Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem, Assalamu Alaikum

This is the English translation (done by other than myself) of al-‘Arf al-Wardi fi Akhbar al-Mahdi [The Rose Scented Perfume: On the Reports of the Mahdi] by al-Hafidh Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti [rahimahullah].

In it, the Hafidh has presented over two hundred ahadith and athar regarding the Mahdi. In general, he has arranged them in order of their authenticity. He concludes the book with a section in which he deals with a number of disputed narrations.

Translation of al-‘Arf al-Wardi fi Akhbar al-Mahdi by al-Hafidh Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti [rahimahullah]

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Al-Hafidh Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti said:

Praise be to Allah, and may peace be upon His slaves whom He has chosen.

This is a booklet in which I have compiled the ahadith and athar that have been narrated regarding the Mahdi. I have included the “Forty” that were compiled by al-Hafidh Abu Nu’aym, and I have added that which he omitted.

[1] Ibn Jarir narrated in his Tafsir from as-Suddi regarding His Saying [ta’ala]: {“And who is more unjust than the one who prevents Allah’s masajid from having His Name mentioned therein, and strives to ruin them”} [Al-Baqarah: 114] that he said:

“They are ar-Rum [the Romans]; they helped Bukht-Nasr [Nebuchadnezzar] to sack Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem], until when he had sacked it, he ordered that all of the corpses be thrown therein. The only reason that the Romans helped him to sack it was because of Banu Isra’il’s killing of Yahya ibn Zakariyya.”

[Note: Ibn Jarir’s reference to Nebuchadnezzar is incorrect, as Nebuchadnezzar lived around six centuries before the killing of Yahya ibn Zakariyya [‘alayhis-salam] and the Roman’s sacking of Bayt al-Maqdis. Bayt al-Maqdis was sacked twice, first by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and again six centuries later by the Roman emperor Titus. It appears that Ibn Jarir confused the identity of Nebuchadnezzar with that of Titus, and Allah knows better.]

[2] And regarding His Saying [ta’ala]: {“For those, they will not be able to enter them except in a state of fear”} [Al-Baqarah: 114] he said:

“So there is not a single Roman [referring to the Byzantine Romans and the European Christians in general] on the earth today who enters it [i.e. Bayt al-Maqdis] except that he is in fear of his neck being struck, or who is in fear of the consequences of withholding the jizyah, so he pays it.”

[3] And regarding His Saying [ta’ala]: {“For them, in this life, is humiliation; and for them, in the hereafter, is a terrible punishment”} [Al-Baqarah: 114] he said:

“As for their humiliation in this life, it will be when the Mahdi rises and conquers Constantinople; he will kill them. So that is the humiliation. And as for the terrible punishment, it is the punishment of Hell, which will not be lightened for its inhabitants, nor will they die therein so that it ends.”

[4] Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ibn Majah and Nu’aym ibn Hammad in al-Fitan narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi is from us, the Ahl al-Bayt. Allah will rectify him in one night.”

[5] And Abu Dawud, Nu’aym ibn Hammad and al-Hakim narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi is from me, high of forehead with a prominent nose. He will fill the earth with equity and justice, as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression. He will rule for seven years.”

[6] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu], from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“The Mahdi is from us, the Ahl al-Bayt, a man from my Ummah with a high nose, who will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with tyranny.”

[7] And Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, at-Tabarani and al-Hakim narrated from Umm Salamah [radhiyallahu ‘anha] that she heard the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“The Mahdi is from my descendents, from the children of Fatimah.”

[8] And Ibn Majah and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Anas ibn Malik [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“We, the children of ‘Abd al-Muttalib, are the chiefs of the people of Paradise: Myself, Hamzah, ‘Ali, Ja’far, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and al-Mahdi.”

[9] And Ahmad, al-Barudi in al-Ma’rifah, and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“I bring you good tidings of the Mahdi, a man from Quraysh, from my descendents, who will be sent among my Ummah at a time of conflict between men and earthquakes. Then he will fill the earth with equity and justice, as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be pleased with him, and he will distribute wealth sihahan.”

So a man said to him: “What is the meaning of sihahan?” He said: “Equitably between men.” Then he said:

“And Allah will fill the hearts of the Ummah of Muhammad with contentment. His justice will cover them all, until he will order an announcer to call out: “Who has any need of me?” And no-one will come except for one man, so he will say: “Go to the treasurer and he will give you what you need.” So he will go to him and say: “I have been sent by the Mahdi to you for you to give me some wealth.” So he will say: “Take!” So he will take until he cannot carry it all, so he will cast off some of it until it is enough for him to carry, then he will go out with it and regret it, saying: “I was the greediest of the Ummah of Muhammad; all of them were called to this wealth and they all left it except me!” So he will return it to him, but he will say: “We do not take back anything that we have given.” So he [i.e. the Mahdi] will remain like that for six, seven, eight or nine years, and then there will be no good in living after him.”

[10] And Abu Dawud and at-Tabarani narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“If but a single day remained for this world, Allah would prolong that day until He would send in it a man from my household, whose name is like my name, and whose father’s name is like my father’s name, and he will fill the earth with equity and justice, as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression.”

[11] And Ahmad, Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi – who graded it hasan sahih [i.e. good and authentic] – narrated from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]:

“The world will not pass away until the Arabs are ruled by a man from my household, whose name is like my name.”

[12] And Ibn Abi Shaybah, at-Tabarani, ad-Daraqutni in al-Afrad, Abu Nu’aym and al-Hakim narrated from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The world will not pass away until Allah sends a man from my household, whose name is like my name, and whose father’s name is like my father’s name, and he will fill the earth with equity and justice, as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression.”

[13] And at-Tabarani narrated in al-Kabir from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“If but a single night remained for this world, a man would rule during it from my household.”

[14] And Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaybah and Abu Dawud narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“If but a single day remained in time, Allah would send a man from my household, who would fill it [i.e. the earth] with justice, as it had been filled with oppression.”

[15] And Abu Dawud and Nu’aym ibn Hammad in al-Fitan, narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he looked at his son al-Hasan [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] and said:

“This son of mine is a sayyid [chief], as the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] called him, and from his loins shall come a man with the same name as your Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], who resembles him in his behaviour but not in his appearance.”

Then he mentioned an account and added: “He will fill the earth with justice.”

[16] And Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Abu Ya’la and at-Tabarani in al-Kabir, from Umm Salamah [radhiyallahu ‘anha] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“There will be conflict with the death of a khalifah. Then a man from the people of al-Madinah will come out, fleeing to Makkah. A group of men from the people of Makkah will come to him and bring him out by force, and give the bay’ah to him between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam. An army will be sent against him from ash-Sham, but they will be swallowed up by the earth al-Bayda’ between Makkah and al-Madinah. So when the people see that, al-Abdal [the great righteous men] of ash-Sham and al-‘Asa’ib [the groups] of the people of al-‘Iraq will come to him, and give him the bay’ah between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam. Then a man from Quraysh and his maternal relatives from Kalb will come and send an army against them, and they [i.e. the Mahdi’s men] will be victorious over them. That will be the battle of Kalb, and what a loss for the one who did not witness the spoils of Kalb! So he [i.e. the Mahdi] will distribute the wealth, and he will rule the people according to the Sunnah of their Prophet, and al-Islam will spread throughout the earth. He will remain for seven years, then he will die and the Muslims will pray over him.”

Abu Dawud said: “Some of them narrated from Hisham “nine years”, and some of them said “seven years”.”

[17] And Abu Dawud narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“A man will come out from Ma Wara’ an-Nahr [Transoxania] called al-Harith ibn Harrath. At the head of his army will be a man called Mansur. He will establish the rule of the family of Muhammad, as Quraysh established that of the Messenger of Allah. It will be an obligation upon every believer to help him” – or he said: “to respond to him.”

This is the last of what Abu Dawud narrated in the chapter of the Mahdi from his Sunan.

[18] And at-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]:

“A man from my household will rule, whose name will be like my name.”

[19] And at-Tirmidhi narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu], and declared it sahih [i.e. authentic], that he said:

“If only a single day remained for the world, Allah would prolong it until he [i.e. the Mahdi] ruled.”

[20] And at-Tirmidhi narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu], and declared it hasan [i.e. good], that he said:

“We feared that innovations would occur after the death of our Prophet, so we asked the Prophet of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] and he said:

“From my Ummah will come the Mahdi; he will live for five, seven, or nine” – Zayd [one of the narrators] is the one who was unsure.

He [i.e. Abu Sa’id] said: “We said: “What is that?” He said: “Years.”

He said: “So a man will come to him and say: “O Mahdi, give me, give me!” He said: “So he will gather up in his garment all that he is able to carry.”

[21] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad and Ibn Majah narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“In my Ummah will be the Mahdi, for at least seven [years], otherwise nine. And during that time my Ummah will enjoy such bounty as it never enjoyed before. It will receive its provision abundantly and it will not need to store any of it up. On that day, wealth will pour out of the ground, and a man will come and say: “O Mahdi, give me!” And he will say: “Take!”

[22] And Ibn Abi Shaybah, Nu’aym ibn Hammad in al-Fitan, Ibn Majah and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“Once we were with the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], when a group of youths from Banu Hashim approached. When the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saw them, his eyes filled with tears and his colour changed.

He [i.e. Ibn Mas’ud] said: “I said: “We see in your face something that worries us.” So he said:

“We, the Ahl al-Bayt, are a people for whom Allah has chosen the hereafter over this world. And my household after me will face trials, banishment and pursuit, until a people from the east come with black banners, and they will ask for what is due, but not be given it. So they will fight and be victorious, and be given what they asked for. But they will not accept it from them until they hand it over to a man from my household, who will fill it [i.e. the earth] with equity, as they had filled it with tyranny. So whoever among you reaches that time, then let him go to them, even if he must crawl over ice, for he is the Mahdi.”

Al-Hafidh ‘Imad ad-Din ibn Kathir said: “In this is an indication of the rule of Banul-‘Abbas, and in it is a proof that the Mahdi will be after the state of Banul-‘Abbas, and he will be from the Ahl al-Bayt, from the descendents of Fatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], then from the children of al-Hasan and al-Husayn.”

[23] And Ibn Majah, al-Hakim and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Thawban [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]:

“Three will fight where your treasure is, each one the son of a khalifah. But it will not go to a single one of them. Then, the black banners will come out of the east and kill you as no people have ever been killed. Then, the khilafah of Allah, the Mahdi, will come, so when you hear of him then go to him and give the bay’ah to him, even if you must crawl over ice. For he is Allah’s khalifah, the Mahdi.”

[24] And Ibn Majah and at-Tabarani narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith ibn Juz’ az-Zubaydi [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“A people will come from the east who will prepare the way for the Mahdi.”

Meaning for the rule of the Mahdi.

[25] And Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi and Nu’aym ibn Hammad narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Black banners will come out of Khurasan, and nothing will stop them, until they are raised in Ayliya’ [i.e. Bayt al-Maqdis].”

Ibn Kathir said: “These banners are not those of Abu Muslim al-Khurasani who came and overthrew the state of Banu Umayyah in the year 132. Rather, they are other banners that will come in the future, accompanied by the Mahdi.”

[26] And al-Bazzar, al-Harith ibn Abi Salamah and at-Tabarani narrated from Qurrah ibn Iyas al-Muzani [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The earth will be filled with tyranny and oppression, and when it is filled with tyranny and oppression, Allah will send a man from me, his name is my name and his father’s name is my father’s name, and he will fill it with justice and equity as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression. The sky will not withhold a drop of its rain, nor the earth any of its crops. He will remain seven or eight, and at the most, nine [years].”

[27] And al-Bazzar narrated from Anas [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] was asleep in the house of Umm Salamah, and he woke up saying: “Inna lillahi wa-inna ilayhi raji’un [to Allah we belong, and to Him we will return].” So I said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you say that?” He said:

“Because of an army that will come from the direction of al-‘Iraq, in pursuit of a man from al-Madinah, whom Allah will protect from them. So when they come to al-Bayda’ from Dhul-Hulayfah, they will be swallowed by the earth. Those above will not reach those below, and those below will not reach those above, until the Day of Resurrection.”

“It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, all of them will be swallowed up, even though their origins are different?” He said: “From them – or among them – are those who were forced.”

[28] And al-Bazzar narrated from Jabir [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“In my Ummah will be a khalifah who will distribute heaps of wealth among the people without counting it.”

Then he said: “By He in Whose Hand is my soul, verily you will count it!”

[29] And Ahmad narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu]: “I heard the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“From your umara’ will be an amir who distributes heaps of wealth without counting it. A man will come to him and ask from him, so he will say: “Take!” So the man will spread his garment and pile wealth into it” – and the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] spread out a think cloth wrap that he was sitting on, demonstrating the action of the man, then he gathered its ends together, and said: “So he will take it and leave.”

[30] And at-Tabarani narrated in al-Awsat from Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“There will be a trial that will not quieten from one end except that it will flare up again in another, until a caller announces from the sky: “Your amir is so-and-so!”

[31] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi will come, with a turban on his head, and a caller will announce: “This is the Mahdi, the khalifah of Allah, so follow him!”

[32] And Abu Nu’aym and al-Khatib in Talkhis al-Mutashabih, narrated from Ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi will come, and an angel above his head will announce: “This is the Mahdi, so follow him!”

