I. The Khalifas

1. Nothing is mentioned here, not a single piece of reference.
2. Unless someone decides to pop up with the reference towards this so that I may look up authenticity and understanding there is no way this could even be taken seriously as a method of ‘evidence’ from the Qadianis side therefore no refutation has been made.

II. Members of the Holy Prophet’s Household

[Part 1/2]

Aishah (God be pleased with her) said that, in his illness in which he died, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: `Every year Gabriel used to repeat the Quran with me once, but this year he has done it twice. He has informed me that there is no prophet but he lives half as long as the one who preceded him. And he has told me that Jesus lived a hundred and twenty years, and I see that I am about to leave this world at sixty’ ” (Hajaj at-Kiramah, p. 428; Kanz al-Ummal, vol. 6, p. 160, from Hazrat Fatima; and Mawahib al-Ladinya, vol. 1, p. 42)
"And I have been told that there is no Prophet after other Prophet but he lives a life half then the one who lived earlier. And I have been told that Jesus, the son of Mary lived for a hundred and twenty years and I do not see myself but approaching sixties"

{Kanzul Ummal vol. 13 pg. 676 Hadith 37732}

Actually the narration comes from Mu’jam Tabarani Kabeer. Its a part a longer narration. Its last part relevant to our discussion here goes as:

“And I have been told that there is no Prophet after other Prophet but he lives a life half then the one who lived earlier. And I have been told that Jesus, the son of Mary lived for a hundred and twenty years and I do not see myself but approaching sixties”
(Mu’jam Tabarani Kabeer Hadith 18464, Tarikh Damishq 47/481-482 quoted in Kanz Al-Ummal 11/479 H.32262 & 13/676 H.37732)

Issues with this narration:

1) According to rules of narration (riwayah): Hafiz Haithmi has called it Daeef (i.e. unauthentic). After quoting this narration he writes:

“Tabarani narrated it with a weak chain and Bazzar also narrated some part of it and in its chain (also) is weakness.”
(Majma’ Al-Zawai’d Wa Manba Al-Fawai’d 4/67, Chapter on the illness and death of the Prophet)

2) In the light of rationality (diraya): According to the principle of diraya (i.e. rationality) as well, this narration is not acceptable. The narration gives the notion as if every Prophet lives half the age of the Prophet immediately before him. This cannot be true and thus can never be uttered by the Noble and Truthful Prophet (PBUH). If Jesus (PBUH) lived for 120 years then John the Baptist (Yahya A.S.) should have lived for 240 years but he lived less then the period Jesus (PBUH) remained on Earth. Moreover following this cycle we have to believe that Adam (PBUH) perhaps lived millions of years which cannot be true.

Mathematical equation:

Hazrat Adam (PBUH) = 122880 years old
Hazrat Idris (PBUH) = 61440 years old
Hazrat Nuh (PBUH) = 30720 years old
Hazrat Ibrahim (PBUH) = 15360 years old
Hazrat Isma’il (PBUH) = 7680 years old
Hazrat Yaqub (PBUH) = 3840 years old
Hazrat Yusuf (PBUH) = 1920 years old
Hazrat Musa (PBUH) = 960 years old
Hazrat Dawud (PBUH) = 480 years old
Hazrat Sulaiyman (PBUH) = 240 years old
Hazrat Isa ((PBUH) = 120 years old
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) = 60 years old

Or an in depth calculation [JazakAllah to @IbnArthur]

3) Mirza Ghulam contradicts himself by once saying “120 years old” and then saying “125 years old”..

The fabricated hadith here states 120 years old, however in his book (Jesus in India, Ch.2) he states “Reliable reports in the Hadith show that the Holy Prophet said that Jesus was 125 years of age”.

4) Qadianis may argue “this Hadith means atleast half long as preceding prophet not exactly half” – well two things… [1] It’s weak therefore regardless of interpretation it is weak. [2] Prophet Zakariya (AS) is known to have been above 90 when Yahya (AS) was born and he died at the age of well above 100 while Yahya (AS) who was the next prophet after him lived at the most 42 years. This way his age doesn’t make up to even half of the Zakariya’s (AS) age.

