Hadith about Al Mahdi
Leave a CommentTHE VERACITY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S SAYINGS
Al Muhaddith Abdullah bin Siddiq al Ghumari
Translated by Shaykh Ahmad Darwish
Unfortunately, there are many people, including some who are knowledgeable, who believe there will be no Mahdi. This is because they are ignorant of the Prophetic sayings prophesying his appearance towards the end of time.
I was told by someone, during the course of a meeting in which Al Mahdi was mentioned, that a knowledgeable teacher stated that the Hadiths bearing the news of Al Mahdi were false. I asked that person why he had not questioned their falsehood by asking which authoritative source from the Science of Hadith had judged them false. By Allah, if he had asked these questions the teacher would not have been able to reply. It is impossible that the Hadiths which have been proved to be ‘mutawatirah‘, by Al Hufaz (the highest authorities in Hadith terminology) to be false.
Al Hafiz Abu Hussain Al Abiri said in his book: “The Merits of Imam Al Shaf’i“, may Allah be pleased with him: “The news reported via the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, of Al Mahdi was spread far and wide and has been verified as ‘mutawatirah’. He is from the family of the Holy Prophet, and when he comes the earth will be filled with justice, and Jesus, upon whom be veneration and peace, will follow him and assist him in the slaying of al masiikh often referred to as ad-dajal – the lying, false messiah, the anti-Christ.“
Al Muhaddith, Idris Al Iraqi Al Hussaini wrote: “The Prophetic sayings concerning Al Mahdi are ‘mutawatira’ or extremely close, however, the first opinion has been certified by many Al Hufaz.”
Ash Shawkani said in his book: The Authentic Proof Concerning Transmissions about the Expected Imam, the false Messiah and the Messiah, ” … there are fifty transmitted prophetic sayings concerning Al Mahdi. Amongst them are those classified as authentic, good and also the amended. There is no doubt that they are all mutawatirah.”
The expression ‘mutawatirah’ can also be applied to Hadiths of a lesser degree according to all the expressions listed in the principle of this science. On account of so many of the companions reporting the same narration it is impossible to say that these statements were generated from themselves and are not from the Holy Prophet because the information contained therein is above their capability.
The King of Bohpal in India, Al Muhaddith Al Kinnawji said in his book: “The Broadcasting of what Happened and what is Going to Happen before the Hour of
Judgement, ” ‘… the Prophetic sayings concerning Al Mahdi together with their various narrations are numerous and are classified as being ‘mutawatirah’. This fact has also
been recorded in other references of Hadith and Islamic records such as dictionaries together with their chains of narrations of each transmitter …’ Then he added: ‘Some of the Prophetic sayings concerning Al Mahdi are extremely high in their soundness, some sound, whilst others are lessor in soundness. One must also take into account that throughout each generation his circumstances have always been very well known.”
The scholar, Abu Abdullah Jasus said: “The news concerning Al Mahdi has been reported in many hadiths and Al Hafiz As-Sakhawy judged that they had reached the level of ‘mutawatirah.’”
Ash Shaykh Al Arabi of Fez said: “Every science has been delivered through the authentic news via the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. That which has been prophesied is a truth to be expected and will, indeed, occur … and the news of Al Mahdi is transmitted in numerous narrations so therefore it is powerful.”
The scholar Abu Zayd Abdur Rahman of Fez commented: “There is an abundance of news about Al Mahdi and he will be sent at the end of Time …”
As Safarini wrote in his poem describing the articles of belief: “Everything came in the Prophetic text from the true science. There is no deviation amongst them concerning the eloquent seal – Imam Muhammad Al Mahdi and Jesus.”
Explaining his poems, As-Safarini said: “There are many opinions concerning Al Mahdi — even the false — and it has been said that there is no Mahdi except Jesus. The authentic reports followed by truthful people is that Al Mahdi is other than Jesus and that he will come before Jesus descends from the heavens. There are many narrations reaching the degree of ‘tawatur’ and because of this it became very well known among the scholars of the Sunnah5, so that is was included as being an article of belief.” After this As-Safarini mentioned some of the Hadiths reported by a group of the Prophet’s companions and commented: “These have been reported via the companions together with others who are also mentioned in numerous chains of narrations. It has also been mentioned via the second generation of Muslims from which we glean great benefit with the absolute knowledge of him. Therefore, belief in the coming of Al Mahdi is obligatory because it has been confirmed by knowledgeable scholars and listed in the Articles of Faith of the people of the Sunnah.”
