Identification of the Promised Messiah

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has prophesied about
several events that will occur just before the advent
of the day of judgment. Among these, Rasulullah (SAW)
has foretold the return of Isa (pbuh) (Jesus), which
will materialize when a one eye claimant to divinity
(Dajjal or Anti-Christ) will attempt to misguide the
humanity into worshipping him. Messiah will descend
from the heavens in Damascus, pray behind Imam Mahdi,
chase and kill the Dajjal, destroy the savage and
unbelieving armies of Gog and Magog, and bring peace
and brotherhood to the world.

Everyone of the people of the book will recognize the
truth and accept him only as a Messenger of Allah
(SWT); the religion of Allah, Islam will justly rule
the world.

"And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures
(Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e.
Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) before
his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a
witness against them."
(The Holy Quran, An-Nisa, 4:159)

There will be no oppression and no need to fight
oppressors (war will be abolished) and no need to
collect Jizyah (since there will be no non-Muslim
people of the Book to collect this tax from). Every
human being will be well-off and no one will accept
charity. Messiah will perform Hajj and/or Umra,
marry, remain married for 19 years, beget children,
and die after living on earth for 40 years. His death
will signal the beginning of the last days:

"And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the
Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the
(Hour), but follow ye Me: this is a Straight Way."
(Quran, Az-Zukhuruf, 43:61)

Unfortunately, counting on the general ignorance of
Muslims regarding this entire prophecy, a few
individuals have laid claim to being Messiah and
managed to misguide some people. For some of these
individuals (like Mirza Ghulam of India) the claim to
being Messiah was just a stepping stone to his claim
of prophethood and the creation of a cult which broke
away from the religion of Allah(SWT). It is,
therefore, at least prudent to learn the truth about
this prophecy and avoid falling pray to false
claimants that will appear from time to time.

As Muslims, we should remember that the prophecy about
Messiah is one that will come to pass. This prophecy,
however, does not absolve the Muslim ummah from its
duty to strive in the cause of Allah (SWT), oppose
injustice, and seek peace and betterment of human
condition. Centuries have passes from the time of the
holy Prophet (SAW) and there is a good possibility
that many more will expire before the advent of the
Promised Messiah. Muslims who are negligent in their
duty hoping for a savior are committing a grave
mistake and are not following the divine decrees
ordained in Quran or taught by Rasulullah (SAW).

The following represent a few of the over 110 Ahadith
regarding the advent of the Promised Messiah and the
fact that he will be none other than Jesus (pbuh), son
of Mary:

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that the Prophet of Allah
(SAW) said:

By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, Son of Mary (Jesus)
will shortly descend amongst you people (Muslims) as a
just ruler and will break the Cross and kill the pig
and abolish the Jizyah (a tax taken from the
non-Muslims, who are in the protection, of the Muslim
government). Then there will be abundance of money and
no one will accept charitable gifts.
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 34, No. 425)

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that hazrat Muhammad (SAW)
said:

The Hour will not be established until the Son of Mary
(i.e. Jesus) descends amongst you as a just ruler, he
will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the
Jizyah tax. Money will be in abundance so that nobody
will accept it (as charitable gifts).
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 3, Book 43, No. 656)

Allah's Apostle (SAW) declared:

I swear by Him in Whose hands is my life that soon
there will descend among you Hazrat Isa Ibn-e-Mariam
as a Just Ruler; so (he) will break the 'cross', kill
swine and prohibit war!
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, No. 668, Book of Prophets, P.
490)

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) he heard Allah's Apostle
(SAW) say:

By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the
Son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will
judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break
the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no
Jizyah (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money
will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it,
and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be
better than the whole world and whatever is in it."
Abu Huraira added "If you wish, you can recite (this
verse of the Holy Book): -- "And there is none Of the
people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But
must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah
and a human being) before his death. And on the Day of
Judgment He will be a witness against them." (Quran
4:159)
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 55, No. 657; Fateh-ul
Bari, Vol. 7, P. 302)

A similar narration by Ata (RA) has been recorded by
Muslim with the following sentence added at the end:

Mutual hatred, jealousy and grudge will disappear.

