True Meaning of the Ascension and Second Coming of Jesus — Essence of Islam Vol. 3

14 Sep, 2026 Essence of Islam 0

Essence of Islam Book Cover by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS)

Introduction

In this discourse from Essence of Islam (Volume 3), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, expounds upon True Meaning of the Ascension and Second Coming of Jesus, presenting profound spiritual insights and scriptural verities.

Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 3)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 6: The Messiah and His Second Coming
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The Messiah and his Second Coming 179 as to guarantee its accuracy. The way of fairness and support of the truth was not to reject the prophecy, but to reject the interpretations put upon it by the foolish clerics which entail all manners of contradiction. It is the faulty reasoning of the dim-witted clerics which has misinterpreted a simple prophecy in such a way that it has become a myriad of contradictions which have bewildered every research minded people.
[Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 13, pp. 205-211, footnote]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 3, p. 179]

There are great difficulties in interpreting this prophecy literally, for this would invite all manner of objections before the Messiah even descends from heaven. There is no need for us to get involved in these difficulties. Why should we seek to bring the son of Mary down from heaven and deprive him of his Prophethood? Why should we degrade him so that someone else should be the Imam and he should be the follower; and another should take the covenant of allegiance as the Imam and Khalifa while he should be a helpless spectator; and he should become a common Muslim, and dare not even mention his Prophethood?
[Izala-e-Auham, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 3, p.174]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 3, p. 179]

Sensible people had no difficulty in understanding this prophecy as the holy words of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clearly indicated that it did not mean the second coming of a Prophet of Israel himself; for he had repeatedly affirmed that there would be no Prophet after him. The Hadith 145

was so well-known that no one entertained any doubt about it. The Holy Qur’an, every word of which is conclusive and final, had also confirmed it in the verse 146

that Prophethood had come to an end with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.) Then how was it possible that anyone, with the status of an independent Prophet, should come after the Holy Prophetsa? Such an event would altogether disrupt the whole pattern of Islam. To assert, on the other hand, that Jesusas would come a second time, bereft of his Prophethood, would be the height of impertinence and shamelessness. Can a Prophet like Jesus (peace be on him), who is accepted of God Almighty and one of His favourites, ever be deprived of his Prophethood?
[Kitab-ul-Bariyyah, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 13, pp. 217-218, footnote]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 3, p. 179]

The ‘Descent’ or the ‘Coming’ does not mean the coming of the Messiah son of Mary; it is actually a figure of speech signifying the coming of someone resembling the son of Mary; and, in accordance with Divine intimation and revelation, it is the present writer—my own humble self—to whom it applies. I am only too well aware that as soon as this view of mine, which is based on clear and definite revelation, is

146 ‘But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets.’—Al-Ahzab, 33:41 [Publisher] The Messiah and his Second Coming 181 made public, many a hostile pen shall come alive and there will be a public outcry full of horror and rejection….
There are two Prophets concerning whom it has been supposed, on the basis of the Bible, Ahadith and some scriptures, that they were raised bodily to heaven; one was John, whose name is also Elia or Elias, and the other is Jesus, son of Mary. Some of the books of the Old and New Testaments state, with regard to both of them, that they were raised bodily to heaven and will at some time be seen descending upon the earth. Some of the Ahadith also use similar expressions with reference to them. With regard to Elias, the Gospels state that the prophecy concerning his descent was fulfilled in the advent of John the son of Zachariah. Jesus clearly said: John is Elias who was to come. Let him, who will, accept. Thus the controversy regarding the physical ascent to heaven of one of them and his descent at some later time, was settled by a Prophet, namely Jesus, and his second coming was thus explained. The agreed Christian doctrine, in accordance with the Bible, is that Elias descended from heaven in the time of Jesus, when one possessing his power and spirit was born to Zechariah as his son and was named John. But the Jews still await his descent. They believe that he will descend physically from heaven….In any event, Jesus furnished the true interpretation of the expression ‘descent from heaven’ and the manner of the descent of Elias was settled. But with regard to Jesus, it is still asserted emphatically that he will descend physically from heaven wearing luxurious robes and in the company of angels. Christians and Muslims do not agree on the place of the descent, whether he will descend in Mecca, or in some church in London or the Imperial Cathedral in Moscow. Had not the Christians been impelled by ageold mischief, they could have appreciated more easily than the Muslims that the descent of Jesus should be in accord with the interpretation of descent furnished by Jesus himself….
The Christians also believe that Jesus entered heaven after his ascent. According to Luke, Jesus tried to comfort a thief with the assurance: ‘You will enter heaven with me today.’ Christians also believe that a person, however low his station, who is once admitted to heaven will not be expelled from there. Muslims also believe the same, as Allah the Glorious has said:

