Imam Mahdi (Descendent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH))

- by Mufti A.H. Elias and Mohammad Ali ibn Zubair Ali

Who Is Imam Mahdi?

Note: Please do not confuse Imam Mahdi with Hadhrat Isa (Jesus) Alayhis Salaam. They are two different persons, and both will come during the last days. According to Hadeeth, Imam Mahdi will appear first, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will appear during Imam Mahdi's lifetime. Furthermore, only Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will be able to kill Dajjal (the "anti-Christ").

The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one".

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "This world will not come to an end until one person from my progeny does not rule over the Arabs, and his name will be the same as my name." (Tirmidhi)

Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah to come, yet Allah will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initally was filled with oppression." (Abu Dawood)

His Features

Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Al Mahdi will be from my progeny. His forehead will be broad and his nose will be high. He will fill the world with justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with oppression. He will rule for seven years."

Other ahadeeth inform us that:

* He will be tall

* He will be fair complexioned

* His facial features will be similar to those of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)

* His character will be exactly like that of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)

* His father's name will be Abdullah

* His mother's name will be Aamina

* He will speak with a slight stutter and occasionally this stutter will frustrate him causing him to hit his hand upon his thigh.

* His age at the time of his emergence will be forty years

* He will receive Knowledge from Allah.

His Emergence and Rule

Hadhrat Umme Salmah (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, " After the death of a Ruler there will be some dispute between the people. At that time a citizen of Madina will flee (from Madinah) and go to Makkah. While in Makkah, certain people will approach him between Hajrul Aswad and Maqaame Ibraheem, and forcefully pledge their allegiance to him.

Thereafter a huge army will proceed from Syria to attack him but when they will be at Baida, which is between Makkah and Madina, they will be swallowed into the ground.

On seeing this, the Abdaals of Shaam as well as large numbers of people from Iraq will come to him and pledge their allegiance to him. Then a person from the Quraish, whose uncle will be from the Bani Kalb tribe will send an army to attack him, only to be overpowered, by the will of Allah. This (defeated) army will be that of the Bani Kalb. Unfortunate indeed is he who does not receive a share from the booty of the Kalb. This person (Imam Mahdi) will distribute the spoils of war after the battle. He will lead the people according to the Sunnat and during his reign Islam will spread throughout the world. He will remain till seven years (since his emergence). He will pass away and the Muslims will perform his Janazah salaat." (Abu Dawood)

According to a Hadeeth, Sayyidena Eesa (A.S.) will lead the Janaazah of Imam Mahdi (A.S.).

While the people will be pledging their allegiance to Imaam Mahdi, a voice from the unseen will call out:

"This is the representative of Allah,

The Mahdi, listen to him and obey him"

This announcement which will be heard by all those present will establish his authenticity. Another sign which will indicate the authenticity of Imaam Mahdi wil be that in the Ramadhaan prior to his emergence an eclipse of the sun and moon will occur.

Hadhrat Abu Umamah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (A.S.) and will be upheld for seven years."

The people asked: "O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), who will be the Imaam of the people at the time?"

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "He will be from my progeny and will be forty years of age. His face will shine like a star and he will have a black spot on his left cheek. He will don two "Qutwaani" cloaks and will appear exactly as a person from the Bani Israeel..." (Tabrani)

According to hadith narrated by Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "...(regarding the rule of Imaam Mahdi) the skies will rain down in abundance and the earth will yield forth its crop in abundance, and those alive will desire that those who have already passed away should have been alive to enjoy this prosperity..."

Hadhrat Buraidah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "There will be many armies after me. You must join that army which will come from Khurasaan." (Ibn Adi)

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "(Armies carrying) black flags will come from Khurasaan. No power will be able to stop them and they will finally reach Eela (Baitul Maqdas) where they will erect their flags."

from: "Signs of Qiyamah"

by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali

More Hadeeth (with references) (contributed by Bradley Bilal).

1) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: "Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left (before the day of judgment), Allah will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person from my Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will fill out the earth with peace and justice as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny (by then)."

References:

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

Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p7

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

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

Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4085

3) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatimah (the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH)).

References:

Sunan Abu Dawud, English version, Ch. 36, Tradition #4271 (narrated by Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet)

Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4086

4) The Prophet (PBUH and HF) said: "We (I and my family) are members of a household that Allah (SWT) has chosen for them the life of the Hereafter over the life of this world; and the members of my household (Ahlul-Bayt) shall suffer a great affliction and they shall be forcefully expelled from their homes after my death; then there will come people from the East carrying black flags, and they will ask for some good to be given to them, but they shall be refused service; as such, they will wage war and emerge victorious, and will be offered that which they desired in the first place, but they will refuse to accept it till they pass it to a man from my family (Ahlul-Bayt) appears to fill the Earth with justice as it has been filled with corruption. So whoever reaches that (time) ought to come to them even if crawling on the ice/snow since among them is the Vice-regent of Allah (Khalifatullah) al-Mahdi."

References:

Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4082,

The History Tabari

al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar, Ch. 11, section 1, pp 250-251

5) Abu Nadra reported: We were with the company of Jabir Ibn Abdillah... Jabir Ibn Abdillah kept quite for a while and then reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said: "There would be a Caliph in the last (period) of my Ummah who would freely give handfuls of wealth to the people without counting it." I said to Abu Nadra and Abu al-Ala: Do you mean Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz? They said: NO, (he would be Imam Mahdi).

References:

Sahih Muslim, English version, v4, chapter MCCV, p1508, Tradition #6961

Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Fitan, v4, p2234, Tradition #67

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

References: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, p269

Is Family Planning allowed in Islam?

- by Jamaal Zarabozo

The question of family planning and birth control was discussed in detail by the Majma al-Fiqh al-Islaami. They had twenty three scholars research this topic and present their findings on this matter. The participants involved represented many different trends and schools of thought. Among the participants were Muhammad Ali al-Baar, Ali al-Saaloos, Muhammad Saeed Ramadhan al-Booti, Abdullah al-Basaam, Hasan Hathoot and Muhammad Sayid Tantaawi. Their proceedings, papers and discussions may be found in Part One of the Fifth Volume of Majallah Majma al-Fiqh al-Islaami (1988/1409 A.H.). These proceedings are 748 pages all about the question of birth control and related issues.

The following are important points related to the issue of birth control in Islam. These were mentioned by some of the participants in the above program:

The institution of marriage and the want to have children was the custom of the best of creation, the prophets and messengers chosen by Allah. Allah says about them: "And indeed We sent messengers before you and made for them wives and offspring" (al-Raad 38)

The best example for the believers is the example of the prophet Muhammad (saw), who married and had children. These prophets and messengers are the people whom Muslims should look to emulate. Allah says:

"They are those whom Allah has guided. So follow their guidance" (al-Anaam 90)

They should be emulated and not the disbelievers of the West, whose new lifestyles - mostly out of concern for enjoying this life or obtaining as many worldly goods as possible - discourage women from having more children.

Islam has forbidden celibacy, monasticism and castration for such purposes. The prophet (saw) made this clear when he told those companions who were considering acetic forms of life: "I pray and I sleep; I fast and I break my fast; and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my way of life is not from me." The prophet (saw) not only encouraged marriage but he encouraged marrying those women who are child-bearing. He stated: "marry the loving, child-bearing women for I shall have the largest numbers among the prophets on the day of Resurrection." (Recorded by Ahmad and ibn Hibban.)

