The Overall World Scenario at the Time of Appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (A.S.), the Savior of Mankind

By: Allama Ali al-Korani

Although the Holy Qur’an is the eternal miracle of Prophet Mohammad (swas) and is always up to date and is current in any time and generation, one of his other miracles beside holy Qur’an is the news of the humans living in the future and pathway of Islam, until the return of the promised Islamic Era by God that He will return it and prevail it over other religions against the desires of all unbelievers and idolaters.

This era of reappearance of Islam which is the subject of this book, is the also the era appearance of Imam Mahdi (as) and there is no difference between the two; the story of hundreds of good tidings which was made by the Prophet (swas) and story which was mentioned by his companions, there was no differences between these two eras. The Imams’ (as) narratives repeatedly stated that what they say is from their purified fathers and gracious grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (swas). The picture which these narrations draw with respect to the status of the scholar during the time of reappearance and especially the status of the world situation, which includes Yemen, Hijaz (Saudi Arabia), Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and the Morocco... is a universal picture which describe many of the great events, details of some of them, and names of places and individuals.

I've tried to extract the best of the traditions that are possible and accurate and which can be presented in the public domain.

In this section, before addressing these detailed narratives, I will present a summary of those that are physiognomic of the overall era of appearance.

These authentic narratives indicate that the rise of revolutionary movements of Imam Mahdi (as) starts from Mecca after the preliminary spreading regionally and then globally.

According to these expressions and traditions, there will be global battle between Romans (Westerners) and their supporters among the Turks or their supporters Russians which will apparently lead to caused world war, along with the establishment of two governments in the region which are both Imam Mahdi's supporters. Iranian governments will establish awhile before the appearance and will get involved in a long war that will eventually be victorious.

And shortly before the emergence of the Imam among Iranians, two great leaders will appear, “Seyyid Khurasani”, a political leader and “Shu’ayb Ibn Saleh”, a military leader. Under the leadership of these two leaders, Iranians will play an important role in the time of appearance.

But his Yemeni's companion's revolution will happen a few months before his appearance that will be due to bad political situation in Hijaz caused by one of his kings from the X family! That king will be the last king of Hijaz and will be killed and the dispute over his succession will lead to a big conflict which will continue until the emergence of the Mahdi (as).

When Abdullah’s death comes, the people in Hijaz will not agree of his successor till the emergence of the current owner of the time and the age of the governors will not be long. Abu Basir said: I asked: If this situation lasts? He said: never.

This conflict, killing the king "Abdullah” will lead to conflict between the tribes in Hijaz. One of the signs of emergence of the Imam is an event that will occur between the shrine of Mecca and Medina. I asked: What event happens? He said: عصبية تكون بين الحرمين ، ويقتل فلان من ولد فلان خمسة عشر كبشاً. “Conflict between the tribes will occur and a person from the children of one tribe will kill fifteen leaders or sons of leader from other opponent tribe.”

It is cited in the book “Al Imamah wal Tabsira” page 130 that Abdul Rahman ibn Siyaba narrates that Abi Abdillah (as) said: ‘What state will you be in when you find yourselves without a guiding Imam or knowledge? Will you dissociate yourself from each other?! At that time, you will be tested and differentiated according to your performance and you will witness the difference of the two swords and leadership from the beginning of the day, and killing at the end of the day.’

During this event the signs of emergence of Imam Mahdi (as) will appear, and perhaps the greatest sign, which will be the call in the sky and can be heard on the 23rd of Ramadan.

Saif bin Ummayra said: كنت عند أبي جعفر المنصور فقال ابتداء: يا سيف بن عميرة لا بد من مناد ينادي من السماء باسم رجل من ولد أبي طالب. "I was with Abu Ja’far Mansur when he told me without any introduction that undoubtedly a poster from the sky calling one of Abu Talib children.” I said: my master, commander of believer, this is a narrative?