[33] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from ‘Asim ibn ‘Amr al-Bajli that Abu Umamah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] said:

“An announcement in the name of a man will be made from the sky; no low person will reject it, and no high person will deny it.”

[34] And at-Tabarani narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said to the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]:

“Is the Mahdi from us, or from other than us O Messenger of Allah?”

He said: “Rather, from us. Allah will complete the affair with us as He began it with us. With us, they will be saved from shirk [polytheism] and with us, Allah will unite their hearts after open enmity, as with us, Allah united their hearts after the enmity of shirk.”

‘Ali said: “Will they be believers or infidels?” He said: “There will be those put to trial, and there will be infidels.”

[35] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad and Abu Nu’aym narrated via Makhul from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“I said: “O Messenger of Allah, is the Mahdi from us, the family of Muhammad? Or from other than us?”

He said: “No, rather he is from us. Allah will complete the religion with him, as He began it with us. With us, they will be saved from the trials, as these have been saved from shirk. And with us, Allah will unite their hearts after the enmity of the trials, as He united the hearts of these after the enmity of shirk. And with us, they will become after the enmity of the trials brothers, as these have become after the enmity of shirk brothers in their religion.”

[36] And at-Tabarani narrated in al-Awsat, and al-Hakim, from Umm Salamah [radhiyallahu ‘anha] that she said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“A bay’ah will be given to a man between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam by a number equal to the people of Badr. Then al-‘Asa’ib from the people of al-‘Iraq and al-Abdal from the people of ash-Sham will come to him. An army of the people of ash-Sham will go to attack them, until when they are at al-Bayda’, they will be swallowed by the earth. Then a man from Quraysh whose maternal relatives are from Kalb will launch an assault on them. They will meet in battle, and Allah will defeat them, and the loser on that day is the one who loses from the spoils of Kalb.”

[37] And at-Tabarani in al-Awsat narrated from her that she said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The king of the west will travel to the king of the east and kill him. He will send an army to al-Madinah and they will be swallowed by the earth. Then he will send an army, and a group from the people of al-Madinah will come out, and a seeker of refuge will take refuge in the Haram. The people will gather around him like a flock of birds, until three hundred and fourteen have gathered around him, among them both men and women. He will be victorious over every tyrant and the son of a tyrant, and he will display such justice that the living will wish that the dead were alive again [to witness it]. He will live for seven years, and after that, under the ground will be better than above it.”

[38] And at-Tabarani in al-Awsat narrated from Ibn ‘Umar [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma]:

“The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] was sitting with a group of the Muhajirun and Ansar. ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib was on his left, and al-‘Abbas was on his right, when an argument broke out between al-‘Abbas and a man from the Ansar, and the Ansari spoke harshly to al-‘Abbas. So the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] took hold of the hand of al-‘Abbas and the hand of ‘Ali, and said:

“There will come from the loins of this one [i.e. al-‘Abbas] a tribe who will fill the earth will tyranny and oppression. And there will come from the loins of this one [i.e. ‘Ali] a tribe who will fill the earth with equity and justice. So when you see that, then you must join the Tamimi youth. For he will come from the east, and he will be the bearer of the Mahdi’s banner.”

[39] And at-Tabarani in al-Awsat narrated from Umm Habibah [radhiyallahu ‘anha] that she said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“A people will come from the east, looking for a man from the Ahl al-Bayt, until when they get to a desert part of the land, they will be swallowed by the earth. Those who had followed them will meet the same fate as them.”

I said: “O Messenger of Allah, what about the one who was brought out with them by force?”

He said: “They will meet the same fate as everyone else, then Allah will resurrect every man according to his intention.”

[40] And at-Tabarani in al-Awsat, Nu’aym and Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be at the end of time a trial that will sort out men as gold is sorted out from metal. So do not revile the people of ash-Sham, but revile their evil ones, for among them are al-Abdal. A flood is about to be released upon the people of ash-Sham that will split their unity, so that even if foxes attacked them they would defeat them. At that time, a man from my household will come out with three banners. The one who estimates highly will say: They are fifteen thousand. And the one who estimates lower will say: They are twelve thousand. Their sign will be: “Amit, amit [kill, kill].” They will meet in battle seven banners, and under each of those banners shall be a man seeking the kingdom. Allah will kill all of them, and restore to the Muslims their unity and bounty, and their far ones and near ones.”

[41] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad and al-Hakim narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“There will be a trial in which men will be sorted out as gold is sorted out from metal. So do not revile the people of ash-Sham, but revile their oppressors, for among them are al-Abdal. Allah shall send upon them a flood from the sky that will drown them, so that even if foxes attacked them they would defeat them. Then, at that time, Allah will send a man from the descendents of the Messenger [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] among at least twelve thousand, and at most fifteen thousand, their sign or their mark being: “Amit, amit [kill, kill]”, under three banners. They will fight a people under seven banners, and there will be no leader of any of those banners except that he desires the kingdom. So they will fight and be defeated, and then the Hashimi will be victorious, and Allah will restore to the people their unity and their bounty, and they will remain like that until the emergence of the Dajjal.”

[42] And at-Tabarani in al-Awsat and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] who said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“A man will come from my Ummah, who speaks according to my Sunnah. Allah [‘azza wa-jall] will cause the rain to fall for him, and the earth to bring forth its blessings. Through him the earth will be filled with equity and justice, as it was filled with tyranny and oppression. He will rule over this Ummah for seven years, and will settle in Bayt al-Maqdis.”

[43] And ad-Daraqutni in al-Afrad and at-Tabarani in al-Awsat narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu], from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“There will be, in my Ummah, the Mahdi, for at least seven [years], otherwise eight, otherwise nine. During that time my Ummah will enjoy bounty such as it has never enjoyed before. Allah will send down showers of rain upon them, the earth will not withhold any of its crops, and wealth will pour out of the ground, and a man will come and say: “O Mahdi, give me!” And he will say: “Take!”

[44] And Abu Ya’la narrated from him [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “My close friend Abul-Qasim [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] told me, saying:

“The Hour will not come until a man from my household comes out against them, striking them until they return to the truth.”

He [i.e. Abu Hurayrah] said: “I said: “And how long will he rule?” He said: “Five and two.”

[45] And Abu Ya’la and Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be at the end of time, when trials are prevalent and time passes quickly, an amir whose first gift to the people is that a man will come to him so he will pile wealth for him into his cloak. He will worry about who to give the charity of that wealth to, due to the great abundance that the people will have acquired.”

[46] And Ahmad and Muslim narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“There will be at the end of my Ummah a khalifah who will give out wealth in heaps without counting it.”

[47] And Ahmad and Muslim narrated from Abu Sa’id and Jabir [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] from the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“There will be at the end of time a khalifah who distributes wealth without counting it.”

[48] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“There will be in my Ummah the Mahdi; if his life is short, then for seven years; other wise eight, otherwise nine. During his time my Ummah, both the righteous and the wicked of them, will enjoy bounty such as they have never enjoyed before. Allah will send down abundant rain upon them, and the earth will not withhold any of its crops.”

[49] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]:

“The earth will be filled with oppression and tyranny, then a man from my descendents shall arise and fill it with equity and justice. He will rule for seven or nine [years].”

[50] And Ahmad and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The world will not come to an end until a man from my household rules the earth. He will fill the earth with justice, as it had been filled before him with tyranny. He will rule for seven years.”

[51] And Abu Nu’aym and al-Hakim narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi will come from my Ummah. Allah will send him as a saviour for the people. The Ummah will enjoy bounty, the livestock will increase, the earth will bring forth its crops, and he will give out wealth equitably.”

[52] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Awf [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Allah will send a man from my descendents, with evenly-spaced teeth and a high forehead, who will fill the earth with justice and give out wealth in abundance.”

[53] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“If there remained but one day for this world, Allah would send a man whose name is my name and whose behaviour is my behaviour, whose kunyah [patronym] is Abu ‘Abdillah. He will be given the bay’ah between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam. Allah will restore by him the religion, and grant him many conquests, so that there is no-one left on the earth except that he says: “La ilaha illallah [there is no god but Allah].”

So Salman stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah, from which of your children is he?” He said: “From the descendents of this son of mine,” and he put his hand on al-Husayn.

[54] And Al-Harith ibn Abi Usamah and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The earth will be filled with oppression and transgression, then Allah will send a man from my household who will fill it with equity and justice, as it had been filled with oppression and transgression.”

[55] And at-Tabarani in al-Kabir and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“A man will come from my household whose name will be like my name, and whose behaviour will be like my behaviour. He will fill it [i.e. the earth] with equity and justice as it had been filled with oppression and tyranny.”

[56] And Nu’aym and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be, when time passes quickly and trials are prevalent, a man called the Mahdi. He will give generously.”

[57] And Ahmad, Nu’aym ibn Hammad, al-Hakim and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Thawban [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“When you see the black banners have come forward from Khurasan, then go to them even if you have to crawl over ice, for among them is Allah’s khalifah, the Mahdi.”

[58] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu]: “I heard the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“Woe to this Ummah from tyrannical kings! Why do they kill and terrorise those who are obedient [i.e. to Allah], except those who display obedience to them, so that the pious believer compromises with them by his tongue, and resists them in his heart? When Allah wants to restore al-Islam in its dignity and power, He will crush every stubborn tyrant, and He is Able, in every way that He wishes, to repair a nation after its corruption. O Hudhayfah, if there remained for this world only a single day, Allah would prolong that day until a man from my household rules. The Malahim [i.e. the great battles] will be at his hands, and al-Islam will be victorious. He [i.e. Allah] does not go back on His promise, and He is Swift in reckoning.”

[59] And al-Hasan ibn Sufyan and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“If there remained in this world only one night, a man from my household would rule in it.”

[60] And al-Hasan ibn Sufyan and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Thawban [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The black banners will come from the east, with hearts like iron bars. So whoever hears of them, let him go to them and give them bay’ah, even if he must crawl over ice.”

[61] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“If there remained in this world only one night, Allah would prolong that night until a man from my household would rule, whose name is like my name and whose father’s name is like my father’s name. He will fill it [i.e. the earth] with equity and justice, as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. He will distribute wealth equitably, and Allah will fill the hearts of this Ummah with contentment. He will remain for seven or nine [years], then there will be no good in living after the Mahdi.”

[62] And Ibn Majah and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“If there remained in this world only one day, Allah would prolong it until a man from my household would rule, who shall conquer Constantinople and the mountain of ad-Daylam.”

[63] And at-Tabarani in al-Kabir, Ibn Mandah, Abu Nu’aym and Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Qays ibn Jabir, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be, after me, khulafa’. After the khulafa’ will be umara’, after the umara’ will be kings, and after the kings will be tyrants. Then there will come a man from my household who will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with tyranny. After him, the Qahtani will be made the amir, and by Him Who sent me with the Truth, he will not be lesser then him.”

[64] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“From us is he behind whom ‘Isa ibn Maryam will pray.”

[65] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“‘Isa ibn Maryam will descend, and their amir the Mahdi will say: “Come, lead us in the prayer.” So he will say: “Indeed, some of you are umara’ over others, an honour for this Ummah.”

[66] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“That Ummah will not perish which I am at its beginning, ‘Isa at its end, and the Mahdi in its middle.”

[67] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“At the end of time will come a khalifah who will give out what is due without counting.”

[68] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Abu Sa’id [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will come a man from my household at the end of time, when trials are prevalent and time passes quickly, who will give out wealth in heaps.”

[69] And al-Hakim narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“A man called the Sufyani will come out of the depths of Damascus. Most of those who follow him will be from Kalb. He will kill until he rips open women’s bellies and kills children. Qays will gather against him, but he will kill them until hardly any will remain. A man from my household will come out at al-Harrah, and the news of this will reach the Sufyani, who will send out to him one of his armies, and he will defeat them. Then the Sufyani’s men will go to him, until when they get to a desert part of the land, they will be swallowed by the earth, and no-one of them will escape except the one who will tell of their news.”

[70] And al-Hakim narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“At the end of time, a severe tribulation will descend upon my Ummah from their ruler. A worse tribulation will not have been heard of before, until the earth’s expanse is constricted upon them, and until the earth is filled with tyranny and oppression, so that the believer will find no refuge from the oppression. Then, Allah [‘azza wa-jall] will send a man from my descendents who will fill the earth with equity and justice as it had been filled with oppression and tyranny. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be pleased with him. The earth will not withhold any of its growth, but will bring it out, neither will the sky withhold a drop, but Allah will pour it out upon them in showers. He will live among them for seven years, or eight, or nine. The living will wish that the dead were brought to life again to witness the great good that Allah brought about for the people of the earth.”

[71] And Ibn Majah, ar-Ruwayyani, Ibn Khuzaymah, Abu ‘Awanah, al-Hakim and Abu Nu’aym – and it is his wording – narrated from Abu Umamah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] gave us a sermon in which he mentioned the Dajjal, and he said:

“So al-Madinah will expel her filth, as the furnace expels the filth of the iron, and that day will be called the Day of Purification.”

So Umm Shurayk said: “O Messenger of Allah, where are the Arabs on that day?”

He said: “They will be few on that day, most of them will be in Bayt al-Maqdis, and their imam, the Mahdi, will be a righteous man. When their imam has come forward to lead them in the Subh prayer, ‘Isa ibn Maryam will descend upon them, and that imam will move backwards so that ‘Isa can come forward, so ‘Isa will place his hand between his shoulders and say to him: “Go forward and pray, for it was established for you.” So their imam will lead them in the prayer.”

