وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوْمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ يُبْعَثُ حَيًّا 15
Translations
And peace be upon him the day he was born and the day he dies and the day he is raised alive.
Transliteration
Wa salāmun 'alayhi yawma wulida wa yawma yamūtu wa yawma yub'athu hayya
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah, referring to Prophet Isa (Jesus), affirms that peace and blessings from Allah are upon him at three pivotal moments: his birth, his death, and his resurrection. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as a declaration of Isa's honor and protection by Allah, emphasizing his special status as one of the most important messengers, and indicating that he will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment like all creation. The triple affirmation highlights the continuity of divine mercy throughout his entire existence.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Maryam's account of the miraculous birth of Isa (Jesus) to Maryam (Mary), a virgin. The broader surah context establishes Isa's legitimacy as a messenger and refutes Christian and disbelieving Meccan claims about his nature. This specific ayah emphasizes his humanity while affirming his prophetic station—he is born, dies, and will be resurrected like other humans, yet blessed with divine peace.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said regarding those with the most difficult test: 'The Prophets were tested the most, then those closest to them in goodness' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Quran affirms Isa's death and resurrection in 19:33 where Isa himself says 'Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I will die, and the day I will be resurrected alive.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that Allah's mercy and peace encompass the most critical moments of human existence, and reminds believers that all messengers, despite their elevated status, are subject to the natural cycle of life and death—finding solace in knowing that the righteous and honored servants of Allah are protected by His salām (peace) throughout their journey.
Related Ayahs
قَالَ كَذَٰلِكِ قَالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَىَّ هَيِّنٌ ۖ وَلِنَجْعَلَهُۥٓ ءَايَةً لِّلنَّاسِ وَرَحْمَةً مِّنَّا ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرًا مَّقْضِيًّا
He said, "Thus [it will be]; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign to the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter [already] decreed.'"
فَٱتَّخَذَتْ مِن دُونِهِمْ حِجَابًا فَأَرْسَلْنَآ إِلَيْهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِيًّا
And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel [i.e., Gabriel], and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَرِثُ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَإِلَيْنَا يُرْجَعُونَ
Indeed, it is We who will inherit the earth and whoever is on it, and to Us they will be returned.
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِن ذُرِّيَّةِ ءَادَمَ وَمِمَّنْ حَمَلْنَا مَعَ نُوحٍ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّةِ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ وَمِمَّنْ هَدَيْنَا وَٱجْتَبَيْنَآ ۚ إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ خَرُّوا۟ سُجَّدًا وَبُكِيًّا ۩
Those were the ones upon whom Allāh bestowed favor from among the prophets of the descendants of Adam and of those We carried [in the ship] with Noah, and of the descendants of Abraham and Israel [i.e., Jacob], and of those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell in prostration and weeping.