Islamic Scholars & Sages Codexery

Muhammad al-Mahdi

Twelfth Imam and awaited Mahdi in Twelver Shia Islam.

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Muhammad al-Mahdi is the eschatological savior in Twelver Islam, known by many titles including al-Qa'im and al-Hujja.[1] 15 Sha'ban is the birthdate most frequently cited for him, and this date is annually commemorated by Shia.[2][3]

Last updated 2026-10-05 from the source article.

Life and work

After the death of Hasan al-Askari in 260 (873–874), his main agent Uthman ibn Sa'id al-Asadi claimed the Imam had an infant son named Muhammad kept hidden from Abbasid persecution.[4] The first period, called the Minor Occultation (874–941), saw al-Mahdi communicate through four successive agents.[5][6] During the Major Occultation there is no direct communication with the Hidden Imam.[7] He is expected to return shortly before the Last Judgment, assisted by Jesus, to lead an apocalyptic war against evil.[8]

He then entered a state of occultation (ghayba), and it is said that he disappeared into a well.[9][10] A letter from al-Mahdi to the fourth agent, received shortly before the agent's death, predicted that agent's demise and declared the start of the Major Occultation, which persists to the present day.[5][11] Twelver doctrine holds that al-Mahdi's lifespan has been supernaturally extended until God permits him to reappear and fill the earth with justice.[6]

What the cited sources add

Hossein Modarressi suggests that doubts about the occultation gradually disappeared due to efforts of Shia traditionists.[12]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Amir-Moezzi 1998; Momen 1985, p. 165 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Donaldson 1933, p. 209; Momen 1985, p. 165; Tabatabai 1975, p. 184–185; Gleave 2004; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Hussain 1986, p. 70; Amir-Moezzi 2007; Amir-Moezzi 2007; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Hussain 1986, p. 70 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Richter 2005, p. 14; Staff writers, "Iran Celebrates Birthday Anniversary of Imam Mahdi", en.alalam.ir; Slackman, "For Iran's Shiites, a Celebration of Faith and Waiting", The New York Times, 30 August 2007 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Halm 1987; Momen 1985, p. 165; Daftary 2013, p. 63; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Momen 1985, p. 165; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Daftary 2013, p. 63; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Momen 1985, p. 165 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Daftary 2013, p. 63; Momen 1985, p. 165; Momen 1985, p. 165; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Daftary 2013, p. 63; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Momen 1985, p. 165; Hussain 1986, p. 70; Hussain 1986, p. 70 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Sobhani 2001, p. 118 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Daftary 2013, p. 63; Tabatabai 1975, p. 184–185; Tabatabai 1975, p. 184–185 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Madelung 2022; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Amir-Moezzi 1998; Amir-Moezzi 1998; Amir-Moezzi 1998; Sachedina 1981, p. 60 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Donaldson 1933, p. 209 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Donaldson 1933, p. 209; Glassé 2008 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  11. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Momen 1985, p. 165; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Hussain 1986, p. 70; Amir-Moezzi 2007; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Hussain 1986, p. 70; Madelung 2022; Hussain 1986, p. 70; Sachedina 1981, p. 60; Hussain 1986, p. 70; Amir-Moezzi 2007 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  12. Wikipedia, "Muhammad al-Mahdi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Modarressi 1993, p. 80; Sachedina 1981, p. 60 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Muhammad al-Mahdi (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Twelver Shi'ismTwelve ImamsEschatologyShia IslamJa'far al-SadiqMedinaQuranNubia

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Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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