Chapters
How Will the Promised Messenger Arrive?
Ahmed the Promised One · Alaa Alsalem
5. How Will the Promised Messenger Arrive?
To put it simply, the promised messenger arrives as a representative of those who sent him, such that his arrival is their arrival, and the beginning of his call is the beginning of their call. This person, dispatched by the reserved guardians of God, answers the wishes and hopes of the people awaiting those guardians. He is the beginning of relief for the people chosen to support them.
As for Imam Al-MahdPBUH sending a messenger in the end times to those waiting for him, or rather, to the whole world, this messenger paves the way for his rule. The matter becomes clear when we read the words of MuhammadPBUHAP, the Prophet of God: "People will come from the East who will pave the way for the Mahdi, meaning for his rule.”33
We know that the leader of the ones paving the way is the vicegerent of Imam Al-MahdiPBUH based on what the ProphetPBUHAP has said: “If you see the black banners emerging from the area of Khorasan,34 go to them even if you have to crawl over ice, because the vicegerent of the Mahdi is among them.”35,36
We also include the words of Imam Al-BaqirPBUH: "God Almighty has a treasure in Taliqan that is neither gold or silver. Twelve thousand from Khorasan, their slogan is "Ahmed Ahmed". A young man from Banu Hashem will lead them on a grey mule. If you hear of it, then rush to him even if you have to crawl over iceܑ.”37, 38
Also, from the wordsPBUH of Al-Mahdi: “He has two names: A hidden name and a revealed name. The hidden one is Ahmed and the revealed one is Muhammad.”39
We now understand with clarity that the messenger of Imam Al-MahdiPBUH is from the progeny of Prophet Muhammad. His name is Ahmed and he is a also the Riser. This will soon become even more clear.
In the Torah, we see the following: [5]“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes” (Malachi 4).
Jesus explains the nature of his coming to us: the coming is not necessarily the coming of the person himself. Instead, it can be the coming of the person representing him or someone who is similar to him, such that his coming is Jesus’ coming. This is just as the progeny of MuhammadPBUT have clarified: that the return during the time of the Riser (the appointed day) is a return in terms of similarity.
As a matter of fact, in the Gospel, JesusPBUH described the manner of the Son of Man’s coming (who is Jesus according to Christians) in the end times, and that it is similar to the coming of JohnPBUH, whose coming represented that of ElijahPBUH. Let us look at the verses that relate to the above two points.
JesusPBUH said:
[12] But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands. [13] Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17).
ElijahPBUH was mentioned but the one who came was JohnPBUH, so JesusPBUH considered his advent to be Elijah’sPBUH coming. This is because he considered JohnPBUH to be like ElijahPBUH, and John’s coming to be like Elijah’s.
Therefore hePBUH said: [14]”. . . and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. [15]He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11).
What is more important is that JesusPBUH considered the Son of Man’s coming, which is before the Minor Judgment, to also occur in this manner. This means that there is a person sent by him who will come, and his coming and the start of his call is Jesus’PBUH coming. This is none other than the wise servant (the one who carries out his master’s matter), according to Jesus’ description mentioned earlier.
JesusPBUH also said about the messenger:
[5]But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ [6]But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. [7]Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. [8]And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: [9]concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; [10]concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; [11]concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged (John 16).
Now that we have attained consistency regarding the Promised Messenger and his day, we know that Jesus is speaking of the same Messenger. Here, he is calling him “the Comforter”. On the Day of Judgement, he will convict the world for sinning against and denying the prophets and messengers; for killing them; for neglecting the truth of the
prophets and their commandments; for wasting their opportunity; and for forsaking the leader of this world: Imam Al-MahdiPBUH.
Indeed, this is a reality his followers couldn’t bear on that day. That is why he said to them:
[12]“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [13]When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14]He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16).
Today, the “Spirit of truth" (Ahmed)PBUH has guided us to the truth, just as JesusPBUH had promised. Concerning AhmedPBUH being the Spirit of truth, it is a reality understood by those who know that he is the faithful and wise servant who carries out the command of his master and the leader of this world, Imam Al-MahdiPBUH. He does not speak on his own authority. Consequently, everything that originates from him is true.
For Muslims, Imam Al-BaqirPBUH has said about the messenger of Imam Al-MahdiPBUH (Al-Yamani Ahmed): “If the Yamani emerges, rush to him, because his banner is the banner of guidance. It is prohibited for any Muslim to turn away from him. Whoever does that is from the people of hell, because he calls to the truth and to a straight path.”40
If we combine the previous conclusion (the Riser “from the family of Muhammad” = the Riser “faithful and wise servant” = the Riser “from the stump of Jesse”) with the conclusion we have just reached (the Messenger of Imam Al-MahdiPBUH “the Riser Ahmed” = the messenger of Jesus “the Comforter”), we come to the following conclusion:
Regarding the Comforter and Riser that is “set” and dispatched by Imam Al-MahdiPBUH and by those with him, meaning Jesus and Elijah, we can say that his appearance is the appearance of Imam Al-Mahdi, Jesus, and ElijahPBUT in the same way that we have previously demonstrated-just as the appearance of John represented the appearance of Elijah in a certain period.
Also the messenger does not necessarily have to come from those nations. He could be from another nation, and this is actually the case. JesusPBUH said: Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits (Matthew 21:43).
Jesus makes it clear to his followers that the kingdom will be taken away from them and given to another nation. As a result, they will not be from the nation of the Comforter, the faithful and wise servant who offers his “divine food” to a nation that is purified and learns through him in order to look into the kingdom and produce its fruits, in the same way that in his opinion, they were not the nation of ElijahPBUH, because they didn’t believe in him in the first place.
The Torah also mentions the following:
[1]“And now, O priests, this command is for you. [2]If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. [3]Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces . . . (Malachi 2).
Thus, with all clarity, the aforementioned [nation] are the supporters of the RiserPBUH, for reasons that will be explained later in the book.
This is why hundreds of years ago Imam AliPBUH identified the one whose coming in the end times will be considered as the coming of Jesus PBUH. He said:
The seat of rule will return to Al-Zawraa [Baghdad], and matters will be through consultation. Whoever prevails over something will do it. At this time the Sufyani will appear . . . food will diminish, people will become poor, and rain will lessen. The land will not grow and nothing will be sent down from the sky. Then the guided and guiding Mahdi will appear. He will take the banner from the hand of Jesus, Son of MaryPBUT.41
Ibn Hajar, who is a Sunni, said: “Jesus prays behind a man from this nation (all Muslims agree that he is Al-Mahdi). The fact that it happens in the end times and close to the Hour of Judgment is evidence for the truth of the saying that the earth is never free of a Riser of God.”
Undoubtedly, the Mahdi leading Jesus in prayer means that the banner had moved from the hand of Jesus to the hand of the Mahdi (the Riser from the progeny of Prophet MuhammadPBUHAP).
In order to remove all doubts about the consistency of the awaited world reformer, I will now present some of the signs of his promised day, and we will see the consistency in this day as well.