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Mahdi

Mahdi

8 9.9
A leader who Muslims believe will come before the end of the world to bring justice and true religion
  • noun
  • /ˈmɑːdi/
: Mahdi
  • The appearance of the Mahdi is viewed by Muslims as a sign of the end times.
  • al-Mahdi
  • Jaysh al-Mahdi
  • Mahdi army

Examples

  • Mesbah-Yazdi even attributes Ahmadinejad's election to the presidency to the will of the Mahdi.

    Academic text (2008)
  • But I am the Mahdi, the Expected One.

  • I am not the Mahdi.

  • Ali, I am not the Mahdi.

  • A spy brings news the Mahdi is attacking him at dawn.

  • Who else could have found out the Mahdi's intentions?

  • I don't think the Mahdi's waiting for that.

  • They say you're the Mahdi.

  • The idea of the Mahdi has historical precedence, for example, in ancient Zoroastrian beliefs.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Their leader declared himself Mahdi, the Muslim equivalent of the messiah, and demanded allegiance from all those present.

    Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

1 9.9

A Muslim leader many believe will return before the end of the world to bring justice and renew faith

is the general title for that prophesied leader without the personal name

Surface Forms

Mahdi singular
Mahdis plural

Etymology

Mahdi comes from the Arabic word mahdī, meaning 'guided one', and from the root h-d-y which means 'to guide'. So a Mahdi is expected to be a leader 'guided' by God who will restore justice and the true religion.