JESUS
(‘alaihi al-Salaam) WILL RETURN
The Qur’an emphatically declared that Jesus (‘alaihi al-Salaam) did not
die (i.e., he was neither
killed, nor was he crucified). It further declared that he was raised unto
Allah, the Most High. And since the Qur’an declared that every soul
(including Jesus) must taste death (Maut), it follows that Jesus (‘alaihi
al-Salaam) must return and experience death like every other human being.
But the Qur’an also delivered an ominous warning when
it spoke about the death of Jesus. The warning was that Jews and Christians
would all have to believe in Jesus (i.e., as the Qur’an has established
Jesus’ status and position as the Messiah and as a Prophet of Allah) before
‘Jesus’ dies. This verse therefore clearly established the Divine plan that
Jesus would one day return and that this event would occur prior to his death:
“And there is none from the People of the Book (i.e., not a
single Jew who rejects Jesus as the Messiah and Prophet of Allah, and not a
single Christian who insists that Jesus must be worshipped as God and as son of
God) but must believe in him (Jesus) before his death (i.e., before the death
of Jesus). And on the Day of Judgment he (Jesus) will be a witness against
them.”
(Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:159)
Hence on that day every Jew will have to accept Jesus as the
Messiah and believe in him, and every Christian will have to abandon belief in
Jesus as the ‘son of God’ and the third person in a divine trinity.
Prophet Muhammad (‘alaihi al-Salaam) has declared as
emphatically as it is possible for anyone to declare, that Jesus (‘alaihi
al-Salaam) will return:
“Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allah’s Messenger said:
‘By Him in Whose Hand is my soul (I swear that) the son of Mary will shortly
descend amongst you as a just ruler. He will break the cross and kill the pigs
and abolish Jizyah (a punitive tax imposed upon Jews and Christians resident in
the territory of Islam). Then there will be abundance of money and nobody will
accept charitable gifts.’ ”
(Sahih, Bukhari)
Indeed the return of Jesus (‘alaihi al-Salaam) is one
of the ten major Signs of the Last Day mentioned by the Prophet (‘alaihi
al-Salaam):
“Narrated Hudhayfah ibn Usayd Ghifari:
Allah’s Apostle (‘alaihi al-Salaam) came to
us all of a sudden as we were (busy in a discussion) He said: What do you
discuss about? (The Companions) said: We are discussing about the Last Hour.
Thereupon he said: It will not come until you see ten signs before and (in this
connection) he made a mention of the smoke, Dajjal, the beast, the rising of
the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary (‘alaihi al-Salaam),
Gog and Magog, and landslides in three places, one in the east, one in the west
and one in Arabia at the end of which fire would burn forth from Yemen, and
would drive people to the place of their assembly.
(Sahih, Muslim)
Thus the ten Signs are as follows: (Please note that these
Signs are not necessary listed in chronological order of their happening)
•
the release of Dajjal – the False
Messiah,
•
the release of Gog and Magog,
•
the return of Jesus (‘alaihi al-Salaam)
– the True Messiah,
•
the appearance of dukhan (smoke),
•
the emergence of d’abbatul ard (a
creature of the Land, i.e., Holy Land),
•
the sun would rise from the West,
•
a landslide or movement of the earth in the
East,
•
another one in the West,
•
a third one in Arabia,
•
a fire comes out of Yemen and drives people to
their place of assembly.
The Qur’an affirmed the return of Jesus as the ‘Sign
of all Signs’ of the Last Day:
“And surely he (i.e., Jesus) is the Sign of the Hour”.
(Qur’an, al-Zukhraf, 43:61)
Jesus himself gave a list of signs to look for at the time
when he is to return:
Ø men would arise calling themselves Messiah,
but they would be false,
Ø there would be wars and rumors of wars,
Ø there would be an outbreak of unprecedented
global famine,
Ø plagues would sweep the world,
Ø there would be a great increase in lawlessness
and inhumanity to man,
Ø earthquakes would increase in intensity and
frequency.
We now have the explanation for the two conflicting
portraits of the Messiah in the scriptures – the first a meek and humble
Messiah who would suffer immensely, and the other a mighty conqueror. When
Jesus (‘alaihi al-Salaam) returns he would fulfill the second portrait
of him.
But Prophet Muhammad (‘alaihi al-Salaam) went on to
reveal that prior to the return of Jesus
(‘alaihi al-Salaam) Allah Most High would rele ase a False Messiah (al-Masih
alDajjal) into the world in the Last Age.
to be continued....
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