Chapter 3 : The Soldiers of Ima-m al-Mahdi (‘atfs)
 

The forces of Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) will be composed of various nationalities and at the time of uprising they will be called through unique means. The individuals who have been designated before as commanders will assume the responsibility of guiding the soldiers and planning war operations.

The soldiers to be accepted in the army of al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) under special circumstances have peculiar characteristics of their own. Some will be present in the primary staff and some will join the army. A group has been called the security guard corps.

In this chapter, we will take a look at the hadi-ths related to this topic:

Commanders of the Army

In the hadi-ths we can read the names of the individuals who have been associated with particular military operations and the command of a number of soldiers. In this section, we shall mention the names and functions of some of them:

1. Hadrat ‘I-sa- (Jesus Christ) (‘a)

The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said in a sermon [khutbah]: “…Then the Mahdi- (‘atfs) will appoint Hadrat ‘I-sa- (‘a) as his representative in the offensive operations against ad-Dajja-l (the Anti-Christ). ‘I-sa- (‘a) will set out to capture and suppress ad-Dajja-l. Ad-Dajja-l who will then be controlling the entire world, destroying agriculture and human generation,

will call the people toward him and anyone who accepts him will be treated with favor and anyone who refuses to accept him would be killed. He will travel throughout the world, with the exception of Mecca, Medina and Bayt al-Muqaddas (Jerusalem), and all the illegitimate children from both the east and the west of the globe will rally around him.

“Ad-Dajja-l will set out toward the Hija-z and ‘I-sa- (‘a) will intercept him at the passage of Harsha-. ‘I-sa- (‘a) will direct a horrible shout at him and strike him a decisive blow. Ad-Dajja-l will melt in a blazing fire like lead melting in fire.”[104]

The penetration of the blow that will lead to the melting of ad-Dajja-l is perhaps due to the use of the ultramodern weapons at that time, or it could be due to one of the miracles of Hadrat ‘Isa-.

Concerning the salient features of Hadrat ‘I-sa- (‘a), it is thus stated: “He has such magnificence that once the enemy sees him he will remember death as if ‘I-sa- was demanding his life.”[105]

2. Shu‘ayb ibn S.alih.

The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said: “The Sufya-ni- and the bearers of the black banners will confront each other while among the latter there will be a young man from the Bani- Ha-shim in the palm of whose left hand would be a black mole. He would be in front of his soldiers and would be from the tribe of Bani- Tami-m. His name is Shu‘ayb ibn S.a-lih..”[106]

Hasan al-Bas.ri- said: “In the land of Rey a person named Shu‘ayb ibn S.a-lih. will appear having broad shoulders, a dark complexion, and beardless. There will be an army of four thousand men under his command whose garments will be white and their banners will be black. They will constitute the vanguard of the Mahdi-’s army.”[107]

‘Amma-r ibn Ya-sir said: “Shu‘ayb ibn S.a-lih. is the standard-bearer of Hadrat al-Mahdi-.”[108]

Shablanji- said: “The commander of the advance forces of Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) will be a man from the tribe of Bani- Tami-m with a slight beard and who will be called, Shu‘ayb ibn S.a-lih..”[109]

Muhammad ibn Hanafiyyah said: “An army will set out from Khura-sa-n that will wear black belts and white shirts. One of the army’s vanguards will be the commander called Shu‘ayb ibn S.a-lih. or S.a-lih. ibn Shu‘ayb who is from the tribe of Bani- Tami-m. They will defeat the soldiers of the Sufya-ni- and drive them away; they will arrive in Bayt al-Muqaddas and pave the ground for the government of Hadrat al-Mahdi-.”[110]

3. Isma‘il the Son of Imam as Sadiq (‘a) and ‘Abdullah ibn Sharik

Abu- Khadi-jah said that Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “I asked God to keep [my son] Isma-‘i-l alive after me but He did not grant it, but granted him another station. He will be the first person to reappear along with his ten companions. ‘Abdulla-h ibn Shari-k will be his standard-bearer and one of his ten companions.”[111]

