"The Rise of the Qa'im" is a compilation of narrations on the Mahdi from the most ancient and most reliable Twelver Shi'i sources. Learn about the birth of the Twelfth Imam, his occultation, his ambassadors, his inevitable return, Islamic eschatology, and much more. "The Rise of the Qa'im" is the most comprehensive English work on the subject. It includes Arabic sources, footnotes, and biographical evaluations for each tradition. This has been endorsed by eminent Shi'i scholars and academics as one of the most valuable insights on the Hidden Imam in English. "... an essential compendium concerning the concept of the Mahdi in the English language ... A highly welcomed effort, it is useful for researchers as well as those wanting to understand the idea of the Mahdi within the context of the classical literature on the subject." -- Sayyid Hussain Makke"... a fresh and insightful approach to the translation of traditions concerning the twelfth Imam and the rising of the Qa'im ... it is my hope that this work will be of benefit to all seekers of knowledge who wish to become further acquainted with the Twelfth Imam (ajt) and his coming." -- Shaykh Vinay Khetia"A long awaited and much-needed work for the English-speaking world. In an age where skepticism regarding religious beliefs is prevalent, the author has collected many of the reliable traditions on the subject of the Mahdi (a) and has made them readily accessible." -- Sayyid Ali Imran"The most comprehensive hadith compilation about the twelth Imam present in the English language." -- Dr. Taymaz Tabrizi"Trained in both secular academia and in the sciences of the seminary Bilal Muhammad combines the very best of both worlds especially when it comes to his methodological rigour in selecting the narrations of this work." -- Dr. Francisco Luis