The Residence of the Twelfth Imam
Dr. Fahimi: Where does the Imam of the Age live during the occultation?
Mr. Hoshyar: His residence is
not established. Probably he does not have a fixed residence, and lives
invisibly among the people, interacting with them. It is also possible that he
may have selected a far away place for his domicile. In some hadith-reports it
is stated that the twelfth Imam comes to Mecca during the pilgrimage season and
participates in the hajj rituals. He sees and knows the people, whereas people
do not see him.
Mr. Hoshyar: This ascription is
nothing more than a falsehood which has been circulated out of obstinacy. The
Shi'is do not maintain such a belief. There is absolutely no report that says
that the twelfth Imam lives in the cellar and will rise from there. No Shi'i
scholar has mentioned such a thing. On the contrary, many hadith-reports
narrate that he lives among the people and associates with them. Sadir Sayrafi
has related a tradition from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) which says:
The Story about the Countries that
Belong to the Sons of the Imam
Dr. Jalali: I have heard that
the Imam of the Age has numerous sons, who live in large well developed
countries whose capital cities are known by names such as Zahira, Rathiqa,
Safiya, Zalum, and 'Anatis. Five of his well respected sons by the name of
Tahir, Qasim, Ibrahim, 'Abd al-Rahman, and Hashim rule these countries. Some of
the description of these countries includes their likeness to paradise where
the climate is perfect and the blessings are countless. In these places there
is such a total peace that a wolf and a sheep live together. Wild animals do
not bother humans.
The inhabitants of these countries are the righteous followers of the Imam who
have received their instruction from the Imam's school. Falsehood and deception
have not found their way in these places. From time to time the Imam visits
these ideal places. Such are the agreeable things reported about these
countries that belong to the Imam's sons.
Mr. Hoshyar: The story of these
unknown countries is undoubtedly a legend. The only source for it is the
anecdotal account related in Hadiqat al-shi'a, Anwar nu'maniyya and Jannat al-ma'wa.
In order to elucidate this we should look at the source of the anecdote. The
story has been related in the following form:
It is related by 'Ali Fath
Allah Kashani that Muhammad b. 'Ali b. Husyan 'Alawi has narrated in his book
from Sa'id b. Ahmad who said: Hamza b. Musayyib narrated for me a story on the
eighth day of Sha'ban, 544 AH (1149 CE), that 'Uthman b. 'Abd al-Baqi related
on the seventh day of Jamadi al-Thani, 543 AH (1148 CE), who in turn related
from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Yahya Anbari on the tenth day of Ramadan, 543 AH
(1148 CE) to me, saying: "I was with some people in the gathering of the
vizier 'Awn al-Din Yahya b. Hubayra. In that gathering there was also a
respectable person whose identity was not known. The person was engaged in relating
the story in which he described one of his sea journeys. That year the ship
lost its way and took them to the mysterious island about which no one knew
anything. 'We had to disembark and we landed in that island.'"
At this point Ahmad b. Muhammad
relates the fantastic story about those countries from this unknown narrator in
great detail, and at the end of the story he appends the following:
After hearing the story the
vizier entered his special chamber and asked all of us to come in. He then
said: "No one has the right to transmit the story for anyone, as long as I
am alive." We too, as long as the vizier was alive, never related the
event for anyone.
We have taken care to mention
the source of the story so that the readers should realize the weakness of the
transmission and its unreliability. For the detail of the story you may refer
to the book itself. It is obvious for the scholars that the existence of such
countries cannot be proven on the basis of this narrative. First, the reporter
of the important story is an unknown person whose identity is unclear. Hence,
his report has no credibility. Second, it is not possible that such places
exist when no one has any information about it.
This is particularly so in this
age when all corners of the world have been mapped out and studied by the scholars.
However, some people have defended the existence of these places as vehemently
as if they were defending some fundamental Islamic principle. These people say
that perhaps such places are present even now, but God has concealed them from
strangers and non-believers! I do not believe that such opinions require any
response. Actually, I do not understand what has prompted these people to offer
such a whimsical and conjectural explanation of a story whose reliability and
credibility is itself questionable!
It has been asserted that even
if it is assumed hypothetically that such countries are non-existent now, one
can still maintain that they did exist in the past and are now in ruins and
their inhabitants extinct. Such an assertion is also baseless, because if such
prosperous and large countries with Shi'i population had existed, there would
have been many who would have known about them and would have related, however
speculatively, the amazing things about them in history books.
