Al-Kindi authored exactly two hundred and forty-two books and treatises on all the sciences of his day. The vast majority of all his books are no longer extant. Influential European thinkers like Roger Bacon considered him to be one of the world’s greatest minds. In the Muslim world he became known as the ‘father of Islamic philosophy’. Al-Kindi died at the age of seventy-two.
***
Al-Mahdi, Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan (869-941): Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi (born c. July 29, 869 (15 Sha’aban 255 AH), in Occultation since 941) is believed by Twelver Shi’a Muslims to be the Mahdi, an ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imam of the Twelve Imams. Twelver Shi’a believe that al-Mahdi was born in 869 and did not die but rather was hidden by God in 941 (this is referred to as the Occultation) and will later emerge with Isa (Jesus Christ) in order to fulfill their mission of bringing peace and justice to the world. He assumed the Imamate at 5 years of age. Some Shi’ite schools do not consider ibn-al-Hasan to be the Mahdi, although the mainstream sect Twelvers do.
Sunnis believe that the Mahdi has not yet been born, and therefore his exact identity is only known to Allah. Aside from the Mahdi’s precise genealogy, Sunnis accept many of the same Hadiths Shi’as accept about the predictions regarding the Mahdi’s emergence, his acts and his universal Khilafat. Sunnis also have a few more Mahdi Hadiths which are not present in Shi’a collections.
Birth and early life according to Twelver Shi’a:
In Shi’a sources even in historical works of Ibn Babuya the birth of Imam was miraculous which must be considered as hagiography. Aside from Shi’as works almost nothing is known about the life of this Imam. According to Yaan Richard some even cast doubt on his actual existence.
Even though, most scholars say Al Mahdi was born in 869 AD. His mother is Narjis. There are a couple of narrations regarding the origin of his mother. One is that his mother, Narjis was a Byzantine slave. Another narration says she was a black slave from Africa. Other narration says that she was a Byzantine Princess who pretended to be a slave so that she might travel from her kingdom to Arabia. Mohammad Ali Amir-Moezzi, in Encyclopedia of Iranica, suggests that the last version is “undoubtedly legendary and hagiographic”.
To support Imam Mahdi’s claim, Twelver Shi’as along with some other Muslim sects quote the following Hadith: “I and `Ali are the fathers of this nation; whoever knows us very well also knows Allah, and whoever denies us also denies Allah, the Unique, the Mighty. And from `Ali’s descendants are my grandsons al-Hasan and al-Husayn, who is the masters of the youths of Paradise, and from al-Husayn’s descendants, shall be nine: whoever obeys them obeys me, and whoever disobeys them also disobeys me; the ninth among them is their Qa’im and Mahdi.”
The eleventh Imam of the Twelve Imams Hasan al-Askari died on 1 January 874 AD (8th Rabi’ al-awwal, 260 AH) and since that day, his son Mahdi is believed by Shi’as to be the Imam, appointed by Allah, to lead the believers of the era. The most popular account of al-Mahdi in Shi’a literature is taken from his father’s funeral. It is reported that as the funeral prayer was about to begin, al-Mahdi’s uncle, Ja’far ibn Ali approached to lead the prayers. However, al-Mahdi approached and commanded, “Move aside, uncle; only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of an Imam. “ Ja’far moved aside, and the five-year-old child led the funeral prayer for his father. It is reported that it was at this very moment that al-Mahdi disappeared and went into Ghaybat, or occultation
In a Hadith widely regarded as authentic, Muhammad said,
“Even if the entire duration of the world’s existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before the Day of Judgment, Allah will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person out of Ahl al-Bayt who will be called by my name and my father’s name. He will then fill the Earth with peace and justice as it will have been filled with injustice and tyranny before then”
The Occultation:
Twelver Shi’as believes that for various reasons, Allah concealed the twelfth and current Imam of the Twelve Imams, al-Mahdi, from mankind.
Period:
The period of occultation (Ghaybat) is divided into two parts:
• Ghaybat al-Sughra or Minor Occultation (874–941), consists of the first few decades after the Imam’s disappearance when communication with him was maintained through deputies of the Imam.
• Ghaybat al-Kubra or Major Occultation began 941 and is believed to continue until a time decided by Allah, when the Mahdi will reappear to bring absolute justice to the world.
Minor Occultation:
During the Minor Occultation (Ghaybat al-Sughra), it is believed that al-Mahdi maintained contact with his followers via deputies (Arab. an-nuwāb al-arba‘a literal: the four leaders).
Also, during the oppressive rule of the later Abbasid caliphs, the Shi’a Imams were heavily persecuted and held prisoners, thus their followers were forced to consult their Imams via messengers or secretly.
Shi’a Tradition holds that four deputies acted in succession to one another:
1. Uthman ibn Sa’id al-Asadi
2. Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Uthman
3. Abul Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti
4. Abul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri
In 941 (329 AH), the fourth deputy announced an order by al-Mahdi, that the deputy would soon die and that the deputyship would end and the period of the Major Occultation would begin.
The fourth deputy died six days later and the Shi’a Muslims continue to await the reappearance of the Mahdi. In the same year, many notable Shi’a scholars such as Ali ibn Babwayh Qummi and Muhammad ibn Yaqub Kulayni, the learned compiler of al-Kafi also died.
Major Occultation:
According to the last letter of al-Mahdi to Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri “from the day of your death [the last deputy] the period of my major occultation (al ghaybatul kubra) will begin. Hence forth, no one will see me, unless and until Allah makes me appear.”] Another view is that the Hidden Imam is on earth “among the body of the Shi’a” but “incognito.” “Numerous stories” exist of the Hidden Imam “manifesting himself to prominent members of the ulama.”
Reappearance:
Twelver Shi’as cite various references from the Qur’an and reports, or Hadith, from Imam Mahdi and the Twelve Imams with regard to the reappearance of al-Mahdi who would, in accordance with Allah’s command, bring justice and peace to the world by establishing Islam throughout the world.
At this time, Imam al-Mahdi will come wielding Allah’s Sword, the Blade of Evil’s Bane, Zulfiqar, the Double-Bladed Sword. He will also come and reveal the texts in his possession, such as al-Jafr and al-Jamia.
Shi’as believes that Jesus will also come (after Imam Mahdi’s re-appearance) and follow the Imam Mahdi to destroy tyranny and falsehood and to bring justice and peace to the world.
Titles:
The 12th Imam is known by many titles in Shi’a Islam, including:
• Al-Mahdi (the Guided one)