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that hazrat Muhammad (SAW)
said:

How will you be when the Son of Mary (i.e. Jesus)
descends amongst you and he will judge people by the
law of the Quran and not by the law of Gospel.
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 55, No. 658; Fateh-ul
Bari, Vol. 7, P. 304-305)

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said:

There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus
(peace be upon him). He will descent (to the earth).
When you see him, recognize him: a man of medium
height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow
garments, looking as if drops were falling down from
his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the
people for the cause of Islam. He will break the
cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will
perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the
Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years
and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.
(Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 37, No. 4310)

It is reported by Anas (RA) that the holy Prophet
(SAW) said:

Whosoever from amongst you lives to see Jesus, son of
Mary, he should convey my greetings to him.
(Hakim)

Jabir ibn Abdullah (RA) narrated, I heard the
Messenger of Allah (SAW) say:

A section of my people will not cease fighting for the
Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection.
He said: Jesus Son of Mary will then descend and their
(Muslims') commander (Al Mahdi) will invite him to
come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: No,
some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst
you). This is the honor from Allah for this Ummah.
(Sahih Muslim, Book 1, No. 0293)

Allah's Apostle (SAW) said:

Allah will send Maseeh ibne Maryam (Messiah son of
Mary). Thus he will descend near the White Eastern
Minaret of Damascus, clad in two yellow sheets,
leaning on the shoulders of two angels.
(Sahih Muslim, Vol. 8, P. 192-193)

It is reported by Aws Ibn Aws al-Thaqafi (RA) that
hazrat Muhammad (SAW) said:

Jesus, son of Mary, will descend near the white
minaret towards the east of Damascus.
(Tabarani)

Narrated Ibn Abbas (RA) the Prophet (SAW) said:

On the night of my Ascent to the Heaven, I saw Moses
who was a tall brown curly-haired man as if he was one
of the men of Shan'awa tribe, and I saw Jesus, a man
of medium height and moderate complexion inclined to
the red and white colors and of lank hair. I also saw
Malik, the gate-keeper of the (Hell) Fire and
Ad-Dajjal amongst the signs which Allah showed me.
(The Prophet then recited the Holy Verse) "So be not
you in doubt of meeting him' when you met Moses during
the night of Mi'raj over the heavens (Quran, 32:23)".
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 54, No. 462)

Allah's Apostle (SAW) said:

I saw myself (in a dream) near the Ka'ba last night,
and I saw a man with whitish red complexion, the best
you may see amongst men of that complexion having long
hair reaching his earlobes which was the best hair of
its sort, and he had combed his hair and water was
dropping from it, and he was performing the Tawaf
around the Ka'ba while he was leaning on two men or on
the shoulders of two men. I asked, 'Who is this man?'
Somebody replied, '(He is) Messiah, Son of Mary.' Then
I saw another man with very curly hair, blind in the
right eye which looked like a protruding out grape. I
asked, 'Who is this?' Somebody replied, '(He is)
Messiah, Ad-Dajjal.'
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 9, Book 87, No. 128)

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah
ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:

I dreamt at night that I was at the Kabah, and I saw a
dark man like the most handsome of dark men you have
ever seen. He had hair reaching to between his ears
and his shoulders like the most excellent of such hair
that you have seen. He had combed his hair, and water
was dripping from it. He was leaning on two men or on
the shoulders of two men doing tawaf around Kabah. I
asked, 'Who is this?' It was said, 'al-Masih ibn
Maryam.' Then we were with a man with wiry hair and
blind in his right eye, as if it was a floating grape.
I asked 'Who is this?' It was said to me, 'This is
al-Masih ad-Dajjal.'
(Malik's Muwatta, Book 49, No. 49.2.2)

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that Allah's Apostle (SAW)
said:

