The Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Messengers sent to warn and to give the good news to people faced many difficulties from the unbelievers, who wanted to prevent them from preaching Allah's religion. These unbelievers also thought that they could prevent people from following the Messengers' path by means of plots, slander, and persecution. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) endured everything that all of the other Messengers endured. For example, he was exposed to attacks from the idolatrous Roman occupying authorities and the dogmatic Jewish religious establishment. He fought against both of these powers, which were hostile to the true religion, although only a very few believers supported him.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) miraculous birth, teaching of the true religion, all miracles led some of the people of his time to recognize him as the expected Messiah (pbuh), and they loved him for it. This love for him and his justified criticism of the religious elite led the leaders of the Roman occupation forces and the Jewish religious establishment to conspire against this noble man, and ultimately to attack him. Their attempt on his life was foiled when Allah raised him to His presence.

Before we proceed to examine the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life and struggle in detail, it would be useful to know what the various sources say about him.

Sources about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life

The oldest written portion of the Gospel ever found (125 ce). The Gospel was written in Greek, which was spoken in the eastern portion of the Roman Empire.

Several sources relate the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life. The primary source is the Qur'an, which has never been altered since its revelation and which contains no contradictions. For this reason, the information related by the other sources, which might have been altered since their original recording, will be used only insofar as they do not contradict the Qur'an. For any other matter not in conflict with the Qur'an, such as historical or archeological data, the Bible will be used as a reference along with other documents from that era. Other sources are the hadiths of our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the explanations, views, and interpretations of Islamic scholars.

The Bible, another important source, also gives detailed information about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). However, over time it was tampered with and so lost its authenticity. As a result, it contains parts that are based on the true religion as well as parts that are wholly fabricated. For this reason, those parts that contain information about his life, teachings, and struggle, and which do not contradict the Qur'an, must be considered as important historic documents.

The earliest Gospel accounts are thought to have been written 30 to 40 years after the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), in 63 ce. However, these no longer exist. The oldest documents available date back to the third and fourth centuries. Paul's letters, which gave Christianity its present form, were written before the Gospel (52-63 ce).

Otherwise, such historians as Flavius Josephus (37-100? ce), Philo (20 bce-50) ce, and Tacitus (56-120 ce) have small chapters on the subject in their works. Even though they did not write much about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) as a person, their works contain useful and detailed information about the era. Finally, archeological explorations and discoveries will be used to shed light on the era in which the Prophet Jesus lived and the events that took place during the time.

Palestine at the time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

Zeus, a Greek mythological god and the counterpart of the Roman god Jupiter.

During the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) lifetime, the whole Mediterranean basin was under Roman rule and thus a domestic affair. The Roman Empire was at its peak, militarily as well as culturally. It had inherited both the ancient and the classical Greek civilizations and had built upon them, and architecture and the arts were at an advanced level. Not surprisingly, the Romans considered themselves superior to all other nations and tried to impose their way of life on the conquered lands.

The Roman religion was a deviant, idolatrous religion. The deities of Greek mythology had long been a part of Roman religion, albeit under different names. Many idols, symbolized by statues, were worshipped, and Jupiter was considered the highest-ranking godhead. By the first half of the second century ce, the power of the Roman emperors had become so absolute and consolidated that some later emperors claimed divinity during their own lives. Greek pagan religion was still widely practiced in Roman-ruled lands, and statues of Zeus, Hermes, and Venus were erected in the major cities' large public squares. Archaeology and literature of the time show that every city, suburb, and even house had its own different shrines complete with statues, icons, and a place dedicated to making offerings and worship. The Roman rulers used these pluralistic religions to further their own ambitions, and so did not interfere with them as long as they posed no threat to continued Roman rule. On the contrary, they encouraged these idolatrous beliefs by building temples and commissioning statues everywhere. For them, this deviant religion was a tool to inspire the masses to loyalty and a way to control them. Religion was an abstract concept that was only indirectly related to the world.

When the Romans encountered another culture, they would seek out similar idols and merge them into their own pantheon in order to establish Roman superiority. For such reasons, monotheistic Jews were forced to acknowledge Zeus as godhead, especially at the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who reigned from 175-63 bce. This led to great conflicts, for religious Jews responded negatively to such spiritual contamination and resolutely resisted the attempts to Rome's spreading of its idolatrous beliefs.

At the end of the first century ce, Rome controlled a great part of western Europe, North Africa, and western Asia. The empire was well served by a network of roads and harbors, which helped the spread of Christianity. (Above: The Roman Empire in 117 ce).

The Romans chose not to interfere with the Jews' internal affairs, especially their religious affairs, when they saw the Jews' devotion to their religion, which was very different from their own man-made religion. Throughout Roman rule in Palestine, the Jews were permitted to practice their faith and the Temple, their spiritual center, continued be administered by the Jewish religious elite. Rome also permitted the Sanhedrin Council, the Jews' highest religious priestly tribunal, to continue its activities.

Have they not travelled in the land and seen the final fate of those before them? They were greater than them in stregth and than them in strength and left far deeper traces on the land, yet Allah seized them for their wrong actions… (Surah Ghafir, 21)

The Greek temple in Paestum, Italy (550 bce)

Even under Roman rule, the Sanhedrin could prosecute and punish a Jew according to Jewish law. The Roman governors appointed to rule the area suppressed all rebellions with an iron fist and showed no leniency when collecting taxes. For this reason, they tolerated the collaborating Jewish leadership and ruthlessly punished any rebellion against them.

The small Jewish nation in which the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) lived bordered the great empires of the ancient world, which were always at war with one another: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Syria. It did not survive for long as an independent nation, and from the expulsion of Babylon (586-38 bce) onwards, the Jews lived under foreign rule. In the Hellenistic era,3 they first came under Egyptian, then Syrian, and finally Roman rule. Only once were they able to establish a Jewish kingdom. The Maccabees, a family of priests, began a rebellion (167-42 bce) that led to a Jewish kingdom that survived for 80 years. Its ruling family, the Hasmonaeans, became widely influential, but their kingdom collapsed because of fierce competition for its leadership. The Roman general Pompey, who obtained the backing of the warring factions, entered Palestine by taking Jerusalem in 63 bce and confined the Jewish state to Judea. The Hasmonaean King, Hyrcanus II, enjoyed limited autonomy under the rule of the Roman governor. From that day on, resentment toward this idolatrous government began to grow in the Jewish community. In 37 bce, Rome abolished this kingdom and appointed Hyrcanus II's son-in-law, Herod I, as the new "King of Judea."

A picture depicting the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The Era of King Herod I

Herod was a tyrant who killed many innocent people. Fra Angelico's (1387-1455) painting, entitled "The Massacre of the Innocents," depicts Herod's era. The painting dates from 1451-53 and is on display at Florence's San Marco Museum.

The Roman leadership's primary concern in Palestine was to collect taxes. An excessively high tax rate was imposed on the Jewish community, and Rome built a state machinery loyal to itself. Herod I (73-4 bce), known for his admiration of Hellenistic culture, managed to have himself appointed the King of Jews with Rome's help and by taking advantage of Roman weaknesses and the changing landscape of power since Caesar's assassination (44 bce). He expanded the Jewish province's borders to cover all of Palestine and actively promoted Hellenistic culture in order to gain Rome's favor. In addition, he advocated Hellenism's architectural and artistic aspects and wished to impose its materialistic worldview on the Jewish masses. Herod I had Solomon's Temple restored, in order to win popular Jewish support, and commissioned many statues and works of architecture. As a result of his popularity, he became known as "Herod the Great." However, despite all of the spectacular buildings, religious Jews resented him because he had become a collaborator and a despot.

Herod I ruled his province with Roman support from 37 bce to 4 bce. After his death, Rome disregarded the Jews' appeals to end Herod's government and divided the province between his sons. Rome appointed one son, Herod Antipas, as tetrarch of Galilee, which he ruled from 4 bce to 40 ce. According to historical sources, the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ministry coincides with the rule of this man, who was at least his father's equal in terms of tyranny. This is why the area's sociopolitical conditions are important to us. Galilee's social fabric had changed dramatically since its colonial occupation. The Jews scoffed at the area, and its civilization and culture, particularly Herod Antipas' court, as well as the great palaces and some quarters of the town, were under Hellenistic influence. The religion-based traditions of those Jews who spoke Aramaic were far removed from Hellenistic culture.

As mentioned earlier, the Romans traditionally did not interfere with the Jews' religious affairs. But not all Roman governors adhered to this principle. Pontius Pilate in particular, the procurator at the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) time, was one of them. His government (26-36 ce) was tainted by tyranny and cruelty, both of which eventually caused him to be removed from office.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born while Herod the Great ruled Palestine (37-4 BCE). The Herodium palace-fortress, built for Herod, was located 8 km south of Jerusalem and comprised a palace, where Herod himself is buried. His tomb has not yet been discovered.

Jewish Sects at the Time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

Another problem that the Jews had to face was internal sectarian strife. Until the second century bce, such strife was unheard of. However, in the last century before the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), the Jewish people became fragmented and many different views on the essence and true meaning of Judaism emerged. Besides the books of the Torah and the different interpretations of religious rules, political factors and Rome played an important part in this developing sectarianism. Looking at the records of that time, especially those of the famous Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, it can be said that many schools of thought developed among the Jewish people.

Four schools of thought became particularly prominent. One of these was the Sadducees, who were allied with the Roman government, gradually became the ruling class with Rome's support, and enjoyed great wealth. This school of thought became dominant among the wealthy Jews and was comparable to a political party. Their religious rules were derived from the first five books of the Torah, which were interpreted according to their practical meanings, for the Sadducees did not accept such fundamental tenets of religion as life after death, Hell, and Paradise. Confronting them were the "conservative" Pharisees, who disagreed with the Sadducees' religious views, opposed their false beliefs, and generally led a more modest way of life. The Pharisee school was founded by religious Jews who played an important part in preserving and defending the Jewish faith. Later on, the Pharisees also became fragmented.
Another group was formed by the Zealots, who advocated armed resistance against Rome and its Jewish collaborators. They began to carry out assassinations and acts of violence against those members of the Jewish and Roman leadership who they considered to be opponents of Allah's rule. However, this rebellious movement was soon suppressed. Finally there were the Essenes, who devoted themselves to worship and meditation in caves and who would, in our own time, become well-known through their writings (the Dead Sea Scrolls), which were discovered in 1947. According to some researchers, the Essenes were a branch of the religious Pharisees. As will be seen in subsequent chapters, there seems to be a consensus among some researchers that the Essenes were closely linked to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

According to historical sources and some Biblical passages, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was engaged in a great struggle against these idolatrous and heathen movements of the time and preached Allah's religion by means of enlightening examples. It will be useful to examine these movements' views in order to understand the disorderly environment in which they existed.

The Sadducees

An examination of these movements reveals that the Sadducees were the most influential and highest sect in terms of social status, as well as the only movement that held a worldview completely contradictory to the message delivered by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Even though the available sources do not explicitly state so, it is highly probable that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) vehemently opposed this movement. In the Gospel of Matthew, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) warns the believers of the Sadducees' views:

"Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matthew 16:6)

This group, which consisted of about 7,000 to 8,000 people, claimed to be the descendents of the high priests, collaborated with Rome, were responsible for the Temple in Jerusalem, and supervised the sacrifice system in place at the Temple.4 As they were in charge of all of the Temple's activities, they considered themselves a superior class and would not do any other work. As a result, they acquired a great deal of wealth, political privilege, and status, and also passed their respective jobs on to their sons. While they wished to continue this legacy that guaranteed their dominant position, they also adopted Hellenistic traditions and tried to spread them among society.

