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The sayings of Imams have been taken as these are considered as very close representation for the period /time passing presently: Signs of the Uprising of the Qaim of Aale Muhammad ((عليه السلام).) (From Bihar ul Anwar, by Allama Majlisi, Vol. 51 & 52) 28- Ikmaaluddin: Shaykh Saduq says: Narrated to us my father: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Ahmad bin Hilal from Hasan bin Mahbub from Abi Ayyub Khazzaz and Alaa bin Razeen from Muhammad bin Muslim that he said: I heard Abi Abdullah ((عليه السلام).) say: “Before the rising of the Qaim, Allah will appoint signs for the believers. I asked: What are those, may I be sacrificed on you? He replied: They are mentioned in the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: That is before the advent of the Qaim the believers will be tested through fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient. “And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient…”(Surah Baqarah 2:155) He said: The believers will be tested through the fear of the last ruler of Bani so-and-so. Hunger through rise in prices. Loss of property and lives and fruits means loss in business and agriculture. And give good news to the patient means those who await for the reappearance.” After that Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) said to Muhammad bin Muslim: O Muhammad this is the interpretation of the verse: “…but none knows its interpretation except Allah, and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge…” (Surah Aale Imran 3:7) This traditional report is also mentioned in Ghaibat Nomani through another chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Muslim from the Holy Imam ((عليه السلام).). 93- Ghaibat Nomani: It is narrated from Ibne Uqdah from Ahmad bin Yusuf from Ibne Mahran from Ibne Bataini from his father from Abu Basir that Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) said: “There must be a sedition before the appearance of the Qaim, during which people become hungry, terrified by killing and they lose their properties and lives. This has been clarified by the Book of Allah. Allah has said: “And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient.”(Surah Baqarah 2:155) 59- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fazl from Ali bin Asbat from Muhammad bin Abi Bilad from Ali bin Muhammad Awdi from his father from his grandfather that Amirul Momineen ((عليه السلام).) said: “Before the Qaim, there will be red death and white death; there will be locusts at their usual time and at their unusual time like the colors of blood. As for red death it is (from) the sword, while the white death is (from) plague.” 42- Ikmaaluddin: Shaykh Saduq says: And through the same chain of narrators from Hussain bin Saeed from Safwan bin Yahya from Abdur Rahman Ibne Hajjaj from Sulaiman bin Khalid that he said: I heard Abi Abdullah ((عليه السلام).) say: “The reappearance of the Qaim will be preceded by two types of death: the red death and the white death. Five out of seven people will perish through this. The red death is killing by the sword and the white death is plague.” 58- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fazl from Abdullah bin Jabla from Abu Ammar from Ali bin Abu Mughira from Abdullah bin Shareek Aamiri from Umaira binte Nufail that she said: I heard binte Hasan bin Ali ((عليه السلام).) say: “The matter for which you are waiting for, will not occur till you do not get fed up of each other, till you don’t curse each other, till you don’t spit at each other’s face and call each other disbelievers.” I (the narrator) said: “There is nothing positive about it!” He said: “There is indeed, because at that time our Qaim will reappear and all that will end.” 69- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fazl from Ibne Mahbub from Bataini from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) that he said: “The year preceding the reappearance of Imam Qaim ((عليه السلام).) will be so verdant that dates will rot on the trees and there will be no one to pick them. Have no doubt about it.” 69- Al-Kafi: It is narrated from some scholars from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Ibne Isa from Bakar bin Muhammad from Sudair from Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) that he said: “O Sudair, stay in your houses and remain quiet till these days and night are quiet. But when you learn about the advent of Sufyani, you should come to us immediately even if you have to come walking.” 50- Ghaibat Nomani: It is narrated from Ibne Uqdah from Ahmad bin Yusuf from Ibne Mahran from Ibne Bataini from his father from Wahab bin Hafas from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) that he said one day: “Shall I not inform of that without which the Almighty Allah does not accept the deeds of the people? I said: Please tell me what that is? He said: It is the testimony to the oneness of Allah and prophethood of Muhammad and belief in the words of Allah and friendship towards us and aloofness from the enemies of us Imams, and submission to them and sincerity and effort in religious matters and patience and awaiting for the reappearance of our Qaim. Then he said: We are having a kingdom, when Allah wills, He will bring it about. Then he added: One who is desirous to be among the helpers of our Qaim should be waiting for his reappearance and should observe piety and follow good morals and pass his days in this way. If he dies in this condition and the Qaim appears after his death, he will be rewarded just as he had been alive. So make efforts and keep waiting. Glad tidings to you that the Almighty Allah has surrounded you with His mercy. 69- Ikmaaluddin: And through the same chain of narrators, Mufaddal bin Umar said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) say: “One who dies awaiting for the reappearance is like one who is with the Qaim in his tent, rather he is like one who fights the holy war under the command of the Messenger of Allah ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).s.).” 213- It is narrated through his chains directly from Ibne Muskan from Imam Ja’far Sadiq ((عليه السلام).) that he said: “In the time of the Qaim, a believer who is in the east would be able to see his brother who is in the west and in the same way one who is in the west would be able to see his brother in the east.” 7- Ikmaaluddin: Shaykh Saduq ((رضي الله عنه).) has narrated from Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq from Hussain bin Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Mansur from Muhammad bin Harun Hashmi from Ahmad bin Isa from Ahmad bin Sulaiman Dahwi from Muawiyah bin Hisham from Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah from his father, Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah from his respected father, Amirul Momineen ((عليه السلام).), who has quoted from the Messenger of Allah ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم).s.) that he said: “The Mahdi is from us, Ahle Bayt. Allah will reform his affair on a single night. And in another version: Allah will bring reform for him in a single night.” 99- Ghaibat Nomani: It is narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Saeed from Yahya bin Zakariya from Yusuf Ibne Kalib from Ibne Bataini from Ibne Hamid from Thumali from Imam Muhammad Baqir ((عليه السلام).) that he said: “The Qaim ((عليه السلام).) will not appear unless his appearance is preceded by great terror, earthquakes, seditions, calamities, spread of plague, killing among the Arabs, great disagreements among people, separation in religion and bad conditions until one wishes to die day and night, because of what madness he sees among people and their trying to eat each other. The Qaim ((عليه السلام).) will appear after people reach a very high extent of despair. Blessed is he, who sees the Qaim ((عليه السلام).) and becomes one of his supporters, and woe unto whoever opposes him, disobeys his orders and becomes his enemy. He appears with a new method, new principles and new judgments. He will be severe with the Arabs. He will just kill without forgiving anyone and without caring for any blame, because he will act according to the will of Allah.” 7- Al-Khisaal: The Chapter of Four hundred: Amirul Momineen ((عليه السلام).) said: “Await for the reappearance of the master of affair and do not despair of divine mercy, because in the view of the Almighty Allah the most excellent deed is awaiting the reappearance of the master of affair.” Then he said, “Digging up the mountains is easier than trying to establish a rule for which a time is fixed. Seek help from the Almighty Allah and be patient, since this Earth belongs to Allah and He would make any of His servants inherit it and the end is for those who are pious. Do not make haste for the reappearance of the master of affair before his reappearance or you will regret it and do not consider the period of occultation to be long or your hearts will harden.” Then he said, “One who believes in the master of our affair will be with us in Paradise with us tomorrow. And one who waits for our kingdom, is like one who is smeared in blood fighting on the way of Allah.” (Hadith have been taken from Chapters of Bihar ul Anwar referred above.)

