How will we recognize Jesus (pbuh)? Surely he will have all the attributes of a Prophet, which will enable believers to recognize him. Moreover, no one will have seen or known him before, and no one will know his past. No one will know his physical qualities, face, or voice. Even if some people make such claims, they cannot prove them, for everyone who knew Jesus (pbuh) has been dead for approximately two thousand years. Mary, Zachariah (pbuh), his Disciples, the Jewish leaders of that era, and those who were taught by Jesus (pbuh) have all died. As we explained earlier, Jesus (pbuh) was created without a father, by God's command Be! Centuries later, he has no known relatives. In fact, God compares Jesus' (pbuh) creation to Adam's (pbuh):
The likeness of Jesus in God's sight is the same as Adam. He created him from earth and then He said to him: "Be!" and he was. (Qur'an, 3:59)
No doubt, this situation removes the threat of false Messiahs. On his second coming, no one will be able to cast doubt on Jesus (pbuh) as the Messiah, because he will be instantly recognizable by this fact: No one will be able to say that he or she knows him. Besides, Jesus (pbuh) will have all the attributes of His chosen Messengers: virtue, pureness, wisdom, convincing speech, foresight, and modesty. Naturally, these will set him apart from false Messiahs and enable true believers to recognize him in the light of faith and to believe in him.
Jesus (pbuh) will remove all of Christianity's false beliefs and practices, free both the Christian and the Islamic worlds from their errors, and call all people to live by the true religion and superior morality. One Qur'anic verse states that all People of the Book will believe in Jesus (pbuh) (Qur'an, 4:159). Thus, Jews will also believe in Jesus (pbuh) as the Messiah and enter the alliance of all three divinely revealed religions in the pursuit of delivering peace, tranquility, and justice to the world.
Islamic sources contain a great deal of information on the new world order to be established under Jesus' (pbuh) leadership. Many hadiths also give the good tidings about his return. A few of them are given below:
I swear, the son of Mary [Jesus (pbuh)] will perform hajj or umra or perform both. 32 The Hour will not come until you see ten signs: the smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast, the Sun rising from the West, the descent of Jesus (pbuh) son of Mary ... 33
By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, son of Mary [Jesus (pbuh)] will shortly descend among you people [Muslims] as a just ruler ... 34 Hadiths reveal that a Golden Age era will begin after Jesus' (pbuh) return, a time in which wealth, tranquility, peace, happiness, and ease of life will rule. It will see new developments in art, medicine, communication, manufacturing, transport, and many other fields, completely unlike what we have seen in any other time. In addition, morality will define the lives of people. The hadiths describe this era, as follows: Earth will fill with union of faiths, just as a bowl is filled with water. No enmity will remain among people. And all enmities, struggle, hostility, and jealousy will disappear. 35
People will have so many possessions that no one will accept any. 36 Earth will fill with justice, just as a bowl is filled with water. Everyone will worship God. No strife or war will remain… Earth will be like a silver table; it will grow its plants, just as it was in the time of Adam. A bunch of grapes will satisfy a person. A group of people will feed on a single pomegranate. An ox will be very cheap, just as a horse will be very cheap. 37
Notes:
32. Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, 216, 1252.
33. Al-Gifari (r.a.), Buyuk Hadis Kulliyati (Complete Hadiths), al-Rudani, 5:362.
34. Sahih Bukhari, 102 and Sahih Muslim, 242.
35. Sahih Muslim, 1:136.
36. Sunan Ibn Majah, 10:340.
37. Ibn Majah, narrated by Abu Umama (r.a.), Buyuk Hadis Kulliyati (Complete Hadiths), al-Rudani, 5:370-72.
