Bismillah,
If one looks at the dozens of narrations that speak about Imam Mahdī and al-Masīh ‘Isa bin Maryam (AS), it is clear that they two distinct individuals, with different roles and characteristics, who will one day interact with each other. However, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad claimed to be both the Mahdī and al-Masīh. How did he justify his claim? The following narration in Ibn Mājah
لا مهدي إلا عيس
[There is] no Mahdi except ‘Isa.
However, numerous Islamic scholars, from before Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was even born, criticize the authenticity of this statement, saying it is either fabricated, problematic or very weak. Ibn Taymiyya, in his Manhāj al-Sunnah and Ibn Al-Qayyim in his Al-Manār al-Munīf, classified this report as da’īf (weak). Al-Qārī, in his Mirqāt al-Mufātīh, reported that this narration is da’īf according to the consensus of the scholars of hadīth. Dhahabī says in his book al-Mizān that this is a munkar (problematic) report. Al-Saghānī says it is mawdū’ (fabricated). Al-Shawkānī, in his book Al-Ahādīth Al-Mawdū’ also wrote that the hadīth is fabricated. Even the contemporary commentator of hadīth, Muhammad Nāsir al-Dīn Al-Albānī, in his Silsilat Al-Ahādīth Al-Da’īfah, reported that this is a munkar report. This is an example of a hadīth that exists in traditional hadīth books, but was found to be very weak or potentially fabricated.
This draws the Ahmadi methodology into question. They quote any and all reports that agree with their position, even if they are known to be fake hadith. The methodology of the people of the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAAWS) is to bring forth all narrations and reports on an issue and apply the time-tested critical methodology to arrive at proper conclusion.
Al-Masīh ‘Isa bin Maryam (AS) and Imam Mahdi are two distinct individuals.
May Allah guide the Ahmadis to Islam.
