Prophetic Proofs
Muslims derive their understanding of Islam from two principle sources: the Quran, which is the revealed word of Allah (God), and the ‘Hadith’, which are the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (S) that were recorded by his companions while he was alive and later collated. Muslim scholars study Hadiths to correctly interpret verses of the Holy Quran and to help frame Islamic law and practice.
There are innumerable Hadith that allude to the origins and status of Imam Mahdi.
(A) Hadiths On Twelve Imams
Here are some notable Hadiths that mention the concept of 12 leaders or Imams, along with their references. It should be noted that Quraish is the tribe to which both Prophet Muhammad (S) and Imam Ali belong.
1. “I heard the Prophet saying, ‘There will be twelve Muslim rulers.’ He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, ‘All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish.'”
Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith no 7222
2. “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘Islam will continue to be strong to twelve caliphs.’ The people shouted, ‘Allahu Akbar!’ The Prophet then said something softly that I could not hear. I asked my father, ‘What did he say?’ He said, ‘All of them are from Quraish.”
Sahih Muslim, Hadith no 1821
3. “There will be twelve commanders (Amir).” He (then) said: ‘All of them are from Quraish.'”
Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith no 2223
4. “The Prophet said: ‘This religion will continue to be powerful until there have been twelve caliphs.’ The people then exclaimed, ‘Allahu Akbar!’ and made noise. He (the Prophet) then quietly uttered a sentence I could not hear. I asked my father, ‘What did he say, father?’ He said, ‘All of them are from Quraish.'”
Sunan Abi Dawood: Hadith no 4279
5. “The Prophet said: ‘There will be twelve caliphs.’ He then said something which I did not understand. I asked my father what he said, and he replied, ‘All of them are from Quraish.'”
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol 5 pg 92
6. Masruq relates that we were sitting with Abdullah Ibn Masood while he was reciting the Quran for us. Somebody asked him, ‘O Abaa Abd al-Rahmaan, did you ask the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) how many caliphs will rule this nation?’ Abdullah Ibn Masood replied, ‘Since I have come to Iraq, nobody has asked me this question before you. Yes, we did ask the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and he replied, “Twelve, like the number of chiefs of Bani (the tribe of) Israel.”
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol 1 pg 398
7. Abdullah Ibn Masood says, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) state, “There will be twelve Imams after me. All of them will be from Quraish.”
Kifayat-al-Athar, chpt 2, pg 27
8. “This religion shall always be upright till there are twelve from Quraish. When they are no more, the earth will be destroyed with all its inhabitants”
Kanz al-Ummal, vol. 12, pg. 33, Tr. No. 33849
9. Abu Qatada narrates, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) say, “The Imams after me will be equal to the chiefs of the Bani Israel (ie. the tribes of Israel) and the companions of Eesa (Prophet Jesus)”’
Sharh Ghaayah Al-Ahkaam
10. Salman narrates that the Messenger of Allah said, “There will be twelve Imams after me equal to the number of months in a year. From us is the Mahdi of this nation, for him is the occultation of Musa (Prophet Moses), the brightness of Eesa (Prophet Jesus), the forbearance of Dawood (Prophet David) and the patience of Ayyub (Prophet Job).”
Kifayat-al-Athar, chpt 5, pg 43
(B) Hadiths On Ahlulbayt
1. One day the Messenger of Allah stood and addressed us at a watering place called Khum. “I am leaving among you two weighty things, the first of which is the Book of Allah in which is guidance and light. Follow the Book of Allah and hold fast to it.” And he encouraged us to adhere to the Book of Allah, then he said: “And my Ahlulbayt, I remind you of Allah with regard to my Ahlulbayt, I remind you of Allah with regard to my Ahlulbayt, I remind you of Allah with regard to my Ahlulbayt.”
Sahih Muslim, Book 44, Hadith no 2408 abridged
2. “I saw the Messenger of Allah during his Hajj, on the Day of ‘Arafah. He was upon his camel Al-Qaswa, giving a Khutbah (sermon), so he said: ‘O people! Indeed, I have left among you, that which if you hold fast to it, you shall not go astray: The Book of Allah and my family, my Ahlulbayt.'”
Sahih al-Tirmidhi, vol 5, Hadith no 3786
3. “The Prophet said, “I leave among you two things, and you will not go astray as long as you adhere to them: the Book of Allah and my family.”
Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol 3, Hadith no 10716
4. The Prophet said “I leave among you two weighty things: the Book of Allah and my family. These two will never separate until they come to me at the (heavenly) Pond of Kawthar.”
Sunan al-Darimi, vol 2, Hadith no 3319
5. “The Prophet stated, “I am leaving among you two weighty things: the Book of Allah and my family (my Ahlulbayt).
Sunan al-Kubra, vol 5, Hadith no 8167
Other important Hadith reaffirming how the Ahlulbayt are integral to the guidance and salvation of Muslims, include the following:
6. “Behold! My Ahlulbayt are like the Ark of Noah. Whomsoever embarked in it was saved, and whomsoever turned away from it was perished.”
Various sources, including Fadhail al-Sahaba by Ahmad ibn Hanbal, v2 p786; Al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim, v2 p343; Tafsir al-Kabir by Fakhr al-Razi pt 27 p167; and al-Kabir by al-Tabarani v3 p37
7. “My Ahlulbayt are like the Gate of Repentance of the Children of Israel; whomsoever entered therein was forgiven.”
Various sources, including Majma’ al-Zawa’id, by al-Haythami, v9, p168; al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani, tradition 18; and Arba’in, by al-Nabahani, p216
8. (On the Ahlulbayt) “Do not be ahead of them for you will perish, do not turn away from them for you will perish, and do not try to teach them for they know more than you do”
Various sources, including al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Suyuti, v2, p60; al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch11, s.1, p230 and Aqabat al-Anwar, v1, p184