Khalifatullah Mehdi (AHS)

The Advent of Mahdi^AS

Peace be on one who follows the true Guidance!

This article is addressed to two kinds of people of the Muslim Ummah

People who deny the very concept of Imam Mahdi^AS as being a necessity in religion (Deen)

People, who believe in the concept of Imam Mahdi^AS, but await his advent.

We discuss in this article the ahadith about Imaam Mahdi^AS, the proclamation of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur, India as the Promised Mahdi (Al Mahdi Al Ma'ud), his character and his message.

You could either jump to any topic in the article by a click, or scroll down.

The Ahadith about Imam Mahdi^AS
The principles for verifying the truth about Imam Mahdi^AS
Signs of the Caliph of Allah, Imam Mahdi^AS
Misunderstood Ahadith and their correct explanations
	The false belief of Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS appearing together The hadith about Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS appearing in different periods
What does the Holy Quran say about Khalifatullah Mahdi^AS?
The lofty status of Hadrat Mahdi^AS?
What happens if one does not believe in the Mahdi^AS?
What do you gain by accepting Imam Mahdi^AS?
Brief life history of Imam Mahdi^AS
Kings who accepted Mahdi^AS
Opinion of Non-Mahdavi scholars about Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur
The Mahdavia Community
The Message of the Khalifatullah Mahdi^AS
Hazrat Mahdi^AS's sayings
Imam Mahdi^AS's letter

The Ahadith about Imam Mahdi^AS Hadith No.1
*"Whoever denies belief in the Dajjal, has certainly committed disbelief and whoever denies belief in the Mahdi, has certainly committed disbelief"*
The above hadith of Prophet^SLM has been reported in the following works of Islamic Scholars. Abu Bakr al-Askafi (263-352 H) narrated it in *Fawa'id al-Akhbar* The hadith Master Abu al-Qasim al-Suhayli (d.624 H) in his book *Sharh al-Sirah* The hadith Master Ibn Nasir al-Din al-Dimashqi (777-842 H) in his book '*Uqud al-Durar fi 'Ulum al-Athar* ("The Pearl Necklaces in the Science of Reports") The hadith Master Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (849-911 H) in his treatise *al-'Arf al-Wardi fi Akhbar al-Mahdi* ("The Rose Fragrance Concerning the Reports on al-Mahdi") Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (909-974 H) in his fatwa titled *al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntazar* ("The Brief Discourse on the Portents of the Awaited Mahdi") said that denial of the Mahdi entails kufr. It is clear from the above hadith that one who rejects Imam Mahdi^AS and does not believe in him has committed disbelief (kufr). This is the unanimous belief of all the scholars of the Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamat.
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Hadith No.2 Thouban^RZ narrated that the Prophet^SLM said that for your treasure (khilafat) three persons would fight. Every one of them would be the son of a khalifa. But none of them would get it. Then black flags would appear from the east. They shall massacre you, but no community would be able to kill them. Then, my master said something after this, which I have forgotten. He said when you see him make covenent (ba'it) with him even if you have to go crawling upon snow, because he is khalifa of Allah, Mahdi. (Musnad Ahmad, Mishkat al-Masabih, Sunan Ibn Majah) This hadith has also been reported by al Hakim (321-405 H) in *Mustadrak, Abu Nu'aim Asfahani (334-430 H) in Huliyat ul Awliya* and Ibn Katheer (700-774 H) in Kitab ul Fitan wal Malaahim. We know how difficult it is to crawl and travel from one place to another. Imagine how difficult it would be to crawl on snow. Even those in good physical shape would be dissuaded from undertaking the arduous journey. One would be willing to undertake such a task only if the stakes are high and if it is absolutely essential. And that is what the Holy Prophet^SLM has conveyed to the Ummah in this hadith - that *ba'it* on Mahdi^AS is so essential that we have to do it " even if you have to go crawling on snow." The above two ahadith prove that the issue of Mahdi^AS is a very important issue in Islam. It is absolutely essential to believe and pledge fealty (ba'it) to the Mahdi^AS and one can ignore this at his own peril and at the risk of being thrown into hellfire.

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The principles for verifying the truth about Imam Mahdi^AS We Mahdavis are people who believe that Imam Mahdi^AS of the last era has come to this world and has passed away. We believe that the holy personality of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur, India, is the Promised Mahdi.

Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS (847-910 H), on the orders of Allah, proclaimed that he was the Promised Mahdi. Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life and from different strata of society accepted him as the Promised Mahdi^AS. Over the centuries, his followers spread to various regions of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Today, more than 500 years after the Mahdi^AS passed away, his followers, the Mahdavis live and follow the true Islam as was preached and practiced by Prophet^SLM and revived by Imam Mahdi^AS. We urge the reader to do justice to the command of the Holy Prophet^SLM to "*...offer ba'it even if you have to go crawling on snow..." and at least investigate the claim of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur. Then it is up to Almighty Allah to give guidance to whomsoever He pleases. The claim (dawah) of any khalifa* of Allah is judged based on three principles: The extent of conformity to the signs indicated by his predecessor. His character His message It is based on the above three principles that Muslims accept Hazrat Muhammad^SLM of Makkah, Arabia as the Prophet of Allah. That is, We look at the signs foretold by the Prophets Hazrat Esa^AS and Hazrat Musa^AS and find them in the Prophet Muhammad^SLM. We study the character of the Prophet^SLM and find that he has all the lofty characteristics befitting a Prophet. We study his message and find in it the supreme religion of Islam based on Allah's book, the Holy Quran. The point to be noted here is that one does not look only for the signs foretold by Hazrat Esa^AS and Hazrat Musa^AS. One also looks at the character and the message of the Prophet^SLM. If a person looks only for the signs, then he would be left confused. He will not be able to make a decision whether to accept the Prophet^SLM as a true Prophet or not!! For example,

