Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 34041 — Reports on how Allah favoured Isa

Sa'id bin Jubayr reports that Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: When Allah Almighty willed to raise Isa (peace be upon him) to the heaven, he came out to his disciples, who were twelve at that time. He had come out from a spring in the house, and drops of water were falling from his head. He said: Some of you will disbelieve in me twelve times after having believed in me. Then he said: Which of you is prepared to have my likeness cast upon him and be killed in my place, and he will be with me in my rank? A young man stood up and said: I am prepared. Isa (peace be upon him) said: Sit down. He asked again, and the young man stood up again, and he said: Sit down. He asked a third time, and the young man stood up and said: I am prepared. He said: Very well, you are the one. So the likeness of Isa (peace be upon him) was cast upon him. He said: Isa (peace be upon him) was raised to the heaven through a skylight in the house. The force of the Jews came, seized his look-alike, killed him and then crucified him. Some of them disbelieved in him twelve times after having believed in him. After that they split into three groups. One group said: Allah Almighty was among us for a time, then He went up to the heaven; these are the Jacobites. Another group said: The son of Allah was among us, then Allah raised him up; these are the Nestorians. And another group said: The servant of Allah and His Messenger was with us for a time, then Allah raised him up; these are the Muslims. The disbelieving groups overpowered the Muslims, fought them and killed them, and Islam remained obliterated until Allah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and Allah revealed the verse: "Then a group of the Children of Israel believed," meaning the group that believed and was in the time of Isa (peace be upon him), "and a group disbelieved," which was in the time of Isa (peace be upon him). "So We supported those who believed," meaning those who believed in the time of Isa (peace be upon him), "against their enemy," by making the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) prevail over the religion of the disbelievers, "and they became dominant" [Al-Saff: 14].