The Prophecy of Muhammad
al-Mahdi

By Andrew Dwight Harris

In the Shia tradition, Muhammad al-Mahdi was the last of the Twelve Imams. The Twelve Imams, except for the last one, were assassinated. The last Imam, who was the Twelfth Imam, went into 'occultation' - he became hidden from the world, and was known as the Hidden Imam. However, the Hidden Imam is expected to return from occultation, and the return of this Twelfth Imam, in many Islamic traditions, is likened to the Return of Christ. The Twelfth Imam was Muhammad al-Mahdi (and there are also beliefs about the Mahdi in other branches of Islam).

Despite the fact that Muslims say that Prophet Muhammad (of the Qur'an) was the last Prophet, it is also said that because the Mahdi said he would return, therefore another Prophet would appear. Also, the Mahdi appears to be a very specific Prophet. I will use the Bible and a saying (hadith) attributed to Muhammad al-Mahdi to make my point.

In the Bible, Revelation 5:1-4 (KJV), there was no one found to open the Book sealed with the Seven Seals, and in Revelation 5:3-4 John weeps because no one can open the Seven Seals:

And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

Muhammad al-Mahdi is said to have stated about his return:

And as for the way of benefiting from me during my occultation, it is the same as benefiting from the sun when it is beclouded; and I am a safeguard to the inhabitants of earth as the stars are safeguards to the inhabitants of heaven. (Bihar al-Anwar Ch.53, P.181)
(Source)

The above two quotes may mean the same thing. What I mean is that John is weeping because no one can open the Book, the Book which is about God, and the Mahdi is saying that, "it is the same as benefiting from the sun when it is beclouded," however the Mahdi is talking about the time before his return from occultation. Therefore it seems that the Mahdi must be the one who will open the Book of the Seven Seals that is mentioned in Revelation in the Bible.

A question might arise that: Who is this Muhammad al-Mahdi, and even the Twelve Imams, that they may play a part in prophecies of the Return of Christ, i.e. the book of Revelation? If we can look at Islam and Christianity as both from God, then it can be seen that the Twelve Imams may have been prophesied to come in the book of Genesis in the Bible:

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. (Genesis 17:20)

Of course, later in Genesis it explains that Ishmael had twelve sons who became twelve princes (Genesis 25:16). However, as Ishmael was the father of the Arabs, this verse may also be referring to the Twelve Imams.

Furthermore, in showing that the Mahdi is the one who opens the Book of the Seven Seals, Prophet Muhammad is said to have stated:

The dominion (authority) of the Mahdi is one of the proofs that God has created all things; these are so numerous that his [the Mahdi's] proofs will overcome (will be influential, will be dominant) everyone and nobody will have any counter-proposition against him.
(Source)

The teaching of the Seventh Angel, the One mentioned by Prophet Muhammad above, will be so powerful that no one can argue with it and/or bring anything better than His. It goes well with what Bab (the founder of the Baha'i Faith) said: He Whom God Shall Make Manifest will bring a Teaching such that one can write a thousand books for each word in His Teachings.

Also, this is so because no one can open the Book of the Seven Seals but the Christ. It says in Revelation 5:5:

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

The Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Juda and the Root of David, and he opened the Book, and so should also be the Mahdi.

Some Islamic beliefs say that the Mahdi is on earth right now, so accordingly, the person who opens the Book of the Seven Seals would be that person, and Maitreya of the Mission of Maitreya has opened the Book of the Seven Seals with THOTH, the Eternal Divine Path, and The Greatest Sign.

Finally, according to the Mahdi Wikipedia article:

"The Baha'i Moojan Momen considers the following beliefs in relation to the Mahdi are shared by Sunni and Shia Muslims alike:

  • The Mahdi will be a descendant of Muhammad of the line of Fatimah, He will be descendent by one side (by one of the parents) by Hassan and by another by Hussain.

  • He will have the same name as Muhammad."

Maitreya is from the lineage of the Root of David (descended from King David, the Lion of the tribe of Judah), and is also a Sayyed (descended from Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima) - see Maitreya's genealogy.

Maitreya's given name is Mohammed, "he was given the name Mohammed by his parents" (more).

Therefore, Maitreya is the Mahdi.

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