ALBAWABA - Despite not being a new thing, social media users have been re-sharing videos of a new religion, called "The Ahmadi Religion," created by an Iraqi person who claimed to be the messenger of Imam Mahdi.
Ahmed Al-Hassan, an Iraqi Shia Muslim religious leader, became the most prominent of figures after he claimed to have been sent by the Imam Mahdi and that he is "the messianic al-Yamani".
For Shia Muslims, al-Yamani is "the deputy of the Mahdi, the Twelfth Imam, and a precursor to his Reappearance" and if he appears it means the world is coming to an end.
Ahmed Al-Hassan started his message in 1999 and became more popular following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. However, in 2007, he disappeared from public appearances.
Al-Hassan began in 1999 to form "The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light," which is "the fulfilment of prophecy as per the narrations and scriptures of the Abrahamic faiths. It is the religion that was foretold by the holy Household of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family) to emerge in the end times," according to the official website of the religion.
Who is Abdullah Hashem, Imam Mahdi's messenger?
Videos have been shared on the official YouTube channel, called "The Mahdi Has Appeared," of a person named Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq, who claimed to be the predecessor of Ahmed Al-Hassan after the latter disappeared in 2007.
Abdullah Hashem said that he came "with the same knowledge, banner, and with the same letter of appointment as his predecessor, calling people to the true Yamani, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan."
A video of Abdullah Hashem has circulated on the internet in which he claimed to be the saviour of Christians, Muslims and Jews asking people to follow his religion "The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light".
The clip caused massive controversy on social media with people saying he is a "liar" and questioning how Imam Mahdi's messenger could use the internet to convince people. A person commented: "Mahdi will not claim he is Mahdi."
