The Will of Prophet Muhammad (p) is absolute in authenticity. It is Tawatur based on the method of Ilm Al-Diraya. Tawatur means that the multiplicity of the sources of a certain report leads to certitude in the listener that the report is indeed true.
It is Mutawatir Manawi, which is Tawatur of the content. It means that the content of the hadith is found in various other hadiths, through similar phrases with different texts. The content of Will of Prophet Muhammad (p) shows that there are 12 Imams and after them 12 Mahdis pbut. It shows that the assignment of hujjat (proof of God) continues after the 12th Imam pbuh. There are about 40 narrations that relay similar content as mentioned in the Will of the Prophet Muhammad (p). There are also more than 100 narrations about the offspring of 12th Imam (p), that further strengthen this report. The references (Qarae’n) related to the meaning of the will far exceed the amount that makes the report Khabar Ahad (Solitary report) or Thani Al Sudoor(doubtful issuance).
Sheikh Al-Tusi¹ ² counted this report as Sahih and among the Mutawatir. He reports the will among a small portion of authentic hadiths and says the following about their authenticity:
“So if it was said to us: First of all give evidence for the Authenticity[Siha] of these reports [Akhbar] … We shall say : As for what proves the Authenticity [Siha] of these reports [Akhbar], then the Imami Shia sees them on the level of Tawatur [frequently narrated], unlike the others. And the way to authenticate [Tasheeh] this is present in the Imami books and the texts from the Prince of the Believers pbuh, and the way is one.”
Al-Ghaiba page 156-157Therefore, the will is Mutawatir Manawi and Qati Al-Sudoor, which means it has a clearcut and authentic source.
- It is very important to note that a person can’t refute the statement of al-Tousi about the narrators of the hadith of the Will of Prophet Muhammad (p) by presenting the statement of the recent clerics. They and all the clerics after al-Tousi, are dependent upon the statement of al-Tousi concerning the narrators, and can’t go against it. Otherwise, even the crumbs between their hands that they call Ilm Al-Rijal (Biographical Evaluation) will be destroyed.
In addition to that, Sheikh Mirza Al-Noori regarded the chain of Prophet’s (s) will as Mutabar (a significant chain). He says in Najm Al-Thaqib volume 2 page 72: “..and Sheikh Al-tusi reported it with a sanad that is authentic(mutabar)..“
Statements of Scholars about 12 Mahdis
A. Sheikh Al Sadooq- Kamal alDeen waTamam alNi’ma, p.77
On the matter of Hujjah after 12th Imam pbuh, he says:
“It has been mentioned that there will be an Imam after him (12th Imam pbuh) or it will be the Day of Judgment and we are not restricted concerning this except to confirm the Twelve Imams as a belief of what the Twelfth Imam (as) will mention after him.”
B. Sheikh Al-Mufeed- Irshad, vol.2, p.387
“There will be no nation/government for anyone after the Qaim’s (as) nation except from what has come to us from the narrations talking about the rise of his (as) son if Allah (swt) wills for this… and Allah SWT knows best what will happen, and He is the Guardian who gives success to the righteous [servants], and Him we ask for protection from misguidance, and we seek guidance through Him towards the path of enlightenment…”
C. Sayyed Al-Shareef Al-Murtadha (Sheikh alMufeed’s Student and Sheikh Al-Tusi’s Teacher)- Rasa’il Al-Shareef Al-Murtadha, vol.3, p.145-146
“When the school of thought is knowledgeable that in every era there is always an Imam [leader] who takes care of repairing the religion and conciliating [between] the Muslims, and we do not have authentic evidence that the emergence of the Qaim (as) corresponds to the end of the assignment [of leaders by Allah swt], then the era after him (as) will have a an Imam [leader] in it whose obedience is obligatory, or will not be [obligatory]. Thus if we said: That there exists an Imam after him, we shall exit out of the saying that we are Twelvers; however if we didn’t say that there is an Imam after him, then we would have made void the origin [Asel] which is the pillar of the school of thought, and it is shameful to empty the era without an Imam.”
…So it is conceivable that after him (as) there will be Imams that will protect the Religion and they are the conciliators of the people, … and saying this does not exit us out of being named with “The Twelvers”, because this name is given to those who confirm the Imamate [leadership] of the twelve Imams and we [indeed] confirm this; and there is no one more suitable for this school of thought other than us.“
D. Sheikh Al-Tusi- Refer to the first section
E. Sheikh Hussain Al-Tabrisi Al-Mirza Al-Noori Al-Mohadith– Najm alThaaqib, vol.2, p.68-72
“As of yet, no one has considered leaving this as one of the characteristics of Imam Mahdi (as) (i.e. no one has considered Imam Mahdi (as) will not have children and wives). We are convinced [that he will] by the mention of [the following] twelve reports/narrations
First Narration: Sheikh Al-Nu’mani, the student of alKulaini, and Sheikh Al-Tusi narrated in their Al-Ghaiba books in 2 different considerable Sanad [chain of narrators] from Imam Sadiq (as), he said: “The Companion of the Matter has two occultations, one of them will be so long that some will say ‘he died’, some will say ‘he has been killed’, and some of them will say ‘he left’. Until none from his companions will remain on his matter/affair except a small party, and not one of his children or anyone else will know about his matter except the Mawla who will succeed his matter.”