[72] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Ibn Sirin that he said:

“The Mahdi is from this Ummah, and he is the one who will lead ‘Isa ibn Maryam in the prayer.”

[73] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated: Mujahid related to me, saying: “So-and-so, a man from the Prophet’s companions [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] related to me that:

“The Mahdi will not come out until an-Nafs az-Zakiyyah [i.e. the pure soul] is killed. And when an-Nafs az-Zakiyyah is killed, those in the heavens will be angry with them, as will those on earth. So the people will come to the Mahdi, and prepare him [i.e. for his task] as the bride is prepared for her husband on her wedding night. And he will fill the earth with equity and justice, the earth will bring forth its crops, the sky will send its rain, and my Ummah will enjoy blessings during his rule that it has never enjoyed before.”

[74] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Abul-Jild that he said:

“There will be a trial followed by another trial. The first one compared to the second will be like the lash of a whip followed by the stroke of a sword. Then there will follow another trial in which all of the prohibitions will be violated. Then the khilafah of the best of the people of the earth will come, while he is sitting in his house.”

[75] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad, and Abul-Hasan al-Harbi in the first section of al-Harbiyyat, narrated from ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Abbas that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until the sun rises with a sign [ayah].”

[76] And ad-Daraqutni narrated in his Sunan from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali that he said:

“For our Mahdi there will be two signs that have never occurred since the creation of the heavens and the earth: The moon will be eclipsed on the first night of Ramadhan, and the sun halfway through it. This has never before occurred since Allah created the heavens and the earth.”

[77] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad and ‘Umar ibn Shaybah narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“When the army is swallowed by the earth at al-Bayda’, then that is the sign of the coming of the Mahdi.”

[78] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad, Ibn ‘Asakir, and Tammam in his Fawa’id, narrated from Abu Qubayl, from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“A man will come, from the descendents of al-Hasan. If the firm mountains were to face him, he would shatter them and make pathways through them.”

[79] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from Abu Umamah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be four peace-treaties between you and ar-Rum [i.e. the Christians of Europe], the fourth upon the hands of a man from the people of Heraclius that will last for seven years.”

So a man from ‘Abd al-Qays named al-Mustawrid ibn Khaylan said: “O Messenger of Allah, who will be the imam of the Muslims on that day?”

He said: “The Mahdi, from my descendents; a man forty years old, his face like a shining star, upon his right cheek a black mole, wearing two fringed cloaks, as if he is from the men of Banu Isra’il. He will rule for twenty years, bring out the treasures, and conquer the cities of shirk [polytheism].”

[80] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad and al-Hakim narrated from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb from his father, from his grandfather, that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“In Dhul-Qi’dah, the tribes will oppose each other. In that year the people performing the Hajj will be looted, and the battle of Mina will take place. Many people will be killed and much bloodshed will occur, until the blood flows over Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, and until their leader flees and they come to him between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam, where they will give bay’ah to him, but he will be unwilling. It will be said to him: “If you refuse, we will cut off your head.” So a number equal to that of the people of Badr will give bay’ah to him. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be pleased with him.”

[81] And ar-Ruwayyani in his Musnad, and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi is a man from my descendents; his face is like a shining star.”

[82] And ar-Ruwayyani in his Musnad, and Abu Nu’aym narrated from Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi is a man from my descendents; his complexion is that of an Arab, and his build that of an Isra’ili. Upon his right cheek is a mole like a shining star. He will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with tyranny, and during his khilafah the inhabitants of the earth, the inhabitants of the heavens, and the birds in the sky will be pleased.”

[83] And Ibn Jarir narrated in Tahdhib al-Athar the following:

“Your ruler al-Jabir will be the best of the Ummah of Muhammad. Go to join him in Makkah, for he is the Mahdi, and his name is Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah. Al-Abdal from ash-Sham and the ‘Usab [groups] of the people of the east will go to him, with hearts like iron bars, worshippers at night and lions by day.”

[84] And Abu Nu’aym, and Abu Bakr al-Muqri’ in his Mu’jam, narrated from Ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Mahdi will come from a village called Kur’ah.”

[85] And Abu Nu’aym narrated from al-Husayn [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that:

“The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said to Fatimah: “The Mahdi is from your descendents.”

[86] And Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from al-Walid ibn Muhammad al-Muqiri that he said: “We were at the door of az-Zuhri, when he heard a noise and said: “What is this, O Walid?” So I looked, and there was the severed head of Zayd ibn ‘Ali being carried around in the hands of the fools, so I informed him, and az-Zuhri wept and said: “The people of this household were destroyed by hastiness!” I said: “Will they rule?” He said: “Yes! ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn related to me from his father al-Husayn [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Receive good tidings, O Fatimah! The Mahdi is from you.”

[87] And at-Tabarani in al-Kabir, and Abu Nu’aym narrated from ‘Ali ibn ‘Ali al-Hilali, from his father, who said:

“I entered upon the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] during his final illness from which he died, and there was Fatimah by his head.”

He [i.e. ‘Ali al-Hilali] said: “So she wept until her voice rose, and the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] lifted his hand towards her and said: “My beloved Fatimah, why are you weeping?” So she said: “I fear loss after you.” So he said: “O my beloved, do you not know that Allah [‘azza wa-jall] looked out upon the earth and chose from it your father and sent him with His Message, then He looked out upon the earth and chose from it your husband, and He revealed to me that I should marry you to him, O Fatimah! And we, the Ahl al-Bayt, have seven qualities given to no-one before us, and which no-one will be given after us: I am the Seal of the Prophets, the noblest of Prophets before Allah, the most beloved of creation to Allah [‘azza wa-jall], and I am your father. And my heir [wasiyy] is the best of heirs and the most beloved of them to Allah, and he is your husband. And our martyr is the best of martyrs and the most beloved of them to Allah, and he is your uncle Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and the uncle of your husband. And from us is the one who has two green wings, with which he flies with the angels in Paradise wherever he wishes [i.e. Ja’far ibn Abi Talib], and he is your father’s cousin and the brother of your husband. And from us are the two grandsons of this Ummah, your two sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn, who are the chiefs of the youths of the people of Paradise. And their father, by He Who sent me with the Truth, is better than them, O Fatimah! By He Who sent me with the Truth, from them [i.e. from al-Hasan and al-Husayn] will be the Mahdi of this Ummah, when the world descends into massacre and chaos, trials appear and the ways are blocked, and everyone falls upon each other, so that the old will not have mercy on the young and the young will not show respect to the old, then at that time Allah will send from them he who will open the fortresses of misguidance and the closed hearts. He will establish the religion at the end of time as I had established it in the beginning, and he will fill the world with justice as it had been filled with tyranny. O Fatimah! Be not sad, and do not weep, for Allah [‘azza wa-jall] is more Merciful and more Compassionate to you than I am, and that is because of the place that you have in my heart. And Allah married you to a husband who is that noblest of your household in lineage, the best of them in ancestry, the most merciful of them to his subjects, the most just in dealing equitably, and the most insightful of them in judgement. And I have asked my Lord [‘azza wa-jall] that you be the first to join me from my household.”

‘Ali said: “So when the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] was taken away, Fatimah [radhiyallahu ‘anha] lived but seventy-five days, and then Allah [‘azza wa-jall] took her and joined her with him [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam].”

[88] And at-Tabarani narrated from ‘Awf ibn Malik [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“How will you be, O ‘Awf, when this Ummah splits into seventy-three groups, one of them in Paradise and the rest of them in the Fire?”

I said: “And when will that be, O Messenger of Allah?”

He said: “When the policemen are in debt, and slave women rule, and the obese sit upon the minbar, and the Qur’an is sung like music, and the masajid are decorated, and the manabir are elevated, and the fay’ goes only to the wealthy, and zakah is treated like a debt, and a trust like booty, and the religion is learnt for the sake of other than Allah, and the man obeys his wife, dishonors his mother and turns away from his father, and the latter ones of this Ummah curse the former ones, and the chief of the tribe is the most evil of them, and the leader of the people is the most ignoble of them, and a man will be honoured out of fear of his evil. On that day will it occur, and the people will move on that day to ash-Sham, where they will be protected from their enemy.”

I said: “And will ash-Sham be conquered?” He said: “Yes, very soon. Then trials will follow after its conquest, then a dark and dusky trial. Then more trials will come after each other, until a man comes from my household called the Mahdi. So if you reach him, then follow him, and be of the rightly-guided.”

[89] And al-Khatib narrated in al-Muttafaq wal-Muftaraq from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Romans will besiege a ruler from my descendents, whose name is like my name, and they will fight at a place called al-‘Imaq. So they will fight, and a third of the Muslims or thereabouts will be killed. Then they will fight the next day, and a similar number will be killed. Then they will fight on the third day, and the Romans will be defeated, and that will continue until they [i.e. the Muslims] conquer Constantinople. Then, while they are dividing up the booty in their shields, a caller will come telling them: “The Dajjal has taken your places among your families.”

[90] And Ibn Sa’d and Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“O people of al-Kufah, you are the most fortunate of people regarding the Mahdi.”

[91] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad narrated, with an authentic chain according to the conditions of Muslim, from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The trials are four: Fitnat as-Sarra’ [the trial of ease and luxury], Fitnat adh-Dharra’ [the trial of severe hardship], and a trial like this – and he mentioned the gold-mine – then a man will come from the descendents of the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], by whose hands Allah will rectify their affair.”

[92] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad narrated from Artah that he said:

“The Sufyani will enter al-Kufah, plundering it for three days and killing sixty thousand of its inhabitants. Then he will stay there for eighteen nights dividing up its wealth. His entry to Makkah will be after he has fought the Turks and the Romans at Qirqisiya. Then he will be attacked from the rear, so a group of them [i.e. his army] will go back to Khurasan, where the cavalry of the Sufyani will be killed and their fortresses demolished, until the Sufyani enters al-Kufah and pursues the people of Khurasan. And in Khurasan there will appear a people calling to the Mahdi. Then the Sufyani will send an army to al-Madinah, where he will seize a group of people from the family of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] and imprison them at al-Kufah. Then the Mahdi will come, along with Mansur, fleeing out of al-Kufah, and the Sufyani will send an army in pursuit of them. When the Mahdi and Mansur reach Makkah, the army of the Sufyani will camp at al-Bayda’, where they will be swallowed by the earth.

Then the Mahdi will come out, until he passes by al-Madinah, where he will rescue the people of Banu Hashim there. And the black banners will come forward until they camp by the water, and the news of their coming will reach the companions of the Sufyani at al-Kufah, so they will flee. Then he [i.e. the Mahdi] will come to al-Kufah and rescue the Banu Hashim there. A group of the people of al-Kufah will come, called al-‘Usab, who have only a few weapons, and among them will be a group of the people of al-Basrah. So they will catch up to the companions of the Sufyani and rescue from their hands the captives from al-Kufah, and the black banners will send the bay’ah to the Mahdi.”

[93] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah that he said:

“A black banner will come, belonging to Banul-‘Abbas. Then, from Khurasan will come another one, also black. Their turbans will be black and their garments white. At the head of their army will be a man called Shu’ayb ibn Salih ibn Shu’ayb, from Tamim. They will defeat the companions of the Sufyani until he [i.e. Shu’ayb ibn Salih] settles in Bayt al-Maqdis, preparing the way for the Mahdi’s rule. Three hundred men from ash-Sham will help him. Between his coming and the handing over of the rule to the Mahdi will be seventy months.”

[94] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad narrated from al-Hasan that he said:

“A man will come out of ar-Rayy, sturdy and light-brown in complexion, a mawla [i.e. a non-Arab Muslim who is either a freed slave or one of their descendents] of Banu Tamim, a man with a thin beard growing only on his chin, called Shu’ayb ibn Salih, among four thousand with white clothes and black banners. At the head of his army will be the Mahdi. All who meet him in battle will be struck down by him.”

[95] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until one third die, one third are killed, and one third remain.”

[96] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until you spit in each others’ faces.”

[97] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The sign of the coming of the Mahdi is that an army will be swallowed by the earth at al-Bayda’. When that happens, that is the sign of the coming of the Mahdi.”

[98] And Nu’aym narrated from Abu Qubayl that he said:

“The people will unite around the Mahdi in the year two hundred and four.”

[99] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Ammar ibn Yasir [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The sign of the Mahdi is that the Turks will sweep down upon you, and your khalifah who gathers wealth will die and be succeeded by a weak man who will be deposed two years after his bay’ah, and the western part of the masjid of Damascus will collapse into the earth, and three men [i.e. rulers or leaders] will arise in ash-Sham, and the people of al-Maghrib will come out to Egypt. All of that is the sign of the Sufyani.”

[100] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“When a caller announces from the sky that the right is with the family of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], at that time the Mahdi will be on everyone’s lips. They will be filled with love for him, and they will not mention anything other than him.”

[101] And Nu’aym ibn Hammad narrated from ‘Ammar ibn Yasir [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“Under the banner of the Mahdi will be Shu’ayb ibn Salih.”

[102] And Nu’aym narrated from Abu Ja’far that he said:

“A youth from Banu Hashim will come, with a mole on his right hand, from Khurasan with black banners. Before him will be Shu’ayb ibn Salih, who will fight the companions of the Sufyani and defeat them.”

