Life of Imam Mahdi (a.s)

The green dome of Masjid Jamkaran in Qom, Iran. The Jamkaran Mosque was built as the result of a dream of a pious religious individual who dreamt of the twelfth Imam appearing to him and asking him to build the Mosque.

Imam Muhammed al-Mahdi (a.s) is the twelfth Shi’a Imam. His father was Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a.s) and his mother was a wholesome and religious woman named Nargis, who was a descendant of a noble family.

Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) was born in Samarra (Iraq) on the 15^th of Shabanin in the year 256 AH. His birth took place in secret so as to make sure he was not killed by the Caliph of the time who did not like the Ahlulbayt.

Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) went into hiding immediately after he led the funeral prayer (Salat al-mayt) over his father in the year 260 AH.

The first time the Imam went into hiding it was for a brief period which is known as The Minor Occultation (Al-Ghayba al-Sughra). During the Minor Occultation the Imam communicated with his followers through his most trusted four followers:

1. Uthman b. Said al-Amri
2. Muhammed b. Uthman al-Amri
3. Husayn b. Ruh b. Abi Bahr al-Nawbakhti
4. Ali b. Muhammed al-Sammari

The death of the fourth agent (al-Sammari) was the beginning of a new era for Shi’a Muslims, known as the Major Occultation (al-Ghayba al-Kubra). This is where the Imam is not in direct communication with his followers, but still provides guidance to them. In this period his followers are expected to prepare for his return by purifying themselves and their actions.

Muhammed al-Mahdi (a.s) is the twelfth Shi‘a Imam.

His father was Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a.s), while his mother was a wholesome and religious woman named Nargis, who was a descendent of a noble family. From her father’s side she was a descendent of Caesar, King of Rome and from her mother’s side she descended from Simon, one of Jesus’ disciples.

Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) is believed to have been born in Samarra (Iraq) on the 15^th of Shaban 256/869. Imam al-Mahdi's (a.s) birth took place at night and in secret as a way of avoiding the Caliph’s spies who were commissioned to kill any new born in the house of al-Askari.

Prophecies about Imam al-Mahdi (a.s), also known as al-Qa’im, were foretold centuries prior to his birth. The Holy Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) is believed to have said:

“al-Mahdi is from my descendents. His name is like mine [i.e. Muhammed]. His title (kunya) is like mine. He resembles me both in physique and action. He will go into an occultation that will confuse some and cause others to go astray. Then he will rise like a bright, shooting star in the dark night from his occultation to fill the earth with justice and equity after it is filled with injustice and inequity.”      

Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) assumed the position of Imamate at the age of five.

Al-Shaykh al-Mufid narrates in his “Book of al-Irshad” that Imam Hassan al-Askari (a.s) informed his close trusted companions his newborn son would be his chosen successor. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid narrates in “al-Irshad” a number of traditions which confirm that Muhammed al-Mahdi (a.s) is the final and twelfth Imam, whose coming was foretold centuries earlier by the Prophet.

Al-Mufid narrates on the authority of Abu al-Qassim Jafar b. Muhammed who narrates from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a.s) who said:

“Verily Allah – glorified be his name – sent Muhammed (a.s) to mankind and Jinns alike and designated twelve successors after him [Muhammed]…”

Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) went into occultation immediately after he led the funeral prayer (Salat al-mayt) over his deceased father in 260AH/874AD. His first disappearance was brief and later came to be known as The Minor Occultation (Al-Ghayba al-Sughra). During The Minor Occultation the concealed Imam addressed his followers through four intermediaries, known as safir:

1. Uthman b. Said al-Amri
2. Muhammed b. Uthman al-‘Amri
3. Husayn b. Ruh b. Abi Bahr al-Nawbakhti
4. Ali b. Muhammed al-Sammari

The death of the fourth safir marked the beginning of a new era for Shi’a Muslims, known as The Major Occultation.

Bibliography and Further Reading

• Al-Mufid, Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Muhammad, al-Irshad fi Ma‘rifat Hujaj Allah ‘ala al-‘Ibad, Mu’asasat Al al-Bayt li Ihya’ al-Turath.
• Al-Qarashi, Baqir Sharīf, Mawsu‘at Sirat Ahl al-Bayt, Dar al-Ma‘ruf, Qum, 2009.
• Jassim Hussain, The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam, The Muhammadi trust, 1982.

