The al-Kutub as-Sitta (Six Books) is the collective name given to the collection consisting of six famous books of hadith. The great scholars of the People of the Sunnah confirm that the hadith reported from the Prophet (saas) in these six books are accurate.
For that reason, according to the beliefs of the People of the Sunnah the al-Kutub as-Sitta is the second most important reference source after the Noble Qur’an.
Many hadith on the subject of the Mahdi are reported in the al-Kutub as-Sitta. The mere fact of its appearance in this collection reveals that the subject of the Mahdi is a truth about which there can be no possible doubt.
Various passages from the al-Kutub as-Sitta about the Mahdi and hadith regarding the End Times are listed below:
SAHIH AL-BUKHARI
Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (810-870)'s entirely trustworthy book of hadith. It is the most important of the Six Books (al-Kutub as-Sitta). The People of the Sunna regard the Sahih al-Bukhari as the second fundamental Islamic holy text after the Qur’an. It contains 725 hadith. Imam al-Bukhari selected these most reliable hadith from a total of around 6,000, completing the Sahih al-Bukhari over a period of 16 years. Narrated by Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (saas) said "How will you be when the son of Maryam (i.e. ‘Isa) descends amongst you and judges people by the Law of the Qur’an and not by the law of the Gospel?” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 658)
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (saas) said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (‘Isa,) the son of Maryam will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non-Muslims). Money will be in such abundance that nobody will accept it…” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55, Number 657)
SAHIH MUSLIM
A book of trustworthy hadith by Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri (821-874). Imam Muslim is one of the most renowned hadith scholars, and selected his hadith from a total of around 300,000. The Sahih Muslim is the second basic book of hadith after the Sahih al-Bukhari, and these two eects are together known as the "Sahihayn."It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger or Allah (saas) observed: “I swear by Allah that the son of Maryam will certainly descend as a just judge and will definitely break the cross, and kill swine and abolish the Jizya and will leave the young she-camel and no one will endeavor to (collect Zakat) on it. Spite, mutual hatred and jealousy against one another will certainly disappear and when he summons people to accept riches, not even one will do so.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0289)
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (saas) observed: “What will be your state when the son of Maryam descends amongst you and there is an Imam amongst you?” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0290)
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saas) saying: “What will you do when the son of Maryam descends and leads you?” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0291)
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (saas) observed: “What will you do when the son of Maryam descends amongst you and leads you as one amongst you?…” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0292)
Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (saas) say: ‘One section of my people will not cease fighting for the Truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection. ‘Isa son of Maryam will then descend, and their (the Muslims') commander will invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he will say: No, some amongst you are commanders over others (amongst you). This is an honor from Allah for this Ummah.’” (Sahih Muslim, Book 001, Number 0293)
SUNAN AL-TIRMIDHI
A six-volume book of trustworthy hadith collected by the hadith scholar Muhammad ibn ‘Isa al-Tirmidhi (824-893). Al-Tirmidhi, a famous hadith scholar and imam, made his name by hadith memorisation. He was born in the Bugh suburb of the town of Termez to the east of the River Ceyhan. In order to study the hadith he travelled to Khorasan, Iraq and Hijaz, and studied under al-Bukhari and various other hadith scholars. He made use of Ahmad ibn Hambal, ad-Darami and third century hadith scholars. His works include Ash-Shamail, al-‘Ilal, at-Tarih and al-Jami al-Sahih.The latter book in particular won special renown and value in the eyes of the People of the Sunna. It is also one of the-Kutub as-Sitta. A number of expositions of this book have also been written. Hadith regarding the blessed Mahdi are related in the fourth volume of the Sunan. Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
"We were afraid that things might happen, so we asked the Prophet of Allah (saas), ... 'In my Ummah there will be the Mahdi; he will appear and live five, seven or nine,'" Zayd was one who was not sure. He said, "We said, 'What does that rfer to?' He said, 'Years.' He said, 'So he will come to him and say, "O Mahdi, give unto me!"’ He said, 'So he will spread his garment for him as open as possible to carry it away (what the Mahdi will give him)'." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
‘Abdullah narrated:
“The world will not end until a man of my house takes control of the Arabs, one whose name coincides with my name.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
‘Abdullah narrated:
“If there remains nothing of this earth except one day, then Allah will lengthen that day until a man emerges who will be descended from me, or from my household. His name will correspond to mine and his father’s name to my father’s.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet of Allah (saas) said:
“By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the Son of Maryam will shortly descend amongst you people (Muslims) as a just ruler and will break the Cross and kill the pig and abolish the Jizyah. Then there will be abundance of money and no one will accept charitable gifts.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
SUNAN ABU DAWUD
A book of trustworthy hadith collected by the hadith scholar Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn Ash`ath al-Azadi al-Sijistani (817-888). The book consists of 4,800 hadith. The imam was from the Iranian town of Sistan. He travelled from an early age in order to pursue his studies and, so Zahabi says, studied under Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Baghdad in 220 according to the Hejira calendar. Studying under many great hadith scholars, he eventually joined their ranks himself. Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’I and even Ahmad ibn Hanbal narrated hadith from him.
After living in several towns, he settled in Basra at the invitation of the Abbasid caliph al-Wathiq, where he eventually died. He wrote works about the hadith and other subjects. Among his best known works are the Sunan Abu Davud, known as the Sunan, which is also one of the Kutub as-Sitta. It is said that he selected and collected the hadith in this book from a total of half a million hadith in order to preserve the Sunna of the Pophet (saws).
In the section of the book concerning the Mahdi he related the Mahdi’s features, the portents of his coming and what he will do after having made his appearance.
Narrated Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin:
The Prophet (saas) said: “The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatimah.” Abdullah ibn Ja'far said: “I heard Abu’l Malih praising Ali ibn Nufayl and describing his good qualities.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4271)
Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
The Prophet (saas) said: “The Mahdi will be of my line, and will have a broad forehead and a prominent nose. He will fill the earth will equity and justice as it was formerly filled with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule for seven years.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4272)
Narrated by Ali ibn Abu Talib:
The Prophet (saas) said: If only one day of this time (the world) remains, Allah will raise up a man from my family who will fill this earth with justice as it had been filled with oppression.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4270)
Narrated by Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin:
… He [the Mahdi] will divide property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet (saas) and establish Islam on Earth. He will remain for seven years…” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4273)
Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud:
The Prophet (saas) said: “If only one day of this world remains, Allah will lengthen that day (according to Za'idah’s version), till He raises up in it a man who belongs to me or to my family whose father's name is the same as my father's, who will fill the earth with equity and justice as it had been filled with oppression and tyranny (according to Fitr’s version).” Sufyan's version says: “The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man of my family whose name is the same as mine.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4269)
SUNAN IBN MAJAH
A book of trustworthy hadith by the hadith scholar Abu `Abdallah Muhammad ibn Yazid Ibn Majah (824-886). Ibn Majah was a well-known teacher of the hadith, who travelled from Qazwib to Baghdad, Basra, Mecca, Kufa, Sham, Egupt and Ravy in order to research them. He wrote several works on the subjects of history, Tarih, exegesis and knowledge of the hadith. His best-known book is the two-volume Sunan al-Mustafa, known as the Sunan Ibn Majah. His Ahl al-Sunnah is one of the texts known as the Kutub as-Sitta. One chapter of the book, titled "al-Fitan," concerns those hadith regarding the blessed Mahdi.