Ordinarily, it is improbable
that such major countries could have existed and no one ever recorded anything
about them. It is equally implausible that such a thing would have been known
to only one unidentified person whose report about these places forms the basis
of this fantastic narrative. Moreover, it is unthinkable that the evidence
about their existence would be so thoroughly wiped out that there would remain
no archeological or historical trace of those places and their inhabitants!
The great scholar 'Allama Agha
Buzurg Tihrani has critically evaluated the story and has doubted its
reliability. In his comprehensive bibliographical study of books that were
written by Muslim scholars about various Islamic subjects, he writes the
following about the source that reports the incredible story about these
prosperous countries that belong to the sons of the twelfth Imam:
This story appears at the end
of one of the manuscripts of the book Ta'azi, written by Muhammad b. 'Ali
'Alawi. Hence, 'Ali b. Fath Allah Kashani assumed that the story is part of
that book. He has certainly made an error since it is not possible that the
story could be part of the book.
The reason is that Yahya b.
Hubayra, the vizier in whose house the story took place, died in the year 560
AH (1164 CE), whereas the author of Ta'azi lived two centuries before that. In
addition, there are inconsistencies in the text of the story because the
narrator of the story, namely, Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Yahya Anbari, says:
"The vizier exacted a promise from us that we would not relate the story
to anyone. We too have fulfilled our promise and as long as he lived we did not
disclose it."
In that case the narration of the story must be placed after 560 AH (1164 CE),
that is, subsequent to the vizier's death. On the other hand, 'Uthman b. 'Abd
al-Baqi in the story says: "Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Yahya Anbari related the
story to me in 543 AH (1148 CE)."
In another place, says Agha
Buzurg, the story relates: ". . . 'Uthman b. 'Abd al-Baqi related to me on
the seventh of Jamadi al-Thani, 543 AH (1148 CE) that Ahmad b. Muhammad
[Anbari] related to me on the tenth of Ramadan, 543 AH . . .!" Since the
month of Ramadan falls two months after the month of Jamadi al-Thani how can it
be possible for anyone to report in Jamadi Thani something that occurred in
Ramadan?
In short, we are not
religiously or rationally required to speculate and produce weak arguments to
speak about the place of the twelfth Imam's residence and try to prove that
Jaza'ir Khadra' (Evergreen Islands) or the city of Jabulqa or Jabursa are the places
of his residence. Or declare that the Imam has chosen the Eighth Clime as his
residence!
Dr. Fahimi: Then what is this
story about the Jaza'ir Khadra'?
Mr. Hoshyar: Since it is
getting late, shall we discuss the rest of the subject next week? If you all
agree, we can meet in my house.
*******
Jazira Khadra' (The Evergreen Island)
The session began on time at
Mr. Hoshyar's residence.
Dr. Jalali: If I remember
correctly Dr. Fahimi had a question regarding Jazira Khadra' in the previous
meeting.
Dr. Fahimi: I have been told
that the twelfth Imam (peace be upon him) and his sons live in Jazira Khadra'.
What is your opinion about this belief?
Mr. Hoshyar: This story about
Jazira Khadra' is no more than a legend. 'Allama Majlisi has narrated the
entire story in his Bihar al-anwar, the summary of which is as follows. Majlisi
says:
I found a manuscript in the
Amir al-Mu'minin library of Najaf which was a treatise on the story of Jazira
Khadra'. The author of this manuscript is Fadl b. Yahya Tayyibi. He has written
that he heard the story of Jazira Khadra' from Shaykh Shams al-Din and Shaykh Jalal
al-Din in the shrine of Imam Husayn [in Karbala] on the 15th night of Sha'ban,
699 AH (1299 CE). They related the story on the authority of Zayn al-Din 'Ali
b. Fadil Mazandarani. Thus I decided to hear the story from him myself.
Fortunately, in the beginning
of the month of Shawwal of the same year, it so happened that Shaykh Zayn
al-Din travelled to the city of Hilla. I met with him in the house of Sayyid
Fakhr al-Din. I asked him to tell me the story he had related for Shaykh Shams
al-Din and Shaykh Jalal al-Din. He said:
I was engaged in studying with
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahim Hanafi and Shaykh Zayn al-Din 'Ali Andalusi in Damascus.
