The short answer
Jesus in Islam is Prophet Isa, peace be upon him, the Messiah and son of Maryam, peace be upon her. The Quran calls him a messenger of Allah (An-Nisa 4:171) and says he was not killed or crucified but taken up by Allah (An-Nisa 4:157 to 158). Sahih al-Bukhari 3448, graded sahih (authentic), reports his descent.
ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ
What does Islam teach about Jesus, in brief?
Each point rests on the passage named beside it, shown or quoted below. The table is our reading aid, not a list the Quran gives.
| Point | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| He is the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam | Al Imran 3:45 |
| He is a messenger of Allah | An-Nisa 4:171 |
| As a child in the cradle he says Allah has appointed him a Prophet | Maryam 19:29 to 30 |
| His mother asks how she can have a son when no mortal has touched her | Al Imran 3:47; Maryam 19:20 |
| He is given signs, each by Allah's leave | Al Imran 3:49; Al-Ma'idah 5:110 |
| The Quran says it does not befit Allah to take a son | Maryam 19:35; An-Nisa 4:171 |
| The Quran says he was not killed or crucified, and that Allah took him up to Himself | An-Nisa 4:157 to 158 |
| A hadith reports that he will descend | Sahih al-Bukhari 3448 and Sahih Muslim 155a, both graded sahih |
Who is Jesus in Islam?
The Quran names him Isa ibn Maryam, Isa son of Maryam. The translation on this site renders Isa as Jesus, and renders his title al-Masih as "the Messiah". Al Imran 3:45 has the angels give Maryam the glad tidings of him:
إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ ٱسْمُهُ ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ
Below, the Quran's passages on him run from his birth to what the Quran says Allah did.
Do Muslims believe in Jesus?
Yes. Al-Baqarah 2:136 is addressed to the Muslims and has them say that they believe in what Jesus received, among others, and "We make no distinction between any of them":
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ
What does the Quran say about the birth of Isa?
Maryam 19:16 to 22 tells it from Maryam's withdrawal to the conception:
وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مَرْيَمَ إِذِ ٱنتَبَذَتْ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا مَكَانًا شَرْقِيًّا فَٱتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا قَالَتْ إِنِّىٓ أَعُوذُ بِٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيًّا قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَـٰمًا زَكِيًّا قَالَتْ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى غُلَـٰمٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِى بَشَرٌ وَلَمْ أَكُ بَغِيًّا قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَىَّ هَيِّنٌ ۖ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُۥٓ ءَايَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا ۞ فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَٱنتَبَذَتْ بِهِۦ مَكَانًا قَصِيًّا
She asks the same question in Al Imran 3:47, and there the answer is "Allah creates what He will":
قَالَتْ رَبِّ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لِى وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ يَمْسَسْنِى بَشَرٌ ۖ قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ ٱللَّهُ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
In Maryam 19:21 the answer given to her is "It is easy for Me". The messenger who comes to her is not named in these verses.
Is Jesus a prophet in Islam?
Yes. As a child in the cradle he says Allah "has appointed me a Prophet", and An-Nisa 4:171 says the Messiah "was only a messenger of Allah". Maryam 19:29 to 33 gives his words:
فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ ۖ قَالُوا۟ كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا قَالَ إِنِّى عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَىٰنِىَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّا وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَـٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّكَوٰةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَتِى وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِى جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا وَٱلسَّلَـٰمُ عَلَىَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا
Before his birth, Al Imran 3:46 says: "He will speak to mankind in his cradle and in his manhood". Al-Ma'idah 5:110 recalls it among Allah's favours to him.
What signs and miracles does the Quran mention?
Al Imran 3:49 is part of the announcement made before his birth, and gives the words he will say to the Children of Israel. The phrase "by Allah's leave" comes twice, once after the bird and once after the healing and the raising of the dead:
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
Al-Ma'idah 5:110 has Allah recalling His favours to him and to his mother, among them the cradle, the Scripture, the Wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel. The bird, the healing of the one born blind and of the leper, and the raising of the dead are each "by My permission". It adds "how I restrained the Children of Israel from (harming) you".
