The Glad Tidings of Prophet Jesus of the Advent of Prophet Muhammad

The Message of every Prophet was identical in matters of creedal belief. God, the Exalted, says: And [recall, O People of the Scripture], when Allah took the covenant of the prophets, [saying], "Whatever I give you of the Scripture and wisdom and then there comes to you a messenger confirming what is with you, you [must] believe in him and support him." [Allah] said, "Have you acknowledged and taken upon that My commitment?" They said, "We have acknowledged it." He said, "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." And whoever turned away after that - they were the defiantly disobedient.(Quran 3:81-2)

Prophet Jesus asked his people to believe in the Messenger to come, Prophet Muhammad. God, the Exalted, says: O Children of Israel, remember My favor which I have bestowed upon you and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me. And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me. And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]. (Qur’an 2:40-2)

Jesus Christ was one more prophet in the long line of prophets sent to the Children of Israel. It is recorded in the Bible that he said: “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)

When Jesus sent the disciples out in the path of God, he instructed them: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 10:5-6)

Throughout his ministry, Jesus was never recorded as having converted a Gentile, and in fact is recorded as having initially rebuked a Gentile for seeking his favors, likening her to a dog (Matthew 15:22-28 and Mark 7:25-30).
Jesus was himself a Jew, his disciples were Jews, and both he and they directed their ministries to the Jews. One wonders what this means to us now, for most of those who have taken Jesus as their ‘personal savior’ are Gentiles, and not of the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” to whom he was sent!

From this passage we also learn that Jesus was not sent to mankind at large. God, the Exalted, says: And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic." (Qur’an 61:6)

The Ascension of Prophet Jesus into the Heavens

The Muslim belief in relation to Prophet Jesus is that he was not killed, nor crucified; rather, he ascended into the Heavens by the will of God.