Tawaffa (توفى) is an Arabic verb that means to take something. When Allah does the Tawaffi of a human, it ONLY means taking of the soul. This can be at the time of death, or sleep if night is mentioned. There is no other meaning for it. It never means taking of the body and soul or flying towards Allah.

This is exactly what the Arabic lexicons explain. Where are they getting this rule from? It comes from the following verse:

اَللّٰہُ یَتَوَفَّی الۡاَنۡفُسَ حِیۡنَ مَوۡتِہَا وَالَّتِیۡ لَمۡ تَمُتۡ فِیۡ مَنَامِہَا ۚ فَیُمۡسِکُ الَّتِیۡ قَضٰی عَلَیۡہَا الۡمَوۡتَ وَیُرۡسِلُ الۡاُخۡرٰۤی اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی ؕ اِنَّ فِیۡ ذٰلِکَ لَاٰیٰتٍ لِّقَوۡمٍ یَّتَفَکَّرُوۡنَ

Allah takes away the souls of human beings at the time of their death; and of those also that are not yet dead, during their sleep. And then He retains those against which He has decreed death, and sends back the others till an appointed term. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect.

[Quran 39:42]

Taajul Urus

تَوَفَّاهُ اللهُ: عزَّ وجلَّ: إِذا (قَبَضَ) نَفْسَه، وَفِي الصِّحاحِ، (رُوْحَهُ)

“And Allah took him – Mighty and Majestic – means when He seized his soul. And in Al-Sihaah (Arabic dictionary), it states “[when He seized] his soul.”

[Taajul Urus, vol. 16, pg. 220]

Al-Qamus al-Muhit

والوَفاةُ: المَوْتُ. وتَوَفَّاهُ اللهُ: قَبَضَ رُوحَه

“Al-Wafat means death. Allah took him: God took his soul”

[Qamus al-Muhit, pg. 1343]

Maqayis al-lughah

وَمِنْهُ يُقَالُ لِلْمَيِّتِ: تَوَفَّاهُ اللَّهُ

“From it, it is said of the dead person: ‘Tawaffahu Allah’ (God took his soul).”

[Maqayis al-lughah, pg. 129]

Imam Al-Zamakhshari

وتُوُفِّيَ فلانٌ ، وتوفاه الله تعالى، وأدركته الوفاة

So-and-so was taken, and Allah took him, and death overtook him.

[Asas Balagha, vol. II, pg.348]

والوفاة : المَنِيَّةُ

وتوفي فلان، وتوفاه الله : إذا قَبَضَ نَفْسَهُ .

وقال غيره : تَوَفِّي الميت بمعنى: استيفاء مدته التي كتبت من عدد أيامه وشُهوره وأعوامه في الدنيا

Al-Wafat: Death

So-and-so was taken, and Allah took him: When He (Allah) took his soul

And others said: Tawaffa of the dead person means the completion of his appointed time that was written of his number of days, months and years in this world.

[Tahdhib al-lughah, vol. 11, pg. 468]

Muhit al-Muhit

وتوفاه الله قبض روحه

وتُوفي فلان على المجهول قبضت روحه ومات

فالله المتوفي والعبد المتوفى

And Allah took him means Allah took his soul.

So-and-so was taken in the passive voice means his soul was taken and he died.

So Allah is the One who takes (al-Mutawaffi) and the servant is the one whose soul is taken (al-Mutawaffa).

[Muhit al-Muhit, vol. 9, pg. 531]

Edward William Lane

“تَوَفَّاهُ ٱللّٰهُ God took his soul [either at death, or in sleep. See the Ḳur-án, vi. 60]: or caused him to die.”

[Lane’s Lexicons, vol. 8, pg. 3057]
[Lexicon Website Link]

Isma’il Bin al-Jawhar

وتَوَفَّاهُ الله، أي قبضَ روحه. والوَفاةُ: الموتُ

‘Tawaffahu Allah’ (God took his soul) means taking his soul.

