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Subject: THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (
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kekasih 11.08.10 - 05:35pm
THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS)
The birth of the Prophet 'Isa (as)
In the Qur'an, God draws the attention to the fact that Jesus was unique in every respect. First of all, he was born without a father. Through His angels, God revealed to Mary before Jesus' birth that her son would be the Messiah and have many other God-given qualities as well. In fact, Jesus had the honor of being called God's Word:
The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God and His Word, which He cast into Mary, and a Spirit from Him. (Qur'an, 4:171)
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. (Qur'an, 3:45)
In the Qur'an, the expression God's Word is only used for Jesus. God revealed his name before his birth and named him Messiah Jesus, as a Word from Him. This is another sign that Jesus' creation differs from that of all other people.
God sustained Mary in the best way during her pregnancy and Jesus' 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 God, Mary managed this difficult situation by herself and gave birth to her son without any complications. God 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.' (Qur'an, 19:23-26)
As the verses tell, God 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. God's grace and protection for her are shown in this event.
When Mary returned to her people together with Jesus, 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 God, and her chastity. The cir tances of Jesus' birth are, in reality, a miracle that God 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! (Qur'an, 19:27-28)
According to the New Testament, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Thus Christians consider it a holy town.
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 God. When confronted this situation, she turned to God 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.
God 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 Jesus when they accuse her. The Qur'an 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'. (Qur'an, 19:26)
When God gave her the good news of Jesus' birth, He also revealed that Jesus 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. (Qur'an, 3:46)
In a miraculous way, God made Jesus give the explanation that was expected of Mary. By this miracle, He restored her good reputation and informed the Children of Israel of Jesus' 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 God. 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. (Qur'an, 19:29-33)
Jesus declares that he is God'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 for whom they had been waiting. God 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. (Qur'an, 21:91)
The verses also reveal that those people who continue to slander Mary will be punished (Qur'an, 4:156-57).
The Life of the Prophet 'Isa (as)
According to historical sources, the Prophet 'Isa (as) lived around 2000 years ago and is a messenger chosen by Allah in this world and the Hereafter. The Gospel of Saint Matthew reveals that the Prophet 'Isa (as) was born in the time of King Herod I during a regime change (4 BC) and the Gospel according to Saint Luke says he was born in the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus (6 AD) at the time of the census in Judea. It is impossible to confirm that information. However, experts examining various sources estimate that the Prophet 'Isa (as) was born in 7-6 BC.
The oldest fragment of the Gospels found to date (125 AD)
The true faith bestows as a blessing by Allah, that this holy messenger who preached the truth of everlasting Paradise brought with him has been corrupted and distorted from its original form, although it is currently regarded as a revealed faith. In the same way, the Gospel revealed by Allah to the Prophet 'Isa (as) exists in name though its original form has been lost. Christian scriptures have been corrupted and distorted in various ways. It is therefore impossible for us today to obtain definite facts regarding the Prophet 'Isa (as) from these sources. The only source from which we can obtain sure and certain knowledge about the Prophet 'Isa (as) is the Qur'an, which Allah has promised to preserve until Doomsday. The Qur'an refers to the birth and life of the Prophet 'Isa (as), give examples of events befalling him during that time, and describes the cir tances of those around him and various other matters. It also gives several examples of how the Prophet 'Isa (as) preached to the Jews. In Surah Al 'Imran, our Lord says:
('Isa will say,) '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 have fear of Allah and obey me.' ('Isa will say,) 'Allah is my Lord and your Lord so worship Him. That is a straight path.' (Surah Al 'Imran, 50-51)
Most Jews failed to heed the Prophet 'Isa's (as) call, and only a few disciples attached themselves to him. The existence of these true believers is revealed in the Qur'an:
When 'Isa sensed disbelief on their part, he said, Who will be my helpers to 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. ( *
kekasih 11.08.10 - 05:38pm
THE SUPERIOR MORAL VALUES
OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS)
The hadith literature reveals many important truths about Jesus. 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 God.1 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)
Like every chosen and sent Prophet, Jesus 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 God; was decisive and courageous; and could not be manipulated by society. The following verses reveal his superiority:
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 God's guidance. He guides by it those of His servants He wills ... (Qur'an, 6:83-88)
Jesus was also a just, modest, compassionate, sincere, honest, selfless person and a chosen Prophet. In one verse, God says the following about him:
These Messengers: We favored some of them over others. God 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. (Qur'an, 2:253)
When we look at Jesus' 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 God's commandments and recommendations, and was a guide who rid people of myths. The Qur'an reveals that Jesus was diligently fulfilling all of the requirements of worship and morality:
He [Jesus] said: I am the servant of God. 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. (Qur'an, 19:30-32)
Throughout his life, Jesus spoke wisely and effectively and knew right from wrong. He replied with insight and reason to all of his enemies' questions posed to catch him and defeated all of their attempts. He remained true to God, irrespective of his people's attitude toward him, drew strength from his strong faith and devotion, and explained God's existence in the most effective way.
Like all other Prophets, Jesus 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 God's good pleasure. Jesus' love for God, as well as his exuberant faith and diligence in following God's orders, is evident from his teachings. His method of preaching shows clearly that God chose him above all other people.
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1- M. Asim Koksal, Peygamberler Tarihi (The History of Prophets), (Ankara:Koksal Yayincilik, 1990), pp. 334-35. *
kekasih 11.08.10 - 05:41pm
THE RAISING OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS) INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE QUR'AN
The lives of God's chosen Messengers contain many messages and lessons for all people, especially when we study their encounters, their troubles, and their great struggles. The Qur'an cites Jesus as an example for people to follow, because of how he conducted his life and his struggle, and because of his great virtue.
Jesus' birth, life, and ascension to God's presence are all miracles that the Qur'an reveals in some detail. Although God reveals the narratives of many Prophets, Jesus, whom God supported with superior wisdom, is set apart from the others in several aspects, among them that he spoke even in the cradle, and that he was the vehicle for countless miracles while he was in this world. That his status is different also can be deduced from the fact that he was raised to God's presence and that the Qur'an indicates strongly his second coming.
The Qur'an reveals that the unbelievers devised a plot to take Jesus' life. According to some sources, a group of bigoted Jewish scribes and priests bribed Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, to betray him, after which they would arrest Jesus 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 Jesus 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 God planned. But God is the best of planners. (Surah Al 'Imran, 3:54)
As the verses reveal, they plotted and moved to kill Jesus. However, their plot failed and they ended up killing a look-alike. During this event, God raised Jesus up to His presence:
And [on account of] their saying: We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Messenger of God. 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. God raised him to Himself. God is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat An-Nisa', 4:157-158)
Many people believe in the widespread assumption that the Romans crucified Jesus. The Roman soldiers and Jewish priests who arrested Jesus are said to have killed him on the cross. Although some historical Christian sects such as Docetism have denied this, today, the world of Christianity completely believes it, 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 Qur'an, however, says otherwise. The reality revealed in the verses is clear. The Romans, abetted by some Jews' agitation, attempted to kill Jesus but did not succeed. The expression but it was made to seem so to them reveals this fact. God showed them a look-alike and raised Jesus up to His presence. Our Lord also reveals that those who made that claim had no knowledge of the truth.
