Who is Yamānī ?Al-Yamānī?

Al-Yamānī

(Who is Yamānī?)

Introduction

The rise of Yamānī is counted among the indefinite signs of Imam Mahdi’s appearance. Pointing to the apocalypse, some narrations of both Shia and Sunni sources refer to a man called al-Yamānī who, at the End of Time, will play an important role before Imam Mahdi’s advent. He, on the threshold of the appearance of the Imam, will start his uprising from Yemen to prepare the ground for the Imam’s advent. The emergence of the impostors claiming to be the Yamānī, and the acceptance of their claims by many Muslims throughout history; shows the authenticity of this matter.

About the exact name of the Yamānī, there are not enough authentic Shiite narrations. However, in the Sunni sources, there are some references to his name like “al-Qaḥṭānī”[1], “al-Manṣūr”[2], “al-Yamānī Caliph”[3], and the famous one is “al-Yamānī”.^[4] The reason behind the ambiguity of his name might be that the Imams have intended to keep him safe and protect him from the probable dangers to let him have the fortune to accomplish his key role.

Characteristics of Yamānī’s uprising

Based on the narrations that are available to us, some features of the Yamānī’s uprising are as follows:

1. The appointed time of his uprising

In this regard, there are two kinds of narrations. Based on the first group of them, the rise of al-Yamānī will be started before the Sufyānī’s. On the other hand, the second group of the narrations declares that his movement will be synchronized with Imam al-Mahdi’s uprising and he will call people to Imam Mahdi’s universal movement. Concluding, both groups have a character in common i.e. his uprising will occur before the uprising of al-Sufyānī.^[5]

In the collection of Hadiths pertaining to the signs of Imam Mahdi’s advent, there are three narrations which, in addition to indicating the coincidence of the Yamānī’s uprising with the rise of the Sufyānī, have stated the beginning of these two movements and the rise of Khurāsānī in exactly one year, one month and one day. In this regard, there is a narration from Imam al-Bāqir (the fifth Imam of Shia) to have said,

« ... خروجُ السفیانیِّ و الیمانیِّ والخراسانیِّ فی سَنَةٍ واحدةٍ فی شهرٍ واحدٍ فی یومٍ واحدٍ.»[6]

 “The rise of Sufyānī, Yamānī, and Khurāsānī will occur exactly in the same year, the same month and the same day.”

There are also narrations from Imam Ṣādiq[7] and Imam Riḍā[8] (p.b.u.t), related to this issue.

2. The venue that his uprising will start from

In the case of the venue of the Yamānī’s uprising, it has been mentioned by the Shia and Sunni scholars that he will come from Ṣanʹā, Yemen^[9]. There are also some references to Eden[10] and Kanda.^[11]

3. The sign and the color of his flag

To be on the verge of the Imam’s advent, some military movements will occur with their specific banners preventing the believers to go astray. For instance, the flag of Iranian revolutionary (the Khurāsānī) is supposed to be in black, but the color of Yamānī’s flag will be white.

4. The stages and the goals of his movement

In the aftermath of his rising, generally, Yamānī tries to attain the goals that are reflected in some narrations:

a.      To make a military alliance with the Khurāsānī.

b.      To call people to the right path i.e. the path of Ahl al-Bayt.

c.      To help Imam al-Mahdi and call people to give allegiance to the Imam.

The importance of Yamānī’s uprising

Based on some narrations, it is forbidden to oppose Yamānī and more surprisingly, we see that, this kind of forbiddance is mentioned merely about him, not for the other positive figures at the End of Time. The man is exalted in Islamic narrations and it is mentioned that there will be no guiding flag other than the Yamānī’s.

It has been quoted from Imam al-Bāqir (the Shia’s fifth Imam) to have said,

«... وَ لَيْسَ فِي الرَّايَاتِ‏ رَايَةٌ أَهْدَى‏ مِنْ رَايَةِ الْيَمَانِيِّ هِيَ رَايَةُ هُدًى لِأَنَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى صَاحِبِكُم‏»^[12]

 “…Among the flags (which lead people to the right path) there is no more guiding banner than al-Yamānī’s; his flag is a guiding banner because he will call attention to your Master.”

