Chapter Two—About the Mahdi

The Mahdi is the Adam of this Ummah & the Seal of the Imams

Know, that it has been the eternal practice of God—who created the night and the day, and initiated the darkness and the light—that He does not set about reforming a people until He sees extreme deterioration. When the scourge reaches its climax and the calamity attains its peak, it is then that Divine providence is directed towards its removal and towards the creation of something that will bring this about. There are clear examples and evidence of this in the physical world for those who are ignorant or in doubt.

The greatest example of this Divine law is found in the rains that cause the plants and trees to grow. The beneficial rain does not fall but at a time of necessity, and its time is recognized when the need is severe and the danger is near. If the earth dried up and grew desolate and all that had grown and germinated in it became yellow and withered, and if poverty struck the people and calamities descended upon them, such that they thought they were going to perish, and catastrophes overcame them, such that not a drop of water was to be found in the rivers and the brooks grew polluted, it would be at such a time that they would be rescued. Allah would quicken the earth after its death. You would see the earth stir and swell with verdure, with every seed sending forth its sprout, and the entire land blooming and turning green. Thus would people become safe after a great ordeal.

This is the eternal practice of Allah. Sometimes the disasters are much more severe and exceed all limits, so that a town may be hit by drought for an entire year, with no clouds appearing in the sky, not even those that bear no rain. The land becomes parched and the winter reservoirs dry up. There is not a single drop of rain and the days grow long. The signs of the wrath of the Most Supreme are manifested, fear becomes etched on the faces of people, and they become downcast and start to lose hold of their senses. The land that had been fertile becomes mere dust, the trees are left bare of leaves and fruit, and people become desperate and close to perishing. It is then that Divine attention turns towards them. The earth becomes verdant with rain and people’s faces become radiant with the abundance of fruit. Thus, by the grace of Allah, they become prosperous once again. Such is the example of the people who were visited by the days of misguidance and overcome by erroneous notions until they completely lost the path of the Lord of Majesty. However, one morning, they suddenly received abundant spiritual rain from the clouds of Allah’s mercy. A Reformer was sent to revive their faith and the sceptics who had entertained evil thoughts started to apologise to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

Some people then deny this and say that Allah has not revealed anything to you and you are but an impostor. Then, the spiritual rain falls in torrents, wiping out all doubts and misgivings, and they are forced to turn remorsefully to the right path. As for the wretched, they do not benefit at all from Allah’s merciful rain but increase in transgression and injustice, and they are an unjust people. They do not sip from the water of Allah’s grace, do not wash with it or perform ablutions, nor do they irrigate their lands with it. They are indeed a deprived people. They do not see the truth because of their blindness. In this surely are signs for people who reflect. Another example of what the Creator sends are the nights of the lunar month. It is evident to every observer how very dark and gloomy these nights can be. They come after the moonlit nights and seem very foreboding. When the darkness reaches its climax, such that not a glimmer of light remains, Allah turns His attention to removing the heavy darkness and makes manifest the moon whose sight had been obscured. The crescent then starts to fill the fearful nights with security and brightness. This is precisely the Law of Allah in matters of religion. Alas for the people of discord, they acknowledge the imminent appearance of the crescent after the dark night and wait for it with eagerness, but when darkness has engulfed the Faith, they do not look for signs of the crescent, even if the night has turned pitch black. The truth is, and it is the truth I speak, that they are a foolish people. They have not been given the slightest share of intelligence and are bereft of wisdom.

God’s perpetual law for the benefit of mankind testifies that He reveals the paths of salvation after calamities and tribulations. If it is the practice of the Lord of Majesty that He does not leave His weak servants in distress in the face of famines and droughts that might cause their physical bodies to perish, how then could He allow the destruction of His spiritual realm without which the souls could not survive and would be consigned to Hell forever? Furthermore, when we examine the Holy Quran, we find it supporting this statement. Allah says: فَاِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ یُسۡرًا ۙ﴿۶﴾ اِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ یُسۡرًا ؕ﴿۷﴾ 1

There are surely glad tidings in this for those who purify themselves, and an indication that if people encounter a period of hardship and limitation, they will thereafter experience a time of ease and abundance. After facing the tribulations of the world and of the faith, they will see prosperity and ease. Likewise, Allah says of those who seek guidance:

اِنَّا نَحۡنُ نَزَّلۡنَا الذِّکۡرَ وَاِنَّا لَہٗ لَحٰفِظُوۡنَ ﴿۱۰﴾2

Ponder over this verse if indeed you can ponder.

It refers to the advent of a Mujaddid [Reformer] at a time when corruption has set in. This is a phenomenon well known to the men of knowledge. Safeguarding of the Quran is meaningless without protecting its fragrance at a time when the stench of injustice is widespread, and without keeping the Quran in the hearts of people when the furious wind of tyranny is blowing. This is a truth that is not hidden from the people of knowledge and insight.

It is not possible to preserve the Holy Quran in the hearts of people without the mediation of a man who is free from all impurity, gifted with heightened senses, and enlightened with the spirit that is breathed into him by the Lord of all people. Such a person is the Mahdi [Guided One], who is guided by the Lord of the worlds, gains knowledge from Him, and invites people to the spiritual banquet that brings salvation to them. His likeness is that of a table laid out with all kinds of foods, such as milk which is pleasant to drink and meat that is well roasted; or like a winter fire for one stricken with cold; or like a large, golden dish laden with sugar and pure honey, so that whoever comes to him will partake of the delicious food and whoever turns away will be seized and thrown into a blazing fire, despite all his excuses. Thus, it has been established that the Mahdis are the pillars of the Religion. Their light appears when the darkness of Satan has spread, and they are surrounded by many groups of people, like the corona encircling the moon. Since the advent of the Mahdis, for the most part, occurs only when the wrongdoers and those who have gone astray are in the majority, they are given this name as a sign that Allah, the Lord of Glory and Generosity, has exonerated them of the objections of those who disobeyed and disbelieved, and has delivered them, by His own Hand, from every kind of darkness into light, and out of falsehood into perfect truth. He has made them the inheritors of prophetic knowledge and bestowed upon them a good portion of it. He has expanded their perception and has Himself taught them, guiding them to possibilities beyond their comprehension and showing them paths that would be inconceivable to them without Allah’s guidance. Therefore, these people are called Mahdi.

