(Arabic; " divinely guided one ")
In Islamic eschatology, a messianic deliverer who will bring justice to the earth, restore true religion, and usher in a short golden age before the end of the world.
Though the mahdi is not mentioned in the Sunnite theologians, he is important in Shīite doctrine. The doctrine of the mahdi gained currency during the religious and political upheavals of early Islam (7th–8th century) and received new emphasis in periods of crisis (e.g., after most of Spain was reconquered by Christians in 1212, and during Napoleon's invasion of Egypt). The title has been claimed by Islamic revolutionaries, notably in North Africa (see al- Mahdī ; {{link=Mahdist movement">Mahdist movement ).