The Mahdi Speaks: 13 Stunning Claims in Exclusive Interview
In a rare two-part video series, Christian author and investigator L.A. Marzulli conducted a remote interview with a controversial figure who claims the title of “the Mahdi.”
Though not a face-to-face meeting, Marzulli submitted 13 written questions to the Mahdi, who responded with his unedited answers via recorded video. Marzulli, a Spirit-filled Christian, made clear he disagrees with the Mahdi’s beliefs but emphasized the importance of understanding them firsthand to avoid misinformation and spiritual deception.
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Below are the 13 questions Marzulli submitted and the Mahdi’s responses.
1. Over the centuries, many have claimed to be Jesus. With that said, this is a very bold claim. So how do we know you are Jesus? What proof is there?
First and foremost, I do not claim to be Jesus. This is important. I also don’t claim and never have claimed to be the messiah. We in our religion believe that there were seven stages—seven covenants between God and mankind… Each covenant begins with a bringer and ends with a savior when the people break the covenant. Noah ended the Adamic covenant. Abraham began the third. Moses began the fourth, and Jesus ended it. Muhammad began the sixth and foretold a savior to come from his family—the Mahdi. So, I do not claim to be Jesus. I claim to be a messenger from Jesus Christ to the people. One would imagine Christians would be anticipating the return of Jesus and messengers from Jesus. So how do they know that I am not one of those?
2. What was the moment when you realized you were the Mahdi? How did it come about?
It never crossed my mind… I just wanted to find the truth. I remember falling down in prostration in my home in Indiana, crying and begging God to show me the path. I promised Him that no matter what it was—Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism—I would accept it. That journey led me to a man named Ahmed Hassan, who claimed he was a messenger from Imam Mahdi. Eventually, he told me I was his successor, and that I too was mentioned in the will of Prophet Muhammad. That’s when I realized I was one of the Mahdis, and my name was Abdullah in the will. I made the claim only after fully believing that he was infallible, a successor of the Prophet.
3. Through your parents, you seem to be able to bring religions to the table. Please elaborate.
I am sent forward as a bridge between the nations. The three major Western traditions are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I speak both Arabic and English, and culturally, I represent those traditions. The narrations about Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi say he was descended from the Prophet Muhammad on his father’s side and from Simon Peter on his mother’s side. In a similar way, I come from multiple cultures for the purpose of bridging gaps and helping people understand each other. People accept those who resemble them—and I was sent in this likeness.
4. You speak of persecution to some of your members. Is it from the Muslim community or the Christian community?
It’s from both. In Muslim-majority countries, our believers are kidnapped, tortured in police stations, or killed by radical Wahhabi and Salafi extremists. In Christian communities, it’s more about slander, false accusations and attempts to limit our freedoms through the law. People yell racial slurs at us or call the police. It’s heartbreaking. We are still human beings—children of Adam. If people really followed Jesus, they would protect us, not stone us.
5. Have you performed any miracles?
I don’t like to testify on my own behalf. It’s worthless. But those who have been with me over the years—they’ve seen many miracles. They’ve gone public and testified. I think people should talk to them and ask what they saw.
6. Are you married?
Yes, I am married. I have two adopted daughters—Iman and Tahani—and four biological children with my wife: two daughters, Malika and Sufia, and two sons, Harun and Israel. Harun means Aaron, and my kunya is Abu Sadiq, ‘Father of the Truthful.’ My son Israel is named after the Prophet Muhammad, who also said one of his names was Israel.
7. Why should people follow you? What hope can you give them?
It’s not about following me for hope, though hope is a byproduct. God placed His spirit—the Holy Spirit—in Adam. It has passed from prophet to prophet, and today it resides in the divinely appointed caliph. Religion is perfected when people obey the one who carries that spirit. The Holy Spirit is always veiled behind a person in every age—today it is behind me. Following me means following the Holy Spirit of God. That is the hope—salvation and peace both in this life and the hereafter.
8. Do you think the Third Temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem?
Yes, I do believe it will be rebuilt. Narrations from the Prophet and his family state someone from Bani Hashim will do it. But the holiest temple is not made of stone—it is the divinely appointed human being. That’s where the spirit of God dwells. The Kaaba and other sites are important, but the true pilgrimage is to the caliph of God in every age.
9. Prophecy states that when Jesus returns, He will land on the Mount of Olives and it will split in two. Your thoughts?
We believe prophecies are interchangeable. What is promised to one prophet may be fulfilled by his successor. The Holy Spirit that was in Jesus may fulfill that prophecy through someone else, even in another form or time. It’s not a lie. It’s a change allowed by God, and the prophecy is still fulfilled—just not how people expect. We believe Jesus is one of the Mahdis and will return to fulfill His role.
10. How do you deal with humanity’s sin nature?
We do not believe man inherits sin from Adam. The real original sin was Satan’s refusal to prostrate to the spirit of God in Adam. God can forgive without blood sacrifice. The unforgivable sin is rejecting the divinely appointed messenger of your time. If someone lives during Moses’ time and rejects him, or lives during Jesus’ time and rejects Him—that sin cannot be overlooked. The same applies today.
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11. What are UFOs? Have you seen one, or are you in contact with the beings who operate them?
Yes, I’ve seen them, and so have many of my followers. They can be demons, angels, spirits or physical beings in craft from other worlds. Some are interdimensional, some are extraterrestrial. In the Islamic view, the jinn sit in the lower heavens and are struck by comets when they try to steal heavenly knowledge. These sightings go back to Adam and Eve who saw lights in the sky and recognized them as angels.
12. Do you believe in the Nephilim?
Absolutely. Spiritual beings come to earth, take human form and procreate with women. This has happened since the beginning and continues today. They take human appearance, spy, collect information and even bear children with human women. It’s happening in our time, too.
13. Did Jesus rise from the dead?
We believe His physical body was crucified, but His spirit escaped. The angel who comforted Him in the garden entered His body and was crucified in His place. Jesus continued appearing to His disciples in other forms. That’s why they didn’t recognize Him at first—Mary mistook Him for the gardener. He continued preaching, traveled with Mary Magdalene to the Middle East and had offspring. He died at 70. The temple’s destruction came after His death as punishment for rejecting Him.
While the Mahdi’s answers sharply diverge from biblical Christianity, Marzulli stressed the value of hearing such views directly.
“We disagree on many different points and that’s fine,” Marzulli said. “Now you have the information… you can run with it.”
To see the full interview, watch the two videos at the beginning of this article.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
