Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (2/337)

as the Most High has said:

“There is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in him before his death.” [4:159]

The sound interpretation, upheld by the majority, is that this will take place before the Messiah himself dies.

He, Exalted is He, has also said:

“Indeed, he is a sign of the Hour, so do not doubt it.” [43:61]

The Christians, however, imagine that he is God and that he will come on the Day of Resurrection to judge all creatures and requite them; in this they have gone astray. The Jews, for their part, acknowledge that a guiding Messiah will come, yet they claim that Jesus—peace be upon him—was not that Messiah of guidance, believing that he brought the Christians’ altered religion and that whoever brings such a religion is a liar. Accordingly, they await the two Messiahs.

كَمَا قَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَإِنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ} [النساء: ١٥٩] وَالْقَوْلُ الصَّحِيحُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْجُمْهُورُ قَبْلَ مَوْتِ الْمَسِيحِ وَقَالَ - تَعَالَى -: {وَإِنَّهُ لَعِلْمٌ لِلسَّاعَةِ فَلَا تَمْتَرُنَّ بِهَا} [الزخرف: ٦١] وَأَمَّا النَّصَارَى فَتَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّهُ يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لِحِسَابِ الْخَلَائِقِ وَجَزَائِهِمْ وَهَذَا مِمَّا ضَلُّوا فِيهِ وَالْيَهُودُ تَعْتَرِفُ بِمَجِيءِ مَسِيحِ هُدًى يَأْتِي لَكِنْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ عِيسَى - عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ - لَمْ يَكُنْ مَسِيحَ هُدًى لِظَنِّهِمْ أَنَّهُ جَاءَ بِدِينِ النَّصَارَى الْمُبْدَلِ وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَاذِبٌ وَهُمْ يَنْتَظِرُونَ الْمَسِيحَيْنِ.