Both Messiahs To Resemble Urwa Bin Masud?
The allegation of the non Ahmadi Muslims is that in Sahih Muslim the Holy Prophetsaw has been recorded to have said that Isaas who was sent to Bani Israel resembled Urwa bin Masud, while in Sahih Muslim again in regards to the latter day messiah, hesaw has also said the same. First of all when we look at the most authentic book after the Qur’an, Bukhari, we are told that the messiahs would not resemble each other and be two different people.
Hesaw states in regards to the description of the messiahas sent to Bani Israel:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ، أَخْبَرَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ الْمُغِيرَةِ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ رَأَيْتُ عِيسَى وَمُوسَى وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ، فَأَمَّا عِيسَى فَأَحْمَرُ جَعْدٌ عَرِيضُ الصَّدْرِ، وَأَمَّا مُوسَى فَآدَمُ جَسِيمٌ سَبْطٌ كَأَنَّهُ مِنْ رِجَالِ الزُّطِّ ”.
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “I saw Moses, Jesus and Abraham (on the night of my Ascension to the heavens). Jesus was of red complexion, curly hair and a broad chest. Moses was of brown complexion, straight hair and tall stature as if he was from the people of Az-Zutt.” (Bukhari Volume 5, book 55, Hadith 648)
Hesaw states in regards to the Messiah of the end times who was to be from our ummah:
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو ضَمْرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ ذَكَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا بَيْنَ ظَهْرَىِ النَّاسِ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ، فَقَالَ ” إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِأَعْوَرَ، أَلاَ إِنَّ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ أَعْوَرُ الْعَيْنِ الْيُمْنَى، كَأَنَّ عَيْنَهُ عِنَبَةٌ طَافِيَةٌ ”. ” وَأَرَانِي اللَّيْلَةَ عِنْدَ الْكَعْبَةِ فِي الْمَنَامِ، فَإِذَا رَجُلٌ آدَمُ كَأَحْسَنِ مَا يُرَى مِنْ أُدْمِ الرِّجَالِ، تَضْرِبُ لِمَّتُهُ بَيْنَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ، رَجِلُ الشَّعَرِ، يَقْطُرُ رَأْسُهُ مَاءً، وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى مَنْكِبَىْ رَجُلَيْنِ وَهْوَ يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ. فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا فَقَالُوا هَذَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ. ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ رَجُلاً وَرَاءَهُ جَعْدًا قَطَطًا أَعْوَرَ عَيْنِ الْيُمْنَى كَأَشْبَهِ مَنْ رَأَيْتُ بِابْنِ قَطَنٍ، وَاضِعًا يَدَيْهِ عَلَى مَنْكِبَىْ رَجُلٍ، يَطُوفُ بِالْبَيْتِ، فَقُلْتُ مَنْ هَذَا قَالُوا الْمَسِيحُ الدَّجَّالُ ”. تَابَعَهُ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ.
Narrated `Abdullah: The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the Masih Ad-Dajjal in front of the people saying, Allah is not one-eyed while Masih 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 Ka`ba. 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 Volume 4, book 55, Hadith #649)
There have been attempts to state that the Prophetsaw did not mention Isaasbeing of reddish complexion. This is a total confusion which is not true at all. All the descriptions of the Messiah sent to Bani Israel always mentions reddish complexion, while the latter always mentions brown complexion. The Prophet Muhammadsaw has clearly showed a distinction between the Messiahs.
Another beautiful point to notice is that all Muslims know that the one to revive Islam would be the same Messiah who was prophesied about. We all know that Isaas was of Bani Israel, however, Muhammadsaw made it clear that the one to revive Islam would be of the Persian Lineage, as Ahmadas was:
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ، عَنْ ثَوْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْغَيْثِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيْهِ سُورَةُ الْجُمُعَةِ {وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ} قَالَ قُلْتُ مَنْ هُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَلَمْ يُرَاجِعْهُ حَتَّى سَأَلَ ثَلاَثًا، وَفِينَا سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ، وَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ عَلَى سَلْمَانَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ” لَوْ كَانَ الإِيمَانُ عِنْدَ الثُّرَيَّا لَنَالَهُ رِجَالٌ ـ أَوْ رَجُلٌ ـ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ ”.
Narrated Abu Huraira: While we were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ) Surat Al-Jumu’a was revealed to him, and when the Verse, “And He (Allah) has sent him (Muhammad) also to other (Muslims)…..’ (62.3) was recited by the Prophet, I said, “Who are they, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)?” The Prophet (ﷺ) did not reply till I repeated my question thrice. At that time, Salman Al-Farisi was with us. So Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) put his hand on Salman, saying, “If Faith were at (the place of) Ath-Thuraiya (pleiades, the highest star), even then a man from these people (i.e. Salman’s folk) would attain it.” (Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Hadith #4897)
Another important point is that when Muhammadsaw mentions the Messiahasof the past, hesaw mentions him being in the company of the dead, who include Mosesas and Abrahamas, and when hesaw mentions the latter day messiahas, hesaw mentions its company with the living dajjal rather than the dead.
