Second...

Second: Sunnis, as in the above-quoted fatwa , believe al-Mahdi (‘atfs) is a descendant of al-Hasan (‘a) and the name of his father is Abdullāh based on a narrative recorded by them: “... His name shall be similar to mine, and the name of his father similar to my father’s,” whereas Shī’ahs believe al-Mahdi (‘atfs) descends from Imām al-Husayn (‘a) and was born to his father al-Hasan al-Askari. (‘a). The latest narrative they report as follows: “...

His name shall be similar to mine, and his father’s name similar to my son’s”, a reference to the Prophet’s grandson al-Hasan (‘a). Some Sunni writers tried to criticize and charge the Shī’ahs for their belief in the birth of the Awaited Imām and in his holding the reigns of Imāmate at the age of five. This criticism is mostly rendered to fanaticism due to their own conviction.

Anything contrary to their conviction or to what they have been accustomed to or have inherited, they immediately pass their judgment on it as “invalid” without looking into the arguments of others. Our response to this is: First: There are many Sunni scholars who believe al-Mahdi (‘atfs) is Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Askari (‘a), and that he is still alive [and in occultation] till Allāh permits him to come out. They, thus, are in agreement with what the Imāmite Twelver Shī’ahs say.

Among these scholars are: Muhyi ad-Dīn ibn al-’Arabi in Futūhāt al-Makkiyya . Sibt ibn al-Jawzi in his book Tadhkirat al-Khawāss . ‘Abd al-Wahhāb al-Sha’rāni in his book Aqā’id al-Akābir . Ibn al-Khashshāb in his book Tawarīkh Mawālīd al-’Aimma w Wafiyyātihim . Muhammad al-Bukhāri al-Hanafi in his book Fasl al-Khitāb . Ahmad ibn Ibrāhīm al-Balādhuri in his book Al-Hadīth al-Mutasalsil . Ibn al-Sabbāgh al-Māliki in his book Al-Fusūl al-Muhimma .

The man of knowledge Abd al-Rahmān in his book Mir’āt al-Asrār . Kamāl ad-Dīn ibn Talhah in his book Matālib al-Su’ūl fī Manāqib al-Rasūl . Al-Qandūzi al-Hanafi in his book Yanābī’ al-Mawadda . And there are others, too.[^7] Second: There is no evidence from the Sharī’ah proving the opposite. The occultation of the Awaited Imām has many similar miracles about which the Holy Qur’ān informs us. Noah, peace be upon him, remained in his people for 950 years calling them to the way of Allāh: “...

and he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty” (Qur’ān, 29:14). He, of course, lived longer than that. The Fellows of the Cave remained asleep for 309 years.