The Sunni Muslims believe that Jesus, may peace be on him, was not put on the cross and that his place was actually taken by someone who resembled him. Jesus, may peace be on him, was physically raised to heaven and will return bodily in the latter days.
Ahmadis believe that Jesus, may peace be on him, was indeed put on the cross, but only for a few hours. They believe that Jesus, may peace be on him, after recovering from his wounds, travelled east in search for the lost tribes of Israel and he died a natural death and was buried in a tomb in Srinagar, Kashmir.
One verse of the Holy Qur’an which relates about this matter is Chapter 4, verse 158:
This verse talks about the saying of the Jews, that they ‘did slay the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary!’. Then Allah answers that ‘wa ma Qatalu-hu’ – they slew him not! Then the verse states ‘wa ma Salabu-hu – nor did they crucify him! Here the Sunni Muslims understand it to mean that Jesus was never put on the cross, whereas, the Ahmadi Muslims say that he was put on the cross, but he did not die on the cross, instead he was taken from the cross alive and then recovered. The verse then continues by stating ‘wa lakin Shubbiha La-hum’ – but he was made to appear to them like one crucified! Or the matter of the death of Jesus became obscure or dubious to them!
The Sunni Muslims can never accept the Christian concept that Jesus went into Hell! No Prophet of Allah could ever go to Hell and be cut off from God. Hell is a place for the sinners, No Prophet of Allah ever committed a sin. Therefore, some time after the demise of the Holy Prophet, someone came up with the idea that someone possibly Judas, was made by Allah to appear like Jesus. That person took the place of Jesus, whilst Allah saved Jesus and Allah took him physically alive up to heaven, where he will remain until the latter days!
The Ahmadi Muslims argue that such a belief implies that Allah is deceitful! That did Allah deceive the Jews into thinking that they have successfully killed Jesus, when really they killed someone else? Thus for 2000 years, Allah has been deceiving the Jews into allowing them to believe that Jesus was a false prophet, as they successfully killed him (or someone who appeared like him) on the cross, thus condemning him to hell. How could Jesus be true then, when he has gone into hell? Then of course, Allah is unjust! By allowing someone else to die in the place of Jesus, Allah has caused an innocent man to die and go to hell!
The Ahmadis Muslims say that this was not the belief of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, nor his companions, but was a later belief that crept into Islam.
Islam Messages 