Qurrah b. Iyas

The following tradition of Qurrah b. Iyas was published by Abu Bakr al-Bazzar in his Musnad, and by at-Tabarani in his Large and Medium Mu’jams. 933

Qurrah said that the Prophet Muhammad said that: ‘The earth will be filled with injustice and crime.

When it is filled with injustice and crime, God will send a man from me whose name will be my name, and whose father’s name will be my father’s name.

He will fill it with justice and equity, as it had been filled with injustice and crime. Heaven will not withhold its rain, nor the earth its plants. He will remain among you 7-9 years’"

The chain of transmitters of that tradition includes Dawud b. al-Muhabbar b. Qahdham, 934 on the authority of his father. Both Dawud and his father are very weak.

The 935 following tradition of Umm Habibah was published by at-Tabarani in his Medium Mujam. (Umm Habibah) said= “I heard the Messenger of God say: ‘People will come forth from the East. They will come for a man who is at the House. They will eventually come into a desert land, and he will then disappear with them. Those who are left behind will join them. They will suffer the same fate.’ 936 I said= ‘O Messenger of God, how about those who were sent against their will?’ He replied= ‘They will suffer the same fate as the people have suffered. Then, God will resurrect each man according to the intention (that had guided him in his actions).’ " End of the quotation. The chain of transmitters of that tradition includes Salamah b. al-Abrash, 937 who is weak. It also includes Muhammad b. Ishaq. 938 He transmits traditions he did not hear, and he says that he had them “on the authority of” someone. His traditions are acceptable only where he expressly states that he heard them. The following tradition of (Abdallah) b. Umar was (also) published by at- Tabarani in his Medium Mu’jam. Ibn ‘Umar said= “The Messenger of God was in the company of some (Meccan) Emigrants and (Medinese) Helpers (Ansar). ‘All b. Abi Talib was on his left, and al-Abbas on his right. Al-'Abbas got into a dispute with one of the Ansdr, and the latter used insulting language to al-Abbas. Thereupon, the Prophet took the hand of al-‘Abbas and the hand of ‘Ali and said= ‘The spine of this one will produce descendants until the whole earth shall be filled with injustice and crime, and the spine of that one will produce descendants until the whole earth shall be filled with equity and justice. When you see this (happen), then take care of the Tamimite youth. He will advance from the East. He will be in charge of the flag of the Mahdi.’ " End of the quotation.

The chain of transmitters of this tradition includes ‘Abdallah b. `Umar al-Umari 939 and ‘Abdallah b. Lahi’ah. Both are weak. The following tradition of Talhah b. ‘Ubaydallah, on the authority of theProphet, was published by at-Tabaranl in the Medium Mu’jam. The Prophet said:

“There will be a rebellion. When one side rests, the other side will become restless. Finally, a herald will call from heaven= ‘Your Commander is such-and-such.’ " End of the quotation.

The chain of transmitters of that tradition includes alMuthanna b. as- Sabbah, 940 who is very weak. The tradition does not expressly mention the Mahdi, but (scholars) have included it in their chapters dealing with (the Mahdi) and in his biography, by association.

These are all the traditions published by the religious authorities concerning the Mahdi and his appearance at the end of time. One has seen what they are like. Very few 941 are above criticism.

Those who disapprove of the (Mahdi) matter frequently keep to the tradition of Muhammad b. Khalid al-Janadi, 942 on the authority of Aban b. Salih b. Abi ‘Ayyash 943 on the authority of al-Hasan al-Basri,944 on the authority of Anas b. Malik, on the authority of the Prophet, who said= “There is no Mahdi except Jesus, the son of Mary.”

Yahya b. Ma’in said, regarding Muhammad b. Khalid al-Janadi, that he was reliable. Al-Bayhaqi 945 said= “Muhammad b. Khalid stands alone with (this tradition).” AlHakim said, regarding Muhammad b. Khalid, that he was a little- known personage.

There are differences in the chain of transmitters of (this tradition). Sometimes it is transmitted as quoted. In this form, it is attributed to Muhammad b. Idris ash-Shafi’l. Sometimes the tradition is transmitted on the authority of Muhammad b. Khalid, on the authority of Aban, on the authority of al-Hasan, on the authority of the Prophet, thus skipping one link in the chain. Al-Bayhaqi says: “Thus, (the tradition) is one transmitted by Muhammad b. Khalid, who is little known, on the authority of Aban b. Abi ‘Ayyash, who is not accepted, on the authority of al-Hasan, on the authority of the Prophet, which makes it a tradition with an interrupted chain of transmitters. In general, the tradition is weak and disturbed.”

It has also been said that the statement= “There is no Mahdi except Jesus,” means that nobody spoke in the cradle (mahd) except Jesus. 946 This interpretation is intended to prevent use of (the tradition) as evidence (for Mahdism) or its combination with the (other) traditions (that speak about the Mahdi). 947 It is refuted by the story of Jurayj 948 and similar miracles (which show that Jesus was not the only infant to speak in the cradle). (Sufi opinions about the Mahdi)