Shaykh Zayn al-Din was a pious man, and held good opinion about the Shi'a and
their scholars, and used to respect them. I stayed with him for a while and
benefitted from his lectures. It so happened that he had to travel to Egypt.
Since we liked each other, he decided to take me with him. We travelled
together to Egypt and he chose to live in Cairo. We lived in the most favorable
condition there for nine months. On one of the days he received a letter from
his father, requesting him to return because he was seriously ill and wished to
see him before his death.
The shaykh wept upon reading
the letter and decided to travel to Andalusia. I also accompanied him in this
journey. When we arrived in the first town of the peninsula, I became seriously
ill and could not move at all. The shaykh became troubled over my condition. He
entrusted me to the preacher of the town, asking him to take care of me and he
continued on his journey to his city. My illness lasted for three days and
gradually I started getting better. I came out of the house and strolled in the
streets. There I saw some caravans that had come from the mountainous region
with goods to sell.
I engaged in conversation with them and they told me that they had come from
the Berber region which is close to the islands of the Rafidis (Shi'is).
When I heard about the islands
of the Rafidis I became eager to visit them. They told me that the distance
between this town and the islands was twenty-five days of journey, of which for
some two days there is no water or person to be found. To cross those two days
I hired a donkey, and the rest of the journey I travelled on foot. I went on until
I reached the islands of the Rafidis which were fortified with a strong wall
and tall, sturdy watch towers. I entered the mosque of the city and it was a
spacious mosque. I heard the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer in the way
the Shi'is do, and following the call he prayed for the deliverance of the
community through the immediate return of the Imam. I was crying with
happiness.
The people started coming to
the mosque and following the Shi'i practice they performed their ablutions and
entered. A handsome man entered the mosque and went towards the mihrab (the
niche). The congregational prayer began and after it was over they offered
their supplications. Then they saw me and inquired about me. I told them my
story and informed them that I was originally from Iraq. When they found out
that I was a member of the Shi'a, they respected me and fixed me a place in one
of the rooms in the mosque. The leader of the prayer showed his respect to me
and never left me alone at any time.
On one of the days I asked him
as to where the food and other needs of the people come from. He replied that
their provision comes from Jazira Khadra', which is located in the middle of
the White Sea. Twice every year their food comes by ship from the Jazira. I
asked him about the time when the ship was due to return and he said that it
would be in four months. I was sad to learn that it would take that long.
However, after forty days seven ships anchored off shore. From the largest
vessel a handsome looking person emerged. He came to the mosque and performed
his ablutions in accordance with Shi'i teachings and offered his noon and
afternoon prayers. After the prayers were over he came towards me, greeted me
-- mentioning my and my father's name.
I was surprised and said: "Did you learn my name during the journey from
Damascus to Cairo or from Cairo to Andalusia?" He replied, "No.
Rather, your name, and your father's name, as well as your features and
characteristics have reached me. I will take you to Jazira Khadra' with myself."
He sojourned there at the island for a week and after completing his work we
set off. After some sixteen days had passed on the sea, my attention was drawn
by the clear waters in the middle of the sea. That man whose name was Muhammad,
asked me as to what had drawn my attention. I said that the waters of this
region had a different color. At that he told me that this was the White Sea
and that the Jazira Khadra' was there. "These waters are a life
fortification surrounding us and protecting us in such a way that, by God's
help, if the ships belonging to our enemies try to get closer to this point,
through the blessing of the Imam of the Age, they are drowned."
I drank some of the water in
that region. It was as sweet as the water of the Euphrates. After having crossed
the white waters we arrived at the Jazira Khadra'. We disembarked from the ship
and went to the city. The city was prosperous and full of fruit trees. It had a
number of market places filled with goods and the inhabitants of the city lived
most happily. My heart was filled with joy.
My friend Muhammad took me to
his house. After we had rested for a while we went to the congregational
mosque. Large crowds had gathered in the mosque. In the midst of all these
people was a prominent and awe-inspiring person whose imposing features I
cannot describe. His name was Sayyid Shams al-Din Muhammad. People were
gathered around him studying the Arabic language, the Qur'an and other
religious sciences. When I came into his presence he welcomed me and made me sit
close to him. He enquired about my health and told me that it was he who had
sent Shaykh Muhammad to fetch me. Then he ordered one of the rooms in the
mosque to be prepared for my stay. I remained there and ate my meals with
Sayyid Shams al-Din and his companions. Eighteen days passed in this way.
