The Story of Jesus in the Holy Quran

The Good news of a new-born child

Table of Contents

📖Quran 3:45
(Remember the time) when the angels said: “O Maryam, Allah gives you the good news of a Word from Him whose name is MasīH ‘Īsā , the son of Maryam (the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary) a man of status in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those who are near (to Allah).

📖Quran 3:46-49
He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous, 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. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel, And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed 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 [from birth] and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.

📖Quran 3:50
And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me, Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.

📖Quran 19:16-18
And mention, [O Muhammad], in the Book [the story of] Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e., Gabriel], and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. She said, “Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allah.

📖Quran 19:19-21
He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy [i.e., son]. She said, “How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?” He said, “Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, ‘It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.’

The Immaculate Conception

📖Quran 21:91
And [mention] the one who guarded her chastity [i.e., Mary], so We blew into her [garment] through Our angel [i.e., Gabriel], and We made her and her son a sign for the worlds.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

And, mention Mary, the one who guarded her virginity, [the one who] preserved it from being taken, so We breathed into her of Our spirit, namely, Gabriel, when he breathed into the opening of her garment and she conceived Jesus. And We made her and her son a sign for all the worlds, that is, [for] mankind, jinn and angels, because she bore him without [having] a male [partner].

The Birth of Jesus

📖Quran 19:22-23
So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten.

📖Quran 19:24
But he called her from below her, “Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.

📖Quran 19:25
And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

And shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards you, [a palm-tree] which had withered (the bi- [in bi-jidh`i’l- nakhlati, `the trunk of the palm-tree] is extra) — there will drop (tusqit, originally this is tatasqat, but the second t’ is changed into a sn and is assimilated with the [second] sn; a variant reading omits it [the second t’] altogether) on you dates (rutaban, a specification) fresh and ripe (janiyyan, an adjectival qualification of it [of rutaban, `dates’]).

📖Quran 19:26
So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, ‘Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.

📖Quran 19:27
Then she brought him to her people, carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have certainly done a thing unprecedented.

📖Quran 19:28
O sister [i.e., descendant] of Aaron, your father was not a man of evil, nor was your mother unchaste.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

O sister of Aaron — he was a righteous man, in other words [what is meant is], O you who are like him in [terms of] chastity — your father was not a wicked man, that is, a fornicator, nor was your mother unchaste’, that is, a fornicatress: so how is it that you have this child?

📖Quran 3:59
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 23:50
And We made the son of Mary and his mother a sign and sheltered them within a high ground having level [areas] and flowing water.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

And We made the son of Mary, Jesus, and his mother a sign — He did not say `two signs’ because the same sign is in both of them: his being born without [his mother’s having] a male spouse. And We gave them refuge on a height (rabwa), a highland — in this case [either] the Holy House [of Jerusalem], Damascus or Palestine, all of which are [alternative] opinions — level (dht qarr), an flat [high-] land on which its inhabitants are able to settle (yastaqirru), and watered by springs, running water, over ground, which the eyes can see.

The Excellence of Mary

📖Quran 66:11
And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Pharaoh, when she said, “My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from the wrongdoing people.”

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

And God has struck a similitude for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh — she believed in Moses, her name was siya; Pharaoh chastised her by tying her hands and feet to pegs and placing a huge millstone on her chest, and having her laid out in the sun; but when those in charge of her would leave her, the angels would [come to] shade her — when she said, during her torture, `My Lord, build for me a home near You in Paradise, — so He disclosed for her [a veil of the Unseen] and she saw it, which in turn alleviated for her the torture — and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, his torture, and deliver me from the evildoing folk’, the followers of his [Pharaoh’s] religion, whereat God took [unto Himself] her spirit [in death]. Ibn Kaysn said, `She was raised to Paradise alive, where she eats and drinks.

📖Quran 66:12
And [the example of] Mary, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We blew into [her garment] through Our angel [i.e., Gabriel], and she believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures and was of the devoutly obedient.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

And Mary (wa-Maryama is a supplement to imra’ata Fir`awna) daughter of `Imrn, who preserved [the chastity of] her womb, so We breathed into it of Our Spirit, namely, Gabriel — when he breathed into the opening of her shirt, by God’s creation of this action of his which reached her womb, thus conceiving Jesus — and she confirmed the words of her Lord, His prescriptions, and His, revealed, Scriptures and she was of the obedient, [one] of the obedient folk. Meccan, consisting of 30 verses.

Jesus the Prophet

📖Quran 2:136
Say, [O believers], “We have believed in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants [al-Asbat] and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.

📖Quran 4:163
Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And We revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms].?

📖Quran 5:75
The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.

📖Quran 53:49
He [i.e., Jesus] was not but a servant upon whom We bestowed favor, and We made him an example for the Children of Israel.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

He, Jesus, is only a servant [of Ours] on whom We bestowed favour, through prophethood, and We made him, by his [coming into] being without a father, an exemplar for the Children of Israel, that is to say, like an example because of the wondrousness of his case, one from which one is able to infer God’s power, exalted be He, to do whatever He will.

The Message of Jesus

📖Quran 5:46
And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.

