Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh

please explain this in a simple language.

Abu Huraira added "If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): `And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him ( i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them." (4.159)

munir

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Answer:

Meaning of verse jesus before death

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verses 157-159:

157 That they (the Jews) said (in boast) "We killed Christ Jesus, the son of Mary the Messenger of Allah"; but they killed him, not nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them; and those who differ therein are full of doubts with no (certain) knowledge but only conjecture to follow; for of a surety they killed him not.

158 Nay! Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.

159 And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them.

The commentators of the Glorious Quran have given two distinct interpretations of the above quoted verse 159 of Surah Nisaa:

Interpretation-1: One interpretation is that every individual of the People of the Book (ie. the Jews and the Christians), just at the time of their own deaths are shown or declared the Truth by Allah Subhanah….meaning that every single individual at the time of their own deaths, will be made to recognize the reality of Jesus Christ (a.s.) being the Messenger of Allah and not Allah’s son as the Christians claim, or a lair and an unlawfully child born out of wedlock as the Jews claim! But as is the law of Allah Subhanah, belief in the Truth at the final agonies of death cannot benefit the person in aught.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 158:

158 Are they waiting to see if the Angels come to them or thy Lord (Himself), or certain of the Signs of thy Lord (come to them)! The day that certain of the Signs of thy Lord do come, no good will it do to a soul to believe in them then if it believed not before, nor earned righteousness through its Faith.

Interpretation-2: Prophet Mohamed (saws) has prophesized in Truth that near the end of time Allah Subhanah will send Prophet Jesus (a.s.) son of Mary again to the earth, and he (a.s.) will live on this earth, establish the Law of the Lord on this earth, will marry, and then die a natural death.

Thus another interpretation of the verse 159 of Surah Nisaa is before death overtakes Prophet Jesus (a.s.) after his second coming, every person at that time who claim to be Jews or Christians will believe in his reality, that he (a.s.) was indeed no more than a Messenger of Allah Subhanah and not the son of God.

Your Question: ‘….and on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them.’

That Christ Jesus (a.s.) son of Mary will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment as a prosecution witness against the people or nation he was sent as a Messenger is related in the Glorious Quran itself:

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 116-118:

116 And behold! Allah (on the Day of Judgment) will say "O Jesus the son of Mary! didst thou say unto men `worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah"? He (Jesus) will say: "Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden.

117 Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst Command me to say: `Worship Allah my Lord and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up, Thou wast the Watcher over them, and Thou art a Witness to all things.

118 If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants: if Thou dost forgive them Thou art the Exalted, the Wise.”

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan