The Twelfth Imam
The Twelfth Imam
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Article ID: 12
Article Date: 2020-12-24
Writer: Saeed Bakhshi
Jesus, son of Mary , is among the prophets whose life in general—and his role in the end times in particular—has been significantly emphasized in Islamic religious sources. Within the verses of the Qur'an, references to the decisive words of Christ in the end times, the faith of the People of the Book(This refers to Muslims, Christians and Jews.)in Imam Mahdi under the guidance of Jesus, and the superiority of the followers of Jesus over his opponents until the Day of Judgment, are among the elements that vividly highlight the epistemological function of Jesus's descent.
Additionally, numerous hadiths describe Jesus following Imam Mahdi in prayer, which further underscores this epistemological role. Other narrations also mention Jesus’s support of Imam Mahdi, thereby completing his mission in the end times.
In this study, we have sought to explore the functions of Jesus’s descent by analyzing data, and through this process we have concluded that Jesus plays a vital role in enlightening Christians and guiding the People of the Book toward faith in Imam Mahdi.
Among the prophets who have received special attention in Qur'anic and narrative traditions is Jesus, son of Mary (pbuh). Numerous verses and hadiths address various aspects of his life. The Holy Qur'an discusses the life of Jesus in relatively great detail, including:
• Events preceding and during his birth
• Incidents following his birth
• His invitation to people toward the path of truth
• His miracles—especially healing the blind
• The people's deviation regarding his true nature
• The plot by some among the Jews to kill him
• The distortions that entered Christianity after him
• And various other related topics
One of the matters emphasized in both Qur’anic verses and hadiths is the descent of Jesus in the end times. These sources refer to this event either directly or indirectly.
The attention of the Monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—to the issue of Jesus’s return in the end times reflects his unique and significant position. For example, the descent of Jesus at the time of the appearance of Imam Mahdi in both Shi‘a and Sunni narrations, the Christian belief in the second coming of Christ, and the Jewish expectation of the coming of the Messiah all indicate his pivotal role in the end-time scenario.
However, the philosophical and theological reasons behind this event have rarely been examined in depth by Muslim scholars and commentators, despite the presence of numerous relevant verses and narrations.
The present study seeks to thoroughly examine and explain this significant issue.
What further underlines the importance of this discussion is the profound global influence of Jesus and the critical nature of his role in introducing and affirming the mission of Imam Mahdi during the era of his appearance—especially to Christians, who make up the largest religious demographic in the world today.
Given the geographical, political, and economic power of Christian-majority nations in the international arena, this topic holds considerable contemporary relevance.
In this study, the post-advent era refers to the period beginning from the appearance of Imam Mahdi—even slightly before that—and includes the time of his reappearance, his invitation to truth, the phase of his uprising , and the period thereafter.
This research adopts a library-based analytical approach to examine and interpret Qur’anic verses and narrations (hadiths), aiming to derive meaningful insights from these sources.
We structure this article into two main sections:
Section One: The epistemological function of Jesus’s descent, which constitutes the major part of the article
Section Two: The supportive role of Jesus in aiding Imam Mahdi
From the Qur’an and hadiths, it becomes clear that the descent of Jesus (pbuh) in the end times plays a significant role in clarifying the truth of Imam Mahdi (aj) to the People of the Book, especially Christians.
Therefore, we approach this section in two parts:
1 - The descent of Jesus from the perspective of Qur’anic verses
2 - The descent of Jesus from the perspective of narrations (hadiths)
إِذْ قالَتِ الْمَلائِکةُ یا مَرْیمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ یُبَشِّرُک بِکلِمَةٍ مِنْهُ اسمُهُ الْمسیحُ عیسَی ابْنُ مَرْیمَ وَجیهاً فِی الدُّنْیا وَ الْآخرَةِ وَ منَ الْمقَرَّبینَ * وَ یکلِّمُ النَّاسَ فِی الْمَهْدِ وَ کَهلاً وَ مِنَ الصالِحینَ
(Remember) when the angels said, ‘O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah]. He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous.(Surah Aal Imran, Ayahs 45-46)
Explanation of the term Maturity/Adulthood ( کهل = kahl ):
The term Kahl is used in two primary meanings.
