Short answer
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) died in 632 and was buried in Medina, where his grave is today. His soul is in the life between death and the Last Day, which the Qur'an calls the barzakh. Jesus did not die. Muslims believe God (﷾) raised him up alive to Himself, and he is in heaven now. On the night of his Ascension, the Prophet (ﷺ) met Jesus in the second heaven. Jesus will come back before the Last Day, live on earth, and then die like every man. The Qur'an says: "Muhammad is no more than a messenger", and that he too would die. The Prophet (ﷺ) said the earth does not consume the bodies of the prophets. Both are honoured servants of God (﷾). Neither is God, and only God (﷾) is worshipped.
Full explanation
The Prophet (ﷺ) died, as messengers before him did
The Qur'an told the Prophet (ﷺ): "Truly thou wilt die (one day), and truly they (too) will die". It says: "Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him." When he died, Umar at first would not believe it. Abu Bakr told the people that whoever worshipped Muhammad should know he was dead. Whoever worshipped Allah (﷾) should know He lives and never dies (Bukhari 3668). Then he recited these verses.
“Truly thou wilt die (one day), and truly they (too) will die (one day).”
“Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then Turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.”
“We granted not to any man before thee permanent life (here): if then thou shouldst die, would they live permanently?”
Aisha reports that when the Prophet (ﷺ) died, Umar insisted he was not dead. Abu Bakr went in, uncovered his face and kissed him, then came out and told the people: whoever worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad is dead; whoever worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and never dies. He then recited Qur'an 39:30 and 3:144.
His grave in Medina
He was buried in Medina, and his grave lies today within his mosque there. Aisha said his grave was kept from being made prominent. He had warned against turning prophets' graves into places of worship (Bukhari 1390). He told Muslims to send many blessings on him, for they are shown to him. They asked how, once his body had decayed. He said Allah (﷾) has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets (Abu Dawud 1047).
Aisha reports that in his last illness the Prophet (ﷺ) said Allah had cursed the Jews and the Christians for building places of worship at the graves of their prophets. She adds that, but for this, his own grave would have been placed out in the open; it was not, for fear that it would be taken as a place of worship.
Aws ibn Aws reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) told the people to send many blessings on him on Friday, for they are shown to him. They asked how, when his body would have decayed. He said Allah has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets.
“Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.”
The life between death and the Last Day
The Qur'an says that after death there is "a Partition till the Day they are raised up". In Arabic this is the barzakh. It says of those killed in God's (﷾) cause: "they are living, though ye perceive (it) not." The prophets rank above them. So the Prophet (ﷺ) has a real life with his Lord now. But it is not a life like ours, and we do not know its nature. He is not present among us, and he does not run the world.
“(In Falsehood will they be) Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: "O my Lord! send me back (to life),- "In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected." - "By no means! It is but a word he says."- Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up.”
“And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not.”
“All who obey Allah and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a beautiful fellowship!”
Jesus was raised alive
The Qur'an says: "they killed him not, nor crucified him". It goes on: "Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself". God (﷾) had told him: "I will take thee and raise thee to Myself". So Jesus did not die on the cross, and he has not died since. He is alive in heaven, by God's (﷾) will.
“That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not:-”
“Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise;-”
“Behold! Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.”
They met in the second heaven
The Prophet (ﷺ) described his Ascension, the Mi'raj, when he was taken up through the heavens with Gabriel. In the second heaven he met Jesus and John the Baptist (Yahya). They welcomed him as a brother and a prophet (Bukhari 3207). In the other heavens he met Adam, Joseph, Moses, Abraham and other prophets.
Malik ibn Sa'sa'a reports the Prophet's (ﷺ) account of his Ascension (the Mi'raj) with Gabriel through the heavens. In the second heaven he met Jesus and John (Yahya), who welcomed him as a brother and a prophet. In the other heavens he met other prophets.
| Question | The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) | Jesus |
|---|---|---|
| Has he died? | Yes, in 632 | No. God (﷾) raised him up alive |
| His body | In his grave in Medina; the earth does not consume prophets' bodies | Raised alive to heaven |
| Where he is now | In the life of the barzakh, until the Last Day | In heaven; they met in the second heaven |
| Will he come back? | No | Yes, before the Last Day, and then he will die |
| May we pray to him? | No. Only God (﷾) is called upon | No. Only God (﷾) is called upon |
Jesus will return, and then die
The Qur'an calls Jesus "a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour". The Prophet (ﷺ) swore that the son of Mary will come down as a just ruler (Bukhari 3448). He will defeat the False Messiah, the great deceiver of the last days (Muslim 2937). The Qur'an says the People of the Book will believe in him "before his death". So Jesus will die after his return, like every human being.
“And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way.”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) swore that the son of Mary will soon descend among the Muslims as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine and end the jizya, and wealth will be so plentiful that no one will accept it. Abu Huraira then recited Qur'an 4:159: none of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death.
Al-Nawwas ibn Sam'an reports the Prophet's (ﷺ) long description of the False Messiah (al-Dajjal). Allah will then send Jesus son of Mary, who will descend at the white minaret east of Damascus, pursue the False Messiah, catch him at the gate of Ludd and kill him. The hadith calls Jesus a prophet of Allah who, with his companions, prays to Allah for help.
“And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them;-”
Only God (﷾) is called upon
Muslims love both prophets and send blessings on the Prophet (ﷺ), as the Qur'an asks. But they pray to God (﷾) alone. Every day they say: "Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek." The Qur'an says: "invoke not any one along with Allah". Neither the Prophet (ﷺ) nor Jesus hears every prayer or answers it. Only God (﷾) does.
“Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.”
“Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.”
“"And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah;”
Perspectives
Jesus died, rose and reigns as God
Christians believe Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day. They say he ascended into heaven and sits at God's right hand, as God the Son.
Stephen saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God.
Rebuttal
Standing at God's (﷾) right hand is a place of honour beside God (﷾), not being God. Muslims agree that Jesus is honoured in heaven. After rising, Jesus himself said: "I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." He calls the Father his God.
Jesus died on the cross and rose again on the third day.
Rebuttal
The Qur'an says they did not kill him or crucify him; it was only made to appear so. God (﷾) raised him alive, and he will return and die a natural death.
The Islamic perspective
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) died and lives the life of the barzakh. God (﷾) keeps his body in his grave in Medina. Jesus was raised alive to heaven and will return before he dies. Only God (﷾) is worshipped.
The Qur'an says the Prophet (ﷺ) would die, as messengers before him did.
Allah (﷾) has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of the prophets.
Allah (﷾) raised Jesus up to Himself.
The Prophet (ﷺ) met Jesus in the second heaven on the night of the Ascension.
Jesus will return before the Last Day.