Allah had promised Hazrat Esa^AS of the advent of a Prophet named Ahmed. But the name of our beloved Prophet is Muhammad^SLM. We Muslims explain this apparent difference by saying that the Prophet^SLM's name in the fourth heaven is Ahmed. But the Christians refuse to accept this reasoning and say that they await a Prophet named Ahmed. But we Muslims look at the character of the Prophet^SLM and his message, the Book of Allah and accept him. The Christians refuse to look at the character and message - they are focused only on the signs and hence do not believe in the Prophet^SLM. There are other such signs which are interpreted in one way by Muslims and in an entirely different way by non-Muslims. Refer to this article for more details: Article: "Is Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri The Promised Mahdi^AS?" Audio: "Is Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri The Promised Mahdi^AS?" (Audio run time 86 Min) Similarly, the Mahdiat of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur should be judged on the above three principles. One should not only look at the ahadith about the Mahdi^AS but also study the character of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS and his message in the light of the Holy Quran and the commandments of the Prophet^SLM. However, today we see that Ummah is obsessed only with signs of the Mahdi^AS given in the ahadith. While the ahadith are an important factor in deciding whether to accept a claim or not, one should keep in view the following when making the candid decision: That some of the ahadith will not match the actual life of the Mahdi^AS. For example, one hadith says he would be Hussani (from the lineage of Hzt. Hussain^RZ) while another mentions that he would be Hassani (from the lineage of Hzt. Hassan^RZ). It is obvious that one of them is wrong because one cannot take birth in two different lineages. One needs to understand that some of these Ahadith are false, just as there are false ahadith in subjects other than the subject of the advent of Mahdi^AS. For example, on the subject of the stay of the Holy Prophet^SLM in Mecca, one hadith in Bukhari says that he^SLM lived there for 10 years and another hadith in Bukhari itself says that he^SLM lived there for 13 years . Obviously, one of the two is wrong. So one who expects each and every hadith to be true is living in a fool's paradise. Incorrect understanding of ahadith leads to unreasonable and impossible expectations - expectations which go against the Holy Quran. The understanding of the hadith or the meaning which is derived from the hadith should not be in conflict with the message of the Holy Quran. This is because Allah has promised to protect the Holy Quran while He has made no such promise about the ahadith. One should realise that many hadith have a deeper and metaphoric meaning than what is evident literally. For example, In Bukhari, it is narrated from Hazrat Ayesha^RZ: Some of the wives of the Prophet^SLM asked him: "Who among us would die first after you?" He replied: She, who has the longest arms amongst you." After hearing this, the wives started measuring their arms with a measuring stick and found that the arms of Hadrat Sauda^RZ are the longest. But when Hazrat Zainab^RZ was the first to die after the Prophet^SLM, everyone realised that the long hand was a symbol of charity. There are many ahadith about the Mahdi^AS which should not be interpreted literally, but have to be understood in the correct metaphorical context. In the following sections, we will investigate, based on these three principles, the Mahdiat of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur.

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Signs of the Caliph of Allah, Imam Mahdi^AS The reports about Hazrat Mahdi^AS are so numerous that they reach the grade of 'Mutawatir' The ahadith about the appearance of the Mahdy^AS are in fact mass-transmitted by over twenty Companions of the Prophet^SLM as documented by the Moroccan hadith Master of Damascus Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ja'far al-Kattani in his dictionary of mutawatir hadiths titled Nazm al-Mutanathir. In fact, no other single subject has so many ahaadith as the subject of Imam Mahdi^AS itself. The following are the signs of the Mahdi as per the ahadith which are reliable, authentic and universally accepted by the majority of scholars and masters of Hadith: The Mahdi will have the same name as Prophet Muhammad^SLM The name of Hazrat Mahdi^AS was Syed Muhammad. His father's names will be the same as the name of the Prophet^SLM's father He will be from among the family of Prophet^SLM, among the descendants of Fatima^RZ. The genealogy of Hazrat Syed Muhammad of Jaunpur, Mahdi Al Mau'ood^AS is as follows: Hazrat Syeduna Ali^RZ and Bibi Fatima^RZ Hazrat Syeduna Imam Hussain^RZ Hazrat Syed Zainulabeddin^RZ Hazrat Syed Mohammad Baqer^RH Hazrat Syed Jafar Sadiq^RH Hazrat Syed Moosa Kadhim^RH Hazrat Syed Ismail^RH Hazrat Syed Ni'amathullah^RH Hazrat Syed Jalaluddin^RH Hazrat Syed Yahiya Yousuf^RH Hazrat Syed Abdullah^RH Hazrat Syed Qasim^RH Hazrat Syed Moosa^RH Hazrat Syed Khider^RH Hazrat Syed Uthman^RH Hazrat Syed Abdullah^RH Hazrat Syeduna Muhammad Mahdi-al-Mawod^AS Thus it is evident that the Mahdi^AS was from the descendants of Bibi Fatima^RZ and the name of his father was Hazrat Syed Abdullah, which was the name of the Prophet^SLM's father. In a display of divine will, the Mahdi^AS's mother's name was Bibi Amina, the same name as the Prophet^SLM's mother. He will be announced by a voice from heavens When he was born a voice from the heavens announced, "Truth had arrived and falsehood had perished. Verily, falsehood would perish." (Holy Quran 17:81) Shaikh Daniyal Chishti, a venerated saint of the age, heard the heavenly voice and learnt of the birth of the Mahdi^AS. His physical features will be the same as the Prophet^SLM. His character will be the same as that of the holy Prophet^SLM. Our history books record that Hazrat Mahdi^AS's physical features were exactly like that of the Prophet^SLM. His character was the Prophet^SLM's character -he followed the Prophet^SLM perfectly (kamil ittiba). Imam Mahdi^AS said, "My religion is the Book of Allah and following of Rasoolullah^SLM." He was a perfect follower of the Prophet^SLM. His age at the time of his emergence will be forty years At the age of forty, he left Jaunpur never to come back. He migrated from place to place and traveled through India, present day Pakistan, Arabia and Afghanistan for 23 years. At the age of sixty three he passed away in Farah, Afghanistan. His advent will be for five or seven or nine years On the orders of Allah, Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS formally claimed to be the Promised Mahdi thrice - in 901 H., then in 903 H. and lastly in 905 H. He lived for five years after his final claim and passed away in 910 H. He will make his claim between Rukn and Maqam. His first declaration of being the Promised Mahdi^AS was in Makkah in 901 H. Standing between Rukn and Maqam-e-Ibrahim, he declared that he was the Promised Mahdi^AS. His migrant companions and a few Arabs accepted his claim. People will emerge from the east and accept Mahdi^AS From Jaunpur to Bidar, Gujarat, Sindh, Khorasan and Afghanistan hundreds of thousands of people accepted Mahdi^AS. All these regions are to the east of Arabia. He will receive knowledge from Allah Imam Mahdi^AS is quoted as saying, "If this servant comes (out) after studying and thinking about Holy Quran and then explains (performs bayan) it, this servant is a liar, an oppressor (zalim) and one who slanders Allah (muftari). Whatever this servant says, does, recites, reads or explains the Quranic Verses, he does it as Allah has taught him. I receive fresh teachings from Allah without an intervening medium [of an angel] every day. This the situation, which this servant of Allah is in." He was bestowed with knowledge by Allah. Numerous scholars (ulema) came to him for a debate on his claim and on his teachings, but none could overcome him in any debate. It is written on the page no. 739 of 'Darbar-e-Akbari' (Author: Mohammed Hussain Azad): "Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri was a great Aalim, who had a comprehensive command over external and internal uloom (sciences). He was recognised as the true Mahdi, not only by the common people but also by Sultan Mahmood Pasha, who became his follower." The above descriptions prove that the signs of the Mahdi as foretold by the Holy Prophet^SLM have come true and have manifested in the person of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur. These are major signs of the Mahdi which visibly manifested in the person of Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur. As for the rest of the signs, they too did manifest in Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS, but the Ummah misunderstood the meaning of the hadith and had expectations from the Mahdi^AS which were against the Holy Quran and which were the result of the incorrect understanding. Some ahadith have no relation to the Mahdi, but the Ummah has wrongly associated these ahadith with him. We will review some of the prominent ahadith which are misunderstood by the Muslim Ummah and put before you the correct explanation.

