Imam Mahdi (PBUH) In Other Religions And Nations

The concept of salvation and awaiting the Messiah who one day will come and establish an order based on divine laws is one of the most important features common to all the Abrahamic religions. Although there are some differences about the individual and personal characteristics of the one often called the Saviour, the Deliverer or the Messiah and although there are different opinions concerning where he will appear, there is general consensus on his coming and his establishment of a just government. If we try to categorize the common principles of Messianism in the Abrahamic religions, we will find the following principles to be the most important:

  1. The Reformer or the Saviour is a real specified individual.
  2. He is from the Household of the Prophet.
  3. He is endowed with spiritual attributes and characteristics.
  4. Before his coming, the world will be afflicted with depravity, corruption and oppression in what is called the end of the time.
  5. In this age and even before that, the believers will have particular duties and they will endure many difficulties.
  6. At the end of the time when mankind will go astray, the Saviour will rise and fight against oppression, corruption and disbelief and the believers will join him.
  7. The time of the coming of the Saviour is not clear for us.
  8. After his coming, a universal government will be founded on the basis of justice and will last until the Day of Judgement.
    Now we will briefly discuss the concept of the Messiah in the Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Part One: Messianism in Judaism

The salient characteristic of Judaism is its historicity. This is to say that from the point of view of the Jews, Jehovah the God of Israel, has a special interest in the Jews and has always had an active presence in their history. They believe that from the time Abraham migrated to the Promised Land 1, until their Exodus from Egypt 2, God promised that He would make them the best nation in the world if they followed His commandments. They believe that throughout their sacred history (which, began with Abraham and has continued until the last Prophet whose name is mentioned in their Hebrew sacred Book) Jehovah has directly interfered in their affairs. When they were disobedient He made them live in misery, suffering and wander about homeless but when they obeyed Him, He saved and delivered them. Both their misery and their deliverance were the results of Jehovah’s direct interference and continued presence in Jewish history. The Jews interpret the well-known phrase in the Torah, “I am,” as I am with you and will be always present in your history.

Moses, the First Saviour of the Israelites

As the Jews claim, the Bible says that through Abraham, God promised to give the Israelites, who saw themselves as “The People of God,” the territory “from the Nile to the Euphrates.” The destiny of these people was such that Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob, was disliked by his brothers 3, and was taken to Egypt as a slave 4. There, he was imprisoned because of his chastity 5 but after proving his innocence and competence he became the second highest person in the government of the Pharaoh 6. In this way Jacob, also known as Israel and his family (namely the Israelites) settled in Egypt 7. After a while, however, the chosen people became enslaved by the pharaohs, and the descendents of Jacob, had their first bitter experience of oppression. From the time of the death of Joseph until their delivery by Moses this nation suffered centuries of pain and distress. As slaves they had no independence, and in such dark and bleak conditions they awaited their Saviour and dreamt of a better future. They found an end to their suffering in the person of Moses. Moses, or the ‘First Redeemer’ became the Saviour of the Israelites, and part of the earlier promise was fulfilled at his hands. About four hundred years after the divine promise was made to them, the Israelites, led by Moses were able to defeat the Philistines and enter the Promised Land. However, in that land they found no peace either.

The Concept of the Mashiah (the Messiah)

The Jews expected another Saviour to deliver them from the servitude and the pressure imposed on them by hostile nations, and from this came the concept of the Mashiah. Mashiah is a Hebrew term, which means one anointed by the holy oil and confirmed by God. Its English equivalent is Messiah and in Persian it is ‘Masiha’.
Saul (Talut in Arabic) was the first king of the Israelites chosen by the Prophet Samuel, who was anointed with the holy oil and consecrated as the Messiah 8. Even though he was chosen by God and anointed as their king, the Jews stubbornly refused to acknowledge Saul as a real Messiah and treated him with disdain 9. On the other hand, David, his successor, was the most outstanding Saviour of the Israelites after Moses. He was the King of the Jews and the archetypal example of the Messiah and was succeeded by his son Solomon. The combined reigns of David and Solomon constituted the golden age of the Jews, Jerusalem became the centre of Judaism, and their armies had defeated those nations that were at war with them. The Temple of Solomon, the symbol of Jewish power was built during the reign of Solomon.
It is worthwhile to note, however, that until that time, the concept of the Messiah was not associated with the notion of the end of the time. In other words, the Israelite slaves in the age of Moses were urgently looking for delivery in their time, and the Jews before David and Solomon were no different. However, since the time of David, the ideality of David’s rule and the concept of the divine kingdom became the subject of much discussion.
Since that time also, these Jewish teachings became ideals based upon moral principles, the reign of the righteous, the inheritance of the earth and other lofty standards. Thus we read in the Psalms of David (72: 6 – 20): “May he be like the rain that falls on the mown grass Like the showers that water the earth!
In his days may righteousness flourish, And peace abound till the moon be no more!
May he have dominion from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth! May his foes bow down before him, And his enemies lick the dust! May the kings of Tar’shish and of the Isles render him tribute, May the kings of Sheba and Se’ba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, All nations serve him…. May his name endure for ever, His fame continue as long as the sun! May men bless themselves by him, All nations call him blessed! Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name for ever, And may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.”
These Psalms which were recited by David refer to the universal divine government which will be established by a righteous king, the Messiah, and the Saviour who will fill the world with justice and bounty. In another Psalm (37) we read: “The wicked will be no more, Though you look well at his place he will not be there.
But the meek shall possess the land, And delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” (37: 11)
It adds that: “Jehovah upholds the righteous.”
Jehovah knows the days of the blameless, And their heritage will abide forever; They are not put to shame in evil times … For those blessed by the Lord shall possess the land” (37: 17-22).
The whole Psalm is a promise made to the righteous that they will inherit the earth and rule for ever, and that the wicked and evil will be exterminated; in the meanwhile man is commanded to wait and lead a virtuous life.
In a beautiful lyric, the Prophet Solomon, addressing the Saviour and the Promised One, recites:
“Arise, my love, My fair one, and come away; For lo the winter is past, The rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth, The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, And the vines are in blossom; They give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, My fair one, and come away. O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the covert of the cliff, Let me see your face, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet and your face is comely.”
Commentators on the Old Testament admit that this Song is addressed to the Messiah the Promised One of the Jews. Winter in the verse means the dominance of disbelief and the rain in the song means the pouring out of materialism. The flowers and the blossoming vines are interpreted to mean the monotheists who will prepare the conditions for the coming of the Messiah.
It has become clear that in these verses, the Prophet David, the symbol of deliverance, and redemption of the Jews, and Solomon, in whose reign they reached the pinnacle of their might and glory, elaborated on the universal concept of the Messiah and the final delivery of the Jews, kindling hopes of salvation and fulfilment of the divine promise in their hearts.

