Article ID: 39

Article Date: 2016-07-23

Writer: Mostafsa Amiri (http://rajanews.com/node/248496)

The Signs of the Reappearance(12)

The Emergence of Sufyani, Khorasani, and Yamani in the Year of the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi

In this series of articles on the discussions of Mahdism, efforts will be made, relying on Islamic traditions and narrations, to present a complete, coherent, and reasonable picture of the certain signs of the Reappearance and the related events. The least outcome of this effort is that researchers will be able to distinguish documented material from undocumented material concerning the discussions of Mahdism, and when it comes to judgment and analysis, they will refrain from relying on undocumented material.
In the fifth article, reference was made to the jurisprudential obligation of recognizing the certain signs of the Reappearance. In the sixth article, the question was answered whether, regarding the signs of the Reappearance—especially the certain signs such as the emergence of Yamani, Sufyani, and others—there exists the possibility of bada’ (alteration of destiny), change, or even non-occurrence. In the seventh article, the great significance of the uprising of Sufyani, as the greatest enemy of the Imam of the Age and the first certain sign of the Reappearance—which in a way all the certain signs are related to—was addressed. It was also pointed out that one of the fundamental goals of the uprising of Sufyani is the attack on Shiite-populated regions, the massacre of Shiites, and the assault on the sacred Shiite centers in Iraq.
The impact of this tremendous event on the entity of Shiism and the threat posed by Sufyani against the Shiites of the world makes it necessary to study its dimensions and to be aware of its various aspects. In the eighth article, we introduced the first certain sign of the Reappearance, Sufyani, the wide-ranging dimensions of this event, and its connection with the events in Syria and the region of Sham in the end times.
In the ninth article, the question was answered whether Sufyani is a symbol or a reality. In other words, can Sufyani be seen as a symbol of the prevailing thought and the anti-Shiite current? Or, while he may be considered as an anti-Shiite movement within the Islamic world, there is nothing to rule out the possibility that the leader of this movement could be a single person from the family of Abu Sufyan. In the tenth article, the personal traits, physical characteristics, and attributes of the greatest enemy of the Imam of the Age were elaborated.
In the eleventh article, reference was made to the religion, sect, and inclination of Sufyani toward the Western world, as well as the military alliance of Sufyani with Western civilization. Now we shall turn to the time of the emergence of Sufyani in the year of the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi, and also the uprisings of Yamani and Khorasani. For the first time, we shall explain the correct meaning of the simultaneous emergence of these three movements (Khorasani from Iran and Yamani on one side, and Sufyani on the other) in the Islamic world.

The Time of the Emergence of Sufyani

The Year of the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi

Without a doubt, it is not possible to determine an exact and specific year for the emergence of Sufyani from the region of Sham (Syria); because due to the close connection of this event with the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi, determining a time for the emergence of Sufyani from Syria would lead to fixing a time for the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi. However, the timing of this event has been mentioned in a general way in some aspects. Among them, it has been explicitly stated that Sufyani will rise from the region of Sham in the year of the Reappearance of the Imam of the Age, Imam Mahdi.
In other words, the emergence of Sufyani will take place from the border between Syria and Jordan (Wadi al-Yabis) in the month of Rajab of the year in which the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi will occur. In a narration from Imam al-Baqir (PBUH), it has been reported:
“Sufyani and Qa’im will both appear in the same year.” ⁽¹⁾
The Month of Reappearance
Numerous narrations mention the month of Rajab of the year of Reappearance as the time when the anti-value movement of Sufyani begins. Some of these narrations are authentic in chain of transmission, and in addition, they all share the same content which has not been contradicted.
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said in an authentic narration:
“The emergence of Sufyani is among the certain and definite signs, and it will take place in the month of Rajab.” ⁽²⁾
In another narration, he said:
“Sufyani will certainly rise, and his rise will not be except in the month of Rajab.” ⁽³⁾

Simultaneity with the Uprising of Yamani and Khorasani

The timing of the emergence of Sufyani is also determined in another way, and that is its simultaneity with the uprising of Yamani and Khorasani, who have been highly praised as banners of guidance.
Imam al-Baqir (PBUH) said regarding this matter:
“The uprisings of Sufyani, Khorasani, and Yamani will take place in one year, one month, and one day. The most rightly guided banner among them is the banner of Yamani, for he calls to the truth.” ⁽⁴⁾
And in another narration, the simultaneity and competition between Yamani and Sufyani has been likened to two racing horses overtaking one another (the Infallible Imam used this expression to bring the matter closer to people’s understanding).
Also, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said:
“Yamani and Sufyani are like two racing horses.” ⁽⁵⁾

Will Khorasani and Yamani also rise in the month of Rajab, like Sufyani ?

