In the two Sahih collections, it is narrated from Abd Allah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “One night I saw myself at the Kaaba, and there I saw a dark-complexioned man (1), as handsome as any dark-complexioned man you could see. His hair fell to his shoulders and was as fine as any such hair you could see. He had combed it, and it was dripping with water. Leaning upon two men—or upon the shoulders of two men—he was circumambulating the House. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ I was told, ‘This is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary.’” (2)

In another narration by al-Bukhārī from Ibn Umar, he said: “No, by Allah! The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not say that Jesus was ruddy-complexioned. Rather, he said: (He then related the remainder of the hadith in wording similar to the preceding narration).” (3)

In a narration by Muslim from him, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “There was a dark-complexioned man … (until he said:) whose hair was neither very straight nor very curly.” (4)

The reconciliation between these reports—some describing him as ruddy-complexioned and others as dark-complexioned, and some stating that his hair was straight while others describe it as curly—is as follows: