 Qur'an and hadith reveal that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die but was raised to Allah's Presence. The Christians also believe this; however, their belief contradicts the Qur'an. In addition, some Muslims also have the mistaken ideas that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) died and will not return. Such a claim is completely unfounded and, as our Lord states, those who make it are only guessing. Allah tells all believers not to speculate on matters of which they have no knowledge:
Some people may be taken in by this erroneous belief, because they fail to fully consider what it means to make or believe such a claim. Or, they may be unaware of the responsibility that this will place on them. We do not seek to disparage such people; rather, our goal is to show them their mistake so that they will abandon it. But before they can be made to realize what a great error they are making, they need to consider just what that claim implies. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that He confounded the unbelievers' plots against the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and that they did not kill him. It is a grave responsibility to ignore a truth revealed as clearly as in the words: "… they did not kill him and they did not crucify him" (Surat an-Nisa’:157). In essence, believing that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was killed means that the unbelievers' plot succeeded, which contradicts the Qur'an.
Some people say that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was not killed but died when his appointed hour came. That is also untrue. According to this error, Allah took the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) soul before the unbelievers could lay their hands on him, and therefore he was not killed by them. Yet the relevant verses clearly demonstrate that this is not the case. Moreover, such logic is flawed. Consider the following analogy: Three people have conspired to kill an enemy in an ambush. Let us further assume that the person in question dies of a heart attack before reaching the ambush site. In such a case, those who set the ambush will presumably rejoice in the belief that they have achieved their objective.
Alternatively, consider the case of someone who goes to an enemy's home to kill him. However, he falls to his death from the balcony rather than as the result of a punch during the fight. The fact that the person in question has died means that his antagonist has attained his objective. A similar analogy can be imagined in the case of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). The unbelievers set a trap designed to kill him. Yet Allah reveals that He foiled that trap. If the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) were to die anyway, this would mean that the unbelievers succeeded, which is not possible. Therefore, he is still alive, will come again at Allah's command, and will make religious moral values prevail over the whole world. In effect, he will die only after he has returned to Earth and lived until he reaches old age. (Allah knows the truth.)
Still other people maintain that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was saved from the unbelievers' trap but then died at an unknown time. Not only does this claim lack any logical foundation, it also raises a number of unanswered questions to which these people offer no logical explanation. Allah caused the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to disappear suddenly while he was still alive. After this, nobody saw or spoke to him ever again. This is an extraordinary situation. If, as these people maintain, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) had lived for a while longer, surely some people would have seen him or spoken to him. Yet we have no such information that such a thing actually happened. Of course, it would have been impossible for him to have lived without moving among the people, speaking to anyone, or communicating his message, for doing so was the sole reason for his creation and being sent to the Children of Israel.
As mentioned earlier, this situation is unique to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). The word tawaffaa is used only to describe his death. In addition, no other prophet was taught the three Divine books: "I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel" (Surat al-Ma’ida:110) or has been described as: "He is a Sign of the Hour" (Surat az-Zukhruf:61). Only the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised to Allah's Presence while still alive, only his followers will be superior until the Day of Judgment, and only in his case will all members of the People of the Book believe in him before he dies. All of this is an important proof that Allah has approved a very special destiny for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), and that to fulfill his destiny the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) must be alive in His Presence and return to Earth.
Allah's confounding of the unbelievers' plot against the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and raising him while still alive, in both body and soul, to His Presence is a great miracle. Throughout history, Allah has supported the prophets with various miracles. He revealed the true book, the Qur'an, to Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) transport from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque in a single night (Surat al-Isra’:1) and his prediction that the believers would enter the Sacred Mosque in safety (Surat al-Fath:27) are some of his miracles. The way that Moses' (pbuh) staff turned into a snake and confounded the illusions of Pharaoh's magicians, the way that his hand appeared snow-white to onlookers, and the way that the Red Sea divided in front of Moses (pbuh) and his people as they were being pursued by Pharaoh and his army; the way that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) came into the world without a father, spoke to people while he was still in his cradle, raised the dead, and cured lepers; and the way that the fire was cooled when Abraham (pbuh) was cast into it are other miracles performed with Allah's approval.
The faithful believe in these miracles performed by our Lord, and these miracles increase their joy in belief. Just as one of the faithful believes in all of the prophets' miracles, including those wrought by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), by the will of Allah, that person must also believe that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was miraculously raised to His Presence.
