Is there anyone here who can prove to me that Jesus is alive in heaven using Quranic quotation? Surah 3:144 clearly states that messengers before Muhammad (saw) had passed away - which includes Jesus who was his predecessor.
where is the evidence he is alive?
Thanks
Actually verse 3:144 does not say that all the other prophets have died you clearly missed the topic of the verse and relevance.
The historical background is that during the battle of Uhud a rumor arose that Muhammad () has been killed, some of the Muslims kept on fighting while others didn't.
When Muslims suffered defeat in battle at Uhud and some of them were killed, Shaytan shouted, "Muhammad has been killed.'' Ibn Qami'ah went back to the idolators and claimed, "I have killed Muhammad.'' Some Muslims believed this rumor and thought that the Messenger of Allah had been killed, claiming that this could happen, for Allah narrated that this occurred to many Prophets before. Therefore, the Muslims' resolve was weakened and they did not actively participate in battle. This is why Allah sent down to His Messenger His statement.
(Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed Messengers have passed away before him.)
he is to deliver Allah's Message and may be killed in the process, just as what happened to many Prophets before. (Source qtafsir a summary of Tafseer ibn Kathir)
The verse starts with:
Muhammad is not but a messenger.
So it confirms that Muhammad () is a Messenger and with the following statement emphasize that any thing which may happen to other messengers is applicable for Muhammad () too by initiating this saying:
[Other] messengers have passed on before him.
Certainly "other" in the given translation is based on the majority view and interpretation of Tafseer scholars such as at-Tabari. All this messengers have gone or better don't have any existence (by now) on earth (referring to what some people call the fatrah).
Note that the qur'an to express this uses the verb خلا which means that other prophets and messengers preceeded Muhammad () and they left their followers who spread their teaching (and this is what Allah expected from the companions in the given situation). So خلا here is a very expressive word as it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have died, but the possibility of being lifted by Allah stays wide open. In fact to express that they have died the qur'an should have used خلّا not خلا, but the qur'an actually left it open. Note that ibn 'Abbas also read رسل (in Arabic a nakirah نكرة noun which means it is undetermined) instead of الرسل (in Arabic a m'arifah معرفة noun which would mean that the word is determined) which could be used as another proof for the used translation "other" instead of "all" messengers because رسل refers to only a part of the messengers (mufasssiryn such as ibn' Atiyyah and az-Zamakhshari pointed at this recitation).
So the verse means that we and the believers who were addressed by the verses are asked to look back in history and what happend to other (earlier) Messengers (It says make a comparison all what is possible or might have happened to earlier prophets may happen to Muhammad and each person may be taken out of this life!) and learn from history.
The qur'an elsewhere mentioned that the death of messengers (see for example 2:133 and 34:14) or that they were killed (See for example 2:87, 3:112, 3:181, 4:155) that's why it asks what would you (the Muslim believers) do if something similar would happen to Muhammad () saying:
So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.
Furthermore note that killed or die refers to Muhammad () only as the speech is about him and the qur'an no where said all messengers* have either died or have been killed it always quotes "some" of them. And above this surat al-'Imran in the chronology of revelation comes before surat an-Nisa' in which we may find indications denying the killing, crossing and death of 'Isa() . To conclude from this verse the death or killing of all other messengers is therefore far-fetched.
To conclude the main message of the verse is not that (all) prophets before Muhammad () died, but that Allah the Almighty may leave all of them die in some ways and that death is prescribed to all of them including Muhammad () . And the focus is rather on how their followers will act once Allah decides the moment of death has come.
This verse therefore is not an evidence for the death of 'Isa. Nor is there any verse confirming his death.
In fact the qur'an says that Allah will take 'Isa () and raise him to himself:
[Mention] when Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ. (3:55)
And it also says that none has killed 'Isa () and again the qur'an confirms that Allah raised 'Isa and added that the people of the book will believe in 'Isa before his death -and this still didn't happen, so he can't be dead-:
And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah ." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. (157)
Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise. (158)
And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness. (159) (4:157-159)
For further information refer to Evidence for the return of Jesus from the Quran
We can not prove it to you (i.e. convince you) if your mind is already set, but we can refer you to the evidence, then guidance is upon Allah to give. Stack Exchange is not meant for preaching and debating, so if you seek that you are in the wrong place.
The evidence that 'Isa is alive is in the Quran in three places. The first ayah is:
وَيُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًا
He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity (3:46)
This part of Surat Ale-Imran tells of the many merits, signs and specialties of 'Isa. Speaking to the people while still in the cradle is undoubtedly an extraordinary event and this happened as recorded in Surah Maryam (19:29)
The second miracle is 'speaking at maturity' (كَهْلًا) and this is pointing towards his address on his return from the heavens. This is the most plausible interpretation as otherwise speaking at maturity is normal and very unremarkable, it is not worth being mentioned in this context.
The second ayah is from Surat An-Nisa:
وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ إِلَّا لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِۦ وَيَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيدًا
And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in Jesus before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness. (4:159)
The most plausible interpretation of "before his death" (قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ) is before the death of 'Isa. Any other interpretation of the pronouns will be strange and easily disproved by simple observation, as we don't find them believing in 'Isa before dying themselves, and we don't find them believing in anything correct untill now, so the only plausible interpretation is that this will happen in the future, and 'Isa will only die after it will happen.
The third ayah is:
وَإِنَّهُۥ لَعِلْمٌ لِّلسَّاعَةِ
And indeed, Jesus will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour (43:61)
The most plausible interpretation is that "he \ it" (إِنَّهُۥ) refers to 'Isa, because the context both before and after this ayah is about him, it would be very strange to haphazardly change the subject to something that is not present in the context.
This ayah of Surat Az-Zukhruf tells that 'Isa will be a sign of the final hour. This means that he will come near it and hence that he is not dead.
Now, coming to your question. Your claim is that this ayah:
Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]?
... says that the Messengers before Muhammad have died, so 'Isa must have died.
Your claim is false as قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ does not literally mean that they have died, but means that "there have been" or "have gone". You can compare with ayat that use similar expressions:
مَّا ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ
The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. (5:75)
وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِمُ ٱلْمَثُلَـٰتُ
there has already occurred before them similar punishments (13:6)
Even if we were to accept for a moment that it is talking about death, there is no valid argument that ٱلرُّسُلُ means all the Messengers, as it can mean some (بعض). Consider these ayat:
وَإِذْ قَالَتِ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ يَـٰمَرْيَمُ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَٱصْطَفَىٰكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَآءِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
And [mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. (3:42)
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ
Indeed, those whom the angels take [in death] while wronging themselves (4:97)
These ayat do not mean that all the angels came to Maryam, nor that all the angels take souls on death, but it means some angels.
