The Quran speaks about his birth, [his mother Maryam](/en/research/mary-in-the-quran/), his miracles, his message, and his place in the history of revelation. At the same time, the Quran gives a clear teaching about who Jesus is and who Allah is.

The Quran honors Jesus greatly, but it does not describe him as God or as the son of God. It presents him as a human messenger of Allah who called his people to worship the One God.

This article looks at what the Quran says about Jesus. It also explains how classical Muslim scholars understood these verses and briefly compares the Quranic view with mainstream Christian belief and modern historical scholarship.

In the Quran, Jesus is called Isa ibn Maryam (عيسى بن مريم), meaning Jesus, son of Mary. He is mentioned by name many times in the Quran and is given several honored titles.

Isa ibn Maryam — Jesus, Son of Mary

The Quran often identifies Jesus through his mother:

“The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary...”

The title son of Mary is important because Jesus had no human father according to the Quran. His birth was a miracle created by Allah.

Al-Masih — The Messiah

Jesus is also called Al-Masih, meaning the Messiah. The Quran gives him this title several times, including in 3:45 and 4:171. The Quran does not give a long definition of the title, but it clearly presents it as an honored title belonging to Jesus.

Abd Allah — Servant of Allah

One of the clearest descriptions of Jesus appears when he speaks as an infant:

“Indeed, I am the servant of Allah.”

This is important in the Quranic view of Jesus. He is highly honored, but he is still a servant and messenger of Allah.

Rasul Allah — Messenger of Allah

The Quran also calls Jesus a messenger of Allah. He was sent to the Children of Israel with guidance and clear signs:

“I am the messenger of Allah to you...”

See also 3:49 and 4:171.

A Word from Allah

In 3:45, Jesus is described as a word from Allah. Classical Muslim scholars explained this expression in different ways, but a common explanation is that Jesus was created by Allah’s command. Allah creates by His command, as shown clearly in 3:59, where the Quran compares Jesus with Adam.

A Spirit from Him

In 4:171, Jesus is also described as:

“a spirit from Him”

Classical Muslim scholars generally understood this as an honored spirit created by Allah. They did not understand the expression to mean that Jesus was part of Allah or shared Allah’s divine nature.

Jesus and the Greatest Prophets

Islamic scholars commonly place Jesus among the prophets known as Ulul ‘Azm, the prophets of firm resolve. These include Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad ﷺ. The Quran refers to prophets of firm resolve in 33:7 and 46:35, while the identification of these five prophets comes from Islamic scholarly tradition.

The Quran gives a detailed account of the birth of Jesus. The main passages are found in Surah Maryam 19:16–36 and Surah Al-Imran 3:42–59.

The story begins with Maryam. She withdrew from her people to a quiet place. Allah sent an angel to her in the form of a man. She became afraid and asked Allah for protection.

The angel told her that Allah had chosen her to have a pure son. Maryam asked how this could happen because no man had touched her. The answer was simple: it was the will of Allah. The Quran says:

“It is easy for Me.”

The birth of Jesus is therefore presented as a miraculous act of creation.

The Birth Under the Date Palm

When Maryam went into labor, she suffered great pain and emotional distress. She went to the trunk of a date palm. Allah then provided for her. A stream was placed near her, and she was told to shake the trunk of the palm tree so that fresh dates would fall. This part of the story appears in 19:23–26.

When Maryam returned to her people carrying the baby, they accused her of serious wrongdoing. Maryam did not argue with them. Instead, she pointed to the child. Then came another miracle: the infant Jesus spoke.

According to 19:30, he declared that he was a servant of Allah and that Allah had given him scripture and made him a prophet. This is one of the most remarkable parts of the Quranic story of Jesus.

The same events, seen from Maryam’s side, are explained in [the birth of Jesus in Mary’s story](/en/research/mary-in-the-quran/#birth-of-jesus).

Why Does the Quran Mention the Virgin Birth?

The Quran presents the birth of Jesus as a sign of Allah’s creative power. It does not treat the virgin birth as proof that Jesus is God. Instead, the Quran compares the creation of Jesus with the creation of Adam:

“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.”

The point is that Allah can create in any way He wills. Adam had neither a father nor a mother. Jesus had a mother but no human father. In both cases, creation happened by the command of Allah.

The Quran therefore presents the virgin birth as a great miracle, but not as evidence that Jesus is divine.

