AL-Mahdi ‘saviour of humankind’ Joins Twitter

AL-Mahdi ‘saviour of humankind’ Joins Twitter. Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdī  is believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims to be the Mahdī, an ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imām of the Twelve Imams who tweeted that he will emerge with  Jesus Christ in order to fulfil their mission of bringing peace and justice to the world.

Al-mahdi on his official twitter account (@MAHDI_Montazr) has said that ‘Before I emerge, I will only contact my followers..’  and ‘Haven't you heard about me..an ultimate saviour of humankind who will emerge with Isa (Jesus Christ).

 Twelver Shī‘a believe that al-Mahdī was born in 869 (15 Sha‘bān 255 AH) and assumed Imamate at 5 years of age following the death of his father Hasan al-Askari. In the early years of his Imamate he would only contact his followers through The Four Deputies. After a 72-year period, known as Minor Occultation, a few days before the death of his fourth deputy Abul Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri in 941, he is believed to have sent his followers a letter. In that letter that was transmitted by al-Samarri he declared the beginning of Major Occultation during which Mahdi is not in contact with his followers.

Followers of Sunni Islam and other minority Shias believe that the Mahdi has not yet been born, and therefore his exact identity is only known to ‘God’ Allah.

In the biographies of Mahdi written by Shias themselves, it is hard to draw a line between hagiographical and historical works. In Shia sources, even in historical works of Ibn Babuya, the birth of Imam was miraculous which must be considered as hagiography. Aside from Shi'as works almost nothing is known about the life of this Imam. According to Yaan Richard some even cast doubt on his actual existence.