Islamic End Times and the Mahdi
February Newsletter
Islamic End Times and the Mahdi
Much of Islamic Eschatology is not found in the Koran but in the Hadith. The Sahih (Hadith), second to the Quran, is a collection of Islamic religious guidelines based on what Islamic scholars, after Mohammad’s death, believed were a record of the Prophet’s words, traditions, or silent intent, in support of the Koran. Many Christians would be surprised at the likeness of Islamic End-Times beliefs to Christian beliefs. Both sets of beliefs lead to a Judgement Day, with a deceptive Antichrist (Al-Masih ad-Dajjal in Islam, which means Deceitful Messiah) leading believers astray, along with the return of the Islamic Mahdi and Isa (Jesus) as Messianic saviors who bring victory, peace, and justice to the World. Even the Rapture is referenced in the Sahih Muslim Book 041: 7015 as a gentle wind that will take the souls of the believers. In Sahih Bukhari, Vol 3: book 43: 656, ‘Jesus Christ will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the Mahdi’, and in Sunan Abu Dawud, book 36: 4272, ‘The Mahdi will appear, and be the Imam of the Muslims’. These are Hadith-based signs of the Al-Qayyimah (resurrection or rising of the dead) derived from chapter 75 of the Quran.
It is not our intent to review all Islamic End-Times beliefs but to simply identify the similarities to Christian Bible-based beliefs. This is probably not a coincidence as the Christian Bible was canonized in AD 382 and therefore available to Islamic Hadith authors, 250+ years after Muhammad died in AD 632. A unique aspect of Islamic End-Times belief is the coming Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi (called Mahdi, or the guided one) which is our focus. Muslims believe the coming of Mahdi will precede Jesus’s return or 2nd coming. A required prerequisite of the coming forth of Mahdi is the removal of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Here in lies the fundamental problem in today’s Middle East, and why the day after Israel declared statehood in 1948, it was immediately attacked by all the surrounding Muslim countries. When the Western Allies declared the intent to establish a Jewish homeland, in the 1926 Balfour Declaration, the wheels were set in motion for Islam to prevent Israel’s existence at all costs. Muslims have worked tirelessly ever since via negotiations, wars, and propaganda campaigns to eliminate the existence of Israel. We may find the story behind the Mahdi, a bit mystical, but for Muslims, the Mahdi Imam and subsequently the prophet Jesus, will not return to bring peace on Earth, until Israel is non-existent. We should note that Muslims do believe in Jesus's existence in the form of the Trinity, but only as a great prophet second to their last prophet Muhammad.
So, who was (is) the Mahdi and the basis of this Islamic End-Times belief? The Mahdi concept originated in the Shia sect of Islam, although many in the Sunni sect have also adopted the belief with variations. The belief is most prevalent in the prevailing Twelvers’ of Islamic Shiism. Mahdi is considered the last of the Shia ‘Twelvers’ who make up 12 of the 14 ‘Infallibles’ in Islam. The 14 ‘Infallibles’ also include the prophet Muhammad and his daughter Fatima (only woman included). The first of the ‘Twelvers’ was the prophet Muhammad’s cousin Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib), the 4th Islamic Caliph and husband of Fatima. The last of the 'Twelvers' is considered Mahdi. As the name implies, the ‘Infallibles’ were believed to be perfect and just leaders of Islam, without sin, and possessed a divine understanding of the Quran facilitating its inner meanings. The reason for twelve is the prophet Muhammad prophesied that there would be twelve successors after his death, but in fact, there were approximately 110 Caliphs in almost 1300 years. But Shiism chooses to only recognize the Caliphs with blood lineage to the prophet Mohammad as divinely appointed and legitimate Caliphs, while all others are considered simply political appointments. They call these perceived legitimate Caliphs, the twelve Imams.
The actual identity of Mahdi varies to some degree in Shiism, but the prevalent view of ‘Twelvers’ is Mahdi was the son of the 11th Imam, Hasan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad (better known as Hasan Al-Askari). After Hasan died of poisoning, his representative declared that Hasan had an unknown son named Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi who had been kept in protective hiding due to life threats. Mahdi supposedly remained in hiding while the Shiites declared him the next Caliph, the twelfth and final Imam. While Mahdi never appeared, Shiites believe he has remained alive for the past 1,000-plus years. Some believe he is hiding (divine occultation) in a well in Iran, while others believe he came out of hiding but has not revealed himself to the world. Instead, he has wandered through society for centuries, and will only reveal himself when the world is in complete chaos and Israel has been eliminated. The Sunni Muslims who aspire to the Mahdi concept believe he is yet to be born.
