The error behind Osman Unlu's idea of the third millennium

Osman Unlu openly denies the time frame set out by Imam Rabbani regarding the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) in his Letters (Maktubat). Unlu maintains that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear, not in the millennium following the demise of our Prophet (saas), but in the millennium after Imam Rabbani, in other words, in the third millennium. But the fact is that his claim conflicts with both the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) on the subject and also with explicit statements by great Islamic scholars.

For instance, nowhere in his Letters is there any reference to the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) taking place in the millennium after Rabbani. But Osman Unlu still makes that baseless claim and produces a very false interpretation by saying; “Imam Rabbani says that Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the Prophet Jesus (as) will come, not 1000 years after the demise of our Prophet (saas), but 1000 years after his own [Imam Rabbani’s] time.” By denying the fact that both Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the Prophet Jesus (as) will appear in this century he is therefore in conflict with the hadiths of our Prophet (saas). On the other hand, he is pushing the global dominion of Islamic moral values and the establishment of Turkish-Islamic Union back by 600 years and thus claiming that the Golden Age, when all Muslims will attain peace and security, will not happen for hundreds of years.

The fact is, however, that Imam Rabbani provides detailed information about the timing of the descent of the Prophet Jesus (as) and of the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as), the two most important personages of the End Times, several times in his Letters:

261st letter THE END OF THIS COMMUNITY begins IN THE SECOND MILLENNIUM. In other words, ONE THOUSAND (YEARS) AFTER THE DEMISE OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS)...

 

209th letter A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAAS), THOUGH THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARS WHO ARE SENT FROM AMONG HIS COMMUNITY IS FEW, THEY WILL BE IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE SO THAT THEY CAN STRENGTHEN ISLAM THOROUGHLY. THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAAS) FORETOLD THAT HAZRAT MAHDI [AS] WOULD APPEAR. HE WILL APPEAR AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER HIS DEMISE. LIKEWISE, JESUS (AS) WILL DESCEND AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS.

 

Those among the nation of Allah's Messenger (saas) are highly perfected in faith. It does not matter whether they are few in number, even a thousand years after the demise of the Messenger of Allah (saas). THE COMING OF HAZRAT MAHDI [AS] AFTER 1000 YEARS SERVES THIS PURPOSE. The Messenger of Allah (saas), the last Messenger, gave the glad tidings of his coming. EVEN JESUS (AS) WILL COME DOWN AFTER 1000 YEARS. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 1, p. 440)

 

AFTER A LITTLE MORE THAN 1000 YEARS PASS OVER THE PASSING OF ALLAH'S MESSENGER (SAAS) FROM THIS LIFE, A TIME COMES and the true Islam rises from its own ranks and unites with the truth of the Ka`bah. THEN, ON BEHALF OF THE TRUE ISLAM, THE NAME OF TRUTH OF AHMAD EMERGES... From the two names comes a name into effect; and the place of true Islam is left unoccupied until the coming of Jesus (as). Ultimately, Jesus (as) comes and performs his religious duties in conformity with the religious laws of Islam. Then, true Christianity rises from its own ranks and rules in the realms of true Islam. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 1, p. 470)

 

IT IS EXPECTED THAT, AFTER 1000 YEARS, THIS SECRET ADMINISTRATION WILL BE RENOVATED. It will be granted with superiority... THIS WAY, GENUINE VIRTUE WILL EMERGE AND COVER THE DEGRADATION... AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE MAHDI, THE SUPPORTER, WILL COME. MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM. (Imam Rabbani, Letters of Rabbani, vol. 1, p. 569)

As we have seen, Imam Rabbani makes it absolutely clear that the Prophet Jesus (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as) will come in the 2nd millennium after the passing of our Prophet (saas), in other words in the final age of the Community of Islam. In the 261st Letter, Imam Rabbani explicitly and unconditionally states that the Community will enter its final age after 1000 years have passed from the demise of our Prophet (saas):

 

261st letter THE END OF THIS COMMUNITY begins IN THE SECOND MILLENNIUM. In other words, ONE THOUSAND (YEARS) AFTER THE DEMISE OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS)...

This is reiterated in the 209th Letter, in which he says that Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the Prophet Jesus (as) will appear and descend after 1000 years have gone by from the demise of our Prophet (saas):

 

209th letter A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER THE DEMISE OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAAS), THOUGH THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARS WHO ARE SENT FROM AMONG HIS COMMUNITY IS FEW, THEY WILL BE IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE SO THAT THEY CAN STRENGTHEN ISLAM THOROUGHLY. THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH (SAAS) FORETOLD THAT HAZRAT MAHDI WOULD APPEAR. HE WILL APPEAR AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS AFTER HIS DEMISE. LIKEWISE, JESUS (AS) WILL DESCEND AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS.

Our Prophet (saas) has also said in hundreds of hadiths that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear in the End Times, just before the Last Day. (For detailed information, see: http://www.awaitedmahdi.com/index.php)

In addition, as can be seen from the above passages, Imam Rabbani says in his Letters, also written on the basis of the hadiths, that the final time of the Community will be in the second millennium, in other words, after a thousand years pass from the demise of our Prophet (saas).
 

Our Prophet (saas) died in 632 AD. In other words, according to the Gregorian calendar, our Prophet (saas) was born in the 1st millennium and died in that same millennium. This first millennium came to an end 368 years after the demise of our Prophet (saas) in 632 AD, and then the 2nd millennium began, as Imam Rabbani says. This second millennium is when Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear and the Prophet Jesus (as) will return to Earth. Everything will happen in this millennium. Imam Rabbani also lived and died (1563-1624) in this 2nd millennium, and Hazrat Mahdi (as) also appeared in it, in Hijri 1400, some 400 years after him.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi also states, on the basis of calculations from the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) on the subject, that the Last Day is to be expected following this second millennium, around 2120 AD/Hijri 1545.

The abjad calculation of the clause “A group from my community...” which is 1542 (2117) implies its [the community’s] time of survival. The abjad calculation of the clause “will remain in truth” (when the gemination mark is counted) gives 1506 (2082); it indicates until that date it will continue its work of enlightenment evidently and obviously, and maybe victoriously; then until 1542 (2117) in secrecy and defeat. The abjad calculation of the clause “UNTIL ALLAH’S COMMAND” (WHEN THE GEMINATION MARK IS COUNTED) SUGGESTS THAT THE JUDGMENT DAY WILL BEFALL THE UNBELIEVER IN 1545 (2120). (Kastamonu Addendum, p. 33)