Mahdi

Proper noun

Mahdi (countable and uncountable, plural Mahdis)

1. (Sunni) A leader who, according to Sunni eschatology, will appear and restore peace and justice before the end of the world.
   • Ahmadis consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmed to be the Mahdi.
   • "Of course, my Lord. You asked what they were shouting, though. It was Mahdi! They directed the term at the young master. When they-"
     "At Paul?"
     "Yes, my Lord. They've a legend here, a prophecy, that a leader will come to them, a child of a Bene Gesserit, to lead them to true freedom. It follows...1965 October 1, Frank Herbert, “Book I: Dune”, in Dune, Philadelphia, Pa.: Chilton Book Company; [Toronto], Ont.: Thomas Nelson & Sons, →OCLC, page 99
2. Muhammad b. Hasan al-Mahdi, the last of the Twelve Imams, born in 868 AD but believed alive and present in this world in a state of occultation; Similarly to Sunni belief, he will reappear before the end of time.
3. A male given name from Arabic.
4. A surname from Arabic.