According to the universal consensus of classical Islamic scholarship, the Quranic statement 'Allah raised him to Himself' (بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ) in Surah An-Nisa, verse 158, refers to the definitive Islamic belief that Jesus ('Isa, peace be upon him) did not die on the cross but was ascended alive—body and soul—to the heavens. Tafsir authorities such as Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain this as a miraculous divine intervention. It is a refutation of the claim of crucifixion mentioned in the preceding verse (4:157), where the Quran states, 'they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear so to them.' This act of being 'raised' (raf') is a divine honoring of a beloved prophet, protecting him from his enemies. It is a core tenet of Islamic creed ('aqeedah), distinguishing it from resurrection ('ba'th'), and is fundamentally linked to the prophecy of his return before the Day of Judgment. This belief underscores Allah's absolute power and the truthfulness of the Quranic narrative.