Are Nafs al-Zakiyyah and Sayyid al-Hasani the same person? (question)

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Are Nafs al-Zakiyyah and Sayyid al-Hasani the same person?
Upper entryMahdism / Preconditions for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi / Signs for Imam Mahdi's reappearance / Murder of Nafs al-Zakiyyah
Main entryIdentity of Nafs al-Zakiyyah

According to traditions, Nafs al-Zakiyyah is a pure and pious person, who will be oppressed and martyred in the cause of Imam Mahdi (a) between the Yemeni corner of the Ka'bah and the station of Abaraham (Maqam Ibrahim) and Sayyid al-Hasani is from the progeny of Imam Hasan (a) who will rise from Daylam (present day Gilan) and will be in the service of Imam Mahdi (a) along with his army on meeting the Imam (a). Some people view these two personalities as one. However, we do not have compelling evidence to support such claim.

Short Comprehensive Answer

Who is Sayyid al-Hasani?

Main article: Sayyid al-Hasani

The uprising and rising of a person named al-Hasani is one of the well-known signs of Imam Mahdi's reappearance.[1] On the other hand, Nafs al-Zakiyyah is a title meaning "a perfectly developed soul" or a "pure and pious soul".[2]

There exist many different views about the identity of Nafs al-Zakiyyah.[3] Some believe that this title indicates Muhammad bin Abd Allah al-Mahd who was known by this appellation during his lifetime and was murdered during the Abbasid caliphate.[4] Others hold that Nafs al-Zakiyyah is a person from the descendants of Imam al-Hasan bin Ali al-Mujtaba (a) who shall rise up prior to the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a) and will be killed alongside the Ka'bah between the location of the Rukn (the corner of the Ka'bah where the Black Stone is situated) and the Maqam of Ibrahim.[5] Others, while maintaining the same view, assert that he descends from Imam al-Husayn (a). Another group believe that Nafs al-Zakiyyah will be a holy warrior who, before the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a), shall lead a gathering of people devoted to the Imam (a) and dedicated to preparing the ground for his reappearance] Adherents of this view hold that Nafs al-Zakiyyah will be martyred at Najaf near Kufa alongside seventy other pious scholars of his time.[6] Likewise, a fourth theory says that Nafs al-Zakiyyah is an individual named Muhammad ibn al-Hasan who shall be murdered near the Ka'bah between the Rukn and the Maqam of Ibrahim. Apparently, proponents of this theory see Nafs al-Zakiyyah to be the same person as Sayyid al-Hasani.[7] Yet another view suggests that Nafs al-Zakiyyah will be an honorable and esteemed sayyid (a descendent of the Prophet (s)) hailing from Husayni lineage who shall suffer grave injustice and will be beheaded in God's Holy Sanctuary of Mecca on Dhu l-Hijja 25th.[8] Nevertheless, according to hadiths and in line with the opinion that enjoys the greatest degree of acknowledgement amongst the scholars, Nafs al-Zakiyyah is a person who shall be killed in Mecca, alongside the Ka'bah and between the Rukn and the Maqam, during the era of Imam Mahdi's reappearance. He will be the Imam's emissary to the people of Mecca, calling them to pledge their allegiances to Imam Mahdi (a).[9]

Evidence from Hadiths

Most of the people who believe Nafs al-Zakiyyah to be the same as Sayyid al-Hasani, base their opinion upon a single tradition[10]: Imam al-Sadiq (a) is reported to have said , "once the offspring of al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib begin to disagree amongst themselves and their rule becomes weak, the Shami and the Yamani will rise up, and the Hasani will begin his movement, and Imam Mahdi (a) will go from Medina to Mecca, asking Allah for permission to reappear. It is at this point that some of his followers will inform the Hasani of his plans, and the Hasani will rise up preemptively. However, the people of Mecca will murder him, sending his head to the Shami. Then, Imam Mahdi (a) will make himself apparent and the people will pledge allegiance to him".[11]

Criticism of the Hadith

Some of the criticisms raised against this narration are as follows:

  • The re-emergence of Abbasid rule during the End of Days is not supported by any valid evidence or proof.[1]
  • Certain irregularities exist within the contents of this tradition that do not make sense. For instance, Imam Mahdi (a), after having left Medina and having reached Mecca, is redundantly seeking divine permission for his reappearance. Likewise, the Hasani moves his plans forward in order to rise up before Imam Mahdi's uprising.[1]
  • The sending of the Hasani's severed head to the Shami is an event that does not fit into the context of the End of Days.[1]</ref> It better suits the socio-political environment of medieval times. Secondly, this event is different from the murder of Nafs al-Zakiyyah, and does not take place alongside the Ka'bah between the Rukn and the Maqām. Instead, the Hasani is killed because of his uprising.[12] Even though some hadiths mention that al-Hasani will be murdered some time prior to Imam Mahdi's reappearance, these traditions do not enjoy credible chains of narration. Therefore, the lineage of Nafs al-Zakiyyah cannot conclusively be linked to the progeny of Imam Hasan (a), even though such a linkage is itself possible.[13]

