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Stories of the prophets

The story of Prophet Isa (Jesus)

Muslims love and honour Isa, son of Maryam, as one of the greatest messengers. The Quran tells of his birth without a father, his miracles and his return before the end of time.

By the AmalKit team · 30 Oct 2026 Pending scholar review

The story in short

Arabic name
عيسى
English name
Jesus
Named in the Quran
25 times
Sent to
The Children of Israel
In the list of 25
24 of 25 · one of the Ulul Azm

In short: Isa was born to the virgin Maryam by Allah's command "Be". He spoke from the cradle, saying "I am the servant of Allah". Allah gave him the Injil and miracles by His permission: shaping a bird from clay, healing the blind and the leper, and raising the dead. The Quran says he was not killed or crucified, but Allah raised him up to Himself. The Prophet ﷺ said he will return before the Hour as a just ruler.

The story of Isa

Maryam

"O Maryam, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds" (3:42). A whole surah is named after her. While she was alone, Jibril came to her in the form of a man and told her she would have a pure boy. She asked: "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me?" He said: "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me'" (19:21). The pains of birth drove her to a palm tree, and she was told to shake its trunk for fresh dates and drink from a stream beneath her (19:23-26).

Speaking from the cradle

When she brought the baby to her people, they accused her. She pointed to him, and he 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 remain alive, and made me dutiful to my mother" (19:30-32). The Prophet ﷺ named him among the few who spoke in the cradle.1 He also said that every child is touched by Satan at birth, except Maryam and her son.2 "Indeed, the example of Isa to Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, 'Be,' and he was" (3:59).

His miracles and his message

Isa said: "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, in that I design for you from clay that which is like 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 give life to the dead, by permission of Allah" (3:49). He confirmed the Tawrah, made lawful some of what had been forbidden to them (3:50), and called them to worship Allah, "my Lord and your Lord" (3:51). His disciples said: "We are supporters for Allah" (3:52), and asked for a table spread with food from heaven (5:112-115). He gave glad tidings of "a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad" (61:6). The Prophet ﷺ said: "I am the closest of people to Isa son of Maryam, in this world and the next. The prophets are brothers, their mothers differ, and their religion is one".3

Raised up

When some of his people plotted against him, Allah said: "O Isa, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself" (3:55). The Quran states: "They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but [another] was made to resemble him to them... And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself" (4:157-158). On the Night Journey the Prophet ﷺ met Isa, with Yahya, in the second heaven.4

His return

The Prophet ﷺ said: "By Him in whose hand is my soul, the son of Maryam will soon descend among you as a just ruler".5 In the hadith of al-Nawwas ibn Siman, he descends at the white minaret in the east of Damascus, and he is the one who kills the Dajjal.6 The Quran says: "And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour" (43:61), and on the Day of Judgement Allah will ask him about what his followers said, and he will answer: "I said not to them except what You commanded me: to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord" (5:117).

Key verses

قَالَ إِنِّى عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَىٰنِىَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّۭا ﴿٣٠﴾ وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّۭا ﴿٣١﴾ وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَتِى وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّارًۭا شَقِيًّۭا ﴿٣٢﴾ وَٱلسَّلَٰمُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّۭا ﴿٣٣﴾

Qaala innee 'abdullaahi aataaniyal Kitaaba wa ja'alanee Nabiyyaa Wa ja'alanee mubaarakan aina maa kuntu wa awsaanee bis Salaati waz Zakaati maa dumtu haiyaa Wa barram biwaalidatee wa lam yaj'alnee jabbaaran shaqiyyaa Wassalaamu 'alaiya yawma wulittu wa yawma amootu wa yawma ub'asu baiyaa

(30) [Jesus] said, "Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and made me a prophet. (31) And He has made me blessed wherever I am and has enjoined upon me prayer and zakah as long as I remain alive (32) And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. (33) And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive."

Quran 19:30-33 · Sahih International · Read in Surah Maryam

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٍۢ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴿٥٩﴾

Inna masala 'Eesaa 'indal laahi kamasali Aadama khalaqahoo min turaabin summa qaala lahoo kun fayakoon

Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.

