The ḥikmah of Jesus (Q 43:57–65) and Abraham (Q 16:121–125)

Abstract Chapter 5 looks at Jesus’ statement in Sūrat al-Zukhruf (Q 43:63) that he is a bringer of wisdom. It argues that close attention to the context of the passage in which this statement occurs strongly suggests that it should be understood as engaging with Christological ideas. This necessitates examining the relationship between Jesus and wisdom in Christian thought. Two themes are prominent: first, Jesus is seen as the incarnation of divine wisdom, and second, his being so enables him to teach the true meaning of scripture. In the Sūrat al-Zukhruf passage, it is evident that the Qur’an rejects the first idea, while accepting the second. In so doing, the Qur’an endorses the Christian portrayal of Jesus as reforming Israelite law through natural law. The same allusion to a pre-Mosaic natural law is noticeable in the Qur’an’s reference to Abraham in the Sūrat al-Naḥl (Q 16:121–125) passage on ḥikmah.