, referencing the "Bible."
Q: According to the Quran, the Torah and the Bible are altered. Did Imam Reza refer to these altered Gospels?
A: Yes, according to Imam Reza’s discussions with the Christian leaders, he referenced the existing Gospels and the discrepancies caused by the loss of the original text. Imam Reza addressed the Christian leaders regarding these differences, explaining that the first Gospel was lost, and later followers, such as Luke, Mark, John, and Matthew, recreated the text from their memories.
Q: Has Imam Reza mentioned any points of convergence and unity between Muslims, particularly Shia, and Christians?
A: One common belief is the return of Jesus Christ. Imam Reza affirmed this belief in response to Ma'mun's query, stating that the return is true and has occurred in previous nations. Imam Reza also compared Jesus to Imam Ali, noting that just as some followers of Jesus exaggerated his divinity, and some enemies denied his prophethood, the same occurred with Imam Ali. Imam Reza mentioned that Jesus had twelve apostles and aligned Imam Ali with Jesus' path. Additionally, Imam Reza highlighted that all prophets, messengers, and apostles after Adam were born of a father and mother, except for Jesus, whom God created without a father to demonstrate His omnipotence.