Jesus Returns as a Muslim: Islam's Hijacking of Christ
One of the most audacious claims in Islamic theology is that Jesus Christ will return to earth—not to fulfill his role as divine Savior, but as a Muslim prophet who will enforce Islamic law, destroy Christianity, break crosses, kill pigs, and abolish the jizya tax by converting or killing all non-Muslims. This represents perhaps the most complete theological hijacking in religious history.
The Quranic Jesus vs. The Biblical Christ
The Quran acknowledges Jesus (Isa) as a significant prophet but systematically strips him of everything that makes him the Christ of Christian faith:
"The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; other messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded." (Quran 5:75)
"They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but another was made to resemble him to them... Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise." (Quran 4:157-158)
According to Islam, Jesus was not divine, did not die on the cross, did not rise from the dead, and is not the Savior of humanity. He was merely a prophet who taught Islamic monotheism and whose message was corrupted by his followers into the false doctrine of Christianity.
Jesus the Islamic Enforcer
The hadith literature paints a vivid picture of Jesus' return—and it bears no resemblance to the Christian hope of Christ's second coming:
"By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the son of Mary (Jesus) will shortly descend amongst you as a just ruler, he will break the cross, kill the swine, and abolish the jizya, and wealth will be in such abundance that no one will accept it." (Sahih Bukhari 3448)
"The Prophet said: 'There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus. He will descend... He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizya. Allah will perish all religions except Islam.'" (Sunan Abu Dawud 4324)
Let's examine what this Islamic Jesus will do:
Breaking the Cross
The Islamic Jesus will "break the cross"—literally destroying the central symbol of Christianity. This isn't a metaphorical action but a physical attack on Christian faith. The cross represents Christ's atoning sacrifice for sin, the very heart of the gospel. By breaking it, the Islamic Jesus repudiates everything he accomplished in the biblical narrative.
The irony is profound: Jesus, who died on the cross to save humanity, returns in Islamic eschatology to destroy the symbol of that sacrifice. This Jesus essentially declares his own crucifixion—the center of Christian faith—to be a lie and an offense that must be eliminated.
Killing Pigs
The Islamic Jesus will kill all pigs, enforcing Islamic dietary law. This detail reveals the petty, legalistic nature of the Islamic endgame. Rather than establishing universal peace, justice, and reconciliation, Jesus will be concerned with enforcing halal regulations. The Creator of all animals, including pigs, returns to earth to exterminate a species because later Islamic law deemed them unclean.
This reduces the cosmic significance of Christ's return to the level of a health inspector enforcing food codes.
Abolishing Jizya
The jizya is the protection tax that non-Muslims must pay to live under Islamic rule. The hadith states Jesus will abolish it—not out of mercy or tolerance, but because he will give non-Muslims only two choices: convert to Islam or die. There will be no third option, no protected status for Christians and Jews.
"It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah said: 'I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.'" (Sahih Muslim 33)
The Islamic Jesus completes Muhammad's mission by eliminating all religious plurality through force.
Getting Married and Having Children
Islamic tradition claims that after defeating the Dajjal, Jesus will marry, have children, and eventually die a natural death:
"Jesus son of Mary will descend, marry, have children, and remain for 45 years, after which he will die and be buried with me in my grave." (Mishkat al-Masabih 5508)
This Jesus is thoroughly humanized—getting married, procreating, aging, and dying. He's buried next to Muhammad in Medina, permanently subordinate even in death. The eternal Son of God becomes a mortal man who dies and remains dead.
Praying Behind the Mahdi
When Jesus descends, Islamic tradition teaches he will find the Mahdi (the Muslim messiah) leading prayer. Jesus will refuse to lead and will instead pray behind the Mahdi, establishing his subordinate position:
"The Imam of the Muslims will say to him (Jesus): 'Come and lead us in prayer,' but he will say: 'No, you are leaders of one another as an honor from Allah to this Ummah.'" (Sahih Muslim 156)
The humility sounds noble until you realize its purpose: establishing that Jesus, despite being the Messiah, is subordinate to the Islamic leadership. He returns not as King of Kings, but as a supporting character in Islam's triumph.
The Complete Reversal
Every aspect of the Islamic Jesus contradicts the biblical Christ:
Biblical Jesus: Dies on the cross for humanity's sins
Islamic Jesus: Never crucified; returns to break crosses
Biblical Jesus: Rises from the dead, proving victory over death
Islamic Jesus: Was never dead; will die and stay dead
Biblical Jesus: Prince of Peace who brings reconciliation
Islamic Jesus: Warrior who destroys all religions except Islam
Biblical Jesus: King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Islamic Jesus: Subordinate to Muhammad and the Mahdi
Biblical Jesus: Reigns eternally
Islamic Jesus: Dies after 40-45 years and is buried
Biblical Jesus: Savior who offers grace to all who believe
Islamic Jesus: Enforcer who gives non-Muslims two choices: convert or die
The Theological Theft
Why would Islam create this narrative? The answer lies in religious competition. By the 7th century, Christianity was the dominant religion in the Byzantine Empire, and Jesus was universally recognized as a figure of supreme importance. Rather than ignoring him, Muhammad co-opted him, creating an Islamic version that:
- Acknowledges Jesus' importance (making it easier for Christians to consider Islam)
- Strips him of divinity (preserving Islamic monotheism)
- Subordinates him to Muhammad (establishing Islamic supremacy)
- Has him return to enforce Islam (turning Christianity's hope into Islam's triumph)
This isn't prophecy; it's appropriation. Islam takes Christianity's central figure and rewrites his story to serve Islamic purposes.
Biblical Contrast: The True Return of Christ
The biblical teaching on Christ's return stands in stark contrast:
"They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." (Matthew 24:30-31)
"Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him." (Revelation 1:7)
"On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Revelation 19:16)
The biblical Jesus returns in divine glory, not to enforce religious law but to establish his eternal kingdom. He doesn't come to break crosses—he comes as the fulfillment of what the cross represents: God's redemptive plan for humanity.
He doesn't pray behind anyone because he is God incarnate:
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)
Questions to Consider
- If Jesus was truly just a prophet teaching Islamic monotheism, why did none of his immediate followers understand this, and why did Christianity emerge instead?
- How can the Islamic Jesus be the same person as the biblical Jesus when every significant detail about his nature, mission, death, and return is contradicted?
- Why would Jesus return to destroy the cross—the symbol of his own sacrificial death—unless Islam is essentially admitting it's creating a different Jesus?
- If Jesus never died on the cross, as Islam claims, how does his return to eventually die and be buried have any cosmic significance?
- Does the image of Jesus killing pigs and breaking crosses suggest a figure of divine authority or a enforcer of 7th-century Arabian religious law?
- Why would Jesus, if he is who Christians claim, pray behind the Mahdi and subordinate himself to Islamic leadership?
- How does offering non-Muslims only "convert or die" reflect the Jesus who said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44)?
- Is the Islamic rewriting of Jesus an honest theological difference, or is it an appropriation designed to undermine Christianity while borrowing its revered central figure?