Abdullah Hashem Interviewed on the Lebanese TV Channel LTV

In a television interview on the Lebanese news channel LTV’s program "On the Brink", Abdullah Hashem appeared as a guest and was interviewed. Aba Al-Sadiq spoke about his religion, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. He clarified many facts and matters that had previously been ambiguous to the presenters, sheikhs, and the public. He explained that his religion is based on the principle of divine appointment, which has been the foundation for all prophets and messengers who came before him—each appointed by the will of the Messenger who preceded them.

Aba Al-Sadiq cited the will of the Prophet Muhammad, which the Prophet wrote on the night of his death. In it, he mentioned twelve Imams, followed by twelve Mahdis. He also revealed the names of the first three Mahdis: Abdullah, Ahmad, and Al-Mahdi. This testament, which the Prophet described by saying, “If you hold on to it, you will never be misguided,” was presented as a guarantee for humanity. According to the Prophet, adhering to this will would prevent people from going astray and ensure they remain aligned with the system of God’s governance—the very essence of religion.

During the interview, Aba Al-Sadiq  mentioned the source of the narration of the will, stating that it exists in Ghaybat Al-Tusi and Bihar Al-Anwar, among others, indicating the will's presence in both Shia and Sunni books. He also mentioned a well-known Sunni incident called the "Tragedy of Thursday," referring  to the Prophet's intention on that day to write this will. However, due to the objection of Umar and his companions, the Prophet did not write it that day. 

Due to limited time, Aba Al-Sadiq  pointed to these sources and cited some of them. Any seeker of truth and knowledge could easily refer to these sources and verify the presence of the texts and narrations. Here are some narrations about Muhammad and the family of Muhammad that Aba Al-Sadiq mentioned during the interview as evidence:

From Abd Al-A’la: I said to Abu Abdullah: "The one claiming this matter, what is the proof against him?" He said: "He is asked about what is lawful and unlawful." Then he turned to me and said: "Three of the evidence do not gather in anyone except he is the owner of this matter: he is more entitled than those before him, he has the weapon, and he is the owner of the apparent will which, if presented in Medina, the common folk and children ask: to whom did so-and-so bequeath? They say: to so-and-so, son of so-and-so." (Al-Kafi, Al-Shaikh Al-Kulayni, Vol. 1, p. 284) 

From Abu Abdullah  who was asked: "By what is the Imam known?" He said: "By the apparent will and by merit. No one can attack him in his mouth, stomach, or private parts. They say: liar and he eats people's money, and the like." (Al-Kafi, Al-Shaikh Al-Kulayni, Vol. 1, p. 284)

This is a small portion of many narrations that indicate the will and show that the owner of the matter is known thereby, besides the narration of the will itself mentioned in Ghaybat Al-Tusi and Bihar Al-Anwar.

We were surprised during the meeting by the other guest invited by the program "On the Brink" to respond, introduced as "His Eminence" Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Talib, by the presenter. He is one of the muftis from the Shia sect. We found him responding to Aba Al-Sadiq’s argument without any degree of knowledge, scientific or professional, about his sect, Islam in general, or the fundamentals of religion.

As soon as Aba Al-Sadiq finished his response to questions from the presenters, questions which we will address in the article, the sheikh’s first act was to deny and refute the existence of a will from the Prophet altogether. He denied that the Prophet wrote a will, thus destroying a very important matter in the Shia sect, a matter that many have testified to and still do, regarding the will and appointment which is only for God.

In complete denial of what the Shia believe in, the sect to which he belongs and of which he is a mufti, the sheikh denied the matter without evidence, without awareness, and without knowledge. He said the Prophet did not write the will and cited the Tragedy of Thursday where Umar ibn Al-Khattab objected to the Prophet and tried to prevent him from writing a will.

Imagine, O Shia, this mufti believed Umar more than the Prophet and supported the tragedy and its implementation more than he supported the writing of the will that the Prophet wrote on the night of his death.

