Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Poets who believed in Imam Mahdi (a.s)

1. Kumayt

The poet of Ahle Bayt (a.s), Kumayt bin Zaid Asadi had faith in His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) and it was a part of his religious belief. This faith of his was due to the training of the Purified Imams (a.s) as he was a contemporary of theirs.

The following is one of his couplets:

“When the truth shall be established among you.

When your second Mahdi will rise up.”

2. Dibil Khuzai

This poet was having a firm and a deep-rooted faith in His Eminence and he considered it a necessary principle of Islamic belief. He composed and recited poetical compositions in the presence of Imam Ali Reza (a.s) that impressed the Holy Imam (a.s) a great deal.

He composed the following couplets:

“Then if it had not been what I desire for today or tomorrow.

Any heart would have broken in the grief of your signs.

Advent of an Imam whose advent is imminent.

He will move with the name of God and with bounties.”

Imam Ali Reza (a.s) glanced towards Khuzai and said, “The Holy Spirit (Ruh al-Qudus) has spoken through your tongue. Do you know who this Imam is?”

He replied, “No, I have only heard that an Imam from among you shall reappear and fill the earth with justice and equity…”

His Eminence, Imam Ali Reza (a.s) said, “O Dibil! Indeed, the Imam after me is my son, Muhammad and after him his son, Ali and after Ali his son, Hasan and after Hasan his son, Hujjat (Proof) and the Qaim (One who rises). And he is the one who shall be awaited during his concealment and when he reappears, he shall be obeyed and he shall fill the earth with justice and equity like it would have been filled with injustice and inequity. But when shall he arisea This news is from the time when I heard through my father from his forefathers, that the Holy Prophet (a.s) said, ‘He is like the Hour, that would come all of a sudden and no one has any information about it.’”

3. Sayyid Himyari

One of the prominent poets and followers of Ahle Bayt (a.s) is Sayyid Himyari who composed poems in praise of His Eminence, Ali (a.s) and the occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s). His poem regarding the reappearance of His Eminence, the Master of the Age is as follows:

“And in the same way we have narrated from the successors of Muhammad And none of us that has said it has any falsehood in it.”

4. Wurd bin Zaid

This poet, like Kumayt, was among the sincere followers of the Imams of Ahle Bayt (a.s). He came to the presence of His Eminence, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) and recited a poem regarding His Eminence. And also in the end he recited couplets about Imam Mahdi (a.s) as follows:

“When is the one going to be born in Samarrah, if it comes to pass

That will be shinning like the shooting star

So much so that if the land of Iraq throws it to Hijaz, he will stay at Ja’ja’”

It can be understood from these couplets that this poet has already heard the traditions about Imam Mahdi (a.s) much before his holy birth.

And the saying of the Purified Imams is the saying of the Messenger of Allah and it is the continuation of the knowledge of their great grandfather. In these couplets he mentions the qualities of the Awaited Imam that shall come together in that new born infallible after his birth.

5. Musab bin Wahab

Musab bin Wahab Nausajani was a contemporary of His Eminence, Imam Ali Reza (a.s). His poetical compositions inform us about his faith in the twelve Holy Imams, especially in the Awaited Imam (a.s) even before he (the Imam) was born.

The following is one of his couplets:

“Then if he asks me what my religion is

Thus what I express is what I hide. (It is the same)”

These couplets tell us about the faith of Musab regarding the Almighty Allah and the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (a.s) who is the greatest messenger of God and the twelve Holy Imams (a.s) who are the vicegerents and successors of the Holy Prophet (a.s).

6. Muhammad bin Ismail Saimari

This personality is one of the best and prominent partisans (Shia) of Ahle Bayt (a.s). He came to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) after the passing away of Imam Hadi (a.s) and recited a poem, which also mentioned about Imam Mahdi (a.s). A sample of his couplets is as follows:

“There were ten stars in the sky that are silent and Allah will make to rise other stars like them.”

7. Ali Khawafi

Ali bin Abu Abdillah Khawafi was a companion of Imam Ali Reza (a.s) and when the Islamic world was mourning the martyrdom of Imam Reza (a.s), the poets composed elegies in his honor and Khawafi was among those reciters who also mentioned about Imam Mahdi (a.s) in his compositions.

“In every age there is a guiding Imam from among you.

Then one-fourth of it is filled with your followers and also friendly (familiar) people.”

