concept

The Messiah

الْمَسِيح

In Islam, "The Messiah" (Al-Masih) is a profound and deeply revered title bestowed upon Prophet Jesus, known as Isa ibn Maryam. This name, given to him by the angels, signifies his extraordinary status and destiny, marking him as [distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah]]. His miraculous birth and powerful miracles are signs of Allah's immense power and wisdom. Crucially, in Islamic theology, the title of Messiah acknowledges Jesus as a mighty messenger of God, but firmly establishes his humanity. The Quran declares that [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]. This distinction is vital, affirming Allah's absolute Oneness and rejecting any notion of Jesus being divine or a son of God. Indeed, [never would the Messiah disdain to be a servant of Allah]. For Muslims, Al-Masih is a beloved prophet whose life exemplifies devotion and submission to God, and whose anticipated return is an important belief concerning the end times.

Quran 4 verses

إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ ٱسْمُهُ ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ

Iz qaalatil malaaa'ikatu yaa Maryamu innal laaha yubashshiruki bi Kalimatim minhus muhul Maseeh u 'Eesab nu Maryama wajeehan fid dunyaa wal Aakhirati wa minal muqarrabeen

[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].

(وہ وقت بھی یاد کرنے کے لائق ہے) جب فرشتوں نے (مریم سے کہا) کہ مریم خدا تم کو اپنی طرف سے ایک فیض کی بشارت دیتا ہے جس کا نام مسیح (اور مشہور) عیسیٰ ابن مریم ہوگا (اور) جو دنیا اور آخرت میں باآبرو اور (خدا کے) خاصوں میں سے ہوگا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: The previous verse (44) appeared parenthetically between the present verses 45 - 46 and verses 42 - 43 and the purpose was to affirm the prophethood of Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ . The present verse resumes with the story of Sayyidah Maryam which actually pre-pares the ground for a fuller account of the bi...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: Mention when the angels namely Gabriel said ‘O Mary God gives you good tidings of a Word from Him that is a boy whose name is the Messiah Jesus son of Mary He addresses her attributing him to her in order to point out that she will give birth to him without a father for the custom is to attribute th...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Delivering the Good News to Maryam of `Isa's Birth This Ayah contains the glad tidings the angels brought to Maryam that she would give birth to a mighty son who will have a great future. Allah said, إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ يمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ ((Remember) when ...

وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ لَفِى شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًۢا

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

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.

اور یہ کہنے کے سبب کہ ہم نے مریم کے بیٹے عیسیٰ مسیح کو جو خدا کے پیغمبر (کہلاتے) تھے قتل کردیا ہے (خدا نے ان کو معلون کردیا) اور انہوں نے عیسیٰ کو قتل نہیں کیا اور نہ انہیں سولی پر چڑھایا بلکہ ان کو ان کی سی صورت معلوم ہوئی اور جو لوگ ان کے بارے میں اختلاف کرتے ہیں وہ ان کے حال سے شک میں پڑے ہوئے ہیں اور پیروئی ظن کے سوا ان کو اس کا مطلق علم نہیں۔ اور انہوں نے عیسیٰ کو یقیناً قتل نہیں کیا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Commentary In the verse يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَ‌افِعُكَ (Isa, I am to take you in full and lift you towards Me... 3:55) appearing in Surah 'Al-` Imran, Almighty Allah had made five promises in connection with foiling the Jewish plans against Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) and protecting h...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: And for their saying boastfully ‘We slew the Messiah Jesus son of Mary the Messenger of God’ as they claim in other words for all of these reasons We have punished them. God exalted be He says in repudiating their claim to have killed him And yet they did not slay him nor did they crucify him but he...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Crimes of the Jews The sins mentioned here are among the many sins that the Jews committed, which caused them to be cursed and removed far away from right guidance. The Jews broke the promises and vows that Allah took from them, and also rejected Allah's Ayat, meaning His signs and proofs, and t...

يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ 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 ثَلَٰثَةٌ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

Yaaa Ahlal Kitaabi laa taghloo fee deenikum wa laa taqooloo 'alal laahi illalhaqq; innamal Maseehu 'Eesab-nu-Maryamma Rasoolul laahi wa Kalimatuhooo alqaahaaa ilaa Maryamma wa roohum minhum fa aaminoo billaahi wa Rusulihee wa laa taqooloo salaasah; intahoo khairallakum; innamal laahu Ilaahunw Waahid, Subhaanahooo ani yakoona lahoo walad; lahoo maa fissamaawaati wa maa fil ard; wa kafaa billaahi Wakeelaa

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.

اے اہل کتاب اپنے دین (کی بات) میں حد سے نہ بڑھو اور خدا کے بارے میں حق کے سوا کچھ نہ کہو۔ مسیح (یعنی) مریم کے بیٹے عیسیٰ (نہ خدا تھے نہ خدا کے بیٹے بلکہ) خدا کے رسول اور کا کلمہٴ (بشارت) تھے جو اس نے مریم کی طرف بھیجا تھا اور اس کی طرف سے ایک روح تھے تو خدا اوراس کے رسولوں پر ایمان لاؤ۔ اور (یہ) نہ کہو (کہ خدا) تین (ہیں۔ اس اعتقاد سے) باز آؤ کہ یہ تمہارے حق میں بہتر ہے۔ خدا ہی معبود واحد ہے اور اس سے پاک ہے کہ اس کے اولاد ہو۔ جو کچھ آسمانوں میں اور جو کچھ زمین میں ہے سب اسی کا ہے۔ اور خدا ہی کارساز کافی ہے

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: Jews' were the addressees in previous verses which provided details of how astray they had gone. The present verses address the Christians and refute their doctrinal position as related to God and Sayyidna ` Isa (علیہ السلام) . Commentary_ The word: كَلِمَتُهُ : Kalimatuh used in this verse tells us...
Tafsir al-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 Hi...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): Prohibiting the People of the Book From Going to Extremes in Religion Allah forbids the People of the Scriptures from going to extremes in religion, which is a common trait of theirs, especially among the Christians. The Christians exaggerated over `Isa until they elevated him above the grade that A...

لَّن يَسْتَنكِفَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِّلَّهِ وَلَا ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ ٱلْمُقَرَّبُونَ وَمَن يَسْتَنكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إِلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا

Lanny yastankifal Maseehu ai yakoona 'abdal lillaahi wa lal malaaa'ikatul muqarraboon; wa mai yastankif 'an ibaadatihee wa yastakbir fasa yahshuruhum ilaihi jamee'aa

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.

مسیح اس بات سے عار نہیں رکھتے کہ خدا کے بندے ہوں اور نہ مقرب فرشتے (عار رکھتے ہیں) اور جو شخص خدا کا بندہ ہونے کو موجب عار سمجھے اور سرکشی کرے تو خدا سب کو اپنے پاس جمع کرلے گا

Commentary

Ma'arif-ul-Quran: From the affirmation of Allah's absolute purity and the refutation of assumed Godhood of Sayyidna 'Isa (علیہ السلام) earlier, the text now moves to further strengthen the argument by showing that Sayyidna 'Isa (علیہ السلام) would himself confess to being a servant of Allah and so will the angels (wh...
Tafsir al-Jalalayn: The Messiah whom you claim is a god would never disdain would never scorn or reject haughtily to be a servant of God neither would the angels who are nigh to God disdain to be servants this is a splendid digression to the matter of the angels and it is mentioned as a refutation of those who claim th...
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (English): The Prophets and Angels Are Never too Proud to Worship Allah Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said that, `proud', means insolent. Qatadah said that, الْمَسِيحُ أَن يَكُونَ عَبْداً للَّهِ وَلاَ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ (Al-Masih will never be too proud to be a servant of Allah nor the ang...

