HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) IS EXPECTED TO APPEAR 1000 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS), NOT 1000 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF IMAM RABBANI
In Letter 261 of his Letters, Imam Rabbani says that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will come 1000 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS), "Between the first and second millennia:”
Of the last comers to this community, no matter how high a proportion there may be, those possessing it are few. Or even less than few.
… The end of this community begins with the beginning of the second millennium. In other words, after the death of our Prophet (saas).
… The virtues of the confirmation of the Shariah [the essence of Qur'anic moral values and the Sunnah of our Prophet (saas)], the reformation of the nation, is in this second millennium.
The just witness to the truth of this cause is the existence of Jesus (as) and the Mahdi (ra) in this millennium.
(Imam Rabbani, The Letters, Vol. 1, Letter 261, p. 628)
Here, Imam Rabbani is speaking very clearly and distinctly OF THE TIME AFTER THE DEATH OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS), NOT AFTER HIS OWN DEATH. This statement is significant, because some people MISINTERPRET Imam Rabbani’s statement, “IN OTHER WORDS AFTER THE DEATH OF RASULULLAH,” which is too clear to bear any other interpretation, as actually meaning “after the death of Imam Rabbani.”
These people, uncomfortable with the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as), are trying, at least in their own eyes, to put back the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as) as far as possible and thus to supposedly win themselves 500-600 years.
The fact is, however, THAT ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENT BY IMAM RABBANI ABOVE, INSHA’ALLAH, (BY ALLAH’S WILL) THE PROPHET JESUS (AS) AND HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL COME BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THE SECOND MILLENNIA (THAT IS TO SAY IN 1400 ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC CALENDAR). ACCORDING TO THE HADITHS OF RASULULLAH (SAAS) THE LIFE SPAN OF THE UMMAH WILL NOT BE LONGER THAN 1500 (ACCORDING TO THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR.)
