Unveiling Overlooked Symbols: How Eschatological Signs in Hadith Align With Historical Events in the Light of the Bible and the Quran

Descent of Jesus – the Coming of the Messiah

The descent of Jesus (PBUH) from the heavens is one of the ten major signs of the Day of Judgment, mentioned only in the Hadith. Like other prophecies, this descent has been interpreted symbolically as a state. This symbolic interpretation corresponds to the vision presented in the Book of Daniel, where the final era of the Babylonian Empire is likened to a human figure.⁸

This state, as the saviour of humanity or the ‘chosen one’ by God—that is, like a Messiah—plays a decisive role in the great conflict between Gog and Magog. The alignment of European nations against each other as a result of the fascist state of Germany, which is described in Sūrah Al-Kahf as Gog and Magog “surging against each other like waves” before the trumpet is blown, reflects this catastrophic clash.⁹ Furthermore, this state also aligns itself against the Dajjāl (the false Messiah), i.e., the Soviet Union—the power that kept making false promises of delivering humanity from suffering, but in reality became a source of atheism, state oppression, and religious persecution. From World War II to the end of the Cold War, the United States played this symbolic role in this context.

It is noteworthy here that the scope of the return of Jesus (PBUH) is described in the Hadith, where his battle against the Dajjāl and confrontation with Gog and Magog are mentioned. We should limit our expectations to these events as described in the Hadith, because this return is not, in the true sense, the return of the Prophet, but rather a symbolic phenomenon. Had the United States not played a prominent role as a global power during World War II and the Cold War, the world would have been drastically different in terms of scientific progress and geopolitics, as the dominance of fascist and communist states could have severely affected global conditions.

Arguments Against the Physical Descent of Prophet Jesus (PBUH)

The purpose of this article is not to prove the descent of Jesus (PBUH) in a physical or symbolic sense. The renowned Islamic scholar Javed Ahmad Ghāmidī has discussed this topic in detail.¹⁰

Evidence from the Qur’an

The arguments of Javed Ahmad Ghāmidī, which are against the physical descent of Jesus (PBUH), are based on several Qur’anic references:

Details of the Life of Jesus (PBUH) in the Qur’an

The Qur’an describes all the significant aspects of Jesus’s life (PBUH), from his miraculous birth to his death, ascension, and resurrection on the Day of Judgment. However, the Qur’an does not mention his descent before the Day of Judgment, which is a key argument against the concept of physical descent.

Mention of the Death and Ascension of Jesus (PBUH)

The Qur’an clearly mentions the death of Jesus (PBUH). It explicitly states that Jesus (PBUH) was saved from the crucifixion¹¹ and, after his death, his body was ascended.¹²

Lack of Knowledge of Divinity After Ascension

In Sūrah Al-Ma’idah, on the Day of Judgment, Jesus (PBUH) states that he never instructed people to worship him or his mother (peace be upon her). He further clarifies that after his ascension, Allah alone was a witness to the deeds of the people, and he had no knowledge of their subsequent actions.¹³ This lack of knowledge indicates that he did not return to Earth to witness these events. Some scholars argue that this statement was only for those who lived during the time of Jesus (PBUH). However, historical evidence shows that the event of granting divine status to Mary (peace be upon her) occurred at the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE, centuries after the time of Jesus (PBUH). In the early centuries of Christianity, his mother (peace be upon her) was not worshipped as divine, and this concept developed later. These facts indicate that the question posed to Jesus (PBUH) on the Day of Judgment is not limited to his followers before his ascension, but is also relevant to all Christians who came after him, which shows that Jesus (PBUH) will not return to this world after his death and ascension.

Islamic Scholars’ Opinions Against the Physical Descent

Many scholars have questioned the physical return of Prophet Jesus (PBUH). Some of these opinions are presented here:¹⁴

Mawlānā Maḥmūd Ḥasan (Renowned Ḥanafī Scholar)

He considered these Hadiths to be influenced by Jewish traditions and criticised their authenticity.

Mawlānā ʿUbayd Allah Sindhī

According to him, the Jews fabricated these Hadiths to weaken the dominance of Muslims.

ʿAllāmah Maḥmūd Shaltūt (Egyptian Scholar)

He examined these Hadiths critically and questioned their authenticity.

