Hi Irtaza,

I don't know how should I have to address these issues? So far as the coming of Mahdi is concerned, it could be alright for the Hadith believers, and as such it should not be debated by those who believe in following Quran alone. Not even by remotest implications, any of the Quran Ayahs directly or indirectly points towards such an event to happen in future. This is a Shia ploy to keep one of their (mythologically-lost) Imams at par with Jesus concerning the belief of second coming. Thereafter, once again confirming their belief of their Imam higher in status than the Prophet, the story moves further to say that Prophet Isaah Masih would offer salat behind Mahdi as an Imam. Along with this a large majority of "Hadith believer" Muslims, influenced by the post Quranic beliefs, also very much relish this story to exhibit love for hadith based "Ahl al Bayt". It looks like a story of a fourth grade Hindi movie.

How could there be a second coming of Jesus, when Quran is more than clear in stressing that Muhammad was the last Prophet.: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things."

According to the false belief, if Jesus comes again and lives for forty years to die again, then he would be the last Prophet. Did Allah say in Quran that any time in future the "seal" would be broken to take Jesus out, OR that Jesus was kept out of the purview of being sealed? Some scholars do argue that since he was born first, prior to Muhammad, he could not be considered as the last one. But as per the simple logic, the one who goes last has to be recognized as the last. The "last" one to go, should have been the last, and subsequently the final OR the "SEAL". When Allah has decided the matter in favor of Muhammad to be the "seal", then why to argue on that?

Disbelieving the theory of second coming of Jesus implies to believe in the ideology of resurrection. 19:33: "And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life."
This way, Jesus was addressing the people from the cradle. If we stress upon that everything had happened unlike any other Prophet in past or future, then the inference would be that, he was born differently, lived differently, died differently, brought to life differently and raised to the heaven differently.

Why Muslims shy away from accepting the theory of resurrection of Jesus. Since he was born differently, he could have been resurrected differently too. As per Quran (04:157), we do agree that he was neither killed by the Jews nor crucified, during that enactment of crucification, which was carried away with a 'look-alike' substitute of Jesus. After that he could have gone into oblivion and died, a death best known to Allah, then buried and thereafter resurrected and raised to the heaven by Allah. According to Quran (04:159), each one amongst People of the Book, "must believe in him before his death", the one and only death, which had already happened and second death, not at all hinted to have come to happen in future. Remember, Quran nowhere indicates the second coming of Jesus, but his death is certainly mentioned therein.

This, I call an "Out of the Box" approach, an approach based on the information collected from Quran. Isn’t a reconciliatory approach, keeping in view the sensitivities of the "older than ours" beliefs, a need of the hour? Whichever way we might interpret it but the Quran (03:55) does proclaim “the followers of Jesus to remain superior beings till the DOJ".

I strongly believe that, (Jews,Christians,Muslims) the "JCM Factor" is vital for maintaining world order. Peace or War? Anarchy or Tranquility? Chaos or Order? We the Muslims have to play a greater role in giving direction to the world. Chronologically we are the latest in order of POB. We believe in all the previous scriptures. Rightly so, the onus falls on our shoulders to declare peace by calling them to the negotiating table, being true with the letter & spirit of  3:64 "Say, O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you; that we worship none but Allah..."
Unfortunately, nothing of that sort is emanating from our side.

And it goes on...and on...and on ???
SHARIQ.