The narrations regarding the emergence of the expected al-Mahdi.

The questioner: His EminenceThe Shaykh- May Allah preserve you - ... When you see the black banners ... We ask for clarification, and may Allah reward you with good?

The Shaykh: It is a hadith narrated in some of the Sunan and in "Al-Mustadrak" by al-Hakim, but it contains a defect that some people may not notice; it is that it is narrated by Abu Qilabah from Thawban, as I recall, and Abu Qilabah has been accused of some tadlis (concealment of a defect in a chain). In this hadith, there is this defect in terms of the isnad (chain of narration), and there is an anomaly in its wording; for it contains: . It is not correct for a conscious Muslim who believes in the greatness of Allah - Blessed and Exalted is He - to say that Allah has a successor. What kind of person is fit to be a successor to Allah? I give an example of this statement I heard today from some Islamic writers and authors when they want to speak about Allah’s preference for this human being, whom He made of His best creations; they say that He made him His successor on earth. What is the example of this statement if they were convinced that ... the distance between the Creator and this created being whom they made a successor to Allah on earth is the farthest distance that can be imagined. It is impossible, as in the following example: It is as if it were said that such-and-such a king’s successor after him is his servant, a servant who knows nothing and is not good at managing ...; is there not in this expression a belittling of this king who was reported to have left his servant as his successor after him? Did he not find someone to succeed him who was close to him? No doubt this person shortens the vast distance between the Creator in His perfection and greatness and this created being, however great he may be; so he is not strong enough to be a successor to Allah - Mighty and Majestic.
If this is observed, it becomes very clear that this hadith narrated about al-Mahdi contains this rejected phrase; for it says he is the successor of Allah on His earth. It is not fitting for anyone to be the successor of Allah on earth. The verse that addresses Adam: does not mean that our Lord - Mighty and Majestic - makes him a successor for Himself - Blessed and Exalted is He -, far be it from Him! Rather, He made him a successor for a people of the wrongdoers who had committed much corruption on earth. This is what the scholars of tafsir (Qur'anic exegesis) mention, and what Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah - may Allah have mercy on him, Blessed and Exalted is He - mentioned specifically regarding this issue, and he mentions something that is good to mention now; that this phrase was innovated by some of the extremists of the Sufiyyah (the Sufis) who believe in hulul (incarnation) or ittihad (union), that there is nothing here, a Creator and a created being? No, it is only unity. The human being is the successor of Allah on earth. This phrase can be applied to the doctrine of the proponents of wahdat al-wujud (unity of existence) among the extremists of the Sufiyyah, as for those who ... but this does not mean ... the hadiths about al-Mahdi are authentic, for there are hadiths that it is not correct for someone like me to deny. Among these hadiths is his saying - peace and blessings be upon him - : . This is a hadith from many hadiths that are authentic regarding al-Mahdi - peace be upon him - but in contrast to this ... hadiths ... are not authentic, and what ... about him just now is among what is not authentic.
But here is a necessary warning; it is that the faith of Muslims in the coming of al-Mahdi one day, which our Lord - Mighty and Majestic - has not specified, does not mean that Muslims should be negligent and wait for the emergence of al-Mahdi until they are victorious over their enemies. Rather, they must take the means of victory, whether they are methods or material; for Allah - Mighty and Majestic - supports His servants who take the causes of victory, as is in the well-known verse: ; so it is not permissible to wait for al-Mahdi, or for 'Isa - peace be upon him -; the descent of 'Isa - peace and blessings be upon him - is a Salafi (a follower of the Salaf) belief stronger than the belief in al-Mahdi. It is not permissible for Muslims to wait for the descent of this one or the emergence of that one, but they must take the causes of victory; for then, if al-Mahdi comes or 'Isa descends, they will find the earth prepared for the rain to fall upon them, and Allah - Blessed and Exalted is He - will support them against their enemy.
This is what can be said as a comment on that hadith which is not authentic, and on some of the authentic hadiths regarding the emergence of al-Mahdi and the descent of 'Isa - peace be upon him -.