“Examination of the Fifth Hadith within the Section Titled ‘The Fortieth Hadith of the Mahdiyin'”

Dar al-Hidayah | Continuing the examination of the fortieth heading from Nidham Al-Aqili’s book “Forty Hadiths on the Mahdiyeen and the Children of the Qa’im (AS)”, this article analyzes the fifth narration cited under that heading – which is effectively the “forty-fourth” hadith used by the followers to prove the Imamate of Ahmed Isma’il al-Basri (Ahmed Al-Hasan) and their imaginary Mahdiyeen.

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 Fifth Hadith Under the Fortieth Heading

The fifth narration that Nidham Al-Aqili cites under the fortieth heading is as follows:

From Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, who said: …A Jew said to him (Amir al-Mu’minin): “Inform me about this nation – how many guided Imams does it have? And inform me about your Prophet Muhammad – where is his abode in Paradise? And inform me who is with him in Paradise?”

Amir al-Mu’minin (AS) said to him: “Indeed, this nation has twelve guided Imams from the progeny (dhurriyyah) of their Prophet – and they are from me. As for the abode of our Prophet in Paradise, it is in the best and most honored of it – the Garden of ‘Adn. As for those who are with him in his abode in it, they are these twelve from his progeny – along with their mother, their grandmother, the mother of their mother, and their descendants. No one else shares it with them.”

Source: Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 531

Critical Analysis – Three Major Refutations

Refutation One: No Explicit Mention of the First Mahdi as the Child of Imam Mahdi (AS) or as an Imam

This hadith contains no explicit statement that the “first Mahdi” (claimed by the alleged Yamani sect) is the child of Imam Mahdi (AS) or that he holds the station of Imamate. The hadith simply mentions twelve guided Imams from the progeny of the Prophet (PBUH) – and as will be demonstrated below, this is explained through the principle of predominance (taghlīb) or metaphor (majāz).

Refutation Two: The Phrase “From the Progeny of the Prophet” Is Explained Through Predominance (Taghlīb)

The fact that the twelve Imams are described as being “from the progeny (dhurriyyah) of the Prophet (PBUH)” can be understood in several ways – none of which support the existence of a thirteenth Imam or any “Mahdiyeen.”

First Explanation: Predominance (Taghlīb)

The reason the twelve Imams are described as being from the Prophet’s progeny is due to the principle of predominance (taghlīb) – because the majority of the Imams are from the Prophet’s progeny. Allamah Majlisi (may Allah have mercy on him) states:

“His saying ‘from the progeny of their Prophet’ – this is metaphorical (majāz) and based on predominance (taghlīb). Because since the majority of them are from the progeny, the term ‘progeny’ is applied to all of them through predominance.”

Source: Mir’at al-‘Uqul fi Sharh Akhbar Al al-Rasul, Vol. 6, p. 227

Similarly, Mulla Salih al-Mazandarani (may Allah have mercy on him) states:

“His saying ‘from the progeny of their Prophet’ – this is based on the majority, through predominance (taghlīb). And similarly in his saying ‘from his progeny.'”

Source: Sharh Usul al-Kafi (by al-Mazandarani), Vol. 7, p. 373

This means that among the twelve Imams, the majority (eleven of them) are literally from the Prophet’s progeny (through Fatimah (AS)), while Imam ‘Ali (AS) – although he is the father of those eleven – is not literally a child of the Prophet. However, because the majority are from the Prophet’s progeny, the term is applied to all twelve through predominance.

Refutation Three: The Phrase Can Also Be Explained Through Metaphor (Majāz) – The Prophet as Teacher and Father-in-Law

Another explanation is that the twelve Imams are described as being “from the Prophet’s progeny” metaphorically – because the Prophet (PBUH) is the father of the entire nation (ummah), and especially in relation to Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (AS), he is his teacher and mentor.

