Faith crossroads: Why I believe Jesus was a prophet, but also died on the cross

Assalamu alaikum, everyone. For years, I’ve been stuck in a dilemma about which faith to follow. I feel like I don’t belong anywhere. By the way, I’m not looking for verse quotes as answers! I’ve read both scriptures (though of course I don’t recall every detail, lol). Here’s my struggle: I do believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) died on the cross, yet I also see him more as a prophet than as God. So I’m torn between two views. The early Gospels in the Bible aren’t corrupted and are based on eyewitness accounts. If you focus on what Jesus himself said, rather than the beliefs of the writers, it becomes clearer that he was a prophet. But there’s significant evidence for his death on the cross, and I can’t accept that Allah simply made it look that way. That feels too simplistic. - Did Allah let someone else die in his place? - Many people saw him after he died and rose from the dead. - Even his enemies said he died on the cross. There’s a strong case for his crucifixion. I’m trying to form my own opinion, and I’d like to hear the Islamic perspective on this. Since I was raised Christian in my early years, I know more about Christian arguments. Being between both faiths is tough, but you get what I mean. I’m trying to build a case for both possibilities. Please, no verses or just saying “Allah’s word is the truth” (which basically feels like “just be quiet and believe” 😂). I’m genuinely trying to reason this out. A bit more about me: I was born into a Christian family, so my knowledge of Christianity is stronger than my knowledge of Islam. That’s why I’m seeking answers on this particular topic. I did read the Qur’an once, though. From around age 13/14 until 25/26, I didn’t practice any religion. Then I became interested in Islam and read the Qur’an and so on.