The Gospel is named in Al-Ma'idah 5:46, which says of Jesus, son of Mary: "We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light". None of these verses gives a date or a place for a sign.
What do "His word" and "a spirit from Him" mean in An-Nisa 4:171?
Commentators explain two phrases in the verse, shown here in full:
يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَـٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
Two commentaries explain the phrases, and their explanations are not the same. This page shows both and does not choose.
| Work, on 4:171 | What it says |
|---|---|
| Al-Tabari (died 310 AH), Jami' al-Bayan, vol. 7 pp. 703 to 705 3 | The "word" is the message Allah told the angels to bring Maryam as glad tidings. On "a spirit from Him" the people of knowledge differed, and he lists five explanations: a breath from Him; life from Him; mercy from Him; a spirit Allah created and then sent to Maryam; and Jibril, peace be upon him. He says each has a ground and is not far from the truth. |
| Ibn Kathir (died 774 AH), Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, vol. 2 p. 425 4 | He says Isa is only a servant from among Allah's servants and one of His creation, to whom He said "Be", and he was, and a messenger from among His messengers. The "word" conveyed to Maryam is the word with which Jibril was sent to her, by which Allah created him. |
What does the Quran say about Allah and a son?
The Quran says it does not befit Allah to take a son. Maryam 19:34 to 36 comes straight after the cradle speech:
ذَٰلِكَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ ۚ قَوْلَ ٱلْحَقِّ ٱلَّذِى فِيهِ يَمْتَرُونَ مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ مِن وَلَدٍ ۖ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥٓ ۚ إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبُّكُمْ فَٱعْبُدُوهُ ۚ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ
An-Nisa 4:171, shown above, says: "Far is it removed from His Transcendent Majesty that He should have a son." This page quotes these verses and says nothing about what anyone else believes.
Was Isa killed or crucified, and what does "raised" mean?
In An-Nisa 4:157 to 158 a claim is answered and what Allah did is stated:
وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًۢا بَل رَّفَعَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
The claim quoted is "We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger". The answer is "they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them". The next verse begins "But Allah took him up to Himself." The two verses name nobody else and do not say how it appeared so to them. Some commentaries report accounts of that, and this page does not use them.
The open wording in Al Imran 3:55
Al Imran 3:55 has Allah say to Isa words the translation renders "I am gathering you and causing you to ascend to Me". The translation's "gathering you" renders the word mutawaffika, and commentators explain that word in more than one way:
إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَىَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۖ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ
| Work, on 3:55 | What it says |
|---|---|
| Al-Tabari (died 310 AH), Jami' al-Bayan, vol. 5 pp. 447 to 452 5 | The people of interpretation differed. He lists four views: a wafat of sleep; a taking from the earth without death; a wafat of death; and the two clauses in reverse order. He says the most correct with him is "I am taking you from the earth and raising you to Me". |
| Ibn Kathir (died 774 AH), Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, vol. 2 p. 39 6 | The commentators differed. He reports several views, among them the clauses in reverse order, death, and a taking from the world that is not a wafat of death. He writes that most (al-akthurun) say the wafat here is sleep. |
| Al-Qurtubi (died 671 AH), al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an, vol. 4 pp. 99 to 100 7 | He reports views including the clauses in reverse order, death and sleep. He writes that the sahih is that Allah raised him to heaven without death or sleep, as al-Hasan and Ibn Zayd said, and adds that it is al-Tabari's choice, the sahih report from Ibn 'Abbas, and what al-Dahhak said. |
The three works report different explanations of the word, and this page does not pick one.
Do Muslims believe Isa will return?
