The following article receives its points and material mainly from discussions and debates I had with a few cultists claiming to be Muslim. If you, the reader, feel that any point has been missed or is not explained very well or clearly, then please let me know about it. Insha’Allah (God Almighty willing), the article will be updated according to the suggestions.
The aim of this article is to refute those who claim to be Muslim and say that Jesus (peace be upon him) had died. “Where there is Messiah, there is Dajjal”. Answering-Islam has also put up this argument on their site and it only shows their desperation to prove Islam wrong in any way they could. They do not leave any opportunity to malign Islam. The people who make such a baseless argument have two theories relating to this matter. One group claims that Jesus (peace be upon him) died on the cross or just before that due to natural causes and the other group argues that Jesus (peace be upon him) had survived the cross and went to Kashmir where he died at an old age.
The ones who make the second argument make up proofs themselves. No neutral person in history has ever made such baseless claims. However, the Qur’an will be used as the criteria, in this article, when refuting such claims. Hadith rejecters will not be debated about their beliefs but will be provided evidences from the Qur’an which they cannot deny. Any mentioning of Hadith in the article is due to the deviants bringing it up.
Normally it is the claimants who are on the attack and the Muslims giving explanations. This article will deal with such attacks with the Muslim ‘point of view’ first, following refutations to criticism of those points and then refutations to the cultists’ points. When simple refutations are made while in a defensive position, other parts or verses are often ignored and these verses are as important or even more important.
Jesus is taught the Qur’an
The article starts from the point when lady Mary (peace be upon her) was given the good news, by God through an Angel, of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and with that good news, it was stated that he would be taught some books.
When the angels said: “Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near [to God]. He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown, and will be one of the righteous.” She asked: “My Lord! How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me?” He said: “It will be so. God creates whatever He wills. When He decides on something, He just says to it: ‘Be!’ and it is. He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.”(Qur’an 3:45-48)
(That day) Allah will say, “Jesus, son of Mary, remember My blessing to you and to your mother when I reinforced you with the Purest Spirit so that you could speak to people in the cradle and when you were fully grown; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.”(Qur’an 5:110)
Torah and Gospel are very clear but which books are the Book and Wisdom? It is true that the Qur’an refers to many other books as “The Book” but this “Book” is mentioned separately from Torah and Gospel.
This book is the Qur’an and wisdom is the Sunnah recorded in Hadith [the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)]. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is taught the Qur’an because he will use it during his second coming. Deniers have asked some questions regarding these verses. The questions are pasted below:
How did this mean that he was alive? And if the answer he gives is because he had to come back to revive the Muslim Ummah, then what is he doing now? And where?
The first question was answered by the questioner himself. The second and third questions are answered now but not in detail, as the article will cover them later on. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) ascended to heaven, where he is now and from where he will return near the end of the world. From the life of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), we know that the knowledge of Torah and Gospel was very much used together with wisdom but “The Book” has no mention during his first stay on earth. The reason for this is that he will use it when he returns. Such deniers have also made some silly statements about heaven and hell’s location and the place where God is. They have rejected the idea of a physical heaven and therefore, have rejected the idea that God is above the heavens.
In Urdu:
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2998/aasmaanpernahijasaktapagp0.png
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5922/aasmaanpernahijasaktapaxy9.png
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/5878/aasmaanpernahijasaktapauh8.png
In English:
http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/whereallah.htm
The deviants making such claims have posted the following:
***The conjunction ‘and’ (‘wa’ in
Arabic) and the ‘four book’ theoryWe read in the Qur’an:“Ta Sin. These are verses of the Qur’an and of an illuminating
Book” [27:1]Now the one who does not
believe in the death of Jesus would argue that the verses mentioned are of two books since the conjunction ‘wa’ was used! I insist that in spite of
the use of ‘and’, the referral is to one book – the Qur’an! This is enough to
bust the ‘and’ theory!The Qur’an has said at numerous places, describing the
believers:”Who observe prayer and pay the zakat (charity) and have firm faith
in the Hereafter”
These are not three set of people but the
description being made is that of “believers”
Many other
examples could be found in the Qur’an where the conjunction ‘and’ is used but
does not denote an addition in number but the description of the same thing in a
different way!***
Muslim response to this argument:
Ta Sin. These constitute ayaat (proofs) of the Qur’an; a profound scripture.“And” here is for proof and illumination not for different books. “And” is used for different features of the same thing.Another way to translate it is, “These are signs and illuminating scripture.”
”Who observe prayer and pay the zakat and have firm
faith in the Hereafter” These are not three set of people but the description
being made is that of “believers”
These are for the same people but are different actions or deeds. Definitely “wa” is used here for different actions.
The deniers of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), claiming to be Muslim, have commented that if this “Book” is the Qur’an, then Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the true recipient of the Qur’an as someone else already knew the Qur’an before him. This appears to be a logical argument but if seen in context, it is a useless argument.
Example: If Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) saw the end times and he prophesied about it and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also did it through revelation, does this mean that Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) knew more or was the original recipient of the revelation given to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
Besides, it is not said as to when he will be taught the Book.
Read carefully the beautiful words:
When the angels said: “Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near [to God]. He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown, and will be one of the righteous.” She asked: “My Lord! How can I have a son when no man has ever touched me?” He said: “It will be so. God creates whatever He wills. When He decides on something, He just says to it: ‘Be!’ and it is. He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.”(Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:45-48) When he was alive on earth in his first mission 2,000 years ago, Allah says that he will be taught the book.
Now on the Day of Judgment, Allah will say… “Jesus, son of Mary, remember My blessing to you and to your mother when I reinforced you with the Purest Spirit so that you could speak to people in the cradle and when you were fully grown; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.”(Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:110)
This is a great explanation and Allah Himself gives it. Maybe he will be taught when he returns or maybe he will come being taught. The former is less likely than the latter. It is definitely for future and not in his first stay on earth! The deniers who refuse to accept the truth have stated that if the “Book” is taught after his first stay on earth, then Torah and Gospel have also been taught after his departure from earth because all of the books are in future tenses. The answer to this false argument is quite simple and one that requires a little bit of common sense. The Torah and the Gospel are well known books in these verses and everyone knows that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was taught these books. The tenses are future and can be at any time but from other places in the Qur’an and history, we know that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon) learned them during his first stay on earth. Although, all books are in future tenses but time of each book is not mentioned. Facts tell us that he was taught Torah and Gospel but we do not find anything about any “Book”.
Furthermore, if one does not understand such a simple explanation, then the best thing to do is to ask the man who brought the Qur’an, i.e. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 4.658, Narrated Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him)
Allah’s Apostle said “How will you be when the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Qur’an and not by the law of Gospel (Fateh-ul Bari page 304 and 305 Vol 7)
The Qur’an explains it all and the Hadith has just been put up to show what people back then believed. It was used against those Jesus (peace be upon him)’s deniers who believe in Hadith but distort it as well. However, these deviant people have even questioned the meanings of this Hadith. They have changed the meaning of “descend” (Nazool) and “son of Mary” (Ibne Marium) and have given their reasons for that.
***One Nazool and the other Ibne
Maryam. It should be remembered that the word Nazala may mean “he
descended” but it cannot by any stretch of meaning, signify “he descended
physically from the heavens”. There is not the slightest justification for
this.The same word is
used about the coming of the Holy Prophet. Says the Holy
Qur’an:Qad Anzalallaho Ilaikum Dhikran Rasoolan Yatloo Alaikum
Aayaatillahi– “Allah has indeed sent down to you a
Reminder, a Messenger, who recites unto you the clear signs of Allah.” (65:11-12)But No one can say that the Holy Prophet came down from
the heavens physically. Or can we?Then God says: Wa Anzalnal Hadeeda– “And We sent
down iron” (57:26), and we know that it is not thrown
down from the heavens.
