Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Islam and Rationalism

by

Gamal Al-Banna

Table of Contents

about this book: 3

Foreword 5

PART I 8

Chapter One: Islam proclaims reason 9

CHAPTER TWO: between the mind and sacred texts 15

European and ecclesiastical heritage: 15

Reason and mind in the Islamic thought: 17

Islamic thought and philosophy: 20

Between the texts of Hadith and the sources: 23

Between imitation and Ijtihad : 26

Domains of specialization: 27

CHAPTER THREE: The influence of the heart on the mind 30

PART II: THE COMPONENTS OF ISLAMIC RATIONALISM 37

Chapter Four: the first component: thinking as the way of FAITH 38

a) The call for thinking: 38

b) Doubt is a transitional phase toward certainty 40

c) Prophets as teachers: 42

d) The creation as a proof of the existence of the Creator: 43

Notes 44

about this book:

This book refutes the widespread view of the contradiction between Islam and rationalism. This book includes ten chapters within three parts. Part I demonstrates the relation between Islam and rationalism, proves that Islam calls for the working of the human mind, explains the issue of the mind and the sacred texts, and finally shows in a full chapter the impact of the wisdom of the heart on the wisdom of the mind.

Part II tackles the features of the Islamic rationalism, explains how Islam makes the guidance of the heart the path leading to faith, and that Islamic rationalism is more objective in comparison to other rational doctrines. Islamic rationalism is more benevolent in nature compared to unrestrained rationalism that could be easily misused.

Part III occupies nearly half of the book, and it revolves around the four issues posed by rationalism against Islam: 1)) the existence of God and His attributes 2) the immortality of the human soul 3) the existence of the Day of Judgment, Hell, and Paradise 4) the prophecies and revelations.

In the name of god the merciful and the COMPANIONATE

may god be thanked and may his grace and blessings descend upon prophet muhammad

Foreword

Many contemporary writers tend to understate the influence and value of religion in modern life, and lay top priority to tackle issues like technology , arts, national and international politics, material and economic problems…etc. as these topics are what preoccupy our society and the life, present and future of people. Religion comes last after all of these priorities, as a kind of formal obligation or as it represent cultural heritage and a symbol of glory in ancient eras.

Some writers tend to overlook religion as they are influenced by the European culture. Others have the same tendency as the only option left for them, as this was the sweeping trend and the rat race of modern life. The technological advancement in industry, the complexity of modern life with its material demands, the needs that exceed the means, and the availability of the means of enjoyment and satisfaction of desires left little room, marginal interest and little time for anything else, including religion.

The worst thing of this material dominance is that some people claim that there is no room for religion in modern life. Yet, religion is the only thing that would restrain the unleashed materialism and unbridled desires and lusts of the modern life. Religion is the only antidote against the chronic ailments of modern society, be it socialist or bourgeois. Any means to counteract the ailments of modernity without religion will never succeed, as materialism cannot be treated with anything material. If one treats materialism with more comfort, abundance, or luxury, this will never be enough or even preventive, and one tend to cast doubt on such treatment that will never control the excess, extravagance and unbridled lusts of modern life, which lead only to destruction.

The rational perspective demands the interference of religion to find the possible decisive cure of the ailments of materialism of modern life. This view is true and applicable on the western society and the eastern one as well. The Arab society puts special importance to religion, as it is deep-rooted in it, from the religion of the ancient Egyptians to the advent of Islam.Taha Hussein, for instance, is not a pro-religious thinker, but an advocate of enlightenment as said about him, yet he refused socialism that claims to establish justice and preserve it and capitalism that claims to respect liberty fully. He said, "There should be another doctrine in-between both extremes that merge the value of justice and the value of liberty on one hand and combines them with religion on the other hand, and makes religion the basis of a new human life that elevates itself above materialism to reach higher ideals. This doctrine should believe in the fact that human beings cannot live, be creative, or elevated unless they are connected with their divine origin via faith, confidence, and hope. If such doctrine emerges, this would be good to curb the unbridled passions of materialism…. and makes us enjoy a sufficient share of liberty and strive to establish justice on earth"[1]

To know the real place of religion in society and take it seriously, we should first examine the title of this book: we should know the stance of Islam toward rationalism and its support for the rational outlook to be the basis of a rational life. The proof of this is that Islam has named the pre-Islamic era in Arabia the Age of Ignorance, as Islam has intended to move people from darkness to light. This book refutes the claim that Islam is against rationalism, and it is better to distance Islamfro the daily affairs of life, and make it confined to mosques, rituals of worship and the relationship between the human being and God. This book reveals that such a claim is based on the stance of the European Church on the scientific approach that emerged in Europe. The Church had justified such stance based on its old heritage and the nature of Christianity itself, whose main concern is to deliver the human soul. No such justifications could be applied in Islam, except that some Islamic thinkers were so greatly influenced by the European civilization that it influenced their critical ability and their discernment.

This book demonstrates all the aspects of this question of Islam and rationalism, like the relation between the mind and the sacred texts, and the influence of the heart, that the Holy Quran regards it as the container of faith, on rationalism. This book tackles in full details the four questions posed by rationalism on religions: 1) the existence and exultancy of God 2) the immortality of the human soul after death and reckoning 3) Paradise and Hell as reward and punishment in the afterlife 4) prophecy and revelation. The book tackles these aspects thoroughly without making partial issues draw the attention from the totality of topics, and citing many views of European thinkers to convince those who would accept nothing but Western views and refuse other views expressed elsewhere. Lastly, the book covers the components of Islamic rationalism:

a) Thinking and the mind as the way leading to faith.

b) Objectivity andSunna .

c) Benevolence and righteousness.

***

We do not intend with this foreword to present the parts and chapters of this book, as this would take sheets and sheets, and the reader can easily know this by browsing through this book. What concerns us is a question that might occur to the mind of most readers. This book and its method of tackling the topics differ from the traditional ways typical of and familiar to Islamic writers, and this fact might disturb readers' temperament or prevent comprehension, as some readers prefer the traditional method of writing books as used in the Islamic library in the Arab world. We say to such readers that we stop drawing on what ancient scholars had written, as our ancestors did not know the new input in our life and our era. What is the value of a new book if it did not bring something new to add to old books? Islamic writers should stop drawing on centuries-old concepts and traditions, and thank whoever helps them to stop that habit instead of getting annoyed by him. This fact cannot be overlooked or ignored, and we should apply what we call for and leave the habit we advise against.

At first, I did not like to use the term 'rationalism', but it gained popularity and it denotes the concept we mean to explore its relation to Islam. Terms, anyway, are vehicles to convey ideas and should be used as long as discarding them for other concepts might not convey the meaning we seek.

Lastly, we would like to conclude this brief foreword on Islam and rationalism with aQuranic verse that elevates knowledge in a high stature and makes it a great divine bounty:

"Indeed, God bestowed a favor upon the believers when he raised up in their amidst an apostle from among themselves, to convey His messages unto them, and to cause them to grow in purity and to impart unto them the divine writ as well as wisdom – whereas before that they were indeed, most obviously, lost in error" (3:164)

Gamal Al-Banna

Ragab 1411/January 1991

PART I

The relation between Islam and rationalism

Chapter One: Islam proclaims reason

Chapter two: between the mind and sacred texts

Chapter three: the impact of the heart on the mind

This part tackles the relation between Islam and rationalism, and proves that Islam hails and proclaims reason and mind, due to special factors confined to Islam in comparison to other religions that were not compatible with rationalism in all aspects. Chief among these factors are the following:

1- The non-theological image of God that proves His existence and His attributes, but does not reveal His being and essence.

2- The miracle of Islam is a sacred book that moves people from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge, unlike the material miracles of previous celestial religions.

3- Lastly, the lack of a religious institution that would monopolize interpretations of sacred texts and keep stagnant thinking to defend its interests, as is the case of Jewish Rabbis and Christian clergy.

Chapter two of this part tackles the relation between the mind and the sacred texts, and shows that the purported clash between them is a European and ecclesiastical affair, whereas Islam does not deny the mind; on the contrary, it acknowledge its merit and makes it the origin of faith and a prerequisite to religious obligation and duties. Then this chapter shows the relation and discord between the Islamic thought and the Greek philosophy and that the latter had led the former to theological reasoning and a sort of scholasticism and then to mysticism and Sufism; hence the gap between the mind and the sacred text. This chapter asserts that there are areas that the human mind cannot reach or tackle like the realm of the afterlife and the divine being of God.

Chapter three tackles the impact of the human heart on the human mind, and reveals the meaning of the hearts that 'discern' as used in theQuranic expression, and its impact on the purity of the rational thought. This chapter shows that mind and abstract logic inthemselves could not reach scientific achievements without a faith that has different nature in comparison to the nature of the mind. Many citations are mentioned in this chapter by many scientists, especially Blanc who devised the Quantum theory and Einstein who devised the theory of relativism.

Chapter One: Islam proclaims reason

It is not difficult for researchers to see the major dividing line between pre-Islamic era and post-Islamic era. This line in the realm of religions resembles the dividing lines in the history of the human civilizations. Such as the line with which the ancient Egyptian civilization emerged, then that of the Greek civilization, then that of Rome and the Roman civilization, and then lastly that of the 15th century European Renaissance that sow the seeds which were reaped in the next five centuries. In each case, we find errors that herald thecivilizational movement that presents its contribution to humanity. The whole world differed before and after the ancient Egyptians who presented to humanity the ABC of civilization, like the alphabet, papyrus, architecture, religion…etc. when the ancient Egyptian civilization degenerated, the Greeks emerged and presented their creative contributions in the fields of science and philosophy. When their civilization degenerated, the Romans emerged and at their time, 'all ways lead to Rome', but their centuries of dominance ended in degeneration that led to the medieval Dark Ages until the first rays of the renaissance in the Italian states that sowed the early seeds of the contemporary European civilization.

***

It is the same dividing line in the realm of religions.

There is a dividing line between pre-Islamic and pos-Islamic eras.

Before the advent of Islam, there were local, tangible gods, and the image of the gods was linked to local characteristics and creatures typical of the place or country. For instance, in ancient Egypt, the gods were the oxen, the cats, and the sun disc. In ancient Greece, the gods were like human beings with human desires and abilities of deities, and it was familiar that gods used to copulate with human beings and beget progeny ofdemi -gods, and hence the ancient image of the holy trinity in Greek mythology and ancient Egyptian history.

Even Judaism was influenced by local elements, and the Jewish people made the God of the Israelites exclusive to them apart from other nations. Christianity in its flourishing period went beyond the local limits as it discarded the influence of state systems and moved from its birthplace of revelation, and because its central ideas of love, compassion, and delivering the soul with glad tidings and faith, are human universal feelings. Yet, when Constantine the Roman Emperor hoisted the cross on the spearheads, Christianity took a European quality and Rome became its center. The simple image of God as preached by Christ himself was replaced by the divine image set by Saint Paul the Greco-Roman man. This image was some kind of a Hellenistic projection on Christianity, which had turned Christ into another Prometheus figure who had presented the secret of the fire to humanity and who was severely punished by the arch god Zeus. This Hellenistic idea was developed in the ancient Egyptian religion in the Ptolemaic era until the theory of the holy trinity was established.

***

Other religions relied on material miracles to gain believers. Moses performed miracles that we read in the Old Testament, Christ performed miracles that we read in the New Testament, and more miracles were performed by his disciples. Other prophets of the Israelites performed miracles as well. Hence, material miracles, like raising the dead or curing the ill, and other supernatural phenomena became an essential part of religion and a way to convince people to believe in it.

