Raziullah Noman، Canada
When we study the Holy Quran and the books of ahadith, it becomes evident that the Latter-Day Messiah was to be opposed and declared a disbeliever by the people of his time, especially by the clergy. This is not only proven by the Quran and ahadith, but also by the pious saints and scholars who have preceded us.
Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, the Promised Messiah has written:
لیكن ضرور تھا كہ قرآن شریف اور احادیث كى وہ پیشگوئیاں پورى ہوتیں جن میں لكھا تھا كہ مسیح موعود جب ظاہر ہوگا تو اسلامى علماء كے ہاتھ سے دُكھ اُٹھائے گا وہ اُس كو كافر قرار دیں گے اور اُس كے قتل كے لئے فتوے دیئے جائیں گے اور اس كى سخت توہین كى جائے گى اور اس كو دائرہ اسلام سے خارج اور دین كا تباہ كرنے والا خیال كیا جائے گا۔ سو ان دنوں میں وہ پیشگوئى انہى مولویوں نے اپنے ہاتھوں سے پورى كى
“But it was essential that those prophecies of the Holy Quran and ahadith be fulfilled, in which it was written that when the Promised Messiah would appear, he would face grief at the hands of the Muslim scholars. They will declare him to be a disbeliever and issue verdicts for his assassination and he will be severely disrespected and will be taken outside the pale of Islam and would be deemed to be the one who destroys religion. So in these days, these prophecies are fulfilled at the hands of these very maulvis [Muslim clerics].” (Tohfa-e-Golarhviyya, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 17, p. 53)
The books of Shias are also full of such prophecies regarding the Imam Mahdi. In this article, I will present some references I have found in the Shia literature pointing towards the opposition of the Imam Mahdi. Such references are also found throughout the Sunni literature and those references will be presented in the future.
According to the Shia prophecies of the Imam Mahdi, he was to face greater persecution and opposition than the Holy Prophetsa because of the condition of the ulema. In Bihar al-Anwar, a fundamental book of ahadith in Shia literature, it is narrated:
أخبرنا عبد الواحد بن عبد اللّٰه بن يونس قال: حدثنا محمد بن جعفر القرشي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن محمد بن سنان، عن الحسين بن المختار عن أبي حمزة الثمالي قال: سمعت أبا جعفر يقول: إن صاحب هذا الأمر لو قد ظهر لقي من الناس مثل ما لقي رسول الله وأكثر
“Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah bin Yunus narrated from Muhammad bin Ja‘far al-Qarashi from Muhammad bin al-Husayn bin Abul Khattab from Muhammad bin Sinan from al-Husayn bin Mukhtar from Abu Hamza ath-Thimali that Abu Ja‘far al-Baqir had said: ‘When the man of this matter [al-Qa‘im] appears, he will receive [harm] from people like the Holy Prophetsa had received, and more so than him.’” (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 362)
Then it is narrated:
قال: أخبرنا أحمد بن محمّد بن سعيد عن محمّد بن المفضل عن محمّد بن عبد اللّه بن زرارة عن محمّد بن مروان عن الفضيل بن يسار قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السّلام يقول: إن قائمنا إذا قام استقبل من جهل الناس أشدّ مما استقبله رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه و آله و سلم من جهّال الجاهلية، قلت: و كيف ذاك؟ قال: إن رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه و آله و سلّم أتى الناس و هم يعبدون الحجارة و الصخور و العيدان و الخشب المنحوتة، و إن قائمنا إذا قام أتى الناس و كلهم يتأول عليه كتاب اللّه و يحتج عليه به، ثم قال: أما و اللّٰه ليدخلن عليهم عدله جوف بيوتهم كما يدخل الحر و القر
“Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Saeed bin Uqda narrated from Muhammad bin al-Mufadhdhal bin Ibrahim from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Zurara from Muhammad bin Marwan that al-Fudhayl bin Yasar had said: ‘I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq saying: “When our Qa‘im appears, he will receive harm from the ignorant people more and bitterer than that of the Holy Prophetsa had received from the ignorant people of the pre-Islamic age.” I said: “How is that?” He said: “The Prophetsa came to people while they used to worship sculptured stone and wood whereas when al-Qa‘im comes to people, they will protest against him by interpreting the Book of Allah according to their fancies. By Allah, he [al-Qa‘im] will insert his justice into their houses like the entering of hot and cold.”’” (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 362)
In another narration about the Imam Mahdi, it is said:
أخبرنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا حميد بن زياد الكوفي، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن محمد بن سماعة، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن الحسن الميثمي، عن محمد بن أبى حمزة عن بعض أصحابه، عن أبى عبداللّٰه (عليه السلام)، قال: سمعته يقول: القائم (عليه السلام) يلقى في حربه ما لم يلق رسول اللّٰه(صلى اللّٰه عليه واله وسلم)، إن رسول اللّٰه (صلى اللّٰه عليه واله) أتاهم وهم يعبدون حجارة منقورة وخشبا منحوتة، وإن القائم يخرجون عليه فيتأولون عليه كتاب اللّٰه، ويقاتلونه عليه
“Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Hameed bin Ziyad al-Kufi from al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Suma‘a from Ahmad bin al-Hasan al-Maythami from Muhammad bin Abu Hamza from some of his companions that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiqas had said: ‘Al-Qa‘imas will face [difficulties] in his wars, more than what the Prophetsa had faced. The Prophetsa came to people while they used to worship stone and wood whereas the people of al-Qa‘im will protest against him by the means of the Book of Allah and will fight him by the means of the Book of Allah.’” (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 362)
The last reference has a prayer which the Shias would read and in this prayer they would pray for being protected from denying any of Allah’s authorities and it shows Jesus (the Promised Messiah) would be rejected.
It is narrated:
و أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال حدثنا أبو محمد القاسم بن محمد بن الحسن بن حازم قال حدثنا عبيس بن هشام قال حدثنا عبد اللّٰه بن جبلة عن الحكم بن أيمن عن محمد بن تمام قال: قلت لأبي عبد اللّٰه إن فلانا يقرئك السلام و يقول لك اضمن لي الشفاعة فقال أ من موالينا قلت نعم قال أمره أرفع من ذلك قال قلت إنه رجل يوالي عليا و لم يعرف من بعده من الأوصياء قال ضال قلت أقر بالأئمة جميعا و جحد الآخر قال هو كمن أقر بعيسى و جحد بمحمد ص أو أقر بمحمد و جحد بعيسى نعوذ بالله من جحد حجة من حججه
“Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa‘eed narrated from Abu Muhammad al-Qassim bin Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Hazim from Obayss bin Hisham from Abdullah bin Jibilla form al-Hakam bin Aymen that Muhammad bin Tamam had said: ‘I said to Imam Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq: “Someone has sent you his regards and requested you to intercede for him (on the Day of Resurrection).” Imam as-Sadiq said: “Is he from our followers?” I said: “Yes, he is.” He said: “His matter is more important than that.” I said: “He has believed in Ali but he does not know any of the guardians after him.” He said: “He is astray.” I said: “He has believed in the Imams but he has denied the last one of them.” He said: “He is like that who believes in Jesus Christ and denies Muhammad or believes in Muhammad and denies Jesus Christ. We pray Allah to protect us from denying any of His authorities.”’” (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 23, p. 112)
History shows how fiercely Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas faced opposition and persecution, especially by the ulema class. However, despite this Allah the Almighty protected him from all of his enemies and spread his message to the corners of the earth.
We pray that Allah the Almighty guides all Muslims to the true teachings of Islam.
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (rh) is also reported to have said, based on a vision he had seen, that the people would initially reject the Mahdi and flee from him but will ultimately come to accept him after finding no other way:
“As if I can see the Qaim [Mahdi] upon the pulpit, wearing his cloak. He takes out from his cloak a sealed
proclamation. Then he breaks the seal and reads out the proclamation. The people become horrified and scatter
away from him like goats and sheep and except for his close confidants none remains with him. Then he says
something hearing which those who had run away from him are compelled to return. And I know what he would
say.” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol.13, part II)
Another version in the same chapter reads that upon the Mahdi’s proclamation:
“Then they would go away and disperse from him like tongueless sheep and none would remain with him except
the deputy and eleven chiefs—as had remained with Musa bin Imran (as)—then they would wander the earth, but
will not be able to find a way except to him. Then they would come back to him. By Allah! I know what he will say
to them, which they will deny.”