Ali b. Abi Talib (ra) has related a tradition from the Prophet (saas) who informed him:
“The promised Mahdi will be from among my family. Allah will make the provisions for his emergence within a single night.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 2, p. 519)
The Messenger of Allah (saas) announced:
“The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatima (the Prophet's daughter).” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 2, Tradition No. 4086)
The Prophet (saas) said:
"We the children of Abd al-Muttalib are the Masters of the inhabitants of the heaven: Myself, Hamza (ra), Ali (as), Ja'far Ibn Abi Talib (ra), al-Hasan (as), al-Husain (as), and al-Mahdi (as)." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 2, Tradition No. 4087)
Abd Allah ibn al-Harith ibn Juz al-Zubaydi said, the Prophet (saas) said:
“A people will come out of the East who will pave the way for the Mahdi.” (Ibn Majah)
The Prophet said:
“… a man from my family appears to fill the Earth with justice as it has been filled with corruption. So whoever lives to see that (time) ought to come to them even by crawling over ice." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 2., Tradition No. 4082)
Abu Umamah al-Bahili said,
"The Prophet (saas) delivered a speech to us, most of which dealt with the Dajjal (the Antichrist) and warned us against him. Umm Sharik bint Abi'l-'Akr said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, where will the Arabs be at that time?’ He said, ‘At that time they will be few in number; most of them will be in the Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), and their Imam will be a righteous man. While their Imam is going forward to lead the people in the Salat al-Subh (the morning prayer), 'Isa son of Maryam will descend. The Imam will step back, to let 'Isa lead the people in prayer, but 'Isa will place his hand between the man's shoulders and say, “Go forward and lead the prayer, for the Iqamah was made for you.” So the Imam will lead the people in prayer… 'Isa son of Maryam will be a just administrator and leader of my Ummah. He will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish the Jizyah (tax on non-Muslims). He will not collect the Sadaqah, so he will not collect sheep and camels. Mutual enmity and hatred will disappear. Every harmful animal will be made harmless, so that a small boy will be able to put his hand into a snake's mouth without being harmed, a small girl will be able to make a lion run away from her, and a wolf will go among sheep as if he were a sheepdog. The earth will be filled with peace as a container is filled with water. People will be in complete agreement, and only Allah will be worshipped. Wars will cease…’” (Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Fitan, Tradition No. 4077, 2: 1363)
Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri:
“There will be the Mahdi in my Ummah; if it is shortened then seven, and if not, then nine, and my Ummah will be blessed in him with a blessing the like of which they will have never heard. The earth will give up its produce and nothing of it will be stored, and wealth on that day will be in heaps, so that a man will stand up and say, 'Mahdi, give me!' and he will say, 'Take'.” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
THE BLESSED ALI (RA)
In his famous work Divan-i Ali ibn Abi Talib, the blessed Ali (ra) speaks of some of the hadith regarding the Mahdi and the End Times. One passage from the Mushtaqzada commentary of his Divan reads:“Âyâ my son! (...) when they give rise to chaos, wait for the Just Mahdi...”
IMAM RABBANI
… InshaAllah it will make a full appearance in the Mahdi (as). The number of sheikhs of that rank imparting such tidings has declined… May the words of their knowledge and wisdom linger on...That rank finds excellent expression in this verse:
“That is Allah’s favor which He gives to whoever He wills. Allah’s favor is indeed immense.” (Surat al-Jumu’a, 4) (Maktubat al-Rabbani, Vol. I, Letter 32, p. 125)
The promised Mahdi bears the title of the lord of knowledge. Like the blessed Ali, he has dealings with ‘Isa (as). One step of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) is at the head of the blessed Ali, and another at the head of the blessed Mahdi.
... The promised Mahdi will assume the perfection of sainthood. He will come upon this Golden Path and will perfect this Golden Chain. That is because all the levels of sainthood are under this Golden Level. (Maktubat al-Rabbani, Vol. I, Letter 251, p. 550, 554)
The Mahdi (as) will be among them. The Messenger of Allah (saas) has given the glad tidings of his coming and existence, saying:
"He is the caliph of Allah." (Maktubat al-Rabbani, Vol. 1, p. 814)
All the portents of Doomsday revealed by the Messenger of Allah (saas), the speaker of the truth, are true. There is no possibility of their being false. These include the following:
Contrary to what we are familiar with, the Sun rising in the west. The appearance of the Mahdi, the coming of the Prophet ‘Isa. His greetings to him and our Prophet, the coming of the Dajjal, the coming of Gog and Magog, the emergence of the Beast from the earth and a thick smoke from the sky, and infliction of great suffering on people. They will suffer such hardships that people will say: “Our Lord, remove the punishment from us. We are really believers.” (Surat al-Duhan, 12)
In one hadith he states that; “The Mahdi will appear. There will be a cloud just above his head. There will be an angel there who will cry out ‘This is the Mahdi, follow him’…”
The Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
“There have been four great kings on the earth: two were believers and two unbelievers. The believers were Dhu'l-Qarnayn and Sulayman, and the unbelievers were Nimrod and Bakhtinasr. There will be a fifth king, from the People of my House: the Mahdi.”
In another hadith our Prophet (saas) said:
"Almighty Allah will not destroy the world until the coming of one of my line. His name matches mine; his father’s name is my father’s name. With his coming the world will be filled with justice, in the same way that it was formerly filled with cruelty and injustice…”
In another hadith the Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
"The People of the Cave will be ‘Isa’s (as) helpmates.” ‘Isa will come down in the time of the Mahdi. The Mahdi will join with ‘Isa as he fights the Dajjal. At the time of his reign there will be a solar eclipse on the fourteenth day of Ramadan; there will be a lunar eclipse on its first night.
The Messenger of Allah (saas), the speaker of the truth, has reported many other portents apart from what have been related.
Sheikh ibn al-Hajar wrote a treatise about the signs of the Mahdi, containing almost two hundred such signs.
