How will the Mahdibe recognized? (The Mahdi's spiritual attributes)

The hadiths of our Prophet (saas) contain a great deal of detailed
information and signs about the End Times thatwill take place close to
Doomsday. According to the information imparted by our Prophet(saas),
a great many significant events will take place one after the other at
that time. In thefirst stage of the End Times there will be
greatcorruption and chaos onEarth, and in the second stage peace and
securitywill prevail as people begin living by true religious moral
values.
In the first stage of the End Times there will be terrible
degeneration and chaos among people because of various philosophical
systems that inculcate atheism and irreligion by their refusal to
acceptthe existence of Almighty Allah (God). Humanity will turn away
from the purpose behind its creation, leading to enormous spiritual
emptiness and moral degeneration. There will be terrible disasters,
wars and famines, and all people will seek the answer to the question,
How can we be saved? in order tobring these troubles to an end. The
majority of these developments related as portents of the End Times in
the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) have taken place in our time, just
as reported. The recent growing rise in war and conflict, terror,
violence, anarchy and chaos, slaughter and torture are a sign that the
first stage of the End Times is now taking place.
According to the information in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas),
Allah will rescue people from the chaos ofthe End Times after this
period of darkness and bestow a great salvationupon them. Allah will
make the Mahdi, in other words a servant with superior moral values
and who bears the title of he who leads to the truth, lead people who
have turned their backs on proper moral values and societies that have
suffered degeneration to the truepath. By the will of Allah,the Mahdi
will enable humanity to live by true Qur'anic moral values by ridding
Islam of all corruption and superstition. In the first stage of the
End Times, he will resolve all the chaos, social problems and societal
difficulties facing humanity and willbe a means whereby happiness,
peace, security and proper moral values prevail over the entire world.
THE SPIRITUAL ATTRIBUTESOF THE MAHDI
Various features of the Mahdi are described in several of the hadiths
of our Prophet (saas). The spiritual attributes of theMahdi that we
shall be examining in the light ofthese hadiths are all important
guides to our being able to recognize this great individual of the End
Times.
In these hadiths that we are looking at, our Prophet (saas) provides a
great deal of descriptive information about the spiritual attributes
of the Mahdi. He has reported that the Mahdi's moral values resemble
his own, and praised his fear of Allah and moral virtues. Our Prophet
(saas) stated that the Mahdi would bea very valuable personage who
would be a means whereby people attain salvation in this world and in
the Hereafter. He also told people to abide by him even if it means
crawling over snow when the Mahdi appears.
The period we are living in is the period awaited for the last
fourteen hundred years, when this historic event related by our
Prophet (saas) has drawn near. All Muslims who are aware of this fact
and who wish to attain the honor of being at the Mahdi's side when he
appears must carefully read the information described throughout this
article and impartedin the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), and
mustgrasp all means of accurately identifying this holy individual.
Because the careful study and examination of this information will, by
Allah's leave, be a guide to the recognitionof this holy personage.
There can be no doubt that preparing the ground for and assisting such
a holy individual who will be a means whereby Islam returns toits true
essence and Qur'anic moral values prevail over all the world is an
important responsibility for Muslims. Being one of those close to such
a blessed individual as the Mahdi, being able to support him and being
able to help in his work aimed at the benefit of all humanity is a
great blessing and honor for all believers.
The Mahdi is a holy personage, the tidings of whose sending in the End
Times have been imparted by our Prophet(saas), who will free Muslims
from a climate of oppression and trouble, who will eliminate the
strife on Earth and bring peace, justice, plenty, happinessand
well-being to all the world. According to reliable accounts
transmitted from our Prophet (saas), the Mahdi will restore the faith,
which has been turned away from its true essence with various
superstitious beliefs and practices, to that original nature, will
meet with the Prophet 'Isa (as), and will, by Allah's leave, be a
means whereby the moral values of Islam, the one true faith, come to
prevail over the whole world.
He Will Be A Fighter
According to what we are told in the hadiths ofour Prophet (saas), the
Mahdi will be a role model for all believers, both with his superior
moral values and with his powerful, fighter character:
The Mahdi will be dedicated to his work. (Portents of the Last
Day,Barzanji, p. 175)
The Mahdi will perform his duties scrupulously and will not go back on
his word. (The Book of Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, p. 24)
The Mahdi will appear from the East. Even if mountains rise up before
him he will crush and cross them, and he will find a path for himself
in those mountains. (The Book of Portents of the Awaited Mahdi, p. 39)
He Will Fear Allah
The more a person fears Allah, the closer he draws to Him. That is
because fear of Allah brings with it the devotion and love felt for
Almighty Allah. As is stated in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), the
fear of Allah possessed by the Mahdi will be exceedingly powerful:
Mahdi is a person who, as the shaking of a bird's wings, has a deep
fear for Allah. (The Bookof Portents of the Awaited Mahdi of the End
Times [Al- Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar], p. 23)
His Maintenance and Observance of the Bounds Set by Allah
Even a word uttered against Islam offends hisfeelings. (Ibn Hajar
Al-Makki, "Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar", p.
