The Glad Tidings of the Messiah

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming in the Hadiths Literature

The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) has revealed many important matters about the Prophet Jesus'(pbuh) return, as well as some of the things that will happen before and after this event, in his hadiths. All of this information is from the "Unseen," and was given to him by Allah, as related in the following verse:

He [Allah] is the Knower of the Unseen, and does not divulge His Unseen to anyone—except a Messenger with whom He is well pleased, and then He posts sentinels before him and behind him. (Surat al-Jinn, 26-27)

Our Lord also reveals that He sent knowledge to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in his dreams:

Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: "You will enter the Sacred Mosque [Masjid al-Haram] in safety, Allah willing, shaving your heads and cutting your hair without any fear." He knew what you did not know and ordained, in place of this, an imminent victory. (Surat al-Fath, 27)

Allah gives such knowledge to our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in order to help and support both him as well as all of the faithful believers who were with him.

Some of this revealed information deals with the signs of the End Times. The most significant of these revelations concerns the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming. The hadiths about the End Times can be found in sahih (accredited) hadith collections such as Imam Nawawi's Riyadh as-Salihin, Imam Malik's Al-Muwatta', Ibn Khuzayma's Sahih, Ibn Hibban's Sahih, Ahmad ibn Hanbal's Musnad, and Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi's Musnad. From these sources, we learn that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) made many important revelations about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), all of which are considered tawatur (reliable).

As is related in the hadith the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come again to Earth within the century in which we live, he will abide by the religion of Islam, purify Christianity of all its superstitions and hearsay, be instrumental in the conversion of the People of the Book into Islam, eradicate the system of dajjal and make the moral values of Islam rule the world together with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh).

The Hadiths on the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Are "Tawatur"

The hadiths relating the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are reliable (tawatur). Research shows that scholars share this view. Tawatur is defined as "a tradition which has been handed down by a number of different channels of transmitters or authorities, hence supposedly ruling out the possibility of its having been forged."11

In his Al-Tasrih fi ma Tawatara fi Nuzul al-Masih, the great hadith scholar Muhammad Anwar Shah Kashmiri writes that the hadiths about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are all reliable, and quotes 75 hadiths and 25 works by companions of our Prophet and their disciples (tabi'un).

In the Sunni school of Islam, Imam Abu Hanifah is the greatest collector of hadiths on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming. In the final part of his Al-Fiqh al-Akbar, he states that:

The emergence of the dajjal and of Gog and Magog is a reality; the rising of the sun in the West is a reality; the descent of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), upon whom be peace, from the heavens is a reality; and all the other signs of the Day of Resurrection, as contained in authentic traditions, are also established realities.12

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is one of the ten great signs of the Last Day, and many Islamic scholars have dealt with the subject in great detail. When all of these views are considered together, it becomes apparent that there is a consensus on this event. That the hadiths are reliable is explained, as follows:

Muhammad al-Shawkani said that he had collected 29 hadiths and, when he had recorded them all, he said: "Our hadiths have reached the level of tawatur (reliable), as you can see. With this, we reach the conclusion that the hadiths on the anticipated Mahdi, the dajjal, and the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are mutawatir (genuine).13

At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, al-Bazzaz, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, al-Tabarani, and al-Musuli recorded many hadiths narrated by the Companions, such as 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, Talha, Abu Hurayra, Anas, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Umm Habiba, Umm Salama, 'Ali al-Hilali, and 'Abd Allah ibn al-Harith ibn Jaz, upon whose narrations they based their collection on.14 For instance, Ibn Hajr Al-Haythami in the book al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, al-Shablanji in his book Nur al-Absar, Ibn Sabbagh in his book Al-Fusul al-Muhimma, Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Sabban in his book Is'af ar-Raghibin fi Sirat al-Mustafa wa Fada'il Ahl Baytihi at-Tahirin, and Muhammad Amin Suwaidi in his book Saba'ik az-Zahab, wrote that the hadiths about the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming are reliable.15

These hadiths are recorded by the Ahl as-Sunnah scholars and hadith experts in their own works. For instance, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, an-Nasa'i, al-Tabarani, al-Rawajini, Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani, ad-Daylami, al-Baihaqi, as-Salabi, Hamawaini, Manawi, Ibn al-Jawzi, Muhammad ibn 'Ali al-Sabban, al-Mawardi, al-Khanji al-Shafi, as-Samani, al-Khwarizmi, ash-Sharani, ad-Daraqutni, Ibn Sabbagh al-Maliki, Muhibbuddin Tabari, Ibn Hajr al-Haythami, Shaikh Mansur 'Ali Nasif, Muhammad ibn Talha, Jalaluddin as-Suyuti, al-Qurtubi, al-Baghawi and many more deal with the subject in their books.
Ibn Kathir, while explaining that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a sign of the End Times as pointed out in Surat az-Zukhruf 61, says that the hadiths about Jesus' (pbuh) second coming prior to the Day of Judgment have reached the status of mutawatir. 'Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda reveals that the hadiths about Jesus returning to earth and killing (making the dajjal ineffective) have reached the degree of being mutawatir.16 Al-Kattani shares these views in his Nazm al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir.17

