Imam Mahdi (as)2006

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Imam Mahdi (AS)

Ali Azhar Arastu

February 2006

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Agenda Righteous servants will inherit the earth

Traditions regarding Imam Mahdi (AS)

Characteristics of Imam Mahdi(AS)

Doubts regarding Imam (AS), clarified

What is Imamat?

Guide for the community?

Proof (Hujjat) of Allah Nucleus of earth

Incredible? but its possible, lets look at Quran What next

Are we ready for him

Our duties while we wait

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Righteous servants inherit the earthHoly Quran

"It is He who has sent His Apostle with the guidance and the Religion of truth,that He may make it prevail over all religions, though the polytheists should beaverse (detest)." (Quran 9:33)

The earth indeed belongs to Allah. He gives its inheritance to whomever He

wishes of His servants, and the outcome will be in favor of the Godwary."(Quran 7:128)

"Certainly We wrote in the Psalms (Zabur) after the Torah: Indeed My righteousservants shall inherit the earth." (Quran 21:105)

"Allah has promised those of you who have faith and do righteous deeds that Hewill surely make them successors in the earth, just as He made those who werebefore them successors and He will surely establish for them their religion which

He has approved for them, and that He will surely change their state to securityafter their fear, while they worship Me, not ascribing any partners to Me."(Quran 24:55)

"They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah shallperfect His Light though the faithless may detest." (Quran 61:8)

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Traditions regarding Imam Mahdi (AS)

"There will be twelve Guides after me, the first of whom is you, O' Ali,and the last one will be the 'Support' (al-Qa'im) who, with the grace of

Allah, will gain victory over the whole east and west of the world."

As per the 6 famous Sunni books, : Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud, and Sahih al-Nisa'i :

- al-Mahdi (AS) will come in the last days to make a universal Government,

- al-Mahdi (AS) is from the Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet (PBUH&HF)

- al-Mahdi (AS) is from the progeny of Fatimah (AS), the daughter of theProphet(SAWA)

- al-Mahdi (AS) is different than Prophet Jesus (the Messiah)

- Prophet Jesus (AS) will come as one of the followers of Imam al-Mahdiand will pray behind him in congressional prayer.

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Traditions regarding Al-Mahdi (AS) with references

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "Even if the entire duration of the world'sexistence has already been exhausted and only one day is left (beforethe day of judgment), Allah will expand that day to such a length oftime, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person from my Ahlul-Bayt

who will be called by my name. He will fill out the earth with peaceand justice as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny (by then)."

References:

- Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v2, p86, v9, pp 74-75

- Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p7

- Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 84,376; V3, p63

- al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, by al-Hakim, v4, p557

- Jami' al-Saghir, by al-Suyuti, pp 2,160

- al-Urful Wardi, by al-Suyuti, p2- al-Majma', by al-Tabarani, p217

- Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, v9, p144

- Fat'h al-Bari fi Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, by Ibn Hajar Asqalani, v7, p305

- al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p249

- al-Tathkirah, by al-Qurtubi, p617

and many more.

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More Traditions.

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "al-Mahdi is one of us, the members of thehousehold (Ahlul-Bayt)."

Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4085

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: The Mahdi will be of my family, of thedescendants of Fatimah (the Prophet's daughter).References: - Sunan Abu Dawud, English version, Ch. 36, Tradition #4271 (narrated by Umm Salama, the wife of theProphet)

- Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4086

- al-Nisa'i and al-Bayhaqi, and others as quoted in:


"al-Mahdi is from our Ahlul-Bayt, no doubt Allah will enforce hisappearance within a night (i.e., his coming is very unpredictable and isvery sudden)."

References: - Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, p269, - Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, as quoted in:


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Fatwa given in Mecca

"The memorizers (Huffadh) and scholars of Hadith have verified thatthere are authentic (Sahih) and acceptable (Hasan) reports among thetraditions related to al-Mahdi. The majority of these traditions are

related through numerous authorities (Mutawatir). There is no doubtthat the status of those reports are Sahih and Mutawatir. (They havealso verified) that the belief in Mahdi is obligatory, and that it is one ofthe beliefs of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'a. Only those ignorantdeny it.