قال: إي والدي نفسي بيده ، لسماع أذني له . “Said: Yeah I swear to whom my soul is in his hand, I heard it with my own ears.” I said: O commander or believers, yet I've never heard such a tradition from no one! He said: إنه لحق ، فإذا كان ذلك فنحن أول من يجيب ، أما إنه نداء إلى رجل من بني عمنا. “O Sayf, this is the true and right word, when this event happen, we will be the first people to answer, is not it about calling one of us?” I said: whether is he from the children of Fatima (sa), He said: نعم يا سيف ، لولا أني سمعته من أبي جعفر محمد بن علي ولو يحدثني به أهل الأرض كلهم ما قبلته منهم ، ولكنه محمد بن علي. ! “Yes, he is, if this story was not from Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ali Imam Baqir (as), and all people in the earth would say that, I still would not accept it, but he is Muhammad ibn Ali (Imam Baqir (as)).”

According to the narratives after the call, Imam Mahdi (as) will communicate with some of his allies and supporters. His name will become famous and every one will talk about him around the world and he will enjoy a great position in the people’s hearts. His enemies will fear the emergence of the Imam, and will try so hard to search for him to capture and kill him. It will became doubtful among the common people that he is living in Medina, and the government of Hijaz with help foreign forces who try to control the internal situation in Hijaz and to end the conflict between tribal. They will call the Sufyani army in Syria to help them.

Sufyani’s army entered Medina and arrests every man from Hashimi. They kill many of them among many Shiites and put the rest in the jail. Then Sufyani send his forces to Medina, they kill a man in then Mahdi and Mansur will run away from them. Too many young and old descendant of Prophet Muhammad (swas) will be captured or get killed in Medina by Sufyani army.

Sufyani forces in the prosecution of those two men will come to our city and Imam Mahdi (as) like Prophet Moses (as), will flee and leave the place toward Mecca. Then Imam in Mecca will communicate with some of his companions and supporters and start his holy uprising and movement in the tenth night of Muharram, after ‘Isha prayers from the holy Harram in Mecca. Then he will give his first speech for the people of Mecca and his enemies will try to assassinate him, but the companions of the Imam will surround and protect him and disperse his enemies and then they will take control of the holy mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Harram) and the whole city of Mecca.

And on the morning of the tenth of Muharram, Imam Mahdi (as) will send his first message to the world in different languages and invite all nations in the world to help him. He will announce that he will remain in Mecca until a miracle that his great grandfather Prophet Mustafa (swas) promised will become truth and Sufyani’s forces which will already move towards Mecca to break his movement will be destroyed. But shortly after, the promised miracle to Sufyani that move in the direction of Mecca will happen, and once Sufyani enters the desert of Medina, God will defeat them just like Allah told the Prophet:

 وَلَوْ تَرَىٰ إِذْ فَزِعُوا فَلَا فَوْتَ وَأُخِذُوا مِن مَّكَانٍ قَرِيبٍ ﴿٥١﴾ 

“And if you are a prophet hardly see the criminals fearful and fearful when thou been no punishment of their location close to everything and not be caught.” [34: 51]

حتى إذا كانوا بالبيداء خسف بهم ، فيرجع من كان أمامهم لينظر مافعل القوم فيصيبهم ما أصابهم. ويلحق بهم من خلفهم لينظر ما فعلوه فيصيبهم ما أصابهم "As soon as they reach the desert down to earth and who are returning have gone ahead to see what the people that they themselves suffered the same fate as they are, and lag also reached the road and asked that they join they are, they are caught in this disaster.”

After this miracle, the Imam with his army, which will consist of tens of thousands will return to Mecca from Medina, and after a battle with enemy forces stationed there, they will free Medina and then emancipate the two shrines of Mecca and Medina, and by that they will take control over Hijaz.

Some of the narratives noted that Imam Mahdi after this victory will move towards southern Iran. In the south of Iran he will meet the Iranian army and the masses will be led by Khurasani and Shu’ayb Ibn Saleh. They will pledge allegiance to the Imam. They will face their enemy in Basra and ultimately achieve big victory there. Then Imam (as) will enter Iraq and control the domestic situation in Iraq while killing his enemy, mostly from the forces of Sufyani and some other insurgents  and after defeating them he will make the center of his government in Iraq and Kufa his capital city, thus Yemen, Hijaz, Iran, Iraq, and Persian Gulf countries will be integrated under the sovereignty of Imam.