The first Friday that I was
there I went to offer the special service of the jum'a. I saw Sayyid Shams
al-Din reciting the two units of the Friday service as an obligatory act. I was
surprised to observe this and when everything was over I asked Sayyid Shams
al-Din in private: "Is it now the period of the presence of the Imam that
you offered the jum'a as an obligatory act?" He said: "No, the Imam
is not present, but I am his special deputy." I went on to ask: "Have
you ever seen the Imam of the Age?" He said: "No, I have not seen
him, but my father used to say that he used to hear his voice but could not see
him. But my grandfather would hear his voice and see him too." So I asked
him: "O my master, what is the reason that some people can see him and
some others do not." He said: "This a special favor that God grants
to some of His creatures."
Then the Sayyid took me by the
hand and we went out of the city. I saw lush trees, and fruit and flower
gardens, the like of which I had not seen in Syria and Iraq. While we were
strolling we met a handsome looking man who greeted us. I asked the Sayyid if
he knew the man. He said: "Do you see this tall mountain?" I
answered, "Yes." "In the middle of this mountain there is a
beautiful home, with a sweet water spring under the trees, and," he
continued, "there is a dome made of bricks there. This man and his other
companions are the servants of this dome and the court. Every Friday morning I
go there and meet with the Imam of the Age. After saying two units of prayer I
find the paper on which all the problems that I need a response for are
written. It is appropriate that you too should go there and meet the Imam in
that dome."
Hence, I began to walk towards
the mountain. I found the dome as he had said, and saw the two servants I had
seen before. I requested to see the Imam (peace be upon him). They said it was
not possible and that they had no permission to admit anyone. So I said to
them: "Pray for me." They agreed, and prayed for me. I descended the
mountain and went to the house of Sayyid Shams al-Din. He was not at home.
I went to the house of Shaykh
Muhammad with whom I had been on the boat, and related to him my experience on
the mountain and told him that the two servants did not permit me to see the
Imam. Shaykh Muhammad told me that no one except Sayyid Shams al-Din had
permission to go to that place because he was one of the sons of the twelfth
Imam. Between him and the Imam of the Age there was a distance of five
generations of the Imam and that he was his special deputy.
After that I sought permission
from Sayyid Shams al-Din to ask him about his rulings on some religious
problems which I could then cite on his authority. I also asked him if I could
read the Qur'an with him so that he could teach me the correct pronunciation.
He agreed and told me that we should start with the Qur'an first. During my
recitation I would mention the differences in the reading among the Qur'an
reciters. The Sayyid told me that we do not recognize those variations, and
added: "Our recitation is in conformity with the Qur'an of 'Ali b. Abi
Talib (peace be upon him)."
At that point he told me the
story of how the Qur'an was compiled by 'Ali b. Abi Talib. I asked him why some
verses of the Qur'an had no connection with what was being said before and
after. He agreed that the situation was as I described then related the story
of how the Qur'an was compiled by Abu Bakr and how the caliphs rejected the
compilation that was made by 'Ali b. Abi Talib. "It is for this reason
that you see some verses not being related to those before or after," he
said.
I asked the Sayyid's permission
and reported from him some ninety rulings, which I cannot permit anyone to see
except some very special individuals among the followers of the Imam . . .
At this juncture the narrator
introduces another story which he had witnessed:
I asked the Sayyid about a
tradition from the Imam of the Age that has been related to us that anyone who
claims to have seen the Imam during the occultation is telling a falsehood.
"How is this hadith compatible with what some of you are able to see?"
He replied: "This is true. The Imam has said thus. However, it was said
for that time when he had many enemies among the 'Abbasids and others. But at
this time when the enemies have become disappointed and since our cities are
distant from them where no body can get close to us, meeting the Imam does not
pose any danger to him."
I then asked him if he knew
about another tradition which is reported by the Shi'i scholars from the
twelfth Imam regarding the khums -- that the Imam has made it lawful for the
Shi'is. He replied: "The Imam has given the permission in regard to the
khums to his Shi'a."
Then the narrator quotes some
more rulings given by the Sayyid, who tells him: "Until now you too have
seen the Imam twice without recognizing him." The story ends with his
declaration: "The Sayyid imposed upon me the duty of not extending my stay
in the Maghreb and of returning immediately to Iraq. And I obeyed his command."
