Al-Mahdi (a.s.)

similarly names such as ganji, sebt-ibn-jauzi, khaurazmi, ibn hajar, mulla ali muttaqi, the author of 'kanzul-ummal', shablanji and qunduzi too cannot be overlooked.

some of their books in this regard are: 'manaqib al-Mahdi', 'fourty traditions from abu na'eem esfahani, 'bayan-fi-akhbar-saheb-uz-zaman' from abi abdulla ganji, 'al-burhan-fima-ja'a-fi saheb-uz-zaman' from mulla ali muttaqi the author of kanzul-ummal, 'akhbar-al-Mahdi' from hamaad-ibn-yaqub raujani 'arf-ul-wardi- fi akhbar Mahdi' and 'alamaat al-Mahdi' both from jalaluddin suyuti and the book of 'al-qaul - ul mukhtasar - fi -alamaat Mahdi muntazar' from ibn-hajar - asqalani.

indeed traditions from the holy prophet about 'Mahdi-e-muntazar' and the qa'em from the progeny of muhammad (s.a.w a.) which have been narrated through the sunni sources are numerous in number. rather they are 'mutawatir' (authentic) regarding their own statements.

such says ibn hajr on page 99 of 'sawa'eq' 'abul hussein abri says that the traditions which have come from the holy prophet (s.a.w a.) about the advent of 'Mahdi' and the fact that he is from ahl-ul-bait have come from successive transmitters.

shablanji, on page 231 of 'nur-ul-absar' says: «the tradition from the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.) stating that Mahdi is from my progeny and shall fill the earth with justice has come from successive transmitters.»

in the second volume of 'fotouhat-e-islamiah' on page no. 322, zaini dehlaan says: «the traditions which speak about the advent of Mahdi are many in number and are 'mutawatir' (authentic). among them there may be traditions which are 'sahih' (correct), 'hassan' (favourable) or 'za'eef' (weak). however considering the numerousness of such ('sahih') traditions and the multiplicity of its narrators, one cannot but accept them to be authentic.

in the second volume of the same page he mentions that allama sayyid muhammad-ibn-rasul - barzanji has specified in the end of his book «ashshat - fi - ashraat - e - sa'ah», that traditions about Mahdi are 'mutawatir' (authentic). he also says: 'the fact that the matter of 'mahdaviyat' is decisive and that he shall be from the progeny of fatemah (a.s.) and he shall fill the earth with justice are all authentic.(2)

what we have said has been a part of specification of such scholars about the authenticity and reliability of the traditions concerning Mahdi, the awaited one.

on this basis, as per the fixed principles in traditions, there remains no room for any doubt, leave aside denying them.

if we do away with those specifications and testemonies and examine the traditions of this chapter from the view - point of the chain of transmission and significance, we can divide them into three parts:-