Non‑Ahmadi Qur’an Translations Agree on Tawaffa of Isa (AS)

Introduction

Non-Ahmadis often claim that we are making up new translations of the Holy Quran regarding the verses that prove the death of Isa (A.S). Although these allegations do not matter since we have proved our case from the Quran, Ahadith, ijmah (consensus) of sahaba (R.A), statements of Salaf-us-Saliheen, and Arabic lexicons, it is a good exercise to shut the critics on all fronts.

The belief that Isa (AS) has died is not a new one within Islam. It was not only the belief of Muhammad (S.A.W) and the Salaf-us-Saliheen but this view remained among the Muslims throughout the centuries and many Sunni Muslims still hold it now, along with a majority of Shia Muslims.

In this article, we have presented 50 (!!) non-Ahmadi translations that prove the death of Isa (AS) – there are tons more! The scans for each translation are lined on the verse number.

Allama Abdullah Yusuf Ali* (Sunni)

Behold! God said: “O Jesus! I will take thy soul and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: Then shall ye all return unto me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute

[Quran 3:55]

Muhammad Asad (Sunni)

Lo! God said: “O Jesus! Verily, I shall cause thee to die, and shall exalt thee unto Me, and cleanse thee of [the presence of] those who are bent on denying the truth; and I shall place those who follow thee [far] above those who are bent on denying the truth, unto the Day of Resurrection. In the end, unto Me you all must return, and I shall judge between you with regard to all on which you were wont to differ.

[Quran 3:55]

Abdul Majid Daryabadi (Deobandi Sunni)

Recall what time Allah said: O ‘Isa! verily I shall make thee die, and am lifting thee to myself and am purifying thee from those who disbelieve, and shall place those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection; thereafter unto Me shall be the return of you all, then I shall judge between you of that wherein ye were wont to differ

[Quran 3:55]

Dr. Mustafa Khattab (Sunni)

˹Remember˺ when Allah said, “O Jesus! I will take you* and raise you up to Myself. I will deliver you from those who disbelieve, and elevate your followers above the disbelievers until the Day of Judgment. Then to Me you will ˹all˺ return, and I will settle all your disputes.

[Quran 3:55]

Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelwi Sunni)

Remember, when Allah said; ‘O Eesa (Jesus) I will make you reach full life‘

[Quran 3:55]

Muhammad Hussain Battalwi (Ahle Hadith Sunni)

Remember, when Allah said; O Isa! I shall cause you to reach to your full life and I shall raise you towards Myself and I shall purify you from the infidels, and shall give your followers superiority over the rejecters until the Day of Resurrection then you all shall come returning to Me: then I shall decide between you concerning that wherein you dispute’.

[Quran 3:55]

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan (Sunni)

God said, O Jesus, I shall cause you to die and will raise you up to Me and shall clear you [of the calumnies] of the disbelievers, and shall place those who follow you above those who deny the truth, until the Day of Judgement; then to Me shall all return and I will judge between you regarding your disputes

[Quran 3:55]

Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri (Sufi Sunni)

When Allah said: ‘O ‘Isa (Jesus), I will surely bring your term of life to completion; and I am about to lift you towards Myself (in the heavens), and deliver you from the disbelievers, and exalt your followers above (these) disbelievers till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me you all have to return. So I shall judge between you in the matters about which you used to dispute.

[Quran 3:55]

Sayyid Ali Quli Qara’l (Shia)

When Allah said, ‘O Jesus, I shall take you[r soul], and I shall raise you up toward Myself, and I shall clear you of [the calumnies of] the faithless, and I shall set those who follow you above the faithless until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me will be your return, whereat I will judge between you concerning that about which you used to differ

[Quran 3:55]

Dr. Shabbir Ahmad (Sunni)

“O Jesus! I will cause you to die of natural causes and I will exalt you in honor in My Court and I will clear you of the slander of the disbelievers. I will cause those who truly follow you to dominate the rejecters until the Day of Resurrection. Eventually, all of you will return to Me, then I will judge among you about what you used to differ.”

[Quran 3:55]

Safi Kaskas (Sunni)

God said, “Jesus, I will cause you to die and raise you up to me, and purify you from those who denied the truth, and I will exalt your followers over those who deny you until the Resurrection Day. Then you all will return to me, and I will judge between you in matters about which you disagree.

