Prophet Isa (al-Masih ibn Maryam) (AS)

Biography

The angels gave Maryam glad tidings of 'a word from Allah, whose name is the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam' (3:45). She conceived by Allah's command though no man had touched her (3:47; 19:20), gave birth beneath a palm tree (19:23-25), and when her people accused her, the infant spoke from the cradle: 'I am the servant of Allah; He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet' (19:30-33). His creation without a father is likened to Adam's (3:59). Maryam is honoured as chosen above the women of the worlds (3:42); she is not a prophet and is not a separate node in this dataset.

He was sent to the Children of Israel (3:49), confirming the Torah and making lawful some of what had been forbidden to them (3:50), and was given the Injil (5:46). By Allah's permission he shaped a bird from clay that became a bird, healed the blind and the leper, and raised the dead (3:49; 5:110); his disciples asked for a table spread from heaven (5:112-115). He announced a messenger after him whose name is Ahmad (61:6). His disciples (hawariyyun) supported him as 'Allah's helpers' (3:52; 61:14).

The Quran states: 'They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them... rather, Allah raised him to Himself' (4:157-158). He is Allah's servant and messenger, not divine (4:171-172; 5:75), and will deny having told people to worship him and his mother (5:116-117). He is among the Ulul-Azm (33:7; 42:13).

The Prophet ﷺ said the son of Maryam will descend as a just judge, break the cross, kill the swine and abolish the jizya (Sahih Bukhari 3448), and that he is the closest of people to Isa, the prophets being brothers of one father with different mothers (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab Ahadith al-Anbiya). Many scholars understand 43:61 ('and indeed he is a sign of the Hour') as referring to his return. His followers' religion later developed into Christianity, which the Quran critiques where it departs from Tawheed.