As for Muḥammad ibn Khālid al-Jundī al-Ṣanʿānī, the mu’adhdhin and one of al-Shāfiʿī’s teachers, more than one transmitter also narrated from him. He is not unknown, contrary to what al-Ḥākim alleged; indeed, it has been reported from Ibn Maʿīn that he declared him reliable. Some narrators, however, reported this ḥadīth from him through Abān ibn Abī ʿAyyāsh, from al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, as a mursal report. Our shaykh in al-Tahdhīb mentioned—on the authority of certain scholars—that someone saw al-Shāfiʿī in a dream, and he was saying: “Yūnus ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā al-Ṣadafī has lied about me; this is not one of my ḥadīths.”

I say: Yūnus ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā al-Ṣadafī is among the trustworthy narrators, and a mere dream cannot be used to impugn him. At first glance this ḥadīth seems to conflict with the reports we have cited that affirm a Mahdī other than Jesus son of Mary—either before his descent, which appears more likely, and Allah knows best, or after it. On closer examination, however, the ḥadīth does not negate those reports; rather, its intent is that the truly consummate Mahdī is Jesus son of Mary, without denying that someone else may also be “rightly guided” (mahdi). Allah knows best. (1)

[ A discussion of the kinds of tribulations that have already occurred and that will grow more numerous and severe at the end of time ]

Al-Bukhārī said:
Mālik ibn Ismāʿīl narrated to us; Ibn ʿUyaynah narrated to us; he said he heard al-Zuhrī, from ʿUrwah, from Zaynab bint Umm Salamah, from Umm Ḥabībah, from Zaynab bint Jahsh, who said:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ awoke from sleep with his face flushed and said:
“There is no god but Allah. Woe to the Arabs from an evil that is drawing near! Today a breach has been opened in the barrier of Gog and Magog like this.”

Sufyān then formed ninety or one hundred with his fingers. It was asked, “Will we be destroyed while righteous people are among us?” He replied, “Yes, when wickedness becomes rampant.”

Muslim likewise transmitted it from ʿAmr al-Nāqid, from Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah with the same chain, and he said: Sufyān clasped ten with his hand. In another narration he made a circle with his thumb and the finger next to it. Muslim also reported it from Abū Bakr ibn Abī Shaybah, Saʿīd ibn ʿAmr, Zuhayr ibn Ḥarb and Ibn Abī ʿUmar, all from Sufyān, from al-Zuhrī, from ʿUrwah, from Zaynab bint Jahsh, through Ḥabībah, through Umm Ḥabībah, through Zaynab—so in this chain two Tābiʿīs, two stepdaughters, and two wives converge, making four female Companions, may Allah be pleased with her. (2)

Al-Bukhārī also said:
Mūsā ibn Ismāʿīl narrated to us; Wuhaib narrated to us; Ibn Ṭāwūs narrated to us, from his father, from Abū Hurayrah, from the Prophet ﷺ who said:

“Today a breach has been opened in the barrier of Gog and Magog like this.”

Wuhaib formed ninety with his fingers. Muslim likewise recorded it through Wuhaib with the same wording. (3)