twelve Caliphs

Respected Brother

Assalamu Alaikum

 

The Prophet (s) said:

"The Religion (Islam) will continue until the Hour (Day of Resurrection), having Twelve Caliphs for you, all of them will be from Quraysh."

 

References

1 )  Sahih Muslim, (English), Chapter DCCLIV, v3, p1010, Tradition #4483;  

      Sahih Muslim (Arabic), Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Saudi Arabian Edition, v3,   

         p1453, Tradition #10

2)  Sahih al-Bukhari (English),  Hadith: 9.329, Kitabul Ahkam;

         Sahih al-Bukhari, (Arabic), 4:165, Kitabul Ahkam

3)      Sunan al-Tirmidhi (Arabic) Chapter of Fitan,  2:45 (India) and 4:501  

4)      Tradition # 2225 (Egypt) 

5)      Sunan Abu Dawud (Arabic) 2:421,  Kitab al-Mahdi.  Sunan Abu Dawud (Arabic)
3:106, Kitab al-Mahdi. 

 

Who are these twelve Caliphs?

 

Sunni Explaination  of this Hadith

 

 

1) ibn Arabi after putting different scenario and counting all the caliphs from Qurish finally concluded that he cannot understand the meaning of this Hadith

       Ibn al-'Arabi, Sharh Sunan Tirmidhi 9:68-69

 

2) Qadi 'Iyad said that the number of caliphs is more than twelve so it is incorrect to limit number

                   Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim, 12:201-202. 
                     Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Fath al-Bari 16:339.

 

3) Al-Suyuti says:  There are only twelve Caliphs until Qiyamat. And they will continue to act on truth, even if they are not continuous. 

                Al-Suyuti, Tarikh al-Khulafa, Vol 12

 

4)  It is mentioned in Fath al-Bari that: 

Four of them (the Righteous Caliphs) have passed. The rest also must pass before Qiyamat.

 

Al-Bayhaqi  , Ibn Kathir, Ibn al-Jawzi and other great sunni scholar discussed this Hadith in depth and put all sencrio even including Yazeed and excluding Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Hassan as they claimed that Muslims were divided on their rule .

But could not reach any conclusion  and

Finally Ibn Hajar after reviewing  the explanation of all great Sunni scholar says

"No one has much knowledge about this particular hadith of Sahih Bukhari." 

 

 

Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, Fath al-Bari 16:339.

 

 

Correct  Explanation of this Hadith by Great Sunni Scholar

 

Al-Juwayni  reports that Abdullah ibn Abbas remarked that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) said, "I am the chief of the Prophets and Ali ibn Abi Talib is the chief of successors, and after me my successors shall be twelve, the first of them being Ali ibn Abi Talib and the last of them being Al Mahdi." 

Al-Juwayni has also mentioned another tradition from Ibn 'Abbas (r.a.) that he narrates from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.): 

"Certainly my Caliphs and my legatees and the Proofs of Allah upon his creatures after me are twelve. The first of them is my brother and the last of them is my (grand) son." 

He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, who is your brother?" 

He said, "Ali ibn Abi Talib" 

Then they asked, "And who is your son?" 

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) replied, "Al Mahdi, the one who will fill the earth with justice and equity like it would be brimming with injustice and tyranny. And by the One Who has raised me as a warner and a give of good tidings, even if a day remains for the life of this world, the Almighty Allah will prolong this day to an extent till he sends my son Mahdi, then he will make Ruhullah 'Isa ibn Maryam (a.s.) to descend and pray behind him (Mahdi). And the earth will be illuminated by his radiance. And his power will reach to the east and the west." 

Al-Juwayni also narrates from his chain of narrators that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) informed: 

"I and Ali and Hasan and Husayn and nine of the descendants of Husayn are the purified ones and the infallible." 

Reference:

Al-Juwayni, Fara'id al-Simtayn, pg 160

 Al-Dhahabi says in Tadhkirat al-Huffaz, vol. 4, p. 298, that Sadruddin Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin al-Hamawayh al-Juwayni al-Shafi'i was a great scholar of Hadith. Also see his biographical note in Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani, al-Durar al-kaminah, vol. 1, p. 67.

 

Why such confusing explanation

There are many such Hadith clearly mentioning the names of all

Caliphs then why such confusing explanation because

Among the scholars of the School of the Caliphate it was the general tendency, due to the political expediency, to conceal such traditions from the people. A majority of their scholars have tried their best to explain away these traditions in a confusing manner. They have endeavoured to make vague guesses regarding the names of the Caliphs mentioned in these reports. On the other hand the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has mentioned clearly, by name, his Twelve Successors. 

 

Explanation of this Hadith by Old Tastament.

 

And as for Isma'il, I have blessed him, and I have made him fruitful. And I have truly multiplied him, he will beget twelve leaders and I will provide for him a large nation.

Genesis (17-18:20)

This also indicates that the blessings, fruits and multiplication is in the generation of Isma'il (a.s.).

In Hebrew version of old testament the word use are  "Shanim Asaar" means "twelve"; and the word "Asaar" is used for a compound number when the counted things are masculine. The singular "Naasi" means: Leader, chief, head, etc. 

 

Jews who accept Islam view about this Hadith

Ibn Kathir says: 

We see the following prophecy in the Taurat which is in the hands of the Jews and the Christians: "Indeed Allah, the Exalted, has given Ibrahim (a.s.) the glad tidings of Isma'il, and he has bestowed a favour and multiplied it and placed in his progeny twelve mighty (personalities)."

And he says: 

Ibn Taymiyya said: "And these are the same, regarding whom the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has given the glad tidings in the tradition of Jabir bin Samurah and stated their number; indeed this is with regard to the Imams and the Hour will not come till they last. And many of those who accepted Islam from among Jews think they are the same Imams of the Shia sect." 

Reference:           Ibn Kathir, Ta'rikh, 6:249 and 250.

 

 

 

One of the points in the traditions mentioned above is that each of the twelve will be from the Quraysh. After them there will be chaos. Another point is that the religion will remain established till the twelve Caliphs of Quraysh are present. When they die, the earth will swallow its inhabitants. 

The above two points thus prove that after the twelve Caliphs of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) the earth will be destroyed. 

Therefore it is necessary that one of these twelve successors should have such a long life that it should surpass the age of this earth. 

This is exactly how it happened. The Twelfth successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was bestowed with a long life. He is Al-Mahdi Muhammad ibn Hasan Al Askari (a.s.). 

The traditions discussed in this treatise prove the Imamat of these Twelve Noble Personalities. Not anyone else.