The following provides a summary of the basic tenets of the Sunni versus the Shai perspectives of the Mahdi, as Sunni and Twelver Shia Islam have different beliefs regarding the identity of the Mahdi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signs_of_the_coming_of_Judgement_Day (Note the grid line format of the original format would not carry over to this post)
| Item | Sunni perspective | Shia perspective |
|---|---|---|
| Shared belief | In both Sunni and Twelver Islam versions the Mahdi confronts a world of strange natural disasters, war, chaos, ignorance, depravity, and wickedness. In both versions he will be named Muhammad, he will appear to Muslims before Isa (Jesus), and in both, he will be assisted by Isa in his struggle against and killing of the dajjal (antichrist), Muslims will declare/swear their allegiance to him (Bay'ah) and will restores order and righteousness,[126] ruling the world for a period of time. | |
| Importance in doctrine |
In Sunni Islam, the Mahdi doctrine is a popular belief, but among scholars, it is not theologically important. The two most authoritative compilations of hadith in Sunni Islam — Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim — make no mention of the Mahdi (nor does Nasai,[127][128][129][130] although three of six canonical Sunni hadith compilations do—Abu Dawood, Ibn Maja, and Tirmidhi). |
In Twelver Shi'ism, the largest Shi'i branch, the belief in the messianic imam is not merely a part of the creed, but the pivot.[131] Born in Samarra in 868 CE, the Mahdi has been in occultation (hidden) by divine command for over 1000 years, waiting for end times to reappear and put an end to injustice. |
| Any supernatural characteristics? | The Mahdi, though a leader of Islam as caliph (the traditional Sunni religious authority chosen by representative(s) of the community), a righteous man and among the descendants of Muhammad, will have a normal human lifespan (and not live for hundreds of years).[132] |
For Shia, the Mahdi is divinely ordained to be leaders and guides of the Muslim world (and thus all humanity). He became "the Imam of mankind" at the age of five; has been in Occultation since 941 CE—over 1000 years—not hidden from view, but living on the earth among the people but unbeknownst to them.[133]His titles include the Lord of the Resurrection (Qāʾim al-Qiyāma). Shia believes he will be the perfect being and the purpose of creation, and through him, the world will come out of darkness and ignorance and "The earth will shine with the light of its Lord, the record ˹of deeds˺ will be laid ˹open˺, the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward—and judgment will be passed on all with fairness. None will be wronged." (Quran 39:69); to an era of reward for those "who labored in fulfillment of (the Prophets') command and with knowledge", unlike previous eras where Allah prescribes the people to work, that of the enunciators of divine revelation (nāṭiqs) who came before him.[134] |
| Arrival | Before his leadership starts, he will be unrecognized and flee from Medina to Mecca to take refuge in the Ka'ba. Then, against his will, he will be recognized as ruler by the people.[135] He will then lead an army bearing black banners against the dajjal and his corruption. |
The Shia version of the Mahdi will also reappear in Mecca. On the day of Ashura (10th of Muharram; the day the third Shi'a imam Husayn ibn Ali was slain), he will stand with the sword of Ali (dhu'l-fiqar) in his hand,[136] between the corner of the Ka'ba and the station of Abraham. Shia will come from all over the world to pledge their loyalty.[122] A voice from the heavens will call the people of the world to his aid; the angels, jinns, and humans will flock around him.[137] He will then go to Kufa accompanied by 5000 angels, which will become his capital. He will kill "all the hypocrites" and destroy their palaces there.[122] He will send troops to kill the Sufyani in Damascus. Husayn and his slain partisans will then resurrect, as will other imams and Muhammad.[137] |
| Linage | He will be from the Hasanid branch of Muhammad's family, descended through Muhammad's daughter Fatima and her husband Ali. |
He is of the Husaynid line of Muhammad's descendants,[138] traced back to Imam ‘Ali (as), is: Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Musa Ibn Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (as),[133] the last of a line known as the twelve Imams. |
| Name and appearance |
His name will be Muhammad and his father's name will be Abdullah, thus making his full name Muhammad ibn Abdullah.[126] He will have a broad forehead and curved nose.[126] |
His name is Muhammad bin Hasan and he is the son of Hasan-al-Askari. He will be "a young man of medium stature with a handsome face", black hair, and a beard.[139] |
| Will he kill the Dajjal? |
The Mahdi will lead an army against the Dajjal, but it will be Isa who kills him. |
The Mahdi (Imam Saheb uz-Zaman) will kill the Dajjal[98] |
| After the defeat of the Dajjal | He will "usher in a short golden age" lasting seven, eight, or nine years until the end of the world.[140] |
After the killing of the Dajjal,[141] conquering Constantinople, China, and "the mountains of Daylam", the Mahdi (Imam Saheb uz-Zaman) will rule the world with perfect justice for seven, eight, nine, ten, nineteen,[47] twenty, or 1000 years[142] (accounts differ), as Jesus (Hazrat Isa bin Maryam) helps him spreading the Islamic faith.[141] According to Shīʿa hadiths, "he will bring a new religion, a new book, and a new law".[143] |
CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) provided this short 3-minute video about the Mahdi and present-day events on December 13, 2023.
Blessings and Maranatha,
Gerry S. Sager
(gssager.com)
Welcome, I'm Gerry
Gerry S. Sager, appreciates the depths of Scripture and finding ways to explain its mysteries applicable to end-times prophecies. His favorite Bible passages are Luke 11:9–10, and Proverbs 25:2, which have fostered his Christian growth and efforts to glorify God.
With Love,
Gerry S. Sager
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