***

Other religions were linked to the concept of religious institutions: like thePharaonic temple and its priests, the Jewish temple and its Rabbis, and the Christian church and its clergy. It was not conceivable that religion may discard institutions and clergy, as religious matters were so ritualistic and complex that they entailed priests as mediators between the common people and religions with its secrets and rituals…etc. This system was comfortable for all parties concerned, as priests had interests in this mediation status and began to have authority on people to hoard money…etc. and common people saw in the priests' processions and rituals what coped with their idea of the status of religion and their inability to imagine the absolute, abstract idea of God. Rulers and monarchs made deals with clergy to dominate and control the masses, by giving clergy money or wealth to make use of their influence on people.

This image was fixed in the minds of intellectuals and scholars who studies world religions, and it made them deliver their severe judgments on religion, and distance it from the sphere of reason and mind. This was due to the complex theological image of God, the faith based on miracles, and the fact that the religious institution monopolized the interpretation of religion and prevented critical thinking of it.

These three components, i.e. the image of divinity, reliance of religions on material miracles and supernatural phenomena to gain followers, and the existence of the religious institutions as temples and priests, became fixed in the mind of intellectuals when they thought about religion in general as they are considered major and necessary components of any religion. This conception was the reason behind the severe judgment on religions by intellectuals, philosophers, and rationalists.

***

This image has changed totally with the advent of Islam.

Islam radically revolutionized the realm of religions that ended the three components of previous religions:

1- The embodying, limited, or ambiguous theological concept of God.

2- The faith based on miracles.

3- The religious institution monopolizing religious interpretation and holding the authority to rule, legalize, ban, and punish opposition and the emergence of acquired interests.

The first new concept in Islam was that its prophet who had called people to believe in it with the power of a sacred book whose verses were recited to them and they would be reborn spiritually and turn into new human beings with high resolve and rational minds.

People at the early time of Islam used to wait for material miracles to make them believe in this or that religion, and they demanded that the prophet would perform miracles to them, ''And they say, 'Why has no miraculous sign been bestowed on him from on high by his Sustainer?'. Say, 'Behold, God has the power to bestow any sign from on high yet most human beings are unaware of this',''(37:6)

According to the Holy Quran, people had said:

"And so they say: 'O Muhammad, we shall not believe thee till thou cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth. Or thou have a garden of date palms and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst in a sudden rush. Or thou cause the skies to fall down upon us in smithereens, as thouhas threatened. Or till thou bring God and the angels face to face before us. Or thou have a house made of gold, or thou ascend to heaven – but nay, we would not even believe in thy ascension unless thou bring down to us from heaven a writing which we could read!' Say thou O prophet: ' Limitless in His glory is my sustainer! Am I, then, aught but a mortal man, an apostle?' "(90-93:17)

"Now those who are bent on denying the truth of the prophet's message say, 'Why has no miraculous sign ever been bestowed upon him from on high by his Sustainer?' Say, 'Behold, God lets go astray him who wills to go astray, just as he guides unto Himself all who turn unto Him"(27:13)

"Yet they say: ' What sort of apostle is this man who eats food like all other mortals and goes about in the market-places? Why has not an angel visibly been sent down unto him to act as awarner together with him? Or 'why has not a treasure been granted to him by God?' Or 'He should at least have a bountiful garden, so that he could eat thereof without effort!' And so these evildoers say unto one another, ' 'if you were to follow Muhammad you would follow but a man bewitched!' "(7-8:25)

This differs from the episode when Jesus Christ invoked God to descend upon him and his people a table of food from heaven:

''…Send down upon us a repast from heaven: it shall be an ever-recurring feast for us - for the first and the last of us - and a sign from Thee. And provide us our sustenance, for thou art the best of providers '' (114:5)

Of course, many people who wrote the history of the life of Prophet Muhammad told us many of his miracles, but no one of them ever told us that these miracles caused people to believe in Islam. The recurrent image is that the prophet Muhammad would recite the Holy Quran and people would believe in Islam. In this respect, the Holy Quran says, "And yet they say, 'Why have no miraculous signs ever been bestowed upon him from on high by His Sustainer?' Say, 'Miracles are in the power of God alone, and as for me – I am but a plainwarner . Why – is it not enough for them thatWe have bestowed this divine writ on thee from on high, to be conveyed by thee to them? For, verily, in it is manifestedOur grace and a reminder to people who will believe ."(50-51:29)

Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad once said a simple yet profound phrase: ''Medina was conquered solely by the Holy Quran'' and this was the greatest conquest ever done by mere recitation to make Islam set its roots in Medina. Hence, the battle of the word preceded that of the sword, and if Medina had not been conquered by the Holy Quran, the battle ofBadr and other battles would not have occurred.

Islam has the advantage that it has bestowed on humanity, that it removed miracles as prerequisites of faith, when its miracle has become a book, the Holy Quran. Instead of performing miracles that produce faith, faith in Islam performed miracles. Before Islam, the mind had submitted to the sacred texts, but with the advent of Islam, the sacred texts have submitted to the mind. In this unique historical moment when Gabriel revealed the very first word of the Holy Quran 'Read', Islam has been linked to thought and the life in Islam began as a call based on thought. As its miracle a book recited by all believers, then Islam is closely linked to the world of thought.

Miracles are no longer the path leading for faith; it is a book leading to the path of faith. This was the huge leap and the major step on the route toward mind and reason.

***

Islamic vision of divinity rid humanity of the pagan embodiment, theological complications, and philosophical hypotheses (as done by Aristotle and Plato). This does not mean that matters became simple and understood effortlessly like the formula 1+1=2. Islam has made it like a higher ideal imagined by the philosophers after adding life, will, and perfection to it. This image is acceptable to the mind even if it cannot be proven by physical proofs. This image cannot be refused by the mind, as it is elementary that God Who created life is Himself Alive, and He leads us to perfection, as He is Perfection itself. The difference in this Islamic conception in comparison to the Christian one is that the latter was influenced by the ancient Egyptian religious idea of the holy trinity promoted more by the Ptolemaic rulers who were of Greek origin, carrying the Hellenistic culture of Mount Olympus that turned gods into human beings and deified human beings. With the spread of Christianity by the Greco-Roman Paul, the former adversary of Christianity and later its saint and founder, a holy trinity was established based on Egyptian and Hellenistic origins. It is difficult for the human mind to accept the concept of trinity as it mixes the elements of the divine nature and the elements of the human nature, and when the church tried to explain this concept, it added to the complexity of the matter.

In Islam, it is not a matter of non-acceptance but the shortcomings of the human mind make it difficult to reach the essence and nature of divinity, as it is the source and end of everything and it is the absolute high ideal that cannot be described by our human limited qualities.

This image, even if the mind cannot reach all its aspects and depth, is acceptable to the mind and reason. In fact, this image is acknowledged by the mind and reason, even if full details cannot be reached, but the mind can feel the side of truth in it and its necessity of perfection and existence. Yet, the mind cannot reach the knowledge of the nature of divinity. TheQuranic verses demonstrate the image of divinity without arbitrariness or compulsion to make people feel comfort toward it and deduce from it meanings of liberty, compassion, truth, justice, and beauty. This is manifested if we compare this Islamic image of divinity to the complex Greek philosophical concept of divinity and proving the existence of God.

Islam provides the solution to this complex, thorny issue of divinity when it has presented an image of God acceptable to the mind, in a better way than done by philosophers in their concept of higher ideals, as Islam added to the concept of divinity life, ability, will, and perfection. At the same time, this image is not a piece of information to be accepted without reasoning. This is the belief in the unseen concerning God, His qualities and His Being. The realm of the unseen cannot be reached by the human senses, and this fact inspires people to think and consider with passion, piety and modesty to feel the rays of divinity within the inspiring lines of the Holy Quran.

Hence, we can say that the right amount of knowledge concerning divinity and the unseen was revealed in Islam, so as not to present something contradictory to the rational mind, and keep the spirit of looking forward for knowledge and considering. The unknown and the unseen could be reached by reciting and considering theQuranic verses.

***

Islam does not need to establish a religious institution or clergy that would monopolize interpretations, as it has made the relation between people and God direct and without mediators. Islam resists the authority of clergy and monks and saw that they were nearly worshiped as partners of God, and it refuses the idea of interception and mediation, and that someone would have the authority to make people nearer to God. Islam abolishes all pagan methods like idols and shrines, and in so doing, it discards the idea of a religious institution.

That means that mosques is not like churches with its traditions and clergy of special knowledge, learning and training who know how to perform rituals and other secrets unknown to ordinary believers. This sort of knowledge in Christianity has to be taught in special schools and authorized by the lower and higher church authorities. This hierarchical pyramid of power is headed by the Pope in Rome and at its base deacons and priests. This hierarchy controls Christendom, and the Pope used to crown monarchs and issue compulsory decrees as the head of the church and holders of the keys to heaven. He used to excommunicate people as a kind of punishment by moral, spiritual death. If a decree issued to excommunicate someone, candles were lit and bells would toll until the decree was read, then candles would be put out and bells stopped, as a sign of spiritual death of the excommunicated person. This punishment of excommunication could be applied to even most powerful monarchs. It is well-known history when the emperor Henry IV stood barefooted at the doors of the Pope at the city of Canossa in 1077 for three consecutive days until the Pope condescended to forgive him. The journey to Canossa became the worst example of submission.

Mosques in Islam differ from Christian churches. The earth itself is a big, pure mosque, and there are no certain conditions to build mosques. The only structure that could be built inside mosques are pulpits of imams that might even consist of three steps, to make imams be seen by all rows of believers. Any Muslim can be an imam as long as he memorizes some verses of the Holy Quran, and being an imam does not bestow any sort of authority. Even the daily five prayers can be performed in mosques or anywhere else. Most people pray in their houses and workplaces. The scenes of the Egyptian villager praying by the bank of the River Nile, and the Arab Bedouin praying amid the desert, are unrepeated in any other religions.

***

Islam has abolished old components of previous religions that resisted reason and the rational mind. Islamha become open for all kinds of thought, it does not refuse any thought or refused by any other thought. It has made people move away from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. This is the interpretation of the words 'light' and 'darkness' by imam AL-Ghazaly in his book titled "The Balance of Work ".

Hence, Islam was an announcement that humanity has attained the age of reason.

***

Someone might ask why did we Islam the first doctrine to proclaim the reason and the mind? Why it is not Greek philosophy in the era of Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates that hold that proclamation? No one can deny that the emergence of Greek philosophy proclaimed the age of reason but only to Athens, and not to the whole world. Islam has held its universal message of the book and the balance to all people, like the people of tyrants like Caesar and Persian Emperors, who were moved by Islam from darkness of ignorance to light of knowledge, whereas the Athenian philosophy was confined to the Greeks, and more specifically to free males while excluding women and slaves. When the Ptolemaic rulers established the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, it was an extension of the Athenian philosophy and it was purely Hellenistic culture, and they forbade local Alexandrian people to enter the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Moreover, the Greek philosophy did not deny the mythological world of mount Olympus. Even Socrates went once to the Oracle of Delphi to seek its prophecies. Thus, this is contrary to the universality of reason presented by Islam to all people on earth. Before the first century of Islam, its branches of knowledge, like Islamic jurisprudence,Hadith , and interpretation were available to non-Arab Muslims. Even the compiler of Arab grammar in one book was a non-Arab calledSibawayh . Some of the well-known and respected imams were non-Arabs who could not pronounce certain Arab letters. This proves the open nature of Islam as it proclaims reason and mind, and as it carried the book of the Holy Quran without limits to all people of the world, to benefit from it and present their contribution to all humanity as well.

Here lies the major difference between the Islamic rationalism and the Athenian rationalism, as the former has proclaimed reason and mind for humanity. Islamic rationalism has one source, like Islam itself, which is God; hence, it has objectivity and absoluteness, and thus it can be accepted by humanity. As for Athenian rationalism, and so was European rationalism, originated from the European man and his circumstances, and hence their limitations.

