“It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the world view that is based on the truth to manifest it over all other world views, although they who rely upon other than or associate partners with Allah dislike it.” (Qur’an 9:33)
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Ali Erbaş Turkish Islamic scholar and President of Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) in Turkey says Jesus is dead and will not return. He also has stated that there is no Mahdi that will come. This is quite a huge deal because Ali Erbas is in essence the Mufti of Turkey.
These positions (especially concerning the Mahdi) are part of a de-shificiation process we see happening among Sunni Muslims.
It is interesting that more and more learned scholars around the round are coming to the Ibadi school’s position on these points. I wonder how many more actually hold such views but are not so bold as to proclaim them for fear of reprisal?
In the comment section you see threats, emotions and not proofs and evidences.
Here we look at the verse in the Qur’an 43:61 often quoted and used to affirm the second coming Jesus (as).
Here we look at Qur’an 4:159 which is also used to affirm the second coming if Jesus (as)
The following examines the word ‘tawaffa’ Yet, the Qur’an itself offers no cause for confusion. Tawaffā appears in twenty-five passages in the Qur’an, and twice in relation to Christ Jesus (Q 5:117 and Q 3.55).
For twenty-three of those passages the Muslim commentators generally follow the standard definition of this term, that is that Allah (swt) separates the soul from the body or makes someone die.
Think about this Muslim brothers and sisters. For those passages that are not tied into ahadith about Jesus(as) coming back they are translated and understood as per usual.
What about all those hadith that speak about some second coming of Jesus? Aren’t they tawatur?
Al Ma’rij Imam Abu Muhammed Abdulllah Al- Salimi (r) Volume 1. It is actually is a fiqh book. Many times in our school
when our scholars write a book about fiqh they will start with a short section on aqidah.
The coming of Isa Ibn Maryam
1) There is no Prophet after Muhammed (saw).
2) That which is narrated from the people (Ahl Sunnah) about Jesus (as) coming back it is not sound.
3) Even if it was sound, the time of Isa Ibn Maryam has already passed.
4) Same have said that Khidr and Elias (as) they are still alive then their status would be like angels.
Their live would be veiled from the seen world. They would not eating drinking indulging. These things are not correct with our school.
5) If he comes he will come in the Shari’a of the Prophet (saw), which Ahl Sunnah has conceded. They have conceded he cannot come back as a prophet.
Source: (The Ascents of Hope in the Stages of Perfection, in the Introductions by Imam Abu Muhammed Abdullah Al-Salimi -may Allah have mercy on him)
May Allah Forgive the Ummah.
May Allah Guide the Ummah.
Prima Quran 
How fascinating. May I ask if there is a translation of the speech itself ? Sadly my Turkish is very poor.
Insh’Allah, I can try and get this translated into English.
As regard your other question on Jesus (as) and casting out devils I hope you didn’t think I was being rude. I simply did not understand why that question was placed under that particular post.
For example: https://primaquran.com/2024/02/15/the-place-of-miracles-in-islam-christianity/
The above post would be a great place to ask that question. I hope this makes sense.
Thank you very much, and I apologise for the bother. I must confess that it seems very strange that such a prominent Sunni authority should make so bold a claim that Christ is dead and it is not more widely reported.
No worries. Well it is like with every faith tradition. You have the masses of any faith tradition which are familiar with fundamentals and basics. Most adherents of their faith tradition as I am sure you are aware don’t really get deep in the weeds. Most people on this planet are focused on daily bread and butter issues.
Very true, this is the case in every religion. Yet, as we have discussed in earlier conversations, within the world of inter religious discussion in the West the mainstream Islamic view of the Substitution theory and the ascension of Jesus bodily to heaven are overwhelmingly accepted as the truest expressions of Islamic Christology.
Indeed I would hazard that 98% of the ‘Dawah’ people I have spoken to London over the years view the substition theory and the return of Jesus as inseperable for islamic orthodoxy. As such to have so great a pillar of Sunni orthodoxy as Ali Erbas, famous for having preached in the Hagia Sofia whilst holding a saber, state that Jesus Christ is physically dead and will not return is a really very important admission.
If you point this out to those ‘dawah’ people in London who I am going to guess are so called “Salafi” in their orientation they will simply dismiss Ali Erbas as a deviant. They may add that his stance is a sign of the end of times.
What this shows us is there is greater debate and discussion with in the Islamic world that many outside are not privy to.
It is highly interesting because many of the reports about Jesus (as) coming back are said to be tawatur (mass transmitted) so if we have disputes on this what about hadith about Ayesha (ra) being married to the Blessed Prophet (saw) at such and such age. Those reports are ahad (lone narrator reports).
This is is where we get divergence in schools of jurisprudence and disputations on theology, estachological etc.
Thank you for the reply. I am looking forward to the translation.