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Misunderstood Ahadith and their correct explanations Allah will make provision for him in one night If you take this hadith literally, then an ordinary person with stains and sins sketched on his past life is suddenly cleansed one night so that he can claim to be Mahdi the next morning. Such a thing is not possible because a precondition for any Khalifatullah (It is an established fact from Hadith no.2 that Imam Mahdi^AS is Khalifatullah) is he is free from error right from his birth if not people will say his dawah is false too. Therefore this understanding is wrong. Appear in one night does not mean that he will appear out of nowhere and lay his claim to be the promised Mahdi just in one night. This hadith means that Allah will make provision for him for the task in one night if he is not already prepared. Here the condition "if" is essential in interpreting the hadith correctly. The "one night" refers to the shortness of time required and is not a cut-off point. The Mahdi^AS was religious since his birth and his piety and divinity manifested throughout his life. This was similar to the life of the Prophet^SLM. The Prophet^SLM's divine character manifested to all from the time of his birth upto the time when he was given the office of Prophethood. It is not that the Prophet^SLM did not have a divine character and suddenly he became divine after Prophethood was bestowed upon him. In this hadith, the real focus is on the words "yasluhu Allahu" (Allah will prepare him). This is to make it clear to all that Mahdi will receive Allah's bounty (faiz) without any medium. Appear just before the day of judgment Appear at the end of time People presume that Mahdi^AS would appear a few days or few months or at the most few years from Qiyamah. However, this understanding is wrong. They should understand the meaning in the light of the hadith in which the Prophet^SLM said these holy words Anas reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: I and the Last Hour have been sent like this and (he while doing it) joined the forefinger with the middle finger.(Bukhari and Muslim) It is clear from the above hadith that any event of "the hour" or "end of times" is between Prophet^SLM's era and the day of reckoning. This period is wide open fifteen centuries having elapsed so far and only Allah knows best the remaining life span of the universe. Thus, the advent of Mahdi^AS is surely one of the signs of the Hour, but it is not the only sign nor is it a sign immediately preceding the Hour. The life and departure of holy Prophet^SLM is also a sign of the Hour even though the advent of the Prophet^SLM was 1400 years ago. Similarly, the appearance of the Mahdi^AS, who appeared in this world in the 10th century Hijri, is also a sign of the hour. One should also understand that the spiritual bounty of the Mahdi^AS has to be enjoyed for generations together. If he, Mahdi^AS were to come a few days or few months before Qiyamah, the Ummah of the Prophet^SLM would have had very little opportunity to savor the spiritual bounty of the Mahdi^AS. Mahdi would be born in Madina The hadith mentions that the Mahdi would be born in Madina. People wrongly infer that he would be born in Madina of Arabia. The meaning of Madina is 'city'. The Madina of Arabia was originally known as Yathrib. The Prophet^SLM used to call it by name Ta'ba. After the Prophet^SLM's migration it came to be known as 'Madina-tun-Nabi' or 'City of the Prophet'. Later it was shortened and referred as Madina. The Prophet^SLM himself called this city as "Ta'ba". But there is no mention of the word 'Ta'ba' in the hadith. So the hadith mentions that Mahdi would be born in Madina or City. Hazrat Mahdi^AS was born in Jaunpur, India which was a city during the time of his birth. Farishta, the famous historian from Middle East, has described Jaunpur thus, : "People came to Jaunpur from all over Hindustan. People from all classes of society came to it. High ranking people, religious guides, scholars, nobles and historians came to Jaunpur. Its significance became such that it came to be called the second Delhi." F.A.Keay, the British Historian, writes in his book, "Indian Education in Ancient and Later Times", "The place in India which was most famous in its days as a Mohammedan place of learning was Jaunpur. It was compared to Shiraz of Persia and called the Shiraz of India." Escape from Madina to Makkah where people will pledge allegiance to him This hadith is grossly misunderstood and wrongly tied to the advent of Mahdi. The correct hadith is as follows: Harith bin Abi Rabiya and Abdullah bin Saffwan and Obeidullah Al Qubtia came to Umme Salma^RZ and Obeidullah asked about the army which sank during the times of Zubair^RZ, then Umme Salma^RZ said that the Prophet^SLM had stated that the person would take shelter in the Baitullah (Kaba) then an army would attack. When it would reach "Baida" it would sink into the earth. (Sahih Muslim) Note that there is no mention of the Mahdi^AS here. It only mentions that a '..person would take shelter in the Baithullah (Kaba)...'. The above hadith refers to the Syrian army which would sink between Makkah and Madina. This event occurred during the time of Hazrath Abdullah bin Zubair^RZ. It is not related to the times of Mahdi^AS. *Mahdi will fill all the earth (arz) with justice (adl) as it will be, in his times, filled with injustice.* This hadith too is misunderstood by scholars and commoners alike. The word "Ardh" or "Arz" means earth; land, country, region, area; terrain, ground, soil (Reference: A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic by Hans Wehr). In this hadith, the word 'Ardh' refers to a portion of the land and does not mean the entire earth. The belief that peace would reign in the entire earth after the advent of Mahdi^AS is baseless and against the Holy Quran and is due to the misunderstanding of the word 'Ardh'. Muslim Ummah expect that all the people on the earth would become Muslims and there would be no conflicts as everyone belongs to the same faith and the Mahdi^AS will rule the world. This expectation is against the Holy Quran and can never become a reality. To understand the correct meaning of the word 'Al-Ardh' please read the following article: Article: "AL-ARZ [In the tradition of Prophet Muhammad^SLM]" Further, those who believe that population of the whole world will become Muslim after the advent of Promised Mahdi^AS, are prey to their lack of knowledge and are openly rejecting the following verse of the Holy Quran. If thy Lord had so willed, He could have made mankind one people... (Holy Quran 11:118) Rule over the Muslim Ummah for seven years according to Sunnah It is also worth noting that on one hand the Islamic scholars agree on the ahadith that the Mahdi^AS will have the characteristics of Rasoolullah^SLM and will follow the footsteps of Rasoolullah^SLM and on the other hand they expect the Mahdi^AS to rule the entire world and establish the Shari'a government. When the Prophet^SLM did not rule the entire world, how could his perfect follower be expected to do it in all his capacities? This interpretation defies common sense and logic and is at cross purpose to the very advent of Imam Mahdi^AS, which was to revive and bring the Islam to its pristine glory, just as it was in the times of Prophet^SLM. The following hadith illustrates that perhaps no Khalifatullah after Hzt. Sulayman^AS will be honored with greater kingdom and that includes Imam Mehdi^AS too. Greater yet is the kingdom Allah gave to Sulayman^AS. The Prophet said - Allah bless and greet him - in the authentic hadith of Isra' and Mi'raj: "[O Allah!] You have given Sulayman an immense kingdom, and subjected the jinn and men and devils to him, as well as the winds, and You have given him a kingdom the like no one may have after him." (Bukhari) We find another hadith regarding kingship and materialistic kingdom Kingdom was offered to Prophet Muhammad^SLM. An angel descended as Gibrîl - upon him peace - was sitting together with the Prophet^SLM. Gibrîl said: "This angel did not descend on earth since its creation until this moment." The angel said: "O Muhammad! Your Lord told me to ask you: 'Shall I make you a king or a servant and Messenger?'" Gibrîl said: "Humble yourself before your Lord, O Muhammad!" The Prophet^SLM said: "A servant and Messenger!" Narrated from Abu Hurayra by Ahmad, al-Bazzar, and Abu Ya'la, the former two with a sound chain as stated by al-Haythami and Ahmad Shakir in Ahmad's Musnad (#7160). Also see al-Mundhiri's al-Targhib. Although, this hadith is a proof that kingship is an honored state, as Allah (SWT) would not propose to His Beloved anything dishonorable or disliked. However, the path chosen by the Prophet^SLM is much more honorable and exalted. So, his perfect follower, the Mahdi^AS, cannot be expected to rule the world when the followed one did not choose it. This should be understood metaphorically, not literally. The Prophet^SLM was not a ruler over land, but a ruler over hearts and minds of people. The ruling over hearts and minds is more emphatic than an absolute king with subjects and sub-ordinates. He ruled over the entire Ummah without the throne, pomp or grandeur. Being the perfect follower of the Prophet^SLM, the Mahdi^AS, too did not rule over land like a king, but ruled over the hearts and minds of people.