[103] And Nu’aym narrated from Ka’b ibn ‘Alqamah, from Sufyan al-Kalbi that he said:

“Under the banner of the Mahdi will be a youth, young in age, with a sparse beard, yellow in complexion. If he were to fight the mountains, he would shatter them, until he settles in Ayliya’ [i.e. Bayt al-Maqdis].”

[104] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“When a man rules over ash-Sham, and another over Egypt, and the Shami and Egyptian fight each other, and the people of ash-Sham take some of the tribes of Egypt captive, and a man comes forward from the east with small black banners towards the ruler of ash-Sham, then it is he who will hand over the rule to the Mahdi.”

[105] And he also narrated from Abu Qubayl:

“There will be an amir in North Africa for twelve years, then after him will be trials. Then a man of light-brown complexion will rule and fill the earth with justice, then he will travel to the Mahdi and hand over the rule to him and fight on his behalf.”

[106] And he also narrated from al-Hasan, that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] mentioned a tribulation that his household would encounter:

“Until Allah sends a black banner from the east; whoever helps them, Allah will help him, and whoever lets them down, Allah will let him down; until they come to a man whose name is like my name, so He will make him their ruler, and Allah will help him and grant him victory.”

[107] And he also narrated from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Out of the east will come black banners belonging to Banul-‘Abbas, then they will remain as long as Allah wills, then small black banners will come out against a man from the descendents of Abu Sufyan, and his companions, from the east. They will give their obedience to the Mahdi.”

[108] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“Black banners will come out, fighting the Sufyani, among them a youth from Banu Hashim, with a mole on his left shoulder. At the head of his army will be a man from Banu Tamim called Shu’ayb ibn Salih, who will defeat his [i.e. the Sufyani’s] companions.”

[109] And he also narrated from ‘Ammar ibn Yasir [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“When the Sufyani reaches al-Kufah and kills the supporters of the family of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], the Mahdi will come out, with Shu’ayb ibn Salih at his banner.”

[110] And he also narrated from Abu Ja’far that he said:

“The black banners that come out from Khurasan will settle at al-Kufah. When the Mahdi appears in Makkah, they will send the bay’ah to him.”

[111] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“When the turn of Banul-‘Abbas comes, and the people of the black banners tie their horses to the olive-trees of ash-Sham, and Allah destroys for them al-As’hab [i.e. the man with red hair mixed with grey] and the majority of his household at their hands, until there remains no Umawi from them except the one who flees or goes into hiding, and when the two branches of Banu Ja’far and Banul-‘Abbas fall, and the son of the eater of livers [i.e. Hind bint ‘Utbah, Abu Sufyan’s wife] sits on the minbar of Damascus, and the Berbers come out to the center of ash-Sham, then that is the sign of the coming of the Mahdi.”

[112] And he also narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“When the cavalry of the Sufyani comes to al-Kufah, he will send them in pursuit of the people of Khurasan. The people of Khurasan will come out, looking for the Mahdi. Then he and the Hashimi will meet with a group of people with black banners, at their head Shu’ayb ibn Salih. Then he and the companions of the Sufyani will meet in battle at the gate of Istakhar, and a terrible battle will be fought between them. The black banners will be victorious, and the cavalry of the Sufyani will flee. When that happens, the people will wish for the Mahdi and look for him.”

[113] And he also narrated from Abu Ja’far that he said:

“The Sufyani will send his troops to the distant lands after his entry into al-Kufah and Baghdad. There will be an attack on them beyond the river [i.e. the river Oxus] by the people of Khurasan. The people of the east will advance upon them, killing them until the army is driven out. When the news of this reaches him [i.e. the Sufyani], he will send a great army to Istakhar, under the command of a man from Banu Umayyah, and they will fight a battle at Qumis, a battle on the outskirts of ar-Rayy, and a battle at the borders of Zarih. At that time, the Sufyani will order the killing of the people of al-Kufah and the people of al-Madinah. Then the black banners will advance from Khurasan, all of them led by a youth from Banu Hashim with a mole on his right hand. Allah will make easy his affair and his way. Then he will fight a battle at the borders of Khurasan, and the Hashimi will travel on the way to ar-Rayy. A man from the mawali of Banu Tamim called Shu’ayb ibn Salih will go to Istakhar to face the Umawi. So he [i.e. the Umawi] will meet the Mahdi and the Hashimi outside Istakhar, and a terrible battle will take place between them, until the horses will be covered in blood up to their knees. Then a great number of troops will come to him [i.e. the Hashimi] from Sijistan, under the command of a man from Banu ‘Adiyy, so Allah will grant victory to his helpers and his troops. Then there will be a battle at al-Mada’in after the two battles at ar-Rayy. At ‘Aqir-Qufa there will be the battle of Saylimah, which everyone who survives it will tell about. Then after than there will be a great slaughter at Babylon, and a battle in one of the lands of Nasibin. Then a group from their masses will come out against al-Ahwas [i.e. a man with a defect in his eye]; they are al-‘Usab. Most of them will be from al-Kufah and al-Basrah. They will rescue the captives of al-Kufah from his hands.”

[114] And he also narrated from Shurayh ibn ‘Ubayd, Rashid ibn Sa’d and Dhamrah ibn Habib, from their mashayikh, that they said:

“The Sufyani will send out his cavalry and his troops, and they will reach most of the eastern lands of Khurasan and Persia. The people of the east will rise up against them and fight them, and there will be battles between them in a number of places. After fighting him for a long time, they will give bay’ah to a man from Banu Hashim who will be, on that day, in the far east. So he will come out with the people of Khurasan, at the head of his army a man from Banu Tamim, one of their mawali called Shu’ayb ibn Salih, yellow in complexion with a sparse beard. He will come to him [i.e. to the Hashimi] accompanied by five thousand men when he hears of his coming, and give him bay’ah. So he [i.e. the Hashimi] will place him at the head of his army; if the firm mountains were to face him, he would shatter them. He will meet the Sufyani’s cavalry in battle and defeat them, killing many of them, and will go on defeating them from land to land until he defeats them all the way to al-‘Iraq. Then they will fight a battle with the Sufyani’s cavalry, in which the victory will go to the Sufyani. The Hashimi will flee, and Shu’ayb ibn Salih will go in hiding to Bayt al-Maqdis, where he will prepare the ground for the Mahdi when he hears of his coming to ash-Sham.”

Al-Walid said: “It has reached me that this Hashimi is the paternal half-brother of the Mahdi.” Others said: “He is the son of his paternal uncle.” Others said: “He will not die, but after the defeat he will go to Makkah, and when the Mahdi appears he will come out with him.”

[115] And he also narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“A man will come before the Mahdi, from his household, in the east. He will carry the sword on his shoulder for eight months, killing and maiming, and he will head towards Bayt al-Maqdis, but he will not reach it until he dies.”

[116] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“An army will be sent to al-Madinah, and they will seize everyone that they can from the family of Muhammad, and many of Banu Hashim, men and women, will be killed. At that time, the Mahdi and al-Mubayyadh will flee from al-Madinah to Makkah. So people will be sent to look for them, but they will both have reached Allah’s Haram [sanctuary] and protection.”

[117] And he also narrated from Yusuf ibn Dhi Qurubat that he said:

“There will be a khalifah in ash-Sham who invades al-Madinah. When the people of al-Madinah hear that the army has come out towards them, seven of them will go to Makkah and hide there. So the governor of al-Madinah will write to the governor of Makkah: “When so-and-so and so-and-so” – mentioning all of them by name – “have come to you, kill them.”

But the governor of Makkah will be fearful to commit such a deed. Then they [i.e. the seven Madinans] will consult each other and decide to visit him [i.e. the governor of Makkah] by night and ask for his protection. So he will say: “Go in safety.” So they will go. Then he will send for two men from them, and one of them will be killed, and the other detained and then returned to his companions. So they will go until they settle at one of the mountains of at-Ta’if, where they will reside and where they will send messages to the people. So the people will come to join them in great numbers.

When that happens, the people of Makkah will invade them, but they will defeat them, enter Makkah, and kill its amir. They will remain there until the time that the army is swallowed by the earth. Then he [i.e. the Mahdi] will prepare for his task and come out.”

[118] And he also narrated from Abu Qubayl that he said:

“The Sufyani will send an army to al-Madinah, ordering the killing of everyone there from Banu Hashim, even the pregnant women, and that will be because of the defeats that the Hashimi who fought against his men in the east had inflicted on them. He will say: “All of these tribulations and the killing of my men have only been because of them [i.e. from Banu Hashim].”

So he will order their killing, and they will be killed until none of them are known to be left in al-Madinah. And they [i.e. the surviving members of Banu Hashim] will leave from there, fleeing to the valleys and mountains, and to Makkah. Even their women will be put to the sword by his army for days. Then he will leave them alone, and none of them will come out except that he is in terror, until the matter of the Mahdi becomes apparent in Makkah. So when he appears, all of them who had scattered out will unite with him in Makkah.”

[119] And he also narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“There will be a battle at al-Madinah in which Ahjar az-Zayt will be covered with blood. The battle of al-Harrah, compared to it, will have been like a mere lash of a whip. They will disperse from al-Madinah the distance of two barids, then the bay’ah will be given to the Mahdi.”

[120] And he also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The ruler of ash-Sham will send an army against the two Hashimis in Makkah, which will be defeated by them. So the khalifah in ash-Sham will hear of that and send a great force against them that includes six hundred noblemen. When they get to al-Bayda’ and camp there during a moonlit night, a shepherd will come, looking at them and wondering, and saying: “Woe to the people of Makkah from what is coming to them!” Then he will turn to his sheep, and turn back again and not see a single one of them [i.e. the army], for the earth will have swallowed them. So he will say: “Glory be to Allah! They departed in a single moment!”

So he will come to their camp and find a cloak half-buried in the ground. He will try to pull it out, but will not be able, then he will realize that they have been swallowed up. He will go to the leader of Makkah, bearing the good news, so the leader of Makkah will say: “Praise be to Allah! This is the sign that you were informed of.” So they will travel to ash-Sham.”

[121] And he also narrated from Abu Qubayl that he said:

“Not one of them will escape except for one bringing good news, and another bringing warning. As for the bringer of good news, he will go to the Mahdi and his companions in Makkah and inform them of what happened. And the proof of that will be in his face, which will have been turned around to the back of his head. So they will believe him due to the displacement of his face, and realize that the people had been swallowed by the earth.

And the other will be likewise, his face having been turned to the back of his head. He will come to the Sufyani, informing him of what befell his companions, and he will believe his truthfulness due to the sign that he sees on him. Both of those men will be from Kalb.”

[122] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The sign that the coming of the Mahdi is imminent is that flags will come from the west, under the command of a man from Kindah.”

[123] And he also narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Sufyani and the Mahdi will come out like racehorses, the Sufyani defeating those closest to him, and the Mahdi defeating those closest to him.”

[124] And he also narrated from Abu Ja’far:

“The Mahdi will arise in the year two hundred.”

[125] And he also narrated from Abu Ja’far that he said:

“Then the Mahdi will appear in Makkah at the ‘Isha’ prayer, carrying with him the banner of the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], his cloak and his sword, and with clear signs, light, and proofs. When he has prayed ‘Isha’, he will call out at the top of his voice, saying:

“I remind you of Allah, O people, and of your standing in front of your Lord. For He has made clear the evidence, sent the Prophets, revealed the Book, and commanded you not to associate anything with Him, to observe obedience to Him and to His Messenger [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], to revive that which the Qur’an revived and to abolish that which it abolished, and to be helpers upon right guidance and mutual advisors to piety. For the end of this world has drawn near, and it has begun to announce its farewell. So I call you to Allah and to His Messenger, to act upon His Book, to abolish falsehood, and to revive His Sunnah.”

So he will appear among three hundred and thirteen men, the number of the people of Badr, without any prior appointment, like scattered Autumn clouds gathering together, worshippers at night, lions during the day.

Then Allah will open for the Mahdi the land of al-Hijaz, and he will bring out all who had been imprisoned from among the Banu Hashim. And the black banners will settle at al-Kufah, sending their bay’ah to the Mahdi. The Mahdi will send his troops to the distant lands, putting an end to tyranny and its people. The lands will be righted by him, and Allah will cause Constantinople to be conquered at his hands.”

[126] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“When commerce and roads are blocked and trials are widespread, seven men of knowledge from different lands will come out, without an appointment. Over three hundred and ten men will give bay’ah to each of them, until they all meet in Makkah.

The seven will meet each other. One of them will say to the other: “What brought you here?” They will say: “We came seeking this man at whose hands these trials will be settled down, and who will conquer Constantinople. We know his name, and the names of his father and mother, and his characteristics.”

So the seven will agree on that, and they will look for him and find him in Makkah. They will say to him: “Are you so-and-so, the son of so-and-so?” So he will say: “No, rather I am a man from the Ansar.” So he will escape from them, and they will describe him to those who have awareness and knowledge of him, and it will be said: “He is the man you are looking for, and he has gone to al-Madinah.”

So they will look for him in al-Madinah, but he will already have gone to Makkah. So they will look for him in Makkah and find him, saying to him: “You are so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, and your mother is so-and-so, the daughter of so-and-so, and you have such-and-such sign on you. You have already escaped from us once, give us your hand so that we can give our bay’ah to you.” So he will say: “I am not your man! I am so-and-so, the son of so-and-so, the Ansari. If you wish, I will direct you to your man.”

