religious scholars who support this viewpoint are as follows:-
Imam Fakhruddin Ar Razi (d. 1210), Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani
(d. 1897), Mufti Mohd Abduh (d. 1905), Sayyed Rashid Raza of
Egypt (d. 1935), Shaikh Mahmood Shaltoot (d. 1963), Dr
Muhammad Iqbal (d.1938), Maulana Obaidullah Sindhi (d. 1944),
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (d. 1958), Shaikh Mohammad bin
Ahmad abu Zahra (d. 1974), Shaikh Mohammad al Ghazzali (d.
1996), etc. (For further details refer to the article titled “The
Issue of Approaching Doomsday” published in the monthly
Al Risala,
July, 2008). Of the early scholars, Ali ibn Ahmad ibn
Hazm (Spain) (d. 1063) and Shaikh Taqiuddin Ahmad ibn
Taymiya (d. 1328), have also held the issue of the coming of Christ
from heaven to be controversial.
Obviously, the traditions do not establish it as a fact that
Masih
in person will come down from the heavens. This being
so, we are left with the sole option of accepting that, during
the last stage, someone from the Muslim community will rise
and, in consonance with the prevailing circumstances, will play
the role of
Masih
.
The role of
Masih
is neither a matter of achieving some
honour, nor is it something mysterious. The role of
Masih
is, in
fact, a historical role which has to be played in the later period
of the People of the Book. During the later period of the
community of Moses, this role was performed by
Masih
, the
son of Mary. During the last period, this role will be played by a
Muslim who will be a
mujaddid
(a renewer of faith).
The truth is that every community in its initial stage follows
the true faith in its true spirit. But, in later stages, when
decadence sets in among its members, piety is reduced to an
outward show. The role of Christ in this age of decadence is, in
fact, to expose this so-called religion as being merely form-based,
and to introduce people to the authentic religion based on the
true spirit.
What is hypocrisy? This happens when the true spirit of
religion is absent and certain outward things are taken as
standards of religiosity. This has been expressed by Jesus Christ
The coming of the role of
Masih
47
