An Autopsy of: When is the Messiah Coming

Something Beyond Absurdity
An Autopsy of: When is the Messiah Coming?


Recently I came across with a most absurd booklet under title “When is the Messiah Coming?” authored by some medical doctor named “Shabbir Ahmed”, who has appointed himself as so-called expert and/or scholar of Islaam/Qur’aan etcetera. This plethora of absurdities by the author (Shabbir Ahmed), who happened to be the Master Author of Absurdism, is full of misrepresentation of truth, poor language and below the belly shots, but author’s superior ignorance take the cake. However, I will refute and/or comment on the relevant parts of the booklet, while showing Shabbir Ahmed’s intellectual apostasy and superior ignorance of Islaam and Glorious Qur’aan.

Shabbir Ahmed claims, “In the Qur'an which is the Final Word of God, there is no mention of an oncoming savior or reformer. However, the Muslim tradition is loaded with reports about two reformers to come, not just one. According to these traditions the Messiah and the Mehdi will help each other in getting rid of all evil. They will kill the "Antichrist" and wipe out "Gog and Magog".

SBWUS: The above statement is nothing but the stretching the truth. Glorious Qur’aan and the Ahadeeth both have mention of second coming of Isa Ibn Maryam. [Also see Did Jesus Die on the Cross?]

Shabbir Ahmed further writes in his booklet, under title “THE NEED FOR BELIEF IN THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS (And a reformer, Mehdi):

First of all it is important to note that this belief is not one of the essential articles of faith, which are outlined in the Qur'an (2/177).

Next, it is imperative to realize that Muslims in general are a nation of experts. Every member of the Ummah happens to be a politician, a philosopher, a religious leader, a scholar, a judge or a Mufti (verdict dispenser). Being a member of the Ummah, I am no exception. So I wish to share my expertise on the subject with the open-minded reader.

In my "expert" opinion blind following of tradition and of people is no better than idol worship. This statement by itself is sufficient to draw an adverse verdict from our experts, but I have crossed the boundary lines drawn by mullahs quite a few times with no luck. "Imam" Ghazali advised centuries ago, "Do not consider yourself a significant person unless you have been honored by a verdict of infidelity!"


SBWUS: First of all articles of faith are not limited to a single Ayah/verse (2:177) quoted by Shabbir Ahmed. Second, the belief in second coming of Isa Ibn Maryam is a part of Muslims’ belief and/or articles of faith. Had Shabbir Ahmed known this, he had saved himself from embarrassment. The latter part of Shabbir Ahmed’s rhetoric is not only a laughingstock, but also is self-defeating and contradictory to his claims made in the same booklet. Therefore, it does not require any further comments, since every thinking person knows that how absurd it is.

Shabbir Ahmed states, “A large majority of Muslims are heard saying that the advent of the Messiah and the Mehdi has been foretold in the Islamic tradition. BUT MOST PEOPLE HAVE NOT READ THESE NARRATIVES. They have only heard them from the mullah screaming in his usual high-pitched, topless stopless voice. Only a senseless mind can ascribe these insults to the holy prophet. Anyone with reason who reads these accounts in the so called Islamic books, will get amazed (or amused) at these contradictory, and ridiculously funny insults. A mind without reason and committed to blind following will, of course take it with a grain of salt. Now, here are some examples:”

SBWUS: Again, we would advise Shabbir Ahmed to get some knowledge of our Deen, since his statement/claim is not only contemptuous, but also indicating the sheer ignorance of the author. Shabbir Ahmed has quoted some references from different sources, but we will stick to the clear and obvious ones to address the issue in hand.

Shabbir Ahmed writes under heading:

THE FINAL WORD, AL-QUR'AN

 God said, "O' Jesus verily, I shall cause thee to die and shall exalt thee unto me." (3:55)

The word "Rafaa" means honoring or exalting. "Nowhere in
the Quran is there any warrant for the popular believe that
God has taken up Jesus bodily into heaven" (Ref: The Message
of the Qur'an, Tafseer by Allama Muhammad Asad 3:55 and 4:158).

 "And we raised Enoch (Idrees) in honor." (19:56)
(God exalted him) (Ref: Allama Muhammad Asad, Tafseer19: 56).
The great German scholar and exponent Allama
Muhammad Asad writes that the very common belief that
Jesus was taken up to the heaven in body is absolutely non-
Quranic and therefore it has no merit.

 (O' Muhammad!) We did not give any person before you immortality (21:33).

 Muhammad is but a messenger, all messengers before him have passed away. If he dies or gets killed, will you turn back? (3:144).
This verse makes clear that Jesus too has died. He has passed
away and was not raised to the heavens. When Muhammad
(our salutes to him) died not one of his companions
complained why he was not raised to heaven like Jesus
and Enoch.

