Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s)

holy birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) occurred in 256 A.H. and his holy father passed away in 260 A.H. Thus the Imam was four years old at that time. However, the age of the Imam till the time of his reappearance and advent is a number, which requires calculation with the reports that are recorded about the age of the Imam at the time of reappearance [like reports, which say that he would appear like a man of forty] are differently worded, have no contradiction with reports, which will be mentioned in this section.

age of Imam Mahdi (a.s) would not be more than forty years. He would be extremely strong, powerful and energetic. There are numerous traditional reports resembling this one, which differ in words as well as meaning.

“Indeed the Master of the Age will be aged like Prophet Ibrahim (a.s); (that is he lived to be a hundred and twenty years), but he will look like a thirty-year-old young man.”

“When Imam Qaim (a.s) reappears, people will refuse to believe in him and he will approach them as a young man. However, the believer from whom the Almighty Allah has taken a covenant in Aalame Zar (in the initial stage of creation) will believe immediately.”

H 399 - It is mentioned in another report that: There is a similarity between Prophet Yunus (a.s) and Imam Mahdi (a.s); and it is that he would return from his occultation as a young man.

Do not deny that Almighty Allah has prolonged the lifespan of the Master of this affair, because Allah, the Mighty and the High has prolonged the life of Prophet Nuh (a.s) before.

H 401 - Christians have narrated: Some of their ancestors lived for seven hundred years and some even exceeded this.

It was the quality of Bani Ghitfan that it was the most famous of the Arab tribes. Among its members was Nasr bin Dahman who was considered to be an elder and noble person of his tribe. He lived for 190 years and became extremely aged and weak, but after this period, his youth returned and his hair became black and no wonder was seen in Arabs like him.

Reports, which mention that the Imam of the Age will pass away or would be martyred and after that he would become alive again:

I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s), “Why is he named as Qaim?” He said: “Because he will rise after his name dies. He will establish a mighty enterprise. He will rise up by the command of Allah, the Glorified.”

I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) say: “The similitude of our Order in the Divine Book is the similitude of the owner of the donkey; Allah made him die for a hundred a years and then raised him up again.”

I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s), “Is there in the Book of Allah a similitude for the Qaim?” He said: “Yes, the verse of the owner of the donkey, Allah made him die for a hundred years and then raised him up again.”

“When the Qaim rises, people will say, ‘How this can be? His bones have decayed a long time ago.”

“O Hazim, there will be two occultations for the master of this affair and he would reappear in the second of the two. And if someone comes to you and says that he has touched his grave, do not testify for him (accept him).”

I heard Abu Ja’far (AS) say: “For the owner of this affair (Imam Mahdi), there are (four) traditions from four prophets: a tradition from Moses, a tradition from Jesus, a tradition from Joseph, and a tradition from Muhammad (sw). As for the tradition from Moses, it is a feared anticipation. As for the tradition from Joseph, it is the occultation. As for the tradition from Jesus, it is said: he died, though he did not die. And as for the tradition from Muhammad (sw), it is the sword.”

“The Master of this Affair is from my offspring. He is the one about whom it will be said: He has died, killed, perished, no rather gone to some unknown place.”