Qadianis in their series of absurd arguments about Jesus’ (PBUH) life claim that he went to Kashmir and died there. To your surprise, they even tend to use an ayah of the Quran and some Ahadith to prove his arrival in Kashmir.

Place of shelter, rest and security for Jesus (PBUH):

They contend that following ayah refers to his arrival in Kashmir;

“And We made the son of Mary and his mother as a Sign: We gave them both shelter on high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs.” (Quran 23:50)

They suggest that ‘high ground, affording rest and security and furnished with springs’ is a reference to Kashmir.

Those who have known classical and basic tafasir know how ridiculous this assertion is. In the following lines we understand it in the light of authentic sources and valid reasoning.

1) The verse calls both Jesus and his mother Mary, together a sign. This is nothing but a reference to miraculous birth of Jesus (PBUH).

2) Immediately after calling them a sign (i.e. making a reference to the miraculous birth) it is mentioned that they were also provided with a safe shelter to rest in peace. This clearly gives a notion of being saved from some trouble.

3) From the Biblical source (Matthew 2:13-14), which we cannot reject as long as it goes with Quran and Hadith, we learn that immediately after the birth both the mother and son had to move out of their actual place to find a shelter as King Herod was bent on taking the life of the child.

4) According to narrations of Wahab bin Munabbih (cf. Abd b. Hamid, Ibn Asaakir etc.), Ibn Zaid (cf. Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim), Zaid bin Muslim and Ibn Abbas (cf. Ibn Asaakir) ‘high ground affording rest and security…’ refers to Egypt. This goes directly in line with what is narrated in the Gospels that Jesus (PBUH) and his Mother had to flee to Egypt for the fear of King Herod. See Matthew 2:13-14

5) While according to other narrations of Abdullah bin Salam, Ibn Abbas and Hassan (cf. Ibn Asaakir) it refers to Damascus. Assuming Damascus to be actually a reference to a broader region it can perhaps be understood to mean Nazareth where both Jesus (PBUH) and his Mother had to seek shelter on their return from Egypt for the fear of Archelaus. See Matthew 2:22-23

6) Some other narrations (mostly of dubious authority) relate it to Ramallah. Still it’s in that same region and no where near Kashmir.

7) None of the Sahaba, early commentators, scholars who followed and even common Muslims ever thought it to be a reference to so far off a region as Kashmir. Had this verse something to do with what Qadianis assert Holy Prophet (PBUH) would surely have told his companions about it but he never said anything on those lines. There is not even a shred of evidence for Qadiani stance.

8) Lest one object as to why we seek evidence with Biblical narrations, let it be clear that we seek evidence only in the narrations from Sahaba, the direct students of Holy Prophet (PBUH) and in turn their students among the followers. We refer to Biblical evidences only because they go in line with our sources of value and we are allowed to refer to the narrations of People of Book if they go along with Quran and Hadith. Same is the case here as explained above.

Do Ahadith support Jesus’ (PBUH) travel to Kashmir?

Qadianis use a couple of narrations to meet their ends. Let’s understand their reality.
First of them goes as:

“Dearest to Allah are the strangers who flee (their homelands) with their Faith. On the Day of Judgment Allah will raise them with Jesus son of Mary.” (Kanzul Ummal 3/153 H.5930 cf. Abu Na’im)

The narration is weak and unauthentic. Albani called it Daeef in Silsala Daeefa No. 1859. Some scholars have called the essence of this Hadith as true but surely this Hadith only points to the fact that Jesus (PBUH) also left his place for the sake of Deen and we just saw how narrations and other evidences agree that he did travel to Egypt and then to a district around Damascus. This narration has nothing in it to to help Qadianis!

Another narration is:

‘Allah revealed this to Jesus; O Jesus keep moving from one place to another lest they know you and tease you.’ (Kanzul Ummal 3/158 H.5955 cf. Ibn Asaakir)

This narration is also weak. Infact the Ali Muttaqi, the compiler of Kanzul Ummal himself says after quoting mentions that in its chain is Hani Bin Mutawakkil who is Majhool (i.e. unknown) and most certainly a narration with a Majhool narrator in its chain is Daeef and thus unauthentic.

Even if these narrations were authentic they simply refer to Jesus’ (PBUH) fleeing his land for his mission and to be safe from the evil of the people. All this has been explained above in the light of classical Islamic narrations and Biblical evidences. They have nothing to do with the fairy tale of Jesus' (PBUH) travel to Kashmir.

Jesus (PBUH) was raised to Heavens from Mount of Olives in Jerusalem:

Contrary to Qadiani belief, there is substantial evidence that Jesus (PBUH) was raised alive to Heavens from Jerusalem itself.

It is narrated from Ummul Momineen Safiya (RA) that when she visited Bait Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) and finished prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque she climbed up to Mt. Olives and prayed there as well and said: ‘This is the mountain from where Jesus (PBUH) was raised up to the Heavens.’ (Al-Tasrih bima Tawatar fi Nuzul Al-Masih Hadith 74 cf. Tafsir Fath Al-Aziz Surah 95)

This also debunks the baseless Qadiani belief about Jesus (PBUH).

INDEED ALLAH KNOWS THE BEST!