Why Ahmadiyya Muslims Are Not Outside The Fold Of Islam

'And who so obeys Allah and His Messenger shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings--the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs, and the Righteous. And an excellent company they are. This grace is from Allah and Allah suffices as One Who is All Knowing.' (Al Quran 4: 70/71)

 Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Coming of Messiah/Mahdi and his status

3. Jesus dead or alive?

INTRODUCTION

I begin by informing the reader that the intention of this short paper is not to prove that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is the Imam Mahdi and Messiah, rather it is to share vital information with non-Ahmadi Muslims regarding their almost unanimous claim that the Ahmadiyya is outside the fold of Islam. Secondly, I never was and am not in any way shape or form a scholar, nor do I represent the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in any formal sense. This paper is a mere compilation of scholarly work.

The Prophet Muhammad(saw) said in regards to calling a Muslim a non-believer:

“Whenever someone calls his brother Muslim a kafir, one of them must be a kafir [either the one being accurately being called a kafir, or the one who falls into kufr, by inaccurately accusing his brother of being a kafir].” – Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace and blessings be upon him 

 Imam Abu Hanifa is quoted as saying: 

“To deem a thousand disbelievers Muslim is safer with God than to deem one Muslim a disbeliever.” – Imam Abu Hanifah  

Thus I humbly advise that we tread extremely carefully when labeling a group of people who profess the shahada as kaffir or non-Muslims.

For those who are unaware, the Ahmadiyya follow and believe fully in the 5 pillars of Islam, 6 articles of faith, and in the caliphate of Abu Bakr(ra), Umar(ra), Uthman(ra), and Ali(ra). The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spans over 200 countries, are the fastest growing sect of any religion in the world (per a study published by Oxford), number exceeding the tens of millions and are currently lead by their Khalifa, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, who is based in London. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian in 1889, who claimed to be the same Imam Mahdi and Promised messiah prophesized by the Prophet Muhammad(saw) to appear in the latter days. The Ahmadiyya Community is heavily persecuted throughout the Muslim world and are considered kaffirs, heretics, and non-Muslims nearly unanimously in the Muslim Ummah. This is not just a problem in the East as prominent western scholars such as Yusuf Estes, Hamza Tzortis, Nouman Ali Khan, and Hamza Yusuf are amongst the many other apparent fair and open-minded scholars who have taken such hard stances against the Ahmadiyya. Most of this stems from the perpetuation of falsehood (whether knowingly or unknowingly) and incorrect/misrepresented Ahmadiyya doctrine. Rarely, if ever is the correct Ahmadiyya understanding presented. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate what the Ahmadiyya beliefs are (“the most controversial ones”), and why they are not innovative or worthy of being stamped with the seal of disbelief.

Another reason why this is an important issue is because the prophet Muhammad(saw) stressed the coming of messiah and Mahdi several times.

Thaubanra relates that the Holy Prophet(saw) said: ‘When you find the Mahdī, perform ba`it at his hands. You must go to him, even if you have to reach him across icebound mountains on your knees. He is the Mahdī, the Khalifa of Allāh.” Ibn-e-Majah Kitabul Fitn.

Coming of Messiah/Mahdi and his status

We know from authentic hadith that "There is no Mahdi but Isa." (Ibn Maja, Bab Shiddatuz Zaman) and "What will be your condition when the son of Mary will descend among you and he will be your Imam from among yourselves." (Bukhari, Kitabul Anbiya, Bab Nazool Isa). Further we see, Narrated Abu Huraira(ra) that Prophet, may Allah bless him, said:

“It is near that one who lives from amongst you shall meet ‘Eisa bin Maryam. He will be a rightly guided (imaman mahdiyyan) leader and a just ruler …”

 From these authentic narrations we see that the Imam Mahdi and Messiah will be the same person, not two individuals. In the Quran Jewish prophets are given the title “Imam Mahdi” and it is not a new title. Further we see that Jesus is said to be a khalifa when he returns.

