IN THE END TIMES, RELIGIOUS MORAL
VALUES WILL GOVERN THE WORLD

Allah has promised in Qur'an that He will cause the moral values of Islam, the true faith, to reign supreme on Earth and to give power and dominion to His believing servants. This promise, which by God's permission will come true, is revealed in the Qur'an:

Allah has promised those of you who believe and do right actions that He will make them successors in the land as He made those before them successors, and will firmly establish for them their religion with which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security... (Surat an-Nur, 55)

They desire to extinguish Allah's light with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, though the unbelievers hate it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, though the polytheists hate it. (Surat as-Saff, 8-9)

They desire to extinguish Allah's light with their mouths. But Allah refuses to do other than perfect His light, even though the unbelievers detest it. It is He Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion, even though the polytheists detest it. (Sura at-Tawba, 32-33)

As revealed in the Qur'an, the rule of Islamic moral values is a promise of Allah's, one which our Lord will indubitably keep. The moral values to reign over the world will be those of the true faith in the eyes of our Lord. That faith is the pure faith of Prophet Abraham (pbuh), and the fact that these moral values are those of Islam is revealed in these terms in the Qur'an:

The religion with Allah is Islam. . . . (Surah Al'Imran, 19)

In the Qur'an, it is also revealed that communities of the faithful will most certainly have a leader at their head. In the End Times, the period through which we are living, the Mahdi will lead the faithful under the moral values of Islam, as is revealed in mutawatir (authentic) hadith of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

Several hadiths reveal that the name of the Mahdi will be compatible with that of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Some of these hadiths read as follows:

O People, certain it is that Almighty Allah has forbidden you the oppressors, the hypocrites, and those who follow them, and has made the Mahdi, the most auspicious of the community of Muhammad, he who is in Mecca, whose name is Ahmad, son of Abdullah, your leader. Join him. (Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar Fi alamat Al-Mahdi Al-Muntazar, p. 31.)

A voice will be heard from the sky: "O People, Allah has now removed the despots, the hypocrites and their helpers from you. He has placed the most auspicious of the Community of Muhammad at your head. Join him in Mecca. He is the Mahdi. His name is Ahmad bin Abdullah. Another account states: "He has appointed Jabir, the most auspicious of the Community of Muhammad, over you. Join him in Mecca, for he is the Mahdi. His name is Muhammad bin Abdullah!" (Alamat al-Qiyama, Madina Allama Muhammad bin Rasul al-Hussain al-Barzanji, Pamuk Publishing, 8th edition, p. 165.)

The names "Muhammad," which is that of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and "Ahmad"- which indicate the Mahdi in the hadith - stem from the same verb in Arabic; Ahmad means "worthy of the highest praise" or "the most lauded," while "Muhammad" means "praised over and over again." In terms of meaning therefore, and as revealed in the hadith, the two names are compatible with one another.

One indicative verse on this subject reads:

. . . I am the Messenger of Allah. . . giving you the good news of a Messenger after me whose name is Ahmad. . . . (Surat as-Saff, 6)

In Judaic sources, this individual who will establish dominion is referred to as the Messiah (or "anointed king"). The important thing, however, is not the name given to this person, who may be called by various names. What is certain is Allah's promise of the rule of the moral values of Islam. There will be a community of true believers and at their head, a holy individual who will be a means whereby this comes about.

The Messiah Awaited by the Jews and the Mahdi Awaited
by Muslims Are One and the Same Holy Personage

The term "Messiah," also known as the "awaited savior" in the revealed faiths, is manifested as the Mahdi in Islamic belief. The system of the Mahdi in Islam appears as the "Messiah" in Judaic scriptures. However, Prophet Jesus (pbuh), whose second coming as the Messiah is awaited by Christians, is not the Mahdi. Muslims also believe that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth during the End Times; however, when Prophet Jesus (pbuh) does return, he will do so as a follower of the Mahdi-with whom, by Allah's leave, he will help Islamic moral values to prevail across the world.

According to reliable reports handed on from our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), "Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will perform the prayer behind the Mahdi." (Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar Fi alamat Al-Mahdi Al-Muntazar, p. 24.)

This report appears as follows in other hadiths:

The Prophet Jesus will appear from the sky and accept his sovereignty. People will say to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) "Lead the prayer," but he will respond, "The sovereign is among you." He will say, "This is a gift of Allah to the community of Muhammad." (Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar Fi alamat Al-Mahdi Al-Muntazar, p. 24.)

When the Mahdi is performing the morning prayer with the faithful at the Bayt al-Maqdis, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will appear, and the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will place his hands on his shoulder and say, "The call to the prayer has been issued for you, so you must lead it," and finally the Mahdi will lead the Prophet Jesus (as) and the faithful in prayer. (Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar Fi alamat Al-Mahdi Al-Muntazar, p. 25.)

It is also revealed in authentic hadith of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the Mahdi will appear at the same time and fight together to impose Islamic moral values over the world. These facts, which appear in several authentic hadiths, show that Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the Mahdi will meet when they appear, and will have a dialogue between them.

The Messiah awaited by the Jews, on the other hand, is in fact the blessed Mahdi. In Judaic texts, the term "Messiah" is also used to refer to all kings, high priests and some warriors, so that the concept is used to describing those "charged with serving and close to God." However, the Messiah awaited by the Jews is an envoy, a religious leader who will be sent by Allah in the End Times, bring the world under his dominion and, by the will of Allah, turn people towards His path. And this description fits the Mahdi in Islam.

In addition, an examination of the Old Testament and other Judaic scriptures shows that the individual described as the Messiah possesses the characteristics of the blessed Mahdi, and that their activities and changes these two will bring about in the world are exactly the same. For that reason, the Messiah awaited by the Jews is really the Mahdi.

In the hadiths of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the Mahdi's resemblance to the People of Israel, the descendants of the prophets, is highly significant. Some of the hadiths on this subject read as follows:

The blessed Mahdi's stature and posture resemble those of the People of Israel. (Al-Qawl Al-Mukhtasar Fi alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, pp. 36-29.)

His body is an Israelite one. (Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 24.)

The Mahdi is like one of the People of Israel. (His demeanor resembles theirs, it is majestic and wise) (Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, pp. 23-30.)

The blessed Mahdi has an Israelite body. He resembles one of the greatest of the People of Israel. (Ibn Hajar al-Makki)

His body is like that one of an Israelite. (Mar'i ibn Yusuf al-Maqdisi, Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar)

He will resemble one of the Israelites [in his external appearance]. (Al-Uqayli, An-Najmu's-saqib fi Bayan Anna'l Mahdi min Awladi Ali b. Abu Talib Ale't-Tamam ve'l Qamal)

It is as if he is a man from the people of Israel. (Nuaym ibn Hammad, vr. 52a; Mar'i ibn Yusuf al-Maqdisi, Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar)
Allah reveals in the Qur'an that He has chosen and sanctified Prophet Abraham (pbuh) and his line (Surat al-Baqara, 130, Surah Al'Imran, 33). The same information also appears in the Judaic Old Testament (Genesis, 22:17, 12:2).