Muhammad al-Mahdi

1 9.9

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

proper noun

: Muhammad al-Mahdi

Many Shia Muslims believe that Muhammad al-Mahdi is in occultation and will one day return.

Examples

The concept of Muhammad al-Mahdi plays a significant role in Islamic eschatology.
Some historical figures have claimed to be the awaited Muhammad al-Mahdi.
Many Muslims believe that Muhammad al-Mahdi will return to lead them.
Is Muhammad al-Mahdi really the savior of humanity?
Many Shia Muslims believe that Muhammad al-Mahdi is in occultation and will one day return to restore justice.
The concept of Muhammad al-Mahdi is central to the beliefs of many Muslims regarding the end of times.
Throughout history, several people have claimed to embody the awaited Muhammad al-Mahdi in different contexts.

Synonyms

Mahdi

vsMuhammad al-Mahdi

8 9.9

A leader who Muslims believe will come before the end of the world to bring justice and true religion

is the same figure but named as a person rather than a title

Surface Forms

Muhammad al-Mahdi main

Morphology

Muhammad + al-Mahdi

This is a proper name combining a known personal name (Muhammad) with a religious title (al-Mahdi). If a learner literally knew both constituents and that 'al-Mahdi' denotes a messianic/title figure, they could infer it names a messianic person, but understanding the full religious/cultural sense requires background knowledge beyond basic word meanings. Because the title is specialized and not transparently compositional for general learners, the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Muhammad al-Mahdi is a name from Muslim belief for a promised leader. The part al-Mahdi means 'the guided one', and one popular story says he is hidden now and will return to set things right and bring the true religion, so the name refers to the hoped-for savior who will restore justice.