The famous Ahle Tasannun traditionalist, Ibrahim al-Hamveeni writes in his book Faraaed al-Simtain, vol. 2, p. 319, H. 571 that Abu Sullami who was a slave of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his horseman states that I heard the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) saying,
“The night I ascended to the heavens (Me’raaj), Allah, Mighty be His Might, mentioned to me about Surah Baqarah (2): Verse 285
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ“The Apostle believes in whatever has been revealed to him from his Lord”
Upon this, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, وَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ which means “so do the believers”.
Then Allah said, “You are right, O Muhammad! Who have you appointed as a caliph in your nation?”
Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) replied, “The one who is the best among them.”
Allah said, “Ali Ibn Abi Talib”
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) replied, “Yes, my Lord.”
Then Allah addressed him (s.a.w.a.) and said, “I glanced upon the earth and chose you among others for Me and assigned for you a name from among My Names. Hence, whenever I am remembered, you will be remembered with Me. I am Mahmood and you are Muhammad. Again, I glanced at the earth and chose Ali and assigned for him a name from among My Names.
I am A’laa (The Most-High) and he is Ali. O Muhammad! I created you and created Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husain, and the 12 Imams from their progeny from My light and presented your Mastership to the people of the heavens and the earth. So, whosoever accepted it is a believer near Me and whoever rejects it, is an apostate near Me.
O Muhammad! If any of My servants worships Me to the extent that he becomes as thin as a wire and comes to Me in a state that he has not accepted your mastership, I will not forgive him until he accepts the mastership of you all. O Muhammad! Would you like to see them (the 12 Imams)?”
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said that I replied, “Yes, my Lord.” So, Allah asked me to look towards the right side of the Divine Empyrean (Arsh) and as soon as I turned, I saw Ali with me and Fatima, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Jafar Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Jafar, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and Mahdi standing upright in the state of prayer in oceans of light, and Mahdi was like a luminous star among them.
Then Allah said to me, “O Muhammad! These are My Proofs and he i.e. Mahdi, is the avenger of the blood of your progeny. I swear by My Honor and Majesty, he is the Obligatory Proof upon My friends and the avenger from My enemies.”
We pray to our Lord that He hastens the reappearance of His Obligatory Proof, Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) whose light was shown to His Beloved Prophet (s.a.w.a.) on the night of ascension (Me’raaj) and include us among his friends and those who are steadfast upon his Imamate. Aameen, O Lord of the worlds!