Did Isa Die?

 Islamic tradition teaches that Isa did not die.  This places it in direct contradiction to what the Injiil teaches.  Isa plainly taught His disciples that He would die. 

He (Isa) said to them, “But who do men say that I am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elias, and others Yerimiyah, or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “Who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living Allah.”

Blessed are you Simon, son of Yunnus, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 

Then he commanded his disciples that they should tell no one that he was Isa – the Masih.  From that time, Isa began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes (Jewish leaders) and be killed and be raised the third day.[1]

When Isa told his disciples this, they were very upset and troubled.   But, He told them that this had to happen according to Allah’s plan.  Throughout the Injiil it is made very clear that Isa died. 

And when Isa cried out with a loud voice (from the cross), He said, “Father into Your hands I yield my spirit.”  Having said this, He breathed his last breath.

A man named Joseph ….  went to Pilate (the Roman governor) and asked for the body of Isa.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen and laid it in a tomb that was cut from rock, where no one had ever lain before.[2]

Peter (one of the disciples of Isa) said,  

“Men of Israel hear these words: Isa of Nazareth (a city in Palestine), a Man attested by Allah to you by miracles, wonders and signs which Allah did through Him among you, as you yourselves know – Him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of Allah, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom Allah raised up, having loosed Him from death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.  Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for sure that Allah has made this Isa, whom you crucified, both Lord and Masih.”[3]

I declare to you the Gospel (Injiil in Arabic = “Good News”), which I proclaimed to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which you are saved if you hold fast the word I proclaimed to you – unless you believed in vain (without sincerity).  For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Masih died for our sins, as the Scriptures teach, and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day, as the Scriptures teach.[4] 

These are just a few of the many ayyat in the Injiil that tell us of Isa’s death and resurrection from the dead.  In fact, this is the central truth of the Injiil – that Isa died for our sins and was raised again to demonstrate His power over death!    

So the Injiil says that Isa died but the teachers of Islam say that Isa did not die.  So which is it?   

Did Isa die or not?

 Let us see what the Qur’an says.  There are only three ayyat in the Qur’an that say anything about the death of Isa.  The first is Sura Maryam (Sura 19) ayyat 33.  We will read ayyat 31-33. 

And He has made me blessed wherever I be and has enjoined me to prayer and charity as long as I live;  He has made me kind to my mother and not overbearing or miserable;  So peace be upon me the day that I die, and the day that I am raised up to life again. 

We see that this is no different than what the Injiil teaches – Isa died and was raised to life again.  Many Muslim teachers say that this ayya refers to a future time.  They teach that Isa did not die, that he will return near the Day of Resurrection, then, he will be killed by the Khafir and raised to life again.  But these verses don’t say anything like that.  No where in the Qur’an does it say this!   

The next ayya is found in Sura Al Nisa (Sura 4) ayya 157.   

Because of their (The People of the Book – The Jews; see ayya 153) saying, we killed Masih Isa, the son of Maryam, the Messenger of Allah: - they killed him not nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear unto them.  And those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no certain knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. 

Think this ayya.  How many times does it say that Isa did not die? 

The answer is zero.  Three times it repeats that the Jews did not kill Isa, but it never says that Isa did not die!  This ayya says very clearly that the Jews did not kill Isa.  But that is the only thing that it makes clear!  It never says that Isa did not die, only that the Jews did not kill him.  It is very interesting to notice that the Injiil teaches the very same thing.  In the time of Isa, the Land of Israel was ruled by the Roman Empire.  A Roman Governor had been placed in authority over the Jews.  The Governor’s name was Pilate and he lived in Jerusalem, in a place called the Praetorium, and ruled from there.  Now listen to these ayyat from the Injiil.   

Then they (the Jewish leaders) led Isa from Caiaphus (the Jewish High Priest) to the Praetorium and it was early morning. 

Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”

They answered and said to him, “If he were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”

Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.”

Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.”

That the saying of Isa might be fulfilled which He spoke saying by what (kind of) death He would die.[5]

Then he (Pilate) delivered Him (Isa) to be crucified.[6] 

The Jews plotted to kill Isa but they could not.  The Romans had to do it, because they alone had the authority to put someone to death.  The Jewish leaders could not kill Isa without defying the authority of the Romans and putting themselves under condemnation of Roman Law.  This was within Allah’s plan.  The Jews method of putting someone to death was by stoning.  But Dawood, a thousand years before Isa came, foretold how the Coming One would die: 

The congregation of the wicked have enclosed about Me.  They pierced my hands and feet.[7] 

Allah had foretold through His prophet Dawood that the Masih would have his hands and feet pierced, not that He would be stoned.  The Roman method of execution was by crucifixion – they nailed the hands and feet of a man to a cross and left him to die.  Allah had determined that Isa would die at the hands of the Romans, not the Jews.  The Jews plotted his death, so they were accountable to Allah for His death.  Without doubt, the Jewish leaders wanted Isa dead.  They were jealous of Him and afraid that the people of Israel would make him a King and stir up the Roman armies against them.  But it was the Romans who actually killed him! 

