Question Summary:
The Hadith mentions that there will be 12 rulers before the day of Judgment. What are the names of these 12 rulers?

Question Detail:

Salam, in sahee bukhari is written that : Volume 9, Book 89, Number 329: Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard the Prophet saying, "There will be twelve Muslim rulers (who will rule all the Islamic world)." He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish." Who are these 12 rulers??

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The Hadith is:
عَنْ عَبْدِ المَلِكِ، سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «يَكُونُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَمِيرًا» ، فَقَالَ كَلِمَةً لَمْ أَسْمَعْهَا، فَقَالَ أَبِي: إِنَّهُ قَالَ: «كُلُّهُمْ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ» [1]
Abdul Malik narrates that he heard Jabir Ibn Samurah Radiallahu Anhu report that he said: I heard the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam saying “There will be 12 rulers (which will receive Khilafah).” He further explained something which I was unable to hear. My father stated (that the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam mentioned) “All of them (the 12 rulers) will be from amongst the Quraish.”
 
The Hadith in reference is general. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam did not specify who the twelve Imams will be.  Therefore, there are different opinions among the Muhadditheen as can be gauged from the provided reference. However, most of the commentators seem to agree that the four Khulafah Rashideen (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali Radiallahu Anhum) are amongst the 12 rulers. [2]
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Abdul Hannan Nizami,
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.