Dar al-Hedayah | Nazim al-Uqaili, one of the official representatives of the claimant Yamani, authored a book titled “Forty Hadiths Regarding the Mahdiyyin 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), referring to them as “Mahdiyyin.” He asserts:

Nazim’s Claims Regarding the “Mahdiyyin”:

1. Imamate is not confined to twelve Imams.

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

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

📖 The Fifth Narration of the “Mahdiyyin” Book

Another narration that Nazim al-Uqaili cites in his book as the fifth hadith to prove his three claims is the following:

عَنْ حَبَّةَ الْعُرَنِيِّ قَالَ: خَرَجَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (ع) إِلَى الْحِيرَةِ فَقَالَ: لَتَصِلَنَّ هَذِهِ بِهَذِهِ وَ أَوْمَى بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ وَالْحِيرَةِ حَتَّى يُبَاعَ الذِّرَاعُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بِدَنَانِيرَ، وَلَيُبْنَيَنَّ بِالْحِيرَةِ مَسْجِدٌ لَهُ خَمْسُمِائَةِ بَابٍ، يَصَلِّي فِيهِ خَلِيفَةُ الْقَائِمِ عَجَّلَ الله تَعَالَى فَرَجَهُ، لِأَنَّ مَسْجِدَ الْكُوفَةِ لَيَضِيقُ عَنْهُمْ، وَلَيُصَلِّيَنَّ فِيهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَامًا عَدْلًا. قُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، وَ يَسَعُ مَسْجِدُ الْكُوفَةِ هَذَا الَّذِي تَصِفُ النَّاسَ يَوْمَئِذٍ؟ قَالَ: تُبْنَى لَهُ أَرْبَعُ مَسَاجِدَ، مَسْجِدُ الْكُوفَةِ أَصْغَرُهَا، وَهَذَا، وَمَسْجِدَانِ فِي طَرَفَيِ الْكُوفَةِ مِنْ هَذَا الْجَانِبِ وَهَذَا الْجَانِبِ، وَ أَوْمَى بِيَدِهِ نَحْوَ الْبَصْرِيِّينَ وَالْغَرِيَّيْنِ.

Translation: Habah al-‘Urani said: Amir al-Mu’minin (as) went out to al-Hirah and said: “This will surely connect to this” – and he pointed with his hand to Kufah and al-Hirah – “until a dhirā’ (cubit) of land between them is sold for dinars. And surely, a mosque with five hundred doors will be built in al-Hirah, in which the Khalifah (successor/deputy) of the Qa’im – may Allah hasten his relief – will pray, because the Mosque of Kufah will be too small for them. And surely, twelve Imams of Justice (A’immatun ‘Adl) will pray in it.” I said: “O Amir al-Mu’minin, will this Mosque of Kufah you describe accommodate the people of that time?” He said: “Four mosques will be built for it; the Mosque of Kufah is the smallest of them, and this one (al-Hirah), and two mosques on the two sides of Kufah, from this side and this side” – and he pointed with his hand towards the Basris and (the area of) al-Ghariyyayn.

*Tahdhib al-Ahkam, Vol. 3, p. 254*

 Critique and Examination: The True Meaning of “Imam”

Upon careful examination, this narration is about congregational prayer (salat al-jama’ah). In Islamic terminology, the one who leads the prayer is called an “Imam” – the prayer leader (Imam al-Jama’ah). This is not merely a Persian or common usage; numerous hadiths in the chapters on congregational prayer in hadith books use the term “Imam” in this exact sense.

Examples from Al-Kafi:

1. Regarding the virtue of congregational prayer: “…So he (as) said: ‘Yes, and the man should stand to the right of the Imam.'” (Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 371)

2. Regarding joining the prayer: “…Do not abandon praying with them behind every Imam.” (Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 372)

The Meaning of “Imamun ‘Adl” (Imam of Justice)

In narrations, the term “Imamun ‘Adl” refers to a righteous, believing, and just Shi’a prayer leader who fulfills the conditions for leading prayer. It does not refer to a divinely appointed Imam (al-Imam al-Ma’sum).

