I’ve Debated Hundreds of Sunnis — Here’s What I Learned

As one of the members of the studio and outreach department, I deal with many questions people have concerning this Call and the man behind it daily, especially those from Sunni Muslim backgrounds. I come from a Sunni Muslim background myself, so I understand how Sunnis think and view the Mahdi figure, as much of what Muslims think they know about the Mahdi is mainly based on assumptions, lies, and imagination from the words of the non-working scholars.

Here are some of the important questions and obstacles that I have seen frequently raised:

Won’t the Mahdi’s name be ‘Mohammed ibn Abdullah’ instead of ‘Abdullah Hashem’?

The truth is that there does not exist a single narration that states: ‘The Mahdi’s name will be Mohammed ibn Abdullah.’ This is an idea that originated with Sunni scholars, who in doing so, have made it impossible for Muslims to recognize the Mahdi.

Here is what the narration states:

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: The Prophet said: If only one day of this world remained, Allah would lengthen that day, till He raised up in it a man who belongs to me or to my family whose father's name is the same as my father's, who will fill the earth with equity and justice as it has been filled with oppression and tyranny (according to the version of Fitr). Sufyan's version says: The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man of my family whose name will be the same as mine. (Sunan Abi Dawud,  Ibn Abi Dawud, The Book of The Promised Deliverer (Kitab Al-Mahdi), Hadith No. 4282)

Many might think that this means his name will be ‘Mohammed ibn Abdullah,’ but the truth is that the Prophet has many names and did not specify which name he was referring to.

Narrated Jubair bin Mutim: Allah's Messenger said, "I have five names: I am Muhammad and Ahmad; I am Al-Mahi through whom Allah will eliminate infidelity; I am Al-Hashir who will be the first to be resurrected, the people being resurrected thereafter; and I am also Al-Aqib (i.e. There will be no prophet after me)." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Virtues and Merits of the Prophet and his Companions, Hadith No. 3532

Even Jesus himself referred to Prophet Mohammed as ‘Ahmed’:

“And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, “O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmed.” But when he (Ahmed) came to them with clear proofs, they said: “This is plain magic.” - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 61 (Al-Saf), Verse 6

And another name of Prophet Mohammed in Islam is mentioned in the Qur’an as ‘Abdullah’:

"And when Abdullah (the servant of Allah) rose, they almost gathered around him in piles." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 72 (Al-Jinn), Verse 19

So from what we can gather, Prophet Mohammed had many names. But what about the name of his father? In one narration, Prophet Mohammed referred to his ancestor Ishmael/Ismail as his father.

The Messenger of Allah said:

“I am the son of the two slaughtered ones.” - Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn, Al-Hakim Al-Nishapuri, Vol. 2, p. 609

The scholars of Islam are unanimous as to the identity of those two that the Prophet was referring to, and they are his biological father Abdullah and his ancestor Ishmael/Ismail. So we can see that the name of his father can be referred to anyone from his lineage: it can be Abdullah, it can be Ishmael/Ismail, it can be Abdul-Muttalib, or it can be Hashem. The possibilities are now open.

Will he be Mohammed ibn Abdullah? Or Mohammed ibn Hashem? Or Ahmed ibn Ismail? Or Ahmed ibn Abdul-Mutallib? Or Al-Mahdi ibn Abdullah?

Today, we see that the Mahdi that appeared is named ‘Abdullah Hashem.’ ‘Abdullah’ is like the name of the Prophet, and ‘Hashem’ is the grandfather of Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq and the great-grandfather of Prophet Mohammed.

How can you prove that Prophet Mohammed wrote a Will?

It is obligatory in the Qur’an to write a Will: 

“It is prescribed that when death approaches any of you—if they leave something of value—a will should be made in favour of parents and immediate family with fairness. ˹This is˺ an obligation on those who are mindful ˹of Allah˺. - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verse 180

In the narrations, it is emphasized by the Prophet that it is not acceptable for a Muslim to die without having written a Will: 

Allah's Messenger said, "It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something to will to stay for two nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Wills and Testaments (Wasaayaa), Hadith No. 2738

The Prophet Mohammed obeyed every obligation by God. Would it be rational that he would abandon the obligation of leaving behind a Will? 

We find many narrations that show us that he indeed wanted to write a Will. There is a narration that has circulated among the Muslims in multiple books of narrations dubbed ‘The Calamity of Thursday’ or ‘The Hadith of the Pen and Paper,’ which proves without a shadow of a doubt the intention of Prophet Mohammed to write a Will.

