Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 847
CHAPTER TWO 847 know how they acted after I had left them. ' This would be a despicable lie that makes the body tremble and shake violently. !** that If we assume that such would, indeed, be the answer of Jesus, and he would, when enquired by Allah the Glorious, hide intentionally the fact of his return to the Earth and, despite being aware of his followers' apostasy and falling away from the right path, will try to conceal it, then no doubt God would say to him, ‘O ‘Īsā! What is wrong with you you do not fear My honour and glory and lie to My face in answer to My questions? Did you not return to the Earth upon your descent, and become aware that your followers indulged in shirk [associating partners with Allah]? Did you not see those who made you into God and then spread to every part of the world and, like a galloping horse, they came down from every high place. You actually fought against them and broke their Cross with your power and effort. But you now deny that you returned to the Earth? Indeed, I am amazed at your false- hood and imposture. In short, your belief in ‘Īsa's bodily ascension is false and so harm- ful to Islam, as if it were a murderer. You say that the word rafa'a is found in the Holy Quran. True, it is there, but its meaning can be seen from the words mutawaffika [I will cause you to die]. Rather, the entirety of the wording of the verse testifies to ‘spiritual ascension. Do you believe in part of the Book and disbelieve in part? Is this your 1. ☆ Imam Bukhari relates from Mughīrah bin Nu'man that the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, 'On the Day of Judgment some people from among my ummah will be brought before me and dragged to be with those on the left. At this, I will say, "O my Lord! They are my Companions. " I will be told that I do not know what they did after I left them. To this I will respond in the same words as did a righteous servant of God (i. e. And I was a witness] وَكُنْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا مَا دُمْتُ فِيهِمْ فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الرَّقِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ : (Isa over them as long as I remained among them, but since You did cause me to die, You have been the Watcher over them. " (Surah al-Ma'idah, 5:118)] Imam Bukhari also quotes a hadith by Ibn 'Abbas regarding the meaning of the word tawaffi. Ibn 'Abbas said, 'Mutawaffika means mumītuka [i. e. I will cause you to die]. (Author)