Narratives also remind that this means that the first battle of Imam Mahdi (as) after the conquest of Iraq will be with Turks and they will be defeated by the first division Imam sends to them [3]. And apparently, Turks in this narrative means Russians that became weak and powerless after the war with the Romans (Westerners). After mobilizing his army, the Imam will send them toward Quds, at this time Sufyani will retreat until Imam Mahdi (as) lands near Damascus. There will be negotiations between Imam and Sufyani. Vast waves of people will keep joining him and that will make Sufyani’s forces weak compared to Imam Mahdi. He will even want to leave but Romans (westerners) and Jewish supporters of his will mobilize their forces and involve in a great battle with the Imam.

The battle that will involve the coastal axis from Acre in Palestine to Antioch in Turkey and from the Tabariya, Palestine to Damascus and Quds [Jerusalem]. Many Roman and Jewish forces will get killed by Muslims, such that if one of them hides behind the rock, the rock will call out: O Muslims, a Jewish person is hiden behind this rock, come and destroy him/her. At that moment, the help of Allah to Imam Mehdi (as) shall arrive and Muslims will enter Quds victoriously. Western Christians, Jews and their supporters will face a big failure, therefore they will be angry towards the Imam’s movement and they will declare war against Imam Mahdi (as). But suddenly Jesus (as) will descend from the sky in Quds and talk to the whole world, especially Christians around the world, this landing will seem to be a sign of big happiness for both Muslim and Christian nations.

It seems that Jesus (as) will be a connection between Imam Mahdi (as) and westerns. A peace agreement will be done between both sides for seven years. Prophet said: بينكم وبين الروم أربع هدن ، تتم الرابعة على يد رجل من أهل (آل) هرقل ، تدوم سبع سنن “That between you and the Romans will be four-peace agreement. The fourth and the last one will be made by a man from Hirqeel family and will last seven years.” Then a man called Mastoor bin Ghylan asked: يا رسول الله ، من إمام الناس يومئذ؟ “Who will be the leader at the time?” The prophet answered: المهدي من ولدي ، ابن أربعين سنة ، كأن وجهه كوكب دري ، في خده الأيمن خال ، عليه عباءتان قطوانيتان ، كأنه من رجال بني إسرائيل. يستخرج الكنوز ، ويفتح مدائن الشرك. “Mahdi will be from my lineage [progeny]. He will look like a forty years old man, his face will shine like bright stars, there will be a mark in his right cheek, and while he will be wearing two long cloaks [‘aba] of Qutwan, will look like a man from Bani Israel. He will extract the treasures of the earth and conquer the cities filled with idolatry”

In some traditions, it is noted that westerns will break the peace agreement only after two or three years. Perhaps the reason is the fear they will feel from Jesus (as) after the wave of solidarity he will make among people in developed nations. Many westerners will embrace Islam and confirm and support Imam Mahdi (as). Therefore, Romans will suddenly raid Palestinian and Syria territory with nearly a million troops. Then they will face the forces of Islam. Jesus (as) will follow Imam’s policy and will pray behind him in Quds.

The battle with Romans (west) will continue at the same axis, from Acca to Antioch, and from Damascus to Quds, and there will be big and clear victory for Muslims and a big defeat for the west. After that, the victories will continue to be in side of Imam Mahdi up to Europe and west and Christianity. Apparently many of these countries will be conquered by their own revolutionary movement, and shall destroy governments who are against the Imam and Jesus and they shall set up pro-Imam governments. After the conquest by the west, more people will convert to Islam, and at this time Jesus will die and Muslims shall pray over his body. As the traditions says, Imam (as) himself shall make a funeral and pray over his body openly in the presence of people, so they cannot talk about him like they did for hundreds of years. Then his honorable body will be wrapped with a cloth, which was made by his mother, Hazrat Mariam (Mary) [sa] and bury him next to her grave in Quds.