Mr. Hoshyar: The story of
Jazira Khadra' is as I have narrated for you in brief. Let me hasten to add that
this story has no credibility and that it resembles a legend and a fiction for
the following reasons:
First, its chain of
transmission (sanad) is unreliable. The story has been taken from an
unidentified manuscript. 'Allama Majlisi himself says thus: "Since I have
not found this story in any authentic book, I created a special section to
report it [so that it does not get mixed up with the other reliable contents of
Bihar al-anwar]."
Second, there are a number of
inconsistencies in the narrative. I am sure you noticed that in one place
Sayyid Shams al-Din tells the narrator that he was the deputy of the Imam, but
he had not seen him. Moreover, he says: ". . . but my father used to say
that he would hear his voice but could not see him. But my grandfather used to
hear his voice and see him too." The same Sayyid later on says that he
sees the Imam every Friday morning and encourages the narrator to do the same.
The Shaykh who brought the narrator to that island also tells him that the
Sayyid and those like him are the only ones who can meet with the Imam. As you
have noticed this is a contradictory statement. The interesting part of the
story is that if the Sayyid knew that he was the only one who could meet with
the Imam, why did he propose to the narrator that he should go to the mountain
and see the Imam?
Third, the story makes
reference to alterations in the Qur'an, and such a view is impossible to
maintain. Muslims scholars have unanimously rejected such a contention about
the Holy Book of God.
Fourth, the lawfulness of the
khums has been touched upon in the story, which, according to the jurists, is
unacceptable.
At any rate, the story has been
created like a fiction, and seems strange and far from the truth. A person by
the name of Zayn al-Din leaves his home in Iraq for education in Syria. From
there he accompanies his teacher to Egypt, and from Egypt to Andalusia in
Spain. He travels all this distance, becomes ill, his teacher leaves him and
after getting well he hears the name of the Jazira of the Rafidis. He becomes
so desirous of visiting this place that he forgets his teacher and takes off
until he reaches the island.
The island appears to be
without any vegetation because he asks about the people's food and where it
comes from. In response he hears that it comes from Jazira Khadra'. Although he
is told that the next ship with food would arrive after four months, it arrives
in forty days! After a week's sojourn he is taken to sea. In the middle of the
White Sea he observes clear, white waters . . . and finally arrives at Jazira
Khadra'. Well, you know the rest of the story!
It is remarkable that a person
from Iraq would travel all that distance through the different countries and
would speak the languages of the people everywhere. Did the people in Spain
also speak Arabic?
Another fantastic point is that
part which deals with the White Sea. As you all know the White Sea is located
in the northern part of Russia. The story as related takes place in a different
region. Of course, the Mediterranean Sea, where the story takes place, is also
known as the White Sea. However, the entire sea is called the White Sea, and
not only a spot in it, as the narrator indicates.
Any person examining the story
closely would realize that it is fabricated. In the final analysis, let me
point out that we have previously noted that the hadith-reports mention that
the Imam of the Age (peace be upon him) lives among the people and associates
with them. He also participates in some important occasions, including the
annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and helps people in trouble.
In the light of these
traditions, to introduce a distant place, difficult to access and in the middle
of the sea, as the Imam's domicile -- the Imam who is the hope of the
downtrodden and the redresser of the wrongs committed against them, is, to say
the least, unfair and unreasonable. Finally, let me apologize to you for taking
your valuable time to analyze and discuss such an unreliable story.
Dr. Jalali: Does the Imam of
the Age have any offspring or not?
Mr. Hoshyar: We do not have
convincing proof supporting or rejecting the subject of the Imam's marriage and
the existence of offspring for him. It is quite likely that he has been married
and does have offspring without anyone knowing about it. He can do whatever is
in his interest, which, in the view of some, might suggest that he already has
offspring or that they will be born for him later.
When Will He Appear?
Dr. Jalali: When is the
promised Mahdi expected to appear?
Mr. Hoshyar: No time has been
fixed for his appearance (zuhur). As a matter of fact, the Imams have regarded
those who fix the time of the Mahdi's appearance as liars. Thus, for instance,
Fudayl, a companion of Imam Baqir, asked the latter whether there was any
specific time when the Mahdi would appear. The Imam in his response said three
times: "Any one who fixes the time of the appearance is telling a falsehood."
