The Khalifah of Allah

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Asalaam Wa Alykum Wa Rahmat Allah Hi Wa Barakat

The Last Hour was an hour that even the sahabahs were eager to know more about. The Prophet (PBUH) gave his Ummah many signs to look for. On completion of these signs, the last hour, the day of chaos strikes.

 

The signs as foretold by the Prophet (PBUH), have been categorized by the scholars as “lesser signs” and “greater signs”. Some of them designated a third category, “intermediate signs”, namely the emergence of the Mahdi. This is one of the minor signs (the last minor sign), but during his time some of the major signs will appear. His name will be the same as the name of the Prophet (PBUH), and his father’s name will be the same as that of the father of the Prophet (PBUH). So his name will be Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Mahdi, or Ahmad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Mahdi. He will be descended from Faatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah (PBUH), through al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him).

 

It should be noted that this Mahdi who is mentioned in the ahaadeeths is not the so-called awaited Mahdi mentioned by that deviant group, the Ithna’ ‘Ashari (Shi’ah) who claim that he entered the tunnel and is awaiting the order to emerge, and whose name they say is Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-‘Askari. This is an illusion and a myth, and the refutation of that is discussed in books, and there is no room to go into it here.

 

Every group is awaiting a Mahdi such as the Jews who are awaiting the Mahdi, but for them he will be the Dajjaal who will be followed by the Jews of Isfahaan. The Christians are awaiting a Mahdi which is the descent of the Messiah (Second Coming of Christ). We Muslims have no doubt about the descent of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (PBUH), when he will break the cross and kill the pigs, and will abolish jizyah and rule according to the sharee’ah of Islam, and at that time there will be no war. 

 

It is not narrated in either the Qur’aan or the Sunnah precisely when the Mahdi will emerge, but he will emerge at the end of time. A list of some of the signs which will precede Imaam Mahdi and some that describe him have been gathered in this book so that we Muslims are not misled to believe in somebody claiming to be the Mahdi who in reality is a blatant liar.

 

Signs That Will Precede Him

A General Sign
There are many signs that will precede him; a general and very important sign is that he will come at a time when there is great confusion, intense disputes and violent death. When people are afflicted by disturbances and fear. Calamities will fall upon the people, so much so that a man shall not find shelter to shelter him from oppression. There will be many battles and fitnahs before his appearance. Every time a fitnah has come to an end, another will start, spread and intensify. The people will be troubled to such extent that they will long for death. It is then that Imaam Mahdi will be sent.
Abu Saeed al-Khudri has reported that the Messenger of Allah 
(PBUH) said: ''He will be sent at a time of intense disputes and differences among people and earthquakes.'' (Ahmad)

 

The Battle in Mina
Before Imaam Mahdi emerges an inter-tribal fight will take place. In the same year Haji's will be looted and a battle will erupt in Mina in which many people will be killed.



Amr-bin-Shuaib reported from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, ''In Dhul-Qada (Islamic month) the tribes will fight, Hajis will be looted and there will be a battle in Mina in which many people will be slain and blood will flow until it runs over the Jamara-tul-aqba. Their companions (referring to Imaam Mahdi) will flee to a point between the Corner and the Maqaam and will be forced to accept people's allegiance.'' (Al-Fitan Nuaim-b-Hammad)

 

The Emergence of Haris-Al-Harrath and Mansur
Hazrat Ali reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, ''There will be a man from Transoxania who will be called Harith-Harrath and a man called Mansur will be at his vanguard. He will give abode to the family of Muhammad (referring to Imam Mahdi) just as the Quraish gave abode to the Prophet (PBUH). (Mishkat)

 

Mahdi’s Emergence and the people’s Bayit
 A star with a luminous tail will rise from the east before his emergence (Al-Iza'ah). Once he has appeared an army that has come to fight him will perish in Baidah (a flat piece of land next to Madinah facing the direction of Makkah).

Umme-Salama (R.A.) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, ''There shall be differences and intense dispute at the time of the death of a Khalifh. Then a man from the inhabitants of Madinah (referring to Imam Mahdi) will come out of them and flee to Makkah (so that he does not get caught in the dispute and is not made the Khalifh). Some Makkans will come to him and take him out though he will be unwilling. They will then make him accept their Bayat between the Black Stone and the place of Ibrahim (PBUH).  An army will then be sent to fight him from Syria, however it will perish in Baidah, between Makkah and Madinah. When the people see and hear about this event, the awliya (God fearing people) of Syria and Iraq will make Bayat with him.''  (Abu Daud)

 

The Signs of Imaam Mahdi

1)As mentioned above, he will be from the progeny of the Prophet (PBUH) and descendent of Fatimah (R.A).