The question arises: Does simultaneity mean that Yamani and Khorasani will also emerge in the month of Rajab? In other words: will Yamani and Khorasani, like Sufyani, emerge in Rajab, or does simultaneity have another meaning and implication?
In brief, it can be said: the emergence of Sufyani, according to explicit narrations, will certainly take place in the month of Rajab. However, the simultaneous emergence of Yamani and Khorasani with Sufyani does not necessarily mean in the month of Rajab. Due to inaccuracy and negligence, some researchers have mistakenly applied the term “simultaneous emergence” to all three movements in the month of Rajab. Whereas, the language of narrations is of two kinds:

A.

In one group of narrations, exclusive to Sufyani, only the emergence of Sufyani is mentioned without any reference to Yamani or Khorasani, and it is stated definitely that it will occur in the month of Rajab.

B.

But in another group of narrations, the simultaneous emergence of Yamani and Khorasani with Sufyani is mentioned, and without referring to the month of Rajab, it is only stated that these three movements will rise in one year, one month, and one day. There is no mention of Rajab.
In other words, although Sufyani will rise in the month of Rajab of the year of Reappearance from Daraa, at the border between Syria and Jordan, from Wadi al-Yabis, it will only be at the time of his attack on Iraq that Yamani and Khorasani will simultaneously rise against Sufyani. Therefore, the meaning of simultaneity of their emergence should be interpreted in this way.
The details of this matter will be explained later in the section “The Meaning of the Simultaneous Emergence.”

The meaning of the Simultaneity of the Uprising of the Khorasani and the Yamani with the Sufyani

In the collection of traditions concerning the signs of the reappearance, there are three narrations which explicitly state that the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani will occur simultaneously with the Sufyani, in the same year, the same month, and the same day.
Imam al-Baqir has said in this regard:
“The uprising of the Sufyani, the Yamani, and the Khorasani will be in the same year, the same month, and the same day.” ⁽⁶⁾
Also, from Imam al-Sadiq it is narrated:
“The uprising of (the Sufyani) and the uprising of the Yamani with white flags from Yemen will be in the same day, the same month, and the same year.” ⁽⁷⁾
In another narration, he has said: “The uprising of the three—the Khorasani, the Sufyani, and the Yamani—will be in the same year, the same month, and the same day.” ⁽⁸⁾
In any case, from the collection of these narrations, the simultaneity of the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani with the Sufyani can be established.
Now, the question that arises is this: What is the meaning of the simultaneity of the uprising of the Sufyani, the Yamani, and the Khorasani? Will they announce their uprisings on the same day? Or is this a metaphor indicating the close interconnection between these three uprisings, even if there is a short interval among them?
Does the meaning of simultaneous uprising indicate that the Yamani and the Khorasani will also rise in the month of Rajab? In other words, will the Yamani and the Khorasani, like the Sufyani, rise in the month of Rajab, or does simultaneity have another meaning?

Different Perspectives on the Simultaneity of the Uprising of the Khorasani from Iran and the Sufyani from Syria

In this matter, three perspectives are mentioned:

First Perspective:

The apparent meaning of the traditions indicates that the three movements—the Yamani, the Khorasani, and the Sufyani—will definitely announce their public uprisings in the same year, the same month, and the same day, and that will be in the month of Rajab of the year of the Reappearance. ⁽⁹⁾

Second Perspective:

It seems that the uprising of the Yamani and the Sufyani in the same year, the same month, and the same day is a metaphor for the strong interconnectedness of these three movements, and this does not contradict the existence of a short interval between them. The evidence supporting this point is the sentence mentioned at the end of the hadith of Imam al-Baqir. After stating that the uprisings of the Yamani, the Sufyani, and the Khorasani will be in the same year, the same month, and the same day, he said:
“…in a system and order like the order of a string that has been tied, each following the other.” ⁽¹⁰⁾
The explicit mention that these events will occur successively like an orderly chain indicates that there will be a short interval among these three events, even though all three uprisings will take place in the month of Rajab. However, the wording of the narration suggests a metaphor.

