Discussions Concerning al-Mahdi (May Allah Hasten His Return)

The Miraculous Birth of the Imam of the Age (may Allah hasten his return)

Question:

Miracles and supernatural events are related with regard to the birth of the twelfth Imam. To what extent are these miracles reliable and how can they be proven? And why have some historians not related them?

Answer:

  1. Historians have written and recorded the actual birth of Imam Mahdi the Twelfth Imam, son of Imam al-‘Askari (peace be upon him), like all other historical events.

  2. Regarding some of the miracles that occurred during that personage’s birth or that of all other prophets and trustees (awsiya’), if prevalent historical sources do not provide anything, this is considered a defect of the sources mentioned, since the same historians in many instances have pointed to some historical aspects which were not so important. This lack of attention by a writer of history to some aspects of an issue sometimes originates from creedal prejudice. But this action, whatever it’s proof may be, does not harm the relations of other people’s statements that took place based on reliable sources.

The history of the prophets is akandeh of miracles, and the birth and growth of most prophets was not normal. For example, the creation of Adam, birth of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), birth of Ishaq and Musa and Yahya and ‘Isa and his speaking from the cradle are all among abnormal events.

All of these are a chain of historical events, though such-and-such historian may not have related them. The details of the birth of the Imam of the Age (may Allah hasten his return), which is among the uncontestable historical events, are similar. Its not being narrated by historians who were either biased or intended to be brief or intended other things does not harm the issue itself.

That which the Shi‘a attribute to the Imams is similar to the issues that have been said about Ibrahim, Ishaq, Isma‘il, Musa, ‘Isa, Yahya, and so on, all of which, of course, also have a reliable chain of narration.

The events related to the birth of the Twelfth Imam are more reliable, from the point of view of chain of narration and source, than most historical events that one sees.