Isa, Sign of the Hour
- philhoraia
- Nov 24, 2024
- 3 min read
S 43:61 And he is knowledge of the Hour. So do not doubt about it and follow me. This is a straight path.
This is supposed to be about Isa. I have translated 'ilm lil-sa'ah as "knowledge of the Hour" ', following the vocalisation found online, but I feel that the true vocalisation was 'alam lil-sa'ah, 'a SIGN for the Hour' or 'A SIGN of the Hour'. The Jalalayn have:
And indeed he that is Jesus is a portent of the Hour — the arrival of it is known by the sending down of him — so do not doubt it tamtarunna the indicative nūn has been omitted for apocopation together with the wāw of the third person plural on account of two unvowelled consonants coming together but say to them ‘Follow me in the affirmation of God’s Oneness. This to which I command you is a straight path’.
Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs:
(And lo! Verily) in the coming of Jesus the son of Mary (there is knowledge of the Hour) there is an indication of the coming of the Hour; it is also said that this means: his coming is a sign of the advent of the Hour. (So doubt ye not concerning it) so have no doubt in the coming of the Hour, (but follow Me) by professing Allah's divine Oneness. (This) profession of divine Oneness (is the right path) an established religion with which Allah is pleased: i.e. the religion of Islam. altafsir.com
From an Answering Islam article:
(And he (`Isa) shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour.) The correct view concerning this phrase is that it refers to his descent before the Day of Resurrection, as Allah says…
(And there is none of the People of the Scripture but must believe in him before his death) (4:159). -- meaning before the death of `Isa…
(And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them) (4:159). This meaning has the support from an alternate recitation of the Ayat… (And he shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour.) means, evidence that the Hour will surely come. Mujahid said… (And he shall be a sign for (the coming of) the Hour.) means, sign and "One of the signs of the Hour will be the appearance of `Isa son of Maryam before the Day of Resurrection.” Something similar was also narrated from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn `Abbas, `Abu Al-`Aliyah, Abu Malik, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and others. Many Mutawatir Hadiths report that the Messenger of Allah said that `Isa will descend before the Day of Resurrection as A JUST RULER AND FAIR JUDGE…
(Therefore have no doubt concerning it.) means, do not doubt that it will surely come to pass. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Q. 43:61; bold, capital and underline emphasis ours) More Islamic Evidence that Jesus is like Allah
Why might Isa have been a sign of the Hour? Because he died and WAS RESURRECTED (in early Islamic thinking).
In Ibn Kathir for S 3:55 we read:
وقال إسحاق بن بشر عن إدريس ، عن وهب : أماته الله ثلاثة أيام ، ثم بعثه ، ثم رفعه .
"And Ishaq b. Bishr from Idris, from Wahb said: Allah caused him to die for three days, then raised him, then raised him [i.e. up]."
It seems likely that 'sign' was the author's intended meaning as his calling him 'knowledge' seems less likely, if the word is in reference to Isa or even if to his descent
Let the reader decide.
Further reading:
EVQ (Variants)
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