As with the other prophets, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have a long and trouble-filled life. There will be a time of occultation, and this period, when Hazrat Mahdi (as) is not recognized will be long, and the fact that his appearance takes longer than some people imagine will cause the hearts of some people weak in faith to harden. For that reason, the number of believers in Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be as low as 313. These will be people in whose hearts Allah has specially written, very honest people.
Abu Bashir says: Imam Abu Abdullah said: "There WILL BE VERY FEW PEOPLE from among the Arabs alongside the Qaim [Hazrat Mahdi (as)]."...
He said: "The people will be cleansed. They will be cleansed and passed through a sieve. Many a people will be sieved." (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 239)
Fazl ibn Shadhan; Abdullah ibn Sinan relates that Imam Jaffar Sadik said:
"Those who disappeared from their beds (homes) are three hundred thirteen people. They will number as many as the people of Badr (the Muslims who fought in the Battle of Badr)... They are the companions of the Qaim Mahdi.”
Their numbers will be those of the people of Badr (313). In the same way that those before them cannot pass beyond them, neither those who come after can reach them. Their number is as many as those who crossed the river with Saul. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-Zaman, p. 57)
They consist of a group, including women, of 314 people. They will overcome all tyrants. Their hearts are like iron, and they are lions by day and devout believers by night. Neither those before nor after them can match them in self-sacrifice. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-Zaman, pp. 57-58)
These 313 are devout believers by night and heroes by day. (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah, p. 169)
Hazrat Ali (ra) says: “... ALLAH WILL PROTECT HAZRAT MAHDI’S (AS) FOLLOWERS, HE WILL ASSIST THEM WITH SIGNS AND PORTENTS and WILL GIVE THEM TOTAL VICTORY OVER EVERYONE ON EARTH. Willingly or unwillingly, people will thus enter the true faith. HE [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] WILL FILL THE EARTH WITH JUSTICE, LIGHT AND CLEAR PROOF. All countries will obey him and bow their heads to him. So much so that all the unbelievers will believe and all the wicked will be sincere servants (wicked people will find salvation and be sincere Muslims.)” (Al-Hurr al-Amili, Ithbat al-Hudat, Vol. 7, p. 49)
Numani: Sulayman ibn Harun al-Ijli narrates: I heard Imam Hussain say: "THE LORD OF THIS COMMAND [IMAM MAHDI (AS)] HAS A PROTECTED COMMUNITY. Even if all the people abandon him, Allah will send these companions to to him: These are the ones described in a verse.
"They are the ones to whom We gave the Book, Judgment and Prophethood. If these people reject it We have already entrusted it to a people who did not.” (Surat al-An’am, 89)
And He also says of them: "You who believe! If any of you renounce your religion, Allah will bring forward a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble to the believers, fierce to the unbelievers, who strive in the Way of Allah and do not fear the blame of any censurer. That is the unbounded favor of Allah which He gives to whoever He wills. Allah is Boundless, All-Knowing.” (Surat al-Ma’ida, 54)
From Hassan ibn Salih al-Bazzaz: Hassan ibn Ali Askari (as) said: “THE TRUTH IS THAT MY SON IS THE QAIM [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] AFTERWARD. THE SUNNAH OF THE PROPHETS WILL BE UPON HIM [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] IN HIS LONG LIFE AND OCCULTATION. SOME HEARTS WILL GROW AS HARD AS STONE AND SAY THAT THIS PERIOD HAS GONE ON TOO LONG. APART FROM THOSE IN WHOSE HEARTS ALLAH INSCRIBES FAITH AND SUPPORTS WITH HIS MERCY THERE WILL BE NO ONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)].” (Sheikh al-Saduq, Kamal al-Din, p. 526 and Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 51, p. 224)
Imam Muhammad Bakr and Imam Jaffar Sadik said this about Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) followers: “They will take over the east and west. EACH WILL BE AS POWERFUL AS FORTY PEOPLE. THEIR HEARTS ARE LIKE IRON. SO MUCH SO THAT THE WORDS ‘THERE IS NO DEITY BUT ALLAH AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS PROPHET’ WILL BE ECHOED AND HEARD EVERYWHERE.” (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 340)
Abdullah ibn Abu Yâfûr says, I heard Imam Abu Abdullah Jaffar Sadik say:
"Shame on the rebellion of the Arabs because of the approaching corruption." I ASKED: "...HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM AMONG THE ARABS WILL BE WITH THE QAIM [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)]?” “VERY FEW” he said. I then asked: "I swear to Allah that there are many people who claim they will help Hazrat Mahdi (as)." He said: "The people will be purged. They will be cleansed and passed through a sieve. Many people will not pass through the sieve.” (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, pp. 239-240)
Abu Bashir says: Imam Muhammad Bakr said: "... THEY WILL BE CLEANSED AND WEEDED OUT, SO THAT A COMMUNITY REMAINS THAT CORRUPTION WITHIN THEM CAN NEVER HARM.” (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 245)
"... So that no more than KOHL ON THE EYE OR SALT IN FOOD WILL REMAIN from you. And I shall give you an example: A man has a quantity of wheat. He cleans it and stores it in his house. When he returns to it a long time later, he sees it is full of weevils. He cleans it again and again puts it in his home. When he comes back to it after another long time, he sees it is again infested with weevils. He repeats the same processes. WHAT EVENTUALLY REMAINS IS A VERY LITTLE HEALTHY WHEAT THAT WEEVILS CANNOT HARM. You are like that. AT THE END, A SMALL GROUP OF YOU WILL BE LEFT THAT CORRUPTION CAN NEVER HARM.” (Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Said also transmits the same hadith.) (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 245)
Mihzam ibn Abu Burda al-Asadi and others relate that Imam Jaffar Sadik said: 'I swear to Allah that you will be shattered like glass is broken and shattered. When glass is broken it can be restored to its original form. But you will be shattered like a pitcher. And I swear to Allah that you will be so cleansed THAT VERY FEW OF YOU REMAIN. '(Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 242)
Safwan ibn Yahya says: Imam Reza said: "I swear to Allah that the Qaim you have been so awaiting will not appear (HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL NOT COME) until you have been cleansed. SUCH THAT VERY FEW OF YOU WILL REMAIN BEHIND.” (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, Al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 243)
VERSES FROM THE QUR’AN
So when Our command came, and water bubbled up from the earth, We said, ‘Load into it a pair of every species, and your family – except for those against whom the Word was preordained – and all who believe.’ But those who believed with him were only few. (Surah Hud, 40)
These people are a small group. (Surat ash-‘Shuara’, 54)
No one believed in Moses except for a few of his people out of fear that Pharaoh, and the elders, would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was one of the profligate. (Surah Yunus, 83)
When Saul marched out with the army, he said, ‘Allah will test you with a river. Anyone who drinks from it is not with me. But anyone who does not taste it is with me – except for him who merely scoops up a little in his hand.’ But they drank from it – except for a few of them. Then when he and those who had iman with him had crossed it, they said, ‘We do not have the strength to face Goliath and his troops today.’ But those who were sure that they were going to meet Allah said, ‘How many a small force has triumphed over a much greater one by Allah’s permission! Allah is with the steadfast. (Surat al-Baqara, 249)
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