The idea of the Mahdi and Mahdism played a major role in Islam from the first century to today. The reason for its success is due to two things: The first is that people''s psychology hates injustice and loves justice. This has been their practice in all times and places. If justice was not achieved in their time, their souls yearned for a just ruler in whom justice would be achieved. Some people resorted to imagination in which to live and composed utopias or virtuous cities in that, as Al-Farabi put it. He narrated to us in the East and West many utopias in the style of Plato''s Republic.Some of them were inclined toward revolution, wanting to remove these injustices and achieve social justice in the present world. When they were unable to achieve it, they hoped for it. If this idea came through religion, people would be more enthusiastic, jealous, and hopeful about it, and they found in the idea of the Mahdi something that fulfilled their hope.Ahmed Amin
