One of the portents of the End Times described by our Prophet (saas) and also narrated from our Prophet (saas) by such great Sunni scholars such as Muhammad Hamdi Yazir of Elmali, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah in some hadith concerning the Dabbat al-Ardh concerns the information that there will be ‘a seal’ by the side of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and that he will possess ‘the Prophet Musa’s (as) staff:’
“In one hadith described as fair by Ahmad Tayalisi, Naim ibn Hammad, Abd ibn Hamid and Tirmidhî and related from Abu Huraira by such individuals as Ibn Majah, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduya and Baykhakî, our Prophet (saas) said: "The Dabbat al-Ardh will appear with the staff of Musa and the seal of Sulayman alongside him, and he will polish the believer’s face with the seal and break the nose of the unbeliever with the staff (he will destroy the intellectual systems of denial)...”
(Elmalili’s commentary)
“The Dabbat al-Ardh will appear (with the seal of the Prophet Sulayman (as) and the staff of the Prophet Musa(as)). He will polish the face of the believer with the staff and stamp the nose of the unbeliever with the seal (demolish the intellectual systems of denial)...”
(Tirmidhi, Ibn al-Majah) |
Examination of the hadith in question shows that by using these references our Prophet (saas) has told Muslims about the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as) in the End Times and the activities he will perform, and has literally provided clues to enable people to recognize Hazrat Mahdi (as).
• For example, the hadith states that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have the Prophet Musa’s (as) staff. It is revealed in the Qur’an that when the Prophet Musa (as) cast his staff down in front of the sorcerers brought in by Pharaoh it turned into a real snake. (Surat al-A’raf, 107, 117). Once that piece of wood had turned into a snake it swallowed up all the sorcerers’ spells.
The Prophet Musa’s (as) lifeless staff turned into a living snake as a miracle bestowed on him by Allah and thus proved, against the deniers of the time, Allah’s creative might, the way He brings into being from nothing by issuing the command ‘Be!’ In the End Times, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will tell people of the fact of Creation by using the Dabba, the computer and the Internet of his own day in the same way that the Prophet Musa (as) used his staff. In this way, he will enlighten all believers and will expose all the errors and the deceptions of the belief system based upon denial, thus thwarting all their plans
• When we look at the hadith commentary of Hamdi Yazir of Elmali and the other hadith related by the great ahl-Sunnah scholars such as Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Sayyid al-Barzanji, it is seen to be related that in this system Allah creates in the End Times, “Dabbah will be like a seal” that will assist Hazrat Mahdi (as). A property of this seal which is indicated in the hadith is that it will enhance believers’ fervor and illuminate their faces, while breaking the arrogance of the deniers.
“It will encounter a believer and when it stamps the face of a believer his face will be bright. When it stamps the disbeliever it will turn as black as pitch.”
(Portents of Doomsday, Muhammad ibn Rasul al-Hussain Al-Barzanji, p. 277 ) |
Besides in the hadith it is seen to be indicated that “this seal is the seal that belongs to our Prophet (saas)” (Allah knows the truth). Again in the same hadith it is related that Prophet Jesus (as) who will descend in the End Times and Hazrat Mahdi (as) who will again appear in the same time will communicate Allah’s existence and the morality of the religion to people by means of these works that carry this golden seal of our Prophet (saas).
Imam Jafar Sadiq says: “The Qaim [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] … WILL TAKE THE SEAL OF THE PROPHET’S (SAAS) GOLD-SEALED letter OUT OF HIS POCKET and READ ALOUD TO PEOPLE."
(Bihar Al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p.326)
“Jesus (as) will take and open it (the ark), and will find a seal and a thousand books. With these books, he will revive the essentials of the morality of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of our Prophet (saas).”
(“Risalat al-Mashrab al Vardi fi Mazhab al- Mahdi, Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Khari- page 4”, From the book, Anis al-Julasji book)
|
In the End Times when Hazrat Mahdi (as) and Prophet Jesus (as) is being awaited, everyone having access to Internet will meet this seal and knowledge of Allah and the Qur’an. They will also be able to read what our Prophet (saas) told about our All-mighty Lord and the Qur’an in his own time.
