Important Facts About Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام

The beliefs about Sayyiduna ‘Isa Ruhullah عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام are also of great significance amongst the fundamental beliefs and ideologies of Muslims. Three Islamic beliefs about Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام and the Shar’i ruling regarding the one who denies them will be mentioned here:

1             Allah Almighty has raised him to the heavens alive and safe.

2             He عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام has not experienced death yet.

3             Before the Day of Judgment, he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام will return to the world.

First and Second Belief

Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام has neither been murdered nor crucified, but rather Allah Almighty has raised him to the heavens alive and safe. There was a hypocrite who entered his home to inform Jews about his location. Allah Almighty made him look like Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام. His face turned the same as Sayyiduna ‘Isa’s عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام, whereas his hands and feet were different from the hands and feet of Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام. Jews crucified the same person believing that he was Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام. Both of these beliefs are among the fundamental and essential beliefs of Islam and the one who denies them is a disbeliever. (Fatawa Hamidiyyah, pp. 140’ summarized, Tafseer-e-Madarik, pp. 263-264)

The evidence of both these beliefs is the following statement of Allah Almighty:

وَ مَا قَتَلُوْهُ وَ مَا صَلَبُوْهُ وَ لٰكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْؕ-وَ اِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ اخْتَلَفُوْا فِیْهِ لَفِیْ شَكٍّ مِّنْهُؕ-

مَا لَهُمْ بِهٖ مِنْ عِلْمٍ اِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّۚ-وَ مَا قَتَلُوْهُ یَقِیْنًۢاۙ(۱۵۷) بَلْ رَّفَعَهُ اللّٰهُ اِلَیْهِؕ-

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: and it is (the truth) that neither did they kill him nor crucify him, but for them a look-alike was created (his face resembling the face of ‘Isa). And those who disagree regarding him (i.e. the look-alike) are indeed in doubt over him; they know nothing of him, but are merely following their assumption, and without doubt, they did not kill him. Rather, Allah raised him towards Himself.

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)](Part 6, Surah An-Nisa, Ayah 157-158)

Third Belief

Near the Day of Judgement, Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام will descend from the heavens and return to the world, and will propagate the religion of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. This belief is among the essential beliefs of Ahl-us-Sunnah-wal-Jama’at, and the one who denies it is a misguided person and a heretic. This belief has been proven from numerous sayings of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and the entire Ahl-us-Sunnah-wal-Jama’at are in agreement about it. (Fatawa Hamidiyyah, pp. 142; summarized)

Important explanation

The return of Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام to the world before the Day of Judgment does not contradict the finality of prophethood because he will come as the deputy of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and will issue commandments as per the Shari’ah of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه has stated: When Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام descends, he will command as per the Shari’ah of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم as his deputy. Moreover, he will be amongst the Beloved Prophet’s صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم followers and Ummah. (Khasais-e-Kubra, vol. 2, pp. 329)

Three sayings of Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم about the descent of Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام

Our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has mentioned the return of Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام to the world in numerous blessed Ahadees. Three of them have been mentioned below:

1 By the One in Whose Power my life is, the time is near when Ibn-e-Maryam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام will descend among you. He will be just, will break the cross, will kill the swine, will eradicate Jizyah^[1] and the wealth will increase so much that there will be no one to accept it. (Bukhari, vol. 2, pp. 50, Hadees 2222)

2 (After the appearance of Dajjal) Allah Almighty will send Sayyiduna ‘Isa عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام who will descend on the eastern white minaret of Jami’ Masjid Dimashq; he عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام will be wearing two light yellow robes and placing his hands on the arms of two angels. When he bows his head, water drops will be dripping and when he lifts his head, white silver beads will be falling off like pearls. (Muslim, pp. 1201, Hadees 7373 - Abu Dawood vol. 4, pp. 157, Hadees 4321)

3 ‘Isa Ibn-e-Maryam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام will surely descend as a just ruler and Imam and will surely go by a public road with the intention of Hajj or Umrah or both and will surely visit my grave and say Salaam, and I will surely reply to his Salaam. (Mustadrak, vol. 3, pp. 489, Hadees 4218)

For detailed information, please study the booklet, ‘اَلصَّارِمُ الرَّبَّانِی عَلٰی اِسْرَافِ الْقادیَانی’ written by Mufti Muhammad Hamid Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه, the son of A’la Hadrat, available in ‘Fatawa Hamidiyyah’.