I'm going through an interesting case where I'm unsure as to what is the Islamic definition of a Messiah. I'm beginning to understand the reasoning behind the support of Jesus (عليه السلام) being God, the Trinity, and Original Sin Doctrine the Christians espouse despite its irrationality in general. It all hinges on the Christian understanding of Messiah where Jesus (عليه السلام) fulfilled 3 offices of Messiahship: Prophet, Priest, and King. What Christians believe in is the theology of Mono-Messianism when it comes to Jesus (عليه السلام) as not just The Messiah, but The One and Only Messiah, The Seal of All Messiahs before him. Similar to how Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is the Seal of All Prophets before him. Historically, under Judaism the idea of The Messiah holding all 3 offices has never been a general consensus where there were many Messiahs before Jesus and they never hold all 3 offices at unison. And for the interest of Christians when reading the Tanakh of the Jews and how many Messiahs came before Jesus where none of them hold all 3 offices at the same time, it would stand to reason that the office of both King and Priest are polar opposite offices. One can be a Messianic Prophet and a Priest? Sure look at Prophet Isaiah (عليه السلام). One can be a Messianic Prophet and a King? Sure look at Prophet David (عليه السلام) and Prophet Solomon (عليه السلام). How can there be such a thing as a Messianic Prophet that is both a Priest and a King? Isn't this equivalent to Nimrod (Namrood) reasoning where he claims to Abraham, "I am justice where I give life and bring death. I am LifeGiver and DeathBringer given how I am Just." I think this is a question that some Christians think about and hence that's where they attempt to reconcile the issue by saying Jesus is God along with the Trinity and Original Sin Doctrine to maintain that Mono-Messianism theological position of Jesus fulfilling the 3 offices of Messiahship: Prophet, Priest, and King. But most importantly on the notion that Jesus is both a Messianic Priest and Messianic King at the same time. However, what about Poly-Messianism? Wasn't that a theological discourse within Judaism at some point when it came to the Jews understanding of The Messiah? So what I'm trying to understand is the Islamic definition (both Sunni and Shia) of Messiah. Jesus (عليه السلام) is The Messiah that is self-explanatory in The Quran and the Quran furthermore chastises the Christians and Jews to not commit excess in their religion where they are re-interpreting the theology when it comes to the definition of Messiah where you must be God in order to be The Messiah along with other definitions. However, is Jesus (عليه السلام) The One and Only Messiah that is the question? Or is there another entity alongside Jesus who is also The Messiah just as much as him? I've been reading a bit on Shia Hadith Literatures where The Mahdi (عليه السلام) will judge the people like Prophet David (عليه السلام) and Prophet Solomon (عليه السلام) have judged their people. There's also another Hadith narration where a congregation prayer commences (aka Friday Prayer). Jesus (عليه السلام) will pray behind The Mahdi (عليه السلام) during this congregation prayer. When The Mahdi (عليه السلام) asks Jesus (عليه السلام) to lead the congregation prayer since He's The Messiah, Jesus (عليه السلام) will decline the offer to The Mahdi (عليه السلام) where The Mahdi (عليه السلام) will lead the congregation prayer. What does this mean? Is The Mahdi (عليه السلام) also The Messiah just as much as Jesus (عليه السلام)? Does The Mahdi (عليه السلام) have Bani-Israeli ancestry similar to that of a Judean (Yahoodi)?

