It has been talked about Mahdi (PBUH) in prophetic traditions a lot. (Prophetic traditions are traditions that both Shia and Sunni certify.) As we try to explain Sunni’s beliefs about Mahdi (PBUH) in this article, we refer to traditions found in Sunni’s authentic books so that his advent in traditions would be recognized.
1-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “If it remains only one day to the end of the world, Allah will inspire a man of my family, who will make the world full of justice after it has become full of oppression.” (Sahih Abu Dawood, vol. 2, p. 208)
2-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “If it remains only one day to the end of the world, Allah will elongate that day until a man of my family whose name is the same as mine will be inspired, he will make the world full of justice after it ha become full of oppression.” (Sahih al-Tirmidhi, vol. 5, p. 343)
3-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “Some time, the world will become full of oppression, and then a man of my family will appear. He will rule for seven or nine years and will make the world full of justice.” (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3, p. 28)
4-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “Mahdi is from my family and a son of my daughter, Fatimah.” (al-Sava’iq, p.163 & Sunan ibn Majah, vol. 2, p. 1368]
5-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “Mahdi (PBUH) is from us, he has a long forehead and a knob on his nose. He will make the world full of justice after it has become full of oppression.” (Sahih Abu Dawood, vol. 2, p. 208)
6-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “I give you good tidings about Mahdi, he will be inspired in my community and make the world full of justice as it has become full of oppression, people will be satisfied with him, and will divide all properties equally between all people. Allah will make people free from want and justice will be everywhere.” (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 3, p. 37)
7-Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “Actually, Ali ibn Abitalib is the leader of my community and my successor. Mahdi is of his sons, by which Allah will make the world full of justice after it has become full of oppression. I swear to Allah, who has delegated me, people who abide by his Imamat during his occultation are rare such as red Sulphur.” (Hamwayni in Fara’id al-Samtain, the end of vol. 2)
8-Abd al-Rahman al-Suyuti, one of the great Sunni scholars has written in his book that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) said: “Anyone who denies the appearance of Mahdi has become pagan.”
9-Ibn Hajar Haithami Shafe’i has written in his book, al-Sava’iq (p. 164): “Ab al-Qasim, Prophet Muhammad, al-Hujjat, his age is five when his father passes away. Allah has given knowledge at that time. He is called “Qa’im al-Muntadhar”, he is the savior of this community and Jesus will say prayers with him.
Sunnis actually have a lot of things to say about this subject and even have written many books about it. The number of them is more than 30, but we list some of them below:
-Al-Burhan fi Akhbare Sahib al-Zaman by Ganji Shafei
-Al-Burhan fi Alamate Akhir al-Zaman (Shah Mulla Muttagi)
-Al-Qaul al-Mukhtasar fi Alamate al-Mahdi (PBUH) al-Muntadhar (Ibn Hajar)
-Mahdi (PBUH) Aal al-Rasool (al-Herawi al-Hanafi)
-Aqd al-Dorar fi Akhbar Imam al-Muntadhar (Jamaleddin Yusefi al-Dimashqi)
-Manaqib al-Mahdi (PBUH) (Hafidh abi Na’im Isfahani)
-Al-Orf al-Wardi fi Akhbar al-Mahdi (PBUH) (al-Suyuti), Kitab al-Mahdi (PBUH) (Abu Dawood)