Umme Salama (R.A) reported: I heard the Prophet of Allah (PBUH) saying, "The Mahdi will appear from my progeny, from the descendants of Fatimah."  (Abu Daud)

 

2)  His name will be Muhammad or Ahmad and his father's name will be Abdullah.

Ibn Masood (R.A) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "If there remains in the world but a day, the mighty Allah will greatly prolong that day till he will send there in a man from me or from the members of my house. His name will be similar to my name and his father's name to my father's name."  (Abu Daud)

 

3) He will resemble the Prophet (PBUH) in character.

Hadrat Ali (R.A) once looked at his son and remarked, "This son of mine is Saiyid who was named by the Prophet (PBUH) and soon from his loins will come forth a man by the name of your Prophet (PBUH) and who will resemble him in conduct but not in appearance." (Abu Daud)

 

4) He will have a shiny forehead and a high bridge nose.

Abu Saeed reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "The Mahdi will appear from me, shining of forehead, long of nose." (Abu Daud).

 

5)  Once Hadrat Ali (R.A) was asked regarding his description. He replied, "He is a well built youth of average height and a handsome face, his hair reaches his shoulders and the light of his face is contrasted by the darkness of his hair and beard."  (Al-Isha'ah)

 

6) He will be slow of speech (a slight stutter) and when he is delayed, he will strike his left thigh with his right hand. (Al-Isha'ah)

 

7) He will appear from the east.

Thawban (R.A) reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said, "Three men will be killed at the place where your treasure is. Each of them will be the son of a Khalifah but none of them will get hold of the treasure. Then the black banners will come out of the east, and they will slaughter you in a way that has never been seen before. If you see him give him your allegiance, even if you have to crawl over ice, because he is the Khalifah of Allah, the Mahdi."  (Ibn Majah)

 

The First Battle

His first battle will be against the tribe of Kalb. A short period after the eminent saints of Syria and Iraq have sworn allegiance; a man from the Quraish will rise whose maternal uncle's belong to the Kalb tribe and he will send an army to fight Imaam Mahdi. However this army will be overcome and defeated. This will be his first victory.

 

The Great War

(The author of al-Isha'ah has mentioned that this battle will take place in Imam Mahdi's time).



Imam Mahdi will have to fight many battles, the most important and difficult being the battle against the Christians in which a large number of Muslims will be martyred.

' Yusayr bin Jabir said, "A red sandstorm erupted in the city of Kufah. Afterwards, a man came shouting and repeating the same words, 'O Abdullah bin Mas'ud! The hour has come.' He (Yusayr) then said that he sat up after he was leaning (on his side) and said, ''The hour will not arrive until no inheritance will be divided and no war possessions will bring about satisfaction. ''He pointed with his hands towards Ash-Sham saying, ''An enemy will gather its forces against the followers of Islam. ''I said, ''Do you mean Ar-Rum? He said ''Yes.''Then, during this war, fierce fighting will occur. Muslim will ask for a volunteer expedition that will vie to die or return victorious. They will fight until the night separates them. Both sides will return to their camps not yet victorious and the expedition will perish.

Muslims will then (in the third day) ask for volunteer expedition that will vie to die or return victorious. They will fight until the night separates them. Both sides will return to their camp not yet victorious and the expedition will perish. In the fourth day, the rest of the Muslim forces will turn against them (the disbelieves) and Allah will defeat them (the disbelieves). They will suffer casualties never heard of before or he said, ''Never seen before, even birds flying near them will not pass without falling down dead.

 

Afterwards, sons of the same fathers (from the Muslim side), who were near a hundred, will count the survivors and will find out only one of them survived. Therefore, what war possession will bring satisfaction and what inheritance will be divided? While they are doing this they will hear of an even bigger calamity; That is, a man will scream amongst them that the Dajjal has appeared among their families which they left behind. They will discard what they have in their hands and proceed. They will send ten horsemen as an expedition force.

 

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, ''I know their names and their fathers name and the colours of their horses. They will be the best horsemen on the face of Earth, ''or (he said) ' '(They) Will be amongst the best horsemen on the face of Earth.''  (Muslim)

 

The cause of this great battle will be the Christians. The Christians and Muslims as allies will conquer a third enemy. However, the Christians will act treacherously as they will claim the victory on the strength of their religion, thus the Muslims will be driven to arms and will fight them.   

 

Dhu Makhbar said, ''I heard the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) say, ''You will make a secure peace with the Byzantines, then you will fight an enemy behind you, and you will be victorious, take the boot, and be safe you will the return and alight in a meadow with mounds and one of the Christians will raise the cross and say, 'The cross has conquered'. One of the Muslims will become angry and smash it, and the Byzantines will act treacherously and prepare for battle.''