[Al-Sahih Taj al-Lughah, pg. 1259]
[Lexicon website Link]

Reinhart Dozy

توفي: تصحيف، توفي وفي محيط المحيط: توفاه الله قبض روحه وتوفّي فلان على المجهول قبضت روحه ومات

Allah took his soul, and the person passed away, their soul taken into the unknown, and they died. Allah is the one who takes life, and the servant is the one who passes away.

[Reinhart Dozy (d. 1883 CE)]
[Link]

Ahmad Mukhatar Umar

تُوفِّــيَ يُــتو فَّــى، توفّــيًا and the passive participle مُــتوفًّــى

تُوُفِّــي الشَّخصُ He died, Allah caused him to die.

تُوفِّــي إلى رحمة ربّه: He died/passed away to the mercy of his Lord.

[Ahmad Mukhatar Umar]
[Link]

Almaany

تَوَفَّاهُاللَّهُ:

أَخَذَ رُوحَهُ، أمَاتَهُ.

توفّىالله الشّخص:

أماته، قبض روحَه ، ”توفّاه الله وهو في مقتبل العمر- {اللهُ يَتَوَفَّى الأَنْفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا} ”

He (God) took his soul, He caused him to die.

He (God) caused the person to die, He took his soul. Allah caused him to die while he was in the prime of his life.” {Allah takes the souls at the time of their death}[Quran 39:42]

[Almaany Arabic dictionary]

Faraid al-durriyah

تَوَفَّــاهُ اللّٰهُ

God caused him to die

[Arabic-English Dictionary]

Steingass, English to Arabic

Dead – adj. مييت Mayyit (pl. اموات amwât); موتي Mautâ; متوفي mutawaffa.

[English Arabic Dictionary, Steingass]

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is proven that in the Arabic dictionaries and lexicons, Tawaffa is defined as “taking” and when Allah does Tawaffi (تَوَفَّــاهُ اللّٰهُ) of a human, then it always means taking of the soul. There is no other meaning for it. It never means taking body and soul together, or that one physically flew towards God.

Related Articles

• Tawaffa in Quran
• Tawaffa in Hadith
• Quran 3:55
• Quran 5:117

Some ignorant non-Ahmadi Muslim scholars claim there is a consensus that Isa (AS) is alive. They argue that since Ahmadi Muslims reject this supposed consensus, Ahmadis are Kafir (implying their blood may be shed and they are destined for eternal hellfire).

In this article, we will demonstrate not only that no such consensus (Ijma’) exists, but that the majority of early Muslims refute the modern day Muslim translation of the Holy Quran.

Explanation

Tafsir Tabari, written by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari RH (d. 310AH) is one of the earliest and most notable Tafasir of the Holy Quran amongst the ‘Sunni’ Muslims. In the tafsir of the Quran 3:55, he writes that there is disagreement amongst the Muslims about what happened to Isa (AS). He then goes on to list 4 views of the early Muslims regarding Isa (AS). 3/4 of these views translate Tawaffa (توفى) as ‘taking of the soul’ unlike how the ignorant non-Ahmadi Muslims would do.

View #1: Tawaffa = Death

And others said: The meaning is: I will take you with the taking of death.

[Tafsir al-Ṭabari: Jami‘ al-Bayān ‘an Ta’wīl Āy al-Qur’ān, Surah Aal-e-Imran: Verse 55, pg. 450]

View #2: Tawaffa = Sleep

Some said: “It is the taking of sleep,” and the meaning according to them was: “I am causing you to sleep and raising you during your sleep.”

[Tafsir al-Ṭabari: Jami‘ al-Bayān ‘an Ta’wīl Āy al-Qur’ān, Surah Aal-e-Imran: Verses 54, 55, pg. 447-448]

View #3: Tawaffa = Death (in the End Times)

And others said: The meaning is: When Allah said, “O Jesus, I am raising you to Me and purifying you from those who disbelieve, and I will cause you to die after I send you back down to the world.” They said: This is from what is presented earlier but meant to be later, and what is presented later but meant to be earlier.

