Page 26 - The Signs of Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming
P. 26

Signs of Jesus’ (pbuh)
                                       Second Coming







                    him. God raised him to Himself. God is Almighty, All-Wise.
                    (Surat An-Nisa’, 4:157-158)

                    Many people believe in the widespread assumption that the
                Romans crucified Jesus. The Roman soldiers and Jewish priests who
                arrested Jesus are said to have killed him on the cross. Although some
                historical Christian sects such as Docetism have denied this, today,
                the world of Christianity completely believes it, as well as that he was
                resurrected three days later and, after several brief meetings with his
                disciples and others, ascended into the heavens.
                    The Qur'an, however, says otherwise. The reality revealed in the
                verses is clear. The Romans, abetted by some Jews' agitation, at-
                tempted to kill Jesus but did not succeed. The expression "but it was
                made to seem so to them" reveals this fact. God showed them a look-
                alike and raised Jesus up to His presence. Our Lord also reveals that
                those who made that claim had no knowledge of the truth.
                    In the early years of Christianity, several views on Jesus' fate
                emerged. In the subsequent centuries and until the articles of faith
                were fully formulated at the Council of Nicea (325), these ideological
                differences continued to persist, and movements that claimed that
                Jesus had not been crucified were accused of heresy and its members
                were persecuted.




                     The Qur'anic Account of Jesus' Ascent

                                    to God's Presence
                    Examining the words used in the narratives relating how the
                Prophets died and the verses dealing with Jesus' ascent to God's pres-
                ence reveals an important fact: Jesus did not die like the other
                prophets did, nor was he murdered by the unbelievers. Rather, our
                Lord took him up to His presence. In this chapter, we will examine the



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