From the Islamic perspective, children are a gift and a blessing from Allah. Allah mentions some of the bounties that He has bestowed upon mankind in the following verse:

"And Allah has made for you spouses of your own kind and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed upon you good provisions." (al-Nahl 72)

Allah also said: "Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world." (al-Kahf 46)

The only true provider for all mankind is Allah. If Muslims follow what Allah has prescribed for them, Allah will provide for them. Allah has warned about killing one's children out of fear of poverty for either parents or the child. Allah says: "Kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them" (al-Anaam 151)

Allah also says: "And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin" (al-Isra 31)

Hence, Muslims should never abort or kill their children out of fear  of poverty. It is Allah who provides for them. Based on the above points and numerous others, the scholars who participated in the research on this question came up with the following resolution:

It is not allowed to enact a general law that limits the freedom of spouses in having children.  It is forbidden to "permanently" end a man's or a woman's ability to produce children, such as by having a hysterectomy or vasectomy, as long as that is not called for by circumstances of necessity according to its Islamic framework. It is permissible to control the timing of births with the intent of distancing the occurrences of pregnancy or to delay it for a specific amount of time, if there is some Shariah need for that in the opinion of the spouses, based on mutual consultation and agreement between them. However, this is conditioned by that not leading to any harm, by it being done by means that are approved in the Shariah and that it not do anything to oppose a current and existing pregnancy.

The 5 questions on the day of judgement

Every servant of Allah will remain standing before Allah on the Day of Judgement until they have answered five questions about five things: their life - how they spent it; their knowledge - how much they acted upon it; their wealth - how they acquired it and how they spent it; and their body [and health] - how they used it. [Muslim]

Three women of al-Jannah [Paradise]

From: akt1@crux1.cit.cornell.edu

Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 17:32:24 -0400

Subject: Three women of al-Jannah [Paradise]

assalamu alaikum

We hear often speakers in Friday prayer talking about Paradise and all of us find their hearts, minds and thoughts tuned on that "frequency". However, the speakers in their majority talk about Paradise as if it were a house for men only. Reality is not like that. Paradise is for believers men and women. The only price for it is belief in Allah, Love of Allah and His Messenger, and obedience to Allah and His Messenger.

In what follows are the glad tidings given by the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, to three women among his companions.

Narrated 'Aisha:

I did not feel jealous of any of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadija (although) she died before he married me, for I often heard him mentioning her, and Allah had told him to give her the good tidings that she would have a palace of Qasab (i.e. pipes of precious stones and pearls in Paradise), and whenever he slaughtered a sheep, he would send her women-friends a good share of it. [al-Bukhari]

Narrated Ismail:

I asked 'Abdullah bin Abi Aufa, "Did the Prophet give glad tidings to Khadija?" He said, "Yes, of a palace of Qasab (in Paradise) where there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue."[al-Bukhari]

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Jibreel (Gabriel) came to the Prophet and said, "O Allah's Apostle! This is Khadija coming to you with a dish having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet her on behalf of her Lord (i.e. Allah) and on my behalf, and give her the glad tidings of having a Qasab palace in Paradise wherein there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue (trouble) . " [al-Bukhari]

Narrated 'Ata bin Abi Rabah:

Ibn 'Abbas said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" I said, "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." [al-Bukhari]

Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah:

The Prophet said, "I saw myself (in a dream) entering Paradise, and behold! I saw Ar-Rumaisa', Abu Talha's wife. I heard footsteps. I asked, Who is it? Somebody said, 'It is Bilal ' Then I saw a palace and a lady sitting in its courtyard. I asked, 'For whom is this palace?' Somebody replied, 'It is for 'Umar.' I intended to enter it and see it, but I thought of your ('Umar's) Ghira (and gave up the attempt)." 'Umar said, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Apostle! How dare I think of my Ghira (self-respect) being offended by you? [al-Bukhari]

After this short trip to the time of prophethood, and to Paradise, let us come back to earth and to our time.

These were women..., and they deserved Paradise..., why? how?

My dear Muslim fellow and especially sisters YOU MUST learn how these women lived, what they did in their lives, how they behaved, how they spoke, how they dressed, how they walked, how they ....