Quran 3:59 · Sahih International · Read in Surah Al-Imran

وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّۢ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًۢا ﴿١٥٧﴾ بَل رَّفَعَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًۭا ﴿١٥٨﴾

Wa qawlihim innaa qatal nal maseeha 'Eesab-na-Maryama Rasoolal laahi wa maa qataloohu wa maa salaboohu wa laakin shubbiha lahum; wa innal lazeenakh talafoo fee lafee shakkim minh; maa lahum bihee min 'ilmin illat tibaa'az zann; wa maa qataloohu yaqeenaa Bar rafa'ahul laahu ilayh; wa kaanal laahu 'Azeezan Hakeemaa

(157) And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. (158) Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise.

Quran 4:157-158 · Sahih International · Read in Surah An-Nisa

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرًۢا بِرَسُولٍۢ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِى ٱسْمُهُۥٓ أَحْمَدُ ۖ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ قَالُوا۟ هَٰذَا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ﴿٦﴾

Wa iz qaala 'Eesab-nu-Mayama yaa Banee Israaa'eela innee Rasoolul laahi ilaikum musaddiqal limaa baina yadayya minat Tawraati wa mubashshiram bi Rasooliny yaatee mim ba'dis muhooo Ahmad; falammaa jaaa'ahum bil baiyinaati qaaloo haazaa sihrum mubeen

And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, "O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad." But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said, "This is obvious magic."

Quran 61:6 · Sahih International · Read in Surah As-Saff

Lessons from the story

  • Allah creates as He wills. Adam without parents, Isa without a father.
  • Maryam's story shows trust in Allah through slander and hardship.
  • Every miracle was "by permission of Allah". The prophets point to Allah, not to themselves.
  • All prophets brought one religion: worship Allah alone.
  • Belief in Isa is part of a Muslim's faith. Denying any prophet is denying all.

Where it is in the Quran

The main passages about Isa, with links to read and listen to each surah:

What is authentic, and what is not

Scholars differ on how exactly Isa was made to resemble another, and on who that person was. Tafsir books carry several reports, and none is established by a sahih hadith, so we have not named anyone. The details of Isa's life after his return, and the length of his stay, come in hadith that scholars have discussed and graded. Here we have used only those in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. This page sets out what the Quran and the Sunnah teach about Isa, with respect for those who see him differently.

We follow Ibn Kathir's Qasas al-Anbiya only where it rests on the Quran and sound hadith. Isra'iliyyat are reports taken from earlier scriptures and storytellers. Scholars allow mentioning them only when they do not contradict the Quran and Sunnah, and they are never treated as certain.

Questions

Do Muslims believe in Jesus?

Yes. Belief in Isa as a prophet and messenger of Allah is part of Islamic faith. He is one of the five messengers of firm resolve.

Was Jesus crucified according to Islam?

The Quran says he was not killed or crucified, but it was made to appear so, and Allah raised him to Himself (4:157-158).

Do Muslims believe Jesus will return?

Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said Isa son of Maryam will descend before the Hour as a just ruler (Bukhari 3448, Muslim 155), and will kill the Dajjal (Muslim 2937).

What miracles did Isa perform in the Quran?

Speaking from the cradle, shaping a bird from clay that became a living bird, healing the blind and the leper, and raising the dead, all by Allah's permission (3:49, 5:110).

How many times is Isa mentioned in the Quran?

25 times by the name Isa. He is also called al-Masih (the Messiah) and Ibn Maryam (son of Maryam) in other places.

Sources

  1. Sahih al-Bukhari 3436; Sahih Muslim 2550.
  2. Sahih al-Bukhari 3431; Sahih Muslim 2366.
  3. Sahih al-Bukhari 3443; Sahih Muslim 2365.
  4. Sahih Muslim 162.
  5. Sahih al-Bukhari 3448; Sahih Muslim 155.
  6. Sahih Muslim 2937, from al-Nawwas ibn Siman.
  7. Ibn Kathir, Qasas al-Anbiya, chapter on Isa, and his tafsir of 4:157-159.
  8. Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, English by Sahih International. In quotations within the text, the prophets' names are given in their Arabic form (Musa for Moses, Ibrahim for Abraham).

The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.