Furthermore, they had their own creed, which could be termed "materialistic." They believed that the soul died when the body died; that there was no afterlife; that angels, Hell, Paradise, and destiny did not exist; and that worldly matters were independent of matters of faith. Rome's cultural influence is evident here. Due to this perverse system of faith, they strove for the worldly life and political power. They remained in power for a relatively long time, during which they fought the other schools of thought. Their rule only came to an end when the Jewish province was abolished in 70 ce.

The Pharisees

Roma İmparatorluğu'ndan kalan harabeler, Roma.

The Pharisees disagreed with the Sadducees and diverged from them in many ways. They studied the Torah and other scriptures, were considered to be the authority in matters of faith, and were respected by the people. They opposed the Sadducees' administration of the Temple and criticized all of their extra-religious activities. Contrary to the Sadduceees, they believed in the soul, the afterlife, and in Paradise and Hell. Moreover, they did not collaborate with Rome and rejected the Hellenistic culture introduced by Rome. However, the policy of Pax Romana, introduced by Rome to create an atmosphere of peace throughout the Roman Empire, suited them too.

In reality, the Pharisees were a deeply religious group of Jews who fought irreligion. They tried to preserve and propagate religion in the Jewish community under the term "verbal tradition." They worked to introduce the Mosaic law and even fought in this cause. Some historians suggest that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) must have been together with these religious people, as his teachings are closest to the Pharisees' views. Although he warned and reminded the Pharisees several times, he also befriended and ate with them (Luke 7:36, 11:37, 14:1).

The Zealots

The most active group after the Sadducees and the Pharisees were the Zealots, most of whom had originally been Phariseees. Their resentment of the Roman occupation drove them to radicalism and, eventually, to form this new movement. The Zealots, who believed that an armed uprising against the Roman occupation was necessary, established a resistance movement and, using guerilla tactics, assassinated Romans as well as Jewish collaborators. They even organized large-scale uprisings. One of their branches became known as the Sicarii (Dagger-men) at the time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) because of their dagger attacks.

This group, which emerged at the time of Herod the Great, advocated a different political view. Under the leadership of Judas the Galilean, a messianic figure, the Zealots started an uprising when Judea was brought under direct Roman rule in 6 ce and a new tax regime was introduced. According to them, acknowledging the pagan rule of the Roman emperor meant rejecting Allah's authority in favor of slavery.

The first uprising was quashed quickly. Most of the rebels died, but those who survived continued their resistance. The next uprising turned into the first Jewish revolt (66-70 ce), which ended in a mass suicide of the Jews holed up in their fortress in Masada. At the time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), many such different movements expecting the Messiah (pbuh) emerged and managed to attract large followings. However, the Romans took serious precautions against these movements and increased their control and oppression. If they encountered anything that could incite the people, they reacted hard and without mercy. Later on, the Jews used the Romans' sensitivity in this regard against the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

The Zealots also took an interest in the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ministry, for they were anticipating the Messiah (pbuh).

The Essenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Unlike the other groups, whose members lived in Jerusalem or other towns and cities, the Essenes lived in remote corners of the Jordanian hinterland. They were a more devout people, in comparison to the others, and had a more spiritual nature. They shared the common belief of the people: The Messiah (pbuh) would come soon, would correct the deviations and aberrations of the Children of Israel, and would free the Holy Land from Roman occupation. This sect's members were totally hostile to Hellenistic culture and Roman rule, and were trying their best to live by the Mosaic law. They isolated themselves from the outside world, living in caves in the Jordanian hinterland and spending all of their time working on scriptures, in order to await the Messiah (pbuh) in dedication and worship.

If a woman fears cruelty or aversion on her husband's part, there is nothing wrong in the couple becoming reconciled. Reconciliation is better. But people are prone to selfish greed. If you do good and fear Allah, Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat an-Nisa', 128)

Flavius Josephus wrote about this group in his book, but when scholars realized that the scrolls found in the caves of Qirbet Qumran in 1947 near the western shore of the Dead Sea belonged to the Essenes, they suddenly became the best-known group of all, and their sect's importance to history was raised by the interpretations of the scrolls' contents.

Ruins of the Roman Empire in Rome.

Further excavations yielded a total of 600 scrolls and other items in Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek. Among the discoveries were Biblical texts, heretofore unknown religious texts of Judaism, texts relating the sect's rules and practices of everyday life, and many other subjects.

After long and arduous research, researchers ascertained that the scrolls were written by the scribes of a Jewish sect, widely acknowledged to be the Essenes. The Roman writer Pliny the Younger (62-113 ce) states that the Essenes lived in Qirbet Qumran, which strengthens their case further. The oldest scroll dates back to 200 bce, and the most recent belongs to the year 68 ce. This date coincides with the counterattack launched by the Roman General Vespasian (9-79 ce) to quell the Jewish revolt.

On April 15, 1957, Time magazine published a comprehensive article on the Dead Sea Scrolls. After this, the world media began to take an interest in the excavations.

When the scrolls were analyzed, much about the Essenes' lives and beliefs came to light. They believed in a Savior-Prophet about to come to them; believed in the scriptures and abiding strictly by their law; and, contrary to the Sadducees, believed in the Hereafter, destiny, angels, Paradise, and Hell. Furthermore, they believed themselves to be the "Sons of Light" in the service of the Lord, and were preparing for the struggle with the "Sons of Darkness." The expression "Sons of Light" also appears in the Bible. The Essenes, who considered cleanliness paramount, bathed several times a day, regarded one another as brothers, and valued brotherly love. One of their core beliefs was that a Messiah (pbuh) would come.

To sum up, research reveals that the Essenes were a branch of the Pharisee movement and shared the same beliefs. They abandoned the Sadducee's official religion of Judaism and their Torah, as did the Pharisees, and tried to spread their creed by leading a modest life. This religious group expected a Messiah, based on the scriptures that they had, and sought to prepare for his arrival. This proves that the true religion was alive and followed, despite all attempts to lead people away from it. The Jews' fragmentation at the time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is noteworthy. The Jewish people were enduring a pagan occupation government and were ideologically divided in their various interpretations of Judaism. Each sect had its own views, and each one claimed to represent true Judaism.

The first scrolls belonging to the Essenes were found in sealed containers. The first part of the scrolls found in cave no. 11.

This painting depicts a meeting of the believers in Qumran.

Jews Expecting "The Savior"

The Torah contains a great deal of material on the Messiah's (pbuh) second coming. These revelations, some of which we will examine later on, had such an effect on people that the Messiah (pbuh) came to mean salvation for them. When Maimonides (1135-1204), the famous Jewish theologian who lived in Andalucia (Muslim Spain), was working on the Jewish system of faith, he reserved an article of faith out of his thirteen principles for the coming of Messiah (pbuh). It reads: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah; and though he may tarry, I shall wait for him every day."⁵

… "Our Lord, take us out of this city, whose inhatiants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!" (Surat an-Nisa', 75)

According to the Gospel, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born in Bethlehem. Thus, Christians consider it a holy town.

According to Judaism, Allah will send a leader to the Children of Israel, at a time when they are at their lowest politically as well as religiously, to save them on both counts. This leader will enable the Children of Israel to believe as purely in Allah as they used to, and also will lead them to victory against their enemies as "the Messiah (pbuh)."

Some books of the Torah refer frequently to this savior and reveal the righteousness, justice, and happiness that will prevail when his time has come. For instance, the Book of Isaiah reveals the Messiah's (pbuh) great sense of justice, "fear of the Lord," and insight, as well as the happiness that he will bring to the Children of Israel, as follows:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The spirit of the Lord will rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of power, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt. ... The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling [will lie down] together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child will put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord, [just] as the waters cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:1-9)

… 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 Allah) (Surah Al 'Imran, 45)

This anticipation of the Messiah (pbuh) grew stronger under Herod the Great's tyrannical regime. Movements expecting the Messiah (pbuh) sprang up everywhere on Jewish soil and were busy either preparing for his arrival or reminding people of his imminent arrival. However, this anticipation began to be perceived as a threat by and to Rome, as well as to Herod's authority, because they were usually aimed at the Roman regime and its compliant Jewish administration. Such a strong movement could incite the whole society to rise up against pagan rule. To prevent this, both authorities took various precautions. According to the Bible, this was the reason why Herod ordered the murder of all Jewish boys up to 2 years old. The Gospel of Matthew relates that:

The exterior of the Church of the Nativity, believed to have been built on the spot where the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born. This church, located in Bethlehem, is one of the most holy sites for Christian pilgrims.

After the Prophet Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi [wise men] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked: "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east."… When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said: "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me." … When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious and gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." (Matthew 2:1-8, 16-18)

Despite the fact that some people identified the Messiah’s (pbuh) attributes related in the Torah with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), a close analysis reveals that these attributes are in one-to-one correspondence with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) whose appearance was heralded by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). (For further details see, Harun Yahya, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) Is A Descendant of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh)).

Oppressed People Want a Savior

In the Qur'an Allah speaks of oppressed people who, while suffering hardship and tyranny, expect a savior who will deliver them from their troubles. Our Lord says the following:

What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of Allah—for those men, women, and children who are oppressed and exclaim: "Our Lord, take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give us a protector from You! Give us a helper from You!"? (Surat an-Nisa', 75)

It is revealed in the verses that the nations to which Allah sent His Messengers were experiencing total social and moral exhaustion before the arrival of the Messengers appointed for them by Allah. Following their arrival, the people who believed in them lived in plenty, ease, and happiness. But after their departure, some people followed their selfish instincts and thus moved away from religious morality and toward denial. They failed themselves by worshipping idols as Allah's partners. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals the Messengers' loyalty to Him, as well as their sincerity and devotion, and then speaks of those people who lost their faith, as follows:

Those are some of the Prophets Allah has blessed, from the descendants of Adam and from those We carried with Noah, from the descendants of Abraham and Israel, and from those We guided and chose. When the Signs of the All-Merciful were recited to them, they fell on their faces, weeping, in prostration. An evil generation succeeded them, who neglected the prayer and followed their appetites. They will plunge into the Valley of Evil. (Surah Maryam,58-59)

Allah reprimanded these people, for they distanced themselves from religion and never thought about why they were created or what their responsibilities toward their Creator were. In return for this, He changed His blessing and gave them a hard life: "But if anyone turns away from My reminder, his life will be a dark and narrow one..." (Surah Ta Ha, 124)

Throughout history, people who are enduring economic or social problems and who are suffering under an unjust regime have felt the need for a savior who would correct the system's negative aspects; guarantee justice, peace, and security; and guide them onto the right path. Today's societies also are experiencing rapid decline, decadence, and degeneration. People who live in abject poverty, misery, and cruelty crave a life of morality and happiness. Allah sent saviors to people in the past, following their social breakdown, and then gave them lives filled with plenty, ease, and wealth. In the following verse, Allah reveals that He will give wealth and ease to people who fear and stand in awe of Him, and who respect the limits that He has established:

If only the people of the cities had believed and guarded against evil, We would have opened up to them blessings from Heaven and Earth. But they denied the truth, [and] so We seized them for what they earned. (Surat al-A'raf, 96)

Our Lord reminds us of an important reality in the above verse: Religious morality is the only way leading to peace, happiness, general welfare, and prosperity. This was so in the past, and will remain so in the future. Where there is no Islamic morality, there cannot be justice, security, and dependability. This is Allah's law, as stated in the following verse:

You will not find any changing in the pattern of Allah. You will not find any alteration in the pattern of Allah. (Surah Fatir, 43)

The period in which we are living is ruled by decadence. Material as well as spiritual decay is widespread, perversity (in the sense of irreligious behavior) is widespread, political and economic instability are the norm, and the gap between rich and poor is huge. Among the truths revealed by the Qur'an is that Allah shows a way out after such times, through which Islamic morality will prevail everywhere on Earth, and true religion will prevail over man-made beliefs. As Allah reveals in the verses given below:

They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths. But Allah refuses to do other than perfect His Light, even though the unbelievers detest it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, even though the idolaters detest it. (Surat at-Tawba, 32-33)

Allah has helped every faithful nation, and will continue to help the believers, for He has promised this to His sincere and faithful servants. Allah says in these verses:

[They are] those who were expelled from their homes without any right, merely for saying: "Our Lord is Allah." If Allah had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, places where Allah's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. Allah will certainly help those who help Him. Allah is All-Strong, Almighty. [And they are] those who, if We establish them firmly in the land, will perform prayer and give the alms, and command what is right and forbid what is wrong. The end result of all affairs is with Allah. (Surat al-Hajj, 40-41)

As also revealed in the Qur'an and the hadith of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Allah will resend the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to Earth and make Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) appear in the very century in which we live. He will render these two blessed people be instrumental in the dominion of the moral values of Islam over the world.

