Mahdi will be the last of the minor signs of the Judgement Day.
Signs Preceding:
Abu Saeed Al-Khudri has repoted that the Messenger of Allah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said “He will be sent at a time of intense disputes and differences among people and earthquakes...” (Ahmed)
Before Imam Mahdi emerges an inter-tribal fight will take place. In the same year hajis will be looted and a battle will erupt in Mina in which many people will be killed. Ameer bin Shauaib reported from his grandfather that the messenger of Allah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said:
“In Dhul Qaidah (Islamic Month) the tribes will fight, Hajis will be looted and there will be a battle in Mina in which many people will be slain and blood will flow until it runs over the Jamaratul Aqba. Their companion (referring to Imam Mahdi) will flee to a point between the corner and the Maqaam and will be forced to accept people’s allegiance.”
(Al-Fitan, Nuaim ibn Hammad)
The Final Hour will not come until the river Euphrates (which flows through Syria and Iraq and finally opens in the Gulf) will disclose a mountain of gold over which people will fight and die Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu reported that the Messenger of Allah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said:
“The shall not occur until the Euphrateswill disclosea mountain of gold, over which people will fight. 99 out of every hundred shall die, and every one of them shall say, ‘perchance I shall be the one to succeed”(Muslim)
In another narration we have been told that who ever is present at the time when the Euphrates discloses a mountain of gold should not take the gold.
Abu Saeed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allaah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “At the end of the time of my ummah, the Mahdi will appear. Allaah will grant him rain, the earth will bring forth its fruits, he will give a lot of money, cattle will increase and the ummah will become great. He will rule for seven or eight years. (Mustadrak al-Haakim, 4/557-558; he said: this is a hadeeth whose isnaad is saheeh, although it was not reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and al-Albaani said: this is a saheeh sanad, and its men are thiqaat (trustworthy), Silsilat al-ahaadeeth al-saheehah, vol. 2, p. 336, hadeeth 771)
Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “The Mahdi is one of us, a member of my family. Allaah will guide him in a single night.” (Musnad Ahmad, 2/58, hadeeth 645, edited by Ahmad al-Shaakir, who said: its isnaad is saheeh; Sunan Ibn Maajah, 2/1367. This hadeeth was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami al-Sagheer, 6735). Ibn Katheer said: “This means that Allaah will forgive him, grant him help, inspire him and guide him, when he was not like this before.” (Al-Nihaayah, al-Fitan wal-Malaahim, 1/29; edited by Taha Zayni).
Abu Saeed al-Khudri said: “The Messenger of Allaah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “The Mahdi is of my lineage, with a high forehead and a long, thin, curved nose. He will fill the earth with fairness and justice as it was filled with oppression and injustice, and he will rule for seven years.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitaab al-Mahdi, 11/375, hadeeth 4265; Mustadrak al-Haakim, 4/557; he said: this is a saheeh hadeeth according to the conditions of Muslim, although it was not reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. See also Saheeh al-Jaami, 6736).
Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “Eesaa ibn Maryam will descend, and their leader the Mahdi will say, “Come and lead us in prayer,” but he will say, “No, one of them should lead them as an honour to this ummah from Allaah.”” The version narrated by Muslim says: ” Then Eesaa ibn Maryam (Peace be upon him) will descend and their leader will say, Come and lead us in prayer, but he will say, No, some of you are leaders over others as an honour from Allaah to this ummah.” (Reported by Muslim, 225)
Abu Saeed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “He is one of us, behind whom Eesaa ibn Maryam will pray.” (Reported by Abi Naeem in Akhbaar al-Mahdi. Al-Albaani said it is saheeh; see al-Jaami al-Sagheer, 5/219, hadeeth 5796).
Abdullaah ibn Masood reported that the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said: “The world will not come to an end until the Arabs are ruled by a man from my family whose name will be the same as mine.” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/199, hadeeth 3573. Another version says: ” whose name is the same as mine and whose fathers name is the same as my fathers.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, 11/370).
The ahaadeeth concerning the appearance of the Mahdi reach the level of Tawaatur in meaning (tawaatur refers to a hadeeth which was narrated by so many people through so many isnaads that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie). The imaams and scholars of this ummah have stated this, and a few of their comments are quoted below:
Al-Haafiz Abul-Hasan al-Aabiri said: “The mutawaatir reports from the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ describing the Mahdi are very many. They state that the Mahdi will be of his family, that he will rule for seven years, that he will fill the earth with justice, that Eesaa ibn Maryam will emerge and help him to kill the Dajjaal, and that he will lead this ummah in prayer and Eesaa will pray behind him.”
It is proven in the Sunnah that the Mahdi will meet ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) and that ‘Eesa will pray behind him.
Muslim (156) narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah رَضِى اللهُ عَنْه said: “I heard the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ say, ‘A group of my ummah will continue to fight for the truth and prevail until the Day of Resurrection. Then ‘Eesa ibn Maryam will come down and their leader will say, “Come and lead us in prayer.” But he will say, “No, you are leaders of one another” – as an honour to this ummah.’”
The leader mentioned in this hadeeth is the Mahdi. According to a report narrated by Abu Na’eem and al-Haarith ibn Usaamah, “Their leader the Mahdi will say…” Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Its isnaad is jayyid (good).”
Hazrat Umm Salama رَضِى اللهُ عَنْه reported that the Prophet صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْ said ”There shall be differences and intense dispute at the time of the death of a Khalifah. Then a man from the inhabitants of Madinah (referring to Imam Mahdi) will come out and flee to Makkah (so that he does not get caught in the dispute and is not made the Khalifah). Some Makkans will come to him and take him out though he will be unwilling. They will then make him accept their Bayat between the Black Stone and the place of Ibrahim Peace and blessings be upon him. “ (Abu Dawood)