[Tafsir al-Ṭabari: Jami‘ al-Bayān ‘an Ta’wīl Āy al-Qur’ān, Surah Aal-e-Imran: Verse 55, pg. 451]

View #4: Tawaffa = Taking of the Body

Others said: The meaning is: “I am taking you from the earth and raising you to Me.” They said: The meaning of “taking” is seizing, as in the saying, “I took from so-and-so what was owed to me,” meaning: I seized it and collected it in full. They said: The meaning of His saying “I will take you and raise you” is: I am seizing you from the earth alive to My presence, and taking you to what is with Me without death, and raising you from among the polytheists and those who disbelieve in you.

[Tafsir al-Ṭabari: Jami‘ al-Bayān ‘an Ta’wīl Āy al-Qur’ān, Surah Aal-e-Imran: Verse 55, pg. 448]

Conclusion

There are multiple lessons from this. Firstly, there is no Ijma’ (consensus) that Isa (AS) is alive, as even the early Muslims (Salaf) differed on this topic.

Secondly, there is no Kufr (disbelief) in believing that Isa (AS) has passed away.

Thirdly, 3/4 of the interpretations translate ‘Tawaffa’ as ‘taking of the soul’ and NOT the body.

Fourthly, 2/4 of the interpretations translate ‘Tawaffa’ as ‘death’.

Finally, Ahmadi Muslims have not invented a new interpretation regarding the death/ascension of Isa (AS).

Muslim Lantern/Muhammad Ali (@Chainless_Slave on Twitter) uploaded a video where he lies about numerous beliefs of Ahmadi Muslims. We made a thread exposing those lies and invited him to discuss with us. He hasn’t responded so far.

1) AHMADIS DON’T DISCUSS?

Ali claims that no Ahmadi Muslim ever discusses with him. They never come back after the first encounter. This is the same experience on our side. Non-Ahmadis do the same. We would be happy to talk to you. Our DMs are open. You can tag us as well.

2) BELIEF IN REINCARNATION?

Ali says that we believe that Promised Messiah AS was the reincarnation of Isa/Krishna AS. This is far from the truth.

We don’t believe in it. Ahmad AS wrote against this concept numerous times while refuting the Hindus.¹

3) CHANGE QURAN TRANSLATION?

A very gross statement from a person of his caliber. On the contrary, we can show how his scholars change the Quranic translation to fit their agenda.

Quran 5:116-117 and Quran 3:55 are just 2 examples.

4) QURAN 61:6 REFERS TO AHMAD AS?

Ali says that we don’t believe the verse is referring to Muhammad ﷺ but only Ahmad AS. This is another lie.

We believe it refers to Muhammad ﷺ. Although we believe it ALSO applies to Ahmad AS as a secondary meaning due to 62:3-4.²

5) AHMADI = FOLLOWER OF GHULAM AHMAD AS?

Ali lies that we call ourselves Ahmadis as it is the name of Ahmad AS.

Ahmadis = Follower of Ahmad ﷺ. This has been explained by the Promised Messiah AS and his Khulafa numerous times.³

6) LAST BRICK = LAST PROPHET?

– Ali believes Isa AS will come AFTER Prophet ﷺ & will be the last prophet to die, do his mission etc.

– Hadith is talking about the superiority of Prophet ﷺ & not about him being last. Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Hajr & Ibn Khuldun refutes him.https://twitter.com/DiscordIslam/status/1621539347735654400

7) 30 DAJJAL = AHMAD AS IS A LIAR?

Ali says that Ahmad AS is one of those false prophets.

He forgets that the ahadith also mention the coming of a prophet (Messiah) and that this hadith was fulfilled long before him AS.⁴

8) ISA AS RETURNS AS A NON-NABI?

