Prophet Isaiah (Sha'ya) عليه السلام

A Prophet Who Foretold the Coming of Isa (AS) and Muhammad ﷺ

Among the prophets who walked between Dawud (AS) and Zakariyah (AS) was the Prophet Isaiah — known in Arabic as Sha'ya ibn Amoz. According to Muhammad ibn Ishaaq, Isaiah (AS) appeared before Zakariyah (AS) and Yahya (AS), and his prophethood is notable for a profound reason: he was among those who clearly prophesied the coming of both Prophet Isa (Jesus) and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. His story, drawn from the narrations of Ibn Kathir, is one of prayer answered, faith rewarded, and truth spoken at great personal cost.

👑 The King Who Turned to Allah in His Hour of Need

The king during Isaiah's (AS) time was Hezekiah — a ruler who listened to the prophet and was obedient to his guidance. When Hezekiah fell ill with a serious infection in his foot, the situation was made worse by a terrifying external threat: King Sennacherib of Babylon was marching on Jerusalem with sixty thousand men. The people were gripped with fear.

In this desperate moment, Hezekiah turned to Isaiah (AS) and asked: "What has Allah revealed to you regarding Sennacherib and his army?" Isaiah (AS) replied honestly: "He has not yet revealed anything to me." Then the revelation came — but it was not about the enemy army. It was a message for the king himself: his end was near, and he should appoint a successor.

Hearing this, Hezekiah turned towards the qiblah and broke down in prayer — weeping, glorifying Allah, and calling upon Him with a sincere and humble heart.

"O Lord of lords, and God of gods! O Benevolent and Merciful One Whom neither sleep nor rest can overpower — remember me for my deeds and my just judgement over the children of Israel. All that was from You, and You know it better than I do. My open acts and my secrets are with You."

— The Prayer of King Hezekiah

✨ Allah Answers the Sincere Prayer

Allah heard the king's sincere weeping and responded with compassion. He revealed to Isaiah (AS) glad tidings — he would extend the king's life by fifteen more years and save him from his enemy, Sennacherib. When Isaiah (AS) delivered this message, the king's illness was healed instantly. Evil and sadness departed, and he fell in prostration saying: "O Lord, it is You Who grants kingship to whomsoever You wish and dethrones whomsoever You wish — Knower of the unseen and the evident, You are the First and the Last."

Allah also commanded Isaiah (AS) to tell the king to extract the water of the fig and apply it to his sore — and upon doing so, he was completely cured. Then Allah sent His punishment upon the army of Sennacherib. By morning, the entire army of sixty thousand lay dead — except Sennacherib and five companions, among them the young Nebuchadnezzar.

⚡ The Fate of the Oppressor

Sennacherib and his five surviving companions were captured, put in shackles, and displayed across the land for seventy days — each of them given only a loaf of barley bread per day. After seventy days, they were confined in prison.

Allah then revealed to Isaiah (AS) that the king should send them back to their homeland — so that they would warn their own people of what they had witnessed. When Sennacherib returned and told his people what had happened to his army, the priests and magicians said: "We told you about their Lord and their prophets, but you did not listen to us. It is a nation which, with their God, nobody can overcome."

Sennacherib became afraid of Allah and died seven years later.

🕊️ The Death of a Prophet

After the death of King Hezekiah, the condition of the Israelites deteriorated. Political confusion returned, wickedness spread, and when Isaiah (AS) continued to preach what Allah revealed to him — directing them to righteousness and warning of punishment — they turned against him. His preaching made him their enemy. They decided to kill him, and he was forced to flee.

It is narrated that as Isaiah (AS) was fleeing, he passed by a tree which opened and he entered inside it for shelter. But his pursuers saw a corner of his garment protruding from the tree. They took a saw and sawed through the tree — and him with it. He died as a martyr, in the way of the prophets who stood firm for the truth at the cost of their lives.

Indeed from Allah we come and to Him we return. The story of Prophet Isaiah (AS) reminds us that the path of truth has always required courage, and that no sincere prayer offered from a weeping heart is ever left unanswered by the Most Merciful.

عليه السلام — Peace be upon him