Critique of the 21st Hadith from “Forty Hadiths on the Mahdiyeen” – “Qawwam Qisti” Does Not Prove Imamate

Dar al-Hidayah | Nidham Al-Aqili, one of the official representatives of the alleged Yamani (Ahmed Al-Hasan), continues to cite hadiths 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 21st hadith.

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 21st Hadith on the Mahdiyeen

Another hadith that Nidham Al-Aqili cites as his 21st proof is presented as follows:

From al-Mufaddal, from Abu ‘Abdillah (AS), who said: Allah (SWT) said: “I have made ten obligations incumbent upon My servants. If they come to know them, I will settle them in My kingdom and make My paradise lawful for them.

The first is: knowledge of Me.

The second is: knowledge of My Messenger to My creation, acknowledgement of him, and affirmation of him.

The third is: knowledge of My friends (Awliya’)—for indeed they are the proofs (Hujaj) over My creation. Whoever takes them as friends has taken Me as a friend, and whoever opposes them has opposed Me. They are the signs between Me and My creation. Whoever denies them, I will admit him to My fire and double My punishment upon him.

The fourth is: knowledge of the individuals who have been established from the light of My holiness—and they are the Qawwam of My justice (Qawwam Qisti).

The fifth is: knowledge of the superiority (fadl) of the Qawwam and affirming them.

The sixth is: knowledge of My enemy Iblis, his nature, and his helpers.

The seventh is: acceptance of My command and affirmation of My messengers.

The eighth is: concealing My secret and the secret of My friends (Awliya’).

The ninth is: magnifying My chosen ones (Ahl Safwati), accepting from them, and referring back to them in matters of disagreement until the explanation (sharh) issues from them.

The tenth is: that he and his brother in religion be equal.

When they are like that, I will admit them into My kingdom, secure them from the great terror, and they will be with Me in ‘Illiyyin.”

Source: Al-Tamhis, p. 69

Critical Analysis of the 21st Hadith – Twelve Refutations

Refutation One: No Connection to the Mahdiyeen

From the beginning of Nidham Al-Aqili’s book, not a single narration or text has been presented proving “the existence of twelve Imams after the Qa’im from his progeny.” Out of desperation, Nidham and his leader grasp at any text to justify their innovative claim through false, arbitrary, and ignorant interpretations.

Refutation Two: No Evidence for the Imamate of the Mahdiyeen

There is no text or word whatsoever in this hadith indicating that these individuals hold Imamate or successorship (Wasayah).

Refutation Three: No Indication These Individuals Are from the Qa’im’s Progeny

This hadith contains no evidence or indication that these individuals are from the progeny of the Qa’im (AS).

Refutation Four: These Individuals Exist During the Era of the Twelve Imams (AS)

There is no evidence that these individuals exist only after the Twelve Imams. Rather, they exist and are alive during the time of the Twelve Imams (AS) themselves.

Refutation Five: No Evidence for the Number Twelve

There is no evidence that these individuals are twelve in number.

Refutation Six: No Evidence of Hujjiyyah (Authority as Proof of Allah)

There is no evidence that these individuals hold Hujjiyyah (being a divine proof). According to the context (siyaq) of the narration and its divisions, their lack of Hujjiyyah is actually established. According to explicit narrations in Al-Kafi al-Sharif, the manifest divine proofs (Hujaj ẓāhirah) are exclusively prophets, messengers, and Imams.

Refutation Seven: The Hadith Actually Proves They Are NOT Divine Proofs

Contrary to Nidham Al-Aqili’s claim, what is established in this hadith is the lack of Hujjiyyah for these individuals. The hadith presents a hierarchy of stations (maratib) and ranks (maqamat):

• The first level (third obligation): speaks of Hujjiyyah – knowledge of the Awliya’ who are divine proofs. This is the highest rank.
• The subsequent levels (fourth obligation onward): are lower than the rank of Hujjiyyah. Any individual who possesses Hujjiyyah must necessarily fall under the third obligation. Since the fourth and fifth obligations describe a different group with a lower rank, they are not divine proofs.

Refutation Eight: The Terminology Proves They Are Not Divine Proofs

In the third obligation, Allah commands knowledge of “My friends (Awliya’i)” and explicitly states: “for indeed they are the proofs (Hujaj) over My creation.” In the fourth obligation, He commands knowledge of “individuals (ashkhas)” – without calling them Awliya’ or Hujaj. If these individuals were also divine proofs, they would have been included in the third obligation. Their separate mention in a lower obligation proves they lack that rank.