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Name: Muhammad Title: al-Mahdi, al-Qaim, al-Hujjah, Sahib Al-Zaman, Baqiyutullah Father's name: Al-Hassan Al-Askari - 11th Imam (pbuhim) Mother's name: Nargis - Daughter of the king of Rome. Birth: In Sammara, on Friday the 15th of Shaaban 255 A.H. Imam Al-Mahdi will unite the East and the West. His father Imam Hassan Al-Askari is from the East. And His mother Nargis, also known as Malika, was from the west. It is narrated she was the daughter of the king of Rome Yashu'a Ibn Qaisar (Caeser). His mother didn't live close to the Islamic world, but one night she had a dream that the Prophet of Islam came to her and told her to marry one of His children. They told her that she will have a son that will rule the world and fill it with justice. Following this dream, she woke up with the desire to meet these people whom she later realised were the Muslims being fought. She did what she could and was captured by the Islamic army, her desire all along. She was later bought as a merchant along with other prisoners, but was amazed at the good treatment she received. She didn't know why this man treated her with such kindness, as if she was his next of kin. She was later introduced to the same man, as Imam Hassan, the light from her dream with whom she lived happily ever after. With their love, the Prince of our time was born. Imam Al-Mahdi, is still living and will appear before the end of time.. Imam Ali narrates that Prophet Muhammad (pbuthem both) said: Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah to come, yet Allah will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initially was filled with oppression. Prophet Muhammad said: The promised Mahdi will be among my progeny, among the descendants of Fatima. (Abu Dawud, Sahih, Vol. 2, P. 207; Ibn Majah, Sahih, Vol. 2, P. 519) Rasullah said: A group of my Ummah will fight for the truth until near the day of judgment when Jesus, the son of Marry, will descend, and the leader of them will ask him to lead the prayer, but Jesus declines, saying: "No, Verily, among you Allah has made leaders for others and He has bestowed his bounty upon them. (Sahih Muslim) No one can fully understand the reason for the occultation of Imam Mahdi (ajtf) but some explainations bought forward are: 1. The benefit of being tested and purified, this is a test for the beleiver. 2. The benefit of being relieved from having to pay allegiance to unjust rulers. 3. The benefit of being immune from murder. The minor occultation was needed to prepare his people of the major occultaion to come. Ultimately the reasons of the occultation are based on divine wisdom. Minor Occultaton: 8th Rabi 'ul-awwal 260 A.H. Major Occultation: 10 Shawwal 329 AH. May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) hasten his reappearance and may our lives be His (pbuhim) sacrifice. Illahi Amen.

Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-'Askarī (Arabic: محمد بن الحسن العسکری) (born in 255/869), also known as Imam al-Mahdi (a) (Arabic: إمام المهدی), is the twelfth Imam in Twelver Shi'ism. He is the promised savior, who will rise one day and fill the earth with peace and justice. Imam al-Mahdi (a) has been in occultation from the early years of his life. Shi'as regard him as the Imam of the present age. Among his well-known titles are Imam al-Mahdi (the Imam of the time) and Wali l-'Asr (the guardian of the age). Imam al-Mahdi (a) became the Imam after the martyrdom of his father Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) in the year 260/874, when he was five. From that time until the year 329/941, he was in contact with his followers through his Four Deputies. After that, his Major Occultation started, in which period the direct guidance and leadership of the Shi'a community rests with religious scholars. There are many hadiths transmitted from the Imams (a) about Imam al-Mahdi (a), his life, his Occultation, and his government, and many collections of such hadiths have been written. In addition to hadith collections, many works have been published about Imam al-Mahdi (a). Every year, on fifteenth of Sha'ban, Shi'as celebrate the Imam's birth, marking one of the greatest Shi'i festivals. The possibility of meeting the Imam (a) during his Major Occultation, when and how he reappears, and the incidents related to his reappearance are some of the popular discussions among Shi'as. Lineage and Birth In Shi'a hadiths, the Twelfth Imam (a) is referred to by names such as Muhammad, Ahmad, and 'Abd Allah. However, among the Shi'as, he is most famously referred to as al-Mahdi which is one of his titles.[1] According to a number of hadiths, he is the Prophet's (s) namesake.[2] In some hadiths and written Shiite sources, such as al-Kafi and Kamal al-din, his name is written with separate letters as "م ح م د" (M Ḥ M D).[3] This is in accordance with hadiths forbidding any mention of Imam al-Mahdi's (a) name.[4] Titles In different sources, supplications, and ziyaras, the Twelfth Imam of the Shi'as is characterized with different teknonyms and titles, the best-known of which are: al-Mahdi (المَهدی, guided), Ṣāḥib al-Zamān (صاحب الزمان, the owner of the time), al-Muntaẓar (المُنتَظَر, expected), Baqīyyat Allāh (بَقیّة الله, what remains with Allah), al-Muntaqim (المُنتَقِم, avenger), al-Maw'ūd (المَوعود, promised), Khātam al-Awṣīyā' (خاتَم الأوصیاء, the last successor), al-Ghā'ib (الغائب, hidden), al-Ma'mūl (المأمول, hoped), and al-Muḍṭarr (المُضطرّ, distressed). Another well-known title of Imam al-Mahdi (a) is al-Qa'im (القائم, upriser or standing) upon the hearing of which the Shi'as stand up and put their hands on their heads, as practiced by Imam al-Rida (a).[7] The names and titles of the Twelfth Shiite Imam (a) are mentioned in Sunni sources as well. In these source, "al-Mahdi" is the mostly mentioned title. The title "al-Qa'im" is rarely found in Sunni sources.[8 Mother His mother is referred to in different ways: Narjis, Susan, Saqil or Sayqal, Haditha, Hakima, Malika, Rayhana, and Khamt.[9] In general, there are four accounts of her life and characteristics. According to a hadith cited by al-Shaykh al-Saduq in his Kamal al-din wa tamam al-ni'ma,[10] Imam al-Mahdi's (a) mother was a Roman princess. And in other hadiths, her life story is not mentioned and it is only said that she was trained and raised in the house of Hakima, the daughter of Imam al-Jawad (a).[11] According to a third group of hadiths (cited by al-Mas'udi in his Ithbat al-wasiyya),[12] Imam al-Mahdi's (a) mother was not only raised in the house of Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari's (a) paternal aunt, but was also born there. The last group of hadiths has a fundamental difference with these three groups. According to these hadiths, Imam al-Mahdi's (a) mother was a black bondwoman.[13] The first three groups of hadiths can be considered as complementary, but the last one cannot be reconciled with them. However, some scholars have tried to reconcile the last group of hadiths with others by taking it to be concerned with Imam al-Mahdi's (a) nurse.[14] Time of Birth In historical sources, there are different accounts of the day on which the Twelfth Imam (a) was born, the best-known of which is Sha'ban 15th (July 29, 869).[22] This date is reported by Shiite scholars such as al-Kulayni, al-Mas'udi, al-Shaykh al-Saduq, al-Shaykh al-Mufid, al-Shaykh al-Tusi, Fattal al-Nisaburi, al-Tabrisi, Ibn Tawus, Ibn Taqtaqi, al-Allama al-Hilli, al-Shahid al-Awwal, al-Kaf'ami, and al-Shaykh al-Baha'i, and Sunni scholars such as Ibn Khallakan, Ibn Sabbagh al-Maliki, al-Sha'rani al-Hanafi, and Ibn Tulun. According to other reports, mentioned in al-Saduq's Kamal al-din, the birthday of the Imam (a) was the eve of the first Thursday of Ramadan or the eve of one of the Thursdays in Ramadan. Place of Birth Historians who talked about the issue agree that Imam al-Mahdi (a) was born in the house[23] of his father, Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a), in Samarra. The house is now part of the shrine of Imam al-Hadi (a) and Imam al-'Askari (a).[24] Imam al-Hadi (a) and Imam al-'Askari (a) were summoned to Samarra, the center of the Abbasid Caliphate, years before the birth of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and lived there until they were martyred.[25] The Account of the Birth The famous account of the Imam's (a) birth is given by Hakima, the aunt of Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a). In some parts of this account, as reported by al-Shaykh al-Saduq, we read, Imam al-Hasan al-Askari called me and said, "O aunti! Stay with us tonight, which is the eve of the 15th of Sha'ban. Tonight God Almighty will reveal His proof on earth." I said, "Who is his mother?" He replied, "Narjis." I said, "But—May I be your ransom! —There are no sign of pregnancy in her!" The Imam (a) replied, "It will be as I said to you." I went and when I said salam and sat down, Narjis came, took my shoes, and said, "O my lady and the lady of my family! How are you?" I said, "You are my lady and the lady of my family … God is giving you tonight a son, who is the master of this world and the hereafter." Then [I prayed, and] when I finished my prayer, I ate in order to end my fast, and then I slept. In the middle of the night, I woke up and prayed while Narjis was sleeping. Then I followed up my prayer with some dhikrs and then I also slept. I woke up again, and then Narjis woke up, prayed, and slept again. I came out of the house and looked at the sky, and it was the time of the first fajr. As soon as I started to have some doubt, Abu Muhammad [i.e., Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a)] called me and said, "O auntie! Do not hasten, because the time is about to arrive." So I sat down and started to recite sura al-Sajda and sura Yasin. As I was reciting the Qur'an, Narjis woke up, so I hastened unto her and told her, "Do you feel anything?" She responded, "Yes, auntie!" I told her, "Be calm and let your heart be strong. This is what I told you about. Afterwards, a kind of weakness got me and Narjis. Then, I woke up by the voice of my master [i.e., Imam al-Mahdi] … I saw him prostrating himself … I held him in my arms and found him clean and pure. Abu Muhammad told me, "O auntie! Bring me my child." I did so … [He held him,] and said, "O my son! Speak!" He said, "I testify that there is no God but Allah alone; He has no partners. And I testify that Muhammad is His apostle." Then he sent salutations upon Amir al-Mu'minin and the rest of the Imams until his father. Secret Birth Abbasid caliphs knew from the hadiths by the Prophet (s) and the Imams (a) that the Twelfth Imam was al-Mahdi, and thus, they assigned some guards to monitor Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) and his house. According to historians, al-Mu'tamid al-'Abbasi had ordered the midwives to drop by sadat's houses, especially the house of Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a), search inside the house, learn about his wife, and report him about it.[26] The birth of Imam al-Mahdi (a) was hidden from people. The secrecy of his birth and its reasons are mentioned in some hadiths.[27] According to a hadith from Imam al-Sajjad (a), "our al-Qa'im bears some traditions of the prophets. A tradition from Abraham (a) is the secrecy of his birth and his isolation from the people".[28] And according to a hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (a), "the birth of Sahib al-Amr is hidden from the people until he reappears. This is in order for him not to have to pledge allegiance to anyone".[29] According to al-Shaykh al-Mufid, the reason behind the hidden birth of Imam al-Mahdi (a) was the persecutions and the fact that the governor of the time was on the watch to murder the last Proof of God. It should be noted that the hidden birth of the Twelfth Imam (a) was not an unprecedented phenomenon. Abraham's and Moses's births also reportedly occurred in a hidden manner. The Witnesses of the Birth Apart from Hakima, two female slaves named Mariyah and Nasim also witnessed the birth of the Twelfth Imam (a). Al-Shaykh al-Tusi and al-Shaykh al-Saduq have recorded the accounts of the birth of the Imam (a) as reported by these two female slaves: "When the Master of the Time was born, he sat down on his knees and raised his forefingers toward heaven. Then, he sneezed and said, 'All praise belongs to God the Lord of the worlds. May God send his blessings on Muhammad and his family. The oppressors have thought that the Proof of God is destroyed. Were we permitted to speak, the doubt would fade away.'" Shi'as' Awareness of the Birth After Imam al-Mahdi's (a) birth, some Shi'as who were close and reliable companions of Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) saw Imam al-Mahdi (a). Al-Shaykh al-Mufid mentions some Shi'as who saw Imam al-Mahdi (a) during the life of Imam al-'Askari (a): Muhammad b. Isma'il b. Musa b. Ja'far (a), Hakima bt. al-Imam al-Jawad (a), Abu 'Ali b. Mutahhar, 'Amr al-Ahwazi, and Abu Nasr al-Turayf, the servant of Imam al-'Askari (a).[34]. For example, according to a hadith, Muhammad b. 'Uthman al-'Amri and forty other people were in Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari's (a) house. The Imam (a) showed his son to them and said, "this is your Imam after me and my successor among you. Obey him and do not dispute about your religion. Otherwise, you will be disorganized and you will never see him again".[35] A similar hadith is cited by al-Shaykh al-Tusi. He also mentioned other people who saw Imam al-Mahdi (a) in the meeting: 'Ali b. Bilal, Ahmad b. Bilal, Muhammad b. Mu'awiya b. Hakim, and Hasan b. Ayyub b. Nuh.[36]. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid also refers to other people, such as Abu 'Umar 'Uthman b. Sa'id al-Samman and his son, Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. 'Uthman, who saw Imam al-Mahdi (a) during the life of his father. Imam al-Mahdi (a) was also seen during the life of Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) by people from Banu al-Rahba family from Nusaybin, Banu Sa'id, Banu Mahziyar from Ahvaz, Banu l-Rukuli from Kufa, Banu Nawbakht from Baghdad, and a group of people from Qazvin, Qom, and Jibal.[37] After the Demise of Imam al-'Askari (a) When the caliph of the time, al-Mu'tamid al-'Abbasi, learned about Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari's (a) illness, he sent five of his reliable officers to the Imam's (a) house in order to monitor him. Also, al-Mu'tamid ordered his Grand Judge to commission ten reliable people to monitor Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a).[38] In his will, Imam al-Hasan al-'Askari (a) gave all his property to his mother, Hudayth, although the Abbasids did not allow the whole property to be given to Hudayth. They gave half of the property to Ja'far b. 'Ali b. Muhammad, Imam al-Mahdi's (a) uncle.[39] After Imam al-Hasan al-'Askaris (a) demise, the Abbasid caliph sent a group of agents to his house. They shut down the house and confiscated the Imam's (a) property. They looked for the Imam's (a) son, examined the Imam's (a) wives and bondwomen for pregnancy,[40] and arrested a heavy bondwoman who was suspected to be pregnant. She was monitored for two years and was released afterwards.[41] ............Continued