Ahadith mention the coming of a prophet in the latter days. Isa AS is called Nabi 4x in a single hadith

Imam Suyti takfirs anyone who says he AS won’t return as a prophet. Even his Salafi/Najdi scholars agree with it⁵

8) ISA AS WON’T LEAD?

Ali says that Isa AS won’t lead the ummah but the Mahdi will.

Numerous ahadith talk about Isa AS leading the Muslims, even in salat.

Ahadith also mention that the Masih is Imam Mahdi.⁶

9) HADITH: 72 VS 1

Ali doesn’t answer which sect is true & quotes ahadith which talks about a Jama’ah (united community) and giving bayah to the Khalifa.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’ah is that community that has a Khalifa and is upon the way of Sahaba (RA).⁷

9.1) DEATH WITHOUT IMAM = DEATH OF JAHILLIYAH

Thus, other Muslims must give Bayah to the Khalifa and turn away from all the sects as per the commandment of the Prophet ﷺ so they don’t die the death of Jahiliyah.⁸

CONCLUSION

We request Muhammad Ali (@Chainless_Slave) research before making such misleading statements in his videos.

Since he requested, we are available to discuss any of these topics with him

We hope he accepts this offer so that he can learn more about us. Inshallah!

References

There is a misconception among Muslims who think that the Dajjal will be killed in a battle with armies fighting with swords and other weapons. This is contrary to the description found in the ahadith.

Hadith #1 – Abolish War

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، أَخْبَرَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَيُوشِكَنَّ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ فِيكُمُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ حَكَمًا عَدْلاً، فَيَكْسِرَ الصَّلِيبَ، وَيَقْتُلَ الْخِنْزِيرَ، ويَضَع الحربَ، وَيَفِيضَ الْمَالُ حَتَّى لاَ يَقْبَلَهُ أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى تَكُونَ السَّجْدَةُ الْوَاحِدَةُ خَيْرًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا ‏”‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ وَاقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ ‏{‏وَإِنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلاَّ لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا‏}‏‏.‏

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and abolish war. Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it.” Abu Huraira added “If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): — ‘And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them.” (4.159)

[Sahih al-Bukhari 3448]

Note, that this hadith is in Bukhari with a different wording also. Instead of saying ويَضَع الحربَ (abolish war), it has the words وَيَضَعَ الْجِزْيَةَ (abolish jizya). The version with the “abolish war” has been quoted by Ibn Hajr (R.H) in his commentary of Bukhari called Fatḥ al-Bārī and Al Ayni (R.H) in his commentary of Bukhari called ‘Umdat al-Qari.

It proves that the Masih will not be coming to fight but to end religious wars. This poses the question that if Dajjal won’t be killed in a battle/war, then how will he be killed? This is answered in the ahadith below.

Hadith #2 – Debate Dajjal (حَجِيجُهُ)

Version 1: Sahih Muslim

فَقَالَ ‏”‏ غَيْرُ الدَّجَّالِ أَخْوَفُنِي عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ يَخْرُجْ وَأَنَا فِيكُمْ فَأَنَا حَجِيجُهُ دُونَكُمْ وَإِنْ يَخْرُجْ وَلَسْتُ فِيكُمْ فَامْرُؤٌ حَجِيجُ نَفْسِهِ وَاللَّهُ خَلِيفَتِي عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ إِنَّهُ شَابٌّ

Thereupon he (ﷺ) said: I harbor fear in regard to you in so many other things besides the Dajjal. If he comes forth while I am among you, I shall contend with him on your behalf, but if he comes forth while I am not amongst you, a man must contend on his own behalf and Allah would take care of every Muslim on my behalf (and safeguard him against his evil).