The Prophet John (Yahya) (pbuh)

According to the Gospel, John (pbuh) (known as John the Baptist in the Christian tradition) began preaching some time before the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) appeared about the Messiah's (pbuh) imminent arrival. In fact, he became the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) greatest supporter.

By our Lord’s Will, the Prophet John's (pbuh) birth was a miracle, as Allah reveals in the Qur’an:

Kaf Ha Ya 'Ayn Sad. Remember your Lord's mercy to His servant Zechariah, when he called on his Lord in secret and said: "My Lord, my bones have lost their strength and my head is crowned with white. But in calling on You, My Lord, I have never been disappointed. I fear [that] my relatives [will forget You] when I am gone, and my wife is barren, so give me an heir from You to be my inheritor and the inheritor of the family of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, pleasing to You." "Zechariah! We give you the good news of a boy named John, a name we have given to no one else before." He [Zechariah] said: "My Lord! How can I have a boy when my wife is barren and I have reached advanced old age?" He [the Lord] said: "It will be so! Your Lord says: 'That is easy for me to do. I created you before, when you were not anything.'" (Surah Maryam, 1-9)

The narrative of the Prophet John's (pbuh) birth in the Gospel of Luke is compatible with these verses. The Prophet Zechariah (pbuh) was the Prophet John's (pbuh) father, and he and his wife were, according to Luke, "upright in the Sight of God, observing all of the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly" (Luke 1:6). Both were old, and neither could have children. But Allah gave the Prophet Zechariah (pbuh) the news of a son, as follows:

When Zechariah saw him [the angel], he was startled and gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the Sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God." (Luke 1:12-16)

The Prophet John (pbuh) was a righteous servant of Allah who feared Him and a guide to enlightenment for his people. Allah praises him in the Qur'an, as follows:

[We said:] "John, take hold of the Book with vigor." We gave him judgment while still a child, and tenderness and purity from Us. He guarded [himself] against evil, was devoted to his parents, and was not insolent or disobedient. Peace be upon him the day he was

born, and the day he dies, and the day he is raised up again alive. (Surah Maryam, 12-15)

The Prophet John (pbuh), whom the Gospel also calls a loyal servant of Allah who had fear for Him warned some Jews who distanced from the morality of religion about their conceit, and invited them to abide by Allah's law and to abstain from sin. The Gospel of Luke relates a conversation between the Prophet John (pbuh) and some Jews who came to hear him:

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves: 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. John answered: "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. Then some soldiers asked him: "And what should we do?" He replied: "Don't extort money, don't accuse people falsely, and be content with your pay." (Luke 3:7-14)

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Life

According to the historical sources, Mary was born at a time when the disorder mentioned earlier in the book was happening, when Roman oppression was real, and the Jews were impatiently awaiting the Messiah's (pbuh) arrival. She was a descendent of 'Imran, whose family had been made superior by Allah (Surah Al 'Imran, 33). Allah chose her from among them, purified her, and placed her above all other women, for as Allah reveals in the Qur'an:

And when the angels said: "Mary, Allah has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you over all other women. Mary, obey your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow." (Surah Al 'Imran, 42-43)

One of Giovanni Bellini's masterworks depicting Mary (1481) on display in the Frari church.

The family of 'Imran was known to believe in Allah, to seek His good pleasure in whatever they do, and to always respect the limits that He has established. When Imran's wife learned of her pregnancy, she immediately turned to Allah in prayer and dedicated her unborn child to Allah. It is a sign of her true submission to Allah that she named her child Maryam (Mary in English), meaning "someone who is always worshipping Allah." This subject is revealed in the Qur'an:

Remember when the wife of 'Imran said: "My Lord, I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service]. Please accept my prayer. You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." When she gave birth, she said: "My Lord! I have given birth to a girl"—and Allah knew very well what she had given birth to, male and female are not the same—"and I have named her Mary and placed her and her children in Your safekeeping from the accursed satan." (Surah Al 'Imran, 35-36)

Allah reveals that Mary's mother dedicated her to Allah, "consecrated for His service." The Arabic word used here, i.e., muharraran, means "one who is wholly preoccupied with the Hereafter, who has no business with the world, who worships Allah at all times, who is in the service of the House of Allah, who is sincere in his or her worship and, who has no worldly intentions in his or her worship." Imran's wife asked Allah to allow Mary to serve only Him, and for her to become totally devoted to His good pleasure rather than other people's.

When Mary was born, Imran's wife asked Allah to protect Mary and her descendents from the evil of satan. Allah answered her sincere prayer and gave Mary a superior morality. Allah reveals how carefully Mary was raised under Allah's protection:

Her Lord accepted her with approval and made her grow in health and beauty. And Zechariah became her guardian. (Surah Al 'Imran, 37)

Those with faith, those who are Jews, Christians, and Sabaeans, all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly, will have their reward with their Lord. (Surat al-Baqara, 62)

Allah states that Prophet Zechariah (pbuh) was a righteous servant who was favored over all beings, and one guided to a straight path as a Prophet. Allah praises him in the Qur'an and points out his impeccable character (Surat al-An'am, 85-87). The Prophet Zechariah (pbuh), who took on the responsibility of caring for Mary and thus witnessed many of her miracles, realized that she was Allah's chosen one.

For instance, whenever the Prophet Zechariah (pbuh) entered the presence of Mary, who always worshipped by herself, he found food with her. Allah states in the Qur'an:

A view of the Sea of Galilee.

Every time Zechariah visited her in the praying chamber, he found food with her. He said: "Mary, how did you come by this?" She said: "It is from Allah. Allah provides for whoever He wills without any reckoning." (Surah Al 'Imran, 37)

Mary became well known in her community as a member of her family who was dedicated wholeheartedly to Allah. Allah speaks of her chastity in particular, as follows in the Qur'an:

And Mary, the daughter of 'Imran, who guarded her chastity—We breathed Our Spirit into her, and she confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Book and was one of the obedient. (Surat at-Tahrim, 12)

Mary's Encounter with Gabriel

Van de Velde's (1851-52) Nazareth water painting, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Mary's life was full of miracles, one of which was her encounter with Gabriel. At a particular stage in her life, Mary left her community and family and secluded herself somewhere in the east. There, the Qur'an mentions that Gabriel appeared to her in the form of a man:

Mention Mary in the Book, how she withdrew from her people to an eastern place and veiled herself from them. Then We sent Our Spirit to her, and it took on for her the form of a handsome, well-built man. She [Mary] said: "I seek refuge from you with the All-Merciful if you guard against evil." (Surah Maryam, 16-18)

At first, she did not know that the unknown person was Gabriel. Thus, she immediately sought refuge with Allah when he approached and said that she was a God-fearing believer. Her words make it clear that she was a God-fearing and chaste servant. Gabriel introduced himself by stating that he was sent by Allah to give her the following good news:

He said [to Mary]: "I am only your Lord's messenger so that He can give you a pure boy." (Surah Maryam, 19)

hen 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, one of those brought near." (Surah Al 'Imran, 45)

… confirming the Torah that came before it, and as guidance and admonition for those who guard against evil. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 46)

Mary received this important news and asked Gabriel how she could have a child while she was still a virgin:

She said: "How can I have a boy when no man has touched me and I am not an unchaste woman?" He said: "It will be so, for your Lord says: 'That is easy for Me. It is so that We can make him a Sign for mankind and a mercy from Us.' It is a matter already decreed." So she conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. (Surah Maryam, 20-22)

She said: "My Lord, how can I have a son when no man has yet touched me?" He said: "It will be so." Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decides on something, He just says to it "Be!" and it is. (Surah Al 'Imran, 47)

Gabriel replied that Allah has the power to do anything and that He needs only to say "Be!" and it is. This is how Mary conceived Jesus (pbuh)—by the will of Allah and without ever being touched by a man. Her pregnancy was created independent of the worldly order in a miraculous way. As our Lord reveals, after receiving this good news, Mary withdrew to somewhere quiet. Allah supported her during that time in every way and provided all that a pregnant woman could wish for psychologically as well as materially. He made her withdraw from her people, who would not have been able to comprehend her situation, and thereby prevented the physical or spiritual damage that they could have caused her.

(A voice called out to Mary:) "Shake the trunk of the palm toward you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes…" (Surah Maryam, 25-26)

The Prophet Jesus' (Pbuh) Birth

In the Qur'an, Allah draws the attention to the fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was unique in every respect. First of all, he was born without a father. Through His angels, Allah revealed to Mary before The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) birth that her son would be the Messiah (pbuh) and have many other Allah-given qualities as well. In fact, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) had the honor of being called "Allah's Word":

The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of Allah and His Word, which He cast into Mary, and a Spirit from Him. (Surat an-Nisa', 171)

(A voice called out to Mary:) "Shake the trunk of the palm toward you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes…" (Surah Maryam, 25-26)

In the Qur'an, the expression "Allah's Word" is only used for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Allah revealed his name before his birth and named him "Messiah Jesus," as a Word from Him. This is another sign that The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) creation differs from that of all other people.

A Peter Paul Rubens oil painting (1624) depicting people paying their respects to Mary following the birth of the Prophet Jesus. Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp, Belgium.

Allah sustained Mary in the best way during her pregnancy and the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) birth, and also guided her. He made the environmental conditions favorable for her, for since she had removed herself from her family and community, she was all alone. With the help of Allah, Mary managed this difficult situation by herself and gave birth to her son without any complications. Allah reveals His grace for Mary in the following verses:

The pains of labor drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She exclaimed: "Oh if only I had died before this time and was something discarded and forgotten!" A voice called out to her from under her: "Do not grieve. Your Lord has placed a small stream at your feet. Shake the trunk of the palm toward you, and fresh, ripe dates will drop down to you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes. If you should see anyone at all, just say: 'I have made a vow of abstinence to the All-Merciful, and today I will not speak to any human being.'" (Surah Maryam, 23-26)

As the verses tell, Allah helped Mary with revelation and told her not to lose heart. He revealed to her everything that she needed to know, and ensured that she would have an easy birth. Allah's grace and protection for her are shown in this event.

When Mary returned to her people together with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), her people slandered her with ugly accusations based on speculation, even though they knew her and her dedication, as well as that of her family, to Allah, and her chastity. The circumstances of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) birth are, in reality, a miracle that Allah granted to Mary's people and proof of His existence. However, her people failed to understand this, and so made unfounded allegations against her and tried to make their slander stick:

She brought him to her people, carrying him. They exclaimed: "Mary! You have done an unthinkable thing! Sister of Aaron, your father was not an evil man nor was your mother an unchaste woman!" (Surah Maryam, 27-28)

In reality, Mary was being tried with these ugly allegations. For such a devout and chaste person to be slandered in this way is a test from Allah. When confronted this situation, she turned to Allah and placed her trust in Him, knowing that He would help her against her people's accusations. She sought only His help and support and received His favor and mercy.

Lorenzo Lotto'nun Hz.Meryem ve Azizleri tasvir eden tablosu. 1505-1506 yılına ait bu yağlıboya eser, Treviso yakınlarındaki SantaCristina al Tivarone Kilisesi'nde sergilenmektedir.