Muhammed al-Mahdi is the twelfth Shi‘a Imam.

His father was Imam al-Hasan al-Askari (a.s) while his mother was a wholesome and religious woman named Nargis, who was a descendant of a noble family. From her father’s side she was a descendant of Caesar, King of Rome and from her mother’s side she descended from Simon, one of Jesus’ disciples.

Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s) is believed to have been born in Samarra (Iraq) on the 15^th of Shaban 256/869. Muhammed al-Mahdi’s birth took place at night and in secret as a way of avoiding the Caliph’s spies who were commissioned to kill any new born in the house of al-Askari.

Prophecies about Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s), also known as al-Qa’im, were foretold centuries prior to his birth. The Holy Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) is believed to have said:

“al-Mahdi is from my descendants. His name is like mine [i.e. Muhammed]. His title (kunya) is like mine. He resembles me both in physique and action. He will go into an occultation that will confuse some and cause others to go astray. Then he will rise like a bright, shooting star in the dark night from his occultation to fill the earth with justice and equity after it is filled with injustice and inequity.”      

Accession to the Imamate

Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s) assumed the position of Imamate at the young age of five.

Al-Shaykh al-Mufid narrates in his book “Kitab al-Irshad” that Imam Hassan al-Askari (a.s) informed his close trusted companions that his newborn son would be his chosen successor. Al-Shaykh al-Mufid narrates in a number of traditions which confirms that Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s) is the final and twelfth Imam, whose coming was foretold centuries earlier by the Prophet (s.a.w).

Al-Mufid narrates on the authority of Abu al-Qassim Jafar b. Muhammed who narrates from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a.s), who is believed to have said:

“Verily Allah – glorified be his name – sent Muhammed (a.s) to mankind and Jinns alike and designated twelve successors after him [Muhammed]…”

Moreover, al-Shaykh al-Ṣaduq (who knew intimate details of Imam Al-Mahdi's (a.s) life through his father, Ibn Babawayh who was a friend of Imam Al-Mahdi's (a.s) representative) narrates in his book “kamal al-Din” that al-Hassan al-Askari’s (a.s) trusted companions were called on to bear witness to Imam Al-Mahdi's (a.s) birth.

Muawiyah b. Hakim, Muhammed b. Ayub, and Muhammed b. Uthman are narrated to have said:

“Abu Muhammed al-Hassan b. Ali gave us an opportunity to see the newborn in his house. We were forty in number who were brought in to see the baby boy. At the house the Imam said to us, this is your Imam after me. He is my successor. Obey him and do not scatter into deviant sects after me for surely you will perish. Know that however, you will not see this newborn again after this day!”

Furthermore, al-Saduq in “kamal al-Din wa tamam al-Nima” makes it abundantly clear that Imam al-Askari (a.s) did reveal the identity of his five-year old son and successor as Muhammed al-Mahdi.

I (Abu al-Adyan) said:

“O’ master if you pass away who will be your successor?”

He (al-Askari) said:

“The one who requests my communiqués which are in your possession, for surely he is the al-Qa’im [i.e. Imam] after me.”

I said:

“Tell me more!”

He said:

“The one who recites the prayer of the dead (Salat al-mayt) over me, surely he is the al-Qa’im after me.”

I said:

“Tell me more!”

Then he said:

“The one who can reveal the content of the al-hamyan [lit. coins sack], surely he is the al-Qa’im after me.”

I was too embarrassed to inquire further so I made do with what was said.

I then set out to deliver the communiques to al-Mada’in and entered Sirr Man Ra’a [Samarra] on the fifteenth day, as was instructed to me by the Imam. As I entered the Sirr Man Ra’a, and reached the Imam’s house, I heard the news of his death and saw his body being prepared for ritual washing. I saw Jafar b. Ali, the Imam’s brother, standing at the door receiving the Shi’a who offered their condolences for his brother’s death as well as congratulating him for taking up the position of Imamate.

I said to myself that this person [i.e. Jafar] cannot be the Imam for I have witnessed him indulging in illicit acts of disobedience such as consumption of alcohol.