[Sahih Muslim 2937a]

Version 2: Ibn Majah

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned Dajjal, one morning, as something despised but also alarming, until we thought that he was in the stand of date-palm trees. When we came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the evening, he saw that (fear) in us, and said: ‘What is the matter with you?’ We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you mentioned Dajjal this morning, and you spoke of him as something despised but also alarming, until we thought that he was in the stand of date-palm trees.’

He said: ‘There are things that I fear more for you than the Dajjal. If he appears while I am among you, I will contend with him on your behalf, and if he appears when I am not among you, then each man must fend for himself, and Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf. He (Dajjal) will be a young man with curly hair and a protuberant eye; I liken him to ‘Abdul-‘Uzza bin Qatan.

[Sunan Ibn Majah 4075]

Version 3: Abi Dawud

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned the Dajjal (Antichrist) saying: If he comes forth while I am among you I shall be the one who will dispute with him on your behalf, but if he comes forth when I am not among you, a man must dispute on his own behalf, and Allah will take my place in looking after every Muslim. Those of you who live up to his time should recite over him the opening verses of Surat al – Kahf, for they are your protection from his trial. We asked: How long will he remain on the earth ? He replied : Forty days, one like a year, one like a month, one like a week, and rest of his days like yours. We asked : Messenger of Allah, will one day’s prayer suffice us in this day which will be like a year ? He replied : No, you must make an estimate of its extent. Then Jesus son of Marry will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He will then catch him up at the date of Ludd and kill him.

[Sunan Abi Dawud 4321]

حَجِيجُهُ (Contend) means to argue/debate

As per Lanes Lexicon, this is the following definition of the word:

Root: حج – Entry: حَجِيجٌ
Also i. q.مُحَاجٌّ↓ as act. part. n. of حَاجَّ: so in the phrase, أَنَا حَجِيجُهُ I am he who will overcome him by arguments, or proofs, or the like: occurring in a trad. relating to Ed-Dejjál.

[Lanes Lexicon, Book 1, part 1, pg 515]

The interesting thing to note here is that the translation specifically mentions that this word has been used in the context of Dajjal!

Hadith #3

فَلاَ يَحِلُّ لِكَافِرٍ يَجِدُ رِيحَ نَفَسِهِ إِلاَّ مَاتَ وَنَفَسُهُ يَنْتَهِي حَيْثُ يَنْتَهِي طَرْفُهُ فَيَطْلُبُهُ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ بِبَابِ لُدٍّ فَيَقْتُلُهُ

Every non-believer who would smell the odor of his self (Isa AS) would die and his breath would reach as far as he would be able to see. He would then search for him (Dajjal) until he would catch hold of him at the gate of Ludd and would kill him.

[Sahih Muslim 2937a]

This hadith supports the previous ahadith in multiple ways.

1) The smell of Isa’s (A.S) breath will kill all the non-believers

Masih’s words/arguments will destroy the non-Muslims and his words will reach everywhere. We must not understand this literally because the ahadith about the coming of the Dajjal were visions and dreams of the Prophet (S.A.W) and thus, they must be interpreted. Moreover, the ahadith above supports this interpretation. If we are to take it literally, it is blasphemous and a mockery of a prophet of Allah. Read more about how these ahadith are dreams.

2) The Masih will catch and kill Dajjal at the gate of Ludd (لُدٍّ).

This means that the Dajjal will be killed via arguments because Ludd in Arabic lexicons is defined as:

لَدّ, originally لَدِدَ, (second pers. لَدِدْتَ, L,) aor. ـَ {يَلْدَدُ}, (L, Mṣb,) inf. n. لَدَدٌ (Ṣ, A, L, Mṣb,) He was violent, or vehement, in contention, or altercation; in dispute; in litigation. (Ṣ, A, L, Mṣb.)

[Lanes Lexicon, Book 1, part 7, pg 2657]

Similarly, this word is used in a few Quranic verses and means the same.