“Beware, there shall be no prophet or messenger between Jesus, the son of Mary, and me. Remember, he shall be my Khalifa in my Ummah after me…” Tibrani (P-95

 Also, it has been narrated on the authority of Aba Sa'id al-Khudrira that the Messenger of Allāh (may peace be upon him) said: When oath of allegiance has been taken for two caliphs, kill the one for whom the oath was taken later. (Sahi Muslim Kitabul Imarah Chapter 20-15)

We see that if the Imam Mahdi and Isa were two separate people then this would mean we would have to kill one of them, this is something we cannot accept. In light of these traditions it becomes abundantly clear that the titles of Imam Mahdi and Isa belong to the same individual. We see that in the hadith seeming to allude to the two as separate individuals comes in reference to their chronological appearance. To make it simple, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to be the Imam Mahdi first, after which (later in time) he claimed to the 2nd coming of Jesus. This satisfies those hadith where it is narrated that the Mahdi will appear first, followed by Isa. In this way both narrations (the first and the ones seeming to allude to two individuals) are understood harmoniously. There is no other way to interpret “There is no Mahdi but Isa”. For further discussion on this issue refer to alislam.org

Mahdi/Messiah’s Status

“Beware, there shall be no prophet or messenger between Jesus, the son of Mary, and me. Remember, he shall be my Khalifa in my Ummah after me…”- Prophet Muhammad(saw). 

 Clearly we see that when Isa returns he will be a prophet of Allah.

For another example we see the Holy Prophet call Jesus the Messiah a prophet 4 times, “Isa the prophet of Allah and his companions will be besieged…then, Isa, the prophet of Allah, and his companions will turn to Allah…then, Isa, the Prophet of Allah and his companions will invade the camps of the enemy…and finally Isa, the prophet of Allah, and his companions will turn to Allah…(Sahih Muslim, volume 4 page 2254). Also we see the prophet Muhammad(saw) say regarding khilafat in the end of times (IE; in the latter days when the messiah appears): “Prophethood shall remain among you as long as God wills. He will bring about its end and follow it with Khilafat on the precepts of prophethood for as long as He wills and then bring about its end. Kingship shall then follow to remain as long as God wills and then come to an end. There shall then be tyranny which shall remain as long as God wills and come to an end upon His decree. There will then emerge Khilafat on the precepts of Prophethood” (Musnad-i-Ahmad).

As such, we can firmly conclude that Isa will be a prophet once he returns, and will leave a system of Khilafat after him.

Jesus: Dead or Alive

I am sure up until this point you have found little to nothing to disagree with. This is not surprising as what has been stated early is just to set up the tables for the following discourse. Is Isa ibn Maryam alive or dead? Where better to search for this answer than the Quran and authentic Hadith. Before I begin I will like to remind the reader that this is where the Ahmadiyya and “Orthodox” Muslims split. This is the beginning of the issue that ends in the orthodox scholars confidently and proudly labeling the Ahmadiyya non-Muslim, heretics, and kaffirs.

I will break this section down into three parts.

1. What does the Quran say about the death of Jesus along with the authentic narrations

2. Prophetic Mission of Jesus, Kashmir, and Twelve Tribes of the Israel

3. What was the opinion and understanding of Muhammad pbuh and the companions relating to this issue?

There are over 30 verses regarding Jesus’s death, I will present a few:

"I said nothing to them except that which Thou didst command me-- `Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord' and I was a witness over them as long as I remained among them, but since Thou didst cause me to die, Thou hast been the Watcher over them, and Thou art Witness over all things." (5:118) 

"O Jesus! indeed I will cause thee to die and exalt thee to Myself, and will clear thee of (the charges of) those who disbelieve, and will place those who follow thee above those who deny thee, until the Day of Resurrection." (3:56)

The Messiah, son of Mary, was only a Messenger; surely Messengers like unto him had indeed passed away before him. And his mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food." (5:76)

Hadhrat Jesus(as) was exalted (or raised) to God after his death like all other righteous servants of God. The words `exalt thee' or `raise thee' come after the words `cause to die'. We have no right to change the order of the Holy Quran. It is reported that the Holy Prophet(saw) was asked, whether he would make the circuit of Safa first or that of the Marwa. He replied, Abdao Bima Bada-Allaho--I shall start with what Allah has started. Hence, we have to keep the order of the Quran. The meaning of Tawaffee will be addressed in a bit.