Abu ‘l-Adyan goes on to recall the moment when Jafar was set to recite the prayer of the dead over his brother’s body, when a young dark-complexioned boy shoved him aside and assumed the prayer lead instead. The other two prophecies foretold by al-Askari materialized when the five-year old boy was able to reveal in front of an audience from Qom the content of the coins sack, as was foretold by his father, and later requested the communiqués which had been written by his father. 

Political Life

Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s) went into occultation immediately after he led the funeral prayer (Salat al-mayt) over his deceased father in 260AH/874AD.

His first concealment was short and later came to be known as The Minor Occultation (Al-Ghayba al-Ṣughra).

During the minor occultation, the concealed Imam addressed his devotees through four intermediaries. The first intermediary, or safīr, was a man by the name of UthmAn b. SaId al-AmrI. He was a loyal servant and companion of the tenth and eleventh Imams. Al-AmrI acted as the Imam’s special deputy in his concealment and was entrusted with the task of collecting khums, delivering jurisprudential queries to the Imam on behalf of his followers and generally acting as a middle man between the Imam and the community.

The first Safīr died sometime shortly before the year 267AH/880AD. His son, Muhammed b. Uthman, was tasked by the Imam to succeed his father and act as the Imam’s second special deputy, or safīr during his concealment.

Muhmmed b. Uthman, like his father, was also a close and loyal companion of the previous Imams. Allama al-Majlisi narrates a tradition in which both Uthman b. Said and his son Muḥammed, are praised and commended by Imam al-Askari (a.s). The second safīr carried out the duties assigned to him by the Imam for a period lasting about fifty years. Muhammed b. Said died in 305AH/971AD and was buried in his house on the western side of Baghdad.

The third safīr to act as the Imam’s special deputy in the minor occultation was Husayn b. Ruh b. Abi Bahr al-Nawbakhti. He succeeded Muḥammed b. Uthman b. Said in the year 305AH/917AD and remained in office for 21 years. Husayn b. Ruh’s fame as a renowned scholar earned his respect in all circles, even amongst the non-Shi'a camp. Husayn b. Ruh died in 326AH/938AD, and was buried in al-Nawbakhtiyya district in the western side of Baghdad.

Ali b. Muhammed al-Sammari succeeded Ibn Ruh as the fourth Safīr in 326AH/938AD. He remained in office for a short period, lasting around four years. He came from a respected Arab Shi'a family in Basra who had donated much of their wealth to the eleventh Imam. Al-Sammari died in 329AH/941AD and was buried in the quarters of al-MuHawwal on the western side of Baghdad.

A week before the death of al-SammarI the following pronouncement (Tawqi) was issued by the twelfth Imam:

May Allah give you good rewards to your brethren concerning you (i.e. on your death), for indeed you shall die after six days. So prepare your affairs and do not appoint anyone to take your place after your death. For the second occultation has now occurred and there can be no appearance until, after a long time when Allah gives His permission, hearts become hardened and the world becomes filled with injustice. Someone shall come to my partisans (Shi'a) claiming that he has seen me, but beware of anyone claiming to have seen me before the rise of al-Sufyani and the outcry from the sky, for he shall be a slanderous liar. There is neither ability nor power save through Allah, the most glorious, the most high. 

Six days after the document was released, the leading companions and agents of the Imam congregated at the death-bed of the fourth safīr and asked him who was to take charge of his office. Al-SammarI replied:

“To Allah belongs the matter which he shall accomplish” (li-llah amr huwa balighuh).

The death of the fourth safīr marked the beginning of a new era for the Shi'a faithful known as The Major Occultation.

Bibliography and Further Reading

• Al-Mufid, Abu ‘Abd Allah Muhammad b. Muhammad, al-Irshad fī Ma‘rifat Hujaj Allah ‘ala al-‘Ibad, Mu’asasat Al al-Bayt li Ihya’ al-Turath.
• Al-Qarashi, Baqir Sharif, Mawsu‘at Sirat Ahl al-Bayt, Dar al-Ma‘ruf, Qum, 2009.
• Jassim Hussain, The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam, The Muhammadi trust, 1982.