What did Ibn Kathir say about Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus)?
The Islamic account of Jesus is both familiar and startlingly different from the Christian one. Ibn Kathir lays out the Muslim understanding from the annunciation to Jesus's raising to Heaven.
10 passages from 5 books in the library
Ibn Kathir lays out the Islamic account of ʿĪsā (Jesus), which he notes is both familiar to and startlingly different from the Christian one, tracing it from the annunciation to his being raised to Heaven. He cites the angels bringing Maryam glad tidings of "a word from Allah whose name is the Messiah," and ʿĪsā's own call: "O children of Israel, worship God, my Lord and your Lord." Ibn Kathir relates the report that every child of Adam is touched by Satan at birth except ʿĪsā son of Maryam, and counts Maryam among the foremost women of Paradise.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 5 books by Ibn Kathir, Imam al-Ghazali, and Ibn Battuta — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
-
"is an account involving Jesus, Son of Mary and Iblis. It is narrated that Jesus met Iblis who"
-
"the Messiah, the son of Mary. While the Messiah said, O children of Israel, worship God, my"
-
"he said, That is Isa, Jesus, the son of Maryam, a statement of the truth about which they"
-
"son of Mary, O Jesus, strive in my command and do not weaken. Listen and obey, O son of the pure,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
-
"attend the wedding of the ascetic Jesus son of Mary Jesus peace be upon him also"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
-
"of Paradise are Khadijah daughter of Khuwaylid, Fatima daughter of Muhammad, Maryam Mary daughter"
-
"Every child of Adam is poked in the side by shaitan when born, except for Jesus, son of Mary."
-
"The angels also brought Maryam the good news of a word from Allah, whose name is the Messiah,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
-
"The Hadith, Isa, Jesus has no father, narrated by Abu Amr al-Tawqani in the book Living with"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
· Provenance →
-
"with Imam Abu Isa Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Surah al-Tirmidhi, the author of the great compendium"
Want a different angle?
Type your question below — JM Scholar will ground its answer in the same sources.