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Muhammad Al Mahdi

Muhammad al-Mahdi ( Arabic : Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdiye in Arabic means Mahdiye was born in 869 in Samarra (now Iraq ).

For the Shia Twelver , he was the last imam , he succeeded his father Hasan al-Askari in 874. According to the majority Shiite belief, he did not die but will remain hidden ( masked ) until the last days. He will then return in the guise of the Mahdi.

History

The Abbasids were persecuting the Shia , as the imams should be very cautious about the idea of hiding and not speak to the faithful only through messengers was well accepted. More than a century, the Ismailis had to practice this, their first three imams had remained hidden assuming the role of traders only, not addressing the belief that through spokesman called hujja (Arabic: ujja , argument, evidence, testimony).

The father of Muhammad al-Mahdi is Hasan al-Askari , eleventh Shia Imam, according to Shiite tradition, is poisoned by the Caliph Abbasid Al-Mu `tamid in 874. Her mother was a Byzantine slave named Narjis Khatun.

We know so little about it that Muslims do not adhere to the Twelver Shi'ism can doubt his historical existence. His birth was kept secret and spies Abbasid despite their research could not find it. On the death of Hasan al-Askari, one of his disciples, Muhammad ibn al Nusayr Namir , did not believe in the existence of the heir and he created a breakaway sect of the nusayrites.

At the death of his father Muhammad al-Mahdi is only six years. During the funeral, his uncle Jafar ibn `Ali was preparing to lead the prayer when the child came to tell his uncle:" Get away from my uncle, only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of another Imam. " The uncle stepped aside, and Muhammad al-Mahdi and asserted his right under Imam. From that moment, the first blackout began, the little blackout (Arabic: ayba, absence, concealment, loss). Until 939, he made contact with four successive spokesman (Arabic: nuww `ab al-arba, the four representatives) called the doors (Arabic: bab):

`Uthman bin Sa` id al-Asadi (874-917).
Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Uthman (917-918)
Hussein Abu al-Qasim ibn Ruh an-Nawbakhti (918-938)
Abu al-Hasan `Ali ibn Muhammad as-Samarrai (938-939)

In case of problem or question to the Imam, the faithful were addressed to a representative who then reported the response of the Imam, authenticated by his seal and signature. The representatives also collected alms (Arabic: zakat, alms) and the tax-fifth (Arabic: ums, fifth; khums) on behalf of the Twelfth Imam.

In 939 , the Imam did announce the imminent death of the last representative and entry into the big blackout. A few days after this announcement, did Samarra was dead. Since that time the Imam was no longer shown. This is the era of the great blackout. Shia Muslims believe that Imam can still come to their aid and rely on his intercession.

Preceded by

Muhammad al-Mahdi

Followed by

Hasan al-Askari