ABOUT IMAM MEHDI (A.S)

Imam Mahdi (AS), the final successor among the Twelve Ithna Ashari Imams, was born on the 15th of Shaban in the year 255 Hijri in Samarra, Iraq. He was the son of the Eleventh Imam, Hasan al-Askari (AS), and his mother was Nargis Khatoon, who was the granddaughter of the Emperor of Rum. On the 8th of Rabiul Awwal in the year 260 Hijri, our Twelfth Imam performed the funeral prayer for his father, Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS).

At the tender age of five, Imam Mahdi (AS) commanded the unwavering loyalty of the Muslim community, including the Abbasid caliph of that era, Al-Mu’tamid. Following the completion of the funeral prayers, as the Imam retreated into the house, the gravity and importance of the situation dawned upon the Caliph. In response, he swiftly dispatched his soldiers to enter the house and search for the young Imam. However, upon their thorough search, they discovered that the house was vacant, devoid of any trace of the Imam’s presence.

The Caliph’s anger burned as he witnessed the incompetence of his officials, unable to locate a five-year-old boy who had just led prayers and mysteriously vanished. Unbeknownst to him, God had concealed the secrets of the Imam’s whereabouts. Returning to his opulent palace, the Caliph immersed himself in a life of luxury, oblivious to the world crumbling around his empire.

The lesser concealment (Ghaiba) of Imam Mahdi (AS) began immediately after he led the funeral prayers and disappeared into the house in the year 260 Hijri. This doctrine signifies that God has withdrawn the Imam from public view, granting him a miraculously prolonged life. While occasionally glimpsed and maintaining correspondence, the Imam retains control over guiding his followers, ensuring the safety of Islam from its adversaries. In the following pages, we will present evidence from the Qur’an and authentic Hadiths to support this belief for interested readers.

Central to this belief is the notion that Imam Mahdi (AS), Sahibuz zaman, remains alive and guides his followers when the need arises. This belief draws upon verses from the Holy Qur’an, affirming the concept of divine guidance through Prophets and Imams. As the Qur’an states, “And among those whom we have created are a people who guide others with truth, and in accordance therewith act justly” (Surah Al-A’raf, Verse 180).

Imam al-Mahdi (AS), though physically absent, continues to guide and protect the faith. Despite being unseen, he oversees global affairs and provides guidance. This period of concealment will persist until deemed necessary by divine Providence. Eventually, the curtain of absence will be lifted, and Imam al-Mahdi (AS) will reappear, fulfilling the Prophet’s predictions by establishing justice and eliminating oppression. We pray for his swift reappearance and for divine assistance in spreading goodness and guidance. May the Most High, who hears and answers, make our efforts fruitful.