It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah! Will the Mahdi be from among us or from others besides us?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rather, he will be from among us. Through us Allah Almighty will bring (this matter) to its close, just as through us He began it; through us people will be rescued from shirk (polytheism); and through us Allah Almighty will bring affection between their hearts after open enmity, just as through us He brought affection between their hearts after the enmity of shirk."
Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Will (the people at that time) be believers or disbelievers?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Afflicted by trial, and disbelievers."
Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Only Ibn Lahi'ah narrated this hadith from Abu Zur'ah Amr bin Jabir, and Muhammad bin Sufyan is alone in narrating it."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الأوسط / باب الألف / 157
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده ضعيف جدًّا، فيه عمرو بن جابر الحضرمي كذاب
Hadith Takhrij«قال الهيثمي: وفيه عمرو بن جابر الحضرمي وهو كذاب «مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد، ج 7، ص 317»»