Musa-ibn-Imran and the spirit of Allah, Isa-ibn-Maryam (AS.

Musa-ibn-Imran and the spirit of Allah, Isa-ibn-Maryam (AS.) wished to reach this same lofty position as yours even though they themselves possessed a sublime position? Anyhow, Allah did not accept their wish. When both looked and became aware of your sublime position which Allah had allocated for you (only) and discovered your majesty, they became amazed and requested Allah for such a position.

However the reply they received was that except for the 'Qaem' of Al-e-Muhammad, none could receive this position. Then they looked at the effects (i.e. the raising of the true creed (of faith) in the East and West; establishment of equity and Justice and destruction of cruelty and oppression) which would occur through Mahdi's existence and emergence. They requested Allah to make these effects occur under their patronage and make them the cause of their propagatory mission.

However they were told that this sublime position was exclusively for 'Qaem' of Al-e-Muhammad. Mahdi and Isa Bukhari in his "Sahih" vol. 2 Page 158 narrates from Abu Huraira and he from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) who said: - "How be your position at that time when the son of Maryam shall descend amongst you and your Imam shall be from you." The same tradition with similar reference has also been narrated by Muslim.

The author of "Eqdud-Durar" narrates (in the first chapter) from the book 'Manaqib-ul-Mahdi' of Hafez Abu Na'eem Esfahani who narrates from Abu Saeed Khudri who narrates from the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) as such: - "From Us is the one behind whom shall pray Isa."71 Traditions in this regard are many and what we have narrated about his Imamate, distinction and leadership are adequate.

Ganji in his book 'Bayan', after mentioning traditions on 'Salat' (prayers) says: If someone says: The authenticity of this tradition that Isa (A.S.) shall stand for prayers behind Mahdi (A.S.) and will fight along with him and the fact that Isa (A.S.) shall kill Dajjal in the presence of Mahdi and Mahdi (AS.) will be having precedence over Isa at the time of prayers are all well-known. Similarly, his position is more than Isa at the time of 'Jihad' (the holy war).

As far as the authenticity of these traditions is concerned they are resolute before the Ahl-e-Sunnah and Shi'ites too have narrated them in a similar manner.