Saudi Crown pricne said: Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a television interview broadcast on Tuesday that his country could crush Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen where a Saudi-led military coalition is fighting to restore the government of president Abdrabu Mansur Hadi. Asked if Saudi Arabia was ready to open a direct dialogue with Tehran, Prince Mohammed said it was impossible to talk with a power that was planning for the return of the Imam Mahdi. Shiites believe Imam Mahdi was a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed who went into hiding 1,000 years ago and will return to establish global Islamic rule before the end of the world. "How do you have a dialogue with this (Iran)?" Prince Mohammed said. "Its (Iran’s) logic is that the Imam Mahdi will come and they must prepare the fertile environment for the arrival of the awaited Mahdi and they must control the Muslim world." Under Iran’s constitution, in place since the 1979 revolution, the country’s supreme leader is the earthly representative of the Imam until his return. http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/saudi-arabias-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-rules-out-dialogue-with-iran Trump to visit Saudi capital Riyadh to meet 50 countries alliance. The summit agenda is expected to focus on combating Islamist militants and the growing regional influence of Iran. Mr Trump has been a fierce critic of the Iran deal which eased sanctions in return for a curb on its nuclear activities. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39979189 so modern day Saqifa is in process to deny the Chosen representative Mahdi and his supporters and those awaiting for him.

