Examination of the Second Hadith in the Book Forty Hadiths on the Mahdiyyin

Dar al-Hedayah | Nazim al-Uqaili, one of the official representatives of the claimant Yamani, authored a book titled “Forty Hadiths Regarding the Mahdis and the Children of the Qa’im (as)” to prove his faction’s belief in the existence of 12 Imams from the descendants of Imam al-Mahdi (aj). In this book, he claims to cite forty hadiths proving the twelve Imams after Imam al-Mahdi (aj). He asserts:

Nazim’s Claims Regarding the “Mahdis”:

1. Imamate is not confined to twelve Imams.

2. The “Mahdis” after Imam al-Zaman (aj) hold the station of succession (wisayah) and Imamate.

3. The “Mahdis” are the very progeny and children of Imam al-Zaman (aj).

The Second Narration of the “Mahdis” Book

We now review the second narration of his book and examine its connection to the three claims above.

عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَيَادِيِّ، يُرْفَعُهُ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (ع): أَنَّ مِنَّا بَعْدَ الْقَائِمِ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ مَهْدِيًّا مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ(ع)

Translation: From Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Ayadi, raising it to Ali ibn Uqbah, from his father, from Abu Abdullah (as): “Indeed, from us after the Qa’im are twelve Mahdis from the descendants of al-Husayn (as).”

*Muntakhab al-Anwar al-Mudi’ah, p. 201*

 Examining the Claim

Nazim al-Uqaili, by citing this narration, pretends that “the Mahdis” are the children of Imam al-Zaman (as) who attain the station of succession after him. He then points to a phrase from the Supplication of the Third Day (the day of Imam al-Husayn’s (as) birth):

“الْمُعَوَّضِ مِنْ قَتْلِهِ أَنَّ الْأَئِمَّةَ مِنْ نَسْلِهِ وَ الشِّفَاءَ فِي تُرْبَتِهِ وَ الْفَوْزَ مَعَهُ فِي أَوْبَتِهِ وَ الْأَوْصِيَاءَ مِنْ عِتْرَتِهِ بَعْدَ قَائِمِهِمْ وَ غَيْبَتِهِ”

Translation: “…In compensation for his killing, [God favored him with] that the Imams are from his progeny, healing is in his soil, salvation is with him upon his return, and the successors (awsiya’) are from his progeny after their Qa’im and his occultation.“

*Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 98, p. 347*

Through psychological suggestion, Nazim al-Uqaili implies to his audience that the phrase “the successors from his progeny after their Qa’im” refers to the “Mahdis” from the children of Imam al-Zaman (as).

 Critique and Examination

1. Examination of the Chain (Sanad)

The chain of this narration is Mursal (disconnected). It was recorded for the first time in the 8th Islamic century. The disconnected nature of this narration presents problems.

2. First Point: The Narration Does Not Prove the Imamate or Succession of the “Mahdis”

Upon careful examination of this hadith, the only thing understood is the existence of “Mahdis” from the descendants of Imam al-Husayn (as) after Imam al-Zaman (aj). However, it does not prove that these “Mahdis” are from the children of Imam al-Zaman (as), that they attain Imamate and succession after him, or that the chain of Imamate continues. Yes, Ahmad al-Basri’s followers have many claims, but they are incapable of providing authentic, relevant texts to support their claim.

3. Second Point: The Supplication of the “Third Day” Does Not Prove the Imamate of the “Mahdis”

Nazim al-Uqaili then cites a phrase from the Supplication of the Third Day and introduces the phrase “the successors from his progeny after their Qa’im” as related to the “Mahdis” from Imam al-Zaman’s (as) children.

However, what is understood from this phrase is the existence of successors from the descendants of Imam al-Husayn (as) after the occultation of Imam al-Zaman (aj). There is no mention that these successors are the “Mahdis” from Imam al-Zaman’s (aj) children. That there are successors after Imam al-Zaman (aj) is a certain and established matter, but these successors are the same previous twelve Imams who will return (Raj’a), not new successors called “Mahdis” from Imam al-Zaman’s (aj) children.