[Quran 3:55]

Talal Itani

God said, ‘O Jesus, I am terminating your life, and raising you to Me, and clearing you of those who disbelieve. And I will make those who follow you superior to those who disbelieve, until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return; then I will judge between you regarding what you were disputing

[Quran 3:55]

Ahmed Hulusi (Sufi Sunni)

And recall when Allah had said, “I’m going to cause you to die (that is, they will not be able to assassinate you through their secret schemes, I will cause you to die when your time comes)… I’m going to raise you to myself (enable you to experience the supremacy of your essence); I’m going to purify you by removing you from among the deniers of the reality (disbelievers) and until Doomsday I’m going to place those who follow you above those who deny the reality. In the end, your return is to Me. I will judge on matters over which you differed between each other.”

[Quran 3:55]

George Sale (Orientalist)

When God said, O Jesus, verily I will cause thee to die, and I will take thee up unto me, and I will deliver thee from the unbelievers; and I will place those who follow thee, above the unbelievers, until the day of resurrection: Then unto me shall ye return, and I will judge between you of that concerning which ye disagree

[Quran 3:55]

Edward Henry Palmer (Orientalist)

3:55 When God said, ‘O Jesus! I will make Thee die and take Thee up again to me and will clear thee of those who misbelieve, and will make those who follow thee above those who misbelieve, at the day of judgment, then to me is your return. I will decide between you concerning that wherein ye disagree

[Quran 3:55]

John Medows Rodwell (Orientalist)

Remember when God said, “O Jesus! verily I will cause thee to die, and will take thee up to myself and deliver thee from those who believe not; and I will place those who follow thee above those who believe not, until the day of resurrection. Then, to me is your return, and wherein ye differ will I decide between you

[Quran 3:55]

Mohammad Shafi (Deobandi Sunni)

When Allah said: “O Jesus! I am indeed going to make you die and raise you up to Me. And I will cleanse you of what those who suppress the Truth say about you. And I will make those who follow you surpass those who suppress the Truth, towards the Day of Resurrection.And then to Me shall be the return of you all. Then I shall judge between you on matters which you have been disputing.”

[Quran 3:55]

Ali Bakhtiari Nejad

(Remember) when God said: Jesus, I make you die, and bring you up to Me, and cleanse you from those who disbelieved, and make those who follow you above those who disbelieved until the resurrection day. Then, your return is to Me, and I judge between you in what you disagreed about it

[Quran 3:55]

Faridul Haque

Remember when Allah said, “O Eisa! I will keep you alive till your full age, and raise you towards Me, and cleanse you of the disbelievers and give your followers dominance over the disbelievers until the Day of Resurrection; then you will all return to Me, so I shall judge between you concerning the matter in which you dispute.”

[Quran 3:55]

Edip Yüksel

God said, “O Jesus, I will terminate you, and raise you to Me, and cleanse you of those who have rejected, and make those who have followed you above those who rejected, until the day of Resurrection; then to Me is your return so I will judge between all of you in what you were disputing.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Muhammad Habib Shakir (Sunni)

And when Allah said: O Isa, I am going to terminate the period of your stay [on earth] and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those wio disbelieve and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the day of resurrection; then to Me shall be your return, so 1 will decide between you concerning that in which you differed.

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Alexander Ross (Orientalist)

“Remember thou, how the Lord said, O Jesus, I will cause thee to die, I will elevate thee to myself and remove thee from Infidels….”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Mohamed Ahmed & His Daughter, Samira

“When God said: “You Jesus I am, I am making you die and raising you to Me and purifying you from
those who disbelieved, and making those who followed you above those who disbelieved to the Resurrection
Day, then to Me (is) your return, so I judge/rule between you in what, you were in it differing.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Hashim Amir Ali (Shia)

“Lo, Allah said, “O ‘Isa! I shall make thee die and raise thee nearer to Me. I shall rid thee of these evaders (of the truth); and those who follow thee I shall raise above those who deny thee, until the day appointed. Then I will recall all of you to Myself and judge between you about your differences.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Majid Fakhry

“When Allah said: “O Jesus, I will cause you to die, will lift you up to Me, purify you from those who have disbelieved and place those who followed you above those who have disbelieved, till the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me is your return, so that I may judge between you regarding what you were disputing.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Dr. Kamal Omar

