Isa AS will not be the Messiah for the Muslims
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بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
نَحْمَدُهٗ وَنُصَلِّىْ عَلىٰ رَسُوْلِهِ الْكَرِىْمِ وَعَلىٰ عَبْدِهِ الْمَسِيْحِ الْمَوْعُوْدِ
We praise Allah and invoke blessings upon His Noble Messenger (ﷺ) and upon His servant, the Promised Messiah (عليه السلام)TWO DIFFERENT MESSIAHS
A clear proof that the first and second Messiah would be different persons is found in the hadith collection Sahih Bukhari & Muslim
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, The Promised Messiah and Mahdi عليه السلام said:
“Now let us turn to our Holy Master and Mentor—the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Seal and Certificate of all Prophets. In order to single out the second Messiah from the first, the Holy Prophet ﷺ did not merely announce that the former would be a Muslim by faith; that he would conduct himself in accordance with the Quranic Law; that he would pray and fast and carry out other Quranic injunctions like a Muslim; that he would be a born Muslim; that he wouldn’t bring any new Law; and that he would not claim to be an independent Prophet. In addition to all this, the Holy Prophet ﷺ also disclosed that there would be a marked difference between the physical features of the two Messiahs.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ saw the first Messiah on the night of the Mi‘raj. According to a tradition mentioned in Sahih Bukhari (Book 60 Prophets), page 489 (Darus Salam, Riyad, 1997), the Holy Prophet ﷺ described him as of medium height, reddish complexion, curly hair, and a broad chest. But, in the same book, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have described the second Messiah as being of light brown complexion the colour of wheat, and having, not curly, but straight hair reaching down to his ears.
Let us pause for a moment and consider. Surely the distinguishing marks of the two Messiahs, as stated by the Holy Prophet ﷺ, adequately assure us that the first and second Messiah are two entirely different persons. As for addressing each of them as ‘the son of Mary’, this is a metaphor which is as subtle as it is fine: it has been employed on account of the temperamental and spiritual affinity between the two Messiahs. Is it not true that because of such resemblance in disposition and character, two different persons, known for their piety, may well be addressed by the same name, just as two bad characters, who equally share evil, may be called counterparts? Muslims often name their children after the names of Prophets such as Ahmad, Musa, ‘Isa, Sulaiman, Dawud, and so on. They do so as an augury, hoping that, as a good omen, the children thus named might acquire the spiritual qualities and character of these archetypal ideals to the extent of becoming their true copies.”
The Promised Messiah and Mahdi عليه السلام is referring to the Messiah of the Children of Israel being described as having أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion with جَعْدٌ (curly hair), while the Messiah of the Latter Days has آدَمُ (brown) complexion with long سَبْطٌ (straight) hair. In this article we will analyse the two different descriptions from the ahadith.
MESSIAH TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
First Meeting
The Holy Prophet ﷺ saw the first Messiah on the night of the Mi‘raj.
Anas ibn Malik reported:
“When Jibril and the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by Idris, the latter said, ‘Welcome, O pious Prophet and pious brother!’ the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, ‘Who is he?’ Jibril said, ‘He is Idris.’ ” The Prophet (ﷺ) added, “Then I passed by Musa who said, ‘Welcome, O pious Prophet and pious brother!’ I said, ‘Who is he?’ Jibril said, ‘He is Musa.’ Then I passed by ‘Isa who said, ‘Welcome, O pious Prophet and pious brother!’ I said, ‘Who is he?’ He replied, ‘He is ‘Isa.’ Then I passed by the Prophet (ﷺ) Ibrahim who said, ‘Welcome, O pious Prophet and pious son!’ I said, ‘Who is he?’ Jibril replied, ‘He is Ibrahim’.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3342, Book 60 Prophets]
{Also found in Sahih Muslim 163, Book 1 The Book of Faith & Musnad Ahmad 21185}
Physical Description
According to a tradition mentioned in Sahih Bukhari (Book 60 Prophets), the Holy Prophet ﷺ described him as of medium height, reddish (أَحْمَرُ) complexion, curly hair (جَعْدٌ), and a broad chest.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I met Moses on the night of my Ascension to heaven.” The Prophet (ﷺ) then described him saying, as I think, “He was a tall person with (سَبْطٌ) lank hair as if he belonged to the people of the tribe of Shanu’s.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) further said, “I met Jesus.” The Prophet (ﷺ) described him saying, “He was one of moderate height and was red-faced as if he had just come out of a bathroom. I saw Abraham whom I resembled more than any of his children did.” The Prophet (ﷺ) further said, “(That night) I was given two cups; one full of milk and the other full of wine. I was asked to take either of them which I liked, and I took the milk and drank it. On that it was said to me, ‘You have taken the right path (religion). If you had taken the wine, your (Muslim) nation would have gone astray.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3437, Book 60 Prophets]
{Shanua are a tribe from Yemen, who have a brown complexion}
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I saw Moses, Jesus and Abraham (on the night of my Ascension to the heavens). Jesus was of (حْمَرُ) red complexion, (جَعْدٌ) curly hair and a broad chest. Moses was of (آدَمُ) brown complexion, (سَبْطٌ) straight hair and tall stature as if he was from the people of Az-Zutt.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 3438, Book 60 Prophets]
{Az-Zutt are Jats from the Indian Subcontinent, who have a wheatish complexion}
MESSIAH TO THE MUSLIM UMMAH
First Meeting & Physical Description
But, in the same book, the Holy Prophet ﷺ is reported to have described the second Messiah as being of light (آدَمُ) brown complexion the colour of wheat, and having, not (جَعْدٌ) curly, but (آدَمُ) straight hair reaching down to his ears.