1. The Awaited Mahdi

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi, predicted that a time would come when oppression, injustice and aggression would become extremely rampant all over the globe. At that period, a man from the offspring of Muhammad would rise to power over the entire earth, and he would successfully make oppression, injustice and aggression very rare on its surface. Imam Ahmad (d. 241 H) records the hadith in his Musnad:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي قال الحسن بن موسى قال ثنا حماد بن سلمة عن أبي هارون العبدي ومطر الوراق عن أبي الصديق الناجي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم تملأ الأرض جورا وظلما فيخرج رجل من عترتي يملك سبعا أو تسعا فيملأ الأرض قسطا وعدلا

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - my father (Ahmad b. Hanbal) - al-Hasan b. Musa - Hammad b. Salamah - Abu Harun al-‘Abdi and Maṭar al-Warraq - Abu al-Siddiq al-Naji - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The earth will be filled with oppression and injustice. Then, a man from my offspring will come out. He will rule by kingdom for seven or nine years. He will fill the earth with equity and justice.”1

Shaykh al-Arnauṭ states:

حديث صحيح دون قوله " يملك سبعا أوتسعا "

It is a sahih hadith, with the exception of his statement: “he will rule by kingdom for seven or nine years.”2

Imam Ibn Hibban (d. 354 H) also documents a mutaba’ah for it:

أخبرنا أحمد بن علي بن المثنى قال حدثنا أبو خيثمة قال حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد قال حدثنا عوف قال حدثنا أبو الصديق عن أبي سعيد الخدري عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لا تقوم الساعة حتى تمتلئ الأرض ظلما وعدوانا ثم يخرج رجل من أهل بيتي أو عترتي فيملؤها قسطا وعدلا كما ملئت ظلما وعدوانا

Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. al-Muthanna - Abu Khaythamah - Yahya b. Sa’id - ‘Awf - Abu al-Siddiq - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri - the Prophet, peace be upon him:

“The Hour will not occur until the earth is filled with injustice and hostility. Then, a man from my Ahl al-Bayt, or my offspring, will come out. So, he will fill it with equity and justice just as it had been filled with injustice and hostility.”3

Al-Albani (d. 1420 H) says:

صحيح

Sahih4

And al-Arnauṭ concurs:

إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين

Its chain is sahih upon the standard of the two Shaykhs.5

This man will be “sent” by Allah Himself, in the same way that He sent His prophets and messengers, to purify His earth. Imam Abu Dawud (d. 275 H) in his Sunan - under the heading: “The Book of al-Mahdi” (Kitab al-Mahdi) records:

حدثنا عثمان بن أبي شيبة ثنا الفضل بن دكين ثنا فطر عن القاسم بن أبي بزة عن أبي الطفيل عن علي رضي الله تعالى عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال "لو لم يبق من الدهر إلا يوم لبعث الله رجلا من أهل بيتي يملؤها عدلا كما ملئت جورا "

‘Uthman b. Abi Shaybah - al-Fadhl b. Dukayn - Fiṭr - al-Qasim b. Abi Barzah - Abu al-Tufayl - ‘Ali, may Allah the Most High be pleased with him - the Prophet, peace be upon him:

“Even if there remains only one more day left before the end of Time, Allah will surely SEND a man from my Ahl al-Bayt. He will fill it with justice just as it had been filled with injustice.”6

‘Allamah al-Albani says:

صحيح

Sahih7

Dr. al-Bastawi, commenting upon the same hadith, states:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih.8

The same word has been employed to describe the appointment and mission of the prophets and messengers, ‘alaihim al-salam, as well in the Qur’an:

كان الناس أمة واحدة فبعث الله النبيين مبشرين ومنذرين

Mankind were one community and Allah SENT prophets as givers of glad tidings and warners.9

And:

ولقد بعثنا في كل أمة رسولا

Verily, We have SENT within every Ummah a messenger.10

Of course, this man will not be a prophet or messenger. However, he obviously will occupy a separate divine rank which will certainly be very similar in nature to both. One of the top Imams of the Ahl al-Sunnah from the senior Tabi’in, Ibn Sirrin (d. 110 H), indicated the status of this man in one of his brave pronouncements. Imam al-Maruzi (d. 288 H) records:

حدثنا ضمرة عن ابن شوذب عن محمد بن سيرين أنه ذكر فتنة تكون فقال إذا كان ذلك فاجلسوا في بيوتكم حتى تسمعوا على الناس بخير من أبي بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما قيل يا أبا بكر خير من أبي بكر وعمر؟ قال قد كان يفضل على بعض الأنبياء

Dhamrah - Ibn Shawdhab:

Muhammad b. Sirrin mentioned a sedition that would occur. Then he said, “When that occurs, sit in your houses until you hear from the people about the one who is superior to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.” So, it was said, “O Abu Bakr, someone superior to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?!” He replied, “He is even superior to some prophets.”11

Al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) says about the first narrator:

ضمرة بن ربيعة الفلسطيني أبو عبد الله أصله دمشقي صدوق يهم قليلا

Dhamrah b. Rubay’ah al-Filisṭini, Abu ‘Abd Allah, his origin was Damascus: Saduq (very truthful), hallucinates a little.12

Concerning the second narrator, he equally states:

عبد الله بن شوذب الخراساني أبو عبد الرحمن سكن البصرة ثم الشام صدوق عابد

‘Abd Allah b. Shawdhab al-Khurasani, Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, he lived in Basra, then Syria: Saduq (very truthful), a devout worshipper of Allah.13

So, the sanad is hasan.

Al-Maruzi has included the report under the heading “Way of Life of the Mahdi and His Justice and Length of His Time.”14 We know from this then that Ibn Sirrin was describing “the Mahdi” - the same man mentioned in the hadith of Abu Dawud above - as being superior to some prophets in rank.

Meanwhile, here is another riwayah about this Mahdi, ‘alaihi al-salam, from the same Abu Dawud:

حدثنا سهل بن تمام بن بزيع ثنا عمران القطان عن قتادة عن أبي نضرة عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم " المهدي مني أجلى الجبهة أقنى الأنف يملأ الأرض قسطا وعدلا كما ملئت جورا وظلما ويملك سبع سنين "

Sahl b. Tammam b. Buzay’ - ‘Imran al-Qaṭṭan - Qatadah - Abu Nadhrah - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The Mahdi is from me, with a broad forehead, a curved nose. He will fill the earth with equity and justice just as it had been filled with oppression and injustice, and he will rule by kingdom for seven years.”15

Al-Albani says:

حسن

Hasan.16

Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 H) also declares:

الأحاديث التي يحتج بها على خروج المهدي أحاديث صحيحة

The ahadith that are relied upon as hujjah (proof) for the coming out of the Mahdi are sahih ahadith.17

So, he will be “the Mahdi”, from the blood and flesh of the Messenger, and “will rule by kingdom”. He will be “sent” by Allah to reduce oppression and injustice on the earth to the barest minimum. He will rule the whole planet as a just, righteous and rightly guided royal khalifah, assisted by his Lord.

Interestingly, his personal name will be Muhammad, like that of our Prophet. Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H) documents:

حدثنا عبيد بن أسباط بن محمد القرشي الكوفي قال حدثني أبي حدثنا سفيان الثوري عن عاصم بن بهدلة عن زر عن عبد الله قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لا تذهب الدنيا حتى يملك العرب رجل من أهل بيتي يواطئ اسمه اسمي

‘Ubayd b. Asbaṭ b. Muhammad al-Qurashi al-Kufi - my father - Sufyan al-Thawri - ‘Asim b. Bahdalah18 - Zirr - ‘Abd Allah (b. Mas’ud):

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “This world will not end until a man from my Ahl al-Bayt rules the Arabs by kingdom. His name will correspond with my name.”19

Al-Tirmidhi says:

هذا حديث حسن صحيح

This hadith is hasan sahih.20

And al-Albani agrees:

حسن صحيح

Hasan sahih.21

His government, obviously, will be that of the House of Muhammad, and he will bring the supreme glory to Islam all over the universe. He will achieve the impossible, with divine help, and will fulfill the dreams of all the prophets and messengers.

Meanwhile, there are certain quick points about the Mahdi that must not be overlooked. First, belief in his coming in an ‘aqidah of Islam, and has been so named by ‘ulama of the Ahl al-Sunnah too. For instance, al-Albani states:

وما مثل هؤلاء إلا كمثل من ينكر عقيدة نزول عيسى عليه السلام في آخر

الزمان التي تواتر ذكرها في الأحاديث الصحيحة، لأن بعض الدجاجلة ادعاها، مثل

ميرزا غلام أحمد القادياني، وقد أنكرها بعضهم فعلا صراحة، كالشيخ شلتوت،

وأكاد أقطع أن كل من أنكر عقيدة المهدي ينكرها أيضا

These people are only like those who deny the ‘aqidah of the descent of ‘Isa, ‘alaihi al-salam, at the end of Time - whose mention has reached the level of tawattur in sahih ahadith - simply because some impostors claim it, such as Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiyani. Some of them, like Shaykh al-Shaltut, have explicitly denied it. Also, I am fairly certain that everyone who denies the ‘AQIDAH of the Mahdi also denies it too.22

This means that whoever does not believe in the descent of Prophet ‘Isa, ‘alaihi al-salam, during the End Time or in the coming of the Mahdi and his mission and activities, has a defective iman (faith). Shaykh Ibn Baz (d. 1420 H) puts the matter forward in an even stronger manner:

وقدصحت وتواترت هذه الأخبار عن رسول الله عليه الصلاة والسلام في نزول الممسيح ابن مريم من السمماء في آخر الزمان، ومن خروج يأجوج ومأجوج وخروج الدجال في آخر الزمان، ومن مجيء المهدي، كل هذا االأربعة ثابتة: المهدي في آخر الزمان يملأ الأرض قسطاً بعد أن ملئت جوراً، ونزول المسيح ابن مريم، وخروج الدجال في آخر الزمان، وخروج يأجوج ومأجوج، كل هذا ثابت بالأحاديث الصحيحة المتواترة عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فإنكارها كفر وضلال

Sahih and mutawatir reports have been reported from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, concerning the descent of the Masih Ibn Maryam from the sky during the End Time, and concerning the coming out of Yajuj and Majuj and the coming out of the Dajjal during the End Time, and concerning the arrival of the Mahdi. All these four are well-proved - the Mahdi during the End Time who will fill the earth with equity after it had been filled with oppression; the descent of the Masih Ibn Maryam; the coming out of the Dajjal during the End Time, and the coming out of Yajuj and Majuj - each of these is well proved through sahih, mutawatir ahadith from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. THEREFORE, denial of them is kufr (disbelief and apostasy) and dhalal (heresy).23

We also read this Q&A by the same Shaykh:

يوجد لدينا رجل ينكر المسيح الدجال والمهدي ونزول عيسى عليه السلام ويأجوج ومأجوج ولا يعتقد في شيء منها، ويدعي عدم صحة ما ورد في ذلك من أحاديث… وهو يصلي ويصوم ويأتي بالفرائض. فما حكمه؟ ….

مثل هذا الرجل يكون كافراً

(Question) There is a man with us who denies the Masih al-Dajjal, THE MAHDI, the descent of ‘Isa, ‘alaihi al-salam, and Yajuj and Majuj, and does not believe any of it, and rejects the authenticity of the ahadith narrated about (all) that …. And he performs salat and fasts, and fulfils the obligatory duties (of Islam). So, what is his status?....

(Answer) Anyone like this man is a kafir.24

It is thus absolutely obligatory upon all Muslims to believe in the coming of Muhammad the Mahdi from the offspring and Ahl al-Bayt of the noble Rasul to overturn oppression and injustice in our world. Failure to uphold this belief may kick a Muslim out of Islam.