So he will escape from them, and they will look for him in al-Madinah, but he will already have gone to Makkah, where they will find him at ar-Rukn, and they will say: “Our sin is upon you, and our blood is upon your neck, if you do not give us your hand for us to give bay’ah to you. Here is the army of the Sufyani coming in pursuit of us, under the command of a man from Jurm.”

So he will sit between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam, stretching out his hand, and the bay’ah will be given to him. Allah will fill the people’s hearts with love for him, and he will go forth with a people who are lions in the day and worshippers at night.”

[127] And he also narrated from al-Walid ibn Muslim that he said:

“A muhaddith related to me that the Mahdi, the Sufyani and Kalb will fight in Bayt al-Maqdis when he [i.e. the Sufyani] retracts his bay’ah. The Sufyani will then be brought to him [i.e. the Mahdi] as a captive, and he will order him to be taken and slaughtered at the Gate of Mercy. Then their women and their spoils will be sold on the stairs of Damascus.”

[128] And he also narrated from al-Walid ibn Muslim and Rushdin, from Ibn Lahi’ah that he said: “Abu Zur’ah related to me from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali that he said:

“When the seeker of refuge who is in Makkah hears of the swallowing [i.e. of the Sufyani’s army into the earth], he will come out with twelve thousand men, among whom are al-Abdal, until they settle at Ayliya’. So the one who sent the army will say, when he hears of the news at Ayliya’: “By the Life of Allah, Allah has placed in this man a lesson. I sent to him the army that I sent, and they sank into the ground. This is indeed a lesson and a clear sign.”

So the Sufyani will declare his obedience to him, then he will go out until he meets with Kalb, his maternal uncles, and they will fault him for what he did, saying: “Allah clothed you with a garment, then you took it off.” So he will say: “What do you think, should I have my bay’ah retracted?” So they will say: “Yes.”

So he will go to him in Ayliya’, and say: “Retract [my bay’ah].” So he will say: “I will not.” So he will say: “Indeed, you must.” So he will say to him: “Would you like me to retract it?” So he will say: “Yes.”

So he will have it retracted, then he will say: “This man has thrown off my obedience.” Then he will order him to be taken and slaughtered in the square of Ayliya’. Then he will go to Kalb and seize their property, and the loser will be the one who misses out on the day that the property of Kalb is seized.

[129] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“When the Sufyani sends an army to the Mahdi and it is swallowed up at al-Bayda’, and the news of it reaches the people of ash-Sham, they will say to their khalifah: “The Mahdi has come, so give him the bay’ah and enter into his obedience, otherwise we will kill you.”

So he will send his bay’ah to him, and the Mahdi will travel until he settles in Bayt al-Maqdis. The treasures will be brought to him, and the Arabs, the non-Arabs, the people of war, the Romans and others will all enter into his obedience without fighting, until masajid are built in Constantinople and other cities.

And before him there will come a man from his household with the people of the east, carrying a sword on his shoulder for eight months, killing and maiming. He will head towards Bayt al-Maqdis, but he will not reach it until he dies.”

[130] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“Allah will bring relief from the trials through a man from us. He will inflict great bloodshed on them, giving them nothing but the sword. He will carry the sword on his shoulder for eight months, massacring them until they say: “By Allah, this one is not from the children of Fatimah; if he were from her children he would have had mercy on us!” Allah will make him fight against Banul-‘Abbas and Banu Umayyah.

[131] And he also narrated from Abu Ja’far that he said:

“The Sufyani will not come until the oppressors ascend [i.e. the minbar].”

[132] And he also narrated from Matar al-Warraq that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until kufr in Allah is openly committed.”

[133] And he also narrated from Ibn Sirin that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until seven out of every nine are killed.”

[134] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Mahdi will be still and tranquil in devotion before Allah, like an eagle folding its wings.”

[135] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith that he said:

“The Mahdi will come when he is forty years old, like a man from Banu Isra’il.”

[136] And he also narrated from Abut-Tufayl [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] described the Mahdi and mentioned that he will have an impediment in his speech, and that he will strike his left thigh with his right hand when his speech becomes difficult [and he said]:

“His name is my name, and the name of his father is the name of my father.”

[137] And he also narrated from Muhammad ibn Humayr, from as-Saqr ibn Rustum, from his father, that he said:

“The Mahdi is a man with clear and bright eyes who will come from al-Hijaz until he stands upon the minbar of Damascus, when he is eighteen years old.”

[138] And he also narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Mahdi will be born in al-Madinah, from the household of the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]. [The Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:]

“His name is my name, and the name of his father is the name of my father.”

He will emigrate to Bayt al-Maqdis. He will have a thick beard, dark eyelids, shining teeth, with a mole on his face. He will have a high forehead, and on his shoulder will be the mark of the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam].

He will come out with the banner of the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], made from a folded, black rectangle cloth, which will not have been unfolded since the passing away of the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], and which will not be unfolded until the coming of the Mahdi. Allah will support him with three thousand angels, striking the faces and backs of those who oppose them. And he will be between thirty and forty [years old].”

[139] And he also narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“He is a young man from Quraysh, fair-skinned, an ordinary-looking man.”

[140] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“The Mahdi will be sixty years old.”

[141] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“The Mahdi’s name will be like my name, and the name of his father like the name of my father.”

[142] And he also narrated from Ka’b:

“The Mahdi’s name is Muhammad” – or he said: “The name of a Prophet.”

[143] And he also narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“The Mahdi’s name is my name.”

[144] And he also narrated from Qatadah that he said:

“I said to Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib: “The Mahdi, is he true?” He said: “He is true.” I said: “From whom will he be?” He said: “From Quraysh.” I said: “From which of Quraysh?” He said: “From Banu Hashim.” I said: “From which of Banu Hashim?” He said: “From Banu ‘Abdil-Muttalib.” I said: “From which of Banu ‘Abdil-Muttalib?” He said: “From the children of Fatimah.”

[145] And he also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The Mahdi is a youth, from us, the Ahl al-Bayt.”

It was said: “Your old men have failed in that, yet your youths hope for it?” He said: “Allah does whatever He wills.”

[146] And he also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The Mahdi is from us; he will hand over the rule to ‘Isa ibn Maryam [‘alayhis-salam].”

[147] And he also narrated from ‘A’ishah [radhiyallahu ‘anha], from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“He is a man from my descendents, who will fight according to my Sunnah, as I fought according to the Revelation.”

[148] And he also narrated from az-Zuhri that he said:

“The Mahdi will come out of Makkah after the swallowing [i.e. of the Sufyani’s army], accompanied by three hundred and fourteen men, the number of the people of Badr. He will meet with the leader of the Sufyani’s army, and the armour of the Mahdi’s companions on that day will be made of saddle-leather. Before that, the day of their appearance will have been known as the Day of the Saddle-Leathers.

And it is said that on that day, a voice will be heard from the sky calling out: “Verily, the allies of Allah are the companions of so-and-so” – meaning the Mahdi. The companions of the Sufyani will be defeated. They will fight, and none of them will be left alive except those who flee. They will run away to the Sufyani and inform him of what happened.

The Mahdi will go out to ash-Sham, and the Sufyani will meet the Mahdi and give bay’ah to him. The people will rush to him from every direction, and he will fill the earth with justice as it had been filled with tyranny.”

[149] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud [radhiyallahu ‘anhu]:

“Seven men of knowledge will give bay’ah to the Mahdi. They will have headed to Makkah from different far-off lands without any appointment, and to each one of those men over three hundred and ten men will have given bay’ah. So they will meet together in Makkah and give bay’ah to him [i.e. to the Mahdi]. Allah will fill the hearts of the people with love for him. So he will go out, accompanied by them, and meanwhile the cavalry of the Sufyani, led by a man from Jurm, will have gone out towards those who gave bay’ah to him.

So when he [i.e. the Mahdi] comes out of Makkah, he will leave his companions behind him and walk, wearing an izar [waist-wrap] and a rida’ [over-garment], until he comes to the Jurmi, who will thereupon give bay’ah to him.

After that, Kalb will convince him to regret his bay’ah, so he will come to him [i.e. to the Mahdi] and request for his bay’ah to be retracted. So he will retract it, and then prepare his army to fight him, and they will defeat him.

And at his [i.e. the Mahdi’s] hands, Allah will cause the Romans to be defeated, and at his hands, Allah will remove the trials. And he will settle in ash-Sham.”

[150] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“The Sakhri [i.e. the Sufyani] will enter al-Kufah, then the news of the appearance of the Mahdi in Makkah will reach him. So he will send against him from al-Kufah an army, but they will be swallowed by the earth. None of them will survive except one who will bring the good news to the Mahdi, and another who will bring warning to the Sakhri.

Then the Mahdi will come forward from Makkah, and the Sakhri from al-Kufah, towards ash-Sham, as if they are two race-horses. The Sakhri will get there first, and send another army from ash-Sham against the Mahdi. So they will meet the Mahdi in the land of al-Hijaz and give a rightly-guided bay’ah to him. They will go forward accompanying him until they reach the border of ash-Sham that is between ash-Sham and al-Hijaz, where he will halt. It will be said to him: “Enter.” But he will dislike to cross over, and he will say: “Write to my cousin, and if he refuses to obey me, then I am your leader.”

So when the letter reaches the Sakhri, he will greet him and give bay’ah to him. The Mahdi will travel until he settles in Bayt al-Maqdis. The Mahdi will not leave in the hand of a single man of ash-Sham an inch of land except that he returns it to the people of the Dhimmah, and all of the Muslims will return together to Jihad. Things will remain that way for three years.

Then a man from Kalb who has a mark like a star in his eye, will come out with a group of his people until he comes to the Sakhri, and says: “We gave bay’ah to you, and helped you, but when you became king, you gave bay’ah to this enemy of ours. You should go out against him and fight him!”

So he will say: “With whom will I go out against him?” So he will say: “All of the tribe of ‘Amir, even their old women, have joined you, and they have with them all of their camels and their cattle.”

So he will leave, accompanied by the entire tribe of ‘Amir, until they settle at Baysan. The Mahdi will send a banner [i.e. a detachment of troops] against them, and the maximum number of men in the time of the Mahdi comprising a banner will be one hundred men. So they will settle at Fathur Ibrahim, where Kalb will have arranged their cavalry, their men, their camels and their sheep. When the cavalry falters, Kalb will turn and run.

The Sakhri will be seized and slaughtered on the rocks that are laid out on the ground near the church at the bottom of the valley on the edge of the slopes of the Mountain of Zita, at the bridge on the right side of the valley. He will be slaughtered there, like a sheep is slaughtered, and the loser will be the one who missed the day of Kalb, until a virgin slave girl will be sold for eight dirhams.

[151] And he also narrated from Abu Sadiq that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until the Sufyani rules over its forests [i.e. over the forests of ash-Sham].”

[152] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Mahdi will be sent to fight the Romans. He will be given the fiqh [understanding] of ten men. He will bring out the Tabut as-Sakinah [the Ark of the Covenant] from a cave at Antioch, which contains the Tawrah that Allah [ta’ala] revealed to Musa [‘alayhis-salam] and the Injil that Allah [‘azza wa-jall] revealed to ‘Isa [‘alayhis-salam]. He will judge between the people of the Tawrah by their Tawrah, and between the people of the Injil by their Injil.”

[153] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“He is called the Mahdi because he will be guided to something that is hidden, and bring out the Tawrah and the Injil from a land called Antioch.”

[154] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Shurayk that he said:

“With the Mahdi will be the marked banner of the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]. If only I could live to meet him while I was still young!”

[155] And he also narrated from Nawf al-Bukali that he said:

“On the banner of the Mahdi it will be written: “Al-bay’atu lillah [the bay’ah is for Allah].”

[156] And he also narrated from Tawus that he said:

“The sign of the Mahdi is that he will be hard with his workers, generous with wealth, and merciful with the poor.”

[157] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“There will be trials, followed by unity under the leadership of a man from my household who will have no portion from Allah [i.e. in the hereafter]. Then he will be killed or die, and the Mahdi will arise.”

[158] And he also narrated from Dhamrah, from Ibn Shawdhab, from one of his companions that he said:

“The Mahdi will not come until there remains no chief, or son of a chief, who is not dead.”

[159] And he also narrated from Abu Qubayl that he said:

“A man from Banu Hashim will rule, who will kill Banu Umayyah, leaving none of them alive except for a few. He will kill no-one but them. Then a man will come from Banu Umayyah, who will kill two men for every one [i.e. two for every one that the Hashimi had killed], until he leaves none alive except the women. Then the Mahdi will come.”

[160] And he also narrated from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib that he said:

“There will be a trial, whose beginning will be the meddling of young boys. Every time it quietens from one side, it will flare up from another, and it will not end until a caller announces from the sky: “Verily, your amir is so-and-so!”

Then Ibn al-Musayyib spread his hands wide until they were shaking, and said three times: “That one is truly the amir!”

[161] And he also narrated from Abu Ja’far that he said:

“A caller will announce from the sky: “Verily, the Truth is in the family of Muhammad!” And a caller will announce from the ground: “Verily, the Truth is in the family of ‘Isa” – or he said: “Al-‘Abbas”, I am unsure which – “but the voice from the depths will be from the Shaytan, to mislead the people.”

[162] And he also narrated from Ishaq, from Yahya at-Taymi, from al-Mughirah ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahman, that he said, speaking about his mother who was an old woman:

“I said to her during the trial of Ibn az-Zubayr: “This trial is the one that will destroy the people.” So she said: “No, my son! Rather, after it shall come the trial that destroys the people; their affairs will not be straightened until a caller announces from the sky: “You must join so-and-so.”

