Iran and some in Germany to celebrate the birthday of the Imam Mahdi

Name of the Imam as Found in the “Mosque of the Prophet” (Karim)

Late today and into tomorrow, as it is based upon the Islamic calendar, is the birthday of the 12th Imam in 2014, also known as the Imam Mahdi. His day is popular in Iran:

Birthday Celebration of Imam Mahdi (AS)

Join your fellow Muslim brothers and sisters in celebrating the birthday of Imam Mahdi (AS)! You are cordially invited to this year’s 15th of Shaban celebration at SABA Islamic Center.The main program will be in English. In addition, there will also be a special supervised program for children to learn about our beloved Imam (AS) through fun activities! http://www.saba-igc.org/15shaban

In Islamic eschatology, the Mahdi (ISO 233/ English: Guided One) is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will rule for seven, nine or nineteen years- (according to various interpretations) before the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) and will rid the world of wrongdoing, injustice and tyranny. (Iran Book News Agency. Book reading contest on Mahdi’ism in Khorasan Jonoubi. IBNA, July 3, 2012. http://www.ibna.ir/vdcipraz3t1a5u2.ilct.html)

This year, a celebration is even planned in Germany:

On the occasion of the birthday of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his glad advent), a celebration will be held on June 12 by the Islamic Center of Hamburg…

QNA’s branch in Europe reported that the ceremony will be attended by Muslims of the region and Ahl-ul-Bayt’s (as) devotees from various nations.

According to the public relations office of the center, the program’s content will be simultaneously translated into German and Turkish… The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. http://www.abna.ir/english/service/europe/archive/2014/06/08/614489/story.html

Here is some of what Wikipedia reported about him:

Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Mahdī (Arabic:محمد بن الحسن المهدي) (born c. July 29, 869 (15 Sha‘bān 255 AH), in Occultation since 941) is believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims to be the Mahdī, an ultimate savior of humankind and the final Imām of the Twelve Imams. Twelver Shī‘a believe that al-Mahdī was born in 869 and did not die but rather was hidden by God in 941 (this is referred to as the Occultation) and will later emerge with Isa (Jesus Christ) in order to fulfill their mission of bringing peace and justice to the world.

The top leaders of Iran have stated that the Imam Mahdi is currently around and has been a factor in such events as the Arab Spring and will protect Iran should it become in armed conflict with Israel or the USA.

Notice also the following:

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that victory of the Islamic Revolution is an example for reappearance of Lord of the Time Imam Mahdi…

Imam Khamenei made the remarks while touring Darolhadis book exhibition at Imam Khomeini Hosseinieh.

The Supreme Leader made clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys divine support vis-a-vis the systematic conspiracies of the United States to topple the revolutionary government in Iran since 1979. http://www.abna.ir/english/service/important/archive/2014/06/11/615223/story.html

Iran’s top leader is claiming that the Imam Mahdi has given Iran protection from the Imam Mahdi for decades. In the past he has also indicated that the Imam Mahdi would give his country victory over the USA as well as Israel.

The Iranians are predominantly Shi’ite Muslims and their views differ from the Sunnis, which are the biggest group of Muslims. Here is some of what Wikipedia reported about the Sunni view:

Sunnis believe that the Mahdi has not yet been born, and therefore his exact identity is only known to Allah. Aside from the Mahdi’s precise, genealogy, Sunnis accept many of the same hadiths Shias accept about the predictions regarding the Mahdi’s emergence, his acts, and his universal Khilafat. Sunnis also have a few more Mahdi hadiths which are not present in Shia collections.

Basically, while I do not believe that any in the COGs believe that the Imam Mahdi is in some type of suspended animation that the Shi’ites tend to believe, groups like the Continuing Church of God believe that the leader that the Bible refers to as the final King of the South may very well hold the title of Mahdi.

Notice the following:

But who is the “king of the south”?…in verse 40 we skip to “the time of the end”…The verse undoubtedly found partial fulfillment in the offensive of 1896…But Mussolini did not finish the prophecy…Just as there is yet to be a final “king of the north”…there may very well emerge in the same manner a final “king of the south”–an overall leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly bearing the very title Mahdi…a prophetic psalm (Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the Mideast picture. Germany (Assyria in Bible prophecy) and perhaps the rest of Europe will be in league in the future with a union of Arab nations…But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived…And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south]…Daniel 11:40-41…The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the fact of invasion. (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979, pp. 11-12).

Interestingly, within Islam, there is a belief that someone who sounds like the biblical “King of the South” of Daniel 11…, who they tend to call the Mahdi or 12^th Imam will participate in a deal like the one in Daniel 9:27… Some in Islam seem to believe that the reign of the Beast and Antichrist will happen after the Mahdi’s death. Now this is true, to a degree, for the Arab lands. However, the Beast (King of the North) and the final Antichrist (False Prophet) will rule in Europe and in some of the American land, prior to the European reign over Arab lands (hence the final Antichrist will have power prior to the death of the biblical King of the South, who seems to be the Islamic Mahdi). (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Nazarene Books, 2009, pp. 83, 135)

An Islamic leader of a coming Islamic confederation, whether called a Caliph, Imam Mahdi, Sheik, Prime Minister, President, and/or King will rise up.

Though his birthday is not something that anyone needs to celebrate, the fact that various ones do shows that they expect his intervention.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?