Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips is a prominent Canadian Muslim scholar, who was born as a Christian in Jamaica in 1947 and grew up in Canada, where he accepted Islam in 1972.
He completed a diploma in Arabic and a B.A. from the College of Islamic Disciplines (Usool ad-Deen) at the Islamic University of Madeenah in 1979. At the University of Riyadh, College of Education, he completed a M.A. in Islamic Theology in 1985, and in the department of Islamic Studies at the University of Wales, he completed a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology in 1994. Bilal Philips is regularity invited to mosques in Canada and abroad to speak about the teachings of Islam.
On November 19, 2018 activists at the Islamic booth at Dundas Square in Toronto offered free Islamic literature for passerby that included the book “The True Message of Jesus Christ” written by Bilal Philips.
Here is an excerpt from the book:
P. 95-96
Jesus’ Return
Even the expected return of Jesus, which Christians are awaiting, is a part of the Islamic faith. However, he will not return to judge the world as modern Christians believe, because judgement only belongs to God. The Qur’aan teaches that Jesus was not killed by the Jews, but was instead raised up alive by God into the heavens.
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 بَل رَّفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا
“And their (the Jews) saying: ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary,’ but they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, rather it was made to seem that way to them. And those who differ about it are full of doubts. They have no knowledge about it, and follow instead conjecture. They certainly did not kill him, [for], Allaah raised him up to Himself. And Allaah is All-Powerful, All-Wise.”
Among the things which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was recorded to have said regarding Prophet Jesus’ return is the following, “There will be no prophet between me and Jesus, and he will return. When he does, you will know him. He will be a well-built man of ruddy complexion and he will descend wearing a two-piece garment. His hair will look wet, though no water touched it. He will fight people to establish Islaam and he will break the cross, kill the pig and cancel the jizyah. During his time, Allaah will destroy all religions except Islaam and the False-Christ will be killed. Jesus will remain on earth for forty years, and when he dies, Muslims will pray the funeral prayer for him.”
Jesus’ return will be one of the signs of the coming of the Day of Judgement.