لَا يَمَسُّهُمۡ فِيهَا نَصَبٞ وَمَا هُم مِّنۡهَا بِمُخۡرَجِينَ

“Fatigue shall not touch them there, nor shall they ever be ejected therefrom.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:49)

‘Those who are granted admission into Paradise will not be expelled therefrom.’
Though there is no express mention in the Holy Qur’an of the entry of Jesus into heaven, yet his death is mentioned at three different places. In the case of holy personages, death and entry into heaven are simultaneous, as is indicated by the verses:

قِيلَ ٱدۡخُلِ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ ۖ قَالَ يَٰلَيۡتَ قَوۡمِي يَعۡلَمُونَ

“It was said to him, ‘Enter Paradise.’ He said, ‘O, would that my people knew,” (Surah ‘It was said to him, 36:27)

وَٱدۡخُلِي جَنَّتِي

“And enter thou My Garden.” (Surah ‘And enter thou My Garden.’—Al-Fajr, 89:31)

they are made to enter paradise forthwith. It is now incumbent upon both Muslims and Christians to consider whether it is possible that a favourite of God, like Jesus, should be admitted to heaven and then be expelled from it. Would this not be contrary to the promise of God

The Messiah and his Second Coming 183 Almighty, which is clearly set out repeatedly in all holy books?…The disbelievers of Mecca had demanded from the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he should ascend to heaven and descend therefrom while they watched, and he was instructed to say:

أَوۡ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيۡتٞ مِّن زُخۡرُفٍ أَوۡ تَرۡقَىٰ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤۡمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيۡنَا كِتَٰبٗا نَّقۡرَؤُهُۥ ۗ قُلۡ سُبۡحَانَ رَبِّي هَلۡ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرٗا رَّسُولٗا

“‘Or thou have a house of gold or thou ascend up into heaven; and we will not believe in thy ascension until thou send down to us a book that we can read.’ Say, ‘Holy is my Lord! I am not but a man sent as a Messenger.’” (Surah Bani Isra’il, 17:94)

This means that the wisdom of God Almighty does not permit the exhibition of such extraordinary signs in this world, since such exhibition would destroy the reality of faith in the unseen. How can that which was not permissible in the case of the Holy Prophetsa, who was the best of Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), be permissible in the case of Jesus? It would be the height of disrespect to hold that a situation was not permissible in the case of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and yet accept it as permissible in the case of Jesus. No true Muslim can be guilty of such impertinence….
Our lord and master, the Seal of Prophets, has distinguished between the first Messiah and the second Messiah by declaring not only that the second Messiah would be a Muslim who is bound by the commandments of the Holy Qur’an, such as prayer and fasting etc., but he would be born in a Muslim home, would be the Imam of Muslims, would bring no new religion, would not claim any Prophethood apart from the Prophethood of the Holy Prophetsa, but also has described the differences in features between the first and the second Messiah. The features of the first Messiah as observed by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on

the night of his spiritual ascent was: medium height, rosy complexion, curly hair and a broad chest. (See Sahih Bukhari, p.489.) But he described the features of the second Messiah as wheatish complexion and straight hair coming down to the ears (Bukhari.) Does this distinction in their features not clearly establish that the first Messiah and the second Messiah are distinct personages? The designation of both as son of Mary is a fine metaphor that has been employed to indicate resemblance in their temperaments and spiritual qualities.
[Taudih-e-Maram, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 3, pp. 51-59]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 3, p. 180]

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