Will Isa (A.S) follow the Shariah of Islam?
Introduction
كَيْفَ أَنْتُمْ إِذَا نَزَلَ فِيكُمُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ فَأَمَّكُمْ مِنْكُمْ ” . فَقُلْتُ لاِبْنِ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ إِنَّ الأَوْزَاعِيَّ حَدَّثَنَا عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ” وَإِمَامُكُمْ مِنْكُمْ ” . قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ تَدْرِي مَا أَمَّكُمْ مِنْكُمْ قُلْتُ تُخْبِرُنِي . قَالَ فَأَمَّكُمْ بِكِتَابِ رَبِّكُمْ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّكُمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) observed:
What would you do when the son of Mary would descend amongst you and would lead you as one amongst you?
Ibn Abi Dhi’b on the authority of Abu Huraira narrated: Your leader amongst you. Ibn Abi Dhi’b said: Do you know what the words:” He would lead as one amongst you” mean? I said: Explain these to me. He said:
He would lead you according to the Book of your: Lord (hallowed be He and most exalted) and the Sunnah of your Apostle (ﷺ).
[Sahih Muslim 155f]
Non-Ahmadi Muslims use this hadith to show that when Isa (A.S) “returns” for his second coming in the latter days, he will follow the teachings of Islam i.e Quran and Sunnah. Thus, his coming after Muhammad (S.A.W) does not go against the verse of Khatam-an-Nabiyyin and the ahadith of “La Nabiyya ba’di” i.e “There is no prophet after me”.
This logic, that Isa (A.S) has to follow the Quran and Sunnah on his second coming so he doesn’t break the seal of the prophethood of Muhammad (S.A.W), is correct. This is the same belief of Ahmadi Muslims. We too believe that the Messiah prophesied by Muhammad (S.A.W) has to come under the shariah of Islam. He has to follow Quran and Sunnah. He cannot abrogate Islamic Shariah.
But non-Ahmadis are only correct up until this logic. They are wrong in their interpretation of this hadith that the same Isa (A.S) of the Bani Israel has to come as a messiah among the Muslims. In this article, we will prove why the same Isa (A.S) of 2000 years ago cannot follow the Shariah of Islam at all as it would contradict Quran clearly.
Explanation
Firstly, Isa (A.S) died a natural death as per the Quran, Ahadith, Ijmah of Sahaba (R.A), and the statements of Salaf-us-Saliheen. Read the article in verse 3:55 or the one in 5:117 or when he died at the age of 120.
Secondly, Isa (A.S) cannot be resurrected before Qiyamah and sent back to this earth. It contradicts numerous verses of the Quran and ahadith. Read more here.
Thirdly, even if he was resurrected somehow before Qiyamah, he cannot be sent back as it will contradict further verses in Quran. Read more here.
Fourthly, he cannot follow the shariah of Islam at all. It will contradict the numerous verses in the Holy Quran. Quran mentions that Isa (A.S) was sent as a messenger to the Israelites and he was taught the Torah and the Gospel only. For example:
“And He will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel;
“And will make him a Messenger to the children of Israel…
[Quran 3:48-49]
It is a contradiction to claim that Isa (A.S) will be sent under the Shariah of Islam
- When Quran repeatedly mentions he was a prophet only for the Israelites.
- He was taught only Torah and the Gospels.
So when he does indeed come back, how can he claim to be following Quran and still go on spreading the message of Islam to non-Israelites?
And how can he teach from the Quran when he wasn’t even taught that book by Allah, unlike the Torah and Gospels, as the Quran states above? For him to teach Quran, every verse in it must be revealed to him while he is staying in heaven but there is no proof of that happening anywhere in the Quran or Ahadith.
Even if someone believes that Quran was revealed to Isa (A.S) just like it was revealed to Muhammad (S.A.W), then they are doing blasphemy and huge disrespect of Muhammad (S.A.W). Not only that, they are claiming Isa (A.S) and Muhammad (S.A.W) have the same rank of prophethood as the most perfect and final Shariah was revealed to him too! Nauthubillah!
Additionally, the non-Ahmadis are contradicting more of their beliefs as they believe that revelation has ceased after Muhammad (S.A.W), yet Isa (A.S) gets the revelation of the most perfect and final law sent by God.
Some other verses that Isa (A.S) will be contradicting on his second coming as per non-Ahmadi beliefs.
And remember when Jesus, son of Mary, said, ‘O children of Israel, surely I am Allah’s Messenger unto you, fulfilling that which is before me of the Torah, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger who will come after me. His name will be Ahmad.’ And when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, ‘This is clear enchantment.’
[Quran 61:6]
And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, fulfilling that which was revealed before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel which contained guidance and light, fulfilling that which was revealed before it in the Torah, and a guidance and an admonition for the God-fearing.
[Quran 5:46]
Fifthly, only Muhammad (S.A.W) has the distinction to be sent for all people. Even if Isa (A.S) does come back, according to the non-Ahmadi Muslim belief, he will be spreading Islam to all people, so much so that no disbeliever will be left. They will either be killed or would have converted, thus it proves that he will contradict the following hadith and be a prophet for all mankind.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me.
[Sahih al-Bukhari 335]
-1. Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey.
-2. The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.
-3. The booty has been made Halal (lawful) for me yet it was not lawful for anyone else before me.
-4. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).
-5. Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind.
Sixthly, even if Isa (A.S) comes back, he would need to get a new prophethood to be able to lead from Quran and Sunnah. As per non-Ahmadi Muslims, he was a messenger of Allah, with his own shariah. In order to teach from Quran, he must abandon his previous prophethood and attain new subordinate prophethood within Islam to lead from Quran and Sunnah.
Seventhly, he cannot be an ummati of Muhammad (S.A.W) if he got the messengerhip of a different shariah. This quote from Promised Messiah (A.S) explains it perfectly:
Therefore, to believe that Hadrat ‘Isa [Jesus], peace be on him, will physically descend from the heavens and to claim that he will be an adherent of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and shall be illuminated by the light of his lamp is to adopt a laboriously concocted creed. How can it be true to suggest that anyone who has already been commissioned as a Prophet could owe the light of his Prophethood to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. And if he does not, then in what sense can he be considered a follower….
Surely someone who has attained the excellence of prophethood through his own right cannot be justly considered a follower for he is an independent Prophet, for which there is no place after the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
[A REVIEW OF THE DEBATE BETWEEN BATALAVI AND CHAKRHALAVI, pg 15]
Refuting Non-Ahmadis
Isa (A.S) will not come as a prophet
This is one of the most common replies of most ignorant non-Ahmadis that when Isa (A.S) “comes back”, he won’t be a prophet or he won’t “come as a prophet”.
Firstly, I have no idea what the phrase “he won’t come as a prophet” means. Does it mean he won’t be a prophet on his second coming? Or does it mean that he won’t do the duties of a prophet?
If it is the former, then it is a completely wrong belief. Denying the prophethood of Isa (A.S) on his second coming is kufr, not only through Quran but also as per Muslim scholars.
Quote scholars here