Summary Article: A Study of the Golden Chain Hadith as Narrated by Imam Al-Mahdi (PBUH) in the Sunnas’ Sources
Sayed Mahmood Al-Moqadas Al-Guraifi
All the Muslims have agreed upon the importance of believing in Imam Al-Mahdi (PBUH) and that he is from Ahlulbait, and that he will rise at the end of time to establish his just state to eradicate all injustice and oppression. Yet, the debate is about whether he is born or not. There are several evidences that refer to the birth of Imam Al-Mahdi and that he is concealed. For example, the Hadith of the Golden Chain is narrated by great Sunni narrators, which was narrated by Imam Al-Mahdi himself from his forefather Imams from the Prophet who stated: “Gabriel the archangel told me: God the Lord of the lords said: I am the Lord God who has no like; whosoever admits My Unity enters my fortress, and whosoever enters My fortress, he is safe from My torment”. They narrated this Hadith from Imam Al-Mahdi (PBUH) in their primary sources. If there was any skepticism in his existence, they would never had narrated it. In other words, they would never narrate a Hadith from a man who is not born yet. There are many great Sunni theologians who have confirmed the truth of this Hadith in their books, as Said bin Muhammad bin Masoud Al-Kazerouni (٧٥٩ A. H.), Ibn Al-Jozori (٨٣٣ A.H.), Ibn Aqila (١١٥٠ A.H.), Wali-Allah Al-Dahlawi (١١٧٥ A.H.) and others.
It has been a great effort to recognize the names of the narrators, while other names are not mentioned at all. Here, I sought to mention all the available names who mentioned this Hadith. I moreover proposed a study of their biography. I mentioned all the available details of the narrators, as the date of their birth, death, social, and political life.