15-75)
He Will Be Virtuous
Almighty Allah has dispatched many emissaries throughout history. It
is reported in the Qur'an that the emissaries possess excellent moral
values. In the verse, "Indeed you are truly vast in character." (Surat
al-Qalam, 4), it is reported that our Prophet Muhammad (saas)
possessed superior moral virtues. As we are told in the hadiths, the
Mahdi, a holy envoy of Allah, will also possess this attribute:
Mahdi is extremely submissive towards Allah. In moral terms, he is
like the Prophet (saas). (Portents of the Last Day, Barzanji, p.163)
A child of mine whose morality is similar to me will emerge.
(Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhiraz-Zaman, p. 21)
He Will Behave Justly
Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali Said:
"When the Mahdi from our Ahl al-Bayt emerges, he will distribute the
goods equally. He treats the people justly. Whoever submits him, he
would submit to Allah. He is named as theMahdi. That is because He
will guide to a secret (unknown) deed."
(Mer'iy ibn Yusuf ibn AbuBakr ibn Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Makhdi, "Faraidu
Fawaidil Fikri fi Imamil Mahdi al-Muntadhar")
Just as how the earth was full of cruelty and injustice, Mahdi will
fill itwith justice and righteousness. (Ali Ibn Sultan Muhammad al
Qaari "Risalat Mashrab alVardi fi Mazhabi'l Mahdi)
He Will Be Greatly Loved by All
The measure that believers observe in loving someone is that person's
closeness to, love and fear of and devotion to Allah. For that reason,
whoever most manifests the titles of our Lord that is the person who
is most loved and respected by believers. Indeed, the envoys were
people who most manifested the titles of Almighty Allah and who
exhibited the highest virtues in terms of faith. Our Prophet (saas)
has indicated that the Mahdiwill be the best-loved individual of the
age during the End Times:
Allah (c.c.) will fill all people's hearts with his (Mahdi's) love.
(Al-Khavlu'l Mukhtasar Fi Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 42)
No individual who will not be pleased with the ummah of the Muhammad
will remain. (Portents of the Last Day,Barzanji, p. 163)
Abu Abdullah Nuaym ibn Hammad related from Abdullah ibn Masud as follows:
Allah will place his [Mahdi's] love in people's hearts. This waythey
will be a community who becomelions during the day and spend their
nights in worship. (Ukayli "En-Necmu's-sakıb fi Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi
minAvladı Ali ibn Abu Talib Ala't-Tamam va'l Kamal")
The people of the earth and heavens, and even the birds in the sky
will assent to his caliphate. (Al-Khavlu'l Mukhtasar Fi Alamat
al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 29)
He Will Be the Most Auspicious of the Time
The world, which will bein a state of chaos in the period when the
Mahdi appears, will begin experiencing an enlightened age by means of
him. Through him, much that is auspicious will take place. It is
reported in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) that the Mahdi will be
the most auspicious person of the age:
Join the person who is the most auspicious of the ummah of the
Muhammad and your guardian who removes the difficulties…He is
theMahdi. (Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 57)
He will be the most auspicious of his time. (Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi
`Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 27)
Mahdi is the most auspicious of the people (in his time.) (Al-Burhan
fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhiraz-Zaman, s. 58) "Mahdi is the most
auspicious of people." (Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Khari al-Hanafi
"Risalatul Mashrab alvardi fi mazhabil Mahdi")
The Power of His Message
The hadiths below concerning the power ofthe Mahdi's message are
interpreted in different ways in addition to theirapparent meanings.
One of these interpretations may take this form: By turning to someone
whois compared to a dry treeand being a means whereby they come to the
truth, the Mahdi will make this person, who was formerly of no use to
his surroundings, just like a dry tree, useful to his surroundings,
like a tree that has flourished and borne fruit, in other words to his
state, nation, faith and all of humanity.
When the Mahdi plants adry tree, the tree will immediately turn green
and sprout. (Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p.
43)
He (the Mahdi) will plant a dry seed in a dry land, and it will at
once turn green and sprout. (Portents of the Last Day,Barzanji, p.
