Tweet
نحمده ونصلى ونسلم على رسوله الكريم
The doctrine of the second coming of Jesus Christ, established in authentic Ahadith but not apparent in the text of the Holy Qur’an itself, has been a cause of controversy. At face value, this idea that an ancient Israelite Prophet who lived two millennia ago will drop down from the Heavens to lead the Muslim nation contradicts a fundamental idea in Islam – the Finality of Muhammad’s Prophethood (peace be upon him). How can Prophet Muhammad be the Last Prophet after whom there is no other Prophet to come while at the same time the Prophet Jesus is eagerly expected to return many centuries after Prophet Muhammad passed away from this world?
The standard reply to this dilemma is that Jesus will not come back with a new revelation or message, but rather, only to follow the path of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and judge according to the Muhammadan Shari’a, not the Gospel.
Yet this philosophical reconciliation of two apparently contradictory beliefs results in the opening of the door, at least in theory, for the emergence of such “prophets” from the Umma itself who are not Law-bearing Prophets independent of Prophet Muhammad’s authority, but in fact permanently subject to his Shari’a. But they may be described as Prophets as Jesus undoubtedly will be upon his second coming, and perhaps possessing “prophetic” characteristics so long as they are not abrogating or defying the Muhammadan Shari’a.
The Sufis have developed, within their narrative, the idea of righteous men within the Umma attaining some of the characteristics of Nubuwwa and being described as “Prophets”, at least figuratively, or by way of reflecting the Prophethood of Muhammad within themselves, a concept known as Fana Fil Rasul. The idea that the prophecy of the second coming of Christ will be fulfilled in this way, i.e., a person from within the Umma who, though not technically the actual Jesus of Nazareth of 2,000 years ago, but being a repository of Jesus’s persona, would certainly harmonize the two apparently opposing ideas (1) Finality of Muhammad’s Prophethood (2) Return of Prophet Jesus
It may be asked on what concrete basis should the belief in the second coming of Jesus be interpreted as meaning the advent of a figure from within the Umma who merely resembles in persona and purpose the original Jesus of 2,000 years ago. But there does seem to be a precedent for the idea of prophecies about the return of an ancient prophet being fulfilled by the advent of a new Prophet, born in the ordinary way.
Take for example the Biblical prophecy of the return of the ancient Prophet Elijah: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes” (Malachi 4:5-6). Based on this text, Jews developed the idea that the ancient prophet Elijah, who apparently was raised up to Heaven alive on a chariot of fire, would descend from Heaven to herald the advent of the Jewish Messiah.
Now when Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be that Messiah, the Jewish divines naturally asked him about the prophecy of Elijah’s return, to which Jesus responded by mentioning his cousin John the Baptist “he is Elijah who is to come”.
John the Baptist was not literally Elijah. He did not drop out of the clouds, but was born the natural way, raised up among his people, and started his ministry claiming to be a Prophet. But Jesus declared that John the Baptist had come “in the spirit and power of Elijah”.
Likewise, the Christian and Islamic prophecy of the return of Christ to this world can be understood in the same light as the ancient prophecy of Elijah’s return, not meant to be taken literally, but pointing to the appearance of a new Prophet who comes in the “spirit and power” of the old Jesus of Nazareth.
The doctrine of the second coming of Jesus Christ, established in authentic Ahadith but not apparent in the text of the Holy Qur’an itself, has been a cause of controversy. At face value, this idea that an ancient Israelite Prophet who lived two millennia ago will drop down from the Heavens to lead the Muslim nation contradicts a fundamental idea in Islam – the Finality of Muhammad’s Prophethood (peace be upon him). How can Prophet Muhammad be the Last Prophet after whom there is no other Prophet to come while at the same time the Prophet Jesus is eagerly expected to return many centuries after Prophet Muhammad passed away from this world?
The standard reply to this dilemma is that Jesus will not come back with a new revelation or message, but rather, only to follow the path of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and judge according to the Muhammadan Shari’a, not the Gospel.
Yet this philosophical reconciliation of two apparently contradictory beliefs results in the opening of the door, at least in theory, for the emergence of such “prophets” from the Umma itself who are not Law-bearing Prophets independent of Prophet Muhammad’s authority, but in fact permanently subject to his Shari’a. But they may be described as Prophets as Jesus undoubtedly will be upon his second coming, and perhaps possessing “prophetic” characteristics so long as they are not abrogating or defying the Muhammadan Shari’a.
The Sufis have developed, within their narrative, the idea of righteous men within the Umma attaining some of the characteristics of Nubuwwa and being described as “Prophets”, at least figuratively, or by way of reflecting the Prophethood of Muhammad within themselves, a concept known as Fana Fil Rasul. The idea that the prophecy of the second coming of Christ will be fulfilled in this way, i.e., a person from within the Umma who, though not technically the actual Jesus of Nazareth of 2,000 years ago, but being a repository of Jesus’s persona, would certainly harmonize the two apparently opposing ideas (1) Finality of Muhammad’s Prophethood (2) Return of Prophet Jesus
It may be asked on what concrete basis should the belief in the second coming of Jesus be interpreted as meaning the advent of a figure from within the Umma who merely resembles in persona and purpose the original Jesus of 2,000 years ago. But there does seem to be a precedent for the idea of prophecies about the return of an ancient prophet being fulfilled by the advent of a new Prophet, born in the ordinary way.
Take for example the Biblical prophecy of the return of the ancient Prophet Elijah: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes” (Malachi 4:5-6). Based on this text, Jews developed the idea that the ancient prophet Elijah, who apparently was raised up to Heaven alive on a chariot of fire, would descend from Heaven to herald the advent of the Jewish Messiah.
Now when Jesus of Nazareth claimed to be that Messiah, the Jewish divines naturally asked him about the prophecy of Elijah’s return, to which Jesus responded by mentioning his cousin John the Baptist “he is Elijah who is to come”.
John the Baptist was not literally Elijah. He did not drop out of the clouds, but was born the natural way, raised up among his people, and started his ministry claiming to be a Prophet. But Jesus declared that John the Baptist had come “in the spirit and power of Elijah”.
Likewise, the Christian and Islamic prophecy of the return of Christ to this world can be understood in the same light as the ancient prophecy of Elijah’s return, not meant to be taken literally, but pointing to the appearance of a new Prophet who comes in the “spirit and power” of the old Jesus of Nazareth.
Comment