The Need for the Imam — Page 41
Darürat-ul-Imam 41 38 hereby give the verdict that the Ahl-i-Sunnah are right only as far as the basic concept of Jesus' de- scent is concerned, for he was bound to descend, albeit in the spiritual sense. Where they have erred, is in the manner of descent, for it was to be figura- tive, not literal. On the question of the death of Jesusas, the Mu'tazilites, Imam Malik, Ibn Hazm, and others who hold similar views, are in the right, for according to the clear authority of the blessed verse فَلَمَّا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي the Messiahas must have died before the Christians had gone astray. This is my verdict as the Hakam. He who does not accept it, does not accept Him Who has sent me as the Hakam. If the question is asked, 'What is the proof of your being the Hakam?' The answer is that the time for which the Hakam was destined is here, and so are the people whose wrong notions about the Cross the Hakam was meant to rectify. The signs which were to appear in support of the Hakam have appeared, and they continue to appear. The heaven is manifesting the signs and so is the earth. Blessed be those whose eyes are not closed. I do not ask you just to believe in the signs that have already appeared, rather I ask you to challenge 38 But since Thou didst cause me to die. Al-Ma'idah, 5:118 [Publishers]