Such books show the great number of hadiths that exist on this subject. Furthermore, the hadiths that reveal the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming in the End Times as a sign of the Last Day are found in the main hadith source books, such as those by al-Bukhari and Muslim. Some of these are as follows:

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, the son of Mary (Jesus) will certainly invoke the name of Allah for Hajj or for Umrah, or for both, in the valley of Rawha. (Sahih Muslim)

"It (the Day of Judgment) will not come until you see ten signs," and (in this connection) he mentioned the smoke, the dajjal, the Beast, the rising of the Sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary… (Sahih Muslim)

By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you people as a just ruler. (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims') commander will invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honor from Allah for this Ummah (nation). (Sahih Muslim)

How will you be when the some of Mary (i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you and he will judge people by the Law of the Qur'an? (Sahih al-Bukhari)

(For further information about the signs of the Last Day, please see Harun Yahya, Signs of the Last Day, Istanbul: Global Publishing, 2003)

Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Announced the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Return

By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross [annul the worship of the cross], kill the pig [he will eliminate the superstitious beliefs included in the Christianity during latter periods], and abolish the jizya (a head tax on free non-Muslims living under Muslim rule). (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

No Prophet shall come during the period between me and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). And the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) shall descend. Recognize him when you see him. He is a man of medium height and of a ruddy, fair complexion. He will be dressed in two pieces of a yellow garment. The hair on his head will appear as if water is trickling out of it, although his hair would not be wet. He will struggle for the cause of Islam… And the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will make the dajjal ineffective. He will live on this Earth for a period of forty years, and at the end of this period he will pass away. The Muslims will offer the funeral prayers of Jesus. (Abu Dawud)

Certainly, the time of prayer will come and then Jesus (pbuh), son of Mary, descend and will lead them in prayer. When the enemy of Allah see him, he will (disappear) just as salt dissolves in water. (Sahih Muslim)

The world will be placed beneath his feet … His eyes will see the distance too … He will see the unbelievers' castles and villages… (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 244)

When their [believers'] Imam would come forward to lead them in congregation in the morning, the Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, (pbuh) would descend upon them in the morning. Upon this, that Imam would retreat walking backward, so that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)should come forward to lead people in prayer in congregation. But he would place his hand in between his shoulders and say: "Come forward and lead the prayer, for it has been established for you." (Sunan Ibn Majah)

When the dajjal faces him [Jesus], he [the dajjal] will begin to dissolve like salt in water. He [Jesus] will say to him: "I have to step in; you cannot escape." So Jesus (pbuh) will kill him [make him ineffectivewith his spear at the gate of Ludd. (Sunan Ibn Majah)

Then the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come to a people whom Allah would protect from dajjal (antichrist). He would then wipe [the traces of hardship from] their faces and tell them their ranks in Paradise. (Sunan Ibn Majah)

The World Will Be at Peace

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be a just judge and a just ruler in my ummah (people) . . . He will abandon the collection of zakat;grudge and mutual hatred will be lifted (removed), the sting of every stinging insect will be removed until a baby will insert his finger in snake's mouth and it will not harm him, and the wolf will be like the dog among the sheep (safeguarding them). Earth will be filled with peace, just as a vessel is filled with water; the word (kalima) will become one (i.e., only Islam will prevail) and only Allah will be worshipped; the battle will put down its weapons (i.e., come to an end) and the dominion of the Qurayshis will be broken. (Sunan Ibn Majah)

[In his time], there will be no rancour between any two persons. (Sahih Muslim)

[In his time], peace will prevail and people will use their swords as sickles. Every harmful beast will be made harmless . . . A child will play with a fox and not come to any harm; a wolf will graze with sheep and a lion with cattle, without harming them. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad)

There Will Be Great Prosperity

[When he comes] wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it [alms]. (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih al-Muslim)

The son of Mary (Jesus) will return and make the dajjal ineffective. Then you will live for 40 years in prosperity. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, 90)

Everywhere food will cook in pots, unseen prosperity will dominate, and material wealth will be disregarded. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar, 66)

"Earth will turn like the silver tray, growing vegetation as it did in the time of Adam (peace be upon him) so much so that a group of people will eat a bunch of grapes and it will satiate them;a group of people will eat a single pomegranate and it will satiate them;the bull will be sold for a lot of money and a horse will cost only a few dirhams." The audience asked: "Allah's Messenger, why will a horse be so cheap? He replied:"It will not be used as a mount for fighting." He was asked:"Why will a bull be so expensive?" He replied:"The whole land would be tilled." (Sunan Ibn Majah)

