Answered by: Maulana Imran Mughal
Question
I recently got into a disagreement over Imam Mahdi’s place in aqidah with someone and would like to make sure my knowledge is correct. As far as I am aware:
1)Imam Mahdi will be a leader of the Muslims who will bring peace and prosperity for several years. He will not be Isa A.S, but a separate person who is from the descendants of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him). This is the correct belief regarding him as followed by Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaat.
2) Reports concerning his coming have been transmitted to the level of tawatur as confirmed by major hadith scholars.
3) Imam Mahdi’s coming is part of aqidah according to all of Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaat. That is, it is an obligatory belief in aqidah according to both the Ashari and Maturidi positions found across the Hanafi, Shafii, Maliki and Hanbali schools.
Please correct me if anything I’ve said is less than the truth. May Allah forgive us for our mistakes and our shortcomings and guide us all onto the right path.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
Imam Mahdi will indeed be a leader of the Muslims who will be the Imam for 7 years.[1]
He will be from the descendants of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his name will be that of the Prophet: Muhammad bin Abdullah.[2]
The reports of him coming have reached the status of tawaturas indicated by many Ulama of the past and present.[3]
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Imran Mughal
Checked and approved Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] Maulana Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, BathlulMajhood, DKI, Hadith 4286.
[2] Ibid., Hadith 4282.
[3] Ahmad Al-Ghumari, IbrazulWahm, Matba’ah At-Taraqqi,433-444.