‘ISA (AS)’S RETURN TO EARTH
Allah did not allow the disbelievers to kill ‘Isa
(as), but took him up into His own presence, and announced
the good news to humanity that he will come back again one
day. The Qur’an provides information about ‘Isa
(as)’s return in several instances:
- The Qur’an says that ‘Isa’s
(as) return to Earth is a sign of the Last Day:
He (‘Isa) is a Sign of the Hour.
Have no doubt about it. But follow me. This is a straight
path. (Surat az-Zukhruf: 61)
We know that ‘Isa (as) lived six centuries
before the Qur’an was revealed. Therefore, this verse
must refer, not to his first life, but to his coming again
during the End Times. Both the Christian and the Islamic world
are eagerly awaiting ‘Isa (as)’s second coming.
This blessed guest’s honored presence on the earth will
be the important sign of the Last Day.
- One verse says that the disbelievers who set
a trap to kill ‘Isa (as) did not succeed;
(And We cursed them) for their saying,
“We killed the Messiah, ‘Isa son of Maryam,
Messenger of Allah." They did not kill him and they
did not crucify him 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. (Surat an-Nisa’: 157)
Another verse says that ‘Isa (as) did not
die, but was taken from the human sphere into the presence
of Allah.
Allah raised him up to Himself. Allah is
Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nisa’: 158)
In the 55th verse of Surah Al ‘Imran, we
learn that Allah will place the people who follow ‘Isa
(as) above those who disbelieve until the Day of Rising. It
is an historical fact that, 2000 years ago, ‘Isa (as)’s
disciples had no political power. Christians who lived between
that period and our own have believed a number of false doctrines,
the chief of which is the doctrine of the Trinity. Therefore,
as is evident, that they will not be able to be referred to
as followers of ‘Isa (as), because, as it says in several
places in the Qur’an, those who believe in the Trinity
have slipped into denial. In such a case, in the time before
the Hour, the true followers of ‘Isa (as) will overcome
the deniers and become the manifestation of the divine promise
contained in Surah Al ‘Imran. Surely, this blessed group
will be made known when ‘Isa (as) returns again to earth.
- Again, the Qur’an states that all the People
of the Book will believe in ‘Isa (as) before he dies.
There is not one of the People of the Book
who will not believe in him ('Isa) before he dies; and on
the Day of Rising he will be a witness against them. (Surat
an-Nisa’: 159)
We learn clearly from this verse that there are
still three unfilled promises concerning ‘Isa (as).
First, like every other human being, the Prophet ‘Isa
(as) will die. Second, all the People of the Book will see
him in bodily form and will obey him while he is alive. There
is no doubt that these two predictions will be fulfilled when
‘Isa (as) comes again before the Last Day. The third
prediction about ‘Isa (as)'s bearing witness against
the People of the Book will be fulfilled on the Last Day.
- Another verse in Surah Maryam discusses the death
of ‘Isa (as).
Peace be upon me the day I was born, and
the day I die and the day I am raised up again alive. (Surah
Maryam: 33)
When we compare this verse with the 55th verse
of Surah Al ‘Imran, we can recognize a very important
fact. The verse in Surah Al ‘Imran speaks about ‘Isa
(as)’s being raised to the presence of Allah. In this
verse, no information is given as to whether ‘Isa (as)
died or not. But in the 33rd verse of Surah Maryam, ‘Isa
(as)’s death is referred to. This second death is possible
only if ‘Isa (as) came to earth again and died after
living here for some time. (Allah surely knows best)
- Another verse that alludes to ‘Isa (as)’s
return to earth reads:
He will teach him ('Isa) the Book and Wisdom,
and the Torah and the Gospel. (Surah Al ‘Imran: 48)
To understand the reference to the “Book”
mentioned in this verse, we must look at other verses in the
Qur’an that are relevant to this subject: if the Book
is stated in one verse together with the Torah and the Gospel,
then it must mean the Qur’an. The third verse of Surah
Al ‘Imran serves as such an example:
Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living,
the Self-Sustaining. He has sent down the Book to you with
truth, confirming what has there before it. And He sent
down the Torah and the Gospel, previously, as guidance for
mankind, and He has sent down the Furqan (the Criterion
of judgement between right and wrong). (Surah Al ‘Imran:
2-4)
In that case, the book referred to in verse 48,
that ‘Isa (as) is to learn, can only be the Qur’an.
We know that ‘Isa (as) knew the Torah and the Gospel
during his lifetime, that is, approximately 2000 years ago.
Clearly, it will be the Qur’an that he will learn when
he comes to earth again.
- What verse 59 of Surah Al ‘Imran offers
is very interesting: “The likeness of ‘Isa
in Allah’s sight is the same as Adam…”
In this verse we can see there must be a number of similarities
between the two prophets. As we know, both Adam and ‘Isa
(as) had no father, but we may draw a further similarity from
the above verse, between Adam’s descending to earth
from Paradise and ‘Isa (as)’s descent from Allah’s
presence in the End Times.
- Further evidence of the second coming of ‘Isa
(as) can be found in the use of the word wakahlan
in Surah Maida, 110 and Surah Al ‘Imran 46. In these
verses, we are revealed these commands:
Remember when Allah said, “‘Isa,
son of Maryam, 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 (wakahlan) …” (Surat al-Ma’ida:
110)
He will speak to people in the cradle,
and also when fully grown (wakahlan), and will be one of
the righteous. (Surah Al 'Imran: 46)
This word occurs only in these two verses and only
in reference to ‘Isa (as). The word is used to describe
‘Isa (as)’s more mature age. The word refers to
the age between 30 and 50, that is, to the end of youth and
the beginning of old age. Islamic scholars are agreed in translating
this word to refer to a period after the age of 35.
Islamic scholars rely on a tradition related by
Ibn Abbas to the effect that ‘Isa (as) was raised to
the presence of Allah when he was young, that is, at the beginning
of his 30’s, and that when he comes to earth again,
he will have 40 years left to live. ‘Isa (as) will progress
into his old age after he has returned to earth, so this verse
may be said to be a proof of ‘Isa (as)’s second
coming to earth. (Faslu'l-Makal fi Ref'i Isa
Hayyen ve Nuzulihi ve Katlihi'd-Deccal, p. 20)
It will be beneficial to remind the reader here
of a very important matter: Allah sent the Prophet Muhammad
(saas) to humanity as the last prophet. Allah revealed the
Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad (saas), and holds all
people responsible for obeying the Qur’an until the
Day of Judgment. ‘Isa (as) will miraculously return
to the world in the End Times but, as the Prophet (saas) has
said, he will not bring a new religion. The true religion
that the Prophet (saas) taught to humanity is Islam, to which
‘Isa (as) will be subject when he comes to the earth
again.
(Please visit the section
"Jesus' will return
to Earth in the End Times" of this site for other proofs
on Jesus' return to earth in the End Times, our Prophet's
sayings and the explanations of Islamic scholars.) |
