Transliteration:( Wa innahoo la 'ilmun lis Saa'ati fa laa tamtarunna bihaa wattabi'oon; haazaa Siraatun Mustaqeem )
"And certainly, he (Isa) is a sign of the Hour [106]. So do not have doubts about it and follow Me [107]. This is the Straight Path."
This verse confirms that the return of Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) before the Day of Judgment is a definite sign of the Hour. He will come as a follower of the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, acting both as a Prophet and as a jurist who upholds the Shariah brought by the Prophet ﷺ. Though he remains a Prophet of Allah, he will respect the laws of Islam as established by Muhammad ﷺ, similar to a judge who appears as a witness in another judge’s court. Denying Isa’s (peace be upon him) living status in heaven and his return is to reject this clear sign, meaning such a person is not on the Straight Path that Allah Almighty has prescribed.
This instructs believers to follow the Prophet ﷺ because obedience to the Prophet is obedience to Allah Almighty. True obedience involves carrying out the Prophet’s commands and emulating his deeds and practices sincerely. Following the Prophet’s example is the way to remain on the Straight Path.
The tafsir of Surah Zukhruf verse 61 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Zukhruf ayat 57 which provides the complete commentary from verse 57 through 65.
(43:61) Verily he [i.e., Jesus) is a portent of the Hour.[55] So be in no doubt concerning it and follow Me. This is the Straight Way.
55. Another translation of this sentence can be: He is a means of the knowledge of Resurrection. Here the question arises: What is implied by “he”? According to Hasan Basri and Saeed bin Jubair it implies the Quran. That is, one can learn from the Quran that Resurrection will come. But this commentary is irrelevant to the context. There is nothing in the context on the basis of which it may be said that it refers to the Quran. Other commentators almost unanimously have expressed the opinion that it implies the prophet Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), and this is suitable to the context. Now the question is: In what sense has Jesus Christ been called a sign or a means of the knowledge of Resurrection? Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, Suddi, Dahhak, Abul Aliyah and Abu Malik say that this refers to the second coming of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) as has been foretold in a large number of the traditions, and the verse means that when he comes the second time to the world, it will become known that Resurrection is not far behind. But in spite of the great authority that these scholars hold it is difficult to believe that in this verse the second advent of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) has been called a sign of Resurrection, or a means of its knowledge. For it is contradicted by the next verse. His second advent, indeed, can be a means of the knowledge of Resurrection only for those people who will be living in that future period or will be born after that. How could he be regarded as a means of the knowledge for the pagans of Makkah, who are being asked not to have any doubt about it? Therefore, the correct interpretation in our opinion is the one that has been given by some other commentators, according to which the Prophet Jesus’ (peace be upon him) birth without a father and his making a bird out of clay and his raising the dead back to life has been presented as a proof of the possibility of Resurrection. So, the divine words would mean: Why do you think it is impossible for God to raise you and all mankind from death when He can create a child without a father and a servant of His can breathe life into an image of clay and raise the dead back to life by His permission?
[1446]- i.e., follow the guidance and instruction of Allāh.
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