In the Name of Almighty Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
All praise is due to Him who guides whom He wills and allows to go astray whom He wills. We invoke His greatest salutations and blessings upon His beloved and the leader of all creation, our master Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
I extend my sincere gratitude to the organizers of this important event, taking place in a great city like Toronto, especially during these confusing times. Hosting a gathering to discuss such a profound topic for the purpose of educating and enlightening the Muslim world is truly commendable.
Let me express my deep frustration and disappointment regarding the slow pace of our development in both spiritual and intellectual discourse. While we gather to deliberate on a vital subject related to the reformation and revitalization of our religion, advanced nations such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and Russia are progressing with theoretical and practical advancements including the feasibility of living on another planet in the near future.
As Africa continues to grapple with basic infrastructure issues such as the consistent supply of electricity, often due to the scourge of corruption, the Western world has embraced solar energy, electric vehicles, and nuclear power for homes and industries.
For a long time, I have dreamt of the day when the Muslim world will announce a groundbreaking research achievement or a technological innovation inspired by the Qur’an and Hadith. I continue to aspire to that vision.
Nevertheless, the topic of Imam Al-Mahdi or the Promised Messiah is a significant one. In recent years, individuals in countries such as India, Pakistan, and Palestine have claimed to be the Mahdi. My research is based on the Qur’an, Hadith, and the works of righteous scholars, and I assert the following:
Abu Hurairah (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
“How will you fare when the son of Mary descends among you, and he will be your Imam from among you?”
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RA) also narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“If only one day of this world remained, Allah would prolong that day until He raised up a man from my family whose name is the same as mine and whose father’s name is the same as my father’s. He will fill the earth with equity and justice, just as it had been filled with oppression and tyranny.”
(Abu Dawud)
Umm Salamah (RA), the Mother of the Believers, also narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said:
“The Mahdi will be from my family, from the descendants of Fatimah.”
Among the most trusted narrations about Imam Al-Mahdi is the one reported by Al-Haakim in his Mustadrak (8438). He stated:
Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya at-Tameemi reported the hadith through Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (RA), who said:
“At the end of time, my ummah will face a severe calamity, the likes of which have never been seen before, to the extent that the earth, vast as it is, will feel tight and constricted, filled with oppression and injustice. Believers will find no refuge from this injustice. Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will send a man from my family who will fill the earth with justice and fairness, just as it had been filled with oppression and injustice.
The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be pleased with him. The earth will yield its produce, and the sky will pour down abundant rain. This will last for seven, eight, or nine years, during which the living will envy the dead due to the immense blessings Allah will bestow.”
Imam Al-Haakim remarked that “This hadith has a sound (sahih) chain of narration.”
I am a follower of the Tijjaniyya Sufi path and strive to emulate the righteous Sufi scholars and spiritual coaches, regardless of the Sufi order, whether Qadiriyya, Naqshbandiyya, Halwatiyya, or others. However, I give priority to the teachings of Sheikh Ahmad ibn Muhammad At-Tijani (RA), a verified and credible descendant of the Prophet (PBUH). Sheikh At-Tijani, who founded the Tijjaniyya order in Morocco, initiated a movement that continues to grow and remains the largest non-violent Islamic movement across West and North Africa.
Sheikh Ahmad At-Tijani was once asked about Imam Al-Mahdi. While many of his companions expected him to claim that title for himself, he said: “I am not the one, but indeed he is coming, and he will be from my family,” affirming that Imam Al-Mahdi will be a descendant of the Prophet (PBUH).
Sheikh Ibrahim Niass (RA), one of the greatest Islamic scholars of the 20th century, also confirmed the coming of Imam Al-Mahdi, stating that the time is near and that he, Imam Al Mahadi, will be among his (Sheikh Ibrahim Niass’s) students, in shā’ Allāh.
Based on this, I declare, with conviction and humility,that Imam Al-Mahdi is coming, but he has not yet come.
I make this assertion based on the authority of Sheikh Ibrahim Niass (RA), who cited a hadith that some scholars consider weak. However, Sheikh Niass affirmed its authenticity. The hadith, narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari, states:
“A group from my Ummah will continue to fight for the truth until Jesus, the son of Mary, descends. Their leader will ask him to lead the prayer, but Jesus will reply: ‘You are more worthy of leading it.’ Then Jesus will pray behind their Imam.”
(Ibn al-Jawzi)
We are all witnesses that Jesus (peace be upon him) has not yet returned. Therefore, any claim about the appearance of Imam Al-Mahdi before this event is false and unfounded.
I thank you all for your kind attention, and I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to speak before this esteemed gathering of scholars, Imams, and Sufi masters.
My special gratitude to the premier national media houses in Ghana (Graphics and Times) for championing a good course all the time. Scholars, researchers and academics write but the targeted audience may never see it much more to benefit from it without the efforts and inputs of journalists and often times the media houses. I am grateful once more.
This paper was presented at a Workshop of Imams, Scholars, and Sufi Masters in Toronto, Canada, on 31st May 2025.
Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman
Eminent Member and Chairman, Finance and Fundraising Committee, Greater Accra Regional Peace Council (GARPC), National Peace Council of Ghana (NPC)
ADR, Human Rights, and Islamic Affairs Consultant