“Then Allah sent down His peace upon His
messenger.” (Al-Tauba: 26)“Then after the sorrow, He sent down peace on you, a slumber that overcame a party of you.” (Al-Imran: 155)
“And He has sent down eight head of cattle in pairs.” (Al-
Zumar: 7)Did you
see them falling from the skies?
“We have indeed sent down raiment
to you to cover your shame, and to be an elegant dress; but the raiment of
righteousness, that is the best. That is one of the Signs of Allah that they may
remember.” (Al-A’raf: 27) “And sent down on you Manna
and Salwa” (
Al-Baqarah: 58)
“And We sent down iron,
wherein is material for violent warfare and many benefits for mankind and that
Allah may distinguish those who help Him and His Messengers without having seen
Him. Surely, Allah is Powerful, Mighty.” (Al-Hadid:
26)“And if Allah should enlarge the provision for His
servants, they would rebel in the earth; but He sends down according to a
proper measure as He pleases. Indeed, He is All-Aware and All-Seeing with regard
to His servants.” (Al-Shura: 28)Likewise the word Nazool has been mentioned about cattle in 39:7; about raiment in 7:27. [Verses quoted above]
Even this word had been used for each and every thing in 15:22 where Allah says: Wa In Min Shai-in
Illaa Indinna Khazaainohoo Wa Maa Nonazzilohoo Illaa Biqadarin Ma’aloom–
“And there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures thereof and We send it
not down except in known measure.”
InferenceHence, it appears that all things in nature descend from
God–are gifted by God–and yet they do not drop from
Heaven. Their creation takes place in and on and through this very earth.
Therefore, the word Nazool (descend), when used for the coming of the Messiah,
can have no other meaning.It can only point to the
importance, the blessedness and the spiritual significance of the Promised
Messiah. It is not in the least intended to suggest that he would physically
drop from Heaven to earth.***
Muslim response on Nazool:
The word “Nazool” means to descend and it does refer to a physical one.
The examples given above were
1) Peace - Yes it is sent down from Allah!
2) Iron - It has come down physically from space: http://www.answering-christianity.com/earth.htm This proves that nazool means literally physically coming from above!
Cattle - They must have come down like Adam (peace be upon him) physically.
Manna and Salwa were physically sent down!
Two verses from chapter 65, with a horrible translation, were presented and mentioned that according to it, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent (Nazool) and therefore, Nazool could not be referring to descending physically. The correct translation is as follows:
God has prepared for them a severe Punishment (in the Hereafter). Therefore fear God, O ye men of understanding - who have believed! - For God hath indeed sent down to you a Message, -An Apostle, who rehearses to you the Signs of God containing clear explanations, that he may lead forth those who believe and do righteous deeds from the depths of Darkness into Light. And those who believe in God and work righteousness, He will admit to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever: God has indeed granted for them a most excellent Provision.God is He Who created seven Firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of them (all) descends His Command: that ye may know that God has power over all things, and that God comprehends, all things in (His) Knowledge.
The message or the command is descended (nazool) and not the Prophet (peace be upon him)!
From above, we can confirm the following:
Iron was sent down physically
Peace was sent down physically
Animals were sent down physically
Manna and Salwa were sent down physically
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) would be sent down physically!
***The name of one is
generally given to another when there is striking resemblance between the
two. Abu Sufyan, after meeting Heraclius, said to
his companions: “Of a certainty, the son of Abee
Kabshah has succeeded, because even the king of Bani Asfar fears him”. (Bukhari)
Everyone knows that the Holy Prophet was not the son of Abi Kabshah, but Abu
Sufyan calls him as such because he believed in the Unity of God like the son of
Abi Kabshah.
In another Hadith in Bukhari, the Holy
Prophet says to his wives:”You are the wives of Yousuf” [This Hadith is
mentioned in Nisai thus: with slight variations, it can be found in Bukhari and
Ibn-e-Maja]Here, the Holy Prophet called himself Yousuf while he didn’t become
Yousuf bodily! Spiritual resemblance makes one take the name of the
other!***
Muslim response on ibne Maryam:
He called the Prophet with that name as an insult. The deniers rely on blasphemy for their false beliefs. It is surprising that someone could consider an insult as a resemblance and use it to justify one’s distorted logic.
Imam Abu Hanifa is the greatest collector of Hadith on Jesus’ second coming. In the final part of his Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, he states that:
The emergence of the Dajjal and of Gog and Magog is a reality; the rising of the sun in the West is a reality; the descent of Jesus, upon whom be peace, from the heavens is a reality; and all the other signs of the Day of Resurrection, as contained in authentic traditions, are also established realities.
Imam al-Safarini expresses that Islamic scholars agree upon this issue:
The entire ummah (Muslim community) has agreed on the issue that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), the son of Maryam, will return. There is no one from the people who follow Muslim laws who oppose this issue.
The great Islamic scholar Ibne Kathir states his views after commenting on the related verses and explaining the related Hadith: These are narrated from the Messenger of God as mutawatir and in these Hadith, there are explanations regarding how and where Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will appear…The authentic and mutawatir Hadith about Prophet Jesus’ (peace be upon him) return to Earth in his noble body is immune to any opposing interpretations. Consequently, everyone with the smallest speck of faith and fairness has to believe in Prophet Jesus’ (peace be upon him) second coming; only those who oppose to God’s Book, His Messenger and Ahl al-Sunnah may deny Prophet Jesus’ (peace be upon him) second coming to Earth.
”You are the wives of Yousuf” [This Hadith is mentioned in Nisai thus: with slight variations, it can be found in Bukhari and Ibn-e-Maja]
The slight variation is the real thing. You are like the wives of Yusuf (peace be upon him)! “Like” was omitted but it was the most important word for this discussion. When someone is compared, it is completely normal and the words depict a comparison but nothing like this is seen in the case of Nazool or ibne Marium. The deviants making anti-Islamic claims against Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) state that if Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was to return, then he would be for all mankind and the Qur’an states that he was sent only for Israel. Such people should read the Qur’an well. The above Hadith explain that he will not come as a Prophet but a follower of the Qur’an. Regarding Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) being taught the book, another attempted refutation has been made. It is posted as follows:
***Lets analyze
the verse in order:1. He will
speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown, and2. Will be
one of the righteous3. He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the
Torah and the GospelAnalyzing the last line further:He will teach him:1. The
Book and Wisdom 2. The Torah and the Gospel!
The Book is mentioned before
Torah and Gospel and is most probably a wider description of the latter two
terms, like I’ve shown before is the style of the
Qur’an!
You first wake up and then go to work!
Similarly, there’s an order in the Qur’an! If at all, ‘the Book’ is the Qur’an,
he has to be taught the Qur’an before the Torah and
Gospel!***
The people making such silly claims obviously do not read the Qur’an well or only read in parts and reject other parts. This is one common mistake of reading with the rules of English. Arabic has different rules. After each different set of action “wa” is used and not commas. In Arabic, it is not specifically in order but in the way or order that Allah wants to say.
4:163We have inspired you, as we inspired Noah and the prophets after him. And we inspired Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Patriarchs, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon. And we gave David the Psalms.
Here we see that Solomon, Aaron, Jonah and Job (peace be upon them all) have been mentioned after Jesus (peace be upon him). The order is not important when it comes to the Book and Wisdom and for these verses as well because Allah puts them in different orders which I do not have the reasons for now.
In the cradle, Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) said that he has been given the “Book” and some argue that “The Book” in the verses I posted is that same book. Again, this is a common sense matter. Injeel can be referred to as “Book” but the point is that in the earlier mentioned verses, “The Book” is separate from Torah and Gospel and in that particular case, it was referring to the Qur’an. Secondly, when Jesus (peace be upon him) spoke about the book in the cradle, he spoke in past tenses as if he had it with him but we know that he was not holding any book, nor can a child hold a book. What was meant by book being given to him was that it was destined for him.
A sign for all mankind
Further, we read in the Qur’an about Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)’s high status, we see that he did not die and will return.
21:91- And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples.
