Isa عِيسَى

In review — pending scholar verification

The penultimate messenger in Islam, son of the Virgin Maryam — born without a father by Allah's word, given the Injil, performed signs by Allah's leave, raised alive to Allah, and to return at the end of time to defeat the Dajjal.

Overview

Isa (Arabic: عِيسَى; English: Jesus) son of Maryam is one of the five Ulū al-ʿAzm messengers in Islam (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:7), and the messenger immediately preceding the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the prophetic succession. He is honoured by the Quran with several titles — al-Masīḥ ("the Messiah"), Kalimat Allāh ("the Word of Allah"), Rūḥ minhu ("a Spirit from Him"), and Wajīh fī ad-dunyā wa-l-ākhirah ("honoured in this world and the Hereafter") — Surah Aal Imran 3:45.

Isa was born to Maryam (Mary) by Allah's word — without a father — in a manner the Quran compares to the creation of Adam: "Indeed, the example of Isa to Allah is like that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘Be,’ and he was" (Surah Aal Imran 3:59). He was given the Injīl (the Gospel), confirmed the Tawrāh, and performed numerous miracles by Allah's leave — including healing the blind, curing the leper, raising the dead, fashioning birds from clay, and informing people of what they had eaten and stored in their houses (Surah Aal Imran 3:49; Al-Mā'idah 5:110). Twelve disciples (al-Ḥawāriyyūn) believed in him.

The Quran categorically denies that Isa was crucified or killed by his enemies. Rather, he was raised by Allah alive (Surah An-Nisa 4:157–158): "And [for their saying] ‘Indeed we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam, the messenger of Allah’ — they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. Indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it… Rather, Allah raised him to Himself." Authentic hadith narrate that he will return near the end of time to break the Cross, kill the swine, defeat ad-Dajjāl, and rule on earth as a just judge under the law of Muhammad ﷺ.

Etymology and meaning

The Arabic ʿĪsā is the Quranic form of his name. Classical lexicographers (al-Zamakhshari) treat it as a proper name not derivable from Arabic; it is the Arabic transmission of the Aramaic Yēshūʿ / Hebrew Yēshūaʿ, "Yahweh saves." The title al-Masīḥ (Messiah, "anointed") is from the Arabic root m-s-ḥ, which classical scholars connect to "wiping" (he wiped the sick and they were healed) or to "anointing." The title "a Spirit from Him" (Surah An-Nisa 4:171) refers to his creation by the breath of Jibril into Maryam at Allah's command (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:91; At-Tahrim 66:12).

Birth and infancy

Maryam — daughter of ʿImran, raised under the guardianship of the prophet Zakariyya — was visited in seclusion by the angel Jibril, who appeared to her as a man. He announced the gift of a pure son. She protested that no man had touched her; he replied that this was easy for Allah. She conceived; in late pregnancy she withdrew alone to a remote place. Birth-pangs drove her to the trunk of a palm tree, where she cried "Would that I had died before this and been entirely forgotten" (Surah Maryam 19:23). She was consoled by a voice from beneath her, told to shake the trunk for fresh dates, and instructed to take a vow of silence and let the infant speak for her.

When Maryam returned to her people with the infant, they accused her. She pointed to the child. The infant Isa spoke from the cradle:

"Indeed I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. And He has made me blessed wherever I am, and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakat as long as I remain alive, and dutifulness to my mother, and He has not made me a tyrant or a wretched one. And peace is on me the day I was born, and the day I will die, and the day I am raised alive." — Surah Maryam 19:30–33

Mission to Bani Israʼil

Isa was sent specifically to Bani Isra'il (Surah Aal Imran 3:49) to confirm the Tawrāh and to abrogate certain prohibitions from it (Surah Aal Imran 3:50). His preaching emphasised pure monotheism: "Indeed Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him; that is the straight path" (Surah Aal Imran 3:51; Maryam 19:36; Al-Mā'idah 5:72).

Twelve Ḥawāriyyūn (Disciples) believed in him. Surah Aṣ-Ṣaff 61:14 commands believers to be "helpers of Allah, as Isa son of Maryam said to the disciples: Who are my helpers for Allah? The disciples said: We are helpers of Allah."

Signs and miracles

The Quran lists Isa's miracles in Surah Aal Imran 3:49 and Surah Al-Mā'idah 5:110:

Speech from the cradle (Surah Maryam 19:30; Aal Imran 3:46)
Fashioning birds from clay and breathing into them so they became living birds — by Allah's leave
Healing the blind from birth and the leper — by Allah's leave
Raising the dead — by Allah's leave
Informing people of what they had eaten and stored in their houses
The Table from heaven (al-Māʾidah) — Surah Al-Mā'idah 5:112–115; the disciples requested a sign, and Allah sent down a banquet from heaven, with stern warning to those who would disbelieve after.