On the night of my Ascension to Heaven, I saw (the
prophet) Moses who was a thin person with lank hair,
looking like one of the men of the tribe of Shanua;
and I saw Jesus who was of average height with red
face as if he had just come out of a bathroom....
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 55, No. 607)

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr (RA) that:

Someone came to him and said: What is this hadith that
you narrate that the Last Hour will come at a certain
time? Thereupon he said: Hallowed be Allah, there is
no god but Allah (or words to the same effect). I have
decided that I shall not narrate anything to anyone
now. I have only said that you will see after some
time an important event: that the (sacred) House
(Ka'bah) will be burnt and it definitely happen.

He then reported that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon
him) said: The Dajjal will appear in my Ummah and he
will stay (in the world) for forty -- I cannot say
whether he meant forty days, forty months or forty
years. Allah will then send Jesus, son of Mary, who
will resemble Urwah ibn Mas'ud. He (Jesus Christ) will
chase him and kill him. Then people will live for
seven years, during which time there will be no rancor
between any two persons. After that Allah will send a
cold wind from the direction of Syria. None will
survive on Earth, having a speck of good in him or
faith in him: he will die. Even if some among you were
to enter the innermost part of the mountain, this wind
would reach that place also and cause your death.

I heard Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) as saying:
Only the wicked people will survive and they will be
as careless as birds with the characteristics of
beasts. They will never appreciate good nor condemn
evil...
(Sahih Muslim, Book 40, No. 7023)

Narrated Abdullah (RA) the Prophet (SAW) mentioned the
Messiah Ad-Dajjal in front of the people saying:

Allah is not one eyed while Messiah, Ad-Dajjal is
blind in the right eye and his eye looks like a
bulging out grape. While sleeping near the Ka'ba last
night, I saw in my dream a man of brown color the best
one can see amongst brown color and his hair was long
that it fell between his shoulders. His hair was lank
and water was dribbling from his head and he was
placing his hands on the shoulders of two men while
circumambulating the Kabah. I asked, 'Who is this?'
They replied, 'This is Jesus, son of Mary.' Behind him
I saw a man who had very curly hair and was blind in
the right eye, resembling Ibn Qatan (i.e. an infidel)
in appearance. He was placing his hands on the
shoulders of a person while performing Tawaf around
the Ka'ba. I asked, 'Who is this? 'They replied, 'The
Masih, Ad-Dajjal.'
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 55, No. 649)

Hanzalah al-Aslami reported to have heard Abu Huraira
(RA) as narrating from Allah's Apostle (SAW):

By Him in Whose Hand is my life, Ibn Maryam (Jesus
Christ) would certainly pronounce Talbiyah for Hajj or
for Umrah or for both (simultaneously as a Qarin) in
the valley of Rawha.
(Sahih Muslim, Book 7, No. 2877)

Allah's Prophet (SAW) said:

Hazrat Masih (pbuh) will die after completing the
duration he was destined to pass in the world and that
Muslims would offer his funeral prayers and bury him
next to the grave of the holy Prophet, Hazrat Abu Bakr
and Hazrat Umar(RAs).
(Mishkat, P. 480)

Allah's Apostle (SAW) said:

After his descent on earth, Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will
marry. He will have children, and he will remain on
earth 19 years after marriage. He will pass away and
Muslims will perform his Janaza Salaat (funeral
prayers) and bury him next to Rasulullah (SAW).
(Tirmidhi)

Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that hazrat Muhammad (SAW)
said:

...Satan will cry: The Dajjal has taken your place
among your families. They will then come out, but it
will be of no avail. When they reach Syria, he will
come out while they are still preparing themselves for
battle, drawing up the ranks.

