Hazrat Mahdi (as) will live in the city of Mecca during the dominion of Islamic moral values. Leading Muslims will offer Hazrat Mahdi (as) their spiritual love and devotion on behalf of all Muslims in the city of Mecca, the place of the swearing of allegiance. Since it is a holy site and one of great spiritual importance to Muslims, Allah has chosen the city of Mecca as the place for the swearing of allegiance to Hazrat Mahdi (as). (Allah knows the truth.) Some of the hadiths handed down about the allegiance to be sworn to Hazrat Mahdi (as) in this city read as follows:
The Rasulullah (saas) said: “… a man of the people of Medina (A GREAT CITY) [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will come to Mecca. Some of the people of Mecca will come to him, bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. …
Mar'iy Ibn Yusuf Ibn Abi Baqr Ibn Ahmad Ibn Yusuf al-Maqdi'si "Faraidu Fawaidi'l Fikr Fi'l Imam Al-Mahdi al-Muntazar |
Another hadith of our Prophet (saas) which clearly shows the word Medina is used in the sense of a city reads:
Ahmad recorded a hadith by ibn 'Amr (ra), who said:
"… The Prophet (saas) said, 'There are six things without which Doomsday will not fall… The sixth is the conquest of the city.'
I asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, which city?'
He said, 'Constantinople.'"
(Portents of Doomsday, p. 204; Ramuz al-Ahadith, 296) |
Other hadith revealing how Muslims will express their love and spiritual devotion toward Hazrat Mahdi (as) in the city of Mecca read:
Naim Ibn Hammad narrates from Abu Jafar;
"Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear in Mecca in the evening with the banner, robe, sword, signs, radiance and beautiful expression of our Prophet. When he performs the evening prayer he will issue this call in a loud voice…”
Mar'iy Ibn Yusuf Ibn Abi Baqr ibnAhmad Ibn Yusuf al-Maqdi'si "Faraidu Fawaidi'l Fikr Fi'l Imam Al-Mahdi al-Muntazar |
People will eventually come to the Mahdi will swear allegiance to him, between the Corner and the Maqam, against his own wishes. If you refuse, we will strike you on the neck,” they will say. The dwellers of the earth and sky will be content with him.
(Ali Ibn Husamaddin Al Muttaki, Hadith from Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti Commentary –Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Kahraman Press, p. 31) |
… A group from the people of Mecca will bring him out (from where he is), against his wishes. They will swear allegiance to him between Al-Hajar al-Aswad and Ibrahim's Maqam.
(Sunan Abu Dawud, p. 5/94, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 20)
... And then he will accept their oaths of allegiance, albeit reluctantly. If you live to see him, swear allegiance to him. Because he is the Mahdi in the Earth and sky.
(Ali Ibn Husamaddin Al Muttaki, Hadith from Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti Commentary –Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Kahraman Press, p. 35) |
The city of Mecca is important to Muslims in many ways. The way that Allah has chosen Mecca as the place of swearing of allegiance to Hazrat Mahdi (as) is particularly wise and delightful as the Kaaba, the holy site where Muslims congregate stands in the city.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THE SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE OF THE CITY OF MECCA FOR MUSLIMS:
• Mecca is the city where our Prophet (saas) was born.
• Islam was first born in Mecca.
• The Kaaba, the place where Muslims congregate, stands in Mecca.
• The first revelation to our Prophet was made on Mount Hira, near Mecca.
• The Masjid al-Haram, the first mosque on Earth, stands in Mecca.
• In one hadith that has been handed down our Prophet (saas) says: “Visits may be made to only three places. The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, this masjid of mine in Medina and the Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.” Through this hadith, Rasulallah (saas) announces that these three sites are holy places in Islam.1 In the light of this hadith, the way that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will accept oaths of allegiance in Mecca is particularly significant.
• After the Prophet Ibrahim (as) had constructed the Kaaba at Allah’s command, he called on people to worship Allah there.
• Allah has also chosen Mecca as the place for Muslims to congregate during the hajj, which He has made obligatory for all believers. Mecca and its surrounding area are known as the Harem Region.
• Mecca is exceedingly important as the place where our beloved Prophet (saas) demolished paganism by smashing the idols and where he preached monotheism.
• Several of the Companions became Muslims by swearing allegiance to our Prophet (saas) in Mecca.
• During the hajj season a group of 12 people from Medina became Muslims by offering our Prophet (saas) their allegiance in the Aqaba Region of Mecca. The following year, again during the hajj season, a group of 72 people became Muslims in the same place. These events are known in Islamic history as the 1st and 2nd Aqaba Oaths of Allegiance.
• The tombs of our Prophet’s (saas) grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, his uncle Abu Talib, his wife Hazrat Hatija, his sons Qasim and Abd-Allah who died at an early age and many Companions and eminent Muslims are all in the Jannat ul Ma’la in Mecca.
• The Savr Cave where our Prophet (saas) and Hazrat Abu Bakr hid from the deniers on the hegira from Mecca to Medina is in Mount Savr in Mecca.
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1 (Jerusalem Magazine - No: 1 – Spring 2003, Palestine, Ahmet Ağırakça)