165)
Similarly, it is reported in the hadiths below that someone who was
previously ignorant, parsimonious and timid will become generous and
courageous in the End Times through the message and teaching ofthe
Mahdi, and that he will change his character, just like a treethat was
formerly dry and unproductive flourishing and bearing leaves:
In his age, an ignorant, parsimonious and timid man will immediately
become learned, generous and courageous. (Portents ofthe Last Day,
Barzanji, p. 186)
His Wisdom and Power of Understanding
It is reported in the hadiths that the Mahdi will have a special power
bestowed on himby Allah:
He is called the Mahdi, for he is the holder of a secret power nobody
is able to know. (The Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Ali ibn
Husamaddin Al Muttakhi,Kahraman Publishing House. p. 77)
Muhyiddin Arabi, one of the great Islamic scholars, has set out in his
works nine of the main noteworthy characteristics of the Mahdi:
1. He has foresight
2. He understands the Holy Book
3. He knows the meaning of the verses
4. He knows the condition and actions of the people he will appoint
5. He remains compassionate and just even when angered
6. He knows the classes of entities
7. He knows the hidden sides of matters
8. He has a good understanding of people's needs
9. He knows the secret knowledge particularly needed in his own time.
He Preserves the Truth inthe Face of Oppressors
Hafiz Abu Abdullah Nuaym ibn Hammad has reported from Jafar ibn Yasar
A-sami in his book Fiten:
The Mahdi will defend the truth against the oppressors. Indeed, he
will extract the molar tooth (anything unjustly held) of a (cruel)
person and restore it to its rightful owner. (An-Nacmu's-Saqib fi
Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi minAvladı Ali b. Abu Talib Ale't-Temam ve'l Qamal)
The Surveillance – Following – of the Mahdi
When the Dajjal appears, a person among the believers (the Mahdi)
turns against him. Then, manyarmed men, those armed men charged with
surveillance in Dajjal's headquarters oppose him. (Muslim, related
from v. 11/s. 393)
At the beginning of the hadiths it is reported that the Mahdi will be
subjected to surveillanceby the supporters of the Dajjal. We also
learn from the Qur'an that some prophets struggling on the path of
Allah had also been subjected to surveillancein earlier periods, and
that the aim had been tothus keep them under control:
He is nothing but a man possessed so wait a while and see what happens
to him. (Surat al-Muminun, 25)
He Will Face Troubles and Difficulties
Most of the envoys sent to warn peoples living far removed from
religious moral values and to call them to the true path have been
rejected by the peoples to whom they were sent and subjected to
variousfalse accusations and slanders. We are told in hadiths that the
Mahdi, who will be descended from the line of the Prophet (saas), will
also encounter such troubles and difficulties. (Allah knows best.)
Our Prophet (saas) stated:
The Mahdi is among us, one from the Ahl al-Bayt…We are such a
household that, for us, Allah preferred the Hereafter over this world.
After me, my Ahl al-Bayt will surely be subjected to trouble,
abduction and banishment.
After me, my Ahl al-Bayt will meet trouble and torment, and be
subjected to expulsion. (Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman,
p.14)
…Mahdi will emerge at atime when, one after another, disasters befall
people and people lose hope of his appearance. He prays two rakaat.
When he returns from the prayer he says: "People! The Ummah of
Muhammad and especially his Ahl al-Bayt have undergone many troubles…"
(Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 55)
Those troubles befalling the one who is profoundand strong in his
faith are grand. (Ibn Hibban)
He Will Appear With Sacred Objects
We are told in many hadiths that the Mahdi will emerge from a
placewhere there are sacred objects and that he will be the first
person to open these. One of thesehadiths reads:
Naim ibn Hammad related from Abu Jaffar;
"Mahdi emerges at the time of night with our Prophet's banner, shirt,
sword, signs, light and beautiful expression."(Ali Ibn Sultan Muhammad
al-Qaari al-Hanafi "Risalat Mashrab al Vardi fi Mazhabi'l Mahdi)
He [the Mahdi] will emerge with the Prophet's banner. That banner has
four edges and is seam-free and its color is black. There exists a
ring above it. That banner has not been opened since the time our
Prophet passed away and it will be opened when Mahdi emerges.
(Portents of the Mahdi of the Akhir Zaman, Ali ibn Husamattin Al
Muttaki, p.22)
He Will Be Grateful to Allah Alone
When we examine the stories of the prophets in the Qur'an we see
thatthey have turned to Allah under all circumstances. We also learn
of their sincere devotion to Allah and the love and fear they felt
towards Him from the Qur'an. As emphasized in the hadiths below, this
characteristic will also be seen in the Mahdi:
"Mahdi is one of us, one of the Ahl-i Bayt. He is a person who does
not feel grateful to anyone other than Allah." (as-Suyuti, al-Havi,
2/24)
There Will Be Black Propaganda about the Mahdi
The supporters of the Dajjal, the enemy of Islam, will blacken the
name of the Mahdi in written and verbal media and will attempt to
weaken his prestige in the public eye. This is indicated as follows in
one of the hadiths:
When that Muslim personage (the Mahdi) sees the Dajjal, he says:
"People! This is the Dajjal of whom the Prophet (saas) mentioned."
Dajjal giveshis order about him right away and that person is laid
upon his stomach and from his back it is said: "Take himand beat him."
