Thats quite a statement to make hanibal. Do you have any detailed essay or reading upon this issue that i can read. On a personal level i have been skeptical of concept of Mahdi since i saw it in almost every religion. But all i heard from clergy is that there are too many Sahih Ahadees to doubt this concept. So are there no Ahadith about Mahdi in both Bukhari and Muslim? Also where did you read the statement of Imam Malik about Mahdi?
I have also heard from clergy that even whe Mahdi as comes belief in him being the true Mahdi is not a requisite of Iman or Islam.
Well!!!
It is a Myth amongst Muslims, so many stories and so many legends, so many important events, which was never backed by Quran or any Sahi Hadees, Like you i have asked many scholars, i have debated the issue since i was in college back then, haven't find a single scholar or debator who can give me a valid reference on Mehdi!!!
The thing everyone agrees is, yes there will be a time, when a leader wil be born in muslims, who will lead them to the get their lost glory. We have seen those leaders in past, Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi, Sultan Salahuddin Ayoubi, Sultan bebris, Sultan Alp-Arsalan and in the recent history Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah... all of them have the signs of Mehdi, one way or other.. and in same manner yes a leader will come, sooner or later... as this is norm of history, every nation get their fair share of Leaders.
The Myth of Mehdi was created by Shias in the early days of Ummayads, the thing which says that the army will emerge from Kharasaan side, with the black flags, i guess if i am not wrong, the power center of Abbasids were in Kharasaan and they had this black flag. Later on, when Abbasids with the help of Shias took over the Khilafa and not only ignored shias but started to prosecute them, then the Shia continued with the myth. You may find lot of things regarding Mehdi in Shia books and in the books of Scholars either had Sunni books but were originally Shia, Tabrani can be quoted a prime example of such things. One example is, ( I have forgotten which book it was, .. the myth said, that the opponent of Imam Mehdi will be from the clan of Abu-Sufyan (RZA)... and his initials wars will be with the followers of that guy... Now that does make things clearer, isn't it...
The Myth of Mehdi was transferred from Shia to Sunni books. When ever you see a hadees mentioning Mehdi, you need to carefully examine the chain of narrators ( it is called Ilm-ur-Rijal). Now most clergy in Islam ( including Dr. Israar Ahmed) believes in Mehdi and their believe is from these traditons we are listening/reading from our childhood. Since having believe on Mehdi does not effects anyone faith in Islam so people who believes in Mehdi and people who do not believe in Mehdi lives happily.
I think i missed something here, Did i quoted some thing from Imam Malik?