The Descent of the Messiah — Page 300
THE DESCENT OF THE MESSIAH likewise, the perfect example of the Prophets will also be mani- fested. It is to this that juzw 7 of Sūrah Al-Anbiyā points, wherein Allah the Almighty says: وَحَرُمُ عَلَى قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْنَهَا أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُوْنَ حَتَّى إِذَا فُتِحَتْ يَأْجُوجُ وَمَأْجُوجُ وَهُمْ مِّنْ كُلِّ حَدَبٍ يَنْسِلُونَ The meaning of these verses is that it is prohibited for those who have passed away and left this world to ever return to it. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. However, there will be a type of return during the era of Gog and Magog. This means that the people of that time will bear such a perfect resemblance to those of the past that it will seem as if they have returned. It is for this reason that the Ulema of this age have been termed Jews; the Messiah of Muhammad's dispensation has been named the Son of Mary; and the Seal of the Caliphs, who perfectly embodies the characteristics of Muhammad, has been named Muhammad and Ahmad, and referred to as Messenger and Prophet in a metaphorical sense. In order to fulfil the promise of the return of all Prophets from Adam to the end of time, he is also given the names of all the Prophets. This is a very profound matter of spiritual knowledge. I have just written that it is also derived from Sūrah Al-Fatihah that there would be those from among the Muslims who would be rewarded like the Prophets of the past, and there would be those who would incur Divine wrath, i. e. be like the Jews. Therefore, according to all the Proph- ets, the age of Gog and Magog is considered the time of return, albeit through رجعت بروزی ]i. e. a return in the form of spiritual 1 "It is an inviolable law for a township which We have destroyed that they shall not return. It shall be so even when Gog and Magog are let loose and they shall hasten forth from every height. " Al-Anbiyā, 21:96-97. [Publisher] 300