Chapter 43 verse 62

Sign of The Hour?

وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا وَاتَّبِعُونِ ۚ هَٰذَا صِرَاطٌ مُسْتَقِيمٌ {62}

But verily, he was a sign of the Hour. So have no doubt about it, but follow me. This is the right path. (Chapter 43 Verse 62)

Firstly, the argument of the non Ahmadi Muslims that this refers that Isa^as is alive, has no basis at all. In this verse, no where has Allah stated that Isa^as will be a sign of the hour and that the hour will come soon. Allah could have simply stated that Isa^as will be a sign of the hour, but this is not stated in the ayah. This verse does not only imply something of the future as it is a nominal sentence in the Arabic language which is called jumlah Ismiyyah. It is a must for such sentences to also possess a meaning of the present tense. Therefore, when this verse was revealed, this sign was already present and it does not refer to any event restricted to the future.

In The second part of the verse says so have no doubt about it, referring to the hour and it is obvious Allah is addressing the disbelievers after witnessing this specific sign, that after it, how can they have doubts in regards to the hour. This verse is a sign for the disbelievers. If the argument of the non Ahmadi Muslims had any basis, then on the day of Judgment, everyone who saw the Qur’an and rejected it, can simply say they did not witness the sign of the hour, which according to the non Ahmadi Muslims refers to Isa^as in this ayah. If the hour has not come how can they believe in it?

Secondly if  “Innahu” referred to him coming, Allah would not say “So Have no doubt but follow me” right after the statement. If it was for the coming of Isa^as, Allah would have said “but follow him” or “obey him” but rather He referred to Himself. This sign of the hour refers to the Qur’an which is the greatest miracle. It spiritually gives life to the dead and Allah Tells us:

لِنُحْيِيَ بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَيْتًا وَنُسْقِيَهُ مِمَّا خَلَقْنَا أَنْعَامًا وَأَنَاسِيَّ كَثِيرًا {50}

That We may thereby give life to a dead land, and give it for drink to Our creation — cattle and men in great numbers.(Chapter 25 Verse 50)

In Tafsir Mu’alimut Tanzil, It is Stated:

ﻗﺎﻝ ﺍﳊﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺟﻤﺎﻋﺔ ﺍﻧﮧ ﯾﻌﻨﯽ ﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ ﻟﻌﻠﻢ ﻟﻠﺴﺎﻋﺔ

“Hazrat Imam Hasan^ra and a community of people state that “innahu” infers that the Holy Qur’an is the Sign of the Hour”

In Tafsir Majmua’ul Bayan, it is stated:

ﻭ ﻗﯿﻞ ﺍﻥ ﻣﻌﻨﺎﮦ ﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺍﻥ ﻟﺪﻟﯿﻞ ﻟﻠﺴﺎﻋﺔ ﻻﻧﮧ ﺁﺧﺮ ﺍﻟﻜﺘﺎﺏ

“Some have said that the meaning of this verse is that the Holy Qur’an is a proof of the imminent resurrection, because it is the last book”

Furthermore, the Holy Qur”an has used innahu for the Qur’an many times. Here are some examples:

وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ ۖ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ {45}

And, truly, it is a source of eminence for thee and for thy people; and you will be inquired about.(Chapter 43 Verse 45)

وَإِنَّهُ لَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ {78}

And verily, it is a guidance and a mercy to the believers.(Chapter 27 Verse 78)

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ {193}

And verily this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds (Chapter 26 Verse 193)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالذِّكْرِ لَمَّا جَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَابٌ عَزِيزٌ {42}

Those who disbelieve in the Reminder when it comes to them are the losers. And, truly, it is a mighty Book.(Chapter 41 Verse 42)

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ {40}

That it is surely the word brought by a noble Messenger;(Chapter 69 Verse 41)

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ {20}

That this is surely the revealed word of a noble Messenger (Chapter 81 Verse 20)

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَذْكِرَةٌ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ {49}

And verily it is a reminder for the righteous.(Chapter 69 Verse 49)

كَلَّا إِنَّهُ تَذْكِرَةٌ {55}

Never! verily this is an exhortation.(Chapter 74 Verse 55)

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ {14}

It is surely a decisive word,(Chapter 86 Verse 14)

The Holy Prophet^saw ‘s coming was also a sign of the hour and this can possibly refer to him as well. Allah states:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ {25}

O ye who believe! respond to Allah, and the Messenger when he calls you that he may give you life, and know that Allah comes in between a man and his heart, and that He it is unto Whom you shall be gathered(Chapter 8 Verse 25)

The incident of the Holy Prophet^saw and the moon was also a sign of the hour as well according to the Qur’an, but the world did not end right after it:

اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ {2}

The Hour has drawn nigh, and the moon is rent asunder.(Chapter 54 Verse 2)

“Innahu” can indeed refer to Isa^as as well as Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^ashas stated in Hamamatul Bushra and Ijaz-e-Ahmadi. He^as explained that Isa^aswas a sign of the hour for the people who rejected the day of resurrection. The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection and were a Jewish sect which is proven by Mark 12:28 as well which explains their reply to Jesus^as. “Sa’ah” is also used for punishment so Jesus^as was a sign for the Children of Israel due to their disobedience and persecution towards Isa^as.

Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as states in Hammamatul Bushra:

“Let it be known that in relation to the Messiah^as Allah the Almighty states Innahu la‘ilmul-lis-sa‘ati [i.e., Verily he is a sign of the Hour] and not Innahu sayakunu ‘ilman lis-sa‘ati [i.e., Verily he shall be a sign of the Hour]. Hence, this verse indicates that he was a sign of the hour for the very reason that he practically possessed that sign within him, and not because that sign would be proven true in his person later on in time; and the reason he was a sign was because he was born without a father. The detail is that a Jewish sect known as the Sadducees disbelieved in the resurrection. As such, Allah informed them through the words of various Prophets that a boy would be born from among their people without a father; and he would be a Sign for them to establish the truth of the day of resurrection. It is to this very fact that the verse ‘Verily, he is a sign of the Hour’ refers to. Similarly the verse ‘And we made him a sign, alludes to the fact that we would make him[i.e., Jesus] a sign for the Sadducee people.”(Hamamatul Bushra Pages 90-91)

Ahmad^as also stated:

“This verse does not posess even the slightest relation to the descent of Isa^as. The fact of the matter is that in the time of Jesusas there was a sect among the Jews named the Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection. In the past scriptures by way of prophecy, that in order to teach them, the Messiah would be born without a father; and thus would be declared a sign for them, just as Allah states in another verse:

وَلِنَجْعَلَهُ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ

And we made him a sign for the people (Chapter 19 Verse 22)

At this instance, ‘the people’ refers to this very Sadducee sect who existed in large number during that era. Since, apparently there seems to be no menton of the resurrection in the Torah, this sect became complete disbelievers in the day of judgement. Even today, it is written in certain scriptures of the Bible, that in terms of his birth, the Messiah was a sign of the Hour for those people. Now look, what relation, does this verse have with the descent of Jesus?( Al Haqq Mubahathah Delhi, Page 38)

Ahmad^as  has also explained this in Ijaz-e-Ahmadi, which is one of his books. He has interpreted the word Sa’ah  to mean the divine chastisement which happened to the Jews under their Emperor in Rome after rejecting the Messiah sent to them. This is outlined in Surah Bani Israel and Allah Makes it Clear that the Children of Israel were cursed by the tongue of Jesus because of their transgression:

لُعِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُودَ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ {79}

“Those amongst the children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus, son of Mary.  That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress” (Chapter 5 Verse 79)

Even if one was to use the name of Isa^as with “Ilmun” in its infinitive form as its being used in this ayah, it would only mean that Isa^as was a prophet of Allah fully believed that the day of resurrection would occur.

The full answer of Hazrat Ahmad (as) given in Ijaz-e-Ahmadi is as follows:

What is more, the maulawis argue that the verse:

إِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ

pertains to ‘Isa. Indeed one should fear people who have such gross misunderstanding of the Holy Quran, for an incompetent religious scholar can put a person’s faith in danger. O Wicked
people! Is the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, himself not علم للساعة while he has stated that:

بُعِثْتُ أَنَا وَالسَّاعَةَ كَهَاتَيْنِ

“I and the last hour are like this…” (Sahih al Bukhari, Kitabur Riqaq)

And God also stated:

اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانْشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ

The hour has drawn nigh and the moon is rent asunder (Chapter 54 verse 2)

Then how obnoxious a folly it would be on the part of the people to interpret the term السَّاعَةُ as the Day of Judgment! Now, allow me to explain that the term السَّاعَةُ (sa’ah) has that has been used here refers to the punishment inflicted upon the Jews at the hands of Titus, the Roman Emperor, after Hazrat Isa had left them.  God Himself spoke of this السَّاعَةُ (sa’ah) in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Bani Isra’il. This verse is elaborated further by another one:

مَثَلًا لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ

That is, during the time of Hazrat Isa (as), the Jews were given a taste of the Day of Judgment by being afflicted with a severe chastisement which could be likened to the السَّاعَةُ (sa’ah) for them. (Miracle of Ahmad, Page 36-37)

Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad^ra states:

“The ‘Hour’ here may denote the time of the end of Mosaic Dispensation and of the risse of a new Shari’at and the pronoun in the expression innahu may refer to Jesus. The verse may thus signify that Jesus was the last Prophet of the house of Israel. His fatherless birth symbolised the total spiritual sterility of the Israelite people. It also constituted a warning to the Jews that by their persistent rejection of truth and opposition to Heavenly Messengers, they had forfeited the Divine blessing of prophethood and therefore, no prophet would henceforth spring from the loins of a Jewish father. It was in this sense that Jesus was  ‘a sign of the Hour’. Jesus himself realized this. He said to his people “Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you andd given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Mathew 21:43)

If the pronoun in the expression innahu be taken to refer to the Qur’an, as some commentators have done, the verse would mean that the Qur’an is “a sign of the hour” i.e a sign that the Israelites are about to be deprived of the Divine gift o Prophethood and that another Dispensation-Islamic Dispensation- will now take the place of Mosaic Dispensation. Or the verse may signify that all the great calamities and catastrophes that will overwhelm the world, or the great changes that will take place in future, have been mentioned specifically or by implication in the Qur’an” (Five Volume Commentary of the Holy Qur’an, Page 2375)