Another verse of the Holy Quran runs thus:

"And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, (all) Messengers have passed away before him. If then he die or be slain, will you turn your back on your heels?" (3:145)

 In this verse of the Holy Quran the passing away of all the Messengers who came before the Holy Prophet(saw) has been pronounced; and the passing away has been adjudged only in two ways--either by death or through assassination. Had there been any third way of passing away (like that of ascending to heaven) it should have been mentioned by God. As a matter of fact this verse (3:145) has been revealed specifically to declare the death of Hadhrat Jesus(as), as the passing away of other Messengers had already been mentioned in 5:76 wherein Allah says: (READ ABOVE FOR 5:76 reference)

Imam Bukhari in his book, Sahih Bukhari--the most authentic book after the Book of God, has quoted the saying of Hazrat Ibn Abbasra under the commentary of Verse 5:118: "Qaala Ibno Abbasin Mutawaffeeka Mumeetoka", i.e., Hazrat Ibn Abbasra said, the meaning of Tawafee is death.

Imam Bukhari has named a Bab (Chapter)--Babo Tawaffiyo Rasool-ullahi Sallallaho Alaihi Wa Sallam, in which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of God be on him) has connoted the meaning of Hazrat Jesus'(as) Tawaffee as that of his own Tawaffee. The Holy Prophet(saw) said:

"On the day of Qiyamat some people of my Ummat would be taken towards Hell. Then I shall say, `O my Lord! these are my companions', Then it would be said! `thou don't know what they innovated after thee'. Then, I shall say as the righteous servant said: `I was a witness over them as long as I remained among them, but since Thou didst cause me to die, Thou hast been the Watcher over them.'" (Bukhari Kitabul Tafseer, Vol. 3, p. 79, Vol. II, p. 159) 

 Some Common Arguments:

ARGUMENT: Allah says in the Holy Quran: "...But they killed him (Jesus) not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them and those who differ therein are full of doubt, with no (certain) knowledge but only conjecture to follow, for a surely they killed him not; Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise." (4:158-159)

REFUTATION: It is absurd to think that one who is neither killed, nor put to death by putting on the Cross has necessarily ascended bodily to heaven. The Arabic words Maa Salabooho do not deny the fact of Hadhrat Jesus'(as) being nailed to the Cross but deny his having died on it as is clear from Arabic lexicon. They say Salaba Ash-Shaia, i.e., he burned the thing. Salabal Izama means, he extracted the marrow out of the bones. Salabal Lissa means, he crucified the thief, i.e., he put him to death in a certain well-known manner (Lane & Aqrab). In crucifixion one was nailed to a framework made in the form of a cross and, being kept without food and drink, slowly died of pain, hunger, fatigue, and exposure.

ARGUMENT: The words Wa Laakin Shubbiha Lahum in verse 4:158 means that the likeness of Hadhrat Jesus(as) was cast upon another person--Judas or somebody else who was then crucified in place of Hazrat Jesus(as).

REFUTATION: The curious part of it is that there is not only one story that speaks of the casting of the likeness of Hadhrat Jesus(as), there are several stories. But intelligent commentators like Abu Hayyaan have discarded all such stories. The word Shubbiha means, he was made to appear like, or was made to resemble. Now the question arises, who is the person who was made to appear "like one crucified". Clearly it was Hadhrat Jesus(as) whom the Jews tried to crucify or slay. Nobody else can be meant here, for there is absolutely no reference to any other person in the context. The context cannot be twisted as to make room for somebody else of whom no mention at all is made in the verse. To what then was Hadhrat Jesus(as) made like? The context provides a clear answer to that question. The Jews did not kill him by crucifixion, but he was made to appear to them like "one crucified", and thus it was that they wrongly took him for dead. It was thus Hadhrat Jesus(as) who was made to resemble "one crucified". This interpretation is not only in perfect harmony with the context but is also clearly borne out by all relevant facts of history.

