The Mahdi's Physical Features

In addition to his moral values and struggle, our Prophet (saas) described the Mahdi’s physical appearance in great detail so that those who see him will immediately recognize him.

One verse reveals that the People of the Book will recognize the Prophet (saas) as “they recognize their own sons.”

Those We have given the Book recognize it as they recognise their own sons. Yet a group of them knowingly conceal the truth. (Surat al-Baqara, 146)

In the figurative sense, this verse refers to recognizing the Mahdi. When the Mahdi appears, people will recognize him, due to our Prophet’s (saas) descriptions of him, just as they do their own children. Yet despite this, some people will pretend not to recognize him and will deny him.

He is Beatiful And Radiant

He (the Mahdi) is a beautiful young man with an attractive face. The radiance of his countenance rises to his head and the black of his hair. (Mahdisim and Imamate, p. 153)

His face is radiant, just like a shining star. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 33; Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi, p. 22)

His face is like a star shining in the sky. (al-Daylami, c. IV, p. 221, Ibn Jawzi, c. II, p. 558; Ali al-Qari, `Ali b. al-Sultan Muhammad al-Harawi,
al-Hanafi “Risaletül Meşreb elverdi fi mezhebil Mahdi”)

He (the Mahdi) is a young man of medium stature and with a beautiful face … The radiance of his face shines like day in his hair, beard, and the blackness of his head, and gives him greatness. (Al-Uqayli, Al-Najmu al-Saqib, )

The Mahdi is one of my [Muhammad’s] children. His face shines like a star.(Ibid)

He is lovely of face. The light of his face gives him majesty. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr, )

There is a color in his face like that of a bright star. (Ibid., p. 12)

Allah tells us of Prophet Yusuf’s (as) beauty:

She said [to Yusuf]: “Go out to them.” When they saw him, they were amazed by him and cut their hands. (Surah Yusuf, 31)

He Has Black Hair

The light of his face rises to his head and the black of his hair. (Mahdisim and Imamate, p. 153)

He has black hair. His beard is black. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr,)

The radiance of his face shines like day in his hair, beard, and the blackness of his head, and gives him greatness. (Al-Uqayli, Al-Najmu al-Saqib,)

He Has a Mole on His Face

The Mahdi has a thick beard, bright front teeth, a mole on his face, and a broad forehead. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr,)

He has a mole on his face. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 41)

He Has the Sign of The Prophet (saas) on His Sholder

The Mahdi will have the sign of our Prophet (saas) on his shoulder. (Ibid., p. 41)

The sign of the Prophet (saas) is on his shoulder. (Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, p. 165; Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi, p. 23)

The mark of the Prophet (saas) is on his shoulder. (Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, p. 163)

As can be seen from these hadiths, the Mahdi will have “the sign of the Prophet (saas),” an evident mark, between his shoulders. Islamic sources describe this mark as follows:

Abu Saib ibn Yazid relates that: “My eye saw the seal of the Prophet (saas) between his shoulders.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, 6:126)

His Complexion

The Mahdi is Arab in coloring… (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p .15-75)

Note: The Arab complexion is a mixture of red and white.

Our Prophet (saas) had a reddish-white complexion. However, the visible parts of his skin were nearer to brown because of the Sun and the wind. The Mahdi will be the same color as the Prophet (saas), whose complexion is described thus:

Anas b. Malik said this about the Prophet’s (saas) complexion: He was white, but a brownish white. (Ibn Kathir, Shamail Rasul, p. 28)

Not dark brown and not white, but with a little red. The Servant of God’s color is as white as that of someone who has just left the baths and grown a little pink, a color the like of which nobody else will have at that time. In other words, his complexion is a radiant white mixed with pink.
(Ibid., p. 28)

His General Appearance

The Mahdi’s height is like that of the sons of Israel (Bani Israel). (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, pp. 29-36)

His body is an Israeli body. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi, p. 24)

