his death.⦗1⦘ In other words, every one of them will believe in Jesus before Jesus himself dies—that will take place when he descends from heaven at the end of time so that all people embrace a single religion, the pure religion of Abraham …
He then said: “As for the Sunnah, both Ṣaḥīḥ collections and others relate from Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said: ‘By Him in Whose hand is my soul, the son of Mary is about to descend among you as a just judge: he will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish the jizyah …’ The ḥadīth continues. Muslim transmits a similar wording from him: ‘By Allah, the son of Mary will surely descend as a just judge; he will break the cross …’
Muslim also narrates from Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace be upon him) said: ‘A group of my community will continue to fight for the truth, manifest and victorious until the Day of Resurrection. Then Jesus son of Mary will descend, and their commander will say to him, “Come and lead us in prayer.” He will reply, “No; some of you are leaders over others—this is an honour Allah has bestowed upon this community.”’
Consensus: the entire ummah is agreed on his descent; none of the scholars of the sacred law has differed. Only philosophers, atheists, and the like—whose dissent carries no weight—have rejected it. The consensus is that he will descend and rule by this Muhammadan sharīʿah, not by an independent legislation, even though prophethood remains his attribute. He will assume authority from the Mahdī, and the Mahdī will be counted among his companions and followers, like the rest of the Mahdī’s companions.” End of al-Saffārīnī’s words.
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Jesus is alive in heaven; he has not yet died. When he descends, he will judge only by the Book and the Sunnah, never by anything that contradicts them.”
He also said: “Jesus—peace be upon him—is alive, and it is established in the Ṣaḥīḥ that the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said: ‘The son of Mary will descend among you as a just judge and equitable leader; he will break the cross…’”