Reference:A Fatwa in this issue was given in Mecca by "The Muslim World League"(Rabitatul 'Alamil Islami) on Oct. 11, 1976 (23 Shawwal 1396).

For the transcription and reproduction of this Fatwa, see, among others, the Introduction ofal-Ganji al-Shafi'i, in the book named "al-Bayan," Beirut, 1399/1979, pp 76-79 and inAppendix

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View of Shafi scholars and Ibn Taymiyyah re Al-Mahdi (As)

Two Shafi'i scholars, Ganji in his book "al-Bayan", and Shablanji inhis book "Noor al-Absar", on the verse 48:28 of Quran: "He is theOne who sent his Messenger (Muhammad) with the guidance and the

true religion that in order to prevail over all the religions" narrated fromSa'id Ibn Jubair that"this promise to Prophet Muhammad will befulfilled by al-Mahdi who is in the progeny of Fatimah (AS)."

Even Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728/1328), who is acclaimed by theWahhabis, wrote in his book "Minhaj al-Sunnah" (v4, pp 211-212)

that the traditions concerning the Mahdi are certainly reliable, and hisstudent, al-Dhahabi, conformed with him in his summary of histeacher's book. (See Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Sunnah, pp 533-534).

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Characteristics of Imam Mahdi (As)

The son of Imam Hasan Askari (As) the 11th Imam

Born on 15th of Shaban 255 H/869 AD

His father was martyred so he became the Imam in 260 H/874 AD

Went into minor occultation in 260 H/874 AD

Went into Major occultation in 329 H/944 AD

He will reappear when Allah wills

His title Al-Mahdi The guided one

His name is Muhammed ibn Al Hasan(AS)

His lineage, traced back to Imam Ali (AS), is: Muhammad Ibn al-HasanIbn Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Musa Ibn Ja'far Ibn Muhammad Ibn

Ali Ibn al-Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Talib (AS)

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Doubts/Questions regarding Al Mahdi (AS)

Question 1:

How can a five year old boy become the Imam of mankind ?

Answer: Thereat she pointed to him. They said How can we speak to

one who is yet a baby in the cradle? He (Jesus) said Indeed I am aservant of Allah! He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.He has made me blessed, wherever I may be, and He has enjoined meto the prayer and to pay the zakat as long as I live.(Quran 19:29-31)

"'O Yahya! Hold on with power to the Book, ' And We gave him thejudgement while still a child." (Quran 19:12)

The third example is Prophet Solomon (Sulayman) who was appointedby Allah the heir of his father, David (Dawud), and became the king ofhis community while he had not reached the age of puberty.

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Doubts/Questions regarding Al Mahdi (AS) (Continued)

Question 2:

Every human is mortal. How can Imam al-

Mahdi(AS)

live so long? Answer: Noah (AS) Prophet for 950 years (Quran

29:14)

Jesus (AS) still alive 2000+ years

Khidr (AS) still alive, and on earth more than 3000

years People of the cave in the cave for 309 years

Story of Prophet Uzair (Quran 2:259)

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Question 3:

Is Imam Mahdi (AS) in a cave right now? Then

where?

He was last seen in a cave when he disappeared. Itdoes not mean that he is confined to a cave.

Its said that Shias believe that he is in a cave. Thisis not true.

Imam al-Mahdi (AS) may sometimes live in one place

or travel around the world, just the same as thecommon belief of Muslims about al-Khidr (AS).

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Question 4:

Why did Imam (AS) disappear? When will he appear?

The main reason will be disclosed when he reappears

An easy answer, its Allahs will and His Will is based on His infinitewisdom

Its a test for us. Allah wants to test us

He will come when the people are ready for him:

-History tells us that people were never ready

-People killed the Prophets and the Imams

-When people will realize that they need a divinely appointedleader

-When he has 313 top virtuous helpers & 40,000 pious followers

who will fill the secondary position

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Another frequently asked question:

Question 5 :

The Shias say that the mother of Imam Mahdi(AS) was abondwoman. Isn't it shameful that he (AS) should be born to a

slave-girl? Prophet Abrahams (AS) wife Hagar was a bondwoman

Prophet Ismael (AS) the son of Hagar

Prophet Muhammed (SAWA) was a direct descendant of Ismael(AS)

Why should it be shameful for Imam Mahdi (AS) when our Prophet(SAWA)

was a descendant of Ismael(AS)

who was the son of a bondwoman Arent slaves human? In Islam, Piety carries more weight than cast

race creed or color. This is a perfect example

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What is Imamat?

