Islam — Twelver Shiʿa

Awf, Shu’ayb and the Sufyani

Kitab al-Ghayba — al-Tusi’s Book of Occultation · Kitab al-Ghayba, report 437; Thaqalayn chapter 51, report 15

Edition, transcription and reuse details

Historical Arabic text as transcribed by Thaqalayn, chapter 51, reports 427, 428, 437, 443 and 444. New Rainbow Watch English translation prepared directly from the Arabic, September 2026, with the complete Arabic beside each rendering. Web transcription checked; no manuscript or printed-page collation is claimed. Report numbers and Arabic punctuation are retained; English punctuation and transliteration are editorial.

Underlying medieval Arabic reports are public-domain historical text. No modern editorial footnotes or Rizvi translation are reproduced. The English rendering was newly prepared for Rainbow Watch from the Arabic.

English translation — Rainbow Watch And Hadhlam ibn Bashir related: I said to Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be upon them both: “Describe the Mahdi’s emergence to me, and acquaint me with its indications and signs.” He said: “Before his emergence, a man called Awf al-Sulami will emerge in the land of al-Jazira. His place of refuge will be Tikrit, and his killing will be in the mosque of Damascus. Then Shu’ayb ibn Salih will emerge from Samarqand. Then the accursed Sufyani will emerge from the dry valley, and he is a descendant of Utba ibn Abi Sufyan. When the Sufyani appears, the Mahdi will conceal himself; then he will emerge after that.” Arabic source text 437- وروى حذلم بن بشير قال:قلت لعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام:صف لي خروج المهدي وعرفني دلائله وعلاماته. فقال: يكون قبل خروجه خروج رجل يقال له: عوف السلمي بأرض الجزيرة، ويكون مأواه تكريت وقتله بمسجد دمشق ثم يكون خروج شعيب بن صالح من سمرقند.ثم يخرج السفياني الملعون من الوادي اليابس وهو من ولد عتبة بن أبي سفيان، فإذا ظهر السفياني اختفى المهدي ثم يخرج بعد ذلك.