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The exact nature of the Mahdi is not completely clear, but according to Sunni traditions a basic overview is as follows:
The Mahdi will appear during the last days of the world, and will precede the second coming of Jesus, who Muslims believe to be the messiah. The two are different individuals, but they will work together (contradictions to this belief and reasons thereto exist) to fight evil in the world and to cement justice on Earth. Mahdi means "the guided one" and he will apparently come from Mecca and rule from Damascus. He will not defeat the false Messiah, known as Dajjal; that will be done by Jesus, who will slay the pretender. Once Dajjal is defeated, Jesus and the Mahdi will live on Earth for a number of years. According to some traditions, Jesus will get married and have a family, and then die. There are claims that a grave is dug for him next to Muhammad's in the Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, but whether or not this is factual is unknown.
Some hadith about the Mahdi give the following information believed by Sunnis:
Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliphCaliph is the term for the Islamic leader of the Ummah or community of Islam. Selected by committee, the holder of this title claims rulership over all Muslims. The Sunnis and Shiites differ as to whom was the first Caliph of Islam. According to Sunni tho, reported that the ProphetIn numerous religions, including Abrahamic religions, Jah religions, Sikhism, and many forms of Paganism, a prophet is an intermediary with a deity, particularly someone who speaks for the deity or interprets the deity's will or mind. A prophet usually op Muhammad said, "Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah [Day of Judgment] to come, yet Allah will surely send a man from my family who will fill this world with such justice and fairness, just as it initially was filled with oppression."According to other reported sayings of the Prophet Muhammad some of the features of al-Mahdi are:
The Mahdi was actually born in 868Events 11 May: Printing of The Diamond Sutra the oldest dated printed book. Aghlabid dynasty of Tunisia takes Malta. In Metz, Charles the Bald and Louis the German decide on a division of the lands of former emperor Lothar (now in possession of Lothar II, but went into occultation when he was five. For more information see: Muhammad al-MahdiMuhammad al-Mahdi ( 868 ?) is the twelfth and final Imam of the Shi'a. His given name was Muhammad ibn Hasan ibn Ali. Muhammad al-Mahdi is an extremely controversial figure, and some doubt if he ever existed. However, according to the Twelver Shi'a Muslim
Like in the Sunni tradition, Shiites believe that the Mahdi will return to Earth at the end of times and will usher in a new age of peace and help defeat the false messiah.