Al-Masih ibn Maryam — The Messiah, Son of Mary
Prophet Isa (Jesus) عِيسَىٰ
Born miraculously to the chaste virgin Maryam, he spoke from the cradle, healed the sick and raised the dead by Allah's leave, was raised up to Allah before the schemes against him could succeed, and will return at the end of times.
The Family of Imran
Maryam was born of the family of Imran, a household Allah chose above the worlds. Her mother had vowed her child to the service of the temple — assuming she would have a son. When the baby came and it was a girl, she said: 'My Lord, I have delivered a female … and the male is not like the female.' (Qur'an 3:36) Allah accepted the dedication anyway. Maryam was raised under the care of the prophet Zakariyya. Whenever he entered her chamber he found her with provision. He said: 'O Maryam, from where is this for you?' She said: 'It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.' (Qur'an 3:37)
The Annunciation
Maryam withdrew from her family to a place in the east. There the angel Jibril appeared to her in the form of a well-proportioned man. She said: 'I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, if you should be God-fearing.' He said: 'I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you the news of a pure boy.' She said: 'How can I have a boy when no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?' He said: 'So it will be. Your Lord says: It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter already decreed.' (Qur'an 19:17-21)
Birth Under the Palm Tree
She conceived him and withdrew to a remote place. The pains of childbirth brought her to the trunk of a palm tree. She cried out: 'Oh, I wish I had died before this and had been forgotten, completely forgotten.' (Qur'an 19:23) Then a voice called from below her: 'Do not grieve. Your Lord has provided beneath you a stream. And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. So eat and drink and be contented.' (Qur'an 19:24-26) A young woman alone in a wilderness was provided water, dates, and a private place to give birth. The Lord of the worlds prepared the smallest details.
The Baby Who Spoke
She brought the baby to her people, carrying him. They said: 'O Maryam, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented. O sister of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.' (Qur'an 19:27-28) She pointed to the baby. They mocked: 'How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?' (Qur'an 19:29) Then the baby spoke. '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 zakah as long as I am alive. And dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.' (Qur'an 19:30-33)
قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا
Qala inni 'abdu-llah, ataniya l-kitaba wa ja'alani nabiyya. Wa ja'alani mubarakan ayna ma kuntu wa awsani bi-s-salati wa-z-zakati ma dumtu hayya. Wa barran bi-walidati wa lam yaj'alni jabbaran shaqiyya. Wa-s-salamu 'alayya yawma wulidtu wa yawma amutu wa yawma ub'athu hayya.
He said: '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 zakah as long as I am alive — and dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born, the day I will die, and the day I am raised alive.'
Signs by Allah's Leave
Allah gave Isa miracles to convince his people. 'I have come to you with a sign from your Lord — I design for you from clay something in the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I raise the dead — by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses.' (Qur'an 3:49) Every miracle was prefaced with the same four words — bi-idhnillah, by the leave of Allah. He never claimed power independent of his Lord.
The Disciples and the Table
He selected a small group of disciples — al-hawariyyun — who said: 'We are the supporters of Allah. We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims.' (Qur'an 3:52) Once they asked him to bring down a feast from the heavens. He prayed: 'O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table from the heaven, to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us, and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.' (Qur'an 5:114) The table came down.
The Plot Against Him
The leaders of his people plotted to kill him. 'And they plotted, and Allah plotted, and Allah is the best of plotters.' (Qur'an 3:54) When they came for him, Allah raised him up to Himself, and a likeness of him was placed on another, who was crucified in his place. 'And they neither killed him nor crucified him, but it was made to appear so to them.' (Qur'an 4:157-158) Isa is alive now, with Allah.
The Return
The Prophet ﷺ informed us of Isa's return at the end of times. He will descend at the white minaret east of Damascus, place his hands on the wings of two angels, and lead the Muslims in prayer behind the Imam Mahdi. He will break the cross, kill the swine, abolish jizyah, and there will be such peace in his time that wealth will overflow until no one accepts charity. He will pray janazah upon the dying companions of the Mahdi, and finally Allah will take him in death, and the Muslims will pray over him and bury him. (Combined from Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud.)
Lessons
- A pure mother and a pure son — Maryam's chastity is honored across all the prophets.
- Every miracle is by Allah's leave; the worker is not the source.
- Allah provides for whom He wills without account — for a young woman under a palm tree, and for whoever puts their trust in Him.
- Allah is the best of plotters — the schemes of the wicked cannot reach the friends of Allah without His permission.
- Isa is a servant of Allah and a messenger — Muslims love him as a brother in the lineage of prophets, not as a son of God.
- His return is among the signs of the Hour; the long arc of history is bending toward justice.
Quran references
3:42-59 · 4:156-159 · 5:110-120 · 19:16-36 · 43:57-65