Ima-m al-Ba-qir (‘a) said: “It is as if I can see ‘Abdulla-h ibn Shari-k al-‘A-miri- who has put a black turban on his head with the two sides of his turban placed between his shoulders. With an army of four thousand men as vanguards of our Qa-’im, they will climb the mountain slope and always utter takbi-r.”[112]

4. ‘Aqi-l and Ha-rith

Hadrat ‘Ali- (‘a) said: “Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘a) will let the army advance until they will arrive in Iraq in such a manner that soldiers will be moving to his front and at the rear. The commander of the advance forces will be a man named ‘Aqi-l while the commander of the rear soldiers will be a man named Ha-rith.”[113]

5. Jubayr ibn Khabur

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) quoted the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) as saying: “While their weapons have already been drawn from the scabbards, this person—Jubayr—along with four thousand men in Jabal al-Ahwa-z will wait for the advent of the Qa-’im from among us, the Ahl al-Bayt. Then, this person along with and beside the Ima-m will engage in combat against the enemy.”[114]

6. ‘Umar ibn Mufaddal

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq said to Mufad.d.al: “You, along with forty four other persons, will be with Hadrat al-Qa-’im (‘atfs). You will be on the right side of the Ima-m (‘a) enjoining [good] and forbidding [evil], and the people at that time, compared to the people of today, will believe in you more sincerely.”[115]

7. The Companions of the Cave [as.h.a-b al-kahf]

The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said: “The Companions of the Cave [as?ha-b al-kahf] will come to assist the Mahdi- (‘atfs).”[116]

The Nationality of the Soldiers

The forces of Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) will be composed of various nationalities. In the hadi-ths there are various views in this regard. Sometimes, the soldiers of the Ima-m (‘atfs) have been described as a‘ja-m—interpreted as non-Arabs. Some hadi-ths cite the names of the cities and countries from which soldiers will hasten to assist the Ima-m (‘atfs). At other times, they have mentioned particular communities [aqwa-m] such as the repentant from among the Children of Israel, the faithful among the Christians, and upright people to be revived in the future, who will assist the Ima-m (‘a).

In this chapter, we will mention some hadi-ths in this regard:

1. Iranians

It can be understood from the hadi-ths that a considerable number of the special soldiers in the army of al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) would be Iranians and they have been mentioned in various ways such as the people of Rey, the people of Khura-sa-n, the treasures of T.a-leqa-n, the Qummi-s, the people of Persia, etc.

Ima-m al-Ba-qir (‘a) said: “The forces with black banners that will rise up from Khura-sa-n will come to Ku-fah, and when Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) appears in Mecca, they will pay allegiance to him.”[117]

Ima-m al-Ba-qir (‘a) also said: “The supporters of Hadrat al-Qa-’im (‘a) will be three hundred and thirteen persons who will be from the children of the a‘ja-m [non-Arabs].”[118]

‘Abdulla-h ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet (s.) said: “God will give your (Muslims’) power to the a‘ja-m; they are like lions that will never desert the battlefield. They will kill you (Arabs) and plunder your properties.”[119]

Hudhayfah also narrated a hadi-th with the same content from the Prophet (s.).[120] Of course, the implication of the hadi-th is debatable and problematic. Based on the hadi-ths, a time will come when the Iranians will unsheathe their swords against the Arabs to spread Islam and make them return to Islam, and they will slay those who oppose them. The condition of the Arabs at that time will be very deplorable with difficult and unpleasant days awaiting them.

Although a‘ja-m is said to be the non-Arabs, the Iranians are definitely included. On the basis of other hadi-ths, both in preparing the ground for operations to be conducted prior to the advent [z.uhu-r] and at the time of the uprising of Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs), the Iranians will have a pivotal role and they will constitute a large number of combatants.

In a sermon delivered by ‘Ali- (‘a) regarding the supporters of al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) and their nationalities, the names of some Iranian cities have been mentioned.

