Hadith No. 14
“The group who will always be upon the truth is the Imams of guidance. And the last of them who fights the Antichrist is the Mahdi.”
رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ [ت241هـ] فِي «مُسْنَدِهِ»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ وَعَفَّانُ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:
لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يُقَاتِلُونَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ، حَتَّى يُقَاتِلَ آخِرُهُمُ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ.
Translation:
Ahmad ibn Hanbal [d. 241 AH] has narrated in his Musnad, (in this manner that) he has said: Abu Kamil and Affan narrated to us, they said: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us, from Qatadah, from Mutarrif ibn Abdullah ibn al-Shikhkhir, from Imran ibn Husayn that the Prophet 
said:
A group from my Ummah will always fight upon the truth and prevail over those who oppose them until the last of them fights the Antichrist.
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: الطَّائِفَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَزَالُونَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ هُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْهُدَى، وَآخِرُهُمُ الَّذِي يُقَاتِلُ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ هُوَ الْمَهْدِيُّ الَّذِي يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ عِيسَى بْنُ مَرْيَمَ، كَمَا مَضَى فِي حَدِيثِ جَابِرٍ.
Translation:
Mansoor 
said: The group that will always be upon the truth are the Imams of guidance. And the last of them who fights the Antichrist is the Mahdi, to whom Isa, son of Maryam is sent down, as stated in the Hadith of Jabir.
Attestation No. 1
وَرَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ [ت241هـ] فِي «مُسْنَدِهِ»[2]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا بَهْزٌ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَنَا قَتَادَةُ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ وَيَنْزِلَ عِيسَى بْنُ مَرْيَمَ».
Translation:
Also, Ahmad ibn Hanbal [d. 241 AH] has narrated in his Musnad and said: Bahz narrated to us, (he said:) Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us, (he said:) Qatadah informed us, from Mutarrif, from Imran ibn Husayn that the Messenger of Allah said: “A group from my Ummah will always be upon the truth and prevail over those who oppose them until the command of Allah comes and Isa, son of Maryam, is sent down.”
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: قَتَادَةُ سَمِعَ مِنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، وَلَمْ يَنْفَرِدْ بِهِ، بَلْ تَابَعَهُ سَعِيدُ بْنُ إِيَاسٍ الْجُرَيْرِيُّ، وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى: الْجُرَيْرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، وَأَبُو الْعَلَاءِ يَزِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ أَخُو مُطَرِّفٍ، وَتَابَعَهُ أَيْضًا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ مُوَرِّقٍ:
Translation:
Mansoor said: Qatadah has heard (the Hadith) from Mutarrif. (Yet,) he is not alone in narrating it; rather, Sa‘id ibn Iyas al-Jurairi—and in another narration: al-Jurairi, from Abu al-Ala’, from Mutarrif—has narrated it alongside him. And Abu al-Ala’ is Yazid ibn Abdullah ibn al-Shikhkhir, Mutarrif’s brother. In addition, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muwarriq has also narrated it alongside him:
Attestation No. 2
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ الرُّويَانِيُّ [ت307هـ] فِي «مُسْنَدِهِ»[3]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبَيْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الْجُرَيْرِيُّ أَنَّ مُطَرِّفًا قَالَ: قَالَ لِي عِمْرَانُ بْنُ حُصَيْنٍ: «إِنِّي أُحَدِّثُكَ الْحَدِيثَ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَنْفَعَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ، فَإِنِّي أَرَاكَ تُحِبُّ الْجَمَاعَةَ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: إِي وَاللَّهِ، لَأَنَا أَحْرَصُ عَلَى الْجَمَاعَةِ مِنَ الْأَرْمَلَةِ، لِأَنِّي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْجَمَاعَةُ عَرَفْتُ وَجْهِي، قَالَ: قَالَ عِمْرَانُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَنْ تَزَالَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أُمَّتِي ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ -أَوْ عَلَى الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ- لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمْ -أَوْ فَارَقَهُمْ- حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ -أَوْ قَالَ: حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ».
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Harun al-Ruyani [d. 307 AH] has narrated in his Musnad and said: Ibn Ishaq narrated to us, (he said:) Ubaidullah narrated to us, (he said:) Hammad ibn Zayd narrated to us, (he said:) Sa‘id al-Jurairi narrated to us that Mutarrif said: Imran ibn Husayn said to me: “I narrate to you, and I hope that Allah will benefit you with it, for I see that you like the community.” (Mutarrif) said: “I said: Yes, by Allah. I am more eager for the community than a widow; for whenever there is the community, I find my way.” Imran said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘A group from my Ummah will always be steadfast upon the truth—or upon the truth steadfastly—and one who does not help them—or separates from them—does not harm them until the command of Allah comes—or he said: until the Day of Judgment comes.’”
Attestation No. 3
وَرَوَى الطَّبَرِيُّ [ت310هـ] فِي «تَهْذِيبِ الْآثَارِ»[4]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، وَحَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدُ بْنُ مَسْعَدَةَ السَّامِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ، جَمِيعًا، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ، عَنْ مُطَرِّفٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ لِي عِمْرَانُ بْنُ حُصَيْنٍ: «اعْلَمْ أَنَّ خِيَارَ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْحَمَّادُونَ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا تَزَالُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ يُقَاتِلُونَ عَنِ الْحَقِّ ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ حَتَّى يُقَاتِلُوا الدَّجَّالَ».
Translation:
And al-Tabari [d. 310 AH] has narrated in the book Tahdhib al-Athar and said: Ya‘qub ibn Ibrahim narrated to me (he said:) Ibn Ulayyah narrated to us; also, Humaid ibn Mas‘adah al-Sami narrated to us (he said:) Bishr ibn Mufaddal narrated to us—both from al-Jurairi, from Abu al-Ala’, from Mutarrif that he said: Imran ibn Husayn said to me: “Know that the best of Allah’s servants on the Day of Judgment are those who praise (Allah) a lot. And know that a group from the people of Islam will always fight for the truth and prevail over those who oppose them until they fight the Antichrist.”
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: هَكَذَا رَوَاهُ مَوْقُوفًا، وَالصَّحِيحُ رَفْعُهُ، وَقَوْلُهُ: «ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ» يَعْنِي غَالِبِينَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِالْحُجَّةِ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مَغْلُوبِينَ بِالْقُوَّةِ، وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْحَقِّ كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مَا كَانُوا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَلَيْسَ مِنَ الصِّدْقِ أَنْ يُقَالَ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَزَالُوا غَالِبِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ، إِلَّا أَنْ يُرَادَ غَلَبَتُهُمْ بِالْحُجَّةِ، وَهَذَا كَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَأَغْلِبَنَّ أَنَا وَرُسُلِي﴾[5]، مَعَ أَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنْ رُسُلِهِ قُتِلُوا بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ، وَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ﴾[6]، مَعَ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مَغْلُوبِينَ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَحْيَانًا، كَمَا قَالَ نُوحٌ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: ﴿أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ﴾[7]، وَعَلَى هَذَا حُمِلَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: ﴿وَلَنْ يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا﴾[8]، وَلَا يَبْعُدُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْقَوْلُ: «ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ» غَلَطًا أَوْ تَحْرِيفًا مِنْ بَعْضِ الرُّوَاةِ، فَقَدْ جَاءَ فِي بَعْضِ الرِّوَايَاتِ: «ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ»، وَلَمْ يَجِئْ: «ظَاهِرِينَ عَلَى مَنْ نَاوَأَهُمْ»، وَفِي بَعْضِ الرِّوَايَاتِ أَنَّهُمْ «يُجَاهِدُونَ -أَوْ يُقَاتِلُونَ- عَلَى الْحَقِّ»، وَلَمْ يَجِئْ أَنَّهُمْ ظَاهِرُونَ أَبَدًا، وَفِي بَعْضِ الرِّوَايَاتِ أَنَّهُمْ «عَلَى الْحَقِّ» فَقَطُّ، وَهَذَا هُوَ الْقَدْرُ الْمُتَيَقَّنُ الْوَارِدُ فِي جَمِيعِ الرِّوَايَاتِ بِاللَّفْظِ أَوِ الْمَعْنَى.
Translation:
Mansoor said: He has narrated it in this mawquf[9] form, and the correct (form) is marfu‘. And his statement, “(They will) prevail over those who oppose them,” means that they will prevail over them with proof, even if they are overpowered by their force. And the evidence (for this interpretation) is that the people of the truth have mostly been the weak on Earth, and it is not true if it is said that they have always been victorious over those who have opposed them—unless it means that they have been victorious with proof. And this is like the statement of Allah, where He has said: “Allah has decreed, ‘I and My Prophets will surely be victorious,’” even though many of His Prophets were killed unjustly; and His statement, where He has said: “So undoubtedly, the party of Allah are those who are victorious,” even though sometimes they have been defeated in the world; as Nuh 
said: “I am defeated, so take revenge.” And in line with this meaning, the statement of Allah has been interpreted, where He has said: “Allah will never set a way for disbelievers against believers.” And it is not unlikely that the phrase, “(They will) prevail over those who oppose them,” is an error or distortion by narrators; because in some narrations, it has been stated: “They will be upon the truth steadfastly,” and it has not been stated: “They will prevail over those who oppose them.” And in some narrations, it has been stated that they “will carry out jihad—or fight—upon the truth,” and it has not been stated that they will always be victorious. And in some narrations, it has only been stated that they “will be upon the truth.” And this is the certain part that has been stated—either in wording or meaning—in all the narrations[10].
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