The strength resulting from community and Maturity. This interpretation is favored by "Ibn Faris".
From the same root, the hump of a camel and the area between a person’s shoulders are called "Kahl."
When a plant reaches its full growth, Arabs say:"اکتهلَ النبتُ اکتهالًا"meaning "the plant has matured."
A white appearance emerging amidst darkness. For example, the whitening of hair on a human’s head or a calf with a white forehead. This meaning is also recognized by early lexicographers (Faraḥidi).
Additional usages:
Kahl and its derivatives (Kahil, Kāhel) are also used to describe a father or the elder of a tribe (Ibn Duraid, 1988 AH: Vol. 2, p. 982).
It is also attributed to an individual who serves as the pillar and support of a tribe in significant affairs (Ibn Athir, 1367 SH: Vol. 4, p. 214).
Age range of Kahl:
Some linguists have defined a specific age range for maturity, approximately 30 to 50 years old (Ḥimairī, 1420 AH: Vol. 9, p. 5917).
Others suggest 34 to 51 years (Fīrūzābādī, 1429 AH: Vol. 3, p. 612).
Core meaning:
The primary meaning of ""Kahl"" appears to be reaching the peak of physical strength and intellectual maturity (Moṣṭafawī, 1368 SH: Vol. 10, p. 140).
At this stage, when the first signs of gray hair appear, individuals tend to act with full deliberation, drawing upon experiences accumulated from childhood through youth.
Though it is difficult to assign an exact age applicable to everyone, generally people sense this maturity between roughly 35 and 50 years old, after which physical strength begins to decline gradually.
In most societies, this period is referred to as adulthood or middle age, a crucial stage of human development with significant psychological and physical importance.
Qur'anic Perspective on the Term "Kahl" and Its Deeper Implications
From the perspective of the Holy Qur’an, the stage of maturity (kahl) is distinct from both youth and old age. According to the Qur’anic viewpoint, the peak of physical and intellectual strength in human beings is reached at the age of forty, and it is at this stage that many prophets were divinely commissioned—just as the Noble Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) was appointed to prophethood at the age of forty.
In light of these considerations, let us return to the verse in question. This verse first presents an extraordinary phenomenon: an infant speaking—while still in the cradle—not randomly or instinctively, but rather with divine intention and awareness. He speaks not of mundane matters, but of prophethood and divine scripture, subjects utterly beyond the comprehension of a newborn, let alone his ability to articulate them.
The child in the cradle speaks with a level of wisdom and maturity as if he were a middle-aged man at the height of mental and spiritual development. Without doubt, such an event constitutes a miracle, and one of the subtle secrets behind the use of the word kahl (maturity) in this verse lies in emphasizing the miraculous nature of this incident: that Jesus speaks in infancy just as he will speak in adulthood.
This interpretation has been widely accepted by many Qur’anic exegetes (Ṭabarī, 1412 AH: Vol. 3, p. 188; Ṭabrisī, 1372 AH: Vol. 2, p. 749).
However, further contextual evidence suggests that the emphasis on the word kahl does not refer solely to the miraculous speech of Jesus in the cradle, but also points to another miraculous event yet to occur in the end times—namely, his descent during the reappearance of Imam Mahdi.
This interpretation has been proposed by numerous both Shi'a and Sunni commentators (Ṭabarī, 1412 AH: Vol. 3, p. 188; Ṭabrisī, 1372 AH: Vol. 2, p. 749), and some have even considered the verse a prophetic prediction of future events (Makārem Shirāzī, 1379 SH: Vol. 2, p. 550).
On the other hand, some exegetes interpret the verse exclusively in the second sense, offering no alternative explanation (Ālūsī, 1415 AH: Vol. 2, p. 157). Others go further by asserting that the primary emphasis of the verse is on Jesus’s speech in maturity, while his speech in the cradle merely serves as a prelude to that future moment (Ṣādiqī Tehrānī, 1365 SH: Vol. 5, p. 142).
