Imam Mahdi - Series - Part 1 of 2

Al Mahdi's Lineage, Physical Appearance and Characteristics:

- Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, said: "Al Mahdi is (descended) from me. His forehead will be radiant, and his nose prominent. He will fill the earth with both fairness and justice just as it will have been filled by oppression and injustice, and he will govern for seven years."

- "At the end of Time, a stern trial from their governor will come upon my nation - never before will they have heard of a trial such as it. The wide earth will shrink before them and the earth will become full of oppression and injustice so that believers find no refuge from harm. So, Allah, the Mighty, the Purified will send a man from my pure musked descendants who will fill the earth with fairness and justice, just as it was filled by oppression and injustice. The inhabitants of Heaven and Earth will be pleased with him. The earth will not withhold any of its seed -- all will be produced. Nor will the Heaven withhold any of its showers except that Allah pours it upon them in abundance. And he will live among them seven, eight or nine years; the dead will wish for life because of that! Allah, the Mighty, the Glorified will give the inhabitants of the earth from His Goodness."

- "I bear good tidings for you concerning Al Mahdi. He will be sent when people differ and the earth quakes!"

(The preceding narrations were reported by Abi Said Al Khudri in the reference of Abi Dawood, Al Hakim, At-Tirmizi, Ahmad, ibn Hibban, Muslim, Al Tabarani (in his middle dictionary), Al Barudi and Abu Nuaym in his forty Hadith concerning Al Mahdi.)

The Certainty of his Appearance

- "Even if there remained only one day left to be lived, Allah will prolong that day until He sends a man from me. His name is like my name, and his father's name is like my father's name. He will fill the earth with fairness and justice just as it was filled by oppression and injustice."

- "The days will not end and life will not vanish until the Arabs are governed by a man from the Family of my House -- his name is the same as mine."

- Ibn Masood reported: "We went to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and he came out with good news and happiness was easily recognizable upon his face... until a party from the Bani Hashim passed by amongst whom were Al Hasan and Al Hussain, peace be upon them. When he saw them he hugged them with tears in his eyes, so we asked: 'O Messenger of Allah' we see something has changed your face which distresses us.' Thereupon he replied: 'We are a Family of a House for whom Allah has chosen the Hereafter rather than the present. After me, my family will be refugees, driven out of countries until the Black Banners are raised in the east.

They will ask for the truth but they will not be given it, so they will ask again for it, and they will not be given it, so they will fight and be given victory. Those of you or your descendants who live during that time go to the Imam of the Family of my house even if you have to crawl over ice to him. Indeed, they are banners of guidance. They will deliver it to a man from the Family of my House his name is the same as my name, and the name of his father is the same as my father, and he will fill the ground with fairness and justice."

(This hadith is in found in the references of Abu Dawood, Al Hakim, At-Tirmizi, Ibn Hibban, Ibn Majhah, Au Ash-Shaykh, Ibn Adiy, Abu Dhabi, Ibn Asakir and Abu Nuaym.)

When and Where Al Mahdi is given Allegiance (Bayat)

- "Differences will occur after the death of a caliph and a man from the people of Medina will escape to Mecca. Then, some of the people of Mecca will come to him and drag him out against his desire and give him their allegiance between Ar-Rukn and Al Makam. An army will be sent against him from Syria that will be swallowed up in Al Bayda - desert between Mecca and Medina. When people see this, the Abdal of Syria will come to him as well as a group of people from Iraq and pledge their allegiance between Ar-Rukn and Al Makam. Then a man from the Koraysh will come whose cousins are from Kalb, and he will send an army to them that will overcome them and this will become known as the Battle of Kalb.

Whosoever does not witness the spoils of war from Kalb is lost! And he (Al Mahdi) will distribute wealth and practice the Sunnah of their Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, with the people. And Islam will spread throughout the earth. He will remain seven years then die, and the believers will pray for him."

(This hadith was reported by Lady Ummu Salamah, wife of the Prophet, Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her, and is found in the references of Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Al Hakim, Ibn Hibban and At-Tabarani.)

The Black Banners

- If you see the Black Banners coming from Khurasan go to them immediately, even if you must crawl over ice, because indeed amongst them is the Caliph, Al Mahdi."

- "The Black Banners will come to you from the East, their hearts are like iron. Whosoever hears about them let them go crawling -- even over ice!"

(The preceding Hadith was reported by Thawban and is found in the references of Ibn Majah, Al Busiri, Al Hakim, Ahmad, Nuaym, Ad- Daylami, Al Hasan, son of Sufyan, and Abu Nuaym. )

- "A man named As-Sufyani will come from the center of Damascus. The majority of his followers will be from the tribe of Kalb. He will kill until he rips women open and kills children. So the tribe of Kays will rise up in retaliation and he will slaughter all of them! Then a man from the Family of my House will come in Al Hirrah and the news will reach As-Sufyani. Then he will send his army but it will suffer defeat. As-Sufyani will march with his followers to him until they reach a desert and the ground will swallow them up. None will be saved except the one bearing the news."

The Emergence of the False Messiah

- "The Romans will surround a leader from my pure musked children. His name will be the same as mine. They will fight each other at a place called Al Imak and one third, or thereabouts, of the Muslims will be killed. They will fight again on another day and again one third or thereabouts of the Muslims will be killed. On the third day they will fight again and the Romans will be defeated. And they will remain there until they open Constantinople. It is whilst they are distributing the spoils of war that a messenger will come informing them that the false messiah is in their home town with their children."

(Reported by Abu Hurayrah in the reference of Ibn Hibban, At-Tirmizi, Abuya'li, at Tabarani, Al Bazaar, Abu Nuaym and Al Hakim.)