Judaism in the Age of Difficulty and Suffering

By the end of the reign of Solomon, the Israelites were divided because of internal conflicts and numerous sins. Jerusalem was then invaded by the Assyrians and 200,000 Jews were brought to Nineveh as the slaves of Assyria. Since that time the Jews have been a lost, hopeless and defeated nation living in the hope of a better future until the coming of a King and the renewal of their former kingdom. This hope is more evident in the books of Isaiah and Daniel. The following are brief selections of some verses from these two books.
The Book of Isaiah begins with these verses: “Hear, O heavens, and give ear O earth; For the Lord has spoken: “Sons have I reared and brought up, But they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”

Has no knowledge, no discernment.

Ah, sinful nation, The people laden with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They are utterly estranged.
Why will you be smitten, That you continue to rebel?
The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faint.” (1: 2 – 5)
The whole chapter speaks of the misery and suffering of the Israelites because of their innumerable sins. However, Isaiah provides these people in their extreme suffering with the hope of permanent peace on the day which is known as the ‘last days or the end of the time’ (2: 1 – 5). Isaiah knows well that the status of the Jews has been far removed from the religion of Moses and David. Here he gives tidings of the birth of a child named Immanuel from a virgin mother: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call him Immanuel” (7: 14).
In Isaiah, chapter 11, verses 1-6 the Saviour of the Jews is shown as the highest example of the ideal of the Israelites: “There shall come forth from a shoot from the stump of Jesse, And a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.”
“The period of his reign would be characterised by absolute and permanent peace, so that ravenous beasts and domestic animals (the wolf and the lamb) will live together in peace and tranquillity.” (verses 7 – 9) “The new king who will also be from the household of David will be a standard of salvation for all peoples. People will turn to him, and his kingdom will be filled with glory and grandeur.” (See verse 11)
“This will be the time of the glory and greatness of Israel. Differences will be abolished, and other nations will be overcome and will surrender to this nation.” (12 – 16)
This prophecy evidently refers to a better future for them on the last day or the end of the time, for it will be the time when the world will abound with the knowledge of God. The focal point of this era will be the Messiah, who is introduced in this verse as the son of David, the “stock of Jesse”.
Daniel, in the seventh chapter of his Book, relates an unusual vision which is in fact a vision of the end of the time and explains its ordeals. In his vision he saw “four great beasts come up out of the sea, different one from another” (3). The first seven verses of this chapter refer to these four beasts and their fighting. Then he refers to the Promised One, the Saviour: “As I looked, Thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat, His raiment was white as snow and the hair of his head was like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; A thousand thousands served him’ And ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court sat in judgement, and the books were opened.” (9 – 10)
On his coming, the greatest beast, which is the symbol of the dominant government and superpower, is destroyed and the other beasts lose their power (12). Then Daniel describes his eternal kingdom:
“I saw in the night visions and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (13 – 14)
The revelation of Daniel clearly shows that the time before the coming of the son of man whose kingdom will be eternal, will be a time of misery and suffering for the people under the rule of powerful oppressors (8: 1 – 13 and 23 – 27). Interpreting this vision, Gabriel stresses that: “It pertains to the appointed time of the end.” (8: 19)

The Messiah in the Talmud

The Talmud gives us more precise and detailed pieces of information about the Messiah, some of which we will mention here.

The Messiah Exists and is Part of the Eternal Divine Plan

The general belief is that the coming of the Messiah and his efforts to correct the state of the world and attain happiness for mankind are within God’s plan since the beginning of the creation of the world. It is believed that before the creation of the world seven things were created, one of them was the name of the Messiah (Pesahim, 54 A), and at the beginning of the creation of the world the King Mashiah was born. (Pesikata Rabbti, 152 B)

The Messiah is a Man Commissioned by God

All Jewish scholars are in agreement that the Messiah will be a man commissioned by God to perform a particular task. Nowhere does the Talmud refer to the belief that the Messiah will be a supernatural Saviour or a supernatural being. The Talmud calls him David (Jerusaleam, Berakhot, 5 A) and a descendent of David (Lamentations Rabbah, 1:501).