As for the Promised Mahdi—the Imam of the Latter Days and whose advent is expected at the time when the winds of transgression rage—do understand that the term ‘Mahdi’ carries subtle indications regarding the misguided state of humankind at the time of his coming. It is as though by using the word Mahdi, which denotes one who is entrusted with guidance, Allah is indicating a time when the light of faith would have become extinguished and hearts would yearn only for this transient world, abandoning the ways of the Gracious One. People would be confronted by an age of polytheism, sinfulness, immorality and permissiveness, such that even the blessings that are found in the most beneficial sources would have vanished and people would revert to ways of ignorance and apostasy. Along with their longing for straying in wildernesses, they would incline towards the paths that lead them astray, turning away from guidance and integrity, in favour of infidelity and corruption. The locusts of misfortune would swarm upon the tree of mankind, leaving neither fruit nor soft branch intact. You will see that the time of righteousness has gone by, faith and piety have fled, and the source of guidance is hanging far high on the Pleiades.

Then, in this tumultuous time, Allah remembers His promises of old. When He sees the religion weakened from every angle, He responds by extinguishing the fire of rebellion. A man is then created, like the creation of Adam, by the Hands of the Lord of Majesty and Beauty, who then perfectly breathes into him the spirit of guidance. At times, He calls him ‘Isa [Jesus] because He created him like He created the Son of Mary, and sometimes He names him Mahdi, for he has come from His Lord in order to guide Muslims who have gone astray. He is sent to the Muslims whose eyes are veiled so that he may lead them to the Lord of the worlds. This is the truth regarding which you argue. Surely, Allah knows and you know not. He gave life to one among His servants so that he may call people to the paths of guidance. Whether you accept it or not, he has done what He has willed of him. Do you laugh rather than weep, and do you look without seeing?

O people! Do not go to extremes in your desires. Fear Allah to whom you will be returned. Why do you not accept the judgement of Allah when you have waited for it so long? The sky bore witness to the truth but you heeded it not, and the earth spoke out but you would not ponder. They proclaim that they would only accept that which they have read in their chronicles. Would they do that even if these chronicles were fictitious and fabricated by others? O people! Look around you and let go of all rancour and accept what has been made evident. O righteous ones! Do not follow conjecture. Surely, Allah has dealt justly between us, so do not deviate from His justice and do not throw yourselves into misery. O sons of righteousness! Do not be like hostages in the hands of Satan. Why do you not purify yourselves? Know that all nearness and all fragrance belongs to God. When the time of His nearness arrives, people suddenly start to awaken. Every soul wakes up with its coming, except those who are disobedient. His descent has a meaning that becomes known to the godly. The greatest of God’s descent comes with knowledge that is appropriate for the people of the time so that they are able to recognize the fire of the transgressors. Those who are devoted to their idols will reject it. Hence, they insult and disbelieve, not knowing that these people are a heavenly bounty and are a cure for all those who have been alienated by the words of the hesitant and the ignorant and the sinners. Allah sends down to them knowledge that is in keeping with the travails of the time and it reassures them. That knowledge is like fresh fruit or an overflowing spring of sweet water from which they drink.

In conclusion, the Mahdi who has been appointed as the reformer of an age that is drowning in the floods of unrighteousness, and who is the propagator of the commandments of the Lord of Mankind to the fullest extent, is named the Promised Mahdi, the Promised Imam, and the Khalifah of Allah, Lord of the worlds. The secret behind this is that Allah has decreed in the Holy Quran that calamities will befall Islam in the Latter Days and that people who create disorder will emerge.

وَھُمۡ مِّنۡ کُلِّ حَدَبٍ یَّنۡسِلُوۡنَ ﴿۹۷﴾3

This means that those people will be masters of lands and dwellings and will surround all countries and lands and will create disorder in nations and tribes, both the good and the evil ones. They will mislead people using all kinds of mischief and lethal deception. They will defame Islam by all manner of slander and calumny, and darkness will become dominant. Consequently, Islam will come close to annihilation. Misguidance, falsity and deception will increase and faith will be lost, leaving behind only verbal claims and pretensions, so much so that the right path will be lost, the eternal straight path will become dubious, and people will be unable to follow the guidance. They will lose their step and become overwhelmed by carnal desires. Muslims will be divided into many sects and will disperse like locusts. They will no longer possess the light of faith and the benefits of knowledge. Rather, most of them will behave like animals, wolves or serpents, paying no heed to the Faith. All of this will be due to the influence of Gog and Magog. They will become like a paralysed organ and will be like the dead.

In those same days, when the sea of spiritual death and misguidance will engulf all, and people will be craving after the temporal world and turning away from Allah, the Lord of Majesty, He will create a servant of His in the same way as He created Adam: using the perfection of His Divine power and providence and without the aid of any visible means. For this reason, He will call him Adam. For, Allah created Adam with His Hand, taught him all the names, vouchsafed him with great favours, guided him, and made him of the insightful ones.

In the same way, He clearly named him ‘Isa ibn Maryam [‘Jesus son of Mary’] because his creation and upbringing was similar to that of Jesus (as). They both possess the same secret reality and the reasons for their advent are the same. Their respective times were marked by similar tribulations and methods of reform. The hearts of the enemies of the religion, too, were alike. The greatest sign of the time of the Mahdi is that it will be a time of great darkness brought on by the people of Gog and Magog who will completely dominate the earth and come charging down from every height.4 Also, for those given to reflection, there are indications of these tribulations in the name ‘Mahdi’. This name indicates that this person will be raised among a people who will have gone astray and that he will find guidance from Allah who will save him from the transgressors.

Undoubtedly, this name inherently points to a time of darkness and vices, dangers and tribulations, and speaks of the extraordinary things God would do to help the weak and helpless. It provides categorical proof that the Mahdi would appear only upon the emergence of great tribulations and deep darkness, when righteous deeds would have become extinct and mere verbal claims would abound. All this would necessitate that God should bestow His guidance upon someone from among the people, and that darkness itself should fall in supplication before Allah and seek His light to illuminate the straight path. Then, by the command of the Almighty, angels and the Holy Spirit would descend upon that darkness and a man would be ordained as the Mahdi. The Spirit would be vouchsafed upon him and his heart and his vision would be illumined. He would be given honour and ascendancy as a gift; piety would be his inherent attribute, and he would be counted among the succoured servants of Allah. When transgression would reach its climax, it would be the day of arbitration and decree upon which Allah’s help and His bounties arrive. If Allah did not repel the evil-doers by means of the righteous, the earth would indeed have been filled with chaos, the doors of salvation would have been forever closed, and people would have been destroyed.

