Examples from the traditions The prophetic traditions mentioning Imam Mahdi...

Examples from the traditions The prophetic traditions mentioning Imam Mahdi, from both the Shi’ite and Sunnite schools reach the highest level of authenticity. Indeed many from the Sunnite school believe that the traditions concerning the Mahdi are infact the most authentic ones they have. Some of their scholars also find belief in the Mahdi to be a common belief between all the differing Islamic sects.

Several of the Sunnite scholars have written on the subject of Imam Mahdi and the signs of his coming, but here we will mention a only a few of their traditions: The Prophet of Islam (saws) mentioned: “Even If be a day left for the collapse of the world then that day will be lengthened until a man from my ahl al-bayt (progeny) who will have my name will establish a government.

He will fill the land with equity and justice as the world will be full of injustice and oppression.” Another tradition narrated from Umm Salma states that the Prophet of Islam has said: “Mahdi is from my family and is the son of Fatima.” It has been mentioned by Ibn ’Abbas that the noble Prophet (saws) said: “Certainly ’Ali is the Imam after me and from his lineage there will be the awaited one (al-Qāi’m al-Muntazar).

When he appears, he will fill the land with equity and justice, as it will be full of injustice and persecution”. b. Occultation and its secret The peculiarity regarding the twelfth Imam, in the traditions from the Prophet’s Household, is his occultation.

In a tradition ’Abdul al-’Adhim Hasani quotes from Imam Muhammad Taqi (a), who heard it from his fathers that Imam Ali said: “Our Qāi’m will have a long occultation and I am seeing my Shi’ah during the time of occultation will be like cattle behind pasturage, (in search of al-Qāi’m) but they will not find him.

Be aware that whoever protects himself from hard-heartedness and stands firm in his religion during the time of his (al-Qāi’m‘s) occultation will be with me and at my level.” Then he continued: “When our Qāi’m arises (Qāi’ms) he will not pledge to anyone and no tyrants can overpower him, he will be secretly born and have his occultation from the people.” Imam Sajjad (a) narrates from his fathers before him that Imam Ali (as) mentioned: “Our Qāi’m will have two occultation and the first one is longer than the second one and whose belief (īmān) is strong and have correct knowledge (ma’rifah) will be confident in our Imāmah.” In order to understand the secret of the occultation one must study the lives of the Imams.