Yes. Two hadith graded sahih report that he will descend, and al-Tahawi's creed lists his descent among the signs of the Hour. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, swore by Him in whose hand his soul is. The son of Maryam, he said, will soon descend among you as a just hakam (Sahih al-Bukhari 3448, graded sahih).
Sahih al-Bukhari 3448
وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ ، لَيُوشِكَنَّ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ فِيكُمُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ حَكَمًا عَدْلاً
wa-lladhī nafsī bi-yadihi, la-yūshikanna an yanzila fīkumu bnu Maryama ḥakaman ʿadlan
By Him in whose hand is my soul, the son of Maryam will soon descend among you as a just hakam (a judge or ruler).
1AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 3448
The narration goes on with other clauses, which this page does not take up. It ends with Abu Hurayrah's own words, not the Prophet's: he says to recite, if you wish, An-Nisa 4:159. Sahih Muslim 155a, graded sahih, has the same oath and the descent in a shorter wording, with hakam muqsit (a fair judge, in our translation) where Bukhari has hakam ʿadl, and no recitation after it.
2AuthenticSahih Muslim 155a
Neither report gives a date, a place or a length of time, and this page draws no timeline from them.
Al-Tahawi (died 321 AH), in his creed al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya, item 100 on p. 84 of al-Albani's edition, lists the descent of Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, from heaven among the signs of the Hour in which he says "we believe" 8.
Growing up I heard about Isa, peace be upon him, in bits, from different people. Reading what the Quran says about him, in order, was clearer than I expected.
Try it: four questions
Pick an answer; each one explains itself.
1In Maryam 19:30, what does the child say Allah has appointed him?
Answer: A Prophet. The verse has him say "Indeed, I am the slave of Allah", and that Allah "has appointed me a Prophet".
2What do Al Imran 3:49 and Al-Ma'idah 5:110 say goes with the signs?
Answer: Allah's leave or permission. Al Imran 3:49 has "by Allah's leave"; Al-Ma'idah 5:110 has "by My permission".
3What does An-Nisa 4:158 say Allah did?
Answer: Took him up to Himself. The verse says: "But Allah took him up to Himself."
4In Sahih al-Bukhari 3448, graded sahih, who says "recite, if you wish" and then gives An-Nisa 4:159?
Answer: Abu Hurayrah, the narrator. The Arabic marks it as Abu Hurayrah speaking, after the Prophet's words end. Source 1
Questions people ask
Where is Isa named in the Quran?
Our count of the Tanzil text finds the name Isa in 25 verses of 11 surahs, once in each verse. By surah: Al-Baqarah 3, Al Imran 5, An-Nisa 3, Al-Ma'idah 6, Al-An'am 1, Maryam 1, Al-Ahzab 1, Ash-Shura 1, Az-Zukhruf 1, Al-Hadid 1 and As-Saff 2. The sum is 3 + 5 + 3 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 25. The count takes every word that contains the letters of the name, with or without a joined prefix.
When and where was Isa born, according to the Quran?
The verses quoted on this page give no date and name no town. They do not describe the birth itself. Maryam 19:16 speaks of her withdrawal to "a place looking East" and Maryam 19:22 of her withdrawal with him to "a far place".
Is Jesus the Messiah in Islam?
Yes, in the Quran's wording. It calls him al-Masih, which the translation on this site renders "the Messiah", in Al Imran 3:45 and An-Nisa 4:171. This page quotes those verses and does not discuss the meaning of the title.
How did Jesus die in Islam?
An-Nisa 4:157 says "they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them", and An-Nisa 4:158 says "But Allah took him up to Himself." Al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir and al-Qurtubi explain the word in Al Imran 3:55 in more than one way, and this page does not choose between them.
Sources
Every claim on this page comes from one of these. Gradings are reported with the scholar's name; we do not grade hadith ourselves.
