Both Shia and Sunni sources state that twelve Mahdis will succeed Imam Mahdi (From Him is Peace).
Imam Sajjad (From Him is Peace) said: “The Qaim will appear from among us and after him there will be twelve Mahdis.”
– Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 109, p. 148
Abu Al-Hussein ibn Al-Munadi said as part of a long passage:
“It is possible that the meaning of the hadith ‘There will be twelve Caliphs’ that this will be after the Mahdi, who emerges in the End Times, for I found in the Book of Daniel, when the Mahdi dies, five men will rule after him from the sons of the elder grandson, then five from the sons of the younger grandson, then the last of them passes the caliphate to a man from the sons of the elder grandson, then his son rules after him, and so with that there will be twelve kings each one of them is an Imam Mahdi.”
– Fath Al-Bari Bisharh Sahih Al-Bukhari, Ibn Hajar, Vol. 13, p. 184
Yahya bin Abu Muta' said:
"I heard 'Irbad bin Sariyah say: 'One day, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH & His Family) stood up among us and delivered a deeply moving speech to us that melted our hearts and caused our eyes to overflow with tears. It was said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, you have delivered a speech of farewell, so enjoin something upon us.' He said: 'I urge you to fear Allah, and to listen and obey, even if (your leader) is an Abyssinian slave. After I am gone, you will see great conflict. I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the path of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, the Mahdis, and cling stubbornly to it. And beware of newly-invented matters, for every innovation is a going astray.'"
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ بَشِيرِ بْنِ ذَكْوَانَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زَبْرٍ - حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي الْمُطَاعِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْعِرْبَاضَ بْنَ سَارِيَةَ، يَقُولُ قَامَ فِينَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَوَعَظَنَا مَوْعِظَةً بَلِيغَةً وَجِلَتْ مِنْهَا الْقُلُوبُ وَذَرَفَتْ مِنْهَا الْعُيُونُ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَعَظْتَنَا مَوْعِظَةَ مُوَدِّعٍ فَاعْهَدْ إِلَيْنَا بِعَهْدٍ فَقَالَ " عَلَيْكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَالسَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ وَإِنْ عَبْدًا حَبَشِيًّا وَسَتَرَوْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِي اخْتِلاَفًا شَدِيدًا فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ عَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالأُمُورَ الْمُحْدَثَاتِ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ " .
There is a mistranslation in this narration. In Arabic, “ وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ”, wasunnat alkhulafa' alrrashidin almahdiiyn literally translates as “and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, the Mahdis”. Not, “I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the path of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs”.
Abu Baseer said:
"I told Al-Sadiq, Ja'far ibn Mohammad (PBUH): “O son of the Prophet, I once heard your father (PBUH) saying that after the Qaim there shall be twelve Mahdis.“ Then Al-Sadiq (PBUH) said: “Indeed, he said ‘twelve Mahdis’ and he did not say ‘twelve Imams.’ They are from our followers (Shia), who shall call upon people to support us and who shall identify our right.”
– Kamāl al-dīn wa tamām al-niʿma, Al-Shaikh Al-Saduq, Vol. 1, p. 386
Abi Abdulllah (From Him is Peace) said:
“O Aba Hamza, verily there will be from us, after the Qaim (PBUH) eleven Mahdis from the sons of Al-Hussein (PBUH).”
– Ghaybat Al-Tusi, Al-Shaikh Al-Tusi, Vol. 1, p.498; Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol. 4, p. 77
From Abu Ja'far and Abu Abdullah (From Him is Peace) mentioning Kufa he said:
“Masjid Suhail where Allah hasn’t sent a Prophet except that he prayed inside it. From it justice shall appear by Allah, and in it will be His Qaim/Riser and after him will be Qaims/Risers, and they have the dwellings of the Prophets, successors, and the true believers.”
– Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 97, p. 440; Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol. 3, p. 296
The following narration mentions twelve Imams from the children of Fatimah, Ali and Mohammed (From Them is Peace). Since Ali (From Him is Peace) can not be a part of these specific twelve, there must be a thirteenth Imam. And according to Prophet Mohammed's (PBUH & His Family) Will, this is the First Mahdi (From Him is Peace) who is the thirteenth successor from the twenty-four successors.
The Prophet of Allah (PBUH & His Family) said:
“Me and twelve from my sons and you, O Ali, are the balance of this earth, meaning its pegs and the mountains, Allah has made us the pegs of the Earth so it does not become wrecked on its people, so if the twelve from my sons went away then the Earth would be wrecked on its people and they will not have vision/insight.”
Al-Hassan ibn Ali (From Him is Peace) said:
“Prophet of Allah (PBUH & His Family) promised us that this matter shall be ruled by twelve Imams from the sons of Ali and Fatimah.”
– Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol.3 p. 170; Bihar Al-Anwar, Al-Allamah Al-Majlisi, Vol. 44 p. 139
It is illogical to think that this narration is referring to the twelve Imams and the twelve Imams come from Imam Ali (From Him is Peace) while Imam Ali is already one of the twelve Imams.
From Anas ibn Malik:
"…So I said: Who are your disciples O Prophet of Allah (PBUH & His Family)? So he (PBUH & His Family) said: “The Imams after me are twelve from the lineage of Ali (From Him is Peace) and Fatimah, they are my disciples and my supporters (Ansars), salutations and peace upon them from Allah.”
The Prophet of Allah (PBUH & His Family) said:
“From my sons will be twelve Naqib (princes), they are noble, spoken to by Angels and conveyers of knowledge, the last of them is the Riser (Qaim) of truth who will fill the Earth with justice just as it will be filled with oppression.”
Imam Ali (From Him is Peace) is not one of the sons of the Prophet.
Narrated that Jabir Al-Ansari said:
“I entered to Fatimah the daughter of the Prophet of Allah (PBUH & His Family) and she had a tablet in front of her that had the names of the successors and the Imams from her sons, so she counted twelve names and the last of them is the Qaim, three of them were Mohammed and three of them were Ali.”
– Al-Kafi, Al-Shaikh, Al-Kulayni, Vol. 1, p. 532; Ghaybat Al-Tusi, Al-Shaikh Al-Tusi, Vol. 1, p.163; Al-Khisal, Al-Shaikh Al-Saduq, pp. 477-478
We must read this narration properly. It states that Fatimah Al-Zahra (From Her is Peace) had the names of the successors and the Imams from her sons. Imam Ali (From Him is Peace) is not from the sons of Fatimah, so he is not included in the list of successors.
Approximately 200 million Shias today know about Imam Mahdi (From Him is Peace) and millions of Sunnis too, Mohammed ibn Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) he is known. But as for the unknown Imam, who could he be?
Al-Asbagh ibn Nabata said:
I went to the Prince of the Believers (PBUH) so I found him drawing lines in the earth, so I said to him, "O Prince of the believers, why do I see you contemplating and drawing lines in the earth? Do you desire it?" So he said, “By Allah, I have never desired it nor have I ever desired the world, but I was thinking about a man who will be born from the eleventh from my sons, he is the Mahdi who will fill it with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and injustice. There will be a confusion and an absence for him, people will go astray in it, and some others will be guided in it.” So I said, "So how long will the confusion and absence be?" So he (PBUH) said, “Six days, or six months, or six years.”
I said: "And is this matter certain?"He said: "Yes, just as he is created. How would you know about this matter, O Asbagh? They are the best of this nation alongside the righteous of this family (the Prophet's lineage)."
I said: "Then what happens after that?"
He said: "Then Allah will do what He wills, for He has Bida'as [change in divine decree], and wills and purposes and endings."
– Ghaybat Al-Tusi, Vol. 1 pp. 189-190; Al-Ikhtisas, Al-Shaikh Al-Mufid, p. 209
Who is the 11th from Imam Ali’s (From Him is Peace) sons?
The 11th son of Imam Ali is Imam Mahdi (From Him is Peace). So who will be the descendant of Imam Mahdi (From Him is Peace)? Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace).
It is narrated from the Prince of the Believers (From Him is Peace) that he said in Hira:
“This place will join with that (pointing to Kufa). So much so that the land between them would be sold for a dinar per cubit. A mosque will come up at Hira having 500 gates and the Caliph of Imam Qaim will lead prayer in it, because the mosque of Kufa would be overcrowded and twelve just Imams would be leading prayers in it.” I said: “O Prince of the Believers (PBUH), is the mosque of Kufa big enough for the people you are describing at that time?” He replied: “Another four mosques would be built there and the mosque of Kufa would be the smallest. This mosque and two mosques would be on this side of Kufa and on the other side.” Then he pointed to the Basrin and Gharrin streams.”
– Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol. 3, p. 111
Imam Ja'far (From Him is Peace) says:
“So the Qaim will stand between the Rukn and Maqam and with him is his Wazeer (Vizier), … And he shall emerge from Mecca, him and who was with him from the three hundred and few tnes, and they will pledge allegiance to him between the Rukn and Maqam, and with him is the Promise of the Prophet of Allah (PBUH & His Family), his Banner and his Weapon, and so he shall pray and then leave and with him is his Wazeer (Vizier/ minister).”
– Tafsir Al-Ayashi, Mohammed ibn Masoud Al-Ayashi, Vol. 1, p. 65; Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol. 5, p. 21
From Al-Baqir (From Him is Peace) he said:
“There will be for the Companion of the Matter an occultation in a few of these regions” – and then he pointed his finger over at Thi Tuwa (Najaf) – “until before his emergence, the Mawla (Master) that was with him will arrive, in order to meet with some of his companions.”
