Bediuzzaman Said Nursi Delivered the Good News of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Second Coming to the Muslims

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960), one of the greatest Islamic scholars, spent his entire life inviting people to believe in Allah and to live by the morality prescribed in the Qur'an. He suffered great hardship in this cause, but was always pleased with his lot and met every difficulty with faith in Allah, patience, and joy. Bediuzzaman's Qur'anic commentary, the Risale-i Nur Collection, is full of precious advice reflecting his exuberant love of and faith in Allah and his devotion to Allah's religion. For this reason, his works are an important reference source for all believers.

Bediuzzaman wrote extensively on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, particularly about his struggle with the dajjal, the representative figurehead of all Godless ideological systems. Together with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will eliminate Godlessness and declare the rule of Allah's law with the help of the Muslims.

In this part, we will deal with his views on the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming and related matters.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Ascent to Allah's Presence

In the introduction to The Letters, Bediuzzaman speaks of three levels of life: that of our life, that of the life of Khidr, and that of the life of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). Bediuzzaman explains the second level of life, as follows: "…they can be present in numerous places at the same time. They are not permanently restricted by the requirements of humanity like us. They can eat and drink like us when they want to, but are not compelled to like we are…"

When the angels said: "Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus , son of Mary, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, one of those brought near." (Surah Al 'Imran, 45)

Bediuzzaman says the following about the third level of life:

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Bediuzzaman also points out the existence of doubt over the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming. Bediuzzaman reminds us that our all-powerful Lord Who has created the universe from nothing, is certainly able to bring the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) back for a second time:

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The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Be Recognized by the Light of Faith

The question of exactly how the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be recognized on his second coming has been asked ever since his ascension to Allah's Presence. Bediuzzaman says that he will be recognized by the light of his faith. However, Bediuzzaman also points out that only those who are close to him and have deep faith will be able to recognize him:

(2) Bediuzzaman also says that only a few people will recognize him, at least in the beginning, and that the irreligious currents will be very strong:

"... the 'scientific,' physical armies of the dajjal...": Through this expression, Bediuzzaman reveals that the Prophet Jesus' opposition will be very strong in terms of education, military power, and financial might. While their education system propagates irreligion, the military is working to disseminate the same irreligious ideologies.

"... the spiritual community of mujahideen...": This expression describes the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) followers. The word "community" indicates that they are close to one another and act together. This community's members will make great efforts to establish the morality of religion where the powers of irreligion rule, and will be dedicated to work on Allah's path. They will engage in a great ideological battle to destroy the irreligion created and spread by the education system and the military. The word "spiritual" points out this community's genuine faith, as its members are fully aware of the spiritual dimension of things as well as their material appearance. "Mujahideen" stands for a group of people who work for the cause of Allah, actively promoting His religion throughout the world.

Truly We have granted you a clear victory, so that Allah may forgive your earlier errors and any later ones, complete His blessing upon you, guide you on a Straight Path, and so that He may help you with a mighty help. (Surat al-Fath, 1-3)

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) Will Rule with the Law of Islam and Adhere to the Qur'an

Bediuzzaman reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return at a time when irreligious ideologies rule the world. As the following quote states, he will rule with, and be bound by, the Qur'an on his second coming. Christianity and Islam will unite and succeed by living according to the Qur'an's morality. The Risale-i Nur says that:

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"... in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy": Bediuzzaman reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will lead a great struggle against the irreligious movements created by Darwinism and those who deny Allah's existence.

O you who believe! Enter Islam totally. Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara, 208)

"... the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition … and will be transformed into Islam": Here, Bediuzzaman interprets the hadith that says that when the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns in the End Times, he will abide by Islam's law and rules. His struggle will begin by cleansing Christianity from all of the myths and false beliefs that have entered into it over the centuries, and thereby return it to Islam.

In this way, Christians and Muslims will unite to form a great power. The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will make the dajjal ineffective, who is the representative of all irreligious systems, and eradicate them.

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Although the dajjal will appear to be very powerful, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth and reveal true Christianity. As stated earlier, the first thing that he will do is restore Christianity to its original form by removing all false and baseless practices and beliefs (pbuh) and all unnecessary rules and traditions. This has not happened until today because the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is the only person who can end Christianity's ongoing 2,000-year process of change.

"… [Present Christianity will] unite with the truths of Islam. Christianity will in effect be in a way transformed into Islam…": Once Christianity has been returned to the state of its first revelation, it will integrate itself into Islam.

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"... Following the Qur'an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam, in that of leader…": This transformation of Christianity, beginning with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), will conclude in everyone adhering to the Qur'an, as required by the final book of revelation. Both the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and Christianity as a whole will adhere to Islam.

"... Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union...": A great power will form when Christianity, under the leadership of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), adheres to the Qur'an, because the world's two greatest religions are two huge powers in terms of politics, economics, and spirituality. After their unification, they will have enough power to destroy all forms of irreligion. Materialist philosophy, which distances people from their true purpose in life and forces them into selfishness, lovelessness, and aggressiveness, will be eradicated, along with all forms of irreligion.

