The Meaning of Allah’s Saying: “Indeed, I am taking you”
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Question:
The Shaykh’s question is: What is the meaning of the saying of the Exalted in the verse, “Indeed, I am taking you,” and how do we reconcile this with the fact that Jesus is still alive?
Answer:
“Taking you” refers to a specific type of taking, not the taking that is death. This is why it is said:[An-Nisa 4:159] This is in the end times, after he descends. He will not die until the end times, after he descends and kills the Dajjal. Then he will die, peace and blessings be upon him, just as others die. As for the taking mentioned in the phrase “Indeed, I am taking you,” it is a specific taking. It is said that its meaning is the seizing of the soul: “Indeed, I am taking you” means “I am seizing you,” and it is a specific seizing where Gabriel took him and raised him to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
It is also said that the taking referred to here is the taking of sleep, meaning he was overcome by some sleep or drowsiness, as Allah the Exalted said:[Az-Zumar 39:42]. Allah the Exalted said: [Al-An'am 6:60] The taking here is a minor taking, the taking of sleep.
It is not the taking that is the departure of life. Jesus, peace be upon him, is still alive and has not died the death that is the soul’s departure from the body, until he descends in the end times, kills the Dajjal, and remains on earth for as long as Allah wills, and then he dies, peace and blessings be upon him. For[An-Nisa 4:159] Rather, it is said that he did not die. Yes.
The Shaykh’s question is: What is the meaning of the saying of the Exalted in the verse, “Indeed, I am taking you,” and how do we reconcile this with the fact that Jesus is still alive?
Answer:
“Taking you” refers to a specific type of taking, not the taking that is death. This is why it is said:
And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death
وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِIt is also said that the taking referred to here is the taking of sleep, meaning he was overcome by some sleep or drowsiness, as Allah the Exalted said:
Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَاAnd it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day
وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَتَوَفَّاكُم بِاللَّيْلِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا جَرَحْتُم بِالنَّهَارِIt is not the taking that is the departure of life. Jesus, peace be upon him, is still alive and has not died the death that is the soul’s departure from the body, until he descends in the end times, kills the Dajjal, and remains on earth for as long as Allah wills, and then he dies, peace and blessings be upon him. For
none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death
مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ
Source
معنى وفاة عيسى عليه السلام قبل رفعه — alfawzan.live
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.