Malfuzat – Volume II — Page 167
167 Messiah son of Mary is associated with external issues. The Messiah Son of Mary What is the task of the Messiah in the ‘external sense’, on account of which he has been given this name? The task of the Messiah son of Mary would be to repel evil, and the task of the Mahdi would be to restore virtue. As such, reflect on the fact that it has been narrated that the tasks of the Messiah are that َ یَقْتُل ُ الْخِنْز ِیْر (he would kill the swine) and َ یَکْسُر ُ الصَّلِیْب (he would break the cross). This is the repelling of evil. However, I do not believe that the Messiah would set out with swords and spears for this purpose. Those scholars who assert that the Messiah would wage war are mistaken; in fact, they are wrong completely. What sort of reformation is this that as soon as the Messiah appears, he should take up the sword and enter the field of battle for war? This cannot happen. The truth and reality is what has been disclosed to me, and which accords with the Hadith, and it is that the Messiah will wage no bloody wars, nor is his task to pick up the sword and fight. In fact, the Messiah will come for the purpose of reformation. Of course, I do believe that he will come to repel evil, but he shall do so with proofs and arguments. The Mahdi The task of the Mahdi is to restore virtue. That is to say, although innovations in the faith, sin and vice would have become rampant, he would replace this with guidance. The word Isa ( Jesus) is derived from aws, which alludes to the repelling of evil. The secret in both these manifestations is that the spiritual manifestation known as the Mahdi is superlative, because his task is to propagate virtue, which is a more superior quality than the mere repelling of evil. For example, a person who removes a thorn from someone’s path does a great deed no doubt, but an individual who gives that someone a ride to their house and feeds them as well, does an even greater deed than the first. Therefore, the Mahdi is superior in rank. This is why he is the vicegerent of Allah. This is the secret in Jesus son of Mary swearing the oath of allegiance at the hand of the Mahdi, who is the vicegerent of Allah. Moreover, the manifestation known as the Mahdi is also superior be- cause he is actually a spiritual manifestation of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, who was the Seal of the Prophets, and the most