For this reason, it is Allah’s eternal practice that He does not bring about dark nights without causing the moonlit night to follow them. Also, He has decreed ease after every hardship and light after every darkness. Ponder, therefore, upon this system so that the reality of what is sought might become apparent to you. There are indeed many signs in this for the wise. Know that the darkness of this age has exceeded all others with the spread of all kinds of transgression. Fearful signs and tribulations that make the heart shudder have appeared before us. The infidels are charging down from every height ravaging everything. Therefore, it is time for the Muslims to be aided, for the weak to be strengthened, and for the designs of the imposters to be frustrated. Is the earth not filled with darkness? Indeed, people have lost their reasoning faculties and have taken up idols, and disbelief prevails. The greatest and filthiest lies have been made to look beautiful. They have attacked with all the means at their disposal and resorted to every machination. All the evil-doers came together and became one, like water and wine. The hordes of the ignorant started to tread in the footsteps of the Dajjal [Antichrist]. Whoever accepts their frivolous talk is allowed into the inner circle of their friendship. By Allah, their vileness is severe and their superficial conviviality is but a ruse; indeed, it is a trap that has become more effective as people have become more divided. Soon you will recognize their falsehood with regret.

They are a people whose evil designs are evident from their tongues, eyes, noses, ears, hands, chests, feet, and every part of their bodies. People have become corrupted and sin and debauchery prevail. Town upon town and country upon country has turned Christian. Only Allah’s help can be sought. People are walking in darkness and turning away from the sun and the light. They deliberately neglect their faith for the sake of their desires. I see the missionaries like hunters whose prey is close at hand and they see a great opportunity. I see them hunting using every device at their disposal.

One of their devices is that they lend support to those who are hurt and broken and thus entrap those in need. They draw to themselves the most corrupt of people and give them stipends so as to ensnare them and trap them in the pit of ruin. They show haste in bandaging the injured, releasing the prisoner and comforting the poor, on the condition that these people embrace their religion, which is the fuel of fire. They entice people through their daughters and other kinds of pleasures so that the ignorant ones fall into their trap and can be used for nefarious purposes. People do not turn to them because of the Gospels that they read to them, rather they are beguiled by the charms of their women and the free gifts they offer. They do not become Christians for the sake of God; they do so to gain material benefits and to become affluent. It is thus that the Christians have been able to spread their misguided beliefs and strengthen their hold. They cater to the temptations of the flesh and invite everyone who craves them. If one of them is then provided with matrimony or is given money and saved from destitution, they are satisfied in their intent. Such are their strategies for ensnaring people and such are the tricks that cause hordes of indolent people who only care for eating and drinking and luxury to line up at their door. They while away their time drinking alcohol or in the company of women while feasting on opulent food, and thus they are satisfied with women and wealth.

Likewise, the missionaries spare no effort in misleading the common folk. They confer their favours on these people who are like barbarians, and grant them abodes in safe localities. You will find such people smitten with worldly things, just like a flock of sheep or camels. The Christians are, thus, the awaited Dajjal [Antichrist]. Desist, therefore, from your unholy denial. These are the days of the onslaught of darkness and they are a reflection of Doomsday. We have undoubtedly entered this dark night and this torrent blindly, and we have paths to travel where even the guides lose their way and even the most experienced are frustrated. This arduous time has made us fearful and we have seen that which we would rather avoid. For us, there is none other than the Lord of the worlds who can grant courage to the fearful heart and strength to the enfeebled self.

People are on the brink of destruction; they are filled with grief and sorrow. They have forgotten all past calamities and tribulations. They cry out for the fragrance of help but receive only stink and stench. Can there be an evil greater than that which is called the Dajjal, the signs of whose coming have become evident and the dangers associated with whom have become manifest? We have seen the ‘donkey’ roaming the countries, striking the surface of the earth with its hooves, causing the year to appear as a month for those who have eyes, and the month as one or two days. It attracts travellers and is a vehicle that can traverse the globe at a speed that no other vehicle or animal can match. Roads are being renewed for it. The time has grown shorter with its appearance, camels have been abandoned, books have spread abroad,5 mountains have been quarried, rivers have been made to flow forth into canals, people have been brought closer to one another, the earth seems to have been folded at its corners and brought closer, and camels have been abandoned and are no longer used for transport. There are no two opinions about any of this. In fact, Allah has brought these changes about for the benefit of the people, even if it was at the hands of the Dajjal. These modes of transport have been in operation for some time and there is nothing [i.e., donkey of the Dajjal] aside from these. In this are many signs for people of understanding.

This discourse shows that this is the time for the advent of the Mahdi and the Messiah of the age. The earth has indeed become corrupted, all kinds of tribulations have emerged, the evil of the mischief-makers has multiplied, and all the signs of the end of time mentioned in the Quran have come to pass for those who have eyes to see.

Those who are waiting for the Mahdi to come from the lands of the Arabs or from some country towards the west have made a great error because the Arab lands have been protected by Allah from evils, seditions, and the mischief of the unbelievers of the age. The advent of the Mahdi can only take place in a country deluged with misguidance, and such has been the eternal practice of Allah. We see that the land of India is beset by all kinds of corruption. The doors of apostasy have been thrown open and all manner of immorality, injustice and falsehood has multiplied. There is no doubt that it is in urgent need of the support of Allah, the Lord of Honour, and of the coming of the Mahdi from Him. By Allah, we do not see any other place that has been as corrupted as India, nor do we see any affliction like the one wrought by the Christians. The authentic ahadith mention that the Dajjal will emerge from somewhere in the East, as is also clearly mentioned in the Quran. We must judge according to these clear signs and not pay any heed to those who have rejected the truth.