Another point is that the supplication ‘alaihi al-salam (peace be upon him) is added after the name of the Mahdi too, like in the case of prophets and angels. Al-Albani again says about ‘Isa b. Maryam:

فيأتم هو بالمهدي عليهما السلام

He (‘Isa) himself will be led in salat by the Mahdi, ‘alaihima al-salam (peace be upon them both).25

And:

كما فعل بعض الفرق قديما حين بادروا إلى إنكار القدر الإلهي إبطالا للجبر، وبعض العلماء في العصر الحاضر إلى إنكار عقيدة نزول عيسى وخروج المهدي عليهما السلام

It is like how some sects did in the past when they denied the existence of divine destiny in order to invalidate the doctrine of fatalism, and how some contemporary ‘ulama deny the ‘aqidah of the descent of ‘Isa and the rise of al-Mahdi, ‘alaihima al-salam.26

Imam al-Mubarakfuri (d. 1282 H) submits too:

قال الخطابي ويكون ذلك في زمن المهدي أو عيسى عليهما الصلاة والسلام أو كليهما

Al-Khaṭṭabi (d. 388 H) said: “That will occur during the time of the Mahdi or ‘Isa, ‘alaihima al-salat wa al-salam (peace and blessings be upon them both), or during the time of both of them.”27

However, we have seen Sunni scholars who prefer to say radhiyallahu ‘anhu and other supplications instead.

Lastly, one of the titles of the Mahdi is al-Muntazar (the Awaited). Imam al-Kattani (d. 1345 H) gives this heading in his book:

خروج المهدي الموعود المنتظر الفاطمي

The coming out of the Promised Mahdi, the Awaited (al-Muntazar) al-Faṭimi (i.e. from the offspring of Faṭimah).28

Al-Mubarakfuri also writes:

وقال القاضي الشوكاني في الفتح الرباني الذي أمكن الوقوف عليه من الأحاديث الواردة في المهدي المنتظر خمسون حديثا

Al-Qadhi al-Shawkani (d. 1250 H) said in al-Fath al-Rabbani: “What I have been able to study from the ahadith documented about the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar) are fifty ahadith.”29

The title of one of Dr. al-Bastawi’s books bears the appellation as well:

المهدي المنتظر في ضوء الأحاديث والآثار الصحيحة وأقوال العلماء وآراء الفرق المختلفة

The Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar) in the Light of Sahih Ahadith and Athar and the Statements of the Scholars and the Views of Different Sects.

In that same book, he mentions this book by Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (d. 974 H):

القول المختصر في علامات المهدي المنتظر

A Concise Statement on the Signs of the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar).30

He further cites a book by Shaykh Mur’i b. Yusuf al-Hanbali (d. 1033 H):

فوائد الفكر في ظهور المهدي المنتظر

The Benefits of Thinking about the Appearance of the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar).31

He gives also the title of a treatise by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abbad, whom he identifies as a former Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, published in the journal of the university of Dhu al-Qa’dah 1389 H, pp. 126-164:

عقيدة أهل السنة والأثر في المهدي المنتظر

The ‘Aqidah of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Athar Concerning the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar).32

This again reminds that the issue of the Mahdi is a matter of ‘aqidah.

‘Allamah al-Albani mentions this as well:

فمنهم مثلا من يتبع من ادعى أنه المهدي أو عيسى، كالقاديانيين

الذين اتبعوا ميرزا غلام أحمد القادياني الذي ادعى المهدوية أولا، ثم العيسوية

، ثم النبوة، ومثل جماعة (جهيمان) السعودي الذي قام بفتنة الحرم المكي على

رأس سنة (1400) هجرية، وزعم أن معه المهدي المنتظر، وطلب من الحاضرين في

الحرم أن يبايعوه

Among them, for example, are those who follow someone who calls himself the Mahdi or ‘Isa, like the Qadiyanis, who follow Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiyani who claimed first that he was the Mahdi, then he claimed that he was ‘Isa (b. Maryam), then he claimed prophethood. Another example is that of the Saudi group (Juhayman)33 that perpetrated the crisis of the Haram of Makkah at the beginning of 1400 Hijri, and claimed that the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar) was with it, and demanded allegiance for him from those present (in Makkah).34

Notes

1. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Shaybani, Musnad (Cairo: Muasassat Qurṭubah) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnauṭ], vol. 3, p. 70, # 11683

2. Ibid

3. Abu Hatim Muhammad b. Hibban b. Ahmad b. Hibban b. Mu’adh b. Ma’bad al-Tamimi al-Darimi al-Busti, Sahih Ibn Hibban bi Tartib Ibn Balban (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 2nd edition, 1414 H) [annotators: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani and Shu’ayb al-Arnauṭ], vol. 15, p. 236, # 6823

4. Ibid

5. Ibid

6. Abu Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash’ath al-Sijistani al-Azdi, Sunan (Dar al-Fikr) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 509, # 4283

7. Ibid

8. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 238

9. Qur’an 2:213

10. Qur’an 16:36

11. Abu ‘Abd Allah Na’im b. Hammad al-Maruzi, Kitab al-Fitan (Dar al-Fikr; 1414 H) [annotator: Prof. Dr. Suhayl Zakar], part 5, p. 221

12. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Aṭa], vol. 1, p. 445, # 2999

13. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 501, # 3398

14. Abu ‘Abd Allah Na’im b. Hammad al-Maruzi, Kitab al-Fitan (Dar al-Fikr; 1414 H) [annotator: Prof. Dr. Suhayl Zakar], part 5, p. 220

15. Abu Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash’ath al-Sijistani al-Azdi, Sunan (Dar al-Fikr) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 509, # 4285

16. Ibid

17. Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Halim b. Taymiyyah al-Harrani, Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah (Muasassat Qurṭubah; 1st edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Dr. Muhammad Rashad Salim], vol. 8, p. 254

18. There are valid objections to the reliability of this ‘Asim. We will be examining them later in this book. So, this hadith has a dha’if chain due to this ‘Asim. However, its matn is confirmed in sahih Sunni ahadith, as our esteemed reader can see.

19. Abu ‘Isa Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Sulami al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 4, p. 505, # 2230

20. Ibid

21. Ibid

22. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 4, p. 43, # 1529

23. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. ‘Abd Allah b. Baz, Fatawa Nurun ‘ala al-Darb (Dar al-Waṭan; 1st edition, 1428 H), vol. 1, p. 355

24. Ibid

25. Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Qissat al-Masih al-Dajjal wa Nuzul ‘Isa (‘Amman: al-Maktabah al-Islamiyyah; 1st edition, 1421 H), p. 54, footnote # 1

26. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1416 H), vol. 6, p. 368, # 2668

27. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 6, pp. 514-515

28. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Idrisi al-Kattani, Nazam al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir (Egypt: Dar al-Kutub al-Salafiyyah; 2nd edition), p. 225, # 289

29. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 6, p. 402

30. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 42, # 7

31. Ibid, p. 42, # 9

32. Ibid, p. 137, # 33

33. This is a reference to Juhayman b. Muhammad b. Sayf al-‘Utaybi (September 16, 1936 - January 9, 1980), an ultra-Salafist from Najd in Saudi Arabia, who militarily took control of the Ka’bah in Makkah on November 20, 1979 and held its pilgrims hostage. He was an ex-student of Shaykh Ibn Baz, and had become very dissatisfied with the Salafi credentials of the Saudi monarchy. He led a small militia of 1300-1500 to seize the Haram Mosque, and then announced his son-in-law - Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Qahṭani - as the Mahdi. He was eventually defeated, after three weeks, by a combination of the Saudi army, the Pakistani army (who were called upon for help by Saudi authorities), and French commandos (similarly invited) who tactically converted to Islam in order to be able to take part in the military operations. He was publicly beheaded, along with 67 of his fighters, on January 9, 1980.

34. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 5, p. 278, # 2236

2. The Amir Over ‘Isa B. Maryam

The Masih, ‘alaihi al-salam, obviously, is a member of our Ummah, under the Shari’ah of Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi. This is explicitly indicated in this chapter-heading by Imam Muslim (d. 261 H):

باب نزول عيسى بن مريم حاكما بشريعة نبينا محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم

Chapter on the Descent of ‘Isa b. Maryam to Judge with the Shari’ah of our Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him.1

Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 H) also records this hadith:

حدثنا إسحاق أخبرنا يعقوب بن إبراهيم حدثنا أبي عن صالح عن ابن شهاب أن سعيد بن المسيب سمع أبا هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم والذي نفسي بيده ليوشكن أن ينزل فيكم ابن مريم حكما عدلا

Ishaq - Ya’qub b. Ibrahim - my father - Salih - Ibn Shihab - Sa’id b. al-Musayyab - Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I swear by Him in Whose Hand my life is, surely the son of Maryam will soon descend amongst you as a just judge.”2

Explaining this riwayat, al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) states:

والمعنى أنه ينزل حاكما بهذه الشريعة فان هذه الشريعة باقية لا تنسخ بل يكون عيسى حاكما من حكام هذه الأمة

The meaning is that he will descend to judge with this Shari’ah, for this Shari’ah is eternal. It will never be abrogated. In fact, ‘Isa will be one of the judges of this Ummah.3

Meanwhile, it is an undisputable fact that whosoever follows the Shari’ah of Muhammad is from his Ummah. This clearly is why al-Hafiz has proceeded to give him an entry in his book on the biographies of the Sahabah:

عيسى المسيح بن مريم الصديقة بنت عمران بن ماهان بن الغار رسول الله وكلمته ألقاها إلى مريم

ذكره الذهبي في التجريد مستدركا على من قبله فقال عيسى بن مريم رسول الله رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة الاسراء وسلم عليه فهو نبي وصحابي وهو آخر من يموت من الصحابة

وألغزه القاضي تاج الدين السبكي في قصيدته في آخر القواعد له فقال من باتفاق جميع الخلق أفضل من خير الصحاب أبي بكر ومن عمر ومن علي ومن عثمان وهو فتى من أمة المصطفى المختار من مضر

‘Isa the Masih b. Maryam the Siddiqah bint ‘Imran b. Mahan b. al-Ghar, the messenger of Allah and His Word which He said to Maryam.

Al-Dhahabi mentioned him in al-Tajrid, supporting those before him, and said: “‘Isa b. Maryam, the messenger of Allah. He saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, on the night of al-Isra and said salam to him. Therefore, he is a prophet AND A SAHABI; and he will be the last of the Sahabah to die.”

Al-Qadhi Taj al-Din al-Subki indirectly referred to him in his poem at the end of his al-Qawaid, and said: “He, who by consensus of all creatures, is better than the best of the Sahabah, Abu Bakr; and he is better than ‘Umar, ‘Ali and ‘Uthman. He is a young man from the Ummah of the Chosen Mustafa from Mudhar.”4

Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H) further says in his Siyar:

ولم يسم الله تعالى في كتابه صحابيا باسمه إلا زيد بن حارثة وعيسى بن مريم عليه السلام الذي ينزل حكما مقسطا

Allah the Most High has not mentioned in His Book any Sahabi by name except Zayd b. Harithah and ‘Isa b. Maryam, ‘alaihi al-salam, who will descend as a just judge.5

Basically, ‘Isa b. Maryam is the best of the Sahabah - by Sunni reckoning - and not Abu Bakr (contrary to the popular Sunni myth). He will follow and enforce the Shari’ah of Muhammad, and will be the last of the Sahabah to die. Since the advent of our Prophet, the Masih became a member of our Ummah, and will die as one of our own.