In the early years of Christianity, several views on Jesus' fate 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 Jesus had not been crucified were accused of heresy and its members were persecuted.
The Qur'anic Account of Jesus' Ascent to God's Presence
Examining the words used in the narratives relating how the Prophets died and the verses dealing with Jesus' ascent to God's presence reveals an important fact: Jesus 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 Jesus was raised up to God'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 Jesus, the Qur'an 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]. God reveals that people were shown a look-alike and that Jesus was raised up to His presence, as follows:
When God 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 Rising... (Surah Al 'Imran, 3: 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 Jesus' situation. The Qur'an describes his being taken back to God in the words that Jesus will say on the Day of Judgment:
[Jesus said], I said to them nothing but what You ordered me to say: 'Worship God, 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, 5:117)
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 Jesus being taken back into the presence of God. 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, 6:60)
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:
God 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, 39:42)
As this verse clarifies, God 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.1
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 God, as in the case of Jesus.
(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, 40:26)
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, 2:61)
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, 3:181)
Say: Why, then, if you are believers, did you previously kill [taqtuloona] the Prophets of God? (Surat al-Baqara, 2:91)
As for those who reject God's Signs, and kill [yaqtuloona] the Prophets without any right to do so, and kill [yaqtuloona] those who command justice... (Surah Al 'Imran, 3:21)
Kill [uqtuloo] Joseph or expel him to some land. (Surah Yusuf, 12:9)
...Moses, the Council is conspiring to kill you [li yaqtulooka]. (Surat al-Qasas, 28:20)
The only answer of his [Abraham's] people was to say: Kill [uqtuloohu] him or burn him! (Surat al-'Ankabut, 29:24)
(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: God will never send another Messenger after him.(Surah Ghafir, 40:34)
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', 34:14)
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, 19:15)
The word yamootu is translated here as they day he dies, and the same word is used ( *
kekasih 11.08.10 - 05:43pm
EVIDENCE FROM THE QUR'AN REGARDING
THE SECOND COMING OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS)
The subject of Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is clearly proclaimed in the Qur'an and our Prophet's (may God bless him and grant him peace) sayings. There are certain statements pertaining to this issue in many verses and hadiths.
Evidence from the Qur'an
... I will place the people who follow you above those who are unbelievers
until the Day of Resurrection...
The first verse indicating Jesus' return is given below:
When God 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, 3:55)
God mentions that a group of Jesus' true followers will dominate the unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection. Jesus 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 Jesus 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 Jesus. Christians have adopted the mistaken belief that Jesus is God's son (surely God 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 Jesus. In the Qur'an, God 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 God. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 5:73)
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 Jesus' 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.
This aside, the expression, Then you will all return to Me at the verse's end is striking. After relating that those who follow Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be superior to the unbelievers, God states that everyone, including Prophet Jesus (pbuh), will return to Him. Here, the expression is understood to mean their death. This may also be a sign that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will die at a time close to Doomsday, after his second coming.
There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in
him before he dies...
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 An-Nisa', 4:159)
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 Jesus, 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 Jesus:
And [on account of] their saying: We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Messenger of God. They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. (Surat An-Nisa', 4:157)
God raised him [Jesus] up to Himself. God is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat An-Nisa', 4:158)
The word him, which is used in the verse straight after the above two, refers to Jesus, 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', 4:159)
The expression and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them is important. The Qur'an reveals that on that Day, people's tongues, hands, and feet (Surat An-Nur, 24:24, Surah Ya Sin, 36:65), as well as their eyes, ears, and skin (Surah Fussilat, 41:20-23), 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 pro noun refers to the Qur'an, there is generally mention of the Qur'an before or after that specific verse as in the cases of 27:77 and 26:192-96. If the Qur'an is not mentioned before, after, or in the verse, saying that the pro noun refers to the Qur'an could be mistaken. The verse clearly speaks of the belief in Jesus 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 Jesus before their own death. According to this view, everyone from the People of the Book will definitely believe in Jesus before he or she dies. But at the time of Jesus, most 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 cir tances are true for the Jews of our own time, as they do not recognize Jesus as a Prophet. As a result, millions of the People of the Book have lived and died without ever believing in Jesus. Therefore, the verse does not speak of the death of this group, but rather of the death of Jesus. 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 Jesus' death. As explained earlier, he never died but was raised to God's presence. Jesus 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 Jesus. The People of the Book will see and recognize him, and then become Muslim followers of Jesus, as will be explained shortly. In turn, he will be their witness on the Last Day. (God knows best.)
He is a Sign of the Hour...
In Surat az-Zukhruf, we are informed of Jesus' 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, 43:57-60)
The next verse states that Jesus 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, 43:61)
Ibn Juzayy says that the first meaning of this verse is that Jesus 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. The verse says that Jesus 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. (God knows best.)
In Arabic, the expression He is a Sign of the Hour is Innahu la 'ilmun li as-saa'ati.
Some say that the pro noun hu (he/it) in this expression refers to the Qur'an. However if this pro noun 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 Jesus 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, 43:59)
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 Jesus, it is far more realistic to accept that hu refers to him, as in the preceding verses. The great scholars of Islam interpret this pro noun as referring to Jesus, an opinion that they base on other Qur'anic verses and hadiths. In his commentary, Elmalili Muhammad Hamdi Yazir writes that:
No doubt he [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 Jesus' 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.1
He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.
Other verses indicating Jesus' second coming is the following:
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 God]. 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. God 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, 3:45-48)
The last verse reveals that God will teach Jesus 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:
Remember when God 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. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 5:110)
When we examine how Book is used here, we see that it refers to the Qur'an in both cases. The verses reveal that after the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospel, the Qur'an is the final divine book. Some other verses use Book to denote the Qur'an, after mentioning the Torah and the Gospel, such as the following:
God, 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, 3:2-4)
Other verses also call the Qur'an the Book:
When a Book comes to them from God, 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. God's curse is on the unbelievers. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:89)
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, 2:151)
In this case, the Qur'an is the third book that Jesus 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 Jesus will rule with the Qur'an, not the Gospel, on his second coming. This corresponds with the verse's meaning.
The likeness of Jesus in God's sight is the same as Adam.
The verse above (Surah Al 'Imran, 3:59) could also indicate Jesus' 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 God 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 God's presence, Jesus will be sent down to Earth from God's presence during the End Times.
As we have seen, the verses regarding Jesus' return are very clear. As the Qur'an does not use such expressions for any other Prophet, its meaning is fairly obvious.