Those who are waiting for the Mahdi to appear in Makkah or Madinah have clearly gone astray. How can this be when Allah, by His special grace, has taken it upon himself to safeguard those blessed lands. The terror of the Dajjal shall not enter those places, nor shall the dwellers therein get even a whiff of this tribulation. On the other hand, the lands where the Dajjal will have the most impact are more deserving of being blessed by His grace and that He causes the harbinger of heavenly lights to appear among them, just as the Dajjal has appeared with earthly powers in the manner of Satan. As for the claim that the Mahdi is hiding in the cave, this is just as baseless as to say that Jesus did not die and was raised bodily to heaven and will descend in the tumultuous times when the Dajjal appears. They hold onto this belief even though the Quran informs us of Jesus’ death in categorical terms.

The truth is that both ‘Isa and Imam Muhammad cast off their material bodies and their Lord caused them to die and placed them alongside the righteous. Allah did not grant everlasting life to any of His servants as they were all mortals. Do not be impressed by the narratives that describe Jesus as being still alive and do not pay heed to the sayings which speak similarly of the Imam, even if they seem to be so elaborate. The truth is that they are metaphors for the benefit of the discerning.

The truth which reveals these secrets and clarifies this ambiguity is that Allah has always described righteous ones who have passed away as ‘living’, and He does this to send a message to their enemies, or as glad tidings to His friends, or to honour His righteous servants. Allah says of the martyrs: ‘Do not think of them as dead. Nay, they are living.’ This was directed to the disbelievers who were rejoicing at the killing of the believers and saying, ‘We killed them, and we are of the victorious.’

Likewise, some Muslims were grieving the death of their brothers, friends, parents and children, even though they were killed in the path of the Lord of the worlds. Allah, therefore, silenced the disbelievers by speaking of the martyrs as living. He also gave glad tidings to the sorrowful believers that their relatives are living, not dead, nor will they ever be dead. What He mentioned in His Book is that their life is a spiritual life and not like the life of this world. He further confirmed that they are alive by saying:

عِنۡدَ رَبِّہِمۡ یُرۡزَقُوۡنَ ﴿۱۷۰﴾ۙ6

Thus does He refute the opponents.

How can you be pleased by the statements that Jesus is not dead, whereas these same words have also been used for those who have unquestionably joined the dead and have been buried? Is it not proof enough for you that martyrs have been described in the Book of Allah as ‘living’? What then is so unique about Jesus if he is said to be ‘alive’ even though the Quran counts him among the deceased? Think carefully because you will be held accountable for every deception and hypocrisy on the Day of Judgement. On that day, the fabricator will regret what he insisted on and that which he turned away from. When the time has passed, no remorse will avail. Thus does the fire of Allah penetrate the hearts of the liars. Woe unto the impostors who do not desist from lying but grow in their falsehood with every passing day and moment. It is enough proof of your dishonesty that you believe blindly everything that reaches your ears. You do not purify your heart of ignorance and blindness and instead pluck the flowers that grow in filth, like those engrossed in their carnal passion and lovers of mischief. You do not seek that which is good and pure, as pure and good people do.

You have learned that using the word ‘living’ for the dead and the word ‘life’ for death is established in the Quranic text and jurisprudence. This is not unknown to the scholars who recite the Quran with deliberation and knock on its door so that it may be opened for them. This is the clear truth that illuminates for you the night that had become so pitch dark for some scholars that they ended up going astray after having found the right path.

You may now say that you have understood the reality of ‘life’ like the discerning, but want to know the precise meaning of nuzul [descent] that can reassure the hearts of the seekers. Know, then, that this term is widely used in the Quran. Allah has said in various places of the Holy Book that every beauty and splendour descends from Heaven, and it is in Heaven that everything attains perfection by His command. The earth can only receive that which Heaven sends down, and dispositions only acquire the complexion that is bestowed by Heaven. Those who benefit from it are the fortunate ones, while those who do not are the unfortunate and deprived ones.

Soon, however, the fortunate and the unfortunate start to resemble one another, and they become more alike with each passing day until they are thought to be one. This is the way of Allah, the Best of Creators, and this is what He points to in the verse:

تَشَابَہَتۡ قُلُوۡبُہُمۡ7

Let those who have been given the power of reasoning reflect on this.

In addition to this similarity, something else might happen by the command of Allah, who is the Greatest and Most Powerful. He may despoil the people who follow a Prophet with such corruption that they open the doors of apostasy on themselves. However, Allah’s wisdom demands that He does not torment or destroy them but instead calls them to the truth and has mercy on them. He is indeed Arhamur-Rahimin [the One who is the most Merciful of all who show mercy]. Allah will then awaken a deceased Prophet who was previously sent to those people and direct this Prophet’s attention to them as if he had awoken from a slumber. He will find them steeped in injustice and corruption, exceeding all limits, and in a state of woeful misguidance. He will see their hearts filled with prejudice, falsity, transgression, and evil. Upon this, his heart and soul will become distressed and full of apprehension. He will wish to come down to reform his people and to convince them through evidence, but he will not find any way to do this. Allah’s plan then comes to his help and makes him succeed in his desire. Allah creates someone like him, whose heart and nature are similar to his heart and nature, and causes his will to descend on his peer, and the former will rejoice at this for he will think that he has personally been sent back to his people. He becomes completely certain that he has descended among them and has achieved his goal. Thus, he sorrows no more and is well pleased.

This is the reality of the descent of Jesus (as) regarding which they differ. Allah has sealed their hearts so that they do not know the reality nor ask anyone else about it. Anyone who gets rid of the dust of prejudice and becomes enlightened through research and investigation will have no doubt regarding these hidden signs. He will never doubt them and will understand that the people who have passed away will never return to the world and will never taste another death after the first one. You will find that the Quran and the Sunnah bear witness to this statement, but you must investigate and reflect in an unbiased manner.

It is narrated in some Traditions that the Prophet of Allah said:

لَوْ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ يَوْمٌ ‏لَطَوَّلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ رَجُلاً مِنِّي أَوْ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي يُوَاطِئُ اسْمُهُ اسْمِي وَاسْمُ أَبِيهِ اسْمَ أَبِي۔8

[Even if there was only one day left in the world, Allah would extend it until He has sent someone from me or from my progeny. His name shall be like mine, and the name of his father shall be like my father’s].

