The Signs of ‘Khalifatullah Al-Mahdi’

 

Human history is replete with the rise and fall of nations in the ebb and flow of time. Man’s religious history also testifies to the cyclical working of this norm of progress and decadence in society. Communities rise and progress with the advent of Prophets and other holy men of God among them, whereas they decline and fall when they follow their own whims and desires- ignoring, and deviating from the ethical teachings of God’s messengers. To help people everywhere to know and recognize the true path to God for all times, the Creator in His infinite Mercy sent the Holy Prophet (sa) with sublime guidance and the religion of Truth, i.e., Islam. As the religion of God, Islam encapsulates the fine aspects of all teachings revealed through Prophets in various nations all through history. Indeed, Islam recognizes and validates the universality of the religious experience, and provides a clear benchmark for true faith in God, while rejecting every manifestations of idolatry. In the grand plan of Allah (swt) for the world of religions, the predominance of Islamic monotheism over all other ideological systems is Divinely-guaranteed. 

The Book of God says:

 “The only [true] religion in the sight of God is [man’s] self-surrender unto Him.” (3:19)

 “For, if one goes in search of a religion other than self-surrender unto God, it will never be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the lost.” [3:86]

“He it is who has sent forth His Apostle with the [task of spreading] guidance and the religion of truth, to the end that He may cause it to prevail over all [false] religion – however hateful this may be to those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God”. [9:34]

To fulfill this Qur’anic vision and mission of the monotheistic creed as the predominant religion over all other philosophic, ideological, and so-called pragmatic action programmes; the world of Islam calls for living, thriving exemplars of Faith in every era, especially when time and distance separate common folks from holy men of Faith, and that is why the Muslims, in an age of decline, await a great spiritual personage to appear in the Latter Days, to lead the Ummah in the challenges of the times. The sacred literature of Islam fosters and foretells such a pious hope. The Prophetic traditions form the bedrock of the clear expectation about the coming of a Divine Elect in every era, especially in the times ahead of the Qiyamah. 

For devout Muslims, taking Bai'at (oath of allegiance) at the hands of the Khalifatullah Al Mahdi is an obligation of the Faith. For, the unfinished tasks of monotheistic spiritual dominance is to be accomplished among the 'Aakhareen', with the advent of the Khalifatullah Al Mahdi- a progeny and mirror-image of the Holy Prophet (sa) in the End Times. The Holy Prophet (sa) states: 'When you find the Mahdi, perform Bai'at at his hand. You must go to him, even if you have to reach him across ice-bound mountains on your knees. He is the Khalifatullah Al Mahdi.'  (Sunan-Ibn-e-Majah, Kitabul Fitan, Babu Khurujil Mahdi, Hadith no. 4074) 

Elects of God are the Light of Faith on earth. They bring in revelations and messages from beyond, to liberate people from all that holds us down from being truly human. A Divine messenger enables us to recognize the dignity and worth of our identity, inspiring us to explore and realize the larger purpose of our life on earth- through the worship of the Divine, in service of all His creations. Through Divine messages, the Elect of God guides us in the correct and straight Path of true piety- dispelling the darkness of evil and all its manifestations, both in our own souls and in the world around us; enabling the formation of a humane community ready to walk in the light of Faith. It is this love and light of Faith that the non-believers seek to obscure and ignore, and oppose; it is this Light that Allah (swt) has promised to shine on in the past to His prophets till the end of times through His chosen servants and their humble helpers in the larger tasks of religion: 

 “He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all other religions. Sufficient is Allah as a Witness.” (48: 29)

“He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religions, even if those who associate partners with God hate it.” (61:10)

The ever-greening of the religion of God takes place through the advent of some individuals in every era.  Exemplary spiritual souls partake of the Nur-e-Muhammadi and renew the days of the Holy Prophet (sa) among people by speaking to and guiding them with the help of Roohil Quddus, and they represent the Light of Faith through their sincere obedience and  perfect renewal of the Muhammadan Way. In this era, the Divine Mission of Hazrat Khalifatullah Al Mahdi Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (aba) of Mauritius is a direct fulfillment of the aforesaid grand promise of the Holy Qur'an that the Light of Tawheed (Islamic monotheism) would always be pristinely preserved in the Ummat-e-Muhammadiyya for the spiritual benefit of the Muslims and all mankind. Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.  

For Part 2, click here.