The Story of Isa — Ruhullah, the Miracle Born of a Miracle

عِيسَى رُوحُ اللّٰهِ

He was born without a father, spoke in the cradle as a newborn, healed the blind and the leper, raised the dead back to life — and was never crucified. The story of Isa عليه السلام is one of the most profound, most misunderstood, and most deeply loved in the entire Quran.

The story of Prophet Isa عليه السلام is unlike any other in the Quran. He is mentioned in 15 Surahs, given the title Ruhullah (a spirit from Allah), described as the Masih (the Messiah), and honoured as one of the five greatest Prophets ever sent. Yet for over a billion Muslims, he is not God — he is the beloved slave and messenger of Allah, sent to the Children of Israel, miraculously born, and still alive today in the heavens. This is his story.

Before we begin the story, it is worth understanding precisely what Islam says about Isa عليه السلام — because his story is one of the most contested in world religion, and getting the Islamic position right matters.

In Islam, Isa عليه السلام is a Prophet and Messenger of Allah — one of the greatest ever sent, and one of the five Ulul Azm (prophets of the highest resolve), alongside Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and Muhammad ﷺ. He is the Masih — the Messiah — a title the Quran uses and affirms. He was born without a father, from the virgin Maryam bint Imran, performed extraordinary miracles by the permission of Allah, was never crucified, was raised alive to the heavens by Allah, is still alive today, and is destined to return before the Day of Judgement. He is not the son of God. He is not part of a Trinity. He is not divine. The Quran is absolutely clear on this — Isa himself never claimed it, and will deny it on the Day of Judgement.

To understand Isa عليه السلام, you must first understand Maryam عليها السلام. Because the miracle of Isa begins not with his birth — but with the extraordinary circumstances of his mother’s life. Maryam was the daughter of Imran and Hannah. Her mother had long been unable to conceive. When she finally became pregnant, she made a solemn vow — to dedicate the child to the service of Bayt al-Maqdis. She had assumed her child would be a boy. When Maryam was born — a girl — Hannah kept her vow:

She was placed in the care of the Prophet Zakariyya عليه السلام. Every time he entered upon her in her chamber, he found provisions he had not brought. When he asked where they came from, she replied:

Maryam was, in the language of the Quran, chosen above all women of the worlds. She is the only woman in the entire Quran referred to by name. An entire Surah bears her name. When we speak of Isa عليه السلام, we must never forget that his story begins with a woman of extraordinary faith and purity.

Then came the moment that changed history. Maryam withdrew from her family to a place of seclusion for worship. The Quran describes what happened next:

Maryam’s first response was immediate, instinctive fear. She invoked Allah directly:

The angel revealed himself and his message. Her response was honest and sincere:

Maryam withdrew to a remote place. When the labour pains came upon her — alone, under a date palm tree — she reached the limits of human endurance:

This is one of the most human moments in the entire Quran. Maryam was not weak in faith — she was exhausted, alone, about to face her people with a child and no husband. Then a voice came from below her:

A stream appeared. The dry date palm dropped fresh ripe dates. She was told: eat, drink, and be at peace. When she returned to her people with the child, she was told to simply point to the infant if anyone asked. And they did ask.

When Maryam returned to her people carrying a newborn, they were stunned. She said nothing. She pointed to the infant. They said — with frustration — how could they speak to someone who was a child in the cradle? Then Isa عليه السلام spoke:

A newborn child, days old, lying in a cradle — spoke. He declared himself the servant of Allah — not the son — before he could even hold his own head up. He concluded:

Isa عليه السلام was sent specifically to the Children of Israel. His mission was both a confirmation of the Tawrat (Torah) and a bearer of glad tidings of the final prophet to come:

He also carried a momentous announcement — in Surah As-Saf (61:6), Isa explicitly foretells a messenger who would come after him, whose name is Ahmad — one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The message of every Prophet has always been one: worship Allah alone. Isa was no different.

The miracles given to Isa عليه السلام are among the most dramatic of any Prophet. Every one is recorded with the crucial phrase bi-idhnillah — by the permission of Allah — making absolutely clear these were not Isa’s own power, but Allah’s power working through him.

The Clay Bird. From clay, Isa fashioned the shape of a bird — and when he breathed into it, it became a real, living bird by Allah’s permission (Surah Aal-Imran 3:49).

Healing the Blind and the Leper. He healed those born blind and cured lepers — not with medicine, but with the permission of the One who created the eyes and skin in the first place.

Raising the Dead. The Quran states directly that Isa, by Allah’s permission, raised the dead back to life — one of the clearest signs of the power of Allah.

The Table Spread — Al-Ma’idah. The disciples asked for a table of food to descend from the heavens. After Isa made dua, Allah sent the Ma’idah — a miracle so significant the Surah is named after it.

Isa عليه السلام had a group of devoted followers — the Quran calls them al-Hawwariyyun. When he felt resistance growing, he turned to them and asked:

The disciples answered: “We are the helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims.” The true followers of Isa عليه السلام were Muslims — people who submitted to Allah alone and followed His Prophet without worshipping the Prophet himself.

A group among the Children of Israel plotted to kill Isa عليه السلام. A plot was set in motion. And then the Quran says — it failed:

Unlike any other Prophet, Isa did not die a physical death. He is alive in the heavens, body and soul, awaiting the time ordained by Allah:

The dominant position of classical scholars (Ibn Kathir, al-Tabari, and others) is that Isa has not yet experienced death — that will occur after his return to earth.

The second coming of Isa عليه السلام is established by mutawatir hadith — so many Companions narrated it with such consistency that its authenticity is beyond doubt. This is part of the core creed of the Ahlus-Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ described Isa descending near a white minaret east of Damascus. He will:

• Break the cross — symbolically abolishing the false doctrines attributed to him
• Kill the pig — removing what was made permissible without divine permission
• Fight and kill the Dajjal — the greatest trial before the Hour
• Reign on earth in a time of extraordinary justice, peace and abundance
• Then die a normal human death, as all Prophets die

The Quran records that on the Day of Judgement, Allah will ask Isa directly:

And Isa’s answer:

He never said it. He never claimed it. He called his people to the worship of Allah alone — the same message of every single Prophet from Adam عليه السلام to Muhammad ﷺ, without exception.

He said it first. He will say it last.
May Allah unite us with Isa عليه السلام and all the Prophets in the highest ranks of Jannah.