The true story of Prophet Isa (AS)
Part 1
Assalamu alaikum people, and welcome back to Islamic Insight. Today we'll be sharing the story of one of the greatest prophets, who’s still alive as we speak today, prophet Isa (AS).
The stories of prophets are told in the Qur'an for a deeper reason. We're meant to study their life stories, and take them as our role models. We could make a prophet series, so let us know who you'd like to see next!
Grab a snack, it's going to be a long story…
Bismillah.
Pious Roots
Before we speak about Isa AS, we must put the spotlight on his elite background.
Isa was born to the Family of Imran, his grandfather and a pious man in Banu Israel at the time as Allah stated: “God chose Adam and Noah and the house of Abraham and the house of ʿImrān above all mankind.”
Hannah, the wife of Imran
It all started when Hannah, the wife of Imran, passed by a bird nursing her chicks, so she raised her hands to Allah and pleaded for a child.
You see, she was unable to bear a baby at the time so she vowed to make her child a servant to masjid Al Aqsa. Allah accepted her dua, but to her surprise it was a baby girl!
How was she supposed to make her daughter a resident, and a servant in a masjid filled with men? However, she was steadfast in her promise to Allah, and gave the child up to be raised in the masjid. She asked Allah to protect her daughter, and her children from Shaytaan. This resulted in Maryam and Isa AS being the only two people in history, to not be touched by Satan.1
The servants of Masjid Al Aqsa were all dying to be the one to take care of Maryam, the daughter of Imran, an honourable man in their society.
They all cast their arrows to find out who it would be and it turned out to be Zakariya AS, a prophet of Banu Israel, and the husband of Maryam's sister (or aunt).
Maryam
Zakariya AS made a special area for her in masjid Al Aqsa, where she'd pray and perform various religious acts.
Whenever he would enter her chamber, he would see strange fruits from different seasons and special gifts, and he'd be surprised and ask her where she got them, and she'd reply: "It is from God; God gives provision to whom He wills without reckoning."
The years went by until suddenly, a strange man appeared in front of her,and she was oblivious to the fact that he was the angel Jibreel .
She was filled with terror, and exclaimed: "Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah."
He replied: "I am only a Messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.”
Bewildered, she declared: "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?”
Gibreel then announced: “So, your Lord said: That is easy for me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed, (by Allah).”
Birth of Isa (AS)
The months went by, and Maryam's anxiety grew, and grew. She was now heavily pregnant, without a husband, so she was in a situation which would certainly raise some eyebrows. She left Jerusalem, and headed over to a secluded part of Bethlehem (modern day Palestine).
The pains of childbirth flooded her body, so she lied down next to a barren palm tree, as she exclaimed: "I wish I had died before this happened and had vanished into nothingness!”
She was in a truly depressed state, but underneath her, the voice of her baby boy (or Jibreel) echoed: “Do not worry; your Lord has placed a stream beneath you. And shake the trunk of the palm-tree2 towards you, and it will drop ripe dates by you.”
Suddenly, the barren land ruptured into a flowing river, and the palm tree burst to life. What a miracle!
The return to Jerusalem
Maryam was in a really tough situation. How could she go back to the city, with a fatherless child?
As she walked wearily into the city, another miracle took place as her baby spoke to her: “So eat, and drink, and be consoled. And if you see any human, say, ‘I have vowed a fast to the Most Gracious, so I will not speak to any human today.”
Her people were distraught at the awful sight! Maryam, one of our most pious people, with a baby out of wedlock?!
So she pointed to him. Puzzled, they said, “How can we speak to an infant in the crib?”
To their astonishment, the newborn baby Isa surprised them with his famous speech, clearing his beloved mother's name in the process.
He spoke: “I am the servant of God. He has given me the Scripture, and made me a prophet. And has made me blessed wherever I may be; and has enjoined on me prayer and charity, so long as I live. And kind to my mother, and He did not make me a disobedient rebel. So Peace is upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the Day I get resurrected alive.”
The people of Banu Israel were shocked to their core. A newborn baby speaking! This incident shook the foundation of their society, but the Jews weren't too happy…
Unexpected reactions
If Isa (AS) was mentioned in the Torah, then why did the Jews disbelieve?
The Jews expected the Messiah3 Isa to be a powerful king, one who would restore the glory to the people of Banu Israel, and make them the leading nation of the world. However, when prophet Isa's message was to worship Allah, be righteous, and abstain from sins, the Jews became livid, and decided to conspire against him, choosing this life over the next.
How did he look?
