Rebuttal Against The Skepticism Of Al-Khateeb Regarding The Descent Of ' Isa ('Alaihi Salaam) And The Appearance Of The Mahdi And The Dajjaal
Regarding his statement, “If the return of 'Eesa was from the fundamentals of faith, it would have come in the Qur'aan unambiguously and precisely.”

The answer: All which the Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has informed us about, whether of the unseen from the past or what will be in the future, faith in it is an integral part of one's faith in the Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and that is of the greatest of fundamentals of faith. The command to have faith in the Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) comes in many verses of the Qur'aan, all of which are definitive.

It is also implied in the words of Allah Most High "And what the Messenger has brought take it”[60] and it enters also in what is included in His words "And know by your Lord that none of them believe until they make you a judge in what they differ and thereafter find no fault within themselves with what you have decided and then fully submit." [61] Also, "Let them be warned who differ from his command that a trial will befall them or a painful punishment.” [62]
All of these verses are precise and unambiguous and all point to attesting to the information from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as being of the greatest fundamentals of faith. Imaam Ahmed (may Allah have mercy on his soul) said regarding the verse "Let them be warned...”[63] "Do you know what the trial is? The trial is shirk[64] which - if he rejected some of his words (i.e. Muhammad's) - may befall him by some deviation settling upon his heart and thereby be destroyed.” He then began to read the verse "And know by your Lord...” [65]

Rebuttal Against His Claim That The Reports On The Descent Of 'Eesa ('Alaihi Salaam) And The Appearance Of The Mahdi Open The Door To Dangerous Trials (Fitan)
As far as his statement, “Reports like these open the doors to trials upon the people when many souls (i.e. people) seek to claim this; as has happened to many who claimed themselves to be the awaited Mahdi and they caused division and bloodshed amongst the Muslims. It is not farfetched that one may stand before the people claiming he is the awaited Messiah and what will you do in that case!?”
The answer: The reports from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that are confirmed are not rejected due to possibilities and incorrect pretexts. On the contrary, they are to be affirmed as true and accepted even if the content causes trial to who would be tried among the people. Allah Most High said in ordering His Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to say to the people: “I have been ordered to read the Qur’aan and whosoever accepts guidance does so for his own soul and as far as he who strays say that I am but of the warners”. [66] This is what is to be said concerning confirmed reports about the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that they are to be met with full acceptance and affirmation. Whatever comes from the people of trials and dissension - those who seek an interpretation of the ahadeeth other than their true interpretation and who seek to apply them in ways other than the correct application - is not even taken into consideration.

It is also said that the awaited Mahdi will come at the end of time near that of the appearance of the Dajjaal. When chaos and trials and disorder are widespread, 'Eesa ('alaihi salaam) will then descend and will pray behind the Mahdi when he first appears, as is related in the hadeeth of Jaabir (which we presented earlier). He will then go to the Dajjaal and kill him.

At this time the Final Hour will be extremely close. Based upon this, any liar who claims that he is the awaited Mahdi and yet the Dajjaal does not appear at that time is himself a false Dajjaal. The same applies to one who claims he is the Messiah son of Maryam ('alaihi salaam) and yet the Dajjaal has not appeared before him, is himself a false Dajjaal. The Messiah son of Mary ('alaihi salaam) shall have two signs which none but he shall have.

One: He will kill the Dajjaal (as related in the tawaatur ahadeeth). Two: It will not be permissible for the kaafir to sense the smell of his (‘Eesa's) breath except that he (the kaafir) would die and his (‘Eesa's) breath would reach as far as he would be able to see.[67] This is reported in the hadeeth of Nawwaas ibn Sam'aan and transmitted by Imaam Ahmed, Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah. At-Tirmidhi classifies this hadeeth as ghareeb [68], hasan saheeh.[69] In these two signs is a 'cutoff' of the ambition of every false Dajjaal who would falsely claim himself to be the Messiah son of Maryam ('alaihi salaam).

The Gravity Of Rejecting Authentic Ahadeeth
Before I conclude, I would like to warn Abdul-Kareem Al-Khateeb[70] of the gravity of the matter of rejecting confirmed ahadeeth from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam). It is the same whether they are ahadeeth on the portents of the Hour such as the appearance of the Mahdi, the coming out of the Dajjaal, the descending of 'Eesa son of Maryam ('alaihi salaam), and anything else of the signs of the Hour, or any other matter.

Indeed, whoever rejects confirmed ahadeeth of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) he is in truth rejecting the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Al-Khateeb should not forget the words of Allah Most High, "They should be warned who diverge from His order that a trial will befall them or they will suffer a painful torture” [71] nor the words of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam), “I have been ordered to fight the people until they bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that they believe in me and what I have brought and if they do so their blood and wealth is inviolable to me except for just cause and their account rests with Allah.” [72]

Perhaps Al-Khateeb will reconsider the truth for surely the truth is cherished by the believer and in returning to the truth is nobility and honor, just as remaining in falsehood is a defect and despicable.

Allah guides whom He wills to the Straight Path. May Allah mention and sanctify and safeguard our Prophet Muhammad and his family, his Sahaabah, and whoever follows them till the Day Of Resurrection.
Aameen.

Revised 16 Dhul-Qi’dah 1402
Hammoud ibn Abdullah At-Tuwayjiri


Notes:

[60] Q. Al-Hashr 59:7

[61] Q. An-Nisaa 4:65

[62] Q. An-Noor 24:63

[63] Ibid

[64] The opposite of Tawheed and it constitutes association in any form of partners, equals, or superiors to Allah in a) Him being the Creator of all that exists, its Sustainer, and Giver of life and death (Ruboobiyyah) b) His having the right to be worshipped, to be the object of love due to Him alone, and having the right to be obeyed as the only true deity (Uloohiyyah) c) His possessing unique characteristics and perfection in names and attributes (Asmaa wa SIfaat). The three major types of shirk are: Ash-Shirk al-Akbar [Major shirk]; Ash-Shirk -Al-Asghar [Minor shirk]; Ash-Shirk Al-Khafy [Inconspicuous Shirk]

[65] Q. An-Nisaa 4:65

[66] Q. An-Naml 27:92

[67] Muslim - Vol. 4, p. 1517, #7015. There is an error in the translation of Abdul-Hamid Siddique which is widely distributed and
relied upon. He wrote: “...who would smell the odor of his self would die...”

[68] This particular hadeeth was transmitted by a single narrator at one or more stages of the isnaad (chain or narrators).

[69] A single isnaad (chain) which is hasan (accepted) or saheeh (authentic).

[70] And anyone like him.

[71] Q. An-Noor 24:63

[72] Muslim - Vol. 1, p. 16, No. 30