The Signs of the Coming

One notes that the Talmud pays special attention to the signs of the coming, which are called “The Throes of the Delivery of the Messiah.” In that time, dispositions are weakened, places of education are turned into places of corruption, and the knowledge of teachers becomes corrupt. Besides all that, there will be a group of just and righteous people who will inherit the earth (Isaiah 16 – 59). In that period fierce wars will occur, and Gog and Magog will bring corruption to the world.

The Date of the Coming and Duties of the Awaiting

The Talmud makes it clear that specifying the exact time of the coming is neither possible nor reasonable. It curses those who calculate the date of the ending of the yoke of Israel, and the coming of the Messiah and recommends that the Jews be in anticipation of his coming.
Of course, certain approximate dates have been given which refer to the possible signs of his coming. The Talmud makes his coming dependent upon the deeds of people, their amelioration and the repentance of the believers. In other words, at the end of the time the believers and the monotheists will have to maintain their religion and be ready for the coming of the Saviour.

The Golden Age of the Reign of the Messiah

From the point of view of the Talmud, the era of the Messiah is the era of plenitude, justice, permanent peace, happiness and contentment all over the world. In that age there will be no disease or bad news, and the people of Israel will live in complete unity. The city of Jerusalem will be reconstructed, the Temple of Solomon will be rebuilt, and sin will be obliterated from the society. Among other interesting issues in the teachings of the Talmud is the return of the righteous dead to life.
But what is the real advantage of the reign of the Messiah? Some say that the era of the Messiah will have only one advantage, that is, the delivery of the Israelites from the hand of the oppressors. Others, however, hold that “the eager desire for the Messiah is the fulfilment of the main goal of man, which is coming closer to God.”
Among other issues to which the Talmud refers is that “the era of the Messiah is the transitory period between this world and the other world, and its age is estimated variously between 40 to 7000 years, after which the Day of Resurrection will take place.
However, the last question which remains and we Muslims must ask ourselves , who is the Messiah of the Jews? The answer of the Christians, of course, is clear; he cannot be other than the Messiah. But the extent to which this answer is convincing will be discussed in other parts of this paper.

Part Two: Messianism in Christianity

The Christian religion follows Judaism especially with regard to epistemological issues. The main religious and cultural source of Christianity is the Old Testament, the sacred scriptures of the Jews. Therefore, whatever is true of the religion of the Jews is more or less true about Christianity as well. Nonetheless we should note that the Talmud is one of the main sources of Judaism which the Christians do not accept just as some of the interpretations Christians give of the Old Testament are different from those of the Jews. In general, however, it can be said that Christianity is a form developed from Judaism.
According to the Christians the Messiah and the Promised One of the Old Testament is Jesus the Messiah. In other words, the Christians believe that the Promised One of Judaism has already come. Therefore, the first issue of Christian messianism is the study of the character of Jesus, the Messiah, for the main difference between Christianity and Judaism revolves around this issue. The Jews do not accept Jesus as the Messiah, whereas the Christians hold that Jesus is the Promised One of the Old Testament.
In the books of the ancients, the Saviour was known by different names such as ‘the Messiah’, ‘the Son of Man’ and ‘the Son of David’. They hold that the birth of the Messiah occurred 749 years after the foundation of Rome, that is, four years before the beginning of the present Christian era, and he was born in Bethlehem. As the Prophet Isaiah had prophesied, he was born to a virgin by the name of Mary 10, and was a descendant of the Prophet David 11. Before his birth Magian astronomers were looking for him:
“Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east… ” 12
According to all four Gospels, John the Baptist had given tidings of the coming of the Messiah and his establishment of the kingdom of God before Christ had appeared:
“Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens is at hand” 13
The Gospel of Mark (8: 28 – 30) confirms that the disciples of Jesus differed concerning his identity until Jesus asked: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter said, “You are the Messiah.” But Jesus ordered them not to say anything about him to others.”
The New Testament also says that the people of Jerusalem thought of Jesus “as the person who will establish once again the kingdom of our father David, and welcomed him as a king.” 14
Moreover, in his trial by the great Priest in answer to the question “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?” he said, “I am and one day you will see me sitting at the right hand of God and coming back to the earth with the clouds of heaven.” 15
Therefore, there is no doubt that Jesus had introduced himself as the Messiah of the Jews. Moreover, he called himself the Son of Man, the title which the Old Testament gives to the Saviour, the promised and the ideal King of the Jews. However, the Jews never accepted that this title belonged to him. The Talmud not only did not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah or the Promised One of the Jews, but also introduced him to its followers with insults which courtesy prevents us from quoting here.
Nevertheless, from the Muslims point of view, Jesus is the Messiah, for the Holy Qur’an confirms this title:
“Allah gives you the good news of a Word from Him, whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary” (3:45). Of course, there are some differences between the Muslims view and the Christians, but both Muslims and Christians are unanimous in the fact that Jesus is the Messiah.

The Second Messiah

The question, however, remains: Would the issue of the last Promised One and the delivery of the world come to an end by the coming of Jesus Christ according to the Christians point of view? The answer is ‘No!’. Like the Jews and the Muslims, the Christians are waiting for the appearance of the Saviour at the end of the time, one who will come during the last age and will reign over the world. This Saviour is no other than Jesus Christ who is called in the teachings of the Christians as the ‘Second Messiah’. The verses of the New Testament refer to the event of the second coming of the Messiah more than 300 times.
“For we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.” 16
“So Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” 17
According to the New Testament, the time of the coming is not clear to any one 18, the second coming of the Christ 19 will be unexpected 18 and accompanied with glory and grandeur 20. His coming will be corporeal and visible 21. Therefore, the second coming of Jesus, the Messiah to the world will be corporeal and objective 22 so that he can gather around him his best companions 19. The notion of the second coming of the Christ has much in common with the teaching of the Messiah in the religion of the Jews, with some difference, however, namely that the New Testament has elaborated on the signs of the second coming of the Messiah. The New Testament has also dealt with the coming of the Anti-Christ 23 before the coming of the Messiah. The second book of the Thessalonians has dealt with this subject in much more detail.
The book of the revelation of John, which is the last part of the New Testament, is made up of a narration of the events that will occur at the end of the time, most of which are presented in metaphorical and symbolic language.