As.bagh ibn Naba-tah said that the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) delivered a sermon in which he mentioned Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) and his supporters who will accompany him in the uprising, saying: “One is from Ahwa-z; one from Shu-shtar; three are from Shi-ra-z whose names are Hafs., Ya‘qu-b and ‘Ali-; four are from Isfaha-n whose names are Mu-sa-, ‘Ali-, ‘Abdulla-h, and Ghalfa-n; one from Buru-jerd named Qadi-m; one is from Naha-vand named ‘Abdur-Razza-q; three are from Hameda-n[121] whose names are Ja‘far, Ish.a-q and Mu-sa-;

ten are from Qum whose names are that of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Messenger of Allah (and in another hadi-th eighteen have been mentioned); one from Shi-rva-n’; and one is from Khura-sa-n named Dari-d. There are also five whose names are that of the Companions of the Cave; one from A-mul; one from Gorga-n; one from Da-mgha-n; one from Sarakhs; one from Sa-veh; twenty four from T.a-leqa-n; two from Qazvi-n; one from Fa-rs; one from Abhar; one from Ardebi-l; three from Mara-gheh; one from Khu-y; one from Salma-s; three from A-ba-da-n; and one from Ka-zeru-n.”

Then, the Commander of the Faithful said: “The Noble Prophet (s.) mentioned to me three hundred and thirteen persons of the supporters of al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) equal to the number of the supporters in (the Battle of) Badr, and he said: ‘God will bring them from both the east and the west to the precinct of the Ka‘bah’ faster than the blink of an eye.”[122]

As you can observe, among the three hundred and thirteen persons constituting the special corps of Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs)—who will accompany him at the beginning of the uprising—seventy two will come from the present cities of Iran. If we also take into account what has been narrated in Dala-’il al-Ima-mah[123] of T.abari- and the names of cities that were in Iran at that time, the number of Iranians will become more than this.

In this hadi-th the name of a city is sometimes mentioned twice, sometimes the names of some cities in a country, and at other times the name of the very country has been mentioned.

In case the hadi-th has been correctly recorded, it perhaps bespeaks of the divisions and the names used at that time, thus geographical divisions in the present age cannot serve as the criteria to interpret and understand this hadi-th; for, the names of cities change over time; sometimes, the name of one city is used for a country at the present time or vice versa.

The other point is that by collating the names of cities (mentioned in the hadi-th in question) with the present geographical map of the world, it can be concluded perhaps that the supporters of the Ima-m are scattered throughout the world and it is possible that the word “afranjah” mentioned in the hadi-th refers to the western hemisphere. If this collation and statement were correct, the hadi-th will become meaningful with the dictum, “ÞáÈÊ ÎáíÊ áæ”. It is because at no time will the earth be devoid of good men; otherwise, it will come to an end.

In other hadi-ths, some cities have been especially mentioned. Here, we will suffice to mention some hadi-ths concerning the cities of Qum, Khura-sa-n and Ta-leqan:

a. Qum

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “The soil of Qum is holy… Aren’t they the supporters of our Qa-’im and callers toward our right?”[124]

‘Affa-n al-Bas.i-ri- said that Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said to him: “Do you know why Qum is named “Qum”?” I replied: “God, His Messenger and you know better.” He said: “It is called Qum because its inhabitants will rally behind the Qa-’im of Muhammad’s Progeny (‘atfs) and rise up along with him (‘atfs). Along this line, they will show their perseverance and assist him (‘atfs).”[125]

b. Khurasan

The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said that the Messenger of Allah (s.) said: “…There are treasures in Khura-sa-n but they are not gold and silver. Instead, they are men who will gather together on their belief in God and His Messenger.”[126] Perhaps, it means that what they have in common is the correct belief in God and His Messenger, or it may mean that God will gather them one day in Mecca.

c. Taleqan

The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said: “Blessed is T.a-leqa-n! It is because God has treasures there which are neither gold nor silver. Instead, they are men of faith who have really recognized God and they will be the companions of the Mahdi- (Guided One) of Muhammad’s Progeny (‘atfs) at the end of time.”[127]

2. Arabs

The hadi-ths related to the participation of Arabs in the uprising of Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘a) can be classified into two. Some indicate their lack of participation in the revolution of al-Mahdi- while a number of other hadi-ths mention some cities in Arab countries in which there are those who will rise up to support the Imam.

