The Promised Deliverer (Kitab Al Mahdi)

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The religion will continue to be established till there are twelve caliphs over you, and the whole community will agree on each of them. I then heard from the Prophet (ﷺ) some remarks which I could not understand. I asked my father: What is he saying: He said: all of them will belong to Quraysh.

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي خَالِدٍ - عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏‏ لاَ يَزَالُ هَذَا الدِّينُ قَائِمًا حَتَّى يَكُونَ عَلَيْكُمُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ خَلِيفَةً كُلُّهُمْ تَجْتَمِعُ عَلَيْهِ الأُمَّةُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَسَمِعْتُ كَلاَمًا مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمْ أَفْهَمْهُ قُلْتُ لأَبِي مَا يَقُولُ قَالَ ‏"‏ كُلُّهُمْ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏"

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: This religion will continue to be strong till the time of twelve caliphs. The people then uttered: Allah is more great and uproared. He then silently a word which I could not understand. So I said to my father: What did he say, father ? He said: All of them will belong to Quraish.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا وُهَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏‏ لاَ يَزَالُ هَذَا الدِّينُ عَزِيزًا إِلَى اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ خَلِيفَةً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَكَبَّرَ النَّاسُ وَضَجُّوا ثُمَّ قَالَ كَلِمَةً خَفِيَّةً قُلْتُ لأَبِي يَا أَبَةِ مَا قَالَ قَالَ ‏"‏ كُلُّهُمْ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏"

When he came back to his home. the Quraish came to him and said: Then what will happen ? He said: Then turmoil will prevail.

‏ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ الْهَرْجُ ‏"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If only one day of this world remained. Allah would lengthen that day (according to the version of Za'idah), till He raised up in it a man who belongs to me or to my family whose father's name is the same as my father's, who will fill the earth with equity and justice as it has been filled with oppression and tyranny (according to the version of Fitr). Sufyan's version says: The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man of my family whose name will be the same as mine. Abu Dawud said: The version of 'Umar and Abu Bakr is the same as that of Sufyan.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ عُبَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَهُمْ ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَيَّاشٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا زَائِدَةُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ فِطْرٍ، - الْمَعْنَى وَاحِدٌ - كُلُّهُمْ عَنْ عَاصِمٍ، عَنْ زِرٍّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏‏ لَوْ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلاَّ يَوْمٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ زَائِدَةُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ ‏"‏ لَطَوَّلَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ اتَّفَقُوا ‏"‏ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ فِيهِ رَجُلاً مِنِّي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ ‏"‏ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي يُوَاطِئُ اسْمُهُ اسْمِي وَاسْمُ أَبِيهِ اسْمَ أَبِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ زَادَ فِي حَدِيثِ فِطْرٍ ‏"‏ يَمْلأُ الأَرْضَ قِسْطًا وَعَدْلاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ ظُلْمًا وَجَوْرًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثِ سُفْيَانَ ‏"‏ لاَ تَذْهَبُ أَوْ لاَ تَنْقَضِي الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَمْلِكَ الْعَرَبَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي يُوَاطِئُ اسْمُهُ اسْمِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ لَفْظُ عُمَرَ وَأَبِي بَكْرٍ بِمَعْنَى سُفْيَانَ ‏.‏"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If only one day of this time (world) remained, Allah would raise up a man from my family who would fill this earth with justice as it has been filled with oppression.

‏ لَوْ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ الدَّهْرِ إِلاَّ يَوْمٌ لَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَجُلاً مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي يَمْلأُهَا عَدْلاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ جَوْرًا ‏"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatimah. Abdullah ibn Ja'far said: I heard Abu lMalih praising Ali ibn Nufayl and describing his good qualities.

‏ الْمَهْدِيُّ مِنْ عِتْرَتِي مِنْ وَلَدِ فَاطِمَةَ ‏"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Mahdi will be of my stock, and will have a broad forehead a prominent nose. He will fill the earth will equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule for seven years.