– Kitab Al-Ghayba (Book of Occultation), Al-Numani, Vol. 1, p. 185
From Al-Baqir (From Him is Peace) when he was talking about the Mahdi’s move:
“The Mahdi hurries/races to call people to the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of his Prophet (PBUH & His Family), the Guardianship (Wilaya) of Ali bin Abi Talib (PBUH) and being free from his enemies. Until when the Mahdi gets to Al-Thalabya, a Man from the same lineage of the Mahdi’s father will go to the Mahdi. The Man is one of the most severest in body and bravest in heart among people, apart from the Companion of the Matter (Mahdi). The Man says to the Mahdi: ‘O you, what are you doing? By Allah, you are frightening people like the frightening of cattle. Is this by a Covenant from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH & His Family) or by what?’ So the Master (Mawla) that will Succeed the Pledging of Allegiance, will say to the Man: ‘I swear by Allah either you remain silent, or I strike what is in your eyes.’ So the Mahdi (PBUH) says to the Master: ‘Keep quiet O So-and-So.’ [Then says to the Man] ‘Yes, by Allah I have with me a Covenant from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH & His Family). O So-and-So (Master), bring me the chest.’ So the Master fetches it and the Man reads the Covenant from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH & His Family). The Man then says to the Mahdi: ‘May Allah make me your ransom. Give me your head so I can kiss it.’ He kisses between his eyes then says: ‘May Allah make me your ransom. Renew our Pledge of Allegiance.’ The Mahdi (PBUH) renews the Pledge of Allegiance for them.'" Imam Al-Baqir (PBUH) then says: “It is as if I am looking at them rising from the Najaf of Kufa, three hundred and a few tens of men.”
– Tafsir Al-Ayashi, Mohammed ibn Masoud Al-Ayashi, Vol. 2, p. 59; Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol. 5, p. 28
“So they get together and check who they should pledge allegiance to, and so this happens when they hear a call not from a human nor from the jinn, ‘Pledge allegiance to so-and-so [by his name], he is not from that such (of people) or this, rather he is a Caliph who is a Yamani.'”
– Mo'jam Ahadeeth Imam Al-Mahdi (AS), Al-Shaikh Ali Al-Korani, Vol. 1, p. 299
Let us acknowledge that all of the Imams and the Mahdis (From Them is Peace) are called “Qaim/Riser”, as it has been narrated by Ahlul-Bayt (From Them is Peace)
For example:
Abu Khadijah narrated that Abi Abdillah (PBUH) was asked about the Qaim (PBUH), so he said: “We are all Qaims/Risers by the command of Allah, one after the other, until the companion of the sword comes forth. So if the companion of the sword comes, he will come with a matter which is different than what was.”
And Al-Hakam ibn Abi Na’im said that Aba Ja’far (PBUH) said: “O Hakam, we are all Qaims/Risers by the command of Allah”. So I said: “So are you the Mahdi?” So he (PBUH) said: “We all guide towards Allah”. So I said: “So you are the companion of the sword?” So he (PBUH) said: “We are all companion of the sword and inheritor of the sword.”
And in the following narration, you will find that the title “the Qaims/ Risers” is given to the Successors of the Qaim (From Him is Peace), whom are the Mahdis (From Them is Peace):
Abu Ja’far and Abu Abdillah (From Him is Peace) said about Kufa:
“…in it is the mosque of Suhayl, which Allah has not sent a Prophet except that he has prayed in it. And from it will appear the justice of Allah, and in it will be His Qaim and the Qaims after him, and it is the ranks of the Prophets and vicegerents and righteous ones”.
Now contemplate over the following narration in which the Prince of the Believers Imam Ali (From Him is Peace) mentions the presence of more than one Qaim at the same time paving the way for the Holy Rise, meaning more than one Hujjah from the Family of Mohammed (From Them is Peace).
The Prince of the Believers (From Him Is Peace) said in a long Hadith:
“If the Qaim rises in Khorasan, and dominates over the land of Kufa and Al-Millatan, and passes the island of Bani Kawan, and a Qaim from us rises in Jaylan, and the Aber and Daylam will answer him. Then the awaited Qaim and the unknown Imam will rise, he has the honor and the preference, and he is from your offspring O Al-Hussein, no son is like him.”
– Kitab Al-Ghayba (Book of Occultation), Al-Numani, Vol. 1, p. 281
As for who are those three Qaims who are mentioned in the above narration (the Qaim in Khorasan, the Qaim in Jaylan, and the awaited Qaim and the unknown Imam), that is to be announced by Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan (From Him is Peace) when he wills.
But the point here is that, as it is clear from the narration, there are more than one “Qaim” at the same time, paving the way for the Holy Qiyam (the Holy Rise).
Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq (From Him is Peace) has made an episode on the twelve Mahdis as well:
How many Mahdis are there? | الإمام المهدي والاثنا عشر مهدياً