“And he remained with them (his people) for a thousand-less-fifty years.

“And he remained with them (his people) for a thousand-less-fifty years.” [^8] And regarding Hadrat Yunus (Jonah) ( ‘a ), it says: فلولا أنه كان من المسبحين للبث في بطنه إلى يوم يُبعثون.

“And had he not been one of those who celebrate Allah’s glory, he would have surely remained in its belly till the day they will be resurrected.” [^9] Similarly, from a Qur’anic viewpoint and in the view of all Muslims of the world, Hadrat Khidr ( ‘a ) and Hadrat ‘Isa (Jesus) ( ‘a ) are still alive and they will continue to live. [^1]: Psalms of David, Songs 96-97; Book of Daniel, chap. 12 of the Old Testament; Gospel of Matthew, chap. 24; Gospel of Mark, chap. 13; Gospel of Luke, chap.

21 of the New Testament are narrating about the Promised One for whose advent the world is waiting. [^2]: Sunan Abu Dawud (Egypt: Taziyyah Press, n.d.), vol. 2, p. 207; Yanabi‘ al-Mawaddah, p. 432; Nur al-Absar, bab 2, p. 154. [^3]: See, for example, Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn al-Kanji ash-Shafi‘i, Al-Bayan fi Akhbar Sahib az-Zaman; ‘Ali ibn Husam ad-Din known as Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi ‘Alamat Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman; Ahmad Amin Misri, Al-Mahdi wa’l-Mahdawiyyah.

The Shi‘ah ‘ulama’ have written a lot of books in this regard which are too many to enumerate such as Al-Malahim wa’l-Fitan, etc. [^4]: Yanabi‘ al-Mawaddah, part 76, on “virtues”, from Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari. [^5]: Sahih Tirmidhi (New Delhi, 1342 AH), vol. 2, p. 46; Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Egypt, 1313 AH), vol. 1, p. 376. [^6]: Yanabi‘ al-Mawaddah, p. 443. [^7]: Ibid., p. 432. [^8]: Surah al-‘Ankabut 29:14. [^9]: Surah as-Saffat 37:143-144. Previous…