Since some people claim that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be a being with extraordinary powers and that he will therefore be invulnerable to tanks, guns and even the atom bomb, they ignore the various troubles that will probably befall Hazrat Mahdi (as) as described in the hadiths. The fact is, however, that our Prophet (saas) has stated in the hadiths that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will resemble the Prophets in various ways and that, like them, he will have to strive against difficulties. Like the Prophets, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be slandered, tested by false allegations, various troubles and afflictions, and will confront all the snares set by the unbelievers. Hadith transmitted from our Prophet (saas) state:
Imam Zayn al-Abidin stated:
"OUR QAIM [HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)] WILL RESEMBLE THE MESSENGERS OF ALLAH IN VARIOUS WAYS. HE WILL INDIVIDUALLY RESEMBLE NOAH (AS), ABRAHAM (AS), MOSES (AS), JESUS (AS), JOB (AS) AND MUHAMMAD (SAAS) AND THE OTHER PROPHETS. He will resemble Noah (as) in being long-lived, Abraham (as) in his birth being concealed [at home] and away from the public eye, to Moses (as) in his state of fear [the intensity of dangers directed to Hazrat Mahdi (as); his being face to face to all kinds of danger like murder, plotting, arrest, taking into custody and exile] and his constantly spending his life hiding; to Jesus (as) in people being in conflict about him [some people will say Hazrat Mahdi (as) will come while others will say he will not]; to Job (as) in being delivered to salvation after trouble [Hazrat Mahdi (as) will also suffer many difficulties, diseases and trouble; however just like the Prophet Job (as) he will be saved by Allah’s mercy)]; to Muhammad (saas) in his appearing with his sword [our Prophet’s (saas) holy relics will be with Hazrat Mahdi (as)]. (Qamal ud-din p. 322, Chapter 31, Hadith no. 3)
Imam Mahdi (as) possesses the FORBEARANCE OF THE PROPHET DAVID (AS) and the PATIENCE OF THE PROPHET JOB (AS). (Kefaayah al-Asar, p. 43)
All the Prophets have been tested with various difficulties, flase accusations and sicknesses. All them have been subjected to the pressure and snares of the deniers. The deniers have sought to kill them, and they have been called “sorceres” and even “mad.” When our Prophet (saas) read them the Qur’an, they said that “He is quite mad.” (Surat al-Qalam, 51) The Prophet Hud (as) was accused of being “a fool and a liar.” (Surat al-A’raf, 66) The Prophet Joseph (as) spent years in prison despite having commited no crime, the Prophet Moses (as) was called “a magician or a madman.” (Surat al-Dhariyat, 39) The Prophet Abraham (as) was thrown into the flames by the leading members of his community (Surat al-Anbiya’, 68). And as our Prophet (saas) tells us in the hadiths, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be subjected to difficulties and the snares of the deniers, like all the Prophets. He will struggle against corruption and false accusations and will lead a life full of hardship and troubles.
That is our Prophet’s (saas) description of the “Mahdi” in the hadiths. There is absolutely no question of our Lord creating Hazrat Mahdi (as), whom He will appoint as a Qutb al-A’zam, with superhuman characteristics unique to the angels. No such reference appears in any trustowrhty hadith. On the contrary, many hadiths state that Hazrat Mahdi (as) and his followers will have difficult and troubled lives, and that many people will oppose them because they are Muslims and live by the moral values of the Qur’an.