According to this meaning, Jesus (peace be upon him) speaks very important words on two very sensitive occasions. The first is when his mother is unjustly accused, and the honor of the Virgin Mary is at stake, and at the same time, he is commissioned as a prophet by God and tasked with conveying His message. The second is when Imam Mahdi appears and invites the people of the world to Islam and to his support against the oppressors. In this instance, the speech of Jesus (peace be upon him) will be very significant and fateful.
A) If we consider old age, based on lexicographical books and other contextual clues, to be after the age of 35, then according to some of our narrations, Jesus (peace be upon him) ascended to heaven before the age of senility, or as Christians put it, was crucified.
However, the Quran mentions Jesus (peace be upon him) speaking miraculously in this world. Therefore, from the Quran's perspective, Jesus (peace be upon him) will speak at this age in this world, and this promise has not yet been fulfilled. According to narrations (as will be discussed in this article), it will be fulfilled at the time of Jesus' descent in the end times.
B) The qualifier "kahla" (mid-aged) in the verse is not solely to indicate the miraculous nature of an infant's speech; the speech of an infant in the cradle is sufficient in itself to be miraculous. For this reason, when Mary (peace be upon her) refers the Jews to the infant in the cradle in response to their objections, they reply, 'How can we speak to a child in the cradle?' (Quran, Surah Maryam, verses 27-30). This means everyone knew that a child in the cradle would never speak naturally. It is in this context that Jesus (peace be upon him) speaks, miraculously, like adults. Although we do not deny that the inclusion of the qualifier "kahla" serves another purpose besides prophecy, such as emphasizing the miraculous nature of a child's speech, this is one of the eloquent and rhetorical aspects of the Quran.
C) The conjunction "and" is used when two things share a common ruling (Taftazani, 1411 AH: 145). The conjunction 'wa' (and) signifies plurality of events on one hand, and on the other, it indicates a difference between the conjoined and the conjunct, rather than their complete unity. This is because if these two occurrences were identical, there would be no need for a conjunction; rather, it should have been expressed differently. For example, it would say, 'And he will speak to people in the cradle as a [mid-aged] man' (the "wa" between "al-mahd" and "kahlan" would be omitted), or it would say, 'And he will speak to people in the cradle like a mid-aged man.' However, the verse suggests the multiplicity of two events, not their unity. The commonality between these two is their miraculous nature. The miraculous nature of a newborn child speaking is clear, but the speech of someone in middle age, although a normal occurrence, is unusual for someone who is about two thousand years old or more, has not died and is still alive, or for someone who is revived after death.
D)The verse preceding this one discusses the esteemed status of Jesus in this world and the hereafter. The meaning of his esteemed status in the hereafter is clear, as he possesses a high position of prophethood, which grants him dignity. However, his esteemed status in this world refers to his recognition among people. This is because Jesus holds dignity with God in both this world and the hereafter, a fact that does not require stating. Therefore, when God speaks of his esteemed status, it implies something else. As we know, to date, he has not possessed such esteemed status or dignity among all or most people in this world. During his claim to prophethood, only a small number were drawn to him, and he remained a minority. His prophethood was not universally accepted, and for this reason, he was, according to Christians, killed by his Jewish enemies. Consequently, a time will come when Jesus will gain esteemed status in this world, before the eyes of all people, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims. This will be during the era of reappearance, at the time of his descent, when he will follow Imam Mahdi . At this point, Jesus will serve as a connecting link between the Religions of Divine Unity(Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), and this act will be the cause of his esteemed status in this world and an even greater esteemed status in the hereafter.
Interestingly, among the prophets, only Jesus achieves such a level of worldly prestige. This is why the Quran, when discussing Moses (peace be upon him), only mentions his esteemed status with God, not his esteemed status in this world among people.
