Reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi

The reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi is a belief in Shia eschatology, especially of the Twelvers, that the twelfth Imam will return at an unspecified time and establish an Islamic state of peace and justice. This will be the end of the Major Occultation, the period since he became "hidden" in 941 CE.[1] This reappearance will be foreshadowed by a number of signs, such as the sun rising from the West.[2]

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Muhammad al-Mahdi

born in Samarrah in 868 CE, the twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi was the son of Hasan al-Askari. Until his father was killed, al-Mahdi lived under the protection of his father and companions, and, according to Shia belief, was hidden from human awareness by God. Only special friends were allowed to meet him during the Minor Occultation, the period of his life from age 5 to 73. Al-Mahdi communicated with Shia Muslims via the Four Deputies during this period. They were Uthman ibn Sa'id al-Asadi, Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman, Abul Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti, Abul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri. After the death of the four deputies, the Imam did not appoint a new deputy and the Major Occultation begun.[3][4] According to Shia belief, al-Mahdi did not die, but rather continued living immortally in his physical body, hidden from human awareness by God.[5] Imamah (leadership) of the Shia community thus passed to the "Hidden Imam" after the demise of the Deputies.

Events after reappearance

According to tradition, when the Mahdi returns, certain events will reportedly occur. The Mahdi will reveal himself at Mecca according to some beliefs.[6] Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i writes that, according to Shia traditions, human society will be replete with justice and all will live in peace, and human beings will be fully possessed of virtue and perfection.[4] The leader of this society will be the savior Muhammad al-Mahdi.[4] The Mahdi is also referred to by the title al-Qa'im, "the redresser of wrongs", and will settle various historical and religious disputes, generally in favor of the person writing about this. This may possibly include fighting the killers of Husayn ibn Ali. Al-Mahdi will govern for either seven, nine or nineteen years. This reappearance will be coincident with the raising of the black standard in Khurasan and the appearance of the Dajjal (the Antichrist) in the east.[2]

Signs
Main article: Signs of the reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi

According to az-Zanjani, some of the signs of the reappearance of al-Mahdi are dependent on modern scientific inventions such as television:[2]

I heard Abu Abdullah saying: the believer in the time of the Qa’im, while in the east, will be able to see his brother in the west and he who is in the west will be able to see his brother in the east.

Other signs will reportedly include the appearance of figures including the Dajjal (the Antichrist) before the Day of Judgment. The Sufyani (one of the descendants of Abu Sufyan, will arise before Muhammad al-Mahdi's reappearance and will send away an army to fight him) and the Yamani (who is the closest to guidance, for he calls the people to join the Muhammad al-Mahdi) and an-Nafs az-Zakiyya (the descendants of Husayn ibn Ali,who will be murdered without any sin or crime).[2]

Claimants to being the Mahdi

Throughout history, there have been multiple claimants to the role of Mahdi, who by their pious deeds acquired followings. One of these men, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, was said to have judgment and character over rival caliphs; and mysteries of his death arose in the 8th century. It was believed he had in fact not died and would one day return as the Mahdi. The sect of Mahdavis arose as followers of another claimant, Muhammad Mahdi of Janpur, in the 15th century. Furthermore, a potential Mahdi, Muhammad Ahmad of Sudan, was believed to hold the title following his self-proclamation, in 1881, and stand against the Turco-Egyptian government, as well as the British.[7] Additionally, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Punjab claimed to be the Mahdi during the same period as Muhammad Ahmad, but was considered a heretic by Orthodox Muslims, though he amassed a substantial following of 10 to 20 million and is credited with founding the Ahmadiyya sect,[8] which, today, is established in over 200 countries and territories of the world.

Two 19th-century religious movements—linked to Shi'ism, Bábism, and the Bahá'í Faith—believe that their prophets, the Báb (d. 1850) and Bahá'u'lláh, fulfilled the prophecy. The Báb is thought to be the return of the Twelfth Imam, who is also the Mahdi according to the twelver tradition, and Bahá'u'lláh that of Jesus. Since the Baha'is now are a successful international religion with possibly as many as six million followers, their concept of the fulfillment of Islamic prophecy now extends well beyond the Islamic world.

See also

References
  1. Campo, Juan Eduardo (2009). Encyclopedia of Islam. Checkmark Books. ISBN 978-0816077458.
  2. Momen, Moojan (1985). An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism. Yale University Press. p. 168. ISBN 978-0300034998.
  3. Arjomand, Amir. "ḠAYBA". Iranicaonline.
  4. Tabatabaei, , Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn. Shi'ite Islam. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-87395-272-9.
  5. Amir-Moezzi, Mohammad Ali (1994). The Divine Guide in Early Shi'Ism: The Sources of Esotericism in Islam. State Univ of New York Pr. ISBN 978-0791421215.
  6. Staff, Writer. "Mecca is the place of Muhammad al-Mahdi's reappreanc". shabestan News agency.
  7. Hermansen, Marcia. "Mahdi". Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World. Macmillan Reference USA (subscription required).
  8. Waldman, Marilyn Robinson. "Eschatology: Islamic Eschatology". Encyclopedia of Religion. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA (subscription required).
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