Assuming that they are authentic, the hadi-ths that talk about the lack of participation of the Arabs can be justified. For, it might be possible that there will be no Arabs among the soldiers who will accompany the Ima-m at the beginning of the uprising. Shaykh Hurr ‘A-mili- in the book, Ithba-t al-Huda-h, has interpreted it this way. Concerning the Arab cities mentioned in the hadi-ths, perhaps non-Arab soldiers residing there will hasten to aid the Ima-m, and not those who are Arab in origin. It may also mean that it refers to Arab governments and states. Let us look at this category of hadi-ths:

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “Keep aloof from the Arabs for they will have a gloomy and dangerous future; isn’t it that no one from among them will accompany Hadrat al-Mahdi- in his uprising?”[128] Shaykh Hurr ‘A-mili- said: “Perhaps this statement of Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) refers to the beginning of the Mahdi-’s uprising, or it alludes to their minimal participation…”

The Messenger of Allah (s.) said: “Great and noble personalities from the land of Sha-m will join al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) as well as those from the various tribes and lands adjacent to Sha-m; they are the ones whose hearts are said to be like pieces of iron. They are worshippers at night and lions during the day.”[129]

Ima-m al-Ba-qir (‘a) said: “Three hundred and thirteen persons, the same number as that of the supporters (Muslim soldiers) in the Battle of Badr, will pay allegiance to Hadrat al-Mahdi- in between the rukn and maqa-m (in the Ka‘bah). From among them, great figures from among the people of Egypt, good men from Sha-m, and good men from among the people of Iraq can be seen and the Ima-m will rule to the extent that God would wish.”[130]

Ima-m al-Ba-qir (‘a) also said concerning the city of Ku-fah: “When Hadrat al-Qa-’im appears and proceeds to Ku-fah, God will choose from behind Ku-fah (Najaf al-Ashraf) seventy thousand truthful and upright people. They will be among the supporters and companions of the Ima-m.”[131]

3. The Followers of Various Religions

Mufad.d.al ibn ‘Umar reported that Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “During the advent of the Qa-’im of Muhammad’s Progeny (‘a), some people will come from behind the Ka‘bah such as the twenty seven persons from the community [qawm] of Mu-sa- (Moses)—those who rightfully give judgment; the seven persons from the Companions of the Cave; Yu-sha‘ the executor of Mu-sa-’s will [was.i-] (Joshua); the believer from the family of Pharaoh; Salma-n al-Fa-rsi-; Abu- Duja-nah al-Ans.a-ri-;[132] and Ma-lik al-Ashtar.”[133]

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “The souls of the believers can see the Progeny of Muhammad (‘a) in the mountains of Rad.awi-, partake of their food, drink their beverages, participate in their assemblies, and talk with them until such time that the Qa-’im from among us, the Ahl al-Bayt, rises up. At that time, God will incite them; they will accept the call of the Ima-m in large groups and accompany him. During that time, those who possess false beliefs will fall into doubt and skepticism, and the groups, parties, and claimants to fellowships and partisanships will disintegrate while those who are near to God [muqarrabi-n] (and the believers) will attain salvation.”[134]

Ibn Jari-h. reported: “I have heard that when the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel killed their prophets and turned infidels, one tribe regretted doing such an act and was disgusted with it; they asked God to separate them from the rest of the tribes. God opened a tunnel underground in which they travelled for the period of one year and a half until they came out behind the land of China, and up to now they are still there. They are Muslims and they face our Qiblah.”[135]

Some say that on the night of the ascension [mi‘ra-j], Jibra’i-l brought the Noble Prophet (s.) to them, and the Prophet (s.) read for them ten Meccan chapters [suwar] of the Qur’an. They were convinced and acknowledged his prophetic mission. The Prophet (s.) ordered them to stay there, abandon work on Saturday (which is the Sabbath day for the Jews), establish prayer, and give the poor-rate [zaka-t]. They accepted it and performed these duties.[136] And the other obligations had not been made incumbent upon them.

