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

Written in the form of questions and answers, it discusses about the three main topics Shiaism, Imamah and Mahdism.

• Introduction
• Part 1: Shi’ism
• Historical Factors and Shi’ism
• The Shi‘a and Armed Uprising
• Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq & the Shi’a School of Thought
• Before Imam as-Sadiq (peace be upon him)
• Shi‘a Ideology’s Practicality
• Shi‘a Positions with Respect to the Usurping Rulers
• The Accusation of “Exaggeration” (Ghuluww) Against the Shi‘a
• The Relation of the Shi‘a with the Mu‘tazilah
• Part 2: Imamah
• The Secret of Choosing the Imams
• Allah’s Knowledge and the Infallibles’ (peace be upon them ) Knowledge of the Unseen
• The Countenance of the Imams’ (peace be upon them) Conduct
• The Limits of the Imam’s Leadership
• The Number of the Shi‘a Imams
• Principality of Reason or Narration in Specifying the Imam (peace be upon him)
• Original Source of Belief in Imamah and Faith in The Appearance of the Twelfth Imam (peace be upon him)
• The Qur’an and Messianism (Mahdawiyyat)
• Belief in the Appearance of the Mahdi and Savior and the Appearance of False Mahdis
• The Effect of Social, Economic, and Political Factors in Religious Thought
• “Mahdi” in a Special Meaning and Technical Usage
• Controversy Regarding the Date of Birth of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his return)
• Consensus of the Shi‘a Regarding the Imamah of Imam Sahib al-Amr (may Allah hasten his return) after the Demise of Imam Hasan al-‘Askari (peace be upon him)
• The Twelfth Imam’s Revolution
• The title “Al-Qa’im” (The Riser)
• Two Types of Occultation
• The Miraculous Birth of the Imam of the Age (may Allah hasten his return)
• Philosophy of the Delay of Reappearance with the Presence of Conditions
• The Length of the Occultation and Difficult and Formidable Trials
• The Principle of Grace and the Imamah of the Concealed Imam
• The Issue of Bada’ (Alteration in the Divine Will) and the Tradition of Abu Hamza
• Belief in the Return (Raj’ah) with respect to Belief in the Mahdi (may Allah hasten his return)