IS ISA (JESUS) COMING AGAIN?

IS ISA (JESUS ) COMING AGAIN? (PART 1) 'Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) is an important eschatological figure in Islam. But the extent of this importance is a subject of contention. He is said to be a sign of as-Sa'ah. But there is disagreement over his status as a sign concerning whether he is still futuristically important (i.e. if he will return to earth again) or that his eschatological importance is only limited to his messengership in which case he will not come again.   Four verses of the Qur'an are sine qua non to our examination of this issue. These are 3:55; 4:157; 4:159 and 43:61. These four verses are cited to support the nuzul (i.e. descent or second coming) of 'Isa by the protagonists of this idea. Some of these protagonists are the As-hab at-Tafsir (Qur'an exegetes) like Ibn Jarir, al-Bagwi, al-Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir and al-Baydawi. Also in this pro-nuzul camp is al-Muqadasi who confirms it in his Ashrat as-Sa'ah (Signs of Doomsday), ash-Shakhawi in a book of the same title, al-Barzanghi in al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah (Popularizing Signs of Doomsday) al-Hatimi in al-Futuhat al-Makiyyah (The Makkan Conquests), Opeloye who in his doctorate thesis calls it a "valid eschatological sign to be expected" as-Suyyuti, al-Sayyid Sabiq, al-Khawbari, etc. who have given positive opinions about the nuzul. In the anti-nuzul camp are scholars like as-Zamakhshari, Sayyid Qutb, al-Qadi 'Iyad, Rashid Rida, Shaykh al-Muraghi, an-Nawawi and Muhammad 'Ali. This indicates that not all exegetes of the Qur'an or scholars of Islam accept the idea of Isa's second coming. We may now examine the four verses in question. The first verse speaks of 'Isa's raising (raf'): Behold! Allah said, "O 'Isa, I shall cause you to die and raise you to Myself" (3:55). Commentators differ in their opinions about this verse. Was 'Isa raised alive or dead? If he was raised alive he must be alive in heaven thereby raising the hope of his nuzul towards the end of time in order to finish his interrupted life and assignment. But the Qur'an also raises the possibility of his death with the words "I shall cause you to die." Yusuf 'Ali is of the opinion that 'Isa was not killed before he was "taken up to God." Al-Baydawi interprets the word "mutawafika" (i.e. 'cause you to die') as "I shall immunize you against their plot to kill you"; and the word "rafi'uka" (i.e. 'raise you') as "raise you to a place of honour." Sayyid Qutb sees the question of 'Isa's death and rafc as "part of the issues of al-ghayb which only Allah can understand." We are inclined to support Sayyid Qutb's view on the interpretation of the word "mutawafika" particularly because of a seeming paradox created by another verse (4:157) where the words "ma qataluhu" are used to mean that 'Isa's enemies did not kill him. If his enemies did not kill him, in what circumstances did Allah cause him to die as implied in 3:55? Rac is, however, no new phenomenon. Several idiomatic usages of the word have occurred in the Qur'an. The word rafa'a itself, i.e. 'to raise' occurs twenty-two times in the verb form in the Qur'an. The Prophet's esteem is said to have been 'raised' (94:4), the Mu'minun (believers) are promised rafc to high ranks (58:11) or to degrees of wisdom (12:76). But in the case of heavens which are said to be 'raised' without pillars (13:2) and Prophet Idris (19:57) the implication does not appear idiomatic. We are of the opinion that the same may apply to the rafc of 'Isa. Note should be taken of the difference between believers' "degree of wisdom" and 'Isa's rafc "to Myself" (wa rafi'uka ilayyya) which is a definite adverbial phrase of place. Although this assumption may raise the question "where is Allah?" and although He is said to be established on His Throne (al-'arsh 7:54; 13:2; 20:5; 25:59; 32:4; 57:4) we still cannot help referring his whereabouts to al-qhayb, known only to Himself because while still on al-'arsh, He is also said to be "near" His Servant (qarib 2:186) or even "nearer to him" (aqrab ilayhi) than his jugular vein (59:16). Also, any attempt to fix the whereabouts of Allah may imply conjuring an anthropomorphic image of Him which may be misleading because He is not known to have a definite shape, Image or colour. The second verse cited by those who believe in the corporeal rafc of 'Isa and his nuzul says: They said, "We killed 'Isa the Masih, son of Maryam, the Apostle of Allah." But they neither killed nor crucified him but it was made to appear so to them (4:157). We like to quickly observe the mis-interpretation of the title "Masih" as Christ. "Masih" is taken from the Arabic "masaha" meaning 'to touch' or 'to rub.' It is in this sense that the word is used in its plural verb of command (fi'l al-'amr) "imsahu" in three verses of the Qur'an (once in 4:43 and twice in 5:6) concerning rubbing sand on body for tayammum (sand ablution). The word or title 'Christ' is not an equivalent of "Masih" however, 'Christ' is from the Greek word 'Christos' meaning 'anointed' and it has the same connotation with the Hebrew 'Mashiah'. Both the Christian use of the word Christ and the Hebrew use of the word 'Mashiah' connote the meaning 'Messiah' or 'expected saviour and redeemer'. It is our view that translation in its perfect form must conform with local usage, i.e. the way 'owners' of the language use the word or expression. An example is the Arabic word "asaba" i.e. 'to hit' which Arabs use to express illness. Thus "asabahu al-marad" which literally means 'illness had hit him' should be translated as 'He is sick' because the translator should express himself like an English man when translating into English. This may be extended to cultures and religions. Our contention is that the translation or interpretation of the qur'an and Muslim title "Masih" should be done in conformity with the Qur'anic connotation of the word as well as its Arabic background. The word "Masih" occurs in the Qur'an eleven times (3:45; 4:157; 4:171; 4:172; twice in 5:19; twice in 5:72; 5:75; 9:30; 9:31) and on no occasion does it convey the idea of a saviour or expected deliverer. 5:19 in particular emphatically denies this type of power for the Masih as Allah asks rhetorically: Who has the least power to prevent Allah if He wishes to destroy (yuhlik) the Masih son of Maryam (himself) or his mother as well as those on earth? Verily those who call the Masih God have committed disbelief (laqad kafara). (To be continued) Professor Is-haq Akintola,  Lagos State University, P.O. Box 10211, LASU Post Office, HO 102 101, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel. 234-803-346-4974        234-818-211-9714 Website: www.ishaqakintola.com Blog: drishaqakintola.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/ishaqakintola Twitter: ishaqakintola   I remain oppressed untill the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the sick healed and the homeless sheltered