Allah helped His chosen servant in her time of trouble with another miracle: He revealed to her that she should not speak when her people wanted her to, but to point to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) when they accuse her. Allah reveals this order in the following way:

"If you should see anyone at all, just say: 'I have made a vow of abstinence to the All-Merciful, and today I will not speak to any human being'." (Surah Maryam, 26)

When Allah gave her the good news of The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) birth, He also revealed that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) would speak as a baby in the cradle. This miracle became a big help for Mary from the Lord:

"He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown, and will be one of the righteous." (Surah Al 'Imran, 46)

In a miraculous way, Allah made the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) give the explanation that was expected of Mary. By this miracle, He restored her good reputation and informed the Children of Israel of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) appointment as His Messenger to them:

She pointed toward him. They asked: "How can a baby in the cradle speak?" He [Jesus] said: "I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am, [has] directed me to perform prayer and give alms as long as I live, and to show devotion to my mother. He has not made me insolent or arrogant. Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive." (Surah Maryam, 29-33)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) declares that he is Allah's servant, that he has been given revelation, that he is a Prophet expected to call to faith when he reaches adulthood, that he must perform the prescribed prayers (salat) and give alms (zakat), that he must respect his mother's word, and that he will die and be resurrected on the Day of Judgment.

This situation proved to the Children of Israel that they had encountered an extraordinary event: the birth of the Messiah (pbuh). Allah reveals:

… and she [Mary], who protected her chastity. We breathed into her some of Our Spirit and made her and her son a Sign for all the worlds. (Surat al-Anbiya, 91)

It is also revealed in the verses that those people who continue to slander Mary (pbuh) will be punished (Surat an-Nisa', 156-157).

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Life

According to the historical records of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) lived approximately 2,000 years ago. He was a chosen messenger of Alllah and is held in honor both in the world and the Hereafter. The Gospel of Mathew states that he was born either during the reign of Herod l or in a period of the regime change (4 bce). According to the Gospel of Luke, he was born during the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 bce-14 ce) when a census was being conducted in Judea (6 ce). Such information cannot be verified. However, experts analyzing various sources believe that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born around 7-6 bce.

Alessandro Boticelli's painting (1470-74) depicting respects being paid to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and Mary. The painting is on display in London's National Gallery.

The true religion brought by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), Allah's chosen Messenger who was rewarded with Paradise and special gifts, exists today. However, it does so in name only, for it has been corrupted. Likewise, the revelation given to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) by Allah exists only in name and certainly not in its original, for the Christian scriptures have been tampered with and altered. As we cannot acquire any true knowledge about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) from this source, we turn to the only source that can provide true information: the Qur'an, which Allah promised to protect until the Last Day, and the hadith of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). In the Qur'an, Allah reveals much about The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) birth, life, examples of his encounters with other people, the situation of those living around him, and many other subjects. It also provides many examples of his efforts to invite the Jewish people to faith. Allah relates the following words of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) in the Qur'an:

"I come confirming the Torah I find already there, and to make lawful for you some of what was previously forbidden to you. I have brought you a Sign from your Lord. So heed Allah and obey me. Allah is my Lord and your Lord so worship Him. That is a straight path." (Surah Al 'Imran, 50-51)

Only a few Jews answered his call and became his followers. Allah reveals in the Qur'an the existence of these devout believers as follows:

When Jesus sensed unbelief on their part, he asked: "Who will be my helpers for [the cause of] Allah?" The disciples said: "We are Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah. Bear witness that we are Muslims. Our Lord, we believe in what You have sent down and have followed the Messenger, so write us down among the witnesses." (Surah Al 'Imran, 52-53)

According to the Gospel, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) traveled to all corners of Palestine with his 12 disciples to call people to faith. On this journey, Allah allowed him to perform many miracles. He healed the sick and disabled, cured people suffering from leprosy, brought sight to those who had been blind from birth, and raised the dead. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals these miracles in the verses below:

"I have brought you a Sign from your Lord. I will create the shape of a bird out of clay for you and then breathe into it, and it will be a bird by Allah's permission. I will heal the blind and the leper and bring the dead to life, by Allah's permission. I will tell you what you eat and what you store up in your homes. There is a Sign for you in that if you believe." (Surah Al 'Imran, 49)

Remember when Allah said: "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; and when you created a bird-shape out of clay by My permission, and then breathed into it and it became a bird by My permission; and healed the blind and the leper by My permission; when you brought forth the dead by My permission; and when I held back the Children of Israel from you, when you brought them the Clear Signs and those who did not believe said: 'This is nothing but downright magic.'" (Surat al-Ma'ida, 110)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh), by Allah's will, performed great miracles, and many people were impressed by them. However, he always stated that these miracles happened only by the will of Allah and, according to the Bible, he always told the people he healed: "Your faith has saved you." In response, the people praised the Lord when they saw the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) miracles:

Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at his feet. And he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:29-31)

Despite the increasing obstacles and, in particular among the people who suffered from oppression and cruelty, the number of believers began to rise. At the time, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and his disciples had wandered through all of the towns and cities in the land. Meanwhile, the priests and teachers of the law (scribes) began to scheme and plot against the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), who had been telling them of the wrongs inherent in the traditions that they had promoted for years, reminding them of the deviations in the order they had established and calling them to believe only in Allah and to live only for Him. (Luke 22:1-2, John 11:47-53)

Giotto di Bondone's fresco, "Christ Disputing with the Elders" (1302-1305) in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy. This famous painting depicts the respect of the elders for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

However, Allah protected the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) from these snares.

Like all other Prophets, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) called his people to believe in Allah, to submit wholeheartedly to Him, to live for His good pleasure, to refrain from sin and evil, and to do good. He reminded them of life's impermanence and of death's proximity, and told them that they would have to answer for all of their deeds in the Hereafter. He called them to worship Allah alone and to fear and mind only Him. The Bible also contains much advice and educational material (mashal) in this respect. According to the Gospel, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) advised those who had "little faith" (Matthew 8:26), brought them the good news that "the kingdom of God is near" (Mark 1:15) and asked them to seek Allah's forgiveness. This dominion is the rule which the Jews expected to be established when the Messiah (pbuh) arrived, a rule that would bring them renewed faith and deliverance.

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) stated that he was sent by Allah to complete what was revelaed to the Prophet Moses (pbuh), remained true to the Mosaic law (the commandments of the Torah) and reprimanded some of the Jews for straying from them or their hypocritical practice. According to the Gospel, he told them: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) called people to return to the essence of Torah. The Gospel of Matthew reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was sent to complete what is revealed to the Prophet Moses (pbuh):

I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)

Ayone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Sight of God, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Sight of God. (Matthew 5:19)

Allah says the following about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh):

[Jesus said,] "I come confirming the Torah I find already there, and to make lawful for you some of what was previously forbidden to you. I have brought you a Sign from your Lord. So heed Allah and obey me." (Surah Al 'Imran, 50)

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Struggle

As we saw earlier, during the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) lifetime there were a number of Jewish sects, each of which interpreted religion in its own way. The Jews had strayed from the true religion brought by the Prophet Moses, and therefore false beliefs and superstitious traditions had taken root. Furthermore, the pagan Hellenistic culture was being promoted and encouraged, and some Jewish sects had forsaken their monotheistic faith for the symbols and statues of this false belief.

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was sent to his people as aguide, and so had to fight many groups to realize the ultimate goal of bringing his people back to Allah. We can deduce from the Qur'an that he was providing guidance to people who were engaged in disputes over religion. From the Gospel, we gather that he primarily called upon false priests, those who denied Allah by ascribing partners to Him and who misled people by religious pretence, to abandon their wrongdoing and believe wholeheartedly in Allah. The Pharisees and the Sadducees, who are often mentioned in the Gospel, are therefore of relevance in this respect. These two opposing sects agreed on one thing only: Their strong discontent with the revelation with which Allah had entrusted to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) for his people. According to the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) true religion, the Sadducees had gone astray because of their materialistic worldview, and the Pharisees were on the wrong path because they had lost their faith by getting bogged down in myths and pretence. These groups turned against the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) as soon as they realized where they stood with him. Allah says in the Qur'an:

And when Jesus came with the Clear Signs, he said: "I have come to you with Wisdom and to clarify for you some of the things about which you have differed. Therefore, heed Allah and obey me."(Surat az-Zukhruf, 63)

Giotto di Bondone's fresco, "Christ Disputing with the Elders" (1302-1305) in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy. This famous painting depicts the respect of the elders for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

As both the Pharisees and the majority of Sadducees had a vested interest in the existing system, and thus a great many of them would not obey the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). They had great authority over the Jewish people and, as priests, enjoyed great respect among them. The false system that they had created had become an institution that was making them rich. They had entered into a close working relationship with the Roman governor, and an important section of Sadducees in particular sought to reduce the tensions between Rome and the people of Judea, and thus were granted many privileges in return. Bearing these circumstances in mind, it becomes quite understandable why The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) teachings caused some priests such discomfort: The Prophet Jesus (pbuh), like all other Prophets, targeted the wrongness of the established order, which considered all kinds of evil legitimate. He wanted people to abandon injustice, unfairness, immorality, and idolatrous religious beliefs and to replace them with a life dedicated to serving Allah. He advised people to fear and love Allah in equal measures, to submit to Him, to distance themselves from superstitious rules and dogmatic practices, to worship Allah alone, and to turn only to Him for success in their undertakings. The miracles he performed by Allah's will showed clearly that he was a valued Prophet chosen above all people by Allah, Who supported him with power and superior knowledge. His depth of faith, high morality, superior awareness, and explanations full of insight were greatly admired by the people.

According to the Gospel, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was teaching and rekindling people's faith at the same time by saying that deliverance was nigh for the people and that Allah's rule was imminent. All of this was disturbing news for those who had adopted the pagan culture introduced by Rome and the priests, who had a vested interest in the established order.

The Gospel says that these circles never missed an opportunity to hinder the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) message, but that they were disappointed each time. Some so-called priests became increasingly irritated by his subtle answers, which invalidated their claims, and also by his insightful teachings. His statements about them were their biggest concern, and this became one of the decisive factors that led them to scheme against him. According the Gospel of Luke, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) exposed their frauds to the public:

"Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." (Luke 20:46-47)

Some Jewish priests in the past had altered Torah's commandments and added new ones to serve their own interest. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) invalidated these false commandments in his quest to eradicate the erroneous traditions, myths, and man-made rules and laws that had, in effect, caused the commandments revealed to the Prophet Moses(pbuh) to be ignored. According to the Gospel of Mark, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) specifically mentioned this to the Pharisees:

He replied [to the Pharisees and the teachers of the law]: "…You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. … Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." (Mark 7:6-13)

The Pharisees believed that they had to pledge one-tenth of their income to Allah and abided by this rule. But it had become a tradition, whereas before it had been an act of worship. The Gospel of Luke records the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) reprimand:

"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it." (Luke 11:42-44)

"... And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them." (Luke 11:46)

"Woe to you experts in law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." (Luke 11:52)

Such public warnings and the so-called priests' public humiliation because of their immorality increased their unwise hostility toward the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). According to Luke, the Pharisees and the religious scholars began to oppose him fiercely after Jesus (pbuh) said the words recorded above (Luke 11:53-54).

As Allah makes clear in the Qur'an, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) called the Children of Israel to return to the Mosaic law and to believe in Allah wholeheartedly. The Gospel of Matthew and the Qur'an contain some strikingly similar words about the unbelievers, "They have hearts with which they do not understand. They have eyes with which they do not see. They have ears with which they do not hear" (Surat al-A'raf, 179). In the Gospel of Matthew, we read the following words that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) said about some Jews:

"You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." (Matthew 13:14-15)

Prophets fulfilled their duty given by Allah in the best possible way and used all of their resources and energy to invite their people to the path of guidance. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) displayed extraordinary patience in the face of all the conspiracies and attacks directed against him. He trusted in Allah and continued communicating His message and, even though he had only a few supporters, he defeated his opponents every time. He tried many things in order to return religion to its original purity, to rid it of all the myths and false practices that had entered it over time. By means of the insight and superior understanding Allah gave to him, he was a very effective public speaker and was able to give guiding examples.

