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THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAHDI IN JUDAIC SOURCES
The Mahdi whose coming is awaited in the Judaic tradition--will be a kind of political leader who will establish world peace. Besides being an effective leader, he will be a just and honest judge who always makes the most accurate decisions. He will have exemplary moral values, simply because of his fear and love of Allah. Since the Mahdi will fill the world with justice, neutralize all corrupt societies and be a guide for all nations to follow, Jews refer to him using the title "Yaheb" or "Shaheb" (the Rebuilder). In addition, Judaic tradition says that the Mahdi's personality and beauty of soul will influence others, and that he will turn people in the direction of faith with very wise words. However, this servant whom Allah chooses and supports will very definitely not be any superhuman entity, but a normal individual born to ordinary parents.
Some of the characteristics ascribed to the Mahdi according to Jewish references are:
1. He will be Just:
Righteousness will be his belt, and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
(Isaiah 11:5)
. . . a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. . . . (Psalm 45:6-7)
. . . in judging, [he] seeks justice. . . . (Isaiah 16:5)
. . . [The Mahdi] comes to you, righteous . . . . (Zechariah 9:9)
. . . he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 23:5)
. . . may he judge your people with righteousness. (Psalm 72:3)
2. He will Protect the Rights of the Oppressed:
May he judge the poor of the people, and save the children of the needy. . . . (Psalm 72:4)
. . . he may judge [the] poor with justice! (Psalm 72:2)
With righteousness shall he judge the poor. . . . (Isaiah 11:4)
. . . the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners . . . to comfort all who mourn. . . . (Isaiah 61:1-2)
3. He will Bring Justice to the Whole World:
. . . he will bring justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on Earth. (Isaiah 42:3-4)
Who has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service. . . . (Isaiah, 41:2)
4. He will be Honest and Truthful:
You love righteousness and hate wickedness. . . . (Psalm 45:7)
. . . with righteousness shall he judge the poor . . . (Isaiah 11:4)
. . . he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 33:15)
. . . who in judging seeks justice. . . . (Isaiah 16:5)
. . . [the Mahdi] shall reign in righteousness. . . . (Isaiah, 32:1)
It will be ruled by the [Mahdi], a righteous and honest king. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
5. He will be a Savior:
See, [the Mahdi] comes to you, righteous and having salvation. . . . (Zechariah, 9:9)
. . . as it is written, and the afflicted people you [the Mahdi] will save. (Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a)
6. His Message will Influence the World:
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. (Isaiah 11:4)
. . . And he will be called Wonderful Counselor. (Isaiah 9:6)
7. His Words will Act on People's Hearts:
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies. (Psalm 45:5)
8. He Will Turn the Whole World Toward Allah:
He will [then] correct the entire world to serve God together, as is written: "For then I shall turn to the nations a pure tongue, that all shall call upon the name of God to serve Him as One." (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)
9. He will Spiritually Cleanse Mankind:
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify . . . and refine them like gold and silver. (Malachi 3:2-3)
10. He will Succeed with the Power of Faith, Without Resorting to Force:
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)
11. He will Possess Power and Dominion:
Here I will make a horn [King(Mahdi)]... and set up a lamp for my anointed one. (Psalm 132:17)
. . . in the mercy of the Most High; he shall not be moved. (Psalm 21:8)
He will give strength unto His king [the Mahdi], and exalt the horn of His anointed [the Mahdi]. (1 Samuel 2:10)
. . . the government will be on his shoulders. (Isaiah, 9:6)
12.He will be a Political Leader:
. . . [the Mahdi] will be a very great king. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
And He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples. . . (Isaiah 2:4)
. . . all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. . . . (Daniel 7:14)
. . . all rulers will . . . obey him. (Daniel 7:27)
13. Nations will Follow Him of Their Own Free Will:
Nations shall walk at your light, and kings at the brightness of your rising. (Isaiah 60:3)
[He] will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him. . . . (Isaiah 11:10)
All the nations will come to listen to him. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Repentance 9:2)
In his law, the islands will put their hope. (Isaiah 42:4)