... The day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive...
Surah Maryam also mentions Jesus' 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. ( *
kekasih 11.08.10 - 05:43pm
EVIDENCE FROM THE QUR'AN REGARDING
THE SECOND COMING OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS)
The subject of Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is clearly proclaimed in the Qur'an and our Prophet's (may God bless him and grant him peace) sayings. There are certain statements pertaining to this issue in many verses and hadiths.
Evidence from the Qur'an
... I will place the people who follow you above those who are unbelievers
until the Day of Resurrection...
The first verse indicating Jesus' return is given below:
When God 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, 3:55)
God mentions that a group of Jesus' true followers will dominate the unbelievers until the Day of Resurrection. Jesus 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 Jesus 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 Jesus. Christians have adopted the mistaken belief that Jesus is God's son (surely God 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 Jesus. In the Qur'an, God 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 God. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 5:73)
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 Jesus' 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.
This aside, the expression, Then you will all return to Me at the verse's end is striking. After relating that those who follow Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be superior to the unbelievers, God states that everyone, including Prophet Jesus (pbuh), will return to Him. Here, the expression is understood to mean their death. This may also be a sign that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will die at a time close to Doomsday, after his second coming.
There is not one of the People of the Book who will not believe in
him before he dies...
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 An-Nisa', 4:159)
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 Jesus, 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 Jesus:
And [on account of] their saying: We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Messenger of God. They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. (Surat An-Nisa', 4:157)
God raised him [Jesus] up to Himself. God is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat An-Nisa', 4:158)
The word him, which is used in the verse straight after the above two, refers to Jesus, 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', 4:159)
The expression and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them is important. The Qur'an reveals that on that Day, people's tongues, hands, and feet (Surat An-Nur, 24:24, Surah Ya Sin, 36:65), as well as their eyes, ears, and skin (Surah Fussilat, 41:20-23), 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 pro noun refers to the Qur'an, there is generally mention of the Qur'an before or after that specific verse as in the cases of 27:77 and 26:192-96. If the Qur'an is not mentioned before, after, or in the verse, saying that the pro noun refers to the Qur'an could be mistaken. The verse clearly speaks of the belief in Jesus 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 Jesus before their own death. According to this view, everyone from the People of the Book will definitely believe in Jesus before he or she dies. But at the time of Jesus, most 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 cir tances are true for the Jews of our own time, as they do not recognize Jesus as a Prophet. As a result, millions of the People of the Book have lived and died without ever believing in Jesus. Therefore, the verse does not speak of the death of this group, but rather of the death of Jesus. 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 Jesus' death. As explained earlier, he never died but was raised to God's presence. Jesus 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 Jesus. The People of the Book will see and recognize him, and then become Muslim followers of Jesus, as will be explained shortly. In turn, he will be their witness on the Last Day. (God knows best.)
He is a Sign of the Hour...
In Surat az-Zukhruf, we are informed of Jesus' 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, 43:57-60)
The next verse states that Jesus 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, 43:61)
Ibn Juzayy says that the first meaning of this verse is that Jesus 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. The verse says that Jesus 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. (God knows best.)
In Arabic, the expression He is a Sign of the Hour is Innahu la 'ilmun li as-saa'ati.
Some say that the pro noun hu (he/it) in this expression refers to the Qur'an. However if this pro noun 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 Jesus 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, 43:59)
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 Jesus, it is far more realistic to accept that hu refers to him, as in the preceding verses. The great scholars of Islam interpret this pro noun as referring to Jesus, an opinion that they base on other Qur'anic verses and hadiths. In his commentary, Elmalili Muhammad Hamdi Yazir writes that:
No doubt he [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 Jesus' 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.1
He will teach him the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel.
Other verses indicating Jesus' second coming is the following:
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 God]. 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. God 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, 3:45-48)
The last verse reveals that God will teach Jesus 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:
Remember when God 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. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 5:110)
When we examine how Book is used here, we see that it refers to the Qur'an in both cases. The verses reveal that after the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospel, the Qur'an is the final divine book. Some other verses use Book to denote the Qur'an, after mentioning the Torah and the Gospel, such as the following:
God, 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, 3:2-4)
Other verses also call the Qur'an the Book:
When a Book comes to them from God, 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. God's curse is on the unbelievers. (Surat al-Baqara, 2:89)
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, 2:151)
In this case, the Qur'an is the third book that Jesus 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 Jesus will rule with the Qur'an, not the Gospel, on his second coming. This corresponds with the verse's meaning.
The likeness of Jesus in God's sight is the same as Adam.
The verse above (Surah Al 'Imran, 3:59) could also indicate Jesus' 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 God 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 God's presence, Jesus will be sent down to Earth from God's presence during the End Times.
As we have seen, the verses regarding Jesus' return are very clear. As the Qur'an does not use such expressions for any other Prophet, its meaning is fairly obvious.
... The day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive...
Surah Maryam also mentions Jesus' 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. ( *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:20pm
.EVIDENCE FROM THE HADITH REGARDING
THE SECOND COMING OF THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS)
The Prophet Mohammed (may God bless him and grant him peace) has revealed many important matters about Jesus' 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 God, as related in the following verse:
He [God] 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 , 72:26-27)
Our Lord also reveals that He sent knowledge to Prophet Mohammed (may God bless him and grant him peace) in his dreams:
God has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: You will enter the Sacred Mosque [Masjid al-Haram] in safety, God 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 , 48:27)
God gives such knowledge to our Prophet (may God 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 Jesus' 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, Ibn Ahmad Hanbal's Musnad, and Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi's Musnad. From these sources, we learn that the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) made many important revelations about Jesus, all of which are considered tawatur (reliable).
The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) reveals in his hadiths that religious morality will dominate the world; that peace, justice, and prosperity will prevail; and that this will be achieved by Jesus, who will unite the Christian and Islamic worlds. At present, many societies are under the influence of anti-religious philosophies, and the resulting models are obvious. Such problems as immorality, drugs, terrorism, and famine demand that Christians and Muslims join together to fight these problems on an intellectual level. The world's current social structure makes an alliance between Islam and Christianity inevitable. Considering Christianity's influence over the West and its leaders, the influence that an alliance between Islam and Christianity would have is clear enough for all to see. *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:23pm
BEDIUZZAMAN SAID NURSI
DELIVERED THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS'
SECOND COMING TO THE MUSLIMS
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960), one of the greatest Islamic scholars, spent his entire life inviting people to believe in God and to live by the morality prescribed in the Qur'an. He suffered great hardship in this cause, but was always pleased with his lot and met every difficulty with faith in God, patience, and joy. Bediuzzaman's Qur'anic commentary, the Risale-i Nur Collection, is full of precious advice reflecting his exuberant love of and faith in God and his devotion to God's religion. For this reason, his works are an important reference source for all believers.
