Al-Mahdawiya and Al-Mahdi The Twelfth Imam

1. Al-Mahdawiyaand Al-Mahdi The Twelfth Imam https://twishort.com/Olzic http://www.al-islam.org/14-questions-about-imam-az-zaman-volume-1 By A.S. Hashim. MD

2. In this Slide Show • Discussed in this Slide Show: • belief in “Al-Mahdawiya” • Imam Mahdi in the books of other religions • Holy Quran alludes to the existence and reappearance of al-Mahdi • Holy Prophet informs us about the “Promised Mahdi”? • Imam Ali informs us about the “Promised Mahdi” • Rest of Imams inform us about the “Promised Mahdi” • Quoting Sunni Hadith Books • During Minor Occultation: The four Appointed Safeers • Sample sayings and Du’aa of Al-Mahdi • Ziyarah

3. Al-Mahdawiya:The belief in the promised Mahdi • Al-Mahdawiya is the belief about a Universal Savior. • This creed is not limited to Islam but is an established faith of other religions. It calls for: • Support for the weak, and termination of oppression are all matters related to the belief in the promised Mahdi. • Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Even if one day remains for the end of the world, Allah the Almighty will prolong it to such an extent till a man appears from my family. • His name will be as my name and his acronym will be my acronym. • He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with oppression and corruption.”

4. What has been mentioned about Universal Savior? • In the Old Testament, it is mentioned that; “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. • The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him...... with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. ...... • The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. • The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.. • They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:1-10)

5. The Second Coming • Luke 18:8 • I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” • John 14 • “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

6. The Quran alludes to al-Mahdi existence Eminent scholars have brought many such verses: هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ “He it is Who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth that He may cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.” (Surah al-Taw’ba, 9: 33) وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ “And We desire to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the earth and to make them the Imams and to make them the heirs.” (Surah al-Qasas 28: 5)

7. The Quran Alludes to al-Mahdi وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ “Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will make them rulers in the earth as He had made rulers those before them, and that He will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and that He will, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me.” (Surah al-Noor, 24:55) Allama Majlisi brings 60 verses from the Holy Quran in this regard

8. Quoting Muhammad (pbuh)

9. Quoting Muhammad about “al-Mahdi” • The Holy Prophet informed us saying, “al-Mahdi is from my progeny. • His name is as my name (Muhammad) and his acronym is my acronym (Abu al-Qasim). • He resembles me most in the creation and in the manners. • He will be associated with occultation and confusion, so most people deviate from religion. • He will appear as a bright shining star, will fill the earth with truth and justice just as it was filled with oppression and injustice.” Kamaaluddin by Shaikh Sadooq, p. 287

10. Ali’s Saying on his behalf • Imam Ali had said: I thought about a child who will be from my flesh, the eleventh from my line of descendants. He is Al-Mahdi who will fill the earth with justice and equity [righteousness] when the world has reached the height of injustice and Evilness.  He will live in a state of occultation, as a result of which a group of people will go astray and another remain faithful.

12. Quoting al-Hasanabout al-Mahdi • Imam al-Hasan said: • “People are not exempted from the obedience of any of us Imams. • Yet, our rights have been trampled upon by oppressive rulers and their followers. This will go on until the time of Qaa'im, behind whom Prophet Isa Ibn Maryam will pray and • He will be kept in occultation. When he reappears, paying allegiance to him will be compulsory on everyone. • He will be a descendant of the progeny of my brother Husain. • Allah will lengthen the age of his occultation. By His power, He will make him reappear and when he reappears, his age will seem to be like a man of 40 years or even lesser. Know him, as Allah has power over everything.” Ithbaatul Hidaayah by Shaikh Hurr al-Aameli, vol. 5, p. 155

13. Quoting Al-Baaqirabout al-Mahdi • Imam Muhammad Al-Baaqir said: • “The worst conditions will afflict the world. • People shall express differing views about the existence of the Qaa'im. Is he alive or dead? • Those who deny him will claim that his bones have decayed. They will thus question the possibility of his reappearance. • It is your duty to wait for his reappearance. • When the news of his reappearance reaches you, then hasten to reach unto him, even if you have to face thousands of obstacles.” Kamaaluddin, p. 326

14. Quoting Al-Saadiqabout al-Mahdi • Imam Ja’far Al-Saadiq said: • “The occultation of our Qaa'im will be like that of the Prophets. • The traits of our Qaa'im flow from us Ahlul Bayt • His occultation will be such that the wrong doers will be in doubt. • Allah will then make him reappear. • The entire world will submit to him. • Prophet Isa will appear and pray behind him. • The earth will illuminate with his existence and not a piece of land will remain where any one other than Allah will be worshipped. Allah’s religion will be found everywhere, no matter how much the disbelievers may detest it.” Kamaaluddin, p. 345

15. Al-Saadiq’s Saying on his behalf • Imam Al-Saadiq is quoted saying: “When Al-Mahdi rises he will summon the people to Islam anew and guide them to a matter which had become lost to them and from which people had gone astray.  He is the only one called Al-Mahdi because he guides to the matter from which men had deviated.  He is called Al-Qaa'im because of his rising to the task.”

18. Quoting Sunni Hadith Books • From Sahih Bukhari: • Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, "Islam will continue to be strong to twelve Muslim rulers." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish." • In a Hadith widely regarded as authentic, Muhammad said, • Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before the Day of Judgment, Allah will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person out of Ahlul Bayt who will be called by my name and my father's name. He will then fill the Earth with peace and justice as it will have been filled with injustice and tyranny before then.

20. Discussed in the Following Section: • False claimants of Mahdawiya • Aspects of similarities between Prophets and al-Mahdi • Salat of Janaaza • During Minor Occultation: The four Appointed Safeers • Sample Sayings and Du’aas • Titles and acronyms of al-Mahdi.

21. More about al-Mahdi? • Abdullah Ibn Masood narrates that the Prophet said: “Even if one day remains for the end of the world, Allah the High shall lengthen that day to such an extent that a person from my nation and my family will establish divine leadership. His name will be the same as mine. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression.” Fusool al-Muhimmah, Ibn Sabbagh Maaliki, p. 294 • Salman asked, “O Messenger of God! From where will your son appear? The Prophet placed his hand on the back of Husain and said: ‘That son of mine will be from him’.” Yanaabee’ al-Mawaddah, Shaikh Sulaiman Qunduzi, vol. 3, p. 163

23. False claimants of Mahdawiya. • Some of the pseudo-Mahdis in history are as follows: • Abu Ishaq Abu Abidah Thaqafi, • Abu Muhammad Abdullah al-Mahdi, • Abu Abdullah al-Maghrebi, • Mahdi al-Sudani, • Sayed Muhammad Jaunpuri Hindi, • Musa Kurdi, • Mahdi al-Bengali, • Ghulam Ahmad Qadiyani, • Sayed Bab and Bahaaullah.

24. Why the Shi'a rise when al-Mahdi is mentioned? • Imam Al-Saadiq was asked, “What is the reason for standing when al-Qaa'im is mentioned?” He replied: • “Sahib al-Amr (a.s.) will have a long occultation. • Whenever he will be addressed by the title al-Qaa'im, due to the intense love his followers have for him, • they will remember his noble era and express sorrow at his present distress. • Reciprocating this action, even Hadhrat (Mahdi) is benevolently attentive towards them. • Since this condition results in receiving the attention of the Imam, it is recommended to stand as a mark of respect for him and pray for his early reappearance.” Ilzamun Naasib, vol.1, p. 271

25. Aspects of similarities between Prophets and al-Mahdi. • Imam Zainul Abideen said: • “In our Qaa'im are found the traits of the Prophets, similar to those of Adam, Nooh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa, Ayyub, and Muhammad (pbuh). • As regards to Adam and Nooh, it is their long life. • As regards to Ibrahim, it is his secret birth and staying away from the people. • In case of Musa, it is the fear and his disappearance. • In case of Isa, it is the controversy among the people about him. • In case of Ayyub, it is his perfection after his great test. • And in the case of Muhammad (pbuh), it is his coming out with a sword.” Kamaaluddin, p. 322

