Search This Blog

Friday, August 22, 2014

Re-Reflections on Imam Mahdi (l)

Also published in Daily Trust  
The above referred article that appeared on 14 August 2014, which was, according to its author, Hajiya Bilkisu, a collection of some notes she had taken from a keynote address in an event, was clearly inspired by the Shiites’ version of Al-Mahdi narrative, which basically contradicts the version adopted by more than 90% of the world’s Muslims.
Though she rightly highlighted the emergence of Al-Mahdi towards the End time and how he will lead the whole world, put an end to all forms of oppression and establish justice hence global peace and prosperity never enjoyed before, I intend to shed some light on the peculiar ideological context of the Shiites’ version of Al-Mahdi narrative from where she obviously derived inspiration.
It is important to note that, though the holy Qur’an did not explicitly refer to Al-Mahdi, and despite the fact that most of the Hadith narrations about him are not authentic according to the relevant scientific criteria in the Science of Hadith i.e. Mustalahul-Hadith, there are yet a few authentic Hadiths of the Prophet Mohammad, Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him, his pious progeny and noble companions, in which he prophesied that Al-Mahdi will indeed emerge towards the End time. For instance, he was authentically reported to have said “You will pervade the whole world with the acts of injustice and oppression, and when it gets entirely pervaded, Allah will empower a namesake of mine from among my progeny to establish justice and equity all over the world, as it had been pervaded with the acts of injustice and oppression” (Silsilatul-Al-ahadeeth-As-saheeha, by Al-Albany V.4 P.38).
By the way, Al-Mahdi, which means the rightly guided, is his nickname while his real name is Mohammad Ibn Abdullah. Also as a descendant of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), Al-Mahdi will emerge as a revolutionary revivalist who will revive the Islamic religion as exclusively contained in the holy Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah, and spearhead comprehensive and unprecedented global religious, socio-political and economic reforms to establish justice and bring sustainable peace and prosperity.
This is the Al-Mahdi as recognized by over 90% of the world’s Muslims, and any positive and confirmatory reference or mention of the name of Al-Mahdi by any recognized Muslim scholar over the history, refers to him only. However, from what the Shiites’ major reference books assert about Al-Mahdi and what he will do when he emerges, it is obvious that there are two inherently conflicting Mahdis with conflicting characteristics and missions. For instance, according to Al-Majlisy and Al-Nu’umany (some of the most recognised Shi’a theorisers), when Al-Mahdi emerges, he “will come with a new religion, a new rulebook and a new justice system from the heaven”. (See Biharul-Anwaar v.52, p. 354 and in Alghaiba p. 107 &154)
Besides, according to Al-Kulaini, the author of the Shiites’ most reliable reference book i.e. Al-Kaafi, it is claimed that “when Alqaa’im (i.e. Al- Mahdi) emerges he will rule with the rulebooks of the Prophets Dawood and Sulaiman and he can’t be asked for any evidence” (See Al-Kafi v.1, p 397) Also Al-Majlisy falsely claimed that, Ja’afar As-Saadiq said “I imagine as though I am looking at him (i.e. Al-Mahdi) between Ar-rukn and Al-Maqaam (a place around the Ka’abah) while people are taking the oath of allegiance to him on the bases of a new rulebook” (See Biharul-Anwaar v. 52, p.135)
Furthermore, after effectively abolishing the Holy Qur’an and, by implication, the Islamic religion altogether, the Shiites’ Mahdi will then, according to Al-tabry (the Shiite one) “enter the (prophet’s) mosque, demolish the wall and exhume the bodies of Abubakr and Umar, fresh and supple, may God curse them, and speak to them to which they will answer. The mischievous among the people there present will then wonder disbelievingly and ask; are you speaking to the dead? So he will kill 500 of them right inside the mosque then burn them down (i.e. Abubakr and Umar) to ashes” (See Dala’lul-Imama p 455) After burning Abubakr and Umar to ashes, Al-Majlisy further narrated that, Mahdi “will then scatter their ashes to the winds” (See Biharul-Anwaar v 52, p 368).
The Shiites’ Mahdi will then carry on his mission where according to Sheikh As-Sadooq, “Al-Humaira (i.e. Aisha, the Prophet’s wife) will also be resurrected for Mahdi to flog her” (See Elalul-Shara’ei, v2, p 580) He will then embark on a mass murder of his supposed detractors as narrated by Al-Nu’umany and Al-Majlisy who falsely claimed that, Ja’afar As-Saadiq warned that “If most of the people had realized what Alqaa’im (i.e. Mahdi) would do when he emerges, they wouldn’t have wanted to see him due to the sheer number of people he would kill, to the extent that many people would say, this man is not a descendant of the Prophet Mohammad because had he been his descendant, he would have been compassionate” (See Biharul-Anwaar (v 52, p.353, and Al-Ghaibah p. 135 respectively)
Though the above quoted quotes from the Shiites’ most recognized reference books are just a few of what such reference books contain about Mahdi and indeed the ideology of Shiism in general, perhaps the average Shi’a adherents in Nigeria and elsewhere never know them, just as they never realize how they were misled into this heretical dogma, in the first place. I am sure that, their clerics will never tell them; neither will they allow them to access such shocking assertions, either. After all, only those who are too deluded and indoctrinated to see anything wrong in them are told such things.
Anyway, God willing, in the course of my rejoinder to the second part of Hajiya’s piece next week, I will still address some specific parts of the first part of her piece, explain how the Shiite’s’ Mahdi narrations and indeed the vast majority of Shiite narrations fail to meet the basic authenticity requirements as provided in the Science of Hadtih (i.e. Mustalahul-Hadith), as I will also address the actual reasons behind fabricating such lies and the agenda they are intended to serve.

No comments: