Understanding Prophet Isa's Timeline: Surah Maryam vs. An-Nisa (A Response to Ahmadiyya Claims)
Assalamu Alaikum everyone. I've been pondering over a verse in Surah Maryam, where Prophet Isa (AS) declares, "Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I will die, and the day I am raised alive" (19:33). It got me thinking-how does this align with Surah An-Nisa, where Allah clearly tells us that the disbelievers neither killed nor crucified him, but rather He raised him up (4:157-158)? If he was lifted alive, why mention his future death? Alhamdulillah, I came across the mainstream scholarly explanation that makes perfect sense. The timeline is straightforward: - Prophet Isa (AS) was saved and raised to the heavens, body and soul, alive. The term "mutawaffika" in 3:55 means taking him in full, not causing death. - He remains alive now. - In the future, he will return, complete his natural life span, and then pass away. That future death is what he speaks of in Surah Maryam. Now, the Ahmadiyya community interprets these verses metaphorically, claiming he survived the crucifixion, traveled to India, and died there at an old age-all to support Mirza Ghulam Ahmad's claim. My question is: why do they insist on stretching these clear texts into metaphors when the literal understanding fits so beautifully? It seems like they start with the conclusion that someone else is the Messiah, then twist the verses to match. If we can dismiss explicit Quranic words and detailed hadiths about his return as mere symbols, couldn't anyone claim anything and call it a metaphor? I'd appreciate deeper insights into why the mainstream interpretation is linguistically sound and the dangers of the Ahmadiyya approach. Jazakum Allahu Khair for your thoughts.