Allamah Majlisi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains:

“Or the metaphorical use (tajawwuz) in the word ‘progeny’ – meaning the ten (Imams from al-Hasan to al-Hadi) are intended metaphorically. Or it means that it includes both literal and metaphorical birth – for the Prophet (PBUH) was the father of the entire nation, especially in relation to Amir al-Mu’minin (AS), for he was his educator and teacher…”

Source: Mir’at al-‘Uqul fi Sharh Akhbar Al al-Rasul, Vol. 6, p. 227

This is supported by the narration in which the Prophet (PBUH) said:

“Fathers are three: a father who gave birth to you, a father who married you off (father-in-law), and a father who taught you (teacher).”

Source: Tahrir al-Mawa’iz al-‘Adadiyyah, p. 247

In this narration, the father-in-law and the teacher are both described as “fathers.” Since the Prophet (PBUH) is both the father-in-law of Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (AS) (having married him to his daughter Fatimah (AS)) and his teacher, Imam ‘Ali (AS) is metaphorically considered “from the progeny” of the Prophet (PBUH).

Significantly, Ahmed Al-Hasan himself has admitted that Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (AS) is considered a “child” of the Prophet (PBUH) because he was raised and taught by him. This admission from their own leader undermines their claim that the phrase “from the progeny” must be taken literally to mean biological children.

Refutation Four: The Hadith Refutes the Existence of More Than Twelve Imams

Ahmed Al-Hasan claims that he is the “thirteenth Imam” and that after him there are eleven Mahdiyeen who also hold the station of Imamate. However, this hadith explicitly states that there are only twelve guided Imams from the Prophet’s progeny – and no more.

The hadith says: “Indeed, this nation has twelve guided Imams from the progeny of their Prophet – and they are from me.”

There is no mention of:

• A “thirteenth Imam”
• Any “Mahdiyeen” after the twelfth Imam
• Any additional successors after Imam Mahdi (AS)
• Anyone else sharing the Prophet’s abode in Paradise beyond these twelve and their family members

This is a clear and explicit limitation of the guided Imams to twelve. The hadith thus refutes the claim of Ahmed Al-Hasan and his imaginary Mahdiyeen.

Summary of the Argument

The followers of Ahmed Al-Hasan claim that this hadith – with its phrase “from the progeny of their Prophet” – proves that there are additional Imams (Mahdiyeen) from the children of Imam Mahdi (AS). However, this claim is based on a literalist misreading of the text and a failure to consult the explanations of Shi’a scholars.

The correct understanding is:

1. The phrase “from the progeny of their Prophet” is explained through taghlīb: Because the majority (eleven) of the Imams are literally from the Prophet’s progeny, the term is applied to all twelve through predominance.
2. It can also be explained through metaphor (majāz): The Prophet is the teacher and father-in-law of ‘Ali (AS), making him metaphorically “from his progeny.”
3. Ahmed Al-Hasan himself admits this: He has stated that ‘Ali (AS) is considered a “child” of the Prophet because he was raised and taught by him.
4. The hadith explicitly limits the Imams to twelve: It says “twelve guided Imams” – not thirteen, not twenty-four.
5. No mention of Mahdiyeen: Nowhere in the hadith is there any mention of “Mahdiyeen,” “children of Imam Mahdi (AS),” or any Imams after the twelfth Imam.

Conclusion on the Fifth Hadith Under the Fortieth Heading

The Twelve Imams from the Prophet’s progeny refutation has been thoroughly examined. This analysis conclusively demonstrates:

1. The hadith contains no explicit statement about the “first Mahdi” being the child of Imam Mahdi (AS) or holding Imamate.
2. The phrase “from the progeny of their Prophet” is explained through the principle of predominance (taghlīb) – as explicitly stated by Allamah Majlisi and Mulla Salih al-Mazandarani.
3. It can also be explained through metaphor (majāz) – as the Prophet is the teacher and father-in-law of ‘Ali (AS).
4. Ahmed Al-Hasan himself admits this metaphorical usage.
5. The hadith explicitly limits the guided Imams to twelve – no more, no less.
6. Nowhere does the hadith mention “Mahdiyeen,” “children of Imam Mahdi (AS),” or any Imams after the twelfth Imam.

Thus, the fifth hadith under the fortieth heading provides absolutely no support for the alleged Yamani sect’s core doctrine and, when correctly understood, actually refutes the claim of any additional Imams after Imam Mahdi (AS).