Page 34 - Signs Of The Last Day

He will speak to people in the cradle, and also when fully
grown (wakahlan), and will be one of the righteous. (Surah
Al 'Imran: 46)
This word occurs only in these two verses and only in reference
to the Prophet Jesus (as). The word is used to describe the Prophet

Jesus’ (as) more mature age. The word refers to the age between 30
and 50, that is, to the end of youth and the beginning of old age.
Islamic scholars are agreed in translating this word to refer to a pe-

riod after the age of 35.
Islamic scholars rely on a tradition related by Ibn Abbas to the
effect that the Prophet Jesus (as) was raised to the Presence of Allah
when he was young, that is, at the beginning of his 30’s, and that

when he comes to earth again, he will have 40 years left to live. The
Prophet Jesus (as) will progress into his old age after he has re-
turned to earth, so this verse may be said to be a proof of the

Prophet Jesus’ (as) second coming to earth. 2
As mentioned, when we closely examine the Qur’an, we see
that this word is used only in reference to the Prophet Jesus (as).
All prophets have spoken to people and invited them to accept re-

ligion. All of them communicated their message when they were
of mature age. But, the Qur’an says nothing similar about any oth-
er prophet. This word is used only for the Prophet Jesus (as), and

is used to define a miraculous situation. The phrases “in the cra-
dle” and “having grown older” refer to two great miraculous
phases of his life.

It is a miracle, by the will of Allah, that the Prophet Jesus (as)
spoke while he was in the cradle. This was something that had
never been seen before, and Allah refers several times in the

Qur’an to this miraculous event. Immediately after these words

Signs of the Last Day
32