“Behold! Allah said: “O ‘Isa! Certainly I am the Giver of death to you, the Raiser of you towards Me, the Protector of you against those who rejected you, and the Maintainer of those who have followed you above those who have rejected you — till the Day of Resurrection. Afterwards, to Me is your return, then I will pronounce judgment between your people in whatever you used to create differences of opinion.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Ali Muhammad Fazil Chinoy (Shia)

“Recall when God said: O Jesus we shall finish your duty and raise you to “Us” saving you from heathens and superseding your followers over infidels till day of judgement; then shall reversion be to “Us” when shall We decide differences amongst you.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

“(It was at such a juncture in the history of Christ’s mission that God said by way of heartening him and his followers:) “0 Jesus! Verily, I will complete thy course of time and will raise thee up to Myself and will absolve you of all the accusations levelled at you by your detractors and will give thy followers for all times ascendency over those who have rejected thee. And eventually all have to return to Me and I will decide on the day of resurrection on matters wherein people have entertained differences;”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Dr. Hesham El-Essaway

When Allah said to Isa (Jesus),
I shall bring you to your death,
And I shall raise you up to Me
And I shall purify you of the unbelievers!
And I shall make your followers supreme
Above those who believed not
Till the day of resurrection!
And to Me you shall all return
And I will judge between you, About that in which you disputed,

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Tarif Khalidi

“Remember when God said: ‘O Jesus, I shall cause you to die and make you ascend to Me. I shall purify you from those who blasphemed, and I shall raise those who followed you above those who blasphemed until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I shall judge between you concerning that in which you disputed. As for those who blasphemed, I shall torment them most severely in this world and the next, and no helpers will they have.’ As for those who believed and performed good deeds, He shall pay them their wages in full. God loves not the evildoers.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Fazollah Nikayin (Shia)

“At last, God said: “0 Jesus, now I will Recall your soul and lift you up to Me, And rid you of the disbelievers’ dirt, And I will cause your followers to be Above the disbeliever till the Day Of Resurrection; finally, Unto Me you shall all return, and then I’ll judge among you all, regarding all things you differed in;“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Ahmad Zaki Mansur Hammad (Sunni)

“Behold! God said: O Jesus! Indeed, I shall take your soul.
And I shall lift you up to Me. And I shall cleanse you from the defilement of all those who disbelieve in you.
Moreover, I shall place those who follow you and confirm your message above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection.
Then to Me alone. shall be the return of all of you, and I shall judge between you regarding that wherein you have been disputing.“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Muhammad Abdul Hakim Khan

“God said, O Jesus, Verily I shall cause thee to die and take thee up unto me; and purify thee of the charges of those who believe not in thee; and shall place those who follow thee above those who deny thee, to the day of resseruction. Then unti me shall be your return, wherefore I will judge between you concerning that in which ye disagree“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Pir Salahud-Din

“His people plotted but Allah countered their plot.
Allah can counter plots better than anyone else. Behold! Allah
did it when He said : ‘Jesus, I will call you to death and admit
you to My presence, and clear you of the accusations of the
unbelievers, and make your followers prevail over the unbelievers
till the Day of Resurrection. You shall all return to Me, and
I will judge all your differences.“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Mirza Hairat Dehlavi (Sunni)

“(And tell them) when God said, “O Jesus verily I will make thee die, and raise thee up unto Me, and clear thee of those who disbelieve, and will place who believe in thee above those who disbelieve in thee till the day of resseruction, then unto me is your return. I will then decide between you about that, wherein ye do differ”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

 Muhammad Ali Jalandhari (Deobandi Sunni)

“When you complete your living period, I will lift you and purify you from the company of the disbelievers. And the people who follow you over the disbelievers on the Day of Resurrection will prevail. Then you will all return to me and then on the things of which you disagree I will resolve.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Deobandi Sunni)

“Allah said, ‘O Jesus surely I will cause you to die, and I will raise you to myself, and I will purify you from those who disbelieve, I will purify you from the disbelievers and, I will make those who follow you superior over those who reject you”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Sanullah Amritsari (Ahle Hadith/Salafi Sunni)