Mawlānā Shabbīr Aḥmad Azhār Mīrūthī

He regarded these Hadiths as being in conflict with the principle of the finality of Prophethood.

Mawlānā Abū al-Kalām Āzād

He said that the descent of Jesus (PBUH) can only be accepted when the Qur’an explicitly mentions it.

ʿAllāmah Muhammad Iqbāl

He considered the concept of the descent of Jesus (PBUH) as a result of influences external to Islam.

Qamar Aḥmad ʿUthmānī (Deobandi Scholar)

He regarded the principle of the Finality of Prophethood as incompatible with the possibility of the return of Jesus (PBUH).

Correction of a Common Misunderstanding

Sūrah al-Nisāʾ, verse 159:

Among the People of the Book, there is none but will certainly believe in (this Qur’an) before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.

This verse is often presented in support of the physical descent of Jesus (PBUH).

However, the context of this verse makes it clear that it refers to the People of the Book during the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is presented as a warning, stating that these People of the Book will acknowledge the Qur’an as the Book of Allah before their death, even if they do not openly admit it. On the Day of Resurrection, this acknowledgment will serve as evidence against them.

The Symbolic Meaning of Authentic Hadith

In this article, the authentic Hadiths regarding the descent of Jesus (PBUH) have been accepted as authoritative. However, the events described in these Hadiths as occurring before the Day of Judgment are presented as allegories rather than literal physical occurrences.

The Accounts of Jesus (PBUH) and the Dajjāl in the Hadith

In this article, a separate chapter has been dedicated to the Dajjāl. Accordingly, this section includes only those details about the Dajjāl that were not mentioned in the previous chapter. The Hadith reports cited here are presented in chronological order, and the final Hadith briefly summarises the confrontation between the Dajjāl and Jesus (PBUH) — interpreted here as the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States.

The Emergence of the Dajjāl, People’s Belief in Him, Famine upon the Disbelievers, and the Extraction of Earth’s Treasures (1922–1937)

In the chapter on the Dajjāl, a detailed discussion is presented on the events ranging from his appearance to the extraction of the treasures of the earth, which can be read there. These events correspond closely with the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922 to its Second Five-Year Plan (1933–1937).

The Dajjāl’s Killing of the Young Man and the Descent of Jesus (PBUH) at the Eastern Minaret of Damascus — the Communist Takeover in Yugoslavia and the U.S. Entry into Colonial Muslim Lands (November 1942)

According to the Hadith, the Dajjāl will kill a young man and then bring him back to life, and the young man will return laughing with joy. At that very moment, Allah will cause Jesus (PBUH) to descend at the white minaret in eastern Damascus.¹⁵

As previously mentioned, the act of the Dajjāl killing people and then reviving them actually symbolises the communist revolutions, where previous governments are overthrown by force and new governments are established in their place. This young man represents Yugoslavia, which was established in 1918 and became known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. During the Second World War, after the German invasion of Yugoslavia, the communist movement gained momentum. In November 1942, the communists established the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) to organise the movement for Yugoslavia’s independence, and at that time, they gained control over some regions of Yugoslavia. Notably, many regions of Yugoslavia willingly accepted the new communist authority, and the young man’s joyful return symbolises the nation’s seamless ideological transformation—”killed” and “revived” without resistance.

In the same month of November 1942, the United States, together with the Allied forces, launched its first major ground operation—Operation Torch. In Hadith, the “minaret” is generally regarded as a symbol of a region’s Muslim population and Islamic identity, and the “descent upon the white minaret” is symbolically interpreted as the entry of the United States into those Muslim-majority regions—such as Algeria and Morocco—where this military action took place. At that time, these areas were under the control of Christian colonial powers, and after the European war fronts, these regions had become significant military arenas. For this reason, the Hadith depicts the mosque as being in Damascus, just as during the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Damascus was an important military centre under the rule of the Byzantine Christian Empire.

The eastern part of Damascus historically opened towards the desert, from where, during the Byzantine era, Arab tribes or Iranian armies would often launch attacks. Similarly, in the Second World War, the United States entered North Africa via the Mediterranean Sea and carried out its first major land military operation from this very direction—the same route through which foreign invaders had repeatedly passed throughout history.