Third Perspective:

Some scholars interpret the meaning of “uprising” (khuruj) in a broader sense and state:
First, we must know the meaning of the uprising of the Sufyani, so that we may understand what the simultaneity of the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani—who are positive figures of the era of the Reappearance—with the accursed Sufyani means. For the Sufyani has several uprisings at different times:
• Stage One: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising from Wadi al-Yabis in the month of Rajab,
• Stage Two: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to dominate the five regions of al-Sham,
• Stage Three: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to dominate and fight in the region of Qarqisiya,
• Stage Four: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to attack Iraq,
• Stage Five: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to attack Baghdad and Kufa.
All of these can be described as stages of the uprising of the Sufyani.
With this description, which of the stages of the Sufyani’s uprising coincides with the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani? Which of these uprisings of the Sufyani will be simultaneous with theirs?
It seems, according to other narrations, that the simultaneity of the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani with the uprising of the Sufyani refers to the fourth stage (the attack on Iraq) and the fifth stage (the attack on Kufa, Najaf, and the sacred Shi‘a centers). Because, given the geographical and security conditions of Iraq and Iran, and according to other narrations in which the Shi‘a are advised not to participate in the battle of Qarqisiya (the battle of the Sufyani with the Turks), until that stage the Shi‘a and the armies of the Yamani and the Khorasani are not religiously obligated. The obligation only arises when the army of the Sufyani attacks Iraq, Baghdad, and Kufa.
For when the Sufyani first rises from Wadi al-Yabis, due to the distance from Shi‘a regions, there is no danger for the Shi‘a. For at first, the Sufyani will be occupied fighting with the Abqa‘ and the As-hab, and in the second stage he will dominate all of Syria, with only the eastern regions under Turkish control remaining. In the third stage, the Sufyani will engage in the battle of Qarqisiya against the Turks, Banu Qays, and others involved in that war. Although the Sufyani will suffer many casualties, he will emerge victorious. After Qarqisiya, the Sufyani will have no goal but to attack Iraq and kill the Shi‘a. From this point onward, Iraq, Iran, the sacred Shi‘a centers, and the Shi‘a themselves will be in danger. After the Sufyani enters Iraq and reaches Baghdad, it is then that the Yamani and the Khorasani will engage him in battle, and they will inflict his first defeat upon him.
Therefore, the meaning of the simultaneity of the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani with the Sufyani is applied to the beginning of the Sufyani’s move toward Iraq, after the battle of Qarqisiya, when he attacks Iraq. According to this view, the Sufyani first rises from al-Sham (the first uprising), dominates Syria (the second uprising), then participates in the battle of Qarqisiya (the third uprising), and then, when he attacks Iraq (the fourth uprising), the Yamani and the Khorasani will rise as well, due to the Sufyani’s attention toward the Shi‘a centers in Iraq. Thus, between the uprising of the Sufyani from Wadi al-Yabis in the first stage and the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani against him in Iraq, there will be an interval of about 7 to 8 months. This third perspective is further supported by the expression “like two racehorses” used in the traditions to describe the Yamani and the Sufyani. ⁽¹¹⁾
However, some scholars reject this third possibility, and in response to it they state: The narration of the simultaneous uprisings is absolute, and it is not restricted to the uprising from a specific place such as Iraq. ⁽¹²⁾

The Correct Opinion Regarding the Simultaneity of the Uprising

It seems that although the narration at first appears absolute, these traditions must be compared with other related narrations to draw a conclusion. From this perspective, the third view seems closer to reality. Because the third view holds that although the uprising of the Sufyani, according to explicit traditions, will be in the month of Rajab, the simultaneous uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani with the Sufyani is not necessarily in Rajab, and some researchers, due to negligence, have mistakenly referred to the uprising of all three movements in Rajab as “simultaneous.”
However, the wording of the traditions is of two kinds:

a.

In a group of narrations specific to the Sufyani, the uprising of the Sufyani is mentioned without any reference to the Yamani or the Khorasani, and these narrations explicitly state that it will indeed occur in Rajab.

b.

