Muhammad al-Mahdi
Immediately after his death, his main representative, Uthman ibn Sa'id, claimed that the eleventh Imam had an infant son named Muhammad, who was kept hidden from the public out of fear of Abbasid persecution.
This period, later termed the Minor Occultation, ended after about seventy years with the death of the fourth agent, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri (d. 940–941).
The letter, ascribed to Muhammad al-Mahdi, added that the complete occultation would continue until God granted him permission to manifest himself again in a time when the earth would be filled with tyranny.
As a wahid hadith, this report is not viewed as reliable by experts, writes the Shia Mohammad-Baqer Majlesi (d. 1699), especially because it contradicts the Twelver belief that the earth cannot be void of Imam at any time, as the hujjat Allah (lit.
[20] Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai suggests that these restrictions were placed on al-Askari because the caliphate had come to know about traditions among the Shia elite, predicting that the eleventh Imam would father the eschatological Mahdi.
[26] Immediately after the death of al-Askari,[27] his main agent, Uthman ibn Sa'id,[28] claimed that the Imam had an infant son, named Muhammad,[29][27] who was kept hidden from the public out of fear of Abbasid persecution.
[48][41] Her origin is recorded as the Byzantine Empire or Nubia,[41] and some accounts state that she was bought providentially by an agent of al-Hadi, who recognized by clairvoyance in her the future mother of al-Mahdi.
[41][50] Possibly the correct account is given by al-Mufid,[36] who writes that Narjis was a slave girl born and raised in the house of Hakima Khatun, daughter of Muhammad al-Jawad (the ninth Imam) and paternal aunt of al-Askari.
[34] A Shia tradition attributed to the sixth Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq, states that this threat was specific to Muhammad al-Mahdi, who was expected to rise, unlike his predecessors who practiced religious dissimulation (taqiya) and were politically quiescent.
[69] The letter, ascribed to al-Mahdi, added that the complete occultation would continue until God granted him permission to manifest himself again in a time when the earth would be filled with tyranny.
[75] For instance, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Shalmaghani turned against al-Nawbakhti and claimed to be the rightful agent of al-Mahdi, before denouncing the concept of occultation as a lie.
[86][88] Ibn Babawayh (d. 991) suggested that the situation remains unknown until the reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi but also added that the large population of the Shia did not necessarily guarantee his safety.
[93] In this period, possibly after 295 (908), Shia traditionists also settled the number of Imams with the help of a Sunni hadith, in circulation long before the occultation, which stated that the prophet would be followed by twelve successors.
[105] The letter, said to be written by al-Mahdi, stipulated that As for the events which may occur [in future when you may need guidance in religious matters] refer to the transmitters (ruwat) of our sayings (hadith) who are my hujja (lit.
[110] As the absence of the Hidden Imam continued, however, the Twelver jurists evolved from mere transmitters (ruwat) of hadith to mujtahidun in order to resolve new religious questions that arose over time.
[113] For instance, as early as the seventh (thirteenth) century, Muhaqqiq al-Hilli (d. 1277) spent the Imam's share of Khums (a type of Islamic alms) on activities that furthered the cause of Shia,[114] as opposed to his predecessors, such as al-Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 1022), who often asked the faithful to save these donations for the rise of al-Mahdi.
[115] Considering that jurists were not directly appointed by the Hidden Imam, it was debated whether their authority should extend to functions with political implications, such as declaring holy war (jihad).
For instance, during the Russo-Iranian war of 1804–1813, the eminent clerics of Najaf and Isfahan issued a declaration of jihad against the Russians to support the Qajarite Abbas Mirza, who was conducting the campaign.
[116] In sum, the politically quiescent approach of the Twelver jurists over time gave way to eventually questioning the legitimacy of Shia monarchs and even attempts to restrict their power through a constitution.
[129] Starting with ibn Babawayh (d. 991) and his student al-Shaykh al-Mufid (d. 1022), Shia scholars began to employ theological arguments modeled on the Mu'tazilite kalam.
"[89][2] While the ordinary Twelvers were likely content with the traditions about occultation, the theologist approach to vindicating the Hidden Imam was intended to address the criticisms of the non-Twelver theologians.
[137] The descriptions of these contacts often show the concern of the Hidden Imam for the well-being of his followers and how such encounters may prompt the believer's "spiritual resurrection," an interpretation put forward by late mystic sources.
During the Major Occultation, which began in 329 (941) and continues to this day, there is no direct communication,[2][139][141] though the Hidden Imam still remains responsible in Twelver belief for the inward spiritual guidance of humankind (whereas his outward role begins with his reappearance).
"[145][146] Another prophetic hadith, in circulation long before the occultation,[94] predicted that Muhammad was to be followed by twelve successors (khalifas), during whose reign the Islamic community would be united,[147][148] as reported in Sahih Muslim and other canonical Sunni sources.
[147][149] More generally, in Twelver collections of hadith, the reappearance of al-Mahdi is the most frequently cited subject in predictions made by the prophet, his daughter, Fatimah, and the Twelve Imams.
As with the account of Khidr in the Quran, it is held that the Hidden Imam benefits the Islamic community (umma) during the occultation,[150] as the sun behind clouds still gives light and warmth.
[2] Muhammad al-Baqir, the fifth Imam, is said to have related verse 21:105 of the Quran to the rise of al-Mahdi: "And verily We have written in the scripture (Zabur), after the reminder, [that] My righteous slaves will inherit the earth.
"[152] Shia traditions add two more reasons for the occultation, namely, test for the followers of the Imam and their faith, and avoiding the burden of commitment (bay'a) to unjust rulers of the time.
[58] In response to Sunni criticism and even ridicule,[154] Shia scholars have argued that the longevity of the Hidden Imam, born around 868 CE,[34] is not unreasonable given the long lives of Khidr, Jesus, and the Dajjal (another eschatological figure), as well as secular reports about long-lived men.
[84][41] For instance, in his Kitab al-Bayan fi akhbar sahib al-zaman, the Shafi'i traditionist Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Gandji proved that the twelfth Shia Imam was Mahdi, relying solely on Sunni traditions.
