The Twelfth Imam (apocalyptic)

[DrGadget]

I have done some research into the Shiite Islamic Twelfth Imam, or Hidden Imam, "Muslim Messiah", or "Mahdi". As of a few months ago I had heard almost nothing of the Mahdi. I found this information by googling. This is information I found at two websites, separated by a row of plus signs. Again, I must insist that everything I have learned about the Mahdi has been found only recently, and only from the internet. I'm no expert in Islamic End Times prophecy, so bear with me.


An official state media website in Iran has posted a message heralding the coming of the Shiite messianic figure, Imam Mahdi, noting he could arrive by the spring equinox.

"Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) will appear all of a sudden on the world scene with a voice from the skies announcing his reappearance at the holy Ka'ba in Mecca," the message says.

The Islamic Republic of Iran broadcasting website said in a program called "The World toward Illumination," that the Mahdi will form an army to defeat the enemies of Islam in a series of apocalyptic battles, in which the Mahdi will overcome his archvillain in Jerusalem.

The Mahdi's far sightedness and firmness in the face of mischievous elements will strike awe. After his uprising from Mecca all of Arabia will be submit to him and then other parts of the world as he marches upon Iraq and established his seat of global government in the city of Kufa.

Then the Imam will send 10 thousand of his forces to the east and west to uproot the oppressors. At this time God will facilitate things for him and lands will come under his control one after the other. ...

After his appearance the Imam would remain in Mecca for some time, and then go to Medina. ... a descendant of the Prophet's archenemy Abu Sofyan will seize Syria and attack Iraq and the Hejaz with the ferocity of a beast ... finally Imam Mahdi sends troops who kill the Sofyani in Beit ol-Moqaddas (Jerusalem), the Islamic holy city in Palestine that is currently under occupation of the Zionists.

The Iranian series also claims the Mahdi will reappear on Earth with Jesus: "We read in the book Tazkarat ol-Olia, 'the Mahdi will come with Jesus son of Mary accompanying him.' ... Imam Mahdi will be the leader while Prophet Jesus will act as his lieutenant in the struggle against oppression and establishment of justice in the world. Jesus had himself given the tidings of the coming of God's last messenger and will see Mohammad's ideals materialize in the time of the Mahdi."


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Who Is Imam Mahdi?

Note: Please do not confuse Imam Mahdi with Hadhrat Isa (Jesus) Alayhis Salaam. They are two different persons, and both will come during the last days. According to Hadeeth, Imam Mahdi will appear first, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will appear during Imam Mahdi's lifetime. Furthermore, only Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will be able to kill Dajjal (the "anti-Christ").

The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one".

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "This world will not come to an end until one person from my progeny does not rule over the Arabs, and his name will be the same as my name." (Tirmidhi)

Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah to come, yet Allah will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initally was filled with oppression." (Abu Dawood)

His Features
Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Al Mahdi will be from my progeny. His forehead will be broad and his nose will be high. He will fill the world with justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with oppression. He will rule for seven years."

Other ahadeeth inform us that:
* He will be tall
* He will be fair complexioned
* His facial features will be similar to those of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
* His character will be exactly like that of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
* His father's name will be Abdullah
* His mother's name will be Aamina
* He will speak with a slight stutter and occasionally this stutter will frustrate him causing him to hit his hand upon his thigh.
* His age at the time of his emergence will be forty years
* He will receive Knowledge from Allah.

His Emergence and Rule

Hadhrat Umme Salmah (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, " After the death of a Ruler there will be some dispute between the people. At that time a citizen of Madina will flee (from Madinah) and go to Makkah. While in Makkah, certain people will approach him between Hajrul Aswad and Maqaame Ibraheem, and forcefully pledge their allegiance to him.

Thereafter a huge army will proceed from Syria to attack him but when they will be at Baida, which is between Makkah and Madina, they will be swallowed into the ground.

