It should be clear that Jews once had a belief and they still have, that one day the Messiah, the Promised one will appear in the world. When Jesus came, the Jews did not accept him as the Promised Messiah and they were inimical towards him to such an extent that they did not leave any stone unturned to kill him. The Jews are still awaiting the Promised Messiah.

The Christians are also awaiting the return of Jesus. Muslims also share this belief. The difference is that Muslims are waiting for the return of Jesus after reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.j.). It is proved from the books of both the sects that the Twelfth Imam (a.s.) has already taken birth. He is the last of the twelve Imams and is from the progeny of the Lady of Paradise [Fatima Zahra (s.a.)]. His respected father is Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.), son of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.), son of Imam Muhammad Taqi, son of Imam Ali Reza, son of Imam Moosa Kazim, son of Imam Ja’far Sadiq, son of Imam Muhammad Baqir, son of Imam Zainul Aabideen Ali Ibnul Husayn, son of Ali al-Murtadha’ [Peace be on them all].1

The name of his honorable mother is Narjis Khatoon. However, Mulla Abdul Rahman Jarri’s book Shawahidun Nubuwwah2 indicates that the name of that lady was Saiqal, and some have also mentioned it as Susan. His name is the same as the Holy Prophet (S).

Tarikh of Ibn Khallikan mentions3 that he was born on Friday, in the middle of the month of Shaban. And when his father, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) passed away, he was only five years old. Ibn Arzak says that he was born on the 9th of Rabiul Awwal, 258 A.H. and it is also said that his date of birth was 8th Shaban and the year of the birth was 256 A.H. (Some over intelligent people had derived from numerology that the equivalent of the Arabic letter ‘noon’ (N) is 256.

In the view of this writer, the conclusion of Ibn Khallikan seems to be correct and most historians of that time have agreed that the date of his birth was 15th Shaban. In the same way, when he disappeared after entering the cellar, he was five years old, while some have said that he was four years.

It is also mentioned that his disappearance into the cellar was in 275 A.H. At that time his age was 17 years (The fact is that the Minor Occultation occurred at the age of five years.). Abdul Wahhab Sherani says that Imam Mahdi (a.j.) is the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.). He was born in the middle of Shaban. He is alive and present in the world. His birth is also mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawood and Sawaiqul Mohreqa.

Shaykh Muhiyuddin says in Al-Futoohat that the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.j.) is certain, but not until the world is filled with injustice and oppression.

And when that Imam appears, he will fill the earth with justice and equity just as it would have been full of injustice and oppression. He is the descendant of the Holy Prophet (S) and from the progeny of Fatima Zahra (s.a.). Shaykh Imam Bakhsh Nasikh Lakhnavi says in a poem (Ghazal):

“Show us, O Lord! About whose advent there is clamor in the world My Lord! I am very desirous to view Muhammad. Show us now the spring of the Religion of Muhammad (S). The bubble of the heart is in anticipation of the spring of the flower.”

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1.Ref. Isafur Raghebeen, Pg. 140

2.Pg. 247

3.Pg. 24 of Vol. 2