Another companion by the name
of 'Abd al-Rahman b. Kathir was with Imam Sadiq when Mahzam Asadi came to visit
the Imam and asked him: "When will the Qa'im from the family of the
Prophet rise and establish the just government that you are expecting, for it
has been delayed? When shall this be realized? " The Imam replied:
"Those who fix the time of the appearance are certainly telling a lie.
Those who become hasty in this matter will definitely destroy themselves. Those
who are patient will be delivered and will return to us."[9]
A prominent and well trusted
companion of Imam Sadiq by the name of Muhammad b. Muslim was told by the Imam:
"Any one who fixes the time of the appearance for you -- do not hesitate
to falsify him, because we do not fix the time for the appearance." There
are ten other traditions on the same theme.
These and many other traditions
on this subject provide evidence that neither the Prophet nor any of the Imams
ever fixed the time of the Mahdi's advent. Hence, if a tradition on this
subject fixes the time and the tradition is attributed to the Imams and if the
text is open to some exegetical explanation, then it should be explained.
Otherwise, it should either be ignored or else falsified. An example of such an
explanation of a weak and unreliable tradition is provided by the example of
Abu Walid Makhzumi, who had attributed to the Imam a statement that said:
"Our Qa'im will rise in ALR."
The Signs of His Appearance
Engineer Madani: How reliable
are the signs of the appearance of the Mahdi?
Mr. Hoshyar: There are numerous
signs of the appearance of the Master of the Command (may God hasten
deliverance through him!) mentioned in the books on hadith. We cannot undertake
to discuss each one of them because we do not have that much time. It will require
several sessions to cover even the most important of these. Nevertheless, some
observations are in order, however brief.
(a) The hadith-reports coming
from the ahl al-bayt have divided the signs of the appearance into two parts:
first, those reports that mention the signs that will occur without any
question and which are unconditional. These signs must occur prior to the
appearance of the Mahdi. Second, those signs that are introduced without their
being absolute occurrences. These are the events that are not in any way
definitely the signs of the Imam's appearance; rather, they are conditional. If
the conditions are fulfilled, so too will be the signs; and if the conditions
are not fulfilled, so it is with the signs. It was because of some exigencies
that they have been mentioned as part of the signs of the appearance.
(b) The signs of the appearance
are those things without which the twelfth Imam will not appear. The
fulfillment of each of these signs indicates that the days of restoration and
deliverance are to some extent close by. However, this does not mean that after
the signs are fulfilled, without any delay, the Imam will appear. In the case
of some of these signs it is mentioned that proximate with their fulfillment,
the Imam will appear.
(c) Some of the signs of the
appearance will occur as a kind of miracle, so that the claim to Mahdiism is
confirmed and the extraordinary situation of the world is conveyed to the
people. The status of these signs is the same as with other miracles, which, even
when they do go beyond the world of natural and normal phenomena, should not be
regarded as unacceptable.
(d) There is a kind of sign
that is mentioned in some books and which seems customarily improbable, such as
the saying that when the Mahdi appears the sun will rise from the west, and
that the solar eclipse will occur in the middle of the month of Ramadan,
whereas the moon eclipse will occur towards the end of the same month. All
rational people know that the occurrence of these signs means that the natural
order will have fallen apart and that the solar system will have changed. It
must be pointed out that the traditions that report such events at the End of
Time are no more than 'single' (ahad) transmission.
In other words, they do not generate certainty as to the substance that is
being reported. If anyone probes into their chain of transmission (sanad), he
may quickly discover that these were fabricated and circulated during the
Umayyad and the 'Abbasid periods under their patronage. That period in history
saw many individuals who claimed to be the awaited Mahdi and challenging the de
facto governments by rallying the support of the people against the unjust
rulers. Since the Umayyads and the 'Abbasids understood that it was not
possible to falsify the traditions about the Mahdi that were reported
uninterruptedly for several generations, they used a trick on the people to
discourage them from revolting under 'Alawid leadership.
Consequently, they fabricated
and put into circulation traditions that carried impossible signs for the
appearance of the Mahdi. In this way they sought to dissuade people from
following the 'Alawids in their rebellion against the injustices of the ruling
house. However, if these traditions are true, then there is nothing problematic
in visualizing catastrophic events preceding the advent of the Mahdi to inform
the people about the importance of the event, and to arouse in them a sense of
urgency to work for the government of God on earth.
The Story of
Sufyani
Engineer Madani: What is the
sign about the appearance of Sufyani towards the End of Time when the Mahdi is
to emerge?