In addition, those who claim that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) has already died have to bear in mind the loss they will suffer when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) does return. Many of the signs regarding this event, as revealed in the Qur'an and the hadith, have already occurred. It is also great news that his second coming is at hand. That being the case, believers need to experience the excitement, enthusiasm, and joy of that event, and to compete with one another to make the best possible preparations to greet him. Therefore, those who have become caught up in this erroneous belief that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) has already died need to abandon their preconceptions, listen to their consciences, and again study in detail what the Qur'an has to say. Only by doing so will they see the truth and be freed from their error.
Nevertheless, it will be useful to examine these mistaken claims once again to see their groundless nature so that those who have been taken in can acquire accurate information.
Claim 1 and Its Refutation
One so-called piece of evidence put forward by those who maintain that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) has died is the expression: "… when You took me back to You [tawaffaytanee], You were the One watching over them..." in Surat al-Ma’ida:117. These people interpret tawaffaytanee as biological death. However, as discussed earlier, taking the soul does not always refer to biological death. We will give a brief summary of the preceding arguments here, as follows:
1. The term took me back is the same as that employed in Surah Al 'Imran:55. As we made clear in our analysis of this verse, the word carries different senses than the English word death. An analysis of how tawaffaa is used in the Qur'an makes this clear. We have already looked at Surat az-Zumar:42 in connection with this. Now, we will consider another verse that uses tawaffaa in the same sense:
As Allah states in this verse, He takes the souls of sleeping people. While asleep, people do not die in the normally accepted sense; the soul merely leaves the body for a different dimension for a brief period of time. If this is considered biological death, then the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) died every night of his lifetime. Moreover, this would be true of all people. Clearly, the verse is not saying this.
Prophet Jesus (pbuh) died every night of his lifetime. Moreover, this would be true of all people. Clearly, the verse is not saying this.
According to the majority view, tawaffaa is used in the sense of sleep. Therefore, the verse means: "I shall cause you to sleep." In conclusion, we can say that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was placed in a state similar to sleep, was raised to Allah's Presence while alive, and that he merely departed from this dimension. (Allah knows the truth.)
The contemporary Islamic scholar Muhammad Khalil Herras made the following comment:
Similarly, in commenting on on Surat al-Ma’ida:117, Hamdi Yazir of Elmali draws attention to the use ofmutawaffeeka in Surah Al 'Imran:55 and says that the word is used in the same sense in both verses. Hamdi Yazir of Elmali gives the following exposition in his commentary:
In other words, the expression "You took me back" refers not to his biological death; rather, it indicates that he was raised to Allah's Presence in a state resembling sleep and thereby removed from this dimension. (Allah knows the truth.)
2.Some people misinterpret the tidings given in Surat al-Ma’ida:116-117 and, as a result, fall into a number of errors. However, when these verses are examined in the light of the following verses and the interpretations of Islamic scholars, the errors of such people are exposed. For example;
The people in question claim that this question posed by Allah reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) died. However, the expression revealed here deals with our Lord speaking to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) on the Day of Judgment. When the verses following this one are examined, this becomes quite clear:
Moreover, the Qur'an contains other information about the Day of Judgment. Abu Lahab is one example of those told by our Lord, while he was still alive, that he would go to Hell:
Similarly, Allah reveals in the Qur'an that He, Himself calls people to account on the Day of Judgment and that the guardians of Hell speak with those who have earned suffering for themselves:
As we have seen, Allah gives examples of conversations carried out in the Hereafter. The conversation with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will take place with our Lord in the Hereafter, after he has come to Earth for a second time and then died.
Christians have fallen into serious error by deifying the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). (Allah is surely beyond that.) Those who adhere to this error will have to give an account in Allah's Presence on the Day of Judgment. According to the Qur'an, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will bear witness that they turned away from the true religion, because, like all other prophets, he called his society to believe in Allah as the one and only and to serve only Him. Surat al-Ma’ida:119 says that this event will occur in the Hereafter, which means that it refers to the Day of Judgment, as revealed in the above verses. The sentence "This is the day when the sincerity of the sincere will benefit them" indicates this.
In conclusion, this conversation refers to the future, not the past. In addition, there is no indication given in the verse "when You took me back to You" that can be interpreted in such a way to support the mistaken claim that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) died in the past. Thus, this verse cannot be used as evidence that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) has already died.