[163] And he also narrated from Shahr ibn Hawshab that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“In al-Muharram, a caller will announce from the sky: “Verily, Allah’s chosen one from His creation is so-and-so, so hear him and obey.” This will happen in the year of as-sawt [the voice] and al-ma’ma’ah [the bloodshed].”

[164] And he also narrated from ‘Ammar ibn Yasir [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“When an-Nafs az-Zakiyyah [the Pure Soul] is killed, and his brother is killed in Makkah mysteriously, a caller will announce from the sky: “Your amir is so-and-so.” That is the Mahdi who will fill the earth with truth and justice.”

[165] And he also narrated from Sa’id ibn al-Musayyib that he said:

“There will be trials and division, until a hand rises in the sky and a caller announces: “Verily, your amir is so-and-so.”

[166] And he also narrated from az-Zuhri that he said:

“When the Sufyani and the Mahdi meet in battle on that day, a voice will be heard from the sky: “Verily, the allies of Allah are the companions of so-and-so” – meaning the Mahdi.”

Az-Zuhri said: “And Asma’ bint ‘Umays [radhiyallahu ‘anha] said:

“The sign of that day is an outspread hand in the sky, which the people will be looking at.”

[167] And he also narrated from al-Hakam ibn Nafi’, from Artah that he said:

“When the people are at Mina and ‘Arafat, a caller will announce after the tribes have divided themselves: “Verily, your amir is so-and-so.” Another voice will follow it: “Verily, he has lied.” And yet another voice will follow it: “Verily, he has spoken the truth.”

So they will fight a severe battle, and most of their armour will be made of saddle-leather. They will be called the Army of the Saddle-Leathers. When that happens, you will see a marked hand in the sky. The fighting will grow fiercer, until there remains from the supporters of the Truth a number equal to the people of Badr, who will then go and give bay’ah to their leader [i.e. the Mahdi].”

[168] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The people will perform the Hajj together, and will stand at ‘Arafat together, without an imam. While they are staying at Mina, he [i.e. the Sufyani, here referring to his army] will pounce on them like a dog. So the tribes will rise up, fighting each other until al-‘Aqabah flows with blood. So they will rush to the best of them, and will come to him while he is pressing his face to the Ka’bah and weeping. It is as if I can see him and his tears.

So they will say: “Come to us, we will give you bay’ah.” So he will say: “Woe to you! How many covenants you have broken, and how much blood you have shed!” So he will be given the bay’ah against his will. If you live to reach him, then give him bay’ah, for he is the Mahdi on earth, and the Mahdi in heaven.”

[169] And Nu’aym narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“Allah will send the Mahdi after a period of despair, until the people say: “There is no Mahdi.” His supporters will be a group of the people of ash-Sham, three hundred and fifteen in number, equal to the companions of Badr. They will go to him from ash-Sham, until they bring him out from the bottom of Makkah, from a house near as-Safa, then they will give him the bay’ah against his will. So he will lead them in two rak’ahs of prayer, the prayer of a traveller, at al-Maqam. Then he will ascend the minbar.”

[170] And he also narrated from Abu Hurayrah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Mahdi will be given the bay’ah between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam. He will not wake up one who is asleep, nor will he shed any blood.”

[171] And he also narrated from Qatadah that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“He will go out from al-Madinah, to Makkah. Then the people will bring him out from amongst them, and give him the bay’ah between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam, against his will.”

[172] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“When the black banners led by Shu’ayb ibn Salih defeat the Sufyani’s cavalry, the people will wish for the Mahdi. So they will look for him, and he will come out from Makkah with the banner of the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] and pray two rak’ahs, after the people had despaired of his coming due to the long trials that they had suffered.

So when he finishes his prayer, he will turn around and say: “O people! Trials have heavily afflicted the Ummah of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], and especially his household. We have been conquered and oppressed.”

[173] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Mahdi’s commanders are the best of people, the people of his support and his bay’ah, coming from the people of al-Kufah, Yemen, and al-Abdal of ash-Sham. In front of him is Jibril and behind him is Mika’il. He will be loved by all creation. Allah will extinguish al-Fitnah al-‘Amya’ [the blind trial], and the earth will be so safe that a woman will be able to perform the Hajj in a group of five women, unaccompanied by a man, fearing nothing but Allah. The earth will bring forth its goodness, and the sky its blessing.”

[174] And he also narrated from Matar that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz was mentioned in his presence, so he said:

“It has reached us that the Mahdi will do something that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz did not do.”

We [i.e. the companions of Matar] said: “What is that?” He said:

“A man will come to him and ask of him, so he will say: “Go into the treasury and take.” So he will go in, then come out and see that the people are without any need at all. So he will regret what he had done, and return to him [i.e. to the Mahdi], and say: “Take back what you gave me.” But he will refuse and say: “We give, and we do not take.”

[175] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“I have found the Mahdi referred to in the Books of the Prophets, that there will be in his deeds no injustice or deficiency.”

[176] And he also narrated via Dhamrah from Ibn Shawdhab, from Muhammad ibn Sirin that he mentioned a trial that would come, and said:

“When that happens, then sit in your houses until you hear the people talking about someone better than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma].”

It was said: “O Abu Bakr [the kunyah of Muhammad ibn Sirin]! Better than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar?” He said: “Some of the Prophets were favoured over others.”

I [i.e. as-Suyuti] say: This contains what it contains of objectionable wording. Ibn Abi Shaybah said in his Musannaf in the chapter of the Mahdi:

“Abu Usamah related to us from ‘Awf, from Muhammad ibn Sirin that he said:

[177] “There will be in this Ummah a khalifah who will not be less favoured than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.”

I [i.e. as-Suyuti] say: This isnad is authentic, and it is more acceptable than the previous one. I believe that it is more appropriate to interpret the wordings in the context of the hadith: “Rather, the reward of fifty of you.” This will only be due to the severity of the trials during the time of the Mahdi, along with the unity of all of the Romans against him and the Dajjal’s besieging of him. It does not mean that he [i.e. the Mahdi] is better than them [i.e. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar], but rather that he will have an increased amount of reward and elevation before Allah. For according to the authentic ahadith and consensus, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar are the best of creation after the Prophets and Messengers.

[178] And he also narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu], from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“His Ummah will flock for shelter to him like the bees do to their hive. He will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with tyranny, until the people are as they were in the beginning. He will not wake up one who is asleep, nor will he shed any blood.”

[179] And he also narrated from al-Walid that he said: “I heard a man relating to a group of people, saying:

“There are three Mahdis: Mahdi al-Khayr [the Mahdi of goodness]; he is ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz. And Mahdi ad-Dam [the Mahdi of blood]; he is the one by whom the bloodshed will cease. And Mahdi ad-Din [the Mahdi of the religion], ‘Isa ibn Maryam, in whose time his Ummah will be at peace.”

[180] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“Mahdi al-Khayr shall come after the Sufyani.”

[181] And he also narrated from Tawus that he said:

“When the Mahdi comes, the good-doer shall be increased in his good-doing, and the evil-doer’s repentance from his evil-doing shall be accepted. He [i.e. the Mahdi] will give out wealth, be strict with his workers, and merciful to the poor.”

[182] And he also narrated from Tawus that he said:

“I wish that I would not die until I have reached the time of the Mahdi. The good-doer shall be increased in his good-doing, and the evil-doer’s repentance shall be accepted.”

[183] And he also narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Allah [ta’ala] will rectify the Mahdi in a single night.”

[184] And he also narrated from Tawus that he said:

“‘Umar ibn al-Khattab [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] farewelled the House [i.e. the Ka’bah], then he said: “By Allah, I do not know what I should do with the treasures of the House and what it contains of weapons and wealth, should I leave it or distribute it in the Cause of Allah?”

So ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] said to him: “Leave it, O Amir al-Mu’minin, for you are not the one who will do that. The one who will do that is from us, a youth from Quraysh, who will distribute it in the Cause of Allah at the end of time.”

[185] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“The first flag sent by the Mahdi will be against the Turks. He will defeat them, and take what they have of captives and wealth. Then he will go to ash-Sham and conquer it, then he will set free every slave that is with him, and pay his companions their value.”

[186] And he also narrated from Ibn Lahi’ah, from Abu Zur’ah, from Sabah that he said:

“During the time of the Mahdi, the child will wish that he were older, and the elderly will wish that he were younger.”

[187] And he also narrated from Sabah that he said:

“The Mahdi will remain among you for thirty-nine years. The child will say: “If only I were an adult!” And the elderly will say: “If only I were young!”

[188] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The Mahdi is he upon whom ‘Isa ibn Maryam will descend, and behind whom ‘Isa [‘alayhis-salam] will pray.”

[189] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Mahdi is from the children of al-‘Abbas.”

[190] And he also narrated from az-Zuhri that he said:

“The Mahdi is from the children of Fatimah [radhiyallahu ‘anha].”

[191] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Mahdi is from none other than Quraysh, and the khilafah is with none other than them. However, he [i.e. the Mahdi] does have an ancestral origin in Yemen.”

[192] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Mahdi is a man from us, from the children of Fatimah [radhiyallahu ‘anha].”

[193] And he also narrated from Ibn ‘Umar [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said to Ibn al-Hanafiyyah:

“What is the Mahdi that you are talking about?”

He said: “It is like when there is a righteous man, and the people say about him that he is a mahdi [i.e. a rightly-guided man].” So Ibn ‘Umar said: “May Allah disgrace ignorance,” as if he disliked his words.

[194] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“The Mahdi will remain for forty years.”

[195] And he also narrated from Dhamrah ibn Habib that he said:

“The life of the Mahdi will be thirty years.”

[196] And he also narrated from Muhammad ibn Humayr, from as-Saqr ibn Rustum, from his father that he said:

“The Mahdi will rule for seven years, two months, and some days.”

[197] And he also narrated from Dinar ibn Dinar that he said:

“The Mahdi will remain for forty years.”

[198] And he also narrated from az-Zuhri that he said:

“The Mahdi will live for fourteen years, then he will die an ordinary death.”

[199] And he also narrated from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“The Mahdi will rule the people for thirty or forty years.”

[200] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Mahdi will die a normal death. Then the people will be ruled after him by a man from his household who has both good and evil in him, but whose evil is more than his good. He will make the people angry, and call them to division after their unity. He will remain a short while, for a man from his household will rise up against him and kill him. After him, the people will fight each other fiercely, and the one who killed him will remain a short while and then die a normal death. Then they will be ruled by a man from Mudhar, from the east. He will make the people commit kufr, and cause them to go out of their religion. He will fight the people of Yemen fiercely between the two rivers, but Allah will defeat him and those who are with him.”

[201] And he also narrated from az-Zuhri that he said:

“The Mahdi will die a normal death, then after him the people will fall into trials. A man from Banu Makhzum will come to them, be given the bay’ah, and he will remain for some time. Then he will withhold the provision, and will find no-one daring to object. Then he will withhold giving, and will again find no-one daring to object.

He will settle in Bayt al-Maqdis, and he and his companions will be like disreputable criminals. Their women will walk in sandals decorated with gold and in garments that do not cover them, and no-one will dare object to it.

He will order the expulsion of the people of Yemen: Qudha’ah, Mudhhaj, Hamdan, Himyar, al-Azd, Ghassan, and everyone else who is said to be from Yemen. He will drive them out until they settle in the woods of Palestine, where groups from Judays, Lakhm, Judham, and the people from those mountains will bring them food and drink, and provide relief for them, as Yusuf was a means of relieving his brothers.

Then a caller from the sky, neither human nor jinn, will announce: “Give the bay’ah to so-and-so, and do not turn back on your heels after emigrating.” So they will look, but will not know the man. He will announce it again three times. Then they will give the bay’ah to al-Mansur, who will send a delegation of ten men to the Makhzumi, who will kill nine of them and leave one. Then he [i.e. al-Mansur] will send five, and he [i.e. the Makhzumi] will kill four and let one go. Then he will send three, and he will kill two and leave one. Then he [i.e. al-Mansur] will go to him [i.e. the Makhzumi], and Allah will make him victorious over him. Allah will kill him [i.e. the Makhzumi] and those with him, and none will escape except those who flee. He [i.e. al-Mansur] will not leave a single Qurashi without killing him, so that if one were to look for a single Qurashi he would not find one, as today one might look for a man from Jurhum and similarly no find him. Likewise will Quraysh be killed, until none of them are found afterwards.”

[202] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“He will fight the people of Yemen very fiercely between the two rivers, but Allah will defeat him and those with him. The people of the east [i.e. the followers of the Makhzumi] and those with him will be terrified at the sight of all of the dead bodies thrown into the river, and they will realize that they have been defeated.

So their [i.e. the people of Yemen’s] rider will go to Yemen, while they are camped between the two rivers, and Allah [ta’ala] will give victory to him and those with him. So the people’s affairs will be righted, and they will enjoy a happy unity. Then they will go until they settle in ash-Sham, where they will remain for a long time under a righteous rule.

Then Qays will rise up against them, so the people of Yemen will kill them until one would think that no-one from Qays is left alive, then a man from the people of Yemen will stand up and say: “Fear Allah regarding your remaining brothers!”

