Notion of the Mahdi
A common misconception is that Imam Mahdi is an exclusively Shia notion when in actual reality, the concept is at a level of tawatur in Sunnism.
"The earth will be filled with injustice and corruption. At that time, a man from my progeny will rise and will rule for seven or nine years and will fill the world with justice and equality." (Musnad, Ahmed, Volume 3)
"The promised Mahdi will be from my progeny, among the descendants of Fatima." (Sunan Ibn Majah)
The "Sunni Mahdi" is the same as the "Shia Mahdi". The only difference is the parentage (Shias believe that Imam Mahdi is the son of Imam Hassan al-Askari while Sunnis say he is from the progeny of Fatima) and date of birth (Shias believe Imam Mahdi is born and in occultation, while Sunnis say he is yet to be born). Apart from that, the Shia and the Sunnis are awaiting the same man, prophecised in the ahadith of Prophet Mohammed.
Existence of Imam Al-Askari's son
Imam Hassan al-Askari, the 11th Imam, had a son by the name of Mohammed. You may find some e-Salafis who wish to pull the wool over their readers' eyes by claiming that Imam Al-Mahdi does not exist but this is nothing short of a lie! Any Sunni who claims Imam Al-Askari did not have a son is at 180 degree odds with the olden-day Sunni scholars who did in fact completely believe that Imam Al-Askari had a son. Denying the existence of Mohammed Ibn Al-Hassan is a relatively recent phenomena, and is an idea not shared by the Sunni historians of old.
Ibn Khalliqan said, "Abul Qasim Mohammed Ibn Hassan al-Askari, the 12th Imam of the 12 Imams of the Imamiyyah. He was born on a friday in Shaaban in the year 255." (Wafiyat Al-A'yan 4:176 p562)
Sheikh Al-Dhahabi said, "As for his (Hassan al-Askari) son Mohammed Ibn Al-Hassan, who the Rawafidh call the Qaim al-khalaf al-hujja, he was born in the year 258. Some say 255." (Tarikh Al-Islam 19:113 p159)
Ibn Hajar Haytami said, "And he (al-Askari) did not leave behind any children except Abul Qasim Mohammed al-Hujjah, and his age at his father's death was five years old." (Sawaiq 255/314)
Khayr al-Din Al-Zarkali said, "He was born in Samarra and was five years old when his father died". (Al A'lam 6:80)
The Sunnis who claim Imam Askari did not have a son are nothing but liars, and are deceiving their readers! As we have proven from the above quotes, the birth and existence of Imam Al-Hujja is absolutely authentic, and even verified by such scholars like Dhahabi, who referred to Shias by the derogatory term "rafidha", as you can see. The difference is that while the Shia believe Imam Mahdi went into minor occultation, our Sunni brothers say that he passed away as a child.
The Mother of Imam Mahdi
EMAIL
From: ********@gmail.com
To: rayatmohammed@yahoo.com
We're told that Imam Mahdi's mother was the daughter of a Byzantium emperor named Joshua. However, historical records tell us that the emperor of the time was Basil I. Does this inaccuracy not show Hassan Al-Askari did not have a son?
The fact that Imam Al-Askari had a son is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt and has been recorded and accepted by the classical, olden-day Sunni scholars including Sheikh Dhahabi. Any modern-day Sunni who denies it is at complete variance with his predecessors, and their arguments are baseless.
As for Imam Mahdi's mother, the narrations tell us she was the granddaughter, not daughter, of the Byzantium emperor. There are other authentic narrations which tell us that Imam Mahdi's mother was in fact a black bondsmaid, and this is found in Numani's Ghaybah and Allah knows best.
In any case it would be ludicrous to deny a historical event on the basis of one apparent irregularity.
Jafar Ibn Ali Al-Hadi
I was watching a Salafi propaganda video on YouTube, and the guy was saying that Shias in actuality hate Ahlel Beit, because we denounce Jafar Ibn Ali Al-Hadi to be a liar (kadhab). When I heard this, I was very shocked as simply being from the progeny of Ali and Fatima does not mean you are a good person. We are judged on our actions, and in the words of the late Martin Luther King on the content of our character, and not our lineage.
“An arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor has a non-Arab any superiority over an Arab, nor has a black man any superiority over a white man or a white man over a black man except by the criterion of taqwa. All of you are from Adam, and Adam is from dust.” (Mustadrak Wasa'il al-Shia Volume 20, Sunan Al-Bayhaqi)
Being from the Prophet's progeny does not make you a good and truthful person. Not only would this be unjust and unfair, but wouldn't the Sunnis be forced to accept Sayed Khoei or Sayed Sistani as truthful and pious individuals; afterall they are sayeds descended from Imam Hussain.
Anyway, who was Jafar Ibn Ali, known as Al-Kadhab (liar)? He was the brother of Imam Al-Askari (this does not automatically make him a good person, obviously) and is denounced as a liar because after the death of Imam Al-Askari he wanted to claim the Imamah for himself.