Here we see denial, rejection, and negation by Ahmad Talib of the most important matter on which the Shia sect is founded, the divine appointment and the Prophet’s will by which the Imams  are known, which Shia scholars have testified to for hundreds of years, while attacking the Sunni sect for denying this will.

If this indicates anything, it shows firstly the ignorance of Sheikh Ahmad Talib regarding his own sect, and his ignorance of what exists in its books. It also demonstrates his denial and misleading of the people, distancing them from the matter of God’s governance. All this with sarcastic words reflecting nothing but his ignorance and lack of skill in responding to Aba Al-Sadiq’s argument.

Aba Al-Sadiq completed his argument by also bringing a second proof of his knowledge, which is raising the banner of allegiance to God—the black banners mentioned in the narrations, which God has reserved for Imam Mahdi  at the end of time, based also on the narrations of Muhammad. We mention among them the narration included by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal in Al-Musnad, Ibn Majah, and Al-Naeem ibn Hammad in Kitab Al-Fitan, "If you see the black banners coming out of Khorasan, then come to them, for in them is the Caliph of God, the Mahdi." Also, the Qa’im will appear, and as Aba Al-Sadiq argues with knowledge, which is the weapon of the Qa’im.

Unfortunately, we also see Sheikh Ahmad Talib responding to all these  proofs, which are established in all Shia and Sunni books, by saying: “I did not find anything worth responding to.” The truth is he is indeed unable to respond but not because there is nothing worth it, but because he is ignorant and not knowledgeable about the narrations of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. He speaks only randomly and generally, without refuting any evidence or argument.

If this indicates anything, it truly indicates that they are scholars who do not act and are also not knowledgeable of their religion’s fundamentals. This reflects the Messenger’s description of such jurists as evil jurists, jurists of the end times, from whom sedition originates and to whom it returns. The seditions are described by Imam Na’im ibn Hammad (he is one of the earliest authors on the subject of seditions; he died in 229 AH).

The presenter returned to the discussion and asked Aba Al-Sadiq, “Are you founding a new religion?” He answered objectively and sincerely, “Yes and no,” explaining, “If you consider what the Prophet Muhammad brought as something new, contrary to the religion of Abraham, then yes, I founded a movement and named it to distinguish it from all false practices, but because it is religious it is an extension of all original Abrahamic religions. Therefore, our followers are the true Muslims, the true Christians, the true Jews, and followers of all religions of the messengers and prophets. Indeed, I brought a new covenant, a new judgment, and a new command.” He based his words on narrations of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad that confirm this. 

“The Qa’im will come with a new command, new religion, and a new judgment severe upon the Arabs.” (Kitab Al-Ghayba, Al-Numani, Vol. 1, p. 236)

The program host also asked Aba Al-Sadiq why he does not reside among his own people and nation, is he afraid? He answered clearly and confidently, “I am not afraid of anyone; on the contrary, I actually reside among my family and people. I came to the whole world, and wherever I am and the believers are, these are my family and people.” He said, “I am now residing in the United Kingdom with my family and people who believed in me and in God’s governance. These are my people, my nation, my family. Even if all the armies of America and the world move against me, they will not move a hair of my body; rather, you should question them and they should be afraid because they are on falsehood, and I am the Qa’im, and my companions are evil to those who reject God’s governance.”

There is indeed a narration confirming Aba Al-Sadiq’s statement from Muhammad and the family of Muhammad: 

From Abu Abdullah  regarding the verse: “And if We delay the punishment for them to a limited period,” he said: “The punishment is the emergence of the Qa’im , and the limited period is the number of people of Badr and his companions.” (Kitab Al-Ghaybah,  Al-Numani, Vol. 1, p. 246)

Every time the Qa’im  answered, he used evidence to establish the credibility of his argument, while anyone who watched and followed Sheikh Ahmad Talib’s replies found his answers weak, general, and random, showing no knowledge of what the Ahl al-Bayt said. He tried to cover his ignorance by misleading people and denying any evidence, hadith, or any book mentioning the truth of what Aba Al-Sadiq  said. However, these sources are before you and any seeker of truth can verify their existence, not as the sheikh claimed and failed to prove.

