Was Isa (AS) put on the cross?
Ahmadi Muslim Belief
Ahmadi Muslims believe that Isa (A.S) did not die on the cross as the Quran mentions. He was indeed put on the cross but Allah helped him survive and he migrated away from the area. This view is consistent with the Islamic sources and refutes the blasphemous substitution theory belief of the majority of Muslims.
Quran’s Narrative
Quran is very clear regarding the death of Isa (A.S) and refutes the allegation of Jews that he died on the cross which is an accursed death. Allah says,
وَّ قَوۡلِہِمۡ اِنَّا قَتَلۡنَا الۡمَسِیۡحَ عِیۡسَی ابۡنَ مَرۡیَمَ رَسُوۡلَ اللّٰہِ ۚ وَ مَا قَتَلُوۡہُ وَ مَا صَلَبُوۡہُ وَ لٰکِنۡ شُبِّہَ لَہُمۡ ؕ وَ اِنَّ الَّذِیۡنَ اخۡتَلَفُوۡا فِیۡہِ لَفِیۡ شَکٍّ مِّنۡہُ ؕ مَا لَہُمۡ بِہٖ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍ اِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ ۚ وَ مَا قَتَلُوۡہُ یَقِیۡنًۢا
“And their saying, ‘We did kill the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah;’ whereas they slew him not, nor crucified him, but he was made to appear to them like one crucified; and those who differ therein are certainly in a state of doubt about it; they have no definite knowledge thereof, but only follow a conjecture; and they did not convert this conjecture into a certainty;”
[Quran 4:157]
It clearly tells us that Isa (A.S) was not crucified i.e he did not die on the cross. But nowhere does it reject the possibility that he was ever put on the cross. The word used in the verse is “صَلَبُوۡہُ” (Salabuhu) which means to “die on the cross”. This is proven through the Arabic Lexicons, the Quran itself, Ahadith, and the opinion of scholars.
Isa (A.S) on the cross
In Sahih Bukhari, which is the most authentic book in Islam after Quran, there is a hadith that states,
قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَحْكِي نَبِيًّا مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ ضَرَبَهُ قَوْمُهُ فَأَدْمَوْهُ، وَهْوَ يَمْسَحُ الدَّمَ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ، وَيَقُولُ “اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِقَوْمِي فَإِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
Narrated `Abdullah:
As if I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) talking about one of the prophets whose nation had beaten him and caused him to bleed, while he was cleaning the blood off his face and saying, “O Allah! Forgive my nation, for they have no knowledge.“
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3477]
From this hadith, we cannot know for sure that it is indeed referring to Isa (A.S) or any other prophet. But interestingly, this is exactly what Isa (A.S) says in the Gospel of Luke after he is put on the cross.
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
[Luke 23:32-34]
This verse from Luke leaves no doubt that the prophet mentioned in the hadith is actually Isa (A.S). The words said by the prophet in both sources are so similar that we as Muslims cannot reject them!