While ImÄm MahdÄ« (mGehr)’s Hujjah [Mahdaviiat] was clear, why did some Shiites consider “Nafs al- Zakiyyah1†or “Muḥammad ibn Hanafiyyah†as ImÄm MahdÄ« (mGehr)?!
Although in some AḥÄdÄ«th which are about ImÄm MahdÄ« (mGehr)’s rise, by the Messenger of God (pbuh&h) and his Ahl al Bayt (pbu th), it has been clarified that he is definitely the son of 11th ImÄm “AskarÄ« (pbuh)â€, because the people knew all Ahl al Bayt (pbu th) as “The best guide for people†and “Guided By Godâ€; therefore, facing cruelty and violation, they took refuge to one of them as “ImÄm MahdÄ« (mGehr)†[It was a sort of psychological need to a divine ImÄm]. They would also take some other people with themselves.