A Critical Survey of the Entry of Mahdi in Encyclopedia Britannica, with an Emphasis on Sunni Sources

Believing in the emergence of a Savior in the end of the world is a common teaching in all divine religions, including Islam, despite their disputes over His characteristics and signs. A majority of Muslim scholars, whether Shia or Sunni, reveal a clear explanation on the quality of the emergence of Mahdi, their believed Savior, and its concurrent events.
However some orientalists, due to their insufficient knowledge over the doctrine of Mahdaviyyah in Islam, tend to relate some inaccurate non-documented statements about it. These statements not only put the whole doctrine under question but also misguide the audience who get interested in knowing Islam, Shiism and Mahdi, the Promised.
Based on a descriptive-analytical method and getting use of significant Shii and Sunni sources, this paper aims at a critical survey of first: the definition of the term Mahdi in an entry of Encyclopedia Britannica, under the same name; second: the demurs and claims through the entry, as well as proving their baselessness and lack of reliable documents.
According to our findings, the authors of the entry, due to their insufficient knowledge over the doctrine of Mahdaviyyah in Islam, tend to relate some inaccurate non-documented statements about it, as quotations ascribed to Muslim scholars.