Maryam has a special place in the Quran. She is the only woman mentioned by name in the Quran, and Surah Maryam, the nineteenth chapter, is named after her.

The Quran describes Maryam as a woman specially chosen and purified by Allah:

“Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.”

Before her birth, Maryam’s mother dedicated her unborn child to the service of Allah (3:35). Maryam later lived under the care of Zakariya. The Quran describes how he found food with her in her place of worship. When he asked where it came from, she answered that it came from Allah (3:37).

Maryam is also presented as a model of faith and obedience. In 66:12, the Quran praises her purity and faith. In 5:75, Jesus and his mother are described as truthful people.

The Quran therefore gives Maryam a very high spiritual position while also making clear that she was a servant of Allah.

To read Maryam’s full story, including her family, her childhood and her character, see [Mary in the Quran](/en/research/mary-in-the-quran/).

Jesus is one of the prophets in the Quran associated with many extraordinary signs. The Quran describes several miracles connected with him.

Speaking as an Infant

Jesus spoke while still in the cradle. This appears in 3:46 and 19:29–33. His first words included his declaration that he was the servant of Allah.

Creating a Bird from Clay

In 3:49 and 5:110, Jesus is described as shaping a figure of a bird from clay and breathing into it, after which it becomes a living bird. The Quran is very clear about one point: this happened by Allah’s permission.

Healing the Blind and the Sick

Jesus is also described as healing people who were born blind and those suffering from serious skin disease. Again, the Quran says that these miracles happened by Allah’s permission. See 3:49 and 5:110.

Bringing the Dead to Life

The Quran also says that Jesus brought the dead back to life by Allah’s permission. This is mentioned in 3:49 and 5:110.

Knowledge of Hidden Matters

In 3:49, Jesus tells the Children of Israel that he can tell them what they have eaten and what they have stored in their homes. This is presented as another sign from Allah.

The Table Spread with Food

Surah Al-Ma’idah contains the story of the disciples asking Jesus to ask Allah for a table spread with food from heaven. Jesus first reminded them to be mindful of Allah. He then prayed. Allah responded to the request, while also giving a serious warning about what would follow if people rejected the truth afterward. This story appears in 5:112–115.

Why Does the Quran Repeatedly Say “By Allah’s Permission”?

This point is central to the Quranic presentation of Jesus. The Quran does not deny his miracles. In fact, it strongly confirms them. But it repeatedly says that they happened by Allah’s permission:

“by My permission”

This means that the power behind the miracles belongs to Allah. Jesus is the messenger through whom the signs appear, but Allah remains the source of all power.

Jesus as the Messiah

The Quran gives Jesus the title Al-Masih, or the Messiah. The title appears in several passages, including 3:45, 4:171, and 5:72.

The Quran does not give a detailed explanation of the term itself. Muslim scholars have offered different explanations of its meaning and origin. What is clear from the Quran is that the Messiah is Jesus, son of Mary, and that Jesus is a messenger of Allah.

The Quran does not present Jesus as a divine being who came to earth to become a sacrifice for human sin. Instead, it presents him as a prophet who called people to Allah.

Jesus as a Prophet and Messenger

The Quran clearly presents Jesus as a human prophet and messenger. His mission was to the Children of Israel. He came confirming the Torah that had been revealed before him. The Quran says:

“Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.”

This verse gives a simple summary of Jesus’ message in the Quran: worship Allah alone.

In 3:50, Jesus says that he came confirming the Torah and making some previously forbidden things lawful for the Children of Israel. The Quran therefore places Jesus within a larger chain of revelation. The prophets before him brought guidance from Allah, and Jesus continued that mission.

Did Jesus Predict Another Messenger?

The Quran says that Jesus gave his people good news of a messenger who would come after him. In 61:6, Jesus says that a messenger named Ahmad would come after him. Muslim scholars have traditionally understood Ahmad to refer to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

This is part of the Islamic understanding that the prophets came with a connected message from the same God.

The Quran says that Allah gave Jesus a revelation called the Injil. For example:

“And We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light.”

The Quran therefore clearly teaches that Jesus received divine revelation. However, the Injil in the Quran should not simply be treated as another name for the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament. These are different concepts.

The Quran presents the Injil as a revelation given to Jesus. The four canonical Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — are Christian writings that became part of the New Testament.

