Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming According to the Qur'an

The Qur'an reveals that Jesus (pbuh) did not die and was not killed. Rather, he was raised up to God's presence and will be returned to Earth at a time of His choice.

This part of the book will examine the Qur'anic evidence for this. (For detailed information, see Harun Yahya, The Glad Tidings of the Messiah, Global Publishing, [Istanbul: 2003].)

1. Those who sought to kill Jesus (pbuh) failed. Thus, their claim to have killed him is based only upon their assumption: 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; rather, 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. (Qur'an, 4:157)

2. Jesus (pbuh) did not die, but was taken from the dimension of human existence to the presence of God:

God raised him [Jesus] up to Himself. God is Almighty, All-Wise. (Qur'an, 4:158)

3. Jesus (pbuh) is a sign for the Hour:

He [Jesus] is a sign of the Hour. Have no doubt about it. But follow me. This is a straight path. (Qur'an, 43:61) This verse signals Jesus' (pbuh) return in the End Times, because Jesus lived approximately six centuries before the Qur'an's revelation. Therefore, we cannot understand his first life as a sign of the Hour or, in other words, a sign of the End Times. Given this interpretation, Jesus (pbuh) will return in the End Times, and that this is a sign of the Day of Judgment. (God knows best.)

4. Jesus' (pbuh) followers will be preferred over unbelievers until the end of time:

When God said: ''Jesus, I will take you back and raise you up to Me, and purify you of those who do not believe. And I will place the people who follow you above those who do not believe 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." (Qur'an, 3:55)

God says that Jesus' (pbuh) true followers will be superior to the unbelievers until the Day of Judgment. He only had a few followers while he was alive on Earth and, after his ascension to God's presence, the true religion revealed to him was gradually falsified. During the next two centuries his followers were persecuted ruthlessly, for they did not have any political power. Therefore, we cannot say that the early Christians dominated the unbelievers and, therefore, that they were the subject of this verse. Today, Christianity is far from its original state as the real religion taught by Jesus (pbuh). In this situation, the expression I will place the people who follow you above those who do not believe until the Day of Resurrection, takes on a clear meaning: A community of Jesus' (pbuh) followers will live until that time. This community will emerge on Jesus' (pbuh) second coming and be preferred over the unbelievers until the Day of Judgment. (God knows best.)

5. All People of the Book will believe in Jesus (pbuh) before he dies:

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. (Qur'an, 4:159)

This verse contains three promises in relation to Jesus (pbuh), all of which have not yet been fulfilled: first, Jesus (pbuh) will die like all other human beings; second, all People of the Book will believe in him before he dies. (Both of these prophecies will be realized when he comes again); and third, Jesus (pbuh) will be a witness over the People of the Book on the Day of Judgment. (God knows best.)

6. Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is proclaimed in Surah Maryam:

[Jesus said:] "Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised up again alive." (Qur'an, 19:33) When this verse is considered together with Surah Al 'Imran 3:55, an important fact emerges, for this latter verse states that Jesus (pbuh) was raised up to God's presence. This verse contains no reference to his death or killing. However, Surah Maryam 19:33 speaks of the day that Jesus (pbuh) will die. This second "death" is only possible with Jesus' (pbuh) return to Earth to live among humanity for a certain number of years. (God knows best.)

7. The following verse indicates his return to Earth:

He will teach him [Jesus] the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel. (Qur'an, 3:48) When we look at other verses to understand the meaning of Book in this verse, we realize the following: As it is used in conjunction with the Bible and the Torah in the same sentence, it must stand for the Qur'an, as the verse below suggests:

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. (Qur'an, 3:3) Many other verses state that wisdom and the Book were revealed to Mohammed (may God bless him and grant him peace). The following is one such verse: God has sent down the Book and Wisdom to you, and taught you what you did not know before. God's favor to you is indeed immense. (Qur'an, 4:113) As the book revealed to Prophet Mohammed (may God bless him and grant him peace) was the Qur'an, the Book referred to in Surah Al 'Imran 3:48, which Jesus (pbuh) will be taught, is most probably the Qur'an. Given that Jesus (pbuh) knew the Torah and the Bible, obviously he will learn the Qur'an on his second coming. (God knows best.)

8. Surah Al 'Imran 3:59 states: "The likeness of Jesus in God's sight is the same as Adam." This verse points out similarities between the two Prophets. For example, both Adam (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh) did not have a father. Moreover, it could be indicating that Jesus (pbuh) will be brought down to Earth in the End Times, just as Adam (pbuh) was brought down from Paradise. (God knows best.)

9. The word kahlaan, in Surat al-Ma'ida 5:110 and Surah Al 'Imran 3:46 is further proof for Jesus' return to Earth. These verses are as follows: 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." (Qur'an, 5:110) [The angels said to Mary:] "He [Jesus] will speak to people in the cradle and also when fully grown, and will be one of the righteous." (Qur'an, 3:46)

The dictionary meaning of kahlaan, which denotes the adult stages of Jesus' (pbuh) life, is between 30-50 years of age, at the borderline of youth and old age. Islamic scholars agree that this word denotes that part of a person's life that begins after one becomes 35 years old. Islamic scholars base their view on the hadiths, transmitted by Ibn `Abbas, that Jesus (pbuh) was raised up to the heavens at the beginning of his thirtieth year and that he will live for another 40 years on his return. Scholars say that his old age will occur after his return to Earth. Therefore, this verse is a proof for Jesus' (pbuh) return. 31

All Prophets spoke with people, invited them to religion, and taught religion at a mature age. But the Qur'an does not use this word for any other Prophet. Thus, kahlaan indicates Jesus' (pbuh) miraculous return to Earth, as the expressions of while in the cradle and when fully grown come one after the other in the verses, indicating the two miraculous times.

Jesus' (pbuh) speaking from the cradle was a miracle, for such a thing had never happened before. This suggests that the expression when fully grown, which appears immediately after the other, is also a miracle. If this expression indicates Jesus' (pbuh) life before he was raised up to God's presence, Jesus' (pbuh) speech would not have been a miracle. This is why the verse points out two miraculous times: when he was in the cradle (the first) and when fully grown (the second). Therefore, the expression when fully grown most probably indicates the miraculous time following his miraculous return to Earth, when he will speak with people again. (God knows best.)

Notes:

31. Muhammed Khalil Herras, Fasl al-Maqal fi raf`i `Isa hayyan wa nuzulihi wa qatlihi ad-Dajjal, (Cairo: Makatabat as-Sunnah, 1990), 20.

Adapted from: "A Call for Unity" by: "Harun Yahya"