18 Facts About Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi is believed by the Twelver Shia to be the last of the Twelve Imams and the eschatological Mahdi, who will emerge in the end of time to establish peace and justice and redeem Islam.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi is said to have received a letter from Muhammad al-Mahdi shortly before his death.

The letter, ascribed to Muhammad Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, added that the complete occultation would continue until God granted him permission to manifest himself again in a time when the earth would be filled with tyranny.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi's birthdate is given differently, but most sources seem to agree on 15 Sha'ban, which is celebrated by the Shia for this occasion.

The Twelver accounts describe that, except for a few trusted associates, the existence of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi was kept secret since the Abbasids sought to eliminate the son of al-Askari, whom persistent rumors described as a savior.

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Birth of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi is often compared in Twelver sources to the birth of Moses in the Quran, who was miraculously saved from the pharaoh.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi's origin is recorded as the Byzantine empire or Nubia, and some accounts state that she was bought providentially by an agent of al-Hadi, who recognized by clairvoyance in her the future mother of al-Mahdi.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi contested al-Askari's will and raised the case with the authorities.

Twelver sources detail that Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi made his only public appearance to lead the funeral prayer for his father instead of his uncle, Ja'far.

The letter, ascribed to Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, added that the complete occultation would continue until God granted him permission to manifest himself again in a time when the earth would be filled with tyranny.

For instance, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Shalmaghani turned against al-Nawbakhti and claimed to be the rightful agent of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, before denouncing the concept of occultation as a lie.

Ibn Babawayh suggested that the situation remains unknown until the reappearance of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi but added that the large population of the Shia did not necessarily guarantee his safety.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi's absence provided a basis for renewed criticisms at the time, voiced by the Mu'tazilites and Ash'arites.

Indeed, it is popularly held that Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi occasionally appears to the pious in person or, more commonly, in dreams and visions.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi's life has been miraculously prolonged until the day he manifests himself again by God's permission to fill the earth with justice.

Along these lines, Tabatabai emphasizes the miraculous qualities of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi, adding that his long life, while unlikely, is not impossible.

Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi is viewed by the Twelvers as the restorer of true Islam.

The foremost general sign of the second coming of Hujjat-Allah al-Mahdi is the prevalence of evil on earth in the form of tyranny, injustice, and religious and moral degradation.