İncil'de Akdeniz'den Batı Avrupa'ya kadar birçok bölgenin ve şehrin adı geçmektedir. Bu haritada İncil açıklamalarında geçen bazı yerler gösterilmektedir.

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) called his people to worship Allah alone; brought the good news of the rule of religious morality; fought against false beliefs, myths, and idolatry; and explained that this worldly life is a test. He made every conceivable effort to correct his people's flawed sense of morality and was himself a role model of high character. However, these activities only made his enemies fiercer and led them to plot his death.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Superior Character

The hadith literature reveals many important truths about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Some hadiths inform us that he was of medium height, had white skin with a hue of red, straight hair, and was very handsome. He had shoulder-length hair and wore a woolen cloak and sandals made of bark. He often removed himself from this world, had a strong desire for the Hereafter, and spent much time worshipping Allah.⁶ Other hadiths describe this astonishingly handsome and holy man as follows:

While I was asleep, I saw myself (in a dream) making tawaf (circling) around the Ka'bah. I saw a brown-skinned man with straight hair being supported by two men, and with water dripping from his head. I asked: "Who is this?" They said: "The son of Mary." (Sahih Bukhari)

When you see him, you will recognize him. He is of medium height, and his coloring is reddish-white. He will be wearing two garments, and his hair will look wet although no water will have wet it. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad)

And when Jesus came with the Clear Signs, he said: "I have come to you with Wisdom and to clarify for you some of the things about which you have differed. Therefore, fear Allah and obey me". (Surat az-Zukhruf, 63)

Like every chosen and sent Prophet, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) had the highest form of character. One of his most distinguishing features was his high standard of morals and noble personality, which had an immediate effect on people. In addition, he had a strong personality due to his complete trust, reliance, and faith in Allah; was decisive and courageous; and could not be manipulated by society. His superiority is revealed in the following verses:

This is the argument We gave to Abraham against his people. We raise in rank anyone We will. Your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. We gave him Isaac and Jacob, each of whom We guided. And before him We had guided Noah. And among his descendants were David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. That is how We recompense the good-doers. And Zechariah, John, Jesus, and Elias. All of them were among the righteous. And Ishmael, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot. All of them We favored over all beings. And some of their forebears, descendants, and brothers; We chose them and guided them to a straight path. That is Allah's guidance. He guides by it those of His servants He wills ... (Surat al-An'am, 83-88)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was also a just, modest, compassionate, sincere, honest, selfless person and a chosen Prophet. In one verse, Allah says the following about him:

These Messengers: We favored some of them over others. Allah spoke directly to some of them and raised up some of them in rank. We gave Clear Signs to Jesus, son of Mary, and reinforced him with the Purest Spirit. (Surat al-Baqara, 253)

When we look at the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life, we can see his high morality. First of all, he was a discerning leader who taught the true religion to his people. He was the most obedient to Allah's commandments and recommendations, and was a guide who rid people of myths. In the Qur'an Allah reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was diligently fulfilling all of the requirements of worship and morality:

He [Jesus] said: "I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am, directed me to perform prayer and give alms as long as I live, and to show devotion to my mother." (Surah Maryam, 30-32)

Throughout his life, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) spoke wisely and effectively and knew right from wrong. He replied with insight and reason to all of his enemies' questions posed to so-called catch him and defeated all of their attempts they made with their shallow minds. He remained true to Allah, irrespective of his people's attitude toward him, drew strength from his strong faith and devotion, and explained Allah's existence in the most effective way.

Like all other Prophets, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) used plain, clear, and intelligible language when preaching. His allegories moved people's conscience, and encouraged them to reflect deeply and to behave according to Allah's good pleasure. The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) love for Allah, as well as his exuberant faith and diligence in following Allah's orders, is evident from his teachings. His method of preaching shows clearly that Allah chose him above all other people.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Ministry

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life was full of miracles that our Lord willed for him from the moment of his birth until the day he was raised to Allah's Presence. In the Qur'an Allah reveals some of the miracles, all of which he performed by the will of Him:

As a Messenger to the Children of Israel, saying: "I have brought you a Sign from your Lord. I will create the shape of a bird out of clay for you and then breathe into it, and it will be a bird by Allah's permission. I will heal the blind and the leper, and bring the dead to life, by Allah's permission. I will tell you what you eat and what you store up in your homes. There is a Sign for you in that if you are believers." (Surah Al 'Imran, 49)

Giotto di Bondone's fresco, "Christ Disputing with the Elders" (1302-1305) in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua, Italy. This famous painting depicts the respect of the elders for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

Allah reveals in the Qur'an several of the miracles associated with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). These miracles took place by our Lord’s Will. He was conceived without a father, spoke in the cradle, had full knowledge of Allah's holy books (the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an), made a likeness of a bird out of mud and enabled it to fly away by breathing into it, healed the blind from birth and the leper, raised the dead, knew what people ate and what they saved, and foretold our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) by the name "Ahmad."

Despite these miracles and his efforts to teach Allah's revelation, most of his people continued to deny him. Like the other nations mentioned in the Qur'an, these unbelievers unwisely said that he was only doing magic tricks because he was no more than a magician:

And when Jesus son of Mary said: "O Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of Allah to you, confirming the Torah that came before me and giving you the good news of a Messenger after me, whose name is Ahmad." When he brought them the Clear Signs, they said: "This is downright magic." (Surat as-Saff, 6)

Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not come to wipe out Judaism, but to affirm and purify religion of the myths that had crept in over the centuries and to return it to its original purity. Allah also sent him to resolve the issues disputed over by the various Jewish sects, which we examined earlier in the book. Allah says:

[Jesus said:] "I come confirming the Torah I find already here, and to make lawful for you some of what was previously forbidden to you. I have brought you a Sign from your Lord. So have fear [and awe] of Allah and obey me." (Surah Al 'Imran, 50)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) confirmed the matters of faith mentioned in the Torah and also brought the Gospel, Allah's last revelation to humanity, to guide and advise his people.

And We sent Jesus son of Mary following in their [the Prophets'] footsteps, confirming the Torah that came before him. We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light, confirming the Torah that came before it, and as guidance and admonition for those who guard against evil. The people of the Gospel should judge by what Allah sent down in it. Those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down, such people are deviators. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 46-47)

He has sent down the Book to you with truth, confirming what was there before it. And He sent down the Torah and the Gospel.
(Surah Al 'Imran, 3)

Very few people answered the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) call at the beginning, for his call sought to abolish the privileges of the priestly class, which profited from the myths and traditions that had been established many years ago, and also those members of the ruling class who did not recognize Allah's sovereignty. The pressure they applied, when combined with their threats, scared the majority of the common people and prevented them from approaching the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). When the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) teachings began to spread and the number of his followers increased, the number of his opponents increased accordingly. In their own way, more cowardly traps were prepared and more plans were made to discredit and defeat him. Such plots were nothing new, for all Prophets encountered such hostility. Allah reveals in the Qur'an the unbelievers' maliciousness toward the Messengers in the following terms:

Why then, whenever a Messenger came to you with something your lower selves did not desire, did you grow arrogant and deny some of them and murder others? (Surat al-Baqara, 87)

Society began to be divided by those who believed in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and those who denied him, and the difference between the two groups became more and more apparent. On the one side was Allah's Messenger, who was teaching the true religion and calling people to believe in the one and only Allah, and on the other side was a group of people who had decided not to believe in him regardless of his miracles or proofs, even if they saw them with their own eyes. His enemies revealed themselves clearly. Probably there were people who were with him and heard him, but who later denied him. Allah reveals such a situation in the following verse:

"The various factions among them differed..." (Surat az-Zukhruf, 65)

For this reason, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) chose his disciples from those believers whom he could really trust. Allah reveals:

Do they feel secure against Allah's devising? No one feels secure against Allah's devising except for those who are lost. (Surat al-A'raf, 99)

Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the unbelievers devised a plot to take the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life. According to some sources, a group of bigoted priests bribed Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, to betray him, after which they would arrest the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and hand him over to the Romans. According to the same sources, the priests did not have the power to sentence someone to death and so had to make another plan to agitate the Roman regime. Thus, they portrayed the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) as being hostile to the Roman leadership, for the Romans were highly sensitive and ruthless when confronted with dissidents. But these priests failed, for the Qur'an relates:

They [unbelievers] planned and Allah planned. But Allah is the best of planners. (Surah Al 'Imran, 54)

As revealed in the verses, they plotted and moved to kill the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). However, their plot failed and they ended up killing a look-alike. During this event, Allah raised the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) up to His Presence:

And [on account of] their saying: "We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, 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. (Srat an-Nisa', 157)

Many people believe in the widespread hypothesis that the Romans crucified the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). That Roman soldiers and Jewish priests who arrested the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) killed him on the cross is a widespread fallacy. The majority of Christians believes this fallacy, as well as that he was resurrected three days later and, after several brief meetings with his disciples and others, ascended into the heavens. The fact is, however, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die or was martyred. Indeed, Allah reveals this in the Qur'an. The reality revealed in the verses is clear. The Romans, abetted by Jewish agitation, attempted to kill the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) but did not succeed. The expression "but it was made to seem so to them" reveals this fact. Allah showed them a look-alike and raised the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) up to His presence. Our Lord also reveals that those who made that claim had no knowledge of the truth.

They [unbelievers] planned and Allah planned. But Allah is the best of planners. (Surah Al 'Imran, 54)

In the early years of Christianity, several views on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) destiny emerged. In the subsequent centuries and until the articles of faith were fully formulated at the Council of Nicea (325), these ideological differences continued to persist, and movements that claimed that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) had not been crucified were accused of heresy and its members were persecuted.

The Qur'anic Account of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Ascent to Allah's Presence

Examining the words used in the narratives relating how the Prophets died and the verses dealing with the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascent to Allah's Presence reveals an important fact: The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) 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 Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised up to Allah'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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), Allah 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)." Allah reveals that people were shown a look-alike and that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised up to His Presence, as follows:

When Allah 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 Resurrection..." (Surah Al 'Imran, 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 the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) situation. Allah describes his being taken back to Allah in the words that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will say on the Day of Judgment:

[Jesus said], "I said to them nothing but what You ordered me to say: 'Worship Allah, 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, 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) being taken back into the Presence of Allah. 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, 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:

Allah 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, 42)

As this verse clarifies, Allah 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.4

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 Allah, as in the case of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).

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, 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, 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, 181)

Say: "Why, then, if you are believers, did you previously kill (taqtuloona) the Prophets of Allah?" (Surat al-Baqara, 91)

As for those who reject Allah's Signs, and kill (yaqtuloona) the Prophets without any right to do so, and kill(yaqtuloona) those who command justice... (Surah Al 'Imran, 21)

"Kill (uqtuloo) Joseph or expel him to some land." (Surah Yusuf, 9)

..."Moses, the Council is conspiring to kill you (li yaqtulooka)." (Surat al-Qasas, 20)

The only answer of his [Abraham's] people was to say: "Kill (uqtuloohu) him or burn him!" (Surat an-Nur, 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: "Allah will never send another Messenger after him." (Surah Ghafir, 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', 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, 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 the Prophet Jacob's death:

Or were you present when death (mawt) came to Jacob? (Surat al Baqara, 133)

In another verse, the verbs qatala (in the passive form qutila) and maata are used together:

Muhammad 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, 4)

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, 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', 34)

"He Who will cause my death (yumeetunee), then give me life." (Surat ash-Shura, 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', 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', 157)

[Joseph said:] "One of you will serve his lord with wine, the other of you will be crucified (yuslabu)." (Surah Yusuf, 41)

They should be killed or crucified (yusallaboo). (Surat al-Ma'ida, 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, 124)

As the verses show, the words used to express the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) situation are altogether different to those used to describe the deaths of the other Prophets. Allah states that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) 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 the Prophet Jesus'(pbuh), 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 the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) situation was extraordinary.