5) Moreover there is a lot of confusion regarding the wording of the of the narration which is even otherwise weak. In Ibn Asaakir’s Tarikh Damishq (47/482) and Ibn Saa’d’s Tabaqaat Al-Kubra (2/195) there are narrations that tend to convey as if Jesus (PBUH) lived for 150 years. Indeed  these narrations are also of dubious narration like the one about 120 years.
Ibn Asaakir after quoting both these narrations says:

“It’s like that in these two narrations [about 120 & 150 years] and the truth is that Jesus (PBUH) did not reach this age.”
(Tarikh Damishq 47/482)

To turn the tables, let me ask why do the Qadianis not take the narration in full and apply it to other issues? Does it not say, “And I have been told that there is no Prophet after other Prophet but he lives a life half then the one who lived earlier”? While it does, how could Mirza Qadiani be a Prophet for according to this narration  if there ever was to be any Prophet after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he would live only 31 or 32 years, half of the Prophet’ (PBUH) age i.e. 63 years while Mirza lived far more. Verily this proves the fragility of Qadiani arguments.

[Part 2/2]

Hazrat Imam Hasan ascended the pulpit after the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali and said:
"O people! This night there has died a man whose status cannot be reached by the earlier or later generations. The Messenger of Allah used to send him to battle, so on his right would be Gabriel and on his left Michael (Mikal), and he would not return without victory. And he has left but seven hundred Dirhems with which he intended to buy a slave. He died on the night on which the soul of Jesus, son of Mary, was taken up, that is the twenty-seventh of Ramadaan." (Tabaqat Kabir, vol. iii, p. 26)

Isnad:

وقال الطبراني في المعجم الكبير : حدثنا أبو جعفر أحمد بن يحيى الأودي ، حدثنا علي بن ثابت ، أنبأنا منصور ابن أبي الأسود ، عن إسماعيل بن أبي خالد ، عن أبي إسحاق ، عن هبيرة بن يريم :

The athar is weak as Abu Ishaaq who is known Mudalis and the narration is Mu’n’anaa ( If you say “`an Ahmad”, this means that you are attributing some statement to Ahmad, but it does not mean that you necessarily heard the statement directly from him. This means that when the word “`an” appears in the chain of transmission, there is a chance that there is a gap in the chain. )

Also, from the point of view of the sanad, al ‘Ajlah (full name: ‘Ajlah b. Abdullah b. Hujayya) is graded “saduq/truthful” by Hafiz Ibn Hajr inTaqrib (no.285) but Sheikh Shu’ayb al Arna’ut has downgraded this to “weak” in Tahrir Taqrib but he can be used for supporting narrations. Sheikh Shu’ayb says he is declared weak by Imam Ahmed b. Hanbal, Abu Dawud, al Nasa’i, Ibn Sa’d, al Jawzajani, al Saji, Ibn Hibban and Ibn al Jarud. And Abu Hatim said write his hadith but do not take evidence with it (in al Jarh wa al Ta’dil no.1317 it says: ‘Soft [in hadith], not strong, write his hadith but do not take evidence with it’). Ya’qub b. Sufyan said he is thiqa, his hadith contains some weakness. There are two views from Yahya b. Ma’in: thiqa and sound (salih). Ibn ‘Adi said he is fine (mustaqim) in hadith, truthful.

Al Mizzi asserts their sheikh/student relationship in their respective biographies in Tahdhib al Kamal. Hafiz al Iraqi in Tuhfa al Tahsil fi Dhikr Ruwat al Marasil (Maktaba al Rushd 1999 ed., pp.244-246) gives various people that Abu Ishaq did NOT hear hadith from and Hubayra is not mentioned.

Abu Ishaq’s hadith from Hubayra are recorded in the four Sunans of al Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, al Nasa’i and Ibn Majah, as well as in Musnad Imam Ahmed, Sahih Ibn Hibban, Mustadrak al Hakim and other hadith works.

Al Mizzi asserts their sheikh/student relationship in their respective biographies in Tahdhib al Kamal. Hafiz al Iraqi in Tuhfa al Tahsil fi Dhikr Ruwat al Marasil (Maktaba al Rushd 1999 ed., pp.244-246) gives various people that Abu Ishaq did NOT hear hadith from and Hubayra is not mentioned.