Despite the signs of the promised Mahdi being so very clear, one community has deviated because of extreme ignorance… May Almighty Allah show them the true path. (Maktubat al-Rabbani, Vol. 2, Letter 380, pp. 1162-1163)
... He will appear at the beginning of the century. Eighteen years have currently passed since the beginning of the century.
The following portent of the Mahdi is described in the hadith: "A comet will appear in the East and shed its light.”
...The form of this comet will match its course. In other words, its head will face the East and its rear will face the West. This long white part will be at its rear. In figurative terms it is accurate to describe this as a tail. Its daily course is from East to West. However, its course (that bearing its own weight) follows that of the heavens. It is Almighty Allah Who knows the truth.
The coming of the Mahdi is close at hand. Many portents and signs will take place until his emergence at the beginning of the century. May he find favor with Allah. The signs and portents of his coming resemble the miracles foretelling of the Messenger of Allah (saas). That happened before the prophethood of our Prophet (saas). Indeed, he has related in that sense that:
When the seed of Abdullah, the incarnation of our Prophet (saas) entered the womb of Amine, all the idols were thrown down on the ground. All satans were taken from their tasks. Angels cast the throne of Iblis into the sea. And him they tormented for forty days.
The night our Prophet (saas) was born, the palace of Qisra trembled; its fourteen towers fell down.
The flames of the fire-worshippers (Majusis) went out, though that fire had burned for a thousand years, never being extinguished during that time.
Great is the Mahdi. Great strength will come to Islam and Muslims because of him. There is great outward and inward significance to his dominion. He will possess many marvels and knowledge of the future.
Amazing things will happen during his time.
In terms of the significance set out above, it is a fact that: before he appears physically there will be many amazing marvels… such as the miracles before the prophethood of our Prophet (saas). These things are signs of his coming.
The meanings set out here can be seen from the hadith.
Know that in one hadith the Messenger of Allah (saas) has said: “The Mahdi will not appear until unbelief is everywhere and reigns openly.” (Letters, Vol. 2, Letter 381, p. 1169-1171 )
The coming of the Mahdi will be after the passage of a thousand years. The tidings of his holy coming have been imparted by our Prophet (saas). ‘Isa (as) will appear after a thousand years have passed. (Letters, Vol. 1, Letter 209, p. 440 )
It is possible that these two centuries will be more auspicious in this way: there being many more pious servants of Allah, fewer heretics, and there being few spreaders of strife and rebellion. Such a thing means that holy persons from this class are not able to be more auspicious than those from those two centuries. The blessed Mahdi, for instance. (Letters, Vol. 1, Letter 209, p. 441)
MUHAMMAD IBN RASUL AL - HUSSEINI AL BARZANJI
The first of the great portents is the coming of the Mahdi... There are many hadith on this subject, though in various different accounts.In his work, Muhammad ibn Hassan al-Asnawi (Menakibish-Shafi’i) says; the hadith on the subject of the Mahdi transmitted from the Messenger of Allah are absolutely trustworthy…It is stated that he will be descended from the Prophet (saas)…
The first line: his name, lineage, birth, physical appearance, followers and those turning aside from him.
His Name
His name appears as 'Muhammad' in most accounts; he is referred to as 'Ahmad' in some accounts... His father’s name is 'Abdullah' ...
According to Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi, as reported from Ibn Masud (ra), the Messenger of Allah said, ‘His name will be equivalent to mine, and his father’s name to my father’s…’
His Title
His title is the 'Mahdi'... Because Allah has led him directly to salvation… He is also ‘Jabbir,’ because he will heal the grieving hearts of the community of Muhammad… Or else because he will vanquish and condemn tyrants and oppressors…
His Lineage
He is of the line of the Prophet (saas)...According to many reliable accounts, he is directly descended from Fatima…Some accounts suggest that he is of the sons of Abbas...
His descent from the line of Fatima has been variously described in the accounts. Some accounts state he is descended from Hassan (ra), while others suggest he is descended from Hussein (ra)…Since most of Fatima’s line comes from Hassan and Hussein, the accounts have mainly taken those forms.
Accounts regarding the sons of Abbas take that form However, there is one of the sons of Abbas bearing the name (of the Mahdi)... Mansour came before the Mahdi...
The Oath Of Allegiance
The oath of allegiance to him will be taken on the night of Ashura in Mecca, between the pillars of the Hajr al Aswad and that of Abraham.
His Migration
He will emigrate (hijra)hijrato Jerusalem. After that hijra, Medina will be ruined and will become a refuge for the wild ones. There are hadith about the building of the al-Aqsa Mosque (Bayt al-Maqdis, Jerusalem) and the devastation of Medina.
His Physical Appearance
'He is someone with an open brow, a small nose, large eyes and well-spaced, bright teeth. There is a mark on his right cheek, reminiscent of a pearl, illuminating his face like a star. His beard is thick, and he has the mark of the Prophet (saas) on his shoulder. His thighs are long, and his complexion is that of an Arab. His tongue is heavy. When he speaks, slowly and portentously, he strikes his left knee with his right hand. He is forty years old. According to another account, he is aged between thirty and forty. He is highly submitted to Allah, and he has two cotton shirts. In moral terms, he resembles our Prophet (saas). He is dark in colour. He is of medium height. His eyebrows have curvature.
His Virtues
He will follow the path of the Prophet (saas). He will not awaken the sleeper, and he will shed no blood. He will leave no Sunnah unadopted and no heresy unpurged. In the End Times he will impose the requirements of the faith, in the same way as our Prophet (saas). He will break the cross and slay the pig. He will restore all things to Muslims. The world will be filled with justice, instead of cruelty and torture. Everything will be distributed equally, on the basis of truth and justice.
Dwellers on the earth and in the sky will be pleased with him, even the birds in the air, wild animals in the forests and the fish in the sea will be content with him. None of the community of Muhammad (saas) will not be delighted with him. Indeed, a crier will shout ‘Does nobody need anything?’ and they will answer ‘We need nothing.’ But one man will come and say ‘I have needs,’ at which the Mahdi will issue the command, ‘Go to the treasurer, let him give you what you want. The man will come and tell the treasurer of this, and he will tell him to spread wide his robe. When he spreads wide his robe and the treasurer fills it with many offering he will feel unmitigated regret. ‘I am the greediest of the whole community of Muhammad (saas) he will say, and he will try to return what he had taken from the treasurer. But the treasurer will say, ‘We do not take back what we have given!’ Everyone, good or bad, will enjoy previously unseen blessings in his time. Compassion will rain down from the sky, and abundance will multiply in the earth.