Productivity of earth will multiply to such an extent that if a seed is sown in a solid rock, it will grow. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Kanzal Ummal)

Even without the plough, the produce of wheat would multiply seven hundred times, one mudd (a measure of wheat) becoming 700 mudd. (Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, Mawrid al-Sadi fi Mawlid al-Hadi)

Then Earth will be told to bring forth its fruit and restore its blessing. As a result thereof, there would grow (such a big) pomegranate that a group of people will be able to eat it and seek shelter under its skin. A milk cow will give so much milk that a whole party will able to drink. A milk camel will give such (a large quantity of) milk that the whole tribe will be able to drink out of it, and a milk sheep will give so much milk that the whole family will able to drink out of that… (Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Not Bring A New Religion

He will lead you according to the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Apostle. (Sahih Muslim)

Jesus (pbuh) will not come to the people of Muhammad as a Prophet; rather, he will come to practice the religion of Muhammad. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, 68)

Jesus (pbuh) will descend and will practice our Prophet's law. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, 2:1309)

He will judge by the law of Muhammad. He will follow the Prophet, even though he is one himself, and will belong to the people of Muhammad … He will be one of the people and companions of the Prophet, and he will be the most devout of them … (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, 243)

He will himself follow the Qur'an and Hadith and get the people to follow them. (Tabarani)

The Physical Appearance (Hilya) of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

He is a man of medium height; of a rudy, fair complexion; will be dressed in two pieces of died garment; and the hair of his head will appear as if water is trickling out of it, although it will not be wet. (Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad)

He has curly red hair and wide shoulders. He will break the cross [he will eliminate the superstitious beliefs included in the Christianity during latter periods] and abolish the jizya, and accept no other religion but Islam … [In his time] Nothing and nobody but Allah will be worshipped. He will practice Muhammad's law and belong to Muhammad's people. He will follow the Prophet even though he himself is a Prophet, because he saw him [Hazrat Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)] on the night of Mi'raj. Therefore, he [Jesus] will be the most distinguished Companion. (Jalaluddin as-Suyuti, Nuzul 'Isa ibn Maryam Akhir al-Zaman, 182)

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "On the night of Isra' [his miraculous journey from Mecca to Jerusalem] I met Moses—he was a slim man with wavy hair, and looked like a man from the Shanu'ah tribe. I also met Jesus (pbuh)—he was of medium height and of a red complexion, as if he had just come out of the bath. (Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Bukhari)

While sleeping near the Ka'bah last night, I saw in my dream a man of brown color the best one can see among those who are brown colored, and his long hair fell between his shoulders. His hair was lank, water dribbled from his head, and he was placing his hands on the shoulders of two men while circumambulating the Ka'bah. I asked: "Who is this?" They replied, "This is Jesus (pbuh), son of Mary." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Burried Next to  Our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Tomb

Jesus (pbuh), son of Mary, will come down to the world… He will marry, . . . live for 45 years and then die. He will be buried with me [Hazrat Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)] in my grave. Then I and Jesus, son of Mary, will stand up in one grave between Abu Bakr and 'Umar. (Wali-ud-din bin Abdullah al-Khatib al-Umari al-Tabrizi, Mishkat al-Masabih, Damascus, 40:4)

Jesus (pbuh) will marry and have a child after he returns. After he dies, the Muslims will perform his funeral prayer and bury him at the Rauza-i-Aqdas. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, 65)

Jesus (pbuh) will die after living for 40 years. After he dies, the Muslims will perform his funeral prayer and bury him. (Ash-Sharani, Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, 498-499)

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi Delivered the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming to the Muslims

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960), one of the greatest Islamic scholars, spent his entire life inviting people to believe in Allah and to live by the morality prescribed in the Qur'an. He suffered great hardship in this cause, but was always pleased with his lot and met every difficulty with faith in Allah, patience, and joy. Bediuzzaman's Qur'anic commentary, the Risale-i Nur Collection, is full of precious advice reflecting his exuberant love of and faith in Allah and his devotion to Allah's religion. For this reason, his works are an important reference source for all believers.

Bediuzzaman wrote extensively on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, particularly about his struggle with the dajjal, the representative figurehead of all Godless ideological systems. Together with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will eliminate Godlessness and declare the rule of Allah's law with the help of the Muslims.

