Is it a condition for the Mahdi of the People of the Sunnah that he be upon the Salafi creed?

The questioner : Is it a condition for the Mahdi of the People of the Sunnah that he be upon the Salafi creed, meaning what follows from it in terms of following the words and actions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?

The Shaykh : The Mahdi.

The questioner : The Mahdi, or is it, for example, one of the great reformers who renewed this Ummah, for example, who were leaders and through whom conquests were achieved, and it is not a condition that he be al-Ma'mun or al-Mu'tasim?

The Shaykh : It is not a condition that he be, what, al-Ma'mun?

The questioner : I mean, like al-Ma'mun, for example, there were consolidations for the Muslims during his time, but he was corrupt in creed.

The Shaykh : And he

The questioner : Because I heard a man say that we will remain differing in creed, for example, one being Ash'ari and the other Salafi, and so on. So when the Mahdi appears, he is the one who decides the issue. If he is Ash'ari, then the truth is with the Ash'aris, and if he is Salafi, then the truth is with the Salafis.

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : Is this statement sound?

The Shaykh : The statement is correct without a doubt. I was surprised by the question. The Mahdi must be the best of all those who came before him in calling to the Book and the Sunnah, because first, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) gave glad tidings of him by his person, by his name, by the place of his emergence, and by his meeting with 'Isa (peace be upon him), and by 'Isa following him, and by 'Isa's testimony for him So 'Isa follows him in his footsteps. Without a doubt, it should be so.