Encyclopedia of Islam

Muhammad al-Mahdi

 

(868; disappeared 

874 

c

.

e

.)  the 12th and last Imam in Twelver Shiism, 

considered by the majority of Shiis to be the Mahdi

Immediately upon becoming the 12th i

mam

 at 

the age of six, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (as he 

was originally known) was taken away and hid-

den by the Shia in an attempt to save him from 

imprisonment at the hands of the a

bassid

 

caliph

-

ate

. Thus, for the first few years of his imamate, 

Muhammad was represented in the community 

by his agents who claimed to be in contact with 

the young Imam and who spoke for him on mat-

ters of law and religion. This period from 874 to 

941 became known as the Lesser Occultation, so 

called to differentiate it from the Greater Occulta-

tion that occurred when, according to his agents, 

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan left the earth, ceased 

communication with his followers, and became 

Muhammad al-Mahdi: the Hidden Imam who will 

return at the end of time to restore justice on earth 

and usher in the J

Udgment

 d

ay

.

See also 

ghayba

;  m

ahdi

;  s

hiism

;  t

Welve

-i

mam

s

hiism

.

Reza Aslan