Dr. Muhammad Abu Laylah, professor of the Islamic Studies & Comparative Religions at Al-Azhar Univ. states: “The Muslims are dominated by their belief, and they are abiding by it. There is no compromise at all at the fact that Jesus was, “They slew him not nor crucified”. (An-Nisa’: 157)
Muslims believe that Jesus was ascended to God; but how and when: no one can tell but Allah. There is no fatwa about the shroud ascribed to Jesus. The Muslims initially do not believe in his crucifixion. The shroud cannot be taken as a proof at all that Jesus was killed or buried. Reading the accounts given by the evangelists, i.e., the writers of the four gospels, cannot give a solid evidence that Jesus was crucified and buried and came up from the tomb three days after his burial. The four accounts are confusing. This does not mean at all to undermine other people’s faith but respecting other people’s feelings should not prevent us from telling the truth or examining their evidences.
Muslims should not believe in the Shroud ascribed to Jesus or anything similar to it. They should abide by what the Qur’an told on the end of Jesus on earth. Whatever are presented to them, as a scholar and specialist in Christianity, I do not agree that the shroud is a challenge to Muslims. Muslims do not wait for something to be discovered to strengthen their faith in Jesus as an infallible prophet of Allah.“
Moreover, the prominent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, Director and Imam of Al-Falah Islamic Center, Oakville, Ontario, Canada , adds:
“The problem with discovering historical or ancient traces is when we start to relate this to a faith issue while we do not have the clear proof to do so. Even if the old shroud is found, how do we know it is the shroud of `Isa (peace be upon him). Can we confirm that? There is no confirmation what so ever. Therefore, we have no doubt in the Qur’an that teaches us that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified, but rather raised to heaven.”