In this part, we will deal with his views on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming and related matters.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Ascent to Allah's Presence

In the introduction to The Letters, Bediuzzaman speaks of three levels of life: that of our life, that of the life of Khidr, and that of the life of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Bediuzzaman explains the second level of life, as follows: "…they can be present in numerous places at the same time. They are not permanently restricted by the requirements of humanity like us. They can eat and drink like us when they want to, but are not compelled to like we are…"

When the angels said: "Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus , son of Mary, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, one of those brought near." (Surah Al 'Imran, 45)

Bediuzzaman says the following about the third level of life:

(1)

The Third Level of Life is that of Enoch and the Prophet Jesus (May Allah grant them peace) which, being removed from the requirements of humanity, rises to an angelic level of life and acquires a luminous fineness. Quite simply, Enoch and the Prophet Jesus are present in Allah's Sight with their earthly bodies, which have the subtlety of bodies from the World of Similitudes and the luminosity of star-like bodies. (Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur Collection, Letters, "First Letter." All quotations from Bediuzzaman are taken from www.bediuzzaman.org)

Bediuzzaman also points out the existence of doubt over the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming. Bediuzzaman reminds us that our all-powerful Lord Who has created the universe from nothing, is certainly able to bring the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) back for a second time:

(2)

Indeed, it is not far from the wisdom of an All-Wise One of Glory Who all the time sends the angels to Earth from the heavens, sometimes in human form (like Gabriel appearing in the form of Dihya), and sends spirit beings from the Spirit World making them appear in human form, and even sends the spirits of most of the dead saints to the world with similitudes of their bodies, it would not be far from His Wisdom—even if he was not alive and present with his body in the skies of the world, and had truly died and departed for the furthest corner of the Hereafter—to clothe Jesus (pbuh) in his body and send him to the world, so to bring the religion of Jesus to a good conclusion; for such a momentous result. Indeed He promised it because His wisdom required it to be thus, and since He promised it, He will most certainly send him. (Letters, "Fifteenth Letter")

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Recognized by the Light of Faith

The question of exactly how the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be recognized on his second coming has been asked ever since his ascension to Allah's Presence. Bediuzzaman says that he will be recognized by the light of his faith. However, Bediuzzaman also points out that only those who are close to him and have deep faith will be able to recognize him:

When Jesus (upon whom be peace) comes, it is not necessary that everyone should know him to be the true Jesus. His elect and those close to him will recognize him through the light of belief. It will not be self-evident so that everyone will recognize him. (Letters, "Fifteenth Letter,")

(2) Bediuzzaman also says that only a few people will recognize him, at least in the beginning, and that the irreligious currents will be very strong:

It says in a narration in connection with the Prophet Jesus (Peace be upon him) making the dajjal ineffective: "The dajjal will have a colossal form, he will be extraordinarily big and taller than a minaret, while the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be very small in comparison."
None knows the Unseen save Allah. One interpretation must be as follows: It is an allusion and sign that quantitively the spiritual community of mujahideen [those who struggle in Allah's cause] who will recognize Jesus (peace be upon him) and follow him, will be very few and small comparatively to the "scientific," physical armies of the dajjal. (Rays, "Fifth Ray,")

"... the 'scientific,' physical armies of the dajjal...": Through this expression, Bediuzzaman reveals that the Prophet Jesus' opposition will be very strong in terms of education, military power, and financial might. While their education system propagates irreligion, the military is working to disseminate the same irreligious ideologies.

"... the spiritual community of mujahideen...": This expression describes the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) followers. The word "community" indicates that they are close to one another and act together. This community's members will make great efforts to establish the morality of religion where the powers of irreligion rule, and will be dedicated to work on Allah's path. They will engage in a great ideological battle to destroy the irreligion created and spread by the education system and the military. The word "spiritual" points out this community's genuine faith, as its members are fully aware of the spiritual dimension of things as well as their material appearance. "Mujahideen" stands for a group of people who work for the cause of Allah, actively promoting His religion throughout the world.

Truly We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive your earlier errors and any later ones, complete His blessing upon you, guide you on a Straight Path, and so that He may help you with a mighty help. (Surat al-Fath, 1-3)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Rule with the Law of Islam and Adhere to the Qur'an

Bediuzzaman reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return at a time when irreligious ideologies rule the world. As the following quote states, he will rule with, and be bound by, the Qur'an on his second coming. Christianity and Islam will unite and succeed by living according to the Qur'an's morality. The Risale-i Nur says that:

(1)

"At the end of time, Jesus (upon whom be peace) will come and will act in accordance with the Shari'ah of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)," indicates that at the end of time the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy, and will be transformed into Islam. At this point, the collective personality of Christianity will kill the fearsome collective personality of irreligion with the sword of heavenly revelation; so too, representing the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (upon whom be peace) will kill the dajjal [make him ineffective], who represents the collective personality of irreligion, that is, he will kill atheistic thought. (Letters, "First Letter")

"... in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy": Bediuzzaman reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will lead a great struggle against the irreligious movements created by Darwinism and those who deny Allah's existence.

