Copyright © 1996 by M. Anderson. All rights reserved.
From our examination of the Hadith over the last three chapters, it is obvious that the early believers of Islam, including the Prophet Mohammad himself, held Jesus in high esteem. The swiftness and ease with which they understood Jesus would dispose of the Dajjal, along with the comprehensiveness of his restoration of God's creation, is an indication of the supreme place he held in their hearts and minds.
If we gather some of the impressions we have gained so far about the reappearing of Jesus, the list would look like this:
1. In the Last Days, wickedness will increase so greatly on the earth that Islam will fade and the Qur'an will return to Heaven. Prayers will be dead.
2. The Dajjal will emerge to deceive the world. His deception will be the single greatest assault on the Truth of God in all time. Believers will long to die to escape it. His power will be so great that even those in their graves will believe in him.
3. The person who will conquer the Dajjal must be more powerful than him. That person is Jesus the Christ, whom God will send from Heaven for this purpose.
4. When the Dajjal sees Jesus, he will dissolve as salt dissolves in water. Jesus will destroy the greatest power of evil in history with one look.
5. After he has destroyed the Dajjal, Jesus will reverse the tide of wickedness and increase righteousness. In a world full of dead prayers he will `pray the prayers' that will change people's hearts. He will judge and restore.
6. Jesus will take over the political and spiritual leadership of the world. He will impart holiness and lead in true worship. Under his rulership, hatred and enmity will be removed, sickness and death banished, and nature renewed in perfect harmony.
7. Jesus will perform this work alone, unaided by men or angels.
8. Jesus will be the source of blessing and exaltation for all who touch Him. In him, people's deepest longings to adore and serve their Creator will be richly satisfied, and God will receive the worship He truly deserves.
In short, when Jesus descends from Heaven, the earth will shine with the light of God. The early believers clearly saw the day of Jesus' reappearing as wonderful and glorious - Paradise on earth.
All this leaves us with one pressing question. If God has chosen Jesus to be His agent in all these things, who is Jesus?
The mosques give Jesus an unparalleled reception. The Hadith says:
The mosques will tilt for the appearing of Jesus the Christ, for he will come again ... and those who reach the time of his coming will believe on him.[1]
What a reception! All the mosques of the world, bowing down to Jesus! In a time when people's eyes are blinded and their minds deceived, the stones of the mosques will pay Jesus the honour he deserves. And why not? If angels were commanded to worship and bow down to Adam, who later brought humanity out of Paradise, how much more should they worship the one who brings man back to Paradise. The mosques will not shrink from doing the same.
Mohammad prayed for protection from the Dajjal.[2] Jesus comes to destroy the Dajjal with one look. Throughout the Hadith, there are no stories that speak of Mohammad or any other person being resurrected to battle the false Christ and fulfil God's purposes, or even to take part. Jesus will undertake this unique historical role single handed.
Consequently Mohammad was happy that Jesus should supersede him as ruler of his nation. 'There is no prophet or messenger between me and Jesus, except that Jesus will supersede me in my nation after me.'[3] The general impression from the Hadith is that Mohammad's nation will be the portion of Jesus in the Last Day. Indeed, it is clear Mohammad considered it an honour for him and his nation that Jesus should be their judge. He was content that his nation will belong to Jesus before the Day of Judgment.
This is clear from the Hadith that says when Jesus salutes Mohammad in the grave, Mohammad will be able to answer him back: 'Jesus Son of Mary will descend ... He will come to my grave and salute me and I will answer him back.'[4]
Suyuti relates two stories about the power of Jesus to raise the dead, but with specific emphasis on the voice of Jesus.