It is as if the Mahdi were one of the People of Israel. (His behavior resembles theirs, being majestic and intelligent). (Ibid., pp. 23-30)

He is ... a majestic individual. ( Mahdisim and Imamate)

The Mahdi's body is Israeli. It is as if the Mahdi were an official of the People of Israel (one of their leaders). (Ibn Hajar al-Makki)

(His external appearance) resembles that of one of the Beni Israel. (Al-Uqayli, Al-Najmu al-Saqib, )

It is as if he were one of the Children of Israel. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr, )

His Height

The Mahdi will be of average height. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 41)

The Mahdi’s name is Muhammad ibn Abdullah. He is of middling height... (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr, p. 11)

We learn from accounts that he is the same height as our Prophet (saas):

Anas stated that: ‘The Prophet (saas) was of middling height.” As we know, the word “rab’a” in the hadith means normal, medium stature. But there is a limit to normal height in the eyes of tall people, because normal height refers seven handspans. (Hadith at-Tirmidhi, Shamail Sharif, p. 15)

He Has a Broad Body

The hadiths reveal that the Mahdi has a broad abdomen, chest, brow, and a gap between his legs and thighs. His head will be large in proportion to the width of his forehead. All of these descriptionsindicate that the Mahdi’s body will be broad.

He is large of body... (Al-Uqayli, An-Najmu al-Saqib, )

His brow is clear… His abdomen is large, the space between his thighs is broad… (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr,)

The space between his thighs is open... (Ibid)

The Mahdi is from the line of Hassan (ra). There is a gap between his legs. (al-Suyuti, Portents of the Mahdi, p. 22)

His ... brow is wide. He will fill Earth with justice and hand out goods in abundance. (Ibid., p. 22)

His Brow is Clear And Broad

The hadiths relate that the Mahdi’s brow will be clear and broad, and that his head will be proportionately large.

The Mahdi is one of my people ... His brow is open. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat, p. 21)

The Mahdi is one of us, and his brow is open... (Ibid., p. 21)

Allah will send a son of my line, with a clear brow, who will fill Earth with justice and distribute goods and property in abundance. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p .23)

He is broad of brow. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr)

Allah will send one of my line who is broad of brow. (Ibid., p. 11)

He Has a Large Stomach

His brow is open … his stomach large, and the space between his thighs is open… (Ibid., p. 13)

His Thighs Are Long

His thighs are long, he is Arab in coloring. (Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, pp. 162-63)

His Gait

One feature of his is that as he walks there is a space between his thighs, and they are at a distance from one another. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 32)

His Age

The hadiths mention how old the Mahdi will be when he embarks upon his task, when people will recognize him, and when they will see and follow his activities.

He will be sent when he is between 30 and 40. The Mahdi is one of my children… He is around 40.(Ibid., p. 41)

He is 40 years old. According to another account he is between 30 and 40(Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, p. 16)

The Mahdi is one of my people. He is 40 years old. His face is like a bright star. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr )

His Beard

His beard will be thick and luxurious. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 23)

His beard is thick.(Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, p. 163)

His Nose is Beautiful

His brow is broad, and his nose will be thin. (Hadith al-Tirmidhi)

He will have a clear brow and a small nose… (Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, p. 163)

He has a clear brow and a fine nose. (Imam Ahmad, II-291, III-17; Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. 14, p. 404)

His Eyebrows And Eyes

He has a clear brow, a small nose, and large eyes... (Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah, p. 163)

His eyebrows are curved. (Ibid., p. 163)

The Mahdi’s eyebrows ... will have a space between them. (al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 41)

The hadiths state that there will be a space between the Mahdi’s eyebrows and that the gap between his eyes and eyebrows will be large.

The Beauty And Brightness of His Teeth

His teeth will be bright. (Nu’aym ibn Hammad, vr. 52a; al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 41)

The Mahdi will have a thick beard, and his front teeth will be bright. (Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr,)