Examples:

1. A narration about religious retreat (i’tikaf) states it is only permissible in a mosque where “an Imamun ‘Adl has led a congregational prayer.” (Al-Kafi, Vol. 4, p. 176)

2. A narration about joining a prayer in progress states: “If he is an Imamun ‘Adl, then… but if he is not an Imamun ‘Adl, then…” (Al-Kafi, Vol. 3, p. 380)

Key Point: The narrator’s question – “Will the Mosque of Kufah accommodate these people?” – and the Imam’s (as) reply that four mosques will be built, with Kufah’s being the smallest, indicates that these twelve “Imams of Justice” exist concurrently. This means there will be twelve separate congregational prayers led by twelve just prayer leaders in the expanded Mosque of Kufah complex.

The Meaning of “Khalifat al-Qa’im” (The Deputy/Successor of the Qa’im)

The term “Khalifah” in such narrations does not mean a successor Imam after Imam al-Mahdi (aj). It clearly refers to someone appointed by the Imam as his representative or deputy to lead prayer in the Masjid al-Hirah. This is a specific, functional deputyship, not universal vicegerency (al-Khilafah al-Mutlaqah).

A similar usage is found in another narration about Imam al-Mahdi (aj):

He (aj) will appoint a Khalifah from his family in Mecca… (then) he will appoint a Khalifah over them from among them… (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 53, p. 1)

Crucially, in this narration, these Khalifahs are killed, meaning they do not survive to become universal successors after the Imam. They are temporary local representatives. The followers of Ahmad al-Basri have even tried to use this narration to prove their “Mahdiyyin” claim, ignoring that it explicitly states these deputies are martyred, proving they are not intended as a chain of succeeding Imams.

Historical Precedent: Just as the Prophet (pbuh) would appoint a Khalifah (like Ibn Umm Maktum) in Medina to lead prayers and manage affairs in his absence—a deputyship that did not imply being his successor (wasi)—the term “Khalifat al-Qa’im” here denotes a functional deputy for a specific task (leading prayer in a specific mosque), not a divinely appointed successor Imam.

 The Faction’s Flawed Interpretation and Its Refutation

The faction attempts to interpret this hadith to mean:

1. The “twelve Imams of Justice” are the twelve “Mahdiyyin.”

2. The “Khalifat al-Qa’im” is a separate, thirteenth figure.

This interpretation is flawed and leads to an internal contradiction with their own doctrine, as it would result in thirteen “Mahdiyyin,” not twelve.

More importantly, this interpretation is explicitly contradicted by the context of the hadith itself. The narration clearly describes a scenario during the time of Imam al-Mahdi’s (aj) rule and presence, where due to a large population, multiple mosques are built and multiple prayer leaders are needed. It speaks of concurrent prayer leaders, not a sequential line of successors.

Therefore, this narration is in explicit and direct conflict with Ahmad al-Basri’s claim that the “Mahdiyyin” are his descendants who rule one after another after him. This hadith describes deputies and prayer leaders serving during his presence and under his rule.

 Conclusion: A Description of the Era of Reappearance, Not a Succession After It

The fifth narration provides no evidence for the existence of twelve new Imams (“Mahdiyyin”) after Imam al-Mahdi (aj). Instead, it vividly describes the expansive and populous era of his reappearance (zuhur):

1. “Imam” means Prayer Leader: The term “twelve Imams” unequivocally refers to twelve just prayer leaders (Imam al-Jama’ah) leading concurrent congregations in the enlarged mosque complex of Kufah.

2. “Khalifah” means Appointed Deputy: The term “Khalifat al-Qa’im” refers to a specific deputy appointed by Imam al-Mahdi (aj) to lead prayer in Masjid al-Hirah, a role of functional representation, not of independent Imamate.

3. Temporal Context is During the Imam’s Rule: The entire scene—urban expansion, mosque construction, and appointment of deputies—takes place during the reign of Imam al-Mahdi (aj), not after his passing.

This hadith, far from supporting the innovative doctrine of the “Mahdiyyin,” actually refutes it by depicting a governance structure under the living Imam, where authority is delegated for specific functions, not transferred to a new chain of successive Imams.