A story
Prophet Isa and the Birds of Clay
Long ago, in the land of Palestine, there lived a good and pure young woman named Maryam. Her mother had promised her to Allah before she was even born. Maryam grew up worshipping Allah in a quiet place of prayer, and the Prophet Zakariya, peace be upon him, looked after her.
Every time Zakariya came to see Maryam, he found fresh food beside her. Sometimes it was fruit that was not even in season.
"O Maryam," he asked, "where does this come from?"
"It is from Allah," Maryam answered. "Allah gives to whoever He wills, without counting" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:37).
Allah chose Maryam and made her pure, and He honored her above the women of the worlds. A whole chapter of the Quran is named after her, Surah Maryam.
One day, an angel came to Maryam with a message from Allah. The angel told her that Allah would give her a baby boy. His name would be Isa, the Messiah, son of Maryam. He would be honored in this world and in the next.
Maryam was amazed. "How can I have a son," she asked, "when no man has ever touched me?"
The angel answered, "It is easy for Allah. When He decides something, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:47).
Allah made Isa without a father, just as He made Adam without a father or a mother. Allah tells us, meaning: "The example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam. He made him from dust, then said to him, 'Be,' and he was" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:59).
When the time came for the baby to be born, Maryam went away to a quiet place. She rested by the trunk of a palm tree. She was tired and she was worried about what people would say.
Then a gentle voice called to her from below her. It told her not to be sad. Allah had made a little stream flow beneath her. "Shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you," the voice said, "and fresh, ripe dates will fall down for you. So eat and drink, and be happy" (Surah Maryam, 19:24-26).
Maryam shook the palm tree, and sweet dates fell down. She ate the dates and drank the cool water. Then baby Isa, peace be upon him, was born.
Allah told Maryam that if she saw anyone, she should not talk, but should show that she was fasting from speech that day.
Maryam carried her baby back to her people. When they saw her with a baby, they were shocked. They began to speak badly. "O Maryam, you have done something terrible!"
Maryam did not answer. She simply pointed to the baby.
The people were puzzled. "How can we talk to a baby in a cradle?" they said.
Then a miracle happened. Baby Isa spoke! He said, "I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet" (Surah Maryam, 19:30). He said that Allah had told him to pray and to give charity, to be good to his mother, and not to be proud or unkind. And he said, "Peace is upon me the day I was born, the day I will die, and the day I will be raised alive" (Surah Maryam, 19:33).
Everyone was silent. A newborn baby had spoken clear, wise words. Now they knew that Maryam was pure and that this child was special.
Isa grew up. Allah made him a prophet and messenger to the Children of Israel. Allah gave him a book called the Injil, full of guidance and light.
Allah also gave Isa many miracles, to show the people that he really was a messenger of Allah. Isa always made it clear that these miracles happened only by the permission of Allah.
Here is one of them. Isa took some clay and shaped it into the form of a bird. He made it carefully with his hands. Then he breathed into it. And by the permission of Allah, the clay became a real, living bird. It flapped its wings and flew up into the sky! (Surah Ali Imran, 3:49).
Isa could also, by Allah's permission, heal people who were born blind. He could heal people with a painful skin sickness. He could even bring the dead back to life, by Allah's permission. He told people what they had eaten and what they had stored in their houses.
Isa taught the people to worship Allah alone. He said, "Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is the straight path" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:51). Isa never asked anyone to worship him. He was a servant of Allah and a messenger, just like the prophets before him.
Isa was humble and gentle. He loved the poor. He taught people to be kind and to have pure hearts. A small group of helpers believed in him and followed him. They were called the Hawariyyun, the disciples. When Isa asked, "Who will be my helpers for Allah?" they answered, "We are the helpers of Allah" (Surah As-Saff, 61:14).
But some people did not like Isa's message. They made a plan to harm him. But Allah had a better plan. Allah protected Isa. The Quran tells us that they did not kill him, and they did not crucify him. Instead, Allah raised Isa up to Himself (Surah An-Nisa, 4:157-158). Allah is Almighty and Wise.
Muslims believe that Isa is alive with Allah, and that he will come back to the earth before the end of time, to spread peace and justice.
Isa also gave good news of a messenger who would come after him. His name would be Ahmad (Surah As-Saff, 61:6). That messenger was Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Prophet Isa, peace be upon him, teaches us to be humble. Even with all his amazing miracles, he always said they came from Allah. He never became proud. And he taught us that the greatest thing is to worship Allah alone, and to be gentle and kind.