E)The fact that God emphasizes speech in a state of old age indicates the exceptionally important words of Jesus in very sensitive circumstances, not the ordinary words that Jesus uttered throughout his prophethood, guiding people. It is possible that the significant words of Jesus refer to his testimony to the truth of Islam and Imam Mahdi, his invitation of people to the Imam, his refutation of the distortions that have entered Christianity, such as the Trinity, Incarnation, anthropomorphism, and other corruptions. It also refers to his speech to the Jews regarding his legitimacy during his prophethood and the great error they committed concerning him.
F)The context of the verse, which is in praise of Jesus , necessitates that if his speech as an infant is miraculous, his speech in old age should also be miraculous and highly significant. Otherwise, it would not be a unique characteristic or praise for Jesus , as all humans speak in old age and before.
G)Numerous Shia and Sunni narrations mention that Jesus will descend in the era of reappearance, pray behind Imam Mahdi, be present in his army, and hasten to his aid. This is an extraordinary and clear sign for Christians, who constitute the largest population on Earth. This extraordinary event will clarify the matter of Imam Mahdi for many Christians, and perhaps Jews as well.
H)The position of Christianity among religions is such that:
First: Among existing religions, they constitute the largest population.
Second: The geography of Christianity and the importance of Christian-majority countries and their influence in the international arena are undeniable.
Third: Currently, most of the world's oppressors reside in Christian countries. Therefore, if an acceptable figure to them, whose return they await, descends and invites people towards the savior of the end times, it will make the argument conclusive for them. With their faith, or the faith of a significant portion of them, many of the challenges facing Imam Mahdi will be resolved.
I)The descent of Jesus from the perspective of Shia and Sunni narrations during the era of reappearance, the expectation of Christians for the second coming of Christ, and also the expectation of Jews regarding the advent of the Messiah, all indicate the unique importance and status of Christ in the end times.
The Holy Quran states:
«وَ إِنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْکتابِ إِلاَّ لَیؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ قبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَ یوْمَ الْقِیامَةِ یکونُ علَیهِم شَهیداً»
"And there is none of the People of the Book but will believe in him [Jesus] before his death; and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them." (Quran Surah Nesa Verse 159)
The apparent meaning of the verse indicates that the People of the Book, especially the Jews, will believe in Jesus before his death. However, there are differing opinions among commentators regarding this verse.
Regarding the referent of the pronouns "in him" and "before his death" in this verse, there are several possibilities, each noteworthy for different reasons:
1 - The first pronoun refers to Jesus , and the second pronoun refers to the People of the Book. This means that each of the People of the Book who is on the verge of death—those who denied him will believe in him, and those who considered him God will realize their mistake. However, this faith will be of no benefit to them. Some have considered this the most correct and renowned opinion. Narrations that state: 'Mankind will have their curtain lifted from their eyes at the moment of death, and they will see realities clearly' (Surah Qaf, verse 22) support this meaning.
2 - Both pronouns refer to Jesus , meaning all the People of the Book will believe in Christ Jesus before 'his death,' though this faith will be of no benefit to them (Zamakhshari, 1407 AH: Vol. 1, 588; Tabarsi, 1372 AH: Vol. 3, 211; Baydawi, 1418 AH: Vol. 2, 108).
Some have also said that both pronouns refer to Jesus , and all the People of the Book will believe in Christ Jesus. The Jews will accept him as a prophet, and the Christians will abandon his divinity (Tabarsi, 1372 AH: Vol. 3, 211).
The last possibility among these interpretations appears to have supporting evidence.
Although the context of the verses speaks of the Jews and their enmity towards Jesus, linguistically, it encompasses all People of the Book, including Christians and Jews. In this scenario, the faith of Christians in Jesus implies a different kind of faith. Until that time, they held faith in his prophethood and exclusive truthfulness. However, after Jesus' descent and his return in the end times, they will believe that he is indeed the Messiah. Following his pledge of allegiance and his following of Imam Mahdi, and guided by Christ, they will embrace a new faith in Islam, the truthfulness of the Seal of the Prophets, and the Imamate of the Imams (peace be upon them), especially Imam Mahdi.
