Darul Uloom Trinidad & Tobago

THE FOLLOWING IS A RESPONSE GIVEN BY MUFTI WASEEM KHAN TO VIDEO CLIPS WHICH WERE SENT TO HIM REGARDING THE EMERGENCE OF THE MAHDI AT THIS TIME.

As Salaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah,

Based on what you have sent me to view from the two videos, pertaining to information regarding the appearance or the arrival of the Mahdi, I wish to categorically state that these videos do not, and cannot prove anything regarding the emergence, arrival or the presence  of ‘The Mahdi’.  This way of ‘calling up’ a Jinn on a person and questioning it, and then informing  people of what the Jinn said, is not, and would never be a proof in the sacred Shariah. In Islamic teachings, this is not the way a teaching of Islam is established, negated or even endorsed. Muslims cannot, and must not put their trust and reliance on such statements of Jinns, since these are all questionable and open to falsehood. These short clips of the videos showed that one brother ‘called up’ a Jinn on another (brother) after reciting some verses, and then began to question the Jinn about the Mahdi. After that, he says to the Jinn or the brother (among other statements), ‘The Jinns see that the people think that the Mahdi is in the prison; they think that the Mahdi is in Yemen’, and the one who was possessed by the Jinn answers in the affirmative. The brother then  tells  people what the Jinn said about the Mahdi.

Is this the way our fundamental beliefs in Islam are established? Should we call up Jinns on people to find out about our teachings and beliefs in Islam? Are the sacred teachings of Islam based on ‘what the Jinns see, and what the people think?’ In another video that was circulated, one of the propagators of this claim says that ‘he is convinced that the Dajaal and the Mahdi are about to appear because some Jinns told him so’.

These statements from those two  brothers clearly show that such claims that are being made and propagated, are nothing but the concoction of Jinns, and are not based on the statements and testimonies accepted in the sacred Shariah.

In the matter of beliefs and practices (in Islam), these must be proven from  sources that have been ordained in the sacred Shariah as documented in the books of Islamic law, and invoking a Jinn to say something and then accepting his word, is certainly not one of these sources. None of our scholars from the time of the Sahabahs until today has accepted this.

Therefore, these statements coming from the Jinns as shown on the video clips, are totally rejected in Islamic law and cannot be accepted.

As for the issue which is being circulated among Muslims regarding the appearance of the Mahdi and that he is here, these are claims that are unfounded and totally baseless.

I have personally (directly and indirectly) contacted many great Ulama from different countries (from India, Pakistan, Makkah, Madinah and United Kingdom), and none of them has accepted such a statement. These Ulama, as well as the Muslims living in different countries at this time, do not subscribe to this belief that the Mahdi has appeared or is present. There is no such claim that is being made among the thousands of Ulama of Ahl As Sunnah in different lands today.

This statement which is being preached and propagated, and pushed into the minds of the common Muslims, is not from the Ahl As Sunnah Wal Jamaah. In fact, none of the reliable, trustworthy and accepted scholars of the Ahl As Sunnah through the Muslim and non-Muslim world has uttered any such statement. Based on the video clips which you have sent, it seems to me that this statement about the arrival and presence of the Mahdi at this time, is one which has been made by two or three people, and is being propagated to others.

It must be understood that Allah is the only One who Has  full authority, and can confer upon a person the rank, honour and title of being the Mahdi. He is the sole designator and decider of who the Mahdi is, and will be, and no one besides Him has this power, authority and permission.

But here, in this present situation, we see that a few individuals have taken up this duty, and selected someone whom they refer to as ‘The Mahdi’. They have decided to appoint their Mahdi without Allah’s appointment, and have decided to designate a specific individual as their Mahdi when Allah Himself Has not done so.

In his beautiful teachings and guidance, the Prophet (SAS) did not instruct us to select and chose a Mahdi. Instead, he informed us that Allah Himself would chose the Mahdi and select him for the Ummah. Allah will then make him manifest by bringing about such signs that no true believer will have any doubt regarding the Mahdi.

Therefore, the position of the Darul Uloom Trinidad in this matter, is the same as hundreds of other renowned Islamic Institutes worldwide, and it is the same as that of the great and most reliable and trustworthy Sunni Ulamaa through the world.

This position is that the Mahdi has not emerged as yet, and no one has been granted this honour  by Allah until this time, to be the leader and ruler of the Muslim Ummah with the title of being the promised and awaited Mahdi. We also state that there is no truth in the claim made by some that the Mahdi is here or has emerged.

Through the years gone by, many have made the claim of being “The Mahdi’ on account of signs which they must have seen in themselves or recognized by their followers. However, history has shown that they were all liars who deceived the people.

Muslims must therefore follow the reliable and trustworthy Ulamaa of Ahl Sunnah Wal Jamaah, and always hold on to what the majority of the Ummah says,  since the Prophet (S.A) said, “Certainly Allah has protected my ummah from agreeing/coming together upon misguidance”. (From Anas Bin Malik (R.A)- Ibn Majah Hadith No. 3950).

It is important to know that with respect to the belief in the Mahdi and his emergence, this is the truth and every Muslim is required to believe in it.

With respect to the time for his emergence, the Ahadith (traditions) have outlined signs through which this can be known. Based on what is well known and established, the great scholars have stated that all these signs have not occurred as yet, and until this time, no one has been honoured by Allah with the title of being ‘The Mahdi’. Until today, the Abdaal (pious Muslims/Awliya) of Shaam (Syria), have not taken the oath and sworn allegiance to any person who is known as the Mahdi, and until this time, no one has chosen someone known as the Mahdi from between the black stone and the Maqaam of Ibrahim (AS), as mentioned in the authentic Ahadith.

In a similar manner, according to that which is well known through the  Muslim and non Muslim lands and cities, no one who is a descendant and family member of the Prophet (SAW) has made any such claim of being the Mahdi, and no sound and authentic claim by righteous and trustworthy scholars have been made about any person being the Mahdi.

At the appointed time, Allah will certainly cause the Mahdi to be manifest, and this will not be concealed and hidden from the Muslim Ummah.

Allah will place the duty of leadership upon him, and he will fearlessly and freely travel through cities and lands without being stopped, imprisoned and defeated. Allah will grant him victory and cause miracles to occur from his hands, and the general masses of Muslims will have no doubt about him being the true Mahdi.

And Allah knows best

Mufti Waseem Khan

6/2/2024