Interestingly, after ‘Isa’s descent, he will not be the supreme leader of the Ummah. Of course, he will be a judge who will enforce our Shari’ah. However, he will, in doing that, be taking orders from a higher authority, the khalifah of his time. Imam al-Bukhari records:

حدثنا ابن بكير حدثنا الليث عن يونس عن ابن شهاب عن نافع مولى أبي قتادة الأنصاري أن أبا هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم كييف أنتم إذا نزل ابن مريم فيكم وإمامكم منكم

Ibn Bukayr - al-Layth - Yunus - Ibn Shihab - Nafi’, freed slave of Abu Qatadah al-Ansari - Abu Hurayrah:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “How will you be when the son of Maryam descends amongst you while your Imam will be from you?”6

Dr. al-Bastawi interprets that in this manner:

" فإمامكم منكم " أي أن الإمام يكون غير عيسى، رجل من أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم

“while your Imam will be from you”, that is: the Imam will NOT be ‘Isa, he will be a man from the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him.7

Of course, ‘Isa too is from this Ummah. However, he is a naturalized member while the Imam will be someone born into it. Well, by divine decree, only people from the Arab tribe of Quraysh can be khalifahs; and this rule will never change till the Hour. Imam Ibn Abi ‘Asim (d. 287 H) confirms:

ثنا أبو صالح هدبة بن عبد الوهاب، حدثنا النضر بن شميل، ثنا شعبة، عن حبيب بن الزبير، عن عبد الله بن أبي الهذيل قال: كنا نجالس عمرو ابن العاص نذاكره الفقه فقال رجل من بكر لتنتهين قريش أو ليجعلن الله هذا الأمر في جمهور من جماهير العرب فقال عمرو بن العاص: كذبت سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: الخلافة في قريش إلى قيام الساعة

Abu Salih Hudbah b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab - al-Nadhr b. Shumayl - Shu’bah - Habib b. al-Zubayr - ‘Abd Allah b. Abi al-Hudhayl:

We were sitting with ‘Amr b. al-‘As, discussing al-fiqh. Then, a man from Bakr, said, “If Quraysh do not desist, Allah will place this affair in another group among Arabs.” So, ‘Amr b. al-‘As replied, “You lied! I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: ‘The khilafah is in Quraysh till the establishment of the Hour.’”8

And ‘Allamah al-Albani (d. 1420 H) says:

إسناده جيد

Its chain is good.9

Imam Abu Ya’la (d. 307 H) also records:

حدثنا الحسن بن إسماعيل أبو سعيد بالبصرة حدثنا إبراهيم بن سعد عن أبيه عن أنس رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : الأئمة من قريش

Al-Hasan b. Isma’il Abu Sa’id - Ibrahim b. Sa’d - his father - Anas, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The Imams are from Quraysh.”10

Shaykh Dr. Asad says:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih11

Since the Masih is an Israilite, he is automatically disqualified from running the khilafah. He can only pledge allegiance to and take orders from a supreme royal ruler from Quraysh. Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H) documents too:

حدثنا أحمد بن منيع حدثنا زيد بن حباب حدثنا معاوية بن صالح حدثنا أبو مريم الأنصاري عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم الملك في قريش

Ahmad b. Mani’ - Zayd b. Hubbab - Mu’awiyah b. Salih - Abu Maryam al-Ansari - Abu Hurayrah:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The kingdom is in Quraysh.”12

Al-Albani comments:

صحيح

Sahih13

The descent of ‘Isa will create a huge potential for confusion within the Ummah. Would it be proper for a prophet to take orders from a non-prophet? In order to forestall the possibility of disarray, both the Masih and the khalifah of his time will explain the matter clearly by deeds. Normally, the Imam of the Ummah cannot be led in salat by any of his subjects. Imam al-Nasai (d. 303 H) records:

أخبرنا إبراهيم بن محمد التيمي قال حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد عن شعبة عن إسماعيل بن رجاء عن أوس بن ضمعج عن أبي مسعود قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لا يؤم الرجل في سلطانه ولا يجلس على تكرمته إلا بإذنه

Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Taymi - Yahya b. Sa’id - Shu’bah - Isma’il b. Raja - Aws b. Dham’aj - Abu Mas’ud:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “No one can lead a man in salat in his place of authority, and no one can sit in his place of honour except with his permission.”14

And al-Albani declares:

صحيح

Sahih15

Knowing this, the then amir of the believers will nonetheless offer leadership of the salat to ‘Isa b. Maryam. If the Masih accepts it and leads the amir, then he (the Masih) confirms himself as the overall master of the Ummah. However, if he rejects it, in that case he submits to the authority and leadership of the khalifah. Imam Muslim here presents how this will be resolved:

حدثنا الوليد بن شجاع وهارون بن عبدالله وحجاج بن الشاعر قالوا حدثنا حجاج (وهو ابن محمد) عن ابن جريج قال أخبرني أبو الزبير أنه سمع جابر بن عبدالله يقول سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول لا تزال طائفة من أمتي يقاتلون على الحق ظاهرين إلى يوم القيامة قال فينزل عيسى بن مريم صلى الله عليه و سلم فيقول أميرهم تعال صل لنا فيقول لا إن بعضكم على بعض أمراء تكرمة الله هذه الأمة

Al-Walid b. Shuja’, Harun b. ‘Abd Allah and Hajjaj b. al-Sha’ir - Hajjaj b. Muhammad - Ibn Jurayj - Abu al-Zubayr - Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah:

I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: “There will never cease to be a group within my Ummah who will be fighting upon the Truth, victorious till the Day of al-Qiyamah. Then, ‘Isa b. Maryam, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa salam, will descend, and their amir will say, ‘Come and lead us in salat.’ But, he (‘Isa) will reply, ‘No. Verily, some of you are the amirs of the others. This is the honour of Allah to this Ummah.’”16

The Masih rejects the offer and performs salat behind the amir. Al-Albani records that the Prophet said:

منا الذي يصلي عيسى بن مريم خلفه

The one behind whom ‘Isa b. Maryam will perform salat is from us.17

Then, he comments:

فالحديث عندي صحيح

The hadith, in my view, is sahih18

Therefore, the authority of the khalifah over Prophet ‘Isa is perfectly established. No one can lead a man in salat in his place of authority; and the son of Maryam will be led. As such, he will not be the one in overall authority over the Ummah.

Who then will this amir be, who will give commands to ‘Isa?

Dr. al-Bastawi has copied a hadith which identifies for us the Imam of the Ummah during ‘Isa’s Second Coming:

عن جابر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :ينزل عيسى بن مريم فيقول أميرهم المهدي: تعال صل بنا. فيقول: لا، إن بعضهم أمير بعض. تكرمة الله لهذه الأمة

Narrated Jabir:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “‘Isa b. Maryam will descend and their amir, the Mahdi will say, ‘Come and lead us in salat.’ But, he will reply, ‘No. Verily, some of them are the amirs over others. It is the honour of Allah to this Ummah.’”19

After quoting its sources and extensively examining its narrators, he concludes:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih20

He also documents:

عن ابن سيرين قال :المهدي من هذه الأمة وهو الذي يؤم عيسى بن مريم

Ibn Sirrin said: “The Mahdi is from this Ummah, and he will be the Imam of ‘Isa b. Maryam.”21

And he has this verdict on it:

إسناده صحيح. رجاله كلهم ثقات

Its chain is sahih. Its narrators are trustworthy.22

So, he will be the Mahdi, ‘alaihi al-salam. He will be the amir and Imam of the Ummah, before and after Prophet ‘Isa joins it. This fact reveals that the coming out of the Mahdi will occur during the very last part of life on earth, as ‘Isa will come at that time. Something to note also is that the Mahdi will actually rule the last section of our Ummah, as Imam al-Hakim (d. 403 H) documents:

أخبرني أبو العباس محمد بن أحمد المحبوبي بمرو ثنا سعيد بن مسعود ثنا النضر بن شميل ثنا سليمان بن عبيد ثنا أبو الصديق الناجي عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : يخرج في آخر أمتي المهدي يسقيه الله الغيث وتخرج الأرض نباتها ويعطى المال صحاحا وتكثر الماشية وتعظم الأمة يعيش سبعا أو ثمانيا يعني حججا

Abu al-‘Abbas Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Mahbubi - Sa’id b. Mas’ud - al-Nadhr b. Shumayl - Sulayman b. ‘Ubayd - Abu al-Siddiq al-Naji - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “The Mahdi will come out at the END of my Ummah. Allah will provide rain to him, and the earth will bring out its vegetation, and he will give wealth correctly. Livestock will become abundant and the Ummah will become great. He will witness seven or eight Hajjs.23

Al-Hakim comments:

هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد

This hadith has a sahih chain24

Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H) agrees:

صحيح

Sahih25

Al-Albani also says about the hadith in his Sahihah:

قلت: وهذا سند صحيح

I say: This chain is sahih26

Dr. al-Bastawi has the same verdict on it:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih.27

Notes

1. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 1, p. 134, chapter # 71

2. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Ibrahim b. Mughirah al-Bukhari al-Ju’fi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir; 3rd edition, 1407 H) [annotator: Dr. Musṭafa Dib al-Bagha], vol. 3, p. 1272, # 3264

3. Shihab al-Din Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari (Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifah li al-Taba’ah wa al-Nashr; 2nd edition), vol. 6, p. 356

4. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1415 H) [annotators: Shaykh ‘Adil Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Mawjud and Shaykh ‘Ali Muhammad Ma’udh], vol. 4, pp. 633-634, # 6164

5. Shams al-Din Muhammad b. Ahmad b. ‘Uthman al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 9th edition, 1413 H) [annotators of the first volume: Shu’ayb al-Arnauṭ and Husayn al-Asad], vol. 1, p. 220, # 36

6. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Ibrahim b. Mughirah al-Bukhari al-Ju’fi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir; 3rd edition, 1407 H) [annotator: Dr. Musṭafa Dib al-Bagha], vol. 3, p. 1272, # 3265

7. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 283

8. Abu Bakr b. Abi ‘Asim, Ahmad b. ‘Amr b. al-Dhahhak b. Mukhlid al-Shaybani, Kitab al-Sunnah (al-Maktab al-Islami; 1st edition, 1400 H) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 527, # 1109

9. Ibid

10. Abu Ya’la Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Muthanna al-Mawsili al-Tamimi, Musnad (Damascus: Dar al-Mamun li al-Turath; 1st edition, 1404 H) [annotator: Dr. Husayn Salim Asad], vol. 6, p. 321, # 3644

11. Ibid

12. Abu ‘Isa Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Sulami al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 5, p. 727 # 3936

13. Ibid

14. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Ahmad b. Shu’ayb al-Nasai, al-Mujtaba min al-Sunan (Halab: Maktab al-Maṭbu’at al-Islamiyyah; 2nd edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 77, # 783

15. Ibid

16. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 1, p. 137, # 156 (247)

17. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 5, p. 371, # 2293

18. Ibid

19. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 180, # 6

20. Ibid, p. 182

21. Ibid, p. 219, # 14

22. Ibid, p. 220

23. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-’Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1411 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Aṭa], vol. 4, p. 601, # 8673

24. Ibid

25. Ibid

26. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 2, p. 328, # 711

27. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 165

1. The Awaited Mahdi

The Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi, predicted that a time would come when oppression, injustice and aggression would become extremely rampant all over the globe. At that period, a man from the offspring of Muhammad would rise to power over the entire earth, and he would successfully make oppression, injustice and aggression very rare on its surface. Imam Ahmad (d. 241 H) records the hadith in his Musnad:

حدثنا عبد الله حدثني أبي قال الحسن بن موسى قال ثنا حماد بن سلمة عن أبي هارون العبدي ومطر الوراق عن أبي الصديق الناجي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم تملأ الأرض جورا وظلما فيخرج رجل من عترتي يملك سبعا أو تسعا فيملأ الأرض قسطا وعدلا

‘Abd Allah (b. Ahmad) - my father (Ahmad b. Hanbal) - al-Hasan b. Musa - Hammad b. Salamah - Abu Harun al-‘Abdi and Maṭar al-Warraq - Abu al-Siddiq al-Naji - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The earth will be filled with oppression and injustice. Then, a man from my offspring will come out. He will rule by kingdom for seven or nine years. He will fill the earth with equity and justice.”1

Shaykh al-Arnauṭ states:

حديث صحيح دون قوله " يملك سبعا أوتسعا "

