The Mahdi

And the end of time

Assalamu alaikum people, and welcome to the first post of Islamic Insight. Today we'll be discussing the Mahdi Insha'Allah, a topic that has confused many people, and caused various fitnahs, so let's set the record straight today.

Al mahdi is one of the major signs of judgement day.

“Islam began as strange and will return to being strange as it began, so blessed are the strangers .”

Bismillah.

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•Firstly, who is the Mahdi?

Al Mahdi isn't his actual name. The word mahdi is derived from huda which means guidance, therefore Al Mahdi means the guided one.¹

His name is Muhammad bin Abdullah, identical to the prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) name.²

He's from the prophet's (PBUH) bloodline, specifically from Fatima: “The Mahdi is from my progeny from the children of Fatima.”

However, this doesn't mean that he's directly Fatima's son, or else that would suggest that he's alive for more than 1400 years, which would be impossible.

•So what's his purpose?

Al Mahdi will be an emphatic leader for an Arab country in the east, arising at the end of time. He'll be ruling for 7 years, and what a couple of years they'll be!

The Arab land will be prosperous, and the Muslim ummah's spirits will be lifted high, as the prophet PBUH said: “At the end of my nation, the Mahdi will appear, God will water him with rain, the earth will produce its vegetation, money will be given in abundance, livestock will multiply, and the nation will be glorified.”

His rule would make sure that justice would be implemented in the land, after it being under the veil of tyranny and injustice.³

•But question, how will he just suddenly emerge?

Al Mahdi will appear in the eastern arab region, some scholars even specified that he'll take refuge in Mecca, coming from Medina, where people will pledge allegiance to him, recognising him as a leader, next to the Ka'bah, officially kick-starting his 7 year rule.

The startling fact is that he'll find out he's the mahdi in one night!⁴ On that night Allah will teach him, guide him, and prepare him for his duty, as ibn katheer said.

As for appearance, there wasn't much said in hadiths. All we know is that he has a thin long nose, and an elongated forehead with thin hair at the temples.

•What's his link with Prophet Isa (AS)?

At the end of his rule, prophet Isa (AS) will descend from the second heaven, to begin his own 40 year rule. Then the mahdi will lead the prophet in prayer!

“So Jesus son of Mary descends, and their leader says: Come and pray for us, and he says: No, some of you are rulers over others, in honor of God - the Most High - For this nation.”

Insha'Allah we'll discuss Prophet Isa in detail in upcoming posts.

•Misconceptions

Many people have falsely place the Mahdi under a messianic, even “godly” status, which is haram. Many different sects glorify him, but Ahlul sunnah described him with clear-cut evidence.

For example, a type of Shia believe that the Mahdi is the 12th, and final imam named Muhammad ibn Hassan Al’askary. They believe that he entered an underground bunker, when he was 5 years old, in the city of Samarra, Iraq, where he has been veiled from everyone for more than 1100 years. They've been awaiting his return, crying outside the bunker, and begging for him to reveal himself.

The lie has been fabricated by Al-Mu'tadid, an Abbasid caliphate. This whole belief is utterly false, and they have no authentic evidence. It defies logic, and Allah's sunnah.

In some people's mind they created, the Mahdi is their knight in shining armour, rescuing them from their terrible circumstances. “God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”

The mahdi will be a glorious leader, but we shouldn't glorify him more than necessary. This is the Devil's trap for the islamic ummah, in order to cause chaos, and division amongst them.

We shouldn't wait for anyone to save us, we should boost our own imaan and ask for Allah to guide us. Our lord calls us to salvation 5 times a day: “Come to salvation, come to salvation!”.

Fun Fiqh fact: Fajr must be prayed before sunrise,and delaying it without reason is one of the biggest sins, worse than Zina, and drinking wine, as Ibn Qayyim stated.

“And the time for the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen.” Narrated by Muslim

This marks the end of this week's post. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us in the comments section. Also if you want to see extra sections in the post, let us know,

Salman & Abdullahi.

Allah knows best

1. Ibn Al-Atheer said: The Mahdi whom God has guided to the truth.

2. “If only one day remains from the world, God will lengthen that day until God sends a man from me or from the people of my household whose name coincides with my name, and the name of His father, the name of my father, will fill the earth with fairness and justice as it was filled with injustice and tyranny.” {Abu Dawood (4284), Al-Tirmidhi (2230)}

3. “A man from my family will come out and fill it - that is, the land - with equity and justice, as it was filled with injustice and aggression.” Narrated by Imam Ahmed .

4. “The Mahdi is from us, Ahl al-Bayt, God will rectify him in a night.”

Source: Sahih ibn Maaja.