Then the remnants of Qays will go until they settle between the two rivers, where they will assemble a great gathering, and appoint as their ruler a man from Banu Makhzum. Then the ruler of Yemen will die, and Qays will rejoice at his death. The Makhzumi will go forward, until when the last of them has crossed the Euphrates, the Makhzumi will die.

So Yemen will go back to its borders, and Qays to its borders. The Mawali will be angry about that, and on that day, they will be the majority of people. So they will say: “Come, let us appoint as our ruler a man from the people of the religion.” So they will send a group from the people of Yemen, a group from Mudhar, and a group from the Mawali to Bayt al-Maqdis, where they will recite the Book of Allah [ta’ala] and ask Him to guide them to the correct choice. So that group will return, having appointed as their ruler a man from the Mawali, and woe to the people of ash-Sham and its land from his rule!

So he will go to Mudhar, intending to fight them. Then he will send a man from the people of the west, heavy-built with broad shoulders, who will kill whoever he meets in battle, until he enters Bayt al-Maqdis. Then he will be injured by a horse and die. At that time, the world will be in the worst state that it has ever been.

Then a man will rule after him from the people of Mudhar, who will kill the righteous people, accursed and evil. Then, after the Mudhari, the ‘Umani Qahtani will rule. He will live by the example of his brother the Mahdi, and at his hands the city of the Romans will be conquered.”

[203] And he also narrated from al-Walid, from Ibn Lahi’ah, from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Qays as-Sadafi that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“The Qahtani is not lesser than the Mahdi.”

[204] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma]:

“After the tyrants is al-Jabir, then al-Mahdi, then al-Mansur, then as-Salam, then Amir al-‘Usab. Then whoever is able to die after that, then let him die.”

[205] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“O people of Yemen! You say that al-Mansur is from you. By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, his father is a Qurashi, and if I wished to name him up to his furthest grandfather, I could do so.”

[206] And he also narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Qays ibn Jabir as-Sadafi that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be, from my household, a man who will fill the earth with justice as it was filled with tyranny. Then, after him will be the Qahtani, and by Him Who sent me with the Truth, he is not lesser than him.”

[207] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“The Mahdi will settle in Bayt al-Maqdis, then after him will be khulafa’ from his household. They will rule for a long time and they will become oppressive, until the people praise Banul-‘Abbas and Banu Umayyah due to what they suffer.”

Jarrah said: “Their time will last for two hundred years.”

[208] And he also narrated from Abu Qubayl that he said:

After the Mahdi, no-one from his household will deal justly with the people. Their tyranny will continue for a long time after the Mahdi, until the people praise Banul-‘Abbas, saying: “If only they were here in their place.” So the people will continue like that, until they invade Constantinople with their ruler, who will be a righteous man, who will hand over the rule to ‘Isa ibn Maryam [‘alayhis-salam].

And the people will remain in ease as long as the kingdom of Banul-‘Abbas has not been undone, but when their kingdom is undone, they will remain in trials until the rising of the Mahdi.”

[209] And he also narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“Three umara’ will come consecutively, and all of the lands will be opened up at their hands. All of them will be righteous: Al-Jabir, then al-Mufarrij, then Dhul-‘Usab. They will remain for forty years, then there will be no good in this world after them.”

[210] And he also narrated from Sulayman ibn ‘Isa, who was a man of great knowledge of the trials, that he said:

“It has reached me that the Mahdi will remain for fourteen years in Bayt al-Maqdis, then he will die. Then, after him will be Sharif adh-Dhikr, from the people of Tubba’, called Mansur, in Bayt al-Maqdis for twenty-one years. Fifteen of them will be of justice, followed by three years of tyranny, followed by three years of withholding wealth in which he will not give anyone a single dirham. He will distribute the people of the Dhimmah among his fighters. It is he who will allow the Mawali to remain in the depths of al-A’maq, and it is he who will trample the children of Isma’il like the cattle trample the twigs, and it is he against whom a Mawla will rise up, whose name is the name of a Prophet, and whose kunyah is the kunyah of a Prophet. He will go to him from al-A’maq until he meets Mansur at the bottom of Ariha’, where he will fight him and kill him.

Then the Mawla will rule, and he will banish the children of Qahtan and the children of Isma’il to the two cities of the treasures of the Arabs, al-Madinah and San’a’. It is he who will allow the Turks and the Romans to come out until they control the whole area from the depths of Antioch up to the mountain of al-Karmil in Palestine on the field of the city of ‘Akka.

The Mawla will rule for three years, then he will be killed. Then after him, the second Mahdi will come to power, and it is he who will fight the Romans and defeat them, conquering Constantinople and staying there for three years, four months and ten days. Then ‘Isa ibn Maryam [‘alayhis-salam] will descend, and he will hand over the rule to him.”

[211] And he also narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“After the Mahdi, there will be a khalifah from the people of Yemen, from Qahtan, the brother of the Mahdi in his religion, who will act as the Mahdi did. It is he who will conquer the city of the Romans and take its spoils.”

[212] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“There will be a peace-treaty between the Mahdi and the Romans. Then the Mahdi will die, then a man from his household will come to power, who will rule justly for a little while, then he will draw his sword against the people of Palestine, who will rise up against him. So he will seek help from the people of Jordan, remaining among them for two months. Then he will draw his sword against them, and they will rise up against him. So he will leave, fleeing, until he settles in Damascus. Have you seen the door-posts at the gate of al-Jabiyah at the place of the money-changers, five cubits from which there is a circular stone? There he will be slaughtered, and the mention of his blood will not cease until it is said: “The Romans have sent their army, and have landed between Sur and ‘Akka!” This will be the beginning of the Malahim [the great battles].”

[213] And he also narrated from ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Qays as-Sadafi, from his father, from his grandfather, from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] that he said:

“The Qahtani is after the Mahdi. By He Who sent me with the Truth, he is not lesser than him.”

[214] And he also narrated from Artah that he said:

“It has reached me that the Mahdi will live for forty years, then he will die on his bed. Then a man from Qahtan will come, with pierced ears, who will live according to the example of the Mahdi. He will remain for twenty years and then he will die, killed by the sword. Then a man will come from the household of the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], rightly guided [literally: “a mahdi”] and of good example, who will conquer the city of Caesar. He will be the last amir from the Ummah of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]. During his time, the Dajjal will come out, and during his time, ‘Isa ibn Maryam [‘alayhis-salam] will descend.”

All of these athar [i.e. from number 91 to 214] I have cited from Kitab al-Fitan by Nu’aym ibn Hammad, who is one of the hafidh imams, and one of the shaykhs of al-Bukhari.

[215] Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in al-Musannaf from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be in my Ummah the Mahdi. Whether he lives long or short, he will rule for seven years, eight years, or nine years. He will fill the earth will equity and justice as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression. The sky will send down its rain, and the earth will bring forth its blessings. And my Ummah will thrive during his time more than it never had thrived before.”

[216] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The days and nights will not pass away until there comes to power, from us the Ahl al-Bayt, a young man who was never touched by the trials and who never involved himself in them.”

It was said: “O Abul-‘Abbas! Your old men have failed to attain it, but your youths will?”

He said: “It is Allah’s affair, which He gives to whomever He wills.”

[217] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Hakim ibn Sa’d that he said:

“When Sulayman [i.e. Sulayman ibn ‘Abd al-Malik al-Umawi] arose, and displayed what he displayed [of justice], I said to Abu Yahya: “Is this the Mahdi who is mentioned?” He said: “No, and not even similar to him.”

[218] And Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated from Ibrahim ibn Maysurah that he said:

“I said to Tawus: “Is ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz the Mahdi?” He said: “He was a mahdi, but not him. When the Mahdi comes, the good-doer shall be increased in his good-doing, and the evil-doer’s repentance from his evil-doing shall be accepted. He [i.e. the Mahdi] will give out wealth, be strict with his workers, and merciful to the poor.”

[219] And Abu Nu’aym in al-Hilyah from Ibrahim ibn Maysurah that he said:

“I said to Tawus: “Is ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz the Mahdi?” He said: “He was a mahdi, but not him. He has not completely established total justice.”

[220] And al-Muhamili narrated in his Amali from Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn that he said:

“They claim that I am the Mahdi, but truly I am closer to my end than I am to that which they claim.”

[221] And Abu ‘Amr ad-Dani narrated in his Sunan from Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be a battle at az-Zawra'” to the end of the hadith, and it contains:

“So the Mahdi will turn around, and he will find that ‘Isa ibn Maryam has descended from the sky in two garments, as if water is dripping from his head.”

So Abu Hurayrah said: “I would stand up for him, O Messenger of Allah, and embrace him!” So he said: “O Abu Hurayrah, his coming this time will not be like his first coming. He will be of frightening appearance, like that of death. He will give good tidings to some people of their degrees in Paradise. The imam will say to him: “Come forward and lead the people in the prayer.” So ‘Isa will say to him: “The prayer was established only for you.” So ‘Isa will pray behind him,” to the end of the hadith.

[222] And Ibn al-Jawzi narrated in his Tarikh from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Four men have ruled the earth, two believers and two infidels. The two believers were Dhul-Qarnayn and Sulayman, and the two infidels were Namrudh and Bukht-Nasr. And a fifth will rule it, from my household.”

[223] And ad-Dani narrated from Ibn Shawdhab:

“He is called the Mahdi because he will be guided to one of the mountains of ash-Sham, from which he will bring out some of the scrolls of the Tawrah, with which he will debate with the Jews. So a group of the Jews on that day will become Muslims at his hands.”

[224] And ad-Dani narrated from al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah, about Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, that he said to him:

“I have heard that a man will come from you who will rule this Ummah justly.”

So he said: “We hope for what the people hope for, and we hope that if only a single day remained for this world, that day would be lengthened until there happens that which this Ummah is hoping for. But before that there is a trial, an evil trial in which a man will be a believer in the evening and an infidel in the morning, or a believer in the morning and an infidel in the evening. So whoever among you lives to see that, then let him fear Allah, preserve his religion, and stay inside his home.”

[225] And ad-Dani narrated from Silah ibn Zufar that he said:

“It was said one day to Hudhayfah: “The Dajjal has come out!” So he said: “You would be fortunate if he came out while the Companions of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] were among you. He will not come out until no-one will be more loved by the people than him, because of the hardship that they will suffer.”

[226] And ad-Dani narrated from Qatadah that he said:

“They will come to the Mahdi when he is in his house, while the people are in trials and blood is being shed. It will be said to him: “Lead us,” but he will refuse until he is threatened with being killed. So when he is threatened with being killed, he will lead them, and not a single measure of blood will be shed because of him.”

[227] And ad-Dani narrated from Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“There will be a battle at az-Zawra’.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is az-Zawra’?” He said: “A city in the east, between rivers, in which reside the worst of Allah’s creation, the tyrants of my Ummah. It will be afflicted with four kinds of punishment: The sword, swallowing by the earth, being pelted with stones, and transformation into animals.”

And he said [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]: “When the black people come out in pursuit of the Arabs they will be discovered, until they are cast into the bottom of the earth” – or he said: “the bottom of the Jordan.” – “When that happens to them, the Sufyani will come out accompanied by three hundred and sixty riders, until he comes to Damascus. Before a month has passed, thirty thousand of the tribe of Kalb will give him the bay’ah. So he will send an army to al-‘Iraq, killing at az-Zawra’ a hundred thousand, and going down to al-Kufah and plundering it.

When that happens, a banner will come out from the east, led by a man from Banu Tamim called Shu’ayb ibn Salih, who will recover all that is in their hands from the captives of the people of al-Kufah, and kill them.

Another one of the Sufyani’s armies will go to al-Madinah and plunder it for three days. Then they will go towards Makkah, until when they are at al-Bayda’, Allah [‘azza wa-jall] will send Jibril [‘alayhis-salam] and say: “O Jibril, punish them!” So he will strike them once with his foot, and Allah [‘azza wa-jall] will cause them to be swallowed into the earth, and none of them will remain except for two men, who will then go to the Sufyani and inform him of the swallowing of his army, but that will not shock him.

Then some men from Quraysh will flee to Constantinople, so the Sufyani will send a message to the ruler of the Romans: “Send them all back to me.” He said: “So they will be sent back to him, and they will be beheaded at the gate of the city of Damascus.”

Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] said: “It will be such that a woman wearing a single garment will be taken around in the main masjid of Damascus in full view of everyone, until she comes and sits on the thigh of the Sufyani while he is sitting in the mihrab. So a man from the Muslims will stand up and say: “Woe to you! Have you disbelieved after you had faith? This is not allowed!” So he [i.e. the Sufyani] will stand up and behead him in the masjid of Damascus, and he will kill everyone who sympathized with what that man had done.

When that happens, a caller will announce from the sky: “O people! Allah [‘azza wa-jall] has brought the period of the tyrants, the hypocrites and their sympathizers to an end for you! And He has appointed as your leader the best of the Ummah of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam], so go to him in Makkah, for he is the Mahdi, and his name is Ahmad ibn ‘Abdillah.”

Hudhayfah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] said: “So ‘Imran ibn Husayn stood up and said: “O Messenger of Allah, how will we recognize him?”

So he said: “He will a man from my children, like a men from the children of Banu Isra’il, wearing two tassled robes, his face like a glittering star in its colour. On his right cheek will be a black mole, and he will be forty years old.

Al-Abdal and their likes will come out of ash-Sham, and the nobles of Egypt will go out to him, also the ‘Asa’ib of the people of the east and their likes, until they come to Makkah and give the bay’ah to him between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam.

