In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelvers Twelver Shi˓ite Islam], due to the [[community]]'s minority [[status]] and continuing sense of [[persecution]] and injustice, the Mahdi [[symbol]] developed into a powerful and central religious [[idea]] and became combined with the figure of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Imams last of the twelve Imams, Muhammad al-Mahdi], who is believed to have disappeared around 874. He was born in Samarra, son of Hasan al-Askari and the lady Nargis. He is also known as the ruler of the time (sahib al-zaman), the one who will restore [[justice]] (qa˒im), and the awaited one (al-muntazar). | In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelvers Twelver Shi˓ite Islam], due to the [[community]]'s minority [[status]] and continuing sense of [[persecution]] and injustice, the Mahdi [[symbol]] developed into a powerful and central religious [[idea]] and became combined with the figure of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Imams last of the twelve Imams, Muhammad al-Mahdi], who is believed to have disappeared around 874. He was born in Samarra, son of Hasan al-Askari and the lady Nargis. He is also known as the ruler of the time (sahib al-zaman), the one who will restore [[justice]] (qa˒im), and the awaited one (al-muntazar). |