What Is The Status Of This Narration About Imam Mahdi?

Question

I want to know the status of the following narration that says that Jesus (Alaihisalam) is the same as Imam Mahdi:-

وروى: الإمام أحمد بإسناد صحيح، وعبد بن حميد، وابن أبي حاتم، والطبراني، وابن مردويه؛ عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم؛ قال: «يوشك من عاش منكم أن يلقى عيسى ابن مريم إماما مهديا وحكما عدلا، فيكسر الصليب، ويقتل الخنزير، ويضع الجزية، وتضع الحرب أوزارها»

[Musnad Ahmad, 8955]

What is the authenticity of this narration? I have always believed that Imam Mahdi (Alaihisalam) and Jesus (Alaihisalam) are two different people.

Can someone please explain this? Jazakallah.

Answer 1

Your quote mentions that the narration is Sahih. It's similar to the narrations in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim except with the addition of the description "إماما مهديا" (guiding leader).

My rough translation of the narration:

It is possible that one of you who lives might meet Isa the son of Maryam, a guiding leader and just judge. He will break the cross, kill the swine, abolish the Jizyah, and the war will lay down its burden.

The issue is in assuming that the Prophet describing Isa (AS) as a guiding leader (which is literally "imam mahdi" in Arabic) means he is the Mahdi. However, this is unfounded. It's simply using the normal meaning of the word.

There are many ahadith that describe the Mahdi (which is unnecessary to go into), and they make clear that Isa (AS) is not that.