As stated earlier, the great majority of Islamic scholars agree that these verses refer to the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascension to Allah's Presence. For instance, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi said that the verse means "Jesus' (pbuh) raising to the sky."82Similarly, Ibn Kathir said that this does not point to his death, but describes a conversation that will take place on the Day of Judgment. He also said that the word in the familiar sense of (biological) death is not used in the verse..83In his book Mawqif al-'Aql, Sheikh al-Islam Mustafa Sabri analysed the verse in the following terms: "You took and raised me from among them, and put an end to my relationship with Earth." He then continued: "This is taking by raising to His Presence; it is not killing." Such modern commentators as Hasan Basri Cantay, Omer Nasuhi Bilmen, and al-Sabuni have said that "You took me back to You" means "You raised me from among them to the heavens."84
Claim 2 and Its Refutation
As stated earlier, the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascension to Allah's Presence is an important piece of evidence that he never died. People who misunderstand this truth, however, have sought to interpret his ascension in terms of the concepts of time and space, which apply to us. As a result, they assert that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is present in the sky in physical form, which then leads them to deny his ascension to Allah's Presence. But this is a most mistaken view. First and foremost, the intention behind raising the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to His Presence was not so that he could live physically in the heavens, but to take him to a separate dimension, one independent of time and space. (Allah knows the truth.)
Human beings inhabit a dimension bounded by time and space and can only perceive and understand events within that dimension, as far as Allah permits and in the manner desired by Him. However, many verses reveal that there are other dimensions of which we know nothing, such as that inhabited by angels and jinns. With our Lord's approval, angels and jinns can cross from their own dimension to ours. An examination of the relevant verses will clarify this matter for us.
1. Allah is the Lord of the Worlds
One of Allah's names is "Lord of the worlds." This indicates the existence of worlds other than the one known to and inhabited by human beings. (Allah knows the truth.) Allah is the Creator and Lord of all worlds, even of those that are both known and unknown to us and that we can and cannot perceive. This name appears in various verses, some of which are presented below:
2. Martyrs Inhabit a Dimension Unknown to Human Beings
Other verses that point to the existence of dimensions are those that reveal the rank and position of martyrs. For example:
In other words, even though martyrs appear to have died in the biological sense, He states that they are alive, but that we cannot fully understand their true situation. The expression "they are alive, but you are not aware of it" indicates that people have no knowledge of this subject and cannot understand it, for they are only familiar with the conditions of this world. (Allah knows the truth.) Other verses reveal that martyrs live in the manner appointed for them by Allah in a very different dimension, one in which there is no time and space:
In this dimension, martyrs are sustained, feel joy, and wish to give glad tidings to those who come later. Those who feel unnecessary doubts and concerns about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) being raised to Allah's Presence because they fail to understand the essence of this event should, necessarily, also doubt the existence of this dimension. Yet there is no evidence to provoke such doubt. On the other hand, there is a clear proof that, just like martyrs, angels, and jinns, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) inhabits a dimension about which we know nothing, and that he will return to Earth when Allah wills. Allah raised the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to His Presence, and, when the time established by Allah comes, he will return to this dimension, which is bound by time and space.
3. Angels Descend to Earth and Ascend to Allah's Presence
Belief in angels is one of Islam's fundamental tenets of faith. The Qur'an contains some information about these entities: They constantly praise and glorify Allah, do what He tells them to do perfectly and fully, have sincerely submitted to Him, and inhabit a dimension that is not bound by time and space. As regards this last point, consider the following verses:
 The expression "a day whose length is fifty thousand years" shows that angels are not bound by the human concept of time. Furthermore, it is a proof that there is a life beyond this concept, one that does not resemble the life in this world and is not bound by the concepts of time or space. It is very possible that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is living in such a dimension. (Allah knows the truth.)
The fact that Allah sends angels to Earth to perform specific tasks shows that there is a transition between the human and other dimensions. Some of their tasks are to transmit Allah's revelations to human beings and to help and support believers:
Another verse reveals that angels can descend to Earth to carry out various duties approved by Allah:
In addition, angels were sent as messengers to the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) and the Prophet Lot (pbuh) to inform them that their peoples would be punished; that they came to Zechariah with the glad tidings of a child; and that they came to Maryam, telling her that Allah had chosen her and that she would bear a son named Jesus. The revelation of the Qur'an to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) by means of the angel Gabriel, as well as our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) seeing him, is revealed as follows:
When the angels return to His Presence, this does not mean that they cease to exist, in the terms that apply in this world. They merely move to another dimension and continue living beyond our understanding. Similarly, the fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was raised to Allah's Presence does not mean that he has died. Many verses and hadith confirm the truth of this interpretation. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is alive in a dimension that surpasses our understanding. Moreover, the fact that angels cross between two dimensions, as Allah wills, shows that this transition is very easy when our Lord so wills. When the time set forth by Allah comes, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth and call people to religious moral values as the messenger of Allah.
