WHO IS ISA?

Who is Isa?

Isa is Jesus. Because of the difference in pronunciation, many people may not be aware that when they hear a Muslim talking about Isa, he is actually talking about Prophet Jesus.

The spelling of Isa may take many forms – Isa, Esa, Essa, and Eissa.  The Arabic language is written in Arabic characters, thus any transliteration system tries to reproduce the phonetic sound.  No matter what the spelling, all indicate Jesus, the Messenger of God.

Jesus and his people spoke Aramaic, a language from the Semitic family. Spoken by more than 300 million people throughout the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa, Semitic languages include, among others, Arabic and Hebrew.  The use of the word Eissa is actually a closer translation of the Aramaic word for Jesus – Eeshu.  In Hebrew this translates to Yeshua.

Translating the name Jesus into non Semitic languages complicated things. There was no “J” in any language until the fourteenth century, so consequently, when the name Jesus was translated into Greek, it became Iesous, and in Latin, Iesus.  Later, the “I” and “J” were used interchangeably, and finally the name transitioned into English as Jesus.  The final “S” on the end is indicative of the Greek language where all male names end in “S”.

Aramaic -- Eeshu

Arabic -- Isa

Hebrew -- Yeshua

Greek -- Iesous

Latin -- Iesus

English -- Jesus

In sixteen of the 25 places in the Quran where Isa is used, he is called "the son of Mary" (Ibn Maryam). Since he had no father, he was named so after his mother.

Now, we are going to see whether Maryam in the Quran was Mary or not.

Like Christians, Muslims believe that Mary, Maria in Spanish, or Maryam as she is called in Hebrew as well as in Arabic, was a chaste, virgin woman, who miraculously gave birth to Jesus. Jesus’ birth in itself was a miracle in that he had no father. God describes his birth in the Quran as follows:

“And mention in the Book (the Quran), Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her a spirit from Us, (the angel Gabriel), and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. She said: ‘Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (God) from you, if you do fear God.’ (The angel) said: ‘I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.’ She said: ‘How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?’ He said: ‘So (it will be), your Lord said That is easy for Me (God): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (God), and it is a matter (already) decreed (by God).’” (Quran 19:16-21)

Now let's see what the Quran says about Isa:

45. Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah gives thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah.

46. "He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous."

47. She said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah creates what He wills: When He has decreed a matter, He but says to it, 'Be,' and it is!

48. "And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel,

49. "And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): "'I have come to you, with a Sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah's leave: And I heal those born blind, and the lepers, and I quicken the dead, by Allah's leave; and I declare to you what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely therein is a Sign for you if you did believe;

50. "'(I have come to you), to attest the Law (Torah) which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was (Before) forbidden to you; I have come to you with a Sign from your Lord. So fear Allah, and obey me.

51. "'It is Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him. This is a Way that is straight.'" [Quran 3: 45-51]

Who else could this Isa be other than Jesus, the son of Mary and the Word of God?