The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 256
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI reached the highest point in the heaven, i. e. The Divine Throne. But he did not come across anyone with a physical body bearing the name 'Jesus'. What he saw in the company of Yahya (John the Baptist) was only his soul. It is an admitted fact that living persons do not keep company with the dead. In short, the Word of God has provided evidence concerning the death of Jesus, and the Holy Prophet has corroborated the same evidence through his own action, i. e. by reporting the fact of having seen him among the dead. If anyone does not understand even now, after what I have stated, then it is only God. Who can make him understand. (Tadhkiratush Shahadatain, p. 18-19) 5. Why do they not direct their thoughts on the event that happened immediately after the death of the Holy Prophet when some of his companions had begun to think that their master shall soon return to them? But Abu Bakr immediately routed out the erroneous thought by reciting the verse: "MUHAMMAD IS NO MORE THAN. A MESSENGER AND INDEED ALL MESSENGERS HAVE. PASSED AWAY BEFORE HIM. ' He made it perfectly clear to them that there had not been a single Prophet who had not died and if, therefore, the Holy Prophet had also passed away, it was only the usual natural customary course for all human beings. . It is thus quite evident that had the companions even the remotest notion in their minds concerning Jesus that he was sitting alive in heaven for the last 600 years, they would, most certainly, have disputed this point with Abu Bakr. But they all quietly and readily agreed with him. They knew that all previous Prophets had died. Even if a single person had entertained the slightest doubt. concerning this matter, he would have abandoned it forthwith as totally baseless and absurd. I mention this only because there were. Christians in the neighbourhood who might have put such misleading ideas in their minds; or that some simple people, who lacked real understanding, might have had some doubts about it. But one thing is quite certain and definite that the Companions, as a whole, accepted the exhortation of Abu Bakr with grace and they all agreed with him that all previous Prophets had passed away. 256