The Mahdi as Implicated in the Quran and Hadith

Although the Mahdi’s name has not been mentioned in the Noble Quran, references have been made to his ultimate rulership over the world in the end times and the qualities of those who follow him as part of the allegorical Quranic verses (mutashabihat). In this article on Islam4U, we will explore the hidden the Mahdi in the Quran, the savior of humankind in the end times.

Belief in the Mahdi in Surah Baqarah

All Muslims regardless of their denomination believe that in the end times, the world will be filled with corruption and injustice. At that moment, people will plead Allah to send his promised savior. The Mahdi is the ultimate savior of humankind according to Muslims based on narrations from the Noble Prophet who will emerge and rescue humanity from the clutches of all evildoers. One of the verses about the Mahdi in the Quran is the third verse of Surah Baqarah:

الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ‎﴿٣﴾

[The Godwary are those] who believe in the Unseen, maintain the prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them; (3)

It should be noted that Quranic verses and expressions can have several meanings or semantic layers. These are known as butun, the plural of batn, meaning interior. In the above verse, the word ghayb, meaning unseen, can mean anything that physical eyes, including Allah, cannot perceive. Jafar al-Sadiq (a), confirming the reference to the Mahdi in the Quran in the above verse, states how he is hidden from people until his emergence in the end times.

الصّادق (علیه السلام)- أَمَّا الْغَیْبُ فَهُوَ الْحُجَّهًُْ الْغَائِبُ (عجل الله تعالی فرجه الشریف)

Jafar al-Sadiq (a) said, “As for the unseen, it is the Hidden Proof (the Mahdi)”^[1]

الصّادق (علیه السلام)- فِی قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ الَّذِینَ یُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَیْبِ قَالَ: مَنْ أَقَرَّ بِقِیَامِ الْقَائِمِ (عجل الله تعالی فرجه الشریف)أَنَّهُ حَقٌّ.

Jafar al-Sadiq (a) regarding the saying of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, those who believe in the unseen, he said, “It is those who acknowledge the uprising of the Qa’im (may God hasten his noble relief), that indeed he is certain…'”^[2]

The Significance of the Mahdi in the Quran as the Unseen

Faith in the unseen is like a threshold or gateway. By stepping through it, one transcends the animalistic level confined to sensory perceptions and ascends to a higher state of humanity, realizing that existence extends beyond the tangible world.

According to traditions, one of the most significant implications of “the unseen” is the belief in the “Hidden Proof, that is, the Mahdi” and the certainty of his appearance.

Among the most significant dangers and risks facing those awaiting his return during the occultation are doubt and skepticism about the existence and emergence of the Mahdi, which may stem from two factors:

1. The prolonged duration of the occultation;

2. The sowing of doubts by enemies.

This is why the Ahlul Bait (a) have interpreted the Mahdi in the Quran as one of the manifestations of the unseen.

The Cabinet of the Mahdi in the Quran

In chapter two, verse 148 of the Quran, Allah states:

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ‎﴿١٤٨﴾

Everyone has a cynosure to which he turns; so take the lead in all good works. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Indeed Allah has power over all things. (148)

Ali ibn al-Hussain (a) states: “Those who disappear from their beds are 313 men, the number of the people of the Battle of Badr. They will then appear in Mecca, and this is a promise from God, as He says: ‘Wherever you may be…’ and they are the companions of al-Qa’im.”

Jafar al-Sadiq (a) also says about this matter: “Indeed, this verse [about Mahdi in the Quran] has been revealed concerning those who disappear among the companions of al-Qa’im, as it says: ‘Wherever you may be, Allah will bring…’ Indeed, they disappear overnight from their beds, and by morning, they will be in Mecca. Some of them travel in the clouds and are recognized by their names, fathers’ names, features, and lineage. Al-Mufaddal says: I asked His Eminence: ‘Which of them are greater in faith?’ He replied: ‘He who moves through the clouds by day.'”

Who Are the 313 Companions of the Mahdi?

From various narratives, it is evident that these individuals, equal in number to the people of Badr, are special companions and senior commanders of the Mahdi’s army. It is not explicitly mentioned whether all of them will remain alive until his appearance or whether some who have passed away will return with his emergence. However, the apparent meaning of the narratives suggests that some of them have died and will return by divine permission upon his appearance. Moreover, no evidence indicates that these individuals have unusually long lifespans.

According to some narratives, there are fifty women among them; two questions arise:

1. Are these women among the 313?
2. What role will they play? Will they, like the men, have command and management responsibilities? In response to the first question, the narrative states, “Among them are fifty women,” not “of them are fifty women,” indicating that they are part of the 313.

Regarding the second question, in a global uprising and revolution, there are missions that women must undertake.

According to the narratives, these women tend to the wounded and care for the sick, as happened in the early days of Islam during battles like Uhud, where they accompanied the Prophet in these tasks.

d) The companions of the Imam do not end with this number; rather, the next circle includes ten thousand individuals who, upon completion of this number, will leave Mecca, and subsequently, the number of his companions will increase.

The Trial and Test Before the Appearance of the Mahdi in the Quran

Three other verses about the Mahdi in the Quran are verses 155-157 of Surah Baqarah:

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ ‎﴿١٥٥﴾‏ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ ‎﴿١٥٦﴾‏ أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ ‎﴿١٥٧﴾

e will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient (155) —those who, when an affliction visits them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him do we indeed return.’ (156) It is they who receive the blessings of their Lord and [His] mercy, and it is they who are the [rightly] guided. (157)

Jafar al-Sadiq (a) has said the following about the esoteric interpretation (ta’wil) of these two verses about the Mahdi in the Quran:

وَ لَنَبْلُوَنَّکُمْ یَعْنِی الْمُؤْمِنِینَ قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ الْقَائِمِ

“We will surely test you, meaning the believers, before the emergence of the Qa’im.”

He continued:

لَا بُدَّ أَنْ یَکُونَ قُدَّامَ الْقَائِمِ (عجل الله تعالی فرجه الشریف) سَنَهًٌْ تَجُوعُ فِیهَا النَّاسُ وَ یُصِیبُهُمْ خَوْفٌ شَدِیدٌ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ وَ نَقْصٌ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَ الْأَنْفُسِ وَ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِکَ فِی کِتَابِ اللَّهِ لَبَیِّنٌ ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآیَهًَْ وَ لَنَبْلُوَنَّکُمْ بِشَیْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَ الْجُوعِ وَ نَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوالِ وَ الْأَنْفُسِ وَ الثَّمَراتِ وَ بَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِینَ.

It is inevitable that before the Qa’im, there will be a year in which people will suffer hunger and will be struck by severe fear of murder, and loss of wealth, lives, and fruits. Indeed, this is clearly stated in the Book of Allah.” Then he recited this verse: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, and give good tidings to the patient.

Further Explanation Regarding the Signs of the Mahdi’s Appearance

Apart from references to the Mahdi in the Quran, numerous narrations have been transmitted about the details and characteristics of the Mahdi and his appearance.

1- In many traditions regarding the appearance of the Mahdi, signs have been mentioned which can be categorized into distant and near, natural and supernatural, certain and uncertain.

2- The function of these signs and the secret of their expression by the Ahlul Bait (a) can be summarized as follows:

• A way to identify false claimants

• Preventing the forgetting of the Mahdi and continuing the preparation for his appearance

• Strengthening hope and escaping from despair

• Distinguishing false uprisings from rightful ones

3- From God, those who are patient during the period of occultation are given glad tidings that ‘upon them are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and these are the ones who are truly guided,’ and these are the ones who will be worthy of the the Mahdi’s help.