Then thatperson's back and stomach is broadened bybeating. This time
he [the Dajjal] grabs him by his two hands and two feet and hurls him.
People assume Dajjal throws him into a fire. But in fact he is thrown
away to the Garden. (Mahdism and Imamism, Ibrahim Suleymanoglu, p. 40)
We are told in the hadiths that the Mahdi will be broadened by being
beaten on his back and stomach. The author of the book says in
reference to this section that the Mahdi's fame will constantly be
declared and disseminated. Yet since itis the supporters of the Dajjal
who will do this, itmay be said that this propaganda will blackenthe
name of the Mahdi. However, although this may appear to be
infelicitous at first sight, it will be a means whereby the Mahdi is
recognized and wherebythe moral values of Islamare spread.
He Will Be Far from Sight
Naim ibn Hammad reported thus from Abu Jafar:
...At nights he will be engaged in worship while he will be hidden
during the day... (Ukayli "An-Najmu's-sakıb fi Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi
minAwladi Ali ibn Abu Talib Ala't-Tamam va'l kamal")
He Will Be Supported by Angels
In the majority of storiesabout the prophets it can be seen that they
were always supported by help from Allah in communicating their
message of religious moral values or whenever they encountered a
difficult situation. In the same way that this assistance might reach
the prophets in a moment, or take various forms such as natural
phenomena, it also took place with help from angels. In one of the
hadiths, our Prophet (saas) has revealed that Allah will help the
Mahdi by means of angels:
"Allah (cc) will help him (the Mahdi) by means of three angels. They
will beat the faces and backsof those who oppose him (the Mahdi)."
(Ikdu'd Durer, p. 12)
He Will Know What is Lawful and Unlawful
Since the Mahdi will possess superior moral virtues and have a
powerful fear of Allah, he will know Almighty Allah's bounds and what
is lawful and unlawful:
Hussain was asked:
"By what signs will the Mahdi be known?" He replied: "By his ease of
heart and dignity, by hisknowing what is lawful and unlawful." (Fera
Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar)
He Will Be Compassionate Towards the Poor
The infinite compassion of Allah is recalled at the end of many verses
in the Qur'an. In addition, the Qur'an commands believers to "be one
of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness and urge
each other to compassion." (Surat al-Balad, 17)
Our Almighty Lord's title of The Most Compassionate of the
Compassionate is manifested in all prophets and believers. We are told
in one hadiths that the Mahdi will also be exceptionallycompassionate:
"His exercising disciplineover those working for him, his distribution
of goods generously and his being very compassionate towards the poor
are the signs ofthe Mahdi." Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi
al-Muntadhar", Islamic Scholars' Views about the Mahdi, p. 133,
Footnote number: 26, Kopru Publishing House.)
The Mahdi's sign is his being disciplined on those working for him,
his generosity about goods, and his compassion for the oppressed."
(Ukayli "An-Nacmu's-sakib fi Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi minAvladı Ali b. Abu
Talib Ale't-Tamam va'l Kamal)
He Will Assume All Responsibilities
He assumes all responsibilities and helps the poor and thosein need.
(M. Muhyiddin Arabi "Futuhat-Al Makkiya", 366. bab, v. 3, p. 327- 328)
He Will Disappear Twice
The way that the Mahdi will disappear twice appears in this form in
the hadiths of our Prophet (saas):
"The one who will fulfill this deed (the Mahdi) will hide twice. One
of these will lengthen to such an extent that some of them will say,
"He is dead" whereas others will say, "He has gone." Neither those who
love him nor otherswill know his whereabouts. Only his servant who is
very closeto him knows his place. (Al-Saa Fi Eshrad-is Saa" p. 93,
Egyptian edition.)
He Will Not Declare His Needs
One of the most important characteristicsof the Mahdi is that he will
not declare his needs:
Hussain was asked:
"By what signs will the Mahdi be known?" He replied: "... People will
need of him but he will express his needs to no one." (Fera Idu
Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar")
He Will Possess Exemplary Virtues
Almighty Allah has sent envoys to issue warningsin all periods, and
they have been charged with telling people of the truefaith. However,
their message was not limitedto expounding religious moral values, and
they were role models with their behavior and attitudes. The
exemplarymoral virtues of the Mahdi are reported as follows in one
hadith:
Divine superior virtues inspired by Allah reach him. He receives
knowledge of the faith and exemplary moral virtue from Allah. (Konavi
Risalet-ul Mahdi,p. 161 B)
He Will Know the Scienceof Numerology
Some of them said this book that has reached maturity is attributed to
the appearance of Mahdi who is expected to appear in the End Times. He
is very competent of the science of jifr and its secrets. This
knowledge is the kind of wisdom that reached from the books endowed to
the prophets of the past. (Mahdism and Imamism, Ibrahim Suleymanoglu,
p. 252)