It is important to notice also that neither the Jews nor Romans really had the power to put Isa to death, unless Allah allowed it!  We read earlier that Isa was delivered up to be crucified by the “determined purpose and foreknowledge of Allah.”  Before He was crucified, Isa told His disciples: 

I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up again.[8]  

When Isa was standing before the Roman Governor named Pilate, he said to Isa, “Then Pilate said to Him (Isa) “Do you not know that I have the power to crucify you and the power to release you?”  Isa answered “You would have no power at all unless it had been given to you from above.  Therefore the one who delivered me to you has the greater sin.”[9]  Notice that the Jewish leaders who plotted against Isa had the greater sin, but it was the Romans, because of the authority that Allah had put in their hands, who had to condemn Isa to death and carry out the execution.    

So, Sura 4:157 only says that the Jews did not kill Isa.   It does not say that Isa did not die!   

But, there is one more ayya that speaks of the death of Isa.   It is Sura Al Imran (Sura 3) ayya 55.  We will read ayyat 54 and 55. 

And the (unbelievers – khafir) plotted and planned, and Allah also planned, and the best of planners is Allah.  Behold!  Allah said, “O Isa, I will take you and raise you to Myself and clear you of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow you superior to those who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection: then you shall return to Me and I will judge between you in matters wherein you dispute. 

This is the translation by Yosuf Ali.  But listen to these two other translations of the Qur’an: 

Recall when Allah said, “Oh Isa, surely I will make you die and I am lifting you to Me, and am cleansing you of those who disbelieve, and shall place those who follow you above those who deny you till the Day of Resurrection; then to Me shall be the return of you all; then shall I decide between you concerning that in which you have been differing.                                Translation by Maulana Abdul Majid Daryabadi    

Remember when Allah said, “O Isa!  Surely I will cause you to die and I will take you up to Myself and deliver you from those who believe not; I will place those who follow you above those who believe not, until the Day of Resurrection.  Then, to Me is your return, and wherein you differ will I decide between you. 

                                                                                        Translation by J. M. Rodwell

 Why is there a difference in the translation? 

The problem is the translation of one word.  In Arabic it is the word “muttawafikka”.  It means “to cause to die”.  It comes from the root word “tawaffa” which means “to cause to die” or “to take back” referring to Allah taking back the life He has given.   In the Tawrat, the prophet Ayyub responds to the deaths of his children this way: 

The LORD gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.[10] 

Every time I have asked someone who knows Arabic what “muttawafikka”?” means, he has said that it means to cause to die.   But when they see it in Al Imran ayya 55, they say that it does not mean to die.   This should cause great concern among those who read the Qur’an.  Should a translator of the Qur’an translate it according to what it says or what he thinks it should say? 

The understanding that this ayya says Allah “caused Isa to die” is not new.  The great Muslim scholar Razi, who died in 1209 AD, reported that some Muslims in his day, and others earlier, such as Ibn ‘Abbas interpreted “tawaffa” in the sense of “to cause to die”.  They were simply taking this word literally and taking it to mean what it said. 

Once, I sat with an Arabic professor of an Islamic school.   This school was connected with one of the largest mosques in the world.  First, I asked him about the word in Sura 54:17.  There it says “We have made the Qur’an easy to remember and understand.”  He assured me that this was the correct translation of the word.  The word clearly conveyed the idea of “easy to understand”.   Then, I asked him what this word “muttawaffika” means.  He would not directly answer me.  This is how the conversation went when I asked him about the meaning of “muttawafikka”: 

The Professor answered, “Well, it cannot mean that Isa died.” 

“Why not?” I asked. 

He said, “Each prophet had a task to do.  Musa finished his work and he died.  Dawood finished his work and he died.  Muhammmed (PBUH) finished his work and he died.  Muslims believe that Isa has not finished his work.  He will return toward the end and there are things he must do at that time.  (He explained some of the things he believed that Isa would do).[11]  So, Isa is not finished with his work on the earth, so he could not die.” 

So I said to him, “But what does this word “muttawafikka” actually mean?”  Does it literally mean to cause to die?”  He did not answer. 

So, I turned to my friend sitting beside me.  I said to the Professor, “If I say ‘Allah muttawafikka Samir’, what have I just said; what did Allah do to Samir?” 

The professor said, “Well there is the dictionary meaning of a word, but you must take into account the context.  We do not believe that Isa died.” 

Of course there is nothing in the context that indicates you should take this word in the figurative sense of “take way”.  In fact, we find that if we take “muttawfikka” literally and translate it “cause you to die”, it agrees perfectly with what the Injiil says.   Listen again to Sura Al Imran 54-55: 

And the unbelievers plotted – The unbelieving Jews plotted to kill Isa.

and Allah also planned, and Allah is the best of planners – Allah’s plan was for Isa to be the Qurbani for our sins.  Allah began to reveal this plan all the way back when Adam sinned.  Allah knew that once sin had come into the world it would spread to every person on the earth.   It was His plan to forgive our sins and give us eternal life.  He had foretold through His prophets that Isa would die by crucifixion.   Therefore, Romans had to carry out the execution, not the Jews. 

