In the report of a group among the scholars of Hadith: the one who pointed out the Lord Messiah—exalted be his glory—was called Paul, and he is also among the personages of the Adversary—may God curse him. The Messiah was named al-Masih because he used to pass his hand over his face and beard when they were black and they would turn white; then pass it over them when white and they would turn black. Whoever saw him as a youth—it was he; and whoever saw him as an old man—it was he.

(369) The Sage—exalted be his glory—was asked regarding the Messiah: "Why was he named al-Masih?" He replied: "Because in every thing there is an anointment (misha) from him, while there is no anointment in him from anyone else; for this reason he was named al-Masih."

(370) He was asked again regarding that and said: "Because he is a perfect Divinity (Lahut) who created a perfect Humanity (Nasut) and originated it; then he anointed himself with the Form with which he anointed them."

(371) He was asked yet again regarding that and said: "Because he was wiped (mamsuh), possessing neither what men have nor what women have."

If such is the case, then He is a Divinity who familiarized Himself to the humans as their like so that the Form might be near to their intellects; all of that was an establishment of the proof against them.

It has been related regarding this: During the time of the Children of Israel, there was a horn in the Holy House (al-Bayt al-Muqaddas) that secreted oil. When Moses came, he wiped his hand over it and dried the oil. When the Messiah came, he wiped his hand over it and it secreted oil as it had done originally; thus he was named al-Masih.