After conquest of the world by Imam and integration of all world governments as one Islamic state, the Imam will start to achieve the divine purposes in various fields and between nations in the world and will try to achieve better life, material wealth, and prosperity for everyone. He will seek to spread knowledge and better culture and religious consciousness for all people over the world, he will try very hard. According to some traditions, the percentage of knowledge that the Imam will add to people will be 25 to 2. It means adding 25 additional components of knowledge to 2 components of the knowledge have been already discovered. Also, the overall human knowledge will be 27 components in total. At that time, doors of universe will open frequently to the other residents from other planets, but also some human beings will come from heaven to earth and this will be considered a miracle and phenomenal for people on earth. In the time of the Imam and after some Prophets and Imams (as) come back to earth, they will live until the will of the Almighty will be, and this is a sign of resurrection and judgment day. It seems that the antichrist movement and the intrigue and turmoil created is not more than an attempt to manipulate all human social achievements as far as all progress and welfare will be made in the time of Imam Mahdi. Antichrist will use blindfolded advanced techniques to deceive young boys and girls and women who make up most of his followers.

Thus, the world will be full of his deception, and he will deceive and cause chaos around the world, but Imam Mahdi (as) will reveal his plot and will end his and his supporter’s lives.

This is the overall picture of Imam Mahdi's revolutionary movement but according to the traditions the era that these events will occur will contain most of these visible signs: First temptation that occurs to Islamic nation is the most difficult and last one according to the traditions and will be resolved and ended with advent of Imam Mahdi (as).

Important point is that all the attributes and details about this intrigues and chaos, will apply to those that happened in the beginning of this century to all Islamic countries and included all families. According to the traditions, there will be no house, except that this intrigue will enter it and there will be no Muslim who will not be tested or injured by this mischief. Unbelieving nations will attack Islamic countries, just as hungry and greedy people attack food.

When this sedition and turmoil happens, a group from the West and the East will come and control my nation. This sedition will begin from Syria where our enemies dominance begin its black colonial in the name of civilization which shall result in a chaos called "sedition of Palestine” according to narratives and it will be all over the Palestine region countries and will affect the area like water in the musk. “Once this sedition of Palestine starts, all the area will suffer like water in the musk and when it will end only a small number of you will be sorry.”

Traditions describe generations and children of Muslims that they will rise and flourish with these cultures of chaos and revolt in such a way that make them not aware of other cultures. Their oppressor rulers that their disbelief rules and desire dominate on them and torture them with the worst situation. Noble traditions named the creators of this chaos, Romans (Western) and the Turks that apparently mean Russians, and when the great events occur in the year of emergence of Imam Mahdi (as), they will locate their forces in Ramlah (or Ramallah, Palestine) and in Antioch in the beach between Turkey and Syria and in the Island located in the border of Syria, Iraq and Turkey. When Romans and Turks (West and Russia) insurgency against you and conflict and fight with each other and wars and conflicts in the world increase, supporters of Turks (or Russians) will move towards the Island to settle and Roman's discharged men shall move to land in Ramlah.

Also it has been mentioned that the Imam's appearance will start from Iran.

The beginning point of his appearance will be from the east, and when the time comes, Sufyani will go out.

It means that the starting and ground work of this appearance will be from companions of Salman Farsi, the companions of black flags and their movement will come to existence with the conduct of man comes from Qom. ‘A man from Qom will rise and invite people to the right path. A group shall who gather around him who will have strong, firm and stable like Iron. They will not be afraid of any storms or fast winds and will never get tired or depressed in the battle and any fears or panic cannot get inside them, and they will always trust and rely on Allah.’ [6]

Then after their movement and revolutions, they will ask their enemies (superpowers) to leave them alone and not interfere in their affairs, but superpower countries will insist to interfere. They shall seek the right, and it will not be given to them, so they will ask once again. Their request will be rejected again and once they see this situation, they will carry their weapons and continue to fight to accept their demands. This time, developed countries will give them their demands, but Iranians shall refuse to accept, ‘until they rise... and give the flag to your leader’s hands, (Imam Mahdi (as)). Their dead fighters in their war shall be considered martyrs for the sake of Allah.’

