By Adeleke Gbenga
Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende always looks very disarming at every opportunity of meeting and engaging him. But also often disarmingly frank and less care of whose ox is gored when it comes to issues that affect Shia. He is a dedicated member of Shia both in soul, spirit and emotion and he is convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that Shia’s belief is the path to the right knowledge and the truth.
Recently at Al-Kareem Event Centre, Oloje area of Ilorin Kwara State, he demonstrated these at a no-hold barred lecture he delivered during the Maulid Nabiyy organized by Ahlul-Bayt for the celebnration of Imam Mahdi, the awaited Saviour or the promised Mahdi.
His lecture and that of Dr. Hamid Muhammad Annafawy pulsated in spirit, emotion and moral tone with apocalypse messages.
Titled “Toward Awareness of Our Responsibility” the lecture was inundated with the anecdotes of past events with respect to the place of madhidsm in the evolution of Islam in the ancient city of Ilorin and attitudes and beliefs of the old Islamic teachers to the doctrine.
Speaking on the purpose of the gathering, Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende reiterated that it was an enlightening campaign to wake up Muslims, especially those of the Shia sect to their responsibility of not only preparing for the emergence of Mahdi but of working for his reappearance.
He stressed that Muslims have responsibility and roles to play in preparing the grounds for the emergence of the Muslim saviour, reiterating that the first prophecy about him had been fulfilled noted that the second prophecy is being presently fulfilled. Imam Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende told the audience that Mahdism is not a strange doctrine to the Ilorin Islam, say Shia is only preaching what is already known to the generality of Muslims in the ancient city of Ilorin.
He stressed that Shia is aware of its responsibility to make the knowledge of the reappearance of the 12th Imam of the Holy Prophet of Islam known to the world, reiterating that his reappearance as an awaited Messiah of the world is not in doubt to members of Shia.
”It is our responsibility to let the people know the Imam of their time” he said with emphasis.
“What is the real path? Real knowledge of the truth? Each generation, each age should know its Imam. It is compulsory for the people of different generations, different times, different ages to identify and know the Imam of their times. From Imam Ali to the current Mahdi we are talking about, the line is clear.
The last Mahdi or 12th Imam would emerge and come to the world” Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende explained.
He noted that Shia has been in Ilorin for the past 27years, adding that the first generations of Alfas who established Ilorin as Islamic community knew the truth of Mahdism which they upheld and passed to the next generations.
He said he learnt about Mahdi when he was young from his maternal grandfather, Alfa Simbo at Ojude Compound in Idiape. He stressed that Alfa Simbo’s teacher, Aminu Bata-ita told him(Alfa Simbo)about Mahdi, emphasizing that the previous generations of Alfas in Ilorin believed in the coming of Mahdi.
He said it was hypocrisy that made it disappear in Ilorin, regretting that they did not want to accept the households of the Holy Prophet.
“They did not want to correct the old errors” he added.
Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende further reiterated that he learnt about Mahdi from his old Arabic and Islamic teachers when he was a pupil at their schools, saying he learnt it again when he was turbaned as Arabic and Islamic teacher. Suddenly the doctrine of Mahdi died and disappeared in Ilorin. Who killed it? For what reason? He queried again in quick succession.
Mallam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende told the audience that when he furthered his studies in other parts of the world, he encountered the doctrine of Mahdi, the last and the 12th Imam again, making him to strongly believe in the concept.
”The Prophet said Mahdi would emerge and come back to rule the world at the end time. We believe in this. Why did it disappear in Ilorin? And for what reason?” He tasked the audience.
Also speaking, he asked them to point out who they are following. “Ask yourself, who are you following in the world? Is it your traditional ruler? Or the Imam of your Mosque? Or your Magaji? Alfa must have community leaders and we must respect them as leaders who hold the peace of the community. But who am I following, with whom God would resurrect me in the hereafter? I do not have any in Ilorin, with whom God would resurrect me in the hereafter.
Those I submitted to are not in Ilorin. Iam a follower of the Imam Mahdi. When they ask you who are you following. What are you going to say?” he observed.
He tasked the Muslims to challenge their Alfas.
“Challenge your Alfas that we said if you do not follow Mahdi, you would be condemned to hellfire in the hereafter. Yes that is what we said because it the truth. If you are a true Muslim, do not condemn Mahdi if you can not follow him” he stressed.
The Islamic scholar noted that members of Shia have known the path which is the reason the Maulid Nabiyy to celebrate Imam Mahdi was observed. He reiterated that anybody who claims to know the path and does not show others is ignorant of the truth, stressing it is the responsibility of the Shia members who know the path to show others what they know.
He said members of Shia know how to pursue money, power and fame but they turned their back against these worldly possessions because they know the truth and the path to which they are dedicated. He stressed that Mahdi is a leader who would guide people to the path of righteousness.
Alhaji Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende pointed out that Islam split because some do not accept the leadership of Ali as Khalifa of the Holy Prophet while Shia accept and follow him. He said the Holy Prophet of Islam, Mohammed anointed Imam Ali as the first Imam that would fly the flag after his demise, reiterating that the eleven others would follow Ali, with the twelve Imam which is Mahdi, emerging as the last one.
He stressed that those who follow Ali and accept the leadership of Imam Mahdi are the ones who are following the right path.
He mentioned that what qualifed Ali as guardian of the right path and leader of Muslim community after the Holy Prophet is that he had gone through purgatory and purification which made him holy and righteous. He stressed that this started from Ali up to Mahdi being talked about today.
”In this Ilorin when I was small as a pupil in the Arabic and Quranic School, the Alfas who taught me told me about Mahdi. Our father, Sheikh Mamud Jamiu at Are Compound in Idiape told me about Mahdi. When I graduated, turbaned as adult and started on my own, he still told me about Mahdi.
So, Mahdi would emerge and come to the world. Mahdi is not a strange doctrine in Islam in Ilorin. It is what we were brought up with. It is not imported to Ilorin from anywhere. They are now telling us it is not part of Islam. That it is a strange doctrine imported into Ilorin. But when we went further in our studies, we came in encounter with Mahdi again” he narrated.
He also said ”Prophet Mohammed said Mahdi would emerge. He said the world would not come to an end until Mahdi emerges. The Holy Prophet told Mariam that Mahdi was her son. Some said he was the son of Alhassan Alhazkari. Some said he would come to the world through Hussein. Even, some said Prophet pronounced that Mahdi would come through Alhassan Alhazari.
But none of Alhassan Alhazkari became Imam. God did not choose Imam from Alhassan Alhazkari’s family. That was divine arrangement. But the households of Holy Prophet said it was Hussein upon whom Mahdi’s roles was bestowed. They said God rewarded him with Mahdi’s for the sacrifice he made at Karlibrada. They said his children would become the Imam” Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende told the audience.
He stressed that Alhassan Alhazkari was not the first born of his father. The first born was Muhammad. It was this Muhammad that was expected by his father to become the Imam since it was the first born that became the Imam.
This Muhammad left Medina for Iraq to visit his father. On his return back to Medina from Iraq, he died on horse. That was how the post of Mahdi shifted from him to Alhassan Alhazkari, these according to Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende.
The Holy Prophet stressed that there would be twelve Imams after him. Ali was the one, Mahdi is the twelvth and the last Imam, Alhaji Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende explained.
He stressed that eleven Imams had come and gone remaining that last one which is Mahdi.
He dismissed all those who claimed to be Mahdis, saying the original Mahdi is one being propagated by Shia. He said the original Mahdi would be a world leader who would restore the lost glory of Islam and its civilization.
He stressed that he would establish an Islamic government throughout the world and rules by Sharia law. He described him as a reformer who would restore justice and peace in the world.
He stressed that those who described themselves as Mahdi, present and past did not merit it. Because none of them had established an Islamic government worldwide nor restore the glory of Islam and its civilization.
He said the original Mahdi had been born but was hidden until the end of time when he is expected to reemerge to rule the world. He became Mahdi at the age of five years when his father died, according to Sheikh Al-Muqaddam Ibn Maryam Abdu-Allah Berende.
He disputed the claims that small kids could not become a Mahdi, citing an example of the present Imam Mahdi who is believed to be presently in the world but shielded until right time.
He exhorted members of Shia to be steady fast in their struggle to prepare ground for the expected Messiah.
He reminded them that whoever believes in Mahdi would be persecuted as prophesized.
In his own lecture, Dr. Hamid Muhammad Annafawy who claimed not to be member of Shia said he shares their views, especially on the controversy of Mahdi whose Maulid Nabiyy being celebrated.
He challenged other sects in Islam to expand their knowledge beyond the narrow limits of their doctrine, calling on Muslims to study the Shia’s texts to verify the truth in them.
He said they are not unbelievers but true Muslims which is contrary to general opinions about Shia by other sects of Islam, reiterating that most of what they are saying are truth.
Issue of Mahdi, the awaited Saviour and the twelve Imam is a controversial one in Islam which had torn the religion into rival sects. Imam Mahdi is believed to be the last Imam of the Holy Prophet who is expected to emerge and come to the world to establish an Islamic government throughout the world and rules it with the Sharia law.
He is expected to restore the glory of Islam and its civilization. Shia members who are followers of Imam Ali, the first Khalifa of the Holy Prophet of Islam are strong believer in the doctrine of Mahdi.
Alhaji Mas’ud Aremu was the Chairman, Programme Planning Committee of the Maulid Nabiyy of Imam Mahdi who commended members of Shia in Ilorin for their doggedness in holding the tenets and doctrine of Shia.
Alhaji NA Najimudeen made the opening prayer while Dr. Suleiman Ibrahim Olayeri gave the votes of thanks. Ahlul-Bayt organized the event.