The children of Israel came to Jesus and asked Him: 'Sam the son of Noah is buried here, not very far. Call God to raise him'. Jesus then called him with a shout, and Sam came out of the grave but with grey hair. The people exclaimed, 'He died when he was a young man - what is this white hair?' Sam replied, 'When I heard the voice of Jesus I thought it the "single cry" [or "single shout"].' [5]
In the second story Jesus raises His brother:
When Jesus was shown the grave He called him out with a shout. His brother came out with grey hair ... Jesus asked him, 'What happened to you?' He replied, 'I heard your voice and I thought it to be the "single shout".' [6]
The expression "single shout" is found in several passages in the Qur'an.
If therefore you disbelieve, how will you guard yourselves against a day that shall make the children grey-headed? [7]These are only waiting for a single cry [or shout], to which there is no delay. [8]
And listen thou for the day when the caller shall call from a near place. On the day they hear the Cry in truth, that is the day of coming forth. It is We who give life, and make to die, and to Us is the homecoming. Upon the day when the earth is split asunder from about them as they hasten forth; that is a mustering easy for Us. [9]
They are waiting only for one Cry to seize them while they are yet disputing, then they will not be able to make any testament, nor will they return to their people. And the trumpet shall be blown; then behold, they are from their tombs sliding down unto their Lord. They say, 'Alas for us! Who roused us out of our sleeping-place? This is what the All-merciful promised, and the envoys spoke truly.' 'It was only one Cry; then behold, they are all arraigned before Us. So today no soul shall be wronged anything, and you shall not be recompensed, except according to what you have been doing.' [10]
The Hadith explains this "single cry or shout" to be the final manifestation of God pouring His anger out on the world:
... we do not know the time of the Hour of Doom ... and so shall be the Single Shout ... there has never been a shout before that was not accompanied by God's wrath on the world. [11]
The stories told by Suyuti show that the voice of Jesus is like this final Single Shout 'to which there is no delay'. His voice causes even dead people to tremble and their hair to turn grey from horror because they think it is the Single Shout of 'the day of coming forth', that is, the Resurrection Day.
Did the early Muslim community believe that it is Jesus' voice that will raise the dead in the Last Hour and usher in the final judgment of God? Suyuti's stories suggest that they did.
This leaves us asking: What more is there to be accomplished that Jesus will not do? After all his achievements, can anyone improve on or add to his work? What more can desperate humanity need or hope for that Jesus will not satisfy when he reappears?
What more can be accomplished after the miraculous transformation of nature to restore it to the perfect condition it was in before sin entered the world?
What more can be done after the restoration to man of his authority, so he becomes for the first time since the Fall God's true khalifat?
What more can be achieved after peace is established on earth and war between nations disappears?
What more can be accomplished after Jesus has established peace between man and his fellow man and eliminated hatred and envy and malice? And the Hadith will come true 'the whole earth will be filled with peace like a vessel becomes filled with water.' [12]
What more can be achieved after restoring humanity to its maker and creator so that the 'one prostration for worship will be far greater than the world and all that is in it!' [13]
Again we ask: Who is Jesus? Who is he who satisfies all the aspirations, longings and needs of all mankind? Who is he who is going to solve all the problems of the world and restore creation to its original condition as made by God the Almighty?
He is one person yet he satisfies all. One person for millions. One person for all nations. One person who fills all hearts.
Why is it that only this one is greater than all the prophets in every way? What is God trying to reveal through Him? Can we afford to ignore Him?
It is important to note that the greatest of all deceivers, the Dajjal, will not pretend to be Moses or Abraham or any other prophet; he will pretend to be the Christ. This is an indirect declaration that Jesus is the greatest personality that will ever appear on earth. It is a confirmation to the unique exaltation and superiority above all human beings and prophets that God himself has appointed for Jesus.
Such exaltation cannot be given to a mere human being, otherwise he would be idolatrously worshipped. So who is he?
Before we can answer that question, we need to look further at how the most eminent Qur'an commentators and some of the great Sufi mystics have portrayed Jesus throughout the centuries. For this we now turn to part 2 of this series.
If you would like to ask further questions, obtain a hard copy of this series of booklets or for any other reason you are welcome to contact M. Anderson via email.