Hukaym Ibn Sa’d says: I heard Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, say: The helpers of the Qaim [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] are young, and there are no elderly people among them. They are as few in number as kohl on the eye or salt in victuals, and salt is the smallest component of victuals. |
Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) helpers will be made up of young people, and there will be no elderly among them. However, as revealed in several other hadiths, their numbers will be very few. The hadith place the number of followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) at around 314. (The Imam Mahdi, Ali Irfan, Velayet Press, p. 96)