The Scene of the Descent of Jesus (PBUH) — America’s Entry into the Second World War and the Beginning of Its Global Role (1942 Onward)

The Hadith states that Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will descend to earth dressed in saffron-coloured garments, with his hands resting on the wings of two angels. When he bows his head, drops like dew will fall from it, and when he raises his head, drops like pearls will scatter like dew.¹⁶

Here, the act of descending with hands placed on the wings of angels symbolises the factors that brought the United States into the Second World War—including Japan’s attack on the United States and the declarations of war by Germany and Italy. Following these events, the United States abandoned its isolationist policy and decided to play an active role on the global stage. Similarly, the scene of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) bowing and then raising his head, with drops scattering like pearls of sweat, symbolises the United States’ dignified entry into the Second

World War, while the saffron-coloured garment is a metaphor for the United States’ economic greatness and boundless resources.

The Fragrance of the Breath of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) and the Death of the Disbelievers—Moral Narrative and the Defeat of Enemies in the Second World War (1942–1945)

It is stated in the Hadith that any disbeliever who encounters the fragrance of the breath of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will not survive, but will perish, and the breath of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will reach as far as his gaze can extend.¹⁷

This narration, found in Sahih Muslim, mentions the Dajjāl’s appearance and end before the events of Gog and Magog.¹⁸Since the emergence of the Soviet Union (Dajjāl) occurred before Nazi Germany (Gog and Magog), the Hadith mentions and concludes the account of the Dajjāl first. This sequence reflects the traditional structure of parallel narratives, in which one subject is completed before moving to another parallel topic—even if both events occurred in the same historical period. The major events of the Second World War related to the Dajjāl are concisely encapsulated in the symbolic statement “the fragrance of the breath of Prophet Jesus and the destruction of the disbelievers,” and the narrative of the Hadith concludes with the destruction of the Dajjāl. After this, the Hadith separately details the events of Gog and Magog, representing the parallel yet distinct historical aspects of that era.

In this context, the “fragrance of the breath” of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) symbolically represents the moral narrative that stood against racism, aggression, and fascism, and which the United States adopted during the Second World War. Here, “disbelievers” refers to the opposing Axis powers—namely, Germany, Italy, and Japan—who rejected this narrative. Their destruction not only symbolically expresses their decisive defeat in the war, but also represents the far-reaching effects of this “breath,” which attests to the success of that moral narrative. This narrative laid the foundation for a new global consensus after the war, in the form of the United Nations, human rights, and global peace initiatives.

Prophet Jesus (PBUH), the Muslims, and the Struggle Against Dajjāl

The Hadith presents two seemingly divergent reports regarding the Muslims who will stand with Prophet Jesus (PBUH) in his struggle against the Dajjāl: one in which he leads it, and another in which he declines the invitation to lead the prayer. At first glance, these narrations appear contradictory. Yet, when understood within their historical context, they reflect two distinct political realities that parallel the experiences of Muslim states during the Cold War.

This stands in contrast to those who, after three great tremors strike Medina, will rush towards the Dajjāl instead. (See the chapter on Dajjāl for the account of those who turn towards him.)

Prophet Jesus (PBUH) Leading the Prayer — Turkey’s Alignment Through NATO Membership (1952 Onward)

One Hadith describes that when the time for prayer arrives, Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will descend and lead the prayer.¹⁹

This narration includes successive historical references to Turkish Muslims: Muslims confronting the Romans at al-A‘māq (linked to the Battle of Antioch during the First Crusade, fought by Seljuk Turkish Muslims), the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by the Ottomans, and finally the “hanging up of swords,” recalling the Ottomans’ surrender in 1918. Taken together, these references suggest that the Hadith points specifically to the Turkish experience. Under the chapter on the Dajjāl, see the section on the events preceding his arrival for further details.

Here, the “time for prayer” represents the decisive moment when nations arrange themselves in rows under a single leadership, while the descent of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) corresponds to the entry of the United States onto the world stage during the Second World War. After the war, Turkey decisively aligned itself with the United States—first through the Truman Doctrine in 1947, and later with its accession to NATO in 1952. In this way, Turkey practically and symbolically took its place in the congregation, standing in line behind U.S. leadership.

