Salafi Research Institute SRI
Translated
Abu Sinan
Checked & Revised
Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari
[The Descent of ‘Isa bin Maryam (Peace be upon him)]¹
After the Mutawatir Ahadith and the consensus of the Ummah on the Finality of Prophethood, it is said that Sayyiduna ‘Isa (Peace be upon him) will descend from the Heavens to the Earth and will kill the Dajjal before the Day of Resurrection, as is proven by the Sahih Ahadith.
- Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Abu’l Qasim (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) said [as part of a lengthier narration], “Then ‘Isa bin Maryam ﷺ will descend from the Heavens…” (Al-Bahr Az-Zakhar 17/96 #9642 and his wording after has فيؤم الناس, Kashf Al-Astar ‘An Zawa’id Al-Bazzar 4/142-143 and his wording after has فيقوم الناس, Majma’ Az-Zawa’id 7/349, the chain of narration is authentic – refer to my book ‘Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/111,112)
The wording of the Hadith فيقوم الناس means that the people will stand up for prayer, the meaning of فيؤم الناس is that after the day that Sayyiduna ‘Isa (Peace be upon him) descends, he will lead all the remaining prayers – due to this, there is no contradiction between these Ahadith.
- Sayyiduna Nawas bin Sam’an (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said [as part of a lengthier narration], “Then, Allah (Exalted is He) will send Al-Masih bin Maryam, and he will descend at a white minaret in the East of Damascus wrapped in two garments, both hands placed on the wings of two angels…” (Sahih Muslim #2937, Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/117)
This Hadith is explicitly clear in that Sayyiduna ‘Isa (Peace be upon him) will be brought down by two angels while he has both hands on their wings.
- On the Night of Mi’raj, the Prophet ﷺ met Sayyiduna ‘Isa (Peace be upon him), who said to him [as part of a lengthier narration], “I have been enjoined [with some tasks] before The Hour. So as for The Hour, then nobody has knowledge of it except for Allah.” Then he mentioned the coming of the Dajjal and said, “So I shall descend and then kill him…” (Sunan Ibn Majah #4081 and its chain is Sahih, Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/121-122)
This Hadith is explicitly clear that the [same] Prophet that was sent to Bani Isra’il, Sayyiduna ‘Isa bin Maryam (Peace be upon him), will descend from the Heavens and kill the Dajjal.
- Allah (Exalted is He) says in the Noble Qur’an:
وَإِنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ
“And verily there is none from the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) except that they will surely believe in him (‘Isa bin Maryam) before his death.”
(Surah An-Nisa’, 4:159)
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said in explanation of this Ayah, “[Meaning] the death of ‘Isa.” (Tarikh Dimashq of Ibn ‘Asakir 47/513 and its chain is Hasan)
The famous Faqih and Mujtahid, Amir Al-Mu’minin in Ahadith, the Sahabi of great status, Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also used this Ayah as evidence for the descent of ‘Isa bin Maryam (may Allah be pleased with him). (Sahih Al-Bukhari #3668, Sahih Muslim #155, Darussalam Edn. #390)[2]
The famous trustworthy Tabi’i, Imam Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him), said in explanation of this Ayah, “[Meaning] before the death of ‘Isa, and by Allah! Verily he is alive right now with Allah (in the Heavens), but when he descends, all of [Ahlul-Kitab] will believe in him.” (Tafsir Ibn Jarir At-Tabari 4/254 #10822 and its chain is Sahih)
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ
“And verily he (‘Isa) will be a known sign for The Hour…”
(Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43:61)
Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said in explanation of this Ayah, “[Meaning] the coming of ‘Isa before the Day of Resurrection.” (Sahih Ibn Hibban Al-Ihsan #6778 and its chain is Sahih, see Tahqiqi Maqalat 1/86)
إِنِّى مُتَوَفِّيكَ
“…Verily I will take you…”
(Surah Ali ‘Imran, 3:55)
Imam Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said in explanation of this Ayah, “[Meaning:] I will take you from the Earth.” (Tafsir At-Tabari 3/244 #7128 and its chain is Sahih, Tafsir ‘Abdur-Razzaq 1/129 #407)
The truthful Tabi’ Tabi’i, Matar bin Tahman Al-Warraq, who is considered truthful according to the majority [of scholars of Hadith] and is Hasan Al-Ahadith said, “[Meaning]: I will raise you from the world without death.” (Tafsir At-Tabari 3/243-244 #7128 and its chain is Sahih)
[Consensus on The Descent of ‘Isa bin Maryam (Peace be upon him)]³
There is not a single person known to oppose [this belief] from the best of generations (the Companions, their successors, and their successors), thus there is Ijma’ (consensus) on the fact that Sayyiduna ‘Isa bin Maryam An-Nasiri (Peace be upon him) is alive in the heavens and will descend before the Day of Resurrection.