All of this evidence indicates that those people who deny that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is still alive and will return fail to appreciate Allah's power and might. Given that Allah, the All-Mighty and All-Powerful, is sovereign over all things, He creates as He wills and has infinite knowledge, whereas all human knowledge is limited to that which Allah permits humanity to have. A human being can only comprehend an event, how it takes place and the wisdom behind it, to the extent permitted by Allah. The fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was purified of the unbelievers and raised to Allah's Presence may be one of those events that people cannot fully comprehend. A great miracle took place when the unbelievers came to kill the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Miracles are marvels that strengthen the believers' faith and cause some unbelievers to turn to faith. After they see a miracle, believers turn to Allah and appreciate His infinite might. Their awed respect and sincere love for Allah is reinforced, and their enthusiasm and excitement grow. The way that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was protected from the unbelievers' traps and departed from this dimension in both body and soul is one of these miracles. When the time appointed by Allah comes, another great miracle will take place: the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth. This fact has been imparted in verses and hadith, and is a marvel that all believers need to ponder.
Other Indicative Accounts in the Qur'an
As stated at the beginning, one of the most serious errors made by those who reject the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascension is their failure to realize that Allah is not bound by time and space. In fact, there are dimensions, all of which He created, that are unknown and unperceived by humanity. This fact can help us understand the proofs presented for this miraculous event. As stated in the Qur'an:
Allah reveals in another verse that all matters "ascend to" Himself during "a day whose length is a thousand years," according to the human comprehension of time:
The fact that "Allah directs the whole affair" is a proof that He is unbound by space and time. Allah knows everything that happens in the universe, down to the tiniest detail. Nothing can be hidden from our Lord, neither an action performed openly nor one believed to have been carried out in secret. This is indicated in the expression that all matters "ascend to Allah."
Another verse describes the position of the believers who made the hijrah (migration) with Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and reveals:
The phrase "migrating to Allah" indicates that our Lord is not bound by space. These believers left their homes and migrated, together with Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), because of the unbelievers' oppression. They did not, of course, migrate to Allah in the sense bounded by time and space in which we think. Rather, this verse reveals that they left their homes in the hope of Allah's mercy and compassion, and migrated to a new home in obedience to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Abraham's (pbuh) words: "I am going towards my Lord; He will be my guide" (Surat as-Saffat:99), indicates his own migration.
In the same way, the Qur'an refers to people being restored to life, after being put into a state resembling sleep or killed, in a manner outside the familiar concepts of time, sleep, and death. One of these is a reference to someone who was resurrected after being left for dead for hundreds of years. Another refers to the people of al-Kahf (the Companions of the Cave), who were awoken after long years of sleep.
The Man Raised to Life after a Hundred Years
Allah reveals in the Qur'an the following information about them:
Allah creates whatsoever He wills, in any manner that He wills, and has dominion over all that exists. Unbound by the concepts of time and space, our Lord can remove people from these concepts whenever He wills and cause them to experience extraordinary events. This is a very easy matter for Allah, for only humanity – not Allah – is bound by time and space. But our Lord, Who is unbounded by anything and is perfect in all respects, creates and makes something happen by saying: "Be!" This is revealed in the following verses:
Waking the Companions of the Cave after Many Years
Another example is the Qur'anic account of the Companions of the Cave, a group of young people who sought protection from their oppressive ruler who opposed religious moral values. Allah reveals in the Qur'an the following information about them:
Allah does not reveal in the Qur'an how long these young people remained in the cave, although the term "for a number of years" reveals that the period they spent there was not a short one. (Allah knows the truth.) Moreover, Allah reveals in the Qur'an that people estimated that they spent 309 years in the cave. This is another sign that their sleep lasted for quite a while:
Under normal terrestrial conditions, people obviously cannot sleep for such a long period. This sleep, therefore, may not be the type of sleep with which we are familiar. Perhaps they were taken into another dimension, one in which time and space do not apply, and were later sent back to Earth. (Allah knows the truth.)
Just like people waking up from sleep, these people also returned to life. In a similar way, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to life when he comes back to Earth and, after fulfilling the honorable responsibility imposed on him by Allah, and, as a requirement of the verse; He said: "On it [Earth] you will live and on it die, and from it you will be brought forth," (Surat al-A'raf:25) he will die on Earth, like every other human being. (Allah knows the truth.)