According to traditions, they will eventually become victorious in their long war. And two promised characters will appear between them, one of them called Khurasani and is considered the religious leader or political leader of this movement, and another Shu’ayb Ibn Saleh who is a young man with the fair skin color and thin beard from the city of Ray, who is considered the military commander of this movement.

These two leaders with their forces will participate in Imam Mahdi (as) movement and will give the flag of their Islamic movement to him and thus Shu’ayb Ibn Saleh will be the chief commander of his army.

Narratives also mention the movements which will occur in Syria and Jordan by "Usman Sufyani” who is confederate with Jewish and is supporter of Romans (Westerns). He will unite Syria and Jordan and bring them under his territory.

Appearance movement of Sufyani is a certain event that will takes about fifteen months; six months war and killing will dominate over five regions. According to narratives, these five regions, in addition to Syria and Jordan perhaps will include Lebanon too.

This unfortunate unity that was made by Sufyani in Syria was meant to create a defense line for Israel and a base to face Iranians, the appropriate ground maker for the emergence of Imam Mahdi (as). Therefore Sufyani would occupy Iraq and his forces will enter Iraq. He will send one hundred and thirty thousand troops to Kufa and place them in the region called "Rawah” and "Farouk", then sixty thousand of these troops will be deployed to Kufa and placed in the cemetery of Prophet Hud (as) in Nukhaylah (Iraq). Then they will strengthen and support, then force Sufyani to fill the political interruption that was created in Hijaz and also to destroy the government of Imam Mahdi (as) which will be famous and people are expecting it to be start from Mecca.

Therefore, Sufyani will send his troops to Hijaz and once they enter Medina, they will destroy and they will intend to go to Mecca where Imam Mahdi (as) begun his campaign. Then a miracle that the Prophet (swas) was promised will occur and Sufyani’s army will dive into the earth before they arrive Mecca. A refugee will refuge at the house of God (Kaaba), then the force will be sent to him but once they reach the desert of Medina they will drown.

After the failure and defeat from Iranians and Yemenis in Iraq, and the failure after Imam Mahdi (as) manifested this miracle by Allah’s permission, Sufyani will retreat with his army towards Damascus and Al-Quds to rebuild and gather his forces to face the Imam's advancement. The narratives consider this war, the great epic battle that starts from Acca (Acre) to Tyre and Antioch on the beach and within the region extends from Damascus to Al- Quds.

In this conflict, the wrath of God will come down on Sufyani and his Jewish and Roman (Western) collaborators, and after a terrible defeat, Sufyani will be captured and killed, then Imam Mahdi (as) along with Muslims will enter Quds. Likewise, the narratives mentions another movement in Yemen which happened before Imam's movement and praises the leader ”Yemeni” of this movement and considers helping him a duty and essential to any Muslim around the world. Among the flags, no flag is better to guide more than this flag. After the appearance of Yemeni, selling weapons to people will be forbidden, so when he appears, hurry up to help him, because his flag is the right flag of guidance. No Muslim is permitted to disobey him, if does, such people will be afflicted with fire because Yemeni will guide and call people to the right and true path. As narratives mention, the forces of Yemeni Iraq will help Iranians against Sufyani’s forces and apparently he and his forces will play important roles to help Imam Mahdi in Hijaz.

Also, the narratives talk about the movement of an Egyptian man before the movement of Yemeni and Sufyani and the other movement of Egyptian army, and movement of Copts around Egypt, then entering the army from West or Morocco to Egypt followed by Sufyani’s movement in Syria. Also these narratives mention that Imam Mahdi set up a specific position for the Egyptian in advertising in the world and choosing Egypt where he gives his speech and shows the Egyptian the way he and his followers entered Egypt.

