Why is He called Al-Masih?

Q: Why is 'Isa, the son of Mary called Al-Masih?

A: ‘Isa the son of Mary is called Al-Masih because he did not touch any sick or disabled person except that they cured by Allah's Permission. Some of the Salaf also said that he was called Al-Masih due to his contact with the earth and his frequent travelling therein for the propagation of the religion. According to these two sayings, Al-Masih, meaning Maasih (one who touches). It was also said that he is Al-Masih because his feet were flat, with no hollow to the soles of his feet, and it was said that he was touched with blessings, or that he was purified from sins and was therefore blessed; in these cases, Al-Masih would mean Mamsuh (one who is touched), but the first is the most apparent, and Allah knows best.

In any case, there is no connection between this and belief or action, and the benefit by knowing it is minimal.

Q: In addition to these questions, there are some texts which the Qadyanis use in order to prove the death of ‘Isa and his burial; I request elucidation of these texts and how to reply to them.

The first Verse is: “The Messiah ('Isa) the son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Mary) was a Siddiqah (true believer). They both used to eat food” (Al-Ma'idah 5: 75).

A: The meaning of this Verse is a response to those who said “Allah is the Messiah ('Isa), son of Mary” (Al-Ma'idah 5: 72). And those who said: “Allah is the third of the three (in a trinity)” (Al-Ma'idah 5: 73).

which explains that 'Isa, the Messiah is not a lord, nor is he a deity to be worshipped. Rather he is a Messenger, whom Allah has honored with the Message - his case is like that of (all) the Messengers who came before him: His life span is limited. But this Verse does not make plain when he will die. The previously-mentioned evidences from the Book (of Allah) and the Sunnah, explained that he was raised up alive and that he will descend as a just ruler, then he will die after his descent at the end of time and his rule of the people. Then Allah, the Most High mentions that 'Isa and his mother both used to eat food, by which He proves that they are not gods with Allah, due to their need for sustenance, while Allah is Unique, Self-Sufficient, Independent of all needs. All are in need of Him and He is in need of none. This is supported by what precedes, and follows His in Words; before it, He says: “Surely they have disbelieved  who say: "Allah is the Messiah ('Isa), son of Mary" (Al-Ma'idah 5: 72).

And the Verse: “Surely, disbelievers are those who said: "Allah is the third of the three (in a trinity)" (Al-Ma'idah 5: 73).

And after this, He the Most High mentions the prohibition of being excessive in religious matters, the rejection of worshipping other than Allah, and He curses those who do or are silent about it and they do not condemn it. His Words in Surah Al- An 'am also demonstrate this: “Say (O Muhammad): Shall I take as a Waliy (Lord, Protector, object of worship) any other than Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? And it is He Who feeds but is not fed” (Al-An'am 6:14).

Q: The Second Verse is: “And We never sent before you (O Muhammad) any of the Messengers but verily they ate food and walked in the markets” (Al-Furqan 25: 20).

A: What is intended by this Verse is a reply to those who disbelieved in the Message of Muhammad (Salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam) due to their claim that the Messengers are only from among the angels, not from among mankind. So Allah responded to their claim, by explaining that the Sunnah of Allah, the Most Glorified is to send Messengers to mankind whom He chooses from among them, and that they eat food and walk in the markets, in which matters they are as the rest of mankind. The Verse does not refer only to 'Isa. Other Verses and Hadiths prove that he was raised up alive and that he will descend, after which he will rule, at the end of time, then he will die, as was previously mentioned.

Q: The Third Verse: “We did not create them (the Messengers) with bodies that ate not food, nor were they immortals” (Al-Anbiya' 21: 8).

A: There is no evidence in this Verse to prove the death of 'Isa when the Jews conspired together to crucify him and kill him; it only proves that the Prophets and Messengers -including 'Isa - are not made of bodies which do not eat, on the contrary, they eat just as (other) people do. It also tells us that they do not live forever in this world - and this is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah - and also that death comes to 'Isa, like other Messengers, except that the Book (of Allah) and the Sunnah both prove that in his case, it will not come to him until after his descent at the end of time when he will rule with justice, break the crosses and kill the pigs, as we said earlier.

Q: The Fourth Verse: “And you will not find any change in the way of Allah” (Al-Ahzab 33: 62).

A: This sentence is general - except that it refers in particular to the signs and miracles which Allah bestowed on His Messengers, which were proofs for them against their peoples and confirmation of their Messengership. Such as dividing the sea for Musa into twelve dry paths, through the striking of his stick, and 'Isa's healing the blind and the lepers, and his giving life to the dead, by Allah's Permission. And other such (signs and miracles) which are numerous and well known. The raising up of 'Isa while he was alive and his remaining for centuries (in the heaven) and after that his descent, are all exceptions to this generality, like other supernatural occurrences which are from the Sunnah of Allah with His Messengers - and there is nothing strange in that.

Q: The Fifth Verse: “He ('Isa) was not more than a slave. We granted Our favor to him and We made an example to the Children of Israel” (Az-Zukhruf 43: 59).

A:This Verse confirms the worship (by the Christians) of 'Isa and that Allah favored him with the Message and that he is not a lord or a god, but that he is a proof of Allah's Complete Power, and a high example of goodness to emulate and be guided by. And it (the Verse) resembles the first Verse in meaning. There is no evidence therein to suggest that it refers only to 'Isa; this understanding is taken from other texts, as shown earlier.

Q: The Sixth Verse: “Say (O Muhammad m): "Who then has the least power against Allah, if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, his mother and all those who are on the earth together?" (Al-Ma'idah 5: 17).

A: It is mentioned at the beginning of this Verse: “Surely, in disbelief are those who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary” (Al-Ma'idah 5: 17).

And therefore His Words: “Say (O Muhammad) Who then has the least power against Allah...”

a reply to their claim that 'Isa is Allah, by making clear that 'Isa and his mother are two powerless creatures, like the rest of Allah's creation. If Allah wished to destroy him and his mother and all of the creatures in the earth, He would do so. But He did not destroy them; rather He implemented His Sunnah through them by their destruction at specific times which His Wisdom necessitates. Part of His Wisdom is that 'Isa was not killed when the Jews conspired against him, nor after he was raised up. He was raised up alive and He has kept him alive until he descends and rules between the people by the Law of Muhammad (Salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam), then He will bring death to him, as we said earlier.

Q: The Seventh Verse: “And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a sign, and We gave them refuge on (Rabwah) high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams” (Al-Mu'minun 23: 50).

A: Mary's pregnancy with 'Isa was without father; in fact it conflicted with what normally happens to others (regarding conception), and it is one of the clear signs which prove the completeness of Allah's Power. Allah gave them refuge on high, fertile ground, affording rest and security, and He furnished them with clear springs which may be seen by the eye. This refers to Baitul-Maqdis [Baitul-Maqdis: Jerusalem] in Palestine, which was a mercy and a blessing from Allah to them both. This was in Palestine, not in any of the cities of Pakistan; and it occurred more than five hundred years before the birth of our Prophet, Muhammad (Salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam), not more than twelve centuries after the Hijrah of our Prophet Muhammad (Salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam). Whoever claims that the Rabwah is a place in Pakistan, or interpreted "the son of Mary" to refer to Ghulam Ahmad has falsely construed the Verse, attributed a lie to Allah, and departed from the historical facts.

Q: The Eighth Verse: “And (remember) when Allah said: "O 'Isa! I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you (of the forged statement that 'Isa is Allah's son) of those who disbelieve" (Aal 'Imran 3: 55).

A: The contention of the Qadyanis that this Verse proves that 'Isa died is based upon their explanation that the Word Mutawaffi means Mumit; to bring death. This contradicts what has been authentically reported form the Salaf, which states that the Word refers to Allah's taking His Messenger, 'Isa from the earth and raising him to Himself alive. This was deliverance for him from those who disbelieved. Combining the texts of the Book (of Allah) and the authentic Sunnah proves that he will be raised up alive, that he will descend at the end of time, and that all of the People of the Book and others will believe in him when he descends.

As for what was reported on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, regarding the Tafsir of the word in the Verse, that it means to bring death, its chain of narration is not authentic, because it is broken, since it is one of the narrations of 'Ali bin Abi Talhah, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and 'Ali did not hear from him.

Neither is that which was narrated by Wahb bin Munabbih Al-Yamani correct, stating that the Word in the Verse means to bring death, because it is one of the narrations of Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, from "one who is not doubted," from Wahb. So there is 'An'anah ('An 'anah: A defect in the chain of narration, due to the use of the statement 'an (from) which suggests that the reporter may not have heard directly from the person he is reporting from) present from Ibn Ishaq, and he is a Mudallis (Mudallis: One who hides a defect in the Sanad, for example, by using a person's nickname, rather than his full name, or saying: Ibn (i.e. son of) so-and-so, etc., or one who narrates from a person that he did not in fact hear from); the chain also contains one who is Majhul (Majhul: Unknown).

