The Course of Change of Orientalists’ Opinions about Mahdism (First Period: from 1828-1945 AD)

Orientalists and Western scholars have been interested in the issue of Mahdism and its position in the Islamic beliefs for more than 150 years, and have been working extensively in this regard. A look at the books and writings of these Orientalists suggests a kind of change in their reports and opinions over time. According to some indicators, the views of Western scholars and writers about Mahdism can be divided into four periods. The study of the course of change in the ideas of these scholars during the initial period (from 1828 to 1945) is the subject of the current paper. In this regard, we have tried to collect all the prominent and notable ideas of the Orientalists of this period about Mahdism and the related topics with the library method and direct access to their writings. These ideas have been categorized and then reported in this paper. The investigation and statistical analysis of these mentioned topics and the sources used by the Orientalists during this period is presented in this paper along with other useful information, such as nationality, occupation, and their presence in Islamic countries.