The Doctrine of Mahdism
by
A. Savyon, Y. Mansharof
According to Shi’ite tradition,
the Twelve Imams, descendants of the Prophet
Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law Ali
Ibn Abi Talib, were endowed with divine qualities
that enabled them to lead the Shi’ite
believers and to function as Allah’s
emissaries on earth. However, when the Twelfth
Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi* disappeared
in 941 CE, his connection with the Shi’ite
believers was severed, and since then, the
Shi’ites are commanded to await his
return at any time.
In the meantime, Shi’ite senior clerics
are considered to be the representatives
of the Imams, and thus have the authority
to handle the affairs of the Shi’ite
community, mainly in the religious and judicial
spheres, until the Hidden Imam returns to
lead the Shi’ite community and deliver
it from its suffering.
According to Shi’ite belief, during
the period of the Mahdi’s absence (termed ghaibat or “occultation”),
no one but God knows the hour of the Mahdi’s
return, and no man can presume to foresee
when this hour will come. Upon the Mahdi’s
reappearance, all wrongs will be righted,
divine justice will be instated, and the
truth of Shi’ite Islam will be acknowledged
by the entire world.
*The
Twelfth Imam, the Shi’ite messiah,
is also called Muhammad Al-Muntazar (“the
expected”), Imam Al- Zaman (“The
Imam of the Age”) and “the Hidden
Imam.”
Sources: MEMRI |