The Descent of Ibn Maryam

WHEN THE TRUTH IS UNVEILED AND REGRET HAS COME TOO LATE

The truth will come.

Deception will be exposed.

Human beings will realise.

But the question is:

Will that realisation come before it is too late?

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AL-MASIH IBN MARYAM DESCENDS

The Prophet ﷺ said:

فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ فَيَنْزِلُ عِنْدَ الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ شَرْقِيَّ دِمَشْقَ بَيْنَ مَهْرُودَتَيْنِ وَاضِعًا كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى أَجْنِحَةِ مَلَكَيْنِ…

“While matters are in this state, Allah will send al-Masih Ibn Maryam. He will descend beside the white minaret to the east of Damascus, wearing two garments and placing his hands upon the wings of two angels…”

— Sahih Muslim 2937a

الْمَسِيحَ ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ

الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ

أَجْنِحَةِ مَلَكَيْنِ

Three images.

One chain of meaning.

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TWO WINGS

LIFE AND DEATH SEEM TO EXIST AT THE SAME TIME

The Quran describes the torment:

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

“Then he will neither die therein nor live.”

— Al-A‘la 87:13

ONE WING = LIFE

ONE WING = DEATH

The human being is still alive.

But that life becomes so unbearable that death is desired.

Yet death does not come.

Alive, yet longing for death.

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THE WHITE MINARET

REGRET THAT CAN NO LONGER BE HIDDEN

The hadith mentions:

الْمَنَارَةِ الْبَيْضَاءِ

THE WHITE MINARET

White represents something clear and free from excuses.

No more:

“I did not know.”

“I was only following others.”

“No one told me.”

“I thought everything was true.”

When reality is unveiled, every excuse collapses.

THE WHITE MINARET = REGRET THAT IS CLEAR, ELEVATED AND CAN NO LONGER BE HIDDEN.

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DAJJAL IS KILLED

THE DECEPTION IS EXPOSED

The hadith states:

فَيَطْلُبُهُ حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ بِبَابِ لُدٍّ فَيَقْتُلُهُ

“Then he will pursue Dajjal until he catches him at the gate of Ludd and kills him.”

— Sahih Muslim 2937a

Dajjal brings the fitnah of deception:

WHAT IS FALSE IS PORTRAYED AS TRUE.

WHAT IS TRUE IS PORTRAYED AS FALSE.

But when the truth arrives, deception loses its power.

DAJJAL IS KILLED = THE FITNAH OF DAJJAL’S DECEPTION DIES.

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THE GATE OF LUDD

THE PATHWAY OF DECEPTION IS FINALLY EXPOSED

بِبَابِ لُدٍّ

“At the gate of Ludd.”

A gate is a point of entry.

When the gate opens, human beings see:

how deception was constructed,

how falsehood was clothed in truth,

and how truth was clothed in falsehood.

At that point, Dajjal is “killed”.

Not merely because his body falls.

But because:

HIS DECEPTION NO LONGER WORKS.

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THE CROSS IS BROKEN

FALSEHOOD LOSES THE STRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS IT

The Prophet ﷺ said that Ibn Maryam will:

يَكْسِرُ الصَّلِيبَ

“Break the cross.”

When the truth is unveiled, false structures of understanding can no longer stand.

THE CROSS IS BROKEN = FALSEHOOD LOSES THE STRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS IT.

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THE PIG IS KILLED

BLIND FOLLOWING COMES TO AN END

The Prophet ﷺ said:

وَيَقْتُلُ الْخِنْزِيرَ

“And he will kill the pig.”

On a symbolic level:

THE PIG IS KILLED = BLIND FOLLOWING IS BROUGHT TO AN END.

Human beings can no longer say:

“I was only following.”

“I did not think.”

“I assumed that if many people believed it, it must be right.”

When deception is exposed, human beings are forced to confront their own choices.

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THE TRUTH FINALLY COMES

وَقُلْ جَآءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ ۚ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقًا

“Say: The truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.”

— Al-Isra’ 17:81

جَآءَ الْحَقُّ

The truth comes.

وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ

Falsehood vanishes.

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THE GREATER SEQUENCE

IBN MARYAM DESCENDS

Reality begins to become manifest.

TWO WINGS

Life and death seem to exist together.

THE WHITE MINARET

Regret becomes clear and can no longer be hidden.

THE GATE OF LUDD

The pathway of deception is exposed.

DAJJAL IS KILLED

The fitnah of deception dies.

THE CROSS IS BROKEN

The structure of falsehood collapses.

THE PIG IS KILLED

Blind following comes to an end.

TRUTH COMES.

FALSEHOOD VANISHES.

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THE GREATEST REGRET

Not because human beings did not know.

But because they finally realise:

“I had already been given a choice.”

“I had already been given a warning.”

“But I chose without being willing to see.”

And the white minaret stands as an image of:

REALISATION THAT HAS NOW BECOME UNDENIABLE.

But the final question is even more frightening:

DOES THAT REALISATION COME BEFORE REALITY IS UNVEILED —

OR ONLY AFTER REGRET CAN NO LONGER BE UNDONE?