Bediuzzaman wrote extensively on Jesus' second coming, particularly about his struggle with the Dajjal, the representative figurehead of all godless ideological systems. Jesus will eliminate godlessness and declare the rule of God's law with the help of the Muslims.
In this part, we will deal with his views on Jesus' second coming and related matters.
Jesus' Ascent to God's Presence
In the introduction to The Letters, Bediuzzaman speaks of three levels of life: that of our life, that of the life of Khidr, and that of the life of Jesus. Bediuzzaman explains the second level of life, as follows: ...they can be present in numerous places at the same time. They are not permanently restricted by the requirements of humanity like us. They can eat and drink like us when they want to, but are not compelled to like we are...
Bediuzzaman says the following about the third level of life:
(1) The Third Level of Life is that of Enoch and Jesus (May God grant them peace) which, being removed from the requirements of humanity, rises to an angelic level of life and acquires a luminous fineness. Quite simply, Enoch and Jesus are present in the heavens with their earthly bodies, which have the subtlety of bodies from the World of Similitudes and the luminosity of star-like bodies. (Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection, Letters, First Letter. All quotations from Bediuzzaman are taken from www.bediuzzaman.org)
Bediuzzaman also points out the existence of doubt over Jesus' second coming. Bediuzzaman reminds us that our all-powerful Lord Who has created the universe from nothing, is certainly able to bring Jesus back for a second time:
(2) Indeed, it is not far from the wisdom of an All-Wise One of Glory Who all the time sends the angels to Earth from the heavens, sometimes in human form (like Gabriel appearing in the form of Dihya), and sends spirit beings from the Spirit World making them appear in human form, and even sends the spirits of most of the dead saints to the world with similitudes of their bodies, it would not be far from His Wisdom-even if he was not alive and present with his body in the skies of the world, and had truly died and departed for the furthest corner of the Hereafter-to clothe Jesus (upon whom be peace) in his body and send him to the world, so to bring the religion of Jesus to a good conclusion; for such a momentous result. Indeed He promised it because His wisdom required it to be thus, and since He promised it, He will most certainly send him. (Letters, Fifteenth Letter)
Jesus Will Be Recognized by the Light of Faith
(1) The question of exactly how Jesus will be recognized on his second coming has been asked ever since his ascension to God's presence. Bediuzzaman says that he will be recognized by the light of his faith. However, Bediuzzaman also points out that only those who are close to him and have deep faith will be able to recognize him:
When Jesus (upon whom be peace) comes, it is not necessary that everyone should know him to be the true Jesus. His elect and those close to him will recognize him through the light of belief. It will not be self-evident so that everyone will recognize him. (Letters, Fifteenth Letter,)
(2) He also says that only a few people will recognize him, at least in the beginning, and that the irreligious currents will be very strong:
It says in a narration in connection with Jesus (Peace be upon him) making the Dajjal ineffective: The Dajjal will have a colossal form, he will be extraordinarily big and taller than a minaret, while Jesus (PBUH) will be very small in comparison.
None knows the Unseen save God. One interpretation must be as follows: It is an allusion and sign that quantitively the spiritual community of mujahideen [those who struggle in God's cause] who will recognize Jesus (peace be upon him) and follow him, will be very few and small comparatively to the scientific, physical armies of the Dajjal. (Rays, Fifth Ray,)
... the 'scientific,' physical armies of the Dajjal...: Through this expression, Bediuzzaman reveals that Jesus' opposition will be very strong in terms of education, military power, and financial might. While their education system propagates irreligion, the military is working to disseminate the same irreligious ideologies.
... the spiritual community of mujahideen...: This expression describes Jesus' followers. The word community indicates that they are close to one another and act together. This community's members will make great efforts to establish the morality of religion where the powers of irreligion rule, and will be dedicated to work on God's path. They will engage in a great ideological battle to destroy the irreligion created and spread by the education system and the military. The word spiritual points out this community's genuine faith, as its members are fully aware of the spiritual dimension of things as well as their material appearance. Mujahideen stands for a group of people who work for the cause of God, actively promoting His religion throughout the world.
Jesus Will Rule with the Law of Islam and Adhere to the Qur'an
Bediuzzaman reveals that Jesus will return at a time when irreligious ideologies rule the world. As the following quote states, he will rule with, and be bound by, the Qur'an on his second coming. Christianity and Islam will unite and succeed by living according to the Qur'an's morality. The Risale-i Nur says that:
(1) At the end of time, Jesus (upon whom be peace) will come and will act in accordance with the Shari'ah of Mohammed (may God bless him and grant him peace), indicates that at the end of time the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy, and will be transformed into Islam. At this point, the collective personality of Christianity will neutralize the fearsome collective personality of irreligion with the sword of heavenly revelation; so too, representing the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (upon whom be peace) will make the Dajjal ineffective, who represents the collective personality of irreligion, that is, he will neutralize atheistic thought. (Letters, First Letter)
... in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy: Bediuzzaman reveals that Jesus will lead a great struggle against the irreligious movements created by Darwinism and those who deny God's existence.
... the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition ... and will be transformed into Islam: Here, Bediuzzaman interprets the hadith that says that when Jesus returns in the End Times, he will abide by Islam's law and rules. His struggle will begin by cleansing Christianity from all of the myths and false beliefs that have entered into it over the centuries, and thereby return it to Islam.
In this way, Christians and Muslims will unite to form a great power. Jesus will make the Dajjal ineffective, who is the representative of all irreligious systems, and eradicate them.
(2) At that point when the current appears to be very strong, the religion of true Christianity, which comprises the collective personality of Jesus (upon whom be peace), will emerge. That is, it will descend from the skies of Divine Mercy. Present Christianity will be purified in the face of that reality; it will cast off superstition and distortion, and unite with the truths of Islam. Christianity will in effect be in a way transformed into Islam. (Letters, Fifteenth Letter)
Although the Dajjal will appear to be very powerful, Jesus will return to Earth and reveal true Christianity. As stated earlier, the first thing that he will do is restore Christianity to its original form by removing all false and baseless practices and beliefs and all unnecessary rules and traditions. This has not happened until today because Jesus is the only person who can end Christianity's ongoing 2,000-year process of change.
... [Present Christianity will] unite with the truths of Islam. Christianity will in effect be in a way transformed into Islam...: Once Christianity has been returned to the state of its first revelation, it will integrate itself into Islam.
(3) Following the Qur'an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam, in that of leader. True religion will become a mighty force as a result of its joining it. Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union. Then the person of Jesus (upon whom be peace), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion, as, relying on the promise of One Powerful Over All Things, the Bringer of Sure News has said. Since he has told of it, it is true, and since the One Powerful Over All Things has promised it, He will certainly bring it about. (Letters, Fifteenth Letter)
... Following the Qur'an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam, in that of leader...: This transformation of Christianity, beginning with Jesus, will conclude in everyone adhering to the Qur'an, as required by the final book of revelation. Both Jesus and Christianity as a whole will adhere to Islam.
... Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union...: A great power will form when Christianity, under the leadership of Jesus, adheres to the Qur'an, because the world's two greatest religions are two huge powers in terms of politics, economics, and spirituality. After their unification, they will have enough power to destroy all forms of irreligion. Materialist philosophy, which distances people from their true purpose in life and forces them into selfishness, lovelessness, and aggressiveness, will be eradicated, along with all forms of irreligion.
... Then the person of Jesus (upon whom be peace), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion...: This alliance, when combined with the Christians' acceptance of the Qur'an, will achieve a global majority status and move as one body led by Jesus. Bediuzzaman reminds us that Jesus' leading of the true religion is based on the hadith and stresses that this news is therefore true knowledge.
Jesus' Struggle Against Irreligious Movements
When speaking of the End Times, Bediuzzaman asserts that two ideological movements will create disorder in their quest to establish the rule of irreligion. One of these will try to destroy the morality of Islam from within, while the other movement will reject God's existence openly. Its members will claim that matter has always existed and will continue to exist forever, and that life emerged from lifeless matter by means of a series of coincidences. This movement will represent the naturalist and materialist philosophies. (Naturalism is also known as the philosophical dimension of Darwin's theory of evolution.)
This definition forms the basis of all atheist ideologies. Ever since the beginning of recorded history, materialists have opposed true religion and fought those who adhered to it and called others to do so. They oppressed people, made war, and were always found at the forefront of all kinds of decadence. In his second coming, Jesus will fight this materialist Darwinist mentality and defeat it, by the will of God.
( *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:25pm
JESUS' RETURN ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE
We have remarked in the previous chapters that Jesus' return is very important to Christians. The reason for this is that the Bible, which comprises the Old Testament (the Torah [its first five books] and other Jewish writings) and the New Testament (the Four Gospels, various letters and accounts of leading early Christians, and the Revelation of St. John), contains many revelations about the End Times. Jesus' second coming figures prominently in the New Testament.
The Old Testament and the New Testament provide various explanations about future events. As we know, while the Old Testament does not mention Jesus by name, it reveals the coming of a savior. The holy personage known as the Messiah, whose coming the Jews await in the End Times, is in fact Hazrat Mahdi anti ted by Muslims. (For details, see The Mahdi Is A Descendent of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh), 2008) The Mahdi of Islam therefore appears as the Messiah in Jewish scriptures. An examination of the Torah and other holy Judaic writings shows that the personage described as the Messiah has the same characteristics, will do the same things and will be instrumental in bringing about the same changes as Hazrat Mahdi (as).
But the Prophet Jesus, whose return to Earth as the Messiah Christians await, is not Mahdi (as). Muslims also believe that the Prophet Jesus will return in the End Times: but when the Prophet Jesus appears he will follow Mahdi (as), and these two blessed personages together will be instrumental, by Gods leave, in the moral values of Islam, the one true faith, coming to rule the world. This information, which appears in numerous authentic hadiths, shows that the Prophet Jesus and Hazrat Mahdi will meet together and speak to one another in the End Times.
The New Testament is full of revelations concerning Jesus' second coming, the accompanying signs, and the End Times.
The Qur'an reveals that both the Torah and the Gospel have been tampered with over time and that, as a result, they contain false beliefs. While some parts may have remained true to their original form, other parts have been modified, altered, and added to by various people. Given this, we can rely only on their revelations insofar as they are compatible with the Qur'an and the hadiths. As the following examples will demonstrate, there is a great deal of similarity between the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic sources on Jesus' second coming and the EndTimes.
As the Christians consider their holy book (the Bible) to consist of both the Old Testament and the New Testament, they interpret the relevant subjects in light of these two books. When we examine the Bible, we see that Jesus' second coming is a central theme. The revelations here relate the natural phenomena and social events that will take place before and after his return. When we look at the Prophet's (may God bless him and grant him peace) hadiths relating these events, we notice that the signs of the End Times appear to be more imminent than they were in the past. (For detailed information, see Harun Yahya, Signs of the Last Day, Global Publishing, Istanbul, 2003) Interestingly, almost all of signs heralding the advent of the Last Day have appeared in our time. Therefore, we can say that given the information in the Islamic sources, as well as in the Old and New Testaments, the End Times have arrived.
The New Testament's Account of Jesus' Second Coming
Out of the New Testament's 259 chapters, 210 of them contain 318 references about Jesus' second coming. Clear statements are given below on Jesus' ascent to God's presence and his return to Earth, as follows:
... I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, [so] that you also may be where I am. (John 14:2-3)
So if anyone tells you: 'There he [the Messiah] is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or: 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:26-27)
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (Matthew 24:44)
... The appearing of our teacher Jesus, which God will bring about in His own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:15-16)
Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of Earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
Men of Galilee, they [angels] said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into Heaven. (Acts 1:11)
For our citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for ... the teacher Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20)
Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him. (Revelation 1:7)
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from [the line of] Jacob. (Romans 11:25-26)
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it [the coming of Jesus] is near, right at the door. (Matthew 24:32-33)
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. (Matthew 25:31)
As stated earlier, Jesus will inauguate an era of justice, wealth, and virtue upon his second coming. As the New Testament says:
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
This, then, is how you should pray: ... Your kingdom come ... (Matthew 6:9-10)
People will come from the east and the west, and [from] the north and the south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last. (Luke 13:29-30)
He [Jesus] told them this parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (Luke 21:29-31)
Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by ... [God]; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (Matthew 25:34)
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? ... (1 Corinthians 6:2)
Clearly, there are striking similarities between the accounts of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism concerning the portents that will come about in the End Times and the global rule of religious morality. This harmony has engendered a great anti tion in all three religions. The era in which we live is probably the one in which the anti tion of this miracle has reached its apex and is also near to be fulfilled. This is a great news that helps the believers retain their high morale. *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:26pm
PEOPLE IN TROUBLE
BEG FOR A SAVIOUR
What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of Allah - for those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, 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)
In reading the Qur'an, we come across a certain fact: before a messenger comes to a society, often social and moral corruption prevails there. Once a messenger comes to a society, those following him attain a blissful, peaceful and bountiful life even in the midst of their honourable struggle for the good pleasure of Allah. After this blessed period, however, people who enjoyed the favours of this period drifted away from their spiritual values, revolted and ultimately tended almost to disbelief. In some cases, they worshipped gods other than Allah and thus were unjust to their own selves and, in a sense, prepared their own ends with their own hands.
In the Qur'an (Surah Maryam), Allah relates the loyalty, sincerity and the fear the messengers felt for Allah and then informs us of how the generations coming after them lost their faith completely. They drifted because of their whims and desires and became deprived of all their values. The related verse follows:
Those are some of the Prophets Allah has blessed, from the descendants of Adam and from those We carried with Nuh, and from the descendants of Ibrahim and Isra'il 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 prayers and followed their appetites. They will plunge into the Valley of Evil.