Ibn 'Abbas narrated: When Allah’s Apostle was on his deathbed and in the house there were some people among whom was Umar bin Al-Khattab, the Prophet said, “Come, let me write for you a statement after which you will not go astray.” Umar said, “The Prophet is seriously ill, and you have the Qur’an; so the Book of Allah is enough for us.” The people present in the house differed and quarreled. Some said: “Go near so that the Prophet may write for you a statement after which you will not go astray,” while the others said as Umar said. When they caused a hue and cry before the Prophet, Allah’s Apostle said, “Go away!” ‘Ubaidullah said: Ibn ‘Abbas used to say, “It was very unfortunate that Allah’s Apostle was prevented from writing that statement for them because of their disagreement and noise.” - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Patients, Hadith No. 5669

Many would say that although the Prophet wanted to write his Will, he was unable to do so because of the quarrel that took place in his home. However, there are narrations of the Will having been dictated in the following hadith.

Narrated Said bin Jubair: that he heard Ibn Abbas saying, "Thursday! And you know not what Thursday is?" After that, Ibn Abbas wept till the stones on the ground were soaked with his tears. On that, I asked Ibn Abbas, "What is (about) Thursday?" He said, "When the condition (i.e. health) of Allah's Messenger deteriorated, he said, 'Bring me a bone of scapula so that I may write something for you after which you will never go astray.' The people differed in their opinions although it was improper to differ in front of a prophet. They said, 'What is wrong with him? Do you think he is delirious? Ask him (to understand).' The Prophet replied, 'Leave me as I am in a better state than what you are asking me to do.' Then the Prophet ordered them to do three things, saying, 'Turn out all the pagans from the Arabian Peninsula, show respect to all foreign delegates by giving them gifts as I used to do.' " The sub-narrator added, "The third order was something beneficial which either Ibn `Abbas did not mention or he mentioned but I forgot." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Jizyah and Mawaada'ah, Hadith No. 3168

Rationally, how would keeping out all the pagans and respecting foreign delegates be a method by which we would never go astray when the religion of Islam today has split into 73 sects? Unless the answer lies in the third point which Ibn ‘Abbas ‘Forgot.’ The third point must deal with successorship, as word had gone around among the companions about a written Will which included the immediate successor of the Prophet, Imam Ali.

Narrated Al-Aswad: In the presence of Aisha some people mentioned that the Prophet had appointed Ali by will as his successor. `Aisha said, "When did he appoint him by will? Verily, when he died, he was resting against my chest (or said: in my lap) and he asked for a wash-basin and then collapsed while in that state, and I could not even perceive that he had died, so when did he appoint him by will?" - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Wills and Testaments (Wasaayaa), Hadith No. 2741

Although ‘Aisha denies the appointment of a successor, we see that Ibn ‘Abbas and the people are aware of a written Will and the appointment of Imam Ali by Will. The only one that matches the narration in Bukhari is the one that we extracted from Ghaybat Al-Tusi and Bihar Al-Anwar and can be read here.

Wasn’t Abu Bakr the Caliph after Prophet Mohammed?

From the time of Adam until Mohammed, God was always the one to appoint the Prophet, Messenger, King, or Caliph of the time. The method of appointment is known as ‘The Law of Knowing the Vicegerent,’ in which God sends a man with three proofs: 1) The Will; 2) The Knowledge; 3) Calling to the Supremacy of God.

So it must be the case that the person in question demonstrates that he is mentioned by a preceding vicegerent that the people accept, he has to demonstrate that he is knowledgeable, and he must call to God’s supremacy and never to the supremacy of the people. Let’s take a look at two examples we find in the Quran:

The Appointment of Adam: 

"And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent.' They said, 'Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?' - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verses 30

The Appointment of Saul: 

"And their prophet said to them, 'Indeed, Allāh has sent to you Saul as a king.' They said, 'How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?' He said, 'Indeed, Allāh has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allāh gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allāh is all-Encompassing [in favor] and Knowing.'" - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah), Verses 247

Imam Ali embodies all three qualifications of God’s vicegerent: he is named in the Will of Prophet Mohammed as his successor, he is renowned for his profound knowledge and wisdom, and he consistently called for the Supremacy of God rather than elections or allowing people to select their leaders.

In addition, Imam Ali was publicly appointed as the successor in the incident of Ghadeer Khum, in front of many witnesses. This event is well-documented in authentic Sunni sources. For example, Prophet Mohammed declared,

“For whomever I am his Mawla/Master, then 'Ali is his Mawla/Master.” - Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Book 49, Hadith 109.

