By contrast...

By contrast, at least 99% of the authentic ahadith in the Shi’i sources are from the Messenger of Allah and the Twelve Imams of the . In reality, however, everything is from the Prophet, since the words of the Imams are only narrations of his Sunnah. As such, it is obvious that: i. The Mahdi will follow the path of the . ii. The Shi’is follow the path of the . iii. Therefore, the Mahdi will be on the same part as the Shi’is.

The top linguists of the Ahl al-Sunnah have also admitted that the word “Shi’ah” is only the name of those in this Ummah who follow ‘Ali and his offspring from the . For instance, the chief Sunni lexicographer, Ibn Manzur (d. 711 H), declares: وقد غلب هذا الاسم على من يتوالى عليا وأهل بيته، رضوان الله عليهم أجمعين، حتى صار لهم اسما خاصا فإذا قيل: فلان من الشيعة عرف أنه منهم. وفي مذهب الشيعة كذا أي عندهم.

The root of that is from adherence, and that is followership and obedience. Al-Azhari said: “ The Shi’ah are a group who love what the offspring of the Prophet love, peace be upon him, and also follow them .”[^9] Imam Ibn al-‘Athir (d. 606 H) is slightly aggressive. Yet, he too is principally of the same opinion: وقد غلب هذ الاسم على كل من يزعم أنه يتولى عليا رضي اللهعنه وأهل بيته حتى صار لهم اسما خاصا فإاذ قيل فلان من الشيعة عرف أنه منهم وفي مذهب الشية كذا أي عندهم This name (i.e.

“Shi’ah) has become synonymous with those who claim that they follow ‘Ali and his , such that it has become their exclusive name . Therefore, when it is said “So-and-so is from the Shi’ah”, it is known that he is from them; and “it is like that in the madhhab of the Shi’ah” means in their view.[^10] Imam al-Zubaydi (d.

1205 H) also shares the submission of Ibn Manzur: وقد غلب هذا الاسم على كل من يتولى عليا وأهل بيته، رضي الله عنهم أجمعين، حتى صار اسما لهم خاصا، فإذا قيل: فلان من الشيعة عرف أنه منهم، وفي مذهب الشيعة كذا، أي عندهم، أصل ذلك من المشايعة، وهي المطاوعة والمتابعة ... وقال الأزهري: الشيعة: قوم يهوون هوى عترة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، ويوالونهم. This name (i.e.