The Promised One of Christianity

The third important point about the Promised One of Christianity is the references given by Jesus Christ to another person called the ‘Consoler’ and the ‘Helper’.
“It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” 24
“I will pray the Father and he will give you another Helper to be with you for ever. this Helper and Consoler is the very clean Spirit of God that will acquaint you with all the truths.” 25
Christians believe that the ‘Helper’ and ‘the Spirit of Truth’ is actually the ‘Holy Ghost’ which in the absence of the Christ fills his vacancy and guides the Church to all virtues.
However, the Muslims believe that these statements give tidings of the coming of the last Prophet. In their critique of the Christian view, the Muslims emphasize philological, historical and exegetic evidence, and insist that the Promised One is Muhammad the chosen Prophet of God, peace be upon him and his family.
Although the notion of the Holy Ghost seems unreasonable, the Muslims can prove their claim without consulting the present Bible, which has surely been corrupted. The sixth verse of ‘al-Saff’ in the Holy Qur’an, declares:
“..Jesus, son of Mary said ‘O children of Israel! I am the apostle of Allah to you, to confirm what is before me of the Torah, and to give the good news of an apostle who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad.”
The following issues must therefore be seriously considered:

  1. Jesus is the promised Messiah in the religion of the Jews who will come soon.
  2. The Promised One of Christianity is the Prophet of Islam whose imminent coming has been announced in the New Testament.
  3. Both religions refer to the end of the time, the coming of the universal Saviour and the divine and just kingdom at the end of the time. Now the question is who is the Promised One of the end of the time? Is he the Messiah of the Jews, the descendent of David, or the second Messiah of the Christians, or al-Mahdi, the promised Saviour of mankind? The answers to these questions need much more investigation.

Part Three: The Promised One in Islam

In order to know the principles and the general outlines of the notion of the Promised One in Islam it is necessary to be very familiar with the Holy Book and the Prophetic traditions. This is because these are the two divine sources of understanding the sublime knowledge and concepts of Islam. Therefore, let us first have a look at some verses of the Holy Qur’an and then examine some traditions.

The Promised One in the Qur’an

There are several verses in the Holy Qur’an that discuss the Promised One that religion has proclaimed, namely al-Mahdi. The expert traditionist Syyed Hashim al-Bahrani has identified 120 verses in this connection. Others have found up to 140 verses. It is evidently the practice of the Holy Qur’an to discuss the general outline and principles of any particular subject and leave the details and characteristics to the Prophetic Tradition. It is clear that a discussion of all those verses would be outside the scope of this article, therefore, we will mention here only three groups of the verses.

The Inheritors of the Earth

“And We desired to show favour to those who were abased in the land, and to make them imams, and to make them the heirs, and to establish them in the land, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts from them that of which they were apprehensive.” (28: 5 – 6).
“Minnat” or “favour” in this verse means a weighty and grand blessing. On the other hand, the act ‘We desired’ speaks of a previous state, which when used in the present tense denotes continuity. Giving might to those downtrodden in the earth would therefore mean giving them a place which they would own and in which they would settle. Apparently this verse belongs to the story of Moses and Pharaoh, but indeed it is about the Promised One of Islam and his enemies at the end of the time. For it is obvious that the Qur’an has an outward and an inner meaning. In the story of the conflict between Moses and Aaron with Pharaoh and Haman, the means and causes are so arranged that the outcome of Pharaoh’s arrogance is reversed. Moreover, it stresses the role of the divine will on the delivery of the Israelites from the yoke of Pharaoh and the destruction of his people, just as it will be at the end of the time.
On this basis, the previous two verses seek to explain a universal law and in the form of the present tense, state the continuity of the divine will by extending the grand divine blessing to the downtrodden into the future. Moreover, they explain the following four issues.
1. God will make the downtrodden leaders of the earth.
2. He will make them inherit the earth, that is, He will entrust them with the government of the earth.
3. He will make their government strong and permanent.
4. He will induce fear of them into the hearts of the arrogant.
One of the verses which talks about the inheritance of the earth is the verse 128 of ’al-A’raf’:
“Moses said to his people, ‘Turn to Allah for help and be patient. The earth indeed belongs to Allah, and He gives its inheritance to whomever He wishes of His servants, and the outcome will be in favour of the Godwary.”
This verse, like the last one, narrates the conflict between Moses and Pharaoh. However, its content states a universal principle and a general rule. The verse indeed refers to three subjects:
1. Victory and salvation can be achieved through two things:
a. asking for the help and assistance of God.
b. patience and persistence in the face of difficulties and hardship.
In other words, the verse shows that salvation is not achieved easily rather it requires trust in God and perseverance. The foregoing constitutes the conditions for the victory of all people and nations. At the time of the coming of al-Mahdi (A.S.) and even before his coming all the believers should then be unwavering in these two principles, for the coming is dependent upon faith, resistance and those people who are truly ready. This is why it is said, “The best worship -or the best act- is waiting for the deliverance.”
2. Explaining the general principle that
“The earth indeed belongs to Allah, and He gives its inheritance to whomever He wishes.” This statement, in fact, explains the reason for asking God for help and perseverance, and implies that Pharaoh and all Tyrants and Dictators are not the real owners of the earth, rather, the earth belongs only to God and He gives it to whomever He wishes and takes it from whomever He desires.
3. Clarifying the universal law and the general principle that “The outcome will be in favour of the Godwary.” It is the divine will that the sovereignty and the government of the earth should belong to God-fearing servants. Therefore, if the God-fearing observe those two conditions they will inherit the earth, for man must necessarily respond to his nature in this world and move towards a just and fair life. This issue will only be possible at the end of the time and by the government of al-Mahdi, peace be upon him. So far the government of the earth has not wholly belonged to the God-fearing, but one day this universal divine decree would come to pass.
In verse 105 of ‘al-Anbiya’, the inheritance of the earth has also been stated as a universal rule:
“Certainly We wrote in the Psalms, after the Remembrance: ‘Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth’.”
Apparently by ‘remembrance’ is meant the Torah, and the verse means that soon the earth will be cleansed from polytheism, sin, oppression and corruption, and human society will once again belong to the virtuous who will reign over the earth. This verse, like the previous verses, states a universal law. The crucial point in the verse is that God says that He has mentioned this law in the Torah and the scriptures, and this shows that at the time when the faithful and the virtuous among the Israelites were at the pinnacle of their might and glory they were promised that one day the whole earth would belong to them.
It is narrated that Imam al-Baqir, peace be upon him, said interpreting ‘the righteous servants’,
“They are the companions of al-Mahdi (A.S.) at the end of the time.” It is also narrated that he said: “That is a promise to the believers that they will inherit the earth.” It is has also been narrated that Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, in his commentary on the righteous servants said: “They are; the One who Rises and his companions.”
The traditions explain that what has been mentioned in the Torah and the Psalms gives tidings of the coming of the Lord of the Time, peace be upon him, and it is an issue which deserves much more investigation just as its discussion needs further space.