Conquest of Constantinople

The Great War between the Christians and Muslims will result in the Muslims conquering Constantinople (which is modern day Istanbul) without army but by the sheer force of Takbeer (Allahu Akbar).

 

Abu Hurairah reports that the Prophet (PBUH) said, ''Have you heard of a town of which a part is in the sea?'' ''Yes'' said they. He said: 'The last hour shall not occur till 70,000 of the children of Isaac shall attack it. When they come to it, they (Muslims) will not fight with arms, nor throw arrows. They will only say: There is no god but Allah, Allah is the greatest, and then on of its sides will fall down. They will recite for the second time: there is no god but Allah, Allah is the greatest, and then another of its side will fall down. After that they will say it for the third time: there is no god but Allah and Allah is the greatest, and then it will be opened for them and they will enter and acquire booty. While they will be dividing the booty, a proclaimer will come to them and proclaim: 'Verily Dajjal has come out. 'Then they will leave everything and return. ‘(Muslim)

 

It should be noted that the conquests will take place a very short period. Abdullah-b-Busr has reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) has said: 'Between the Great War and the conquest of the city (Constantinople) there will be six years, and the Dajjal shall appear in the seventh year,'  (Abid)

 

Blessings at the time of Imam Mahdi

Once again the Quran and Sunnah will govern the people, this time by the rightly guided Khalifh, Imam Mahdi. Islam will gain an upper hand and will be firmly established in the land. The oppression, tyranny, and darkness that prevailed all over the globe will be replaced with justice, peace and equity. The smile, which was long forgotten, will be restored on the Muslim faces and the inhabitants of the Heaven and Earth will be pleased with him. Everybody will be happy to the extent that even birds and wild animals will rejoice in his rule. Heaven will end rain profusely, livestock will be in abundance, land will become fertile, the earth will become green and sprout with abundant fruit and vegetation.

 

(The above content has been taken from various hadith, which can be found in Abu-Daud and from the hadith narrated by Abu-Saeed al-Khudri in Musnad Ahmad.)

 

Due to the booty gained from the various conquest everyone will have so much wealth that an eyebrow will not even be raised at somebody else's wealth. Callers will proclaim in the street, ''Is anybody in need of anything?'' Nobody will respond except one person. In the latter part of Abu-Saeed al-Khudri's hadith it is mentioned ''A caller will call 'Who is in need of wealth?' Only one person will stand (and response to the call and say I am in need of wealth) he will be told to go to the treasurer and tell him that the Mahdi orders you to give some wealth. 'Gather and take it', he will be told. (He will begin to put it in his lap, when he realized that nobody else has come and he was the only one) he will regret it and say 'I was the greediest from among the Ummah of Muhammed (PBUH). The narrator says, he will return it but it will not be accepted and it will be said to him that we do not accept what we have given. (Ahmad)

 

Abu-Saeed al-Khudri has also reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said regarding Mahdi; that a man will come to him and say, 'Give me, give me'. Then he will spread his cloth and put in it as much as he can carry.

 

His Reign as a Khalifh

There are different narration's regarding his reign as a Khalifh. Some traditions indicate that is reign will be seven years like the hadith of Umme Salama in Abu-Daud, ''He will remain seven years, then die, and Muslims will pray over him. '' (Abu-Daud)

 

Other traditions indicate that his reign will last seven, eight or nine years like the Hadith of Abu Saeed in Mustadrak.

Due to different traditions the period of Imaam Mahdi's reign is disputed. Many Scholars have taken seven years to be the period of his reign due to the fact that the Ahadith which indicate seven years are the most authentic. Other Scholars like Shah Rafiud-din, after careful analysis have concluded that the first seven years if his reign will pass without worry, he will spend the eight preparing to fight the Dajjal and spend the ninth with Prophet Isa (Jesus)(PBUH). He will thereafter die; Prophet Isa (PBUH) will read his funeral prayer and bury him.

 


 



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References:
[1] Al-Munajjid, M.S. “Events that will occur before the day of resurrection and distinguish the believers from the kaafirs “Retrieved from http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/11902/day%20of%20judgement
[2] Shaykh Ali, Ahmad. “Major signs before the day of judgement” [Al Ma'hadul Islami - Islamic Academy]. (DX Reader), Retrieved from http://www.inter-islam.org/faith/Majorsigns.html#bibliography


Wa-alykum Assalaam Wa Rahmat Allah Hi Wa Barakat!