The second meaning of the expression Shubbiha Lahum is, that "the matter became confused to them." This interpretation is also clearly borne out by history, for, although the Jews asserted that they had put Hadhrat Jesus(as) to death by suspending him on the Cross, they were not sure of it and the circumstances being obscure, the matter had certainly become confused to them. The fact that the Jews themselves were not sure whether Hadhrat Jesus(as) had actually died on the Cross is supported by the Bible and by all authentic historical facts.

ARGUMENT: The words in verse 4:159 Bal Rafa'ahollaho Ilaihi --"Nay Allah raised him up unto Himself" clearly shows that Allah lifted Hadhrat Jesus'(as) body to heaven.

REFUTATION: As a matter of fact the referred Arabic words simply mean that Allah exalted him (Hadhrat Jesus) to Himself. Here the exaltation is the exaltation of the soul of which the Jews were trying to deprive him by putting to death through crucifixion, but Allah frustrated them in their evil designs. The detail of their failure is given in Part One of this publication.

In the Holy Quran, the Traditions of the Holy Prophet(saw), the Commentaries and in the Arabic idioms, whenever the word Rafa'a is used by Allah for a human being, it always connotes exaltation of ranks and spiritual nearness, because no fixed abode can be, or has ever been, assigned to God as the Holy Quran declares: "And He is Allah, both in the heavens and in the earth." (6:4) "So withersoever you turn, there will be the face of Allah." (2:116) "And We are nearer to him than even his jugular vein." (50:17) Hence, Rafa'a Ilallah does not necessitate one's physical ascension to heaven, rather this Rafa'a--exaltation is achieved on this very earth.

As a matter of fact that word Rafa'a has never been used in the entire Holy Quran nor in the Traditions of the Holy Prophet(saw) as a connotation of physical ascension to heaven as is clear from the following references:

1. Wa Lau Shi'naa La Rafa'anaaho Bihaa Wa Laakinnahoo Akhlada Ilal Ardhi--"And if We had pleased, We would have exalted him thereby; but he inclined to the earth." (7:177) Here the commentators are unanimous in their interpretation of the exaltation of the ranks of the referred person. It is never meant to indicate the intention of physically raising up the referred person to heaven.

2. Wa Rafa'anaaho Makaanan Aliyyaa--"And We exalted him (Hadhrat Idris) to lofty station." (19:58) Likewise see: 24:37; 80:14-15; 56:35; 58:12.

3. Idha Tawaza Al-Abdo Rafa'ahollaho Ilas Samaa Is-Saabiati--"When a person shows humility, Allah lifts him up to the seventh heaven." (Kanzul Ummaal Vol. 2, page 53) This Hadith clearly shows that even if the word Samaa (sky) had been used here instead of Allah, the verse could not have meant anything else but spiritual honor and exaltation. Will you believe that every act of humility literally lifts a person up to heaven in both body and spirit? Certainly, there can be no bigger folly than such an inference. Why then draw such inference in the case of Jesus? Why should he be sent up to heaven alive? Was not this earth sufficient for him as the Quran declared: Alam Najalil Arza Kifaatan Ahya'an Wa Amwaatan--"Have We not made the earth sufficient for the living and the dead?" (77:26-27)

4. All the Muslims are aware of the fact that there occurs the word Warfa'anee (and exalt me in ranks) in the prayer which the Holy Prophet(saw) used to pray between two Sajdas (prostrations). (Kitab Ibn Maja) All the Muslims supplicate this prayer between two Sajdas in their Salat, but does any one ever think that he is supplicating for his physical ascension to heaven? Or, is there any doubt regarding the Holy Prophet's Rafa'a (exaltation of ranks) despite his sojourn on this very earth?

5. In the Commentary of the Holy Quran known as Tafseer Saafi under the verse Maa Muhammadun Illa Rasool Qad Khalat Min Qablihir Rusul (3:145) the demise of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be on him) has been mentioned in he following words: Hatta Idha Da'a Allaho Nabiyyahoo Wa Rafa'a Hoo Ilaihi--"Until when Allah called His Prophet and exalted him to Himself." Now here are words Rafa'a Hoo Ilaihi used for the Holy Prophet(saw) had never been interpreted as his corporal ascension to heaven. Is it not strange and outright blasphemy to interpret the word Rafa'a for the Holy Prophet(saw) as exaltation of his ranks, and for Jesus(as) as his physical ascension to heaven?