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Come Again

Contrary to what is written in the Bible, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was neither crucified nor the sufferer of a Roman and Jewish conspiracy. Our Lord foiled their traps by sending a look-alike to be crucified in his place so that He could raise the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) up to His Presence.

The Biblical and Qur'anic accounts of what happened to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) are quite different. However, there are some similarities, such as the belief that he was raised to Allah's Presence and that he will return before the Last Day to establish the true religion. The Qur'an and our Prophet's hadiths confirm this. We present the relevant evidence below.

1. Proof

"... I will place the people who follow you above those who are unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection..."

The first verse indicating the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return is given below:

When Allah said: "Jesus, I will take you back and raise you up 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, 55)

Allah mentions that a group of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) true followers will dominate the unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection. the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not have many followers during his tenure on Earth and, with his ascension; the religion that he had brought degenerated rapidly. Over the next two centuries, those who believed in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) were oppressed because they had no political power. Therefore, we cannot say that the early Christians dominated the unbelievers in the sense indicated by the verse given above.

At present, Christianity is so far removed from its original state that it no longer resembles the religion taught by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Christians have adopted the mistaken belief that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is Allah's son (surely Allah is beyond all that which they falsely ascribe to Him) and incorporated the trinity (viz., the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) into their religion centuries ago. Given this, we cannot acknowledge today's Christians as being true followers of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). In the Qur'an, Allah states more than once that those who believe in the trinity are, in fact, unbelievers:

Those who say that the Messiah, son of Mary, is the third of three are unbelievers. There is no God but the One Allah. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 73)

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 the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) 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.

He [Jesus] is only a servant on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for the tribe of Israel.
(Surat az-Zukhruf, 59)

This information is reinforced also in verse 14 of Surat as-Saff:

You who believe! Be helpers of Allah as 'Jesus son of Mary said to the Disciples, 'Who will be my helpers to Allah?'The Disciples said, 'We will be the helpers of Allah.' One faction of the tribe of Israel had faith and the other were unbelievers. So We supported those who had faith against their enemy and they became victorious. (Surat as-Saff, 14)

From the verse above we understand that during the period when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) lived, some people believed while others did not. The command related at the last part of the verse, "So We supported those who had faith against their enemy and they became victorious" heralds a period during which those believed in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will prevail.

It is probable that this period is the one, before the Day of Judgment, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come for the second time to the Earth. In this period the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will make the moral values of the real deen prevail the Earth and by Allah's Will, believers will prevail unbelievers. With these words it is stated that in the End Times believers will prevail unbelievers.

2. Proof

In the Qur'an, we read that:

There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in him before he dies; and on the Day of Resurrection he [Jesus] will be a witness against them. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 159)

The phrase "there is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in him before he dies" is very interesting. In Arabic, the sentence reads as follows: Wa-in min ahli al-kitaabi illaa la yu'minanna bihi qabla mawtihi.

Some scholars believe that the "him/it" in this verse refers to the Qur'an instead of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), and so understand it to mean that the People of the Book will believe in the Qur'an before they die. However, it is beyond dispute that the same word in the preceding two verses refers to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh):

Allah raised him [Jesus] up to Himself. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nisa', 158)

The word "him," which is used in the verse straight after the above two, refers to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in him before he dies; and on the Day of Resurrection he [Jesus] will be a witness against them. (Surat an-Nisa', 159)

The expression "and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them" is important. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that on that Day, people's tongues, hands, and feet (Surat an-Nur, 24, Surah Ya Sin, 65), as well as their eyes, ears, and skin (Surah Fussilat, 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 Surat an-Naml, 77 and Surat ash-Shu'ara', 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) before their own death." According to this view, everyone from the People of the Book will definitely believe in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) before he or she dies. But at the time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), some 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) as a Prophet. As a result, millions of the People of the Book have lived and died without ever believing in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Therefore, the verse does not speak of the death of this group, but rather of the death of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). 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 the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) death. As explained earlier, he never died but was raised to Allah's Presence. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). The People of the Book will see and recognize him, and then become Muslim followers of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), as will be explained shortly. In turn, he will be their witness on the Last Day.

The majority of the Islamic scholars are also of the same conviction. Abu Huraira and Ibn Abbas, who were among the companions of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), expressed that this verse is an evidence for the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming. Al-Qurtubi comments on the verse as follows:

"When the portents of the Day of Judgment approaches, everyone from the People of the Book who are alive will believe in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), when he descends to Earth. There will remain only a nation of Islam. (Qurtubi, Al-Jami al-Ahkhami al-Quran, volume VI, p. 10-11)

Tabari interpreted the verse in question as follows:

Every member of the People of the Book will have faith in the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) before he dies, during the time he will come to Earth to make the dajjal ineffective. (Tabari, Jami' al-Bayan, Volume IV, p. 18)

In his explanation Halil Harras stated that Tabari's interpretation is genuine and added that verse 159 of Surat an-Nisa' is an evidence of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming to Earth thus:

"The pronoun 'he' here refers to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). When he comes for the second time, the People of the Book living in this time will have faith in him, confirm him and adolpt Islam as a religion for themselves…When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come for the second time, the People of the Book will believe in him…

3. Proof

"He is a Sign of the Hour..."

In Surat az-Zukhruf, we are informed of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return and some other facts, as follows:

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, 57-60)

The next verse states that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a sign of the Day of Judgment:

He [Jesus] is a Sign of the Hour. Have no doubt about it. But follow me. This is a straight path. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 61)

Ibn Juzayy says that the first meaning of this verse is that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a sign or precondition of the Last Hour. We can confidently say that this verse indicates his return at the End Times, because he lived six centuries before the Qur'an's revelation. Therefore we cannot consider his first life as a sign of the Day of Judgment. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return toward the end of time or, in other words, during the last period of time before the Day of Judgment. In that context, his return is a sign of the Hour's imminent arrival.

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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) 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. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), it is far more realistic to accept that hu refers to him, as in the preceding verses. The great scholars of Islam interpret this pronoun as referring to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), an opinion that they base on other Qur'anic verses and hadiths. In his commentary, Elmalili Muhammad Hamdi Yazir writes that:

"No doubt he [the Prophet Jesus] is a sign of the Hour, one that declares that the Hour will come, that the dead will be resurrected and stand up, because the miracle of Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming and his miracle of resurrecting the dead, together with his revelation that the dead will rise, prove that the Day of Judgment is real. According to the hadiths, his arrival is a sign of the Last Day" 5

Sayyid Qutb, a contemporary Islamic scholar, notes that this verse is one of the important evidences that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth. In Qutb's interpretation this is related thus:

There are many hadiths relating that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come to Earth before the Day of Judgment. Indeed it is also referred to in this verse: "He is a Sign of the Hour." In other words, it is known that the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) coming to Earth and the Day of Judgment are close in time. A second read of the verse is as follows: “Wa-innahu laailmun lilsaati." That is, his coming is a portent of the Day of Judgment. Both of the ways the verse is read delivers the same meaning. The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) coming is knowledge of the unseen that our reliable Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who always told the truth, referred to and that is indicated in the Qur'an. There can be no words that can be said by another person apart from the information originating from these two sources that will remain unchanged until the Day of Judgment. (Sayyid Qutb, Fi Zilal al-Qur'an [In the Shade of the Qur'an])

Even in his oldest books Al-Kavsari states that this verse is an evidence for the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming (Al-Kavsari, Nazrat al-Abira, p.105). Omer Nasuhi Bilmen explains this in his commentary as follows:

Allah states in the verse that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a portent for the closeness of the Day of Judgment and that there can be no doubt about the Day of Judgment… The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) descent to Earth is considered within the laws of the Day of Judgment… (Omer Nasuhi Bilmen, Interpretation of the Qur'an, Volume VII, 3292)

It should also be mentioned that in the Qur'an no other prophet is referred to as a sign for the Day of Judgment. Along with the lives of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the Prophets Abraham, Noah, Moses, Solomon, Joseph, David and Jacob (peace be upon them), the lives of many prophets are related in the Qur'an in detail. However, in none of these accounts we can see this expression. By Allah's Will, this refers to a different attribute of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh): that he will be resent to Earth after his ascension to the Sight of Allah. (Allah knows the truth).

4. Proof

"He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel."

For this We sent a Messenger to you from among you to recite Our Signs to you, to purify you, to teach you the Book and Wisdom, and to teach you things you did not know before. (Surat al-Baqara, 151)

Other verses indicating the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are as follows:

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 Allah]. 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. Allah 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, 45-48)

The last verse reveals that Allah will teach the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) the "Book," the Torah, and the Gospel. Obviously, this book in question is very important. The same expression is also used in the verse given below:

When we examine how "Book" is used here, we see that it refers to the Qur'an in both cases. Allah reveals in the verses that after the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospel, the Qur'an is the final Divine book. In another verse the word "Book" is used to denote the Qur'an, after the Torah and the Gospel are mentioned:

Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He has sent down the Book to you with truth, confirming what was there before it. And He sent down the Torah and the Gospel previously. (Surah Al 'Imran, 2-3)

The Qur'an is called the "Book" also in other verses:

When a Book comes to them from Allah, confirming what is with them—even though before that they were praying for victory over the unbelievers—yet when what they recognize comes to them, they reject it. Allah's curse is on the unbelievers. (Surat al-Baqara, 89)

For this We sent a Messenger to you from among you to recite Our Signs to you, to purify you, to teach you the Book and Wisdom, and to teach you things you did not know before. (Surat al-Baqara, 151)

In this case, the Qur'an is the third book that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be taught. But this will be possible only when he returns to Earth, for he lived 600 years before the Qur'an's revelation. As we will see in great detail in the following chapters, the hadiths reveal that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will rule with the Qur'an, not the Gospel, on his second coming. This corresponds with the verse's meaning.

5. Proof

"The likeness of Jesus (pbuh) in Allah's Sight is the same as Adam."

The verse above (Surah Al 'Imran, 59) could also indicate the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return. Muslim scholars who have written Qur'anic commentaries point out that this verse indicates the fact that both Prophets did not have a father, for Allah created both of them with the command "Be!" However, the verse could also have another meaning: Just as Adam was sent down to Earth from Allah's Presence, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be sent down to Earth from Allah's Presence during the End Times.

As we have seen, the verses regarding the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return are very clear. As the Qur'an does not use such expressions for any other Prophet, its meaning is fairly obvious.

6. Proof

"...The day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive..."

Surah Maryam also mentions the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) death in the following verse:

[Jesus said,] "Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive." (Surah Maryam, 33)

...Onlar, sana indirilene, senden önce indirilenlere iman ederler ve ahirete de kesin bir bilgiyle inanırlar. (Bakara Suresi, 4)

When this verse is considered in conjunction with Surah Al 'Imran 55, an important reality emerges: While Surah Al 'Imran states that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised up to Allah's Presence and does not mention that he died or was killed, Surah Maryam speaks of the day on which he will die. This second death can only be possible after he returns and lives on Earth for a period of time.