8. Qasim bin Yusuf

One of those who had faith in His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) and awaited his reappearance was Qasim bin Yusuf. He has said as follows:

“Indeed I hope that I reach them with their hands.

So that my heart is satisfied by it.”

This poet is anticipating the reappearance of His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) so that he may arrive and take revenge from the enemies of God and those who have dishonored whatever He has sanctified.

9. Ibne Rumi

Ibne Rumi is among the most prominent and accomplished poets of his times. The elegy he composed in the honor of the martyr, Yahya Alawi and the atrocities he suffered at the hands of the oppressors also mentions about the Master of the Affair, Imam Mahdi (a.s). He has also denounced the tyrannical Abbasid rulers through this. He says:

“You are in deceit if you say the truth that this condition will remain same forever for you.

While time obviously has two colors.”

10. Yahya bin Aqib

Yahya bin Aqib in his panegyric regarding His Eminence, the Awaited Imam (a.s) has praised and extolled the Holy Imam and explained about the peace and security of his reign. Just as it is mentioned that the Imam would restore all the laws that have become ineffective down the ages:

“The complexion is wheaten, the countenance is blooming, the face is salty and fresh and ripe.”

11. Fazl bin Ruzbahan

Fazl bin Ruzbahan has praised and described the Purified Imam (a.s) and His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) and says:

“Peace be on the Qaim, the awaited one.

Abul Qasim, the master, the light of guidance.”

12. Abdur Rahman

Abdur Rahman Bistami is one of those poets who believed in the existence of Imam Mahdi (a.s) and in his panegyric he says as follows:

“The M of the greatness of the Progeny of Muhammad will reappear.

And first of all the justice of God will come in the people.”

13. Ibne Abil Hadid

He has compiled the following couplets:

“And certainly I know that it is necessary that your Mahdi will come.

And I am awaiting for that day.”

14. Amir Basri

He is also among the poets who had faith in the existence of the Imam of the time (a.s) and considered the reappearance of His Eminence imminent. He says as follows:

“Imam of guidance! How long will you be away from the sight?

To whom do we complain about your return, O our father?”[254]

15. Abul Ma’ali

Abul Ma’ali Sadruddin has said as follows:

“He will be established on the earth by the command of Allah and reappear on the earth

In spite of the mischiefs of the evil people.”[255]

These couplets show that he has mentioned some of the signs of the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) on the basis of the science of letters (Huruf) that was taught by the Holy Imam (a.s).

16. Bahauddin Amili

Muhammad bin Husain Shaykh Bahai is a prominent personality of the Islamic world and a great intellectual of the Shia school. He has written on various subjects like jurisprudence, exegesis, astronomy, mathematics, geometry, divination and prosody etc. He has also composed poems regarding His Eminence, the Awaited Imam (a.s) that appear under the title of Waseelatul Fauz wal Amaan fi Madhe Sahibuz Zaman:

“Lightning flashed from Najd and refreshed the memory.

The covenant became clear as an ember for strangers at Zeeqaar.”[256]

17. Sayyid Haider Hilli

Sayyid Haider Hilli was a prominent personality and a meritorious and daring person. He had independent views and was a respectable man. He was among the famous litterateurs and an eminent man of letters. He composed elegies mourning the martyrdom of his ancestor, Imam Husain (a.s). These compositions are considered the treasures of our culture. In some of his poetical compositions he addressed His Eminence, the Remnant of Allah, the Great (a.s) and implored him to reappear and purify the earth of the wild wolves of the Umayyads, polytheism and corruption. The composition runs as follows:

“Is there anyone to take my message to the master of affair?

That contains the true feelings (sadness) and all of them are sparks of fire (embers).”

18. Sayyid Ali Khan

Sayyid Ali Khan Huwaizawi has said the following with regard to His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s):

“Or a Qaim who is the Mahdi, the Jabbar[257] of the Sky

The one who is the guided one and the guide of all the creatures of the world from the darkness of the night of ignorance.”[258]

19. Khalie-e

Khalie-e is among the believers in the Awaited Imam (a.s) who has also implored him to reappear.

“Holding strong spears, one who desires to scale great heights

He stops the she-camel to aim the arrow.”

