Tehran, Iran - A triumphal religious prophecy has appeared on an Iranian official state media website, heralding the return of the Shiite messiah.
According to the website, "Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) will appear all of a sudden on the world scene with a voice from the skies announcing his reappearance at the holy Ka'ba in Mecca."
The Islamic Republic of Iran broadcasting (IRIB) website said in a program called 'The World Towards Illumination,' that the Mahdi will reappear in Mecca and form an army to defeat Islam's enemies in a series of apocalyptic battles, in which the Mahdi will overcome his archvillain in Jerusalem.
The series has been regularly updated throughout November and December.
"The Mahdi's far sightedness and firmness in the face of mischievous elements will strike awe. After his uprising from Mecca all of Arabia will be submit to him and then other parts of the world as he marches upon Iraq and established his seat of global government in the city of Kufa.
“Then the Imam will send 10 thousand of his forces to the east and west to uproot the oppressors. At this time God will facilitate things for him and lands will come under his control one after the other," the website declared.
"After his appearance the Imam would remain in Mecca for some time, and then go to Medina... a descendant of the Prophet's archenemy Abu Sofyan will seize Syria and attack Iraq and the Hejaz with the ferocity of a beast… finally Imam Mahdi sends troops who kill the Sofyani in Beit ol-Moqaddas (Jerusalem), the Islamic holy city in Palestine that is currently under occupation of the Zionists," the IRIB added.
'Jesus will be Mahdi's lieutenant'
According to the Iranian series, the Mahdi will reappear on earth with Jesus: "We read in the book Tazkarat ol-Olia, 'the Mahdi will come with Jesus son of Mary accompanying him.' …Imam Mahdi will be the leader while Prophet Jesus will act as his lieutenant in the struggle against oppression and establishment of justice in the world. Jesus had himself given the tidings of the coming of God's last messenger and will see Mohammad's ideals materialize in the time of the Mahdi."
"The seat of the Mahdi's global government will be the city of Kufa , where his headquarters will be the Sahla Mosque… From here he will dominate the east and the west to fill the earth with justice," the special series predicted.
The website added that prayers for the Mahdi's return were said daily in Iran: "In our time, many pray for his appearance and each day they renew their allegiance to him. 'O God, make me one of his companions, show me his respected and bright visage, and hasten his reappearance.'"
'Mahdi to come during spring equinox?'
The IRIB website is filled with details of the Mahdi's return, including descriptions of physical attributes of "the perfect human being."
"He will appear as a handsome young man, clad in neat clothes and exuding the fragrance of paradise… He has a radiant forehead, black piercing eyes and a broad chest. He very much resembles his ancestor Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).
“Heavenly light and justice accompany him. He will overcome enemies and oppressors with the help of God, and as per the promise of the Almighty the Mahdi will eradicate all corruption and injustice from the face of the earth and establish the global government of peace, justice and equity."
'The World Towards Illumination' series cites some Islamic sources as saying that the Mahdi's return "may coincide with the Spring Equinox... A saying attributed to the Prophet's 6th infallible heir, Imam Ja'far Sadeq (PBUH) says the Mahdi will appear on the Spring Equinox and God will make him defeat Dajjal the Impostor or the anti-Christ as the Christians say, who will be hanged near the dump of Kufa."