Will the Khilafah be restored before Imam Mahdi emerges? Will he be a Sunni or a Shia? Is he already born?
“There is a Hadith in Sahih Muslim that a Khalifah will die. And there will be disagreement concerning succession. Then a man will emerge out of Madina. He will hurry to Makkah. And the people of Makkah will come out to him and urge him and try to force him to accept the Bai’aa.
Now we have a problem here. We haven’t heard that word (Bai’aa) for years and years. The word ‘Bai’aa’ is put into a place, something called ‘Cold Storage’.
What is this Bai’aa?
It is the pledge of allegiance which legitimizes the role of the Khalifah. That is Bai’aa. And it is an institution that is located in the Qur’an and in the Sunnah of Nabi Muhammad (SA). When he (Imam Al-Mahdi) accepts the Bai’aa; at that time he will confirm and proclaim himself to be Imam Al-Mahdi.
Now then, I made this comment, and I did not make this comment in any disrespectful way, I was merely speaking facts. And if Imran is not allowed to speak facts, what should he talk about?
I said that Makkah has never been a Shia city, is that true or is that false?
I never said that there are no Shia in Saudi Arabia. Please have some respect for your own intellect; and don’t quote people wrongly.
There is nothing to suggest to us, that the situation will change in the future, and that Makkah will transform itself and become a Shia city. There is no evidence to suggest that. Therefore we ask; how can a people of Makkah who are not Shia, how can they go out and pledge allegiance to a Shia?
If you have an answer, I will be happy to get the answer. You can send me an email. …This is a reasoned discourse being presented tonight.
And so I conclude that the Imam cannot be Shia. This is my conclusion.
Now then, the argument is raised that because the Prophet (SA) used the word ‘Khalifah’, that a Kahlifah will die, the implication is that the Khilafah will be restored before the advent of Imam Al-Mahdi. But have you forgotten that Hadith?
“How will you be (at that time) when the son of Mary descends amongst you and your Imām will (at that time) be from your own ranks).”
(Sahīh Bukhāri)
Why should the Prophet (SA) say to us that this Imam would be from your own ranks; when we already have the Khilafah, It has already been restored, and our Imams are already from our own ranks? Why would he say that?
My understanding is that, the Hadith is clear. Prior to the advent of Imam Al-Mahdi. it is not possible to restore the Khilafah (our rulers will not be from our own ranks). And therefore when the word ‘Khalifah’ is used (in the Hadith a Khalifah will die) Prophet (SA) is referring to a Muslim Ruler.
Who could it be? The answer is clear. It has to be a Saudi King. Because there are too many princes out there waiting, struggling, fighting o take over. And there is already sufficient evidence of internal conflicts and rivalries in the big Saudi clan. So a Saudi King will die. When that Saudi King dies and there is disagreement concerning succession; it is at that time that Allah will send the Imam (Al-Mahdi).”