Hadith (or tradition) from a Shiite text of the 17th century. The tradition comes from Bahar al-Anvar (meaning Oceans of Light) by Mullah Majlisi, a magnum opus in 132 volumes and the basis of modern Shiite Islam. According to the tradition, Imam Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (the prophet's cousin and son-in-law) prophesied that at the End of Times and just before the return of the Mahdi, the Ultimate Saviour, a "tall black man will assume the reins of government in the West." Commanding "the strongest army on earth," the new ruler in the West will carry "a clear sign" from the third imam, whose name was Hussein Ibn Ali. The tradition concludes: "Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us."

As it pertains to the ghayba, I often see certain unusual statements being circulated around such as, “When the Mahdi appears before us, we will feel as if we have seen him somewhere in our past” and “He [the Imam] is walking around in the markets and visits us, but we do not recognize him.” Do these statements hold any truth and were they part of early Twelver Shi’ism? If not, why are they being transmitted nonstop? And what do they really mean? Are they simply just undertones to a bigger reality?

On a very serious note, Sunni brothers really need to check the works Im posting in the comments below. These works identify SUFYANI I, predict the rise of SUFYANI II in this decade and more importantly notify the already over first coming of DAJJAL and warn against the more dangerous second coming of DAJJAL masquerading as Mahdi, ALL FROM SUNNI PROPHECIES ONLY. More than just theories, most of the matter in these works consists of almost ascertained facts, fulfilled prophecies and prophecies very close to being fulfilled.

My eyes tear up at this kalaam... O Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى)... Please reveal Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام) soon and make us amongst his supporters...

Before the Twelfth Imam entered occultation, there were Shia who had believed that numerous other descendants of Ali had entered occultation. A list can be found here http://www.*************/2015/07/15/the-confusing-history-of-shia-mahdi/ Why do you think these earlier Shia claimed occultation for these Imams and other descendants of Ali? How is the claim of the Twelfth Imam being in occultation better than the claim for the other Imams? It is clear in my mind that the Twelfth Imam is very special, but just wondered what people here thought about this.

I am wondering how Twelver Shia here feel about the Mahdi. It still puzzles me as to why he was not taken into heaven, like Elijah or Jesus. Why is it important that he is still on earth? If you pray to him (or ask for his prayers), does he hear you, no matter where you are? Does he need to eat, or is he kept in a semi-angelic state? How central is he to your faith? Also, just tell me what you feel about him. Thanks, Richard