4. Third Point: Nazim al-Uqaili’s Dishonest Editing of the Supplication

Not only does this phrase from the supplication have no connection to the “Mahdis,” but Nazim al-Uqaili commits an unforgivable act of dishonesty: editing and cutting the supplication. If he had quoted the entire supplication, he would not have been able to deceive the masses. To deceive them, he commits this great dishonesty to prop up the hollow faction of Ahmad al-Basri.

Unfortunately, by editing the Supplication of the Third Day, Nazim al-Uqaili suggests to his audience that the successors after Imam al-Zaman’s (aj) occultation are the “Mahdis” from his children, which would make the total successors of the Prophet (pbuh) 24. However, by referring to the full supplication (provided below), his deception is exposed, as this very supplication works against his faction because it states the total successors of the Prophet (pbuh) are twelve, not twenty-four.

The Complete Supplication of the Third Day (Relevant Excerpt):

“…and make us among those who submit to his command and send abundant blessings upon him when he is mentioned, and upon all of his successors and the people of his chosen ones, those aided by You in the number of twelve…”
*Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 98, p. 347*

Thus, according to this supplication, the total successors of the Prophet (pbuh) are twelve. Therefore, the successors after Imam al-Zaman (aj) are the same previous twelve Imams and successors who will return. There are no new successors titled “Mahdis and children of Imam al-Zaman (aj).” If there were, the total successors in the supplication should have been stated as 24.

5. Fourth Point: The Followers’ Weak Justification and the Reply Forty Hadiths

After it became clear that the second narration and the supplication have no connection to “Mahdis” from Imam al-Zaman’s (aj) children, the followers of the claimant Yamani did not remain silent. They raised a naive and amateurish objection to cover Nazim al-Uqaili’s disgrace, saying:

“Imam al-Sadiq (as) in the second narration said: ‘We have twelve Mahdis from the descendants of al-Husayn (as) after the Qa’im.’ Now, if these twelve Mahdis are the same twelve Imams who return, Imam al-Sadiq’s (as) statement would be incorrect because only nine of the Imams are descendants of Imam al-Husayn (as). Therefore, his statement does not refer to the returning twelve Imams but to the ‘Mahdis’ from Imam al-Zaman’s (aj) children.”

Response to This Justification: Forty Hadiths

1. As stated, the second narration has no connection to “Mahdis” from Imam al-Zaman’s (aj) children.

2. Nazim al-Uqaili linked this narration to the supplication, and we refuted his argument using the same supplication, which states the successors are twelve.

3. We have never relied on the weak second narration to prove successors after Imam al-Zaman (aj). But if we hypothetically did, the followers’ objection is answered by the literary principle of Taghlib (predominance/synecdoche).

Definition of Taghlib:

Taghlib is a literary rule and a form of metonymy meaning “to give predominance.” It means including something under the ruling of another due to its predominance. Examples are abundant in Arabic, including the Quran:

• Verses addressing “O you who believe” use the masculine plural but include believing women.

• “The believers have succeeded” refers to both men and women.

• Iblis is addressed along with the angels in the command to prostrate to Adam, though he is a jinn, due to taghlib.

Applied to the Narration: Since 9 out of the 12 Imams are from the descendants of Imam al-Husayn (as), the phrase “from the descendants of al-Husayn” is used due to the predominance of this lineage among them. This is a common and accepted Arabic literary style.

 Conclusion: A Doctrine Built on Weakness and Deception

Nazim al-Uqaili’s attempt to prove a new chain of “Mahdis” after Imam al-Zaman (aj) fails completely:

1. Weak Evidence: The core narration is Mursal (disconnected) and recorded very late.

2. Lack of Proof: The narration does not prove his specific claims about the “Mahdis” being children of Imam al-Mahdi (aj) with Imamate.

3. Textual Dishonesty: He dishonestly edits the Supplication of the Third Day, omitting the part that explicitly limits the total successors of the Prophet (pbuh) to twelve, which destroys his theory of 24. Forty Hadiths

4. Established Doctrine vs. Innovation: The authentic belief, supported by numerous narrations, is that the successors after Imam al-Mahdi (aj) are the same twelve Imams returning through Raj’a, not a new set of “Mahdis.”

Therefore, the second narration, even if considered, provides no evidence for the innovative doctrine of Ahmad al-Basri’s faction. It is either a weak text unrelated to their claim or, at best, refers to the returning Imams through the common literary device of taghlib.