According to the most authentic book after the Qur’an known as Bukhari, the messiahs would not be the same person and they look different.
They say that because both Messiahs are said to resemble Urwa bin Masud, there is only one Messiah. There are many ways to approach this. Firstly, even if one hadith is proven to be weak, it would be sufficient as that would mean only one Messiah resembled Urwa bin Masud.
The second narration states:
فَيَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ كَأَنَّهُ عُرْوَةُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ
“Allah would send Isa Ibn Maryam (as) who would resemble Urwa bin Masud Sahih Muslim, Book of Tribulations and Portents of the Last Hour, Chapter : The Emergence of Dajjal…, Hadith #2940a
One of the narrators is Shu’bah bin al-Hajjaj and about him it is written:
كان يخطئ في أسماء الرجال كثيرا
“He would often err in the names of the narrators”
The second narrator is Ubaidullah bin Muadh al-Anbari about whom Ibn Mueen writes:
عن بن معين بن سمينة وشباب وعبيد الله بن معاذ ليسوا أصحاب حديث ليسوا بشيء
“Ibn Mumainah and Shahab and Ubaidullah bin Mu’adh were all unfamiliar with the science of Hadith and were incompetent narrators
Tahdhib-ut-Tahdhib, vol. 7, p. 49
As Ahmadi Muslims we agree that Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) did in fact resemble Hadrat Isa (as) in appearance and in character. Allah the Almighty Revealed this to Hadrat Ahmad (as). Allah Stated:
أنت أشد مناسبةً بعيسى ابن مريم وأشبَهُ الناس به خُلقًا وخَلقًا وزمانًا
[Arabic] You have the closest relationship to ‘Isa Ibn-e-Maryam (as) [Jesus, son of Mary] and you are the nearest of all people to him in your qualities, your appearance, and the age in which you have been raised
Many resembled the Prophet Muhammad (sa) so why can’t two people resemble Hadrat Isa (as) of Bani Israel? Having some resemblance does not mean it is the same person. Ibn Hajr (rh) stated:
الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يُشَبَّهُونَ بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ غَيْرَ الْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَابْنُهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ وَقُثَمُ بِالْقَافِ بن الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَمُسْلِمُ بْنُ عَقِيلِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَمِنْ غَيْرِ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ السَّائِب بن يزِيد المطبي الْجَدُّ الْأَعْلَى لِلْإِمَامِ الشَّافِعِيِّ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَامِرِ بْنِ كَرِيزٍ الْعَبْشَمِيُّ وَكَابِسُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ فَهَؤُلَاءِ عَشَرَةٌ
“Those who resembled the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), other than al-Hasan and al-Husayn, were: Ja‘far ibn Abi Taalib and his son ‘Abdullah ibn Ja‘far, Qutham ibn al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Abu Sufyaan ibn al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and Muslim ibn ‘Aqeel ibn Abi Taalib. Among people other than Banu Haashim were: as-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed al-Muttalibi, the great-grandfather of Imam ash-Shaafa‘i, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Aamir ibn Kareez al-‘Abshami, and Kaabis ibn Rabee‘ah ibn ‘Adiyy. And these add up to ten (Fathul Bari, vol. 7, p. 97)
Ibn al-Jawzi (rh) writes:
وَكَانَ الْحسن شَدِيد الشّبَه برَسُول الله ﷺ. قَالَ أنس: لم يكن فيهم أحد أشبه بِالنَّبِيِّ ﷺ من الْحسن. وَمِمَّنْ كَانَ يشبه برَسُول الله جَعْفَر بن أبي طَالب، وَقثم بن الْعَبَّاس، وَأَبُو سُفْيَان بن الْحَارِث، والسائب بن عُبَيْدَة، وَكَانَ من التَّابِعين رجل يُقَال لَهُ كابس بن ربيعَة السَّامِي، من بني سامة بن لؤَي، كَانَ يُشبههُ، فَبعث إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَة فَقبل بَين عَيْنَيْهِ، وأقطعه قطيعة، وَكَانَ أنس بن مَالك إِذا رَآهُ بَكَى.
Among the Taabi‘een there was a man called Kaabis ibn Rabee‘ah as-Saami… he resembled him (the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)). Mu‘aawiyah sent for him and kissed him on his forehead, and he allocated something to him. When Anas ibn Maalik saw him, he wept (Kashf al-Mushkil, vol. 1, p. 42)