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The false belief of Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS appearing together Mahdi^AS will lead a prayer in Makkah and Esa^AS will follow him It is a gross misconception that Imam Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS will come together Today there is wide-spread belief amongst Muslims that the advent of Imam Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS will occur in one period. Based on this belief, Muslims question Mahdavis on the wisdom of accepting Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur as the Mahdi when Hazrat Esa^AS has not yet arrived. Our reply to this question is that this belief of congregation of Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS is baseless and this false belief has gained currency today because it has been repeated so often and in so many forums that people mistakenly believe it to be the truth. This falsehood is more evident on the internet where every website which has something to say about Mahdi^AS, puts forth the false belief that Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS will arrive in the same period. Why is this belief false? This belief is false because, there is not a single authentic hadith which mentions the advent of Imam Mahdi^AS and returning of Esa^AS in the same era. For details, please read the article at this link: Article: "Will Mehdi^AS and Isa^AS appear in the same era?" Audio: "Will Mehdi^AS and Isa^AS appear in the same era?" (Audio run time 41 Min) For more information on this topic, please read the article: "The Promised Mahdi^AS and Jesus^AS" It is interesting to know that non-Mahdavi scholars too do not subscribe to the view that Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS will come at the same time. The popular Mufti Ibrahim Desai who answers questions on all topics was asked the question if Esa^AS will pray behind Mahdi^AS. The learned Mufti has evaded answering the question directly but has sided with the truth and has refrained from saying that Mahdi^AS will pray behind Esa^AS. (Refer to Fatwa No.4604 on www.ask-imam.com or click here: http://islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=4604) Shaykh Abdullah bin Baaz, the supreme religious head of Saudi Arabia, was asked this question: What is the news concerning the awaiting Mahdee and the descending of 'Eesaa (Jesus) the son of Mary (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam)? His answer does not contain anything to say that these two personalities will come at the same time. In fact, he said Esa^AS will descend when Dajjal appears. Refer to fatwa-online web page http://www.fatwa-online.com/fataawa/creed/thelasthour/tlh001/0010713_3.htm Also available in Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa. - Volume 3, Page 140, Question No.11 of Fatwa No.1615 as per fatwa-online web page. There are many other non-Mahdavi scholars, contemporary and early, who disputes the idea of congregation of Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS. Finally, the Prophet^SLM tells us what to do when two Khalifas wish to take Ba'it (allegiance) at the same time in the hadith below: "It has been narrated on the authority of Aba Sa'id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When oath of allegiance has been taken for two caliphs, kill the one for whom the oath was taken later." (Sahih Muslim) The Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS are both Khalifas of Allah. Therefore, this hadith too refutes the idea of these two Khalifas (Caliphs of Allah) coming together.
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The hadith about Mahdi^AS and Esa^AS appearing in different periods The egregious belief that has caused to penetrate the Muslim masses about Jesus (Esa) AS praying behind Imam Mahdi^AS is absolutely baseless. All praise be to Allah, our beloved Prophet^SLM did not leave us wandering in the dark when it comes to identifying the period in which the Mahdi^AS will come. The Holy Prophet^SLM has clearly identified the different periods of time in which he himself, Imam Mahdi^AS and Hazrat Esa^AS will appear and each of them will save the Ummah from destruction (hilakat). The Prophet^SLM said: *"How can my Ummah perish when I am at its beginning, Isa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary) at its end, and the Mehdi from my progeny will be in the middle of it?"* This hadith is recorded, with some variance in words, in the following sources: *Musnad* of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (164-221 H) from Ibn Abbas^RZ Al Hakim An Nishapuri (321-405 H) in *Al Mustadrak ala Al Sahihyin* from Abdullah Ibn Umar^RZ *Hilyat-ul Awliya Wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya* by Abu Nu'aim Isfahani (334-430 H) has reported this hadith from Ibn Abbas^RZ *Mishkat-ul-Masabih* by Imam Walli-ud-Din At-Tabrizi (421-502 H) and its commentaries *Mirqat* and *Lumu'at* from Imam Jafar and Razeen. *Tafseer-e-Madarik* by Imam Abd Allah ibn Ahmad An Nasafi (d.710 H). *Kanzul Ummal* by Hafiz Ali Al Muttaqi Al Hindi (d.975 H) from Ali^RZ The Golden Chain of Transmission of the Hadith: The author of Mirqat (the commentary of Mishkat) writes that this hadith has been reported by the following chain of transmission: Hazrat Imam Jafar^RH - he from (his father) Muhammad Baqar^RH - he from (his grandfather) Imam Zainulabideen^RZ - he from Imam Hussain^RZ - he from Hazrat Ali bin Abu Talib^RZ. The author of Mirqat says that such a chain of narrators (all of whom are the most respectable - in linage, scholarship and piety) is called the *silsilat az-zahab* or the golden chain of narrators. The above hadith makes clear the following: That Imam Mahdi^AS will come in the middle Ummah and Hazrat Esa^AS will come at the end of the Ummah. Imam Mahdi^AS and Hazrat Esa^AS will never come together. To save the Ummah from destruction (halakat), the advent of a Khalifatullah is promised by Hazrat Muhammad^SLM. This is a point to ponder for those who think that after Hazrat Muhammad^SLM, there is no scope of another Khalifa of Allah, ie. those who don't believe in the concept of Mahdi^AS. Mahdi^AS will distribute wealth There is another wide spread incorrect belief due to incorrect understanding of ahadith regarding the free distribution of wealth by Imam Mahdi^AS upon his advent. A king, or a rich person, or a business tycoon can only distribute wealth in charity in unprecedented way the people came to expect of Imam Mahdi^AS. We've discussed in detail in the preceding section on the kingship, so we can rule out that possibility. It is an established fact from multiple hadiths that Imam Mahdi^AS will be from progeny of Prophet^SAS and the world knows that the holy family (Ahle Bait) or the descendents never amass wealth. Besides its worth noting that the ahadith about wealth distribution is taken only in a materialistic sense by the Ummah and the scholars alike while the hadith itself is not confined as such i.e. wealth can be in either form, materialistic or spiritual. The former is condemned strongly in both the Quran and the ahadith, whereas the latter is pure, serene and ever-lasting. The advent of Imam Mahdi^AS took place at a time when Islam was present but only in the name sake. The outward aspects of Islamic tenants were being observed but the spirituality was lost, in fact destroyed not by commoners but by religious scholars and leaders. Mahdi^AS revived and restored Islam to its pristine purity. Is this not distribution of wealth? He invited the masses on the path to "Basirat" which is vision of the Lord of the Wealths, Lord of the Treasures, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earths. Is this not distribution of wealth? If and only if you understand the true meaning of wealth. And when Allah Himself says in the Holy Quran, "... the wealth of the world is meagre..." (4:77), how can we expect His Khalifa, the Mahdi, to distribute a thing which is lowly in the view of Allah? But even if one is adamant in confining wealth in literal sense then also the ahadith of wealth distribution has come to pass on Hazrath Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri^AS. He distributed the wealth, sent to him as gift by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Khilji^RZ loaded in several bull carts, to people through out the day. In the Daira of Mahdi^AS the "Futuh" or gift that comes in the name of Allah was equitably distributed among the inmates as "Sawiyat". This practice was so strictly followed that the word spread outside the Daira. So, once a man came to test the veracity of the Imam^AS, as it was the norm to test Imam's veracity with their (inquirer's) knowledge, wisdom, power, etc. to the best ability, and asked Imam^AS to distribute a single seed of sesame among the inmates of the Daira, which by any means was impossible for any common man to do it. But since Imam^AS had enjoyed the support and guidance of Allah^SWT all the time, he miraculously distributed the single sesame seed by grinding the seed into powder and dissolving it into water and all the inmates of the Daira drank the water. Imam^AS did practice equitable distribution (Sawiyat) with whatever (food, clothes, money, etc) came in the name of Allah. So, the prophesy of distribution of wealth foretold by Prophet^SAS came true on Imam^AS. And the believers accepted him by Allah's leave.
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What does the Holy Quran say about Khalifatullah Mahdi^AS? Apart from the ahadith which emphasize on the importance of accepting the Mahdi^AS and which make clear that one who does not accept becomes a disbeliever, what does the Holy Quran say about this subject? The Holy Quran has given information about the Mahdi in various verses. However, one should understand that indications of the Mahdi^AS are given in the Holy Quran just as indications about Hazrat Muhammad^SLM were given in the Injeel (Bible). The word Mahdi is not used in the Holy Quran as this is the title given by Hazrat Muhammad^SLM. Verse #1 (Sura Baqara 2:124) The Holy Quran says: And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations." He pleaded: "And also from my offspring!" He answered: "But My Promise is not within the reach of oppressors." (Holy Quran 2:124) Hazrat Ibrahim^AS prayed for an Imam to be made from his offspring. Allah accepted this prayer and Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS was the result of this prayer. Hazrat Imam Mahdi^AS said, "Allah commands me that the Imam for whom Ibrahim^AS prayed to be born in his progeny is yourself and not anybody else." To know more about this Du'a, click on the links below: Article: "Prayers of Ibrahim^AS, friend of Allah and how they were granted" Audio: Tafseer-ul-Quran, Noor-e-Imaan (Audio run time 16 Min) Audio: Tafseer-ul-Quran, Tabi'in-ul-Quran (Audio run time 45 Min) Verse #2 (Sura Al-Maeda 5:54) It is not just Mahdi^AS, but his entire community which is referred to by Allah in the Holy Quran. Allah has given glad tidings of the community of Mahdi^AS in the Quranic Ayat, O ye who believe! if any from among you turn back from his Faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,- lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things. (Holy Quran 5:54) The companions asked Imam Mahdi^AS, "What is imperative for the seeker to reach Allah?" The Imam^AS said, "That thing is ishq (love)." Love for Allah is the key message of Mahdi^AS and this message manifests in different places in Mahdavia literature. Find out more on the promised community from links given below: Audio: Tafseer-ul-Quran, Noor-e-Imaan (Audio run time 20 Min) Audio: Dars of 5:54 (Part1) (Audio run time 49 Min) Audio: Dars of 5:54 (Part2) (Audio run time 50 Min) Audio: Dars of 5:54 (Part3) (Audio run time 48 Min) Verse #3 (Sura Hud 11:17) In another place in the Holy Quran, Allah makes clear that those who do not believe in the Mahdi^AS are doomed for hellfire. Is he (to be counted equal to them) who relieth on a clear proof from his Lord, and a witness from Him reciteth it, and before it was the Book of Moses, an example and a mercy? Such believe therein, and whoso disbelieveth therein of the clans, the Fire is his appointed place. So be not thou in doubt concerning him. Lo! It is the Truth from thy Lord; but most of mankind believe not! (Holy Quran 11:17) In this Ayat, the word "Bayyana" (Clear proof) refers to Imam Mahdi^AS. And Allah makes it clear that "...but those of the Sects that reject him (the Mahdi^AS),- the Fire will be their promised meeting-place." Some people are under the impression that the word "Bayyana" refers to Rasoolullah^SLM. Such an impression is wrong. Allah is addressing the Prophet^SLM and saying in this verse, "So be not thou in doubt concering it." Allah is referring to the "Bayyana" and telling the Prophet^SLM not to be in doubt about him (the "Bayyana"). If we assume that the Prophet^SLM is the "Bayyana", the question is - Why will Allah tell the Prophet^SLM not to be in doubt about himself (ie. The Prophet^SLM)? The Prophet^SLM was never in doubt about himself. Therefore, the word "Bayyana" refers to another man, the Promised Mahdi^AS. To know more details of this entire verse, please listen to the following audio lectures in Urdu to realize that this Ayat refers specifically to the Mahdi^AS. Lecture 1 (Audio run time 55 Min) Lecture 2 (Audio run time 53 Min) Lecture 3 (Audio run time 50 Min) Lecture 4 (Audio run time 49 Min) Verse #4 (Sura Yusuf 12:108) Another verse of the Holy Quran refers to the Mahdi^AS in this way: Say thou: "This is my way: I do invite unto Allah,- on evidence clear as the seeing with one's eyes,- I and the one who follows me. Glory to Allah! and never will I join gods with Allah!" (Holy Quran 12:108) In this Ayat, the "I" refers to Hazrat Muhammad^SLM and "the one who follows me" refers to "Mahdi^AS". Here it is mentioned that the Prophet^SLM is inviting people towards the vision of Allah (a'la baseeratin) and so will the person who follows the Prophet^SLM. There is reference to two personalities who will invite towards the vision of Allah. One is the Prophet^SLM who is referred with the word "Ana" or I. The other is the perfect follower of the Prophet^SLM, Imam Mahdi^AS. When "I" and "One who follows me" come in the same sentence, it is an indication about the status of the follower ie. "One who follows". Therefore, "one who follows me" cannot be a common person, as is commonly perceived. That is because a common person cannot follow the prophet^SLM in all facets of religion perfectly, however hard he tries. And how can one think of taking the name of the Prophet^SLM and a common person in the same breath. On the other hand, the Mahdi, being a Khalifa of Allah, was guided by Allah and hence followed the Prophet^SLMperfectly in all facets of religion. After the Prophet^SLM, nobody invited the masses towards the vision of Allah, except the Promised Mahdi, Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur. Therefore, the person referred to in "one who follows me" is the Mahdi^AS. There are many other verses of the Holy Quran in which the Mahdi^AS is referred, but the above verses suffice for now.

