O servants of God...

O servants of God, keep God in your mind and go towards him even if it happens to be on the ice, for indeed he is the caliph of God, the Exalted and Glorified, and my successor[^3] In another hadith the Prophet is reported to have said: "Any one who denies al-Qa'im among my children will have denied me[^4]." In still another hadith the Prophet assured his community by stating: The world will not come to an end until a man from the descendants of Husayn takes charge of the affairs of the world and fills it with justice and equity as it is filled with injustice and tyranny[^5].

The Mahdi from among the Descendants of the Prophet Such hadith-reports are abundant. The main idea that runs through all of them suggests that the topic about the future coming of the Mahdi and Qa'im during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) was well known. In fact, the way these reports speak about the subject indicates that it was not something new which was being presented to the people.

On the contrary, they relate the signs and characteristics of the person who would emerge as the Mahdi, as in the statement "the promised Mahdi will be among my descendants." The following traditions reflect such a pattern in their presentation. It is reported from 'Ali b. Abi Talib who said: I asked the Prophet: "Is Mahdi going to be among our own family or from some other?" He replied: "He will be among us. God will conclude His religion through him, just as He began it with us.

It will be through us that people will find refuge from sedition, just as it was through us that they were saved from polytheism.

Moreover, it will be through us that God will bring their hearts together in brotherhood following the animosity sown by the sedition, just as they were brought together in brotherhood in their religion after the animosity sown by polytheism[^6]." Abu Sa'id al-Khudari, a close associate of the Prophet says: I heard the Prophet declare from the pulpit: "The Mahdi from among my descendants, from my family, will rise at the End of Time, while the heavens will pour rain and the earth will bring forth green grass for him.

He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it is filled with tyranny and injustice[^7].” In another tradition from Umm Salma, the wife of the Prophet, there is even more specific information given to the community.