The Promised Savior: an Inquiry Into the Imamate of Imam Mahdi (a.s) From the Viewpoint of Muslim Thinkers

Chapter Three: Mahid (a.s) belongs to Prophet's progeny

The third point is that Imam Mahdi (a.s) belongs to Prophet's progeny. The Holy Prophet explicitly mentioned that Mahdi who establishes justice in the world after it becomes full of injustice, is a member of his progeny.

The fact that Mahdi is a member of Prophet's progeny is stressed on in many successively reported traditions. The quotations we made from some Sunni scholars before testify to this fact. Let's now relate some of such traditions.

Though Ahmad bin Hanbal, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi and others have narrated this tradition using various wordings, we suffice to relating it from Ahmad'sMusnad . He quotes the Holy Prophet (s) as saying: لا تقوم الساعه حتی یلی رجل من اهل بیتی یواطی اسمه اسمی[^57] There will be no Resurrection Day until a man from my progeny whose name corresponds my name appears.

Commenting on Mahid's reappearance, Ibn Maja says that Ali (a.s) quotes the Holy Prophet (a) as saying: المهدی منا اهل البیت یصلحه الله فی لیله[^58] Mahdi whom Allah makes dominant overnight is a member of us the ahlulbayt.

Ahmad bin Hanbal also relates a tradition from Abu Sa'eed Khidri who quotes the Holy Prophet (s) as saying: لا تقوم الساعه حتی تمتلی الارض ظلما و عدوانا. قال: ثم یخرج رجل من عترتی او من اهل بیتی یملاها قسطا و عدلا کما ملئت ظلما و عدوانا[^59] There will be no Resurrection Day until the land is filled with injustice and oppression. Thereupon a man from my progeny or my family [^60] appears. He will establish justice on earth after injustice and oppression spread all over it.

Hakim Nayshabur has also mentioned this tradition with the same chain of reporters with the phraseاهل بیتی 'my progeny' making no hesitation. According to him this tradition is qualified on the basis of the conditions related by Bukahri and Muslim, though they themselves have not mentioned it in their books.

In hisTalkhis , Shams al-Din Dahabi has agreed with what Hakim Nayshaburi has pointed out.[^61] Elsewhere, Hakim Naysharburi has narrated this tradition from Abu Sa'eed Khidri with the phrase من عترتی (from my progeny). According to him, this tradition is qualified on the basis of the conditions related by Muslim. Dahabi has also supported Hakim's point of view.[^62]

Mahdi (a.s) is from the descendants of Fatima (a.s)

There is another set of traditions that considers Mahdi (a.s) as one of the descendants of Fatima (a.s). These traditions are as under:

Abu Dawood, Ibn Maja and others say, using different wordings, that Um Salama says that she has heard the Holy Prophet (s) commenting on

Mahdi, say: المهدی من عترتی من ولد فاطمه[^63] Mahdi is a member of my progeny and one of the descendants of Fatima (a.s).

Hakim Nayshaburi and Zahabi have narrated from Sa'eed bin Musayyib from Um Salama who says she heard the Holy Prophet commenting on Mahdi, say: نعم هو حق و هو من بنی فاطمه[^64] Yes he is (the manifestation of) truth and is from the progeny of Fatima (a.s).

The author ofal-Taj , has considered the chain used by Abu Dawood and Hakim Nayshaburi as authentic. [^65]

Mahdi is from the offspring of Imam Husain (a.s)

There are many traditions that state that Mahdi is from the offspring of Imam Husain (a.s). Below are three specimens of such traditions:

Tradition one

The Holy Prophet (s) said:

If there were only one day left for the world, that day would be lengthened until a man (Hazrat Mahdi) from among my children, who is my namesake, appears.

Thereupon Salman Farsi stood up and said: O Messenger of Allah! Which of your children's offspring is he? The Messenger of Allah pated Imam Husain's shoulder saying: من ولدی هدا from the offspring of this child of mine. Many figures including Abu al-Qasim Tabarani, Ibn Asakir Demishqi, Abu Na'eem Isfahani, Ibn Qayyim Jawziya, Yusuf bin Yahya Maqdisi, Sheikh al-Islam Juwaini and In Hajar Maki, author of al-Sawaeq al-Muhriqa have mentioned this tradition in their books.[^66]

Tradition Two

During the last days of his life, the Holy Prophet (s), addressing his daughter, Fatima (a.s), said:

O Fatima! Why do you weep? Do you not know that when Allah looked at the inhabitants of earth for the first time He chose your father as prophet from among them and when He looked at them for the second time, Hechose your husband? He told me through revelation to marry you to him and I chose him as my successor. Do you not know that Allah, in order to honor you, married you to someone who is the first Muslim, the most knowledgeable and forbearing?

Thereupon Fatima laughed and was happy. In order to make her happier, the Holy Prophet (s) said: و منا مهدی الامه الذی یصلی عیسی خلفهAnd from

among us is the Mahdi of this community, after whom Jesus offers his prayer.

He then put his hand on Imam Husain's shoulder saying: من هذا مهدی الامه The Mahdi of this community will be from his offspring.

This tradition has been reported by Dar Qutni, Abu al-Muzaffar Sam'ani, Abu Abdullah Ganji and Ibn Sabbagh Maliki.[^67]

Tradition Three

The Holy Prophet (s) said: یخرج المهدی من ولد الحسین من قبل المشرق لو استقبلته الجبال لهدمها و اتخذ فیها طرقا Mahdi who is from the offspring of Husain will rise from the east. If mountains block his way he will destroy them making his way through them.

This tradition has been mentioned by Na'eem bin Hammad (in hial-Fitan ), Tabarani, Abu Na'eem Isfahani and Maqdisi, author of 'Aqd al-Durar fi Akhbar al-Muntazar.[^68]