Add to it that there are some narrations even stating that opposing him is forbidden, and his enemies and opponents will be in Hell. In this regard, there is a narration from Imam al-Bāqir to have stated,

«وَ إِذَا خَرَجَ الْيَمَانِيُ‏ فَانْهَضْ‏ إِلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ رَايَتَهُ رَايَةُ هُدًى وَ لَا يَحِلُّ لِمُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَلْتَوِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ لِأَنَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى الْحَقِّ وَ إِلى‏ طَرِيقٍ مُسْتَقِيم‏»^[13]

“Whenever al-Yamānī rises up, then run towards him. Indeed, his flag is a guiding banner; and no Muslim is allowed to act against him; everyone who does that, he will be in the hell because al-Yamānī invites to the truth and to the right path.”

It is obvious that we cannot infer from this narration that al-Yamānī is immaculate. However, it may originate from his positive role in contrast to the negative position of the Sufyānī in that Yamānī should be followed and Sufyānī must be rejected by people because the Sufyānī proclaims that he is the promised savior and will conquer some of the Islamic countries.

The traditions that accentuate on helping al-Yamānī, show the importance of his uprising and regard his movement as being comprehensive and influential to the degree that will accelerate the Imam’s appearance. The following is a list of some important items of the great state of Yamānī and his mission:

1. According to numerous traditions, his uprising is considered as one of the five definite signs of Imam al-Mahdi's manifestation. On this matter, there is a narration from Imam al-Ṣādiq (the Shia’s sixth Imam) to have said,

«خَمسٌ قبلَ قيامِ القائِم: اليَمانِیُّ وَالسُّفيانیُّ، وَالمُنادی مِنَ السَّماءِ وَ خَسفٌ بِالبِيداءِ وَ قَتلُ النَّفسِ الزَّکِيَّةِ»^[14]

“There are five signs that will take place before the appearance of the Upriser (Imam al-Mahdi): the rise of the Yamānī, the rise of the Sufyānī, the call from the skies, the earth swallowing in al-Baydā’, and the murder of the purified soul (al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah.”

2. Having encouraged people to help Yamānī,^[15] many traditions confirm his uprising. It indicates that his uprising will be an Islamic reformist movement. So, taking what is said into consideration, the right risings and revolutions whose aim is to help to hasten the advent of the Promised Savior (Imam Mahdi) are allowed by the Imams in the period of the occultation. These narrations reject the belief of those who think that reforming actions that take place before the Imam al-Mahdi’s advent is completely condemned to failure.
3. Without a doubt, supporting Yamānī in his important mission depends on knowing his personality and essential preconditions of his movement in detail then we would have concrete criteria for recognizing the real al-Yamānī because always there have been some false Yamānīs who have misused people’s religious feelings.
4. One of the most important efforts shall be made by the Yamānī is to counter Sufyānī, who is the most adamant opponent of Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h). Despite few minor variations in details, Shiite and Sunnite narrations are unanimous in confrontation between Yamānī and Sufyānī. In this regard, it has been said in a Hadith,

«...ثم یسیرُ الیهم منصورُالیمانیُّ من صنعاءَ بجنوده ... فَیلتَقی هو والأَخوص... فیکون بینهما قتالٌ شدیدٌ»[16]

“Then, al-Yamānī will go to them from Ṣan´nā with his army ... and he will face al-Akhūṣ [Sufyani] ... so a severe battle will take place between them...”

Yamānī and Imam Mahdi (p.b.u.h)

Though a few narrations are referring to the connection of the Yamānī’s rising with the universal movement of Imam al-Mahdi^[17], there is not any authentic narration to clarify whether he will be alive to meet Imam al-Mahdi; and whether his movement will be continued till the auspicious advent of the Imam or not. However, there are some references that Yamānī will be succeeded to be in the Imam’s presence. There is something for sure that the Sufyānī, the stubborn enemy of Imam Mahdi, will be against al-Yamānī while there is no report given about Yamānī’s defeat. According to a narration from Imam al-Ṣādiq saying, “Whoever fights against the Sufyānī, will be defeated by him but al-Yamānī.”^[18] Furthermore, it is said about the name of Yamānī that one of his titles is al-Manṣūr which means a person who gets help to be victorious.

