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- Qatada -

04-19-2007, 10:14 PM

:salamext:

The Mahdi
20/11/79 CE

1st Muharram 1400 AH

The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi waSalam) said black flags will appear from the lands of the east, and they shall fight and they shall kill you like no other nation has been killed.

When you see them - then give them allegiance - even if you have to crawl over snow to get to them, because they shall have the khalifah of Allaah - the Mahdi in their midst.

Bismillaahi Rahmaani Raheem [In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious - Most Merciful]

The 20th of Novermber 1979 appeared to be a normal day in Makkah. To be sure it was a unique and auspicious day for it so happened that this day corresponded to the 1st of Muharram 1400 After Hijrah [AH] - the dawn to a new century, the beginning of a new era.

But little did muslims know as they shuffled and jostled one another in the crowd outside of the haram in Makkah to enter the Masjid Al Haraam to pray the Salaat ul Fajr, that this day was to mark of the most horrific and evil days in the history of the Ummah. As was typical and still is, a number of coffins and byers were lead to the gates of the Haram and the crowds made space for them in order to give them the right of way - out of respect to the dead, and to hasten their funeral procession. But it was not dead bodies that respect was being given to - but rather rifles, guns, ammunition and other weapons. For indeed hidden under the white sheets were not corpses, but weapons intended to create corpses. And they were smuggled under the very eyes of the guards who were there to protect the Haram.

When the Fajr prayer began, the people lined up to pray to Allaah subhaanahu wa ta'aala. In the beautiful air, in the beautiful scent surrounding the Ka'abah. And as the Imaam finished the prayer and said the salaam, signalling the new day - the dawn of a new century. Suddenly a group of men pulled out their guns and other weapons - took control of the microphone, and began announcing that the promised Mahdi was in their midst, and that he had come finally to end this world of the deceit of the evil the corruption that was rampant at their times, and he would fill the world with justice, just as it had been filled before with injustice.

The name of this announcer was Juhaiman ibn Muhammad ibn Saif Al Utaibi, and the name of this supposed Mahdi was just as the hadith had predicted it. His name was Muhammad ibn Abdullah, who was from the pure arab tribe of Al-Kahtaan, from the descendants of the Quraysh. This Mahdi - Muhammad ibn Abdullah made his way to the Ka'abah - stood between the Black Stone and the Station of Ibrahim and began taking the oath of allegiance from his followers. Juhaiman then demanded that all the muslims in the Haram should do the same - for here he claimed was the promised Mahdi. Here he said is the Mahdi who is fulfilling the signs mentioned in the hadith, his name is Muhammad, and he is the son of Abdullah. He is the Mahdi coming from Medina, he is the Mahdi who was to seek refuge in the Haram in Makkah, and of the signs is that he would take the pledge of allegiance at the Ka'abah between the Station of Ibrahim and the Black Stone. All the signs were clear and apparent - here is the Mahdi, why not give pledge of allegiance to him?

Simultaneously the followers of Juhaiman all around the Haram overpowered the guards of the entrances. And ofcourse the guards were unprepared for something of this nature. They shut down and barricated the doors of the Haram. Bewildered and confused the muslim masses, thousands of men, women and children were completely dumb struck. Many of them simply had no understanding of what was going on, after all many of them never even spoke arabic. Others did not realise the gravity of the situation.

Afterall this was the Ka'abah, the holiest place on the earth. So who could possibly assume that anyone would try to do anything to taint its sanctity and image. But a few people realised the fanaticism which was unfolding infront of their very eyes. Including the Imaam of the Haram, he immediately disguised himself in the crowd. And 3 days later when Juhaiman let the women and children out, he managed to sneak out of the Haram along with them and he was one of the primary sources that the authorities could rely on to understand what was going on in the Haram.

For 8 days after this announcement, the followers of Juhaiman held the Haram itself hostage. No-one was allowed to leave initially, and those trapped inside were held hostage until finally when food ran short - Juhaiman was forced initially to let the women and children out and eventually the men out aswell. But Juhaiman and his own followers sealed the doors of the Haram shut. And they barricaded themselves underground the basement of the Haram. The Tawaaf - the only perpetual act that muslims continue to do non stop for hundreds and thousands of years - stopped. Even the congregational prayer was not called. Instead of calling people to prayer - the minarets were used for snipers to shoot down any guards who dared to try to approach the Haram.

The Muslim Ummah was stunned. Was it even concievable that a group of Muslims take the Haram itself hostage? At the same time many people; including students of knowledge and even 'Ulama (Scholars) - were confused. Was it possible that this person could truelly be the Mahdi? After all - some of the signs had truelly been met. A person had sought refuge in the Haram - one sign, his name was Muhammad - another, the son of Abdullah - another sign. He was from the Quraysh - yet another sign.

Allegiance was indeed given to him between the Black Stone and the Station of Ibrahim as the athaab and the hadith predicted. No matter how remote the possibility - the question lurked in the minds of these people - What if this really was the Mahdi?

For if it were - the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi waSalam also told us how towards the end of time - an army will march towards the Haram in order to attack someone who had sought refuge in it. And that the earth itself shall swallow up the earth itself the entire army and destroy them? What if this was the Mahdi, and any army they sent would be the army the earth would swallow up? After deliberating over the call of this illegid Mahdi and the various signs the hadith had predicted he had, and also taking into account the tactics that this group was using to spread the call - the Highest Council of Senior Scholars issued a Fatwa (Religious Verdict) stating that these people were renegades, and that it was permissible to launch an offensive attack against these rebels in order that this Haram be rid of them.

Based upon this fatwa, Commandoes - armed with plans devised by Military Experts & Strategic Analysts stormed the Ka'abah, equipped with tanks, hundreds of military personnell, and other assault weapons. In the shade of the first house ever built on earth for the worship of Allaah - built by the Prophet Ibraheem; an armed combat ensued.

Both sides exchanged fire - the intecrate layout and architecture of the Haram proved to be adventacious for these rebels. For every pillar became a shield behind where they could hide. And the multiple floors of the Haram proved to be a veritable maze. The Sacred Masjid became a War-Zone.

Many people were killed, including the supposed Mahdi himself. It is unclear how he died, some rumours have it that he was killed by some of his own followers when he realised that this was a gross mistake and wanted to turn himself in. In any case - when the supposed Mahdi died, many of his followers realised that this could not possible be the Mahdi, and with his death - they surrendered themselves to the forces. Others including Juhaiman himself - who was the actual ring leader fought on, using tear-gas, throwing in smoking tires and other ammunition - the Commandoes who stormed the Haram tried to extragate Juhaiman and his core followers. But they had taken shelter in the basement of the Haram, and they were not able to bring them out.

Finally as a last-resort - they flooded the basement of the Haram with water, and threw in live-electric wires. Having no option - Juhaiman and his followers battered and bruised, covered in smoke and sut - surrendered themselves. Photographers managed to capture images, that still bring chills and shivers to those who see them to this day. 61 people were caught alive, the rest over 100 died in the battle inside the Haram. All of these 61 were soon executed in cities all around the Kingdom.

This incident brought to the attention of the entire world; Muslim and Non Muslim, a concept that had hitherto been neglected or side-lined for many years. That of a being called the Mahdi. What exactly is the concept of the Mahdi, is it a superstition borrowed from other religions? Or perhaps some kind of myth that muslims have invented?

The answer to these questions, and more is the topic of the present series of lectures.

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