Claim 3 and Its Refutation
Another claim made by those who do not believe in the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is based on Surat al-Anbiya’:34-35. These read as follows:
Some people cite these verses as proof that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is dead. However, by doing so they ignore the many clear verses and hadith that proclaim that Allah protected and rescued the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) from the unbelievers' traps. The great majority of Islamic scholars agree with this interpretation. Moreover, the fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die and was raised to Allah's Presence does not mean that he is immortal. Furthermore, such a mistaken idea is never proposed when dealing with his second coming. All of the evidence focuses on the facts that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) has not died yet, that he will return to Earth, and that his death will take place after that. (Allah knows the truth.)
These deluded people may make such a claim because they have not fully examined or understood the clear evidence that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is not dead. As revealed in: "He is only a servant on whom We bestowed Our blessing and whom We made an example for the Children of Israel" (Surat az-Zukhruf:59), the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a mortal servant created by Allah, just like everyone else. However, some Christians mistakenly deified him (Allah is surely beyond that) because of the many blessings and miracles that our Lord bestowed upon him. Muslims have a deep love and respect for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), just as they do for all of Allah's prophets. But they are also fully aware that just like all the other messengers, he is no more than a servant created by Allah:
Claim 4 and Its Refutation
Some people suggest that because Christians believe that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is not dead and that he will return to Earth, Muslims should not believe such mistaken claims. However, their logic is seriously flawed.
First, it needs to be made clear that Judaism and Christianity were corrupted over the course of time, and that superstitions and errors entered into them. In addition, a close examination of the Torah and the Gospel reveals that a number of beliefs and moral values belonging to the true religion have been preserved. In addition, both books have several aspects in common with the Qur'an. Thus, we can establish which beliefs have been corrupted and which are compatible with the true religion by taking the Qur'an and the Sunnah of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as our guides.
The Qur'an, the last Divine book revealed by Allah, turned people toward the true path and away from their misguided beliefs. In fact, the Qur'an enabled the Christians and the Jews, who had become divided from each other before its revelation, were given true and Divine information on these subjects. Allah reveals this truth in several verses, as follows:
The Qur'an describes, in some detail, the lives of Moses (pbuh) and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), the lives of their followers, their moral values, how Muslims look at Jews and Christians, what their attitudes toward them should be, and other such matters. One piece of information is which Christian and Jewish beliefs and laws have become corrupted. Heading this list is the Christian belief that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is Allah's son. (Allah is surely beyond that.) Based upon this mistaken belief, they have sought to deify the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). (Allah is surely beyond that.) The belief in the trinity is another fundamental, but distorted, Christian belief. Allah reveals that Christians have assumed a major responsibility because they allowed such distortions to enter their religion:
Another verse reveals the scale of the responsibility assumed by Christians for developing corrupt beliefs:
On the other hand, Judaism and Christianity have preserved such basic items of faith as belief in the Day of Judgment, the prophets and angels, and various values (e.g., honesty, helping others, being patient and altruistic, protecting and feeding the needy, ensuring justice, speaking fair words, and being modest and peace-loving). These items are found in all Divine religions. Some of the virtues of the People of the Book who sincerely believe in Allah are revealed, as follows:
The Christian belief that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is not dead and will return is fully present in the Qur'an, which also reveals which aspects of Christianity are superstitious and which are Divine. Christians make several errors with regard to the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascension, due to such corrupt beliefs as the trinity and the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) so-called status as Allah's son (Allah is surely beyond that). In addition, their beliefs that he died to atone for the sins of all humanity and that he ascended to Allah's Presence after dying on the Cross are incompatible with the true religion. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that nobody can atone for the sins of another, for every individual's deeds are his or hers alone. Every person will be called to account on the Day of Judgment alone, and nobody will be able to help anyone else, unless Allah wills it. This is revealed in the following verse:
The Prophet Jesus (pbuh), one of Allah's prophets and messengers, called his people to a great truth: "Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path" (Surah Al 'Imran:51). In other words, he called upon them to serve Allah alone and to live the kind of lives that would meet with His good approval and warned them against the sufferings of the Day of Judgment. Like all other people, he could only do what Allah willed him to do. As revealed in the verse that reports Abraham's (pbuh) prayer, Allah "gives me food and gives me drink; and when I am ill, He heals me; He will cause my death, then give me life; He Who I sincerely hope will forgive my mistakes on the Day of Reckoning" (Surat ash-Shu'ara’:79-82). Christians, on the other hand, make a grave error by saying that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was crucified to atone for the sins of all humanity.