Muslims love Isa and his mother Maryam very much. Whenever we say his name, we say, "Peace be upon him."
Every time Zakariya came to see Maryam, he found fresh food beside her. Sometimes it was fruit that was not even in season.
"O Maryam," he asked, "where does this come from?"
"It is from Allah," Maryam answered. "Allah gives to whoever He wills, without counting" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:37).
Allah chose Maryam and made her pure, and He honored her above the women of the worlds. A whole chapter of the Quran is named after her, Surah Maryam.
One day, an angel came to Maryam with a message from Allah. The angel told her that Allah would give her a baby boy. His name would be Isa, the Messiah, son of Maryam. He would be honored in this world and in the next.
Maryam was amazed. "How can I have a son," she asked, "when no man has ever touched me?"
The angel answered, "It is easy for Allah. When He decides something, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:47).
Allah made Isa without a father, just as He made Adam without a father or a mother. Allah tells us, meaning: "The example of Isa with Allah is like the example of Adam. He made him from dust, then said to him, 'Be,' and he was" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:59).
When the time came for the baby to be born, Maryam went away to a quiet place. She rested by the trunk of a palm tree. She was tired and she was worried about what people would say.
Then a gentle voice called to her from below her. It told her not to be sad. Allah had made a little stream flow beneath her. "Shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you," the voice said, "and fresh, ripe dates will fall down for you. So eat and drink, and be happy" (Surah Maryam, 19:24-26).
Maryam shook the palm tree, and sweet dates fell down. She ate the dates and drank the cool water. Then baby Isa, peace be upon him, was born.
Allah told Maryam that if she saw anyone, she should not talk, but should show that she was fasting from speech that day.
Maryam carried her baby back to her people. When they saw her with a baby, they were shocked. They began to speak badly. "O Maryam, you have done something terrible!"
Maryam did not answer. She simply pointed to the baby.
The people were puzzled. "How can we talk to a baby in a cradle?" they said.
Then a miracle happened. Baby Isa spoke! He said, "I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet" (Surah Maryam, 19:30). He said that Allah had told him to pray and to give charity, to be good to his mother, and not to be proud or unkind. And he said, "Peace is upon me the day I was born, the day I will die, and the day I will be raised alive" (Surah Maryam, 19:33).
Everyone was silent. A newborn baby had spoken clear, wise words. Now they knew that Maryam was pure and that this child was special.
Isa grew up. Allah made him a prophet and messenger to the Children of Israel. Allah gave him a book called the Injil, full of guidance and light.
Allah also gave Isa many miracles, to show the people that he really was a messenger of Allah. Isa always made it clear that these miracles happened only by the permission of Allah.
Here is one of them. Isa took some clay and shaped it into the form of a bird. He made it carefully with his hands. Then he breathed into it. And by the permission of Allah, the clay became a real, living bird. It flapped its wings and flew up into the sky! (Surah Ali Imran, 3:49).
Isa could also, by Allah's permission, heal people who were born blind. He could heal people with a painful skin sickness. He could even bring the dead back to life, by Allah's permission. He told people what they had eaten and what they had stored in their houses.
Isa taught the people to worship Allah alone. He said, "Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is the straight path" (Surah Ali Imran, 3:51). Isa never asked anyone to worship him. He was a servant of Allah and a messenger, just like the prophets before him.
Isa was humble and gentle. He loved the poor. He taught people to be kind and to have pure hearts. A small group of helpers believed in him and followed him. They were called the Hawariyyun, the disciples. When Isa asked, "Who will be my helpers for Allah?" they answered, "We are the helpers of Allah" (Surah As-Saff, 61:14).
But some people did not like Isa's message. They made a plan to harm him. But Allah had a better plan. Allah protected Isa. The Quran tells us that they did not kill him, and they did not crucify him. Instead, Allah raised Isa up to Himself (Surah An-Nisa, 4:157-158). Allah is Almighty and Wise.
Muslims believe that Isa is alive with Allah, and that he will come back to the earth before the end of time, to spread peace and justice.
Isa also gave good news of a messenger who would come after him. His name would be Ahmad (Surah As-Saff, 61:6). That messenger was Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
Prophet Isa, peace be upon him, teaches us to be humble. Even with all his amazing miracles, he always said they came from Allah. He never became proud. And he taught us that the greatest thing is to worship Allah alone, and to be gentle and kind.
Muslims love Isa and his mother Maryam very much. Whenever we say his name, we say, "Peace be upon him."