Narrated `Abdullah Ibn Umar:
The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the Masih Ad-Dajjal in front of the people saying, Allah is not one-eyed while Masih Ad-Dajjal is blind in the right eye and his eye looks like a bulging out grape. While sleeping near the Ka`ba last night, I saw in my dream a man of (آدَمُ) brown colour the best one can see amongst (أُدْمِ) brown colour, and his hair was long that it fell between his shoulders. His hair was (سَبْطٌ) lank and water was dribbling from his head, and he was placing his hands on the shoulders of two men while circumambulating the Ka`ba. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They replied, ‘This is Jesus, son of Mary.’ Behind him I saw a man who had very (جَعْدٌ) curly hair and was blind in the right eye, resembling Ibn Qatan (i.e. an infidel) in appearance. He was placing his hands on the shoulders of a person while performing Tawaf around the Ka`ba. I asked, ‘Who is this? ‘They replied, ‘The Masih, Ad-Dajjal.’ “
Narrated Salim from his father (`Abdullah Ibn Umar):
No, By Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) did not tell that Jesus was of (حْمَرُ) red complexion but said, “While I was asleep circumambulating the Ka`ba (in my dream), suddenly I saw a man of (آدَمُ) brown complexion and (سَبْطٌ) lank hair walking between two men, and water was dropping from his head. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ The people said, ‘He is the son of Mary.’ Then I looked behind and I saw a (حْمَرُ) red-complexioned, fat, (جَعْدٌ) curly-haired man, blind in the right eye which looked like a bulging out grape. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They replied, ‘He is Ad-Dajjal.’ The one who resembled to him among the people, was Ibn Qatar.” (Az-Zuhri said, “He (Ibn Qatan) was a man from the tribe Khuza`a who died in the pre-lslamic period.”
DIFFERENT VARIATIONS
Below are all the hadith from Bukhari & Muslim on the physical appearance of the Messiahs عليهم السلام, both Imam Bukhari & Imam Muslim organised these 2 different descriptions in their sahih in such a way as to show contrast, discerptions placed earlier in their collections all being of the Mosaic Messiah while the latter for the Messiah to come even within the same chapter:
Imam Bukhari:
1st Messiah:
*Sahih al-Bukhari 3239, Book 59 Beginning of Creation
Sahih al-Bukhari 3394, Book 60 Prophets
Sahih al-Bukhari 3395, 3396, Book 60 Prophets
Sahih al-Bukhari 3437, Book 60 Prophets
Sahih al-Bukhari 3438, Book 60 Prophets
*{Someone in the chain mixed the hair types giving Moses (جَعْدٌ) curly hair instead of (سَبْطٌ) lank hair and Jesus (سَبْطٌ) lank hair instead of (جَعْدٌ) curly}
2nd Messiah:
Sahih al-Bukhari 3439, 3440, Book 60 Prophets
Sahih al-Bukhari 3441, Book 60 Prophets
Sahih al-Bukhari 5902, Book 77 Dress
*Sahih al-Bukhari 6999, Book 91 Interpretation of Dreams
*Sahih al-Bukhari 7026, Book 91 Interpretation of Dreams
*Sahih al-Bukhari 7128, Book 92 Afflictions and the End of the World
*{آدَمُ is used for the Messiah same as the other 3 hadith above which is not a (حْمَرُ) red colour like the dajjal, sunnah.com has not used an appropriate translation}
Imam Muslim:
1st Messiah:
Muslim 165a, Book 1 The Book of Faith
Muslim 165b, Book 1 The Book of Faith
Muslim 168, Book 1 The Book of Faith
2nd Messiah:
Muslim 169a, Book 1 The Book of Faith
Muslim 169b, Book 1 The Book of Faith
Muslim 169c, Book 1 The Book of Faith
Muslim169b, Book 1 The Book of Faith
Both of these descriptions in the different narrations are authentic as they are found in Bukhari & Muslim; the hadith for the 2nd Messiah is considered to be a golden chain, the most reliable Isnad (transmission of a report) in the science of Hadith. All the versions in Bukhari & Muslim which describe the appearance of Jesus mention him with (أَحْمَرُ) red complexion with (جَعْدٌ) curly hair expect the ones that describe the Latter Day Messiah which mention him with (آدَمُ) brown complexion with (سَبْطٌ) straight hair. A mistake is not repeated so many different times and is recorded in so many different places in the 2 most authentic books after the Holy Quran.