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The lofty status of hadrat Mahdi^AS It is important for the reader to realize the lofty status of the Mahdi^AS as foretold by the Prophet^SLM in the ahadith. The ahadith say: His character will be exactly like that of the Holy Prophet^SLM. He will receive knowledge from Allah. Live and act with the qualities of the Holy Prophet^SLM. These statements are found commonly in the Sunni scholarly works but they have not been elaborated in the manner they deserve. Let's look at the above points with a little bit of attention, we certainly can't give all it deserve, simply because it's about the exalted character of the Rahmatul-il-Alameen, Imamul-Anbiya-il-Mursaleen, Khayr-ul-Khalq and Shafi-e-Mahshar. The best description ever given on the holy character of the last of the Apostles^SLM of Allah, is through none other than Umm-ul-Momineen, Hazrath A'isha Siddiqua^RZ in the following Hadith (only part of hadith relevant to the subject is quoted below) ...I said: Mother of the Faithful, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). She said: Don't you read the Qur'an? I said: Yes. Upon this she said: The character of the Apostle of Allah (May peace be upon him) was the Qur'an.. (Sahih Muslim) And here is the Quranic verse confirming the above hadith, we do not need to elaborate and go into the exegesis of the verse while the translation is sufficient for the readers. And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character (Holy Quran 68:4) If the character of Rasoolullah^SLM is the Holy Quran, then what would be the character of the Mahdi^AS whose glad tidings was given by Rasoolullah^SLM himself, saying "His character will be exactly like that of mine"? Needless to say, the character of Mahdi^AS is Holy Quran too. The news of similarity of character was never given even in favor of any of his four great caliphs including Hazrat Abu Bakr^RZ. If rejecting Mahdi^AS doesn't tantamount to Kufr then what else could? And the worst of rejection is without verifying his claim to be "The Promised Mahdi". By now, readers may have an idea of the character of the Prophet^SLM in the light of aforementioned Hadith and Quranic verse quoted just above. In fact the exalted character of the Prophet^SLM was the foremost and the greatest proof of his Prophet hood. Similarly the loftiness of the character of Imam Mahdi^AS was the greatest proof of his Mahdi hood. What would be the fate of a person who, by denying his claim to be the promised Mehdi^AS, put a question mark on the very character itself? The least thing the seeker of truth could do is to check the veracity of the claim. Some may argue that there are so many claimants to the title "Mahdi" to this day and may continue, how is it humanly possible to achieve that goal? Our answer is two fold: Given the serious nature of the issue, even if you've to spend entire life doing just that it's worth it because it's a matter of life hereafter which is eternal compared to life of this temporary and perishing abode In the light of universally accepted traditions of Prophet^SLM as authentic, how many claimants would stand true on their claim? How many of these politically or otherwise motivated self-proclaimed Mahdis can stand the litmus test of the points derived from the ahadith? How many of them have their name as Muhammad, their parents' name as that of Prophet's, and descendant of holy family? This alone will eliminate many if not all, of self-proclaimed Mahdis. The greatest criterion to gauge the truth is the 'exalted character' as discussed above; can they dare to claim as possessor of such exalted character? Even if they do, it's not their self opinion or their followers' that counts, but the opinion of others and that too their antagonists are the one that matters most. Look at the glorious tributes which these people pay to Imam Mahdi^AS of Jaunpur. In the book "The Promised Mehdi (Farah Committee)" (The point to be noted here is that all of these personalities are non-Mahdavis) Can any of the other claimants to the title to date come even close to the character of Prophet^SLM let alone the question of similarity of characters?
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What happens if one does not believe in the Mahdi^AS? We have now seen that both the Holy Quran and the hadith make it very clear that rejecting the Mahdi^AS will lead one to hellfire. Hopefully, by now the reader has realized the importance of the subject in question and the dreadful consequences of rejecting it bluntly or overlooking the subject carelessly. If rejecting Mahdi^AS doesn't tantamount to Kufr then what else could? And the worst of rejection is without verifying his claim to be "The Promised Mahdi". Some people take shelter under the argument that they believe in the Mahdi^AS, but do not believe that Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur is the Mahdi. This argument is like the Jews and Christians saying that we believe in the Prophet who is to come after Musa^AS and Esa^AS, but we don't believe that Muhammad^SLM of Makkah, Arabia is a prophet. Such an argument does not hold water.
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What do you gain by accepting Imam Mahdi^AS? Here are some of the things you stand to gain by making allegiance to the promised Mahdi, Hazrath Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri, Khalifatullah, Mamoor-min-Allah, Masoom-anil-khataa, Mubbaiyyin-e-Kalaamullah, Daafa-e-Halaakat-e-Ummat-e-Muhammadia Salwatu As Salaam Ihsan, a branch of religion (Deen) out of the three (Islam, Iman and Ihsan) The Love of Allah through His remembrance (Dhikrullah) in its true mode, when, how and how much The divine purport (Murad) of Allah through the Bayan of Holy Quran as promised by Allah in the verse 75:19 The Tayyib life in this world through renunciation of the attachment to the World (Tark-e-Dunya) The certainty of the Night of Divine Determination (Laila-tul-Qadr) The Vision of Allah, which is the real salvation
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Brief life history of Imam Mahdi^AS Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS was born on 14 Jamadi Al-Awwal 847 Hijri (1443 C.E.) in Jaunpur, India. During those times Jaunpur, which was ruled by the Sharqi kings, was the seat of Islamic knowledge and home to numerous scholars. It was called the Shiraz-e-Hind after Shiraz, a Persian city, which too was famous for its literary prowess. Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS was a scholar par excellence from a tender age and at the age of 12 the scholars of Jaunpur unanimously bestowed the title of "Asad-ul-Ulema - Lion among Scholars" upon him. At the age of 40 he left Jaunpur never to return again. At the command of Allah, he migrated from place to place for 23 years covering over 10,000 miles. He traveled through various cities, towns and villages in central India, south India, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sindh, Arabia and Afghanistan. He passed away in 910 Hijri (1506 C.E) at the age of 63 years in Farah, Afghanistan and is laid to rest there. His migration was unique: He migrated on the orders of Allah. When he migrated from one place to another, he left everything in the house as it was and did not take anything with him. He migrated for 23 years continuously but he did not stay at any place for more than 18 months. He stayed at three places for 18 months. At every place people renounced the world and took to his company. He formally claimed to be the Promised Mahdi thrice and was steadfast in his claim till he departed from this world. His first declaration was in Makkah in 901 Hijri. Standing between Rukn and Maqam, he declared that he was the Promised Mahdi and one who accepts him is a believer. His migrant companions and some Arabs accepted his claim. Two years later, in 903 Hijri, he repeated his declaration in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and said that one who accepts him is a believer. Many people accepted him as the Promised Mahdi^AS. Two more years later, in 905 Hijri, he made his third and emphatic declaration at Badhli village in Gujarat. He said that one who accepts him is a believer and one who rejects him is a disbeliever. He remained steadfast upon his claim for the rest of his life until his demise in 910 Hijri. This claim has been recorded by various scholars in India. Arab scholars too have recorded this claim. Abdullah Mohammed bin Umar Al-Makki has recorded the claim in "Zafar Al-Wala".