Hafiz Ibn Hajr in Ta’rif Ahl al Taqdis (Dar al Kutub al ‘Ilmiya 1987 ed., p.101, no.91) lists Abu Ishaq in the third category of those who commit tadlis (concealment), saying: “Well known for tadlis, he is a Successor, thiqa…” He defines the third category as: “Those who are profuse in tadlis and so the scholars do not take their hadith as evidence except when it is clear they heard [from their authority] and among them are those whose hadith are rejected outright and those whose hadith are taken, such as Abu al Zubayr al Maki.”

Therefore this Hadith is not on good grounds to defend any point and classed as weak.

III. Other Companions of the Holy Prophet

1. Explaining the Quranic verse, "O Jesus, I will cause thee to die (mutawaffi-ka)", Ibn Abbas is recorded as saying:

"Ibn Abbas said: mutawaffi-ka means ‘I will cause thee to die(mumitu-ka) ’." (Bukhari, Kitab al-Tafsir, on verse 5:110)

Bukhari cites it without isnad. Al ‘Ayni gives the isnad in Umdat al Qari (18/215) as related by Ibn Abi Hatim, from his father, from Abu Salih, from Mu’awiya, from Ali b. Abi Talha, from Ibn Abbas (Allah be well pleased with him).

This Hadith has been classed as weak and the isnad is disconnected as Ali b. Abi Talha did not hear from Ibn Abbas (Allah be well pleased with him) as the hadith scholars have said… (Check Classical Scholars section)

In response to this weak Narration, I share these narrations:

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas said, “Just before Allah raised `Isa to the heavens, `Isa went to his companions, who were twelve inside the house. When he arrived, his hair was dripping water and he said, ‘There are those among you who will disbelieve in me twelve times after he had believed in me.’ He then asked, ‘Who volunteers that his image appear as mine, and be killed in my place. He will be with me (in Paradise).’ One of the youngest ones among them volunteered and `Isa asked him to sit down. `Isa again asked for a volunteer, and the young man kept volunteering and `Isa asking him to sit down. Then the young man volunteered again and `Isa said, ‘You will be that man,’ and the resemblance of `Isa was cast over that man while `Isa ascended to heaven from a hole in the house. When the Jews came looking for `Isa, they found that young man and crucified him. Some of `Isa’s followers disbelieved in him twelve times after they had believed in him. They then divided into three groups. One group, Al-Ya`qubiyyah (Jacobites), said, ‘Allah remained with us as long as He willed and then ascended to heaven.’ Another group, An-Nasturiyyah (Nestorians), said, ‘The son of Allah was with us as long as he willed and Allah took him to heaven.’ Another group, Muslims, said, ‘The servant and Messenger of Allah remained with us as long as Allah willed, and Allah then took him to Him.’ The two disbelieving groups cooperated against the Muslim group and they killed them. Ever since that happened, Islam was then veiled until Allah sent Muhammad.”’ This statement has an authentic chain of narration leading to Ibn `Abbas, and An-Nasa’i narrated it through Abu Kurayb who reported it from Abu Mu`awiyah (Kathir I. , Tafsir Ibn Kathir, p. 771). [4:157 – 159]

This statement has an authentic chain of narration leading to Ibn `Abbas, and An-Nasa’i narrated it through Abu Kurayb who reported it from Abu Mu`awiyah. Many among the Salaf stated that `Isa asked if someone would volunteer for his appearance to be cast over him, and that he will be killed instead of `Isa, for which he would be his companion in Paradise.