O you who believe! Enter Islam totally. Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara, 208)

"... the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition … and will be transformed into Islam": Here, Bediuzzaman interprets the hadith that says that when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns in the End Times, he will abide by Islam's law and rules. His struggle will begin by cleansing Christianity from all of the myths and false beliefs that have entered into it over the centuries, and thereby return it to Islam.

In this way, Christians and Muslims will unite to form a great power. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will make the dajjal ineffective, who is the representative of all irreligious systems, and eradicate them.

(2)

At that point when the current appears to be very strong, the religion of true Christianity, which comprises the collective personality of Jesus (pbuh), will emerge. That is, it will descend from the skies of Divine Mercy. Present Christianity will be purified in the face of that reality; it will cast off superstition and distortion, and unite with the truths of Islam. Christianity will in effect be in a way transformed into Islam. (Letters, "Fifteenth Letter")

Although the dajjal will appear to be very powerful, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth and reveal true Christianity. As stated earlier, the first thing that he will do is restore Christianity to its original form by removing all false and baseless practices and beliefs (pbuh) and all unnecessary rules and traditions. This has not happened until today because the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is the only person who can end Christianity's ongoing 2,000-year process of change.

"… [Present Christianity will] unite with the truths of Islam. Christianity will in effect be in a way transformed into Islam…": Once Christianity has been returned to the state of its first revelation, it will integrate itself into Islam.

(3)

Following the Qur'an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam, in that of leader. True religion will become a mighty force as a result of its joining it. Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union. Then the person of Jesus (pbuh), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion, as, relying on the promise of One Powerful Over All Things, the Bringer of Sure News has said. Since he has told of it, it is true, and since the One Powerful Over All Things has promised it, He will certainly bring it about. (Letters, "Fifteenth Letter")

"... Following the Qur'an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam, in that of leader…": This transformation of Christianity, beginning with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), will conclude in everyone adhering to the Qur'an, as required by the final book of revelation. Both the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and Christianity as a whole will adhere to Islam.

"... Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union...": A great power will form when Christianity, under the leadership of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), adheres to the Qur'an, because the world's two greatest religions are two huge powers in terms of politics, economics, and spirituality. After their unification, they will have enough power to destroy all forms of irreligion. Materialist philosophy, which distances people from their true purpose in life and forces them into selfishness, lovelessness, and aggressiveness, will be eradicated, along with all forms of irreligion.

O you who believe! Enter Islam totally. Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara, 208)

"… Then the person of Jesus (pbuh), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion…": This alliance, when combined with the Christians' acceptance of the Qur'an, will achieve a global majority status and move as one body. Bediuzzaman reminds us that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come to Earth and lay irreligious movements to waste and stresses that this news is therefore true knowledge.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Struggle Against Irreligious Movements

When speaking of the End Times, Bediuzzaman asserts that two ideological movements will create disorder in their quest to establish the rule of irreligion. One of these will try to destroy the morality of Islam from within, while the other movement will reject Allah's existence openly. Its members will claim that matter has always existed and will continue to exist forever, and that life emerged from lifeless matter by means of a series of coincidences. This movement will represent the Darwinist and materialist philosophies.

This definition forms the basis of all atheist ideologies. Ever since the beginning of recorded history, materialists have opposed true religion and fought those who adhered to it and called others to do so. They oppressed people, made war, and were always found at the forefront of all kinds of decadence. In his second coming, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will give an ideological struggle against this Darwinist mentality and defeat it, by the will of Allah.

In his Collected Works, Bediuzzaman says the following:

A tyrannical current born of Naturalist and Materialist philosophy will gradually become strong and spread at the end of time by means of materialist philosophy, reaching such a degree that it denies Allah… The members of that current, who deny Allah, each ascribes dominicality to his soul like a little Nimrod. And the greatest of them, the dajjal, who will come to lead them, will manifest awesome wonders, a sort of spiritualism and hypnosis; he will go even further, and imagining his tyrannical, superficial rule to be a sort of dominicality, he will proclaim his godhead. (Letters, "Fifteenth Letter")

Bediuzzaman refers to the destructive effects of the naturalist-materialist philosophies on society. His words "a tyrannical current born of naturalist and materialist philosophy" seem to indicate materialism and Darwinism, the foundations of atheism. In the end times, these two philosophies will spread around the world on the back of the materialist philosophy and openly deny the existence of Allah. Its proponents, in their own way,deny the infinite power of Allah and instead are deluded to believe themselves to have powers independent of Him.

