Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V — Page 498
B AR Ā H Ī N-E-A H M ADIY YA — PART F IV E 498 died and that he has gone to heaven with his earthly body for some pur- pose,1 ٭ and that he will return to the world at some time before the Day of Resurrection. They do not, however, explain the purpose for which he was raised to heaven. Was it merely to save him from the hands of the Jews, or was there something else? And they cannot explain why, now that nearly 2,000 years have passed, he is still in heaven. Is there still some fear in his heart of retribution by the Jews? They also can- not explain why he was given the distinction, withheld from all other Prophets, of being in heaven for such a long period of time—now approaching 2,000 years—and descending to earth at some point in time in accordance with the prophecy of the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Moreover, they cannot explain the wisdom that God had in a physical ascension and subsequent descent. Was it the fear of the Jews apprehending him or something else? And they cannot explain why the distinction of this ascension and descent was granted to a person who God knew would be deified, and that 400 million people would believe him to be the son of God—rather, God—merely because this miracle is ascribed to him. Although these people assert forcefully that Hadrat ‘ I s a has not died—rather, he is alive—they still cannot explain on the basis of which explicit and decisive pronouncement of the Holy Quran his continued existence, in contravention to the practice of God, stands proven. On the other hand, the belief on which God has established me, on the basis of enlightened conviction, is that Hadrat ‘ I s a, may peace be upon him, has died like other human beings after living a natural lifetime for a human. As for his ascension to heaven with his earthly body and then 1. ٭ It has been written by interpreters of dreams that if someone sees in a dream that he has gone to heaven with his physical body, it will be interpreted that he will die a natural death, i. e. will remain safe from the designs of his en- emies to kill him. It would not be surprising that Hadrat ‘ I s a might have seen such a dream too, and ignorant people, not considering the interpretation of the dream, should have taken it for his actual ascent to heaven in his earthly body. (Author)