Finally, this Tafsir does no more than suggest that the meaning of the word could be to bring death; in fact, it has been explained in two ways: (1) That Allah took him from the earth, both body and spirit, and raised him alive; and (2) that He made him to sleep, then raised him, and that He will bring death to him, after he ascends and then descends at the end of time. In this case, the letter Waw (meaning; and) in the verse would not indicate any sequence of events, but would be used to join both matters.

When there is a difference of opinion over the meaning of a Verse it is obligatory to choose the view that is in agreement with the clear meaning of other proofs in order to reach agreement between all of the evidences, and to avoid what is unclear in favor of what is clear. This is the way of those firmly grounded in knowledge, as opposed to those in whose hearts there is a deviation from the truth, who follow that which is unclear from the Revelation, desiring Fitnah and searching for its hidden meanings - may Allah protect us from their evil.

Q: The Ninth Verse: “And I was a witness over them while I dwelt among them, but when  You took me up,  You were the Watcher over them” (Al-Ma'idah 5: 117).

A: That this Verse is a proof of the death of ‘Isa before he was raised up to the heaven, or after he was raised up and before his descent at the end of time, is based on the Tafsir of the word Mutawaffi as meaning to bring death, as was previously mentioned in the discussion concerning the eighth Verse. We have already said that this Tafsir is not correct and it is in contradiction with the Tafsir of the Salaf which agrees with the texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Q: The Tenth Verse: “And He has enjoined upon me prayer and Zakat as long as I live” (Maryam 19: 31).

These Words are related by Allah, the Most Glorified in the Qur'an from 'Isa in the cradle. It says therein that Allah, the Most Glorified, Most High ordained prayer and Zakat upon him as long as he lived, but there is no determination of the length of his life, nor any indication of when he would die; and the aforementioned Verses have shown that. Therefore, this Verse must be understood in a general sense and not made specific. The Verses cannot be said to contradict one another, nor should one concentrate (only) on what is unclear, for all of it is from Allah: One part of it explains another and one part confirms another.

Q: The Eleventh Verse: “And Salam (peace) be upon me the day I was born and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive” (Maryam 19: 33).

A: This is like the previous Verse; it contains confirmation of the peace and security which is his from Allah in all situations and conditions, but there is no specification of the length of his life, or when he will die. Therefore we are obliged to refer to the other texts which show that, as we have already made clear.

Q: The Twelfth Verse: “Those whom they (Al-Mushrikun) invoke besides Allah have not created anything, but are themselves created. (They are) dead, lifeless” (An-Nahl 16: 20-21).

A: This Verse was put forth as a response to those who worship other than Allah, such as the angels, 'Uzayr, 'Isa, Al-Lat, Al-'Uzza and Manat. It clarifies that they do not create anything, even a fly; rather they are (themselves) created by (Allah's) Command, and they are dead, lifeless.

However, other proofs show that 'Isa remains alive until his descent, when he will rule among the people by the Law of Muhammad (Salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam), then he will die.

Q: The Thirteenth Verse: “Say (O Muslims): "We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim, Isma'il, Ishaq, Ya'qub and Al-Asbat (the twelve sons of Ya'qub) and that which has been given to Musa and 'Isa and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)" (Al-Baqarah 2: 136).

A: in this Verse, Allah commands us to believe in all of the Prophets and what was revealed to them from their Lord; and He makes it clear that He, the Most Glorified makes no distinction between them, regarding the obligation to believe in all of them and the Revelations given to them by Allah. This is a response to the Jews and Christians, who said: Be Jews or Christians, then you will be guided (Al-Baqarah 2: 135).

There is a concise reply to them in His Words to His Prophet, Muhammad (Salallahou ‘aleyhi wa salam): “Say (to them, O Muhammad): "Nay, (we follow) only the religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan (Islamic monotheism, i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikun (those who worshipped others along with Allah)" (Al-Baqarah 2: 135).

The Verse does not mean that that there is no difference between them in life and death. The context of the Verse does not support this, rather it supports what we have said.

Also, this is something to which the Messengers did not call (the people), therefore, interpreting the Verse in this way is a corruption of its meaning, and even if we explain the meaning of Allah's Words: “We make no distinction between any of  them” (Al-Baqarah 2: 136).

in a general way, to include no distinction in life and death, the evidence of historical events and the texts (of the Qur'an and Sunnah) prove that there were differences between them in many details of their lives and deaths, their types, their times and places, the length and shortness of their lives and other such details. Therefore 'Isa's life being long and the place where he is living it (i.e. in the heaven) and his death after that, are just some of the differences between him and his brother Prophets, according to the evidence of the previously-mentioned texts.

