Who is al-Mahdi

Question: Who is al-Mahdi?

Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his relief)—also known as Imam al-Zaman, al-Ḥujjah ibn al-Ḥasan, the twelfth and final Imam of the Shi‘a—is the promised deliverer of the end times. Like the previous Imams, he is appointed by the Almighty and is the final successor of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).

Biographical Details (Name, Birth, Parents, etc.)

Imam al-Mahdi was born in Samarra (Iraq), mid-Sha‘bān 255 AH,[1] the only son of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askarī (the eleventh Imam) and Lady Narjis, said to be a granddaughter of the Roman emperor.

Titles and Kunyas

He shares the Prophet’s name and kunya (Abū al-Qāsim), and is titled: Abā Ṣāliḥ, al-Qā’im Āl Muḥammad, al-Mahdi Āl Muḥammad, Ḥujjat Allāh, Walī Allāh, Baqiyyat Allāh, al-Imām al-Muntaẓar, Ṣāḥib al-Zamān, and others.

Glad Tidings in the Qur’an, the Prophet, and Earlier Imams

He is the very savior heralded by the heavenly scriptures who will establish justice and peace. The Qur’an alludes—indirectly—to his advent: the end of shirk and disbelief,[2] the universal spread of the true religion,[3] the triumph of truth over falsehood,[4] the inheritance of the earth by the righteous,[5] and the empowerment of the oppressed.[6] Their complete fulfillment will be after his reappearance. The Prophet repeatedly foretold the twelfth Imam and his just rule,[7] and the earlier Imams (from ‘Alī to al-‘Askarī) consistently announced his coming.[8]

Al-Mahdi in Sunni Sources

Reports about the Mahdi are found not only in Shi‘i books but also in major Sunni collections: the Prophet said a man from his progeny will arise and fill the earth with justice after it has been filled with oppression.[9]

His Longevity, Life, and Occultation

His Imamate began upon his father’s martyrdom in 260 AH and continues to the present. By God’s will—like Prophet Nūḥ and al-Khiḍr—he has a prolonged life and is alive. Based on transmitted reports, for reasons including protection from assassination, testing people, having no pledge to any tyrant, and the sins of people, he lives concealed (ghaybah).

Concealment of a divine vicegerent is not unprecedented: Prophets such as Idrīs, Yūsuf, and Mūsā (peace be upon them) experienced periods of hiddenness. The Imam’s occultation unfolded in two phases:

Minor Occultation (al-Ghaybah al-Ṣughrā): from 260 AH, during which he communicated with the Shi‘a through four special deputies.
Major Occultation (al-Ghaybah al-Kubrā): from 329 AH onward, ending specific deputation.

His Role in Guidance—during Occultation and after Reappearance

Even without direct access, he remains the Imam and guide. The Imams are intermediaries between God and creation in presence or absence.[10] Seeking nearness to God through the Imams is among the best paths.[11] In the Major Occultation, he commanded the faithful to refer to reliable transmitters of the Imams’ teachings[12]—those learned in religion, God-fearing, and free from worldly motives[13]—for understanding the divine law.

Establishing Justice and a Universal Just Order

His reappearance and uprising are certain; hence the frequent title al-Qā’im (the one who rises).[14] He will appear with supporters, establish a global just polity, and fill the world—now rife with injustice—with equity.

Effects of Belief in al-Mahdi

Belief in the Imam brings hope. Despite trials, believers do not despair: they know their Imam prays for them[15] and that a day will come when true Islam prevails and peace encompasses the earth. Even in occultation, a heart-to-heart connection with the Imam is possible: he knows the state of his Shi‘a and cares for them like a compassionate parent;[16] believers speak to him and seek his help. Conscious of a living Imam who witnesses their deeds, they avoid sins, fulfill duties, and strengthen the bond with prayers for him—an aid to preserving faith in the end times.[17]

Expectation (Intiẓār) among Humanity—especially the Shi‘a

Many religions anticipate a promised day and a savior. In Shi‘i teaching, awaiting relief (intiẓār al-faraj) is a foundational doctrine and among the greatest acts of worship,[18] and believers are urged to pray earnestly for his advent,[19] for even a single person’s sincere prayer can hasten relief. Reports state that God may rectify the affair of the Imam in a single night.[20] Whenever God wills, the promise will be fulfilled; the Imam will appear and bring global justice and tranquility.

In sum: al-Mahdi is the designated, known son from the lineage of the Seal of the Prophets. The establishment of true religion and the deliverance from worldly oppression will reach completion through his appearance.

Footnotes

[1] Some sources record 254, 256, 257, or 258 AH—differences likely due to the birth being concealed.
[2] Qur’an 2:193.
[3] Qur’an 61:9; 9:33; 48:28; 24:55.
[4] Qur’an 17:81; 13:17.
[5] Qur’an 21:105.
[6] Qur’an 28:5.
[7] Kifāyat al-Athar, 107; Ithbāt al-Hudāt, vol. ?, p. 70; al-Imāmah wa al-Tabṣirah, 120/33.
[8] See Muntaḫab al-Athar, vol. 2, 49 chapters, 252 ḥadīths on the twelfth Imam; also Kifāyat al-Athar, p. 293, ch. 39, six narrations from Imam al-‘Askarī on his son al-Ḥujjah.
[9] Musnad Aḥmad 1:377, 430, 448; Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4:107 (ḥadīth 4282); Jāmi‘ al-Tirmidhī 4:505 (no. 2230); ‘Aqd al-Durr, 27–30, etc.: “The world will not end until a man from my Household, whose name matches mine, rules…” Also: Musnad Aḥmad 3:36; Musnad Abī Ya‘lā 2:274 (987); al-Mustadrak 4:557; al-Durr al-Manthūr 6:58.
[10] Tafsīr al-‘Ayyāshī 1:86 on 2:189.
[11] Qur’an 5:35; Tafsīr al-Qummī 1:168.
[12] Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Ni‘mah 2:484 (ch. 45).
[13] Tafsīr attributed to Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askarī, p. 300 on 2:78–79; al-Ṭabarsī, al-Iḥtijāj 2:458.
[14] Rawḍat al-Wā‘iẓīn 2:264.
[15] al-Kharā’ij wa al-Jarā’iḥ 2:903.
[16] al-Kāfī 1:200.
[17] Kamāl al-Dīn 2:384.
[18] Kifāyat al-Athar, 281.
[19] Kamāl al-Dīn 2:485 (ch. 45).
[20] Kamāl al-Dīn 1:152 (no. 6).