Analysis of the Theory of Imam Mahdi's Martyrdom from Tradition's Perspective

The present paper seeks to represent one of the views in relation to the end of Imam Mahdi (A.S)’s life: the view, which according to some sayings and traditions has considered “martyrdom” as the ending of Imam’s life. This view is based on the traditions that generally consider martyrdom as the infallible leaders’ fate and some sayings that mention some points in the howness of his martyrdom. While our reviews deem such traditions and anecdotes to be incomplete to argue the martyrdom of Imam Mahdi, considering the fundamental differences between the periods of the first eleven Imams and the last one, there is no reason for such happening, because the dignity of great attempts of righteous people to establish life on the basis of justice and security on one hand, and the growth of human reason on the other hand principally leaves no motive to eliminate the promised savior. The current research, by analyzing such view, in order to answer how one can criticize the martyrdom of the promised Mahdi, has tried to investigate the propounded traditions from the viewpoint of source, authority and content. The findings of this investigation implies the documents on the martyrdom of Imam Mahdi are insufficient and since the normal fate of humans is a natural death, when we cannot prove the martyrdom with conclusive reasons, the inevitable destiny of Imam Mahdi’s life is different from that of his fathers which was martyrdom, and is a natural death.