Question

As'Salamu'Alaykum. Is there an approximate hijri year that the Sunni Ulema with esoteric knowledge have predicted that Isa (Alayhi'Salam) will arrive again onto planet earth? As it is 1437 [hijri] now, is the arrival very soon or 100's of years away?

Answer

Wa alaykumussalam

Imam Ahmad Rida predicted that in 1837 AH there will be no Islamic government in the world and in 1900 AH Imam Mahdi will appear. As it is currently 1437 AH, this means according to this prediction, Imam Mahdi will appear in approximately 463 years. Sayyiduna Isa (alayhis salam) will descend after the arrival of Imam Mahdi.

This prediction was derived by the Imam using calculations based on Ilm e Jafar; however, it is only a prediction. Only Allah knows the true date of qiyamah and the arrival of Sayyiduna Isa (alayhis salam), and through the bestowal of Allah, His Messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) knows.

And Allah knows best
Muhammad Kalim 
8 Ramadan 1437 

Verified by Mufti Zahid Hussain al-Qadiri

From al-Malfūdh Sharīf, pp. 380:

There are three types of Qiyāmah.

The first type is, Qiyamah al-Sughrā [small/minor Qiyāmah] and that is death. It is said, When anyone of you die, indeed Qiyāmah begins.

The second Qiyāmah is that all the people of one generation will die and a new set of people are born to replace the departed generation.

The third type is Qiyāmah al-Kubrā [Major/Final Qiyāmah]. This is when the skies, earth and everything in it will be destroyed.