As for Allah’s saying: “His name is the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam”, He, exalted is His praise, informed His servants of the lineage of Isa, and that he is the son of his mother Maryam. By this He removed from him what the mulhidun (deviant deniers) regarding Allah, exalted is His praise, from among the Nasara (Christians) attributed to him, of attaching to him bunuwwah (sonship) to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and He removed from his mother what she was accused of by those who lied against her from among the Yahud (Jews).
As Ibn Humayd (d.248 AH) narrated to me; he said: Salamah (d.191 AH) narrated to us, from Ibn Ishaq (d.151 AH), from Muhammad ibn Jaafar ibn al Zubayr (d.113 AH) regarding His saying: “When the angels said: O Mary, indeed Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Isa son of Maryam, distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and from those brought near.” That is, this was his true affair, not what they say about him.
The Meaning of The Title “Al Masih”
As for “al Masih”, it is on the pattern faeil, shifted from mafoul to faeil. He is in fact mamsouh (one who has been wiped), meaning that Allah wiped him and therefore purified him from sins.
For that reason Ibrahim al Nakha‘i (d.96 AH) said: “Al Masih al Siddiq” (the very truthful one).
Others said: He was wiped with barakah (blessing).
Ibn Waki‘ (d.247 AH) narrated to us; he said: My father narrated to us, from Sufyan al Thawri (d.161 AH), from Mansur ibn al Mu‘tamir (d.132 AH), from Ibrahim al Nakha‘i (d.96 AH), with the same meaning.
Ibn Humayd (d.248 AH) narrated to us; he said: Ibn al Mubarak (Abdallah ibn al Mubarak, d.181 AH) narrated to us, from Sufyan al Thawri (d.161 AH), from Mansur ibn al Mu‘tamir (d.132 AH), from Ibrahim al Nakha‘i (d.96 AH), with the same meaning.
Ibn al Barqi (Ahmad ibn Abdallah ibn Abd al Rahim al Barqi, d.270 AH) narrated to us; he said: Amr ibn Abi Salamah al Tinnisi (d.214 AH) narrated to us; he said: Sa‘id ibn Jubayr (d.95 AH) said: He was only named “al Masih” because he was wiped with barakah (blessing).
Tafsir At Tabari (5/409-410)