The Refusal of Prophet Jesus (PBUH) to Lead the Prayer — America’s Avoidance of Leading the Baghdad Pact (1955–1959)

Another Hadith states that the leader of the Muslims will invite Prophet Jesus (PBUH) to lead the prayer, but he will decline, saying: “Some of you are leaders over others.”²⁰In another narration, it is mentioned: “Your Imām will be from among you.”²¹

These Hadiths can be understood through the lens of the early Cold War. At that time, the United States deliberately refrained from assuming direct command in leading Muslim countries against the Soviet Union. Instead, it encouraged Muslim-majority states to take on the role of leadership. The symbolic meanings within this Hadith can be interpreted as follows:

Congregational Prayer: Just as the congregational prayer (ṣalāh) requires Muslims to align themselves in orderly rows behind an imām, the Hadith presents prayer as a metaphor for collective discipline, unity, and decisive alignment under leadership.

Leader of Muslims: In this context, the leader represents Pakistan. After independence in 1947, Pakistan consciously positioned itself as a vanguard of the Muslim world. The founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and subsequent leaders framed the state as both Islamic and strategically pivotal. Pakistan advanced its leadership vision by convening early “Islamic conferences” and cultivating ties with Arab states. U.S. policymakers similarly envisioned Pakistan as a potential “centre of gravity” for a broader Muslim bloc in South Asia.²²

Invitation to Lead the Prayer: In the early 1950s, Pakistan aligned with the United States, joining SEATO (1954) and the Baghdad Pact (later CENTO, 1955), casting itself as the natural Muslim ally against communism. The Muslim leader’s invitation to Prophet Jesus (PBUH) to lead the prayer symbolises Pakistan’s appeal for the United States to assume leadership of the Baghdad Pact—a coalition of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and the

United Kingdom.²³²⁴²⁵Pakistan envisioned the pact on the model of NATO, where the United States had taken command, integrated allied forces, and extended the protection of its nuclear umbrella.

Refusal to Lead the Prayer: The refusal symbolises the United States’ consistent unwillingness to join the Baghdad Pact as a full member, despite Pakistan’s repeated appeals. In sharp contrast to its role in NATO—where it assumed decisive leadership and offered clear security guarantees—the United States deliberately avoided taking on such responsibility in the Middle East.

The Search for the Dajjāl – Uncovering Soviet Manoeuvres (from 1946 Onward)

Prophet Jesus (PBUH) searching for the Dajjāl in the Hadith²⁶ symbolises the United States’ active efforts during the Cold War to identify communist activities, assess their influence and weaknesses, and sometimes use military and covert power to contain their spread.

The Melting of the Dajjāl After Seeing Jesus (PBUH) – the Soviet Union’s Economic Drainage After the Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962 Onward)

The Hadith describes that the Dajjāl melts away after seeing Prophet Jesus (PBUH) like salt in water.²⁸

A parallel of this Hadith can be drawn to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the only moment in the Cold War when the United States and the Soviet Union faced each other directly.

The outcome of this confrontation was not a Soviet victory, but the exposure of its structural weaknesses. The USSR’s placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba was, in effect, an admission that it lacked the long-range strike capability that the United States already possessed through intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. The U.S. naval blockade of Cuba further revealed the weakness of the Soviet navy, which was unable to challenge American maritime power. Economically, the Soviet Union was also at a disadvantage, since its rigid system could not sustain a prolonged standoff, while the U.S. economy was flexible and capable of escalation. Politically, the resolution of the crisis highlighted the Soviet Union’s vulnerability. Although the USSR secured a quiet concession (the withdrawal of U.S. missiles from Turkey), the public perception was one of retreat. The USSR’s aura of superpower equality was shown to be fragile, and the gap between propaganda and reality became undeniable.

In response, the Soviet leadership invested heavily in building up military capabilities to prevent a repeat humiliation. Yet this effort drained vast resources, contributing to the slow “melting” of the USSR — a process that mirrors the Hadith’s imagery of the Dajjāl dissolving upon the sight of Jesus (PBUH).