Abu Bakr, on the other hand, called towards elections and was elected into the seat of Caliphate, and not ever appointed by the prophet.

"Abu Bakr said, 'No, we will be the rulers and you will be the ministers, for they (i.e., Quraysh) are the best family amongst the Arabs and of best origin. So you should elect either 'Umar or Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah as your ruler.' 'Umar said (to Abu Bakr), 'No, but we elect you, for you are our chief and the best amongst us and the most beloved of all of us to Allah's Messenger.' So 'Umar took Abu Bakr's hand and gave the pledge of allegiance, and the people too gave the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Companions of the Prophet, Hadith No. 3667, 3668

Umar ibn Al-Khattab emphasized this during his reign as Caliph when he said:

"(O people!) I have been informed that a speaker amongst you says, 'By Allah, if `Umar should die, I will give the pledge of allegiance to such-and-such person.' One should not deceive oneself by saying that the pledge of allegiance given to Abu Bakr was given suddenly and it was successful. No doubt, it was like that, but Allah saved (the people) from its evil, and there is none among you who has the qualities of Abu Bakr." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Limits and Punishments set by Allah (Hudood), Hadith No. 6830

We can clearly see that Abu Bakr was not appointed by either a verbal or a written statement by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH & His Family), and we also see that both Abu Bakr and his successor Umar do not call towards the Supremacy of God, but rather towards election and consensus, the Supremacy of the people. Abu Bakr himself openly admits that he is not the best of the Muslims, that he will make mistakes, demonstrating his lack of knowledge and discernment between right and wrong.

Abu Bakr said:

“Oh people, as I have now been placed in a position of authority over you and I am not the best of you, if I do good, then help me, and if I do wrong then correct me. Truthfulness is a trustworthiness while lying is betrayal. The weak amongst you is strong with me until I get his rights returned to him, God willing; and the strong amongst you is weak until I [justly] take the right from him, God willing… Obey me as long as I obeyed Allah and His messenger, so if I disobey Allah and His messenger then you owe me no obedience.” - Al-Bidayah Wa Al-Nihayah, Ibn Kathir, Vol 5, p. 269

Can someone else claim to be the Mahdi under the name ‘Abdullah’ or another of the Prophet’s names?

Many have come in history who have claimed to be the awaited Mahdi under various names. However, the safeguarded Will of Prophet Mohammed mentions the Mahdi by the name ‘Abdullah,’ and nobody has claimed this name before. So Abdullah Hashem is the first in 1400 years to claim the name ‘Abdullah’ from the Will. In Shia Islam there is a narration that states from Imam Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) who said,

“This matter will not be claimed except by the rightful owner, or else Allah will cut off his age.” - Al-Kaf, Al-Shaikh Al-Kulayni, Vol. 1, p. 373, Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 25, p. 112

And this goes hand in hand with the saying of the Qur’an which states a similar saying:

"And if he had made up about Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized him by the right hand; Then We would have cut from him the aorta." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 69 (Al-Haqqah), Verses 44-46

The same applies today, nobody can claim the Will and say that they are the ones mentioned by God or his Prophet in a text except that he is truthful or else God will cause that individual to die without having claimed a false claim by the letter of appointment (i.e., The Will).

How can I trust the Will if it comes from a Shia source while I am Sunni?

Sunnis and Shia differ in the way they grade narrations. They have adapted the "Science of Hadith" as a way to authenticate narrations. However, this only came about because the followers could not agree on the successors of Prophet Mohammed, and so it became imperative for them to authenticate what he actually said and did. But we cannot disregard the verses of the Qur’an which command us to investigate the information that comes to us, even if it is from those we consider disobedient.

"O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate, lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 49 (Al-Hujurat), Verse 6

Until today, nobody has presented a valid Will except for the one that we have, which matches the narrations we discussed earlier.

Prophet Mohammed is the last prophet sent by God. How can it be that we need to follow anyone after him?

Prophet Mohammed is the last messenger and prophet sent by God. However, when Prophet Mohammed reached the rank of two bows' length or closer to God, God designated him with the task of taking care of all creation. So, by the permission of God, Prophet Mohammed is now the one who sends forth messengers in the form of the twelve Imams and the twelve Mahdis.

The Prophet said: “Allah will raise for this community at the end of every hundred years the one who will renovate its religion for it.” - Sunan Abi Dawud, Ibn Abi Dawud, The Book of Battles (Kitab Al-Malahim), Hadith No. 4291.