It is a sahih hadith, with the exception of his statement: “he will rule by kingdom for seven or nine years.”2

Imam Ibn Hibban (d. 354 H) also documents a mutaba’ah for it:

أخبرنا أحمد بن علي بن المثنى قال حدثنا أبو خيثمة قال حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد قال حدثنا عوف قال حدثنا أبو الصديق عن أبي سعيد الخدري عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لا تقوم الساعة حتى تمتلئ الأرض ظلما وعدوانا ثم يخرج رجل من أهل بيتي أو عترتي فيملؤها قسطا وعدلا كما ملئت ظلما وعدوانا

Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. al-Muthanna - Abu Khaythamah - Yahya b. Sa’id - ‘Awf - Abu al-Siddiq - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri - the Prophet, peace be upon him:

“The Hour will not occur until the earth is filled with injustice and hostility. Then, a man from my Ahl al-Bayt, or my offspring, will come out. So, he will fill it with equity and justice just as it had been filled with injustice and hostility.”3

Al-Albani (d. 1420 H) says:

صحيح

Sahih4

And al-Arnauṭ concurs:

إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين

Its chain is sahih upon the standard of the two Shaykhs.5

This man will be “sent” by Allah Himself, in the same way that He sent His prophets and messengers, to purify His earth. Imam Abu Dawud (d. 275 H) in his Sunan - under the heading: “The Book of al-Mahdi” (Kitab al-Mahdi) records:

حدثنا عثمان بن أبي شيبة ثنا الفضل بن دكين ثنا فطر عن القاسم بن أبي بزة عن أبي الطفيل عن علي رضي الله تعالى عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال "لو لم يبق من الدهر إلا يوم لبعث الله رجلا من أهل بيتي يملؤها عدلا كما ملئت جورا "

‘Uthman b. Abi Shaybah - al-Fadhl b. Dukayn - Fiṭr - al-Qasim b. Abi Barzah - Abu al-Tufayl - ‘Ali, may Allah the Most High be pleased with him - the Prophet, peace be upon him:

“Even if there remains only one more day left before the end of Time, Allah will surely SEND a man from my Ahl al-Bayt. He will fill it with justice just as it had been filled with injustice.”6

‘Allamah al-Albani says:

صحيح

Sahih7

Dr. al-Bastawi, commenting upon the same hadith, states:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih.8

The same word has been employed to describe the appointment and mission of the prophets and messengers, ‘alaihim al-salam, as well in the Qur’an:

كان الناس أمة واحدة فبعث الله النبيين مبشرين ومنذرين

Mankind were one community and Allah SENT prophets as givers of glad tidings and warners.9

And:

ولقد بعثنا في كل أمة رسولا

Verily, We have SENT within every Ummah a messenger.10

Of course, this man will not be a prophet or messenger. However, he obviously will occupy a separate divine rank which will certainly be very similar in nature to both. One of the top Imams of the Ahl al-Sunnah from the senior Tabi’in, Ibn Sirrin (d. 110 H), indicated the status of this man in one of his brave pronouncements. Imam al-Maruzi (d. 288 H) records:

حدثنا ضمرة عن ابن شوذب عن محمد بن سيرين أنه ذكر فتنة تكون فقال إذا كان ذلك فاجلسوا في بيوتكم حتى تسمعوا على الناس بخير من أبي بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما قيل يا أبا بكر خير من أبي بكر وعمر؟ قال قد كان يفضل على بعض الأنبياء

Dhamrah - Ibn Shawdhab:

Muhammad b. Sirrin mentioned a sedition that would occur. Then he said, “When that occurs, sit in your houses until you hear from the people about the one who is superior to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.” So, it was said, “O Abu Bakr, someone superior to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?!” He replied, “He is even superior to some prophets.”11

Al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) says about the first narrator:

ضمرة بن ربيعة الفلسطيني أبو عبد الله أصله دمشقي صدوق يهم قليلا

Dhamrah b. Rubay’ah al-Filisṭini, Abu ‘Abd Allah, his origin was Damascus: Saduq (very truthful), hallucinates a little.12

Concerning the second narrator, he equally states:

عبد الله بن شوذب الخراساني أبو عبد الرحمن سكن البصرة ثم الشام صدوق عابد

‘Abd Allah b. Shawdhab al-Khurasani, Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman, he lived in Basra, then Syria: Saduq (very truthful), a devout worshipper of Allah.13

So, the sanad is hasan.

Al-Maruzi has included the report under the heading “Way of Life of the Mahdi and His Justice and Length of His Time.”14 We know from this then that Ibn Sirrin was describing “the Mahdi” - the same man mentioned in the hadith of Abu Dawud above - as being superior to some prophets in rank.

Meanwhile, here is another riwayah about this Mahdi, ‘alaihi al-salam, from the same Abu Dawud:

حدثنا سهل بن تمام بن بزيع ثنا عمران القطان عن قتادة عن أبي نضرة عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم " المهدي مني أجلى الجبهة أقنى الأنف يملأ الأرض قسطا وعدلا كما ملئت جورا وظلما ويملك سبع سنين "

Sahl b. Tammam b. Buzay’ - ‘Imran al-Qaṭṭan - Qatadah - Abu Nadhrah - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The Mahdi is from me, with a broad forehead, a curved nose. He will fill the earth with equity and justice just as it had been filled with oppression and injustice, and he will rule by kingdom for seven years.”15

Al-Albani says:

حسن

Hasan.16

Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 H) also declares:

الأحاديث التي يحتج بها على خروج المهدي أحاديث صحيحة

The ahadith that are relied upon as hujjah (proof) for the coming out of the Mahdi are sahih ahadith.17

So, he will be “the Mahdi”, from the blood and flesh of the Messenger, and “will rule by kingdom”. He will be “sent” by Allah to reduce oppression and injustice on the earth to the barest minimum. He will rule the whole planet as a just, righteous and rightly guided royal khalifah, assisted by his Lord.

Interestingly, his personal name will be Muhammad, like that of our Prophet. Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H) documents:

حدثنا عبيد بن أسباط بن محمد القرشي الكوفي قال حدثني أبي حدثنا سفيان الثوري عن عاصم بن بهدلة عن زر عن عبد الله قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لا تذهب الدنيا حتى يملك العرب رجل من أهل بيتي يواطئ اسمه اسمي

‘Ubayd b. Asbaṭ b. Muhammad al-Qurashi al-Kufi - my father - Sufyan al-Thawri - ‘Asim b. Bahdalah18 - Zirr - ‘Abd Allah (b. Mas’ud):

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “This world will not end until a man from my Ahl al-Bayt rules the Arabs by kingdom. His name will correspond with my name.”19

Al-Tirmidhi says:

هذا حديث حسن صحيح

This hadith is hasan sahih.20

And al-Albani agrees:

حسن صحيح

Hasan sahih.21

His government, obviously, will be that of the House of Muhammad, and he will bring the supreme glory to Islam all over the universe. He will achieve the impossible, with divine help, and will fulfill the dreams of all the prophets and messengers.

Meanwhile, there are certain quick points about the Mahdi that must not be overlooked. First, belief in his coming in an ‘aqidah of Islam, and has been so named by ‘ulama of the Ahl al-Sunnah too. For instance, al-Albani states:

وما مثل هؤلاء إلا كمثل من ينكر عقيدة نزول عيسى عليه السلام في آخر

الزمان التي تواتر ذكرها في الأحاديث الصحيحة، لأن بعض الدجاجلة ادعاها، مثل

ميرزا غلام أحمد القادياني، وقد أنكرها بعضهم فعلا صراحة، كالشيخ شلتوت،

وأكاد أقطع أن كل من أنكر عقيدة المهدي ينكرها أيضا

These people are only like those who deny the ‘aqidah of the descent of ‘Isa, ‘alaihi al-salam, at the end of Time - whose mention has reached the level of tawattur in sahih ahadith - simply because some impostors claim it, such as Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiyani. Some of them, like Shaykh al-Shaltut, have explicitly denied it. Also, I am fairly certain that everyone who denies the ‘AQIDAH of the Mahdi also denies it too.22

This means that whoever does not believe in the descent of Prophet ‘Isa, ‘alaihi al-salam, during the End Time or in the coming of the Mahdi and his mission and activities, has a defective iman (faith). Shaykh Ibn Baz (d. 1420 H) puts the matter forward in an even stronger manner:

وقدصحت وتواترت هذه الأخبار عن رسول الله عليه الصلاة والسلام في نزول الممسيح ابن مريم من السمماء في آخر الزمان، ومن خروج يأجوج ومأجوج وخروج الدجال في آخر الزمان، ومن مجيء المهدي، كل هذا االأربعة ثابتة: المهدي في آخر الزمان يملأ الأرض قسطاً بعد أن ملئت جوراً، ونزول المسيح ابن مريم، وخروج الدجال في آخر الزمان، وخروج يأجوج ومأجوج، كل هذا ثابت بالأحاديث الصحيحة المتواترة عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فإنكارها كفر وضلال

Sahih and mutawatir reports have been reported from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, concerning the descent of the Masih Ibn Maryam from the sky during the End Time, and concerning the coming out of Yajuj and Majuj and the coming out of the Dajjal during the End Time, and concerning the arrival of the Mahdi. All these four are well-proved - the Mahdi during the End Time who will fill the earth with equity after it had been filled with oppression; the descent of the Masih Ibn Maryam; the coming out of the Dajjal during the End Time, and the coming out of Yajuj and Majuj - each of these is well proved through sahih, mutawatir ahadith from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. THEREFORE, denial of them is kufr (disbelief and apostasy) and dhalal (heresy).23

We also read this Q&A by the same Shaykh:

يوجد لدينا رجل ينكر المسيح الدجال والمهدي ونزول عيسى عليه السلام ويأجوج ومأجوج ولا يعتقد في شيء منها، ويدعي عدم صحة ما ورد في ذلك من أحاديث… وهو يصلي ويصوم ويأتي بالفرائض. فما حكمه؟ ….

مثل هذا الرجل يكون كافراً

(Question) There is a man with us who denies the Masih al-Dajjal, THE MAHDI, the descent of ‘Isa, ‘alaihi al-salam, and Yajuj and Majuj, and does not believe any of it, and rejects the authenticity of the ahadith narrated about (all) that …. And he performs salat and fasts, and fulfils the obligatory duties (of Islam). So, what is his status?....

(Answer) Anyone like this man is a kafir.24

It is thus absolutely obligatory upon all Muslims to believe in the coming of Muhammad the Mahdi from the offspring and Ahl al-Bayt of the noble Rasul to overturn oppression and injustice in our world. Failure to uphold this belief may kick a Muslim out of Islam.

Another point is that the supplication ‘alaihi al-salam (peace be upon him) is added after the name of the Mahdi too, like in the case of prophets and angels. Al-Albani again says about ‘Isa b. Maryam:

فيأتم هو بالمهدي عليهما السلام

He (‘Isa) himself will be led in salat by the Mahdi, ‘alaihima al-salam (peace be upon them both).25

And:

كما فعل بعض الفرق قديما حين بادروا إلى إنكار القدر الإلهي إبطالا للجبر، وبعض العلماء في العصر الحاضر إلى إنكار عقيدة نزول عيسى وخروج المهدي عليهما السلام

It is like how some sects did in the past when they denied the existence of divine destiny in order to invalidate the doctrine of fatalism, and how some contemporary ‘ulama deny the ‘aqidah of the descent of ‘Isa and the rise of al-Mahdi, ‘alaihima al-salam.26

Imam al-Mubarakfuri (d. 1282 H) submits too:

قال الخطابي ويكون ذلك في زمن المهدي أو عيسى عليهما الصلاة والسلام أو كليهما

Al-Khaṭṭabi (d. 388 H) said: “That will occur during the time of the Mahdi or ‘Isa, ‘alaihima al-salat wa al-salam (peace and blessings be upon them both), or during the time of both of them.”27

However, we have seen Sunni scholars who prefer to say radhiyallahu ‘anhu and other supplications instead.