Ibn ‘Abba-s said: “In the exegesis of the blessed verse [a-yah]:

? æóÞõáúäóÇ ãöä ÈóÚúÏöåö áöÈóäöí ÅöÓúÑóÇÆöíáó ÇÓúßõäõæÇú ÇáÃóÑúÖó ÝóÅöÐóÇ ÌóÇÁ æóÚúÏõ ÇáÂÎöÑóÉö ÌöÆúäóÇ Èößõãú áóÝöíÝðÇ ?

“After him We said to the Children of Israel, ‘Take up residence in the land, and when the occasion of the other [promise] comes, We shall gather you in mixed company,”[137]

it is said that the “promise in the end” [wa‘dah al-a-khirah] refers to the advent of Hadrat ‘I-sa- (‘a) who, along with the Children of Israel, will rise up. Our companions, however, have narrated that they will rise with the Qa-’im of Muhammad’s Progeny (‘a).”[138]

On the exegesis of the noble verse, “Among the people of Moses is a nation who guide [the people] by the truth and do justice thereby,”[139] the late Majlisi- said: “There is a difference of opinions as to who constitute this ummah.”

Others such as Ibn ‘Abba-s say: “They are a community that lives beyond China. Their land has been largely separated from China by a desert full of sand. They will never make any changes in the law of God.”[140]

In describing them, Imam al-Ba-qir (‘a) said: “They do not regard property as exclusive to them unless their brethren in faith are treated as partners to it. They also rest at night and are awake in the day, and are engaged in agriculture. But none of us (people) could go to their land and none of them will come to us (people), and they are on the right path.”[141]

Concerning the noble verse,

? æóãöäó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÞóÇáõæÇú ÅöäøóÇ äóÕóÇÑóì ÃóÎóÐúäóÇ ãöíËóÇÞóåõãú ÝóäóÓõæÇú ÍóÙøðÇ ãøöãøóÇ ÐõßøöÑõæÇú Èöåö ?

“Also from those who say, ‘We are Christians,’ We took their pledge; but they forgot a part of what they were reminded,”[142]

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “The Christians will be reminded of this path and rule, and a group from them will accompany Hadrat al-Qa-’im (‘atfs).”[143]

4. Ja-balqa- and Jabarsa

Imam as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “God has a city called Ja-balqa- in the eastern hemisphere having twelve gates of gold. The distance of one gate to another is one farsang (6 kilometers). There is a tower in each of the gates that can accommodate an army of twelve thousand men. Their equipment, weapons and swords have been ready and they are waiting for the advent of Hadrat al-Qa-’im. God has also a city called Ja-barsa- in the western hemisphere (with the same features), and I am the proof of Allah for them.”[144]

There are numerous other h.adi-ths about the other cities and lands in the world whose inhabitants never commit sins against God. For further information, refer to volume 54 of the book, Bih.ar al-Anwa-r.

It can be understood from the h.adi-ths as a whole that Hadrat al-Mahdi- (‘atfs) has armies and bases on standby, which at the time of his advent, will participate in combat. From some other h.adi-ths, however, it can be understood that they have passed away a long time ago and in order to assist the Ima-m, God will revive them and let them return to the world.[145]

Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) said: “Najm ibn A‘yun is among those who will engage in jiha-d after their raj‘ah (return to life).”[146] He also said regarding Hamra-n and Maysar: “It is as if I can see Hamra-n ibn A‘i-n and Maysar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azi-z holding swords and delivering sermons to the people [“ÇáäÇÓ íÎÈØÇä”] between S.afa-[147] and Marwah[148] (in Mecca).”[149]

In Mu‘jam ar-Rija-l al-Hadi-th, the late A-yatulla-h al-‘Uz.ma- Sayyid Abu-’l-Qa-sim al-Khu-’i- interprets “ÇáäÇÓ íÎÈØÇä” as “striking the people with the sword”.

Similarly, Ima-m as.-S.a-diq (‘a) looked at Da-wu-d Raqi-[150] and said: “Anyone who wants to see a man from among the supporters of Hadrat al-Qa-’im should look at this man (i.e., this man is among the supporters of al-Mahdi- who will return to life again).”[151]