20. Abdul Ghani Aamili

This poet is from the lineage of the great scholar of the Islamic world, the Late Shaykh Muhammad Hurre Aamili, the compiler of Wasaelush Shia, the most famous book of the Shia Imamiyah and a reference book for Islamic jurisprudents. He composed many poems about His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) which were published in book form from Hadariya Press, Najaf Ashraf, Iraq in 1339 A.H. In one of his panegyrics he writes:

“O Imam of guidance and the best of the Masters

Allah has appointed angels as his soldiers.”

21. Hasan Qaftan

Shaykh Hasan Qaftan is another poet who has many poetical compositions to his credit regarding His Eminence, the Awaited Imam (a.s). He says:

When he mounted the horse, those before him fled

Like goats of slaughter flee from slaughter.

22. Sayyid Abbas

This poet is divinely inspired to compose such beautiful poems about the Holy Imam. He says in one of his compositions:

“O chief of those having a bright forehead

Who is foremost among the righteous in piety and forbearance.”

23. Shaykh Muhammad Samawi

He composed many poems about His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) and the following is a couplet from his works:

“Congratulations to the prophethood and Imamat the one who is firm with the truth.

His personality is exalted and having real power.”

With this we conclude our discussion about the poets who had sincere faith in His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) and who were prominent poets of the Islamic world. They composed their poems regarding His Eminence, imploring him to reappear and establish justice and truth and destroy infidelity and oppression.

Deniers of Imam Mahdi (a.s)

A group has denied the Holy Existence of Imam Mahdi (a.s) while some of the Shias and believers have actually met the Holy Imam (a.s) in person. Here we shall mention about some deniers of Imam Mahdi (a.s):

1. Ibne Khaldun

In a chapter of his Muqaddimah, Ibne Khaldun has brought the traditions of the Holy Prophet (a.s) narrated by the narrators and he has endeavored to prove that all these traditions are baseless. The great scholar and teacher, Ahmad Shakir has written a refutation of Ibne Khaldun and said:

“However Ibne Khaldun has taken up a subject about which be has no knowledge and spoke of a matter regarding which he had no proficiency. Ibne Khaldun was involved in political affairs and was busy in the service of the rulers. Therefore he conjectured that the subject of His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) was a Shiite belief or he has put himself in doubt regarding this matter. On the basis of this, be has written a long chapter in his well-known Proglamena. (Chapter on Fatimids or that which the people did unto them).”[259]

The teacher, Ahmad Shakir, in refutation of Ibne Khaldun’s skepticism writes that his denial with regard to the Awaited Imam (a.s) is denial of a necessary principle of religion, because the traditions of the Holy Prophet (a.s) about His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) reach to the level of widely-related (Tawatur) and there is no scope of doubt in them.

2. Muhammad Amin Baghdadi

Muhammad Amin Baghdadi, famous as Suwaidi, has denied the existence of His Eminence, the Awaited Imam (a.s) but said that he shall be born in the future. He also says, “The Shias think that he disappeared into a basement of Samarrah in 262 A.H. and he is the sword-bearer and one who would arise prior to Qiyamat. Also that before his reappearance he shall have two occultations, one of them being longer than the other.”

I say that there are many facts that invalidate the statement of Muhammad Amin when he says that Imam Mahdi (a.s) will be born in the future before Qiyamat; thus implying that he does not presently exist. This is against the principles of Shia faith available in their books of religion. The important points can be summarized as follows:

1- Appointment of Imam is incumbent on God.

2- It is not permissible for God to keep any period of time devoid of an Imam.

3- Imamate is restricted to twelve personalities.

4- Shias believe that all of the above must be infallible.

On the basis of what this writer says, “Allah did not bring about what was incumbent on Him. That is, after the passing away of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) He did not appoint Imam Mahdi (a.s) immediately. Rather He has postponed the Imamate of Mahdi (a.s) for the Last Age!!”

If Shias say that this same Mahdi is now the Imam we shall ask what is the use of an Imam in occultationa Since he is incapable of removing oppression. In spite of the fact that the Imams prior to him, even though their tenure was close to the period of the Prophet, they were present in public view. Whereas this period, which is furthermost from the period of the Prophet and oppressions have increased, there is greater need of an Imam.

