Al-mahdi (a.s.)

Views of One Magazine By the Name of Al-muqtataf

The magazine 'Al-Muqtataf' in its third edition in the year 1359 published one article under the title "DOES MAN LIVE IN THIS WORLD FOREVER" and has said: What is life and what is death? Is it that death has been destined for every living being!?

Every grain of wheat is a living substance having a place in its own cluster. That cluster too is grown from another grain and that grain too comes into existence from another cluster and so on. As such, prying into the history of six thousand or more years becomes easy. Grains of wheat which have been found amongst the remains of ancient Egyptians and Assyrians reveals this fact that ancient Egyptians and Assyrians used to sow wheat and make bread out of its four. The wheat which is available with us at present has not been created from (????) (i.e. nothing). Rather this wheat has come into existence from those ancient wheats in a concatenated manner. Thus this present wheat is one part of another living wheat and that one from another one and so on until it goes back to six or seven thousand years or rather hundreds of years.

These grains of wheat which turn into bread and do not have any movement and growth are in reality living entities like all other living creatures. Nothing is deficient in them but a little water. Thus life and existence of wheat have been for thousands of years -right from ancient times until now. This also applies to all types of plant possessing seed or fruit. Even the animals are not excluded from this rule. This is because all insects, fishes, birds, beasts, mosquitoes and even human-beings who are the greatest of all creatures are reckoned to be a part of their own parents and their parents a part of their parents and so on.

Man leaves behind a generation and that generation is one living part from his own self just as the seed of one plant or tree is a part of that particular plant or tree. In this living part, there earnestly exists small particles like those particles, which have given shape to the organs of parents and the organs of this part are the very food, which he eats. Thus a date-seed becomes one tree which shall possess branches of leaves and dates and an olive-seed turns into a tree which shall have branches, leaves and fruits. All plants, eggs of insects, fishes, birds, beasts, mosquitoes and even human beings can be inferred in this manner.

All the afore-mentioned examples are so well - known that not even two persons can be found who are having dispute over it. Sometimes it happens that a tree itself lives for 1000 or 2000 years but man does not live for more than 70 or 80 years. In rare cases, he may live for 100 years and the gastric particles remain alive and grow in order to preserve the generation. However all the parts die as though death has been destined for them? Centuries have passed since man has thought of relieving himself from the claws of death or at least increasing his life - span.

This is especially true so at present when man wishes to fight the various diseases and plagues with medicines. It has still not been ascertained that for example some one has lived for 100 years in recent times. However, reliable scholars say: - The entire body-tissue of an animal is so endurable that it has no end and it is possible for man to live for thousands of years provided no accident severs his age. This opinion is not merely a conjecture. Rather it is something practical and has been confirmed by experiments.

One of the surgeons was able to cut off a part of an animal and then keep it alive for many years more than the animal itself could have habitually lived. That is to say, the very existence of that cut-off part finds connection with the nourishment that is given to it. Thus it is possible that that part may live forever if ample of nourishment is given to it. The afore-said surgeon is Doctor Kas Carell who is occupied in Rockfeller, New York. He conducted this experiment on one part of an embryo of a hen which that part grew and remained alive for more than eight years. The afore- said doctor and others like him have experimented on the human parts such as the organs, muscles, heart, skin and kidney and have come to this conclusion that the said parts develop and remain alive so long as they are given ample of nourishment.

Even Doctor Wimend Webrel who is amongst the Professors of "Society of Junes Hiknes" says:

It has been proved through experiments that the parts of a human body remain in working order due to nourishing power. Since this saying is based on scientific findings it is highly explicit and significant. Apparently, the first person who conducted this test on the body and part of an animal was Doctor Jack Lup who was one of the surgeons of Rockfeller Hospital in New York. The said doctor tested the way of birth of a frog from those eggs which were not inseminated and came to this conclusion that amongst the eggs some remain alive for a long period while some die very soon. This incident induced Doctor Jack to conduct once again this test on a frog and consequently succeeded in keeping alive these parts too for a long time.

Later Doctor Wern Luis and his wife proved that it is possible to keep the parts of a bird's foetus in salt-water and allowing them to live. When some organic substance is added to it, the said parts tend to grow and multiply. Successive tests have revealed that it is possible for the parts of any animal which is kept in salt-water to remain alive and grow provided they are given food. However it is still not known whether those parts remain alive or not after turning old.