(Surah Maryam: 58-59)
Those people who neglected their divine responsibilities suffered Allah's wrath expressed in various disasters. Allah withdrew His favour from these people. In accordance with the verse But if anyone turns away from My reminder, his life will be a dark and narrow one... (Surah Ta Ha: 124), they suffered from different afflictions such as scarcity and social and economic problems arising from their moral degeneration and political instability.
Under the prevalent disbelieving systems (systems of kufr), these people who were insolent towards the divine revelation were exposed to various pressures and injustices. The period of Pharaoh (Fir'awn) is a typical example recounted in the Qur'an. Exulting in his affluence, Pharaoh led an extravagant life and his people suffered under his tyranny.
Pharaoh exalted himself arrogantly in the land and divided its people into camps, oppressing one group of them by slaughtering their sons and letting their women live. He was one of the corrupters. (Surat al-Qasas: 4)
Under such cir tances where people suffer economic and social problems under the tyranny of unjust leaders, a need for a saviour is profoundly felt. This is the person who removes the unfavourable aspects of the system caused by the disbelief (kufr) of the ruler and his people and brings the peace, justice and security which come along with obedience to Allah and His Messenger.
After the Prophet Musa (as), the Children of Israel also faced the same difficulties under the rule of tyrants. They were driven from their homes and lands and suffered intensely. Realising that neither the idols they worshipped, nor their possessions, nor ancestors would save them from such undesirable cir tances, they asked for a king from their Creator; a saviour who would save them from this cruel system. Allah answered the call of these people and sent them Talut (Saul in the Bible):
What do you think about the council of the tribe of Israel after Musa's time when they said to one of their Prophets, Give us a king and we will fight in the way of Allah? He said, Is it not possible that if fighting were prescribed for you, you would not fight? They said, how could we not fight in the way of Allah when we have been driven from our homes and children? But then when fighting was prescribed for them, they turned their backs - except for a few of them. Allah knows the wrongdoers. (Surat al-Baqara: 246)
You Will Not Find Any Changing in the Pattern of Allah
From the stories related in the Qur'an, we understand that almost the same thing befell past civilisations who revolted against their messengers. The cir tances under which people led their lives, the sending of messengers to warn them and their destruction all follow the same pattern.
Modern societies also undergo rapid corruption and degeneration. Poverty, misery and disorder throw the lives of people into complete disarray and make them wish for a peaceful life where virtue prevails. Apparently, justice can prevail only if the values of the Qur'an becomes predominant among people. Only people having real values can bring solutions to all the trouble that people experience today. Indeed, Allah sent prophets and messengers to the earlier generations who experienced similar social depressions, and He sometimes granted amazing wealth and splendour to those who followed the messengers. This fact is related in the following verse:
If only the people of the cities had had faith and feared, We would have opened up to them blessings from heaven and earth. But they denied the truth so We seized them for what they earned. (Surat al-A'raf: 96)
This verse, as well as many others confirming it, reveals that the one and only way to attain bliss and peace is adherence to Islam. This principle will apply to coming generations as it did to previous ones. In places bereft of Islam, injustice, insecurity and instability prevail. This is the law of Allah. That there exists no change in the law of Allah is stated as follows in the Qur'an:
...But then when a warner did come to them, it only increased their aversion, shown by their arrogance in the land and evil plotting. But evil plotting envelopes only those who do it. Do they expect anything but the pattern of previous peoples? You will not find any changing in the pattern of Allah. You will not find any alteration in the pattern of Allah. (Surah Fatir: 42-43)
The Prevalence of Islam According to the Qur'an
As mentioned in the previous section, that Allah sends prophets and messengers to communities for their deliverance from disbelief and injustice is something the Qur'an informs us about. This prophet or messenger leads his people to believe (have iman) in Allah without ascribing partners to Him, and to fear Him. If the community persists in denial, he warns them of Allah's wrath. Allah tells that He destroys no tribe before this warning is delivered:
We have never destroyed a city without giving it prior warning as a reminder. We were never unjust. (Surat ash-Shu'ara: 208-209)
In the age in which we live, one observes degeneration, both physical and spiritual, in society at large accompanied by economic and political instability. Huge gaps exist between poor and rich, and social corruption steadily escalates. The Qur'an reminds man that after and even during such dark periods, Allah always shows the way to salvation to those who earnestly desire it. This way, Islam will certainly prevail over the entire world and the true religion will supersede all pagan religions. To His true believers (muminun), Allah gives the good tidings of this in surah at-Tawba:
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 those who worship other things than Allah (mushrikun) detest it. (Surat at-Tawba 32-33)
In Surat an-Nur, Allah informs his true believers who engage in right actions without associating partners with Him and who purely seek His good pleasure, that they will attain power, as preceding believers always did:
Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security. They worship Me, not associating anything with Me. Any who disbelieve after that, such people are deviators. (Surat an-Nur: 55)
One point deserves mention here. In the above verse, the requisite for the diffusion of Islam is given; the existence of believers who are purely slaves of Allah without ascribing partners to Him and who engage in good deeds in His way...
The Expected Saviour
What has been related so far is the following: in every age, Allah answered the call of His slaves who desperately needed His help. This also holds true for this age and for the future. As it was the case with the earlier ages, in our day, too, it is expected that Allah will save people from the injustice of the system of disbelief and present them with the beauties of Islam.
It is especially expected that the Islamic world will find a way out of the corruption it experiences today and the sincere believers will communicate the values of Islam to the whole world. Surely, as in every age, today people hope that a saviour will appear. This saviour, who will take mankind from the darkness to the light, is the religion of Islam. The people leading the way to live by these superior values will defeat all the systems that deny Allah, and they will render corrupted ideologies invalid.
In brief, Allah will help each people as He did in previous ages. Allah promises this to His slaves who sincerely turn to Him and have deep fear of Him.
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, 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, those who, if We establish them firmly on the earth, will establish prayer and pay the poor-due, and command what is right and forbid what is wrong. The end result of all affairs is with Allah.
(Surat al-Hajj: 40-41) *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:28pm
THE TIME OF PROPHET JESUS'
SECOND COMING
Earlier, we examined the signs of Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming and saw that they appeared one after another, just as the hadiths and the Bible said they would. Their consecutive appearance led us to conclude that we are now living in the period when all people will witness God's good news. Apart from these signs, the explanations of our Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) and great Islamic scholars provide us with certain dates.
As we will see in the following pages the fifteenth Islamic century is an extraordinary period when, by God's Will, great events will occur, such as the Mahdi's appearance, Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, the appearance of the Dajjal and his defeat by Prophet Jesus (pbuh), and people entering God's religion in droves.
In the following pages we will explain the related information one by one.
