Belief in the Descent of `Isa (Jesus)

I have learned that Hazrat Ees’a (as) will return from the heavens before Yaum’al-Qyamat [...] but I know a Muslim who will not believe in it. In Ahadith we find several which say that ibn Maryam (as) will return. This friend of mine interprets a verse from the Holy Quran kind of special. This verse is "Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say to wit `Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up thou wast the Watcher over them and Thou art a Witness to all things."5:117 She says that this verse means that Jesus (as) will not know that the Christians believe in him as God’s son (nauzubillah). She continues and accuses me for shirk, and calls me kafir because I tell her that there is very many Muslims who think that ibn Maryam (as) will return. In Yusuf Ali’s interpretation notes I read that he wrote: “There is difference of opinion as to the exact interpretation of this verse. The words are: The Jews did not kill Jesus, but Allah raised him up (rafa'u) to himself. One school holds that Jesus did not die the usual human death, but still lives in the body in the heaven, which is the generally accepted Muslim view.” How can I as her Muslim brother explain her that she can’t accuse other Muslims for being kafir, because I said: “ibn Maryam (as) will insha’Allah return”? [...] She says that a Muslim does not believe that ibn Maryam (as) will return.

Wa `alaykum as-Salam:

A Muslim of pure belief believes that Isa ibn Maryam, upon our Prophet and upon both of them peace, will certainly return. The proofs for this are mutawatir - mass-transmitted - and to reject them is the mark of misguidance and worse. In addition there are allusive proofs of his return in the Qur'an, among them:

{And He (the son of Mary) shall most certainly be a sign of the Last Hour. Have no doubt about it!} (43:61).

{There is not one of the People of the Scripture but will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them} (4:159).

Your friend is a person of foul innovation. In addition, she commits kufr in accusing a Muslim of kufr for believing something which does not justify such a charge but rather is the truth in which she herself is obliged to believe. If she is prone to commit such a major sin and will not repent, on top of holding deviant views, then it is best to get far away from such an evil friend even if she pleases you.

The reasoning that `Isa, upon him peace, did not know that Christians would commit polytheism after him is unrelated to his descent from heaven at the end of times. Muslims believe that Allah Most High spares His Prophets knowledge of the kufr of their followers after they leave this life, even as He may make them aware of all their other states. The good and bad deeds of this Umma are shown to the Prophet, upon him peace, in Barzakh, but not the apostasy of individuals so as not to harm him.

The difference of opinion whether `Isa died or was raised to the heaven alive and in the body, is also unrelated to his descent at the end of time.

Regardless of everything else Jesus WILL descend from the heaven. He will destroy the cross and kill the swine. The sincere among the Jews and Christians will enter Islam at his hand while the insincere will deny him and join the Dajjal - the Arch-Liar. He will renew the Shari`a of our Prophet Muhammad and kill the Dajjal. He will marry and have children and die together with the last band of believers left on earth, after which the Hour will rise. This is our Sunni faith and whoever wishes to disbelieve let them disbelieve.

Pure Muslim belief in relation to deviant pseudo-Muslim belief in the time we live in, is dearer and rarer than Islam itself in relation to other creeds. Cling to the faith of the pious predecessors and leave all the rest as so much smoke and whisperings.

Hajj Gibril