Shaloom readers....
“It must come as something of a surprise to Christians to hear that the return of Jesus to earth is as much a basic belief of the Muslims as it is ours. Once again the vast majority of the Muslims of the world hold to this belief. As with the ascension the Qur'an does not treat the subject at any length and, as with so much of its teaching about Jesus, it is somewhat ambiguous. The one passage invariably brought forth to justify the doctrine is this one:
And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): Therefore have no doubt about the (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way. Surah 43.61
The key words in the original Arabic are Wa innahuu la'ilmil-lissaa'ati which, literally interpreted, mean only "And there is knowledge (ilm) of the Hour (sa'ah)". Arberry thus translates it, viz. "It is knowledge of the Hour", as does Pickthall: "Verily there is knowledge of the Hour". At first sight Yusuf Ali's interpretation in the quote above, to the effect that Jesus himself is the sign of the Hour of Judgment to come, appears to be broadly read into the text which would not otherwise yield it. A well-known Christian writer, however, summarily discounts any possibility that the text might refer to the second coming of Jesus at the end of the age. He says on this point:
No eschatological interpretation could possibly have been current in Arabia in reference to Jesus. The Medinan verse 43:61: "And it/he will be a sign of the Hour" may be translated: "Verily there is knowledge of the Hour". Any idea of Jesus' future coming derives from subsequent interpretation. (Trimingham, Christianity Among the Arabs in Pre-Islamic Times, p. 267).
Another writer, however, accepts that if the pronoun built into the word innahuu refers to Jesus, then it may well be that this text is intended to allude to his return to the earth towards the end of time.
It is also significant that Christ is spoken of as a sign of the "Hour" (Sure xliii.61) which would appear to be a reference to His second advent (in which Muslims believe) if the pronoun refers back to Christ. (Sweetman, Islam and Christian Theology, Part One, Vol. 1, p. 34).
Commenting on the same verse a Muslim writer seeks support for the interpretation in favour of the return of Jesus to earth in some of the expressed views of some of Muhammad's own followers as they have been recorded in the traditions:
Distinguished Companions of the Holy Prophet Sallallaho alaihe wasallam, such as Hazrat Ibne-Abbas, Hazrat Hasan and Hazrat Qatawa have opined that there is a specific allusion in the abovequoted wordings to the appearance of Jesus Christ before the Last Day. (Alam, Nuzul-e-Esa: Descension of Jesus Christ, p. 28).
In another place, referring to the opinions of the early Muslim interpreters of the Qur'an, he says:
Another commentator, Ibne-Atya, goes on to state that Moslem theologians are unanimous in holding that Jesus Christ is physically alive at present in Heavens and is destined to return to this world in the same condition towards the approach of the Last Day. (Alam, Nuzul-e-Esa: Descension of Jesus Christ, p. 37).
When the text is placed in its context in the Surah there does appear to be much to support the argument that it is Jesus himself who is spoken of as the knowledge or sign of the Hour. The passage begins by saying that Muhammad's people ridicule him when he seeks to hold up the son of Mary as an example (Surah 43.57), goes on to quote their objection that their gods are better than he (v.58), and asserts In huwa illa abdun - "He was no more than a servant" - who was made an example to the Children of Israel (v.59). Thereafter Jesus himself is quoted (w .63-64) and, analysing the key verse in this context, it is hard to see what else could be the "knowledge" or sign of the Hour of Judgment if it is not Jesus himself, the subject of the whole passage. Yusuf Ali has the following comment appended to the text:
This is understood to refer to the second coming of Jesus in the Last Days just before the Resurrection, when he will destroy the false doctrines that pass under his name, and prepare the way for the universal acceptance of Islam, the Gospel of Unity and Peace, the Straight Way of the Qur'an. (Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an, p. 1337).
Another Muslim translator of the Qur'an has a similar comment on this verse: "The reference is to the second advent of Jesus" (Daryabadi, The Holy Qur'an, Vol. 2, p. 493B). Going on from the Qur'an to the Hadith we find that there are a wealth of traditions in support of the doctrine of the return of Jesus to earth. There are no less than seventy in fact and they are regarded as mutawatir, "universally attested" traditions of unquestioned reliability. One reads:
Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: By Him in Whose hand is my life, the son of Mary (may peace be upon him) will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will break crosses kill swine and abolish Jizya, and the wealth will pour forth to such an extent that no one will accept it. (Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, p. 92).
Another tradition states that "spite, mutual hatred and jealousy against one another will certainly disappear" during his reign when he returns (Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, p. 93) and in yet another tradition we read that Surah 4.159, which teaches that "there is none of the People of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) but must believe in him before his death", is also a proof that Jesus will return to earth to receive the homage of all to whom the Scriptures have been given (Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 4, p. 437). Throughout the various works in the Sirat and Hadith literature we find similar traditions suppor tiny the return of Jesus, another of which reads:
When Christ was raised (to the heavens), he was thirty-two years and six months old. The period of his prophethood lasted for thirty months. Allah raised him to heaven with his body; he is still alive and will return to this world and he will be a king of the whole earth and then he will die like other living beings. (Ibn Sa'd, Kitab al-Tabaqat al-Kabir, Vol. 1, p. 47).
Another example that Jesus in Hadith
Sahih Bukhari Volume 3, Book 34, Number 425:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people (Muslims) as a just ruler and will break the Cross and kill the pig and abolish the Jizya (a tax taken from the non-Muslims, who are in the protection, of the Muslim government). Then there will be abundance of money and no-body will accept charitable gifts.
Sahih Bukhari Volume 3, Book 43, Number 656:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established until the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizya tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it (as charitable gifts).
Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 55, Number 651:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "I am the nearest of all the people to the son of Mary, and all the prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me and him (i.e. Jesus)."
Volume 4, Book 55, Number 652:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one."
Volume 4, Book 55, Number 657:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it." Abu Huraira added "If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): -- 'And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e. Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them." (4.159) (See Fateh Al Bari, Page 302 Vol. 7)
Volume 4, Book 55, Number 658:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said "How will you be when the son of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Quran and not by the law of Gospel (Fateh-ul Bari page 304 and 305 Vol 7)
Sahih Muslim Book 030, Number 5834:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying: I am most akin to the son of Mary among the whole of mankind and the Prophets are of different mothers, but of one religion, and no Prophet was raised between me and him (Jesus Christ).
Book 030, Number 5835:
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying: I am most akin to Jesus Christ among the whole of mankind, and all the Prophets are of different mothers but belong to one religion and no Prophet was raised between me and Jesus.
Book 030, Number 5836:
Abu Huraira reported many ahadith from Allah's Messenger (pbuh) and one is that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: I am most close to Jesus, son of Mary, among the whole of mankind in this worldly life and the next life. They said: Allah's Messenger how is it? Thereupon he said: Prophets are brothers in faith, having different mothers. Their religion is, however, one and there is no Apostle between us (between I and Jesus Christ).
Sunan Abu Dawud Book 37, Number 4310:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (pbuh) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (pbuh). He will descend (to the earth). When you see him, recognize him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizya. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.
It is immediately apparent that there are key differences between Christian and Muslim beliefs regarding the return of Jesus but what is of great significance is the very admission of this climactic event to come at the end of time.”
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