What is the wisdom behind the descent of 'Isa (peace be upon him) in the last of times?
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The questioner : Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Your Eminence, some Christians sometimes ask about the purpose and ruling regarding the return or descent of 'Isa (peace be upon him) to the earth before the Day of Resurrection. Sometimes the preachers answer with some established matters and some far-fetched ones. What do the honorable scholars say, may Allah reward you with good, in this matter, so that it becomes clear to the preachers?
The Shaykh : I mean, the Christians say: Why will 'Isa descend?
The questioner : Yes, what is the wisdom of his descent?
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Some of them answer with something established and something far-fetched.
The Shaykh : What did they answer?
The questioner : Some of them answered: That it is to establish the argument against them, because of what they altered of the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : Against the Christians, I mean?
The questioner : Yes, this is some of the answers, and there are many others, but they are far-fetched; they come up with things from their own minds without evidence?
The Shaykh : As for it being to establish the argument against them, the argument is already established against them even if he does not descend. And if this were the reason, we would also say that Musa will descend in order to establish the argument against the Jews, even though Musa has died and 'Isa has not died.
But the wisdom, and Allah knows best, is to manifest the virtue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to confirm his prophethood, because this Prophet who descends will judge by the Shari'ah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), even if he breaks the cross and kills the pig and accepts nothing but Islam. This is not a new Shari'ah, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated it and confirmed it, so it is part of the Shari'ah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So it appears, and Allah knows best, that the wisdom of that is to manifest the honor of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and that the Prophets must follow him, and Allah will show them that in this world before the Hereafter. And what indicates this is that in the intercession, the people will go to Adam, then to Nuh, then to Ibrahim, then to Musa, then to 'Isa. The first four—Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, and Musa—each of them will excuse themselves with an argument, but 'Isa will not excuse himself with an argument; rather, he will say:Sahih al-Bukhari 4476 So the fact that Allah inspires the people to go to 'Isa, even though he will not intercede and he did not mention the sin, the intended purpose is to manifest the honor of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) over the previous Prophets. Yes, the one to his left.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Shaykh : This one to the left is Qar'awi. Yes.
Your Eminence, some Christians sometimes ask about the purpose and ruling regarding the return or descent of 'Isa (peace be upon him) to the earth before the Day of Resurrection. Sometimes the preachers answer with some established matters and some far-fetched ones. What do the honorable scholars say, may Allah reward you with good, in this matter, so that it becomes clear to the preachers?
The Shaykh : I mean, the Christians say: Why will 'Isa descend?
The questioner : Yes, what is the wisdom of his descent?
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Some of them answer with something established and something far-fetched.
The Shaykh : What did they answer?
The questioner : Some of them answered: That it is to establish the argument against them, because of what they altered of the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : Against the Christians, I mean?
The questioner : Yes, this is some of the answers, and there are many others, but they are far-fetched; they come up with things from their own minds without evidence?
The Shaykh : As for it being to establish the argument against them, the argument is already established against them even if he does not descend. And if this were the reason, we would also say that Musa will descend in order to establish the argument against the Jews, even though Musa has died and 'Isa has not died.
But the wisdom, and Allah knows best, is to manifest the virtue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to confirm his prophethood, because this Prophet who descends will judge by the Shari'ah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), even if he breaks the cross and kills the pig and accepts nothing but Islam. This is not a new Shari'ah, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated it and confirmed it, so it is part of the Shari'ah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). So it appears, and Allah knows best, that the wisdom of that is to manifest the honor of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and that the Prophets must follow him, and Allah will show them that in this world before the Hereafter. And what indicates this is that in the intercession, the people will go to Adam, then to Nuh, then to Ibrahim, then to Musa, then to 'Isa. The first four—Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, and Musa—each of them will excuse themselves with an argument, but 'Isa will not excuse himself with an argument; rather, he will say:
go to Muhammad the Slave of Allah whose past and future sins were forgiven by Allah
اذهبوا إلى محمد عبد غفر الله له ما تقدم من ذنبه وما تأخرThe questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Shaykh : This one to the left is Qar'awi. Yes.