Ibn Abbas (RA) said, “When Allah intended to raise Jesus (AS) to the heavens, he went to his companions… and Jesus (AS) ascended to the heavens through an opening in the top of the house”. (Ibn Abi Hatim 4/431 Hadith 6266, Ibn Kathir 2/449.  Ibn Kathir called it Sahih)

Narrated from Ibn Abbas, he said: “… and verily Allah raised him [Eisa ibn Maryam] with his body while he was alive and he will soon return to this world and will be a ruler therein. Then he will die as other people die.” (Ibn S’ad’ Tabaqat Al-Kubra 1/53)

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas about the Ayah “I’ll take you and raise you”; “It means I’ll raise you then will cause you to die near the End of Times.” (Durr Manthur 2/347 under 3:55)

It is narrated from Sa’id bin Jubair from Ibn Abbas [about]; “No one will remain from among the Peopleof the Book but will certainly believe in him before he dies.” He said; “Before the death of Eisa ibn Maryam.” (Tafsir Al-Tabari 9/380 Narration 10794-5 under Qur’an 4:159. Classified as Sahih by Hafiz Ibn Hajr in Fath Al-Bari 10/250, Kitab Ahadith Al-Anbiya, Chapter on the Descent of Eisa ibn Maryam)

Simple implication of this narration is that Ibn Abbas (RA) believed in the return of Eisa ibn Maryam (AS). Hafiz Ibn Hajr who authenticated this narration has been recognized as Mujaddid by Ahmadis.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) said, we were discussing about the blessings/superiority of Prophets in mosque, Hazrat Noah (AS) was given a long age, Prophet Abraham (aS) was Khalilullah, Prophet Moses (PBUH) was Kaleemullah and Prophet Jesus (PBUH) was taken to  the skies… (Allama Zamakhshri under ayah 2:253)

Haatib bin Abi Balta’ah
Abdullah bin Abd Qaari (RA) narrates that Rasilullaah (SAW) sent Haatib bin Abi Balta’ah (RA) with a letter addressed to Maqoqis the king of Alexandria… Maqooqis asked, “Tell me about your leader. Is he really a prophet?” “He certainly is the Rasul of Allah,” replied Haatib (RA). Maqooqis then asked further, “if he really is Allah’s prophet, why did he then not curse his people when they drive him out of his town (Makkah)?” Haatib (RA) responded by asking, “Do you not testify that Isa the son of Maryam (AS) was Allah’s Rasul”? “Indeed,” came the reply. “Then when his people seized him to crucify him,” began Haatib, “why did he not pray to Allah to destroy them when Allah raised him to the heavens?” Maqooqis said to Haatib, “You are a wise man who has come from the company of a wise man…” Bayhaqi as quoted in Al Bidaaya wan Nihaaya (Vol.4 Pg,272). Ibn Shaaheen has also narrated this Hadith as mentioned in Isaaba (Vol.1 Pg.300) al-Baihaqi in “Dala’il al-Nubuwwah” Hadith 1737

Abu Muhammad Al-Taymi Al-Madani (d. 100/719 AH/CE)
In explaining Qur’an 4:159, Abu Muhammad al-Madani said: “When Jesus (pbuh) descends to Earth, he will make the Antichrist ineffective, and no Jew who does not believe in him will be left on Earth.” (Al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan, 6:19.)

Mujahid B. Jabr Al-Makki (d. 722/104 CE/AH)
He studied under Hazrat Ali (RA) and after his martyrdom, under Ibn Abbas (RA) with whom he went over the explanation of the Qur’an thirty times. On 4:157 and 158 he says : “But so it was made to appear to them they crucified a man other than Jesus while they reckoned that he was Jesus because this other man ‘was made to like [Jesus] to them’ (shubbiha lahum).” (Mujahid b. Jabr, Tafsir Mujahid, ed, ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Tahir b. Muhammad al-Surti (Qatar: Matabi’ al-Duha al-Haditha, 1395/1976), p.180

He also says “They crucified a man whom they saw as [shabbaha] Jesus, and God raised Jesus to Himself, living”. (Mujahid b. Jabr, Tafsir Mujahid, ed, ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Tahir b. Muhammad al-Surti (Qatar: Matabi’ al-Duha al-Haditha, 1395/1976), p.180

Ibn Jurayj (d. 767 CE)
Jesus asked a disciple to take his likeness, which the disciple did before being killed. Jesus was raised to God. (Tabari, vol 9, p373)