Regarding the presenter’s question to Aba Al-Sadiq  about his opinion on the rejection of the sheikhs and religious scholars of him, are they all misguided? He replied that in reality, he sees their condition worse than just misguided and misleading. The narrations about Muhammad and the family of Muhammad describing their condition are many, where the Prophet said: “The worst jurists under the sky are the jurists of the end times.” The Prophet also said he feared for his nation from the sedition and lies of the non-working scholars more than he feared for them the sedition of the Dajjal or armies of Yazid ibn Muawiya.

He accused these scholars: the scholars we see today have no relation to Islam, they are puppets in the hands of client governments placed in power. They are enemies of Islam, sons of Satan, wolves in sheep’s clothing, those whom the Prophet saw in his dream descending on his pulpit, resembling monkeys. These are the ones against whom we lead a revolution. These are the ones from whom we try to awaken the Islamic nation and keep them away. I confirm that no prophet or messenger or Imam was ever supported by scholars in his lifetime.

If you look at the stories of Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, and the Imams, you will find that the rabbis, Pharisees, priests, and scholars were those who killed the prophets and messengers. Also, you will find that the fatwas of Islamic scholars caused the killing of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad  in Islam. Therefore, the non-working scholars are enemies and we do not expect support from them. This is the speech of Aba Al-Sadiq, confirmed by evidence in the narrations of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. We mention among them the saying of Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq:

“Our enemies or among the disputers from us who called themselves our scholars, harm the weak among our Shiites more than Yazid’s army harmed Hussein bin Ali and his companions, for they seize their lives and their wealth. And these bad scholars introduce doubt and suspicion to the weak among our Shiites, thus misguiding them and preventing them from aiming at the correct and true/right. No doubt that whoever among our Shiites knew them, abandoned them and rejected them, and did not take anything from their knowledge, did not share in their sin; and whoever was deceived by them, and they do not know their condition, then they have associated with them in the sin and were partners with them in the fire.” (Book of Al-Ihtijaj, Ahmad bin Lutbarsi, part 2)

As a response to the accusation by the presenter that Aba Al-Sadiq mocks the efforts of the prophets and that many have accused him of madness and delusion:

Aba Al-Sadiq  said: “Thank you, it is a great badge of honor that I was accused of what the prophets and messengers were accused of before. No messenger came and argued with people by the command of God except that he was accused of heresy, magic, disbelief, or madness. These stories are mentioned in the Qur’an and all the holy books so that people remember and think about them. Therefore, these accusations mean nothing to me and do not invalidate my call.”

Aba Al-Sadiq confirmed again, by citing narrations, that he is the Mahdi, and when he appears all people will talk about him as is happening now. However, there will be a limited number who will be with him — the described number being 313 men, fifty women, and ten thousand.

From Imam Al-Sadiq: {Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together} [Al-Baqarah: 148], he said: "They are the people whom God said: {Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together.} They are the companions of Al-Qa’im, the three hundred and thirteen men whom God gathers in one hour. They are people whom God carries as He wills — from a tribe, one man and two men until they reach nine. Then from the horizons, three hundred and thirteen men come together, the number of the people of Badr. This is the saying of God: {Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together}, and they are the companions of Al-Qa’im." (Kitab Al-Ghaybah, Al-Numani, Chapter 20, p. 314, Hadith 2)

The presenter continued by asking Aba Al-Sadiq: “What is your message to the Christians in 2025, and the exceptional event that happened on April 25, in which you announced yourself as the true Pope? Is this considered a miracle or a coincidence? Did you use the event to serve your call?”

Aba Al-Sadiq replied: “Yes, it is an exceptional event. What made it exceptional is that my followers truly went to the Vatican and stood in St. Peter’s Square during Pope Francis’s speech and raised the pledge flag for God, the flag of this blessed call, the flags that have not been raised since the time of our master Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). They also raised signs and wore shirts written: ‘The new pope has come, he is Aba Al-Sadiq, the legitimate heir, the pope and the true caliph.’ Then the world witnessed after a few hours the death of Francis — this is a great miracle. It is an event confirming before the whole world that God alone determines the choice of leader, and I am the legitimate representative of all Christians, and the world’s true Pope is Aba Al-Sadiq, not the pope of the Vatican.”

