Scholarly Note and Clarification

If you say: You have mentioned here three narrations concerning the killing of the Sufyani, and it is known that only one can be correct, so which one is it?

I say: As for the narration that we mentioned first, namely that the Sufyani is captured atop a tree by the Lake of Tiberias, it does not state that he is killed on that tree, but rather that he is captured upon it.

And the second narration - that he is slaughtered beneath the tree - is an explanation of the first narration: that he is captured upon that tree and slaughtered beneath it.

As for the third narration that we mentioned from the erudite scholar: if it is not an error made by the copyists - which is what is apparent - then it is an illusion; for indeed the one who is slaughtered there is the Sakhri, as has preceded. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, knows best.

Then the earth will be made tranquil and prepared for the Mahdi, and all the kings of the earth will submit to his obedience. He will dispatch an expedition to India, so it will be conquered, and the kings of India will be brought to him in shackles, and its treasures will be transferred to Bayt al-Maqdis to be made an adornment for Bayt al-Maqdis. He will remain in that state for years. Among these events is the Great Epic Battle (al-Malhamah al-Kubra): namely, that after the destruction of the Sufyani, the Mahdi will make a secure truce with the Romans (Byzantines) for nine years according to some narrations. The Muslims will then fight an enemy behind the Romans, taking spoils from them, and return until they camp at Marj Dhi Tulul (a meadow with hills), which is a specific location. Then a man from the Romans will say: "The Cross has prevailed!" and a man from the Muslims will say: "Nay, Allah has prevailed!" They will exchange words back and forth among themselves, whereupon a Muslim will rush toward their cross, which is not far from them,