The superior characteristics of the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and their similarities to the Ashab al-Suffa -1-

The Ashab al-Suffa

• They devoted all their time to earning Allah’s approval alone.
• The constantly studied the Qur’an and listened to the teachings of our Prophet (saas).
• Our Prophet (saas) took a close interest in their training.
• They took no interest in commerce or worldly things.
• They did not marry, and had no family or tribal loyalties.
• They were few in number.
• They traveled to teach the Qur’an and the Sunnah to Muslim tribes.
• They were known as the Army of the Learned.
• They devoted their entire lives to Allah’s path.
• The Ashab al-Suffa of the End Times are the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as).

“Ashab al-Suffa” is the name given to a group of Companions made up of young people who stayed in an area subsequently added on to the northern part of the Mosque of our Prophet (saas) and known as the Suffa. The followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) bear a close resemblance to these blessed people in terms of many of their characteristics. The moral values of the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as)  resemble those of the Ashab al-Suffa, such as their faith and loyalty and obedience to Almighty Allah and Hazrat Mahdi (as) are all praised in the hadiths.

ADNAN OKTAR: Hazrat Mahdi (as) also has an Ashab al-Suffa. A small group of young people constantly acting together with Hazrat Mahdi (as). They also leave their families and strive together for Allah, just as it was in the time of the Prophet (saas), insha’Allah. (10 October 2010, Kanal Avrupa and Çay TV)

According to the hadiths, the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) are devout by night and lions by day. By night they teach, while by day they wage an intellectual struggle like lions.
They intellectually uproot such bastions of disbelief as Darwinism and materialism.

They are courageous, determined and submissive on Allah’s path.

Patience is one of their characteristics; they are never hasty. They wage a patient intellectual struggle with all their might so that Qur’anic values will dominate the world.

Submission to Allah is their greatest source of strength in their faith. They are fully submitted to Almighty Allah. In times of danger, they are never uneasy, but say, “It is all for the best.”
Let us now look at the features of these blessed people of the End Times, the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as), in the light of the hadiths.

Like the Ashab al-Suffa, the Followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) Will Consist of Young People

The hadiths reveal that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have youthful helpers.

“THE FOLLOWERS of the Qaim [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] ARE YOUNG, and there are no elderly people among them. (Seikh Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim Numani, Ghaybah al Numani, p. 374)

Many prophets had young helpers. Allah reveals this in verse 83 of Surah Yunus:

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)

Other hadiths reveal that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have youthful followers:

Most of these followers [of Hazrat Mahdi (as)] ARE YOUNG while the old are very few. (Bihar al-Anwar, vol: 52, p. 334)

Another hadith indicating there will be young people around Hazrat Mahdi (as) reads: 

Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) standard-bearer will be a small YOUNG MAN with a slight, yellow beard. (Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 51)

ADNAN OKTAR: ... The followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) are made up of young people. The followers of the Prophet Moses (as) were made up of young people. Young people are less worn down mentally. A rigidity sets in with age. It is harder for an older person to turn to living by the True Religion. But young people are less entrenched in sin. They are more innocent. They are more idealistic. That is how Allah creates their natures. So Allah produces a blessing within them, insha’Allah...

The Community of Hazrat Mahdi (as) Will Be Few in Number

As revealed in the hadiths, very few people, just 313, will believe in Hazrat Mahdi (as). These will be highly sincere people in whose hearts Allah has deliberately established faith.

Abu Bashir says: Imam Abu Abdullah said: "There WILL BE VERY FEW PEOPLE from among the Arabs alongside the Qaim [Hazrat Mahdi (as)]."... (Sheikh Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Numani, al-Ghaybah al-Numani, p. 239)

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 313 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)

ADNAN OKTAR: The way of the Mahdi (as) is the only entity to oppose them. The Messenger of Allah says, “They are 313 people.” In other words, the students of Hazrat Mahdi (as) are like a single body with 600 eyes, 600 ears and 300 brains. Nobody can overcome that, because there is no such entity in the world. One cannot overcome that. (From Mr. Adnan Oktar`s interview on Harun Yahya TV on 12 November 2010)