This is narrated by Abu Dawud, one of the great Imams of Hadith. The words ‘from me’ and ‘his name shall be like my name’ indicate what I have explained previously. Think like a seeker of the light. If you desire that the mysteries of the truth be revealed to you, do not overlook this point and do not restrain your eyes like the wrongdoers. Know that the similarity in names is a spiritual likeness and not a transient or physical one. Every person has a name in the eye of Allah and he does not die until the secret of his name has become manifest as to whether he was among the fortunate ones or the unfortunate and misguided ones. Sometimes, two persons can have the same names, such as ‘Ahmad’ and ‘Ahmad’,9 but what I have found more correct and acceptable is that the union of the two names is spiritual. This is well known to those with spiritual insight. This was revealed to me by the Lord of Glory and I have recorded it in my book10 that my Lord spoke to me and said:

یَا اَحْمَدُ یَتِمُّ اسْمُکَ، وَ لَا یَتِمُّ اسْمِی۔

O Ahmad! Your name will come to an end, but My name will not come to an end.

This is the name that is given to spiritual people and there is a reference to it in the verse, وَعَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ الۡاَسۡمَآءَ کُلَّہَا11 which means He taught him the reality of all things, and in this manner made him so completely knowledgeable as to be reflective of the whole universe.

As for the likeness in the names of the fathers which is mentioned in the hadith, you must realise that this points to a subtle affinity with Khatamun-Nabiyyin [the Seal of the Prophets] in two respects. The first is that the father of our Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was ready to receive the light of faith but left this world before he was able to do so. As such, the light of our Prophet (sas) was imbued in his nature but it did not appear in his actual experience, and only Allah knows the reality of his true nature since he departed in obscurity. In this respect, the father of the Mahdi resembles the father of the beloved Prophet (sas). Ponder over these matters like a rational person and do not turn away in haste.

In my opinion, some of the Imams of the household of the Holy Prophet (sas) received a revelation from Allah that Imam Muhammad was concealed in a cave and that he would come out of it at the end of time to kill the infidels and to uphold the religion of the Holy Prophet (sas). This concept is very similar to the one regarding the ascension of Jesus to heaven and his descent at a time of great turmoil. The key that reveals the truth behind these phenomena is that these and other similar words are revealed to people in the form of metaphors and that they are full of subtle indications. In this context, the tomb that becomes the home of the righteous after their passing way is termed as a ‘cave’ and the advent of someone who is like the Imam in his nature and disposition is portrayed as the Imam emerging from the cave. All these expressions are metaphors that abound in the Word of God, and this is not unknown to the knowledgeable.

Do you not know how Allah admonished the Israelites at the time of the Seal of the Prophets and said to them in categorical terms:

وَاِذۡ فَرَقۡنَا بِکُمُ الۡبَحۡرَ فَاَنۡجَیۡنٰکُمۡ وَاَغۡرَقۡنَاۤ اٰلَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَاَنۡتُمۡ تَنۡظُرُوۡنَ ﴿۵۱﴾ وَاِذۡ وٰعَدۡنَا مُوۡسٰۤی اَرۡبَعِیۡنَ لَیۡلَۃً ثُمَّ اتَّخَذۡتُمُ الۡعِجۡلَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِہٖ وَاَنۡتُمۡ ظٰلِمُوۡنَ ﴿۵۲﴾ ثُمَّ عَفَوۡنَا عَنۡکُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ذٰلِکَ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿۵۳﴾ وَاِذۡ اٰتَیۡنَا مُوۡسَی الۡکِتٰبَ وَالۡفُرۡقَانَ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَہۡتَدُوۡنَ ﴿۵۴﴾ 12

وَاِذۡ قُلۡتُمۡ یٰمُوۡسٰی لَنۡ نُّؤۡمِنَ لَکَ حَتّٰی نَرَی اللّٰہَ جَہۡرَۃً فَاَخَذَتۡکُمُ الصّٰعِقَۃُ وَاَنۡتُمۡ تَنۡظُرُوۡنَ ﴿۵۶﴾ ثُمَّ بَعَثۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَوۡتِکُمۡ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَشۡکُرُوۡنَ ﴿۵۷﴾ وَظَلَّلۡنَا عَلَیۡکُمُ الۡغَمَامَ وَاَنۡزَلۡنَا عَلَیۡکُمُ الۡمَنَّ وَالسَّلۡوٰی ؕ کُلُوۡا مِنۡ طَیِّبٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنٰکُمۡ ؕ وَمَا ظَلَمُوۡنَا وَلٰکِنۡ کَانُوۡۤا اَنۡفُسَہُمۡ یَظۡلِمُوۡنَ ﴿۵۸﴾ 13

This is what was revealed in the Holy Quran and this is what you read therein. If we take these statements on face value, they would be contrary to the facts, for Allah did not divide any sea for the Jews at the time of our Prophet (sas), nor did He drown the household of Pharaoh before the eyes of evildoers, nor were these Jews present at the time of these perils. They did not take to worshipping the calf, nor were they even alive at that time. They did not say, ‘O Moses, we will by no means believe you until we see Allah face to face,’ because they did not even exist in the time of Moses. How then did the thunderbolt overtake them? How were they raised after death? How did they escape the fate of death? How could Allah have caused the clouds to provide shade for them and sent down on them Manna and Salwa? How was He to save them from the calamity while they did not even exist and were born many centuries later? No one bears the burden of another. Allah does not judge a man in place of another, for He is the Most Just. The reality is that Allah considered them to be similar to their forefathers due to their beliefs, and so He called them by the name of their ancestors, making them the inheritors of their traits. This is the eternal practice of Allah.

