Questions Quran, dua and dhikr

Does the Quran call Jesus the word of God?

Checked by our team

Short answer

Yes, but in a different sense from Christian belief. The Quran calls Jesus "a word from Allah" because he was created by Allah's command "Be", without a father, just as Adam was. It does not mean he is God or part of God: the same ayah calls him a messenger and forbids saying "three".

Hanafi position

All Muslims believe Isa (Jesus) is a servant and messenger of Allah, born of the Virgin Mary by Allah's word "Be". Believing he is divine, or the son of God, contradicts tawhid.

The four schools agree on this.

Explanation

Two ayat use the phrase. The angels told Maryam: "Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary" (3:45). And in 4:171: "The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul from Him... and do not say Three."

What "word" means here. The classical commentators explain that Isa is called Allah's word because he came into being through the word Kun, "Be", without the normal means of a father. The Quran makes this exact comparison: "the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, Be, and he was" (3:59). He is a word from Allah, created by it, not the eternal speech of Allah itself.

This is different from the Christian teaching that Jesus is the eternal Word who is God. The ayah that calls him a word also calls him a messenger and warns against excess in religion. The Prophet ﷺ included this belief in the testimony of faith: whoever bears witness that Isa is the servant of Allah, His messenger, and His word that He cast into Maryam, and a spirit from Him, will enter Paradise.

For more on Isa in Islam, see who is Jesus in Islam, what Islam says about Jesus and the prophet Isa.

The evidence

Quran, Surah An-Nisaa 4:171

يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُۥٓ أَلْقَىٰهَآ إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌۭ مِّنْهُ ۖ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ ثَلَٰثَةٌ ۚ ٱنتَهُوا۟ خَيْرًۭا لَّكُمْ ۚ إِنَّمَا ٱللَّهُ إِلَٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ سُبْحَٰنَهُۥٓ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌۭ ۘ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا ﴿١٧١﴾

O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.

Calls Jesus a messenger and a word from Allah in the same breath.

Quran 4:171, translation by Sahih International

Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:45

إِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ يَٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍۢ مِّنْهُ ٱسْمُهُ ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًۭا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْءَاخِرَةِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ ﴿٤٥﴾

[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].

The angels announce Jesus as a word from Allah.

Quran 3:45, translation by Sahih International

Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan 3:59

إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٍۢ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴿٥٩﴾

Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.

Explains that Jesus was created by the command Be, like Adam.

Quran 3:59, translation by Sahih International

Sahih al-Bukhari 3435

Sahih

... وأن عيسى عبد الله ورسوله وكلمته ألقاها إلى مريم وروح منه ...

"And that Isa is the servant of Allah and His messenger, and His word which He cast into Maryam, and a spirit from Him."

The Prophet taught this as part of correct belief about Jesus.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3435 · Sahih · Read on sunnah.com

Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.