Ever since joining the Su-Shi Webring I've felt like I should do more to try to consciously promote the goals of the group. Here's my contribution for November...
Recently Svend White at Akram's Razor wrote an entry: Rejecting a "Mahdi" vs. rejecting the idea of the Mahdi which discusses how some people claiming that Harun Yahya may be the Mahdi, but that we should be careful to distinguish between questioning the validity of any individual who might claim to be the mahdi, and questioning the concept of mahdi overall.
9 comments:
The problem with the mahdi idea is that people extrapolate a few hadith and fall into an apocalyptic way of thought. Most sunni and shia believe in the Mahdi, althought they differ as to his identity (e.g., some guy verses the 12th imam), which is fine. My basic thing is, if waiting for and recognizing the mahdi were the most important things a Muslim could do, wouldn't it be in the Qu'ran like 100 times? how about 50? How about 5? How about ONCE. It does tell us a fair bit about al-dajjal and al-massiach, by contrast.
I completely agree with DA. As for the hadiths, in Bukhari and Muslim there is no mention of the name or word of "mahdi", only that the Muslims will have a "leader" or an "imam" who will spread justice and peace. Same with tirmidhi I think. In Ibn Maja and Abu Dawud's collections of hadith the name of Mahdi is mentioned more than once.
According to some, there is not a single Mahdi, but multipe Mahdis who come to renew the religion or create a new religious and political order, and indeed many people have claimed to be the Mahdi and led very successful revolutions. For some sufis, anyone can become "a mahdi".
and DA, I do not believe that the Quran mentions the dajjal at all, however it does imply the return of Jesus when it says
Actually there is one historical incident that for me forms real powerful evidence that there will be Mahdi. It comes from way back in the beginning of Islamic history, before all the hadith collections were written, and soon after the martyrdom of al-Husayn.
After the death of Husayn, two forces appeared that rebelled against the Umayyads: Ibn al-Zubayr from Basra, who hoped to rule the Muslim world from Mecca, and al-Mukhtar (The Chosen) from Kufa. Having failed to rally behind al-Husayn, the Kufans rallied behind al-Mukhtar, who claimed to be the emissary of the Mahdi (but never did he claim to be the Mahdi nor did anyone at that time claim to be the Mahdi). Al-Mukhtar was defeated by Ibn al Zabayr's brother.
What this shows is that the idea of a coming Mahdi did exist way back then, UNLESS it was made up then by al-Mukhtar and his followers, which i seriously doubt.
At the end I just completely agree with DA, we're not supposed to sit around and wait for the Mahdi. Personally from all the ahadith about the signs of the last days I think it wont come for at least a century, if not many more.
I would agree not to have an "apocalyptic way of thought" in the sense that you put all your emphasis on decoding and interpreting different prophecies in order to try to anticipate what will happen.
The really important things that we are supposed to worry about are clear. They don't need to be decoded. I haven't read anything which makes me think that properly identifying the mahdi is a major obligation on us.
At the same time, I would agree with Akram, that the concept of mahdi is pretty clearly found in hadith (if not the Quran) and even if other things may be emphasized alot more, the concept (in some form) is a part of islam.
But I really do thank both of you for your thoughts, I think it gives me more to think about.
Actually, silencer, where did you hear that there would be more than one mahdi? Or are you saying that Mahdi and the Mujaddids (one is supposed to come each century to revive islam) are the same?
ok let's try and remember all that i've read about the mahdi, cause ive forgotten some of the stuff:
- definitly the most radical and interesting theory is by a malamati sufi shaykh called Badruddin of Simawna (Inspirations on the Path to Blame) who believes there will never be an end of times, and that everyone's death is his qiyamat. He says all the signs of the last days have always existed and will always exist, and people from all times have thought they were living near the end days. He interprets the coming of the Mahdi as the realization of "[15:29] "Once I perfect him, and blow into him from My spirit, you shall fall prostrate before him." I tihnk he means when the person becomes the insanul kamil or something.
- here's also a good discussion of ibn arabis' writings on the mahdi (http://www.religioperennis.org/documents/morris/MessianicSecret.pdf). But im not sure how much Morris is reading into it from his own viewpoint, i didnt give this article enough attention (mainly because i'm hesitant to read any ibn arabi).
- then you have people like Muhammad Iqbal saying that everyone can become the "mahdi", which also corresponds to the two views above, if Morris' interpretation of Ibn Arabi is correct. its interesting to note that Iqbal's spiritual path began when he saw Rumi in a dream.
- then you have ppl claiming to be the mahdi at different times, like the Mahdi who created the al-Mohads and conquered N.Africa and Spain (his movement was very salafi-like). And you have the great Mahdi of Sudan, who was a sufi and defeated the british at every single battle. he also called for a return to the most basic and pure following of the sunna, without all the extra stuff that was added later whether sufi or not (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ahmad).
- and so i dont remember whether or not the many mahdis coming in different centuries... im not sure whether i read it somewhere or if i came up with it by combining all that is above with the idea of the mujaddid.
i see the ibn arabi thing's link was cut off so i'll post it in two seperate lines or whatever.
http://www.religioperennis.org/documents/
morris/MessianicSecret.pdf
Salaams
Huh? Did I read that right? Harun Yahya the Mahdi? I mean, huh?! The guy is a cheap polemicist! He's done more to return Muslims to the middle ages than any other man alive!! Words fail me, they really do. Islam has hit intellectual rock bottom with this one!
Wasalaam
TMA
hey i certainly dont believe he's the mahdi but i like the guy. he's done some amazing documentaries and he gives all his books and most movies completely free online.. i think that's remarkable. some of his documentaries about the animals and stuff are amazing.
As Salam Alaikum
All You guys, interested in the concept of Mahdi, please spare some time and visit the web site http://www.khalifatullahmehdi.info , i believe most of your questions will be answered Inshallah. Keep in mind the first rule of research is that you should have no prejudice.
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