In the 1920s, the Iranian city of Qom developed as a prime center of Shia learning to rival Najaf and came to be regarded as the religious capital of Iran. Centuries ago, it had already been prophesied to play a major role in the end times: Imam Musa Kazim (عليه السلام). said: "A man will invite people to Allah from Qom. A crowd will gather around him. Indeed their hearts will be firm like iron pieces such that nothing can terrify or unnerve them. They will not get tired of war and will not get afraid. They will rely on Allah and they will be the real righteous." (Bihar al-Anwar: v.60 p.216 Iranian print) In the whole history of Qom, this prophecy by Imam Musa (عليه السلام). befits none but his descendant Ruhollah Musawi (Imam Khomeini), the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1989) and the anti-Zionist forces of the Islamic Revolution. Qom remains the ideological center of the Islamic Revolution. The forces of the "Qom" Movement (the Islamic Revolution) will support Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام). : Afwan Basri narrated from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (عليه السلام). that he said: "The Imam (Muhammad Baqir (عليه السلام).) asked me "do you know why they call the city Qom?", I said "Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). know better". He said "indeed they call this city Qom because the people of Qom will gather around Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام). and will rise up with him, remain with him and help him"." (ibid.) About the forces vanquishing the Jews in the Holy Land in the end times, Imam Baqir (عليه السلام). said: "They are Mahdi (عليه السلام). and his companions." Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام). said about them: "I swear by Allah they are of Qom, I swear by Allah they are of Qom, I swear by Allah they are of Qom!" (Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn: tafsir surah 17 ruku' 1) Today the whole world knows that the greatest threat to the Zionist state of Israel is posed by the forces of Qom i.e. Imam Khomeini's movement.

According to our books, what qualifies a person as being a Shia of Imam Mahdi (عجّل الله تعالى فرجه الشريف)? I prefer not to be given a hadith because I am not a scholar who can analyse things or understand what is missing or meant. I prefer something which is written by our scholars who have gathered all the information from analysing different hadiths and written what they know in a published work.

There is a very popular and modern Mufti called Abu Layth who has many videos on Youtube. He argues that Sunni sources do not confirm the 2nd coming of Jesus in the end times and this idea has been inserted by Christians. Besides, the majority of Christians are not religious at all. Christianity is gonna decline even more. So it does not make sense for Jesus to come to these people. Isnt Rasool (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) the final prophet, why is another coming after him ? Why isnt Moses coming back forl the jews? Why are the Christians the only one who are gonna be rectified? And isnt the Mahdi enough to deal with Dajjal?

as salaam aakim, Will Imam Mahdi of the sunni and shia be the same, or two seperate individuals? Sunni one will perform one task and is said to not have been born yet, while shia is in occultation and ready to come out!,so Shia hadiths say Imam mahdi will avenge shia and lrule by books of thoer faiths while sunni one wil rule according to Sharia to set up for Isa(عليه السلام), both, (correct me if im wrong) wil fight will Isa(عليه السلام) and eventually will destroy sufani and dajjal, but some versions having imam mahdi kill dajjal and sufani and being the ruler while Sunni mahdi leads temp then Isa(عليه السلام) kils dajjal and he rules. So what will eventally happen, need insight both sunni members and shia members on here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Assalamu alejkum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu. Surah Hud [11:47] - Bismillahir Rahmahir Raheem Rabbi innee aAAoothu bikaan as-alaka ma laysa lee bihi AAilmun wa-illataghfir lee watarhamnee akun mina alkhasireen = My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers. I have gotten interest on the topic if Imam Al Mahdi and see there are unclear things in the story. I believe a certain part was hidden from us, for the safety of his lineage, and place. Narju Khatun said, "may the offspring of your prophet dispbell your doubts". What does this mean people? Could it mean that something will happen to the offspring of the prophet Muhammad ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم))? Hassan Al askari is the 11th imam, he was friends with muslims, jews and christians of Baghdad. Narjis Khatun went to Baghdad. Here the child they recieved i believe is the holder of the lineage of Muhammad ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) through Al Askari. This child i belive becuse it was ordained by God, was hidden amongst the jews of Bahgdad in order to secure its safety. All the previous Imams where killed. So in order to save the lineage of Muhammad ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) through the 12th imams i believe they hid him amongst the jews. (They follow kosher wery strict which is bacially halal lifestyle). There he grew up, got children and the lineage survived until when the time comes, Imam mahdi will be a person growing up jewish, but be guided to Islam. This also means some jews today are AhlulBayt, and is a way to ensure peace amongst the nations who recieved revelation. Could this be?

Hi friends. While reading up on the topic of Imam Mahdi, I came across the following narration: Jabir Ibn Yazid al-Jo'fi from Imam Muhammad Baqr: "...The reason why Hazrat Mahdi (as) is known as Hazrat Mahdi (as) is this; he will be directed toward a secret matter, will extract the Torah and other Divine books from a cave in Antioch and will judge among the Jews with the Torah and among the Christians with the Gospel." (Al-Mahdiy al-Mawud) It leaves me with a few questions. 1.) I came across this narration on a non-Shia website, but it seems to be from a Shia source. Is this narration considered reliable? 2.) Is the belief that the Mahdi will restore the true form of previous scriptures generally held within the Shia IthnaAsheri community? 3.) What happens after the true form of these scriptures is restored? The same website had a narration that some Jews and Christians become Muslim, presumably observing the Shariah of Muhammad. What about the rest? Does a restoration of the true form of Jewish law occur (based upon "will judge among the Jews with the Torah")? If so, does this render Judaism a purified sort of Jewish Islam? 4.) Any theories on how a pure version of the Torah might have come to a cave in Antioch? I have some thoughts about the gospel, but the Torah has me stumped. Thanks so much for your thoughts and knowledge.

as salaam alakim!!! is it true in a narration that even some misguided munafiq shias will wage war against Imam Mahdi(عليه السلام)? I heard a hadith mention Baghdad and Syria? Which hadith is this?