Hadith 1 tradition

Sahih Muslim 1:331sahih

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْمُسَيَّبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عِيَاضٍ - عَنْ مُوسَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عُقْبَةَ - عَنْ نَافِعٍ، قَالَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ ذَكَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا بَيْنَ ظَهْرَانَىِ النَّاسِ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لَيْسَ بِأَعْوَرَ أَلاَ إِنَّ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ أَعْوَرُ عَيْنِ الْيُمْنَى كَأَنَّ عَيْنَهُ عِنَبَةٌ طَافِيَةٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَرَانِي اللَّيْلَةَ فِي الْمَنَامِ عِنْدَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ آدَمُ كَأَحْسَنِ مَا تَرَى مِنْ أُدْمِ الرِّجَالِ تَضْرِبُ لِمَّتُهُ بَيْنَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ رَجِلُ الشَّعَرِ يَقْطُرُ رَأْسُهُ مَاءً ‏.‏ وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى مَنْكِبَىْ رَجُلَيْنِ وَهُوَ بَيْنَهُمَا يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا فَقَالُوا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ‏.‏ وَرَأَيْتُ وَرَاءَهُ رَجُلاً جَعْدًا قَطَطًا أَعْوَرَ عَيْنِ الْيُمْنَى كَأَشْبَهِ مَنْ رَأَيْتُ مِنَ النَّاسِ بِابْنِ قَطَنٍ وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى مَنْكِبَىْ رَجُلَيْنِ يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا قَالُوا هَذَا الْمَسِيحُ الدَّجَّالُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdulldh b. Umar that one day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned in the presence of people about al-Masih al-Dajjal. He said:Verily Allah (hallowed be He and High) is not blind of one eye. Behold, but the Masih al-Dajjal is blind of right eye as if his eye is like a swollen grape, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: I was shown in a dream in the night that near the Ka'bah there was a man fair-complexioned, fine amongst the white-complexioned men that you ever saw, his locks of hair were falling on his shoulders. He was a man whose hair were neither too curly nor too straight, and water trickled down from his head. He was placing his bands on the shoulders of two persons and amidst them was making a circuit around the Ka'bah. I said: Who is he? They replied: Al-Masih son of Mary. And I saw behind him a man with intensely curly hair, blind of right eye. Amongst the persons I have ever seen Ibn Qatan has the greatest resemblance with him. He was making a circuit around the Ka'bah by placing both his hands on the shoulders of two persons. I said: Who is he? They said; It is al-Masih al-Dajjal

موسیٰ بن عقبہ نے نافع سے روایت کی ، انہوں نے کہا : حضرت عبد اللہ بن عمر ‌رضی ‌اللہ ‌عنہ ‌ ‌ نے کہا کہ رسول اللہ ﷺ نے ایک دن لوگوں کے سامنے مسیح دجال کا تذکرہ کیا اور فرمایا : ’’ ا للہ تبارک وتعالیٰ کانا نہیں ہے ، خبردار رہنا ! مسیح دجال دائیں آنکھ سے کانا ہے جیسے انگور کا بے نور دانہ ہو ۔ ‘ ‘ کہا : آپﷺ نے فرمایا : ’’ میں نے رات اپنے آپ کو نیند کے عالم میں کعبہ کے پاس دیکھا تو میں ایک گندم گوں شخص دیکھا ، گندم گوں لوگوں میں سب سے زیادہ خوبصورت تھا جنہیں تم دیکھتے ہو ۔ اس کے سر کی لٹیں کندھوں کے درمیان تک لٹک رہی ہیں ، بال کنگھی کیے ہوئے ، سر سے پانی لٹک رہا ہے اور اپنے دونوں ہاتھ دو آدمیوں کے کندھوں پر رکھے ہوئے اور ان دونوں کے درمیان بیت اللہ شریف کاطواف کر رہا ہے ، میں نے پوچھا : یہ کون ہیں ؟ تو انہوں ( جواب دینے والوں ) نے کہا : یہ مسیح ابن مریم ‌رضی ‌اللہ ‌عنہ ‌ ‌ ہیں ۔ میں نے ان کے پیچھے ایک آدمی دیکھا ، اس کے بال الجھے ہوئے گھنگریالے تھے ، دائیں آنکھ سے کانا ، جن لوگوں کو میں نے دیکھا ہے ان میں وہ سب سے زیادہ ( عبد العزیٰ ) ابن قطن کے مشابہ تھا ، وہ اپنے دونوں ہاتھ دو آدمیوں کے کندھوں پر رکھے ہوئے بیت اللہ کا طواف کر رہا تھا ، میں نے پوچھا : یہ کون ہے ؟ انہوں نے کہا : یہ جعلی مسیح ہے ۔ ‘ ‘

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