All countries will open their doors to him. The kings of India will submit to him and will give all their treasure to Jerusalem. People will come from all around to seek shelter with him, as bees seek shelter in their hives. Three thousand angels will descend from the sky and will strike his opponents on their faces and on their backs. (In other words, they will be helped by three thousand angels.) Jibril will be at the angels’ head, followed by Mikail .
In his time, the wolf will graze with the sheep, children will play with snakes and scorpions, and people will reap seven hundred measures of wheat for each measure they sow. Evils such as usury, plague, adultery and alcohol will be eradicated. People will live longer, and goods entrusted will be returned to their rightful places. The evil will be destroyed. Nobody will be left in opposition to the descendants of Muhammad (saas). His word will be loved by men. Thanks to him, Allah will put an end to corruption. Peace and security will reign on earth. So much so that a woman will be able to go on the Hajj with five other women but no men, and she will feel no fear.
The fact that the Prophet ‘Isa (as) does some of these things does not prevent the Mahdi performing them. Because both can do the same things. It is probable that they will appear at the same time. Explanations of this will follow in the future.
The Second Phase
The portents that will show him to us, and the signs that is coming is close at hand…
With regard to portents:
He will have with him the shirt, sword and standard of the Messenger of Allah (saas). That standard has never been unfurled since the death of the Prophet (saas). Neither will it be unfurled until the coming of the Mahdi. The standard will carry the words ‘Al Biat’u Lillah,’ the oath of allegiance to Allah, written on it.
There will be a turban on his head, from which a man will appear, point to the Mahdi and cry, ‘This is the Mahdi, the caliph of Allah! Follow him!’
He will plant a dry twig in the dry earth, and this will suddenly flourish and bear leaves.
The will demand miracles from him; he will point to a bird flying in the air and it will immediately fall into his hand.
A voice will be heard from the sky: ‘O men, Allah has now sent the Tyrants, the Idolaters and their helpers from you. He has placed the most auspicious of the community of Muhammad (saas) at your head. Join him in Mecca, he is the Mahdi! His name is Ahmad, son of Abdullah. In another account; ‘He has brought you Jabbir, the most auspicious of the community of Muhammad. Join him in Mecca, he is the Mahdi. His name is Muhammad, son of Abdullah!’
People’s hearts will be enriched. The earth will be filled with plenty. Gold will emerge from beneath the Kaaba. This he will spend on the path of Allah. The Ark of the Covenant will be produced from Lake Tiberias or Antioch. It will be borne on shoulders and placed before him at the al-Aqsa Mosque. When the Jews see this, one part of them will become Muslims. The will be divided in the way the seas parted for the Children of Israel. He will walk freely between them. People with black standards will descend from Horasan and take the oath of allegiance to him. He will meet with ‘Isa, son of Maryam, and ‘Isa will perform salat (daily prayer) behind him He will have the mark of the Prophet (saas) on him.
Signs That His Coming Is Close at Hand
The River Euphrates will be cleft and a mountain of gold will emerge.
The Moon will be eclipsed on the first night of Ramadan, and the Sun on the fifteenth night. This Moon will be eclipsed twice, in a way the like of which has never been seen since the Earth was created.
Comets that illuminate all places will be born, from the East, at three or seven-day intervals.
A great fire will be seen, darkness will be seen in the sky, and there will be a redness in the sky unlike the pink with which we are familiar. A voice will cry out in a language all the world can understand…
A village called ‘Harista’ in Damascus will be demolished. A voice from the sky will call the name of the Mahdi, and everyone in the East and West will hear that voice! The sleeper will waken, those standing will sit down, and those sitting will rise to their feet.
There will be rebellion in the month of Shawwal, talk of war in Zul-Qa'dah and war itself in Dhul-Hijja. Pilgrims will be robbed, and blood will flow over the Jamrat AlAqaba (one of the three stone pillars at Mina). Some of these have already happened.
There will be disputes and frequent earthquakes. A voice from the sky will say, ‘Open your ears! The truth is he is from the people of Muhammad.’ One will call out from the ground, ‘He and ‘Isa (as) are from the people of Abbas.’ The first voice is that of an angel, the second is the screeching of satan.
A mountain of gold will emerge from under the River Euphrates. (Portents of Doomsday, p. 166)
The Mahdi will point to a flying bird, and the bird will fall into the palm of his hand…He will plant a dry twig in the dry soil, and it will suddenly give off shoots… (Portents of Doomsday, p. 173)
The Mahdi will concentrate on his work... (Portents of Doomsday, p. 175)
“He will then capture Constantinople (Istanbul) by the hands of his beloved friends. He will lift disease and sorrow from them, and soon thereafter the Prophet ‘Isa will come down and he will fight against the Dajjal.” This hadith is related in an extended form by Imam Suyuti.
The ‘Iqdud Durar’ says: “Constantinople has seven ramparts. Each is 21 yards. And there are one hundred gates. The final rampart of the city is 10 yards. That is built upon the estuary leading to the Greek Sea. The sea leads to the provinces of Greece and to Andalusia.
The Mahdi will plant his standard by the side of the sea when he goes to wash for the morning salat (daily prayer), and the water will recede from it. And he will walk through the path that has been opened and will cry out: “O people, now you must pass through. Almighty Allah has parted the sea in two for you, as He did for the Sons of Israel.” And they will pass through. They will recite the taqbir, and this time the tremors will be rather stronger. At the third taqbir, the twelve towers will collapse. They will then enter directly into the city.... (Portents of Doomsday, p. 181)
It is related that the Prophet (saas) said: “Two believers have ruled the world, and two unbelievers. The believers are Sulayman (as) and Dhul’qarnayn. The unbelievers are Nemrud and Nebuchadnezzar. The fifth, the Mahdi descended from my line, will also rule the world.”
Ibn Marduwayhrelates from Ibn Abbas: "The People of the Cave will be the Mahdi’s helpmates. According to the ulama, the reason they have survived so long is to enjoy the honor of being of the Community of Muhammad.”
