Imams speaks on the popular new Netflix show, The Messiah.

This weeks’ Jummah Khutbah at Makkah Masjid Leeds will continue on the topic of the Netflix show everyone is talking about, the Messiah.

We will cover the following:

(i) #Dajjal (anti-Christ)
(ii) Imam Mehdi, and then
(iii) the second coming of Prophet Isa/ Jesus (peace be upon him).

Islamic tradition covers these 3 “arrivals”/ key events happening (as well as the arrival of Yajuj & Majuj) nearer the Day of Judgement.

The Netflix series combines these traditions and produces the “Messiah”. So at times it takes the Islamic narratives of the Imam Mahdi and Prophet Isa/Jesus, combines them together into one “person”, and at other times it presents him as the Dajjal (although without referring to those terms).

From another perspective, the Netflix Messiah could also be seen as a charlatan, impostor who subconsciously influences its viewers and though things may seem amazing, incredibly powerful and miraculous, there’s always some ‘other’ explanation for those things happening.

As most young Muslims are not aware of the basics of the Islamic narratives, their understanding of the Dajjal or Imam Mehdi could be distorted if they saw Netflix Messiah based on religious tradition.

Essentially, the series bares no actual similarity to the Islamic narratives (nor do the producers claim that), and therefore Muslims should not treat it as more than mere “entertainment”.

However, this does present an opportunity for us to learn more about the Islamic narratives regarding Dajjal, Imam Mehdi and Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and so that we can deeper understanding of the prophesies told by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

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