Shafaqna English- The book “The Sun of the West” (Khurshid‑e Maghrib in Persian) written by the late Allama Mohammad Reza Hakimi explores issues related to the Islamic belief in the occultation of Imam Mahdi (AJ), the concept of awaiting him, and the associated religious duties. The title is derived from narrations about the rising of the sun from the west as a major sign before the Day of Judgment, a topic discussed in Shia sources. Shafaqna English selected some parts of the book and translated to English.
Imam Mahdi (AJ) in the Writings of Previous Scholars (Prophecies)
From ancient times, the story of the coming of a reformer at the End of Times has been a fundamental and central motif. Humanity’s predecessors have always remembered it. Even now, after centuries, traces of this belief remain in the memorials of ancient peoples, guiding us toward higher understanding.
Essentially, this belief—expectation of the End of Times and the coming of a savior—is recognized as a principle in the heavenly religions: Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity (including its main branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodoxy), the claimants of prophecy in general, and especially in Islam. It is considered a settled and fundamental doctrine. Discussions on this in the theological studies of heavenly religions, in the biblical scholarship tradition, have been fully elaborated.
Prophecies concerning the Mahdi (AJ) and his advent, as recorded in sacred books and other earlier works, as well as in the sayings of ancient philosophers, are abundant. Some scholars have even collected and documented these prophecies and statements. It is said that even in the texts of ancient Egypt, words pertaining to this subject have been found. Here, we will briefly refer to some of the historical evidences of these prophecies and the sayings of ancient people.
Imam Mahdi (AJ) in Zoroastrianism
In the writings and works of Zoroaster and Zoroastrian scholars, much has been written about the End of Times and the appearance of the promised savior. Among these texts are:
• Avesta
• Zend
• Jamasp Nama
• Daigestan-e Dinik
• Zarathushtra Nama
In Zoroastrianism, certain saviors are introduced, known as Soshyants. There were three of these saviors, the last of whom is considered the most important. He is called the “Victorious Soshyant.” This Soshyant is the promised one, who, according to the texts, corresponds to:
“Soshyant in Zoroastrianism is equivalent to Brahmin’s Karishna, the Buddha of the Buddhists, the Messiah of the Jews, the Paraclete of the Christians, and the Mahdi of the Muslims.”
It should be noted that in every era, among every people and nation, in every land, when a prophet, sage, or elder spoke of a “promised one,” they used terms, expressions, and names customary to their own people and language. Yet all of these expressions, symbols, and names ultimately refer to the same figure: the Promised Mahdi—the Mahdi of the End of Times.
Part of a series: The Sun of the West by late Allama Mohammad Reza Hakimi