Lastly, one of the titles of the Mahdi is al-Muntazar (the Awaited). Imam al-Kattani (d. 1345 H) gives this heading in his book:

خروج المهدي الموعود المنتظر الفاطمي

The coming out of the Promised Mahdi, the Awaited (al-Muntazar) al-Faṭimi (i.e. from the offspring of Faṭimah).28

Al-Mubarakfuri also writes:

وقال القاضي الشوكاني في الفتح الرباني الذي أمكن الوقوف عليه من الأحاديث الواردة في المهدي المنتظر خمسون حديثا

Al-Qadhi al-Shawkani (d. 1250 H) said in al-Fath al-Rabbani: “What I have been able to study from the ahadith documented about the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar) are fifty ahadith.”29

The title of one of Dr. al-Bastawi’s books bears the appellation as well:

المهدي المنتظر في ضوء الأحاديث والآثار الصحيحة وأقوال العلماء وآراء الفرق المختلفة

The Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar) in the Light of Sahih Ahadith and Athar and the Statements of the Scholars and the Views of Different Sects.

In that same book, he mentions this book by Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (d. 974 H):

القول المختصر في علامات المهدي المنتظر

A Concise Statement on the Signs of the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar).30

He further cites a book by Shaykh Mur’i b. Yusuf al-Hanbali (d. 1033 H):

فوائد الفكر في ظهور المهدي المنتظر

The Benefits of Thinking about the Appearance of the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar).31

He gives also the title of a treatise by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-‘Abbad, whom he identifies as a former Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, published in the journal of the university of Dhu al-Qa’dah 1389 H, pp. 126-164:

عقيدة أهل السنة والأثر في المهدي المنتظر

The ‘Aqidah of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Athar Concerning the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar).32

This again reminds that the issue of the Mahdi is a matter of ‘aqidah.

‘Allamah al-Albani mentions this as well:

فمنهم مثلا من يتبع من ادعى أنه المهدي أو عيسى، كالقاديانيين

الذين اتبعوا ميرزا غلام أحمد القادياني الذي ادعى المهدوية أولا، ثم العيسوية

، ثم النبوة، ومثل جماعة (جهيمان) السعودي الذي قام بفتنة الحرم المكي على

رأس سنة (1400) هجرية، وزعم أن معه المهدي المنتظر، وطلب من الحاضرين في

الحرم أن يبايعوه

Among them, for example, are those who follow someone who calls himself the Mahdi or ‘Isa, like the Qadiyanis, who follow Mirza Ghulam Ahmad al-Qadiyani who claimed first that he was the Mahdi, then he claimed that he was ‘Isa (b. Maryam), then he claimed prophethood. Another example is that of the Saudi group (Juhayman)33 that perpetrated the crisis of the Haram of Makkah at the beginning of 1400 Hijri, and claimed that the Awaited Mahdi (al-Mahdi al-Muntazar) was with it, and demanded allegiance for him from those present (in Makkah).34

Notes

1. Abu ‘Abd Allah Ahmad b. Hanbal al-Shaybani, Musnad (Cairo: Muasassat Qurṭubah) [annotator: Shu’ayb al-Arnauṭ], vol. 3, p. 70, # 11683

2. Ibid

3. Abu Hatim Muhammad b. Hibban b. Ahmad b. Hibban b. Mu’adh b. Ma’bad al-Tamimi al-Darimi al-Busti, Sahih Ibn Hibban bi Tartib Ibn Balban (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 2nd edition, 1414 H) [annotators: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani and Shu’ayb al-Arnauṭ], vol. 15, p. 236, # 6823

4. Ibid

5. Ibid

6. Abu Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash’ath al-Sijistani al-Azdi, Sunan (Dar al-Fikr) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 509, # 4283

7. Ibid

8. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 238

9. Qur’an 2:213

10. Qur’an 16:36

11. Abu ‘Abd Allah Na’im b. Hammad al-Maruzi, Kitab al-Fitan (Dar al-Fikr; 1414 H) [annotator: Prof. Dr. Suhayl Zakar], part 5, p. 221

12. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Taqrib al-Tahdhib (Beirut: Dar al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah; 2nd edition, 1415 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Aṭa], vol. 1, p. 445, # 2999

13. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 501, # 3398

14. Abu ‘Abd Allah Na’im b. Hammad al-Maruzi, Kitab al-Fitan (Dar al-Fikr; 1414 H) [annotator: Prof. Dr. Suhayl Zakar], part 5, p. 220

15. Abu Dawud Sulayman b. al-Ash’ath al-Sijistani al-Azdi, Sunan (Dar al-Fikr) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 509, # 4285

16. Ibid

17. Abu al-‘Abbas Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Halim b. Taymiyyah al-Harrani, Minhaj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah (Muasassat Qurṭubah; 1st edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Dr. Muhammad Rashad Salim], vol. 8, p. 254

18. There are valid objections to the reliability of this ‘Asim. We will be examining them later in this book. So, this hadith has a dha’if chain due to this ‘Asim. However, its matn is confirmed in sahih Sunni ahadith, as our esteemed reader can see.

19. Abu ‘Isa Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Sulami al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 4, p. 505, # 2230

20. Ibid

21. Ibid

22. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 4, p. 43, # 1529

23. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz b. ‘Abd Allah b. Baz, Fatawa Nurun ‘ala al-Darb (Dar al-Waṭan; 1st edition, 1428 H), vol. 1, p. 355

24. Ibid

25. Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Qissat al-Masih al-Dajjal wa Nuzul ‘Isa (‘Amman: al-Maktabah al-Islamiyyah; 1st edition, 1421 H), p. 54, footnote # 1

26. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1416 H), vol. 6, p. 368, # 2668

27. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 6, pp. 514-515

28. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Ja’far al-Idrisi al-Kattani, Nazam al-Mutanathir min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir (Egypt: Dar al-Kutub al-Salafiyyah; 2nd edition), p. 225, # 289

29. Abu al-‘Ala Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi bi Sharh Jami’ al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1410 H), vol. 6, p. 402

30. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 42, # 7

31. Ibid, p. 42, # 9

32. Ibid, p. 137, # 33

33. This is a reference to Juhayman b. Muhammad b. Sayf al-‘Utaybi (September 16, 1936 - January 9, 1980), an ultra-Salafist from Najd in Saudi Arabia, who militarily took control of the Ka’bah in Makkah on November 20, 1979 and held its pilgrims hostage. He was an ex-student of Shaykh Ibn Baz, and had become very dissatisfied with the Salafi credentials of the Saudi monarchy. He led a small militia of 1300-1500 to seize the Haram Mosque, and then announced his son-in-law - Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Qahṭani - as the Mahdi. He was eventually defeated, after three weeks, by a combination of the Saudi army, the Pakistani army (who were called upon for help by Saudi authorities), and French commandos (similarly invited) who tactically converted to Islam in order to be able to take part in the military operations. He was publicly beheaded, along with 67 of his fighters, on January 9, 1980.

34. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 5, p. 278, # 2236

2. The Amir Over ‘Isa B. Maryam

The Masih, ‘alaihi al-salam, obviously, is a member of our Ummah, under the Shari’ah of Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa alihi. This is explicitly indicated in this chapter-heading by Imam Muslim (d. 261 H):

باب نزول عيسى بن مريم حاكما بشريعة نبينا محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم

Chapter on the Descent of ‘Isa b. Maryam to Judge with the Shari’ah of our Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him.1

Imam al-Bukhari (d. 256 H) also records this hadith:

حدثنا إسحاق أخبرنا يعقوب بن إبراهيم حدثنا أبي عن صالح عن ابن شهاب أن سعيد بن المسيب سمع أبا هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم والذي نفسي بيده ليوشكن أن ينزل فيكم ابن مريم حكما عدلا

Ishaq - Ya’qub b. Ibrahim - my father - Salih - Ibn Shihab - Sa’id b. al-Musayyab - Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “I swear by Him in Whose Hand my life is, surely the son of Maryam will soon descend amongst you as a just judge.”2

Explaining this riwayat, al-Hafiz (d. 852 H) states:

والمعنى أنه ينزل حاكما بهذه الشريعة فان هذه الشريعة باقية لا تنسخ بل يكون عيسى حاكما من حكام هذه الأمة

The meaning is that he will descend to judge with this Shari’ah, for this Shari’ah is eternal. It will never be abrogated. In fact, ‘Isa will be one of the judges of this Ummah.3

Meanwhile, it is an undisputable fact that whosoever follows the Shari’ah of Muhammad is from his Ummah. This clearly is why al-Hafiz has proceeded to give him an entry in his book on the biographies of the Sahabah:

عيسى المسيح بن مريم الصديقة بنت عمران بن ماهان بن الغار رسول الله وكلمته ألقاها إلى مريم

ذكره الذهبي في التجريد مستدركا على من قبله فقال عيسى بن مريم رسول الله رأى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة الاسراء وسلم عليه فهو نبي وصحابي وهو آخر من يموت من الصحابة

وألغزه القاضي تاج الدين السبكي في قصيدته في آخر القواعد له فقال من باتفاق جميع الخلق أفضل من خير الصحاب أبي بكر ومن عمر ومن علي ومن عثمان وهو فتى من أمة المصطفى المختار من مضر

‘Isa the Masih b. Maryam the Siddiqah bint ‘Imran b. Mahan b. al-Ghar, the messenger of Allah and His Word which He said to Maryam.

Al-Dhahabi mentioned him in al-Tajrid, supporting those before him, and said: “‘Isa b. Maryam, the messenger of Allah. He saw the Prophet, peace be upon him, on the night of al-Isra and said salam to him. Therefore, he is a prophet AND A SAHABI; and he will be the last of the Sahabah to die.”

Al-Qadhi Taj al-Din al-Subki indirectly referred to him in his poem at the end of his al-Qawaid, and said: “He, who by consensus of all creatures, is better than the best of the Sahabah, Abu Bakr; and he is better than ‘Umar, ‘Ali and ‘Uthman. He is a young man from the Ummah of the Chosen Mustafa from Mudhar.”4

Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H) further says in his Siyar:

ولم يسم الله تعالى في كتابه صحابيا باسمه إلا زيد بن حارثة وعيسى بن مريم عليه السلام الذي ينزل حكما مقسطا

Allah the Most High has not mentioned in His Book any Sahabi by name except Zayd b. Harithah and ‘Isa b. Maryam, ‘alaihi al-salam, who will descend as a just judge.5

Basically, ‘Isa b. Maryam is the best of the Sahabah - by Sunni reckoning - and not Abu Bakr (contrary to the popular Sunni myth). He will follow and enforce the Shari’ah of Muhammad, and will be the last of the Sahabah to die. Since the advent of our Prophet, the Masih became a member of our Ummah, and will die as one of our own.

