Ashrat al-Saah - al-Wabil - Yusuf al-Wabil - (337)

Chapter Three: The Descent of Jesus, peace be upon him

Before discussing the descent of Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him, it is fitting that we first acquaint ourselves with the description of him conveyed in the religious texts ...

The Description of Jesus, peace be upon him

The reports describe him as a man of medium stature, neither tall nor short, ruddy-complexioned, compactly built, broad-chested, and straight-haired. He looked as though he had just emerged from a dimās—that is, a bathhouse. He had combed locks of hair (1) spreading across the space between his shoulders.

The hadiths related concerning this include the report narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim from Abū Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “On the night of my Night Journey, I met Moses ... (He described him, until he said:) I also met Jesus ... (He described him, saying:) He was of medium stature and ruddy complexion, as though he had just emerged from a dimās (meaning:

(1) *Limma*—with a kasra on the letter *lām*—means hair of the head. When the hair extends beyond the earlobes, it is called a *limma*; if it grows longer than that, it is called a *jumma*. See *al-Nihāya fī Gharīb al-Hadīth* (4/273).

الفصل الثّالث: نزول عيسى ﵇- قبل أن نتحدَّث عن نزول عيسى بن مريم ﵇ يحْسن بنا أن نتعرَّف على صفته الّتي وردت بها النّصوص الشرعية ... * صفة عيسى ﵇-. صفته الّتي جاءت بها الروايات أنَّه رجلٌ، مربوع القامة، ليس بالطويل ولا بالقصير، أحمر، جعدٌ، عريض الصدر، سبط الشعر، كأنما خرج من ديماس -أي: حمَّام- له لمة (١) قد رجَّلها تملأ ما بين منكبيه. الأحاديث الواردة في ذلك: منها ما رواه الشيخان عن أبي هريرة ﵁؛ قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: "ليلة أسري بي لقيتُ موسى ... (فنعتَهُ إلى أن قال:) ولقيتُ عيسى ... (فنعته فقال:) ربعةٌ، أحمرُ، كأنما خرج من ديماس (يعني:

(١) (اللمة)؛ بكسر اللام: شعر الرّأس. يقال له إذا جاوز شحمة الأُذُنَين: لمة. وإذا زاد عن ذلك فهو: جمة. انظر: "النهاية في غريب الحديث" (٤/ ٢٧٣).