Then the presenter continued: “In 2015, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan ordered you to raise the black flags. What did you do afterward for the world?”

Aba Al-Sadiq  confirmed this and said: “Yes, Imam Ahmad Al-Hassan ordered me to raise the pledge flag to God, the black flags. Your question implies that I have done nothing during these ten years, but the truth is I have done more than the prophets and messengers, because time has changed, means advanced, and communication with people through means of satellites, screens, technology, social media.

Since the question was asked, I want to remind the viewers and presenters what the Prophet did during the first 13 years of his call to Islam. He did nothing but what I do now, which is calling people to God. I now have more followers than he had at that stage. At that time, he was still in Mecca, not yet migrated, and for 13 years his call was secret before it became public. The same applies to Jesus, whose call lasted three years — that was the duration of his mission — and he had only eleven disciples. The same is with Moses, who was with his people for 40 years before he began to lead them out to the desert. What was he doing all those 40 years? What did the messengers all do during those years? They called people to religion and spread their call. This is exactly what I do, calling people and spreading the call among them.”

Of course, this answer shocked the presenter and the sheikh due to their ignorance and lack of understanding of the Qa’im’s answer. Unfortunately, the presenter considered it as belittling the efforts of the prophets and messengers, while Aba Al-Sadiq was explaining to her their journey over time based on their question. But she did not focus on the answer clearly and found it provocative, as did the ignorant sheikh to whom she turned.

She said: “How did you control yourself from interrupting, while I know that when the voice of God speaks, the voice of falsehood cannot interrupt?”

They continued asking many questions: “Who are your followers and what is their religion?” He answered: “My followers are those who believed in the sovereignty of God, the man appointed by God, based on all the heavenly religions that believe in that. Also, their religion's name is the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.” 

When the interviewer asked, "Is everyone who does not believe in you a disbeliever?" Aba Al-Sadiq cited that in the religion of God, since the time of Adam, God commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, after God chose him to be His successor. This is in the Quranic text in several Surahs, we mention, for example:

"And when We said to the angels, 'Prostrate to Adam,' they prostrated except for Iblis; he refused and was arrogant and was of the disbelievers." (Surah Al-Baqarah – verse 34)

"And certainly We created you, then fashioned you; then We said to the angels, 'Prostrate to Adam,' so they prostrated except Iblis; he was not of those who prostrate." (Surah Al-A'raf – verse 11)

"When I have fashioned him and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him in prostration. So the angels prostrated, all of them together." (Surah Sad – verses 72-73)

Whoever believed and prostrated to Adam was a believer, and whoever refused was a disbeliever. And so in all religions: whoever believed in Christ was a Christian, and whoever refused was a disbeliever; whoever believed in Moses was Jewish, and whoever refused was a disbeliever; the same applied to Muhammad. God's proof is a fundamental doctrine in all religions. Additionally, Aba Al-Sadiq cited a narration from Prophet Muhammad  from Sahih Muslim (Book of Leadership, Chapter on the Obligation to Obey the Leaders):

"From Abdullah ibn Umar, he said: I heard the Messenger of God  say: 'Whoever removes his hand from obedience will meet God on the Day of Resurrection with no proof for him, and whoever dies while there is no allegiance on his neck, dies a death of ignorance.'" (Sahih Muslim, Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj Al-Naysaburi, Hadith 1851)

This narration is agreed upon by Sunni and Shia. Yet Sheikh Ahmed Talib once again confirmed his ignorance of what is stated in the books and misled people by claiming that Aba Al-Sadiq did not speak with evidence and did not bring any narration, despite every question and answer being supported by evidence. However, it seems Sheikh Ahmed Talib tried by all means to deny the truth in Aba Al-Sadiq’s words, and this is the habit of the non-working scholars. As the People of the House said about them, "Our enemies are the imitating scholars."