And the one who appoints them is none other than Mohammed himself:

Allah's Messenger said, "Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah. And whoever obeys the ruler I appoint, obeys me, and whoever disobeys him, disobeys me." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Al-Bukhari, Book of Judgments (Ahkaam), Hadith No. 7137.

So, we see from the narration that God does not leave the Muslims after the death of Prophet Mohammed except that He sends someone to keep the religion of God alive through the appointment of rulers who must be obeyed, all appointed by Prophet Mohammed himself through his written Will.

And how could God and Mohammed leave us without a messenger or guide in our time? How are we supposed to answer questions about the internet, abortion, or driving cars—things that didn’t exist in the time of Prophet Mohammed? Who is supposed to let us know what God wants from us in these modern times, on matters that neither Prophet Mohammed, nor the Qur'an commented on?

There is no narration stating that Prophet Mohammed wanted us to consult the scholars after his death. How can a fallible scholar make new laws and verdicts, while he does not have a direct connection to God?

But the prophet did say that he wanted us to consult his successors after him, the messengers he dispatched after his death.

Zayd ibn Arqam reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:" I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household. I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.” - Sahih Muslim, Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj Al-Naysaburi, Book 44, Hadith 55.

How can there be twelve Mahdis when the narrations speak of a single Mahdi figure?

It must be known that “Mahdi” is a title, much like the word “Messiah” is a title for Jesus Christ, so multiple Messianic figures are not a foreign concept in Islam. This matter has been hidden from mainstream Muslims by the scholars of Islam, but we find narrations from Sunni Islam concerning the rulership of twelve caliphs who will make Islam triumphant.

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir bin Samura, who said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: Islam will continue to be triumphant until there have been twelve caliphs. Then the Prophet said something which I could not understand. I asked my father: What did he say? He said: He has said that all of them (twelve caliphs) will be from the Quraish." - Sahih Muslim, Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj Al-Naysaburi, Book 33, Hadith 8.

These twelve are the Mahdis and not the twelve Shia Imams, as the Imams were not able to rule over the people as caliphs. There are also narrations stating that we must follow these caliphs.

It was narrated from 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Amr As-Sulami that: He heard Al-'Irbad bin Sariyah say: "The Messenger of Allah delivered a moving speech to us which made our eyes flow with tears and made our hearts melt. We said: 'O Messenger of Allah. This is a speech of farewell. What did you enjoin upon us?' He said: 'I am leaving you upon a path of brightness whose night is like its day. No one will deviate from it after I am gone but one who is doomed. Whoever among you lives will see great conflict. I urge you to adhere to what you know of my Sunnah and the path of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and cling stubbornly to it. And you must obey, even if your leader is an Abyssinian leader. For the true believer is like a camel with a ring in its nose; wherever it is driven, it complies." - Sunan Ibn Majah, Ibn Majah, Book of the Sunnah, Hadith No. 43.

As Muslims, we are obligated to follow God, the Messenger of God, and his Sunnah, but we are also commanded to follow the Sunnah of the 'Rightly Guided Caliphs' after him. Some argue that these caliphs were the Sunni caliphs such as Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, but both of these narrations refer to these ‘Rightly Guided Caliphs’ as ‘Mahdis.’ The Arabic text includes the phrase “وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ” which literally translates to “the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Mahdis.”

Refer to the following links for the original Arabic and English comparison to see the clear deceit of the scholars of Islam:

https://sunnah.com/mishkat:276

These Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Mahdis, are the twelve that Prophet Mohammed promised would come to make Islam triumphant after its disintegration and degradation by the scholars of the end times.

Where is the Mahdi or Riser mentioned in the Qur’an?

Although we do not find the word ‘Mahdi’ or ‘Riser’ in the Qur’an, the Qur’an nonetheless mentions a man who would appear, who has a rise, whose name matches the name of one of the Mahdis in the Will, the exact Mahdi who shall bring justice and equity into the world as the narrations state, and it is ‘Abdullah’:

"And when Abdullah rose, they almost gathered around him in piles." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 72 (Al-Jinn), Verse 19

Nobody came forth claiming the name ‘Abdullah’ mentioned in both the Qur’an and Will and at the same time rose as the promised Mahdi and Riser from the Family of Mohammed (From Them is Peace) except for Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace).

Why do you drink alcohol and why don’t the women wear hijab?

