However, there are many deviant groups who are using this subject as an opportunity to push their (sectarian) propaganda, with some portraying an almost immediate "imminence" on the one hand, and others explaining away the realities of the Mahdi, Dajjaal and descent of Eesaa (alayhis salaam) in other terms. The three groups to be aware of who are spreading propaganda on this subject are: The Rafidi Shi'ah, the Qadiyanis and the Sufis.

As for the Rafidi Shi'ah:

Then they claim that the Mahdi is their awaited Imaam, and they are actively involved in creating propaganda videos, tubing them, and writing on blogs and forums. Everyone should beware of the crocodile tears of these Rafidi Shi'ites, and take note of their documented historical record, which has been appropriately noted by Shaykh ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah as occurs in (Majmoo' 13/209-210):

لكن الخوارج دينهم المعظم مفارقة جماعة المسلمين واستحلال دمائهم وأموالهم والشيعة تختار هذا لكنهم عاجزون والزيدية تفعل هذا والإمامية تارة تفعله وتارة يقولون لا نقتل إلا تحت راية إمام معصوم والشيعة استتبعوا أعداء الملة من الملاحدة والباطنية وغيرهم ولهذا أوصت الملاحدة - مثل القرامطة الذين كانوا في البحرين وهم من أكفر الخلق ومثل قرامطة المغرب ومصر وهم كانوا يستترون بالتشيع - أوصوا بأن يدخل على المسلمين من باب التشيع فإنهم يفتحون الباب لكل عدو للإسلام من المشركين وأهل الكتاب والمنافقين

However, the Kharijites, their venerated deen is to separate from the jamaa'ah of the Muslims and to make permissible [the shedding] of their blood and wealth. The Shi'ah also choose this [course of action], but they are unable [practically], and the Zaidiyyah do this, and the Imaamiyyah sometimes do this, but sometimes they say "We will not fight except under the banner of an infallible Imaam", and the Shi'ah entice the enemies of the religion, amongst the atheists, the Baatiniyyah and others besides them. For this reason they counsel the atheists - such as the Qaraamitah who used to be in Bahrain, and they are the most disbelieving of the creation, and the likes of the Qaraamitah of the Maghreb and Egypt, and they used to conceal themselves behind Tashayyu' (beliefs of the Shi'ah) - they counseled them to enter upon the Muslims from the door of Shi'ism, for they (the Shi'ites) open up the door to every enemy of Islaam, amongst the Mushriks, the people of the Book, and the Hypocrites.

So one should not be deceived by the crocodile tears of the Iranian Rafidites, feigning concern for the Ummah, the majority of which ascribes to the Sunnah and does not believe in the doctrines of the Shi'ites and is aware of their enmity and hatred towards the Companions and that taqiyah (deception) is an integral part of their religion. They are involved quite heavily in this propaganda, attempting to tie in their awaited Mahdi to current world events.

As for the Qadiyanis:

Then they reject the reality of the Dajjaal and the Mahdi and Eesaa (alayhis salaam) and explain them away in conformity with their own doctrine of disbelief. So they negate the descent of Eesaa, explain away the Dajjaal as being either a system, or a particular group of people or a mere collection of events that are taking place, and make claim that their imposter pseudo-prophet Ghulam Ahmad was the Messiah and the Mahdi and that the coming of the Mahdi and the Messiah (Eesaa) has already materialized. Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and his Qadiani cult should be viewed in the same way as the Bahai's, and Charles Russell's "Jehovah's Witnesses" and Joseph Smith's "Mormons" - all these were 19th century cults that were either deliberately set up for subversive purposes (and they all push and promote a particular "one-world spirituality" agenda), or at least, they are used to that end as vehicles.

As for the Sufis:

Then amongst them are those that deny Dajjaal is a real human being who will appear at the end of time. Rather, they claim that "Dajjaal" is a "system", which is already here and in place. This is not necessarily the view of all Sufis, but a faction amongst them, who explain the current usurious economic, political and technological system that governs the globe to be the "Dajjaal". This view was popularized through the writings of certain Sufis a couple of decades ago. As Sufism and the Ash'arite doctrine go hand in hand today, and knowing that the Ash'arites do not accept the "aahaad hadeeth" in affairs of creed as a matter of principle, that such deviation in this subject should be found amongst the Sufis is not surprising.

Now all of these factions are involved in spreading their propaganda, especially by way of videos on the tube, and they take the route of enticing unsuspecting people by addressing the subjects of Freemasonry, Zionism, the Occult, and weaving it all together in a narrative into which they tie in their own doctrinal propaganda which is aimed at winning sympathy for their doctrines and their movement, whilst making direct or subtle attacks against the people of Tawhid and the Sunnah.

So we warn all Muslims from wasting their time with this material as the overwhelming majority of it comes from the likes of these people and contains much falsehood and deviation. And as for the secular agenda to abolish and dissolve revealed religion, then the Scholars of Tawhid and the Sunnah have spoken on this issue with concise words that are sufficient and inshaa'Allaah this will be covered in other articles.