Mr. Hoshyar: On the basis of
numerous traditions it appears that before the rise of the Master of the
Command, the twelfth Imam (peace be upon him), a man from the descendants of
Abu Sufyan will rise. He has been described as an outwardly pious person who
will take care to remember God at all times. But in reality he will be the most
wicked person on earth.
He will deceive a large number
of people and will rally them around himself. He will gain control over five
regions: Damascus, Hims, Palestine, Jordan and Qinnasrin, and the 'Abbasid's
power will be permanently destroyed by his hand. He will kill a large number of
Shi'is. Then he will learn of the emergence of the Imam and he will dispatch an
army to fight him. But the army will be unable to get close to him and will
sink into the earth in the area between Mecca and Medina.
Dr. Jalali: As you know the
'Abbasid empire saw its downfall a long time ago. There is no trace of it left
that Sufyani could destroy!
Mr. Hoshyar: In a hadith
reported from Imam Musa Kazim (peace be upon him) he says: "The 'Abbasid
dynasty is founded upon fraud and deception. It will also vanish in such a way
that no trace of it will remain. However, it will revive itself again in such a
way that it would seem as if it never saw that decline."
The apparent sense of this
hadith suggests that 'Abbasid power will recur and that the final blow to it
will be dealt by Sufyani. It is possible to maintain that although the rise of
Sufyani could be regarded as one of the definite signs of the Imam's
appearance, the manner and time of his emergence does not seem to be absolute.
For example, it is possible that the destruction of 'Abbasid power at the hands
of Sufyani may not be among the absolute signs of the appearance and it may
take place at the hands of someone else.
Dr. Fahimi: I have heard that
since Khalid b. Yazid b. Mu'awiya b. Abi Sufyan had the wish of gaining the
caliphate which he saw in the hands of the Marwanids, he coined the tradition
about the Sufyani to console himself and to boost the morale of the Umayyads.
The author of the book Aghani says the following about Khalid: "He was
learned and a poet. It is said that he fabricated the tradition about Sufyani."
According to Tabari, the
historian, 'Ali b. 'Abd Allah b. Khalid b. Yazid b. Mu'awiya arose in the year
159 AH/775 CE in Damascus saying that he was that awaited Sufyani. In this
manner he used to call people to join his movement.[14] From this historical evidence
it is clear that the tradition about Sufyani is among the fabricated hadith.
Mr. Hoshyar: The traditions
about Sufyani have been reported by both the Sunni and the Shi'i scholars. It
is likely that the tradition is among the uninterruptedly (mutawatir)
transmitted ones. Hence, by the mere fact of the appearance of a false
pretender one cannot rule the tradition to be fabricated and, hence, spurious.
Rather, one should say that since the tradition about Sufyani was well known
among the people, they were awaiting him. Some took advantage of this and
revolted against the rulers claiming to be the awaited Sufyani, thereby
deceiving their followers.
The Story of
Dajjal
Dr. Jalali: The rise of Dajjal
is regarded as one of the signs of the appearance of the Mahdi. He has been
described in the traditions as a disbeliever who does not have more than one
eye which is located on his forehead and shines like a star. On his forehead is
written the following: "He is a disbeliever," which every person,
literate or illiterate will be able to read. There will be an abundance of food
and a river of water with him at all the times. He will ride a white donkey
whose each step will span a mile. At his command the sky will rain and the
earth will grow vegetation. The earth will be at his discretion. He will bring
the dead back to life. He will cry out in a loud voice that will be heard all
over the world saying: "I am your almighty god who created you and who
sustains you. Run towards me!"
It is said that there was a
person during the Prophet's time who was called 'Abd Allah or Sa'd b. Sayda.
The Prophet and his companions went to visit him in his house. He claimed to be
a god. 'Umar wanted to kill him but the Prophet restrained him. He is still
living and at the End of Time will emerge from Isfahan in the village of
Yahudiyya.
It is reported from Tamim
al-Dari, a Christian convert to Islam in the 9 AH/630 CE, who said: "I saw
Dajjal in chains and fetters on one of the islands in the west."
Mr. Hoshyar: In English, Dajjal
is known as the 'Antichrist', that is the one 'against' or the 'enemy' of
Christ. The name Dajjal is not a proper noun of an individual, In Arabic any
impostor or a deceiver is called 'Dajjal'. In the Bible also the word 'dajjal'
can be seen in the same sense. In the First Letter of John 2:22 it is written:
Who is the liar but he who
denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father
and the Son.
