Al-Mahdi (a.s.)

author of «eqdud-durar» in chapter one section 4 narrates from abu abdullah na'eem-ibn-hemaad (from his book «al-fatan») who is turn narrates from ali (a.s.) who said:- «the kingdom of bani-abbass is such that if the turks, deylamites, and the inhabitants of indus valley and india were to attack them they would fail to destroy them and bani-abbass would continue to be successful until they become aggressive towards the slaves and the weak. then god will make a 'gusale' (the wicked one who will revolt against bani-abbass and destroy them) to dominate over them which shall come out from a place where their kingdom will be disclosed. he shall not pass any city but that which conquers; no flag will be hoisted before him but that which he destroys and he will not come across any bounty but that which he misuses. woe be to the one who takes his side. this shall continue until victory is achieved by the the hands of an arab who shall rise fore the truth and act upon it.»

it is apparent that 'on arab' in the above sentence refers to Mahdi, the awaited one who shall appear at the end of time and his signs are the very ones which have come in the same chapter of the aforesaid book which has been taken from the book of «al-fatan», where its author, imam abu abdulla na'eem-ibn hemaad narrates from abi qabil as such: «people shall always be in comfort until the kingdom of bani-abbass comes to an end. then they will live in disturbed conditions until the advent of Mahdi.»

author says: history bears witness that right from the time of holaku's revolt, the east has not enjoyed liberty. disturbed conditions and discord among the rulers and kings has always continued to exist. thus ali's saying that: «until he gains victory and hands it over to an arab» is perhaps referring to this point that that discord and disturbed conditions are all incidental to the coming of holaku and his subsequent revolt and it shall remain till the advent of Mahdi. thus, as one of the causes and means of Mahdi's victory and his success in inviting the people (towards his mission) and his domination over the cities is the discord and disturbed conditions which shall follow the revolt of holaku. it is like this that holaku himself will surrender the affairs of government to hazrat (a.s.). another factor which shows that Mahdi is from an arab line is the diffused traditions which have come with regards to determination of his family and relatives. ragheb in his «mufradaat» says: 'arab are the children of ismail (-ishmaeel) and (-aarab) its plural form. later on, the nomads were called by that name.'

the author of «saba'ek-uz-zahak», on page 4 says: 'the city-dwellers are called as «- arab» and the desert - dwellers as «- aarab» and what is common is that the word of is used for both groups.'

jauhari in «sihah» says: «- arab» is a tribe and they are the city-dwellers. they have been called arabi by the title of a'raab-e-erabi. but what is commonly used is the word of «- arab» at all levels. the same has been written in the dictionaries.'

the author of «ebar» says: 'the word of «- arab» is constructioned from «- aarab» and its meaning of expression (speech) has been taken from those who say:- at the time when a person expresses and describes his need and since they possess the faculty of expression and eloquency in speech they have been called by this name. so know that every non arab - whether iranians, turks, romans or europeans are all - ajam - non-arab) and it is not what the people commonly believe that the word of is particular to the persian - speaking nation. rather, the people of west have hitherto used this word for the french and those who fall in the same category. however the word of (by an addition of «- a») is used for the one who does not clarify his speech even though he may be an arab.

«Mahdi is from this «ummah»
(nation)»

tirmidhi is his «sahih», on page 270 narrates from abu sa'eed khudri who said: 'i feared that after the holy prophet, something bad might take place, so we asked the prophet and he replied as such: 'indeed Mahdi is from my «ummah» and he shall emerge from amongst them.'

the magazine «hudal-islam» in its 25th publication, line no. 3 has narrated the same tradition from ibn-maajah who in turn has narrated it from abu sa'eed.

the author of «eqdud-durar», in the first chapter narrates from abu muslim abdur-rahman-ibn-auf and he from his father and he from the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.) who said:-