The black woman mentioned in this Hadith is not even known by her name, or who she were, she is rather known by her deeds, her faith, her modesty, her chastity, her care about not being uncovered and for her being an inmate of Paradise. And that is what matters indeed.

There are few points that are worth mentioning in regard of her case :

-She was physically sick, yet she sought cure in the du`a of the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam. she knew that the one who cures, ash_Shaafee, is Allah. and Allah would answer the answer of His messenger.

-She prefered being patient and suffering in this world and getting the eternal reward of Paradise. Remember : Iman+Suffering+Patience==> Paradise. She suffered from sickness, in their way to pleasing Allah and obeying Him, other women can suffer from society, from family, or from other sources [as was the case of some Sahabiyyaat]. And no matter who you are, if you are in the path of Allah you will encounter difficulties, because Paradise is rounded by hardships. If things are easy and just flowing then one must check him/herself. Especially in this American environment, it may be difficult for a young man to wear a beard [and yet it is mandatory], not to talk to women and be away from them [and yet it is mandatory] except if necessary and to ... and not to ... and it may be difficult for a young woman to wear the dress of modesty, the hijab (1) [and yet it is mandatory], not to talk to men and be away from them [and yet it is mandatory] except if necessary and to ...and not to ... All these may be difficult to achieve for some in the beginning, but when one overcomes him/herself for the sake of Allah, then all the other obstacles are nothing. How to overcome oneself? By knowing Allah by His names and attributes, by loving Allah and His Messenger, by obeying Him and His Messenger ... and then the help of Allah is there since He is the one who is pleased, and let the world fall down and collapse as long as Allah is pleased and let the world fall down and collapse as long as Allah is not displeased.

(1) hijab IS NOT a piece of cloth a woman puts on her head as a head cover or scarf while the rest of the body is covered with tight or shape revealing dress [such as pants] or while mingling with men and talking to them as some ignorants and deviants [the most dangerous ones being the modernists] want muslim women to believe, and they led astray many of them unfortunately. Hijab is much more than that physically, morally and spiritually.

-She prefered being patient, but could not tolerate that her honor, her modesty and her chastity be damaged or even touched, nor that any part of her body be uncovered, though she had no control over it. Indeed She was a real slave and servant of Allah, she was a faithful, she was a believer, she was a muslimah, she was a righteous and pious woman, she was a truthful woman, she was loyal to Allah and His Messenger, she was a smart and wise woman, she was a great woman, she was ... she said :

"but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me [make du`a to Allah for me] that I may not become uncovered."

If words are to be written in Gold, these words should be written in gold ...

Dear sisters,

If you want Paradise, follow the black woman, may Allah be pleased with her, follow Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her, follow Ar-Rumaisa' may Allah be pleased with her.

Dear sisters,

Ask yourself what made Khadija be greeted by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`aalaa and by Jibreel alaihi as-Salaam. Ask yourself what made Khadija be rewarded a Palace in Jannah as noone can imagine.

Reading the biography of Khadija and ar-Rumaisaa' one would wish to be their servant, to carry their shoes, to wash their clothes, to ...or to serve them in any possible way and get du`a from them.

My dears we just don't know the great ones of this Ummah, would we know them and follow them we would be in the forefront of mankind ...

and as it is said "Iman (faith) is not by hope, it is rather what occurs in the heart and is prooved by the deeds" [maa waqa`a fil qalbi wa saddaqahul-`amal]

I leave you to think about this and pray to Allah to make us all among the dwellers of Paradise and to bestow on us the faith and the patience that lead us to Paradise. And to bless the present Muslim Ummah with many women like the black woman may Allah be pleased with her

assalamu alaikum

your brother abu abdiLLAH

PS: Inshaa'a Allah [if there is a remainder in the life] there is more to come on the issue of the believing women from the pure Islamic view, the only Islamic view, that of Ahlu-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah, based on the Qur'an and the AUTHENTIC Sunnah as understood and practiced by the Salaf `alaihim ar-Ridhwanu war-Rahmah.