Certainly, the time of prayer will come and then Jesus
(peace be upon him), Son of Mary, will descend and
lead them in prayer. When the enemy of Allah see him,
it will (disappear) just as salt dissolves in water
and if he (Jesus) were not to confront them at all,
even then it would dissolve completely. Allah would
kill them by his hand and he would show them their
blood on his lance (the lance of Jesus Christ).
(Sahih Muslim, Book 40, No. 6924)

Narrated An-Nawwas ibn Sam'an (RA) that Rasulullah
(SAW) said:

...He will then call (that young man) and he will come
forward laughing with his face gleaming (with
happiness). It will at this very time that Allah will
send Christ, son of Mary. He will descend at the white
minaret on the eastern side of Damascus, wearing two
garments lightly dyed with saffron and placing his
hands on the wings of two Angels. When he lowers his
head, there will fall beads of perspiration from his
head, and when he raises it up, beads like pearls will
scatter from it. Every non-believer who smells the
odor of his body will die and his breath will reach as
far as he is able to see. He will then search for him
(Dajjal) until he catches hold of him at the gate of
Ludd (Jerusalem) and kills him.

Then a people whom Allah had protected will come to
Jesus, son of Mary, and he will wipe their faces and
inform them of their ranks in Paradise. It will be
under such conditions that Allah will reveal to Jesus
these words: I have brought forth from among My
servants such people against whom none will be able to
fight; you take these people safely to Tur, and then
Allah will send Gog and Magog and they will swarm down
from every slope. The first of them will pass the lake
of Tiberias and drink out of it. And when the last of
them passes, he will say: There was once water
there...
(Sahih Muslim, Book 40, No. 7015)

Mujammi Ibn Jariyah al-Ansari (RA) stated that he
heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) say:

The son of Mary will kill the Anti-Christ (Dajjal) at
the door of Ludda.
(Tirmidhi and Ahmad)

Abdullah Bin Umar (RA) reported that Rasulollah (SAW)
said:

How can perish the Ummah of which I am at the
beginning and Jesus, son of Mary, is at the end.
(Hakim and Nasai)

Narrated Hudhayfah ibn Usayd Ghifari (RA):

Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) came to us all of
a sudden as we were (busy in a discussion) He said:
"What are you talking about?" (the Companions) said:
"We are discussing about the Last Hour". Thereupon, he
said:
It will not come until you see ten signs before and
(in this connection) he made a mention of the smoke,
Dajjal, the beast, the rising of the sun from the
west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary (Allah be
pleased with him), The Gog and Magog, and landslides
in three places, one in the east, one in the west and
one in Arabia at the end of which fire would burn
forth from the Yemen, and would drive people to the
place of their assembly.
(Sahih Muslim, Book 40, No. 6931)

According to these authentic and universally accepted
Hadith:

The Promised Messiah is none other than hazrat Isa bin
Maryam (pbuh) (Jesus);
He is a man of medium height and moderate complexion
inclined to the red and white colors and of lank hair;

He will descend among Muslims, near the White Eastern
Minaret of Damascus, Syria, clad in two yellow sheets
(dyed with saffron), while leaning on the shoulders of
two angels;
He will pray behind Imam Mahdi;
He will fight with, chase, and kills Dajjal (the
Anti-Christ) at the gate of Ludd;
Messiah will rule justly according to the Laws of
Islam and not Gospel;
People of the Book will accept him as a Messenger of
Allah (SWT) and will embrace Islam (Quran 4:159);
subsequently, Cross (Christianity) and Jizyah tax (on
non-Muslims) will be abolished;
He will encounter attack of Gog and Magog and will be
victorious;
Islam and justice will rule, oppression will be
eliminated, and no fighting (War) will be needed (will
be abolished);
Everyone will be well off and hatred, jealousy, and
grudge will disappear;
Messiah will perform Hajj and/or Umra;
He will get married, remain married for 19 years
before his death and have children;
He will die after living on earth for 40 years and
will be buried in a grave next to the holy Prophet
(SAW). His advent is a sign for the closeness of the
day of Judgment (Quran, 43:61);
Afterwards, all believers will die before the advent
of the day of Judgment and the other prophecies will
take place.