The Divine Promise and the Reign of the Believers

“Allah has promised those of you who have faith and do righteous deeds that He will surely make them successors in the earth just as He made those who were before them successors, and He will surely establish for them their religion which He has approved for them, and that He will surely change their state to security after their fear, while they worship Me, not ascribing any partners to Me. And whoever is ungrateful after that-it is they who are the transgressors.” 26.
The foregoing is one of the most important verses in the Qur`an and is often quoted as evidence in the debate on messianism in Islam. The promise of the verse is related to a particular group of the believers and the righteous, to whom some tidings have been given:

  1. The control of the earth will be given to them.
  2. Their religion, i.e. the religion which is accepted by God, will spread and be established in the earth. By firmly establishing their religion is meant that there is no end, wavering or confusion in it; it will be deterred by no obstacle, and it will be professed by all people. By religion is also meant the very religion of man’s nature. Therefore, at the time of fulfilling this promise hypocrisy and disbelief will have no place in Muslim society and the society of the believers.
  3. Their fear will turn into security and peace. This will be at a time when disbelief and hypocrisy would be completely abolished and only then will the believers live in complete security.
    With the realisation of these three conditions the roots of explicit and implicit polytheism will be destroyed and man will exercise pure divine devotion. The question remains, however, which society will be this society? So far such a society has not been realised. Even at the time of the government of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his Household, and the government of the Commander of the Faithful Ali, peace be upon him, no such government with such security has ever been established just as the roots of disbelief and hypocrisy have also never been eliminated. Therefore, the verse should be related to the promise of the universal government of Imam al-Mahdi (A.S.) about whom many traditions have been reported from the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his Household, that is, he will fill the earth with justice and equity just as it had been filled with injustice and oppression. In such a society, where religion would be dominant, security would be perfectly maintained and sincerity in devotion and worship would be universal. This will be realised in the future, and its only true example would be the happy days of the reign of Imam al-Mahdi, peace upon him:
    Moreover, Imam al-Sajjad, peace be upon him, after reciting this verse said:
    “By Allah, God will do that to the followers of us, the Household of the Prophet, at the hands of one of our men. He is al-Mahdi of this community and he is the one about whom the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him and his Household, said, “Even if there remains only one day of this world, Allah will extend that day until a man from my progeny, whose name is my name, will come. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it had been filled with injustice and oppression.”

Islam, the Triumphant Religion

“It is He who has sent His Prophet with the guidance and the religion of truth that He may make it prevail over all religions though the polytheists should be averse.” 27.
By the religion of truth is meant Islam whose disciplines and decrees are all compatible with the nature of man and reality, and it will one day triumph over all religions and thought systems. But when will that day be?
Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, describing that day says:
“… and its interpretation will not be revealed until the One who Rises up appears. When he appears, there will be no unbeliever in God or disbeliever in (their) imamate who will not dislike his emergence”
Therefore, the rising and coming of the Imam of the time, peace be upon him, is the interpretation of the verse. In light of this it is understood that at that time there will be no disbelief or polytheism on earth. The previous verses have also referred to this point just as the narrations in this connection are numerous.

The Promised One in the Prophetic Tradition

The traditions dealing with messianism and knowing Imam al-Mahdi (A.S.) which have been narrated by both Shiites and Sunnis are numerous. They leave no room for doubt or hesitation that “al-Mahdi, the One who Rises up of the Household of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his Household, is the Promised One of Islam. Despite their many differences, all Muslim schools of thought are unanimous in accepting this fact. However, in this short article, we will only refer to two traditions. The first tradition deals with the character and bright countenance of Imam al-Mahdi (A.S.), and the second discusses the establishment of the government of justice.

