The evidence for my contention is that the traditions about...

The evidence for my contention is that the traditions about the Mahdi are recorded only in your Shi’i books. There is no trace of these in our authentic — Sihah — compilations. Yes, I am aware that there are some traditions on the subject in our less reliable compilations. (9) Mr.

Hoshyar: In spite of the most unfavorable conditions under the Umayyads and the `Abbasids, whose politics and oppressive governments did not allow the discussion or the spread of hadith about wilayat and imamat and the or their being recorded in the books of the hadith, your compilations of hadith are not completely void of any traditions on the subject of the Mahdi. If you are not tired I may cite some of them for you. Engineer Madani: Mr. Hoshyar! Please continue your conversation. Mr.

Hoshyar: Dr. Fahimi! In your compilations, the Sihah, there are chapters devoted to the subject of the Mahdi in which traditions from the Prophet have been recorded. For example, the following: ‘Abd Allah reports from the Prophet, who said: “The world will not come to pass until a man from among my family, whose name will be my name, rules over the Arabs.” Tirmidhi has recorded this hadith in his Sahih, (10) and comments: “This hadith on the Mahdi is reliable, and has been related by ‘Ali b.

Abi Talib, Abu Sa’id, Umm Salma and Abu Hurayra”: Imam Ali b. Abi Talib has narrated from the Prophet, who said: “Even if there remains only a day on earth, God will bring forth a man from my progeny so that he will fill the earth with justice and equity as it is filled with tyranny. (11)” In another hadith Umm Salma narrates that she heard the Prophet say: “The promised Mahdi will be among my progeny, among the descendants of Fatima.

(12)” Abu Sa’id al-Khudari says: The Prophet said: “Our Mahdi will have a broad forehead and a pointed nose. He will fill the earth with justice as it is filled with injustice and tyranny. He will rule for seven years. (13)” ‘Ali b. Abi Talib has related a tradition from the Prophet who informed him: The promised Mahdi will be among my family. God will make the provisions for his emergence within a single night .

(14) Abu Sa’id al-Khudari has related a tradition from the Prophet who declared: The earth will be filled with injustice and corruption. At that time, a man from among my progeny will rise and will rule for seven or nine years and will fill the earth with justice and equity. (15) Greater detail is provided in another hadith reported by Abu Sa’id al-Khudari.