Characteristics and Qualities of the Imam of the time
The qualities and merits of His Eminence, Mahdi (a.s) are same as those of the divine messengers and legatees. The effulgence of Imamate and the awe of the prophets was perfectly apparent in the face of the Holy Imam. His description and details have come in the narrations as follows :i
one : Abu Saeed Khudri narrates from the Messenger of Allah (a.s) that he said, Indeed, the Almighty Allah will raise from my progeny and Ahle Bayt a man, who would have appropriate gap between his front teeth and have a bright forehead so that he may fill the earth with justice, welfare and economic equality.i
Numerous traditions of the same type have been recorded by the scholars and narrators of Ahle Sunnat from the Holy Prophet (a.s) describing the various characteristics of Imam Mahdi, the descendent and great grandson of the Prophet
two : His Eminence, Abu Jafar, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) through his forefathers has narrated from the chief of Ahle Bayt, His Eminence, Amirul Momineen (a.s) that His Eminence proclaimed from the pulpit, In the last age a man from my progeny would rise, having a fair complexion that has some redness (hue) and having a clear and wide belly and his thighs would be broad and his bones shall be long (big) and prominent and he would have two beauty spots one of whom shall be the color of the Prophet. He shall rise up.i
ithree: In another tradition His Eminence, Ali (a.s) again mentions about Imam Mahdi (a.s) in the following words: He shall have a wide forehead and big eyes and a clear and wide belly, broad thighs, his front teeth would be sparkling and there is a mole on his right thigh.i
A fact derived from traditions and reports of the Holy Prophet (a.s) is that in his facial appearance he is most handsome and elegant. All physical and facial beauties would be humble and submissive before the elegance of Imam Mahdi (a.s).i
The prominent and acknowledged poet, Agha Sayyid Hasan has thus mentioned about His Eminence:i
The elegance came up (arose) through his clear face
The morning breeze spread from his calming countenance.[sup]i
Resemblance of Imam of the time with the Prophet
Among all the people, His Eminence is most resembling His great grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (a.s), by way of method, Jihad and revolution against oppression and transgression and transformation of the system of the oppressive rulers in society, from theft and destruction humiliation, affliction and problems. He would replace all this with a system that would provide every kind of comfort and security and be a cause of general welfare and happiness of the people. When the Qaim of the progeny of Muhammad would appear, he would work in the same way as his great grandfather had done. That is why he would destroy the false powers and tyrannical rulers whose power is based on falsehood and hypocrisy and he shall eradicate them completely. He would then establish justice and equity in every sense of the term
Numerous traditions of the Holy Prophet (a.s) and the Imams of guidance have reached us that mention that Imam Mahdi (a.s) resembles his great grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (a.s). Some of them are mentioned below:i
one : Abdullah Ibne Masud narrates from the Messenger of Allah that he said, A man from my family would arise having my name, and his manners and habits would be like my manners and habits and he would make the earth abound with justice and equity.
two : Huzaifah relates from the Messenger of Allah (a.s) that he said:i
i"Even if there remains one day in the life of the earth, God will bring forth a man whose name and character will be like mine, and whose patronymic will be Abu Abdillah. People would pay allegiance to him between the Rukn and Maqam[sup][1][/sup] of Kaba. Through him God will revive His religion and bring it back to its early glory. God will also endow him with many victories and there will remain on earth none other than the ones who will declare: There is no god, except Allah.i
Sulaiman got up from his place and asked as to which of his childrens descendent he would be
The Prophet struck his hand on Husain (a.s) and said, From his [sup] [descendants][/sup].i
three : Ayesha has narrated from the Messenger of Allah (a.s) that he said:i
i"Mahdi is a person from my progeny. He will fight for my Sunnah like I have fought for revelation.i
four : Jabir Ibne Abdullah Ansari has quoted the Messenger of Allah (a.s) that he said:i
i"The Mahdi is from my progeny, his name and patronymic is same as mine. Among all the people he would resemble my character. There would be an occultation for him during which people shall be perplexed. After that he would reappear like a bright star and make the earth abound with justice and equity after it had been completely fraught with injustice and oppression.i
Such types of traditions have reached us in large numbers from the Holy Prophet (a.s) and the Holy Imams (a.s). They all prove beyond any doubt that Imam Mahdi (a.s) not only resembles the Holy Prophet (a.s) in appearance and built; he is also having the same type of character and habits, due to which he is more superior to the other prophets of God. Rather in his method of reformation, engagements and his war tactics for the annihilation of oppression and injustice and for the establishment of equity and justice on the earth he closely resembles his great grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (a.s).i