📖Quran 4:171
O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

O People of the Scripture, the Gospel, do not go to extremes, do not go beyond the bounds, in your religion and do not say about God except, the saying of, the truth, such as exalting Him above any associations with a partner or a child: the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word which He cast to, [which] He conveyed to, Mary, and a spirit, that is, one whose spirit is, from Him: he [Jesus] is here attached to God, exalted be He, as an honouring for him, and not as you claim, that he is the son of God, or a god alongside Him, or one of three, because one that possesses a spirit is compound, while God transcends being compound and the attribution of compounds to Him. So believe in God and His messengers, and do not say, that the gods are, `Three’, God, Jesus and his mother. Refrain, from this and say what, it is better for you, [to say], which is the profession of His Oneness. Verily, God is but One God. Glory be to Him, transcending [the possibility], that He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth, as possessions, creatures and servants, and such sovereignty is not compatible with [that] prophethood [of Jesus]. God suffices as a Guardian, a Witness to this.

📖Quran 4:172
Never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah, nor would the angels near [to Him]. And whoever disdains His worship and is arrogant – He will gather them to Himself all together.

📖Quran 19:34-36
That is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in dispute.It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, “Be,” and it is. [Jesus said], “And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.

📖Quran 19:37
Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from among them, so woe to those who disbelieved – from the scene of a tremendous Day.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn

But the factions differed among themselves, that is to say, the Christians, [they differed] regarding Jesus: was he the son of God? A god alongside Him? Or [was he] the third of three [gods]? So woe — [meaning] severe punishment [will be meted out] — to those who disbelieve, [those who disbelieve] in the way mentioned and in other ways, at the scene of an awful Day, that is to say, [woe to them] when they are present at the Day of Resurrection and [witnessing] its terrors.

📖Quran 43:63-65
And when Jesus brought clear proofs, he said, “I have come to you with wisdom [i.e., prophethood] and to make clear to you some of that over which you differ, so fear Allah and obey me. Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is a straight path, But the denominations from among them differed [and separated], so woe to those who have wronged from the punishment of a painful Day.

The Miracles of Jesus

📖Quran 19:29-33
So she pointed to him. They said, “How can we speak to one who is in the cradle a child?” [Jesus] said, “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, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive.That is Jesus, the son of Mary – the word of truth about which they are in dispute.

More miracles have been mentioned under: The Good news of a new-born child

📖Quran 5:112-115
[And remember] when the disciples said, “O Jesus, Son of Mary, can your Lord send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven?” [Jesus] said, “Fear Allah, if you should be believers.They said, “We wish to eat from it and let our hearts be reassured and know that you have been truthful to us and be among its witnesses. Said Jesus, the son of Mary, “O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.Allah said, “Indeed, I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you – then indeed will I punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds.

Jesus and His Disciples

📖Quran 61:14
O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, “Who are my supporters for Allah?” The disciples said, “We are supporters of Allah.” And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant.

📖Quran 5:111
When I enjoined upon the disciples (of ‘Īsā ), “Believe in Me and in My Messenger,” they said, “We believed. Bear witness that we are the submitting ones.

📖Quran 57:27-29
Then We sent following their footsteps [i.e., traditions] Our messengers and followed [them] with Jesus, the son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy and monasticism, which they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did so] seeking the approval of Allah. But they did not observe it with due observance. So We gave the ones who believed among them their reward, but many of them are defiantly disobedient. O you who have believed, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.[This is] so that the People of the Scripture may know that they are not able [to obtain] anything from the bounty of Allah and that [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

English – Tafsir Jalalayn verse 57:29

So that the People of the Scripture, the Torah — those who did not believe in Muhammad (s) — may know, in other words, I inform you of this so that they [the People of the Scripture] may know, that (a [of a-ll] is softened in place of the hardened form [an-l], its subject being the pronoun of the matter, that is to say, [understand it as being] annahum) they have no power over anything of God’s bounty, contrary to their claims that they are God’s beloved and those who deserve His beatitude, and that [all] bounty is in God’s hand; He gives it to whomever He will, and hence He has given the believers [in the Prophet] among them their reward twofold, as stated above; and God is [dispenser] of tremendous bounty. Medinese, consisting of 22 verses.

The Passion of Christ

📖Quran 3:52-54
So, when ‘Jesus sensed disbelief in them, he said: “Who are my helpers in the way of Allah?” The disciples said: “We are helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah; so be our witness that we are Muslims.“ Our Lord, we have believed in what You have revealed, and we have followed the messenger. So, record us with those who bear witness (to the Truth).And they [i.e., the disbelievers] planned, but Allah planned. And Allah is the best of planners.

➡️English – Tafsir Jalalayn verse 3:54

God says: And they, the disbelievers among the Children of Israel, schemed, against Jesus, by assigning someone to assassinate him; and God schemed, by casting the likeness of Jesus onto the person who intended to kill him, and so they killed him, while Jesus was raised up into heaven; and God is the best of schemers, most knowledgeable of him [Jesus].

📖Quran 4:157-58
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. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise.

The Followers of Jesus

📖Quran 3:61
Then whoever argues with you about it after [this] knowledge has come to you – say, “Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then supplicate earnestly [together] and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars [among us].”