Which of you will have my similitude (shabah) cast upon him, so he is killed and crucified and will be with me in my rank?' A young man among them said: 'I, O Spirit of Allah.' He said: 'Then you are he.' Then Jesus said to them: 'Indeed, there is one among you who will disbelieve in me twelve times before morning.' A man among them said: 'I am he, O Prophet of Allah.' Jesus said to him: 'Do you feel that in yourself? Then let it be him.' Then Jesus said to them: 'Indeed, you will divide into three groups after me: two groups fabricating against Allah in the Fire, and one group following Sham'un, truthful concerning Allah, in Paradise.' Then Allah raised Jesus to Him from the corner of the house while they were looking at him. Then Abu Ja'far said: 'The Jews came seeking Jesus that night, and they took the man to whom Jesus had said, 'Indeed, there is one among you who will disbelieve in me twelve times before morning,' and they took the young man upon whom the similitude of Jesus was cast, so he was killed and crucified. And the one to whom Jesus said, 'You will disbelieve before morning twelve times,' disbelieved."1
This incident resembles the incident of our Master Hanzala bin As'ad Al-Shabami, from him is peace, and the way our Master Al-Hussein, may his glory be exalted, requested to bear the matter of the killing. So pay attention, may Allah grant you success, to the phrase: (Which of you will have my similitude cast upon him, so he is killed and crucified and will be with me in my rank? A young man among them said: 'I, O Spirit of Allah.')
Narrations of Opponents regarding Similitude
From Abdullah bin Abbas, from the route of Ali bin Abi Talha, concerning {And We would have certainly covered them with the same obscurity}, he says: We made it resemble to them.2
From Qatada bin Di'ama, from the route of Sa'id, concerning his saying: {And We would have certainly covered them with the same obscurity with which they obscure themselves}, he says: "No people made something obscure for themselves but Allah made it obscure for them. The obscurity is only from the people. Allah has clarified for the servants, sent His Messengers, established the proof against them, showed them the signs, and gave them prior warning."3