ADNAN OKTAR: Look, “If there are twenty of you who are steadfast, they will overcome two hundred.” The students of Hazrat Mahdi (as) are overcoming the whole world, the atheist, Darwinist and materialist system in the world, as a very small community, insha’Allah. The followers of Jesus the Messiah number just 1,400. So do the followers of the Prophet Jesus (as). They are destroying the system. Look, by Allah’s leave 1,400 people will bring the world to its knees. “And if there are a hundred of you, they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve.” Almighty Allah stresses the importance of quality. In other words, numbers are irrelevant, but quality matters.

Bediüzzaman also notes that the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be few in number, but that they will have an enormous spiritual force:

The force and spiritual army this duty depends on is some followers in full possession of titles of loyalty and solidarity. No matter how few they may be, they are spiritually as powerful and valuable as an army. (Emirdag Addendum, p. 259)

Hazrat Mahdi (as) Will Have a Working Group of 30 People

Among his 313 followers, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have a group of 30 people who support him in his activities.

With the STRONG THIRTY ALLIES OF THE IMAM [Hazrat Mahdi (as)], he is not alone. (Bihar al-Anwar, 52:153)

ADNAN OKTAR: For example, Bediüzzaman says; “In demolishing the way of the dajjal, Darwinism and materialism, a very small team from among his own followers-notice that a distinct team-will help him in this matter.” In other words, in the preparation of works that demolish Darwinism and materialism, he will make use of works written by scientists and produce books against Darwinism and materialism. But in doing this, Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) time is limited, he says. “His time and circumstances are not appropriate for this,” he says. “Hazrat Mahdi (as) will do this work together with his followers,” he says. “But he will charge some of his followers with this task,” he says. Part of them. “And that part of his followers will prepare those books, and he will thus have discharged his first duty,” he says.

Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) Followers Will Have a Powerful Faith 

The followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have a deep and unquestioning faith in Allah. This will make them stand out in the society they live in. 

The followers of Imam az-Zamaan [Hazrat Mahdi (as)] will not have an iota of doubt concerning Allah, the Almighty and they will recognize Him as he ought to be recognized... (Al -Bayaan Fi Akhbaar - e -Mahdi Aakher al -Zamaan (a .s.), chapter 5; Mikyaal al-Makaarem, vol. 1, p. 65)

They (the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as)) WILL TREMBLE WITH DIVINE FEAR. (Mikyaal al-Makaarem, Vol. 1, p. 65)

It is also revealed in the hadiths that the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will spend their nights in worship:

They (the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as)) WILL BE DEVOUT BELIEVERS BY NIGHT AND MOVE AROUND LIKE LIONS BY DAY.(Mikyaal al-Makaarem, Vol. 1, p. 65)

Unlike those who spend their nights in comfort, they (the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as)) WILL SPEND THEM WORSHIPING THEIR LORD. (Mikyaal al-Makaarem, Vol. 1, p. 65)

The Followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) Will Be Very Strong Spiritually

 The hadiths indicate that the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be highly developed spiritually, people who turn to Allah with a deep faith and a sincere heart.

Their [followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as)] souls are BRIGHT LIKE LAMPS AND THEIR HEARTS ARE LIGHTED AS WELL. (Mikyaal al-Makaarem, vol. 1, p. 65)

The nature of his [Hazrat Mahdi’s (as)] followers will be PURE AND IMMACULATE. THEY WILL BE FREE FROM HYPOCRICY AND ALL OTHER CONTAMINATIONS. (Bihar al-Anwar, vol 52, p. 35)

Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be instrumental in these people having a powerful love and fear of Allah.

They (the followers of Hazrat Mahdi (as)) WILL BE COMPLETELY SUBMITTED TO OMNIPOTENT ALLAH. (Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 52, p. 35 & 311 Handed down by Akhbaar al-Reza (as))

Their [Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) followers’] HEARTS WILL BE UNTAINTED AND UNADULTERATED FROM MALICE, JEALOUSY AND ENMITY. (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 35)