This verse can have different interpretations and they will not be touched here in much detail as all may be correct but deniers will still deny and argue that theirs’ is the only correct one. The signs of Lady Mary (peace be upon her) are that she is the best woman and gave birth while still being a virgin (two signs!). The signs for Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) are that he was born to a virgin and will return (two signs!). A very childish argument was once made by rejecters regarding this sign. A verse from the Qur’an was presented which showed that Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) is also a sign for mankind. After presenting this verse, it was asked sarcastically whether he would also return. A sign does not refer to returning, it is the people who have to identify the signs and the sign of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) have clearly been mentioned in the Qur’an; he is the second father of the world (first one being Adam) and another sign was the flood. “The sign” in the verse speaks of singular people but does not limit the signs. Interestingly, two reasons have been identified for each sign mentioned by God.
Conflict and dominance before the Day of Judgment
Another interesting and very clear verse is as follows:
And I will place the people who follow you (Muslims) above those who are unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection. Then you will all return to Me, and I will judge between you regarding the things about which you differed.(Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:55)
It is very clear that before the Day of Judgment, the Muslims have to be in a better position than anyone else but we do not see that now. Secondly, this verse does not speak of a small group of Muslims dominating a few non-believers here and there but speaks of a complete authority on the world. Those who say that Muslims have been gaining victories throughout ages are just making excuses. For the verse to be true, a complete victory and being placed above all the disbelievers in general is a must. In short, a world under Islamic rule is foretold in this verse. This is confirmed by the Qur’an in 61:9.
This verse is explained in a little detail by Harun Yahya below:
God mentions that a group of Jesus’ true followers will dominate the unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection.In this case, “And I will place the people who follow you above those who are unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection” carries a clear message: There has to be a group of Jesus’ followers who will exist until the Last Day. Such a group will emerge after his second coming, and those who follow him at that time will dominate the unbelievers until the Last Day.This aside, the expression, “Then you will all return to Me” at the verse’s end is striking. After relating that those who follow Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will be superior to the unbelievers, God states that everyone, including Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), will return to Him. Here, the expression is understood to mean their death. This may also be a sign that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will die at a time close to Doomsday, after his second coming.
Please note that the words “Then you will all return to me…” have been repeated in other places as well. In many places, it speaks in general but it refers to a group of people at least twice. The Qur’an mentions that everyone has to return to God but the words “Then you will all return to me…” come exactly like this twice and both are related to Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). “Then” refers to returning after some action and near the end of the world. The Qur’an in 18:94 speaks of Gog and Magog and 18:99 speaks of a conflict they would have after which they would all (including the living Jesus mentioned above) return to God.
[18:99] And on that day WE shall leave some of them to surge against others, and the trumpet will be blown. Then shall WE gather them all together.
[18:99] Watarakna baAAdahum yawma-ithin yamooju fee baAAdin wanufikha fee alssoori fajamaAAnahum jamAAan
“Fa” is somewhat like “and” but it refers to something following another. For example, if it is said that “A” and “B” came, it would be written as “A” wa “B” but if it is mentioned that “A” came and then “B” came, it would be written as “A” fa “B”. “Fa” is a word that is two-in-one and means both “and” and “then”. From this we see that after the conflict, the Day of Judgment would come. Jesus (peace be upon him)’s returning to God has been described by similar words. Jesus (peace be upon him) would be involved in that conflict with Gog and Magog which is confirmed by the Hadith as well.
[21.91] And she who guarded her chastity (Mary), so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and made her and her son a sign for the nations.
[21.92] Surely this Islam is your religion, one religion (only), and I am your Lord, therefore serve Me.
[21.93] And they (Christians and Jews) broke their religion (into sects) between them: to Us shall all come back.
[21.94] Therefore whoever shall do of good deeds and he is a believer, there shall be no denying of his exertion, and surely We will write (It) down for him.
[21.95] And it is binding on a town which We destroy that they shall not return.
[21.96] Even when Gog and Magog are let loose and they shall break forth from every elevated place.
These verses indicate that Jesus (peace be upon him) would be involved in the conflict with Gog and Magog after which the Day of Judgment would come very soon. Chapter 21 mentions many Prophets in descending order and mentions Gog and Magog later right after Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). 21:107 sees the mentioning of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which is even after the mentioning of Jesus (peace be upon him) and Gog and Magog. This order may seem confusing but when looked at carefully, it shows the miraculous way of explaining things. The style of explaining used by God is so beautiful that it even answers the question of those who say that the return of Jesus (peace be upon him) would mean that he is the last Prophet. The verse explains that he is the same man to return. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) would be on the victorious side after which the believers would inherit the earth:
[21.105] And certainly We wrote in the Book after the reminder that (as for) the land, My righteous servants shall inherit it.
This is in complete harmony with 3:55 above and 4:159 below and explains that verse more clearly. The style used by the Qur’an is very beautiful and miraculous. Many stories have been mentioned several times but whenever something is repeated, something new comes with it. For example, it is mentioned that Pharaoh threatened Moses (peace be upon him) with crucifixion but when this fact has been repeated, the story is made clearer that it was a threat to be hanged on the tree rather than a cross. Another important point comes to attention here. The Qur’an says that each and every town/village shall be destroyed before the last day:
[017:058] There is not a population but We shall destroy it before the Day of Judgment or punish it with a dreadful Penalty: that is written in the (eternal) Record.
The Qur’an also says that no town/village is destroyed unless a Prophet has come to them (17:15). This clearly means that before each and every village/town/population is destroyed before the end of the world, a Prophet has to come in order for that to happen.
Prophet rejecting nations were destroyed
It is very clear from the Qur’an that nations that reject Prophets are destroyed by God Almighty. Although, rejecters f Jesus (peace be upon him) claiming to be Muslim twist the Quran and take most of the things as metaphors, they go to literalism when it comes to this point and demand for clear and straightforward verses. These shall be presented to them.
[022:045] How many populations have We destroyed, which were given to wrong-doing? They tumbled down on their roofs. And how many wells are lying idle and neglected, and castles lofty and well-built?
Wrong-doers were destroyed. These wrong-doers were those who rejected the Prophets.God Almighty says in 22:44 that Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was rejected and the rejecters were destroyed. From this we see a clear rule of destruction of rejecters. A question is aksed as to why the Jews were not destroyed? The answer is simple, because Jesus (peace be upon him) did not die. He will return and before his death, rejecters of him would be destroyed. God Almighty says that punishment is a promise in 22: 47 and it has been delayed (22:48).
[023:048] So they accused them of falsehood, and they became of those who were destroyed.
[023:051] O ye apostles! enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work righteousness: for I am well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.
[023:052] And verily this Brotherhood of yours is a single Brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore fear Me (and no other).
[023:053] But people have cut off their affair (of unity), between them, into sects: each party rejoices in that which is with itself.
[023:054] But leave them in their confused ignorance for a time.
[023:064] Until, when We seize in Punishment those of them who received the good things of this world, behold, they will groan in supplication!
[023:065] (It will be said): “Groan not in supplication this day: for ye shall certainly not be helped by Us.
[026:139] So they rejected the messenger and We destroyed them. In this, is a sign of course! But most of them do not believe.
Summary: From this we clearly see that those nations that destroyed Prophets were destroyed. Wrath on some was delayed but it did come to them. The Jews rejected Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) but they have not been destroyed yet. They used to be God’s chosen people and they were given a chance till the return of the Prophet they rejected. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was also rejected and is still rejected by many of the people but they have not been destroyed! The answer to this point is in the Qur’an as well. The Qur’an says that the Prophet is for all mankind but most of them know not (34:28) and no nation/ town/ village etc is destroyed unless the message is conveyed to them clearly. Therefore, asking for their destruction is just injustice.
