Hadith No. 10

“The number who will always be steadfast upon the truth are the Imams of guidance, and the last one of them who will fight against 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 way that) he said: Abu Kamil and Affan narrated to us, they said: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us, from Qatada, from Mutarrif ibn Abdullah ibn al-Shikhikhir, from Imran ibn Husain that the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, said:

“A number of my Ummah will always fight upon the truth and defeat those who are hostile to them until the last one of them fights against the Antichrist.”

Consideration

قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: الطَّائِفَةُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَزَالُونَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ هُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْهُدَى مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ، لِقَوْلِهِ فِي حَدِيثِ الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يُفَارِقُونَ الْقُرْآنَ حَتَّى يَرِدُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَوْضَ، وَآخِرُهُمُ الَّذِي يُقَاتِلُ الْمَسِيحَ الدَّجَّالَ هُوَ الْمَهْدِيُّ الَّذِي يَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِ عِيسَى بْنُ مَرْيَمَ، كَمَا مَضَى فِي حَدِيثِ جَابِرٍ.

Translation:

Mansoor, may God protect him, said: a number that will always be upon the truth are the Imams of guidance from the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, because of his words in the Hadith of al-Thaqalayn that they will not separate from the Quran until they come to him by the Pond, and the last one of them who will fight against the Antichrist is Mahdi that Isa ibn Maryam will be sent down to him; as mentioned 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:) Qatada informed us, from Mutarrif, from Imran ibn Husain that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, said: “A number of my Ummah will always be upon the truth and defeat those who are hostile to them until the command of God comes and Isa ibn 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, may God protect him, said: Qatada has heard (this Hadith) from Mutarrif. (However,) he is not alone in narrating it, but rather Sa‘id ibn Iyas al-Jurairi and in another narration: al-Jurairi, from Abu al-Ala, from Mutarrif has accompanied him, and Abu al-Ala, Yazid ibn Abdullah ibn al-Shikhikhir is the brother of Mutarrif. Moreover, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muwarriq has also accompanied 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, he said: Ibn Ishaq narrated to us, (he said:) Ubaidullah has 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 Husain said to me: I narrate to you and I hope that God will Benefit you with it; because I see that you like the community, (Mutarrif) said: I said: Yes, I swear to God, I am greedier for the community than for a widow; because whenever there is the community, I find my way. Imran said: The Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, said: “A number of my Ummah will always be upon -or be steadfast upon- the truth, and one who does not help them -or separates from them- will not harm them until the command of God 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, he has 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 of them from al-Jurairi, from Abu al-Ala, from Mutarrif that he said: Imran ibn Husain said to me: “Know that the best servants of God on the Day of Judgment are those who praise (God) a lot, and know that a number of the people of Islam will always fight for the truth and defeat those who are hostile to them until they fight against 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, may God protect him, said: He has narrated it with this Mawquf manner[9], and the correct is Marfu‘, and his words that “(they will) defeat those who are hostile to them,” mean that they will defeat them with proof, even if they will be defeated by their power, and the reason (for this interpretation) is that people of the truth have mostly been oppressed on the earth, and it is not true if it is said that they have always defeated those who have been hostile to them unless the intended meaning is their being victorious with proof, and this is like the words of God that has said: “God has decreed, I and My Prophets will surely be victorious,” even though many of His Prophets were killed unjustly, and His words that has said: “So undoubtedly, the party of God, they are victorious,” even though sometimes they have been defeated in the world; as Nuh, peace be upon him, said: “I am defeated, so take revenge (for me),” and as this meaning the words of God have been interpreted, where He has said: “God will never set a way for disbelievers against believers,” and it is not unlikely that the phrase “(they will) defeat those who are hostile to them” is wrong or misrepresentation by narrators; as it has been said in some narrations: “They will be steadfast upon the truth,” and it has not been said: “They will defeat those who are hostile to them,” and it has been said in some narrations that they “will perform jihad -or fight- upon the truth,” and it has not been said that they will always be victorious, and it has been only said in some narrations that they “will be upon the truth,” and this is the certain amount that has been said in all narrations with wording or meaning[10].