all authentic reports from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, including his reports concerning the Mahdi. Sunni works on creed have made this clear. Shaykh Muhammad al-Saffārīnī (d. 1188 AH) said in his versification of the creed of the early generations, entitled al-Durrah al-Ma‘niyyah fī ‘Aqd al-Firqah al-Mardiyyah:
The signs set forth in the texts
Are all true, without exaggeration.
Among them are the final, eloquent imam—
Muhammad the Mahdi—and the Messiah.
He then explained this in his commentary, entitled Lawāmi‘ al-Anwār al-Bahiyyah, saying:
“Note: Opinions concerning the Mahdi have become so numerous that it has even been said that there is no Mahdi except Jesus son of Mary. The correct position upheld by the people of truth is that the Mahdi is someone other than Jesus and that he will appear before the descent of Jesus son of Mary, peace be upon him. Reports of his appearance have become so numerous that they have reached the level of mass transmission in meaning, and this has become widely known among the scholars of the Sunnah—so numerous that they have reached the level of mass transmission in meaning, and this has become widely known among the scholars of the Sunnah—to the point that it is counted among their beliefs.”
He then mentioned some reports and hadiths concerning the Mahdi’s appearance and the names of some of the Companions who narrated them. He then said:
“Numerous narrations have been transmitted from the Companions mentioned and others among them, may Allah be pleased with them, as well as from the Successors after them, which collectively yield certain knowledge. Belief in the Mahdi’s appearance is therefore obligatory, as established by the scholars and recorded in the creeds of the adherents of the Sunnah and the community.” End of quotation.
Just as this is recorded in the creed books of the adherents of the Sunnah and the community, it is also recorded in creed books whose authors adhered to the doctrine held by Abū al-Hasan al-Ash‘arī before his return to the creed of the adherents of the Sunnah and the community. I have already quoted the exact words of Shaykh Mullā ‘Alī Qārī al-Hanafī, who followed the Ash‘arī school, from his commentary on al-Fiqh al-Akbar. There he lists, in sequence, the signs of the Hour that immediately precede it, placing the Mahdi’s appearance first and stating that Jesus, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will pray behind him. His words include the statement that Sharh al-‘Aqā’id says:
“The more correct view is that Jesus, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will lead the people in prayer as their imam, and the Mahdi will follow him, because he is superior and more entitled to lead the prayer.” End of quotation.
Likewise, the previously quoted words of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ra’ūf al-Munāwī include the following statement, made after mentioning Jesus’ praying behind the Mahdi:
“What is stated in this hadith does not contradict the implication of some reports that Jesus will lead the Mahdi in prayer—a view categorically affirmed by Sa‘d al-Taftāzānī and justified on the grounds of Jesus’ superiority. For the accounts can be reconciled by understanding that Jesus will first follow the Mahdi in prayer, to demonstrate that he has descended as a follower of our Prophet, ruling according to his law. Thereafter, the Mahdi will follow him in prayer, in accordance with the established principle that the less eminent follows the more eminent.” End of quotation.
[Ninth: - Some matters thought to conflict with the hadiths concerning the Mahdi, and the response to them]
1- It has already been stated in the words of the imams I have quoted that the hadith, “There is no Mahdi except Jesus son of Mary,” does not conflict with the authentic hadiths concerning the Mahdi, because it is weak and because, were it authentic, it could be reconciled with them by understanding it to mean that there is no perfect, infallible Mahdi except Jesus son of Mary, may Allah bless him