Q: The Fourteenth Verse: “That was a nation who has passed away. They shall receive the reward of what they earned and you of what you earn. And you will not be asked of what they used to do” (Al-Baqarah 2: 134).

The meaning of this Verse is a declaration that every human being is rewarded according to his deeds and they are not passed on to another and no one else will be asked about them, as Allah, the Most High says: “Every person is pledge for that which he has earned” (At-Tur 52: 21).

and His Words: “And   no   bearer   of burdens   shall   bear   the   burden   of another” (Al-An'am 6: 164).

It is upon him (man) to strive as much as he can to do good and abstain from evil, and not to depend on pride in another, or hope for salvation from punishment on the Day of Judgement because of ties of kinship to him, or because he glorified him in the life of this world.

Although 'Isa is included in general terms, in the communities of the past, the proofs from the Qur'an and Sunnah single him out as the one who was raised up to the heaven and is kept alive, until his descent at the end of time and the rest of the things which we have already mentioned. It is part of the known fundamental principles of Islamic law that the specific texts are applied to the general texts to define them, and the texts with which we are concerned are thus.

Q: The Fifteenth Verse: “For surely, they killed him not (i.e. 'Isa, son of Mary): But Allah raised him ('Isa) up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allah is All-Powerful, Most Wise” (An-Nisa': 157-158).

Q: The Sixteenth Verse: “And there is none of the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), but will believe in him ('Isa, son of Mary, as only a Messenger of Allah and a human being) before his ('Isa's) death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he ('Isa) will be a witness against them” (An-Nisa' 4:159).

A: We have already spoken about these two Verses in the discussion regarding the second, third and fourth Verse; in summary, the claims which the Qadyanis make, that these Qur'anic Verses prove that 'Isa is dead and buried, are:

1. Either general Verses, whose meaning is defined by other evidences from among the  (Qur'anic)  Verses  and Hadiths, which prove that 'Isa was raised up alive and that he will remain so until he descends at the end of time and rules according to the Law of the Qur'an. The Qadyanis' adherence to the generality of the Verses, while rejecting the specific, is invalid, since it ignores the rules and fundamental Islamic principles.

2. Or, the Verses are summarizing Verses which are explained by other texts, which it is obligatory to take into account. The adherence of the Qadyanis to these summarizing Verses which they use as evidence for their false claims, without reference to the Verses of established meaning which explain them is the nature of those in whose hearts there is a perversion and hypocrisy. They follow texts from the Qur'an and the Sunnah which are not decisive in meaning, seeking Fitnah (polytheism, trials etc.) and seeking to interpret it according to their whims.

3. Or, they are Words which they explain based upon unauthentic narrations, which they falsely attribute to the Salaf, and this has been explained in the discussion regarding the eighth Verse: “And (remember) when Allah said: "O 'Isa! I will take you and raise you to Myself” (Aal 'Imran 3: 55).

They are pleased with these narrations which support their fancies and which they falsely attribute to the majority, without paying any attention to their chains of narrators, either because of their ignorance, or a deliberate attempt to mislead and deceive and in order to propagate their false doctrines - and this is due to naught but the perversion of their hearts and their desire to cause Fitnah. Allah, the Most High says: “It is He Who has sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur'an). In it are Verses that are entirely clear, they are the foundations of the Book [and those are the Verses of Al-Ahkam (Commandments etc.), Al-Fara'idh (obligatory duties) and Al-Hudud (legal laws for the punishment of thieves, adulterers, etc.)] and others not entirely clear. So as for those in whose hearts there is a deviation (from the truth), they follow that which is not entirely clear thereof, seeking Al-Fitnah (polytheism and trials etc.), and seeking for its hidden meanings, but none knows its hidden meanings except Allah. And those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say: "We believe in it, all of it (clear and unclear Verses) is from our Lord." And none receive admonition except men of understanding” (Aal'Imran 3: 7).

Allah is the Granter of success (in guiding those who seek) the truth. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and his family and Companions.

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Investigation and Legal Rulings

Director:

'Abdul-'Aziz bin 'Abdullah bin Baz

Assistant Director of the Committee: 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afeefi

Committee Members: 'Abdullah bin Ghadyan, 'Abdullah bin Qu'ood.