Critique of the 25th “Hadith” from “Forty Hadiths on the Mahdiyeen” – The Third of Sha’ban Prayer Proves Raj’ah, Not New Imams

Dar al-Hidayah | Nidham Al-Aqili, one of the official representatives of the alleged Yamani (Ahmed Al-Hasan), continues to cite narrations from his book “Forty Hadiths on the Mahdiyeen and the Children of the Qa’im (AS)” to prove his group’s belief in 12 Imams from the children of Imam Mahdi (AS), known as the Mahdiyeen. This article examines the 25th “hadith” – which is actually a section from the famous Dua’ (prayer) of the Third of Sha’ban.

Nidham Al-Aqili’s core claims are:

• Imamate is not limited to twelve Imams.
• The Mahdiyeen, after Imam Mahdi (AS), hold the station of Wasayah (successorship) and Imamate.
• The Mahdiyeen are the Itrat (progeny) and children of Imam Mahdi (AS).

The 25th Narration as Cited by Nidham Al-Aqili

The narration that Nidham Al-Aqili cites as his 25th proof is a section from the prayer of the Third of Sha’ban (the birthday of Imam al-Husayn (AS)):

“O Allah, I ask You by the right of the one born on this day – the one who was promised martyrdom before his birth; the heavens and all within them wept for him, and the earth and all upon it wept for him, though he had not yet set foot upon it; the slain of tears, the master of the family; the one who will be supported with victory on the day of the Return (al-Karrah); the one who is compensated for his martyrdom that the Imams are from his progeny; and healing is in his dust; and success is with him in his return; and the successors (Awsiya’) are from his ‘Itrah (progeny) after their Qa’im and his occultation…

O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and his ‘Itrah… and make us among those who submit to his command and send abundant blessings upon him when he is mentioned, and upon all his successors (Awsiya’) and his chosen family – those who are supported by You in the number twelve…”

Source: Misbah al-Mutahajjid, Vol. 2, p. 826

Critical Analysis of the 25th Narration – Six Major Refutations

Refutation One: The Number of All Successors is Twelve – Not Twenty-Four

Nidham Al-Aqili tries to suggest to his audience that the “successors after the occultation of Imam Mahdi (AS)” mentioned in this prayer are the Mahdiyeen (i.e., 12 new Imams from the children of Imam Mahdi (AS)). If this were true, then the total number of successors of the Prophet (PBUH) would be twenty-four (the original 12 Imams + 12 Mahdiyeen).

However, this deception is exposed by the very same prayer, which explicitly states that all the successors (Awsiya’) are “supported by You in the number twelve” (al-mamdudin minka bil-‘adad al-ithna ‘ashar). The prayer clearly says: “upon all his successors… those who are supported by You in the number twelve” – meaning all successors of the Prophet are twelve in total, not twenty-four. Therefore, the successors mentioned cannot be a new set of 12 Imams after Imam Mahdi (AS); they must be the same 12 Imams (AS) that Shi’a believe in.

Pay close attention again to this critical phrase from the prayer:
“…and send abundant blessings upon him when he is mentioned, and upon all his successors (Awsiya’) and his chosen family – those who are supported by You in the number twelve…”

This single phrase alone refutes Nidham Al-Aqili’s entire argument.

Refutation Two: The “Successors After the Qa’im” Are the Returning Imams (Raj’ah)

Since the total number of all successors is twelve, the phrase “the successors from his ‘Itrah after their Qa’im and his occultation” must refer to the same twelve Imams who will return (Raj’ah) after the rise of Imam Mahdi (AS). There are numerous narrations about the Raj’ah (return) of the Imams (AS) after Imam Mahdi (AS). Consider the following examples:

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) was asked about al-Raj’ah: “Is it true?” He said: “Yes.” It was said to him: “Who is the first to emerge?” He said: “Al-Husayn (AS) will emerge following the Qa’im (AS)…”

Source: Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 53, p. 103

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: “The first to shake the dust from his head is al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (AS), with seventy-five thousand (followers)…” and he pointed to the verse: “Indeed, We support Our messengers and those who believe in the life of this world…”

Source: Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 53, p. 106

Imam al-Baqir (AS) said that al-Husayn (AS) told his companions before being martyred: “…I will be the first from whom the earth splits open, and I will emerge – an emergence that coincides with the emergence of Amir al-Mu’minin (AS), the rising of our Qa’im, and the life of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)…”

Source: Al-Khara’ij wa al-Jara’ih, Vol. 2, p. 848

Thus, the “successors after the Qa’im” are the same twelve Imams returning – not new Imams from the children of Imam Mahdi (AS).

Refutation Three: A Grammatical Possibility That Further Undermines the Argument

Even setting aside the above, there is a grammatical possibility that the phrase “al-Awsiya'” (the successors) is conjoined (‘atf) to the pronoun in “awbatihi” (his return). In this case, the meaning would be: “success is with him in his return and the return of the successors from his ‘Itrah after their Qa’im and his occultation” – meaning the successors also return. This interpretation would refer to the Raj’ah of the Imams, not to new Imams.

While some grammarians require repeating the preposition when conjoining to a pronoun in a genitive case, others (including Ibn Malik, following Yunus, al-Akhfash, al-Zajjaj, and the Kufan school) do not require this. The famous phrase “Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa Ali Muhammad” is an example where “Ali” is conjoined to “Muhammad” without repeating the preposition “‘ala”. Thus, the grammatical possibility exists, and when a possibility exists, the argument is invalidated (wa idha ja’a al-ihtimal, batala al-istidlal).