Who is al-Mahdi?

According to our belief al-Mahdi the Promised One is the Twelfth Imam of the Household of the Prophet, peace be upon him, whose name and agnomen are the name and the agnomen of the Prophet. He is of the progeny of Imam al-Husayn, peace be upon him, and through Fatimah, peace be upon her, is related to the Holy Prophet. He was born in the middle of Sha‘ban in 255 A. H. in the city of Samarra to Narjis and Imam Hasan al-Askari.
Some Sunnis believe that Imam al-Mahdi (A.S.) has not yet been born, while many others, like the Shiites, hold that he was born in the middle of Sha‘ban in 255 A. H. as it was already mentioned by the Holy Prophet. We refer here to one tradition only.
In Yanabi al-Mawaddah, chapter 14, p. 494, it is written that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said to Jabir:
“O Jabir! Truly my vicegerents and the Imams of the Muslims after me are ‘Ali, then al-Hasan, then al-Husayn, then Ali ibn al-Husayn, then Muhammad ibn Ali who is distinguished as al-Baqir. O Jabir! You will see him, and when you see him, give my greetings to him. Then comes Ja’far ibn Muhammad, then Musa ibn Ja’far, then ‘Ali ibn Musa, then Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, then ‘Ali ibn Muhammad, then al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, then the One who Rises up, whose name is my name and his agnomen is my agnomen, the son of al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali. Through him Allah will open the east and the west of the earth, and he will be absent from his friends. No one will remain firm in belief in his imamate save one whose heart Allah has tested for belief.”

The Emergence of Complete Justice

One of the issues accepted by all Muslim schools of thought is the rising of Imam al-Mahdi at the end of the time. There are many widely transmitted traditions in this regard, and Shiite and Sunni books abound in them. Here we narrate one tradition which has been reported by both Shiite and Sunni sources, though with some difference in expression.
It is narrated by Ibn Abbas that the Apostle of Allah said, “My vicegerents and the proofs of God over all people after me are twelve (Imams). The first of them is my brother and the last of them is my son.” Then it was said, “O Apostle of Allah! Who is your brother?” He answered: “He is ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.” Then it was said, “Who is your son?” He answered: “He is al-Mahdi, who will fill [the earth] with justice and equity as it has been filled with injustice and oppression. By God Who sent me to give tidings [to people], if there remains only one day of the world, Allah will extend that day until my son appears so Jesus son of Mary will descend and will stand in prayers behind him. Then the earth will be illuminated by the light of its Lord, and his sovereignty will cover the East and the West.”
These traditions are among the widely transmitted traditions which have been reported in most of the valid Shiite and Sunni books of traditions. The tradition mentioned is very famous, and its content is so clear that it is not possible to raise any questions about its chain of transmission. It stresses that in the age known as the end of the time, social, political, cultural and economical problems will become so predominant that human civilisation will be subjected to collapse and injustice and oppression will dominate and spread all over the world. Following such a fall the coming and rising of Imam al-Mahdi, peace be upon him, will begin, and then just government will dominate the earth replacing societies that have been dominated by oppression and division.
Now, although some people do not consider Imam Mahdi, the Lord of the Time, as their Promised One, all Divine Prophets have declared his coming. Imam al-Mahdi is the Promised One of Abraham the Friend of God, of Moses the Interlocutor of God, of Jesus the Spirit of God, and of Muhammad the Apostle of God, peace be upon all of them, who will come and fill this dark world with justice and spirituality. In such a world God alone will be worshipped, and there will be no polytheism, even though the polytheists and the obstinate would dislike the coming of that day.