 This day I have perfected your religion for you (5:3). The words of your Sustainer have been completed (6:116).
Hence, no further Divine revelation. No further messenger.

 Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and he is the last prophet (33:40).
Hence, no room for a Divinely guided one to come.

 Verily this Book of admonishment We have revealed and We are its Guardian (15:9).
Therefore no further prophet, Mehdi or Messiah is necessary.

 (O' Muhammad!) all prophets that we sent before you we gave no one a body that won't (need and) eat food and they were not here to stay (so was Jesus not given a body that he won't eat food or sit up in heaven eating his daily bread or stay alive indefinitely).

 Jesus the son of Mary was only a messenger. All messengers before him have passed on (5:75)

 Messiah and his mother (Mary) the truthful both (were human beings and they) used to eat (5:75)

 See how clearly and plainly we narrate Our verses. Then look how they are straying in the opposite direction (5:75)
(These ignorant people make human beings that eat and walk
about in markets, sit up in heaven with their bodies!)

 Is the Qur'an not sufficient for these people? (29:51).

 You will never find change in the Laws of Allah (48:23) (Bodily ascension is not a Law of Allah. Returning from heaven to this world too, is not His law).

 The Qur'an states "Allah does not change the condition of a nation unless they bring about a change in their psychology." (13:11)

SBWUS: Here we see the sheer ignorance of Shabbir Ahmed, especially claiming that Muhammad Asad was an Allama and German. Muhammad Asad was born in Austria, and was raised/lived in Poland; then later part of his life Muhammad Asad lived in Spain till his death. He was a Jew at birth. Calling Muhammad Asad Allama is an insult to our respected Ullema. The root/radical letters for the word “Rafaa” along with the words derived from the root letters and their use in Glorious Qur’aan in Arabic (with meanings) are as follows:
ر ف ع
رَفَع درجته : أعلاه .
رَفَعَ : وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ واللفظ في
رَفَعْنَا : وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ واللفظ في أيضًا ،
رَفَعْنَاهُ : وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَاهُ بِهَا
رَفَعَهُ : بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ
رَفَعَهَا : وَالسَّمَاءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ الْمِيزَانَ
رُفِعَتْ : وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ
تَرْفَعُوا أصواتكم : تُعْلُوها .
تَرْفَعُوا : يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَرْفَعُوا أَصْوَاتَكُمْ فَوْقَ صَوْتِ النَّبِيِّ
تُرفَعُ البيوت : تبنى وتُنْشَأُ ، ويُعلى شأنها .
تُرْفَعَ : فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ
نَرْفَعُ الدرجات : نُعلي شأن أصحابها .
نَرْفَعُ : نَرْفَعُ دَرَجَاتٍ مَنْ نَشَاءُ
يَرْفَعُ : وَإِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ الْقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ
يَرْفَعُه ـ يرفع العمل الصالح : يتقبَّله ويُثيب عليه .
يَرْفَعُهُ : إِلَيْهِ يَصْعَدُ الْكَلِمُ الطَّيِّبُ وَالْعَمَلُ الصَّالِحُ يَرْفَعُهُ
رَافِعُك : مُعْليك .
رَافِعُكَ : إِذْ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا عِيسَى إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ
رَافِعَةٌ : مؤنث رافع .
رَافِعَةٌ : خَافِضَةٌ رَافِعَةٌ
رَفِيع : سامٍ عالٍ : صفة لله تعالى .
رَفِيعُ : رَفِيعُ الدَّرَجَاتِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ
المرفوع : العالي المرتفع ، والسَّقْف المرفوع يراد به : السماء .
الْمَرْفُوعِ : وَالسَّقْفِ الْمَرْفُوعِ
مرفوعة : عالية .
مَرْفُوعَةٍ : وَفُرُشٍ مَرْفُوعَةٍ
Had Shabbir Ahmed the basic knowledge of our Deen of Islaam and Glorious Qur’aan, he had known this fact, rather exposing his ignorance of Glorious Qur’aan. Readers must keep this in mind that Muhammad Asad translated Glorious Qur’aan in 1980
[Muhammad Asad, The Message of The Qur'an (Gibraltar, 1980). l edn.] Translated in chaste, idiomatic English by a convert from Judaism to Islam. However, it contains some serious departures from the orthodox viewpoint on a number of Qur'anic statements. Asad appears to be reluctant to accept the literal meaning of some Qur'anic verses. For example, he doubts the throwing of Ibrahim into fire, Jesus speaking in the cradle; refers to Khidr and Dhulqarnain as mythical figures and expresses unconventional views on abrogation (Naskh) theory. (For details please see Arfaque Malik's review in the Muslim World Book Review, Vol. 1, No. 1 (1980), pp. 5-7
[See: ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF THE HOLY QUR’AN An Annotated Bibliography by A.R. Kidwai]

As usual Shabbir Ahmed has not been honest when he obscured and obfuscated the truth with distorted meanings of Glorious Qur’aan 3:144. Thus, the Ayah/verse 3:144 is reproduced below in original language of Glorious Qur’aan i.e. Arabic with correct English translation.

وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا وَسَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ
Muhammad (SAW) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful.

WA- MAA MUH.AMMAD 'ILLAA RASOL QAD KHALAT MIN QABLI -HI AR- RUSUL 'A- FA- 'IN MAATA 'AW QUTILA INQALABTUM cALAA AcQAAB -KUM WA- MAN YANQALIB cALAA cAQIBAI -HI FA- LAN YAD.URR 'ALLAAH SHAY'(AN) WA- SA- YAJZE 'ALLAAH ASK- SHAAKIREN

Divine Wisdom in the above Ayah/verse has not used the word “all”, as incorrectly injected by the author. If that would have been the case, then the Arabic words like:

AJMAcEN or KULL –HAA or JAMEc(AN) or any other word in Arabic out of 23 words (used in 176 Ayaat/verses) would have been used in Glorious Qur’aan (3:144) in Arabic (that means “all”).

Readers must understand that the issue in not limited to the Arabic word “Rafaa”, but another word must be understood in full context of the Ayah/verse with co-relation of other verses and Surah. That word (with root/radical letters and words derived from it) is as follows:
و ف ي
أَوْفى : أدّى ما عليه وافيا كامِلا .
أوْفَى : بَلَى مَنْ أَوْفَى بِعَهْدِهِ وَاتَّقَى فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ واللفظ في
أُوفِ : أُؤَدِّ كاملا .
أُوفِ : وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ
أُوفِي : أَلا تَرَوْنَ أَنِّي أُوفِي الْكَيْلَ وَأَنَا خَيْرُ الْمُنْزِلِينَ
وَلْيُوفُوا : وَلْيُوفُوا نُذُورَهُمْ وَلْيَطَّوَّفُوا بِالْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ
يُوفُونَ : الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلا يَنْقُضُونَ الْمِيثَاقَ واللفظ في
أَوْف لنا الكَيْل : أَدّه إلينا كاملا .
فأَوْفِ : وَجِئْنَا بِبِضَاعَةٍ مُزْجَاةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا الْكَيْلَ وَتَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنَا
أَوْفُوا : وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ واللفظ في و مكرر و و و و و
وَفَّى : أَدَّى ما عليه كاملا .
وفَّى : أَمْ لَمْ يُنَبَّأْ بِمَا فِي صُحُفِ مُوسَى وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ الَّذِي وَفَّى
فَوَفَّاهُ : حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَهُ لَمْ يَجِدْهُ شَيْئًا وَوَجَدَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ فَوَفَّاهُ حِسَابَهُ
وُفِّيَتْ : أُدِّيَ لها .
وُفِّيَتْ : فَكَيْفَ إِذَا جَمَعْنَاهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ لا رَيْبَ فِيهِ وَوُفِّيَتْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لا يُظْلَمُونَ واللفظ في
تَوَفّى : تُجْزَى جزاءً كاملا .
تُوَفَّى : ثُمَّ تُوَفَّى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لا يُظْلَمُونَ واللفظ في و
تُوَفَّوْنَ : وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
نُوَفِّ : مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا
لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ : وَإِنَّ كُلًّا لَمَّا لَيُوَفِّيَنَّهُمْ رَبُّكَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ
يُوَفِّيهِمْ : وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ واللفظ في و و
ليُوَفِّيَهُمْ : وَلِكُلٍّ دَرَجَاتٌ مِمَّا عَمِلُوا وَلِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَهُمْ لا يُظْلَمُونَ
يُوَفَّ إِليكم : يؤد لكم وافيا .
يُوَفَّ : وَمَا تُنْفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ لا تُظْلَمُونَ واللفظ في
يُوَفَّى : إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
تَوَفّاهم الملائكة : تقبض أرواحهم ، وأصلها تتوفاهم .
تَوَفَّاهُمُ : إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ
تَوَفَّتْهُ : حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا
تَوَفَّتْهمْ : فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ
تَوَفَّيْتَنِي : فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ
تَتَوَفّاهُم : تَقْبض أرْواحَهم .
تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ : الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ واللفظ في أيضا .
نَتَوفَّيَنّكَ : وَإِمَّا نُرِيَنَّكَ بَعْضَ الَّذِي نَعِدُهُمْ أَوْ نَتَوَفَّيَنَّكَ فَإِلَيْنَا مَرْجِعُهُمْ واللفظ في