However, as established in Refutations One and Two, Nidham Al-Aqili’s argument cannot be accepted even as a mere possibility.

Refutation Four: Nidham Al-Aqili Falsely Claims the Successors Include the Qa’im’s Progeny

After citing this prayer, Nidham Al-Aqili claims: “‘…and the successors from his ‘Itrah after their Qa’im and his occultation’ – meaning the successors after Imam Mahdi and his occultation are from the progeny of Imam Husayn (AS) and also from the progeny of the Qa’im (AS)…”

Nowhere in the prayer is there any mention of successors “from the progeny of the Qa’im (AS)”. This is a baseless addition by Nidham Al-Aqili, inserted through psychological suggestion to deceive the reader. The prayer only mentions successors from the ‘Itrah (progeny) – which, in the context of Shi’a doctrine, refers to the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) – not specifically from the children of Imam Mahdi (AS).

Refutation Five: Contradiction Between Nidham Al-Aqili and Ahmed Al-Hasan on the Source of the Prayer

Ahmed Al-Hasan claims that the prayer of the Third of Sha’ban (which begins “Allahumma inni as’aluka bi-haqq al-mawludi fi hadha al-yawm…”) was narrated from Imam Mahdi (AS) himself. (See his statements.)

Nidham Al-Aqili, however, claims that this prayer was narrated from Imam al-‘Askari (AS).

Ahmed Al-Hasan – who claims divinely-given knowledge and has approved Nidham Al-Aqili’s book – has exposed his ignorance repeatedly by approving a book that contradicts his own claim about the source of this prayer. If Ahmed Al-Hasan truly had divine knowledge, he would know whether the prayer is from Imam Mahdi (AS) or Imam al-‘Askari (AS). This contradiction alone is sufficient to question his credibility.

Refutation Six: The Prayer Explicitly Mentions the Return (Raj’ah) of Imam al-Husayn (AS) – Which Ahmed Al-Hasan Denies

This noble prayer explicitly speaks of the return (Raj’ah) of Imam al-Husayn (AS). Pay close attention to these phrases:

“…the one who will be supported with victory on the day of the Return (al-Karrah)…”
“…and success is with him in his return (awbatihi)…”
“…we attend his grave and await his return (awbatahu)…”

These phrases clearly prove the doctrine of Raj’ah – the physical return of Imam al-Husayn (AS) to this world.

However, Ahmed Al-Hasan does not believe in a literal, physical Raj’ah in this world. He considers it irrational. Consider his own words:

“The realm of Raj’ah is a different realm from this world in which we live… Reason and reality do not accept that these matters [long lifespans, numerous children, etc.] occur in this world with its limitations.”

Source: Al-Raj’ah, p. 21 (Ahmed Al-Hasan’s work)

“There are two types of Raj’ah. The first Raj’ah is in the form of likeness and similarity (mithl wa nadhir)… The second Raj’ah will be with a soul and a body appropriate for it… which will be in the first heaven… The realm of Raj’ah will begin after the end of the rule of the twelfth Mahdi, the Qa’im against whom al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (AS) will rise.”

Source: Al-Raj’ah, p. 31, 43 (Ahmed Al-Hasan’s work)

“What has been narrated about the Companions of the Cave being raised with the Qa’im (AS)… it does not mean their very selves… but rather those who are like them and similar to them… not that those very individuals return!”

Source: Al-Raj’ah, p. 43, 45 (Ahmed Al-Hasan’s work)

As we have seen, the prayer of the Third of Sha’ban explicitly affirms the literal, physical return of Imam al-Husayn (AS) himself – not a “likeness,” not in the “first heaven,” and not after the rule of a “twelfth Mahdi.” This directly contradicts Ahmed Al-Hasan’s fabricated doctrine of Raj’ah. The narrations cited in Refutation Two also affirm the literal return of Imam al-Husayn (AS) and the other Imams – with no mention of “likeness” or “first heaven.”

Conclusion on the 25th Narration

The third of Sha’ban prayer Awsiya Mahdiyeen argument has been thoroughly examined. This analysis conclusively demonstrates:

1. The prayer explicitly states that all successors are twelve in total – not twenty-four, refuting Nidham Al-Aqili’s implied claim of new Imams after Imam Mahdi (AS).
2. The “successors after the Qa’im” refer to the same twelve Imams who will return (Raj’ah) – as proven by numerous narrations.
3. Nidham Al-Aqili falsely added the claim that the successors are “from the progeny of the Qa’im (AS)” – a phrase nowhere found in the prayer.
4. Ahmed Al-Hasan and Nidham Al-Aqili contradict each other on whether this prayer is from Imam Mahdi (AS) or Imam al-‘Askari (AS).
5. The prayer explicitly affirms the literal, physical Raj’ah of Imam al-Husayn (AS) – which Ahmed Al-Hasan denies, considering it irrational and replacing it with his fabricated doctrine of “likeness” and “first heaven.”

Thus, the 25th narration provides absolutely no support for the existence of Mahdiyeen as Imams after Imam Mahdi (AS). Instead, it affirms the authentic Twelver Shi’a doctrine of Raj’ah and exposes the contradictions and fabrications of Ahmed Al-Hasan and Nidham Al-Aqili.