However, the Qur'an confirms their belief in the second coming. If they had corrupted this belief, there is no doubt that the Qur'an would have rectified this mistake, just as it rectifies all of the corrupted beliefs and concepts that have entered Christianity with respect to this great prophet (pbuh). In conclusion, the unbelievers did not kill the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), for Allah raised him to His Presence. Both Christians and Muslims are waiting for his return. Until that time, he continues to live in a dimension that is unbounded by time and space and the nature of which is known only to our Lord.
Claim 5 and Its Refutation
One of the claims made by those who are unwilling to accept the second coming is that "Believing in Jesus' (pbuh) return means accepting Christianity."
This error is the product of mistaken and distorted logic. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a praised, selected, and unique prophet in Allah's Presence. His superior moral values and deep faith are remembered with respect by all believers, who have adopted him as a role model. Praising his moral values, feeling intense excitement at his impending return, and telling all believers of these glad tidings are examples of a proper attitude. Making irrational and illogical excuses, such as the one given above, is unacceptable.
According to this distorted logic, nothing regarding Christianity should ever be mentioned or discussed. In the same way, Moses' (pbuh) correct moral values and exemplary life should never be described, on the grounds that this would mean supporting the Jews. Many Qur'anic verses praise the Prophets Jesus, Moses, Joseph, Abraham, and Jacob (peace be upon them all), as well as their deep faith. Yet according to this mistaken logic, these verses should never be read. These excuses are clearly unacceptable. As we made clear earlier, the People of the Book have several corrupted beliefs and practices that are incompatible with the true religion. These are revealed in the Qur'an, as is the fact that followers of both religions have good and pleasing aspects and beliefs that are compatible with the true religion. Our responsibility is to consider the People of the Book in the light of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and to distinguish between truth and error with the information that we obtain from these sources.
In addition, we must remember that Muslims make no distinction among the prophets and that they hold these people in great respect: "We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; what was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes; what Moses and Jesus were given; and what all the prophets were given by their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them. We are Muslims submitted to Him" (Surat al-Baqara:136). The fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth before the Day of Judgment is not a subject that believers should refrain from discussing on the grounds of irrational and illogical pretexts. On the contrary, it is a glad tiding that should be constantly borne in mind with great enthusiasm, passion, and joy.
Another fact reveals these people's error: When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, he will rule with the Qur'an. Like all of the other prophets, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a follower of Islam, the true and Divine religion in Allah's Presence. Allah reveals in the Qur'an these facts in the following verses:
When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns to Earth, he will eliminate the distorted beliefs of the People of the Book, call people to Islam, and rule with the Qur'an and the Sunnah. These glad tidings are reported in the hadith:
Claim 6 and Its Refutation
Another claim is that "The return of Jesus (pbuh) would eliminate the element of testing." According to this totally groundless claim, those who witness the rising of someone who died thousands of years ago and who have doubts about the resurrection will come to have faith. Therefore, there will no longer be any need for testing people.
This interpretation also lacks any logical foundation. First, as stated before, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) did not die but is still alive in Allah's Presence. Moreover, not everyone will immediately accept this event, as the people in question maintain. At first, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be met with skepticism, especially from those who do not live by true religious moral values or those who have weak faith. After the second coming, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will wage a great intellectual struggle against all atheistic systems and ideologies, and return the religion to its pure form by eliminating all of its corrupted elements and beliefs. At the end of this struggle, the true religious moral values will rule the world. Indeed, the great Islamic scholar Said Nursi showed that the great majority of people will greet the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) with skepticism, but that sincere believers will recognize him by the light of his faith and immediately obey him:
As this great teacher reported, when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, not everyone will recognize and believe in him. Moreover, it must not be forgotten that most of the prophets sent throughout history performed miracles by Allah's will in order to call people to faith. However, a great many people still refused to believe, despite these miracles. On the contrary, they became arrogant and persisted in their unbelief, as did Pharaoh and his court, who refused to believe, despite the Prophet Moses' (pbuh) miracles (e.g., turning his staff into a snake, and his hand becoming as white as snow) by Allah’s grace. The people's response to these miracles is revealed in the following terms:
Allah also reveals that, unless He wills otherwise, those who refuse to believe will not change their minds even if they witness great miracles:
Therefore, regardless of the miracle performed, humanity's environment of testing will never be eliminated. The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming will be a means through which sincere believers will be distinguished from those who do not believe. With the reason, clear-sightedness, and foresight imparted by faith, sincere believers will recognize the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), obey him wholeheartedly, and support and protect him. Unbelievers or those with weak faith will remain skeptical and doubtful. (Allah knows bestthe truth.) However, their groundless doubts and skepticism will not alter the facts, for Allah's promise of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return to Earth will be fulfilled, regardless of anyone's plan to prevent this great miracle.