And that upon which the scholars are unanimous is that Mahdi is the Qaim of the Last Age and he would fill the earth with justice.[260]

The denial of Suwaidi has no basis and the belief of the Shias regarding the Imam of the time has no contradiction with the other principles of faith as Suwaidi has conjectured. Because the appointment of the Imam is logically incumbent on Allah, in view of His Grace, and Shias are firmly convinced about this. Imam Mahdi (a.s) is one of the twelve Imams who are successors of the Prophet of Islam. He has gone into occultation away from the view of people due to hidden wisdom as we have already explained in the forgone pages. He would indeed reappear and establish truth, justice, prosperity and peace among the people.

3. Ahmad Kasravi

Ahmad Kasravi had been unjust upon the Shia people and attributed falsehood and made allegations about them regarding the Imam of the time (a.s) saying:

“When Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) passed away in 260 A.H., a great problem arose because he did not leave behind any issue. The Rafidis (Shias) fell into great confusion and many divisions appeared among them. A group claimed that the purpose of Imamate was over hence it had come to an end. A group began to follow Ja’far, the brother of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). While Uthman bin Saeed a trusted aide of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) made a very surprising claim that Imam Hasan Askari indeed had a five year old son who disappeared into the basement and he shall not appear for anyone and that he is the Imam after his father.”[261]

Partialities and loyalties of this writer towards the imperialist powers are known to all. He says: “The claim of Uthman bin Saeed a deputy of Imam Hasan (a.s), that His Eminence had a son who will not appear to anyone and he is the Awaited Imam and the Mahdaviyat is firm with him, and from all aspects all his claims and statements are baseless.” However, his statement is absolutely invalid because we have already quoted in the forgone discussions, in a clear manner, traditions and reports from the Holy Prophet (a.s) and Purified Imams (a.s) and all those narrations and reports have given glad tidings to the world of Islam about the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) and that His Eminence will revive the religion and make it strong.

4. Ahmad Amin

Ahmad Amin, like the Magian Kasravi is also having malice and jealously against Imams of guidance, whom the Almighty Allah has purified from all filth and impurities. He also issued statements on the basis of his bigotry, instead of referring to authentic Shia sources. He made baseless claims and false allegations regarding them and he has himself accepted this. Due to his animosity towards the Shias he has heaped every type of falsehood on them. Those Shias who shape a great part of the Islamic community and desire truth and justice and despise dispute, rebellion and oppression are well known.

Dr. Abdur Rahman Badawi says, “Shias posses greater virtue and are pre-eminent among all because they have preserved Islam with its originality and perfection and bestowed the restless and confused consciences with spirituality, steadfastness and aplomb; otherwise petrifaction and a dry and motionless structure would become dominant.”

In any case, Ahmad Amin has written a treatise in which he has denied Imam Mahdi (a.s) and considered the Shia belief regarding His Eminence a defect. He has not given any importance to the traditions of the six canonical books of Ahle Sunnat on the subject. The compilers of books of Prophetic narrations, the widely related reports and widespread sayings of the Prophet of Islam (a.s) regarding Imam Mahdi (a.s) are known to all. The great scholar, Hujjatul Islam wal Muslimeen Ustad Shaykh Muhammad Ali Zahiri have refuted Ahmad Amin with logical arguments and textual proofs. He has replied to the baseless statements of Ahmad Amin. The honorable personality, Imam Shaykh Muhammad Husain Kashiful Ghita in his foreword to the book of Zahiri says:

“The matter of His Eminence, the Awaited Imam in occultation - may our souls be sacrificed on him - is a belief rooted in truth and a social principle and it is based on a firm foundation and it is not possible to deny it. It is included among the significant and most important principles.”[262]

5. Shukri Afandi

Shukri Afandi Baghdadi has composed a panegyric in which he has expressed doubts about Imam Mahdi (a.s) and has denied him! He says:

“O the scholars of the time! O those who know everything (deeply). The thought about him is perplexing.”

Scholars and learned men of Najaf Ashraf have taken steps to refute him. Muhaddith Noori - may Allah the Almighty be pleased with him - has compiled a book, Kashful Astar Anil Hujjatul Ghalib Anil Absar to refute him. In this book he has collected statements of forty great Ahle Sunnat scholars - regarding the birth and existence of His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s). In the same way, Imam Kashiful Ghita has in response to Afandi composed a beautiful panegyric, which runs as follows:

“My life be sacrificed for one who is far away from home, but whom remembrance brought close.

And the fascination and remembrance of his followers have kept him near.”

This complete panegyric is quoted in the book, Ilzamun Nasib.