Note: Despite the disagreements surrounding this issue, what is certain is that the Sayyid al-Hasani whose uprising is prophesized within hadiths is different from the Sayyid al-Hasani who shall be famous by his title of Nafs al-Zakiyyah and will be Imam Mahdi's ambassador to the people of Mecca. This second individual will be killed during the events of Imam Mahdi's reappearance and his severed head will be sent to Syria.[14] Therefore, it might be said that the title Sayyid al-Hasani signifies the same person as the title Nafs al-Zakiyyah.[1] However, any such assertion lacks solid evidence or reliable proof.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Muhammadi Rayshahri, Muhammad, Dānishnāma-ye Imām Mahdī vol. 7 , pp.439-441.
  2. ↑ Ṣadr, Sayyid Muhammad, Tārīkh e Ghaybat e Kubrā, pp.628-629; Rijali Tihrani, 'Ali Riḍa, Yikṣad Pursish wa Pāsukh Piramun-e Imām-e Zamān, pp.187; Sayyid Nadhīr al-Ḥasanī, Muṣlih-e Kull, pp.203-206.
  3. ↑ Ṭabasī, Najmuddin, Ta'ammulī nu dar Nishānehāye Ẓuhūr, pp.11-12; Ridwani, Ali Aṣghar, Mawʿud Shināsi wa Pasukh bi Shubahāt, pp.523; Ismā'īlī, Ismā'īl; Barrisī-ye Nishānihā-ye Ẓuhūr, Chashm bi Rāh-e Mahdī, pp.281-283; Sayyid Nadhīr al-Ḥasanī, Muṣlih-e Kull pp.203-206; Zahādat, Abdul Majīd; Ma'ārif wa 'Aqā'id 5, vol 2, p.214.
  4. ↑ Ṣadr, Sayyid Muhammad, Tārīkh e Ghaybat e Kubrā pp.630-635; Alizadih, Mahdi, Nishānehāye Yār wa Chakāme e Intiẓār, pp.34-35; Ṣādiqī, Muṣṭafā; Taḥlīl-e Tārīkhī-ye Nishānihā-ye Ẓuhūr, pp.130-131.
  5. ↑ Muhammadi Rayshahri, Muhammad, Dānishnāma-ye Imām Mahdī vol 7, pp.438-439; Salīmīyān, Khudāmurād, Darsnāmeh e Mahdawīyat, pp.226-229; Salīmīyān, Khudāmurād; Darsnāmeh e Mahdawīyat, pp.345-346.
  6. ↑ Sayyid Asadullah, Zamīnehsāzān-e Inqilāb-e Jahānīye Haḍrat-e Mahdi, pp.80-81 and 269-270; Alizadih, Mahdi, Nishānehāye Yār wa Chakāme e Intiẓār, pp.34-35.
  7. ↑ Muhammadi Rayshahri, Muhammad, Dānishnāma-ye Imām Mahdī vol 7, pp.438-439; Alizadih, Mahdi, Nishānehāye Yār wa Chakāme e Intiẓār, pp.34-35; Muhammadi Rayshahri, Muhammad, Dānishnāma-ye Imām Mahdī vol 7, pp.439-441.
  8. ↑ Alizadih, Mahdi, Nishānehāye Yār wa Chakāme e Intiẓār, pp.34-35; Ayati, Nusratullah, Ta'ammuli dar Nishaniha-ye Hatmi-ye Zuhur pp.231-234.
  9. ↑ Ramḍaniyan, 'Ali Riḍa, Sharāʾiṭ wa ʿAlāʾim-e Ḥatmī-ye Ẓuhūr, pp.56-57.
  10. ↑ Muhammadi Rayshahri, Muhammad, Dānishnāma-ye Imām Mahdī vol 7, pp.439-441; Sayyid Asadullah, Zamīnehsāzān-e Inqilāb-e Jahānīye Haḍrat-e Mahdi, pp.80-81 and 269-270; Ayati, Nusratullah, Ta'ammuli dar Nishaniha-ye Hatmi-ye Zuhur pp.231-234.
  11. ↑ Muhammadi Rayshahri, Muhammad, Dānishnāma-ye Imām Mahdī vol 7, pp.439-441; Sayyid Asadullah, Zamīnehsāzān-e Inqilāb-e Jahānīye Haḍrat-e Mahdi, pp.80-81 and 269-270; Ayati, Nusratullah, Ta'ammuli dar Nishaniha-ye Hatmi-ye Zuhur pp.231-234; Ṣamadī, Qanbar 'Alī, Aṣhāb wa Yārān-e Mahdi.
  12. ↑ Sayyid Asadullah, Zamīnehsāzān-e Inqilāb-e Jahānīye Haḍrat-e Mahdi, pp.80-81.
  13. ↑ Ayati, Nusratullah, Ta'ammuli dar Nishaniha-ye Hatmi-ye Zuhur pp.231-234.
  14. ↑ Ṣamadī, Qanbar 'Alī, Aṣhāb wa Yārān-e Mahdi.
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