Destruction of Jews: The children of Israel created mischief on the land and they were punished twice by God Almighty through warrior nations. God Almighty says that if they create mischief again, then their punishment would be repeated again. The punishment prescribed for them is destruction through warrior nations (17:8). In present times, we see a lot of mischief spread by them and therefore, we can expect a warrior nation to destroy them. As explained in the section “Conflict and dominance before the Day of Judgment”, we know that the leader of that nation would be Jesus (peace be upon him) and that warrior nation has been identified in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
http://armyofmahdi.googlepages.com/home
The Qur’an is very clear on Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). It explains the past, present and future among other things and on this matter, it is not an exception.
More verses:
[025:036] And We command: “Go ye both, to the people who have rejected our Signs:” And those (people) We destroyed with utter destruction.
[025:037] And the people of Noah,- when they rejected the apostles, We drowned them, and We made them as a Sign for mankind; and We have prepared for (all) wrong-doers a grievous Penalty;-
[025:038] As also ‘Ad and Thamud, and the Companions of the Rass, and many a generation between them.
[030:047] We did indeed send, before thee, apostles to their (respective) peoples, and they came to them with Clear Signs: then, to those who transgressed, We meted out Retribution: and it was due from Us to aid those who believed.
[032:021] And indeed We will make them taste of the Penalty of this (life) prior to the supreme Penalty, in order that they may (repent and) return.
The above verse states that a worldly punishment is promised before the final punishment on the Day of Judgment. 36:14-29 speaks of a nation destroyed after they rejected the third messenger sent to them. They were given chances for the first two times! This matches with the position of the Jews as well. The link above is a must see!
A thing already decided
In the Qur’an, God Almighty says that had it not been for a thing already decided, their matter would have been decided, i.e. they would have perished.
[42.14] And they did not become divided until after knowledge had come to them out of envy among themselves; and had not a word gone forth from your Lord till an appointed term, certainly judgment would have been given between them; and those who were made to inherit the Book after them are most surely in.
The verse above speaks of Jews and Christians dividing their religion after clear knowledge had come to them. It is stated that their matter would have been decided had it not been for a word already gone forth. From the explanations above, it appears that this word was the promise of the end times and destruction at the hands of the messenger they rejected i.e. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). The verse does speak of an appointed time for this promise to happen and this delay in the punishment is given to these disbelievers until Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) returns.
[41.45] And certainly We gave the Book to Musa, but it has been differed about, and had not a word already gone forth from your Lord, judgment would certainly have been given between them; and most surely they are in a disquieting doubt about it.
Sign of the Hour
The Qur’an mentions that Jesus (peace be upon him) is a sign for all mankind. This has been mentioned in the 43rd chapter as well. However, the 43rd chapter gives some additional, clear information about the return of Jesus (peace be upon him). His return means that he did not die at all. Obviously Christians have no problem with death and return but those claiming to be Muslim insist that his death eliminates the possibility of his return and so both these issues are related to each other. His return would prove to such so-called Muslims that he did not die at all.
When an example is made of the son of Mary [Jesus], your people laugh uproariously. They retort: “Who is better then, our gods or him?” They only say this to you for argument’s sake. They are indeed a disputatious people. He is only a servant on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for the tribe of Israel. If We willed, We could appoint angels in exchange for you to succeed you on Earth. (Surat Az-Zukhruf, 43:57-60)
He [Jesus] is a Sign of the Hour. Have no doubt about it. But follow me. This is a straight path.(Surat Az-Zukhruf, 43:61)
These verses speak of Jesus (peace be upon him) as a sign for the tribe of Israel. Those who use this verse to explain the sign mentioned above (for whole mankind) should read the verses again. The previously discussed verse mentions that Jesus (peace be upon him) is a sign for all mankind. The sign in this verse is explained by 4:159. Below is the explanation of 43:57-61 by Harun Yahya. The explanation of 4:159 is given after the explanation below.
In Arabic, the expression “He is a Sign of the Hour” is Innahu la `ilmun li as-saa`ati.Some say that the pronoun “hu” (he/it) in this expression refers to the Qur’an. However if this pronoun is used to denote the Qur’an, we would expect other words to be present, whether before, after, or in the verse, that speak of the Qur’an. The word “hu” cannot denote the Qur’an when the subject is altogether different. Furthermore, the preceding verse clearly refers to Jesus with the word “hu”:He [Jesus] is only a servant on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for the tribe of Israel. (43:59)Those who say that “hu” refers to the Qur’an rely on the expression “Have no doubt about it. But follow me,” which continues the verse. However, since the preceding verses speak only of Jesus, it is far more realistic to accept that “hu” refers to him, as in the preceding verses.
Those who say that “hu” refers to the Qur’an should present the date of the Day of Judgment from the Qur’an. Rashad Khalifa has given a date but his explanation uses information from outside the Qur’an and if “hu” refers to the Qur’an, then the time of the Day of Judgment should be given completely from the Qur’an.
Belief in Jesus before his death
4:159 - And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him (Jesus) before his (Jesus’) death; and on the Day of Judgment he (Jesus) will be a witness against them;
Correct belief in Jesus (peace be upon him) is a must which is what this verse says. The verse also says that each and every Jew and Christian will believe in him (Jesus) before his (Jesus’) death. We do not see Jews and Christians with the correct belief and this means that he will have to return for this verse to be accurate. Some argue that “…his death” refers to the death of the Christians and Jews and not Jesus (peace be upon him). This interpretation argues that before their death, the Jews and Christians accept Jesus (peace be upon him) as they should. This explanation sounds illogical as many die suddenly and do not die a slow and expected death. Such a sudden death leaves no time for a drama style confession or to think and ponder on this matter. If it is argued that they believe while their bodies have died but souls have not departed from this world, it would still be incorrect as the verse states that they will believe before their death. Death occurs when the soul is pulled out. “…before his death” has a singular translated tense and all translators have used it as singular. Had this sentence been regarding the death of Jews and Christians, it would have read “…before their death” (plural) instead of “…before his death” (singular). The literal translation is “…before death” and does not mention “his” or “their” but the translators have unanimously translated it as “…before his death” referring to Jesus (peace be upon him). The entire verse is in future tenses which clearly ignores the people of the book already dead at the time of Jesus (peace be upon him). Another very interesting interpretation presented is that “him” in “…believe in him…” refers to the Qur’an. However, the context, as seen in previous two verses, shows that “him” here is Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). Harun Yahya has explained this in some detail:
The expression “and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them” is important. The Qur’an reveals that on that Day, people’s tongues, hands, and feet (Surat An-Nur, 24:24, Surah Ya Sin, 36:65), as well as their eyes, ears, and skin (Surah Fussilat, 41:20-23), will testify against them. No verse indicates that the Qur’an will be the witness during this event. If the first part of the verse is taken to mean “the Qur’an” - even though there is no evidence in the syntax or the succession of verses for this - “him” or “it” in the second part also would refer to the Qur’an. To accept this, however, there should be an explicit verse confirming this view. However, the commentator Ibn Juzayy does not mention the possibility of the Qur’an being the “him” referred to, and Ibn Juzayy transmitted the views of all the major commentators in his work.
When we examine the Qur’an’s verses, we see that when the same personal pronoun refers to the Qur’an, there is generally mention of the Qur’an before or after that specific verse as in the cases of 27:77 and 26:192-96. If the Qur’an is not mentioned before, after, or in the verse, saying that the pronoun refers to the Qur’an could be mistaken. The verse clearly speaks of the belief in Jesus and that he will be a witness for those who believe. Another point we need to make here has to do with the interpretation of “before he dies.” Some believe that this stands for the People of the Book “having faith in Jesus before their own death.” According to this view, everyone from the People of the Book will definitely believe in Jesus before he or she dies. But at the time of Jesus, most of the Jews (who are members of the People of the Book) not only refused to believe in him, but also plotted his death. Then, believing him to be dead, they continued to deny him. In general, the same circumstances are true for the Jews of our own time, as they do not recognize Jesus as a Prophet. As a result, millions of the People of the Book have lived and died without ever believing in Jesus. Therefore, the verse does not speak of the death of this group, but rather of the death of Jesus. In the end, the reality revealed by the Qur’an is this: “Before Jesus dies, all People of the Book will believe in him.” When the verse is regarded in the light of its true meaning, several clear facts emerge. First, it becomes apparent that the verse refers to the future, because it speaks of Jesus’ death. As explained earlier, he never died but was raised to God’s presence. Jesus will return to Earth, where he will live and die like all other people. Second, it says that all People of the Book will believe in him. Obviously, this has not yet happened. And so, given the context, “before he dies” refers to Jesus. The People of the Book will see and recognize him, and then become Muslim followers of Jesus, as will be explained shortly. In turn, he will be their witness on the Last Day. (God knows best.)