Adjuration:
It is reported in various accounts that the Prophet (saas) said: "Great war, the capture of Constantinople and the coming of the Dajjal will take place within seven months.” In another account this appears as “seven years.” According to Abu Dawud, “seven months” is more accurate than “seven years.” (Portents of Doomsday, p. 182-183)
Another adjuration;
There are various accounts of the duration of the Mahdi’s rule. In some this is given as five, or seven or nine years. In others it is given as only seven months, or nine. Another account says: “It will be five if brief or nine if long; in some accounts it appears as nine years and a few months, or twenty, or twenty-four, and in other accounts as thirty years and as forty years in still others.” He will spend nine of these forty years at peace with the Greek. In his work, Al-Kawl Al-Mukhtasar, Ibn Hajjar says:
“All these accounts may be true regarding his appearance and might.” Yes, these words of Ibn Hajjar’s can be confirmed in several respects. The first is that our Prophet (saas) has imparted many glad tidings regarding his community and line. He has said that he will free them from all oppression and cruelty. That is dependent on a justice to be implemented over a lengthy period of time. Seven or nine years are not enough for this. Second, just like Dhul’qarnayn and Sulayman (as), the Mahdi will rule the world. He will erect mosques and buildings in other countries, and a short space of time such as seven or nine years is insufficient for the jihad and other activities he will engage in.
Third, life expectancies will be longer in his time. That means that his life will also be longer. Otherwise the prolongation of people’s lives can have no meaning.
We know that the Prophet ‘Isa (as) will appear and slay the Dajjal. It is also a fact that ‘Isa (as) will not assume power from the Mahdi; because their leader is a member of the Qur’eysh. Since both these two will be living among men, the Prophet ‘Isa (as) will be the Mahdi’s vizier, not his lord. It is for these reasons that he will perform the salat (daily prayer) behind the Mahdi and will be his follower. Indeed, a hadith related by Muslim from Jabbir proves this: At the time of the salat (daily prayer) ‘Isa (as) will say to him: Allah has placed some of you at the head of others of you as a blessing for this community. The words “The Mahdi will lead people in that salat alone, after which ‘Isa (as) will be the imam,” which are contained in some accounts, are not incompatible with this. Because once his rank of leadership have been established it is possible for him to appoint ‘Isa (as) as imam. Because it is permissible in his caliphate, especially if the appointee is from the Qur’eysh!” (Portents of Doomsday, p. 185)
...See how this holy hadith of the Prophet (saas) so excellently illuminates the subject:
"What will become you when the son of Maryam comes as a just ruler and your imam is one of you?” The references to the imam being “one of you…” makes it impossible for “a just ruler” to be the imam. Because when the Prophet ‘Isa (as) comes he will follow the law of Muhammad. The status of imam here is not just for the salat (daily prayer) itself. (Portents of Doomsday, p. 186) Muhammad ibn Rasul Al Hussein Al Barzanji "Portents of Doomsday" Pamuk Publications, Translated by Naim Erdogan)
MOHIDDIN IBN 'ARABI
Know that the Mahdi will most certainly appear. But he will not come until the world is filled with cruelty and torture. He will appear at such a time and will fill the world with righteousness and justice. Even if but one day remains in this world Allah will prolong that day so that this caliph may come. He will be one of the lines of Fatima, a descendant of the Prophet (saas).
He will distribute goods equally and will treat citizens justly. A man will come to him and say, O Mahdi, give to me. And there will be goods before him. The Mahdi will take from the goods in front of him and fill the man’s robe, and he will take away as much as he can carry. The Mahdi will come at a time when the faith has been weakened…Man will be ignorant, mean and cowardly in the evening but wise, brave and generous in the morning. Peace and happiness will accompany him. He will live for five, or seven or nine years. He will walk in the path of the Messenger of Allah (saas). No ruler reigning in his name can commit any error. He will correct such without having seen it. He will assume all duties and assist the slothful. He will assist the afflicted. He will do what he says and say what he does, and knows what will be witnessed. Allah will purify him in one night. He will conquer the Greek city (Istanbul), with the takbir. There will be seventy thousand Muslims, sons of the Prophet Ishaq (as), alongside him.The faith will stand upright and resume its former nature. He will rebreathe the spirit into Islam, and will give Islam back its strength after it has been weakened. He will resurrect Islam after Islam has died.
Thus, thanks to him, the faith will resume its previous form.
In his time, the faith will resume its previous form, cleansed of all superstition. In many of his stipulations he will oppose the schools of the ulama. For that reason they will keep their distance from him. Because they will imagine that Allah sent no renovators following the imams.
Know that when the Mahdi appears all Muslims, great and small, will rejoice. There will be those who give the Mahdi spiritual support. They will keep his cause alive and will bring him victory by means of their assistance.
They will assume all the country’s heavy burdens. They will assist the Mahdi in the duty that Allah has given him. The Prophet ‘Isa (as) will subsequently descend to the White Minaret in the east of Damascus. The imam will step back, the Prophet ‘Isa (as) will pass in front of him and will lead people in the daily prayer. He will rule among men with the law of the Messenger of Allah (saas), will break the cross and will slay the pig. Allah will take back the Mahdi’s immaculate soul.
The Mahdi will be concealed until the time comes, and when the promised moment comes, then he will appear. His martyrs are the most auspicious of martyrs, and the people he trusts, his viziers, are the most reliable of the trustworthy.
Allah has appointed a group of people to be his viziers. Allah has concealed these people. I have learned these truths by discovery and vigilance. In addition, I have witnessed things Allah foresees for His servants. These will act at the forefront. In the same way that the leading companions kept their world to Allah, so these people will be confirmation of those words. In addition, they will not be Arabs, but foreigners. Although they are not Arabs, they will speak no other language than Arabic. They will have a protector who is not of their kind, who has never opposed Allah in any time. He will be the purest and most genuine of viziers.
In particular, these viziers will be very well-informed on all subjects. But the Mahdi himself… he will be a man of politics in the true sense. Another of these viziers’ distinguishing features is that they are never defeated on the field of battle. For example, they will capture the city of the Greeks, Istanbul, solely by reciting the takbir. At the first takbir one-third of the ramparts will collapse, at the second, another third will collapse, and at the third takbir the remaining walls will fall down. Thus they will capture the city without the sword and using no weapons. This is the truth itself, the brother of victory.
The Mahdi’s viziers will require nine things in order to perform their duties in the best way, no fewer. These things are:
Sharp sight,
To immediately recognise the divine word,
To know how to interpret what comes from Allah,
To know the ranks and stations of those in positions of command,
To know mercy at times of wrath,
To know the ruler’s needs and other things,
To know the connections between matters,
To know the proper bounds when meeting people’s needs,
To know those hidden things required in their own times.
The Mahdi knows these things from Allah before the matters and the hadith come about, since he needs to be prepared beforehand for what will happen.
In religious terms, the Mahdi is beyond opinion or inference. It is a sin to behave in such a way towards him. Because it is wrong to make inferences on matters of Allah’s faith from one who is a prophet. Because if drawing inferences were permitted, Allah would have revealed this through the mouth of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). In addition, the Prophet (saas) never spoke of any of the imams following in his path and never being in error. He used those words only in respect of the Mahdi. He revealed his being above this, his caliphate and the innocent nature of his commands.
("Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyya", 366, Vol. 3, p. 327- 328)
IBN KATHIR
According to Shuayb ibn Khalid's account taken from Abu Ishak, the blessed Ali looked at his son Hassan and said: “This son of mine is truly a Sayyid as referred to by the Messenger of Allah (saas). Very soon there will appear one of his line, and he will be known by the name of our Prophet (saas). He will resemble the Messenger of Allah (saas) in terms of moral virtues, but not in terms of his creation.” (Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah])The Messenger of Allah (saas) says: “If no more than one day remains in the world (according to the account reaching us from Zaida), Allah will prolong that day. Indeed, on that day I, or one of my line whose name resembles mine and whose father’s name resembles my father’s, will be sent.” (In the Fitr hadith) “He will fill the world with justice and honesty, in the same way it is now full of oppression and tyranny.” (In the Suphian hadith) “The world will not depart and the life of the world will not end until one of my line, whose name matches mine, assumes leadership of the Arab nation.” ((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah])Abu Dawud, "Mahdi", 1. H. 4282, 4283. Tirmidhi, "Fiten", 52. H. 2231)
Another account says: "If only one day remains in the life of the world, Allah will prolong that day. Until one of my line whose name matches mine assumes his duty.” ((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah]). Tirmidhi, "Fitan", 52. H. 2231)
The Messenger of Allah (saas) says: “There will be the Mahdi among my community. If his time among you is kept short, he will stay for seven years. If it is not kept short, it will be nine years. During that time there will be such abundance among my community that no such plenty and well-being will ever have been heard of before. The earth will give forth all goods, and nothing will remain concealed within it. Many goods will have accumulated on that day. A man will rise up and tell the Mahdi to give unto him, and he will immediately tell him to take what he wants.” ((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah]), , "I. Majah", Fitan, 34, H. 4083)
The Messenger of Allah (saas) states: “The Mahdi will emerge from my Umma and will live among them for five or seven or nine years. A man will come to him and tell the Mahdi to give unto him, and the Mahdi will fill his robe with as much as it can hold.” ((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah]). Tirmidhi, "Fitan", 53, H. 2232)
Ibn Khatir says this is a hadith inferior in authenticity. This hadith has been related in a different form from the Messenger of Allah (saas). In this hadith, it is indicated that the Mahdi will stay for nine years at most and five years at least. This is the caliph who will distribute goods very, very widely. Again, Almighty Allah best knows the truth. In his time there will be much fruit, agriculture will be so plentiful as to exceed demand, and goods will multiply to the fullest extent. In that period, no power will be able to oppose this, the faith will be full of life and will have dominion, and there will be constant auspiciousness and goodness.
((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah]))
"Halaf ibn. Valid, Abbad ibn Abbad and Khalid ibn Sa'd told me. Abu Said related this from Zavad Abu'l Vedak, and he from Abu Said: "A man said: ‘I swear to Allah, may no ruler be appointed to us worse than on that night.’ At that, Abu Said stated that he said: "If I had not heard something from the Messenger of Allah (saas), I would have related it as it was told to me. I heard that the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: ‘A leader will emerge from your leaders, and he will distribute more than can ever be counted. A man will come and ask for goods, and he will tell him to take what he wants. That person will spread out his shirt, and he will fill it with goods. And the Messenger of Allah (saas) spread out a thick shirt he was wearing and, describing the state of that man at that time, and then gathered up the corners of that garment and said, this is how that man will collect his goods and carry them away.” ((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah]))
The Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "We are the sons of Abdulmuttalib, the lords of the people of Paradise. Me, Hamza, Ali, Jaffar, Hassan, Hussain and the Mahdi." ((Ibn Khatir, The Beginning of the End [Al Bidayah wa-Nihayah]) "Ibn Majah", "Fitan", 34. H. 4087)
IMAM SHARANI
In an account related by Abu Dawud taken from Abu Said al-Khudri, our Prophet (saas) said:
- Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be present in my Umma. If short, his reign will last for seven years, if long, it will last for nine years. Goods (in other words, wealth) will increase in the time of the Hazrat Mahdi (as). He will have much treasure with him. And one will come up and say:
- O Hazrat Mahdi (as), help me (a little) and he will reply:
In (another) hadith in Abu Dawud’s account, he said:
- Hazrat Mahdi (as) is from my line. His brow is broad and open.
In a hadith reported (from Abu Said al-Hurdi), the Messenger of Allah said:
- I swear that such calamities will befall this community that people will find nowhere to hide from this oppression and cruelty. At such a troubled time Almighty Allah will send a relative of mine, one of my line, thanks to whom the world will be filled with justice and security. In the same way that the world was full of oppression and cruelty (before him). All the dwellers in the skies (angels and the spirits of the prophets) and all those on Earth (believers and animals) will be pleased (with him). In the time of Hazrat Mahdi (as), the sky will begrudge no rain and will generously cause rain to fall.
The Earth will hold back none of its plants, and will produce them in full ripeness. The dead will wish they were among the living (in order to see the blessings bestowed upon them. The Imam Mahdi will rule in justice and plenty for seven or eight or nine years.
In a hadith related by Abu Dawud the Messenger of Allah said:
Even if but one day remains to the world Almighty Allah will prolong that day, and on that day Allah will send one of great purity, one of my line whose name matches mine and whose father’s name matches my father’s name (in other words Muhammad, son of Abdullah).
Imam Tirmidhi related this hadith, saying it was reliable but lacked a complete degree of authenticity.
In the same way, in a hadith reported by Tirmidhi, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
Even if no more than a single day is left to the world, Almighty Allah will certainly prolong that day in order for one of my line to assume leadership of men. And there will be angels before that person and Islam (the faith in its true form) will appear. There will be so many goods and such wealth in Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) treasury that someone will approach him and say:
- O Mehdi, help me. And Hazrat Mahdi (as) will place as much money in his garment as he can carry.
In a hadith reported by Hafiz Abu Nuaym, our Prophet (saas) said:
O Descendants of Muhammad! Hazrat Mahdi (as) is one of us. Allah, the Great and Mighty, will cleanse and purify him in one night – or two.
There will be (days of) disorder, corruption and fear in the Maghreb. Hunger and high prices will spread enormously to all parts. Strife will increase, and some people will eat others. (It is said that) at that time one who is descended from the revered daughter of our Prophet (saas), Fatima, will appear in the furthest region of the Maghreb. That person who will rise up in the End Times is Hazrat Mahdi (as). And the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is the first of the portents of Doomsday.
In a hadith related by Imam Shureiq:
He said that before the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) the Sun will be eclipsed twice during the month of Ramadan.