The recurring qualifier "by Allah's leave" (bi-idhn Allāh) appears repeatedly in the Quranic listing — establishing that the miracles were Allah's acts performed at Isa's prophetic hand, not Isa's own divine power.

The Crucifixion: Islamic position

The Quran categorically denies that Isa was killed or crucified:

"And [for] their saying, ‘Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam, the messenger of Allah.’ They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. Indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. They certainly did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself; and ever is Allah Mighty and Wise. And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Isa before his death — and on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness." — Surah An-Nisa 4:157–159

Classical commentators (al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir) report several views on what was "made to resemble him": some hold that one of his disciples or pursuers was given his likeness and was crucified in his place; some hold that those who saw the crucifixion saw an illusory replica. The Sunni position is uniform that Isa himself was not killed.

Quranic references

Surah Aal Imran 3:33–63 — annunciation, birth, miracles, the disciples; the call to monotheism.
Surah An-Nisa 4:156–159, 4:171–172 — denial of crucifixion; Isa as servant and messenger, not divine.
Surah Al-Mā'idah 5:46–47, 5:72–78, 5:110–120 — the Injīl; the Table; the final question and answer between Allah and Isa about whether he claimed divinity.
Surah Maryam 19:16–40 — Maryam's seclusion, the annunciation, the birth, the cradle-speech.
Surah Al-Anbiya 21:91 — Maryam guarded her chastity, and We breathed into her of Our spirit.
Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:57–65 — Isa as a sign of the Hour.
Surah Aṣ-Ṣaff 61:6 — Isa's prophecy of Aḥmad.
Surah Aṣ-Ṣaff 61:14 — the disciples' declaration as helpers of Allah.
Surah At-Tahrim 66:12 — Maryam, the breath of the spirit.

Hadith

Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no child among Adam's descendants but is touched by Shayṭān at the moment of birth, so that he begins to wail from Shayṭān's touch — except Maryam and her son." — Sahih al-Bukhari 3286, 3431; Sahih Muslim 2366

Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said: "By the One in whose hand is my soul, the son of Maryam will descend among you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine, abolish the jizyah, and wealth will increase to such an extent that no one will accept it." — Sahih al-Bukhari 3448; Sahih Muslim 155

An-Nawwās ibn Samʿān reported a long hadith on the Dajjāl which includes: "Isa son of Maryam will descend at the white minaret east of Damascus, between two angels, his hands on their wings… he will pursue the Dajjāl until he reaches the gate of Lod (Lydda) and will kill him there." — Sahih Muslim 2937 (graded Sahih)

Anas ibn Malik reported the Prophet ﷺ said, of his Miʿraj: "I passed by Isa and Yaḥya in the second heaven." — Sahih al-Bukhari 3437; Sahih Muslim 162

The second coming

Isa's descent (nuzūl ʿĪsā) is one of the major signs of the Hour, narrated by mass-transmission across the canonical hadith collections. He will descend with his hands on the wings of two angels at the white minaret east of Damascus (Sahih Muslim 2937), join the Muslim community, kill the Dajjāl at Lod (Lydda) in Palestine, break the cross, kill the swine, and rule with the law of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. After his death he will be buried in Medina (a hadith of Ibn ʿUmar reports a vacant space prepared for him beside the Prophet's ﷺ grave).

Significance

Belief in Isa as a prophet and messenger of Allah is a condition of Muslim faith. The Quran is unyielding on three propositions: he was a human servant and prophet — not a divine being or "son of God"; he was not killed or crucified, but raised alive; he will return near the end of time as a sign of the Hour and the universal vindicator of Tawhid. The contrast with the Christian creed is sustained throughout Surahs Aal Imran, An-Nisa, Al-Mā'idah, and Maryam, with consistent clarity and respect for Isa and Maryam.

References

The Quran (Sahih International translation): Surahs Aal Imran 3:33–63; An-Nisa 4:156–159, 4:171–172; Al-Mā'idah 5:46–47, 5:72–78, 5:110–120; Maryam 19:16–40; Al-Anbiya 21:91; Al-Ahzab 33:7; Az-Zukhruf 43:57–65; Aṣ-Ṣaff 61:6, 61:14; At-Tahrim 66:12.
Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith nos. 3286, 3431, 3437, 3448. Trans. M. Muhsin Khan.
Sahih Muslim, hadith nos. 155, 162, 2366, 2937. Trans. Abdul Hamid Siddiqui.
Ibn Kathir, Qiṣaṣ al-Anbiyāʾ, chapter on Isa.
Ibn Kathir, Tafsīr al-Qurʾān al-ʿAẓīm, commentary on Aal Imran 3 and Maryam 19.
al-Tabari, Jamiʿ al-Bayān, sections on the same.
Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar, ar-Rusul wa-r-Risālāt, sections on Isa and the Second Coming.
Neal Robinson, Christ in Islam and Christianity (SUNY Press, 1991) — academic survey, used cautiously alongside classical sources.