by Mufti A.H. Elias and Mohammad Ali ibn Zubair Ali
Who Is Imam Mahdi?
Note: Please do not confuse Imam Mahdi withHadhrat Isa (Jesus)
AlayhisSalaam. They are two different persons, and both will come
during thelast days. According to Hadeeth, Imam Mahdi willappear
first, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will appear during Imam Mahdi's
lifetime. Furthermore, only Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) willbe able to kill
Dajjal (the"anti-Christ").
The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one".
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam) said,"This world will not come to an end until one
person from my progeny does not rule over the Arabs, and his name will
be the same as my name."(Tirmidhi)
Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said,"Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah to come, yet
Allah will surelysend a man from my family who will fill this world
with such justice and fairness, just as it initally was filled with
oppression." (Abu Dawood)
His Features
Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri(R.A.) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Al Mahdi will be from my progeny. His forehead
willbe broad and his nose willbe high. He will fill the world with
justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with
oppression. He will rule for seven years."
Other ahadeeth inform us that:
*. He will be tall
*. He will be fair complexioned
*. His facial features will besimilar to those of Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
*. His character will be exactly like that of Rasulullah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam)
*. His father's name will beAbdullah
*. His mother's name will be Aamina
*. He will speak with a slight stutter and occasionally this stutter
will frustrate him causing him to hit his hand upon his thigh.
*. His age at the time of his emergence will be forty years
*. He will receive Knowledge from Allah.
His Emergence and Rule
Hadhrat Umme Salmah (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said, " After the death of a Ruler there will be some
dispute between the people. At that time a citizen of Madina will flee
(from Madinah) and go to Makkah. While in Makkah, certain people will
approach him between Hajrul Aswad and Maqaame Ibraheem, and forcefully
pledge their allegiance to him.
Thereafter a huge army will proceed from Syria to attack him but when
theywill be at Baida, which is between Makkah and Madina, they will be
swallowed into the ground.
On seeing this, the Abdaals of Shaam as well as large numbers of
people from Iraq will come to him and pledge their allegiance to him.
Then a person from the Quraish, whose uncle will be from the Bani Kalb
tribe will send an army to attack him, only to be overpowered, by the
will of Allah. This (defeated) army will be that of the Bani Kalb.
Unfortunate indeed is he who does notreceive a share from the booty of
the Kalb. This person (Imam Mahdi) will distribute the spoils of war
after the battle. He will lead the people according to the Sunnat and
during his reign Islamwill spread throughout the world. He will remain
till seven years (since his emergence). He will pass away and the
Muslims will perform his Janazah salaat." (Abu Dawood)
According to a Hadeeth, Sayyidena Eesa (A.S.) will lead the Janaazah
of Imam Mahdi (A.S.).
While the people will be pledging their allegiance to Imaam Mahdi, a
voice from the unseen will call out:
"This is the representativeof Allah,
The Mahdi, listen to him and obey him"
This announcement whichwill be heard by all those present will
establish his authenticity. Another sign which will indicate the
authenticity of Imaam Mahdi wil be that in the Ramadhaan prior to his
emergence an eclipse of the sun and moon will occur.
Hadhrat Abu Umamah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said: "There will be four peace agreements between you and
the Romans. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who
will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (A.S.) and will be upheld
for seven years."
The people asked: "O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), who will
be the Imaam of the people at the time?"
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:"He will be from my
progeny and will be forty years of age. His face will shine like a
star and he will have a black spot on his left cheek. He will don two
"Qutwaani" cloaks and will appear exactly asa person from the Bani
Israeel..." (Tabrani)
According to hadith narrated by Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:.....
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