7. Proof

"... You could speak to people in the cradle and when you were fully grown…"

Another piece of evidence for the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return is the word kahlaan, used Surat al-Ma'ida 110 and Surah Al 'Imran 46. Allah reveals in the Qur'an:

He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully grown (kahlaan), and will be one of the righteous. (Surah Al 'Imran, 46)

Kahlaan, which is used only in these two verses, only in reference to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), and to express the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) adulthood means "someone between the age of 30 and 50, someone who is no longer young, someone who has reached the perfect age." Islamic scholars agree that it denotes the age of 35 or above. They base their views on a hadith reported by Ibn 'Abbas that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised up to Allah's Presence in his early 30s, and that he will live for 40 years when he comes again. Therefore, they suggest that this verse is evidence for the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return, since his old age will occur following his second coming.6

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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). 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.

In The Commentary of Tabari, Imam at-Tabari gives the following explanation of these verses:

These statements [Surat al-Ma'ida 110] indicate that in order to complete his lifespan and speak to people when fully grown, The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come down from Heaven. That is because he was raised to Heaven when still young. In this verse [Surah Al 'Imran 46], there is evidence that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is living, and the Ahl al-Sunnah share that view. That is because in this verse it is stated that he will speak to people when fully grown. He will be able to grow fully only when he returns to Earth from Heaven."7

The meanings of kahlaan, as well as the other information provided by the Qur'an, indicate the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming in the End Times and that he will guide people to the true religion of Islam. No doubt, this is good news and a grace and gift of Allah for those who believe. The believers are responsible for supporting and defending him in the most appropriate way, and for living wholeheartedly the Qur'anic morality to which he calls them.

You would have supposed them to be awake, whereas in fact they were asleep. We moved them to the right and to the left, and, at the entrance, their dog stretched out its paws… (Surat al-Kahf, 18)

Everyone Will Recognize the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

İspanyol ressam Juan Bautista Maino'nun 1612-1613 yılına ait tablosunda Hz. Meryem ve Hz.İsa'ya sevgi ve saygı gösteren halk tasvir edilmiştir. Prado Müzesi, Madrid.

Another subject that has received a great deal of attention is how the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be recognized or by what features we will know him. As a person who was created superior in terms of knowledge, intelligence, physical appearance, and character, he will have the facial expression of a Prophet. His Allah-fearing nature and deepest faith will shine on his face so much so that people will instantly realize that they are looking upon someone quite superior.

Allah revealed that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is "of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near" (Surah Al 'Imran, 45). Like all Prophets, he will be known to those people surrounding him as an embodiment of Allah's Word, as well as his respectability, distinction, and dignity. Those who meet him will recognize him instantaneously, and no doubts will cloud their hearts. And those who rejected his arrival will realize their error.

It will be possible to identify him by a Prophet's attributes, which are described in the Qur'an. Other circumstances also will cause people to recognize him. One of the most important ones will be that he will be solitary: He will have no family or relatives, and no one will have known him from before. This is because all of the people who knew him lived and died 2,000 years ago. His mother Mary, Zachariah, the disciples who spent years with him, the Jewish leadership, and everyone who heard him preach are all dead. Therefore, when he comes again no one will have witnessed his birth, childhood, youth, and adulthood, and no one will know anything about him. There will be no childhood photos of him, and no one will have any memories of him.

No doubt, this situation does away with the nuisance of "false messiahs." When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, there will be nothing to cast any doubt on his identity. Nobody will find any cause to deny who he is, because the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return just as he was before Allah raised him to His Presence, including his garments, and will have superior qualities that no human being could imitate.

Comparable Events Mentioned in the Qur'an

The Qur'an mentions similar events, such as a person being resurrected after being dead for a long time and sleeping for hundreds of years that are comparable to the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) situation. Some of these are as follows:

The man resurrected after one hundred years

One of these examples is that of a man who had been dead for one hundred years:

Or [consider such example as] the one who passed by a town that had fallen into ruin. He asked: "How can Allah restore this to life when it has died?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, and then brought him back to life. Then He asked: "How long have you been here?" He replied: "I have been here a day or part of a day." He said: "Not so! You have been here a hundred years. Look at your food and drink—it has not gone bad—and look at your donkey, so We can make you a Sign for all mankind. Look at the bones—how We raise them up and clothe them in flesh." When it had become clear to him, he said: "Now I know that Allah has power over all things." (Surat al-Baqara, 259)

As we mentioned earlier, Allah reveals in the Qur’an that the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) soul was "taken back." In the above verse, on the other hand, true death(mawt) is revealed. Therefore, Allah reveals in the Qur'an that Allah willed the resurrection of someone who had truly died.

Awakening the "Companions of the Cave" after many years

Another example is the narrative of the "Companions of the Cave." Allah relates the story of a group of young people who sought refuge in the cave from their anti-religious ruler's despotism. Their awakening is described in the following terms:

When the young men took refuge in the cave and said: "Our Lord, give us mercy directly from You and open the way for us to right guidance in our situation." So We sealed their ears with sleep in the cave for a number of years. … You would have supposed them to be awake, whereas in fact they were asleep. We moved them to the right and to the left, and at the entrance, their dog stretched out its paws. If you had looked down and seen them, you would have turned from them and run and have been filled with terror at the sight of them. That was the situation when we woke them up so they could question one another. One of them asked: "How long have you been here?" They replied: "We have been here for a day or part of a day." They said: "Your Lord knows best how long have you been here. Send one of your number into the city with this silver you have, so he can see which food is purest and bring you some of it to eat. But he should go about with caution, so that no one is aware of you." (Surat al-Kahf, 10-11, 18-19)

Allah does not reveal in the Qur'an how long they remained in the cave. Instead, the duration of this period is implied by the words "for a number of years." People guessed that they stayed there for 309 years, for:

They stayed in their cave for three hundred years and added nine. Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed. The Unseen of the heavens and Earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector apart from Him. Nor does He share His rule with anyone." (Surat al-Kahf, 25-26)

The Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it: "Be!" and it is. (Surat al- Kahf, 117)

What this narrative reveals is that Allah took some people back from this life, either by making them sleep or by taking their lives, and then restored them to life, just as people wake up from sleep. the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is one such person. When the appointed time comes, he will live on Earth once again, fulfill the honorable responsibility given to him by Allah, and then die onEarth in the normal manner, for

He said: "On it you will live and on it you will die, and from it you will be brought forth." (Surat al-A'raf, 25)

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Appearance in the Hadith

The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has revealed many important matters about the Prophet Jesus'(pbuh) return, as well as some of the things that will happen before and after this event, in his hadiths. All of this information is from the "Unseen," and was given to him by Allah, as related in the following verse:

He [Allah] is the Knower of the Unseen, and does not divulge His Unseen to anyone—except a Messenger with whom He is well pleased, and then He posts sentinels before him and behind him. (Surat al-Jinn, 26-27)

Our Lord also reveals that He sent knowledge to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in his dreams:

Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: "You will enter the Sacred Mosque [Masjid al-Haram] in safety, Allah willing, shaving your heads and cutting your hair without any fear." He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Surat al-Fath, 27)

Allah gives such knowledge to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in order to help and support both him as well as all of the faithful believers who were with him.

Some of this revealed information deals with the signs of the End Times. The most significant of these revelations concerns the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming. The hadiths about the End Times can be found in sahih (accredited) hadith collections such as Imam Nawawi's Riyadh as-Salihin, Imam Malik's Al-Muwatta', Ibn Khuzayma's Sahih, Ibn Hibban's Sahih, Ahmad ibn Hanbal's Musnad, and Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi's Musnad. From these sources, we learn that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) made many important revelations about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), all of which are considered tawatur (reliable).

As is related in the hadith the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come again to Earth within the century in which we live, he will abide by the religion of Islam, purify Christianity of all its superstitions and hearsay, be instrumental in the conversion of the People of the Book into Islam, eradicate the system of dajjal and make the moral values of Islam rule the world together with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).

The Hadiths on the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Are "Tawatur"

The hadiths relating the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are reliable (tawatur). Research shows that scholars share this view. Tawatur is defined as "a tradition which has been handed down by a number of different channels of transmitters or authorities, hence supposedly ruling out the possibility of its having been forged."8

In his Al-Tasrih fi ma Tawatara fi Nuzul al-Masih, the great hadith scholar Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri writes that the hadiths about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are all reliable, and quotes 75 hadiths and 25 works by companions of our Prophet and their disciples (tabi'un).

In the Sunni school of Islam, Imam Abu Hanifah is the greatest collector of hadiths on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), 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 realities9

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is one of the ten great signs of the Last Day, and many Islamic scholars have dealt with the subject in great detail. When all of these views are considered together, it becomes apparent that there is a consensus on this event. That the hadiths are reliable is explained, as follows:

Muhammad al-Shawkani said that he had collected 29 hadiths and, when he had recorded them all, he said: "Our hadiths have reached the level of tawatur (reliable), as you can see. With this, we reach the conclusion that the hadiths on the anticipated Mahdi, the dajjal, and the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are mutawatir (genuine)10

At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, al-Bazzaz, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, al-Tabarani, and al-Musuli recorded many hadiths narrated by the Companions, such as 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, Talha, Abu Hurayra, Anas, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Umm Habiba, Umm Salama, 'Ali al-Hilali, and 'Abd Allah ibn al-Harith ibn Jaz, upon whose narrations they based their collection on.11 For instance, Ibn Hajr Al-Haythami in the book al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, al-Shablanji in his book Nur al-Absar, Ibn Sabbagh in his book Al-Fusul al-Muhimma, Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Sabban in his book Is'af ar-Raghibin fi Sirat al-Mustafa wa Fada'il Ahl Baytihi at-Tahirin, and Muhammad Amin Suwaidi in his book Saba'ik az-Zahab, wrote that the hadiths about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are reliable.12

Ibn Kathir, while explaining that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a sign of the End Times as pointed out in Surat az-Zukhruf 61, says that the hadiths about Jesus' (pbuh) second coming prior to the Day of Judgment have reached the status of mutawatir. 'Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda reveals that the hadiths about Jesus returning to earth and killing (making the dajjal ineffective) have reached the degree of being mutawatir.13 Al-Kattani shares these views in hisNazm al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir. 14

Such books show the great number of hadiths that exist on this subject. Furthermore, the hadiths that reveal the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming in the End Times as a sign of the Last Day are found in the main hadith source books, such as those by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Some of these are as follows:

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, the son of Mary (Jesus) will certainly invoke the name of Allah for Hajj or for Umrah, or for both, in the valley of Rawha. (Sahih Muslim)

"It (the Day of Judgment) will not come until you see ten signs," and (in this connection) he mentioned the smoke, the dajjal, the Beast, the rising of the Sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary… (Sahih Muslim)

By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people as a just ruler. (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims') commander will invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honor from Allah for this Ummah (nation). (Sahih Muslim)

How will you be when the some of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Qur'an? (Sahih al-Bukhari)

(For further information about the signs of the Last Day, please see Harun Yahya, Signs of the Last Day, Istanbul: Global Publishing, 2003)

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Announced the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Return

By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross [annul the worship of the cross], kill the pig [he will eliminate the superstitious beliefs included in the Christianity during latter periods], and abolish the jizya (a head tax on free non-Muslims living under Muslim rule). (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

No Prophet shall come during the period between me and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). And the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) shall descend. Recognize him when you see him. He is a man of medium height and of a ruddy, fair complexion. He will be dressed in two pieces of a yellow garment. The hair on his head will appear as if water is trickling out of it, although his hair would not be wet. He will struggle for the cause of Islam… And the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will make the dajjal ineffective. He will live on this Earth for a period of forty years, and at the end of this period he will pass away. The Muslims will offer the funeral prayers of Jesus. (Abu Dawud)

Certainly, the time of prayer will come and then Jesus (pbuh), son of Mary, descend and will lead them in prayer. When the enemy of Allah see him, he will (disappear) just as salt dissolves in water. (Sahih Muslim)

The world will be placed beneath his feet … His eyes will see the distance too … He will see the unbelievers' castles and villages… (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 244)