God sends a Mujaddid Renovator of the Religion) Every Century
The Mahdi and Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come in 2000s
Our Prophet Indicated That the Mahdi Will Come during the Fifteenth Islamic Century
According to Bediuzzaman, the Mahdi Will Be on Duty during the Fifteenth Islamic Century
Other Information Related to the End Times from the Qur'an *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:30pm
HOW CAN WE RECOGNIZE PROPHET JESUS?
Who Will Be Able to Recognize Jesus (pbuh)?
Another subject that has received a great deal of attention is how Jesus 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 God-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.
God revealed that Jesus is of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (Qur'an, 3:45). Like all Prophets, he will be known to those people surrounding him as an embodiment of God'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 cir tances 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 Jesus returns, there will be nothing to cast any doubt on his identity. Nobody will find any cause to deny who he is, because Jesus will return just as he was before God raised him to His presence, including his garments, and will have superior qualities that no human being could imitate.
The Qur'an, either in the verses or in particular stories, provides us various explanations regarding the past prophets. Many common attributes of the prophets and of the true believers are mentioned in the Qur'an. Furthermore, it is also possible to find all the attributes of the believers in the verses. In this context, the superior attributes of Jesus (as) related to faith are also discernible in the Qur'an. Accordingly, referring to the Qur'an, sincere believers can assess these superior attributes observable on him and accordingly recognise him.
At this point, one has to keep in mind that recognising Jesus (as) may not be possible for everyone. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi states the following about this subject:
When Jesus (Upon whom be peace) comes, it is not necessary that everyone should know him to be the true Jesus. His elect and those close to him will recognize him through the light of belief. It will not be self-evident so that everyone will recognize him.1
As Beduuzzaman also agrees, during the early years of his second coming, the people knowing Jesus (as) will be limited to the small group of people who are close to him. Furthermore, this will only be possible by the light of belief. Of course this phrase needs further explanation: The light of belief is the comprehension granted by Allah to those who believe in the existence and unity of Allah and who observe the commands of the Qur'an. With such comprehension, believers can evaluate situations precisely and grasp the details of the events with no difficulty. As the Qur'an informs us, believers are those people who ponder upon everything surrounding them and thus never miss the details or subtle aspects of things. Indeed, Allah informs man that He will grant discrimination (to judge between right and wrong) to those who reflect upon each thing in an endeavour to comprehend the greatness and might of Allah and to those who have fear for Him:
You who believe! If you have taqwa of (heed) Allah, He will give you discrimination and erase your bad actions from you and forgive you. Allah's favour is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal: 29)
Thus, those who will recognise Jesus (as) during his second coming and adhere to him will actually be the ones who believe in Allah and the Qur'an, and think deeply over things. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, too, draws attention to this issue:
In fact, although when Jesus (Peace be upon him) comes he himself will know he is Jesus, not everyone will know.2
Which Attributes of Jesus (as) Make Him Recognisable?
As mentioned above, referring to the Qur'an in search of finding answers to these questions, we should first look for the attributes common to all the prophets related in the Qur'an. Thus, the way to recognise Jesus (as) would be to examine the attributes of the prophets. Surely, there are hundreds of them. However, in this section we will emphasise the most apparent attributes that are immediately evident.
1. He is different from other people because of his exceptional moral values
Like all other prophets chosen by Allah to proclaim His message to mankind, Jesus (as) is known for his excellent moral values. The most distinctive attribute of Jesus (as) is his exemplary person, immediately discernible in the society he lives in. He, indeed, has an exemplary character, unprecedented in nature and striking to anyone at first sight. An extremely committed, courageous and strong person, a manifestation of the trust he puts in Allah and his pure faith in Him. With such traits, he has a profound influence on everyone. This superiority, a shared attribute of all prophets, is related in the verse:
This is the argument We gave to Ibrahim (Abraham) against his people. We raise in rank anyone We will. Your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. We gave him Ishaq (Isaac) and Ya'qub (Jacob), each of whom We guided. And before him We had guided Nuh (Noah). And among his descendants were Dawud (David) and Sulayman (Solomon), and Ayyub (Job), Yusuf (Joseph), Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron). That is how We recompense the good-doers. And Zakarriyya (Zachariah), Yahya (John), Isa (Jesus) and Ilyas (Elijah). All of them were among the righteous. And Ismail ( *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:31pm
WELCOMING THE PROPHET 'ISA IN THE FINEST MANNER
The Qur'an reveals Jesus' ascent into the heavens and the signs accompanying his second coming. Many hadiths, such as: By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just judge, also provide many examples of what Jesus will do and the prevailing conditions at that time. These revelations are so clear that there is no room for doubt. Moreover, they coincide even in the details with what we see in our own day. For centuries, many scholars expressed their valuable opinions on Jesus' second coming and informed people about the conditions that he will face. The Old and New Testaments also contain much clear evidence about his second coming. For example, the Old Testament reveals that the Messiah will rule the world: ... the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people ... (Daniel 2:44) and the New Testament says: ... This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)
It is interesting to observe that all three books of revelation sent by God to guide and enlighten humanity are very much alike in this regard. Although the Jewish and Christian scriptures were altered over the passage of time, they still contain much material in accord with the Qur'an. It is probable that these parts date back to the era in which they were revealed. (God knows best).
Given the above evidence as well as humanity's current condition, there may be only 15 or 20 years until Jesus' return. Or, perhaps he has already returned. This news is a source of encouragement, happiness, and motivation for all people.
The Importance of Preparing for Jesus in Joy, Excitement, and Exuberance
Jesus is a blessed Messenger whom God graced with a miraculous life and honored by being chosen as a Prophet. God revealed that Jesus is of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near [to My presence] (Qur'an, 3:45), and that he will be rewarded with Paradise. For this reason, all people must welcome him in the nicest possible way when he returns. Even a poor person prepares his or her house days in advance for an expected guest, and strives to be proper and worthy. On the other hand, given that Jesus is a most valued guest as well as a Prophet with superior qualities, everyone must welcome his return to Earth in the nicest way possible.
Jesus' second coming is a very great gift of God for all humanity, and it is an equally great gift to meet with this valued Prophet. When he comes, he will draw everyone's attention with his innocent, pure, and bright face, and will capture humanity's attention with his accurate, wise, and insightful speech. For the first time ever in their lives, all people alive at that time will see a Prophet of superior human qualities. God willing, his second life will be as full of miracles as was his first life. All people will admire him for his virtue and unrivalled wisdom. His every word will be inspired by God, and his every decision will be accurate.