It is stated in the words of many commentators that this faith will be of no benefit to them because it is under duress. However, this statement is not acceptable. The context of the verses discusses the life of Jesus and the fact that one day all People of the Book will believe in him. But whether this faith is necessitated and unacceptable, or not, is outside the scope of this discussion (The Book of Interpretation of Al-Mizan, Tabatabaei, Vol. 5, 135).
The apparent meaning of the verse does not indicate or suggest the non-acceptance of their faith. Rather, its apparent meaning is the faith of the People of the Book, and the intended meaning of faith is genuine and accepted faith. This is because in numerous instances in the Quran where faith is mentioned, this is the intended meaning, not that they have faith which is not accepted. There is no such usage in the Quran. If faith is not accepted, the Quran explicitly states its rejection. For example, in Surah Yunus, verses 90 and 91, God says about Pharaoh:
"And We took the Children of Israel across the sea; then Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in insolence and aggression, till when he was overtaken by drowning, he said, 'I believe that there is no god but He in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims.' [It was said to him]: 'Now? And you were indeed rebellious before and were among the corrupters!'"
In this verse, Pharaoh's faith is explicitly rejected and deemed unacceptable. Therefore, if the faith of the People of the Book were not accepted, God would have explicitly stated it.
The intended meaning of "all the People of the Book" refers to all those who are alive during the time of Jesus' descent, because many of the People of the Book have already passed away, and their believing is not meaningful. If someone argues that they will believe at the point of death when the veils are lifted, this meaning also requires clearer evidence, and deriving such a meaning from the verse is problematic. This is because the apparent text implies that the referent of the second pronoun is the same as that mentioned at the beginning.
The intended meaning of belief in Jesus is not belief in his person, but belief in his prophethood at the time when he was a prophet. True faith in the prophethood of Jesus necessitates belief in the Prophet of Islam and what he has conveyed to the people, including belief in Imam Mahdi.
Therefore, Jesus serves as a mediator for the legitimacy of Islam to the People of the Book. Otherwise, believing in Jesus would be irrational, as the period of his prophethood has passed, and his religion has been superseded by Islam. If Jesus' prophethood is valid and binding, then the prophethood of the Prophet of Islam , the legitimacy of Islam, and Imam Mahdi would be called into question. This implies that Islam is both a superseder of Jesus' prophethood and law, and yet it is not. The word and command of Jesus are both binding and not binding. These two are contradictory, leading to a contradiction in the Quran, whereas the Quran is free from contradiction.
From the narration of 'Ali son of Ibrahim,' it appears that all the People of the Book will believe in Jesus before his death. In this narration, the enlightening role of Jesus is clearly observed. Ibn Shahr Ashub says:
'Al-Hajjaj said to me: O Shahr, there is a verse in the Book of God whose meaning I am perplexed by. I said: O Commander, which verse is it? He said: The saying of God: "And there is none of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death." (Quran 4:159) By God, I order the Jew and the Christian to be beheaded. Then I watch him; but I do not see his lips move until he becomes still (and dies)!'
I said: May God rectify the Commander's condition! It is not as you have interpreted.
He said: How so?
I said: 'Indeed, Jesus will descend before the Day of Resurrection. Then no follower of any religion, Jew or otherwise, will remain except that they will believe in him before their death, and he will pray behind Imam Mahdi .'
He said: Woe to you! From where do you say this, and from where have you brought it?
I said: Imam Muhammad Baqir (the fifth Imam of the Shiites), narrated this to me.
He said: By God, you have brought it from a pure spring.
Other narrations also support this meaning. Similarly, the narrations about the descent of Jesus and his following of Imam Mahdi, as will be discussed, are also supported. This is because when Jesus descends to aid Imam Mahdi and follows him, it implies acceptance of his vicegerency and belief in his Imamate.
In Sunni interpretive books, there are also Moughoofi narrations(1) from the Companions and Successors regarding the faith of the People of the Book in Christ (Kurani, 1428 AH: Vol. 7, 125-127).
In verse 55 of Surah Al-Imran, it is stated:
"When Allah said, 'O Jesus, indeed I will cause you to die and will raise you to Myself and purify [you] from those who disbelieve and will make those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me will be your return, and I will judge between you concerning that over which you used to differ."