When their [believers'] Imam would come forward to lead them in congregation in the morning, the Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, (pbuh) would descend upon them in the morning. Upon this, that Imam would retreat walking backward, so that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)should come forward to lead people in prayer in congregation. But he would place his hand in between his shoulders and say: "Come forward and lead the prayer, for it has been established for you." (Sunan Ibn Majah)

When the dajjal faces him [Jesus], he [the dajjal] will begin to dissolve like salt in water. He [Jesus] will say to him: "I have to step in; you cannot escape." So Jesus (pbuh) will kill him [make him ineffectivewith his spear at the gate of Ludd. (Sunan Ibn Majah)

Then the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come to a people whom Allah would protect from dajjal (antichrist). He would then wipe [the traces of hardship from] their faces and tell them their ranks in Paradise. (Sunan Ibn Majah)

The World Will Be at Peace

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be a just judge and a just ruler in my ummah (people) . . . He will abandon the collection of zakat;grudge and mutual hatred will be lifted (removed), the sting of every stinging insect will be removed until a baby will insert his finger in snake's mouth and it will not harm him, and the wolf will be like the dog among the sheep (safeguarding them). Earth will be filled with peace, just as a vessel is filled with water; the word (kalima) will become one (i.e., only Islam will prevail) and only Allah will be worshipped; the battle will put down its weapons (i.e., come to an end) and the dominion of the Qurayshis will be broken. (Sunan Ibn Majah)

[In his time], there will be no rancour between any two persons. (Sahih Muslim)

[In his time], peace will prevail and people will use their swords as sickles. Every harmful beast will be made harmless . . . A child will play with a fox and not come to any harm; a wolf will graze with sheep and a lion with cattle, without harming them. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad)

There Will Be Great Prosperity

[When he comes] wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it [alms]. (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih al-Muslim)

The son of Mary (Jesus) will return and make the dajjal ineffective. Then you will live for 40 years in prosperity. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, 90)

Everywhere food will cook in pots, unseen prosperity will dominate, and material wealth will be disregarded. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, 66)

"Earth will turn like the silver tray, growing vegetation as it did in the time of Adam (peace be upon him) so much so that a group of people will eat a bunch of grapes and it will satiate them;a group of people will eat a single pomegranate and it will satiate them;the bull will be sold for a lot of money and a horse will cost only a few dirhams." The audience asked: "Allah's Messenger, why will a horse be so cheap? He replied:"It will not be used as a mount for fighting." He was asked:"Why will a bull be so expensive?" He replied:"The whole land would be tilled." (Sunan Ibn Majah)

Productivity of earth will multiply to such an extent that if a seed is sown in a solid rock, it will grow. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanzal Ummal)

Even without the plough, the produce of wheat would multiply seven hundred times, one mudd (a measure of wheat) becoming 700 mudd. (Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, Mawrid al-Sadi fi Mawlid al-Hadi)

Then Earth will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing. As a result thereof, there would grow (such a big) pomegranate that a group of people will be able to eat it and seek shelter under its skin. A milk cow will give so much milk that a whole party will able to drink. A milk camel will give such (a large quantity of) milk that the whole tribe will be able to drink out of it, and a milk sheep will give so much milk that the whole family will able to drink out of that… (Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Not Bring A New Religion

He will lead you according to the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Apostle. (Sahih Muslim)

Jesus (pbuh) will not come to the people of Muhammad as a Prophet; rather, he will come to practice the religion of Muhammad. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, 68)

Jesus (pbuh) will descend and will practice our Prophet's law. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, 2:1309)

He will judge by the law of Muhammad. He will follow the Prophet, even though he is one himself, and will belong to the people of Muhammad … He will be one of the people and companions of the Prophet, and he will be the most devout of them … (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, 243)

He will himself follow the Qur'an and Hadith and get the people to follow them. (Tabarani)

The Physical Appearance (Hilya) of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

He is a man of medium height; of a rudy, fair complexion; will be dressed in two pieces of died garment; and the hair of his head will appear as if water is trickling out of it, although it will not be wet. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad)

He has curly red hair and wide shoulders. He will break the cross [he will eliminate the superstitious beliefs included in the Christianity during latter periods] and abolish the jizya, and accept no other religion but Islam … [In his time] Nothing and nobody but Allah will be worshipped. He will practice Muhammad's law and belong to Muhammad's people. He will follow the Prophet even though he himself is a Prophet, because he saw him [Hazrat Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)] on the night of Mi'raj. Therefore, he [Jesus] will be the most distinguished Companion. (Jalaluddin as-Suyuti, Nuzul 'Isa ibn Maryam Akhir al-Zaman, 182)

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "On the night of Isra' [his miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem] I met Moses—he was a slim man with wavy hair, and looked like a man from the Shanu'ah tribe. I also met Jesus (pbuh)—he was of medium height and of a red complexion, as if he had just come out of the bath. (Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari)

While sleeping near the Ka'bah last night, I saw in my dream a man of brown color the best one can see among those who are brown colored, and his long hair fell between his shoulders. His hair was lank, water dribbled from his head, and he was placing his hands on the shoulders of two men while circumambulating the Ka'bah. I asked: "Who is this?" They replied, "This is Jesus (pbuh), son of Mary." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Burried Next to Our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tomb

Jesus (pbuh), son of Mary, will come down to the world… He will marry, . . . live for 45 years and then die. He will be buried with me [Hazrat Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)] in my grave. Then I and Jesus, son of Mary, will stand up in one grave between Abu Bakr and 'Umar. (Wali-ud-din bin Abdullah al-Khatib al-Umari al-Tabrizi, Mishkat al-Masabih, Damascus, 40:4)

Jesus (pbuh) will marry and have a child after he returns. After he dies, the Muslims will perform his funeral prayer and bury him at the Rauza-i-Aqdas. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, 65)

Jesus (pbuh) will die after living for 40 years. After he dies, the Muslims will perform his funeral prayer and bury him. (Ash-Sharani, Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, 498-499)

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming in the Hadiths Literature

Our Lord also reveals that He sent knowledge to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in his dreams:

Allah gives such knowledge to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in order to help and support both him as well as all of the faithful believers who were with him.

The Hadiths on the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Are "Tawatur"

In the Sunni school of Islam, Imam Abu Hanifah is the greatest collector of hadiths on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) 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 the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), 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.12

Muhammad al-Shawkani said that he had collected 29 hadiths and, when he had recorded them all, he said: "Our hadiths have reached the level of tawatur (reliable), as you can see. With this, we reach the conclusion that the hadiths on the anticipated Mahdi, the dajjal, and the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are mutawatir (genuine).13

At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, al-Bazzaz, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, al-Tabarani, and al-Musuli recorded many hadiths narrated by the Companions, such as 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, Talha, Abu Hurayra, Anas, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Umm Habiba, Umm Salama, 'Ali al-Hilali, and 'Abd Allah ibn al-Harith ibn Jaz, upon whose narrations they based their collection on.14 For instance, Ibn Hajr Al-Haythami in the book al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, al-Shablanji in his book Nur al-Absar, Ibn Sabbagh in his book Al-Fusul al-Muhimma, Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Sabban in his book Is'af ar-Raghibin fi Sirat al-Mustafa wa Fada'il Ahl Baytihi at-Tahirin,and Muhammad Amin Suwaidi in his book Saba'ik az-Zahab, wrote that the hadiths about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are reliable.15

These hadiths are recorded by the Ahl as-Sunnah scholars and hadith experts in their own works. For instance, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, an-Nasa'i, al-Tabarani, al-Rawajini, Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani, ad-Daylami, al-Baihaqi, as-Salabi, Hamawaini, Manawi, Ibn al-Jawzi, Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Sabban, al-Mawardi, al-Khanji al-Shafi, as-Samani, al-Khwarizmi, ash-Sharani, ad-Daraqutni, Ibn Sabbagh al-Maliki, Muhibbuddin Tabari, Ibn Hajr al-Haythami, Shaikh Mansur 'Ali Nasif, Muhammad ibn Talha, Jalaluddin as-Suyuti, al-Qurtubi, al-Baghawi and many more deal with the subject in their books.
Ibn Kathir, while explaining that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a sign of the End Times as pointed out in Surat az-Zukhruf 61, says that the hadiths about Jesus' (pbuh) second coming prior to the Day of Judgment have reached the status of mutawatir. 'Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda reveals that the hadiths about Jesus returning to earth and killing (making the dajjal ineffective) have reached the degree of being mutawatir.16 Al-Kattani shares these views in hisNazm al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir.17

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, the son of Mary (Jesus) will certainly invoke the name of Allah for Hajj or for Umrah, or for both, in the valley of Rawha. (Sahih Muslim)

By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people as a just ruler. (Sahih al-Bukhari)

How will you be when the some of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Qur'an? (Sahih al-Bukhari)

(For further information about the signs of the Last Day, please see Harun Yahya, Signs of the Last Day, Istanbul: Global Publishing, 2003)

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Announced the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Return

The world will be placed beneath his feet … His eyes will see the distance too … He will see the unbelievers' castles and villages… (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 244)

The World Will Be at Peace

[In his time], there will be no rancour between any two persons. (Sahih Muslim)

There Will Be Great Prosperity

[When he comes] wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it [alms]. (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih al-Muslim)

The son of Mary (Jesus) will return and make the dajjal ineffective. Then you will live for 40 years in prosperity. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, 90)

Everywhere food will cook in pots, unseen prosperity will dominate, and material wealth will be disregarded. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, 66)

Productivity of earth will multiply to such an extent that if a seed is sown in a solid rock, it will grow. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanzal Ummal)

Even without the plough, the produce of wheat would multiply seven hundred times, one mudd (a measure of wheat) becoming 700 mudd. (Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, Mawrid al-Sadi fi Mawlid al-Hadi)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Not Bring A New Religion

He will lead you according to the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Apostle. (Sahih Muslim)

Jesus (pbuh) will descend and will practice our Prophet's law. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, 2:1309)

He will himself follow the Qur'an and Hadith and get the people to follow them. (Tabarani)

The Physical Appearance (Hilya) of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Burried Next to Our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tomb

Jesus (pbuh) will die after living for 40 years. After he dies, the Muslims will perform his funeral prayer and bury him. (Ash-Sharani, Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, 498-499)

27 Ocak 2013 Pazar

The Glad Tidings Of The Messiah

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

Sources about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) life

Palestine at the time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Era of King Herod I

Jewish Sects at the Time of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Sadducees

The Pharisees

The Zealots

The Essenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Jews Expecting "The Savior"

Oppressed People Want a Savior

The Prophet John (Yahya) (pbuh)

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Life

Mary's Encounter with Gabriel

The Prophet Jesus' (Pbuh) Birth

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Life

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Struggle

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Superior Character

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Ministry

The Qur'anic Account of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Ascent to Allah's Presence

1) Tawaffa: To Cause To Die, To Take in One's Sleep, or To Take Back

2) Qatala: To Kill

3) Halaka: To Perish

4) Mawt: Death

5) Khalid: Immortal

6) Salaba: To Crucify

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Come Again

1. Proof

2. Proof

3. Proof

4. Proof

5. Proof

6. Proof

7. Proof

Everyone Will Recognize the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

Comparable Events Mentioned in the Qur'an

The man resurrected after one hundred years

Awakening the "Companions of the Cave" after many years

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Appearance in the Hadith

The Hadiths on the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Are "Tawatur"

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Announced the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Return

The World Will Be at Peace

There Will Be Great Prosperity

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Not Bring A New Religion

The Physical Appearance (Hilya) of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Burried Next to Our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tomb

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming in the Hadiths Literature

The Hadiths on the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Are "Tawatur"

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Announced the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Return

The World Will Be at Peace

There Will Be Great Prosperity

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Not Bring A New Religion

The Physical Appearance (Hilya) of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Burried Next to Our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tomb