Imam Mahdi is NOT living in a cellar
A lie that has been perpetuated by stubborn e-Salafis, and that has actually been circulating obstinately for centuries, is that Imam Mahdi is residing in a cellar. This is nothing short of slander! There exists no narration, strong or weak, which claims this. Rather, the Shia belief is that the Imam is living amongst the people, yet they do not see him. He is also narrated to be present at every hajj.
Purpose of the Minor Occultation
Before going into the major occultation, Imam Mahdi had a minor occultation which lasted 70 years, during which time he communicated with the people through four deputies. What was the point of this minor occultation? It was in order to allow the people to gradually get used to the idea of the Imam going into a major occultation. If the major occultation had commenced without a minor one, people would have forgotten about the Imam or have ignored the issue. However, the period of minor occultation allowed people to get used to the phenomenon, as well as contact the Imam through the four deputies. After the notion had been accepted the major occultation began.
In fact, it is narrated by Masudi that Imam Al-Askari used to contact his companions from behind a curtain, in order to allow them to get used to the fact that his son Imam Al-Mahdi will go into occultation.
Is the Mahdi afraid of being killed?
Some e-Salafis have argued that the fact that there is a contradiction that Imam Mahdi disappeared due to Abbasid oppression, yet will return to defeat oppression and injustice. Imam Mahdi, like his forefathers, is not afraid of being killed. However, his being killed is not in the interest of the religion nor is it in the interest of the society, especially as he, unlike his predecessors, does not have an heir to replace him.
Philosophy of Believing in a Saviour
One might wonder why Allah, through various divine religions and means, has informed us of the savior in the first place. So what if there is a reformer who will reappear at the end of times to establish peace and justice? Our knowledge of the savior and world reformer serves at least four significant purposes.
First, it lends confidence and faith to those who devote themselves to Allah and preach His religion. Even though they may be persecuted, belittled, or even mocked, they are certain that their efforts will never go in vain. Their efforts will yield fruition when the savior reappears.
Second, it casts despair and anguish in the hearts of the enemies of Allah and the unbelievers. It is a message to them that no matter how much they try to advance their own agenda, spread corruption in the world, and excel in this world, there will come a time in which a reformer will roll up their despotic governments and obstruct their activities. In reassuring Yazid that he would fall and fail, and that the legacy of Ahlul Bayt (عليهم السلام) will always remain, Sayida Zaynab (عليها السلام) tells him: “Continue plotting your scheme, pursuing your endeavors, and multiplying your efforts. By Allah, you will never obliterate our mention, kill our revelation, reach our status, or rinse away your disgrace and infamy. Your ideas are all void, your days are but numbered, and your followers shall soon be scattered.”
Third, like the philosophy of not knowing when we will die, it serves to prepare the believers. Throughout the ages, true believers were always prepared so that if he reappears they would be the first to join him. Being prepared means that one must achieve a good level of Islamic education, fulfill all religious obligations, please his/her parents, be on good terms with family and friends, ask the forgiveness of those he/she has wronged, and repent.
In the words of the late Ahmed Deedat, delivered in a speech upon arrival from post-Islamic revolution Iran:
To the Shia there is only one Imam in the world and he is the Twelfth Imam , they believe in the concept of Imamate and that the Imam is the spiritual leader of the ummah. And the first Imam according to the school of Imamate is Ali. Then comes Imam Hassan who is the second Imam, Imam Hussein the third Imam all the way until the twelve Imam, Imam Mohammad who disappeared at the age of 5 and they are expecting his return. They use the term "occultation" something like a spiritual hibernation like the Ashab Al-cahf. And that he is expected to come back and he is the only one in the world who can be called Imam. Most of their scholars are called mullah, and Ayatollah means Allamah And Ayatollah Khomeini is called Imam out of respect but they are waiting for the real Imam to come. Ruhollah is the name his father gave him and do you know what it means? Ruhollah means the 'word of God' and this is the title of Hazrat Isa in the Quran. Then he is Ayatollah which is another title of Hazrat Isa in the Quran. Al-Musawi is from the family Musa and from the city of Khomein which is where his last name Khomeini comes from. …. But they are waiting for the Mahdi, and not Khomeini. They want to clean the stables and make preparations for the Mahdi to come. In the Sunni world we are also waiting for the Mahdi to come but we want him to clean the stables for us, make us masters of the world and to make us sit on the thrones. The Sunni world is just passively waiting. Until then we can carry on with all our petty little squabbles, whatever we are carrying on now. And it is only the Imam Mahdi which can clean the world for us. This is the Sunni line of thinking. Khomeini on the other hand tells his followers that we must help prepare the way so that when he does come everything is already set up for him to act on. While we, the Sunni world are waiting for Imam Mahdi to pull the chestnut out of the fire for us, the Shias are preparing the world for his arrival.
Imam Mahdi (ع)