Notes
* An abridged version of Sa’id Lawasani’s “Messianism in Abrahamic Religions”.
1- Moses was appointed to deliver the Israelites from captivity. In this time, “Moses said to the true God: Here am I. 28 In return, Moses received this Divine Promise: “… I will be with you …“ 29. In spite of this , Moses fearfully and reluctantly raised another question: “ then Moses said to the true God: “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “the God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them? God said to Moses: “ehyeh ser ehyeh (I AM WHO I AM)” 30. As was explained in the text, the exact meaning of the word is that ‘I am with you’. The holy Hebrew “ YHWH” suggests the same meaning too; as we can see in the mentioned verse: “say to them that God has sent me to you.”
2- “And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be My people.“ 31
3- “On that day Jehovah concluded with Abram a covenant, saying: “To your seed I will give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.” 32
4- “ They went waging war against Midian, Just as Jehovah had commanded Moses, and they proceeded to kill every male. And they killed the kings of Midian … But they carried off the women of Midian and the little ones captive… “33. It is very far from the holy realm of Moses, the Interlocutor of Allah, to do such cruel acts. In fact, such cruelties are the behaviors of the Zionists as we see and hear everyday regarding the Palestinians in their occupied lands, and immaculate is the realm of this great apostle of God .
5- Abraham’s arrival in the land of Canaan occurred in 1800 B. C. The Jews’ exodus from Egypt goes back to 1440 B.C. See The History of the Jewish People, vol 2.
6- “Masihgha which is pronounced in Latin as “Messiah” has entered the Arabic from the Syriac language. At the time of the prophets of the Israelites, these people poured and anointed holy oil over the heads of kings in a special ceremony. After the ceremony the kings were called Mashiah: and it was necessary for them to be obeyed by all. Gradually the word “Mashiah“ was changed as a title to refer to the ideal King or the Promised One and the deliverer of Jews. See: Husayn Tawfiqi; Hezaregraei dar Tarikh-e- Massihiyyat; Daftar Nashr Farhang-e-Islami
7- “Then Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said: “Has not Jehovah anointed you to be prince over his people Israel?“ 34
8- See: 2 Samuel, 5:1-9, 23 :8- 39, 6:1-23, 7: 1-2; and see: 1 Chronicles, 11:1-9, and 11:10-12, and 13;1-24, and 15:1-16, and 17:1-27. Regarding David’s power and Solomon’s dignity and sovereignty see: 1 Chronicles, 21:22-28 and 1 Kings, 1:1-2, 5: 1-7 7: 1-8, 8: 1-9, and: 10-25; and see: 2 Chronicles, 1:1-13, 1: 14-17, 2:1-5, and 5:2-8.
9- Daghighiyan, Shirin Dokht; Nardebani be Asseman Niayeshgah dar Tarikh va Falsafahye Yahood; Vida, 1379; p. 108. It is necessary to note that we do not agree with all views of the author.
10- Kereston Jelius; Entezar-e Masiha… Also see: 2 Samuel, 7: 12-16; and 1 Kings, 2:24.
11- Song of Solomon, 2:10-14 .
12- Hakkakiyan, Soleyman; Mashih dar Din-e-Yahood, see: www.Zohoor.net; Mr. Hakkakiyan is one of the spiritual leaders of Iranian Jews.
13- Durant, Will, History of Civilization, Vol.1.
14- The outstanding characteristic of this principle at that time is that the view was about the end of the time. See: Isaiah, 9 :5-7. Entezar dar Aeen-e-yahood.
15- “ben’ Adam” is a Hebrew word. Regarding its meaning see: Qamus-e-Ketab Moqaddas, p. 219; and the books of the Old Testament.
16- See the Talmud.
17- Ibid.
18- Ibid.
19- Ibid.
20- Soleyman Hakkian has discussed this in his speech in the “Festival of Awaiting’’ dated 17/8/79. See: www.Zohoor.net
21- See the Talmud.
22- See the speech of Soleyman Hakkian
23- Regarding the view of the Talmud we used all the issues from a Persian book named Ganginei Az Tamud.
24- Qamus Ketab Moqaddas, p. 806.
25- See also: Matthew, 21:9 ; and Luke 19:38.
26- K. H., Jesus;
27- Mashruh, ‘Ali Ahmad ‘Ali; Ma dha Yaqool al-Yahood an al-Massih wa al-Massihiin wa moqaddasatehim wa Engilihim?
28- Also in Surat al-Nisa, verses 157 and 171-2, Jesus is introduced as the Messiah. See Mostafavi, Hassan; al-Tahqiq fi Kalimat al-Qur’an al-Karim, Wezarat al-Irshad al-Islami , 1369, vol 11, pp. 98-101.
29- Movahhedian Attar, ‘Ali;, Gooneshenasi Andishe Moud Dar Adyan Mokhtalif ’’ “Fasalnameh Haft Asseman, year 3, and 4; vol 12 and 13; 1380 and 1381.
30- Usul-e- Massihiyyat , p. 156.
31- This view is similar to Daniel’s Visions (7:25, 11:31 and 12:11) and the Revelation of John (the whole book, especially 19:11- 16).
32- Movahhedian Attar, ‘Ali; “Gooneshenasi Andishe Mo’ud Dar Adyan Mokhtalif”. Concerning the principle of “ the Holy Ghost ’’ in Christianity see Usul–e-Massihiyyat, pp. 53-67.
33- See “Gooneshensai Andishe Mo’ud Dar Adyan Mokhtalif” ; and Fakhr al-Islam, Muhammad Sadiq, Anis al-Alam, vol 5; and Sobhani Jaafar, “Ahmad Moud-e-Engil” ; and Pur Muhammad Mohsen, “Payambar Akram Dar Ahdayn;“ www.qabas.org
34- Al–Bahrani Sayyid Hashim, Al-Mahajja fima Nazale fi al-Qaem al-Hojjah, ed. Muhammad Monir al-Milan , Muassasat al–Wafa, Beirut, 1403. The editor has added 12 verses to this book.
35- Al-Amidi Sayyid Hashim, Dar Entezar Qoqnoon, translated and edited by Mehdi Alizade, Muassasat Imam Khomeini, 1379, p. 81.
36- Al-Ragheb al-Isfahani, Mojam Mofradat Alfaz al-Qur’an, ed. Nadim Marashli, al-Maktabat al- Mortazaviyya, Tehran.
37- Tabatabai, Sayyid Muhammad Hossein, al–Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an , Dar al-Kotob al-Islamiyya, Tehran, 1379 A.H., vol 16, p.18.
38- Al-Koleini Theqat al-Islam, Dar al–Kotob al–Islamiyya, Tehran, 1367 A. H. vol. 2, p. 518; The Prophet said: “The Qur’an has an exterior and an interior meaning; its exterior is judgment, and its interior is knowledge; its exterior is elegant, and its interior is deep.
39- There are many traditions about this subject: al-Majlisi has mentioned 77 traditions in his book Bihar al- Anwar vol. 52 , chapter 22.
40- Al–Mizan fi Tafsir al- Qur’an, vol. 8, pp. 235-236. Concerning the tradition related to the verse see: Tafsir Kanz al–Daqa’iq; vol.5, pp. 154-155; and Al- Bahrani, Sayyid Hashim al-Hosseini, al-Mahajja fima Nazal fi al-Qaem al–Hujja, ed. Muhammad Monir al-Milani, Muassasat al- Wafa, Beirut, 1403, p. 273.
41- Al-Mahajja fima Nazal fi al-Qaem al-Hujja, p.141. They are companions of Imam al-Mahdi at the end of time.
42- Al-Tusi, Abu Jafar. Muhammad Ibn al-Hassan Ibn ‘Ali, al-Tebyan fI Tafsir al-Qur’an, ed. Ahmad Habib Qasir al-Ameli, Maktabat al-Alam al-Islami, 1409 , Qom, vol. l7, p. 283.
43- Al- Qomi, ‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Hashim, Tafsir Qomi, Muassasat Dar al–Katab, Qom, vol. 2, p. 77.
44- See: Tafsir Qomi, vol. 2, p. 126.
45- Surat al-Rum, 30; and Al-Imran, 18.
46- Kanz al-Daqa’q, vol. 9, p. 336 .
47- See Tafsir Qomi, vol.1, p. 289 ; and al- Mizan, vol.9, p. 255.
48- Al- Mizan, vol.9, p. 294. Kanz al-Daqa’q, vol.13, p. 233. Al-Mahajja fima Nazal, fi al-Hujja, p. 208 and pp. 85-88
49- See: Abu Maash Saeed, al-Imam al-Mahdi fi al–Qur’an wa al–Sunna, Bonyad Pajooheshhaye Islami, Mashad, 1380, pp. 337-8. He has narrated a long tradition from the Prophet in which all names of Imams are introduced to Salman.
50- Dar Entezar Qoqnoos, pp. 92-197. The writer has mentioned a detailed discussion from Shiite and Sunni viewpoints, which is very useful.
51- Also see: Ibid; and Attefaq Dar Mahdi Moaood which is a small yet very useful book.
52- Amin al-Islam Tabarsi, Abu ‘Ali Fad. ibn Hassam ibn Fad, I’lam al-Wara Be A’lam al- Huda, ed. Muhammad Mahdi , Sayyid Hassan Khorasani, Dar al-Kotob al-Islamiyya, 1390 A. H. p. 291 .
53- Attefaq Dar Mahdi Mouood, pp. 97-98. This book has mentioned 20 books from Sunni scholars who narrated this tradition. Here, we refer only to some valid traditional books of Sunnites :
A. Al- Sajestani, ibn al-Ashath, Sunan Abi Dawod, ed. Saeed Muhammad, Dar al-fekr, Beirut, 1410, vol. 2, pp.309-310 The author has mentioned traditions about al-Mahdi under the tittle “Kitab al-Mahdi “from Abd Allah ibn Umar.
B. Al-Tirmidhi, Muhammad ibn Issa, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, ed. Abd al-Rahman Muhammad Uthman, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1403, vol. 3, p. 343. After narrating the tradition, the author quoted from Abu Huraira the following: “This is an acceptable and genuine tradition.”
C. Al- Mobar Kafuri , Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi fi Sharh al-Tirmidhi, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya, Beirut, 1410, vo.2, p. 401-405; also see the chapter about al-Mahdi , pp. 343-344.
D. Al-Tabarani, Suleyman ibn Ahmad ibn Ayyub al-Lahni, Al-Mu’jam al –Kabir, ed. Abd al-Majid al Salafi, Dar al-Ihya al–Turath al-Arabi, Beirut, and Maktabat Ibn Tiymiyya,Cairo, vol. 10, p. 135.
E. Al-Suyuti, Jalal al-Din ibn Abi Bakr, al-Jami’ al-Saghir, Dar al-Fikr, Beirut, 1401, vol. 2, p. 438. 35