Claim 7 and Its Refutation
Another claim made by those who believe that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is dead is that the Qur'an reveals that Prophet Idris (pbuh) was also "raised up." According to this claim, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), just like the Prophet Enoch (pbuh), was only "raised up" in the sense of station or rank. When the relevant verses are examined in detail, however, this deduction is shown to be inaccurate. The relevant verses are given below:
Clearly, there is a great difference between these two states. Since the other prophets' superior moral values and faith are praised in the preceding verses, as is the case with Idris (pbuh), it is revealed that he has been raised in station. However, the verses that precede the one mentioning the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascension discuss the unbelievers' plot against him and how Allah protected him by raising him, body and soul, into another dimension unbounded by space and time. Thus, Idris (pbuh) was raised in station, whereas the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was physically removed from this dimension and raised to Allah's Presence. (Allah knows the truth.)
Claim 8 and Its Refutation
Another unfounded assertion made by some people is that "Since Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was the last prophet, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will not return." This has no basis in fact. First, it needs to be made clear that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is "the messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the prophets" (Surat al-Ahzab:40). The fact that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth does not, as some people maintain, change that fact. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return not as a prophet, but as a messenger who will maintain the law of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and cause religious moral values to prevail worldwide.
Other people put forward another irrational and illogical claim: "If Jesus (pbuh) is not to return as a prophet, then his coming will have no meaning." This violates both reason and conscience. Our Lord has promised this event, behind which He has placed great wisdom. Throughout history, Allah has shown people the true path through the prophets that He has sent to them. Sometimes, during periods when people had turned away from religious moral values and degeneracy had become widespread, He removed people from the darkness of their errors by sending them messengers. These messengers are people sent by Allah as rulers, who have led people to salvation. Indeed, Allah reveals in the Qur'an that people suffering woes and difficulties have prayed to Allah to send them a savior and protector:
Of course, Allah answered these prayers and sent them a savior from His Presence, which is a very great blessing. The accounts of Saul (pbuh) and Dhu'l Qarnayn (pbuh) constitute important evidence that Allah has sent messengers as well as prophets to various peoples. Allah sent Saul (pbuh) to his society as a ruler, and the believers had to obey him. Saul (pbuh) and those around him fought against Goliath, the unbelievers' leader. Sincere believers devoted themselves to Saul (pbuh) and obeyed him, while the skeptics could neither understand that Saul (pbuh) had been sent to them as a messenger nor the wisdom in complying with his commands. The ignorant reaction of such people is given in the Qur'an:
Similarly, Dhu'l Qarnayn (pbuh) was sent as a messenger to his society in order to rescue its members from the difficulties into which they had fallen, and to enable religious moral values to prevail. Allah revealed in the Qur'an that He made this man a sound ruler:
In our own time, people are living in a world of moral collapse, poverty, and cruelty in which injustice prevails. When the time stipulated by Allah comes, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be sent back to Earth to enable religious moral values to prevail and lead people from the darkness into the light. With the second coming, atheistic ideologies, which form the basis of cruelty and degeneration, will be entirely eliminated on the intellectual level. And then, by the will of Allah, the peace, security, and abundance for which people are longing will come to prevail.
Claim 9 and Its Refutation
Other people with baseless doubts about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) exact status and return ask: "Why is Jesus (pbuh) being sent to cause religious moral values to prevail, and not the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)?" Taking these concerns as a pretext, they then raise all sorts of objections.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is an honored and trustworthy messenger in Allah's Sight. Allah revealed His last Book to this great man, who is a role model of abiding by proper moral values, godliness and closeness to Allah, a friend of Allah, and one superior in His Sight. He is also the friend, and protector of all believers. Throughout his life, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) waged an exemplary struggle in the path of Allah and enlightened Arabia, which was buried in spiritual darkness and ignorance, with Islamic moral values. When the time appointed by Allah came to an end, his life, like that of many other prophets, came to an end.