ARGUMENT: The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be him) is reported to have said: Kaifa Antum Idha Nazala Feekum Ibno Maryama Wa Imaamokum Minkum --"How would it be with you when the son of Mary will descend among you and you will have a leader raised from among you." (Bukhari, Kitabul-Anbiya, Chapter Nazul Isa bin Maryam) The word Nazul, it is argued, signifies that Hadhrat Jesus(as) must come down physically from the high heavens, hence, he is physically alive in heaven. Besides, the Holy Prophet(saw) said that the son of Mary will come, so it must be Hadhrat Jesus(as) himself who should come personally.

REFUTATION: In the first place, there is no word Minas-Samaa from heaven, mentioned in the Tradition. It should be remembered that the word Nazala may mean "he descended" but it cannot by any stretch of meaning, signify "he descended physically from the heavens". There is not the slightest justification for this.

The same word is used about the coming of the Holy Prophet(saw). Says the Holy Quran: Qad Anzalallaho Ilaikum Dhikran Rasoolan Yatloo Alaikum Aayaatillahi--"Allah has indeed sent down to you a Reminder, a Messenger, who recites unto you the clear signs of Allah." (65:11-12) But No one can say that the Holy Prophet(saw) came down from the heavens physically.

Then God says: Wa Anzalnal Hadeeda--"And We sent down iron" (57:26), and we know that it is not thrown down from the heavens. Likewise the word Nazool has been mentioned about cattle in 39:7; about raiment in 7:27. Even this word had been used for each and every thing in 15:22 where Allah says: Wa In Min Shai-in Illaa Indinna Khazaainohoo Wa Maa Nonazzilohoo Illaa Biqadarin Ma'aloom--"And there is not a thing but with Us are the treasures thereof and We send it not down except in known measure." Hence, it appears that all things in nature descend from God--are gifted by God--and yet they do not drop from Heaven. Their creation takes place in and on and through this very earth. Therefore, the word Nazool (descend), when used for the coming of the Messiah, can have no other meaning. It can only point to the importance, the blessedness and the spiritual significance of the Promised Messiah. It is not in the least intended to suggest that he would physically drop from Heaven to earth.

2. Prophetic Mission of Jesus, Kashmir, and the Lost Tribes

The mission of Jesus was confined to the Children of Israel (Qur'an 3:50, Matt. 10:5-6; 15:24). He was commissioned by God to revive the true spirit of the Torah in the hearts of the Israelites and clear any misunderstandings about the Law. He purified and revitalized Judaism. As Jesus was a follower of Moses, he did not change or reject the Mosaic Law. He had come to fulfill the Law (Matt 5:17). In the Bible we see that Jesus Christ was sent only "to the lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Matthew 15:24) and that he had come ... "to seek and save that which was lost". (Luke 19:10) Now if the Jews living in Palestine are to be regarded as lost, then the Israelites who had settled farther afield must certainly be so regarded, for they were lost physically as well as spiritually. Jesus further said that he had come to seek that which was lost and this can by no means apply to any but the Israelites who lived further away from Palestine. The Jews of Palestine were around him in large numbers and, therefore, it was not necessary for him to seek them.

It is a historical fact that the Israelites were divided into 12 tribes of which two were in the country where Jesus taught his Gospel and was put on the cross and the other 10 were scattered in other lands. The assigned Divine mission of Jesus would not have been complete, much less could it be described as successful, without his appearance among the remaining 10 tribes representing a vast majority of the Israelite people. The choice here is either to admit that Jesus failed to comply with his Divine mission - an obvious contradiction of terms in regard to any prophet - or that he did travel to that part of the world where the remaining 10 tribes, representing an overwhelming majority, had settled.

It is claimed that the people of Kashmir, Afghanistan, parts of India and the surrounding lands represent the lost tribes of Israel. Let us examine whether this contention can be proved by historical and other forms of evidence.

Let me begin with a quotation from the second book of Esdras:

“And whereas thou sawest that he gathered another peaceable multitude unto him, those are the ten tribes which were carried away prisoner out of their own land in the time of Hosea, the King, whom Shalmanesar, the King of Assyria, led away as captive, and he crossed them over the waters, as they came into another land. But they took this counsel among themselves that they would leave the multitude of the heathen and go forth into a farther country... that they might raise up their statues which they never kept in their own land. And they entered into the Euphrates by the narrow passage of the river, for the Most High then showed signs for them, and held still the flood till they were passed over. For through that country there was great way to go, even for a year and a half; and the same region is called Asareth.”

This shows that the ten tribes had not returned to their "own land" but had left their place of captivity for a place which to them looked even farther away from their own land, i.e. further towards the East, and to a place called Asareth.

The confirmation of what has been stated above is to be found in "Tabaqat-i-Nasiri" where it is stated:

...in the time of the Shansabi dynasty, a people called Bani Israel (Children of Israel) used to live in Asareth and were engaged in trade. Thomas Ledlie in his book, "More Ledlian", writing on the origin of Afghans, gives cogent reasons for connecting Asareth with Hazara District in the North West Frontier Providence of Pakistan; and the territory of Kashmir adjoins that of Hazara. But the old boundary of Asareth in Swat was just on the opposite bank of the Indus river, and, higher up near Chilas, it ran into Kashmir territory.

 St. Jerome, who wrote in the fifth century of the Christian era while discussing the Dispersion of Israel, stated ... "Until this day the ten tribes are subjects to Kings of the Persians nor has their captivity ever loosened".

Another eminent scholar, Dr. Alfred Edersheim, in his book entitled "The Life and Times of Jesus", the Messiah, says that vast numbers of Israelites, estimated at millions, inhabited the trans-Euphrates provinces - the great mass of the ten tribes was in the days of Christ, as in our own times, lost to the Hebrew nation.

We read in the Jewish Encyclopedia under the heading Tribes: "Abraham Farissol identifies the River Ganges with the River Gozan and assumes that the Bani-Israel of India are the descendants of the lost ten tribes".

Further discussion can be found at the following regarding Kashmir, 12 tribes, etc. http://www.alislam.org/library/links/00000094.html

3. Understanding of the Holy Prophet(saw) and his Companions

Example 1:

"And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, (all) Messengers have passed away before him. If then he die or be slain, will you turn your back on your heels?" (3:145)

Regarding the above quoted verse (3:145), it should be noted that when the Holy Prophet(saw) died, the companions became stupefied with grief. Hadhrat Umar(ra), of all persons, was so afflicted by grief that he unsheathed his sword and declared that whosoever said the Holy Prophet(saw) was dead would lose his head. He began to say that the Holy Prophet(saw) had disappeared temporarily from their midst, even as Hadhrat Moses(as) had disappeared on a call from God. Hadhrat Moses(as) returned to his people after forty days, so would the Holy Prophet(as). None of the companions dared to resist and deny what he said. Imam Bukhari reports:

"Abdullah Bin Abbas narrated that Abu Bakr came out while Umar was conversing with the people. He said to Umar to sit but he refused to comply with. So, the people turned towards him (Abu Bakr) and left Umar. Then Abu Bakr said: Whoever amongst you worshipped Muhammad, let him know that Muhammad is dead, and whoever amongst you worshipped Allah, let him know that Allah is Living, there is no death for Him. Allah has said, `And Muhammad is only a Messenger. Verily, all Messengers have passed away before him...' The narrator says, by God, the people did not know that God had sent down this verse until Abu Bakr has recited it. So, the people in their entirety learnt it from him; then, whosoever amongst the people heard it recited it. Then Saeed Bin Musayyeb has told me, that Umar swearing by God said, did not know of this verse till he heard it from Abu Bakr, and consequently his legs could not support him, he staggered and fell down in an outburst of grief." (Bukhari Kitabun Nabiyye Ila Kisra Wa Qaisara, Musnad Imam Abu Hanifa, p. 188, Hamamul Islamiyya, p. 54, Bukhari, Vol. 2, Manaqib Abu Bakr)