The famous Mufassir (exegete) Abu Hayyan Muhammad bin Yusuf Al-Andalusi (d. 745H, may Allah have mercy on him) said, “And the Ummah have agreed upon what is included in the Mutawatir Al-Hadith that ‘Isa is in the Heavens and that verily he shall descend in the final duration [before the Day of Resurrection].” (Tafsir Al-Bahr Al-Muhit 2/497)
Abu’l Hasan Al-Ash’ari (d. 329H), the one who turned to the truth towards the end of his life, said, “And the Ummah have agreed upon that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, surely raised ‘Isa to the Heavens.” (His famous book ‘Al-Ibanah ‘An Usul Ad-Diyanah’, p. 34)
One should remember that it is established from the Mustadarak of Al-Hakim (1/116)[4] and other than it from the Sahih Ahadith that the Ijma’ (Consensus) of the Ummah is a Shari’ proof and evidence – rather, Imam Ash-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The Asl (foundation) is the Qur’an and Sunnah, and if [there is no explicit text from either] then Qiyas (analogy) is done based on the two. When the Hadith is continuous (i.e., the chain of narration is connected) from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and its chain of narration is authentic then it is a Sunnah, and Ijma (consensus) is greater than a singular narration, and the Hadith is [taken] upon the apparent [meaning], and if it carries two meanings then the one closer to the apparent meaning is given precedence, and if two Hadiths counterbalance each other, then the one with the more authentic chain of narration is given precedence.” (Adab Ash-Shafi’i wa Manaqibih of Ibn Abi Hatim p. 177-178 and its chain of narration is Sahih)
Regarding his statement about Consensus, Imam Shafi’i meant that a singular narration may be prone to a faulty interpretation. However, Consensus [of the Ummah] cannot have a faulty interpretation, thus Consensus is clearer than a singular narration.
(Mas’ala Khatam An-Nabuwwat, p.56-60)
[1] [TN:] The following chapter headings are not found in the original work of the Shaykh, I (Abu Sinan) added them for clarity.
[2] [TN:] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Surely the Son of Maryam (‘Isa) is about to descend amongst you as a just ruler, then he will break the Cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizyah – and money will overflow until there is no one to accept it [as charity], and at that point a single prostration [for Allah] will be greater than the world and whatever is in it.”
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said after narrating this Hadith, “And recite, if you wish: ‘And verily there is none of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) except that they will surely believe in him (‘Isa bin Maryam) before his death.’” (Sahih Al-Bukhari #3448)
[3] [TN:] Many of the Imams of the Religion mentioned this belief in their books of I’tiqad (creed), for example:
- Imam ‘Ali bin Al-Madini (d. 231H) narrated regarding that which is obligatory to believe in, “Belief in that The False Messiah, Ad-Dajjal, has ‘Kafir’ written between his two eyes, and in the Ahadith that have come regarding that, [and] belief that that will occur, and that ‘Isa bin Maryam will descend and kill him at the Gate of Lud.” (As transmitted by Imam Al-Lalaka’i in his chapter: ‘I’tiqad of Ali bin Al-Madini and that which he transmitted regarding it from a Jama’ah of the Salaf’, 1/260-262 #290/10, Dar Al-Lu’lua Edn.)
- Imam Ahmad said, “The foundations of the Sunnah with us are holding onto what the Companions of the Messenger of Allah were upon…” until his saying: “…and belief that Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal will come out, and written between his two eyes is ‘Kafir (Disbeliever’, and [belief in] the Ahadith that have come regarding that, and belief that that will all occur, and that ‘Isa bin Maryam (Peace be upon him) will descend then kill him.” (As transmitted by Imam Al-Lalaka’I in his chapter: ‘I’tiqad of Al-Imam Abi ‘Abdillah Ahmad bin Hanbal’, 1/252-259 #289/18, Dar Al-Lu’lua Edn.)
- Imam Ibn Battah Al-‘Ukbari said in explanation of the Sunnah, “Belief in that ‘Isa bin Maryam (Peace be upon him) will descend from the Heavens to the Earth, then he will break the cross and kill the swine…” (Ash-Sharh w’al-Ibanah 2/57)
- Imam Ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawani said, “Section: In clarification of what the Ummah has gathered upon…” until his saying: “and belief in what has been narrated regarding the Night Journey of the Prophet ﷺ to the Heavens […] and in what is established from the coming out of the Dajjal and the descent of ‘Isa bin Maryam (Peace be upon him)…” (As transmitted by Ibn Al-Qayyim in Ijtima’ Al-Juyush p. 215-220, Dar Ibn Hazm Edn.)
[4] [TN:] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah shall never gather my Nation together upon misguidance, and the Hand of Allah is above the Jama’at.” (Al-Mustadarak of Al-Hakim 1/116 #399, and Shaykh Zubair ‘Aliza’i authenticated it in his article on Ijma’ – see Monthly Al-Hadith Hazro #91, p. 9-49)