Amongst those who describe the Prophet’s sayings relating to Al Mahdi as ‘mutawatirah’ is the shaykh of some of our shaykhs, the Imam, the Seal of the Scholars of Hadith in Fez, As Sayyid Muhammad, son of Jafar Al Kittani. In his book: “Organizing the Scattered Mutawatirah Prophetic Sayings” via twenty companions, he reported statements similar to those already stated by the previously mentioned scholars.
He also said: “In his introduction, ibn Khaldun traced the chains of the Prophetic sayings concerning the coming of Al Mahdi according to his knowledge, however, he approached them incorrectly.” Accordingly, the scholars criticized him saying that the Prophetic sayings reported about Al Mahdi are numerous and reach the height of being ‘mutawatirah.’ It is reported in the references of Ahmad, At-Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, ibn Majah, Al Hakim, At-Tabarani, Abi Yal’ly, Al Bazaar and others that they were able to trace them directly to a group of the Prophet’s companions.” Consequently, the denial of this together with all the above are illegal because the Prophetic sayings support each other and become powerful with witnesses and arguments. The Prophetic sayings pertaining to Al Mahdi either reach the highest degree of soundness, or are determined to be sound, or some are classified as being lessor.
Scholarly witnessing to these statements are numerous, however, it is not our aim to gather them all, neither is it to defeat the opinion of ibn Khaldun, because this has already been dealt with in “The Appearance of the Hidden Delusions from the Sayings of ibn Khaldun” by my brother As-Sayyid Ahmad. This book defeats all ibn Khaldun’s criticisms word-by-word, in a way that leaves no room for anyone else to add to it.
Our aim is that we mention the Prophetic sayings relating to Al Mahdi with their references as reported by the scholars of this Science of Hadith, together with their chains of narrations with an examination of these chains that sustain the proof of their degree of soundness according to the indisputable regulations of the Science of Hadith with its high principles thus making it ‘tawatur’ clear to everyone.
Al Mahdi is mentioned in the Prophetic Sayings reported by thirty-three of the companions – they are:
1. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib
2. Imam Hussain ibn Ali
3. Al Abbas ibn Al Muttalib
4. Ibn Abbas
5. Ammar ibn Yasir
6. Abi Sa’id Al Khudri
7. Abdullah ibn Masood
8. Ummu Salamah, Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her
9. Thawban
10. Abdullah ibn Al Harth
11. Anas ibn Malik
12. Uthman ibn Affan
15. Hudhayfah ibn Al Yamam
16. Jabir ibn Majid As-Sadafi
17. Abu Ayyub Al Ansari
18. Kyrrah Al Muzani
19. Ummu Habibah, Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her
20. Abi Umamah Al Bahily
21. Abdullah ibn Amru ibn Al As
22. Tamim Ad-Dari
23. Ayesha, Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her
24. Abdu Rahman ibn Awf
25. Abdullah ibn Omar ibn Al Khattab
26. Talha ibn Ubaydillah
27. Ali Al Hilali
28. Imran ibn Hasan
29. Amru ibn Murrah Al Juhani
30. Awf ibn Malik
31. Abi A Tafil
32. A man from the companions
33. Kays ibn Jabir via his father, via his grandfather.
Al Mahdi has also been mentioned in the Prophetic sayings reported by five of the Tabi’in:
1. Sa’id ibn Al Musayyab
2. Al Hasan Al Basri – student of Imam Ali
3. Kitadah
4. Shahr ibn Hawshab
5. Mumar
Eid Mubarak
Leave a CommentEid al Fitr marks the end of a month full of blessings, the holy month of Ramadan. The day of Eid al Fitr is a joyous day for those who have return to their state of purity ( fitrah ). On this auspicious day I wish to seek forgiveness from all my fellow Muslims, wherever they may be.
SALAM AIDIL FITRI
Leave a CommentRamadan Unplugged: The Last Ten Days
Muslims have spent two-thirds of the month of Ramadan in physical restraint and silent contemplation, and it is in the last third – the last ten days of Ramadan – where the remembrance of God approaches its peak… More here
Unfortunately at my place, normally the last ten nights of this holy month of Ramadan is spent at shopping complexes, night bazaars and etc. During the first 10 days, the masjids and suraus are full of Muslimin and Muslimat but as the days goes by, the numbers continue to dwindle….
The last 10 days of Ramadan
Sayyidatina Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?’ He said: ‘Say: O Allah, You are Oft-Pardoning and You love to pardon, so pardon me.’”(Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Imam Ibn Majah, and Imam Tirmidhi).
Sayyidina Abu Hurairah quoted Allah’s Messenger as saying: “Whoever stands (in prayer) in Laylatul Qadr while nourishing his faith with self-evaluation, expecting reward from Allah, will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” [Narrated by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim).
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