O you who believe! Enter Islam totally. Do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara, 208)

"… Then the person of Jesus (pbuh), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion…": This alliance, when combined with the Christians' acceptance of the Qur'an, will achieve a global majority status and move as one body. Bediuzzaman reminds us that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will come to Earth and lay irreligious movements to waste and stresses that this news is therefore true knowledge.

The Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) Struggle Against Irreligious Movements

When speaking of the End Times, Bediuzzaman asserts that two ideological movements will create disorder in their quest to establish the rule of irreligion. One of these will try to destroy the morality of Islam from within, while the other movement will reject Allah's existence openly. Its members will claim that matter has always existed and will continue to exist forever, and that life emerged from lifeless matter by means of a series of coincidences. This movement will represent the Darwinist and materialist philosophies.

This definition forms the basis of all atheist ideologies. Ever since the beginning of recorded history, materialists have opposed true religion and fought those who adhered to it and called others to do so. They oppressed people, made war, and were always found at the forefront of all kinds of decadence. In his second coming, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will give an ideological struggle against this Darwinist mentality and defeat it, by the will of Allah.

In his Collected Works, Bediuzzaman says the following:

Bediuzzaman refers to the destructive effects of the naturalist-materialist philosophies on society. His words "a tyrannical current born of naturalist and materialist philosophy" seem to indicate materialism and Darwinism, the foundations of atheism. In the end times, these two philosophies will spread around the world on the back of the materialist philosophy and openly deny the existence of Allah. Its proponents, in their own way,deny the infinite power of Allah and instead are deluded to believe themselves to have powers independent of Him.

Allah will not forgive those who disbelieve and do wrong or guide them on any path. (Surat an-Nisa', 168)

(2) He gives the following account of the irreligious powers formed by the antichrist:

"… with the intention of denying the Godhead, the secret society of the dajjal (antichrist) will overturn civilization and subvert all mankind's sacred matters…": Bediuzzaman defines the irreligious movements represented by the dajjal as a secret society that will overturn civilization and subvert all mankind's sacred matters in order to deny Allah's existence.

"... A zealous and self-sacrificing community known as a Christian community but worthy of being called 'Muslim Christians', will work to unite the true religion of the Prophet Jesus ((pbuh)) with the reality of Islam…": Bediuzzaman calls the devoted Christians who will work tirelessly with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to unify the Christian and Islamic faiths after Christianity has been purified, Muslim Christians. This "Muslim Christian" community will destroy the irreligious ideological systems represented in the being of dajjal.

Another explanation by Bediuzzaman on the subject reads:

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Bediuzzaman draws the attention to the hadith that indicates that only the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will be able to destroy the dajjal and his established and aggressive regime, and abolish his irreligious way. He will be accompanied by the genuine Christians who have freed themselves of myths and have surrendered to the Qur'an. With the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, the dajjal's irreligious way will perish.

"Antichrist's irreligious way will be wiped out and will cease. The antichrist's person could otherwise be killed by a mere germ or by influenza": Bediuzzaman touches here on a very important subject. What matters is not to incapacitate those people one by one who work to spread irreligion ideologically, but to eradicate all schools of thought which enable irreligious movements to exist. It is not difficult to have individuals ideologically incapacitated.

Bediuzzaman continues:

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Bediuzzaman reveals here that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is the only person who can eradicate the irreligious movements that are trying to increase people's denial by deception and through misleading them, and that only he can force the dajjal to change his chosen way.

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Bediuzzaman uses the word "dajjal" to define all the irreligious thought systems combined, and states that it is a movement that seeks to do away with all of the injunctions in Christianity, to destroy all the spiritual bonds between people, and to entice them to rebellion, corruption, and anarchy.

… Help comes from no one but Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise (Surah Al 'Imran, 126)

Bediuzzaman defines the annihilation of irreligious movements by the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the Christians as follows:

"the huge statue of materialism and irreligion": With these words Bediuzzaman likens the globally influential materialist movements to a huge statue. This statue could be indicating that these movements will be established and strong. It is a hard task to uproot and destroy a big statue. However, with its destruction, materialism as well as irreligion will disappear.

"… will blend the essence of true Christianity with the essence of Islam": When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, he will be subject to Allah's final book of revelation, restore Christianity to its original form, and unite it with Islam.

"… rout the dajjal with their combined strength, in effect killing him [making him ineffective]": When the two true religions of Allah unite, they will have gained much power in the wider sense of the word. They will defeat the materialist ideologies ruling the world and free all people from their hegemony.

In all of his statements concerning the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) second coming, Bediuzzaman stated that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will unite with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and his group, pray behind Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and thus abide by his leadership, and do away with all the sufferings inflicted upon people by irreligious systems.