- 1
Abu Hurayrah reports the Prophet swearing that the son of Maryam will soon descend among you as a just hakam ('adl)
Sahih al-Bukhari 3448 Book 60, Hadith 118
Authentic: in Sahih al-Bukhari
- 2
Abu Hurayrah reports the same oath and the descent of the son of Maryam among you as a hakam muqsit (a fair or just judge), in a shorter wording than Bukhari 3448
Sahih Muslim 155a Book 1, Hadith 294
Authentic: in Sahih Muslim
- 3
Al-Tabari, on An-Nisa 4:171, says the 'word' conveyed to Maryam is the message the angels were told to bring her as glad tidings, notes Qatada's report that it is His saying 'Be', and says the people of knowledge differed on 'a spirit from Him', listing five explanations (a breath, life, mercy, a spirit Allah created and sent to Maryam, and Jibril) and saying each has a ground and is not far from the truth.
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d. 310 AH), Jami' al-Bayan, vol. 7 pp. 703 to 705 Read on 26 October 2026 (shamela.ws, the Turki edition). Record: scholarly-tabari-4-171-word-spirit.
- 4
Ibn Kathir, on An-Nisa 4:171, says the Messiah is only a servant from among Allah's servants and one of His creation, to whom He said 'Be' and he was, and a messenger from among His messengers, and that the 'word' conveyed to Maryam is the word with which Jibril was sent to her.
Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, vol. 2 p. 425 Read on 26 October 2026 (shamela.ws, Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya edition). Record: scholarly-ibnkathir-4-171-servant-word.
- 5
Al-Tabari, on Al Imran 3:55, says the people of interpretation differed on the wafat in 'inni mutawaffika', lists four views (sleep, a taking from the earth without death, death, and the clauses in reverse order) and says the most correct with him is 'I am taking you from the earth and raising you to Me'.
Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d. 310 AH), Jami' al-Bayan, vol. 5 pp. 447 to 452 Read on 26 October 2026 (shamela.ws, the Turki edition). Record: scholarly-tabari-3-55-wafat.
- 6
Ibn Kathir, on Al Imran 3:55, says the commentators differed, reports several views (the clauses in reverse order, death, and a taking from the world that is not a wafat of death), and writes that most say the wafat here is sleep.
Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, vol. 2 p. 39 Read on 26 October 2026 (shamela.ws, Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya edition). Record: scholarly-ibnkathir-3-55-wafat.
- 7
Al-Qurtubi, on Al Imran 3:55, reports views including the clauses in reverse order, death and sleep, and writes that the sahih is that Allah raised him to heaven without death or sleep, as al-Hasan and Ibn Zayd said, which is al-Tabari's choice.
Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH), al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Qur'an, vol. 4 pp. 99 to 100 Read on 26 October 2026 (shamela.ws, Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya edition). Record: scholarly-qurtubi-3-55-wafat.
- 8
Al-Tahawi's creed lists, among the signs of the Hour in which 'we believe', the descent of Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, from heaven.
Abu Ja'far Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tahawi (d. 321 AH), al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya, item 100 p. 84 Read on 26 October 2026 (shamela.ws, al-Albani's edition). Record: scholarly-tahawi-isa-descent.
- Q
Quran Arabic and English for Al Imran 3:45, 3:47, 3:49 and 3:55; Al-Baqarah 2:136; An-Nisa 4:157 to 158 and 4:171; Maryam 19:16 to 22, 19:29 to 33 and 19:34 to 36; and the clauses of Al Imran 3:46, Al-Ma'idah 5:46 and 5:110 quoted in the text. The count of the name Isa in the FAQ is the Ilmwell team's, made on the Tanzil text.
Tanzil Project Uthmani text, CC BY 3.0. English: adapted from Marmaduke Pickthall's translation (1930), modernised and checked against modern translations.
Next
- The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: who he wasBiography
- Who is Allah? The one God in Islam, in the Quran's wordsBelief
- Shahada: the declaration of faithBelief
- Maryam in Islam: her account in the QuranGuide
- The Prophets in Islam: a guide to the Quranic accountsGuide
- The Prophets and Islamic HistoryThe hub
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