The Mahdi is not described in the Qurʾān, only in hadith, with scholars suggesting he arose when Arabian tribes were settling in Syria under Muawiya. “They anticipated ‘the Mahdi who will lead the rising people of the Yemen back to their country’ in order to restore the glory of their lost Himyarite kingdom. It was believed that he would eventually conquer Constantinople.” 

THE MAHDI^[1]Topic Content Source: en.wikipedia.org/Sunni/Eschatology | en.wikipedia.org/Mahdi (Arabic: مهدي‎, ISO 233: mahdī, literally “guided one”) is an eschatological redeemer of Islam who will appear and will rule for five, seven, nine, or nineteen years (according to differing interpretations) before the Day of Judgment (yawm al-qiyamah, literally, the Day of Resurrection) and will rid the world of evil.

There is no reference to the Mahdi in the Quran, only in the ahadith (the reports and traditions of Muhammad’s teachings collected after his death). In most traditions, Mahdi will arrive with Jesus (Isa) to defeat Masih ad-Dajjal (literally, the “false Messiah” or Antichrist). Although the concept of a Mahdi is not an essential doctrine in Sunni Islam, he is popular among both Sunni and Shia Muslims. Both agree that he will rule over the Muslims and establish justice; however, they differ extensively on his attributes and status.

Sunni Islam, which is followed by the majority of Muslims, and uses the Quran and the Hadith as a reference to the signs of Judgment day. The signs in Sunni Islam revolve around the purification of earth from non-believers, either by mass conversion of non believers or in most cases by death. The appearance of the Mahdi as the final Muslim Caliph and the ascending of prophet Jesus in his time.

Signs Before the Day of Judgement^[2]Source: Signs Before the Day of Judgement |Link: SalafiPublications  | Author: Yoosuf ibn Abdillaah ibn Yoosuf al-Waabil in “Ashraatus-Saa’ah” (Trans. Dawud Burbank).: Author, Yoosuf ibn Abdillaah ibn Yoosuf al-Waabil

Before the major signs as they are called, all minor signs have to occur.

They are listed here:

A. The Minor Signs

1. The Prophet-hood of Muhammad

2. The death of the Prophet

3. The conquering of Bait ul-Maqdis

4. The Plague of Amwaas (in Palestine)

5. The increase in wealth so that sadaqah is not needed

6. Trials and civil strife:

(i) The appearance of troubles in the east

(ii) The killing of Uthmaan (ra)

(iii) The battle of al-Jamaal

(iv) The battle of Siffeen

(v) The appearanc of the Khawaarij

(vi) The happening of al-Harrah

(vii) The appearance of the saying that the Quran is create

(viii) The following of the ways of the previous nations

7. The appearance of claimants to Prophet-hood

8. Widespread safety

9. The appearance of fire in the Hijaz

10. Fighting the Turks

11. Fighting the non-Arabs

12. Disappearance of trustworthiness

13. Disappearance of knowledge and appearance of ignorance

14. Increase in the number of police and helpers of the oppressors

15. Spread of fornication

16. Spread of usury

17. Spread of musical instruments

18. Drinking of intoxicants and its being allowed

19. Adorning the mosques and rivalling therein

20. Building tall buildings

21. The slave girls giving birth to her mistress (the daughter of her master)

22. Increase in killing

23. Time passing quickly

24. Coming together of markets

25. Appearance of Shirk in this Ummah

26. Appearance of wickedness, cutting off of relations and ill treatment of neighbours

27. Dying of grey hairs with black dye

28. Increase of extreme miserliness

29. Increase in trade

30. Increase in earthquakes

31. Appearance of sinking into the earth, transformation into animals and false-accusations

32. The passing away of the pious

33. The raising of the despicable people to positions of importance

34. That greeting is given only to those the person knows

35. That knowledge is sought from other than the scholars in truth

36. Appearance of women in clothes which do not cover them

37. The truthfulness of the dreams of the Believers

38. Spread and increase in writing

39. Laxity with regard to the Sunnah

40. Increase in size of the new moons

41. Increase in falsehood and having no concern to check reports

42. Increase in false testimony and withholding true witness

43. Large number of women and small number of men

44. Sudden death being common

45. Hatred amongst peoples hearts

46. The return of the land of the Arabs to being pastures and rivers

47. Increase in rain but decrease in agriculture

48. The revealing of a mountain of gold by the Euphrates river

49. The talking of wild animals and inanimate objects to people

50. Wishing for death because of the severity of trials

51. Increase in the number of ‘Romans’ and their fighting the Muslims

52 Victory over Constantinople

53. The appearance of al-Qahtaanee

54. Fighting the Jews

55. The expelling by al-Madeenah of its wicked people, then its desolation at the end of time

56. The sending of a pleasant wind to take away the souls of the Believers

57. The attacking of the Sacred House and dismantling of the Ka’bah

B. The Major Signs

1. The Mahdee

2. The Anti-Christ Maseeh ud-Dajjal^[3]SEE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dajjal

3. The descent of Isa^[4]SEE:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Coming

4. Yajooj and Maajooj

5. The three great sinkings of the earth

6. The appearance of smoke in the sky

7. The rising of the sun in the west

8. The beast of the earth [Daabbat ul-Ard]

9. The fire which brings the people together

10. A wind that will take the souls of all Muslims and only leave infidels on Earth.

These next occurrences are the final steps of Judgement day and occur on Earth:^[5]http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/End-time

1. The blowing of the first Trumpet killing all humans on Earth.

2. The blowing of the second Trumpet marking resurrection.

3. The awaiting of Judgement by all humans, a process that is said to take thousands of years under a scorching sun.

4. Judgement of mankind begins.

It should be mentioned that unlike the Shi’a, Sunni Muslims don’t give much credit to the coming of the Mahdi since he is just another Caliphate to them and a human who is born at a certain time and has a normal life span and dies a natural death. He is anticipated but not treated more than a normal human.

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