Alcohol was permissible from the time of Adam until Prophet Mohammed. In fact, we see that the prophets used to drink wine:

Noah plants a vineyard and drinks wine:

"Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent." - The Holy Bible, Book of Genesis, Chapter 9, Verses 20-21.

Jacob brings wine to his father Isaac:

"Then he said, 'My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.' Jacob brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank." - The Holy Bible, Book of Genesis, Chapter 27, Verse 25.

Jesus turns water into wine:

"Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water'; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, 'Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.' They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine." - The Holy Bible, Book of John, Chapter 2, Verses 7-9.

The proof that alcohol was not always forbidden is found in the verse regarding paradise:

"(Here is) a description of the paradise that is promised for the God-fearing! In it, there are rivers of water, never spoiling, and rivers of milk the taste of which would not go bad, and rivers of wine, delicious to the drinkers, and rivers of honey, fully purified." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 47 (Mohammed), Verse 15.

If alcohol exists in paradise, it can not be inherently impure. This means it was forbidden for a certain reason, which was that debauchery and drunkenness had become a major problem in Arab life. This type of prohibition was necessary to cleanse them.

As for the hijab, there is no verse in the Qur’an that obliges women to cover their hair with a headscarf. The verse often used to advocate for the obligation of wearing hijab states:

"And the women should strike their khimar over their jiyub (pockets)." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 24 (Al-Nur), Verse 31.

Many believe the khimar to be a headscarf, but this is not what it means. Khimar means “covering.” The verse instructs women to cover their chests, as their dresses often had openings, or ‘pockets,’ that would expose their breasts unless something was drawn over to cover them.

Many may find these teachings strange and contrary to the mainstream version of Islam we see today. However, with each new covenant, new laws accompany it. In this covenant, the Mahdi clarifies and establishes the true laws of God. If you find these teachings strange, know that this fulfills the prophecy of Prophet Mohammed, who predicted that the true Islam of God would appear strange and different from the Islam practiced by the people.

He said:

"Islam began as something strange, and it will return to being strange, so blessed are the strangers." — Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Tribulations, Hadith No. 3986

Why do you quote the Bible while it is a corrupted book?

The Qur’an makes it very clear that Allah revealed the Gospel and the Torah:

Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted to Allah judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of Allah, and they were witnesses thereto. So do not fear the people but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price [i.e., worldly gain]. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers. - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 5 (Al-Ma’idah), Verse 44

And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous. - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 5 (Al-Ma’idah), Verse 46

Although the previous books have some degree of distortion and corruption, it does not mean that we should completely abandon reading them and extracting from them. The Qur’an itself informs the believers that if we are in doubt regarding what has been revealed, then we should read the scriptures that were sent before it.

So if you are in doubt, [O Muhammad], about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so never be among the doubters. - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 10 (Yunus), 94

The Qur’an testifies that it came confirming the previous scriptures and did not come as a replacement for them.

And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book [i.e., the Qur’an] in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ. - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 5 (Al-Ma’idah), Verse 48

Because we believe in the validity of the past prophets and messengers and their words, we take what they have revealed and follow the guides who have come after them in this day and age. The Quran is meant to be read like a trilogy, like the last part of a series of books. That is why the Quran briefly mentions many stories of prophets and messengers, expecting that the reader already knows the details of the story. Some of them are not even fully explained, but can only be understood on the basis of pre-knowledge of the Torah and Bible. 

Didn’t God perfect the religion of Islam? Why would the Mahdi come to ‘fix it’?

The verse you are referring to is:

"This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion." - The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 5 (Al-Ma’idah), Verse 3.

This verse was revealed after Prophet Mohammed appointed his successor, Imam Ali, at Ghadir Khumm, where the Prophet said:

"For whomever I am his Mawla/Master, then 'Ali is his Mawla/Master." - Jami`at-Tirmidhi, Book 49, Hadith 109.

The completion of the religion of Islam is by following the one appointed by God. Whoever does not obey and follow the man appointed by God is upon an incomplete religion.

The Messenger of Allah said,

"Whoever dies without an Imam dies the death of ignorance." - Musnad Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Vol. 28, pp. 88-89.

This means the religion of Islam is not complete without a living Imam who can explain it. In fact, Prophet Mohammed said:

“Now to our purpose. O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death) from my Lord and I, in response to Allah's call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the members of my household. I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.” - Sahih Muslim, Muslim ibn Al-Hajjaj Al-Naysaburi, Book 44, Hadith 55.

Religion with the book but without the Imam of guidance from the Ahlul-Bayt is a dead religion.

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