Afterwards, Doctor Carell embarked on further tests and proved that these parts do not bring senility in an animal. Rather the life - span of these parts is more than the normal life-span of the animal itself. The said doctor started his experiment in the year 1912 and on this path faced many problems until he and his assistants finally succeeded in proving the following points:

(1) The afore-said parts remain alive constantly provided they do not encounter certain occurrences which destroy them like deficiency in food and entry of some of the microbes.

(2) These parts not only remain alive but grow and multiply just as they grow and multiply inside an animal's body.

(3) It is possible to know the measure of growth and increase of these parts and their relation with the nourishment given to them.

(4) Time has no effect on them. That is to say, these parts do not turn old and weak through the passage of time. Rather, the slight effect of senility is not produced for them. Moreover, these parts grow and multiply in the current year in the same manner, which they used to grow and multiply in the previous years. All these eternal things reveal that these parts grow and remain alive if proper care and food is provided to them. Therefore the main factor which causes death is in attentiveness and not senility.

So, what is the cause of man's death? Why it is that man does not live for more than hundred years and rather lives normally for only seventy or eighty years??!

We may reply as such: An animal's body possesses numerous and diverse parts and these parts have strong connection with each, other. Not only are these but the lives of some of them dependent on the lives of others. Thus, when due to some reason or another, some of these parts turn weak and die, the other parts too die. Similarly it is the microbes, which reduces man's age and restricts it to seventy or eighty years especially the number of human-beings who die during childhood. What has ultimately been concluded from tests and experiments is as such: The reason why man dies is not because he has completed seventy, eighty or hundred years but because the external factors enter some of his (internal) parts and kill and destroy them and since there exists a relation between these and other parts, the other parts too get destroyed.

Thus, whenever medical science becomes powerful enough to destroy these external factors or at least prevent them from influencing the parts of our body, there can be nothing which can stop man from living hundreds of years just as some species of trees live for this number of years. It is not far when medical science and hygienic mediums will attain this lofty achievement and consequently the number of people living an average life will increase or that they will live twice or thrice the normal age.102

Mahdi is Alive and Being Given Sustenance

When we wish to speak on this topic and prove that Mahdi, the Expected one is alive, receiving his sustenance and living a life just like others until the time when Allah gives him permission to emerge and establish the truth and Justice and destroy oppression, we are bound to mention before anything else, the following preliminaries:

Firstly, it should be possible for man to live hundreds or rather thousands of years and just as you are aware, science and nature do not repudiate this possibility.

Secondly, Mahdi the Expected one is the same Abul-Qasim Muhammad-ibn- 102-The magazine Al-Helal (part 2, pg. 196) has published an article from Doctor Jauki under the title '1ong Life' and says: Death does not come because life has become exhausted and reached its natural level. Rather, most of the deaths are caused by poison. Thereafter he says: Majority of us get poisoned and it is not that we die. Verily life welcomes eternity and what has been worn out ran become afresh provided these fresh faculties too do not get poisoned. However, we strive to poison ourselves because whatever we eat and drink are all contaminated with poison. Most of the people reaching the age of fifty tend to commit suicide gradually and gradually. They tear apart their own graves with their teeth because they tend to eat whatever they like and their food contains little poison, which weakens and destroys the arteries. Soon the signs of senility become visible. Tanthawi Jauhari in vol. 17, Page 224 of his exegesis under the verse has written the following article taken from the afor-said magazine.

Everything indicates the possibility of long-life and making anew the strength of old people. Professor and Doctor Fured Nuf whose name is well - known amongst all is not a physician but like a Prophet who gives glad- tidings. He believes in the possibility of long-life exceeding hundred years and the possibility of regaining back the youth. His belief is based on the results of experiments conducted on animals and till now he has conducted six hundred of them. He further says: Today, we are happy from this fact that the 20th century shall not elapse until the possibility of youthful force is restored and the signs of senility from the faces.

Again, in vol. 17 Page 226 he (i.e. Jauhari) has written the following article under the title "For how many years we must live?" taken from the afore-said magazine: 'Hufland in his book "The art of living a long-life" says: - Truly - is born while (from the view - point of structural form and physical powers) being ready and capable of remaining alive for two centuries.

Thereafter he writes: Hufland is not the only one to have expressed this view. Rather all those who have been teaching the subject of 'Nature' have believed in the afore-said view. Moreover the discussion of "possibility of long-life" is the most sparkling discussion amongst them.

