The Number of Descriptions of the Qa’im – The Description of the Eyebrows
توسط: Dar al-Hedayah | One of the methods used to argue for the existence of “two Mahdis, two Qa’ims, or two Masters of the Affair” in the end times is to rely on narrations that speak of physical descriptions and attributes. The followers of Ahmad al-Basri, by citing these descriptions and the differences between them, have posited the existence of two personalities under the title of “Qa’im, Mahdi, or Sahib al-Amr,” intending to argue for the existence of their imagined “First Mahdi.” This article critiques one of the pieces of evidence used by this faction.
Two Qa’ims?
They argue by comparing the description of Imam al-Zaman (aj) by Ali ibn Mahziyar with a narration from Imam al-Baqir (as), claiming this proves the existence of two Mahdis, two Qa’ims, and two Masters of the Affair in the end times. First, we will mention Ali ibn Mahziyar’s description, then the noble narration of Imam al-Baqir (as), and then present points regarding these two.
1. The Description by Ali ibn Mahziyar:
“I entered and there he was, seated… He was not extremely tall, nor short, but rather of medium build (marbu’ al-qamah)… his forehead was broad, his eyebrows were arched and joined together (azajj al-hajibayn), his nose was aquiline, his cheeks were smooth, and on his right cheek was a mole…”
Al-Ghaybah by al-Tusi, Vol. 1, p. 263
2. The Narration from Imam al-Baqir (as):
He (Imam al-Baqir) said: “That is a person who is… with dense, prominent eyebrows (al-mushrif al-hajibayn)… may Allah have mercy on Musa.”
The Claim of the Sect’s Followers
The followers of Ahmad al-Basri say:
“The descriptions of Imam al-Mahdi’s (aj) face are: medium height, joined eyebrows, white face, a mole on the right cheek, elongated forehead, round face, etc. However, in some narrations, descriptions are mentioned for ‘al-Mahdi,’ ‘al-Qa’im,’ and ‘Sahib al-Amr’ that are incompatible with these descriptions. For example: ‘Israelite body,’ ‘tall stature,’ ‘wheat-complexioned’ or ‘mushrab hamrah‘ (which means olive-skinned). ‘Mushrif al-hajibayn‘ means ‘eyebrows that are raised upwards.’ ‘Mushrif al-hajibayn,’ whatever its meaning, is different from ‘azajj al-hajibayn‘ (arched and joined). Can one person have all these contradictory attributes? Therefore, one set describes Imam al-Mahdi (aj), and the other describes the ‘First Mahdi.'”
Unfortunately, to achieve their sinister goals, Ahmad al-Basri’s followers make statements intentionally and with prejudice, presenting childish arguments to deceive the masses.
Their Mistranslation: They translate “Mushrif al-Hajibayn” as “eyebrows raised upwards.” (Qa’im)
The Correct Translation is: “Dense, thick, and prominent eyebrows.”
Critical Examination: Is There Really a Contradiction?
The core of their argument hinges on falsely creating a contradiction between two Arabic terms for eyebrows. Let’s examine this.
The Two Descriptions:
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From Ali ibn Mahziyar: Azajj al-Hajibayn → Arched/curved and joined eyebrows.
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From Imam al-Baqir (as): Mushrif al-Hajibayn → Dense, thick, and prominent eyebrows.
The Question: Is there a contradiction between the description “arched and joined eyebrows” and “dense, thick, and prominent eyebrows”? Are these two descriptions mutually exclusive and impossible to combine in a single pair of eyebrows? In other words, is it impossible for eyebrows to be both arched/joined and dense/thick?
The Obvious Answer: No, there is no contradiction whatsoever. These descriptions complement each other; they describe different qualities of the same eyebrows. A single pair of eyebrows can easily be arched in shape, joined at the center, and also be naturally dense and prominent.
Scholarly Explanation from the Commentators (Qa’im)
The followers deliberately ignore the explanations of great scholars to maintain their false contradiction.
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Allamah Majlisi says after quoting this narration: “‘Mushrif al-hajibayn‘ means there is a height/elevation in the middle of the two eyebrows…” This expression by Allamah Majlisi, in fact, refers to the elevated and arched nature of His Holiness’s eyebrows.
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More interestingly, the same meaning exists in the footnote of the narration in the book “Al-Ghaybah” by al-Nu’mani. Unfortunately, Ahmad al-Basri’s followers make no mention of it.
Therefore, based on the translations of Allamah Majlisi and Shaykh al-Nu’mani, there is no contradiction with the description by Ali ibn Mahziyar. In both, there is a reference to the arched nature of the eyebrows.
The Height of Their Bias: The followers say “Mushrif means raised upwards,” but then, with clear prejudice, they try to portray a conflict between “raised eyebrows” and “joined, arched eyebrows,” even though these attributes can perfectly coexist in one pair of eyebrows. Their claim is akin to saying a person cannot have both “black hair” and “curly hair” because these are two different descriptions.
Conclusion: A Manufactured Contradiction Exposed
The attempt by Ahmad al-Basri’s followers to prove the existence of two Qa’ims based on a supposed contradiction between the eyebrow descriptions “azajj” and “mushrif” is utterly baseless and stems from either:
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Linguistic ignorance (mistranslating mushrif),
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Intentional deception (hiding scholarly commentaries that clarify the meaning), or
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Flawed logic (assuming different adjectives for the same feature must refer to different people).
The descriptions are perfectly harmonious: The Qa’im, Imam al-Mahdi (aj), has eyebrows that are arched, joined at the center, dense, thick, and prominent. This is a unified description of a single, noble countenance.
This case is a clear example of how this faction manipulates texts, ignores context and scholarly explanation, and relies on superficial differences to construct a false doctrine that has no basis in the authentic narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (as).