Allah will not forgive those who disbelieve and do wrong or guide them on any path. (Surat an-Nisa', 168)

(2) He gives the following account of the irreligious powers formed by the antichrist:

Moreover, in the world of humanity, with the intention of denying the Godhead, the secret society of the dajjal (antichrist) will overturn civilization and subvert all mankind's sacred matters. A zealous and self-sacrificing community known as a Christian community, but worthy of being called "Muslim Christians," will work to unite the true religion of Jesus (pbuh) with the reality of Islam, and will kill and rout that society of the dajjal [make him ineffective], thus saving humanity from atheism. (Letters, 515)

"… with the intention of denying the Godhead, the secret society of the dajjal (antichrist) will overturn civilization and subvert all mankind's sacred matters…": Bediuzzaman defines the irreligious movements represented by the dajjal as a secret society that will overturn civilization and subvert all mankind's sacred matters in order to deny Allah's existence.

"... A zealous and self-sacrificing community known as a Christian community but worthy of being called 'Muslim Christians', will work to unite the true religion of the Prophet Jesus ((pbuh)) with the reality of Islam…": Bediuzzaman calls the devoted Christians who will work tirelessly with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to unify the Christian and Islamic faiths after Christianity has been purified, Muslim Christians. This "Muslim Christian" community will destroy the irreligious ideological systems represented in the being of dajjal.

Another explanation by Bediuzzaman on the subject reads:

(3)

"He [the antichrist] will be so powerful and long-lived that only Jesus (pbuh) will be able to kill him [make him ineffective]; nothing else will be able to." That is, it will only be a revealed, elevated, pure religion that will be able to overturn his way and rapacious regime, and eliminate them. Such a religion will emerge among the true followers of Jesus (pbuh), and it will follow the Qur'an and become united with it. On the coming of Jesus (pbuh) and emergence of the true Christian religion, the antichrist's irreligious way will be wiped out and will cease. The antichrist's person could otherwise be killed by a mere germ or by influenza. (Rays, "Fifth Ray")

Bediuzzaman draws the attention to the hadith that indicates that only the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be able to destroy the dajjal and his established and aggressive regime, and abolish his irreligious way. He will be accompanied by the genuine Christians who have freed themselves of myths and have surrendered to the Qur'an. With the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, the dajjal's irreligious way will perish.

"Antichrist's irreligious way will be wiped out and will cease. The antichrist's person could otherwise be killed by a mere germ or by influenza": Bediuzzaman touches here on a very important subject. What matters is not to incapacitate those people one by one who work to spread irreligion ideologically, but to eradicate all schools of thought which enable irreligious movements to exist. It is not difficult to have individuals ideologically incapacitated.

Bediuzzaman continues:

(4)

It could only be a wondrous person with the power of miracles who could make dajjal ineffective and change his waysof the awesome dajjal, who will preserve himself through wonders, bestowed on him by Allah in order to lead him astray, such as magic, hypnotic powers, and spiritualism, and will spellbind everyone. And that person will be Jesus (pbuh), who is the prophet of the majority of mankind… (Rays, "Fifth Ray")

Bediuzzaman reveals here that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is the only person who can eradicate the irreligious movements that are trying to increase people's denial by deception and through misleading them, and that only he can force the dajjal to change his chosen way.

(5)

… The Great dajjal will abrogate the injunctions of the Christian Law, and destroying the bonds in accordance with which the life of Christian society is administered, he will prepare the ground for anarchy and Gog and Magog. (Rays, "Fifth Ray")

Bediuzzaman uses the word "dajjal" to define all the irreligious thought systems combined, and states that it is a movement that seeks to do away with all of the injunctions in Christianity, to destroy all the spiritual bonds between people, and to entice them to rebellion, corruption, and anarchy.

… Help comes from no one but Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise (Surah Al 'Imran, 126)

Bediuzzaman defines the annihilation of irreligious movements by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the Christians as follows:

It will be the truly pious followers of Jesus (pbuh) who will make ineffective the collective personality and the huge statue of materialism and irreligion embodied in the dajjal—for the dajjal will be killed [made ineffective] by Jesus' (pbuh) sword—and destroy his ideas and disbelief, which are atheistic. Those truly pious Christians will blend the essence of true Christianity with the essence of Islam and rout the dajjal with their combined strength, in effect killing him [making him ineffective]… (Rays, "The Fifth Ray")

"the huge statue of materialism and irreligion": With these words Bediuzzaman likens the globally influential materialist movements to a huge statue. This statue could be indicating that these movements will be established and strong. It is a hard task to uproot and destroy a big statue. However, with its destruction, materialism as well as irreligion will disappear.

"… will blend the essence of true Christianity with the essence of Islam": When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, he will be subject to Allah's final book of revelation, restore Christianity to its original form, and unite it with Islam.

