The Mahdi
THE Mahdi will come at the end of time; he is one of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and Imâms. He is not the Mahdi who is expected by the Shiah, who they claim will appear from a tunnel in Samarra . This claim of theirs has no basis in reality nor in any reliable source. They allege that his name is Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Askari, and that he went into the tunnel when he was five years old. The matter we intend to discuss has been proven by Ahadîth narrated from the Prophet - sallallâhu ’alayhi wa sallam -: that the Mahdi will appear at the end of time. I believe that he will appear before Jesus the son of Mary comes down, as the Ahadîth indicate.
Hajjaj said that he heard 'Alî say, The Prophet said, "Even if there were only one day left for the world, Allâh would send a man from among us to fill the world with justice, just as it had been filled with oppression and justice." (Ahmad).
'Alî said, The Prophet said, "The Mahdi is one of us, from among the people of my household. In one night Allâh will inspire him and prepare him to carry out his task successfully." (Ahmad and Ibn Majah.)
Abû Dâwûd reported a Hadîth from 'Abdullâh ibn Masud: The Prophet said, "If there were only one day left for the world, that day would be lengthened until a man from among my descendants or from among the people of my household, was sent; his name will be the same as my name, and his fathers name will be the same as my fathers name. He will fill the earth with justice and fairness, just as it will have been filled with injustice and oppression. The world will not end until a man of my household, whose name is the same as mine, holds away."
'Abdullâh said, The Prophet said, "A man from my household, whose name is like mine, will take power." (at-Tirmidhî.) In another report, from Abû Hurayrah, the Prophet said, "If there were only one day left for this world, Allâh would lengthen it until he took power." Abû Said said, The Prophet said, "The Mahdi will be one of my descendants; he will have a high forehead and a hooked nose. He will fill the earth with justice and fairness just as it was filled with injustice and oppression, and he will rule for seven years. (Abû Dâwûd)
