The Mahdi: What Islam Expects:

What the Bible predicts:

Mahdi emerges after period of great suffering & turmoil on earth.

After the lesser signs of the Hour appear and increase, mankind will have reached a stage of great suffering.  Then the awaited Mahdi will appear; He is the first of the greater clear, signs of the Hour.¹

¹ Ibn Kathir, The Signs Before the Day of Judgement (London, Dar Al-Taqwa, 1991), p. 18

2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 - And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed.

Mahdi able to do miracles; will give away great wealth.  Deeply loved.

In the last days of my Ummah [universal Islamic community], the Mahdi will appear.  Allah will give him power over the wind and the rain and the earth will bring forth its foliage.  He will give away wealth profusely, flocks will be in abundance, and the Ummah will be large and honored… ²

Allah will sow love of him in the hearts of all people. ³

² Sahih Hakim Mustadrak, related by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (4:557 and 558), as quoted by Kabbani p. 233

³ El-Kavlu'l Muhtasar Fi Alamet-il Mehdiyy-il Muntazar, as quoted by Harun Yahya, http://www.endoftimes.net/08mahdiandtheendtimes.html

2 Thessalonians 2:9 - The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.

Mahdi will appear riding on white horse.

Whether or not this is symbolic or literal is hard to say. Quite interestingly, this tradition is based on the Muslim interpretation of Christian Scriptures.  Despite the fact that Muslims view the Bible as having been changed and corrupted by Jews and Christians, they still claim to believe that some portions of the “original” inspired books are still to be found within the “corrupted” Bible.  As such there exists a tradition within Islamic scholarship that seeks to extract those portions of the Bible that Muslims feel may be untainted by the corrupting influence of Jews and Christians.  These Judeo-Christian traditions are called by Muslims, isra’iliyyat.  One such transmitter of biblical traditions is Muslim scholar Ka’b al-Ahbar.  He is viewed among Muslims as a trustworthy transmitter of Hadith as well as isra’iliyyat. ³¹ Ka’b al-Ahbar is supported in his view that this description of the rider on the white horse as found in the Book of Revelation is indeed the Mahdi by two well known Egyptian authors, Muhammad Ibn ‘Izzat and Muhammad ‘Arif in their book Al Mahdi and the End of Time.  ‘Izzat and Arif quote Ka’b al Ahbar as saying:

I find the Mahdi recorded in the books of the Prophets… For instance, the Book of Revelation says: “And I saw and behold a white horse.  He that sat on him…went forth conquering and to conquer.” ⁴

‘Izzat and ‘Arif then go on to say:

It is clear that this man is the Mahdi who will ride the white horse and judge by the Qur’an (with justice) and with whom will be men with marks of prostration on their foreheads [Marks on their foreheads from bowing in prayer with their head to the ground five times daily]. ⁵

⁴ Muhammad Ibn ‘Izzat and Muhammad ‘Arif, Al Mahdi and the End of Time, (London,Dar Al-Taqwa, 1997),  p. 15

⁵ ibid. p. 15

Revelation 6:2 - I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Mahdi’s ascendancy to power coincides with the mediating of 7 year peace treaty involving 3 parties: “Romans” (westerners), Arabs, and Jews.

Rasulullah [Muhammad] said: “There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans [Christians].  The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadrat Haroon [Honorable Aaron – Moses’ brother] and will be upheld for seven years.⁶

It appears that the period of this seven year peace agreement will likewise be the period of the Mahdi’s reign.  While there are a few traditions that specify that the Mahdi will reign on the earth for as much as eight or possibly even nine years, most traditions state that the time of his reign will be seven years.

The Prophet said… He will divide the property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet and establish Islam on Earth.  He will remain seven years, then die, and the Muslims will pray over him.⁷

The Prophet said: The Mahdi… will fill the earth will equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule for seven years.⁸

⁶Tabarani, as related by Hadrat Abu Umamah, as quoted by Zubair Ali, p. 43 and Abduallah, p. 55

⁷Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4273, Narrated by Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin

⁸Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4272, Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

Daniel 9:27 - He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’

Mahdi’s goal = establish a new Islamic world order throughout entire earth.

The Mahdi will establish right and justice in the world and eliminate evil and corruption.  He will fight against the enemies of the Muslims who would be victorious.⁹

He will reappear on the appointed day, and then he will fight against the forces of evil, lead a world revolution and set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness and virtue…ultimately the righteous will take the world administration in their hands and Islam will be victorious over all the religions.¹⁰

⁹Sideeque M.A. Veliankode, Doomsday Portents and Prophecies (Scarborough, Canada, 1999) p. 277

¹⁰Ayatullah Baqir al-Sadr and Ayatullah Muratda Mutahhari, The Awaited Savior, (Karachi, Islamic Seminary Publications), prologue, prologue, pp. 4,5

Revelation 13:7 - And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

Length of reign on earth: 7 years.

The Prophet said… He will divide the property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet and establish Islam on Earth.  He will remain seven years, then die, and the Muslims will pray over him.¹¹

The Prophet said: The Mahdi… will fill the earth will equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule for seven years.¹²

¹¹Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4273, Narrated by Umm Salamah, Ummul Mu'minin

¹²Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 36, Number 4272, Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

Daniel 9:24-27 - “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed . . . 25 Know and understand this: . . . there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ . . . 26 . . . The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Means to achieve world revolution and new world order: multiple military campaigns: jihad (holy wars).

The Mahdi’s means and method of accomplishing this world revolution will include multiple military campaigns or holy wars (jihad).  While some Muslims believe that most of the non-Muslims of the world will convert to Islam peaceably during the reign of the Mahdi, most traditions picture the non-Muslim world coming to Islam as a result of being conquered by the Mahdi.  Abduallrahman Kelani, author of The Last Apocalypse, describes the many battles of the Mahdi:

Al-Mahdi will receive a pledge of allegiance as a caliph for Muslims. He will lead Muslims in many battles of jihad.  His reign will be a caliphate that follows the guidance of the Prophet.  Many battles will ensue between Muslims and the disbelievers during the Mahdi’s reign… ¹³

¹³Abdulrahman Kelani, The Last Apocalypse, An Islamic Perspective, (Fustat, 2003), pp. 34-35

Revelation 6:3-4 - When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.

Mahdi will establish one world religion: Cause Islam to be only religion practiced on earth.

The Mahdi is believed to be a future Muslim world leader who will not only rule over the Islamic world, but also the non-Muslim world as well.  The Mahdi is said to lead a world revolution that will establish a new Islamic world order throughout the entire earth:

The Mahdi will establish right and justice in the world and eliminate evil and corruption.  He will fight against the enemies of the Muslims who would be victorious. ¹⁴

He will reappear on the appointed day, and then he will fight against the forces of evil, lead a world revolution and set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness and virtue…ultimately the righteous will take the world administration in their hands and Islam will be victorious over all the religions.¹⁵

¹⁴Sideeque M.A. Veliankode, Doomsday Portents and Prophecies (Scarborough, Canada, 1999) p. 277

¹⁵Al-Sadr and Mutahhari, prologue, pp. 4,5

Revelation 13:8 - All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.

Mahdi will especially target Jews and Christians for conversion; if not, they will be executed.

The Mahdi will offer the religion of Islam to the Jews and Christians; if they accept it they will be spared, otherwise they will be killed.¹⁶

¹⁶Izzat and‘Arif, p. 16

Revelation 12:17 - Then the dragon was enraged at the woman [Jews] and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus [Christians].

Islam’s punishment for those rejecting Islam: Decapitation.

Surat Al-Anfal 8:12-13 – (Remember) when your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them. ¹³This is because they acted adversely to Allah and His Apostle (Mohammed); and whoever acts adversely to Allah and His Apostle-- then surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil).

Revelation 20:4 - And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands.

Mahdi will conquer Israel, slaughter all Jews; Jerusalem becomes location of Mahdi’s rule on earth.

Rasulullah [Muhammad] said:

"Armies carrying black flags will come from Khurasan. No power will be able to stop them and they will finally reach Eela (Baitul Maqdas in Jerusalem) where they will erect their flags."¹⁷

It is important to note here the reference above to “Baitul Maqdas”.  In Arabic this means “the holy house”.  This is referring to the Dome of the Rock Mosque and is located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. 

In a particularly venomous manner, Egyptian authors, Muhammad ibn Izzat and Muhammd ‘Arif comment on the above tradition:

The Mahdi will be victorious and eradicate those pigs and dogs and the idols of this time so that there will once more be a caliphate based on prophethood as the hadith states… Jerusalem will be the location of the rightly guided caliphate and the center of Islamic rule, which will be headed by Imam al-Mahdi… That will abolish the leadership of the Jews… and put an end to the domination of the Satans who spit evil into people and cause corruption in the earth, making them slaves of false idols and ruling the world by laws other than the Shari’a [Islamic Law] of the Lord of the worlds.¹⁸

¹⁷Tirmidhi as quoted by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali, Signs of Qiyamah  (Islamic Book Service, New Delhi, 2004), p. 42  and Prof. M. Abdullah, Islam, Jesus, Mehdi, Qadiyanis and Doomsday, (Adam, New Delhi, 2004), p. 54

¹⁸Izzat and Arif, p.40

Zechariah 14:2 - I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

Matthew 24:15-21 – “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 - He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Mahdi will institute Islamic Shariah law worldwide; would include imposition of Hijra calendar.

Now we have already seen that the Mahdi will change the law by instituting the Islamic Shariah law all over the earth.

Islam however, does have both its own laws and its own calendar, both of which it would desire to impose onto the entire world.  The Islamic calendar is based on the career of Muhammad.  It begins at the migration (Hijra) of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina.  The Muslim calender is viewed as being mandatory for all to observe.  Dr. Waleed Mahanna, articulates the Islamic position regarding the Islamic “Hijra” Calendar:

It is considered a divine command to use a (Hijra) calendar with 12 (purely) lunar months without intercalation, as evident from… the Holy Qur'an.¹⁹

¹⁹Izzat and‘Arif, p. 40

Daniel 7:25 - He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.