"… rout the dajjal with their combined strength, in effect killing him [making him ineffective]": When the two true religions of Allah unite, they will have gained much power in the wider sense of the word. They will defeat the materialist ideologies ruling the world and free all people from their hegemony.

In all of his statements concerning the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, Bediuzzaman stated that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will unite with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and his group, pray behind Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and thus abide by his leadership, and do away with all the sufferings inflicted upon people by irreligious systems.

Welcoming the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) in the Best Possible Way

So far, this book has explored the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming in light of the Qur'an, our Prophet's hadiths, and excerpts from the Torah and the Gospel. Allah reveals in the Qur'an the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) ascent into the heavens and the signs accompanying his second coming. Many hadiths, such as: "By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Mary will soon descend among you as a just judge," also provide many examples of what the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will do and the prevailing conditions at that time. These revelations are so clear that there is no room for doubt. Moreover, they coincide even in the details with what we see in our own day. For centuries, many scholars expressed their valuable opinions on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming and informed people about the conditions that he will face. The Gospel also contains much clear evidence about his second coming. For example the Gospel says: "... This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

Given the above evidence as well as humanity's current condition, there may be only 15 or 20 years until the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) return. Or, perhaps he has already returned. This news is a source of encouragement, happiness, and motivation for all people.

The Importance of Preparing for the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) in Joy, Excitement, and Exuberance

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a blessed Messenger whom Allah graced with a miraculous life and honored by being chosen as a Prophet. Allah revealed that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is "of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near [to My Presence]" (Surah Al 'Imran, 45), and that he will be rewarded with Paradise. For this reason, all people must welcome him in the nicest possible way when he returns. Even a poor person prepares his or her house days in advance for an expected guest, and strives to be proper and worthy. On the other hand, given that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a most valued guest as well as a Prophet with superior qualities, everyone must welcome his return to Earth in the nicest way possible.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is a very great gift of Allah for all humanity, and it is an equally great gift to meet with this valued Prophet. When he comes, he will draw everyone's attention with his innocent, pure, and bright face, and will capture humanity's attention with his accurate, wise, and insightful speech. For the first time ever in their lives, all people alive at that time will see a Prophet of superior human qualities. Allah willing, his second life will be as full of miracles as was his first life. All people will admire him for his virtue and unrivalled wisdom. His every word will be inspired by Allah, and his every decision will be accurate.

All people, especially believing Christians and Muslims, must prepare in excitement, vigor, and great exuberance for his arrival. Those who do not do so are committing a great error, for it is a grave act of disrespect to be lazy or unconcerned about the arrival of such an important guest. Those who believe Allah's words must ponder the developments in the world and be aware of the signs of the End Times in order to prepare for this most important guest's arrival. They cannot say "I believe in the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming" and then think along the lines of "but I will prepare later or make up for it later." Which conscientious, genuine Christian could say, when the appointed time has come: "We were expecting the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), but didn't consider it necessary to prepare for it"? If they say so because they believe that this event might be another 15-20 years away, they are mistaken, because they will see that 15-20 years can pass just like 15-20 days. As a result, they will suffer great remorse for their indifference. No one should forget that people in the 1970s thought of the 1980s or 1990s as the distant future. However, time passed quickly and brought the new millennium. Likewise, the day of our meeting with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will arrive soon, Allah willing.

The Appearance of False Messiahs Is a Sign of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Imminent Arrival

Some people might want to induce indifference in those believers who want to prepare for the arrival of Allah's blessed messenger. They might try to "prove" that all such preparations are unnecessary. One such method will be the appearance of false Messiahs. In the past, some insane or greedy people have claimed to be the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Some circles have tried to use these ignorant people to their advantage by making statements to the effect that "the belief in the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming inevitably creates false Messiahs." In this way, they sought to slow down or even stop the preparations for his arrival. However, no one can delay the arrival of this celebrated time promised by Allah, because they just cannot comprehend the fact that the emergence of false Messiahs is a sign of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) imminent arrival. Many Bible verses refer to this, such as:

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming: 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many." (Matthew 24:3-5)

At that time if anyone says to you: "Look, here is the Christ!" or "There he is!" do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time. (Matthew 24:23-25)

The true believers will recognize the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) immediately by his signs. His every move will be full of wisdom and unique, and so distinguish him from all other people that he will be recognizable without any need for proof. The false Messiahs' desperate efforts to prove themselves will only expose them as frauds.

In addition, the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) deeds will be his proof. He will deal a deadly blow to those atheist movements that seek to spread irreligion and immorality. Since he will be guided by revelation, he will foil the unbelievers' traps with great ease, curb the efforts of irreligion, and spread Allah's true religion. Through his miracles, he will prove that Allah's religion is true and that the believers will succeed. Our Lord reveals in the Qur'an:

They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His Light, though the unbelievers hate it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, though the idolaters hate it. (Sureat as-Saff, 8-9)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Recognized by the Fact That He Will Have No Relatives and That No One Will Know Him

One of the most important factors that will distinguish the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) from false messiahs will be his lack of parents, relatives, friends, and acquaintances.