The Mahdi will be of quraysh his father's name will be abdullah and his mother's name Amina his own name will be Muhammad so the sahaba asked O Prophet (SAWAWS) will this be you??? The Prophet (SAWA) smiled THIS is authentic so sunnis say Imam is not born but I interpret this to mean that Imam Mahdi (AJTFS) great great great grandfather who was Abdullah and Grand mother Aminah (ASWS) so how do you interpret this to be? (Hint: this could be about when the Prophet (SAWAWS) returns for Ghazwa e Hind) let us pray that we fight in ghazwa e hind right behind the Prophet (SAWAWS) and pray we are martyred and if we are not then pray we are matyred alongside al Mahdi (AJTFS)

OK people, not sure about exactly what will happen after Imam Mehdi arrives, but it is said that Imam Mahdi will eventually be a shaheed. Imam Mehdi will be killed by a women. This is the information i've attained, i need some facts, hadiths, peer reviewed articles something that is authentic... Also question 2) if the Mahdi is going to bring about a Utopian society, which by definition means a society where nobody harbors any hatred or malice toewards another human being, then why will he be murdered.. doesnt that negate his claim? Ayatollah Behjat (HA) is among the Greatest ‘Urefa of our time. As you progress towards Allah and become His intimate, He lifts the veils of Unseen and shares His secrets with you. Once Ayatollah Behjat (HA) was delivering 2 lectures at the same time, at 2 different places! Once around 8-9 years ago or so, Ayatollah Behjat (HA) was giving a lecture to his students. Then he suddenly started to cry, the students got scared but were to embarrased to ask why. After the session one of his closest disciples stepped forth and asked why his master started to cry just like that, whereupon he answered that as he was teaching he had a vision where he saw a jewish girl who just had been born in Isfahan, who would be the killer of Imam Mahdi (A) She would be a jew and her name would be either maliha or sa’eeda…And I am not sure , (Allah forgive me if I say something wrong) she would kill the imam after ruj’a..I have also heard that it would be a time when even iblees would have been defeated by imam-e-zaman and the rest of the imams, and she would be the only creature on earth….but again, I do not have any authentic source to support my point of view. And most shia ulema say that it is not wise to inquire about the details of what will happen after zahoor, because we dont know much…there are ahadith allright but we really dont know much details..

I want to know if an Indian can join Imam Mahdi 313 army and if yes, what are the qualities one must have to join Imam (عجّل الله تعالى فرجه الشريف).

http://www.heartsunion.com Salaam everyone, Tomorrow (Apr 8) at 5:30 pm GMT (1:30 pm EST), there will be a collaborative Dua with thousands across the world for the hastening of the Imam of our time, Saheb Az Zaman, Imam Muhammad bin Al Hassan Al Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance. It is narrated from the Imam, "If our devotees' (may Allah give them success in obeying Him) hearts are gathered on meeting their obligation, their good fortune of meeting us would not have been delayed, and their joy of seeing us would have been expedited." (Al-Ihtijaj, by al-Tabrasy Ch.2, P.499) Please join us tomorrow to whoever is able and share the message.

Sallam Alikum, http://www.discoveringislam.org/shia_mahdi.htm I don't know where to start here but they make "The Shia Mahdi" as such a horrible person. What are those sources they're referring to?

What signs of the faraj are happening now? Any theory? Where are the "black flags"?

Hey brothers and sisters, a Sunni sent me the following Shia hadiths about Imam Mahdi (aj), could someone answer and/or explain that? Thats urgent. 1st. Bahau-d-Din al-Husseini al-Najafi, describing the Imam-Mahdi as: "And he (Kaim) will kill the men, tear off the belly of pregnant women and the babies on spears" (Surur ahli-l-iman, p. 105). باهو دين الحسيني النجفي، واصفا الإمام المهدي بأنه: "وقال انه (كيم) قتل الرجال، تمزيق بطن النساء الحوامل والرضع على الرماح" (سرور أهلي-إيمان ، الصفحة 105). 2nd. The Mahdi will kill people and cut the bellies of pregnant women ("Bihar al Anwar", Volume 52, p. 348). المهدي سيقتل الناس ويقطعون بطون النساء الحوامل ("بيهار الأنوار"، المجلد 52، ص 348). 3rd. The followers of the Mahdi will be people from the of the sons of Israel (the Jews). (Bihar al Anwar, vol. 52, p. 346). أتباع المهدي سيكونون من أبناء إسرائيل (اليهود). (بيهار آل أنور، المجلد 52، ص 346).