Then he will go out, heading for ash-Sham, with Jibril before him and Mika’il behind him. The inhabitants of the heaven and the earth, and the birds and the beasts, and the fish in the sea, will all rejoice at his coming. There will be much water during his rule, the rivers will flow in abundance, the earth will bring forth increased amounts of crops, and all of the treasures will be brought out.

So he will come to ash-Sham, and the Sufyani will be slaughtered under the tree that grows by the lake of Tabariyyah, and he will kill Kalb.”

Hudhayfah said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said: “The loser is the one who misses out on the Day of Kalb, even so much as a hobbling-rope.”

Hudhayfah said: “O Messenger of Allah, how will it be lawful to fight them when they are muwahhidun [monotheists]?”

So the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said: “O Hudhayfah, on that day they will be apostates. They will declare intoxicants to be lawful, and they will not pray.”

[228] And ad-Dani narrated from Shahr ibn Hawshab that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“In Ramadhan there will be a voice, in Shawwal there will be great bloodshed, in Dhul-Qi’dah the tribes will fight, and its sign is that those performing the Hajj will be plundered, and there will be a massacre at Mina in which many are killed, and much blood is shed, until it flows over the Pillar. Their leader will flee, and they will come to him between ar-Rukn and al-Maqam and give him the bay’ah against his will. It will be said to him: “If you refuse, we will cut off your head.” The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will be pleased with him.”

[229] And Nu’aym narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“A star will rise in the east before the coming of the Mahdi, that will have a shining tail.”

[230] And Nu’aym narrated from Shurayk that he said:

“It has reached me that before the coming of the Mahdi, the sun will eclipse twice in the month of Ramadhan.”

[231] And Ibn A’tham al-Kufi narrated in Kitab al-Futuh from ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“Good for at-Talaqan! For Allah has treasures there, not of gold or silver, but of men who know Allah as He should be known. They will be the supporters of the Mahdi at the end of time.”

[232] And Abu Bakr al-Kulabadhi narrated in Fawa’id al-Akhbar from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Whoever denies the coming of the Dajjal, then he has disbelieved. And whoever denies the coming of the Mahdi, then he has disbelieved.”

[233] And Nu’aym narrated from Ja’far ibn Sayyar ash-Shami that he said:

“The Mahdi will go to great lengths to restore the people’s rights, so that even if it was under a person’s tooth, he would pull it out in order to return it.”

[234] And he also narrated from Sulayman ibn ‘Isa that he said:

“It has reached me that at the hands of the Mahdi, the Tabut as-Sakinah [the Ark of the Covenant] will appear from the lake of Tabariyyah, until it is carried and placed before him in Bayt al-Maqdis. When the Jews look at it, they will all become Muslims except for a small number of them. Then the Mahdi will die.”

[235] And in al-Firdaws, from the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] marfu’an:

“The Mahdi is the peacock of the people of Paradise.”

[236] And Nu’aym narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“A group of my Ummah will always remain, fighting upon the Truth, until ‘Isa ibn Maryam descends at dawn in Bayt al-Maqdis. He will come to the Mahdi, and it will be said to him: “Come forward, O Prophet of Allah, and lead us in the prayer.” So he will say: “The people of this Ummah are trustees for each other, due to their honour before Allah [‘azza wa-jall].”

[237] And Nu’aym narrated from Khalid ibn Samir that he said:

“Musa ibn Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah fled from al-Mukhtar to al-Basrah along with some prominent people of al-Kufah, and it was thought during his time that he was the Mahdi.”

[238] And Nu’aym narrated from Sabah that he said:

“There will be no khilafah after the Banu Umayyah’s taking of power until the Mahdi comes.”

[239] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“I found it written in one of the books, on the day that we fought at al-Yarmuk, that Abu Bakr as-Siddiq you have named correctly. ‘Umar al-Faruq is a horn of iron; you have named him correctly. ‘Uthman Dhun-Nurayn has been given a double portion of mercy, because he was unjustly murdered; you have named him correctly. Then there will be Saffah, then Mansur, then Mahdi, then al-Amin, then there will be Sin and Salam [or goodness and security], then there will be Amir al-‘Usab. Six of them are from the children of Ka’b ibn Lu’ayy, and a man from Qahtan, all of them righteous, and their like will not be seen.”

[240] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“After the tyrants will be al-Jabir; with him Allah will repair [yajburu] the Ummah of Muhammad [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]. Then there will be al-Mahdi, then al-Mansur, then as-Salam, then Amir al-‘Usab. Whoever is able to die after that, then let him die.”

[241] And Nu’aym narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said: “The Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“When the fifth of my household dies, then there will be massacre, massacre! Until the seventh dies, then it will continue like that until the Mahdi arises.”

[242] And Nu’aym narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah that he said:

“Banul-‘Abbas will rule until the people despair of all good, then their rule will split in the year fifty-five. So if you find nothing but a scorpion’s rock, then go into it, for there will come upon the people a long evil. Then their kingdom will disappear in the year ninety-seven or ninety-nine, and the Mahdi will arise in the year two hundred.”

[243] And Nu’aym narrated from ‘Abd as-Salam ibn Maslamah, from Abu Qubayl that he said:

“The people will continue to be in goodness and ease as long as the kingdom of Banul-‘Abbas has not fallen apart. But when their kingdom falls apart, they will remain in trials until the rising of the Mahdi.”

[244] And Nu’aym narrated from al-Hakam ibn Nafi’, from Jarrah, from Artah that he said:

“The Sufyani will fight the Turks, then they will be finished off by the Mahdi. The first banner that the Mahdi will send will be against the Turks.”

[245] And Ibn Sa’d said in at-Tabaqat: “Al-Waqidi informed us, saying: “I heard Malik ibn Anas saying:

“Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan went out with Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Hasan on the day that he rebelled in al-Madinah. When Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah was killed, and Ja’far ibn Sulayman ibn ‘Ali became the governor of al-Madinah, he sent for Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan. So he was brought to him, and he [i.e. Ja’far ibn Sulayman] rebuked him and spoke to him harshly, saying: “You rebelled along with the liar?” He ordered his hand to be cut off. Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan spoke not a word, but he moved his lips inaudibly, as if supplicating.”

He [i.e. Malik ibn Anas] said: “So those of the fuqaha’ and chiefs of the people of al-Madinah who were present with Ja’far ibn Sulayman stood up and said: “May Allah rectify the amir! Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan is the faqih and worshipper of the people of al-Madinah, but he only misunderstood and thought that he [i.e. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Hasan] was the Mahdi mentioned in the narrations.” They kept on entreating him until he released him. Then Muhammad ibn ‘Ajlan turned and left, and did not say a word until he got back to his house.”

[246] And Nu’aym narrated from Ka’b that he said:

“The Dajjal will besiege the believers in Bayt al-Maqdis, and they will be afflicted by severe hunger so that they will eat their bowstrings. While they are like that, they will hear a voice in the early dawn, and they will say: “This is the voice of a satiated man.” He said: “So they will look and it will be ‘Isa ibn Maryam.”

He said: “The prayer will be established, and the imam of the Muslims, the Mahdi, will move back, but ‘Isa will say: “Go forward, for the prayer was established for you.” So he will lead them in that prayer, then ‘Isa will be their imam afterwards.”

[247] And Abul-Hasan ibn al-Munadi narrated in Kitab al-Malahim from Salim ibn Abil-Ja’d that he said:

“The Mahdi will be for twenty-one years or twenty-two years. Then there will be another after him who is lesser than him, but who is righteous, for fourteen years. Then there will be another after him who is lesser than him, but who is righteous, for nine years.”

[248] And Ibn ‘Asakir narrated from Khalid ibn Mi’dan that he said:

“The Sufyani will defeat the Jama’ah twice. And the Mahdi will not come out until a village in al-Ghutah, called Harasta, is swallowed by the earth. ”

[249] And Ibn al-Munadi narrated in al-Malahim from ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that he said:

“A man from my children will come, near the advent of the Hour, at a time when the hearts of the believers will die just as the bodies die, due to what they will suffer of harms, difficulties, hunger, killing, constant trials, great battles, the abolishment of the Sunan, the revival of innovations, and the abandonment of commanding the good and forbidding the evil.

So Allah will revive, through the Mahdi, the Sunan that had been abolished, and the hearts of the believers will rejoice at his justice and blessings. The groups of the non-Arabs and the tribes of the Arabs will unite with him, and he will remain like that for not many years, less than ten. Then he will die.”

[250] Ibn al-Munadi said:

“It is written in the Book of Daniel that the Sufyanis are three, and that the Mahdis are three. The first Sufyani will come, and after he has come and his reputation spread, the first Mahdi will come out against him. Then the second Sufyani will come, and the second Mahdi will come out against him. Then the third Sufyani will come, and the third Mahdi will come out against him, and Allah will rectify through him everything that was corrupted before. Through him Allah will save the people of faith, through him He will revive the Sunan, and through him He will extinguish the fires of innovation. The people during his time will be powerful and victorious over their opponents, and they will live the best life. Allah will send down showers of rain upon them, and the earth will bring forth its flowers and its crops. It will not withhold any of its crops from them. He will remain like that for seven years, then he will die.”

[251] Then he said: “Abu Bakr ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Sadaqah related to us: “Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Abu Umayyah at-Tarsusi related to us: “Abu Nu’aym al-Fadhl ibn Dukayn related to us: “Shurayk ibn ‘Abdillah related to us from ‘Ammar ibn ‘Abdillah ad-Duhani, from Salim ibn Abil-Ja’d that he said:

“The Mahdi will be for twenty-one years or twenty-two years. Then there will be another after him who is lesser than him, but who is righteous, for fourteen years. Then there will be another after him who is lesser than him, but who is righteous, for nine years.”

[252] And Ibn Mandah narrated in Tarikh Asbahan from Ibn ‘Abbas [radhiyallahu ‘anhuma] that he said:

“The Mahdi is a youth, from us, the Ahl al-Bayt.”

[253] ‘Abd al-Ghafir al-Farisi said in Majma’ al-Ghara’ib, and Ibn al-Jawzi in Gharib al-Hadith, and Ibn al-Athir in an-Nihayah, from the hadith of ‘Ali [radhiyallahu ‘anhu], that he mentioned the Mahdi from the children of al-Hasan [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] and said:

“His thighs will be widely-spaced.” Meaning spread out and far apart from each other.

Section

Important notes:

Firstly:

Abu Dawud in his Sunan presented a chapter about the Mahdi, and mentioned in its beginning the hadith of Jabir ibn Samurah [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] from the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam]:

[254] “This religion will remain strong until there have been twelve khulafa’, all of whom the Ummah will agree upon.”

And in a narration:

“This religion will remain powerful until there have been twelve khulafa’, all of them from Quraysh.”

So he thereby indicated that the Mahdi is one of the twelve, for there have not been, to this day, twelve khulafa’ every one of whom the Ummah have agreed upon.

Secondly:

[255] Ad-Daraqutni narrated in al-Afrad, and Ibn ‘Asakir in his Tarikh, from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan [radhiyallahu ‘anhu]: “I heard the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] saying:

“The Mahdi is from the children of al-‘Abbas, my uncle.”

Ad-Daraqutni said: “This hadith is gharib [narrated only through a single source], narrated only through Muhammad ibn al-Walid, the mawla of Banu Hashim.”

Thirdly:

[256] Ibn Majah narrated from Anas [radhiyallahu ‘anhu] that the Messenger of Allah [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] said:

“Things will only become harder, the world more distant, and the people more miserly. And the Hour will not come except upon the worst of people. And there is no Mahdi except ‘Isa ibn Maryam.”

Al-Qurtubi said in at-Tadhkirah: “Its isnad is dha’if [weak], and the ahadith from the Prophet [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] clearly mentioning the coming of the Mahdi from his descendents, the children of Fatima, are firmly established and more authentic then this hadith. So the judgement is given in preference to them over it.”

And Abul-Hasan Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Ibrahim ibn ‘Asim al-Aburri as-Sijzi said: “The reports are mutawatir [mass-narrated] and supported by the abundance of their narrators from al-Mustafa [sallallahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam] regarding the coming of the Mahdi, that he is from his household, that he will rule for seven years, that he will fill the earth with justice, that he will come with ‘Isa [‘alayhis-salam] and help him to kill the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd in the land of Palestine, that he will lead this Ummah and that ‘Isa [‘alayhis-salam] will pray behind him, along with other lengthy details about his story and his rule.”

Al-Qurtubi said: “And it is possible that his saying [‘alayhis-salam]: ” And there is no Mahdi except ‘Isa ibn Maryam” means that there is no perfect, infallible guided one except for ‘Isa [‘alayhis-salam].” He said: “This view reconciles the ahadith and removes any contradiction.”

And Ibn al-Athir said: “It seems apparent to reason that this hadith is in conflict with the ahadith that firmly establish that the Mahdi is someone other than ‘Isa ibn Maryam [‘alayhis-salam]. But upon reflection, it does not negate it, as the meaning might be that the Mahdi in the truest sense of the word is ‘Isa, without negating that other than he might also be a Mahdi.”

Fourthly:

[257] Al-Qurtubi mentioned in at-Tadhkirah a long account indicating that the Mahdi will come from the west, however there is no basis to that.

And Allah knows best.

And praise be to Allah by Whose Grace all good deeds are completed.