If, like the ignorant, you claim that the descent of Jesus, peace be upon him, is to be taken literally, then you are in grave error because the death of Jesus is confirmed by the words of the Quran. The meaning of the word تَوَفّی [tawaffi] has been explained by the Holy Prophet (sas); hence, there is no room for misinterpretation in this regard. The word nuzul [descent] was also categorically interpreted by the Seal of the Prophets. It is also used in the Quran and Hadith in various contexts. How could anyone challenge the meaning of tawaffi that has become evident from the words of the Holy Prophet and Ibn ‘Abbas, which clearly indicate that tawaffi means that he died and nothing else. No doubt should now remain for the believers as to its meaning. Can verses that are susceptible to different interpretations be the same as categorical and unequivocal verses of the Holy Quran? Nay, they can never be the same. No one clings to the verses that are not categorical except those whose hearts are diseased and they are not among the righteous. Tawaffi is a decisive word whose meaning is clearly given as ‘death’, while nuzul [descent] is a term that allows various interpretations, and it was never interpreted by the Khatamul-Anbiya’ [the Seal of the Prophets] in the sense that these people propose. Rather, he used it even when referring to travellers. If it is still difficult for you to understand why the Reformer of the Latter Days is called ‘Isa in the hadith, and the general meaning evades you, then you should know that the name ‘Isa is mentioned in the works of numerous ancient scholars in many different contexts. It should be sufficient for you to note the hadith narrated by Bukhari and explained by Allamah Zamakhshari, which says: ‘Every son of Adam will be touched by Satan at his birth, except Maryam and her son.’14 This apparently contradicts the Quranic verses, such as:

اِنَّ عِبَادِیۡ لَیۡسَ لَکَ عَلَیۡہِمۡ سُلۡطٰنٌ15

Zamakhshari provides the following commentary: ‘This means that every pious man is ‘Isa and his mother, and follows in their footsteps, being among the pious and righteous.’

Reflect on how he called every pious man ‘Isa and then see how the deniers turn away! If you say that this is but one testimony and that we must bring forth testimonies of more people, then you are not of those who pay heed. Read the book Taysir bi-Sharh al-Jami‘ as-Saghir by the renowned Imam, Sheikh, Muhaddith [Scholar of Hadith], and Faqih al-Kamil [Theology expert] ‘Abdur-Ra‘uf al-Munāwī, may Allah have mercy on him. He mentions this hadith in the aforementioned book and says: ‘The mention of ‘Isa and his mother in this hadith refers to both of them as well as to all those who share their attributes.’ Consider how he defined the general nature of these two names. Why then do you not accept the words of the scholars?

You are aware that Imam Malik, Ibn Qayyim, Ibn Taymiyyah, Imam Bukhari and many other Muslim Imams and eminent scholars have acknowledged the death of Jesus while at the same time believing in his descent in the Latter Days, as foretold by the Holy Prophet (sas) They denied neither of these statements nor objected to them. They left the details of these matters to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and did not argue about them. However, they were followed by unworthy descendants who were ignorant and devious and empty. They argued without knowledge, created discord, were not inclined towards reconciliation, and would declare believers to be apostates.

The conclusion of this matter rests with Allah, who in His eternal knowledge, was well aware that in the Latter Days of the world, the Christians would become the enemies of the True Faith and hinder people from the path of God, and spread a manifest lie. At the same time, He knew that the Muslims would abandon the treasures of the teachings of the Holy Quran, follow the ideologies of innovation which have no basis in the Quran, and reject that which supports the religion and embellishes the raiment of the believers. They would fall prey to the charm of innovations in religion and become entangled in all types of carnal desires and sinfulness. No truth, religion, or faith would be left in them. It had been decreed by Allah’s grace and mercy that He would send a man in this age who would reform transgressors and present comprehensive and convincing proofs to counter those who utter falsehood. God’s plan required that He name this Messenger as ‘Isa, for he would come to reform the Christians, and also to name him Ahmad after the Holy Prophet (sas), for he was also to reform the Muslims. He thus caused him to follow in the footsteps of ‘Isa and Ahmad. This is why He gave him these two names and caused him to drink from both their hands. He made him such that he would shoulder the pain and agony of the believers and put an end to the onslaught of the Christians. In the eyes of Allah, he is ‘Isa from one perspective and Ahmad from another. Forego, therefore, the ways of dissent and avoid discord and misguidance. Accept the truth and do not try to conceal it. The Holy Prophet (sas) described him as having the attributes of the Messiah and thus called him ‘Isa, but he also described him as having some of his own blessed attributes and named him Ahmad in his own likeness. You must know that he acquired these two names because of his complete focus upon these two groups of people. The people of heaven called him ‘Isa due to his inclination towards and concern for the reform of the Christians, and they also called him Ahmad due to his greater inclination towards the followers of the Holy Prophet (sas) and his anguish over their dissension and destitution. You must know that the Promised ‘Isa is Ahmad, and the Promised Ahmad is ‘Isa. Do not, then, ignore this great secret. Do you not see the ills that have befallen us due to the Christian nations? Do you not see that our people have tarnished the path of virtue and faith, with most of them embracing the ways of Satan until their light became as feeble as a firefly’s and their divines became akin to a mirage in a barren land. They became innately inclined towards evil and mischief and went to every trouble in its pursuit. They hankered after the material world while fighting one another.

They stung each other like scorpions even if the one they persecuted was amongst their own kin. No truth remained in their speech. No pure love remained in their hearts. They bartered good for evil. They set about following the flaws of their brethren and neglected reforming themselves and fulfilling their obligations towards the believers. They would attack their brothers as if they were attacking their enemies. They rebuffed all cordiality and lost all goodwill. They spread immorality and aggression among themselves. They sought after people’s weaknesses and tried to defame them. The fragrance of love was gone, while the fumes of hypocrisy and controversy grew stronger. Purity of heart and the spirit of tolerance vanished, for impurity had entered their faith. They trespassed all the limits of piety and virtue and overlooked the rights of their brethren and believing men and women. They did not avoid ingratitude and did not fulfil their obligations. Most of them knew nothing except disobedience and mischief-making. Time changed and there remained neither piety nor righteousness, neither fasting nor prayer. They preferred this world to the Hereafter and the desires of the baser self to the Lord of Honour and Glory. I see them ensnared in their world. They do not care about the afterlife or for the right path. Loyalty has vanished and modesty is lost. They do not know what piety is and I see treachery on their faces. They love the dark of night and curse the moon. They read the Quran but turn away from the Gracious God. Their neighbour receives nothing but injustice from them, and meanness is their only partner. They devour the weak and always hunger for more. The world has become abounds with liars, slanderers, defamers, backbiters, transgressors, evildoers, adulterers, fornicators, drinkers, betrayers, and bribers. People’s hearts have become hardened. They do not fear Allah or keep in mind the inevitability of death, and they eat as cattle eat. They do not realize the true essence of Islam. They are inundated by carnal desires and their every action or inaction is aimed at their fulfilment. This is how they sleep and this is how they wake up. The rich among them drown in wealth and eat like cattle, while the destitute cry out for want of necessities and the hounding of the lender. We complain only to the Gracious God. There is no power beside Him that can enable anyone to do good or avoid evil.