The Classical Muslim View

Classical Muslim scholars generally distinguished between the original revelation given to Jesus and the later Christian writings.

Muslim discussions of tahrif, or alteration, are not identical in every scholarly work. Some scholars focused on changes in meaning and interpretation, while others also discussed changes to the text. It is therefore better to avoid reducing the entire Islamic position to a single simple theory.

The Christian View

Mainstream Christianity regards Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as authoritative Gospel writings within the New Testament. Christians do not normally describe them as a single book personally written by Jesus.

Modern Historical Scholarship

Modern scholars generally date the four canonical Gospels to the first century CE, after the lifetime of Jesus. They study them as early Christian writings about the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The important distinction is this: the Quran speaks of a revelation given to Jesus. The New Testament contains four canonical Gospel writings about Jesus. These are related religious concepts, but they are not identical.

The Quran clearly rejects the idea that Allah has a son. This teaching is repeated in several places. For example:

“It is not befitting for Allah to take a son.”

The Quran also says:

“He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

The Quran does not see the miraculous birth of Jesus as proof of divine sonship. Instead, it points again to Adam. If having no human father meant that Jesus must be divine, then Adam would present an even greater question because Adam had neither father nor mother.

The Quran’s answer is that both are creations of Allah.

The Quran strongly emphasizes the oneness of Allah. In 4:171, the Quran tells the People of the Scripture not to exaggerate in religion and says:

“Do not say, ‘Three.’”

The verse then describes Jesus as the Messiah, the messenger of Allah, His word directed to Mary, and a spirit from Him. In 5:73, the Quran also rejects the statement that Allah is “the third of three.”

From the Quranic point of view, Allah is One and must be worshipped alone.

The Christian Understanding of the Trinity

Mainstream Christianity does not teach belief in three separate gods. It teaches that there is one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This doctrine developed within early Christian theology and was formally expressed in the early Church councils.

It is important, therefore, not to describe the Trinity simply as “three gods.” That would not accurately represent mainstream Christian belief.

What About Mary in Quran 5:116?

The Quran also records a future dialogue in which Allah asks Jesus whether he told people to take him and his mother as two gods besides Allah (5:116). This verse should be read carefully.

It should not automatically be treated as a definition of the formal Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Mainstream Christianity does not include Mary within the Trinity. The verse is part of the Quran’s wider discussion of claims made about Jesus and his mother and the rejection of worship directed to anyone besides Allah.

The crucifixion is one of the biggest differences between the Quranic and Christian accounts of Jesus. The Quran discusses this directly in 4:157–158.

The verse says that those who claimed to have killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, did not kill or crucify him, but that the matter was made to appear so to them. The Quran then says:

“Rather, Allah raised him to Himself.”

This is the key Quranic statement.

The Traditional Muslim Interpretation

Classical Muslim scholars generally understood these verses to mean that Jesus was not killed on the cross and that Allah raised him alive. A common explanation became known as the substitution interpretation: another person was made to resemble Jesus and was crucified instead.

Classical tafsir works, including those of Al-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, and Ibn Kathir, record reports supporting this understanding.

However, there is an important point to remember: the Quran itself does not explicitly say that another person was substituted for Jesus. The Quran says that Jesus was not killed or crucified and that the matter was made to appear so.

Other Muslim Interpretations

Some Muslim scholars have understood the passage differently. They have questioned the idea of a physical substitute and have explored whether the verse could mean that the identity or circumstances of the event were made unclear.

Such interpretations are not the dominant traditional view, but they are part of the wider history of Muslim discussion on the verse.

The Christian Understanding

Mainstream Christianity teaches that Jesus was crucified under the Roman authorities and that he rose from the dead three days later. The crucifixion and resurrection are central to Christian belief and Christian ideas about salvation.

Historical Scholarship

Modern historical scholarship generally treats the crucifixion of Jesus as one of the strongest historical claims about his life. Historians base this view mainly on early Christian sources and other ancient evidence.

However, historical scholarship and Quranic theology are asking different kinds of questions. A historian may ask: what most likely happened in first-century Judea? The Quran is giving a religious account of what happened according to divine revelation.

For this reason, the historical discussion should be kept separate from the Quranic claim.

The Quran also connects Jesus with the Last Hour. In 43:61, Jesus is described in connection with the Hour. There is some discussion among scholars about the exact meaning of this verse, but it is widely connected in Islamic tradition with Jesus and the events before the Day of Judgment.

