of Resurrection.” He continued: “Then Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) will descend, and their commander will say, ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ He will reply, ‘No. Some of you are commanders over others.’ This is how Allah has honored this nation” (1).
Al-Qurtubī said: “Some held that religious accountability will cease when Jesus (peace be upon him) descends, lest he be a messenger to the people of that time, conveying Allah’s commands to them. Yet this—that is, his being a messenger after Muhammad—is refuted by the words of Allah Most High, ‘and the Seal of the Prophets’ [al-Ahzāb: 40]; by his statement (peace and blessings be upon him), ‘There is no prophet after me’ (2); and by his statement, ‘I am the Last’ (3)—meaning the last of the prophets and their seal.
“Given this, it cannot be imagined that Jesus will descend as a prophet bearing a newly instituted law other than the law of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, when he descends, he will then be one of Muhammad’s followers (peace and blessings be upon him), just as he informed us when he said to Umar, ‘Were Moses alive, he would have no choice but to follow me’ (4). Thus, before his descent, Allah Most High will have taught him in heaven what