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Kings who accepted Mahdi^AS People from all walks of life and from different classes of society became his followers. Common men, scholars, kings, poor people and people from all walks of life accepted him. Amongst the kings (May Allah be pleased with them all) who accepted him were Sultan Hussain Sharqi of Jaunpur Sultan Ghayasuddin Khilji of Mando Sultan Mahmood Begarha of Gujarat Sultan Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar Sultan Hussain of Khorasan Mir Zunoon, the ruler of Farah, Afghanistan Shah Beg the ruler of Qandahar, Afghanistan.
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Opinion of Non-Mahdavi scholars about Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS of Jaunpur It is obvious that his followers, the Mahdavis, will speak highly of him. But many non-Mahdavis have acknowledged his pious personality, his strict adherance to the Holy Quran and the Sunnat and accept him as a perfect saint of high status. Scholars like Moulana Abul Hasan Nadvi (Moulana Ali Mian), Moulana Abul Kalam Azad, Shah Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlvi and Mullah Abdul Qader Badauni have written in his praise. To read details about what these and many other non-Mahdavi scholars have written about Hazrat Syed Muhammad^AS click on the link below and browse pages 163-178 of the book "The Fragrance of Khalifatullah" While these scholars have written in his praise and have acknowledged his saintliness, it is their misfortune that they didn't accept him as the Promised Mahdi. Allah guides whom He pleases (Holy Quran 28:56)

