In Islam,Simon Peter, known inArabic asShamoun as-Safa (Arabic:شَمْعُون ٱلصَّفَا,Šamʿūn aṣ-Ṣafā) orShamoun ibn Hammoun (شَمْعُون ٱبْن حَمُّون,Šamʿūn ibn Ḥammūn), was one of the originaldisciples ofJesus.[1] AlthoughJesus's disciples do not have a major role inIslamic theology, they are notably the only group of a previousprophet’s disciples specifically identified in theQur’an.[2] Peter is especially important as he is generally regarded to have led the faithful after Jesus’Ascension,[3][4] a view similar to the Christian (specificallyCatholic) view ofPeter as the “Prince of the Apostles” and firstPope.
The Qur'an is clear that the disciples of Jesus were steadfast believers inAllah. Scripture records that when Jesus began to feel the rejection of theIsraelites, he asked the people who among them will support his preaching theGospel. It was then that the disciples stood up and asked Jesus to bear witness they had submitted to God, and further promised to stay by Jesus during his whole life.[5] The Qur'an further records God inspired the disciples to believe in His message andmessenger, and how a feast fromHeaven was the sign for the disciples.[6] Although the Qur’an neither identifies nor numbers the disciples,Qur'anic exegesis names them, with Peter usually listed first for his role as their head.[7]
Numerous incidents involving Peter are narrated in Muslim tradition andtafsir. The most famous of is the narrative of Peter's preaching inAntioch, which is closely linked with the legend ofHabib the Carpenter. Islamic tradition narrates that two of Jesus's disciples,John andJude, went to preach the Gospel inAntioch, as its people were devoted toidols. Few people followed their message, despite the two having performedmiracles including healing the sick and blind.[8] The disciples healed Habib's son, and Habib helped preach the Gospel to the people. When the news of the disciples reached the governor of the city, he called to see John and Jude, whom he disagreed with and imprisoned. While the two were in prison, Peter went to Antioch, and was allowed to perform a miracle before the governor, spherically raising a child who had been dead for seven days. The people refused to believe Peter's words, and angry with Habib for his faith, theystoned him to death.[8] Non-Muslim sources maintain Peter later went toRome to preach the Gospel.[9]
Peter is also considered important inIsma'ilism, as his role is seen as analogous to that of 'Ali as the firstImām after aProphet.Shi'i Muslims maintain that every major Prophet had one Disciple as hisWaṣî (وصي, Executor-of-Will), who became theImām (Leader) after his death:Adam had his son,Seth;Noah hadShem;Abraham had his sons;Moses hadJoshua; and Ismailis claim Jesus had Peter.[10]
Peter was clearly married, as evidenced by theGospel accounts of Jesuscuring his mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14,Luke 4:38).
According toClement of Alexandria, an early Christian theologian, Peter also had children, but specific details about them are scarce. As any names or number are not in theBible or contemporary historical records, direct genealogical links to Peter have become obscured or lost over the millennia.
وَإِنَّهُ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي أَظْهَرَ عِيسَىٰ وَصِيَّهُ شَمْعُونَ الصَّفَا فَصَامَ شُكْرًا لِلَّٰهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