“O Jesus! I will cause you to die, and raise you to Myself, and purify you from those who disbelieve, and make those who follow you above the disbelievers….”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Ubaidullah Sindhi (Hanafi Deobandi Sunni)

“O Jesus! I will cause you to die and [then] will raise you to Myself.“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Shuaib Abdullahi

“Then (Iz’) GOD (Ellahu) said (Qaala), “O (Yaa) Jesus (Eesaa), indeed I (Innii) will cause you to die (Mutawaffii-ka) and (Wa) raise you (Raafiu’ka) to ME (ilayya) and purify you (Mutohhiru-ka) from (Mina) those who (Ellaziina) disbelieve (Kafaru’) and will place (Jaa’elu) those who (Ellaziina) followed you (Ettabauu-ka) above (Faw’qa) those who (Ellaziina) disbelieved (Kafaruu’) till (ilaa) the Day of Resurrection (Yaw’mil’ Qiyaamati). Then (Thumma) to me (ilayya) is your return (Mar’jiu-kum’), and (Fa) I will judge (Eh’kumu) between you (Bai’nakum’) concerning what (Fiimaa) you have (Kuntum’) differed in (Takh’talifuun Fiihi).”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Rashad Khalifa (Quranyioon)

“Thus, GOD said, “O Jesus, I am terminating your life, raising you to Me, and ridding you of the disbelievers. I will exalt those who follow you above those who disbelieve, till the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is the ultimate destiny of all of you, then I will judge among you regarding your disputes.“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

J.M Rodwell (Orientalist)

“Remember when God said, “O Jesus! verily I will cause thee to die, and will take thee up to myself and deliver thee from those who believe not; and I will place those who follow thee above those who believe not, until the day of resurrection. Then, to me”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Al-Muntakhab fi Tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim

“There and then said Allah to ‘Isa, “O ‘Isa, I am ordaining that you depart from this life. I am taking you up to My August presence and ridding you of the troublesome blasphemers among your contemporaries and out of harm’s way. I am raising those who recognized your mission and accepted your apostleship to higher ranks and exalting them in dignity and power above those who denied you till the Day of Resurrection when to Me shall all of you return. Then I will judge between you on the strained points of dispute upon which the whole unreasoning turned”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

The Monotheist Group

God said: “O Jesus, I will let you die, and raise you to Me, and cleanse you of those who have rejected, and make those who have followed you above those who rejected until the Day of Resurrection; then to Me is your return so I will judge between all of you in what it was that you disputed.”

[Quran 3:55]

The Monotheist Group (Revision)

“For God said: “O Jesus, I will terminate your life, and raise you
to Me, and purify you of those who have rejected, and make those
who have followed you above those who have rejected until the
Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, all of you, so I
will judge between you in what it was that you disputed.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

“Mention when God said: O Jesus! I will be One Who Gathers thee and One Who Elevates thee to Myself and One Who Purifies thee from those who were ungrateful, and One Who Makes those who followed thee above those who were ungrateful until the Day of Resurrection. Again, you will return to Me. Then, I will give judgment between you about what you had been at variance in it.“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

The Wise Quran

“And when God said, ‘O Jesus! Indeed, I will cause you to die and raise you to me and purify you of those who disbelieved, and make those who followed you above those who disbelieved to the Day of Resurrection, then to Me is your return. And I will judge between you concerning that in which you were disagreeing.“

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Samy Mahdy

“When Allah said, “O Jesus, I am expiring you, and raising you to Me, and pure you from those who disbelieved. And I will set up those who followed you superior above those who disbelieved, until The Resurrection Day. Then to Me is your return; so, I will judge between you in what you were differing in.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Fode Drame

When Allah said, “O Jesus! Truly I am going to take your soul and raise you unto Me and cleanse you from those who have disbelieved and [I am] going to make those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the day of resurrection. Then unto Me is your place of return. Then I will judge between you in all that in which you used to disagree.”

_{[Quran 3:55]}

Muhammad Taqi Usmani (Deobandi Sunni)

“When Allah said: .O ‘Isa , I am to take you in full and to raise you towards Myself, and to cleanse you of those who disbelieve, and to place those who follow you above those who disbelieve up to the Day of Doom. Then to Me is your return, whereupon I shall judge between you in that over which you have differed“

_{[Quran 3:55]}