Common sense and logic (plus Hadith) states that it is the future death of Jesus (peace be upon him) and not the death of the people of the book.
The belief that Jesus died is a blasphemy
They [unbelievers] planned and God planned. But God is the best of planners.(Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:54)
Example: “A” went to the house of “B” to kill “B”. The desire of “A” is to see “B” dead. Just as “A” was about to kill “B”, he saw that “B” had died due to an illness or “B” had slipped, fallen, hit his head on the floor and died (no murder, natural death!). The plan of “A” succeeds. The Jews planned to kill Jesus (peace be upon him) and if he died in whatever way, then it is a blasphemy towards God.
Raised up alive
This section examines a few Arabic words in a little detail:
And [on account of] their saying: “We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Messenger of God.” They did not kill him and they did not crucify him (Salaba), but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. God raised him (Rafaa) to Himself. God is Almighty, All Wise.(Surat An-Nisa’, 4:157-158)
Salaba: Salaba means to put on the cross, pole, stick etc with the intention to hurt. It has nothing to do with death. A person who survives the cross also comes into the definition of “salaba” whereas the English word “crucifixion” refers only to death. There is no suitable word in English for a man who is put on the cross and survives but the Arabic word “salaba” explains this.
20:71The pharaoh said, “You believed him, even though I did not permit you? Obviously, he is your master who has taught you the magic! Now, I will definitely chop off your hands and feet on opposite sides and then crucify (Salaba) you on the trunk of the date-palm tree. You will soon know which one of us awards the severer and the more lasting punishment.”
Here the punishment was not for the purpose of death but for the purpose of torture. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) had said to Pharaoh that he would be burned in hell-fire forever. In reply to this, the Pharaoh threatened to torture Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and give a more lasting punishment. One doesn’t die in hell and Pharaoh threatened with a punishment where Moses (peace be upon him) was not to die but to suffer on the tree. This clearly shows that “salaba” means “to hang on a pole, tree, cross, stick etc with the intention to cause harm”. This clearly eliminates the theory that Jesus (peace be upon him) was put up on the cross at all, neither was his dead body (imaginary!) put up on the cross at all.
Rafaa: Rafaa means to raise up. It could be a physical raising up (55:7) or it could be the raising of the status (19:57). However, when the raising of the status or rank is concerned, it is mentioned very clearly. In short, Rafa’a means to raise up physically unless otherwise stated.
[019:057] We raised him to an exalted status!
[019:057] WarafaAAnahu makanan Aaaliyyan
When the raising is of the status, we find a clear mention of it with a follow-up word. However, in the case of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), we see nothing like this and therefore we can conclude that he was raised physically to the heavens.
Tawaffa: To Cause To Die, To Take in One’s Sleep (6:60, 39:42), or To Take Back
6:60: It is He who recalls (Tawaffa) you by night, and He knows what you work by day; then He raises you up therein, that a stated term may be determined; then unto Him shall you return, then He will tell you of what you have been doing.
When the soul is taken back by God, one dies but people do not die every night when they sleep. In 39:42, the word Tawaffa has been mentioned again and in that case, it refers to the taking back of the soul but if we look at the words carefully, we see that the word for death (Mawt) and the word for soul (Rooh) have both been mentioned separately. When the taking back of the soul is discussed, God mentions it very clearly but when simple taking back or recalling is discussed, the word Tawaffa is used without any supporting word. This context clearly shows that the Tawaffa in the case of Jesus (peace be upon him) is referring to taking back or recalling without the mentioning of “death” or “soul”. Jesus (peace be upon him) was taken back without his death occurring.
When God said: “Jesus, I will take you back(Tawaffa) and raise you up (Rafaa) to Me, and purify you of those who are unbelievers. And I will place the people who follow you above those who are unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection. Then you will all return to Me, and I will judge between you regarding the things about which you differed.(Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:55)
Deviants’ objection: Imam Bukhari says that Tawaffa means death in 5:117.
[Jesus said], “I said to them nothing but what You ordered me to say: ‘Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was a witness against them as long as I remained among them, but when You caused me to die, You were the One watching over them. You are the Witness of all things.” (Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:117)
This verse speaks of the discussion between Allah and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) on the Day of Judgment and here Tawaffa could mean death because when Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will return, he will die after that.
The claimants of this false theory rely more on tricks than on common sense and logic. They propose that each word should be read and understood on it’s own and then the other parts of the verse should be read on their own. For example, they argue that Tawaffa (I will take you back) and Rafa’a (and raise you up to me) should each be dealt with on it’s own. This is a false and a weak proposal as it completely goes against the rules of context. Such tricks deliberately exploit debatable issues and make false conclusions upon them. For example, there is a verse in the Qur’an that says that Muslims should not go to the Masjid when they are in the state of impurity. A person with a disease in his heart would argue that the first part “Do not go to the Masjid” should be debated on it’s own and the later part should be seen separately. This example better illustrates the deliberate trickery in such a way of understanding things.
The root word for Tawaffa is “waffa” which means: “To give someone his due in full, let someone have his full share, pay someone in full, to treat exhaustively, write or speak fully about, set forth or develop in detail, fulfillment, keeping, honoring, carrying out, living up to, redemption, making good, standing by, carrying out.” [Al-Mawrid, Arabic-English, Page 1240]
Ibn Kathir’s view is posted below: Allah said,(I will take you and raise you to Myself) while you are asleep.
Allah said in a similar Ayat,
(It is He Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep).) (6:60), and,(It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep.) (39:42).
The word for natural death for other Prophets is “Mawt” as can be seen in 2:133, 21:34, 26:81, 34:14 etc. Jesus (peace be upon him) was taken back in sleep and raised up to God due to the fact that breathing becomes difficult, the higher in space one is (6:125). People who just refuse to accept the truth argue again that Tawaffa could mean to take back but it does not suggest a physical take back. This appears to be a genuine question and needs to be answered. Tawaffa has been defined as “to take back” and it could be in any way possible. For example, the Qur’an uses the word “Mawt” for death but does not give different ways of death. Mawt could be in any way just like Tawaffa. Another important thing to note here is that the word “Tawaffa” is not used for other Prophets in the Qur’an.
Harun Yahya explains this in detail: The Qur’anic Account of Jesus’ Ascent to God’s Presence
Examining the words used in the narratives relating how the Prophets died and the verses dealing with Jesus’ ascent to God’s presence reveals an important fact: Jesus did not die like the other prophets did, nor was he murdered by the unbelievers. Rather, our Lord took him up to His presence. In this chapter, we will examine the Arabic words used to express how the Prophets died and how Jesus was raised up to God’s presence, and investigate how the Qur’an uses them.