Prophet Isa was a very handsome man. He isn't the blonde haired, blue eyed man on church tapestries.4 His skin is reddish, and he has long wavy hair. He was average in height, neither tall or short, with a broad chest.
Marvellous miracles
The Jews of Banu Israel resented Isa (AS) and denied his prophethood, so Allah aided him miracles5, just like the other prophets. So what were Isa's?
Isa AS would mould a bird from clay, blow on the sculpture, and it would fly away a real bird!
He would wipe his hands on a leper, say Bismillah and cure his leprosy. He'd wipe his hands on a blind person, only to make him see again, by the will of Allah! He would tell random people what foods they had stored in their homes, and still they denied.
Isa (AS) would literally revive the dead, but still they refused to acknowledge his prophethood.
Isa (AS) was in despair. He has tried everything to make them believe in Allah and his message, but their hearts are harder than stone. In a last-ditch attempt, he cried out, “Who are my allies towards God?” Finally, a group of people replied: “We are God’s allies; we have believed in God and bear witness that we submit.”
A wave of relief washed over Isa (AS), grateful that some believed.
The ultimate miracle
Isa's followers saw his mind-boggling miracles, but their hearts still weren't content. They walked up to their prophet, and asked: “O Jesus son of Mary, is your Lord able to bring down for us a feast from heaven?”.
Isa was shocked! He had brought forth countless miracles, but their hearts still didn't settle. He warned them, “ fear god if you are believers.”
They still pleaded their case and said, “We wish to eat from it, so that our hearts may be reassured, and know that you have told us the truth, and be among those who witness it.”
Isa AS knew the dangers of this request, and it would be their last chance to believe. He raised his hands to Allah and prayed: “O God, our Lord, send down for us a table from heaven, to be a festival for us, for the first of us, and the last of us, and a sign from You; and provide for us; You are the Best of providers.”
Allah accepted, and rewarded them for their fast. It would be sufficient for the first and the last of them, for the rich and the poor alike.
However, he warned them harshly. He said: “I will send it down to you. But whoever among you disbelieves thereafter, I will punish him with a punishment the like of which I never punish any other being.”.
Banu Israel couldn't believe their eyes, a might table, filled with exquisite foods descending from the sky?!
There were seven whales on it, and seven loaves, with vinegar. Pomegranate and fruits were made available, and the food smelt heavenly. The whole city gathered, and it was said that about seven thousand people were eating from it. Anyone with a disease or disability was immediately cured, as joy spread amongst the city.
The table used to descend day after day, until God commanded Isa to limit it to the poor or the needy, not the rich, and that was difficult for many people to accept. The ungrateful hypocrites complained about it, so it was completely lifted as punishment.
Isa (AS) had enough of their delinquency, so he raised his hands to Allah cursing6 whoever slandered him after eating from the miraculous table. Allah swiftly accepted his plea, and mutated them into pigs! A disgraceful end, for despicable people.
The hatred of the the hypocrites, and disbelievers of Banu Israel for Isa (AS) reached new levels, so they decided to plot a viscous scheme…
To be continued…
Fun fact: Whenever you're making dua, make sure you include your friends and family. Whatever you ask for them, you'll also receive, so be generous!
“A Muslim’s supplication for his brother in the back of the unseen is answered, at his head is an angel entrusted to him. Whenever he supplicates for his brother, the angel entrusted with him says: Amen, and the same for you.” Narrated by Muslim
Assalamu alaikum,
Salman & Abdullahi.
It was proven in the hadeeth on the authority of Abu Hurairah , with a chain of transmission traceable back to the Prophet: There is no newborn from the children of Adam who is not touched by Satan when he is born, so he starts screaming at Satan’s touch, except for Mary and her son. Then Abu Hurairah says: I seek refuge in you and her offspring from the accursed Satan. Agreed upon.
Scientists only recently found out that dates help in the delivery process. Subhanallah!
He was called the Messiah because he used to wipe his hand on the sick, the blind, and the leper, and he would heal him, God willing.
And on the authority of Ibn Omar - may God be pleased with them - he said: The Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “I saw Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, as for Jesus, he was red, curly, and broad-chested ...” Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
“A messenger to the Children of Israel: “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I make for you out of clay the figure of a bird; then I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave. And I heal the blind and the leprous, and I revive the dead, by God’s leave. And I inform you concerning what you eat, and what you store in your homes. In that is a sign for you, if you are believers.” Al Imran ayah 49.
“Cursed were those who disbelieved from among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and Jesus son of Mary. That is because they rebelled and used to transgress.” Ayah 78, Al ma’idah
Any questions?
Amazing again my bro ❤️🙏