Whether the original books of the Sunnis mention and relate about the matters related to the existence, life and reappearance of Imam Mahdi?
Reply:
It is an accepted fact that the belief of the promised Mahdi is found with the Shi’as who are the believers in Imamat. Many verses from the Holy Qur’an and thousands of traditions are available in this regard. Numerous books of the Ahlul Sunnat that contained traditions on this topic became the target of bias. The reigns of Bani Umayya and Bani Abbas were the periods when the enemies of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) were in power. They never gave a chance to Muslim historians to relate traditions on this subject.
Petty politics and concealment of the truth were the foundations on which the governments of Bani Umayya and Bani Abbas were raised. Their main aim was to keep a partisan attitude in matters of Imamat. How could the usurpers of Imamat allow any such tradition to remain in the books? Yet, the mention of Hazrat al-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) is found in some of the important books of Ahlul Sunnat. We produce some examples hereunder:
Huzaifa said: “The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was delivering a sermon in which he was forewarning about the future conditions. In the same sermon he (s.a.w.a.) said that:
“Even if the life of the world remains only for a single day, Allah will lengthen it to such an extent till a person from my progeny appears (to rule the world). His name will be my name.”
Salman asked, “O Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)! From where will your son appear? He (s.a.w.a.) placed his hand on the back of Imam Husain (a.s.) and said: ‘That son of mine will be from him’.”[ 1]
Abdullah Ibn Masood narrates that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said:
“Even if one day remains for the end of the world, Allah the High shall lengthen that day to such an extent that a person from my nation and my family will establish divine leadership. His name will be the same as mine. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression.”[ 2]
Elsewhere he (s.a.w.a.) mentioned that:
“The promised Mahdi is from my progeny and from the children of Fatimah.”[ 3]
Abu Saeed Khudri narrates from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that:
“In the last period, kings will subject my nation to calamities. One cannot even bear to listen to their atrocities. The vast earth will become small and narrow for them as it would be replete with oppression and tyranny. The believers will not find any sanctuary from oppression. Then, Allah will send a man from my family. He will fill the earth with justice and equity just as it was previously filled with oppression and tyranny. The inhabitants of the earth and the skies will become happy with him. The earth will reveal its treasures for him. The skies will shower rains. Men will desire life again. He will live among the people for 7 or 9 years.”[ 4]
It is also narrated from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that he said:
“Our Mahdi has a broad forehead and a deep insight. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. He will rule for 7 years”[ 5]
[1]: Faraaed al-Simtain, Muhammad Juvaini Khurasani, vol. 2, p. Yanaabee’ al-Mawaddah, Shaikh Sulaiman Qunduzi, vol. 3, p. 163
[2]: Fusool al-Muhimmah, Ibn Sabbagh Maaliki, p. 294
[3]: Fusool al-Muhimmah, Ibn Sabbagh Maaliki, p. 294
[4]: Al Bayaan Fi Akhbaar al-Sahebiz Zamaan, Hafiz Ganji Shaafei, p. 493
[5]: Yanaabee’ al-Mawaddah, Shaikh Sulaiman Qunduzi, vol. 3, p. 163; Fusul al-Muhimmah, Ibn Sabbag al-Maliki, p. 293