As we will see in greater detail later on, the Qur’an uses qataloohu (to kill), maata (to die), halaka (to perish), salaboohu (they crucified him), or some other special expressions to describe the death or murder of the Prophets. In the case of Jesus, the Qur’an clearly states that he was not killed in any of those ways, for: “They did not kill him [wa ma qataloohu] and did not crucify him [wa ma salaboohu].” God reveals that people were shown a look-alike and that Jesus was raised up to His presence, as follows:
When God said: “Jesus, I will take you back [mutawaffeeka] and raise you up [wa raafi`uka] to Me and purify you of those who are unbelievers. And I will place the people who follow you above those who are unbelievers until the Day of Rising…” (Surah Al ‘Imran, 3: 55)
The following are the ways in which the words referring to death in the Qur’an and the word tawaffa in Surah Al `Imran are used:
(1)
Tawaffa: To Cause To Die, To Take in One’s Sleep, or To Take Back
The word tawaffa used in Surah Al `Imran 3 and translated as “taking back” here and “causing to die” in some Qur’an translations, has various connotations. Examining the Arabic verses clearly reveals that these connotations of the word should be considered while applying it to Jesus’ situation. The Qur’an describes his being taken back to God in the words that Jesus will say on the Day of Judgment:
[Jesus said], “I said to them nothing but what You ordered me to say: ‘Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.’ I was a witness against them as long as I remained among them, but when You took me back to You [tawaffa], You were the One watching over them. You are the Witness of all things.” (Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:117)
In Arabic the word that is translated in some translations of this verse as “You have caused me to die” is tawaffa and comes from the root wafa - to fulfil. Tawaffa does not actually mean “death” but the act of “taking the self back” either in sleep, in death or as in the case of Jesus being taken back into the presence of God. From the Qur’an again, we understand that “taking the self back” does not necessarily mean death. For instance, it can mean “taking back the self while one is asleep,” as indicated in the following verse:It is He Who takes you back to Himself [yatawaffaakum] at night, while knowing the things you perpetrate by day, and then wakes you up again, so that a specified term may be fulfilled. (Surat al-An’am, 6:60)
The word used for “take back” in this verse is the same as the one used in Surah Al ‘Imran 55. In other words, in the verse above, the word tawaffa is used and it is obvious that one does not die in one’s sleep. Therefore, what is meant here is, again, “taking the self back.” In the following verse, the same word is used like this:
God takes back people’s selves [yatawaffaa] when their death [mawtihaa] arrives and those who have not yet died, while they are asleep [lam tamut]. He keeps hold of those whose death [mawt] has been decreed and sends the others back for a specified term. (Surat Az-Zumar, 39:42)
As this verse clarifies, God takes back the self of the one who is asleep, yet He sends back the selves of those whose deaths have yet not been decreed. In this context, in one’s sleep one does not die, in the sense in which we perceive death. Only for a temporary period, the self leaves the body and remains in another dimension. When we wake up, the self returns to the body.1
Imam al-Qurtubi makes clear that there are three meanings to the term wafat which is from the same root as tawaffa:the wafat of death, the wafat of sleep, and last, the wafat of being raised up to God, as in the case of Jesus.
(2)
Qatala: To Kill
The Qur’an uses qatala to mean “to kill,” as in the following verse:
Pharaoh said: “Let me kill [aqtulu] Moses and let him call upon his Lord! I am afraid that he may change your religion and bring about corruption in the land.” (Surah Ghafir, 40:26)
In Arabic, “let me kill Moses” is aqtulu Musa, a phrase that is derived from the verb qatala. In another verse, the same word is used in the following way:… [That was because they] killed [yaqtuloona] the Prophets without any right to do so. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:61)
The expression yaqtuloona (they killed) is also derived from qatala. The translation is clearly “to kill.”The verses below speak of the deaths of the Prophets, and the usage of the verb qatala is marked. All words in brackets are derivatives of this verb.We will write down what they said and their killing [wa qatlahum] of the Prophets without any right to do so. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:181)
Say: “Why, then, if you are believers, did you previously kill [taqtuloona] the Prophets of God?” (Surat al-Baqara, 2:91)
As for those who reject God’s Signs, and kill [yaqtuloona] the Prophets without any right to do so, and kill [yaqtuloona] those who command justice… (Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:21)
“Kill [uqtuloo] Joseph or expel him to some land.” (Surah Yusuf, 12:9)…”Moses, the Council is conspiring to kill you [li yaqtulooka].” (Surat al-Qasas, 28:20)
The only answer of his [Abraham’s] people was to say: “Kill [uqtuloohu] him or burn him!” (Surat al-’Ankabut, 29:24)
(3)
Halaka: To Perish
Another word used to denote the act of killing is halaka. It also is used to mean “to perish, to be destroyed, or to die,” as in the verse given below:… when he [Joseph] died [halaka], you said: “God will never send another Messenger after him.”(Surah Ghafir, 40:34)
The phrase idha halaka is translated as “when he died.” meaning “to die.”
(4)
Mawt: Death
Another word used to relate a Prophet’s death is mawt, a noun derived from the verb maata (to die), as follows:
Then when We decreed that he [Prophet Solomon] should die [mawt], nothing divulged his death [mawtihi] to them except the worm that ate his staff. (Surah Saba’, 34:14)
In the following verse, another form of the verb is used:Peace be upon him [Prophet John] the day he was born, the day he dies [yamootu], and the day he is raised up again alive. (Surah Maryam, 19:15)
The word yamootu is translated here as “they day he dies,” and the same word is used (in the form of a noun) to relate Jacob’s death:
Or were you present when death [mawt] came to Jacob? (Surat al-Baqara, 2:133)
In another verse, the verbs qatala (in the passive form qutila) and maata are used together:
Mohammed is only a Messenger, and he has been preceded by other Messengers. If he were to die [maata] or be killed [qutila], would you turn on your heels? (Surah Al ‘Imran, 3:144)
Other forms of the verb are used in other verses to denote the death of Prophets:
She exclaimed: “Oh if only I had died [mittu] before this time and was something discarded and forgotten!” (Surah Maryam, 19:23)
We did not give any human being before you immortality [khuld]. And if you die [mitta], will they then be immortal? (Surat al-Anbiya’, 21: 34)
“He Who will cause my death [yumeetunee], then give me life.” (Surat ash-Shu’ara’, 26: 81)
(5)
Khalid: Immortal
The word khalid means immortality, permanence, and continued existence, as in the following verse:
We did not give them bodies that did not eat food, nor were they immortal [khalideena]. (Surat al-Anbiya’, 21:8)
(6)
Salaba: To Crucify
Another word used in the Qur’an to relate death is salaba (to crucify). This verb has various meanings (e.g., to hang, to crucify, to execute) and is used in the following ways:
They did not kill him and they did not crucify him [wa maa salaboohu].
(Surat An-Nisa’, 4:157)
[Joseph said:] “One of you will serve his lord with wine, the other of you will be crucified [yuslabu].” (Surah Yusuf, 12:41)
They should be killed or crucified [yusallaboo]. (Surat al-Ma’ida, 5:33)[Pharaoh said:] “I will cut off your alternate hands and feet, and then I will crucify [la usallibannakum] every one of you.” (Surat al-A’raf, 7:124)
As the verses show, the words used to express Jesus’ situation are altogether different to those used to describe the deaths of the other Prophets. God states that Jesus was neither killed nor crucified, that a look-alike was killed in his place, and that he was taken back (in other words that his soul was taken) and raised up to His presence. When talking of Jesus’, the Qur’an uses tawaffa (to take the soul) whereas when talking of the other Prophets, it uses qataloohu or maata (and its derivatives) to mean “death” in the conventional sense. This information shows us yet again that Jesus’ situation was extraordinary.————————————————
————————–1. Yuce Kuran’in Cagdas Tefsiri (The Contemporary Tafsir of the Holy Qur’an) by Professor Suleyman Ates, Head of Department of Basic Islamic Sciences at Istanbul University’s Faculty of Divinity, Vol. 2, 49-50.
Reaching age of Maturity
The Qur’an mentions that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) would see the age of maturity:
[Qur’an 3:46] “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity (kahlan). And he shall be (of the company) of the righteous.”
[Qur’an 5:110] Then will God say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Recount My favor to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, so that thou didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity (kahlan).
Scholars agree that the Kahlan is somewhere between 30 and 50. The age of maturity has been mentioned in the Qur’an as well.
