Allah said,
﴿وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ إِلاَّ
لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيَـمَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهِيداً
﴾
(And there is none of the People of the Scripture, but must believe in him, before
his death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he will be a witness against them.) Ibn
Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented,
﴿وَإِن مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَـبِ إِلاَّ
لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ﴾
(And there is none of the People of the Scripture, but must believe in him, before
his death.) before the death of `Isa, son of Maryam, peace be upon him. Al-`Awfi
reported similar from Ibn `Abbas. Abu Malik commented;
﴿إِلاَّ لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ
مَوْتِهِ﴾
(but must believe in him, before his death.) "This occurs after `Isa returns and
before he dies, as then, all of the People of the Scriptures will believe in him.''