All people, especially believing Christians and Muslims, must prepare in excitement, vigor, and great exuberance for his arrival. Those who do not do so are committing a great error, for it is a grave act of disrespect to be lazy or unconcerned about the arrival of such an important guest. Those who believe God's words must ponder the developments in the world and be aware of the signs of the End Times in order to prepare for this most important guest's arrival. They cannot say I believe in Jesus' second coming and then think along the lines of but I will prepare later or make up for it later. Which conscientious, genuine Christian could say, when the appointed time has come: We were expecting Jesus, but didn't consider it necessary to prepare for it? If they say so because they believe that this event might be another 15-20 years away, they are mistaken, because they will see that 15-20 years can pass just like 15-20 days. As a result, they will suffer great remorse for their indifference. No one should forget that people in the 1970s thought of the 1980s or 1990s as the distant future. However, time passed quickly and brought the new millennium. Likewise, the day of our meeting with Jesus will arrive soon, God willing.
The Appearance of False Messiahs
Is a Sign of Jesus' Imminent Arrival
Some people might want to induce indifference in those believers who want to prepare for the arrival of God's blessed messenger. They might try to prove that all such preparations are unnecessary. One such method will be the appearance of false Messiahs. In the past, some insane or greedy people have claimed to be Jesus. Some circles have tried to use these ignorant people to their advantage by making statements to the effect that the belief in Jesus' second coming inevitably creates false Messiahs. In this way, they sought to slow down or even stop the preparations for his arrival. However, no one can delay the arrival of this celebrated time promised by God, because they just cannot comprehend the fact that the emergence of false Messiahs is a sign of Jesus' imminent arrival. Many Bible verses refer to this, such as:
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. Tell us, they said, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? Jesus answered: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming: 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:3-5)
At that time if anyone says to you: Look, here is the Christ! or There he is! do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. (Matthew 24:23-25)
The true believers will recognize Jesus immediately by his signs. His every move will be full of wisdom and unique, and so distinguish him from all other people that he will be recognizable without any need for proof. The false Messiahs' desperate efforts to prove themselves will only expose them as frauds.
In addition, Jesus' deeds will be his proof. He will deal a deadly blow to those atheist movements that seek to spread irreligion and immorality. Since he will be guided by revelation, he will foil the unbelievers' traps with great ease, curb the efforts of irreligion, and spread God's true religion. Through his miracles, he will prove that God's religion is true and that the believers will succeed. Our Lord reveals in the Qur'an:
They desire to extinguish God's Light with their mouths, but God will perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, though the idolaters hate it. (Qur'an, 61:8-9)
Jesus will be Recognized by the Fact That He Will Have no Relatives and That No One Will Know Him
One of the most important factors that will distinguish Jesus from false messiahs will be his lack of parents, relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
As revealed in the previous chapters, Jesus was born by God's command Be! and without a father. God likens this situation to that of Adam's creation:
The likeness of Jesus in God's sight is the same as Adam. He created him from earth and then He said to him: Be! and he was. (Qur'an, 3:59)
Both Adam and Jesus were created by God's command: Be! Adam had no parents, and Jesus had just his mother Mary. But on his return, he will have no mother either. Given that he first lived centuries ago, he also will have no relatives.
On his second coming, there will be no suspicion as to whether or not he is Jesus. Those who falsely claim to be the Messiah will easily be exposed as liars, for people will have known them during their youth. People will have photos of them, and many more people will have known them from their childhood onward. So, it will be a great error on their part to make such a claim. *
kekasih 13.08.10 - 05:33pm
THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL UNITE AROUND
THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS)
The Qur'an and the hadiths reveal the nature of the necessary preparations, as do the great opinions of such scholars as Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. The most important phase is the ideological battle with the world's anti-religious movements. As Bediuzzaman says, all believers must unite in the ideological battle against atheist movements that guide people away from religious morality, such as Darwinism and materialism, and fully eradicate them. For this reason, they must use all of their resources to prepare before Jesus' war on irreligion begins. As Bediuzzaman says, Jesus will move with the sword of heavenly revelation at hand, meaning that he will be guided by God's revelations. Therefore, every choice he makes will be right, and he will do away with all irreligious systems.
To begin to form this Christian-Muslim unity is a very good way to prepare for Jesus' arrival. However, first Christians must resolve their internal differences, unite behind Jesus' word, and become a rank as solid as a well-built wall (Qur'an, 61:4). And, Muslims must remove their own internal sources of disparity and work to create unity and solidarity. All Muslims must move closer to God, cooperate to serve His religion even better, and achieve Islamic unity. Following the creation of these two unions, the pact between Muslims and Christians will form a massive power and represent a barrier to all evil movements that deny God. These preparations will form the basis for the alliance that will exist when Jesus returns.
However, at the present time, no Christians or Muslims are making any serious preparations; rather, they seem to be very indifferent to this valued guest's arrival. Such people will be ashamed when Jesus comes, for then they will realize that it is too late to make amends.
Another danger for Christans is that of coming under the influence of those who are disturbed by the prospect of Jesus' arrival. People who do not prepare for this event, due to their pride, weak faith, ignorance, and lack of comprehension, might seek to influence conscientious Christians in a negative manner. Still, however, one wonders why those Christians who love Jesus and believe in the Bible pretend not to see this great truth. The time has come for all Christians to commit themselves to morality and the path of Jesus. All Christians must show their sincerity and their wholehearted dedication to God, as defined in the Bible, and be tolerant, loving, peaceful, devoted, and work to spread God's religion. The Bible's clear statements on Jesus' second coming must move the conscience of Christians, for contrary behavior or not making the necessary preparations could become a source of great shame and embarrassment for them. Jesus has given the good news of his second coming to all Christians, and says clearly in the Bible: Imyself will come soon (Philippians 2:24)
Similarly, Muslims must also abide by God's morality, as revealed in the Qur'an and the hadiths, and work for Jesus' arrival with excitement, joy, and exuberance. Otherwise, how can they claim to believe in this coming event?
Jesus' second coming will not be a localized affair affecting just one area; rather, it will be a miraculous and metaphysical event powerful enough to affect the whole world, engender fundamental social and political change on a global scale, and cause people to unite behind Jesus. For this reason, all Christians and Muslims must work together and do their utmost to prepare the nicest welcome ever for him. For those Christians and Muslims who believe in the one and only God, strive to earn His good pleasure, have submitted to Him wholeheartedly, are devoted to Him and praise him, and defend the same core values, it is most proper that they move in unison. The need for mutual tolerance, sympathy, understanding, and peace is obvious. It is time to end the centuries-old disputes, prejudices, and misunderstandings, because there is no time to be lost.
In this book, we have shared the good news of Jesus' second coming with everyone from the perspective of the Qur'an and the hadiths. We have seen Bediuzzaman's insightful views and read the Bible's clear statements. We also have called on everyone to make the necessary preparations. In short, we want to make it impossible for people to say that they would have prepared for this event if they had known that it was coming. We have stressed that the signs are clearly there for all to see, and that there can no longer be any doubt that Jesus' second coming is imminent. Our Lord says:
God has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land, as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased, and give them, in place of their fear, security. They worship Me, not associating anything with Me. Any who do not believe after that, such people are deviators. (Qur'an, 24:55) *