26. Brief account of al-Mahdi’s life • Famous Titles: Mahdi, Wali- al-Asr, Sahib al-Zamaan, Qaa'im, Muntadhar, etc. • Time and place of Birth: Born in Samurra, Iraq, 15th of Sha’ban in the year 255 A.H. • The Minor Occultation: After the passing of Imam Hasan al-Askari, al-Mahdi assumed the Imamah. • Immediately thereafter in 260 A.H., with the permission of the Almighty, the Minor Occultation started. This lasted for sixty nine years till 329 A.H. • The Major Occultation: Started in 329 A.H. The major occultation will continue so long as Allah desires. Allah will make him reappear to fill this world with justice whenever He so desires.

27. Proof of the birth of al-Mahdi? • A group of Shi’as: Once a group of 40 Shi’as came in the presence of the 11th Imam, al-Hasan al-Askari. • They asked him to introduce the divine proof after him. Al-Askari accepted their request and introduced to them his son who emerged radiant as a shining moon, resembling his father, Imam Askari, • Imam Askari then said: • “After me, this son of mine is your Imam and my Khalifa among you. You all obey him. • Don't scatter away from his leadership lest you and your religion be destroyed. Also, know that you shall not see him again after today till a very long time. Therefore, you all should obey his representative.” Uthman Ibn Saeed’, Ilzaamun Naasib, vol. 1, p. 341

28. Titles and Acronyms of al-Mahdi. • Mahdi: The Redeemer, Rightly-guided • Qaa'im: the executor who will rise with the truth • Mansoor: With God’s support and help • Muntadhar: The awaited for, because days of his occultation will be prolonged • Baqiyatullah: God’s proof and God’s over all.” • Hujjatullah(The proof of Allah) • Al-Khalaf al-Saaleh(The Virtuous Heir) • Gharim(The One who seeks) • Mu’ammal(The One who is hoped for) • Sahib al-Amr(Master of the Affair) • Sahib al-Zamaan(Master of the Age)

29. Salat of Janaaza • The uncle of Al-Mahdi was about to lead a private Salat of Janaaza • Participants consisted of relatives and prominent devotees of Al-Askari called Al-Khaassah, (the Shi’a).  • Just as he tried to lead Salat of Janaaza a boy came out and commanded: تَنَحَّ يا عم، فأنا أحق منك في الصلآة على أبي Uncle, move aside, I have more right than you to pray over my father's body. • Startled, the uncle moved aside and Al-Mahdi led the Salat, now that he was the Imam.  • Also surprised were the participants who had not seen Al-Mahdi but heard of him.

30. al-Mahdi at his father’s funeral? • Only an Imam can lead the funeral prayers of an Imam. • To prevent any representative of the Khalifa from reciting the funeral prayers over the holy bier of the eleventh Imam, • To prevent corruption from entering the proceedings of the matter of Imamah. Ja'far, the brother of Imam Askari had a wicked plan to claim the Imamah. • For verifying the continuation of the true chain of Imamah and Islamic Mastership. • To announce to the believers in Imamah that after al-Hasan al-Askari, there is the twelfth Imam responsible for spiritual succession, the Islamic message and religious as well as worldly mastership. He has been born and is very much present. Khurshid al-Maghrib, Muhammad Ridha’ Hakimi, p. 24

31. The other Janaaza Prayer • Young Al-Mahdi was described as:  • Radiant, • with fairly wide forehead, and • spaced front teeth. • When Al-Mahdi finished off the Janaaza Salat he left immediately and vanished.  • This way Al-Mahdi was witnessed by the crowd • Another Salat of Janaaza was performed by a huge crowd: • It was led by the brother of the Khalifa • Quite possibly the private Janaaza Salat led by Al-Mahdi was followed sometime later by the public one.

