Based on some of the explanations of Muhammad (saw), the spiritually guided ones and those who belong to the religion of Islam believe that Allah sends a reviver of religion (mujaddid), whose task is to spread the religion of Islam, every century. 

The duty of this person, based on the explanations of the Rasul of Allah (saw) is to explain the religion of Islam according to the understanding of the present time, to show the people that religion is not something pertaining to the past, and to guide them to the reality. 

The only direct descendant of the Rasul of Allah (saw) whose name was Mahdi, his twelfth grandson, fell into a well and died of drowning at the age of six. The awaited Mahdi has nothing to do with this person. 

“Mahdi” is the nickname of the awaited one…

In some of his explanations, the Rasul of Allah (saw) says “A reviver carrying my name will come in the future who will...” Some commentators interpreted this assertion as though the actual name of the person will either be ‘Ahmed’ or ‘Muhammad’. As a matter of fact, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian thought that he was the Mahdi himself, because his name was ‘Ahmed’ and he was manipulated by the jinn. 

There is extensive information on this subject in the hadith collection called ‘Ibn Majah. 

Imam Al-Rabbani Ahmad Farooq Sirhindi is a very well-known character among the Sufis who became famous as the reviver of the year 2000 according to the Islamic calendar. In his book named Maktubat (The Letters), he gives us the following information about the rank of the ‘Mahdi’: 

 

“The Rabb of the Mahdi of whose coming we have been informed is the attribute of knowledge.

Like Hadhrat Ali (ra), this noble person too is connected to Jesus (pbuh). 

It is almost as though one foot of Jesus (pbuh) is on the head of Hadhrat Ali (ra) and the other foot is on the head of the Mahdi.” 

 

In the Encyclopedia of Islam, the following information is given in regards to the expected person referred to as Mahdi: 

 “The meaning of Mahdi is a person who is divinely guided by Allah. This word was used in the past, both to refer to certain individuals in the past and in reference to one particular individual who is expected to arrive before the doomsday. 

This word was used for the first time to refer to the caliph of the state of the Amawis, Omar the second, who was known as the ‘Mujaddid’ (Reviver) and accepted as an honorable figure, blessed with the guidance of Allah. 

In later years, however, Omar the second was accepted to be the first Mujaddid (Reviver) and the 7th (and final) would either be ‘Mahdi’ or ‘Jesus’ based on two different views.”

 

In his book called ‘Muqaddima’ (Introduction), Ibn Khaldun states the following about the person referred as the ‘Mahdi’ in the section titled ‘The descendants of Fatima, the position people take concerning her, and the clarification of this matter’ 

“Know that it has been commonly accepted among the people of Islam throughout the ages that there must be at the end of time the appearance of a man from the lineage of the Rasul of Allah (saw) who will help the religion and bring justice and whom the Muslims will follow and who will gain control over the Islamic lands, and who will be called the Mahdi. 

As for his ruling over the world, this will take place with the descension of Jesus (pbuh).

After this the other signs of the Doomsday will transpire and the advent of the Dajjal (Antichrist) will take place. 

Jesus (pbuh) will descend after the appearance of the Dajjal (Antichrist) and will kill the Dajjal who will emerge soon after the appearance of the Mahdi.”

 

In his book ‘Muqaddima’ (Introduction), Ibn Khaldun recounts twenty-four hadith in detail regarding the Mahdi, including six different versions, and questions their authenticity. In 14 of these hadith the Reviver (Mujaddid) is referred to as the ‘Mahdi’. 

The discussions that are held and debated over the issue of ‘Mahdi’ within the Islamic community have continued in this manner. 

Similarly, it is a common belief in the Islamic world that the Doomsday is going to take place before the year 1600 according to Islamic calendar. This is being derived from the answer given to the following question that was asked to Muhammad (saw): “O Rasul of Allah (saw), when will the Doomsday take place?” The Rasul of Allah (saw) answers, “If my community does well, it will be after the year 1000!”

Likewise, the expression that is commonly used among the public that the day of resurrection will not take place before 1500 or after 1600 is purely based on this hadith.

As the figure 2000 is not mentioned, the commentators have construed that the doomsday will take place between the years 1000 and 2000, which by an approximate calculation coincides somewhere between the years 1400 and 1600 according to the Islamic calendar. 

Taking into account the fact that in every 200 years a new Mujaddid (Reviver) is expected, some Muslims calculated that the final and the 7th Mujaddid will arrive around the beginning of the year 1400, and since he will be the final Mujaddid he will be called the ‘Mahdi’. 

Again, the same people assert that the person who will be called the ‘Mahdi’ will also be a saint of the highest rank. He will be able to observe any point in the world at any moment he wishes, and have enough power to rule wherever he wants, whenever he wants. He will remove the blasphemy from the Islamic world and together with Jesus (pbuh) who will descend after the Mahdi, he will teach and spread Islam all over the world, abolishing all the sects and madhaps. He will also enliven the system of belief that was prevalent during the time of the Rasul of Allah (saw).

Many people who lived in various times and places claimed, either explicitly or implicitly, that they were indeed the Mahdi, and this is still the case today. Such people easily deceive the people around them taking advantage of their lack of knowledge. Most of them are ruled by the jinn, albeit they are mostly unaware of it. They believe they are the mahdi because of the delusion the jinn cause them through the dreams they see and the visions or epiphanies they receive!

As far as I know, the only way to be exempt from the influence of these people who delude many people through the support of the jinn is by having knowledge and reciting the “prayer of jinn.” 

There is no definite evidence for the exact date the Mahdi will appear, though for the Muslims his arrival can be any moment. Even the saints, with the exception of those in the ‘SUPREME COUNCIL OF SAINTS’ have no knowledge on this matter. 

As we get closer to seventeen past the year 1400, according to the Islamic calendar, this topic has become more popular and resultantly, there has been a significant increase in the number of people who claim to be the Mahdi.

It’s a pity to see so many people who think they are the Mahdi due to their insufficient knowledge and the misguidance of the jinn, leading many others astray and becoming a source of amusement for the jinn.