Hassan Askari-ibn-Ali Hadi-ibn-Muhammad Jawad-ibn-Ali... just as it was previously mentioned too.

Thirdly, Mahdi was born on the day, which we have previously mentioned and Imam Hassan Askari had no son other than Mahdi. Rather he is the only child of his father.

Now that you have become aware of these points we say: We are having with ourselves reasons, which prove that Mahdi is alive and is being given sustenance. For an impartial person suffices it is for him to refer to only one of them:

First: Basically, what is deemed to be expedient is this that Mahdi is alive. This is because we are sure about his birth but doubt his death. Not even one authentic and reliable person has narrated anything about Mahdi's demise. The only thing which can be seen in the expressions of some of the deniers is certain improbabilities and the point that how it is or would be possible for Mahdi to live such a long life.

Verily, whatsoever I reviewed the sayings of reliable traditionists, historians and genealogists I could not find in their sayings any stipulation about the demise of Mahdi. Thus it is not right on our part to pass judgement about Mahdi's death after knowing for sure that he is living. That Mahdi's long life is merely uncustomary and unusual does not recommend us to give up our previous firm belief thus it is fair to say that the one who believes in Mahdi's death is compelled to produce evidences as against the saying of the one who says:

Mahdi is alive and is being given sustenance. However, even if we assume that evidences can be produced yet one cannot pass judgement on Mahdi's demise. Rather one is forced to oppose to evidence with views, which are stronger from the view - point of reference and more manifests from the view-point of denotation.

Second: When Mahdi's birth is proved, there remains no alternative but to accept one of the following two affairs: We either accept that Mahdi (A.S.) is alive and continues to live like all other human-beings until the time when Allah shall command him to emerge or on the basis of what is in wont, believe that he has died and Allah by His Power shall make him alive at the appointed Time. However there is not the slightest doubt that the first affair is closer to natural wont and principles of nature than the second affair which is far from natural wont. For this reason, the action of Prophets turning the death alive was considered to be a miracle and not longevity.

Third: The tradition which has been unanimously accepted by both Sunnis and Shias contains the following contents: The Caliphs (after the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and the Imams of the Muslims - so long as this religion continues - are twelve in number. After it has been proved that Mahdi is the twelfth amongst them, it becomes indispensable to believe that he is alive and living. Otherwise what necessarily follows is this that there will remain no Imam amongst the Muslims in this era and their death will be similar to the death of those people living during the period of ignorancy. Fourth: Traditions which speak of Mahdi's occultation and indicate the manner in which people derive benefit from his existence clearly shows that Mahdi is an alive entity who is being given sustenance and is living like other human-beings. Some of those traditions state that Mahdi is 'Muntazar' (Expected one) during the period of his occultation while some others specify that the period of Mahdi's occultation will be the same as the period of his age. Moreover some traditions say: Blessed is the one who during the period of occultation of Hazrat Mahdi is steadfast in his words about his Imamat. Besides these, there are yet other sayings which prove Hazrat's life and continuity till the day of his emergence.

Rather, it is possible to say that the very word of 'Ghaibat' (Occultation) about Mahdi and his title of 'Gha'eb' (Hidden one) are itself a clear testimony of his living because, the words (????) (Occultation) and (????) (Hidden one) have been placed vis-a-vis the words (????) (Appearance) and (????) (Appeared one) and do not correspond the words (???) (Death) and (???) (Dead one) and or the sentence "soon he shall be born" just as Ibn-Abil Hadeed has mentioned. Fifth: Specification of some of the great Sunni scholars about continuity of Mahdi's existence.

Amongst them we may mention the name of Shaikh Mohyiddin Arabi in his book "Fotouhat" as per what has been narrated by Shaikh Abdul Wahab Sh'arani in his book "Al-Yawaqit-wal-Jawahar" (Just as we had narrated the same from the book "Es'aaf-ur-Rhagebeen") who specifies this point that Mahdi is the immediate son of Hassan Askari and the fact that Imam Hassan Askari departed this world in the year 260 A.H. However what is incidental to these two points and explicit admittance of Mahdi's existence and his continued life till the time of his emergence or an admittance of his existence and demise and then Allah making him alive (once again). It does not appear that Shaikh Moyiddin Arabi was having the second possibility in mind.