“We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, ‘O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favor which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam.’” (The Noble Qur’an, 46:15)
It is an accepted fact that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was 33 years and six months when God raised him up before crucifixion. Christians however debate his age. What is important to note is that when Jesus (peace be upon him) would return, he would not become the leader immediately. He would become the leader of the Muslims after the death of Mahdi (after seven years of his emergence). This way, Jesus (peace be upon him) would be 40 years old when he would become the leader of the whole world. Forty years is the age when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received revelation and it is the age of maturity as mentioned in the Qur’an as well.
Harun Yahya states: Close study of the relevant verses easily shows how right Islamic scholars are on this question. For example, this expression is used only with regard to Jesus. Although all of the Prophets spoke with their people, invited them to religion, and communicated their message at a mature age, the Qur’an does not use such expressions when talking about them. Rather, they are used only to voice a miraculous situation, because the expressions “in the cradle” and “when fully grown,” when used one after the other, refer to two miraculous events.
Jesus and the believers prevailed
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) has been mentioned several times in the Qur’an and him being saved from death of any sort and returning have also been mentioned very clearly.
[Qur’an 61:14] Oh you who believe! Become the helper of Allah, like the disciples of Jesus, the son of Mary. He asked his disciples, “Who will help me for (the sake of) Allah?” They replied, “We are the helpers of Allah!” A group of the Israelites believed him, and another group rejected. Then, We assisted the believers against their enemies, so the believers prevailed.
The prevailing believers were the disciples of Jesus (peace be upon him). They too were the enemy of the disbelievers. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is also included in the believers and his death would have proved the disbelievers victorious. The Jews boasted of killing Jesus (peace be upon him) and his death would have proven that he was not the Messiah. Therefore, when God says that the believers were victorious, it means that Jesus (peace be upon him) was saved from humiliation and from death. Surviving the cross and escaping to somewhere else would have been cowardice not to be associated with a Prophet of God Almighty. Migration is a good deed but this theory of running away and not coming back later to punish the culprits is just plain cowardice which Muslims are unwilling to accept. Running away without coming back to take revenge would mean that the disbelievers prevailed which is totally against the above-mentioned verse and against what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and other Prophets did.
[037:171] Already has Our Word been passed before (this) to our Servants sent (by Us),
[037:172] That they would certainly be assisted,
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was also assisted by God Almighty by being saved from humiliation and death!
Betrayal of Judas
In chapter five of the Qur’an we find the story of the disciples’ oath in brief. That brief explanation is sufficient for those who understand. In the 112th verse, we find that the disciples asked for food from heaven but Jesus (peace be upon him) initially rebuked their plea. The disciples insisted and Jesus (peace be upon him) then prayed to God (5:114) to give them food from heaven. God Almighty did give them what they desired but there was a condition (5:115), which was that if any of them disbelieved after that, then he would be given a severe punishment the like of which would not be given to anyone else.
Allah said: Surely I will send it down to you, but whoever shall disbelieve afterwards from among you, surely I will chastise him with a chastisement with which I will not chastise anyone among the nations.
We do know that Jesus (peace be upon him) was granted a place on a hill by God Almighty (23:50) and we also know that one of the disciples (Judas) betrayed him and reported the whereabouts of Jesus (peace be upon him) to the authorities. This betrayal or attempted murder of a Prophet of God is definitely disbelief and is liable to the punishment promised by God Almighty. This explains the crucifixion of Judas! However, some might argue that the punishment for Judas is in the hereafter and the one on the cross was not him. This is a reasonable argument but if we analyze it is detail, we see that it is a wrong argument. We know that the greatest punishment in hell would be given to Pharaoh and therefore, this could not be Judas. One might argue that crucifixion of Judas is not a punishment that could be labeled as ‘one like none else’. This is not a reasonable argument. The Qur’an however, does not mention about the sufferings of the man on the cross. In the Bible, he shouts, “Alah! Alah! Why have you forsaken me?” Perhaps the pain he felt was something not felt by anyone else ever. Secondly, the Gospel of Barnabas and the Apocalypse of Peter mention the punishment of Judas in some detail; he was spit at, dragged around nude in public, humiliated, degraded etc. Perhaps he was even sexually assaulted by the enemies of Jesus (peace be upon him) and the dozens of soldiers. Thirdly, his punishment is an example for the people as billions of Christians and Muslims dislike him for what he did. Lastly, if we read the words God Almighty has used in 5:115, we find that the one who would disbelieve would receive a punishment that no one else would receive. Changing of the face and appearance of Judas to that of Jesus (peace be upon him) definitely classifies into this category. No person has ever received such a punishment.
Prophet Muhammad also for the Aakhireen
[062:002] It is He Who has sent amongst the Unlettered an apostle from among themselves, to rehearse to them His Signs, to sanctify them, and to instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom,- although they had been, before, in manifest error;-
[062:003] As well as (to confer all these benefits upon) others of them, who have not already joined them: And He is exalted in Might, Wise.
[062:004] Such is the Bounty of God, which He bestows on whom He will: and God is the Lord of the highest bounty.
[062:005] The similitude of those who were charged with the (obligations of the) Mosaic Law, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is that of a donkey which carries huge tomes (but understands them not). Evil is the similitude of people who falsify the Signs of God: and God guides not people who do wrong.
The verses state that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is for the companions of the Prophet and also for the Aakhireen (the last). This clearly shows that Jesus (peace be upon him) would not be a Prophet of the people then but he would also be a follower among the Aakhireen. This refutes those who claim that the coming of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) would conflict with the Qur’an which says that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last Prophet. He surely is the last Prophet and the return of the Messiah is not a new one but he will be the same man who will come down directly from above.
Deviants’ arguments
1. 3: 8. HE it is who has sent down to thee the Book; in it there are verses that are firm and decisive in meaning - they are the basis of the Book - and there are others that are susceptible of different interpretations. But those in whose hearts is perversity pursue such thereof as are susceptible of different interpretations, seeking to cause discord and seeking wrong interpretations of it. And none knows it except ALLAH and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge; they say, `We believe in it; the whole is from our Lord.’ - And none take heed except those gifted with understanding -
This verse speaks of the verses that are unknown to anyone but God Almighty and these verses are as follows:
Alif Laam Meem - Haa Meem - Ya Seen - Kaaf Haa Ya Ain Suaad - Qaaf - Noon - Alif Laam Meem Suaad - Ha Meem Ain Seen Qaaf
There are people who have tried to explain these verses and one such example is Rashad Khalifa who has tried to give the date of the Day of Judgment using these verses. The sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) agree that these are the verses the meaning of whom are unknown as the verse above states. Applying the verse above to the case of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is extreme foolishness and a deliberate attempt to make differences among the Muslim Ummah. The matter is very clear as this entire article explains.
Such deviant people argue that if anyone deserved such a special treatment of being raised up alive, then it was our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is a similar trick used by some Christians, i.e. get emotional and make excuses such as “I have faith”.
God, in the Qur’an, has answered this claim.
The likeness of Jesus in God’s sight is the same as Adam (3:59). Why wasn’t it Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instead?
A man was resurrected after one hundred years (2:259). Why wasn’t it Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instead?
“Companions of the Cave” were awakened after many years (18:10-11, 18-19, 25-26).Why wasn’t it Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instead?
Other people have also received similar treatment and if one argues that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is receiving special treatment, then he/she must look at these verses and step out of this “faith” excuse!
These deviants also argue that when Jesus (peace be upon him) will speak to God on the Day of Judgment with these words, “… when you took me back, you were watching over them…” why doesn’t he clearly say “…when you took me back, then sent me to earth and then took me back again…”? This is a stupid question and nothing else. Empty vessels make the loudest noise. He is a prophet of God and will not speak uselessly or when not required. Jesus (peace be upon him) will reply to God Almighty to the question asked to him and will not speak more than what is required of him. Standing in front of God Almighty would be the greatest moment and even according to common sense, one is unlikely to deliberately act foolish as these deviants hope one to be.
