إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ ۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ 59
Translations
Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allāh is like that of Adam. He created him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was.
Transliteration
Inna mathala 'Isa 'inda Allah kamathali Adam, khalaqahu min turab, thumma qala lahu kun fayakun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that the creation of Jesus ('Isa) is comparable to the creation of Adam—both were created without a father through Allah's direct command. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that just as Adam was created from dust and brought to life by Allah's word 'Be' (kun), Jesus was created from a mother without a father, yet both demonstrate Allah's absolute power and uniqueness in creation. The comparison refutes Christian claims of Jesus's divinity by emphasizing that his miraculous birth does not elevate him beyond being a created servant of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Medina during discussions with Christian delegations (likely the Christians of Najran mentioned in earlier verses of Surah Ali 'Imran) who disputed the nature of Jesus. It appears in the broader context of Surah Ali 'Imran (verses 3:33-59) which discusses the lineage of prophets and clarifies Islamic doctrine regarding Jesus ('Isa) against Christian theological claims.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (SAW) said: 'The first of the creation is Adam,' and also: 'No child is born except on the fitrah (natural disposition of monotheism)' (Sahih Muslim 2658). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3437) affirms that Jesus is a servant and messenger of Allah, reinforcing the message of this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that miraculous births do not confer divinity—only Allah is eternal and uncreated, while all creation, regardless of how extraordinary, remains subject to His command and dependent upon His will. For believers, it reinforces humble acceptance of Allah's creative power and the necessity of recognizing all prophets as honored servants, not divine beings.
Related Ayahs
هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ
At that, Zechariah called upon his Lord, saying, "My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication."
وَيُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا وَمِنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous."
ذَٰلِكَ نَتْلُوهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ وَٱلذِّكْرِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
This is what We recite to you, [O Muḥammad], of [Our] verses and the precise [and wise] message [i.e., the Qur’ān].
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allāh. And I cure the blind [from birth] and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allāh. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.