The Mosaic Messiah who passed away (أَحْمَرُ red complexion with جَعْدٌ curly hair) and is always seen with the those who passed away while the Islamic Messiah who was to come after him (آدَمُ brown complexion with سَبْطٌ straight hair) is always seen with the those who came after him.
ARGUMENT 1 – DIFFERENT APPEARANCE
From the 2 different descriptions it can be established that:
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The 1st Messiah was not آدَمُ (brown) complexion in contrast to Moses who was, rather the 1st Messiah was أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion. The 1st Messiah was not long سَبْطٌ (straight haired) in contrast to Moses who was, rather the 1st Messiah was جَعْدٌ (curly haired).
-
The 2nd Messiah was not أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion in contrast to the Dajjal who was, rather the 2nd Messiah was آدَمُ (brown) complexion. The 2nd Messiah was not جَعْدٌ (curly haired) in contrast to the Dajjal who was, rather the 2nd Messiah was long سَبْطٌ (straight haired).
-
In another version Ibn Umar acknowledged that some people said that Jesus was أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion, but he swears by Allah that Jesus was of آدَمُ (brown) complexion. This means آدَمُ and أَحْمَرُ are not the same as a companion would not have taken an oath by Allah on this, which is a very significant thing that would rarely occur!
If there was only 1 singular Messiah, then Muhammad ﷺ wouldn’t give us 2 different descriptions which are diametrically opposed to one another! Nor would not recognize the same person!
ARGUMENT 2 – FAILURE TO RECOGNISE
The visions in which Muhammad ﷺ observed the two Messiahs were in fact Divine Revelation, meaning there was no room for error in regard to what the Prophet ﷺ was witnessing! However, we see in ahadith that on two different occasions Muhammad ﷺ is asking for the identity of the person who is referred to as the “Messiah”, one time by Jibrail the other time by the people:
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In Mi’raj that happened in 5th year of his prophethood at the time when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sleeping in Ka`aba, seen with the passed away Prophets.
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In a dream of the Holy Prophet ﷺ when the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sleeping in Ka`aba, seen with Dajjal.
If the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had already met the Messiah, then why would he feel the need to ask the identity of the very same person who he had already seen previously. However, we see from ahadith that this indeed did occur, leaving us with two possibilities:
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God Forbid, did the Holy Prophet ﷺ forget the description of Isa(as) after seeing him in one of the most spiritual experiences in his life?
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The Messiah was a totally different individual then the one he ﷺ saw previously and hence the Prophet ﷺ felt the need to enquire about him as his appearance did not resemble anyone who he ﷺ had seen prior.
If there was only 1 singular Messiah, then Muhammad ﷺ would not be asking for the identity of the very same person who he had seen previously! Nor would he provide a completely different description!
REFUTATIONS
Some people raise the objection that the Messiah who would descend would be of أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion citing this hadith:
Narrated Abu Hurayrah:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (ﷺ). He will descent. When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, (حْمَرُ) reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.
[Sunan Abi Dawud 4324]
Even if this hadith can be accepted on account of Riwayat (Narration) the aspect of the hadith that talks about the Messiah to come being أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion should be rejected on account of Dirayat (Rationalization) as the narration should not be contradictory to any narration of greater authenticity. The narrations by Ibn Umar about the physical descriptions of the Messiah son of Mary & Dajjal are supported by a golden chain and are of a much higher order than this narration, hence they are found in Bukhari or Muslim while this narration isn’t. In addition to this, it shows that there was confusion among the sahaba regarding the appearance of the Messiah due to the fact that the Holy Prophet had given 2 distinct descriptions. Hence Ibn Umar (ra) felt the need to clarify that the latter day Messiah would not be of أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion but rather of a آدَمُ (brown) complexion (Sahih al-Bukhari 3441, Book 60 Prophets).
Imam al-Nawawi also considered the word أَحْمَرُ (red) to possibly be a mistake of the narrator.
CONCLUSION
Many people raise the objection that Jesus (as) must still be alive in the heavens and would return to the Earth one day, as the ahadith mentioned the descend of a person referred to as the Messiah son of Mary. However, it is clear from Quran and Hadith that the Messiah of the Children of Israel has passed away a natural death. Furthermore, as established from the words of Muhammad ﷺ, the Messiah who would descend in the latter days is not the same as the one that was sent to the children of Israel. The Messiah of the Children of Israel being described as having أَحْمَرُ (red) complexion with جَعْدٌ (curly hair), while the Messiah of the Latter Days has آدَمُ (brown) complexion with long سَبْطٌ (straight) hair. In this article we will analyse the two different descriptions from the ahadith. So, if indeed Jesus was raised to the heavens with his physical body, he will never descend as the one to come is definitely not the same Messiah sent to the children of Israel. This explains that the hadith about the descent of the Messiah do not contradict the qur’anic verdict that Jesus had passed away a natural death and will not return, his grave will be on earth, and he will not have everlasting life in heaven. The two Messiahs would be different people, they would share the same Messianic title.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Metaphorical Dajjal:
(نزول) Nuzul/Descent of Jesus in the latter days: