Descent or Return? (Advent of the Messiah)

In all languages of the world, the term used to express a person’s movement from one place to another is different from the term used to express that person’s movement from the second place back to the first.

If a person moves from point A to point B, he is said to go from the first to the second place. However, after reaching point B, if he goes back to A, that person cannot be considered to begoing to the first place, rather he will be returning to it. In the same way, in the Arabic language,going from one place to another is called nuzūl, while returning from the second point to the first one is called rujū‘.

It is believed that Ḥaḍrat Īsaas ascended to the heavens and will descend to earth in the latter days. According to the aforementioned linguistic rule, the coming back of Ḥaḍrat Īsaas from the heavens to the earth should have been expressed in English as return and in the Arabic as rujū‘. Yet, wherever in aḥādīth his coming in the latter-days is mentioned, the word nuzūl has been used instead of the word rujū‘.

However, one should keep in mind that according to the non-Aḥmadī belief, he is not merely coming from the heavens to the earth but “coming back” since he supposedly ascended from the earth to the heavens.

Innumerable examples from many languages can be cited in support of this rule that coming back to the point of origin of moving is called rujū‘. An example of the same nature from Islāmic literature not only proves this rule linguistically, but also provides scriptural authenticity.

It is evident from the following statement of Ḥaḍrat Umarra, more specifically the word he is using at the time of the demise of the Holy Prophetsa, that the word used for returning is rujū‘ and notnuzūl. In this statement Ḥaḍrat Umarra is not saying that the Holy Prophetsa shall come (or descend) after meeting his Lord, like Ḥaḍrat Mūsāas. What he is saying is that the Holy Prophetsashall return as Ḥaḍrat Mūsāas returned.

Some men from amongst the hypocrites are saying that the Holy Prophetsa has died. Indeed, he has not died but has gone to his Lord as Mūsāas son of Imrān went, and he remained absent from his people for forty days. Then he returned and then died. By God, the Holy Prophetsa shall surely return as Mūsāas returned and cut the hands and feet of those who say that he has died.

Allāh says in the Holy Qur’ān: See how We expound the Signs in various ways that they may understand! (6:66). Similarly, the Promised Messiahas has explained in detail the issue of the death of Jesusas in various ways so that people may understand. One of the ways used by the Promised Messiahas is the above mentioned language rule that the word used for a returning person is different from that which is used for a person who is coming or going.

The word used for the coming of the Messiah is nuzūl and not rujū‘. The word used for a returning person is rujū‘ and this word has never been used for Ḥaḍrat Īsaas. Secondly, nuzūl does not mean coming from the heavens. A traveler is called nazīl. (Malfūẓāt, Vol.1, Part 5, Printed on August 20, 1960).

The Promised Messiahas also states:

Do you imagine that the Messiahas Son of Mary shall return from the heavens to the earth? Whereas the word return is not found in the statement of the Mastersa of all the Messengers and the Bestsa of all the Prophets. Have you received the revelation about it or fabricated it yourself like dishonest people?” It should be known that this word is particularly used for that person who comes back from a journey. It is, therefore, inconceivable from the most eloquent of all and the Leadersa of all the Prophets that he forsake the word rujū‘ and use the word nuzūl and not talk like eloquent and learned people.

(Rūḥānī Khazā’in, Vol. 11, pg.150-151)

Along with many references from the Holy Qur’ān, ḥadīth, and the writings of previous and modern eminent scholars, this linguistic perspective shows that Ḥaḍrat Īsaas is not coming back to this earth again. Had it been so, the word rujū‘ must have been used for him instead of nuzūl.

BY : Ansar Raza Source