Books of Ahle Sunnah about Imam Mahdi (as)

In this brief article we will discuss those books of Ahle Sunnah that have been entirely dedicated to the subject of the belief in Imam Mahdi (as).

These books have been compiled by renowned and famous scholars of the Ahle Sunnah and are accessible even today. It should be noted that these books have been referenced from the library of the great scholar Allamah Shaykh Abdul Husain Amini (ra) the author of the magnum opus Al-Ghadeer. All these books have been compiled in Arabic. The honour for the compilation of this list belongs to the great researcher and the blessed scholar Marhoom Sayyed Abdul Aziz Ibn Sayyed Jawad Tabatabai Yazdi Najafi (1348 – 1416 AH).

Let us now proceed towards a brief review of these books.

Ibraaz al-Wahm al-Maknoon min Qalam-e- Ibn Khaldoon

Author: Muhaddis Abu al-Faiz Ahmed Ibn Mohammed Ibn Siddiq Ghamari (exp. 1380 AH), a resident of Cairo. Ahmed Mohammed Mursi al-Naqshbandi in the preface of his book “Ali Ibn Abi Talib Imamul Aarefeen” has discussed the author’s detailed biography. The subject of this book i.e. Ibraazul Wahmil Maknoon min Qalam-e-Ibn Khaldoon is about Imam Mahdi (as) and that he will reappear in the last era and there are several Prophetic traditions concerning this topic. This book was printed in the year 1347 AH at Turkey for the first time and then got reprinted in the year 1354 AH Those esteemed readers who are interested in reading the biography of the author may refer to Al- Mo’jamul Mu’allefeen vol. 11 p. 368 and A’laam of Zarkali vol. 1 p. 253. The author’s revered brother Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammad Ghamari (exp. 1418 AH) has written the book – Al-Ifaadato be Toroqe Hadith Al-Nazaro ila Aliyin Ibaadah.

Al Arbaoona Hadithan fi al-Mahdi

Author: Hafiz Abu Noaim Ahmed Ibn Abdullah Isfahani (exp. 430 AH). This book contains 40 traditions of Holy Prophet (sawa) concerning Imam Mahdi (as). Jalaaluddin Suyuti has used this book as a referential source for his book Arful Wardi.

Asahhu Maa Warada Fil Mahdi Wa Isa

Author: Shaikh Mohammed Habibullah Shanqiti (1295 – 1363 AH)

For a long period of time, the author lived in the holy city of Makkah, and then migrated to Cairo and used to give lectures for Al-Azhar University on the subject of the principles of religion. Al-Azhar University has published a lot of his works which include this book as well. Apart from this, the author has also compiled two more books: – Hayaato Ali Ibn Abi Talib and Kifaayah al-Taalib fi Manaaqib Ali Ibn Abi Talib.

His biography can be found in Kuttani’s Al-Fehriso Faharis page 55; Alaam of Zarkali volume 6 page 79 and Al- Mojamul Muallefeen volume 9 page 176.

Al Burhan Fi Alaamat-e-Mahdi Aakher al-Zamaan

Author: Ali Ibn Hesaam al-Deen al-Muttaqi al-Hindi (885 – 975 AH). The author has also compiled Kanz ul Ummal and various other famous books. A detailed account of his life can be found in Nuzhah al-Khawaatir, volume 4 page 234. Copies of this book are still found in the libraries of Grand Mosque in Makkah, London, Hyderabad (Deccan) and Madinah al-Munawwarah.

The last version of this book was printed in Saudi Arabia in the year 1408 AH. It would be appropriate here to mention that Muttaqi Hindi has written a treatise on Imam Mahdi (as) in Persian language which is available in the library of Ayatullah Syed Shahabuddin Marashi (ra) in Holy city of Qum (Serial No. 129/2). This treatise contains 60 traditions and comprises of the following four sections:

Imam Mahdi (as) – Characteristics and lineage
His miracles
Signs of reappearance
Events after reappearance

Al Bayan Fee Akhbaris Sahebaz Zaman

Author: Fakhr al-Deen Mohammed Ibne Yusuf Ganji Shafaei (exp. 658 AH). The author’s description is found in Hadyah al-Aarefeen volume 2 page 127. Respected scholar Iftekharul Ulama Saadat Husain Khan has done the Urdu translation of this book by the name “Imam al-Muntazar”.

Tehqeeq al-Nazar fi Akhbaar al-Imam al-Muntazar

Author: Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Aziz Ibne Maane Ibne Mohammed Ibne Abdullah Ibne Mohammed Ibne Ibrahim Waheebi (exp. 1300 – 1385 AH). He was among the renowned scholars of Najd. Zarkali has written that the author had acquired knowledge from Basra, Baghdad and Cairo. In the year 1385, the king of Saudi Arabia Abdul Aziz Aale Saud invited him to Makkah and requested him to deliver lectures there. In the year 1385 he had to go to Beirut for medical reasons where he expired. (volume 6 page 209)

Resaalah fi Tehqeeq-e-Zahoor al-Mahdi

Author: Ahmed Ibn Abdil Latif al-Barbari Dimayati (exp. 1228 AH).

Talkhees al-Bayaan fi Akhbaar-e-Mahdi-e-Aakher al-Zamaan

Author: Alauddin Ali Ibn Hesaam al-Deen al-Malik Ibn Qazi Khan al-Muttaqi al-Hindi (975 AH). Manuscripts of this book can be found in the library of Aasefiyah, Hyderabad Deccan. In the year 1380 AH when Allama Amini (ra) travelled to India he copied the book from this very Library and has mentioned it in his famous travelogue Samaraat al-Asfaar volume 1 page 145–147. Apart from here the manuscripts of this book can also be found in Madinah al-Munawwarah, the library of King Abdul Aziz and also in the Friday prayer mosques Libraries at Istanbul (Turkey), Manchester (England) and Mumbai (India).

Tambeeh al-Wasnaan ilaa Akhbaar-e-Mahdi-e-Aakher al-Zamaan

Author: Ahmed Nawbi (exp. 1037 AH). A manuscript of this book can be found in the Library of Gauteet (Germany).

Al-Durr al-Manzood Fi Zikr al-Mahdi al-Maw’ood

Author: Sayyed Siddiq Hasan Ibn Awlaad Hasan Ibn Awlaad Ali Kannauji. The original manuscript of this book in the author’s handwriting is available in the library of Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow, India under the registration number 311. (Fehrist Nadwatul Ulama page 97)

Yanabi al-Mawaddah

This book was authored in the year 1291 A.H. The complete name of the book is Yanabi al-Mawaddah la Dhi al-Qurba min Ahl al-Iba. The name of the author is Sulayman ibn Ibrahim also known as Khwaja Kulan ibn Muhammad (Baba Khwaja) ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Ma`ruf ibn al-Shaykh al-Sayyid Tarsun al-Baqi al-Husayni al-Balkhi al-Qanduzi. He is generally referred to as Shaykh Sulayman al-Qanduzi. At the end of this book he wrote:

“The compilation of Yanabi al-Mawaddah li Dhi al-Qurba min Ahl al-Iba has been completed, by the praise of Allah and His grace at mid-morning, Monday the ninth of Ramadan 1291 A.H.”

This book was only compiled in the twelfth century (1291 A.H.). The author gathered information from many different books that were written regarding virtues and merits.