Muslims believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus. Mary was a virgin and the baby was conceived by the will of God. This is stated in the Quran in surah 3, verses 45-47, as follows:
When the angel said, “O Mary, truly God gives thee glad tidings of a Word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, highly honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought nigh.
He will speak to people in the cradle and in maturity and will be among the righteous.
She said, “My Lord, how shall I have a child while no man has touched me?”. He said, “Thus does God create what He wills”. When He decrees a thing, He says to it “Be!” and it is.
Jesus being described as a Word from Him is understood to mean that Jesus was a means by which God’s Word became manifest in the world.
When it says he was one of those brought nigh, it means he was one of those closest to God.
Muslims don’t believe that Jesus was God, but a messenger from God like Noah, Abraham, Moses and Mohammad, sent by God to guide mankind.
Sunni Muslims do not make images of holy persons, but Shia Muslims do. The attached image is an Iranian painting of Mary with Baby Jesus.
Because of technology the world has become a smaller place. People everywhere are influenced by the opinions and actions of other people from all over the world. We Muslims should express our common bond with Christians since both Islam and Christianity honor Jesus. If you live in a place where Christmas is celebrated, make sure to share good feelings and wishes with Christian friends. In this way we contribute to making the world a more peaceful place so that everyone is safer and there are more opportunities for everyone to make a better life.