Abdullah Ibn Al-Mubarak (Companion of Imam Abu Hanifah)(736/118 – 797/181 CE/AH) Jesus addressed his followers the night he was raised to heaven, saying “Do not make your living from (teaching) the Book of God. If you refrain from doing so, God will seat you upon pulpits a single stone of which is better than the world and that is therin.” ‘Abd Al-Jabbar said, “These are the seats mentioned by God in the Qur’an: upon a seat of truth with a mighty king’” Jesus was then raised to heaven. (Al-Zuhd, Page 507 no.1447)

Ali ibn Abd-al-Malik al-Hindi (d.1567/975 AH)
Ibn Abbas narrated: the Messenger of Allah, on whom be the blessings of Allah, said: ‘And near it (Bait al-Maqdis) will descend from the Heavens my brother ‘Eisa ibn Maryam.’
(Kanzul Ummal 14/619 Hadith 39726)

..And more.

Alhamdulillah all the above details show it beyond all doubt that Ibn Abbas (RA) and his pupils adhered to the unanimous Islamic belief about the life and return of Eisa ibn Maryam (AS). And he is free from the charge that Ahmadis make against him by wrongly attributing to him a false belief.

In both these books which Ahmadiyya take from, they decide to ‘Half qoute’, as you can see Imam Malik (ra) says that Isa (as) was 33 when he died. now this contradicts the Ahmadiyya’s believe that he died at 120.

In the same book Imam Mālik ibn Anas ibn Mālik ibn Abī ‘Āmir al-Asbahī (711/93 – 795/179 CE/AH)

It is written in “Utaybiya” that Malik said the people will be standing and Isa (AS) will descend.

(Ikmal al-Ikmal, Sharh of Muslim, Vol. I, p. 266)

Now whether the authenticity of these sayings are Sahih or not, I do not know as could not find isnad or scholarly opinions.

Point being, why quote half of what you may agree with and ignore the rest?

[Click here for more views from the Four Imams]

V. Classical scholars and elders

5. Shaikh al-Islam Shams-ud-Din Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, known as Hafiz Ibn Qayyim, wrote:

"As for what is related about the Messiah that he was raised up to heaven at the age of 33 years, there is no sound authority for this which one could turn to."(Zad al-Ma‘ad, vol. i, p. 20)

"With the exception of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, a person attains to heaven with his spirit only after death and separation from the body, so the spirits of all prophets went to heaven only after death and separation from the body." (ibid., p. 304)

What Ibn al Qayyim is highlighting (at 1/p.82 – very top of page) is that, in his view, there is a lack of sound hadith which confirm Prophet ‘Isa (on him be peace) was 33 years of age at the time he was raised. He isn’t questioning the fact that he was indeed raised up to heaven.

This is clear from the preceding line where he mentions that Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam was sent when he was 40 which he calls the “age of perfection” and that it is said Messengers are [only] sent at [or after] this age. He seems to be implying that perhaps Prophet ‘Isa (on him be peace) was older than opinions suggest.

7. Imam Asir-ud-Din Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Ali al-Andalasi, known as Abu Hayyan Nahwi, writes:

"This verse shows that God made Jesus die (tawaffa-hu wafat al-maut) before raising him." (Bahr al-Muhit, vol. iv, p. 4)

He discusses a number of views in his commentary of verse 3:55. For example, he also mentions that the death referred to is that of sleep as per the verse “And He it is Who takes your souls at night” (6:60).

8. Imam Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah, known as Allama Shokani, has written:

"It is said that this verse shows that God caused Jesus to die before raising him." (Fath al-Qadir Qalmi, p. 4)

What he actually said in his commentary of verse 3:55 is: “What is correct is that Allah raised him up to the heavens without him having died as concluded by many of the Qur’an commentators and it is the preferred view of Ibn Jarir al Tabari…” (Fath al Qadir (1/520).

I am aware that I have not covered everything - However I will get to that once I've looked into the other statements. وَقَوْلِهِمْ إِنَّا قَتَلْنَا الْمَسِيحَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ وَمَا صَلَبُوهُ وَلَٰكِن شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ ۚ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّنْهُ ۚ مَا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِلَّا اتِّبَاعَ الظَّنِّ ۚ وَمَا قَتَلُوهُ يَقِينًا And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah ." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. (Surat an-Nisa’: 157)

Special thanks: Snow-D-Man @Dashey