فَاِنَّمَا یَسَّرۡنٰہُ بِلِسَانِکَ لِتُبَشِّرَ بِہِ الۡمُتَّقِیۡنَ وَتُنۡذِرَ بِہٖ قَوۡمًا لُّدًّا

So We have made it (the Quran) easy in thy tongue that thou mayest give thereby good tidings to the righteous, and warn thereby a contentious people.

[Quran 19:97]

Who are the قَوۡمًا لُّدًّا (Contentious people)?

The word لُّدًّا (Ludda) is used for the Trinitarian Christians in the above verse and is explained just 5 verses before.

Because they ascribe a son to the Gracious God,

Whereas it becomes not the Gracious God to take unto Himself a son.

[Quran 19:91-92]

Thus, it is the Christians who are the contentious people which indicates that the Dajjal is the manifestation of Satan in the form of Trinitarian Christians at the time of the Messiah.

This is supported by the ahadith of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) where he commands the Muslims to recite the first and last 10 verses of Surah Kahf. These verses describe Dajjal and show us how we can save ourselves from its fitnah. The first ten verses warn us against the fitnah of the Trinitarian Christians.

All praise belongs to Allah Who has sent down the Book to His servant and has not put therein any crookedness.

He has made it a guardian, that it may give warning of a grievous chastisement from Him, and that it may give the believers who do good deeds the glad tidings that they shall have a good reward,

Wherein they shall abide for ever;

And that it may warn those who say, ‘ Allah has taken unto Himself a son.’

No knowledge have they thereof, nor had their fathers. Grievous is the word that comes from their mouths. They speak naught but a lie.

[Quran 18:1-5]

Visual Summary

Conclusion

In conclusion, these ahadith prove that the job of the Messiah won’t be to lead people into battle but will establish the truth of Islam via arguments (i.e his writings). He will distribute the wealth of knowledge among the people and no one will accept it. This is also explained by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (A.S) in his book Izala Auham:

This refers to the treasures of wisdom and verities, because the heavenly treasures that are bestowed upon the special servants of God Almighty, which they distribute to the world, are not the worldly riches, but consist entirely of wisdom and verities, as Allah the Almighty says:

يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا ۗ (2:270)

 Khair means wealth and in fact pure wealth is the wisdom that has been referred to in the hadith This is the wealth which is a Sign among the signs of the Promised Messiah”

[Ruhani Khazain, vol 3, pg 441-443]

To learn about who the Dajjal is in detail, please check out this article.

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

1. When Quran repeatedly mentions he was a prophet only for the Israelites.
2. 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.
-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.

[Sahih al-Bukhari 335]

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

Imam Malik (R.H) is one the earliest scholar of Islam and the founder of the Maliki Fiqh in Islam. He was born in 711 A.D, just 70 years after the death of Muhammad (S.A.W) and he believed that Isa (A.S) has died. This is mentioned and quoted by multiple scholars in their works.

1) al-Imām Abū al-Walīd Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Rushd al-Jadd al-Qurtubī (d. 520 AH)

قال مالك : كان عيسى بن مريم يقول: يا ابن الثلاثين مضت الثلاثون فماذا تنتظر ؟ قال: ومات ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة

فيكون قول مالك على هذا ’ومات وهو ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة‘ على الحقيقة لا على المجاز

Malik said: Isa (Jesus) son of Mary used to say, “O son of the thirty, it has passed thirty (years), so what are you waiting for?” He [Malik] said: “He (Isa) died at the age of thirty-three.”

The statement of Mālik on this ‘and he died when he was 33 years old’ is literal and not a metaphor.”

[al-Bayān at-taḥṣīl wa-t-tawjīh wa-t-taʻlīl fī masā’il al-mustakhrajah. Bayrūt, Lubnān: Dār al-Gharb al-Islamī, p. 448-449]

2) al-Qāḍī Abū Muḥammad ʻAbd al-Ḥaqq ibn Ghālib ibn ʻAṭīyah al-Andalusī al-Muḥāribī (d. 542)

وقال مالك في جامع العتبية: مات عيسى وهو ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة.

