[Q 318] Refutation of Qadiyanis’ Claim About Sayyiduna Isa

Question

Qadiyanis claim that Isa عليه السلام has ma’zallah passed away. Their dalil is the word تَوَفَّيْتَنِي which is used in 5:33 and 5:117, and they claim that Ibn Abbas in his Tafsir of this Surah says that this word means death. What is the answer to this claim?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Sayyiduna Isa عليه السلام is alive. There are many proofs that establish this.

For qadianis to reason by this verse in Surah Al-Maidah is flawed, because the word “تَوَفَّيْتَنِي” does not exclusively mean death.

In the Quran, this very word has been used to convey 3 separate meanings: death, sleep, and to fully take something.

An example of this word being used to mean death:

“اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْاَنْفُسَ حِیْنَ مَوْتِهَا وَ الَّتِیْ لَمْ تَمُتْ فِیْ مَنَامِهَا”

(Az-Zumar: 42)

“Allah takes away the souls at the time of their death and for those that did not die, during their sleep.”

An example of this word being used to mean sleep:

“وَهُوَ الَّذِيْ يَتَوَفَّىكمْ بِالَّيْلِ”

(Al-An’am: 60)

“And it is He who takes your souls by night.”

An example of it being used to mean ‘to fully take something’ is the verse mentioned in the question, and also in Surah Al-Imran (3:55) and Surah An-Nisa (4:158).

In Surah Al-Maidah, Ayah 117, it states:

“I did not say to them except what You commanded me—to worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them as long as I was among them; but when You took me, You were the observer over them, and You are, over all things, Witness.”

In the interpretation of this verse from Surah Al-Maidah in Tafsir Sirat al-Jinan, it is stated:

The Qadiyanis use the word “تَوَفَّيْتَنِي” in this verse to argue for the death of Hazrat Isa عليه السلام, but this argument is completely flawed because the word “تَوَفّٰى” is not specific to death alone, rather it also means to fully take something, even without death.

As mentioned in the Quran:

“اَللّٰهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْاَنْفُسَ حِیْنَ مَوْتِهَا وَ الَّتِیْ لَمْ تَمُتْ فِیْ مَنَامِهَا”

(Az-Zumar:42)

“Allah takes away the souls at the time of their death and for those that did not die, during their sleep.”

Furthermore, this question and answer pertains to the Day of Judgment, so even if the word “تَوَفّٰى” is assumed to mean death, it does not prove that Sayyiduna Isa عليه السلام passed away before coming down to earth.

Answered by: Usman Madani (AskMufti Scholar)

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated answer

Date: 8th June 2024