Hi Erik.... Answer to your first question........
THE MISSION, WITH WHICH JESUS WAS SENT:
The Qur'an is not alone in this characterisation of Jesus's mission. According to Matthew 15:24 Jesus was '' sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel'' and had no pretentions at being a universal prophet. He is an important prophet and link in the chain pf prophets to be sealed, or completed, by the final prophet Muhammad. As the Qu'ran puts it:
''And when Jesus son of Mary said: O childern of Israel! I am a messenger of Allah to you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah and brining good tidings of a messenger who comes after me, whose name is the Praised one.'' Qur'an, chapter 61, verse 6''
This ''praised one'', or ''Ahmed'' in Arabic, is the same as the Greek ''Periklytos'' which appears in the gospel of John 14:16:-17, where it is usually translated with ''Counsellor'' or ''Comforter'', an equivalent to the Greek ''Parakletos''. In John 16:1-15 we hear Jesus explaining to his disciples that he will have to leave them, so that this Counsellor, the next prophet in line, can be sent.
Jesus thus, whilst being the Messiah, is not the final prophet to all mankind, a postion reserved for Mohammad. Jesus is an Israelite Prophet reforming the corrupted teachings of the Jewish Pharisees.
Allah (swa) said: And (He) will makehim a messenger to the Childern of Israel, (saying): Icome to you with a sign from your Lord. I fashion for you out of the clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's permission. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's permission. And I announce to you what you eat and what you store up in your houses. In this verily is a sign for you, if youare to be a believers. And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden to you. I come to you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. Thats is a straight path '' Qur'an, chapter 3,49-51''
Or as the bible puts it in Matthew 5:17-19: ''Think not that I have to come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them''. With the exception of some relaxations to Rabbinical law, Jesus upheld the teachings of the Torah. In fact, he decounced them for not doing so themselves:
Allah (swa) said: ''Those of the Childern of Israel who went astray were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and used to transgress'' (Qur'an, chapter 5, verse 78''.
Jesus chose his disciples to continue the teahcing of his message after him. For them his message was a call to the worshipof the one and only God of the Ten Commandments: '' I am the Lord your god....You shall have no other gods before me'' or in Hosea 13:4 '' I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt:you know no god but me, and besides Me there is no saviour''. his teaching is given in the narrative of the Qur'an, Allah (swa) said:
''They surely disbelieve who say: Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Childern of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Who ascribes partners to Allah, for him Allah has forbidden paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers''. (Qur'an, Chapter5,verse 72)..
''FOR THEY KILLED HIM NOT'': JESUS' ASCENT TO HEAVEN WITHOUT BEING CRUCIFIED
Jesus was raised to heaven and saved from those who plotted against him. Allah (swa) said: ''(And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus1 I am gathering you and causing you to ascend to Me, and am cleansing you of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the day of Resurrection. Then to Me you will (all) return, and I shalljudge between you as to that in which you used to differ'' ( Qur'an, chapter 3, verse 55)...
Christians do not deny Jesus' ascension, but believe it followed his crucifixtion. They teach that he rose from the dead and then was raised to God, and they see this as his greatest miracle and proof of divinity. Jesus's alleged crucifixtion is probably the biggest issue of contention between Christians and Muslims. The crucifixtion has also been the source of enemity between Christians and Jews because Jesus was allegdly put to death on the behest of the Jewish elders.
They Key Christian doctrine is that by sacrificing His own son, God redeemed the world of sin. According to the old testament, crucifixtion was a humiliating death reserved for those who were cursed. In his letter to the Galatians Pau explains that everybody is cursed under the law of God, because no-one can fully kepp it, but that taking this curse upon himself Jesus has freed the world from the curse of the law. Christians, therefore, replace the requirement of keeping the law with the need to love Jesus who sacrificed himself for them. This, of course, in contradiction to Jesus' own teaching mention in Matthew 5:17-19, that he had not come to abolish the law, but to fulfil it.
There are other contradictions in this doctrine. the idea that God punished His innocent son to free mankind from inherited sin violates the rule set out in Deuteronomy 24:16: ''The fathers shall not be put to death for the childern, nor shall the childern be put to death for the fathers, every man shall be put to death for his own sin.'' The same is expressed in the Qur'an:
Allah (swa) said: ''No soul shall bear another's burden.'' (Qur'an, chapter 6, verse 164)...
Jesus peace be upon him, according to the teaching of Islam, was an important prophet, but he was nether the last of prophets nor was he divine. He himself will reject any such claims when questioned on the day of Judegment: Allah (swa) said:
''And when Allah says: O Jesus, son of Mary! Dis you say to mankind: take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah? he says: Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then you know it. You know what is in my mind, and I know not what is Your Mind. You only you, are the knower of Things Hidden. I spoke to them only that which You commanded me, (saying): Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. I was a witness of them while I dwelt among them, and when You took me You were the Watcher over them. You are Witness over all things. If you punish them , they are Your slaves, and if you forgive them (they are your slaves). You, only You, are the Mighty, the Wise.'' (Qur'an, chapter 5, verse 116-118)
Jesus (PBUH) was one of the numerous great prophets God sent in His wisdom to guide humanity to his worship and to pave the way for the final seal of the prophets, Muhammad (PBUH) as a mercy to all mankind.
Allah (swa) said: ''Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute. It is not befitting to (the majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son. Glory be to Him! When He determines a matter, He only says to it, ' Be," and it is. Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve you: this is a way that is straight.'' (Qur'an, chapter 19, verse 34-36)...
THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS: A MUSLIM PERSPECTIVE, by Dr S.M Bleher, Islamic Dawah Centre International
I hope we all learnt something, about the THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS: A MUSLIM PERSPECTIVE . Erik I hope I answered your questions and thank you for being humble to read, and I also hope there were nothing offensive, and if there were apology in advance. Please continue your readings Erik, and the main reason we all here is to learn from each other and exchange knowledge..
May Allah show you the right Path Erik, and guide us all in the straight path... Amin....