14. People will be Content with Him:
May his [the Mahdi's] name endure for ever; may his name be continued as long as the sun; may men also bless themselves by him; may all nations call him happy. (Psalm 72:17)
. . . all lands will serve him [the Mahdi] because of his great righteousness, and wonders will be revealed through him. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
His great righteousness . . . will cause all peoples to make peace with him and all the lands will serve him. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
. . . let the nations fall beneath your feet. (Psalm 45:5)
15. He will Possess Hegemony:
. . . there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom. . . his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14)
. . . his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from Euphyrates to the ends of the Earth. (Zechariah 9:10)
. . . he [the Mahdi] shall reign as a prosper king. . . (Jeremiah 23:5)
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. . . . (Isaiah 9:7)
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent. (Psalm 132:18)
He [God] gives His king [the Mahdi] great victories. . . (2 Samuel 22:51)
. . . [the Mahdi] is destined to arise and restore the kingdom of David to its glory of old, to its original glory of old, to its original sovereignty. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)
16. He will Rule the World from his Own Base:
... [the Mahdi] reigned only over his couch.... (Talmud, Sanhedrin 20b)
17. He will Rule the World Through his Community:
... [the Mahdi] reigned only over his staff. (Talmud, Sanhedrin 20b)
18. He will Establish World Peace:
... [the Mahdi] shall speak peace unto the nations. (Zechariah 9:10)
. . . all lands will serve him because of his great righteousness, and wonders will be revealed through him. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
[In the time of the Mahdi,] battles and wars will cease. . . "They will not lift a sword, nation against nation." (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
19. He will be Chast:.
. . . and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. . . and his glory appears over you. (Isaiah 60:1-2)
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great. . . . (Psalm 21:1-7)
20. He will Trust in Allah and Rely on Him:
. . . For the [Mahdi]. . . trusts in the Lord. (Psalm 21:1-7)
The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. (Psalm 28:8)
21. Allah will Support Him in Every Way:
And the spirit of Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Lord. (Isaiah 11:2)
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him... (Isaiah 42:1)
The spirit of the God is upon me. . . . (Isaiah 61:1)
22. He will be Intelligent:
. . . [He] will reign wisely. . . (Jeremiah 23:5)
[The Mahdi] will be even wiser than Solomon. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Repentence 9:2)
It will be ruled by the [Mahdi], . . . outstanding in wisdom. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
There will be . . . an era [of the Mahdi] dominated by goodness. . . wisdom. . (Maimonides, Sanhedrin 10:1)
23. He will be a Servant Beloved of Allah:
. . . he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed [the Mahdi] ... forever. . (2 Samuel 22:51)
24. He will be Filled with the Fear of Allah:
. . . the spirit of the fear of Lord shall rest upon him . . . his delight shall be in the fear of Lord. . . . (Isaiah 11:2-3)
Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? (Psalm 25:12)
25. He Remains Close to Allah:
The Messianic age . . . will be ruled by the [Mahdi], a righteous and honest king, outstanding in wisdom, close to God. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
26. He is Good-looking:
Your eyes will see the [Mahdi] in his beauty. . . (Isaiah 33:17)
You are the most excellent of men. . . . (Psalm 45:2)
27. Allah's Glory will be Upon Him:
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
(Isaiah 60:1)
28. His Speech is Wise:
. . . and your lips have been anointed with grace. . . . (Psalm 45:2)
29. He will Teach and Call People to Allah's Path:
. . . and he will therefore [be able to] teach the people the ways of God. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Repentance 9:2)
He shall teach. . . people and instruct them in the way of God. He will. . . repair the breaches. . . .(Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)
. . . he [the Mahdi] will then perfect the entire world, to serve God together. . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)
30. He will Reflect Deeply on Allah's Law:
But his delight is in the law of God . . . he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
31. He will Have Majesty and Splendor:
. . . you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. (Psalm 21:1-7)
32. His Dwelling will be Magnificent:
. . . his resting-place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)
33. He will Have Humility:
. . . he is triumphant, and victorious, lowly. . . (Zechariah 9:9)
34. He will Act in Accord with Allah's Approval:
And I will raise Me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in My heart and in My mind. . . . (1 Samuel 2:35)
He [the Mahdi] will . . . fight the battles of God. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:4)
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:6)
35. He will Rule not Superficially, but with the Wisdom of Divinity:
. . . he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears. . . . (Isaiah 11:3)
As you were lying there, . . . your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. (Daniel 2:29)
36. He will Possess Love and Compassion:
For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. (Psalm 72:12)
He will have pity on the poor and needy, and the souls of the needy he will save. (Psalm 72:13)
He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence, and precious will their blood be in his sight. (Psalm 72:14)
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the dimly burning wick shall he not quench. . . . (Isaiah 42:3)
37. He will be Good-Natured:
He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. (Isaiah 42:2)
He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. . . . (Isaiah 53:9)
38. He will be Courageous:
Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty. (Psalm 45:3)
. . . he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on Earth. . . (Isaiah 42:4)
39. He will be Given Abundance:
. . . the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come . . . bearing gold and incense. . . . (Isaiah 60:5-6)
He [the Mahdi] grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. . . . (Isaiah, 53:2)
40. He will Impart Glad Tidings:
How beautiful ... are the feet of those, ... who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation. . . . (Isaiah 52:7)
41. He will Epitomize Allah's title of the Salam (Peace):
. . . And he will be called . . . Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Of the increase of . . . peace, there will be no end. . . (Isaiah 9:7)
42. He will Have Human Form, and Be a Genuine Human Being:
In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. . . . (Daniel 7:13)
R. Nahman said: if he [the Mahdi] is of those living [today], it might be one like myself, as it is written. And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them. (Torah, Sanhedrin 98b)
43. He will Rule the World Without Working Miracles:
Do not consider it possible that the [Mahdi] must make signs and wonders and make new things in the world or revive the dead and the like, as the matter is not so. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 11:3)
Let no one consider that in the days of the [Mahdi] anything of the customary way of the world will be defunct, or that there will be anything new in Creation, rather the world will remain as it is. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Laws of Kings 12:1)
Do not think that the ways of the world or the laws of nature will change [in the time of Mahdi], this is not true. The world will continue as it is. (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
44. He will be Known Throughout the World:
He [the Mahdi] will achieve great fame, and his reputation among the nations will be even greater than that of King Solomon. . . . (Maimonides, Mishnah Torah, Sanhedrin 10:1)
45. He will Appear in the End Times:
. . . and in the last jubilee* the [Mahdi] will come. (Talmud, Sanhedrin 97b)
(*Jubilee: a period that the Jews regard as holy and occurs once every 50 years.)
46. He will Appear Unexpectedly:
[In calculating the time of the Mahdi's coming], . . . Three come unawares. . . Messiah [the Mahdi], a found article and a scorpion. (Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a)
47. He will be Allah's Blessing Upon Mankind:
What is his [the Mahdi's] name? . . . His name is Shiloh. . . His name is Yinnon (His name shall endure for ever). . . His name is Haninah (blessed by God). . . His name is Menahem ("the comforter'"). . . Because Menahem ["the comforter'", that would relieve my soul. . . Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows . . . . (Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b)
48. His Value was Unknown at First:
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and We esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
49. He will be Patient and Submissive to Allah:
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
50. His Community's Main Task will be to Serve Allah:
And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. (Isaiah 61:6)
51. His Community will Grow in Faith:
. . . you will be called priests of the Lord. . . . (Isaiah 61:6)
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