But in another group of narrations, the simultaneous uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani with the Sufyani is mentioned without any reference to the month of Rajab, only stating explicitly that these three movements will rise in the same year, the same month, and the same day. No reference to Rajab is made. In other words, it is correct that the Sufyani will rise in the month of Rajab of the year of the Reappearance from Dar‘a, on the border between Syria and Jordan, from Wadi al-Yabis, and will lead a chain of events that will last for several months. But the simultaneous uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani against him will occur when he and his army attack Iraq.

In summary, the narration of simultaneity refers only to the timing of the uprising and does not specify the place of uprising. Does the term “uprising of the Sufyani,” from a geographical point of view, refer to his rising from Wadi al-Yabis? Or does it, from a temporal point of view, refer to the time when the Sufyani dominates Syria and the region of al-Sham? Or does it refer to his participation in the battle of Qarqisiya? Or to his attack on Iraq and the threat against the Shi‘a community?
Apparently, the latter uprising (the attack on Iraq) is what is meant by the simultaneity of the uprising. Therefore, from the first uprising in Wadi al-Yabis until his domination over the five regions of al-Sham—namely Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Qinnasrin, and Jordan—six months will pass. Then, the Sufyani will participate in the battle of Qarqisiya to liberate the eastern regions of Syria from the Turks, a war in which the Shi‘a have no involvement whatsoever. But as soon as he advances toward Iraq, the Yamani and the Khorasani, seeing the Shi‘a community in danger, will rise simultaneously with him. Therefore, after about 7 to 8 months from the uprising of the Sufyani in Rajab, at the time of his advance toward Iraq, the Yamani and the Khorasani will also rise simultaneously.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the exact and specific year of the Sufyani’s uprising from al-Sham and Syria cannot be determined; because, due to the connection of this event with the Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi , specifying the time of the Sufyani’s uprising would amount to determining the time of the Imam’s Reappearance. However, the time of this event has been stated in general terms. Among these, it has been explicitly mentioned that the Sufyani will rise from al-Sham in the year of the Imam’s Reappearance.
The time of the Sufyani’s uprising has also been indirectly determined in another way, namely, its simultaneity with the uprising of the Yamani and the Khorasani, who are greatly praised as banners of guidance.
The question arises: Does the meaning of simultaneous uprising mean that the Yamani and the Khorasani will rise in the month of Rajab? In other words, will the Yamani and the Khorasani, like the Sufyani, rise in the month of Rajab, or does simultaneity have another meaning?
In brief, it can be said that the uprising of the Sufyani from al-Sham and Syria, according to explicit traditions, will occur in the month of Rajab. However, the simultaneous uprising of the Khorasani from Iran and the Yamani with the Sufyani is not necessarily in Rajab. And due to negligence, some researchers have mistakenly considered the uprising of all three movements in Rajab as a simultaneous uprising.
Because the Sufyani has several uprisings at different times:
• Stage One: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising from Wadi al-Yabis in Rajab,
• Stage Two: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to dominate the five regions of al-Sham,
• Stage Three: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to dominate and fight in the region of Qarqisiya,
• Stage Four: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to attack Iraq,
• Stage Five: The day of the Sufyani’s uprising to attack Baghdad and Kufa.
All of these are considered stages of the uprising of the Sufyani. Which of these indicates simultaneity? Only God knows.

Footnotes

(1) Nu‘mani, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 267.
(2) Shaykh al-Saduq, Kamal al-Din (The Perfection of Religion), vol. 2, p. 650.
(3) Nu‘mani, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 302.
(4) Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Irshad ( Guidance), vol. 2, p. 375; Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 446.
(5) Nu‘mani, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 305.
(6) Nu‘mani, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 361, Bāb 14, Hadith 13.
(7) Fadl ibn Shadhan, Mukhtasar Ithbat al-Raj‘ah (The Concise Proof of the Return), cited in Turathuna Journal, no. 4.
(8) Shaykh al-Tusi, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 446.
(9) Ayati, A Reflection on the Definite Signs of the Reappearance.
(10) Nu‘mani, al-Ghaybah ( Occultation), p. 361, Bāb 14, Hadith 13.
(11) Website of Jalal al-Din ‘Ali al-Saghir, Question 138 and Question 204.
(12) Aal Muhsin, Ahdā al-Rāyāt: Dirasah fi Shakhsiyyat al-Yamani (The Most Guided Banner: A Study on the Personality of the Yamani).

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