‏ الْمَهْدِيُّ مِنِّي أَجْلَى الْجَبْهَةِ أَقْنَى الأَنْفِ يَمْلأُ الأَرْضَ قِسْطًا وَعَدْلاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ جَوْرًا وَظُلْمًا يَمْلِكُ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ ‏"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Disagreement will occur at the death of a caliph and a man of the people of Medina will come flying forth to Mecca. Some of the people of Mecca will come to him, bring him out against his will and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. An expeditionary force will then be sent against him from Syria but will be swallowed up in the desert between Mecca and Medina. When the people see that, the eminent saints of Syria and the best people of Iraq will come to him and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. Then there will arise a man of Quraysh whose maternal uncles belong to Kalb and send against them an expeditionary force which will be overcome by them, and that is the expedition of Kalb. Disappointed will be the one who does not receive the booty of Kalb. He will divide the property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet (ﷺ) and establish Islam on Earth. He will remain seven years, then die, and the Muslims will pray over him. Abu Dawud said: Some transmitted from Hisham "nine years" and some "seven years".

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، عَنْ صَاحِبٍ، لَهُ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏‏ يَكُونُ اخْتِلاَفٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِ خَلِيفَةٍ فَيَخْرُجُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ هَارِبًا إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَيَأْتِيهِ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَيُخْرِجُونَهُ وَهُوَ كَارِهٌ فَيُبَايِعُونَهُ بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ وَالْمَقَامِ وَيُبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِ بَعْثٌ مِنَ الشَّامِ فَيُخْسَفُ بِهِمْ بِالْبَيْدَاءِ بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ فَإِذَا رَأَى النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ أَتَاهُ أَبْدَالُ الشَّامِ وَعَصَائِبُ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ فَيُبَايِعُونَهُ بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ وَالْمَقَامِ ثُمَّ يَنْشَأُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ أَخْوَالُهُ كَلْبٌ فَيَبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِمْ بَعْثًا فَيَظْهَرُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَذَلِكَ بَعْثُ كَلْبٍ وَالْخَيْبَةُ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ غَنِيمَةَ كَلْبٍ فَيَقْسِمُ الْمَالَ وَيَعْمَلُ فِي النَّاسِ بِسُنَّةِ نَبِيِّهِمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَيُلْقِي الإِسْلاَمُ بِجِرَانِهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ فَيَلْبَثُ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ يُتَوَفَّى وَيُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامٍ ‏"‏ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ ‏"‏ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏"

The other narrators mentioned "nine years" from Hisham except Mu'adh.

حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَقَالَ ‏‏ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ غَيْرُ مُعَاذٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ ‏"‏ تِسْعَ سِنِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏"

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Umm Salamah from the Prophet (ﷺ) through a different chain of narrators. The tradition of Mu'adh is more perfect.

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَوَّامِ، حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي الْخَلِيلِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ وَحَدِيثُ مُعَاذٍ أَتَمُّ ‏.‏

How will a man who comes against his will (be swallowed up by the earth), Messenger of Allah ? He replied: All will be swallowed up, but each will be raised according to his intention on the Day of Resurrection.

‏ يُخْسَفُ بِهِمْ وَلَكِنْ يُبْعَثُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى نِيَّتِهِ ‏"

Abu Ishaq told that Ali looked at his son al-Hasan and said: This son of mine is a sayyid (chief) as named by the Prophet (ﷺ), and from his loins will come forth a man who will be called by the name of your Prophet (ﷺ) and resemble him in conduct but not in appearance. He then mentioned the story about his filling the earth with justice.

الْمُغِيرَةِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، عَنْ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ - رضى الله عنه - وَنَظَرَ إِلَى ابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا سَيِّدٌ كَمَا سَمَّاهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَسَيَخْرُجُ مِنْ صُلْبِهِ رَجُلٌ يُسَمَّى بِاسْمِ نَبِيِّكُمْ يُشْبِهُهُ فِي الْخُلُقِ وَلاَ يُشْبِهُهُ فِي الْخَلْقِ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ قِصَّةَ يَمْلأُ الأَرْضَ عَدْلاً ‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: A man called al-Harith ibn Harrath will come forth from Ma Wara an-Nahr. His army will be led by a man called Mansur who will establish or consolidate things for Muhammad's family as Quraysh consolidated them for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Every believer must help him, or he said: respond to his sermons.

وَقَالَ هَارُونُ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي قَيْسٍ عَنْ مُطَرِّفِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيًّا - رضى الله عنه - يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏‏ يَخْرُجُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ وَرَاءِ النَّهْرِ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ حَرَّاثٍ عَلَى مُقَدِّمَتِهِ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ مَنْصُورٌ يُوَطِّئُ أَوْ يُمَكِّنُ لآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا مَكَّنَتْ قُرَيْشٌ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَجَبَ عَلَى كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ نَصْرُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ قَالَ ‏"‏ إِجَابَتُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏"