Jesus’ Second Coming in a Fatwā by al-Suyūṭī

The essay aims at analyzing a relatively short fatwā on Jesus’ second coming on earth: Kitāb\r\nal-i‘lām bi-ḥukm ‘Īsā ‘alayhi al-salām (The Book of Declaration of Jesus’ Judgement, Peace Be\r\nUpon Him). It is found in the well-known al-Suyūṭī’s fatāwā collection, al-Ḥāwī lil-fatāwī, but\r\ncirculated also separately. Among his numerous contributions to eschatology, this eschatologicallegal treaty explores matters in relation to the judgement of Jesus on his return before the Last Day.\r\nAl-Suyūṭī, specifically, addresses an issue that has occupied the minds of commentators on several\r\naḥādīṯ concerning the son of Mary, namely, the kind of rules he will follow.