“And Mālik said in Jami‘ al-‘utbiyyah: Jesus died when he was 33 years old.“

[Tafsīr Ibn ʻAṭīyah, al-Muḥarrir al-wajīz fī tafsīr al-Kitāb al-ʻazīz. Bayrūt: Dār Ibn Ḥazm, p. 308]

3) al-Imām Abī ʻAbd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Khalīfah al-Washtānī al-Ubbī al-Mālikī (d. 827 AH)

وفي العتبية قال مالك: مات عيسى ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة. قال ابن رشد: يعني موته: خروجه من عالم الأرض إلى عالم السماء. قال: ويحتمل أنه مات حقيقة، ويحيا في آخر الزمان، إذ لا بدّ من نزوله لتواتر الأحاديث بذلك.

“And it is in al-‘Utbiyyah that Mālik said: Jesus died when he was 33 years old. Ibn Rushd [al-Jadd] said: By this he meant his death: His emergence from the earthly world to the heavenly world. He said: And it is likely that he died a proper death and that he will be revived in the latter days, for there is no doubt about his descension (nuzūl), because of the successiveness (tawātur) of the traditions (ahādīth) on it.“

[Ikmāl ikmāl al-muʻallim. Miṣr: Maṭbaʻat al-Saʻādah, p. 265]

4) ash-Shaykh Muḥammad Ṭāhir ibn ‘Alī aṣ-Ṣiddīqī al-Fattanī al-Hindī al-Kujrātī (d. 986 AH)

وقال مالك: مات وهو ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة. ولعله أراد رفعه إلى السماء، أو حقيقته ويحيى آخر الزمان لتواتر خبر النزول.

“And Mālik said: He died when he was 33 years old. And He may have intended to raise him to the sky or [He may have caused] his proper [death] and he will be revived in the latter days, because of the successiveness (tawātur) of the traditions (khabar) on the descension (nuzūl).”

[Majmaʻ biḥār al-anwār fī gharāʼib at-tanzīl wa-laṭāʼif al-akhbār. Lakʹhnaw: Nawal Kishawr, p. 286.]
[Majmaʻ biḥār al-anwār fī gharāʼib at-tanzīl wa-laṭāʼif al-akhbār]

Refutations

1) No Isnad/Chain of Narrators?

Even after we show the above quotes proving that multiple scholars have written on this belief of Imam Malik (R.H), some still doubt its authenticity by saying that there is no Isnad (chain of narrators) for it.

Ibn Rushd

The chain is explicitly mentioned in Ibn Rushd’s Bayān published by Dār al-Gharb al-Islāmī in 1988.

Mālik -> Ashhab (d. 204 AH)/Ibn Nāfi‘ (d. 186 AH) -> Saḥnūn (d. 240 AH)

[Al-Bayan Wa-al-Tahsil wa-al-Tawjih, pg 221]

Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr

This same narration and Isnad are also confirmed by the Mālikī scholar Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr, also known as the “Bukhari of the West” (d. 463 AH):

وأخبرني أن عاش عشرين ومائة سنة ، وفي سماع اشهب وابن نافع من مالك ـ في كتاب العتبي ، اال مالك : كان عيسى بن مريم يقول: يا ابن الثلاثين مضت الثلاثون

فماذا تنتظر ؟ قال : ومات وهو ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة

“And he informed me that he lived for one hundred and twenty years. And in the hearing of Ashhab and Ibn Nafi’ from Malik – in the book of al-‘Utbi – Malik said: Jesus son of Mary used to say: ‘O son of thirty! The thirty years have passed, so what are you waiting for?’ He said: And he died when he was thirty-three years old.”

[at-Tamhīd limā fi l-Muwaṭṭa’ mina l-ma‘ānī wa-l-asānīd, pg 200.]

