HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL NOT BE KNOWN WHEN HE FIRST APPEARS

Imam Rabbani has stated that the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) WILL BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY, and that this appearance had not taken place even though 18 years had passed since the beginning of the century in his time:

But this birth is not that which will appear at the coming of the Mahdi. THAT IS BECAUSE HIS APPEARANCE WILL BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY. Eighteen years have currently gone by since the beginning of the century.

Imam Rabbani, The Letters, Letter 381, p. 1184

Imam Rabbani’s reference to “HIS APPEARANCE WILL BE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY” MEANS THAT THE PORTENTS OF THE COMING OF HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL BEGIN TAKING PLACE AROUND THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear immediately at the beginning of the century, that Islamic moral values will prevail at once and that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be recognized by people as soon as he appears.

As Imam Rabbani says, JUST ABOUT ALL THE PORTENTS OF THE COMING OF HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) OF WHICH OUR PROPHET (SAAS) SPEAKS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE 30 YEARS BETWEEN THE YEAR 1400 AND THE PRESENT. (For the portents of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) see http://www.awaitedmahdi.com/signs/signs_index.html

Imam Rabbani’s use of the term “EIGHTEEN YEARS HAVE CURRENTLY GONE BY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY” is most significant. With these words, Imam Rabbani indicates that had Hazrat Mahdi (as) appeared, he would himself, as a person of knowledge and foresight, have felt and realized Hazrat Mahdi (as) through the luminosity of his faith from the fact that the portents of his coming having taken place during the 18 years since the beginning of the century. The fact is, however, although 18 years had gone by since the beginning of the century on Imam Rabbani’s time, the portents of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) had not taken place, for which reason he had not yet appeared.

Therefore, Imam Rabbani is not saying or implying that Islamic values will rule the world as soon as Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears and that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will therefore be recognized by everyone that sees him. But he notes that people like him possessed of profound knowledge will be able to recognize Hazrat Mahdi (as).

It can also be seen from statements by Said Nursi that not everyone will recognize Hazrat Mahdi (as) when he first appears, that he will not be known despite being among the people, and that ONLY PEOPLE WITH KNOWLEDGE AND FORESIGHT WILL BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE HIM FROM THE RADIANCE OF HIS FAITH, THE PROFUNDITY OF HIS FAITH AND THE MAJESTY OF HIS FAITH:

However, as we said, this world is the arena of trial. The door is opened to the reason, but the will is not taken from the hand. SO, WHEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS [Hazrat Mahdi (as) and Hazrat Isa (as)], and even the terrible Dajjal, APPEAR, MANY PEOPLE AND HIMSELF EVEN WILL NOT KNOW TO START WITH THAT HE IS THE DAJJAL. Those individuals [Hazrat Mahdi (as) and Hazrat Isa (as)] of the end of time will be known through the insight and the light of belief.

The Words / Twenty-Fourth Word - Third Branch - p.355

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, like Imam Rabbani someone possessed of knowledge and foresight, stated in his Letters that the Prophet Isa (as) will not be recognized by everyone when he returns, and that HE WILL ONLY BE RECOGNIZED BY STUDENTS OF DEEP FAITH AROUND HIM, BY THE LUMINOSITY OF HIS FAITH:


... WHEN ISA (AS) COMES, IT IS NOT NECESSARY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW HIM TO BE THE TRUE ISA (AS). His elect and those close to him will recognize him through the light of belief. It will not be self-evident so that everyone will recognize him.

(Letters, "Fifteenth Letter,)

NEITHER IMAM RABBANI’S WORDS NOR THE DESCRIPTIONS GIVEN BY SAID NURSI MEAN THAT THE MORAL VALUES OF ISLAM WILL RULE THE WORLD AS SOON AS HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) APPEARS OR THAT HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL IMMEDIATELY BE RECOGNIZED BY EVERYONE. If the moral values of Islam were to prevail across the world as soon as Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears, then everyone would immediately recognize and identify him. Hazrat Mahdi (as) would not then encounter any difficulties under such circumstances. The fact is that the hadith of our Prophet (saas) unequivocally state that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not be recognized by the public and that he will resemble the Prophet Yusuf (as) in that regard, that he will face difficulties and pressure and that he will be exposed to all kinds of danger, such as murder, like the Prophet Musa (as), difficulties and pressure, conspiracies, imprisonment and exile, and that he will live in seclusion:

... SONRA HZ. MEHDİ ALEYHİSSELAM HZ. YUSUF’A BENZEMEKTE ve ONUN (HZ. MEHDİ (A.S.)’NİN) HALKI GÖRDÜĞÜNÜ AMA HALKIN ONU (HZ. MEHDİ (A.S.)) GÖREMEDİĞİNİ ve Hz. Ali’nin de buyurduğu gibi GÖKTEN NİDA OLUNANA DEK ONUN (HZ. MEHDİ (A.S.)’NİN) GÖRÜLMEYECEĞİ KESİNDİR.

(Şeyh Muhammed b.İbrahim-i Numani, Gaybet-i Numani s. 167)

Abu Bashir says: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqr (as) say: "HE WHO POSSESSES THIS MYSTERY [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] WILL HAVE THE SUNNA OF FOUR PROPHETS… I SAID, WHAT IS THE SUNNA OF YUSUF (AS)? AND HE SAID: IMPRISONMENT AND DISAPPEARANCE.

(Sheikh Muhammad bin Ibrahim Nomani, al-Ghaybah al-Nomani, p. 191)

Imam Zayn al-Abidin stated: "There are some similarities between our Qaim [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] and Allah's messengers. He has similarities to each one of prophet Nuh (as), Ibrahim (as), Musa (as), Isa (as), Ayyub (as) and Muhammad (saas). He has similarity to NUH (as) in having a long life; to IBRAHIM (as) in having his birth being hidden and his staying away from the public; TO MUSA (AS) IN HIS STATE OF FEAR (THE INTENSITY OF DANGERS DIRECTED TO HAZRAT MAHDI (AS); HIS BEING FACE TO FACE TO ALL KINDS OF DANGER LIKE MURDER, PLOTTING, ARREST, TAKING INTO CUSTODY AND EXILE) AND HIS CONSTANTLY SPENDING HIS LIFE HIDING; to Isa (as) in people being in conflict about him (some people will say Hazrat Mahdi (as) will come while others will say he will not); to AYYUB (as) in being delivered to salvation after trouble (Hazrat Mahdi (as) will also suffer many difficulties, oppression and trouble; however just like Prophet Ayyub (as) he will be saved by Allah's mercy); to Muhammad (saas) in his standing up with his sword [our Prophet's (saas) holy relics will be with Hazrat Mahdi (as)].

(Qamal al-Din, p. 322, Section 31, Hadith number 3)