Behold Allah said, “O Isa I will cause you to die” – Isa died for our sins according to the foreknowledge and predetermined plan of Allah.  His last words were “It is finished” which meant “paid in full”.

and raise you to myself – Allah raised Isa from the dead to show all people that Isa was His Son who had died to take away our sins.

and clear you of those who disbelieve and make those who follow you superior to those who reject faith. – Allah promised that He would forgive the sins of those who believe in Isa and give them an eternal home with Him in heaven.  Those who reject Isa will be condemned. 

We also see that if we say “muttawfikka” means “to take away”, then this ayya repeats itself.  The next thing we read in ayya 55 is that Allah raised Isa to Himself.  That is taking Isa away.  Is Allah saying I took Isa away and took Him to Myself?   Where did Allah take Isa away to?  He took Him to Himself.  So, if we translate “muttawafikka” (which literally means “to die”) as “take away”, this verse is saying “O Isa, I will take you to Myself and take you to Myself.”  This makes no sense. 

There is also another serious matter to consider here.  Many Muslims teach that Allah tricked the Jews and put someone else in the place of Isa.  If that is true, Allah not only tricked the khafir (the unbelievers), he tricked the sincere followers of Isa as well.  All of the true disciples of Isa died as martyrs rather than to reject truth of what they had seen with their own eyes – that Isa had died and been raised from the dead on the third day.  These are men that the Qur’an calls “muslims”! 

Sura Al Imran (Sura 3) ayyat 52-53 – When Isa found unbelief on their part (the unbelievers) He said: “Who will be My helpers to the (work of) Allah?” 

The disciples said: “We are Allah’s helpers.   We believe in Allah and do bear witness that we are muslims (“submitted ones”). 

As we said, the disciples died rather than to deny what they had seen – Isa died!  And many thousands of those that they told about Isa, also died as martyrs rather than to deny the truth that Isa died for them and was raised again.  This is a documented historical and undeniable fact!  The Injiil says very plainly that followers of Isa believe Isa died and was raised: 

If we confess with our mouths that Isa is Lord and believe in our hearts that Allah has raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved.[12] 

Are we to believe that they were deceived by Allah; tricked into believing that someone else was Isa.  Such a belief would be very disturbing, to say the least.  These disciples of Isa had spent three and a half years living with Isa and traveling around the land of Israel with him.  Are we to believe that someone else was put on the cross to die and they did not know it?  They did not recognize that this was not the person they had been with day and night for over three years.  Then later the Qur’an says that Allah said to Isa “O Isa I will cause you to die”.  Are we then to believe it means something else?  Why not just take what the Qur’an literally says and believe it – Isa died!   

At the very least, we must agree that the Qur’an is not clear about whether Isa died or did not die.  So, remember what the Qur'an says in Sura 54 ayya 17 and repeats two more times in ayyat 22 and 32.   It says: “We have made this Qur’an easy to remember and understand.   If the Qur’an is easy to understand, then there must be a simple solution to this confusion we find about the death of Isa.  So does the Qur’an tell us what do when we do not understand?  It does! 

The Key to Understanding 

In the Qur’an itself we find out what to do if we do not understand something in the Qur’an.  This key to understanding is found in Sura Yunnus: 

Sura Yunnus (Sura 10) ayya 94 – If you are in doubt as to what we have revealed unto you, then ask those who have been reading the Book (Scriptures) from before you; surely the Truth has come to you from your Lord, so in no wise be of those who doubt. 

The instructions are very simple.  If you have doubts about something, go to the Before Scriptures, which are the Tawrat, Zahboor and Injiil.  This seems rather obvious.  The Qur’an claims to come confirming what Allah had already revealed in the Before Scriptures.  In fact the Jews and Christians are called the “People of the Book or Scriptures”.  So it would make perfect sense to clear up anything that is unclear by seeing what the Before Scriptures said about the matter. 

So, if we follow these simple instructions, what do we find?  The Qur’an is unclear about whether Isa died or not, but the Before Scriptures are very clear.  The Tawrat and Zhaboor foretold that the Coming One, who is the Masih, would suffer and die.  The Injiil says over and over again in the clearest terms possible that Isa is the Masih.     

And does the Injiil say whether Isa died or not?  It does. 

Allah shows His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Masih died for us.  Much more then, having been made righteous by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God (righteous anger against sin) through Him. 

If we do what the Qur’an says and look to the Before Scriptures we have the simple answer: Isa died.  And does the Injiil tell us why Isa died?  Yes it does. 

In Him (Isa) we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of His grace.

Isa said.  “Truly, truly, he who believes in Me has eternal life. 

Isa died so that we can have forgiveness of all of our sins and the hope of eternal life in heaven through faith in Him.