From the phrase "and will make those who follow you above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection," it is understood that the followers of Jesus are superior from the time of his prophethood until the Day of Resurrection.
The apparent meaning of the verse under discussion suggests that this following and superiority will continue until the Day of Resurrection, meaning it is possible in the present and future as well. The key point in this verse is adherence to Jesus . Based on this, when Jesus descends during the reappearance to introduce and aid Imam Mahdi, those Christians who believe in Jesus and his guidance and follow him will be superior.
This superiority is contingent upon complete adherence to Jesus , not on their being people who "believe in some parts but disbelieve in others" (Quran 4:150). Among the matters that Christians were required to believe in from Jesus and adhere to was Jesus' good news about the coming of the next prophet and the necessity for Christians to believe in him. (As this good news is stated in the Holy Quran, Surah As-Saff, verse 6):
"And [mention] when Jesus, son of Mary, said, 'O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you, confirming what is before me of the Torah and giving good tidings of a messenger to come after me whose name is Ahmad(5) when he came to them with clear proofs, they said, 'This is obvious magic."
Based on this, those who heard this word of Jesus and ignored it, or concealed or distorted it, will no longer have superiority over the Jews.
Their superiority is also relative, not absolute. This means they will be superior in comparison to the Jews, not superior to Muslims. Because by believing in Jesus and embracing Islam, they will join the ranks of Muslims and enjoy all the material and spiritual benefits of Islam. At that point, the superiority of each person will be based on their level of piety, not anything else.
'Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.' (Holy Quran Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 13). In this scenario, a newly converted Christian, through jihad, worship, and fulfilling their duties, might outpace other Muslims. In that case, they would also be superior to them.
Objection:
The implication of the above statement is that current Christians would be superior to Jews and Muslims.
Response:
It is correct to say that Christians are superior to Jews, and the Quran also confirms this in the verse under discussion and other verses (Surah Al-Ma'idah, verses 82-85). However, their superiority over Muslims is not derived from the above verse. This is because the duty of Christianity, considering the glad tidings in the Gospel about the coming of the final prophet, was to believe in the Prophet of Islam, yet many of them refused. The most optimistic scenario is that many of them, due to ignorance (inadvertent or negligent), have not embraced Islam. Consequently, someone who is unknowingly ignorant (inadvertent or negligent) has no superiority over someone to whom the truth is clear. At the time of Jesus' descent, Christians will also convert to Islam under his guidance. In this case, they will leave the religion of Christianity and enter the religion of Islam, so there will be no superiority of a Christian over a Muslim.
The interesting point is that this verse does not propose the superiority of a Christian over a Jew or others, but rather the superiority of one who is a follower and adherent of Jesus . This is not inconsistent with the descent of Jesus in the end times and their embracing Islam by following him. It is possible that some Jews, upon witnessing the descent of Jesus , will believe in him. In this scenario, a Jew who believes in Jesus and, consequently, believes in Islam, will be superior to a Christian who believes in Jesus but does not believe in Islam. Therefore, the verse emphasizes adherence, not being Christian or Jewish.
In summary, the key point in this verse is adherence to Jesus . According to the apparent meaning of the verse, this adherence continues until the Day of Resurrection, and the superiority of a Christian follower will be due to factors such as the enlightenment provided by Jesus and their faith in Islam and Imam Mahdi.
Based on numerous narrations from both Shia and Sunni sources, during the time of Imam Mahdi's reappearance and his global revolution, Jesus will descend and, coming under the command of Imam Mahdi, will assist him. The narrations on this matter are divided into two categories:
The total number of narrations transmitted in this regard is 4 in Shia books and 14 in the traditions of the People of the Sunnah (Kurani, 1428 AH: Vol. 2, 399-493).
In a narration from 'Ali son of Ibrahim, the descent of Jesus is mentioned among the signs of the end times, without going into further details. Although the descent of Jesus is listed as one of the signs of the end times, it does not contradict its occurrence during the era of reappearance, as the reappearance itself happens in the end times.