As for the harm caused by the Christians, it is beyond measure, as I have mentioned in my previous books. When Allah observed how, in this age, evil gushes forth from within and without, His wisdom and mercy required that He should reform these people through a man who walks in two footsteps: the footsteps of ‘Isa and the footsteps of Ahmad al-Mustafa [the Chosen One]. This person would be so fully immersed in the attributes of the two that he would be given both their names. Do understand this subtle point of spiritual wisdom; do not oppose it, and do not be the first of its deniers. By the Lord of the Ka‘bah, this is the manifest truth, and vain is what the Shiites and Sunnis claim. Hasten not to reject me. Seek the guidance of the Lord of Honour, then come to me as seekers of the Truth. However, if you turn away and choose not to accept me, then come forth and let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, and let us pray fervently and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liar.

This is the truth that Allah revealed to me with His great and eternal grace. Jesus died and God knows that he is dead. Your Imam Muhammad, whose arrival you await, also passed away. I have received a revelation from my Lord that I am the Promised Messiah and the Promised Ahmad. Do you wonder at this and think not of God’s eternal practice? Do you deny and fear not? Truth has so clearly become manifest, yet you are averse to it. The promised time has come but you turn away from it. One of the perpetual practices of God, which is denied neither by the ignorant nor the intellectual, is that in His prophecies He may name a particular person or a thing, but the name in fact applies to some other person or thing. For instance, in a dream, we may see the arrival of someone, but he is not the one who comes in real life. The one who comes only bears some of his attributes. Let me illustrate this point with an extraordinary story.

I had a son named Bashir whom Allah caused to die in infancy. God is indeed the best and most abiding support for those who cultivate piety and righteousness. At that time, I received a revelation from my Lord:

إِنَّا نَرُدُّہُ إِلَیْکَ تَفَضُّلًا عَلَیْکَ۔

We shall return him to you out of Our grace.

Likewise, his mother also saw in a dream that Bashir had come and he said to her, ‘I want to embrace you, and I will not part from you soon.’ After him, Allah gave me another son, and He is the Best of Bestowers, and I realized that he was indeed the same Bashir and that the All-Knowing One had told the truth. So I named him Bashir and I see in him the same characteristics as in the Bashir who passed away. Thus was demonstrated the Divine law that He creates two people with a common name. As for making someone a namesake of another, it is a Divine secret that serves a purpose that only the hearts of those blessed with true knowledge can understand.

I have a friend who is very dear to me and is the most loyal of all my near and dear ones. He is an eminent scholar and a man of great knowledge. He fathoms the subtleties of the Holy Quran and garners a profound understanding of the Faith. His name, like his attributes, is Maulawi Hakim Nur-ud-Deen [Light of the Faith]. Allah the Wise, the All-Knowing, caused his young and only son, whose name was Muhammad Ahmad, to die of measles. The father, however, showed great patience and submitted to the will of his Compassionate Lord. On the night of the death, someone saw the child in his dream and he seemed to be saying to him, ‘Grieve not for my passing, for I am going out of necessity and will soon return.’ This dream indicates that he [Nur-ud-Deen] will be given another son who will have the same qualities as the deceased one. Allah has power over all things, but most are unacquainted with the ways of the Greatest of Creators. There are many similar stories and testimonies in this regard.

I have foregone mentioning them all so as not to prolong this discourse, but many of them are recorded in books on the interpretation of dreams. Refer to them if you are one of those who harbour doubts. Yet, how can you persist in doubt when there are consistent testimonies for it? In fact, you yourself might have been a witness to such phenomena. If someone saw a dead person in a dream and was told in a revelation that the deceased would return to the world and meet his kinsmen, would this mean that he would actually and physically come back to life, or would it require a different interpretation that is known to men of insight? If you allow for interpretations in such a matter, why then do you not allow for interpretations in the case of similar prophecies? O heedless people! Are you differentiating between the laws of Allah? I urge you to reflect, even though I do not think you will do so unless my Lord has so willed, for He is the Guide of those who have lost their way.

You know that the signs of the advent of the Messiah, who is the Mahdi, have come to pass. Tribulations have multiplied and prevailed. Evil has erupted and spread. The Best of Mankind is being insulted on the roadsides and in the marketplaces. Life is ebbing away and the hour of parting has come. Therefore, have mercy on this affronted Religion. I appeal to you in the name of Allah, do you not see this evil with your own eyes? Would you abandon the fountain of pure faith for the sake of material things? Tell me, in the name of Allah, if this is true or false? We have not faced plots as severe as those being hatched by the Christians today and we are like captives in their hands. When they plan their deceptions, they put even Satan to shame. Calamity has become evident and despair is all too widespread. People’s hearts are hardened and they follow the whisperings of Satan. They have forsaken righteousness, they do not fear Allah, the Most High, they have grown hostile to good deeds, and have become like something discarded. I have mentioned only a little of what I have seen and investigated. By God, calamities have reached their climax. Nothing remains of religion except its words and claims. Darkness has spread everywhere, extinguishing the light of religion. Beasts have invaded our green lands such that no water or pasture remains. People were about to perish from the torrent of transgression and rebellion, so I was given an ark from my Lord. In the name of Allah be its course and its mooring.

To elaborate, Allah has observed in this age that the misguidance of the Christians along with their onslaught, so that not only are they themselves misguided but they are also misleading very many others. They have wrought much havoc and have spread apostasy and attacked the beautiful Shariah. They have opened the doors to sin and transgression. All this has caused the protective jealousy of Allah, the Lord of Majesty, to be roused. However, there was also internal strife among the Muslims as they had divided the religion of the Holy Prophet (sas) due to their differences and turned against each other like the mischievous. Allah, then, chose me to put an end to remove this discord. He made me a just arbiter to judge fairly among them, for I am the Imam who has come to the believers in the footsteps of al-Mustafa, and I am the Messiah who will utterly disprove the Christians and those who have converted to Christianity.