The Blood of the Dajjāl on Jesus’ (PBUH) Spear – Soviet Losses in Afghanistan with American Weaponry (1986–1989)

According to the Hadith, if Allah were to abandon the Dajjāl, he would gradually melt and perish; however, Allah has decreed that Dajjāl will be slain at the hands of Jesus (PBUH). Thereafter, Jesus (PBUH) will display the Dajjāl’s blood upon his spear before the people.²⁹

This image of blood on the spear finds a striking parallel in the Afghan War of the 1980s. At the outset, the Mujāhidīn resisted the Soviet invasion largely with captured or covertly supplied Soviet-made arms, funnelled through the CIA to mask American involvement. Only later did the United States introduce its own advanced weaponry — most famously the Stinger missile — which became the true “spear” piercing Soviet air power.

The blood upon that spear was not just the visible loss of aircraft and soldiers, but the deeper draining of the USSR’s morale, economic resources, and willpower to fight. The sight of Soviet helicopters falling from the sky came to symbolise the turning of the war, and with it the unravelling of Soviet prestige.

Yet, even if such weapons had never been supplied — as the Hadith itself suggests — the Soviet Union was already melting under the weight of its internal weaknesses and economic failures. The spear simply hastened the process and displayed its cost before the world, making the U.S.-supplied arms a symbol of the USSR’s defeat.

Catching the Dajjāl at Lod and Killing Him — U.S. Pressure on the Soviet System and the End of the Communist Party’s Monopoly after the Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989–1990)

According to the Hadith, Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will “get hold of Dajjāl at the gate of Lod and kill him.”³⁰

During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Lod was an important commercial and administrative centre under the Byzantine Empire. Located at the crossroads of trade routes and military pathways, it held significant strategic importance in the region. Similarly, in 1989, Berlin — particularly the Berlin Wall — was a central and symbolic point of the Cold War, where two opposing systems stood directly against each other. West Berlin had become a symbol of capitalist success and a free society, while East Berlin, under Soviet bloc control, represented the ideological boundaries of communism. The United States and its allies turned West Berlin into a showcase of capitalist achievement, creating an economic disparity that became unbearable for the Soviet Union.

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was not only a symbol of the collapse of Soviet influence but also the moment when the United States effectively “got hold of” communism, cornering it ideologically and politically. The U.S. deepened its diplomatic engagement with the Soviet Union’s President, Gorbachev, pressing for multiparty democracy and economic liberalisation. NATO expanded its political reach into Eastern Europe, pulling former Soviet bloc states away from Moscow’s orbit. At the same time, American financial institutions promoted market reforms, while U.S. media and cultural influence reinforced the tide of freedom sweeping across Europe. Intelligence networks also encouraged nationalist aspirations within the Soviet republics, further weakening central control.

By 1990, the intensified U.S. pressure culminated in the abolition of the Communist Party’s constitutional monopoly on power — the very backbone of Soviet rule since 1917. This decisive moment symbolically represented the ‘killing’ of the Dajjāl, as foretold in the Hadith. Finally, in 1991, the Soviet Union itself disintegrated, and communism as a global ideology was consigned to history.

Prophet Jesus (PBUH) Showing Mercy to a Preserved Nation – Acknowledgment of West Berlin and Unified Germany (1990)

According to Hadith, Prophet Jesus (PBUH) will come to a nation that has been protected from Dajjāl’s tribulation. He will show them compassion by placing his hand on their faces and speaking to them about their ranks in Paradise.³¹

This imagery finds a parallel in the fate of West Berlin. For decades, its people endured pressure, isolation, and constant threat from the Soviet bloc, yet they remained resilient. West Berlin stood as a living example of endurance, preserved from being consumed by communism despite the Wall that surrounded it.

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, German unity was not greeted with unanimous enthusiasm. Britain and France expressed hesitation, wary of the potential resurgence of German dominance in Europe. The United States, however, adopted an unequivocal stance in favour of reunification. By reassuring its allies, exerting diplomatic pressure, and affirming Germany’s integration within NATO and the European Community, the United States transformed West Berlin’s decades of endurance into an internationally recognised triumph. In this sense, the compassion extended in the Hadith to a nation preserved through hardship finds a parallel in the U.S. acknowledgment and support of Germany, as it entered a new era of unity and prosperity.