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The Mahdavia Community For more than 500 years Mahdavis have been a peaceful community with only one goal. It is the attainment of the vision of Allah. Mahdavis have always lived away from the hustle and bustle of cities. They formed Dairas (short for Daira-e-Hudood-Ullah - the circle in which the laws of Allah are followed.). Mahdavis have shunned the fineries of the world and as per the command of Allah consider the wealth of the world as filth. Mahdavis adhere to the Shariat of Prophet Muhammad^SLM very strictly. However, the Mahdavi community has migrated from place to place due to persecution by kings who were influenced by those Islamic scholars who loved the world and its finery and found the Mahdavia way a threat to their luxurious life. This continues to this day and those who love the world and its finery work against the Mahdavia beliefs. The Mahdavis have debated with scholars and kings alike and have always declared their beliefs without fear. The Mughal Emperor Akbar got a Mahdavi saint, Miyan Mustafa Gujrathi^RH, arrested and brought to his court to discuss the Mahdavia faith with the scholars of his court. You can read these debates at Majalis-e-Khamsa A few generations later another Mughal king, Aurangzeb, was witness to a debate in his court between Miyan Shaikh Ibrahim^RH and the Abu Said the Qazi of Ahmednagar. You can read this debate at Mubahisa-e-Alamgiri The debates with non-Mahdavis continue to this day. Mahdavis live predominantly in South India, Western India and Pakistan. They have now migrated to western countries too. For more information read the following article "Who are Mahdavis? Discover the true faith of Islam"

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The Message of the Khalifatullah Mahdi^AS The advent of Mahdi^AS was to revive the Shariat and to explain the commands of Tariqat. During a debate, scholars asked the Mahdi^AS as to which madhab he follows (Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki or Hanbali). He replied, "My madhab is the book of Allah and adherance to Rasoolullah." thus making it amply clear that he did not follow any of the Fiqhi Imams but followed the Holy Quran and Rasoolullah^SLM based on the divine guidance from Allah.