Imam is a human and has authority over other humans by thepermission of Allah SWT

"And We made them Imams, guiding by Our command and We

revealed to them the performance of good deeds." (Quran21:73)

And amongst them We appointed Imams who guide by Ourcommand when they had been patient and had convictions inOur signs." (Quran 32:24)

"O' you who have faith! Obey Allah and Obey the Apostle and

those vested with authority among you (Quran 4:59)

Who are those Imams whom Allah gave themauthority and are to be obeyed beside the Prophet?

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More on the issue of Imamat

"Indeed I am all Forgiver toward him who repents, becomesfaithful and acts righteously, and then follows guidance[20:82]",-Ibn Hajar mentioned that it is narrated from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) aswell as Thabit al-Lubnani that, the end of verse refers to the Wilayah of theAhlul-Bayt." (al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section

1, p235).

"(O' Muhammad!) You are but a Warner, and for everycommunity there exists a Guide." (Quran 13:7).

The Sunni commentators say thatGuide here is Ali (AS)- Tafsir al-Tabari, v13, p72;

- Tafsir al-Kabir, by Fakhr al-Razi, on the commentary of verse 13:7

- Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Suyuti, under verse 13:7 of Quran

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Guide for the community?

As per verse 13:7 there is a guide for eachcommunity

Who is the guide today? Its Imam Mahdi (AS)

If he is in occultation, how do we benefit?

Imam (AS) wrote while in minor occultaion:

" As to the benefit of my existence in occultation, it is like the benefit ofthe sun behind the clouds where the eyes do not see it .

Example of a battle without a commander, Soldiers lose morale

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Proof (Hujjat) of Allah - Nucleus of the earth

Shia belief thatProof of Allah should always exist on earth

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and many others narrated:

The Messenger of Allah said: "The stars are amnesty for theinhabitants of the heavens, and if the stars go away (i.e.,become non-existent), the inhabitants of the heavens will bedestroyed. And my Ahlul-Bayt are amnesty for the inhabitantsof the earth, and if my Ahlul-Bayt go away (i.e., all die), theinhabitants of the earth will be destroyed."

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Incredible? Its possible by Allahs leave

lets look at Quran

The story of Uzeir (Ezra) (AS) (Surah Baqarah 2:259)

The story of Abraham (AS) (Surah Anbiya 21:68)

Chopped up birds came back flying (Surah 2:260)

Miraculous birth Jesus (AS)

How Jesus (AS) brought dead to life, healed

The miracles of Moses (AS)

Solomon (AS) talked to birds, ants

Throne of Queen of Sheba brought in a blink

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More . All by Allahs leave

People of the cave - Given life again after 309 years

Khidr (AS) was at the time of Moses (AS) , is still alive

Noah (AS) lived more than 950 years Jacob (AS) regains his eyesight

Jonah (AS) in a whales tummy for number of days

The story of King Abraha and the elephants

Adam(AS) and Eve (AS) had no father nor mother

Satan the accursed is still alive and kicking

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What next..

Imam Mahdi (AS) will not bring a new religion

He does not change any regulations

It will seem to some, that he (AS) bringssomething new

Its due to the Pseudo scholars

Will reject all the innovations Will bring a divine Tafsir of Holy Quran

Will revive the Sunnah of the Prophet(SAWA)

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Are we ready for him? Our duties

Ready for him:

-Are we performing our wajibatat least?

-Are we going to accept him?-Are we ready to do whatever he asks us to?

Our duties:

-Make ourselves presentable

-Know that he is amongst us-Live like the way Allah (swt) wants us to

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Imam Mahdi (as)2006