Answered by: Maulana Sibghat Ullah
Question
What did the Prophet Muhammad SAW say about the Black Flag Army?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
This term black flag army is attributed to the Muslim army which will come from the area known as Khurasan. This army will be under the leadership of Imam Mehdi. The following hadith refers to the army carrying the black flag and our responsibility during that time.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Black banners will come from Khurasan, nothing shall turn them back until they are planted in Jerusalem.”[i]
It is narrated from Thawban that the Messenger of Allah said:
“Three will fight one another for your treasure, each one of them the son of a caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner.” Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he said: “When you see them, then pledge your allegiance to them even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the caliph of Allah, Mahdi.”[ii]
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said:
“While we were with the Messenger of Allah, some youngsters from Banu Hashim came along. When the Prophet saw them, his eyes filled with tears and his colour changed. I said: ‘We still see something in your face that we do not like (to see).’ He said: ‘We are members of a Household for whom Allah. has chosen the Hereafter over this world. The people of my Household will face calamity, expulsion and exile after I am gone until some people will come from the east carrying black banners. They will ask for something good but will not be given it. Then they will fight and will be victorious, then they will be given what they wanted, but they will not accept it and will give leadership to a man from my family. Then they will fill it with justice just as it was filled with injustice. Whoever among you lives to see that, let him go to them even if he has to crawl over snow.’”[iii]
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Sibghat Ullah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[I] Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Book On Tribulations (Al-Fitan) , Chapter: Doing Deeds During Fitan, The Land Of Fitan, And The Signs of Fitan
[ii] Sunan Ibn Majah, Tribulations, Chapter: The appearance of the Mahdi, Page 299-300, Qadeemi Kutub Khana Karachi.
[iii] Sunan Ibn Majah, Tribulations, Chapter: The appearance of the Mahdi, Page 299-300, Qadeemi Kutub Khana Karachi.