On seeing this, the Abdaals of Shaam as well as large numbers of people from Iraq will come to him and pledge their allegiance to him. Then a person from the Quraish, whose uncle will be from the Bani Kalb tribe will send an army to attack him, only to be overpowered, by the will of Allah. This (defeated) army will be that of the Bani Kalb. Unfortunate indeed is he who does not receive a share from the booty of the Kalb. This person (Imam Mahdi) will distribute the spoils of war after the battle. He will lead the people according to the Sunnat and during his reign Islam will spread throughout the world. He will remain till seven years (since his emergence). He will pass away and the Muslims will perform his Janazah salaat." (Abu Dawood)

According to a Hadeeth, Sayyidena Eesa (A.S.) will lead the Janaazah of Imam Mahdi (A.S.).
While the people will be pledging their allegiance to Imaam Mahdi, a voice from the unseen will call out:
"This is the representative of Allah,
The Mahdi, listen to him and obey him"

This announcement which will be heard by all those present will establish his authenticity. Another sign which will indicate the authenticity of Imaam Mahdi wil be that in the Ramadhaan prior to his emergence an eclipse of the sun and moon will occur.

Hadhrat Abu Umamah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (A.S.) and will be upheld for seven years."

According to hadith narrated by Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "...(regarding the rule of Imaam Mahdi) the skies will rain down in abundance and the earth will yield forth its crop in abundance, and those alive will desire that those who have already passed away should have been alive to enjoy this prosperity..."

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: "(Armies carrying) black flags will come from Khurasaan. No power will be able to stop them and they will finally reach Eela (Baitul Maqdas) where they will erect their flags."

[DrGadget]

Many of these prophecies strongly remind me of the Beast from the Bible, also commonly called the Antichrist, whose number is 666. He will be the ultimate man. He will be a more charismatic speaker than Hitler, better in battle than Julius Caesar, smarter than Einstein, etc., etc. Basically, nobody will be able to stop him, and he will rule the world. I have written this post under the assumption that the Mahdi and the Beast are the same person, which may or may not be the case. There is nobody else in Biblical prophecy who comes close to the Mahdi.

Now I will compare and contrast the Mahdi (from the above online information) to the Beast of the Bible. I will mark the Muslim prophecies with Mu** and the Christian prophecies with Ch**. I haven't listed all the Christian sources, so if you have a question as to where I got the information, just ask me. ALL of my Muslim sources are from the online information above, which I will quote.

Some of these prophecies are the same, some are a bit different, and some are completely different or opposite. I have grouped them accordingly.


*** VERY SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL

Mu* Mahdi will return before Jesus
Ch* The Beast appears before Jesus

Mu* Mahdi will be fierce in battle
Ch* The Beast will be fierce in battle

Mu* Mahdi kills the “Sofyani” in Jerusalem.
Ch* The Beast wages war against the holy city.

Mu* God will facilitate things for the Mahdi and lands will come under his control.
Ch* God allows the Beast to invade and conquer many countries.

Mu* The Mahdi's far sightedness and firmness in the face of mischievous elements will strike awe.
Ch* People of the world will be in awe of the Beast and worship him.

Mu* After his uprising from Mecca all of Arabia will be submit to him and then other parts of the world...
Ch* The Beast will control all the world. There will be no safe place from him.

Mu* ...as he marches upon Iraq and established his seat of global government in the city of Kufa.
Ch* One of his places of power will be Babylon (Iraq). Babylon will control the world’s currency.

Mu* The Mahdi will form an army to defeat the enemies of Islam in a series of apocalyptic battles...
Ch* The Beast will form an apocalyptic army and attack his archenemy in Jerusalem.

Mu* "Imam Mahdi will appear all of a sudden on the world scene with a voice from the skies announcing his reappearance at the holy Ka'ba in Mecca,"
Ch* If it were possible, even the very elect will be deceived by the Beast (Matthew 24:24).

Mu* Please do not confuse Imam Mahdi with Hadhrat Isa (Jesus) Alayhis Salaam. They are two different persons, and both will come during the last days...
Ch* The Beast and Jesus are not the same person. Both will come during the last days.

Mu* ... Imam Mahdi will appear first, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will appear during Imam Mahdi's lifetime...
Ch* The Beast will appear first, and Jesus will appear later, at the end of the seven years.

Mu* Al Mahdi will be from my progeny...
Ch* The Beast will come from the “sea” (non-Jews) (Revelation 13:1).

Mu* ... He will rule for seven years.
Ch* The Beast will rule for seven years.

Mu* Thereafter a huge army will proceed from Syria to attack him but when they will be at Baida, which is between Makkah and Madina, they will be swallowed into the ground.
Ch* The Beast will have all power to perform signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9).