Refutation Nine: Different Levels of Knowledge Required

Notice the difference in language between the obligations:

• Third obligation: Includes not just knowledge but also love, the consequence of opposition (fire and doubled punishment), and the statement that they are “signs between Me and My creation.”
• Fourth obligation: Only commands knowledge (ma’rifah) – none of the additional consequences or characteristics mentioned in the third obligation.

This difference is significant and proves that the fourth group does not hold the same rank as the third group.

Refutation Ten: “Qawwam Qisti” Does Not Imply Imamate

The phrase “They are the Qawwam of My justice (Qawwam Qisti)” – is it seriously from this phrase that Nidham Al-Aqili extracts the Imamate of twelve children of the Qa’im after him? This is absurd.

As we explained in detail in the critique of the 19th hadith, establishing justice (Qiyam bil-Qist) is not exclusive to Imams. While the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) are the foremost of all good, and all good branches from their blessed existence, this does not mean that anyone who possesses a praiseworthy quality is an Imam. The Infallible Imam encompasses all good qualities, but not everyone who has a good quality is an Imam. The Ahl al-Bayt are Qawwam bil-Qist, but not every Qa’im bil-Qist is an Imam – just as the Imams are Mahdi, but not every Mahdi is an Imam.

The Example of Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah

Hanan ibn Sadir said: I asked Abu Ja’far (AS) about Ibn al-Hanafiyyah: “Was he an Imam?” He said: “No, but he was a Mahdi.”

Source: Al-Imamah wa al-Tabsirah min al-Hayrah, Vol. 1, p. 60

This narration proves that the title “Mahdi” can apply to someone who is not an Imam. Similarly, “Qawwam” can apply to someone who is not an Imam.

Refutation Eleven: No Shi’a Scholar Ever Held This Belief

A remarkable point is that this hadith commands knowledge of these individuals. Yet, from the beginning of the Prophet’s mission, throughout the era of the Imams (AS), through the entire major occultation, and until today, no Shi’a scholar has ever believed in “the Imamate of twelve Mahdis from the children of the Qa’im.” If this were a true obligation, why did no scholar for over a millennium recognize it?

Refutation Twelve: This Hadith Is Also Cited by the Shaykhiyya Sect

Interestingly, this very narration is also cited by the Shaykhiyya sect – a deviant group that preceded Ahmed Al-Hasan and held similar beliefs about a “Fourth Pillar” (Rukn al-Rabi’) as an intermediary between the Imam and the people. Consider their interpretations:

Zayn al-‘Abidin Khan al-Kirmani says: “This narration is explicit in the obligation of knowing the complete scholars (ulama’ al-kamilin) from the Shi’a – and they are those who have been established from the light of His holiness.”

Source: Tatmim Risalah Idah al-Ishtibah, p. 6

Muhammad Khan al-Kirmani says: “In the fourth [obligation], it is possible that the intended ‘individuals’ are prophets, but closer to the context of the narration is that they are the Nuqaba’ (chiefs/leaders), and the fifth [obligation refers to] the Nujaba’ (elite).”

Source: Yanabi’ al-Hikmah, Vol. 1, p. 499

It is worth noting that the Shaykhiyya sect believes in the necessity of an individual who serves as an intermediary between the Imam and the people, referred to as the “Fourth Pillar” (Rukn al-Rabi’) – a perfect man in all aspects, possessing knowledge of all sciences, having authority over the cosmos, and being the conduit of grace (wasitah al-fayd) between Imam Mahdi (AS) and the people. In some Shaykhi sources, instead of “Rukn al-Rabi’,” terms like Nuqaba’, Nujaba’, ‘Alim Kamil, Bab, Imam Natiq, Na’ib Khas, Shaykh, Sultan are used.

The fact that multiple deviant sects (Ahmed Al-Hasan’s followers and the Shaykhiyya) claim this hadith supports their mutually contradictory beliefs proves that the hadith is ambiguous and cannot be used to establish any specific doctrine.

Conclusion on the 21st Hadith

The Qawwam Qisti hadith Mahdiyeen refutation demonstrates conclusively that this narration from Al-Tamhis provides absolutely no evidence for Nidham Al-Aqili’s claims. The hadith:

1. Does not mention the Mahdiyeen as children of Imam Mahdi (AS)
2. Does not prove Imamate or successorship for them
3. Does not specify their number as twelve
4. Does not establish them as divine proofs (Hujaj)
5. Actually proves, by its hierarchical structure, that the fourth group lacks Hujjiyyah
6. Uses the phrase “Qawwam Qisti” which applies to non-Imams as well (as proven by Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah)
7. Has been interpreted in contradictory ways by different deviant sects (including the Shaykhiyya)

Thus, the 21st hadith fails to support the alleged Yamani’s doctrine of twelve Mahdiyeen Imams after Imam Mahdi (AS).