References:
  1. Genesis 1: 12–24:14[↩]
  2. Numbers 7:31[↩]
  3. Genesis 36: 37[↩]
  4. Ibid 31: 1–41[↩]
  5. Ibid 39: 1–20[↩]
  6. Ibid 41: 37 – 51[↩]
  7. Genesis 46: 1–50[↩]
  8. 1 Samuel 10:1[↩]
  9. Samuel 10:27[↩]
  10. Mathew 1: 18 – 25[↩]
  11. Mathew 1: 1–16[↩]
  12. Mathew 2: 2[↩]
  13. Ibid. 3: 2[↩]
  14. Mark 11: 9 – 10[↩]
  15. Mark 14: 61 – 62[↩]
  16. John 4: 42[↩]
  17. Hebrews 9: 28[↩]
  18. Mathew 24: 36[↩][↩]
  19. John 14: 3[↩][↩]
  20. Mathew 16: 27[↩]
  21. Acts 1: 11[↩]
  22. Mathew 25: 14 – 30[↩]
  23. John 2: 18 and 2 Thessalonians 2: 3[↩]
  24. John 16: 7[↩]
  25. John 14: 16 – 17[↩]
  26. al-Nur 55[↩]
  27. al-Tawbah 32 and al-Saff 9[↩]
  28. Exodus, 3:11[↩]
  29. Exodus, 3:12[↩]
  30. Exodus, 3: 13-14[↩]
  31. Leviticus, 26:12[↩]
  32. Genesis: 18[↩]
  33. see Numbers: 31:7-18[↩]
  34. 1 Samuel[↩]
  35. Imam Reza (A.S.) Network[↩]
[Quran Chapter 30:5-6] 5. In Allah's support. He supports whomever He wills. He is the Almighty, the Merciful. 6. The promise of Allah—Allah never breaks His promise, but most people do not know.

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