Some of them even confessed their helplessness in understanding these traditions.

Some of them even confessed their helplessness in understanding these traditions. Consequently, the majority of the Muslim nation remained ignorant of the true meaning of these traditions and were deprived of guidance through them. This was not the first glass bottle to be broken in Islam.

Here, with the strength and power of Allah, we shall attempt to explain these traditions in an order that some will elucidate the others; some will support the others till there is no need for further explanations on the subject. Plus, we will also bring forth appropriate commentaries for these traditions or explanations on the comments given on these traditions, Inshallah.

These traditions have been classified in groups as per their topics and it is only proper that we inform about them over here: • Those traditions that talk only about numbers and the restriction put on the number of caliphs, like the traditions of Ibne Masood and Anas and some traditions of Jaaber Ibn Samarah. • Those traditions that are an addendum to it (All of them will be from Quraish). Such traditions abound from Jaaber.

One can also find in them (All of them will be from Bani Haashim) as Qunduzi has brought in Yanaabiul Mawaddah and Sayyid Ali Ibn Shahab in Al-Mawaddatul Qurbaa. • Those traditions that suggest that these caliphs will be equal in number to the chiefs (Nuqabaa) of Bani Israel and Musa (a.s.), and the companions (Hawaari) of Eesa (a.s.). • Here we have explained the traditions by dividing them in a few groups: • Traditions that establish that these caliphs will be from the Ahle Bait (a.s.).

●Traditions which prove that the last of them is Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). • Traditions which inform that the first amongst them is Ali (a.s.) and last amongst them is Mahdi (a.t.f.s.).

●Traditions which establish that nine amongst these caliphs will be the descendants of Imam Husain (a.s.) like the one which says, “The first amongst them is Ali (a.s.), the second and the third are al-Hasan (a.s.) and al-Husain (a.s.), the two grandsons of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and the remaining nine are from the progeny of al-Husain (a.s.).” • Traditions which suggest that the ninth of these nine will be Mahdi (a.t.f.s.).

●Traditions, and there are many of them, that explain their names, their personas and their attributes.

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