Amongst them is Shaikh Abu Abdullah, Muhammad-ibn-Yusuf-ibn- Muhammad Ganji who in his book 'Bayan-Fi-Akhbar-Saheb-uz-Zaman' Just as what the author of Es'aaf-ur-Rhagebeen has narrated on page 227) says: "One of the points which proves that Mahdi is alive and still living after going into occultation and the fact that his continuity is not an impossibility is the very existence of Hazrat Isa-ibn-Maryam and Hazrat Ilyas who are amongst the friends of Allah and the existence of Dajjal and the sinful Satan who are amongst the enemies of Allah. The existence of these personalities has been substantiated by Quran and Prophetic traditions."

Amongst them is the learned and mystic Shaikh Khawja Muhammad Parsa who in his book 'Fasl- ul- Khetab' (Just as the author of 'Yanabi-ul-Muwadda' has narrated on page 451) after mentioning the birth of Mahdi says: "Allah bestowed wisdom upon Mahdi in his infancy just as He did so in the case of Hazrat Yahya and Isa."

Khawja Muhammad Parsa continues and says: Allah has lengthened the age of Mahdi just as He has lengthened the age of Khizr. Amongst them is Shaikh Abdul-Wahab Sha'rani who in his book "Al- Yawakit-wal-Jawahar" (just as what has been narrated on page 157 of Es'aaf - ur-Rhagebeen) says: "Mahdi is the son of Imam Hassan Askari and his date of birth is 15th Shaban 255 A.H. He is still living until he meets Isa-ibn-Maryam." Thereafter he says: "Shaikh Hassan Araqi narrated this for me after his meeting with Imam Mahdi and the same has been conformed by Sayed Ali Khawas."

Amongst them is Shaikh Sadruddin Qunawi who at the time of his death told his students Just as the same has been written in "Yanabi-ul-Muwadda" on page 469) as such: "You may sell my medical and philosophical books and give the money derived from them in charity to the poor. But with regards to my books on hadith and mysticism you may preserve them in the libraries and every night you recite seventy thousand times the attestation of Unity (of God) i.e. (*) and send my greetings to Mahdi."

The author says: This saying of Shaikh Sadruddin does not necessarily prove the existence of Mahdi because he must have spoken these words under this impression that perhaps his students will witness his emergence. However the first saying is more evident.

Amongst them is Sa'aduddin Hamavi (just as what has come on page 474 of "Yanabi-ul-Muwadda" narrating from the book of Shaikh Aziz-ibn-Muhammad Nasafi) who while mentioning about Allah's saints says: "Allah appointed twelve 'Wali' (custodians) from Ahl-ul-Bayt for this 'Ummah' (nation) and made them the successors to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.)... However the last of the saints who is the last successor of the Holy Prophet and the last custodian and the twelfth representative is MAHDI Saheb-uz-Zaman.

Amongst them is Shaikh Shahabuddin Hindi who is famous by the title of 'Malik-ul-Ulema'. In his book 'Hidayat-us-Su'ada' (just as what has come in the book 'Durraril-Musawiya') he says: "The ninth Imam from the offspring of Imam Hussein is Imam, Hujjat-ul-Allah Qa'em Mahdi, the Hidden one. He shall live a long life just as Isa, Ilyas and Khizr (amongst the believers) and Dajjal and Sameri (amongst the infidels) have lived a long life.

Amongst them is Shaikh Muhammad famous as Khawja Parsa who in the margin of his book 'Fasl-ul-Khetab' (Just as what has been written in 'Durraril- Musawiya') says: "Caliphate and Imamat shall end in Mahdi. He is the Imam right from the time of his father's demise until the Day of Judgement. Isa shall pray behind him and acknowledge him and will invite the people towards his school of thought.

Amongst them is the inspired traditionist Shaikh Shaeer-ibn-Hajar Askalani, the author of 'Fath-ul-Bari-Fi-Shar-Sahih al-Bukhari'. In the book 'Al-Qaul-ul-- Mukhtasar-Fi-Alamat-ul-Mahdi-ul-Muntazar' (just as what has come in Fotouhat - Islamiyah Vol.2 Pg. 320) he says: "Sound traditions have determined for us the belief of Mahdi's existence. Mahdi is the same person whose emergence shall coincide with the emergence of Isa and Dajjal. By Mahdi is meant this very personality and those before him were not Mahdi at all."