He summed up the reason for his advent thus, "We have come to explain the vilayet of Muhammad^SLM and for the vision of Allah. Otherwise what else was there for us?

Imam Mahdi^AS is narrated to have said, "Allah, Most High, has sent this servant when deen (religion) was being exploited for worldly purposes (i.e., for amassing worldly wealth). Namaz (prayers), roza (fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), reciting of Holy Quran, azan (prayer call), qazawat (justice) and good deeds were all exploited for worldly gains. Nobody ever did anything for the sake of Allah. After this, Allah, Most High, sent this banda (servant) into the world. Then this servant commanded the people to do their deeds for the sake of Allah. The people believed me. But the momins affirmed and accepted me (tasdiq)."

To this day, nobody in the Mahdavia community, be it the religious leaders (Murshideen) or the common people, performs religious deeds for monetory compensation or remuneration or a fixed salary. We lead Prayers, call Azan, perform Nikah rituals, burial rituals, Taraweeh prayers, teach Holy Quran and perform all religious deeds for the sake of Allah and ONLY for the sake of Allah. Mahdavia beliefs are the same as Ahle-Sunnat Wal Jamaat. In terms of principles (Usool) Mahdavia are based on Ashari and Maturidi and for matters of jurisprudence (Fiqh) we choose the path of Aaliyat (excellence) from Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki and Hambali schools. Islam also has the silsilas (spiritual orders) of Chishti, Sahrwardi, Nakshbandi, etc. but the Mahdavia have their own spiritual path. The important thing is that the Mahdavia spiritual path and the visible religious actions (zaahiri amal), are both based on the Holy Quran and Sunnat.

As per the command of Allah, Hazrat Mahdi^AS made the following commands obligatory on his followers: Talab-e-Deedar-e-Khuda (Desire for the vision of Allah) Tark-e-Duniya (Renunciation of the attachment to the World) Hijrat Az Watan (Migration from the homeland) Sohbat-e-Sadiqeen (Company of the truthful) Zikr-e-Dawam (Perpetual remembrance of Allah) Uzlat-Al-Khalkh (Seclusion from seekers of the world) Tawakkul wo Tasleem (Trust and Acceptance) Ushr (Giving 10% of income as charity)
These obligations are commanded by Allah in the Holy Quran. To know more details of the above commandments read this article: http://www.mahdavia.info/Faraez.htm.

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Hazrat Mahdi^AS's sayings Imam Mahdi said: "I am taught directly by Allah everyday to declare that I am the servant of Allah and the follower of Prophet Mohammed, the Messenger of Allah". The Imam said; Allah had sent me particularly to explain His commandments pertaining to Vilayat-e-Mohammedi (roughly translated, the Mohammedan Sainthood), Allah said; "Then Lo! Upon us (resteth) the explanation thereof and this explanation is to come through me" (Holy Quran 75:19). The Imam said Allah has to be seen in this world with human eyes and He must be seen. The Imam had himself given the testimony of the Vision of Allah in accordance with the Holy Quran and on behalf of Prophet^SLM. The Imam said the desire to see Allah was obligatory (Farz) on every man and woman. Mahdavia beliefs are the same as Ahle-Sunnat Wal Jamaat. In terms of principles (Usool) Mahdavia are based on Ashari and Maturidi and for matters of jurisprudence (Fiqh) we choose the path of Aaliyat (excellence) from Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki and Hambali schools. Islam also has the silsilas (spiritual orders) of Chishti, Sahrwardi, Nakshbandi, etc. but the Mahdavia have their own spiritual path. The important thing is that the Mahdavia spiritual path and the visible religious actions (zaahiri amal), are both based on the Holy Quran and Sunnat. Hazrath Mahdi Mawood^AS has said, "My Mazhab is the book of Allah and adherance to Muhammad Rasoolullah^SLM". Therefore his teachings and his message are fully rooted in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet^SLM
These obligations are commanded by Allah in the Holy Quran. To know more details of the above commandments read this article: http://www.mahdavia.info/Faraez.htm.

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Imam Mahdi^AS's letter One of the letters he wrote to kings to accept his claim is given below. We end this article with this letter so that the reader gets to know first hand the words of the Promised Mahdi^AS: O mankind: Understand this well that I am Muhammad^AS, son of Abdullah, and the namesake of Prophet Muhammad^SLM, the Messenger of Allah. Allah has made me the Seal of Vilayat-e-Muhammadi (Prophet Muhammad^SLM's Sainthood) and the Caliph of the Prophet's august followers (ummah). I am he who was promised to be sent during the Last Era. I am he about whom the Prophet^SLM had given advance information. I am he who has been mentioned in the sacred books of the earlier Prophets^AS. I am he who had been described by groups of the Firsts and the Lasts. I am he who has been bestowed with the Caliphate of Allah. I am he who invites the people (created by Allah) to (come to) Allah at the bidding of His Prophet^SLM. And further, l am not intoxicated at the time of making the claim. I am in my senses. I am not in need of being brought to my senses. I have been provided with pure and clean food from Allah. I am in need of none other than Allah, The Eternal. I do not desire a throne or crown. I do not intend to become a ruler. I am not hankering after a dominion or authority. I consider them as absurd and filthy. I am your liberator from worldliness The reason for this invitation is that I have been enjoined upon (on pain of Allah's displeasure) to invite you. Allah enjoins obedience to me upon you. I convey my invitation to jinn and mankind, in the sense that I am the Seal of the Vilayat-e-Muhammadi and Caliph of Allah. Obedience to me is obedience to Allah and disobedience to me is disobedience to Allah. Accept my creed, so that you are liberated, and obey me. If you refute me, Allah will seize you. Save yourself from the punishment of the day (Doomsday) when mountains will be blown to smithereens. Do not go from this world when you face (spiritual) ruin (in the Hereafter). Choose the reward of the Hereafter. Do not sell it for counterfeit coins. I am telling you all this because you are intelligent. If you consider that I am concocting and maligning Allah, you are bound to inquire into my work (as the Caliph of Allah). Start the work fast. If you are inattentive to my work, it would mean that you are trying to refute me. You are capable of finding out the truth. If you allow me to continue to make (what you consider to be) false claim, you will be liable to divine punishment. On oath in the name of Allah, I say that Allah is enough as a witness to my claim that I am sent to prevent the annihilation of Muhammad^SLM's Ummah and cleanse it of its deviations. Never get deceived. Compare my words, deeds and facts with Holy Quran, and only with Holy Quran. And think over them. If they are in accordance with Holy Quran, obey me. Otherwise, kill me. This is the best course for your salvation. Therefore, fear Allah and turn to Him with a humble heart. He is merciful to his servants. This advice is for those who listen with understanding.

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