In a reliable narration from Sheikh Tusi, we read:
The Messenger of Islam said: 'Before the Day of Resurrection, ten events will certainly occur: the Sufyani, the Dajjal, the smoke, the Creature from the earth, the emergence of the Qa'im, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus (peace be upon him), the sinking of the earth in the east, the sinking of the earth in the Arabian Peninsula [the plain of Bayda], a fire emerging from the depths of the earth in the region of Aden that will gather people for resurrection.'
This narration is clearer than the previous one. In this narration, the emergence of the Imam Mahdi, the Dajjal, and the sinking in Bayda are mentioned as events preceding the Day of Resurrection. This is while these events occur during the era of reappearance. Therefore, the descent of Jesus will also occur at that time. Furthermore, there are numerous narrations that specify the exact time of Jesus' descent and set it at the time of reappearance.
Some of the mentioned events in the narration, such as the rising of the sun from the west or the smoke, are related to the events of the Day of Resurrection. This does not cause a contradiction or inconsistency among the segments, because the narration speaks of events occurring before the Day of Resurrection. Some of these events will happen before the Day of Resurrection with an interval, while others will occur immediately before the Day of Resurrection, connected to its establishment. The descent of Jesus occurs before the Day of Resurrection, but with a considerable interval.
This category of narrations includes the most accounts of the descent of Jesus, with approximately 14 narrations cited in various Shia books and sources (Mirbagheri, 1395 SH: Vol. 4, 230-235) and about 7 narrations in Sunni sources (Kurani, 1428 AH: Vol. 2, 399-493). For example, Muhammad ibn Muslim narrates:
I heard Imam Baqir say: "Our Qa'im is aided by awe(6)... and Jesus son of Mary, will descend and pray behind him."
Footnotes:
1. Moghoufi Narration: A narration is called Moghouf if its chain of transmission reaches a companion or a follower (tabi'i) but not the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). "Mawquf Narrations from Companions and Followers" means: statements from prominent figures of early Islam (other than the Prophet), which have been narrated on a specific topic.
2. Prima facie contradiction: A contradiction or inconsistency that seems to exist only at first glance (upon initial observation), but upon closer examination, it becomes clear that there is no actual contradiction.
3. Like verse 14 of Surah Al-Ma'idah: "And from those who said, 'We are Christians' We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that of which they were reminded. So We instilled among them hatred and animosity until the Day of Resurrection..."
4. Dhimmi: A non-Muslim (usually People of the Book, such as Jews and Christians) who lives in an Islamic land and enters into a contract with the Islamic government. According to this contract, they will have security for their lives and property, and in return, they must adhere to specific conditions.
5. Another name for Prophet of islam.
6. Aided by Awe: Meaning the enemies, even before any actual war takes place, fear and are intimidated by him. This fear is instilled in their hearts, which leads to the Prophet's victory without the need for difficult and lengthy wars.
7. Mustafid Narrations: A narration that has been transmitted by a large number of narrators, but not to the extent that it can be said with certainty that it is not false or erroneous (like Mutawatir), but rather it is numerous and significant to an extent that cannot be overlooked.
8. Tawatur or Mutawatir: This means a report that has been transmitted through so many independent and varied chains of narrators that the possibility of it being coincidental or false is practically eliminated. In simpler terms, when a Hadith or report has reached us through multiple independent and different chains of narrators, to the extent that the collective number of these narrators cannot all agree to lie or make a mistake, that Hadith is called "Mutawatir."
9. Ulu al-'Azm Prophets: Prophets who possessed very strong resolve, high patience and perseverance, and a global and difficult mission. According to authentic Islamic narrations (Shia and Sunni), five divine prophets are recognized as "Ulu al-'Azm": Prophet Noah, Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, Prophet Jesus, and Prophet Muhammad.
10. solitary report(Khabar Wahid): A narration is called Khabar Wahid if it is narrated by only one or a few individuals (not many and not through various channels).
11. Jizya: A tax or amount paid by non-Muslims living under Islamic rule, such as Jews and Christians, in exchange for security, military support, and permission to reside and work in Islamic society, paid to the Islamic government.
