Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be born in a large city and then come to Istanbul

The Messenger of Allah (saas) said: “… a man [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] of the people of Medina (a big city)will come forth to Mecca. People will bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. … (Mari’ bin Yusuf Karami Hanbali, Fawaid Fawaid al-Fikr fil Mahdi al-Montazar) 

And on 69th page of Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, it is mentioned that Hazrat Mahdi (as) “will come from the village of Kara.”(Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi, p. 69)

The word “medina” is used in a metaphorical sense in the hadiths handed down from the Prophet (saas). In other words, our Prophet (saas) uses the word medina to mean very different things. There are many large cities or “medinas” in the Islamic world. For that reason, one can only tell in what sense the word medina is being used by looking at other accounts on the subject.

In the hadith cited above, our Prophet (saas) says that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will come from medina, whereas in another hadith he says that Hazrat Mahdi (as) “will come from the village of Kara.”Imam al-Qurtubi’s at-Tazkirah refers to Hazrat Mahdi (as) coming from the western part of the Islamic countries.  This statement shows that the large city in which Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be born is in the western part of the Islamic nations.

In another hadith, our Prophet (saas) tells his interlocutor that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will perform the spiritual capture of medina, in other words, a big city. In the account, because there were many medinas (or big cities), the person speaking to the Prophet (saas) was uncertain which medina, in other words which big city, Hazrat Mahdi (as) would achieve the spiritual conquest of. He therefore asked the Prophet (saas) which medina (or big city) he meant.

The Prophet (saas) answered that this medina (city) was Constantinople (Istanbul). 

Narrated by ibn Amr, who said: "… The Messenger of Allah (saas) said, 'Six things will happen to this community: … The sixth is the conquest of medina.' I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, which medina?' He said, 'Constantinople [Istanbul].'"  [This is the spiritual conquest of Istanbul by Hazrat Mahdi (as).] (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 204; Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith 1/296)

Therefore, the word medina is used by the Prophet (saas) in this hadith in the sense of a great city in order to refer to Istanbul. Another hadith reveals that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will emerge from the city that contains the sacred relics, including the sacred banner of our Prophet (saas). The banner and other sacred relics of the Prophet (saas) are currently kept in a special section of Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace. 

It is related from Abdullah ibn Shurafa that: Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have the banner of our Prophet (saas) with him. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 65)
 

He [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will appear with the camel hair banner of the Prophet (saas). That banner has four corners, is unstitched and black in color. There is a halo on it. It has not been unfurled since the death of the Messenger of Allah (saas), but it will be opened when Hazrat Mahdi (as) appears.(Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 23) 

As for signs, he [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will have with him the shirt, the sword, and the banner of the Messenger of Allah (saas). That banner has never been unfurled since the death of the Prophet (saas). And, it will not be unfurled until the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as). (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 164) 

It appears from the above hadiths that the sacred relics of our Prophet (saas) are where Hazrat Mahdi (as) is, and that the banner will be opened up when he appears. Since the sacred relics are in Istanbul, it is clear that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be in Istanbul, too.

However, one can also see from looking at other accounts that the city of Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) birth and the city in the west of the Islamic world is a different medina or city from the one that he will spiritually conquer. For example, it can be seen from the description in this hadith that the city that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will capture, Istanbul, is one in which a dry path will be opened up in the sea, in other words, in which a bridge system will be used. 

During the conquest of Constantinople he [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will plant a standard when he goes to make ablution for the morning prayer, and the water will divide in two and withdraw from him. He will cross to the other side through this path that opens and say, “O people, learn from this. The sea has parted its waters for us, just as it did for the tribe of Israel.” They will utter the takbir again and again and with twelve takbirs the twelve towers of the city will collapse. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 57)  

The hadith also states that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will plant a standard in this city, making it clear that the city is the one that contains the sacred banner of our Prophet (saas).