Approaches to the issue of Mahdism “The emergence of the Mahdi and the end of the world” بقلم: د. أمينة تليلي*

Abstract

 Muslims of different sects unanimously agreed on the authenticity of the Hadiths of the Prophet’s annunciation about the Mahdi. It was well-known among scholars and all Muslims, predecessors and successors, that at the end of time a man from the people of the Prophet’s Household called the Mahdi must appear, will take the lead over the nation and renew its religion, and fill the earth with justice as it was filled with oppression and injustice, in whose reign the nation will enjoy blessings it has never seen before.

• Research objectives:

 - To working on clarifying the reality of the personality of the Mahdi and to highlight the big difference between all Sunnis and Shiites on the issue of Mahdi.

 - To achieve a moderate vision on the issue of the Mahdi without exaggerating his personality or denying his reality.

• Importance of the research:

 - The importance of the topic lies in its connectedness to a personality that belongs to all Muslims (to Sunnis and Shiites equally).

 - The importance of the research appears in it being an attempt to answer some questions, or respond to some of the suspicions that hover about the personality of the Mahdi (his birth, his lineage...)

• Methodology:

 - I followed the inductive method in this article, by collecting Hadiths and sayings related to the personality of the Mahdi, investigating them and checking their authenticity.

 - It also adopted the historical approach, by historically rooting for the issue.

 - Finally, I relied on the critical method, which was present in some of the research parts.

 Keywords: The Mahdi, the end of the world, Sunnis, Shiites, reappearance, strifes, epics, allegiance, pledge of allegiance, caliphate...