Then Imam Mahdi and his followers will enter Egypt and the Imam will start speaking with the people. The land will refresh and the sky will rain its mercy down, the trees and the ground plants will grow and decorate the earth for the people. Wild animals will live in peace and security just like other familiar animals and can live and go everywhere they want. The knowledge will set in the heart of all believers, so they do not need others. On that day, this verse of Qur’an that says:

 ...يُغْنِ اللَّـهُ كُلًّا مِّن سَعَتِهِ ۚ ... 

"Allah will make every one needless from his richness” [4:130] will become manifest.

However, about Western countries, according to the traditions, some forces from there will enter Egypt and Syria and perhaps, some of them will enter Iraq. And their duty and commission just like Arab's and international's forces are inhibitors, which are not useful for Islam and Muslims. These forces will face Iranian and other providers of Imam Mahdi's movement will fight each other and will retreat towards Jordan. The remaining of these forces will either join Sufyani or retreat back. Then they go to help the Egyptian government that is facing uprising of Egyptian people and also to help Western forces that enter Egypt little time before Sufyani’s movement.

The narrative related to the time of appearance of Imam Mahdi mentions that Jews at the end of the time would cause corruption; sedition and arrogance just like Allah described them in the Qur’an. And this conceit will end and be destroyed by people from Khurasan because nothing will be able to stop them from their decision until they post their flags in the Al-Quds.

And Iranians are a group of people that God would soon stimulate them against the Jews.

 ...بَعَثْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ عِبَادًا لَّنَا أُولِي بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ... 

“…We sent over you Our servants, of mighty prowess…” [17:5]

Narratives did not specify the death of the Jew’s promised one, in one or several steps or happen before or after the Imam's appearance, but described that the last steps of destruction will be performed by Imam Mahdi (as) and his army that are mostly Iranians. The narrative describes this event as a great war which Sufyani, the governor of Syria will be in the first line of defense beside Jews and Romans. According to the quoted narratives, Imam Mahdi (as) will take out the original versions of the Torah from a cave in Antakeyah (Antioch) and a mountain in Palestine and from the Tabariya (Tiberias) lake and based on this document condemn Jews and clear the signs, symptoms and miracle to them. Some of the Jews who stay alive after the battle of Quds’s freedom will e surrender to Imam Mahdi (as) and those who do not admit will be expelled from Arab countries.

As can be understood from these narratives, shortly before the emergence of the Imam, global war will occur between the Westerns and Turks (Russia) and start from the Eastern region and some other portion of these narratives says that these wars will be mostly regional.

In the year of the appearance, there will be many wars on earth that mostly damage the U.S and Europe. “The fire of the war in the East will flame up just like fire to firewood, between people in East and West, even Muslims will create differences, because of these fears, people will face hardship and suffer so much."

Also, narratives mention losses of this war plus the losses from disease which will spread wildly and will happen before and after this war, and will reach two-thirds of the earth population, however, these damages will not affect Muslims except indirectly.

"This event does not occur unless two-third of the people in the world will be destroyed.” I asked: When two- thirds of the world is gone, who will remain? He said: “Don’t you want to be part of one third portion?” .

Some of these narrations mention that this war will occur in several stages and the last stage will be after Imam's appearance and liberation of Hijaz by him and entering Iraq. However, the liberation of Hijaz will rest upon turmoil and political conflict there, which will be described later, InshaAllah.

References and Notes:

[1] Al-Imamah wal Tabsirah, p. 130

[2] Al-Masnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol, 6, p. 287

[3] Maujam al-Ahadith Imam al-Mahdi, vol.1, p. 328

[4] Al-Maujam, vol.1, p. 338 [‘aba of Qutwan is white colored long dress (cloak) and made in a district named Qutwan in the city of Kufa, Iraq]

[5] Manuscript of Ibn Hammad, p. 139. [Naeem bin Hammad Maroozi, died 228 A.H. (843 A.D)].

[6] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 60, p. 216 [famous hadith from Imam Musa al-Kazim, 7th Shia Imam, martyred in 183 A.H. (799 A.D.)]

[7] Maujam al-Ahadith Imam al-Mahdi, vol.3, p. 440