Aslam

The story of Isa begins with his mother, Maryam — the most honoured woman in the Quran, with an entire surah named after her. She had devoted herself to worship in the temple, where the prophet Zakariya cared for her. Every time he entered her prayer chamber, he found provision already there. He asked: "O Maryam, from where is this?" She said: "It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account."

Then the angels brought her news: "O Maryam, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Isa, the son of Maryam — distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near to Allah." She said: "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" The angel said: "Such is Allah; He creates what He wills."

Maryam withdrew to a remote place. The pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. In her anguish, she cried: "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten." A voice called to her from below: "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 content."

She brought the baby to her people, who were shocked. "O Maryam, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented!" She pointed to the infant. They said: "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle, a child?" Then Isa spoke — a newborn, 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 charity as long as I remain alive."

Isa called the Children of Israel to worship Allah alone. He told them: "Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path." He confirmed the Torah that came before him, but made lawful some things that had been forbidden to them.

When Isa sensed disbelief from his people, he asked: "Who are my supporters for the cause of Allah?" The disciples said: "We are supporters for Allah. We have believed in Allah and testify that we are Muslims." They asked him to pray for a table spread with food to be sent down from heaven as a sign. Isa prayed, and Allah sent it down, saying it would be a festival for them — but whoever disbelieved after that would face a severe punishment.

Isa performed miracles by Allah's permission: he healed the blind and the leper, brought the dead back to life, and fashioned a bird from clay and breathed into it so it became alive. He told his people what they ate and what they stored in their houses. All of these were signs, yet many still rejected him.

The Quran is clear that Isa was not killed, nor was he crucified — though it was made to appear so. Rather, Allah raised him up to Himself. He will return before the Day of Judgement. He is honoured in this world and the next, a word from Allah and a spirit from Him — but he is not divine. He himself said: "Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path."