Interestingly, after ‘Isa’s descent, he will not be the supreme leader of the Ummah. Of course, he will be a judge who will enforce our Shari’ah. However, he will, in doing that, be taking orders from a higher authority, the khalifah of his time. Imam al-Bukhari records:

حدثنا ابن بكير حدثنا الليث عن يونس عن ابن شهاب عن نافع مولى أبي قتادة الأنصاري أن أبا هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم كييف أنتم إذا نزل ابن مريم فيكم وإمامكم منكم

Ibn Bukayr - al-Layth - Yunus - Ibn Shihab - Nafi’, freed slave of Abu Qatadah al-Ansari - Abu Hurayrah:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “How will you be when the son of Maryam descends amongst you while your Imam will be from you?”6

Dr. al-Bastawi interprets that in this manner:

" فإمامكم منكم " أي أن الإمام يكون غير عيسى، رجل من أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم

“while your Imam will be from you”, that is: the Imam will NOT be ‘Isa, he will be a man from the Ummah of Muhammad, peace be upon him.7

Of course, ‘Isa too is from this Ummah. However, he is a naturalized member while the Imam will be someone born into it. Well, by divine decree, only people from the Arab tribe of Quraysh can be khalifahs; and this rule will never change till the Hour. Imam Ibn Abi ‘Asim (d. 287 H) confirms:

ثنا أبو صالح هدبة بن عبد الوهاب، حدثنا النضر بن شميل، ثنا شعبة، عن حبيب بن الزبير، عن عبد الله بن أبي الهذيل قال: كنا نجالس عمرو ابن العاص نذاكره الفقه فقال رجل من بكر لتنتهين قريش أو ليجعلن الله هذا الأمر في جمهور من جماهير العرب فقال عمرو بن العاص: كذبت سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: الخلافة في قريش إلى قيام الساعة

Abu Salih Hudbah b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab - al-Nadhr b. Shumayl - Shu’bah - Habib b. al-Zubayr - ‘Abd Allah b. Abi al-Hudhayl:

We were sitting with ‘Amr b. al-‘As, discussing al-fiqh. Then, a man from Bakr, said, “If Quraysh do not desist, Allah will place this affair in another group among Arabs.” So, ‘Amr b. al-‘As replied, “You lied! I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: ‘The khilafah is in Quraysh till the establishment of the Hour.’”8

And ‘Allamah al-Albani (d. 1420 H) says:

إسناده جيد

Its chain is good.9

Imam Abu Ya’la (d. 307 H) also records:

حدثنا الحسن بن إسماعيل أبو سعيد بالبصرة حدثنا إبراهيم بن سعد عن أبيه عن أنس رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : الأئمة من قريش

Al-Hasan b. Isma’il Abu Sa’id - Ibrahim b. Sa’d - his father - Anas, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The Imams are from Quraysh.”10

Shaykh Dr. Asad says:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih11

Since the Masih is an Israilite, he is automatically disqualified from running the khilafah. He can only pledge allegiance to and take orders from a supreme royal ruler from Quraysh. Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 H) documents too:

حدثنا أحمد بن منيع حدثنا زيد بن حباب حدثنا معاوية بن صالح حدثنا أبو مريم الأنصاري عن أبي هريرة قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم الملك في قريش

Ahmad b. Mani’ - Zayd b. Hubbab - Mu’awiyah b. Salih - Abu Maryam al-Ansari - Abu Hurayrah:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The kingdom is in Quraysh.”12

Al-Albani comments:

صحيح

Sahih13

The descent of ‘Isa will create a huge potential for confusion within the Ummah. Would it be proper for a prophet to take orders from a non-prophet? In order to forestall the possibility of disarray, both the Masih and the khalifah of his time will explain the matter clearly by deeds. Normally, the Imam of the Ummah cannot be led in salat by any of his subjects. Imam al-Nasai (d. 303 H) records:

أخبرنا إبراهيم بن محمد التيمي قال حدثنا يحيى بن سعيد عن شعبة عن إسماعيل بن رجاء عن أوس بن ضمعج عن أبي مسعود قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لا يؤم الرجل في سلطانه ولا يجلس على تكرمته إلا بإذنه

Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Taymi - Yahya b. Sa’id - Shu’bah - Isma’il b. Raja - Aws b. Dham’aj - Abu Mas’ud:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “No one can lead a man in salat in his place of authority, and no one can sit in his place of honour except with his permission.”14

And al-Albani declares:

صحيح

Sahih15

Knowing this, the then amir of the believers will nonetheless offer leadership of the salat to ‘Isa b. Maryam. If the Masih accepts it and leads the amir, then he (the Masih) confirms himself as the overall master of the Ummah. However, if he rejects it, in that case he submits to the authority and leadership of the khalifah. Imam Muslim here presents how this will be resolved:

حدثنا الوليد بن شجاع وهارون بن عبدالله وحجاج بن الشاعر قالوا حدثنا حجاج (وهو ابن محمد) عن ابن جريج قال أخبرني أبو الزبير أنه سمع جابر بن عبدالله يقول سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول لا تزال طائفة من أمتي يقاتلون على الحق ظاهرين إلى يوم القيامة قال فينزل عيسى بن مريم صلى الله عليه و سلم فيقول أميرهم تعال صل لنا فيقول لا إن بعضكم على بعض أمراء تكرمة الله هذه الأمة

Al-Walid b. Shuja’, Harun b. ‘Abd Allah and Hajjaj b. al-Sha’ir - Hajjaj b. Muhammad - Ibn Jurayj - Abu al-Zubayr - Jabir b. ‘Abd Allah:

I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: “There will never cease to be a group within my Ummah who will be fighting upon the Truth, victorious till the Day of al-Qiyamah. Then, ‘Isa b. Maryam, sallallahu ‘alaihi wa salam, will descend, and their amir will say, ‘Come and lead us in salat.’ But, he (‘Isa) will reply, ‘No. Verily, some of you are the amirs of the others. This is the honour of Allah to this Ummah.’”16

The Masih rejects the offer and performs salat behind the amir. Al-Albani records that the Prophet said:

منا الذي يصلي عيسى بن مريم خلفه

The one behind whom ‘Isa b. Maryam will perform salat is from us.17

Then, he comments:

فالحديث عندي صحيح

The hadith, in my view, is sahih18

Therefore, the authority of the khalifah over Prophet ‘Isa is perfectly established. No one can lead a man in salat in his place of authority; and the son of Maryam will be led. As such, he will not be the one in overall authority over the Ummah.

Who then will this amir be, who will give commands to ‘Isa?

Dr. al-Bastawi has copied a hadith which identifies for us the Imam of the Ummah during ‘Isa’s Second Coming:

عن جابر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :ينزل عيسى بن مريم فيقول أميرهم المهدي: تعال صل بنا. فيقول: لا، إن بعضهم أمير بعض. تكرمة الله لهذه الأمة

Narrated Jabir:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “‘Isa b. Maryam will descend and their amir, the Mahdi will say, ‘Come and lead us in salat.’ But, he will reply, ‘No. Verily, some of them are the amirs over others. It is the honour of Allah to this Ummah.’”19

After quoting its sources and extensively examining its narrators, he concludes:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih20

He also documents:

عن ابن سيرين قال :المهدي من هذه الأمة وهو الذي يؤم عيسى بن مريم

Ibn Sirrin said: “The Mahdi is from this Ummah, and he will be the Imam of ‘Isa b. Maryam.”21

And he has this verdict on it:

إسناده صحيح. رجاله كلهم ثقات

Its chain is sahih. Its narrators are trustworthy.22

So, he will be the Mahdi, ‘alaihi al-salam. He will be the amir and Imam of the Ummah, before and after Prophet ‘Isa joins it. This fact reveals that the coming out of the Mahdi will occur during the very last part of life on earth, as ‘Isa will come at that time. Something to note also is that the Mahdi will actually rule the last section of our Ummah, as Imam al-Hakim (d. 403 H) documents:

أخبرني أبو العباس محمد بن أحمد المحبوبي بمرو ثنا سعيد بن مسعود ثنا النضر بن شميل ثنا سليمان بن عبيد ثنا أبو الصديق الناجي عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : يخرج في آخر أمتي المهدي يسقيه الله الغيث وتخرج الأرض نباتها ويعطى المال صحاحا وتكثر الماشية وتعظم الأمة يعيش سبعا أو ثمانيا يعني حججا

Abu al-‘Abbas Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Mahbubi - Sa’id b. Mas’ud - al-Nadhr b. Shumayl - Sulayman b. ‘Ubayd - Abu al-Siddiq al-Naji - Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him:

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “The Mahdi will come out at the END of my Ummah. Allah will provide rain to him, and the earth will bring out its vegetation, and he will give wealth correctly. Livestock will become abundant and the Ummah will become great. He will witness seven or eight Hajjs.23

Al-Hakim comments:

هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد

This hadith has a sahih chain24

Imam al-Dhahabi (d. 748 H) agrees:

صحيح

Sahih25

Al-Albani also says about the hadith in his Sahihah:

قلت: وهذا سند صحيح

I say: This chain is sahih26

Dr. al-Bastawi has the same verdict on it:

إسناده صحيح

Its chain is sahih.27

Notes

1. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 1, p. 134, chapter # 71

2. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Ibrahim b. Mughirah al-Bukhari al-Ju’fi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir; 3rd edition, 1407 H) [annotator: Dr. Musṭafa Dib al-Bagha], vol. 3, p. 1272, # 3264

3. Shihab al-Din Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Fath al-Bari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari (Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifah li al-Taba’ah wa al-Nashr; 2nd edition), vol. 6, p. 356

4. Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Hajar al-‘Asqalani, al-Isabah fi Tamyiz al-Sahabah (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1415 H) [annotators: Shaykh ‘Adil Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Mawjud and Shaykh ‘Ali Muhammad Ma’udh], vol. 4, pp. 633-634, # 6164

5. Shams al-Din Muhammad b. Ahmad b. ‘Uthman al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala (Beirut: Muasassat al-Risalah; 9th edition, 1413 H) [annotators of the first volume: Shu’ayb al-Arnauṭ and Husayn al-Asad], vol. 1, p. 220, # 36

6. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Isma’il b. Ibrahim b. Mughirah al-Bukhari al-Ju’fi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih al-Mukhtasar (Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir; 3rd edition, 1407 H) [annotator: Dr. Musṭafa Dib al-Bagha], vol. 3, p. 1272, # 3265

7. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 283

8. Abu Bakr b. Abi ‘Asim, Ahmad b. ‘Amr b. al-Dhahhak b. Mukhlid al-Shaybani, Kitab al-Sunnah (al-Maktab al-Islami; 1st edition, 1400 H) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 527, # 1109

9. Ibid

10. Abu Ya’la Ahmad b. ‘Ali b. Muthanna al-Mawsili al-Tamimi, Musnad (Damascus: Dar al-Mamun li al-Turath; 1st edition, 1404 H) [annotator: Dr. Husayn Salim Asad], vol. 6, p. 321, # 3644

11. Ibid

12. Abu ‘Isa Muhammad b. ‘Isa al-Sulami al-Tirmidhi, al-Jami’ al-Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 5, p. 727 # 3936

13. Ibid

14. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Ahmad b. Shu’ayb al-Nasai, al-Mujtaba min al-Sunan (Halab: Maktab al-Maṭbu’at al-Islamiyyah; 2nd edition, 1406 H) [annotator: Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani], vol. 2, p. 77, # 783

15. Ibid

16. Abu al-Husayn Muslim b. al-Hajjaj al-Qushayri al-Naysaburi, Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi) [annotator: Muhammad Fuad ‘Abd al-Baqi], vol. 1, p. 137, # 156 (247)

17. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 5, p. 371, # 2293

18. Ibid

19. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 180, # 6

20. Ibid, p. 182

21. Ibid, p. 219, # 14

22. Ibid, p. 220

23. Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-’Ilmiyyah; 1st edition, 1411 H) [annotator: Mustafa ‘Abd al-Qadir ‘Aṭa], vol. 4, p. 601, # 8673

24. Ibid

25. Ibid

26. Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Nasir al-Din b. al-Hajj Nuh b. Tajati b. Adam al-Ashqudri al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah wa Shayhun min Fiqhihah wa Fawaidihah (Riyadh: Maktabah al-Ma’arif li al-Nashr wa al-Tawzi’; 1st edition, 1415 H), vol. 2, p. 328, # 711

27. Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Alim ‘Abd al-‘Azim al-Bastawi, al-Mahdi al-Muntazar fi Dhaw-i al-Ahadith wa al-Athar al-Sahihah wa Aqwal al-‘Ulama wa Ara al-Firaq al-Mukhtalifah (Beirut: Dar Ibn Hazm; 1st edition, 1420 H), p. 165