In another place in the same letter, 2:18, it is written:
Children, it is the last hour;
and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have
come, therefore we know that it is the last hour.
And in 4:3, it says:
And every spirit which does not
confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you
heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already.
In the Second Letter of John,
verse 7, it is written:
For many deceivers have gone
out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in
the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
From these references in the
Bible it is evident that the word dajjal ('antichrist') is used in the meaning
of a 'deceiver' and a 'liar.' Moreover, the story of the rise of the antichrist
was well known among the Christians who awaited his rise.
It appears that Jesus (peace be
upon him) had mentioned the emergence of the antichrist and had warned people
about his sedition. Accordingly, Christians awaited him. In all probability,
the antichrist mentioned by Jesus was the false messiah, a certain man named
Dajjal, who appeared some five centuries following Jesus Christ and falsely
claimed to be a prophet. It was he who was crucified and not Jesus, the
Prophet. In Islam also there are a number of traditions about the existence of
Dajjal. The Prophet used to warn people against the sedition of Dajjal, saying:
"All the Prophets who came after Noah used to warn their community about
the sedition of Dajjal."
The Prophet is reported to have
said: "The Day of Judgement will not take place until thirty Dajjals
emerge claiming to be a prophet."
'Ali b. Abi Talib said:
"Be afraid of the two Dajjals who will be born of the descendants of
Fatima. A Dajjal ('imposter') will arise from Dijla at Basra who is not from
me. He will be the forerunner of a number of Dajjals ('deceivers')."
In another tradition the
Prophet said: "The Day of Judgement will not commence until thirty liars
and Dajjal-like persons appear and ascribe falsehood to God and His Prophet."
In still another tradition the
Prophet is reported to have said: "Before the rise of Dajjal, more than
seventy Dajjals ('impostors') will precede."
From all these traditions it
appears that 'Dajjal' is not the name of a specific person. Like the word
'antichrist' it is generally applied to any deceiver, imposter, and fraudulent
person. In short, the roots of the story of Dajjal must be searched in the
Bible and among the Christians. Thereafter, most of the hadith-reports on the
subject, with all of their details, are to be found in the Sunni books and were
transmitted by their narrators. It is quite possible that the actual events
concerning Dajjal, as foretold in some traditions, might be true. However, all
the details about his features and character do not have the stamp of
authenticity on them, since the majority of these descriptions, published in
Bihar al-anwar and other books, are reported by unidentified narrators.
Consequently, even if it is hypothetically admitted that the actual instance of
the appearance of Dajjal is authentic, the details that are provided have
certainly been colored by fictitious stories. We can maintain this much without
difficulty: that in the Last Days and close to the emergence of the twelfth
Imam, a man will be found who will be singularly a deceiver and an imposter,
surpassing in wickedness all the previous Dajjals. He will mislead a group by
his nihilistic claims. He will present himself to the people as if he is in
control of their bread and water. People will become so delinquent in moral
discernment that they will begin to believe that the entire universe is within
his control. In his deceitful communication he will introduce good works as bad
and bad as good. He will show hellfire as paradise, and paradise as hellfire.
But his disbelief will be evident to all literate and illiterate persons.
However, there is no evidence
to regard Sa'id b. Sayd as the promised Dajjal or to believe that he continues
to live since the time of the Prophet. For, apart from the weakness in the
chain of transmission, the Prophet is reported to have said this about Dajjal:
"He will not enter the two cities of Mecca and Medina." On the
contrary Sa'id b. Sayd had entered these cities. He died in Medina and some
people were witness to his death.
If it is hypothetically
accepted that the Prophet did name Sa'id as Dajjal, he must have used the word
in its common meaning as a 'deceiver' and a 'liar' rather than as the Dajjal
who is part of the signs of the appearance of the Mahdi. In other words, when
the Prophet met Sa'id he introduced him as a personification of an antichrist
to his companions. Following that, when he informed the people about the
emergence of Dajjal in the Final Days, those who heard him thought the reference
was being made to Sa'id b. Sayd whom he had called a Dajjal, and it is this
Dajjal who would appear as one of the signs of the Last Days, akhir al-zaman.
The tradition about Dajjal being alive and possessing a long age comes from
this incident.
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