Amongst them are some other learned scholars and mystics who have written such sayings and sentences about Mahdi in the form of poems and odes in Arabic and Persian Oust as the same has been written in "Yanabi-ul-Muwadda" and 'Manaqib'). These poems speak of Mahdi's existence and the fact that Hazrat is a living personality receiving his sustenance from his Lord. This is because they have depicted Mahdi with such positions as 'Vilayat', 'Imamat', 'Caliphate', Deputyship on behalf of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.A.) and the channel of divine blessings.

Those wishing to know more should refer to books written by our scholars in this regard especially the book "Kashful-Astar-Fil-Gha'eb-Anil-Intezar" written by Haj Muza Hussein Nuri Tabarsi (may his dust be fragrant) - the Master of the 'Mujtahids' and the last of the inspired traditionists. The contents of this book are such that it would quench the thirst of a thirsty person and cure the sickness of a sick person.

Mahdi and Those Who Have Seen Him

Under this title we shall set forth three fine narratives as a means of cooling the heart and not in the form of reasoning and argumentation. Firstly, Shaikh Abdul-Wahab Sha'rani in his book 'Tabaqat-Urafa' while writing about Shaikh Hassan Araqi says: I went along with Sayed Abul-Abbass Harithi to meet Shaikh Hassan Araqi. The latter said: Should I narrate to you the story of my life right from its beginning until now. I shall relate in such manner that as if you have been my intimate friend right from childhood. I replied: "Yes, you may please narrate."

He said: "I was a youth amongst the craftsmen of Damascus. On Fridays, we used to occupy ourselves in playing, drinking and gambling. It was on one of those Fridays that I received some sort of an inspiration from Allah that: Have you been created for such deeds? Therefore, I gave up my usual activities and fled away from my companions. They pursued me but could not find me. I entered the mosque of Bani-Umayyah and saw a person on the pulpit who was speaking about Hazrat Mahdi. By this, I became eager in meeting Mahdi. There was not a single prostration, which I used to perform and not ask Allah to fulfill my wish for meeting him. In one of the nights, while being engaged in the recommended prayers, I saw all of a sudden someone sitting behind me. He rubbed his hands over my back and said: "O my son, the Compassionate Allah has granted your wish. I am Mahdi, what do you want."

I said: "Win you come with me to my house?" He replied: "Yes." Then we went together and on the way he said: "Take me to some lonely place." I took him to a lonely place and he stayed there with me for seven days.

The author of "Yanabi-ul-Muwadda" narrates on page 455 (an incident) from the book "Kashful Ghumma" of Shaikh Ali-ibn-Isa Arbali who in the view of Shias and Sunnis is a reliable person. The said author relates as such: People narrate stories and incidents about the miracles of Imam Mahdi (May Allah be satisfied with him) which describing them would take a long time. However I shall narrate two of them which are closer to our time and which have been narrated to me by a group of reliable brothers.

First: There lived a man named Ismail-ibn-Hassan between the two cities of Hilla and Furat. My brothers narrate from Ismail that there appeared a boil on his left thigh, which was the size of the palm of ones hand. Doctors who looked at his boil expressed their inability in curing it. Thereafter, Ismail left for Samerra and visited the graves of Imam All Hadi and Imam Hassan Askari (May Allah be satisfied with them). Later he entered Sardab. There he beseeched the Compassionate Allah and seeked help from Mahdi.

Then, he entered the Tigris River, took the ritual wash and changed his clothes. Suddenly he saw four riders coming from the direction of the city of Samerra. One of them was an old man holding a spear in his hand while the other was a youth wearing colorful clothes. The one holding the spear was coming from the right flank while the other two were coming from the left flank. The youth who had put on colorful clothes was coming from the center. This youth asked Ismail as such: "Will you go tomorrow to your family?" Ismail replied: 'Yes'. He said: "Come close to me so that I can learn about your problem." Ismail went close to him. He bent down and pressed his thigh with his blessed hand and then sat back on his saddle. The old man who was holding a spear in his hand said: You have been aired. He is your Imam.