Allah knows the truth.
In a hadith taken by Ibn Majah from Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
Even if but one single day remains in (the life of) the world, Allah the Great and Mighty will certainly prolong that day in order for one of my family to possess Mount Dailam (rising above Marwah in Mecca), or the district of Dailam and Istanbul and the city of Rome. This hadith is absolutely reliable.
Afterwards, Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the troops in his retinue will reach the Golden Church and take possession of the great and vary valuable goods inside it. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will take these and distribute them fairly and equally among Muslims. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will then lay hands on the sacred chest inside the Church. That contains the iron-tipped stave of the Prophet ‘Isa (as) and the staff of the Prophet Musa (as). That staff descended to Earth when the Prophet Adem (as) was expelled from Paradise. Caesar, the Roman emperor, seized that chest on the Dome of the Rock (in Jerusalem) and took everything (of value) inside it to the Golden Church. Those articles are currently hidden in the Golden Church. Eventually Hazrat Mahdi (as) will take them from there once again…
("Death - Doomsday – The Hereafter and the Signs of the End Times", Bedir Publishing, p. 432-448)
IBN HAJAR AL MAKKI
All the hadith related to the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as), how he will be descended from the Messenger of Allah (saas), that he will rule the world for seven years, that he will fill the world with justice, that he will help Hazrat ‘Isa (as) to make the Dajjal ineffective at the Gate (of Lud) in Palestine, that he will serve as imam of the Umma and that Hazrat ‘Isa (as) will perform the salat (daily prayer) behind him” have acquired absolute certainly by being related by several individuals. All these matters represent the most important features of the life of the Hazrat Mahdi (as).
Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) complexion is Arab, and his body is Israeli. There is a mole like a shining star on his right cheek. The peoples of the earth and sky, and even the birds in the air, will be content with his caliphate.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will resemble the People of Israel in physical appearance, he will bring forth the treasures of the earth and conquer the land of unbelievers.
The oath of allegiance will be taken to him between the stone pillars of Rukun and Makam. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be so merciful that in his time nobody’s nose will even bleed.
His beard will be thick and plentiful.
His teeth will be bright.
He will give people wealth and goods, in abundance and without counting.
Nowhere will be immune; corruption will appear, that corruption will then spread elsewhere, and this will continue until a voice from the sky cries, ‘O People, your leader is now the Mahdi.’
In the same way that Almighty Allah began Islam with His Messenger (saas), so He will bring it to an end with Hazrat Mahdi (as).
The world filled with cruelty and vice will overflow with justice after his coming.
He will be sent at a time when there are various earthquakes.
In his time, both the good and the bad in the Umma will enjoy such plentiful blessings that the like will never have been seen before. Although much rain will fall, not a drop will be wasted, and the soil will be fertile and productive without requiring a single seed.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be wearing a turban when he appears, and a herald will cry out, “This is the Mahdi, the caliph of Allah. Follow him.”
Our Prophet (saas) said’ “When you see standards emerge from the direction of Horasan, join those banners, even if you have to crawl over snow, because Hazrat Mahdi (as), the caliph of Allah (as), is among them.”
He will come at a time when corruption manifests itself, and his purity will be unmatched.”
He will capture Constantinople and the mountain of Dailam.
Even a single word spoken against Islam will offend him.
Prior to Hazrat Mahdi (as), there will be widespread slaughter and great corruption.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not appear until innocent people are murdered and this slaughter can no longer be borne by those on the earth and in the sky. When Hazrat Mahdi (as) comes, people will embrace him with love and dialogue.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear following terrible corruption when all forbidden things are regarded as lawful. The caliphate will come to him as he sits at home, and he will be the most auspicious person on earth of his age.
Before the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as), there will be a great event when pitch-black stones in Medina will vanish in blood. In that event it will be as easy to kill a woman as to wave a whip. And this phenomenon will spread for 2 km, and the oath of allegiance will be taken to Hazrat Mahdi (as).
Before the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as), trade routes and roads between nations will be severed, and strife between people will grow. Many scholars from various countries will set out to seek Hazrat Mahdi (as), unbeknown to one another, and up to 310 people will accompany each scholar. Eventually they will all meet up in Mecca. And when they ask one another “why they came,” they will all answer “we are looking for Hazrat Mahdi (as), who will prevent this strife and conquer Constantinople, because we have learned his name and those of his father, mother and army.”
Allah will fill the hearts of all with His love. Then he will walk with a people who are lions by day and devoted worshippers by night.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will leave no spurious innovations and will cleanse all the Sunna. He will conquer Constantinople, China and the mountains of Dailam, and this will last for seven years. However, one of his years will be the equivalent of 20 of yours. Then he will do what Almighty Allah desires.
In his time, the wolf will graze with the sheep, and snakes will do children no harm. A man will sow one handful of seeds and will reap 700 handfuls. There will be no hypocrisy, usury, adultery or alcohol, life spans will lengthen and things entrusted to others will not be lost. The wicked will be destroyed, and nobody will be left to oppose our Prophet (saas).
He will not come until a sign appears in the Sun.
His commanders are the most auspicious of men.
The world will be filled with security and even a few women will be able to go on the Hajj with comfort, with no male escorts.
A widespread corruption, the end of which seems impossible, will emerge and that corruption will persist until a voice from the sky cries out three times, “The leader is the Mahdi, is he.”
He will not appear until no caliph who can assume the name remains in the world.
Before his coming, a star will be seen shedding light from the east.
The Moon will twice be eclipsed in the month of Ramadan.
A voice from the skies will call him by name and, those sleeping in the east or west will hear that voice and awake.
During the conquest of Constantinople, he will plant a standard as he washes himself for the morning salat (daily prayer), and the sea will part and the waters withdraw from him, and Hazrat Mahdi (as) will walk through the path that opens up and cross to the other side. Then he will plant another banner and say: “O men, learn from this. The sea has given way to us in the same way it did for the People of Israel. Then they will all utter the taqbir, and with 12 taqbir the 12 ramparts of the city will collapse.
(The Book of Signs of the Mahdi of the End Times, p. 15-75)
ALI IBN HUSAMADDIN AL MUTTAKHI
Allah will place his love in the breasts of men. Then he will live with a people who are lions by day and devoted worshippers by night.
Dani related from Qatada: He said: “People in strife will come to Hazrat Mahdi (as) when he is sitting at home at a time when blood is being spilt and will say, ‘Rise up for us.’ He will at first decline, but will rise up for them after being threatened with death. No blood will be spilt thereafter.
(In his time) neither the sleeper will be woken nor blood will be shed.
Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shayba, Ibn Majah and Naim ibn Hammad related from the blessed Ali in the book known as the Fitan that the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “The Mahdi is one of my line. Allah will mature him in a single night.”
Al-Tabarani in the Qabir and Abu Naim related from Ibn Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “A son of mine, descended from me, whose name is my name and whose moral values are my moral values, will appear and will fill the world, that was formerly full of oppression, with justice.”
His beard is thick, his teeth are bright, and there is a mole on his face. He bears the mark of the Prophet (saas) on his shoulder. He will appear with the banner of the Prophet (saas). That banner has four corners, and is unstitched and black in color. There is a crescent upon it. It has never been opened since the death of the Messenger of Allah (saas) but will be unfurled when Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears. Allah will send three thousand angels to the assistance of Hazrat Mahdi (as), and the angels will strike those who oppose him on the face and back. He will be sent when he is between thirty and forty years of age.
Ibn Abi Shayba relates from Abi Djald: He said; “There will be corruption, followed by other corruptions, and the first will spur the last on to fight using the whip, after which the caliphate will come to Hazrat Mahdi (as), the most auspicious personage on earth, as he sits at home.”
Dani reported from Salama ibn Zufar that the Prophet (saas) said: “It was said one day that Hazrat Mahdi (as) had appeared alongside Hudhayfa. He said, ‘If he appears among you as one of the people of Muhammad you will find restoration. It is certain that because of the evils those people encounter Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not appear until he is the one they most love’.”
Kaza (ibn. Hammad) has related from Abu Huraira. He said: “The oath of loyalty to Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not be taken until Allah is openly denied.”
In a completely trustworthy account in the Fitan, Naim ibn Hammad relates from the blessed Ali: He said: “There are four kinds of corruption – the corruption of abundance, the corruption of scarcity, a corruption of resemblance and the calling out for gold. Subsequently, one from the line of the Prophet (saas) will appear, and Allah will cleanse the affairs of men by his hand.
Naim related from Kaab: He said: “A bright comet will appear in the East before the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as).”
Dani has related from Shahr ibn Hawshab. He said that the Messenger of Allah (saas) stated: “There will be a voice in Ramadan, a cry in the month of Shawwal, and war between peoples in Dhul-Qi’dah. Pilgrims will be robbed. There will be war with many deaths in Mina, and so much blood will be shed that it will leave the stones there in a lake of blood.”
Naim has related from Shurayk. He said, “I have been told that the Moon will twice be eclipsed in the month of Ramadan before the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as).
Everyone will speak of him alone; they will absorb his love and speak of nothing but him.
Naim ibn Hammad and Abil Hasanil in the first volume of the work named the Harbiyat, related from Ali bin Abdullah ibn Abbas that he said: “The Mahdi will not appear until the Sun rises as a sign.”
Naim b. Hammad and Hakim related from Mbr ibn Shuayb, and he from his father’s father, his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “Peoples will war with one another in the month of Dhul-Qi’dah, pilgrims will be seized, and there will be great slaughter. Their lord [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will withdraw, and although he is unwilling people will swear allegiance to him between the stone pillars of Rukun and Makam. The peoples of the earth and sky will be pleased with him.”
Great cities will be destroyed, as if they had not existed just one day before. Sulyani and his army will attack five numerous peoples.
SHEIKH MANSUR ALI NASIF
Sheikh Mansur Ali Nasif writes in his book The Crown:
“The following has achieved great fame both among the ancestral ulama and the descendant ulama. It must be known that a man will certainly appear in the End Times. That person will be one of my line. He will be called Hazrat Mahdi (as). He will assume control over all Islamic lands, and all Muslims will follow him and there will be equal treatment among them. He will restore and revitalize the faith. Then the Dajjal will appear, Hazrat ‘Isa (as) will descend and make the Dajjal ineffective, or else ‘Isa (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as) will help one another to make the Dajjal ineffective.” The hadith concerning Hazrat Mahdi (as) have been related by leading companions and a group of the most auspicious of men. They have been narrated by the great hadith scholars Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Tabarani, Abu Ya'la, al-Bazzaz, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and al-Hakim. (Ahmad Faruk, "The Mahdi and the Attack on the Qaaba", Vahdet Publishing, p. 21)
KADIZADA
"His name is Muhammad, and his father’s name is Abdullah. He is descended from Fatima, a just imam and the caliph of his time, an unsullied ruler, and an absolute restorer of the faith. Allah will create and send him at the time He so chooses. He will strengthen Islam through him. Under his rule, there will be no enmity between two men, or even between two animals. He will be a loyal guardian of believers, a monotheist for the atheists, and a devoted scholar for the unbelievers. He will enrich Muslims with many conquests and spoils. He will be one with Hazrat ‘Isa (as) and will make the Dajjal ineffective and lift the poll tax from the non-Muslims and accept the faith of those converting to Islam. (Kadizada, "Sharh Amentu i" (Sd. M. Rahmi) p. 358)
IBN ABD AL-HAMID AL-HADID AL-MU’TAZILI
...He it is (the Mahdi) who will appear from the sons of Muhammad towards the end of the way of the blessed Ali… Because all Muslim commentators are agreed that “The world will not end until he has appeared.”
("Shahr Nahj al-Balagha"(Comments on the Peak of Eloquence), Vol. 3, pp. 434 and 435.)
MUHAMMAD IBN MUHAMMAD IBNMAHMUD AL HAFIDH AL-BUKHARI
In a long section of his work titled Fasl al Khitab al-Vaasli al--Ahbab, the great scholar and thinker of the 8th and 9th century (according to the hegira calendar) Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al Hafidh al-Bukhari collected those hadith referring to Hazrat Mahdi (as);"Regarding the signs and portents of Doomsday: according to the account by Jabbir regarding Messiah and Hazrat Mahdi (as), the Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
They will fight until Doomsday in the just cause of a group descended from my line. At that time, Hazrat ‘Isa (as) will descend and the leader of the Muslims will say to him, ‘Lead us in the salat (daily prayer).”
- And he will say to him: “No, as a blessing to the Ummah Allah has made one of you leaders of the others...
In his book on Hazrat Mahdi (as) titled "Dala’il al-Nubuwwa Mujizat," Imam Abu al-Abbas al-Mustagfiri describes, in an account reaching back to Abd al-Allah ibn Mas'ud, how the Messenger of Allah (saas) said:
- Before days and nights come to an end, Allah will send one of my line, whose name is my name and whose father’s name is my father’s name. He will fill the world with justice as it is now filled with cruelty and wickedness. (Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Hafidh al-Buhari, Faslu'l- Khitab, p. 553-557 Erkam Publishing. No: 45)
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