Third dispute: Ascertaining who is Imam Mahdi (a.s.)

Here Janab Muhaddis e Noori(ar) talks about the deviant beliefs of 8 Non-Sunni groups whose belief about the identity of Imam Mahdi(atfs) is at variance with the belief of the twelver Shias. Many of these deviant groups have ceased to exist today.(However their presence in History is a grim reminder to us that there is a very thin line which separates the truth from falsehood. We should therefore always pray to be attached with the truth till our last breaths.)

Some of those who deviated from the belief of the twelver shias about Imam Mahdi (as) erroneously considered the following personalities be the Promised Mahdi:

Janab Mohammed e Hanafiyah(one of the sons of Ameer ul Momeneen (as)), Imam Jafar Sadiq(as), Ismail-The son of Imam Sadiq (as), Imam Musa Kazim(as), Mohammed-the son of Imam Ali Naqi(as) and even Imam Hasan Askari(as).

He then presents the belief of the twelver Shias about Imam Mahdi (atfs) in the following words:

"They(the twelver Shias)regard His Eminence, the righteous successor, Hujjat Ibnul Hasan Askari (a.s.) as the promised Mahdi and the awaited Qaaem, who is not seen by people and who visits the provinces. All the previous Imams have clarified his name, qualities and description and also reported about his imminent occultation. And it was recorded
before the birth of the Holy Imam (a.s.) in reliable books of their trusted scholars."

He further mentions that:
"The description of the Imam is mentioned in the heavenly scriptures and writings of the people of the book, namely Jews and Christians also, which were accessible to them and led to some of them embracing Islam."

May the Almighty keep us steadfast on the belief of Imam Mahdi (as) and protect us from deviations during these difficult times!