It is also well-known that al-‘Utbī traveled and took knowledge from Saḥnūn b. Sa‘īd directly as mentioned Tārīkh ‘ulamā’ al-Andalus by Ibn al-Faraḍī (d. 403 AH).

Non-Muslim scholars confirm

Not only do we have classical scholars confirming this report of Imam Malik (R.H) along with its isnad, but we also have non-Muslim scholars confirming this.

1. Ana Fernández Félix mentions the same chain in her PhD dissertation.
2. Miklós Murányi also verified that the quotations in al-‘Utbiyyah are all authentic and verbatim when compared with the surviving manuscripts. This is the scan of his research.

2) Not a literal death?

Many Anti-Ahmadis claim that the death mentioned by Imam Malik is not literal but a metaphorical death i.e sleep etc. However, many great Maliki scholars have clarified that Imam Malik (RH) is referring to the literal death.

1) Ibn Rushd (d. 520 AH)

ويحتمل أن يكون معنى قوله: {بل رفعه الله إليه} أي رفع روحه إليه بعد أن مات ويحييه في آخر الزمان فينزله إلى الأرض على ما جاءت به الآثار، فيكون قول مالك على هذا ’ومات وهو ابن ثلاث وثلاثين سنة‘ على الحقيقة لا على المجاز.

“And it is likely that the meaning of ‘On the contrary, Allāh exalted him to Himself’ is the exaltation of his soul to Him after he had died and He will revive him in the latter days. Thus, He will cause him to descend to the earth according to what the traditions (āthār) came along with. The statement of Mālik on this ‘and he died when he was 33 years old’ is literal and not a metaphor.”

[al-Bayān at-taḥṣīl wa-t-tawjīh wa-t-taʻlīl fī masā’il al-mustakhrajah. Bayrūt, Lubnān: Dār al-Gharb al-Islamī, p. 449]

2) Muhammad al-Ṭāhir ibn ʿĀshūr (d. 1393 AH)

Therefore, Ibn Abbas and Wahb ibn Munabbih said that it means actual death, and this is the apparent meaning. Malik said in Al-Muwatta, “Jesus died when he was thirty-one years old.” Ibn Rushd said in Al-Bayan wa Al-Tahsil, “It is possible that his statement ‘died when he was thirty-one’ is meant literally, not metaphorically.

[Tafsir at-Tahrir wa at-Tanwir, ]

3) Messiah will perform Hajj?

The Anti-Ahmadis further claim that even if Imam Malik (RH) believed that Isa (AS) has died, he did narrate that Isa ibn Maryam will perform Hajj in the following hadith:

Firstly, this argument is rather pathetic as Ahmadis believe that Ibn Maryam will indeed descend and have no problem with this hadith. Moreover, Ahmadis have proven that the Messiah that performs Hajj/Umrah is not the same as the Ibn Maryam of Bani Israel as the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) describes the physical traits of both of them completely differently. (Add Different description article)

Secondly, this in no way negates the literal statement of Imam Malik (RH) where he explicitly says that Isa (AS) has died. They are trying to create a contradiction where none exists. Read more here.

Thirdly, this hadith cannot be taken literally as in Bukhari, Masih AS is shown circulating the Kaaba along with Dajjal. By their logic, Dajjal will be able to enter Mecca and perform Umrah/Hajj.¹

Fourthly, the same hadith they are quoting refers to many other metaphors like breaking the cross and killing pigs. Thus, it does not make sense to consider one aspect literal while others as metaphors.

Conclusion

In summary, Imam Malik (R.H) believed in the death of Isa (A.S) and he was not any random scholar. Rather, he is from the Salaf and the founder of the school of fiqh in Sunni Islam. He was also a teacher of Imam Shafi’i (R.H), who himself was the founder of another school of fiqh in Sunni Islam. The belief in the death of Isa (A.S) is a Quranic belief and is supported by Ahadith, Sahaba, and the other Salaf-us-Saliheen.

References