In my person, Allah has combined these two names, just as the fire of the two temptations has come together in my time. By Allah, the Creator of both worlds, this is the truth. I have come to spread the light of His blessings. My Lord has chosen me for His appointed time. I cannot prevent the grace of Allah, nor can I do what might displease the Merciful Lord. I am nothing but a mere corpse in the hands of the ghassal,16 and I move not but when Allah quickens me. I came when the innovations of Muslims and the evils of Christians had greatly escalated. If you are in doubt about this, then please examine carefully the seditious innovations of Muslims and the ignorance of the worshippers of the Cross. Do you not see these twofold afflictions? Have you ever heard of such occurrences in past centuries? Why do you not think like the wise or discern like the just? Allah appoints at the beginning of every century a Reformer to restore the Faith, and such is the way of Allah, the Helper. Do you think that He would not send a person with spiritual perception at the time of this deluge? Do you not fear Allah who seizes the transgressors?

Eleven years have passed since the start of the century but you reflect not. The sun and the moon have eclipsed but you give them no thought. Signs have appeared but you do not take heed. All the indications have become manifest but you fail to appreciate them. Are you asleep, are you from among those who turn away, or are you asking why God did not do as you had thought? The Israelites before you thought the same thoughts and ended up refusing to believe in the Best of Messengers and the beloved of God. They said: ‘The promised Seal of the Prophets would be raised from among us, for this is what our Lord had promised to Dawud [David].’ They also said: ‘The Messiah will not come unless Elijah descends from heaven first.’ Thus, they refused to believe in Muhammad, the Best of Messengers, and in ‘Isa who was one of the Prophets. Allah sealed their hearts such that they could not comprehend the truth, nor could they reflect. Their hearts became hardened and they fabricated lies till they resembled monkeys and apes. This is the consequence of rejecting the truthful ones. These were the sages of their people and they led crowds of devoted followers. They were jurists, scholars of their traditions and scriptures, and many of them were ascetics, but when they strayed from the right path, Allah caused their hearts to go astray. Their knowledge and understanding were of no use to them; they were indeed a disobedient people.

Do not, therefore, be negligent in your duty to Allah, and let there be in you compassion and tolerance. Follow not that of which you have no knowledge, exceed not the limits, and transgress not. Commit not iniquity upon the earth, nor cause disorder, and fear Allah if you are indeed righteous. You have heard of the practice of naming a person after another; do not, therefore, ignore this immutable practice of the Almighty and choose ambiguities for which you have no proof. However, if you insist on them and do not turn away from them, then—if you are indeed of the truthful—show us another example where the practice Allah has conformed to your fancies? You will not be able to produce such an example. Do not, therefore, stand up against the Powerful Lord and do not reject His favour after it has been bestowed. Do not drive away His grace after it has come to you and do not be the first to reject it.

If you are in any doubt concerning my claim and do not see the light of my moon and think that the Promised Mahdi and Imam, who was to come to extinguish the fire of tribulations, would only be from among the sons of Fatimah (ra) and from none other, then know that this is an illusion that has no basis; it is like an arrow without a tip. There is, in fact, no consensus regarding this matter. This is well known to the people of knowledge and to the foremost scholars of Hadith. According to some accounts, the Mahdi, who will be supported with heavenly signs, will be among ‘the sons of al-‘Abbas’, while others say that he shall be ‘from among us’, i.e. from among the Muslims. Another group claim that he shall be ‘of the sons of Hasan or Husain’. Thus, the difference of opinion is all too evident. Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, proclaimed, verily: سَلْمَانُ مِنَّا أَھْلَ الْبَیْتِ17 [‘Salman is a member of our household’], even though he was not of his household; in fact, he was of Persian origin.

Be aware that no one can determine the matter of lineage save Allah, the All-Knowing. The vision that I related regarding Az-Zahra points to my perfect affinity with her. Allah alone knows the truth of things. In the book al-Taisir, Abu Hurairah is reported as saying: مَنْ أَسْلَمَ مِنْ أَھْلِ فَارِس فَھُوَ قَرْشِیٌّ18 [‘Whoever from among the people of Persia has accepted Islam is counted among the Quraish.’] I myself am of Persian descent. Ponder over this and do not act in haste like the prejudiced.

One of the fundamental principles is to examine the signs in depth and to give precedence to evidence over conjecture. When following these principles, you must take a logical approach so that Allah can guide you to the manifest truth. This approach is in line with the Quranic teachings and the Ahadith, both of which agree that the Almighty, out of His wisdom and mercy, has divided the history of this Ummah into three periods, as is acknowledged by all scholars without reservation. The first period corresponds to the first three centuries after the advent of Khairul-Bariyyah [i.e. the Best of Creation—the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sas)]. This is followed by a second period, that of religious innovations and of the spread of heresies. The third period is similar to that of the Best of Creation, marked by a return to the precepts of prophethood and purified of harmful innovations and corrupt traditions. This period bears a likeness to the time of Khatamun-Nabiyyin [the Seal of the Prophets] who called it ‘the Latter Days’ because it comes at the end of the first two periods. Allah praised the believers of the ‘Latter Days’ as He praised the ‘early ones’, and said:

ثُلَّۃٌ مِّنَ الۡاَوَّلِیۡنَ ﴿ۙ۴۰﴾ وَثُلَّۃٌ مِّنَ الۡاٰخِرِیۡنَ ﴿ؕ۴۱﴾19

No doubt, each party must have its Imam, and this is an indication that the Seal of the Imams, the Promised Mahdi, will be joined with the Companions of the Holy Prophet (sas), as the Almighty has said:

وَّاٰخَرِیۡنَ مِنۡہُمۡ لَمَّا یَلۡحَقُوۡا بِہِمۡ20

The Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was asked about the meaning of ‘others’ in this verse, and he responded by placing his hand on the shoulder of Salman [who was a Persian] and saying lovingly, ‘if faith were to ascend to the Pleiades’—that is, to disappear from this world—‘a man from among these [of Persian people] shall surely find it.’21

This is a subtle indication by the Best of Creation that the Imam who would come at the end of time and bring back the light of faith to the earth would be from among the sons of Persia. This is decreed by Allah, the Gracious. Ponder and reflect! This hadith is of great importance and Bukhari has mentioned it very clearly in his authentic compilation. Since it is now proven that the Imam who is to come at the end of time shall be of Persian descent and of none other, anyone who does not meet this criterion cannot make such a claim. This is the truth from Allah, the Sovereign. Do not fight Allah and do not argue like the transgressors. Our last prayer is: Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the worlds!