عيسى

Core meaning

Proper noun. The text ties him to the word that comes from God: he is announced to Maryam as "a word from Himself" and called "His word". The translation writes the name alone: "Issa".

Uses

1. عِيسَى → "Issa" : the messenger son of Maryam, sent to the sons of Israel with the clear proofs and the Injil.

   • «إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ» — "Al-Massih, Issa, son of Maryam, is only the messenger of God, and His word" (4:171)
   • «ذَٰلِكَ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ» — "Such is Issa, son of Maryam" (19:34)

2. يَٰعِيسَىٰٓ → "O Issa" : the vocative; God addresses him by his name (3:55, 5:110, 5:116), and so do the disciples (5:112).

   • «يَٰعِيسَىٰٓ إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ» — "O Issa! I am indeed going to keep you faithfully" (3:55)

Evidence from the text

Two passages tie the name to the word: the announcement to Maryam, "God announces to you a word from Himself", followed by "whose attribute will be Al-Massih, Issa, son of Maryam" (3:45); and the definition of 4:171, "the messenger of God, and His word, which He addressed to Maryam". His example, with God, is that of Adam: created from earth by a "Be" (3:59).

He is most often named "son of Maryam" (2:87, 5:110, 19:34, 61:6), by his mother's name; God addresses him by his name (3:55, 5:110, 5:116), and he himself announces a messenger to come after him (61:6).

Distinctions

• موسى — Moussa receives the word (كَلَّمَ, 4:164), whereas Issa is himself called a word (كَلِمَة, 3:45, 4:171)

See also

مريم (Maryam) · كلم (the word) · مسيح (Al-Massih)