The Quran also describes a future conversation between Allah and Jesus. In 5:116–117, Allah asks Jesus whether he told people to worship him and his mother. Jesus rejects this completely. He says that he only told people what Allah commanded him to say:

“Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.”

This passage strongly reinforces the Quranic picture of Jesus as a messenger who called people to worship Allah alone.

What Does Hadith Say About the Return of Jesus?

The detailed Islamic teaching about the return of Jesus comes mainly from Hadith, not from a detailed Quranic description.

Authentic Hadith reports in major collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim describe Jesus descending before the Last Hour. These reports describe events involving the Dajjal, the great false messiah, and the establishment of justice.

Islamic scholars have generally accepted the return of Jesus as part of traditional Islamic belief. However, it is important to distinguish this from the Quran itself. The Quran provides the main theological foundation, while Hadith provides additional details about the events before the Day of Judgment.

Some details found in later reports are discussed by scholars and should not automatically be presented as equally certain.

The Quranic view of Jesus and mainstream Christian belief share some important points, but they also differ on several central questions.

These differences are theological. Presenting them clearly does not require attacking or judging either faith.

The Quran gives Jesus a very high position while maintaining a strict distinction between the Creator and His creation.

• Jesus has a miraculous birth.
• He is the Messiah.
• He is a messenger of Allah.
• He performs extraordinary miracles.
• He speaks as an infant.
• He receives divine revelation.
• He is honored together with his mother Maryam.

Yet the Quran never makes him part of the divine being. This balance is one of the most distinctive features of the Quranic account.

The Quran rejects both extremes: it does not present Jesus as an ordinary person with no special status, but it also does not present him as God. Instead, Jesus is a highly honored messenger of the One God. His message is described in very simple terms:

“Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him.”

This teaching also connects Jesus with the wider Quranic story of the prophets. The Quran presents a long chain of messengers, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad ﷺ. Their historical situations were different, but the central call to worship Allah alone remains a common theme.

The Quran’s teaching about Jesus cannot be separated from its teaching about Allah. The Quran repeatedly states that Allah is One. Surah Al-Ikhlas gives a very short summary:

“Say, He is Allah, One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge.”

It then says:

“He neither begets nor is born.”

This is the foundation of Tawhid, the Islamic belief in the absolute oneness of Allah.

From the Quranic perspective, Jesus’ greatness comes from Allah:

• ۞His birthA miracle created by Allah.
• ۞His miraclesThey happen by Allah’s permission.
• ۞His messageIt comes from Allah.
• ۞His scriptureIt comes from Allah.

And Jesus himself declares that he is the servant of Allah.

The Quran presents Jesus, or Isa ibn Maryam, as one of the most honored prophets in the history of revelation. He is the Messiah, a messenger of Allah, the miraculous son of Maryam, and a prophet who performed extraordinary signs by Allah’s permission.

• ۞His honorThe Quran strongly affirms his miraculous birth and gives his mother Maryam a unique place of honor.
• ۞His statusThe Quran makes a clear distinction between Jesus and Allah. Jesus is not presented as God, and not as the son of God in a divine sense.
• ۞The crucifixionAccording to the Quran, he was not killed or crucified.
• ۞His returnThe traditional Islamic understanding adds that Jesus was raised by Allah and will return before the Day of Judgment, with these details coming mainly from Hadith literature.

The Quranic account of Jesus is therefore both deeply respectful and theologically distinct. It honors Jesus without worshipping him and places him within the long line of prophets who called humanity back to the worship of the One God.

For readers of different backgrounds, studying Jesus in the Quran can also provide a useful way to understand both the shared history and the important theological differences between Islam and Christianity.

The Holy Quran

Especially 3:42–59, 4:157–171, 5:46–75, 5:110–117, 19:16–36, 43:61, 61:6, 66:12 and 112:1–4.

Al-Tabari

Jami‘ al-Bayan.

Al-Qurtubi

Al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Quran.

Ibn Kathir

Tafsir al-Quran al-‘Azim.

Hadith collections

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.

Christian and historical sources

The New Testament, especially the four canonical Gospels; academic works on the historical Jesus and early Christianity.

Note: Quranic interpretation can differ among scholars. Where the Quran gives a clear statement, this article distinguishes it from explanations found in classical tafsir, later Islamic tradition, Christian theology, and modern historical scholarship.