Imam Ibn Kathir
Allah says:
"And when Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will take you and lift you up to Me, and
purify you of those who disbelieve, and will make those who followed you above
those who disbelieved until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me shall you all
return, and I shall judge between you in that which you dispute.’" (3:54,55)
Then He said in Surat An-Nisa':
"For their breaking the covenant, and their disbelief in Allah ’s Signs, and
their slaying the Prophets unjustly, and for their saying: 'Our hearts are
impermeable'. No, but Allah has set a seal upon them for their blasphemy, so
little it is what they believe. And for their rejection to the Faith, and for
their uttering against Mary a monstrous lie." (4:155,156)
"And for their saying (in boast): 'We killed Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary,
the Messenger of Allah'; but they killed him not nor crucified him. Only a
likeness of that was shown to them. And those who differ therein are full of
doubt with no certain knowledge, but only follow mere conjecture, for of a
surety they killed him not. But Allah lifted him up to Him, and Allah is
All-Mighty, All-Wise. And there is none of the people of the Book, but will
believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Judgment, he will be a
witness against them." (4:157-159)
These Verses tell us that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was lifted up to
the heaven after his opponents from Jews complained and misled the king of that
time, as they wanted to slay him and crucify him.
Ibn Abu Hatim has narrated from Ibn Abbas saying: "'When Allah wanted to lift
him up to heaven, Jesus came to his companions in the house. There were twelve
people, with some from among his disciples. He had just a bath, and his head was
still dribbling with water. He said to them: 'There are those among you who will
disbelieve in me twelve times after he had believed in me! Then he said: 'Who
will from among you take my likeness and be killed in my place, so will become
in my rank?' A young youth came forwards. But Jesus said to him: 'Sit down! Then
he repeated the same question, and the same youth stood up and came forwards,
and said: ‘I.' Jesus said: 'You are the one,' and then the likeness of Jesus was
put on him, and Jesus was lifted up to the heaven from the window of his
house.
Jews came looking for him. They took the youth and killed him and then
crucified him. Later they became three groups. One group, who are called
Jacobites (Yaqubiyah), believe that it was God Himself among them who stayed
with them as long as He wanted to, then went back to the heaven. Another group
who are called Nestorian (Nasturiyah), believed that it was the son of God who
was with them, and stayed among them as long as he wanted, then his father
lifted him up. But the group of true believers said that he was the slave of
Allah and His Messenger who stayed among them as long as he wanted, then his
Lord Allah took him up to Him. The two disbeliever groups collided together
against the believer group and killed them, and so real teachings of Islam
taught by Jesus became obscure till Allah sent the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him).
Hasan Basri and Ibn Ishaq said: The king who ordered the killing of Jesus,
was David bin Naura. He commanded Jesus to be killed and hanged. They surrounded
Jesus who was in a house inside Bait-ul-Maqdis. It was a Saturday night. When
they were about to enter the house, his likeness was put on one of those who
were present there with him. And Jesus was lifted up from the window of that
house to the heaven. When the police entered the house they found the youth on
whom the likeness of Jesus was put, so they took him and crucified him. Even
they put a crown of thorns on his head to mock him. Those Christians who were
not present there at that time, believed what Jews claimed, that they killed
Jesus.
Allah said: "And there is none of the people of the Book, but will believe
in him before his death, and on the Day of Judgment, he will be a witness
against them." This refers to the time when Prophet Jesus (peace be upon
him) will descend to the earth before the Day of Judgment, and kill the swine,
break the Cross, impose the levy, and will not be pleased but with Islam."'
Ibn Jarir has narrated from Wahb bin Munabbih, saying: Jesus came along with
seventeen of his disciples to a house. Then police came and surrounded the
house. However, when they entered the house, Allah put the likeness of Jesus on
all of those who were there. They were confused, and said: "You have bewitched
us. Either Jesus come to us, or we will kill of you." Jesus said to his
companions: "Who can buy today a place in Jannah (Paradise)?" A man said: "I"'
and went out, claiming: "I am Jesus." They took him and crucified him, and so
they were deluded in their belief that they have killed Jesus, and so are the
Christians. But Jesus was lifted up to Allah on that day.
Ibn `Asakir said: Mary lived after Jesus for five years, and then died at the
age of fifty-three years.
Hasan Basri said: Jesus was thirty-four years old when he was lifted to the
heaven. Sa'id bin Musayyib said: He was thirty-three years old when he was
raised up to the heaven.