32. The Whereabouts • Initially Al-Mahdi concealed himself somewhere in Samur'raa. • Samur'raa was teaming with government employees, Benu Abbas, the Turkics, and militaries of various nationalities.  • Sirdaab is an exclusive cellar built deeply underground and used by Imam Al-Askari for Salat and seclusion.  • The Sirdaab's entrance must have been uniquely well camouflaged, It fully evaded Benu Abbas to find him. • In later years Al-Mahdi's headquarters were possibly in Baghdad, known only to his Safeers.  • Imam Al-Mahdi was seen at the Ka'ba during Haj time.

33. The Minor Occultation • Lasted 69 years: 260H to 329H • With 4 Safeers: • Uthman Al-Amri • Muhammad son of Uthman Al-Amri • Husain Ibn Rooh • Ibn Muhammad Al-Sammari • Keeping contact with the Imam, bring his written answers, Tawkii‘' التوقيع to the Wakeels الوكيل . • The administration is called Wikaalah الوكاله

34. During Minor Occultation: The four Appointed Safeers 1. Uthman Al-Amri 4. Muhammad Al-Sammari 2. Muhammad ibn Al-Amri 3. Husain ibn Al-Rooh

35. Al-Mahdi in Haj • Al-Mahdi used to perform the Haj every year.  • Haj season was to meet and exchange information with the followers • Haj time was used extensively to streamline the activities. • Al-Wakeels who had met Imam Al-Mahdi became affected with a form of disorientation, and only after he left did they come to the conclusion that it was Al-Mahdi himself. • Some people say they ate with him, others saw him while in Sujood in Mecca uttering Du'aa, then leaving with a narrator to the house of Khadija, the wife of the Prophet.

36. Sample Du’aa

37. Select Sayings of Al-Mahdi • I am al-Mahdi (the guided one), I am the Imam of the time and I am the one who will fill the earth with justice just as it was filled with tyranny and injustice. (Bihar al-Anwar Ch.52, P.2) • No advent but after Allah’s permission, and that will be after the passing of a long term, the hardening of the hearts and the filling of earth with tyranny. (alehtejaj Ch.2, P.478) • The prostration of gratitude is from among the most indispensable and most necessary of the sunnah practices (Prophetic Tradition). (Bihar al-Anwar Ch.53, P.161)

38. End of the Minor Occultation329HImam Al-Mahdi’s last Tawkii’ التوقيع said:

39. Sample Pronouncement[Tawkii’ التوقيع]

40. Beneath the Dome is the Cellar (Sirdaab)where Imam al-Mahdi was last seen after the demise of his father the Shrine

41. The Sirdab:Site of Meditation

43. Ziyarah of Al-Mahdi • سَلاَمٌ عَلَى آلِ يس • السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ وَرَبَّانِيَّ آيَاتِهِ • السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بَابَ اللَّهِ وَدَيَّانَ دِينِهِ • ‏السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا خَلِيفَةَ اللَّهِ وَنَاصِرَ حَقِّهِ • السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ وَدَلِيلَ إِرَادَتِهِ • ‏السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا تَالِيَ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَتَرْجُمَانَهُ • السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ فِي آنَاءِ لَيْلِكَ وَأَطْرَافِ نَهَارِكَ • ‏السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بَقِيَّةَ اللَّهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ • ‏السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا الْعَلَمُ الْمَنْصُوبُ وَالْعِلْمُ الْمَصْبُوبُوَالْغَوْثُ وَالرَّحْمَةُ الْوَاسِعَةُ…

44. Ziyarah of Al-Mahdi translated • Peace be unto the progeny of Yaseen • Peace unto you; the caller to Allah and the interpreter of His Verses • Peace unto you; the gateway to Allah and the applier of His religion • Peace unto you; the viceroy of Allah and the backer of His right • Peace unto you; the Claim of Allah and the sign of His volition • Peace unto you; the reciter and the interpreter of the Book of Allah • Peace unto you at the hours of the night and its two ends • Peace unto you—the herald of Allah on His lands • Peace unto you—the covenant of Allah that He has made and confirmed • Peace unto you—the Promise of Allah that He has assured…

45. Let us Read Surah al-Asr together

46. Be in Allah’s Care Thank you and May God Bless you. Dr. A.S. Hashim