However, Allah ordained a different destiny for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and promised him that he would return to Earth. This is our Lord's discretion, and surely there is great wisdom behind it. One element of that wisdom (Allah knows the truth) is that only such a miracle will enable Christians and Jews to rescue themselves from the situation in which they find themselves. Christians have many superstitions and distorted dogmas, which the Muslims do not have, such as deifying the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) (Allah is surely beyond that). Thus, the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is of great importance, for it will enable Christianity to rid itself of such distorted beliefs and turn to the true religious moral values of Islam. Although some Christians abide by the true path once they have seen it, others regard this as a betrayal of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and so avoid living by true religious moral values. The fact is, however, that the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return and spreading of the message of the true religious moral values among people will make it easier for these people to turn to Islam in a more rapid fashion. When their own prophet tells them that some of their beliefs (e.g., the trinity and the Prophet Jesus' [pbuh] atonement for humanity's sins) are mistaken, that Allah is the only deity and that the Qur'an really is Allah's final revelation to humanity, Christians will sit up and listen to him. This event will free them from ascribing partners to Allah and other corrupt beliefs, and they will enter Islam in great waves.
Remember that Allah has promised the believers that religious moral values will prevail on Earth. However, this will happen only if believers totally avoid all forms of polytheism, whether direct or indirect, turn only to Allah, and worship only Him. By the will of Allah, the second coming will represent the start of this auspicious time.
Claim 10 and Its Refutation
Yet another claim is a great deception: "Waiting for Jesus (pbuh) will lead the faithful into idleness." This claim is unacceptable to both reason and conscience. Throughout history, people have sought saviors from Allah at times when immorality was widespread and cruelty and injustice were on the increase. They prayed to Allah to send them a messenger to lead them out of the darkness and into the light. When Allah answers their prayers and sends messengers, sincere believers support and defend them: m:
In fact, Allah's sending of a messenger represents a major source of enthusiasm for true believers, for they know that they need to make the best and finest preparations in order to prepare the environment for him. People exert great effort to prepare themselves and their environments, based upon their joy and love of belief, for this great event. Idleness and apathy, on the other hand, are characteristics of hypocrites and people of weak faith. Those whose faith is weak do not fully believe in the messenger's coming, and when that individual comes, they do not obey him sincerely. History shows many examples of this. For example, the mental state of such people in previous societies is revealed in the following verse:
Allah states in the Qur'an that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) himself gave the glad tidings that a prophet would come after him – after he had been raised to His Presence. This represented great news, both in the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) own time and for those believers who came after. Allah states in this verse:
If any of these claims were true, then Allah would not have revealed by means of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) that He would be sending another messenger at a later date. Alternatively, this revelation should have encouraged the people living at the time to engage in idleness and apathy. However, there is great wisdom in our Lord's giving glad tidings to people by means of a messenger, and, with Allah's permission, true believers will never be idle or apathetic. Believers have deep understanding and reason, both of which stem from faith. Therefore, they comprehend the importance of a messenger's tidings, experience the excitement and enthusiasm of those tidings, and act in the awareness of the need to prepare themselves as much as possible for this great event.
Those who maintain that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is dead are making a false claim. In addition, the interpretations they present to prove their assertions do not reflect the truth. Our hope is that this book will help all of these misguided people realize their errors and abandon them. Such a moral value is a feature of believers and is praised in the Qur'an.
In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that the believers do not knowingly persist in error (Surah Al 'Imran:135) and abide by the true path once they see it. The best and most accurate information on this subject, as is the case with all matters, is that revealed in the Qur'an and the hadith. In other words, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is not dead and was not killed. He will return to Earth when the appointed time comes. Therefore, instead of seeking to ignore or deny this clear truth by using groundless and flimsy interpretations, people should consider just what his return will mean and be excited and stimulated by it. True believers can pray to witness this great event and to experience the environment of beauty and auspiciousness that will ensue.
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| 80. Ibid., 10.  |
81. Yazir, Hak Din Kuran Dili, www.kuranikerim.com/telmalili/imran.htm.
82. Sami Baybal, Ibrahimi Dinlerde Mesih'in Dönüsü (The Return of the Messiah in Abrahamic Religions) (Yediveren Books: 2002), 177.
83. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, 2:120.
84. Al-Sabuni, Safwat al-Tafasir, 1:375.
85. Sahih Muslim hadiths.
86. Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim hadiths.
87. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection: The Letters, 59.
82. Sami Baybal, Ibrahimi Dinlerde Mesih'in Dönüsü (The Return of the Messiah in Abrahamic Religions) (Yediveren Books: 2002), 177.
83. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim, 2:120.
84. Al-Sabuni, Safwat al-Tafasir, 1:375.
85. Sahih Muslim hadiths.
86. Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim hadiths.
87. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection: The Letters, 59.
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