Verses and references presented by those who claim that Jesus died:
Many have been answered above with the explanation. The rest are answered in this section.
[016:020] Those whom they invoke besides God create nothing and are themselves created.
[016:021] (They are things) dead, lifeless: nor do they know when they will be raised up.
This is a response to the pagan Makkans who worshipped idols! Their idols are lifeless and cannot do anything on their own and do not even know when they will be raised up. Idols do not have life in them! The context clearly shows that it is a reply to the idol worshippers and has nothing to do with Jesus (peace be upon him) as it is also a Makkan surah.
1. 17: 93. `Or, thou have a house of gold or thou ascend up into heaven; and we will not believe in thy ascension until thou send down to us a Book that we can read.’ Say, `Holy is my Lord ! I am but a mortal sent as a Messenger.’Please also remember that:33: 63. Such has been the way of ALLAH with those who passed away before, and never thou wilt find a change in the way of ALLAH.Where do you place Hazrat Essa(AS) (Jesus) in this respect? Was he not a mortal? Or was he not a Messenger? Or do you find a change in the way of Allah?
The pagan Makkans demanded that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) show them a miracle. They were shown a miracle but their claims were denied earlier. This denial was to make them understand that the Prophet was only a mortal and had no ower of his own to do miracles just like Jesus (peace be upon him). When it was made very clear to them that he is only a mortal, God Almighty, then showed them a sign they wanted. This sign was promised by God Almighty in 6:37, 6:110 and 27:82. It must be remembered that no Prophet on his own can do anything. Whatever Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) did was by the will of God Almighty as he was also a mortal. He had no power to raise himself and if we read the verses carefully, we find that God Almighty is saying that He would raise Jesus (peace be upon him). This is in complete harmony with the verses presented by the Mirzai above.
[3:144]“And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, (all?) Messengers have passed away before him. If then he die or be slain, will you turn your back on your heels?”
Please note the word “all” in the brackets. This is just the interpretation of the ones presenting this verse and has no significance or existence in reality. The verse actually reads as follows:
Yusuf Ali
Muhammad is no more than an apostle: many Were the apostle that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then Turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to God; but God (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.
Dr. Munir Munshey
Muhammad, (SAW) is no more than a messenger. (Many other) messengers have gone by before him. If he dies, or is slain, will you retreat and turn around on your heels? Anyone who turns back on his heels would never hurt Allah a bit. Soon, Allah will reward the grateful ones
Shakir
And Muhammad is no more than an apostle; the apostles have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful.
Pickthall
Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dieth or is slain, ye will turn back on your heels ? He who turneth back on his heels doth no hurt to Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful.
Sale
Mohammed is no more than an Apostle; the other Apostles have already deceased before him: If he die therefore, or be slain, will ye turn back on your heels? But he who turneth back on his heels, will not hurt God at all; and God will surely reward the thankful.
Muhammad Al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan
Muhammad (SAW) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.
Palmer
Mohammed is but an apostle; apostles have passed away before his time; what if he die or is killed, will ye retreat upon your heels? He who retreats upon his heels does no harm to God at all; but God will recompense the thankful.
Arberry
Muhammad is naught but a Messenger; Messengers have passed away before him. Why, if he should die or is slain, will you turn about on your heels? If any man should turn about on his heels, he will not harm God in any way; and God will recompense the thankful.
Khalifa
Muhammad was no more than a messenger like the messengers before him. Should he die or get killed, would you turn back on your heels? Anyone who turns back on his heels, does not hurt GOD in the least. GOD rewards those who are appreciative.
Rodwell
Muhammad is no more than an apostle; other apostles have already passed away before him: if he die, therefore, or be slain, will ye turn upon your heels? But he who turneth on his heels shall not injure God at all: And God will certainly reward the thankful!
The word “all” is just the wishful thinking of the enemies of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). All messengers have not died and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) is the one who has not died yet but will die when he returns.
[5:75]“The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a Messenger; surely Messengers like unto him had indeed passed away before him. And his mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food.”
Here Allah answers the false claims of the Christians who believed that he died for the sins plus that he was God. Besides, this verse does not say that Jesus (peace be upon him) died but compares him with other Prophets before him who have passed away. It rejects the divinity of Jesus (peace be upon him) and says that just like he was a human, other Prophets were also humans and they have passed away. Allah said that they ate food and God does not eat food and according to the Christians, they passed away but God does not die which they themselves accept.There was a large sect in Syria and surrounding areas of Christians that had Lady Mary (peace be upon her) in the Trinity. Romans had a different trinity and these Christians are being answered here!
[21:34]”We granted not abiding life to any human being before thee. If then thou shouldst die, shall they have abiding life?”
Very true! Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will die and not have abiding life when he returns!
[19.31] And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live;
Those who argue that Jesus (peace be upon him) died according to the Qur’an put forward the above verse and state that a person cannot pray or pay charity to the poor in heaven. The answer to this claim is very simple. The prayer part should not be a problem to anyone; it would be no surprise if there are prayers to be observed in heaven. The part about charity is worth discussing. Charity or Zakaat is an obligation upon every Muslim who earns and has a saving above a certain level. Zakaat must be paid to deserving people. A person who does not earn has no obligation to pay Zakaat and therefore, Jesus (peace be upon him) has no obligation to pay in heaven at the moment. He will have to pay when he makes a living on his second coming.
[19:33] “Peace upon me the day I was born. The day I shall die. And the day I shall be brought back to life!”
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will die when he returns. It has been explained above.Here is what Noble Verse 19:33 states: “So peace is upon me [Jesus] the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life.” Trinitarian Christians believe that Jesus was GOD Himself, or part of GOD, came to earth, was crucified on the cross to purify our sins and then raised from death back to life and went up to heaven until he will come back again to this earth. The Noble Qur’an does not in anyway support this theory!. We Muslims believe that Jesus was born from a Noble Virgin; Mary the Virgin, preached the word of GOD to the people of Israel, raised to Allah Almighty alive (even though he might have been put on the cross, but never actually died), will come back to earth again to fight the army of Satan and then die a natural death and then be raised again back to life from death as we all do in the Day of Judgment. Some Muslim scholars say that Jesus not being crucified in Noble Verse 4:157 means that he was put on the cross but didn’t die, and others say that it means that he was not put on the cross itself and never died either. There are some Christian sects such as the Basilidans, the Docetate and the Marcionite do not believe that Jesus was put on the cross. Either way, it doesn’t really matter whether he was put on the cross or not. The more important point is that Jesus never died according to Islam. There is a similar Verse to 19:33 in the Noble Qur’an that was mentioned to another Messenger of GOD: “So peace on him [Yahya, or John the Baptist] the day he was born, the day that he dies, and the day that he will be raised up to life! (The Noble Quran, 19:15)“ This Noble Verse (19:15) is similar to 19:33, where it does not at all state that any Messenger of GOD was crucified or will die twice!. The reason why no Messenger of GOD will ever die twice is because Allah Almighty said clearly in His Noble Book that every soul He creates (this includes all of His Messengers and Prophets even Jesus) shall taste death once; “Nor will they [all humans who end up in heaven] there taste death, except the first death; and He will preserve them from the penalty of the blazing fire. (The Noble Quran, 44:56)“.[Explanation for this verse taken from: http://yadayahweh.net/crucified.htm]
In addition to these, haters of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) disguised as Muslims, present extremely weak narrations to make their claims. Qur’an is the criteria in this discussion and so they have not been touched. However, no person will ever be able to prove anything, to the contrary, from any authentic Hadith.
There are numerous sayings of The Prophet relating to this subject but only the Qur’an has been used here. There is no such thing as blind faith in Islam. Each and everything in Islam is logical and has extensive proof. The ones making distorted interpretations, even though they know their own lie, will never stop deceiving unless Allah gives them guidance.
