By: Hazrath Syed Ali Bartar Esq.

This is a part of the translation of the verse 17 of surah “HUD”. The complete verse speaks thus:

Translation: “Is he to be counted equal with them (or him) who relieth on a clear proof from his lord (Allah) and a witness from him reciteth it and before it was the book of Moses an example and a mercy? Such believe therein ,and who so disbelieveth there in of the clans, the fire is his appointed place. So be not in doubt concerning it (him). Lo, it is the truth from your Lord but most of the mankind believe not.”
 

{The words in the brackets are by the writer of the essay}
 

The above verse starts with a question the answer of which is in negative. A person who stands on a clear proof from Allah can not be counted to other person or persons. The word Baiyyana (Arabic) meaning a clear proof from Allah is used on occasions when the Omnipotence and the great powers of Allah are to be shown. This word is generally used when mention is made of a prophet.

Now let us consider who is the person mentioned here on a clear proof of Allah. To add to the word “Baiyyana” other words

"Mirrabbihi” (from the Lord Allah) have also been mentioned. This adds to the status and position of the person who is mentioned. Can some pious men or a pious person be the man who is mentioned here? The answer will be negative. They can not be mentioned as on a clear proof from Allah because the person mentioned here must be the Prophet or a person who is of the rank of a Prophet or Caliph of Allah (Khalifatullah). Can the person be Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) himself? There is no possibility of mentioning Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) here. In the later part of the verse it is mentioned “be not thou, in doubt concerning him”. The address is to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) from Allah. Now Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) can not be in doubt about himself. He has been appointed Prophet and he is sure of his prophet- hood.

Some people feel that Quran is mentioned in this verse and the Prophet is asked not to be in doubt about it. This is also not correct because the Quran is revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) and so he can not be in doubt about it.

The verse therefore does not refer to a common pious man, and cannot be about our Prophet (s.a.s) and not even about the Quran. It refers clearly to a personality who will be a savior of Prophet’s Ummah. He is a Caliph of Allah (khalifatullah) and believing in him will be necessary as believing in the Prophet Muhammad to be a Muslim. Because he is to come in future, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) {and his Ummah} has been asked not to be in doubt concerning him. To give a further stress the verse mentions that his coming is a fact (a truth from Allah). It has also been clearly mentioned in the verse that those who do not believe in him will be led to hell. Which is their appointed place.

The person mentioned in this verse is no else than Hazrath Syed Muhammad Juanpuri, Mehdi (a.h.s) in whom believe (Tasdeeq) is a must for all the Muslim after his advent.

There are two witnesses about Hazrath Mehdi (a.h.s) in the verse. They are the Quran and the Book of Moses (torah). The Quran is a witness of the advent of Mahdi (a.h.s) because as per the sayings (Farameen) of Hazrath Mahdi (a.h.s), there are eighteen verses of Quran, which mentions Hazrath Mahdi (a.h.s) or the community of Mehdi (Qaum-e-Mahdi). The verses specified about elaborately explained

By a Tauba’i Hazrath Abdul Ghafoor Sajawandi in his booklet “Hazda Aayat”.

The Torah is also a witness about the advent of Mahdi (a.h.s). A well known Taba’i of Hazrath Rasoolullah (s.a.s) have said that he had read about Mahdi in the earlier books.

Hazrath Mahdi (a.h.s) has also said that this verse is specifically meant for his advent and his complete following of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) as per direct revelation from Allah [(Wahi-e-Bila wasta)”i.e.wahi without the medium of angel in between]

Hazrath Muhammad Rasoolullah (s.a.s) does not say anything [about deen] from his own. His word is Wahi (Surah An-Najm). So the Prophet's so many traditions about the advent of Hazrath Mahdi (a.h.s) are in complete accordance with Quran and as what he directly had from Allah. Some of the sahih Ahadiths of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) are mentioned here which points out the importance and position of Hazrath Mahdi (a.h.s) and the certainty of his advent. Only a very few traditions are being referred to here although the total number of traditions about Mahdi (a.h.s) are more than three hundred.

Because of the great number of traditions they are called Ahadiths “Mutawatir” and no Muslim can deny the advent of Mahdi (a.h.s).

1. Hazrath Ibn Masud RZ said “Hazrath Rasooullah (s.a.s) said the world will not come to an end. Unless Allah will send from my Ahl-e-Bait a person, whose name will be my name and whose father’s name will be like my father’s name and who will fill the world with justice as it will be filled with atrocities”.

