Are Muslims waiting for the Messiah?

Question

In my little understanding of Judaism, Jews are waiting for the Messiah to come and restore Judaism as the unique faith, bringing peace to the world. For Jews, the Messiah has not come yet.

Meanwhile, Christians consider Jesus to be that Messiah, and are waiting for Jesus to come again at the end of times.

Do Muslims believe a Messiah will come at the end of times? Is it possible to provide some references to the respective Surahs and verses that refer to these events?

Answer 1

The Islamic position is closer to Christianity in that مسيح \ Messiah is a title of Jesus (عليهم السلام):

إذ قالت الملائكة يا مريم إن الله يبشرك بكلمة منه اسمه المسيح عيسى ابن مريم وجيها في الدنيا والآخرة ومن المقربين

[And mention] when the angels said, "O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary - distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah].

^{— Quran 3:45}

Though the Islamic position is closer to Judaism in that the Messiah is a human servant of Allah and not divine incarnate ^{see 4:172 ; 5:72}

Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified or killed ^{see 4:157} and was instead raised up and will return near the end of times:

وإنه لعلم للساعة

And indeed, he [Jesus] will be [a sign for] knowledge of the Hour

^{— Quran 43:61}

إذ قال الله يا عيسى إني متوفيك ورافعك إلي ومطهرك من الذين كفروا وجاعل الذين اتبعوك فوق الذين كفروا إلى يوم القيامة ثم إلي مرجعكم فأحكم بينكم فيما كنتم فيه تختلفون

[Mention] when Allah said, "O Jesus, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.

^{— Quran 3:55}

He will lead the Muslims in a war against the Masih Al-Dajjal (false Messiah) and his armies, and will defeat and kill him. Then he will unite the world under Islam and rule it for a period of time which would be marked by peace and prosperity, and then he will die.

وإن من أهل الكتاب إلا ليؤمنن به قبل موته ويوم القيامة يكون عليهم شهيدا

And there is none from the People of the Scripture but that he will surely believe in him [Jesus] before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection he will be against them a witness.

^{— Quran 4:159}

أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ليس بيني وبينه نبي يعني عيسى وإنه نازل فإذا رأيتموه فاعرفوه رجل مربوع إلى الحمرة والبياض بين ممصرتين كأن رأسه يقطر وإن لم يصبه بلل فيقاتل الناس على الإسلام فيدق الصليب ويقتل الخنزير ويضع الجزية ويهلك الله في زمانه الملل كلها إلا الإسلام ويهلك المسيح الدجال فيمكث في الأرض أربعين سنة ثم يتوفى فيصلي عليه المسلمون

The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus (ﷺ). He will descent (to the earth). When you see him, recognize him: a man of medium height, reddish hair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet.

He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist

and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him.

^{— Sunan Abu Daud}

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم والله لينزلن ابن مريم حكما عادلا فليكسرن الصليب وليقتلن الخنزير وليضعن الجزية ولتتركن القلاص فلا يسعى عليها ولتذهبن الشحناء والتباغض والتحاسد وليدعون إلى المال فلا يقبله أحد

The Messenger or Allah (ﷺ) said:

I swear by Allah that the son of Mary will certainly descend as a just judge and he would definitely break the cross, and kill swine and abolish Jizya and would leave the young she-camel and no one would endeavor to (collect Zakat on it).

Spite, mutual hatred and jealousy against one another will certainly disappear and when he summons people to accept wealth, not even one would do so.

^{— Sahih Muslim}

Answer 2

Muslims believe in the coming of the Messiah (A'isa) or (Jesus) and also the false Messiah (Addajjal) , and a lot of them also believe in the coming of so called Mahdi. The principle of "waiting" is somehow vague or misused, I think

see: https://islamqa.info/en/43840