Reports About the Mahdi
There is no authentic hadith about the Mahdi as a specific figure at the end of times who will lead the Muslims. There is especially no hadith in Sahih Bukhari or Sahih Muslim that directly refers to the Mahdi, but there are one or two hadith that are vague references according to some people.
There are some debatable hadith outside the Sahihayn which some scholars claim might reach the level of Sahih when combined, however, all of them have weaknesses from one perspective or another perspective.
Most famous details about the Mahdi including references to black flags, specific events in his life, and even the title Mahdi are unproven even in Hasan hadith.
The only thing Sahih on the topic of the Mahdi are statements or perhaps hopes from some of the companions.
Filling the World With Justice
Abu Saeed al-Khudri (RA): The Prophet (SAW) said, “The world will be filled with oppression and evil, then a man from my family will come out and rule for seven or nine and fill it with justice.” (Musnad Ahmad)
Abu Harun al-Abdi, Matar al-Warraq, and Awf narrated this from Abu al-Sadeeq from Abu Saeed al-Khudri (RA). Abu Harun was considered a liar by many scholars. Matar and Awf were both bad in their memories.
Abu al-Sadeeq had good students like Qatadah and Walid ibn Muslim. None of them narrated this hadith from him. It is clear these weak narrators messed up the hadith somehow.
Similar narrations are reported from other chains to Abu Saeed al-Khudri, all of them weak. Some scholars have argued they can be combined to call them Sahih.
His Name
Ibn Masud (RA): The Prophet (SAW) said, “The world will not end until a man from my household rules the Arabs. His name will match my name, and his father’s name will match my father’s name.” (Sunan Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud)
Aasim ibn Abi al-Najud narrated this from Zirr from Ibn Masud (RA).
Aasim was not known for being accurate in hadith. He was only to the level of Hasan. As a result, neither Bukhari nor Muslim included any hadith of Aasim in their books.
No one else of note supported the detail of Mahdi’s name matching the Prophet (SAW)’s name.
Statement of Ibn Abbas
Ibn Abbas (RA) said, “I hope that the days and nights don’t come to an end until Allah sends from one of us Ahl al-Bayt, a young man who was not involved in civil war and will rule and command good and forbid evil.” Someone asked, “Your elders failed to do so, but your young men will do it?” He said, “Allah does whatever He wishes.” (Ibn Abi Shaibah and Bayhaqi; Sahih)
This is Sahih to Ibn Abbas, but he did not attribute it to the Prophet (SAW). He only said it was his hope. Abd al-Rahman ibn Mahdi, one of the great scholars of hadith and teachers of Imam Ahmad, said that this is the most authentic narration about the Mahdi.
Statement of Ali (RA)
Ali (RA) said, “Islam will decrease until no one will even say ‘Allah, Allah’. Then, the drone bee of the religion will strike its tail. When it does that, they will gather to it like the clouds of Fall.” Then, Ali (RA) said, “I know the name of their leader and the resting place of their rides.” (Ibn Abi Shaibah; Sahih)
This is Sahih to Ali (RA) In sha Allah, but he did not attribute it to the Prophet (SAW). Wakee’ ibn Jarrah, one of the great scholars of hadith and teachers of Imam Ahmad, said that this is the most authentic narration about the Mahdi.
The Mahdi in the Great War
A popular understanding of the Mahdi is that he will come before the Dajjal and will lead the Muslims in the fight against him before the coming of Isa (AS). However, there is no direct basis for any of this in authentic or Hasan hadith.
At best, there are vague references. But, all the major hadith about the Great War do not mention any Mahdi, nor do any hadith about the Dajjal mention that the Mahdi will be present when he arrives.
Origin of the Mahdi
It is possible the concept of the Mahdi originated in some companions from the Ahl al-Bayt hoping and praying for such a figure with a combination of influence from Israiliyyaat, rather than from the Prophet (SAW).
Someone may ask: How can the Mahdi, which seems to be a purely Islamic concept since it has to do with the Prophet’s family, originate in Israiliyyaat?