Mu* He will lead the people according to the Sunnat and during his reign Islam will spread throughout the world...
Ch* The Beast will conquer the whole world.

Mu* ... He will remain till seven years (since his emergence)...
Ch* The Beast shall rule seven years.

Mu* ...He will pass away...
Ch* The Beast dies with all his armies at the Battle of Armageddon.

Mu* Another sign which will indicate the authenticity of Imaam Mahdi wil be that in the Ramadhaan prior to his emergence an eclipse of the sun and moon will occur.
Ch* Matthew 24:29
[29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mu* ...only Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will be able to kill Dajjal (the "anti-Christ").
Ch* Only Jesus will be able to kill the antichrist (Beast).



*** SIMILAR, PARTIALLY CLOSE, OR NOT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT

Mu* "There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (A.S.) and will be upheld for seven years."
Ch* The Beast will make a seven year peace agreement that actually brings peace to the Middle East. He will break his own peace treaty after 3.5 years.

Mu* Mahdi will appear on Earth with Jesus
Ch* They will be together at the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus casts the Beast into the Lake of Fire.

Mu* An official state media website in Iran has posted a message heralding the coming of the Shiite messianic figure, Imam Mahdi, noting he could arrive by the spring equinox.
Ch* The Beast will appear just after the Rapture. The Rapture will happen “soon” but nobody knows the exact hour or day (Matthew 24:36). Anyone giving an exact date would have to be wrong.

Mu* The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one".
Ch* The Beast will be guided by Satan.

Mu* (various physical features)
Ch* All we know is his number: 666.



*** VERY DIFFERENT OR COMPLETE OPPOSITE

Mu* While the people will be pledging their allegiance to Imaam Mahdi, a voice from the unseen will call out:
"This is the representative of Allah, The Mahdi, listen to him and obey him"
Ch* Matthew 17:5
[5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Mu* ... He will fill the world with justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with oppression...
Ch* The Beast will fill the world with evil, oppression, violence, and death.

Mu* ... in which the Mahdi will overcome his archvillain in Jerusalem.
Ch* His archenemy is Jesus Christ, whom he will not overcome. Jesus will slay his armies (Revelation 19:21).

Mu* Mahdi will be the leader, with Jesus as his lieutenant.
Ch* Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No man tells Him what to do.

Mu* * He will receive Knowledge from Allah.
Ch* The Beast will receive power and authority from Satan.

Mu* ... and the Muslims will perform his Janazah salaat.
Ch* His followers will not survive Armageddon to perform any type of ritual.

Mu* "...(regarding the rule of Imaam Mahdi) the skies will rain down in abundance and the earth will yield forth its crop in abundance...
Ch* Revelation 8:7
[7] The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Mu* ... and those alive will desire that those who have already passed away should have been alive to enjoy this prosperity..."
Ch* Revelation 9:6
[6] And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

[DrGadget]

The President of Iran believes strongly in the Mahdi. He's convinced he can make him appear if he makes this war big enough. He's trying to escalate the Iraq war into a regional war. But since there's oil in the Middle East, the big powers can't sit idly by. Russia, Europe, and China will most likely get dragged in.

The Muslims will see him as a Messiah. The Christians will see him as the Antichrist. Tell me that doesn't have all the makings of a holy war right there.

Meanwhile, the Jews have no clue that we're heading into the End Times. There is plenty of End Times prophecy in the Old Testament, but they purposely ignore it. I was told that if you ever go to rabbi school, they specifically tell you not to try to add up the "weeks" in Daniel 9. If you do it using the Jewish calendar, it says the Messiah will be executed in March of 33 AD. That's when Jesus died on the cross. They didn't think Jesus was the right guy, so they are still looking for someone else. As a result, they have to ignore all their own prophecies that follow.

The Shiites are trying to force events to make the Mahdi show up. They are looking for this to happen by spring 2007. That's in a few months folks. I know some of the Homeworld people don't believe in this End Times Prophecy stuff, but it should scare the crap out of everyone to think that people want to force it to happen. No matter whose version you listen to, you will hear terms like World War 3, Armageddon, and Apocalypse. None of those are pleasant thoughts.

But let's take that spring 2007 date with a grain of salt. If you recall, last year President Ahmadinejad of Iran was saying it would all happen by August 22, 2006. It didn't.