Advent of Imam Mahdi (based on) (in) the traditions of Holy Prophet

  The word "Mahdi", obviously, is an Arabic word, which literally means the guided one or one who gets guidance from God in order to guide humanity. This word assumed the significance of a title when the Prophet^SLM of God used it to signify the caliph of God whose advent was predicted and promised in several of his traditions reported in many authentic collections of very learned Imams and scholars. Hence the real Mahdi is called the Promised Mahdi (Mahdi-e-Maud), some of the traditions which are significant and which are quoted in many Mahdavia and non-Mahdavia works about the advent and proof of Mahdi are quoted below for the reference of the reader in order to facilitate the proper appreciation of the life and teachings of Imam Mahdi.

1. One of the important traditions originally narrated by Ibn Abbas^RZ, a learned companion of the Prophet^SLM reported by Ibn Abi Shaiba, Tabrani, Abu Naim and Hakim in their respective collections is as follows: 
   "The world shall not come to an end unless God creates a person from the progeny of my family (or my house i.e. Ahle bait) who shall bear my name and his father shall bear the name of my father. He would fill the world so much with justice as it would be filled with atrocities."
2. Another Hadith from the same source is as follows:-
   The Prophet^SLM said: - "God would send a young man, who shall be from the progeny of my house, and who shall be safe from blasphemies and shall rectify the defects of Umma (the body of believers) and as God has assigned the function of introduction of faith from us. He shall culminate it through us (Khattam-e-deen)."
3. The same source reports:-
   "The Prophet once said that even if a day remained for the end of this world He would prolong the day unless and until, from the progeny of my house, a person is born whose name would be my name and his father would have the name of my father and he would fill the world with justice as (by that time) it would be full of atrocities, he would equally distribute the wealth and would enrich the hearts of believers. He would survive for seven years or nine years (after proclamation of his status as Mahdi). After him, life would be mostly devoid of virtue. (This tradition is reported by Hafiz Abu Nayeem).
4. A tradition reported in the famous collection of Abu Dawood, which is one of the "Sihah" i.e. the six most reliable collection of Ahadis (Traditions) states:"Mahdi shall be from the progeny of my daughter Fatima^RZ."
5. Another important Hadith quoted from Ibn Abbas^RZ is as follows:-
   "The Prophet^SLM said My Umma shall not extinguish because I am at its beginning, Esa^AS (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary) is at the end and Mahdi is in between (in order to guide)". This tradition is reported in his book by Hafiz Abu Nayeem and also Imam Ahmed Hambal in his "Masnad" (the collection of Hadis).
6. Abu Sayeed Khadri^RZ another companion of the Holy Prophet^SLM narrates as follows:-
   "The Prophet^SLM said that in the era of Mahdi my Umma shall be rewarded with divine blessing. The earth and skies shall be generous to them." This tradition is reported by Abu Nayeem and Tabrani.
7. The illustrious companion of the Prophet^SLM Abdullah Bin Omer^RZ narrates:-
   "The Prophet said that Mahdi shall be the descendant of Imam Hussain^RZ. He shall he born in the East and even if mountains obstruct him, he would carve out his way."
8. Ali Bin Al-Zaili quoting his father says:-
   When I visited Prophet Mohammed^SLM when he was about to breath his last, Hazrat Fatima^RZ was sitting near his head and he was giving his last instructions to her; At last he said "By God who has sent me on truth; Mahdi is from us - when the world would be full with commotion, and riots; and clashes would prevail and faith and worldly lusts would intermingle and the outlets would be closed, rampage would became rampant; neither the elders would have compassion for the younger nor the younger would show respect for the elders; then, God shall create from amongst our descendants, one Mahdi, who shall subdue the evil forces, would shed the restraints of hearts; and would be firm in faith in the closing era, as firmly as I was at the beginning. He would promote justice to full extent in this world; as it would, by then, be full of cruelty." This tradition is reported in Hafiz Abu Nayeem's collection.
9. Saoab-Bin Hamza^RZ said:-
   "When I met Hussain^RZ s/o Ali^RZ and asked: 
   "Are you Imam Mahdi," he replied "No". Then I asked "is your son or grand-son is Mahdi" he replied "No" then I enquired who is he? He replied , "He is such an Imam who would fill the world with justice as it would be full of atrocities and he would appear much after all important Imams of the faith, in such a glorious way as Prophet Mohammed^SLM appeared as the last Prophet^SLM long after earlier Prophets."
10. The Prophet said 
    "After me, in my Umma, there shall appear a Mehdi at the interval of every hundred years. Among them nine shall be Mahdi in literal sense and the Tenth shall be the Promised Mahdi. Whoever confirms him confirms me and whoever denies him denies me." This Hadis has been reported by Imam Abu Khasim, in his introduction to Sharah-Al-Seer and Hazrath Syed Abdul Khader Jeelani Mahboob Subhani^RH in his "Malfoozar" and also in his "Masharikh-ul-Anwar."
11. Sauban^RZ is quoted as saying:-
    The Prophet said: "For your (referring to the generality of muslims) treasure (throne) of Khilafat, there would be a fight between three aspirants for Khilafat but none would get it. Then from the East people bearing black standards would appear and they would massacre you as none would have done before. But no one would defeat them. Then the Caliph of God Mahdi would appear. If you hear about him, go to him and offer fealty even if you would have to crawl on icebergs for that purpose as he would be the Caliph of God." This tradition is reported by many compilers of Hadis including Abu Nayeem, Ibn-e-Maja, Imam Ahmed in his "Musnad" and Imam Baihakhi in his "Dalayal-un-Naboowat".
12. Nayeem-bin-Hamad narrates quoting Khatada^RZ that Prophet^SLM said "Mahdi shall arrive from Madina to Makkah. People will recognize him and shall offer fealty to him between Rukn and Mukham and it would be accepted by him at that place with aversion." (Allama Shamsi^RH in his thesis "Tanveer-ul-Hidaya" gives elaborate reasons for believing that in this Hadis the word Madina does not refer to the capital of the Prophet but it refers to the city from which the Imam^AS proceeded to Makkah).
13. Abu Harish bin Mughaira Basri narrates that when he enquired from Imam Hussain^RZ, "from what signs we can recognize Mahdi, he replied "from his solemnity and dignity". Then I asked what are the other signs and Imam Hussain replied "his ability to distinguish between the permissible and the forbidden" he added: "People will depend on him and he will not depend on anyone".
14. Tawoos^RZ, one of the companions of the Prophet^SLM used to say "It is my desire that I should survive till the era of Mahdi. In his era, every benefactor would thrive in his benevolence the repentance of offenders would be accepted; and he would distribute wealth; and he would be stern against the learned and kind towards the poor."