The four riders left and Ismail too followed them. "Imam said: Return back." Ismail replied: "I shall never separate from you." Imam said: "It is for your own good that you go back." Ismail replied: "I shall not part from you under any circumstances." The old man interrupted us and said: "Have you no shame! Your Imam has twice commanded you to go back and yet you are disobeying?" Ismail stopped. After Imam went forward a few steps, he turned back towards hind and said: "When you will reach Baghdad, the Caliph Mustansi Billah will forcibly summon you. When he shall offer you something, you refuse to accept it. Also tell our son Razi'uddin to write on your behalf to Ali-ibn-Awaz. I will too beckon him to give you whatever you wish."

After this Hazrat left with his companions and Ismail's eyes lay fixed at them until he could see them no more. He sat on the ground for some time and started to weep because of his separation from them.

He then went to Samerra where the people surrounded him and said: Why do we see you so much changed? What has happened?? Ismail said: Do you know who were these riders who had left the city and had gone towards the river? They said: They were from the nobles and are the owners of cattles. Ismail said: They were Imam and his companions. The one who had put on colorful clothes was Imam and it was he who rubbed his blessed hand over my wound spot. They said: Allow us to see for ourselves. When Ismail displayed his thigh to them there was not even a scar left to be seen. People started tearing his clothes to get lucky charm and then took him to the treasure house so that others could not reach him. Later, the Caliph's representative came and inquired about this incident and asked his name, his background, his native place and the purpose his exit from Baghdad in the first week.

The next morning after reciting his-prayers Ismail left the city of Samerra before a huge crowd. On the way he reached one spot where people had gathered in great number and were inquiring about his name, genealogy and the place from where he came. When they saw and recognized him by the afore-said signs, they began to tear his clothes and took them away as blessings. The Caliph's representative wrote a detailed report on this incident and dispatched it to Baghded. The minister called in Sayed Raziuddin to inquire from him the authenticity of this incident. When Raziuddin (who was one of Ismail's companion and had been Ismail's host before leaving for Samerra) and some others saw Ismail they descended down. When Ismail showed his thigh to them and they could not see any trace of the wound, Raziud din remained fainted for almost an hour. After gaining consciousness, he caught hold of Ismail's hand and took him to the Minister. Raziud din cried and said: He is my brother and the most beloved of all men.

The Minister inquired from Ismail about that particular incident and he in turn described it in length. The Minister ordered the doctors who had previously seen Ismail's thigh to come forward. When they arrived he asked: When did you last see his wound? They replied: Ten days before. The Minister displayed Ismail's thigh and when the doctors saw no trace of it, they said: This is the act of Messiah. The Minister said: We know who has performed this act.

The Minister took Ismail before the Caliph. The Caliph asked Ismail to give account and Ismail explained in detail all what had occurred for him. When the Caliph presented Ismail with a sum of one thousand dinars, the latter said: "How dare I take even a little of this offer." The Caliph said: "Whom do you fear?!" He said: "From the one who cured me because he has forbidden me from accepting anything from you." On hearing this, the Caliph began to cry.

Ali-ibn-Isa says: I was once narrating this incident to a group of people who were around me. Shamsuddin, who was Ismail's son, was also present but I had then not recognized him.

Shamsuddin said: "I am Ismail's son." I said: Had you seen the wound on your father's thigh? He replied: At that time, I was only a child. However I had heard this matter from my parents, relatives and neighbors and saw the place of wound after it had been cured. I could not find any trace of the wound and hair had grown on that spot. Ali-ibn-Isa further says: I inquired about this incident from Sayed Safi'uddin Muhammad-ibn-Muhammad and Najm'uddin Haider-ibn-Amir too and they informed me of this incident and said: "We had seen Ismail before and after his recovery."

Moreover his son related to me that his father after his recovery, went to Samerra for forty times so that he would perhaps get the honor of visiting him once again.

Second: Sayed Baaqi Athwah Alawi Hasani related to me that his father Athwah did not acknowledge the existence of Mahdi. He would often say: "Whenever Mahdi comes and cures me, I will confirm the people's saying" (about Mahdi). When we had all gathered for the 'Isha' (night) prayers, we heard a shriek from our father. We went close to him and he said: "Imam passed from here at this very moment. Look out for him." We went in search for him but could not find anyone. We returned back and then our father said: Someone approached me and said: 'O Athwah! I replied: "At thy service." He said: "I am Mahdi. I have come to cure you." He stretched out his hand, pressed my thigh and then left.

Narrator says: After this incident, he used to run like a deer and there was not a trace left. Ali-ibn-Isa says: I inquired this incident from Sayed Baaqi's son and he too admitted it.