Reply to a Doubt

The doubt may creep into one's mind that the verse "O Isa! I shall give you death and raise you toward Me" implies that Hadhrat Isa Alayhissalaam. would have passed away before being raised to the heavens. It should be first borne in mind that the promise made to Hadhrat Isa Alayhissalaam. in this verse was made at a time when the Jews were conspiring to assassinate him. Allaah informed him of the conspiracy and assured him that he would be saved Allaah informs him that he would be raised to the heavens and brought back to earth before Qiyaamah, after which he would die naturally. The two promises of death and being raised will both be fulfilled, although the ascension would be first and the death afterwards. The sequence of the verse has been reversed, which is quite in order because the letter 'waaw' ('and ?) does not necessitate sequence. This means that the verse does not mean that the death has to precede the ascerrsion. For more details. refer to Ruhul Ma' aani (Vol.3 P5.779).

Hadhrat Moulana Mufti Muhammad Shafee RAH has also written the following in his Ma'aariful Qur'aan: "Allaah said two things to comfort Hadhrat Isa ALY at the time when the Jews were bent on killing him. One That his death will come, not at their hands in the form of killing, but that it would be a natural death. Two: In order to rescue him from the evil designs of those people, Allaah will, at that time, raise Hadhrat lsa Alayhissalaam. Towards Him. This explanation is exactly what has been reported from Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas '$il;'i;lF, as quoted by Allaama Suyuti RAH. in his Durrul Manthoor (Vol.2 Pg.36) from several narrators.

The gist of this explanation is that although 'tawat'fi' does have the meaning of 'giving death', but there is the element of precedence and altered sequence in the words used. The fact of "Raat'u?ka" (l shall raise you) will come first and that of "Mutawaffeeka" (I shall give you death) will follow later. Now at this point, the wisdom behind mentioning the phenomenon of the earlier, lies in the hint that it gives about the events which are to come later on. It means that raising towards Allaah will not last for ever. It would be temporary, after which he would return to the mortal world and prevail over enemies. It is only afterwards that death will come to him in a natural way.

Thus, the event of his return from heaven and his death after having established his victory in the world was not only a miracle but an honour for Hadhrat Isa Alayhissalaam. In addition to this, the unfounded Christian belief in the divinity of Jesus is also refuted. Had it not been so, the event of Hadhrai Isa Alayhissalaam. being raised alive towards the heavens would have further strengthened their false belief that he too was Living and Eternal like Allaah.

Therefore, by first introducing the word 'Mutawaffeeka' (pointing out to this Death) all those misconceptions which might have arisen from his ascension Have been refuted beforehand.

And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah Vol.1

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