Among the available hadith books, the earliest is As-Sahifah As-Sahiha, which is famously known as Sahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih. Hammam ibn Munabbih was a Follower of the Companions (Tabi‘i) and a disciple of Abu Huraira (RA). He compiled this document shortly before the year 58 H. It includes a total of 138 hadiths, all of which have been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (RA). These hadiths cover various subjects including beliefs, worship, mutual dealings, transactions, ethics, and manners. Surprisingly, this document does not contain any tradition regarding the Second Coming of Jesus. This absence of the relative narratives in the earliest compilation proves intriguing from several aspects
Firstly, from the aspect of how such an extraordinary tradition could be overlooked.
Secondly, one needs to consider the fact that Abu Huraira (RA) is one of the narrators who transmitted the traditions about the Second Coming of Jesus. It is astonishing that he did not include this tradition when dictating hadiths to his direct student, even though he had mentioned it elsewhere.
Thirdly, from the aspect that this document does contain the following two narratives concerning Jesus:
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: رأى عيسى ابن مريم رجلاً يسرق، فقال له عيسى: سرقت؟ فقال: كلا والذي لا إله إلا هو، فقال عيسى: آمنت باللّٰه وكذبت عيني.
The Prophet (PBUH), said: Jesus, the son of Mary, saw a man stealing. Jesus asked him: ‘Did you steal?’ He replied: ‘Certainly not, I swear by Him, besides whom there is no deity.’ Jesus said: ‘I believe in Allah and I deny my own eyes.’ (Sahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih, No. 41)
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: أنا أولى الناس بعيسى ابن مريم في الأولى والآخرة قالوا: كيف يا رسول اللّٰه؟ قال: الأنبياء إخوة من علات وأمهاتهم شتى، ودينهم واحد، فليس بيننا نبي.
he Prophet (PBUH), said: 'In this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. People asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, how is that?' He replied: 'The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one, and there is no prophet between us.’ (Sahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih, No. 133)
Given that the tradition of the Second Coming of Jesus is obviously more significant and prominent in terms of content compared to these two traditions, the question arises: if these traditions are included, why is the more significant tradition not included?
Fourthly, from the aspect that this document also includes the following narrative concerning the Dajjal (the false Messiah):
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: لا تقوم الساعة حتى ينبعث دجالون كذابون قريب من ثلاثين كلهم يزعم أنه رسول اللّٰه.
The Prophet (PBUH), said: ‘The Hour will not come until nearly thirty false Dajjals appear, each of whom will claim to be the messenger of Allah.’ (Sahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih, No. 24)
The question arises that if the tradition regarding Dajjal is included, then why is it not the most important tradition concerning Dajjal included, which mentions the killing of Dajjal at the hands of Prophet Jesus?
Fifthly, in Sahifah Hammam ibn Munabbih, five narratives related to the signs of the Day of Judgment have been conveyed. They describe that near the Day of Judgment, the sun will rise from the West, wealth will become abundant, knowledge will be taken away, the appearance of fitnah (tribulations) will increase, murder and mayhem will proliferate, there will be a major battle between two groups, and Muslims will fight a nation whose faces will be red, noses flat, and eyes small. These narratives are:
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: لا تقوم الساعة حتى تطلع الشمس من مغربها فإذا طلعت ورآها الناس آمنوا أجمعون، وذلك حين لا ينفع نفساً إيمانها لم تكن آمنت من قبل أو كسبت في إيمانها خيرًا.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not come until the sun rises from the West, and when it rises and people see it, they will all believe, but that will be the time when believing will not benefit no one. It is as if he (that is, such a believer) had not believed before or earned some good through his faith.’ (Sahifah Hammam bin Munabbih, No. 25)
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: لا تقوم الساعة حتى يكثر فيكم المال فيفيض حتى يهم رب المال من يتقبل منه صدقته. قال: ويقبض العلم ويقترب الزمان وتظهر الفتن ويكثر الهرج، قالوا: الهرج اي هو يا رسول اللّٰه؟ قال القتل القتل.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The Hour will not come until wealth increases amongst you, overflowing to the extent that the owner of wealth will be concerned about who will accept his obligatory charity’. He said: ‘Knowledge will be taken away, time will draw near, fitnah will appear, and Harj (chaos, murder) will increase in frequency.’ They asked: ‘What is Harj, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘Killing, bloodshed.’ (Sahifah Hammam bin Munabbih, No. 22)
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: لا تقوم الساعة حتى تقتتل فئتان عظيمتان تكون بينهما مقتلة عظيمة و دعواهما واحدة.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The Hour will not come until two great groups fight each other, and there will be a great battle between them, and their cause will be the same.’ (Sahifah Hammam bin Munabbih, No. 23)
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: لا تقوم الساعة حتى تقاتلوا جور كرمان، قوماً من الأعاجم حمر الوجوه فطس الأنوف، صغار الأعين، كأن وجوههم المجان المطرقة.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The Hour will not come until you fight Joora Karman; a non-Arab people with red faces, squashed noses, and small eyes, as if their faces are like flattened shields.’ (Sahifah Hammam bin Munabbih, No. 125)
وقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: لا تقوم الساعة حتى تقاتلوا قوماً نعالهم الشعر.
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘The Hour will not come until you fight a people whose shoes are made of hair.’ (Sahifah Hammam bin Munabbih, No. 127)
The inclusion of these narratives related to the signs of the approaching Day of Judgment in the Sahifah of Hammam bin Munabbih and the non-inclusion of the most pivotal sign, the descent of Jesus, casts doubt on the traditions concerning the descent of Prophet Jesus.