As revealed in the previous chapters, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was born by Allah's command "Be!" and without a father. Allah likens this situation to that of Adam's creation:

The likeness of Jesus in Allah's Sight is the same as Adam. He created him from earth and then He said to him: "Be!" and he was. (Surah Al 'Imran, 59)

Both Adam and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) were created by Allah's command: "Be!" Adam had no parents, and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) had just his mother Mary. But on his return, he will have no mother either. Given that he first lived centuries ago, he also will have no relatives.

On his second coming, there will be no suspicion as to whether or not he is the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Those who falsely claim to be the Messiah (pbuh) will easily be exposed as liars, for people will have known them during their youth. People will have photos of them, and many more people will have known them from their childhood onward. So, it will be a great error on their part to make such a claim.

The Whole World Will Unite Behind the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)

The Qur'an and the hadiths reveal the nature of the necessary preparations, as do the great opinions of such scholars as Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. The most important phase is the ideological battle with the world's anti-religious movements. As Bediuzzaman says, all believers must unite in the ideological battle against atheist movements that guide people away from religious morality, such as Darwinism and materialism, and fully eradicate them. For this reason, they must use all of their resources to prepare before the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) war on irreligion begins. As Bediuzzaman says, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will move with "the sword of heavenly revelation" at hand, meaning that he will be guided by Allah's revelations. Therefore, every choice he makes will be right, and he will do away with all irreligious systems.

To begin to form this Christian-Muslim unity is a very good way to prepare for the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) arrival. However, first Christians must resolve their internal differences, unite behind the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) word, and become a rank as solid as a "well-built wall" (Surat as-Saff, 4). And, Muslims must remove their own internal sources of disparity and work to create unity and solidarity. All Muslims must move closer to Allah, cooperate to serve His religion even better, and achieve Islamic unity. Following the creation of these two unions, the pact between Muslims and Christians will form a massive power and represent a barrier to all evil movements that deny Allah. These preparations will form the basis for the alliance that will exist when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns.

However, at the present time, no Christians or Muslims are making any serious preparations; rather, they seem to be very indifferent to this valued guest's arrival. Such people will be ashamed when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) comes, for then they will realize that it is too late to make amends.

Another danger for Christans is that of coming under the influence of those who are disturbed by the prospect of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) arrival. People who do not prepare for this event, due to their pride, weak faith, ignorance, and lack of comprehension, might seek to influence conscientious Christians in a negative manner. Still, however, one wonders why those Christians who love the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and believe in the Bible pretend not to see this great truth. The time has come for all Christians to commit themselves to morality and the path of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). All Christians must show their sincerity and their wholehearted dedication to Allah, as defined in the Bible, and be tolerant, loving, peaceful, devoted, and work to spread Allah's religion. The Bible's clear statements on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming must move the conscience of Christians, for contrary behavior or not making the necessary preparations could become a source of great shame and embarrassment for them. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) has given the good news of his second coming to all Christians, and says clearly in the Gospel: "I myself will come soon" (Philippians 2:24)

Similarly, Muslims must also abide by Allah's morality, as revealed in the Qur'an and the hadiths, and work for the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) arrival with excitement, joy, and exuberance. Otherwise, how can they claim to believe in this coming event?

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming will not be a localized affair affecting just one area; rather, it will be a miraculous and metaphysical event powerful enough to affect the whole world, engender fundamental social and political change on a global scale, and cause people to unite behind the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). For this reason, all Christians and Muslims must work together and do their utmost to prepare the nicest welcome ever for him. For those Christians and Muslims who believe in the one and only Allah, strive to earn His good pleasure, have submitted to Him wholeheartedly, are devoted to Him and praise him, and defend the same core values, it is most proper that they move in unison. The need for mutual tolerance, sympathy, understanding, and peace is obvious. It is time to end the centuries-old disputes, prejudices, and misunderstandings, because there is no time to be lost.

In this book, we have shared the good news of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming with everyone from the perspective of the Qur'an and the hadiths. We have seen Bediuzzaman's insightful views and read the Bible's clear statements. We also have called on everyone to make the necessary preparations. In short, we want to make it impossible for people to say that they would have prepared for this event if they had known that it was coming. We have stressed that the signs are clearly there for all to see, and that there can no longer be any doubt that the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming is imminent. Our Lord says:

Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land, as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased, and give them, in place of their fear, security. "They worship Me, not associating anything with Me." Any who do not believe after that, such people are deviators. (Surat an-Nur, 55)