"As for the one who is from the jurists, guarding himself, preserving his religion, opposing his desires, obeying his master’s command, the common people may imitate him. This only applies to some Shia jurists, not all. For whoever rides the horses of ugliness and sins, he is a corrupt person among the general public, so do not accept anything from us through him, nor honor. And the confusion increased about what the People of the House bear because the wicked bear it from us; they are our enemies, our enemies, our enemies. And among them is one called a scholar but is not a scholar." (Wasail al-Shi'a, Al-Hurr al-Amili, Vol. 27, p. 131, Chapter of the Characteristics of the Mufti, Hadith 32969)

Indeed, God Almighty in every age sends a successor, a messenger, a guide, and an Imam for every people. Aba Al-Sadiq also cited a Quranic verse regarding that from Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 30:

"And when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successor.' They said, 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?' He said, 'Indeed, I know that which you do not know.'" (Qur’an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verse 30)

What was the response and action of the sheikh who believes in the Quran and whose basic duty is to understand the Quran? He started laughing at his own ignorance, saying that this verse’s meaning was negated just because the angels objected to God. But if his answer shows mockery of God’s command and his incorrect interpretation of Quranic verses, and failure to complete the verse, indeed these are the ones who mislead people from the truth. Since he stopped at the angels’ response and did not continue God’s reply where He said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know." 

So God, Sheikh Talib, did what He intended, which is appointing a successor and ordering the angels to prostrate. Otherwise, if you deny that, why are you a believer in Muhammad and the messengers of God? Are they not appointed by God and His successors on earth? On what basis then do you build your faith in them if you deny and reject that God appointed a successor and was content with the angels’ response? Unfortunately, this is a model of non-working scholars who mislead humanity by their ignorance and wickedness about God’s command and by interpretations and exegeses not sanctioned by God. Who gave you or anyone other than the infallible family, the right to interpret and explain the Quran? Enough deception and slander on God and His messengers.

And Aba Al-Sadiq  continued his answers to the presenters’ questions. Unfortunately, later in their dialogue with the sheikh, they also showed their ignorance of what Aba Al-Sadiq said and the evidence he presented, by their reactions and comments, that showed their lack of knowledge of religious fundamentals. They were led by Sheikh Ahmed Talib’s ignorance. 

When he was asked about his followers from all religions — Christians, Muslims, Jews, Zoroastrians, and others — and whether this is the establishment of a new religion, the Qa’im answered: “This is not a new religion; this is a new covenant between God and humanity called the Seventh Covenant, as there were six covenants before with God, His messengers, and humanity.” And he explained some examples, which you can watch in the full interview to understand more about them.

When Aba Al-Sadiq was asked during the talk if he is the Seal of the Guides, Aba Al-Sadiq rejected this attributed claim and confirmed that he never claimed nor alleged on any day that he is the Seal of the Guides. On the contrary, he always and forever affirms that God's successors continue eternally as long as there are creatures of God. He said: “I am one of the Mahdis, and there are eleven other Mahdis besides me, and after the Mahdis, there will be the Guides, the Knights, and others. And God's rule does not stop, and it continues with His successors.”

Thus, the Qa’im Aba Al-Sadiq confirmed in his answer to every question posed to him that he is the successor of the Messenger in this time, the successor of Christ, and the successor of Moses, and that he came to save humanity and deliver them from the men of religion who are the voice of Satan, and from the rulers who usurped the succession because they are not appointed by God. He warned God's enemies that the Qa’im and his companions are like torment and evil. He cited and said: “Woe to the Arabs from evil that is near.”

By this, we have shed light on the summary of what happened in the interview of Aba Al-Sadiq  on the program "On the Brink." At the same time Sheikh Ahmed Talib, and every researcher who is fair and objective, has the right to see what Aba Al-Sadiq  presented, which shows his knowledge, awareness, and evidence. And to whoever was random, ignorant, and did not know what he was saying, like the sheikh and the presenter:

"They want to extinguish the light of God with their mouths, but God will perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it." (Qur’an, Chapter 61 (As-Saff), Verse 8)