{This Hadith has been collected by Tibrani, Abu nayeem Hakim andOthers}

This Hadith speaks of the importance of the advent of Mahdi (a.h.s.).Abu Dawood and Ahmed also have narrated Traditions of such meaning.

2. Traditions told by Ibn-Abbas RZ and Ali RZ are collected by different persons giving the following information:

Hazrath Rasoolullah said “my ummah will not perish because I am in the beginning of it, Eisa ibn Maryam is at the end and Mahdi from my Ahl-e-Bait is in the middle. [Ahmed bin Hambal and Mishqat]

This hadith points out not only the time of advent of Mahdi but also his position as a saviour of the Ummah along with Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) and Prophet Esa (a.h.s). It also signifies the different periods of the advent of Mahdi (a.h.s) and nullifies the idea that Mahdi and Esa are one person.

3. Ibn Maja and others quote a lengthy tradition by Hazrath Thauban RZ, the last part of it is like this:
…Then Mahdi will come, said Rasoolullah, when you hear about him go and do covenant (Bai’at) upon his hand even though you have to crawl over the ice.

This is because Mahdi is the Caliph of Allah (Khalifatullah).

This Hadith and some other Hadiths speak that Mahdi is the Caliph of Allah and his allegiance and “Tasdeeq” are necessary to be a Momin. Caliph lifa of Allah is just like a prophet in position.

4. A Hadith told by some seers of Islam and counted by all Muslims runs like this:
Rasoolullah (s.a.s) said,” Mahdi is from me. He follows me in completion and does not err.”

This hadith points out that Mahdi is from the Ahl-e-Bait of Rasoolullah. He completely follows the prophet without making any mistake. This makes Mahdi Masum as the prophet himself, a position that only prophet can hold. No other person in the Ummah of the prophet is Masum because no one except Mahdi is the Caliph of Allah (khalifatullah) in the Ummah of the Prophet (s.a.s)

It has been briefly shown what Quran and traditions of Rasoolullah (s.a.s) say about the advent and importance of Mahdi (a.h.s). Hence almost all the groups of Islam understand this and they feel the advent of Mahdi is a must.

Whenever a person claims to be a Mahdi, it is the responsibility of the people to go through the life and teachings of that person. If they find him to be true, they must accept him and follow him. If on the other hand the claimant is false they must reject him. This is a very delicate position because if they reject a true claimant or accept a false claimant, this will be disastrous for them.

We Mehdavies believe that Hazrath Syed Muhammad Juanpuri (847-910H) was the true and promised Mahdi {Mahdi-Al-Maud}. His life and character has been exemplary. Even people of his times and after, who ever not Mehdavis, praised him and acknowledge him as a true Wali and Saint. His long Hijrah, his Quranic explanation and his character, a true copy of the character of Muhammad (s.a.s), are in themselves a testimony of his being the promised Mahdi. He claimed to be the Mahdi on the commands of Allah. This he did for three times, the last time at Badli (905H) with a warning that he must be accepted as Mahdi to be a Muslim.

Early Muslim saints {before the advent of Mahdi (a.h.s)}have argued that Mahdi will be the “Mazhar-e-Vilayat-e-Muhammadia” and will propagate, preach and teach all that vilayat-e-Muhammadia consists of. Hazrath Mahdi (a.h.s) himself has said that though Rasoolullah (s.a.s) was vilayat from head to foot, was not appointed to explain the details of vilayat (Ahkam-e-vilayat) in a general way (Bar-sabeel-id-daawat) to all the people. He said he (Mahdi) was appointed for that. There are two sides of the Prophet, - Prophet-hood(Nabuwat) and Vilayat. Our prophet (s.a.s) had already completed the teachings of Shariyah in his times and later Mahdi (a.h.s)’s teachings completed the Vilayat. Both these are the indispensable parts of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s)’s prophet hood. As Mahdi is Mazher-e-Vilayat-e-Muhammadia, he must be acknowledged and accepted by the people to be Momin.

Hazrath wali yousuf (r.z) the compiler of the Naqliyat in “Insafnama” writes:

The Jews and the Christians denied the Prophet’s Nabuwat and remained out of Islam. Anyone denying the Prophet’s Vilayat will also be out of the folds of Islam.

Hence the acceptance of true Mahdi is a must for all the Muslims.