The answer is: The Mahdi may have been the combination of several eschatological figures mentioned in Jewish and Christian sources, and the companions of Ahl al-Bayt may have hoped that figure was from their own family.
Someone may ask: Do you have any evidence the concept of the Mahdi is reported in Israiliyyaat?
The answer is: Yes, there are many reports about the Mahdi from Kaab al-Ahbar, one of the early Jewish converts to Islam who taught many of the companions Israiliyyaat. These reports can be found in books like Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah and Fitan of Nuaim ibn Hammad.
Kaab al-Ahbar said: The Mahdi (guided one) is only called Mahdi because he will guide about a matter that is hidden. He will bring out the Torah and Injil from Antioch. (Ibn Abi Shaibah; Hasan)
Kaab al-Ahbar said: One of the signs of the Mahdi coming is banners coming from the West, upon which there is a man who is lame from Kindah. (Fitan) This might be the inspiration of the weak hadith about black banners coming from the East in the time of the Mahdi.
There are many other reports from Kaab al-Ahbar about the figure known as the Mahdi, so there should be no doubt that this concept can come from Israiliyyaat. Whether you believe it does come from Israiliyyaat depends on your assessment of the situation.
Is the Mahdi Isa (AS)?
It is possible reports about Isa (AS) both from the Prophet (SAW) and from Israiliyyaat may have been confused as being about the Mahdi. This is hinted in the name “Mahdi” itself, which means “guided one.”
One report from the Prophet (SAW) explicitly describes Isa (AS) as “mahdi” (guided).
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated: The Prophet (SAW) said, “It is possible those who live (long) among you will meet Isa ibn Maryam (AS), a guided (mahdi) leader (imam), and a just ruler.” (Musnad Ahmad; Sahih in chain)
A weak report from the Prophet (SAW) says, “There is no Mahdi other than Isa (AS).” (Sunan Ibn Majah)
Even references to the Mahdi being from the Prophet (SAW)’s family, if they are authentic, may have originally referred to Isa (AS). There are some reports of people being called Ahl al-Bayt in a figurative sense, like Salman al-Farsi.
It is quite interesting to note that there is a Sahih hadith where the Prophet (SAW) said, “I am the closest of people to Isa ibn Maryam (AS) in this world and the afterlife. All prophets are paternal brothers: their mothers are different, but their religion is the same.” (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)
There are also several scholars of the Salaf who said the Mahdi is the same as Isa (AS).
Hasan al-Basri said, “The Mahdi is Isa ibn Maryam (AS).” (Fitan of Nuaim; Sahih to Hasan al-Basri)
Other scholars like Mujahid are attributed similar statements. (Ibn Abi Shaibah)
Ibn Sirin and others disagreed and said, “The Mahdi is from this Ummah, and he is the one who will lead Isa ibn Maryam (AS) (in prayer).” (Ibn Abi Shaibah)
Meaning of the Mahdi
In light of what was mentioned, there are three positions one can adopt about the Mahdi:
- Maximalist Position: The Mahdi is a future leader at the end of times, before the coming of the Dajjal and Isa (AS), who will establish justice and rule the Muslims. He will be from the family of the Prophet (SAW), and his name will be Muhammad and his father’s name will be Abdullah.
- Intermediate Position: The Prophet (SAW) did predict a future leader from his household, but this leader is not necessarily related to the Great War. This prophecy could have been fulfilled in any number of historic leaders, especially the Abbasid Caliphate, since the Abbasids were part of the Prophet (SAW)’s family.
- Minimalist Position: There is no specific figure known as the Mahdi who was prophesied by the Prophet (SAW) other than Isa (AS). Rather, it is possible some companions of the Ahl al-Bayt hoped for the coming of such a figure, and Allah may answer their hopes or not. He also may have answered their hopes in history, like in the intermediate position.
There may be other positions in between. Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned these three views in his book al-Manar al-Muneef, and he said all three are positions among Ahl al-Sunnah. However, he argued the second and third views are weak and the first view is strongest in light of combining the hadith on the topic.
And Allah knows best what is true.