False Yamānīs

Some of the early and late false claimants, who pretended to be the Yamānī, are as follows:

1. ˈAbd al-Raḥmān b. Ash'ath b. Qays b. Ma'dī Karab al-Kindī;[19]

2. Yazīd b. Muhallab;[20]

3. ˈAbd al- Raḥmān b. Muhammad;[21]

4. ˈAbd al-Raḥīm b. ˈAbd al- Raḥmān b. al-Faras;[22]

5. Aḥmad Ismāil Baṣrī.[23]

 General criteria to recognize the true Yamānī

Taking what was said about Yamānī as an effective figure and his significant role at the End of the Time into consideration, people who wait for Imam al-Mahdi’s advent need to have some strict criteria for distinguishing the false Yamānīs from the true one. On this matter, some of the basic items of the promised Yamānī are as follows:

1. He will start his mission from Yemen.
2. His rising will be simultaneous with the rising of the Sufyānī from Shām (Syria) and Khurāsānī from Iran.
3. He is a righteous and pious individual who, exactly, acts according to the Quran and Sunnah so, whoever treats unjustly and mislead people about their duty during the occultation of the Imam he would not be the real Yamānī.

References

1. Ibn Bābawayh, Muhammad b. Ali (Sheikh al-Ṣadūq), ˈUyūn Akhbār al-Rīḍā, Tehran, first edition, 1958.
2. Ibn Ḥammād, Al-Fitan, Dār al-Kutub al-ˈIlmiyyah.
3.  Ibn Bābawayh, Muhammad b. Ali (Sheikh al-Ṣadūq), Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niˈmah, Dār al-Kutub al- Islamiyyah, Qom, 2016.
4. Muhammad b. Khaldūn, Dīwān al-Mubtadā wa al-Khabar in the history of the Arabs and the barbarians…, Research: Khalīl Shaḥādah, Beirut, Dar al-Fikr, 1988.
5. Ibn Manẓūr, Muhammad b. Mukarram, Lisān al-ˈArab, Dār Ṣādir for Printing and Publishing, Beirut, 1993.
6. Baḥrānī, Sayyid Hāshim b. Sulayman, Al-Burhān Fi Tafsīr Al-Quran, Qom, first edition, 1995.
7. Salīmyān, Khodamorād, A comparative analysis of the narrations of the signs of Appearance, Research Institute of Islamic Sciences and Culture, Qom, first edition, 2020.
8. Ṭūsī, Muhammad b. Hasan, Al-Ghaybah, Qom, Institute of Islamic Studies, 1991.
9. Ṭūsī, Muhammad b. Hasan, Al-Amālī, Dār al- Thiqāfah, 1993.
10. Ṭabasī, Najm al-Dīn, Till the Appearance, Cultural Foundation of promised Mahdi, Qom, 2009.
11. Fatlāwī, Mahdi Hamad, Rayāt al-Hudā wa al-Ḍalāl fi ˈAșr al-Ẓuhūr (The guiding and misleading flags at the time of the Appearance), 1 volume, Dar al-Muḥajjat al-Bayḍā- Beirut, first edition, 1999.
12. Kūrānī, Ali and helpers, Mu'jam Aḥādīth al-Imam al-Mahdi, 1991.
13. Muttaqī al-Hindī, Ali b. Ḥisām, Kanz al-ˈUmmāl fi Sunan al-Aqwāl wa al-Afˈāl, al- Risālah, Beirut, 1989.
14. Majlisī, Muhammad Bāqir, Biḥār al-Anwār li Durar al-Akhbār al-A’immat al-Aṭhār, Beirut, Al-Wafā foundation, second edition, 1983.
15. Marwzī, Naˈīm b. Ḥammād, Al-Fitan, Research: Abu Abd Allah Ayman Muhammad Arafa, Al-Maktabah Al-Tawfiqiyyah.
16. Masˈūdi, Ali b. Hussayn, Al-Tanbīh wa Al-Ishrāf, correction: Abd Allah Ismail Al-Ṣawī, Cairo, Dar Al-Ṣawī.
17. Nuˈmānī, Muhammad b. Ibrāhīm, Al-Ghaybah, Tehran, Maktabat al-Ṣadūq, 1977.
18. Shahbāzyān, Muhammad & Yūsufyān, Mahdi, A study on the narrative reasoning of Aḥmad Bașrī- false Yamānī, Mashriq-e Muw'ūd Magazine, no. 27, Fall 2013.
19. Ᾱyatī, Nușrat Allah, A Reflection on the definite signs of the Appearance, Qom, Bight future institute, 2012.

Ḥamīd Saˈādat

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