Second Narration: Sheikh al-Tusi narrated from Imam Mahdi (as) in a long Dua, he said:”O Allah give him (Imam Mahdi a.s.) in himself, his offspring, his Shia, his subjects, his close followers, his followers, his enemies and all the people of Earth whatever pleases and satisfies him [blessings for his Shia and defeat for his enemies]” … “And pray upon Your Guardian and the Guardians of his Promise and the Imams from his children…”
Third Narration: Ibn Tawus narrated in his book Jamal al-Isbu’ in a Ziarah for Imam Mahdi (as): “May Allah send his prayer upon you and upon your AhlulBayt (family) the purified and pleasant.” …”Prayers upon you and upon your AhlulBayt (family) the purified.”
Fourth Narration: Narrated from Majmu’ alDa’wat in a long Dua, after mentioning Imam Mahdi (as): “Peace be upon the Guardians of his Promise, and the Imams from his children…”
Fifth Narration: Ibn Tawus and others narrated a Ziarah for Imam Mahdi (as): “O Allah give him in himself, his offspring, his Shia, his subjects, his close followers, his followers and all the people of Earth everything that satisfies him and pleases him…”
Sixth Narration: The story/narration of the Green Island.
Seventh Narration: Sheikh alKaf’ami narrated that one of the wives of Imam Mahdi (as) is from the lineage of Abi Lahab.
Eighth Narration: Ibn Tawus narrated a Dua which must be read every day in order to preserve the presence of Imam alHujja (as) … and part of the Dua is “And make him (as) and his offspring the Inheriting Imams.”
Ninth Narration: Sheikh al-Tusi narrated, with a considerable Sanad [chain of narrators], on behalf of Imam al-Sadiq (as), a report mentioning in it a Will of the Messenger of Allah (pbuhap) to the Prince of the Believers (as) at the night of his death and a section of it says: “When Allah receiveth him (Imam Mahdi a.s), let him hand it over to his son, the first of the Close Ones, …”
Tenth Narration: Sheikh alKaf’ami narrated from al-Ridha (as) that he used to order the Shia with this Dua intended for Sahib al-Amr (as), and in it: “O Allah send your prayers upon the Guardians of his (as) Promise and the Imams from his children…”
Eleventh Narration: Narrated from Al-Sadiq (as) that he said to Abi Baseer: “It is as if I can see the Qaim (as) descending in Masjid alSahla with his family and his descendents…”
Twelfth Narration: Allama alMajlisi transmitted a long Dua from our old sources which is to be read after Fajr prayer and it is from the narrations dedicated to the Hujja (as), inside it is: “O Allah be for Your Guardian in Your creation a Guardian, a Protector, a Leader, a Supporter until You accommodate him on Your Earth voluntary, and prolong him in enjoyment inside it, and to make him and his offspring inside the Earth the Inheriting Imams…”
E. Sheikh Ali alNamazi alShahrudi– Mustadrak Safeenat AlBihaar, vol.10, p.516-517
“The door of the Khalifas (successors) of the Mahdi (as) and his offspring and what will happen after him (as)
I say: This is very clear for what is intended by the narration from Abi Hamza and the narration of Muntakhab AlBasa’er and there is no confusion in it and other similar ones which indicate that after Imam al-Qaim [Riser (as)] are 12 Mahdis, and they are the guiders [Mahdiyoon] from the successors of the Qaim [Riser], and they are Qaims [Risers] by his matter, so that the epoch/time will not be empty from a Proof [Hujja]. The speech of Allama alMajlisi is in the same manner [as this].”
F. Sayyed Muhammad Al-Baqer Al-Sader– AlMujtama’ alFara’owni, p.175, Door.4, Part.3
“Al-Mahdi(as) will destroy all the reasons of corruption and deviation, and on top of that is oppression and tyranny. He will establish a society of justice and tranquility and will draw for it curriculums regarding all areas of humanistic life. And then after will come twelve Khaliphas [successors], who will walk with the people by these curriculums that were placed by the authority of the Hujja al-Mahdi (as). And during the period of the Wilaya [guardianship] of the twelve Khaliphas [successors], the society will be in a quick-moving process towards perfection and progress.”
G. Sayyed Muhammad Sadiq AlSader– Tareekh ma Ba’ad alThuhoor, Section.3, Door.1, p.646
“And from here the Imam (Mahdi a.s.) will undertake the task of assigning the Wali [Guardian] of his Promise or his Khalifa [successor], during his life and possibly in the last year in order that he (the successor) will be the chief leader to the Worldwide Nation of Justice after him (as) and the first ruler in the time of the rulership (of the righteous Guardians). Albeit this ruler will be the best from the other eleven that will come after him considering that he is the outcome of Imam Mahdi (as) nurturing him personally and the contemporary to his sayings, actions and manners/way, unlike the [eleven] rulers that will come after him.”
¹ Sheikh Al-Tusi is nicknamed Sheikh Al-Taa’ifa, ie. Leader of the Shias, and is one of the classical scholars. He lived around 995-1067 AD. Two of his books Tahthib al-Ahkam and Al-Istibsar are part of the “Four Books” which are the most authentic and important books of the Shias. He is known to have started the Hawza [Islamic University] in Najaf, Iraq, which is still present there. Ilm Al-Rijal [science of narrators] in Shia Islam relies primarily on 8 books authored by these 6 classical scholars: Sheikh Al-Tusi, Al-Barqi, Al-Kashi, Al-Najashi, Ibn Babuya and Abu Ghalib. Three of them belong to Sheikh Al-Tusi.