How Did the Life of Prophet Jesus End on Earth?
كيف انتهت حياة نبي الله عيسى عليه السلام على الأرض؟
Allah informed him about the plot against him, so he asked the disciples who would be in his place. One man volunteered to be in his place. So Allah Almighty made that man resemble Jesus pbuh in his looks. And He Almighty lifted Jesus pbuh to Heaven. So when they came to kill him, they killed the man who resembles him thinking it was Jesus pbuh, and they crucified him.
So Jesus pbuh son of Mary, was not killed nor crucified.
When Jesus sensed disbelief from his people, he asked, “Who will stand up with me for Allah?” The disciples replied, “We will stand up for Allah. We believe in Allah, so bear witness that we have submitted.” Al-Imran 3:52
(˹Remember˺ when Allah said, “O Jesus! I will take you and raise you up to Myself. I will deliver you from those who disbelieve, and elevate your followers above the disbelievers until the Day of Judgment. Then to Me you will ˹all˺ return, and I will settle all your disputes.) Al-Imran 3:55
I will take you: Means that I will complete the days you have with your people on earth.
(and for boasting, “We killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.” But they neither killed nor crucified him - it was only made to appear so. Even those who argue for this ˹crucifixion˺ are in doubt. They have no knowledge whatsoever - only making assumptions. They certainly did not kill him.) An-Nisa 4:157
أعلم الله تعالى عن المكيدة ضد عيسى عليه السلام. فقال للحواريين من منهم يجلس مكانه، فتطوع أحدهم أن يكون مكان عيسى عليه السلام. فجعل الله الشاب المتطوع أن يشبه عيسى عليه السلام و رفع الله تعالى عيسى عليه السلام إلى السماء. فلما جاؤوا ليقتلوا عيسى ، قتلوا الشاب الذي مكانه لأنه يشبهه و صلبوه.
عيسى عليه السلام لم يقتل و لم يصلب
(فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِيۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ ٱللَّهِ آمَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ)
آل عمران 3: 52
(إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يٰعِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَجَاعِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوكَ فَوْقَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ ٱلْقِيَامَةِ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ فِيمَا كُنتُمْ فِيهِ تَخْتَلِفُونَ) )
آل عمران 3: 55
إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ: أي متمم لك ما بقي من أيام مع قومك.
(وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا ٱلْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ مَا لَهُمْ بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلاَّ ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلظَّنِّ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِيناً . بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّـهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
النساء 4: 157-158
1. Categorical Denial of the Crucifixion | النفي القرآني القاطع لصلب المسيح وقتله
The Quran definitively refutes the crucifixion of Jesus, stating unequivocally: "They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him." This verse overturns centuries of historical assumption, establishing that Allah did not permit His noble messenger to suffer humiliation on a cross.
وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّـهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ (سورة النساء: 157)
حسم القرآن مسألة صلب عيسى بنص صريح لا يحتمل التأويل: "وما قتلوه وما صلبوه"، قاطعاً دابر الشكوك ومؤكداً أن الله حفظ رسوله الكريم وعصمه من أن يُهان على أيدي القتلة.
2. The Casting of the Resemblance (Shubbiha Lahum) | إلقاء الشبه على غيره وتخبط الأعداء
The ayah explains that "another was made to resemble him to them" (shubbiha lahum). Ibn Kathir records from Ibn Abbas that Allah cast the likeness of Isa upon a young volunteer from among his companions (other commentators name a betrayer instead), whom the soldiers arrested and executed under the mistaken belief he was Jesus.
وَلَـٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ (سورة النساء: 157)
بيّن الله تعالى أن الأعداء وقعوا في شبهة والتباس: "ولكن شبه لهم"، حيث ألقى الله شبه عيسى وملامحه على شخص آخر، فقبض عليه الجند وظنوا أنهم أخذوا المسيح وصلبوه وهم في شك وظن لا يقين فيه.
3. The Miraculous Bodily Ascension (Ar-Raf') | الرفع المعجز إلى السماء حياً بالجسد والروح
Allah intervened directly with His supreme power: "Rather, Allah raised him to Himself." Sunni consensus holds that Jesus was raised alive in both body and soul, where he remains in the heavens protected from mortal harm until his appointed return.
بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّـهُ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا (سورة النساء: 158)
أخبر الله عن كرامة نبيه وتأييده له فقال: "بل رفعه الله إليه"، وأجمع أهل السنة على أن عيسى رُفع إلى السماء حياً بجسده وروحه، سالماً معافى بكرامة الله وحفظه.
4. Purification from the Disbelievers | التطهير الإلهي من رجس الكافرين ومكرهم
In Surah Ali 'Imran, Allah comforted Isa with the divine promise: "I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve." Allah thwarted their assassination scheme and elevated His servant to a station of eternal honor.
إِذْ قَالَ اللَّـهُ يَا عِيسَىٰ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَرَافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَمُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا (سورة آل عمران: 55)
طمأن الله نبيه بالوعد الحق في سورة آل عمران: "إني متوفيك ورافعك إلي ومطهرك من الذين كفروا"، فأحبط الله مؤامرتهم ومكرهم، ورفع رسوله فوق كيد كل حاسد ومعتد.
5. The Future Descent and the End of Days | النزول في آخر الزمان لإقامة العدل وشريعة الإسلام
Authentic prophetic traditions establish that Prophet Jesus will descend before the Day of Judgment as a just ruler, breaking the cross, abolishing the jizyah, following the Sharia of Muhammad (pbuh), living upon the earth, and eventually passing away and receiving burial.
وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ (سورة النساء: 159)
تواترت الأحاديث النبوية الصحيحة بأن عيسى عليه السلام سينزل في آخر الزمان حكماً مقسطاً، يكسر الصليب ويضع الجزية ويفيض المال، متبعاً لشريعة محمد ﷺ، ثم يموت ويصلي عليه المسلمون ويُدفن.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Was Jesus crucified according to the Quran?
No, the Quran explicitly states: "They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him" (Surah An-Nisa 4:157).
What happened to Jesus instead of crucifixion?
Allah cast his likeness upon another man who was seized and crucified, while Allah raised Jesus alive in body and soul to heaven.
What does "shubbiha lahum" mean in verse 4:157?
It means that the situation was obscured and someone else was made to resemble Jesus, so the enemies mistakenly believed they had crucified him.
Will Prophet Jesus return to earth?
Yes, authentic Sunni hadiths confirm that Jesus will descend before the Day of Judgment as a just ruler, ruling by Islamic law.