Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) was followed by a few disciples who were inspired by God to support him. Not only that, but the non-believers plotted to kill Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him), but God had a better plan for him and his followers as the Noble Qur'an tells us in the following verses (Which is translated as follows):� Then when 'Iesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: Who will be my helpers in Allah's Cause? Al-Hawariun (the disciples) said: We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah). Our Lord! We believed in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger ['Iesa (Jesus)]; so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth i.e. La Ilaha Ill-Allah -- none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). And they (disbelievers) plotted [to kill 'Iesa (Jesus)], and Allah planned too. And Allah is the best of the planners. And (remember) when Allah said: O 'Iesa (Jesus)! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you [of the forged statement that 'Iesa (Jesus) is Allah's son] of those who disbelieve, and I will make those who follow you (Monotheist, who worship none but Allah) superior to those who disbelieve [in the Oneness of Allah, or disbelieve in some of His Messengers, e.g. Mohammed, 'Iesa (Jesus), Musa (Moses), etc. (Peace Be Upon Him), or in His Holy Books, e.g. the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), The Qur'an] till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will return to Me and I will judge between you in the matters in which you used to dispute. As to those who disbelieve, I will punish them with a severe torment in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers� [Chapter 3: verses 52-56].
As the above verses indicate Jesus was raised to heaven before he died. This means that according to the Noble Qur'an he was not crucified. It was the plan of the enemies of Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him) to put him to death on the cross, but God saved him and somebody else was crucified. This plot and the false accusation about Mary are considered by the Noble Qur'an to be some of the sins of the non-believing Jews. All of this is made clear in the following verses (Which is translated as follows):� And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam (Mary) a grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse). And because of their saying (in boast). We killed Messiah 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allah, -- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of 'Iesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam [Mary]. But Allah raised him ['Iesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he (Peace Be Upon Him) is in the heaven). And Allah is ever All-Powerful, All-Wise. And there is none of the people of the scripture (Jews and Christians), but must believe in him ['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allah and a human being], before his ['Iesa (Jesus) or a Jews or a Christian's] death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he ['Iesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against them� [Chapter 4: verses 156-159].
