For the Prophet...

For the Prophet, on whom be peace, has said: There will occur among these people (the like of) what has occurred among previous peoples, even as one horseshoe resembles another, or as one arrow feather follows another.[^8] Wherefore, according to this premise, it is necessary to believe that resurrection (raj'a) will take place in this community as well.

Our opponents (the Sunnites) have related that when the Mahdi, on whom be peace, will appear, Jesus, son of Mary, on whom be peace, will descend upon the earth and pray behind the Mahdi. Now the descent of Jesus to the earth is his return to the world after death, because Allah the Glorious and Mighty says: “Verily I will cause thee to die, and will take thee up to myself” (Qur'an 3:55) .

And Allah the Mighty and Glorious says: “And We gather them together so as to leave not one of them behind” (Qur'an 18:47) . And He says: “And (remind them of) the Day when We shall gather out of every nation a host of those who denied Our signs” (Qur'an 27:83) . Hence the day on which the multitude will be gathered together will be other than the day on which shall be gathered together the host.

And Allah the Glorious and Mighty says: "And they swear by Allah their most binding oaths (that) Allah will not raise up him who dieth. Nay, but it is a promise (bind ing) upon Him in truth, but most of mankind know it not" (Qur'an 16:40) .

The reference here is to raj`a.[^9] And that is because thereafter He says: "In order to make manifest to those that differ concerning it" (Qur'an 27:83) And this "making manifest" is to be found in this world, not in the next.[^10] And I shall write, if Allah wills, a book exclusively on the topic of raj `a, in which I shall explain its real nature and the proofs regarding the authenticity of its occurrence.[^11] And the profession (of belief in) transmigration of souls is false, and he who believes in it is an unbeliever, because transmigration involves the denial of the Garden and the Fire.[^12] [^1]: Cp.

Wasfyat Abi Hanifa, art. 23, cited in MC, 130 and discussed at p.178. Affifi, 166, gives a philosophical explanation; BHA, no. 219 et seq.; FC, nos. 93, 94. [^2]: The reference is to the Exodus. [^3]: N على شط; D على شط بحر. [^4]: Here N adds و يلدوا عبادك و يعبدونك مع من يعبدك إلخ. [^5]: Lit. "it was falling on its roofs". [^6]: N تحيي الموتى; D citing Qur. 5, 110 تخرج الموتى بإذني.