Now, if the companions present on this occasion thought that Hadhrat Jesus(as) had been alive in Heaven for 600 years, they would have stood up and pointed out to Hadhrat Abu Bakr(ra), that it was wrong to say that all the earlier prophets had died. If Hadhrat Jesus(as) could remain alive, why not the Holy Prophet? All the companions who heard this verse (3:145) and heard Hadhrat Abu Bakrra's argument based upon the verse, not only remained silent but began to rejoice over it and went about the town reciting it. This proves beyond doubt that the companions agreed with Hadhrat Abu Bakr's interpretation of the verse that all prophets before the Holy Prophet(saw) had died.

Example 2:

"We will not believe except if you ascend to Heaven. And we will not believe in your ascent unless you bring to us from Heaven a Book which we may then read." (17:94)

In reply to this challenge, God did not empower the Holy Prophet(saw) to show the miracle which the Holy Prophet's(saw) deniers asked him to show. Instead, God made the Prophet say: "Holy is my Lord! I am not but a man sent as Messenger." (17:94) Knowing this, how can we think the Holy Prophet(saw) should rise to Heaven, but die in the normal way and be buried here in this earth, and Hadhrat Jesus(as) should go to Heaven and remain alive for these two thousand years?

"And those on whom they call beside Allah create not anything, but they are themselves created. They are dead, not living; and they know not when they will be raised." (16:21, 22)

Hadhrat Jesus(as) is also among those to whom they call beside Allah (5:73), hence, he is dead.

Example 3:

The Holy Prophetsaw said: "If Moses and Jesus had been alive, they would have had to believe in me and follow me." (Zurqani, Vol. VI, p. 54, Tibrani Kabeer, Alyawaqeet Wal Jawahir, Vol. II, p. 23) 


During his last illness, the Holy Prophet(saw) said to his daughter Hadhrat Fatimara: "Once in every year, Gabriel recited the Quran to me. This year he recited twice. He also told me that every succeeding prophet has lived to half the age of his predecessor. He told me that Jesus, son of Mary, lived to 120 years. Therefore, I think, I may live to about 60 years." (Mawahib-ud-Duniya by Qastalani, Vol. I, p. 42, Kanzul Ummal Vol. 6, p. 160) 

Example 4:

Imam Malik said Hazrat Jesus had died. (Majma Biharul Anwar, Vol. I, p. 286)

The opinions of Imam Bukhari, Ibn Abbas, and the companions of the Holy Prophet have already been indicated.

Lastly, in the Miraaj, the prophet Muhammad(saw) met with all the dead prophets. Why then, was Jesus in that vision if he had been alive?

This link below gives further opinions of prominent Sunni and Shia scholars throughout time relating to the death of Jesus:

http://www.alislam.org/library/ref/jesus.htm

What then is to make of all of the hadith regarding the second coming of Jesus? Do we deny them now that we know he is dead? No, rather, just as in the case of the second coming of Elijah, the second coming of Jesus is metaphorical. As John the Baptist came as the fulfillment of the second coming of Elijah, so too will the second coming of Jesus be through another person. However this does not mean that the person will lose the title of prophet that was given to him by Allah and His Messenger(saw).

Post date:22 August 2013

Source/Credit: The Natural Death of Jesus

Read original post here: Why the Ahmadiyya (Qadiani) are not outside of Islam

Please note the meaning of the following abbreviations:
  The name of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, has been followed by (saw) which is an Arabic abbreviation for the salutation Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam (may the peace and blessings of Allah Almighty be upon him). The name of other Prophets are followed by (as), an Arabic abbreviation for Alasihissalam (on whom be peace). The actual salutations have not generally been set out in full, but they should nevertheless, be understood as being repeated in full in each case. The symbol (ra) is used with the name of the Disciples of the Holy Prophet (saw). It stands for Radi Allahu ‘anhu/‘anha/ ‘anhum (May Allah be pleased with him/with her/with them.